Premchai Karnasuta left Thong Pha Phum District Prison, Kanchanaburi Province, at 3:30 p.m. on October 17, 2023.
Former Italian Thai top executive turned convicted wildlife poacher Premchai Karnasuta was released from prison Tuesday due to ill health and after serving the minimum required sentence before gaining parole. He will be put under the supervision of the Corrections Department.
Premchai was sentenced by the Supreme Court in December 2019 to serve a total of 2 years and 14 months for poaching a protected black panther and possession of unlicensed firearms in 2018.
The 68-year-old tycoon was actually imprisoned for 1 year, 10 months, and 9 days. He was one of 113 prisoners approved on October 17 for release by the Department of Corrections by reducing the days spent in prison.
Premchai Karnasuta was actually imprisoned for 1 year 10 months and 9 days.
He left Thong Pha Phum District Prison, Kanchanaburi Province, at 3:30 p.m. on October 17. He looked weary and tired. He walked on a limp while using a cane to help support himself before boarding the car that took him to Bangkok.
Premchai’s lawyer, Witoon Praiyam, said Premchai’s family was very happy to hear the news of his release. But because it was quite urgent, not all family members came to pick him up. His client had health problems, both foot ulcers and physical health problems; therefore, he had to see a doctor at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok immediately.
The Department of Corrections explained in a statement that Premchai will be placed on probation beginning on October 17, 2023, and will be released from prison on December 7, 2023.
Premchai Karnasuta, 63, left, is seen with a group while being detained in the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi province on Thailand’s western border, Feb. 4, 2018. (Thailand Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation via AP, File)
“However, because of his ankle health issues, specifically the diabetes-related amputation of dead tissue into the leg, applying an electronic tracking device (EM) to him will cause friction, worsening the severity of his wounds and preventing treatment. After careful consideration, the committee determined that he is not required to use EM,” according to the statement.
The Department stated that Premchai is required to report and remain under probationary conditions until his scheduled punishment.
The president of the construction conglomerate Italian-Thai at the time of his arrest in 2018 was also found guilty of bribing park rangers at the Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi Province. In addition to his prison sentence, he was ordered to pay a share of a 2 million baht fine.
Two men arrested with him—a driver and a hunter—also received prison sentences and fines. One of them, Thani Thummas, the hunter, died of cancer in 2022.
The jailing of Premchai is a rare case of a rich, influential Thai having to serve time for wrongdoing. The Thai public has grown weary of repeated examples of wealthy Thais apparently flouting the law with impunity.
His early release was also criticized. There are also rumours that Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister, will also be released.
Two Thai women, Jam and Nong, drive past the Israel tank to help a Thai worker.
One Thai woman who is widely praised and admired both in the Thai labor community and on social media is 40-year-old Viphavadi Vannachai, or “Jam”. She has earned the titles of “Thai Angel” and “Hero” for her courageous efforts to travel to dangerous areas and help Thai workers during the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
She only returned to Thailand on October 17 to attend her mother’s funeral in Nong Bua Lamphu province. She is very sad because she did not have the last opportunity to say goodbye to her mother as she was in a life-threatening situation helping Thai citizens.
In an interview at Khon Kaen airport, Jam revealed that she was previously married to an Israeli husband who worked as a lawyer and ran a legal practice. They handled legal matters for over 15 years, including complaints from Thai workers in Israel. They had three children together, but she is no longer with her husband.
Viphavadi Vannachai, or “Jam,” gives an interview at the Khon Kaen airport on October 17, 2023.
During the violent clashes in Israel, Jam stayed with a Thai friend named Nong, and together they supported Thai workers in Israel. She also actively communicated via Facebook, known as “Jam Vannachai.”
She said, “During the violent incidents when the Hamas group attacked Israel, there were Thai workers who contacted my law firm by phone and text messages asking for help. So I spoke to Nong and said, ‘We are all born once and die once. We will do everything we can to help our Thai colleagues. Then we met with the Thai workers.”
On the way to help the Thai workers, Jam stressed that it was not easy because of the extreme danger in different areas. In some places, the military would not allow them to enter, but it was necessary to go in and save the Thai citizens. The military was understanding and ensured their safety.
She also actively communicated via Facebook, known as “Jam Vannachai.”
She explained that many workers had fled the camps where they were housed because the camps had been burnt down and they had no important documents. Some were injured and had to return home.
She contacted all relevant parties to facilitate the return of these Thai workers, especially those named Ono and Chatri who had been shot and had no documents. All of them registered for their return to Thailand. Others who had arrived at the airport but had no documents were also helped.
“I have no magical talismans or sacred objects, I simply pray to God to clear the way for me and protect everything I plan to do. Smoothly and safely,” Jam said. She also revealed that she plans to return to Israel in December this year.
Viphavadi Vannachai, or “Jam,” gives advice to Thai workers in Israel to remain vigilant and safe. Trust the authorities and do not venture outside secured areas.
She advised, “I hope Thais working in Israel will remain vigilant and safe. Trust the authorities and do not venture outside secured areas. If unfortunate incidents occur, no one can help us. I recognise that we all face challenges, but with determination and a clear mind we can overcome them. The situation in Israel remains tense every day, so please take care. Rejoice for the Thais who are safe and have returned home, and condole with the families of those who lost their lives.”
Jam’s father, who lives in Nong Bua Lamphu, expressed his deep regret for his daughter who did not get a chance to say goodbye to her mother. However, he is immensely proud of his daughter who has worked tirelessly to help Thai citizens in difficult situations, just as his wife did before her death on 13 October.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin, rear center, arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport to attend the third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. (Parker Song/Pool Photo via AP)
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a visit that underscores China’s support for Moscow during its war in Ukraine as well as Russian backing for China’s bid to expand its economic and diplomatic influence abroad.
The two countries have forged an informal alliance against the United States and other democratic nations that is now complicated by the Israel-Hamas war. China has sought to balance its ties with Israel against its relations with Iran and Syria, two countries that are strongly backed by Russia and with which China has forged ties for economic reasons as well as to challenge Washington’s influence in the Middle East.
Putin’s plane was met by an honor guard as the Russian leader began his visit that is also a show of support for Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s signature “Belt and Road” initiative to build infrastructure and expand China’s overseas influence.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, center, arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport to attend the third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. (Parker Song/Pool Photo via AP)
In an interview to Chinese state media, Putin praised the massive but loosely linked BRI projects.
“Yes, we see that some people consider it an attempt by the People’s Republic of China to put someone under its thumb, but we see otherwise, we just see desire for cooperation,” he told state broadcaster CCTV, according to a transcript released by the Kremlin on Monday.
Putin will be among the highest profile guests at a gathering marking the 10th anniversary of Xi’s announcement of the BRI project, which has laden countries such as Zambia and Sri Lanka with heavy debt from contracts with Chinese companies to build roads, airports and other public works they could not otherwise afford. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has praised the Chinese policy as bringing development to neglected areas.
Asked by reporters Friday about his visit, Putin said it would encompass talks on Belt and Road-related projects, which he said Moscow wants to link with efforts by an economic alliance of former Soviet Union nations mostly located in Central Asia to “achieve common development goals.”
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, center, arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport to attend the third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. (Parker Song/Pool Photo via AP)
He also downplayed the impact of China’s economic influence in a region that Russia has long considered its backyard and where it has worked to maintain political and military clout.
“We don’t have any contradictions here, on the contrary, there is a certain synergy,” Putin said.
Putin said he and Xi would also discuss growing economic ties between Moscow and Beijing in energy, high-tech and financial industries. China has also grown in importance as an export destination for Russia.
Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, said that from China’s view, “Russia is a safe neighbor that is friendly, that is a source of cheap raw materials, that’s a support for Chinese initiatives on the global stage and that’s also a source of military technologies, some of those that China doesn’t have.”
“For Russia, China is its lifeline, economic lifeline in its brutal repression against Ukraine,” Gabuev told The Associated Press.
“It’s the major market for Russian commodities, it’s a country that provides its currency and payment system to settle Russia’s trade with the outside world — with China itself, but also with many other countries, and is also the major source of sophisticated technological imports, including dual-use goods that go into the Russian military machine.”
Gabuev said that while Moscow and Beijing will be unlikely to forge a full-fledged military alliance, their defense cooperation will grow.
The Russian flag is flown near Tiananmen Square ahead of the Third Belt and Road Forum held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
“Both countries are self-sufficient in terms of security and they benefit from partnering, but neither really requires a security guarantee from the other. And they preach strategic autonomy,” he said.
“There will be no military alliance, but there will be closer military cooperation, more interoperability, more cooperation on projecting force together, including in places like the Arctic and more joint effort to develop a missile defense that makes the U.S. nuclear planning and planning of the U.S. and its allies in Asia and in Europe more complicated,” he added.
The Chinese and Soviets were Cold War rivals for influence among left-leaning states, but China and Russia have since partnered in the economic, military and diplomatic spheres.
Just weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February, Putin met with Xi in Beijing and the sides signed an agreement pledging a “no-limits” relationship. Beijing’s attempts to present itself as a neutral peace broker in Russia’s war on Ukraine have been widely dismissed by the international community.
Xi visited Moscow in March as part of a flurry of exchanges between the countries. China has condemned international sanctions imposed on Russia, but hasn’t directly addressed an arrest warrant issued for Putin by the International Criminal Court on charges of alleged involvement in the abductions of thousands of children from Ukraine.
___
Christopher Bodeen reported from Taiwan. Associated Press writer Jim Heintz in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.
A video clip of a patient’s daughter denouncing hospital staff for slowing down and stopping on the way to buy fried bananas, popular Thai snacks, has gone viral for criticism.
Usually, an ambulance is expected to take seriously ill patients to the hospital as quickly as possible. But on October 13, the ALS ambulance of Nakhon Nayok Hospital stopped to get fried bananas on the way.
On October 16, Nakhon Nayok Hospital issued a statement regarding this case after a brief investigation.
Nakhon Nayok Hospital
According to a dash cam, it was found that the car departed the 64-year-oldpatient’s house at 10:47 a.m. The car slowed down to receive fried bananas while driving for 3 seconds since the fried banana vendor was waiting to deliver on the road, which is inappropriate when heading out.
The vehicle arrived at the hospital at 10:57 a.m., and the patient was admitted to the emergency room for treatment. He spent one night in the male medical inpatient unit. When his general symptoms were normal, doctors allowed him to go home on October 14.
A video clip of a patient’s daughter denouncing hospital staff has gone viral.
“Nakhon Nayok Hospital recognises the issue and prioritises patient care. Thus, a committee was formed to investigate those involved in compliance with government regulations. Nakhon Nayok Hospital regrets this error. and welcome all suggestions. It would help Nakhon Nayok Hospital improve its workflow and service,” it stated.
Later, nurses at Nakhon Nayok Hospital travelled to the residence of the patient to apologise to him. They also talked with Ms. Suchada Nammali, 32 years old, the patient’s daughter.
Nurses from Nakhon Nayok Hospital travelled to the patient’s house to apologise to him.
Ms. Suchada stated that she does not want this to happen to anyone else. She was curious about the hospital’s disciplinary procedures or punishment for the four ambulance personnel that came to pick up her father that day.
“I’m pleased with the hospital’s visit to apologise to my father. But I want an answer about the hospital’s statement that the ambulance paused for about 3 seconds to get fried bananas. Is that correct? I want them to fix the complaint. “I don’t want it to happen to anyone else,” stated the patient’s daughter.
State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-21st District, embraces Oday Al-Fayoume, father of Wadea Al-Fayoume, 6, during a news conference at the Muslim Community Center on Chicago's Northwest Side, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (Jim Vondruska/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
CHICAGO (AP) — An Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing a 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
In the Chicago-area case, officers found the 32-year-old woman and boy late Saturday morning at a home in an unincorporated area of Plainfield Township, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of Chicago, the Will County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on social media.
Relatives and a Muslim civil liberties and advocacy group identified the slain boy as the wounded woman’s son.
The home where a boy was killed and a woman critically injured after they were stabbed by a man who targeted them because they were Muslim is shown in Plainfield, Ill., Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
The boy was pronounced dead at a hospital. The woman had multiple stab wounds and was expected to survive, according to the statement. An autopsy on the child showed he had been stabbed dozens of times.
“Detectives were able to determine that both victims in this brutal attack were targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the on-going Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis,” the sheriff’s statement said.
According to the Will County sheriff’s office, the woman had called 911 to report that her landlord had attacked her with a knife, adding she then ran into a bathroom and continued to fight him off.
The man suspected in the attack was found Saturday outside the home and “sitting upright outside on the ground near the driveway of the residence” with a cut on his forehead, authorities said.
Joseph M. Czuba, 71, of Plainfield was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of hate crimes and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, according to the sheriff’s office. WLS-TV reported that Czuba was scheduled for an initial hearing on Monday afternoon at the county courthouse in Joliet, according to the Will County State’s Attorney Office.
This booking photo provided by the Will County Sheriff’s Office, in Joliet, Ill., shows Joseph M. Czuba. (Will County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
Attempts to reach Czuba or a family member were unsuccessful Sunday. His home phone number was unlisted. Messages left for possible relatives in online records and on social media were not immediately returned. The sheriff’s office and county public defender’s office did not immediately return messages about Czuba’s legal representation.
Authorities did not release the names of the two victims.
But the boy’s paternal uncle, Yousef Hannon, spoke at a news conference Sunday hosted by the Chicago chapter Council on American-Islamic Relations where the boy’s father was in attendance. There the boy was identified as Wadea Al-Fayoume, a Palestinian American boy who recently had turned 6. The organization identified the other victim as the boy’s mother.
“We are not animals, we are humans. We want people to see us as humans, to feel us as humans, to deal with us as humans, because this is what we are,” said Hannon, a Palestinian American who emigrated to the U.S. in 1999 to work, including as a public school teacher.
The Muslim civil liberties organization called the crime “our worst nightmare” and part of a disturbing spike in hate calls and emails since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. The group cited text messages exchanged among family members that showed the attacker had made disparaging remarks about Muslims.
“Palestinians basically, again, with their hearts broken over what’s happening to their people,” said Ahmed Rehab, the group’s executive director, “have to also worry about the immediate safety of life and limb living here in this most free of democracies in the world.”
In response to the increased threats, the Illinois State Police are communicating with federal law-enforcement and reaching out to Muslim communities and religious leaders to offer support, according to a Sunday press release from Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker.
“To take a six-year-old child’s life in the name of bigotry is nothing short of evil,” Pritzker said. “Wadea should be heading to school in the morning. Instead, his parents will wake up without their son. This wasn’t just a murder — it was a hate crime. And every single Illinoisan — including our Muslim, Jewish, and Palestinian neighbors — deserves to live free from the threat of such evil.”
President Joe Biden echoed that sentiment Sunday, saying in a statement: “This horrific act of hate has no place in America, and stands against our fundamental values: freedom from fear for how we pray, what we believe, and who we are.”
The Justice Department opened a hate crime investigation into the events leading up to the attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland said.
Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, speaks at a news conference held at the Muslim Community Center on Chicago’s Northwest Side, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, (Jim Vondruska/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
FBI Director Chris Wray said on a call with reporters Sunday that the FBI is also moving quickly to mitigate the threats.
A senior FBI official who spoke on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Bureau said the majority of the threats that the FBI has responded to were not judged to be credible, adding that the FBI takes them all seriously nonetheless.
The official also said that agents have been encouraged to be “aggressive” and proactive in communicating over the last week with faith-based leaders. The official said the purpose is not to make anyone feel targeted but rather to ask clerics and others to report to law enforcement anything that seems suspicious.
Palestinians stand by the building destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)
JERUSALEM — Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that Hamas potentially was ready to release the nearly 200 hostages it is holding if Israel stops its campaign of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. The militant group hasn’t acknowledged making such an offer.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani spoke at a news conference in Tehran. Iran’s theocracy is a main sponsor of Hamas in its fight against Israel, Tehran’s regional archenemy.
Hamas officials “stated that they are ready to take necessary measures to release the citizens and civilians held by resistant groups, but their point was that such measures require preparations that are impossible under daily bombardment by the Zionists against various parts of Gaza,” Kanaani said.
Rockets are fired toward Israel from the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Hamas has said it will trade the captives for thousands of Palestinians held by Israel in the kind of lopsided exchange deals that have been reached in the past.
Iran has warned it could enter the war as well if Israel launches a widely anticipated ground offensive in the Gaza Strip in the coming days. Already, the Lebanese Shiite militia group Hezbollah, which is also sponsored by Iran, has launched missiles into Israel, though it insists that represents a “warning” for Israel rather than its full entry into the war.
“We heard from the resistance that they have no problem to continue resisting,” Kanaani said, referring to Hamas. “They said the resistance holds military capability to continue resisting in the field for a long time.”
ISRAEL SAYS 199 HOSTAGES ARE BEING HELD IN GAZA
JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says Hamas and other Palestinian militants are holding 199 hostages in Gaza — higher than previous estimates.
In this still image taken from video, Hamas’ militants transport Yaffa Adar, 85, an Israeli civilian kidnapped from Nir Oz, into Gaza strip in a golf cart, in an unspecified location between Israel and Gaza, on Saturday Oct. 7, 2023. (AP)
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a military spokesman, said Monday that the families have been notified. He did not specify whether that number includes foreigners, or say who is holding them.
Most are believed to be held by the Hamas militant group, which rules Gaza.
FLIGHT OF 130 THAI EVACUEES ARRIVES FROM ISRAEL
BANGKOK — A Thai Air Force plane carrying 130 evacuees from Israel arrived early Monday in Bangkok.
The evacuation flight on an Airbus A340, carrying 127 men, two women and a girl, was the first of of a planned six flights by Thailand’s air force. Small batches of evacuees had previously arrived on commercial flights.
Thai workers who were evacuated from Israel, arrive at military airport in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. Some 130 Thai nationals from Israel have returned home as the war between Israel and Hamas rages. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
As of Saturday, 7,058 Thais in Israel had registered for voluntary repatriation, while 83 indicated their intention to remain in Israel, according to the Thai Foreign Ministry. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said Sunday that 28 Thais are reported to have been killed in the attack on southern Israel by Hamas, and another 17 abducted.
There are about 30,000 Thai workers in Israel, mostly employed as agricultural laborers, and some 5,000 had been working in the area that was affected by the violence.
Tourists stand on Bang Tao Beach in Phuket, southern Thailand, Friday, Oct. 22, 2021. Photo: Patrick Quinn / AP
The Cabinet meeting on October 16, 2023, approved a unilateral and temporary tourist visa exemption scheme for holders of Russian passports or travel documents to extend the period of temporary stay for Russian tourists to 90 days from the original 30 days, starting from November 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said expanding visa-free for Russian tourists will boost tourism. Russia is known for its frigid winters, so it has extended the stay from 30 to 90 days. Russians stay for more than a month in Thailand. We want them to stay longer because winter lasts from December to March.
“I agree because it is a positive development.” This time, I’ll also meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is a show of friendship to both countries. You will be able to negotiate various issues in order to improve things.”
Pattaya administrators welcomed Russian tourists arrived at U-Tapao airport.
Anutin Charnvirakul, Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior, stated that the Ministry of Interior is aware of this policy to ensure tourist safety. We will double-check to ensure that visitors are tourists, not people who have overstayed their visa.
Russian tourists ranked fifth in the number of international tourists entering Thailand between January 1 and October 1, 2023, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, with 994,431 people.
Malaysia ranks first with 3,280,622 people, China ranks second with 2,509,698 people, South Korea ranks third with 1,197,763 people, and India ranks fourth with 1,165,935 people. The total number of international tourists in the country is 20,051,535 people.
Prior to the COVID epidemic, Thailand had the highest number of Russian tourists among Europeans, with 1.48 million people in 2019.
BANGKOK, THAILAND – October 2023 – Reap Factory, the international culinary marketplace at Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, is inviting guests and local residents to celebrate Halloween in style this year with a spine-tingling dining experience, filled with devilish dishes and decorations to create fun for the whole family!
Staged on the most frightening night of the year, 31st October 2023, the “Harvest Halloween Dinner” will showcase a spooky selection of international dishes, including plenty of tasty treats – and no tricks – for all ages! Diners can tuck into mini monster burgers, Halloween pizzas, pasta meat hands and much more, alongside a sublime selection of seafood on ice, prime cold cuts, premium cheeses, and Thai appetizers
Guests can also discover sushi, sashimi and more at the Japanese Station, freshly-made Italian dishes at the Pasta Station, hot Thai dishes, and grilled meats and seafood, cooked to-order by our talented chefs. And of course, every dinner can end on a sweet note with Halloween themed desserts including chocolate mousse RIP, dirt pudding, bloody chocolate fondue and more!
So, gather your loved ones and little monsters for a haunting dining experience this Halloween at Reap Factory. A live DJ will keep everyone entertained and kids will love the creepy face painting!
The Harvest Halloween Dinner at Reap Factory will be staged on Halloween night, Tuesday 31st October 2023, from 18.00 to 22.00 hrs. This fang-tastic feast is priced at just THB 999++ per person. A two-hour free-flow beverage package, including a selection of organic, biodynamic and natural wines, a choice of three cocktails, beers and spirits, is priced at THB 599++ per person. To save more, pay THB 1,300++ per person for both buffet dinner and 2-hour free flow.
Launched in July 2023, Reap Factory is the vibrant all-day restaurant that celebrates the bounty of a successful harvest. It hosts a Saturday Harvest Brunch and Harvest Buffet Dinners every Thursday and Friday evening, featuring an appetizing array of healthy Thai and international cuisine, crafted using local and seasonal produce and presented in a rustic, farmhouse kitchen style.
For more information about Reap Factory at Courtyard by Marriott Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, please click here.
PM Srettha Thavisin arrives at the government house with a Tesla Model Y electric car on October 16, 2023.
Srettha Thavisin, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, was seen in a Tesla Model Y electric car to the Royal Thai Police headquarters before attending a cabinet meeting on Monday, October 16.
The Cabinet meeting was moved from its normal Tuesday date to Monday as the Prime Minister will visit China and Saudi Arabia between October 16 and 20.
When asked why he uses the electric car, he replied that this car belongs to his family and that it is suitable for Bangkok traffic conditions, accelerates well and is environmentally friendly as it reduces PM 2.5 pollution.
The PM’s’ Tesla car is parked at the Royal Thai Police headquarters on October 16, 2023.
“This November I will negotiate with Tesla. I want to entice them by saying that I also have [their car] at home and it is an electric car. Getting in and out is convenient because I am a tall person. Compared to my Mercedes office car, it’s easier to put my head down,” said the PM.
Asked if Tesla enjoyed special privileges, Srettha replied that all companies received the same benefits, but he was sure that Thailand offered better advantages than neighboring countries.
The Prime Minister stressed that the Thai government continues to support the production of electric cars and aims to attract investment in the electric car industry, with Thailand seen as a central hub for electric car manufacturing in Southeast Asia.
Earlier, PM Srettha held talks with Tesla CEO Elon Musk on September 21 during a visit to New York to attend the UNGA. They discussed the electric vehicle industry in a video conference in which the Thai PM told the American tycoon that Thailand’s administration was ready to support investments within the existing incentive framework.
PM Srettha held talks with Tesla CEO Elon Musk on September 21 during a visit to New York to attend the UNGA.
The statement said, “Tesla praised Thai human capital, which was suitable for investment.”
In light of the progress made in attracting investment in November, Srettha expressed hope for positive results and spoke about his upcoming visit to the People’s Republic of China, where the topic of electric cars will also be discussed.
Mr. Artem bows his head after being punched by a Thai man on the night of October 14th.
On October 16, local police in Pattaya reported that Mr. Wanchalerm Sriphraison, 35, from Nakhon Sawan province, who had assaulted a Russian tourist named Artem, 27, had turned himself in at the police station after the incident on the night of October 14.
On the night of the incident, witnesses reported that Mr. Wanchalerm was riding a motorbike and had an argument with a taxi driver who was parked in the middle of the road. He allegedly shouted and had an object on him that resembled a gun. The Russian tourist was intending to calm the situation down, but the situation escalated and Mr. Wanchalerm punched him.
The CCTV footage shows the man who punched a Russian tourist on the night of October 14.Wanchalerm Sriphraison, turned himself in at the Pattaya police station on October 15, 2023.
Mr. Wanchalerm later admitted to his action and apologised to the Russian tourist. He described that after the argument with the taxi driver, he apparently saw the foreign man lifting his leg that looked like he was about to kick him, so he walked up to him and punched him once in the face before leaving the scene.
As for the alleged weapon, when the police searched Mr. Wanchalerm flat, they found neither a weapon nor any other illegal items. Therefore, the police only charged him with bodily harm to another person.
