Crime
Final member of romance scam gang arrested after being on the run for 4 years

PHOTO: Daily News
Immigration officials have announced the arrest of a Thai man who had been on the run for nearly four years after being allegedly involved with a romance scam gang.
In the case, a Thai woman was ‘scammed’ to the tune of more than 17 million baht. ‘Suchart’ was named in a warrant issued in 2015 as one of four people who received money in their bank accounts. Three others, also connected with the case, have already been arrested.
The case began when a man called ‘Kene’ contacted a woman called ‘Supha’ via Facebook telling the story that his father had died while working in Malaysia and there had been a payment of $3.5 million dollars. Kene claimed to be an executor and Supha was introduced to a Thai woman called Tawana who gained her confidence. Over time and in a ‘number of ways’ (undisclosed) Supha was persuaded to pay 17,516,178 baht in 28 separate transfers to four Thai bank accounts under the names of Bunchuang, Jitra, Tawana and Suchart.
(The case describes the same modus operendi as the notorious Nigerian scams.)
The one remaining Thai member of the gang was Suchart who hid in Bangkok. He stayed with his sister in Klong Tan helping her run a curry and rice stall. He also drove a taxi.
He had two cars and gold jewellery, items immigration officials say, which were unlikely to have been obtained by legitimate employment like curry selling and taxi driving.
Suchart is now in custody as further investigations take place by Region 1 of the Thai Immigration Bureau.
SOURCE: Daily News
Immigration chief Lt-Gen Sompong Chingduang announced the arrest of a Thai man over the scam
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Air Pollution
Bangkok’s air quality is ‘unhealthy’ today | VIDEO

Air quality around Bangkok this morning is awful. Partly due to the lack of wind to blow the smog out of the area. To the south of Bangkok, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon, the air quality is even worse with visibility on the ground cut to less than a kilometre. You would be well advised to reduce you activities outside on a day of high air pollution in the capital. The rating by airvisual.com is ‘unhealthy’.
Readings around the inner city vary between 190 – 220. Areas to the east, including around Suvarnabhumi Airport, are higher.
A lot of the smog and smoke is flowing down from the north and north east where plantation fires rage, mostly unenforced, this time of the year, from December to May. Farmers have been told, repeatedly, to avoid buying off the waste after harvests of corn, rice and sugar cane but officials have been disinclined to enforce the laws. Many of the farmers have long-term contracts with some of Thailand’s leading agri-business conglomerates.
Bangkok and the central region can expect many more months, especially as the temperatures rise throughout February, March and April and the winds remain low as the north-easterly monsoon weakens.
PHOTO: View across the Bangkok skyline from Sathorn this morning.
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
40 arrested in a suspected gambling house in Nonthaburi

Last night, police raided a house in Nonthaburi and arrested 40 people for allegedly gambling.
According to the deputy chief of the Central Investigation Bureau, 33 are Thais and 7 are migrant workers of the casino. The officials also confiscated decks of cards of the Dragon-Tiger game, plastic chips and some cash as evidence.
During the raid, the migrant workers allegedly revealed that the gambling operations at the home had only been going on for 2 days and that the owner planned to move it to other locations.
Police have been cracking down on gambling after the Covid-19 outbreak at a Rayong gambling den in line with the PM’s order made last week to shut down the illegal venues and tracking down “influential figures.”
SOURCE: National Thailand
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Thailand
Former finance minister proposes legalisation of gambling

With Covid-19 cases linked to some illegal gambling dens, causing a headache for health officials trying to track down elusive gamblers to contain the virus, the former Finance Minister floated the idea to legalise gambling.
The former Finance Minister and current leader of the Kla Party, Korn Chaitkavanich, claims legalising gambling will help contain the spread of Covid-19. He also hinted that it will gain more tax revenue. If it’s legalised, gamblers will spend their money in legal casinos that pay taxes, drawing in more money the government can use for public improvements, he says.
The Royal Thai Police spokesperson insists police are pursuing legal action against owners of the illegal gambling dens. Interior Minister Anuphong Paojinda has also told provincial governors to suppress illegal gambling dens and take responsibility if more gambling dens are found.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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