South-East Asia (Page 1,383)

The State Audit Office (SAO) will establish a new section focusing on auditing the government’s megaprojects this April, with the digital wallet scheme expected to be one of the first projects on its list.

Prajuck Boonyoung, the SAO auditor-general, said on Monday that the new section will start on April 1 as per the announcement by the State Audit Commission published in the Royal Gazette last month. It will be solely responsible for auditing large-scale government projects.

Mr Prajuck said the new section is being established because the SAO has been auditing numerous financial reports, and its officials have been struggling to scrutinise large government projects as they usually require more than one year, sometimes up to five years, to do.

He added that after the new section opens, it will begin probes into state mega initiatives such as the Metropolitan Rapid Transit Orange Line, which is causing disputes, and the Pheu Thai Party’s digital wallet scheme as soon as the government starts working on it. The scheme is the party’s flagship policy and will see 10,000 baht in digital money distributed to 50 million people over 16.

The policy is now being studied by a government sub-committee. Another mega project is the navy’s procurement of a Chinese-made submarine.

According to the State Audit Commission announcement, the new SAO unit will be tasked with auditing governmental projects worth over 1 billion baht as well as public-private partnerships.

The State Audit Office (SAO) will establish a new section focusing on auditing the government’s megaprojects this April, with the digital wallet scheme expected to be one of the first projects on its list.

Prajuck Boonyoung, the SAO auditor-general, said on Monday that the new section will start on April 1 as per the announcement by the State Audit Commission published in the Royal Gazette last month. It will be solely responsible for auditing large-scale government projects.

Mr Prajuck said the new section is being established because the SAO has been auditing numerous financial reports, and its officials have been struggling to scrutinise large government projects as they usually require more than one year, sometimes up to five years, to do.

He added that after the new section opens, it will begin probes into state mega initiatives such as the Metropolitan Rapid Transit Orange Line, which is causing disputes, and the Pheu Thai Party’s digital wallet scheme as soon as the government starts working on it. The scheme is the party’s flagship policy and will see 10,000 baht in digital money distributed to 50 million people over 16.

The policy is now being studied by a government sub-committee. Another mega project is the navy’s procurement of a Chinese-made submarine.

According to the State Audit Commission announcement, the new SAO unit will be tasked with auditing governmental projects worth over 1 billion baht as well as public-private partnerships.

Thaksin to receive visitors ‘when ready’

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin shrugged off concerns of a possible “triple prime ministers” situation, insisting that he is the country’s one and only prime minister despite the prevailing public opinion.

That said, while he said he does not have the power to change people’s opinions, he was confident it wouldn’t have any impact on his ability to perform as the head of government and meet his responsibilities as prime minister.

Since former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was released on parole two weeks ago, observers have been saying that he would soon return to politics and exert his influence, resulting in a situation that they are calling a “dual prime minister” situation.

With Thaksin’s youngest daughter Paetongtarn herself holding prominent positions within the Pheu Thai Party, which Thaksin is widely considered the de facto leader of, some pundits are warning the situation might further devolve into a “triple prime minister” scenario, with Ms Paetongtarn playing the role of a backroom premier.

“The ‘double’ or ‘triple prime minister’ phenomenon is just a phrase. Everyone wants the country to move forward regardless of their political affiliations,” the premier said.

Mr Srettha said that he is open to any advice from former prime ministers, including Thaksin, but that he himself would decide if their advice is actually practical.

He said he did not mind if his cabinet ministers paid Thaksin a visit because they had known each other for a long time.

When asked if he and Thaksin discussed a cabinet reshuffle during their private meeting last Saturday, he chose to sidestep the question.

“When the time comes, you’ll know. And I’ll be the one to forward the matter [reshuffle] for royal approval,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn on Monday posted on Instagram a picture of herself and her two siblings at the family’s Chan Song La residence on Sunday as they were about to have dinner with Thaksin and their mother, Khunying Potjaman Na Pombejra.

She wrote that it was a memorable day for the family and that Thaksin’s grandchildren, sons-in-law, and daughter-in-law would gather for another get-together next Sunday.

In an interview on Sunday, Ms Paetongtarn said her father’s mental and physical health has improved since he was released from the hospital.

He would be glad to receive visitors, especially from his long-time supporters, when he is ready, she said.

She brushed off questions about the double prime minister scenario.

When prodded about it, she let out a big sigh and said: “Why don’t we drop this issue and let Mr Srettha work in peace?”

Local feedback sees stretch elevated

The construction of the Thai-Chinese high-speed train project is likely to face a delay of two years and about 4 billion baht more in funding to change a section of track in Nakhon Ratchasima, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has revealed.

The change concerns contracts Nos.3-5, which deal with the construction of the Khok Kruat-Nakhon Ratchasima section, said SRT governor Nirut Maneephan on Monday, following calls by residents of tambon Ban Mai in Muang district of Nakhon Ratchasima to have a section elevated to mitigate the construction impact on their community.

Contracts 3-5 concern a 12.38-kilometre section of track, within which is the 7.85km stretch that would cost 4.7 billion baht more and require another 28 months to elevate.

Also, the design of another double-track railway from Map Kabao in Kaeng Khoi district of Saraburi to Chira Junction in Muang district of Nakhon Ratchasima will have to be adjusted to accommodate any elevation of the Khok Kruat-Nakhon Ratchasima route, according to a source.

The first phase of the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail linking Bangkok with Nakhon Ratchasima was to be 250.77km long, with 54.09km earmarked for elevation.

The whole project was costed at 179.41 billion baht, and 119.16 billion set aside for funding the 14 contracts needed to lay the tracks.

One contract has since been fulfilled, another 11 are underway, and the final two have yet to be signed with any contractors.

For the section in Ayutthaya, Mr Nirut said that the construction of a 13.3km section of the same highspeed railway known as the Ban Pho-Phra Kaeo section would have to continue, even though no conclusion has been reached as to what to do with Ayutthaya station, designed to be situated about 1.5km from Ayutthaya Historical Park.

The SRT is close to signing the construction contract with a contractor at a cost of 10.32 billion baht, he said.

While any sudden changes to this section, including rerouting it or digging a tunnel, could severely impact the project’s construction plan, this particular station might be excluded if no other better solution can be agreed upon, he said.

Graphic images on bottles, cans ‘won’t deter’ drinkers

The government is planning to introduce a new regulation that would require the makers of alcoholic beverages to put large, graphic images on every bottle and can they produce to warn the public of the dangers of drinking.

Drawn up by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee and the Department of Disease Control, the new regulation calls for graphic health warnings on the packaging, similar to those seen on cigarettes.

The rule has drawn criticism from producers of alcoholic beverages, as well as businesses in the tourism sector, who doubt the requirement will have an impact on consumer behaviour.

The public has until Thursday to give their input on the regulation via the Council of State’s website. The rule will come into effect 180 days after it is published in the Royal Gazette.

Under the new regulation, the graphic warning will occupy at least one-third of the container. It will be accompanied with text warnings which warn the public of the dangers of excessive drinking, such as “Alcoholic beverages can cause cancer”, or “Selling alcoholic beverages to people under 20 is punishable by imprisonment and a fine”.

The push was criticised by Move Forward Party MP for Bangkok, Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, who is advocating for the liberalisation of rules on liquor making. He posted a picture of mock-up bottles and cans featuring the new health warnings created by the Craft Beer Association on his Facebook on Monday.

He told the Bangkok Post that he disagrees with the regulation because not only will it not discourage drinking, but it will also increase production costs for small-scale alcoholic beverage makers.

Moreover, the health warnings will undermine the unique designs of the containers, he said.

“The designs of craft beer cans are made by artists, and they are like contemporary art. Health warnings and scary pictures will decrease their value.”

“There is no proof as to how effective the health warnings on beer cans would be, the same way it is unclear whether the warnings on cigarette packs actually reduced smoking,” he said.

He said the new regulation, if approved, will apply to all producers, large or small, but it will disproportionately affect smaller players in the industry.

He also noted that there are concerns that the health warnings may contravene an international trade agreement.

Mr Taopiphop said if the public is strongly opposed to the regulation, it may prompt policymakers to think again before signing it, before singling out Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew, which he said never fails to make it known that he has the public’s interest at heart.

The MFP MP noted the existing alcohol control laws and regulations are already extremely tight, so the government should focus on enforcing them to prevent abuse and harm before questioning whether the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee has overstepped its mandate.

Earlier, Sanga Ruangwattanakul, president of the Khao San Road Business Association, criticised the draft regulation as a step backwards for the country, saying it could affect sales of alcoholic drinks.

Several netizens share similar sentiments.

A netizen who goes by the name Atsadin wrote: “People still smoke despite the warnings. They get used to it.”

Another who uses the name Natcha said she does not think people will stop drinking, and the regulation simply shows that people are being treated as children.

Another netizen said the new regulation will not affect drinkers but those who collect the bottles or cans for their unique designs and brand labels.

Currently, cans and bottles of alcohol carry a text warning, with many emphasising the dangers of drink-driving.

Police said they have found evidence that four Taiwanese men and a Thai woman allegedly murdered another Taiwanese man whose body was found in a deserted stall near Suvarnabhumi airport on Sunday.

All suspects fled to Cambodia on Sunday evening, police said yesterday.

Pol Col Napatpong Supaporn, immigration chief in Sa Kaeo province, said detectives in Samut Prakan asked immigration police in Sa Kaeo on Sunday evening to keep watch for the five suspects who allegedly murdered Taiwanese national Shih Mou Chiang, 44, on Sunday.

Pol Col Napatpong said security camera recordings showed the five arriving in Sa Kaeo in a van at about 4pm on Sunday and using their passport to cross to Poipet in Cambodia at the Aranyaprathet checkpoint at about 6pm that day. Immigration police did not stop them as, at the time, there was no warrant out for their arrest, he said.

Sa Kaeo detectives learnt that the suspects visited a casino in Poipet at about 7.30pm, and at about 9pm, they hired a taxi and headed for Phnom Penh. Investigators are awaiting information from Cambodian authorities on whether the suspects have left Cambodia.

Police sources said the victim was shot repeatedly in the head at a house in the Lat Plakhao area of Lat Phrao district in Bangkok. The house is owned by a Thai national who now lives in Taiwan and was rented by the Thai woman who is among the five suspects about two months ago.

Witnesses said a Thai woman in her 20s might be the girlfriend of the murdered man. Young people of Thai and Chinese appearance regularly partied at the house, and they arrived and left in luxury cars. The victim, Shih, had allegedly fled Taiwan to avoid arrest for robbery and illegal arms possession.

On Saturday, he allegedly stole a white Toyota Yaris car in Pattaya. It was found abandoned on Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok at about 12.10am on Sunday. Shih arrived at the rented house in Lat Plakhao on a motorcycle at about 2am.

Three of the four Taiwanese suspects arrived at the Suvarnabhumi airport at about 2.30am, while the fourth suspect was already in Thailand. The four suspects were 25-42 years old.

At 3.12am, the suspects arrived at the house by taxi. Shortly afterwards, neighbours heard gunshots. At 4.51am a red Mazda car was seen leaving the housing estate.

At 7.30am on Sunday, the car reached Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan. It entered an alley near a waste disposal facility for Suvarnabhumi airport. Police believed the car was used to carry the victim’s body, which was then dumped in a deserted food stall near the airport.

The red Mazda was later found abandoned not far away. Inside it, police found 500 grammes of ketamine, cleaning fluid, a bloodstained cloth and an empty pistol box.

Police investigations are continuing.