South-East Asia (Page 1,353)

The infamous Golden Triangle region’s Office of the Attorney-General ( OAG ) has successfully negotiated with Switzerland regarding assets that were discovered to be linked to drug lord Wei Hsueh Kang’s network.

According to an OAG cause, Deputy Attorney-General Jumpon Phansumrit ratified the asset-sharing agreement on Saturday in accordance with the attorney-general’s instructions.

Thailand did receive network assets for 1.88 million European francs, or 76.8 million ringgit, with potential profit as a result of the agreement.

After the Anti-Money Laundering Office ( Amlo ) inspected the assets of a suspect suspected of being connected to the Wei’s network in the Golden Triangle region, the negotiations broke off.

Additionally, one investigation revealed that the suspect had some assets to loan at a banks in Switzerland. The attorney-general, who serves as a representative under the Mutual Assistance In Criminal Matters Act, was then urged by Amlo to capture the drug goods deposited in Switzerland.

The Supreme Court sentenced a think to a sentence in 2016 for breaking Parts 3, 60, and 61 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

The Special Litigation Office’s attorneys then requested the Civil Court’s assent to capture the suspect’s property in connection with drug working. The judge ruled in 2017 to capture the remaining possessions and the income from those deposited in Switzerland.

The OAG requested in 2018 to ask the arrest of the drug assets from Switzerland. On the basis of foreign property posting, Switzerland evaluated the situation.

Eventually, the government made a decision to appoint the OAG to lead Thailand ambassadors in 2021’s negotiations with Switzerland. Representatives from Amlo, the finance ministry, and the foreign affairs ministry also made up the staff.

The situation demonstrated how successfully the OAG was able to retrieve drug possession records stored abroad. According to Amlo, the integration between the OAG, Amlo, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance, as well as European lawyers and justice officers was a success. It expressed gratitude to all concerned organizations, and it pledged to work on more convulsions.

Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai claims that Thailand has apologized to India for insulting remarks made by an embassy about India’s corn trade policy at the current 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization in the United Arab Emirates.

The Indian government’s minister of commerce issued a written apology, as well as a declaration underscoring that the president’s notes did not represent the Thai government’s position on the subject, according to him.

According to Mr. Phumtham, the American part had also reacted to the Thai government’s apologies by saying it applauded the government’s swift action in response to what occurred.

He added that despite the setback, both countries do maintain robust relations and that the government would like to bless India for accepting the explanation.

Thailand’s WTO adviser, Pimchanok Vonkorpon Pitfield, has been called back as a result of the event.

Ms. Pimchanok allegedly claimed that India exported 40 % of the grain produced for home use while she was in the UAE, which Indian officials claimed was factually incorrect.

At a later ministerial conference where she was present, India’s committee expressed strong sorrow over the remarks and staged a boycott of the discussions.

India exports the most corn, ahead of Thailand and Vietnam, according to a Times of India record.

According to the state, the state recently restricted non-basmati grain exports in a bid to lower home prices.

According to the report, India has been looking for a solution with the WTO regarding payment hats, which are based on pricing established between 1986 and 1988 because prices have exceeded the maximum production value cap of 10 % for permitted levels of support for procurement for its food program.

The event in the UAE came to an end on Saturday with a momentary expansion of an e-commerce embargo, but without anticipated agreements on crops and fisheries.

To pencil up talks, the World Trade Organization needs to have complete agreement from all people.

Thani al-Zeyoudi, the UAE representative at the meeting, acknowledged the deficiencies.

Mr. Thani, who likewise serves as the United Arab Emirates ‘ foreign trade minister, said,” Despite our best efforts, we failed to reach agreement on some texts that are of great importance to many of our users.”

Blind legislator known for work to improve rights of people with disabilities

Senator Monthian Buntan has died at the age of 58, the Office of the Senate Secretariat said on Saturday.

Additional details regarding the cause of death and funeral arrangements were not immediately available.

Known for his work to improve the rights of people with disabilities, Monthian was the first disabled Thai, and the first in Asean, to serve on the UN Committee on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) from 2013-16.

Born on May 2, 1965 to a farm family in the northern province of Phrae, Monthian attended a school for the blind before enrolling at Montfort College in Chiang Mai.

He obtained a bachelor’s degree in Humanities from Chiang Mai University and received a scholarship to study music at St. Olaf College and the University of Minnesota.

Monthian worked as a lecturer at Ratchasuda College of Mahidol University, and served as an assistant manager to Digital Accessible Information System (DAISy) project.

He served as chairman of the Thailand Association of the Blind since 1998. He was appointed as a senator in 2007, 2011 and 2019. He was also named a member of the National Legislative Assembly in 2014.

Monthian was married to Yumi Shiraishi, whom he met in 1997 while studying in the US.

Promotion of northern province aligns with medical tourism plans, says health minister

Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew plans to promote his home province of Nan as a health city prototype, emphasising universal design for accessibility, particularly for the elderly and those with disabilities.

Promoting the northern province as a health city is part of the government’s effort to make Thailand a wellness and medical hub, he said at a seminar held on Saturday by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Nan Municipality and other groups.

The project focuses on four aspects: fashioning the country as a medical hub, health and wellness tourism, tourism for all, and equality in an ageing society.

Dr Cholnan said Thailand has already become an ageing society, with the proportion of senior citizens estimated at more than 13 million, accounting for 20% of the population.

The number of people with disabilities, meanwhile, has also increased to over 2.1 million, or 3% of the population, he said.

The minister said the project aligns with the national strategy of 2018-37 to improve Thailand’s competitiveness on the global stage by developing a wide variety of ways to draw tourists.

Target groups include elderly travellers, patients, those with disabilities, and those in need of special care such as pregnant women.

“It is also important the universal design be urgently initiated to accommodate and ensure safety for these groups of tourists,” said the minister, a native of Wiang Sa district in Nan.

Nan is one of the 10 prototype cities in Thailand to have developed facilities in public places and various tourist attractions according to a universal design concept, ThaiHealth director Pongtep Wongwatcharapaiboon said.

Dr Pongtep added that Wat Phumin, a 400-year-old temple in Nan, is one of the first tourist sites to feature a universal design that includes well-connected wheelchair ramps and elevators to the temple hall.

Krisana Lalai, president of the Friendly Design Foundation for All People, said a universal design must comply with seven principles: equitable use, flexibility, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space appropriation.

The scheme will expand to Udon Thani, Rayong, Phitsanulok, Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi and Songkhla in the future.

No timeline was immediately available, nor figures on its contribution to growth.

Supharada Kandissayakul, manager of the Nan Old City Tourism Administration, said the office plans to develop the Nai Wiang area, ranked among the top 100 best tourist attractions in the world from 2020-23, into a green destination under global sustainable tourism criteria.

“To achieve such a status, we must present the long-preserved heritage as an old city as well as enable access to all people,” she said.

The authorities are also planning to propose to the coming mobile cabinet meeting that Nan be nominated as a Unesco Creative City.

“One of the province’s tourism themes — ‘liveable crafts and folk art for all’ — is evidence that Nan can compete for the World Heritage Award. In terms of environment-friendliness, Nan also has several green hotels, restaurants and temples,” Ms Supharada said.

An estimated 1.57 million visitors, 15,997 of whom were foreign tourists, visited Nan last year, generating around 4.4 billion baht in revenue.

But foreign minister cancels scheduled address without explanation

Thai parliamentarians opened a seminar on Saturday on the political situation in Myanmar, including opponents of the neighbouring country’s military government, despite the junta’s objection.

“What we are doing today is the first step in bringing a variety of stakeholders to talk to each other,” said Move Forward Party member Rangsiman Rome, head of the House committee on national security, which organised the two-day event.

“It will pave the way for a political solution for Myanmar that is peaceful and sustainable.”

Speakers include senior figures in Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government (NUG) and ethnic armed organisations, but no representative from the Myanmar government.

Myanmar’s foreign ministry said in a letter seen by Reuters that it “strongly objects” to parliament hosting the seminar, saying it “creates negative impacts” on bilateral relations.

It asked the Thai government to tell parliament not to hold “any activity that could hinder the ongoing cordial ties”.

Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara was scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the seminar but cancelled at the last minute without any explanation.

The Myanmar military spokesman did not respond to a call seeking comment. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs also declined to comment.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power from an elected government in a 2021 coup.

Thailand wants to lead a humanitarian initiative by working with the Myanmar military and other groups that would pave way for talks between the warring camps.

The “Three Years After the Coup” seminar is at odds with the Thai government’s preference for engagement with the junta, said Dulyapak Preecharush, a Southeast Asian studies scholar at Thammasat University.

“The parliamentary committee platform has opened up more space for pro-democracy groups,” Mr Dulyapak said.

Online plea for help issued after man appeared confused in video call to family

An effort is under way online to help find a Thai man who apparently went missing in Osaka, Japan.

A Facebook user identified as Nitikorn Pobsuk posted a message on Saturday on Thai in Japan, an online group for independent travellers, saying his older brother had been spotted in the Shinsaibashi area of Osaka with blonde-streaked hair, wearing shorts and dragging luggage. His name was not disclosed in the post.

Efforts by Thais in the area to locate the man based on the description provided were unsuccessful.

The post included a photo of the missing man in a winter coat, along with a statement that the Thai Embassy in Osaka, local police and hospitals have been notified.

The Thai was last seen by fellow travellers on Tuesday, after which he only contacted his travel mates via the Line mobile application. He was scheduled to meet them at Kansai airport in Osaka.

Checks of his mobile devices have not yielded any information on his location, but his hotel, Namba Ebisu, confirmed that he had checked out on Thursday.

The man last contacted his family on a video call from the Shin-Imamiya train station but appeared confused, they said. During the call, he said he did not have any cash and needed to find an ATM. He disappeared before checking in for his flight at Kansai airport.

One commenter expressed concern that Mr Nitikorn’s brother may no longer have his mobile phone, as he cannot be contacted.

Several Thai people in Osaka have announced that they are joining in the search, and the post has also been translated into Japanese so local residents may also assist.

Online plea for help issued after man failed to show up for flight

A Thai man whose disappearance in Osaka prompted an online plea for help has been located, his brother said on Saturday afternoon.

Nitikorn Pobsuk said that his brother had just contacted their mother.

“He’s currently in an emergency room at a hospital in Osaka,” Mr Nitikorn wrote on Facebook. “He’s conscious and able to follow initial instructions.”

No further details were provided.

Mr Nitikorn had posted a message earlier on Saturday on Thai in Japan, an online group for independent travellers, saying his older brother had been spotted in the Shinsaibashi area of Osaka with blonde-streaked hair, wearing shorts and dragging luggage. His name was not disclosed.

Initial efforts by Thais in the area to locate the man based on the description provided were unsuccessful.

The man was last seen by fellow travellers on Tuesday, after which he only contacted his travel mates via the Line mobile application. He was scheduled to meet them at Kansai airport in Osaka.

Checks of his mobile devices did not yield any information on his location, but his hotel, Namba Ebisu, confirmed that he had checked out on Thursday.

The man last contacted his family on a video call from the Shin-Imamiya train station but appeared confused, they said. During the call, he said he did not have any cash and needed to find an ATM. He disappeared before checking in for his flight at Kansai airport.

Several Thai people in Osaka said earlier that they were joining in the search, and the post was also translated into Japanese so local residents could assist.