DPM wants Thaksin out of debate

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Opposition can be sued: Phumtham

PUBLISHED : 1 Mar 2025 at 05:15

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra receives flowers from Muslim students as he visited Narathiwat province on Feb 23. (Photo: Abdullah Benjakat)
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra receives flowers from Muslim students as he visited Narathiwat province on Feb 23. (Photo: Abdullah Benjakat)

Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai urged the opposition to engage in a constructive debate and refrain from involving former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who holds no position in the cabinet.

The no-confidence motion targets Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, fuelling speculation that the opposition may criticise Thaksin, the prime minister’s father, who remains politically active.

Ms Paetongtarn stands accused of lacking the leadership skills, knowledge and capability to govern effectively.

Mr Phumtham said on Friday that the debate should serve the public interest and be based on factual information rather than rhetoric that could lead to misunderstandings.

Asked how the government’s preparations are going, he said the prime minister and the cabinet are ready to face scrutiny but cautioned that the opposition should be mindful about criticising other individuals and ready to face any potential legal consequences of such action.

“Thaksin isn’t the prime minister, and the opposition has no authority to examine him. They can question the prime minister and cabinet ministers as permitted by the law,” he said.

Mr Phumtham said the debate should not be used as a political tool to undermine the government’s credibility, gain a political upper hand or woo voters ahead of the next election.

He dismissed the opposition’s remarks that the censure debate could lead to a House dissolution, saying it was too early to talk about such a scenario.

Earlier, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, the opposition and People’s Party (PP) leader, said that while the debate targets the prime minister, the content will inevitably touch upon many ministries and coalition parties and would include issues concerning Thaksin.

Thai Sang Thai Party (TST) leader Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan on Friday expressed concern over reports that the censure debate would be limited to just one day. Such a move suggests the government is trying to evade scrutiny out of fear, she said.

She called on the government to allocate sufficient time for a transparent and thorough debate.

Khunying Sudarat insisted the debate is framed by three key issues: poor governance, corruption, and policies that could cause long-term damage to the country.

“Ms Paetongtarn must address these concerns, and the outcome of the no-confidence vote will also reflect the public faith,” she said.

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Don’t involve Thaksin in debate, opposition warned

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Deputy PM Phumtham says MPs could be sued if they go too far

PUBLISHED : 1 Mar 2025 at 05:15

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra receives flowers from Muslim students as he visited Narathiwat province on Feb 23. (Photo: Abdullah Benjakat)
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra receives flowers from Muslim students as he visited Narathiwat province on Feb 23. (Photo: Abdullah Benjakat)

Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai urged the opposition to engage in a constructive debate and refrain from involving former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who holds no position in the cabinet.

The no-confidence motion targets Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, fuelling speculation that the opposition may criticise Thaksin, the prime minister’s father, who remains politically active.

Ms Paetongtarn stands accused of lacking the leadership skills, knowledge and capability to govern effectively.

Mr Phumtham said on Friday that the debate should serve the public interest and be based on factual information rather than rhetoric that could lead to misunderstandings.

Asked how the government’s preparations are going, he said the prime minister and the cabinet are ready to face scrutiny but cautioned that the opposition should be mindful about criticising other individuals and ready to face any potential legal consequences of such action.

“Thaksin isn’t the prime minister, and the opposition has no authority to examine him. They can question the prime minister and cabinet ministers as permitted by the law,” he said.

Mr Phumtham said the debate should not be used as a political tool to undermine the government’s credibility, gain a political upper hand or woo voters ahead of the next election.

He dismissed the opposition’s remarks that the censure debate could lead to a House dissolution, saying it was too early to talk about such a scenario.

Earlier, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, the opposition and People’s Party (PP) leader, said that while the debate targets the prime minister, the content will inevitably touch upon many ministries and coalition parties and would include issues concerning Thaksin.

Thai Sang Thai Party (TST) leader Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan on Friday expressed concern over reports that the censure debate would be limited to just one day. Such a move suggests the government is trying to evade scrutiny out of fear, she said.

She called on the government to allocate sufficient time for a transparent and thorough debate.

Khunying Sudarat insisted the debate is framed by three key issues: poor governance, corruption, and policies that could cause long-term damage to the country.

“Ms Paetongtarn must address these concerns, and the outcome of the no-confidence vote will also reflect the public faith,” she said.

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EC concludes 109 poll fraud cases

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PUBLISHED : 1 Mar 2025 at 04:00

NEWSPAPER SECTION: News

Sawang: EC has categorised cases
Sawang: EC has categorised cases

The Election Commission (EC) has completed an investigation into 109 cases related to cheating or block voting in the Senate election, and sent three cases to the Supreme Court, according to EC secretary-general Sawang Boonmee.

Mr Sawang yesterday gave an interview regarding the legal proceedings in the cases involved in the Senate election last year, saying that the EC has categorised cases involving vote-buying and electoral fraud, based on their complexity.

The cases include offering bribes, vote rigging, pre-arranged vote lists, block voting, abnormally high scores, and zero scores for some candidates. To tackle the issues, the EC appointed an advisory and coordination subcommittee to increase the efficiency of investigations. The members of the subcommittee are from three key agencies: the Royal Thai Police (RTP), the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo). Ten officials from other government agencies will join the subcommittee.

The EC also appointed an additional investigation and inquiry committee, consisting of four high-ranking officials from the EC and the other three from the RTP to investigate and inquire into the objections to the selection of senators in all areas. He said so far the EC received a total of 577 abnormal Senate election cases.

The EC has concluded investigations into 109 cases, with three cases already submitted to the Supreme Court. The 2017 Organic Act on the Election Commission grants the EC authority to initiate probes whenever there is reasonable suspicion or evidence of wrongdoing in elections and by political parties.

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The time is not ripe

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Yingluck: Obstacles to returning
Yingluck: Obstacles to returning

The time is not ripe

It doesn’t look like former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra — in self-exile abroad — will be celebrating the Songkran festival in Thailand next month after all, according to her fiercest critic responsible for her downfall.

Dr Warong Detkitvikrom, chairman of the Thai Pakdee Party, who has shown he isn’t known as the “buster of rice pledging corruption” for nothing, recently chimed in on why he thinks Yingluck will be missing during the festivities.

There is no love lost between Dr Warong and Yingluck, with the former having made a name for himself as the whistle-blower who exposed the rice-pledging scandal under her government.

The rice-pledging scheme from 2011 to 2014 set several precedents, the most damning of which was that it was the largest rice market intervention programme in Thai history.

The maths and logic behind the scheme begged more questions than it answered. The Yingluck administration bought rice from farmers at well above the market price without setting any limit on the amount purchased. The government subsequently ran up losses in excess of hundreds of billions of baht.

Yingluck fled the country in 2017 just before the Supreme Court sentenced her to five years in jail for failing to stop fake and corruption-plagued government-to-government rice sales.

The end of the Pheu Thai Party-led government, brought about by the military coup in 2014, saw the scheme come to an immediate halt with roughly 18.6 million tonnes of rice remaining.

On Sept 10, 2018, the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration sold 17.8 million tonnes or 95.7% of that total, generating revenue of about 146 billion baht.

After Pheu Thai returned to power following the 2023 general election, the administration tried to prove some of the rice in the pledging scheme was still in saleable condition despite being more than a decade old.

Dr Warong, however, attacked the government’s bid to vouch for the old rice as a cheap attempt to achieve political gain.

“Anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that 10-year-old rice is not fit for consumption,” he said.

According to him, the ruling party had gone to great lengths to pull the stunt by getting figures, including Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, to eat the rice that had visibly turned yellow, an act which was apparently intended to whitewash the rice-pledging programme.

The Public Warehouse Organisation held an auction to offload the rice early last year. Bidders had to submit documents certifying their qualifications by the end of January last year and tender bids on Feb 8. But the auction was cancelled on Jan 30 for unknown reasons.

Meanwhile, Yingluck has remained in exile, although there is much speculation she may be preparing for a homecoming after her older brother Thaksin Shinwatra — another convicted former prime minister — returned in 2023. His jail term was then commuted, and he was paroled in February last year.

Thaksin, speaking at a Feb 9 birthday party thrown in honour of veteran politician and his steadfast ally, Suwat Liptapanlop, said Yingluck’s path back to Thailand before Songkran was strewn with insurmountable obstacles.

“It’s a matter of circumstances. Many factors exist which have rendered Yingluck unable to return [in time for Songkran].

“That she will come back this year at all is something to be considered. I so wish she had come back yesterday,” the former premier said.

However, Dr Warong said he believed Yingluck will not return anything soon. He outlined reasons Yingluck will remain overseas for a long while.

In his Facebook on Feb 11, Dr Warong wrote under the headline: “Yingluck’s Unlikely Comeback In Stride,” that Thaksin himself has unknowingly made it difficult for his sister to secure easy passage and be eligible for similar legal privileges that he enjoyed on his return.

Thaksin is facing a National Anti-Corruption Commission probe over his extended stay in a premium ward at the Police General Hospital for treatment before being granted parole.

He still faces charges for lese majeste and Computer Crime Act violations and needs court permission to travel abroad.

With Thaksin heavily embroiled in the premium ward saga, Yingluck is bound to encounter pressure if she seeks a similar jail term reduction and parole.

“Thaksin has created the mess. Does anyone honestly think [Yingluck] will have it easy?” Dr Warong said.

He added that it would be nonsensical to claim ill health and advanced age as grounds for commuting her jail sentence since Yingluck does not have a history of serious illnesses and is not old enough to get a jail term reduction.

The Corrections Department and any physicians associated with the justice administration wouldn’t vouch for her. The agency and several such physicians have found themselves under investigation in connection with Thaksin’s hospital treatment.

If Yingluck pushed the legal boundaries and applied for detention at home in lieu of a prison stay, it would only remind people of the Thaksin debacle.

“Public outrage will only intensify.

“Thaksin has squandered all the privileges,” Dr Warong said.

A game of cat and mouse

Newin: Negotiating a deal?

Newin: Negotiating a deal?

When a politically sensitive decision is delayed, it’s rarely just about procedure.

The move by the Department of Special Investigation’s (DSI) special cases board to postpone its decision on whether to launch a probe into allegations of collusion and bloc voting in last year’s Senate election is a strategic play, according to observers.

Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who chairs the board, said the delay is necessary as the DSI needs more time to gather information from the Election Commission (EC) before making a decision.

The special cases board is now scheduled to meet on March 6, just over a week after its Feb 25 meeting, to determine whether alleged Senate election collusion warrants a special investigation, said Mr Phumtham.

For the case to be classified as a special one, approval from two-thirds of the 22-member DSI board is required.

The allegations are believed to be directed at the so-called “blue faction” senators — those accused of being affiliated with the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT), the second-biggest government coalition member.

The Senate holds considerable power to screen and endorse members of public independent agencies, while a constitutional amendment requires the approval of one-third of the Senate, not just a simple majority, to pass.

The BJT is said to have around 140 senators ready to support its interests. This gives the coalition party a significant advantage when key legislation is up for debate in parliament.

The “blue faction” is also seen as a major obstacle to charter amendment bids by both Pheu Thai and the main opposition People’s Party.

Both parties led efforts to simplify and expedite the referendum process, needed to be undertaken in case a wholesale charter rewrite is in order, by eliminating the double-majority rule. However, the Senate voted to reinstate the double-majority requirement for a charter referendum.

The Senate’s move effectively stalled the public referendum bill and made it unlikely that a charter rewrite would be completed before the next general election in 2027.

Pheu Thai needs allies in the Senate, and some believe the DSI is being used as a tool to pressure the BJT and the senators to shift the Senate from “blue” to “red,” the color associated with Pheu Thai, which virtually has no senators on its side.

There is a list of reserve senators, some of whom are thought to belong to the “red” camp, to fill vacant seats should a number of blue senators lose theirs as a result of the DSI investigation.

Prior to the DSI postponing its decision this week, rumours suggested that dozens of senators might be disqualified and replaced.

Analysts see the board’s decision to invite the EC to provide information as a sign that behind-the-scenes negotiations are underway to secure seats for some pro-Pheu Thai people.

Stithorn Thananithichot, director of the Office of Innovation for Democracy at King Prajadhipok’s Institute, said power brokers are working behind the scenes as the board waits out the week.

He suggested that Thaksin Shinawatra and Newin Chidchob, believed to be de facto leaders of Pheu Thai and BJT, respectively, are likely negotiating a deal that benefits both sides as neither of them wants to engage in a full-blown conflict with one another.

According to Mr Stithorn, a compromise will likely be reached in which no blue-affiliated senators are disqualified for election fraud.

One possible approach is that some senators may step down, citing health reasons, allowing reserve senators to take their place. Another option is for certain senators to vote in favor of Pheu Thai on key issues.

With 138 of the 200 senators believed to be on BTJ’s side, the party may be willing to trade some of them in exchange for favours while maintaining a simple majority in the Senate, Mr Stithorn added.

Even if they lost 37 senators, the BTJ would still retain a majority, allowing them to maintain leverage in political bargaining with Pheu Thai.

“The postponement of the board meeting carries significant political implications, setting the stage for negotiations between the ‘big boss’ and the ‘headmaster,’ he said, apparently referring to Thaksin and Mr Newin.

“Neither side wants an outright confrontation, as they still rely on each other [to pursue political interests]. However, neither wants to be dominated by the other,” he said.

The political scientist also speculated that a swap of ministerial posts could follow once the Senate issue is settled, with Pheu Thai potentially eyeing the interior minister post currently held by Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul. Mr Anutin could then move to the Public Health Ministry, which he ran during the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration.

The Interior Ministry holds significant influence over political networks across the country, and Pheu Thai is eager to reclaim the ministry and consolidate political power through local administrative agencies ahead of the next general election, he said.

According to Mr Stithorn, negotiations between Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai are unlikely to end anytime soon.

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Casino bill ‘gathering feedback’

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PUBLISHED : 1 Mar 2025 at 04:00

Gaming machines are seen at the casino of MGM Cotai in Macau, China. (File photo: Reuters).
Gaming machines are seen at the casino of MGM Cotai in Macau, China. (File photo: Reuters).

The Entertainment Complex Bill is in the process of gathering feedback from several agencies after the Council of State (CoS) recently completed its amendment process.

Suksit Srijomkwan, the prime minister’s deputy secretary-general for political affairs, said that the bill will be presented to the cabinet on March 11.

The Entertainment Complex Bill passed cabinet approval on Jan 13.

The bill included the specification that only 10% of an entertainment venue is to be a casino, while the remaining areas will be allocated for other services such as a hotel, a shopping mall, a sports club, a theme park and a theatre.

The government wants to promote entertainment complexes as tourist destinations with the aim of boosting the economy.

The bill also states that for Thai people who want to go to casinos and gamble, they must have at least 50 million baht of savings in their bank account for at least six months.

The bill is undergoing an online public hearing on the CoS website until today.

Previously, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said that the government is open to all suggestions, as casino development is still a new thing for the state. The idea for Thais to have a set amount of money in their bank account is one of the ideas, and this will not have an impact on investors’ decisions, she said.

She insisted that a casino is only a small part of an entertainment complex, as other parts will be for other businesses. Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said the government will also have mechanisms to prevent investors using casinos for money laundering and to take care of social impacts from the project.

“The government does not only focus solely on economic benefits. We have been talking about risks and social impacts all along. We believe that entertainment complexes will be an important turning point for the Thai economy,” he said.

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PM visits Sa Kaeo in anti-scammer push

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PUBLISHED : 1 Mar 2025 at 04:00

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra arrives at the 3rd Infantry Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, King's Guard, for a meeting about the suppression of call centre scams during her visit to Sa Kaeo to follow up on the government's crackdown. GOVERNMENT HOUSE
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra arrives at the 3rd Infantry Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, King’s Guard, for a meeting about the suppression of call centre scams during her visit to Sa Kaeo to follow up on the government’s crackdown. GOVERNMENT HOUSE

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra visited the border area of Sa Kaeo province yesterday, where she reaffirmed the government’s commitment to cracking down on call centre scams operating from Cambodia.

The premier chaired a meeting to combat these criminal operations attended by Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, and Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong.

Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiewphan, chief of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), and representatives from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and telecommunication service providers also took part in the meeting.

She said the visit aimed to assess progress and evaluate whether further measures were needed to enhance cooperation between state agencies and the private sector.

Ahead of the visit, the prime minister vowed on Tuesday to intensify the crackdown on call centre gangs, saying the government would not stop until the job was done.

She told parliament on Thursday that the government was on the right track in implementing policies to combat them.

The prime minister also visited a screening centre yesterday for call centre scam victims in Sa Kaeo and was briefed on the centre’s role and work process.

According to local officials, 119 people who were deceived into working for scam operations in Cambodia will be sent to Thailand today. The screening process will take about two weeks to complete.

The group was initially set to be sent back yesterday, but Cambodia postponed the transfer to today. They were among 215 people rescued from scam compounds in the Cambodian border town of Poi Pet last weekend.

AIS and True Corporation representatives said they are implementing measures in the border provinces that are in line with NBTC instructions to assist with the crackdown efforts.

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Singapore navy flags 60 years of ties

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PUBLISHED : 1 Mar 2025 at 04:00

Singapore's ambassador to Thailand Catherine Wong Siow Ping, wearing red, poses for a photo with Thai and Singaporean navy representatives in Sattahip on Thursday. SINGAPORE EMBASSY
Singapore’s ambassador to Thailand Catherine Wong Siow Ping, wearing red, poses for a photo with Thai and Singaporean navy representatives in Sattahip on Thursday. SINGAPORE EMBASSY

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) hosted a reception on board the RSS Endeavour at Sattahip in Chon Buri on Thursday to commemorate the 60th anniversary of bilateral ties with Thailand.

The event was attended by Catherine Wong Siow Ping, Singapore’s ambassador to Thailand, as well as senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and participants from Exercise Cobra Gold 2025, which include the Royal Thai Armed Forces and the Royal Thai Navy (RTN). The navies of both nations interact regularly through the bilateral Exercise Singsiam, leadership dialogues, professional exchanges, and cross-attendance of courses, according to a statement from the Singapore Embassy.

The RSS Endeavour is an Endurance-class Landing Ship Tank (LST), one of the biggest ships in the Singaporean navy’s fleet. It is mainly used for amphibious operations, troop transport, and humanitarian aid missions, and it frequently takes part in regional exercises and naval diplomacy projects throughout Southeast Asia.

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Calls grow to limit double-decker buses after crash

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PUBLISHED : 1 Mar 2025 at 09:10

Rescuers reach the crashed bus to assist injured passengers in Nadi district of Prachin Buri, early on Feb 26. (Photos: Prachin Buri Rescue worker Mongkol Sisama)
Rescuers reach the crashed bus to assist injured passengers in Nadi district of Prachin Buri, early on Feb 26. (Photos: Prachin Buri Rescue worker Mongkol Sisama)

A Senate subcommittee on infrastructure and vehicles is calling for measures to prevent road accidents caused by double-decker buses.

Surachai Liangboonlertchai, the subcommittee chairman, said on Friday that related sectors were invited to discuss the results from a preliminary investigation on the double-decker bus accident that killed 19 people and injured 30 others in Prachin Buri on Wednesday.

He said the double-decker bus design was the leading cause of the accident, according to the investigation.

Mr Surachai said experts agreed that such buses are unsuitable for interprovincial travel, especially on steep roads.

Their height exceeds the four-metre safety standard, risking an unbalanced centre of gravity. As such, the Department of Land Transport stopped issuing new registrations for double-decker buses in 2016.

However, at least 7,000 double-decker buses registered before 2016 are still allowed on the road today, he said, noting that these buses have caused several tragic accidents, including the bus fire during a school trip on Oct 1 last year that killed 20 students and three teachers.

Mr Surachai demanded that the state improve its road safety measures regarding vehicle control and road conditions.

“At least 10,000 people die in road accidents a year despite a decade-long policy of road safety. More discussion on the matter and national measures are important to encourage the joint initiative,” Mr Surachai said.

Natakorn Phuksuksakul, a lecturer in Thammasat University’s Faculty of Engineering, said a double-decker bus is more suitable for city tours at a low speed of 30-50 kilometres per hour rather than for long trips.

Double-decker buses are seven times more likely to be involved in accidents than regular buses and have a tenfold higher risk of fatality for passengers.

Mr Natakorn said having passengers on the top deck affects a bus’s balance and increases the risk of accidents.

However, Mr Natakorn said immediately cancelling double-decker bus services would be challenging.

He proposed regulating speed limits and making zones for double-decker buses.

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Households are urged to sort organic waste

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New fee system incentivises move to reduce growing volume of trash, writes Supoj Wancharoen

Households in Bangkok are being encouraged to separate organic waste from other forms of rubbish to help reduce the daily volume of garbage.

Those who comply will continue to pay the existing garbage disposal fee of 20 baht per month. However, those who do not sort their waste will be charged a new fee of 60 baht per month by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

The Bangkok Metropolitan Council approved the bill for the Bangkok Ordinance on the Fee for Waste Management Services under the Public Health Act on Oct 30 of last year.

The bill is currently awaiting publication in the Royal Gazette, which is expected to occur later this month. Once announced, the new fee structure will take effect within 180 days, likely around October.

Pornphrom N S Vikitsreth, adviser to the Bangkok governor and chief sustainability officer of the BMA, told the Bangkok Post that the garbage separation campaign for households began in January.

The garbage collection fees are divided into three categories. The first applies to households that dispose of no more than 20 litres or four kilogrammes of waste per day.

The current fee for this group is 20 baht per month, but the new rate will increase to 60 baht per month.

However, households that separate their waste — dividing food scraps, recyclables, and general waste — can continue to pay the lower 20-baht fee.

The second group includes restaurants, convenience stores, and small businesses that dispose of more than 20L or 4kg of waste per day, but not exceeding 1 cubic metre or 200km per day. These businesses will be charged a new rate of 120 baht per 20L per month.

The third group consists of department stores, markets, hotels, and large businesses that discard more than 1 cubic metre or 200kg of waste per day. They will face a new fee of 8,000 baht per cubic metre per month.

The second and third groups are not eligible to participate in the garbage sorting campaign as the campaign is decided for households only.

Mr Pornphrom urged residents to join the sorting initiative by registering via the BKK Waste Pay application, the website bkkwastepayapi.bangkok.go.th, or the district office in their area.

“Registration is now open. Participants need to provide their name, phone number, house registration number, and a photo of their sorted waste. Registered households will receive a green bag for food waste during their first year in the programme,” he said.

He also highlighted that Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt is dedicated to this issue.

“We’ve been promoting the campaign through online and social media channels. We also plan to organise training sessions for people in various communities, encouraging them to volunteer and share knowledge about waste sorting with others,” Mr Pornphrom said.

The BMA aims to reduce daily garbage collection from the current 9,200 tonnes to 8,500 tonnes once the new fee structure is in place.

“As people become more accustomed to waste separation, the amount of waste will decrease even further,” he noted.

“The BMA spends 7 billion baht per year on waste collection and management but only gets 500 million baht in fees, which is minimal. If the campaign is successful, we will be able to use the savings to fund other improvements for the people of Bangkok,” Mr Pornphrom added.

Kanyarat Heman, a food vendor in the On Nut area, expressed support for the garbage-sorting initiative.

“However, the BMA hasn’t done enough to promote the campaign. If there were more widespread publicity, people would be better informed,” she said.

“My family already sorts our garbage, but the problem is that the garbage truck doesn’t come regularly to collect it. Sometimes, the bags pile up. Maybe they don’t have enough staff in our area,” she added.

Waiwit Thongthongkam, an office worker, said he was unaware of the increase in garbage collection fees for households.

“It’s good that Bangkok is trying to find a way for people to sort their garbage,” he said.

“I would also like to see the BMA impose fines on households that are registered for the sorting programme but fail to comply with the rules,” Mr Waiwit added.

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109 Senate poll fraud cases being reviewed

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PUBLISHED : 1 Mar 2025 at 04:00

NEWSPAPER SECTION: News

Sawang: EC has categorised cases
Sawang: EC has categorised cases

The Election Commission (EC) has completed an investigation into 109 cases related to cheating or bloc voting in the Senate election, and sent three cases to the Supreme Court, according to secretary-general Sawang Boonmee.

Mr Sawang said on Friday that the EC has categorised cases involving vote-buying and electoral fraud, based on their complexity.

The cases include offering bribes, vote rigging, pre-arranged vote lists, block voting, abnormally high scores, and zero scores for some candidates. To tackle the issues, the EC appointed an advisory and coordination subcommittee to increase the efficiency of investigations.

Members of the subcommittee are from three key agencies: the Royal Thai Police (RTP), the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo). Ten officials from other government agencies will join the subcommittee.

The EC also appointed an additional investigation and inquiry committee, consisting of four high-ranking officials from the EC and the other three from the RTP to investigate and inquire into the objections to the selection of senators in all areas. He said so far the EC received a total of 577 abnormal Senate election cases.

The EC has concluded investigations into 109 cases, with three cases already submitted to the Supreme Court. The 2017 Organic Act on the Election Commission grants the EC authority to initiate probes whenever there is reasonable suspicion or evidence of wrongdoing in elections and by political parties.

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