Barkar Nash – Page 984

Pig farmers picket over prices, imports

On: May 9, 2023

About 1,000 pig farmers rallied outside Government House yesterday to demand action over smuggled imports of foreign pork and the high cost of feed, both of which they claimed have driven up pork prices.

Representatives of the group also submitted their complaint to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, saying both problems are seriously damaging the local pork industry, which is worth at least 100 billion baht.

According to Surachai Sutthitham, president of the Swine Raisers Association of Thailand, the association’s complaints about the problem of smuggled pork have fallen on deaf ears for around a year now.

As the problem has continued to intensify, the association petitioned the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) on several occasions last year, urging it to order a swift crackdown on illegally imported pork.

He said pork smuggling is a complex issue, and it is highly likely some state officials may be complicit.

Mr Surachai said certain regulations governing the practices, criteria and legal conditions of pork imports might have been compromised to facilitate the smuggling via “nothing-to-declare” channels at the border.

The problem is compounded by the runaway cost of pig feed which has gone up excessively.

Authorities have dismissed the price rise as an “old issue”. However, the association insisted this means it should have been dealt with earlier.

The association has been working with the Department of Internal Trade and wholesale businesses and asked that retail prices of the pork sold at their stores be maintained to help curtail the losses suffered by farmers, but to no avail.

Mr Surachai said the association wants Thai law enforcement authorities to bring pork smugglers to justice and urged the DLD to slow the imports of pork entrails, some of which were suspected of having been brought into the country illegally.

Inspector Sua aide found hanged while in police custody

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 9, 2023

In: South-East Asia

The right-hand man of a police inspector allegedly involved in online gambling was found hanged while in custody on Sunday night.

Pakphum Saengnil, 36, was arrested earlier on Sunday evening by Sa Kaeo Provincial Police and was later placed in a cell alone at Klong Luek police station at about 8pm.

It was reported that Pakphum was a close aide of Pol Lt Col Wasawat Makurasakul, also known as Inspector Sua, who allegedly owned 27 gambling websites and was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Department of Special Investigation for colluding to organise illegal online gambling and money laundering.

Police planned to take Pakphum to Bangkok on Monday morning. But CCTV footage reportedly showed the man hanging himself with a blanket around 10pm-11pm.

Klong Luek superintendent Pol Col Pattanachai Pamornpibul yesterday said investigators were told to question officers on duty at the station that night.

On A Mission To Conquer Global Warming

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 9, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Nowadays, all humans can take part in making the world a better place.

Another effective way to contribute is by joining us to play the game “คุณช่วยเก็บ เราช่วยปลูก” It’s easy to participate – just download the app, scan and collect trees, plant them, and send them to us.

Every tree collected will be planted in real life, helping to increase the absorption of greenhouse gases as part of the PTT Group’s one million rai reforestation project, themed “Giving Breath Project.” Download the app now on the App Store or Play Store at https://bit.ly/3JJpAW7.

Join us in our mission to create a sustainable world with the hashtags #คุณช่วยเก็บเราช่วยปลูก #PTTNetZero2050 #CuttingGreenhouseGasEmissionsToZero #ForASustainableWorld.

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Man charged with promoting online gambling via TikTok

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 9, 2023

In: South-East Asia

A police officer shows Jirayu Yim-ampai, alias Keng Laiprang, third from left, a court warrant to search of his office on May 7. (Police photo)

A man with multiple criminal convictions reported to the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) on Tuesday and acknowledged a charge of persuading other people, directly or indirectly, to engage in illegal online betting.

Jirayu Yim-ampai, alias Keng Laiprang, reported to Pol Lt Gen Worawat Watnakhonbancha, the CCIB commissioner, responding to a police summons.

Pol Maj Gen Wiwat Kamchamnan, CCIB deputy commissioner, said Mr Jirayu posted videos on TikTok inviting people to apply to place bets on websites, leading to a police investigation.

Subsequently, CCIB police with court warrants searched three locations – in Bangkok, Pathum Thani and Chiang Rai – and seized a CPU, an iMac computer, a MacBook computer, two Promac computers, 14 mobile phones and four bank deposit passbooks as evidence of suspected wrongdoing.

A summons was subsequently issued for Mr Jirayu to report to CCIB police to hear the charge.

Mr Jirayu allegedly admitted to persuading people to gamble online via advertising on TikTok. He said he had been hired by the administrator of a gambling website and paid 250,000-300,000 baht a month. He was neither the owner of the website nor a shareholder in it.

In August 2017, Mr Jirayu, known as Keng Laiprang, was sentenced by the Criminal Court to three years and four months in prison and fined 280,000 baht after being found with crystal methamphetamine in his possession in while serving time in Khlong Prem Prison for a robbery in 2003.

On March 21, 2023, he was arrested by Khlong Luang police in Pathum Thani for persuading people through advertising to gamble. The Thanyaburi Court sentenced him to six years in prisson, suspended for one year, and a fine of 3,000 baht.

Mr Jirayu was once a leading actor, starring in the film “A Prayer Before Dawn”, and made an appearance at the film festival in Cannes, France.

Wissanu: Thaksin must serve prison time, not house arrest

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 9, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship supporters hold a birthday party for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawtra at a bookshop at Imperial World shopping mall in Lat Phrao, Bangkok, on July 26, 2016. (File photo)

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra must serve his sentence in prison, not under house arrest, if he returns home, according to caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam.

Mr Wissanu, the cabinet’s legal expert, was responding to Thaksin’s latest tweets saying he wanted to return home before July 26, his 74th birthday, to care for his grandchildren, and would enter the “legal process”.

According to Mr Wissanu, there are three types of cases involving Thaksin.

The first were cases in which courts had already given judgement and Thaksin had not returned to face punishment.

The second type were cases in which court rulings were still pending.

Third were cases in which courts had already passed judgement and found Thaksin not guilty.

Mr Wissanu said authorities had to separate out the cases, and follow the appropriate legal procedures for each one.

When asked whether the former prime minister could apply for release on bail in cases where a court had already sentenced him to prison, Mr Wassanu stressed his belief that Thaksin must be imprisoned, as if he had been in court to hear the ruling.

A former justice minister had earlier floated the idea that prisoners could serve sentences in places other than prisons, but that was just an idea and nothing more had been done about it.

“Inmates must be sent to state detention facilities and they cannot be placed under house arrest,” the cabinet’s legal specialist said.

The former justice minister referred to was Somsak Thepsuthin, who quit the cabinet to join the Pheu Thai Party in March. Thaksin’s youngest daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 36, is one of Pheu Thai’s three candidates for prime minister. (continues below)

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam during the last cabinet meeting on March 14. The government’s legal specialist said on Tuesday that former prime minister Thaksin Shinwatra must serve his sentences in prison if he returns home. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)

Asked about a royal pardon, Mr Wissanu said there were two types of royal pardons – those sought by authorities for convicts, and those sought by individual prisoners seeking a reduction in their sentence.

Whether or not the royal pardon was granted was another matter.

To seek a royal pardon through a royal decree, individual prisoners must serve at least eight years, or one third of their jail term, he said.

Thaksin was ousted from office by a 2006 military coup and is living in self-exile after being sentenced in absentia for abuse of power, a charge he always insisted was politically motivated. He remains very popular with his many followers.

Caretaker Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha played down Thaksin’s latest tweets about returning to Thailand, saying he had not seen them.

“It’s up to him and the juridical procedures,” Gen Prayut replied when asked to comment.

Asked whether Thaksin’s tweet was sending a signal to Gen Prayut, seeking a deal, he said, “Did he send a signal via air. I didn’t receive any signal.’’

Asked how he perceived Thaksin’s intentions in making the announcement only a few days before the general election, and if it was just a political gambit, Gen Prayut smiled and said, “You asked this question, so you answer it.’’

B210m fine for falling expressway beam

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 9, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Construction suspended for 7 days pending investigation into incident on Rama II Road

Expressway officials and a policeman inspect the site where a large precast beam fell onto Rama II Road in Bangkok. (Photo: Expressway Authority of Thailand)

The Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) has initially fined its contractor 210 million baht and suspended construction for seven days pending an investigation into a falling beam that killed one person and damaged four cars on Rama II Road on Sunday.

Exat governor Surachet Laophulsuk said on Tuesday that CTB Joint Venture was subject to a daily fine of 30 million baht during the seven-day suspension, under the terms of its contract with the state enterprise.

During the construction suspension, the parties concerned would find exactly what caused the expressway beam to fall and review safety measures, he said.

Mr Surachet said he had asked the Engineering Institute of Thailand to take part in the investigation into the accident involving a precast beam for the new Rama III-Bangkok western ring road expressway project.

If the incident resulted from recklessness, the Exat would take legal action and blacklist the construction consortium, he said.

Party ordered to cease laser display on Rama 8 Bridge

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 9, 2023

In: South-East Asia

The United Thai Nation Party’s laser light display seen on the main pillar of Rama 8 Bridge on Monday night. The party was told to turn it off. (Photo supplied)

City Hall has told the United Thai Nation Party (UTN) to stop projecting a laser election campaign display on the giant pillar supporting Rama 8 Bridge, after being asked by Election Commission to investigate it, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Tuesday.

Mr Chadchart said Tipanan Sirichana, a party-list candidate of the UTN, sent a letter to the city clerk on May 7 seeking permission to campaign for votes in the Rama 8 Park area from May 8-12. A document attached to the letter gave details of a laser lighting display on a pillar of Rama 8 Bridge.

He admitted the city made a mistake in not examining the details in the attached document and allowing the laser display to go ahead.

In fact, the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) does not allow buildings or structures in its jurisdiction to be used for political campaigning, and that included the laser light display on Rama 8 Bridge, Mr Chadchart said.

Mr Chadchart said when the BMA received a letter from Election Commission (EC) chairman Itthiporn Boonprakong asking it to investigate, it immediately sent a letter to the UTN instructing it to stop the laser display on the bridge.

He said the BMA would also send a letter to the EC clarifying the matter.

Whether the use of lasers to campaign for votes on the bridge was in breach of the election law was a matter for the EC to decide, Mr Chadchart said.

Rama 8 Bridge is a cable-stayed structure across the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat district, built to alleviate traffic congestion on nearby Phra Pinklao Bridge.

Household debt in election focus

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 9, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Kavita Wongyakasem, a small business owner, uses her mobile banking application to pay her bills at her house in Nonthaburi. (Photo: Reuters)

Kavita Wongyakasem runs a small business in Bangkok, owns a two-storey house in Nonthaburi, drives a pickup truck, and sends her two daughters to good schools.

But every day is a desperate struggle to find the money to keep her household afloat, said the 48-year-old, whose business provides services for a big energy company.

“I think about it every minute,” said Ms Kavita, breaking into tears as she spoke.

The sole breadwinner of a family of five is about 8 million baht in debt and has no cash savings.

“Some days I just can’t face the morning. I don’t want to wake up to the reality that we don’t have any money.”

Thailand has among the highest household debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratios in Asia — behind only South Korea and Hong Kong, according to a Bank for International Settlements ranking — and millions of people, one in every three Thais, are trapped in debt.

The problem has become a key issue in a May 14 general election and all major parties have promised wage increases or debt moratoriums, along with guarantee-free loans and handouts.

A number of populist policies in the past led to rising household debt as the government used them as easy solution to stimulate the economy. The Yingluck Shinawatra government, for one, offered a steep tax rebate in 2011 to 2012 to first-time car buyers to boost demand after the country’s biggest floods in decades.

Household debt jumped to 71.8% of GDP by the end of 2012 from 60.3% at the start of 2011. The government also lost an estimated 91 billion baht from that programme.

Pita Limjaroenrat, the prime ministerial candidate of the Move Forward Party, which has proposed annual minimum wage revisions, said he would look to fix the long-standing inequality problem.

“If you do the maths, it’s about 1% at the top and the 99% at the bottom,” said Mr Pita, who has seen a late surge in popularity.

“Once you’re in debt, it’s very hard for you to move up the ladder.”

The Bank of Thailand bank is worried. In February, it said that household debt levels should be brought down from 86.9% of GDP at the end of 2022 to below 80% to help reduce financial risks.

Political parties’ extravagant election promises could increase the macro-economic risks posed by debt, analysts say.

Excluding overlapping policies, poll promises by nine major parties analysed in February could amount to 3.14 trillion baht, only slightly less than the annual budget of 3.18 trillion baht, the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) estimated.

Whoever forms the government after Sunday’s election will have to contend with the gnawing debt problem.

“High household debt rate means that it won’t be easy to lay out future policies to stimulate consumption because people are busy paying debts and asking the bank for loans,” said Thanavath Phonvichai, president of University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC).

‘No warning’

The debt burden starts early for many people in the country and can last a lifetime.

Some 58% of people aged 25 to 29 are in debt, and a quarter of people over age 60 have outstanding loans, averaging more than 400,000 baht, central bank data shows.

In all, about 30% of those with credit cards or personal loans have a combined debt of 10-25 times their income, double that of international standards, according to the bank.

Although a sticky issue for years, the problem has become worse since the Covid-19 pandemic that nearly doubled the number of bad debt accounts to 10 million, according to the central bank.

The pandemic didn’t ravage the population people as much as it did those in some other countries but it hammered the heavily tourism-dependent economy and hit incomes.

“There was no warning,” said Achin Chunglog, president of a nationwide group of volunteers that helps people struggling with debt.

“It’s like we were walking and then suddenly a wind came in and swept us off a cliff.”

An April survey of 1,300 respondents with a monthly salary of up to 15,000 baht by the UTCC found that their debt levels were the highest since 2010.

In the rural hinterland, 90% of farm households have outstanding loans, according to a March study that described a “vicious cycle of debt”.

Ms Kavita said her income dropped during the pandemic but expenses rose as she scrambled to keep her staff of about 20 safe from the virus.

To pay salaries and keep her home running, she said she was forced to borrow from outside the banking system.

One recent evening, watching politicians on a televised debate, Ms Kavita said the handouts offered by political parties sounded good but would do little to help those heavily in debt.

“I can’t die,” she said, referring to a law that the assets of a deceased person go to creditors to pay off debts.

“It’s an endless struggle.”

More arrests, uncovered wealth in monk’s embezzlement

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 9, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Former monks suspected of being involved in a 300-million-baht embezzlement case are in police custody at the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok on Tuesday. (Photo: Royal Thai Police)

Police have arrested five monks and a driver of Wat Pa Dhammakiri in Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima province for their alleged involvement in a 300-million-baht embezzlement scandal. The case involves a former high-profile monk Phra Ajarn Khom, now known as Khom Khongkaeo.

The arrests were made on Tuesday morning by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD). The six men were charged with embezzlement, aiding in the embezzlement and receiving stolen goods. It is believed that they hid cash and valuables worth about 100 million baht in the compound of the forest Buddhist temple.

During questioning, the six suspects admitted to hiding money and valuables in monks’ dormitories, tanks and grounds near the temple, but they insisted that they had nothing to do with the embezzlement. The money and valuables, which included gold ornaments and bullions, had been donated to the temple.

According to the suspects, they were ordered to hide the money and valuables before the authorities began their investigation, but they were not aware of Phra Ajarn Khom’s intentions.

These recent arrests followed the apprehension of the first three suspects in the embezzlement case: Mr Khom, 39, his young sister Juthathip Phubodiwarochuphan, 35, and Wuthima Thaomor, the 38-year-old former abbot of the temple.

Police believed that the alleged embezzlement started in 2020.

Phra Ajarn Khom Abhivaro, who now goes by the name Khom Khongkaeo.

Celebrity couple indicted in Forex-3D Ponzi case

By: Barkar Nash

On: May 9, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Pattanapon “DJ Man” and his singer-wife Suteewan “Baitoey” arrive at the Office of the Attorney-General’s department of special litigation on Tuesday morning. They were later indicted on three charges over the Forex-3D Ponzi fraud.(Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

Prosecutors have indicted celebrity couple “DJ Man” and his singer-wife “Baitoey” and four others for alleged fraud in the multi-billion-baht Forex-3D Ponzi case.

The couple were previously known as Pattanapon “DJ Man” Mintakhin and Suteewan “Baitoey” Thaweesin. They now both use the married surname Kunjara, and were indicted under that name.

Mr Pattanapon and Ms Suteewan, accompanied by their lawyer, arrived at the Office of the Attorney-General’s department of special litigation to hear the prosecution’s decision in the case against them on Tuesday morning.

The couple and four others were accused on three counts – colluding in obtaining loans to defraud, public fraud and inputting false information into a computer system in violation of of the Computer Crime Act.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Pattanapon, alias “DJ Man”, said he had not been aware in advance of the prosecutors’ decision and he had not prepared any assets to support an application for his release on bail. He was waiting for his mother to arrive. Ms Suteewan, or “Baitoey”, appeared stressed and refused to speak with reporters.

Prosecutors on Tuesday morning indicted all six people in the case on all three counts, deputy spokesman Kosolwat Intuchanwong said.

In February, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) formally charged the couple and six others on charges relating to the Forex-3D Ponzi scheme.

Mr Pattanapon and Ms Suteewan reported to DSI investigators last September to acknowledge the three charges, all of which they denied, and were then released. They were among 16 people suspected of involvement.

In 2019, the DSI summoned Mr Pattanapon and Ms Suteewan to clarify their connection with the owner of Forex-3D, Apiruk Kothi, who is accused of a multi-billion-baht fraud.

Forex-3D claimed to be an online dealer in foreign exchange, with a flashy website, but was unlicensed and operated as a Ponzi scheme. Celebrities were paid to promote it.

Singer Suteewan “Baitoey” ignores reportrs’ questions as she arrives at the Office of the Attorney-General’s department of special litigation on Tueday morning. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

Barkar Nash (Page 984)