Beyond the byline: James Ritchie, the man who lived his stories
COMMENT | When the bylines of James Ritchie and Rudy Beltran - his crime desk chief - frequently hit the front page of the New Straits Times, I was still in secondary school in the 70s.
I loved the stories they wrote - stories that blazed across the front page under bold, commanding headlines. As a secondary schoolboy, I was already delving into the detective thrillers of James Hadley Chase, Agatha Christie, and Earl Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason series.
For some reason, I connected the NST crime desk reporters with the characters in the stories I read - like detective Paul Drake from the Perry Mason series, Lieutenant Traag from James Hadley Chase, and Inspector Poirot from the Agatha Christie stable.
As crime reporters, Ritchie and Beltran brought readers to the frontlines of fear, exposing the truth behind notorious figures like Botak Chin, delving into gangland and Chinese triad stories, and being among the first reporters on the Jean Perera Sinnappa murder scene.
Ritchie and Beltran had a rare instinct for chasing leads.
I was hooked on...
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The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
The billion-Baht casino empire: How Thai-Cambodia border tensions expose hidden networks of power
BANGKOK: Recent border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have inadvertently exposed a sprawling network of influential figures who have built a multi-billion baht casino empire along the frontier, according to explosive new research from the Centre for Gambling Problem Studies. The territorial dispute, which erupted into clashes at Chong Bok in Ubon Ratchathani province and led to reduced border crossing hours from Saturday (June 7), has disrupted what investigators describe as a "massive profit network" hidden behind the Thai-Cambodia frontier. The Koh Kong Kingdom At the heart of this investigation lies the Koh Kong Resort casino, located just 800 metres from Thailand's permanent Khlong Yai border crossing in Trat province. The operation is owned by "Oknha Ly Yong Phat," known in Thailand as "Pad Suphapa" or "Sia Pad," a Cambodian senator and businessman of Chinese-Thai descent. Sia Pad controls tens of thousands of rai through his LYP Group, one of Cambodia's largest corporations under the Li So company umbrella. Beyond casinos and hotels, his business empire encompasses industrial estates, fruit centres, commercial buildings, private roads, and river bridges. Most significantly, the research identifies Sia Pad's connection to former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, described as his "elder brother" and political patron. This relationship reportedly began when Sia Pad supported Hun Sen's political campaigns in Koh Kong province, leading to electoral victory and Sia Pad's subsequent appointment to Cambodia's highest royal title of "Oknha." The Poipet Powerbrokers Cambodia now hosts approximately 150 casinos, making it Southeast Asia's gambling capital, with most concentrated along the Thai border. The largest hub is Poipet in Banteay Meanchey province, opposite Thailand's Aranyaprathet district in Sa Kaeo, where an estimated 80% of gamblers are Thai nationals. Key Poipet operations include Grand Diamond City, owned by Watthana Asavahem, a former 11-term MP from Samut Prakan known as the "Paknam Godfather." - Photo: The Nation/ANN He purchased the business in 2001 for approximately 700 million baht and attempted to sell it in 2021 for 12 billion baht. Watthana currently faces a 10-year prison sentence for land fraud. Holiday Poipet represents a joint venture between Indonesian, Macau Chinese, and Thai businessmen, whilst Star Vegas & Club involves oil tycoons partnering with Taiwanese investors and the brother of a former Cambodian defence minister. The Shadow Shareholding System The research reveals a sophisticated "nominee shareholding" system where influential Cambodians leverage land ownership to secure stakes in casino operations. Former Khmer Rouge leader Samphor, who became Pailin province's governor, exemplifies this pattern by opening his territory to Thai investors whilst demanding partnership stakes in multiple casinos including Pailin, Crown Diamond, Dream World, and K.R. Victoria casinos. These arrangements require casino operators to pay overlapping concession fees to both central and local governments, creating multiple layers of profit-sharing amongst political elites. Cross-Border Corruption Networks The investigation exposes systematic corruption involving officials on both sides of the border. Casino operators must pay bribes to facilitate border crossing schedules, passport processing, contraband inspections, and cross-border money transfers. Crucially, the casinos serve as money-laundering centres for Thai elite engaged in illegal businesses, with conspiracies between money launderers and casino owners who often become VIP clients. The research identifies "Kok An," a wealthy Cambodian businessman and Hun Sen adviser, who was involved in constructing the Princess Crown casino in Poipet. The project violated border agreements, prompting Thai protests and forcing construction to halt with excavated canal soil returned. Border Restrictions Hit Casino Profits The current border restrictions directly impact casino operations, particularly at the Aranyaprathet-Poipet crossing, now operating 08:00-16:00 with explicit prohibition: "Thai nationals travelling for gambling and tourism are forbidden to leave the country." These measures may represent attempts to control gambling and cross-border crime, but they also highlight the complex relationships between state power, business interests, and influence networks spanning both nations. The International Web The casino network involves multiple international players including "Tony," an Indonesian businessman owning Holiday Palace and Holiday Poipet; Chen Lip Keong, a Malaysian tycoon controlling Naga World through NagaCorp; Macau Chinese businessmen with stakes in multiple casinos; and Taiwanese investment groups in Star Vegas. Thai involvement includes "Sia Somboon," former Star Vegas and Star King owner, Cosmo Oil businessmen holding Star Vegas shares, and local Sa Kaeo entrepreneurs with stakes across multiple operations. Questions for the Future The current Thai-Cambodia dispute has inadvertently exposed what researchers describe as a "colossal profit network" generating billions of baht whilst connecting influential figures across both countries. As border tensions continue, the sustainability of these cross-border gambling empires faces unprecedented scrutiny. The key question remains: how long will the current dispute last, and what will be its ultimate impact on the multi-billion baht casino networks that have operated in the shadows of Thai-Cambodia relations for decades? - The Nation/ANN [* This investigation is based on research by the Centre for Gambling Problem Studies examining economic and political elite networks and the impact of border casinos along the Thai-Cambodia frontier.]
The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Taiwan charges 4 ex-ruling party members with spying for China
TAIPEI: Taiwanese prosecutors charged on Tuesday four people, including a former staffer in President Lai Ching-te's office, for violating national security after they allegedly spied for China. The four defendants were among five people expelled from Lai's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) -- which advocates for Taiwan's sovereignty -- last month for suspected espionage. The fifth person is still under investigation, a prosecutor told AFP. China claims democratic self-ruled Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to annex it. Taipei accuses Beijing of using espionage and infiltration to weaken its defences. The four people have been charged with violating the Classified National Security Information Protection Act and National Security Act after they allegedly shared state secrets with China, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office said in a statement. Other alleged offences include money laundering. The espionage happened over a 'prolonged time', included the sharing of 'important and sensitive diplomatic information' and caused 'significant harm to national security', prosecutors said. Prosecutors are seeking prison sentences ranging from five to more than 18 years, and the confiscation of more than NT$8.3 million (US$277,000) in illicit gains. The heftiest sentence is for a defendant surnamed Huang, who allegedly transmitted information to China 'via a specific messaging app'. Huang previously worked for a New Taipei City councillor, the semi-official Central News Agency (CNA) said. Among the other defendants is a person surnamed Ho, who CNA said is a former aide to National Security Council chief Joseph Wu when he was foreign minister. Huang and Ho have denied the allegations against them, prosecutors said. The other two defendants, including the person who had worked for Lai when he was vice president and then president, have confessed. Beijing and Taipei have been spying on each other for decades, but experts say the threat to Taiwan is greater given the risk of a Chinese invasion. Taiwan's National Security Bureau said previously 64 people were prosecuted for Chinese espionage last year, compared with 48 in 2023 and 10 in 2022. In 2024, they included 15 veterans and 28 active service members, with prison sentences reaching as high as 20 years.
The Sun
10 hours ago
- The Sun
Chinese national jailed five years for fatal crash involving Sabah state courts director
SIBU: A Chinese national who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving resulting in the death of Sabah State Courts director Marutin Pagan, was today sentenced to five years' imprisonment and fined RM20,000, in default three months' jail, by the Magistrate's Court here. Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court Judge Rosli Ahmad, to whom the case was previously reassigned, ordered that Sun Xue Song's jail term take effect from the date of his arrest on March 30. Sun, 42, was charged under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of up to RM50,000 upon conviction. Rosli said the court took into account the accused's plea of guilt, the circumstances of the offence, mitigation presented and the broader public interest. 'I accept the accused's guilty plea and convict him as charged. After considering all circumstances, I sentence him to five years' imprisonment from the date of arrest and a RM20,000 fine, in default three months' imprisonment,' he said. The court also ordered that Sun be disqualified from holding a driving licence for five years from the date of the charge and for his passport to be returned upon completion of his sentence. In mitigation, Sun's counsel Terence Tiong Ing Jie submitted that the accused, an engineering graduate, had lawfully entered Malaysia for employment to support his 70-year-old mother and seven-year-old son. He further noted that the accused had no prior convictions, had fully cooperated with the authorities, voluntarily surrendered himself following the accident and expressed sincere remorse over the victim's death. ALSO READ: Sabah state court director Marutin Pagan dies in two-vehicle crash 'The accused made a bereavement payment of RM70,000 to the deceased's wife, not as an attempt to seek leniency but as a sincere act of compassion,' said Tiong. The court was also informed that the collision occurred along a known accident-prone stretch of Jalan Kanowit-Durin. According to the statement of facts, the incident occurred on March 30 at approximately 1 pm when the accused was driving a Proton X70 along Jalan Kanowit-Durin towards the Kanowit roundabout. At the same time, a Toyota Fortuner driven by Margaretha Jeramy Marutin, with four passengers, including the deceased, Marutin Pagan, was already navigating the roundabout. Sun failed to stop and give way at the designated road markings and dangerously entered the roundabout, resulting in a collision which caused the Fortuner to overturn and land on its side outside the roundabout. Marutin sustained multiple injuries and was rushed to Kanowit Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. A post-mortem confirmed the cause of death as 'head and chest injuries due to a road traffic crash.' Sun initially claimed trial on April 7 before Magistrate Romario Jonoi but changed his plea to guilty during pre-trial case management on May 16. The case was initially handled by Magistrate Oon Kork Chern, who later recused himself due to a personal acquaintance with the deceased. The matter was then reassigned to Judge Rosli Ahmad. Deputy public prosecutor Cynthia Emmelda Jerry conducted the prosecution.
