General says 3,000 have combat skills, but officials suggest figure exaggerated

Kamnan Poh loses appeal, bailed

The Appeals Court yesterday upheld the 25-year jail term for Thailand’s best-known underworld boss, Somchai Khunpleum, for ordering a rival to be killed. Somchai, better known as “Kamnan Poh”, 67, and his accomplice Passakorn Homhuan, 38, were each sentenced to 25 years for masterminding the murder of Prayoon Sitichote, a businessman involved in construction.

Coffin cooler a big hit for inventor

A young entrepreneur has cashed in on his collapsible refrigerated coffin invention by using his petty patent to secure a Bt500,000 soft loan from the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME Bank). “The loan provided working capital and I have subsequently created a marketing strategy that involves renting out the invention,” said Panuphol Peamsirimongkol.