22 oil leaks, 507 tonnes of waste in one year

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia
Pollution Control Department officials work to clean up the oil spill that washed ashore along a 2-kilometre stretch of Rayong’s Mae Ramphueng beach in January last year. (Photo: Pornprom Satrabhaya)
Pollution Control Department officials work to clean up the oil spill that washed ashore along a 2-kilometre stretch of Rayong’s Mae Ramphueng beach in January last year. (Photo: Pornprom Satrabhaya)

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has reported 22 incidents of oil leaks in the Gulf of Thailand and a total of 507 tonnes of rubbish collected from the seas around the country last year, said deputy government spokeswoman Traisulee Taisaranakul.

Ms Traisulee said the cabinet has acknowledged the report from the ministry offering an overview of the country’s marine environment situation in 24 coastal provinces last year.

Overall, sea water quality was found to be slightly more polluted due to oil spills and garbage dumps from industrial plants. Reports said that 7% of sea water is very clean with 57% rated as clean, 30% moderately clean and 6% polluted.

Ms Traisulee said that there were 22 incidents of oil leaks last year, most of which occurred in Rayong and neighbouring Chon Buri where many industrial plants are located and tourist activities take place.

The ministry also reported that over 507 tonnes of marine garbage and debris were collected from the seas around the country last year. Most were discarded bottles, plastic bags and styrofoam.

Of the 659 sea animals found to have beached last year, 168 had died from ingesting plastic and becoming entangled with drifting rubbish.

The ministry also reported that 823 km of the country’s 3,151 km coastline is eroded. Of the eroded coasts, 753 km of coastline has been repaired by constructing barriers and sand fences, said Ms Traisulee. She added the coral reef situation in Thailand improved last year compared to the previous year.

The country has 149,182 rai of coral reef. The ministry said 53% of the reefs are in good condition, 22% in moderately good condition while some of the remaining 25% have been slightly bleached.

Seagrass around the country has expanded by 4% compared to 2021. It was found that of the 103,580 rai of seagrass nationwide, 25% were in good condition, 36% in moderately good condition and the remaining 35% slightly good condition.

Also, the country has 1.73 million rai of mangrove forests which are found to be most densely-grown in the southern provinces along the lower Andaman coast. As for the beach forests, there are 47,149 rai across 18 provinces. Few expanses of such forests remain due to a lack of conservation efforts and heavy tourism. Turning to rare marine animals, Ms Traisulee said 273 dugongs and 2,310 dolphins and whales were found in the country’s seas. Sea turtles were reported to have laid eggs in 604 nests.

Continue Reading

Thai brides flee as sweet talk sours

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

victims say deals gateway to abuse

Women hired to marry Chinese men risk breaking the law both in China and Thailand, warned the police on Saturday.

The warning came after the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) found that a Thai woman in Udon Thani, who endured three years of assault in China, was not the victim of a human trafficking offence.

The woman married a Chinese man of her own free will so it is not a human trafficking case, said ATPD deputy commander Pol Col Surapong Chatsut.

The woman, identified by police as a 31-year-old Nuch, signed a contract with a go-between, legally obliging her to marry a Chinese man to produce a child.

Ms Nuch earlier told police she and three others were tricked into marrying Chinese men.

They were said to be persuaded by a matchmaker, identified as Da, to tie the knot with Chinese men for 100,000-baht dowries with a condition that they get pregnant in the first six months.

However, the victims were said to have stayed in China as servants or even the second wives to their fathers-in-law after the babies were delivered.

Ms Nuch, who is from the province’s Nong Wua So district, first told the media on Thursday about her marriage and the torment she suffered. She said she and three other Thai women were able to leave China and arrived back in Thailand last month thanks to her mother’s help.

Ms Nuch said she married 32-year-old Chinese national Jin Wei Lian less than three days after their matchmaking before moving to China’s Hubei province.

She said she told the matchmaker before meeting her husband that she was unable to bear children, but the marriage went ahead regardless. She was kept in a house and was assaulted by her husband and her mother-in-law for failing to conceive.

She said she was assaulted for three years before she decided to flee to Thailand along with three other women who also reported unhappy and abusive marriages to Chinese partners.

Pol Col Surapong said that to be admissible as a human trafficking offence, the victim must suffer a forcible act. Under the Anti-Trafficking Act 2008, such offence covers prostitution, production and distribution of pornographic materials, slavery, forced recruitment of individuals to work as beggars and forced labour.

“Ms Nuch, on the other hand, contractually consented to marry in exchange for a dowry, which is outside of the act’s coverage,” the ATPD deputy commander said.

The ATPD officers were sent to Udon Thani to investigate similar marriage scams there.

Pol Col Surapong said he was concerned some local women may have signed the marriage contract without a full understanding of the fine print contained in the agreement. Getting help to them will be difficult once they have left the country to live in China.

“This issue could make some Thai women feel apprehensive about getting into a relationship with foreign nationals,” he added.

More Chinese men were looking outside their country for women to have children with since China lifted its one-child policy, in place from 1980 to 2016, according to Pol Col Surapong.

Meanwhile, Pol Maj Gen Panthana Nuchanart, deputy commissioner of the Immigration Bureau (IB), said strict measures were being launched to deter Chinese criminals from using Thailand as a base to conduct illegal activities.

The measures were also needed to keep out Chinese fugitives planning to enter the kingdom to escape legal charges.

Pol Maj Gen Panthana said being hired to get married and having gone to live in China entails many legal and personal dangers to the women, who also risk breaking the law both in Thailand and China.

Apart from physical abuse, other possible legal violations concern the terms and conditions of the marriage contracts.

The men who came over from China to spend time in Thailand as part of the marriage arrangement must also comply with the Immigration Act, which stipulates they must notify the IB within 24 hours of their arrival.

Pol Maj Gen Panthana attended a conference on combating trans-border crimes between Thailand and China, in Kunming, capital of China’s Yunnan province, from July 8-12.

Participants exchanged information which enabled authorities in both countries to prepare suppression and prevention measures.

Chinese authorities also agreed to share with the IB their database of criminal suspects facing arrest warrants in China, who might be fleeing to Thailand.

Continue Reading

Navy probes ‘stolen’ ammo allegations

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia
A naval demonstration is carried out near Sattahip Naval Base in Chon Buri’s Sattahip district. (File photo)
A naval demonstration is carried out near Sattahip Naval Base in Chon Buri’s Sattahip district. (File photo)

The navy has opened an investigation into an ordnance officer believed to be responsible for stealing large quantity of cartridges from its arsenal in Sattahip naval base in Chon Buri, according to navy spokesman Adm Pokkrong Monthatphalin.

He was responding to the popular CSI-LA Facebook page, run by a Thai expatriate in the US, which alleged tens of thousands of M855 and M856 cartridges as well as thousands of 40mm grenade launcher rounds have gone missing from the navy’s warehouse in Sattahip.

The navy chief Adm Choengchai Chomchoengpaet has ordered a probe into the theft which was reported to the Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC) on July 5. An inspection of the arsenal is underway at the compound of the Phra Maha Jetsadaratchao naval camp.

Checks found a significant quantity of ammunition missing, Adm Pokkrong said. He did not give a figure.

A separate panel was also launched by the navy chief’s order to look into disciplinary punishment against the ordnance officer who looted the cartridges. Adm Choengchai has insisted that swift action will be taken.

The RTMC also issued an instruction for the closed-circuit television footage at the arsenal to be reviewed and guards on the premises interviewed. It came to the RTMC’s attention that an ordnance officer had let himself in to the warehouse using duplicate keys he had made and taken ammunition on several occasions.

The officer, whose name was not given, has been absent from work since July 6 and could not be contacted.

The warehouse guards are not involved in the theft, said Adm Pokkrong.

The guards said they did not stop the officer from taking the ammunition because they thought it was part of his working routine.

The CSI-LA Facebook page said one source estimated that at least 400,000 cartridges were stolen. The page added it was curious to know why the ammunition disappeared in the wake of clashes in a neighbouring country and at a time when Thailand’s politics was becoming increasingly unstable over the PM vote.

Continue Reading

Koh Chang on the road to recovery

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia
ISLAND PARADISE: A sweeping view shot is taken of Koh Chang, with its pier offering a regular shuttle boat service to mainland Trat. (Photo: Jakkrit Waewwklaihong)
ISLAND PARADISE: A sweeping view shot is taken of Koh Chang, with its pier offering a regular shuttle boat service to mainland Trat. (Photo: Jakkrit Waewwklaihong)

TRAT: Although the hotel business on Koh Chang, one of the most popular beach destinations in Thailand, has not yet recovered from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is confident tourism will pick up in the second half of this year.

After pandemic restrictions eased, tourism in Trat province and on its famous islands, like Koh Kud, Koh Mak and Koh Chang, improved as visitors started to return.

However, Phatcharin Sawettarat, director of the TAT’s Trat Office, said that despite some recovery last year, the total number of visitors was still half of what it was in 2020.

Before the pandemic, the province welcomed more than 2 million tourists, bringing about 18 billion baht to the local economy, she said.

Last year, the province welcomed about 1 million visitors, thanks to several government tourism promotions, such as “We Travel Together”, she said.

In the first five months of this year, Trat welcomed 932,115 tourists, including 349,829 foreigners, she said, adding they brought about 9 billion baht to the province.

She said the increasing number of tourists was a result of the many festivals held in the province, such as Songkran and the fruit festival.

“It was astonishing that the number of foreign tourists jumped by 135.72% during the first five months when compared with the same period last year, while income was also up by 134.04%,” she said. “With these figures, we believe that tourism in Trat is going to pick up in the second half of this year.”

She said visitors will start to book rooms for the high season or the fourth quarter of this year.

Airlines will also increase flight frequencies for the high season while daily speedboat services will also increase to bring visitors from the mainland to Koh Chang, Koh Mak and Koh Kud, she added.

Green season promotion

In the current rainy season, typically referred to as the green season, TAT has launched campaigns to encourage visitors to visit Trat, Ms Phatcharin said, including a collaboration with TAT’s Nan office to launch the “From the Mountain Mist in Nan to the Sea Mist in Trat” promotion event.

The TAT will also organise an event called “Sanae Silp Thin Trat (Charming Arts of Trat)” from July 21–23 to promote local foods and arts and crafts, she said.

In addition, the TAT plans to promote the 800-year-old Wat Bubpharam temple as a pilgrimage site and a second annual bikini run on Koh Mak, she said.

“The TAT will also highlight local fresh seafood on the mainland while the islands, such as Koh Chang, will promote local living for those interested in travelling during the green season,” she said.

“We will also promote Koh Mak as a low-carbon emission destination. We hope tourism will return to normal this year.”

Hotels for sale

Despite a rising number of tourists in Trat, the impact of the three-year pandemic has left many hotel owners with major financial problems.

Several hotels on Koh Chang changed hands, while many other businesses struggle to survive, said Pornchai Kemaphong, chairman of the Tourism Council Office in Trat.

He said the province’s shutdown during the pandemic hurt tourism, and the effectts were ongoing.

At least 30% of hotels on Koh Chang are now either for sale or have closed down after going in the red, he said.

Thongpoon Phopanha, general manager of Koh Chang Paradise Hill Hotel and Koh Chang Paradise Resort, said the pandemic had harmed hotel business badly.

Many famous hotels were put on sale in the first half of the year, such as the Emerald Cove Koh Chang Hotel, he said, noting this five-star hotel with 165 rooms is located near Khlong Phrao Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches on Koh Chang.

Its owner, former president of Trat Hotel and Resort Association Suksan Korsa-Ngaluck announced the hotel was for sale, and an investor from Phuket bought it for 1.5 billion baht, he said.

The hotel is now under renovation and will reopen at the end of this year, he said.

The Chang Park Resort on Kai Be Beach also changed hands, he said.

It was bought by Koh Chang International, a ferry service owner, for 250 million baht, he said, while the five-star Kacha Resort Koh Chang on Hat Sai Khao Beach is now on sale for 1.7 billion baht and the Bhumiyama Beach Resort also announced to sell the property for 200 million baht.

Mr Thongpoon said hotel owners still want to see more tourism stimulus schemes from the government to bring in more tourists to the island.

Discount war

Thaweesak Wongwilat, deputy chair of the Tourism Council Office in Trat, said there is a price war among hotel owners, causing reductions in income, especially for small hotels on Koh Chang.

“Many hotels on Koh Chang are struggling and trying to survive by offering room discounts to attract visitors,” he said.

Some five-star hotels dramatically lowered their room prices from 10,000 baht to 1,000–2,000 baht a night, he said, adding these prices make it difficult for small players.

This is another reason why hotels changed hands, he added.

“The uncertainty in politics also impacts the economy, and that will cause a delay in the tourism recovery of Koh Chang,” Mr Thaweesak said, referring to tensions in the country’s current political scene.

Continue Reading

Senators blame MFP for campaign of abuse

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia
Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat is raising his hand during the parliament session for the prime ministerial vote on July 13. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)
Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat is raising his hand during the parliament session for the prime ministerial vote on July 13. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)

Senators hit back at supporters of the Move Forward Party (MFP) who have launched a “witch hunt” on social media against them after its leader Pita Limjaroenrat failed to secure enough support in parliament to become the new prime minister on Thursday.

Of the 206 senators attending the voting on Mr Pita’s prime ministerial nomination in parliament, 13 voted in his favour, 34 against and 159 abstained while another 43 senators were absent.

After the vote, Mr Pita’s supporters took to social media to attack the senators who voted against him or abstained, with the hashtag “Senator’s businesses” trending on Twitter on Friday, with more than 1 million tweets.

These supporters also took aim at senators’ family members and launched a campaign against businesses run by the senators.

They revealed what businesses belong to the senators, including a market, an insurance company, a beauty clinic, a football team, and a filling station.

A picture of a restaurant with a banner saying the senators who voted against Mr Pita or abstained were not welcome, also appeared on social media.

Writing on Facebook on Saturday, Sen Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan, who abstained, condemned the MFP’s supporters who had harassed senators and their families as well as those who hold different opinions.

“After the vote, a campaign has been launched using abusive language [against the senators],” she wrote.

Some had created a fake Facebook account claiming to belong to her, with a message attacking the MFP, which drew criticism from its supporters.

She said she raised the matter with the MFP’s representatives who were sent to seek her support for Mr Pita. “They said they also disagreed [with the actions of the supporters], but they said they did not know how to deal with them,” Khun­ying Porntip wrote.

“Bring it on and I will capture [all the comments] and take legal action,” she wrote.

Ronwarit Pariyachattrakul, another senator who abstained during the vote, said he wanted to give moral support to his children who may meet hostile reactions from their friends who support Mr Pita.

Mr Ronwarit wrote that unless the MFP backs down from its bid to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as the lese majeste law, Mr Pita will never get his vote for his nomination for prime minister.

“If your friends uphold the principles of democracy, they should accept and respect different opinions,” he wrote.

Continue Reading

Man sold data of 2m people to betting sites

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) has arrested a man for selling the personal data of two million people to online gambling websites.

CCIB chief Pol Lt Gen Worawat Watnakhonbancha said police arrested Padungkiat Somsoo, 27, a Phuket local who, since 2022, had sold the personal data of two million people via Facebook private groups.

Mr Padungkiat was arrested in Trang province. However, police also raided his home on Vichitsongkram Road in Kathu district of Phuket and confiscated his mobile phone, laptop, bank passbooks and data storage devices.

Pol Lt Gen Worawat said Mr Padungkiat usually posted an advertisement on a Facebook private group, which has over 100,000 members, offering collections of personal data including full names, mobile phone numbers, bank account numbers and LINE accounts.

The price starts at 500 baht for 100,000 names to 3,500 baht for two million names. Buyers often use the collections of personal data for marketing purposes such as sending text messages or advertisements to their contacts, he said.

Pol Lt Gen Worawat added that Mr Padungkiat also worked as an admin for online gambling websites. An engineering graduate, Mr Padungkiat started to run an operational system for online gambling websites last year.

Mr Padungkiat said he initially bought the personal data of two million people for 8,000 baht last year to boost his marketing plan for the online gambling website that he worked for. He later gave up the admin job and turned to selling personal data collections.

About 15-20 customers bought his personal data collections monthly, giving him an average income of 50,000 baht.

Mr Padungkiat was charged with violating the Gambling Act, Computer-related Crimes Act and Personal Data Protection Act. He was sent to the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau Region 5 in Surat Thani for further legal proceedings, said Pol Lt Gen Worawat.

Continue Reading

Reservoir ‘golfer’ charged with damage to national park

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Khao Yai National Park will press charges against a golfer who plays golf near the Sai Sorn reservoir, located in the national park, as his action is against the park’s rules and could harm not only wildlife but also visitors.

Kittichai Roongpaiboonwong, a senior forest officer of the park, led an inspection team to the reservoir yesterday after receiving a report regarding the golfer using the reservoir area for sports practice.

The team saw two golf balls, a trace of a golf tee, and torn grass leaves due to golf practice at the spot. The golfer also posted on his Facebook account that he checked in at the reservoir at 2 pm on July 14.

A set of pictures and videos of the golfer, whose identity has not yet been released, was sent to the national park chief, Chaiya Huaihongthong, on July 14. The evidence showed a White Toyota Camry with a clear licence plate, which led to authorities’ identifying the culprit.

The evidence was also passed to Environment and Natural Resources Minister Varawut Silpa-archa and Atthaphon Charoenchansa, acting director-general of the Department of National Parks, which led to Facebook posts from both figures criticising the incident.

The golfer will be charged for practising sport in a non-permited area.

Continue Reading

Pita mulls stepping aside for PT

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

Bid to curb Senate power faces uphill battle

Pita: Two battles ahead
Pita: Two battles ahead

Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat says he will step aside and allow Pheu Thai to take the lead in forming a government if he fails to secure enough support in parliament to become prime minister in the second round of voting and curb Senate power in co-electing a PM.

He made the comment via a video clip on his official Twitter page yesterday as the eight prospective coalition parties prepared for a meeting on Tuesday to decide their next steps.

The main topic of discussion will be whether to renominate Mr Pita for the prime minister post in parliament this Wednesday after he fell short of securing a majority during his first try last Thursday.

“We have a few chances left to fight together in two battles for the establishment of a government in accordance with the people’s mandate,” Mr Pita wrote.

“The first battle […] is the vote for the prime minister [position] on July 19, and the second is the proposed amendment to Section 272 of the constitution to remove senate power in choosing a prime minister forever.

“Both battles will never be won if we cannot change the minds of senators to be on the side of the people.

“If we do our best in these two battles, and it is clear that the Move Forward Party does not have a chance to lead the forming of a government, I am ready to open the way for the Pheu Thai Party to become the leader in establishing a government of the eight coalition parties under the MoU we made together.

“All the MPs from the Move Forward Party are ready to support Pheu Thai’s prime minister candidate.

“But until that day we won’t give up,” Mr Pita said.

On Friday, the MFP submitted a proposal to parliament, seeking to scrap Section 272 of the charter, which allows the 250-member Senate to join MPs in selecting a prime minister.

The move came a day after Mr Pita failed to muster enough support to back his bid to land the job. It is the seventh attempt to strip the Senate of the power to co-elect a PM to date.

However, observers doubted the MFP’s efforts would bear fruit as the proposal faces a major hurdle — a requirement for the approval of both senators and MPs.

At least one-third of senators, or about 84, must give it the nod.

Key Pheu Thai and MFP figures held talks on Friday night to discuss the second round of the voting and evaluate the situation, said a source at the eight-party coalition.

During the talks, MFP and Pheu Thai strategists discussed an issue raised by some parliamentarians, as to whether the same motion regarding Mr Pita’s nomination could be resubmitted to parliament on Wednesday.

They evaluated what the senators might do at the next meeting, and also whether the parties from the outgoing government might nominate a PM candidate.

The meeting did not decide whether the coalition would renominate Mr Pita, said the source, pending talks with other coalition partners.

Pheu Thai also reportedly disagreed with MFP’s move to amend Section 272 and strip the senators of their power to co-select the prime minister. Doing so would be an uphill task because a motion on this issue requires at least 84 votes from the Senate.

Pheu Thai secretary-general Prasert Chantararuangthong said the conclusion reached at the meeting of the coalition parties on Tuesday will be relayed to a meeting of Pheu Thai MPs later that same day.

He also said that House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha met with legal experts for talks on whether the motion regarding Mr Pita’s nomination can be resubmitted to parliament.

Asked if Pheu Thai will nominate Mr Pita for the vote, Mr Prasert said the party must comply with the decision reached by the eight parties and must also wait for the outcome of the meeting chaired by Mr Wan.

A source at Pheu Thai said the party would nominate Srettha Thavisin, one of the party’s three prime ministerial candidates, for the PM vote on Thursday if Mr Pita failed on his second try.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, a potential Pheu Thai candidate for prime minister, is not ready to be nominated, the source said.

Mr Srettha refused to comment on the matter yesterday.

Continue Reading

Security tightened as Yala blast kills one ranger and wounds two more

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

A member of a ranger patrol was killed and two others wounded in a bomb attack in Bannang Sata district of Yala yesterday morning.

The attack occurred at about 7am. Rangers and volunteers were patrolling on foot at Ubae Moo 1 village in tambon Bacho when a bomb hidden in the area suddenly exploded, according to the Bannang Sata police station radio centre.

The force of the blast injured three members of the team, one of whom died later.

Volunteer ranger Wanchai Muthasukphaisarn, 28, sustained serious injuries and was later pronounced dead. Sgt Wichian Panyo and volunteer Wimol Chanthakhun suffered from chest pains and ringing ears. They were being treated at Bannang Sata Hospital.

Police blamed the attack on the unrest in the southernmost border provinces, where more than 7,000 people have been killed since sectarian conflict resurfaced in 2004.

Ek Yangaphai Na Songkhla, the Betong District Office chief in Yala, has ordered tighter security for the safety of locals and tourists in Betong, one of the popular tourist destinations in the South. Checkpoints have been set up while more patrol officers will be deployed to ensure public safety.

Continue Reading

Bus driver runs over, kills two uni students who fell off bike

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

Police are yet to press charges against a bus driver who ran over and killed two students of King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) yesterday, as they are still establishing the facts around the accident.

Jorakeh Noi police station was alerted to the incident which took place along the Chalong Krung Road in Lat Krabang district around 6.45am yesterday.

Police investigators found the bodies Chattiyakorn Suriwat, 20, and Areeya Suthatchote, 21, both students at KMITL’s School of Science, under bus No 1013.

According to witnesses, the students riding a motorcycle had crossed a railway junction and made a right turn to enter the university when their motorcycle fell to the ground. The students had landed on the road as the bus, which was also heading to the university, came from behind and ran over them.

The girls were wedged under one of the wheels of the bus and died at the scene, according to Manit Karaket, a rescue volunteer from the Ruam Katanyu Foundation.

The rescuers struggled to remove the bodies.

The police said Somyot Iamsa-ard, the 44-year-old driver of the bus, waited at the scene for police. However, he was not charged immediately.

Police said they would not press charges against him until they finish running a test on the victims’ bodies and on Mr Somyot’s blood sample to establish if he was under the influence of alcohol.

Also, the officers were reviewing footage from the surveillance cameras in the area.

The bodies of the two students were undergoing forensic examination at the Police General Hospital.

Continue Reading