Rallies spring up in defence of Pita, MFP
Activists call for senators to resign
PUBLISHED : 21 Jul 2023 at 04:00
Groups of protesters supporting Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat as the nation’s 30th prime minister have sprung up in numerous places in Bangkok this week.
This occurred after parliament rejected Mr Pita’s second bid for the premiership and the Constitutional Court’s decision to suspend him as a member of parliament pending its deliberation of his iTV shareholding case.
The United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, the Talugas Group and the Student Organisation of Thailand announced on their Facebook pages their plan to hold rallies today and on Sunday.
Today’s planned gathering will begin outside Kasetsart University’s auditorium at 5pm and then again at 7pm outside the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (BACC).
The People Assembly Reforming Thailand and its allies yesterday kicked off an 11-day campaign in support of a “democratic government” starting at the Pathumwan intersection.
Sombat Boonngam- anong, a political activist, posted on his Facebook page a call for another gathering on Sunday at the Asok intersection from 5pm to express moral support for Mr Pita and the MFP. He invited Mr Pita to attend.
The People Movement for a Just Society (P-move) also issued a statement condemning what it described as attempts to destroy democracy and obstruct a consensus reached by 14 million voters in the May 14 general election for the MFP to lead a new government.
The organisation also called on senators to resign en masse and for all pro-democracy movements to come out to demonstrate their opposition against “distorted democracy”.
Meanwhile, Pol Gen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves, a list-MP and leader of the Seri Ruam Thai Party, has urged the MFP to break away from the eight-party alliance first to make way for Pheu Thai to win the prime ministerial vote.
Seri Ruam Thai is a member of the prospective eight-party coalition.
Pol Gen Sereepisuth described this as a sacrifice to support the alliance’s goal of forming a coalition.
The MFP could return as a coalition partner later, he said.
“As a senior enough person here, I’d like Pheu Thai and the MFP to think twice if they will continue contending for the premiership together, because if a new candidate fails the vote again, there won’t be a second chance for him,” he said.
Local fish gets national recognition
PUBLISHED : 21 Jul 2023 at 04:00
NEWSPAPER SECTION: News
Samut Songkram is celebrating after its mackerel, known as platu Mae Klong, received geographical indication.
According to governor Somnuek Promkhiew, the province submitted a request for the indication to the Intellectual Property Department in September 2021, and it was recently approved.
The fish is normally seen in the waters of Muang Samut Songkhram, Ampawa and Bang Kon Tee districts.
The registration covered both cooked and uncooked fish found in those areas, he said.
Search on for navy sailor following huge ammo theft
PUBLISHED : 21 Jul 2023 at 04:00
The navy will kick a non-commissioned officer out for prolonged absence from duty amid allegations that he stole large quantities of ammunition from Sattahip naval base in Chon Buri.
The sailor has been absent without leave since July 5, Royal Thai Navy spokesman Adm Pokkrong Monthatphalin said yesterday.
He added that the navy will propose the sailor’s dismissal to the Defence Ministry and seek a warrant for his arrest from the military court.
“The navy is not nonchalant and will quickly find the wrongdoer to take disciplinary and criminal action,” Adm Pokkrong said without naming the sailor.
Sources said the suspect is a chief petty officer second class who supervises an arsenal at the Sattahip naval base.
Adm Pokkrong said a search of the suspect’s home on Wednesday found stolen cartridges, which he said shows the missing sailor had stolen rounds of ammunition from the base.
The alleged theft was reported on Sunday by the popular CSI-LA Facebook page, run by a Thai expatriate in the US, which alleged tens of thousands of M855 and M856 rounds as well as thousands of 40mm grenade launcher cartridges, had gone missing from the navy’s stores.
Adm Pokkrong said financial transactions that were examined have indicated that the thefts took place over a long period of time.
The suspect has turned off all his communication devices and is believed to be in hiding somewhere in the country, he said.
Police will hunt for the man and arrest him, he added.
Five killed in ‘migrant truck’ accident
PUBLISHED : 21 Jul 2023 at 04:00
Tak: Five people, four of them suspected to be illegal job seekers from Myanmar, were killed, and a dozen others were injured when a pickup truck they were travelling in was hit by a six-wheeled delivery truck in Muang district early yesterday morning.
Rescuers rushed to the Thang Luang Tak intersection on Phahon Yothin Road after the crash occurred at about 4am and retrieved the bodies of four Myanmar men and the pickup truck driver.
Twelve other Myanmar nationals, including four women, were injured. They were rushed to a local hospital.
Police have not yet identified most of the dead and injured victims, but they are suspected to be illegal border crossers seeking work in Thailand.
According to police investigators, they travelled in a Kamphaeng Phet-registered pickup truck heading to Chon Buri.
Jaturong Ploypradab, 26, driver of the six-wheeler, told police he was hired to transport steel storage units from Phitsanulok to Tak.
He said that he did not see the traffic light when he was reaching the intersection and rammed the pickup while it was making a turn ahead.
SSF reform ‘a must to avert collapse’
PUBLISHED : 21 Jul 2023 at 04:00
The Social Security Fund (SSF) needs a revamp to function effectively and stay afloat, as MPs and academics fear it might go under in 30 years if nothing is done to improve its financial standing.
The SSF’s operation took centre stage during a House debate yesterday, with Khattiya Sawasdipol, a Pheu Thai list MP, saying the 750-baht monthly contribution from private workers to the SSF was too small.
It needs larger contributions to grow into a secure source of income for pensioners, she said, adding SSF subscribers will be happy to contribute more if they could be assured that the fund is managed in a transparent manner.
According to Ms Khattiya, the fund manager hired to invest SSF funds in stocks and bonds said that the return on investment between 2019 to 2021 averaged 1.6%, which is below market standards.
The MP asked if the SSF will revise its investments to improve profitability, noting the SSF was 28 billion baht in the red in 2021.
Chutima Kotchapan, a list MP from the Move Forward Party (MFP), said some employers have not submitted their mandatory contribution to the SSF.
Worawan Charnduaywit, a social security programme adviser at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), said the SSF risks suffering a financial collapse in the next 30 years.
He said the fund will be paying pensions to more and more people due to the ageing population while the workforce continues to shrink each year.
SSF investments are also not turning in much profit, as a large portion of the fund is invested in low-risk ventures and assets with low returns, he said.
Meanwhile, Social Security Office secretary-general Boonsong Thapchaiyut said the SSF has continued to grow except between 2020-2022 when the Covid-19 pandemic caused financial hardship that forced workers to contribute less to it.
However, he said that by 2027, the fund will have more than three trillion baht in its reserve. He assured a plan is being worked out to increase members’ contributions.
“The SSF is constantly looking for ways to improve its investment portfolios,” he said, insisting the fund was stable and secure.
Mr Boonsong also gave his assurance that the fund was being managed professionally and with transparency.
No politicians can manipulate or abuse the SSF, he added.
Mechanisms to ensure neutrality amid conflict
PUBLISHED : 21 Jul 2023 at 04:00
Asean has decided to use its homegrown mechanisms to ensure regional peace while remaining neutral amid global conflicts.
Usana Berananda, Director-General of the Asean Affairs Department, on Thursday said that Asean officials met during the 56th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Ministerial Meeting and Post Ministerial Conference from July 11 to 14 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
There, Asean determined it will use its Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and the Treaty of Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) to remain neutral, she said.
She said the AOIP was tabled during the meeting so members could use it to build cooperation with partners to reduce confrontations in the region.
The AOIP is an affirmation of Asean’s role in maintaining peace, security, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. It aims to push open and inclusive dialogue on maritime, economic and connectivity issues.
Ms Usana said that currently, many Asean countries have their own Indo-Pacific strategy, which could be confrontational. Using the AOIP would ensure cooperation is inclusive without marginalising countries that may not have their own strategy, she noted.
The cooperation is also based on mutual prosperity in the region, she said. “We hope that our AOIP will be the heart that builds trust and cooperation while reducing confrontation and competition in the region.”
On the issue of nuclear weapons, she said there is growing concern over their potential use amid the current geopolitical climate. The SEANWFZ treaty was tabled during the meeting to serve as a framework on how the region can be free of nuclear weapons, she said.
She said there were attempts by Asean members to invite nuclear-capable countries to sign a protocol attached to the treaty as a way to deter the use of nuclear arms in the region.
“Some countries, like China, have shown their readiness to sign the protocol attached at the end of this treaty,” Ms Usana said. “Members have been talking about the details of the signing process. The experts are consulting [for] more details.”
She said Indonesia, as current chair of Asean, has shown interest in escalating the process during its tenure.
“If China signs, it will be good motivation for other countries with nuclear weapons to sign as well,” she said. “It will help build confidence that these countries will not use nuclear weapons in the region, which will help create more regional stability.”
Goldâs divergence from Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities at a record
Gold and TIPS have a similar portfolio function, to hedge against unexpected inflation or dollar depreciation. The trouble is that buying inflation insurance from the US federal government is like buying shipwreck insurance from the purser of the Titanic. After the massive expansion of US government debt during the COVID epidemic, TIPS and gold diverged. The divergence reached an all-time record July 20 (gold is $778 higher than the TIPS yield would predict). The price of disaster insurance against the US dollar keeps rising.
Malawi racist videos: Chinese man convicted after BBC expose
A Malawian court has convicted a Chinese national on multiple charges including trafficking and procuring children to take part in entertainment.
Lu Ke, also known as Susu, has been handed a 12-month prison sentence, which he has already served in police custody.
He has been ordered to leave the country within seven days and is barred from ever returning.
He was arrested last year following a BBC Africa Eye investigative report.
The report showed him filming Malawian children making personalised greeting videos, some of which included racist content.
The videos were being bought for up to $70 (£55) on Chinese social media and internet platforms.
When news of his offensive videos broke, he fled to neighbouring Zambia as Malawian authorities issued a warrant of arrest against him.
He was arrested and convicted of entering the country illegally and was then extradited to Malawi.
He was denied bail and has been in police custody until his sentencing on Thursday.
He faced 14 charges against him, including procurement of children for use of entertainment, child trafficking, illegal use of the internet and harmful social practices.
Lu Ke denied making derogatory videos.
In his defence, the court was told he had already paid 16m Malawian kwacha ($16,000; £12,500) to the government to compensate his victims and for social responsibility activities in the community.
He said he had made his videos in order to spread Chinese culture to the local community.
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India bans rice shipments to curb price rises
Getty ImagesIndia has outlawed the export of non-basmati white rice in an attempt to ward off looming domestic price spikes.
Heavy rains have hurt crops in the country and rice prices have risen by more than 11% over the last 12 months.
Non-basmati white grain currently accounts for about a quarter of India’s rice exports, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs said as it announced the policy change.
Experts warned the move could push up global food prices.
Food supplies are already under pressure, after Russia’s withdrawal this week from a deal guaranteeing safe passage of Ukraine grain, including wheat.
India is the world’s biggest exporter of rice, accounting for more than 40% of global shipments. Non-basmati rice is mainly exported to countries in Asia and Africa.
Last year, the Indian government imposed a 20% export tax to try to discourage foreign sales. It has also limited wheat and sugar shipments.
But exporting abroad can be more lucrative for Indian farmers.
The government said that farmers would still be able to export other kinds of rice, including long-grain basmati, ensuring they “get the benefit of remunerative prices in the international market”.
The state will also consider requests to allow shipments to other countries based on food security needs, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade said.
The invasion of Ukraine last year caused global food prices to surge.
While those pressures have since eased at a global level, in India, bad weather has damaged crops, prompting the cost of many items – including tomatoes and onions – to rise sharply.
Vegetable prices jumped 12% from May to June, contributing to the rising cost of living. Inflation rose 4.8% last month, which was higher than expected as a result of the climbing food costs.
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19 April 2022
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2 men who fled to Malaysia after allegedly stealing S$132,000 diamond ring from Lucky Plaza shop arrested
SINGAPORE: Two men who allegedly stole a diamond ring worth more than S$132,000 (US$99,488) from a pawnshop at Lucky Plaza on Sunday (Jul 16), before fleeing to Malaysia have been arrested and handed over to Singapore police. In a news release on Thursday, the police said they were alerted to theContinue Reading