News from Thailand – July 23, 2014

Can I call it striking? Or something for the consideration of the expats who curse the military coup on Thailandblog? During the months of protests by the anti-government movement, the police have not apprehended a single suspect in the grenade attacks against demonstrators. And the miracles are not over yet, because since the army took over power, a few arrests have already been made. That makes you think, doesn't it?

For example, the police have arrested two suspects suspected of, among other things, the grenade attack in January on Banthat Thong Road, in which a PDRC supporter was killed and 39 people were injured (photo). The police do not want to say what other attacks they are suspected of and who the mastermind is.

One of the two, against whom an arrest warrant had been issued for illegal possession of weapons of war, turned himself in to the police. He has stated that he received XNUMX grenades from a 'group of men' to attack anti-government rallies. He distributed those grenades to various people. The message does not say how the other man was arrested. He stated that he had three grenades in his possession. They were found in a house in Chon Buri.

– To prevent an international boycott of the wildlife trade, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has designed two regulations for the domestic trade in ivory. She's going to ask the junta to take over.

Earlier this month, Thailand's questionable record in the ivory trade was raised at a meeting of the executive committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Thailand's Ivory Action Plan failed to get its hands together. In March, the board will make a final decision on the trade boycott.

The proposed regulation would toughen all trade in African ivory by prosecuting offenders under the Protected and Conserved Wildlife Animal Act of 1992 and not, as currently, under a section of the law against the illegal import of a prohibited product. Owners of ivory shops and elephant camps must keep a list of ivory in their possession. Workshops where ivory is processed must be registered.

– Environmental activist Sutthi Atchasai, who was found dead in his pickup truck a week ago, was not killed, but took his own life. This was revealed by an autopsy by the Central Institute of Forensic Science. The cremation, which was postponed on Monday, can now take place at Wat Treemitpradittharam in Rayong.

The autopsy took place at the request of the family who had doubts about the cause of death determined by the police. It remains remarkable that Sutthi fired four shots. One of the bullets pierced the roof of the garage where the pickup truck was parked.

– Workers with HIV are discriminated against despite legislation to protect human rights, according to a study by the Social Research Institute of Chulalongkorn University. The results were announced yesterday during a seminar.

The study is based on interviews with 50 people from various sectors, including employees and the unemployed with HIV, people living close to them, employers and civil servants. Employers who refuse to hire HIV-infected people did not participate in the study.

The study looked at discrimination at three levels: policy, organization and community. For example, people with HIV cannot become soldiers, policemen, judges or even monks.

Many companies require job applicants to take an HIV test, refuse to hire them if they are infected, and fire employees if they are found to be infected. This even happens in companies with the AIDS-response Standard Organization certificate.

Employees who have been laid off face discrimination from neighbors. One of the interviewees said that the locals do not buy food from him for fear of getting infected.

According to figures from the Department of Disease Control, 1984 HIV/AIDS cases and 2011 deaths were recorded between 372.000 and 98.000.

– Politicians of all political persuasions will be asked to sign an agreement in which they pledge to continue the reforms initiated by the military after the general elections.

Kampanat Ruddit, director of the Center for Reconciliation for Reform (formed by the junta), made the announcement yesterday on the first day of a six-day 'reconciliation festival' on Sanam Luang. Business representatives are also being asked to sign what he called a social contract.

Free eye and dental care is provided during the festival. Free grilled chicken is available three times a day. [Must be a chicken leg.] The festival started with a ceremony in which believers, including some prominent politicians, gave food to 99 monks. The festival consists of a bazar with discounted products and various performances.

– The recalcitrant red shirt chairman Jatuporn Prompan (hasn't been heard from for a long time) and his buddy Nattawut Saikuar, former Secretary of State for Trade, can squeeze their hands. The Criminal Court spared them a prison sentence of two years and a 40.000 baht fine. Initially they were going to go to jail for three years, but because they had pleaded guilty, they got off mercifully.

The two villains were convicted because they made public wiretaps of conversations of three top officials during a red shirt rally in 2007.

– Former Prime Minister Thaksin wants his birthday party on July 26 in Paris to be attended only by family and close relatives. The junta need not worry that it will become a disguised political gathering of former Pheu Thais and red shirts. A Pheu Thai source announced this yesterday.

– Since Thursday it has been raining traffic fines. Across the country, 199 tickets have already been issued to traffic offenders at 17.194 intersections. Most road users who made a mistake did not stop at a pedestrian crossing (39 percent). 4.120 road users (24 percent) drove against traffic.

– Shocking figures about violence against women and children in the South of Thailand. Insurgents have killed 32 women and injured 60 in the first seven months of this year. Between January 2004 and October 2013, 62 children were killed and 374 injured. According to a report by the Duayjai group and the Cross Cultural Foundation.

Yesterday the seminar 'Breaking the Wall of Silence: Saving the Life of Children and Women' took place in Pattani. The women's groups and peace activists present called on the insurgents to stop attacking civilians. They asked the authorities for better protection.

One of the speakers gave a poignant speech in which she talked about her daughter being set on fire. The perpetrators have not yet been identified by the police.

– Four border police officers were injured in a bomb explosion in Muang (Pattani) yesterday morning, two of them seriously. The bomb, hidden in the median, exploded as they waited at a red traffic light with their pickup truck.

– The residents of seventeen villages in Mae Suai (Chiang Ria) are concerned about cracks in a local dam. Those would be the result of aftershocks after the May 5 earthquake, which are still ongoing. One of 2,9 on the Richter scale was observed on Sunday night, 12 kilometers underground in Mae Suai. Aftershocks were also measured in the province of Phan after the quake of 6,3.

According to Irrigation officials, the dam has subsided slightly, but it is said to be safe. The cracks are in the spillway built on rocks, which keeps the dam from collapsing. Once a budget is available, the overflow is restored.

Varies

What should a newspaper write if it is under censorship? Atiya Achakulwisut recalls an entertaining anecdote from 1951. Siam Rath, founded in 1950 by Kukrit Pramoj, published a front page article with the headline 'The sun in Hua Hin rises on a different side from the one in Si Ratcha' and the subheading 'Two suns suspected. The world is confirmed round.' A reporter had noticed that in Si Racha the sun rose from behind a mountain and set in the sea. In Hua Hin it was just the other way around.

Siam Rath published even more bullshit stories at that time. Newspapers were then under strict censorship after then Prime Minister Field Marshal Phibulsonggram foiled a naval officer rebellion. Martial law was declared and newspaper companies had to submit their newspapers to the authorities each day for approval before running the presses.

That was a thorn in Kukrit's side. He wanted that Siam Rath  was a quality newspaper, independent, stimulating, informative and made according to the same journalistic principles as Western media. When that was no longer possible, the newspaper limited itself to the non-news such as the sunrise and sunset. Other stories centered around the number of Defense Department windows and the number of palm trees behind the printing house.

When martial law was lifted after two months and censorship ended, the newspaper returned to its normal news agenda. Siam Rath is Thailand's oldest newspaper. I don't know if it is still a quality newspaper.

Even today, the media are under censorship, although prior permission is not required. This week the media resisted tightening of censorship (see News from Thailand of 22 July). (Source: Bangkok Post, July 22, 2014)

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post

More news in:

Provisional constitution: Junta keeps a firm finger in the pie
Spoiled rice in Chachoengsao warehouse