Day: April 28, 2022

Canberra– The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and Competition Law Implementation Programme (CLIP) hosted twenty-two (22) participants for the inaugural “CLIP Alumni Event”. CLIP secondment alumni from 2016 to 2019 joined a virtual workshop facilitating knowledge sharing, networking, and regional cooperation. AANZFTA CLIP is delivered with support from the AANZFTA Economic Cooperation Support Programme (AECSP) and in cooperation with the ASEAN Secretariat.

The event featured a keynote presentation from Ms Rose Webb, former CEO of the Hong Kong Competition Commission. Ms Webb spoke to the alumni about the evolution of a regulator’s role, key challenges facing regulators in the post-pandemic environment, and the value of strong information-sharing networks such as the CLIP alumni.

Ms Jasmine Rose Macquiling, a CLIP ’19 alumni from the Philippine Competition Commission, said of the keynote, “Ms Webb provided an enlightening reflection on how competition regulation has evolved over her career. When looking at my own, I am excited by what might happen in the future, especially with people getting to know more about the benefits of competition in the market through our enforcement and advocacy work. I would like to thank CLIP for giving me the chance to experience a secondment to the ACCC and make many new connections.“

The event also featured a panel discussion and small group sessions. Secondees reflected on their secondments and how they have implemented the skills, development, and current competition law challenges in their jurisdictions.

Ms Julie Glasgow, CLIP Director, closed the workshop by saying, “The secondment programme, run in cooperation with the New Zealand Commerce Commission, is a highlight of the work we deliver. We are very excited to find opportunities in the next phase of CLIP to recommence secondments and grow this alumni group in support of regional cooperation on competition law and policy.”

Source: ASEAN Competition Policy and Law

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 APRIL 2022 – The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) has embarked on an amendment exercise for the Competition Act 2010 and has launched an online public consultation yesterday to invite the public and relevant stakeholders to provide their opinions, views, inputs and feedback on the said proposed amendments.

This amendment exercise was undertaken by MyCC to make Malaysia’s competition law more extensive and in line with international practices and for MyCC to effectively perform its statutory function to promote and protect the process of competition in the market. The amendment of the Competition Act 2010 includes the amendment of provisions relating to the investigation and enforcement powers and procedures as well as appeal provisions, taking into account developments on the digital economy; and the introduction of a merger control regime.

“This exercise has been in the works since 2019 but was delayed due to the pandemic. We hope that this amendment will strengthen MyCC’s mandate in protecting competition in the market with the appropriate investigation and enforcement tools. More significantly, MyCC will be empowered to review mergers that will substantially lessen or distort competition in the market. We are hopeful that this amendment can be passed in Parliament by the end this year. As it stands, Malaysia is currently the only

country in Southeast Asia that does not have merger control provisions,” said Iskandar Ismail, the Chief Executive Officer of MyCC.

The softcopy of the proposed amendments has been made available on MyCC’s website at https://www.mycc.gov.my/public-consultation and the Malaysia Productivity Corporation’s Unified Public Consultation (UPC) portal starting 25 April 2022. Any

opinions, views, inputs and feedback may be submitted by email to MyCC at amendment@mycc.gov.my or through UPC’s portal by 27 May 2022. Submissions made after 27 May 2022 will not be accepted and entertained by MyCC.

MyCC will also hold two physical sessions for the same purpose tentatively in June 2022. There will be no fees payable for participation in the physical sessions. Interested parties are, however, required to register their attendance. More information will be provided in due course.

Source: ASEAN Competition Policy and Law

1. Official Visit by PM of Japan to Thailand on 1- 2 May 2022

H.E. Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, PM of Japan, is scheduled to pay an official visit to Thailand as Guest of the Thai Government. PM of Japan will have a bilateral meeting with PM at the Government House on 2 May 2022. The two leaders will witness the signing ceremony of agreements between the agencies concerned of both sides and have a joint press conference. PM of Japan will then attend a dinner hosted by PM.

This visit takes place on the occasion of the 135th anniversary of the diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership between Thailand and Japan. It also coincides with Thailand’s coordinator for the ASEAN-Japan relations between 2021 – 2024, during which ASEAN and Japan will mark its 50th commemorative year of Friendship and Cooperation in 2023, and Thailand’s hosting of APEC 2022.

Both sides will discuss issues related to the bilateral relations and steer forward cooperation in all dimensions at the bilateral, sub-regional and regional levels, as well as to exchange view on regional and international situations.

2. New entry measures for travelers entering Thailand by air from 1 May 2022

From 1 May 2022, all travelers entering Thailand by air with the new entry measures can register on Thailand Pass from 29 Apr. 2022

(00.01 hrs. Thailand Time), and attach required documents including (1) passport, (2) certificate of vaccination and (3) proof of insurance with at least 10,000 USD coverage for medical treatments in Thailand (for non-Thai nationals only).

1. Fully Vaccinated Persons

COVID-19 test, both prior and after arriving in Thailand, is NO longer required and will be exempt from quarantine.

2. Unvaccinated Persons

Option 1 – Exemption from quarantine travelers need to show a negative RT-PCR test result issued within 72 hours before traveling.

Any COVID-19 test after arriving in Thailand is not required.

Option 2 – Quarantine for travelers who cannot undergo RT-PCR test result within 72 hours before traveling or wish to be quarantined, can undergo an RT-PCR test on Day 4 – 5 in Thailand during the mandatory 5-day quarantine at AQ.

Travelers whose Thailand Pass have already been issued, can travel with the issued QR Code and do not need to register for new Thailand Pass. They can enter and follow the new entry measures if their arrival date are from 1 May onwards.

3. The 3rd APEC Media Focus Group at the EECi (22 Apr. 2022)

Dept. of Info and Dept. of International Economic Affairs, MFA, organized the 3rd APEC Media Focus Group (AMF) at the Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation (EECi), Wangchan district, Rayong province for both Thai and foreign media representatives. The AMF aims to share Thailand’s vision and potential as APEC host this year, and to introduce and apply the BCG economy model as an approach to post-COVID economic recovery.

At the seminar on “Advancing Sustainability Initiatives in the EEC: Achieving a BCG and Net-Zero Carbon Reality”, DG of Dept. of

International Economic Affairs linked Thailand’s objectives and key deliverables for APEC 2022 “Open. Connect. Balance.” with existing EEC initiatives. The BCG Economy is the overarching thinking behind this year’s theme, and the EEC exemplifies an ecosystem that supports the BCG economy model with the Blueprint for smart and green cities.

Kanit Sangsubhan, Sec-Gen of the Office of the EEC, shared details on the application of BCG economy model in the EEC, advancing a set target to achieve net zero carbon emissions, 30 per cent energy usage from renewable energy, investments in solar energy, and the efforts to create an “EEC Smart Livable City”, linking Bangkok to EEC areas via high-speed train, are achieving one of the Top 10 Smart Cities in the world by 2037.

The 3rd AMF participants also visited areas in the EECi to access firsthand information, follow-up on pertinent developments as well as projects and initiatives such as the development of a Biorefinery, and smart greenhouses housing experiments on medicinal plants in a controlled environment to be implemented at Smart Farming Demo Sites.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand

On 22 April 2022, the Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized the 3rd APEC Media Focus Group at the Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation (EECi), Wangchan district, Rayong province for both Thai and foreign media, to share Thailand’s vision and potential as APEC host economy this year, to introduce and apply the BCG economy model as an approach to driving post-COVID economic recovery.

The event commenced with a dialogue on “Advancing Sustainability Initiatives in the EEC: Achieving a BCG and Net-Zero Carbon Reality” and welcome remarks by Mr. Tanee Sangrat, Director-General of the Department of Information and Spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry, who underlined the main objective of the 3rd AMF. Mr. Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs and APEC Senior Official of Thailand, linked Thailand’s objectives and key deliverables for APEC 2022 “Open. Connect. Balance.” with existing EEC initiatives. The BCG Economy is the overarching thinking behind this year’s theme, and the EEC exemplifies an ecosystem that supports the BCG economy model with the Blueprint for smart and green cities.

Dr. Kanit Sangsubhan, Secretary-General of the Office of the Eastern Economic Corridor, shared details on the application of the BCG economy model in the EEC advancing a set of targets to achieve net zero carbon emissions, 30 per cent energy usage derived from renewable energy, a shift in the mode of transportation from road to rail system, and investments in solar energy. He also introduced efforts to create an “EEC Smart Livable City” linking Bangkok to EEC areas via high-speed train, set to become one of the Top 10 Smart Cities in the world by 2037. Mr. Surachai Laophulsuk, Executive Vice President, PTT & Director of EECi Project, elaborated on the blueprint of a Smart City in the EEC and the establishment of an ecosystem for innovation. Other speakers expounded on others salient BCG ideas being implemented in the EECi and the EEC including the importance of biotechnology in enhancing sustainability efforts in Thailand, ranked 16th globally in richness of biodiversity, the “Rayong Model” with a waste management project aimed at converting waste into energy through affordable service fees, and the C-ROS project to manage organic waste comprising 50 per cent of all waste whose success is attributable to strong community participation, resulting in significant reduction of CO2 emissions.

The 3rd AMF participants also visited areas in the EECi, which provided an opportunity to access firsthand information, follow-up on key developments as well as projects and initiatives such as those within the BIOPOLIS, namely, current efforts at the development of a Biorefinery, a joint investment project between the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) and Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant (BBEPP) which will create the infrastructure to process biomass, turning low-value agricultural waste into high-value extracts earmarked for the biopharmaceutical, pharmaceutical, food supplement and cosmetic industries. The project is expected to be up and running by early 2024. The participants also visited smart greenhouses housing experiments on medicinal plants in a controlled environment to be implemented at Smart Farming Demo Sites throughout the 3 provinces in the EEC.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand

BRUSSELS— The European Union slammed a five-year jail sentence given by a Myanmar junta court to deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi at a “politically motivated” trial.

“It represents another step towards the dismantling of the rule of law and a further blatant violation of human rights in Myanmar and yet another major setback for democracy in Myanmar since the military coup on 1 February 2021,” an EU spokesperson said in a statement.

Suu Kyi has been in military custody since last year’s coup ousted her government and plunged Myanmar into turmoil.

She was handed the sentence Wednesday for alleged corruption as part of a barrage of criminal cases that could see her jailed for decades.

The EU said the proceedings were “a clear attempt to exclude democratically elected leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi” from a dialogue process called for by the ASEAN regional bloc.

“We reiterate our urgent call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners as well as all those arbitrarily detained since the coup,” the EU statement said.

The German foreign ministry also condemned the sentencing as “politically motivated” and “another step to dismantle the rule of law”.

“The military junta must end its repression against the people of #Myanmar, release all political prisoners and put an end to the violence,” the ministry wrote on Twitter.

The 27-nation bloc has already imposed sanctions on the Myanmar junta and its key economic sources over the coup and subsequent crackdown.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK