Soh Rui Yong excluded from Singapore’s Asian Games line-up; SNOC says he made ‘disparaging’ remarks
SINGAPORE: Distance runner Soh Rui Yong has once again been left out of the Singapore contingent and will miss the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The 31-year-old was not included in the Singapore National Olympic Council’s (SNOC) list of successful appeals on Thursday (Jun 8), which comes a month afterContinue Reading
Smugglers caught with 48 macaques
Monkeys in mesh bags, one of them dead, were being transported from Satun to Chachoengsao
Two members of a wildlife smuggling gang were arrested in Muang district of Chumphon on Saturday as they attempted to transport 48 macaques in a car from the South to the East.
The discovery was made after police and wildlife officials stopped a suspicious car for a search between kilometre markers 3 and 4 on Highway 4 in tambon Khun Krathing. Inside they found 48 macaques in mesh net bags. One of the animals was dead.
Two men — Natthaphon Phor-ong, 37, and Charnwat Tadaen, 39, both from Aranyaprathet district in Sa Kaeo — were arrested, said Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB).
During questioning, the pair admitted to having been hired to smuggle the macaques from the southern border province of Satun to Chachoengsao in the East for 25,000 baht a trip. They claimed they had done the job twice before being caught.
They were charged with illegal possession of protected wild animals and held in police custody for legal action. The rescued animals were sent to a wildlife breeding station in Phangnga province to be cared for.
Two smuggling suspects point at macaques inside their car after their arrest in Chumphon. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)
32kg of Australia-bound heroin seized at Bangkok Port
Drugs with street value of B200 million hidden inside packs of pain-relief patches
Authorities have seized about 32 kilogrammes of heroin, stuffed inside boxes of pain-relief patches at the Bangkok Port. The drugs were destined for Melbourne, Australia.
Customs officials found the suspicious shipment at the port on Friday evening. The goods, declared as pain-relief patches, were destined for Melbourne. An X-ray showed the suspicious goods turned out to be heroin, which was in small plastic sachets inside the packages containing the patches.
The heroin could fetch about 200 million baht if smuggled to Australia, said Phanthong Loykulnanta, deputy director-general of the Customs Department, during a media briefing on Saturday.
The department, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board and the Narcotics Suppression Bureau intend to jointly extend the investigation to find those involved, he added.
Packs of pain-relief patches containing heroin seized at the Bangkok Port on Friday are shown during a media briefing on Saturday. (Photo: Customs Department)
Paws and popcorn: Thai cinema goes pet-friendly
SAMUT PRAKAN, Thailand: A fluffy white cat in a yellow dress perched on the top of a Bangkok cinema seat while, nearby, a Chihuahua in a Sebastian the Crab costume geared up to watch Disney’s The Little Mermaid with their owner. One terrier even channelled Ariel in a red wigContinue Reading
Petitioner Srisuwan accused of falsifying documents
Lawyer questions whether signatures used to set up now-dissolved association were real
A lawyer has asked police to investigate serial petitioner and political activist Srisuwan Janya for allegedly falsifying documents and making false statements when setting up an association that has been ordered dissolved.
Rachapon Sirisakorn on Saturday submitted documents to Pol Maj Gen Narin Fuengsri, investigation chief at the Nang Loeng police station in Bangkok to support his claims.
The move came after the Department of Provincial Administration issued an order to dissolve the Association to Protect the Thai Constitution on the grounds that it did not meet membership requirements.
Mr Srisuwan, 55, who served as the association’s secretary-general, said he would appeal the order and vowed to continue checking the performance of political parties and politicians.
Mr Rachapon expressed doubt about whether the association had any members as he had observed that Mr Srisuwan carried out almost all of his activities alone. He wondered whether the activist had used other people’s names to apply for the registration of the association.
If a person makes false statements to officials or uses false signatures when applying to register an association, they could face a jail term of up to six months and/or a fine of up to 10,000 baht, he said.
For falsifying documents, the offence carries a jail term of up to 3 years and/or a fine of up to 60,000 baht.
Mr Rachapon urged others to file complaints against Mr Srisuwan if they had any evidence about his alleged wrongdoings.
The lawyer insisted he had neither been hired by someone seeking to get even with Mr Srisuwan, nor did he have a personal grudge. He simply believed that the activist’s actions in his case were not lawful.
If he did not file a police complaint, the department, which was a damaged party, would certainly file a complaint, said Mr Rachapon.
Prolific career
Mr Srisuwan has filed hundreds of complaints with state agencies, mostly in connection with the actions of politicians. He was especially busy in the run-up to the election, watching for possible violations of an Election Commission (EC) rule against making unrealistic campaign promises.
The Pheu Thai Party took exception to one complaint he filed, and has asked police to charge him with spreading false information after he criticised the party’s campaign promise to increase the minimum wage to 600 baht by 2027.
Mr Srisuwan this week reported, alone, to the Thung Song Hong police station to answer the complaint filed by the party. It was one of the rare occasions when he did not invite reporters and photographers along.
Some people resort to more drastic measures to express their disagreements.
Last month, Mr Srisuwan was punched in the mouth after giving a statement to the EC to support his campaign against Pheu Thai’s 10,000-baht digital wallet scheme.
The attack occurred when an older man walked towards him while he was speaking to reporters at the EC office and suddenly punched him in the month. “I’ve tolerated your conduct for too long,” he shouted before leaving. The attacker was later identified as as Thotsaphon Thananonsophonkul, 67, a retired university lecturer.
It was not the first time the activist has been physically attacked by someone accusing him of showing a bias against critics of the government, something he has denied.
Pol Gen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves, leader of the Seri Ruam Thai (Thai Liberal) Party, on Saturday advised political parties not to resort to physical attacks on Mr Srisuwan as doing so is against the law.
“It’s better for us to adhere to the law because our country is governed by the law,” said the former national police chief. “The issue must be left to arbitrators, like the court.”
One of two giant rubber ducks in Hong Kong harbour deflates
HONG KONG: One of two giant rubber ducks anchored in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour as part of an art installation by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman deflated on Saturday (Jun 10), to the disappointment of residents coming to see them in the scorching heat. It was not clear why the duckContinue Reading
Activists navigate defamation minefield
Sutharee Wannasiri knew the poultry company had violated labour laws. She went on Twitter in 2017 to share a video containing an interview with an employee who said he had to work day and night with no day off.
The poultry company hit back, suing Sutharee for defamation and libel. Although a court found her not guilty in 2020, the company wasn’t done.
While the case was still pending, her colleague at their human rights organisation spoke up for Sutharee on Twitter and Facebook. She, too, ended up being sued for defamation and libel. Now the colleague, Puttanee Kangkun, is facing a maximum of 42 years in prison as she awaits a ruling.
The cases exemplify what often happens in Thailand when companies and government officials are unhappy with public criticism. A criminal defamation charge follows in which critics are accused of spreading falsehoods, and defendants find themselves mired in lengthy legal battles and facing the threat of a prison sentence.
Powerful figures who know they can use the courts to intimidate, harass and punish critics have taken advantage of what the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights has called “judicial harassment” in Thailand.
Although the poultry company, Thammakaset, has been found guilty of labour abuses, it has continued to take its critics to court: first, people who talked about the labour abuses, and later, those who complained about the measures the company was taking to silence those people.
Since 2016, Thammakaset has filed 39 lawsuits, mostly criminal defamation cases, against 23 individuals: migrant workers, human rights defenders and journalists. It has lost all except one, which was later overturned on appeal.
Three are still pending.
In addition to Puttanee, Thammakaset is also suing Angkhana Neelapaijit, 67, a former National Human Rights Commissioner, and Thanaporn Saleephol, 29, a press officer for the European Union in Thailand.
All three women took to social media to criticise the lawsuits filed by Thammakaset. All three are accused of defamation and libel; they are being tried together. (Story continues below)
Puttanee Kangkun shows a post on Twitter that caused Thammakaset to accuse her of defamation. (Lauren DeCicca/The New York Times)
Thailand stands out
Many countries in Southeast Asia have criminal defamation laws, but Thailand stands out. Citizens “are just much more aggressive” in using the law to “drag people into judicial processes that are slow and expensive”, according to Phil Robertson, the deputy director of the Asia division of Human Rights Watch.
In addition to the criminal defamation law, there is the Computer Crimes Act, which makes it a crime to upload “false” information that can “cause damage to the public”. As well, the lese-majeste law, intended to protect the monarchy from criticism, allows ordinary citizens to file complaints for violations.
A UK-based rights watchdog, Article 19, cited statistics provided by Thai judicial authorities showing that public prosecutors and private parties have filed more than 25,000 criminal defamation cases since 2015.
“The business and political elites see this as very effective because the courts are risk-averse; they accept almost any case that is, on its face, nonsensical,” Robertson said.
Faced with calls to address the rampant misuse of the courts, the government amended its Criminal Procedure Code in 2018 to make it easier to dismiss cases against defendants who can argue they are acting in the public interest. But lawyers say little has changed.
Sor Rattanamanee Polkla, the lawyer representing Puttanee, Angkhana and Thanaporn, said she filed a petition to get the cases thrown out under this provision, but the court denied her request.
Thammakaset’s complaint against the three women centres on the 2017 video shared by Sutharee, which was made by Fortify Rights. Puttanee works for the organisation; Sutharee and Thanaporn both used to.
In their Twitter and Facebook posts, Puttanee, Angkhana and Thanaporn expressed solidarity with the activists who were persecuted by Thammakaset. Their posts linked to a Fortify Rights news release and a joint statement with other human rights organisations that ultimately linked to the video.
Thammakaset has cited the video, which includes an interview with a worker describing working long hours and having his passport withheld, in its complaint.
In 2016, the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare concluded that Thammakaset had failed to pay minimum and overtime wages or to provide adequate leave to workers. In 2019, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court order for the company to pay 1.7 million baht to a group of 14 employees who had filed the labour complaint.
During a hearing for the three women in March of this year, Chanchai Pheamphon, the owner of Thammakaset, told the judge that he had already “paid his dues” to the workers, yet the online criticism continued to hurt his business and his reputation.
He said his children had asked him whether the family’s money had come “from human trafficking, from selling slaves.”
“How should a father feel when his children asks him this?” Chanchai said, his voice rising. “I have to use my rights to fight. But using my rights is seen as threatening, using the law to silence them.”
Chanchai told the court that no one wanted to do business with him anymore. But in March, two rights groups published an investigation showing that after Thammakaset cancelled its poultry farm certifications in 2016, a new poultry company called Srabua was established by a man who shared the same address as Chanchai.
Chanchai denied any knowledge of Srabua.
Asked by a New York Times reporter if he planned to file more lawsuits against critics of the company, Chanchai said, “You’re a reporter for a big news agency. If someone says you’re a drug dealer, will you fight back?” (Story continues below)
Puttanee Kangkun, Angkhana Neelapaijit and Thanaporn Saleephol, who are all being sued for defamation by Thammakaset, with their lawyers outside the South Bangkok Criminal Court on May 24. (Lauren DeCicca/The New York Times)
Costly process
Decriminalising defamation cases could have saved Thai taxpayers $3.45 million between 2016 are 2018, according to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. Defendants in civil suits can also expect to pay large sums of money out of pocket.
During the March hearing, Puttanee, 52, brought a backpack stuffed with clothes to court. Commuting from her home to the court takes two hours each way, so each time she attends a hearing, she books a hotel at her company’s expense.
She said she expects the case to last four years if Thammakaset decides to bring its argument all the way to the Supreme Court. Nonetheless, Puttanee counts herself lucky: She is in a community that has rallied around her, and her lawyer works pro bono.
“But I still treat this as intimidation,” she said.
During the hearing, Chanchai detailed how Puttanee’s Twitter posts had defamed his company. His account took five hours; Puttanee nodded off during his testimony.
Angkhana, the former human rights commissioner, is well known in Thailand because of her husband, Somchai Neelapaijit, a human rights lawyer who vanished in 2004 and whose fate remains unknown.
She said the current lawsuit has taken a toll on her mental health.
“It is repeated trauma when somebody attacks you when you didn’t do anything wrong,” said Angkhana. “This is the real aim of the company — to make you feel powerless.”
Thanaporn said there was irony in becoming a victim of the very process she was denouncing, simply by sharing support for her fellow activists online.
“The fact that I can be sued for this speaks for itself,” she said.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times
Commentary: Can Singapore presidential hopefuls be overqualified?
NOT A JOB ANYONE CAN DO
It should not be surprising that the elected presidency was conceived, and is best understood, as an institution with eligibility restricted to a select group.
In response to a parliamentary question in May, Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing stated that there were 50 public service positions that fulfil the public sector service requirement to run in the next presidential election. These include the positions of minister, chief justice, Speaker of Parliament, attorney-general, chairman of the Public Service Commission, auditor-general, accountant-general or permanent secretary.
For potential presidential candidates looking to qualify under the private sector service requirements, there were more than 1,200 companies with average shareholders’ equity at or exceeding S$500 million (US$372 million).
This, of course, does not tell us how many of these eligible individuals will have the gumption to run in a bid for the highest office in Singapore.
It does not help that in a well-governed country, many may not find compelling reasons to step forward and serve. Moreover, the president and his or her family are not exempted from public glare and scrutiny and so sacrificing that comfortable privacy may be a deterrent to seeking elected office.
Singapore’s current and past elected presidents had entered office with impressive credentials and brought their personalities to bear on the office. In that regard, the office of Singapore’s head of state has moulded into a symbol of national unity and a crucial governance guardrail.
Having a capable and wise person to represent our country internationally and to safeguard the vast national reserves is not a job anyone can do. Instead of being a promoter and protector of good governance, the presidency can expedite the road to ruin.
In my view, there can never be an overqualified president.
Eugene K B Tan is associate professor of law at the Singapore Management University and a former Nominated Member of Parliament.
Lao man arrested in Khon Kaen after robbing gold in his country
KHON KAEN: A Lao man who made off with gold worth about 1.8 million baht from his country was arrested at a luxury condominium in Muang district on Friday evening.
Thao Sirasorn, 27, was caught in the condominium’s parking lot at around 6.30pm.
Seized from him were eight necklaces, each weighing about about five baht-weight of gold, with a combined value of 1.2 million baht. In addition, 300,020 baht in cash, a travelling bag and a shoulder bag were seized from him. He was taken to Muang police station in Khon Kaen province.
Pol Col Preecha Kengsarikit, superintendent of Muang police station, said the arrest came after Lao authorities informed the Provincial Police Region 4 that the suspect had fled to Khon Kaen after robbing a gold shop in Vientiane on Thursday. He had stolen 84 baht-weight of gold ornaments worth approximately 1.8 million baht.
Some stolen gold necklaces are seized from the Lao suspect. (Photo: Chakrapan Natanri)
Investigators began tracking the man and discovered that he was at the condominium, where his girlfriend stayed. Following his arrest, police conducted a search and found the stolen gold and other items in his girlfriend’s room.
The arresting team checked his passport and found that the Lao national had not sought permission to stay in Thailand.
“During questioning, the suspect confessed to robbing the gold shop and making off with 11 gold necklaces. After selling three gold necklaces in Laos for over 300,000 baht, he fled to Khon Kaen to hide,” said Pol Col Preecha.
The suspect entered Thailand via natural border crossing in Loei province and then hired a vehicle to take him to his girlfriend’s condo.
The gold shop owner had previously offered a cash reward of 200,000 baht for information leading to the suspect’s arrest, said the Khon Kaen police chief.
Pol Lt Col Somphet Suphothip, head of Laos police’s investigation section, thanked Thai police for the arrest.
He said the suspect had committed similar offences on multiple occasions, and this gold shop robbery marked his fifth incident.
Pol Lt Col Somphet added that the suspect had been addicted to online gambling since his time as a university student in Vientiane.
The suspect would be handed over to Lao police for legal action.
Bangladesh grappling with its own US or China dilemma
In April 2023, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released its inaugural official document on the Indo-Pacific, detailing guiding principles and objectives to form the foundation of Dhaka’s regional policy.
The publication represents a significant step forward in Dhaka’s efforts to articulate its vision for the Indo-Pacific and is indicative of its willingness to engage with the region’s major powers.
While the contents of the document are relatively generic, they provide insight into Bangladesh’s dilemma of choosing sides amid growing US-China competition in the Indo-Pacific.
The outlook offers little clarity on how Bangladesh plans to navigate the complex and evolving geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific. Rather, the principles closely resemble Article 25 of Bangladesh’s constitution which states that its foreign policy should be guided by the principles of non-interference, peaceful coexistence, respect for international law and norms and cooperation.
The document reaffirms Bangladesh’s constitutional commitment to advocate a peaceful international system based on the UN Charter.
The document does not provide any reference to defense collaboration or military cooperation with any particular bloc. Instead, it encourages track-2 diplomatic processes to settle existing disputes by strengthening “mutual trust and respect, [forging] partnerships and cooperation, and [promoting] dialogue and understanding with the aim of ensuring peace, prosperity, security and stability for all in the Indo-Pacific.”
The document emphasizes on the notion of a “Culture of Peace“, a United Nations declaration that Bangladesh played a key role in drafting in 1997.
While the core strategic and security issues facing the region were not addressed, the outlook called for the establishment of “rules-based multilateral systems” to promote “equitable and sustainable development.”
The document refrains from using the Quad’s preferred terminology of a “rules-based order.” This deliberate choice of wording reflects Bangladesh’s desire to adopt a neutral posture in the geopolitical landscape. Bangladesh is indicating its preference for a more inclusive and open security architecture in the region that accommodates diverse interests and perspectives.
The outlook addresses non-traditional security concerns. Maritime security has been given priority. The document emphasizes strengthening “existing mechanisms on maritime safety and security in the Indo-Pacific.” It also refers to the security implications of climate change and natural disasters.
The outlook took an unambiguous position regarding international laws and norms. Dhaka has rendered its steadfast commitment to ‘uphold the exercise of freedom of navigation and overflight, in accordance with international law and conventions’. Bangladesh’s affirmation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) must be understood within its national context.
Bangladesh’s reliance on sea lanes of communications makes unrestrained access to the sea and adherence to UNCLOS norms crucial for safeguarding its economic interests. Bangladesh’s successful resolution of maritime disputes with India and Myanmar based on UNCLOS also exemplifies the utility of international law for a small state.
Bangladesh’s emphasis on existing international laws and norms does not signify a rebuke of China. Rather, it reflects the country’s self-awareness of its place in the international community and the limits of its power.
Though the document appears to have been primarily created for a foreign audience, it also includes sections that target domestic constituents. One example is the reference to “Smart Bangladesh,” which highlights Dhaka’s ambitious agenda to promote its local initiatives in the global arena.
The outlook’s publication coincides with a crucial moment in Bangladesh’s foreign policy, as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visits to Japan and the United States in April 2023 thrust the country into the global spotlight. During her trip to Japan, Hasina signed a joint statement with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, reaffirming their shared commitment to “a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.”
This strategic partnership is significant — not only because Tokyo has historically been Bangladesh’s largest source of overseas development assistance — but also because Japan is developing a new industrial corridor that aims to connect Bangladesh and Northeast India with Southeast Asia. The strategic partnership is primarily driven by economic motives, with geopolitics playing a crucial role in its formulation.
US-Bangladesh ties have faced several difficulties, with bilateral disagreements over multiple issues ranging from human rights to democratic processes. Bangladesh’s close economic and defense ties with China and Russia have further complicated its diplomatic connections with the Western nations, particularly in the wake of the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
In this context, the joint statement released by Japan and Bangladesh has become a crucial means for Dhaka to signal to the United States that it is willing to endorse some of the objectives of the Quad without committing to any overt strategic alignment.
The responses from Dhaka’s diplomatic community have been mixed. The United States has insisted that Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific outlook largely aligns with its own Indo-Pacific Strategy.
India’s Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar commended the publication of the outlook, highlighting its emphasis on adherence to international conventions. In contrast, though, China’s response has been relatively restrained.
While Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific outlook is not an explicit pro-Quad tilt, it does show Dhaka’s willingness to deepen existing cooperation with the bloc. Still, the document allows for a more nuanced and pragmatic foreign policy approach, considers regional power dynamics and seeks to maintain Bangladesh’s strategic autonomy.
Rubiat Saimum is Lecturer of Maritime Security and Strategic Studies at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University.
This article was originally published by East Asia Forum and is republished under a Creative Commons license.