News from Thailand – March 10, 2012

International Muay Thai boxer Buakaw Por Pramuk has been missing since Monday. Two scheduled fights in France and England have been cancelled. His manager suspects that his absence has to do with women. Buakaw's fee is 1,2 million baht, which is split between boxer and handlers.

– Prime Minister Yingluck does not respond to the Ombudsman's demand to review the appointments of Nalinee Taveesin and Nattawut Saikuar as minister and deputy minister respectively. They will be judged on their performance, her spokesperson says. According to the Ombudsman, Yingluck acted carelessly with the appointment of both. She has overlooked the fact that the potentially questionable qualifications of both could damage the credibility of the cabinet and the country's reputation.

– Concubines plus children of those killed during political disturbances between 2005 and 2010 are also eligible for the government's compensation scheme. The scheme is not based on the inheritance law, says Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit. The criterion is whether the person was financially dependent on the deceased and so that can also apply to a my us and the children born of that relationship. Yongyuth made the announcement in response to reports of fights between wives and concubines.

– The Electoral Council has unanimously decided to disqualify Sak Korsaengruang as a senator. The majority of the Electoral Council also decided to exclude Sak from political office for 5 years and against the Lawyers Council or Thailand, who nominated him for the Senate, to take legal action. Senate candidates must observe a break of at least 5 years between two consecutive appointments. The Lawyers Council nominated Sak two weeks early. The decision of the Electoral Council requires the approval of the Supreme Court. Only then is it finito for Sak.

– 12 soldiers were injured early yesterday morning in attacks on two military outposts in Narathiwat province. They were attacked by some 50 insurgents, divided into three groups. M20 grenades were fired in the firefights of two groups, which lasted about 79 minutes. A third group chopped down several trees so that a power pole fell over. Bombs at other poles failed. It took 2 hours for reinforcements of soldiers and police to arrive to relieve the soldiers. Two of the injured soldiers are in critical condition. The police suspect that the attackers had wanted to steal weapons.

Two defense volunteers were shot dead at a checkpoint in Saman (Yala) district yesterday. Their weapons were stolen.

– Like 13 other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Thailand has the death penalty and she may explain this to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva next week. The Justice Department is currently investigating the second national human rights plan. The death penalty is also considered. As of February this year, 622 persons have been sentenced to death. The last execution was carried out in August 2009 when two drug traffickers were given a lethal injection.

– At the Government House, a ghost house and cannons are moved to a better one feng shui to get. The cannons are now aimed at the main building and that produces the wrong feng shui. Feng shui adjustments usually take place when a new government takes office, but they are not guaranteed. A military coup ended the Thaksin government and the Abhisit government did not complete its term.

– The director (53) of the Ang Thong hospital shot himself. His body, lying in a pool of blood, was found in the bathroom of his home. The man had been in charge of the hospital for three days.

– No wives and concubines in the workplace. That ban now applies to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. During a meeting with 1000 employees, the head has declared a 'no boss's woman zone'. Damrong Pidech said he had received many complaints about women and girlfriends. Sometimes there is fighting and sometimes the women interfere with their wives' work. That is not good for the reputation of the service, says Damrong.

– Opposition party Democrats goes to court because the Tax Administration refuses to charge two children of Thaksin for the sale in 2006 of their shares in Shin Corp to Temasek in Singapore. This month this case is about to expire. The Tax and Customs Administration based its decision on a ruling by the Central Tax Court, which in turn based itself on a ruling by the Supreme Court that the shares were not owned by the children, but by Thaksin himself.

– The Ministry of Health has started a campaign against green cataract, the most common eye disease in the country. The campaign focuses on three target groups: people over the age of 40, diabetics and those with a family history of the disease. According to the ministry, 2 million Thais have cataracts, but are unaware of it.

– So far, 10 of the 46 PAD core members called up have reported to the police to receive a new charge. It relates to the occupation of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang in November 2008 by the yellow shirts. About 30 have let us know that they will come on Monday, 5 have asked for a postponement and the rest have not yet responded.

– Government hospitals are temporarily not allowed to order medicines that contain pseudoephedrine. The hospital directors are called for a meeting about the guidelines for the purchase. The Department of Special Investigation is currently investigating two pharmacists who allegedly smuggled flu pills containing pseudoephedrine from two hospitals in Udon Thani. Pseudoephedrine is used in the production of methamphetamine.

– When Mitra Energy Ltd fails to drill oil, it is over and over with oil drilling in Bangkok. This says Songpop Polachan, director general of the Mineral Fuels Department. Mitra started drilling in Thawi Watthana on Friday and is progressing at 30 to 50 meters per hour. Drilling is done up to 2.500 meters.

In January 2008, the company was awarded concessions for two mainland fields. One turned out to be too complicated, the other block is allowed to drill for 30 days. If no oil is found in commercially viable quantities (usually 100 barrels per day per well), the concession reverts to the government. With exploratory drilling it is usually bingo 1 in 10 times.

– Something is going very wrong on Suvarnabhumi, writes Bangkok Post in her editorial. The newspaper points to the long waiting times at customs, which in many cases have reached 2 hours. That is a major concern for travel agencies, because that poor service causes a lot of damage to the country's reputation.

The situation does not date from today or yesterday, but has gradually deteriorated despite nice promises from customs and the airport. Although now blamed on renovation work, this does not alter the fact that some counters are not occupied at peak times. The entire space has acquired the reputation of one smile free zone, writes the newspaper, where even passengers who cooperate are greeted with a grimace.

– Thailand may be second in the world with women in top commercial positions; otherwise there is little cause for joy in the field of women. Some figures: political participation is extremely low: 15 percent of members of parliament are women, 16 percent of senators and 17 percent of senior officials. At the local level, 9 percent hold a political position. Violence against women is a problem (44 percent report physical and/or sexual violence by a partner).

Sexual harassment at work and rapes are widespread. 36 percent of women who are HIV positive have been infected by their partner. The teenage pregnancy rate is the highest in Asia and 1.000 women die each year from complications of abortion. Thus Bangkok Post in her editorial Friday (International Women's Day).

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post