Police car is parked outside a hotel in Bangkok’s Bang Na district where a Taiwanese man is found dead inside his room on Nov. 16, 2023.
BANGKOK — Police on Thursday said they arrested two suspects in the death of a Taiwanese man who was found tied up and beaten in his hotel room.
Commander of Metropolitan Police’s investigation unit Teeradet Thammasuthee said two suspects, believed to be foreign nationals, were taken into custody and brought to Bang Na Police Station for questioning. No charges have been filed against them, Pol. Maj. Gen. Teeradet added without giving other details.
Police officers brought two foreign men to Bangna Police Station for questioning, with an interpreter joining in the investigation.
The body of the 48-year-old Taiwanese man was found by a hotel staff on Thursday morning in a ransacked hotel room in Bangkok’s Bang Na district. His body was lying face down with his limbs tied up and his face wrapped with plastic tape. The man was believed to have been dead for approximately eight hours, though the cause of death is yet to be determined.
Police said there appeared to be a fight inside the room and the victim’s personal belongings, including his computer and mobile phone, were missing. Two safes that were left inside the room were seized as evidence.
Police said there appeared to be a fight inside the room.
According to hotel staff, the victim had checked in alone on Tuesday, though on the night before he was found dead, CCTV footage captured two men entering the room before leaving. Another man could also be seen on the same floor as the victim’s room. It is not immediately clear whether the men seen in the footage are the same individuals being questioned by police.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Teeradet said investigators are trying to establish the purpose of the victim’s visit to Thailand and rule out whether his death is connected to his past conviction for human trafficking and fraud in Taiwan.
Tourists line up for check-in before departure at International Airport in Siem Reap province, Cambodia as it opened Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
SIEM REAP, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia on Thursday inaugurated its newest and biggest airport, a Chinese-financed project meant to serve as an upgraded gateway to the country’s major tourist attraction, the centuries-old Angkor Wat temple complex in the northwestern province of Siem Reap.
The Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport is located on 700 hectares (1,730 acres) of land about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Angkor Wat and boasts a 3,600-meter- (11,810-foot) long runway. It can handle 7 million passengers a year, with plans to augment it to handle 12 million passengers annually from 2040.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, center, cuts the ribbon to inaugurate the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport, in Cambodia, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
The airport began operations Oct. 16, with the first flight to land coming from neighboring Thailand. The old airport it replaces was about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the famous tourist site.
Thursday’s inauguration was presided over by Prime Minister Hun Manet, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian, the governor of China’s Yunnan province, Wang Yubo, and other officials.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hun Manet said the old airport was located too close to the Angkor temples and it was feared that vibrations from passing flights were damaging their foundations.
A Bayon carpet statue made of copper is displayed in the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport in Cambodia as it opened Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Tourism is one of the main pillars supporting Cambodia’s economy. According to the Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia received some 3.5 million international tourists in the first eight months of 2023, while for the whole of 2019 — the last year before the coronavirus pandemic — it received some 6.6 million foreign visitors.
“Hopefully, 2024 will be the year of the beginning of the advance and rebirth of the tourism sector in our Siem Reap province,” Hun Manet said.
China is Cambodia’s most important ally and benefactor, with strong influence in its economy, shown by numerous Chinese-funded projects, hotels and casinos in the capital, Phnom Penh, and elsewhere around the country. China’s state banks have financed airports, roads and other infrastructure built with Chinese loans. More than 40% of Cambodia’s $10 billion in foreign debt is owed to China.
Tourists line up for check-in before departure at International Airport in Siem Reap province, Cambodia as it opened Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
The new airport, built at a cost of about $1.1 billion, was financed by Angkor International Airport (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., an affiliate of China’s Yunnan Investment Holdings Ltd, under a 55-year build-operate-transfer deal.
Yunnan governor Wang Yubo, speaking for the Chinese government, said the airport’s launch showed the deep friendship between the people of the two countries, while promoting bilateral economic ties.
The project is part of the Belt and Road Initiative, the ambitious program that involves Chinese companies building transportation, energy and other infrastructure overseas funded by Chinese development bank loans. Its goal is to grow trade and the economy by improving China’s connections with the rest of the world in a 21st-century version of the Silk Road trading routes from China to the Middle East and onto Europe.
Another Chinese-funded airport is being constructed at a cost of $1.5 billion to serve the capital. The new Phnom Penh international airport, formally known as the Techo International Airport, is set on 2,600 hectares (6,425 acres) and scheduled for completion in 2024.
A plane stands parked in the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport, in Cambodia as it opened Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023.(AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Pol. Lt. Gen. Witthaya Sriprasertphap, Commissioner of the Police Consumer Protection Division, together with representatives of the Food and Drug Administration, announced on November 16, the arrest of an international network promoting the sale of powdered milk with exaggerated benefits.
Prior to the discovery, officials had found four websites advertising the sale of OVISURE GOLD milk powder and touting exaggerated benefits such as protecting the heart and blood vessels, preventing diabetes, increasing intelligence, relieving joint and shoulder pain within 3 days, preventing osteoporosis and reducing the bitterness of tea.
It was claimed that the products were imported and certified from the United States. The use of images of the former national football player “Piyapong Pue-on” in the advertisement enticed many people to buy and consume the products.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Witthaya said he ordered the collection of evidence before obtaining a court warrant to search commercial buildings and two residences in Chonburi province. During the search, 43,411 items were seized, including unregistered milk powder, food supplements, unregistered herbal products, medical equipment and various tools totalling more than 40 million baht.
According to the investigation, the suspects were part of a network backed by Vietnamese investors. The products were secretly imported from Vietnam and stored in rented buildings before being distributed. When customers placed orders, the administrators of the Facebook pages sent information to the Vietnamese group, which then packaged the products and shipped them to customers in Thailand.
Eight Vietnamese nationals have been arrested in connection with the case. They are accused of jointly selling mislabelled food, selling prescription drugs without authorisation and engaging in an unlicensed activity.
“Financial investigations revealed that from August 2016 until today, within only three months, a turnover of over 175 million baht was recorded in the accounts. As a result, efforts are being intensified to prosecute the network of investors and those involved,” said Pol. Lt. Gen. Witthaya concluded.
The Korea King Pan case was concluded when the court found no evidence of exaggerated or harmful advertising.
The Civil Court at Ratchadaphisek Road on November 15, 2023, dismissed the case in 2017 involving Ms. Onganya Pumpueng and Ms. Kalayatrat Tingwang as the first and second plaintiffs against Wizard Solutions Co., Ltd.
The plaintiffs alleged that the product sold by the defendant, a frying pan named ‘Korea King’, was advertised in a manner that could not be substantiated and thus constituted unfair advertising to consumers.
After court analysis, it is evident that the truth supports the claim that both models of frying pans from the defendant have been certified for quality standards. The Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed more than 8 elements, supporting the advertised 8-layer coating. While the advertising might imply a visible layer division leading to potential consumer’s misunderstanding, it doesn’t negate the product’s qualities.
The stated price can be easily verified on the website. Heat resistance tests at 400°C showed no anomalies, and slight cracks in the handle at 280°C are within normal cooking scenarios. No harmful impurities were found.
The defendant’s evidence outweighs the plaintiff’s, and the established facts do not support claims of consumer rights violation or breach of contract.
The noncompliance did not cause harm to the plaintiffs or class members, and the defendant’s frying pans align with the advertised specifications, contrary to the plaintiffs’ allegations.
“LogiMAT | Intelligent Warehouse 2023” — A Trade Show for the Best Technology and Intelligent Warehousing System. Ends with a Grand Finale, Setting the Stage for “LogiMAT Southeast Asia” 16-18 October 2024
LogiMAT | Intelligent Warehouse 2023 — A Trade Show for the Best Technology and Intelligent Warehousing System, celebrated a highly successful conclusion. This year’s event established itself as the exclusive intralogistics trade show in the ASEAN region and saw a remarkable surge in exhibitor participation, with over 99 world-class companies taking part — more than double the previous year’s count. The trade show exhibited its potential to attract international pavilions, including the China Pavilion and the German Pavilion. Notably, there was a remarkable 55% increase in international professional visitors compared to the 2022 edition, with attendees hailing from China, Singapore, Germany, Malaysia, India, and over 20 other countries.
One success factor is the “Business Matching Programme”, which has invited 130 leading Thai and foreign companies, such as Airports of Thailand PCL, Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL, CP ALL PCL, Sermsuk PCL, Central Department Store Co Ltd, Nikon Corporation, etc. With scheduled management team and welcomed all as our VIP guests to connect with exhibitors to business matching. Align with the concept of “Connecting Smart Networks”.
At LogiMAT | Intelligent Warehouse 2023, we hosted a range of activities to address future trends in the logistics industry. These included LogiMAT Talks, which featured more than 20 seminar sessions, including the Orange Forum discussing perspectives and trends in intralogistics, and the Blue Forum for sharing industry solutions. Additionally, a 400-square-meter Product Demonstration area allowed attendees to gain hands-on experience in efficient warehouse and logistics management processes, including driverless vehicle simulations.
Significantly, this event at Food Logistics Zone marked the inaugural soft launch of “LogiFOOD Southeast Asia”, introducing innovative solutions within the food logistics and cold chain industry in Southeast Asia, showcased cutting-edge food storage equipment, advanced refrigeration systems, streamlined processing techniques, and sustainable packaging solutions. We look ahead to the official launch, co-located with LogiMAT Southeast Asia in 2024.”
Ms. Mattaneeya Sengpanit, Dealer and Business Development Director of Jungheinrich Lift Truck Ltd. said that “LogiMAT | Intelligent Warehouse has been a part of the top-tier global trade fair “LogiMAT”, which serves the logistics industry worldwide, focusing intralogistics, warehouse, and process management. This stature consistently draws Jungheinrich Thailand as an exhibitor. This year’s event featured the noteworthy “Business Matching Programme” and the supporting area “VIP Lounge.” The LogiMAT Team extended invitations to key players from various industries, including agriculture, food & beverage, automotive, machinery & production, chemical-pharmaceutical-cosmetic, and more, while warmly welcoming 100 VIP guests from Jungheinrich Thailand.”
Mr. Sarawut Laoprasert, Country Manager of SSI Schaefer System International Co Ltd said that “As a proud member of the Thai Intralogistics Association (TIA), SSI Schaefer Thailand recognised the significant opportunity presented by the LogiMAT | Intelligent Warehouse 2023 event. It provided a platform to engage with a diverse audience, including professional visitors, buyers, new customer groups, and potential partners from various companies within the intralogistics industry. This year’s event exuded a vibrant crowded atmosphere, fostering connections with existing clients and new customers alike. It also facilitated the exchange of insights and the exploration of emerging technologies through dedicated activities on the LogiMAT Talks stage, encompassing both the Orange Forum and Blue Forum.”
Mr. Wichet Muengchan, Group CEO of Eureka Automation Co Ltd said that “LogiMAT is a platform for showcasing a diverse spectrum of products and solutions. It serves as a stage for both world-class companies and newcomers, including SMEs seeking global market recognition, to exhibit their innovative offerings in hardware and software. Mr. Wichet expressed confidence in the event’s capacity to connect participants with the right industry buyers, customer groups. Aligning with Eureka’s strategic objectives. The event also featured a Product Demonstration, showcasing intelligent warehouse management processes from upstream to downstream, presenting valuable opportunities for Eureka and a substantial customer base.”
Mr. Bill Lim, Senior Sales Manager of Hai Robotics Singapore Pte Ltd said that “We are extremely excited to be back at LogiMAT | Intelligent Warehouse in Thailand this year to showcase what we have achieved in the warehouse space. We attended last year and experienced significant success, which is the main reason for our return as an exhibitor. It was a wonderful experience, and this year’s event is noticeably larger in terms of size and scale compared to last year. This enhances the value of the exhibition and provides us with more business opportunities. The Southeast Asia market has emerged as a significant player in the global intralogistics industry, and we aim to continue, present, and further build our reputation locally, regionally, and internationally as pioneers in Asia’s Warehouse & Automation Solutions.”
Mr. Marcus Kaczmarek, Head of International Sales of AMI Förder- und Lagertechnik GmbH said that “At LogiMAT | Intelligent Warehouse, we’ve discovered an exceptional platform that not only allows us to showcase our products and solutions but also to maximise the spotlight on us. This event has enabled us to establish new connections and dive headfirst into the dynamic Thailand and Southeast Asia market. It’s our first time participating, and we’re thrilled with the experience. We’ve had the opportunity to connect with new companies, engage in meaningful discussions, and forge valuable connections that have already borne fruit in the form of promising leads. This event has exceeded our expectations, and we’re excited about the future possibilities it holds for us in this vibrant market.”
Ready to meet end-to-end logistics innovations, LogiMAT Southeast Asia – LogiFOOD Southeast Asia, in October 2024 next year. Follow more information and details at
People watch rescue and relief operations at the site of an under-construction road tunnel that collapsed in mountainous Uttarakhand state, India, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. (AP Photo)
LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Some of the 40 workers trapped for days in a collapsed road tunnel in northern India were falling sick Wednesday as falling debris and technical glitches delayed work to free them, officials said.
Rescuers have been trying to drill through the rubble and insert wide steel pipes to free the construction workers who have been trapped since Sunday when a portion of the tunnel they were working on collapsed in the mountainous Uttarakhand state.
This photo provided by Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) shows rescue work inside a collapsed road tunnel where 40 workers were trapped in northern in Uttarakhand state, India, Tuesday, Nov.14, 2023. ( SDRF via AP)
Progress has been slow because of debris falling in the channel excavated so far and glitches with the rescuers’ drilling machine, but a more powerful machine has been airlifted there and was being assembled for use, the National Highway Authority said.
The group of 40 construction workers, most of them migrant laborers from across India, have confirmed receiving food and water sent via narrow channels in the debris, the authority said.
However, some of them are expressing concern because they have started suffering from fever and body aches, said Abhishek Ruhela, a magistrate and the top government official in the town of Uttarkashi near where the collapse happened. Medicine also has been sent through the pipes, he said.
This photo provided by Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) shows rescuers and others inside a collapsed road tunnel where 40 workers were trapped in northern in Uttarakhand state, India, Tuesday, Nov.14, 2023. ( SDRF via AP)
“Essential eatables such as chickpeas and almonds are being sent through the same channels,” Ruhela said.
Relatives and friends of the trapped workers have gathered outside the tunnel, and were growing frustrated and angry.
The state government has been conferring with the Indian army as well as with foreign experts for suggestions that might help in the rescue.
State officials have contacted Thai experts who helped rescue a junior association football team that was trapped in a cave system in northern Thailand in 2018, state government administrator Gaurav Singh said. They also have approached the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute for possible help, Singh said.
People watch rescue and relief operations at the site of an under-construction road tunnel that collapsed in mountainous Uttarakhand state, India, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. (AP Photo)
About 200 disaster relief personnel have been at the site using drilling equipment and excavators in the rescue operation, with the plan to push 75-centimeter-wide (2.5-foot-wide) steel pipes through an opening of excavated debris.
Falling debris lightly injured two rescue workers, and delayed operations on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“These are challenges in such rescue operations, but we will overcome them,” disaster management official Ranjit Sinha said.
This photo provided by Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) shows rescue work inside a collapsed road tunnel where 40 workers were trapped in northern in Uttarakhand state, India, Tuesday, Nov.14, 2023. ( SDRF via AP)
A landslide during road construction Sunday caused a portion of the 4.5-kilometer (2.7-mile) tunnel to collapse about 200 meters (500 feet) from the entrance. It is a hilly tract of land, prone to landslide and subsidence.
Uttarakhand is a mountainous state dotted with Hindu temples that attract many pilgrims and tourists and construction of highways and buildings has been constant to accommodate the influx.
The tunnel is part of the busy Chardham all-weather road, a flagship federal project connecting various Hindu pilgrimage sites.
Palestinians look at destruction after Israeli strikes on Rafah, Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli forces on Wednesday raided Gaza’s largest hospital, a beleaguered facility filled with hundreds of patients, including newborns, that is at the heart of clashing narratives around the war and a potent symbol of Palestinian suffering.
Israel viewed Shifa Hospital as a key target in a conflict that has killed thousands of Palestinians and unleashed widespread destruction in Gaza. The war between Israel and Hamas erupted after the militant group killed some 1,200 people and seized around 240 captives in a surprise Oct. 7 attack.
Israel says Shifa is a Hamas command post nestled under civilians, without providing visual evidence — part of its broader accusation that the militants use Palestinians as human shields. Hamas and Gaza health officials deny militants operate in Shifa, and Palestinians and rights groups say Israel has recklessly endangered civilians as it seeks to eradicate Hamas.
A worsening fuel shortage, meanwhile, threatened to paralyze the delivery of humanitarian services across Gaza and shut down the mobile phone and internet network.
ISRAELI RAID INTO SHIFA
Munir al-Boursh, a senior official with Gaza’s Health Ministry, said Israeli forces had ransacked the basement and other buildings at Shifa, including those housing the emergency and surgery departments.
“They are still here,” he said by phone from inside the hospital, hours after the raid began. “Patients, women and children are terrified.”
In this image taken from video, sparks rise from an explosion in the Gaza Strip in this view from southern Israel around dusk, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. (AP Photo)
The Israeli military said it was carrying out a “precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area in the hospital,” adding that it was separate from where patients and medical staff are located.
It was not possible to independently assess the situation inside.
The military said the soldiers were accompanied by medical teams and bringing in incubators. It shared footage of them unloading equipment — as well as a couple dozen boxes labeled “medical supplies” and “baby food” in English — inside the hospital compound.
It added that forces are searching for hostages. The plight of the captives, who include men, women and children, has galvanized Israeli support for the war, and families and supporters of the hostages are holding a protest march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The raid drew condemnation from Jordan and the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, which called it a violation of international law. U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths said he was “appalled” by the raid, saying the protection of civilians “must override all other concerns.”
At one point, tens of thousands of Palestinians seeking safety from Israeli bombardment were sheltering at the hospital, but most left in recent days as the fighting drew closer. A few thousand remain behind, along with patients, including premature babies, whose fate has drawn particular concern.
The Health Ministry said 40 patients, including three babies, have died since Shifa’s emergency generator ran out of fuel Saturday. Another 36 babies are at risk of dying because there is no power for incubators, according to the ministry.
Hours before Israel’s raid, the United States said its own intelligence indicated militants have used Shifa and other hospitals — and tunnels beneath them — to support military operations and hold hostages.
With its troops inside Shifa, the burden will shift to Israel to prove its claim that the facility was being used by militants and that it was a big enough military target to justify the battle that isolated its patients for days and a fuel embargo that eventually shut down incubators and other life-saving equipment.
Hospitals can lose their protected status if combatants use them for military purposes, but civilians must be given ample time to flee, and any attack must be proportional to the military objective.
A TRICKLE OF FUEL FOR AID WORKERS
The deteriorating conditions at Shifa reflect the broader deprivations across the besieged territory.
Hardly any aid has been delivered to the the north, which has been without power or running water for weeks. About two thirds of the territory’s 2.3 million people have fled their homes — and most are now squeezed into the southern part of the narrow coastal strip, where conditions are also deteriorating as bombardment there continues.
After refusing to allow fuel into Gaza for weeks, Israeli defense officials changed course early Wednesday to let in some 24,000 liters (6,340 gallons), but the fuel will only allow the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, to continue bringing limited supplies of food and medicine from Egypt.
The agency is providing basic services to the more than 600,000 people sheltering in severely overcrowded U.N.-run schools and other facilities in the south.
Thomas White, director of UNRWA in Gaza, said that under Israeli restrictions the fuel would only be used for transporting aid from Egypt. “No fuel for water or hospitals,” he said, adding that the amount is equivalent of “only 9% of what we need daily to sustain lifesaving activities.”
Palestinians mourn their relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, in the hospital in Khan Younis, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. ( AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
COGAT, the Israeli defense body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, said the decision to allow the fuel came at the request of the U.S. Israel has barred all fuel imports since the start of the war, saying Hamas would use it for military purposes.
The Palestinian telecom company Paltel, meanwhile, said it was relying on batteries to keep Gaza’ mobile and internet network running, and that it expected services to halt later Wednesday. Gaza has experienced three previous mass communication outages since the ground invasion.
More than 11,200 people, two-thirds of them women and minors, have been killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah. About 2,700 people have been reported missing, with most believed to be buried under the rubble. The ministry’s count does not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths.
BATTLE IN GAZA CITY
Israeli troops, meanwhile, have extended their control across northern Gaza, capturing the territory’s legislature building and police headquarters. The military says Israeli forces have completed the takeover of Shati refugee camp, a densely built district, and are moving about freely in the city as a whole.
The military says its forces have found weapons and eliminated fighters in government buildings, schools and residential buildings. Israel says it has killed several thousand fighters, including important mid-level commanders, while 46 of its own soldiers have been killed in Gaza.
Inside some of the newly captured buildings, soldiers held up the Israeli flag and military flags in celebration.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Tuesday that Hamas had “lost control” of northern Gaza and that Israel made significant gains in Gaza City. But when asked about the timeframe for the war, he said: “We’re talking about long months, not a day or two.”
During his APEC Summit visit to San Francisco, Srettha Thavisin, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance met with executives of large global American firms, particularly IT giants, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. He said there’s no better moment to invest in Thailand and get tax benefits, clean energy, and good living conditions.
He discussed working with Walmart, the world’s largest retail chain, to introduce local Thai products, including halal food, into Walmart shops, while Walmart wants to open more markets in Thailand.
Walmart
In addition, plans for increased investment and the relocation of production from the Philippines to Thailand were announced in discussions with Western Digital’s executives, Thailand’s largest digital hardware manufacturer.
In addition, agreements were signed with AWS, a subsidiary of Amazon, to set up a data center, which represents a significant investment.
Western Digital
One positive development is that talks with Google have led to a signed memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a data centre in Thailand.
Srettha also stated the MOU between Microsoft Company and the Thai government shows that Thailand is willing to improve public services with digital technologies. This cooperation should boost Thailand’s digital competitiveness.
Microsoft has three key business segments: productivity and business processes, cloud (Azure) (public, private, and hybrid), and personal computing (computers, laptops, tablets). The corporation is studying data investment plans at at a large centre in Thailand. The government ensures that foreign investors in Thailand receive full support.
Microsoft
The PM stressed the importance of working with global giants AWS, Google and Microsoft and expressed optimism that such investments would improve Thailand’s industrial standing.
During his visit to the United States, he expressed satisfaction with the collaboration with key private sector players. International investors emphasized factors such as world-class schools and hospitals that contribute to Thailand’s attractiveness.
Srettha mentioned that he has assigned a team to put together a three-month plan for attracting foreign investors, focusing on who has already invested, potential investors and their contributions. He emphasized that the public should judge the results of the investments, while his responsibility is to carry out his duties diligently.
Bangkok – United Overseas Bank (UOB) Thailand has refreshed its personal loan centre “UOB Xpress”, making them accessible nationwide. This move is a key element of the Bank’s omni-channel approach aimed at enhancing access to its lending services with plans to renovate 46 loan centres by the close of this year.
The brand refreshed follows UOB’s acquisition of Citigroup’s consumer banking businesses in early 2022 when Citicorp Leasing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. transferred the ownership of its business in Thailand to UOB Capital Services Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of UOB Thailand.
Mr Tearavath Trirutdilokkul, Head of Card Payment & Unsecured Products, UOB Thailand said “In a rapidly evolving financial landscape, our revamped of 46 UOB Xpress centres signifies our commitment to broadening financial accessibility for our customers nationwide. We aim to offer financial solutions tailored to their individual needs, empowering our customers to seamlessly navigate their financial journeys with a trust-worth partner by their side.”
Customers can access a range of financial solutions offered at UOB Xpress including consulting services tailored to their specific financial needs and personal loans with a credit limit up to two million baht to the interest rates as low as 9.99 per cent p.a., flexible loan repayment plan from 12 to 60 months and expedited approval within 30 minutes for customers who apply for the personal loan at the centre.
Currently, there are 18 UOB Xpress centres located in Bangkok and 27 centres in other key provinces. with another centre at EmSphere set to open in January 2024.
Police raided a well-known karaoke shop in Kranuan district, Khon Kaen province, on November 15.
Pol. Lt. Col. Soraj Wichayasut, head of the Khon Kaen Immigration Department, reported the arrest of 10 Laotian women, seven of whom had entered Thailand on tourist visas, while the remaining three entered illegally, via Nong Khai and Bueng Kan provinces. These women were caught serving food and drinks to customers at a karaoke establishment without the required work permit.
He joined the Tourist Police, the Labour Department, and Khon Kaen provincial labour agents to announce a raid on a well-known karaoke shop in Kranuan district, Khon Kaen province, on November 15.
A well-known karaoke shop in Kranuan district, Khon Kaen province
The authorities accused them of working without the required permits and the individuals were detained by the police at Kranuan Police Station for further investigation. Legal proceedings were initiated and they were fined between 10,000 and 100,000 baht. The women were to be sent back to Laos.
At the same time, vigilance and strict inspections were ordered at large factories in the Nam Phong, Kranuan, Ubonrat and Tha Phra areas of Khon Kaen. The authorities wanted to check, investigate and arrest all foreign workers who violate the law while monitoring both Thai and foreign nationals with arrest warrants, especially those involved in cross-border criminal activities within Thailand.
