GTCC’s 5th update on COVID-19: New Relief Measures for Companies in Thailand | German Thai Chamber of Commerce on EventBank

GTCC’s 5th update on COVID-19: New Relief Measures for Companies in Thailand

As of 27 April 2020

Dear ,

The German-Thai Chamber of Commerce (GTCC) has been watching the situation of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak closely in order to fully support our members and partners. In co-operation with the Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), we are pleased to share with you updated informatiton on the relief measures for companies in Thailand as follows.

Financial Relief Measures

The Ministry of Labour’s Social Security Office has a credit program to promote employment. It is in the form of refinance loans, not exceeding 50% of the loans granted by each bank. The credit limit to promote employment of 30,000 million Baht are allocated as follows:

Credit limit of 18,000 million Baht for organizations with no more than 50 employees and a loan limit of 5 million Baht per case.
Credit limit of 9,000 million Baht for organizations with 51-200 employees and a loan limit of 10 million Baht per case.
Credit limit of 3,000 million Baht for organizations with 200 employees and a loan limit of 15 million Baht per case.

Interest rate will be at 3% per year and fixed for 3 years. In the case that businesses are interested in taking out a loan but have no securities, guarantee or personal guarantee, interest rates will be at 5% per year and fixed for 3 years.

The period for submitting the loan request is from the beginning of the project up until 31 December 2020, or until the project credit limit is exhausted.

Source: Ministry of Labour

Labour Market Measures

On 15 April, the Cabinet announced a further extension of stay permits and visas for migrants from Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar and Viet Nam who are on registered Name Lists, to work and stay in Thailand without any financial penalty until 30 November 2020. This decision also applies to their registered dependents, who are allowed to stay but not to work, until 30 November 2020. Currently there are approximately 555,993 migrant workers registered on this Name Lists.

Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Other Measures

The Royal Thai Government announced an Emergency Decree on Electronic Media Conference, B.E. 2563 (2020) which came into force on April 19, 2020. It will allow board meetings and shareholders meetings to take place entirely via electronic means and attendants will no longer be required to be physically present in Thailand. The New Royal Decree is expected to apply to board meetings and shareholders meetings of both private and public Thai companies, as well as meetings of partnerships, trade associations, and chambers of commerce.

Source: Royal Thai Government Gazette

More: Blumenthal Richter & Sumet

Exemption of customs duties on imported goods for treatment, diagnosis or preventing of coronavirus

The Ministry of Finance issued the announcement dated 10 April 2020 on the exemption of customs duties on imported goods for the purpose of treating, diagnosing or preventing Coronavirus Disease 2019, regardless of the tariff classification according to the list announced by the Ministry of Public Health In which the importer must comply with the regulations prescribed by the Director-General. Effective from 26 March 26 2020 to 30 September 2020.

Source: Royal Thai Government Gazette

The Ministry of Public Health issued the announcement on the list of drugs and other items (medical devices and list of hazardous substances in the category of cleaning disinfectant products) which is a list in accordance with the Notification of the Ministry of Finance regarding the exemption of customs duties on imported goods for use in the treatment, diagnosis or prevention of Coronarvirus Disease 2019.

Source: Drug and Medical Supply Information Center, Ministry of Public Health (DMSIC)

Private sector associations and the Minister of Energy discussed on 23rd April 2020 the following relief measure on electricity charges

1. Exemption of minimum electricity charge. The electricity users to be charged for the actual consumption in order to help reduce costs for electricity users in the Category 3 (Medium sized business), Category 4 (Large sized business), Category 5 (Specific business) Category 6 (Non-profit organization) Category 7 (Pump water for agriculture).

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has laid out measures from April to June 2020. The private sector requested the ERC to extend this from June to until December 2020.

2. Business operators are requesting a waiver of electricity payment for the service businesses affected by Covid-19, such as tourism and hotels. ERC therefore requested the business operators to prepare more details on this.

3. Refund of electricity usage insurance for small and medium businesses, which the ERC will consider.

Source: Ministry of Energy

Further Information

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) announced the extension of its inbound flight ban. All commercial flights into Thailand have been banned until 31 May 2020. (CAAT, 27/04/2020) More
Suvarnabhumi Airport will be re-opened for domestic flights on May 1. (Bangkok Post, 26/04/2020) More

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Please follow the news of COVID-19 from the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH). If there are any questions, contact the Department of Disease Control Hotline 1422 (available 24 hours) or visit its website here.

If you would like to contact the German Embassy Bangkok, pease call Hotline @ 02-287-9123 (Monday to Friday 9.00 am – 8.00 pm, Saturday to Sunday 10.00 am – 4.00 pm) or email <info@bangk.diplo.de>

COVID-19 Update on GTCC Website

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