Barkar Nash (Page 1,066)

Double-track trains set to travel faster

SARABURI: The government has planned to partially open the Map Kabao-Jira Junction double-track railway line next year, which will allow passenger trains to run up to 120km per hour, faster than the present speed of 50km/h.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Thursday visited the construction site at the rail tunnel at Ban Hin Lab Station in Saraburi’s Muak Lek district. During the visit, he received a briefing about construction progress from State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Nirut Maneephan.

Gen Prayut thanked the SRT and related parties for the project’s success in following the government’s development policy on improving logistics and railway systems nationwide to increase the country’s capacity.

According to deputy spokeswoman Traisuree Traisaranakul, the tunnel at Ban Hin Lab is the first of three constructed on the Map Kabao-Jira Junction section of the northeastern line, linking Saraburi with Nakhon Ratchasima.

The 5.85-kilometre-long Ban Hin Lab tunnel is the country’s longest tunnel. It is 7.5 metres wide and 7 metres high.

High-level security and safety measures have also been built into the tunnel, including passenger evacuation compartments at every 500 metres inside it.

The tunnel is now 98.13% complete and is expected to be partially operational by next year.

The other two tunnels were a 650-metre tunnel constructed between the Ban Hin Lab and Muak Lek Mai Stations in Saraburi and a 1.4-kilometre tunnel constructed on Lam Takhong Dam in Nakhon Ratchasima. The construction of both has now been completed, according to Ms Traisuree.

Once the double track upgrades are completed, passenger trains will be able to reach speeds of up to 120km/h, while freight trains will be able to cruise at 60km/h.

It is also expected to be a new tourist attraction due to the beautiful scenery along the railway line, Ms Traisuree said.

Police from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) arrested a Chinese woman for various crimes, including fraud and money laundering, during raids on 29 locations linked to her in Bangkok, Pathum Thani and Chon Buri.

CCIB chief Pol Lt Gen Worawat Watnakhonbancha said the Chinese national, identified as Fengpei Cai, was arrested for allegedly colluding in transnational crimes, fraud, putting false information into a computer system and money laundering.

She was found in her luxury apartment in the Lumpini area of Bangkok.

Police also confiscated over 100 items from the 29 locations raided that are linked to the suspect, including a 36-million-baht Rolls-Royce, other luxury cars and lease agreements worth 1.5 billion baht.

Pol Maj Gen Sathit Prom-uthai, commander of the CCIB Division 3, said that Ms Cai was a real estate agent in Thailand whose customers are reportedly mostly Chinese.

In a separate case, police teams searched three locations in Bangkok, including a room at a luxury condominium project in the Asoke-Rama 9 area.

During their search, they arrested Moe Moe Aye, 24, a Myanmar national, for colluding in fraud, inputting false information into a computer system, laundering money and other related offences.

Seized from the room at the luxury condominium were 4.4 million baht in cash, 17 bank accounts and 16 ATM cards. The raids on the two other premises found nothing illegal.

The venues were raided as they were linked to a phone scam gang whose member posed as a police chief in Tak to dupe victims into transferring money.

An investigation of transaction history revealed that Ms Moe Moe Aye’s account had 87 million baht worth of cash flow through it since the beginning of this year.

A group of Buddhist artists is urging a hotel in Bangkok to remove a controversial sculpture from its premises, saying its unsightly appearance disturbs passers-by.

The group, which calls itself the “Council of Artists Promoting Buddhism”, is planning to gather at the Bazaar Hotel on Ratchadaphisek Road today to urge the hotel’s management to remove the statue of Khru Kai Kaeo from its site, which they claim promotes “devil worship”.

The council, which is accredited by the Religious Affairs Department, said it was highly inappropriate for the hotel to install the 4-metre-tall gargoyle-like sculpture on its grounds.

Khru Kai Kaeo, also known as Khru Ba Kai Kaeo, is said to be the revered mentor teacher of Jayavarman VII, a former king of the Khmer Empire. However, some historians have said they have never heard of this so-called deity before.

Citing a large number of complaints received by the council against the scary-looking sculpture, the council said it has to take action against the statue on behalf of the public.

As the sculpture is clearly visible from the busy Ratchadaphisek Road, its unusual appearance might frighten passers-by and commuters, said the group.

National Thai People Council (NTPC), another civic group, yesterday petitioned Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt to relocate the sculpture to a less conspicuous site, saying it “poses a threat to Thai culture and beliefs”.

Phonphakhun Setthayabodi, a representative of the NTPC, said it was highly inappropriate for the hotel to install an evil-looking sculpture for people to worship as if it were a Buddha image.

It is tantamount to supporting a devil-worshipping cult, he said.

The Khru Kai Kaeo sculpture made headlines when it was taken on the back of a truck from a studio in Ratchaburi to the Huai Khwang shrine on the morning of Aug 9.

The truck was stuck at a pedestrian bridge, paralysing traffic on Ratchadaphisek Road for about two hours.

The sculpture’s unusual appearance sparked debate about what it represented.

It was reported some worshippers sought to buy cats, dogs and rabbits to sacrifice for the deity.

Denies bargaining for energy portfolio

The United Thai Nation (UTN) Party has agreed to join a coalition led by the Pheu Thai Party. However, it denies bargaining for the energy portfolio amid a report that prospective coalition allies are wrangling over cabinet posts ahead of the next prime ministerial vote.

Akradech Wongpituchroj, a UTN MP for Ratchaburi and party spokesman, said that the party has agreed to take part in the Pheu Thai-led coalition on condition that Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as the lese majeste law, remains intact.

Pheu Thai also confirmed that the Move Forward Party (MFP), which seeks to amend the law, will not be part of the coalition, Mr Akradech said.

He denied a report that the UTN bargained for the energy portfolio with Pheu Thai.

He said that before the next PM vote, UTN key figures will meet other prospective coalition allies for talks on the formation of a Pheu Thai-led government.

“All of our 36 MPs are ready to vote for Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate,” Mr Akradech said. “We want to foster unity and see a new government formed as quickly as possible.”

UTN leader, Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, posted on Facebook that he and party secretary-general Akanat Promphan were contacted by Pheu Thai yesterday to discuss the formation of a new government.

“Both sides agreed that it is time to restore unity and work together to steer the country towards peace and achieve sustainable development,” he wrote. “The UTN did not bargain for anything. We only hope to work together in the country’s best interests.”

According to sources, the Pheu Thai Party and its prospective coalition allies are still wrangling over cabinet posts ahead of the next prime ministerial vote scheduled for Tuesday.

The UTN has called on Pheu Thai to finish the allocation of cabinet seats among coalition allies before the next PM vote.

Earlier yesterday, deputy UTN leader, Wittaya Kaewparadai, said the party has no problem working with Pheu Thai if it can agree to meet UTN’s conditions.

He said that before a new government can be formed, policies from prospective coalition allies must be discussed thoroughly to ensure they are acceptable to coalition partners, while government tasks must be clearly divided among coalition partners.

“If the division of tasks and talks on the allocation of ministerial posts are not finished, how can we join?” he asked.

He went on to say that Pheu Thai must bring its coalition allies together before Monday or Tuesday; otherwise, the political circumstances may change.

“If any of Pheu Thai’s three PM candidates fail to win endorsement from parliament to become the next prime minister, the third-largest party will have a chance,” he said, referring to the Bhumjaithai Party.

The next round of voting for a prime minister comes after the Constitutional Court on Wednesday dismissed an Ombudsman petition seeking the court’s ruling on whether the rejected renomination of MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat was constitutional.

In dismissing it, the court said the three petitioners were not directly affected by parliament’s decision, meaning it was rejected.

The complainants were Pornchai Theppanya and Boonsong Chalaythorn, who both voted for the MFP on May 14. The other was MFP MP Panyarut Nuntapusitanon.

The court’s unanimous decision is seen as clearing the way for the process of selecting a new prime minister to proceed. The selection was on hold pending the court’s ruling on parliament’s decision on July 19 to reject Mr Pita’s renomination.

Police have arrested an Australian man wanted in his home country on drugs and weapons charges, who was staying in Phuket on a Thai student visa.

Pol Lt Gen Pakphumpipat Sajjapan, Immigration Bureau (IB) commissioner, said during a press briefing yesterday that Robert Wainwright had been sent to Phuket Immigration Office after his arrest in tambon Rawai of Muang district of Phuket.

Mr Wainwright was reportedly staying in Phuket with student status through a language school with his Australian girlfriend.

Pol Lt Gen Pakphumpipat said Mr Wainwright’s girlfriend handled his affairs to avoid suspicion.

Immigration police arrested Mr Wainwright and his girlfriend while leaving a villa in Phuket on Aug 10.

Pol Lt Gen Pakphumpipat said the Royal Thai Police had been informed of Mr Wainwright’s presence by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), which is targeting a drug-trafficking syndicate of which Mr Wainwright is suspected of being a member.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Provincial Police Region 5 and US Ambassador to Thailand Robert F Godec visited the Mekong River in Chiang Rai opposite the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

Mr Godec and the US Consul General in Chiang Mai, Lisa A Buzenas, were accompanied by Pol Lt Gen Piya Tawichai to survey the Mekong River border areas between Thailand and Laos in Chiang Saen district.

The US officials and the local police discussed issues on the prevention and suppression of transborder cybercrimes and drug and human trafficking.

The ambassador said that Thailand and the US have worked together on security and law enforcement for decades, with many training programmes.

Mr Godec also stated that the US is ready to join forces with Thailand to tackle challenges in the Mekong River area, with a focus on transnational crimes such as human trafficking, money laundering and call-centre scams.

Dead bull one of three said to have been straying near farms in Loei

LOEI: Park authorities are asking the police to search for the shooter responsible for killing a wild bull elephant in the Phu Luang wildlife sanctuary in his northeastern province.

The carcass was found by a creek in the forest in tambon Sri Song Rak of Dan Sai district on Thursday morning. It is believed to be one of three wild elephants spotted roaming close to farmland in the past two months, according to Phu Luang officials.

Park rangers have tried in vain to push the elephants back into the forest. Nearby residents were warned to take care when venturing out to tap latex at night as the elephants were capable of causing harm when agitated.

A preliminary examination revealed the elephant, estimated to be about 30 years old, had been dead for 5–7 days.

Nares Sriburin, an officer with the wildlife sanctuary, said there were 6 or 7 bullet wounds in the elephant’s head. The shots look to have been fired from above the animal, believed to be the smallest of the three roaming elephants.

Callous boss suspended pending investigation by hotel and labour ministry

The Ministry of Labour is investigating a five-star hotel that allegedly fired one of its employees who had to take time off work to take care of her dying mother.

Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin ordered the investigation after the plight of the former employee caused an uproar on social media.

The woman, who worked at a luxury resort in Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima, posted a screenshot of a conversation with her ex-supervisor, in which she requested extended leave as she had to take care of her terminally ill mother — a request her supervisor denied.

When her mother passed away, the employee asked her supervisor for some time off so she could return to her home province for the funeral.

In response, the supervisor replied, “Are you saying you are quitting the job? Once you’re done with your personal business, drop by and sign your resignation letter.”

The post was shared more than 60,000 times, with most of the comments blasting the supervisor’s callousness.

Mr Suchart said he had instructed the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare to look into the matter.

Under the Labour Protection Act, all employees — including those who are still on probation and daily labourers — are entitled to take three days off each year to attend to personal business.

An inspector from the labour protection and welfare office in Nakhon Ratchasima has been dispatched to the hotel on a fact-finding mission, said Niyom Songkaew, the department director.

Employees who feel they have been or are being mistreated by their employers can file a complaint at their local labour protection office, he said.

Yesterday, a group of hotel executives went to Buri Ram where the funeral of the former employee’s mother was being held at Wat Trai Phum Wanaram in Muang district.

They reassured the woman that her job was secure.

The hotel has suspended her boss, pending an investigation.