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Thailand’s new senators report as EC probes election irregularities

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Thailand’s new senators report as EC probes election irregularities

Thailand’s newly appointed 200 senators have been summoned to report to Parliament today, July 11, as the Election Commission (EC) continues scrutinizing various allegations of collusion and other election irregularities.

According to the poll body’s announcement, the senators are expected to collect their certificates tomorrow and Friday after the finalization of the results from the three-stage vote that concluded on June 26.

Caretaker Senator Somchai Swangkarn noted that the 250 senators appointed in 2019 by the military-linked government were expected to cease their duties now that the results had been made official. The Secretariat of the Senate indicated that the inaugural session of the new upper house would be scheduled shortly after its members report today.

The EC announced its collaboration with three agencies to further investigate alleged conspiracy to fix the election. Two weeks after the election, the poll body met yesterday morning amid speculation that it was ready to confirm the unofficial results. Confirmation came at 2:30 p.m., with a list of the 200 senators‘ and 100 substitutes‘ names being released. Senator-elect Kohdeeyoh Songngam, from Group 18, was disqualified due to her role as an adviser to the chairman of the Ang Thong provincial administrative organization, a political post making her ineligible.

Major Korapot Runghirunwat, the first substitute in Group 18, has been named to fill the vacant seat.

No Irregularities Found

During a subsequent news conference, EC Secretary-General Sawaeng Boonmee stated that the commission found the vote to comply with Section 42 of the organic law, leading to the certification of the results.

Related: Thailand’s Lampang province hits 42 degrees Celsius

Addressing criticism of the poll body’s handling of the election, he explained that complaints had been categorized into three types: manipulation or fraud, offenses related to the election process on voting days, and candidates’ qualifications.

According to Sawaeng, 47 complaints regarding conspiracy to fix the result have been filed. The EC has gathered initial evidence and enlisted the help of the Royal Thai Police, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), and the Anti-Money Laundering Office to investigate these allegations.

“We’ve been working with high-ranking officers from these agencies for a week. The Office of the EC must use their tools to gather evidence.”

Eighteen complaints regarding election irregularities on voting days were submitted to the Supreme Court, which dismissed all of them. Three additional complaints were filed with the EC, which is gathering more evidence to ensure a fair process for both complainants and the accused.

Sawaeng also mentioned that the poll agency had screened candidates’ eligibility and qualifications before and during the contest to limit election irregularities. Out of 1,917 applications, over 600 were disqualified for failing to meet the qualification requirements.

Criminal Charges Possible

The Bangkok Post reported that the EC plans to ask the Supreme Court to revoke the rights of some candidates who could face criminal charges for contesting the election despite knowing their ineligibility.

He clarified that the terms’ profession’ or ‘occupation’ were incorrectly used when referring to the 20 groups in which candidates competed. The organic law on the Senate election and the constitution use a broader Thai term to ensure diverse backgrounds and experiences among participants, said Sawaeng.

“After all these steps, the EC agreed the Senate election process was fair, clean, and lawful and decided to endorse the election result.”

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Pickup truck crash in Lampang kills one amid heavy rain

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Pickup truck crash in Lampang kills one amid heavy rain

Due to heavy rain, a pickup truck returning from Chiang Mai skidded off the road and crashed into a tree in Thoen, Lampang.

Despite the efforts of rescue teams, a 50-year-old woman tragically lost her life.
The accident was reported to Thoen Police Station in Lampang at 6:50 PM yesterday, July 30.

The incident occurred on Phahonyothin Road, between kilometer markers 632 and 633, near the Mae Thot intersection in Thoen district.

Rescue units from Mae Thot, Lampang, Thoen, and Ombun Thoen were promptly dispatched to the scene.

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Upon arrival, responders discovered a white, four-door Mazda pickup truck with a Surin registration overturned and severely damaged from colliding with a large roadside tree. Inside the vehicle, four injured individuals were trapped.
Rescue teams quickly extracted three injured and provided initial medical assistance before transferring them to a hospital.

However, a 50-year-old woman from the Na Pang subdistrict, Phu Phiang district, Nan province, who was seated in the back, sustained critical injuries and succumbed to them before she could be freed from the wreckage.
Initial investigations revealed that the group had traveled from Chiang Mai to Nakhon Pathom.

The accident occurred on a curved section of the road, worsened by wet and slippery conditions from the rain.

The vehicle lost control and crashed violently into the tree.
After extracting and treating the injured, the deceased’s body was transported to the hospital for further examination.
Police have launched a formal investigation into the accident. They are gathering evidence and statements from the injured to understand the exact circumstances leading to the crash.

The results of the investigation will guide necessary legal proceedings, reported KhaoSod.
Authorities advised.

“We urge all drivers to exercise extreme caution, especially in bad weather and on curved roads.”

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Police arrest violent debt collector after tip-off in Bangkok

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Police arrest violent debt collector after tip-off in Bangkok

Police apprehended a member of a violent debt collection gang linked to the assault of a 73-year-old woman following a tip-off. He was caught while attempting to flee from a motel on the outskirts of Bangkok.

High-ranking police officials, including Thiti Sangsawang, Noppasin Poolsawat, and Thiradech Thamsuthee, along with a team of investigators, successfully arrested Kritchit, also known as 33-year-old Chit Thasala, from Nakhon Si Thammarat Province today, July 30.

He is one of the three members of the gang responsible for violent debt collection activities, including physical assault, intimidation, kicking doors, cutting off electricity, and locking debtors inside their homes.

The Min Buri Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Kritchit on July 23 for operating an unauthorized personal loan business, charging excessive interest, and threatening debt collection practices.

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He was apprehended at a hotel in the Saphan Sung district as he tried to escape in his car. During interrogation, Kritchit denied all charges, stating he had only completed Grade 9 and initially worked as a fruit farmer in Phuket’s Thalang District. In 2022, he sold his orchard land and used the proceeds to start a money-lending business.

He collaborated with two other suspects, Ta and Khet, who are still at large, to lend money in the Min Buri, Ram Inthra, Rom Klao, and On Nut areas.

They charged an interest rate of 20% daily, with borrowers typically taking out 5,000 to 6,000 baht loans. Kritchit claimed that Ta and Khet were responsible for using violence against the debtors on the day of the incident.

“I only worked with Ta and Khet to lend money. They were the ones who used violence.”

However, police remain skeptical of his testimony. Investigations revealed that Kritchit is romantically involved with the younger sister of Kenwit, another gang member who was previously arrested for assaulting the older woman.

Kenwit’s gang had attacked the 73-year-old in the Chokchai area. After receiving a tip-off, Kritchit fled to the hotel, where he was captured.

Police have transferred Kritchit to the Min Buri Police Station for further legal proceedings. His capture is a significant breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown against violent debt collection gangs operating in Bangkok and nearby areas.

As one of the lead investigators remarked, we are committed to cracking down on these illegal activities and ensuring the safety of our citizens.

Kritchit’s case will proceed through the legal system, and police are continuing their search for the remaining gang members, Ta and Khet. The investigation remains ongoing, with police hopeful that further arrests will follow, dismantling the entire network of violent debt collectors, reported Khaosod.

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Thai vendor denies assault, cites stress from poor sales

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Thai vendor denies assault, cites stress from poor sales

A Thai grilled squid vendor turned himself in and expressed remorse after allegedly striking a Pattaya city official who requested him to move his sidecar motorcycle from obstructing traffic.

The vendor, however, denied the physical assault, citing stress from poor sales as the trigger for the incident. He claimed their encounter was limited to a verbal disagreement and a shirt tug.

Pattaya police yesterday, July 29, invited Siwachett Nakham, a 42-year-old former temporary employee at the government’s Public Works Department and a current grilled squid vendor, to meet with an investigator to address the dispute.

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The altercation involved Siwachett and a 40-year-old Pattaya city official, Udon Woranam, who had requested Siwachett to move his vehicle, blocking traffic near Jomtien Beach in front of the Dongtan Police Box. Siwachett was accused of punching Udon after the latter politely asked him to move his motorcycle. Siwachett, who acknowledged being the person in the video, denied the physical assault, maintaining that he only had a verbal confrontation with Udon and tugged his shirt.

He cited stress from poor sales and financial burdens as the reasons behind his behavior.

“I did not intend to harm Mr Udon because I had worked with the Public Works Department before, so I knew hitting an official was a bad idea.”

Siwachett apologized for his actions, and Udon said he did not wish to pursue the matter further. Despite this, Pattaya City insisted on taking legal action against the vendor to set a precedent and deter similar future incidents.

Selling goods

Additionally, Udon advised other vendors to remain calm, control their emotions, and adhere to the designated areas for selling their goods according to the law.

Following resolving this dispute, traffic police officers from Pattaya Police Station raided vendors illegally selling goods on public sidewalks and roads around Pattaya. This operation was in response to tourists’ complaints about obstructions and hazards caused by unorganized vendors.

When authorities arrived near Pattaya Police Station’s Dong Tan substation, they encountered heavy traffic congestion caused by street vendors parking on the road. Some vendors attempted to evade arrest by speeding through the officers’ blockade, putting the safety of officers and nearby individuals at risk.

Thai police managed to apprehend 12 vendors, who will now face legal proceedings for violating traffic and cleanliness laws. The police also announced plans to increase daily inspections in collaboration with municipal officials to restore public spaces for residents and tourists, reported the Pattaya News.

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