Barkar Nash (Page 953)

Government employees ready to enjoy six-day break

PHUKET: The long holiday at the end of the month is expected to generate more than 2 billion baht in tourism revenue for Phuket, according to the local office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

From Friday to Sunday, the TAT projects 234,035 people will visit the southern resort island and generate about 2.2 billion baht, said Lertchai Wangtrakuldee, the director of the office.

Phuket has 1,890 hotels with 101,556 rooms. Hotel occupancy was currently at 65.9% with the average stay 1.7 days per visitor, he said on Tuesday.

The caretaker cabinet on Tuesday declared Monday, July 31 a special government holiday, creating a six-day vacation period from July 28 to Aug 2 to spur travel and help the economy.

July 28 is His Majesty the King’s birthday, Aug 1 is Asana Bucha Day and Aug 2 the beginning of Buddhist Lent, all government holidays. The extra day makes it an uninterrupted six day-weekend for government employees.

The Department of Special Investigation said on Tuesday a TV actor and a celebrity DJ were summonsed for questioning in connection with the Forex-3D fraud after financial transactions linked them to the scheme’s founder.

DSI investigators have summonsed 11 additional witnesses in two cases linked to the Forex-3D case. Three were to be questioned about the Ponzi scheme at the root of the alleged fraud, and the eight others about associated money laundering, Pol Maj Gen Woranan Srilam, a senior investigator of financial crime, said.

The first three witnesses were scheduled to meet investigators on Aug 3, 4 and 7. They had not contacted the DSI seeking postponements.

Actor Ratthaphum “Film’’ Tokhongsap and Wichian “DJ Petjah’’ Kusolmanomai were among the eight others to be questioned about the money laundering linked to Forex-3D, Pol Maj Gen Woranan said.

They were summonsed because investigators found financial transactions that linked them to Apiruk Kothi, the founder of Forex-3D, he said.

Forex-3D lured people to invest in what they believed to be a foreign exchange trading platform with false promises of high returns. It was unlicensed but operated from a flashy website run by Mr Apiruk, who was arrested in January 2021. More than 9,800 investors reportedly suffered total losses of at least 2.48 billion baht.

“Some witnesses sought to testify in writing, but giving statements for the first time requires that witnesses appear in person before investigators, to ensure clarity in questioning. Mr Ratthaphum is scheduled to testify to DSI investigators on Aug 8 and Mr Wichian on Aug 17,” the senior investigator said.

He believed many assets acquired through the Ponzi had been converted or laundered. Investigators would try to trace those assets.

Actor Ratthaphum, who ran for a House seat under the Palang Pracharath Party’s banner in Bangkok in the May 14 elections, admitted on his Instagram account on Monday that he had received money from Mr Apiruk. He said he had an online game production business in 2018 and the Forex-3D founder had hired him to produce games for mobile phones.

According to investigators, Mr Apiruk transferred 81,000 baht to the actor’s bank account on Sept 6, 2018.  Between June 18, 2019 and July 1, 2019, a company linked to Mr Apiruk had transferred another 6 million baht to the actor’s bank account.

Mr Ratthaphum insisted he was innocent and said he would testify before the DSI on Aug 8 as scheduled. The actor said he would provide evidence of the hiring contract to investigators.

He said he was ready to testify to the DSI and would also produce evidence about one money transfer of  50,000 baht from Mr Apiruk, who hired him to promote a social media page featuring cars.

A customer had contacted him to promote the social media page and he was not aware at the time that Mr Apiruk was the real customer. After receiving the summons from the DSI, he checked his bank account and later learned Mr Apiruk was the person who transferred the money.

CHIANG MAI: Authorities issued orders for inspections at all fireworks factories in this northern province, following an explosion at a fireworks factory in Doi Saket district on Monday, which left eight people injured.

Chiang Mai governor Nirat Pongsitthithavorn said on Tuesday that a short circuit was initially blamed for the fireworks explosion at San Thungmai village in tambon San Pu Loei. The incident occurred around 12.10pm on Monday, causing damage to the entire factory and more than 30 nearby houses. The eight injured individuals were now receiving medical care, said the governor.

San Pu Loei tambon municipality was assessing the damage to the affected houses and providing necessary assistance.

Forensic officials have collected evidence and determined that there were no more explosives or hazardous substances at the site that could trigger another explosion, said Mr Nirat.

He has ordered inspections at all fireworks factories in Chiang Mai to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. The northern province houses numerous fireworks factories within the downtown area and its perimeters. 

According to the investigation, the operator of the factory, where the explosion occurred, had obtained a proper operating permit for nearly 20 years. A previous incident involving fireworks had also happened at the same factory. 

The municipality will decide whether to approve the renewal of the operating permit to this factory, with the aim of reducing the risk of a similar incident and ensuring the safety of residents in the communities.

The municipality has set up a centre to aid the affected residents. The blast has affected about 50 residents, and the site has been cordoned off pending a thorough investigation.

Chiang Mai governor Nirat Pongsitthithavorn orders inspections at all fireworks factories in the province, following a fireworks blast at a factory in Doi Kaset district on Monday. (Photo: Panumet Tangraksa)

Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha has indefinitely postponed Thursday’s planned joint sitting to vote for a new prime minister, pending a Constitutional Court ruling on the rejected renomination of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat.

Mr Wan said on Tuesday that he made the decision after consulting with legal officials of the House of Representatives and his advisers.

They were of the view that if the prime ministerial vote went ahead on Thursday, it could potentially lead to problems when the Constitutional Court makes its ruling afterwards, the House speaker and ex-officio  parliament president said.

With Thursday’s meeting posponted, Wednesday’s planned meeting of whips from the coalition allies, other political parties and senators was now unnecessary, he said.

Another reason for delaying the joint sitting was that many elected MPs and senators were worried they would not be able to attend ceremonies to celebrate His Majesty the King’s birthday in their respective provinces on Friday if the sitting was prolonged, Mr Wan said.

The joint sitting for a prime ministerial vote could be put back on he parliamentary agenda after the court’s ruling.

The parliament president earlier set Thursday for elected representatives and appointed senators to vote again for a new prime minister, possibly from Pheu Thai, the second largest party in the same alliance led by Mr Pita’s MFP. 

MFP has agreed to let Pheu Thai take the lead in nominating a prime minister and forming the government. It also faces a challenge because many parties outside the coalition bloc disapprove of MFP’s political platform and plan to revise  Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lese majeste law.

Meanwhile, MFP insists it will continue its efforts to have Mr Pita installed as prime minister.

Mr Pita, leader of the election-winning MFP, failed to win a majority vote from both houses to become the new prime minister on July 13.

Mr Pita was renominated to a joint sitting on July 19 but the parliament rejected it on procedural grounds. Opponents argued it was in violation of parliamentary regulation 41, which prohibits the resubmission of a failed motion during the same parliamentary session.

Mr Pita’s supporters and many academics disagreed with the parliament’s resolution and asked the Constitutional Court to rule on the legality of Mr Pita’s renomination for prime minister.

The caretaker cabinet on Tuesday approved the cabinet secretariat’s proposal to declare Monday July 31 a special government holiday, creating a six-day vacation period from July 28-Aug 2 to spur tourism.

July 28 is His Majesty the King’s birthday, Aug 1 is Asana Bucha Day and Aug 2 the beginning of Buddhist Lent, all government holidays. The extra day makes it an uninterrupted six day-weekend for government employees.

A spsokesman said it was hoped the long holiday would encourage people to travel, which would boost the overall economy.

Tuesday’s meeting of the eight political parties intent on forming a new government had been cancelled, the Pheu Thai Party informed reporters in a message sent on the LINE app.

The message said the other seven parties in the alliance had been informed of the cancellation.

The Pheu Thai Party initially made an appointment for the eight parties to meet on Tuesday at 2pm at Pheu Thai headquarters. It later changed the time to 3pm and the venue to the parliament building, only to finally cancel it.

Sources said Pheu Thai had apologised to the other parties for the cancellation. It explained that its assigned task of seeking support from parties outside the alliance, and from senators, in a parliamentary vote to select the new prime minister had not made satisfactory progress.

The eight parties include Move Forward, Pheu Thai, Prachachat, Thai Sang Thai, Seri Ruam Thai (Thai Liberal), Fair, Plung Sungkom Mai (New Force) and Peu Thai Rumphlang.

The Move Forward Party has suspended a bodyguard employed for leader Pita Limjaroenrat after it was revealed he is a convicted police imposter and extortionist.

MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Chulanon said on Tuesday that he suspended Sisuriyen Sikamolpakdee following reports on social media the man had previously pretended to be a narcotics suppression officer and abducted a grocer he assaulted and extorted out of about 270,000 baht in cash and valuables.

Mr Sisuriyen was suspended pending further investigation, Mr Chaithawat said.

The bodyguard was initially admired by social media users for his service to Mr Pita during the election camaign. Ony later was his record exposed.

The head of the police team who arrested him was Pol Maj Gen Supisal Pakdinaruenart, former commander of the Crime Suppression Division and presently deputy leader of MFP.

Pol Maj Gen Supisal said he had arrested the man in 2011 after he had threatened the victim, assaulting him and extorting 276,800 baht in cash and other valuables.

The man had been sentenced to 12 years in prison and was released in 2017 after his sentence was commuted. He changed his name several times and was recruited as a bodyguard by a security firm in 2019, the MFP deputy leader said.

Pol Maj Gen Supisal said Mr Pita had not been aware of his bodyguard’s criminal record because he was supplied by the security firm.

The MFP deputy leader said he until recently even thought the bodyguard was a former police officer,  because of his short hair and good personality.

Mr Sisuriyen did not appear to be aggressive and everyone, including former convicts, deserved employment opportunities, Pol Maj Gen Supisal said.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission plans to file charges against former national police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda and three other high-level officers in connection with the 2.1 billion baht purchase of biometrics equipment for the Immigration Police Bureau (IPB) in 2019, a police source said.

The NACC will send a letter notifying Pol Gen Chakthip and the other officers of the charges and summons them to testify in their defence before finalising its investigation report, the source said.

The case emerged when Sittra Biabungkerd, secretary-general of the People’s Lawyers Foundation,  petitioned the NACC to investigate the biometrics procurement project after it was found the equipment did not meet the specifications in the terms of reference.

The company contracted to supply the equipment was also unable to deliver it to the Royal Thai Police Office (RTPO) in six consignments within 66 days, by May 2, 2019, as stated in the contract.

Despite these shortcomings, the RTPO agreed to accept the equipment and extended the handover deadline to June 30, 2019  so the supplier did not have to pay a fine of 5 million baht a day.

In addition to Pol Gen Chakthip, the other police officers implicated are Pol Lt Gen Tinapat Phumarin, the then commissioner of the Office of Logistics who approved the purchase, Pol Lt Gen Sompong Chingduang, the then commissioner of the IPB, and Pol Maj Gen Surapong Chaichan, the then deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 7 who extended the deadline in favour of the supplier.

In 2020, Pol Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn, a former IPB commissioner who was then an RTPO adviser, was called by the NACC to testify as a witness.

Pol Lt Gen Surachate said then that about 40 other people were also summonsed to testify.

Biometrics is the measurement and statistical analysis of people’s unique physical and behavioral characteristics. The technology is mainly used for identification and access control and to identify individuals under surveillance.

Caretaker Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has spoken against a proposal by some allies of the Move Forward Party (MFP) to wait 10 months for an end to senators’ tenure before forming a new government.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate,” Gen Prayut said in response to reporters’ questions about the idea.

He gave his brief answer only after reporters repeated the question a second time when he arrived at Government House on Tuesday morning.

Gen Prayut announced his retirement from politics earlier this month.

The Thai Sang Thai and Fair parties have proposed the eight coalition allies wait for the five-year term of the military-appointed Senate to end in May next year, so the MFP alliance could conveniently have its prime ministerial candidate elected by the House of Representatives alone.

The MFP won the most seats in the May 14 general election, with 151. The Pheu Thai Party came second with 141 MP seats. They are the core of the alliance, which has a 312 majority in the 500 seat elected House.

The current 249 senators (one recently resigned) are entitled to take part in the vote for the new prime minister, together with the elected representatives. The new prime minister needs a majority of the two chambers, at least 375 votes.

On July 13 Mr Pita, the then sole candidate for prime minister, was rejected by the joint sitting, receiving only 324 supporting votes including only 13 from senators, most of whom abstained.