Bidding for ‘super premium’ license plates opens Saturday morning
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023
The Land Transport Department will auction 130 license plates with special numbers for cars on Saturday with the prices for the “super premium” batch starting at 1.5 million baht each, it said on Wednesday.
The auction – the fourth one held by the department – will begin at 10am in the convention hall on the seventh floor of the department’s Building 6.
The 130 special license plates will be issued for private vehicles with no more than seven seats.
The license plates will be divided into four groups.:
– Super premium: Plates with four eights or nines (8888, 9999) preceded by different Thai characters. Their starting price is 1.5 million baht.
– Premium: Plates with four identical digits from one to seven (1111 to 7777). Their starting price is 1 million baht.
– Gold: Plates with two identical digits (11-99), three identical digits (111-999), or so-called “twin” eight and nines (8899, 9988, 8998, 8989, 9898, 9889). Their starting price is 800,000 baht.
– Silver: Plates with a rounded thousand (1000-9000), sequential numbers (123-789, 1234-6789) and twin numbers (1122, 3434, 5665). Their starting price is 500,000 baht.
Auction winners will get frameless plates with embossed numbers printed with special technology. The plates will have a distinct pattern for the background and can be sold or given to the owner of an already registered vehicle.
Numbers that will likely draw intense bidding include “kao” (move forward) 9999, “ngern” (money) 7777, “ruay” (rich) 8899 and “munkong” (security) 789.
The three earlier auctions earned 692.73 million baht for the Road Safety Fund.
During the first auction, the license plate 9999 sold for 18.56 million baht.
Chuwit uses THB400-million reward for tip-offs on drug gangs to equip hospitals
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023
Former massage parlour tycoon and politician Chuwit Kamolvisit on Wednesday drove a refrigerated pickup truck to the Central Institute of Forensic Science and donated the vehicle for transporting cadavers for medical study.
Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin was present at the institute, which comes under his ministry, to welcome Chuwit. He thanked him for donating the truck, as well as for giving vital information that had led to the seizing of assets of drug syndicates worth over 8 billion baht.
“In the past, very few people dared to give the authorities info about drug gangs that could lead to an arrest or asset seizure,” he said. “Mr Chuwit is the first one to provide useful information on such a large scale, helping the ministry eliminate drug syndicates and making the society safer.”
Somsak added that Chuwit was entitled to receive the ministry’s “Yuti Thamrong” honorary medallion for his contribution, as well as a prize money of 400 million baht based on the value of assets seized.
Chuwit, however, said he had used the prize to buy refrigerated trucks for the ministry and hospitals. He has delivered three trucks to Siriraj, Thammasat, and Police General hospitals. His aim is to donate a total of 10 trucks to hospitals and agencies that need them.
In November last year, Chuwit’s information had led to an arrest warrant being issued for alleged Chinese drug-ring boss Chaiyanat “Tuhao” Kornchayanant, and sparked the subsequent crackdown on alleged Chinese triad operations in Thailand.
Authorities have so far confiscated assets worth 5.3 billion baht from Chaiyanat and his alleged accomplices who are involved in drug trafficking, transnational crime and money laundering.
The Justice Ministry has targeted another 3 billion in assets owned by Chaiyanat and his alleged crime network.
Lawyer confirms possessing a vape in Thailand is illegal, can lead to jail
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023
A celebrity lawyer has warned that people caught in possession of an e-cigarette (vaping device) in Thailand face up to five years in prison and a heavy fine.
The warning was issued by lawyer Ronnarong Kaewpetch, who often comments on hot issues via Facebook and TV, following public confusion after Bangkok police allegedly took a bribe from a Taiwanese actress to turn a blind eye to her vaper.
Two police captains and five sergeants from Huay Kwang station are facing disciplinary and criminal charges after detaining actress Charlene An for carrying a vaper on January 5 and then letting her go in exchange for 27,000 baht.
Thai social media users expressed confusion over why police detained the Taiwanese actress when vaping devices are widely available and used in Thailand.
Ronnarong however warned that people caught with a vaper can be penalised by five years in jail and a fine of four times the price of the device.
He added that vaping in public also violates Section 42 of the tobacco control act which carries a fine of 5,000 baht.
The Commerce Ministry banned imports of e-cigarette vaping devices, baraku and electric baraku smoking devices in 2014, he noted. The ban also covers vape liquids.
Importing vaping devices or liquids violates Section 20 of the import/export act and carries a jail term of up to 10 years and/or a fine of five times the value of the goods.
The Consumer Protection Board also banned the sale of e-cigarettes, baraku, e-baraku and their liquids in 2015, with up to five years jail time and/or a fine of 500,000 baht for violators.
DSI oversees closure of online lottery platform before lucky numbers are drawn
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023
Officials from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Wednesday inspected the head office of online lottery platform Kong Salak Plus at SSP Tower in Bangkok’s Watthana district to ensure that the company complied with the shutdown order issued on Tuesday.
The DSI on Tuesday filed charges against Kong Salak Plus’s CEO, Panthawat Nakwisut, after they found a cashier’s cheque for 53 million baht allegedly given to him by a suspect in an online gambling case. The department also ordered the lottery selling platform to shut down effective immediately.
Panthawat turned himself in on Tuesday but denied all charges, include the accusation of money laundering and providing an online gambling service.
The DSI officials, led by DSI deputy chief Pol Major Yuthana Praedam, on Wednesday visited the office to ensure that Kong Salak Plus complied with the shutdown order as February 1 is the draw date of the government lottery. The platform usually hosts a live announcement of winning numbers on its website.
Yuthana added that the DSI would make sure that the company’s clients, who had already paid for tickets for the current draw, would receive prizes as usual.
He said since Kong Salak Plus’ account is now frozen due to the investigation, clients who win prizes must cash in directly at the Government Lottery Office.
The crackdown on the popular lottery platform started early this month and involved state agencies like Office of the Consumer Protection Board, the Anti-Money Laundering Office, the Revenue Department, and the DSI.
Kong Salak Plus faces various allegations, such as money laundering, selling overpriced lottery tickets, and involvement with online gambling and illegal businesses.
Reputation of Thai police is going up in smoke again
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023
A traffic officer in Pattaya was swiftly moved to an inactive post following a preliminary investigation into an allegation that he forced a group of Chinese tourists to pay a 30,000 baht bribe to avoid being charged with possession of vaping devices.
The group of tourists managed to haggle the officer down from his original demand of 60,000 baht, it was alleged.
The allegation was made on a call-in TV talk show and posted on a Line group for tour guides in Chonburi province.
The incident allegedly began soon after the traffic officer spotted a group of Chinese tourists strolling through Pattaya with vaping devices late on Saturday night and ended in the early hours of Sunday.
Vaping devices are illegal in Thailand. So is extortion.
The public relations unit of Chonburi police said on Wednesday that a preliminary probe by Pattaya police found there were sufficient grounds for a full investigation of the allegation.
Chonburi Police commander Maj-General Kampol Leelapraphaporn transferred the traffic officer who allegedly took the bribe – Senior Sgt-Major Noppakrit Pornwatanathankit – to an inactive post at the provincial headquarters on Tuesday, the police PR unit said.
Kampol also ordered that a committee be set up to fully investigate the allegations that Noppakrit took a bribe, it said.
The incident follows the high-profile scandal that erupted after seven officers from Huay Kwang police station were accused of extorting 27,000 baht from a Taiwanese actress in exchange for not charging her for carrying a vaping device. Actress Charlene An subsequently used social and TV media to tell her story of being shaken down by Thai police on January 5.
Kampol has ordered investigators to gather evidence from security cameras as well as witnesses. Legal action will be taken against the officer if he is found guilty, he said.
Kampol also urged residents of Chonburi province to alert his office if they see any misconduct by police.
Minister forecasts 4% growth for Thai economy this year
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2023
The Thai economy is expected to expand by 4% a year under the leadership of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said on Thursday.
He made the forecast during a talk with Top News on “Thailand’s future under Prayut’s guidance”.
The Covid-19 crisis curbed the economy’s growth for three years as revenue plunged due to the dramatic decline in foreign tourists – from 40 million people per year before the pandemic.
Thailand attracted 11.81 million foreign visitors last year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
“The government focused on propping up the economy amid the Covid-19 crisis,” he said.
The economy will be better this year despite the impact of the trade war between the US and China, the minister said,
The economy will return to normal soon and the number of foreign visitors this year could exceed 20 million people, he said.
Supattanapong said that because Thailand was able to maintain financial discipline during the pandemic, rating agencies had not downgraded the country.
He also said the government would drive growth by developing infrastructure, increasing access to digital technology, promoting new industries, and expanding trade.
He said the fact that demand for electric vehicles in Thailand exceeded 30,000 last year was a signal that the country accepts environmentally friendly technology.
Thailand’s reengagement with Saudi Arabia resulted in cooperation worth more than 100 billion baht, the minister said.
Saudi Arabia restored its relationship with Thailand this year after 32 years of frostiness following the so-called Blue Diamond Affair in 1989, which was sparked by the theft of jewels from a Saudi prince by a Thai worker.
The minister expects the value of investment in Thailand to hit 1 trillion baht this year, up from 700 billion baht last year.
“We would like to ask people to be confident,” he said. The Thai economy will be better this year and the lingering effects of the pandemic will be gone within two years, he said.
Forty years after the release of the first compact disc, CD sales are still alive in Japan, despite the proliferation of online streaming services.
In the heyday of CDs, people hailed their ease of use compared to other music formats, but now they are likely to be purchased as a way for fans to show their support for an artist, or prized as collector’s items.
Billy Joel’s “52nd Street” and Eiichi Otaki’s “A Long Vacation” were among the first CDs to be released in Japan on Oct. 1, 1982.
At 12 centimetres in diameter, CDs were more compact and lighter than the popular analogue audio format they would eventually overtake, vinyl records, which are usually 30 centimetres in diameter.
Another benefit of compact discs is that the format solved the problem of crackles, pops and hiss associated with analogue audio sources such as tape and vinyl.
Philips and Sony were involved in the development of CD technology and wrestled over the specifications of the format. Philips wanted CDs to hold 60 minutes of recorded music and have a diameter of 11.5 centimetres. Meanwhile, Sony insisted the format should have a diameter of 12 centimetres and hold 75 minutes of music so that Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 could be recorded on one disc.
Although other types of compact discs have been developed over the years, such as 8-centimetre discs and Blu-spec CDs that can hold audio of higher fidelity, standard discs have not changed since the original specification was settled, and the format is still kicking 40 years on.
“It proves that the specs that were initially decided were not wrong,” said Hirofumi Nakayama, Vice President of Sony Music Studios Tokyo. “The sound quality suits human ears. That’s why they’ve been loved for so long.”
Cases containing mini audio CDs, which are 8 centimetres in diameter .The Yomiuri Shimbun
According to the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), the CD market overtook analogue records in 1987 and hit a peak of about ¥587.8 billion in 1998. Since then, CD sales have gradually fallen partly because of the emergence of online music distribution. In 2021, the market was worth about ¥123.2 billion, about one-fifth of the peak value.
While streaming music services have gained popularity around the world in recent years, the appeal of physical music formats such as CDs has continued in Japan.
Compact discs and records accounted for about 10% of music revenue in the United States in 2021, according to data from the Recording Industry Association of America. In contrast, CDs, records and other physical formats accounted for about 70% in Japan, having more than doubled compared to that of digital formats, according to the RIAJ.
To tempt the fans of the pop stars and K-pop groups that dominate music charts, music labels often release multiple versions of a CD with different jackets or track lists or come with event tickets.
Meanwhile, CDs that contain songs that are not on streaming services are fetching high prices in the second-hand market.
Tower power Over the years, Tower Records Japan Inc. has changed the layout of its shop floors to fit the times. Initially, the retail chain sold CDs and records in the same section, but by around 1988, compact discs had replaced most of the vinyl.
In the 1990s, the chain mainly operated mega-stores with large inventories and a wide range of genres, but in the 2000s, the chain rolled out smaller stores inside shopping malls nationwide, specializing in popular Japanese artists.
Since the start of the 2010s, the chain has targeted die-hard fans with eye-catching signs and corners where shoppers can take selfies. Some of the stores even have stages where musicians can hold mini-concerts.
“Consumers value CDs for reasons other than music, particularly in Japan,” said Masato Hasegawa, General Manager of the Retail Business Division of Tower Records Japan. “The market still exists.”
Ukrainian former boxer Klitschko tells IOC not to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes at Olympics
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023
Ex-boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, brother of Kyiv’s mayor, called on IOC head Thomas Bach not to “betray the Olympic spirit” and become an “accomplice in this abominable war” by letting Russia compete.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is open to including Russian and Belarusian athletes as neutrals at the 2024 Games and has opened a door to them competing in qualifiers.
“You propose to reauthorize Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Paris games. I tell you, the Russians are Olympic champions in crimes against civilians,” said Klitschko.
“They have the gold medal in the deportation of children and rape of women. You can’t put your Olympic emblem on these crimes because you will be an accomplice of this abominable war.”
Moscow is trying to turn the page on years of doping scandals after its teams were forced to compete without their flag or anthem at the Olympics and major international events.
The IOC’s previous recommendation to ban Russians and Belarusians has been applied by many sports federations.
But last week, it backed a proposal by the Olympic Council of Asia to allow them to compete in Asia, which could potentially include Olympic qualifying events.
Ukrainian officials have turned on the IOC in recent days for promoting “violence, mass murders, destruction” with the idea of giving Russia a “platform to promote genocide.”
The IOC has called that defamatory and said such words do not promote constructive discussion.
Manchester United sign Sabitzer on loan from Bayern munich
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023
THE NATION
Manchester United have completed the loan signing of Marcel Sabitzer from FC Bayern Munich.
Manchester United is pleased to confirm that Marcel Sabitzer has joined the club on loan from Bayern Munich until June 2023.
The Austrian midfielder has made 443 career club appearances across Europe, including 54 since joining FC Bayern Munich in August 2021.
Previously he was club captain of RB Leipzig. He has 68 full international caps for the Austria national team.
“Sometimes in life you have to make quick and important decisions. From the moment I heard about this opportunity I knew it was right for me. I am a competitive player; I want to win and help the club achieve its aims this season.” said Marcel Sabitzer
“I feel that I am at my peak as a player, and that I can contribute a lot of experience and energy to the squad. I am excited to start with my new team-mates and manager and to show my qualities to Manchester United fans.”
Global regulatory developments and the flight to safety: Lessons learned from the crypto sector crisis
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023
We live in an exciting and innovative age where more people worldwide are eager to utilise new technologies that will make their lives easier, more efficient and more rewarding. Since its inception, cryptocurrency and blockchain technology have enabled transactions between people and businesses in new ways, radically changing how payments are conducted.
Despite the many virtues and advantages such technologies offer, it is not without challenges. The confusing regulatory global landscape and weak links to the traditional finance industry have prevented wider crypto adoption. The recent industry turmoil in the slipstream of FTX’s collapse also severely impacted consumer trust and confidence in this emerging industry.
The rise of VASPs
A relatively new type of entity, commonly referred to as the Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP), is gaining prominence in the industry. The most common example of a VASP today are cryptocurrency exchanges, which support end-users in buying and selling cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoins, from one another. As VASPs continue evolving, many are zeroing in on where the most significant growth potential can be found; by scaling up and institutionalising within the financial landscape.
Regulatory bodies are taking the VASP industry seriously, while institutional investors are changing their stance from carefully monitoring the scene to actively engaging with it. At the same time, there are several growing pains for VASPs, especially in light of the long history of interbank wire payments and the regulations governing these kinds of banking activities. With various institutions considering working with virtual assets (VA) service offerings, the proliferation of the asset class presents unique risks that need to be effectively addressed.
Trust and security are the obvious significant concerns. By adhering to evolving regulations, VASPs can increase security through strict customer onboarding and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements. At the same time, they can build trust through Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF) practices. The recent stunning collapse of FTX and its sister company, Alameda Research, taught us a valuable lesson about the importance of having recognised accounting practices and systems and solid governance mechanisms arising from robust regulation.
The FTX fallout
The collapse of FTX put many industry issues into perspective. It has become clear that creating a secure, reliable and trustworthy ecosystem is vital for everyone in the industry. Still, the importance of this ecosystem correlates directly to the adoption rate of VAs. South East Asian countries, and Thailand in particular, are examples of countries which lead in the adoption of VAs and demonstrate unprecedented growth rates. And this is why it is essential to consider what is happening in adoption vs regulation and whether we have solid ecosystem foundations that will allow the industry to grow correctly.
One part of the solution is using technology via concepts of embedded supervision, zero knowledge-based compliance systems, and more. Several key elements need to be considered when planning regulatory initiatives; it is critical for policymakers and regulators to refrain from regulating the industry into stagnation or stifling innovations. Laws and regulations need to evolve.
Although it is important to draw on previous experiences, the general approach should always start from a blank slate. This is the only way we bring the public and public sector together and understand the critical differences in the types of technologies and various businesses that need to be regulated. We also need to realise that seizing the opportunity requires dropping the zero-sum game aggressive mindset, which sees the world as a battle between free-spirited entrepreneurs and regulators trying to control them.
Solving the problem
We need to bring the brightest minds in the industry together in a non-confrontational way to identify new solutions and explore new ways to achieve the shared vision, which is greater protection for investors and consumers. Only then can we come up with clear guidance for the industry and a vision of how and where to develop without regulatory hurdles or unnecessary barriers.
These are simple problems to remedy. The main point about this is that it is helpful to have a trusted intermediary be the custodian of your assets rather than leave it up to the vagaries of possession. This is where the genius of a traditional banking system comes into play. Even if a bank in a well-regulated jurisdiction is exposed as not well-managed or taking undue risks, there are mechanisms to protect you. The regulator will take enforcement action against the bank, and a deposit guarantee scheme will protect your deposits up to a certain amount should losses be incurred by you.
It makes sense to trust a VASP tied to a bank located in a trusted regulated jurisdiction with a clear principles-based regulatory framework for VASPs. For example, Xapo bank is located in the financial centre of Gibraltar, a rock-solid jurisdiction with a 300-year history of stability and UK standards of law and protection of property rights.
Holding BTC at the Xapo VASP does not expose clients to any form of trading, lending or leveraged activity. The regulated standards simply do not allow access to member BTC, as these must be maintained in a segregated account unless it were to be licensed for that type of activity and its customers agreed to it. The VASP is required to have effective arrangements in place for the protection of client assets, and it is also necessary to have taken precautions and established corporate controls to protect customer assets and monies against any eventualities and threats, as well as to maintain custodial assets, wholly segregated from the VASP’s own assets and monies.
Such platforms represent the future of the industry. They provide the necessary security and protection as an adequate response to the entry and exit points in the field. Although the impact of FTX’s collapse can’t be understated, with every Tower of Babel comes the opportunity to reassess, rebuild and strengthen. If we heed the lessons learned, we can move towards the democratisation of finance with confidence and fulfil the principles that launched blockchain-based VAs and infrastructure in the first place.
By Joey Garcia, Director and Head of Public Affairs, Policy and Regulation, Xapo Bank
Kampol has ordered investigators to gather evidence from security cameras as well as witnesses. Legal action will be taken against the officer if he is found guilty, he said.
Cases containing mini audio CDs, which are 8 centimetres in diameter .The Yomiuri Shimbun
SootinClaimon.Com 