Barkar Nash (Page 989)

Police believe accused serial killer had help; cyanide regulations being tightened

Police now believe that suspected serial killer Sararat “Aem” Rangsiwuthaporn had help when purchasing cyanide and they will seek arrest warrants for any accomplices, according to deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn.

Ms Sararat purchased cyanide using other people’s names in order to avoid leaving traces, he said on Saturday. However, based on the evidence so far, police are not certain if her policeman ex-husband was involved.

“We will have to look into the evidence before charging one or two accomplices in murder,” he said.

Ms Sararat was arrested in Bangkok on April 25 and charged with one murder. Investigators have since linked her to 15 poisonings, 14 of which resulted in deaths.

The Crime Suppression Division (CSD) has now taken charge of the investigation but one case, involving the death of Monthathip “Sai” Khao-in in 2017, is still being looked into by Thong Lor police. Officers will request an arrest warrant soon.

“We have been informed of a few suspicious deaths. Officers are investigating if they are related to Ms Sararat,” Pol Gen Surachate said.

Ms Sararat, who is four months pregnant, has been detained at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution in Bangkok. Her lawyer said on Friday that her client had denied all the charges and stated that she only wished to testify before a court.

Although the suspect has not confessed, Pol Gen Surachate said investigators are certain that the evidence they have in hand is sufficient to prove her guilty.

Pol Col Piyapong Wongketjai, superintendent of the Ban Pong police station in Ratchaburi, said officers searched Ms Sararat’s house in Tha Maka district of Kanchanaburi on Friday.

They found a black Honda Jazz without a licence plate, documents and memory cards. All of the evidence was sent to the police forensic office in Kanchanaburi.

Pol Col Piyapong said that investigators had also questioned friends and family of Siriporn “Koy” Khanwong, who collapsed and died beside the Mae Klong river in Ban Pong, where she had gone with Ms Sararat to release fish for merit-making on April 14. Cyanide was found in her body.

In a related development, Pol Gen Surachate said a meeting was planned on Monday to review evidence collection as well as revised regulations on the use of cyanide.

Jullapong Thaveesri, director-general of the Department of Industrial Works, said importers of cyanide would be ordered to document all purchases from both wholesale and retail buyers to prevent misuse.

He said Thailand has 14 cyanide importers who sell the chemical substance to factories, individual buyers and retailers.

The department will invite all 14 importers to acknowledge the new conditions including more detailed purchase records specifying the purpose of purchase and the amount of cyanide purchased.

All records must be sent to the department and to the Royal Thai Police every three months. If officials find any suspicious use of cyanide, the importer will be suspended.

The new regulations will take effect next week, said Mr Jullapong.

Wissanu denies political motive, says Election Commission approval is still needed

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam on Saturday defended a plan to subsidise electricity bills this month, saying it is not an attempt to boost the government’s popularity in the May 14 election.

On Tuesday, the cabinet agreed to spend 10.4 billion baht from the central budget to subsidise the fuel tariff to ease the public’s financial burden stemming from higher electricity costs in a record-setting hot season.

As a result, some 23.4 million people could be given a subsidy of 150 baht to pay their bills this month.

Mr Wissanu said the central budget cannot be used if parliament has been dissolved, which occurred when the election was called.

However, the government can still seek permission from the Electoral Commission (EC) to spend money on emergencies, such a floods, electricity problems or an epidemic, he said.

“The EC had already granted permission [to use the central budget],” Mr Wissanu said. “If they had deemed the cabinet’s resolution was a campaign strategy, they would not have let us use it in the first place.”

It is up to the EC to decide if the move benefits a political campaign. “It was all decided to help the public, [it was] not a decision specifically made for anyone to gain more popularity [before the election],” he said.

The cabinet sent the subsidy request to the EC on Tuesday; however, the matter is still pending as the EC has been busy making preparations for Sunday’s advance voting and the main polling day on May 14.

“The government has consulted the EC about many issues, such as the promotion of government officials,” Mr Wissanu said. “For the fuel tariff subsidy, the EC has not sent any letter of notice to us. Therefore, it is unclear if the subsidy can be applied [this month].”

He said that if it is approved, the subsidy would apply to power bills from May to August.

Famous meditation teacher ‘Phra Ajarn Khom’ leaves monkhood after arrest

A former monk, Phra Ajarn Khom Abhivaro, has been arrested along with two others on charges of embezzling 180 million baht from Wat Pha Dhammakiri, where the monk was based, in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Mr Khom, 39, who achieved fame as a meditation expert and had many high-profile followers, was arrested on a warrant issued by the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases, said Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB).

Arrested with him were Wutthima, a former Phra Mor, 38, and Juthathip, 35 (surnames withheld). A police source said the arrests took place last week.

The same source said that Mr Khom was also found to have engaged in sexual activity. As a result, he voluntarily left the monkhood on May 1.

The CIB began its investigation after the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) said it suspected the monk of collecting some temple donations for his own use, Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said on Saturday.

One donation was reportedly made through Mr Wutthima, a former abbot, who then passed the cash on to Miss Juthathip, Mr Khom’s sister.

Miss Juthathip put the sum into Mr Khom’s bank account, while other cash donations amounting to 51 million baht were stored in foam boxes and suitcases at her house. The money has been seized by the police.

The investigation also found another transaction of 130 million baht that Mr Khom had managed to carve out from a temple donation. In total, he had embezzled at least 180 million baht from the temple, the police source said.

The suspects face charges of embezzlement and abuse of office. Miss Juthathip was also charged with receiving stolen goods, added Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop.

Mr Khom graduated from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Wang Noi Campus, in Ayutthaya, before moving to Nakhon Ratchasima and establishing the Dhammakiri monastic residence, which was later upgraded to a temple.

He was known as a meditation expert, and many famous people came to be his followers and understudies.

Central Investigation Bureau police display money seized from a former monk and two other suspects during a briefing on Saturday. (Photo: Wassayos Ngamkham)

Party will endure because it was ‘built by people’ and not big donors, says campaign adviser

The Move Forward Party is ready to be the core party in forming a government and its increasing popularity is not just a passing fad, says campaign adviser Pannika Wanich.

“People often say that everything ends up the same, no matter who or what political party they vote for or how many rounds of elections are held. Their living conditions are not changed. The Move Forward Party also shares the same view,” Ms Pannika said on Saturday in Chiang Rai.

“But Move Forward dreams of changes for people. Political parties that are elected often care for their political donors, their supporters and generals, but not for the people who voted for them to sit in Government House. They rely on money, power and charisma.”

She made the comments during a campaign stop at the Muang Daeng market in Mae Sai district of the northern province, where she was joined by party secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon and deputy spokesman Karunaphon Thiensuwan. Two party candidates for constituencies 2 and 6 also took to the stage.

Unlike other parties that obtain most of their money from big political donors, Move Forward was built by people, Ms Pannika said.

The party is backed by members of the public through grass-roots fundraising. It has a firm stand that it would not accept financial support from political donors.

Recent opinion polls put the Pheu Thai and Move Forward parties far ahead of other contenders in the May 14 election. Some commentators say Pheu Thai’s large lead has been eroded because some voters are not convinced by its insistence that it won’t team up with any military-backed parties after May 14.

Move Forward has made its position clear — “If there are uncles, there is no us”, a reference to Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, who are both seeking to remain in government nearly nine years after the coup staged by Gen Prayut. 

Recent campaign rallies by Move Forward have drawn thousands of people, matching or even exceeding the crowds drawn by Pheu Thai.

Ms Pannika said Move Forward was ready to be the core party to form the next government. She also shrugged off talk about attempts by conservative forces to have the party dissolved.

“Previously, efforts have been made to dissolve the party, but Move Forward belongs to the people. If it’s dissolved, a new party will be born,” she said. “Many critics view that Move Forward’s popularity is a just a passing fever. But now, the party is ready to be the core to form the next government.

“Our campaign rallies in all provinces have been overwhelming. This shows that Move Forward has the highest number of natural voters — far higher than the now-dissolved Future Forward Party.”

Future Forward shocked everyone in the 2019 general election by getting 6.3 million votes to become the country’s third-biggest party with 81 seats. But the Constitutional Court dissolved the party after ruling that a loan made to it by co-founder Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit violated election rules.

The party was quickly reborn as Move Forward but its representation in the House dwindled to 51 MPs, mostly because of defections to other parties shortly after the Future Forward dissolution in 2019.

On Saturday, Move Forward kicked off five campaign caravan tours that will visit all regions of the country before converging on Bangkok for a huge final rally on May 12.

Each campaign caravan is being led by party heavyweights who will be stressing the importance of supporters showing up at the polls to cast their votes on May 14.

Move Forward Party campaign adviser Pannika Wanich (third from right) joins colleagues and candidates at a campaign stop in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai non Saturday. (Photo: Julalack Khansutham Facebook page)

The Move Forward Party kicked off campaign caravan tours on five routes covering all regions of the country on Saturday. (Photo: Move Forward Party)

Numbers only a fraction of potential infections and death rates have plunged

HONG KONG: The number of fatal and severe Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong last week was almost double the tally recorded in the previous seven days, health authorities have said.

But experts on Friday highlighted the death rate was small compared to the potential daily number of infections.

The news came as it was announced a 13-year-old girl who was in critical condition after she was infected with the flu had died — the second teenager to fall victim to the virus inside a month.

The Centre for Health Protection said in its weekly report there were 119 Covid-19 cases that caused death or severe symptoms between April 23 and 29, compared with 63 in the previous week.

It added the number of severe or fatal infections recorded in the first four days of this week had already reached 69.

But respiratory medicine expert Dr Leung Chi-chiu said the number of Covid-19 deaths or severe cases was small given that 20,000 people could potentially be infected every day and that there was no cause for concern.

He explained that his calculation was based on a University of Hong Kong study where 10,000 people took rapid antigen tests a week.

The estimated daily rate of positive results had been about two in recent times.

“The overall death rate is far lower than the past. If you look at the data around the world, the death rate has dropped by 95% since January,” Leung said.

“Why there seems to be a high number of severe and death cases now is because the frequency of testing has greatly dropped and only cases with serious symptoms are discovered.”

A total of 2,400 coronavirus infections were detected through polymerase chain reaction tests last week, up from 1,615 in the previous seven days.

There were 56 outbreaks in schools or residential care homes last week which affected 306 people, as opposed to 28 outbreaks in the previous week.

The government said on its “Tamar Talk” Facebook page that 224 coronavirus-related deaths and 16,101 cases had been recorded since isolation orders were abandoned on January 30.

The numbers exceeded the figures reported between the city’s first and fourth waves of the pandemic, where there were 213 coronavirus-related deaths and 12,631 Covid-19 infections.

More than 2.86 million coronavirus infections were reported in the fifth wave of the pandemic, with 13,120 related deaths.

The World Health Organization on Friday announced that the Covid-19 pandemic was no longer a “public health emergency of international concern”.

Government pandemic adviser Professor Yuen Kwok-yung said he was pleased the city had reached this “milestone”, but warned that residents must remain vigilant as there could be another pandemic.

“Hong Kong people have fought a good fight,” he said. “Another pandemic will most certainly return to haunt us. Current research shows that it will come from animal hosts. We must protect the natural habitats and ban the sale of wild animals.”

The Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin said the 13-year-old girl who died had developed sepsis after she was infected with the influenza A virus.

The girl, who had not had the seasonal influenza vaccine, had visited mainland China during the incubation period of the disease and was sent to hospital on May 3 after she suffered a fever and vomiting.

A 17-year-old boy who contracted the flu died in early April. He also had not been inoculated.

Leung said it was “rare” to develop such complications from flu infections, but that people should get vaccinated as soon as possible.

“In the three years of the pandemic, the influenza transmission had remained at a low level,” he said. “Children had very limited exposure to influenza and the last exposure may be a long time ago, resulting in a very low level of immunity.”

Numbers only a fraction of potential infections and death rates have plunged

HONG KONG: The number of fatal and severe Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong last week was almost double the tally recorded in the previous seven days, health authorities have said.

But experts on Friday highlighted the death rate was small compared to the potential daily number of infections.

The news came as it was announced a 13-year-old girl who was in critical condition after she was infected with the flu had died — the second teenager to fall victim to the virus inside a month.

The Centre for Health Protection said in its weekly report there were 119 Covid-19 cases that caused death or severe symptoms between April 23 and 29, compared with 63 in the previous week.

It added the number of severe or fatal infections recorded in the first four days of this week had already reached 69.

But respiratory medicine expert Dr Leung Chi-chiu said the number of Covid-19 deaths or severe cases was small given that 20,000 people could potentially be infected every day and that there was no cause for concern.

He explained that his calculation was based on a University of Hong Kong study where 10,000 people took rapid antigen tests a week.

The estimated daily rate of positive results had been about two in recent times.

“The overall death rate is far lower than the past. If you look at the data around the world, the death rate has dropped by 95% since January,” Leung said.

“Why there seems to be a high number of severe and death cases now is because the frequency of testing has greatly dropped and only cases with serious symptoms are discovered.”

A total of 2,400 coronavirus infections were detected through polymerase chain reaction tests last week, up from 1,615 in the previous seven days.

There were 56 outbreaks in schools or residential care homes last week which affected 306 people, as opposed to 28 outbreaks in the previous week.

The government said on its “Tamar Talk” Facebook page that 224 coronavirus-related deaths and 16,101 cases had been recorded since isolation orders were abandoned on January 30.

The numbers exceeded the figures reported between the city’s first and fourth waves of the pandemic, where there were 213 coronavirus-related deaths and 12,631 Covid-19 infections.

More than 2.86 million coronavirus infections were reported in the fifth wave of the pandemic, with 13,120 related deaths.

The World Health Organization on Friday announced that the Covid-19 pandemic was no longer a “public health emergency of international concern”.

Government pandemic adviser Professor Yuen Kwok-yung said he was pleased the city had reached this “milestone”, but warned that residents must remain vigilant as there could be another pandemic.

“Hong Kong people have fought a good fight,” he said. “Another pandemic will most certainly return to haunt us. Current research shows that it will come from animal hosts. We must protect the natural habitats and ban the sale of wild animals.”

The Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin said the 13-year-old girl who died had developed sepsis after she was infected with the influenza A virus.

The girl, who had not had the seasonal influenza vaccine, had visited mainland China during the incubation period of the disease and was sent to hospital on May 3 after she suffered a fever and vomiting.

A 17-year-old boy who contracted the flu died in early April. He also had not been inoculated.

Leung said it was “rare” to develop such complications from flu infections, but that people should get vaccinated as soon as possible.

“In the three years of the pandemic, the influenza transmission had remained at a low level,” he said. “Children had very limited exposure to influenza and the last exposure may be a long time ago, resulting in a very low level of immunity.”

Party vows to enact ‘immediate change’

The Pheu Thai Party on Friday ramped up its election campaign in a last-ditch attempt to convince the nation it will be able to bring immediate change to the country after the May 14 vote if it is trusted by the electorate to form the new government.

Led by party secretary-general Prasert Chantararuangthong, the party called a press conference to unveil a fine-tuned, final election slogan encouraging the people to “Choose Pheu Thai, make it a landslide victory, and Thailand will change immediately”.

“With polling just nine days away, the party’s candidates will step up their visits to constituents in all parts of the country and make sure everyone is well informed about our policies,” said Mr Prasert.

Online election campaigning via social media will also be accelerated in parallel to these door-to-door visits, he said. All three Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidates have changed their social media profile pictures in line with the adjusted election campaigning theme, he said.

“Pheu Thai has dedicated time researching and creating these 70 policies with a great determination to spare all Thai people from the pain that has existed for more than nine years,” Mr Prasert said.

The 70 policies are designed to bring about changes to Thailand in seven areas, namely investment, digital economy, education and labour, transport, tourism, agriculture and equality, said deputy party secretary-general Paopoom Rojanasakul.

Pheu Thai deputy leader Phumtham Wechayachai, meanwhile, expressed his approval of Srettha Thavisin, one of the party’s three prime ministerial candidates, saying Mr Srettha has proven himself as a career politician now.

The real estate businessman-turned-politician is the party’s pride, said Mr Phumtham in a Facebook post.

Mr Srettha reminded him of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who also left his business legacy behind and volunteered to steer Thailand in the right direction, said Mr Phumtham.

“I strongly believe Mr Srettha will become a good leader who will pioneer change for the betterment of the country and its people,” said Mr Phumtham.

In a new Facebook post of his own, Mr Srettha stressed the need for Thailand to keep competing in the global arena, saying every minute counts in the competition to make the country grow, and Thailand has lagged far behind many other nations during the past eight years.

“Is it time to change the player who has been leading Thailand for the past eight years and put him away?” asked Mr Srettha in the same post.