IN Brief
PROSTITUTION :Police have arrested another suspected member of a human trafficking gang which lured Thai women into working as prostitutes in England.
Tinakorn Haripong, 53, is accused of being involved in the illegal business, which is said to have operated under a front. The man denies the charge.
His arrest followed a complaint to the Social Development and Human Security Ministry by an alleged victim who said she was lured into the business by a woman identified as Patchari Wongyai and gang members.
Police earlier arrested Mrs Patchari, 29, and another three suspects, including Jirapa Taraworawibul, 60, whom has been wanted by US officials for her alleged human trafficking.
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Millions gambled
EURO 2008 :Police have rounded up more than 1,000 gamblers on the Euro 2008 football championships and told debtors, including intimidated students, not to pay the illegal gangs.
Gambling transactions during the soccer tournament have been valued at more than 500 million baht, most of which was carried out through e-banking.
The number of arrests was higher than those in the past two World Cup events.
"But we've still failed to catch those who masterminded the gambling, because they've done it through computer servers in foreign countries," said deputy police spokesman Pol Maj-Gen Ruengsak Jaritaek.
Police have been informed that many high school students fell victim to the gangs. Some owed as much as 100,000 baht. The gangsters sometimes even came to their schools to threaten the students.
The officers urged students to immediately report to the police if they are forced to pay the debts.
"Please don't be worried about gambling charges, because they incur small punishments which are less serious than the death threats," Pol Maj-Gen Ruengsak said.
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Victim's bravery
SEX ABUSE :An Ubon Rajathanee University undergraduate who exposed a lecturer's attempts to sexually abuse her in return for good examination results has been praised for her courage.
The 21-year-old, who has not been identified, has been nominated by the Social Development and Human Security Ministry as one of the nation's outstanding women for her courage in protecting her dignity, said Jitrapa Suntornpipit, director for the ministry's department of women's and family affairs.
Asst Prof Chakkarit Uttho has been suspended from his job after a hidden camera photographed him trying to molest the student in his office. The girl pretended to accept his request for sex in a police plot to arrest him.
"'These teachers are dangerous to the education system and we encourage students to unmask them," said Mrs Jitrapa." Varathep targeted
DIGIT LOTTERY INQUIRY :The National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) yesterday set up a subcommittee to investigate former deputy finance minister Varathep Ratanakorn for allegedly misusing profits from the digit lottery sales.
NCCC member Klanarong Chantik will lead the sub-panel.
Mr Varathep was accused of asking a ministry panel overseeing charity projects under the Government Lottery Office, to issue a 30-million-baht cheque to the Association of the Constitution for People, whose activities have nothing to do with charity, when he was deputy finance minister.
The case was transferred to the NCCC from the Assets Scrutiny Committee whose term expired on Monday.
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Malinee review
POLITICS :The Medical Council has agreed to consider if Democrat MP Malinee Sukvejworakit's licence should be reviewed.
Council secretary-general Amnat Kusalanant said the council would discuss if Dr Malinee breached medical ethics when she told the House last week that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej showed signs of mental deficiency.
During last week's censure debate, the Democrat MP recommended Mr Samak take leave and get treatment for the sake of the country.
The prime minister fiercely defended his mental and physical health, saying he is fit and capable of leading the government.
Mr Samak said the council should review her medical licence because it was the first time he had seen a doctor diagnose a patient on the floor of parliament.
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