BANGKOK, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) — Thailand will take steps to ensure safety and restore confidence among tourists, officials said on Wednesday, one day after a shooting at a renowned shopping mall in downtown Bangkok that killed two people and injured five others.

The Thai government has attached great importance to this matter and will implement measures to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said after joining a one-minute silence at the mall and expressing condolences to the deceased.

He added that the government will be working on the implementation of an alert system to notify the public about emergency situations.

In a press conference, Tourism and Sports Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol said that government agencies would work harder to restore confidence among tourists.

The police have encouraged shopping malls and other public places to implement stricter security screening and be constantly prepared by providing training for security personnel, Samran Nualma, Assistant Commissioner-General of the Thai Police, told the news conference.

Investigators initially pressed five charges against the suspected gunman, including premeditated murder, attempted murder, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, illegally carrying a weapon, and firing shots in a public place, Nakharin Sukhonthawit, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 6, told reporters.

Source(s): Xinhua

Maldivian President-elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu met with the Chinese Ambassador Wang Lixin on Thursday, in his second meeting with a foreign diplomat upon being elected to office.

Wang called on Muizzu at his residence, Dhimyath, in Male’ City, at around 02:00 pm Thursday.

The meeting was also attended by Vice President-elect Hussain Mohamed Latheef (Sembe).

At the meeting, Muizzu expressed hope Maldives-China relations will strengthen, and reach new heights during his presidency.

He thanked China for its contribution towards Maldives’ development.

He also asked for support from China in delivering his pledges to the Maldivian people.

Wang responded by re-affirming China’s commitment to enhancing relations between the two countries and to supporting Maldives in areas of development.

It marks Muizzu’s second meeting with a foreign diplomat upon being elected to office. It follows his meeting with the British High Commissioner Caron Röhsler in the morning.

At his victory rally on Tuesday, Muizzu described the incoming administration’s foreign policy as “pro-Maldives.” He said his administration would foster relations with all foreign governments that respect the policy.

The opposition PPM-PNC’s Muizzu won the presidential runoff election held on Saturday with 54 percent of votes, beating MDP’s Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the incumbent president, who won 46 percent.

Muizzu will be sworn into office on November 17.

Source(s): sun.mv

The Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has said that he will have a role in President-Elect Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s administration.

PPM-PNC candidate Muizzu won the second round of this years Presidential Elections without making a coalition with any other political party with 54 percent or 129,159 votes.

While Muizzu is working on planning his administration, former President Mohamed Nasheed, who leads The Democrats, has said at today’s Parliamentary sitting that he will play a role in said administration.

Speaking while heading the Parliamentary sitting, Nasheed said that some ministers in the current government are sending messages to foreign dignitaries about the government to be formed on November 17.

“Some ministers are texting various dignitaries of the world saying bad things about the government that is going to be formed in Maldives. Then these dignitaries are sending me the texts and I am saying that I will also be involved in that government,” Nasheed said.

Therefore, he asked not to send messages to foreign dignitaries saying bad things about the government.

“So I find it very difficult to explain that such a bad thing is going to happen in Maldives. I urge all ministers and other dignitaries not to send texts to different parts of the world,” he said.

Nasheed, who played an important role in bringing about the current government, has formed a new political party after leaving the ruling coalition’s main party, MDP, due to issues that arose between him and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

The Democrats, to whom Nasheed belongs, also contested the first round of the presidential election. Holhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb contested from the Democrats and finished the first round in third place with 15,839 votes or seven percent.

Interim Chairperson of the Democrats, Hassan Latheef, has also recently said that the Democrats are ready to cooperate with President-Elect Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s administration and that all that is left is to hold discussions about which role they will have.

Source(s): sun.mv