News from Thailand – August 6, 2012

Can it get any crazier? A Thai archaeologist claims to have found the legendary Atlantis. The ancient walls at Doi Suthep, which have been discovered, are said to be remnants of the city of Jed-lin, known from folkloric tales of ancient Chiang Mai, and Jed-lin was actually Atlantis.

Atlantis is a hypothetical archipelago, described in 360 BC by the Greek philosopher Plato, the existence of which is highly doubtful. It is said to have sunk into the sea after a failed attack on Athens.

The inventor of Atlantis Thailand is Poonsab Wongsasukoipak, secretary of the Jed-lin Anthropological Research Institute. Jed-lin is dated to 1.600 years ago, Poonsab believes the ruins are 10.000 years old. His theory is not taken very seriously by scientists because he substantiates his claim with a reference to the online game Atlantica.

Poonsab is 80 percent sure. He gives three arguments. Like Atlantis, Jed-lin is a round city built on four levels; Jed-lin is on land, surrounded by mountains, rivers and the ocean; and Jed-lin is on the world's largest continent. The final proof must be the translation of an inscription, which Poonsab tries to decipher.

- Now that's bad luck. Miss Thailand is competing for the title of Miss World 2012 in Ordos in northern China and now part of her wardrobe has been stolen. From her hotel room disappeared an evening gown and the clothes she would wear in the sports round. The beauty pageant will take place on August 16. Nachat Muangkod has to compete against 115 other beauties.

– Businesses in Hat Yai in southern Thailand are going to pay to have surveillance cameras installed in the city center and other sensitive areas. The surveillance system is connected to the existing network of cameras. The reason is the recent increase in violence and reports of stolen cars and pickup trucks with which bomb attacks will be committed.

Violence continued yesterday. In Tak Bai district of Narathiwat, a patrol unit of 14 soldiers escaped a bomb attack. A bomb buried under the road exploded causing minor damage to the army vehicle.

In Yarang (Pattani) district, four men fired on a police officer as he left his home to go to work yesterday morning. On arrival at the hospital, the officer was found to be dead.

– Olympic weightlifting champion Pimsiri Sirikaew is welcome in the army, says army commander Prayuth Chan-ocha. That is good, because the winner of a silver medal had already announced that she would like to put on the surcoat. She arrived at Suvarnabhumi yesterday afternoon, where she was greeted by her parents and a crowd of fans.

With the victory, Pimsiri's living is bought. She receives 13 million baht from the Association of Weightlifters and Companies and when the army finds a place for her, she receives salary, allowances and other welfare benefits.

– The Yingluck government is having none of it, says opposition party Democrats. Most of its policy resolutions have failed. Spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut says the government had promised to bring about national reconciliation, but instead it is trying to push through bills, which only create more division.

According to Chavanond, compensation for victims of political violence in 2010 mainly went to Pheu Thai supporters. Chavanond is equally negative about the anti-drug policy, the fight against corruption, the fight against violence in the South, inflation, rising fuel prices and so on.

The Democrats will raise all these issues in a so-called censure debate, a debate that will culminate in a vote of no confidence. Not that it has any chance, because Pheu Thai and her coalition partners have a comfortable majority in parliament.

Noppadon Pattama, Thaksin's legal adviser, says the debate and no-confidence motion come as no surprise. The government is not concerned about the issues that the Democrats want to raise. The party's strategy committee is gathering ammunition for the answer. Noppadon is annoyed that the Democrats are aiming their arrows exclusively at Prime Minister Yingluck and not at the entire cabinet. "That means they are playing a political game instead of controlling the government."

In an Abac poll, 52 percent of respondents opposed the debate. That narrow majority believes that the government is performing well. Abac surveyed 2.275 individuals in 17 provinces.

– A bag with grenades, a firearm and ammunition was found in a bus of the Ratchasima Tour Company in bus terminal Mor Chit (Bangkok). The police were alerted after a suspicious-looking bag was spotted. The bus station was evacuated and the explosive ordnance disposal service had to be involved to remove the items safely.

The bus left Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday but broke down at the National Memorial. With a second bus, the travel continued. According to the driver, a middle-aged man left the bus in a hurry before it reached Mor Chit. The bag was found in the first bus, which was driven to Mor Chit after repairs.

– Exciting times in the army. The annual transfer round is coming up. Army commander-in-chief Thanasak Patimapakorn is talking to generals today and tomorrow about their possible promotion. On Wednesday, the defense minister will receive a list of Thanasak and the three commanders of the army, air force and navy with the proposed promotions and demotions. On August 21, Prime Minister Yingluck can put her signature. The annual reshuffle is always a reason for governments to place friendly and reliable soldiers in high posts.

– Last time there was fraud, so that should not happen again this time. According to the police, that has not happened during the past three days during the entrance exam for the training of police non-commissioned officers, thanks to dress codes, the search of the candidates and jamming equipment. Last time, candidates smuggled in communication equipment or someone else took a candidate's place for a fee. After this was discovered, the result was declared invalid. 42 candidates took part in the replacement exam, which was conducted at 360.000 locations. 9.500 passed.

– The trade in rabbits at Chatuchak weekend market has come to a standstill after it emerged that a family in Chom Thong (Bangkok) had contracted rabies from the bites of a rabbit it had bought on Chatuchak. Authorities are meeting today to determine the source of the virus.

– Saturday there were still two, yesterday ten. The young red shirts have gone on hunger strike in front of the headquarters of the opposition party Democrats. Their move comes in protest against comments by party leader Abhisit, who said at a rally last month that they were hired to organize rallies. According to one of the hunger strikers, that is far from the truth.

– The Nakhon Phanom Animal Quarantine Station has asked the population for help in caring for the 2.052 dogs that were rescued from a Vietnamese dinner plate. Every day feeding the animals costs 50.000 baht and the bottom of the greenhouse is coming into view. Previously, the station received 22 million baht in donations. Of this, 9 million is still available. On average, two to three dogs per day die from a viral infection or breathing difficulties. Overcrowding is also a problem, as the center has a capacity of 800 to 1.000 dogs.

– Ten tons of husked rice was intercepted yesterday after smugglers crossed the Moei River between Myanmar and Thailand with contraband and loaded the rice onto a truck. The police failed to arrest the smugglers.

– The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva this week will examine Thailand's performance in combating discrimination on the basis of race. It is the first time the commission has assessed Thailand's performance since the country signed the relevant international convention in 2003. Whether Thailand gets a pass remains to be seen, because ethnic groups, foreign workers, refugees and Malay Muslims are increasingly calling for fair treatment.

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post