Srisuwan petitions NACC against Srettha, Pheu Thai MPs

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PUBLISHED : 24 Nov 2023 at 13:23

Srisuwan petitions NACC against Srettha, Pheu Thai MPs
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin speaks to reporters on a wide range of issues, including the promotion of police officers, at Government House on Wednesday. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)

Serial petitioner Srisuwan Janya filed a petition with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) on Friday, asking it to investigate Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin regarding his comments on requests by MPs seeking favours for the promotion of police officers to superintendent positions during a meeting of Pheu Thai MPs and party executives on Tuesday.

At the meeting, the prime minister reportedly mentioned that some individuals in attendance might be disappointed, as their requests for “a special favour” in the appointment of police superintendents were denied due to the overwhelming number of requests, while others might be satisfied because their requests had been fulfilled.

Mr Srisuwan, as leader of the Patriotic People Organisation, said he wants the NACC to determine whether Mr Srettha, in his capacity as the ex-officio chairman of the Police Commission, had interfered – either directly or indirectly – in the appointments of police officers at the superintendent level for his own interests, the interests of others, or a political party. 

According to the National Police Act of 2022, Section 56 (2), only the police chief is empowered to appoint officers at the superintendent level.

Pheu Thai MPs who sought “a favour”, as mentioned by Mr Srettha, may have violated Sections 185 and 186 of the constitution, possibly constituting a serious breach of the code of ethics for holders of political positions, the petitioner said.

Political activist and petitioner Srisuwan Janya. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)

Mr Srisuwan asked the NACC to identify which Pheu Thai MPs had approached the prime minister for such favours.

If the anti-graft agency found in its investigation there are grounds to back up his petition and asked the Office of the Attorney General to forward it to the Supreme Court, and if the court accepts it for consideration, the prime minister and the MPs concerned would be required to immediately cease their duties. Ultimately, their political rights could be stripped for up to 10 years, Mr Srisuwan said.

On Thursday, Mr Srettha, also a finance minister, denied telling a meeting of Pheu Thai MPs on Tuesday that some party MPs had interfered in the appointment of police station chiefs.

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More and younger Singaporeans are seeking help with debt, say financial counsellors

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Another key reason for youth borrowing more is the availability of buy now, pay later service providers, which have become popular in recent years.

“A lot of (people) are also sold on the idea of a buy now, pay later model. It (seems) embedded into society – through social media – that it is okay to borrow debt to sustain the lifestyle that you want to have,” said Ms Lee.

Ms Joey Tan, centre manager of Arise2care Community Service, said that many are attracted to such unsecured loans as they are easy to access and do not require a good credit score.

These instalment plans are typically interest-free. However, miss a payment, and consumers could get charged up to 5 per cent interest on the outstanding amount.

“(For these providers), they don’t really need to provide a lot of details to take on a loan and the loan tenor is also getting longer. A lot of our clients use these facilities to the maximum and to their limit before they come to us,” she said.

To avoid over-leverage, such service providers have guidelines such as users can only have a maximum of S$2,000 in outstanding payments.

NEED FOR FINANCIAL EDUCATION

However, agencies said that is not enough to solve the problem.

High interest rates and a slowing economic outlook ahead could make bad debts worse.

They pointed to a need to beef up financial education for youths.

“Financial education for the younger ones needs to be more engaging and suited to their level,” said Ms Tan. “They should have an idea of what to do with their money once they start earning. Expenditure planning is so important.”

To raise awareness on savings, insurance, and investment needs, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) launched a basic financial planning guide last month.

Social services agencies are also encouraging those who fall into debt to speak out and seek help.

“Often when you are stressed, you do not make good financial decisions,” said Ms Lee.

“So it’s good to speak to people who specialise in it, so that they can help you, (such as) third parties like us. The earlier you seek help about your debt situation, the faster and easier it can be resolved.”

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TAT expects up to 3.5m Chinese tourists, below target

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PUBLISHED : 24 Nov 2023 at 11:32

TAT expects up to 3.5m Chinese tourists, below target
A tourist takes photos at the Ratchaprasong intersection, Bangkok, on Nov 9, 2023. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)

Thailand expects 3.4 million to 3.5 million visitors from China this year, below its target, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said on Friday, despite rolling out a visa-free programme to attract Chinese tourists.

About 3.01 million Chinese tourists have visited the country so far in 2023, it said. China has been a key source market for Thailand’s vital tourism industry, with 11 million Chinese visitors in pre-coronavirus-pandemic in 2019, accounting for more than a quarter of all arrivals that year.

“China’s slowing economy makes people worry about spending on tourism,” Chattan Kunjara na Ayudhya, TAT deputy governor for international marketing in Asia and South Pacific, told a briefing.

A recent mall shooting in Bangkok also affected tourist confidence, he added.

The TAT in June had expected about 4 million to 4.4 million Chinese tourists this year, he said. That was down from the government’s initial target of 5 million.

Overall foreign tourist arrivals were at about 23.88 million since the start of the year, Mr Chattan said.

The government is targeting 28 million arrivals versus a pre-pandemic record of nearly 40 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2019 who spent 1.91 trillion baht (US$54.37 billion).

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Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Glitches prolong wait for Indians stuck in tunnel

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A crane carries a part of drilling machine as rescue operation enters its final phase, for workers trapped in the Silkyara under construction road tunnel, days after it collapsed in the Uttarkashi district of India's Uttarakhand state on November 22, 2023. Indian rescuers have drilled two-thirds of the way through debris towards 41 workers trapped in a collapsed road tunnel, officials said on November 22, warning that the next 24 hours could be critical. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP) (Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images)Getty Images

Rescue work to save 41 workers trapped in a tunnel in India’s Uttarakhand state has been delayed again after a drilling machine developed a snag.

The US-made machine is being used to drill through the debris to create an escape route for the workers.

Officials say the machine is being repaired and that drilling work is likely to restart on Friday.

The workers have been stuck inside the tunnel for 12 days after a portion of it collapsed due to a landslide.

A section of the 4.5km (3 miles) Silkyara tunnel in the Indian Himalayas caved in on 12 November.

Contact was established with the trapped men shortly thereafter, and they have been receiving oxygen, food, and water ever since.

Rescue officials had earlier announced that they would be able to extricate the men by Thursday morning. But the operations have been delayed after the latest technical glitch.

Arnold Dix, an international tunnelling expert who is helping the rescue operation, told reporters on Thursday evening that the drilling machine “had broken down”.

“It is being repaired and it should be back up tomorrow,” he added.

The machine is drilling a hole into a 60m (197ft) debris wall that is preventing the workers from escaping the tunnel.

Authorities have been working to send multiple pipes of differing widths through the debris to create a micro-tunnel through which the workers can be brought out.

The plan is to wheel the workers out on stretchers through the pipes.

But the operation is a challenging one due to the presence of rocks, stones and metal inside the debris.

The operation was stalled on Wednesday too after workers encountered a thick metal rod which had to be cut using gas cutters.

Rescuers have drilled through about three-quarters of the debris so far, but it’s unclear how long it will take for them to dig through the remaining part.

In the meantime, ambulances have been kept on standby outside the tunnel. Officials say the aim is to pull the workers out to safety and shift them to the nearby hospital as quickly as possible.

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Suede singer Brett Anderson swats phones off fans recording at Singapore concert: ‘If you wanna film, go to the back’

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In a series of videos posted by Instagram user @phaedra.cheung, Anderson is first seen making his way down to the floor section of The Star Theatre to interact with fans. He is later seen behind a barricade, arguing with a male fan while seemingly telling the fan to put his phone down. 

Anderson then leaps over the barricade and combs through the first row, grabbing the phones of those who are recording and, in some instances, pushing the devices to the floor. He finally returns to the stage to address the situation.

“It’s so much better if you could possibly put your phone down… Put your f**king phone down. If you wanna film, go to the back. Don’t take up space out here. These people wanna have fun. If you wanna stare at your f**king phone, go to the f**king back. Am I right?”

Anderson’s impassioned speech was met with a sea of cheers from the audience.

“It just kills the gig,” Anderson added.

Videos of the outburst can also be seen on TikTok and have received a mixed response. Some agree with Anderson, echoing him that recording “ruins the fun” of concerts. On the other hand, another user countered him, telling Anderson to “just shut up and sing” as “he was killing the vibe”.

With Singapore continuing its streak of being a concert hot spot in 2024, it seems unlikely that this phone recording issue will go away. 

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Hong Kong Hospital Authority warns of surge in 2 superbugs, turns to AI in fight against antibiotic overuse

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Multidrug-resistant organisms, also known as superbugs, are microorganisms that have become resistant to certain antimicrobials, such as antibiotics and antifungals. They are the result of overprescription and improper use of such medicines. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, one of the most common types of drug-resistant organisms in the city, was found to haveContinue Reading

Veteran politician Anan Chaisang dies, aged 96

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PUBLISHED : 24 Nov 2023 at 10:05

Veteran politician Anan Chaisang dies, aged 96
Anan Chaisang. (File photo)

Anan Chaisang, a veteran politician of Chachoengsao province, died on Thursday of old age. He was 96.

Chaturon Chaisang, his eldest son and a Pheu Thai Party list MP, posted on Facebook on Thursday night that his father, who had been long bed-ridden, died at 5.19pm of old age.

A funeral is being held for him at Wat Thepnimit in Muang district, Chachoengsao province. A bathing rite has been scheduled for Saturday at 3pm.

An evening prayer will be held from Nov 25 to Dec 1. A ceremony to keep the body in a morgue, pending cremation yet to be scheduled, will be held on Dec 1 at 8pm.

Anan was married to Mrs Chaleo. They have three sons – Chaturon, Kolayuth and Wuthipong – and a daughter – Thitima, who is also a list MP of Pheu Thai.

A former police officer, Anan was a member of the Chachoengsao Municipality in 1958 and became a mayor from 1959 to 1967.

He was elected an MP for Chachoengsao for the first time in 1969 and re-elected in three other elections, the last time in 2001.

Anan was appointed transport minister in 1975 in the government of M.R. Kukrit Pramoj and deputy minister of industry in the Prem Tinsulanonda government in 1985.

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