News from Thailand – September 29, 2014
Three golds for Thailand plus two silvers and three bronzes at the Asian Games yesterday, writes 'the most glittering day' Bangkok Post.
The women's and men's team caught up sepak takraw two gold medals, the golfers secured gold (women's team) plus silver (individual) and two bronze (women's individual and men's team) and in beach volleyball the Thai women's team finished second.
In one fell swoop, Thailand has risen on the medal list from seventeenth to twelfth place with nineteen medals. China leads the list with 216 medals.
Tomorrow the football team will play against South Korea in the semifinals and tennis debutante Luksika Kumkhum is one win away from gold. She also reached the doubles final with her partner. The winning pair, twins, lost in the semifinals.
– Thailand needs time to achieve reconciliation and political reform and to strengthen democratic institutions so that there are no military coups in the future. This was the message that Minister Tanisak Patimapragorn (Foreign Affairs) gave to the international community at the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday evening.
"Let there be no doubt that Thailand is not withdrawing from democracy," the minister said at a time the newspaper describes as "late on Saturday," so no prime time for Thailand.
He once again defended the coup of May 22. "We had to intervene because there was no rule of law and political conflicts across the country increased the threat of bloodshed." According to Tanisak, Thailand is now in a transition period, but the country continues to value democracy and human rights. "We know we can't go against the tide of democracy."
How Tanasak's speech was received by foreign countries is not mentioned in the article. However, some Thai hotemets are quoted who are [obviously] praiseworthy.
– The police suspect that three people were involved in the double murder on Koh Tao, which killed two British tourists. Two raped and killed the British, a third watched, police say. The article does not state on what basis she believes that.
Yesterday, the police confiscated three guitars in a hut of Myanmar guest workers. One was hidden; no one has come forward as an owner yet. The identity of the other two is known. Seven football players were also approached, who were partying in the AC bar on the evening before the murder night, the establishment where the two Brits were also.
Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul (Tourism and Sports) visited the turtle island yesterday. She proposes to set up a tourism center to improve security measures. It should be manned with agents 24 hours a day. She also said that the ministry will send two helicopters to the island.
The other English-language newspaper The Nation writes that there will also be officials with special wristbands, whose job it is to escort drunken people to their rooms. This was discussed yesterday in a meeting between the minister and local companies. Furthermore, more electricity and drinking water will be provided to meet the demand of tourists, hotels, pubs and residents.
According to The Nation the tourism center would be an idea, which has already been launched by the provincial authorities. This newspaper talks about a new police district with officers protecting tourists around the clock. Bangkok Post seems to have mixed up two things again
– Ladies and gentlemen journalists, please note in your diary: on 29 September 2015, Prime Minister Prayuth would remind you of his statement from a year ago that 'within a year' the southern violence will come to an end. Prayuth made that prediction after giving a farewell speech at Vajiravudh army base in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
He mentioned the term of one year because of the entry into force of the Asean Economic Community at the end of 2015. More people from other countries will then travel to Thailand. Unless peace is restored to the South, there could be even more problems, Prayuth said.
According to him, the attempts to resume the peace talks with the southern resistance that were halted last year are progressing well. The government strives to achieve a lasting peace. He said he had urged previous governments to deal with the problem of violence differently. The peace talks must involve participation by all parties involved. [Last year, only one resistance group was talked to.]
Prayuth, who will retire as army chief at the end of this month, asked the media to stop using the term "movement" when describing those who carry out attacks. According to him, it concerns a minority of individuals.
– In a firefight with rangers and border police, a militant died Saturday night in Panare (Pattani) who is held responsible for a series of attacks. The fight took place during the siege of a house in which insurgents were located. One insurgent was arrested. Whether there were others, the message does not mention.
– Thailand has asked Cambodia to expel Ekkapob Luara, better known as Tang Achiva. Tang Achiva, who is wanted in Thailand for lèse-majeste, has applied for asylum. His application is being processed. The paper describes Ekkapob as a student activist. He should have reported to the army in June. The message does not state what the accusation is based on.
– The National Legislative Assembly or the (appointed) emergency parliament is complete. The last 28 members have been appointed, which means that all 220 seats are now occupied. Parliament will soon form committees to scrutinize bills. This happens in Thailand after approval in the first reading by parliament, after which the amended draft law will be discussed in a second and third reading.
– A Thai rescue helicopter is missing. On Saturday, the helicopter took off from Myanmar's Putao airport to drop food for two mountaineers who have been missing since late August. Radio contact with the crew of three has been lost since XNUMX:XNUMX PM.
– A 37-year-old man Friday in a fit of anger killed his wife and 12-year-old daughter and set their bodies on fire. Police found the bodies late Friday night in a pickup truck near Rama II road (Bangkok). The car was almost completely destroyed by the fire. Stab wounds were found on the bodies. The man was arrested and confessed.
– Twelve times elected as a member of parliament for Nakhon Sawan: that must be good for a mention in the Guinness Book of Records. The man died on Saturday at the age of 95. His son, a former member of parliament for Pheu Thai, says his father had been bedridden for several years.
– Success in the fight against drug trafficking. On Friday evening, the police in Sai Mai (Bangkok) arrested a 22-year-old man described as a drug lord. And that could be true because in the house where the man was arrested, the police found 100.000 speed pills and 7 kilos of crystal methamphetamine. Three scales, plastic bags, two pistols with magazines and ammunition, seven bank accounts with 10 million baht, three ATM cards, three mobile phones and a motorcycle were also seized.
The suspect is said to be working with a detainee. The drugs would be supplied by the network Saw Ming, which is led by a woman, but he himself mentions a different network. The suspect has stated that he delivered the drugs to customers in Sai Mai and Ram Intra.
– It is an annual request from Airports of Thailand (AoT): during Loy Krathong in November, ban the release of lanterns near airports, because they endanger the safety of aircraft. AoT is there early, because it has already asked the municipality of Bangkok to take measures. Besides the fact that the lanterns pose a danger to air traffic, they are also sometimes responsible for fires.
In view of Loy Krathong, the municipality hastened the repair of piers in the Chao Phraya. Krathongs are launched from these jetties. Of the 276 piers in Bangkok, 17 are in urgent need of renovation. The piers that cannot be repaired in time will be closed during the festivities. In Bangkok, the festivities are concentrated in the Rama VIII park under the Rama VIII bridge on the Thonburi side of the river. 28 public parks are open with Loy Krathong in the evening. Suan Luang, Rama IX and Queen Sirikit remain closed.
– Haven't read anything about it in a long time: commercial surrogacy and IVF. During a seminar organized by Buddhists, monks, guest speakers and participants raised serious questions about the risk of commercial exploitation and because the intermediaries and surrogate mothers are driven by financial interests.
According to Phra Fikit, surrogacy and IVF are against the Samma-Ajiva in the noble eightfold path. Samma-Ajiva (how to live an ethical life) involves the principle of non-exploitation. Another monk is concerned about the unused embryos. They are destroyed, die or are used for research. Immoral and unethical, he says, and it's tantamount to manslaughter because life begins with the fertilization of an egg.
– Finally something about the support for students from poor families, but after reading and re-reading the message, it's me how not entirely clear. The Office of the Basic Education Commission is asking for an additional budget of 3 billion baht to increase the poll allowance for poor students, but I also read that the subsidy does not go directly to the students but to their schools (primary education and the first three secondary school classes). The allowance is intended for tuition fees, school supplies, uniforms, textbooks and activities.
www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post
Today no News Featured; the news offer is meager.
About this blogger
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Known as Khun Peter (62), lives alternately in Apeldoorn and Pattaya. In a relationship with Kanchana for 14 years. Not yet retired, have my own company, something with insurance. Crazy about animals, especially dogs and music.
Enough hobbies, but unfortunately little time: writing for Thailandblog, fitness, health and nutrition, shooting sports, chatting with friends and some other oddities.
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It is generally not clear what happens to public money.
But if you give it to the students, the question is whether the money is spent on the training and if you give it to the school, the question is whether the money is spent on the training.
My preference would still go to the students, then there is at least a chance that it will be spent on the training.
Otherwise, the student will at least have a pleasant childhood.
Well, I exaggerate, I also know children who go to work during their holidays, to earn their own school fees…
And possibly the money needed to pass the exam they failed.