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Thailand and Switzerland secure significant sum from drug kingpin by Nattapong Westwood Photo courtesy of The Nation Thailand secured a substantial windfall of 1.88 million Swiss francs (76.89 million baht) from Switzerland, originating from the assets of drug kingpin Wei Hsueh-kang. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1321453-thailand-and-switzerland-secure-significant-sum-from-drug-kingpin/

Thailand secured a substantial windfall of 1.88 million Swiss francs (76.89 million baht) from Switzerland, originating from the assets of drug kingpin Wei Hsueh-kang. In a ceremony presided over by Deputy Attorney General Jumpon Phansumrit, Thailand inked its inaugural asset-sharing pact with a foreign nation, setting a precedent for future collaborations in the war against crime. This landmark agreement signals a shift in international cooperation, hinting at a promising future where ill-gotten gains find their way back to the coffers of justice. According to an informed source, this pact lays the groundwork for similar alliances with countries notorious for harbouring criminal wealth, including Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States, Ireland, and Luxembourg. “The Office of the Attorney General is spearheading efforts to repatriate assets stashed abroad by criminals. With the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act as our guide, we anticipate a swift return of these assets to Thai soil.” It began with a meticulous probe by the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), uncovering Wei Hsueh-kang’s clandestine fortune amassed from the narcotics trade. A Chinese-born magnate operating in Myanmar, Wei had funnelled proceeds from methamphetamine smuggling into Swiss bank vaults, only to be ensnared by the long arm of the law. Following AMLO’s findings, the Office of the Attorney General mobilised efforts to enlist Swiss cooperation in seizing Wei’s ill-gotten gains. A protracted legal battle ensued, culminating in the Supreme Court’s damning verdict of money laundering against Wei in August 2016. Subsequent petitions to the Civil Court bore fruit in September 2017 when the court sanctioned the confiscation of Wei’s Swiss assets for repatriation to Thailand, reported The Nation. The OAG pressed Swiss authorities for the swift restitution of the seized assets. Finally, in a testament to the power of international collaboration, Switzerland acceded to Thailand’s request, setting the stage for the historic asset-sharing pact. In August 2021, a Thai delegation led by Jumpon Phansumrit embarked on negotiations with Swiss counterparts, culminating in an equitable agreement to split the confiscated assets evenly between the two nations. The Office of the Attorney General extended gratitude to AMLO, the Foreign and Finance ministries, as well as Swiss public prosecutors and the Federal Department of Justice and Police for their pivotal roles in this triumph of justice. by Nattapong Westwood Photo courtesy of The Nation Source: The Thaiger 2024-03-04 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Cabinet Reshuffle Only Depends On Thaksin, Not Srettha By Thai Newsroom Reporters De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra, left, and Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, right. Photos: Thai Rath A SPECULATED RESHUFFLE of the Pheu Thai-led cabinet will primarily depend on de facto party boss-cum-convict on parole Thaksin Shinawatra and definitely not Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, partisan sources said over the weekend. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1321452-cabinet-reshuffle-only-depends-on-thaksin-not-srettha/

De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra, left, and Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, right. Photos: Thai Rath A SPECULATED RESHUFFLE of the Pheu Thai-led cabinet will primarily depend on de facto party boss-cum-convict on parole Thaksin Shinawatra and definitely not Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, partisan sources said over the weekend. Though Srettha has earlier said he is “no puppet” otherwise pulled around by anyone, the real estate tycoon-turned-prime minister practically has no business to do with the cabinet reshuffle – the purely political activity being decidedly handled by the de facto Pheu Thai party boss-cum-convict on parole, according to the partisan sources who only spoke on condition of anonymity. The Pheu Thai-backed Srettha, with the party being legally empowered to run the country, will only be obliged to undersign a prime-ministerial order for the reshuffle of certain cabinet members either attached to the ruling Pheu Thai or other coalition partners, they said. “It is only the (de facto) party boss who will say yes or no when it comes to power play such as the Pheu Thai-led cabinet reshuffle in which the prime minister definitely has no role to play at all. “Even if Srettha might possibly prefer to kick a certain minister out of his cabinet, he just cannot do so without the green light from the (de facto) party boss,” one partisan source said. By Thai Newsroom Reporters TOP: De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra, left, and Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, right. Photos: Thai Rath Full story: THAI NEWSROOM 2024-03-04 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Foreign Man Throws Glass At A Thai Woman In A Dog Cafe by TNR Staff Pixelated image of a foreign man who threw a glass at a Thai woman cutting her arm at a Pattaya dog cafe. Photo: Amarin TV HOT ON the heels of a Swiss businessman and his wife assaulting and verbally abusing a Thai female doctor who was sitting on the steps leading from their villa to Cape Yamu beach in Phuket, another foreign man threw a glass at a Thai woman in a Pattaya dog cafe and then ran away, Amarin TV said. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1321451-foreign-man-throws-glass-at-a-thai-woman-in-a-dog-cafe/

HOT ON the heels of a Swiss businessman and his wife assaulting and verbally abusing a Thai female doctor who was sitting on the steps leading from their villa to Cape Yamu beach in Phuket, another foreign man threw a glass at a Thai woman in a Pattaya dog cafe and then ran away, Amarin TV said. An X social media platform user who goes by the name Red Skull (@RedSkullxxx) related that the victim was playing with a dog which started barking loudly and annoyed the foreigner who threw a glass at her, cutting her arm which started bleeding. However the dog was barking in a dog cafe where they are allowed to do so, he pointed out, adding that the unfortunate victim had no conflict with the foreign man prior to being attacked. by TNR Staff TOP: Pixelated image of a foreign man who threw a glass at a Thai woman cutting her arm at a Pattaya dog cafe. Photo: Amarin TV Full story: THAI NEWSROOM 2024-03-04 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Thaksin Most Politically Powerful Person: NIDA Poll By Thai Newsroom Reporters De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra. Photo: VOA MOST PEOPLE HAVE VIEWED de facto Pheu Thai boss-cum-convict on parole Thaksin Shinawatra as the most politically powerful person, says a NIDA Poll today (Mar. 3). Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1321450-thaksin-most-politically-powerful-person-nida-poll/

MOST PEOPLE HAVE VIEWED de facto Pheu Thai boss-cum-convict on parole Thaksin Shinawatra as the most politically powerful person, says a NIDA Poll today (Mar. 3). According to the opinion poll recently conducted among a total of 1,310 people from all walks of life in all regions of the country, 42.9% of the respondents say the de facto Pheu Thai boss-cum-convict on parole is the most politically powerful person who has been allegedly pulling the strings behind the Pheu Thai-led coalition government in general and Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin in particular in behind-the-scenes fashion. Thaksin who has been granted parole and quietly resides at his Chan Song Lah residence since late last month is more or less speculated to be visited by his party’s rank and file including cabinet members and MPs, among others, given the power play in which he has clandestinely taken part since he returned from self-exile abroad last August. Literally from a private ward at Police Hospital where he had been given privileges of staying for mystery-shrouded “illnesses” for a six-month period to serve his curtailed, one-year sentence without spending a single day behind bars, the de facto Pheu Thai boss had allegedly manipulated the setup of the post-election government and allocation of cabinet portfolios among coalition partners simply by giving instructions via cellphone to his right-hand man/Pheu Thai wheeler-dealer Phumtham Wechayachai. By Thai Newsroom Reporters TOP: De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra. Photo: VOA Full story: THAI NEWSROOM 2024-03-04 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Thailand apologises to India over remark by trade representative Thailand has offered an official apology to India over a remark made by a Thai trade representative at the 13th World Trade Organisation ministerial conference in the United Arab Emirates. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1321449-thailand-apologises-to-india-over-remark-by-trade-representative/

Thailand has offered an official apology to India over a remark made by a Thai trade representative at the 13th World Trade Organisation ministerial conference in the United Arab Emirates. The Thai representative is reported to have said, during the conference, that the Indian government’s measure to supply cheap rice to its people by subsidising the cost of its production is not actually intended for the good of the people, but to increase export market share. The Indian government contends, however, that the measure is to ensure food security in India and the surplus rice is exported, because India is an established major rice exporter like Thailand. Full story: Thai PBS 2024-03-04 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Forest fires in Chiang Mai made the city the world’s 8th most polluted on Saturday Air quality in Chiang Mai province was measured at 153 on the US AQI listing on Saturday, being ranked as having the world’s 8th worst air quality, as forest fires rage and 150 hotspots were detected, according to the Pollution Control Department. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1321448-forest-fires-in-chiang-mai-made-the-city-the-world’s-8th-most-polluted-on-saturday/

Air quality in Chiang Mai province was measured at 153 on the US AQI listing on Saturday, being ranked as having the world’s 8th worst air quality, as forest fires rage and 150 hotspots were detected, according to the Pollution Control Department. The most polluted city on Saturday, according to the US AQI, was Calcutta, with air quality being measured at 215, followed by Dhaka in Bangladesh (196), Lahore in Pakistan (184), Kathmandu in Nepal (180), Yangon (174), Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan (157), Krakow in Poland (154) and Chiang Mai (153). The average level of PM2.5 across the entire province of Chiang Mai was 58.6µg/m³ on Saturday, which exceeds the safe threshold 37.5µg/m³. Mae Chaem district recorded the most hotspots (48), followed by 27 in Hot district, 24 in Mae Wang, 19 in Chom Thong, 12 in Doi Tao, 3 in Chai Prakan, Omkoi, Mae Taeng and Galyani Vadhana, two in Phrao and Hang Dong, one in Samoeng and Mae Rim. Full story: Thai PBS 2024-03-04 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

UPDATE: Rally on Phuket to reclaim public beaches from developers Hundreds of Phuket residents spontaneously gathered on Yamu Beach today, to demand the reclaiming of the beach as public property. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1321447-public-anger-boils-over-in-protests-in-phuket-against-swiss-man-mr-uli-and-private-beaches/?do=findComment&comment=18738280

Rally on Phuket to reclaim public beaches from developers Hundreds of Phuket residents spontaneously gathered on Yamu Beach today, to demand the reclaiming of the beach as public property. It follows an incident, a few days ago, when a Swiss tenant of a luxurious villa, located on the beach, was accused of attacking a female Thai doctor for alleged trespass. The doctor claimed that she and a friend took a rest on the staircase of a villa, believing that it is a public beach. Without warning, she was then allegedly kicked in the back by a Swiss man, who claimed to be the tenant of the villa. He accused her of trespassing on his property. The doctor was also harshly reprimanded by the Swiss man’s Thai wife. The doctor subsequently filed a complaint with Chalong district police, accusing the man of assaulting her. The accused claimed, however, that he did not kick her, but he had slipped as he walked down the staircase and one of his legs struck the doctor. Full story: Thai PBS 2024-03-04 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

UPDATE: PM: Don’t Fan Anger Over Foreigner Kicking Female Doctor by TNR Staff Rally at Cape Yamu beach today, March 3, 2024. Photos: Naewna PRIME MINISTER Srettha Thavisin today (Mar. 3) urged the public not to verbally escalate a Swiss man having kicked a female Thai doctor as she sat watching the moon on the steps leading from his villa to Phuket’s Cape Yamu beach on the night Feb. 29, Amarin TV said. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1321447-public-anger-boils-over-in-protests-in-phuket-against-swiss-man-mr-uli-and-private-beaches/?do=findComment&comment=18738275

PM: Don’t Fan Anger Over Foreigner Kicking Female Doctor by TNR Staff Rally at Cape Yamu beach today, March 3, 2024. Photos: Naewna PRIME MINISTER Srettha Thavisin today (Mar. 3) urged the public not to verbally escalate a Swiss man having kicked a female Thai doctor as she sat watching the moon on the steps leading from his villa to Phuket’s Cape Yamu beach on the night Feb. 29, Amarin TV said. Dr. Thandao Chandam, attached to Dibuk Hospital, was also verbally abused by his Thai wife. They have both publicly apologised to her saying their property had been encroached upon many times which led to their being angry and scared. Talking to the press after a cabinet meeting at the Government House, Srettha said it is not appropriate to verbally amplify this incident as people in Thailand should live in peace with this small issue already being managed. He added that he did not want something like this to occur but since it did he has instructed the police and Tourism and Sports Ministry to take care of the situation and underscore to foreign tourists and foreigners living here that they must strictly abide by the law. A rally was held at Cape Yamu beach today attended by both local people and others from various provinces nationwide who are working in Phuket to look at the villa steps where Dr. Thandao was kicked by the Swiss businessman and take photos before steps two to four are dismantled as it has been determined that they were built on public land, Naewna newspaper said. Full story: THAI NEWSROOM 2024-03-04 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Public anger boils over in Sunday protests in Phuket against Swiss man Mr Uli and private beaches by James Morris and Son Nguyen Emotions are still running high in Phuket in response to an alleged assault by Swiss national Uli Fehr (inset left) on a Thai female doctor on February 24th. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin (insetright) called for peace and harmony. However, he said he had given instructions to police and tourism officials to brief foreigners on the need to strictly uphold Thailand’s laws. On Sunday, over 500 people attended a beach protest on the site of the incident at Yamu Beach in front of Mr Fehr’s residence in Thalang, Phuket. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1321447-public-anger-boils-over-in-protests-in-phuket-against-swiss-man-mr-uli-and-private-beaches/

Emotions are still running high in Phuket in response to an alleged assault by Swiss national Uli Fehr (inset left) on a Thai female doctor on February 24th. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin (insetright) called for peace and harmony. However, he said he had given instructions to police and tourism officials to brief foreigners on the need to strictly uphold Thailand’s laws. On Sunday, over 500 people attended a beach protest on the site of the incident at Yamu Beach in front of Mr Fehr’s residence in Thalang, Phuket. Fury of Phuket locals against Swiss man Uli Fehr who allegedly assaulted a 26-year-old female doctor on the night of Makha Bucha Day. Activists also rail against private beaches after the incident. Legal action is reportedly imminent as the police chief refers to visa cancellations and the blacklisting of badly behaved visitors to the holiday island. However, police sources later suggested this may not apply in this case. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin calls for peace and understanding. He did not want to inflame tensions. On Sunday, the Phuket public voiced their anger and condemnation of an alleged violent assault by a Swiss man. The victim of the attack was a young Thai female doctor, Dr Thandao Chandam, who was stargazing at Yamu Beach in Pa Khlok, Thalang on February 24. The night she was attacked was the Buddhist holiday of Makha Bucha. The protest went off peacefully and was attended by 500 locals and activists. The scene of the rally was the location of the beachfront assault. In the meantime, it has emerged that police have forwarded charges to court against 45-year-old Uli Fehr. Significantly, the Phuket police chief told reporters that the force was looking at revoking visas and blacklisting foreigners who behave inappropriately on the island. Later, police sources ruled such a sanction out in Mr Uli’s case, at least for now. Tensions were still high in Phuket Thalang district on Sunday. It came following the controversial assault by a Swiss national on a young female Thai doctor on February 24. The assault on Dr Thandao Chandam occurred on the night of Makha Bucha Day. Makha Bucha is a Buddhist occasion in Thailand when Lord Buddha’s teachings are celebrated. by James Morris and Son Nguyen Full story: Thai Examiner.com 2024-03-04 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

to continue: Thailand Live Monday 4 March 2024 https://aseannow.com/topic/1321446-thailand-live-monday-4-march-2024/

Bus driver killed, 47 students and teachers injured in accident in Korat A driver was killed and 47 students and teachers were injured when their Bangkok-bound bus crashed into the rear of a truck carrying sugarcane, as it was crossing from the in-bound to the outbound lane in Dan Khun Thot district of Nakhon Ratchasima province on Friday night. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1321396-bus-driver-killed-47-students-and-teachers-injured-in-accident-in-korat/

A Chinese tourist has been killed by a fast moving pickup truck as he was using a zebra crossing on the way back to his hotel on Bang Na Garden Road in Bang Bo district of Samut Prakan province. Chinese tourist killed by a pickup truck on his first day in Thailand Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1321395-chinese-tourist-killed-by-a-pickup-truck-on-his-first-day-in-thailand/

A driver was killed and 47 students and teachers were injured when their Bangkok-bound bus crashed into the rear of a truck carrying sugarcane, as it was crossing from the in-bound to the outbound lane in Dan Khun Thot district of Nakhon Ratchasima province on Friday night. Police say that the bus, carrying a large group of young students, aged between 9 and 11, and their teachers, was heading for Bangkok on a study tour. Police said that a similar accident happened on March 17th last year, when a tour bus, carrying students on another study tour, collided with a car and plunged into a roadside ditch in Sawankhalok district of Sukhothai province. Two students were killed and over 40 others injured. Full story: Thai PBS 2024-03-03 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

A Chinese tourist has been killed by a fast moving pickup truck as he was using a zebra crossing on the way back to his hotel on Bang Na Garden Road in Bang Bo district of Samut Prakan province last night. A Thai guide said that the victim was among a group of Chinese tourists who arrived in Bangkok Friday morning and he led the group on a sight-seeing tour of Bangkok. The victim left his hotel room last night to buy something at a convenience store just across the road from his hotel. As he was returning to his hotel, a pickup truck, travelling at high speed and with its siren blaring, failed to stop, struck the victim on the crossing and drove off. EMTs soon arrived at the scene of the accident, administered CPR and used a defibrillator to try to save the life of the victim, but to no avail. He died at the scene. Witnesses say the truck driver later stopped at a nearby convenience store for a while and then drove away. Tourist police said that the pickup truck used a fake license plate. Source: Thai PBS 2024-03-03 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Pathum Thani karaoke drug bust nets several amid crackdown by Nattapong Westwood Picture courtesy of KhaoSod A special administrative unit led a successful raid on an illegal karaoke establishment in Pathum Thani Province, arresting several individuals and uncovering evidence of drug use. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1321353-pathum-thani-karaoke-drug-bust-nets-several-amid-crackdown/

A special administrative unit led a successful raid on an illegal karaoke establishment in Pathum Thani Province, arresting several individuals and uncovering evidence of drug use. The operation took place at 3am today, March 2. The venue, disguised as an ordinary apartment block, hosted a bustling night-time scene where patrons and employees were found to be consuming and in possession of illicit substances. The raid, executed by over 30 officers from the Department of Provincial Administration’s special operations unit along with local administrative officials, targeted the second floor of a five-story apartment complex in Thanyaburi District. The floor was converted into ten VIP karaoke rooms, opposite to which was an outdoor seating area for customers. Authorities also found a covered snooker table, hinting at the diverse entertainment options provided to the venue’s visitors. Upon entry, officials from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau discovered eight of the 10 karaoke rooms occupied by guests and hostesses, some of whom tested positive for drugs. The operation was spurred by complaints to the Ministry of Interior’s hotline, alleging the apartment’s second floor functioned as a hub for drug consumption and trafficking, reported KhaoSod. The managing director of the Department of Provincial Administration, along with the deputy governor of Pathum Thani and the local district officer, spearheaded the raid. They confirmed that the apartment operated until 8am and appeared as a regular dormitory from the outside. However, the second floor was a hive of illicit activity, with patrons and managers drinking and facilitating drug services. The authorities had previously shut down a neighbouring entertainment venue, but it was reopened for large group bookings. Recent intelligence revealed that a large group of Vietnamese patrons had visited, consuming substantial amounts of drugs. Officials also warned of new and potentially life-threatening substances like Happy Water and Blue Water. During the raid, law enforcement discovered that the staff had connections with drug agents, supplying customers with narcotics. Financial investigations by the Narcotics Suppression Bureau’s regional office are underway to track the money trail and seize assets involved in the drug trade. In this latest crackdown on illegal drug activities, the provincial governor of Pathum Thani is poised to order a five-year closure of the establishment. The operation underscores the government’s commitment to eradicating the scourge of drugs and highlights the dangers that such illegal venues pose to society. by Nattapong Westwood Picture courtesy of KhaoSod Source: The Thaiger 2024-03-02 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe