News from Thailand – January 13, 2014

The news about Bangkok Shutdown is today on Bangkok Breaking News – January 13, 2014. Here the rest of the news. Photo: See Breaking News at 04:15 am.

– Personnel of public health facilities no longer listen to Minister Pradit Sintawanarong (Public Health), but only to top civil servant Narong Sahametapat (photo home page). The staff, united in the Public Health Community, is taking this remarkable step because the minister has sidelined his permanent secretary Narong and his second man.

The affair came about because the PHC and Narong issued a statement expressing support for the anti-government protests and demanding the government's departure. Narong chaired a meeting of the PHC on Thursday. A disciplinary investigation will be initiated against him.

On Saturday, the minister ordered the formation of a committee to organize medical care for demonstrators when violence breaks out. Narong and one of his deputies are not on the committee. According to the PHC, this means they are effectively suspended.

Mongkol Na Songkhla, former health minister, and Siriwat Tiptaradolo, former permanent secretary of the ministry, today lead medical personnel in a march from the ministry to the protest site at Lat Phrao intersection.

The ministry has banned its officials from taking a day off between today and January 25. On Dec. 21, the ministry banned ambulances and medical personnel in provinces from providing assistance in Bangkok.

– The 35 ministers of the Yingluck cabinet have taken their precautions in response to the protest movement's threat that their homes will be besieged and electricity and water cut off. Minister Anudith Nakornthap (ICT) doubts whether all homes will receive a visit. A few ministers and measures point by point:

• The office of the Permanent Secretary for Defense on Chaeng Wattana Road in Muang Thong Thani acts as a backup office for Prime Minister Yingluck when she wears the cap of Defense Minister.
• State Secretary Yuthasak Sasiprasa (Defence) has the office of the Olympic Committee on Sri Ayutthayaweg as a backup, if the ministry has to close its doors. Yuthasak thinks his house escapes the dance.
• Minister Charupong Ruangsawan (Internal Affairs) will stay at home. When his house is surrounded, the protesters get water from him. He leaves it open whether his family will be evacuated. “Suthep can send people to my house. But don't you think others could besiege his house?'
• Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul (Foreign Affairs) rarely enters his house, which is still in need of repairs since the 2011 floods. He often sleeps with friends and only goes to his own house on weekends for cleaning work.
• Minister Chadchart Sittipunt (Transport) plans to move to a safe house to move. He says that a backup of the Ministry's database is available in various places.

– Five villages in Waeng (Narathiwat) were flooded after two days of heavy rain. There is 50 cm to 1 meter of water. Five thousand villagers have been duped. The roads leading to the villages are also under water, but they are still passable. Police, soldiers and officials have been sent to the area to provide assistance.

– In an apartment in Muang (Chachoengsao) the lifeless body of a police officer and a woman were found. The police suspect that the woman was the man's mistress. The officer had a firearm in his possession. The bodies were found by the agent's wife. The police suspect that debt problems were the reason why the officer ended both their lives.

– The factory of Mastex Co, which produces lace for underwear, in Nakhon Chaisi (Nakhon Pathom) has been destroyed by fire. The fire started in a drying room, presumably from overheating. The damage amounts to 50 million baht. No one was injured.

– A three-day symposium on cross-cultural and cross-national citizenship will be held this week at Chulalongkorn University. Researchers and workers from different disciplines exchange ideas and knowledge on democracy, peaceful dialogue and environmental issues. The keynote speech will be given by Professor John Cogan of the University of Minnesota.

– Four Cambodians were killed and nine others injured when the car they were traveling in Ratchasan (Chachoengsao) crashed into a tree and went off the road.

– A British DJ was hit by a car on his motorcycle in Muang (Phuket) and died. Police have not yet determined who was at fault for the collision, although the driver was initially charged with wrongful death. Paul Norris (46) is known to tourists as a DJ for radio station 91,5 FM.

– A hedonistic serial killer: that is what the police call Nui, who is suspected of the rape and murder of a 6-year-old girl on December 6 in Bang Na (Bangkok). Nui made a habit of luring and abusing children. He has a vivid imagination and refuses to accept the truth. The police are investigating other cases of missing children, whom he allegedly killed.

– It continues to struggle with the purchase of tablet PCs for primary and secondary school students. The Ministry of Education now wants to change the tendering procedure. Last school year it went well, this school year many children have not seen a tablet. Two companies still have to deliver and the zone 3 tender has been cancelled.

Ministry officials are considering a solution. The preference is for a 'smart classroom' with tablets, an idea launched by an adviser to the minister.

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post