News from Thailand – March 11, 2013
The recent Thai peace initiative in the South needs much greater commitment from both sides if it is to make serious progress, said Duncan McCargo, professor of Southeast Asia Politics at the University of Leeds. The problem on the Thai side is that the leadership is fragmented and on the side of the militants they operate in a decentralized manner.
According to McCargo, politicians and government departments distrust each other, referring to the National Security Council, the Southern Border Provinces Administration Center, the military and the Internal Security Operations Command.
Every dialogue begun by one agency is quietly rejected by another. Successive governments have denied the political nature of the conflict and have been reluctant to talk seriously about autonomy or other forms of decentralization. There are also few indications that the army is cooperating this time.'
On the other hand, there is little evidence of the authority of Hassan Taib, representative of the BRN resistance group, with which Thailand has signed an agreement in principle to begin peace talks. 'The juwae [fighters] are very decentralized, they have relationships with numerous groups and older leaders, and cannot be easily persuaded to accept a ceasefire or a shared package of proposals," McCargo said.
– Three people were killed and one injured in four attacks in Pattani province. On Saturday evening, a village chief was shot dead at a mosque in Sai Buri. He was attacked by militants on a motorcycle. In Yaring district, a deputy village chief was shot at on Saturday night. He was seriously injured.
In Nong Chik, a village defense volunteer was killed yesterday. The gunmen fired at his car from a pickup. Another dead in Mayo: the wife of an agent of a border patrol unit was shot on her motorcycle on her way back from the market by a group of men who had followed her in a car for some time (photo).
More than 2004 people have been killed and 5.000 injured in the South since violence erupted in 9.000, according to Deep South Watch figures. On average, 3,5 attacks per day are carried out in the three southernmost border provinces and four districts of Songkhla.
– The Department of Medical Services warns against a beauty cream sold over the Internet that has been bought and used by many teenagers. The cream can cause severe allergic reactions and skin damage due to the trichloroaceticacid (TCA) ingredient. TCA should only be prescribed by doctors to treat warts, moles and acne.
– Today, the National Rice Policy Committee meets on the second crop rice mortgage system. The Internal Trade Department (ITD) has already announced that the mortgage price of 15.000 (white rice) and 20.000 baht (Hom Mali) will remain unchanged. However, the committee will consider setting additional quality criteria for the rice submitted and the ITD will use other services to tackle the smuggling of rice from neighboring countries.
The farmers are expected to hand in 7 million tons of paddy, which will cost the government 105 billion baht. Warehouses and silos still contain the bulk of last season's harvest and the first harvest of this season. Minister Niwatthamrong Bunsongpaisan (PM's Office) admitted last week that the rice will have to be sold at a loss because mortgage prices are 40 percent above market prices.
Opposition leader Abhisit warns against dumping the rice on the world market at predatory prices, because that is in violation of WTO (World Trade Organization) rules. It could lead to retaliation from other rice-exporting countries.
– The Bo Rai border post on the border with Cambodia is open again. The post was closed in February to prevent Cambodians in Thailand from cutting down the protected rosewood. The Cambodian authorities have promised to try to dissuade their compatriots.
– There is great mistrust about the invitation by vice-chamber chairman Charoen Chankomol to eleven groups to discuss amnesty today. Five remain at home: opposition party Democrats, the People's Alliance for Democracy (yellow shirts), Pitak Siam (a group that previously organized two rallies, the second of which ended prematurely), Nicha Thuwatham (widow of a general killed in 2010) and the multicolor group from Tul Sitthisomwong. What are the objections? Pointwise:
- Democrats: First, the four amnesty proposals before parliament must be taken off the table. Charoen's initiative is part of a plot by ruling party Pheu Thai to allow Thaksin to also benefit from amnesty.
- Parnthep Pourpongpan (PAD): Not everyone involved is invited. The latest amnesty proposal, submitted by 42 red-shirt MPs, has a hidden agenda to absolve Thaksin.
- Multi-colour group: The time is not right to talk about amnesty. First, those who instigated the street protests must be prosecuted. The amnesty law interrupts the course of justice.
- Green Politics group: Today's meeting is being driven by politicians with a hidden agenda, who have failed to gain the public's trust.
Nevertheless, the meeting continues today with the remaining six parties, including the military. Discussions include the question of whether persons who are being prosecuted under criminal law are eligible for amnesty. Charoen also wants to talk about a separate amnesty proposal for the protest leaders.
www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post
Dossier
Dossier is a new section with information on topics that are or have been regularly in the news. Dossier provides background information, based on articles Bangkok Post. The column won't appear every day, but for now I can get ahead with the topics I've collected data on over the years. I hope that the blog readers will appreciate the new section and correct errors and/or add information where necessary.
Is Thai rice the best rice in the world?
During the 2011 World Rice Conference Paw San Myanmar aromatic rice rated as the best rice and in 2012 Rumdul from Cambodia. In the mortgage system, farmers have no incentive to improve quality because the government, as she says, buys up every grain and at prices 40 percent above market prices. (Source: Year-End Review, Bangkok Post, January 2, 2013)
Is the quality of rice stored in silos and warehouses declining?
When rice is stored in a room that is not airtight, the white rice turns yellow and the corn beetle pops up. The rice runs for the first 3 months whiteness index from 51,5 to 49,4 percent and the number of corn beetles is an average of 23,2 per kilo. After 6 months, the degree of whiteness has dropped to 49 percent and the number of beetles has increased to 90 per kilo. (Source: a study by the TDRI, cited in Bangkok Post, October 15, 2012)