News from Thailand – August 11, 2013

Somdej Phra Buddhacharn, the abbot of Wat Saket, died of blood poisoning at Samitivej Hospital yesterday at the age of 85. His body will be transferred to the temple this morning.

The king provides royal washing water for the bath ceremony, which is being held this afternoon, and he supports the funeral chanting rites which last seven days, until Sunday. They will not take place tomorrow because of the Queen's birthday.

Somdej Kiew was ordained a monk in 1949. In 2004, he was appointed deputy to the Supreme Patriarch, who had been hospitalized 2 years earlier, and later that year, the Sangha Supreme Council appointed a panel to replace the Patriarch. Somdej Kiev became its chairman. Somdej Kiew was committed to the worldwide spread of Buddhism. To this end, he sent monks to various countries, including the Netherlands.

– The 18-year-old Ratchanok Intanon has a good chance of winning the World Badminton Championships that will be held in Guangzhou (China) today. Yesterday she defeated PV Sindhu from India in the semifinals 21-10 and 21-13. Today she will face China's Li Xuerui, who sent South Korean Bae Yeon-ju home.

When Ratchanok (three-time junior world champion) wins today, Thailand will write history because the semi-final was the highest that Thai badminton players have reached so far. Ratchanok has been making waves since she was 14. She won her first title in 2009 in Malaysia. She was the youngest ever champion of the BWF World Junior Championships. Two more titles followed. Last year she won silver at the London Olympics.

Ratchanok uses the prize money and support she receives from the sport to help her impoverished parents and her brother. Her father has now been able to open a restaurant.

– Four Thais and two Nigerians were kidnapped in southern Nigeria on Friday. They were on their way to work at a fish farm when a gang of kidnappers in a boat attacked them. The two Nigerians were thrown overboard, one of them drowned. The four Thais would still be with the kidnappers.

According to Agriculture Commissioner Emmanuel Chindah, there has been no contact with the kidnappers, but it is already clear that they are seeking ransom. That should come from the employer of the four, the Israeli company Onida, which operates the government nursery.

In southern Nigeria, people are often kidnapped for ransom. Most are released after payment, unlike in the north where Islamic extremists have killed a number of hostages.

– The number of victims of bomb and assassination attacks in southern Thailand last Ramadan was the lowest since 2007, says the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC). In the three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, 69 attacks took place and 23 people were killed.

But despite these "favorable" numbers, residents remain concerned about their safety as violence continues every day, says Muhamarosdi Botor, senator for Narathiwat. He recalls the most shocking attack on Yacob Raimanee, the imam of the Central Pattani Mosque. Yacob was shot dead on August 5. According to the senator, people are wondering how the peace talks between Thailand and resistance group BRN will develop.

– The former driver of the deputy director of Siam Motors Sales has been arrested on suspicion of embezzling 1 million baht from his boss. The driver always put money in his own pocket when he had to withdraw money from an ATM on behalf of his boss. During the three years he worked for him, he would have enriched himself with 1 million baht. The money was used to pay off gambling debts.

– The Ao Phrao beach on Koh Samet is still not pristine clean. Yesterday hundreds of volunteers went to the beach to remove the last remnants with filter paper [?]. Bangkok Post dedicates only a photograph with a short caption to it.

– Even more volunteers. In Nakhon Ratchasima, volunteers have planted 2009 trees along a highway leading to Khao Yai National Park. The purpose of the action was to pressure the Highways Department to improve the road. In 128, 9 old trees fell when XNUMX km of the road was widened from two to four lanes. As a result, what environmentalists call the well-known 'tree tunnel' disappeared.

The court ordered the road service in May to replant all trees, but the decision has been appealed. The new trees to be planted could easily fall over, posing a danger to traffic, the service argues.

The environmental boys have since been conducting an online campaign to persuade the agency to withdraw its appeal and to carry out the court's order. According to one of them, the number of traffic accidents has increased since the widening because people drive faster.

– The judgment of the administrative court in the case brought by the Thai Tobacco Trade Association (TTTA) is eagerly awaited. That verdict could set a precedent for other countries, thinks Prakit Vathesatogkit, secretary general of the Action on Smoking and Health Foundation.

The TTTA has called for the suspension of a new Health Ministry rule requiring a larger health warning on packages. It currently covers 55 percent of the surface and that should be 85 percent. The enlargement is mandatory from 2 October.

If the court rejects the industry's demand, it will mean a boost for other Asian countries, which are considering similar increases, Prakit says. Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei already have a warning on the packages, Vietnam and Indonesia will require this later this year.

The court has already heard the TTTA and the ministry. The TTTA pointed to the conversion costs of the printing machines. That would cost each producer 9,6 million baht. The TTTA also believes that the Ministry should have consulted with them and that it infringes on their right to use their brand names [for which there is less room].

Political news

– Parliament will discuss the budget for 2014 on Wednesday and Thursday during an extra meeting scrutiny commission has now reviewed the budget and made a number of suggestions, including for stricter budgetary discipline. The commission also calls for a forecast of economic growth and inflation resulting from the planned 2 trillion baht loan for infrastructure works and the 350 billion baht loan for water works.

– Prime Minister Yingluck's proposal for a reconciliation forum would be better received if the government gives assurances that it is not a tactical maneuver, say two political scientists. It should also try to convince those who do not want to participate and gain their trust through informal channels.

Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, a member of the Political Development Council, sees no signs of reconciliation yet, which is the first step towards political reform. Those involved in the political conflicts still use their television channels and radio to attack the others in vehement terms.

Without reconciliation it is impossible for political reforms to be achieved. In that case, the initiative is a unilateral action and ends up as an academic document, just like hundreds of similar documents in the past,” he says.

Prinya Tevanaruemitrkul, Vice-Rector of Thammasat University, welcomes Prime Minister Yingluck's proposal. He emphasizes the need for parties to put aside their differences and come together for reform talks. Prinya believes that the parties involved should drop their conditions in advance. They must stop blaming before continuing the reform offensive.

The government must make it clear that it is sincere, said Prinya, by not rushing the talks. It must dispel the mistrust that the meetings are only intended to make political money.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanchana and Minister Varathep Rattanakorn (PM's Office) have eight senior political figures willing to participate. According to Somchai, most are considered "impartial with a certain leaning toward government." Varathep thinks the number of former politicians willing to participate is sufficient, although the government is still waiting for a response from opposition party Democrats and the anti-government movement People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

Ruling party Pheu Thai has repeatedly appealed to Democrats to step up and pave the way for national reconciliation.

Economic news

– Like Thai AirAsia (see News from Thailand yesterday), Nok Airlines posted strong profit growth in the second quarter. Profits increased by 136 percent and revenue by 38,7 percent, thanks to a significant increase in passenger traffic, despite the fact that ticket prices were under heavy pressure from competition.

In the second quarter, passenger numbers rose 50 percent year-on-year to 1,4 million thanks to a 52 percent increase in capacity. The load factor was 86,6 percent (previous year 83,7 percent), the average price per ticket per flight fell by 8,9 percent to 1.754 baht.

Due to the use of the more economical Boeing 737-800s, fuel consumption fell from 2,7 to 2,34 baht per seat per kilometer. All old Boeing 737-400s have been retired by Nok Air; the company only flies with the Boeing 737-800s (12 pieces) and two ATR turboprops.

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post