Barkar Nash (Page 930)

Thai suspects reportedly sought after body found dumped in well in border town of Poi Pet

SA KAEO: A black bag containing the body of a Thai casino worker was found dumped in a well in a rice field near the Cambodian border town of Poi Pet, police said on Friday.

Cambodian police believe Thai nationals were responsible for the man’s death, according to Pol Com Roong Thongmon, chief of immigration police in neighbouring Sa Kaeo province.

He said he was informed by Poi Pet police that the bag was found on Tuesday morning by local residents near Koup Thom village, about 30 kilometres from the Thai border. They reported it to Poi Pet police.

The villagers reportedly told police that the bag was brought on a motor-tricycle by two or three Thai-speaking men who dumped it into the well.

The witnesses said they opened the bag and found the body of a man, with no identifying documents. Poi Pet police subsequently took the body to Poi Pet Hospital.

Pol Col Roong and Pol Col Pattanachai Pamornpiboon, the Khlong Luek district police chief, crossed the border to examine the body on Wednesday. An investigation revealed that the body was that of a Thai man identified as Padungkiat, 31, from Chiang Saen district in Chiang Rai.

The man worked as an employee at a casino in Poi Pet.

On Thursday, police contacted the man’s family in Chiang Rai and the family said they would come to Poi Pet on Friday.

However, Thai police were subsequently informed by their Cambodian counterparts that the body would be cremated at a temple in Poi Pet on Thursday at 5pm and remains would be collected and sent to his relatives later. The family agreed.

Eight members of a Nigerian-led transnational drug network were arrested during a police raid on 17 locations in Bangkok and surrounding provinces.

Teams from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) and officials the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the raids to apprehend suspected drug offenders, Pol Lt Gen Khirisak Tantinawachai, acting chief of the NSB, said on Friday.

During the operation, three Thai women, four Nigerian men and a man from Ivory Coast were arrested. Seized from them were four cars, 17-baht weight of gold ornaments and some amounts of illicit drugs – 350 grammes of heroin, 49 grammes of cocaine and six grammes of crystal methamphetamine.  The total estimated value of the seized items was about 2.5 million baht.

The Thai women were identified only as Thatsanee, Kranokkra and Rattanaporn.

The operation followed information that a Nigerian leader of a drug network based in Nigeria had directed a close aide, Joseph or Mickey, living in Thailand, to sell illicit substances in the kingdom. Mickey, with his Thai wife Thatsanee, opened a bank account to receive money transfers from the drug trade, according to Pol Lt Gen Khirisak.  Mr Mickey had his Thai wife, Thatsanee, to open a bank account to receive money transfers from the drug trade, said Pol Lt Gen Khirisak.

The network had sold illicit drugs at night entertainment venues in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces. It had also smuggled illicit drugs to sell in other countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan. 

With around 20 members, the network laundered money earned from the drug trade by purchasing various products such as clothes, shoes and dried fish, which were then exported to Africa through logistics firms.

The officer said that Thai women, who were wives or girlfriends of Nigeran drug suspects, acted as nominees to launder money acquired from the drug trade for the network.

The eight suspects were in police custody for legal action. The investigation was being extended to arrest other network members.

One of five suspects wanted in connection with aiding the escape of a 37-year-old prisoner, incarcerated for multiple serious crimes, from a hospital in Nakhon Si Thammarat has been arrested in Songkhla.

Khanet “Boy” Thongprajong, 28, was apprehended inside a shopping mall in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district on Thursday evening as he went to watch a movie. He admitted to the charges during police questioning at Muang station in Nakhon Si Thammarat on Friday.

Khanet was among the five suspects facing arrest warrants for their alleged involvement in the escape of prisoner Chaowalit Thongduang, alias “Sia Paeng Nanod”, from Maharat Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital. 

Chaowalit managed to escape from the hospital on Sunday morning. He had been taken to the hospital for dental treatment on Friday and was subsequently kept in after collapsing, citing severe leg pain.

During questioning, Khanet initially denied any involvement, but he later confessed when presented with CCTV footage from the hospital. He admitted to providing a mobile phone and tools to aid Chaowalit’s escape on Friday night.

Police took him to Maharat Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital on Friday for a re-enactment of the crime, and his motorcycle was seized at a rented house in Muang district of this southern province.

According to Khanet’s confession, he had known Chaowalit from their time serving sentences on drug charges at Central Nakhon Si Thammarat Prison. Following his release, Chaowalit contacted him.

Khanet now faces charges of colluding in helping the prisoner’s escape, carrying a prison term of up to five years.

Police suspected that Chaowalit may be hiding in Khao Banthat Wildlife Sanctuary, a refuge for animals that covers four southern provinces.

Police were tracing the prisoner in the area via mobile phone signals, which marks a U-turn from their previous assumption that Chaowalit had fled the country through the southern border province of Satun.

Chaowalit was sentenced to 20 years and six months in jail last year by Phatthalung Provincial Court for attempted murders in connection with an armed attack on police during an attempted abduction on Sept 2, 2019, in Phatthalung.

Chaowalit began serving his sentence at Phatthalung Prison in January 2022 and was transferred to Nakhon Si Thammarat Prison on Aug 7 this year. He also faces multiple other criminal charges, including murders, most of which are still in the courts.

NONG KHAI: The United States on Thursday handed over 12 patrol boats to the Marine Police Division for operating in the Mekong River to combat drug and contraband smugglings as well as transborder crime.

US Ambassador to Thailand, Robert F Godec, presented the patrol boats in a ceremony at the Marine Police Sub-Division 11 headquarters in Muang district, Nong Khai province.

The event was attended by Rachan Soonhua, the Nong Khai governor, Pol Maj Gen Wiwat Chaisangkha, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, and Pol Maj Gen Pritthipong Nuchanart, commander of the Marine Police Division.

Mr Godec said the donation was made under the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) cooperation between the US embassy in Thailand and the Royal Thai Police.

The boats, valued at 75.4 million baht (US$2.15 million) in total, are specially designed to operate in rivers with rapids and low water levels during the dry season.

Representatives from the US Coast Guard and the INL had also trained 24 marine police officers to use the patrol boats between Oct 16-26, Mr Godec said.

Mr Rachan said the patrol boats symbolise the good relations between the US and Thailand. They will play a crucial role in the operations of marine police along the Mekong River, contributing to the suppression of crime and various security threats, he added.

The 12 marine police stations along the Mekong River under the Marine Police Sub-Divisions 10, 11 and 12 will be assigned with one boat each.

The House of Representatives has set up a 60-member committee to study the potential opening of entertainment complexes, including casinos, to address the problem of illegal casinos and boost the country’s economy, as proposed in a motion submitted by MPs from various parties.

Supporters of the motion included Thoedchart Chaipong, a Pheu Thai MP for Chiang Rai, Non Paisanlimcharoenkij, a Move Forward Party MP for Nonthaburi, and Chatchawal Kong-udom, a United Thai Nation Party list MP.

The motion, calling for the formation of a committee to examine the matter, underwent deliberation in a House meeting chaired by House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha on Thursday.

During the debate, many MPs voiced their support for the motion.

Rangsiman Rome, a Move Forward Party list MP, expressed his support but warned that a similar working body was also established by the previous House of Representatives to study this matter. 

The opposition MP said he was informed that a company based in Tak province, accused of engaging in human trafficking and the illicit trade of human organs, succeeded in sending a representative to express its views before the committee, seemingly with malicious intent.

Mr Rangsiman emphasised the need for preventive measures against ill-intentioned influence.

The Move Forward MP said he believed that legalising casinos in Thailand could lead to the collapse of border-operating casinos, redirecting Thai gamblers’ money towards government revenue for national development.

Rangsiman: Legalising casinos in Thailand could redirect Thai gamblers’ money towards government revenue.

United Thai Nation Party list MP Chatchawal highlighted the loss of income due to Thai people travelling to neighbouring countries for casino gambling. Mr Chatchawal said he first proposed the legalisation of casinos 30 years ago, but many people disagreed.

At least five entertainment complexes with casinos should be strategically located across the country – one each in the North, the South, the East, the West and the Central Plains, he said.

These complexes would provide jobs for Thai people so that they would not have to look for jobs in the Middle East, which is prone to armed conflicts, Mr Chatchawal said.

Following the debate, with no objection from any MP, Mr Wan set up a 60-member committee to study the opening of entertainment complexes. The committee has 90 days to complete its task.

Mr Wan then announced that parliament, which has opened since July 3, will complete its first session on Oct 30.

A royal decree announcing the closure of the parliamentary session from Oct 31 was then read out to legislators, and the House meeting was adjourned at 8.50pm.

PHUKET – A Russian and two Indian nationals were arrested and charged for overstaying their visas during a police raid on a villa in Bang Thao beach area of Thalang district on Thursday.

At about 1.15pm, a team of immigration and tourist police went to the villa, with a warrant issued by Phuket Provincial Court, for the arrest of an Indian man on charges of threatening and intimidating other people.

The officers did not find the Indian man, who was believed to be hiding inside the premises. However, they instead came across Georgi Shkodo, a 33-year-old Russian man whose visa had expired. He was taken to Cherng Talay police station for questioning.

Four policemen remained outside the villa for surveillance.

An unexpected incident took place when a foreign man came out of the villa wielding a baseball bat. He attacked the police with the bat, injuring two officers. The police called for reinforcements.

At about 5.15pm, a 30-strong special operation team and immigration police were dispatched to the villa. In a search, the police detained five foreigners for passport and visa checks. They were taken to Cherng Talay station for questioning.

Among the detained foreigners were two Indian men, identified on as Katik, 29, and Yuvraj Saxena, 25. Both were found to have overstayed their visas.

A fact-finding panel has been ordered to be formed to look into a bribery case allegedly involving a former mayor of a municipality in Uthai Thani — a son son-in-law of Deputy Interior Minister Chada Thaised — and a number of local officials.

Thap Than district chief Siriwan Kokasetsap said a probe into the matter is expected to wrap up within 60 days.

Weerachart Rasamee, 45, the son-in-law, resigned from his post as mayor of Talukdoo municipality in Thap Than district on Tuesday night after he was released on bail.

He had been arrested on Tuesday morning along with four others for allegedly demanding a 600,000-baht bribe from a tap water contractor.

While Mr Weerachart and the others are facing investigation, a new acting mayor would have to be appointed to ensure day-to-day work continued running, said Ms Siriwan.

Despite his resignation, the investigation launched into his alleged misconduct is still valid and could continue until the end, said Uthai Thani governor Thiraphat Khatchamat.

In his resignation letter, Mr Weerachart denied any wrongdoing, saying he had to resign for political reasons, not as a way of admitting to the alleged crime.

Mr Chada said previously it was he who told the son-in-law to resign and pave the way for the investigation to be conducted into his alleged misconduct.

The case has attracted public attention because Mr Weerachart is a son-in-law of Mr Chada, who is leading the government’s attempt to suppress mafia-like influential people, some of whom are believed to be local leaders involved in unlawful businesses and activities.

Asked if Mr Weerachart should be included on a list of mafia-like influential figures, Mr Thiraphat said he had never received any complaint about Mr Weerachart acting as such before.

The province had never heard about Mr Weerachart’s alleged misconduct until he was arrested, said the governor.

Wallet scheme faces delay amid scrutiny

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has set up a committee to study the government’s 10,000-baht digital currency handout scheme as the agency steps up its scrutiny of the ruling Pheu Thai Party’s key policy.

A source at the NACC said the move followed a recommendation by the anti-graft agency’s corruption monitoring and appraisal panel.

The committee is chaired by Supa Piyajitti, an NACC member, and comprises representatives of various government agencies. It is tasked with gathering, studying and analysing information regarding the 10,000-baht digital handout scheme and coming up with measures to prevent any potential policy-oriented corruption stemming from the scheme.

The committee will also work with other relevant agencies and persons to support its study and gather opinions and suggestions on how to prevent potential policy corruption involving the scheme from other sectors.

However, Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said on Thursday that the digital money handout may face a delay and a reduction in scope as it will only cover the poor.

Following a meeting of a sub-committee overseeing the project implementation on Wednesday, Mr Julapun said that the sub-committee recommended limiting the handout to 15–16 million people who have state welfare cards or individuals meeting specific wealth criteria based on income or savings.

If limited to the 15–16 million welfare cardholders, the scheme will cost the state 150–160 billion baht. The sub-committee also suggested extending eligibility to those meeting specific salary or savings criteria.

Mr Julapun said if the handout excludes people earning more than 25,000 baht monthly or having at least 100,000 baht in deposits, the scheme will cover about 43 million people, costing about 430 billion baht.

Another optional proposal by the sub-committee excluded individuals earning over 50,000 baht monthly or having savings exceeding 500,000 baht. In this scenario, the handout would cover 49 million recipients, costing the state 490 billion baht.

The government initially planned to distribute 10,000 baht worth of digital money to each Thai aged 16 years and over. But with 54.8 million people meeting the original condition, concerns arose about the significant burden of over 500 billion baht affecting the country’s financial stability.

The sub-committee concluded that the handout scheme should be funded mainly by the national budget, about 100 billion baht annually, starting from the 2024 fiscal year.

Under this condition, the scheme would be delayed until April or May next year, pending approval of the 2024 national budget, Mr Julapun said. Previously, the government intended to hand out the digital money on Feb 1 next year.

Prime Minister and Finance Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Thursday he had received the proposals from the sub-committee. He said he will discuss these proposals with relevant authorities, including the secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council.

“At this stage, I have not yet concluded whether or how the handout scheme would be downsized,” said Mr Srettha. “To avoid confusion, I would like all the details of the project to be finalised before making an official announcement.”