Barkar Nash – Page 963

Hajj-goers get health support team

On: May 20, 2023

Opas: Plans airport send-off

The Public Health Ministry will send 42 medical personnel to accompany Thai Muslims joining the Hajj in Saudi Arabia this year.

Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary of the ministry, and assistant of the permanent secretary, Dr Suppachok Wetchaphanphesat, yesterday said they will be at Suvarnabhumi Airport today to see off the first medical team to join pilgrims on the trip.

Dr Suppachok said that about 12,000 Thai Muslims, mostly from the South, will travel to Mecca from May 21-June 23, and return in July.

All had to pass a set of health checkups and receive vaccinations, or boosters, to protect them against influenza, meningococcal disease and Covid-19.

The ministry issued a vaccine certificate for them to keep as evidence.

He added the ministry had also provided training for Hajj health volunteers, who will coordinate with the pilgrims while working together with the medical team.

During their trip to Mecca, Dr Suppachok said the personnel would be divided into three teams with Dr Zulkifli Yusof, director of Mai Kaen Hospital in Pattani and deputy director of the Southernmost Health Development Administrative Centre, appointed as the leader of this year’s Thai Hajj Medical Office.

The rest of the volunteers and medics are expected to depart on June 2 and June 15, respectively, he said.

The Hajj goers will also be expected to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine as soon as they touch down on Thai soil on their return, said Dr Suppachok.

Meanwhile, the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) responded to rumours online that they had not collected any additional charges for Muslims who wanted to go on the pilgrimage this year.

According to a statement released yesterday by the SBPAC, it had yet to receive a budget from the government to bolster teams helping people in the south, most of whom have been affected by the violent unrest in the region’s three major provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, join the pilgrimage.

SBPAC is also concerned about the higher cost of travel for people who wanted to attend the Hajj and also warned of any scams that might use the SBPAC’s name to defraud pilgrims.

Safety rules for Tham Luang Cave visitors

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 20, 2023

In: South-East Asia

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has announced safety measures will be imposed ahead of the reopening of the Tham Luang Cave site in July.

In 2018, the Tham Luang Cave flooded, trapping 12 young Wild Boars football players and their coach for 18 days before they were rescued. The news made international headlines.

Atthaphon Charoenchansa, director-general of the Marine and Coastal Resources Department, is visiting the Tham Luang-Khun Nam Nang Non National Park in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai province to survey the area this weekend.

The visit is joined by Chaiwat Limlikhit-aksorn, director of National Park Office; Chutidech Kamonnachanut, director of the Conservation Area Administration Office 15 Chiang Rai; and Vernon Unsworth, a British cave diver who took part in the rescue mission.

Mr Atthaphon said an event marking five years since the Tham Luang Cave rescue will be held.

He said Tham Luang has become a tourist destination among international travellers, but the cave’s interior is vulnerable and can be hard to navigate, which complicates sightseeing.

Therefore, measures will be imposed for people who want to explore the inside Tham Luang Cave. Currently, only an exhibition zone and the area in front of the cave is open to the public.

In July, the national park will allow an entrance to the first cave chamber, some 150-metres long, he said. Each tour group must consist of a maximum of 25 people and each round lasts 30 minutes.

The authorities only allow 16 rounds, or up to 400 tourists, to the chamber per day, he said.

He said for the second chamber, only four groups consisting of 15 people each can visit that chamber per day, he said, and they must submit an entry application at least one week in advance.

For the third, only researchers and experts will be allowed entry, he said, noting they must submit a letter to the department at least 30 days in advance.

MFP supporters nix plan for Korn to join

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 20, 2023

In: South-East Asia

The Move Forward Party (MFP) yesterday ditched the New and Chartpattanakla parties from its proposed coalition line-up, following a backlash from its supporters.

MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon announced yesterday the party will focus on lobbying for Senate support for its leader to be premier.

MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat posted a tweet on Friday night, about the approaches: “I would like to apologise. I will keep reminding myself that a party is bigger than an individual. The people are bigger than a party.”

Bowing to mounting pressure from its supporters, the MFP posted a message on its Facebook page on Friday night, acknowledging that it had heard the voices of the people, many of whom opposed the inclusion of Chartpattanakla in its alliance.

The move came after the MFP held talks with Chartpattanakla on Friday regarding their support for Mr Pita’s bid to become prime minister and the formation of a coalition government, with MFP deputy leader Phicharn Chaowapatanawong confirming the alliance that evening.

The negotiations drew widespread criticism from the public, party staff, provincial-level panels and party members. Most shared the view that they could not accept the inclusion of the Chartpattanakla Party led by Korn Chatikavanij.

As the hash tag “Mee Korn Mai Mee Ku”, meaning “if you have Korn, you can’t have me”, trended on Thai language Twitter that evening, a meeting of prospective Move Forward MPs also expressed the same stance.

Opposition to Chartpattanakla stemmed from its leader Mr Korn, who participated in the seven-month-long Bangkok Shutdown and anti-Yingluck Shinawatra protests that led to the military coup that toppled her administration in May 22, 2014. Mr Korn, a former deputy leader of the Democrat Party, also voted in favour of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the coup leader at the time, as prime minister.

The MFP, after winning the most House seats in the election, said the party would focus on convincing enough senators to back Mr Pita as PM, allowing it to form a government as soon as possible.

On Friday, the one-member New Party accepted the invitation to join the alliance, setting it on course to becoming the ninth party to do so. However, the party was also dropped from the proposed coalition line-up, following the online backlash, according to party leader Kritditas Saengthanayothin.

Chartpattanakla chairman Suwat Liptapanlop yesterday insisted the party had been approached to join the proposed MFP-led coalition bloc and not the other way around. The MFP said it was running short of MP support to form a government.

“We didn’t ask to be part of the coalition bloc,” Mr Suwat said.

The party merely wanted to see a post-election politics with a semblance of stability and for the country to be ruled by a government with majority support in parliament, he added.

MRTA extends contract for Pink Line by 345 days

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 20, 2023

In: South-East Asia

The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) has extended the contract for the Pink Line monorail project for another 345 days, the third extension it has granted.

Highways Department director-general Sarawut Songsivilai, speaking in his capacity as the MRTA board chairman, said the expansion will change the estimated finish date from July this year to August 2024.

A deadline extension approval for the first 34.5 kilometres of the line was passed by the MRTA board on May 18, said Mr Sarawut.

The contractor, Northern Bangkok Monorail (NBM), cited Covid-19 as the main reason for the contract extension.

According to Mr Sarawut, this was the third time that NBM had sought an extension from the MRTA.

The MRTA initially extended the project deadline by a year, aiming to complete construction by September 2022.

However, NBM then requested a second extension of 290 days, pushing the new deadline to July this year.

One of the reasons for both postponements was a delay in the transfer process for the area that will be used to construct Nonthaburi Civic Centre Station and Nopparat Station.

Mr Sarawut also cited the complexity of the area.

He drew particular attention to a floodway construction project by the Highways Department, which could affect construction of Chaeng Wattana 14 Station, the Chaloem Phrakiat Government Centre Station, and TOT Station.

The Pink Line’s construction was 96.43% complete as of last month, he said.

The Pink Line has 30 stations linking Khae Rai in Nonthaburi to the Min Buri area in the east of Bangkok.

It will link with the Orange Line in Min Buri and will connect with the Green Line at Wat Phra Sri Mahathat Station.

The project is worth 53.4 billion baht.

The first trial run is expected to start next January for three months. Full service is expected to start later around June 2024, said Mr Sarawut.

Korea launches Bangkok charm offensive

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 20, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Incheon Metropolitan City and Incheon Tourism Organisation on Friday hosted their first roadshow in the kingdom to boost trade and tourism.

The event was titled “the Incheon Soft Power Thailand Roadshow 2023” and featured a B2B talk between 50 Thai and 21 Incheon tourism-related businesses at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel and a concert featuring K-pop acts alongside traditional performances on the ground floor of Samyan Mitrtown.

Baig Hyeon, president of the Incheon Tourism Organisation, said the roadshow aimed to promote Incheon as a destination for Thai travellers. Thailand was chosen by the Korean government to debut a series of planned events across Southeast Asia.

“Thailand is a hub for Korean culture enthusiasts in this region, and with the expansion of Korean cultural products across the world, this roadshow will help to promote Korea to the rest of the world,” he said.

He said Incheon also has its strengths in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (Mice) industry and is also known as a medical hub equipped with world-class medical facilities and a special centre for certain diseases. “Currently, there are 93 medical places and 59 health and wellness organisations in Incheon. This year, we plan to make a proactively promote Incheon’s medical expertise,” he added.

Incheon Metropolitan City Deputy Mayor Lee Haeng-sook said Incheon is in a strategic location where international facilities such as Incheon International Airport are located.

The city is also enriched with a long history, as well as playing host to the Asian Games 2014 and the recent 56th Asian Development Bank Annual Meeting from May 2–5. Incheon is highly experienced in hosting major world events. As Korea was the 2025 Apec host, she said Incheon Metropolitan City was currently preparing the city to be voted as the hosting venue.

“Incheon already has global standard infrastructure, which will make transport and living much easier. Compared to other cities, our international airport and ports, world-class national convention hall named Songdo Convensia, and large resorts, we are ready to serve guests around the world,” she said.

Thai tourist numbers are rising again, said Ms Lee. During the first quarter, 97,049 Thais visited, which surpasses the total number of Thai visitors before the pandemic in 2019 at 89,400. The roadshow in the region will bring more tourists and investment to Incheon and to South Korea, she said.

Police bust porn chat group with minors

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 20, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Line group had more than 400 members who paid B199 each

Staff monitor computers at the Thailand Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok. (Bangkok Post File Photo)

A man has been arrested in Chiang Mai for running a Line chat group that charged people membership fees to watch pornographic video clips involving minors

Police with a court-issued warrant nabbed Thawatchai Saengboon, 36, at a house in tambon Chompoo of Saraphi district of the northern province on Saturday morning, said Pol Lt Gen Worawat Watnakornbancha, commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB).

Police also seized a mobile phone and bank passbooks.

He has been charged with human trafficking, exploiting and distributing pornographic materials for personal gain or trade, and importing such materials into a computer system.

Police searched the house after being tipped off by an international development organisation about the chat group.

The organisation alerted the CCIB after coming across Twitter messages sent via an account advertising pornographic pictures and videos, and inviting people to join the group for an entry fee of 199 baht.

Prospective customers were asked to contact the group administrator, who was found to be Mr Thawatchai.

The chat group, which targeted heterosexual customers, featured pictures and videos of sexual acts involving at least two underaged girls, according to the investigation team. It had 429 followers who were granted a password to access the chatroom after paying the entry fee.

Mr Thawatchai admitted he started out as a member of a pornographic chatroom before opening his own Line group called Chao Viking (Viking Folks), which he owns and runs.

Content was downloaded from various porn websites. He sometimes paid underaged girls for sex and recorded the acts, before sharing it to the chat group.

He also engaged in group sex, which he recorded on video and distributed, police said.

Move Forward rallying senators to back coalition

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 20, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Senator says 50 independents representing professions being lobbied, and 112 is an issue

Photo: Parliament

The Move Forward Party (MFP) has expressed confidence in its effort to persuade more senators to support its leadership of a coalition government and name its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, as the new prime minister.

Senator Songdet Samerkham responded on Saturday to claims that politicians were working to win over the 50 independent senators representing various professions so that they would support Mr Pita’s bid for prime minister. He confirmed he had been contacted by politicians to discuss the matter.

Mr Songdet said he was ready to support the party with a majority in the House of Representatives but was not aware of his peers’ opinions.

“All senators agree that Section 112 (the lese-majeste law) should be off-limits to either cancellation or revision, and we believe the existing law is appropriate,” he said.

“If Move Forward clearly states that it will not meddle with Section 112, I am confident many senators will back the party. We will have to see what’s inside their memorandum of understanding on May 22 in this regard.”

The Move Forward-led coalition — now back down to eight parties after some drama on Friday and Saturday — is scheduled to gather on Monday to reveal the details of the agreement the parties have been negotiating.

Move Forward wants to reduce the penalties in Section 112 and stipulate that only the Bureau of the Royal Household can file complaints. Deputy leader Sirikanya Tansakun indicated on Friday that if all participants don’t agree with her party on Section 112, it won’t be in the MoU. In that case, she said, Move Forward would submit a bill on its own to amend the law.

There have been reports that about 20 senators so far are considering backing the MFP leader. Mr Songdet said he believed there could be more but noted that gathering support for a premiership bid requires diplomacy and a friendly approach.

MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon said on Saturday that having 313 representatives in the lower House would ensure the party’s ability to establish an administration. However, it will continue to speak with senators and seek mutual understanding in the interest of national progress.

He said that most senators he had spoken with had expressed concerns about the incoming government’s foreign policy and maintaining Thailand’s standing on the world stage, along with continued political conflict.

“The Senate is set to hold a gathering on May 23, and I have heard that they will engage in an informal meeting afterward to discuss their vote on the prime minister,” said Mr Chaithawat.

“I believe that once they see our memorandum on May 22, they will understand our intention, and it will lead to a positive decision that drives the nation forward.”

iLaw addresses Election Day complaints

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 20, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Curbs on photography at polling stations topped the list of concerns, says watchdog group

An election official unfolds a ballot and calls out the vote at a polling station at Banbangkapi School in Bangkok on May 14. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)

Restrictions on photographing the ballot counting at polling stations on Election Day were the primary concern among the complaints filed with the Internet Dialogue on Law Reform (iLaw).

iLaw, along with other watchdog groups such as Vote62, Rocket Media Lab and Opendream, held a press conference on Saturday to present their observations about the May 14 general election.

Anon Chawalawan, representing iLaw, said the observations focused on ensuring transparency in the voting process. The findings were categorised into issues encountered on Election Day itself and during the counting of advanced ballots.

A total of 375 online complaints were registered with iLaw. The most common complaint was citizens being prohibited from taking photographs at polling stations, accounting for 81 out of the total complaints.

The election law allows people to take photographs of the ballot-counting process for future reference and verification, as long as doing so does not impede the work of election officers.

In addition, 41 complaints were related to polling station staff, ranging from officials neglecting to verify voters’ identities to a lack of preparedness in providing guidance.

Several complaints noted errors or missing details of candidates at polling stations, as well as the appearance of candidates who had passed away over 20 years ago.

While iLaw deployed a task force of 150 individuals to handle complaints regarding advanced voting, they had to collaborate with We Watch to investigate reports from members of the Move Forward Party, who claimed that some advanced votes arrived after the counting had concluded. However, We Watch subsequently confirmed that the votes were indeed counted.

Isolated incidents observed during the process included polling stations being provided with pens of the wrong colour or errors on the ballot forms.

Mr Anon added that these complaints are still under investigation, but no ballots have been invalidated for these reasons so far.

iLaw said it spent six months preparing to observe the elections and encouraging volunteer observers to sign on. On Election Day, more than 39,000 volunteers from all over the country participated.

It also made a series of recommendations to the Election Commission for following up the current vote and for future elections.

It noted that while the law gives the EC 60 days from May 14 to certify the vote, it should be done much more quickly. In constituencies where there is no suspicion of corruption, official results could be announced as soon as May 22, it said.

Police seize over 260 smuggled 2-way radios

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 20, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Suspect sold communication gear on Facebook page with 5,000 followers, say police

Smuggled communication devices seized at a building in Pathum Wan district of Bangkok on Saturday were destined to be sold online. (Photo: CCIB)

More than 260 illegal communication devices, being stocked for online sale, have been seized during a police raid in Bangkok.

Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) police said a joint unit of the CCIB, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and the Revenue Department carried out the raid on a building on Jarumuang Road in Pathum Wan district on Saturday.

The operation followed an investigation into reports that the building served as a base for the online sales of radio communication devices. During the raid, the team apprehended a man, named only as Phat, who was found in possession of 269 devices valued at 403,500 baht.

According to investigators, the communication radios were smuggled into Thailand and distributed illegally.

Investigators were able to track the supply chain through a Facebook page operated by Phat, which had amassed more than 5,000 followers.

The suspect has confessed to engaging in unlicensed distribution and has been charged with the illegal sale of radio devices. He has been detained at the Pathum Wan station.

CCIB police have reminded the public that the purchase and use of communication devices in violation of state regulations is a criminal offence.

Photo: CCIB

Suwat: Chartpattanakla not bothered by fuss

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 20, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Veteran politician says he has no hard feelings after collapse of talks to join Move Forward coalition

Suwat Liptapanlop, chairman of the Chartpattanakla Party, discusses his party’s brief flirtation with the Move Forward coalition at a press conference in Nakhon Ratchasima on Saturday. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)

Veteran politician Suwat Liptapanlop says he has no hard feelings after talks for his Chartpattanakla Party to join the Move Forward coalition fell through.

The chairman of the two-member party spoke with reporters at its head office in Nakhon Ratchasima on Saturday to give his side of the story about the aborted deal with the Move Forward Party (MFP).

“The Move Forward Party invited Chartpattanakla to join its alliance to form a coalition government,” he said. “Our party agreed in principle to support the party that had gained the most House seats to successfully form the government.

MFP subsequently invited executives of Chartpattanakla to attend a meeting on Monday at which details of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) among the coalition partners were to be announced.

But not long after word got out, social media lit up with criticism of Move Forward. Specifically, netizens were angry that such a deal would bring Korn Chatikvanij into the coalition. Mr Korn, the Chartpattanakla leader and a former Democrat Party heavyweight, supported the Bangkok Shutdown protests that ultimately led to the May 2014 coup.

Move Forward executives withdrew the invitation and apologised to their supporters and the public, and also to Chartpattanakla. Still smarting on Saturday, they announced that they would not be holding any press events for the day and would communicate only via social media.

Mr Suwat brushed off the furore.

“As the MFP had announced it was ending the talks and formally notified us of its decision, Chartpattanakla has no problem,” he said.

Also attending Saturday’s press conference were Prasart Tanprasert, a potential Nakhon Sawan MP; Dr Wannarat Charnnukul, a potential party-list MP; and party secretary-general Tewan Liptapanlop.

Mr Suwat thanked Move Forward for extending the initial invitation. He said he and his party were not upset over the outcome and were still on good terms with the MFP.

Barkar Nash (Page 963)