Participants hold a rainbow flag during the Pride Parade in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI, BANGKOK — Thailand is kicking off its celebration of the LGBTQ+ community’s Pride Month with a parade Saturday, as the country is on course to become the first nation in Southeast Asia to legalize marriage equality.
The annual Bangkok Pride Parade is expected to pack the streets in one of the Thai capital’s busiest commercial districts. Pride Month celebrations have been endorsed by politicians, government agencies and some of the country’s biggest business conglomerates, which have become official partners or sponsors for the celebration.
Ann “Waaddao” Chumaporn, who has been organizing Bangkok Pride since 2022, said in a recent interview with The Associated Press that she hopes the parade can be “a platform that allows everyone to call out for what they want and express who they really are.”
Waaddao thinks Thai society has shifted a lot from a decade ago, and the issue has now become a fashionable social and business trend.
Ann “Waaddao” Chumaporn, an organizer of the LGBTQ+ community’s Pride Month events, speaks during an interview in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 9, 2024.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Thanks in part to her work, a marriage equality bill granting full legal, financial and medical rights for marriage partners of any gender could become reality sometime this year.
But the public celebration of gender diversity was not always so popular in Thailand despite its long-standing reputation as an LGBTQ+ friendly country.
The first big celebration for the community in Thailand was held on Halloween weekend in 1999 and called the “Bangkok Gay Festival.” It was organized by Pakorn Pimton, who said that after seeing Pride parades on his overseas travels, he wanted Thailand to have one, too.
It was hard organizing such an event back then, when Thai society was much less open, he said.
“Everyone told me, even my boyfriend, that it would be impossible,” he said in an interview with AP.
Organizing such an event in a public space requires permission from authorities, and it didn’t go that smoothly for Pakorn, yet he eventually pulled it off.
Pakorn said some police officers treated him well, but there were others who gave him dirty looks, or were dismissive. He recalled hearing one officer say, “Why do you even need to do this? These katoey …”
“Katoey,” whose rough equivalent in English would be “ladyboy,” has generally been used as a slur against transgender women or gay men with feminine appearances, although the word now has been claimed by the community.
A drag queen applies makeup on her face before a news conference on the Bangkok Pride in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, May 9, 2024. Thailand is kicking off its celebration for the LGBTQ+ community’s Pride Month with a parade on Saturday, as the country is on the course to become the first nation in Southeast Asia to legalize marriage equality. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
After getting the permit, Pakorn, who then was actively working in show business, said he tried contacting television stations for advertising and finding sponsors for his project, but they all rejected him.
“There were no mobile phones, no Facebook, no nothing. There were only posters that I had to put up at gay bars,” he said.
Because of that, Pakorn said, he was bewildered to see thousands of people, not only Thais but many foreigners, take to downtown Bangkok’s streets for that first celebration in colorful and racy costumes, carrying balloons and dancing on fancy floats.
The event got attention from both domestic and international media as both Thailand’s first gay parade and one of the first in Asia. It was described as energetic and chaotic, not least because the police did not completely close it off from traffic, resulting in marchers, dancers and floats weaving their way through moving buses, cars and motorbikes.
Pakorn organized it for several more years but eventually stopped.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, center, raises his hand during the Pride Parade in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Only recently did the political significance behind the term “Pride” gain much importance in the event, said Vitaya Saeng-Aroon, director of an advocacy group Diversity In Thailand.
Previously, there were not a lot of organized LGBTQ+ communities who joined in, “so there were no messages in the parade. It became like a party just for fun,” he said.
Now the parade carries a more political tone because the observance has been organized by people like Waaddao who have long worked to raise awareness on gender equality and diversity.
Participants hold sign during the Pride Parade in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
For her part, Waaddao said she became inspired to organize the parade after taking part in the youth-led pro-democracy protests that sprang up across the country in 2020. She said she had previously been carrying out her advocacy work mostly in conference rooms, but those protests convinced her that street action can also advance a political agenda.
That was the year that several draft bills for marriage equality or civil partnership were introduced in Parliament. Although none managed to pass during the government then in power, a marriage equality bill sponsored by the current administration is expected to get through second and third readings by the Senate later this month, its last legislative hurdle before getting royal endorsement and becoming law.
On 29 May 2024, Prof. Dr. Somrerk Chandra-ambhorn, Vice President for Research and Information Technology Development, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Pornsak Srisungsitthisunti, Director of the Thai-French Innovation Institute (TFII), along with the team of KMUTNB executives, warmly welcomed a delegation from the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. The French delegation was led by M. Matthieu PEYRAUD, Director for Culture, Education, Research & Networking Coordination, and Dr. Xavier Grosmaitre, Attaché for Scientific and Higher Education Cooperation, Embassy of France in Bangkok.
During their visit, the delegation visited the Renewable Energy Research Center (RERC) and the TFII-Schneider Electric Center of Excellence. The KMUTNB’s Vice President and Director of TFII presented an overview of the more than three-decade-long close and fruitful cooperation between KMUTNB and France. This collaboration began with the establishment of the Thai-French Innovation Center (TFIC) in 1990 through the joint efforts of the French and Thai governments. Since then, the academic partnership between KMUTNB and France has grown significantly, such as the cooperation with Université de Lorraine to launch the dual Ph.D. program and to establish the “Electrical Engineering – Thai French Research Center (EE-TFRC),” an international research laboratory.
The CIB officers believed that the call center gangs mainly operate in neighboring countries, but they rely on internet connections from Thailand.
BANGKOK — Thai authorities launched a major operation targeting call center gangs. They raided the suspected locations across the country and arrested three Vietnamese nationals and four Myanmar nationals with hi-speed simboxes.
The Royal Thai Police announced the results of the operation with the Customs Department, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) at the Central Investigation Bureau headquarters on May 31, 2024.
The authorities arrested seven suspects: three Vietnamese nationals, Mr. Quang Thin Bui (35 years old), Mr. Danh Quyen Duong (35 years old) and Mr. Vananh Nguyen (47 years old), as well as four Myanmar nationals. The seized items included 102 Simbox devices, 134 Starlink satellite internet receivers, nearly 50,000 SIM cards, signal distribution devices, computers and various peripherals.
The seized items included 102 Simbox devices, 134 Starlink satellite internet receivers, nearly 50,000 SIM cards, signal distribution devices, computers and various peripherals.
The first major target was a warehouse in Moo 8, Phai Tam Subdistrict, Nong Khae District, Saraburi Province, which was identified as the base for the call center network. Six Simbox devices, internet signal distribution devices and CCTV cameras were discovered during the raid.
Three Vietnamese men were arrested; one claimed to be responsible for arranging rental space and installing internet at various locations on behalf of another, while the other two claimed to be merely employees.
The authorities confiscated four Starlink devices, 96 Simbox or GSM gateway devices, 18 computers, 24 screens, around 27,019 foreign SIM cards (from Hong Kong) and 6,770 Thai SIM cards.
Customs officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport had previously been alerted to the import of 21 Starlink devices and tens of thousands of SIM cards because they suspected that they could be used for technology-related crimes. This led to further investigations and the subsequent raids.
Call center gangs use Thailand as a hub for ordering and transporting equipment.
In addition, officers from Division 4 of the Central Investigation Bureau raided a suspicious house in Chiang Mai province. During the raid, signal boosters, internet transmission devices, over 30 state-owned radios and more than 50 pairs of handcuffs were seized and four Myanmar nationals were arrested. Based on interrogations, police believe the items were destined for call center networks in neighboring countries.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Jirabhop Bhuridej, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said that call center gangs use Thailand as a hub for ordering and transporting equipment. The seizure represents the largest simbox operation in Thai history, which can make 3,200 simultaneous calls or millions of calls per day when fully operational.
It is believed that these call center gangs mainly operate in neighboring countries where there are no efficient internet signals. Therefore, they rely on internet connections from Thailand. The authorities have negotiated with the operators in the past to cut off signal transmission to neighboring countries and have achieved good cooperation.
As a result, the call center gangs have switched to Starlink satellite internet systems, but require numerous devices for stable signals.
The authorities conducted raids on accounting firms and real estate companies in Phuket.
BANGKOK — The number of Russians entering the country increased significantly after the Russian-Ukrainian war. 59,717 Russians came to Phuket and registered an unusual number of 1,603 businesses, according to a Thai senior police officer.
On May 31, 2024, Pol Lt. Gen. Jirabhop Bhuridej, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) Commissioner, announced the results of the “CIB Operation Nominee Sweep” targeting foreign nominee networks in Phuket at the Central Investigation Bureau headquarters. The authorities conducted raids on accounting firms and real estate companies in Phuket.
The operation led to the arrest of 231 people, including 96 legal entities, 98 foreign suspects who were doing business without authorization (mostly Russians), and 37 Thai nationals who were acting as agents to support foreign companies. All suspects are accused of “doing business without complying with the law” The Thai suspects were charged with “aiding, abetting or participating in business with foreigners.”
The seized items included 225 bank account books with a turnover of 318.9 million baht, 245 land documents covering approximately 10,500 square meters with an estimated value of 1 billion baht, 43 land deeds covering 24 rai with an estimated value of 200 million baht, 196 passports, 108 work permits, 800 company registration documents and 1,601 company stamps. The total value of the confiscated assets is over 1.5 billion baht or 40.75 million USD.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Jiraphop said that Phuket residents had complained to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin that foreigners, especially Russians, were doing business and buying land in large numbers, driving up property prices and affecting the livelihoods of locals.
In the key operation, police found that the main suspect, Ms. Iana, 45, was involved as a director and shareholder alongside Thais in 9 companies – the highest number for a foreigner in Phuket. These included 7 real estate companies, 1 service company and 1 travel company with a total registered capital of 38 million baht.
Investigations revealed that Ms. Iana owns, among others, three luxury residential and apartment projects in Phuket with a total of 176 units worth over 900 million baht or 24.45 million USD, with nominee Ms. Treethip listed as a shareholder.
Foreigners, accused of operating a business without a permit, are summoned at Central Investigation Bureau in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Ms. Iana was found to be a director and shareholder of 272 companies, including 142 wholly Thai-owned companies and 130 joint ventures with foreigners with a total value of 268 million baht. The authorities gathered evidence and obtained arrest warrants for those involved, leading to the arrest of the suspects.
Ms. Treethip’s company, founded on 13 June 2016, provided accounting and business registration services for foreigners and employed 22 people. Ms. Treethip used her name, relatives and employees as nominees to circumvent legal restrictions and established links with 272 companies, including 130 nominee companies for foreigners, mainly operating in the real estate, tourism and services sectors, with a total registered capital of 679 million baht.
Thai police have broken up a large network that illegally helped foreigners, mostly Russians, to stay in Thailand long-term through the use of company nominees or shell companies, officials said Friday. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
In addition, Ms. Treethip registered 141 companies with only Thai shareholders to obtain non-B visas, work permits and bank accounts for foreigners. Five foreigners used these accounts to entice Thais to invest through computer schemes and complaints have already been filed online.
Ms. Treethip admitted to receiving 30,000-50,000 baht per company for acting as a nominee.
Investigators have summoned 85 foreign suspects to acknowledge the allegations. The investigation revealed that 24 companies own 245 properties, including 196 condominiums with an area of about 10,500 square meters and 43 plots of land with a total value of 24 rai worth an estimated 1.2 billion baht or 32.6 million USD. Police will continue to investigate the legality of these properties and prosecute any illegal foreign land acquisition.
The Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra Foundation, supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Ministry of Culture—Department of Cultural Promotion, and B. Grimm Group Ltd., will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 7th, at the Thailand Cultural Centre, with Principal Clarinet of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Andrew Simon performs Mozart’s Clarinet concerto in honour of Her Majesty Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana.
The programme will begin with Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No.1. Composed in 1901, it is the first and most well-known of five marches by Elgar bearing the title “Pomp and Circumstance”, taking their title from a speech in Act 3 of Shakespeare’s Othello. The first March is best known for its trio section, adapted into the popular anthem ‘Land of Hope and Glory’; regardless, the entire march is triumphant and iconic.
This is followed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622. Mozart was the first composer to realise the expressive qualities of the clarinet. Mozart’s writing shows great sensitivity to the character and limitations of the instrument and the relationship of the solo part to the orchestra to allow for breathing and phrasing. It was his last instrumental work, and it survives only in an adaptation by its original publisher. The orchestra, as well as having the customary strings, has flutes, bassoons, and horns without oboes, producing a gentle sound, achieving the effect of support without drowning the soloist. It is generally considered to be Mozart’s best wind concerto.
This work will be performed by soloist Andrew Simon, whose international career was launched by his critically acclaimed Carnegie Hall debut. The first American-born artist with a career spanning three decades, highlights include over 70 solo performances with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, appearances in 23 Japanese cities, continental premieres of the original version of Copland’s concerto in Australia and Asia, and his Singapore Symphony and New Zealand orchestral debuts performing Mozart’s concerto in its original version on basset clarinet.
To end the performance, the RBSO, with almost a hundred musicians, will play a piece by Gustav Holst: The Planets. The size of the Orchestra is required to match the grandeur of the Planets piece. It is a legendary seven-movement orchestral suite in which each movement takes you through an auditory journey with the planets of the Solar System and their corresponding astrological character. Holst began composing The Planets in 1914; his music-centric spatial explorations may not be scientific, but they are brilliant, dramatic, and picturesque enough to create celestial harmonies.
“There is a huge and unrealised upside for Thailand in this sector when we combine the rapid increase in global demand for food and the expanded use of technology in farming and agricultural wholesaling to boost productivity.”
Mr. Pradit Phataraprasit, President of the Thai Agricultural Wholesale Market Association and owner of Talaad Thai wholesale market
Pathum Thani (27 May 2024) – Members of the World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM), the global association of agricultural and food wholesalers representing over 40 countries, recently gathered in Bangkok to hold their first ever meeting in Southeast Asia.
Hosted by the Thai Agricultural Wholesale Market Association (TAWMA) and ASEAN’s largest agricultural wholesale market, Talaad Thai, the conference was attended by more than 300 delegates who met to discuss the integration of technology into wholesale market operations.
The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Mr. Qu Dongyu said in his keynote address to the group that “there is an urgent need to transform our agri-food systems to be more efficient, more resilient and more substantiable,” and that “wholesale markets are a key leverage point for this transformation.”
According to FAO estimates, world food production must increase by around 70% to feed a world population projected to exceed nine billion by 2050.
Mr. Pradit Phataraprasit, President of the Thai Agricultural Wholesale Market Association and the owner of Talaad Thai wholesale market, said, “While the agricultural sector accounts for under 10% of Thailand’s Gross Domestic Product, Thailand is still one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of rice, sugar, pineapple, shrimps, palm oil, cassava products and canned tuna,” and that Thailand’s total exports of agricultural and processed agricultural produce were valued at around US$50 billion, or over Bht 1.8 trillion.
“There is a huge and unrealised upside for Thailand in this sector if we can increase efficiency through the expanded use of technology in farming and agriculture, because we have already been able to succeed globally despite relatively low productivity and under-mechanisation,” he said.
Mr. Phataraprasit noted that Thailand’s substantial investments in transport infrastructure during the past years, its central location in the region, as well as its 15 FTAs with 19 countries in and outside of the region, strongly reinforce Thailand’s competitiveness and position it to benefit greatly from the growth of global demand for food and agricultural produce.
Mr. Paopoom Rojanasakul, Deputy Minister of Finance, another keynote speaker, said, “It is a top priority for the government to boost the economy and engage with international partners,” and that to facilitate the development of the wholesale sector as well as other businesses, the Ministry of Finance is aiming to enhance the tax system and make it more streamlined. He said that logistical efficiency is essential for Thailand to be an agriculture and food hub, and the government would continue its emphasis on investing in transport infrastructure. He noted that, already, “the trend of foreign investment in this sector from the USA, EU, and ASEAN is growing.”
As a part of the conference programme, the delegates visited Talaad Thai wholesale market, which is located on a 543-rai site in Pathum Thani, where they observed operations as well as sampled seasonal Thai fruits.
Mr. Stephane Layani, Chairman of the World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM), expressed his excitement at seeing the rapid integration of technology into wholesale markets around the world, and said that he hoped for Thailand and other regional countries to be a part of that trend.
OSMEP collaborated with ISMED to provide benefits for SMEs, promoting the expansion of marketing channels and giving Thai entrepreneurs a competitive edge in the global market at the largest food exhibition in Asia, THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA 2024.
Ms. Panita Shinawatra, Deputy Director General, Acting Director General of the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP), stated that OSMEP has continuously developed benefits for SME entrepreneurs by connecting benefit information related to entrepreneurship from public and private sector agencies under the concept of “SME Privilege Club, an exclusive club for SMEs.”
This year, there are three key aspects of focus: increasing productivity/reducing costs, expanding marketing channels, and connecting funding sources, which are the crucial mechanisms for promoting and strengthening business operations, as well as improving the efficiency of services provided to entrepreneurs.
Moreover, Miss Panita stated that under the SME Development Beneficial Activity for Expanding Marketing Channels for MSME Entrepreneurs in 2024, OSMEP has granted benefits to SME entrepreneurs to participate in the THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA exhibition under the SME Food Forward theme. The event is scheduled to take place from May 28th to June 1st, 2024, at IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center, Muang Thong Thani.
The selected entrepreneurs are divided into 4 product categories, totaling 20 businesses, including: 1. Tap Trading Company Limited 2. Organic F&D Limited Partnership 3. Bendecs Company Limited 4. Samroiyod Agricultural Production Processing Group Company Limited 5. Crispy Veg&Fruit Company Limited 6. ADF Group Company Limited 7. Nine Phetchabun Trading Company Limited 8. Wanmai Limited Partnership 9. Hillkoff Company Limited 10. Siamese Healthy Herbal Tea Company Limited
Zapjeed Company Limited 12. Hua Pee Tai Pee Company Limited 13. Chiangmai PS 2554 Company Limited 14. Southern Seafood Product Company Limited 15. Morning Meal Company Limited 16. Magnum Trading Company Limited 17. KYN Business Company Limited 18. Northern Green Products Company Limited 19. Impressy Company Limited 20. Scishine Company Limited
This year, OSMEP has granted benefits by providing opportunities for entrepreneurs to participate in the largest food event in Asia, THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA 2024, including 4 product categories: Healthy Food, Nature Agri-food, Future Food, and Organic Food. This aims to promote market expansion, enhance export capabilities, increase efficiency and capacity to compete on the international level. It is hoped that participation in this event will generate benefits, create opportunities, and build networks with participants from various sectors, leading to further business expansion and sustainable growth for entrepreneurs.
“OSMEP is advancing to seek collaboration with partner organizations and leveraging specialized expertise to support and promote entrepreneurs in all three aspects by focusing on addressing challenges faced by entrepreneurs while supporting development in all aspects. If interested, please visit our booth at Hall 7 Booth 7 – P25, THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA 2024.”
In addition to the benefits entrepreneurs will receive from MOU signing between OSMEP and various organizations, there are also other services provided by OSMEP that entrepreneurs can access and utilize through the SME CONNEXT application. This application utilizes SME ONE ID for identity verification. The services include facilitating SME access to government procurement (SME-GP), SME Academy 365, SME ONE, SME COACH, and OSS or comprehensive SME services, available in every province nationwide.
OSMEP, as the primary agency for assisting and supporting both medium and small-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the country, OSMEP will continue to operate under the vision for the years 2023-2027: “To be the leading force in driving and enhancing the potential of MSMEs towards sustainable prosperity,” while consistently supporting and accompanying Thai entrepreneurs to grow sustainably.” The Acting Director General of OSMEP stated.
Visitors and business partners around the world impressed Soft Power Thai food. Visit the CP Foods booth at THAIFEX-ANUGA ASIA 2024, which is drawing large crowds.
International diplomats, business partners, and leaders from both government and private sectors around the world have been highly impressed by the Thai cuisine offerings at the Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CP Foods) booth at the THAIFEX-ANUGA ASIA 2024 event. Hosted by the Ministry of Commerce from May 28th to June 1st, 2024 in Bangkok’s IMPACT Muang Thong Thani.
This year’s theme “Kitchen of the World with Sustainovation” highlights CP Foods’ commitment to food innovation that aligns with global trends promoting health, flavor, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability. Their impressive showcase effectively exports the soft power influence of Thai cuisine to consumers worldwide, drawing large crowds eager to experience it.
From the very first day, CP Foods’ innovative food offerings displayed across six zones have captivated and dazzled a multitude of high-profile visitors. Among the esteemed guests were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Mr. Phumtham Wechayachai, Director-General of the Department of Enterprise Development Ms. Oramon Sapthaweetham, Chairman of the Board of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade of Thailand Mr. Sanan Angubolkul,
Vice Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce Dr. Wisit Limluecha, as well as CP’s own executives such as Mrs. Marisa Chearavanont, founder of Chef Cares, and Mr. Tanit Chearavanont, Chief Executive Officer of Makro Thailand. The awe-inspiring displays have garnered admiration from these influential figures in both government and private sectors.
CP Foods booth has also received positive feedback and acclaim from trade partners, attendees, and international ambassadors. Notable visitors include Mr. Jean-Claude Poimbœuf, Ambassador of France to Thailand; Mr. Park Yongmin, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Thailand; Mr. Gustavo Alberto Martino, Ambassador of Argentina to Thailand; Mr. Artur Dmochowski, Ambassador of Poland to Thailand;
Mr. Paolo Dionisi, Ambassador of the Republic of Italy to Thailand; Mr. Jonathan Dale Kings, New Zealand Ambassador to Thailand; and Mr. David Hansen, Charge d’Affaires of the Chilean Embassy in Thailand. These dignitaries visited the booth to discuss new business opportunities, including the export of Thai food worldwide and the import of delicious products from various countries.
Oramon Sapthaweetham, Director-General of the Department of Enterprise Development, praised CP Foods’ innovation, stating, “CP Foods’ superfood selections and environmentally friendly packaging meet customer needs and have earned the Thai Select logo, a symbol from the Ministry of Commerce that promotes the country’s reputation and is recognized in the global market.”
The CP Foods booth emphasizes the use of innovation and modern technology to produce high-standard, quality food with delicious taste and a variety of menu options. These offerings cater to health-conscious consumers seeking sustainability. Standout products include CP chicken products with Space Safety Standard certification, aligned with NASA’s food safety guidelines, Thai Cube products from the Kitchen Joy brand, and CP Authentic Asia brand products. These products showcase CP Foods’ pride in promoting Thai and Asian cuisine to consumers worldwide.
THAIFEX-ANUGA ASIA 2024 will run until June 1, 2024. The last day of the event will be open to the public, offering the opportunity to purchase quality products at special prices. Visit the CP Foods booth at number 2-U01, Challenger Hall 2, IMPACT Muang Thong Thani Shopping Center from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Police officers arrested Mr. Jabran, a 25-year-old British national, at a hotel in Ban Tai Subdistrict, Koh Phangan District, Surat Thani Province.
KOH PHANGAN – Not only did this arrested British man pose as a guide and take foreign tourists around Phangan Island, but he also led tours throughout Thailand for 18 days, charging a budget price of 1,499 pounds per person.
Mr Jabran was found secretly working as a tour guide, leading groups of foreign customers around Koh Phangan.
On May 30, tourist police officers, together with officials from the Koh Phangan District Office, arrested Mr. Jabran, a 25-year-old British national, at Sarana Bungalows Hotel in Ban Tai Subdistrict, Koh Phangan District, Surat Thani Province. It was discovered that he had been working illegally in Thailand as a tour guide, which is a prohibited profession for foreigners.
Tourist police received a complaint to investigate a tour business operating in the Koh Phangan area, alleging that a foreigner was secretly working as a tour guide, leading groups of foreign customers around Koh Phangan.
He had hired two silver vans to take tourists to various locations, with the following itinerary: from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., he would guide tours to Chinrat Boxing Stadium, the road behind Koh Phangan District Office, and other places.
According to the investigation, it was found that Mr. Jabran had been secretly working as a tour guide within Thailand for a total of 18 days, starting from Bangkok, Khao Sok, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.
The evidence of Mr. Jabran’s 18-day tour guide work within Thailand was found on his mobile phone.
The Koh Phangan tour was scheduled for days 5-8 of the entire tour. The cost of purchasing the 18-day Thailand tour package from Intro Travel company was 1,499 pounds sterling, equivalent to 70,000 baht per person.
The suspect confessed to all charges. He was then taken to the investigating officer at Koh Phangan Police Station to be prosecuted for the offenses of “being a foreign person working as a tour guide without permission (tour leader)” and “being a foreign person working without a work permit.”
Former President Donald Trump walks to make comments to members of the media after a jury convicted him of felony crimes for falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election, at Manhattan Criminal Court, Thursday, May 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes Thursday as a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex.
Trump sat stone-faced while the verdict was read as cheering from the street below could be heard in the hallway on the courthouse’s 15th floor where the decision was revealed after more than nine hours of deliberations.
“This was a rigged, disgraceful trial,” an angry Trump told reporters after leaving the courtroom. “The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people. They know what happened, and everyone knows what happened here.”
Judge Juan M. Merchan set sentencing for July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where GOP leaders, who remained resolute in their support in the aftermath of the verdict, are expected to formally make him their nominee.
People react to the guilty verdict announced against former President Donald Trump outside Manhattan Criminal Court, Thursday, May 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
The verdict is a stunning legal reckoning for Trump and exposes him to potential prison time in the city where his manipulations of the tabloid press helped catapult him from a real estate tycoon to reality television star and ultimately president. As he seeks to reclaim the White House in this year’s election, the judgment presents voters with another test of their willingness to accept Trump’s boundary-breaking behavior.
Trump is expected to appeal the verdict and will face an awkward dynamic as he returns to the campaign trail tagged with convictions. There are no campaign rallies on the calendar for now, though he traveled Thursday evening to a fundraiser in Manhattan that was planned before the verdict, according to three people familiar with his plans who were note authorized to speak publicly.
He’s expected to appear Friday at Trump Tower and will continue fundraising next week. His campaign was already moving quickly to raise money off the verdict, issuing a pitch that called him a “political prisoner.”
The falsifying business records charges carry up to four years behind bars, though Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg would not say Thursday whether prosecutors intend to seek imprisonment, and it is not clear whether the judge — who earlier in the trial warned of jail time for gag order violations — would impose that punishment even if asked.
The conviction, and even imprisonment, will not bar Trump from continuing his White House pursuit.
Former President Donald Trump speaks to the media alongside his attorney Todd Blanche after the conclusion of his hush money trial in New York, Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Michael M. Santiago/Pool Photo via AP)
Trump faces three other felony indictments, but the New York case may be the only one to reach a conclusion before the November election, adding to the significance of the outcome. Though the legal and historical implications of the verdict are readily apparent, the political consequences are less so given its potential to reinforce rather than reshape already hardened opinions about Trump.
The case’s general allegations have also been known to voters for years and, while tawdry, are widely seen as less grievous than the allegations he faces in three other cases that charge him with subverting American democracy and mishandling national security secrets.
Ahead of the verdict, Trump’s campaign had argued that, no matter the jury’s decision, the outcome was unlikely to sway voters and that the election would be decided by issues such as inflation.
Even so, the verdict is likely to give President Joe Biden and fellow Democrats space to sharpen arguments that Trump is unfit for office, though the White House offered only a muted statement that it respected the rule of law. Conversely, the decision will provide fodder for the presumptive Republican nominee to advance his unsupported claims that he is victimized by a criminal justice system he insists is politically motivated against him.
Trump maintained throughout the trial that he had done nothing wrong and that the case should never have been brought, railing against the proceedings from inside the courthouse — where he was joined by a parade of high-profile Republican allies — and racking up fines for violating a gag order with inflammatory out-of-court comments about witnesses.
After the verdict, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche said in television news interviews that he did not believe Trump received a fair trial and that the team would appeal based on the judge’s refusal to recuse himself and because of what he suggested was excessive pretrial publicity.
Republicans showed no sign of loosening their embrace of the party leader, with House Speaker Mike Johnson lamenting what he called “a shameful day in American history.” He called the case “a purely political exercise, not a legal one.”
The first criminal trial of a former American president always presented a unique test of the court system, not only because of Trump’s prominence but also because of his relentless broadsides on the foundation of the case and its participants. But the verdict from the 12-person jury marked a repudiation of Trump’s efforts to undermine confidence in the proceedings or to potentially impress the panel with a show of GOP support.
“While this defendant may be unlike any other in American history, we arrived at this trial and ultimately today in this verdict in the same manner as every other case that comes through the courtroom doors, by following the facts and the law and doing so without fear or favor,” Bragg said after the verdict.
The trial involved charges that Trump falsified business records to cover up a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, the porn actor who said she had sex with the married Trump in 2006.
A demonstrator reacts to the guilty verdict announced against former President Donald Trump outside Manhattan Criminal Court, Thursday, May 30, 2024, (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
The $130,000 payment came from Trump’s former lawyer and personal fixer Michael Cohen to buy Daniels’ silence during the final weeks of the 2016 race in what prosecutors allege was an effort to interfere in the election. When Cohen was reimbursed, the payments were recorded as legal expenses, which prosecutors said was an unlawful attempt to mask the true purpose of the transaction.
Trump’s lawyers contend they were legitimate payments for legal services. He denied the sexual encounter, and his lawyers argued at trial that his celebrity status made him an extortion target.
Defense lawyers also said hush money deals to bury negative stories about Trump were motivated by personal considerations such as the impact on his family, not political ones. They also sought to undermine the credibility of Cohen, the star prosecution witness who pleaded guilty in 2018 to federal charges related to the payments, by suggesting he was driven by personal animus toward Trump and fame and money.
The trial featured weeks of occasionally riveting testimony that revisited an already well-documented chapter from Trump’s past. His 2016 campaign, threatened by the disclosure of an “Access Hollywood” recording that captured him talking about grabbing women sexually without their permission, also faced the prospect of other stories about Trump and sex surfacing that could have harmed his candidacy.
Trump did not testify, but jurors heard his voice through a secret recording of a conversation with Cohen in which he and the lawyer discussed a $150,000 hush money deal involving a Playboy model, Karen McDougal, who has said she had an affair with Trump. Trump denies that affair.
Daniels herself testified, offering a vivid recounting of the sexual encounter she says they had in a Lake Tahoe hotel suite. The former publisher of the National Enquirer, David Pecker, testified about how he worked to keep stories harmful to the Trump campaign from becoming public at all, including by having his company buy McDougal’s story.
Jurors also heard from Keith Davidson, the lawyer who negotiated the hush money payments on behalf of Daniels and McDougal. He detailed the tense negotiations to get both women compensated for their silence but also faced aggressive questioning from a Trump attorney who noted Davidson had helped broker similar hush money deals in cases involving other prominent figures.
The most pivotal witness, by far, was Cohen, who during days of testimony gave an insider’s view of the hush money scheme and what he said was Trump’s detailed knowledge of it.
“Just take care of it,” he quoted Trump as saying.
He offered jurors the most direct link between Trump and the heart of the charges, recounting a meeting in which a plan to have Cohen reimbursed in monthly installments for legal services was discussed.
And he emotionally described his dramatic break with Trump in 2018, when he began cooperating with prosecutors after a decade-long career as the then-president’s personal fixer.
“To keep the loyalty and to do the things that he had asked me to do, I violated my moral compass, and I suffered the penalty, as has my family,” Cohen said.
The case, though criticized by some legal experts who called it the weakest of the prosecutions against Trump, took on added importance not only because it proceeded to trial first but also because it could be the only only one to reach a jury before the election.
The other three — local and federal cases in Atlanta and Washington alleging that he conspired to overturn the 2020 election, as well as a federal indictment in Florida charging him with illegally hoarding top-secret records — are bogged down by delays or appeals.
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Michael R. Sisak, Jennifer Peltz, Eric Tucker, Jill Colvin and Michelle L. Price reported from New York. Ruth Brown, Joseph B. Frederick, John Minchillo, Mary Conlon, Ted Shaffrey, Cedar Attanasio, Julie Walker, Seth Wenig and Julia Nikhinson in New York and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington contributed to this report.
