Diver discovers ‘horrific destruction’ in Trang national park
MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023
Hat Chao Mai National Park in Trang province on Monday promised to take action after a Facebook user posted photos of discarded fishing nets strangling coral and wildlife off the coast of Koh Kradan.
Park chief Parit Narasaritkul thanked a Thai tourist for raising the alarm.
Facebook user Tat Kewngaam on Sunday posted several photos he took of fishing nets wrapped around corals as well as wildlife on a dive trip near Koh Kradan.
He urged officials to take immediate action to prevent further damage to the reef, adding that he often came across such “horrific sights” of destruction during diving expeditions in the Andaman Sea off Trang.
“I have nothing against fishermen, but please check if your actions are affecting others,” he said.
Tat added that the photos were taken not far from the head office of Hat Chao Mai National Park.
On Monday, Parit said park officials had been dispatched to investigate the area. He also promised to tighten measures to prevent fishing boats from using nets in the national park.
“We will take legal action against any boats caught violating the law,” he added.
“The park thanks all tourists and locals who have been our eyes and ears in the mission to preserve marine resources for the future generation.”
Koh Kradan is a small, 2.4-square-kilometre island popular among tourists and divers due to its sandy beaches, clear waters and abundant coral.
Most of the island comes under the Hat Chao Mai National Park, which covers 231 sqkm of coastal Trang.
Bangkok police admit to extorting 27,000 baht from Taiwanese actress
MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023
Police officers at a checkpoint in Bangkok’s Huay Kwang district admitted to extorting 27,000 baht from a Taiwanese actress in exchange for letting her off after allegedly finding a vaping device on her.
A Royal Thai Police (RTP) source said policemen manning a temporary checkpoint in front of the Chinese embassy in the early hours of January 5 admitted to extorting the money while being interrogated separately on Sunday.
Pol Lt-General Thiti Saengsawang, commissioner of the Metropolitan Bureau, confirmed on Monday the reported confessions but did not provide details on the number of police officers in question, their rank, position or names. He added that the investigation team led by him has yet to make a formal announcement of the findings.
The RTP, already reeling from a series of scandals, was hit again when Taiwanese actress Charlene An (An Yu-qing) posted a TikTok video earlier this month alleging that she and her friends were stopped at the checkpoint in the early hours of January 5 and police planted a vaping device on her before demanding 27,000 baht to let her go free.
Thailand bans the import and sale of e-cigarettes and the possession of vaping devices is unlawful.
An claimed she and her friends were held at the checkpoint for two hours and were only let go after they paid the bribe. However, footage from several security cameras in the area proved that her allegations were inaccurate, as she was seen holding and using the vaping device before being stopped by the police. CCTV footage also showed that she and her friends were held at the checkpoint for 47 minutes, not two hours.
While footage from security cameras appeared to contradict her account, whistleblowing former politician and massage parlour tycoon Chuwit Kamolvisit came to her rescue on Monday, saying he had a clip showing one of An’s friends paying the bribe to a plainclothes policeman.
Chuwit also alleged that Metropolitan Police Bureau had deleted some footage to cover up the extortion.
Thiti said on Monday that investigators have now shifted to filing charges under Section 157 of the Criminal Code, which bans officials from carrying out malfeasance or nonfeasance.
“Several police officers will be charged,” he said without elaborating. “I want to apologise to everybody for some police officers’ actions that have damaged the image of Thailand and Thai society.”
‘CCTV clips not doctored’
Thiti denied that he had instructed officers to delete any video clips. He added that the body cams of police officers at the checkpoint will be sent to the Police Scientific Crime Detection Division to restore all clips that may have been overwritten or deleted.
An RTP source said on Monday that the case had been discussed extensively at the police headquarters and the transfer screening panel was told that each involved police officer confessed to extorting the money while they were being interrogated separately.
The source, who had also attended the meeting, said the bribe had been paid by a Singaporean member of the Taiwanese actress’s group.
Cover-up backfires
Huay Kwang police officers initially denied taking the bribe when An dropped the bombshell because they thought she was a foreigner and could do nothing. They also thought they could cover up the extortion because An did not file a police complaint against them.
The source added that the RTP has instructed the Metropolitan Police Bureau to re-check the backgrounds of the policemen in question to see if they had committed similar offences earlier. The source added that several complaints had been filed against Huay Kwang police officers of alleged extortion around the time of An’s incident.
The Taiwanese actress’s allegation has prompted National Police chief Pol General Damrongsak Kittiprapas to instruct the Metropolitan Police Bureau to have the Huay Kwang Police Station chief transferred to an inactive post immediately, RTP spokesman Archayon Kraithong said on Monday.
The spokesman also said that the police chief had instructed the Metropolitan Police Division 1 to set up a disciplinary panel to take both disciplinary and criminal action against the policemen in question.
The spokesman said the national police chief reminded all police stations to strictly follow regulations about setting up road checkpoints.
Raising questions
On Sunday, sources said the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s fact-finding committee spent all of Sunday reviewing the information and evidence and decided that:
• The checkpoint was not properly set up in line with Royal Thai Police regulations
• The police team at the checkpoint spent more than 40 minutes searching the group and did not find a vaping device, even though footage from several security cameras before and after the group was stopped showed the Taiwanese actress had a vaping device
• The police team did not report the seizure of the vaping device, nor did they file charges against the actress for having the vaping device in possession
As a result, the fact-finding panel concluded that the police team violated Section 157 of the Criminal Code by committing dereliction of duty. The case will be handed over to the National Anti-Corruption Commission to launch a graft probe against the team.
Tantikorn and Arisa Enjoy Double Delights at 1st Junior Asian Tour
SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023
THE NATION
Tantikorn Klinpeng and Arisa Bintachitt won the boys’ and girls’ open and B class titles as the inaugural Junior Asian Tour golf tournament came to a conclusion at the Southern Hills Golf & Country Club in Hat Yai, Songkhla on Sunday.
Tantikorn, a protégé from the Thongchai Jaidee Golf Academy, signed off with a 73 and a total one over-par-217 to triumph in the boy’s B class (age 13-14), beating Sarunyapong Hongamata by 17 strokes. His total of 217 also propelled him to the boy’s open crown.
“I was unable to hit the driver the way I wanted to and missed some fairways. So, I had to switch to a 3 wood on some holes,” said the 13-year-old from Rayong province.
“I’m happy that I won, but I should have done better. There were some mistakes I shouldn’t have made. I need to go home and try to fix this issue,” added Tantikorn who won the JAT Qualifiers last December.
In the girls’ B class, Arisa bounced back from two bogeys on the second and fourth holes to fire three birdies at the back and finished her campaign with a 71 and a three-day total of two over-par-218. She beat Thai-French Louise Uma Landgraf by six strokes.
“I was trying to be patient out there, hitting one shot at a time,” said Arisa who also won the girl’s open trophy. “I had to stay solid, focus on my breathing technique and tried not to rush. It was so amazing to win this week,” she added.
In the A class (age 15-18) division, Wittaya Ngamhom pipped Ingtawan Wangrungwichaisri in the boys’ category by a stroke after each hit an ending 75. Wittaya’s seven over-par-223 saw him walk away with the victory with Ingtawa coming at second on 224. The girls’ trophy belonged to Pryfon Prom-on who closed with a 74 and a total 14 over-par-230, 34 shots better than Peeyaporn Intasae.
Winners in class A and B will be granted wildcard entries into the Thailand Mixed circuits 1-3 due later this year. Each also receives 500 points on the JAT Order of Merits which will be used to award wildcards for the Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge.
The season-opening edition is one of the six JAT circuits to be held in Thailand this year. It is competed in a stroke-play format and divided into three age groups: 10-12 years, 13-14 years, and 15-18 years.
Each stop features World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and Junior Golf Scoreboard which will serve as the path for youngsters to pursue their golf career in the future. Apart from opportunities to gain world ranking points, youngsters with outstanding results on the Asian Junior Tour will receive wildcards into prestigious events including the LPGA, Ladies European Tour, Asian Tour, TrustGolf Tour and several professional events due in Thailand.
The second circuit of the Junior Asian Tour will take place at Grand Prix Golf Club in Kanchanaburi between March 17-19.
JD Central discontinues operations in Thailand on March 3
MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023
Online shopping platform JD Central (www.jd.co.th) announced on Monday that it was discontinuing its operations in Thailand from March 3, though customer service will be available until March 31.
In a Facebook announcement, the company said the JD Central Official Store will stop accepting orders from 11.59pm on February 15, while the JD Central platform with other vendors will stop accepting orders from 11.59pm on March 3.
The company has promised to fulfil all orders placed on or before March 3. The time taken for deliveries will be determined by the third-party logistics provider and seller.
JD Central’s customer service centre will continue providing after-sales services for completed orders until March 31, from 9am to 6pm, via live chat, phone (02) 030 4599 and e-mail cs@jd.co.th.
JD points and discount coupons can be used until March 3, while product warranty will not be affected by the discontinuation of the platform.
JD Central is an e-commerce platform set up in 2018 by Thailand’s Central Group and China’s e-commerce operator JD.com. It was named the Best e-Commerce Solution and Best e-Commerce Campaign – B2B in the Marketing Asia e-Commerce Awards 2020 hosted by Singapore’s “Marketing” magazine.
PPT’s life-science arm Innobic reaches profitability, targets THB7bn revenue this year
MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023
Innobic (Asia) Co Ltd, the biotechnology arm of national oil and gas conglomerate PTT, generated profit for the first time in 2022 after being established in 2020 with a mission to develop life science products.
Innobic’s profit last year was driven by the sales performance of Lotus Pharmaceutical Ltd, in which it holds a 37% stake worth 6 billion baht, said Innobic chairman Buranin Rattanasombat.
“In 2022, Lotus Pharmaceutical reported 15 billion baht in sales and nearly 2 billion baht profit, which contributed to the positive turnover of Innobic,” said Buranin, who also serves as PTT’s senior executive vice president for innovation and new ventures.
Innobic paid 16.46 billion baht in May last year to acquire Alvogen Emerging Markets Holdings Ltd (AEMH), a major shareholder of Lotus Pharmaceutical Ltd and the sole owner of Adalvo Ltd. As a result, Innobic also has a 60% stake in Adalvo, a leader in patent trading industries.
Innobic has raised its revenue target 15% to 7 billion baht this year, Buranin said.
Sales of Innobic products are expected to generate 480 million baht while the rest is projected from Lotus Pharmaceutical sales.
The company will invest 1.3 billion baht in the first quarter to build a factory producing active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for anti-cancer drugs for the Government Pharmaceutical Organization.
The factory will be located in either the Eastern Economic Corridor or nearby province such as Bangkok or Ayutthaya. It should be ready to manufacture API by 2027, Buranin said.
So far Innobic has rolled out two food-supplement products, namely Innobic Pro Beta-Glucan+ and Innobic Probiotics GD, developed in collaboration with Chulalongkorn University and Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research, respectively. Both are available at drug stores nationwide, the Shopee platform and the Innobic official shop.
This year, the company plans to launch 10 more products in the Thai food-supplement market, which is worth an estimated 75 billion baht per annum.
It said its existing two products are expected to reach sales of at least 100 million baht this year.
“We are also eyeing the overseas food supplement market, especially in the rapidly expanding Asean region of over 600 million people,” Buranin said. “From 2024 we will open branches in neighbouring countries starting with Vietnam to introduce life science products to local markets.”
Now’s Your Time to Shine: Men Compete for Shiniest Bald Head
MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023
Eight men on Saturday competed to outshine each other. Aged between 40 and 90 years old, they took part in an annual competition for the shiniest balding head in Yokote, Akita Prefecture.
Founded by a group of enthusiasts, the Koto-kai (shining heads organization) has held this annual event since 1991 as a New Year’s tradition, hoping to brighten and invigorate the community.
The men participated in a suction cuptug-of-war, in which suction cups linked by a string are attached to each participant.
At one point there was a heated battle that lasted more than five seconds with the string taut, and the audience cheered when one of the suction cups came loose and the victor was decided.
Hiroshi Fujiwara, 84, the chairman of the group, won the competition for the second time in about 10 years.
In the Koto sumo event, the winner was determined by the shine and luster of his head. Participants facing off removed a hand towel covering their heads at the same time, while the gyoji referee used a penlight to determine the winner.
“I didn’t realize how painful it was to be pulled by the suction cup,” said Takashi Kunugihara, 49, a company owner from Nabari, Mie Prefecture, who heard about the event on TV last year and participated for the first time.
“I want to take care of my head next year by putting on some lotion,” he said with a smile.
61% of 2022 Cambodian imports came from just 3 markets
MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023
The three largest exporters to Cambodia – mainland China, Vietnam and Thailand – accounted for 60.94 per cent of the Kingdom’s total merchandise imports last year, at $18.245 billion, which was up 11.99 per cent over 2021, according to the General Department of Customs and Excise.
Cambodia’s total imports grew by 4.32 % on a yearly basis to $29.942 billion in 2022, with mainland China representing the lion’s share at $10.446 billion or 34.89 %, up 7.86 % year-on-year, followed by Vietnam ($3.967 billion; 13.25% share; up 26.20%) and Thailand ($3.833 billion; 12.80% share; up 10.66%).
In December alone, total imports dipped by 33.34 per cent on a yearly basis to $2.195 billion, with mainland China again ranked first at $975.790 million or a 44.46 % share, down by 11.57 per cent year-on-year, followed by Vietnam ($349.887 million; 15.94% share; up 3.29%) and Thailand ($290.481 million; 13.24% share; down 25.35%).
Rounding out the list of top 20 exporters to Cambodia for 2022 were: Indonesia, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the US, India, Laos, Australia, the UK, Belgium, Botswana, Germany, Italy and France, according to the General Department of Customs.
Of note, Cambodian imports from the southern African country of Botswana saw the largest year-on-year growth in 2022, at 393.6 % to $64.079 million, compared to $12.981 million in 2021.
Although GDCE figures for individual commodities were not immediately available, data from the online portal Trading Economics show that all official Cambodian imports from Botswana in 2021 were in the “pearls, precious stones, metals, coins” category, corresponding to Chapter 71 of the harmonised tariff schedule.
Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCC) vice-president Lim Heng commented to The Post on January 29 that, as a developing country, the Kingdom requires relatively large volumes of imported raw materials to meet domestic demand as well as to process into export products.
He put down Cambodia’s reliance on the big three exporters to proximity, good diplomatic relations, and the generally acceptable quality and prices for their products.
Heng predicted that the three markets would remain key suppliers of raw materials and other essential goods for the long term, stating that Cambodia’s bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) with China would increase two-way export flows going forward.
Major imports from these markets include Chinese textiles and other raw materials for export processing, daily necessities, electronics and electrical appliances, fruits, vegetables, foods and beverages, pharmaceuticals and construction materials, he said.
Hong Vanak, director of International Economics at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, similarly remarked that demand for raw materials and consumer goods is quite high in the Kingdom, adding that export-oriented production accounts for the “majority” of imports.
Still, with GDCE statistics indicating a collective 15.02 % on-year expansion in Cambodia’s trade deficit with the three markets, Vanak called for additional public-private efforts to promote the cultivation, production and processing of more local goods to boost supply and reduce imports.
“Improving the productivity of SMEs [small- and medium-sized enterprises] is an absolute must and could have a slew of positive effects for Cambodia’s overall economic growth in the future,” he said.
UK PM Sunak fires party chairman Zahawi after breach of ministerial code
MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak fired the Conservative Party chair Nadhim Zahawi from the government on Sunday after an investigation into his tax affairs found a serious breach of the ministerial code.
Sunak had ordered an independent adviser to investigate questions over the tax affairs of Zahawi, who was briefly finance minister during a period of political turmoil in Britain last year.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC on Sunday morning, British Cabinet Minister Michael Gove said the independent adviser Laurie Magnus was asked ‘to look rapidly’ at the situation and wrote to the Prime Minister today.
Zahawi has said Britain’s tax authorities ruled he had been “careless” with his declarations but hadn’t deliberately made an error to pay less tax.
“Following the completion of the Independent Adviser’s investigation – the findings of which he has shared with us both – it is clear that there has been a serious breach of the Ministerial Code,” Sunak said in a letter to Zahawi.
“As a result, I have informed you of my decision to remove you from your position in His Majesty’s Government.”
The independent adviser found that Zahawi had been misleading when he said that reports last July over his tax affairs were “clearly smears.”
Zahawi did not correct the record until last week when he said he had reached a settlement with the authorities.
“I consider that this delay in correcting an untrue public statement is inconsistent with the requirement for openness,” Magnus said in a letter to Sunak.
He added that Zahawi had shown “insufficient regard” for the requirement “to be honest, open and an exemplary leader through his own behaviour.”
“Mr. Zahawi’s conduct as a Minister has fallen below the high standards that, as Prime Minister, you rightly expect from those who serve in your government,” he said.
Voters from Zahawi’s Stratford-upon-Avon constituency said the Conservative Party Chair had failed in that test of leadership.
“And I think it brings shame on the town and shame on the country and shame on the party that he represents,” said local resident Kevin Hand.
Chair of the Labour Party Anneliese Dodds criticised the Prime Minister for not acting earlier.
“This shows an incredibly weak approach from Rishi Sunak, and this has been part of a pattern under the Conservatives – of Ministers feeling that rules that apply to the public simply don’t apply to them,” Dodds said.
Sunak had initially stood by Zahawi before ordering an independent adviser to investigate questions over his tax affairs after it emerged Zahawi had settled a probe by Britain’s tax authority HMRC last year.
Zahawi’s response to Sunak did not mention either the HMRC or the independent adviser’s investigation. He expressed concern at the conduct of some in the media in recent weeks and said he would support Sunak’s agenda as a backbench lawmaker.
“I am sorry to my family for the toll this has taken on them,” he said.
It is a setback to Sunak’s attempt at a government reset after a chaotic year that saw three different British prime ministers. An investigation into alleged bullying by Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab is ongoing and could cause further headaches.
Zahawi’s sacking comes as Sunak’s government, facing decades-high inflation and a wave of public sector strikes, trails badly in opinion polls ahead of an expected 2024 election.
Boeing’s 747, the original jumbo jet, prepares for final send-off
MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023
Boeing’s 747, the original and arguably most aesthetic “Jumbo Jet”, revolutionized air travel only to see its more than five-decade reign as “Queen of the Skies” ended by more efficient twinjet planes.
The last commercial Boeing jumbo will be delivered to Atlas Air in the surviving freighter version on Tuesday (January 31), 53 years after the 747’s instantly recognizable humped silhouette grabbed global attention as a Pan Am passenger jet.
Designed in the late 1960s to meet the demand for mass travel, the world’s first twin-aisle wide-body jetliner’s nose and the upper deck became the world’s most luxurious club above the clouds.
But it was in the seemingly endless rows at the back of the new jumbo that the 747 transformed travel.
The jumbo also made its mark on global affairs, symbolizing war and peace, from America’s “Doomsday Plane” nuclear command post to papal visits on chartered 747s nicknamed Shepherd One.
Now, two previously delivered 747s are being fitted to replace U.S. presidential jets known globally as Air Force One.
When the first 747 took off from New York on Jan 22, 1970, after a delay due to an engine glitch, it more than doubled plane capacity to 350-400 seats, in turn reshaping airport design.
Its birth became the stuff of aviation myth.
Pan Am founder Juan Trippe sought to cut costs by increasing the number of seats. On a fishing trip, he challenged Boeing President William Allen to make something dwarfing the 707.
Allen put legendary engineer Joe Sutter in charge. It took only 28 months for Sutter’s team known as “the Incredibles” to develop the 747 before the first flight on Feb. 9, 1969.
Although it eventually became a cash cow, the 747’s initial years were riddled with problems and the $1-billion development costs almost bankrupted Boeing, which believed the future of air travel lay in supersonic jets.
After a slump during the 1970s oil crisis, the plane’s heyday arrived in 1989 when Boeing introduced the 747-400 with new engines and lighter materials, making it a perfect fit to meet the growing demand for trans-Pacific flights.
The same swell of innovation that got the 747 off the ground has spelled its end, as advances made it possible for dual-engine jets to replicate its range and capacity at a lower cost.
Yet the 777X, set to take the 747’s place at the top of the jet market, will not be ready until at least 2025 after delays.
This week’s final 747 delivery leaves questions over the future of the mammoth but now under-used Everett widebody production plant outside Seattle, while Boeing is also struggling after the Covid pandemic and a 737 MAX safety crisis.
Chief Executive Dave Calhoun has said Boeing may not design a new airliner for at least a decade.
An claimed she and her friends were held at the checkpoint for two hours and were only let go after they paid the bribe. However, footage from several security cameras in the area proved that her allegations were inaccurate, as she was seen holding and using the vaping device before being stopped by the police. CCTV footage also showed that she and her friends were held at the checkpoint for 47 minutes, not two hours.
Thiti said on Monday that investigators have now shifted to filing charges under Section 157 of the Criminal Code, which bans officials from carrying out malfeasance or nonfeasance.
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