Beer clip lands MP in the soup

Beer clip lands MP in the soup
Padipat: Posedwith a can

Deputy House speaker Padipat Suntiphada has come un-der fire after posting a video clip of himself drinking beer on social media, which some say could be a violation of the law.

The furore began after Mr Padipat, a Move Forward Party MP for Phitsanulok, reviewed a can of beer brewed in his home province on Tiktok.

This prompted a flurry of criticism from netizens, who pointed to the law which prohibits the advertising of alcoholic beverages.

Tankhun Jittitsara, a former Democrat MP, called on House speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha to look into whether Mr Padipat breached the ethical code for political-office holders.

Democrat spokesman, Ramet Rattanachaweng, warned that Mr Padipat’s action may constitute a violation of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act.

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Orphaned jumbo ‘Tula’ dies from bone disease

Orphaned jumbo 'Tula' dies from bone disease
A veterinarian feeds Tula, a male elephant calf who was abandoned by his herd in October last year. Tula passed away over the weekend after 10 months of treatment.

The orphaned elephant calf Tula has died due to illness after 10 months under the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation’s (DNP) care, the department announced on its Facebook page on Sunday evening.

Tula first came to the public’s attention when a team of veterinarians found him in Chanthaburi’s Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary in October last year.

He was abandoned by his herd after contracting herpes in the wild, said Patarapol Maneeorn, chief of the department’s Wildlife Health Management Division.

According to Dr Patarapol, Tula suffered from a metabolic bone disease, which impeded his ability to stand on his front legs. Tula’s condition began to deteriorate last week and on Sunday, his pulse became very weak.

Veterinarians attempted to resuscitate Tula, but he died later that evening.

Dr Patarapol said Tula’s remains will be examined for other contributing factors.

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Pheu Thai will nominate Srettha for PM

Candidate does not have to be in parliament for vote

Pheu Thai will nominate Srettha for PM
Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidate Srettha Thavisin, centre, with Paetongtarn Shinawatra, right, and secretary-general Prasert Chanthararuangthong, left, after the general election on May 14. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)

Pheu Thai will propose Srettha Thavisin for prime minister, expects he will immediately get all the support he needs, and he does not have to attend the joint sitting of parliament that will vote on his nomination, according to party secretary-general Prasert Chanthararuangthong.

Mr Prasert said on Monday that key party figures had agreed and confirmed that Mr Srettha would be their  candidate for prime minister.

He dismissed speculation that Paetongtarn Shinawatra, another of the party’s three registered candidates, could be nominated to the parliament instead of Mr Srettha. Ms Paetongtarn is a daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

“The members of the House of Representatives who will support Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate should number about 270. The support of the Senate is also being requested. I believe that many senators will support the candidate of Pheu Thai,” the party secretary-general said.

“So, I am confident that Mr Srettha will be elected right away.”  

The constitution requires a joint vote by the 500 House representatives and 250 senators to select the prime minister.

Mr Prasert confirmed that Pheu Thai would be happy to receive supporting votes from all political parties,  including the two political parties linked to caretaker Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.

Asked to comment on some senators’ demand that Mr Srettha elaborate on his qualifications in the parliament, Mr Prasert said that Mr Srettha was not an MP and so he was not required to be in the parliament when it votes for a prime minister.

Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said that he may reconvene the joint sitting of the House and the Senate either on Friday this week or Tuesday next week, for their vote for prime minister.

He preferred to first wait for a ruling from the Constitutional Court, expected on Wednesday, on the parliament’s resolution rejecting the renomination of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat for prime minister on July 19.

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Racing car mechanic arrested with 1.18m meth pills

Racing car mechanic arrested with 1.18m meth pills
Police with two power generator boxes found to contain 1.18 million meth pills, found on a pickup from Chiang Mai they stopped at a petrol station in Muang district, Sing Buri province, on Aug 11. The driver was arrested. (Photo supplied)

A mechanic who soups up cars for racing was arrested on Friday in possession of 1.18 million methamphetamine pills at a petrol station in Muang district, Sing Buri province.

He was taken into custody by investigators of the Bangkok metropolitan police, and about 10 million baht worth of his assets were later impounded for examination.

Pol Maj Gen Teeradet Thamsuthee, commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s investigation division, said the suspect, Jirasak “Kan” Boonchai, 42, ran a garage in Mae Dai district, Chiang Mai province, that modifies cars for racing.

His arrest followed a two-month expanded investigation by metropolitan police following several major drug seizures in Bangkok.

On Aug 11, police followed an Isuzu pickup travelling from Chiang Mai, and intercepted and searched it at a PTT petrol station in Muang district of Sing Buri. 

The vehicle was carrying two boxes intended for power generators. However, the generators had been removed from their casings and replaced with packages containing 1.18 million meth pills. The driver, Mr Jirasak, was arrested.

Police subsequently searched Mr Jirasak’s house in Mae Ai district, Chiang Mai. They impounded 11 cars and four motorcycles for examination, on suspicion they had been acquired with the proceeds of the drug trade.

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First monkeypox fatality in Thailand

First monkeypox fatality in Thailand
Provincial health officials clean a condominium in Phuket where the country’s first recorded case of monkeypox was found on July 22 last year. Monkeypox is now being referred to as Mpox by global health authorities. (Photo: Department of Disease Control)

Thailand’s first fatality related to monkeypox occurred last week, a Thai man aged 34 years who already had HIV and syphilis, according to health authorities.

Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said on Monday that the patient had suffered a fever, headache, itching and a rash on his body on July 3.

He sought treatment at a private hospital in Chon Buri province on July 11. Tests on samples taken from him confirmed he had monkeypox, HIV and syphilis.

The patient had later suffered a sore throat due to a fungal infection, an opportunistic infection in HIV patients, Dr Tares said. A rash spread all over his body due to monkeypox.

He was discharged from the hospital after receiving weeks of treatment there.

On Aug 9, the man suffered fatigue and breathing difficulty. Relatives took him to the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Nonthaburi province.

By then he had a monkeypox-related rash all over his body, large areas of dead tissue on his nose and neck, infections to his limbs, lungs and brain, and severe immunodeficiency.

He received monkeypox medication and antibiotics but his condition deteriorated and the man died on the night of Aug 11.

Dr Tares said monkeypox was an emerging infectious disease in Thailand. As of Aug 8, there had been 189 cases, consisting of 161 Thais and 28 foreigners.

The disease was spreading. Most cases were among men who sex with other men, and 43% of all cases also had HIV, he said.

The disease control director-general said a common cause was a sexual liaison with a stranger who was  already infected with monkeypox.

His deputy, Dr Sophon Iamsirithaworn, said monkeypox was spreading because people continued to indulge in risky behaviour.

Almost half of the new monkeypox cases had HIV, and they had put their lives at risk because their immune system was already weakened,  which allowed opportunistic infection, he said.

There had been 152 fatalities related to monkeypox worldwide since the outbreak was first reported in May last year, Dr Sophon said.

Monkeypox is now being referred to by global health authorities as Mpox, and is reported to have initially spread from Africa.  

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Parties slam new restriction on old-age allowance

Parties slam new restriction on old-age allowance
An elderly freelancer at work in Sam Phraeng community in Phra Nakhon district of Bangkok. (File photo: Apichart Jinakul)

The Move Forward and Thai Sang Thai parties have slammed the caretaker government under Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for issuing a new regulation setting income limits for people receiving old-age pensions.

The new regulation was signed by caretaker Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda and published in the Royal Gazette and is effective from Aug 12.

The old regulation was for local administrations to pay universal monthly allowances of 600-1,000 baht to all elderly people – 600 baht for people aged 60-69, 700 baht for people aged 70-79, 800 baht for people aged 80-89, and 1,000 baht for people aged 90 years or more.

Item 6 (4) of the new regulation states that only people with no income, or insufficient income to cover the cost of living, are entitled to the monthly age allowance from the state.

However, Item 17, a provisional clause of the new regulation, states that the new criterion for payment of the age pension does not apply to people who registered for the allowance with their local administration before Aug 12, 2023. This means those currently receiving the allowance are not affected.

Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a Move Forward list MP, said the new criterion had replaced universal coverage for the elderly.

It would have a severe impact on people reaching 60 years-old in the future. People turning 70, 80 or 90 and looking forward to the larger allowance would also be wondering if they would get it or not and, if so, when.

In addition, it was not clear if pople turning 60 who under the new criterion were not entitled to the allowance, but later find they cannot make ends meet, would be able to register for and receive the allowance, and how.

Mr Wiroj said Thailand now had about 11 million people aged 60 years or more. If payment of the age allowance was based on the database for state welfare cards, only 5 million of them would be entitled to the age allowance. The other 6 million would be left out in the cold by the government.

The MFP MP said Section 11 (11) of the Elderly People Act stipulates that payment of the old age allowance must be made on a monthly basis and must be universal and fair. The requirement for the elderly to prove their poverty may prevent them receiving state welfare, which was in breach of this law.

He said people affected by this change could petition the Administrative Court.

Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, leader of the Thai Sang Thai Party, said she strongly opposed the new Interior Ministry regulation.

The new criterion for receipt of the monthly allowance for the aged was a serious violation of the principle of universal coverage for state welfare, and it was discriminatory.

It ias not fair that elderly people should have to prove they do not have enough money to cover the cost of living in order to get the allowance, she said.

“The government … should instead lay a foundation for state welfare for all. The government should not use the state budget to create a debt of gratitude or to divide the people into the rich and the poor,”  Khunying Sudarat said.

The Move Forward and Thai Sang Thai parties both propounded policies of paying a montly allowance of 3,000 baht to all elderly citizens during campaigning for the May 14 general election.

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Mekong water level falling

Thousands of rai of rice fields damaged

Mekong water level falling
The Mekong river level in Nakhon Phanom province is receding 10-20 centimetres a day. It was 1.30 metres below the spillover point on Monday morning. (Photo: Pattanapong Sripiachai)

NAKHON PHANOM: The level of the Mekong river is falling and water can now be drained more quickly out of thousands of rai of flooded rice fields, authorities in this northeastern border province said on Monday.

The river was receding by 10-20 centimetres per day. It was measured at 10.70 metres deep on Monday morning, 1.30m below the spilling point of 12m, Irrigation officials said.

Although the Mekong is falling,  water in three major tributaries –  the Nam Oon, Nam Songkhram and Huay Bang Ko rivers – was  20-30% higher than their normal capacities.

The provincial irrigation office was trying to drain as much water as possible out of nearly 10,000 rai of rice fields which have been flooded. It was initially estimated about 5,000 rai of the flooded rice crop would be  damaged.

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Gambling addiction fuelled by poverty

Gambling addiction fuelled by poverty, researchers find

Gambling addiction fuelled by poverty
Thai Health Promotion Foundation volunteers gather in front of the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre in December last year warning of the dangers that gambling addiction poses. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)

Social workers say gambling addiction among blue-collar workers is fuelled by social and welfare issues, not by an individual’s passion as many might have thought. NGOs and government agencies are working together to provide rehabilitation.

Asst Prof Pattamaporn Sooksomsod, from Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Rajabhat University, said gambling addiction arises from workers being paid too little to feed their family.

Most workers in factories work overtime, which takes away their free time for other recreational activities.

“Everyone has their own Facebook account. Just type in a few words and a list of gambling websites shows up. There will also be game plans for gamblers and 24-hour group chats for people to access online gambling. It only takes a few seconds after wiring the money to access the games,” she said.

Based on her research about the effects of online gambling among workers in the manufacturing industry in Ayutthaya, workers do not see online gambling as a problem. Instead, it’s their side income.

Many have set up limit such as not losing more than 300 baht per day. They often think the money they earn from gambling can contribute to their daily expenses. Still, few keep a tally of how much they have lost.

Players aim to make high returns from the games but they are more likely to end up heavily indebted to loan sharks. Once their financial situation deteriorates, the stress tends to affect their relationships, work and health.

The most popular online gambling games among workers include slot machines, the illegal lottery and sports betting, she told participants in the “Gambling Activities in a Daily Life of Workers in Manufacturing Industry” seminar, organised recently by the Center for Gambling Studies and the Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation with support from the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth).

A glimpse of wealth

Asst Prof Tanit Toadithep, from Burapha University, said workers who gamble are often the family’s main breadwinner. They do not wish to spend their lives working in factories but would rather save a sum of money large enough to start a small business at home.

But most workers still live from hand to mouth. Many who work in industrial estates pay off pickup trucks or motorcycles by instalment because public transport is not available in the area. Gambling offers a rare ray of hope.

”However, the more they bet, the more they lose,” Asst Prof Tanit said.

He gave as an example workers in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC): when gambling addicts lose control over their betting, they will try everything to make a return. Eventually, they could end up losing all their money, breaking up with their partner and might even quit their job.

Assoc Prof Lae Dilokvidhyarat, president of the Gambling Rehabilitation Direction Division of ThaiHealth, agreed that gambling addiction among low-income workers is the result of poverty.

“We tend to think about gambling addiction as an individual issue but it is actually a social and welfare issue which requires work from various agencies to solve,” he said.

He proposed workers must be paid a reasonable wage which satisfies their life demands. Once they earn enough, the stress that poverty brings will disappear. Then, there will be no point in betting their hard-earned money on games that are impossible to win.

Suppressing gambling

Jirasak Lamlert, president of Nippon Steel Corp Labour Union, said most gambling addicts spend 5-10% of their wages on betting games. Instead of gambling, the union has tried to convince workers to save the same amount for family or household expenses.

Many employers in manufacturing have joined anti-gambling campaigns, as the outcome directly benefits business and union relations, he said.

Wongjan Janyim, coordinator of the Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation, said anti-gambling campaigns sponsored by ThaiHealth offer counselling to workers addicted to gambling, and help them quit their habit.

Ms Wongjan said the network has labour unions to the campaigns. Around 70% of participants are now spending less money on betting and have started to save enough for their families, she said.

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Daggers out in the Democrat Party

Old versus new guard rift yet to heal, writes Nattaya Chetchotiros

Daggers out in the Democrat Party
Abhisit: Doesn’t mind if party is in the opposition

The Democrat Party is still searching for its new leader after two failed attempts over the past two months.

The prospects of former leader Abhisit Vejjajiva returning to the same role is not bright as he is being challenged by a new faction led by Chalermchai Sri-on, acting party secretary-general, and Det-it Khaothong, acting deputy leader, which has a large group of MPs under its wing.

A party source told the Bangkok Post that after the party failed to elect a new executive board and leader twice due to a lack of quorum on July 9 and Aug 6, Mr Chalermchai was unhappy and pointed the finger at the old camp led by Mr Abhisit and another former leader Chuan Leekpai.

At the time, the party, which has 25 MPs, was being touted as a possible partner in the new Pheu Thai-led coalition, even though it had not yet reached a formal resolution on the matter.

But Mr Chalermchai informed Pheu Thai that while his 21 MPs would vote for PT’s prime ministerial candidate, Mr Abhisit was against joining PT in government on the ground the two parties had been fierce rivals for years, the source said.

Mr Abhisit is seeking the party leadership again and does not mind if the Democrats end up in the opposition as he and his camp believe that performing in that role would help restore the party’s dignity and popularity, the source said.

The Democrats may now miss out on the opportunity to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition as PT appears set to gather enough support from other parties to ensure a House majority.

According to another source, Pheu Thai has now sealed a deal with the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) in which the PPRP has agreed to vote for Srettha Thavisin, Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate, in exchange for slices of the cabinet quota cake.

However, the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party has not yet confirmed whether it will join the coalition. If the UTN also agrees to join, the Pheu Thai-led coalition will boast 315 MPs, the source said.

But the group of 21 MPs led by Mr Chalermchai has not given up hope, and promises to back Mr Srettha in the next prime ministerial vote in parliament expected on Aug 22.

They hope that when a cabinet reshuffle takes place some time after the formation of a new government, they will be brought into the coalition, a source said.

In light of this, they must seize control of executive power within the party to achieve that aim.

The old camp under Mr Abhisit initially believed that if the Democrat Party failed to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition, this would help boost Mr Abhisit’s chances in the leadership race.

But that is not the case because the new camp led by Mr Chalermchai has 21 out of a total 25 MPs and a vote by an MP has more weight than that of a non-MP party member at a ratio of 70 to 30, the source said.

That means the new camp will always win in a vote on any issues and it opposes a proposal to scrap the voting method based on unequal weighting.

In response, the old camp had to resort to tactics to force party meetings to collapse due to a lack of quorum, the source said.

“The two sides point the finger at each other. The new camp sees Mr Abhisit as a source of problems.

“After the Democrats joined the Prayut Chan-o-cha government following the 2019 election, Mr Abhisit resigned as leader to keep his promise that he would quit if the Democrats backed Gen Prayut as prime minister.

“This time, the group thinks Mr Abhisit still has a problem with Pheu Thai and the red-shirt supporters do not like him,” the source said.

Meanwhile, the old group has criticised Mr Chalermchai for failing to gain recognition from party supporters and the public.

“The rift between them runs so deep. If the new camp can seize power within the party and becomes part of the coalition government, it will take aim at the old camp which it sees as an obstacle,” the source said.

Even if Mr Abhisit is re-elected as party leader, he will find it difficult to work with the 21 MPs under Mr Chalermchai as these MPs are newcomers and do not share the same mindset, the source said.

Phichai Ratnatilaka Na Bhuket, programme director for politics and development strategy at the National Institute of Development Administration, told the Bangkok Post that Mr Abhisit would have to work hard to restore the party’s popularity if elected as leader.

The outcome of the May 14 election showed the party’s support base has shrunk considerably as it lost several million votes compared to previous elections, Mr Phichai said.

So, the party must try to woo support from those who voted for the UTN because by the next election, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will have quit politics and the party is likely to fade away.

“But the problem is that many supporters of the UTN are conservatives while Mr Abhisit is a liberal-minded person. Whether he can woo their support remains to be seen. Moreover, Mr Abhisit is not an MP so it is not easy for him to handle those MPs who do not belong to his camp,” Mr Phichai said.

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Doubt over PM candidate

Srettha urged to first address parliament

Doubt over PM candidate
Seree: Questions qualification

Senators are still divided over whether to back Srettha Thavisin, a Pheu Thai Party prime ministerial candidate, in the next PM vote in parliament.

Sen Seree Suwanpanont said the 250 senators must check the qualifications of the candidate as well as ask how Pheu Thai’s election pledges, such as the 10,000-baht “digital money” giveaway, will be funded.

“The senators want to hear Srettha explain in parliament before the vote,” Sen Seree said.

Responding to Sen Wanchai Sornsiri, who claimed that more than 90% of senators would vote for Mr Srettha, Sen Seree said it was not clear whether the majority of senators would do so.

“Things can change before the vote,” Sen Seree said. “If a prime ministerial candidate fails to meet the qualifications stipulated by the constitution, the nomination may be pulled out.

“I speak in general, not referring to Mr Srettha in particular,” he said.

Asked whether the next PM vote will be held on Aug 22, Mr Seree said it is up to Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha to set the date.

After the Constitutional Court decides on Wednesday whether to accept a petition seeking a ruling on whether parliament’s rejection of the renomination of Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat as prime minister is constitutional, the vote could be held on Aug 21 or 22, Sen Seree said.

Sen Kittisak Rattanawaraha echoed that view, saying he does not think 90% of senators will back Mr Srettha as claimed by Sen Wanchai.

“There are several days and anything can happen before the vote,” Sen Kittisak said.

Asked to comment about a group of 40 MPs from the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) who earlier said they would vote for Pheu Thai’s candidate, Sen Kittisak said the two parties have not yet announced a formal agreement to work together.

Wanchai: Support not about PPRP

“But this could be seen as a signal of bargaining for what they want,” Sen Kittisak said. “If they don’t get what they ask for, Pheu Thai may not receive enough support.

“It looks like they are trying pressure Pheu Thai into relying heavily on Gen Prawit Wongsuwon [the PPRP leader] because Pheu Thai can no longer turn to the Move Forward Party,” he added.

“Right now, those who have the upper hand are Gen Prawit and Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul,” he said. “If either or both of them pull out, the Pheu Thai-led coalition will collapse.

“If Gen Prawit is not part of the government, the senators who are close to him will not vote for Mr Srettha,” he said.

According to a source, Pheu Thai has sealed a deal with the PPRP, and the PPRP has agreed to vote for Mr Srettha in exchange for slices of the cabinet quota.

However, the United Thai Nation Party (UTN) has not yet confirmed whether it will join the Pheu Thai coalition, the source said. If the UTN agrees to join, the Pheu Thai-led coalition will boast 315 MPs, the source added.

Pheu Thai has 141 MPs while Bhumjaithai has 71 MPs, the PPRP 40, the UTN 36, Chartthaipattana 10, Prachachat nine, Pheu Thai Ruam Palang two, Chartpattanakla two, with Seri Ruam Thai Party, Plung Sungkom Mai, Thongthee Thai and the New Democracy Party all having one MP each.

Sen Wanchai wrote on Facebook yesterday that: “Ninety percent of senators will throw their full support behind Mr Srettha in the next prime ministerial vote” because Pheu Thai can gather enough backing from other parties to ensure a House majority.

He wrote that supporting Pheu Thai’s PM candidate has nothing to do with the PPRP’s prospects of joining a Pheu Thai-led coalition.

Most senators would support Pheu Thai and its PM candidate because it had broken away from the MFP, whose policy was to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lese majeste law, a move opposed by many senators, he wrote.

“When Pheu Thai shows that it can gather enough support, the senators are ready to vote for its prime ministerial candidate, regardless of whether the PPRP and the UTN are part of the Pheu Thai-led coalition,” Sen Wanchai wrote on his Facebook page.

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