Pita gives view on PM rejection

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PUBLISHED : 11 Aug 2023 at 04:00

Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat yesterday said he believes he could have been renominated for prime minister in parliament without having to wait for a court ruling.

His renomination was earlier rejected by a joint sitting of MPs and senators on July 19 under a House regulation which prohibits a motion already rejected by parliament from being resubmitted during the same parliamentary session unless the situation or circumstances surrounding a bid for prime minister has changed.

Those who rejected his renomination argued that the MFP leader, who was the only one nominated for the post, failed to get the needed majority in a July 13 meeting, so the rule should be enforced.

However, Mr Pita’s supporters claimed the House rule did not apply in the prime ministerial selection process and submitted the issue to the Constitutional Court for a ruling via the Office of Ombudsman.

Responding to questions about the pending court case, Mr Pita said he believed he remains eligible to be renominated as a challenger under House regulations without having to wait for a court decision.

However, he said now was not the time to try renominating him because the MFP had stepped back and let Pheu Thai take the lead in forming a coalition government.

But when asked about being in opposition, Mr Pita expressed the hope of having the chance one day to be in the government.

“If [the country] wants a new generation to work for them, I’m ready. I’ve been preparing for it and want to show our country can go further than this.

“If you were and are impressed by our performance as an opposition party, we can deliver more as a government,” he said.

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BOI event set to strengthen alliances, networks for EEC

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The Board of Investment (BOI) has joined forces with the Thai Subcontracting Promotion Association (SUBCON) and Informa Markets to organise the “MIRA and SUBCON EEC 2023” event from Sept 6-8 at Nongnooch Pattaya International Convention & Exhibition Center (NICE), Chon Buri.

The aims of the event are to strengthen entrepreneurs in the eastern part of the country, a zone underlining the region as “Asean’s sourcing and manufacturing excellence and subcontracting centre”, and be a step towards a Thai industry transition to the future, which is aligned with the strategy to transform the country into a new economy.

The event is targeted to match over 600 businesses and to generate over 2 billion baht in business value.

Mr Narit Therdsteerasukdi, BOI Secretary-General, said that the BOI, in collaboration with SUBCON and Informa Markets — a world-leading international exhibitions organiser — is organising MIRA (Maintenance, Industrial Robotics and Automation) and SUBCON EEC 2023 for the second consecutive year.

The event is a comprehensive trade and service exhibition and industrial solutions event held in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) comprising leading brands who work in the Maintenance, Industrial Robotics, Automation, and Subcontracting sectors.

The event will also display industrial parts and the most comprehensive business matching forum in the eastern region being built to support the Thai manufacturing and service sectors to be ready for their transition into future industries, in particular industries that are key to the eastern region’s wealth, such as electric vehicles, electronics, and intelligent manufacturing systems, he said.

More than 150 companies will participate in the exhibition, and the event is expected to also draw in over 100 large buyers and achieve 600 pairs of business matchings. The event is also expected to draw in around 5,000 visitors, he said.

“The BOI foresees that the support of domestic subcontracting producers entering into the global supply chain is a key strategy to promote Thai entrepreneurs to global markets, especially for Thai SMEs that execute with quality and in accordance with international standards in new industries such as electric vehicles (EV), electronics, automation, and robotics.

The BOI has continuously joined forces with such alliances to organise activities that link each industry in the EEC area for the second consecutive year, seeing the zone as the main industrial area of the country.

“This event will increase opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs to co-operate with leading foreign companies in sourcing, technology transfer, and subcontracting, as well as to create joint ventures between Thai and foreign countries, thus strengthening the supply chain of the targeted industries,” Mr Narit said.

Mr Kiattisak Jirakajonvong, President of SUBCON, said that following many investment projects in the EEC area, this is an important opportunity for Thai entrepreneurs to connect with foreign business partners and new investors in the targeted industries.

Home to over 400 members in the international trade arena, the Thai SUBCON association is ready to be a bridge that connects Thai entrepreneurs by helping them participate in important international exhibitions to create new trade opportunities, he said.

“We have also been a part of the SUBCON Thailand event that has been held continuously for more than 17 years and became a part of the SUBCON EEC for the first time last year. The event received a very good response from our members, as more than 90% of our members agreed to join the event again this year.

“This is a guarantee of confidence in doing business with suppliers and Thai partners. The association is confident that organising SUBCON EEC 2023 will be another way to create new opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs to move further toward the transitional industries, in particular, the targeted industries which will be key to upgrading the EEC to become the economic centre of the region,” he said.

Mr Sanchai Noombunnam, General Manager of Informa Markets, said that since Informa Markets has been working with the BOI and receiving great support from various alliances such as SUBCON, Informa foresees an opportunity to further expand the achievement of SUBCON Thailand — which is normally held in Bangkok — to a new important economic area such as the EEC.

He said Informa Markets initiated organising MIRA and SUBCON EEC in the past year to create an opportunity for entrepreneurs in the area to meet with large manufacturers who have high purchasing power to invest in the area, as well as to bring technology and innovation that corresponds to the industry of leading manufacturers to the exhibition.

The event is also happening to promote knowledge exchanges, such as in the field of electric vehicles, electric appliances, and mechanical and future industries as well, namely aircraft maintenance, medical equipment, robotics, and automation.

The previous event had been well received and was considered a great success, he said.

“This time, Informa Markets is ready to again organise MIRA and SUBCON EEC 2023 for the second year. There will be opportunities to witness modern technology and innovation in industrial maintenance and automation, including the advanced robotic system that today has become an important component of the Thai manufacturing sector,” he said.

At the same time, system integrator service providers from Thailand and Japan have also been invited to share their experiences and exchange information.

Last but not least, an important highlight that is regarded as the strength of the SUBCON EEC event is the business matching forum organised by BOI.

Moreover, what can’t be missed is a seminar giving an update on trends and new knowledge in the industry from experts sharing their direct experiences through various topics, all with the aim to connect major buyers from around the world, he said.

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Board of Investment event set to strengthen alliances, networks for EEC

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Board of Investment event set to strengthen alliances, networks for EEC
From left: Kiattisak Jirakajonvong, Narit Therdsteerasukdi, and Sanchai Noombunnam.

The Board of Investment (BOI) has joined forces with the Thai Subcontracting Promotion Association (SUBCON) and Informa Markets to organise the “MIRA and SUBCON EEC 2023” event from Sept 6-8 at Nongnooch Pattaya International Convention & Exhibition Center (NICE), Chon Buri.

The aims of the event are to strengthen entrepreneurs in the eastern part of the country, a zone underlining the region as “Asean’s sourcing and manufacturing excellence and subcontracting centre”, and be a step towards a Thai industry transition to the future, which is aligned with the strategy to transform the country into a new economy.

The event is targeted to match over 600 businesses and to generate over 2 billion baht in business value.

Mr Narit Therdsteerasukdi, BOI Secretary-General, said that the BOI, in collaboration with SUBCON and Informa Markets — a world-leading international exhibitions organiser — is organising MIRA (Maintenance, Industrial Robotics and Automation) and SUBCON EEC 2023 for the second consecutive year.

The event is a comprehensive trade and service exhibition and industrial solutions event held in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) comprising leading brands who work in the Maintenance, Industrial Robotics, Automation, and Subcontracting sectors.

(Photo: EEC Facebook fanpage)

The event will also display industrial parts and the most comprehensive business matching forum in the eastern region being built to support the Thai manufacturing and service sectors to be ready for their transition into future industries, in particular industries that are key to the eastern region’s wealth, such as electric vehicles, electronics, and intelligent manufacturing systems, he said.

More than 150 companies will participate in the exhibition, and the event is expected to also draw in over 100 large buyers and achieve 600 pairs of business matchings. The event is also expected to draw in around 5,000 visitors, he said.

“The BOI foresees that the support of domestic subcontracting producers entering into the global supply chain is a key strategy to promote Thai entrepreneurs to global markets, especially for Thai SMEs that execute with quality and in accordance with international standards in new industries such as electric vehicles (EV), electronics, automation, and robotics.

The BOI has continuously joined forces with such alliances to organise activities that link each industry in the EEC area for the second consecutive year, seeing the zone as the main industrial area of the country.

“This event will increase opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs to co-operate with leading foreign companies in sourcing, technology transfer, and subcontracting, as well as to create joint ventures between Thai and foreign countries, thus strengthening the supply chain of the targeted industries,” Mr Narit said.

Mr Kiattisak Jirakajonvong, President of SUBCON, said that following many investment projects in the EEC area, this is an important opportunity for Thai entrepreneurs to connect with foreign business partners and new investors in the targeted industries.

Home to over 400 members in the international trade arena, the Thai SUBCON association is ready to be a bridge that connects Thai entrepreneurs by helping them participate in important international exhibitions to create new trade opportunities, he said.

(Photo: EEC Facebook fanpage)

“We have also been a part of the SUBCON Thailand event that has been held continuously for more than 17 years and became a part of the SUBCON EEC for the first time last year. The event received a very good response from our members, as more than 90% of our members agreed to join the event again this year.

“This is a guarantee of confidence in doing business with suppliers and Thai partners. The association is confident that organising SUBCON EEC 2023 will be another way to create new opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs to move further toward the transitional industries, in particular, the targeted industries which will be key to upgrading the EEC to become the economic centre of the region,” he said.

Mr Sanchai Noombunnam, General Manager of Informa Markets, said that since Informa Markets has been working with the BOI and receiving great support from various alliances such as SUBCON, Informa foresees an opportunity to further expand the achievement of SUBCON Thailand — which is normally held in Bangkok — to a new important economic area such as the EEC.

He said Informa Markets initiated organising MIRA and SUBCON EEC in the past year to create an opportunity for entrepreneurs in the area to meet with large manufacturers who have high purchasing power to invest in the area, as well as to bring technology and innovation that corresponds to the industry of leading manufacturers to the exhibition.

The event is also happening to promote knowledge exchanges, such as in the field of electric vehicles, electric appliances, and mechanical and future industries as well, namely aircraft maintenance, medical equipment, robotics, and automation.

The previous event had been well received and was considered a great success, he said.

“This time, Informa Markets is ready to again organise MIRA and SUBCON EEC 2023 for the second year. There will be opportunities to witness modern technology and innovation in industrial maintenance and automation, including the advanced robotic system that today has become an important component of the Thai manufacturing sector,” he said.

At the same time, system integrator service providers from Thailand and Japan have also been invited to share their experiences and exchange information.

Last but not least, an important highlight that is regarded as the strength of the SUBCON EEC event is the business matching forum organised by BOI.

Moreover, what can’t be missed is a seminar giving an update on trends and new knowledge in the industry from experts sharing their direct experiences through various topics, all with the aim to connect major buyers from around the world, he said.

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City considers beach operating hours

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In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 11 Aug 2023 at 04:00

City considers beach operating hours
People sit and unwind one evening on a beach in Pattaya. Pattaya City is looking to impose opening hours on beaches to curb noisy night owls who often party until morning. Photo By Pattaya City Facebook Page

Pattaya City is considering imposing opening hours on its beaches to curb a growing number of noisy night owls who party into the morning.

The city has received an increasing number of complaints about the nighttime visitors who like to play loud music using portable speakers while drinking alcohol and partying on Pattaya’s popular beaches, Wutthisak Roemkitchakan, the deputy city mayor, said yesterday.

A number of these visitors continue drinking and partying and refuse to leave even when city rubbish collectors show up in the morning to clean the beaches, he said.

This results in the beaches being left littered with rubbish the following day, he said.

“The city now is thinking of imposing opening and closing hours on these beaches as this can be a solution to the problem,” he said.

Currently, the city doesn’t have regulations on the opening and closing time of its beaches, meaning they are open around the clock, he said.

The city previously tried to step up patrols on the beaches, but it was impossible to find enough security officers to do so every night, he said.

The city’s beaches have attracted more visitors since undergoing a major expansion and renovation, he said.

Normally, these beaches do not have many visitors on weekdays, and most of them leave early in the evening, he said.

However, the number of visitors is usually much higher on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with many who like to drink alcohol and party late into the night, he said, adding that all city authorities can currently do is ask for their cooperation to leave.

Complaints received by the city authorities also noted loud noises made by a number of nightclubs, most of which were open-air places on beaches, he said.

In response to these complaints, he said, the Pattaya municipality and Bang Lamung district authorities inspected these night entertainment establishments and asked them to control the volume of their music.

Officials recommended a few measures, including building a proper sound-proof room for guests, he said.

More measures will be jointly implemented with local police to curb the noise pollution in Pattaya, he said.

In other news, Pipit Rattanarak, a United Thai Nation Party MP for Surat Thani, voiced his concern over shortage problems being faced on the popular islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan in the South.

Speaking during a House meeting yesterday, Mr Pipit pointed to the need for all agencies to boost the handling of transport services, as well as water and electricity supplies on the islands. More measures are required as the islands are receiving a rising number of visitors, he said.

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Tourist visa requirements eased for Chinese visitors

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PUBLISHED : 11 Aug 2023 at 04:00

The government has further relaxed its tourist visa requirements and shortened the standard time required for approving visas for Chinese visitors in a bid to make the process easier for people visiting the country.

Last week alone, 95,581 Chinese arrived in Thailand, representing the largest proportion of international visitors, followed by Malaysians (73,810), South Koreans (37,754), Indians (27,707) and Vietnamese (25,717), deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said yesterday.

Under the newly relaxed visa requirements, Chinese visitors to Thailand are required to submit along with their visa application just six documents, namely their passport, three photos, an air ticket, a document showing their accommodation in Thailand, a document certifying their permanent residence, and financial statements, she said.

This will truncate the application process from 14 to seven working days, she noted.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports are also working to sync their tourist visa application database systems in order to speed up the process for all foreign visitors, Ms Rachada said.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was impressed by the steady growth in the number of tourists visiting Thailand, particularly during the long holiday from July 31 to Aug 6, when the country welcomed 80,000 international visitors each day on average, she added.

The cumulative number of international tourists visiting Thailand since the beginning of this year has already hit 16 million, with those from Malaysia, China, South Korea, India and Russia ranking as the top five countries.

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Millionaire jailed over land grab

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PUBLISHED : 11 Aug 2023 at 04:00

The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases, Region 8, has sentenced millionaire Prayudh Mahagitsiri to two years and eight months in jail over a land grab scandal, according to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).

Commission secretary-general Niwatchai Kasemmongkol said the court found 10 former land officials in Krabi guilty of illegally issuing title deeds for state-owned land covering about 19 rai in Muang district.

The businessman was found guilty of aiding state officials in the illegal issuance of the title deeds, he said.

One defendant was initially sentenced to six years in jail, while the rest, including Pra­yudh, received four years each, he said. However, due to their confessions, the first defendant had his jail sentence commuted to four years, while the others had theirs reduced to two years and eight months each, he said.

He said the court also ordered the land titles to be revoked.

According to sources, Prayudh had already sold the land to others for 400 million baht in 2017.

Mr Niwatchai said those found guilty still have the right to appeal.

Also, he said that the NACC, in another case, has brought charges against 10 politicians, including MPs and senators, over illegal land ownership or aiding state officials in the illegal issuance of title deeds.

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Banks urged to act fast on scam claims

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Cop report wait ‘too slow to stop losses’

PUBLISHED : 11 Aug 2023 at 04:00

Banks must stop illegal transactions upon request by their clients to prevent customer losses from online scams, said Minister of Digital Economy and Society (DES) Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn.

The Royal Decree on Cyber Crime Prevention and Suppression that came into effect on March 17 empowers banks to suspend any accounts which they suspect are being used by scammers without having to wait for an order from the police or victims.

As such, Mr Chaiwut said banks must set out a mechanism to support clients who have fallen victim to a suspected scam.

His warning came after TV news anchor Paweenamai Baikhloi revealed yesterday that she had lost over one million baht after falling victim to scammers posing as officials from the Department of Land.

In her complaint filed with Phasi Charoen Police on Aug 9, Paweenamai said the scammer contacted her on Line, claiming to be an official from the department who was reaching out to update her tax details.

The scammer was able to convince Paweenamai to give out her personal information by citing several details of the land she owns. However, she became suspicious when the scammer asked her to open a link and download a file which they claimed to be a DoL official application.

She stopped complying with the scammer’s instructions, but by the time she realised, the gang had managed to drain over a million baht from three bank accounts under her name.

The anchor said her bank initially rejected her request to suspend her accounts, saying she needed to file a police report before they could do so. When she finally had all the documents she needed, six hours had lapsed since the accounts were drained by scammers.

Mr Chaiwut warned the public not to click on any suspicious links sent through a Line chat, especially after being told to by unknown individuals claiming to be public agency employees, as all public agencies have been instructed not to reach out to clients over the phone.

Mr Chaiwut also suggested that the public be more aware of the official website or applications of public agencies and/or banks to minimise the risk of being scammed.

The DES will also examine the DoL database to find evidence of data leakage or sale, which is illegal under the Personal Data Protection Act, said Mr Chaiwut.

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Officers transferred after gambling raid

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PUBLISHED : 11 Aug 2023 at 04:00

Chiang Mai: Five senior police officers from Chang Phueak police station have been transferred to inactive posts for allowing a gambling den to operate under their watch.

The transfer order came after authorities raided the 89 CLUB Casino in the Santitham area of tambon Chang Phueak in Muang district on Wednesday after administrative officials received complaints about it.

Pol Maj Gen Thawatchai Pongwiwattanachai, the Chiang Mai Provincial Police chief, said yesterday the gambling den’s location is under the jurisdiction of Chang Phueak Police, so he ordered the transfer of the five senior officers to inactive posts in the province’s main operations centre.

A fact-finding probe has been launched to find out how the casino came to be operating.

The casino has sullied the image of the province, the commander said, adding he has instructed police stations in the province to beef up measures against illegal activities and rein in officers who engage in misconduct.

A source said local administrative officials were informed gambling activities were taking place at two locations — the 89 CLUB Casino and Phattarawan Snooker Club, both in the Chang Phueak area.

Ronnarong Tipsiri, an inspector attached to the Provincial Administration Department, led his team with Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative officials in raiding the 89 CLUB Casino. His team included more than 40 officers from the Investigation and Legal Affairs Bureau and Territorial Defence Volunteers Bureau.

The two dens offered a variety of gambling activities, such as the Dragon Tiger card game, Hi-Lo, and Baccarat, attracting over 100 gamblers each day.

Wednesday’s raid at the 89 CLUB Casino found the building had the capacity to accommodate 300 customers with a single exit. Installed around the building were 11 CCTV cameras monitoring the gamblers’ every move.

They were prohibited from using mobile phones on the premises. All phones had to be left at a check-in desk.

During the raid, police officers arrested 104 people, 19 of whom were card dealers and croupiers. They also seized 31 cars, 10 motorbikes, cash and gambling paraphernalia.

All those arrested were taken to Chang Phueak Police Station — as were the seized items — where they were charged with being involved in and operating illegal gambling activities.

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Govt parties ‘to make way’ for Dems in Rayong poll

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Partners are aiming not to split vote

PUBLISHED : 11 Aug 2023 at 04:00

Parties in the outgoing coalition government have agreed not to field their own candidates against a Democrat Party candidate in the upcoming by-election in Rayong’s Constituency 3, acting deputy Democrat leader Sathit Pitutecha said.

He said all the parties except the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) had discussed the implications of the election outcome and decided that only one of them should enter the race to avoid splitting votes.

The by-election is to fill a seat left vacant by Nakhon­chai Khunnarong of the Move Forward Party (MFP), who resigned due to a past conviction and prison term for theft.

In the May 14 general election, Mr Nakhonchai won with 29,034 votes, followed by Phayap Phongsai of the PPRP, who received 21,726 votes and Democrat candidate Banyat Jetjan who had 14,668 votes.

Mr Sathit, a former MP for Rayong, said the party had given him the authority to select the candidate to contest the by-election.

He said he has yet to decide who will represent the party as it is important to weigh voters’ opinions. “If we look at the combined number of votes received by the outgoing coalition parties, it’s more than that of the MFP.

“But it all depends on what the voters here want. I hope that in this by-election, they go for someone who is trustworthy and knows how to do the job,” he said.

MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon said the party looking at potential candidates with a plan to introduce a potential candidate to voters in Klaeng district on Sunday.

He said that he and MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat would take part in the event to give the candidate moral support and to affirm the party’s commitment to its supporters. The MFP, which won all five constituency seats in Rayong in the general election, reportedly plans to nominate Pongsathorn Sornphetnarin for the by-election.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission’s (EC) intention to hold the by-election has been published in the Royal Gazette.

EC chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong said commissioners are expected to decide today when it will take place, having initially proposed that it be held on Sept 10, with candidacy registration taking place between Aug 15-19.

Regarding legal action against Mr Nakhon­chai, Mr Ittiporn said the Office of the EC will proceed in accordance with the law and can also sue the politician.

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Suvarnabhumi’s solar rooftop initiative takes off

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PUBLISHED : 11 Aug 2023 at 04:00

The Airports of Thailand (AoT) has installed solar rooftop panelling on Suvarnabhumi Airport’s passenger terminal, with more to come in a bid to have clean energy provide 20% of the airport’s electricity within the next two years.

AoT director Kerati Kijmanawat said yesterday that the new solar rooftop project is one of the ways the airport aims to become Thailand’s first “green airport”, or an eco-friendly airport.

“Suvarnabhumi International Airport will become the green airport prototype for other airports to follow,” he said.

Mr Kerati said the 4.4 megawatt (MW) solar power system will generate electricity for the terminal.

He said the solar rooftop panels could help make temperatures inside the terminal cooler by up to seven degrees Celsius, saving about 2% of the energy used by the air conditioning system.

The project can save more than 11 million baht a year, Mr Kerati said.

He said the solar rooftop will reduce carbon emissions by more than 3,600 tonnes annually, equal to the assimilation of 360,000 trees.

The AoT also plans to install more solar panels, both on the rooftop and in the form of floating solar panels, at the airport, he said.

Mr Kerati said the AoT also aims to save 20% of the airport’s electricity costs by installing 50 MW of panels by 2025.

The energy project involves the AoT, the District Cooling System and Power Plant Company, Egat, PTT Plc, and the Metropolitan Electricity Authority.

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