The police chief blamed media coverage of investigations for alerting the suspect. Speaking after a meeting with the investigating team in Lopburi province, Chakthip said he believed the suspect might have fled the country by crossing the border.

“This is because of the media’s reporting, which might have tipped the suspect off that we were getting close to identifying him,” he said. “I would like to ask the press to use discretion in reporting progress in a case so that it does not jeopardise the investigation.”

Chakthip added that he would consider disciplinary action against police officers who had revealed classified information regarding the case investigation and the names of interrogated suspects to the press.

The National Police chief admitted that the investigation had faced some obstacles and also pressure from society. “I believe police could work faster and better if we withhold information from the press until we have solid evidence,” he added “Online media is the biggest obstacle, as most of the time they tend to guide readers towards a certain direction instead of staying neutral.”

As for progress in investigations in the case, on Wednesday the police summoned for questioning the owners of 13 guns of the same model allegedly used by the gunman, but found that none of the 13 guns were the one used by the suspect.

Deputy Commissioner-General Pol General Suwat Chaengyotsuk announced at a seminar on Wednesday (January 15) that accident records from the just-ended New Year holidays had been scrutinised to identify which preventive measures had been most successful.

An action plan highlighting those measures has been drawn up.

“To reduce accidents during the Songkran festival and throughout the year, the action plan includes a campaign to encourage bikers to wear helmets and lists of drivers who are accident risks in every village and subdistrict,” Suwat said.

“We will coordinate with the relevant groups to hold a training course for village heads and subdistrict chiefs on instilling road discipline among citizens and we’ll have patrol teams monitoring traffic conditions and driver alcohol levels throughout the year.”

People need to be more fully aware of the law, Suwat said, and that can be achieved through stricter enforcement, resulting in a sustainable reduction in accidents.

Conditions are tough, Chairat Trirattanajarasporn said on Wednesday (January 15) at the Economic Reporters Association’s annual seminar, but traveller interest in Thailand has never stopped building.

To make the association’s task easier, he recommended free visas on arrival for all visitors and more sweeping economic stimulus measures.

New markets must be opened in Asia while the European market is incapable of expanding, Chairat said.

Tourism entrepreneurs should meanwhile embrace the growing “free independent traveller” (FIT) trend.

Chairat noted that the Ministry of Tourism and Sports is expecting 41 million foreign visitors this year, up from 39.7 million in 2019.

It’s estimated they will collectively spend Bt2.1 trillion, up from Bt1.96 trillion.

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan chaired the session, which Natural Resources and Environment Minister Warawut Silpa-archa also attended.

Recognition by the United Nations agency is a mechanism to preserve cultural and natural resources and would also boost tourism in the area, bringing income to local communities.

Warawut said the necessary documents to apply for Unesco designation had been prepared and he had ordered the relevant agencies to have a proposal ready for government consideration by January 31.

The World Heritage Committee would then consider the request when it meets in June and July.

The Kaeng Krachan forest spreads across Kaeng Krachan, Kui Buri and Chaloem Prakiat Thaiprachan national parks and the Pachee River Wildlife Sanctuary.

The World Heritage Committee last year mulled an initial request for the rainforest’s recognition, identifying drawbacks.

There was concern about ethnic groups living in the area and uncertainty over the precise alignment of the Myanmar border adjacent to Kaeng Krachan National Park.

Thailand has already reached an informal agreement with Myanmar to reduce the size of the area proposed for designation, but that reduction could lessen the forest’s world heritage value, so agencies are studying the matter further.

Daily trade volume was Bt65.4 billion with an index high of 1,587.77 and a low of 1,575.98.

A stock analyst at Krungsri Securities had predicted fluctuations in the SET Index following reports that the United States would reduce import duties on Chinese goods, leaving investors sceptical about future trade between those countries.

Elsewhere in Asia, stock markets on Wednesday shifted as follows:

Japan’s Nikkei Index closed at 23,916.58, down 108.59 points or 0.45 per cent.

China’s Shanghai SE Composite Index closed at 3,090.04, down 16.78 or 0.54 per cent.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index closed at 28,773.59, down 111.55 or 0.39 per cent.

South Korea’s KOSPI Index closed at 2,230.98, down 7.9 or 0.35 per cent.

Taiwan’s TAIEX Index closed at 12,091.88, down 87.93 or 0.72 per cent.

He said purchases of the Navy’s second and third submarines were part of the strategic masterplan.

With regard to the submarine crews, Luechai said they would be sent for a two-year training course. The commander didn’t explain further but said they would become a special force.

Deputy Commissioner-General Pol General Suwat Chaengyotsuk on Wednesday (January 15) unveiled six measures the cops will direct against offenders behind the wheel, in factories and on construction sites, and in forests if they’re caught burning anything.

The six measures:

• Checkpoints set up with the departments of Land Transport and Pollution Control around Bangkok and vicinity daily from 10am to 2pm and a rapid-deployment force to nab drivers of vehicles spewing excessive exhaust fumes.

• Strict and more frequent inspections of public transit stations, bus stations and companies where trucks are used.

• Asking construction site operators to keep adjacent road surfaces in good condition so that traffic flow isn’t affected.

• Strict enforcement of laws against polluters, such as factory operators and anyone burning garbage or cropland scrub.

• Better traffic control to ease congestion, including a ban on parking at the sides of main roads.

• Encouraging motorists to turn off their engines while parked and to regularly check their vehicle’s condition.

Suwat said citizens can report vehicles with foul exhaust emissions via the hotline 1599 or the Facebook page “Social Media Royal Thai Police” (ศูนย์โซเชียลมีเดีย ศปก.ตร). In the Bangkok area, reports can also be made via hotline 1197 and Facebook page ศูนย์ควบคุมและสั่งการจราจร-บก.02.

Police were also due to open their own PM2.5-monitoring centre at Traffic Police Division headquarters on Wednesday evening.

Narit Therdsteerasukdi, deputy secretary-general of BOI, said on Wednesday (January 15) it is a collaboration with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency and Korea Thailand Communication Centre.

The chief aim is to secure the investment of 200 members of the Korean Chamber of Commerce in the EEC, for which the Department of Employment and the Customs and Immigration Bureau have agreed to facilitate.

The agreement includes visas and work permits for Korean businesspeople through the “Single Window” system.

South Korea has in the last five years requested state support for 140 investment projects in the EEC with a combined budget of Bt19.84 billion, mainly involving appliances, electronic and digital devices, metal products, chemical substances, automotive and spare parts and processed food.

The department, blaming weather conditions that will not disperse the pollution, advised residents and visitors to stay indoors as much as possible, wear face masks while outside and shun vehicles that belch exhaust fumes.

Aswin said mobile medical teams will be available to respond to respiratory emergencies and city crews will spray water into the air to reduce the haze.

Operators of vehicles emitting dense fumes will be fined, he said.

Dulyapat said that Chonburi Police received a tip from a foreign informant that the suspects were selling fake watches via an Instagram account, targeting mainly foreign customers. Police then set up a sting operation at a coffee shop in Avenue Pattaya Shopping Mall on South Pattayn Road in Banglamung district of Chonburi, where Dorey showed up with 12 watches which he claimed were valued at Bt125,500.

The suspect told undercover police to follow him to the nearby Bay Walk Shopping Mall to get the rest of the merchandise from his partner, Wirat.

The two were arrested and 40 other fake watches were sieged as evidences at the mall.

Wirat reportedly told police that they bought the fake watches from a manufacturer at Bt500 apiece with the intention of reselling them at around Bt12,000 each.

Both suspects were charged with possession and sales of counterfeit products. Dorey was also charged with working without a work permit.