News from Thailand – March 29, 2014
I hope my dear readers and dear readers do not accuse me of bias, but now my clog really breaks. Red shirts attack a monk and now red shirts are protesting the arrest of four red shirts who have been arrested for possession of weapons. Can it get any crazier?
Yesterday, these dumbos from the People's Radio for Democracy Group (PRDG) went to the Muang Nonthaburi police station to demand the release of their comrades in a loud voice. The four had been detained by police at the office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), which is blocked by the group. They are also suspected of the three grenade attacks Thursday evening at the NACC office.
The darlings who are therefore wrongfully detained - at least according to their boyfriends and girlfriends - were in possession of a number of firearms, grenades and ammunition (see the photo on the homepage, which speaks volumes). They were captured shortly after two more grenade attacks on the NACC office. These attacks, unlike the previous three, did cause damage.
According to a spokesman for the PRDG, the latest grenade attack was a trap to falsely accuse the PRDG. He says that the seized grenade launcher is not PRDG property and that one of the suspects happened to be at the scene when the police made the arrests.
[Sorry for the choice of words, but I can't believe that mistreatment of a monk and possession of guns are justified.]
– Today is the big day for the anti-government movement. From Lumpini Park, the demonstrators who have camped there for a long time, plus another sixty-five groups sympathetic to the movement, will march to the Royal Plaza. There, the central demands for action are repeated for the umpteenth time: political reforms ahead of new elections, the departure of the Yingluck government and the elimination of the 'Thaksin regime'.
Chalerm Yubamrung, director of the center that monitors compliance with the special emergency (Internal Security Act) that applies to Bangkok and parts of neighboring provinces, expects the rally to draw no more than 30.000 people. The people of Bangkok are said to have had enough of attempts to replace Yingluck with an interim prime minister.
Anti-government groups will also manifest themselves elsewhere in the country, but the report does not provide any information about this.
– Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra must cease his duties with immediate effect because the court has decided to consider the request of the Electoral Council to give him the yellow card. The Court will now decide whether that yellow card will be upheld [with new elections as a consequence] and whether Sukhumbhand will be allowed to stand for re-election. [I think the newspaper writes this incorrectly. This is always allowed with a yellow card.] The Electoral Council has determined that during the election campaign for governor last year, supporters of Sukhumbhand violated the Electoral Act.
The ruling is not devoid of importance because the Electoral Council is one of the independent institutions under attack from pro-government groups. By now showing a Democrat the door, the Electoral Council contradicts that accusation.
– Refresh your memory. Father, attending a concert at Sukhumvit Soi 105 (Soi Lasalle), puts his daughter to sleep in his pickup. A man, known only as Nui, lures and rapes and murders the 6-year-old child. That happened on December 6. Yesterday, the suspect was initially sentenced to death, but because he confessed, the Phra Khanong Provincial Court sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Nui has told police he assaulted a total of 7 children, killing four of them. Shortly before the murder of Nong Cartoon, he had been released from prison, where he had been imprisoned for a similar offense [?]. Nui grew up in an orphanage until a couple adopted him at age XNUMX. He worked as a construction worker on construction sites in different cities.
– A local radio station in Tak, which is run by a hardline red shirt, has been closed by order of the police because a license is missing. The station would soon begin broadcasting. When the police visited the station, a transmission tower was just being installed. If the man flouts the ban, the police will confiscate the equipment.
– Two Thai women have been sentenced to life imprisonment in Phnom Penh (Cambodia) for drug smuggling. They had tried to smuggle half a kilo of cocaine from Brazil into the country in May. The women were hired by two Nigerians who wanted to sell the stuff in Thailand.
– And again the protected and precious rosewood has been confiscated. Yesterday, the police in Si Chomphu (Khon Kaen) intercepted fifteen blocks worth 5 million baht. They were in a van that drove through a checkpoint after ignoring a stop sign. After a chase of 100 kilometers, the police punctured the tires. The van then continued for another 10 kilometers. The driver managed to escape.
– Environmental organization International Rivers believes that Thailand should take the lead in protecting the Mekong River. There will be an excellent opportunity for this on Saturday during the summit of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) in Ho Chin Minh City (Vietnam).
The MRC is an intergovernmental consultative body of the four Mekong countries. Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul (Foreign Affairs) leads the Thai delegation. The environment minister says that Surapong cannot comply with International Rivers' request because the government is outgoing.
I wrote about it many times before: the Xayaburi dam in Laos, of which 30 percent is ready, and the Don Sahong dam in the Hu Sahong channel of the river. Both dams threaten fish migration, fishing and the livelihoods of people who depend on the river. Cambodia and Vietnam have already expressed their concerns about the Don Sahong project.
The summit will also be attended by representatives from China (not a member of the MRC), Myanmar, donor governments and international and national organizations.
– There is no toll on the Bang Na-Chon Buri section of the expressway during the Songkran holiday. The exemption should promote the flow of traffic leaving Bangkok on its way to the home village.
– Revolving door violators at Suvarnabhumi airport are eligible for electronic detention or get such a cute band around their ankle. The Samut Prakan Kwaeng Court has granted permission for this. These include offenses such as pickpocketing, theft, illegal taxis and illegal tour guides. When the people equipped with an ankle bracelet take it into their heads to take a step at the airport, a bell rings in the control room.
The Probation Department has already placed ankle bracelets on 49 people convicted by the Bangkok North Municipal Court. Some of them have been convicted of drug offences. This court was the first to allow the use of the tires by drivers convicted of driving under the influence. They are not allowed to leave their house in the evening and at night.
– Ever heard of the 'green lung of Bangkok'? Not me in any case. The lung is a green area in tambon Bangkajao in Samut Prakan province. The provincial government increased the portion that can be used from 5 to 15 percent at the beginning of last month, and this has met with protests from local residents and environmental activists.
A member of the Provincial Council says that he only heard about the change [of the zoning plan] in December and then it was already too late to stop it. According to officials, the change was announced at the end of last year. Because no one objected, the train started moving and then there is usually no stopping it in administrative land.
A member of the Big Trees Project fears that the change will open the way for more construction at the expense of the green area. She points out that the current zoning plan is already being flouted by many landlords.
The Green World Foundation is surprised that the change was made without any public participation. Hearings have not been held and public announcements have been made.
Political news
– Fifty-three political parties are calling for quick elections in early May. They agreed on this yesterday during a meeting at the Police Academy in Nakhon Nayok. Opposition party Democrats was not present. New elections are necessary because the Constitutional Court has declared the February 2 elections invalid.
Two problems still arise. The elections must be held by Royal Decree, but who will issue the Royal Decree: the government (as last time) or the Electoral Council?
Second problem: who is responsible for all costs incurred for the February 2 elections? And: should those costs be recovered from those who prevented the registration of candidates (28 constituencies in the South) and blocked polling stations?
Pheu Thai party member Pokin Polakul appeals to the Electoral Council to ensure there is no recurrence of obstruction of the elections. The anti-government movement has already threatened to do so, because they only want elections after political reforms have been implemented.
Pokin believes that the Electoral Council should sit down with the government and political parties early next month to discuss plans for new elections. "We must prevent the elections from being declared invalid again."
This weekend, the opposition party Democrats will decide at its annual general meeting whether it will participate in the new elections. The previous boycotted them. Yesterday, party members discussed reform proposals. These relate, among other things, to corruption and the income gap. For details see the article Democrats outline reform proposals.
– Tomorrow half of the Senate will be elected. The Electoral Council expects to be able to announce the (provisional) result at 20 p.m. A voter turnout of 70 percent is still hoped for, although turnout in the primaries was pitifully low. There are 77 seats available: 1 per province. Senators get to enjoy the plush for six years. The remaining seats of the 150-seat Senate are occupied by nominated senators.
Economic news
– Small and medium-sized enterprises and the middle classes are hardest hit by the current political unrest. The Krungthai Bank (KRB) reports that so-called 'special mention loans' and non-performing loans (NPLs) from small businesses with a credit line of up to 20 million baht increased in the first two months of this year.
Special mention loans are loans with payment arrears of 30 to 90 days. With NPLs, the backlog is even longer or no payments are made at all.
SMB NPLs rose from 2,3 percent in December to 2,6 percent. The BTK hopes to reduce this percentage to 2 percent before the end of the year.
Kasikornbank, the country's fourth-largest bank and market leader in the SME segment, says SME special mention loans rose in the first two months of this year due to the political unrest. [A percentage is not mentioned.]
The NPLs are now at 2,85 and the bank wants to limit them to 3 percent this year. [Are percentages mixed up here or does the bank expect a further increase?] The bank has also noticed that many customers postpone their payments for up to five days.
www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post
Editorial notice
Bangkok Shutdown and the elections in images and sound:
www.thailandblog.nl/nieuws/videos-bangkok-shutdown-en-de-keuzeen/
No, Dick, I will not accuse you of bias, these are just the facts and reality, are you going to attack a monk first, and they will be caught in possession of a weapon and then protest! Yes, then I think you have had a blow with a shovel, you wonder if it can be even crazier, I think so these people are able to surprise us every day.
Today there is also a demonstration on Dam Square in Amsterdam, by the PDRC Netherlands (anti-government movement) to which I am also dragged, (oh nice weather, always a nice day in Amsterdam) I was also there in Bangkok in January, let's have a look how things are going here.
Furthermore, there are demonstrations all over the world today from the PDRC (anti-government movement), England (London), America (Chicago, Dallas), Germany, France, Canada, Italy, Sweden.
bye Dick
what police chased that van for 100km? “. After a chase of 100 kilometers, the police punctured the tires. The van then continued for another 10 kilometers. The driver managed to escape.”
I have ever seen someone who had to stop “you have crossed the conceivable line 300 bath thank you” well after 100 meters he was literally pushed into the canal by the police colleagues!
Every morning I read your newspaper overview before I leave work at 5 am because thanks to you we know what is happening in Thailand thanks for this Dick as well as your stories so nicely written
I don't think it matters much whether they are the reds or the yellows when you are talking about weapons, Dick. During the occupation of the Rama I area, among others, I stayed in a hotel near the MBK. The guards of Suthep's loyalists were quite bored at night and played in public with all kinds of knives and other weapons. In addition, several taxi drivers told me that they had brought guards to the site who had pistols and grenades with them. Of course I can't verify that, but given the guard posts I can believe it. Attacking a monk is obviously inferior and hopefully the suspects will be held responsible soon.
Taxi drivers are happy to tell you what you want to hear, they also have an innate ability to sense what you want to hear, if I were you I wouldn't pay too much attention to stories like this.
Especially since taxi drivers in Bangkok often come from the Isan or the north, and turn somewhat red, and they are in principle willing to make the opponents suspicious,
Have you also heard taxi drivers say that they brought armed "guards" from the other side to the scene of the planned disaster?
It should be clear, from all the expressions of bang and boom, that an abundance of weaponry should not be sought from the demonstrators but from the opposing party.
Or at least the use of the bang and boom articles.
Hans, of course you have to be careful with the opinions that taxi drivers tell you, but one of them was clearly for the Democrats and was proud to let me know this. I myself had seen the guards practicing with all kinds of weapons, so I wonder about that. Personally, I think that the matter is too politicized that everyone quickly believes what is said by the party you are most attracted to. I know several people who also protested and I am sure that they have nothing to do with these types of practices and it will probably be the same with the opposing party. I'm holding my breath for next Saturday.
What does a yellow card mean in Thailand's politics? I assume it's more than a warning?
@Noah In this case it means Sukhumbhand's election will be voided and new gubernatorial elections should be held. That is, if the Court of Appeal adopts the advice of the Electoral Council. The penalized politician may stand for re-election with a yellow card, but not with a red card.