Asia – Page 2799 – Sure A Not

Pheu Thai digital money giveaway sparks scam apps

On: August 26, 2023

PUBLISHED : 26 Aug 2023 at 08:40

The Royal Thai Police (RTP) warned on Friday that online scammers are promoting false advertisements for the 10,000-baht digital wallet scheme, a policy proposed by the Pheu Thai Party.

Pol Gen Sompong Chingduang, special adviser to the RTP, said some online scammers have developed a mobile app called “Digital Wallet”, mimicking Pheu Thai’s populist scheme.

The fraudulent app tricks victims into believing they can receive the 10,000 baht in digital money if they install it. Afterwards, people will receive a text message linking them to a Line mobile app that is actually malware capable of accessing their financial information via their phones.

“The Public Relations Department also stated that the Digital Wallet mobile app is a fraud, aiming to embezzle money from its users,” said Pol Gen Sompong.

The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society said it has contacted Google Play Store, asking it to take down the app, but people are reportedly still receiving texts from the scammers.

Once they have started chatting with the scammers, victims are instructed to register for the 10,000 baht in digital money.

The scammers stay with them throughout the registration process, with many reportedly disclosing their phone numbers and their 6-digit ATM pins.

The fraudsters use remote access to control the functionality of the victims’ phones and withdraw money from any bank accounts linked to their finance apps.

Pol Gen Sompong said scammers usually update their narratives to match recent occurrences, such as tax-filing season or higher electricity and water bills, to appear more convincing.

The digital currency giveaway is a Pheu Thai policy that the public has been highly anticipating since it became the leader of the coalition government.

Pol Gen Sompong warned people not to click on unfamiliar links or advertisements sent via text message, as well as avoid adding Line accounts whose real identity is unknown.

Before installing mobile apps from the Google Play Store or Apple Store, users should read the reviews or check for any news about them, he said.

People are urged to contact or cross-check with any government agencies cited before proceeding to take the next step, he added. More information about online scams can be found at www.facebook.com/PCTPOLICE or by calling the Police Cyber Taskforce’s hotline on 1441.

UTN backtracks on cabinet feedback

By: Barkar Nash

On: August 26, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Party members’ ideas deemed too early

PUBLISHED : 26 Aug 2023 at 08:00

The internal allocation of four cabinet seats allotted to the United Thai Nation Party (UTN) didn’t get off to a very good start on Friday when a call for party members to take part in nominating candidates for such positions was removed from the party’s website and Facebook page not long after being posted.

The removal of the announcement prompted questions as to why it was suddenly removed.

“Why delete the post? Why delete it from the UTN’s Facebook page since we actually want to know the opinions of our supporters?” asked Jirawut Singtothong, a UTN MP for Chon Buri, in a Facebook post on the announcement’s removal.

A source said the UTN has been allotted two cabinet minister positions and two deputy cabinet minister positions, namely the energy minister, industry minister and two deputy ministers in the Pheu Thai Party-led coalition.

UTN leader Pirapan Salirathavibhaga is expected to emerge as the new energy minister while also serving as a deputy prime minister. The industry minister post is expected to be given to ML Chayotid Kridakon, who leads the UTN’s economic team.

Supattanapong Punmeechaow, the outgoing industry minister, has refused to accept the same position in the new coalition, said the source.

As for the two deputy ministers’ positions, three prospective candidates are competing for these posts, said the source.

The three are Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, deputy leader of the UTN and list-MP; Chumpol Kanchana, a party key figure; and Suchart Chomklin, the outgoing labour minister and another key party figure, said the source.

Akaradej Wongpitakroj, party spokesman and MP for Ratchaburi, later explained, saying the announcement was posted on the party’s website and Facebook page by some staff who had good intentions to help facilitate the party’s gauging of opinions among party members.

However, party executives later ordered the deletion of the post as Mr Pirapan and Akanat Promphan, the party’s secretary-general, are officially responsible for selecting candidates suitable for filling these cabinet positions, said the spokesman.

“Opinions from party members will be considered when the party finally chooses the people to fill these cabinet positions,” Mr Akaradej said.

Court asked to help shift ‘demon’ statue

By: Barkar Nash

On: August 26, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 26 Aug 2023 at 07:41

A major shareholder of the Bazaar Hotel Bangkok has petitioned a court for the removal of the controversial Khru Kai Kaeo statue from its premises on Ratchadaphisek Road.

Phairoj Thungthong on Friday said that he has an 80% share of Suan Lum Night Bazaar Ratchadapisek Co Ltd, which was registered in 2009 with capital of 780 million baht.

However, today, the company is under a rehabilitation process due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.

He said Chan Tulyapisitchai, who holds 20% of the shares, is leading a new management team for the rehabilitation process. However, Mr Phairoj said he has been prohibited from getting involved in management.

He said it was Mr Chan who brought the Khru Kai Kaeo statue and had it erected in front of the hotel.

The 4-metre-tall gargoyle-like black sculpture with red eyes and long red nails has been worshipped by those who believe it will grant wishes. Buddhists, however, argue that worshipping a demon figure is black magic that goes against religious teachings.

Recently, the hotel agreed to put up a dome to cover the statue to shield those who may feel offended by its appearance.

Mr Phairoj said that on Tuesday, he told his lawyer to petition the Central Bankruptcy Court to order Mr Chan to remove the statue. A court hearing is set for Sept 12 at 10am.

Chalee Noppawong Na Ayutthaya, secretary of the chair of the hotel’s executive board, said the statue draws the attention of many tourists.

Full cabinet line-up out soon: Srettha

By: Barkar Nash

On: August 26, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 26 Aug 2023 at 07:22

The Pheu Thai-led cabinet is taking shape and a full line-up of cabinet posts should be finalised within three to four days, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Friday.

He said the Pheu Thai Party will be in charge of economic affairs and the allocation of ministerial seats within the party is complete. He declined to confirm speculations that he may double up as finance minister.

He said the examination process of proposed ministers is expected to begin on Monday, adding the government expects to deliver a policy statement before parliament earlier than expected.

Pheu Thai list-MP Sutin Klungsang on Friday remained coy over speculation that he is tipped to be the education minister. On the defence portfolio, he insisted the post is under the Pheu Thai Party’s quota following speculation Gen Nattapon Nakpanich — a former secretary-general of the National Security Council and a close associate of outgoing prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha — would get the job.

Pheu Thai heavyweight Somsak Thepsutin said he would ask Mr Srettha to consider keeping the agricultural minister post after swine farmers threatened to withdraw support if Pheu Thai gave the post to another party.

Capt Thamanat Prompow, secretary-general of the Palang Pracharath Party, emerges as a candidate for the agriculture and cooperatives minister post.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Friday the Pheu Thai-led government is considered stable as it commands 314 votes in the House — although disagreement is expected among the 11 partners.

“Before they joined hands, they were engaged in conflicts. But if they can put this behind them, it would be good for teamwork and the country. If they are determined to do so, this government should be fine,” he said.

Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat said on Friday he called Mr Srettha to congratulate him on being elected, saying as long as Mr Srettha was open to the people’s voices, he would succeed. Mr Pita added the MFP would do its best as an opposition party.

Pakistan cable car: From panic to relief, survivors recall harrowing ordeal

By: Marcus Ching

On: August 26, 2023

In: Asia

A soldier slings down from a helicopter during a rescue mission to recover students stuck in a chairlift

By Azizullah Khan, Farhat Javed & Kelly Ng

in Battagram, Islamabad and Singapore

It started out a routine Tuesday morning. Car mechanic Gulfaraz had planned to accompany his nephew to school and then go home.

They made the journey as they had done for years – on a makeshift cable car that would take them across the steep Allai valley in the northwest of Pakistan.

But minutes into their ride, two cables supporting their car snapped.

They were trapped in the car with six other passengers, dangling hundreds of metres above the ground, buffeted by gusty winds.

“It felt like we were standing right at the edge of our own graves,” Gulfaraz, 20, told BBC Urdu the next day. “We had little to no hope that we could be saved.”

The cable wires snapped at about 07:30 local time (02:30 GMT), but it was not until 14 hours later that all eight people – six teenagers among them – were pulled to safety in a complex operation involving at least four helicopters and a team of zip wire experts.

Many of the trapped passengers did not think they would survive.

“I thought it was my last day and I will be no more,” one of the rescued boys, Attaullah Shah, told AFP.

“God has granted me a second life,” the 15-year-old said.

Cable chair lifts are often used for commuting in this area, deep in the mountains of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

For students, the cable cars cut a two-hour road journey through mountainous terrain – from their village homes in Jhangra to school in Batangi – to just five minutes.

It was Gulfaraz who raised the alarm on Tuesday morning. Suspended in the air, he used his mobile phone to inform his family and friends about what had happened.

Residents used loudspeakers to alert officials, but it took at least four hours for the first rescue helicopter to arrive.

Hanging by a thread

It was a delicate operation for the choppers. They could not approach the cable car too closely, fearing their rotor blades might destabilise it further.

Each time a rescuer was lowered towards the car, it would shake, leading the children to scream in fear, eyewitnesses told local media.

Recalling the agony of the situation, Gulfaraz said: “Once when the helicopter came close to rescue the kids, the rescuer’s rope got stuck with the cable car.

“And it started swaying with the helicopter, we toppled upside down, the ones who were sitting fell off their seats, the ones who were standing fell down.

“I was really stressed out myself and I had to take care of the kids too. They were very scared, some were screaming, others were crying,” he said.

A child said to have a heart condition had fainted, he added.

Drone footage obtained by the BBC shows passengers piled on top of one another, clinging to their seats, many looking visibly distressed. The car was suspended lopsided with its doors flung open.

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By then, anxious crowds, including relatives of those trapped, had gathered on both sides of the ravine. Parents begged officials to save their children while other onlookers watched with bated breath as military choppers attempted the rescue.

Local police officers told the BBC the scene was “complete chaos”.

After several failed attempts, a helicopter finally lifted one child off the car. Footage online shows the child clinging on to a rope suspended from the chopper, swinging mid-air for 20 seconds before being pulled into the helicopter.

By then, it was about 19:00 local time and the rescue mission hit another hurdle: helicopter operations had to be suspended because of poor weather and darkness.

As night fell, hopes faded of rescuing the rest of the group.

A map showing how a cable car is stuck in Pakistan

Enter the cable and zip line experts from the neighbouring town of Naran, which is a popular destination for adventure tourism.

Muhammad Ali Swati, one of the experts, told the BBC they were approached by the military and airlifted to the scene to help.

The 31-year-old, who on a normal day runs a zip line company, found himself executing a far more complex operation.

Supported by army officers and local rescuers, his team installed a chairlift – made out of a bedframe – and inched toward the cable car using its last remaining cable.

The team later managed to help bring the rest of the group to safety along a zip line.

“They were clinging to me as children cling to their mothers. Their condition was bad. They in such a state of extreme distress as they didn’t think they could survive,” Ali said.

Videos show huge crowds erupting in cheers close to midnight, as the rest of the group was brought onto land near a thicket of trees.

Pakistan’s military, which concluded the rescue operation close to 23:00 local time, described the rescue as “an operation of unprecedented difficulty”.

Rescuers pull a boy attached to a harness to safety after being rescued from a stranded cable car in Battagram

Makeshift chair lifts

It remains unclear how the cables on the stranded cable car broke, but this mishap has drawn scrutiny to the makeshift cable car system widely used in Pakistan.

In most of the country’s mountainous regions, makeshift chairlifts and cable cars are born of necessity, because there are few roads.

In the Allai valley, settlements are spread far and wide and located up to 2,000m (6,562ft) above sea level.

Residents in Jhangra village told the BBC they only had access to one school, a basic health unit with one doctor, and just a handful of shops – all on the other side of the mountain.

Nasrullah, who teaches at the school, said they used to carry people who were sick over their shoulders while walking to find medical help on the other side of the mountain.

“It used to take us at least two hours on foot. They often die on the way. But three years ago some people came and installed this cable car, which cut the distance we had to cover significantly,” Nasrullah told the BBC.

“We have connectivity issues, we don’t have bridges. It is inevitable that people are dependent on these means of travel,” said Molvi Ghulam Ullah, another villager.

A makeshift cable car powered by a car engine

Often thrown together with scrap metal, these cars are typically built by local communities – mostly illegally, because it is faster and cheaper.

While the fare varies depending on the distance being travelled, it begins from as little as 20 PKR (£0.053; $0.067).

But that efficiency and affordability come at the cost of safety. Tuesday’s incident, unfortunately, was not unprecedented.

In June, a woman and her infant daughter drowned when the cable supporting the chair lift they were travelling in broke across the Swat valley, also in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

Last December, 12 students were stuck mid-air in northern Pakistan during a similar incident. They were rescued after two hours. And in 2017, 10 people died after a cable car they were riding fell into a ravine in the mountain resort city of Murree.

Pakistani authorities have arrested the owner and operator of the cable car that broke on Tuesday. They said a substandard rope had endangered the lives of passengers.

But villagers say developing transport infrastructure in the area will be a more sustainable solution.

“We request the government to construct a road as soon as possible so we do not have to rely on cable cars to get to the other side,” said Nasrullah, the teacher.

As of now, some concerned parents are reconsidering this makeshift form of transport.

Speaking to the BBC, Gulfaraz’s nephew said: “My parents have forbidden me from taking the cable car now, even if it means walking all the way.

“They said God saved me this time, but it is too dangerous.”

Meet the founder of Qisahn, the iconic game shop in Far East Shopping Centre: âWeâll be the last store aroundâ

By: Marcus Ching

On: August 26, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Yet, when asked about his interactions with regulars, Soon drew a blank.

“Wow, this is difficult. I should have a story for your soundbite but nothing comes to mind. I don’t see customers often enough. My whole focus has been on preventing problems,” he confessed.

So when walk-in customers reminisce about Qisahn’s first set-up in Woodlands, Soon would respond sheepishly as he hardly recognises them.

“You see, this is where I’m really lacking. I spend so much time trying to streamline our operations and I don’t spend enough time thinking about how we can appreciate our regulars.”

If and when the en bloc sale goes through, what’s next for Qisahn? According to Soon, he has not made concrete plans but will keep his fingers crossed for another winning combination of a prime location and low foot traffic.

“We’re definitely reluctant to leave, but it’s not really a choice so we’ll cross the bridge when we get there. For sure, our business will always be focused on low prices and accessibility.”

Addressing the future of video game retail, Soon referenced the collapse of the music retail industry over a decade ago. In just two years, all the players were wiped out. Could Qisahn meet a similar fate? He doesn’t rule out the possibility, but has no intention of bowing out till then.

“We’ll be the last store around. I’m very sure.”

US extends China chip curb waiver for alliesâ fabs

By: Bolen C

On: August 25, 2023

In: Asia

The United States government has decided to extend a waiver to allow mainland China-based Taiwanese and South Korean firms to import chip-making equipment for another year from October.

The decision, reported by Nikkei, came ahead of US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo’s August 27-30 trip to China.

This move, together with the US Commerce Department’s recent decision to remove 27 Chinese firms from its unverified list, is welcomed by Beijing.

In early July, Chinese officials held deep talks with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in Beijing and persuaded the Biden administration to reduce to the scope of its investment curbs against China’s high technology sectors.

During Raimond’s visit, Beijing plans to ask Washington to cancel extra tariffs that have been imposed on Chinese steel and aluminium products.

“The essence of Sino-US economic and trade relations is to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results while pushing forward the economic and trade cooperation is in the common interests of the two countries and their peoples,” Shu Yuting, a spokesperson of the Chinese Commerce Ministry, said in a media briefing on Thursday.

“We have noticed some difficulties and challenges in bilateral trade and investment recently, which are closely related to a series of unilateral and protectionist measures implemented by the US,” Shu said. “China will continue to raise relevant economic and trade concerns with the US, and strive to create a fair and stable business environment for companies from both sides to carry out trade and investment cooperation.”

Last October, the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security’s (BIS) said mainland China-based chip fabs that produce logic chips of 16-nm or smaller, DRAM memory chips of 18-nm half-pitch or smaller, or NAND chips with 128 layers or more will have to apply for licenses to purchase items from the US.

At the same time, the Biden administration offered a one-year waiver to allow Taiwanese and South Korean chipmakers, such as TSMC, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, to ship US tools to their mainland fabs without having to apply for a licence. The exemptions were set to expire October this year.

Some analysts said the waiver can help prevent widespread disruption in the global semiconductor supply chain. But some others said the prolonged exemptions will reduce the effectiveness of the US chip export control against China.

In June, US Undersecretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez told an audience at an industry gathering that the government would extend exemptions for South Korean and Taiwanese chip suppliers with their facilities in China.

The Wall Street Journal reported on June 12 that the US government was considering the waiver extension in view of perceptions that it may have underestimated the complexity and effects of isolating China from the production of advanced technology.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration is reportedly monitoring whether US-sanctioned Chinese telecom giant Huawei is constructing facilities under the names of other companies and indirectly purchasing American chip-making equipment in order to bypass US sanctions. Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that Huawei is receiving an estimated US$30 billion in state funding for secretive chip production.

Tin mill steel

In the first seven months of this year, China’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) fell 9.8% to US$111.8 billion from the same period of last year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

For the same period, China’s exports to the US decreased 18.6% to US$281.7 billion, according to the General Administration of Customs. The country’s total exports dropped by 5% to 1.46 trillion. Some economists blamed the slowing economy in the West for the decline.

On August 17, the US Commerce Department said it will set preliminary anti-dumping duties of 122.5% on tin mill steel imported from China, 7.02% on imports from Germany and 5.29% on imports from Canada to protect domestic steelmakers. No duties will be imposed on the steel products imported from Britain, the Netherlands, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey.

China’s duties were higher as a major producer refused to cooperate in the investigation while other respondents could not prove that they were independent of the Chinese government, according to a Commerce Department official.

“This is a major example of the United States’ harsh measures against China’s economy and trade,” Liu Xiaowei, a Hubei-based commentator, says in an article. “A US official said a lack of cooperation of a Chinese company led to an ‘adverse inference’ determination. What kind of hegemonic logic is this?”

Liu adds: “While the US media claimed that Raimondo’s visit is aimed at strengthening communication with Beijing, we should maintain a clear mind and closely monitor the United States’s actions. If the US becomes capricious again after the talks, it is questionable whether Sino-US relations will continue to improve.”

He says China should not place too many hopes on Raimondo’s trip as the Biden administration’s overall China strategy remains confrontational.

WTO’s ruling

In March 2018, then US President Donard Trump ordered the imposition of 25% tariffs on steel imports and 10% tariffs on aluminium imports. The order mainly targeted China. It exempted imports from Canada and Mexico.

In April of the same year, China initiated a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute complaint against the United States’s extra tariffs.

On December 9 last year, the WTO said the US Section 232 tariffs violated its rules because they were not imposed “in time of war or other emergency in international relations.” But on August 16 this year, the WTO said it recognized that the US Section 232 actions on steel and aluminium are security measures, and that China illegally retaliated with sham “safeguard” tariffs.

“China’s decision to pursue this dispute highlights its hypocrisy by both suing the US in the WTO and at the same time unilaterally retaliating with tariffs,” said the Office of the US Trade Representative. “China’s use of the WTO dispute settlement system to challenge the US Section 232 national security actions has caused grave systemic damage to the WTO.”

Wu Xuelan, a TV commentator, says in a recent video that if Washington wants to improve Sino-US relations, it should cancel its additional tariffs imposed on China’s steel and aluminium products. But if the US imposes more sanctions on China after Raimondo’s visit, she says, Beijing may rethink whether Chinese leaders should attend the APEC Summit in San Francisco in November.

Read: Raimondo could ease the tech war while in China

Follow Jeff Pao on Twitter at @jeffpao3

Just getting the job done

By: Barkar Nash

On: August 25, 2023

In: South-East Asia

The new ruling party, Pheu Thai, has made strides when many thought it had suffered a loss of dignity.

A recent news report about Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra leading Pheu Thai stalwarts on a march to the Move Forward Party (MFP) headquarters across the road from their own HQ was met with various reactions from observers — perplexed and stunned among them.

The Pheu Thai team went to see the MFP executives directly to ask the party to vote for Srettha Thavisin, the real estate billionaire, to become the next prime minister.

Mr Srettha this week won support from parliament to become the country’s 30th prime minister.

Having been tipped as a strong contender for the top post, he stood alongside Ms Paetongtarn and Chaikasem Nitisiri, the other two Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidates.

Ms Paetongarn had come across as reluctant to pursue the post after her family reportedly gave her bid lukewarm support.

The family was believed to have grown protective of Ms Paetongtarn and even fearful of her future in politics after watching her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra both flee the country as a result of criminal convictions pertaining to their mishandling of power as prime minister.

Mr Chaikasem was also reported to be less inclined to take on the top job on account of his poor health.

An analyst said Pheu Thai did everything possible to ensure Mr Srettha sailed through the joint parliamentary sitting to become prime minister, and the party clearly succeeded.

The Pheu Thai visit to MFP headquarters on Aug 9 serves as a clear indication of the party pulling out all the stops to get what it wanted. However, the visit instantly drew criticism, with many wondering how the party had the audacity to go to the MFP, after having ditched it barely a month before.

MFP leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, had failed to garner sufficient support from the Senate to clinch the premiership, prompting the MFP to hand the right to lead government formation to Pheu Thai, the second-largest party.

Pheu Thai, seeing that it would hit a dead end trying to establish a government with the MFP in the line-up, decided to dump the party and tore up the memorandum of understanding that committed them to building a government.

The MFP drew sympathy from supporters who chastised Pheu Thai for heartlessly splitting from a partner in the run-up to their “wedding” and losing no time in finding another suitor, in this case, the Bhumjaithai Party.

Pheu Thai’s MFP visit was like rubbing salt in the wound, according to the analyst.

On the other hand, some observers thought the visit indicated Pheu Thai was at its wit’s end in soliciting parliamentary support for Mr Srettha’s prime ministerial bid and had to turn to the MFP for help.

Deputy Pheu Thai leader Phumtham Wechayachai even said his party would apologise to the MFP — if it had to — for abandoning it if that was what it took to move the country forward and get a new government up and running.

Pheu Thai’s approach to the MFP was dismissed by some political watchers as undignified.

However, the analyst said Pheu Thai may have been quite shrewd.

Srettha: Drew 482 backers in PM vote

Reading between the lines, Pheu Thai reaching out to the MFP was a subtle way of asking the latter to return a favour since all 141 Pheu Thai MPs had voted for Mr Pita to become prime minister in parliament.

If the MFP refused to back Mr Srettha’s prime ministerial candidacy, it would create the impression of being a sore loser.

As it turned out, the MFP did just that. It resolved against voting for Mr Srettha’s prime ministerial bid in Tuesday’s joint session and denounced the coming together of parties in the new coalition as being self-interested.

Before that, Pheu Thai had maintained that backing from the MFP would eliminate the need for the Senate to co-elect Mr Srettha as prime minister, thus avoiding meddling in the selection process by what it called the remnants of the dictatorship.

The senators were appointed by the coup-engineer National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), which ousted the Pheu Thai Party-led administration in 2014.

In other words, Pheu Thai was having the MFP believe its vote for Mr Srettha would be a service to democracy, the analyst said.

The MFP, which is set to occupy the opposition benches after vowing not to compromise on its stand to amend the lese majeste law, had been warned that refusing support for Mr Srettha would leave Pheu Thai with no choice but to approach the “uncle” parties — United Thai Nation (UTN) and Palang Pracharath — to join the coalition.

And join the coalition they did.

Even though the combined strength of Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai, which commands 76 House seats, was not enough to nullify the Senate’s influence in the joint PM vote, Pheu Thai received the backing of many senators who retain close ties to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as well as Pralang Pracharath leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon.

Gen Prayut led, and Gen Prawit had a prominent role in the NPCO, which hand-picked the senators.

In Tuesday’s prime ministerial vote, Mr Srettha pulled in 482 of the 747 MP and senator votes to place him securely in the prime minister’s office.

A party riven by division

How Democrat Party MPs voted in the prime minister selection on Tuesday has revealed a much deeper division within its ranks than first thought, according to observers.

Disagreement has built up for weeks within the party over whether it should be part of the coalition being formed by Pheu Thai. The internal row is believed to be the reason why the party twice failed to elect a new executive board and a new leader to succeed Jurin Laksanawisit, who stepped down following the May 14 election.

A group closely linked to acting party secretary-general Chalermchai Sri-on is widely known to be open to joining Pheu Thai’s coalition after the Move Forward Party (MFP) failed to form a government.

Rumour has it that Democrat MP for Songkhla, Dech-it Khaothong, who is also acting deputy leader, flew to Hong Kong to discuss forging a political alliance with deposed prime minister and alleged de facto leader of Pheu Thai, Thaksin Shinawatra, last month.

A deal was reportedly struck in which Mr Chalermchai’s group was promised one ministerial post and one deputy minister post in the soon-to-be-named cabinet in exchange for Democrat support of Pheu Thai’s prime minister candidate.

However, the Democrats failed to elect a new executive board in an Aug 6 meeting due to a lack of quorum, making the party unable to adopt a resolution on whether to enter the coalition. Clearly frustrated, Mr Chalermchai told the media the lack of quorum was not natural and that it was an orchestrated act to undermine party unity.

Due to the leadership vacuum, the Democrat Party is not yet part of the coalition line-up announced on Monday, which preceded the prime minister vote on Tuesday in which Pheu Thai’s Srettha Thavisin won endorsement as prime minister.

The 12-party alliance led by Pheu Thai comprises Bhumjaithai with 71 seats, Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) with 40 seats, United Thai Nation (UTN) with 36 seats, Chartthaipattana (10), Prachachat (9), Pheu Thai Ruamphalang (2), Chartpattanakla (2), Seri Ruam Thai (1), Plung Sungkom Mai (1) and Thai Counties (1).

On selection day, Democrat MPs met to discuss how they should vote and agreed that the best course of action was to abstain as the party had not been offered a place in the new government.

But as it turned out, only six of the 25 MPs toed the party line. Sixteen Democrats were not present in the chamber when their names were called during the vote, letting six colleagues, including Mr Jurin, cast an abstention vote.

After two senior party figures — Chuan Leekpai and Banyat Bantadtan — broke ranks to vote against Mr Srettha, the 16 MPs returned to the chamber and voted for him.

“When we saw Mr Chuan and Mr Banyat break party ranks, we questioned why we should stick to the party’s stance,” said an MP in the group.

It was reported that Mr Chuan and Mr Banyat, who are former Democrat leaders, had asked for party permission to vote against Mr Srettha. According to sources, Mr Dech-it and Nakhon Si Thammarat MP, Chaichana Detdecho, told deputy Pheu Thai leader Phumtham Wechayachai on Monday that their group was ready to vote for Mr Srettha if he could eventually muster the required votes in return for being included in the coalition.

The pair told Mr Phumtham the group would still vote for Mr Srettha even if Pheu Thai managed to mobilise enough support in parliament to successfully push Mr Srettha’s bid for prime minister.

The pair said the group could fill in if Bhumjaithai decided to withdraw over discontent with cabinet seat allocation.

According to a source close to the Democrat group against Mr Srettha’s nomination, Mr Chalermchai’s group is unlikely to rush the selection of a new party leader and board, and any issues requiring a party resolution can be reviewed by the interim executive board.

According to observers, the split means trouble ahead for the country’s oldest political party, and a showdown between the two camps will soon unfold.

“It remains to be seen who will stay with the party and who will be expelled. One has 21 MPs backed by Mr Chalermchai while the other has four, but it is led by Mr Chuan [who is the party’s patriarch],” said an observer.

According to Mr Jurin, the renegade MPs will be called upon to explain their actions at the next party meeting and could be subject to an internal investigation if members call for it.

Chalermchai: Frustrated at lack of unity

PM sets out big plans for Phuket

By: Barkar Nash

On: August 25, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Airport to expand for mega tourism boost

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has pledged to boost tourism in Phuket and expand its airport’s capacity to prepare for a likely surge in international arrivals during the high season in November.

Mr Srettha and members of the Pheu Thai Party’s tourism policy committee — led by Dr Prommin Lertsuridej — visited Phuket on Friday to engage with locals and gather opinions from the private sector to explore ways to promote tourism in the island province.

They are also scheduled to visit Phangnga on Saturday.

At Phuket airport, Mr Srettha and his team met with the airport’s management for a briefing on the expansion of the airport to increase its capacity to cope with the growing number of tourists.

Mr Srettha later met with members of the private sector in Phuket at the Ramada Plaza Chao Fah Phuket Hotel, where they discussed Phuket’s development strategies.

He told the attendees that even though Pheu Thai did not win a single House seat in Phuket, he still attaches huge importance to the island and chose to visit the province first after he was elected prime minister.

“We have to forget about politics but think of the country’s best interests. Pheu Thai does not have a single MP in Phuket.

“But as we know, economic growth during the second quarter was very low at less than 2% while economies in other countries grew considerably. We need to attach importance to the matter,” Mr Srettha said.

He went on to say that tourism will play a crucial role in boosting the economy in the fourth quarter.

“Tourism is the best way to spur growth in the short-term when the economy slows down,” the prime minister said.

“I am here not to give orders but to listen to and gather opinions. The reason I chose to visit Phuket is because I believe tourism will peak in the fourth quarter.

“We are gathering feedback so the Pheu Thai government will know what actions should be taken.

“I want everyone to know that the Pheu Thai government will propel the tourism sector in every dimension, including matters related to airlines, airports, security, visa exemption for some countries and extension of stays so that operators can prepare their business plans in advance,” Mr Srettha said.

He also stressed that Phuket airport needs to be expanded and that Pheu Thai has realised that additional facilities and transport networks must be built to support the airport’s expansion.

“We discussed the matter with the Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Thai Industries. The Pheu Thai-led government has attached particular importance to the issues and is ready to listen to opinions from all sectors in Phuket,” he said.

Speaking on his way to Phuket earlier on Friday, Mr Srettha said he wanted to gather information regarding tourism-related problems in Phuket, particularly pertaining to the airport, so that his team can draw up policies to respond to the needs of Airports of Thailand, which operates Phuket airport and five others: namely Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Mae Fah Luang in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and Hat Yai in Songkhla.

He said that even though China’s economy is slowing down and the Chinese government is not encouraging its citizens to travel abroad, Chinese tourists are still coming to Thailand.

Before Covid, mainland Chinese people were a major portion of international tourists entering the kingdom, with Phuket considered to be the top destination in Thailand for Chinese tourists, he said.

“Phuket is a major source of tourism-related income for Thailand,” the new prime minister added.

Monchai Tanode, director of Phuket airport, said the airport can handle about 40,000 arrivals per day. It handled up to 56,000 during the high season in 2019.

Regarding a project to build an airport in Phangnga, Mr Srettha said he will discuss the matter with the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council but that the project is already part of a master plan.

Commentary: More inclusive housing options for singles a small but still welcome change

By: Marcus Ching

On: August 25, 2023

In: South-East Asia

INCLUDING SINGLES IN THE SINGAPORE STORY

It makes sense to give older singles the shared Singaporean experience of access to affordable housing options nationwide. By doing so, more can become equity stakeholders in the future of the nation, which will in turn promote proper political functioning and sustainable efficiency and growth.

It is also important to include singles because it equips them to care for others in society. As the population ages and family sizes decline, singles are increasingly likely to be on the hook for caring for elderly parents, especially unmarried women.

Giving singles the option to own a home closer to their parents helps, by facilitating more intergenerational transfers of mutual help and care.

How about younger singles who say such housing rules make them feel like they mean less to Singapore than married couples?

Although they are not eligible for the limited supply of HDB flats, there are signs that this group’s needs have also increasingly received policy attention, with the Singapore Land Authority’s recent decision to convert more state-owned buildings to co-living spaces, which will provide more options for temporary living.

Inclusive policies towards singles should not be restricted only to housing. Making access to family care leave more universal for all employees can relieve the burdens on caregivers – regardless of their marital status.

Hence, being considerate of singles’ housing and other needs is not only a matter of respect and fairness, but also works towards a more sustainable solution for the demographic issues ahead.

Tan Poh Lin is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.

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Commentary: More inclusive housing options for singles a small but still welcome change

INCLUDING SINGLES IN THE SINGAPORE STORY