PT dumps MFP from alliance

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

Now, the party will reveal a new coalition line-up.

All eyes are now on whether the Palang Pracharath Party ( PPRP ) and the military-affiliated United Thai Nation Party,( UTN ), will be invited today to join a new alliance led by Pheu Thai that split from the Move Forward Party yesterday( MFP ).

Along with the seven unique coalition allies attempting to form a government, Pheu Thai abandoned the MFP and revoked the MoU it had signed.

The MFP insists on amending Part 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the stability guess rules, so the group will then move on to form its own partnership.

Cholnan Srikaew, the president of Pheu Thai, made the announcement yesterday evening.

He explained to the media that the eight-party bond instructed Pheu Thai to win more support from various parties and senators so a government had been formed after the MFP failed to secure the necessary political support for Pita Limjaroenrat, its leader and only PM candidate.

According to Dr. Cholnan,” it turns out they do not take any change to Section 112, and some parties also said they will not visit a government with Move Forth anyhow.”

Therefore, Pheu Thai informed the MFP yesterday at a meeting that it would name Srettha Thavisin as its own candidate for prime minister after withdrawing from the eight-party ally.

According to Dr. Cholnan,” Pheu Thai and Mr. Srettha will keep Part 112 unchanged and the new government will not have Move Forth in its coalition.”

Move Ahead will be in the opposite, he said, and Pheu Thai may make an effort to win enough seats in parliament.

Dr. Cholnan stated that he would reveal now which parties do make up the new partnership.

Dr. Cholnan responded,” Only wait and see ,” when asked if the UTN and the PPRP may be invited to join.

According to observers, if Pheu Thai includes either or both the PPRP and the UTN, it is anticipate facing harsh criticism for breaking its promise to not work with the so-called” brother” parties— those associated with military officials involved in the 2014 coup— before the May 14 vote.

The” uncles” are the PPRP leader Prawit Wongsuwon and former UTN chief adviser and candidate for prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Dr. Cholnan even expressed confidence that Mr. Srettha would receive the necessary support from MPs and senators during the upcoming, tentatively scheduled election session.

Pheu Thai, according to Dr. Cholnan, would never object if the MFP did not support Mr. Srettha.

The MFP has the freedom to cast its ballot however it pleases, he declared.

According to the constitution, a candidate for prime minister must receive at least 50 % of the 750 people of both the lower and upper chambers of parliament, or 376 votes in total.

However, all eyes are on whether the Constitutional Court will take a complaint today asking it to rule on the constitutionality of parliament’s July 19 decision to disqualify Mr. Pita from the position of prime minister. The voting won’t take place until the judge’s decision if the complaint is accepted.

Dr. Cholnan continued by saying that the contract may be changed by a Pheu Thai-led government because it prevented the formation of the government.

After that, the government would give the people back control and convene a fresh election.

He claimed that a Pheu Thai-led government would support some of the MFP’s proposed policies, including the passage of laws promoting alcohol use, marriage equality, and the replacement of military conscription with volunteer recruitment.

Akanat Promphan, the secretary-general of UTN, stated yesterday that the party may be prepared to hold talks once Pheu Thai made it clear that Part 112 may be left alone.

Gen Prayut had already left the UTN, so it was pointless to refer to it as an” brother” party. However, Mr. Akanat added that there were still a few issues that needed to be discussed before deciding whether or not we would meet.

Senator Kittisak Rattanawaraha declared that he was prepared to support a member for prime minister from the new union and that Mr. Srettha is anticipated to win the position.

The MFP and Pheu Thai played a key role in the initial eight-party union that it created. After being proposed as prime minister on July 13, Mr. Pita was unable to secure the support of the legislature. The MFP therefore gave Pheu Thai the go-ahead to guide the formation of a partnership.

The MFP’s pressure on changing Area 112 was opposed by the majority of senators and many MPs.

Continue Reading

2 more tourists drown in Phuket

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED: 3 August 2023 at 4:00 p.m.

Part OF NEWSPAPER: News

PHUKET: According to police, two American tourists drowned and a third was successfully rescued after being swept out to sea by the rough waves later on Tuesday night.

In the past five weeks, four travellers have drowned in the lakes off Phuket as a result of their deaths.

Despite the red flags posted along the beach that indicated hard water conditions, the three men reportedly went swimming on Tuesday night close to the Naga monument on Karon beach.

The various two gentlemen were declared dead at the Patong and Chalong institutions after being discovered, but one of the men was saved by lifeguards.

The American embassy promised to inform their family members.

Continue Reading

Vietnam’s rapid ‘rescue flight’ trial stokes anti-corruption fervour

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

The convictions on Friday of four formerly high-ranking Vietnamese Communist Party officials amidst a highly public corruption trial with dozens of defendants has some people questioning the motivations of party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Eighteen days into what has been called the “rescue flight” trial and was expected to last a month, the four ex-officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, health and public security received life sentences. Charged for their involvement in bribery-related schemes, fraud and abuses of power that resulted in a multi-million-dollar scandal within Vietnam’s 2020 Covid-19 response, they avoided the death penalty recommended by prosecutors.

Though none of the 54 total defendants convicted in the trial were sentenced to death, 18 were eligible for capital punishment. Among the wide net of defendants were 10 businesspeople and civilians who received suspended sentences.

The verdict appears to confirm a sensational flare in the “blazing furnace” campaign (chiến dịch đốt lò), an anti-corruption purge spearheaded by party leader Trong. It’s the same campaign that led to President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s abrupt resignation earlier this year – an unorthodox move in Vietnam, where most political redirections are carefully orchestrated. 

This latest trial focused on additional graft allegations from deals made at the height of the country’s pandemic response. Previously, private medical company Viet A Technologies was found guilty of collecting $22 million (about 521 billion VND) in illegal revenue by overcharging for Covid testing kits in collusion with hospital managers and senior officials nationwide. 

“I don’t like disciplining my comrades … but I have to do it. As Uncle Ho said, I have to cut off a wormy tree branch to save the whole tree,” Trong said publicly after sentencing in that trial.

In this newest round, a wave of prominent ex-party members, including former Hanoi Deputy Mayor Chu Xuan Dung and Vietnam’s former ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam, were found guilty of manipulating the organisation of Covid-era repatriation flights. The stipulations of “combo flights” required citizens who were abroad during the pandemic to make a single payment for plane tickets back to Vietnam and subsequent quarantine fees. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed a total of 772 repatriation flights. To win licensing, air transport providers bribed senior officials to broker 372 combo flights and, presumably, the balance of the 400 other flights.

Hoang Dieu Mo, general director of the An Binh Trading, Tourism and Aviation Services Co., caught wind of this bribery scheme early, according to documents presented by state media.  One of the 10 businesspeople caught up in the trial, she received licensing for 66 of the 372 flights, spending nearly $1.5 million (about 35 billion VND) to bribe eight officials from the five ministries involved in the licensing process.

The collusion between airlines, tourism companies and officials to “rip-off” desperate expatriates, students and foreign workers trying to get back to Vietnam during the pandemic caused major public outrage, said Nguyen Khac Giang, a visiting fellow at ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute. Although ticket prices were already exceptionally high, he said, excess demand for the limited seating on repatriation flights resulted in a system of waiting lists.

“Because some people could not be put on the list they had to actually bribe officers in the (Vietnamese) embassies,” said Giang. 

The trial that we are witnessing right now is multifaceted – not only purifying the party or cleaning up bad roots.”

Nguyen Khac Giang, visiting fellow at ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute

As the case fueled citizens’ outrage, some experts were left asserting the purge and its sensational coverage by state media reflects an attempt by Trong to either ostracise outliers with forced resignations, summary stripping and public trial, or to simply consolidate the party and its image.

“The anti-corruption campaign has many different goals and the trial that we are witnessing right now is multifaceted – not only purifying the party or cleaning up bad roots that the party has been propagating,” said Giang a day before the sentencing. He saw the anti-corruption purge as an opportunity for party members to take out rivals, taking into account that the next party congress is scheduled in less than three years. 

Bill Hayton, associate fellow with the Asia-Pacific programme at the policy institute Chatham House, concurred. 

“The general secretary is using the campaign to take out his opponents. And I think it’s fair to say that he perceives his opponents as a corrupt class,” said Hayton. “People who are willing to damage the interests of the Communist Party as a whole for their own personal benefit pose a threat to the legitimacy of the Communist Party system because they’re willing to allow individual ambition over party discipline.”

As the public uproar metastasized, the Hanoi People’s Court disclosed during the trial that total bribery money equaled $9.5 million (more than 224 billion VND), of which $2.65 million was given to police officials to avoid prosecution. 

Pham Trung Kien, former secretary to the deputy health minister, was found guilty of accepting 253 bribes totaling $1.8 million during an 11-month period. One of the four convicted officials, he received a life sentence for his involvement in the graft scandal. 

“I did not ask any firm to be granted a certificate for rescue flights. Instead, they contacted me for help,” he pleaded during the hearing.

During the proceedings, prosecutors said 21 officials and civil servants were charged directly for receiving nearly $7 million in bribes from 100 businesses “to solve administrative procedures for repatriation”. 

Thirty-three others faced such charges as enabling bribes, fraud and power abuse, according to the indictment. Some officials such as Dung, who was the most senior in the pool and received 16 years in prison, and Nam, who was sentenced to 30 months, each returned $75,000 to the state as a means to “fix the consequences”, state media reported.

“The system is designed to get people to confess, so that investigators can get people higher up the food chain,” said Hayton.

According to Vietnam’s appellate procedures, the defendants may file an appeal with the immediate superior court within 15 days of the judgement. 

“I think some might choose this option, as their sentences are harsher than proposed,” said Giang.

Continue Reading

MFP: Pheu Thai did not ask

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 2 Aug 2023 at 20:33

MFP: Pheu Thai did not ask
Move Forward Party secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon says Pheu Thai never asked his party to backtrack on the lese majeste change, a major sticking point in forming the coalition. (Photo supplied)

The Pheu Thai Party did not ask the Move Forward Party (MFP) to back down on its intention to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lese majeste law, at their meeting on Wednesday, the party says.

Pheu Thai on Wednesday announced the highly-anticipated disintegration of the eight-party alliance led by the MFP. 

MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon said Pheu Thai never asked his party to backtrack on the lese majeste change, a major sticking point in forming the coalition. Pheu Thai, however, has said many times previously the decision should be MFP’s own, and it had refused to budge.

At Wednesday’s announcement, Pheu Thai — which had been handed the right to lead in forming a new government after MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat failed to win enough support — said the MFP’s unyielding stance on amending the lese majeste law stood in the way of Pheu Thai’s pursuit of a successful coalition government. 

Most appointed senators insisted they would continue to either vote against or abstain from voting for Mr Pita so long as the MFP refused to backtrack on its proposed amendment of Section 112. The stance was shared by 188 MPs of the former coalition government parties which also declared they would not join a government led by Pheu Thai with the MFP in it. 

In a statement read by Pheu Thai leader Dr Cholnan Srikaew on Wednesday, the party said the MFP’s position on the lese majeste law was the main reason several parties voted against or withdrew their support for the MFP.  The MFP was well aware of the obstacle but insisted on continuing with this policy, the statement said. 

Mr Chaithawat, meanwhile, said Pheu Thai did not ask the MFP to vote for Srettha Thavisin, who is poised to be nominated as prime minister in parliament on Friday.

Apologising to supporters for failing to form a new coalition with Pheu Thai and six other parties, Mr Chaithawat vowed the MFP would fight until the end for equality — even as an opposition party. “What happened is clear evidence of the distortion of Thai politics — that the highest power does not belong to the people. From now on, we’re on a mission to fight for change,” Mr Chaithawat said. 

The MFP will decide at a party meeting whether it will vote for Pheu Thai’s PM candidate on Friday, he said. MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat, who is in hospital for treatment of influenza, has been informed about Pheu Thai’s decision to ditch the MFP.

Rangsiman Rome, MFP list-MP and party spokesman, told a group of MFP supporters who protested at Pheu Thai’s head office on Wednesday that the effort to form an MFP-led coalition government proved futile. “I thought we had tied the knot and registered our marriage. The MoU (signed by all eight parties) was equivalent to a marriage certificate. As it turns out, it’s a divorce,” he said. “It pains me to see people’s dreams turn sour. They were so close to coming true.”

Continue Reading

Koh Lanta Portuguese man o’ war alert

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 2 Aug 2023 at 20:26

Koh Lanta Portuguese man o' war alert
Portuguese man of war (Photo: Krabi marine police)

Tourists are being warned to avoid swimming in the sea off Koh Lanta island in Krabi province following reported sightings of the deadly siphonophore, Portuguese man o’ war.

On Aug 1, a Thai tourist posted on her Facebook that she had been stung by a sea animal resembling a jellyfish while she walking along a Koh Lanta beach.

The photos she uploaded indicated that the creature was a siphonophore.

This prompted Neramit Songsaeng, chief of the Lanta Islands National Park, to say on Wednesday that he had been informed last week of the presence of the deadly siphonophore, also called Portuguese man o’ war, by several local hotels in Sala Dan subdistrict of Ko Lanta district.

He then told hotels and local government administrations in the area to warn tourists about the creature.

Portuguese man o’ war are not usually found in Thailand but some have been known to appear along the Thai coast during the monsoon season, Mr Neramit said. The sting of this particular siphonophore can affect the nervous system and heart and cause severe pain. People are strongly advised not to touch them directly.

The best treatment if stung is to pour vinegar on the affected area and seek medical advice immediately.

Continue Reading

MFP keeps close eye on Pheu Thai Party

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 2 Aug 2023 at 20:21

MFP keeps close eye on Pheu Thai Party
Angry supporters from the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration group burn effigies in front of the Pheu Thai Party headquarters on Wednesday after learning Pheu Thai had withdrawn from the coalition, in an effort to try to form a government without the election-winning Move Forward Party. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)

Supporters of the Move Forward Party (MFP) are closely monitoring the Pheu Thai Party’s next move to see which parties it will ask to join its fledgling coalition after MFP was on Wednesday given the push.

MFP, which came first in the May 14 election, asked Pheu Thai to form a coalition government after MFP’s own efforts failed.

Arnon Nampa, political activist and key leader of the MFP support group, said the group was waiting to see what Pheu Thai would do. “Holding hands with any parties that support the political succession is no different from joining with the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and United Thai Nation (UTN) Party,’’ Mr Arnon told the Bangkok Post.

PPRP is led by Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, who is also its prime ministerial candidate. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is the UTN’s former chief strategist but has now resigned as a member.

Gen Prayut staged a coup in 2014 while Gen Prawit was close to him and other military leaders involved in the 2014 coup.

Asked about the mood of MFP supporters, Mr Arnon said they are unhappy as Pheu Thai did not keep its vow. Some Pheu Thai supporters may even refuse to work with the “three Pors” [referring to Gen Prawit, Gen Prayut and Gen Anupong Paojinda, the interior minister], if it comes to that.

Their decision also affects Pheu Thai supporters, he said. “More protests are expected in the future,’’ Mr Arnon said.

“I think many people are feeling angry but it may be not enough to drive them to gather in public. There are many factors that will push people to the edge, such as prosecutions against MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat,” he said. “I do think Pheu Thai’s decision may hurt its popularity.”

Supporters from the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration group on Wednesday afternoon rallied at Pheu Thai Party headquarters to urge it stay united with the MFP and the other coalition partners until the term of the senate expires in mid-May next year, so they can form a government.

When they learned that Pheu Thai had withdrawn from the coalition, in an effort to try to form a government without the MFP, the mood of the demonstrators changed.

Some burned effigies, while the others tried to break into the party’s HQ. Fences were set up as police and security officers were trying to hold out against the crowd.

The hashtag #Pheu Thai Kanlakorn (Pheu Thai drama) was among the most talked about topics on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Continue Reading

MFP supporters keep close eye on Pheu Thai Party

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 2 Aug 2023 at 20:21

MFP supporters keep close eye on Pheu Thai Party
Angry supporters from the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration group burn effigies in front of the Pheu Thai Party headquarters on Wednesday after learning Pheu Thai had withdrawn from the coalition, in an effort to try to form a government without the election-winning Move Forward Party. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)

Supporters of the Move Forward Party (MFP) are closely monitoring the Pheu Thai Party’s next move to see which parties it will ask to join its fledgling coalition after MFP was on Wednesday given the push.

MFP, which came first in the May 14 election, asked Pheu Thai to form a coalition government after MFP’s own efforts failed.

Arnon Nampa, political activist and key leader of the MFP support group, said the group was waiting to see what Pheu Thai would do. “Holding hands with any parties that support the political succession is no different from joining with the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and United Thai Nation (UTN) Party,’’ Mr Arnon told the Bangkok Post.

PPRP is led by Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, who is also its prime ministerial candidate. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is the UTN’s former chief strategist but has now resigned as a member.

Gen Prayut staged a coup in 2014 while Gen Prawit was close to him and other military leaders involved in the 2014 coup.

Asked about the mood of MFP supporters, Mr Arnon said they are unhappy as Pheu Thai did not keep its vow. Some Pheu Thai supporters may even refuse to work with the “three Pors” [referring to Gen Prawit, Gen Prayut and Gen Anupong Paojinda, the interior minister], if it comes to that.

Their decision also affects Pheu Thai supporters, he said. “More protests are expected in the future,’’ Mr Arnon said.

“I think many people are feeling angry but it may be not enough to drive them to gather in public. There are many factors that will push people to the edge, such as prosecutions against MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat,” he said. “I do think Pheu Thai’s decision may hurt its popularity.”

Supporters from the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration group on Wednesday afternoon rallied at Pheu Thai Party headquarters to urge it stay united with the MFP and the other coalition partners until the term of the senate expires in mid-May next year, so they can form a government.

When they learned that Pheu Thai had withdrawn from the coalition, in an effort to try to form a government without the MFP, the mood of the demonstrators changed.

Some burned effigies, while the others tried to break into the party’s HQ. Fences were set up as police and security officers were trying to hold out against the crowd.

The hashtag #Pheu Thai Kanlakorn (Pheu Thai drama) was among the most talked about topics on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Continue Reading

Parliament votes in favour of amended PSP motion on Speaker to discharge duties ‘impartially’

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

However, PAP MPs did not agree, saying that the Speaker can be impartial and independent even if he or she is from the ruling party.

The motion was amended by MP Vikram Nair (PAP – Sembawang) to replace the words “to be independent and impartial” with “to discharge his duties independently and impartially”.

There was also an amendment to add: “To uphold the Standing Orders of Parliament and the obligations under the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act 1962”.

This was the version of the motion that was passed by parliament, with dissensions from PSP NCMPs Mr Leong and Ms Hazel Poa recorded.

“Historically, even without recent events, the actions of the PAP government over the years could arguably be perceived by the public to have eroded the independence and impartiality of the Speaker’s office over the years,” said Mr Leong.

He pointed out that prior to 1970, the Singapore parliament had elected speakers who were judges and non-partisan, with the exception of former PAP minister EW Barker. However, from 1970, every Speaker has been from PAP.

He also noted that in recent years, the Speakers have been members of the PAP CEC and that makes it difficult for the public to be fully convinced that a core member of the ruling party can be an “impartial presiding officer” in parliament.

“PSP believes that it is problematic for the Speaker to uphold his impartiality and independence while simultaneously being at the power centre of the ruling party and being privy to the ruling party’s political strategy alongside members of the government,” said Mr Leong.

Mr Nair, presenting the amended motion, argued that a Speaker does not automatically lack independence in the performance of his duties because he “happens to be from a political party”.

He added that the fairness of parliament is not just dependent on the individual who is the Speaker but also on parliament’s standing orders and the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act, which the Speaker is also bound by.

There are also other checks on the Speaker’s conduct, he said.

“The first is the Speaker’s own party, if it feels the Speaker has not acted properly in any way. The second is parliament itself, where members are free to raise any objections they may wish, or even file the necessary motion. Third, the ultimate check on a member of the legislature is the ballot box.”

Continue Reading

Police search for fireworks owners

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

Narathiwat blast couple in Malaysia

PUBLISHED : 2 Aug 2023 at 19:48

Police search for fireworks owners
Many houses are burned in a firework explosion in Narathiwat’s Sungai Kolok district on Saturday. (Photo: Photo By Border Patrol Police Unit 4414)

Police on Wednesday issued arrest warrants against owners of an exploded fireworks warehouse in Narathiwat after they failed to report to police on Tuesday for questioning.

The Saturday explosion in tambon Muno of Sungai Kolok district killed 12 people, injured 121 and further damaged 292 houses.

After the incident, national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas instructed Provincial Police Region (PPR) 9 chief Pol Lt Gen Nanthadet Yoinual to provide assistance to victims and expedite the investigation to bring legal action against all relevant individuals, as well as to expand the investigation to other warehouses to prevent such incidents recurring. 

Sompong Nakul, 42, and his wife, Piyanuch Peungwirawat, 42, the owners of the warehouse, were summoned to acknowledge charges on Tuesday — including possessing and distributing fireworks without permission, negligence causing deaths, injuries to others and damaging properties, as well as proceeding with construction without permission.

But the couple reportedly left home last Thursday and travelled to Malyasia via Muang Sadao immigration checkpoint in Songkhla. They have not returned to Thailand. 

“The national police chief will coordinate with Malaysian police to help arrest them and bring them back to face legal action,” the Royal Thai Police (RTP) spokesman Pol Lt Gen Archayon Kraithong said on Wednesday.

A police source said the couple operated a grocery store as a front to illegally trade and export fireworks to Malaysia. Back in 2016, Mr Sompong was arrested for storing and selling fireworks and other flammable materials without a permit, but prosecutors dropped the case, said the source.

Pol Lt Gen Archayon Kraithong said Pol Gen Damrongsak has instructed PPR 9 to find out how the fireworks warehouse was allowed to be situated in a community area.

PPR 9 has also formed a panel to investigate whether negligent police officers or state officials were involved. The report will be submitted to RTP.

Narathiwat Police chief Pol Maj Gen Anurut Im-arb has ordered a transfer of four senior officers of Muno Station to inactive posts at Narathiwat Provincial Police Operation Centre, pending an investigation. Bhumjaithai Party secretary-general Saksayam Chidchob said he will submit an urgent motion for fireworks storage to the parliamentary meeting on Thursday.

Continue Reading