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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024539

Timeline of the Taiwanese actress ‘extortion’ scandal

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2023

THE NATION

The case of a Taiwanese actress who claims she and her friends were extorted by Thai police in early January while on holiday in Bangkok has become a hot issue in Thailand.

Public anger is rising after evidence emerged that police at a Bangkok checkpoint allegedly tried to extort 27,000 baht from the actress after discovering her illegal vaping device. The actress denies the vaper was hers.

Here’s a timeline of the scandal so far:
 

December 29: Taiwanese actress Charlene An (An Yu-qing) enters Thailand and visits several places in Bangkok.

January 5: Huai Khwang police manning a checkpoint close to the Chinese Embassy on Ratchadaphisek Road stop the 33-year-old actress’s Grab taxi at about 1am and allegedly demand 27,000 baht.

January 25: After returning to Taiwan, the actress declares on Instagram that police at the checkpoint examined her belongings and asked for a bribe. She says she will never visit Thailand again.

January 26: Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) deputy commissioner Samroeng Suanthong insists the seven policemen at the checkpoint did not demand a bribe from the actress.

He says the actress appeared drunk during the incident, adding that the policemen warned her that possessing a vaping device is illegal in Thailand. Samroeng insists they took no money from the actress’s group.

Meanwhile, Huai Khwang police station chief Yingyos Suwanno reveals police are collecting footage from CCTV cameras to prove they did not ask the actress for cash.

Yingyos declines to reply when asked if police at the checkpoint had ordered the actress’s friends to delete their phone video clips of the incident.

January 27: The Taiwanese actress posts on Instagram to deny the police claim that she was drunk during the incident.

MPC Division 1 commander Attaporn Wongsiripreeda meets with Huai Khwang police station chief Yingyos for almost two hours of talks.

The Grab taxi driver who picked the Taiwanese tourist group backs police claims that the actress was drunk.

The 40-year-old driver says video taken from his Grab taxi has been deleted, adding that he has handed the memory card to police. He says he did not notice the actress’s vaping device.

January 28: Police say footage from a CCTV camera close to the Chinese Embassy shows the actress’s group was at the checkpoint for only 47 minutes, not two hours as she claimed.

National police chief Damrongsak Kittiprapas orders investigators to seek clear evidence, adding he will treat all parties fairly.

January 29: MPB deputy commissioner Jirasan Kaewsaeng-ek says police have interrogated about a dozen witnesses, including the seven policemen at the checkpoint, the driver of the Grab taxi, the taxi driver who delivered the Taiwanese tourists to a hotel, and witnesses at the entertainment venue they visited before the incident.

He says there is no evidence that the policemen asked the actress for payment but adds they would be punished if found guilty.

January 30: Whistleblowing former politician and massage parlour tycoon Chuwit Kamolvisit says he has evidence that Thai police did indeed extort money from the Taiwanese actress and her group.

He claims that police deleted footage from the Chinese Embassy’s CCTV cameras and police body cameras and persuaded the Grab taxi driver to say the actress was drunk.

National police chief Damrongsak transfers Huai Khwang police station chief immediately, after one of the seven policemen reportedly confesses they extorted money from the actress.

Damrongsak apologises to the actress for the incident, while MPB chief Gen Thiti Saengsawang says he will meet with Charlene An to seek the truth.

Chuwit says it was a Singaporean member of the group, not the actress, who paid police at the checkpoint. He says the Singaporean will fly to Thailand to clarify the issue.

January 31: The seven policemen are transferred and charged with dereliction of duty on the orders of MPC Division 1 commander Attaporn.

He says the policemen had found the actress in possession of a vaping device but chose not to confiscate it or arrest her.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024535

Online news publishers accuse Line of copyright infringement

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023

The Society for Online News Providers Association on Tuesday (January 31) warned Line Company (Thailand) not to publish its news on other platforms, claiming that doing so would be a breach of the contract between the two parties.

The agreement between the two parties permits Line to publish the society members’ news on its Line Today platform, with the society member getting a share in the revenue from advertisements.

The society accused Line of violating the contract as the news was being posted on other platforms too, namely Google and Google News.

The society said this was an infringement of copyright as their contract clearly states that publishing the news on platforms other than Line Today was prohibited, the society said in a statement.

The society warned that it would sue Line for breach of contract if the company does not stop posting news on other platforms.

Despite being disallowed, news from members of the society, which was supposed to be available only through Line Today, was found to have been released by Line on Google, said Rawee Tawantharong, the president of the society, adding that this would result in less search visibility for society members’ websites.

“Nearly 80% of Google users will click on one out of five websites that appear first, probably due to the credibility of the websites or relevance to their search,” he said.

Rawee, who is also Nation Group’s executive vice president, added that users see Line websites instead of news websites of society members when searching on Google.

Related Stories: 

• Bangkok teams up with Line to provide PM2.5 alerts
• Line (Thailand) accused of overcharging media, reselling news
• Online news publishers dismayed as LINE will shut LINE IDOL

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https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/thailand/general/40024531

Chula’s Engineering develops Dynamic Prosthetic Feet with International Standards

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023

Thailand now has 39,647 people with disabilities, over 95% of whom are using poor-quality prosthetic feet which are heavy and do not have ankles. This can adversely affect the way they walk, as well as their lives.

The figures from the National Statistical Office of Thailand have inspired a research team from the Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, to develop high-quality dynamic prosthetic feet which are flexible and bendable and can store energy with each step.

The prosthetic feet are made from carbon fibers, making them light weight but strong and durable. Users can walk in them on rough terrains, while exercising and during a light jog.

The innovation has received the ISO 10328 strength standards from Germany and has been certified with the ISO 13485 for quality.

It has also been registered as a medical device with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), been granted a petty patent, and registered in Thai SME-GP.

The prosthetic feet are currently in the process of being registered with Thai Innovation, requesting the Made in Thailand certificate, and requesting for the CE Marking.

Asst. Prof. Pairat Tangpornprasert Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University

Asst. Prof. Pairat Tangpornprasert from the Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, explained that the dynamic prosthetic feet have undergone clinical trials with 20 patients with disabilities and yielded highly satisfactory results.

The users require approximately 2 weeks to adjust to the prosthetic feet. In comparison with the imported prosthetic feet now available in the market, the innovation has comparable qualities and efficiency but with a 5 times cheaper cost of production.

This can then help reduce the high cost of prosthesis and orthosis imports. Moreover, commercial production of medical devices can expand the market overseas, leading to more generation of income, export opportunities, and the country’s competitiveness.

As an engineering lecturer with an interest in medical research, Pairat had to conduct interdisciplinary research and study, which is significant as working in a singular field may lead to difficulty in application of the research. 

“Developing dynamic prosthetic feet, which are considered a medical device, required the efforts of a network of doctors and prosthetists and orthotists sharing their expertise and interdisciplinary knowledge in order to achieve good-quality dynamic prosthetic feet that meet international standards. I am proud to have successfully produced good-quality prosthetics and helped those with disabilities to regain function of their limbs,” added Pairat.

The dynamic prosthetic foot project was funded by the National Research Council of Thailand. It is part of the prosthesis and orthosis for the disabled project under the “New Beginnings with Research and Innovation” to commemorate the Coronation of King Rama X. 67 dynamic prosthetic feet were given to people with disabilities at over 13 hospitals.

The innovation is currently being considered for government medical benefit schemes so that it may be accessible for people with disabilities, which will help improve their quality of life.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024529

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.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024527

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.

Related Stories

New video shows drug party at Bangkok ‘triad club’: Chuwit

Cops nab final suspect in snake-show arson linked to triads

Alleged Chinese drug-ring boss surrenders to police in Bangkok

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024526

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.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024524

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.

Related Stories

DSI questions 39 transfers worth over THB1 billion to Kong Salak Plus owner’s account

Absent Kong Salak owner sends lawyer to be grilled over THB1bn lottery payments

Kong Salak Plus CEO sets up political party to ‘change’ Thailand’s lottery scene

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024525

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.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024523

Air pollution worsens in Bangkok, rises to ‘red level’ at 4 sites

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023

Seventy air-quality monitoring stations reported unsafe levels of air pollution in Bangkok as of 7am today, with the number rising to 80 by noon, the Bangkok Air Quality centre said.

Four stations detected “red” levels of PM2.5.

PM2.5 refers to fine particles of dust in the air. It can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause premature death from lung and heart conditions, especially among the elderly and those with health complications.

Any level of PM2.5 above 50 micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m3) is unsafe. A “red” level refers to PM2.5 above 90 µg/m3.

The four stations where red levels of PM2.5 were detected are:

– Bang Na’s monitoring station in front of BigC shopping mall: 102 µg/m3

– Prawet, in front of Seacon Square shopping mall: 102 µg/m3

– Nong Khae, at Ma Charoen Intersection: 98 µg/m3

– Bang Bon, near Suksawat Market: 91 µg/m3

Ten other stations reported PM2.5 levels above 80 µg/m3:

– Yannawa, near Bank of Ayudhya head office: 88 µg/m3

– Thung Khruru, Thonburi Rom Park: 85 µg/m3

– Lat Krabang, in front of Lat Krabang Hospital: 85 µg/m3

– Thonburi, at Mahaisawan Intersection: 84 µg/m3

– Bang Khunthien, inside the district office’s compound: 84 µg/m3

– Pathuwan, in front of Samyan Mitr Town shopping mall: 84 µg/m3

– Ratburana, inside the district office compound: 82 µg/m3

– Phasi Charoen, in front of Siam University: 82 µg/m3

– Klong San, in front of the public library under King Taksin’s bridge: 82 µg/m3

– Chom Thong, inside the district office compound: 82 µg/m3

The Meteorological Department, meanwhile, warned that high PM2.5 levels could persist on Thursday as a high pressure system from China keeps wind levels low, which allows dust and other pollutants to linger. Air quality will start to improve on Saturday when strong winds from the South arrive in the capital, the department said.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024519

Bangkok police crack down on checkpoints after actress bribe scandal

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2023

The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) has warned officers to abide by Royal Thai Police regulations on setting up and operating road checkpoints.

Station chiefs and their superiors at two levels would be made responsible for any failures to comply with these regulations, said MPB chief Thiti Saengsawang in an urgent order dispatched on Tuesday.

The order was issued after Huay Kwang police reportedly admitted to extorting 27,000 baht from a Taiwanese actress in exchange for turning a blind eye to her illegal vaping device.

Seven police officers allegedly extorted the money from Charlene An (An Yu-qing) and her friends after stopping them at a checkpoint close to the Chinese Embassy on Ratchadaphisek Road at about 1am on January 5.

The actress later told her story to Taiwanese media, sparking dismay in the Thai tourism industry as well as an extensive investigation that saw the seven policemen moved to inactive posts.

Tuesday’s order said all police checkpoints must be approved and supervised by senior officials at the inspector level or above.

Checkpoints must also abide by the Royal Thai Police’s 2023 plan for crime suppression and prevention.

Thiti also ordered station chiefs and their deputies to conduct daily inspections of police checkpoints in their jurisdiction to ensure they are complying with the rules.

Related Stories

Bangkok police admit to extorting 27,000 baht from Taiwanese actress

Video shows Thai police did extort Taiwanese actress: Chuwit