News from Thailand – August 2, 2014
On August 15, the Thai elite can again enjoy the Bangkok Post Charity Wine Dinner, a charity meal that will be held for the sixth time.
The evening begins with a champagne cocktail and canapés, followed by a seven-course dinner, lavishly drizzled with wine. Venue this time is the InterContinental hotel's Fireplace Grill. In the kitchen, chef Leslie Stronach holds sway [or is it the ladle?]. The evening aims to raise money for the Bangkok Post Foundation, which has supported the education of disadvantaged children for 32 years. A seat at the table costs 7.777 baht.
- Bangkok Post, my primary news source when compiling News from Thailand and single messages, celebrates its 68th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the newspaper published a glossy supplement under the title Joy.
It is a pity that I cannot show the printed photos here. You just have to take my word for it. A number of exceptionally talented photographers work for the newspaper. The photos are not familiar to me, so they will not have been in the newspaper before. They are beautifully composed, original, sometimes funny, sometimes moving - in short: most of them evoke a Wow feeling.
– Army, navy and air force get a firm finger in the pie in the legislative assembly, endorsed by the king on Thursday evening with his signature. In the 'emergency parliament' of 220 members, 65 seats go to the army, 18 to the navy and 15 to the air force; the remaining places are for academics, former senators and businessmen.
Coupleider Prayuth calls it 'normal' that so many military officers are appointed to the NLA (National Legislative Assembly). “There is nothing unusual about that, because we are not dealing with a normal situation,” he says. Prayuth has a good chance of being appointed by the NLA as interim prime minister to form an interim cabinet.
Prayuth has secured his position of power by appointing mostly former classmates of his at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School or "boyfriends" of two former army chiefs with whom he is on good terms. At least that is the analysis of Wassana Nanuam, who in Bangkok Post always reported on military matters. The front page is raining names today, but I won't bore you with that. Most of the names are unknown to me.
The composition of the NLA does not come as a surprise to former opposition leader Abhisit (Democrats). "It is understandable that the military regime wants a legislative body to implement its policies." Abhisit is concerned about the possible lack of quorum in votes, because many members have a busy agenda. He calls on the NLA to have an 'open mind' and to listen to what the population has to say. According to Abhisit, there are concerns about attempts to increase government power.
– Another success in the hunt for the miscreants who fired grenades during the anti-government protests. Yesterday, police arrested a 26-year-old suspect. He is said to have confessed to seven grenade attacks, which he carried out together with others.
It concerns the attack on the Shinawatra 3 Building, the protest site on Chaeng Watthana Road (where a monk was in charge), the protest site on Salaibangung-Klang Road (Rayong), at Thanon Leab Khlong 2 branch of Siam Commercial Bank , the Suwinthawong and Chaeng Watthana branches of Tesco Lotus and the office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
The suspect has confessed to being a member of the red shirt group led by Wutthipong 'Ko Tee' from Pathum Thani, but said he did not know him personally. Ko Tee is suspected of initiating the firefight at the Laksi district office on February 1. That office was occupied by anti-government protesters to prevent voting.
– Co-leader Prayuth tries to protect one of his men; perhaps to influence the course of justice? He wants the investigation into Major General Jennarong Dechawan, who is suspected with four others of extortion of merchants in Patpong, to be conducted in a 'straightforward manner and in accordance with the facts'. [Surely that should go without saying, but apparently that is not the case in Thailand.]
The five men were arrested on Wednesday when they received bribes at the Tawanna hotel on Surawongse Road. However, Jennarong says he went to the hotel to hear complaints from vendors about extortion.
The Crime Suppression Division is investigating the alleged racketeering. The five will be charged on Tuesday. They must report to South Criminal Court on Monday or Tuesday. Yesterday, the police interviewed ten sellers. Police officers from the police station, which includes Patpong, may also be involved in the extortion.
See further: Major General suspected of extortion merchants in Patpong
– The chief and the second man of the police in Betong have been transferred to an inactive post. They are seconded to the Southern Border Provinces Police Operations Center for a year. The transfer is in response to Friday's devastating bomb attack in the center of Betong (Yala). Two people were killed and 52 others injured.
Coupleider Prayuth said yesterday in his weekly TV talk that peace talks in the South will resume, but first the authorities want to know exactly what meat they have on the other side of the negotiating table. [Meaning whether they have any influence. The BRN chief negotiator had doubts about this last year.]
Prayuth said that this is not too bad about the large number of troops in the South, which is complained about by the population. Out of 2 million inhabitants, including 180.000 to 190.000 Muslims, there are 50.000 soldiers and policemen who have to protect 2.000 villages in 37 districts.
Deputy army chief Udomdet Sitabutr is already claiming a small success. In the past Ramadan, 60 percent fewer attacks were committed than in Ramadan last year: 30 this year, compared to 107 last year. The commission, chaired by Udomdet, charged with resolving the problems in the South, has formed four sub-committees responsible for negotiating with the insurgents in the South. One will talk to representatives, the other three will discuss the guidelines for the negotiations.
– A businessman claims to have been falsely accused of human trafficking by the police and prosecutors in 2008. "I've been told for six years that I'm a dirty old man, but I'm innocent," said Worapoj Pitthayatanakul, whose company went bankrupt because of the affair. The man filed a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division yesterday.
The case concerns a Thai woman who was arrested in England for prostitution and deported in 2007. She is said to have indicated Worapoj under pressure from the police after four men had been arrested. They would have lured her to England. Worapoj was eventually acquitted by the Court of Appeal, after which the case was closed.
– Don't panic about Ebola, say academics at Chulalongkorn University. The chance that it will rear its head in Thailand is extremely small. So far, the virus has killed 700 people in Africa. The academics say the virus cannot be transmitted through the respiratory tract, only through intimate physical contact with blood, bodily fluids or through contact with a dead animal or human who had the disease.
There is an outbreak in four African countries. According to the WHO, 1.323 cases have been confirmed. Of these, 729 victims died in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
The academics point out that there have already been XNUMX outbreaks. They are sure that this too can be controlled. The virus also cannot spread easily because the virus carriers are too weak to travel. This is in contrast to SARS, which does not lead to attenuation.
See further: Drug-resistant malaria is on the rise; Ebola outbreak in Africa
– Legislation related to sexual violence against women and children urgently needs to be revised, say the Institute for Population and Social Research of Mahidol University and the Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation. This plea could be heard at a seminar organized by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation. [Date is missing]
According to Krittaya Atchavanijakul, affiliated with the institute, sexual violence is a threat to almost all Thai women. Most perpetrators have close ties to their victim; some victims are barely 7 years old. Of the children in shelters, 66 percent have been sexually abused and of the children who are treated there, 71 percent.
Prosecution of the perpetrators rarely takes place. In two-thirds of the cases, the perpetrators were not caught. When the perpetrator is a higher ranking person, the police assume that the victim has given consent and evidence is requested.
– Employers in the fishing and fish processing industry are called upon by the Ministry of Employment to register their employees. They can go to 15 coastal provinces for this and that must be done before August 15. Registration can take place in any province, which is convenient for fishermen as trawlers do not always fish near their home port,
Phubet Chanthanimi, president of the National Fisheries Association of Thailand, is concerned about "inconsistent" foreign labor policies. The lack of clarity creates confusion. Government policies are unsuccessful because they are designed by officials who do not pay attention to the practical needs of companies in the field. Action plans therefore become impractical.'
– The American Trafficking in Persons report 2014, in which Thailand dropped to the Tier 3 list (is not doing enough against human trafficking), has not yet gathered dust. The Department of Special Investigation (Thai FBI) is working with two ministries and other interested parties on amendments to the Anti-Human Trafficking Act and related laws. These include stricter penalties, withdrawal of operating licenses from companies and compensation for victims of human trafficking.
That compensation can be paid from confiscated assets, says DSI director general Chatchawan Suksomjit. He said this yesterday at a public forum organized by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.
Another issue that needs to be addressed is bail for human traffickers, as once they are released, they flee abroad. In the most serious cases, they should be given an electronic ankle bracelet so they can be tracked, advocates Songsak Saicheua, director general of the Department of American and South Pacific Affairs.
Thailand's demotion has not yet had an effect on exports to the US, he says; waiting there for a decision from President Obama on possible sanctions. France, England, Germany and Spain have already banned the import of some products from Thailand.
– Residents in Udon Thani are happy about the Supreme Administrative Court's decision to consider their petition about a potassium carbonate mine. The Administrative Court previously refused.
The residents have been fighting for years against the potash mine, which they believe is harmful to the health of local residents and the environment. If the mine is granted a permit, five village communities in two districts will be seriously affected. The residents accuse the government of four reports of public hearings containing false information. According to them, the government sides with the mining company. Potash or potassium is an important component of fertilizer.
Economic news
– Forecasts for economic and export growth always differ somewhat, but this year the differences are very large. The Ministry of Commerce forecasts export growth of 3,5 percent for this year, the Bank of Thailand expects just under 3 percent, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) estimates 2,2 percent and the Thai National Shippers' Council has dropped its prognosis from 3 to 1 to 1,6 percent.
The shippers point to the pressure of the volatile economic conditions, the appreciation of the baht and the sluggish industrial sector. The president cites the conflict in Israel and the growing tension between Russia and Ukraine as an example of the weak economic situation. Instability, he says, leads to higher cargo insurance premiums.
The central bank gives the explanation for its forecast the falling prices of agricultural crops and the slowdown of the Chinese and Japanese economies. The Chinese economy has not been doing well since the beginning of the year, and VAT has recently been increased in Japan. These have disadvantaged exports to both countries. In March, the bank predicted an export growth of 4,5 percent, after which it fell to 3 percent and is now slightly below that.
The UTCC previously predicted 2,5 percent and now 2,2 percent. Explanation: uncertain outlook for exports, tourism and the global economy. The UTCC expects Thailand's investment sector to slacken, agricultural crop prices to remain low and household debt and cost of living high. It is expected that 5,9 percent fewer tourists will arrive this year, causing revenue to drop to 1,7 trillion baht (minus 2,8 percent).
The Department of Commerce is the most optimistic. It indicates that exports rose again in June after four months of contraction (3,9 pc on an annual basis).
www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post