In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, this aerial view shows damaged houses at a village following a flooding in Xiangxi in central China's Hunan Province on July 2, 2023. Heavy flooding has displaced thousands of people around China as the capital had a brief respite from sweltering heat. (Chen Zhenhai/Xinhua via AP)
BEIJING (AP) — Heavy flooding has displaced thousands of people around China as the capital had a relative respite from sweltering heat.
Beijing reported 9.8 straight days when the temperature exceeded 35 C (95 F), the National Climate Center said Monday.
Such a streak was last recorded in 1961 — decades before most Beijing residents had air conditioning or even fans. A lack of rainfall may be contributing to the heat, with the typically dry capital receiving even less than usual this year.
A girl cools herself at an urban waterway on a hot day in Beijing, Monday, July 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
While temperatures have since moderated — Monday’s temperature at midday was 33 C (91 F) — they are expected to rise again this week to as high as 39.6 Celsius (103 Fahrenheit) in Beijing and other parts of the country, authorities said.
Meanwhile, more than 10,000 people were urgently moved to safety due to flooding in the central province of Hunan, the Xiang’xi Emergency Management Bureau on Sunday.
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, people clean up silt and garbage at a village following a flooding in Xiangxi in central China’s Hunan Province on July 2, 2023. (Chen Zhenhai/Xinhua via AP)
Around 70 houses collapsed, 2,283 were damaged and farm fields were flooded. Losses so far have been estimated at least 575 million yuan ($79 million).
To the north in Shaanxi province’s Zhenba county, authorities reported the worst flooding in 50 years had washed out roads and damaged homes.
No deaths have been reported from the floods thus far.
Residents cool off from an unseasonably hot day at an urban waterway in Beijing, Monday, July 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
The heat this year has been unusual, although China has regular summer flooding. Eleven provinces — around half of China’s land area — were expected to received heavy rains in coming days, mainly in the humid south.
In 2021, more than 300 people died in the central province of Henan. Record rainfall inundated the provincial capital of Zhengzhou on July 20 that year, turning streets into rushing rivers and flooding at least part of a subway line.
China’s worst floods in recent history were in 1998, when 4,150 people died, most of them along the Yangtze River.
A security guard wearing an electric fan on his neck wipes his sweat on a hot day in Beijing, Monday, July 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
On the day Thailand’s new Parliament convened, the two big parties, Move Forward and Pheu Thai, found the solution to unlock the title race for Speaker of the House of Representatives by choosing Prachachat Party a veteran leader Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, 79, to become the next House Speaker.
Move Forward will get the First Deputy House Speaker seat while Pheu Thai will have the Second Depty House Speaker seat.
Wan Muhamad Noor Matha
According to the joint statement of the two parties, this agreement aims to bring the eight parties together in order to establish a government. It suggests and encourages Pita Limcharoenrat to be prime minister to the fullest extent possible, in accordance with the MOU signed jointly on May 22, 2023.
The MFP and the Pheu Thai Party jointly confirmed their approval of important laws for the people, including amnesty for political expression and amendments to the law on the reform of the army, without mentioning the amendment to Article 112, which has been strongly opposed by many senators and other parties.
Wan Muhammad Nor Matha, also known as Wan Nor, was the former head of the Wadah group, a small lobby of Muslim politicians from the Southern provinces. He served in the House of Representatives for several terms and as a minister in many Ministries. From November 24, 1996, to June 27, 2000, he was the first Thai Muslim to serve as Speaker of the National Assembly and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Wan Nor said he did not initially intend to become the House Speaker, because he represents a small party. But when the big parties could not agree and ask a middleman to help, he has to do it.If the government cannot be formed it will cause a lot of damage. He has said before that the decision of the two parties would mean a victory for the people.
Pita said he had spoken with Wan Noor at the State Opening Ceremony of Parliament and informed him of the two parties’ resolution, which Wan Noor stated was to put the people first; if it is a wish of both parties, he will not refuse it.
Pita added that today’s agreement is a positive sign that shows unity, compromise, and sacrifice in order to achieve the goal of forming a government and pave him the way to the position of Prime Minister.
However, according to the Associated Press, the U.S. news agency, there is still no clear sign that Pita will be able to become prime minister and end nine years of military-dominated rule.
Pita has formed an eight-party coalition holding 312 seats in the 500-seat lower house, which leaves it short of an overall majority without the support of a significant number of the 250 senators.
Pita has been accused of violating a constitutional prohibition on politicians holding shares in a media company. The media company is no longer operating, and Pita says the shares are part of his father’s estate and don’t belong to him.
The prospect that he could be banned from politics and even jailed for what is widely seen at most as a minor technical violation has triggered fears that the political instability that has wracked Thailand on and off since 2006 could return with a vengeance.
Prasit Jeawkok, a billionaire businessman who called himself the ‘Jack Ma of Thailand,’ was sentenced to prison by the court for fraud. He had previously tried to flee.
Prasit built his fortune in the tourism industry before expanding into the online sector. He then entered the airline and real estate business. Prasit is also known to be a royalist and has close ties to the Thai army. He is accused by the Progressive Movement of being part of the army’s information operation (IO).
On July 3, 2023, the Thai court read the verdict via videoconference to Prasit, who was imprisoned at Bang Kwang Central Prison in Nonthaburi Province. Prasit was not in court because he had already tried to escape with two other accomplices in late 2022 but was arrested in time.
Prasit Jeawkok tried to escape with two other accomplices on December 22, 2022.
Prasit, along with We Love Your Bag (Thailand) Company Limited, Beyond World Company Limited, and 6 other suspects, were charged with violating the Royal Decree on fraudulent borrowing and Computer Crime Act B.E.2007 between November 23, 2020 and April 19, 2021.
The perpetrators used false advertisements to trick their victims into investing in or trading luxurious items. Some of the brand names include Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermer, Gucci, and others. They claimed that victims would receive a return of 40.15 to 51.1 percent per year. These figures are higher than the legal return of 3.25 percent per year. The public was interested in the false claims and fell for the scam. The total losses amount to over 1 billion baht.
Prasit Jeawkok called himself the ‘Jack Ma of Thailand.’
The court sentenced Prasit, the 4th suspect, to 5 years in prison for each count. He was convicted on a total of 321 counts, which is equivalent to 1,155 years in prison. The court fined the 1st, 3rd, and 4th suspects 500,000 baht for each count, with the 321 counts equaling 145.5 million baht.
However, the law provides for a maximum prison term of 20 years, so Prasit must serve 20 years in prison. For the 2nd and 5th through 9th suspects, the court dismissed the case but still held them in custody during the appeal process.
Reimagined beachfront retreat JW Marriott Khao Lak introduces inspiring experience as part of Good Travel with Marriott BonvoyTM to preserve marine life and the ecosystem of Andaman Sea
Khao Lak, THAILAND (June 29, 2023) – JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa and JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort Suites today announced the opening of its Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Center, the first-of-its-kind across Marriott International’s portfolio in Asia Pacific. In collaboration with Oceans For All Foundation (OFA), the nursery and conservation center is a dedicated marine sanctuary for the Andaman Sea’s threatened bamboo sharks and offers a unique experience for guests to make a positive impact on the local marine environment as part of Good Travel with Marriott BonvoyTM.
Open to guests of all ages, the experience starts at an interactive education center for an introduction around the life cycle of bamboo sharks. Guests will then meet the resident marine biologist and shark expert at the aquarium nursery to learn more about their work and how they nurture sharks at different life stages, from egg incubation to the time of their release. As an optional activity, guests are also encouraged to help collect seawater from the oceanfront for the bamboo sharks’ tanks which need to be cleaned and replaced with fresh seawater every week. Finally, guests can join the center’s shark release ritual where six-month old bamboo sharks with size-advantage and higher chance of survival are released back into their natural environment.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Oceans For All to open a one-of-a-kind Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Center dedicated to conservation efforts of southern Thailand’s bamboo sharks while providing an uplifting experience for guests to help preserve the Andaman Sea’s underwater ecosystem,” said Abhimanyu Singh, General Manager, JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa and JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort Suites. “As Southern Thailand’s leading luxury MICE destination, we foresee strong interest from corporate clients who wish to do good as part of their CSR initiatives. There is great potential to elevate the facility into a powerful conservation hub here in Khao Lak.”
“Our collaboration with with JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa and JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort Suites shows the powerful impact of what we can achieve when we work together with like-minded partners,” said David Martin, President, Oceans For All Foundation. “We are excited to be a part of the Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Center and help inspire a sense of responsibility towards our oceans and its precious resources for future generations.”
Bamboo sharks are native to the Andaman Sea and a keystone species. As small predators of the shallow reefs around Phuket and Khao Lak, bamboo sharks play an important role in the ecosystem by maintaining the balance of all species below them in the food chain and serving as an indicator for the reef’s health.
They became an endangered species due to their popularity with fish collectors and exotic food enthusiasts, as well as pollution and overfishing, which pose a big threat to their survival. Nowadays, these beautiful species are listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List due to their rapidly declining numbers.
Since 2019, Oceans For All Foundation has joined forces with the Phuket Marine Biological center (PMBC) to help breed bamboo sharks and hatch the eggs in an aquariums and nurseries rather than in the open sea where they are vulnerable to other predators.
The Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Center is part of Good Travel with Marriott BonvoyTM, a program that offers meaningful travel experiences across three distinct pillars: Environmental Protection, Community Engagement and Marine Conservation. Available at close to 100 properties in Asia Pacific, guests can participate in a wide range of conservation efforts or help create a positive impact on local communities when they stay at any participating hotels of the program.
The horrifying cases of serial killings by Am Cyanide have been concluded after a three-month investigation.
Deputy Police Chief Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, together with the officers involved and Weerachai Phutdhawong, associate professor of chemistry at Kasetsart College, announced on June 30 the completion of the police investigation into the case of Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, also known as ‘Am Cyanide’. From 2015 to 2023, there are a total of 15 poisoning cases in 8 provinces. There are a total of 14 deaths and 1 survivor.
Pol. Gen. Surachate said that the police interviewed more than 900 witnesses and examined 26,500 documents during the 3-month document collection. He stressed that in this case, the police gathered investigative teams from different departments, including the Central Investigation Bureau, Crime Suppression Division, Provincial Police Region 7, and the Office of Police Forensic Science.
Deputy Police Chief Pol. Gen. Surachate Hakparn held a press conference on the closing investigation of Am Cyanide cases.
Cyanide from Spain
“This is a historical case in Thailand where the suspect had planned continuous serial murders for 8 years by poisoning the victims and making it look like a heart attack. This was done to prevent the family’s relatives from becoming suspicious. The main goal is to get the victim’s assets and clear off the debts she borrowed,” said Pol. Gen. Surachate.
All of the dead had a common relationship with Am Cyanide as a moneylender, used car broker, and member of the money scheme. The Institute of Forensic Medicine found that the result of blood and gastric fluid tests showed cyanide in the dead man’s kidney: the victim had died in Ratchaburi province. The investigation team then expanded its investigation to include another 15 cases.
The cyanide used in these cases is PanReac from Spain. It is imported into Thailand by 1 of the 15 Thai companies. This cyanide has a concentration of 75 percent.
More than 75 Charges
Am Cyanide’s motives are consistent with criminological research showing that the motive of a female serial killer is most likely to be the search for wealth or benefits from people close to her, while for a male serial killer it is usually related to sexual motives and the hunt for victims.
Police charged Am Cyanide with attempted murder, premeditated murder, robbery resulting in death, adulteration of food, medicine or other consumer goods to be consumed or used by others and causing the death of others, and forgery and use of forged documents. In total, more than 75 charges are filed.
Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, also known as ‘Am Cyanide’
Pol. Gen. Surachate said he wants the public to trust that officers can prosecute the perpetrator and that the police will prevent such incidents from happening again like that of Somkid Pumpuang, also known as Kid the Ripper, where the serial killer was released from jail on bail but ended up killing more people.
The death penalty
He also stressed that Sararat has a normal mind. Regarding the legal right of a pregnant woman not to be punished with the death penalty, the police stressed that Sararat had already lost her baby and therefore no longer fell under this legal provision.
The police stressed that Sararat will face the highest penalty, the death penalty. For the total of 15 cases, the police will start to hand over the case to the Attorney General’s Office by categorizing it into the case of money fraud, the case of poisoning and others.
In addition, the police have charged two people close to Sararat in connection with the concealment of crimes: Pol. Lt. Col. Witoon Rangsiwutthaphon, Sararat’s former husband, and Sararat’s former lawyer Thannicha Aeksuwannawat.
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Police arrested ‘Am’ on April 25, 2023.
Chronology and Victims of Am Cyanide
1) Ms. Monthathip Khao-In died on July 7, 2015, in a condominium in the Thonglor area of Bangkok.
2) Ms. Nittaya Kaewbuppha died on August 23, 2020, in a room in Nakhon Pathom Province.
3) Ms. Sawitree Budsrirak died on November 25, 2020, in Mukdahan province.
4) Ms. Darinee Theptawee died on December 13, 2020, in a villa in Sampran District, Nakhon Pathom Province.
5) Mr. Surat Torp died on January 6, 2021, at his home in Kanchanaburi province.
6) Police Capt. Ying Kanda Torai, who died on August 9, 2022, died in her own car in the area of Nakhon Pathom Province.
7) Ms. Rosjarin Ninnoi died on August 10, 2022, at a vegetable stall in Mahachai Market, Samut Sakhon Province.
8) Mrs. Chanrat Wongkraisin died on August 15, 2022, in her home in Phetchaburi Province. 9) Mrs. Maneerat Potjanart died on September 10, 2022, at Nakhon Pathom market. 10) Ms. Kanika Tuladecharat died on September 12, 2022, at a coffee shop in a gas station in Ratchaburi province.
11) Ms. Kantima Paesaad became unwell on September 23, 2022, in front of the grilled pork business after receiving a capsule pretending to be cough medication from Am Cyanide. She survived because physicians were able to save her life in time.
12) Ms. Phusadee Samboonmee died on November 20, 2022, in Nakhon Pathom Province.
13) Mr. Suthisak Poonkwan, ex-husband of Am Cyanide, died on March 12, 2023, in Udon Thani Province.
14) Pol. Col. Ying Nipa Saengchan died on April 1, 2023, in front of Phra Pathom Chedi, Nakhon Pathom Province.
15) Miss Siriporn Khanwong, or Koi, died on April 14, 2023, at Ban Pong Community Hall, Ratchaburi Province.
This image released by Lucasfilm shows Phoebe Waller-Bridge, left, and Harrison Ford in a scene from "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny." (Lucasfilm Ltd. via AP)
Indiana Jones, and executives at the Walt Disney Co. and Lucasfilm, made a somewhat dispiriting discovery this weekend. Moviegoers didn’t rush to the theater in significant numbers to see ” Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and say goodbye to Harrison Ford as the iconic archaeologist.
The film, reportedly budgeted north of $250 million, came in on the lower end of projections with $60 million in ticket sales from 4,600 North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday.
This image released by Lucasfilm shows Ethann Isidore, from left, Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge in a scene from “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” (Lucasfilm Ltd. via AP)
Including $70 million from international showings in 52 markets, “Dial of Destiny” celebrated a $130 million global opening. It easily earned the No. 1 title but was not the high-rolling sendoff for one of modern cinema’s most iconic actor/character pairings that anyone hoped. Disney is projecting that it will make $82 million domestically through the fourth of July holiday and $152 million globally.
“Dial of Destiny” is the long-delayed fifth installment in the Steven Spielberg/George Lucas-created adventure series that began in 1981, and the first Spielberg himself hasn’t directed. Veteran James Mangold stepped in to take the reins overseeing the Spielberg-approved script, which finds an older Dr. Jones retiring from his university job and swept up on a new adventure with his goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge).
Harrison Ford poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ on Monday, June 26, 2023 in London. (Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP)
“It’s impressive that a franchise that’s over 40 years old is No. 1 at the box office. But there’s no question there were higher hopes for the debut of this movie,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “This is Indiana Jones. This is a summer movie icon.”
The film made its splashy premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, with a fitting celebration of Ford, who has said this was his last time playing the character.
But then it was hit with lukewarm reviews. This was an unexpected and unwelcome hurdle, considering it was coming after the maligned fourth film, 2008’s “Indiana Jones and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Another contributing snag was that a significant portion of the target audience, older viewers, don’t tend to buy many tickets on opening weekend for big blockbusters. But even “Crystal Skull,” budgeted at a reported $185 million, managed to gross over $790 million.
This image released by Lucasfilm shows Harrison Ford in a scene from “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” (Lucasfilm Ltd. via AP)
“Sometimes reviews don’t matter, but the sentiment coming out of Cannes was very powerful,” Dergarabedian said. “It set off a narrative where people were already feeling disappointed and they hadn’t even seen it.”
Second place went to “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” with $11.5 million, bringing its domestic total to around $340 million. “Elemental” landed in third place with $11.3 million.
Aside from “Dial of Destiny,” the weekend’s other main new opener was the animated “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken,” which debuted in sixth place with $5.2 million.
“Dial of Destiny’s” underwhelming debut comes just a few weeks after both Warner Bros.’ “The Flash” and Disney/Pixar’s “Elemental” had lackluster openings in North America. “Elemental,” like Indy 5, also premiered at Cannes to middling reception.
And yet, “Elemental” in its three weeks in theaters has held on much better than “The Flash,” which plummeted again to $5 million, bringing its domestic total to $99.3 million. Disney also saw similarly promising holds with “The Little Mermaid,” now at over $280 million domestically and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” which has grossed over $345 million. After the holiday, Disney will be responsible for nearly half of the summer box office earnings.
“The entire story isn’t told on the opening weekend,” Dergarabedian said.
Disney has a “clear weekend” ahead with no competing blockbusters, when studio heads can reasonably hope for more families and older audiences to buy tickets. But things will only get more challenging for “Dial of Destiny” in the coming weeks with a crowded July. “Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part I” opens on July 12, followed by “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” on July 21.
“The ups and downs at the box office are giving us whiplash,” Dergarabedian said. “And we’re still on the cusp of some of the biggest movies of the summer.”
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” $60 million.
2. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” $11.5 million.
3. “Elemental,” $11.3 million.
4. “No Hard Feelings,” $7.5 million.
5. “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” $7 million.
6. “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken,” $5.2 million.
7. “The Little Mermaid,” $5.2 million.
8. “The Flash,” $5 million.
9. “Asteroid City,” $3.8 million.
10. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” $1.8 million.
Chonnan Srikaew, leader of the Pheu Thai Party and Pita Limcharoenrat, leader of the Move Forward Party
After struggling for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives all along, the two parties with the most victories in the House of Representatives, Move Forward and Pheu Thai, arrive for a week of determining if a united government will go all the way.
The parliamentary session starts on Monday, July 3, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and two Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives will be elected on July 4.
Pita Limcharoenrat, leader of the Move Forward Party (MFP) and PM candidate, presided over an eight-party meeting at the MFP office on Sunday, telling reporters that the MFP respected the Pheu Thai Party and understood that everything must be done gradually and step by step.
He requested that no new issues be raised because it could undermine the negotiations. He apologisesd if it has caused confusion in the public. They all have good intentions about forming a government and solving problems for the people.
Chonnan Srikaew, leader of the Pheu Thai Party, stated that this topic will be considered by the Pheu Thai Party by July 3. It will undoubtedly reach a favourable conclusion and be valuable in the formation of a democratic government.
Wan Muhammad Nor Matha, or Wan Nor, leader of the Prachachat Party, stated that the eight parties have been assigned to the MFP, and the Pheu Thai Party would spend the remaining 40 hours to make the people’s win; otherwise, non-democratic parties will intervene. We have been waiting, people have been waiting for 8-9 years. People may never forgive us again if something goes wrong.
Wan Nor’s views matched those of MFP supporters who had gathered at the MFP office prior of the meeting, yelling slogans and holding signs asking the Pheu Thai Party not to abandon their promise to form a government with the MFP.
The Pheu Thai Party was seen as having more option to merge with other parties, if it is unable to agree with the MFP. However, if Pheu Thai reverses its polarisation and joins with junta-aligned parties, it will face fierce opposition.
A merger of Pheu Thai with the Palang Pracharat Party (PPP) has been rumoured on several occasions. Many Pheu Thai members declined, as did General Prawit Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister and candidate for Prime Minister of Palang Pracharat, who repeatedly denied meeting and negotiating with Thaksin Shinawatra abroad. There are not any secret deals.
General Prawit Wongsuwan (left)
Gen. Prawit dismissed the report again on Sunday at the Palang Pracharat Party, stating he had no discussions with any political party or organisation. He also said his party has made no mention of the vote for Speaker of the House of Representatives until July 4th.
Thammanat Phromphao, a prominent PPP MP, acknowledged that the party has values and manners and that it will not present anyone to compete for the Speaker of the House.
“We are in a standing stance. Consider the circumstances on July 4, the day of the election of the Speaker of the House. There will still be time to sit and discuss after that.” He stated.
Mahout ride "Sak Surin," an ailing elephant at the Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang province in northern Thailand on Sunday, July 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Nareerat Chaywichain)
By JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI — An ailing elephant that Thailand had presented to Sri Lanka more than two decades ago returned to his native land for medical treatment Sunday following allegations that the animal was badly abused while living at a Buddhist temple.
The male elephant, known in Sri Lanka as Muthu Raja, or Pearly King, and as Sak Surin, or Mighty Surin, in Thailand, was flown directly from the South Asian island nation’s capital to Chiang Mai province in northern Thailand on a Russian Ilyushin IL-76 cargo plane.
A six-person team, including two veterinarians and four mahouts, or professional elephant trainers, accompanied the elephant on the flight, which took about six hours.
Mahouts take Asian elephant Sak Surin, gifted by the Thai Royal family, towards a container at the national zoological garden in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
A special container was built to hold the 275-centimeter- (9-foot-) tall, 4-ton pachyderm. Several mahouts went to Sri Lanka in advance to accustom the animal to being caged so he wouldn’t panic during the trip to Thailand.
Video footage of his arrival in Chiang Mai showed the elephant conscious and appearing calm.
Thai Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa was at the airport and said the elephant landed in perfect condition. He said earlier that Thailand spent at least 19 million baht ($540,000) for the animal’s repatriation.
The pachyderm could be heard trumpeting from inside the container that was loaded onto a truck’s flatbed trailer to transport him to the government’s Thai Elephant Conservation Center in nearby Lampang province, where he will be quarantined for at least 30 days and stay for rehabilitation.
A veterinarian gives water to “Sak Surin,” an ailing elephant who was returned to its home country and taken to the Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang province in northern Thailand on Sunday, July 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Nareerat Chaywichain)
The elephant was sent to Sri Lanka in 2001 when he was around 10 years old as a gift from the Thai royal family. He was one of three elephants that Thailand gave to Sri Lanka’s government for training as a carrier of religious relics. Mathu Raja was placed in the care of a Buddhist temple.
A Sri Lanka-based animal rights group, Rally for Animal Rights and Environment group, alleged in 2020 that the animal was in bad health due to years of hard labor and abuse, and needed urgent medical care. The group started a petition calling for him to be rescued and later called for the elephant’s return to Thailand after the Sri Lankan government allegedly ignored the activists’ complaints.
Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Ministry released a statement in November 2022 saying a preliminary investigation was conducted by the Thai Embassy in Sri Lanka concluded that the elephant “was not in good health and was in poor living conditions.” The statement said Thailand would seek Sri Lanka’s approval to bring the elephant back for treatment.
A veterinary surgeon attends to the Asian elephant Sak Surin, gifted by the Thai Royal family and named Muthu Raja or pearly king in Sri Lanka, at the national zoological garden in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, June 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
The elephant was reported to be underweight, have rough skin and abscesses on both hips, thinning foot pads, and a stiff left foreleg, making it difficult for him to walk and stand.
He was moved from the Buddhist temple to Sri Lanka’s National Zoological Garden for preliminary treatment and appeared healthier before his flight to Thailand.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told members of Parliament last month that while visiting Thailand in May he had expressed his regret to his Thai counterpart over what had happened to the elephant.
Thai officials have said the main purpose of bringing the animal back was for medical care and whether he returns to Sri Lanka remains a subject to be discussed with the Colombo government.
During a press conference in Bangkok last month, Thai Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said authorities would start surveying the health condition of other Thai elephants in foreign countries. He said exporting Thai elephants was already banned for conservation reasons.
Inauguration of Democracy Monument on June 24, 1940. The ceremony was presided by Prime Minister Field Marshall Plaek Pibulsongkram. Photo: National Archive.
The issue of the Thai National Day, or the lack thereof, depending on whom you ask, continues to trouble the psyche of some Thais.
Last week, on June 24, a group of activists submitted a letter to Move Forward Party, the party which is widely expected to lead the new coalition government, to reinstate June 24 as the Thai National Day.
From 1938 to 1960, June 24 was the Thai National Day and widely celebrated. There was even a beauty queen pageant on that day. The day marks the revolt on June 24, 1932, which ended absolute monarchy.
In 1960, however, military dictator Sarit Thanarat, who was fighting communism and supported by America, thought the focus should be on the king. So, Rama IX’s birthday, or Dec. 5, has since become the Thai National Day as well as Father’s Day in Thailand and that has not changed under the current King, Rama X.
Without doubt, those petitioners do not consider Dec. 5 Thai National Day. They do not feel it represents the whole nation – a king’s birthday yes, but national day no.
Amidst growing calls, particularly by young Thais, to reform the monarchy institution, amidst less and less people wanting to pay respect to the royal anthem before commercial theatre screen films, conservative royalists feel threatened.
Those opposing the reinstating of June 24 as Thai National Day include blueblood media commentator Nattakorn Devakula, who posted on social media last week that June 24 should not have even made Thai National Day from the start and highlighted the role of the monarchy institution over the centuries under absolute monarchy.
Nattakorn added in his Facebook post that Thailand copied Western democracy, which tends to lead to “illiberal democracy” and “liberal totalitarianism.”
“If we talk about the greatness of the Thai nation which occurred after 1932, that’s just a tiny slice of the long history … June 24 shouldn’t have been made Thai National Day from the beginning when the nationhood of the Thai people has been in existence for a long time since it was under absolute monarchy, which certainly was much longer.”
We can go on and debate whether what is ‘nationhood’ and sense of shared nation when most people were subjugated under absolute rule of kings. We can also debate whether June 24 truly deserves to be made National Day.
What is clear at the moment is that Thailand does not have a National Day that all, or at least most, can be proud of – there is no consensus as to which day should embody Thailand as a nation. (Among competing alternative dates could be November 6, the day King Taksin the Great, declared independence seven months after Burmese forces sacked and destroyed Ayutthaya.)
We should not be in a big rush to force all to agree – the ongoing debate is healthy and part of Thailand and Thai people defining themselves. There would not be a Thai-version of the Fourth of July or Bastille Day anytime soon.
As long as rogue Thai generals have a penchant for staging military coups and some Thais do not accept election results, it means even the desired political system is still contested and the lack of a consensus on what ought to be the definitive Thai National Day is just another symptom of that disagreement.
Officials inspect the moving walkway at Don Mueang International Airport on Jun. 29, 2023.
BANGKOK — The operator of Don Mueang Airport on Saturday said an investigation is underway after a woman got stuck in a travelator and lost her lower left leg.
Airports of Thailand (AOT) president Kerati Kijmanawat said a committee, which includes engineering experts, the travelator manufacturer, and relatives of the victim, has been formed to investigate the accident with the results expected within 15 days.
All of the moving walkways in the airport, which have been in service for almost 27 years, were also closed for a month while safety inspection was being conducted, he said.
“The travelator was overhauled in 2015,” Kerati said. “They were regularly maintained. If there is a fault in the machinery or maintenance, the Hitachi company must be held responsible as the manufacturer.”
Experts believed the accident could have been caused by a broken yellow comb plate that typically covers the edge where the moving walkway ends.
“Something could have stuck the comb plate, causing the wheels of the suitcase to become trapped in the travelator and break the plate,” Boonphong Kitwattanachai, a mechanical expert from the Engineering Institute of Thailand said after inspecting the scene.
“The debris could have fallen into the mechanism and lifted up a pallet, opening a gap wide enough for a leg to slip through.”
Boonphong said the travelator was operating normally and regularly received maintenance checks, though it would take up to 20 seconds for the safety sensor to activate and halt the machine.
The son of the 57-year-old passenger, who was on her way to her Thursday morning flight to Nakhon Si Thammarat province, said his mother is recovering after a surgery was carried out. He hoped his mother would be able to walk again after rescuers had to have her leg amputated in order to remove her from the scene.
“My mother recovered from the first round of surgery, which went seemingly well,” Kit Kittirattana wrote on Facebook. “Her heart is getting stronger. She told me she will keep fighting. She will be able to walk again.”
While the family appreciated the airport’s pledge to compensate the woman for the partial loss of her left leg and bear her medical expenses, they questioned why the initial response was rather slow.
“My mother said she was walking normally, but when she reached the end of the travelator, one of the pallets collapsed and trapped my mother’s leg underneath it,” Kit said. “She saw it took quite some time until the rescuers arrived. If help came early, my mother would not have lost her leg.”
“Every second that she stuck in the machine was the most painful moment of her life.”
