News in brief from Thailand – December 16

The Ministry of ICT has blocked more than 60.000 URLs or web pages in the past three months, partly because they contain critical comments about the Royal Family.

Under the Abhisit government, 3 websites were taken down in the past 73.000 years.

– Taxi drivers, minivan drivers and tuk-tuk drivers in Bangkok and neighboring provinces will receive a credit card with a credit of 3.000 baht to buy NGV (natural gas). The price will go up on January 16. Cardholders receive a discount of 50 satang to 2 baht per kilo of NGV. The credit card is part of the Pheu Thai government's policy to alleviate the impact of energy price increases on low-income earners.

– LPG and NGV (natural gas) for vehicles will continue to be subsidized until January 15. On that date, the State Oil Fund will again collect a levy on regular and premium petrol, diesel and gasohol (a mix of petrol and ethanol). The State Oil Fund has had to borrow 10 billion baht from commercial banks to finance the fuel subsidies. (See page State Oil Fund)

– Prime Minister Yingluck, during a visit to the navy, expressed cautious support for the navy's desire to buy submarines. But as usual with her, she held back many blows. 'In principle, the government is willing to support and attaches importance to armament procurements. We need to look at the priorities and study everything in detail. The government has to balance the need for national defence, the well-being of the people and the economy,' said the prime minister. (See November 19: Navy gives up hope on German submarines; October 4: Navy continues to push submarines)

– Why does a red shirt lawyer hang around the Metropolitan Police Bureau? Former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who was questioned by the police on Wednesday, would like to know that. Suthep had to make a statement about his role in ending the red shirt demonstrations last year. It seemed, Suthep said, as if the lawyer was keeping an eye on the police investigators. Sometimes he also asked them questions. 'But I didn't ask what he was doing there. The MPB is a public venue and he might have been touring the facility.'

At the time, Suthep was head of the Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation, the body responsible for enforcing the state of emergency. It was the second time he was heard. Earlier, former Prime Minister Abhisit issued a statement. Police are investigating 16 of the 92 killed in fighting between red shirts and the army in April and May last year, including Japanese cameraman Hiroyuki Muramoto. (See page Hiroyuki Muramoto)

– Six government and private institutions have established the Center for the Rehabilitation of Thailand set up. The center, which is located in a building of Chulalongkorn University, will build a database of areas affected by disasters, information saving institutions that want to help victims and looking for workplaces for workers made redundant by flooded companies. So far, data has been stored on flood-affected residential communities in 26 provinces.

– More than 30 residential communities in four districts in Bangkok are still under water. The water is 5 to 20 cm high. The municipality hopes to be able to dry them this month. She is going to open weirs further to speed up the discharge. Yesterday, the governor of Bangkok distributed relief packages in Bang Khen district. According to the director of the Drainage and Sewerage Department, all major roads in Bangkok are dry.

– Next year, the municipality of Bangkok will raise the 15 km long dike along Khlong Maha Sawat and raise main roads in Bangkok west by 30 to 40 cm, such as the Buddha Monthon Sai 3 road, which can then serve as a flood barrier.

– The staffing of the Flood Relief Operations Command, the crisis center of the government, has been reduced from 2000 to 200 people. All offices are concentrated on the 14th floor of the Energy Complex.

– The Bhumibol dam in Tak province will discharge more water in preparation for the inflow in the new rainy season. There is now 13,12 billion cubic meters in the reservoir (97,5 percent). Water from the North still flows into the lake. On Thursday, the dam discharged 40 million cubic meters of water against previously 24 million. There are still 5 months left to raise the water to the desired height.

– In Sakon Nakhon, 250 fish farmers have rented an excavator to dredge the Lam Nam Oun. The water level continues to drop, endangering fish farming (in floating nets).

– The Royal Irrigation Department promises to supply enough water for the second rice crop. The main reservoirs still contain 65,6 billion cubic meters of water (94 percent).

– No snow but low temperatures are predicted by the Meteorological Department for this year. Colder weather is expected from today through Monday in the North, Northeast, and Central and Eastern regions. People in the South from Nakhon Si Thammarat to the border with Malaysia have to expect heavy rains and strong waves in the Gulf of Thailand.

– Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat (Transport) wants Airports of Thailand to start phase 2017 of the expansion of Suvarnabhumi airport in 2016 rather than in 2. This phase includes the construction of a new passenger terminal for domestic flights, parking garage, baggage handling building and construction of a new runway. The expansion should bring the airport's capacity to 2024 million passengers by 103. The minister wants Don Mueang to become a regional hub for repairs and maintenance. [The message does not mention what phase 1 consists of.]

– A 28-year-old Dutchman hanged himself in a police cell on Koh Samui. When this was discovered he was still alive, but he died on the way to the hospital. The man had previously been arrested for possession of cannabis. After serving his prison sentence, he was arrested again because his passport had expired.

– A freight train from Saraburi damaged six cars at the Asok-Phetchaburi level crossing on Wednesday. Four people were slightly injured. The accident is due to the faulty braking system of the train, which prevented it from stopping in time. That should have happened because the level crossing was still full of cars. There may also have been a misunderstanding between the train driver and the officer responsible for giving the signal safely.

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