Thailand News Today | Flash flooding to hit every region of Thailand
Tropical Storm Noru is forecast to hit Thailand two days later than expected on Thursday. The typhoon will cause rainfall all over Thailand but is expected to impact Mukdahan and Amnat Charoen provinces in northeast Thailand directly.
According to Thailand’s Meteorological Department, the typhoon will bring heavy rain and flooding similar to the Dianmu storm that hit Thailand last year.
After brewing in the Pacific Ocean, Noru hit the Philippines on Sunday and Monday. Five rescue workers were killed in floods on the island of Luzon after heavy rain and fierce winds battered the Philippines’ most populous island.
Noru has already left the Philippines and is wheezing westwards through the South China Sea at 25kph. Noru is expected to land in Vietnam tomorrow and arrive in northeast Thailand on Thursday.
Another monsoon is brewing in the Andaman Sea, which the tropical storm will exacerbate. Heavy rainfall can be expected in every region of Thailand between September 28 – October 1. The public is warned to prepare for flash flooding in every area of Thailand this week.
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A new poll of university students revealed that Gen Z does not want an unelected Senate to be a part of the Thai government.
The survey showed that the emerging generation does not want appointed officials by an overwhelming margin of 17 to one. They believe that senators not elected by the people only hinder and undermine the democratic rule.
The poll was conducted by a political scientist at Rangsit University and talked to 707 students between the ages of 18 and 25 from around the country. It sought their opinion on the current and future political situation, specifically about the unelected Senate. The current senators were selected and installed by the former army leader and the now suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha when he took control of the Thai government in a military coup in 2014. Although unelected, the Constitution gives senators power to vote on who is to be the prime minister, as was the case in the last election, where the Senate voted in favour of Prayut.
Some 85.5% of the people polled thought that all Parliament and the Senate members should be voted in by the public. They did not support the unelected Senate appointed by the military junta. Just 5.1% of people interviewed believe that unelected senators should remain a part of the government.
The Rangsit poll also shows that the younger generation feels that the suspended PM Prayut and the current caretaker Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan do not represent these democratic principles. They would prefer the next leader of Thailand to be more supportive of the more robust democracy in the country.
The results are not surprising as there have been near-constant pro-democracy demonstrations over the last few years. Though Covid restrictions tamped them down, protesters still push for a move towards a more robust democracy. So far, every attempt in Parliament to amend the Constitution that the military put in place with an unelected Senate has been thwarted.
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The former Burmese beauty queen denied entry to Thailand last week had been granted a haven in Canada.
The 23-year-old Han Lay tried to seek asylum in Thailand last Thursday after being allegedly targeted by the Myanmar ruling military junta following a speech she made criticising the council.
The former Miss Grand Myanmar 2020 reportedly applied for asylum with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Thailand after she was denied entry upon returning from Danang in Vietnam.
The model did not get her to wish to stay in the Land of Smiles, but it looks like a tumultuous week will conclude with a happy ending after Canada granted her refugee status.
A refugee is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and cannot or is unwilling to return home due to a well-founded fear of persecution.
Han Lay is reportedly leaving Thailand today on a Korean Air flight arriving in Toronto tonight.
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Thailand’s Criminal Court summoned famous actress “Pinky” and 23 other defendants in the Forex-3D fraud case to court today. Defendants gave testimony, and the court examined evidence submitted by victims.
However, there are so many documents from victims that the court will need to reconvene on November 29 to make further progress in the case.
Among the 24 defendants who were summoned out of prison into court today include famous actress Savika Chaiyadej, or Pinky, her mother and brother, and CEO of Forex 3D Apirak Kothi.
The defendants are accused of defrauding victims of an estimated 2.4 billion baht. All 24 were denied bail.
Famous actress “Pinky” faces up to 20 years in prison for fraud for her involvement in a Forex-3D “Ponzi” scam that defrauded over 14,000 victims. Pinky, her mother, and her brother are still detained as they await trial.
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Shopee started a significant restructuring charge, including plans to lay off more employees of Shopee Thailand. About 10% of jobs will be cut, which is expected to affect about 100 employees.
The Singaporean multinational technology company, a subsidiary of Sea Limited, has restructured its business in many countries this year to make the company more self-sufficient.
Shopee closed its businesses in Argentina, India, and France in the past two years.
Shopee Pte. Ltd cut 10% of jobs in China and 3% in Indonesia this year, while the company terminated the employment of 300 workers in June in ShopeeFood and ShopeePay in Thailand.
Branches in Chile, Colombia, and Mexico also laid off most of their employees and opted for cross-border operations.
The report said the company announced the new restructuring plans in a town hall meeting yesterday. The management announced it would try to streamline the company and increase operational efficiency to make Shopee more agile and develop long-term growth.
The Shopee board said during the meeting that the new operational measures would affect some Thai employees. The staff would be reduced by less than 10% in response to the challenging economic situation.
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