News from Thailand – August 7, 2013

Sharing en liking online messages are not a crime, says Sarinee Achavanuntakal, head of the Thai Netizen Network, but Minister Anudith Nakornthap (ICT) thinks otherwise.

On Monday, he warned social media users to be careful about sharing or liking posts, which could be considered a threat to national security.

Anudihth's statement comes in response to the postings of four individuals who have been called in for questioning for spreading reports of a possible military coup and calling on the population to hoard food. If found guilty, they could face up to 5 years in prison under the Computer Crime Act.

Sarinee urges the minister to define more clearly what he means by messages that pose a threat to national security. The current definition is so broad, she says, that it restricts freedom of expression.

Time Chuastapanasiri, researcher at the Academic Institute of Public Media, believes that citizens should be able to air their political views. Sharing en liking of political messages should not be banned. This is normal behavior on social media. […] People can express their opinions on politics as long as they do not harm other people's rights or reputation. Only when they spread information that is defamatory should they be sued.'

According to him, the message about a possible coup is a matter of public interest. It does not pose a threat to national security, nor does it violate the Computer Crime Act.

Photos: Opposition Democrats held a rally at Uruphong Intersection yesterday. Leaders of the party are on stage. They called on their supporters to protest the amnesty proposal at parliament today.

– Arrest warrants have been issued against the four suspects in the murder of imam Yacob Raimanee of the Central Mosque in Pattani. The suspects have been identified on the basis of CCTV footage from the Chabang Tiko market in Muang (Pattani). The images show how the men got off their motorcycles and shot at the imam's car.

Yacob's death comes as a great shock to the Muslim community. He supported peaceful dialogue aimed at ending the violence in the region. Yacob escaped an assassination attempt in front of his home in 2010. The gunmen then missed.

Agkhana Neelapaijit, chair of the Working Group on Justice for Peace, has called on religious leaders in the three southern provinces not to sit still but to speak out against the use of violence. They should state their position on groups that use violence to solve problems.

– It cannot come as a surprise: the verdict of the Bangkok South Criminal Court on the six civilians who were shot dead on May 19, 2010 in Wat Pathum Wanaram (Bangkok). They were killed by soldiers who had taken up position on the BTS track at Siam station. The court concludes that based on the direction from which the bullets came.

The court was unable to find any evidence for the defense of army officers that the soldiers were shot at from the temple by four 'men in black and military uniforms'. There is no footage to support that claim. The court also found no evidence to support the authorities' claim that weapons were kept in the temple.

The victims had taken refuge in the temple after the army began clearing Ratchaprasong intersection, the location that red shirts had occupied for weeks.

The mother of one of the victims is satisfied with the verdict, but she thinks society still has to demand that the real guilty be punished.

Tarit Pengdith, head of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI, the Thai FBI), says the DSI had contacted former Prime Minister Abhisit and Suthep Thaugsuban, then director of the Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES, the body responsible for for maintaining the state of emergency).

For these deaths that is, because the DSI has already charged both for the deaths of others. At the time, the CRES gave the army permission to fire live ammunition when it was attacked. Army officers and soldiers are not prosecuted, as they enjoy immunity under the criminal code because they followed orders from the CRES.

– The hose that broke a week ago and caused the oil spill off the coast of Rayong, has been seized by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI, the Thai FBI). According to DSI head Tarit Pengdith, the break may be due to carelessness on the part of employees. That hose formed the connection between a Greek tanker and a buoy. Oil was pumped from the ship to the Map Ta Phut industrial estate via the pipeline.

The DSI considers it possible that the pipeline has not been inspected before use. She also takes into account the possibility that an employee closed the safety valves too late after the leakage started. Or that the tanker was anchored too far from the buoy. The DSI comes with a final conclusion after talking tomorrow with the 14 (!) Services involved in the spill.

Some academics, including Thorn Thamrongnawasawat, a maritime expert from Kasetsart University, say the government is too quick to open the now-cleaned beach to tourists. According to Thorn, more information is needed about the state of the marine environment. According to a team from the university, it is shallow water coral bump coral affected by the oil and part has already died. [This statement contradicts a statement by the director of the Marine and Coastal Resources Department that coral reefs have not been affected. See News from Thailand Monday.]

– The government will set up a pilot project in which 1 million rai, currently used for rice cultivation, will be converted into sugar cane fields. These are rice fields in the vicinity of sugar factories. According to the Federation of Thai Industries, there is a high demand for sugar in Asean.

Growing sugar cane costs 10.000 to 12.000 baht per rai. The sugar cane can be harvested after 18 months. Farmers can earn 15.000 baht per rai against 800 baht for rice. The government supports the pilot with the payment of interest on loans.

– Importers of baby milk products have been asked by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide details about their products. The FDA wants to tighten safety standards after bacteria that can cause botulism were found in the products of the New Zealand company Fonterra. Most products have now been taken off the shelves in Thailand by importer Dumex. There is no question of a ban on the import of baby milk products yet, says the FDA. Botulism can lead to paralysis of the facial muscles and limbs, and in severe cases, cause breathing difficulties.

– Foreign employees in the fishing industry do not (any longer) receive a work permit if their employer does not conclude an employment contract with them. The aim of the measure is to put an end to human trafficking. The contract should include details of pay, working hours, accommodation, welfare benefits, etc. A standard contract has been prepared by the Labor Protection and Welfare Department in conjunction with the ILO.

– Residents in Uttaradit complain about the stench that egrets spread in tambon Thasao. About 10.000 birds have been camping there for three months. The residents are also concerned about the pollution of the water by the bird droppings. According to the mayor, the birds come from an area near an army camp, but were chased away. Fire arrows and burning car tires are used to scare the birds from their new habitat. The population would already be smaller.

– Severe weather is expected over the next four days in ten provinces in the South with the known risks: landslides and flooding. Small boats should not sail.

Economic news

– The Thai economy is solid, but if the political unrest and the shaky global economy last too long, it will inevitably be affected. This says Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul.

'Everyone involved should think about the country. We must work together to come up with solutions for the country, as there are many challenges ahead. The political situation is closely related to domestic spending. When the political divide widens, consumer confidence suffers and purchasing power declines,” Prasarn said.

The economy is in good shape today, Prasarn says, citing the balance of trade, foreign reserves and the stability of financial institutions, which have provisioned for more than 100 percent of the current value of NPLs (non-performing loans). On average, NPLs stand at 2 percent of total industry and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) ratio stands at 15,7 percent, well above the required 8,5 percent. [No idea what this means.]

Prasarn says high household debt is not yet a problem thanks to the strong economy, but when the economy slackens, debt becomes a problem. That is why he warns companies to be careful and financial institutions should more rigorously assess mortgage applications, applications for personal loans and purchases on credit.

Areepong Bhoocha-oom, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Finance, is considerably more optimistic. Despite the political problems, the economy has grown and he is sure it will continue to grow.

The Federation of Thai Industries has been concerned about the political unrest since April. "I would like all parties to help create an atmosphere conducive to foreign investment," said chairman Payungsak Chartsutthipol. "Because if we are too slow, other countries in Asean will gain an advantage."

– Even more Bank of Thailand. The bank has asked commercial banks to build up extra reserves because of the uncertain global economy and possible future payment problems of people in debt. Those reserves can act as a buffer in case a bank suffers major financial losses. The extra reserves also give the rating agencies a more positive view of Thai banks.

The banks have already built up extra reserves in the first half of the year to improve their financial position. These provisions resulted in a decline in net profit. The Krungthai bank, for example, made a provision of 3 billion baht, raising its total reserves to 5,77 billion baht. As a result, the loan-loss coverage ratio rose from 92,73 to 104,36 percent.

In the second quarter, bank loans grew at an annual rate of 12,8 percent; in the first half of the year, the banks made a profit of approximately 98 billion baht. The NPLs (non-performing loans) stand at 2,2 percent of the total loan amount.

Incidentally, the commercial banks are still financially firmly in the saddle. The so-called capital adequacy ratio is high at 15,9 percent, considerably more than the requirement of 8,5 percent.

– Oil and gas company PTT Plc will improve its oil transport network and installations. "We want to make sure our companies never have accidents like this," said Parnpree Bahiddhanukara, chairman of the board of directors, about the oil spill off the coast of Rayong a week ago. All companies and subsidiaries, both abroad and in Thailand, must improve their safety standards. The hose that broke on Saturday will be replaced.

“The most important lesson for PTTGC to learn from this accident is risk management. From now on, special procedures will be introduced in all our operations. PTT and PTTGC have been commissioned to jointly develop measures that will make Samet one of the cleanest islands in the future.'

Koh Samet's clean-up operation is almost complete and compensation payments have already been made. This week, the company hopes to complete them and environmental restoration in the affected areas will begin soon.

“Bangkok is familiar with disasters, but as their severity increases, the city's ability to effectively fight them decreases,” said Apiwat Ratanawaraha, assistant professor of urban and regional planning at Chulalongkorn University. As an example, he mentions the floods of 2011. That disaster clearly showed that the city has no overall plan and also lacks the resilience to deal with major disasters.

Two cities are doing better, says Apiwat. With help from the Rockfeller Foundation-funded Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network, both cities have embarked on projects to deal with the shock and strain of disasters.

In Chiang Rai, the Kok River is being restored so that it can collect excess water during the rainy season and store water during the dry season. A Resilience Learning Center acts as a public archive and shelter during a disaster.

Hat Yai is trying to reduce the economic costs for companies through a warning system and public information.

The Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities Centennial Challenge aims to help participating cities "fail softer" and provide the opportunity to recover more quickly after an incident. Cities have until September 23 to sign up for the Challenge.

– The new temporary terminal at Phuket airport should be operational at the end of December. The terminal will be used for international charter flights. The arriving passengers are transported by bus to the main terminal for passport control and security check. There will be ten check-in counters. The expansion of the main terminal should be completed by mid-2015. The airport is expected to handle 10,5 million passengers this year, while the current terminal is designed for 6,5 million passengers. The expansion of the main terminal brings the capacity to 12,5 million passengers.

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post