Barkar Nash (Page 46)

Riders on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Bangkok will need to purchase e-tickets, starting Friday, as City Hall has ended over a year of free rides.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) announced a 15-baht fare for BRT passengers, who can pay using Rabbit Cards or the BRT E-Ticket Line account. Senior citizens will pay a reduced fare of 11 baht.

Commuters had enjoyed free rides since September last year, following the conclusion of a previous concession held by Bangkok Mass Transit System, commonly known as the BTS Skytrain, in August.

This year, the BTS Skytrain operator won the new concession for the BRT system, stretching 16 kilometres between Sathon and Ratchaphruek roads, at a bidding price of 465 million baht.

The BMA has also replaced the old BRT buses with a new fleet of electric vehicles (EVs).

Bangkok Mass Transit map and BRT route. (Image: BTS Skytrain)

Labour Ministry to facilitate evacuation of Thais in Israel-Lebanon border

Four Thai agricultural workers were killed and one was injured by rocket fire near Metula, Israel’s northernmost town bordering Lebanon, Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa posted on the social media platform X on Friday.

“I instructed our embassy in Tel Aviv last night to extend all possible assistance to the injured and the families of the deceased, and to express my profound condolences to them for their immense loss,” Mr Maris wrote in the post.

In response to the incident, Labour Minister Phipat Ratchakitprakarn said on Friday that he instructed the ministry’s permanent secretary, Boonsong Thapchaiyuth, to coordinate with the labour attaché in Tel Aviv to facilitate the evacuation of all Thai workers from northern Israel to safer areas in the south.

Mr Phiphat said he also ordered labour officials to visit the families of the victims to provide assistance and compensation.

According to reports, two rockets hit open ground near Metula, leading to seven deaths. Among the victims, one was an Israeli farmer and four were Thai workers.

Last month, one Thai worker was found dead, and another suffered a severe concussion after an anti-tank rocket was fired at the Kibbutz Yir’on Agricultural Estate in northern Israel.

Last year, 41 Thais were among the 1,200 people killed when Hamas militants launched an attack across Israeli borders, according to Israeli authorities.

Thirty Thai nationals were abducted during the attack on Oct 7, 2023, and six are believed to still be in captivity, according to Thai authorities.

The Israeli response to the attack has since laid waste to the Palestinian territory of Gaza and killed tens of thousands of people. Israel has also launched attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Before the conflict, about 30,000 Thai nationals worked in Israel, mostly in the agriculture sector, making up one of the largest groups of migrant workers in Israel.

Govt defends its citizenship policy

The government has defended its decision to grant Thai citizenship to migrants and members of ethnic minorities, saying the policy is in line with the law.

The cabinet on Tuesday approved a policy to grant Thai citizenship to over 483,000 migrants and members of ethnic minorities who have lived in Thailand long-term or were born in the kingdom.

According to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the decision seeks to address longstanding citizenship and residency issues while stimulating the economy by removing red tape that prevents these people from working.

However, critics have spoken out against the policy, saying it panders to migrants.

Direkrit Janekrongtham, a former senator, wrote on Facebook that almost 500,000 migrants will enjoy the same rights and benefits as Thais. He added that they are expected to be grateful and loyal to the coalition parties that pushed for the policy.

He stated that they will now have the right to vote in local and national elections, apply to run in elections and hold political office, be members of a political party, set up a political party, and vote in referendums.

He wrote that they would also have the right to land and property ownership, to be labour union members, and to set up a labour union.

“Does the government really put the country’s interest before political parties’ benefits? Why not adhere to the Nationality Act, which regulates naturalisation, instead of issuing such a cabinet resolution?” Mr Direkrit wrote.

Responding to criticism, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Traisulee Taisaranakul said that the policy seeks to streamline and boost efficiency in the application for Thai citizenship.

“The policy is in line with the existing rules and regulations. It is not an attempt to suspend enforcement of those rules. The two groups mentioned above have already applied for Thai citizenship and permanent residence,” Ms Traisulee said.

She also said that under a proposal from the National Security Council (NSC), if any of those granted Thai citizenship are later found to be a threat to public safety or national security, the Interior Ministry can revoke their citizenship under the Nationality Act.

“The policy is in line with international human rights principles and the government’s efforts to promote equality,” she said.

Of the more than 480,000 who will be granted Thai citizenship, about 340,000 entered Thailand before 1999, and the rest were born in the country. Ms Traisulee said that adding the old rules and regulations prevented them from making a decent living in Thailand.

Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on Thursday brushed aside criticism that the policy seeks to please migrants. He insisted that the policy is meant to speed up and facilitate the application process for Thai nationality.

“The government acts in line with the law. Measures will also be in place to monitor them. Their citizenship will be revoked if they act improperly,” said Mr Phumtham, who also serves as defence minister.

The policy, proposed by the NSC, expedites the process of granting legal status to ethnic minority individuals residing in the country. The prime minister said 825,635 such individuals reside in Thailand, with 483,626 awaiting status confirmation.

Government spokesman Jirayu Huangsab previously said the policy update replaces an earlier 2021 cabinet resolution. He said Thailand has experienced waves of migration into the community, with the first group arriving as early as 1984 and the second between 2005 and 2011.

Additionally, there are Thai-born children from minority groups and unregistered migrants. Without the new measures, processing their status could take up to 44 years, said Mr Jirayu.

This updated framework will simplify eligibility checks, allowing applicants to self-certify their qualifications and criminal history instead of undergoing lengthy investigations by multiple agencies, he said.

The Election Commission (EC) said on Thursday that justice will be assured for all parties involved in petitions against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who stands accused of exerting influence over the ruling Pheu Thai Party.

EC Chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong said that four complaints accusing Thaksin of manipulating Pheu Thai have been accepted and combined into one because the accusations are of a similar nature. The probe will take some time as officials are required to gather facts and statements from all parties involved, he said.

“The regulations say the accused must be allowed to hear the accusations and submit statements and evidence. So the process requires some time before it is submitted to the EC’s secretary-general for review,” Mr Ittiporn said.

The petitions were lodged by Thai Pakdee Party Chairman Warong Dechgitvigrom; Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, a member of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP); Noppharut Worachitwutthikun, a former key leader of the political group Phirap Khao 2006; and an anonymous individual.

Their petitions pointed to the gathering of coalition party leaders at Thaksin’s home before the selection of a prime minister to succeed Srettha Thavisin and to the government’s policy statement to parliament, which is said to be a copy of Thaksin’s vision presented at a forum.

According to Mr Ittiporn, the petitioners have already submitted statements to the EC’s fact-finding panel, a process which is expected to take 30 days to complete.

The panel can seek a 30-day extension but then is required to submit the findings to the EC’s secretary-general, who is the registrar of political parties, for review.

The EC’s decision will depend on the report submitted by the secretary-general, he noted.

Dr Warong, who gave his statement to the fact-finding panel this week, said the gathering of coalition party leaders at Thaksin’s home to discuss Mr Srettha’s successor serves as evidence backing the allegations.

As Thaksin is not a Pheu Thai member, for a party to come under the influence of an outsider is against the Political Parties Act and punishable by having the party dissolved, according to Dr Warong.

However, he said his petition is not targeting the coalition parties as he does not believe Thaksin could exert influence over them. But Thaksin could negotiate with them, which serves as evidence of his influence over the ruling party, Dr Warong added.

He said he submitted more information to the EC to support the accusation but declined to elaborate.

He said the party’s legal team advised him not to share that information with the public, but he said that the details provided to the EC were substantial and could prove Thaksin’s unlawful influence over Pheu Thai.

Pita Limjaroenrat, ex-leader of the now-dissolved Move Forward Party, said not every offence should lead to a party’s dissolution when he was asked about the latest petitions.

The Election Commission (EC) said on Thursday that justice will be assured for all parties involved in petitions against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who stands accused of exerting influence over the ruling Pheu Thai Party.

EC Chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong said that four complaints accusing Thaksin of manipulating Pheu Thai have been accepted and combined into one because the accusations are of a similar nature. The probe will take some time as officials are required to gather facts and statements from all parties involved, he said.

“The regulations say the accused must be allowed to hear the accusations and submit statements and evidence. So the process requires some time before it is submitted to the EC’s secretary-general for review,” Mr Ittiporn said.

The petitions were lodged by Thai Pakdee Party Chairman Warong Dechgitvigrom; Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, a member of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP); Noppharut Worachitwutthikun, a former key leader of the political group Phirap Khao 2006; and an anonymous individual.

Their petitions pointed to the gathering of coalition party leaders at Thaksin’s home before the selection of a prime minister to succeed Srettha Thavisin and to the government’s policy statement to parliament, which is said to be a copy of Thaksin’s vision presented at a forum.

According to Mr Ittiporn, the petitioners have already submitted statements to the EC’s fact-finding panel, a process which is expected to take 30 days to complete.

The panel can seek a 30-day extension but then is required to submit the findings to the EC’s secretary-general, who is the registrar of political parties, for review.

The EC’s decision will depend on the report submitted by the secretary-general, he noted.

Dr Warong, who gave his statement to the fact-finding panel this week, said the gathering of coalition party leaders at Thaksin’s home to discuss Mr Srettha’s successor serves as evidence backing the allegations.

As Thaksin is not a Pheu Thai member, for a party to come under the influence of an outsider is against the Political Parties Act and punishable by having the party dissolved, according to Dr Warong.

However, he said his petition is not targeting the coalition parties as he does not believe Thaksin could exert influence over them. But Thaksin could negotiate with them, which serves as evidence of his influence over the ruling party, Dr Warong added.

He said he submitted more information to the EC to support the accusation but declined to elaborate.

He said the party’s legal team advised him not to share that information with the public, but he said that the details provided to the EC were substantial and could prove Thaksin’s unlawful influence over Pheu Thai.

Pita Limjaroenrat, ex-leader of the now-dissolved Move Forward Party, said not every offence should lead to a party’s dissolution when he was asked about the latest petitions.

Thailand is ranked eighth among 89 countries with the richest cultural heritage in the world, according to a report by US News & World.

According to the American media company, the ranking is based on an equally weighted average of five attributes: culturally accessible, rich history, great food, cultural attractions and geographical attractions.

Greece is at the top of the ranking, followed by Italy, Spain, France, Turkey, Mexico, Egypt and Thailand.

US News & World said that Thailand is one of the world’s most visited countries, though tourism accounts for just 7% of gross domestic product.

“Buddha figures are ever-present in the ‘Land of Smiles,’ where bustling, modern cities are juxtaposed with ancient ruins, glistening beaches and gilded temples. The nation is home to the acclaimed Thai massage and cuisine that is known to balance sweet, sour, salty, bitter and spicy flavours,” it said in the report.

Culture Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol welcomed the news, saying that the latest ranking will help boost the country’s image and attract more foreign visitors.

She added that the government attaches importance to the development and promotion of soft power so Thailand can become one of the world’s influential soft power countries. Several festivals will be held from this month until the end of the year to promote the country’s soft power, she said.

They include the Loy Krathong festival, which falls on the full moon night of Nov 15 in major tourist destinations such as Chiang Mai and Sukhothai; the elephant round-up festival in Surin from Nov 16–17; the New Year countdown activities, as well as other cultural, sports, music and food festivals in several provinces, Ms Sudawan said.

Thailand’s southern border districts have begun welcoming large numbers of visitors from neighbouring Malaysia to spend their long holiday there, celebrating Halloween and Diwali festivals.

More than 15,000 Malaysian tourists crossed the Sadao immigration checkpoint in Songkhla’s Sadao district yesterday, a Malaysian public holiday for the Diwali Hindu festival. The tourists flocked to Sadao by car, bus, or motorcycle to travel to Hat Yai or other destinations in Songkhla and nearby provinces.

Local authorities estimated that from yesterday until Sunday, Thailand would welcome more than 40,000 visitors crossing from Malaysia’s Kedah state through the checkpoint.

A source said most hotels and other accommodation services in the Sadao and Hat Yai districts are fully booked during this long holiday, while shops, restaurants, and other tourism-related businesses are expected to have many customers.

Meanwhile, the Betong border checkpoint in Yala was also unusually crowded yesterday with tourists crossing from Malaysia’s Perak State, according to a local source.

About 8,000 of them arrived throughout the day. Many travelled in arranged tour groups, while others came in family groups. These tourists are expected to spend time shopping in Betong and travelling on to Yala’s other neighbouring districts, the source said.

In Betong alone, hotels with a combined 5,000 rooms were 95% booked from yesterday until Monday.

It is estimated that this festive holiday will help generate more than 20 million baht in tourism-related income for these areas.

Diwali is the festival of lights and one of the most important events in the Hindu calendar. The annual festival tends to fall between October and November.

A group of 20 people yesterday petitioned the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) of the police’s Central Investigation Bureau against a company they said deceived them into investing in a non-existent clean energy business.

Kittikhun Saenghirun, a representative from the Lawyers Council of Thailand (LCT), led the group in filing the complaint.

Ms Aphantree, a group representative, said that at the end of 2019, the company sent her and other alleged victims a link to invest in clean energy generators.

She said the company claimed the machines could be sold domestically and internationally.

She stated the company needed investors and was selling company shares at 100 baht each. Investors were supposed to start receiving dividends in 50 weeks and continue to receive them throughout their lives.

She said the company claimed there would be more earnings for those who recommended new investors.

Ms Aphantree said she and other alleged victims then spent their retirement savings on the business, starting in Sept 2019 and received a 3% dividend in 30 weeks.

The alleged victims later bought a large number of shares, around hundreds of thousands to millions of baht. But in May 2020, the company’s assets were confiscated by authorities, she said. The company persuaded them in a Line group with 2,000 members not to file a complaint, arguing that the government had harassed them by taking control of and terminating their accounts.

She said the company claimed to buy back shares and compensate victims, but this didn’t happen for everyone. Only the first group of 299 people received compensation after the case was brought to court.

“We are not in the first group, so we ask for help with the ECD today,” Ms Aphantree said, adding that she believed there were about 70,000 victims, but many of them may not know how to proceed legally.

Mr Kittikhun said that LCT will set up a complaint centre so the remaining people affected can contact the council for legal help.

Thailand has not yet been confirmed as a member of the Brics international organisation, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

Speaking yesterday, ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura said that the Thai government is still weighing the economic benefits of joining Brics before the matter is considered in the House.

Brics comprises nine member countries, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia.

According to the MFA, Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa was appointed by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to attend a series of Brics meetings in Kazan, Russia, on Oct 24 at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

At this meeting, Thailand reaffirmed its determination to elevate its engagement with Brics, as stressed in a letter expressing its interest in joining the bloc as a full member in June, the MFA said.

When asked about a recent report saying that Thailand was being approved by Brics on Oct 24 as its official partner, Mr Nikorndej said that the MFA saw the report in question after Mr Maris attended the Brics Plus Summit in Kazan. Still, the ministry has yet to verify the news because it was published on the Brics news page on X and many other channels.

According to a post on the BRICS News account on Oct 24, “BRICS decides not to accept any new members as full members of the alliance for 2024. 13 new nations have been accepted as official partner countries and will be part of BRICS initiatives. They are working towards becoming full alliance members at a later date”.

The post also listed Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the UAE, Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia as the “Full BRICS Members”.

It also listed Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam as “Official BRICS Partner Countries”.

Mr Nikorndej said: “According to the normal procedure, we must receive official notification from the Brics chair, which is Russia. We hope that we can be a Brics partner, but I cannot verify that it is true until the ministry receives the official confirmation document from the chair.”