Asia (Page 2,555)

Well-known actor Mario Maurer yesterday reported to the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) to answer questions over his alleged links to a fake car registration plate gang.

His appearance follows the arrest of two alleged ringleaders of the gang last week after the Land Transport Department claimed the pair managed to acquire the passwords of officials within the department on June 28 to gain unauthorised access to the system and create fake registration plates.

Police raided 35 locations suspected of storing cars with fake plates, mostly in Bangkok, Samut Prakan and Chon Buri. They seized 65 cars worth 77.3 million baht, one of which was reportedly about to be delivered to the actor.

Mario admitted to the media that he bought the car. He presented purchase documents and other evidence to the CCIB during questioning that lasted more than two hours.

Deputy CCIB chief, Pol Maj Gen Amnat Traipot, told reporters police also questioned a man — only identified as Kong — who allegedly sold the classic car to the actor and his elder brother.

Police were told the actor had also bought antique furniture from Kong, and they had known each other for about two years.

A United Thai Nation (UTN) Party MP has slammed the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) for its late compensation plan, which has left victims of an elevated road project that collapsed helpless for almost a month.

Kriangyos Sudlabha submitted a motion for a general debate yesterday during a House sitting about the compensation plan for victims affected by the July 11 incident.

None of the 57 victims have been guaranteed compensation even though the BMA said this would be secured within seven days of the road collapsing, Mr Kriangyos said.

Two of the victims have since died and seven have been discharged from hospital. Many have filed complaints with the UTN’s office in Lat Krabang district, demanding updates on when and whether they will receive any money, he said.

Mr Kriangyos said the BMA had disclosed it must negotiate with the contractor and the insurance company before it can finalise a compensation plan.

Meanwhile, deputy Bangkok governor Wisanu Subsompon said during a press briefing at City Hall that the contractor proposed a revised construction plan to the Bureau of Public Works on Aug 3.

The contractor will remove any damaged parts of the road by the end of this month, he said.

He added police and the Engineering Institute of Thailand are investigating the cause of the collapse.

However, the contractor will cast concrete poles at its factory instead of using cast-in-situ concrete, resulting in smaller construction sites and more lanes for traffic use.

Lat Krabang district chief Chatchaya Khamchan said the district office has received reports from victims and forwarded these to the Bureau of Public Works, which oversees the elevated road project.

The bureau will work with the insurance company to finalise the compensation plan, Mr Chatchaya added.

The Pheu Thai, Move Forward (MFP) and Palang Pracharath (PPRP) parties have been spared the prospect of forcible dissolution as the Election Commission (EC) dismissed three petitions seeking this due to their alleged violation of the law, a source said yesterday.

EC secretary-general Sawang Boonmee, in his capacity as the EC’s political registrar, has decided to halt the investigation related to a petition calling for their dissolution filed by Sonthiya Sawasdee, a former adviser to the House committee on law, justice and human rights.

Mr Sonthiya accused Pheu Thai of allowing former prime minister — and ex-party leader — Thaksin Shinawatra to gain control over the party. Thaksin is considered an outsider under the organic law on political parties, which prohibits a party from being knowingly influenced by such a figure.

Mr Sonthiya cited various events he believed to be evidence of the party’s willingness to be politically influenced by Thaksin, including a speech made to its supporters during an election event by Paetongtarn Shinawatra during which she made it clear that Pheu Thai aimed to win the May 14 election so it could then bring Thaksin home. Thaksin has since given a date for his return, but postponed it.

Ms Paetorntarn is the party’s chief adviser on public participation and innovation, one of its three prime ministerial candidates, and Thaksin’s daughter. Her trip to meet her father and aunt — Yingluck Shinawatra, another fugitive former prime minister and Thaksin’s younger sister — in Hong Kong late last year was also cited by Mr Sonthiya as evidence of Pheu Thai’s alleged misconduct.

But Mr Sawang found the evidence insufficient to convince him Pheu Thai had violated the organic law, the source said.

Another petition filed by Mr Sonthiya against the MFP for “provoking unrest” with its rallies was also rejected by Mr Sawang, the source added.

Mr Sawang also dismissed a petition by political activist Ekachai Hongkangwan that was seeking to dissolve the PPRP for failing to implement all of its key policies.

The Praboromarajchanok Institute (PI), under the Ministry of Public Health, is planning to establish a faculty of medicine to address a national shortage of doctors and nurses.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul yesterday said after meeting the ministry’s executive officials that the PI has proposed its policy to boost medical personnel numbers.

The policy will also aim to provide comprehensive health care services in villages and tambon promotion hospitals to mitigate patient congestion at bigger hospitals.

Doctors and nurses will also help train health volunteers as practical nurses in each tambon and local area. The PI’s faculty of medicine will help develop other public health personnel in the future, Mr Anutin said.

Meanwhile, Dr Soranit Siltharm, subcommittee chairman with the Consortium of Thai Medical Schools (CTMS), said the 18 institutes under the CTMS are ready for an intake of a total of 2,380 new students in medicine, dental surgery, veterinary medicine and pharmacy programmes next year.

Dr Soranit said the criteria for applicants remains the same but the CTMS has allowed students who graduated from other fields outside science to enrol in the doctor of dental surgery programme.

The exam registration for CTMS’ Thailand Professional Aptitude Test 1 will open from Sept 1-20 for an 800 baht fee.

The exam will take place on Dec 16.

Dr Soranit said the doctor shortage stems from a distribution problem, as most doctors are in the city.

He said recruiting more doctors is not a solution as the number of students accepted into medical programmes is calculated with the proportion of the population in mind.

NARATHIWAT: The Social Security Office (SSO) has been ordered to compensate victims of the July 29 fireworks warehouse explosion in Sungai Kolok district, which killed 12 people, injured 121 and damaged 292 houses in tambon Muno.

Out of the 121 people hurt in the incident, nine reported moderate injuries while one person was severely injured. As of yesterday, 101 have been discharged from hospital.

SSO secretary-general Boonsong Thapchaiyut said the SSO will distribute compensation to survivors, and other benefits owed to those who were killed to their next of kin.

He assured the fund would compensate all subscribers affected by the blast and their registered dependants, though he stopped short of saying how much the SSO will have to spend on the compensation.

Narathiwat’s SSO branch began distributing compensation to victims’ families yesterday, with SSO inspector Sakdinat Sonthisakyothin and acting director-general of the province’s SSO presenting 1.142 million baht to the family of Hafiz Abdullah, one of the 12 people killed by the blast.

The fund would cover Hafiz’s funeral expenses, which came up to 50,000 baht. The rest was meant for his descendants.