News from Thailand – December 5, 2013

Today, yellow is not an anti-government color but a pro-king sign, because yellow is the color of his birthday. And in addition to yellow shirts, many people are also dressed in pink shirts, the color of one of the royal jackets.

Of course spend Bangkok Post a lot of attention is paid to the birthday and the advertisers are not unaffected either. 'Long Live the King' says Dtac of the mobile phones. 'Long Live His Majesty the King' says Amway full page. 'We follow the path paved by our king, the great inventor', says the PTT Group. Siam Commercial Bank writes: '… whose Royal benevolence has always been in the hearts of all Thai people.'

Congratulations also come from abroad: from Queen Elizabeth and President Obama. Other countries are not mentioned, so I do not know whether King Willem-Alexander sent a telegram or perhaps a text message.

This time the newspaper is folded into a four-page glossy supplement with photos and an article about the Klai Kangwon palace in Hua Hin, where the monarch has lived since his release from the hospital. Today, troops take the oath of allegiance to the monarch.

– Thai students scored slightly better in the international Pisa test last year than in 2009, but their scores in reading, mathematics and science [physics and chemistry?] are still below average. In reading they scored 441 points (average: 496), in math 427 (494) and in science 444 (501). Girls scored significantly better than boys.

65 countries took part in the Pisa test. In the three boxes, Thailand ranks 48th, 50th and 47th respectively. In Thailand, 6.606 students aged 15 participated. Shanghai scored the highest; Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan placed in the top ten in all three categories.

– Individuals and companies who have helped action leader Suthep Thaugsuban can wet their chests, because they will be prosecuted just like Suthep and there is a prison sentence of 3 to 15 years. Suthep himself faces life in prison or the death penalty. Police say they are in no rush to arrest him, as there is a 20-year statute of limitations on the crime.

Authorities are gathering information to prosecute the perpetrators, said Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who heads the Center for the Administration of Peace and Order. However, he does not name names.

– For yesterday's events see Breaking News from December 4. A small addition to the message about the march to the headquarters of the national police force. Students from the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand tried to break through the barbed wire and concrete barriers, but were unsuccessful. The police then said that 99 representatives were allowed to enter. The demonstrators were welcomed by female officers instead of riot police (pictured). The approach was successful, because the demonstrators decided not to go inside.

– Burnt-out vehicles at Government House are a silent witness to what happened there at the beginning of this week (photo home page). The newspaper counted thirteen burnt-out detention vehicles and further fire and water trucks from the municipality of Bangkok. A police station and security booths have been destroyed and the windows of the Nari Samosorn building, where the government holds press conferences, as well as the second floor of the Command Building 2 have been shattered. At the Orathai bridge the smell of tear gas still hangs.

An anti-government protester who came to take a look says he was 'dismayed', but 'you can't blame the people'. “Why weren't we given permission to go in from the start? Then none of this would have happened. The demonstrators only wanted to lay siege to the area as a symbolic protest against the Yingluck government.'

– Since Tuesday evening, five people have been shot dead in two districts of Pattani. The first attack took place in Nong Chick district. Seven people who were looking for in mangrove forests fiddler crabs were fired upon by three or four men on motorcycles. Four of them did not survive. Police consider the attack an act of revenge for the arrest of an insurgent on November 29. Many members of the separatist movement Runda Kumpulan Kecil live in Nong Chick.

The other assassination attempt took place in Kapho district. A villager was shot at on his way home by the pillion passenger of a passing motorcyclist.

– The purple water with which protesters have been sprayed by riot police did not contain any acid or sulfate, the Ramathibodi hospital has confirmed. It had a neutral pH value of 7. Protesters attributed their burns and blisters to the presence of chemicals in the water, but the hospital says it is more likely they were caused by tear gas.

– Today the BTS stations Wutthakat and Bang Wa open. The ride between those stations is free for a month. Douceurtje of the municipality of Bangkok. After January 5, the ticket costs 10 baht.

– Thieves in Phuket managed to break open the back of a Thanachart Bank ATM on Thaweewong road in Kathu. They collected 1,7 million baht. The gentlemen got the machine open with the help of a welding machine and cutting tools.

– For former board members of the Chart Thai party, the political ban of 5 years is over. The party was dissolved 5 years ago due to electoral fraud. Former Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa and thirteen former members yesterday joined the Chartthaipattana party, which is now in the opposition. More members will follow, says Banharn.

– Telecommunications watchdog NBTC is investigating complaints about missing TV images of the broadcasts of 21 satellite TV channels, including AsiaUpdate en BlueSky. Blue Sky is the TV channel of the opposition party Democrats. The NBTC is looking for the people who have this on their conscience.

Economic news

– Whether or not the bill to borrow 2 trillion baht for infrastructure works gets the green light from the Constitutional Court, the government will start the works, because the Ministry of Finance can tap other sources of funding, says Minister Chadchart Sittipunt (Transport), and the planned period of 7 years is extended.

The bill has already been passed by parliament, but is now before the Court, which may consider whether or not it is contrary to the constitution. Opposition party Democrats has asked for this. The party says the proposal gives the government carte blanche in spending. The projects would also be prone to corruption.

Most of the money is earmarked for the construction of four high-speed lines. They won't be delayed, Chadchart expects, as environmental impact assessments and feasibility studies are currently underway.

But other plans, such as road construction, may be delayed. The government intends to finance these through public-private partnerships. It will also not be possible to implement the plans to promote border trade immediately.

– The National Economic and Social Development Board expects exports to not grow this year, but exporters are still hopeful that they will manage to achieve 0,5 percent growth. In October, exports amounted to US$ 19,4 billion and if we succeed in exporting US$ 19,5 billion in the last two months of this year, that percentage will be reached. Thailand is then the only country in Southeast Asia with export growth.

For next year, the Thai National Shippers Council expects a growth of 5 percent, thanks to the economic recovery in the US and Europe. But this does not take into account the possible continuation of the political protests. These are already influencing export orders for the first quarter. At this time, new customers are not placing orders for Thai goods; existing customers remain loyal to the country.

– Flower market Pak Khlong Talat, one of Bangkok's oldest markets, is being renovated for 1,5 billion baht. The wet market is being refurbished and a shopping area is being developed along the river with 40 shops and a car park for 380 cars. It consists of six interconnected colonial-style buildings measuring 300 meters in length.

A raised sidewalk is being constructed for tourists, so that they have a good view of the trade without hindering it. The renovation is now 70 percent advanced.

Pak Khlong Talat is the world's fourth largest flower market. The area consists of three markets: Pak Khlong market for fruits and vegetables, Yodpiman market for flowers and Song Serm Kaset Thai. Yodpiman has 608 'stalls' and Pak Khlong 200.

– Six airports will receive free WiFi: Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Chiang Rai and Suvarnabhumi. Suvarnabhumi comes last. From 1 March you can use the internet for free. Not unlimited, by the way, because there is a time limit of 2 hours per day with a speed of 10 Mbps. If you want a higher speed and more time, you have to open your wallet.

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post