MFP to elect new leader, executives Sept 23

Padipat will have to resign as deputy speech as a result of the opposition’s proper confirmation.

MFP to elect new leader, executives Sept 23
One of the main candidates to succeed Pita Limjaroenrat as president is Acting Secretary-General Chaithawat Tulathon, who is depicted above giving a presentation at the party’s headquarters in July. ( Image: Chanat Katanyu )

Following Pita Limjaroenrat’s resignation as the party leader, the Move Forward Party may hold a public assembly on September 23 to appoint new executive committee.

All executive committee members, including the party president, are now in interim jobs as a result of Mr. Pita’s surrender on Friday.

According to Chaithawat Tulathon, the interim group secretary-general, Mr. Pita decided to resign after consulting with the executive committee in order to make room for the party to elect a new president who could then assume the position of opposition head.

On September 23, the public assembly will take place in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang area at the Thai Summit building, where the group has its main office. The gathering to choose the new leader and new executive committee is expected to draw on 500 representatives from party branches across the nation.

Padipat Suntiphada, a Phitsanulok-based group MP, would be barred from serving as deputy speaker under political principles once Move Forward is officially recognized as the leading opposition party in the House of Representatives. All members of the House must be from the state area, including the presenter and deputies.

Mr. Chaithawat responded that the MP may be consulted by the new executive council before making a decision regarding the status of Mrs. Padipat.

If his group decides to take the lead in the opposition, Mr. Padipat has previously stated that he is prepared to quit as deputy speaker.

Move Forward, according to Mr. Chaithawat, then believes that in order to effectively carry out parliamentary duties, it must entirely assume the opposition’s role and elect an opposition leader as its leader.

In announcing his departure, Mr. Pita expressed the identical opinion, saying that the group should not be prevented from stepping forth and carrying out its duties on behalf of the general public due to the uncertainty surrounding his reputation as an MP.

On July 19, Mr. Pita was suspended from his position as an MP pending a decision by the Constitutional Court regarding whether he applied to run for office despite being aware that doing so may render him unsuitable given his ownership stake in the now-defunct broadcaster iTV.

Mr. Chaithawat responded that it would be up to the new executive council to determine whether Mr Pita may reapply as party chief if the judge ruled in his favor and he could take up his responsibilities as an MP.

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PM Srettha appoints 9 advisers

PM Srettha appoints 9 advisers
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin leaves his second cabinet meeting at Government House. ( Image: Chanat Katanyu)

Nine consultants have been appointed by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, with former finance minister Kittirat Na – Ranong serving as his principal advisor.

The visit of the nine professionals as consultants to the prime minister was approved by Mr. Srettha, who is also the finance minister, in a Prime Minister’s Office get signed on Thursday.

Their primary duty, according to the purchase, is to give advice and provide insights or recommendations on tasks given by the prime minister.

The nine advisors consist of:

  • Kittirat, a former finance minister and deputy prime minister.
  • Tewan Liptapanlop, the Chartpattananakla Party’s president.
  • Previous Bangchak Corporation president Pichai Chunhavajira.
  • Supanit Chaiyawat is an independent producer of Sansiri Public Company Limited and a close friend of Mr. Srettha.
  • Pimol Srivikorn, leader of the Thai Taekwondo Association and the Pheu Thai Party’s activities policy commission.
  • Pichit Chuenban, an attorney who collaborated with Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister who was convicted.
  • Previous Royal Forestry Department director-general Chonlatit Surasawadi.
  • Chai Watcharong, a dermatologist and state spokesperson.
  • Surayut Thavikulwat, a past BTS Group key financial advisor.

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Pita resigns as Move Forward leader

Pita claims that by resigning, the MFP will be able to choose an MP who can take over as the foe leader.

Pita resigns as Move Forward leader
Pita Limjaroenrat, the head of the Move Forward Party, raises his fist to other MFP MPs as he exits the parliament on July 19 after receiving formal notification that the Constitutional Court had suspended him from MP work pending its decision on his eligibility to work for political business over a media ownership. ( Image: Wicheanbut Nutthawat )

Pita Limjaroenrat has stepped down as the Move Forward Party’s( MFP ) leader to make room for his successor to assume the position of opposition leader.

On Friday, Mr. Pita, who is on the TIME100 Next listing of youthful world leaders to watch, sent a message of resignation to all MFP members and the general public on his Facebook page.

While the MFP has the most MPs in the opposition alliance, Mr. Pita stated in his message that he is unable to accept the position of criticism head because the Constitutional Court has suspended him from carrying out his duties as an MP.

I am still unable to perform my obligations in the House of Representatives and won’t be able to accept the position of opposition head any time soon, despite the fact that the existing constitution requires an MP to be the head of the opposition party.

We have come to the conclusion that the place of” opposition head” is of utmost importance in the political system, and the main opposition party should take on the role after consulting with the professional council and gathering MPs.

In other words, the MFP should be in charge of pushing for changes that go against the government’s plans and keeping it under investigation and balances.

I’ve made the decision to resign as MFP head, allowing the party to choose an MP who can take over as” opposition head” to take my place.

The 43-year-old Harvard Kennedy School of Government student declared that he would continue to do his best to serve the MFP and the public despite his departure.

To choose the new party president, he urged all MFP people to congregate on September 24 at Keelawes Building 1 in Bangkok’s Din Daeng neighborhood.

Chaithawat Tulathon, the party secretary-general, is thought to be Mr. Pita’s good son, according to observers.

Secretary-general of the Move Forward Party Chaithawat Tulathon. ( Image: Chanat Katanyu )

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Conflicting accounts emerge from CCTV files in dinner party murder

Images showed that after the initial shot, there was no action.

Conflicting accounts emerge from CCTV files in dinner party murder
Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, the deputy national police captain, will speak with reporters on Thursday to discuss the documents that were recovered from a CCTV site at the home of the original subdistrict mind. ( Photo: Chatpattarasill, Pattaropong)

Conflicting accounts from people present at a dinner party on the night of September 6 have been found in files retrieved from an closed-circuit television( CCTV ) server that was previously installed at the home of the former subdistrict head Praween Chankhlai, also known as Kamnan Nok, in Muang district, Nakhon Pathom province, according to police.

Pol Maj Siwakorn Saibua, an officer stationed at bridge authorities station 1 of the Highway Police Sub-division 2, was fatally shot in the affair, which also caused injuries to Lt. Col. Wasin Pandee, the assistant commander of that division. Thananchai Manmak, the shooter, was later killed in a shootout with the police in the state of Kanchanaburi.

There are 15 CCTVs installed at Mr. Praween’s home, according to deputy federal police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, who spoke at a press conference on Thursday at the Provincial Police Region 7 office. Two CCTV pcs were taken out of the building after the deadly shooting and dumped into a river in tambon Takong, where they appeared to be trying to hide or destroy facts.

According to Pol Gen Surachate, the machines were found, and investigative officers were able to recover 13 of the 15 data contained in one of them.

Law enforcement was able to identify people present at the scene and their activities both before and after the killing thanks to the clear pictures and voice provided by the CCTV images. According to him, two more records were being salvaged and should be accessible for review by Friday.

More than 56 people, including both officers and citizens, were reportedly present at the group, according to Pol Gen Surachate. All of them have undergone questioning, and some have been detained and accused of being involved in the violence.

Those who had been questioned were discovered to have made contradictory statements in comparison to what was seen in the images. As a result, the deputy federal police chief announced that more interrogations may be conducted.

According to the footage, almost all of the party’s officers and guests were armed, and after the shooter fired his second shot, no one attempted to interfere, he claimed.

He continued by saying that there were three groups of people at the field: those who went to the hospital with the two police officers who had been shot, the people who left, and the ones who stayed.

Additionally, Pol Gen Surachate confirmed that Thananchai Manmak was the shooter.

After the two different data were recovered and examined, it might be possible to determine whether Thananchai had been given Mr. Praween’s order to commit the murder. He claimed that the other site found in the waterway was being saved by investigative police.

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Srettha says he disagrees with recreational use of cannabis

Srettha says he disagrees with recreational use of cannabis
At the Asia International Hemp Expo, which took place in Bangkok in November of last year, marijuana species are on screen. Somchai Poomlard( picture )

Although marijuana use for medical purposes would continue to be a plan under his leadership, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin stated on Friday that he did not agree with allowing recreational use of the drug.

” Medical cannabis will be the plan.” I do not agree with that regarding recreational apply, Mr. Srettha, who is also the finance minister, told investigators.

Over the next few years, Thailand’s cannabis market is expected to be worth up to US$ 1.2 billion( 42. 9 billion baht ), with thousands of new companies emerging following the legalization of cannabis use and growth last year.

As healing lags in Southeast Asia’s second-largest business, Mr. Srettha unveiled a number of economic policies earlier this week aimed at increasing usage and spending.

The former business tycoon stated that” this is a targeted policy, domestic spending will increase enormously ,” alluding to his signature policy of giving away 10,000 baht($ 282.09 ) to all Thais via digital wallet.

Srettha Thavisin, the prime minister, addresses the media on Wednesday at Government House. Government House ( picture )

The Krungthai Bank Pao Tang smart implementation will be used by the government for its electronic wallet job, according to the prime minister on Thursday. The software will also be integrated with blockchain technology.

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Visa-free policy wins China praise

Visa-free policy wins China praise
At Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi aircraft, travelers arrive in teams. From January to April 2023, more than 800,000 Chinese visitors arrived. Somchai Poomlard in the image

The Chinese ambassador has expressed gratitude to the government for its visa-free scheme, claiming that it will aid in luring visitors from China and boosting Thailand’s tourism industry.

The Taiwanese government expressed its gratitude for learning about the coverage and willingness to support it in a Facebook post on Wednesday, according to the embassy.

However, the article also emphasized how important it was for the government to protect Chinese visitors while they were these.

To encourage the tourism industry, the government announced on Wednesday a visa-free program for Chinese and Kazakhstani customers from September 25 through February 29 of next year. The government anticipates 28 million international visitors this season, including 5 million Chinese visitors.

Nevertheless, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday and NBP that security measures would be put in place to increase Chinese tourists’ security.

According to Kanchana Patarachoke, the department spokesperson, Chinese tourists are concerned for their protection because there is a lot of unfavorable information circulating about some of them being kidnapped and cheated while in Thailand.

After it was reported that some Chinese citizens had been abducted, she said,” A lot of bad news circulates on social media saying Thailand isn’t healthy, especially for Chinese vacationers.”

She continued,” I would like to reassure people that we will give safety and comfort for all visitors from all nations and that there is no need to worry as we tighten security steps.”

According to Ms. Kanchana, who cited data from the Thailand Tourism Authority, approximately two million Chinese and 100,000 Kazakhstani tourists visited the nation in the first eight weeks of this year.

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Nok’s companies face probe

A special team has been established by the Royal Thai Police to look into the alleged manipulation of bid prices by two businesses owned by Praween Chanklai, also known as” Kamnan Nok ,” a key suspect in the killing of he allegedly committed last week.

According to assistant federal police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn yesterday, the group consists of representatives from the Revenue Department, Comptroller General’s Department and State Audit Office, Anti-Money Laundering Office and Public Sector Anti – Corruption Commission.

According to director-general of the Department of Special Investigation ( DSI ), Pol Maj Suriya Singhakamol, P Phatanarungrod and P Raweekanok Construction Co, both of which are owned by Mr. Praween, have received concessions in 1, 544 government projects totaling 7.57 billion baht since 2011.

A team of inspectors raided three locations in Nakhon Pathom yesterday, including an accounting firm that has worked for Mr. Praween’s family for the past 20 years, according to Pol Col. Anek Taosupap, deputy chief of the Crime Suppression Division( CSD ). This was part of their investigation into the collusion concerns.

According to Pol Col Anek, the CSD seized a number of financial records pertaining to the two businesses involved in the attack.

In the meantime, Pol Maj Sivakorn Saibua, an official of Highway Police Division 2 in Nakhon Pathom, died as a result of next week’s killing at Mr. Praween. Authorities have recovered film that was deleted from 13 surveillance cameras, the authorities said.

However, the officers were still developing two additional cameras. The procedure is anticipated to be finished after currently, according to Pol Gen Surachate.

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RTN denies nepotism claim by MFP MP

The Royal Thai Navy is canceling its first bid to save HTMS Sukhothai due to a lack of sufficient files from bidders, according to RTN spokeswoman Adm Pokkrong Monthatphalin.

He was responding to Jirat Thongsuwan, a Move Forward Party MP for Chachoengsao, who stated on Wednesday that an executive with ties to approaching defense makes key Gen Songwit Noonpakdi was involved in the bid for the grant to save the fleet, which sank in Prachuap Khiri Khan in December.

Tuesday, Gen Songwit denied having any involvement in the situation.

Mr. Jirat claimed that the RTN had approved a 200 million baht budget to recover the deliver and had scheduled an auction for August. On August 25, about 15 bidders submitted the paperwork required by the terms of service, but three days later, a” controversial” business submitted its command and was accepted, according to him.

The RTN announced on September 8 that it had canceled the bidding but did not provide any further details. All businesses were then permitted to republish their proposals by the RTN.

The contentious company, according to Mr. Jirat, was established on January 9 and had a female professional with the same last name as Gen Songwit.

Adm Pokkrong refuted the claims made by Mr. Jira.

He added that a committee for the selling process had been established and that the Royal Thai Fleet Division was in charge of overseeing the ship recover.

Just six of the approximately 14 businesses that were interested in the project submitted proposals on August 25, according to him.

Adm Pokkrong cited a review looking at the documents of all six bidders and claimed that none had submitted all the necessary documents, which resulted in the termination of professional and cost proposals.

The board will immediately announce the following bidding, he claimed. ” I would like to reassure the public that the RTN is transparently handling the hiring of a ship rescue organization and the skill of recovery equipment.”

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NACC revives malfeasance rap against ex-mayor

The National Anti-Corruption Commission ( NACC) has charged Rodjana Kantinan, the wife of deputy interior minister and member of the Pheu Thai Party Kriang, with misbehavior regarding a construction project.

Rodjana: Checked in with two other people.

In 2012, she oversaw the job while serving as the governor of the Nakhon Ubon Ratchathani Municipality in the province.

Ms. Rodjana and two other defendants turned themselves in to the NACC that morning, according to Isranews Agency on Monday. The NACC may obtain an arrest warrant because one another suspect did not appear, it said.

Ms. Rodjana, who served in office from 2009 to 2013, has been accused of” wrongful exercise of duties, taking a personal interest in government property, and purchasing or managing state property.”

A road construction and waste treatment container job allegedly involving Ms. Rodjana and three other people was deemed to be misconduct by the NACC in 2021, but the Office of the Attorney General dismissed the case.

The NACC has brought a Corruption and Misconduct Case Region 3 complaint against the defendants with the Criminal Court in an effort to restart the situation.

With a 9.9 million baht funds to renovate the dikes for the wastewater treatment container and an additional$ 9 million to build the road connecting the tank to the Burapa Canal, the project granted concessions to Ubon Ratchathani company Koondee Enterprise LP.

The NACC claimed that the decision to increase the property’s value, which cost the government 19, 974,000 baht, caused the road to pass through Ms. Rodjana ‘ 27-rai area.

Currently, Worasit Kantinan, a Pheu Thai MP member for Ubon Ratchathani and the son of Mr. Kriang, is the family of the president of Nakhon University.

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PM backs push for  bi-monthly salary

A government quality allowing the monthly income payment for civil servants to be split into two installments is an additional opportunity for those who might prefer it over the standard once-a-month pay, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin insisted yesterday.

He was responding to criticism from those who disagreed with the commission’s choice, which was mainly intended to boost the business.

Following the initial case meeting of his presidency on Wednesday, the PM unveiled the strategy. It is anticipated that the new repayment method will launch in January.

There are 3 million state leaders in the country, with teachers, officers, and members of the armed forces making up the majority.

Mr. Srettha also disproved information that the authorities had developed this new income repayment plan because it lacked the funds to pay the monthly earnings of civil servants as usual all at once.

According to him, the government will need to make money for paying perhaps earlier than usual because it will pay the first half of the salary by mid-month before paying the remaining portion at the end.

Every time a new opportunity is presented to someone, I understand that there are always folks who like or dislike it.

He claimed that after reviewing the income proposal, the government consulted civil servants.

The PM said he thinks it is possible for them to request their creditors to allow two bills per month if they are concerned they won’t be able to retain the money to be paid in the first installment until the end of the month, when they typically pay off their debts.

The new salary payment system, according to Nonarit Bisonyabut, a research fellow at the Thailand Development Research Institute( TDRI ), would likely lead to more debts for many civil servants because they frequently spend more money than usual when paid the first half of their monthly salary.

According to Mr. Nonarit, an expert in finance in the areas of poverty, inequality, and economic growth, it would be beneficial if those debt-strapped civil servants were rather given assistance to better maintain their debts, such as through a debt settlement program.

According to Chaiwat Sathawornwichit, a list-MP of the opposition Move Forward Party( MFP ), there are currently 3.1 million civil servants, including 900,000 teachers who each owe more than 1.5 million baht in debts.

After their loan payments are instantly subtracted from their paid income, he said, these civil servants typically have less than 30 % of their total monthly salary left each month.

For instance, those who receive a monthly salary of 15,000 Baht typically have 4,500 BaHt left over after all assumptions, giving them an average daily spending limit of about 150 ringgit, according to him.

The Federation of Teachers of the South Region’s chair, Prathum Ruangrit, said the program may hasten investing in the public and private areas in southeastern Thailand.

Nevertheless, he expressed concern about potential problems because, according to product contracts, the majority of officials’ salaries are automatically subtracted by payment offices to pay back loans from discounts cooperatives and other financial sources.

Additionally, according to Mr. Prathum, the monthly fixed payment may be split in half equally.

He continued,” The schedule should be reviewed to determine its advantages and disadvantages because the twice-a-month payment system might need an increase in staff within payroll departments.”

A state official in the northern county of Khon Kaen also expressed concern about this case quality, saying it would interfere with his way of life and financial management.

The official stated that he is required to make a number of regular payments, all of which are expected at the end of the month and include money from savings cooperatives, bank loans, credit card bills, and utility bills.

He claimed that while the government’s goal may be to boost cash flow, the bi-monthly payment may even invite officials to take on more debt.

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