News from Thailand – July 5, 2014

Two former ministers and a red shirt leader were there, but the NCPO was not invited and 'that's not fair, oh no', to speak to Calimero. But the coup plotters are not bothered that they did not find an invitation from the US embassy in their mailbox for the Independence Day reception on Thursday.

NCPO spokesman Winthai Suvaree explained the absence of an invitation with: "It is possible that the US diplomatic corps feels it should treat the NCPO with caution on social occasions." Conversely, talks between the ambassador and military leaders do take place, with each side carefully avoiding frustrating the other, Winthai explains. "Each country has its own customs and traditions and these can lead to disagreements, although the US understands the current situation in Thailand."

An NCPO spokeswoman emphasizes that military ties with the US and Australia remain intact. Thailand's political situation does not affect Cobra Gold (annual military exercise of the US and Southeast Asian countries in Thailand), Balance Torch en Hanuman Guardian (military training exercises). Recently, joint exercises were held with the US and Australia. The Directorate of Intelligence conducted explosives training with US specialists in May and June, and intelligence officers were trained in Australia last month.

According to the newspaper, the US ambassador recently told the foreign media that Prayuth was indeed invited. On the occasion, she said the US wants to cooperate with Thailand in a number of areas, including education, environment, health and other social issues. She called on the junta to release those arrested after the coup and allow them to participate in the reform process.

Photos: Protest in front of the embassy against the coup and congratulations on Independence Day.

– The inspection of the country's rice stocks is slower than expected. The deadline of July 25 will probably not be met. The inspection teams are short of people. This emerged during the inspections on Thursday, according to Inspector General Chirachai Munthong of the Prime Minister's Office.

100 teams are on the road for the inspections. They must control the quality and quantity of the rice bought up by the previous government, a total of 18 million tons. Each team consists of six to ten people, recruited from the army, police, the Public Warehouse Organization (PWO) and the agricultural bank. "Maybe we should postpone the deadline to August," Chirachai suggests. He estimates that a team can check one warehouse per day. To speed things up, at least 12 people per team are needed.

The 18 million tons are stored in 1.800 warehouses and 137 silos. A panel from the Ministry of Finance estimates that 3 million tons are missing. The loss incurred by the mortgage system is estimated at 500 billion baht.

The inspections on the first day were not very promising. The quality of the rice, which has sometimes been stored for 2 years, has seriously deteriorated and the weevil is having the time of its life. Differences have also been noted between what is in a warehouse and what the documents say should be there.

In Chalerm Phrakiat (Nakhon Ratchasima), a warehouse was missing 32 tons of the 9.800 tons. An official of the PWO says that it is still too early to conclude that the shortage is the result of 'unfair actions'. It could also be due to 'discrepancies'. Nakhon Ratchasima has 47 warehouses in 12 districts.

In Lamphun, the team found that not all rice sticky rice was as documented. In some bags, the rice was mixed with khao chao rice. Some bags were missing labels with information about the contents.

– To stimulate economic growth, the junta wants banks to be more flexible in providing loans. Small and medium-sized enterprises and the lowest paid should be able to take out loans more easily to make investments, giving a boost to growth.

According to the Bank of Thailand, economic growth this year will amount to 1,5 percent, but leader Prayuth Chan-ocha wants to exceed 2 percent. He said this yesterday in his weekly TV speech. Banks such as the Government Savings Bank, Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives and the SME Bank are being asked to launch special loan projects targeting SMEs and the lowest paid.

Tourism is an important engine of the economy. "We are trying to repair the image of the country and entice foreign tourists to return," said Prayuth. The junta leader also broached a large number of other subjects, but there was not much news among them.

Well, one piece of news then. Prayuth threatened to spend an amount of 50 billion baht from the 2014 budget, intended for some ministries and services, on more urgent matters because they still had no destination for that money.

– It's cake and egg between Myanmar and Thailand. Myanmar's Supreme Commander Min Aung Hlaing expressed his support for the takeover during a courtesy visit yesterday. It is the duty of the military to ensure national security. What the military is doing is the most appropriate course of action because the armed forces play an important role in maintaining the security of the country and ensuring the safety of the people."

Min Aung said his country experienced something similar in 1988, although conditions were more severe then. In that year, students began demonstrating for democracy, a movement that spread across the country. After a bloody coup with probably thousands of deaths, it came to an end on September 18 of that year.

Min Aung's kind words were mirrored by equally kind words from Thailand's commander in chief. There are strong ties both between the two armed forces and at the government level, said General Tanasak Patimapragorn.

Furthermore, both gentlemen chatted about foreign workers, border problems, the exchange of soldiers for training purposes and Cobra Gold, the annual military exercise of the US and some South-East Asian countries, which is held in Thailand. Both hope that Myanmar can join in July and August.

– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revoked the passports of Somsak Jeamteerasakul, lecturer in law at Thammasat University, and Wutthipong 'Ko Tee' Kochthammakhun. Somsak is accused of lèse-majesté. He ignored the junta's call to report. Wuttiphong is described by the newspaper as hardline red shirt leader. Both men are said to have fled abroad.

– Taxi drivers and companies in Bangkok must register with the Center for Taxi Driver Information of the Land Transport Department (LTD) by July 15. Those who fail to do so risk a fine of up to 1.000 baht. Drivers' details go into a database so that authorities can check whether they have been involved in a crime or an accident and possibly revoke their license.

LTD head Asdsathai Rattanadilok Na Phuket hopes that the registration will lead to the bad apples disappearing behind the wheel and the number of traffic accidents will decrease. Asdsathai urges passengers to examine a driver's ID card, which must be present in every taxi, because it contains 'important information'.

Yesterday was the last day on which motorcycle taxi drivers could register. There was a long queue in front of the Land Transport Department. The registration aims to put an end to extortion of drivers by mafia-like gangs. They earn a lot of money by illegally leasing vests.

– A tuktuk driver was injured when the wall of a hotel collapsed in Ratchathewi (Bangkok). That happened during the demolition of one of the buildings of the First Hotel. The collapsing wall also damaged two utility poles and a fence.

No permit had yet been granted for the demolition, which could result in a three-month prison sentence and/or a 60.000 baht fine for the hotel management. The district office had referred the hotel to the council's Public Works Department, but the hotel had only just begun.

A fierce fire raged in the First Hotel in 1988, killing thirteen people and injuring dozens of tourists. After recovery, the hotel was allowed to reopen. The hotel has now been sold to a new investor, which could explain the rush to demolish.

– The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) will propose measures to the junta to take tougher action against corruption. They were previously presented to the previous government, but that had no effect. The NACC now wants the junta to oblige government services to put the measures of the NACC into practice.

These include the purchase of 3.183 natural gas buses for the Bangkok municipal transport company, water management projects, the appointment of board members of public companies, the award of state lottery tickets and the employment of foreign workers. All of these things are prone to corruption.

It's just a small selection, because the article mentions dozens of issues. For example, the NACC also wants to combat corruption in elections and tighten the control of the financial position of candidates. The NACC previously announced that it will require banks to report suspicious money and real estate transactions.

– It came as no surprise. Pongsapat Pongcharoen had expected his days as Secretary General of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board to be numbered. His resignation was announced on Thursday by the junta in its 84th order. Pongsapat will retain his position as deputy chief of the national police.

Pongsapat made a bid for the governorship of Bangkok for former ruling party Pheu Thai in 2013, but he bit the dust against the re-electable governor at the time. That 'blemish' on his coat of arms now kills him.

But Pongsapat remains cheerful. As a deputy there is plenty of work to do. For example, he is involved in a neighborhood project of the police, which aims to encourage local residents to cooperate with the police.

– A man took his own life yesterday by jumping from the Rama IX bridge. His body has not yet been found.

It is probably the deputy secretary general of the Matubhum party, because a car with his papers was parked on the bridge. Witnesses saw a man get out of the car and jump into the Chao Phraya River.

– Police and army arrested 327 illegal Cambodians in three separate operations. In a sugar cane plantation in Aranyaprathet (Sa Kaeo) they encountered 149 Cambodians, a second group of 61 Cambodians were caught trying to enter the country via the Thai-Cambodian Friendship Bridge in Aranyaprathet and a third group was arrested in a bunch.

The arrested Cambodians are said to have fled the country earlier and were approached by intermediaries on their way back. They did not apply for a border pass, which always takes a long time, paid 2.500 baht per person and were smuggled into the country by the intermediaries via a secret route through the forest, according to one of those arrested.

– Fourteen Cambodians who were imprisoned for a month because they had a false visa have been released. Their release came two days after Veera Somkhwamkid was released from Cambodian captivity. The authorities deny that there was a prisoner exchange. Thailand just wanted to show its "sincerity and good will." Sa Kaeo Provincial Court has determined that the XNUMX had no intention of doing anything wrong.

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post

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