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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404117

East of Thailand’s gambling kingpin nabbed over murder allegations

NationalMar 25. 2021

By THE NATION

Police on Thursday raided 21 sites and re-arrested casino operator Somchai Jutikitdecha aka Longchoo Somchai, 56, over allegedly ordering the murder of an informant.

The operation, covering 21 sites in Rayong, Chanthaburi, Chonburi and Bangkok, kicked off at 6am on Thursday with police showing up at Somchai’s 2-rai home in Rayong’s Muang district.

When nobody answered the bell, officers climbed over the wall and entered the grounds, to find Somchai and his son Thana, 26, hiding. Thana was also arrested over gambling and money laundering charges.

Somchai was slapped with the charge of ordering the killing of a taxi motorcyclist in Pattaya on July 28, 2020.

Prathum Sa-adnak, 47, had been shot dead by two contract killers, who claimed they had killed the man due to a personal conflict.

However, the dead man’s relatives did not accept this excuse and took the case to National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jadyongsuk.

Prathum had taken photographs of a gambling den in Chonburi, which was subsequently raided by police.

Investigators later found the killing linked to the operators of the gambling den and Somchai.

Somchai had been arrested earlier this year for his links to a network of illegal gambling dens in the East, which were found to be the source of several Covid-19 clusters. He was released on bail shortly after.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404116

Bangkok to turn off its lights for Earth Hour on Saturday

NationalMar 25. 2021

By The Nation

Bangkok will be among the 7,000 other cities across the world that will be plunged in darkness for an hour on Saturday as part of 60+ Earth Hour 2021, deputy Bangkok governor Sopon Pisuttiwong said on Saturday.

Sopon PisuttiwongAlso marking the effort will be the “Speak Up For Nature” campaign to be launched at CentralWorld at 7pm on Saturday.

People can do their bit for the Earth by turning off unnecessary lights in their homes for an hour from 8.30pm to 9.30pm and record their contribution via the #connect2earth, #SpeakUpForNature and #BangkokSustainability hashtags.

Lights will be turned off from 8.30pm for an hour at the Emerald Buddha Temple and Grand Palace; Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn; Sao Ching Cha or the Giant Swing; Rama VIII Bridge; and the Golden Mount or Wat Saket.

Lights will also be turned off in 126 sites in the city, while the owners of buildings in 100 city streets have also promised to join the campaign.

Bangkok has also invited all sectors to join its efforts to reduce global warming and to cooperate with the city in four areas, namely public transportation, energy, green spaces and waste management.

The City of Angels has been part of the Earth Hour effort since 2008. Last year, one hour of darkness in Bangkok reduced electricity consumption by 2,483 megawatts, thus reducing 1,219 tonnes of carbon dioxide and saving Bt10.15 million.

Since 2008, Bangkok has reduced its carbon footprint by 12,227 tonnes and saved Bt80.87 million in electricity bills.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404115

Ruling party MP Pareena suspended, set to face court on encroachment charges

NationalMar 25. 2021Pareena Kraikupt

By THE NATION

The Supreme Court accepted the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC)’s lawsuit against Palang Pracharath MP Pareena Kraikupt on Thursday morning, and subsequently suspended the MP from her duties.

Pareena had made national headlines last year when NACC found her guilty of severe ethical misconduct after her poultry farm was found to be sitting on plots intended for landless farmers as well as encroaching into national forest reserves in Ratchaburi’s Chom Bung district.

The anti-graft agency took the case to Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders and the MP is scheduled to face the court on April 30.

RFD has also filed four charges against Pareena, namely trespassing on national forest reserves; residing, building or making profits off reserved forest land; defacing or destroying state-owned land without permission; and extracting underground water without permission.

The penalty for these charges is up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine between Bt200,000 and Bt2 million.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404114

Car driver escapes death after demolishing power pole in head-on crash

NationalMar 25. 2021Photo Credit: @patrolcop191

By The Nation

The lucky driver of a car escaped with minor injuries after his vehicle slammed into an electricity pole in front of Noble Anawana village on Bangkok’s Borommaratchachonnani Road on Thursday morning, the @patrolcop191 Facebook page reported.

The mangled car was seen overturned on the road, with the electricity pole broken into pieces from the impact of the crash.

Photo Credit: @patrolcop191

The unnamed driver, who was fortunate to be alive, reportedly admitted that the accident occurred after he fell asleep at the wheel while he was returning to his home in Nakhon Pathom’s Sam Phran district. He added that it was pure luck that his car didn’t crash into any other vehicle on the road.

He was taken to Thammasala police station for further questioning.

Thammasala Police and Metropolitan Electricity Authority officials worked together to replace the broken electricity pole.

Photo Credit: @patrolcop191

Photo Credit: @patrolcop191

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404113

97 new Covid cases reported, most still in Bangkok

NationalMar 25. 2021

By The Nation

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Thursday reported 97 new cases, five of whom are returnees in quarantine facilities.

Forty-three of these patients contracted the disease after visiting high-risk areas, with Bangkok having the most cases at 21, followed by 12 in Samut Sakhon, five in Samut Prakarn, and one each in Chachoengsao, Nakhon Pathum, Pathum Thani, Ratchaburi and Suphan Buri.

Meanwhile, proactive testing led to the discovery of 49 cases, of which 44 were found in Bangkok, three in Samut Sakhon and two in Nakhon Pathom.

Of the overseas travellers, three Thais and one American in quarantine facilities were found to be infected. One Thai, who was arrested on March 19 for illegally crossing the Thai-Malaysia border, was infected on March 22 and sent to Wang hospital.

Meanwhile, 73 patients have recovered and been discharged.

As of Thursday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand has risen to 28,443. Of these, 25,428 contracted Covid-19 locally, including 15,895 who were found via proactive testing, while 3,015 were returnees. So far, 26,946 have recovered and been discharged, 1,405 patients are still in hospital and the death tolls remains at 92.

According to Worldometer, as of 10am the number of confirmed cases globally has risen to 125.43 million (up by 583,741), 101.29 million have recovered, 21.38 million are active cases (91,623 in severe condition) and 2.76 million have died (an increase of 10,410).

Thailand ranks 116th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 30.7 million, followed by Brazil 12.23 million, India 11.78 million, Russia 4.48 million and France 4.38 million.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404112

Thai-language translation of Indian Constitution launched in Bangkok

NationalMar 25. 2021

By THE NATION

The Indian Embassy in Thailand organised an event on March 12 in which National Assembly President and Speaker of the House of Representatives Chuan Leekpai, along with other dignitaries, formally released the Thai-language translation of the Constitution of India.

The event coincided with the official launch in India of the 75th anniversary celebrations of India’s independence by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In her address, Indian Ambassador Suchitra Durai said that India@75 has been launched on a historic day when Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian nation, launched the Dandi March in 1930.

She referred to the Indian Constitution as the “mother document” for India’s existence as an independent country. She also said that India was fulfilling a bilateral commitment that was made during Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s visit to India in 2016 when Modi announced the translation and publication of the Indian Constitution into the Thai language.

Assistant Prof Surat Horachaikul, director of the India Studies Centre at Chulalongkorn University, who was in charge of the translation of the Indian Constitution, said it was a privilege for him to embark upon such a mammoth task of translating the supreme law of India that binds all Indians from diverse backgrounds.

Chuan said India is a great nation, whose history goes back to the Indus Valley Civilisation of more than 5,000 years and that Southeast Asia owes much to the Indian civilisation. He also said that for more than 70 years, democracy has stood the test of time in a country with tremendous diversity and that the success of the Constitution of India has become a model that attracts attention and inspires people around the world.

The event was attended by around 200 dignitaries and guests. The launch of the Thai translation of the Indian Constitution was followed by a short cultural programme, the screening of a documentary on the making of India’s Constitution and a short video clip on that country’s Vaccine Maitri initiative. The event also featured a photo exhibition on the making of the Constitution.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404109

Ministry aims for over 1 million EVs on roads by 2025

NationalMar 25. 2021

By THE NATION

The National Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy Committee under the Energy Ministry on Wednesday set a target of at least 1,055,000 electric vehicles on the roads by 2025, Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said.

“This target will comprise 402,000 cars and pickup trucks, 622,000 motorcycles and 31,000 buses and trucks,” he said.

“By 2035, this number should reach 15,580,000 vehicles, or 6,400,000 cars/pickup trucks, 8,750,000 motorcycles and 430,000 buses/trucks.”

The committee also estimated that by 2025 Thailand would produce 1,051,000 vehicles, comprising 400,000 cars/pickup trucks, 620,000 motorcycles and 31,000 buses and trucks. By 2035 total domestic production is expected to reach 18,413,000 vehicles – 8,625,000 cars/pickup trucks, 9,330,000 motorcycles and 458,000 buses/trucks.

“We believe that by 2025 the price of electric vehicles will be the same as internal combustion vehicles, which will exponentially boost demand and make Thailand one of the global manufacturing bases of electric vehicles and related parts,” Supattanapong added.

The committee meeting on Wednesday also appointed four subcommittees responsible for EV-related issues – the development of EV infrastructure, tax and customs benefits for EV manufacturers/importers, boosting of domestic demand, and development of an ecosystem to support EV manufacturing, such as promotion of the electric battery industry.

The panel will meet again on May 13 to discuss progress of the subcommittee appointment.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404107

Baht rate unchanged, but could weaken

NationalMar 25. 2021

By THE NATION

The baht opened at 31.01 to the US dollar on Thursday, unchanged from its closing rate on Wednesday.

The Thai currency is likely to move between 30.95 and 31.10 during the day, Krungthai Bank market strategist Poon Panichpibool said.

He also said the baht would continue to fluctuate in line with the dollar, while the Thai currency would likely weaken.

However, the baht will weaken only slightly as exporters aim to sell their dollar holdings when the baht goes to around 31 to 31.10, Poon said.

He believed the Bank of Thailand would sell the dollar to reduce its foreign reserves and in turn delay the baht’s weakening.

“Thailand will probably decide to reduce the reserves in order to delay the baht weakening, and at the same time to avoid being accused as a currency manipulator,” he added.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404099

Agricultural GDP in first quarter grows 1.4%

NationalMar 25. 2021

By THE NATION

Thailand’s agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2021 increased 1.4 per cent year on year, the Office of Agricultural Economics said on Wednesday, while estimating the agricultural GDP for the whole year could expand by 1.7 to 2.7 per cent.

Office secretary-general Chantanon Wannakejohn said the factors behind this are the increasing rainfall in the second half of 2020, which has boosted agricultural output, and the rising prices of several agricultural products in both domestic and overseas markets.

“Furthermore, the government’s measures to expand marketing channels both online and offline, the price guarantee scheme, and aid programmes for farmers affected by the Covid-19 fallout have helped significantly increase output and sales,” he said.

Chantanon said that in the first quarter, crops GDP blossomed by 3.6 per cent year on year while that of livestock grew by 0.5 per cent and agricultural services 0.7 per cent. Only the GDP of fishery products fell by 7.3 per cent due to variable weather and the impact of Covid-19.

“Crops that saw increasing output were in-season and off-season rice and sugarcane, while oil palm witnessed decreasing output due to the lasting impact of drought in 2019,” he added.

The office estimates that the agricultural GDP of 2021 will expand by 1.7 to 2.7 per cent compared to that of 2020, as it forecast that total rainfall this year will be higher than that of last year, while the Covid-19 situation is expected to improve and the economy likely to gradually recover.

The negative factors that could impact growth include unfavourable weather conditions, the fuel price and the strengthening of the baht, the office added.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404083

Education Ministry wins push for scholarships to improve Thai teachers

NationalMar 25. 2021

By THE NATION

During its weekly meeting on Tuesday, the Cabinet approved a budget of Bt1.65 billion to cover 1,200 scholarships until 2030, the government’s deputy spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek announced on Wednesday.

The project was proposed by the Education Ministry, which aims to produce more masters’ degree holders to teach physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and computer.

The scholarships are divided into 600 for both bachelor’s and masters’ degrees and 600 for just masters’ degrees.