Red-shirt throng to greet Thaksin at Don Mueang airport

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PUBLISHED : 20 Aug 2023 at 17:07

Red-shirt throng to greet Thaksin at Don Mueang airport
Saensuk Termsrisuk, 62, alias Jae Oy, a red-shirt member in Nakhon Ratchasima, shows her photo with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra when he came to her shop 20 years ago. She said she will travel to Bangkok to greet him on Tuesday. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)

A large number of red-shirt supporters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) from several provinces will travel to Don Mueang airport to greet former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on his return on Tuesday, their leaders said.

Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra, his daughter and a Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidate, posted on social media that her father was scheduled to land at Don Mueang airport on Aug 22 at 9am.

Wattanachai Suebsiribut, alias Jiew, chairman of the Red-shirt Group of Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima), said on learning of Thaksin’s schedule to arrive home, he and fellow red-shirts were very excited and delighted. They immediately contacted other members and planned to travel to Don Mueang airport in Bangkok.

He said at least 300 red-shirts had shown their intention of joining the trip.

They would converge at the CEO market in tambon Nong Kra Thum in Muang district of Nakhon Ratchasima early on Monday night and start heading for Bangkok at 9pm, he said.

Most of them would travel in private vehicles and meet at an assembly point in Wang Noy district of Ayutthaya province where they would rest for a few hours.

Early on Tuesday morning, they would proceed to Don Mueang airport and plan to arrive there before 9am, Mr Wattanachai said.

Wattanachai Suebsiribut, alias Jiew, chairman of the Red-shirt Group of Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima) said at least 300 red-shirt members intended to greet Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)

Saensuk Termsrisuk, 62, alias Jae Oy, another red-shirt member in Nakhon Ratchasima, said she has been waiting for the former prime minister’s return to Thailand and has kept following the news about him.  On Tuesday, she would not miss the opportunity to welcome him back, she said. and would bring her shop’s popular dessert, chao kuay (black grass jelly in syrup) for him. Thaksin used to eat this dessert at her shop and liked it when he visited Nakhon Ratchasima in 2002, she said happily.

Mayuree Sawetasai, a red-shirt leader in Ayutthaya province, said about 500-800 local supporters would leave for Don Mueang on Monday night along with 200-300 red-shirts from the northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom.

The red-shirts of Ayutthaya would prepare about 10,000 boxes of food and 20,000 bottles of drinking water to be distributed to people at the airport hoping to see greet the former prime minister on his arrival, she said.

Ms Mayuree said several other groups of red-shirts from other provinces would also gather at Don Mueang airport on Tuesday morning.

Thaksin’s party Thai Rak Thai and its successor parties won every election in Thailand since it came power to 2001 – except for the May 14 election this year, when Pheu Thai narrowly lost to the Move Forward Party. 

Mayuree Sawetasai, a leader of the red-shirts of Ayutthaya province, said about 500-800 local red-shirts will leave for Don Mueang on Monday night along with 200-300 red-shirts from Nakhon Phanom to welcome Thaksin Shinawatra home. (Photo: Sunthorn Pongpao)

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Watch live: PM Lee to deliver National Day Rally speech

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SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is set to deliver his National Day Rally speeches on Sunday (Aug 20), starting in Malay at 6.45pm, followed by the Mandarin and English speeches.

The rally is seen as the most important political speech of the year. Mr Lee previously said he will discuss Singapore’s public housing schemes and the country’s ageing population.

Follow the latest updates here: 

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National Day Rally highlights: PM Lee announces new BTO housing category, Majulah Package for ‘young seniors’

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10,000 Buddhist monks in Hat Yai for mass alms offerings

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PUBLISHED : 20 Aug 2023 at 15:49

10,000 Buddhist monks in Hat Yai for mass alms offerings
People give alms to some of the approximately 10,000 monks from four countries in Hat Yai city, Songkhla on Sunday morning in a traditional event which is held annually. (Photo: Assawin Pakkawan)

SONGKHLA: About 10,000 monks from four countries gathered in the middle of Hat Yai city on Sunday morning to receive offerings of alms from Thai and foreign Buddhists in a traditional event which is held annually.

A ceremony for the mass alms offerings started at 6am on Nipat Uthit 3 road in the Hat Yai Municipality, presided over by Somdet Phra Maha Vajiramangalachan, chief of the southern Buddhist sector, with Maj Gen Pakorn Chantarachota, commander of the 42nd Army Circle, in attendance.

The monks were from the 14 provinces of southern Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

The activity also drew thousands of Buddhist worshippers from the four countries.

Withaya Sae Lim, spokesman for the organising committee, said this year’s activity was the 20th after a three-year break because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The activity was also intended to boost tourism in Songkhla, particularly Hat Yai city.

“All hotels in Hat Yai were fully booked by pilgrims. It was believed at least 20,000 tourists attended today’s activity, generating at least 180 million baht in revenue,” he said.

The alms given to the monks would be further distributed to 323 temples around southern Thailand and to soldiers on duty along the southern border with Malaysia, he added.

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TikTok user gets POFMA order over claims about CPF policies

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SINGAPORE: A man who had received a correction direction two days ago was issued with another one on Sunday (Aug 20), this time for making false claims over Central Provident Fund (CPF) policies. 

The man, who goes by the username “dr.ishhaq.jay”, falsely claimed in a TikTok post on Aug 12 that no one among low and middle income CPF members who utilised their CPF funds to repay their Housing Board (HDB) loan has met either the basic retirement sum or full retirement sum in their CPF accounts, said the Ministry of Manpower in a news release.

Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng instructed the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) Office to issue the correction direction to the man, and a targeted correction direction to TikTok over the post.

The man will be required to create a new TikTok post containing a correction notice which states that the TikTok post contains a false statement of fact, and provide a link to the government’s clarification.

TikTok, on the other hand, will be required to communicate a correction notice to all end-users in Singapore who had accessed the post.

CNA has contacted TikTok for comment on this.

A check by CNA on Sunday afternoon showed that user dr.ishhaq.jay has yet to put up a new TikTok post containing the required correction notice.

On Aug 18, the same TikTok user was issued a correction direction after he falsely claimed that the government can trace votes and penalise voters based on their votes. He has since put up a correction notice for that particular post.

OTHER FALSE CLAIMS 

An article published on the government’s fact-checking website Factually also elaborated on why dr.ishhaq.jay’s claims were false.

“Based on CPF Board’s data, almost 7 in 10 active CPF members have set aside their cohort’s basic retirement sum at age 55 in 2022,” it said.

“This proportion includes members earning below the median income for those aged 55 years old in 2022 who have used their CPF savings to repay housing loans.

“We expect the proportion of active CPF members who are able to set aside their cohort’s basic retirement sum at age 55 to increase to about 8 in 10 in 2027.”

The article also made several other clarifications. 

For example, user dr.ishhaq.jay claimed that members will have to start paying cash for their monthly HDB loan repayment when they reach 55, as CPF money in their ordinary account would all be transferred to their retirement account at that point.

However, the article explained that when a CPF member turns 55, money from the member’s special account is transferred to their retirement account, up to the full retirement sum. If there is a shortfall to the full retirement sum, only the money from the ordinary account needed to make up the shortfall is transferred to the retirement account.

CPF members can apply before age 55 to have all or part of their ordinary account money retained in their ordinary account to pay for their housing loan, the article said.

If they do so, this money will not be transferred to the retirement account even if there is a shortfall to the full retirement sum, it added.

“Any inflows to members’ ordinary account after they turn 55 can also be used for housing.”

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Scottish man, 77, rescued after kayak sinks in Udon Thani stream

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PUBLISHED : 20 Aug 2023 at 14:13

Scottish man, 77, rescued after kayak sinks in Udon Thani stream
Rescuers use a jetski to pull a sunken kayak belonging to a 77-year-old Scottish man from a stream in Udon Thani on Saturday night. The Scottish man was later found on a muddy islet and rescued. (Photo: Udon Thani tourist police)

A 77-year-old Scottish man was rescued eight hours after his kayak sank in a stream and he was swept away by strong currents to a muddy islet in Muang district of Udon Thani late on Saturday night.

The man told the 191 police radio centre around 3pm on Saturday that he had been swept in an unknown direction after his kayak sank in Lam Huai Luang stream,

Officers from Na Kha police station, tourist police, rescue workers and local residents began a search and eventually found him on Nong Bor Khlon islet at about 11pm on Saturday..

Rescue workers rode a jetski through bamboo forests to extract him from the muddy islet.

Police identified him only as Martin, 77, from Scottland. He looked exhausted with some bruises on his legs and body, and was taken to a local hospital.

Pol Capt Pongpat Kerkpiboonchai, deputy tourist inspector, said police and volunteers spotted his car left at Khok Kong villagei in tambon Sam Phrao of Muang district near the stream. He was found at about 11pm on the islet, about 5 kilometres from the spot where his car was parked.

It was difficult to get to the islet because rescuers had to go through a dense bamboo forest populated by dangerous snakes such as pythons, said the officer.

Mr Martin said he had lived in this northeastern province for six years and had no family. He liked adventure travel and peddled the kayak along the stream on Saturday before it sank. 

Fortunately, he had brought a mobile phone with him. He then sought help from police, according to local media.

The Scottish man, 77, shows bruises on his body to a tourist police officer. (Photo: Udon Thani tourist police)

Mr Martin is taken to a hospital ambulance after he was safely rescued late on Saturday night. (Photo: Udon Thani tourist police)

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‘Are we saving too much?’: Presidential hopeful Tan Kin Lian says amount kept in reserves comes at current generation’s ‘expense’

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On Sunday, the presidential hopeful also read out a message from a supporter who had urged him to shorten the duration of NS, which is currently two years. When TODAY asked if he could do so as President, Mr Tan acknowledged that a President should not interfere with government policies.Continue Reading

Singapore police refute allegations that coast guard entered Malaysian waters; Johor politician calls for remap of maritime borders

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ISKANDAR PUTERI, Johor: The Singapore Police Force (SPF) have refuted allegations in media reports that a police coast guard (PCG) boat had entered Malaysian waters and “intentionally” damaged nets belonging to local fisherman.

The incident, nonetheless, has prompted a Johor politician to call for a remapping of the maritime border particularly in the Johor Strait, though analysts say such a move will have to be handled at the federal level.

In a statement on Sunday (Aug 20) giving details of the alleged incident on Aug 14, the SPF said PCG officers had been enforcing Singapore’s laws within the city-state’s territorial waters as it rebutted the allegations in media reports by Malaysian outlets Sinar Harian and Berita Harian (Malaysia) as “untrue”.

The SPF said that at 6.55am that day, PCG officers were patrolling Singapore Territorial Waters (STW) when they spotted a Malaysian fishing vessel at STW at the sea off Tuas.

“At the time, there were a few other fishing vessels in the vicinity, but they were in Malaysia Territorial Waters (MTW). PCG officers engaged the fisherman on board the fishing vessel in STW and advised him to leave STW,” the police said.

It added that after the engagement, a fishing net became entangled with the propellors of the coast guard boat which was reversing to try to avoid entering Malaysia waters.

“The fishing net was subsequently damaged in the process of untangling it from the propellors. PCG officers were enforcing Singapore’s laws within STW,” SPF said. 

Following the incident, Kota Iskandar state assemblyman Pandak Ahmad has told media that he would be tabling a motion in the next state assembly sitting on Sept 11 to remap the maritime border between Malaysia and Singapore in the Johor Strait.

Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday (Aug 16), Mr Pandak Ahmad had also alleged that a verbal altercation occurred during the Aug 14 incident between four local fishermen and a PCG boat before the boat “intentionally hit” the fishing net belonging to the fishermen and damaged it. 

“We are a country that has sovereignty and demarcated borders but the Singapore coast guard acts as if the Tebrau Straits belongs to them,” added the United Malay National Organisation (UMNO) politician.

“They inadvertently enter our waters. Our fishermen who look for fish in these areas every day know where the maritime borders are, but these (Singapore boats) act in a provocative manner,” he said during the press conference. 

A fisherman involved in the incident, Faizan Wahid, reportedly made a police report claiming that his net was damaged and torn by the Singapore boat, with a financial loss of up to RM700 (S$204.42). 

Mr Pandak later told CNA that the maritime borders needed to be redrawn “for the safety of hundreds of fishermen” who work in the area. 

He also alleged that in an earlier incident in October 2022, 10 local fishermen had been chased away by Singapore authorities while fishing in waters near the Second Link bridge in Pasir Laba.

Addressing this in their Sunday statement, SPF said the same fisherman in the latest incident which also happened near the Second Link bridge was also involved in the October 2022 incident, adding that he had been then asked to leave a live firing area in STW for his own safety.

“During the October 2022 incident, he had also falsely claimed that he was in MTW when he was in fact in STW. The SPF had similarly issued a clarification regarding his allegations,” said SPF. 

In a statement released then, police said that cost guard officers were patrolling STW when they spotted a group of Malaysian fishing vessels entering and exiting the live firing area of Singapore waters off Lim Chu Kang.

The coast guard officers approached the Malaysian fishing vessels and used their public address system on their boat to advise them to leave the live firing area in STW.

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Three parties to contest Rayong by-election

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PUBLISHED : 20 Aug 2023 at 12:44

Three parties to contest Rayong by-election
A voter casts his ballot at a polling station in Bangkok on May 14. The Election Commission on Sunday said three political parties will field candidates in the Sept 10 by-election in Constituency 3 of Rayong province. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattara)

Three political parties will field candidates in the Sept 10 by-election in Constituency 3 of Rayong province, the Election Commission (EC) announced on Sunday.

The EC set Aug 15-19 as the period for candidates from political parties to register for the by-election.

At the end of the registration period on Saturday, three candidates from three parties had registered.

They are Pongsathorn Sornphetnarin, the number 1 candidate, of the Move Forward Party; Banyat Jettanachan, number 2, of the Democrat Party; and Pol Sub-Lt Ruangchai Sombatphuthon, number 3, of the Nation Building Labour Party.

The Constituency 3 election committee will take seven days to check whether any of them are prohibited by law from running in an election. The names of those qualified to run will then be posted at polling stations and other public places. A candidate found to be disqualified can petition the EC within seven days.

The by-election was made necessary by the resignation of Move Forward MP Nakornchai Khunnarong on Aug 3, after it was discovered he had served 18 months in prison for a theft conviction about 24 years ago.

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