Two grocers were proxies for Chinese fraudsters
Police have found that two grocers in Bangkok acted as directors of 48 shell companies linked to a Chinese couple facing charges of running a 10-billion-baht international fraud scheme.
The two grocers, who had shops in Thon Buri, were paid 4,000 baht a month for each company they represented, said Pol Maj Gen Amnat Traipote, deputy commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB).
The companies were legally registered with the Department of Business Development to engage in tour guide services, brokerage, wholesale, holding and property trade.
Thai shareholders held 51% of each company, and Chinese nationals the rest. The businesses each had 5 million baht in registered capital and were all headquartered at houses in the same luxury housing estate in Prawet district where the Chinese couple were arrested on Wednesday.
Police are now checking the tax records of the companies, Pol Maj Gen Amnat said on Thursday.
Shaoxian Su, 31, and his girlfriend Keyi Ye, 25, were arrested at their 67-million-baht house in The Palazzo Srinakarin estate in Prawet on charges of public fraud and money laundering.
Police say the couple lured people in many countries into fake investments in digital currencies and other assets, with damages estimated at 10 billion baht.
Police suspect companies in their network purchased 19 luxury houses in the same estate in Prawet and leased them out to other Chinese people.
On Wednesday, police impounded hundreds of millions of baht worth of assets from the couple.
Move Forward says ‘no’ to fresh election if Pita is disqualified
The Move Forward Party (MFP) yesterday rejected the idea that a new general election should be held if party leader Pita Limjaroenrat is disqualified from becoming prime minister due to his media shares.
On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam responded to questions over the possibility that the Constitutional Court could eventually rule against Mr Pita over his 42,000 shares in iTV, an independent broadcaster founded in the 1990s, thus disqualifying him.
Complaints are calling into question Mr Pita’s status as a member of parliament and future prime minister, with growing speculation the ruling could also disqualify MFP candidates from certification.
Mr Wissanu responded to this by saying there could be a new nationwide general election in such a scenario.
However, MFP MP Rangsiman Rome yesterday said “everything has been arranged” to deal with the iTV shares controversy.
“Everything is well-prepared, and [there is] nothing to worry about,” Mr Rangsiman said. “This is bullying in politics as the opposite side released the [iTV share] news during the election.”
“I’d like to ask Mr Wissanu whether it is his goal to distract and manipulate senators to feel hesitant about supporting the MFP,” Mr Rangsiman added. “If it is, it means he doesn’t respect the decision of the people who exercised their right to vote.”
Chusak Sirinil, deputy leader of the Pheu Thai Party, said a new election is a distant matter as Mr Pita nominated MP candidates for the election in his capacity as party leader, making them unlikely to be affected by the iTV share controversy.
However, Sen Seree Suwanpanon said a new general election might be possible if Mr Pita is disqualified as an MP due to his media shares.
Sen Seree noted a new election should only be held in constituencies where the MFP won to reduce damage to the country.
In other news, government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said the caretaker government would continue its duty until a new premier forms a new cabinet, which is slated to be around August.
He said the certification of MPs must be made 60 days after an election before a House Speaker and premier are chosen.
MFP speaker pick named mid-month
The Move Forward Party (MFP) is expected to finalise its candidate for the House Speaker post in the middle of this month, said party secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon.
He said the party has not decided who it will nominate, but the matter should be settled in this month when the Election Commission is expected to start endorsing poll winners.
Mr Chaithawat said the MFP and Pheu Thai, who are locking horns over the post, will solve the dispute within two weeks.
Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew said his party would not discuss who it will nominate for the House Speaker post until it reaches an agreement with the MFP.
“It was agreed at the recent meeting that the issue would not affect the coalition formation. This means if we have an agreement, the coalition formation will proceed without any conflict,” Mr Cholnan said.
“We don’t want any conditions. We don’t want the issue to be settled in a free vote.”
Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, leader of the Thai Sang Thai Party, yesterday called on the MFP and Pheu Thai to sort out the issue instead of allowing a free vote over the selection of the House Speaker.
“A free vote will cause problems in the formation of the government. They should finalise it,” she said.
Meanwhile, acting Democrat leader Jurin Laksanawisit said yesterday it is an incorrect understanding that the House Speaker’s role is to drive a political party’s agenda.
Mr Jurin said the House Speaker must maintain neutrality during parliament meetings.
He added that the House Speaker’s conduct is clearly governed by the constitution and parliamentary meeting rules.
Defence body eyes reform
Ministry’s plan far removed from MFP’s
The Defence Council has declared its own plan to reconfigure the armed forces in response to the Move Forward Party (MFP) pressing for military reform.
A council meeting chaired by Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha acknowledged the plan initiated by the Defence Ministry to streamline, downsize and modernise the armed forces on Wednesday, Defence Ministry spokesman Gen Kongcheep Tantravanich said.
The plan has nothing to do with the MFP’s military reform push, he said.
The plan started in 2008 and has been carried out in stages every five years, he said, adding that the phase between 2018-2022 and the phase between 2023 and 2027 have been adjusted in line with the 20-year national strategy.
“Gen Prayut told the meeting that the armed forces’ reform has already been proceeding in line with the Defence Ministry’s plan, and he said it has nothing to do with whoever will form the new government,” Gen Kongcheep said.
“The Defence Ministry has already put its own reform plans in place. It was not just because of the urgings of the Move Forward Party.
“But we have already considered some information presented by the party. If it is compatible with our plan, we are ready to act on it,” Gen Kong- cheep said.
“The MFP has acted as a catalyst for political and social change, though its policy has nothing to do with the reform plan.”
A source said there are currently around 1,200 generals, and the Defence Council proposed halving the number by 2027.
According to a source, the plan includes scrapping the idea of reinforcing the 7th Infantry Division based in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim district and the 3rd Cavalry Infantry in Khon Kaen.
The 7th Infantry Division was established in 2011 during the Democrat-led government, with Gen Prawit Wongsuwon serving as defence minister and Gen Prayut as army chief at the time.
The division was set up to deal with cross-border conflicts in the North, as well as red-shirt groups based in the region, particularly in Chiang Mai, the source said.
Meanwhile, the 3rd Cavalry Division was set up in the Northeast at the suggestion of former prime minister and privy council president Prem Tinsulanonda, in addition to the 1st Calvary Division in the North and the 2nd Cavalry Division in Bangkok, the source said.
MFP deputy leader Phicharn Chaowapatanawong welcomed the Defence Ministry’s plan to streamline the armed forces, saying it corresponds to that of the party.
However, he said the success of any military reform would depend on the political will of the new government and the incoming defence minister.
“The armed forces’ reform plan is not new. We heard about it four years ago. But we have never seen details about how military personnel will be cut,” he said.
Mr Phicharn said the army’s move to scrap the plan to reinforce the 7th Infantry Division and the 3rd Cavalry Division is interesting. “But is it possible that the two divisions could be disbanded?” he asked.
Olarn Thinbangtieo, a political science lecturer at Burapha University, said the armed forces’ plan intends to slash personnel and cut costs, but it is far removed from the MFP’s policy.
“Military personnel have been continually reduced, but this still does not match the MFP’s plan,” he said. “So it would be wrong for the MFP to claim success in military reform if it becomes the government.”
“Several of the MFP’s policies are uncompromising. Military reform will remain a major hurdle for the party’s success in forming the government. The military top brass will do all they can to stop the party from coming to power.”
Big parties reject idea of forming national coalition
Senator told talks should continue
The United Thai Nation, Pheu Thai and Move Forward parties have all shrugged off a suggestion by Senator Jadet Insawang that all parties consider forming a national coalition in the event the country faces a new political crisis.
PM’s Office Minister Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, in his capacity as deputy United Thai Nation Party (UTN) leader, said Sen Jadet had apparently gone too far even though his suggestion was intended to put the country’s best interests first.
The Move Forward Party (MFP) won with the highest number of House seats and is still working on the formation of a new coalition, so all sides should respect the party’s right to lead this effort, Mr Thanakorn said.
In the event the MFP fails to accomplish this, it will be more suitable to allow the Pheu Thai Party, which has the second-highest number of seats, to have a go rather than just switch to forming a national government, he said. Mr Thanakorn also denied rumours that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told UTN’s elected MPs he was confident the party would eventually be part of the new government, saying that was totally untrue.
The UTN only has 36 MPs and is now set to sit on the opposition benches, while Gen Prayut is a gentleman who always insisted that from now on, everything will have to be done in a democratic way, he said.
The MFP-led alliance has more than 300 House seats and should be supported by all sides in forming a government, Pheu Thai deputy leader, Phumtham Wechayachai, said.
Even if the alliance fails to do this, the parties will still have to ask their supporters what the ideal solution to the problem is in that case, he said.
Worawat Ua-apinyakul, an elected Pheu Thai MP for Phrae, ruled out the possibility of forming a national government, saying the matter should no longer be discussed.
MFP spokesman Rangsiman Rome said he was confident the MFP would form a coalition. Sen Jadet’s national government suggestion was his personal opinion, not that of the Senate, said Mr Rangsiman, adding that a number of senators have agreed to support the MFP and its leader.
Sen Jadet said he was aware his idea might not be necessary yet; but since forming a new government was taking longer than usual, it wouldn’t be a waste of time for all sides to begin preparing a way to ensure national reconciliation.
US and Taiwan ink trade deal as China issues warning
WASHINGTON: The United States and Taiwan signed a trade deal on Thursday (Jun 1) aimed at deepening economic relations between both sides – in a move that has sparked a warning from Beijing. The US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade looks to boost trade by streamlining customs checks, improving regulatoryContinue Reading
Ex-NCMP Daniel Goh says he is expelled from Workers’ Party
SINGAPORE: Former Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Daniel Goh said on Thursday (Jun 1) that he has been expelled from the Workers’ Party (WP). The reason for the expulsion given to him in a letter by WP pertains to him disclosing information about the “inner workings” of the opposition party, heContinue Reading
Losses mount at Airport Rail Link
Ridership 25% below pre-pandemic levels despite SRT deal with private operator
The Airport Rail Link (ARL) service has been losing 70 million baht a month as it is carrying fewer commuters than the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, according to State Railway of Thailand (SRT).
During the pandemic, the SRT decided to tackle long-standing operational issues on the mass-transit line it operated by allowing a private company to help run rail operations.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with Asia Era One — also the concessionaire for the high-speed rail system linking the three airports — on Oct 20, 2021 to take over the ARL operation last year. The company also started managing the Red Line electric train service in late 2021.
About 1.87 million commuters take the ARL each month, a 25% drop compared with about 2.5 million in 2019, SRT governor Nirut Maneephan said on Thursday.
The agreement with Asia Era One called for the company to pay 10.6 billion baht to the SRT for rights to the operation by Oct 24, 2021. But the company proposed to pay by instalments which led to a revision of the co-investment contract.
The SRT has yet to transfer the executive rights to the ARL to the company, pending contract revision.
The MoU is renewed every three months until it is finished. “For now, the company is only paying interest to the SRT,” Mr Nirut said.
Frequent technical glitches leading to service interruptions have been a long-standing complaint of regular ARL users.
In January, the ARL encountered technical issues five times — propulsion system issues twice and also problems related to the brake, door and signal systems — which resulted in delays of 6-19 minutes.
The system also encountered propulsion system issues three times in February, twice each in March and April, Mr Nirut said.
A source familiar with the system said Asia Era One shouldered higher rail management costs than the SRT as staff-related expenses had doubled, while other expenses relating to electricity and maintenance remained the same.
The number of trips remains unchanged. But the income earned from the ARL services are still insufficient due to the low number of commuters, said the source.
More help for at-risk marine species
Pilot projects in Trat, Trang and Pattani could build case for more funding
Researchers are looking into the potential returns from certifying Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in Trat, Trang and Pattani provinces as a means to make money to help endangered marine species.
It is hoped the results will provide empirical evidence to secure fresh funding for environmental protection and management policies which should yield a profit later on, said Wiparat Dee-ong, the NRCT director.
Orapan Srisaowalak, an independent researcher, said the research aims to analyse whether environmentally friendly policies that also limit commercial activity can ultimately turn a profit and benefit the public as well as provide an additional layer of protection for ocean habitats.
She said Trat’s gulf is known to be the habitat of Irrawaddy dolphin, a rare species that is seldom spotted in Thailand. Many endangered marine animals also are seen along Trang’s coast in the South, such as Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, Indo-Pacific finless porpoises and dugongs.
Koh Losin in Pattani is listed as an off-shore MPA where many coral reefs are intact and a crucial source of food for rare fish such as whale sharks, guitarfish and manta rays.
Ms Orapan added that Koh Losin has been prone to damage by human activities such as fishing and tourism.
She said the budget to manage the MPAs in Trat, Trang and Pattani would be 671 million baht. However, the cost does not include compensation for fishermen if new fishing-prohibited areas are announced.
There will also be budgets for planting seagrass and mangroves as well as sea mammal protection, she added.
The benefits of endorsing MPA policies and management are increasing revenue from coastal fisheries, higher carbon credit value from seagrasses and mangroves and non-use value of rare marine species found in MPAs.
Although previous research into these areas indicated that society will gain less than the money spent on marine animal protection, those results were based on non-use value which might not reflect the actual worth of the lost wildlife and reduction in long-term economic potential in the future, added Ms Orapan.
Public urged to get free flu jabs
Coverage widened but so far only about 10% of those eligible have been vaccinated
The National Health Security Office (NHSO) is urging Thais to register for a flu vaccine, especially if they are eligible to get one free under a new government initiative that will run until the end of August.
The NHSO and the Ministry of Public Health have agreed to provide free flu shots to all Thais regardless of the health insurance scheme they are registered under, to curb the spread of influenza and other respiratory diseases, said NHSO secretary-general Jadet Thamatthat-aree.
Prior to this year, flu shots were only available for free to those who are subscribed to a health insurance programme managed by the NHSO.
As of this week, 292,615 people had received their flu shot, which is only about 10% of the government’s target, Dr Jadet said.
According to the NHSO, women over four months pregnant, toddlers aged between six months to two years, senior citizens, and individuals living with chronic diseases, obesity and/or disability can register to get a vaccine free of charge at their nearest participating clinic.