The baht opened at 36.26 to the US dollar on Thursday, strengthening from Wednesday’s close of 36.28.
The currency is expected to move between 36.10 and 36.30 during the day, Krungthai Bank market strategist Poon Panichpibool predicted.
Poon said the currency market is in a risk-on state and might provide the dollar with support to strengthen, especially if foreign investors go for mass purchases of Thai stocks again once the tension between China and the US eases over Taiwan.
However, he suggested investors beware of currency market volatility that might increase after a key Bank of England meeting.
If the BOE shows concern about a shrinking or regressing economy at the end of the year, it might pressure the pound sterling to weaken and in turn support the dollar, which could strengthen.
Poon also advised investors to use hedging tools such as options to manage risks in a highly volatile currency market.
Thammasat University students council announced a protest on August 10 after an order to prevent rallies that could spread Covid-19 was enforced from Monday.
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On Tuesday, the Criminal Court sentenced pro-democracy activists Worawan “Pa Pao” Sae-aung and six other defendants to a year in jail with three-year parole, 20,000 baht fine, and 24 hours of community service.
The defendants were sued for holding the protest on August 11, 2021, that could spread Covid-19.
Despite the order, the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration announced on Facebook on Wednesday that it will hold a protest on August 10 on Naga Terrace (Lan Phaya Nak) in Thammasat University.
The Facebook post said that the protest is to return Thammasat [University] to citizens and democracy to society.
Thai International Airlines (THAI) cancelled its flights to and from Taipei on Thursday after China began its live-fire military exercises in six zones around Taiwan in a diplomatic tit-for-tat against the United States.
THAI announced that its Flight TG632 from Bangkok to Taipei and Flight TG633 from Taipei to Bangkok on Thursday were cancelled.
It said THAI would monitor the situation daily before deciding whether to cancel more flights.
China’s state broadcast CCTV announced that the live-fire exercise started on Thursday and would end at 4am GMT on Sunday. The unprecedented military drills started a day after a visit by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, which is regarded by Beijing as its sovereign territory.
THAI also announced that it would reroute all of its flights that normally fly over Taiwan’s airspace. The flights might be flown over the Philippines or via China’s airspace after getting permission, THAI said.
The State Railway of Thailand responded to the shooting at a train in Narathiwat on Thursday by promptly suspending all services in and to the southern border province.
An unknown number of Muslim insurgents opened fire on Bangkok-Sungai Kolok passenger train No 171 on Thursday.
One of the bullets hit the windshield of the train engine and narrowly missed the head of the driver, Phimarn Mitsuwan.
Phimarn and the onboard mechanic, Himkum Yusoh, were not injured in the ambush that occurred between the Ba Loh and Ruesoh stations.
An SRT official, Prachaniwat Buasri, said the fact that insurgents fired at the engine showed they intended to harm the driver.
Prachaniwat said the incident had terrified train drivers and officials on southern trains so the SRT had to cancel the Bangkok-Sungai Kolok and Sungai Kolok-Bangkok train services. The SRT also cancelled all local train services in the province that terminate at the Sungai Kolok station, he said. Sungai Kolok borders Malaysia.
Prachaniwat said Narathiwat residents who want to take a train to the upper provinces must travel by road to the Yala provincial station first.
“This measure will be enforced indefinitely for now,” Prachaniwat stated.
Passengers in Narathiwat who have bought tickets can ask for a full refund at any railway station near their homes, he added.
According to Deep South Watch, there have been 21,485 insurgency-related incidents from January 4, 2004, until March 31, resulting in 7,344 deaths and 13,641 injuries.
“Love Destiny: The Movie” has joined the ranks of Thai blockbusters, with box office sales surpassing 200 million baht in the first week of release.
The film, known in Thai as “Bupphesanniwat 2”, has also dominated the box office in neighbouring Laos and drawn much interest from Thai movie fans in other Southeast Asian countries.
The romantic comedy, a sequel to the widely popular 2018 television drama series “Bupphesanniwat” (Love Destiny), has raked in 220.9 million baht since its release on July 28.
This is a rare success for Thai movies in this pandemic era, as no other local box office successes had reached the 100-million-baht mark in the past three years, according to media reports.
It opened on the same day in Laos and on July 30 in Australia, and is scheduled for release in Cambodia and Singapore on August 11, Screen Daily reported.
The film tells the story of a couple – played by Ranee “Bella” Campen and Thanavat “Pope” Vatthanaputi – in their reincarnation born during 19th-century Siam, centuries after the characters in the original TV series set in the Ayutthaya Kingdom.
Following its huge success in Thailand, the original TV series was picked up by streaming platforms in Southeast and East Asia, including China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The family of the former Nakhon Sawan police station chief on Thursday informed the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases that he wants to waive his right to appeal against a primary court ruling.
The mother of Pol Colonel Thitisan Utthanaphon, alias “Joe Ferrari”, asked the court to issue an order so he could start his prison sentence without waiting for any ruling from the appeals or supreme courts.
On June 8, the primary court sentenced Thitisan and five other cops to life imprisonment and another to five years in jail after convicting them of torturing a drug suspect to death last year.
The court held Thitisan and the five responsible for the death of Jirapong Thanapat, a drug suspect who was detained at the Muang police station from August 4 to 6 last year before he died of suffocation.
The case made headlines when well-known lawyer Sittha Biabungkerd exposed a video clip of Thitisan and five other police officers taking part in covering Jirapong’s head with a black garbage bag in the police station. The clip showed Jirapong was chocked with the plastic bag until he collapsed into unconsciousness before the police officers rushed him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The seven suspects are being detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison pending their decision whether to appeal against the ruling or not. The six other suspects have yet to make a decision.
Thitisan’s mother Chantha said her son felt remorse for what he had done so he would accept the ruling without appealing against it.
Thitisan’s younger sister said her brother wanted to take responsibility for his actions so he preferred that his prison sentence commence immediately and would later pay compensation to the family of the victim as agreed earlier.
But Sittha doubted whether Thitisan really felt remorse.
Sittha took to Facebook on Thursday afternoon to state that he was sceptical.
“I don’t believe Joe really has remorse because he made intimidating statements against me from inside his jail cell last month,” Sittha claimed.
“He said he was jailed because I exposed the video clip. He decided not to appeal against the ruling and to provide compensation because he wanted the case finalised as soon as possible so that he would later be eligible for a royal pardon,” the lawyer said.
Sittha went as far as to say that he expected Thitisan to be freed after serving a prison term of only 5-7 years.
“Others may serve up to 15 years but for Joe he will be jailed for only five to seven years,” Sittha added.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered police to immediately crack down on suspects after a shooting incident in Ubon Ratchathani province left two people dead.
Ubon Ratchathani police received a report on Wednesday at 11.30pm that some teenagers had fired bullets at each other at the market’s parking lot in Muang district.
Apart from the two deaths, several people were also injured in this incident. One person was taken to Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital, another person was taken to Ratchavej Ubonratchathani Hospital, and two people were taken to the 50th Anniversary Mahavajiralongkorn Hospital.
Police found around 70 bullet shells, including 9mm shells, unknown machine gun shells, and shotgun shells. Five vehicles were also damaged in the shootout between rival gangs.
According to a witness who worked at a nearby restaurant, a group of teenagers was arguing with each other. After that, there were sounds of gunshots of around 70 to 100 rounds.
After hiding for five minutes, the witness went out and saw two people injured in the parking lot and two others injured inside the restaurant.
Initial investigation showed the group of teenagers had met to resolve their personal issues but could not reach an agreement and ended up shooting at each other.
Meanwhile, Government Spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Thursday that the prime minister had ordered National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jangyodsuk to find the suspects. One suspect has already been caught.
The PM also told children and teenagers to be conscious and careful and asked parents to take care of their children and prevent them from getting involved in illegal activities.
Prayut told the police and related personnel to be strict, especially with people using firearms in public places. He told them to prevent this kind of incident because it could affect citizens’ confidence.
Suwat has already travelled to Ubon Ratchathani to visit the crime scene.
Romania’s IT panel chairman has pledged cooperation with Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Ministry on digital technologies and cybersecurity, a senior Thai official said.
Newin Chochaiyathip, an assistant to the DES minister, was speaking to reporters after receiving Sabin Sarmas, president of Romania’s Information Technology and Communications Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, at the DES Ministry on Wednesday.
Sarmas is also the chair-designate for the 2022 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Bucharest.
Accompanying Samas was Romanian Ambassador to Thailand Bogdan Badea. The meeting at the DES Ministry was also attended by Supot Tiarawut, president and CEO of the Digital Government Development Agency.
Newin congratulated Romania for its scheduled hosting of the 2022 ITU conference in Bucharest from September 26 to October 14.
He pledged to send a Thai delegation, headed by DES Ministry deputy permanent secretary Nattapon Nattasomboon, to the conference.
The two sides discussed cooperation during a transition to digital government, collaboration on digital services development, digital ID and data exchange as well as cooperation on cybersecurity and personal data information.
Police and Public Health Ministry officials have cracked down on online sales of unlicensed Covid medicine and arrested three suspects in a sting operation, seizing 10 million baht worth of drugs.
The operation took place several days after a well-known science lecturer of Chulalongkorn University, Jessada Denduangboriphat, posted on his Facebook wall that he had to buy the Molnupiravir anti-viral drug for his family members after doctors refused to administer them the drug.
The results of the operation were announced jointly at a press conference by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Public Health permanent secretary Kiatphum Wongrajit, Food and Drug Administration secretary-general Paisarn Dunkum, and Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) commander Pol Lt-General Anan Nanasombat.
Anutin said the joint operation led to the busting of a network that had been selling unlicensed drugs online for about two months.
The operation netted some 80,000 tablets of Favipiravir and Molnupiravir and some doses of Remdesivir ampoules, as well as anti-Covid nasal sprays.
Anutin said the drug has not been registered with and approved by the FDA, so the medicine cannot be distributed in Thailand.
He said Covid medicine should not be bought online for personal use because the drug is under special control and has been registered for use under emergency situation and must be administered only by doctors.
Anutin said the authorities did not check whether the seized medicines were genuine or fake, but they were not registered and must be destroyed without being donated to anyone.
“Covid patients for whom doctors have not prescribed Molnupiravir should not buy the drug on their own as it could endanger their health,” Anutin warned.
After lecturer Jessada’s Facebook post last week, Anutin cried foul and threatened to locate and arrest the seller of the medicine.
After learning of the arrest, Jessada insisted that people should have the right to buy Molnupiravir to treat Covid as soon as possible. He said it would a pity if the 80,000 seized pills would be wasted instead of being used to save lives.
Jessada, who is well-known for scientifically disproving many “urban legends”, has been campaigning on his Facebook wall for the government to stop controlling Covid drugs, so that the medicine would be available in drug stores as in neighbouring countries. He highlighted that people in Laos no longer fear Covid because they can buy Molnupiravir in drug stores for only 300 baht per course.
Speaking at the same press conference, CPPD commander Anan said police pretended to be buyers of the drug via Facebook and Instagram accounts before they sought search warrants that led to the arrest.
Anan said the two online shops had got the drug from the same source, which was a house in Bangkok’s Wang Thong Lang district. Police searched the house and arrested the house owner after finding a huge lot of drugs. The house owner was identified as Chaluarat.
She later implicated two other suspects, Prasert and Khanittha, who were arrested on Tuesday. Prasert was arrested at his house in Talinchan and Kanittha in Wang Thong Lang.
Anan said the three had got the drug from an Indian trader, who mostly mailed the medicine to them as parcel.
Kiatphum told the press conference that not all Covid patients would require the anti-viral drug so they should believe the treatment offered by qualified doctors instead of self-medication.
He said the Public Health Ministry has distributed enough medicine to all hospitals nationwide. He said stocks of Favipiravir and Molnupiravir would be enough for 14 more days and the ministry was buying 10 million more Favipiravir pills, 20 million Molnupiravir pills and 80,000 vials of Remdesivir.
The FDA chief said it was illegal to bring in drugs from neighbouring countries, as they have not been registered with the FDA so their quality and safety cannot be guaranteed.
Almost 60,000 cases have been registered after police and the Digital Economy and Society Ministry launched a website four months ago to receive complaints about cybercrimes, a spokeswoman said on Thursday.
Ministry spokeswoman Noppawan Huajaiman said the website was launched on March 1 and by the end of last month 59,846 cybercrime complaints were filed.
She said police swung swiftly into action and have so far frozen accounts worth a huge 121 million baht.
Of the complaints, 31,047 were about financial fraud, such as luring victims to work online just to lose their money deposits, inviting victims to deposit money in exchange for loans, or losing money from forced investments, she said.
The second largest category were complaints about not receiving goods after paying for these online or not getting what was promised, Noppawan said.
The spokeswoman said it was much more convenient for victims of cybercrimes to file complaints via the www.ThaiPoliceOnline.com website.
After they lodge complaints, the victims receive a case ID and website administrators contact the complainants in a matter of just three hours.
The website also provides a way for complainants to monitor the progress of their cases, Noppawan added.
Prachaniwat said the incident had terrified train drivers and officials on southern trains so the SRT had to cancel the Bangkok-Sungai Kolok and Sungai Kolok-Bangkok train services. The SRT also cancelled all local train services in the province that terminate at the Sungai Kolok station, he said. Sungai Kolok borders Malaysia.
According to Deep South Watch, there have been 21,485 insurgency-related incidents from January 4, 2004, until March 31, resulting in 7,344 deaths and 13,641 injuries.
The seven suspects are being detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison pending their decision whether to appeal against the ruling or not. The six other suspects have yet to make a decision.
But Sittha doubted whether Thitisan really felt remorse.
Anutin said the authorities did not check whether the seized medicines were genuine or fake, but they were not registered and must be destroyed without being donated to anyone.
