South-East Asia – Page 1359

Lawyer jailed for lese-majeste denied bail

On: September 30, 2023

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

PUBLISHED : 30 Sep 2023 at 15:18

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.

HM King endorses national police chief

By: Barkar Nash

On: September 30, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol succeeds retiring Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas

PUBLISHED : 30 Sep 2023 at 14:31

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).

Clooney Foundation honours Thai activist lawyers

By: Barkar Nash

On: September 30, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights receives Democracy Defenders Award at star-studded gala

PUBLISHED : 30 Sep 2023 at 14:20

NEWSPAPER SECTION: News

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) has received an award from the Clooney Foundation for Justice for its work on behalf of democracy activists and others facing legal harassment and persecution.

TLHR was one of six individuals and organisations worldwide honoured at The Albies, named for Justice Albie Sachs for his seminal role in ending apartheid in South Africa. The awards were presented on Thursday night at a gala event in New York City organised by the foundation’s founders, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and her actor husband George Clooney.

TLHR was named the winner of the Justice for Democracy Defenders Award for defending “thousands of students, activists and journalists who have been arrested under Thailand’s laws criminalising peaceful protest and speech — including insulting the monarchy”.

Sirikan “June” Charoensiri, the organisation’s co-founder, has faced multiple prosecutions herself. Her work on behalf of 14 pro-democracy student protesters arrested in June 2015 and charged with sedition by the military regime ultimately led to her facing the same charge.

In her acceptance speech at the awards ceremony, Ms Sirikan asked her audience rhetorically whether they were aware that speaking about the royal family or demanding democratic reform might land them in prison. “These implausible scenarios are all too real for us,” she said.

The Clooneys’ celebrity power drew a large number of prominent figures from the worlds of human rights, business, entertainment, fashion and technology to the awards ceremony.

“Courageous justice defenders around the world face grave dangers that cannot be eliminated overnight,” Amal and George Clooney said in a statement. “But what we can do, in addition to our foundation’s daily work, is shine a spotlight on the danger that these individuals are facing, raising the stakes for their persecutors.”

Actress Meryl Streep joins TLHR co-founder Sirikan Charoensiri (right) and Ann-Pawinee Chumsri, TLHR litigation manager, at The Albies in New York. (Photo: TLHR Facebook)

Crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital co-founder arrested at Singapore’s Changi Airport

By: Marcus Ching

On: September 30, 2023

In: South-East Asia

SINGAPORE: One of the co-founders of collapsed cryptocurrency hedge fund Three Arrows Capital has been apprehended in Singapore and jailed for four months, according to the company’s liquidator.

The Singapore-based company filed for bankruptcy last year when its fortunes suffered a sharp decline after a massive sell-off of assets it had bet on as prices nosedived in crypto markets.

Su Zhu was detained at Changi Airport while trying to leave the country, Three Arrows’ liquidator Teneo said in a statement late Friday (Sep 29).

His arrest came after Teneo said it obtained a committal order this week against Zhu for failing to comply with its investigation into the company’s failure.

“The committal order granted by the Singapore Courts sentenced Mr Zhu to 4 months’ imprisonment,” Teneo said.

His co-founder Kyle Davies was also committed to four months in prison but “his whereabouts remain unknown at this point in time”, it said.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) had banned the pair “from conducting regulated investment activity for nine years each”, Teneo said.

The liquidator, ordered to preside over the bankruptcy by a court in the British Virgin Islands, is attempting to recover the assets of Three Arrows and bring returns to its creditors after the company failed.

However, it has accused Zhu and Davies of not cooperating with the effort to return funds and failing to voluntarily provide information.

In a profile in The New York Times in June, the pair said they had been travelling since the hedge fund’s collapse, including to the Indonesian resort island of Bali where they had been surfing and meditating.

CNA has contacted the Singapore Police Force and Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority for comment.

MMA fighter Angela Lee retires from the sport

By: Marcus Ching

On: September 30, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Lee fought under the Singapore and US flags and ONE’s youngest world champion at 19 when she claimed the inaugural women’s Atomweight World Championship in May 2016.

Her brother Christian Lee and her have been in hiatus since their sister’s death.

With her retirement, Lee’s focus will turn to her budding non-profit organisation Fightstory, which she set up in March this year.

Last week, she revealed a car crash in 2017 was not an accident but a suicide attempt.

In an interview with CNA during her first trip back to Singapore since Victoria’s death, she spoke openly about her own mental health struggles and paid tribute to her sister.

“Whether you’re a fighter in the cage, or you’re a teacher or a doctor or a stay-at-home mum, we’re all fighters in our own way,” she said.

Teenagers arrested for murdering girl by drowning

By: Barkar Nash

On: September 30, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 30 Sep 2023 at 13:04

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.

Runoff derails train in Phrae

By: Barkar Nash

On: September 30, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 30 Sep 2023 at 11:52

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.

2 cups of local kopi a day may reduce Parkinson’s disease risk by up to 8 times, according to new study

By: Marcus Ching

On: September 29, 2023

In: South-East Asia

HOW CAFFEINE MIGHT HELP

Caffeine is known to decrease the inflammation of neurons in the brain, which helps to reduce cell death, said Prof Tan at the 10th Singapore International Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Symposium. However, it is not yet known how caffeine interacts with the Asian PD gene variants.

What is known is that individuals with the Asian genetic variants have a 1.5 to two times higher risk of developing PD. There are two known Asian gene variants that occur most frequently in East Asians, and up to 10 per cent of the Singapore population carry one of these gene variants.

A separate NNI study showed that 26 per cent of Singapore’s older population exhibited mild Parkinsonian signs. PD is a brain disorder that causes uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness and difficulty with balance and coordination.

WHAT THE STUDY INVOLVED

The study involved 4,488 subjects who completed a caffeine intake questionnaire to indicate their daily caffeine consumption. Of the lot, 1,790 had PD, 2,698 did not and all had one of the two Asian genetic variants associated with PD.

It was found that the average caffeine intake was about 448mg among the PD participants and 473mg among those without PD. The participants’ caffeine intake was the equivalent of four to five cups of Western-styled brewed arabica coffee (235ml or 8 fl oz per cup) or two cups of kopi made from robusta coffee beans, which have a higher caffeine content than arabica coffee beans.

While the protective benefits of caffeine appeared to increase with higher doses, those who drank less than 200mg of caffeine per day still cut their risk of PD. Consuming 400mg of caffeine a day is generally regarded as safe for most healthy adults.

Drinking coffee or tea with milk, sugar, honey or other additives did not affect caffeine’s effect on PD, according to the study.

“This research has important implications for the prevention of PD, especially in countries like Singapore, where the Asian gene variants are common,” said Prof Tan.

“Tea and coffee are readily available and culturally accepted in most Asian societies and consuming caffeine within normal limits offers an easy, pleasant and sociable way for people to potentially reduce their risk of PD.”

New police chief explains photo with ‘Big Joke’

By: Barkar Nash

On: September 29, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Torsak calls on rival to ‘clear the air’

PUBLISHED : 30 Sep 2023 at 06:48

Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol, who has been named the new national police chief, said he has asked deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn to clear the air after the latter’s house was searched by officers early this week.

Pol Gen Torsak was addressing questions after a photo of him shaking hands with Pol Gen Surachate circulated on social media on Friday.

According to media reports, Pol Gen Surachate, aka “Big Joke”, sought to meet Pol Gen Torsak in private to congratulate him on his appointment succeeding Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, who is due to retire today.

The incoming police chief said he had reached out to Pol Gen Surachate after Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin expressed concern that this week’s events might not bode well for the image of the Royal Thai Police (RTP).

There was speculation that the police search of Pol Gen Surachate’s house was an attempt to discredit him ahead of the Sept 27 appointment of a new police chief. Both Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate were among the candidates.

Pol Gen Torsak denied having anything to do with Pol Gen Surachate’s house search while insisting the pair had no personal conflict and were in talks about how to move the police force forward.

“I knew nothing about the house search, and that’s why I had to talk to him to explain that there was an attempt to pit us against each other during the nomination,” Pol Gen Torsak said. He said the photo was taken after that meeting.

Outgoing national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, left, accepts a greeting from incoming top cop Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)

Meanwhile, political activist and former senator Ruangkrai Leekitwattana said he has asked the Office of the Ombudsman to seek the Administrative Court’s intervention over the appointment of the new police chief.

He cited a claim by Pol Gen Ake Angsananont, a former deputy national police chief who voted against Pol Gen Torsak, as the basis for the petition.

In that meeting, Mr Srettha, who is the ex-officio chairman of the Police Commission under the Royal Thai Police Act, nominated Pol Gen Torsak for the top police job, and the attendees selected Pol Gen Torsak by a vote of 10 to 1.

Pol Gen Ake voted against the nomination, saying the appointment was not in line with the regulations.

Mr Ruangkrai echoed similar sentiments, adding this was why he was seeking the court’s ruling on the appointment.

Commentary: Expectations around hongbao make wedding banquets unpleasant

By: Marcus Ching

On: September 29, 2023

In: South-East Asia

A MINEFIELD OF EXPECTATIONS

The minefield of expectations around wedding hongbao was part of the reason why my fiance and I wanted a simpler celebration, so that guests wouldn’t feel pressured to give a large hongbao.

We also created a bridal registry, to give guests the option of buying a gift if they prefer. It hasn’t taken off with our Singaporean friends and family, but many of our guests from abroad have sent us gifts.

Weddings, I have come to learn, are full of contradictions. Couples are often told the day is all about them, but parents also have executive power, especially if they’re financing it.

Likewise when it comes to wedding gifts, we repeat aphorisms that it’s the thought that counts, and what’s most important is that everyone has a good time. But this isn’t the case when there are unspoken rules about exactly what guests should give.

Because the stakes are high for weddings to be a joyous, perfect occasion, most people would stick to tried-and-tested traditions, suppressing their discontent when certain practices are expensive or incongruent. The wedding hongbao is one such tradition.

Erin Low is Deputy Editor, Commentary at CNA Digital.

South-East Asia (Page 1,359)

A MINEFIELD OF EXPECTATIONS