Posts published in “Thailand”

In an audacious operation executed yesterday, officers from Thailand’s Department Of Special Investigation (DSI) apprehended a 19-year-old university student involved in the nefarious business of online child pornography peddling. The arrest occurred in a condominium situated in Pathum Thani province, on the fringes of Bangkok, confirmed Khemmachart Prakuyhongmanee, the Director of the DSI’s Technology and Information Litigation Division, in a press briefing today. The operation, set into motion by an anonymous tip-off regarding the condo’s involvement in the illicit online sale of child pornography, witnessed the use of specialized tools. In a rather uncommon scenario, Hidu, a US-trained sniffer dog proficient in electronic device detection, plummeted the DSI authorities straight to the room of the suspect. The student was revealed to be using a LINE application group chat as his main platform to circulate child pornography extensively. Quantifying the magnitude and depth of the abhorrent crime, the officers unearthed a…

In an impressive feat of policing, the cyber crime profile of Thailand took a hit as law enforcement closed the net on a notorious call centre fraud operation. The unit was reportedly behind scams totaling in excess of 300 million baht. Today, the Crime Technology Investigation Department landed their catch in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, seizing copious volumes of damning substantiation and apprehending nine individuals who were part of the operation. This gang ran as a sophisticated, dual-cell setup, one section dedicated to manipulating victims to part ways with their finances, the second functioning as ‘paper trails’, receiving and distributing the illicit funds. The roster on the day of the bust was as follows: the manipulation section included Ploymani, aged 20, Alo, aged 22, Thitikan, aged 20, and Ardee, aged 19. The participants on the second front were: Pimanmas, aged 20, Phanomwan, aged 19, Weerachai, aged 20, the ever-reliable Siriporn,…

It is always a tense moment when health and science intersect, especially when it involves a global pandemic like Covid-19. A medical-professor luminary from the revered Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University has recently disclosed quite alarming data relating to the unseen aftermath of Covid-19 infection— the heightened risk of developing the ominous condition of diabetes. The eminent Dr. Thira Woratanarat lent his expert commentary on research that was first unveiled on the bustling online scholarly platform, medRxiv.org, last week. Echoing the findings of the research, the professor uncovered the broad strokes of where the correlations between Covid-19 and the risk of developing diabetes were found. 15 million individuals in the United Kingdom lay at the heart of the study, forming a considerable sample size from which to draw reliable conclusions. According to the elucidating revelations from the research, which the good doctor shared on the world’s largest social media…

As Srettha Thavinsin, the prime ministerial candidate for the Pheu Thai party, walked into the 15th polling station on Soi Sukhumvit 16 in vibrant Bangkok on a balmy May 14, 2023, anticipation swelled amidst his supporters. Given the political climate, it’s apparent that the followers of Pheu Thai are confident of their chosen candidate’s victory in the forthcoming vote, insiders reveal. Despite their optimistic outlook, political forecasts have hinted at a potential turn of events. The hopeful Prawit Wongsuwon, leader of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), might just emerge from the shadows as the new prime minister, backed by a substantial number of PT’s renegade MPs. All speculation is now focused on the likely move of parliament’s president, Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, whose declaration of the prime ministerial vote’s date is eagerly anticipated. According to standard procedures, this proclamation needs to be made three days in advance; hence the likelihood…

With Sino-American competition escalating in Southeast Asia, it’s critical for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to strategize its foreign policy meticulously. Simultaneously, industry experts emphasize the importance of equipping the youth with pivotal life skills for addressing future uncertainties. Such a perspective comes from Assoc Prof Jittipat Poonkham, who serves as an Associate Dean for Academic and International Affairs at Thammasat University’s Political Science Faculty. Unfolding during a recent dialogue titled “ASEAN and Thai Foreign Policy”, on the ASEAN Day, the professor drew parallels between the current political climate echoing the state of affairs during the Cold War. According to him, ASEAN members, including Thailand, are caught in a geopolitical dilemma where taking sides becomes an inevitability. Prof Poonkham suggests an alternative, a united front from ASEAN member states that move forward together as a consolidated entity. Drawing an analogy between Thailand’s foreign policies and a flexible bamboo…

In the day-to-day dynamics of Thailand’s political arena, the Pheu Thai Party spearheading the endeavour to forge a fresh government and its prime collaborator, the Bhumjaithai Party, find themselves at crossed paths over the schedule for cabinet portfolio allocation. Pheu Thai holds firm that the dispensation of cabinet positions will transpire only subsequent to their prime ministerial candidate earning the parliament’s endorsement, in contrast, Bhumjaithai is advocating for early resolution of the matter, before the ballot. “Proceedings for deciding roles within the cabinet will commence only post the vote for the prime minister,” declared Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Leader, Pheu Thai, on a fine Tuesday afternoon. Unconcerned about the circulating speculations that the imminent coalition compatriots are exerting pressure on Pheu Thai to distribute cabinet ranks beforehand, he reiterated that the nominations for the various positions will originate only after the House and the Senate have held the prime minister elections.…

Yesterday in the late afternoon hours, the watchful guardians of the peace at Bang Kaew Police Station, situated within the bustling province of Samut Prakan, dutifully responded to the desperate pleas for help from a 14-year old adolescent and his younger sibling, merely 10 years of age, from the confines of their domestic environment. Their 39-year-old progenitor was subsequently restrained and taken for an intense round of interrogative discourse following serious accusations surfaced by the preadolescent’s maternal bearer of recurrent child maltreatment. The father was alleged to have dispatched intimidating multimedia content showcasing brutal acts of violence targeting the young boy, in a disturbing attempt to pressurize their return home. An unpleasant examination revealed the boy bearing several physical markers indicative of repeated abuse. As the questioning continued, the 39-year old presented an elaborate defense, vehemently rejecting the maltreatment charges and claiming a crafty subterfuge had taken place. The blood-soaked…

The tourism sector finds itself wrestling with forecasts of an unusually lackluster off-peak season, defined by tepid demand, rising operational expenses at tourist hotspots, and the aftermath of tropical tempests. Charoen Wangananont, acting president of the Thai Travel Agents Association, underscored the fact that current sales figures for outbound travel packages are trailing noticeably behind those recorded in the pre-Covid era. This, he implies, is due to a growing sense of vigilance and thriftiness exhibited by individual consumers and businesses alike, with both segments opting to curb their travel expenditure. Intriguingly, he also noted a change in group tourism dynamics, particularly centered around governmental agencies, which have traditionally provided a steady stream of customers for tour operators. However, in the current climate of political instability, these agencies have become increasingly wary of assigning budget for travel, explained Charoen. Consequently, a large number of them have opted to scale back on foreign trips to preclude…

In the beautiful Phuket, environmental advocates are urging the governing bodies to reclaim the ancestral territory of the indigenous sea-gypsy people, currently being leased to a hotel on Mai Khao beach. A group of around 20 individuals, which is part of the Andaman coast sea gypsies network and includes other activists, has taken the initiative to submit a petition to the provincial office and the Move Forward Party (MFP) representatives. Their primary concern is to shield the land from commercial exploitation, thereby protecting both local heritage and the natural living space of sea turtles. The plea was received by deputies governor of Phuket, Anuphap Rodkwan Yodrabam, and MFP delegates Somchart Thechathaworncharoen, the representative of Phuket’s Constituency 1, Poonsak Janjampee, and Julapong Yooket. Orawan Hanthaleh, a member of the network, emphasized that the territory has been held sacred by the sea gypsies for multiple generations. She also pointed out that the…

Amid the political chaos in Thailand, the doubt hangs heavy among Senators regarding whether they should stand united behind Srettha Thavisin, a prime ministerial nominee from the Pheu Thai Party, when the time arrives for the upcoming parliamentary vote for Prime Minister. Senator Seree Suwanpanont shared the concerns that before making a decision, it’s imperative for the 250 Senators to thoroughly scrutinize the candidate’s qualifications along with understanding how the election promises, like the proposed “digital money” distribution of 10,000 baht, would be administrated. “The Senators wish for Thavisin to defend his stance and strategies in the parliament prior to the vote,” said Senator Seree. In response to Senator Wanchai Sornsiri’s statement, who suggested that more than 90% of senators are in favor of Thavisin, Senator Seree voiced that the reality might be different and such majority support remains uncertain. “Circumstances may take a turn before the actual vote,” Seree…