More than 57m litres of fuel oil go missing at sea - Justice minister

14 Sept 10:59 Key points summarised by AI

Justice Minister Rutthapon Naowarat revealed that over 57 million litres of fuel oil vanished at sea, off-loaded onto smaller vessels in 96 illegal trips, prompting a DSI investigation.
Democrat deputy leader Korn Chatikavanij scrutinized the Gross Refining Margin (GRM) amidst the oil crisis, questioning its current high level.
Korn's analysis compared current oil prices and taxes to 2008, highlighting that despite higher crude prices then, ex-refinery and pump prices were significantly lower due to a much smaller GRM and excise tax.
He challenged the claim that the high GRM is solely due to crude costs, asserting that domestic oil prices are inflated by both excise tax and an unjustifiably high GRM.
Korn urged the government to resist refiners' threats, advocating for a re-evaluation of GRM and excise tax to stabilize domestic fuel prices.

Nationwide crackdown launched on illegal nominee shareholders and land holdings

Yesterday 15:20 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul initiated a nationwide crackdown on illegal Thai nominee shareholders in foreign-run businesses and land holdings to safeguard national interests.
The government will integrate efforts across all relevant agencies to target illicit foreign operations, forced sales of illegally acquired property, and high-risk land ownership schemes.
Key strategies include auditing suspect land and building holdings, establishing a long-term monitoring system, and cross-referencing data from various authorities to trace ultimate beneficial owners.
Prime Minister Anutin emphasized that no influential figures or corrupt officials are above the law, promising straightforward prosecution, asset seizures, and protection for enforcing officers.
Beyond land ownership, the integrated crackdown will also extend to tackle transnational crimes, including drug and human trafficking.