Nong Bua Lamphu Parents Weep Upon Learning of Son’s Death in Gaza

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May 17, 2024 7:18 pm

NONG BUA LAMPHU – Sonthaya Akkrasri, 30, nicknamed Mos, was one of the two Thai workers recently confirmed dead by Israeli authorities. He had been held hostage by Hamas since October 7, 2023.

He came from Village No. 3, Ban Phrao Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nong Bua Lamphu Province, which is one of the ten provinces with the highest poverty rates in Thailand.

Mrs. Amorn Akkrasri, 50 years old, mother of Mr. Sonthaya or Mos, said that yesterday (16 May) around 3.10 pm, while she was herding buffaloes with her husband, Mr. Niphon Akkrasri, 52 years old, she received a call with many numbers and a plus sign.

At first, she was happy because she believed it was good news from Israel and that her son had been found. But at that moment, she heard a consular official say, “We regret to inform you.”.

“I was so shocked that I collapsed on the floor and could no longer speak. They said they had found a body and confirmed that it was my son, Mr. Sonthaya Akkrasri. I waved my husband over to tell him the news and he cried and repeated that it felt like we had sent our son to his death. Why did they have to kill our son?” Said Mrs. Amorn.

The couple then called their other son, who works in Taiwan, to inform him. The neighbors heard the news from the authorities.

nongbua gaza2 — Sonthaya Akkrasri, 30, nicknamed Mos, was one of the two Thai workers recently confirmed dead by Israeli authorities.

Mr. Niphon said that he had once dreamed of his son. In the dream, his son came to their home dressed in white and said that he was only visiting and would soon be leaving. In the dream, the father asked why he had to leave and the son said he was going back to visit friends who had not yet left. When he woke up and told his wife, she said it was probably because he missed their son so much. At this point they still believed their son was safe and even after 7 months they hoped he would return.

While the couple were being interviewed by reporters, a nephew called from Bangkok to ask about the news. Both cried again, overwhelmed with grief.

Ms. Amorn said that before Songkran, around 9-10 April, soldiers came to her house and asked for her son’s pictures. She only had pictures on her cell phone and handed them over because she thought the Israeli authorities needed them to search for her son. She never thought he would die.

Her son was married and had a daughter named Kaimook. After separating from his wife, he went to Israel to work for about a year. His 8-year-old daughter lives with her mother but visits her grandparents almost every day. She loves her father very much and called him every day before school until they lost contact. “Every time she sees a plane, Kaimook tells her grandmother that her father has come back,” says Ms. Amorn.

Mrs. Amorn adds that she does not yet have the courage to tell her granddaughter. She will wait until Mr. Sonthaya’s body arrives home.

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FIFA To Seek Legal Advice on Palestinian Proposal To Suspend Israel From International Soccer

By

Associated Press

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May 17, 2024 6:39 pm

Thailand Soccer WWCup 2027 Vote — Palestinian Football Association leader Jibril Rajoub delivers his speech during the FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

BANGKOK (AP) — Facing a Palestinian proposal to suspend Israel from international soccer because of the conflict with Hamas, FIFA bought time Friday by agreeing to seek legal advice before holding an extraordinary council meeting within two months.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino outlined the plan to 211 member federations after leaders of the Palestinian and Israel soccer bodies spoke at the governing body’s annual congress in Bangkok.

“Now, due to the obvious sensitivity of these matters, FIFA will mandate as of now independent legal expertise to analyze and assess the three requests made by the Palestinian Football Association and ensure that the statutes and regulations of FIFA are applied in the correct way in order to ensure a fair and due process,” Infantino said.

“This legal assessment will have to allow for inputs and claims of both member associations. The results and the recommendations … will be forwarded to the FIFA council.

“Due to the urgency of the situation, an extraordinary FIFA Council will be convened and will take place before July 20 to review the results of the legal assessment and to take the decisions that are appropriate.”

AP24138305473757 — FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivers his speech at the FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

The Palestinian soccer federation has now spoken at a FIFA Congress at least five times since 2014 without making the progress it wants.

Palestinian soccer’s issues with Israel in that decade have included travel restrictions on its players, the Israeli league including teams from West Bank settlements, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In the past 10 years, FIFA under two different presidents has deferred a vote or decision, or created a working group to report back at a later meeting.

The Palestine Football Association proposal to 211 member federations called for “appropriate sanctions, with immediate effect, against Israeli teams” and was forecast in FIFA documents released last month.

The motion noted “international law violations committed by the Israeli occupation in Palestine, particularly in Gaza” and cited FIFA statutory commitments on human rights and against discrimination.

The Palestinian FA wrote that “all the football infrastructure in Gaza has been either destroyed, or seriously damaged, including the historic stadium of Al-Yarmuk.”

On Friday at the congress, Palestinian soccer’s leader Jibril Rajoub said “the Palestinian people, including the Palestinian football family, are enduring an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.”

He said 193 footballers were among the thousands of Palestinians to die in the ongoing war which erupted Oct. 7 with Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel.

More than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures. About 80% of Gaza’s population have been driven from their homes.

Rajoub, who said he had been threatened because of his sanctions proposal, urged FIFA delegates not to delay the vote.

“The Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs has made serious threats to imprison me if I do not withdraw this proposal, but no power in the world can stand in the way of truth,” Rajoub said.

AP24138297447074 — President of the Israel Football Associated Shino Moshe Zuares delivers his speech at the 74th FIFA congress in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 17, 2024.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

But Infantino said the matter couldn’t go to a full vote of the membership on Friday because it had to be dealt with by FIFA’s governing council.

“I do not want to divide our 211 member countries,” he said. “I have a responsibility as president to apply the statutes of FIFA and its regulations, whatever my personal conviction on these and other terrible matters around the world.”

He said at the FIFA council meeting on Wednesday, all 37 members unanimously agreed to condemn the acts of violence that have taken place and decided to send a strong message of solidarity.

“The FIFA Council also reiterated that football should not and should never become a hostage of politics and always remain … a force of good uniting people rather than dividing,” Infantino said.

The meeting Friday included delegates from Russia, whose national and club teams have been suspended from international competitions since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The legal argument put by FIFA and UEFA was the refusal of other European teams to play Russians would cause chaos in competitions.

Israel has played in UEFA competitions as a member since 1994 and no European federation has refused to play its teams.

Bangkok U. Bridging Gap with Berkeley SkyDeck Hackathon

By

Matichon Marketing

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May 17, 2024 5:22 pm

“Education is the wellspring of creating value for human capital and driving business. Curriculum design and teaching methods must allow students with passion to experience magic moments of learning.”

Bangkok University fosters creative thinking, focusing on developing graduates who can think outside the box, keep pace with global changes, and meet workforce demands. They can create value in the workplace immediately by producing the DNA of a creative university through students in all fields.

Curriculum development and teaching methods follow the Bridging the Gap concept, linking industry with academics by integrating academic learning with experience and partner. The students who are under Bangkok University’s training will gain professional skills from the university’s global partnership network.

Last year, Bangkok University partnered with the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund, a renowned American accelerator fund that has raised hundreds of millions of dollars.

The Hackathon event opened for students from universities in Thailand and aboard both undergraduates and graduates to form a team to participate in the said event. They created business proposals to pitch to world-leading entrepreneurs and obtained guidance from Silicon Valley’s mentors together with partners such as 9Basil and SkillLane as panelists. This activity gave students pre-service training experience, helped them understand the learning process, simulated real-life processes in the business world, and pictured the intensity of competition in today’s business world. This process created knowledge and magic moments for students rapidly—

We wish Bangkok University‘s graduates and students to discover themselves, build passion, and have moments and opportunities to immerse themselves in the intense business world through our learning approach under the learning management of Bangkok University.

Moreover, the Bridging the Gap concept recognizes that degrees may no longer match job requirements. Bangkok University has to look back and edit its curriculum design to provide skill sets that keep pace with global trends. As an academic partner between entrepreneurs and the university, we will create the essential degrees needed for work. Bangkok University envisions becoming a leading ASEAN educational institution, building confidence in the new Thai generation to pursue their passions, and elevating the university to a regional leader soon.

Nong Khai Family Devastated by Worker’s Death in Gaza War

By

Khaosod English

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May 17, 2024 5:18 pm

nongkai gaza1 — Relatives of Mr. Sutthisak Rintalak, a Thai worker who was taken hostage during the conflict in Gaza, are devastated by the tragic news of his death.

NONG KHAI – The family of a Thai worker who was taken hostage during the conflict in Gaza is devastated by the tragic news of his death, although they had prepared themselves mentally. They are still hoping for the release of other workers who are still being held captive as each of them fled poverty to work abroad in search of a better life.

Mr. Sutthisak Rintalak, 43, residing at 170 Moo 11, Phra Bat Na Singha Subdistrict, Rattana Wapi District, Nong Khai Province, was one of the workers from Nong Khai who wanted to work in agriculture in Israel. He was taken hostage on October 7, 2023, and his family was only recently informed of his death on 16 May 2024.

On May 17, a Khao Sod reporter in Nong Khai Province visited Mr. Sutthisak’s home and met his parents, Mr. Thongma Rintalak, 73, and Mrs. On Rintalak, 75. They were at home, grieving over the news.

Mr. Si Saengrit, the village headman of Ban Non Samran, Moo 11, brought villagers to help clean and prepare the house for Mr. Sutthisak’s funeral. Amidst the sadness, relatives broke into tears as they looked at his photos.

nongkai gaza2 — Mr. Thongma Rintalak, 73, and Mrs. On Rintalak, 75, show their son’s photo after receiving the tragic news that their son died while being held hostage in Gaza.

Mr. Thongma Rintalak, father of the deceased, said that Mr. Sutthisak was the youngest of their two children. He had been married and divorced without children. On August 10, 2017, Mr. Sutthisak, along with friends from the same village, applied for agricultural work in Israel. He worked continuously until the Gaza conflict occurred, resulting in him and other Thai workers being taken hostage.

After hearing the news, the parents prayed for their son’s safety, but also feared that he might already have died. They kept checking with the authorities for news. On the evening of 16 May, they heard from relatives that the authorities had called to confirm Mr. Sutthisak’s death. Although they had prepared themselves to some extent, Mrs. On was still overwhelmed with grief.

“We still hope that the group holding the remaining Thai workers will release them. Every worker is fighting for a better life and fleeing poverty to work abroad. We do not want other families to experience the same tragedy as ours. From now on, our eldest son will be the only one to take care of us,” said Mr. Thongma.

nongkai gaza3 — The parents of a Thai worker who died in Gaza are still hoping for the release of other workers who are still being held captive as each of them fled poverty to work abroad in search of a better life.

Relatives of Mr. Sutthisak said they are waiting to see if his body or ashes will be returned to the family. They are preparing for the funeral. If neither his body nor ashes are returned, they will invite monks to conduct a merit-making ceremony with his photo.

Ms. Sommai Thiamkan, a labor official in Nong Khai, stated that the deceased would initially receive benefits including 50,000 baht as compensation for Thai workers affected by the riots in Israel, 31,108.26 baht from the old-age pension of the Social Security Fund and 40,000 baht from the Employment Assistance Fund for Thai Workers Abroad, Department of Labor.

At the international level, compensation will include payment of Israeli social security and unpaid wages and severance pay, which will be coordinated with the relevant agencies. The Nong Khai Labor Office has also assisted the parents in submitting documents to the Rattanawapi District Office to apply for these benefits.

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CP Foods Drives Sustainable Surplus Food Management Through Thailand’s Food Bank Initiative

By

Matichon Marketing

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May 17, 2024 4:33 pm

Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CP Foods) reaffirms its dedication to food security through sustainable management of surplus food and reduction of food waste across its operations. Along with this mission, CP Foods is spearheading its involvement in the “Thailand’s Food Bank” initiative. This collaboration involves the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), the SOS Foundation, and private sector partners, to reduce food waste to landfills.

This partnership aligns with Thailand’s BCG (Bio-Circular-Green) economic model, promoting public well-being through responsible food production and consumption practices. It also supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 2 “Zero Hunger” and SDG 12 “Responsible Consumption and Production.”

Mr. Tawit Thanhakarnjanakul, Director of Logistics and Distribution Centers at CPF Global Food Solution Public Co., Ltd. (CPFGS), the leading global food solutions provider engaged in food products and services under CP Foods, emphasized the Company’s mission to ensure food security. “Beyond upholding stringent food safety, quality, and accessibility standards, we recognize the critical importance of reducing food loss and waste across our entire supply chain,” he stated.

CPFGS implements comprehensive measures to minimize food waste. This includes optimizing inventory planning to meet customer demand, closely monitoring product shelf life, and exploring alternatives to divert surplus food from landfills. “Our goal is to maximize resource efficiency and minimize the environmental impact of our operations,” Mr. Tawit affirmed.

By employing meticulous inventory management strategies and extending product lifecycles through proper handling and storage, CPFGS aims to significantly curb the volume of surplus food designated for disposal. When surplus inventory is unavoidable, the company actively seeks opportunities to repurpose safe, high-quality food items through partnerships with charitable organizations and food redistribution programs.

As part of Thailand’s Food Bank project, CP Foods shares its extensive expertise in managing surplus food efficiently. The company has implemented robust measures to minimize food waste throughout its supply chain, including optimized inventory planning, effective shelf-life management, and diverting safe, high-quality surplus food to vulnerable communities.

Since June 2020, CP Foods has been collaborating with the Scholars of Sustenance Foundation (SOS Thailand) on the impactful “Circular Meal” project. Through this initiative, surplus food items from the company’s two logistics and distribution centers in Chachoengsao province and Samut Sakhon province, are redirected to serve vulnerable communities. The surplus includes ready-to-eat meals and frozen and chilled foods that maintain high quality, safety, and nutritional standards.

These perfectly consumable surplus foods are distributed to underprivileged groups, such as low-income families, children, and the elderly, in Bangkok and its surrounding areas. The “Circular Meal” project has provided over 200,000 nourishing meals to these disadvantaged communities.

Notably, this food recovery and redistribution effort has prevented approximately 50 tons of food waste from ending up in landfills. Additionally, it has mitigated greenhouse gas emissions by over 124 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e), comparable to planting more than 13,000 trees.

By diverting surplus food to those in need, CP Foods demonstrates its commitment to sustainable practices that simultaneously address food insecurity and minimize the company’s environmental footprint. The “Circular Meal” project exemplifies how strategic cross-sector partnerships can create tangible positive impacts for society and the planet.

“At CP Foods, we prioritize responsible production and consumption practices, setting an ambitious target of Zero Food Waste to Landfill,” affirmed Mr. Tawit. “We stand ready to collaborate and contribute our expertise in studying innovative approaches to effectively manage surplus food and reduce food waste across the nation.”

Recently, CP Foods participated in the launch of the Thailand’s Food Bank project launched by NSTDA, supported by the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA). The project plays as a model and create the guidelines for managing surplus food suitable for Thailand to ensure equal access to food for those in need and vulnerable groups. CP Foods representatives shared their experience in managing surplus food and jointly donating surplus food to the SOS foundation for prepare nutritious meal for vulnerable residents surrounding Khlong Song Kratiem School, Lat Phrao, Bangkok.

ASEAN Young Adults Arrested for Selling Drugs and Vape Pods in Bangkok

By

Khaosod English

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May 17, 2024 3:34 pm

asean drugs1 — Mr. Jayden, a 23-year-old Singaporean and Ms. Ketdao, a 24-year-old Thai were found with evidence of drugs and e-cigarette pods inside a condominium in the Rama 9 area on May 15, 2024.

BANGKOK – Officers from the 191 Patrol Unit announced on Friday the arrest of four individuals from ASEAN neighboring countries and a Thai national on charges of selling e-cigarettes and drugs in Bangkok’s business district. All suspects were charged at the Makkasan Police Station.

The arrested individuals include Mr. Jayden, a 23-year-old Singaporean, Ms. Ketdao, a 24-year-old Thai, Miss Maria, a 25-year-old Filipino, and Mr. Joel, a 28-year-old Singaporean. The arrests took place at a condominium near Thong Lor area, and continued to another condo in Rama 9, Bangkapi Subdistrict, Huai Khwang District, Bangkok, at 5:00 PM on May 15.

Authorities seized substantial evidence, including 63 drug-laced e-cigarette pods (methamphetamine), 37 drug-laced e-cigarette pods (heroin), 17 e-cigarette devices, and 26 bubble wrap packages.

asean drugs3 — Mr. Jayden, a 23-year-old Singaporean, admitted that he made money from selling drugs and Pot-K.

Additionally, they confiscated 6 packets of Happy Water, 54 ecstasy pills, 3 bags of MDMA powder weighing approximately 1.89 grams, 2 bags of MDMA capsules containing 8 pills, 10 bags of white crystalline ketamine weighing approximately 10.81 grams, 1 bag of ice weighing approximately 1.04 grams, and 170 Five Five pills.

They also seized 3 mobile phones, 10 bank account books, 2 electronic cash cards, and 376,000 baht in cash.

The investigation revealed that e-cigarette pods laced with methamphetamine, commonly known among tourists as “Pot-K”,” were being sold and had gained popularity among young people. These pods were sold via the Line app for 4,000 baht per pod, with a discount when buying two pods for 7,000 baht. When customers placed an order, the sellers delivered the product to the specified address via GrabBike.

Upon discovering that the dealers were storing “Pot-K” at a condo near entertainment hubs in the Thong Lor area, authorities arranged a sting operation. An undercover agent ordered a Pot-K pod for 3,500 baht, paid via bank transfer, and upon successful payment, the pod was delivered, leading to the arrest of the four suspects.

asean drugs2 — Authorities arrested four susupects and seized substantial evidence at the condominium in the Rama 9 area on May 15, 2024.

Mr. Jayden and Ms. Ketdao face multiple charges:

Possession of a schedule 1 narcotic (methamphetamine) for sale,
Unlawful possession of a schedule 1 narcotic (methamphetamine),
Possession of a Schedule 1 narcotic (ecstasy, happy water or methamphetamine) for sale,
Possession of a category 1 narcotic (ice, ecstasy or MDMA) for sale,
Possession of a category 2 psychotropic substance (ketamine, Five Five) for sale,
Violation of the orders of the consumer protection authority by selling prohibited products (e-cigarettes and corresponding liquids).

Ms. Maria is charged with possession of a Schedule 1 narcotic (ecstasy, “Happy Water,” or methamphetamine) for sale and unlawful possession of a Category 1 narcotic (heroin). Mr. Joel is charged with possession of a Schedule 1 narcotic (ecstasy, “Happy Water,” or methamphetamine) for sale.

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Two More Thai Hostages Have Died in Gaza, PM Offers Condolences to Their Families

By

Khaosod English

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May 17, 2024 11:34 am

Israel Palestinians — Palestinians walk through the debris after an Israeli air and ground offensive in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Saher Alghorra)

BANGKOK – With two more deaths, 41 Thai workers have died in Gaza, where the war between Hamas and Israel began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin posted on X while on duty in Rome at 1.23 a.m .Friday, Bangkok time, that he’s deeply saddened to learn that two more Thai migrant workers who were among the eight remaining Thai hostages held by Hamas have died.

“I am deeply saddened to learn that the two Thai hostages in Gaza, namely Mr. Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Mr. Sudthisak Rinthalak are now confirmed deceased. I offer my deepest condolences to both their families. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our Embassy in Tel Aviv will provide all necessary assistance required.

7bodies from Israel — The bodies of seven Thai workers killed in Israel by Hamas arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport on October 26 via El Al Airlines flight LY083. This is the second group of remains. Israeli Ambassador to Thailand Ms Orna Sagiv was present to pay respect at the airport.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement on May 17, 2024 that it has been informed by the Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv that, upon consideration of the available evidence, the Committee for Assessing the Conditions of the Hostages of the Israeli Government has concluded that two Thai nationals listed as hostages in Gaza, from the remaining eight yet to be released, namely Mr. Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Mr. Sudthisak Rinthalak, are deceased, since October 2023.

The Royal Thai Government expresses its profound condolences to their families, which have already been contacted by the Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv, while the agencies involved will render all necessary assistance to the families.

The Royal Thai Government reiterates its strong call for the immediate release of all remaining hostages, including the six remaining Thai nationals in Gaza, so that they may return home safely, and call for all sides to exercise their utmost efforts in negotiations leading to an urgent solution to the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

AP23314737049588 — The figure of a hand is marked with blood on the wall of a bomb shelter located in the Thai workers’ housing section of Kibbutz Nir Oz, Israel, near the Gaza Strip, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Just earlier on Monday, Israeli Ambassador to Thailand Orna Sagiv told Khaosod English there was no progress on the remaining Thai hostages. Israel says militants still hold around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.

According to the Associated Press report on May 17, 2024, Israel’s defense minister said the military would send more troops into Rafah, a city along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, as fighting also rages in northern Gaza, where Hamas has regrouped.

South Africa is seeking emergency measures at the U.N.’s top court to halt Israel’s escalating offensive in Rafah, calling the incursion “the last step in the destruction of Gaza.” Israel has portrayed Rafah as the last Hamas stronghold, brushing off warnings from the United States and other allies that any major operation there would be catastrophic for civilians.

AP24137319555256 — Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Thursday, May 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

No food has entered the two main border crossings in southern Gaza for more than a week. Some 1.1 million Palestinians are on the brink of starvation, according to the U.N.

Around 600,000 Palestinians have been driven out of Rafah since the beginning of last week, the U.N. said. Some 80% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million Palestinians have fled their homes since the start of the war, with many relocating multiple times.

Seven months of war have killed more than 35,000 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to local health officials.

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HRW Calls on Thai Government to Launch an Investigation Into “Swap Mart” Dissidents

By

Associated Press

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May 17, 2024 12:57 am

Thailand Transnational Repression — FILE - Thai rescuers cover a body on the shore of the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom province northeast of Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday Dec. 27, 2018. DNA tests show that two bodies found washed up on the shore of Thailand's Mekong River are the corpses of anti-government activists, police said Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019, in what are feared to be political killings. (AP Photo, File)

BANGKOK (AP) — In the new Human Rights Watch report, titled “We Thought We Were Safe,” which analyzed 25 cases that took place in Thailand between 2014 and 2023, the organization said Thai authorities repeatedly violated international law by expelling the dissidents, many of whom were registered with the United Nations as refugees and were awaiting resettlement in third countries.

Many of the cases involved the forcible repatriation of Cambodians, with the suspected involvement of Cambodian security personnel. But the group also listed cases where dissidents from Vietnam, Laos and China were “tracked down and abducted,” or “forcibly disappeared or killed.”

The report said that in return for tracking down and returning the dissidents, the Thai government received cooperation from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam to spy on Thai dissidents who had fled their own homeland to escape political repression.

Human Rights Watch called this a quid-pro-quo form of transnational repression “in which foreign dissidents are effectively traded for critics of the Thai government living abroad.”

The group said such arrangements, informally known as “swap mart,” became increasingly frequent after the Thai army staged a coup in 2014 ousting an elected government. Military and military-backed rule lasted 10 years, until an elected civilian government led by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin took office last year.

“The Srettha administration should launch an investigation into these allegations of harassment, surveillance and forced returns of asylum seekers and refugees in Thailand. It should investigate the disappearance of Thai anti-junta activists in other Southeast Asian countries,” Elaine Pearson, director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia Division, told The Associated Press.

”I think there is an opportunity to end this practice and for the Srettha administration to show it is different from the previous military-led government,” she added.

AP24137411673795 — FILE – An activist holds a photo of Thai dissident Wanchalearm Satsaksit during a rally in front of Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, June 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit), File)

She noted that the Thai government is currently seeking a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council “and that comes with responsibilities to protect human rights.”

The report cited nine cases of Thai activists in Laos and Cambodia who were disappeared or killed in mysterious circumstances. It said most of the reported cases have not been resolved or seen anyone prosecuted.

The mutilated bodies of two missing activists were found in late 2018 floating in the Mekong River. In 2020, a young Thai activist, Wanchalearm Satsaksit, was snatched off the street in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh and never heard from again.

Thai authorities have repeatedly denied any connection with such events.

Dr. Francesca Lessa, an associate professor in International Relations at University College London, said there were some parallels with the way autocratic leaders in Latin America made agreements to work together to eliminate political opponents on each other’s soil in the late 1970s to 1980s.

“Whether they follow right or left ideologies, these autocratic governments consider opposition and dissent as constituting a threat to their survival in power and, thus, to be eliminated, whatever the means required,” Lessa told the AP.

AP24137405754362 — FILE – Thai rescuers cover a body on the shore of the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom province northeast of Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday Dec. 27, 2018. (AP Photo, File)

Asked about the Human Rights Watch report, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said that Thailand is committed to respecting and upholding humanitarian principles, including not forcing asylum-seekers and refugees to return to their home countries where they might face persecution or where their lives or freedom might be endangered.

Separately, the Thai Foreign Ministry announced Thursday that the country has concluded the ratification process for the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which will come into effect on June 13. Thailand has had its own law on the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance since 2003, said the statement.

The ministry said that ratification means that Thailand will now be party to eight of the nine core international human rights treaties.

Human Rights Watch called the ratification a positive step, but said that Thailand must take action to match its words.

“The best way Thailand can show its commitment is by opening fresh investigations into cases of enforced disappearances,” she said. “Their families deserve justice.”

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Mother of Thai Woman’s Suspicious Death in Bahrain Cries Receiving Her Body

By

Khaosod English

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May 16, 2024 8:35 pm

SUVARNABHUMI – Ms. Aim, the mother of Ms. B, a 31-year-old woman who died suspiciously in Bahrain, wept as she received her daughter’s body at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Samut Prakan Province on May 16.

She was assisted by Mrs. Paveena Hongsakula, Chairperson of the Paveena Hongsakul Foundation for Children and Women, and airport officials who facilitated the release of the body.

“I thank Mrs. Paveena for helping coordinate the return of my daughter’s body to Thailand and the generosity of Thai people who donated money. I paid 80,000 baht to the Thai embassy in Bahrain for the repatriation, and the remaining money will be used for the funeral,” Ms. Aim said in tears.

thai woman bahrain3 — Ms. Aim, the mother of a 31-year-old woman who suspiciously died in Bahrain, weeps as she talks about her daughter’s death at Suvarnabhumi Airport on May 16, 2024.

She shared that her family is poor, and Ms. B was a single mother supporting the family. She decided to work in Bahrain in 2021, sending money to her to raise her three young children. She lost contact with her daughter since April 15, 2023 until the Thai embassy contacted Ms. Aim on April 18, 2024, informing her that her daughter’s body was found at Salmaniya Hospital in Bahrain. She was reported to have died on April 18, 2023.

Bahraini doctors stated the cause of death as acute lung and heart failure due to alcohol poisoning, but Ms. Aim did not believe. She noticed bruises on the body in the photographs, possibly from domestic violence. Additionally, when her daughter was alive, she would video call regularly, sometimes showing bruises and mentioning being abused by her Bahraini husband she had been living with since early 2023.

thai woman bahrain1 — Mrs. Paveena Hongsakul held a press conference alongside the mother and sister of Ms. B, who died suspiciously in Bahrain. Images were shown revealing that Ms. B had bruises on her body before her death.

After learning about her daughter’s death, Ms. Aim sought help from the Paveena Foundation on April 20. Thais in Bahrain, upon hearing the news, raised 92,087.56 baht to help cover the cost of sending Ms. B’s body back to Thailand, coordinated by Mrs. Paveena, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Thai embassy in Bahrain.

Upon receiving the body at the airport, Mrs. Paveena arranged for it to be sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Police General Hospital for an autopsy to determine the cause of death, as requested by the mother and relatives. After the autopsy, the family will hold a funeral at Wat Maklua in the Chom Thong-Dao Khanong area of Bangkok.

thai woman bahrain4 — Ms. Aim thanks Mrs. Paveena for helping coordinate the return of her daughter’s body to Thailand.

Mrs. Paveena warned Thai women considering working abroad to carefully verify details, as they risk being tricked into prostitution, human trafficking, forced drug use, and even being beaten to death.

According to the Paveena Foundation’s statistics from 2004-2022, Bahrain ranked first in the number of Thai women lured into prostitution abroad. In 2023, 219 Thai women were deceived into prostitution, with 56 cases in Dubai (1st), 54 in Myanmar (2nd), and 25 in Bahrain (3rd). Authorities may not be able to help in all cases.

This year, from January to April, three Thai women died in Malaysia, and two in Bahrain, with many cases having unknown causes, which are difficult to investigate due to the deaths occurring abroad.

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Ladyboys Nabbed for Stealing Indian Tourist’s Gold Necklace in Pattaya

By

Khaosod English

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May 16, 2024 5:47 pm

trans steal indian1 — Pattaya police arrested two suspects for stealing a 20-gram gold necklace worth 60,000 baht from an Indian tourist.

PATTAYA – Tourist police officers, in collaboration with the investigation officers of Pattaya City Police Station, arrested two suspects for stealing a 20-gram gold necklace worth 60,000 baht from an Indian tourist.

trans steal indian2 — CCTV footage shows one of the ladyboys hugged the Indian tourist before unhooking his necklace.

The two suspects are ladyboys named Malada or M, 34 years old, and Kachapapak or Nueng, 41 years old.

The theft occurred around 10:50 p.m. on May 9. The 50-year-old Indian tourist, Mr. Subhash, was sitting and relaxing on Pattaya beach, opposite the Elephant Market. The two ladyboys approached him, started a friendly conversation, and one of them hugged him. They took advantage of his distraction to unhook his necklace and flee.

Later, the Indian man realized his property was missing and was certain that the two ladyboys were responsible. He quickly went to file a complaint with the police, hoping they would help track down the culprits. The tourist police then inspected the crime scene and reviewed CCTV footage.

Once the police obtained the descriptions of the two ladyboys, they showed the images to the victim for confirmation. They then requested an arrest warrant from the Pattaya Provincial Court on charges of collaborating in nighttime theft, using a vehicle to facilitate the offense, and taking the property to evade arrest.

The officers tracked down and arrested both suspects at two locations on the night of May 15. They also seized the motorcycle used on the day of the incident before taking the two suspects to the inquiry officers at Pattaya City Police Station.

According to Thai Criminal Code Section 355, whoever dishonestly takes away the property of another person or property of which the other person is a co-owner, which is said to constitute theft by night, shall be punished with imprisonment of one to five years and fined 20,000 to 100,000 Baht.

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