Barkar Nash (Page 955)

Ruling sought over Pita rejection

The next prime ministerial vote scheduled for Thursday might be postponed after the Ombudsman decided it should be suspended pending a Constitutional Court ruling on the rejected PM nomination of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat.

The Ombudsman on Monday asked the Constitutional Court to order parliament to postpone the next prime ministerial vote and rule on Mr Pita’s rejected renomination.

Pol Lt Col Keerop Kritteeranont, secretary-general of the Office of the Ombudsman, said 17 complaints had been filed objecting to parliament’s resolution rejecting the renomination of Mr Pita for prime minister and declaring it a violation of their constitutional rights.

The complaints came from both members of the public and members of parliament, he said, with some complainants proposing that the court postpone the next parliamentary vote for prime minister pending a ruling by the court.

The Ombudsman has accordingly asked the court to postpone the prime ministerial vote by MPs and senators pending a ruling to prevent any damage that would be difficult to mend in the future, Pol Lt Col Keerop said.

MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulanon said earlier on Monday that the party had petitioned the Ombudsman to ask the Constitutional Court to rule if Mr Pita could be renominated. MFP MP for Nonthaburi Panyarut Nuntapusitanon later confirmed that she and 16 other MFP MPs had jointly filed one of the complaints to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Speaking after the Ombudsman’s move, House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said that a team of parliament lawyers had not yet concluded whether the PM vote should be postponed, adding the issue would also be raised at a meeting of the whips of the outgoing government, the opposition and the Senate on Wednesday.

“The outcome of a meeting today of the eight prospective coalition parties will also be taken into account,” Mr Wan said.

Parliament on July 19 rejected the renomination of Mr Pita by a majority vote. His opponents argued that parliamentary regulation 41 bans resubmitting a failed motion during the same session, including Mr Pita’s renomination. Mr Pita’s supporters argued that the Mr Pita’s nomination was not a general motion and should not be subject to regulation 41.

Some 115 law lecturers from 19 institutions on Monday expressed their opposition to parliament’s passing of the resolution on July 19 to block the renomination of Mr Pita.

Senator Seree Suwanpanont on Monday suggested that Section 272 of the constitution be revoked to break the deadlock over the renomination of a PM candidate. Under the constitution, if a joint sitting of parliament fails to select a new premier from party candidate lists, Section 272 would trigger an alternative route.

In such a situation, half of the 750 MPs and senators can initiate a motion to suspend the rule requiring that PM candidates come from party lists, paving the way for an outsider to be selected.

“Such a motion requires the support of two-thirds of all lawmakers, or 500, to suspend the rule, allowing candidates either from the parties’ lists or an outsider to be nominated for a vote,” he said.

Mr Seree said that this means a PM candidate who was earlier rejected could also be renominated only if two-thirds of the lawmakers agree to suspend the rule.

Mr Seree said that Mr Pita could be renominated in this scenario, though the MFP leader now faces questioning over his eligibility due to shareholdings in iTV Plc.

Jarun Pukditanakul, a former Constitutional Court judge, said on Monday that the Constitutional Court has no authority to accept a petition submitted by the Ombudsman asking for a ruling on whether the parliament’s rejection of Mr Pita’s renomination based on regulation 41 is constitutional.

Mr Jarun said that the court can be asked to rule on the draft of a parliamentary regulation that is not enforced yet, but not an already enacted regulation.

Parliament’s regulations are the business of the legislative branch, and the court has no authority to order parliament, the Senate or the House of Representatives to suspend a PM vote as requested by the Ombudsman, he said.

More than 1,900km of new roads eyed

The Department of Highways on Monday unveiled a 20-year plan to develop the nation’s interprovincial motorway network, which will see 1,926 kilometres of new highways across the country.

The announcement was made at a press conference held at the Eastin Grand Hotel in Bangkok’s Phaya Thai district yesterday by the DoH’s deputy director-general, Piyapong Jiwattanakulpaisarn.

At the event, Mr Piyapong said the International Engineering Consultants Co Ltd, along with TEAM Consulting Engineering and Management Public Co Ltd, PSK Consultants Co Ltd, were contracted by the DoH in 2021 to carry out a pre-feasibility study for the updated Motorway-Rail Map (MR Map) project.

The result, he said, will be presented to the Transport Ministry by the end of the year. Once approved by the ministry, the project will be proposed to the cabinet for further approval.

The pre-feasibility study is focusing on possible improvements to the original MR Map, which details plans for future highways and other public transport lines which will connect Thailand to its neighbouring countries.

First proposed in 1997, the original MR Map was last updated in 2016. The latest revisions are aimed towards turning Thailand into a regional transport and logistics hub.

According to the study, the first phase of upgrades should take place in the first five years of the 20-year plan. The phase, which consists of nine projects worth 457 billion baht, would see 331km of new highways constructed by the government.

The nine projects include the extension of the Uttaraphimuk Elevated Highway, also known as the Don Muang tollway, between Rangsit-Bang Pa-in; the extension of Bang Khun Thian-Bang Bua Thong Motorway; the extension of Bang Bua Thong-Bang Pa-in Motorway; the construction of a bypass route connecting the western and eastern rings of Kanchanaphisek Road; Nakhon Pathom-Pak Tho Motorway; Songkhla-Sadao Motorway; upgrades to the Chatuchote Expressway, the Eastern side of the 3rd Outer Ring Road and Chumphon-Ranong highway.

The projects under the first phase of the master plan are estimated to be worth 413.2 billion baht, while those in the latter are worth 775.9 billion baht.

Agencies under the Transport Ministry — such as the Expressway Authority of Thailand, the State Railway of Thailand and the DoH — will supervise the MR Map projects, Mr Piyapong added.

Mae Hong Son: More than 9,000 civilians fleeing fighting in Myanmar are now taking refuge at five shelters in three districts of this northern province.

According to local officials, a total of 9,064 refugees are staying at the shelters in Mae Sariang, Khun Yuam and Muang districts, where humanitarian aid is also being provided.

The five shelters are located in Ban Sao Hin in tambon Sao Hin of Mae Sariang (3,431), Ban Phaekhae in tambon Mae Ki of Ban Khun Yuam (82), Ban Joprakhi in tambon Mae Khong of Mae Sariang (726), Ban Anu in tambon Mae Khong of Mae Sariang (316) and Ban Mai Nai Soi in tambon Pangmoo in Muang district (3,771).

Meanwhile, three Karenni Army (KA) fighters were injured in airstrikes which took place from 6pm on July 22 to 6pm on Saturday, according to border sources.

The Myanmar military forces carried out four airstrikes during the 24-hour period in retaliation for an attack claimed by the KA fighters, said the sources. FTC-200G and K-8 planes were used in the operations.

The rebel group had recently attacked a military base opposite Ban Doi Sang in tambon Pangmoo and an outpost in tambon Mokjampae in Muang district. They had also blocked a route to these areas, forcing the Myanmar military to send troops, weapons and other necessary supplies via helicopters.

Mae Hong Son: More than 9,000 civilians fleeing fighting in Myanmar are now taking refuge at five shelters in three districts of this northern province.

According to local officials, a total of 9,064 refugees are staying at the shelters in Mae Sariang, Khun Yuam and Muang districts, where humanitarian aid is also being provided.

The five shelters are located in Ban Sao Hin in tambon Sao Hin of Mae Sariang (3,431), Ban Phaekhae in tambon Mae Ki of Ban Khun Yuam (82), Ban Joprakhi in tambon Mae Khong of Mae Sariang (726), Ban Anu in tambon Mae Khong of Mae Sariang (316) and Ban Mai Nai Soi in tambon Pangmoo in Muang district (3,771).

Meanwhile, three Karenni Army (KA) fighters were injured in airstrikes which took place from 6pm on July 22 to 6pm on Saturday, according to border sources.

The Myanmar military forces carried out four airstrikes during the 24-hour period in retaliation for an attack claimed by the KA fighters, said the sources. FTC-200G and K-8 planes were used in the operations.

The rebel group had recently attacked a military base opposite Ban Doi Sang in tambon Pangmoo and an outpost in tambon Mokjampae in Muang district. They had also blocked a route to these areas, forcing the Myanmar military to send troops, weapons and other necessary supplies via helicopters.

The Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, yesterday unveiled its annual campaign to help raise awareness of the dangers that strokes pose, titled “9th Guiding Light for Thais: Walk, run, bike and fight strokes”, on Oct 29, World Stroke Day.

The project was launched in 2015 to promote stroke prevention and reduce the cost of treatment for the public, said Dr Wisit Vamwanich, director of Siriraj Hospital, at the press conference.

He added that now more people are interested in health care and aware that exercise can prevent many serious diseases later in life.

PHNOM PENH: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s heir apparent insisted yesterday on the legitimacy of elections his party won against no meaningful opposition, defying international criticism that the polls were neither free nor fair.

Hun Sen has presided over Cambodia for nearly 40 years — stifling all real opposition, freedom of speech and democratic reform — but has indicated recently that he will soon hand power to his eldest son Hun Manet.

The United States yesterday condemned the polls, in which the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) was predicted to win all but five of 125 parliamentary seats in the Lower House.

But Hun Manet posted a triumphant message across multiple social media platforms hailing his party’s victory.

“The Cambodian people have clearly expressed their wills through votes,” he wrote.

“An overwhelming number have expressed support for the Cambodian People’s Party.”

People wait onshore for ferries after voting in the general election in Arey Ksat city of Kandal in Cambodia yesterday. afp

He thanked Cambodians “for choosing to vote, and especially for all the love and confidence in the CPP”.

Official results will not be available for weeks, although the CPP claimed late on Sunday to have won a “landslide” victory.

The small government-aligned royalist FUNCINPEC party, headed by Prince Norodom Chakravuth, is expected to take five seats — giving the new parliament at least a patina of diversity after the CPP won every seat in the last election. The disqualification of the only viable opposition force, the Candlelight Party, on a technicality meant there was no realistic outcome other than a big CPP win.

The United States said the elections were “neither free nor fair”, pointing to “a pattern of threats and harassment against the political opposition, media, and civil society”.

“These actions denied the Cambodian people a voice and a choice in determining the future of their country,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement yesterday. He said Washington was preparing to impose visa restrictions on some individuals. AFP

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has agreed to a request by Siriraj Hospital to pay a lump sum rather than make yearly payments for renting its land.

Siriraj Hospital is planning to rent SRT land, which is currently the location of Thon Buri railway station.

The 4.67 rai, or 7,456-square-metre plot, is where Siriraj Hospital has proposed building a new medical complex and where two SRT-operated stations on the future Light Red and Orange lines will be located.

Back in August 2020, the SRT resolved that Siriraj Hospital pay rent to the tune of 50 million baht per year for 30 years. However, the hospital asked that the rent be paid in one lump sum totalling 161 million baht.

SRT’s asset management director Monthakarn Sriwilas announced yesterday that SRT executives agreed on July 20 to approve Siriraj Hospital’s proposal to pay the lump sum.

“[The SRT] will notify the hospital of the SRT board’s decision. The hospital is expected to go ahead in putting together the necessary paperwork while the SRT believes the rental contract signing may take place in September,” said Ms Monthakarn.

She added that Siriraj Hospital will include the 30-year rent in its proposal for the 2025 fiscal year’s budget.

Siriraj Hospital’s medical complex project was given a state budget by the cabinet in September last year worth 3.8 billion baht. Of that total, 2.3 billion baht will cover the construction costs, 1.4 billion baht for procuring medical equipment and 113 million baht for hiring human resources.

The medical complex will be 15 storeys high with three underground floors. Of the 51,853 sqm of usable space, 47,537 sqm will be occupied by the medical complex, while 3,410 sqm will be set aside for the Light Red Line station and 906 sqm for the Orange Line station.

Construction is estimated to take four years. The complex will become Thailand’s first hospital connected to electric train stations on two lines.

The number of Covid-19 cases is continuing to drop across the country, but individuals considered at high risk of contracting the disease should ensure their vaccinations are up to date to prevent hospitalisation and/or death, said permanent secretary for public health, Opas Karnkawinpong, yesterday.

Dr Opas said between July 16-22, 556 people were admitted to hospital for Covid-19 treatment — 178 of whom had developed serious symptoms.

Meanwhile, eight people died from Covid-19 last week, all of whom were either senior citizens over 60, had an underlying medical condition which aggravated the infection, were unvaccinated or had their last booster shot over three months ago, he said.

Out of the 749 deaths from Covid-19 reported this year, the majority lived in crowded communities and/or multi-family dwellings.

He said 116 of those deaths were reported in Bangkok.

Dr Opas said urged the public to get a booster shot, as the Department of Disease Control (DDC) has estimated that the number of Covid-19 infections will rise again at the beginning of the cool season at the end of the year.

The warning is based on the fact that over the past six months, the number of new infections has steadily fallen as the number of booster doses administered increased, he said.

He also said that the DDC had contacted its affiliated clinics in Bangkok and other provinces to promote Covid-19 preventive measures such as mask-wearing or social distancing, especially among people in high-risk groups.