Barkar Nash (Page 898)

Suspects sold cough syrup to make ‘4×100’ drug cocktails

Thirteen bogus pharmacists have been arrested in police raids across Bangkok, during which cough syrup was found to have been sold illegally to make the popular “4×100” drug cocktail.

The arrests followed coordinated raids, carried out by the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD), at 14 pharmacies in the capital, at the request of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Thirteen bogus pharmacists were arrested by police who also seized 156 pieces of evidence worth 1.4 million baht from the raided pharmacies, said Pol Col Supoj Phumyam, chief of Consumer Protection Police Sub-division 4.

The fake pharmacists, five of whom had not studied beyond high school, were caught dispensing medicines to customers. They were charged with practising the profession without a licence.

Police said the fake pharmacists received a monthly salary of between 12,000 and 18,000 baht. They “filled in” when the full-time pharmacists, who came into the stores once a week, were away.

They were also accused of selling cough syrup to young people who use it as a base for producing a narcotic drink known as “4×100”. The other three ingredients are usually kratom leaves, cola and a tranquilliser or pain-killer.

The raids were launched in response to a Pharmacy Council of Thailand announcement reminding pharmacies they must employ at least one full-time pharmacist.

Of the 14 raided locations, Pol Col Supoj said several were part of chains.

The investigators confiscated 24,722 bottles of cough syrup as well as 4,150 capsules of Tramadol, a controlled substance for treating pain, among other drugs, according to the sub-division chief.

Pol Col Supoj said a pharmacy would open several branches to increase its quotas of cough syrup legally permitted for sale. Each branch is allowed to acquire up to 300 cough syrup bottles per month.

The pharmacies caught selling the syrup for producing “4×100” were located mostly in the Ramkhamhaeng, Hua Mak and Lat Phrao areas.

Water levels in Chao Phraya basin still below seasonal norms because of El Nino

The National Water Command Centre (NWCC) has warned of heavy downpours in 16 provinces, despite lower water levels in areas around the Chao Phraya River due to the El Nino weather phenomenon.

Heavy rain will affect most regions, especially the North, Northeast, East, and western part of the South, until Friday, said Surasri Kidtimonton, the NWCC deputy and secretary-general of the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR).

High alerts have been issued for 16 provinces: Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Tak, Nan, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Nakhon Phanom, Sakhon Nakhon, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Ranong, Phangnga, Phuket, Satun and Trang.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation on Tuesday reported landslides in many areas of Phangnga, including on the Muang Phangnga-Kapong Road in tambon Tung Kha Ngok. It is working with local administrations in the area to clear the road surfaces.

Mr Surasri said rainfall volume in the Chao Phraya River basin is still low because of the El Nino phenomenon. The situation is the opposite in the Mekong River, where the water level is now high due to continuous rain.

He said the reservoirs at the four major dams in the Chao Phraya basin — Bhumibol in Tak, Sirikit in Uttaradit, Kwai Noi Bamrung Daen in Phitsanulok and Pasak Jolasid in Lop Buri — contained only 2.97 billion cubic metres of water in total, which was quite low.

A report from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) on Monday showed the water levels in the Bhumibol and Sirikit dams were at 42.6% and 45.3%, respectively.

The NWCC has been urging rice farmers to have only one rice crop this year as it expects water volumes to be insufficient for second-crop farming, Mr Surasri said.

United Thai Nation says it’s ‘ready for discussions to let the nation move forward’

The Pheu Thai Party has invited the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party, which promoted Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as its prime ministerial candidate during the election campaign, to join its coalition alliance, the UTN spokesman said on Tuesday.

Akaradet Wongpitakrote said that UTN leader Pirapan Salirathavabhaga told a meeting of party MPs meeting on Tuesday that Pheu Thai was ready to invite it to join a coalition government.

“UTN is ready for discussions to let the nation move forward,” said Mr Akaradet, who is also an MP for Ratchaburi province.

Asked if UTN would have any conditions about cabinet positions, Mr Akaradet said his party was ready to work at any ministry.

On Tuesday the party’s MPs were told to be ready for the parliamentary vote for prime minister, he said. That vote could take place as soon as Friday dfepending on a Constitutional Court decision on Wednesday on a petition challenging an earlier resolution to block the renomination of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat.

UTN was created this year to prolong the political career of Gen Prayut, who has headed the government for nine years since staging a coup in May 2014. His personal popularity among conservative voters brought the UTN 4.7 million party-list votes, placing it third behind Move Forward and Pheu Thai.

While UTN won just 23 constituency seats, it picked up 13 list seats for a total of 36. It soon became clear, however, that even if the party were to nominate Gen Prayut for prime minister, he was unlikely to receive enough parliamentary support. Gen Prayut subsequently announced on July 11 that he would quit politics once a new government was in place.

Pheu Thai leader Phumtham Wechayachai has said that his party had yet to reach any formal agreement with UTN or Palang Pracharath, headed by Gen Prayut’s longtime brother-in-arms, Gen Prawit Wongsuwon.

Mr Phumtham said on Tuesday that negotiations had made progress and relevant decisions would be made official later, he said.

United Thai Nation says it’s ‘ready for discussions to let the nation move forward’

The Pheu Thai Party has invited the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party, which promoted Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as its prime ministerial candidate during the election campaign, to join its coalition alliance, the UTN spokesman said on Tuesday.

Akaradet Wongpitakrote said that UTN leader Pirapan Salirathavabhaga told a meeting of party MPs meeting on Tuesday that Pheu Thai was ready to invite it to join a coalition government.

“UTN is ready for discussions to let the nation move forward,” said Mr Akaradet, who is also an MP for Ratchaburi province.

Asked if UTN would have any conditions about cabinet positions, Mr Akaradet said his party was ready to work at any ministry.

On Tuesday the party’s MPs were told to be ready for the parliamentary vote for prime minister, he said. That vote could take place as soon as Friday dfepending on a Constitutional Court decision on Wednesday on a petition challenging an earlier resolution to block the renomination of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat.

UTN was created this year to prolong the political career of Gen Prayut, who has headed the government for nine years since staging a coup in May 2014. His personal popularity among conservative voters brought the UTN 4.7 million party-list votes, placing it third behind Move Forward and Pheu Thai.

While UTN won just 23 constituency seats, it picked up 13 list seats for a total of 36. It soon became clear, however, that even if the party were to nominate Gen Prayut for prime minister, he was unlikely to receive enough parliamentary support. Gen Prayut subsequently announced on July 11 that he would quit politics once a new government was in place.

Pheu Thai leader Phumtham Wechayachai has said that his party had yet to reach any formal agreement with UTN or Palang Pracharath, headed by Gen Prayut’s longtime brother-in-arms, Gen Prawit Wongsuwon.

Mr Phumtham said on Tuesday that negotiations had made progress and relevant decisions would be made official later, he said.

Panel recommends dropping ‘media shares’ complaint but EC is still sending case to court

Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat has questioned the motive of the Election Commission (EC) for investigating his shareholding in the defunct broadcaster iTV, now that an inquiry panel has recommended it drop the case.

Writing on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Mr Pita said the episode was looking more and more like “intentional political persecution”.

He was responding to reports on Monday that the EC’s inquiry panel recommended the election watchdog drop the charge that Mr Pita violated Section 151 of the Election Act. That section states that a candidate who applies to run as an MP while knowing that he might be in violation of election rules — in this case, holding shares in a media company — would face disqualification.

iTV stopped broadcasting in 2007 and was delisted from the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 2014. It earned a small amount of income from a subsidiary that rented broadcasting equipment and offered media support services for several years.

In the 2022 financial year, however, the company’s only reported revenue was interest income from bank deposits and bonds.

“The investigative panel has provided an important reason that iTV is not operating nor earning income from its media business. This shows that I am not at fault,” Mr Pita wrote on Facebook.

“I want to reaffirm suspicions about whether my TV shareholding case is politically motivated or not. I had held the shares in question while performing my duty as an MP for four years but complaints were only made when I became a prime ministerial candidate,” he said.

“The case was submitted to the Constitutional Court a few days before my nomination as prime minister was made in parliament. There were many pieces of disturbing evidence that attempts had been made to ‘revive’ iTV … to meet the definition of ‘media shares’.”

Mr Pita was referring to a discrepancy between a video recording of an iTV shareholders’ meeting, in which a senior executive says the company is not carrying out any media business, and published minutes of the meeting which claim it is engaged in media operations.

As the investigative committee found he was not guilty of an electoral violation, Mr Pita said he wanted to ask the EC whether the panel had made its resolution before the EC submitted its petition to the Constitutional Court.

The panel had gathered evidence and questioned witnesses and concluded that iTV was not operating as a media firm and had no income from media operations.

He also asked the EC whether its move to ask the court to suspend him from MP duty pending a ruling was fair. iTV and the telecom firm Intouch Holdings, its major shareholder, had produced financial documents that the defunct media firm had stopped broadcasting and had no income from media operations, said Mr Pita.

Citing previous media shareholding complaints against about 60 MPs in 2020, he said they were not suspended from duty pending rulings.

“But in my case, I was suspended from MP duty. I want society to consider whether the suspension is fair or not,” he wrote.

A source at the EC confirmed on Tuesday that the investigative committee found there was no clear evidence that iTV was operating and earning income at the time when Mr Pita filed his candidacy application in early April.

The committee’s findings and recommendation have been sent to the secretary-general of the Election Commission, said the source, adding that the case would then be forwarded to a sub-committee for consideration, when Mr Pita may be asked to testify.

On July 19, the Constitutional Court suspended Mr Pita from duty after accepting for consideration the EC complaint.

Mr Pita has argued that the 42,000 shares in iTV were part of his late father’s estate, which he managed as executor. He said they had since been transferred to relatives.

He had declared the holdings and explained the circumstances when he was first elected as an MP in 2019 and was told not to worry about it, he said.

New coalition is ‘not reflective of people’s voice’, says election-winning party

The election-winning Move Forward Party (MFP) will not back the Pheu Thai Party candidate for prime minister, Move Forward secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon said on Tuesday.

The decision could complicate efforts by Pheu Thai to obtain the required support to form a government, and prolong weeks of political deadlock.

Despite abandoning Move Forward earlier this month, second-placed Pheu Thai has been seeking its former ally’s backing for real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin to become premier.

Move Forward lawmakers were unanimous in opposing that, Mr Chaithawat told a news conference on Tuesday.

“The formation of the government now is not reflective of the people’s voice,” he said.

“It is clear that senators and other parties want to shut Move Forward down.”

MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat failed to secure a majority in a vote for prime minister at a joint sitting of the House and Senate on July 13. Parliament subsequently voted on July 19 not to allow Mr Pita to be nominated a second time.

The latter decision has been challenged in the Constitutional Court, which is scheduled to announce on Wednesday whether it will take up the case.

If the court declines to take the case, the next vote for prime minister is expected to take place on Friday or next Tuesday, Aug 22.

Move Forward gave up its effort to form a coalition after Mr Pita’s renomination was rejected, making way for Pheu Thai, which is creating a new alliance.

The new coalition includes the third-placed Bhumjaithai Party, which was a key player in the outgoing government. Multiple reports have said that Pheu Thai is also seeking the support of the two “uncle” parties that Move Forward has shunned as a matter of principle.

The “uncle” parties are Palang Pracharath (PPRP) led by Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, and United Thai Nation (UTN), the party created as a vehicle for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who led the 2014 coup and is now stepping away from politics.

Despite insisting that Pheu Thai had yet to reach any formal agreement with the PPRP and the UTN, deputy Pheu Thai leader Phumtham Wechayachai has admitted that the party was left with no other choice but to include them for the sake of stability.

The UTN is unpalatable not only to Move Forward but also to many Pheu Thai supporters, as its membership includes key figures from the Bangkok Shutdown protests that led to the coup that toppled the Pheu Thai administration of Yingluck Shinawatra in 2014.

Move Forward said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) that “almost all traditional ruling parties” were being brought together to form the government. “This is contrary to the will of the people, clearly expressed on the day of the election on May 14”, when Move Forward won 151 seats and Pheu Thai 141.

“Although at this time there is still no clarity on the composition of the cabinet, it is clear that the appearance of the cabinet will not be much different from the previous government,” the statement continued.

“The Move Forward Party does not believe in forming a government out of respect for those in power but not for the people.”

Commentary: The continuing crisis of Thai Democracy

Eight others face trial alongside well-known meditation expert, including six defrocked monks

A former popular monk, Phra Ajarn Khom, and eight others have denied charges of embezzling 182 million baht from Wat Pha Dhammakiri in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Khom Kongkaeo, the layman’s name by which the former monk is now known, appeared before the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases on Tuesday.

Also accused are Wutthima Thaomor, the 38-year-old former abbot of the temple; Mr Khom’s sister Juthathip Phubodiwarochuphan, 35; driver Boonyasak Patarakosol, 45; and five other defrocked monks: Boonsong Panpuwong, 34; Bundit Yoicha, 42; Nathapat Tangjaisanong, 36; Boonluea Phothong, 36; and Thanakrit Yotsurin, 34.

They are accused of colluding in embezzling a total of 182.77 million baht from the forest temple.

Mr Khom, 39, who achieved fame as a meditation expert and had many high-profile followers, was arrested in March along with his sister and Mr Wutthima.

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) began its investigation after the National Office of Buddhism said it suspected the monk of collecting some temple donations for his own use, according to Pol Maj Gen Montri Thetkhan, the commander of the Crime Suppression Division commander, which is under the CIB.

One donation was reportedly made through Mr Wutthima, the former abbot, who then passed the cash on to Miss Juthathip. She put the sum into her brother’s bank account, while other cash donations amounting to 51 million baht were stored in foam boxes and suitcases at her house. The money has been seized by police.

The six other accomplices were later arrested on March 9. More cash, gold bars, gold ornaments and other valuables were seized in the compound of the temple.

All nine defendants denied the charges. The court has set a Nov 7 date to begin examining evidence.

The Pheu Thai Party, which is leading the move to form a new government, and its key ally, the Bhumjaithai Party, are at odds over when the cabinet portfolios should be allocated.

Pheu Thai insists that cabinet seats will be distributed only after the parliament votes in its prime ministerial candidate, but Bhumjaithai wants the issue settled ahead of the vote.

“After the vote for prime minister there will be discussions on the positions (in the cabinet),” Pheu Thai deputy leader Phumtham Wechayachai said on Tuesday.

He dismissed reports that prospective coalition allies were pressuring Pheu Thai to allocate them cabinet positions before the House and the Senate vote for a prime minister.Mr Phumtham 

Mr Phumtham reaffirmed that his party would nominate Srettha Thavisin to the parliament for prime minister, and his belief the party would have enough support from elected MPs and appointed senators to ensure his election.

He said Mr Srettha would receive support from MPs of many persuasions, including the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), other than the few parties that had announced they would sit in opposition.

PPRP agreed to join the alliance without any expectation of any cabinet position, according to Mr Phumtham.

He also said that Pheu Thai MPs were not concerned about the possibility of the party teaming up with PPRP and the United Thai Nation Party. PPRP has caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon as its leader and UTN earlier named caretaker Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as its candidate for prime minister.

However, Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul said on Tuesday the allocation of cabinet  positions should be made clear before the vote for prime minister was taken.

He said he would discuss the issue with Mr Phumtham, Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew and Pheu Thai secretary-general Prasert Chanthararuangthong.

Mr Anutin said the talks would be constructive, so that all parties concerned could come to agreement. He expected the parliament would vote for prime minister next week.

Pheu Thai came second with 141 House seats in the May 14 general election. It walked away from its previous alliance with the election-winning Move Forward Party, which has 151 House seats.

Bhumjaithai came third with 71 seats and is Pheu Thai’s biggest ally in its prospective coalition government, after the exclusion of Move Forward.

Activist Srisuwan Janya said on Tuesday he is filing complaints against a deputy House speaker from the Move Forward Party over an online post showing the MP with a new craft beer brewed in his home province.

On Sunday Mr Padipat, an MP for Phitsanolok, posted on his Facebook account a picture of himself with a can of beer. He said In the post that it was an interesting product, the first craft beer brewed in Phitsanulok.

Mr Srisuwan said he had already asked House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha to launch an ethics investigation into Deputy House Speaker Padipat Suntiphada. 

Mr Srisuwan alleged that in posting the photograph Mr Padipat had violated Section 32 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, which prohibits the advertising of alcoholic beverages.

He said that offence carried a fine of 50,000-200,000 baht and possible imprisonment.

Mr Srisuwan said he would file a similar complaint against Mr Padipat with the National Anti-Corruption Commission. He would also file a complaint against the Pitsanulok MP with the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee.

The Move Forward Party has a policy to break the duopoly in the beer market and facilitate the entry of smaller producers and local craft beers.