News from Thailand – October 23, 2014

Former Prime Minister Thaksin and his sister Yingluck will see one from Saturday cratehin ceremony (handing over monk's robes) at Wat Pa Bodh Gaya in Bihar (India). Many former ministers and MPs of Pheu Thai do travel to India for the ceremony.

With their cancellation, the brother and sister would comply with the junta's wish to cancel the trip, but this is denied by a close associate of Yingluck. According to him, the trip was not on the travel program that Yingluck had handed over to the junta when she asked for permission for her overseas trip to Japan. He also says that the message that the two would attend the ceremony was spread by a former Pheu Thai MP.

The younger brother Thaksin has joined the monk order in the temple in question. According to a source at Pheu Thai, he will also be present on Saturday, as will Yaowapa, a younger sister of Thaksin.

In the photo, Thaksin, Yingluck and her son Supasek eat a delicious MacBurger at McDonald's in Tokyo (photo Facebook).

– Eight ambassadors of EU countries call on the Thai media to respect the rights of crime victims. They made that call yesterday during a conversation with representatives of the four Thai media organizations in the office of the Thai Journalists Association.

The ambassadors handed over a letter, signed by twenty ambassadors from European countries and Japan, expressing their concern about the crime reporting. The reason is the murder of two British tourists on the holiday island of Koh Tao.

The Italian ambassador asked the media to act responsibly, to respect the rights of victims and to spare the feelings of the next of kin. The media should also respect the investigative process, do justice and treat the suspects fairly.

According to Francesco Saverio, graphics and details have no added value for stories. He added that there should be a balance between the public interest and an individual's privacy.

Chairman Thepchai Yong of the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association said it was the first time so many foreign diplomats have met the media to express their concerns about inappropriate news coverage.

“This is a good opportunity for the media to review their role. Although some stories and photos only appear on social media and are not distributed by the official media, the media must not shirk their responsibility.'

– It was to be expected: Thailand has not won a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, which is based in Geneva. The four places available for the Asia-Pacific region go to India, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Qatar. Nevertheless, Thailand remains committed to human rights, said the Foreign Affairs spokesman.

Sek Wannamethee congratulated the four lucky ones and noted that people should not make any connection between the vote (in the UN General Assembly) in which Thailand lost and the Thai political situation. Thailand still scored 136 votes.

The country has now pinned its hopes on the non-permanent seat on the Security Council in 2017 and 2018 that will become available to an Asian country. Kazakhstan is also aiming for that.

– Despite the coup, Canadian businessmen still want to trade and invest with Thailand. A delegation from the Thai Chamber of Commerce was told this during its visit to three Canadian cities from 1 to 6 October.

The vice chairman of the TCC told reporters at the State Department yesterday. He also called the response a favorable sign for Thai businesses, as 40 percent of the inhabitants of those cities are Asians.

During the visit, three investment projects in Thailand by Canadian companies were discussed: energy production from waste, improving the security of ATMs and money transactions and the construction of a monorail by Bombardier Transportation.

– For the second time this year, four villages in the northern province of Lampang have been hit by floods. More than four hundred houses were flooded yesterday as a result of water that came from the mountains after nightly rains. The water rose to a height of 1 meter and that happened so fast that residents hardly had the opportunity to bring their belongings to safety.

Fortunately, there is also good news. The amount of water flowing into the Mae Wa River from the mountains is decreasing. In tambon Mae Wa, the water has dropped to 30 to 50 centimeters as a result, but lower-lying areas are still fully under water.

– The Second Army Corps has opened a new investigation against Tarit Pengdith, the disgraced head of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI, the Thai FBI) ​​over a plot of land in Nakhon Ratchasima province that was illegally acquired.

Land deeds show that part of Tarit's property is located in an area intended for residents who had to give way 40 years ago for the construction of a dam. Tarit then worked at the Public Prosecution Service in the province. He pretended at the time that he was a farmer with an annual income of 80.000 baht and that he was therefore eligible for a piece of land.

Question marks are also raised about another plot, on which a holiday park has been built. That would belong to Tarit's younger brother.

– In Udon Thani, the police and army arrested six members of a money-lender gang and seized contracts, cash, a car and four motorcycles, among other things. The gentlemen were guilty of asking for sky-high interest rates (20 percent per month) and threatening defaulters. They have stated that they work for a money-lender in the Central Plains.

– A group of students who oppose the recitation of the twelve core values ​​of the junta every morning are dismissed by Minister Narong Pipatanasai (Education) as a 'minority'. The group that Education for Liberation of Siam protested in front of the Ministry of Education last week. The students have now started a campaign against 'authoritarian brainwashing' on change.org. Until yesterday it was signed by 750 people.

The minister acknowledges that the students learn nothing from just repeating the core values. Educators should instill in them an understanding of the values, such as love for royalty and gratitude to parents, to single out two.

For all twelve core values, see: Thai children should be thankful.

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post

More news in:

Thailand is a popular location for expats
Missing Japanese murdered and dismembered
OM: Withdrawing confession from Koh Tao murders irrelevant