Posts published in “Thailand”

Representatives from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) recently found themselves amidst the bustling charm of Kunming, China. Their mission? To partner up with their Chinese counterparts and wage war against the meticulous menace of human trafficking and the insidious call centre scams spreading across the landscape. The sunny streets of Kunming provided a paradoxical backdrop to the serious deliberations taking place within closed doors, illustrated poignantly by the photograph of Pol Maj Gen Sarut Kwaengsopha conferring earnestly with Pol Maj Gen Kong Yiping, deputy chief of the Kunming Immigration Office. The keen-eyed Pol Maj Gen Sarut, spearheading the ATPD, observed an 80% reduction in workload thanks to cutting-edge technology. One can almost imagine the creaking bureaucratic wheels suddenly whirring into action with a fresh burst of efficiency. But the trail of call centre scams in Thailand still looms large over their proactive operations. Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, the…

Police recently interrogated Hoang Ngoc Cuong, 36, after uncovering nearly 60 protected birds inside his residence in Bangkok’s Klong Chan area. This discovery, illustrated by a supplied photo from Wassayos Ngamkham, marked a significant step in the crackdown on wildlife trafficking in the region. Hoang Ngoc Cuong, a Vietnamese national, was detained at a housing estate in the Bang Kapi district last Friday. Authorities seized a total of 58 red-whiskered bulbuls, locally known as nok parawd hua khoan. These birds, valued at approximately 174,000 baht, were intended for smuggling abroad, disclosed Pol Col Arun Wachirasrisukanya, the deputy commander of the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division. This operation was a continuation of a prior raid on January 9, where police apprehended three Vietnamese nationals associated with a transnational wildlife trafficking ring. During that raid, authorities confiscated 21 red-whiskered bulbuls, 929 turtles, four chameleons, and six snakes. The gang typically…

In a dramatic turn of events, police officers recently conducted a meticulous raid on the residence of a 36-year-old man known as Chavalvit. The otherwise ordinary house in Nakhon Ratchasima became the focal point of a significant police operation targeting illegal online gambling activities. Chavalvit, the enigmatic owner of a massively popular Facebook page with over 2 million followers, has been arrested on charges that have sent shockwaves through his online community. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) officers, brandishing a court-sanctioned search warrant, swooped into action, apprehending Chavalvit at his home. The investigation led to the seizure of various items that were believed to be instrumental in the alleged crimes. These included high-tech gadgets such as an iPad Pro 3 tablet, two desktop computers, an iPhone 12 Pro Max, and even a bank passbook from Kasikornbank. What prompted this meticulous operation? The stakes were raised by an increase in online…

A police officer meticulously inspects a bustling factory, shrouded in secrecy, producing counterfeit allergy syrup during a dramatic raid in the tranquil Sai Noi district of Nonthaburi province on a seemingly ordinary Friday. This meticulous operation, spearheaded by a team of astute investigators from the Metropolitan Police Division 7, wielding a search warrant sanctioned by the Nonthaburi Provincial Court, unveiled a sprawling clandestine operation situated on a 9-rai (14,400-square-metre) expanse in the serene tambon Rat Niyom of Sai Noi. As the dust settled, authorities seized a staggering 12,000 bottles of fraudulent allergy syrup, accompanied by an additional 80,000 empty bottles, and sophisticated equipment designed for creating these deceitful concoctions. These bottles bore meticulously crafted counterfeit “Allerin Syrup” labels, designed to mimic the genuine article convincingly. The factory’s orchestrator, Mee, a 37-year-old with a sly grin, and his right-hand man, Thawee, a youthful 25-year-old, were apprehended during the operation. Interestingly, their…

A police officer inspects a factory producing fake allergy syrup during a raid in Sai Noi district of Nonthaburi province on Friday. In a dramatic turn of events, police have dismantled an illicit operation manufacturing counterfeit allergy syrup in Nonthaburi. This strategic raid has led to the apprehension of the factory’s owner and manager. Sweeping through the facility with a search warrant authorized by the Nonthaburi Provincial Court, investigators from the Metropolitan Police Division 7 were determined to eradicate this fraudulent operation. Nestled on a sprawling 9-rai (14,400-square-metre) plot in the tambon Rat Niyom of Sai Noi district, the factory was bustling with illicit activity. During the raid, law enforcement seized a staggering 12,000 bottles of counterfeit allergy syrup, 80,000 empty bottles, and a variety of equipment essential for producing these fake medications. Each bottle was adorned with forged “Allerin Syrup” labels, making it difficult for consumers to detect the…

A covert turf war has erupted in Pathum Thani, as titans of national politics quietly clash, according to insiders. The Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) chairman election, happening on June 30, lays bare the dynamics spurred by political alignments among the main coalition and opposition powerhouses. The Pheu Thai Party, which saw its long-standing reign in Pathum Thani shattered in the previous election by the Move Forward Party (MFP), is fervently electing its PAO chairman. This election is a crucial showcase of Pheu Thai’s resolve to regain its popularity. Eyeing expansion, coalition partner Bhumjaithai Party is vying to bolster its influence beyond its traditional strongholds in the lower Northeast, while MFP may unexpectedly support Bhumjaithai, according to sources. This high-stakes PAO contest drew significant attention when former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, recently paroled, visited Pathum Thani. He urged the red shirts, Pheu Thai’s core followers, to unify and support the ruling party.…

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin made a significant splash during his first monthly television address, where he laid out ambitious plans to tackle some of Thailand’s most pressing issues. Foremost on his agenda was the controversial move to legalize casinos and the introduction of a nuclear power plant to reduce soaring electricity costs. In a prerecorded statement, Mr. Srettha emphasized the dual benefits of these initiatives—bringing illegal gambling under governmental regulation and lowering energy bills through more cost-effective power generation. “We have to face the reality – underground gambling is rampant and should be addressed by bringing it into the light,” the Prime Minister remarked candidly. “Nuclear power, on the other hand, will require careful public education since many are wary of having such a plant in their neighborhoods.” The notion of legalizing casinos isn’t entirely new. In March, a majority of the 500-member House of Representatives supported a comprehensive study…

Picture this: Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, fresh off a whirlwind of international diplomacy, landing in Italy amidst salutes and flashes from cameras, his cabinet ministers aligned in a perfectly coordinated display of unity. The month is May 2024, and Srettha’s agenda is as packed as the streets of Rome. As the leader of a diverse and dynamically evolving nation in Southeast Asia, Srettha Thavisin has faced his fair share of scrutiny—and he’s not shying away from it. In a televised address that aired on Saturday, he shed some light and a touch of humor on his first 10 months in office. For a guy who started as a real estate mogul and now finds himself navigating political waters as Thailand’s Prime Minister, it’s been a wild ride. And boy, has he been busy! The man has clocked 15 overseas trips since he took office in August of last year. That’s…

The budget allocation for the 2025 fiscal year won’t be enough to effectively address the issues afflicting the agricultural sector, according to Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Capt Thamanat Prompow. Speaking during a parliamentary debate on the budget bill, he revealed that his ministry has been granted a budget of 125.8 billion baht to support more than 30 million farmers—translating to approximately 3,386 baht per person. “Given the current economic climate, this sum falls short. We must acknowledge that the budget assigned isn’t aligned with the ministry’s responsibilities, particularly those related to land and water management,” Capt Thamanat highlighted. Despite these financial constraints, he reassured that the ministry would maximize its limited resources to empower farmers through diverse marketing strategies and innovations. The ministry’s agenda includes measures like lowering production costs, promoting crops used as animal feed, and discouraging off-season rice farming in water-scarce areas, encouraging soybean growth instead. “These initiatives…

A political storm is brewing in Pathum Thani, and it promises the kind of drama that would make even the most seasoned viewer of Thai politics sit up and take notice. The stage is set for the Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO) election on June 30, and the players involved are heavyweight champions in their own right. Picture the ruling Pheu Thai Party, licking its wounds after a crushing defeat by the Move Forward Party (MFP), now gearing up to reclaim its throne. Not to be outdone, coalition ally Bhumjaithai Party is gunning for more territory beyond its usual lower Northeast stronghold, possibly with a nudge and a wink from the MFP. This election is not just a local matter; it’s a barometer of national political maneuvering. Thaksin Shinawatra, the paroled former premier, made a dramatic entrance into the fray, rallying Pheu Thai’s core supporters—the red shirts—during a monk ordination ceremony…