Barkar Nash (Page 908)

A working panel has been set up to monitor the government’s charter amendment process, according to Senator Seree Suwanpanont, who chairs the Senate committee on political development and public participation.

He said the working panel is headed by Senator Wanchai Sornsiri with him as chief adviser and Senator Kamnoon Sidhisamarn as an adviser. The working panel has five sub-panels whose tasks are to follow up on the government’s plans to rewrite and hold a referendum on charter change.

The move came after the cabinet appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to form a panel to draft a referendum on amending the charter.

Mr Seree said Mr Phumtham has not approached any senators to be on the committee, adding his panel can submit its suggestions to the government although the Senate is excluded from the Phumtham committee.

Mr Phumtham said more than 20 people have accepted his invitation, including former justice permanent secretary Kittipong Kittiyarak and Pheu Thai list-MP Chusak Sirinil.

The names of all members of the committee, said to be capped at 30, are expected to be submitted to the prime minister next week for approval, he said, but noted he was not sure if that would require a cabinet review.

Mr Phumthai said he would serve as chairman with Mr Chusak as first deputy and the permanent secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office as secretary. Its members will include a deputy secretary-general of the Council of State.

The charter rewrite and accompanying organic laws will be completed within four years, and the cabinet will sponsor a referendum when everything is ready, he said.

Asked if the charter writing body could be ditched to reduce the requirement for referendums on charter changes, he said the panel would keep the number of referendums to a minimum.

High-level police face investigation

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said yesterday that he has ordered a panel to investigate alleged police involvement in online gambling operations.

The prime minister’s comments come in the wake of cyber crime police raids on houses where deputy national police chief Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn and his aide live on Monday.

Mr Srettha said the panel committee has three members: Chatchai Promlert, former permanent secretary for interior as chairman; Chartpong Chirabandhu, former deputy attorney-general, and Pol Gen Winai Thongsong, former deputy national police chief, who is secretary.

The searches on Monday were based on financial transactions uncovered earlier related to gambling websites, read an order from the PM.

The investigating committee will report its findings to the prime minister within 30 days and report on the investigation’s progress every 10 days.

Mr Srettha has ordered government officials to cooperate with the committee.

Asked if the matter would affect the appointment of a new police chief at the police commission meeting today, Mr Srettha said: “We will discuss the matter later.”

When asked if the government should take this chance to reform the police, he said the matter is a big issue. There are good and bad people in every organisation, he said.

“When a problem arises, it needs to be fixed,” he added.

Royal Thai Police spokesman Pol Lt Gen Achayon Kraithong said the premier has made eradicating online gambling an important goal.

He said the panel would investigate the raids involving 30 properties in six provinces, including the five houses of the high-level police officers in Soi Vibhavadi 60 in Bangkok on Monday.

As the matter involves high-level police officers, the police general inspector will also carry out the investigation.

The investigators’ report will determine the fate of Pol Gen Surachate’s eight subordinates, who are allegedly involved in a gambling website called “Betflix”.

Meanwhile, Pol Gen Surachate filed a complaint with the Criminal Court yesterday alleging contempt of court in the police application for a warrant that allowed them to search his five houses.

He said the application for search warrants concealed facts from the court because it failed to inform the court that he occupied the five houses, and a large force was used in the searches in a way that tarnished his reputation.

“If the court had known that they were my houses, it would have acted fairly because I do not face prosecution,” Pol Gen Surachate said.

PHETCHABUN: Visitors may soon be prohibited from climbing Khao Klang Nok, pyramidal ruins inside Si Thep Historical Park, amid concerns by local people who see it as inappropriate and view the ruins as sacred.

Unesco’s declaration of Si Thep Historical Park as a World Heritage Site on Sept 19 generated an unexpected influx of tourists to the park in Si Thep district.

This raised concerns among local residents about the number who were climbing Khao Klang Nok, a historical site inside the park boundary and about 2 kilometres from the ancient town ruins. They felt it would damage the site.

The hill is a giant collapsed brick and laterite stupa about 64 metres long on each side and 20m high.

District chief Weerawat Wattanawongphreuk said on Tuesday that he had raised these concerns with the head of the Si Thep Historical Park. Tourists may soon be prohibited from climbing to the top of Khao Klang Nok, he said.

Historical park authorities currently allow people to go to the top of the hill. However, there were many relics there, such as ancient stupas, that were venerated by local Buddhists. Allowing people to climb it could be seen as inappropriate, the district chief said.

“Personally, a ban would make this ancient place more valuable. Going up to the top is nothing. People just want to take pictures of the scenery. There’s not much of a benefit. It is better to stay below and view this ancient place, which has been declared a World Heritage site,” said Mr Weerawat.

Senator Somchai Sawangkarn has confirmed that jailed former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will be eligible for early release in February after completing half of his one-year jail term.

Mr Somchai, who chairs the Senate committee on human rights, civil liberty and consumer protection, said Thaksin can still receive a reduction in jail time even though his eight-year term has already been commuted to one year.

Shortly after his return from self-imposed exile, Thaksin petitioned His Majesty the King for a royal pardon and got his sentence shortened.

Citing the Department of Corrections, Mr Somchai said inmates must serve one-third of their sentences to be eligible for a reduction on special occasions. In Thaksin’s case, he will have completed one-third of his prison term by Dec 20 and half of it in February.

He said Thaksin will be eligible for a suspended jail term after six months because he is an elderly inmate with chronic diseases, and he would not need to wear a tracking device.

“In case of an early release, an electronic monitoring (EM) ankle bracelet is unnecessary. He may be confined to his house and would not be allowed to travel overseas. The six-month period [before he is eligible for early release] includes his stay in hospital,” he said.

According to Mr Somchai, the information was provided by Department of Corrections representatives who were among the state officials invited by his committee to give information about the healthcare provided to inmates on Monday and to answer questions surrounding Thaksin’s case.

Thaksin, 74, was admitted to Police General Hospital on the night of Aug 22, about 13 hours after he was sent to prison. He has now been there for over a month, prompting questions over privileged treatment.

Representatives from the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Police General Hospital, Justice Ministry and the Corrections Hospital were also invited to answer the committee’s questions yesterday.

Mr Somchai said Thaksin’s stay is being supervised by the Department of Corrections with police assistance.

However, the senator said the committee was not given any details about Thaksin’s recent surgery there as its representative was not involved in his care and treatment and health information is protected by the law.

Mr Somchai said the committee urged the RTP and Police General Hospital to at least inform the public how long Thaksin is expected to stay there before he can be sent back to the Corrections Hospital.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will pay an official visit to Cambodia tomorrow to bolster relations between the two countries, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Panpree Bahiddha-Nukara said.

It will be the first Asean country he will visit since becoming prime minister, as Cambodia is one of Thailand’s closest neighbours, Mr Panpree said.

The prime minister will later visit as many countries in the regional bloc as possible to introduce himself and strengthen ties, he added.

According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, bilateral trade between Thailand and Cambodia was valued at more than 300 billion baht last year.

Regarding the prospects of a visit to Saudi Arabia, Mr Panpree said relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia have been normalised after more than three decades of frosty ties.

During the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, Mr Srettha held bilateral talks with and received a good response from Saudi Arabia’s foreign affairs minister.

However, a date for a visit to Saudi Arabia has yet to be fixed, he said, adding that Saudi investors have expressed interest in pouring funds into Thailand. The kingdom must be well-prepared to court investment from the Middle Eastern country, he noted.

As for Thailand’s bid for a place on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2025-2027 term, he said the government attaches much importance to human rights issues.

The minister added that promoting and protecting human rights is one of the UN’s key functions and guiding principles, known as the four pillars. The others are peace and security, rule of law, and development.

Mr Panpree went on to issue a reminder that Thailand sat on the rights council in 2012.

“Thailand would like to reiterate its desire to become a UNHRC member again for the 2025-2027 term,” he said.

Evening rush hour an adventure in Bang Na, Klong Toey and Phra Khanong

Heavy downpours during the evening rush hour made commuting in eastern Bangkok more miserable than usual on Tuesday, with some roads in Bang Na, Klong Toey and Phra Khanong better suited to boats.

The water on Udomsuk Soi 1 in Bang Na around 7pm was 31 centimetres deep — the deepest in the capital for the evening, according to the Department of Drainage and Sewerage under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Floodwater was 21cm deep on Rama IV Road in the Kluai Nam Thai area of Klong Toey, while Sukhumvit Road at the Bang Na intersection was under 18cm of water. The water depth was 7cm on Sukhumvit Soi 62 in Phra Khanong district.

The department reported the highest rainfall totals for the six hours up to 7pm at 120 millimetres in Phra Khanong, followed by 114mm in Klong Toey and 68mm in Bang Na.

The Meteorological Department has forecast rain to cover 70-80% of Greater Bangkok from Wednesday to Friday due to a low pressure area in the upper part of the country.

Bangkok commuters are all too familiar with flooded roads after late-afternoon deluges at this time of year. But nationwide, as the rainy season winds down, precipitation is down significantly because of the effect of El Nino.

According to the Office of National Water Resources, total accumulated rainfall as of the end of last week was about 14% less than normal.