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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019565

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) is accepting applications for soldiers online in a bid to reduce the number of draftees this year.

Deputy spokeswoman Colonel Sirichan Ngathong said on Tuesday that the RTA is accepting more soldiers online, with the Defence Ministry aiming to recruit more voluntary soldiers for the Army instead of only conscription from 2021.

The ministry is accepting online applications for three forces – the RTA, the Royal Thai Air Force and the Royal Thai Armed Forces.

The RTA will accept 28,642 online draftees for a period of five months – from August 29 to January 29. Thai males aged 18 to 20 who have never entered the draft or aged 22 to 29 after being exempted (received a “black card” during the draft) are eligible.

The Army aims to expand opportunities to several fields, such as people who live in rural areas, those in the agricultural and industrial sectors, and males under the Juvenile Observation and Protection Department.

Additionally, the Army has lowered the criteria of minimum height, from 159 centimetres to 146.

Those eligible can register for starting military service in November, before the regular draft period in April. They can also choose to serve in any of 510 units across the country.
The Army is accepting soldier applications via the website rcm66.rta.mi.th or at nearby units.

To-be soldiers can take a test at the Army Non-Commissioned Officer School after two years of service with an added 15 per cent score, Sirichan said.

They will get the same benefits as enlisted soldiers, such as a starting salary of 10,000 baht per month, free medical treatment, education and career support, weekend leave and extra pay when serving in dangerous areas, she added.

Published : August 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019551

The Criminal Court on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for YouTuber Suchata Kongsupachak, 30, also known as “Nutty”, and her secretary Nichapat Ratanukrom, 33, on charges of allegedly defrauding others and uploading false data into a computer in a manner likely to cause damage to the general public.

Cyber Crime Investigation Division 5 chief Pol Lt-Colonel Watthana Ket-Amphai said police asked the court to issue the warrants after they received complaints from more than 6,000 victims, who had been invited by the suspects to invest in forex trading but did not receive profits as promised. The amount of damage exceeds 2 billion baht.

“Suchata often posted photos on social media showing her wealth with luxury cars, watches, bags and property while claiming she had gained them from forex trading via a broker called ‘IQ option’,” said Watthana.

“She then invited her fan club and followers to invest in forex trading with her company called Suchata Co Ltd, while guaranteeing up to 100 per cent returns. Investments could be made either in cash or via a fiduciary contract,” he said.

Further investigation found Suchata’s company was allegedly connected to another fraud case in Singapore, in which a Thai woman and her Singaporean husband were accused of defrauding customers over luxury watches and brand name products worth more than 800 million baht, Watthana said.

Suchata has changed her name twice. She was previously called Leah Kongchak and Natthamon Kongchak. She ran a YouTube channel called “Nutty’s Diary” and used to work as a singer and dancer.

Published : August 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019550

Nine provinces in the Northeast have been warned of flash floods and overflows from the Chi and Mun rivers from August 31 to September 10 due to heavy rains.

The Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) issued the warning on Wednesday, citing weather forecasts by the Thailand Meteorological Department, which said the North, the Northeast and the East will experience more rainfall with isolated heavy showers until September 8 due to a monsoon trough.

The ONWR warned that from August 31 to September 10, the following areas are prone to flash floods and river overflows, while suggesting that people residing near the rivers and their basins follow the latest updates on weather and water levels.

Provinces along the Chi River:

– Chaiyaphum

– Khon Kaen

– Kalasin

– Maha Sarakham

– Yasothon

– Roi Et

Provinces along the Mun River:

– Nakhon Ratchasima

– Si Sa Ket

– Ubon Ratchathani.

The ONWR also urged authorities to closely monitor the water level of six large reservoirs to be affected by heavy rains and issue a warning to surrounding communities when water rises to near critical levels. They are:

– Mae Ngat Somboon Chon, Chiang Mai

– Khwae Noi Bamrung Daen, Phitsanulok

– Nam Phung, Sakon Nakhon

– Ubol Ratana, Khon Kaen

– Khun Dan Prakarn Chon, Nakhon Nayok

– Naruebodindrachinta, Prachin Buri.

Published : August 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019539

The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Tuesday seized assets worth over 100 million baht belonging to Kittkorn Inta, chief executive officer of P Miner Cryptocurrency Group Co Ltd.

The company, located in Muang district of Chiang Mai province, has been under investigation for allegedly running an online investment scam since January this year.

Chief of the Cyber Crime Investigation Division 1, Pol Maj-General Ronnachai Jindamuk, said the CCIB had received complaints from over 380 victims who had invested in the company’s cryptocurrency mining programmes, totalling more than 300 million baht, but had yet to receive any dividends as promised.

Ronnachai said the company was registered in February 2019 as a limited partnership engaged in domain registration with three partners — Kittkorn, his girlfriend and his brother. The company later expanded into the cloud rental business and since January 1, 2022 started inviting investments from people in over a dozen cryptocurrency mining programmes, each promising a different amount in profits.

“Kittkorn and his gang advertised the company on social media as a successful business, while posting photos of him driving sport cars and wearing luxury watches to attract the victims. Furthermore, they also posted evidence of donations to different charities to create a positive image,” said Ronnachai.

Police visited Kittkorn’s house in San Sai district of Chiang Mai on Tuesday, but he was not present. Officials then proceeded to seize five sports cars, luxury watches, title deeds of houses and lands, and over 10 saving accounts passbooks, all together worth more than 101 million baht.

Ronnachai said police are tracking down the three suspects who are still on the run. He was positive that they were still in the country.

Published : August 30, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019536

Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn discussed challenges in digital transformation with the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap) on Tuesday.

The discussion with Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, under-secretary-general of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of Escap was held at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district.

Chaiwut and Alisjahbana discussed the possibility of cooperation in information communication technology and digital technology between Thailand and Escap.

Both parties also exchanged ideas on the development of personnel for digital technology and cooperation to promote Thailand as an internet transmission hub in the Pacific region using internet exchange protocol.

The discussion also covered various projects related to digital transformation, such as Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway initiative, and the Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development.

Published : August 30, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019531

A Lao man was left with serious injuries after an explosion ripped through a two-floor shophouse in Pattaya on Tuesday morning.

The 29-year-old victim, named only as Khith, was rushed to Pattaya Memorial Hospital after the incident in Bang Lamung district.

The explosion tore apart a Hainanese chicken rice restaurant on the ground floor and scattered kitchen equipment across the pavement.

Neighbouring shophouses also suffered damage in the blast.

Police cordoned off the scene and banned people from entering the shophouse over fear it may collapse. Officers picked through the wreckage and took photographs in a bid to trace the source of the accident.

Initial investigations pointed to a gas explosion.

Police estimated the damage at more than 1 million baht.

The building’s owner, named only as Paisan, 56, said he had rushed to the scene after getting news of the explosion.

He said that although the damage was severe, none of the gas cylinders stored at the restaurant had exploded.

Published : August 30, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019530

Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting did not consider relief measures for household electricity users, a source at Government House revealed.

The move was left off the agenda despite an earlier government pledge to soften impacts from rising fuel prices. However, the source speculated that power-bill relief measures would be discussed at next week’s Cabinet meeting.

Last week, Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said the Energy Policy Administration Committee that he chairs approved discounts for household electricity users amid a record rise in the cost of electricity. Over the next four months, the price of electricity will soar from 4 baht per unit to a record high of 4.72 baht.

The discounts, which are expected to last from September to December, will see electricity bills for households that use less than 500 units per month cut by between 15 to 75 per cent.

Households that use less than 300 units per month will get a discount of 0.9204 baht per unit, equivalent to the average fuel tariff (Ft) imposed this year.

The Ft is reviewed every four months, in January, May, and September by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), which adjusts its value to reflect the actual cost of generating electricity.

Supattanapong estimated the discounts will cost the government around 2 billion baht per month or 8 billion baht over the four months.

Published : August 30, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019521

Members of the Mon Jam community in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim district blocked moves to demolish five resorts in their area on Monday.

Best known for its beautiful mountaintop viewpoint over the Mae Rim Valley and the floral orchard of its Royal Project farms, Mon Jam is about an hour’s drive from central Chiang Mai.

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry is targeting five resorts, namely Lang Suan Homestay, Mon Daorueng, Mon Doo Dao, Mon Saengrawee and Saeng Nuea Camping, for allegedly encroaching on forestland.

The locals, however, say these resorts cannot be demolished because the case is still being considered at the Administrative Court.

They also say that the photographic evidence being used does not match reality. They have also vowed to submit a letter to the Mae Ram Subdistrict Municipality on Tuesday to officially oppose the demolition.

Prasert Methanankul, the operator of Saeng Nuea Camping, said he was ready to let the demolition go ahead if found guilty. He also said officials should wait for a court verdict as the land had been inherited by the residents.

Montree Plookpanya, director of Forest Resources Management Office 1’s forest protection division, said the demolition operation commenced on Monday as the five resorts violated the Forest Act. He added that 36 of 122 hotels in the community were in violation of the law.

Published : August 30, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019520

The Finance Ministry has said it is ready to guarantee a loan of up to 150 billion baht to boost the Oil Fuel Fund’s liquidity.

As of August 14, the fund had accumulated a deficit of 177.4 billion baht – 76.52 billion baht deficit in oil subsidy and 40.88 billion baht deficit in LPG gas subsidy.

The fund has been accumulating a monthly deficit of 20 billion baht from March to June owing to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Krisada Chinavicharana, the Finance Ministry’s permanent secretary, said providing this guarantee will not create a burden on the ministry as the Oil Fund will be responsible for repaying its debts.

“The fund has many ways of managing its finances, so its debt-repayment potential is not worrisome,” he said, adding that the ministry has guaranteed a loan for the fund before.

He added that Thailand will have at least 550 billion baht in cash reserves at the end of fiscal 2022 on September 30.

In the first 10 months of fiscal 2022 (October 2021-July 2022), the government generated 2.03 trillion baht in revenue, up 5.8 per cent compared to the 2021 fiscal year.

Published : August 30, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019519

The Parliament has given the go-ahead to the 13th National Economic and Social Development Plan (2023-2027), which aims to make Thailand stable, prosperous and sustainable.

Danucha Pichayanan, secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), said on Monday that the plan will be submitted to His Majesty the King for review before it is announced on October 1.

He added that NESDC has included the sufficiency economy philosophy, UN Sustainable Development Goals and bio-circular-green economy in the plan.

“The plan focuses on five aspects, including innovation-based production structure, personnel development, sustainable production and consumption, as well as boosting the country’s potential in dealing with risks and changes,” he said.

He explained that the plan’s key performance indicators include:

• Boosting per capita income to US$9,300 or 300,000 baht compared to $7,097 or 227,000 baht in 2021.

• Boosting the human development index to 0.7209 compared to 0.6501 in 2020

• Reducing the income gap between the rich and poor to less than five times compared to 5.66 times in 2019.

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 per cent compared to 16 per cent in 2018.

Danucha said NESDC had set up development targets to ensure the plan can go smoothly, covering production and service, economic and social equality, and natural resource sustainability.

He added that the council will launch an online campaign on September 23 to build public awareness about the plan.

“The aim is to help Thailand have an advanced society and sustainable economy, which is a future everyone wants to see,” he said.

Published : August 30, 2022

By : THE NATION