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Pol Maj Gen Ekkaraj Limsangkat, commander of the Highway Police Division, was on Tuesday transferred to an inactive post at the Operations Centre of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) following allegations of kickbacks for overloaded lorries.

The order, taking effect immediately, was signed by CIB chief Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej. Pol Maj Gen Ekkaraj was replaced by Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, commander of the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD), until further notice.

The order said an internal probe will be conducted into the allegation.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Inspector-General of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) will ask Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a Move Forward Party list MP-elect, to provide them with information on his claims about drivers of overloaded lorries paying kickbacks.

Police inspector-generals have been ordered to gather evidence by national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas following allegations made in a social media post by Mr Wiroj.

He claimed that drivers of overloaded trucks with special stickers were not being arrested or even forced to stop at weighbridges.

The stickers variously depicted rabbits, a smiling sun or Kung Fu Panda, and were available at a cost of thousands of baht per month, he said.

Police inspector-general Pol Gen Visanu Prasarttong-Osoth on Tuesday said he will ask Mr Wiroj for more details and also speak with the chairman of the truck association of Thailand and the highway police officers accused of turning a blind eye to the vehicles.

Pol Gen Visanu said this scrutiny process is the first time that a new police complaint review board will be tasked with reviewing a complaint.

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The House Speaker post issue will be thrashed out only by the Move Forward Party (MFP) and Pheu Thai Party, according to MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat.

“Regarding the House Speaker, the Pheu Thai Party and Move Forward Party will engage in discussions, with the shared understanding that it will not impede the formation of the government,” Mr Pita said on Tuesday.

Mr Pita made his remarks after meeting the seven coalition partners about the ministry quotas at the Prachachart Party meeting room. The House Speaker issue was also reportedly meant to be discussed but was not.

Mr Pita said the coalition partners agree the important thing is to be well-prepared to govern the country and serve the people’s best interests.

The Election Commission (EC) has officially announced the election results, with only the official certification of members of parliament remaining for the convening of parliament.

The people hope the EC will promptly certify the members of parliament so that a new government can be formed to administer and deliver the maximum benefits to the people as soon as possible, Mr Pita said.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew told reporters that the House Speaker role issue wasn’t discussed at the coalition partners meeting as he viewed it as a specific discussion between the MFP and Pheu Thai.

Regarding ministry quotas, Dr Cholnan said the MFP secretary-general so far had only sent a framework of the new government, as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Afterwards, the parties will discuss placing suitable individuals to oversee each ministry, he said.

Pol Gen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves, leader of the Seri Ruam Thai Party — part of the MFP-led coalition bloc — said the House Speaker role should go to an experienced politician regardless of age.

He said Dr Cholnan is suitable to serve as the speaker due to his capabilities and experiences in politics.

Meanwhile, Phawadee Tantisirin, adviser to the Northeast Red Shirt coordinating network, met with key red-shirt members in Khon Kaen and adjacent provinces to discuss issues relating to the coalition.

She said the members agreed that Dr Cholnan is more suitable as House Speaker due to his maturity and political experience.

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The Election Commission has dismissed petitions asking that it examine whether the Pheu Thai Party’s manifesto pledge of a 10,000-baht digital handout for everyone aged 16 and over violated Section 73 of the law on the election of MPs.

The petitions were filed by Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Constitution, Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, a former election candidate of the Palang Pracharath Party, and Sonthiya Sawasdee, a former adviser to the House committee on law, justice and human rights.

Section 73 prohibits election candidates or anyone acting on their behalf from promising to give voters assets, money or benefits. It also prohibits them from giving misleading information about policies. A party found guilty of violating this section can be dissolved if the offence is deemed serious enough.

Ever since it was announced, the headline policy of the Pheu Thai Party has drawn much criticism, with people questioning its feasibility.

In response, the EC asked Pheu Thai to explain where the money to implement the policy would come from and what risks had been accounted for, as required by the law.

Following a meeting on Monday, the EC resolved to reject the petitions on the grounds the party had released sufficient details during campaigning on how the policy would be costed and implemented to meet these criteria if it was in government.

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PHUKET: Covid-19 infections have worsened in the island province over the past month, the Provincial Public Health Office said, citing a steady increase in caseloads.

Dr Muanprae Boonlorm, the office’s deputy chief, said more Covid-19 sufferers have been treated at Vachira Phuket Hospital since the Songkran holiday in mid-April.

The number of those hospitalised for pneumonia and fatalities caused by Covid-19 was also reported to have gone up compared to the February to March period.

Dr Muanprae said the rise in Covid-19 infections was likely to have stemmed from people being lax in practising preventive measures and a lack of fourth or fifth booster shots.

Most who have died from the infection between April and so far this month were in the so-called “608” at-risk group; people 60 years and over, those with underlying conditions and pregnant women.

Many people in this group were found to be unvaccinated or under-vaccinated. Some received their last booster shots more than a year ago.

Despite rising infections, Dr Muanprae said the province has the capacity to handle hospitalisations from Covid-19, with 15-20% of beds in Covid-19 wards full.

Thais who have not received a booster shot for the last six months to a year can get their injections for free at any hospital on the island, said Dr Muanprae, who suggested they check the availability of the vaccine with local hospitals as some offer the vaccination service just once a week.

Meanwhile, in Ubon Ratchathani, the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) director-general, Thongchai Lertwilairattanapong, said the pandemic has taught people and those in the medical profession the value of herbal medicine in the public health system.

Speaking at a workshop on the promotion of traditional medicine, he said the value of herbal medicine used last year jumped to 5.2 billion baht, three times the previous year’s figure. The hike was attributed to more people turning to traditional medicine for treatment of Covid-19.

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Pressure is mounting on the operators of Bangkok’s Green and Yellow lines to construct a 2.6-kilometre missing link between the two electric train systems to make it easier for commuters to change lines at Ratchayothin and Lat Phrao stations.

The Yellow Line monorail, which will provide a mass-transit link for commuters in Bangkok’s north and eastern suburbs, is slated to begin operations later this year.

Without the missing link, commuters wishing to switch from the Green Line to the Yellow will have to re-route their journey through the Blue Line, which will add to the cost of their travel.

A source familiar with the matter said a proposal to construct the missing link between the two lines had already passed an environmental impact assessment (EIA) six years ago.

The missing link, which will run along Ratchadaphisek Road, will have two stations, connecting Lat Phrao Station along the Yellow Line with Phahonyothin 24 and Ratchayothin stations on the Green Line, according to the proposal.

The extension will pass through a number of important locations, including the Criminal Court and Chandrakasem Rajabhat University, the source said.

The source noted that the project hasn’t progressed anywhere as the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), the operator of the Blue Line, is opposed to the project.

According to a feasibility study on the missing link, the Blue Line stands to lose 4,800 passengers per day in the first year of the extension opening. This is roughly equal to about 2.7 billion baht throughout the 30-year concession, said the source.

The MRTA is still pondering whether to approve the proposal to build this missing link, said the source.

The MRTA couldn’t be reached for comment on Tuesday.

Deputy Democrat Party leader Samart Ratchapolsitte on Tuesday called all stakeholders to conclude the negotiations on the link before the Yellow Line commences services for the sake of passengers.

The exact same problem occurred when the Purple Line opened its Bang Yai-Tao Poon route without connecting to the Blue Line, he said.

At that time, passengers had to take a bus to connect between the Purple Line and the Blue Line until the link was built.

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