South-East Asia (Page 1,003)

Yesterday, the Customs Department announced its new accomplishments, with three significant narcotics cases brought to light.

These, according to deputy finance minister Julapun Amornvivat, were the result of cooperation between the Customs Department and the Airport Interdiction Task Force ( AITF), a joint force made up of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board ( ONCB) and the Narcotics Suppression Bureau ( NSB ).

Theeraj Athanavanich, producer- standard of the Customers Department, said the first imprisonment was on June 21 when a North American girl, whose identity was withheld, departed from Nairobi, Kenya, for Suvarnabhumi airport.

Officers discovered that she had smuggled 415 grams of heroin by ingesting 35 packs of the substance. Its value, according to authorities, is estimated to be around 1.2 million baht. She was arrested at the airports.

The next case was discovered on June 22 when an AITF group discovered methamphetamine in a package leaving for South Korea at the Suvarnabhumi Post Office.

Inside the piece registered as” snack, milk powders” were 13, 850 meth tablets hidden in two milk flour boxes with a street value of 415, 500 baht.

The second incident occurred on Wednesday when a Thai person was detained before boardboarding a plane from Suvarnabhumi aircraft to Male in the Islands. Her identity was also withheld.

Two taped vinyl bags containing two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, or ya snow, were discovered by the police inside two carry-on bags. The drug’s market price was roughly 2 million ringgit.

According to Mr. Julapun, all three suspects were charged with bringing narcotics into the country and smuggling them, as well as with breaking the Customs Act BE 2560 ( 2017 ).

This month, the Customs Department made arrests in three different scenarios of smuggling dried cannabis flowers at the aircraft. Authorities seized 291.1kg of flowers with a total price of 10.8 million ringgit, he said.

Additionally, the office seized 1,750-gram improper cigarettes valued at more than 30.9 million ringgit. On the import and export statements, the product was labeled as having” steering hands.” It was sent from the United Arab Emirates, and the place was Australia.

100 losing individuals to record a grievance

A winning participant in the Senate vote claimed that there was voter adjustment in the election campaign.

More than 100 candidates who lost in the election will file a complaint with the Election Commission (EC ) to request it to investigate alleged vote rigging, according to Nanthana Nanthawarophas, a senator-elect from a media professional group.

She noted that the applicants with the most seats were seen seated in groups and obstructing communication with another applicants during election.

She claimed that some organizations conspired to rig the effects of some of their votes in order to support a certain group of individuals.

She said,” The EC may look into whether political events were responsible for it.”

Ms. Nanthana stated that she did not want the coupmakers ‘ replacement Senate to remain in office any more because she did not want the EC to completely deny the allegations of cooperation and voting manipulation.

However, she said, the polling place should look into the situation and take legal action against those responsible for alleged anomalies.

She also suggested that people should be able to choose lawmakers in upcoming Senate primaries because it was too complicated and contaminated by fraud allegations.

Somchai Swangkarn, a custodian senator, claimed in a Facebook post that many people had been hired to vote for candidates supported by specific interest groups at the district, municipal, and national levels.

Some individuals running at the neighborhood level were paid 4, 000 ringgit each for membership fees, health inspection fees, travel charges, and image costs, he wrote.

On the eve of the provincial-level poll, Mr. Somchai wrote, they would get another 2, 000 to 3, 000 ringgit to stay in hotels in the provinces.

” But as it happened, these people did not vote for themselves, but rather, almost universally, voted for certain individuals who each ended up among the top 10 getting selected as lawmakers in each of the 20 groupings”, he wrote.

Even though Angkhana Neelapaijit, a former member of the National Human Rights Commission, was a winning member representing a civic society organization, she also managed to win fewer votes than some less well-known winning individuals from Buri Ram, according to Internet Dialogue on Law Transformation (iLaw ) director Yingcheep Atchanont, who also posted on Twitter.

One member from Buri Ram was a previous school director, and the other participant was a previous community health volunteer, both of whom were from Buri Ram, Mr. Yingcheep said.

” They are very high on the list of the top ten with the most vote,” they claim. They gained more seats than Mr Angkhana, who is No. 9 and lower on the list”.

Some electorates appear to be affiliated with the second-largest partnership group.

More than a few of the 200 senators- elect evidently had social group affiliations, notably with the Bhumjaithai Party, a review of the illegal results of Wednesday’s vote shows.

The last inter-group vote for the candidates took place on Wednesday at 8 p.m., and the count ran for an extended period of time until 4.52 a.m. yesterday. A list of 200 legislators- choose ( in Thai ) and 100 prospective competitors has since been released.

Substitutes may be legislators if any elective senators are later disqualified.

The Election Commission stated that it anticipated the release of the standard benefits on July 3, adding that studies into problems and anomalies would definitely want to continue after that time.

Nipon Ekwanit, a previous Phuket MP member from the Bhumjaithai Party, Pibul at Haruehanprakan, a former advisor to a previous hospitality and sporting minister from the same group, and Dr. Praphon Tangsrikiatkul, who served as a vice chancellor under Bhumjaithai head Anutin Charnvirakul while he was health minister in the previous government, are among the electorates on the list.

Another senator- elect was former 4th Army chief Gen Kriangkrai Srirak, chief adviser to Mr Anutin, who is the Interior Minister in the current administration.

Buri Ram, the seat of Bhumjaithai godfather Newin Chidchob, ranked first among all provinces with 14 elected senators, followed by Bangkok with nine, Surin and Ayuthaya with seven each, and Ang Thong, Satun, and Songkhla with six each, according to a Facebook post from Internet Dialogue on Law Reform (iLaw ).

Bhumjaithai is particularly strong in some of the Central and lower Northeast provinces. iLaw noted that in 12 provinces that produced a total of 80 new senators, Bhumjaithai also has MPs.

Other senators- elect include human rights activist Angkhana Neelapaijit, Chulalongkorn University economics lecturer Lae Dilokvidhyarat, former Ang Thong governor Weerasak Wichitsaengsri, former Si Sa Ket governor Thawat Suraban, and Mongkol Surasajja, who served as director- general of the Department of Provincial Administration.

Only a select few civil sector representatives, according to Ms. Angkhana.

Former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, a brother- in- law of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, was not among those elected. Many political observers had anticipated that he would become the speaker of the Senate. ( Story continues below )

Former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, a brother- in- law of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, is not among those elected. ( Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill )

Angkhana Neelapaijit, a former head of the National Human Rights Commission, was among the prominent activists who won a Senate seat. ( Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill )

The new Senate will have 200 representatives from 20 different professions, replacing the 250 coup-appointed senators whose terms ended on May 10 and whose terms ended.

Unlike their predecessors, the new senators will not be empowered to co- elect a prime minister. They will participate in the passage of laws and constitutional amendments. They will also be responsible for appointing independent organizations and monitoring the executive branch’s performance.

Stithorn Thananithichot, director of the Office of Innovation for Democracy at King Prajadhipok’s Institute, told the Bangkok Post that many of the newly elected senators are affiliated with Bhumjaithai.

” In other words, the old power group still holds sway over the new Senate”, he said.

He asserted that the newly created Senate would not be unlike the junta-appointed chamber.

” The majority of the new Senate is governed by those who have ties to the previous Prayut Chan-o-cha government. They have a long history of belonging to the former power group, he claimed.

Move Forward Party leader Chaithawat Tulathon demanded on Thursday that all 200 winning candidates be endorsed first and disqualified later if there is proof of any poll fraud.

Any delay in the approval process will make it more likely that the caretaker Senate will serve, he noted.

The 2013-2014 Bangkok Shutdown demonstrations and coworkers will file an appeal with the Supreme Court.

Suthep Thaugsuban’s lawyer Sawat Charoenpol claims that the court of appeal on Thursday ordered his prison sentence commuted from five years to one year without a suspended jail sentence. He was found guilty of leading the People’s Democratic Reform Committee ( PDRC ) protest in the Bangkok Shutdown operation in early 2014.

The Criminal Court read the decision on Thursday. The public prosecutor indicted 39 PDRC key members, led by&nbsp, Mr Suthep, on a ship of charges including engaging to commit crime, violence, inciting people to join them in the opposition, unlawful assemblage and causing public disturbances. &nbsp,

The team’s Bangkok Shutdown activity occurred during the PDRC’s rally in the capital in early 2014, and some polling stations were obstructed during the general election on February 2, 2014, which was later declared invalid by the Constitutional Court. &nbsp,

The lower jury found 26 PDRC key people and leaders not guilty of trying to erode the constitutional monarchy, which is considered crime, on February 24, 2021. Additionally, the plaintiffs did not engage in violence. &nbsp,

But, they were judged innocent of provocation, unlawful assembly and other costs, according to the jury. They had persuaded the general public to abandon their jobs and visit the Bangkok Shutdown activity. The plaintiffs were given a five-year suspension order to have their social privileges suspended. &nbsp, &nbsp,

The remaining accused lost the lower court decision although they were determined to have been individuals, no leaders, of the opposition, who committed minor offences and deserved a chance to redeem themselves. Their varying prison sentences were given a two-year suspension by the judge. &nbsp,

Mr. Sawat reported on Thursday that the Appeal Court had commuted the prison sentences for the 26 PDRC’s base members and leaders. &nbsp,

Mr. Suthep said when he arrived at the court on Thursday that he complied with the judge’s order and that he had prepared in case he had to spend some time in jail following Thursday’s ruling.

Following the reading of the decision, Mr. Suthep and 13 different plaintiffs filed appeals with the Supreme Court. According to reports, Mr. Suthep was released on bail.

Thailand’s position unchanged on US monthly statement but agencies stepping up sufferer protection

The Ministry of Labour has made significant progress in improving its capacity to prevent prostitution of persons for workers but more can be done, says Pairoj Chotikasathien, the agency’s continuous minister.

He was commenting on the launch of the 2024 Trafficking in People Report&nbsp, by the US state, on which Thailand remains on Level 2 for the second consecutive year.

Since being removed from the Tier 2 watch list three years ago, the Thai government has made significant efforts to improve its performance, according to the report, but it has n’t yet fully met the minimum requirements for eradicating trafficking.

Mr. Pairoj said the United States had advised Thai organizations to enhance their efforts to locate and protect victims of labor oppression when they return to the country.

According to the Ministry of Labour, the National Referral Mechanism ( NRM ) should be in place and victim identification centers that are focused on victims ‘ psychological trauma. Authorities on the front lines may be trained to adhere to the same rules as victims.

In the fish market, laws governing labor protection should also be put in place. According to the report, sea-based transfers may be prohibited, and options for digital payments should be made available to employees.

One of the three major organizations, according to Mr. Pairoj, is Thailand’s Ministry of Labour, which is charged with preventing and combating people prostitution.

According to him, the government has made significant progress in recent years in strengthening the capacity of the Secretariat of the Command Center of Prevention on Labour Prostitution to streamline operations and advance protection laws.

Standard operating procedures were even put in place to improve the ability of law enforcement in prostitution cases.

He explained that the government has increased the number of labor inspectors to focus on at-risk groups like migrant workers, baby labor, and those employed in the fishery industry, adding that this was done to ensure that workers receive legal protection that is compliant with global standards.

He claimed that the ministry is collaborating with other organizations to strengthen the Port-In-Port-Out ( PIPO ) Control Centers in 22 coastal provinces. Additionally, it has inspired private companies to work with US organizations in the protection sector and uphold good labor practices.

” I’d like to applaud representatives from all sectors for their work and commitment in tackling all forms of human trafficking,” he said.

According to Labor Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, who has given instructions to all important organizations to work harder to stop people smuggling in the nation,