Chiang Rai News
Highway Linking China, Laos, and Chiang Rai, Thailand
New highway links China, Laos, and Chiang Rai, Thailand
The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) deputy governor Verapong Chaiperm said the R3A road that will link China, Laos and Chiang Rai will finish construction next year.
China has expressed interest in the plan to set up a 2,000-rai estate worth around 2 billion baht in Chiang Khong district in Chiang Rai, which will be ready for commercial sales in 2014.
The two sides are working on details related to joint developments and target clusters. While China’s aim is to focus on pharmaceuticals, Thailand’s focus is on processed agricultural goods and electrical appliances, said Dr Verapong.
Chiang Khong district of Chiang Rai and Houei Xai district of Bokeo province in Laos, will help bolster Chiang Rai’s trade with neighbouring countries by tenfold to 100 billion baht in the next decade.
The Thai government is also planning about eight billion baht worth of infrastructure projects to foster further development, among them the new bridge in Chiang Khong.
Significant improvements have been made to the infrastructure and facilities initiated under the Greater Mekong Sub-region in recent years, with the latest being the completion of the about 250 kilometres of the R3a highway, which will be opened officially on Monday. While the development has delighted the business community, question remain as to how all sides can make the most out of this transport system to assist border trade.
Differences in customs procedures, as well as the unsettled issue of revenue sharing from the fee collected for the use of the Thailand-Laos bridge linking Mukdahan and Savannakhet, are likely to inhibit the new route’s potential. For example, cargoes from China to Thailand would have to pass different customs checks, including those in Vietnam and Laos. Such inconveniences and the time-consuming process will definitely cost traders more.
Acknowledging the problem, the Chiang Rai Chamber of Commerce is planning to propose a single-stop inspection system for goods shipped through the R3a route.
The system requires all involved countries to harmonise their customs procedures and private companies are being urged to team up and register as a safeguard and risk-management measure.
The chamber’s chairman, Pattana Sitthisombat, said that once everything was sorted out, an inspection of shipments at the Chinese distribution centre would be enough and the goods would not need to be checked again in Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand.
Mr Pattana, who also heads the Quadrangle Economic Development Business Committee that groups 10 provincial chambers of commerce in the north of Thailand, suggested the government urgently address the problem before R3a becomes widely used.
He said that the chambers would meet next month and draft more proposals relating to logistics, tourism and trade to the government, adding that the National Economic Social Development Board should spearhead the issue.
The agribusiness conglomerate CP Group also voiced support for the harmonisation of customs procedures since it could speed up and facilitate farm shipments from country to country.
CP, which has invested extensively in the agricultural sectors in Indochina for decades, still encounters difficulties resulting from imports and exports regulations.
CP Group vice-chairman Ajva Taulananda said that certificates of origin would likely become a problem as well.
“The output harvested from the Ayeyawady area needs to have certificates issued in Rangoon. Or the trucks that carry them need to be changed when getting through Laos,” said Dr Ajva, citing some of the difficulties he foresaw.
At present, imports of production from crops that Thai companies invest in neighbouring countries are prohibited.
“Customs harmonisation and eased imports regulations would even make the region more attractive for trade and investments,” he said.
Though the CP Group is not allowed to bring back the commodities it planted in neighbouring countries to Thailand, it is still upbeat about its contract-farming to promote planting of maize and soybeans in the countries under the pact of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Co-operation Strategy (Acmecs).
“We could supply this produce to our animal-feed plants and feed CP’s poultry and shrimp operations that are spreading throughout the region,” he said.
According to Dr Ajva, CP has pioneered contract-farming to grow maize on a total of 3.6 million rai in four Acmecs neighbours: Cambodia, Laos, Burma and Vietnam.
It plans to increase the areas to one million rai each in Cambodia and Laos, from 600,000 and 200,000 rai respectively.
As a former chairman of the Acmecs Business Council, Dr Ajva suggested Thai businessmen use the Acmecs mechanism to expand trade and investments in member countries, where farm businesses are a good choice due to abundant and fertile land.
Besides maize and soybeans, rubber and palm oil have a prosperous outlook. They could produce strong yields, given healthy soil with no need for fertilisers. “Even the flooded areas along the Ayeyawady River have as high as one million rai of fertile land that that are perfect for farming,” Dr Ajva said.
In Thailand, an estimated 130 million rai of farm areas are diminishing, giving way to economic expansion and urbanisation. Maize plantation areas have shrunk markedly to only six million rai today, and Thai companies should not overlook their neighbouring countries.
“What Thai investors should bear in mind is that they have to buy back output at fair prices and provide technical assistance to show their willingness in doing business there,” he suggested.
Another leading businessman said Thais should not be too aggressive, arrogant or greedy when doing business in the neighbouring countries.
“Instead, they should have morality and show their sincerity and sensitivity on issues involving mutual benefits from joint ventures,” suggested Jingjai Hanchanlash, a director of Loxley Co, who has played a big role in developing the GMS scheme.
“Local partners prefer longer-term investments to short-lived ventures where investors aim only to dig gold from their rich resources and then leave,” he elaborated.
Dr Jingjai, also former chairman of the GMS Business Council, expects substantial foreign investments including those from Loxley, which plans to set up a culinary school in Laos and open convenience stores in Burma.
Asked about political uncertainties in these countries, he said: “Though there was political unrest in some of these countries, it has to date had minimal effects on business communities. The same goes for Thailand, where changes in politics have no great impact on local businesses.”
Police in Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai Province have arrested a 50 year old man after the threatened to rape a 20 year-old woman and the proceeded to murder her 2 and half month old baby.
Police with doctors from Wiang Kaen Hospital and the Chao Luang Wiang Kaen Welfare Association were summoned to the scene of the incident to a 2-story cement house, Village No. 2, Tha Kham Subdistrict, Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai
On arrival they found Ms. Chanikarn, age 20, in a state of distress crying uncontrollably beside her 2 and a half month baby girl (Linlada) that was dead on the floor.
After calming Ms. Chanikarn, the child’s mother, said that at approximately 2:30 p.m she was out to collect diapers that had been dried in front of the house, while her 2 and a half month old daughter was sleep on the ground floor of the house.
She said she was suddenly approached by a Mr. Lee, about 40 years old, who lived on the opposite side of the road. He came towards her and grabbed her arm and threatened her saying if she didn’t sleeping with him he will go and kill his daughter.
Miss Chanikan refused and ran away, then Mr. Lee then walked into the house and grabbed Ms. Linlada’s leg, smashing the child’s head against the cement floor of the house. The infant died immediately.
Mr. Lee then just walked away and returned to his own home, leaving Miss Chanikan and her dead baby.
When police went to Mr. Lee’s home he immediately confessed killing the infant and was taken to Wiang Kaen Police Station for further questioning. Under caution he told police that he was sexually attracted to Miss Chanikan‘s and when her husband leave for work he took the opportunity to approach her.
He said when he saw her husband leave he crossed that road and found Miss Chanikan in the yard alone, he then threatened her to sleep with him, saying he would kill her child if she didn’t have sex with him. However when she refused he flew into a fit of rage walked into her home and murdered he baby. He said he was out of control with rage.
After killing the infant he walk across the street to his home and waited for the police to arrive. The police have charged him with premeditated murder and attempted rape. He is being held without bail at the local remand center.
Meanwhile, Miss Chanikan and her family were preparing a religious burial ceremony for the child.
Other Chiang Rai News:
Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/
CHIANG RAI: Prime Minister Settha Thavisin has authorized the establishment of an emergency cyber center operated by the Royal Thai Police to combat transnational crimes committed by call center gangs along the Thai border in Chiang Rai province.
On July 19, Prime Minister Settha Thavisin directed the Center to combat information technology crimes. The Royal Thai Police (Royal Thai Police) will crack down on call center gangs in Myanmar, Laos, and along the border.
His directive comes as call center gangs ratchet up their scams to defraud people of their money, causing concern among Thais and jeopardizing the country’s economic and social stability.
Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, Assigned Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabut, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Police/Deputy Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, has launched the operation ‘Bombing the Thieves’ Bridge’ in collaboration with the CAT Office, G., mobile phone network operators AIS DTAC TRUE NT, and local security agencies to cut the mobile phone signal and WiFi internet that criminals illegally use to deceive Thai citizens.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai stated that they will begin pressing the first action of the ‘Explosion of Thieves’ Bridge’ in Chiang Rai Province toward the thieves’ base of operations in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.
The territory surrounding King Roman in Laos. King Roman is now a full-service entertainment destination with an airport that welcomes travelers from Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, he explained.
According to Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai, this operation will have no influence on honest people along the Thai border, and it will only target cyber criminals.
They will also increase the arrest and prosecution of unlawful service towers, such as SIM booths, which allow gangs register SIM cards to swindle the people. Dealing with criminal organizations of foreigners and Thais who band together to deceive and damage Thais.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) suspended more than three million SIM cards on July 16 because the holders had not verified their identities with their mobile phone operators by the deadline, in accordance with the NBTC’s measures to combat alleged fraudsters’ mule accounts.
The names of the holders of 80 million mobile phone numbers used for mobile banking transactions did not match the names associated with the mobile banking accounts.
The NBTC would require mobile phone companies to authenticate SIM card holders and the names of their mobile banking accounts. The verification procedure is expected to be completed by the end of September this year.
In addition, the NBTC and Royal Thai Police have collaborated to combat illegal telecom towers throughout the country’s borders, disconnecting signals at 465 places, altering antenna direction at 470 towers, and dismantling antennas at 179 locations.
They are certain that the move will disrupt contact center gangs and other types of technology-based crime.
Other Chiang Rai News:
Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/
Police in Mae Chan, Chiang Rai, shot and killed a 28-year-old man who allegedly attacked a police officer with a machete. The officer was slashed in the right leg with the machete.
According to police, the culprit, known only as Mr. Toon, had been harassing local villagers in Mae Chan district, Chiang Rai, threatening them with a knife and using violet insults.
The village headman arrived on the scene to try to calm Mr. Toon, but he was shouting hysterically and taking swipes at him with the machete, so he contacted the police.
When the responding officer arrived at the site about 9 p.m., he attempted to calm the man, but he instead assaulted the officer, slashing his right leg with the machete. In self-defense, the cop had to fire his gun at Mr. Toon, striking him in the chest.
Mr. Toon and the policeman were taken to Mae Chan Hospital, where Mr. Toon died of a gunshot wound. Pol Sgt. Sutthikiat Phanomphraisakul was released from the hospital after receiving numerous stitches for his injuries.
Local police received a tip around 9.30 p.m. yesterday that a guy was causing mayhem in the village. When authorities arrived, they discovered 28-year-old Toon strolling along a public road, holding a large knife and threatening people. Mae Chan district officials attempted to contain the incident.
During a search of Mr. Toon’s home, authorities discovered methamphetamine consumption equipment. Locals told authorities that the man was addicted to Yaba (Methamphetamine) and an alcoholic.
The authorities are conducting an inquiry to determine Toon’s motivations and whether any underlying issues contributed to his violent outburst.
Other related news:
Chiang Mai Police Offer Cash Reward After Officer Killed
https://www.chiangraitimes.com/crime/chiang-mai-police-offer-reward/
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