South-East Asia (Page 1,355)

Drug shipment was bound from Suphan Buri for Songkhla

CHUMPHON – Highway police seized almost 2 million methamphetamine pills in a major bust on Saturday morning.

The Chumphon Highway Police Division said it received a tip about a significant drug trafficking operation moving contraband to the southern region. Upon learning that a white Toyota Yaris was involved, officers set up a checkpoint in tambon Thung Ka.

When they stopped the suspected vehicle to search it, they uncovered several bricks bound in black plastic bags in three sacks hidden behind the driver’s seat. Two more sacks were found in the boot of the car.

On removing the contents of the bricks, police counted 1.998 million speed pills. This led the two occupants of the car — identified only as Siwaporn, 28, and Chompoonuch, 32 — to confess that they had rented the car in Suphan Buri and were headed to meet a buyer in Songkhla.

Police later discovered that another car was involved in the operation. They managed to coordinate with colleagues to stop that vehicle in Ratchaburi and arrest two more people. 

The two — identified as Sarawut, 31, and Worapol, 29 — explained that they were serving as lookouts and guides for the first car but broke off when they found that the Yaris had been spotted, hoping to escape to a nearby home.

Court says activist Arnon Nampa, facing 13 other charges under Section 112, is a flight risk

The Court of Appeal has denied a bail request from prominent activist and lawyer Arnon Nampa, who is appealing his four-year sentence for violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lese-majeste law.

The decision was reported by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday morning.

The organisation said the court reasoned that after considering the severity of the charge and the behaviour of the defendant, it was seen that the actions of Mr Arnon had caused too much detriment to the constitutional monarchy.

The court took the view that due to the four-year prison sentence handed down by a lower court, it was likely the defendant would attempt to flee if allowed to be released on bail.

The court also ruled against a request by Mr Arnon for it to review witnesses in his case, stating that the evidence was sufficient to support the earlier ruling and no further review was required.

Mr Arnon’s lawyer, Krisadang Nutcharus, said he would consult with his client on whether to make another bail request or appeal the order to the Supreme Court.

The Criminal Court on Sept 26 sentenced Mr Arnon, an attorney with TLHR, to four years in prison and a fine of 20,000 baht for violating Section 112. The conviction stemmed from his appearance and statements made to a gathering at Victory Monument in Bangkok on Oct 14, 2020.

While waiting for the decision of the appeals court, Mr Arnon was detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison.

TLHR had earlier expressed confidence that bail would be granted as Mr Arnon showed no likelihood of fleeing or violating the terms of his earlier release on bail. The group also noted he is the father of two children.

Mr Arnon, 39, is widely known for taboo-breaking speeches during pro-democracy protests in 2020 during which he called for public debate on the role of the monarchy.

Section 112 carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years for each perceived insult of the monarchy. Mr Arnon is facing 13 other charges under the same section.

According to data from TLHR to Aug 31 this year, 1,925 people have been prosecuted for political participation and expression since the beginning of the Free Youth protests in July 2020. At least 257 are facing lese-majeste charges under Section 112 and 130 have been charged with sedition under Section 116.

Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol succeeds retiring Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas

His Majesty the King has endorsed the appointment of Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol as the new national police chief.

The announcement was published in the Royal Gazette on Saturday

His Majesty issued a a royal command ordering Pol Gen Torsak to leave the post of deputy national police chief and take up the position as national police chief. The appointment takes effect on Oct 1. The royal command was countersigned by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, according to the Royal Gazette.

On Wednesday, the Police Commission approved the appointment of Pol Gen Torsak to succeed Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, who retires on Sept 30.

Pol Gen Torsak was fourth in seniority among the four job contenders. The other candidates were Pol Gen Roy Ingkapairote, the most senior, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, the second-most senior, and Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet.

Born in Phetchaburi in 1964, Pol Gen Torsak obtained a bachelor’s degree in political science from Thammasat University and started his career as an employee at Caltex Oil Thailand.

After taking a training course in law, political science and public administration, he set his sights on a police career, joining the force in 1997 as a deputy inspector with the Patrol and Special Operations Division, known as the 191 Police.

He was later transferred to the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) and then the Tourist Police Bureau before returning to the CSD.

He served as commander of the Police Royal Guards 904 Division before becoming a deputy chief and then chief of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB).

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Two teenage girls, aged 13 and 15, have been arrested for allegedly murdering a 15-year-old schoolgirl by forcibly drowning her in a pond in Bua Yai district. The incident was reportedly fuelled by jealousy after the victim became close to a boyfriend of one of the suspects.

Pol Col Thatchaphon Songsaeng, chief of Bua Yai police station, and officers conducted a crime re-enactment at Bueng Hua Yai pond on Saturday with the two suspects, whose names have been withheld). Angry residents gathered at the scene to put a curse on them.  

The arrest took place on Friday after police examined closed-circuit camera footage, showing the two suspects arriving at the victim’s house in Bua Yai on a motorcycle on Wednesday evening.  They then took the girl to the pond, where her body was found floating on Thursday morning. 

Police take the two suspects to Bueng Bua Yai pond in Bua Yai district, Nakhon Ratchasima, where the 15-year-old girl was found dead after being forcibly drowned in the water by two teenage girls. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)

According to a police investigation, the two girls engaged in a heated quarrel with the victim, who was a Mathayom Suksa 3 (Grade 9) student at a school in Bua Yai, upon learning of her closeness to one of the suspects’ boyfriend. The altercation escalated, leading to the suspects forcibly drowning her in the pond, resulting in her death from suffocation.

The victim’s tearful mother and relatives held a ritual rite at the crime scene to invoke her soul to return home, following local beliefs.

Psychologists will be called in by the police to jointly question the teenage suspects in the coming days.

PHRAE: Forest runoff in this northern province caused the derailment of a train early on Saturday morning, resulting in minor injuries.

At 5.48am, authorities reported that Special Express Train 13, en route from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, derailed as it passed through Phrae.

Three train carriages, including the locomotive, a baggage car, and a sleeper car, derailed after being struck by runoff from the forest.

The incident resulted in minor injuries to one passenger, who has since been transferred to another train and continued travel.

The 8/102 line has been temporarily suspended, while efforts are made to recover the derailed cars.