Thailand: Death penalty for woman accused of poisoning 14 friends
In the first of a number of cases where she is accused of killing 14 friends with poison, a woman in Thailand has received a death sentence.
The court in Bangkok found Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, 36, innocent of putting poison in a rich brother’s food and drink while they were on a trip next month.
An autopsy revealed traces of poison in the friend’s figure, and her family members turned down her claim that she had died naturally. Sararat was detained by law enforcement, and another identical death was discovered in 2015. One man she reportedly targeted survived.
According to authorities, Sararat allegedly had a gambling addiction and targeted her owed cash to friends before stealing their valuable jewelry and jewelry.
Sararat travelled with her companion Siriporn Khanwong, 32, to Ratchaburi province, north of Bangkok in April 2023, where they took piece in a Buddhist protection ceremony at a river, authorities said.
According to prosecutors, Siriporn died after eating with Sararat, who made no effort to assist her.
Signs of arsenic were found in Siriporn’s physique and her phone, cash and bags were missing when she was found, authorities said.
” You got fairness, my child. Now, there is fairness in this world”, Siriporn’s family, Thongpin Kiatchanasiri, said in front of the court, as she held a photograph of her child.
Thongpin said she was angry when Sararat, who she claimed was smiling as the word was read, stopped gazing at her. Sararat entered a not-guilty plea to the charges brought against her.
Her previous partner, an ex-police commander, and her attorney, were handed jail term of one season and four times, and two years both, for hiding evidence to help her evade prosecution. They had likewise pleaded not guilty before Wednesday’s sentencing.
The ex-husband, Vitoon Rangsiwuthaporn, gave himself up last year. Police said he most likely helped Sararat poison an ex-boyfriend, Suthisak Poonkwan.
Sararat was also ordered to pay Siriporn’s family two million baht ($ 57, 667, £45, 446 ) in compensation.
Cyanide starves the body’s tissue of air, which can cause heart attacks. First symptoms include dizziness, shortness of breath and diarrhea.
When consumed in large quantities, it can cause a stupor, a death, and yet a lung injury. However, even in small doses, it can still be very dangerous.
Those found using it unlawfully in Thailand are subject to two-year prisons sentences.
Myanmar’s behaviour risks undermining ASEAN centrality: Ng Eng Hen
SINGAPORE: Singapore’s defence minister says Myanmar’s actions could weaken a key principle that underpins the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ). ” Myanmar’s behaviour risks undermining the ASEAN Centrality that we have painstakingly built over the past two decades ( of defence cooperation )”, said Dr Ng EngContinue Reading
Thailand to increase emission reduction targets
UN climate summit informed by the culture minister that the nation intends to increase performance.
According to Chalermchai Sri-on, the secretary of natural solutions and setting, Thailand does work to reduce its emissions of harmful chemicals because a follow-up to the 2015 Paris climate agreement shows how far the nation’s work have fallen short of its goal.
At the UN’s Baku, Azerbaijan, COP29 weather conference, Mr. Chalermchai made the remarks on Tuesday.
The conference is scheduled to wrap up on Friday, but it may move on because participants are also negotiating financing options to assist developing nations in addressing climate-related issues.
Near-universal progress has been made in climate action, according to the “global survey” of countries ‘ performance since the Paris Agreement was signed. However, the world is still not on track to reach the long-term goal of reducing pre-industrial warming by 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Additionally, the survey found that some nations were unable to “mobilize and align the necessary financial flows,” and that not enough nations had reached the required levels of resilience.
Countries ‘ nationalized contributions ( NDCs ), which are used as the UN’s reference for the climate actions, including emissions reductions, that they intend to take by 2035, are reviewed and updated using the stocktake.
The NDCs 3.0, as they are known, are expected in 2025 and must be more optimistic than the existing priorities. According to Mr. Chalermchai, they may be the final chance to keep the world within the 1.5C destination.
” We plan to reduce GHG]greenhouse gas ] emissions to below 270 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent against the 2019 level economy-wide by 2035″, he told the conference.
The application of NDC 3.0 will be supported by a comprehensive natural investment plan. Also, we will raise the GHG drop in land use, land-use alter and forestry by 120 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2037″.
Thailand is one of the nations most susceptible to the effects of climate change, according to Mr. Chalermchai.
” We have suffered record-breaking warmth of 43 degrees Fahrenheit, flash flood due to heavy rainfall, as well as floods, causing irreversible damage to our business and incomes. This includes grass loss, which may result in a decline in habitat populations of about 50 % in less than six decades, he said.
Thailand emits less than 1 % of the nation’s greenhouse gases.
The minister stated that the government is determined to improve its mitigation efforts and preserve the concept of shared but distinct responsibilities and individual capabilities in order to achieve the NDC 2030 aim by reducing GHG emissions by 222 million tons of similar carbon dioxide in five sectors.
Those industries are electricity, transport, waste, business process and product use, and agribusiness, he added.
All Singapore mainstream schools to have programmes for students to experience disability sports
” FOCAL POINTS” ISLANDWIDE
Separately, SportSG even did set up , Para Sports Community Hubs to , grow the foundation of aspiring par players.
By the end of this year, the island does have piloted five of these centers, with additional ones set up by 2030.
These hubs will be at , Pasir Ris Sport Centre ( boccia ),  , Heartbeat@Bedok ( swimming and table tennis ), Jurong West Sport Centre ( swimming and para cycling ), Yio Chu Kang Sport Centre (athletics and badminton ) and Delta Sport Centre ( goalball ).
Boccia, which means to plate in Roman, is a specific game sport played by players in chairs. Since golf was developed specifically for those who are blind or have small vision, it almost exclusively relies on audio.
These “focal factors” will be used as “focal points,” according to MCCY, to draw in sports fans and visitors to the disabled sports scene.
By the end of 2030, all ActiveSG sports centers may have a captain quiet room, with a pilot quiet space in each zone until 2025.
Available sports facilities enable people with disabilities to participate in and participate in activities there, according to MCCY.
” SportSG may continue to improve accessibility for people with various disabilities to the amenities and facilities at ActiveSG.”
There are also plans to increase the number of instructors who are registered as instructors for people with disabilities from currently around 120 to 300 by 2030.
Additionally, MCCY mentioned Team Singapore’s upcoming Kallang location as the location of a federal para-sports education facility.
The National Training Center for Para Sport, as well as dedicated training facilities to accommodate the needs of particular para sports, will be located in the “HTSG ( Home of Team Singapore ).” The government added that this ability will help foster a more vibrant TeamSG soul and promote the development of disabled sports in Singapore.
The strategic decisions show Singapore’s devotion to inclusive gymnastics, according to Dr. Teo-Koh Sock Miang, chairman of the SDSC, Singapore National Paralympic Council, and Special Olympics Singapore,” and represent a major step in expanding opportunities for people with disabilities to teach, sing, and thrive up in sports,” he added.
We think that sport can help us create a more welcoming society that fosters empathy and enhances people’s well-being. We will work together to create a sports ecosystem in which everyone’s abilities can thrive and participate.
Taiwan foreign minister stops in Brussels for European Parliament visit
As part of his second trip to Europe to strengthen relationships, Taiwan’s foreign minister Lin Chia-lung made an unannounced quit in Brussels this week to meet with members of the European Parliament. As Taiwan struggles to defend its place from an exceedingly forceful China, which claims the self-ruled political islandContinue Reading
City Hall ‘sorry’ for cycle lane chaos
Only one day after an attempt to encourage more vehicle use, Lane on Sukhumvit 39 was reopened to 4-wheel customers.
After closing Sukhumvit Soi 39 for a bicycle lane, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration ( BMA ) apologized and reopened the lane.
In the hemts and adjacent areas, the closing caused significant traffic congestion.
The controversial vehicle street in the Soi in the Watthana district was oversaw by Bangkok chancellor Chadchart Sittipunt on Wednesday.
He claimed that the BMA’s initiative, which was launched in cooperation with international experts and embassies, aimed to encourage walking and cycling in the town.
As part of the site’s pilot phase, a “lane wall” reserved for cyclists was set up in Sukhumvit Soi 39 using foldable customers posts. Nevertheless, narrowing the two-lane cmos to one caused significant traffic gridlock on Tuesday, sparking some complaints from the government.
It even led to chaos on 17 major streets outside, including Phetchaburi Road, Thong Lor and Ekkamai.
Longer lines, according to drivers, reached Phatthanakan Road and Victory Monument. Observers noted that supply riders and motorcycles were the main users of the vehicle lane rather than cyclists.
The BMA decided to remove the street barriers in response to the reaction while still preserving a shared commuter and cycling route.
Mr. Chadchart thanked everyone for the pain and stressed the value of experimenting with industrial growth despite flaws.
” I would like to apologise to the government if this has caused any trouble. If there are errors, we did improve and make them better”, he said.
Old national stadium eyed as concert venue
Chulalongkorn University will be contacted by the tourism and sports ministry to introduce a new leasing agreement.
The Supachalasai National Stadium will be converted into a new musical place in accordance with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The Department of Physical Education’s commitment to use the 86-year-old federal facility is about to expire. According to secretary Sorawong Thienthong, the service will be returned to Chulalongkorn University, who owns the land.
Mr. Sorawong stated that he would deal with the university to grant the university a lease on the inside stadium where concerts can be held.
He claimed that” the discussion has already begun so that Thailand will have a place to host concerts or major activities.”
Pathumwan Palace once owned the land on which the facility is situated. The second sporting event held at the stadium in 1938 was the first one that was completed until 1941, though construction on the facility started in 1937.
The facility features an eight-lane running track and has a seating capacity of 19, 615 for sporting activities.
Supachalasai Stadium has hosted numerous regional sporting events and performances, including the 1993 Blackpink World Tour show and Michael Jackson’s 1993 Harmful World Tour music.
The 26-year-old Rajamangala National Stadium, located in the capital’s Bang Kapi neighborhood, is also on the Ministry of Tourism and Sports ‘ development plan.
The hospital, with a potential exceeding 50, 000, is overseen by the Sports Authority of Thailand, said Mr Sorawong.
He said,” We are debating whether to make it a concession or a joint investment project between the government and the private sector.”
Funding is required for construction job because the construction is in disrepair.
But, it might not be for repairing. There are many parties interested in renovating the facility, he said, if the private sector is permitted to operate it.
Attacks in northwest Pakistan leave 20 dead in 24 hours
The bombing occurred less than 24 hours after another attack, likewise in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to an intellect official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Eight men and nine militants were killed in the Tirah area of the state as a result of that fight on Monday, according to theContinue Reading
Jury still out on Thaksin’s ‘dual citizenship’
Reviewers questioning the ex-premier’s significant effect in the Pheu Thai Party raise more questions.
Due to his dual citizenship, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra‘s function as a” plan helper” for the Pheu Thai Party may not be permitted, according to foreign affairs minister Maris Sangiampongsa on Wednesday.
Political activist Sonthiya Sawasdee has petitioned the Election Commission (EC ), seeking an investigation into Thaksin’s involvement, following the ex-premier’s high-profile visit to Udon Thani recently.
According to reports, Thaksin had obtained a second membership in Montenegro or another nation, Mr. Sonthiya attracted attention. Montenegro prohibits two membership but from 2019-22 it offered” citizen by investment” to those who invested at least 250, 000 dollars in the country. Though the windows has closed, calls for the “golden documents” are still being processed, according to some studies.
Mr. Maris declined to comment on Thaksin’s claim to have a subsequent card.
Suriya Jungrungreangkit, the transport minister and a vital Pheu Thai find, said the side’s legal team had discussed the information.
He claimed that the investigation into the incident led to the conclusion that Thaksin had never violated any laws by supporting the president of the provincial operational organization in Udon Thani last week. According to Mr. Suriya,” the crew looked over the law and concluded there was no cause for concern.”
Numerous legitimate issues have focused on Thaksin and Pheu Thai’s barely-disclosure of influence over the government. The Constitutional Court will decide on Friday whether to hear one of the problems.
However, Mr. Maris claimed that Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of former prime minister Thaksin, had not contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to inquire about her plans to leave Thailand.
Thaksin, who was quoted by Nikkei Asia on Monday, said that Yingluck should be able to attend the Songkran event in April, either immediately or just before.
He claimed that he saw no barriers to her returning.
Yingluck fled the country in 2017 immediately before a court decision on her administration’s false rice-pledging scheme, according to Thaksin during a visit in his native state of Chiang Mai in April.
Musk’s government-by-tech to show the limits of disruption – Asia Times
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, will take over the newly created Department of Government Efficiency alongside fellow software billionaire and former national member Vivek Ramaswamy on November 12th, according to president-elect Donald Trump’s announcement on November 12. The new office will be tasked with reining in state government, curbing federal spending, and reducing rules.
Musk has been vocal in his support of Trump’s campaign, which included probably illegal monetary “giveaways” to citizens. Although Musk is relatively new in electoral politics, technology companies and their leaders have made numerous attempts to restructure public policy and governance, ranging from housing and transportation to city planning.
By looking more closely at some of these efforts, we may be able to get a preview of what Musk’s Department of Government Performance may try to do, what government-by-tech may seem like, and what might go wrong.
Replacing public service
In 2013, Musk himself proposed a new form of public transportation called the “hyperloop” to join Los Angeles and San Francisco. And Musk’s SpaceX aims to outsource the rocket-building business to the government.
But another tech firms have had similar interests.
Uber has made a series of attempts to replace people transport. Companies like Sidewalk Labs, a subsidiary of Google’s parent company, have created” intelligent cities” that collect and analyze information about people’s behavior in order to make decisions about providing services, making attempts to replace urban infrastructure.
Perhaps an analyst suggested that public libraries may be replaced by Amazon bookstores. In fields as diverse as cover, personality identification, and education, tech firms have challenged people products.
The boundaries of disturbance
One thing some government-by-tech jobs have in common is a perception that government is inherently inefficient, and that (unregulated ) technology can offer better options.
Silicon Valley software companies have huge espoused “disruption“, the idea of overthrowing a dead standing status with technology. Unlike people agencies, the reasoning goes, companies is “move fast and break things” to discover new and more effective ways to deliver services and price.
Tech firms that adhere to this theory have undoubtedly provided service that many of us use frequently in our day-to-day lives and generated significant profits. But this does n’t mean the Silicon Valley model makes sense for public administration. In reality, the information suggests something more like the same.
A record of disappointment
Tech’s attempts to provide public companies have had mixed results.
Innisfil, Canada, switched to Uber in 2017 to replace all of its public transportation options. The result was a rise in city costs ( in Uber’s fees ), more cars traveling, and more expensive transportation for low-income residents.
After encountering concerns regarding protection and planning, Sidewalk Labs ‘ smart-city trial in Toronto was abandoned in 2021.
The software industry’s disruption has worsened existing issues, with Airbnb and other short-term rental firms playing a role in the housing crisis.
Small solutions for slim problems
Additionally, tech firms typically concentrate on a select few issues. Silicon Valley has helped us to find a car, choose a restaurant for dinner, manage quickly around a town, transfer money to our friends, and search for the best rental for our vacation.
It has provided fewer options for getting low-income cover, providing treatment for the younger, or reducing our power usage. There are significant benefits to this: technology companies want to tap wealthy buyers with disposable income to generate income.
These disparities even reflect Silicon Valley’s lack of diversity, though. Tech remains mostly white, mostly female, generally upper-middle course, typically highly educated. This affects the troubles and answers Silicon Valley finds.
The secret business will suffer from all of this. However, the government’s primary function is to look after all of its citizens, not merely owners or buyers ( or even just those who voted for it ).
The couple get a dozen services.
The issue is that Silicon Valley’s “efficiencies” and solutions may end up delivering the few at the price of the many. Some “inefficiencies” of public service arise from the truth they are designed to get as many people into accounts as possible.
Rules and protections for older people, for those with disability, for those who may not speak English as a second language, for instance, all create the need for more government and more rules.
Musk has compared the public transportation system to a “pain in the pussy” where possible serial killers must be positioned next to one another. Of course, in some places public transportation carries no such discrimination. Additionally, many people who prefer to travel by private jet ( or even Tesla ) may have no other choice but to rely on a public bus for their needs.
One of SpaceX’s aims is to reduce the cost of a trip to Mars to under US$ 1 million. This would be a extraordinary success, but it means that Musk’s imagined Mars settlement may be very wealthy. As a form of public policy, spacecraft and hyperloops are terribly insufficient.
Unromantic needs
The technology sector itself depends on existing facilities and institutions, even though the idea of disruption attempts to minimize its impact.
Uber depends on roads and vehicles, as well as the institutions that maintain them, and Airbnb depends on brick-and-mortar construction, as do Amazon and eBay, which rely on postal service and travel system.
All tech companies rely on solid, enforceable financial, property, and tax laws. These outdated institutions and infrastructures may not be attractive or even effective.
However, these so-called inefficiencies have often evolved in ways aligned with fairness, justice, and inclusivity. Silicon Valley tech companies ‘ past records do not support their positions on these issues.
Hallam Stevens is professor of interdisciplinary studies, James Cook University
The Conversation has republished this article under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.