The arrest of a ladyboy, Watcharapong Ponphan, 27, of Buriram province, for stealing two gold necklaces valued more than 25,000 baht from a Russian tourist was announced on May 26 by Pol. Col. Thanapong Phothi, Superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, and investigative police officials.
This incident occurred on May 23, in the middle of the night, as a couple of Russian tourists, Mr.Nikolay and Mrs. Elena, both 51 years old, were walking in Jomtien. Watcharapong approached them and pretended to want photographs with them.
When she put her arms around the Russian’s shoulder, Watcharapong snatched the necklace of the Russian female tourist with another 2,500 baht in cash and fled.
The Russian couple then went to the Pattaya City Police Station, Dong Tan sub-branch, to report to the investigator.
On May 25, Watcharapong was detained at a gold-buying shop in Pattaya’s Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province.
Initially, she admitted to being the perpetrator for the first time. She used the stolen money to lend to friends and gamble online.
BANGKOK — Promoter Live Nation Tero on Friday announced ticket prices for the Sam Smith concert in Bangkok later this year.
The English singer-songwriter will perform at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani on Oct. 3, 2023 with tickets starting at 2,800 baht. Pre-sale tickets will go on sale online from 10am on Jun. 1, while the public round will start the day after.
Bangkok will be the first leg of Smith’s Asia tour to promote their latest album “Gloria,” before hitting major Asian cities such as Hong Kong, Osaka, Seoul, and Singapore. The Unholy hitmaker performed in Bangkok for the first time in 2018.
Smith last visited Thailand in December last year and caused quite a stir among their Thai fans after they posted a series of flirty snaps of their holiday on Koh Samui. One of their TikTok videos shows them twerking on a motorcycle.
Known for “Dancing With A Stranger,” “How Do You Sleep,” and “Too Good at Goodbyes,” Smith rose to fame in 2014 when their crooning voice was featured on Disclosure’s breakthrough single “Latch.” They won numerous achievements, which include five Grammy Awards and three Billboard Music Awards.
Another controversial issue during the formation of the government came as the Move Forward Party (MFP) was pushing for a minimum wage of 450 baht (13 U.S. dollars) per day.
Pita Limjaroenrat, Leader of the Move Forward Party, met with a network of workers from 45 organisations and over 200 people on Friday, May 26, at the Bang Sao Thong municipal office in Samut Prakan Province to discuss the MFP’s labour policy.
The network of workers participating in the discussion included trade unions from a variety of industries, including automotive, steel, food and pharmaceuticals, electricity and electronics, textiles, publishing, packaging, plastics, state enterprises, informal workers, the service sector, and many others.
Pita Limjaroenrat, Leader of the Move Forward Party, met with a network of workers in Samut Prakan Province on May 26, 2023.
Then, in an interview, Pita stated that he is confident in his ability to enact a wage-increasing policy in the first 100 days of taking office. Considering figures such as the rate of economic growth and inflation rate, as well as labour products over the last 7-8 years, the suitable wage is 450 baht per day.
The 30th PM candidate said this issue must look at both sides of the coin, including the dimension of helping to heal SMEs, as well as evaluating measures following the 2013 wage hike. Following discussions with the Federation of Thai Industries and the Youth Industry Council, he will embark on a tour to meet with the Chamber of Commerce and the Employers’ Council to gain a comprehensive understanding of both sides of the coin.
When asked about the Chamber of Commerce’s concerns about wage increases, which may lead to a shift in production to Vietnam, Pita stated the minimum wage was not the only factor; all personnel must be examined, including corruption, taxation, exports, and the domestic market.
Foreign Direct Investment Has Declined
Previously, Tanit Sorat, Deputy President of the Employer’s Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry (ECONTHAI), reveals that the assembly emphasizes a careful and step-by-step consideration by the new government regarding the proposed minimum wage increase policy.
He stated that the proposed rate of 450 baht per day is considered relatively high, and an immediate adjustment could lead to a repetitive pattern similar to the wage increase in 2013 (300 baht per day nationwide), which resulted in production base relocation to neighboring countries. Similarly, new investments that heavily rely on labor may not materialize.
“When the minimum wage was raised to 300 baht a day, there was a significant relocation of labour-intensive industries, including textiles, footwear, fish canning factories and certain component manufacturers, to neighbouring countries, especially Vietnam.
Tanit Sorat, Deputy President of the Employer’s Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry (ECONTHAI)
This is because most of our industries still rely heavily on local labour. We have lost whole lines of workshops that used to do the sewing work for famous sportswear brands. This time, the same pattern will repeat itself because our industrial structure is still primarily dependent on labour without moving towards high-tech industries,” Tanit said.
He explained that as a result of previous high wage increases, Thailand’s export performance, which used to lead the region, including foreign direct investment (FDI), has declined, leaving Vietnam as the leading agent.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s economic structure relies heavily on high exports. This is the reason why the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth has declined over the last 10 years.
“We must not forget another crucial point: The question of raising the minimum wage is about providing for vulnerable workers who currently receive less. If the minimum wage is raised, the wages of those who already earn 450 baht a day must also be raised. however, 90% of the Thai industry is medium and small enterprises (SMEs), which cannot afford such sudden wage increases.
“Consequently, these factors will be reflected in product prices due to increased costs. This situation causes dissatisfaction among the public and also affects the labour force. However, the economy will suffer even more from the increased costs, affecting Thailand’s competitiveness in exports. At the same time, Vietnam enjoys various tax benefits, which further undermines Thailand’s competitiveness,” the Deputy President of ECONTHAI stated.
Danucha Pichayanan, Secretary General of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), said that wage increases need to be carefully considered as they can have a significant impact on the business sector, including employment policies. The positive and negative consequences of cost increases should be carefully assessed as they can affect FDI and have an impact on the overall economy.
The Secretary-General also acknowledged that the Thai economy is currently facing challenges and uncertainties and that survival in a fluctuating global economy requires strengthening the country’s resilience.
From the video showing a foreigner dressed as an official assaulting a Chinese man on South Pattaya Road, while a Thai woman prevented bystanders from intervening, Pattaya police officers have verified the identities of each individual.
On May 26, the Superintendent of the Pattaya Police Station, Pol. Col. Thanaphong Phothi, stated that the incident shown in the video was a street brawl. At 3 a.m. on May 24, it occurred near the intersection, South Pattaya, Sai 3, Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province.
The scene of the incident
The individual featured in the video was not an officer. He is merely a tourist who wore a jacket with a foreign police emblem and trousers to appear official.
As soon as the patrol police intervened, the Chinese man admitted that he had difficulty driving and nearly collided with the foreigner’s motorbike. When the foreigner apologised to him, both parties agreed not to pursue prosecution.
People view the products exhibited at the fourth Myanmar (Lashio)-China (Lincang) border trade fair in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, May 25, 2023. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)
NAY PYI TAW – The fourth Myanmar (Lashio)-China (Lincang) border trade fair kicked off in Myanmar’s capital Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday. The fair will be held until May 28.
The trade fair reflects “Paukphaw (fraternal) friendship, promotion of biliteral trade and economic cooperation and multi-sector cooperation between the peoples of the two countries,” Union Minister for Planning and Finance U Win Shein said at the opening ceremony.
The fair is aimed at further enhancing biliteral trade, expanding investment, promoting closer relationship between entrepreneurs of the two countries and creating job opportunities by boosting tourism and technical cooperation, Union Minister for Commerce U Aung Naing Oo said.
People visit the fourth Myanmar (Lashio)-China (Lincang) border trade fair in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, May 25, 2023. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)
China is one of Myanmar’s major trading partners, and border trade plays a major role in the trading between Myanmar and China, he said.
People visit the fourth Myanmar (Lashio)-China (Lincang) border trade fair in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, May 25, 2023. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)
Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai said Lincang, a border region in southwest China’s Yunnan province, is the frontier of Yunnan’s exchanges and cooperation with Myanmar, and has geographical advantages for opening up and cooperation with Myanmar.
The fourth border trade fair will inject new vitality into economic and trade cooperation between the two places, Chen said.
People view the products exhibited at the fourth Myanmar (Lashio)-China (Lincang) border trade fair in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, May 25, 2023. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)
People view the products exhibited at the fourth Myanmar (Lashio)-China (Lincang) border trade fair in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, May 25, 2023. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)
A total of 60 associations or enterprises from Myanmar participated in the fair, exhibiting food, souvenir, gems and jewelry, tea, coffee, agricultural products, wood products and tourism services.
More than 70 Chinese enterprises participated in the exhibition, displaying solar appliances, clothing, construction materials, consumer products and cosmetics.
An Asiana Airlines plane is parked as one of the plane's doors suddenly opened at Daegu International Airport in Daegu, South Korea, Friday, May 26, 2023. (Yun Kwan-shick/Yonhap via AP)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A passenger opened an emergency exit door during a plane flight in South Korea on Friday, causing air to blast inside the cabin and slightly injure 12 people, officials said. The plane landed safely.
Some people aboard the Asiana Airlines Airbus A321 aircraft tried to stop the person, who was able to partially open the door, the Transport Ministry said.
The person was detained by airport police on suspicion of violating the aviation security law, a ministry statement said. The person’s identity and motive weren’t immediately released.
The law bars passengers from handling exit doors and other equipment on board and provides for penalties of up to 10 years in prison, the ministry said.
Police officers in plain clothes arrest an airplane passenger at Daegu International Airport in Daegu, South Korea, Friday, May 26, 2023, after a passenger opened it during a flight. (Yun Kwan-shick/Yonhap via AP)
The plane with 194 people aboard was heading to the southeastern city of Daegu from the southern island of Jeju. The flight is normally about an hour, and the incident occurred when the plane was reaching the Daegu airport at an altitude of 700 feet (213 meters).
A video apparently taken by a person on board that was posted on social media shows some passengers’ hair being whipped by the air blowing into the cabin through the open door.
An emergency exit door of an Asiana Airlines plane is seen at Daegu International Airport in Daegu, South Korea, Friday, May 26, 2023, after a passenger opened it during a flight. (Yun Kwan-shick/Yonhap via AP)
The passengers included teenage athletes on their way to a track and field competition. Some screamed and cried in panic, Yonhap news agency reported, citing their unidentified coach.
Yonhap quoted other passengers as saying they suffered severe ear pain after the door opened. It said some cabin crew shouted for help from passengers to prevent the door from being opened.
Twelve people were taken to hospitals for treatment, according to the Transportation Ministry. Emergency officials in Daegu said the injured people suffered breathing problems and other minor symptoms.
Political party Candlelight Party's poster, right, is displayed near a bridge outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, May 25, 2023. Photo: Heng Sinith / AP
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s top opposition party was barred Thursday from participating in elections set for July after the Constitutional Council refused to overturn a decision not to register the party over a paperwork issue.
The Candlelight Party, the sole credible challenger to the governing Cambodian People’s Party in the upcoming polls, lost its appeal because its complaint was deemed unlawful, the council said in a brief statement.
The decision is final and cannot be appealed.
Cambodian courts are widely considered to be under the influence of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government and his Cambodian People’s Party.
The National Election Committee on May 16 had refused to register the Candlelight Party, saying it failed to provide necessary documents. A few days later the party officially filed an appeal with the Constitutional Council asking it to overturn the election commission’s ruling.
Candlelight Party supporters register on the participant lists near their party’s logo before their march during an election campaign for the June 5 communal elections in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday, May 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Kimsour Phirith, a spokesperson for the Candlelight Party, said he “regretted” Thursday’s decision since it denies the party’s supporters nationwide from being able to vote for their preferred candidates.
“The absence of the (Candlelight Party) from the election means the voices of the people are dismissed. Such a move would never occur in a real democratic country,” Kimsour Phirith said.
The U.S. State Department said it would not send official observers to witness the elections and is “deeply troubled” by the decision barring the Candlelight Party from participating.
“Contrived legal actions, threats, harassment, and politically motivated criminal charges targeting opposition parties, independent media, and civil society undermine Cambodia’s international commitments to develop as a multiparty democracy” spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
It urged Cambodia authorities “to reverse course to ensure its citizens can participate in a fair, multiparty democracy.”
About 9.7 million Cambodians are registered to vote in the July 23 elections for the 125 members of the National Assembly. Eighteen political parties are registered and recognized by the election committee, but the absence of the Candlelight Party leaves only Hun Sen’s party, its allies and small parties that lack a national presence to contest the polls.
The Cambodian People’s Party has held an iron grip on power for decades and controls almost every level of government. Hun Sen, 70, an authoritarian ruler in a nominally democratic state, has held his position for 38 years.
Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia gestures as he talks about his vision for the Mekong region in the World Economic Forum on ASEAN at the National Convention Center Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018 in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo: Bullit Marquez / Associated Press
He and his party hold all the advantages of incumbency ahead of the election, with dominance in political organizing, personnel, finances and media influence. Hun Sen’s eldest son, army chief Hun Manet, is widely expected to replace his father as prime minister after the polls.
The Candlelight Party is the unofficial successor to the Cambodia National Rescue Party, which had posed a serious challenge to Hun Sen’s party before the 2018 elections. It was dissolved just months ahead of the polls by a controversial court ruling that alleged it had plotted the illegal overthrow of the government.
The party’s disbanding enabled the governing party to win all the seats in the National Assembly. Western nations declared the election was neither free nor fair, and imposed mild economic sanctions in response.
Most prominent opposition members are now in self-imposed exile to avoid being jailed on various charges they say are trumped up and unfair.
A vehicle carrying a suspect, unseen, arrives at a police station in Nakano, Nagano prefecture, central Japan Friday morning, May 26, 2023. Photo: Kyodo News via AP
TOKYO (AP) — Police said they arrested a man Friday who had holed up in his father’s house armed with a rifle and a knife after allegedly killing four people, including two police officers, in central Japan.
TV Asahi showed the man with his hands on his head walk out of the house and be ushered into a police vehicle.
Masanori Aoki, 31, a farmer, was arrested under a court warrant on suspicion of murder by police in Nakano, a city in Nagano prefecture. Police said the house was owned by his father, a local politician. NHK public television said one of two women who escaped while the suspect was holed up told police that the attacker was her son and that his father was chairman of the city assembly.
A police officer controls traffic near the scene of a fatal stabbing and shooting incident in Nakano, Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, on May 25, 2023. (Kyodo)
Police said earlier that two police officers were shot by the suspect when they arrived at the scene after receiving an emergency call saying a woman was stabbed.
A witness told NHK on Thursday that a woman fell while being chased by the suspect, who then stabbed her with a knife and shot at two police officers as they arrived at the scene in a patrol car.
The woman and the two police officers were pronounced dead at a hospital. An older woman, who was injured but could not be rescued because she was near the suspect, was found dead early Friday, police said.
Police officers stand near the scene of a fatal stabbing and shooting incident in Nakano, Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, on May 25, 2023. (Kyodo)
During the standoff, TV footage showed police wearing bulletproof vests and carrying shields, with an ambulance nearby. Police sealed off a 300-meter (330-yard) radius around the house, and city officials urged people in the quiet farming neighborhood to stay home.
Violent crimes are rare in Japan. It has strict gun control laws and only a handful of gun-related crimes annually. But in recent years, there have been some high-profile cases involving random knifings on subways and arson attacks, and there is growing concern about homemade guns and explosives.
Bangkok, 25 May 2023 – UOB hasrecently releasednew credit cards film titled ‘For All You Love’ across ASEAN markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam tohighlight the regional presence and global strength of UOB credit cards as well as the Bank’s ambitionto serve an aspiring ASEAN.
Mrs Vira–Anong ChiranakhornPhutrakul,Head of Retail and Brand, UOB Thailand, said “Followingthe acquisition of Citi’s retail business in four countries,UOB is ready to better serve thegrowing customer base across ASEAN. This film marks our ambition to inspire our seven million customers, our staff, business partners and prospective customers.”
Through the film, viewers will embark on a playful journey in Barcelona, Spain, through the eyes of a dynamic couple enjoying fun moments together. The couple in the film represent the aspirations of UOB’s customers and embody their love for travel, feasting, retail and experiences. The film demonstrates how the global strength of UOB credit cards enables the couple to go on many exciting experiences together.
As consumers look for the best in dining, travel and retail at home and abroad, UOB’s unparalleled regional coverageand local networkcan serve unique lifestyle needs and preferences across ASEAN. Currently, UOB has the largest ASEAN consumer banking footprint and is the top three cards issuer in Thailand.
The film was directed by David Tsui – a filmmaker renowned for his storytelling ability and his emotive ‘Path of Love’ ad series for Solvil et Titus. The music is a re–composed version of the famous classic song, “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart’, designed to evokeemotions and create a light–hearted feeling of romance for viewers.
For Thailand,the film is now broadcastacross online media channels and out–of–home media. Watch the full cut of the film here.
Chamnan Srisawat, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), said the TCT wants the new prime minister, whether it is Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat or another person, to become an ambassador to promote Thai tourism to attract foreign tourists to the country. He added that this is a quick-win strategy to boost the tourism industry, which is the driving force of the Thai economy.
The TCT President added that tourism must be a national agenda with the Prime Minister present at every meeting with every ministry. Processes need to be coordinated between ministries. If possible, Chamnan wants the next minister to come from either Move Forward or the Pheu Thai Party.
Waves break on the empty tourist beach of Patong on Phuket, southern Thailand, Tuesday, June 29, 2021. Photo: Sakchai Lalit / AP
“I would like to see a seamless connection because tourism is on the upswing. Tourist demand is not the problem. The number of foreign tourists coming to Thailand will reach the target of 25 million this year. What we are concerned about is the supply side for tourism, which still has some bottlenecks and needs to be improved to impress tourists,” Chamnan said.
Chinese tourists take photos at the Grand Palace scenic spot in Bangkok, Thailand on May. 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn said Pita will be a good ambassador for Thai tourism after the new government is formed as Thailand’s 30th prime minister, as he is a leader who fits well with the younger generation. He will be able to attract international tourists, especially from China, South Korea and Japan. TAT also wants to attract younger tourists to visit the Kingdom.
Looking ahead to the formation of the government, which will be completed in August, at the start of the peak season, Yuthasak said that if the new government gives more support to entrepreneurs, it will boost the economy and reduce the slowdown in private spending on both tourism and national expenditure.
