News from Thailand – December 6, 2014

A 51-year-old woman was so busy talking on the phone that she didn't notice an oncoming train, ending not only her life but also the phone call.

This happened yesterday morning at a railway crossing in Tha Maka (Kanchanaburi). Two hundred meters from where the woman's body lay, the police found the woman's pickup truck. Presumably she got out to buy food at a nearby fresh market.

– Did Tarit Pengdith, then head of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI, the Thai FBI), rightly refrained from legal action in 2010 against a company that had imported teak worth 240 million baht from Myanmar? Following a complaint from a timber trader, the Minister of Justice put this question to the Permanent Secretary of Justice. And he can find out whether the case should be reopened.

The Northern Special Cases Operation Centre of the DSI concluded at the time that the company should be prosecuted for a false import declaration (to avoid import duties), but Tarit decided to let the matter rest after his second man had whispered to him that the company had no intention of avoiding import duties. And the prosecutors followed Tarit's advice.

A Justice Department source says the Permanent Secretary has already received a preliminary report on the case, concluding that reopening the case is desirable. The question is not: did the company want to avoid import duties; what is relevant is that the company failed to indicate the origin of the wood and whether it had permission to export the wood from Myanmar.

The message gives even more details about the case, but I will leave those aside for the sake of clarity. One thing is clear: the business stinks.

– The Thai Wang Patraporn was elected Miss Intercontinental in Magdeburg (Germany). She beat 68 other beautiful ladies.

– The businessman, who had hired five men to force a lender to whom he owed to reduce his debt, probably fled to Canada via Cambodia. This is presumed by the police because he has a visa to Canada.

The businessman, founder and director of Wind Energy Holding Co, wanted his debt of 120 million to be reduced to 20 million baht. The lender was kidnapped and put under pressure, but that was it.

The case is related to the corruption case against the former head of the Central Investigation Bureau, who is suspected of lèse-majeste, extortion and other evils. The message does not make clear what the relationship is between the two cases.

– To prevent them from getting too strong a position of power, a committee of the National Reform Council (the body that should devise national reforms) wants to reduce the term of office of the judges of the Constitutional Court from nine to five years.

'The current nine-year term is too long,' says committee member Wanchai Sornsiri. "Judges who have been in their posts for too long can gain so much influence that no one dares to fire them."

In addition to shortening the term of office, the committee also wants the powers of the Court to be more clearly defined in order to prevent room for confusing legal interpretation. The reason for this are past experiences in which, according to critics, the Court went beyond its limits.

The composition of the Court could be more varied, says Wanchai. The current judges come from the criminal and civil courts or are experts in law or political science, but experts in public administration are missing.

Wanchai hopes the changes will put an end to doubts about double standards and political meddling. He believes that judges should not abstain from voting 'because they are appointed to make decisions'. "An abstention is tantamount to ignoring the problem."

– Minister Prawit Wongsuwon (Defense) denies having the ambition for the prime minister and he excludes the possibility of establishing a new political party. 'I never thought about forming a political party. And I don't want to go into politics either," he said yesterday in response to media reports that the military is planning to form a new political party or support a future party. The formation of a military-backed party would give Prawit the chance to become prime minister.

– Most political parties stick to a prime minister elected by parliament and the current district system, with each district providing one member of parliament. A prime minister elected by the people cannot get their hands together. This is the conclusion of a panel of the National Reform Council on the basis of a questionnaire that was sent to all political parties.

The panel, which deals with suggestions from the population, has received proposals from 23 of the 74 political parties. Most are satisfied with the current system. They are against limiting the term of office of MPs, although some want MPs not to be glued to the plush for more than two terms in a row. Candidates should always be a member of a political party. Some argue for a Third Chamber with the name People's Council .

The Senate, which is now half elected and half appointed, can stay that way, but the selection procedure of candidates could be improved; both elected and appointed senators should come from a broader stratum of professions.

– On the way home, a 39-year-old man was shot through in Yarang (Pattani). He was fired upon from a passing car. The crime scene was littered with bullet cartridges. The motive may have been a personal conflict because the victim had recently served a prison sentence for possession of drugs and firearms.

In Nong Chik (Pattani) a bomb exploded near a school at 9am. Had little to do: no injuries, no damage.

In Ban Khuan Rae (Songkhla), a 20-minute gun battle took place on Thursday between eight suspected insurgents, who had holed up in a house, and the police. Two officers were injured in the incident. One insurgent turned himself in, a second ran off on a motorcycle, four were arrested yesterday and then I'm missing two more.

– Queen Fabiola passed away yesterday at the age of 86. She died in her own home, Castle Stuyvenberg. It is not yet known when the funeral will take place, the Council of Ministers will meet today to arrange the funeral. (Source: HLN.BE)

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post

More news in:

Disappointment and concern but also revelry