Dhanin Chearavanont Backs Digital Wallets to Boost Economy

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19 November 2023, 05:35

dhanin1 — Dhanin Chearavanont, senior chairman of Charoen Pokphand

BANGKOK – Dhanin Chearavanont, senior chairman of Thailand’s largest private company, Charoen Pokphand, said he supports the government plan to distribute a 10,000-baht digital wallet initiative and agrees that the government must adopt unconventional approaches to promote the economy.

A Thai billionaire businessman stated during a special lecture on “90 years of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the development of the Thai economy” at the BITEC Exhibition and Convention Centre (BITEC), Bangkok, that the world economy is not normal and is entering a crisis.

“I am confident that the government, led by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who arrived on time to address economic concerns,” he stated.

According to a significant businessman, all business people must speak out and explain that the digital wallet program is not a measure to help the poor. However, it is a measure to stimulate the economy amid difficult times. He also supported measures to suspend farmer debt, which is a beneficial idea that will help farmers earn more money.

dhanin3 copy — The event “90 years of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the development of the Thai economy” is held at the BITEC Exhibition and Convention Centre (BITEC), Bangkok, on November 18, 2023.

He stated that these two measures will not cause Thailand to lose fiscal discipline, as Thailand presently ranks among the top in the world in terms of financial discipline, with debt to GDP at only 61%, while other countries such as the United States have 100% debt to GDP.

“Today, the government must stimulate the economy in the short, medium, and long terms because our fiscal discipline remains strong.” Don’t be afraid of high inflation. I believe that deflation is more hazardous, like when low blood pressure causes the heart to stop beating and the Thai economy to fail. However, if inflation is severe, it is similar to high blood pressure in that it can be treated with medication.”

Dhanin concluded by saying that Thailand and the other ASEAN countries remain attractive to global investors because their economies can still grow, they have good security, and there is no conflict here.

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Wildlife Officers Hunt Lopburi’s Spreading Green Iguanas

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18 November 2023, 22:28

LOPBURI – The discovery of a significant number of green iguanas in Khao Phraya Doenthong commune, Moo 3, Phatthananikom, Lopburi province, has caused concern among local residents by feeding on agricultural crops and experts warn that they carry salmonella.

Officials from the Wildlife Protection Department and the No Hunting Zone in Pasak Cholasit Dam, Lopburi province, conducted an investigation in the area of Nong Krading, Moo 1, Phatthananikom, where several green iguanas were found in trees of various sizes.

Iguana1 — Several green iguanas were found in trees of various sizes.

The officers worked together on November 16-17 to capture the iguanas and bring them to the Wildlife Rescue Center in Nakhon Nayok.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) classifies green iguanas as Group 1 animals that are subject to protection, according to Sutthipong Kamthaptim, head of the Wildlife Conservation Division, Area Management Branch 1, Saraburi.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), iguanas are among the most endangered animals in the world.

If residents manage to catch an iguana, they are asked to contact the Department of National Parks at 1362 for further assistance. Owners of foreign wild animals cannot release them by law. The offence carries a 6-month prison sentence, a 50,000-baht fine, or both. If those who process foreign wild animals decide they no longer want to care for them, they must notify and deliver them to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation.

According to the residents, these iguanas have been in the area for over 10 years and are reproducing and growing naturally.

Boonna Yuchan, a 58-year-old resident of Khao Phraya Doenthong, mentioned that there have been no reported cases of disease from iguanas in the past 10 years. He admitted that the iguanas cause some damage to crops, vegetables and fruits as they mainly stay on different types of trees where they eat leaves and insects.

He finds the iguanas adorable and attractive to tourists who often take photos with them. He would like to see some iguanas preserved in this place.

Sunita Wingwon, a veterinarian, emphasized that the Salmonella bacteria found in the digestive tracts of green iguanas can be transmitted to humans through their feces, contaminating the environment, water, and soil. The symptoms in humans include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever.

However, people with strong immune systems may not experience severe symptoms or may recover on their own.

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Srettha: Wake Up And Do It, Not Just Dream To Be Mark Zuckerberg

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18 November 2023, 15:25

srettha thai community2 — Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin met with 180 representatives of the Thai community in the United States at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on November 17, 2023.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin met with 180 representatives of the Thai community in the United States on November 17 (U.S. time) during his visit to San Francisco to attend the annual APEC Summit.

The Prime Minister allowed representatives of the Thai community the opportunity to ask questions regarding a variety of problems, with one Thai student asking, “How can I be successful like the Prime Minister?” He responded by saying that two things must be done: work hard and be disciplined.

srettha thai community3 — Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin met with 180 representatives of the Thai community in the United States at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, San Francisco, on November 17, 2023.

He used his three children, who graduated from top universities (Oxford, Stanford, and Columbia), as an example, saying that he never gave his children studying commands; they understood his thinking from his eyes. He simply provided his children advice on working with strong words: “be a servant first” for the first three years indicates that you must work at a basic level and understand the system before becoming a boss.

When he received his master’s degree from abroad, he returned to Thailand and went to work like any other employee who had to clock in to work .

“Therefore, I want everyone to be aware that to be successful, not everyone will be like “Mark Zuckerberg. Only daydreaming will not get you anywhere. If I had to give advise, I would say that “wake up” is the thing that will make your dreams come true. “You have to wake up, get up, and do it,” the Prime Minister said.

srettha thai community — “If I had to give advise, I would say that “wake up” is the thing that will make your dreams come true. “You have to wake up, get up, and do it,” the Prime Minister said.

He also said he was constantly mocked by opponents for being the prime minister to create a future for Thai children and grandchildren, but his own two sons refused to return to Thailand. They are still working abroad.

“I try to laugh at this joke. But the truth is not bitter at all. I am glad that both of my children are happy to be living abroad and enjoying their freedom. Even as a parent I would like them to go back and live in Thailand. But it must be directly admitted that Thailand does not have a better offer. Even many people here, the government wants you to come back to work, to support the country. And this is the reason why I came to work in politics. Because I want to make the country better.” he said.

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Five Arrested For Running Fake Police Website Defrauding Scam Victims

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18 November 2023, 14:28

A police officer inspects cash and luxury items during a raid of a condominium unit in Bangkok belonging to one of the scammers on Nov. 14, 2023.

BANGKOK — Five people were arrested for allegedly running a fake police website that defrauded more than 1,000 cybercrime victims, police said Friday.

Central Investigations Bureau commander Jirapob Puridet said five suspects, including a Chinese and a Cambodian nationals, were arrested after police raided nine locations across the country. They were charged with fraud, importing fake information under the Computer Crime Act, involving in a transnational organized crime, and money laundering.

Pol. Lt. Gen. Jirapob said initial investigation found that the suspects scammed more than 1,000 people out of eight million baht in just two weeks, but the total damage is believed to run to billions of baht.

Under the scheme, scam victims were lured to a website pretending to be the homepage of the Central Investigations Bureau through a sponsored search result as they were trying to find the legitimate police website for filing a complaint online.

A link to a Line chat application account on the website then connected the victims to scammers, posing as lawyers, who instructed the victims to give out their personal information as part of the “consultation.”

Once the scammers got the information, they told the victims that their money was laundered in an “online gambling website,” created by the scammers, and they needed to create an account and place a bet in order to get their money back as the scammers claimed that they were able to “hack” the website.

Those who fell for the trick would then gamble more and more money in hope to get their money returned as the scammers pretended that they were able to “hack” the website and doubled the deposit for the victims. The victims never get their money back.

Apart from the fake police website, police said the suspects also operated a total of 98 fake websites, pretending to be online casinos, e-commerce platforms, financial services, cryptocurrency investment platforms, airlines, and a job search service. The websites were hosted in Thailand and ten of them were ordered to be shut down.

Police are still tracking down the remaining suspects, including a Chinese national who is believed to be the leader of the group, and Thai nationals who opened bank accounts used in the fraud.

One Of Four Taiwanese Murder Suspects Escaped Thailand

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18 November 2023, 13:58

cameroon myanmar — Zwe Lin Pyae, 21, a Myanmar man, and John Agbor, 40, a Cameroonian, were sent to the Phra Khanong Criminal Court on November 18, 2023.

BANGKOK – Following the case of Chu Chiang Shen, 48, a Taiwanese citizen, who was found tied up and beaten in his hotel room on November 16 in Bangkok’s Bang Na District, Zwe Lin Pyae, 21, a Myanmar man, and John Agbor, 40, a Cameroonian, were arrested by Bang Na police on November 18 and sent to the Phra Khanong Criminal Court to ask for detention for 12 days with an objection to bail due to the seriousness of the case.

During the questioning, a Burmese man confessed to killing a Taiwanese man, but the Cameroonian denies it. There are two other suspects: a Vanuatu-Iranian male who fled the country and a Thai woman from Ratchaburi province, for whom police have requested an arrest warrant.

cameroon myanmar2 — A Burmese man confessed to killing a Taiwanese man, but the Cameroonian denies it.

Mr. John’s wife told the press that her husband had known Mr. Chu for quite some time. When Chu visits to Thailand, they usually eat together. Chu introduced her husband to the Vanuatu suspect.

Her husband told the police that Vanuatu claimed Chu cheated him of his money. As a result, he urged her husband to act as an intermediary to assist. By the time the incident occurred, a Vanuatu man had contacted her husband and gone to the hotel to open Chu’s room door for him. The spouse then returned home and called to see if the conversation had gone well. Instead, a loud noise on the phone interrupted him. So he went back to the hotel.

“My husband saw that the Vanuatu man and the Myanmar man attacked and used pepper spray on Chu’s face. At that time, he didn’t notice that Chu was tied up. My husband tried to help Chu, but the Myanmar suspect told the police that my husband was trying to hurt Chu, which was definitely not true,” she said.

According to Pol. Maj. Gen. Teeradej Thammasutee, commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s Investigation Division, during the interrogation of the Myanmar suspect, it was discovered that the white suspect claimed to be an American, but he actually has two nationalities: Vanuatu and Iran. He had already departed the country following the incident, which officials will follow up on in the next international steps.

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Srettha Boosts Relations With Japan, Australia, Canada at APEC

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18 November 2023, 00:02

SAN FRANCISCO – During his attendance at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin of Thailand engaged in bilateral discussions with at least of three leaders from other nations.

On November 16, 2023, he had a bilateral meeting with Mr. Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia, who congratulated him on his assumption of office and expressed his readiness to continue working with Thailand as a strategic partner.

srettha aussie2 — Thailand’s PM Srettha Thavisin and Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia

According to Foreign Ministry, Australia underscored its commitment to engage with ASEAN under the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Both sides reiterated the special relations between Thailand and Australia from high-level to people-to-people ties. Both sides highlighted their Governments’ commitment to advance partnership on trade and investment, people-to-people exchange, as well as science, technology and innovation, for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

srettha aussie1 — Thailand’s PM Srettha Thavisin had a bilateral meeting with Australia’ PM Anthony Albanese.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister also reiterated his readiness to participate in ASEAN – Australia Special Summit on March 4 – 6 in Melbourne, Australia, during which he plans to discuss with the Australian private sector to ramp up trade and investment exchanges between Thailand and Australia.

In another bilateral meeting, PM Srettha met with the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Justin Trudeau.

The two Prime Ministers welcomed the positive momentum of partnership between Thailand and Canada and reiterated commitment to drive cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Among others, both sides will focus on promoting trade and investment, green energy transition, people-to-people exchanges through travel facilitation and education cooperation, and climate actions.

srettha trudeau1 — PM Srettha met with the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Justin Trudeau.

Earlier, a bilateral meeting between PM Srettha and the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, was held on November 15, 2023. Both sides emphasized readiness to enhance bilateral cooperation to advance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Thailand and Japan.

Both also agreed Thailand and Japan’s new economic policies are aligned in various aspects, such as digital economy, innovation, green economy, which will help broaden cooperation between two countries.

japan kishida1 — PM Srettha and the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida

Besides, both recognized that Thailand has been Japan’s regional electric vehicle (EV) production base, especially the transition from internal combustion engine vehicles to EV. Both also discussed short term visa exemption for business purpose to facilitate investment from both countries.

On this occasion, PM Srettha highlighted that the ASEAN-Japan Special Summit, hosted by Japan in December 2023, will be an opportunity to follow up on cooperation between Thailand and Japan, especially in automotive industry and green industry.

japan kishida2 — PM Srettha highlighted that the ASEAN-Japan Special Summit, hosted by Japan in December 2023 will be an opportunity to follow up on cooperation between Thailand and Japan.

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Miss Universe Owner Sells Again 60 Million of Her JKN Shares

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17 November 2023, 22:38

El Salvador Miss Universe Pageant — Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, owner of the Miss Universe Organization, arrives for the national costume competition at the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

BANGKOK – Ann Jakkraphong is currently chairing the 72nd Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador. However, the controversy surrounding her company, JKN, continues to make headlines in Thailand.

On November 17, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Thailand issued statistics indicating changes in executives’ holdings of securities and futures contracts, totaling 46 items. It was discovered that Jakkraphong Chakrajutathip, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Global Group Public Company Limited (JKN), sold shares of JKN in two transactions totaling 60 million shares.

Chakrapong "Anne" Chakrajutathib, CEO of JKN Global Group, poses during a press conference on Oct. 27, 2022. — Chakrapong “Anne” Chakrajutathib, CEO of JKN Global Group, poses during a press conference on Oct. 27, 2022.

Last time in September, Ann Jakkaphong and her sister sold nearly 100 million shares worth over 128.6 million baht. She explained that the sale of JKN shares was due to a forced sale triggered by a sharp drop in the share price of over 50 percent in two days. However, she still represents 38 percent of the total shares and remains the largest shareholder.

This time, the sale of such shares is likely to be valued at around 16 million baht. This is most likely a forced sale again as a result of having to pledge her own shares as security to borrow money from the broker.

In addition, on November 16, SET requires JKN to clarify the case that the directors were not invited to attend the Board of Directors’ meeting to vote for the petition for business rehabilitation.

On November 15, 2023, JKN announced the resignation of five directors, two of whom the directors gave the reason for their resignation: they were not invited to attend the Board of Directors’ meeting on November 7, 2023. On that day, it was resolved that the company would submit a request for business rehabilitation to the Central Bankruptcy Court.

Therefore, SET requires JKN to clarify and disclose information through SET’s Disclosure system within November 20, 2023 and recommends the investors to monitor thecompany’s clarification.

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CP Foods Collaborates with SeaBOS for Sustainable Seafood Production

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17 November 2023, 17:11

Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CP Foods) has reinforced its commitment to sustainable seafood production through its membership in SeaBOS, a global alliance of seafood industry leaders. At the 2023 SeaBOS Annual Conference in Busan, South Korea, CP Foods showcased its dedication to sharing knowledge and expertise in the responsible use of antimicrobials. This initiative aims to produce safe, residue-free seafood products.

Sujint Thammasart, DVM, Chief Operating Officer – Aquaculture Business of CP Foods, emphasized the company’s role as both a co-founder and a supporter of the SeaBOS taskforce on Responsible Antimicrobial Use. CP Foods is focused on transferring best practices in shrimp farming, promoting the responsible use of antimicrobials. This endeavor supports organizations within the SeaBOS network in enhancing seafood safety standards and fostering environmental and social sustainability. This aligns with CP Foods’ vision of becoming a sustainable “Kitchen of the World.”

CP Foods has implemented various technologies across its production processes. These include developing shrimp breeds with rapid growth, strong health, and high disease resistance, promoting cultivation in biosecure facilities, and using probiotics to boost shrimp immunity. The company has also enhanced water use efficiency and Biofloc, sharing these advancements with farmers.

“The SeaBOS network is dedicated to minimizing antibiotic usage in aquaculture, aligning with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. This effort aims to prevent antibiotic-resistant bacteria, ensuring a sustainable production system that balances the ecosystem and preserves natural food resources for future generations,” CP foods’ COO stated.

Furthermore, CP Foods actively works with partners to elevate Thailand’s seafood supply chain to international standards. This is achieved through the taskforce for the Development of the Thai Sustainable Fisheries Roundtable (TSFR), focusing on sustainable fishing resources in the Gulf of Thailand, setting certification standards for aquatic animal feed ingredients, and improving feed production processes for traceability and competitiveness in the Thai shrimp industry.

At the SeaBOS conference, the Keystone Project was approved, enabling member companies to collaboratively enhance sustainability in the ocean and aquaculture sectors. CP Foods and SeaBOS have initiated a pilot project for detecting antibiotic resistance genes in seafood (AMR Gene Testing).

Additionally, SeaBOS launched its inaugural Impact Report, highlighting progress in addressing critical issues like illegal fishing, ecosystem impacts, antibiotic resistance, climate change, and plastics. The full report is available at https://seabos.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SeaBOS_impact_report_2023.pdf.

AIS Aunjai Cyber Makes Waves With Social Drama To Alert Cyber Scams

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17 November 2023, 17:08

AIS Aunjai CYBER makes waves with social drama, in team-up with Cyber-cops and three studios 12 morality dramas with compelling content put Thai people on alert for cyber scams

AIS Aunjai CYBER Is taking the next steps on its mission to build cyber-immunity among the Thai population with the development of preventative tools. Cyber-scams are combatted with technology and digital services, hand-in-hand with a campaign to build the knowledge and awareness to promote digital literacy.

A variety of communications channels have been employed for the greatest effectiveness among each segment of users. At latest, the AIS Aunjai CYBER team has teamed up with the Cyber Police and three famous studios making social drama, Kuli Films, T Gang and Team Sang Fun.

The result is a collection of 12 morality plays centered on famous cases of cyber-crime, which explicitly reveal tricks of the scammers’ trade, while giving advice on dealing with cyber-scams This is achieved with social realist drama which is currently very popular. The short films are fun and easy to understand, and will appeal to every age segment of Thai viewers.

Saichon Submakudom, Head of Public Relations and Business Relations Business Unit at AIS commented, “Our campaign to boost digital literacy under the AIS Aunjai CYBER banner has given us insight into the problems and dangers of the cyber world. A great many people are still unaware and can fall victim to scammers. In particular, the elderly have been singled out by our comprehensive Thailand Cyber Wellness Index (TCWI).

We discovered that this segment are at the greatest risk of becoming cyber-crime victims. Therefore, alongside our mission of promoting digital literacy with various tools such as the Aunjai CYBER syllabus, we must continue to think of new ways to reach vulnerable groups, so that the Thai population as a whole has the necessary digital skills to identify cyber-scammers and be aware of their practices.

“This is how we came up with our campaign for the last part of this year, in collaboration with the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau of the Royal Thai Police, and three well-known studios producing social drama. Each plot line is based on a real case of cyber-crime, such as installing fake apps to take money out of accounts, investment scams, purchases from fake stores, or adopting a stolen identity to ask for a loan and cheat people out of money.”

The presentation is in the form of a short drama or morality play reflecting modern society, which has become popular among older audiences. Straightforward narration and entertaining content is interleaved with substantive fact and words of friendly advice from the Cyber Cops, who also take on acting roles in the 12 short dramas around 12 real situations.

“On top of warning society with various communications to build awareness, AIS has also developed protective tools against scammers such as the 1185 Hotline and the AIS Spam Report Center. Customers can report scammers’ telephone numbers and SMS for free. The Aunjai CYBER syllabus, meanwhile, Is a course of online learning to supplement awareness and build cyber-immunity among our customers and the Thai population as a whole.”

Pol Maj Gen Atthasit Sudsanguan, Deputy Commissioner of Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) added, “It is an undeniable fact that scammers are continuously designing new methods of fraud to deceive the public, and all too often con them out of their property. The most important factor to address cyber-crime is not just enforcement, because we must also focus on prevention. We achieve this by building awareness among the public, so that they are correctly informed when they go online, and can navigate the online world safely. This ongoing collaboration with AIS to provide various kinds of public warning genuinely addresses this issue at its root cause.

“We are delighted to be working with AIS again on this vital communications task of building awareness among the public in the form of morality dramas. As a result, people should be mindful, on the alert, skeptical, in no hurry, not about to transfer any cash, and not falling victim to scammers who have disguised themselves in various ways. The public may also ask for advice, give leads to an ongoing investigation, or just ask for help with cyber-scammers through the 1141 hotline.”

Watch all 12 of the morality dramas at https://learndiaunjaicyber.ais.co.th/learning-path/105/ All 12 episodes are packed with warnings about cyber scams and ways to deal with them, and are made by three production houses, Kuli Films, T Gang and Team Sang Fun.

#AISxCCIBxละครคุณธรรม #AISอุ่นใจCYBER #มีความรู้ก็อยู่รอด

Filipino Man Arrested in Thailand for Assaulting His Own Daughter

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17 November 2023, 16:48

BANGKOK – Thailand detained a 47-year-old Filipino man who the Philippines had been searching for after he sexually assaulted his daughter for more than a decade since she was 7 years old.

Pol. Gen. Surachet Hakpal, Deputy National Police Chief, along with Pol. Maj. Gen. Panthana Nuchanart, Deputy Commissioner of Immigration Bureau, and Filipino police officers, held a press conference on November 17 at the Immigration Bureau office in Nonthaburi, announcing the arrest of Mr. Jonathan, a Filipino man.

philippines2 — Pol. Gen. Surachet Hakpal, Deputy National Police Chief, held a press conference announcing the arrest of Mr. Jonathan, a Filipino man, for sexually assaulting his 7-year-old daughter.

The mother of the girl, Jess, informed Filipino authorities about the assault, leading to collaboration with Thai immigration. Jonathan was tracked to Thailand, and a joint operation with the Immigration Bureau resulted in his arrest.

Upon investigation, it was found that Jonathan entered Thailand as a tourist on August 16 with a valid visa. He was allowed to stay until November 15. However, after revoking his permission, Thai authorities placed him on a watchlist. He was located in various tourist destinations across Bangkok and other provinces.

He was apprehended at Don Mueang Airport while attempting to leave the country. He is set to be extradited to face charges in the Philippines.

Pol. Gen. Surachet stated that this case underscores the importance of cooperation between Thai and Filipino authorities. The Philippines had issued a red notice in October, leading to Jonathan’s arrest within five days of Thai authorities being alerted.

This efficient operation reflects positively on the dedication and effectiveness of law enforcement agencies involved in this case.

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