Next week, the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will finalize measures to allow foreign businesspersons entry into Thailand, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said on Tuesday.
Currently, only foreign diplomats, government personnel, migrant workers, experts holding work permits, and people with the Thailand Elite card can enter the Kingdom. The entry ban against tourists is still intact.
“The cabinet was discussing the relaxation of the lockdown which includes allowing foreign businesspersons to enter the country… and the CCSA should be able to come up with the results by next week,” he said.
Constitutional amendment
The PM said the government will propose its own draft along with the opposition’s draft on the amendment of the constitution.
“The government insists that we are willing to cooperate,” he said.
The current constitution, which was drafted by the previous Junta, is undemocratic, according to the opposition.
Over the past two weeks, protestors have also been asking the government to make changes to the constitution which has been used to give appointed senators the power to vote for the prime minister.
Prayut said with regards to the recent protests that he is willing to listen to the younger generation by working with online media to reach them.
Student protestors also ask Prayut to dissolve the parliament for a new election, write up a new constitution, and for the government to stop harassing dissidents.
“The government will open up more channels to listen to people’s ideas, especially from the younger generation to let them know that the government is willing to listen to what kind of future they want to have,” he said.
He clarified that government agencies will set up forums to listen to people’s demands and grievances by the end of August.
Police reform
Following the news that a police officer was killed while he was at an illegal casino in Bangkok, Prayut insists that his government has been working to reform the police and there were many crackdowns on corrupt officers under his administration.
Prayut said the government is already working to reform the police as the latest casino case was an isolated incident and the police in charge of the district are already investigating the case.
“There have been many arrests, punishments and transfers of officers that have neglected their duty under this administration,” he said.
“[But] this is like a cat and mouse game as there are many casinos that keep on moving its operation. If they were arrested here, they will move there, and whoever is in charge of this in the background should be responsible for the investigation and make arrests accordingly,” he added.