Man abandoned car and ran away to avoid being nabbed for drink driving, gets jail
SINGAPORE: Wanting to avoid a police roadblock as he had been drink driving, a man abandoned his car at the exit of a commercial building, asked the security guard to watch his vehicle and fled on foot.
Singaporean Manikam Varatharaj, 45, was eventually nabbed by the police after the security guard walked to the roadblock to tell them what had happened.
He claimed trial, but was convicted of one count each of drink driving and leaving his car in a position that inconvenienced other road users.
On Friday (Jul 28), he was jailed for three weeks, fined S$6,800 and banned from driving for 42 months.
The court heard that Varatharaj was driving in Woodlands at about 2.30am on Sep 22, 2019 when he saw a police roadblock ahead of him.
He turned into a small road leading to the Seagate and 3M Singapore buildings, before making a U-turn at the end of the road and parking in front of a Seagate exit.
A security guard stationed at the 3M Singapore guardhouse approached Varatharaj, who asked the guard to look after the car because he “needed to go somewhere urgent”.
The guard warned Varatharaj that he would inform the police if Varatharaj did not remove his car from the premises.
Despite the warning, Varatharaj abandoned his car and ran away.
The guard saw that Varatharaj appeared “panicky” and reeked of alcohol, and the abandoned car was obstructing the exit lane such that any vehicle leaving Seagate would be forced to manoeuvre around it.
The guard walked to the police roadblock and told an officer what happened.
Police officers then drove down from Sembawang Neighbourhood Police Centre, and found two foreign workers arriving at the scene in a van.
They were Varatharaj’s workers, and they said their boss had asked them to go there.
While they were speaking to the police, Varatharaj called one of the workers. The police took over the call, and Varatharaj said to meet at his home in Woodlands.
Varatharaj admitted he drank two cans of beer and was on his way home when he saw the roadblock.
He told an officer he wanted to avoid detection and so abandoned his car as he did not want to get caught a second time for drink driving.
At trial, Varatharaj claimed he had not seen the police roadblock, and that he stopped the car because his hands and legs were trembling.
He claimed he had brought two cans of beer with him in his pockets after abandoning his car, and that he drank them at a coffeeshop.
The prosecution sought four to six weeks’ jail, a fine between S$8,000 and S$10,000 and four years’ driving ban.
Even though Varatharaj’s first drink driving conviction was 19 years ago in 2004, he was also given composition fines for using a phone while driving in 2011, as well as for speeding in 2012, said the prosecutor.
Long holiday a boon for Ko Samui tourism
PUBLISHED : 28 Jul 2023 at 15:08
The Ko Samui airport in the southern province of Surat Thani has become lively and crowded with many Thai and foreign tourists, who started arriving at this famous island resort on Friday, the first day of a six-day long holiday, thanks to the cabinet’s decision to declare Monday, July 31, an extra day off.
All Bangkok Airways flights from Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province to Samui were fully booked, as were all direct flights to the island from Hong Kong and Singapore.
Many other tourists arrived at the island from Surat Thani by ferries.
It was initially estimated that at least 20,000 tourists would spend their time on Ko Samui during the long holiday, resulting in a substantial boost to the local economy.
Some visitors are also likely to continue their journey from Ko Samui to other popular islands, including Ko Pha-ngan and Ko Tao islands, especially the young ones who wish to attend the Full Moon Party on Ko Pha-ngan at Hat Rin beach on Aug 3.
Five Thais killed in road collision in Laos
PUBLISHED : 28 Jul 2023 at 15:07
Five Thais died in a road collision early Friday morning while passing through Laos to board a train to China.
The incident occurred in Boten of Luang Namtha province, Laos.
Just past midnight, a tour group of 20 people travelling in two passenger vans collided with an 18-wheeler truck on R3A Road connecting Chiang Khong district of Chiang Rai province to Boten. The accident occurred some 100 kilometres away from the Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge.
The group planned to board a train in Laos, continuing their journey to Kunming in China.
According to reports, teh collision happened when the truck slammed into one of the vans while making a wide turn.
The incident claimed the lives of five Thai passengers and a Laotian driver, and three other members of the tour group sustained injuries.
Chiang Khong rescue workers delivered the injured to Chiang Khong Crown Prince Hospital, while the bodies of four men and one woman were transported for funeral rites.
Prayut concerned about rallies by MFP supporters: Thanakorn
PUBLISHED : 28 Jul 2023 at 14:32
Caretaker Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is concerned about the rallies organised by supporters of the Move Forward Party (MFP) to vent their dissatisfaction with the Senate and the ongoing political situation, according to Prime Minister’s Office Minister Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.
Gen Prayut had expressed concern about the rallies for fear that they could drag the country back into conflict between groups of people with different political views, Mr Thanakorn said on Friday.
Mr Thanakorn, who is deputy leader of the United Thai Nation Party (UTN), said he would like the MFP to tell its supporters to abide by the law. The supporters were not satisfied with most of the junta-appointed senators who did not vote for prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat of the election-winning MFP.
He reiterated that the UTN would not vote for any prime ministerial candidate from a party with Move Forward as a coalition partner, mainly because of the MFP’s firm stance on amending Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lese majeste law.
When asked whether the Pheu Thai Party had approached the UTN to form a government, Mr Thanakorn said he was not aware of this, as the matter was being handled by the party leader and the secretary-general.
The UTN deputy leader expressed his confidence that his party and Pheu Thai can work together because it is now time for all sides to join hands to help the country to move steadily forward.
“I don’t see any problem for the two parties to work together, as long as we adhere mainly to the country’s interests,” Mr Thanakorn said. He also added that he believed the new prime minister would soon be selected once the concerned parties made a breakthrough in their negotiations.
Construction on new Brickland MRT station along North-South Line to start in 2024
SINGAPORE: Design and construction works on a new Brickland MRT station on the North-South Line are expected to start in 2024, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Friday (Jul 28).
The station will be located between Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Gombak stations, and is targeted for completion in 2034.
This will be the third MRT station to be built on an existing elevated rail line – after Canberra station, also on the North-South Line, and Dover station along the East-West Line, said LTA in a news release.
First announced as part of the Land Transport Masterplan 2040, Brickland is also one of two new stations to be added to the North-South Line. The other station, Sungei Kadut, will be a new interchange station between Yew Tee and Kranji stations, said LTA in 2019.
“Brickland station will help commuters in the area save up to 15 minutes in travel time towards the city centre and the commercial hub in Jurong Lake District,” said LTA on Friday.
For example, residents in Pavilion Estate travelling to Raffles Place can save up to 10 minutes with the new Brickland station, with the trip taking 40 minutes instead of the current 50 minutes.
And those living in Bukit Batok West Avenue 5 and heading to Jurong Lake District will take 10 minutes with the new station, compared to the current travel time of 25 minutes.
Site around former KTM railway identified for new Kranji water reclamation plant, NEWater factory
REALIGNMENT OF RAIL CORRIDOR
The realignment of the Rail Corridor facilitated plans to make the Kranji node a northern gateway into the Rail Corridor and it also “freed up a sizeable contiguous parcel of land” around the former KTM railway to be “optimally planned and redeveloped” to meet future needs.
PUB and URA said that agencies will strengthen the ecological connectivity of the realigned Rail Corridor with “enhanced planting and study measures such as landscaping strategies”.
This will integrate the Rail Corridor with the green provisions and “landscapes of future developments” to make it functionally wider where possible.
The National Parks Board (NParks) is also studying ways to enhance the ecological connectivity along Sungei Pang Sua and along Sungei Mandai to the Mandai mangrove and mudflat.
ASSESSING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF REDEVELOPMENT
The consultant for professional engineering services that PUB is seeking to appoint will need to carry out a detailed assessment to assess the potential environmental impact of the redevelopment.
It will also need to conduct a heritage study of the former KTM railway alignment and the former Kampong Wak Selat and cemetery at the site.
Both findings will “be considered, and mitigation measures to minimise the environment impact will be developed and implemented during the construction and operation of the project”, said PUB and URA.
The authorities added that nature group representatives have been consulted early to help scope the environmental impact assessment to ensure a robust and comprehensive study.
Agencies had also gathered feedback from nature and heritage groups during briefings and site visits and the ecological connectivity of the area will continue to be enhanced as the project progresses, according to PUB and URA.
Additionally, agencies are also exploring options to commemorate the former KTM railway alignment, allowing the public to have a better appreciation of the historical significance of the site.
“In strengthening Singapore’s water resilience, we aim to strike a good balance between optimising land use and the need to protect the environment,” said PUB and URA.
S Korea tunnel tragedy: Officials ignored multiple warnings
ReutersA total of 36 local officials in South Korea are under investigation for the tunnel flooding earlier this month that killed 14 people, authorities said.
An inquiry launched two days after the tragedy found that officials had ignored multiple warnings of a flood ahead of the incident.
Severe rains on the weekend of 15 July had caused widespread flooding and landslides in multiple places.
At least 40 people died in the disaster across the country.
The tunnel, located in city of Cheongju south of Seoul, was flooded with water from a nearby riverbank that had burst from the weekend of torrential rain.
Fifteen vehicles, including a bus, were trapped in the underpass submerged under water – only nine people survived. Authorities had to work for several days to free the vehicles.
Following the incident, police launched an investigation to determine the cause and found that it could have been prevented.
“[The flood] was the result of numerous agencies failing to recognise the seriousness of the situation and respond actively, despite receiving several warnings,” said Bang Moon-kyu, South Korea’s minister of government policy coordination.
Three calls warning of a possible tunnel flooding were made to the emergency hotlines on the day of the incident, he added.
A construction supervisor had similarly warned authorities seven times about the possibility that the tunnel would flood.
The public officials have been accused of failing to promptly assess and manage the situation. Two of them were found to have replaced the river embankment – walls meant to prevent flooding – with a weaker version.
“The government plans to seek the removal of positions for those responsible for the accident, even including elected positions,” said minister Bang.
Extreme rain and flooding have pummelled several other countries in Asia this month, including India, China, and Japan.
Scientists have long warned that climate change would make extreme weather events like heavy rainfall and heatwaves stronger and more likely.
Last year, South Korea saw record-breaking rains, causing floods that killed at least 11 people, including two women and a teenager trapped in a semi-basement flat in Seoul.
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National park chief probed after discovery of encroaching resorts
PUBLISHED : 28 Jul 2023 at 13:28
The head of Khao Kho National Park has been ordered to be transferred to an inactive post, and an inquiry has been launched after several resorts were found encroaching on a forest reserve in Phetchabun province.
On Thursday, an operation was conducted, led by the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) and Khao Koh National Park chief Prasan Iadsang. The investigation focused on Pha Hua Sing (lion head cliff), which is part of the national park.
Authorities found two resorts illegally occupying park territory. The first one is Phu Thap Boek Suansawan, situated just over 200 metres from the edge of Pha Hua Sing on a 69-rai (110,400-square-metre) plot of land. The second resort, known as Good View-Hot View Suansawan Phu Thap Boek, was approximately 100 metres from the cliff’s edge and included a 100-metre-long stretch of land being used for tent camping.
The documentation of both sites has been seized, and they have been charged with violating forestry laws, including the unauthorised destruction of natural resources.
Atthaphon Charoenchansa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said on Friday that the issue is not being taken lightly, and the head of the national park has been ordered transferred out of the area to an inactive post and will be subjected to a thorough investigation by a committee.
The demolition of the violating resorts has been authorised, Mr Atthaphon added.
Pattaya, Koh Larn packed with holidaymakers
Room occupancy rate on Koh Larn has reached 100%
PUBLISHED : 28 Jul 2023 at 13:20
CHON BURI: Beaches and tourist attractions in Pattaya buzzed with tourists on Friday, the first day of a six-day long holiday, with hotel rooms on Koh Larn, an island situated about 7 kilometres off the coast of Pattaya, fully booked.
Many Thais and foreign tourists boarded ferries at Bali Hai pier in South Pattaya to Koh Larn on Friday morning. The Pattaya City Municipality and the Marine Office deployed officials to facilitate the travel of holidaymakers at the pier. More parking spaces were also arranged to accommodate the rising number of vehicles.
Authorities have sought cooperation from operators of ferries to strictly abide by safety measures regarding the number of passengers suitable for the type of boats. All passengers were told to wear life jackets and/or be fitted with other rescue equipment to prevent a possible untoward incident.
On Koh Larn, there were about 3,000 rooms to serve visitors. The room occupancy rate on the island has reached 100% since early this month. The long holiday period was expected to generate more than 100 million baht on the island, known for its beaches and tranquility.
There was a rising demand for rooms on Koh Larn after the caretaker cabinet on Tuesday approved the cabinet secretariat’s proposal to declare Monday, July 31, a special government holiday, creating a six-day vacation period from July 28 to Aug 2 to spur tourism.
July 28 is His Majesty the King’s birthday, Aug 1 is Asahna Bucha Day and Aug 2 the beginning of Buddhist Lent, all government holidays. The extra day makes it an uninterrupted six day-weekend for government employees.
Tourists enjoy a stroll along a beach in Pattaya, Chon Buri. (Photo: Chaiyot Pupattanapong)
Enhanced Baby Bonus benefits to kick in from Aug 1, ahead of 2024 timeline
SINGAPORE: Families with children eligible for the enhanced Baby Bonus announced during Budget 2023 will receive these benefits from Aug 1, several months earlier than the initial implementation timeline in early 2024.
The enhanced benefits are for eligible Singaporean children born on or after Feb 14, 2023.
They will receive more money as part of the Baby Bonus Cash Gift, with a longer pay-out period, as well as increased government contributions in their Child Development Accounts (CDA).
“Agencies have successfully expedited the legislation and system updates necessary to bring forward the implementation timeline to Aug 1, 2023,” said the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) in a media release on Friday (Jul 28).
In his Budget speech on Feb 14, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong announced that the Baby Bonus Cash Gift would be increased by S$3,000 for eligible Singaporean children born from that date.
The payout schedule would also be adjusted to provide financial support regularly every six months until the child turns six-and-a-half years old, he said.
The CDA First Step Grant, meanwhile, would be increased from S$3,000 to S$5,000, he said.
The government would also raise its co-matching cap by S$1,000 for the first and second child. As part of the Baby Bonus Scheme, the government matches parents’ savings in their child’s CDA dollar-for-dollar, up to a certain amount.
With the adjustments, parents of babies born from Feb 14 this year will receive Baby Bonus Cash Gifts of S$11,000 each for their first and second children, and S$13,000 each for their third and subsequent children.
Children are eligible for the Baby Bonus Cash Gift if they are Singapore citizens and their parents are lawfully married.