South-East Asia (Page 1,378)

The main opposition Move Forward Party (MFP) has demanded that the ruling coalition partner Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) immediately vacate a room reportedly reserved for the opposition whip in parliament.

Opposition chief whip, Pakornwut Udompipatsakul, also an MFP MP, accused the PPRP of seizing the room located behind the parliament president’s chamber.

The room in question was partitioned into a private living space for PPRP leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, who, according to Mr Pakornwut, had not set foot in parliament since the government came to power.

On Feb 1, Mr Pakornwut complained during a parliament meeting that the opposition whip had no room to work in. He insisted the government and opposition whips had agreed the left-most room located in the wing behind the parliament president’s chamber would be the government whip’s office. It was also concluded that the right-most room in the wing would be reserved for the opposition whip.

However, the PPRP has occupied the right-most room and refused to leave when prompted.

According to Mr Pakornwut, he decided to confront the PPRP about the problem, only to be told by Pakphum Bulpramuk, a PPRP MP for Tak, that no rule exists which states the right-most room belongs to the opposition whip.

Mr Pakornwut then said there was no rule either that permitted the PPRP taking possession of the room.

Deputy House Speaker Padipat Santipada said yesterday he had instructed the parliament secretariat office to draft new regulations governing the use of rooms at the parliament building.

He said the regulations would do away with the ambiguity there might be in accessing rooms. Technically, there are no labels put up that restrict access to the rooms where all parliamentarians can request permission to hold meetings.

Extra flights to reduce ticket costs over Songkran

Six airlines will add 38 flights during the Songkran holiday to help ease the problem of expensive tickets for domestic flights, said Transport Minister Suriya Juengrungreangkit yesterday.

The extra flights add 13,000 more seats during the period, said Mr Suriya following a meeting on lowering domestic fares during holiday periods held by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by representatives from Thai Airways (THAI), Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Thai LionAir, NokAir, and Thai Vietjet, who agreed to 38 extra special domestic flights on April 11–12 and April 15–16 to destinations including Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, and Khon Kaen.

To promptly respond to passengers’ demands and prevent service congestion, Mr Suriya said he had ordered related sectors, including the Airport of Thailand (AoT), the Airport Department and the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai), to speed up preparation for the additional flights.

The CAAT said the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the aviation industry and a 30% increase in fuel excise tax are the main causes of higher ticket fares.

Convenient and fast service, as well as safety and reasonable prices, are the ministry’s main goals, Mr Suriya added.

Government survey notes concerns and says proposals and designs will be considered further

The vast majority of Thais do not agree with the plan to require makers of alcoholic beverages to put a graphic label on each container to warn people of the dangers of excessive drinking, a government survey shows.

The Department of Disease Control said that 87% of 1,040 respondents it surveyed said they disagreed with the plan. The respondents came from a variety of backgrounds, including scholars, entrepreneurs and business owners, it said.

The results of the survey will be presented to the subcommittee responsible for the labels, which will then adapt the draft rules before presenting them to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee for further consideration.

Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, the DDC director-general, tried to allay public concern about the plan, saying the draft was simply an initial reaction to academic opinions calling for graphic warnings similar to those found on cigarette packs.

The rule would require the warnings to take up at least 50% of the space on the largest side of a rectangular container and 30% on a cylindrical container.

The warnings would have four colours and nine variations. They must be clearly visible and accompanied by text warnings, such as “Alcoholic beverages can cause cancer”, “Drinking alcohol can cause heart disease”, “Drinking alcohol can cause sexual dysfunction”, or “Drinking alcohol can cause violence”.

If approved, the new rule would come into effect 180 days after it is published in the Royal Gazette.

The issue grabbed headlines after Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, a Move Forward Party MP and proponent of liberalised liquor-production rules, posted a picture of mock-up bottles and cans featuring warnings created by the Craft Beer Association on his Facebook page on Monday.

Doctor says Phuket villa owner kicked her for ‘trespassing’ on a spot that turns out to be public land

PHUKET: Police have determined that the steps to a luxurious seaside villa in Thalang district were actually built on public land, after the property’s owners were reported for assaulting a woman they claimed was “trespassing”.

Authorities inspected the villa in Cape Yamu — which is owned by a Swiss citizen and his Thai wife — and determined that they have the full title deed to the property, which details the exact boundaries of the plot.

However, they found the last few steps of the concrete stairway the couple built from the beach were actually on public land. As such, they determined that the complainant, Thandao Chandam, was not trespassing as the couple had alleged.

Officials are taking legal action against the couple, and ordered them to demolish the stairs within three days.

Dr Thandao, 26, told police that at 7.30pm on Feb 24, she and a friend had been walking along the beach after dinner and decided to take a break and sit on the steps, which they assumed were public property.

“Suddenly, I felt my whole body was shaken by force,” she said. “After regaining consciousness, I found out that I had been kicked in the back by a big foreign guy weighing about 100 kilogrammes. His face was red. He was sweating, filming a video with a mobile phone and using multiple swear words.”

Dr Thandao Chandam, 26, gives her statement to an officer at the Thalang police station about the alleged assault. (Photo: Achadthaya Chuenniran)

Dr Thandao said the man’s wife then appeared and told her that she could shoot them dead without ever being found guilty because her son is a powerful police officer.

Dr Thandao immediately filed a complaint with the police against the Swiss man, Urs Beat, 45, for assault.

The man on Thursday denied he had intentionally kicked the doctor, saying it was an accident. Police plan to question him on Friday morning.

The Swiss man and his wife run an elephant camp in Phuket.

Passenger pickup carrying Thai and Russian tourists was returning from Buddha footprint festival

CHANTHABURI: One person was killed and nine others injured, including three Russian tourists, when a passenger pickup truck overturned in Khao Kitchakut National Park on Thursday.

The accident took place in the Noen Sai area in Khao Kitchakut district at 8.30am, the same day as the park’s annual Buddha’s Footprint Celebration festival, said park chief Chawin Pinkaew.

The group of 10 visitors — seven Thai and three Russian tourists — was returning from visiting the Buddha footprint.

The grey passenger pickup driven by Todsaphorn Saowaphong, 30, was found 700 metres from the Phra Bat Luang checkpoint. It was reportedly engaged in a regular shuttle service taking tourists to and from the site.

A Thai national, identified as Yuppharet Thanaporn, 28, died at the scene. The others were injured and sent to Khao Khitchakut Hospital.

The injured Russian passengers were identified as Lilila Gabdnakhmanova, 59, Ahiia Ilinava, 60, and Khammatov Almaz, 54.

The Thais are Pisit Pibulnurak, 28, Surattana Hammatov, 32, Wimol Phonudom, 23, Naruemon Phongwan, 30, Thani Apibalsri, 24, and Wachirawitch Pornthanapa, 29.

Chanthaburi governor Monsit Paisanthanawat said an initial investigation found that the accident was caused by slippery road conditions due to morning dew.

He has delegated Mr Chawin, as well as Thitikamol Sukyen, the Khao Kitchakut district chief, to work on compensation for both the dead and the injured.

Four suspects arrested, others still at large following raids on 12 Bangkok locations

Police have seized cash, luxury cars and other assets worth 329 million baht and arrested four people who are said to be part of a major online gambling network.

Officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) searched 12 locations in Bangkok linked to the gambling website Fullplay 39, Pol Lt Gen Worawat Watnakhornbancha, the CCIB commissioner, said on Thursday.

Of the 16 suspects wanted on arrest warrants, four were arrested. One was identified as one of the beneficiaries of the gambling operation. Also in custody are a manager and two others responsible for finances. The remaining suspects still at large are people who opened mule bank accounts for the network, said Pol Lt Gen Worawat.

The suspects were charged with colluding in operating online gambling, laundering money and related offences.

The arresting team also seized assets worth about 329 million baht. Seven seized luxury cars worth 40.4 million baht included a Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, Porsche Cayenne, Mercedes-Benz GLE and Toyota Alphard. Also seized was 22.9 million baht in cash and in bank accounts; 400-baht weight of gold bars and ornaments worth 14 million baht; amulets worth over 75 million baht; brand-name bags, clothes and shoes worth 50 million baht, houses and condominium rooms worth 127 million baht, and other items.

According to the CCIB chief, the gambling website had more than 200,000 customers with monthly turnover of around 480 million baht.

Brand-name bags and other valuables seized from the gambling network are displayed during a media briefing on Thursday. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)