A family drama, “Wife vs. Mistress,” which is frequently seen in Thai television soap operas and in everyday life, occurred on Election Day. Mrs. Samorn, 61, attempted to shoot both her husband and his lover at Dan Samrong 58, Soi Wat Dan Samrong, Samrong Nuea Subdistrict, Samut Prakan Province.
According to CCTV footage, Mrs. Samorn was sitting on the back of a pickup truck that crashed into an electric pole. The mistress, dressed in a white shirt, jumped out of the car and onto a motorcycle to flee, while her husband, Mr. Somkid, opened the door and stepped out of the car on the driver’s side, trying to flee from his wife, who was wielding a knife. People on the scene had to help to prevent her stabbing.
Later, the police officers came to inspect the scene. Mrs. Samorn stood waiting to surrender herself to the police, armed with a.38 calibre weapon and a knife used to conduct the crime.
Mrs. Samorn stated that she has been married to Mr. Somkid since 1982 and that they raised their children together until they were all grown up. Mr. Somkid had a mistress since 2019, and he drove to pick up the mistress several times. Mrs. Samorn claimed that, despite being apprehended, Mr. Somkid never considered turning back. He brought money and sold everything he owned to give money to his mistress.
Until today, she knew that Mr. Somkid would accompany his mistress to the polling station. So she waited there since the morning to request a negotiation. Mr. Somkid did not stop and speak to her when he spotted her. Instead, he accelerated and attempted to flee.
She then fired one shot into the windshield of the car and jumped into the back of Mr. Somkid’s pickup truck. Then, after shooting into the car until Mr. Somkid was wounded, the pickup truck lost control and hit the electric pole, as shown in the footage.
Mrs. Samorn stated that the rifle she used belonged to her husband and had been in his possession for a long time.
She was detained by officers. They also took five.38 calibre handguns, five round casings, and two knives from her and charged her with attempted murder, as well as violating the Act weapon.
The body of a Russian tourist was found in the sea off Phromthep Cape, Rawai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phuket Province, three days after he has been swept over a cliff.
Mr.Iurii Smoian, 32, travelled to Laem Phromthep, a popular tourist destination in Thailand, with three friends. Two people were thrown into the sea by the waves. Mr. Malakhov, was rescued and sent to the hospital, while Mr. Smoian, went missing.
A fisherman in Patong at Laem Daeng, Kalim Beach, Patong Sub-district, Kathu District, Phuket Province, alerted the search team at 12:50 p.m. on May 14 that the body had been discovered floating around 200 metres off the coast of Kalim Beach. The body was recovered by the Rawai Subdistrict Municipality Rescue Team Charitable Foundation and the Tourist Police.
Two of the dead person’s friends acknowledged that the body was that of Mr. Iuri Smoan, 32, who went missing on May 12 near Promthep Cape. Both friends were very sad, even fainted.
Then the Vachira Phuket Hospital police forensic medical team performed the autopsy before transferring the body there.
Two children stand under a roadside shelter to protect from rain before Cyclone Mocha hits in Sittwe, Rakhine State, Sunday, May 14, 2023. Bangladesh and Myanmar were bracing Sunday as the extremely severe cyclone was set to hit their coastal areas, and authorities told thousands of people in both countries to seek shelter. (AP Photo)
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh and Myanmar braced Sunday as a severe cyclone started to hit coastal areas and authorities urged thousands of people in both countries to seek shelter.
The outermost band of Cyclone Mocha reached the coast of Myanmar’s Rakhine state on Sunday morning, and by afternoon the center of the storm was expected to make landfall near Sittwe township, which was under the highest weather alert, Myanmar’s Meteorological Department said Sunday.
More than 4,000 of Sittwe’s 300,000 residents have been evacuated to other cities since Friday and more than 20,000 people are sheltering in sturdy buildings such as monasteries, pagodas and schools located on the city’s highlands, said Tin Nyein Oo, who is helping people in shelters in Sittwe.
In this image from a video, a tree falls on an empty road as Cyclone Mocha approaches in Sittwe, Rakhine State, Myanmar Sunday, May 14, 2023. (AP Photo)
Many local residents live in areas more than 3 meters above sea level, places where residents believe the storm surge cannot reach, he added.
Strong winds of 40 to 48 kilometers per hour (25 to 40 miles per hour) were blowing in the city, Tin Nyein Oo said on Sunday morning.
Locals stand the bank of sea before Cyclone Mocha hits, in Sittwe, Rakhine State, Saturday, May 13, 2023. Authorities in Bangladesh and Myanmar are preparing to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people as they brace for a severe cyclone churning in the Bay of Bengal. (AP Photo)A local rides motorbike on nearly empty road before Cyclone Mocha hits in Sittwe, Rakhine State, Sunday, May 14, 2023. (AP Photo)
“The storm has not yet entered, so we don’t have much difficulty. However, there are too many people in the shelters and not enough toilets,” he added.
Lin Lin, the chairman of a local charitable foundation, said earlier there was not enough food in the shelters in Sittwe after more people arrived than expected.
In Bangladesh, weather in most areas remained sunny and humid on Sunday morning.
A government official, right, patrols with others near the coast and uses a megaphone asking people to seek shelter in Cox’s Bazar district, Bangladesh, Sunday, May 14, 2023 (AP Photo/Al-emrun Garjon)
U.N. agencies and aid workers in Bangladesh prepositioned tons of dry food and dozens of ambulances with mobile medical teams in sprawling refugee camps with more than 1 million Rohingya who fled persecution in Myanmar.
Bangladesh issued the highest danger signal for Cox’s Bazar, home to the camps. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department warned the cyclone could cause severe damage to lives and property in eight coastal districts.
No heavy rainfall had been reported in Cox’s Bazar as of Sunday morning.
Bangladesh, with more than 160 million people, has prepared more than 1,500 cyclone shelters. The navy said it’s keeping ready 21 ships, maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters for rescue and relief operations.
Boats are parked along a road near the coast in Cox’s Bazar district, Bangladesh, Sunday, May 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Al-emrun Garjon)
Authorities in Bangladesh said heavy rains from the cyclone could trigger landslides in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar and three other hilly districts — Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari.
In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar with a storm surge that devastated populated areas around the Irrawaddy River Delta. At least 138,000 people died and tens of thousands of homes and other buildings were washed away.
Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune city, said cyclones in the Bay of Bengal are becoming more intense more quickly, in part because of climate change.
Climate scientists say cyclones can now retain their energy for many days. Cyclone Amphan in eastern India in 2020 continued to travel over land as a strong cyclone and caused extensive devastation.
“As long as oceans are warm and winds are favorable, cyclones will retain their intensity for a longer period,” Koll said.
Cyclones are among the most devastating natural disasters in the world, especially if they affect densely populated coastal regions in South Asia.
No matter what the results of today’s general election will be, there are at least three issues Thais will have to grapple with that will not be easily resolved.
First is the widening generation gap that’s accompanied by differing political views and animosities. It’s apparent in the months, if not years prior to the election, that the majority of young Thais are against the status quo – they want change, be it reform of the monarchy, an end or at least a reform of the controversial lese majeste law, equal marriage rights for LGBTQ people, elected governor for all provinces and not just Bangkok, an end to compulsory military conscription and more.
The arch conservative party, the United Thai Nation Party, which is fielding incumbent Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha as their PM candidate recognized this and released a damning short video clip asking Thais, probably older Thais, baby boomers and the like, whether they really want Thailand to change.
The video clip, released a week ago, painted a picture where Thai traditions and religions are being abandoned by young Thais, where the country has no soldiers to defend itself due to an end to compulsory military conscription, a country where a young Thai woman told with her mother it’s her right to post nude video for sale online and where a young man told his parents they need to vote before deciding on what dish to have for dinner – that democracy and voting rights starts at home. Farfetch as the video may be, it nevertheless underscore a sense of fear and growing schism between young and older Thais, between the past and the future, between political ideologies, expectation and aspiration of what Thailand should look like in the future.
The need to deliberate, compromise, and come up with a shared dream will be a challenge facing Thailand in the years ahead.
Second, the widespread proliferation of political fandom culture, including those in the so-called pro-democracy camp. Many citizens reduced themselves into mere “fans” of politicians and political parties. Instead of treating politicians as their public servants they end up becoming political fans and treating their favourite politicians like rockstar, or pop idols and have become intolerant of any criticism against their favourite politicians and political party.
This doesn’t bode well for democratic culture and Thailand as many of these political fans, including young Thais in the pro-democracy camp, have reduced themselves into mere consumers of political spectacles and idolized politicians while they should be holding them accountable and ready to scrutinize, criticize or even condemn them when things go wrong. To these people, their favourite political party and politicians are increasingly being treated with adoration and religious zeal. It can’t bode well for Thailand.
Last but not least, the military continues to pose a threat to the realization of true democracy. The week before the election saw it releasing a video clip of an anti-communist song. It was followed a few days later by Army Chief Gen. Narongpan Jitkaewthae, a de facto spokesman of the Thailand’s army, which is a state within a state, or part of the deep state, saying he can’t guarantee the army won’t intervene if there’s a political upheaval after the election.
“I can’t guarantee. That means [we must consider] whether the country is orderly or not. All sides must cooperate..,” was the army chief’s reply to a hypothetical question by a reporter on Thursday. In a truly democratic society, the army chief would probably have been fired on the spot for making such a statement but who’s going to fire him when the caretaker PM, Gen. Prayut, was himself a former coup leader?
In the end, no matter what today’s results, it’s clear that the election was never fair from the very beginning as 250 junta-appointed senators will take part, along with 500 elected MPs, to vote for the next prime minister. The Election Commissioners, the supposed referees, were all selected by a junta-appointed assembly.
Meanwhile, all nine members of the Constitutional Court, who can decide on future party dissolution cases, were also selected by a junta-appointed assembly. All these while former junta leader Gen Prayut and his former deputy junta leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwan are competing, among others, for the PM post.
Today’s election may be free but it’s definitely not fair for the former junta-camp has already bagged a third of the votes for the next PM in their pocket long before the first voter casted his or her vote this morning.
Police officers from the Investigation Department of Petchaburi Police Station arrested 6 members of the macaque smuggling gang in the area of Khao Luang, Thongchai, Mueang Phetchaburi District, Phetchaburi on May 12. They were preparing the anaesthetic darts to be shot at the macaque to send the carcass to China to make an elixir.
Police seized 10 carcasses of baby macaques along with a white Ford Ranger, a grey Toyota Prius and a black Toyota WISH. They also seized a bottle of argon gas with a set of pistols, 8 dart guns, 80 stun darts and 1 bag of dog food. They were taken to the police station for questioning.
During their investigation, the police found evidence that there were networks of smuggling monkeys in the area. They then investigated the case further until they found the whereabouts of the gang in Petchaburi. The police then arrested 6 people aged 29 to 47.
Police charged the 6 suspects under the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act B.E. 2562: 1. hunting protected wildlife without a permit under section 89, 2. processing protected wildlife without a permit under section 92, and 3. trading protected wildlife without a permit, from section 89. They were all taken to Petchaburi Police Station for prosecution.
One suspect, Tawajchai Ngaoseng, 20, claimed this was the first time they had traveled from Sa Kaeo province. Each carcass is sold to the anonymous buyer at a price of 1,000 – 2,000 baht each.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, right, a leading Thai politician and youngest daughter of exiled former deposed Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra, and real estate mogul Srettha Thavisin, left, two of the opposition Pheu Thai Party's three nominees to become the next prime minister, greeted by supporters during general election final campaign rallies in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
BANGKOK (AP) — Voters disaffected by nine years of plodding rule by a coup-making army general are expected to deliver a strong mandate for change in Thailand’s general election Sunday. But a predicted victory by the allies of Thaksin Shinawatra, whose ouster by coup 17 years ago plunged the country into prolonged instability, has caused concern for an unhindered democratic transition.
Dissatisfaction with the incumbent prime minister running for reelection, Prayuth Chan-ocha, is high, due in part to a slumping economy and his government’s mismanaged response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha gestures to supporters, during a final general election campaign rally in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
But weariness and even anger at the military’s habitual interference in politics is a major factor. Thailand has had more than a dozen coups since becoming a constitutional monarchy in 1932, the last one in 2014 carried out by Prayuth when he was army commander. Prayuth’s governments slapped down democratic reforms and prosecuted activists.
“The main factor could be that people are no longer willing to tolerate the authoritarian government that has been in power for over nine years, and there is a significant wish for change among the people.” said Pinkaew Laungaramsri, a professor of anthropology at Chiang Mai University.
Seventy political parties are contesting the 500 seats up for grabs in the House of Representatives: 400 are directly elected, with 100 chosen via a form of proportional representation.
Opposition parties endorsing reforms to rein in the army are running strides ahead in opinion polls. But pitching policies that threaten the status quo alarms the ruling conservative establishment. It has repeatedly shown itself capable of bringing down popularly elected governments it didn’t like, through rulings in the royalist courts and army coups.
A supporter of Move Forward Party holds posters which reads ” I vote Move Forward Vote Pita to be next Prime Minister” during a general election in Bangkok, Thailand, May 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Prayuth represents one pole of the country’s politics, centered around royalists and the military. Thaksin, the billionaire populist ousted in the 2006 coup, represents the other. The power struggle between Thaksin’s supporters and his opponents has been fought — sometimes in the street, sometimes at the ballot box — for almost two decades.
Prayuth is trailing badly in opinion polls behind Thaksin’s 36-year-old daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who inherited the popularity and political style of her father. She campaigned intensively while heavily pregnant and gave birth to a son last week.
She is the favorite among the opposition Pheu Thai Party’s three registered nominees for prime minister. Her party looks set to win a majority of seats in the lower house of Parliament.
Recent history strengthens the appearance of this election as a grudge match between the Shinawatras and their foes. Prayuth’s 2014 coup unseated a government that had come to power with Yingluck Shinawatra — Paetongtarn’s aunt, Thaksin’s sister — as prime minister. And Pheu Thai topped the field in the 2019 vote, only to be denied power when the army-backed Palang Pracharath Party found partners to assemble a coalition government.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, one of the opposition Pheu Thai Party on March 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
But a third major player has injected a sharp ideological aspect into the election. The Move Forward Party, led by 42-year-old businessman Pita Limjaroenrat, has galvanized younger voters and is running a strong second to Pheu Thai in the polls. However, for conservative Thailand, its platform is frighteningly radical: reform of the military and reform of the powerful monarchy, a bold move because the institution has been traditionally treated as sacrosanct.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, points out that while Move Forward’s agenda would be considered just “progressive” in other countries, in the Thai context it is “revolutionary.”
“This election is the most important in contemporary Thai politics because it’s an election that’s going to determine Thailand’s political future,” he says, crediting Move Forward with “pushing the frontiers of Thai politics into areas where it needs to go.”
Pheu Thai largely shares Move Forward’s reformist agenda, but the smaller party’s more forthright stand poses a dilemma. Adding Move Forward to a coalition government could antagonize the Senate, a conservative body whose support is crucial to taking power.
Leader of Move Forward Party Pita Limjaroenrat introduces himself during an election campaign in Bangkok, Thailand, March 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Thailand’s 2017 constitution, adopted under military rule, calls for the prime minister to be selected by a joint vote of the 500-member House and the unelected 250-seat Senate, whose members were appointed by Prayuth’s junta.
In 2019, the Senate voted as a bloc, unanimously backing Prayuth. This time, a party that wins a clear majority of House seats still might need at least 376, or 75% plus one, of the votes in the 500-member lower house if its prime minister candidate was opposed in the Senate.
If Pheu Thai lands in such a position, it could find coalition partners among parties that win some House seats. It could also nominate one of its other candidates for prime minister, most likely 60-year-old Srettha Thavisin, who is not burdened with the Shinawatra name that is anathema to the Senate’s conservatives.
Most intriguingly, Pheu Thai could ally with another former general, 77-year-old Prawit Wongsuwan, who has been Prayuth’s ambitious deputy prime minister and is this year’s prime minister candidate for the Palang Pracharath Party.
He and his party are polling badly, but his presence in government might reassure some senators. Such an alliance would seem like a deviance from Pheu Thai’s platform, but could be sold to supporters on the basis that Prawit was not actively involved in plotting the 2014 coup.
Until Sunday’s votes are counted, Pheu Thai’s path forward will remain unclear.
“Many said that this election reflects the people’s hope for change in politics, but at the same time, the greater the hope for change imposed on this election, the more nervous the conservatives currently holding power become,” says Chiang Mai University’s Pinkaew. “We will begin to see the retaliation from the conservative side, from provoking a sense of extreme nationalism to obstructing some parties.”
___
Grant Peck reported from Bangkok, Jintamas Saksornchai contributed to this report.
A brawl between South African tourists and security guards at a Walking Street café in South Pattaya has ended peacefully, with the police having no need to review CCTV evidence.
Mr.John Paul, 40, was hurt in a confrontation with security guards at 1:30 a.m., May 11, 2023 at XS Agogo cafe shop in Walking Street, South Pattaya, Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province. Rescuers first aid Before being taken to investigate at the Pattaya City Police Station.
A group of security guards at the XS Gogo Cafe Shop stood waiting to testify to the officers that a foreign man refused to pay his 9,470 baht bill for drinks, constantly cursing. He also crumpled the bill to collect money and threw it, then burst into the security guards.
At this moment, they attempted to catch and pull him when he fell but were unable to do so due to the weight of the foreigner. Then his head smacked the stairwell’s edge.
On May 12, 2023, Pol. Col. Thanaphong Phothi, Superintendent of Pattaya Police Station, called both parties came to Pattaya Police Station. The South African visitor agreed to pay the charge and stated that he does not wish to pursue legal action. They shook hands and smiled at the end.
Police personnel from Phuket Province’s Chalong Police Station are rushing to find a Russian tourist who went missing after being swept over a cliff at Phromthep Cape, Rawai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phuket Province into the sea.
The missing travelled to Laem Phromthep, a popular tourist destination in Thailand, with three friends. Two people were thrown into the sea by the waves. Mr. Malakhov, was rescued and sent to the hospital, while Mr. Smoian, 32, is still missing.
Mr. Arun Soros, Mayor of Rawai, has ordered the operation of disaster assistance and protection in Rawai Municipality, including the use of jet skis and rubber boats to search for the Russian man. He also notified the rescue foundation and the tourist police to assist.
The joint search was organised around the map, the tip of Cape Laem Phromthep, and the surrounding rocks. The search crew used boats in the morning to search on the surface of the water, on rocks, and under water at a distance of roughly 5 metres. The search was still ongoing around 6:00 p.m., but there was no sign.
Mr. Phakin Pew-on, a Rawai Subdistrict Municipality rescuer, claimed that when he got at the accident site, he saw a Russian man floating in the sea who appeared exhausted but was able to swim back to the nearby shore. So he rushed to lift this man before transferring him to Deebuk Hospital.
Mr. Pakin said that he would like to warn tourists who visit Promthep Cape not to be reckless about standing on the edge of the cliff in order to take beautiful photos because it’s dangerous. There used to be incidents where tourists took selfies to take pictures, and then the waves smashed into the sea, causing many injuries.
Bangkok – UOB Thailand joins Money Expo 2023 to showcase a suite of personalised and sustainable banking solutions. Visit the exhibition from May 11-14, 2023, at the Challenger Zone 2-3, Impact Muang Thong Thani, and explore UOB’s offerings and special promotions tailored to the needs of all individual and business customers.
Mr Tan Choon Hin, President and CEO, UOB Thailand, said “Our participation in Money Expo 2023 aligns perfectly with UOB’s purpose of Building the Future of ASEAN. We’re thrilled to showcase our personalised and sustainable banking solutions, and help visitors connect with our range of offerings, catering to both individuals and businesses. Our booth features financial solutions, special promotions, and activities that demonstrate our unwavering commitment to sustainable growth as a leading regional bank.”
The design concept of the UOB booth “Building the Future of ASEAN” emphasises the importance of sustainability in economic, social, and environmental aspects, aligning with the Money Expo 2023 theme of “Green Finance for Green Living.” The primary structure of the booth features an outstanding facade design inspired by the Five Bar Gate of UOB’s logo, which reflects the bank’s stability, credibility, and long-standing history of providing financial services in ASEAN. The overall design of the booth maximises the use of space while minimising waste and promoting the idea of sustainable living.
One of the highlights of the booth is the “Retail Financing Zone”, where visitors can find a comprehensive range of banking solutions, including credit cards, loans, insurance, and digital products such as UOB TMRW, all designed to cater to every financial lifestyle need.
In the “Sustainable Financing Zone”, UOB demonstrates a strong commitment to driving Green Financing in ASEAN. Within the zone, visitors can explore a range of Green Financing products, such as U-Solar for solar cell management, U-Drive for the adoption of electric vehicle (EV), and U-Energy for financing energy efficiency projects in buildings and residential properties. The booth also features a financial management consulting area for SMEs and UOB FinLab, which supports FinTech startups in growing their businesses.
UOB offers a wide range of promotions and special privileges for all event visitors who join us.
Promotions and special privileges for individual customers*:
Apply for a UOB credit card with a UOB Cash Plus cash card under the conditions specified by the Bank at the event and receive free gifts such as a Paul Frank tote bag worth 1,100 baht, a Santa Barbara Casual Backpack worth 3,190 baht, and a chic silver travel luggage, sized at 26 inches, worth 9,590 baht. In addition, new customers that apply for a UOB PRIVI Miles or UOB Premier Card can receive up to 5,000 UOB Reward Points.
Apply for a UOB Car2Cash car title loan with an interest rate of 0.45 per centper month and receive a PTT station fuel card worth 12,000 baht.
Apply for loans to purchase new homes, used homes, or refinancing, with an interest rate of 1.50per centfor the first year. Customers can also enjoy free refinancing costs such as the securities appraisal fee, stamp duty, fire insurance for 3 years, and mortgage fee.
New members of UOB Privilege Reserve, UOB Privilege Banking, and UOB Wealth Banking can enjoy a special interest rate of up to 2 per cent per annum by opening a 6–month fixed deposit account and investing 2 million baht or more, subject to the Bank’s specified conditions.
Open a savings account with UOB One Account and a non–fixed UOB Stash account to earn high interest, along with a cool Elle Duffle or Beaver bag.
Apply for all types of UOB debit cards (except UOB TMRW cards) and get a free Paul Frank wallet worth 950 baht.
Apply for a TMRW card and spend 30,000 baht within 45 days after approval date to win Marshall headphones worth 4,790 baht. Additionally, deposit 5,000 baht into your TMRW Everyday account, spend via debit card, and receive 400–baht cash back (Conditions apply).
Promotions and special privileges for business customers*:
New SME customers who apply for UOB SME Smart Choice shop insurance online can enjoy two special privileges which include a gift voucher worth 200 baht for a minimum insurance premium of 2000 baht and a gift voucher worth an additional 100 baht for an insurance premium of 5000 baht or more. The premiums start at only 6 baht per day.
New SME customers who apply for a BizSuper savings or current account can enjoy three special privileges. These privileges include 1.20 per centinterest (ends December 31, 2023), the opportunity to receive a Central gift eVoucher worth up to 500 baht by maintaining a total deposit in the BizSuper account of more than 1–3 million baht for a period of 3 months, and the chance to receive a Central Gift eVoucher worth 900 baht by making 20 or more transactions via BizSuper account via any channel over a period of 3 months. New individual SME customers who apply for a Biz Account can enjoy 1.25 per centinterest (ends December 31, 2023) for Biz Account savings deposits not exceeding 50 million baht.
Two of the UOB partners in the UOB BizSmart program provide incentives for businesses to enhance their operational efficiency through digital solutions. GHL offers a three–month free service for payment terminals, along with a gift card of up to 700 baht and a 0.1per centfee reduction for all services. HumanOS, the HR services provider, offers a program discount at 40 bahtper personper month, reduced from the standard 50 baht, when applying for a corporate account with UOB. Additionally, businesses can use the program at a price of 35 baht/person/month when applying for UOB Payroll service.
BizMoney enables businesses to grow even without the need for collateral. The loan offers a fixed interest rate of 9.99per centfor the first year and MRR+3.00per centor equivalent for the second year.
For more information about UOB’s banking solutions, please visit www.uob.co.th
*All promotions and special privileges are subject to conditions specified by the bank and its partners and are valid only at Money Expo 2023 from May 11-14, 2023.
Fans of idols belonging to Johnny & Associates Inc., one of Japan’s most powerful talent agencies, said Thursday they have submitted a petition with around 16,000 signatures demanding that the firm investigate allegations of sexual abuse by its late founder Johnny Kitagawa.
The supporters, who spoke at a press conference in Tokyo, launched in April a group called Penlight to protest the agency’s handling of such allegations after Kauan Okamoto, a 26-year-old Japanese-Brazilian singer and songwriter, claimed Kitagawa sexually abused him on multiple occasions as a young teen.
Kauan Okamoto, a musician also a former member of Japanese pop group Johnny’s Junior, speaks during a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan Wednesday, April 12, 2023, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Kitagawa was one of the most revered figures in Japan’s entertainment industry, propelling numerous groups such as SMAP, Arashi and Hey! Say! JUMP to stardom before his death in 2019.
He was also the subject of numerous allegations of sexual misconduct, with the Japanese weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun publishing in 1999 a series detailing accusations of child abuse and sexual exploitation by several boys he had taken under his wing.
The petition requests that Johnny & Associates establish a third-party committee to investigate the veracity of sexual abuse claims and apologize to the victims, among other actions.
The agency has said it will forward the petition to its board of directors, according to the group.
At Thursday’s press conference, a founder of Penlight said she felt torn between wanting to support the agency and feeling unease about its lack of action.
“It scares me that nothing will change in society when people speak out about sexual violence,” she said.
A female fan of idols represented by major Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates Inc. speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on May 11, 2023. (Kyodo)
Okamoto was a part of Johnny’s Jr., a talent pool of male idols in training who have yet to debut in a unit or solo act.
Following his allegations, a spokesperson for Johnny & Associates responded that the agency would “make concerted efforts to ensure thorough compliance moving forward.”
The firm has also sent a letter to its business partners indicating an intention to establish a contact point for former talent to consult with external experts.
