Senators: PM votes unbiased and in country’s best interest

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A number of senators yesterday sought to reassure the public that the vote for the next prime minister will be free from influence and there are mixed opinions as to the best choice among members of the upper House.

Sen Seree Suwanpanont said senators have their own opinions and criteria when selecting the prime minister and noted that those who express their views do not represent the majority.

Mr Seree said that personally he will consider more than just votes and consider the qualifications, calibre and experiences of each prime minister candidate when casting his vote.

The number of House seats each party wins will determine if it is eligible to nominate a prime minister candidate for parliament to vote on.

“But for senators, they don’t necessarily vote the same way as the people.

“If the Senate has to vote the same way as the majority of MPs, we don’t need the Senate. This Senate has to do screening. They have a special role and they must know what their role is,” he said.

Sen Khamnoon Sitthisamarn said although the constitution does not require the Senate to vote in line with the MPs, senators can’t afford to discard the fact the government should have majority support in the House or it can’t pass key bills.

However, the Senate must also screen candidates for key public posts, and the post of prime minister is most important of all, he said.

“We don’t know who will win the election and who will be nominated. Some parties have three candidates.

“So, I think I will need room to think carefully to make a decision that will benefit the country,” he said.

Sen Khamnoon said the next government will face many challenges and the Senate wants to sure the prime minister it chooses can steer the country away from crises and make a difference on the global stage.

Sen Chalermchai Fuengkhon said he will vote for the bloc that commands a majority in the House and noted that he cannot speak for his fellow senators.

“Parties shouldn’t count on the Senate to support them.

“If they want to be the government, it is their job to gather 376 votes among themselves,” he said.

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BMA launches shuttle to ease school traffic

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going for a spin: The shuttle bus is called the 'BMA Feeder'. It is powered by electricity and has 20 seats. The service is free and provided by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).
going for a spin: The shuttle bus is called the ‘BMA Feeder’. It is powered by electricity and has 20 seats. The service is free and provided by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will provide free shuttle bus services linking Samsen Road to areas in Thon Buri, with the aim of easing traffic congestion when schools reopen tomorrow.

Speaking after a test run, Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the shuttle bus services will alleviate heavy traffic on Samsen Road which is dotted with schools.

Work on a new extension of the Purple Line (Tao Pun-Rat Burana) is also affecting traffic flow on the road and on Krung Thon Buri Bridge, which connects Phra Nakhon with the Thon Buri side, he said.

The shuttle bus services will be an alternative for parents who want to avoid traffic congestion.

They are available Monday to Friday from 6am to 9am and 3.20pm to 8pm, starting tomorrow.

An electric feeder bus can seat 20 people and has a capacity of 35 passengers. A city official will be deployed on the bus for passenger safety.

The shuttle bus will make six stops along the route — in front of Office Mate Sirindhorn Branch, a bus stop in front of the Kuakarun faculty of nursing, Soi Samsen 13, the SG Alumni Association, Soi Ratchawithi 9 and Tang Hua Seng shopping mall on Sirindhorn Road.

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Vote-buying claims put police on alert

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Checkpoints set up in Samut Prakan, Nakhon Sawan, Chon Buri and more

Police will be on the lookout for incidents of vote-buying today followings allegations of the election law malpractice in three highly competitive provinces.

Speaking after a meeting with election officials, national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas yesterday confirmed the arrest of a man in Bueng Kan on a charge of vote-buying.

He said evidence gathered during the arrest included money and ID cards. He has told the provincial police chief to coordinate with election officials on the case.

Pol Gen Damrongsak said checkpoints are up and running in the areas where vote-buying is suspected with rapid response teams on stand-by to look into complaints.

According to the national police chief, the most closely fought provinces are expected to include Samut Prakan, Nakhon Sawan, Chon Buri, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ratchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan.

According to a police source, the Bueng Kan incident occurred on May 10 in Ban Thung Khla of tambon Wang Chom Phu in Phon Charoen district.

Police nabbed a man and seized from him 22 500-baht notes and a list of residents. The suspect admitted that he was supposed to give the money to villagers on the list in exchange for their support for a candidate in Constituency 3. He was charged with vote-buying and temporarily released.

Constituency 3 is a new constituency, covering areas in the three districts of Phon Charoen, So Phisai and Pak Khat, where candidates from three major parties are running neck-and-neck.

Meanwhile, two more allegations were made in Kanchanaburi and Nakhon Phanom on Friday.

In Kanchanaburi’s Muang district, an assistant to village head was arrested after trying to pay off election volunteers who showed up at her house to investigate a claim about vote-buying.

The volunteers conducted a search and found money and a list of voters in her possession and filed a complaint with police. The suspect was also taken by authorities to give a statement to the provincial election office.

In Nakhon Phanom, a registered election campaign assistant was accused by a rapid-response team looking into reports of vote-buying in Ban Nong Hai of tambon Ramrat in Tha Uthen district.

Local officials found 195,000-baht cash in 500-baht and 1,000-baht notes in the his bag and filed a complaint against him.

However, the man denied any vote-buying attempts, saying he was buying stock for his grocery store.

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Na Ranong overpass to open next month after Covid delay

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trying it out: Motorcyclists ride along the overpass built over the Na Ranong intersection in Khlong Toey. The work, along with a pedestrian overpass, is expected to be complete next month.
trying it out: Motorcyclists ride along the overpass built over the Na Ranong intersection in Khlong Toey. The work, along with a pedestrian overpass, is expected to be complete next month.

The construction of an overpass over the Na Ranong intersection in Klong Toey district is expected to be completed early next month, said Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt.

An agreement was inked in 2018 to complete the overpass by 2021. However, it was hit by delays, including stoppages caused by Covid-19.

The Bangkok Post asked Mr Chadchart about the delay. He said he had “followed up on the progress of the project since assuming the position of governor.

“So far, I’ve learnt the delay was caused by a technical issue [involving] construction engineering and the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

“I’ve already instructed the Department of Public Works to expedite construction [so the overpass] can open by June 1,” he said.

Tawatchai Napasaksri, director-general of the Department of Public Works, said construction is 91% complete.

The only work that remains includes painting traffic lines and installing fences. Construction is expected to finish by June 1 as instructed by Mr Chadchart, he said.

“The Bangkok governor may not have chaired the opening ceremony of the bridge, but he may come to check surrounding traffic conditions,” Mr Tawatchai said.

“On the first day, the overpass will open in the early morning, while it will close temporarily overnight for minor works for about a month,” he said.

The department signed a contract with Sahakarn Wisavakorn Co Ltd on Sept 25, 2018, agreeing that construction would finish by Nov 11, 2021, with a budget of 1.34 trillion baht.

A 20-year-old overpass from the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, along Ratchadaphisek Road, crossing the Na Ranong intersection and ending at Rama III near Penang Market has been demolished to make way for the new overpass.

The department has also asked the company to expand the four-lane overpass from the market to Nonsiwitthaya School from 1.95km to 2.65km.

An overpass crossing a railway track on Chuea Phloeng Road was also demolished and rebuilt on both sides of the road, with two lanes in each direction, while the descending section crossing the Na Ranong intersection was rebuilt near the Port Authority of Thailand on Sunthon Khosa Road.

These two sections of the project were launched last year, Mr Tawatchai said.

A source at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said the main cause of the delay was sluggish land transfer from the State Railway of Thailand and the Expressway Authority of Thailand to the BMA as well as Covid-19.

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City police nab nurse, boyfriend for selling guns online in pre-poll bust

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Two people were arrested in Bangkok and charged with possessing and selling firearms without permission in a police crackdown on guns and violence ahead of the election, says the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB).

Pittinan, 31, and her boyfriend Chayut, 34, were nabbed at a house in Bang Khen district during a search in which police found 17 registered guns, two BB guns and more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition.

Their arrest is part of an extended investigation into the online sale of firearms and ammunition. Police launched a sting operation in which they ordered a box of ammunition and tracked it down to the pair’s house. Police then obtained a search warrant and searched the premises.

Pol Lt Gen Worawat Watnakhonbancha, commissioner of the CCIB, said some of these guns were modified from BB guns to be used with M4 ammunition. He said individuals are not allowed to possess this type of firearm, so the pair have been charged with possessing guns and ammunition and distributing them without permission.

According to the initial investigation, Ms Pittinan, who works as a nurse at a privately-run hospital, purchased a total of 21 registered guns under a welfare scheme during 2019-2020 and another one in 2022.

Ms Pittinan told police that her boyfriend made the purchases under her name and she had no idea about him selling firearms. She said he also had her deliver the ammunition but that she had no idea what was inside her deliveries.

A total of 50 people were arrested and 77 guns and 2,440 rounds of ammunition seized from 60 locations in 42 provinces since the crackdown.

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Voters head to home provinces to cast ballots

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Many long journeys begin in Bangkok, with passengers changing in Korat to go elsewhere in Isan

Passengers prepare to board a bus to their home provinces from Nakhon Ratchasima bus terminal 2 on Saturday. Buses and vans heading to other northeastern provinces are full as people want to cast their ballots in Sunday’s general election. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)
Passengers prepare to board a bus to their home provinces from Nakhon Ratchasima bus terminal 2 on Saturday. Buses and vans heading to other northeastern provinces are full as people want to cast their ballots in Sunday’s general election. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Many people headed to their home provinces on Saturday to exercise their voting rights, signalling a high turnout for Sunday’s general election.

People formed long queues to buy tickets at Nakhon Ratchasima bus terminal 2 on Saturday afternoon. Most had travelled from the Mor Chit terminal in Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, the gateway to the Northeast, to take interprovincial buses, mini-buses or vans to other northeastern provinces such as Khon Kaen, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket and Udon Thani. All vehicles were filled with passengers.

Sor Lekprakhon, 51, the operator of mini-bus No 30 on the Nakhon Ratchasima-Surin route, said he had seen a high number of passengers during the past two days. On Saturday, he had already made two trips and all seats were booked. Most passengers said they wanted to go home so they could cast their ballots on Sunday, said Mr Sor.

People were more enthusiastic about Sunday’s election than the last general election in 2019, he added.

Many people were also waiting for passenger vans to their home provinces in the Northeast. Many had travelled from Bangkok as long-haul interprovincial buses from Mor Chit to the Northeast were fully booked.

Panida Uppachanthor, 27, a native of Khon Kaen, said she and her younger sister had taken a bus from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, where they would take a van to their home province to cast their ballots on Sunday. She had missed the registration for advance voting so she had to go home, she said.

She also observed that many voters were very active this weekend. Many passengers had to wait for buses and vans for almost 3 hours, said Ms Panida.

Passengers wait for buses at Nakhon Ratchasima bus terminal 2 on Saturday. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)

At the van terminal in Korat, many passengers wait for rides to their provinces in the Northeast. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)

Panida Uppachanthor, 27, a native of Khon Kaen, says she and her sister are looking forward to exercising their voting rights on Sunday. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)

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EC to resend wrongly delivered advance-voting ballots

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Voters warned of potential bad weather and told not to post ballot pictures on social media

A poll worker carries a ballot box at a polling station in the southernmost province of Narathiwat on Saturday, on the eve of Sunday’s election. (Photo: AFP)
A poll worker carries a ballot box at a polling station in the southernmost province of Narathiwat on Saturday, on the eve of Sunday’s election. (Photo: AFP)

The Election Commission (EC) is confident that advance-voting ballots that were sent to the wrong provinces will be delivered correctly and in time to be counted on Election Day on Sunday.

EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee on Saturday acknowledged reports of ballots marked for Mukdahan and Maha Sarakham provinces being mistakenly sent to Khon Kaen, saying the ballots were correctly marked and that the error was likely due to sorting ahead of posting. Postal officials have been instructed to remedy the problem, he added.

According to the commissioner, the issue is not significant, and the ballots should be delivered on time. He also referenced the work done to transport and account for advance votes from provinces as far as Songkhla and Thai communities as distant as Mexico.

Mr Sawaeng said he had no concerns about problems during Election Day except for weather-related issues, as there have been reports of possible stormy conditions. The EC has given discretion to local units to act as necessary.

He reminded voters to avoid offences such as wearing party logos or numbers or posting photos of their filled ballots on social media.

Election Commission (EC) secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee says the sending of some advance-voting ballots to the wrong provinces did not appear to be a major problem. (Photo: EC)

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Alleged vote-buyers nabbed on eve of poll

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Efforts ramped up to combat electoral offences

District officials and police officers on Saturday inspect documents and prepare ballot boxes at the Sports Authority of Thailand building in Din Daeng district of Bangkok, ahead of Election Day on Sunday. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)
District officials and police officers on Saturday inspect documents and prepare ballot boxes at the Sports Authority of Thailand building in Din Daeng district of Bangkok, ahead of Election Day on Sunday. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)

Three alleged vote-buyers were arrested on Saturday ahead of Election Day on Sunday, authorities said.

The first arrest was made in Bueng Kan province, with the culprit caught carrying a list of names and cash, said Pol Maj Gen Nithithorn Jintakanon, spokesman for the security and peace maintenance centre for elections.

The second incident occurred in Ayutthaya and the third in Phichit, with both offenders caught with cash intended to buy votes. All three cases are being handled according to legal procedures.

In an effort to combat electoral crimes, police are increasing their efforts and raising awareness of relevant laws to prevent voters from violating them, according to the spokesman.

He warned that vote-buying could lead to imprisonment of one to 10 years and/or a fine of 20,000 to 200,000 baht for both buyers and sellers. Those who sell their voting rights could face up to five years in jail and/or a fine between 20,000 and 100,000 baht. Their voting rights will also be revoked for 10 years.

Other offences include betting on the outcome of the election, transporting groups of people to booths with the intent to influence their votes, obstruction of voting and destruction of campaign materials.

From 6pm on Saturday until 6pm on Sunday, alcoholic drinks may not be sold and all campaigning, including the personal wearing of party logos or numbers, will be illegal.

Voters have also been reminded to be mindful of regulations at polling stations, which prohibit leaving the premises with a ballot, damaging ballots and taking photos of ballots, among other activities.

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Crypto miners ‘stole B500,000 a month worth of electricity’

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Computers and related equipment worth B5 million seized from two houses in Samut Prakan

Seized computers, routers, servers and other hardware for crypto mining are seen following a raid on two houses in Samut Prakan on Thursday. (Photo: Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)
Seized computers, routers, servers and other hardware for crypto mining are seen following a raid on two houses in Samut Prakan on Thursday. (Photo: Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)

SAMUT PRAKAN: Authorities have seized cryptocurrency mining hardware worth more than 5 million baht from two houses in Samut Prakan where electricity theft exceeded 500,000 baht a month.

Police did not say whether any people were arrested at the two locations that were raided.

Police and officials from the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) searched the two houses in Muang district on Friday afternoon after the MEA confirmed unusual use of electricity.

Two electricians authorised by the MEA — Chakkrit Phoonsawat, 30, and Yothin Termphol, 30 — had filed a complaint the day before with Muang district police against tenants of the two houses for allegedly stealing electricity.

The first raid took place at a house in tambon Bang Muang. Police seized 60 mining rigs worth about 3 million baht from the house, which allegedly stole electricity worth 300,000 baht a month.

In the second raid, at a house in Soi Sap Boonchai 28 in the same tambon, 20 mining rigs and computers worth about 2 million baht were seized. The tenants of the house stole electricity worth some 200,000 baht a month, police said.

Cryptocurrency mining is an extremely power-intensive activity because the billions of calculations involved require huge amounts of computing power. Mining a single Bitcoin is said to require 150,000 units (kilowatt-hours) of electricity.

Two electricians inspect equipment used for cryptocurrency mining following a raid on two houses in Samut Prakan. (Photo: Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)

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1.4m speed pills seized in Nonthaburi

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Two men arrested on trafficking charges after Bangkok-bound pickup pulled over

Two drug suspects stand behind 1.3 million methamphetamine pills seized in Nonthaburi on Friday. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)
Two drug suspects stand behind 1.3 million methamphetamine pills seized in Nonthaburi on Friday. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)

Metropolitan police intercepted nearly 1.4 million methamphetamine pills in a pickup truck approaching Bangkok on Friday.

The bust took place on Tiwanon Road in Nonthaburi, Pol Col Theeradej Thammasuthee, chief of Crime Suppression Division sub-division 6, said on Saturday.

Chaikup Taemdee, 41, and Suwicha Musikakun were taken into custody after 1,395,000 methamphetamine pills were found in the Toyota pickup they were driving.

The arrest was part of a larger sweep ordered by the Royal Thai Police ahead of the general election on Sunday and aimed at taking down the so-called “A-kuay” narcotics network, Pol Col Theeradej said.

Information leading to the bust was obtained after a previous arrest, in which suspects had pointed out a network starting in Ayutthaya that delivered drugs to inner Bangkok.

A police officer questions the two suspected drug traffickers at the Metropolitan Police Bureau on Friday. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)

Mr Chaikup confessed to police that he was paid 50,000 baht per trip and provided his cohort with 10,000 baht. Both have been sent to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau for legal action.

Mr Chaikup was previously arrested in 2007 for possession of narcotics, records showed.

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