Introducing Prayut’s “Queen” in cut-throat power play

2 Oct 12:08 Key points summarised by AI

Gen Apirat Kongsompong, the new Army chief and son of a former coup leader, is perceived as an aggressive "Queen" in Thailand's political chess game, known for his loyalty and involvement in past military operations.
His recent contentious statement, "If politically-induced rioting does not occur, there will be no coup," is widely interpreted by critics as a veiled threat to political opponents ahead of next year's election.
Prime Minister Prayut's swift defense of Apirat's remarks suggests Apirat might be a strategic asset used to warn potential troublemakers, echoing the justifications for the 2014 coup.

Suchada: Meet the reluctant star of Thailand’s cryptic crypto drama

Yesterday 15:38 Key points summarised by AI

Thai MP Suchada Zhang Thaensap faces intense scrutiny over her husband’s substantial 1.84 billion baht wealth, with opposition lawmakers alleging connections to international scam networks.
A significant portion of her husband, Taiyang Zhang's, declared assets includes a 1.44 billion baht loan to the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, which still owes him 1.34 billion baht.
Opposition MP Rangsiman Rome accused Suchada's husband of links to online scam networks and gambling sites, prompting Suchada to vehemently deny the claims, demand evidence, and file a defamation complaint.
Taiyang Zhang's background includes co-founding Ren Protocol, later sold to Alameda Research (linked to the FTX collapse), and some of his former associates have been convicted in crypto company failures.
Suchada, a former actress and first-time MP, maintains her husband's innocence, while her party leaders have distanced themselves from the allegations, deeming it a private matter.