Raid on junk shop suspected of recycling used face masks

13 Sept 08:17 Key points summarised by AI

Thai authorities raided a junk shop, seizing tens of thousands of used face masks being washed, dried, and prepped for illegal resale amidst a severe market shortage.
Six individuals were detained for questioning as police suspect the owner recycled the masks for profit, despite claims of merely extracting metal wire.
The Internal Trade Department issued stern warnings against face mask hoarders and price gougers, threatening severe penalties, and detailed the daily distribution of new masks to various public and commercial channels.
The incident highlights illicit activities capitalizing on the five-fold surge in face mask demand following the global COVID-19 outbreak.

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.