VERY LATEST NEWS FROM THAILAND in English (19 September 2023) from Fabulous 103fm Pattaya

VERY LATEST NEWS FROM THAILAND in English (19 September 2023) from Fabulous 103fm Pattaya

– 14 officers face charges in Kamnan Nok case
Fourteen police officers face charges of dereliction of duty after being in attendance at the Nakhon Pathom party where a fellow officer was killed and another injured after they refused to promote a relative of a local headsman.  Thailand’s Deputy National Police chief relayed THIS news to the media, listing those involved as from station chiefs down in rank.  The biggest issue appears to be that statements given by those in attendance vary considerably from evidence now recovered from CCTV recordings that the headsman had thought were destroyed.

– Narcotics crackdown, minimum wage rise, & cheaper electricity & fuel costs for Thailand 
Thailand’s new PM has told the press that the minimum 400 baht a day wage for all is expected to be IN place as law by the end of the year.   This is as electricity rates are set to drop too, for both business and domestic accounts.  The government has also committed to a Thaksin-style promise to rid the nation of its narcotics business, breaking first the methamphetamine business but also working on the rest. Thaksin, in his heyday, also implemented a total anti-drugs policy which was successful but came at a cost.  We are told that the coalition is in agreement that a massive crackdown on meth routes, often from one neighbouring country to another but seeing Thailand as a conduit MUST be step one in a series of moves that could virtually eradicate the now prolific trade.  It’s unlikely though that the same methods as those of the Thaksin era will be applied as, back then in 2003,  many deaths were attributed to crackdowns.

– Former PM Thaksin not eligible for parole until February 
Rumours that Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra would leave his hospital suite for freedom soon seem to have been slightly exaggerated as the Dept of Corrections tells us that the earliest he can file for parole is next February.  Still hospitalized, due to a list of ailments,  he could still be offered parole sooner but he himself cannot apply for it.

– Thai government to tax all incomes from abroad 
Thai citizens earning income abroad said to be exploiting certain tax loopholes here MUST pay income tax HERE in the country on any income derived from outside as of the start of next year.  This is NOT a new law but the full application of existing tax laws which appear, in some cases to have been overlooked and in other cases, loopholes found that allowed tax avoidance.   Section 41 of the Thai tax code applies to funds earned overseas and brought INTO Thailand.  With some questioning the risk of double taxation, abroad and here, it’s worth noting that the US as an example, expects tax from its nationals on earnings anywhere in the world, whether or not they are US residents. In THIS case, the issue is NOT the same as were a Thai is living abroad, then the income is not taxable here, but were they to earn abroad and bring the funds INTO Thailand then according to the tax code.. taxes can be applied.

– Debt moratorium for farmers and small businesses in Thailand
As news of a debt moratorium was issued by the new government, applied to loans held by farmers and small businesses, so the question raised has been WILL interest continue to be applied to those loans during what is effectively a payment holiday?  Nevertheless, the respite from payments is welcomed by farmers who need to be able to buy seed and feed for their lands.  Better though is a plan to educate farmers on effective agricultural management which will assist all who have simply adapted the passed-on techniques of their forefathers which, often, can be improved on. The payment holiday is for loans up to 1 million and will extend over a three-year period.

– Angry wife gunned down after husband loses to Bitcoin scam
Yet another family fallout escalated into a spousal shooting this week.  Seems an Ayutthaya wife told her husband she was leaving him after he lost their savings on a bitcoin scam. In reply – he shot her.  Then believing her to be demised she holed himself up in their home as police surrounded it.  A 6-hour standoff finally led to him handing himself over.   The wife?  Is in full recovery.

– Drinking competition sees Thai barman hospitalized 
A drinking competition between a Thai barman and his customer saw the barman collapse at a Sattahip watering hole.  Seems the man, was treated by medics before being hospitalized.

– Dangerous Pattaya roadworks blamed for fatal early morning accident 
A total lack of safety barriers along a stretch of road repairs on the Sukhumvit has been blamed by many for the death Monday morning of a local Thai lady.  The accident, at dawn, saw her bike collide with a school minibus, but as she lost control, it ended up in the foot-deep ditch dug by road workers and with rebars sticking out.  NUMEROUS roadworks remain poor with non-existent lighting in the area and drivers are warned to take extra care on all local roads.    No word on which party caused the accident however the outcome, sadly, was the report that the lady had passed away.

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