Bangkok’s new designated rally sites please protesters – but not everyone’s happy

13 Sept 15:26 Key points summarised by AI

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt designated seven specific locations for public gatherings, marking a historic first for the city to provide official venues for protests.
The new policy, enacted under the Public Assembly Act and on a one-month trial, permits demonstrations at sites like Lan Khon Muang (City Hall square) but requires organizers to notify authorities 24 hours in advance.
While political activists welcome the designated spaces, many residents and officials express concerns about potential traffic congestion and disturbances in residential areas.
Lan Khon Muang is anticipated to be the most popular protest site due to its central location and proximity to government buildings, with other designated locations deemed less practical by some.

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

Today 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.