Barkar Nash (Page 228)

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is expected to begin charging passengers of the Green Line’s second extension a flat rate of 15 baht per trip on Jan 2, said Bangkok deputy governor Visanu Samsompol on Friday.

He said the announcement of the fare for travelling on the Bearing-Samut Prakan and Mo Chit-Saphan Mai-Khu Khot sections has been drafted pending Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt’s signature.

The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), the Department of Rail Transport and the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) have no objection to the fare, he said.

He said Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC), which is hired to operate the Bearing-Samut Prakan and Mo Chit-Saphan Mai-Khu Khot sections, has a fare collection system in place, ready for implementation.

The fare along the entire Green Line will be capped at 62 baht per trip after the new fare takes effect.

Based on 250,000 passengers using the route per day, it is estimated that the BMA will be able to collect between 3-4 million baht more.

BTSC, which is also contracted to operate the 34.5-kilometre Pink Line, is ready to begin charging passengers using the monorail linking Khae Rai in Nonthaburi with Min Buri district in East Bangkok via Ram Intra Road.

Currently, the monorail is available free of charge during its trial run with the fare collection to start on Jan 3. The Pink Line connects with the BTS Green Line at Wat Phra Si Mahatat Station.

A source at the Transport Ministry said the Department of Rail Transport has agreed the fare for the Green Line’s second extension and waiver of an entry fee for passengers transferring from any of the MRT’s electric rail systems.

The department has also asked the BMA to upgrade its system to accommodate the EMV contactless payment already adopted by the MRTA and State Railway of Thailand.

Department of Internal Trade says tiny shortfall in petrol was within allowable limits

The Department of Internal Trade has defended a PTT petrol station against an accusation from a motorist that it cheated him out of almost 30 millilitres of petrol.

The man said he paid the five-litre petrol price in full yet received 28 millilitres less than he paid for.

Wattanasak Sur-iam, director-general of the department, said on Friday that the amount was well within the law, which permits gas stations to have a 1% fluctuation of every five litres that a customer refills. This means that for every five litres of petrol, a customer may receive up to 50 millilitres less or more than they paid for.

“This is an international standard — so when the motorist complained that he did not receive the full five litres, such a complaint is common. Although it is not against the law, we have our teams regularly check if any station has violated the rule,” Mr Wattanasak said.

The matter drew public attention after a motorist, Ritdech Daengpradit, uploaded a video on TikTok complaining that a petrol station in Saraburi did not dispense the exact five litres of fuel. He paid the full amount, but when he measured it, the amount was 28 millilitres short.

@nuengruethaisukch #ดราม่า#ปั๊ม #ลูกค้าโวย#เติมน้ํามัน #ได้ไม่ครบ #เติมน้ํามัน #ขาด#ไม่เต็ม #ขอบคุณคลิปต้นทาง #เรื่องเล่าเช้านี้ #ข่าวช่อง3 #น้ำมันแพง#typ #tiktok #VoiceEffects ♬ แฉ็ง Feat.ป๋าเขียด ว้าวว้าว – ก้อย กินรี

He asked to measure it twice and on the second time, he received 4.75 litres, or 25 millilitres short.

In the clip, a staff member told the man that the station abided by the law.

Mr Wattanasak said the department acknowledges the issue and always inspects petrol stations nationwide to check if their measures are accurate.

He said department officials inspected 14,000 petrol stations with a total of 180,000 fuel dispensers during the first half of this year and found that 29 fuel dispensers in 14 petrol stations provided an amount of petrol a little over the purchased amount. However, 11 fuel dispensers in five petrol stations provided petrol at a much lower rate than the 1% rate.

The department took legal action against the five petrol stations and ordered the stations to fix the 11 fuel dispensers.

Since early this month, the department has beefed up the inspection in petrol stations nationwide, particularly outbound routes of Bangkok, as many people will travel to return home to provinces by car or public transport.

Labour Minister will ask national wage panel to look at new ways to calculate fairer rates

The government will consider another increase in the daily minimum wage by April when it will ask the tripartite wage committee to review pay rates.

The wage increase is expected before the Songkran holiday in mid-April, Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Friday.

On Wednesday, the tripartite committee, comprising government, employer and employee representatives, decided unanimously to stand by the wage increase it approved on Dec 8.

Accordingly, new rates ranging from 330 to 370 baht, depending on the province, will take effect on Jan 1.

The current rates are between 328 and 354 baht. The increases will range from 2 to 16 baht, or an average of 2.4%. The last increase approved by the committee, in October 2022, was 5%.

The modest increases drew strong criticism from Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and others, and Mr Phiphat asked the wage committee to reconsider.

While the nominally independent committee refused to bow to political pressure, it acknowledged that its method for calculating rates based on economic conditions might need adjusting. It also left the door open to another wage hike in April or May.

Mr Phiphat said he would ask the committee to study the possibility of varying wage rates based on the district, municipality or type of career instead of imposing a flat rate for a whole province.

A flat rate is not fair to workers in certain provinces, he said.

“Some labourers work in downtown areas with active economic activity and high living costs but receive the same low rates as workers in less economically advanced areas,” he said.

“That’s not fair. The rates should be adjusted.”

Mr Phiphat said the permanent secretary for labour would set up a panel to study the possibility of another wage rise, with input from the finance and commerce ministries, the Bank of Thailand and the National Economic and Social Development Council.

The wage rates that take effect in January fall short of the 400 baht that the Pheu Thai Party promised during its election campaign earlier this year, which rattled businesses who said that it threatened to make the country less competitive.

But the government is determined to go on the offensive in its push for a higher daily wage hike for workers next year, spokesman Chai Wacharonke said on Thursday.

Citing findings from a study, Mr Chai said a suitable amount to support a worker and their family is 560 baht per day.

Thai foreign minister briefs Lao counterpart on humanitarian needs and offers help in the year ahead

Thailand is ready to support Laos when it assumes the Asean chairmanship next year and begins work trying to solve the Myanmar crisis, says a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahidda-nukara held talks with his Lao counterpart Saleumxay Kommasith on the sidelines of the Asean-Japan Summit in Tokyo earlier this week, said Usana Berananda, director-general of the ministry’s Department of Asean Affairs.

Ms Usana said Mr Parnpree had told the Lao minister that Thailand has been working on humanitarian assistance for Myanmar.

Mr Saleumxay said Laos would like to support Thailand’s effort, adding that Laos also wanted to see Asean deal with the situation in Myanmar.

Ms Usana said Laos is sincere in wanting to solve this problem; however, the complexities of the situation — there has been fighting between the government and ethnic minorities for over 70 years — make finding common ground between the sides very difficult.

“Laos will try its best because they are a neighbouring country with many stakeholders in Myanmar,” she said.

“The Thai foreign minister has always reiterated that Thailand is ready to support Laos’ chairmanship of Asean next year. However, we will not pressure them as we believe, according to the status quo, that there can only be certain progress on certain issues,” she added.

The military regime that seized power in Myanmar in early 2021 has shown a willingness to hold a general election, she said, though the timing remains uncertain.

The junta has continued to postpone polls on security grounds, and it has extended a state of emergency several times. Meanwhile, the army is facing increasingly stiff armed resistance on several fronts.

Asean members have sent signals to Myanmar that the election needs to be as fair and free as possible, said Ms Usana.

“However, the election might not be absolutely free and fair because each area has certain limitations,” she said. “We need to keep an eye on how to help and ensure an election will help solve the problem in the long term. Yet, it is up to Myanmar because it is their internal affair.”

Mr Parnpree recently met Than Swe, the Myanmar deputy prime minister and foreign minister, on the sidelines of the 8th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Beijing, according to the website of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Thai minister expressed appreciation for Myanmar’s assistance in the repatriation of Thai nationals from Laukkaing, the site of clashes between the army and ethnic rebels, and reaffirmed Thailand’s support for the Myanmar peace process.

Both sides also agreed to work together to boost humanitarian assistance, in line with the implementation of the so-called 5-Point Consensus agreed on by Asean leaders and the head of the Myanmar junta in 2021.

Phitsanulok-based firearms reviewer says all weapons are legally owned by his father

PHITSANULOK: The owner of a house where large quantities of weapons and ammunition were found on Friday has told police that all the weapons are legally registered in the name of his father.

Trinsak Wachirasrisirikul, who reviews firearms on the YouTube channel Tacticool BoB and has nearly 20,000 subscribers, was the target of a police search at his home in Muang district on Friday.

A combined team of officers from the Police Cyber Taskforce and local police, armed with a warrant, searched the house at a housing estate in tambon Ban Krang. The operation was part of a stepped-up public safety campaign ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivals.

The search found 87 guns of various types, 4,576 rounds of ammunition and seven magazines, said Pol Maj Nikhom Kheunopparat, chief of Phitsanulok police.

Mr Trinsak, 33, told police that the weapons had been passed down from his father and were all legally registered in his father’s name.

Wiset Wachirasrisirikul, 65, subsequently confirmed his son’s story, saying he had collected weapons for 40 years.

Mr Wiset, a businessman in Phitsanulok and former chairman of the provincial chamber of commerce, said he would show police documents to verify his ownership of the weapons on Saturday.

Police are now in the process of determining whether the ownership of the weapons has been officially transferred to Mr Trinsak. If there is no record of ownership transfer, he could face charges related to unauthorised possession of firearms and ammunition, said Pol Maj Nikhom.

Police display seized firearms and ammunition at a YouTuber’s house in Phitsanulok province on Friday. (Photo: Chinnawat Singha)

Wiset Wachirasrisirikul, 65, the father of YouTuber Trinsak, says all the guns and ammunition found in his son’s house belong to him. (Photo: Chinnawat Singha)

70 passengers and crew from wave-battered vessel brought safely to tourist island

SURAT THANI: All passengers, mainly foreign tourists, and crew were safely rescued after a night ferry travelling to the popular tourist island of Koh Tao was hit by high waves before it sank on Friday morning.

The T. Sandee Maneesap 111, a vessel of 115 gross tonnes, was smashed by waves as high as 3 metres in the Kong Hin Tung Ku area, about 4 nautical miles from shore off Koh Tao. Seawater entered the vessel and damaged its water pumps, said officials at the Koh Tao rescue radio centre who were alerted at 8am on Friday.

The ferry was carrying about 70 passengers and crew.

Speedboats and other craft dispatched to the spot with rescue workers and police arrived at 9.10am to help those on board the stricken vessel. They were taken to two other boats and brought safely to the Koh Tao pier.

The ferry later sank about 10.30am. 

Passengers are transferred from the ferry T. Sandee Maneesap 111 to another boat. (Photo supplied/Supapong Chaolan)

According to police, the ferry, owned by Paithoon Khongchan, left the Surat Thani municipal pier at 11pm on Thursday and was scheduled to reach Koh Tao at 5am on Friday.

The navy’s Second Fleet sent the Tor 112 patrol boat to inspect the scene and search for the bags and belongings of the passengers. Navy divers were preparing to examine the sunken ferry.

An initial investigation found the number of passengers did not exceed the limit.

The Meteorological Department earlier warned of strong wind and waves in the Gulf of Thailand and heavy to very heavy rain on the eastern coast of the southern region from Friday through Tuesday. Small boats were advised to stay ashore during this period.

Passengers from the stricken ferry arrive at Koh Tao. (Photo supplied/Supapong Chaolan)

Rented vehicle catches fire at intersection near Chang Arena

BURI RAM: Five members of an Indonesian car racing team escaped unhurt after a rented car they were travelling in caught fire while stopping for a red light in Muang district on Friday.

The incident occurred at 10.30am in front of the Chang Arena football stadium, said Pol Lt Gen Adichart Meesa, deputy superintendent for investigation at the Muang district police station.

Police and rescuers from a charity foundation rushed to the intersection along with a fire engine. They found a Toyota Vios engulfed in flames at the intersection on the Buri Ram-Prakhon Chai road.

Firefighters sprayed water at the burning car and put out the fire in 20 minutes, but the car was severely damaged.

Five Indonesian men, members of a racing team, managed to escape when the fire started.

The driver said they had rented the car in Bangkok and travelled to Buri Ram to see the Buriram International Circuit, a car racing stadium.

When the car stopped for the red right at the intersection, an explosion went off and the car caught fire. They jumped out with some belongings before the flames started to spread.

Police are examining the wreckage to find the cause of the blaze.

Rescue workers douse the burning car with water. (Photo: Surachai Piragsa)

(Photo: Surachai Piragsa)

A Taiwanese businessman and two retired navy officers have been arrested by Crime Suppression Division (CSD) police in connection with a foiled murder plot.

The arrests were made during Friday morning raids at eight locations in Chon Buri and Bangkok.

The arrests followed a complaint filed with the CSD by a Taiwanese man, who accused his father, Feng Hao Chang, 68, a wealthy Taiwanese businessman, of soliciting RAdm Prakaipruek Srifa, 64, an adviser to his company, to hire a gunman to kill him and his mother.

RAdm Prakaipruek subsequently asked Tewarat Mangkorn, 66, a former navy captain and close associate, to hire a gunman to carry out the plan.

However, the gunman revealed the murder plot to the Taiwanese man, who then filed the police complaint.

In the raids, CSD police arrested Mr Feng at his house on Srinagarindra road in Bangkok’s Prawet district, RAdm Prakaipruek at his house in Lat Krabang district, and Mr Tewarat at his house in Thawi Watthana district.

Pol Col Anek Taosupap, the CSD deputy commander, said business conflicts were suspected as the motive for Mr Feng to orchestrate the murder plot against his son and wife.

The three suspects face initial charges of hiring a person to commit murder. They denied the accusations.

They were brought to CSD headquarters for further questioning.

Crime Suppression Division polce enter a house of one of the three suspects wanted in connetion with a murder plot that failed to be executed. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)

PHITSANULOK: Large quantities of weapons and ammunition were found during a police search of a house of a Youtuber in Muang district on Friday.

A combined team of officers from the Police Cyber Taskforce and local police searched the house at a housing estate in tambon Ban Krang. The operation aimed to boost public safety ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivals.

The officers showed a court warrant to search the premises to house owner Trinsak Wachirasrisirikul, who runs a YouTube channel about firearms titled Tacticool BoB.

The search found 87 guns of various types, 4,576 rounds of ammunition and seven magazines, said Pol Maj Nikhom Kheunopparat, chief of Phitsanulok police.

Mr Trinsak, 33, told police that he inherited these weapons from his father. All of them were legally registered in his father’s name, he said.

The police are now in the process of determining whether the ownership of these weapons has been officially transferred to Mr Trinsak. If there is no record of ownership transfer, he could face charges related to the unauthorised possession of firearms and ammunition, said Pol Maj Nikhom.

There have been unconfirmed reports that Mr Trinsak was detained following the seizure of the weapons.

Police display seized firearms and ammunition at a YouTuber’s house in Phitsanulok province on Friday. (Photo: Chinnawat Singha)