Barkar Nash (Page 922)

Thai netizens press PM to get involved

The government will look into the controversial issue of Thai nationals consistently being deported by South Korean Immigration, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Tuesday after a cabinet meeting.

He vowed to discuss the matter with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chakkraphong Saengmanee and said this is the first time he has heard of the problem.

The Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) said it sent reports to its headquarters seeking talks with the Korean Embassy in Thailand and organisations overseeing the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA).

According to the KTO, 250,000 Thai tourists visited South Korea from Jan 1-Aug 31, equivalent to 70% of the pre-pandemic level.

Over the past week, Thai netizens, including several influencers, posted their negative experiences on X, formerly known as Twitter, about being denied entry to Korea and deported, resulting in the hashtag #BanTravellingtoKorea (in Thai language) trending.

The post that set social media on fire came from a female traveller who claimed she had been to Korea four times but was rejected on her latest attempt despite having a return ticket as well as tour programmes and hotel bookings.

The immigration officer allegedly asked her if she had been to the country enough times already before denying her entry. Her Oct 24 post has received 9.2 million views and 22,000 reposts.

Many speculate that the deportation results from the large number of Thai nationals who enter Korea with a tourist visa but end up working there illegally in the agriculture, accommodation and manufacturing industries.

The growing number of stories shared by deported tourists and those who were taken to the interview room has raised concern about the Korean immigration office endorsing a discriminating policy against Thai nationals.

Even Thai rapper Apisit “Joeyboy” Opasaimlikit posted a comment on his Facebook account on Tuesday stating that those who are not admitted to the country will feel bad because they have already paid for their tickets to visit their dream destination.

Korea should ask Thais to apply for a visa and screen applicants from the start of the process, he said, adding, “Let’s find a solution”.

Punishment to be decided later today

Two male Move Forward Party (MFP) MPs were found by an internal probe to have committed sexual harassment, and their punishment, including possible dismissal from the party, will be decided by the executive board on Wednesday, according to a special party panel.

The results of the probe were disclosed on Tuesday by Benja Saengjan, chairwoman of the main opposition party’s special working team on anti-sexual violence.

She said the party’s disciplinary panel conducted a fact-finding probe and found grounds for sexual harassment allegations against the two MPs.

On Monday, the MFP named one subject of the probe as Prachin Buri MP Wuttiphong Thonglour. The party did not release the identity of the other person.

The party launched the probe against Mr Wuttiphong upon receiving a complaint from the alleged victim in August. He allegedly sent sexually harassing text messages to a woman.

The MFP came under fire for dragging its feet in the investigation and allegedly trying to protect its own members.

Ms Benja on Tuesday said the punishment against both men would be passed by the party’s executives at a meeting held at parliament later on Wednesday.

Warding off criticism that the men might walk away with a slap on the wrist, she maintained the party does not take sexual harassment lightly, especially when it is committed by one of its members.

The punishment against the two MPs, which is likely to be handed to them by the executives on Wednesday, might result either in certain rights being curtailed or their removal from the party. The rights in question are understood to include the MPs being barred from contesting the next polls under the MFP’s banner.

Ms Benja said the party would administer punishment by the book. It is not afraid of expelling anyone, even if it would cost the party MP seats, as it has no intention of condoning a culture of covering up crime, she said, a stance voiced earlier by party spokesman Parit Wacharasindhu.

Ms Benja added the party adheres to a clear standard when it comes to figuring out punishment for sex-related violations.

However, the party is taking the time to proceed with the probe to avoid the risk of false incrimination as the investigation team delves into the details of the case.

Meanwhile, Mr Wuttiphong wrote on his Facebook account on Tuesday that all he could do at this time was to wait patiently for the party board’s decision.

He wrote that he had suffered dearly from being misjudged. “It feels like being dragged to the execution stand with no chance to defend oneself,” he wrote.

Wuttiphong: Claims to be misunderstood

The Justice Ministry and the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) back the Public Health Ministry’s move to amend its regulations to classify a person in possession of no more than 10 meth pills as a user, not a dealer.

Deputy Prime Minister and ONCB president Somsak Thepsutin on Tuesday addressed the controversy over the new regulation that the 10-pill limit was devised carefully by the police, the ONCB, the Public Health Ministry and the Department Of Provincial Administration.

The Public Health Ministry plans to introduce the new regulation allowing those found in possession of 10 pills or less to be classified as addicts and users, making them eligible to receive treatment rather than being sent to jail, in December.

To declare a suspect an addict, user or dealer, Mr Somsak said that an investigation must look into their history and behaviour.

“One methamphetamine pill has about 10-20mg of purity matter while an intake of 50mg can cause schizophrenia and 120mg can lead to death. Most drug users generally take 1-3 meth pills per day and carry less than 10 pills with them,” Mr Somsak said.

He addressed concerns that dealers carrying less than 10 meth pills might be categorised as users, saying that if they are found to be dealing drugs, they will be prosecuted.

Mr Somsak also said that the Supreme Court board had approved the addition of a drug department at the court and a new position of Vice President of the Supreme Court on drug cases.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Pol Col Tawee Sodsong said that authorities will set criteria for drug dealers to be prosecuted, even those caught with only one pill, in an attempt to plug the legal loophole.

When asked if the new public health ministerial regulation will worsen substance abuse in Thailand, Pol Col Tawee replied that the Public Health Ministry and related parties have agreed that redefining drug users as patients with a history of drug use is well-advised.

Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, a former public health minister, refused to comment on the new regulation. During his term as public health minister, the ministry aimed to categorise drug users as those caught in possession of two pills.

More than 9,000 rai of army-owned land will be redistributed as a New Year gift to landless farmers in Udon Thani, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said yesterday.

The premier commended the army for handing over its surplus land, totalling 9,276 rai, for redistribution under the so-called “Nong Wua So” development model in Udon Thani.

Mr Srettha said he had mentioned the model to the military in the first days of taking office as he was developing ways to eradicate poverty and landlessness problems faced by many farmers.

The idea was to obtain the military’s unused land and reallocate it to those in need, so recipients could learn about land development and conduct farming to generate income, which would help strengthen the country.

“I wish to express my appreciation to the military for giving the land to realise the Nong Wua So Model,” he said, adding the handover of land will take place on Dec 25.

“It’s a New Year gift to the people from the armed forces. It’s welcoming that the forces have joined in the push to advance the country’s progress,” Mr Srettha said.

The Royal Irrigation Department will supply water farming in the land given by the 2nd Army Area for agricultural purposes under the model, he said.

Mr Srettha was speaking after chairing a meeting of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) at the command headquarters. He also serves as the director of Isoc.

He said the Isoc would not be dissolved, as speculated by some, including Adisorn Piengkes, a Pheu Thai list-MP who serves as chief government whip.

Mr Adisorn suggested on Monday via X to disband the Isoc, which, in his opinion, allowed the military to interfere in other state organisations’ work and undermine democracy.

“Dissolving the Isoc? No, that has never crossed this government’s mind,” the prime minister said.

The cabinet has given the green light to a visa exemption policy for tourists from India and Taiwan to stay in the kingdom for 30 days, in a bid to draw more revenue as the high season approaches.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin told reporters that the policy will be put in place from Nov 10 until 10 May next year, allowing tourists from India and Taiwan to enter without a visa for 30 days under the Immigration Act 1979.

“We will provide visa exemption for Indian and Taiwanese visitors because a lot of their people like to visit Thailand,” said the premier.

Government spokesman Chai Wacharonke said arrivals from 59 countries can now enter Thailand without an entry visa. Recently, the cabinet agreed to grant visa exemptions for tourists from China and Kazakhstan, on a temporary basis.

India has been Thailand’s fourth-largest source market for tourism so far this year with about 1.2 million arrivals from January-September after Malaysia, China and South Korea.

The average Indian tourist is estimated to spend 41,000 baht per trip and stay in the country for 7-8 days. Some 1.55 million Indians are expected to visit the kingdom this year in total, said Mr Chai.

Taiwan is also one of Thailand’s main targets. Citing data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Taipei office, about 700,000 tourists from Taiwan are expected to visit this year, nearly reaching the pre-Covid level recorded in 2019 (780,000 arrivals), he said.

Each is estimated to spend 42,900 baht, or 5,200 baht on average per day.

The cabinet has agreed to cut gasohol prices for three months to help people with the cost of living.

Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga said yesterday the cabinet had agreed to lower gasohol prices as proposed by the Finance Ministry via an excise tax reduction and financial management of the state Oil Fuel Fund.

Initially, the excise tax will be cut by one baht per litre for all types of gasohol (petrol combined with ethanol). The measure will be implemented from Nov 7 to Jan 7.

The reduction in the gasohol 91 price would be bigger than the cut for other gasohol types, at 2.50 baht per litre, because the Oil Fuel Fund would subsidise it at 1.50 baht per litre in addition to the one-baht excise tax decrease, Mr Pirapan said.

Deputy Finance Minister Krisada Chinavicharana said this would cost the government about 900 million baht a month or 2.7 billion baht in revenue during the three-month period.

PHUKET: A Costa Rican-American man was found dead in his room with stab wounds at a hotel in Thalang district on Monday, according to local police.

Pol Capt Warawut Sensop, an investigator with the Choeng Thalay Police Station, said the body of a 35-year-old man, identified from his two passports as Daniel James Artus Jerez, was found at 9.40am inside the hotel on Bangtao Beach in tambon Choeng Thalay.

The hotel manager, whose name was not given, discovered the body after he smelled a rank odour emanating from the man’s room and decided to investigate, according to Pol Capt Warawut.

The body was found lying face-down at the end of the bed. The man had on a pair of shorts, with four stab wounds on the left side of his neck and a large bloodstain on the floor. He was estimated to have been dead for at least 2–3 days due to the state of the body.

His belongings were found to be intact. Police seized as evidence ketamine and cannabis from the man’s bathroom and a 25-centimetre, bloodstained knife near the entrance.

According to the hotel manager, Artus checked in on Aug 30 and paid two months’ rent. He later paid more in advance to further extend his stay and was last seen on Oct 26.

Artus came across as well-mannered but he was often drunk and visibly under considerable stress, the manager said.

Police are investigating the cause of death, said Pol Capt Warawut.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Tuesday agreed it’s a reasonable idea to have a team communicating information on the digital wallet scheme to the public so to avoid any confusion.

The premier was responding to suggestions from several quarters that a dedicated team be formed, directly responsible for passing information about the government’s flagship policy. He agreed it was a good idea and had been on his mind for a while.

Mr Srettha acknowledged that different sets of information about the wallet scheme had been circulated. It would be less confusing for everyone to be patient and wait for the official details of the scheme, which will be announced all at once in due course, he said.

However, before he attended the cabinet meeting, the premier was asked by reporters to comment on a remark by Pichai Chunhavajira, one of his advisers, that the digital wallet programme would likely be delayed until September next year due to a budget shortage. The scheme was initially planned to begin in February.

When asked to confirm if the handout would be delayed as suggested, the prime minister declined to comment and walked away.

Mr Srettha later told reporters he would keep the public up-to-date on the digital wallet committee meeting when information becomes available.

The government has established a main committee overseeing the implementation of the handout scheme. It is expected to hold regular meetings to discuss proposals put forth by a sub-committee which has mulled over possible changes to the policy, such as cutting back on people eligible to receive the digital money, initially being offered to everyone aged 16 and above, regardless of their financial status.

The wallet may also be used within a district where a recipient resides rather than within a 4km radius of their home.

Speaking at a forum organised by the Senate to discuss the handout scheme on Monday, Mr Pichai said the policy would be adjusted to reduce its scope following concerns from critics while adding that the number of eligible people for the programme could be cut to around 40 million.

The financially well-off would be excluded from the scheme to save on the 560-billion-baht budget earmarked for the scheme, according to Mr Pichai.

Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, meanwhile, said it was the government’s responsibility to strictly follow the main objective of the digital wallet policy although “minor” details of the scheme might have to be revised.

More importantly, Mr Phumtham said, a clear reason and explanation will be required to justify changes to the scheme. Asked to confirm whether the February debut of the plan was still valid, he said that since nothing has changed so far, the timeline stands.

The bodies of another 10 Thai workers killed by Hamas terrorists in Israel are being flown back to Thailand and will arrive on Wednesday.

Another 281 Thai evacuees were also scheduled to arrive home on Tuesday night.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement issued on Tuesday that the Thai embassy in Tel Aviv had arranged for the 10 Thai victims to be carried on EI AI flight LY083, departing Israel at 8pm on Tuesday (1am Wednesday Thai time) and arriving at Suvarnabhumi airport about 12.40pm on Wednesday. 

Fifteen other Thais who were killed arrived home on two earlier flights. 

Those arriving on Wednesday are all male. They were identified as Jakkaphong Chantharasena, Sattawat Pia-iea, Pithak Thorlaeng, Wutthiphat Wisetdonwai, Jaroon Chartdamdee, Somkhuan Phansa-ard, Prinya Taemklang, Nanthawat Pinjai, Tu Sae Lee and Bancha Datchathuyawat.

Thirty-two Thai workers have been reported killed during the Hamas-Israel conflict, with another 22 abducted by Hamas and 19 injured. The bodies of eight Thai workers slain in Israel arrived on Oct 20 and seven more arrived on Oct 26.

The ministry statement said two more groups of Thai evacuees would arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport on Tuesday night.

Arkia Israeli Airlines flight IZ593 with 211 Thais was due at 7.20pm and EI AI flight LY085 with 70 Thais was expected at 11pm.