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Family demands probe into conscript’s death

NationalNov 09. 2020

By The Nation

The family of a conscript found hanged last week at a military base in Roi Et province has demanded an investigation into his death, insisting he had no motive to commit suicide.

On Monday, lawyer Ronnarong Kaewpetch accompanied family members of the dead man, Pitchawat Wiangnon, 22, to ask Crime Suppression Division chief Suwat Saengnum to get to the bottom of the matter. Pitchawat was found dead at Prasoet Songkram Military Camp on Friday.

Pitchawat’s family said authorities threatened them when they asked for more information on his death, adding to their suspicion he had not killed himself.

Ronnarong said that Pitchawat had escaped from the camp the day before his death before being returned by his family at the request of Army officers.

The victim’s mother, Nookrai Bunwiset, 44, said an officer had physically assaulted Pitchawat in previous weeks. She said he had also suffered other incidents of hazing, making him fearful he would not survive in the hostile atmosphere if he returned to the camp.

She said her son suffered from tuberculosis and was frail.

The family was not permitted to see the body and an initial autopsy reported no internal injuries. Doubting the result, the family asked for a second autopsy, and the body was sent to the Forensic Science Institute in Bangkok.

Pitchawat was the second conscript reported dead in mysterious circumstances last week in the Northeast. Sataporn Piadpad was found dead in a punishment cell at the 36th Military Circle in Phetchabun province.

As public pressure mounted on Monday, Army chief Narongphan Jitkaewtae vowed that any wrongdoers in either case would face punishment.

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No long stay-tourists infected yet: Health Ministry

NationalNov 09. 2020

By The Nation

So far, no long-stay tourists have been found infected with Covid-19, though health authorities have urged Thais to keep their guard up after a symptomless man tested positive in Krabi last week.

The rare local case was an Indian restaurant worker aged 37 and living in Muang district.

He was found to be infected during a routine work-permit test at Krabi Hospital last Wednesday.

He is thought to have contracted the disease abroad before arriving in Thailand three months ago and remaining asymptomatic. Tests on 19 close contacts of the infected man have come back negative, while 32 contacts are in quarantine.

Dr Sopon Iamsirithaworn, chief of the Communicable Diseases Division, praised Krabi locals for not panicking and urged them to report to a medical facility if they experienced a fever, cough, respiratory symptoms, or lost their sense of smell.

Thailand is gradually opening its tourism industry via Special Tourist Visas (STV) offered to residents of countries at low risk of Covid19 transmission, such as China, Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

The Public Health Ministry reports that so far, all tests on long-stay STV tourists in alternative state quarantine hotels have come back negative.

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Army chief justifies troop presence at protest site on Sunday

NationalNov 09. 2020

By The Nation

Army chief General Narongpan Jitkaewthae said on Monday that the troops had nothing to do with the crackdown on protesters, who were hit by high-pressure water as they tried to break through the police barricade to deliver letters to the King.

He said that even though the protesters have been breaking the law by holding protests without permission, the authorities have been making compromises and only arresting people on a case by case basis.

“I’m in charge of ensuring national security. On Sunday, the crowds were moving towards the Grand Palace, the City Pillar Shrine and the Emerald Buddha Temple – all sacred places. So, will anyone take responsibility if anything happens?” the general asked.

He said he has always instructed security officials to control the situation in a non-violent manner, adding that soldiers are always ready to help the police and injured people.

“If the police let protesters in, people with bad intentions can also enter because protest leaders do not screen participants. As for the footage of what looks like a firecracker being thrown at a bus [used to block protesters]. I ask what happens if these ill-intentioned people set fire to the Emerald Buddha Temple or the City Pillar Shrine? Who will take responsibility? What will other people in the country say?” the general asked.

Meanwhile, Piyarat Chongthep, chief protest guard, admitted on Facebook that the firecracker was intended to create a blanket of smoke to hide the protesters from riot police. He said protesters in other countries do this too.

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Export of pig, chickens hits a high this year thanks to Thailand’s food safety practices Thailand’s export of pigs and chickens in the first 1

NationalNov 09. 2020

By THE NATION

Thailand’s export of pigs and chickens in the first 10 months of this year was far higher compared to the same period last year, the Department of Livestock Development said.

The department’s director general Sorawit Thanito said Thailand exported 2 million pigs worth around Bt13 billion from January to October this year, marking an increase of 344.30 per cent from the same period last year.

He added that 769,000 tonnes of chicken meat and related products worth Bt89 billion was also exported in the first 10 months of this year, marking a 0.67 per cent increase from the same period in 2019.

Of the chicken products, fresh chicken accounted for 58.5 per cent and processed chicken 41.5 per cent.

Sorawit said this success could be put down to Thailand’s food safety and balance in production.

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Price indices of major economies, Q3 corporate results to influence SET, baht

NationalNov 09. 2020

By THE NATION

KSecurities expects the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) to have support at 1,245 and 1,230 points, but expect resistance at 1,275 and 1,300 points.

Key matters to watch include Thailand’s domestic political issues and earnings results of listed companies in the third quarter, the situation after the US presidential election, plus the Covid-19 situation.

Key US economic indicators that need close watching include the October consumer price index (CPI) and producer price index (PPI). Other international factors that warrant close monitoring include the euro zone’s September industrial production and gross domestic product report for the third quarter, China’s October CPI and PPI, plus Japan’s October PPI.

As for the baht, Kasikornbank expects the Thai currency to move within a range of Bt30.40-30.80 to the US dollar.

Key factors to be monitored closely are political uncertainties after the US presidential election, Fed officials’ comments, and the domestic political situation.

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Baby among those killed in Nakhon Ratchasima road accident

NationalNov 09. 2020

By THE NATION

A road accident in Nakhon Ratchasima province on Sunday evening killed two people on the spot including a one-year-old baby.

Chok Chai police learned that at around 8.30pm a 10-wheeler hit a motorbike injuring 11-year-old Siwa Kaikratong and killing the motorbike rider Anupong Kaikratong, 34, and infant Aswin Kaikratong. Anupong, who worked in a hospital, was related to the two children though at press time the relationship was not specified.

Upon interrogation, police found that the truck driver Thongpoon Bueagkuntod, 55, was heading to his wife’s house in Non Sung district. He said he swerved when he saw a car heading out of an alleyway, but did not see the motorbike that was riding alongside his trailer.

Police have said they will investigate the case further.

Local rescue teams have taken the survivor and the dead bodies to Chok Chai Hospital.

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Prachinburi family left penniless by flash floods begs for help

NationalNov 09. 2020Nam Chutikulphawat’s daughter and granddaughter. 

By The Nation

A family in Prachinburi province was left hungry and hopeless after all their belongings and only source of income was swept away in in a flash flood on November 1.

Nam Chutikulphawat, 69, took reporters to her house on Monday, which had been wiped clean by the fast-flowing water. She said 14 of their 19 pigs, their main source of income, were also swept away in the strong current.

She said she and five other family members had to run for their lives because their house was inundated in minutes. Nam said they only managed to escape with the clothes on their backs and her 11-month-old granddaughter, who now has no milk to drink.

She said that she has tried to borrow money from neighbours but it was not enough, adding that she hopes people can find it in their hearts to help out.

Donations can be made via Krungthai Bank savings account number 233-0-44095-2. Nam can also be contacted through (082) 293 7167.

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Rubber farmers plead for help after price plummets

NationalNov 09. 2020

By The Nation

Trang province’s rubber tree farmers have asked the government for help after the price of rubber suddenly plummeted following fresh Covid-19 lockdowns in Europe.

On Monday, the price in the latex market had dropped to Bt41-Bt42, from Bt70-71 a few days earlier, and is expected to fall further.

Siriphan Nuichoo, 46, a representative of rubber tree farmers in Trang, said that their incomes had dropped drastically as small 8-rai plantations could now only generate Bt300 a day.

Rubber farmers were growing other crops to eat in order to cut their expenses, he added. But they were still not making enough money to live since the cost of living was rising.

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Arkom swings into action to revive economic growth

NationalNov 09. 2020Arkom Termpittayapaisith 

By The Nation

New Finance Minister Arkom Termpittayapaisith has started visiting state agencies for information and to give them policy advice, Thansettakij newspaper reported.

Although the overall picture of the Thai economy looks slightly better after the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) downgraded the full-year forecast to 7.7 per cent contraction from the previously expected minus 8.5 per cent, the economy still needs to be nurtured back into positive territory. Next year, the economy is expected to recover to 4.5 per cent growth, but it will take about two years for the Thai economy to return to the pre-Covid-19 outbreak level, Thansettakij said.

One month after taking office as new finance minister, Arkom had reportedly called only one meeting with top executives of the Ministry of Finance and some others. Therefore it did not see many actual results since most of his work involves the government’s Centre for Economic Situation Administration or the Cabinet.

From November 9-13, Arkom will visit eight important agencies under the Ministry of Finance: Revenue Department, Excise Department, Customs Department, Fiscal Policy Office, Public Debt Management Office, State Enterprise Policy Office, The Treasury Department and the Comptroller-General’s Department, to listen to operational guidelines and suggest policies for each agency to implement.

The Revenue Department, which is a key agency in generating income for the government, has set its revenue target for fiscal year 2021 at Bt2.085 trillion.

Ekniti Nitithanprapas, the director-general of the Revenue Department, confirmed the revenue target, explaining that they would receive additional income from the collection of value-added tax from electronic service providers abroad to domestic service recipients (e-service) after the House of Representatives approves it as a law. It is expected to be effective early next year, and generate about Bt5 billion.

Meanwhile, the tax base will be widened to bring more income in the future, but that may not be enough, Ekniti said. Arkom may therefore hike taxes, but at the same time technology must be used to draw more people to pay taxes, Ekniti said.

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Man arrested as police come upon drug hoard in Khon Kaen

NationalNov 09. 2020

By THE NATION

Police recently seized a cache of amphetamine pills and methamphetamine powder in Khon Kaen’s Nam Phong district, and also nabbed drug suspect Sukree CheauKham, 25, it was reported on Monday.

Police later learned that the 192,000 amphetamine pills and 3 kilograms of methamphetamine powder was to be distributed in Nam Phong as well as Nong Ruea, Chum Phae and Ban Phai districts.

Police said they had received a tip-off about the suspect acting suspiciously and later spotted him taking a black plastic bag into a sugarcane field. Police later found the drugs hidden in the field.

During interrogation, Sukree said he had got the drugs from a Laotian acquaintance. Police believe drug trade in Khon Kaen has picked up because there are no checkpoints.