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Supreme Court upholds 50-year jail sentence for ex-TAT governor, 40 years for daughter

NationalNov 16. 2020Juthamas The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the jail sentences handed to the former governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Juthamas Siriwan, and her daughter Jittisopha, while ruling on their appeal.

Juthamas had been sentenced to 50 years in jail by the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases back in March 2017 for accepting US$1.8 million (Bt62 million) in bribes from an American couple seeking the rights to host a Bangkok film festival during 2002 to 2007. Jittisopha had been sentenced to 44 years in jail for helping hide the ill-gotten cash in overseas bank accounts. The court had also ordered that the money they had deposited in overseas banks, as well as the profit generated, totalling Bt62,724,776 be confiscated as state asset.

In May 2019, the Appeal Court upheld Juthamas’s jail sentence but reduced Jittisopha’s to 40 years. The court also revoked the order for confiscation of the money in overseas bank accounts, citing that the prosecutor had not asked for the confiscation of money or offered any evidence in their lawsuit.

The Supreme Court heard their appeal and decided to uphold the verdict of the Appeal Court, who had found the former TAT governor guilty of committing malfeasance by accepting bribes, which was an abuse of her power.

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ATTA urges govt to consider Chinese tourists or risk 2 million people being left jobless

NationalNov 16. 2020

By THE NATION

The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) believes some 2 million people in the tourism industry will end up being unemployed if foreign tourists do not return to Thailand in huge numbers.

ATTA president Wichit Prakobkosol submitted a petition with the Tourism and Sports Ministry, asking for the government to allow the entry of travellers from 22 provinces in China that are safe from Covid-19.

The provinces eyed by ATTA include Zhejiang, Anhui, Chongqing, Hebei, Hubei, Hunan, and Fujian.

Wichit added that once the government opens borders, these 22 provinces alone will provide 300,000 tourists monthly, who should generate more than Bt15 billion revenue per month, he added.

He said 150,000 workers in tour businesses have been laid off by more than 10,000 firms. However, this job loss is temporary for 90 per cent of workers, while the remaining 10 per cent have lost their jobs permanently. He also said tour business operators should be given access to soft loans.

Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn was scheduled to meet 15 hotel operators on Monday. He said these operators wanted to know what kind of assistance they can expect from the government.

Separately, the Tourism Authority of Thailand will meet next Tuesday to come up with a tourism recovery plan for 2021 and 2022, which will then be proposed to the Cabinet for approval.

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Power banks now a controlled product, require TISI stamp

NationalNov 16. 2020

By The Nation

The Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) announced on Monday that it was making power banks a regulated product for the sake of people’s safety.

Manufacturers or importers of power banks are now required to get a TISI stamp on their products, and face punishment if they fail to do so.

Those producing or importing power banks illegally can face up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to Bt2 million. Sellers of non-standard products can face up to six months in prison and/or a fine of up to Bt500,000.

TISI said there are more than 100 producers and importers of power banks, but so far only five local manufacturers and 27 importers have applied for certification.

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Surat Thani man launches hunt for owner of mysterious macaque

NationalNov 16. 2020

By The Nation

A Surat Thani-native is calling on the media to help find the owner of a macaque that has been living on his roof for two months now.

Aphichet Srisombat, 32, made this announcement in a Facebook post, which caught the attention of reporters, who visited the man’s home in Phunphin district to see the monkey for themselves.

Aphichet said he was certain the monkey has an owner because the primate wears a collar and appears to be tame. In fact, he said, the monkey has been seen playing with a dog nearby, and that he occasionally feeds it.

However, Aphichet said, he is shifting and is worried the animal may starve to death if nobody feeds it. Hence, he said, he wants the owner to come and take his pet.

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Third alleged co-conspirator in murder of New Zealand businessman arrested 14 years after crime

NationalNov 16. 2020

By THE NATION

Third alleged co-conspirator in murder of New Zealand businessman arrested 14 years after crime

The Crime Suppression Division on Monday arrested the alleged killer of a foreign businessman, nearly 14 years after the murder.

The suspect Yiamwut, 40, was arrested in Phetchabun province’s Khao Kho district. He was arrested under an arrest warrant issued by Pattaya Provincial Court on April 22, 2006.

The man was charged with collaborating with others for murder, illegal possession of a gun and carrying the weapon in public spaces. The suspect however has denied all these charges.

According to the police, the suspect and another man were hired by a Thai woman to kill her boyfriend, a New Zealand businessman, 40.

The murder was committed on April 20, 2006, in Pattaya. The motivation for the crime was the woman’s resentment towards the businessman, as he allegedly always attacked her.

The woman and another man had already been arrested, but suspect Yiamwut reportedly had eluded police.

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National park official still missing after boat flips in reservoir

NationalNov 16. 2020

By The Nation

As of press time, rescuers were still hunting for a Kaeng Krachan National Park official who went missing while heading home on a boat after visiting his ill mother on November 13.

Attapol Suksai, 42, had gone to visit his mother who required some medical help and then headed to meet his wife by taking a boat down the Kaeng Krachan Dam in Phetchburi province.

Strong currents in the dam, however, flipped the boat over and dragged the official under the surface.

Local rescue teams have found the boat but there is still no sign of Attapol, though they believe he may still be alive as he knows about the strong currents and may have taken refuge on a small islet in the reservoir.

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Monk killed in road accident involving teen biker in Chonburi

NationalNov 16. 2020

By The Nation

A speeding motorcycle reportedly killed a 64-year-old monk who was walking on the route to receive food offerings in Chonburi province on Monday morning.

The bike was allegedly ridden by a 16-year-old who was on his way to bring his mother back from work.

The teenager reportedly could not stop the speeding vehicle when he saw the monk in his way.

The monk from Nong Prue temple was immediately killed while the biker’s left ribs were broken. He was later sent to Laem Chabang Hospital.

Police have ordered the detention of the suspect for prosecution in the case after his treatment.

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Chuan tells senators not to be too anxious about safety during charter rewrite vote

NationalNov 16. 2020Chuan Leekpai 

By The Nation

House Speaker Chuan Leekpai has urged senators to not be too preoccupied with security issues after they filed an urgent letter seeking to discuss security measures during the parliamentary vote on the amendments.

The Secretariat of the Senate submitted a letter signed on November 10 to discuss security matters with its House counterpart before voting for amendments kick off in Parliament on Tuesday.

Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, president of the Senate, also called on fellow senator Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew, to preside over this urgent meeting and ensure security is in place to control the situation.

Chuan, meanwhile, responded to the letter with a note saying: “Understood. We did not overlook it, but do not remain too preoccupied. Monitor the Parliament as normal. Outside matters are the government’s responsibility.”

Urgent meetings on the Parliament’s security matters have never been held before because this matter is overseen by other organisations.

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Japanese man lone new Covid-19 case

NationalNov 16. 2020

By The Nation

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Monday reported one new case in quarantine over a 24-hour period.

A 28-year-old Japanese man arrived on November 13 and suffered from stuffy nose, fatigue and diarrhoea symptoms on the very first day in an alternative state quarantine hotel in Bangkok where he tested positive.

Meanwhile, six patients have recovered and been discharged.

The total number of confirmed cases in Thailand increased to 3,875 (917 in state quarantine), 94 are in hospital, 3,721 have recovered and been discharged and 60 have died.

According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Monday, the total number of confirmed cases increased to 54.8 million (up by 490,610), 38.14 million have recovered, 15.35 million are active cases (98,809 in severe condition) and 1.32 million have died (up by 6,613).

Thailand ranks 151 for most cases in the world, while the US has the most number with 11.37 million, followed by India 8.84 million, Brazil 5.86 million, France 1.98 million and Russia 1.9 million.

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Capital inflows expected to boost baht and Asian currencies

NationalNov 16. 2020

By THE NATION

The baht opened at 30.16 to the US dollar on Monday, strengthening from 30.24 at close on Friday.

The Thai currency is likely to move between 30.10 and 30.30 on Monday and between 30 and 30.50 this week, said Jitipol Puksamatanan, senior director of the chief investment office at SCB Securities.

He predicted that capital would continue flowing into Asian countries, if the economic numbers in those countries recovered continually. This financial movement would weaken the dollar. This week, the dollar index would tend to move between 92 and 93 points, from the present 92.7 points, he said.

The senior director said that investors this week would continue speculating on Asian currencies, including the baht. However, he advised the investors to see signals of the baht strengthening conducted by the Bank of Thailand.

Thailand announced a 6.4 per cent contraction of gross domestic product in the third quarter on Monday, while data on China’s the industrial production is due.

On Wednesday, the Monetary Policy Committee of Thailand will hold a meeting. Observers believe the committee will freeze interest rate at 0.50 per cent.