Disgraced ex-police chief of Saudi jewels case fame dies

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PUBLISHED : 26 Nov 2023 at 05:06

Chalor Kerdthes, the ex-police commissioner convicted of murder in connection with the high-profile Saudi royal jewellery theft case almost three decades ago, died on Friday at the age of 85.

He died at Maharaj Hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima of heart failure. Born on Aug 28, 1938 in Bangkok, Chalor was the child of Lt Col Chaem and Thongkum Kedthes.

A graduate of the 15th class of the Royal Police Cadet Academy, after rising through the ranks he was promoted to deputy commander of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), commander of Phitsanulok provincial police, and Royal Thai Police Department chief. He was also a national football team manager and the chairman of the National Football Association.

He first rose to prominence when he took part in “The Blue Diamond Affair”, the name given to the 1989 stolen Saudi jewellery case. He and seven other people were charged in 1993 with malfeasance and conspiracy to steal the missing Saudi royal jewels; and with abuse of authority, after being implicated in the abduction of gems trader Santi Srithanakhan and the abduction and murder of Santi’s wife and son.

In 2006, the Appeals Court sentenced him to death, after the Criminal Court earlier sentenced him to life. He also lost his police rank. The sentence was reduced to life imprisonment after he received a royal pardon in 2010, cut to 50 years in 2011. He was released from jail in 2013 after his sentence suspended due to his paralysis.

Chalor was married to Surang Phonlasup, and they had three children. His funeral rite is being held at Subthawee Dhammaram Monastery in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Wang Namkhieo district until Dec 2.

Chalor: Granted a pardon

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43% spike in Malaysia’s divorce cases last year due to effects of COVID-19 lockdown, experts say

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MUSLIM MARRIAGES: POLYGAMY AND THE THREE “TALAK”

Lawyers told CNA that Muslim women who may have been mistreated in polygamous marriages may decide that a divorce would be the best course of action. 

In Malaysia, polygamy is allowed for Muslims and permission must be granted by the Shariah courts. 

“Some men (in a polygamous marriage) may not really invest time, energy and effort into the first or second wife when there is a third and fourth to look after.

“In those kind of scenarios, the older wives may not want to tolerate it anymore (and seek) other options such as being independent. They know their rights and they seek a share of the assets or maintenance,” Ms Goh told CNA. 

She added that she has handled cases where the second wife is made to be the “wealth generator” while the husband does not not contribute to the marriage. 

“I see sometimes the husband ‘goyang kaki’ (idles) and the wives are the ones looking after the house and working because they have to put food on the table and put the kids through school. And these wives are sometimes abused physically, sexually and emotionally,” said Ms Goh. 

“So these women (decide that) this is not acceptable and say ‘I would rather be independent and be free of all this abuse’ than to be in an unhappy and abusive marriage.” 

Sisters In Islam – a local civil organisation which promotes women’s rights within the framework of Islam – noted in its 2021 findings that the top concern raised by women in a polygamous marriage was that their husbands did not provide them any maintenance. 

Data gathered from the organisation’s legal clinic also found that the second most recurring issue was that their husbands had entered a polygamous marriage without their permission, followed by unregistered polygamy.

Mr Gomez noted that in civil marriages, couples can only seek a divorce after two years of marriage. Meanwhile, Muslim men are allowed to declare the “talak” three times for an immediate divorce. 

The utterance of the word “talak”, which means to release or untie in Arabic, is a method of divorce recognised by the Shariah court, though Islamic law varies from state to state. In the east coast state of Terengganu, for example, the declaration of the “talak” must be made thrice in court for the divorce to be recognised. 

Ms Jazzmine Khoo, a managing partner at Jazzmine Khoo & Associates, also noted the quick process for a Muslim divorce.

“A Muslim (couple) … can get a divorce done within a short amount of time – a few hours only or less than that. (Meanwhile), a non-Muslim divorce would still need a few months to get done,” she said.

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Commentary: No matter how controversial they are, no online personality deserves to be trolled

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A FINE LINE BETWEEN TROLLING AND CALLING SOMEONE OUT

For trolls, it is easy to feel a sense of moral superiority over infamous figures who have online forums and wikis chronicling their eccentric behaviour. Consequently, with such wide coverage, some trolls may even develop parasocial relationships with their target, believing they know them and can judge their character.

A vicious cycle forms when trolls feel justified in provoking an online figure, and the online figure keeps rising to the bait.

But I believe there is a fine line between trolling and calling out outlandish behaviour that could be criminal or harmful to others. It boils down to intentionality: Calling out someone is driven by the desire to protect them, while trolling is done to hurt and demean the people being targeted.

Internet personalities, no matter how controversial, do not deserve to be treated cruelly. No one does.

In the hyper-connected world we live in, entertainment in the form of pseudo-real-world drama is easily available on social media. Controversy fuels outrage, debates and everything in between, which makes us feel a part of something larger than ourselves.

This discourse is not inherently negative but can be harnessed for good as long as we remember to be kind, respectful, and constructive when engaging with people online.

Dr Jonathan Kuek is a mental health researcher and co-founder of Total Wellness Initiative Singapore, a prevention-oriented health and wellness social enterprise that aims to encourage people to be more proactive with their well-being.

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Singapore’s public hospital bed crunch: Are radical solutions needed?

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Whether the surgery is done on an inpatient or outpatient basis, the professional fees, such as for the surgeon and the anaesthetist, the facility fee for the operating theatre and the price of the medicines are the same, said Lim.

But when patients have outpatient surgeries, “they and their families will incur some of the costs of food, of basic nursing — someone needs to be with the patient during at least the first 12, 18 hours”.

Hospitals and insurers, meanwhile, save “substantial monies” when there is no inpatient stay. This is why Lim thinks insurers and the state-administered MediShield Life should channel these savings to cover essentials such as food.

“Family leave could be extended,” he added. “First-degree relatives, or even beyond that, can be given time off, mandated under the law, to take care of their family members.

“We have to make it easy for patients and their families to do the right thing.”

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‘Safe zone’ can help prevent violence

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PUBLISHED : 26 Nov 2023 at 04:13

'Safe zone' can help prevent violence
Taking a stand: A woman puts up a sticker under the topic ‘human trafficking’ as the most violent crime committed against women during the ‘Our Voice, Our Choice’ campaign. The activity was held to mark the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women at the Union Mall in Bangkok on Saturday.

Civil society groups are urging authorities to aggressively enforce the law against criminals who commit violence against women and children and designate a safe zone in each community to protect young people.

Plan International and eight allies, including the Asean Children Foundation Thailand (CFT), the Lanna Children Rights Coalition (LCRC) and the Child Rights Coalition Asia (CRC Asia), on Saturday organised “The Power of Children, Youth and Women — 16 days of Activism against Gender-based Violence” event to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Woman.

Sudawadee Limpaibul, Programme Innovation and Impact Director of Plan International, said women and children are the main victims of violence committed by other family members.

One-third of Thai women are victims of the violence, she said. They encounter violence that stems from inequity in society, gender bias cultivated by culture and the notion that women should bear the blame for poor marital relations.

Ms Sudawadee said that aside from physical violence, young people, including children, also face harsh words. They need a safe space to feel secure enough to freely express their thoughts and opinions without fear.

“Having a safe zone is important to them. We have worked with many children and found they are afraid of violence, especially LGBTQ children whose families are not happy with who they are,” she said.

The Pareena Foundation said that last year it had received 6,745 complaints of violence, with 944 involving sexual assault or harassment. A total of 381 victims were girls aged 10 to 15 years old, and the wrongdoers were generally family members.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also found that last year over 45,000 children and women around the world had been killed by family members, the foundation said.

Amara Pongsapit, Thai representative to the Asean Commission on Human Rights, said Thailand has promoted the rights of women and children. The issue was highlighted in the Asean Convention on Human Trafficking to protect women and children against criminals, she said.

Asean also has been moving forward by increasing its capacity to protect women and children, especially online. Going forward, Asean will draft guidelines to protect them on digital platforms, she said. Singapore will host a meeting on the matter next year, she said.

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Sixth ‘Bangkok Post’ editor, Bandhit, dies aged 85

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PUBLISHED : 26 Nov 2023 at 04:00

Former Bangkok Post editor Bandhit Rajavatanadhanin has died at 85 of natural causes, his family said.

Apart from being editor of the Post, he was also the honorary president of the Confederation of Asean Journalists (CAJ). His funeral rites began on Friday and will last until Thursday at Wat Rat Bamrung on Phetkasem 69 Road in Bang Kae district.

Born in tambon Yaicha of Sam Phran district in Nakhon Pathom on June 4, 1938, Bandhit started at the Post on Nov 3, 1963, while he was a fourth-year student at Thammasat University’s Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy.

He said he was the youngest of 18 employees of the newspaper, which at that time cost 1.50 baht on the newsstands.

His main focus was economic news but he also covered other fields of news, except for sport. After spending 10 years as a business reporter, he was made an editor of the Business section before rising to editor of the Post itself in 1989. Bandhit was its sixth editor since the Post was founded in 1946.

“Being appointed editor was the proudest moment in my professional life as a journalist,” he said in 2016.

He worked for the Post for almost 35 years. Respected and loved by many colleagues, he was seen as a considerate person who relished helping people. He had the relentless spirit of being a journalist which could be a role model for other journalists, his colleagues say.

He served as president of the Thai Journalists Association four times from 1988 to 1992 and the president of CAJ from 1993 to 1994.

Bandhit: Proudest moment

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Ministers stand up for women in new video

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PUBLISHED : 26 Nov 2023 at 04:00

Five ministers yesterday launched a video campaign to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Deputy government spokeswoman Rudklao Suwankiri said the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) released a clip of five women who are ministers taking a stand against violence.

In the clip, Industry Minister Pimphattra Wichaikul said violence at the workplace poses a silent threat to women as most victims are reluctant to speak out due to fear of being humiliated and a loss of job security.

“It is everyone’s responsibility to help each other out. I know everyone is afraid, but if we have the courage to protect our colleagues, it will be a good start. I urge everyone to stop harassment in the workplace,” said Ms Pimphattra.

Prime Minister’s Office Minister Phuangphet Chunla-iad said domestic violence in which most victims are women and children puts families at risk.

The government would revise the laws to increase protection of the weak and vulnerable, said Ms Phuangphet.

Tourism and Sports Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol said women-only travel groups and family holidays are fast gaining in popularity. However, people still need to be wary of danger when going out in unfamiliar places.

Ms Sudawan also urged Thais to welcome tourists and provide them with assistance.

Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Minister Supamas Isarabhakdi said bullying in school remains prevalent and the solution should start with families educating their young on how to behave.

The ministers also urged those who witness violence against women to call the 191 police emergency hotline, 1584 passenger protection centre hotline, 1300 social assistance centre hotline or 1155 tourist police hotline.

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Ten Thai hostages relieved to get freedom as PM says thanks

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Ten Thai hostages relieved to get freedom as PM says thanks
FREEDOM, at last: Ten Thai nationals, including one woman, take a group photo with Thai embassy staff at the Shamir Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel, after they were released by the Hamas group.

The government has expressed its gratitude to all sides taking part in negotiations which led to the release on Friday of the first 10 Thai nationals being held hostage by Hamas.

It is also promising to speed up efforts seeking the release of the other 20 Thais being held by the terror group.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said he would like to thank all concerned, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the governments of Qatar, Israel, Iran, Egypt and Malaysia and security agencies led by the chief of the defence forces, Gen Songwit Noonpakdi.

Gen Songwit has worked closely with various international organisations, which led to the release of the 10 Thai hostages.

They are Ms Natthawaree Mulkan, Santi Boonphrom, Boonthom Phankhong, Mongkhol Prachuapboon, Withoon Phumee, Wichai Kalapat, Bancha Kongmanee, Buddee Saengboon, Uthai Thungsri and Uthai Saengnuan.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara will pick them up in Israel and take them home, said Mr Srettha.

Some need medical care so it was unclear when they would get home. They were kidnapped in the Oct 7 attacks on Israel.

Officials from the Thai embassy in Tel Aviv visited the Thais at Shamir Medical Center on Friday after Hamas freed them, said Mr Parnpree.

They underwent health check-ups at the hospital. One man had sustained ear injuries which require treatment, while the rest are healthy. What they needed most was a shower, reportedly.

They are to stay at the hospital for 48 hours under close observation by Israeli doctors, according to the MFA. All will be entitled to benefits as victims of terrorism under Israeli law.

Both Mr Srettha and Mr Parnpree confirmed yesterday that negotiations with Hamas are continuing via Qatar, Iran and Egypt for the release of the other Thai hostages.

Mr Parnpree said four of the 10 released on Friday had not been identified by the Israeli authorities as being held captive by Hamas before, meaning the actual number of Thais detained by Hamas was 30, not 26 as previously thought.

With 10 of them now released, 20 are still are being held, he said.

The MFA on Friday congratulated Israel and Hamas for reaching an agreement on a pause in the war triggered by the attack to allow humanitarian aid to get into Gaza and the release of the hostages as requested by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

In Khon Kaen, the mother of the female hostage released by Hamas, breathed a sigh of relief upon learning the news, calling it a miracle.

Boonyarin Srichan, 56, a resident of tambon Khok Samran in Ban Haed district, burst into tears of joy after the MFA confirmed that her daughter and son-in-law, Natthawaree Mulkan, 35, and her husband Boonthom Phankhong, 45, were among those released.

“I am so happy I can’t sleep. When I saw a photo sent by a friend of my daughter, I breathed a sigh of relief. Both my daughter and son-in-law are safe and look healthy,” Ms Boonyarin said.

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