วันจันทร์ที่ 13 มีนาคม 2566
13/03/2566
The cabinet met on March 7, 2023
The cabinet met on March 7, 2023. Some of the resolutions are as follows:
Title: Draft Royal Decree on land expropriation in parts of Rayong province (Ban Chang district’s Samnak Thon and Phla subdistricts), B.E. …
The cabinet approved the draft Royal Decree on land expropriation in parts of Rayong province (Ban Chang district’s Samnak Thon and Phla subdistricts), B.E. …, as proposed by Ministry of Transport. Ministry of Transport shall take comments of Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Office of National Economic and Social Development Council, and Official of Council of State into consideration.
Gist
The Royal Decree prescribes areas in Rayong province (Ban Chang district’s Samnak Thon and Phla subdistricts) to be expropriated for construction of Motorway No. 7 (Bangkok-Ban Chang), which includes the exits to State Highway No. 34 (Bang Wua), Chon Buri, Laem Chabang Port, Pattaya, State Highway No. 3 (Ban Amphoe), and the entrance of U-Tapao International Airport. Land survey and appropriation shall commence within 180 days after the Royal Decree is in effect.
Title: Draft Ministerial Regulation on Thai Industrial Standard for hot-dip zinc-coated cold reduced flat steel, B.E. …
The cabinet approved in principle the draft Ministerial Regulation on Thai Industrial Standard for hot-dip zinc-coated cold reduced flat steel, B.E. …, as proposed by Ministry of Industry.
Gist
The draft Ministerial Regulation on Thai Industrial Standard for hot-dip zinc-coated cold reduced flat steel, B.E. …, prescribes Thai Industrial Standard for hot-dip zinc-coated cold reduced flat steel under TIS 3243-2564, in accordance with the Ministerial Announcement No. 6696 (B.E. 2565), issued under the Industrial Product Standards Act B.E. 2511, on Prescription of Thai Industrial Standard for hot-dip zinc-coated cold reduced flat steel.
The draft Ministerial Regulation shall take effect 180 days after being announced in the Royal Gazette.
Title: Establishment of Office of Research and Innovation for Competitiveness and Area-Based Development (Public Organization)
The cabinet has made approval to the establishment of Office of Research and Innovation for Competitiveness and Area-Based Development (Public Organization) under Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation.
Gist
Prior to 2019, there were four agencies – the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), the National Innovation Agency (NIA), the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA) and the Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI) – responsible for administering public research fund in Thailand. Each agency already had specific funding scope which collectively was insufficient to fulfil overarching areas required to transform Thailand into an innovation-based economy. As part of the higher education, science, research and innovation system reform, the National Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Policy Council decided to establish three program management units (PMUs) as independent funding bodies operating under the legal framework of the Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO). The 3 PMUs, namely, (1) Program Management Unit for Area-based Development (PMU-A); (2) Program Management Unit for Human Resources & Institutional Development, Research and Innovation (PMU-B); and (3) Program Management Unit for Competitiveness Enhancement (PMU-C), will be merged into Office of Research and Innovation for Competitiveness and Area-Based Development (Public Organization).
Office of Research and Innovation for Competitiveness and Area-Based Development (Public Organization) will be the country’s major funding management agency for the development of technology and innovation. The aim is to enhance the nation’s industrial competitiveness; promote area-based development and human resources & institutional development.
The cabinet also approved in principle the draft Royal Decree on the establishment of Office of Research and Innovation for Competitiveness and Area-Based Development (Public Organization), as proposed by Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation. The Ministry is also ordered to take into consideration comments of Office of National Economic and Social Development Council, and Office of the Public Sector Development Commission.
Title: One-year extension of soft loan scheme for SMEs
The cabinet has made approval to a one-year extension of the soft loan scheme, worth 250 billion Baht, for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which covers: (1) a soft loan facility for businesses to support viable SMEs affected by the COVID-19 crisis; and (2) a transformation loan facility under the Soft Loan Emergency Decree to help enhance cheap-funding access for SMEs who have survived the COVID-19 pandemic to improve, develop, and strengthen their business capabilities.
The cabinet also approved transfer of balance of the asset warehousing scheme (totaling 100 billion Baht), which is to end on April 9, 2023, to the credit line of the soft loan scheme for SMEs. The remaining balance of the asset warehousing scheme is estimated at 29 billion Baht, which, after the transfer, will make up of an estimated 61.5 billion Baht in the remaining balance of the soft loan scheme for SMEs.
Title: Undergraduate scholarship program for students from Southernmost provinces
The cabinet has made approval to the 4th-phase undergraduate scholarship program for students from the Southernmost provinces (academic years 2023-2027) for the total budget framework of 419.5 million Baht. This is to ensure continuity of education opportunity provision to youths in the 5 Southernmost provinces, namely, Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Satun, and Songkhla (4 districts: Chana, Thepha, Na Thawee, and Saba Yoi) for them to pursue undergraduate study in the required fields (in accordance with local needs), and to use acquired knowledge for the development of their own localities.
Gist
The 4th-phase undergraduate scholarship program for students from the Southernmost provinces is aimed at: 1) minimizing educational disparity in the 5 Southernmost provinces; 2) providing financial support for undergraduate study in the fields that are relevant with local needs; 3) promoting volunteer spirits and public consciousness among scholarship recipients and encouraging them to do better for their own education institute, locality, and the nation.
The program will be implemented for the academic years 2023-2027. Target groups are youths who have resided in the 5 Southernmost provinces for no less than 3 years, and obtained high-school (or equivalent) degree from a local school in the area. Scholarships will be given in 2 categories: 1) students who did not succeed in the entrance examination will be helped with the placement in an education institute (in addition to the scholarship); and 2) students who succeeded in the entrance examination to study in one of the required fields will be provided with cost of living subsidy (in addition to the scholarship). The program will offer 500 scholarships in total (250 each for the above categories of students) at 40,000 Baht/academic year throughout the study period.
The undergraduate scholarship program for students from the Southernmost provinces has been implemented since 2007, with a total of 5,795 recipients from the 5 Southernmost provinces as of now. Based on the program achievement assessment, 70.3% of the 1st batch of scholarship recipients are being employed, while 1.9% are pursuing higher education, and 71.9% of the 2nd batch of scholarship recipients are being employed, while 6.5% are pursuing higher education. The 3rd phase of the program is now in the assessment process.