Thailand-bound Chinese activist nabbed in Laos

Lawyer Lu Siwei was attempting to reach Bangkok to board flight to US to rejoin family

Thailand-bound Chinese activist nabbed in Laos
A photo provided by a source wishing to remain anonymous shows Chinese lawyer Lu Siwei at a roadside stop about 300km north of Vientiane, Laos on Thursday. He was arrested on Friday and his current whereabouts are not known. (Photo Supplied)

BEIJING: A Chinese human rights lawyer has been arrested in Laos while en route to Thailand, and activists and family members fear he could be deported back to China and face prison time.

Lao police seized Lu Siwei on Friday morning while he was boarding a train for Thailand. He was reportedly on his way to Bangkok to catch a flight to the United States to join his wife and daughter, The Associated Press reported.

“I’m extremely worried for his safety,” said his wife, Zhang Chunxiao, in a text message seen by the news agency. “If he’s sent back to China, he’d definitely be imprisoned.”

The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lu had a history of taking on sensitive cases and defending people deemed to be political targets by Chinese authorities.

In 2021 he and a colleague were stripped of their licences, reportedly because they were representing the “Hong Kong 12”, a group of activists who attempted to flee the territory after China imposed a sweeping national security law.

Some of them were already facing prosecution for alleged crimes linked to the huge and often violent pro-democracy protests that swept Hong Kong in 2019.

Lu was barred later in 2021 from leaving China for a visiting fellowship in the United States. His wife and daughter both resettled in the United States last year.

Bob Fu, founder of the Texas-based religious rights group ChinaAid, said he was contacted by Lu’s family two weeks ago to assist in his escape from China. ChinaAid earlier this year helped to get more than 60 Chinese Christians resettled in Texas after they were detained in Pattaya for overstaying their visas.

Lu’s arrest on Lao soil reflects how Beijing pursues critics abroad, Fu said, part of a broader clampdown that has instilled fear in Chinese dissents.

Lu was being accompanied by two activists working with ChinaAid when he was arrested. Police also grabbed one of the activists and confiscated his passport briefly before returning it.

Dissidents on the run from the Chinese state have reported harassment elsewhere in Southeast Asia, including the family of one detained by Thai police after bomb threats were called in under their name.

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Senegalese swimmer missing in Phuket

Senegalese swimmer missing in Phuket
Searchers scour the waters off Freedom beach in Phuket for signs of a 22-year-old Senegalese man who went missing while swimming on Friday. (Photo supplied/Achathaya Chuenniran)

PHUKET: A search was continuing on Saturday for a 22-year-old Senegalese man who went missing after going swimming at Freedom beach on Friday.

Forty-five searchers from Karon municipality and other agencies were taking part in the operation on Saturday. They also expanded the search area to Patong beach to the north and Karon beach about two kilometres south of Freedom beach on the west coast of the tourist island.

The tourist, identified as Cheikhonuna Ba, 22, was last seen swimming at Freedom beach at around 11am on Friday, said a spokesman at the Royal Thai Navy Third Army operation centre.

Navy officers were dispatched to join lifeguards to search for the man on Friday, when strong wind and waves obstructed the operation.

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Singapore can have ‘best of three worlds’ if I become President, says Ng Kok Song

SINGAPORE: If Singaporeans choose him to be the next President, the country can have “the best of three worlds”, said presidential hopeful Ng Kok Song on Saturday (Jul 29) as he gave some personal reflections on the elected presidency.

Speaking to reporters at the sidelines of the Asia Cat Expo 2023, Mr Ng said that if he is elected President, former senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam can return to the government to serve Singapore as he has done for the last 22 years.

Meanwhile, Mr George Goh – the third potential presidential candidate and founder of retailer Harvey Norman Ossia – can go back to “building his business to support the government’s efforts to grow our economy”, Mr Ng said.

“I think that would be a very good thing because as you know, our government is going through a difficult time. So we need very good and capable people to come back or to go back to serve our country,” he added.

“I will be so honoured to be able to serve the people of Singapore one more time.”

Mr Ng also laid out two other scenarios where either Mr Tharman, 66, or Mr Goh, 63, become Singapore’s President.

He noted that all three potential candidates have explained what they would do if they are elected president, but have not shared what they would do when the election is over.

If he does not get elected as President, Mr Ng, 75, said he will go back to his asset management company Avanda Investment Management, which he co-founded in mid-2015.

He started out as an investment analyst at the Ministry of Finance’s overseas investment department before moving on to the Monetary Authority of Singapore, before finally ending his 45 years in public service as the chief investment officer of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC.

“I will go back and grow my company … so that Avanda can become a homegrown Singaporean investment management company that Singaporeans can be proud of and which will contribute to the further development of Singapore as a financial centre,” he told the media.

Mr Ng was at the Asia Cat Expo 2023 event with his fiancee Sybil Lau, where they interacted with stall owners and members of the public as well as some pet cats.

The couple own an 18-month-old British shorthair cat named Max and a Japanese Spitz dog named Cotton.

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Chuvit insists Thaksin will not return soon

Whistleblower debunks talk of applying for pardon within 24 hours, saying ex-pm is being deceived

Chuvit insists Thaksin will not return soon
Whistleblower Chuvit Kamolvisit says he does not expect former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to be back in Thailand next month. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)

Anyone who believes fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will return to Thailand on Aug 10 to face prison time is mistaken, according to political whistleblower Chuvit Kamolvisit.

It would be wrong to think that police and royal guards will be at Don Mueang airport to receive the de facto leader of the Pheu Thai Party and take him to prison to start serving a combined jail term of 10 years, Mr Chuvit said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

The ousted premier would not have waited for 15 or 16 years if he actually wanted to return, said the former massage parlour tycoon.

Mr Chuvit caused an online stir on Friday night when he posted a message saying Thaksin’s plans had changed because a new situation had arisen. He did not elaborate.

The ex-premier’s daughter Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra, a Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidate, called the whistleblower’s remark “baseless”. Plans for her father’s Aug 10 return were still in place, she said.

Since being overthrown by a military coup on Sept 19, 2006, Thaksin has been living in self-imposed exile, except for a brief visit to the country in 2008. During his absence, he was sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison in four cases. The statute of limitations has expired in one case, leaving three convictions that carry terms totalling 10 years that he must serve.

Mr Chuvit said that Thaksin’s announced return on Aug 10 must involve a “special agenda” due to the intense political climate surrounding the voting for a new prime minister and the setting up of a new administration.

Exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra gestures while being interviewed by reporters in Hong Kong on March 25, 2019. (Photo: AFP)

Mr Chuvit said people can apply for a royal pardon on the first day they enter prison, but this applies to ordinary lawbreakers, not those at the “prime minister” level.

It would be crazy to think that the same rule applies to influential lawbreakers because they need special care from the Corrections Department due to safety concerns, and they cannot be mixed with other inmates, he said.

“To petition for a royal pardon for a personal crime, it is left to the royal prerogative,” Mr Chuvit wrote. “No one has ever received a royal pardon, except for Section 112 (lese-majeste) offences.”

Those who have committed crimes like corruption, robbery and fraud have never been granted a royal pardon, he said.

“If anyone told Thaksin that it’s possible, it’s a plan to deceive him.”

The former politician advised Thaksin to cancel his plan to return to the country indefinitely, or until a new government is formed.

Mr Chuvit said he was not angry at Ms Paetongtarn for disputing his claim.

“I’m not angry because I understand that she wishes her father to return home,” he wrote.

On Friday, Mr Chuvit posted a message on Facebook saying: “The game has taken a twist. Thaksin is retreating and has cancelled his plans to return to Thailand. The situation has changed.” He ended with a hashtag “deceived again and again”.

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Car falls off expressway, driver survives

Truck strikes power pole in Ratchaburi, killing driver’s wife

Car falls off expressway, driver survives
Police and rescue workers inspect a heavily damaged sedan after it fell from the Si Rat Expressway in Bangkok early Saturday. (Screen capture)

A 26-year-old man narrowly escaped death when his car plummeted 15 metres off an expressway in Bangkok early on Saturday.

Expressway police and rescue volunteers were alerted at 3:30am to a Honda Civic that had plunged from the Si Rat Expressway onto Rama VI Road. 

At the scene, authorities found the vehicle with all its tyres punctured, a large collision mark on its front, a collapsed roof and windows shattered.

Inside, they found the driver, identified only as Wachiraya, and rushed him to ViMUT Hospital.

During questioning, Mr Wachiraya told police that he had entered the expressway from Ngam Wong Wan Road but lost control of his car near the exit to Rama VI Road. As a result, his vehicle crashed through a concrete barrier and plunged 15 metres to the road below.

Police were reviewing surveillance video to determine the cause of the incident, and a blood alcohol test will be conducted on the driver. 

In a separate accident that occurred around 7am in Photharam district of Ratchaburi, a six-wheel truck crashed into a power pole, resulting in death of the driver’s wife and injuries to the driver and their five-year-old son.

Police said the driver, Prayun Thaisuay, 49, and his son were rescued from the wreck and sent to Photharam Hospital. The mother, Sirinapa Phromtao, 46, was found dead in a hammock in the back of the vehicle.

Rescue workers took about 30 minutes to remove the woman’s body and deliver her for an autopsy.

The family was travelling from Kanchanaburi to Nakhon Pathom at the time of the accident. According to investigators, the crash occurred when the driver fell asleep at the wheel and missed a turn.

The scene has been identified as a site with a history of frequent road accidents, including a recent collision involving a motorcycle and the same power pole.

A six-wheeler struck a power pole in Photharam, Ratchaburi on Saturday morning, resulting in one death and two injuries. (Screen capture)

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Head of ‘Little Angel’ chat group held for child porn

Suspect told police he wanted to earn extra money to look after 10-year-old daughter

Head of ‘Little Angel’ chat group held for child porn
Police question a suspect, identified only as Abhisit, after his arrest at his house in Sattahip on Saturday on child pornography charges. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)

The administrator of a Line chat group called “Little Angel” that contained over 1,000 child sex clips has been arrested in Sattahip district of Chon Buri.

The 29-year-old suspect, identified only as Abhisit, was apprehended at a house in tambon Na Jomtien on Saturday, Pol Col Kuekkong Disawat, superintendent Sub-division 5 of Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD).

He was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Pattaya Provincial Court on Thursday on charges of possession of child pornography for making profit or involvement in producing child pornographic materials for trade.

Officers from the ATPD had earlier arrested another suspect accused of luring girls aged under 18 to perform sex acts that were recorded on video for dissemination on social media.

The officers extended the investigation and found that the videos were distributed via the “Little Angel” group, which contained more than 1,000 videos of underaged girls. The group collected membership fees starting from 100-300 baht per view.

A police informant later posed as a member of the chat group and found out who the administrator was, leading to the arrest of Mr Abhisit.

During questioning, Mr Abhisit admitted he had set up the chat group. He said he had purchased child sex videos from other Line groups.

He claimed he set up the chat group to collect membership fees because he just wanted to earn money to take care his 10-year-old daughter.

Police handed him over to investigators from the ATPD Sub-division 5 for further legal action.

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UK mansion once occupied by Rama VII for sale

67-acre Vane Court estate in Kent was home to King Prajadhipok after his abdication

UK mansion once occupied by Rama VII for sale
Vane Court, a 67-acre property that dates back to 1419, is located in the village of Biddenden, 70km southeast of London. (Photo: Savills)

A British mansion where King Prajadhipok lived in the late 1930s following his abdication from the throne has gone on the market for £5.5 million (240 million baht).

Vane Court, a 67-acre property that dates back to 1419, is located near the village of Biddenden in Kent, 70 kilometres southeast of London, according to the listing posted by the upmarket real estate agent Savills.

“While for those looking for a house with history, Vane Court’s prior use as a royal residence has truly left a mark on the home,” says Will Peppitt, head of sales for southeastern England at Savills. “One can now sleep in what was once the King of Siam’s bedroom or spend sunny afternoons beside the King’s Pond.” 

Savills says the 604-year-old mediaeval manor has been “thoughtfully restored” and features six bedrooms and four bathrooms. The timber-framed abode’s original entrance hall has been preserved on the ground floor, complete with an oak staircase and a south-facing drawing room with its own fireplace and wood burner.

The 67-acre grounds contain formal gardens, a separate sunken rose garden, a tennis court and a large heated swimming pool. The aptly named King’s Pond has its own bridge. 

“With transport links back into London conveniently nearby, we think that Vane Court will appeal to those looking for the perfect slice of country living in the garden of England,” said Mr Peppitt. 

Eton-educated King Prajadhipok ruled Siam from 1925 to 1935, a chaotic and revolutionary period. He and Queen Rambhai Barni began living at Vane Court in 1937. The villagers of Biddenden regarded the former king as “the squire” and invited him and his lady to open flower shows and other local events.

The couple enjoyed the tranquil life in England, savouring the countryside while walking their dogs, bicycling to shop in the village and watching ducks and fish swimming in their pond at home.

Tranquillity and peace were interrupted by the advent of World War II, and when Vane Court was requisitioned for war purposes, the royal couple  moved to a rented house at Virginia Water in Surrey, where Prajadhipok died of heart failure at age 47.

Some of the original oak timbers of the structure have been preserved. (Photo: Savills)

(Photo: Savills)

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Prawit re-elected as PPRP leader after immediate resignation

Prawit re-elected as PPRP leader after immediate resignation
Palang Pracharath Party leader Prawit Wongsuwon shows his new MP identification card to reporters after registering with the Office of the Secretariat of the House of Representatives on June 20, 2023. The 77-year-old politician has been re-elected as PPRP leader on Saturday. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)

Gen Prawit Wongsuwon has been re-elected as the Palang Pracharath Party leader, hours after stepping down from the position on Saturday morning.

Following the immediate resignation of Gen Prawit, who also serves as a caretaker deputy prime minister, the PPRP began the voting process to elect a new party leader and a 21-member executive board. 

Palang Pracharath MP Atthakorn Sirilatthayakorn nominated Gen Prawit for the top post, and he was the sole candidate.

The unofficial voting results showed thT Gen Prawit made a comeback as the party leader. The five new deputy leaders elected are Santi Promphat, Paiboon Nititawan, Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, Wirat Rattanaset, and Trinuch Thienthong.

Capt Thamanat Prompow, a key figure of the PPRP and MP for Phayao, became the party’s secretary-general again. He, along with 20 other MPs under his control, had been ousted from the party last year for plotting against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Before the voting started, Mr Paiboon said, “Gen Prawit will remain in the party and will always look after it.” 

According to a party source, Gen Prawit did not attend the meeting.

This week, the election-winner Move Forward Party (MFP) stressed that it will not form a government with the PPRP and the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party as its coalition partners, calling them “remnants of a dictatorship”.

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Prawit re-elected as PPRP leader

Brother named chief adviser in move seen as paving the way for possible tie-up with Pheu Thai

Prawit re-elected as PPRP leader
Palang Pracharath Party leader Prawit Wongsuwon shows his new MP identification card to reporters after registering with the Office of the Secretariat of the House of Representatives on June 20. The 77-year-old politician has been re-elected as PPRP leader on Saturday. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)

Gen Prawit Wongsuwon has been re-elected as the Palang Pracharath Party leader, hours after stepping down from the position on Saturday morning.

The resignation of Gen Prawit, who also serves as a caretaker deputy prime minister, was strictly a procedural move, as the party board was also obliged to step down under the rules. That set the stage for the voting process to elect a new party leader and a 21-member executive board.

Palang Pracharath MP Atthakorn Sirilatthayakorn nominated Gen Prawit for the top post, and he was the sole candidate.

The unofficial voting results showed that Gen Prawit had made a comeback as the party leader. The five new deputy leaders elected are Santi Promphat, Paiboon Nititawan, Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, Wirat Rattanaset, and Trinuch Thienthong.

Gen Prawit’s younger brother Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwon, an unelected senator and former national police chief, was also appointed as the party’s chief adviser. That move was seen as possibly paving the way for the PPRP to join a new government if a deal can be reached with the Pheu Thai Party, according to sources

Capt Thamanat Prompow, a key figure of the PPRP and MP for Phayao, became the party’s secretary-general again. He, along with 20 other MPs under his control, had been ousted from the party last year for plotting against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Before the voting started, Mr Paiboon said, “Gen Prawit will remain in the party and will always look after it.” 

According to a party source, Gen Prawit did not attend the meeting.

This week, the election-winner Move Forward Party (MFP) stressed that it will not form a government with the PPRP and the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party as its coalition partners, calling them “remnants of a dictatorship”.

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Prawit resigns as PPRP leader

Prawit resigns as PPRP leader
Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, leader of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), shows his new MP identification card to reporters after registering with the Office of the Secretariat of the House of Representatives on June 20, 2023. The 77-year-old politician has resigned as PPRP leader on Saturday. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)

Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, the leader of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), stepped down from his position on Saturday, creating an opportunity for a new executive board to take charge.

PPRP deputy leader Paiboon Nititawan on Saturday confirmed Gen Prawit’s resignation with immediate effect.

Speaking during the party’s general assembly Mr Paiboon told PPRP members that Gen Prawit tendered his resignation on Saturday morning.

“Gen Prawit will remain in the party and will always look after the party,” said the deputy leader.

The resignation of Gen Prawit, who also serves as a caretaker deputy prime minister, resulted in an automatic end to the PPRP’s executive board under his tenure, paving the way for the election of a new party leader and executives.

Mr Paiboon then called an election to seek a new party leader. During the meeting, Gen Prawit was nominated again as the party leader, and he was the sole candidate for the post.

According to a party source, Gen Prawit did not attend the meeting.

This week, the election-winner Move Forward Party (MFP) stressed that it will not form a government with the PPRP and the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party as its coalition partners, calling them “remnants of a dictatorship”.

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