Category: The Bangkok Post

A prime suspect in a heroin trafficking network linked to the case of a Thai flight attendant detained in Australia was arrested in Phayao province on Thursday night, authorities said on Friday.

Police investigators apprehended Ekkawit Yongnichakul, known as ‘Rin Rin’, 41, who is accused of supplying heroin concealed in elephant-patterned tote bags before they were passed on to another suspect, Uthai Kunaphiwat, in the northern province.

The development is linked to the case of the 26-year-old flight attendant, known only as Meena, who was detained in Melbourne after authorities found 1.8 kilogrammes of heroin hidden inside the tote bags she was carrying.

Police said Mr Ekkawit was not the person behind the chat account ‘RoseRose’, who recruited Ms Meena to carry the bags to Australia. However, he is a close relative of ‘RoseRose’ and photographs show the pair travelling together.

During questioning, Mr Ekkawit said he worked as a seasonal agricultural labourer and lived in Chiang Kham district of Phayao. He admitted being hired to transport heroin concealed in elephant-patterned bags and said he was paid about 100,000 baht per delivery.

According to police, ‘RoseRose’ instructed Mr Ekkawit to buy the tote bags in Chiang Mai and leave them at designated roadside collection points.

Associates later collected the bags, concealed heroin inside and returned them to the agreed locations with 100,000 baht in cash. Mr Ekkawit then arranged for Mr Uthai to collect the bags and reportedly paid him 60,000 baht via a cash deposit machine.

Mr Ekkawit claimed the heroin was packed in Laos, but investigators said they have not confirmed where it was concealed.

According to investigators, Mr Uthai travelled by bus from northern Thailand to Ayutthaya province, then hired a black sedan to deliver the tote bags to the condominium where Ms Meena lived in Bang Na district of Bangkok, and to another location in Soi Suea Yai Uthit.

Investigators said Mr Uthai admitted involvement in five or six deliveries. But after discovering he had rented accommodation in Ayutthaya for more than five months, they think he played a larger role in the operation.

In another development, the Department of Special Investigation has obtained arrest warrants for four more suspects – three Lao nationals and one Thai – accused of smuggling heroin from Laos into Thailand.

The Thai suspect, identified only as Khlaeo, has already been detained, according to the Office of the Narcotics Control Board.

Authorities believe the smuggling case and the one involving the flight attendant employed the same trafficking methods, with Mr Uthai acting as the key link between the two operations.

The police Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB), meanwhile, has obtained an arrest warrant for ‘RoseRose’.

Investigators have been making substantial progress, Pol Lt Gen Achayon Kraithong, the NSB commissioner, said upon returning to Bangkok from Phayao on Friday evening.

He described ‘RoseRose’ as playing a role closely resembling that of a principal organiser within the trafficking operation. However, police believe there are still more senior figures at large.

A new Sadao checkpoint compound and road linking southern Thailand and northern Malaysia has been slated to open for users on Saturday after the prime ministers of both nations officiated its launch on Friday.

Thai government spokewoman Rachada Dhnadirek and the Malaysian Home Ministry said the new Thai customs house and the roadway have been scheduled to open for use from 5am Thailand time on Saturday, replacing the existing office at Dan Nok upon its closure.

“The new road will open to all road users at 6am (Malaysia time) tomorrow [Saturday]. At the same time, the existing border crossing linking Bukit Kayu Hitam and Dan Nok will be permanently closed from midnight (Malaysia time) tomorrow,” Bernama quoted the Malaysia ministry’s statement as saying.

The Sadao checkpoint is to be operational between 5am and 11pm.

The new, larger checkpoint is located about six kilometres east of the present office in Sadao district of Songkhla. Construction began in 2016 with a budget of 1.5 billion baht and an aim to ease congestion for trucks, cars and buses at the border. The checkpoint connects Songkha with Kedah state through the Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint.

The crossing is to become the main lifeline of trade and tourism between the two countries, with more than 80% of Thai-Malaysian border trade estimated to pass through it.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul believes the new Sadao checkpoint will do more than improve infrastructure as it will serve as “an economic gateway” bringing people, trade and investment in the two countries closer, according to Ms Rachada.

Mr Anutin wrapped up his two-day visit to Malaysia on Friday.

A prime suspect in a heroin trafficking network linked to the case of a Thai flight attendant detained in Australia was arrested in Phayao province on Thursday night, authorities said on Friday.

Police investigators apprehended Ekkawit Yongnichakul, known as ‘Rin Rin’, 41, who is accused of supplying heroin concealed in elephant-patterned tote bags before they were passed on to another suspect, Uthai Kunaphiwat, in the northern province.

The development is linked to the case of the 26-year-old flight attendant, known only as Meena, who was detained in Melbourne after authorities found 1.8 kilogrammes of heroin hidden inside the tote bags she was carrying.

Police said Mr Ekkawit was not the person behind the chat account ‘RoseRose’, who recruited Ms Meena to carry the bags to Australia. However, he is a close relative of ‘RoseRose’ and photographs show the pair travelling together.

During questioning, Mr Ekkawit said he worked as a seasonal agricultural labourer and lived in Chiang Kham district of Phayao. He admitted being hired to transport heroin concealed in elephant-patterned bags and said he was paid about 100,000 baht per delivery.

According to police, ‘RoseRose’ instructed Mr Ekkawit to buy the tote bags in Chiang Mai and leave them at designated roadside collection points.

Associates later collected the bags, concealed heroin inside and returned them to the agreed locations with 100,000 baht in cash. Mr Ekkawit then arranged for Mr Uthai to collect the bags and reportedly paid him 60,000 baht via a cash deposit machine.

Mr Ekkawit claimed the heroin was packed in Laos, but investigators said they have not confirmed where it was concealed.

According to investigators, Mr Uthai travelled by bus from northern Thailand to Ayutthaya province, then hired a black sedan to deliver the tote bags to the condominium where Ms Meena lived in Bang Na district of Bangkok, and to another location in Soi Suea Yai Uthit.

Investigators said Mr Uthai admitted involvement in five or six deliveries. But after discovering he had rented accommodation in Ayutthaya for more than five months, they think he played a larger role in the operation.

In another development, the Department of Special Investigation has obtained arrest warrants for four more suspects – three Lao nationals and one Thai – accused of smuggling heroin from Laos into Thailand.

The Thai suspect, identified only as Khlaeo, has already been detained, according to the Office of the Narcotics Control Board.

Authorities believe the smuggling case and the one involving the flight attendant employed the same trafficking methods, with Mr Uthai acting as the key link between the two operations.

The police Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB), meanwhile, has obtained an arrest warrant for ‘RoseRose’.

Investigators have been making substantial progress, Pol Lt Gen Achayon Kraithong, the NSB commissioner, said upon returning to Bangkok from Phayao on Friday evening.

He described ‘RoseRose’ as playing a role closely resembling that of a principal organiser within the trafficking operation. However, police believe there are still more senior figures at large.

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has questioned about 100 victims of a high-profile foreign exchange investment scam, Justice Minister Rutthapon Naowarat said on Wednesday.

Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon said he believed the DSI would complete the questioning and evidence-gathering process before the House prorogues on Saturday.

He said he could not confirm when the DSI would file charges against individuals, although he understands the financial trail probe is quite complete now.

State agencies are expected to report the results of their investigations to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul before filing charges against any suspects, he added.

On June 16, the DSI launched a search at 24 locations in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon, busting a network suspected of illegally soliciting investments and conducting forex trading without proper authorisation.

The DSI said later the network is believed to have transferred 28 million baht to People’s Party list-MP Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, and that Mr Pawoot had appeared in an advertising video of QRS Global, one of the companies affiliated with the fraud network.

The DSI’s findings immediately placed Mr Pawoot under scrutiny, although he has consistently denied the allegations.

Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon’s latest comments came after Mr Pawoot met the DSI on Monday.

Mr Pawoot said he was ready to clarify all issues transparently and had provided evidence to the investigators, as he had complete information. “I am not a criminal. [The links] are just suspicions,” he said.

A construction worker was killed on Thursday after a pile driver collapsed on top of him while he was working on Rama II Road, in the latest of several fatal accidents on the notorious route.

The accident took place around 2pm on the outbound lane of Rama II Road, in front of a company near the Khlong Luang bridge U-turn, according to the JS100 Radio Facebook page. The pile-driving crane fell onto a male worker, who died at the scene.

Police from the Bang Tho Rat station, along with rescue workers, rushed to the scene to examine the body, collect evidence and investigate the cause of the accident. Officials also coordinated efforts to move the crane and reopen the area to traffic as quickly as possible.

The accident forced a temporary road closure to facilitate the operation and clear the area, causing congestion on the outbound lane.

Authorities have asked the public to avoid the area. Those who must travel through the site are urged to exercise extra caution and follow official announcements closely for their safety.

The Expressway Authority of Thailand has reported over 2,500 construction-related incidents on the perennially under-construction Rama II Road since 2019.

The figure includes 143 deaths and more than 1,400 injuries, according to thecivilengineer.org website.

Lower domestic fuel prices are expected to lift consumer confidence, but are unlikely to immediately reduce prepared food prices, according to the Thai Restaurant Association.

The drop in fuel prices is a positive sign and is likely to boost consumer purchasing power, said Thaniwan Kulmongkol, president of the Thai Restaurant Association. After the Middle East war began, many eateries raised their menu prices, citing higher costs.

Diesel, a key component in business logistics, has dropped from more than 50 baht per litre in early April to less than 35 baht.

“Food prices tend to rise quickly, but reductions take more time,” she noted.

Many restaurateurs are still using inventory purchased at higher prices, including raw materials and packaging, said Mrs Thaniwan.

Operators also continue to face high costs for rent, electricity and labour, which have not fallen in line with energy prices. Some ingredient prices such as vegetable oil also remain high.

“If the current reductions prove short-lived, operators may be reluctant to lower menu prices,” according to her statement.

In the broader market, Mrs Thaniwan said operators will monitor the customer response and competitor pricing. If competitors do not lower prices, they might not rush to decrease their own prices.

EASED COST OF LIVING

Somchai Pornrattanacharoen, honorary adviser to the Thai Wholesale and Retail Trade Association, said Thailand’s economy has remained sluggish for a long time, with consumer purchasing power still weak.

He said lower energy prices will help ease concerns over the cost of living.

While the Middle East war caused a spike in energy prices, most Thai consumer goods manufacturers were hesitant to raise their product prices. Instead, some opted to cut promotions typically offered to wholesalers.

Thailand is a major manufacturer of consumer goods in the region, but border issues with Cambodia and Myanmar have hindered exports, resulting in increased domestic supply, said Mr Somchai. An influx of foreign goods, likely from China, is worsening the glut and keeping consumer goods prices from rising, he said.

CHEAPER STEEL COSTS

The latest retail oil price cut helps to reduce costs in the local steel industry, which is struggling to compete with an influx of cheap steel imports from China, said the EAF Long Product Steel Producers Association.

Chaichalerm Bunyanuwat, president of the association, said steelmakers will pay less for steel transport, reducing pressure in an intensifying market.

“Decreasing oil prices will be reflected in lower inflation, which should stimulate consumer purchasing power,” he said.

However, the outlook in the Middle East remains volatile and a permanent ceasefire in the region is crucial for the growth of the energy-intensive steel industry, said Mr Chaichalerm.

Many steel factories in Thailand rely on electricity for manufacturing.

Gas accounts for nearly 60% of fuels used for power generation in Thailand. Geopolitical conflicts drive up prices of liquefied natural gas imported to the country.

“The steel industry is using more renewable energy, notably solar power, but it accounts for a small proportion and remains expensive,” he said.

Four Indian nationals are being held on charges of trying to smuggle protected wildlife out of Thailand after police seized 100 Indian star tortoises, a gibbon and a langur at a house in Bang Khunthian district of Bangkok.

Officers from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division (NED) apprehended the four men aged between 24 and 53 on Wednesday under arrest warrants issued by the Central Tax Court, Pol Maj Gen Anek Taosuparp, the NED commander, said on Thursday.

The suspects have been charged with colluding to export goods that had not undergone customs clearance, and exporting protected and controlled wildlife without permission.

In addition to the animals, the arresting team seized three suitcases and a white Mazda 3 sedan with Udon Thani licence plates as evidence.

According to Pol Maj Gen Anek, the investigation began in May after police received information from an airline that luggage belonging to a passenger travelling from Thailand to India had been returned because it contained live wild animals and carcasses.

Subsequent investigations uncovered a transnational wildlife trafficking network, he said, with three of the Indian suspects playing distinct roles in the operation.

One of the suspects acted as a customer coordinator, while two others were responsible for sourcing wildlife requested by clients and arranging shipments abroad, said Pol Maj Gen Anek.

The investigation traced the group to a house on Bang Kradi Soi 19 in Bang Khunthian that served as a storage and packing location for wildlife prior to export. Police subsequently placed the property under close surveillance.

Police later observed members of the group handing suitcases containing wildlife to another Indian man identified as Thameem at a hotel. He then transported the luggage to Suvarnabhumi Airport for loading onto an outbound flight.

Officers intercepted the luggage and found one gibbon, two langurs, six tegu lizards and five blue-tongued skinks concealed inside the suitcases. Mr Thameem was arrested at the scene.

Further investigation led authorities to identify additional members of the network, prompting the court to approve warrants for the four Indian accomplices.

During questioning, all four suspects confessed to the charges, said Pol Maj Gen Anek.

They have been handed over to NED investigators for legal proceedings, while officers continue to pursue other members of the trafficking network.

The government continues to grapple with the challenge of lowering retail oil prices, which remain stubbornly above 30 baht per litre despite recent declines in global crude markets.

An energy official who requested anonymity said authorities have limited tools at their disposal to ease the burden on motorists.

Recent measures have focused on reducing levies collected through the Oil Fuel Fund, resulting in modest cuts of 2.56 baht per litre for diesel and 2.51 baht per litre for gasoline.

However, the ex-refinery price — a crucial component in determining retail costs — has not been adjusted, leaving pump prices elevated.

Global crude prices fell after Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding last month aimed at easing Middle East tensions. The agreement followed a surge in prices earlier this year, triggered by the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

While the easing of hostilities has brought some relief, the government insists it must continue collecting levies to reimburse oil retailers.

“The government needs to keep oil prices at high levels. They need money to reimburse oil retailers,” the official said, noting that subsidies from the Oil Fuel Fund had previously been used to cushion the impact of soaring crude prices.

Beyond crude supply, the official pointed to deeper structural issues.

Recent conflicts have disrupted refining networks in the Middle East, further straining global refining capacity.

This comes on top of long-term declines in refinery investment and closures during the pandemic that left the industry ill-prepared to meet demand.

As a result, even when crude oil is abundant, refined fuel prices remain high due to limited processing capacity, he said.

Refineries are prioritising diesel and jet fuel to meet industrial and travel demand, leaving gasoline production constrained. This imbalance has driven pump prices higher in many countries.

“It is difficult to bring retail oil prices back to pre-conflict levels because of both domestic and international market pressures,” the official said.

The government’s proposal to expand voluntary early retirement for civil servants is needed to tackle long-standing structural problems that can no longer be postponed, Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilprapunt said on Wednesday.

He said the proposal is not intended for all officials aged 40 and above, but is expected to focus primarily on those aged 40-45, taking pension and gratuity entitlements into account.

He said encouraging older officials, particularly those aged 50 and above, to retire early would be less practical because many would struggle to switch careers. ‘Changing careers is not easy, especially in the AI era,’ he said. ‘Many people are already losing jobs because of technological disruption, so the question is how they can be upskilled and reskilled.’

Mr Pakorn said the challenge is not unique to Thailand, as rapid advances in artificial intelligence and digital technology are reshaping labour markets worldwide. Some university graduates have adapted by becoming entrepreneurs, using AI and social media to support small businesses. However, he said older workers often have greater family responsibilities, making career changes more difficult. For that reason, the government will maintain the principle of voluntary participation.

‘If someone chooses to resign voluntarily, it means they have already prepared a path forward, and they should be allowed to pursue it,’ he said, adding that preliminary estimates suggest more than 10,000 civil servants could qualify for the programme, although the figure remains under review.

He said any early retirement scheme would require careful preparation, including upskilling and reskilling, to help participants adapt to future labour market demands. ‘This is not something that will happen overnight,’ he said. ‘It requires careful planning.’

Responding to criticism that the proposal is unrealistic, Mr Pakorn said delaying reform would only worsen the problem. ‘If we don’t act today and wait another 10 years, the problem will become even bigger and future generations will have to deal with it,’ he said. ‘These problems did not just emerge recently – they have accumulated over many years.’

The proposal to allow civil servants to take early retirement continues to spark debate, with academics warning the plan may be misguided and could create new social and economic challenges.

Satithorn Thananithichot, political science lecurer at Chulalongkorn University’s faculty of political science, said setting the threshold at 40 is excessive. He said that while budget concerns drive the idea, civil service salaries are relatively low, meaning the fiscal burden is not as heavy as perceived.

The bigger issue, he said, is what happens after retirement. ‘If people leave the system, will there be jobs or businesses to absorb them? The real problem lies in the inefficient use of civil servants, not their numbers as such. Many officials are tied up in routine, regulation-heavy tasks that do not generate economic productivity,’ Mr Satithorn said.

Instead of cutting staff, he suggested redistributing workloads. The remarks come as the government studies a major overhaul of the civil service to curb rising personnel costs and modernise the bureaucracy.

The leaders of ?Malaysia and Thailand said on Thursday that they had resolved an issue that had disrupted trade in seafood, and that they would work on ?developing a special border economic .

In May, Thailand restricted the import of Malaysian-caught sea bass due to concerns over chemical ?residues, prompting Kuala Lumpur ?to temporarily ban some varieties of Thai shrimp over food safety controls last month.

‘We have resolved this outstanding issue of fisheries … agree it should be effected in one week,’ Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told reporters following a meeting with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, in ?Malaysia’s administrative capital Putrajaya.

Mr Anutin is on a two-day visit to Malaysia that is aimed at strengthening economic cooperation and smoothing over longstanding border issues between the neighbours.

The leaders agreed to proceed with developing a special ?border economic zone, and to facilitate customs and immigration exchanges, Mr Anwar said. They also witnessed the signing ?of memorandum of understanding on agricultural cooperation.

On Friday, the two leaders will travel to the northern Malaysian state of ?Kedah ?to jointly open a new border crossing linked to the Thai customs and immigration checkpoint in Sadao, in Songkhla ?province.

Their visit comes amid renewed security concerns following a recent spike in violence tied to the decades-old separatist insurgency in Thailand’s predominantly Malay-Muslim southern border provinces.

‘Ending the violence ?and addressing the challenges in Thailand’s southern border provinces ?remains a top priority for my government,’ Mr Anutin said at the media briefing.

Other agreements reached during the talks included reopening ferry services between Satun and Kuala Perlis and integrating ticketing for the Bangkok-Hat Yai-Butterworth rail route.

The two governments also set a target of raising bilateral trade to $30 billion in the near future, from around $25 billion last year.