Barkar Nash (Page 1,115)

The alleged mastermind of a gang whose members claimed to work for the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) has been arrested on charges of extorting 3.1 million baht from a resident of Hua Mak district in Bangkok.

Boonserm Khamsang, 53, was apprehended near Supachalasai Stadium in Pathumwan district on Tuesday by investigators from the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB). He faces charges of colluding in extortion, coercion and threats, MBP commissioner Pol Lt Gen Thiti Saengsawang Saengsawang, said on Wednesday.

Mr Boonserm is the last of four suspects to be rounded up in the case.

Investigators were called in after a group of four men claiming to soldiers attached to the Isoc and Crime Suppression Division police searched a house in the Hua Mak area around noon on April 11. They claimed the house owner had committed embezzlement, and they demanded 3.1 million baht from him.

Fearing for the safety of his wife and two children, aged 9 and 6, the man gave the money to the gang. They then fled in an Isuzu MU-7 SUV. He later filed a complaint with Hua Mak police.

MPB officers and Hua Mak police subsequently arrested Yafad Chumpraman and two other men. An extended investigation finally led to the arrest of Mr Boonserm on Tuesday.

During questioning, the suspect told police that he had known the victim for about six years before hatching a plot to get money from the man. He had called Mr Yafad from Songkhla to help with the job.

After getting the money, he said he gave his accomplices 500,000 baht each. The MPB has handed him over to Hua Mak police for legal action.

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The Criminal Court on Wednesday approved a request by police investigators to further detain Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, who is accused of killing a woman by putting cyanide in her food.

The woman is also suspected of involvement in the deaths of nine other people she had been in contact with and who died in similar circumstances.

Ms Sararat was taken into custody on Tuesday at the government office complex on Chaeng Wattana road in Bangkok by Crime Suppression Division (CSD) police with an arrest warrant. She had a bottle of cyanide in her possession, police said.

Her arrest followed a complaint filed with the CSD by the mother and the elder sister of the late Siriporn “Koy” Khanwong, 32, from Kanchanaburi. Siriporn collapsed and died on the bank of the Mae Klong river in Ban Pong district of Ratchaburi province, where she went with friends to release fish for merit-making on April 14. Cyanide was found in her body.

Investigators came to the belief Ms Sararat might be the person who mixed cyanide in Siriporn’s food, causing her death. She allegedly also stole the victim’s valuables. This led to her arrest.

Ms Sararat was taken to CSD headquarters for questioning on Tuesday night.

On Wednesday morning, investigators took her to the Criminal Court and were given permission to detain her for a  further 12 days, from April 26-May 7, while statements were taken from 10 more witnesses, to await the results of an autopsy and for further examination of criminal case records.

Police opposed bail. She was remanded in custody.

Pol Col Anek Taosupap, a deputy CSD commander, said that throughout questioning Ms Sararat refused to give information. She also refused to allow a blood sample to be taken for evidential DNA testing.

Ms Sararat is reportedly the former wife of a police deputy superintendent. They separated in 2022 but still occasionally meet because they have two children.

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The Criminal Court on Wednesday approved a request by police investigators to further detain Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, who is accused of killing a woman by putting cyanide in her food.

The former wife of a senior police officer, she is also suspected of involvement in the deaths of a dozen other people she had been in contact with and who died in similar circumstances.

Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn said on Wednesday that two more dead victims has been linked to Sararat “Am”, bringing the deaths to 12.

There was one survivor, who was giving information to police about her conduct. The woman was also poisoned and her heart stopped beating. A doctor managed to restore her heartbeat in time. Police were questioning her, said Pol Gen Surachate.

Ms Sararat was taken into custody on Tuesday at the government office complex on Chaeng Watthana Road in Bangkok by Crime Suppression Division (CSD) police with an arrest warrant. She had a bottle of cyanide in her possession, police said.

Her arrest followed a complaint filed with the CSD by the mother and elder sister of the late Siriporn “Koy” Khanwong, 32, from Kanchanaburi. Siriporn collapsed and died on the bank of the Mae Klong river in Ban Pong district of Ratchaburi, where she had gone with friends to release fish for merit-making on April 14. Cyanide was found in her body.

Investigators came to the belief Ms Sararat might be the person who had mixed cyanide in Siriporn’s food, causing her death. She allegedly also stole the victim’s valuables. This led to her arrest.

Ms Sararat was taken to CSD headquarters for questioning on Tuesday night.

On Wednesday morning, investigators took her to the Criminal Court and were given permission to detain her for a  further 12 days, from April 26 to May 7, while statements were taken from 10 more witnesses. They are also awaiting the results of an autopsy and a further examination of criminal case records.

Police opposed bail and she was remanded in custody.

Pol Col Anek Taosupap, a deputy CSD commander, said that throughout questioning Ms Sararat refused to give information. She also refused to allow a blood sample to be taken for evidential DNA testing.

Ms Sararat is reportedly the former wife of a police deputy superintendent. They separated in 2022 but still occasionally meet because they have two children.

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PHETCHABURI: Plans are being made to relocate the large population of rascally macaques at Phra Nakhon Khiri, or Khao Wang, historical park in Muang district to a place where they can live more naturally and annoy no-one, provincial governor Natthachai Nampoonsuksan said.

There were now about 3,000 macaques in Muang district alone and 1,000-1,500 in each of the other districts, and the population was growing, Mr Natthachai said on Wednesday.

The monkeys were spreading out in search of food, their depredations causing problems for local residents, businesses and tourists.

Protected Area Regional Office 3 of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department had a sterilisation programme, but this had not proved effective in keeping their numbers down. Therefore, a plan was being drawn up to relocate the macaques from Khao Wang to a more suitable location, Mr Natthachai said.

The governor did not name a specific place, but local residents said a possible new home for the simian scoundrels was an island in the middle of Kaeng Krachan Dam reservoir.

Uraiwan Phopuang, resident of a community near Khao Wang, said the macaques broke into and ransacked their homes and shops looking for food. They were also carriers of diseases and in particular scabies, which could cause respiratory problems. Tourist also found them persistant and annoying, she said.

Preeda Boonprasert, whose sweets shop is near Khao Wang, said the macaques urinated everywhere, leaving a strong smell, and ran across roads, causing accidents.

He would heave a big sigh of relief if they were moved elsewhere.

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Bangkok has the highest number of people registered for advance voting in the May 14 general election, with more than 800,000 of the 2.35 million voters nationwide who intend to cast their ballots a week early.

There are 74 polling stations in the capital, with the largest number of people planning to vote on May 7  registered at Ramkhamhaeng University (about 52,000), Royal Paragon Hall (40,000) and Huai Kwang district office (28,000) polling stations, according to the Election Commission.

Other polling stations with a high number of people registered to vote early were Bang Khen district office (26,000), the Thai-Japanese Stadium (25,300), Lat Krabang district office (25,200), Bang Na district office (24,000), the car park at Central Rama 2 shopping mall (23,000), the car park at Wat That Thong (22,800) and Chandra Rajabhat University (22,200).

A total of 2,350,969 people nationwide signed up during early-voting registration from March 25 to April 9.  Advance voting is on May 7, one week before the general election on May 14.

Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, chairman of Seri Ruam Thai’s policy steering committee and former election commissioner, has asked the EC to make more information public about and for people exercising their voting rights abroad, in the interests of transparency.

Mr Somchai posted on his Facebook account on Wednesday that there were many abnormalities regarding the management of voting outside the country such as the scrapping of postal voting, which was the best and most convenient method for voters, delays in sending ballot papers, and photos of candidates of two parties not matching their drawn ballot numbers in Bangkok’s constituency 11.

There was also confusion in the delivery of documents. For example, some people eligible to vote in Amnat Charoen’s constituency 2 also received documents to vote in Nonthaburi’s constituency 4.

The Seri Ruam Thai Party wanted voting abroad to be fully transparent. The party wanted the EC and the Foreign Affairs Ministry to disclose  the number of voters outside the country, in detail.

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the death sentence for gold shop-robber Prasittichai Khaokaeo, a former primary school director in Sing Buri who shot dead three people, one a child, and wounded four others during a holdup at a Lop Buri mall in 2020.

On Jan 9, 2020, Prasittichai, armed with a 9mm handgun fitted with a sound suppressor, stormed into Robinson Department Store in Muang district, Lop Buri, and shot dead three people – a security guard, a two-year-old boy walking with his mother, and a woman employee of Aurora gold shop. He also shot and wounded four other people.

Prasittichai then robbed the gold shopo f 22 one-baht and 11 fifty-satang gold necklaces, worth 664,470 baht in total at the time.

Public prosecutors, shop owner Aurora Design Co and 10 damaged parties brought charges against Prasittichai for murder, attempted murder, armed robbery and related offences.

The Criminal Court on Aug 27, 2020, sentenced Prasittichai to death and ordered him to pay damages.

The Appeal Court later upheld the lower court’s sentencing.

He appealed to the Supreme Court, seeking a reduced penalty.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld both lower court decisions, ruling there was no reason he should be granted a reprieve for the cold-blooded crimes he had committed.

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The Democrat Party wants to woo investors by dusting off its plan to transform the commercial district of Hat Yai in Songkhla into an economic powerhouse.

Its economic team had initiated a plan to seek the enactment of a special law to upgrade Hat Yai into an economic boom town that can rival Singapore and Hong Kong, according to Nipon Boonyamanee, the party’s deputy leader and election director.

The party has pledged to implement the plan if it returns to government.

It also stressed the need for the government to generate revenue. A way to achieve this is to link up with major free trade areas (FTAs) as the party, which supervises the Commerce Ministry, negotiates deals through economic cooperation.

The Democrat Party’s goal is to engage with 27-30 countries through FTAs which will accelerate exports and create revenue streams for the country.

Increasing exports means more tax to be collected from exporters, which augments revenue to be injected into the economic system, said Mr Nipon.

The party also reiterated its campaign promises which include offering a two-million-baht cash infusion into every village and community nationwide.

Orange shirts

The “orange” political movement holds a misguided view on how to reform the country, according to a senior member of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP).

In an apparent attack on the Move Forward Party (MFP), PPRP deputy leader Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn noted political conflicts have been more pronounced, especially in the lead-up to the May 14 election.

“The newcomer orange shirts are even worse than the red and yellow shirts,” he said, referring to the colour-coded conflict.

Red shirts are known to be mainly loyal supporters of the Pheu Thai Party, while the yellow shirts are monarchist groups. The “orange shirts”, meanwhile, support a liberal democratic cause, and orange is also the MFP’s colour of choice.

The “orange shirts” are eager to tackle the country’s problems by pushing for major changes right at their sources. However, Mr Chaiwut said he and the orange shirts see the roots of the problems differently.

“In my view, the sources of problems are corrupt politicians who fight for vested interests. The problems have nothing to do with the nation, religions, or the monarchy [the pillar institutions],” he said.

Opposing dissolution

Dissolving a political party over election-related undertakings benefits no one, said Bhumjajthai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul.

“Our party doesn’t support a dissolution of any party,” he said, explaining that election-related affairs are part and parcel of democracy.

Mr Anutin added a violation of election law is committed by an individual member or members of a party, so the entire party should not be held culpable and punished for it.

Responding to a recent statement by Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, chief strategist of the Seri Ruam Thai Party, that at least four major parties may face the prospect of dissolution, Mr Anutin said it was a matter of opinion.

Also yesterday, Chumsai Sriyapai, deputy secretary-general of the Pheu Thai Party, criticised activist Srisuwan Janya for petitioning the Election Commission (EC) to probe the party over the 10,000-baht digital wallet handout scheme.

He said the EC has been rather enthusiastic about speeding up its scrutiny of party election policies to see if they defy election restrictions, which may be grounds for dissolving some parties.

Electoral policies introduced by parties do not carry enough weight to warrant a party dissolution as they are pledges which, when executed, would serve people across the population.

Election pooper warning

Employers are liable for a jail term if they prevent their employees from going to vote on advance voting day or on Election Day, the EC warned yesterday.

Under the Election of MPs Act, employers who obstruct or refuse to allow their employees to vote at a general election are subject to a jail term of up to two years, a maximum fine of 40,000 baht, or both.

The legal condition is applicable for advance voting on May 7 and on Election Day on May 14.

Meanwhile, EC chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong explained the mix-up in campaign numbers of Pheu Thai Party and Thailand’s Future Party candidates on documents distributed to Thai voters in the United Kingdom has been rectified.

The EC has looked into the matter and found the mistake was made during document preparation by the EC’s Bangkok office before the documents were mailed to the Thai embassy in the UK for distribution.

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The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) has named Kanit Sangsubhan, a former special adviser of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office, as a member of its economic team to help boost the economy in the southern border provinces.

PPRP leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon said yesterday he was glad to welcome Mr Kanit as a member of the PPRP to help develop the southern provinces, particularly those in the southernmost area.

Mr Kanit said he has worked with Gen Prawit in carrying out 20 of 30 projects on solving water problems in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), the government’s flagship policy, over the past several years.

“I resigned from the special adviser job at the EEC in order to join the PPRP on Monday. I hope I can make Gen Prawit’s dream of building Thailand into a great country come true,” said Mr Kanit.

“For six years, I worked in the EEC, which is a megaproject made successful by the support of many sectors,” he said, adding the EEC is expected to grow by at least 70% this year.

Mr Kanit said he was asked by Gen Prawit to help plan how to develop the economy in the southern borders, after the latter’s meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Bangkok recently to discuss pressing issues affecting the southern region.

After reviewing the plan, Gen Prawit agreed with Mr Kanit’s vision for the economic development of the South, which is reflected in the party’s campaign manifesto.

The PPRP has set its goal to garner support, especially in the predominantly-Muslim southern border provinces, and win House seats there in the May 14 election.

Mr Kanit insisted the country needed someone like Gen Prawit, who could overcome political and social conflicts and apply his skills to bring people together across political divides.

The plan to establish a special economic zone in the southern region aims to connect the five southern provinces of Songkhla, Yala, Satun, Pattani, and Narathiwat and turn them into a special development zone, much like the EEC, in the hope of boosting the living conditions of local people.

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The Department of Medical Sciences reported on Tuesday that Thailand has detected six new cases of the Omicron XBB.1.16 subvariant, while another patient is infected with XBB.1.16.1, which is descended from it.

That brings the total number of people infected with XBB.1.16 to date in the kingdom to 34, according to the department’s director-general, Supakit Sirilak.

He said XBB.1.16 accounts for 9.8% of all new cases detected so far this week.

He also confirmed that a migrant worker who died in Bangkok’s Sathon district on April 17 was infected with XBB.1.16.1, but said there was no cause for alarm.

“Don’t panic about the spread of XBB.1.16,” he said. “One of the reasons that caused the man’s death is that he had never received any Covid-19 vaccinations, so it is possible that any of the strains could have led to the same result in his case.”

Authorities reported two more deaths yesterday due to Covid-19.

Pol Lt Watcharakorn Srisawang, deputy inspector of Sutthisan police in Bangkok, said officers were alerted after a 52-year-old man, identified as Phakin Charoenjit, was found dead on his bed in his room at Chokchai Ruammit Condominiums in Chatuchak district at 7.33am.

The deceased’s wife told police she last saw him late Monday evening before discovering his body the next morning.

Meanwhile, at 8am, Pol Capt Suwat Deeponngam, deputy inspector of Nong Chok police, was notified that the body of a 22-year-old man, identified as Nawin Chaowarak, had been found in the man’s room at an apartment on Sakun Di Road in Nong Chok district.

An investigation found the man had been living there with his girlfriend and had developed a fever and chest pain three to four days ago. Police said Covid-19 tests returned positive for both of the deceased.

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