Mrs. Hla Hla Win, a Myanmar national, admitted to stealing the three tourists' cash and spent 140,000 baht on gold jewels.
PHUKET – Police at Patong Police Station in Phuket Province detained a 27-year-old hotel housekeeper on suspicion of snatching three foreign tourists’ cash to buy gold. The evidence consisted of two gold necklaces, two gold bracelets, and two gold rings.
The three foreigners were staying at a hotel in Patong Subdistrict, and on December 27, 2023. A third foreign tourist found that US$700 had gone missing from his or her room. Then, on January 6, two more foreign visitors, who were siblings, discovered that their money, worth 55,000 baht (1,575 U.S.dollars) each, had also been missing.
A Myanmar housekeeper admits to stealing the three tourists’ cash.
When police investigators arrived to examine this hotel on the evening of January 11, they spotted Mrs. Hla Hla Win, a Myanmar national, acting strangely. She rushed away behind the hotel. The police followed up and apprehended her.
She admitted to stealing the three tourists’ cash. She then spent 140,000 baht on gold jewels.
They arrested the suspect, who was charged with theft, and delivered evidence to investigators at Patong Police Station for prosecution.
Former leader of Move Forward Party Pita Limjaroenrat talks to The Associated Press during an interview at Parliament in Bangkok, Thailand Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
BANGKOK (AP) — Eight months ago, Pita Limjaroenrat shook up Thai politics by leading his progressive party to a stunning first-place finish in the 2023 general election, putting him in a good position to be named the country’s next prime minister.
But he had a change of fortune. Now Pita’s fighting an uphill battle just to retain his seat in Parliament, from which he has already been suspended.
He was denied the prime minister’s job when he failed to get the necessary approval from the Senate, whose members were appointed by the military and given power to choose a prime minister according to the constitution that was adopted in 2017 under a military government. Pita’s Move Forward party now heads the opposition. He is no longer party chief, and later in January the Constitutional Court will rule whether he violated election regulations and should be expelled from the lawmaking body.
Pita Limjaroenrat, left, the leader of Move Forward Party and top winner in the May’s general election attends a meeting at Parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
While Pita is far from despairing over the turn of events, he acknowledged in an interview Thursday with The Associated Press that his post-election life has been like “riding a roller coaster.”
The 43-year-old Harvard-educated businessman described his setbacks as just a detour, and is sticking to his goal of reforming Thailand. He vows to continue to speak on behalf of people across the country.
“Even if I don’t have the authority to lead, I felt like I still have the legitimacy to lead,” he said, adding that he owes 14 million people — the number of voters who cast their ballots for his party — for the trust they placed in him.
Pita said his proudest achievement is making people believe in a new future for Thailand, “to be able to look people in the eye and to prove to them that there are ways the country can be changed.” He takes as an example his party and himself, political rookies whose three-year-old party topped the polls in their first general election.
Despite the legal jeopardy he is in, with his party also facing battles in the courts, Pita said he’s already looking forward to the next election.
Former leader of Move Forward Party Pita Limjaroenrat talks to The Associated Press during an interview at Parliament in Bangkok, Thailand Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
“It might be two, three years, depending on the government’s performance. Then I’ll come back and become the prime minister or candidate for the next election, because the goal or the endgame for me is to show the world that (an) alternative Thailand is possible, and to be the undisputed leader in the democratic force in the region.”
He said he has learned his lesson from watching former ally and second-place election finisher Pheu Thai party — Move Forward’s main partner in its hoped-for ruling coalition — instead break away and carry off the prize of forming a new government.
“I forgive, but I won’t forget,” Pita said, disavowing any antagonism toward Pheu Thai. “I’ll make sure that if it happens to me the second time, then I know how to adapt myself … to future negotiations.”
Recent polls suggest that the popularity of Pita and his party remain strong among Thai voters. A poll carried out in December by the National Institute of Development Administration found that nearly 40% of its respondents want Pita to be a prime minister, and 44% give their support to Move Forward. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and the Pheu Thai party registered 22% and 24% approval ratings.
Pita’s more immediate challenge comes on Jan. 24, when the Constitutional Court will decide if he violated election regulations due to his ownership in shares of ITV, the defunct operator of an independent television station. He could be disqualified from his seat in Parliament if the court rules against him.
Candidates are prohibited from owning shares in any media company at the time of an election. Pita says the number of shares was insignificant, and that he held them only as executor of his late father’s estate. ITV stopped broadcasting in 2007.
Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of Move Forward Party and top winner in the May’s general election shows the lawmaker ID during a meeting at Parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Pita’s supporters have criticized the case as a dirty trick that has long been used by the ruling establishment, by utilizing courts and nominally independent state agencies such as the Election Commission to issue rulings to hamper or oust political opponents.
Pita said he’s confident he’ll win — but even if he loses, his political journey will go on.
He said he is hopeful that change will inevitably come, but it will be a struggle. The conservative forces had held power for 10 years, beginning with an army coup in 2014, and they are not going to give it up without fighting back, he pointed out.
Progressives can say that time is on their side, but everything else is on the side of the traditional establishment, said Pita.
“We’ve got to give it all we’ve got, and we can be hopeful that finally the progressive movement will inevitably win here in Thailand, but you can never be careless. There’s always mechanisms, invisible hands that resist change,” he said.
___
Jintamas Saksornchai reported from Bangkok. Associated Press video journalist Jerry Harmer contributed to this report.
FILE : The 14th floor of the police hospital where Thaksin Shinawatra’s detention room is located
BANGKOK – Although he has disappeared from society since returning to Thailand to serve a one-year prison sentence, former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra remains at the center of political news in Thailand.
This week, Thaksin has hit the headlines again as the Department of Corrections issued a press release stating that the consideration of allowing Thaksin to receive medical treatment beyond the 120-day period from August 23, 2023 is in accordance with the law.
Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, second left, walks with his son Panthongtae, his daughters Pinthongta and Paetongtarn, second right, as he arrives at Don Muang airport in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
“The Director-General of the Department of Corrections approved, on January 8, 2024, to keep Mr. Thaksin in the police hospital for medical treatment as he still has a medical condition that requires close monitoring. In case of complications or life-threatening conditions, immediate treatment will be provided,” the statement said.
On January 12, Chaichana Detdecho, Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party and Chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs, visited the Police Hospital together with Tipa Paweenasatien, a Move Forward MP from Lampang, after repeatedly expressing their dissatisfaction with the Department of Corrections and the hospital in relation to Thaksin.
Chaichana and the delegation reached the 14th floor of the 88-year-old Bhumibol Rajanusorn building where Thaksin is being held, but due to privacy laws, they were not granted permission to visit him.
The head nurse, who met with the delegation committee in the lift, stated that Thaksin is cared for by junior nurses. He has a leaky heart and rarely receives visits from relatives.
After the visit, Chaichana stated in an interview that he encountered eight Department of Corrections officers and hospital staff on the premises. He also learned from the hospital staff that Thaksin is the only inmate who stays there overnight, while others are treated and return in the morning and evening.
On January 12, Chaichana Detdecho, Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party and Chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs, visited the Police Hospital in Bangkok on January 12, 2024.
The control method for inmates who stay overnight requires prison officers to change shifts every 24 hours. During this time, they must report to their superiors every two hours and take photos of the room in which the inmate is staying. The room is not locked so that the officers can enter and leave it at any time.
Chaichana also mentioned that he would like to ask Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to use the 2 million used for the Prime Minister’s international trip to repair the surveillance cameras in the building, which have not been working for several years, both in the building and in the surrounding area.
The royalists and anti-Thaksin protesters reunite.The Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand also announced they will assemble again outside the Government House on January 24, 2024.
On Friday, the royalists and anti-Thaksin protesters including Tul Sittisomwong has joined protest with the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand. Tul denounce what he said was the government’s preferential treatment towards Thaksin. They will camp near the Government House until Sunday, January 14.
The Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand also announced they will assemble again outside the Government House on January 24, the first night PM Srettha will be sleeping at his office.
The Prime Minister said he believes the police can handle these anti-Thaksin protesters.
NONTHABURI – Immigration police officers, in cooperation with Nonthaburi provincial police, have successfully arrested a group of foreign nationals involved in an illegal loan business and clandestine transportation of foreign persons. The raid aims to enforce the law in controlling foreign nationals residing in the Kingdom.
Authorities announced on Thursday the arrest of Mr. A, a 39-year-old Indian national suspected of being connected to the loan sharking scheme. He was taken into custody for further interrogation at Bang Sri Muang Police Station. At the same time, legal proceedings will be initiated against him for overstaying his visa for more than 2,366 days.
The investigation revealed that Mr. A belonged to a group of Indian nationals who offered loans in Thailand. A Thai woman who ran a market stall borrowed 3,000 baht from Mr. A’s group without proper documentation.
The officers arrested Mr. B on charges of lending money to others at a rate higher than the legal interest rate.
However, they verbally agreed to repay the debt daily at 150 baht per day, which added up to 3,600 baht over 24 consecutive days. This equated to an interest rate of 20 percent over 24 days (25 percent per month or 300 percent per year), exceeding the legal limit.
The Indian nationals collected interest payments in advance from the Thai woman, either daily in cash or by transfer to the account of another Indian national, Mr. B, who is also 39 years old.
Pol. Maj. Phak Sriwanich, the chief of immigration police in Nonthaburi, stated that investigations revealed that the modus operandi of the Indian group was to approach marketplaces on motorcycles, hold conversations and offer loans. On December 21, 2023, the officers arrested Mr. B. when the foreign creditor arrived at the victim’s market stall to collect cash.
During the subsequent investigation at Mr. B’s home, bank accounts were found that were used for credit transfers and matched the Thai woman’s account, as well as ATM cards used to withdraw cash that came from credit proceeds.
The officers arrested Mr. B on charges of ‘lending money to others at a rate higher than the legal interest rate’ and ‘working without a work permit.’ This led to the extensive investigation that eventually led to Mr. A’s arrest in January 2024.”
NAKHON PATHOM – Cyber Police and Nakhon Pathom Police have arrested Mr. Tawan Boonyakate, also known as “M Sai Lon,” the administration who managed over 100 LINE groups with more than 10,000 members, mostly involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM) with Thai and foreign children.
The investigation was conducted by Thailand’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau. They discovered an advertisement in which people were enticed to join a secret group that distributed CSAM via the LINE application. A member must pay an initiation fee of 200 baht and an additional 50 baht per month to access the content.
A secret group distributed CSAM via the LINE application.
The administrator, identified as Mr. Tawan, is a 30-year-old resident of Samut Sakhon Province who works in a factory in the Pho Kaew area of Sam Phran district, Nakhon Pathom Province. He had a previous conviction in 2017 for a similar offence involving children under the age of 15. The police suspected Mr. Tawan of suffering from “paedophilia.”
After the authorities obtained a search warrant, they raided his home on the morning of January 11, 2024, which led to his arrest.
He admitted that he had been involved in such activities for several years and had worked with others before eventually forming his own secret group. He also had approached several children to produce CSAM, but claimed that no victims had fallen prey to his attempts.
After the authorities obtained a search warrant, they raided his home on the morning of January 11, 2024, which led to his arrest.
The police seized his two cell phones during the search, both of which contained the LINE application and 119 LINE groups with a total of 17,191 members. The groups shared more than 17,000 CSAM files.
Mr. Tawan was charged with “importing or transferring obscene and publicly accessible computer data into the computer system under the Computer Crime Act, possessing obscene media with children for one’s own sexual exploitation or sexual exploitation of others under the Penal Code Section 281/1, trafficking or by trafficking for distribution, production, possession, import or export or distribution by any means of obscene media with children under the Penal Code Section 287/2.”
( left) Paul Wong Chee Kin, President and Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Thai , (right) Bundit) Jiamanukoonkit, CEO of Prudential Thailand
CIMB Thai establishes strategic partnership with Prudential Thailand for the distribution of life Bancassurance products.
Strategic partnership combinesCIMB Thai’sgrowing customer base and distribution network with Prudential Thailand’s product innovation and digital capabilities to deliver market–leadinglife insurance offerings.
CIMB Thai Bank Public Company Limited (“CIMB Thai” or “the Bank”), the Thai banking franchise of CIMB Group Holdings Berhad (“CIMB Group”), is pleased to announce it has entered a strategic bancassurance partnership with Prudential Life Assurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited (“Prudential Thailand”), a subsidiary of Prudential plc and one of the leading life insurance service providers in Thailand. Under this arrangement, CIMB Thai will distribute Prudential Thailand’s life insurance products to the Bank’s customers through its distribution network across Thailand over a period of 10 years.
Through this bancassurance partnership, CIMB Thai’s consumer banking customers will gain access to Prudential Thailand’s best-in-class suite of life insurance solutions, across the Bank’s network of 54 branches as well as its digital and mobile banking platforms.
Tan Keat Jin, Head of Consumer Banking, CIMB Thai, said: “The establishment of this partnership will allow us to focus on the development of innovative solutions to fulfill the protection and retirement needs of Thailand’s growing affluent segment, while supporting them at every stage of their lives. Both CIMB Thai and Prudential Thailand also share a common ambition to deliver the best-in-class digital bancassurance experience to customers, and remain committed to the continued enhancements of our digital platforms and capabilities in providing a comprehensive and competitive offering.”
Paul Wong Chee Kin, President and Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Thai, said, “The bancassurance business will continue to be one of the strategic drivers of the Bank’s growth over the long term. This partnership combines CIMB Thai’s leading wealth management franchise with the insurance and asset management expertise of Prudential Thailand, an established and prominent global brand.”
“We look forward to collaborating with Prudential Thailand and I am confident that through our distinctive strengths, we can deliver sustainable long-term value to our customers, shareholders, employees, and other key stakeholders,” he added.
Bundit (Kenny) Jiamanukoonkit, CEO of Prudential Thailand, said, “It is a great pleasure that, today, we have partnered with another strong bancassurance partner in Thailand, CIMB Thai of CIMB Group, which is well-known as a leading bank in the ASEAN region. Prudential has more than 175 years of business experience covering the life insurance and asset management businesses. With the extensive know-how, expertise, and strong financial position of both companies, I believe this partnership will help CIMB Thai’s individual and auto-financing customers access a variety of insurance plans and services easier, with increased service efficiency better customer experience and convenience
“In addition to the inclusive financial & insurance solutions, Prudential Thailand will also provide comprehensive customer service – through various digital platforms, streamlined approval processes, and policy services facilitated by PRUServices@Pulse and PRUConnect. These are offerings that will be extended to CIMB Thai’s customers to connect to Prudential’s services anywhere, anytime,” said Bundit (Kenny) Jiamanukoonkit.
CIMB Thai will collaborate closely with Prudential Thailand to provide a full suite of life bancassurance, wealth and retirement products to serve the savings and protection needs of Thai customers. These products will be distributed through the Bank’s branches and sales force nationwide, supported by the latest digital tools and processes.
RecFaces, a tech innovation-centered Facial Biometrics provider, has officially unveiled its flagship Facial Recognition software products for facial recognition using the video stream Id-Guard, allowing businesses and corporate enterprises to protect their staff, business premises and sensitive data and technology from intruders or unauthorized users.
Facial Recognition technology has been successfully applied at critical infrastructure transportation hubs in some of the biggest cities in Asia-Pacific, and also in South America and the Middle East.
Facial Recognition solutions offer a specialized plug-in integration with the Pelco VideoXpert video management system, so the system provides real-time subway and airport security to protect citizens from people who seek to do harm at these critical infrastructure points. This also makes it adaptive, easy to implement and very effective for businesses looking for a fully-digitalized private security solution to protect staff, offices, warehouses and server rooms.
Among the popular functions actively used are identification of red-risk (or previously digitally blacklisted individuals) in the video stream, instant notification to guard officers, searches by photo and verbal description, as well as light-touch functional analysis of statistics on visitors for commercial purposes.
So, for example, this data capture can be used in targeting digital billboard ads on stations which are relevant to passengers at given times of the day, so could be based on the number of service users by most significant modal age demographic versus time of day.
Protect your business, your premises and your staff with Facial Biometric security
RecFaces recently joined Thailand Smart City Expo 2023 hosted at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center to raise awareness of the importance of protecting personal private data in the age of AI and ubiquitous cameras.
The Expo featured conferences and seminars on “Smart and Safe Life with AI,” “Building Resilient Smart Cities” and “Smart KPI”; and so RecFaces’ facial recognition tech, which has been adopted by private enterprises and authorities worldwide, is a valuable tool in protecting and cities of tomorrow that benefit people and secure the privacy of citizens.
“We take pride in every project our partners undertake, especially when we receive positive feedback from our customers each year,” said Valeria Lapteva, Business Development Director, APAC Region. “Our software not only works stably at critical infrastructure facilities, but also has its own self-learning system. In other words, identification accuracy increases over time. And our technical support remotely solves technical issues that arise in operation.”
What does Facial Biometrics or Facial Recognition software actually do?
“Biometrics” refers to the measurement and statistical analysis of people’s unique physical and behavioral characteristics. These characteristics are used to identify individuals or verify their identity for the purpose of appropriate access to a specific area; or for more general security in corporate environments, such as where careful recording of those who access servers in a server room or biohazards in a laboratory, for example, is especially important.
Consumers will be very familiar with several forms of this technology already; fingerprint recognition, as people enter their office or workplace every day; voice recognition, for the operation of entertainment devices at home, and signature recognition, which can be very useful to banks which are constantly trying to protect the accounts of their customers from fraud and unwarranted access.
Facial Recognition technology is used in various applications, including security systems, access control, mobile devices, and public surveillance. Facial recognition is a specific form of biometrics that focuses on identifying or verifying individuals based on their facial features. The process involves capturing an image or video of a person’s face, extracting key features, and comparing those features to a database of known faces.
RecFaces offers best-in-class facial biometrics solutions that provide expertise in managing business tasks with speed and efficiency. Its user-friendly interface for facial recognition technology allows seamless integration with familiar information systems, ensuring effortless operation for their users. Whether through their own interface or integration with existing systems, solutions are designed to streamline operations and enhance productivity. It offers a ready-made solution which can be installed in as little as 20 minutes, and is designed for staff to find it easy-to-use from day one.
RecFaces
How is personal data protected when faces are recognized?
Facial Biometric systems capture and store characteristics in a database and use them for identity verification when needed.
It’s important to understand that this data is held by the business using the technology, not the security/software tool provider. Since the consumer has entrusted the bank, airline, insurer, hotel or entertainment venue with their appropriate use of their private data, the fact that RecFaces does not record or keep any citizen data on its systems means that the customer enjoying using a service can do so in the same way – safe in the knowledge that their data is sheltered and is being used appropriately.
Valeria Lapteva led the RecFaces team during their recent visit to Thailand, stating that this trip represented a significant endeavor which she hoped would prove to be a testament to RecFaces’ dedication to improving security for businesses in Thailand; businesses which have a need to protect sensitive data (e.g.- hospitals) or restrict access to create safe environments for everyone (e.g.- schools).
“Companies in Thailand now have a unique opportunity to see software based on Facial Recognition technology in action – and also how easy it is to learn and use for new customers implementing the solution, which protects their loyal service user’s personal private data,” concluded Valeria.
Would you like to get certified as a Facial Recognition Technologist or Trial the Software for your own Business?
RecFaces is one of the leaders in developing ready-to-use software products with facial recognition functions. RecFaces develops off-the-shelf solutions that help to quickly increase the efficiency of VMS, ACS, as well as ERP, CRM, and time tracking systems. RecFaces’ solutions are based on a highly accurate facial recognition algorithm. RecFaces has a range of ready-made integrations with leading security system products, which helps to quickly deploy solutions on any customer equipment.
Our software allows businesses to quickly, securely, and accurately identify and verify the identity of employees, customers, and visitors.
The quality of RecFaces’ off-the-shelf solutions is confirmed by numerous installations worldwide, including the MENA, APAC, and LATAM regions. Together with our global partners, we provide solutions for security, finance, transportation, retail, and other industries, providing free demo versions and training on company products.
Address: Dubai Internet City Building 3, Dubai, UAE Website: https://recfaces.com
The accident happened at the corner of an alley on Thepkrasattri Road, Mai Khao Subdistrict, Thalang District, Phuket Province, on January 11, 2024.
PHUKET – A truck hit a male foreigner’s motorcycle, killed him, and fled on Thepkrasattri Road, inbound to the city entrance to Soi Luan In, Village No. 1, Mai Khao Subdistrict, Thalang District, Phuket Province, at 7:30 p.m. on January 11.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Sornthip Chukaew, an investigating inspector from the Tha Chatchai Police Station, and rescue workers went to investigate. Mr. Gregory Ludwig, 60, an American man, was discovered dead at the corner of an alley, near a gold-coloured Suzuki motorcycle, so a forensic doctor was sent to perform the autopsy.
The accident happened at the corner of an alley on Thepkrasattri Road, Mai Khao Subdistrict, Thalang District, Phuket Province, on January 11, 2024.
According to the investigation, an American was riding a motorcycle and left the hotel where he worked as director of recreation in the Mai Khao subdistrict to return to his city residence. When he arrived at the site, which was the entrance to the alley, he rode straight until a truck turned a broad curve in front of him, causing him to fall. The truck even stepped on his head, causing his death.
The truck abruptly fled into the building under construction, where land was filling within the alley.
Police officers will coordinate with the Mai Khao Subdistrict Administrative Organisation to inspect CCTV cameras at various locations in order to track down the driver of the truck and proceed with legal action. They will also contact the U.S. Embassy to inform the deceased’s family.
Protestors watch South African legal adviser John Dugard on a large video screen, as they follow the hearings during a demonstration march outside the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A continent away from the war in Gaza, South Africa accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians and pleaded with the United Nations’ top court on Thursday to urgently order a halt to the country’s military operation. Israel has vehemently denied the allegations.
South African lawyers said during the opening arguments that the latest Gaza war is part of a decadeslong oppression of the Palestinians by Israel.
They asked judges to impose binding preliminary orders on Israel, including an immediate halt to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
“Genocides are never declared in advance, but this court has the benefit of the past 13 weeks of evidence that shows incontrovertibly a pattern of conduct and related intention that justifies as a plausible claim of genocidal acts,” South African lawyer Adila Hassim told the judges and audience in the packed, ornate room of the Peace Palace in The Hague.
“Nothing will stop the suffering except an order from this court,” she said.
And South Africa insisted Israel committed genocide by design.
Protestors hold hands and signs as they march during a demonstration outside the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
“The scale of destruction in Gaza, the targeting of family homes and civilians, the war being a war on children, all make clear that genocidal intent is both understood and has been put into practice. The articulated intent is the destruction of Palestinian life,” said lawyer Tembeka Ngcukaitobi.
“What state would admit to a genocidal intent? Yet the distinctive feature of this case has not been the silence as such, but the reiteration and repetition of genocidal speech throughout every sphere of the state in Israel,” he said.
Ahead of the proceedings, hundreds of pro-Israeli protesters marched close to the courthouse with banners saying “Bring them home,” referring to the hostages held by Hamas since it attacked Israel on Oct. 7. Among the crowds, people held Israeli and Dutch flags.
At a separate demonstration nearby, pro-Palestinians protesters waved flags saying: “End Israeli Apartheid Free Palestine” and chanting “Netanyahu criminal” and “Ceasefire now!”
The dispute strikes at the heart of Israel’s national identity as a Jewish state created in the aftermath of the Nazi genocide in the Holocaust, during which 6 million Jews were murdered.
It also evokes issues central to South Africa’s own identity: Its governing party, the African National Congress, has long compared Israel’s policies in Gaza and the West Bank to its own history under the apartheid regime of white minority rule, which restricted most Blacks to “homelands” before ending in 1994.
In a sign of how seriously Israel is taking the accusation, although it normally considers U.N. and international tribunals unfair and biased, it has sent a strong legal team to defend its military operation launched in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks.
A decision on the request for so-called “provisional measures” will likely take weeks. The case is likely to last years.
While Israel has vehemently denied the allegations and is unlikely to comply with any order from the court to halt operations, it likely fears that any such order would be a blow to its international standing.
Israel’s lawyers will address the court Friday.
Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to the Netherlands Vusimuzi Madonsela, front right, and Minister of Justice and Correctional Services of South Africa Ronald Lamola, front second right, during the opening of the hearings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
South Africa immediately sought to broaden the case beyond the narrow confines of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
“The violence and the destruction in Palestine and Israel did not begin on Oct. 7, 2023. The Palestinians have experienced systematic oppression and violence for the last 76 years,” said South African Justice Minister Ronald Lamola.
South Africa argued that Israel’s actions in Gaza are an inevitable party of its history since it declared independence in 1948.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a video statement Wednesday night defending his country’s actions and insisted they had nothing to do with genocide.
“Israel has no intention of permanently occupying Gaza or displacing its civilian population,” he said. “Israel is fighting Hamas terrorists, not the Palestinian population, and we are doing so in full compliance with international law.”
He said the Israeli military is “doing its utmost to minimize civilian casualties, while Hamas is doing its utmost to maximize them by using Palestinian civilians as human shields.”
About two-thirds of the dead in Gaza are women and children, health officials say. The death toll does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
“Mothers, fathers, children, siblings, grandparents, aunts, cousins are often all killed together. This killing is nothing short of destruction of Palestinian life. It is inflicted deliberately. No one is spared. Not even newborn babies,” said Hassim.
Finding food, water, medicine and working bathrooms has become a daily struggle for Palestinians living in Gaza. Last week, the U.N. humanitarian chief called Gaza “uninhabitable” and said, “People are facing the highest levels of food insecurity ever recorded (and) famine is around the corner.”
Israel itself has always focused attention on the Oct. 7 attacks themselves, when Hamas fighters stormed through several communities in Israel and killed some 1,200 people, mainly civilians. They abducted around 250 others, nearly half of whom have been released.
FILE – Injured Palestinians arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, central Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Abed Khaled, File)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken dismissed the case as “ meritless ” during a visit to Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
“It is particularly galling, given that those who are attacking Israel — Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, as well as their supporter Iran — continue to call for the annihilation of Israel and the mass murder of Jews,” he said.
The world court, which rules on disputes between nations, has never judged a country to be responsible for genocide. The closest it came was in 2007 when it ruled that Serbia “violated the obligation to prevent genocide” in the July 1995 massacre by Bosnian Serb forces of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the Bosnian enclave of Srebrenica.
The International Criminal Court, based a few miles (kilometers) away in The Hague, prosecutes individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
The case revolves around the genocide convention that was drawn up in 1948 in the aftermath of World War II and the murder of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust. Both Israel and South Africa are signatories.
Israel is back on the International Court of Justice’s docket next month, when hearings open into a U.N. request for a non-binding advisory opinion on the legality of Israeli policies in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
PM Srettha Thavisin visits the Chang Phueak Street Food Market in Chiang Mai Province on January10, 2024.
BANGKOK – Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s digital wallet project, due to be launched in May this year, is still a hotly debated political issue on the question, “Is the Thai economy facing a crisis?”
After the State Council sent a statement to the government on January 8, 2024 that it can issue a draft loan of 500 billion baht, but with some caveats and suggestions, including the need for the government to demonstrate the urgent need for the loan in accordance with financial regulations.
This statement by the Council of State prompted the opposition parties to attack the government and call on the government to stop pursuing the project.
The Move Forward Party argues that the country’s economy is not in such a crisis that the project is necessary, while the Democratic Party is against large loans. Some senators appointed by the military junta also believe that the borrowing will lead to indebtedness for the people.
What is a crisis economy?
Sirikanya Tansakul, the deputy leader of the Move Forward Party, has been giving daily interviews emphasizing that there is no sign of a crisis in the country’s economy as the constitution stipulates that the government can only implement a project during a severe economic crisis if it cannot be funded through normal budgets.
Sirikanya Tansakul, the deputy leader of the Move Forward Party
“I think we need to define what a crisis economy looks like. What are the indicators? To be accepted by all, we need to see what methods the government is using to come up with the idea that our country is in crisis,” Sirikanya said on Thursday, January 11.
She also said that the chances of passing the 500-million-baht bill will gradually dwindle if the different agencies fail to come to a common clarification. Even if the bill passes the House of Representatives, it still has to go through the Senate. Not to mention that there are many other authorities, including the usual petitioners, who want to appeal to the Constitutional Court. It is therefore doubtful whether the law will be finalized by May.
The boiling frog economy
Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who is also Commerce Minister, said the crisis is an issue that must be resolved together. Otherwise, it will become a debate between political parties. He mentioned that a party that wants to push the digital wallet project will say that the country is in crisis and vice versa.
“All parties need to tell the truth, adding that if you want to know if a country is in crisis, go to the market and ask people,” he said.
Thai omelette and rice, a popular and affordable dish for the working class, is still selling at 25 baht at an unnamed soi opposite Chatuchak Park on January 11, 2024.
Dr. Phrommin Lertsuridej, the Prime Minister’s Secretary, stated the economy is in a constant crisis, like a boiling frog that will float there quite placidly until you can’t feel it. But when you are aware of it, there will already be a problem.
He divided the economic situation into three stages. 1. The country’s export figures have begun to decline since 2007, prior to the pandemic. 2. During the epidemic, Thailand’s economy has seen the worst decline and is growing at the slowest rate in the region. 3. Currently, inflation is declining but interest rates are rising. Thailand has expanded unevenly.
“The amount of household debt has increased steadily over the past 10 years, from 70% of GDP to 91.6% of GDP, showing that poor people are getting poorer and poorer,” he added. “When looking at the total data, it may be unclear. However, there are folks who are in danger. If you ask the majority of the country’s citizens, you’ll discover that they are in difficulties. It is thus considered a crisis.”
Low potential economic growth
At the House of Representatives meeting to consider the draft budget for 2024 in early January, opposition MPs criticized the government for the digital wallet project, which was not included in the draft budget. Instead, it was issued as a separate borrowing bill, even though the Pheu Thai Party had said during the election that it would not borrow money for the project.
Prime Minister Srettha clarified in Parliament that he had listened to the opinions of all parties and followed the advice of Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput, the Governor of the Bank of Thailand (BoT), to enact a law and listen to the opinions of all parties, including the Council of State, Danucha Pitchayanun, the Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council, experts and all members of the Digital Wallet Committee.
Earlier, the Prime Minister had commented on Thailand’s economy, which needed a strong boost as the World Bank predicted in its 2023 report that Thailand’s potential economic growth would be the lowest among ASEAN economies over the next 20 years due to an aging population, lower private investment and lower labor productivity.
Isan people expect a digital wallet
According to a survey of public opinion in 20 northeastern provinces (Isan Poll) conducted during January 5-8 by the Centre for Business and Economic Research of Isan, or ECBER, Faculty of Economics, Khon Kaen College, 52.3 percent of 1,102 respondents believed the project would be successful, 28.3 percent believed it would not be successful, and 19.4 percent were not sure.
When asked what they would do with 10,000 baht in digital currency, 53.3 percent said they would use it to buy personal items and food, followed by 19.7 percent who said they would use it to buy items and equipment to start a career and generate income, and 13 percent who said they would use it to buy appliances and furniture.
