NACC vows greater scrutiny

The government’s 10,000 baht digital money handout scheme is being closely examined, the National Anti-Corruption Commission ( NACC ) announced yesterday. It is also inviting more economic and financial experts to join its inspection of the project.

The NACC stated in a speech released yesterday that it is required to determine whether the project, which is the cornerstone of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, runs the risk of turning into policy-oriented problem, as some have speculated.

The NACC responded immediately and took activity by looking more closely into the scheme, despite the fact that no specifics of how the system will be implemented have been made available. This was due to growing concerns, particularly among senators, about the danger it poses to the president’s financial security, the statement said.

The NACC’s action came after a preliminary investigation it carried out into the digital wallet program, during which all relevant data about the scheme— including — a government policy statement — presented in parliament on September 11 – 12 — had been gathered and examined.

After the Senate invited NACC participant Suwana Swanjuta to a questioning session on this subject on October 10, the first investigation got under way.

Another development is that the Network of Students and People Reforming Thailand, a group, has petitioned the State Audit Office to use its power to halt the job.

The Pheu Thai family’s patriarch, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, urged those eagerly anticipating the plan to exercise patience as the case resolves issues related to its execution.

She was in response to Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat’s Thursday note that the implementation of February 1 might be postponed.

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Narongdej kin find key evidence

The papers in the WEH event” were forged.”

Narongdej kin find key evidence
During a press event on Friday, Kris Narongdej, left, and his family attorney, Picha Pomkai, are seen conversing. The Narongdej home claimed that Mr. Kasem’s name, which belonged to their father, was fake. ( Image: Apichart Jinakul)

According to a family statement, the Narongdej family — led by the siblings Kris and Korn — as well as their family attorney — provided crucial evidence on Friday that, according to the family, dispelled all prior rumors and established the falsity of Kasem( their father’s ) signature.

In a case that was brought before the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court in 2021 under the name of case 1708 / 2564, the attorney general charged Mr. Nop Narongdej( Mr. Kasem’s middle son ) and Khunying Kokeaw Boonyachinda, Mrs. Kope and Mrs. Sop, for forging several documents and using forged documents.

Mr. Nop asserted that his father was Khunying Kokaew’s choice to buy and transfer the shares of Wind Energy Holding ( WEH ), one of the largest wind farm operators in Thailand, to Golden Music Company, a$ 1 holding company with Hong Kong registration.

This was the principal justification for the Narongdej family’s announcement in 2018 that Mr. Nop had been removed from community affairs in a statement.

Since Mr. Kasem and his household first made it known officially that all of his names had been forged in order to transfer his stocks to Khunying Kokaew, a lot of rumors have been flying around in recent years.

Since then, two major official government organizations— the Criminal Evidence Division of the Royal Thai Police and the Institute of Forensic Science under the Ministry of Justice — have verified and proven Mr. Kasem’s signatures. Checks conducted by both organizations revealed that the names were forged.

The Sale Purchase Agreement ( SPA ) of Wind Energy Holding ( WEH ), an Agency Agreement stating that Mr. Kasem was the nominee for Khunying Kokaew in the purchase of WEH shares, and an Instrument of Transfer claiming Mrs. Kale M. transferred Golden Music Limited shares to him were all deemed to have been forged by the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court on September 28.

A Bought and Sold Note and a Declaration of Trust, in which Mr. Kasem acknowledged that Khunying Kokeaw owned Golden Music Limited stock and any advantages accrued from those securities, were the other files.

The Narongdej mom’s attorney, Picha Pomkai, stated that the main goal of Friday ‘ statement from the home was to tell the truth and demonstrate that they strongly believe in conducting their business ethically. According to his brothers, Mr. Kasem would never have consented to run for Khunying Kokeaw. The community also emphasized that Mr. Kris and Mrs. Korn are the only people in charge of running all family-affiliated businesses. When asked how much harm had been done to the company, Mr. Kris replied that it was numerous because his papa was the one who was hurt the most.

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Review of Prawit case gets rejected

The anti-graft organization’s ask for a review of the case involving Prawit Wongsuwon, the former deputy prime minister, was rejected yesterday by the Supreme Administrative Court, which upheld that ruling.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission( NACC ), which had been asked to reveal the specifics of its investigation into the wristwatch controversy to political activist Veera Somkhwamkid, claimed there was no basis for the review requested by the court.

When Gen Prawit did not list 22 luxury watches and jewelry on his list of assets, the NACC ruled 5:3 in December 2018 that there was no evidence to support the claim that he had erroneously declared his money. They belonged to companions, according to Gen Prawit, and had since been given back.

When Gen Prawit was seen wearing a silver Richard Mille RM 029 valued at about 2.5 million ringgit and an engagement ring on December 4, 2017, at an event held at the Government House, the luxury watch investigation was launched.

Mr. Veera petitioned the Supreme Administrative Court for the publication of the information about the investigation after the NACC dismissed the event, and the request was immediately granted.

According to the court’s decision, the NACC was required to give Mr. Veera three sets of data.

Fact-finding information, the anti-graft officials in charge of the case’s opinions, and meeting reports from the NACC were all included in them.

However, the NACC merely provided Mr. Veera with two pieces of information and opted not to share the views of the anti-graft officials in charge.

The NACC secretary-general Niwatchai Kasemmongkol stated in an interview in August that the organization needed to maintain its integrity and that it was necessary to black out the witness names in the documents given to Mr. Veera in order to preserve the witnesses’ personality and dignity.

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BMA to go after old vehicles

70 % of these dangerous dust particles, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration( BMA ) and the government, are caused by vehicle emissions. They have vowed to combat Bangkok’s ultra-fine PM2.5 dust pollution.

According to AirBKK, the BMA’s air quality control center, up to 48 zones in the capital were given the orange color code yesterday, indicating that the dust pollution is at risk of harming peoples’ health. The average level of PM2.5 in Bangkok was 39.8 microgrammes per cubic metre( g / m3 ).

It was suggested that people in these 48 places wear masks to shield themselves from potential health effects.

This issue also exists, according to Bangkok government Chadchart Sittipunt, despite the BMA’s daily efforts to combat dirt pollution for more than a year.

The BMA and the Department of Land Transport may tighten their restrictions on older cars in internal Bangkok, he said, adding that the traffic-related resources of PM2.5 are the most important aspect of this issue.

According to the government, 2, 141 of the 135 000 lorries in Bangkok that have been tested to see if they are causing air pollutants failed the test, 529 of which were cars.

According to government official Chai Wacharonke, heat stagnation, the weather condition blamed for accumulating these extremely fine dust particles in Bangkok’s air, occasionally happens as the rainy season transitions to the cold season.

Stricter settings of aging vehicles that emit waste in Bangkok, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Phatcharavat Wongsuwan, are a vital step to reduce PM2.5 levels in the area at this time of year when weather slowdown is an ongoing issue.

According to Mr. Chai, the BMA, police, pollution control section, and government of transportation will work together to address the issue.

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Navy to buy frigate instead of Chinese sub

The controversial underwater procurement, according to the defense minister, has only been suspended.

Navy to buy frigate instead of Chinese sub
The Royal Thai Navy announced an agreement to buy the wedge in 2017, and a model of the Yuan-class S26T wedge is on display at the event. Apichart Jinakul( picture )

Chinese frigates will be ordered by the navy instead of Chinese submarines, according to defense minister Sutin Klungsang, as Thailand initially requested that they have German engines.

Mr. Sutin stated during a visit to army headquarters on Friday that the choice does not mean the underwater procurement has been canceled. The submarine job may be put on hold for a while rather than being scrapped. It will continue once the nation is prepared.

Germany forbids the use of German-made gasoline engines in Chinese military and defense equipment, despite the initial agreement for the S26T Yuan-class submarine being signed in 2017. Thailand expressed concern that Beijing’s proposed Chinese-made website would not be sufficient.

The Chinese area tried to convince the navy that its website may be up to the task during the ensuing rounds of negotiations. Adm Choengchai Chomchoengpaet, a former chief, announced last month that he would suggest that the cupboard review the approval of savages with Chinese-made engines after the navy eventually agreed.

However, the government insisted on using a European motor and requested that the military change its plan.

Two suggestions were made by the army. The first is to buy a frigate that is fend off submarines, and the second is an offshore patrol ship.

According to Mr. Sutin, the state and he decided to go with the ship option because it would cost 17 billion baht, or 1 billion.

The defense minister stated that while the submarine option will significantly reduce the navy’s capability when compared to a submarine project, it can still accept it.

According to him, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang discussed the opportunity this week in Beijing, and the latter decided to take the Thai request into consideration.

Mr. Sutin expressed desire that China would find a solution regarding what it would do with the vehicle and said he was informed that the ordered submarine’s construction was only partially complete.

Since the navy’s 2017 signing of the procurement contract with state-owned China Shipbuilding & amp, Offshore International, the submarine deal has generated controversy. The agreement was not subject to acceptance from the Office of the Auditor General or the military-backed appointed government.

One of the issues with the deal, according to critics, was the type of website that would be used in the boats. The real question, they claimed, was whether a frigate would be more beneficial in Thailand’s deep territorial waters or whether it would make sense to use such savagery.

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Anti-graft body studying B10,000 handout

According to Move Forward Party, a comparable program tried in Japan in 1999 had little effect.

Anti-graft body studying B10,000 handout
During a march on Tuesday at the Pheu Thai Party headquarters, where professionally printed signs and T-shirts are displayed, the person expresses her support for the president’s 10,000-baht handout program. Somchai Poomlard( picture )

The National Anti-Corruption Commission ( NACC) has stated that it is closely examining the president’s handout of digital currency totaling 10,000 baht and is inviting more financial experts to meet its investigation of the matter.

The anti-graft organization stated in a statement released on Friday that it was required to determine whether the project, which is the Pheu Thai Party’s main monetary policy, runs the risk of turning into policy-oriented problem, as some critics have cautioned.

There have been growing worries, particularly among senators, that the job may jeopardize the government’s fiscal security, the statement said, even though exact details of how the system will operate and how much it may cost are not yet available.

As a result, the NACC stated that it felt it was essential to address these issues and take action by carefully examining the coverage.

According to the speech, the NACC examined the state policy speech made in parliament on September 11 and 12 as part of a preliminary evaluation of the digital wallet program based on information already available.

The investigation started after NACC member Suwana Swanjuta received an invitation to attend a Q & amp, A session about the program that the Senate had scheduled for October 10.

In a related development, former legislator Rosana Rositrakul requested the State Audit Office review and halt the program on Thursday, claiming that it could be harmful.

Through a” very software” that will be created for the purpose, the government hopes to give every Thai person over the age of 16 10,000 ringgit in digital currency. Although proponents claim that the program may be scaled back so that only those who truly need it receive funding, it could still charge up to 560 billion baht.

According to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, the multiplier effect from spending could increase GDP growth to 5 % the following year, and additional taxes collected would help to cover the program’s costs.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is anticipated to take over as the Pheu Thai Party’s new president, has urged those who are waiting for the release to materialize to exercise patience while the cabinet decides on the specifics of its implementation.

She was in response to Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat’s admission on Thursday that the program do not begin on February 1 as anticipated because a safe system needs more time to be developed.

According to a post made by Sirikanya Tansakun, the deputy leader of the Move Forward Party, on X ( Twitter ), the concept of digital wallet is not new. She claimed that a program very similar to this one was tested in Japan in 1999 and may have served as the model for the Pheu Thai coverage.

She urged the government to reevaluate the job after observing that a follow-up investigation revealed the Chinese program had little effect.

In the meantime, acting Democrat Party member Jurin Laksanawisit declared he would keep urging the House committee on socioeconomic development to look into the online money plan. This is due to the fact that the government is still unable to specify the project’s operation or the financing options that will be employed.

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High-profile broker accused of B1bn fraud

DSS accepts problems from members of 100 reported trading scam victims.

High-profile broker accused of B1bn fraud
During a press conference on Friday after taking subjects to complain to the Department of Special Investigation, attorney Ronnarong Kaewphet( put ) displays ostensibly picture of himself having dinner with the cabinet minister. Network of Campaigning for Justice ( Photo )

A well-known broker with political connections has been accused by around 100 people of defrauding them of at least one billon ringgit through a foreign exchange trading scam. The Department of Special Investigation is being asked to look into the allegations.

The victims filed a complaint against the accused, who was not named, with DSI key Suriya Singhakamol on Friday thanks to attorney Ronnarong Kaewphet.

Given the accused’s relationships, the plaintiffs decided to take their case to the DSI out of concern that intervention may occur. In an effort to increase the trust of those looking to invest with him, Mr. Ronnarong noted that the man had his portrait taken with some well-known people and a minister from one of the major political parties.

According to Arunsri Wichawut, chairman of the Special Case Management Bureau, the DSI accepted the funding fraud issue as a unique case because the problems exceeded 100 million baht and there were also more than 100 sufferers. According to her, investigators did set dates for victims to provide statements and provide evidence, and others can also file complaints on the DSI site.

The accused seller was a well-known Doctorate holder who used Dhamma teaching to teach people how to trade currencies, according to the victims’ representative. The team’s agent, who requested anonymity, added that he also asserted to possess the most sophisticated tools for assisting in the prediction of exchange rates for foreign currencies.

Many individuals who had experienced a loss of income wanted to work during the Covid-19 crisis. They chose to spend with the broker based on his page and reputation. Some people attempted to raise money by selling their homes and taking out subject activities to invest in forex trading, but they were duped. According to the member, some patients wanted to commit suicide.

According to the consultant, a recent photo that has gone viral online shows the accused stockbroker also leading sane, contented existence and dining with the cabinet minister.

He requested that the DSI assist in finding the accused’s hidden resources and seizing them in order to cover the victims.

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Whistleblower helps rescue abducted 12-year-old

Female discovered in hotel with a 20-year-old man she had met electronically.

Whistleblower helps rescue abducted 12-year-old
Whistleblower Guntouch Pongpaiboonwet takes a 12-year-old child to be reunited with her family on Friday after requesting assistance from Rayong authorities to save her. The man who reportedly seduced her has been brought to Bangkok’s Bang Na authorities place. ( Facebook image: Gunjompalang )

Police are questioning a 20-year-old person who is alleged to have kidnapped and taken hostage 12 years old woman who was saved on Friday following an intervention by an eminent internet whistleblower.

At her mother’s demand, Guntouch Pongpaiboonwet requested the assistance of the officers in Rayong to find the missing woman because she was concerned that she might have been the victim of sexual assault or human trafficking.

The family, whose identity was withheld, filed a complaint against the person, whom her child had met online, with the Bang Na officers.

According to Mr. Guntouch, the mother claimed to have seen a smart chat history between the suspect and her daughter.

After three or four months of communicating online, the person invited the woman to join him and put pressure on her to do so. It is unclear if he was aware of the woman’s time.

The woman was seen on surveillance camera video asking the owner of the room where she lived on Wednesday to drive her to the Ekamai Bus Terminal so she could visit relatives in Rayong.

According to the girl’s mother, she was unable to access the internet because she had left her smartphone in the room.

According to Mr. Guntouch, the mother of the sufferer spoke with the boy’s mother on Friday night. In exchange for keeping the situation private, she offered payment.

According to Mr. Guntouch, the suspect’s mother revealed during the contact that her child and the lady had left for a hotel, despite her claim that she was aware of his whereabouts.

According to police, the suspect would immediately be charged with child abduction, and the victim may be questioned by experts.

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BMA to crack down on old vehicles as PM2.5 spirals

According to authorities, vehicle emissions account for 70 % of seasonal dust pollution in the capital.

BMA to crack down on old vehicles as PM2.5 spirals
Following a meeting on Friday to discuss air pollutants, Bangkok government Chadchart Sittipunt( put ) speaks with Natural Resources and Environment Minister Patcharawat Wongsuwon. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration ( Photo )

According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration( BMA ) and the government, 70 % of the ultra-fine PM2.5 dust in the capital is caused by vehicle emissions, and immediate action is required to reduce them.

On Friday, PM2.5 was 39.8 micrograms per cubic meter( g / m3 ) on average in Bangkok. However, according to information posted on AirBKK, the BMA’s air quality control center, up to 48 areas in the funds were given the orange color script, indicating that particles pollution is at risk of harming people.

It was suggested that people in these 48 places start wearing masks to protect themselves from potential health effects.

According to IQAir, a company that monitors heat quality, Bangkok was ranked as the 10th most polluted city in the world on Friday.

The issue still exists, according to Bangkok government Chadchart Sittipunt, despite the BMA’s daily efforts to combat dust pollution for more than a year.

The BMA and the Department of Land Transport may tighten their controls on older cars in internal Bangkok, he said, adding that traffic-related sources of PM2.5 are the most important aspect of this issue.

135, 000 cars have been examined so far to see if they are polluting, and 2, 141 of them failed the test, 529 of which were cars, he said.

According to government official Chai Wacharonke, heat stagnation, the situation blamed for the buildup of extremely fine dust particles, occasionally happens during the transition from the rainy season to the chilly season.

Given the current weather stagnation in the funds, he said that the great PM2.5 levels are anticipated to last for one or two days.

Mr. Chai continued,” Bangalore people were being advised to closely observe the air quality position via the mobile app Air4Thai and follow the advice given on how to defend themselves.”

According to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Phatcharavat Wongsuwon, stricter handles on aging vehicles that emit waste in Bangkok are now seen as an essential measure to reduce PM2.5 levels. Air slowdown is a persistent issue at this time of year.

While providing more opportunities for travellers to change to public transportation, including electric rail service, Mr. Chai said that the Ministry of Transport, officers, the Pollution Control Department, and the BMA need to move up detecting pollution-causing vehicles and preventing them from entering Bangkok’s inside areas.

He continued,” All other parts of the country will continue to take the usual steps to stop illegal biomass burning in the plantation sector and maritime cloud.”

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Couple held for posting sex-show videos

Police claim that video posted for paying members in online chat organizations lured women into sex acts.

Couple held for posting sex-show videos
A Nonthaburi partners is being questioned by the police after being accused of luring girls into watching sex displays that were videotaped for paying clients in online chat groups. ( Wassayos Ngamkham provided the photo )

On costs of luring young people into performing sexual displays and posting videos for paying members in online chat groups, a couple has been detained in Nonthaburi.

The couple had posted videos of group sex involving themselves and other women, according to police from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division( ATPD ), who looked into dating apps and various unreliable social media sites.

According to Pol Maj Gen Sarut Kwaengsopha, the ATPD captain, Kankawee Boonchalerm, 24, and his family Rotsukhon Karnbun, 27, made the video available for readers on covert social internet chat parties.

The few posted 30-second videos as teasers to inspire people to pay a 450-baht account fee to view full sex shows, according to Pol Col Pattanapong Sripinphor, chief of ATPD Sub-divission 2.

According to Pol Col. Pattanapong, the movies were also made accessible for a cost of US$ 17, or roughly 700 ringgit, through the woman’s OnlyFans membership channel.

During the research of the couple’s apartment in the Nonthaburi area of Bang Bua Thong, the arresting officials took more than 50 movies from them. Some of the patients in the video appeared to be under the influence of drugs.

According to a preliminary police investigation, on 10 women had been persuaded to participate. Only two individuals stepped forth to criticise the couple.

An 18-year-old lady who was one of the subjects revealed to the police that she had met Mr. Kankawee through a dating app. He told her he stayed with his older girl and persuaded her to go to his place. When she entered the room, she claimed she had been drugged and had passed out.

According to Pol Col. Pattanapong, the plaintiff claimed she was unaware of her sexual abuse until police showed her the movies.

A 28-year-old target claimed that Ms. Rotsukhon, who claimed to enjoy having sex with women, had persuaded her to drink in her room, where she had allegedly stayed with her younger sibling. The target claimed that the sexual acts were recorded on social media and that she had even been abused.

The defendants admitted inviting the women for coffee during doubting, but they denied any maltreatment occurred. They asserted that the video were produced with the women’s permission.

Police have originally filed charges of human trafficking, including raping sufferers who were in a situation they were unable to resist, disseminating intercourse clips for commercial purposes, breaking the Computer Crime Act, and other related offenses. They have also accused others of engaging in sexual activity and selling sexual videos for personal gain.

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