According to comprehensive news from Bangkok, on July 10th, the Secretary of the Thai Election Commission, Sha Wen, held a press conference and said that the election commission approved the list of 200 new members of parliament during the meeting. The election committee also approved 99 candidates on the waiting list. If any elected member of parliament is disqualified or resigns, the person on the waiting list may become a substitute member. He also stated that the election committee has reviewed all complaints about the election and stated that this election was clean and fair. This list will take effect after it is published in the Royal Gazette.

It is reported that the new members of parliament areComposed of 200 individuals selected from 20 professional groups. They will replace the 250 senators who were appointed by the military government after the 2014 military coup and will expire on May 10th. Unlike the previous term, in the new term, members of parliament do not have the right to elect a prime minister but will continue to participate in legislative work, as well as revise laws and the constitution. They will also appoint members of various independent institutions and supervise the performance of the government. But professional analysis suggests that this may make it more difficult for the ruling Thai Rakuten party to move forward, as most of the elected representatives are from the conservative Thai Pride party.

military

01NATO promises to provide Ukraine with five sets of air defense systems

On July 9th, the NATO summit kicked off in the US capital, Washington. The US and its allies pledged to provide Ukraine with five sets of long-range air defense systems to resist Russian attacks. US President Biden stated that these air defense systems are a "historic donation," along with dozens of short-range defense systems and missiles. It is reported that these five air defense systems will each be provided by the United States, Germany, Romania, the Netherlands, and Italy. On the eve of the NATO summit, Russia launched a large-scale airstrike on Ukraine, including hitting a children's hospital, resulting in over 40 deaths, highlighting the urgency for Kiev to acquire air defense systems.

In addition, Ukraine ultimately hopes to join NATO to resist further attacks from Russia in the future. It is expected that NATO will promise in the summit statement to provide Kiev with aThe irreversible path to joining the EU requires necessary reforms to eliminate corruption. Some member states are also concerned that if Ukraine joins, it will lead to a direct conflict between NATO and Russia.

01Samsung Electronics' largest union announces indefinite strike

According to Yonhap News Agency, on July 10th, the National Samsung Electronics Workers' Union issued a statement stating that it had learned that the management was unwilling to negotiate with them after the first strike, and the union had decided to launch an indefinite strike from today onwards. Previously, the National Samsung Electronics Union went on its first three-day strike.

It is understood that the main demands put forward by the trade union include an average increase in the wages of union members3.5%； One day off on the anniversary of the establishment of the trade union; Adjust the calculation standards for performance bonuses; Compensate for the economic losses caused by the strike. Currently, 6540 people have expressed their intention to participate in the general strike, including 5211 union members engaged in semiconductor equipment, manufacturing, and process development. The management of Samsung Electronics stated that the production line is operating normally and there have been no production issues so far.

02Laos' inflation rate reached 26.2% in June

ASEAN Finance News: Recently, according to the Lao Statistics Bureau, Laos' inflation rate in June rose from 25.8% in May to 26.2%, reaching the highest level this year. Specifically, the biggest price fluctuations in Laos in June were healthcare and pharmaceuticals, with an increase of 41.7%. Next are catering and hotels, with an increase of 35.3%, while housing, utilities, and cooking fuels have an increase of 32.5%. Other significant price increases include clothing and shoes, alcohol and tobacco, as well as food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Authoritative economists have pointed out that there are many factors causing inflationary pressure in Laos. Firstly, the depreciation of the Lao Kip against major foreign currencies such as the US dollar, Thai baht, and Chinese yuan has a significant impact on the prices of imported goods and services. Secondly, the weak domestic production capacity exacerbates the inflationary trend, as Laos heavily relies on imports for consumer goods and raw materials, which increases the impact of currency depreciation on inflation. In addition, recently the value-added tax rate has increased from The increase from 7% to 10% further pushed up product prices.