Digital arrival cards required for visits to Thailand from May 1

European visitors are reminded to complete the form online at least three days before they travel.

Tourists arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport. (File photo: Somchai Poomlard)
Tourists arrive at the airport in Suvarnabhumi. Somchai Poomlard, in pictures.

Thailand’s authorities have reminded all foreign tourists visiting the country that, starting on April 28 for arrivals on May 1, they will need to complete a Thailand Digital Arrival Card ( TDAC ) at least three days before traveling.

The straightforward software replaces the conventional TM. According to assistant government official Anukool Pruksanusak, a 6 papers form can be completed on the TDAC website. Shortly, a TDAC mobile app for iOS and Android users is anticipated to be released.

The TM6 kind, which all customers had to complete in order to pass immigration, will be replaced by the TDAC. Since last year, TM6 card use has been prohibited.

Travelers are required to provide personal information, card info, travel plans, lodging options, and health status.

Travelers will receive a confirmation message to current along with travel documents upon arrival in Thailand once they have completed the TDAC type.

TDAC is not a card, but rather a online entry form designed to improve comfort and compliance with international requirements. It applies to all air, water, and land entry routes, according to Mr. Anukool.

English, Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Japanese are the five cultures that are available for instruction. Immigration regulators are coordinating arrivals with relevant organizations like the E-Visa method, public health testing, and tourism payment platforms.

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ABOUT POLITICS: Lacking in leadership

Following criticism that she failed to properly respond to the most devastating natural disaster Bangkok has seen in years, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s status has been affected by the recent disaster.

Paetongtarn: Caught on the fly

Paetongtarn: Caught on the fly

Critics claim that Ms. Paetongtarn’s authority has been harmed by natural disasters. Shortly after being elected as Chiang Rai’s prime minister on August 16 of last year, she experienced a storm crisis.

The top stood accused of making excuses to avoid visiting the flood-ravaged territory. She insisted that she had no choice but to wait for her visit to get formalized before going to work directing national interests, insisting that her championship was pending royal support.

At the time, opponents who questioned the new government’s emergency response, or lack thereof, needed to address disaster-fighting challenges, which necessitated a sizable national-scale resources, manpower, and logistics.

Despite the despair felt by storm sufferers, Ms Paetontarn was spared a severe censure on account of her becoming “new” to the best job. According to an observer, her wedding as head of the government was her keeping joy.

But, the critics warned her to take lessons from the worst flood in Chiang Rai in 30 years, which resulted in 16 fatalities and more than 14, 000 acres of farmland damage across nine towns between September 9 and December 2015.

After this crisis she was expected to assume a dominant part, been equipped with a well-formulated behavior plan ready for immediate application in the event of another disaster, according to the reviewers.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand on March 28 shook high-rises and toppled one of the State Audit Office ( SAO ) buildings in Bangkok.

Calls were made for the government to intervene as the money sprang into conflict as panic-stricken staff and residents poured onto the roads to flee the shaking buildings for protection.

Bangkok government Chadchart Sittipunt announced that open gardens may be available around the clock to provide protection to people with no property to fall back on.

However, reviewers claimed that City Hall did not designate any huts or temporary shelters for the displaced. Just individuals were present to set up wireless restaurants and distribute free lunches to those employed at the collapsed building site.

The president’s announcement came on the heels of the authorities declaring Bangkok a disaster area, which permitted the area to tap into crisis funds to listen to the crisis. For the search and rescue operations at the fell SAO tower, resources and personnel were essential.

The spectator claimed that the earthquakes had left behind a path of destruction. Some residents and residents admitted they did not know whether the plan their apartments juristic people had taken out on their behalf fully or partially covered the injury caused.

Some people were forced to rent an apartment while their flats were being repaired.

At the time of the collapsed building site, it was vague who was in charge of the search and rescue operations being conducted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the state disaster elimination and prevention officials.

As a result the government found itself the goal of large condemnation.

The Senate has criticized the government for what it claimed was its delayed response to the earthquake.

Senator Romsit Wiriyasan made an immediate action, urging the government and important organizations to hold an Upper House discussion on the subject and making recommendations.

He said that evacuees from buildings, customers conflict which hindered liberate workers ‘ exposure to quake damaged areas, and text message warnings that took too long to approach people, reflected badly on the government’s ability to manage emergency situations.

No one saw the government’s leader step up and take over the helm of crisis management immediately after the earthquake, according to Pol Gen Maj Romsit.

Another senator, Lt. Cdr. Wutthipong Pongsuwan, demanded that the government accelerate the implementation of the so-called “cell broadcast service ( CBS ) system,” which enables the dissemination of emergency weather and natural disaster warnings via mobile phone messages.

Senator Nantana Nantavaropas said that two previous natural disasters that hit Thailand– the 2004 tsunami and the 2011 deluge– should have served as lessons.

However, in a crisis, the government appeared unprofessional and had trouble communicating effectively. She claimed that state agencies “were too slow to respond.”

Ms Paetongtarn chaired a meeting with state agencies to address the text message delays warning people about the earthquake. Attendees also included mobile phone providers like True Corporation and Advanced Info Service.

The premier inquired about sending SMS alerts as soon as a quake.

However, this was too little too late. Critics claim that the prime minister made errors frequently.

The prime minister learned of some state agencies evacuating staff from office buildings after announcing on March 31 that structural cracks and tremors had been felt and that earthquake-related situations had been managed.

The critics took Ms Paetongtarn to task for trying to explain away the scare. She argued that aftershocks in Myanmar had no bearing on the March 31 tremors.

She claimed that it had nothing to do with aftershocks or additional quakes.

The critics were also baffled by what they said was the premier’s suggestion that individual building managers were on their own in conducting quake-induced damage assessments.

I have no idea how to act when an earthquake strikes, according to Ms. Paetongtarn, to be honest.

We don’t reside in a place where earthquakes are frequent and destructive. Some people might mistakenly think they experience low blood sugar when a quake hits. We need to be taught more [about earthquakes],” she said.


Casinos are not a guaranteed bet.

Chaichanok: Catches all off guard

Chaichanok: Catches all off guard

Chaichanok Chidchob, the secretary-general of the Bhumjaithai Party, caught everyone off guard when he objected to legalizing casinos at a House meeting.

His unflinching rejection came shortly after the Pheu Thai-led government resisted trying to quicken the investigation into the casino-entertainment complex bill.

The legislation, which was initially scheduled for a first reading on April 9, was deferred to the next parliamentary session, due to begin in two months.

Observers believe that Mr. Chaichanok’s action has put the Pheu Thai Party, which initiated the policy, in a awkward position.

Opponents of the bill have been vehemently opposed, saying that it needs to be completely abandoned and not just delayed. It involves the legalization of casinos and allowing them to be a part of an entertainment complex.

” Our intention is to prevent the legalisation of casinos, not just see the bill’s deliberation delayed,” Pichit Chaimongkol, leader of the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand ( NSPRT), said during a recent protest.

Additionally, the government’s claim that the bill received overwhelmingly public support during its public input gathering process was met with skepticism.

The government may now be forced to consider holding a referendum on the casino proposal due to the strong opposition from the opposition in parliament and Mr. Chaichanok’s leadership, according to observers.

Stithorn Thananithichot, director of the Office of Innovation for Democracy at King Prajadhipok’s Institute, said Pheu Thai appears to be hitting roadblocks in its casino-entertainment complex bill push.

Given that Bhumjaithai is the coalition’s second-largest party and reportedly has the backing of the majority in the Senate, Mr. Chaichanok’s position should not be disregarded.

Even if the government successfully pushes the bill for House consideration in the upcoming parliamentary session, he said, passage is not guaranteed.

The bill is considered finance-related legislation, so it requires two-thirds support in the House, or at least 330 votes.

The government is currently unlikely to achieve that number, and he said that critics are expected to demand that the cabinet take responsibility if the bill fails in its first reading.

Even if the bill passes the House, the Senate poses a significant challenge and is highly likely to reject it, according to Mr. Stithorn.

” The government must have evaluated the situation and decided to back down for the time being. He said that Mr. Chaichanok’s action is a new problem.

The Bhumjaithai Secretary-General may be attempting to capitalize on the political slack of his father, Newin Chidchob, the party’s founder and de facto leader, to capitalize on the opportunity while Pheu Thai appears to be losing them, according to the analyst.

” The only thing was that he]Mr Chaichanok ] became overly emotional]during the House meeting], breaking into tears after the speech and ending up being mocked by several media outlets, “he said.

Because no political party other than the main opposition People’s Party ( PP ) is prepared for a snap election, Mr. Stithorn argued that Mr. Chaichanok’s decision won’t cause a House to dissolve.

Pheu Thai, which finished second in the most recent general election, is also aware that achieving that result will not be easy, he continued.

For the government, the best course of action is to put the casino-entertainment complex bill up for a referendum and push for the passage of the pending referendum bill after its 180-day cooling-off period has lapsed.

The government claims that 80 % of the 71,300 polled in an online public hearing conducted from February 28 to March 14 expressed support for the bill, but the general public is skeptical.

There are questions after the hearing about what the questions were, how accurately these questions were framed, and how the findings were analyzed, he said.

Former election commissioner, Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, pointed out the results of the survey showed almost identical levels of support for every aspect of the scheme, with 80.6 % to 80.75 % of people voting in favour of each of the eight topics.

According to Mr. Somchai, it was statistically assumed that 57, 500 out of 71, 303 respondents would give the same answers.

The outcome appears improbable even from Mars. Yet the cabinet believes it,” the former commissioner was quoted as saying.

According to Mr. Stithorn, the ruling party may need to negotiate with the PP to secure its support for the bill and be willing to return the favor by holding a charter rewrite referendum at the same time.

It can stifle critical voices if a referendum is conducted fairly and the bill receives majority support. If scepticism remains, the government will face resistance and Pheu Thai will continue to suffer politically, “he said.

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Politician’s son faces charges over crash

Smitthipat: No trace of alcohol
Smitthipat: No traces of beer

Following a customers occurrence, the Royal Thai Highway Police may file a criminal complaint against Smitthiphat Leenawarat, the brother of a well-known Pathum Thani politician.

The incident involves Mr. Smitthiphat’s BMW colliding with Prachak Duangyai, a 65-year-old delivery truck. In the car was his family, Somsri, 64, who was also with him. Both were hurt in the collision, and Mr. Prachak is already receiving medical attention in a hospital.

On Wednesday night, an incident took place in Pathum Thani state on Bangkok’s southeast outer ring road.

The event is being pursued in two parts, according to Pol Col Kuekkong Disawat, the Bridge Police Division 8 captain. The second concernes reckless moving and home injury, which are both under the control of the Royal Thai Highway Police. Prosecutors are preparing to command both vehicles under the Traffic Act, with possible fines of up to 4,000 baht.

Since his license expired in June 2021, Mr. Smitthiphat will also be subject to an additional fee for driving without a valid license. Studies are also looking into the frequency with which he approached the M-Flow burden booth, which is especially important during the Songkran holiday season when charges were waived.

Pol Col Kuekkong claimed that no liquor in his system was found during blood alcohol tests two hours after the incident.

The reddish number plate on Mr. Smitthiphat’s BMW likewise caused him to address public concern. Initial inspections revealed irregularities in the car’s registration. The Department of Land Transport may continue to look into the issue.

The vehicles and a number of other documents will be given to Lam Luk Ka authorities in case of document falsification if fraud is discovered.

The old driver suffered important injuries as a result of the collision’s serious nature.

Police in Lam Luk Ka are trying to determine whether the work was intended to cause damage or whether it was irresponsible driving. Soldiers are gathering information from witnesses and surveillance video.

The female customer has already released a declaration, but Mr. Prachak is still in critical condition and unable to talk at this time.

Despite Mr. Smitthiphat’s family ties to important local and national politicians, Pol Col Thiradet Chanlad of Lam Luk Ka policeman assured the people that the investigation would resume dispassionately.

He is the son of a former president of the Thanyaburi subdistrict city and the younger sibling of a Pheu Thai MP representing Pathum Thani.

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Govt set to lift martial law in South

Three counties to be visited by Phumtham.

Police cordon off the shooting scene on a local road in Mayor district of Pattani after a territorial defence volunteer was shot and injured in a gun attack on the night of April 16. (Photo: Abdullah Benjakat)
After a volunteer for regional defense was shot and injured in a weapon attack on April 16 and a local street was attacked, police in Pattani, and immediately closed the incident. ( Photo: Abdullah Benjakat )

According to Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, the state is set to pull military law in four regions of the three southeastern border regions.

After a portable cupboard meeting in Songkhla on February 17 to decide that the enforcing of military law in the four regions of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, he said he plans to meet with state authorities to talk about the raising of martial law.

According to Mr. Phumtham, who likewise serves as a deputy prime minister, “efforts to end the conflict in the deep southern are making improvement.”

On April 26 through to join local traders, city leaders, police officers, soldiers, and representatives from the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Forward Command, he added that he will travel to the three southern frontier provinces Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat to get ideas before settling down on a new strategy to combat the unrest in the heavy South.

Additionally, according to Mr. Phumtham, no decision has been made regarding the selection of a new peace negotiation team to address the issue in the three southern regions. This will depend on the new plan adopted by the government, which will determine the course of the harmony work, he said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim praised diplomatic discussions with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in a information posted on social media on Friday.

I expressed my gratitude to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for her solid commitment to strengthening Malaysia-Thailand relationships during our diplomatic meeting.

We applauded the accomplishments of the existing contracts, especially those that aim to encourage economic growth in northern Thailand and northern Malaysia.

These initiatives will help us meet our US$ 30 billion destination by 2027, with Thailand then acting as Malaysia’s sixth-largest trading partner and amounted to more than US$ 25 billion in total trade next time.

We also consented to promote important tasks, such as the new Rantau Panjang–Sungai Golok gate and flood mitigation projects along the Golok River.

” With the drafting of the Friendship Bridge building contract by our particular officials, we also witnessed a substantial step.” Our conversation also included the topic of US tariffs, which we discussed as a group and expressed our shared responsibility to dialogue and Asian solutions.

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Salvage work at SAO site speeds up

The United SAR K9 search and rescue team carries out a morning search mission on Friday, focusing on the area with discarded cement and steel bars at the collapse site of the State Audit Office building. The team is searching to ensure all missing individuals are brought home safely. (Photo: United SAR K9)
On Friday, the United SAR K9 search and rescue team will focus on the region with discarded concrete and steel bars at the State Auditorium building’s collapse site. The team is looking to make sure all those who have vanished are carefully returned home. United SAR K9 ( Photo )

According to the Royal Thai Police’s Crisis Victim Identification Center, 33 people have been found since the SAO building collapsed in the most recent disaster.

The goal is to find out who the systems are and give their bones to their families for religious ceremonies, according to Pol Maj Gen Wathee Assawutmangkul, a spokeswoman for the Office of Police Forensic Science.

To compare the information that the center has collected on missing people and DNA samples from 97 friends to the bones that have been delivered to the Office of Police Forensic Science, the center has collected information on missing people and examples from 97 relatives. He claimed that the confirmation process includes biometric analysis, medical records, DNA, and physical characteristics.

41 systems and 96 system parts were submitted for criminal running between March 29 and March 30.

42 cases have so far been scanned into the system, leading to 33 confirmed identifiers, including 22 Thai citizens, 10 Myanmar nationals, and one Thai. People have been informed, and plans are being made for the burial’s remains to be released.

The investigative procedure includes combining body parts with DNA and matching prints. He said that DNA recovery will require an additional 1 to 2 days for evaluation and comparison with family records because bone samples are being used for the extraction process. ” In the beginning, biometric identification made systems available the same day. All components must now be reconstructed before being released, he said, according to degradation and the growing number of divided remains.

Authorities are working with the Myanmar Embassy to obtain DNA examples in Myanmar for more testing for some unauthorized migrant workers.

In some circumstances, families are gathering their loved ones while others are still encased in dust.

Two people showed up on Thursday to gather remains. One of them was Wittaya Sitsri’s 36-year-old family, Ms. Boonsong Muansuk, 73.

She claimed that while she remained in Si Sa Ket state, her brother had been employed in Bangkok for a number of years. The pair last saw each other at the New Year’s Eve events in early 2024.

She claimed that her brother had been employed by the fell company for a month. Her family initially withheld the announcement from her, and she only learned about it through neighbors. She claimed to be eagerly awaiting news and hadn’t eaten or slept. Officers called her brother’s birthday on Monday, confirming that his body had been discovered in the dust.

She would deliver her brother’s remains to their home in the northern province for burial at Wat Phothinimit in Thon Buri district before disposing of his remains at the funeral home.

On the lookout for

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration ( BMA ), spokesman Ekwaranyu Amrapal, stated that the recused operation’s main goal has always been to lower the height of the debris in the collapsed building.

As of yesterday morning, the dust height has decreased from more than 26 meters to 12.45 meters. To facilitate simultaneous operations at various points, the strategy has been changed so that volunteer teams, defense personnel, and BMA staff can now be deployed to cut steel structures quickly using gas torches.

Secondly, there have been more trucks moving dirt since Thursday, increasing the number of trips per day from the usual 100 to the new 140, which has increased from 14 to 22. We made off to 300 journeys on Thursday to move dust, he said.

He said that places may be set up to store the dust.

First difficulties, according to Suriyachai Rawiwan, director of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, were caused by the building’s metallic framework, but progress has been made with the use of gas lights at various points.

The present challenge is making room for further rubble from ongoing operations by quickly removing the steel and concrete particles. Nevertheless, the procedure is proceeding as planned, with the goal of implementation by the end of this month, he said.

The recovery mission had identified 44 lifeless bodies and nine injured people as of Friday, with 50 others still unaccounted for.

According to him, the BMA’s Health Department has sent staff from the Chatuchak District Office, Environmental Health Office, and Public Health Disease Control Office to the blog to check public health and environmental value.

The Public Health Disease Control Office has treated stagnant water with calcium chloride before letting it enter public spaces.

Additionally, they applied herbicides to kill flies and mosquitoes, and they added larvicide to stop mosquitoes breeding. He said these actions will be in effect from May through every Wednesday and Saturday.

The Environmental Health Office is taking surface water specimens close to the fell developing and monitoring and testing the earth.

They will work with the Drainage and Sewerage Department to gather wastewater samples for bacteriological study, and with the Pollution Control Department to conduct a heavy metal contamination check.

continued research

According to Pol Maj Gen Noppasin Poonsawat, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau ( MPB), police have interrogated 117 people in the ongoing investigation into the collapse site of SAO.

Those questioned include those who were injured survivors, witnesses, relatives of the deceased, SAO authorities, and representatives from companies involved in design, development, and job supervision.

Results are pending after forensic teams from the Department of Public Works and Town &amp, Country Planning, and the Department of Special Investigation ( DSI) have taken 193 steel bars and 36 concrete samples from the site for analysis.

As well as those who approved the design documents, summonses have been issued to those in charge of the property’s design, development, and project guidance. He said that three manufacturers have now testified, and two more are anticipated.

On April 21, Patiwat Sirithai, a big shareholder of PN Synchroline Company and a part of the PKW shared venture contracted by the SAO for building care, will be deposed.

According to Pol Maj Gen Noppasin, authorities are collaborating closely with criminal and executive experts to determine the cause of the collapse.

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Salvage work at State Audit Office site speeds up

The United SAR K9 search and rescue team carries out a morning search mission on Friday, focusing on the area with discarded cement and steel bars at the collapse site of the State Audit Office building. The team is searching to ensure all missing individuals are brought home safely. (Photo: United SAR K9)
On Friday, the United SAR K9 search and rescue team will focus on the area near the State Auditorium building’s collapse blog, which has discarded plaster and metal bars. The crew searches to make sure all missing people are returned home safely. United SAR K9 ( Photo )

According to the Royal Thai Police’s Disaster Victim Identification Center, 33 people have been identified since the State Audit Office ( SAO ) building collapsed in the most recent earthquake.

The goal is to verify the names of the bodies discovered in the remains and give their bones to people for religious ceremonies, according to Pol Maj Gen Wathee Assawutmangkul, a spokeswoman for the Office of Police Forensic Science.

To compare the bones that have been delivered to the Office of Police Forensic Science with those that have been missing, the center has collected information on missing people and DNA samples from 97 friends. He claimed that the confirmation process includes biometric analysis, medical records, DNA, and physical characteristics.

41 systems and 96 system components were submitted for forensic examination between March 29 and March 3.

42 cases have so far been scanned into the system, leading to 33 confirmed identifiers, including 22 Thai citizens, 10 Myanmar nationals, and one Thai. People have been informed, and plans are being made for the burial’s remains to be released.

The investigative procedure includes combining body parts with DNA and matching prints. He claimed that DNA separation using tooth samples will take an additional 1 to 2 days for evaluation and comparison with household records. ” In the beginning, fingerprint verification made systems available the same day. All components must now be reconstructed before being released, he said, according to decomposition and the growing number of scattered remains.

Authorities are working with the Myanmar Embassy to obtain DNA examples in Myanmar for more testing for some unauthorized migrant workers.

Some families are gathering their loved ones up, while others are still buried beneath the wreckage.

Two people showed up on Thursday to acquire remains. One of them was Wittaya Sitsri’s 36-year-old family, Ms. Boonsong Muansuk, 73.

She claimed that while she remained in Si Sa Ket state, her brother had been employed in Bangkok for a number of years. They next saw one another at the New Year’s Eve activities in earlier 2024.

She claimed that her brother had been employed by the fell company for a month. Her family initially withheld the announcement from her, and she only learned about it through neighbors. She claimed to be eagerly awaiting reports and hadn’t eaten or slept. Officials called her brother’s birthday on Monday, confirming that his body had been discovered in the dust.

She would deliver her brother’s remains to their home in the northern province for burial at Wat Phothinimit in Thon Buri district before disposing of his remains at the funeral home.

On the lookout for

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration ( BMA ), spokesman Ekwaranyu Amrapal, stated that the recused operation’s main goal has always been to lower the height of the debris in the collapsed building.

As of Friday morning, the dirt elevation has decreased from more than 26 meters to 12.45 meters. To quicken the trimming of steel structures using oil torches, the technique has been changed so that there are deployed volunteer teams, military personnel, and BMA staff, allowing for continuous operations at various points.

Moreover, the number of vehicles moving debris has increased from 14 to 22, making over 170 outings a day, compared to the previous 100 per day. We made off to 300 journeys on Thursday to move dust, he said.

He claimed that there would be areas where the dirt may be kept.

First difficulties, according to Suriyachai Rawiwan, director of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, were caused by the building’s metallic framework, but progress has been made with the use of gas lights at various points.

Making room for extra rubble from continuous operations is the recent challenge, according to the author. Nevertheless, he stated that the operation is proceeding as planned and that it will be finished by the end of this month.

The recovery mission had identified 44 lifeless bodies and nine injured people as of Friday, with 50 others still unaccounted for.

According to him, the BMA’s Health Department has sent staff from the Public Health Disease Control Office, Environmental Health Office, and Chatuchak District Office to the page to track both economic value and open heath.

Prior to allowing stagnant water to flow into open spaces, the Public Health Disease Control Office applied sodium chloride to affected areas.

Additionally, they applied larvicide and herbicides to stop flies and mosquitoes, which were previously applied. These actions may be implemented from every Wednesday and Saturday until May, he said.

The Environmental Health Office is taking liquid samples close to the collapsed building and conducting ground testing.

They will work with the Drainage and Sewerage Department to gather wastewater samples for bacteriological study, and with the Pollution Control Department to check for heavy metal contamination in waste.

continuing research

According to Pol Maj Gen Noppasin Poonsawat, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau ( MPB), police have interrogated 117 people in the ongoing investigation into the SAO collapse site.

Among those interrogated are those who were injured survivors, eyewitnesses, deceased’s family members, SAO officials, and representatives of design, construction, and job care companies.

Results are pending after forensic teams from the Department of Public Works and Town &amp, Country Planning, and the Department of Special Investigation ( DSI) have taken 193 steel bars and 36 concrete samples from the site for analysis.

As well as those who approved the design documents, summonses have been issued to those in charge of the property’s design, development, and job guidance. He said that three manufacturers have now testified, and two more are anticipated.

On April 21, Patiwat Sirithai, a big shareholder of PN Synchroline Company and a member of the PKW shared venture contracted by the SAO for building guidance, is scheduled for questioning.

According to Pol Maj Gen Noppasin, authorities are collaborating closely with criminal and executive experts to determine the cause of the collapse.

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PM wants collapse culprits charged

Recovery teams have reduced the height of the rubble to about 12 metres as they continue efforts to locate the 50 remaining missing individuals. (Photo: Bangkok Metropolitan Administration)
As they continue their search for the 50 remaining missing people, treatment team have reduced the level of the dust to about 12 meters. ( Photo: Bangkok Metropolitan Administration )

Once sufficient evidence is discovered, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will make the arrest warrants for those responsible for the collapse of the new State Audit Office ( SAO ) building more quickly.

With national police chief Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch and Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation ( DSI) Pol Maj Yutthana Praedam among those present, Ms. Paetongtarn convened a meeting on Friday to receive updates on the investigation.

The Comptroller General’s Department ( CGD ) will be enlisted to inspect construction material standards after the meeting, the prime minister said, as it has the authority to cancel contracts.

The DSI is looking into possible violations involving subpar material, subpar masonry, and lack of metal reinforcement in the raise shaft, according to Ms. Paetongtarn.

International shareholders and bid collusion are more concerns.

She pleaded with the internet to assist in publicizing the issues and promised that the government would not let the situation go unmentioned.

In terms of legal proceedings, she stated that when enough information is available, arrest permits will be issued.

She said,” Imprisonment permits won’t be issued in the near future.”

Additionally, Ms. Paetongtarn noted that some express agencies, including the SAO itself, are yet to give requested documents, adding that any company that doesn’t engage would inevitably raise people fear.

She added that she has even pressed the officers to locate the culprits:” It’s unthinkable that no one is at fault.

” We now know, in contrast to other houses, that there are definitely some places where things went wrong. The prime minister said,” It’s clear.”

According to Pol Gen Somprasong Yentuam, assistant federal police chief and mind of the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s Investigation Division, arrest warrants may be issued in seven days, but additional information is also needed.

In the meantime, the DSI searched the offices of businesses connected to the building on Friday, including China Railway No. 10 ( Thailand ).

A list of 51 supervising engineers and a dozen boxes of daily construction reports were found as evidence.

Pimol Yingcharoen, an 85-year-old engineer allegedly the building’s original designer, informed authorities in another occurrence that he was ill and unable to meet with the investigating officers. After recovering from illness, he promised to report to the DSI the following week.

As of Friday, the collapse, which was still causing injuries to nine, and left 50 people unaccounted for, had claimed 44 lives and nine lives.

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Thailand is ‘just a facilitator’

Govt clarifies his position in the dictatorship speaks in Myanmar.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim with Thaksin Shinawatra, chair of an informal Asean advisory group, in Bangkok on Friday. (Photo: Anwar Ibrahim X account)
An unofficial Asean consulting group chaired by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Thaksin Shinawatra in Bangkok on Friday. ( Photo: Anwar Ibrahim X account )

Thailand’s role in the recent discussions between Asean head Malaysia and the Myanmar junta in Bangkok was solely that of a coach, the authorities stated on Friday.

However, a prominent academic has questioned the lack of quality brought on by this year’s gathering and demanded more thorough results in their upcoming discussions.

According to Nikorndej Balankura, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( MFA ), the meeting on Thursday marked the first official sit-down between Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

According to Mr. Nikorndej, it was started at Mr. Anwar’s demand, adding that Thailand and Malaysia reached up to negotiate in order to arrange the arrangement.

Mr. Nikorndej said the gathering reflected Thailand’s commitment to maintaining good relations with its neighbors as well as Malaysia’s mutual trust in engaging in creative dialogue.

The conversations were open and focused on Asean’s role in assisting charitable efforts to stop the recent earthquake in Myanmar and support efforts to end the conflict-torn nation, he said.

He claimed that while addressing those humanitarian requirements is important, a peaceful resolution must be given precedence in order to stabilize Myanmar and provide for the country’s continued assistance.

This meeting represents a good first step for Asean in its relationship with Myanmar, according to Mr. Nikorndej.

Mr. Anwar wrote in a concept that was posted on Instagram on Friday that he had also discussed the results of my meeting with Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, in which I called for the end to hostilities and the start of a ceasefire to help the people of Myanmar. He expressed his support for this endeavor.

This sentiment was shared in my interactions with the Asean chair’s Informal Advisory Group led by Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra, as well as in a virtual meeting with U Mahn Win Khaing Than of the National Unity Government ( NUG).

Asean must make sure that all parties in Myanmar can be heard, adding that the country’s future may be decided by its citizens. Peace is not a privilege of any one party.

I’ll get informing other Asean leaders about these initiatives, which I believe are most effective when implemented within Asean’s framework and without any impediment.

Trust-building is still crucial, and Asean’s leadership is necessary. We will continue to work with all parties to promote harmony, coexistence, and the well-being of Myanmar’s citizens, he declared.

The response to the regional appointment has been mixed.

Asean had recently avoided engaged with the coup, but Panitan Wattanayagorn, an expert in international relations, claimed that this meeting signaled a change in his stance toward the Myanmar military.

In the past, Thailand and Malaysia held contradictory views on this. Malaysia opposed it, he claimed, despite Thailand’s demands for engagement with the Tatmadaw ( Myanmar military ).

He claimed that Mr. Anwar’s head position highlights the value of dialogue and humanitarian assistance, even though his does not fully reflect Asean’s.

Mr. Panitan even viewed Mr. Anwar’s political partnership with the Tatmadaw and the NUG as a fruitful one.

He noted that no other president had been successful in collaborating with all functions.

He raised questions about the meeting’s plan, participants, and goals, which stifled public opinion of Thailand’s command.

Some tribal groups in the nation disapprove of the meeting, according to Mr. Panitan, who added that some of the country’s minority groups claim gave too much attention to the Myanmar junta head.

He argued that Thailand does take a more proactive approach by setting up more organized meetings, set aside time, and set goals.

According to Mr. Panitan, these discussions should lead to clear and important benefits, such as a peace or more equitable speech, which would help cement Thailand’s position as a power seller in the region.

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Thailand ‘just a facilitator’ of Myanmar talks

Government clarifies its role in bringing together the Myanmar junta captain and the Malay prime minister.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim talks with former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, chair of an informal Asean advisory group, in Bangkok on Friday. (Photo: Anwar Ibrahim X account)
An casual Asean advisory group head, past Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, meets with Indonesian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Bangkok on Friday for a conversation. ( Photo: Anwar Ibrahim X account )

Thailand’s role in the recent discussions between Asean head Malaysia and the Myanmar junta in Bangkok is completely that of a coach, the authorities stated on Friday.

One eminent scientific, however, questioned the lack of quality brought about by this week’s meeting and demanded more thorough conclusions in their upcoming discussions.

According to Nikorndej Balankura, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( MFA ), the meeting on Thursday marked the first official sit-down between Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

According to Mr. Nikorndej, it was started at Mr. Anwar’s ask, adding that Thailand and Malaysia reached out to arrange things there.

Mr. Nikorndej said the gathering reflected Thailand’s commitment to maintaining good relations with its neighbors as well as Malaysia and Myanmar’s mutual trust in engaging in creative dialogue.

Asean’s role in delivering humanitarian assistance to Myanmar’s recently devasted disaster and supporting efforts to bring back harmony in the troubled nation, he said, was the focus of the debate.

He claimed that while addressing those humanitarian requirements is important, a quiet decision must be given precedence in order to stabilize Myanmar and provide for the country’s continued assistance.

” This meeting represents a good first step for Asean in engaging with Myanmar,” said Mr. Nikorndej.

Mr. Anwar wrote in a concept that was posted on Instagram on Friday that he had discussed the situation and called for the peace to be extended to allow the people of Myanmar to receive humanitarian aid. He expressed his support for this endeavor.

This sentiment was shared in my interactions with the Asean chair’s Informal Advisory Group led by Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra, as well as in a virtual meeting with U Mahn Win Khaing Than of the National Unity Government ( NUG).

Asean must make sure that all parties in Myanmar are heard, adding that the future of Myanmar must be decided by the people rather than by any one party.

Gratis from any disturbance, I will be presentation fellow Asean officials on these initiatives, which I believe are most effective when implemented within Asean’s model.

Trust-building is still necessary, and it is crucial that Asean continues to lead this endeavor. We will continue to work with all parties to promote harmony, coexistence, and the well-being of Myanmar’s citizens, he declared.

The response to the regional appointment has been mixed.

Asean had formerly avoided engaged with the dictatorship, but Panitan Wattanayagorn, an expert in international relations, claimed that this meeting signaled a change in his stance toward the Myanmar military.

Thailand and Malaysia have previously held contradictory views on this. Malaysia opposed it, he claimed, despite Thailand’s demands for engagement with the Tatmadaw ( Myanmar military ).

He claimed that Mr. Anwar’s chairperson’s position highlights the value of dialogue and humanitarian assistance, even though his position does not fully reflect Asean’s.

Mr. Panitan even viewed Mr. Anwar’s diplomatic partnership with the Tatmadaw and the NUG as a fruitful one.

He noted that no other president had been successful in collaborating with all functions.

He raised questions about the meeting’s plan, participants, and goals, which stifled public opinion of Thailand’s management.

Some ethnic groups in the country disapprove of the meeting, which critics claim gave very little attention to the Myanmar junta head.

He argued that Thailand does take a more proactive approach by setting up more organized meetings, set aside time, and set goals.

According to Mr. Panitan, these discussions should lead to clear and important benefits, such as a peace or more equitable speech, which would help cement Thailand’s position as a power seller in the region.

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Lacking in leadership

Lacking command

Paetongtarn: Caught on the fly

Paetongtarn: Caught on the fly

Following criticism that she failed to respond to the most devastating natural disaster Bangkok has seen in years, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s status has been affected by the recent disaster.

Critics claim that Ms. Paetongtarn’s command has been harmed by natural disasters. Shortly after being elected prime minister on Aug 16 next year, she was greeted with a storm crises in Chiang Rai.

The top was accused of using excuses to travel to the county that had been devastated by the floods. She insisted that she had no choice but to wait for her visit to get formalized before going to work directing national interests, insisting that her championship was pending royal support.

At the time, the incident reaction, or a shortage of, from the new state was called into question by opponents who criticised what they described was a “vacuum in management” needed to deal with disaster-battling challenges, which required a great national-scale resources, labor and logistics.

Despite the fervent pleadings made by flood victims, Ms. Paetontarn was spared a severe reprimand because she was “new” to the best job. An observer claimed that her time as head of the government was her keeping kindness.

However, the reviewers warned she may know from the worst flooding in Chiang Rai in 30 years, which left 16 persons dead and damaged more than 14, 000 ray of land across nine towns from Sept 9-15 next month.

According to the critics, she was expected to take on a dominant position following this disaster and have a well-formulated action plan ready for immediate execution in the event of another catastrophe.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand on March 28 shook high-rises and toppled one of the State Audit Office ( SAO ) buildings in Bangkok.

As the capital descended into chaos, with panic-stricken workers and people pouring onto the streets to avoid the shaking buildings, calls were made for the government to move in to support several tenants prevented from returning to their condos, which had developed deep cracks, for health reasons.

Chadchart Sittipunt, the governor of Bangkok, made the announcement that public parks would be open 24 hours a day to provide shelter to those who had no place to live.

However, critics claimed that City Hall did not designate any tents or temporary shelters for the displaced. Only volunteers were out in force to set up mobile kitchens to hand out free meals to those working at the collapsed building site.

The governor’s announcement came shortly after the government declared Bangkok a disaster zone, which gave the city the opportunity to use emergency funds in response to the crisis. For the search and rescue operations at the collapsed SAO building, resources and personnel were essential.

The observer said tremors had left a trail of destruction in its wake. Many residents and tenants acknowledged not knowing whether the damage that their condo juristicians had taken out of full or part covered the damage.

Many people were forced to rent out their condos while their homes were being repaired.

At the collapsed building site, meanwhile, it was unclear who was in charge of the search and rescue operations being carried out by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and government disaster prevention and mitigation authorities.

The government was thus the target of significant criticism.

The Senate has criticized the government for what it claimed was the government’s slow response to the earthquake.

Senator Romsit Wiriyasan tabled an urgent motion calling for an Upper House debate on the issue with suggestions to be conveyed to the government and relevant agencies.

He claimed that the government’s capacity to handle emergency situations was poorly reflected in evacuations from buildings, traffic chaos that prevented rescue workers from reaching earthquake-damaged areas, and text message warnings that took too long to reach people.

No one saw the government’s leader step up and take over the helm of crisis management immediately after the earthquake, according to Pol Gen Maj Romsit.

Lt Cdr Wutthipong Pongsuwan, another senator, called on the government to speed up the implementation of the so-called “cell broadcast service ( CBS ) system”, which allows emergency weather and natural disaster warnings to be disseminated via mobile phone messages.

Senator Nantana Nantavaropas argued that the 2004 tsunami and the 2011 deluge, two other natural disasters that have affected Thailand, should have taught.

However, the government appeared unprofessional and had trouble expressing itself effectively in a crisis. State agencies were too slow to respond”, she said.

Ms. Paetongtarn presided over a meeting with state organizations to address the delays in text messages warning people about the earthquake. Mobile phone companies from True Corporation and Advanced Info Service also showed up.

The premier asked them whether SMS alerts could be sent shortly after a quake.

However, this was too little and too late. Critics claim that the prime minister made errors frequently.

After announcing on March 31 that Bangkok’s disaster zone status had been rescinded and that quake-related situations had been brought under control, the prime minister learned of some state agencies evacuating staff from office buildings due to tremors being felt and structural cracks being spotted.

The critics criticized Ms. Paetongtarn for trying to dispel the fear. She argued that the March 31 tremors were unrelated to aftershocks that had taken place in Myanmar.

” It had nothing to do with aftershocks or additional quakes”, she said.

The critics were also perplexed by what they claimed was the premier’s suggestion that individual building managers were independent in carrying out quake-induced damage assessments.

I have no idea how to act when an earthquake strikes, according to Ms. Paetongtarn to be honest.

” We don’t live in a country where quakes are frequent and destructive. Some people may mistakenly believe they have low blood sugar when a quake strikes. She said,” We need to be educated more about earthquakes.”

Casinos are not a surefire bet

Chaichanok: Catches everyone off guard

Chaichanok: Catches everyone off guard

Chaichanok Chidchob, the secretary-general of the Bhumjaithai Party, caught everyone off guard when he objected to legalizing casinos at a House meeting.

His blunt rejection came shortly after the Pheu Thai-led government backed away from its bid to fast-track scrutiny of the casino-entertainment complex bill.

The legislation’s initial reading was scheduled for April 9; however, it was postponed until the following two-month legislative session.

Observers believe that Mr. Chaichanok’s action has placed the Pheu Thai Party, which initiated the policy, in a awkward position.

Opponents of the bill, which involves the legalisation of casinos and allowing them to be part of an entertainment complex, have been adamant– the bill must be scrapped entirely, not just postponed.

During a recent protest, Pichit Chaimongkol, the leader of the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand ( NSPRT), stated,” Our intention is to prevent the legalization of casinos, not just to see the bill’s deliberation delayed.

Additionally, the government’s claim that the bill received overwhelming public support during its public input gathering process has been met with skepticism.

With strong resistance outside of parliament and Mr Chaichanok’s opposition, the government may now be forced to consider holding a referendum on the casino proposal, according to observers.

Pheu Thai appears to be hitting roadblocks in its casino-entertainment complex bill push, according to Stithorn Thananithichot, director of King Prajadhipok’s Institute’s Office of Innovation for Democracy.

Given that Bhumjaithai is the coalition’s second-largest party and reportedly has the backing of the majority in the Senate, Mr. Chaichanok’s position should not be disregarded.

Even if the government successfully pushes the bill for House deliberation in the next parliamentary session, the bill’s passage is not guaranteed, he said.

The House needs at least 330 votes to support the bill because it is considered to be finance-related legislation.

The government is unlikely to achieve that number right now, and he said that critics will demand that the cabinet take responsibility if the bill fails in its first reading.

And even if the bill does manage to clear the House, the Senate poses a major obstacle and is highly likely to shoot it down, said Mr Stithorn.

The government must have taken note of the situation and made a decision to remain silent for the time being. He said that Mr. Chaichanok’s action is a new problem.

According to the analyst, the Bhumjaithai secretary-general may be taking his cue from his father, Newin Chidchob, the founder and de facto leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, to seize an opportunity to score political points while Pheu Thai appears to be losing them.

The only thing he said was that he [ Mr. Chaichanok ] became overly emotional [during the House meeting], cried after his speech, and was later mocked by several media outlets, “he said.

No political party, aside from the main opposition People’s Party ( PP ), is prepared for a snap election, so Mr. Stithorn insisted Mr. Chaichanok’s decision won’t cause a House to dissolve.

Pheu Thai, which came second in the last general election, is also fully aware that improving on that result will be no easy feat, he added.

The best course of action for the government is to put the casino-entertainment complex bill on the ballot and demand that the pending referendum bill be passed after its 180-day cooling-off period has expired.

The government’s claim that 80 % of the 71,300 polled on February 28 and March 14 reportedly indicated support for the bill is disputed by the general public.

” There are questions after questions about the hearing process– such as what the questions were, how accurately these questions were framed and how the findings were processed, “he said.

Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, a former election commissioner, noted that the survey’s findings showed nearly identical levels of support for each of the eight themes, with 80.6 % to 80.7 % of voters choosing to support each of them.

According to Mr. Somchai, it was statistically assumed that 57, 500 out of 71, 303 respondents would provide the same answers.

” Even from Mars, the result looks improbable. The former commissioner was quoted as saying that the cabinet believed it.

According to Mr. Stithorn, the ruling party may need to negotiate with the PP to secure their support for the bill and be willing to reciprocate by holding a charter rewrite referendum at the same time.

” If a referendum is conducted fairly and the bill receives majority support, it can dilute critical voices. The government will face opposition if there is still skepticism, and Pheu Thai will continue to suffer politically, he predicted.

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