A report from a private company in Nong Suea, Pathum Thani, led to an investigation into a group of men posing as monks who had been gathering at the company’s private location. The Pathum Thani Office of Buddhism received the complaint and coordinated with relevant agencies to conduct a field inspection at the 20-rai site.

During the inspection, over 27 men dressed as monks were found residing at the location. Among them, an individual named Banthom was discovered with drug paraphernalia and admitted to police that he had consumed two amphetamine pills.

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Additionally, three other individuals were expelled from the monkhood: one for being intoxicated, another for lacking proper affiliation, and a third for not being accepted by his original affiliation. The remaining 23 individuals are still under investigation at the time of reporting.

“The group must vacate the premises within three days.”

A recent poll has revealed that nearly a quarter of Thais are unaware of the upcoming senatorial elections, and an astonishing 70% do not understand the new election system.

As the nation gears up for elections scheduled from June 9 to 26, where thousands of candidates will vote among themselves to elect 200 senators, this revelation highlights a significant gap in public awareness and understanding.

The poll, conducted by King Prajadhipok’s Institute on May 7 and 18, surveyed 1,620 Thais over the age of 18. The results, published today, indicate a worrying lack of knowledge about the elections.

The findings show that 76.5% of respondents are aware of the election, leaving 23.5% uninformed. However, only 28.5% correctly understand that candidates will vote among themselves in the election process.

“There’s a significant knowledge gap. 21.5% of people mistakenly believe the election involves candidates from different occupation groups, and 15.5% think the public will cast votes directly,” the report noted.

A concerning 34.7% admitted they have no idea how the new voting system operates. Age and education significantly influence these misconceptions. About 30% of those over 60 answered correctly, whereas 73.9% of individuals aged 18 to 25 were either clueless or misunderstood the process.

Moreover, 79.3% of respondents with only an elementary education were unaware of how the election works, compared to 35.4% of those with a Bachelor’s degree or higher who answered correctly.

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The upcoming election will have candidates voting at three levels: district on June 9, provincial on June 16, and national on June 26. This new 200-member Senate will replace the current 250-member Senate, appointed by the junta after the 2014 coup, whose tenure ended on May 10. These appointed senators continue to serve in a caretaker role until the new Senate is elected, reported The Nation.

As the elections approach, the poll underscores the urgent need for better public education on the electoral process to ensure a well-informed electorate.

In related news, former Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat made a surprise appearance at the Chiang Mai district office at 9am on Tuesday, May 21, marking the opening of senatorial candidate registrations.

Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has been approached by provincial authorities in Nakhon Ratchasima to consider Converting Air Force Base into Commercial Airport. The appeal was made during a meeting yesterday, March 24, to foster business growth and encourage tourism in the province, according to deputy spokesperson Kenika Ounjit.

During the meeting, provincial authorities proposed the conversion of the local air force base into a commercial airport to facilitate business expansion and boost tourism in Nakhon Ratchasima.

The request specifically targets Wing 1 of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) to be utilized by the private sector for commercial flights.

In response, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has tasked Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit with evaluating the feasibility of this proposal before reaching a final decision.

It’s noteworthy that between 1986 and 1997, the old airport situated within Wing 1 operated commercial flights.

However, the region now relies on Nakhon Ratchasima Airport, managed by the Department of Airports, for its air travel needs, even though commercial flights are currently unavailable there.

Previously, Nok Air operated flights connecting Bangkok and Chiang Mai to Nakhon Ratchasima province. Unfortunately, the service was discontinued due to profitability concerns.

However, there are reports indicating that the budget airline is keen on reintroducing flights to Nakhon Ratchasima, particularly if they are permitted to utilize the old airport at Wing 1.

Nakhon Ratchasima Airport is situated approximately 25 kilometers away from the city center in the Chalerm Phrakiat district. In contrast, Wing 1, located in the Mueang district, offers much closer proximity to the city.

Presently, the nearest operational airport to Nakhon Ratchasima is in Buriram. If this proposal to utilize Wing 1 as a commercial airport is approved, it could significantly benefit the local economy and tourism sector.

In other developments, there are plans in motion for the construction of a new airport in Phayao, a province in northern Thailand. This project, estimated to cost around 2 billion baht, forms part of a broader strategy to elevate Phayao into a prominent tourist destination.

Thailand Prime Minister Srettha, accompanied by his delegation, recently surveyed potential sites within the regions of tambon Don Si Chum and tambon Baan Tham in the Dok Kham Tai district.