News from Thailand – February 2
A volunteer military ranger was shot dead in Pattani on Wednesday and a Buddhist temple was hit by two shells. The attacks are widely seen as revenge for Sunday night's shooting, in which rangers killed four Muslims and wounded four.
The ranger worked as a driver in the same military camp that the rangers were transferred to after Sunday's incident. He was shot dead by a motorcyclist's passenger while on his motorcycle on his way to his camp. Two M79 grenades were fired at the temple. No one was hit.
The commander of the Fourth Army met on Tuesday with relatives of Sunday's victims, survivors and military rangers. Both sides gave their own version of events. They agreed on one thing: the rangers' camp had been bombarded with shells prior to firing on the pickup the Muslims were in.
– The Economic Reporters Association denies having summoned hotel staff, trainees and journalists to fill a room where Prime Minister Yingluck would speak. Yingluck was the keynote speaker at a seminar on gross domestic product Thailand in Dusit Thani hotels. She delayed her speech by half an hour because it seemed that most of the 400 seats would remain empty. In the end, 300 people listened to her speech, after those sitting in the back were asked to come forward to 'create a better atmosphere'.
– The results of the national tests on the basis of which universities admit students were very disappointing last year. With the exception of the Thai language, the scores for the subjects of social science, English and mathematics were below 50 points (out of 100). The average score for Thais was 54,61.
The results relate to the General Aptitude Test and Professional Aptitude Test. In addition, the Ordinary National Educational Test (ONET) was administered, which compares individual results to a national standard.
– More than 700 turtles, including rare specimens, and 30 snakes worth 3,7 million baht, on their way from Suphan Buri to China via Suvarnabhumi, have been intercepted by the police. They were in a truck that was stopped in Rom Klao.
– Life was the sentence in the Criminal Court and life remained in the Supreme Court for a 25-year-old student, convicted of the death of a rival school student in 2006. The student was also ordered by the Supreme Court to pay 4,25 .XNUMX million baht compensation plus interest to the victim's family. The verdict was heard by the perpetrator's father. He took off during his bail.
– Red shirts from the provinces of Chiang Mai and Lamphun have submitted a petition, signed by 60.000 eligible voters, to parliament to amend Article 291 of the constitution. This article regulates how constitutional amendments are made. The red shirts want a citizens' assembly to be formed to prepare amendments to the 2007 constitution, which was drafted under military rule. Government party Pheu Thai is also in favor of this.
– During a raid on mobile phone outlets in Bang Kapi and Pratunam, 1.550 counterfeit smart phones, tablet computers, cameras, video cameras and other items worth 3 million baht were seized.
– There will be a trial with the unit rate of 20 baht with the metro and Airport Link Rail during off-peak hours. The Minister of Transport agrees with the plan, which Pheu Thai launched during her election campaign. A date for the start of the trial has not yet been announced. The purpose of the 20 baht rate is to get more travelers to pull.
– The government gets its head from a splinter group within the red shirt movement. The People's Warriors Alliance accuses the government of neglecting the red shirts who are still imprisoned. The warriors traveled to the capital from Ubon Ratchatani yesterday to get clarity on bail conditions and compensation. They also want 300 arrest warrants against red shirts in their province revoked. Finally, they wonder when the confiscated tuk-tuks, motorcycles and pickup trucks will be returned in red shirt cases that have been dropped.
– More than 200 academics, writers and activists from 16 countries in an open letter calling on the government to amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code (lese-majeste). They are deeply concerned about the article being misused to silence political dissidents. Among the signatories are not the least, such as Naom Chomsky (MIT), Paul Handley (author of The King Never Smiles) and Tariq Ali (writer).
– Opposition leader Abhisit believes that the government is neglecting the victims of the floods in the South at the beginning of this year. The cabinet decision to allocate 350 billion baht for water management projects only mentions last year's floods. Abhisit called on the cabinet in parliament yesterday to change the relevant decision.
– Wan Yubamrung, the son of Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, will ask the Deputy Minister of Transport to transfer the issuance of motorcycle taxi licenses from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (Municipality of Bangkok) to the Land Transport Department. This has been suggested by the Association of Motorcycle Taxis to prevent driver extortion. Bangkok and neighboring provinces have 190.000 motorcycle taxis. They are forced by gangs to pay 30 to 120 baht a day in exchange for protection.
– Four Cambodian prisoners, who have served one third of their sentence, have been transferred to Cambodia to serve the rest of their sentence. Prisoners are regularly exchanged between Thailand and Cambodia.
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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