News from Thailand – June 13, 2014
Sombat Boonngamnong chooses eggs for his money. The man who wrote the text Catch me if you can on his Facebook page calling on the population to demonstrate against the coup with three fingers raised, is willing to cooperate with the junta.
Sombat, leader of the Red Siam Group and founder of the Mirror Foundation, was charged yesterday with incitement, violation of the Computer Crimes Act and defiance of the NCPO. He will remain in pre-trial detention until June 23. Sombat's request for bail has been rejected by the Bangkok Military Court.
Sombat did not report to the army when he was called up, but went into hiding. He was also the creator of the three-finger anti-coup gesture, which he borrowed from the film The Hunger Games. He was arrested last Thursday.
According to an army source, Sombat remains opposed to the coup, but admits he cannot change past events, so he decided to cooperate with the NCPO to promote unity.
– Red shirt leader Kwanchai Praipana protests against the way the army deals with political groups in the province of Udon Thani. He says red shirts are rounded up or muzzled, but members of the anti-government movement PDRC remain unaffected. This approach does not lead to national reconciliation because the red shirts feel they are being treated unfairly.
“The army considers us an enemy. That is how it is felt by the people. This is a potential time bomb.” Kwanchai calls on the military to ease restrictions on his group's activities, showing its sincerity.
Udon Thani, a heavily politicized province, has been chosen by the NCPO as a role model for its unity approach. On Wednesday, the NCPO launched the 'Udon Thani model' in the public park of Nong Prachak Silpakhom. About XNUMX people witnessed it. To the photo on the front page of Bangkok Post to see it was fun. They enthusiastically waved Thai flags.
– Nirun Witchasettasamitre (45), director of the Mayo hospital in Pattani, was yesterday named 'Outstanding Rural Doctor' of 2013. Nirun is the XNUMXth doctor to receive the award. He was chosen from fourteen candidates.
The selection committee commends his role as a pioneer in developing integrated healthcare, which benefits patients, hospital staff and residents, enabling them to live in harmony.
Nirun will receive the award plus 23 baht on June 100.000. He will then give a keynote speech about 'Ways to create peace in the deep South'.
– The United States and several other Western countries have a better understanding of the political developments in Thailand after the junta took power. This is what Thai ambassadors and consuls-general say, who have been updated on the situation for two days. On Wednesday they received a pep talk from couple leader Prayuth.
The diplomats have told Prayuth that Western governments have stopped taking drastic action against Thailand after explaining why the coup was necessary. They explained to those governments what the junta's three-step plan entailed: reconciliation, reforms, elections.
The Thai ambassador in Washington points out that the US's initial reaction may have been prompted by the uncertainty surrounding the takeover. Now that the junta has announced its plans, the US seems more reassured.
– Following the tragic accident caused by the school principal who had an epileptic fit behind the wheel of his car, the Medical Council and the Land Transport Department are discussing possible changes to the health requirements for applying for a driver's license on Tuesday. Currently, only people with infectious diseases, insanity and alcohol and drug addicts are excluded.
The issue also arose in 2007 when a motorist drove into a group of people waiting at a bus stop. He also had an epileptic seizure. The Medical Council then proposed to adopt the rules that apply in the US and the EU, but the Land Transport Department did nothing with that suggestion. According to a source at the ministry, because the labor costs for driving license applications would then increase, which would make the driving license more expensive.
– A mysterious oily liquid has been found in various water sources in a village in Mae Suai (Chiang Mai). Residents saw that liquid after the May 5 earthquake. She has also been seen in the river Lao. According to a city council member, it could be a dangerous substance. Experts have been called in to help.
– A 4-year-old girl died in Yala yesterday when a school gate fell on top of her. She died of severe head injuries. The gate fell over as the girl tried to enter the school.
– The free movie screening Sunday from King Naresuan 5 is an initiative of the film producer and cinema operators and not a populist campaign measure by the NCPO, says NCPO spokesman Winthai Suvaree. They made the offer because they want to join the policy of the NCPO to promote social unity. The film will screen on Sunday at 11 a.m. in 160 cinemas across the country. The free ticket can be picked up from half past ten.
– Students who have applied for a student loan do not have to bite the bullet. The budget of the Student Loan Fund has been increased by 3,6 billion baht. The NCPO has given the green light for this.
The SLF threatened to disappoint students because the Yingluck government had slashed the budget and rejected a later request for enlargement. The junta has now straightened that out. The extra money will be taken from the budget for 2015.
– Extortion of taxi drivers, motorcycle taxi drivers and operators of minibuses will be dealt with severely. This was agreed yesterday during consultations between the NCPO, the police, the municipality of Bangkok, the Ministry of the Interior and the Land Transport Department.
Coupleider Prayuth wants to see results within a month. He is also concerned about passengers paying too much. The bus operators do this to recoup the extorted money. Especially in tourist areas, the problem of the transport mafia is rampant and many blog readers in Pattaya and Phuket know all about it.
The NCPO already has a list of alleged extortionists. Some are "men in uniform," said First Army Corps commander Thirachai Nakwanich.
– A former MP from the Democrats asks the NCPO to investigate Suwichak Nakwatcharachai, former secretary general of the House of Representatives, who has been suspended by the military. The Democrat points to a host of questionable expenses during Suwichak's term, such as the purchase of 238 wall clocks costing 70.000 baht each.
www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post
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