South-East Asia (Page 986)

Poll body may have broken its own rules by allowing Pheu Thai to make promise it can’t keep, says activist

Political activist Sonthiya Sawasdee has asked the Election Commission (EC) to investigate whether it erred in giving the Pheu Thai Party the go-ahead to campaign for its 10,000-baht digital wallet handout.

The commission might have broken its own rules against allowing parties to make promises they can’t keep, or to promise things that risk the country’s financial health, said Mr Sonthiya, a former adviser to the House committee on law, justice and human rights.

The EC might have breached Section 258(3) of the Organic Act on Political Parties by having approved the digital wallet policy even though it was impossible to execute, he said.

The original proposal by Pheu Thai called for every Thai aged 16 or over to receive a 10,000-baht handout to be spent locally to stimulate the economy. The cost was estimated at 560 billion baht, but the plan is now being scaled back.

Mr Sonthiya asked if the EC had studied the promise made during the campaign for the May 14 election and consulted with knowledgeable parties about whether it was practical before giving Pheu Thai the all-clear.

“During the general election period, the EC was the most powerful organisation,” he said on Friday. “Even the caretaker government had to gain approvals from the EC. Now I would like to request the EC to inspect its own past decisions.”

He also said that he would ask the National Anti‑Corruption Commission (NACC) to rule whether the poll body had breached the law and how the EC should take responsibility for approving policies that can’t be carried out.

Following scrutiny by the NACC, the issue could then be brought to the Constitutional Court, he said.

The NACC on Oct 20 said it was setting up a committee of experts to study the handout plan in detail and advise on whether it contains loopholes that could be exploited and lead to policy corruption.

Mr Sonthiya, a former member of the Palang Pracharath Party, complained that he had been filing reports to the EC about the digital wallet scheme for five months but the commission had not commented on the policy.

“The EC is unintentionally destroying democracy,” he said. “If any political party submits impractical policies and gains approval from the EC, it is a lie.

“People will no longer believe in democracy. And the EC should be the authority that questions lies from political parties.”

In a related development, Senator Somchai Sawangkarn said he would campaign for the digital wallet to be rejected by MPs and the public, hoping to pressure the government to reconsider its plan.

“I recommend the government spend its 560-billion-baht budget for the digital wallet policy on people in vulnerable groups instead,” he said.

A loan worth 560 billion baht, he said, would incur interest payments of 140 billion baht. Both MPs and the public should say no to “helicopter money” and encourage the government to solve wealth distribution issues in other ways, he added.

The digital wallet programme was originally scheduled to start on Feb 1 but Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat has conceded it would be delayed until April or possibly beyond. In addition to funding challenges, authorities still haven’t decided who will receive the funds and how the digital distribution system can be made secure.

Death of boy who was part of dramatic cave rescue ‘could not have been foreseen or prevented’

The captain of the young “Wild Boars” football team that was dramatically rescued from a flooded cave in Chiang Rai in 2018 took his own life while at a school in England, a UK coroner’s inquest has concluded.

Duangphet “Dom” Phromthep, 17, was found unconscious at Brooke House College in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, on Feb 12. He died two days later at Kettering General Hospital.

Prof Catherine Mason, senior coroner for south Leicestershire, recorded a conclusion of suicide following an inquest on Oct 4, British media reported on Friday.

In a record of the inquest seen by the British news agency PA, Prof Mason said Duangphet “was not known to mental health services, and it is not known why he took the actions that he did.

“It could not have been foreseen or prevented,” she wrote of the death. “The police investigation has found no evidence of third-party involvement or suspicious circumstances.”

The sudden death of Duangphet came as a shock to his family and friends. At the time, the cause of death was not known.

His ashes were returned to his grieving family in Thailand on March 4 following his cremation in England.

In a statement released on Friday, Ian Smith, the principal of Brooke House College, said its community “remains united in grief” over the death and that Duangphet would be “hugely missed”.

“As a college, the health, wellbeing and welfare of our students is our absolute priority. … The coroner also acknowledged the entire college community for the high quality of our student care, welfare and safeguarding and noted this tragic incident sadly could not have been foreseen nor prevented,” the statement said.

Duangphet was the captain of the football team whose rescue from the flooded cave captured the attention of the world in 2018. He won a scholarship to study at the football academy in Leicestershire in August last year.

In June and July 2018, Thai and international rescue teams mounted an operation to rescue 12 local footballers aged between 11 and 16 and their 25-year-old coach from the flooded Tham Luang cave in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai.

They became trapped after they went to explore the underground complex on June 23 after football practice.

They were unable to leave when a sudden storm flooded the cave and spent 17 days underground before being found by two British divers.

Duangphet was the boy who first shouted out to the rescuers for help. He was then 13. A complex and dangerous rescue followed. One Thai rescuer died in the operation.

A fire raged firecely Chong Chom border market in Surin Kap Choeng district late on Friday night, destroying more than 300 shops. No casualties were reported.

More than 10 fire trucks, firemen and rescue teams from this border district and nearby areas were deployed to combat the fire that broke out at Chong Chom market in tambon Dan about 9.40pm on Friday.

The raging fire forced local residents to flee in panic. Vendors tried to take their goods and belongings at their shops to flee. 

Flames spread quickly as there were many flammable materials such as clothes, beds, furniture, bags, shoes and handicraft products at the market, which housed more than 500 shops.

Local authorities said the fire started at soi 9 at the market before spreading to other shops. Winds fuelled the fire.   Firemen put the fire under control at 2.50am. No casualties were reported.

An initial survey showed about 320 shops were destroyed. The cause of the blaze was being investigated.

Firemen take several hours to put out the fire at the cross-border market in Surin. (Photo: Surin public relations office)

More than 300 shops are destroyed by the fire. (Photo: Surin public relations office)

A huge fire breaks out at Chong Chom border market in Kap Choeng district, Surin at 9.40pm on Friday. Many fire trucks and firemen were sent to the scene to combat the fire, which was put under control at 2.50am. (Photos: Surin public relations office Facebook)

No casualties in blaze at Chong Chom market, which took 5 hours to put out

A fire raged through the Chong Chom border market in Kap Choeng district of Surin late on Friday night, destroying more than 300 shops. No casualties were reported.

More than 10 fire trucks, firefighters and rescue teams from the border district and nearby areas were deployed to combat the fire that broke out at the market in tambon Dan about 9.40pm on Friday.

The raging fire forced local residents to flee in panic. Vendors tried to take their goods and belongings at their shops to flee. 

Flames spread quickly as there were many flammable materials such as clothes, beds, furniture, bags, shoes and handicraft products at the market, which housed more than 500 shops.

Local authorities said the fire started in Soi 9 at the market before spreading to other shops. Winds fuelled the fire, which took firemen until 2.50am to bring under control.

An initial survey showed about 320 shops were destroyed. The cause of the blaze was being investigated.

Firemen needed several hours to put out the fire at the cross-border market in Surin. (Photo: Surin public relations office)

More than 300 shops have been destroyed by the fire. (Photo: Surin public relations office)

A huge fire breaks out at Chong Chom border market in Kap Choeng district of Surin at 9.40pm on Friday. Many fire trucks and firemen were sent to the scene to combat the blaze, which was brought under control at 2.50am. (Photos: Surin public relations office Facebook)

The House of Representatives has set up a 60-member committee to study the potential opening of entertainment complexes, including casinos, to address the problem of illegal casinos and boost the country’s economy, as proposed in a motion submitted by MPs from various parties.

Supporters of the motion included Thoedchart Chaipong, a Pheu Thai MP for Chiang Rai; Non Paisanlimcharoenkij, a Move Forward Party MP for Nonthaburi; and Chatchawal Kong-udom, a United Thai Nation Party list-MP.

The motion calling for forming a committee to examine the matter underwent deliberation in a House meeting chaired by House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha on Thursday.

Rangsiman Rome, a Move Forward Party list-MP, expressed his support but warned that a similar working body was also established by the previous House of Representatives to study this matter.

The opposition MP said he was informed that a company based in Tak province, accused of engaging in human trafficking and the illicit trade of human organs, succeeded in sending a representative to express its views before the committee, seemingly with malicious intent.

Mr Rangsiman emphasised the need for preventive measures against ill-intentioned influence.

The Move Forward MP said he believed legalising casinos in Thailand could lead to the collapse of border-operating casinos, redirecting Thai gamblers’ money towards government revenue for national development.

United Thai Nation Party list-MP Chatchawal highlighted the loss of income due to Thai people travelling to neighbouring countries for casino gambling. Mr Chatchawal said he first proposed the legalisation of casinos 30 years ago, but many disagreed.

At least five entertainment complexes with casinos should be strategically located across the country — one each in the North, the South, the East, the West and the Central Plains, he said. These would provide local jobs, ending the need for some Thais to work abroad, he said.

SONGKHLA: One of five suspects wanted in connection with aiding the escape of 37-year-old prisoner Chaowalit Thongduang, alias “Sia Paeng Nanod”, from Maharat Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital, has been arrested in Hat Yai district.

Khanet “Boy” Thongprajong, 28, was apprehended inside a shopping mall in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district on Thursday evening as he went to watch a movie. He admitted to the charges during police questioning at Muang station in Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday.

Khanet was among the five suspects facing arrest warrants for their alleged involvement in aiding the escape of the prisoner — who is incarcerated for a number of serious crimes — from the hospital on the night of Oct 22. Chaowalit had been taken from prison to the hospital for dental treatment that Friday and was subsequently kept in after collapsing, citing severe leg pain.

During questioning yesterday, Khanet initially denied involvement, but he later confessed when presented with CCTV footage from the hospital. He admitted to providing a mobile phone and tools to Chaowalit last Friday night.

Police took him to Maharat Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital yesterday to reenact the crime. Police also seized his motorcycle at a rented house in Muang district.

According to Khanet’s confession, he had known Chaowalit in Central Nakhon Si Thammarat Prison, where he was serving a sentence for drug charges. Following his release, Chaowalit contacted him.

Khanet now faces charges of colluding in helping a prisoner escape, which carries a prison term of up to five years.

Police suspected Chaowalit may be hiding in Khao Banthat Wildlife Sanctuary, a refuge for animals that covers four southern provinces.

Police were tracing the prisoner in the area via mobile phone signals.