Former monk Warakorn Kongu-tit found himself under the arclights, not for his spiritual practices, but for his dubious business operations which landed him in hot water. The 46-year-old former practitioner turned entrepreneur was nabbed in Phang Khon district’s lively night market, nestled in the gentle curves of northeast Sakon Nakhon province, for defrauding unsuspecting customers of a staggering 10 million baht through his online religious artifact business. Warakorn ingeniously blended his religious background with commerce to ensnare spiritual seekers looking for authentic Buddhist relics. However, these seekers, who emanated from monasteries and temples nationwide, soon found themselves embroiled in a distressing scam. Warakorn would pull the plug on all communication, leaving the pious individuals distraught over their substantial cumulative losses. The audacity of his deceit had become a thorn in the side of authorities. Warakorn’s misconduct went beyond creating false Facebook handles, each more fanciful than the last – Petch…
Posts published in “Thailand”
Taking significant strides against under-the-table healthcare operations, authorities in Thailand have effectively closed down an unauthorized beauty clinic, named as CCoco Beauty Clinic, nestled in the bustling heart of Ekamai, Bangkok. This illicit operation, which was brought to a swift halt on uncovering, was unearthed during a routine inspection by the Department of Health Service Support. This unsuspected beauty clinic, it turned out, was merely a mask operated by a collective of Chinese entrepreneurs, as revealed by Pol. Maj Gen Anan Nanasombat, who heads the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD). Astonishingly, this dubious entity had been stealthily offering its services for as long as nine months, making it part of a wider network of 15 other CCoco clinics scattered across various countries, including China, the UK, Australia, and Japan. In an interesting turn of events, Anan reckoned that the clinic was strategizing to primarily appeal to international customers by endorsing…
Current events in Thai politics have taken an intriguing turn, as Thailand’s Democrat Party brings clarity to the speculative narratives taking a toll on its collective integrity. Reports revealing that a number of their members—over fifty percent, as per the grapevine, are shifting alliances to a coalition led by Pheu Thai, a notable political party in Thailand, have been dutifully shunned by the Democrats. The Democrats, led by their eloquent spokesman, Ramet Rattanachaweng, confronted these conjectures assertively. “To casually suggest that our stringent party member list, populated by 25 well-established MPs, including our acting secretary-general, Chalermchai Sri-on, is dwindling down from a count of 25 to a meagre nine, is a gross overstatement, to say the least”, exclaims Ramet. Conversations insinuating the potential inclusion of the supposed group of 16 MPs in the forthcoming government were met with a firm denial from Ramet. The Democrats regard their stance towards the…
Protesters from the Move Forward Party (MFP), a significant portion being students, assembled outside the gates of Kasetsart University, situated in the heart of Bangkok’s Bang Khen district. The trigger for this gathering being the mounting frustration towards the influential senators, accused of further stirring the ongoing political turmoil in the country. The rally was passionately organized by a student assembly called the New Sunrise Party, which put forth a call to arms for fellow protesters with the slogan, “Join hands to eradicate evil-hearted senators.” Just as the afternoon sun began to descent halfway through the sky, supporters flocked to the university grounds in front of the grand auditorium, uniting in a common sentiment of disappointment towards these elected senators. These individuals have recently cast their votes against the proposed prime minister Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the Move Forward Party, in two distinct parliamentary sessions. Their discontent was visibly…
Korn Chatikavanij recently announced his resignation as the leader of the Chart Pattana Kla Party through a statement on his Facebook page. The decision followed the party’s underwhelming performance during the recent elections, where Korn had optimistically hoped their new and innovative policies could help stimulate the economy. During his election campaign, Korn made various promises, like urging the next government to lower oil refineries’ profit margins to reduce petrol prices. Additionally, he suggested that banks should no longer rely on Credit Bureau records for determining loan defaults, granting small and medium-sized enterprises easier access to funding. Unfortunately, the Chart Pattana Kla Party secured only two representatives in the lower House: a Constituency MP and a party-list MP. Wannarat Charnukul was victorious in the position of a party-list MP, while Prasat Tanprasert, the sole Constituency MP, emerged successful in Nakhon Sawan’s Constituency 6. Korn only participated in the elections as…
As a significant influencer in both the economy and society, technology offers countries the opportunity to enhance their competitiveness, according to PTT executive vice president Buranin Rattanasombat, who manages the corporation’s new venture development. He suggests that digital technology should be integrated to develop innovative business models that can propel economic expansion. With technology constantly evolving, it has brought about four massive industrial revolutions throughout history: starting with mechanization, leading to the invention of steam engines and belts, followed by the digital technology boom in the information age, and finally culminating in the advent of computer technology. Today, we are approaching the fifth revolution, characterized by digital technology’s application in medicine, commerce, and energy sectors. Buranin points out that artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly intelligent each day. If leveraged for general purposes, AI has the potential to generate a value of $11 trillion to $17 trillion. Employing generative AI…
The Pattani provincial police have initiated an investigation into a complaint by the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) Region 4 Forward Command, which concerns a group of students calling for a referendum to establish an independent “Patani state.” According to Pol Maj Gen Archan Chansiri, chief of Pattani provincial police, a team of highly-experienced investigators will be assembled to examine the evidence and interview witnesses prior to summoning those implicated in the case. On Friday, soldiers from Isoc’s Region 4 Forward Command filed the complaint with the police. The alleged culprits, a collective of students, made their demand during a seminar titled “Self-determination and Patani Peace” hosted at the Prince of Songkla University in Pattani on June 7. A mock referendum took place during the event. According to an anonymous source, over 10 individuals participated in the call for a separate Patani state, including students and politicians. The activities that…
Former Democrat Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva Prioritizes Unity over Leadership Discussions Former Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva refrained from talking about the possibility of his return as party leader during an interview at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus. Instead, he emphasized the importance of “unity” within the Democrat Party as it approaches the selection of new executives. Jurin Laksanawisit, the existing Democrat party leader, announced his intention to step down after the party secured fewer House seats than anticipated in the May 14 election. His resignation will dissolve the current board, and with the Election Commission endorsing all MPs, the process of choosing a new leader to replace Jurin is expected to begin soon. Although some reports suggested that Abhisit, who resigned after the 2019 general election, might be open to the idea of returning as the leader, he remained tight-lipped during the interview. Instead, he focused on the challenges that lie…
The Election Commission’s endorsement of all 500 MPs-elect has paved the way for parliament to convene and choose a new prime minister. The Move Forward Party (MFP) secured the largest number of house seats in the May 14 general election and formed an alliance with seven parties that agreed to support its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, in the prime minister’s vote. Although the MFP-led bloc has amassed a total of 312 seats within the alliance, which can ensure a majority government, securing Pita’s premiership remains a daunting challenge. As things currently stand, the Pheu Thai Party, its ally, and the first runner-up, is heavily regarded as being better positioned to obtain the prime ministership. Various political analysts have weighed in on the opening of parliament and barriers the MFP and Pita must overcome in their pursuit of the highest office. Under the constitution, the House of Representatives will convene to vote…
Thailand and Cambodia have recently come to an agreement aimed at simplifying the process for over 40,000 Cambodian migrant workers who need to reapply for or renew their work permits. This decision was made in response to a growing labor shortage in Thailand and is a result of a collaborative effort between Thai labor authorities and their Cambodian counterparts. Many migrant workers had returned to their home countries during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the demand for their services has surged as the situation has improved. The current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) permits Cambodian workers to legally work in Thailand for four years. Work permits held by these individuals started expiring from January last year until the upcoming deadline of July 31. To address this issue, Cambodian workers must renew their work permits and other essential documents to either return to work in Thailand or continue living and working in the…