HM King of Bhutan offers prayers for HM the King

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13 October 2016, 11:23

HM King of Bhutan, at the time Crown Prince, seen here in 2006 at HM the King’s royal banquet for the 60th Anniversary of his ascension to the throne.

THIMPHU, Bhutan — HM King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan wrote on his official Facebook page Wednesday night that prayers are being conducted in Bhutan for HM the King’s health.

“Special prayers are being conducted in all the sacred temples throughout the country” for the the King of Thailand who “has been unwell and is currently undergoing medical treatment,” the post read.

The peoples of Bhutan and Thailand share warm relations, King Wangchuck said.

The King of Bhutan has been a popular figure in Thailand ever since his state visit in 2006 for the occasion of HM the King’s 60th Anniversary of his ascension to the throne.

King Wangchuck’s Facebook post Wednesday night saying that special prayers are being offered for HM the King.

Creepy Clown Craze Crosses Atlantic, Fool Arrested in UK

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Associated Press

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13 October 2016, 02:15

Not a real clown but a character from U.S. television series American Horror Story.

LONDON — British police have made an arrest in the case of a person in a clown costume who deliberately frightened people on London streets.

Police said Tuesday they had arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of a public order offense stemming from an incident that started Saturday night in west London and ended early Sunday.

Scotland Yard says there have been a small number of suspicious clown incidents reported in London — apparently inspired by clown-related cases in the United States.

Police Commander Julian Bennett said Tuesday that three of the London incidents amounted to criminal offenses.

He says police expect such incidents to increase in the weeks before Halloween and that additional “reassurance patrols” will be added.

Police in other parts of Britain have reported similar cases.

Taekwondo Teacher Accused of Sexually Abusing Underage Student

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Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter

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12 October 2016, 20:55

Chatchapol Laothammateep, at right, on Tuesday at his Chatchapol Taekwondo Gym in Prachinburi city.

PRACHINBURI — A taekwondo teacher was behind bars Wednesday on charges of sexually assaulting an underage student after police arrested him in his dojo in Prachinburi city.

Chatchapol Laothammateep was arrested Tuesday at the Chatchapol Taekwondo Gym after his 14-year-old female student and her family filed a complaint to police that he had sexually abused her over a period of time.

The family alleged that since the abuse began in July, Chatchapol had touched her breasts, penetrated her vagina with his fingers and invited her to a motel.

The girl quit the martial arts school last month, according to police Lt. Sumit Hempetch of Prachinburi police.

The 34-year-old teacher denied all the accusations, Sumit said Wednesday.

Chatcharit Laothammateep, Chatchapol’s younger brother, also a teacher at the gym, said Chatchapol was innocent, stating that if anything happened it was unintentional due to body postures the martial art requires.

“Like gymnastics and [traditional dance], taekwondo has a stretching routine. He might have brushed her body without meaning to harass her,” Chatcharit said by phone Wednesday.

Chatcharit said the gym will remain operating as usual as they prepare to mount a defense of his brother’s innocence.

Sumit said the results of a forensic examination of the girl’s body will be available within two weeks.

Royal Children Gather at Siriraj Hospital, Prayuth Cancels Events

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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12 October 2016, 15:46

Holding portraits of His Majesty the King, well-wishers camp out on Wednesday to pray for King Bhumibol at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok. — Holding portraits of His Majesty the King, well-wishers camp out on Oct. 12, 2016 to pray for King Bhumibol at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok.

BANGKOK — Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn and his sisters visited the hospital Wednesday afternoon where His Majesty King Bhumibol is being treated while Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha rushed back to the capital, where anxiety mounted about the monarch’s health.

His Royal Highness Vajiralongkorn went to Siriraj Hospital after arriving in Bangkok from Munich earlier in the day. A large crowd has been growing at the hospital to pray for the speedy recovery of His Majesty the King, whose health has worsened, according to information released Sunday by the palace.

His royal motorcade arrived just after 5pm, two hours after Princess Chulabhorn and about 20 minutes after Princess Ubolratana arrived to visit their father. The road outside the hospital was closed just before the arrival of Princess Sirindhorn at 6:22pm.

Before 8pm, members of the royal family appeared to have left in motorcades from the hospital. A statement was issued by the palace shortly after 8pm saying the King had a blood infection and liver problems. It said he was being closely monitored and his condition remained unstable for a fifth day.

Junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha canceled a state visit in Chonburi province, as well as a scheduled visit to Rayong province and flew back to Bangkok by helicopter, reportedly to greet the prince.

Read: Mass Prayers, Online Best Wishes for HM King

Meanwhile crowds were swelling outside Siriraj Hospital, where many joined mass Buddhist prayers for the king’s health to improve.

The outpouring of concern and support for the 88-year-old monarch followed an update on King Bhumibol’s frail health on Sunday. The palace statement said the king was in an unstable condition with low blood pressure after being treated with hemodialysis and brain fluid removal a day earlier.

King Bhumibol has spent much of the past seven years at Siriraj Hospital. His delicate health is a cause of concern for many Thais, who see him as the spiritual leader of the nation.

There were some expectations online that the junta chairman would address the nation in a televised address at 4pm, but Prayuth’s secretary Wilas Aroonsri said there was no plans for such.

Additional reporting Sasiwan Mokkhasen from Siriraj Hospital

State Events Canceled as Thailand Waits For His Majesty to Recover

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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12 October 2016, 13:50

BANGKOK — At least two royal events were indefinitely postponed Wednesday while crowds of well-wishers continued to arrive at the hospital where His Majesty the King is being treated for his illness.

Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn and Princess Chulabhorn canceled their appearances at a graduation and a royal decoration ceremony respectively, respectively, according to statements posted online by their organizers.

Read: Mass Prayers, Online Best Wishes for HM King

The Crown Prince was scheduled to preside over the graduation of Chiang Mai Rajabhat University on Oct. 27 – 30, while his sister Her Royal Highness Chulabhorn was set to impart two classes of royal orders at Chitlada Palace on Oct. 13 – 14.

Their cancellations were posted online Wednesday by Chiang Mai Rajabhat University and the Bureau of Royal Scribes. No reason was given for either cancellation.

Online flight records showed Wednesday that His Royal Highness Vajiralongkorn flew to Bangkok from the German city of Munich, where he frequently visits.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people gathered at Siriraj Hospital to pray for King Bhumibol, who’s being treated there for a number of illnesses including, most recently, acute kidney failure.

In the latest statement published on Sunday, the palace said the king’s blood pressure was low after going through a hemodialysis and brain fluid removal operation a day earlier. The statement ended by noting that the monarch’s condition was still unstable at the time it was published.

King Bhumibol has spent much of the last seven years at Siriraj Hospital. His delicate health is a cause of concern for many Thais, who see him as the spiritual leader of the nation.

US and EU Call on Vietnam to Release Arrested Blogger

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Associated Press

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12 October 2016, 13:16

U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius greets Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last April at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture / Flickr

HANOI, Vietnam — The United States and the European Union have called on the Vietnamese government to release a popular blogger arrested earlier this week for alleged anti-state writing.

Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, who blogs as Me Nam, was arrested Monday in the south central province of Khanh Hoa for what authorities say were her Facebook and blog posts that distorted truth and instigated the public to oppose the communist government.

The ambassadors from the United States and European Union to Vietnam said in separate statements that the arrest goes against Vietnam’s international obligations and domestic laws on human rights and called for her release.

U.S. Ambassador Ted Osius said in a statement Wednesday that he was “deeply concerned” by recent actions taken by the government against peaceful human rights advocates, including the arrest of Quynh and the jailing of several other bloggers and activists.

“This trend threatens to overshadow Vietnam’s progress on human rights,” he said, adding the United States was urging the Vietnamese government to ensure its laws and actions are consistent with its international obligations and its Constitution.

The head of the European Union Delegation to Vietnam, Bruno Angelet, said in a statement that it was “important to ensure the safety of human rights defenders and protect their rights to express their opinions peacefully, freely, without threats or impediments, in line with Vietnam’s international obligations.”

Stillborn Baby Missing From Samut Prakan Hospital

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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12 October 2016, 12:22

Sutthirat Wangklang shows reporters Tuesday the coffin brought for his newborn niece, only to learn her remains disappeared from the hospital morgue. — Sutthirat Wangklang shows reporters Tuesday the coffin brought for his newborn niece,\ only to learn her remains disappeared from the hospital morgue.

BANGKOK — Police were investigating Wednesday how a deceased newborn went missing from a hospital morgue in southwest metro Bangkok while the dead baby’s family worries it was taken for necromantic rites.

The police inquiry came after the premature baby’s mother and other family raised alarm the body was stolen for use in animistic rites – a lucrative trade – while the hospital’s director said all explanations were being considered.

“We have summoned everyone related to this,” said Samphan Komrit, director of Samut Prakan Hospital, by telephone. “We’re looking into all possibilities.”

He said the incident was unprecedented.

“We will implement measures to prevent this from happening again, even though this has never happened before in the history of our hospital,” Samphan said.

Sutthirat Wangklang filed a criminal complaint Tuesday on behalf of his sister, whom he identified only as Na. He said Na recently gave birth after only six months of pregnancy, and the baby lived for two days in an incubator at Samut Prakan Hospital before dying of heart failure Friday.

When Na’s family went to pick up the dead baby on Tuesday, hospital staff said they could not locate the body, Sutthirat said.

“I’m afraid someone may have stolen the body for black magic,” he told reporters after filing a complaint at Samut Prakan City Police Station. There was no apparent evidence to support the claim.

Hospital director Samphan said he would cooperate with the investigation.

Aborted fetuses or corpses of stillborn babies are valued by practitioners of black magic rooted in pre-Buddhist rites. One enduring tradition is the creation of kuman thong, a magic charm containing a child’s soul, which is believed to bring luck and prosperity.

Violence in Myanmar Rakhine State, UN Urges Restraint

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Associated Press

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12 October 2016, 10:59

People gather around Baw Du Pa camp, a camp for stateless Rohingya people last May in the north of Sittwe, western Rakhine state, Myanmar. Photo: Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. special adviser on Myanmar called on civilians in troubled Rakhine state on Tuesday to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from responding to recent fighting that led to the deaths of security personnel as well as civilians.

Vijay Nambiar expressed concern at violent attacks by unidentified individuals and groups against border guards and security forces on Oct. 9 and subsequent fighting in three areas of Northern Rakhine, situated on Myanmar’s western coast, that resulted in the deaths.

Longstanding discrimination by majority Buddhists against Muslim Rohingya in Rakhine exploded into bloody violence in 2012. More than 100,000 people, mostly Rohingyas, are still in displacement camps.

“At this delicate juncture,” Nambiar said, “the local communities at all levels must refuse to be provoked by these incidents and their leaders must work actively to prevent incitement of animosity or mutual hatred between Buddhist and Muslim communities.”

He said authorities in the capital Naypyitaw had informed him “that firm instructions have been issued from the highest levels” for officials to take action within the law “to maintain peace and avoid escalation.”

The U.N. adviser said in a statement that he recognized “the prompt action and sober response of the security forces” during the latest violence.

He urged the security personnel “to exercise caution in the future to avoid any injuries or loss of innocent civilian lives, collateral damage to properties or any perception of harassment of the local population.”

Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi said in her first speech to the U.N. General Assembly last month as Myanmar’sde facto leader that the government was “standing firm against the forces of prejudice and intolerance” and is “committed to a sustainable solution that will lead to peace, stability and development for all communities within the state.”

But Suu Kyi, who has been criticized by some human rights activists for not speaking out forcefully in support of the Rohingya, did not mention the group by name in her speech. It’s a contentious issue among Buddhists in Rakhine, who consider the Rohingya to be illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh and customarily call them “Bengali.”

Story: Edith Lederer

Submissions Open For Bangkok Underground Film Festival (Postponed)

By

Kaewta Ketbungkan, Staff Reporter

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12 October 2016, 10:58

Update: This event has been suspended until further notice.

BANGKOK — Be it unique or weird, local and international amateur filmmakers are welcomed to submit their work for the Bangkok Underground Film Festival in November.

Anyone interested in submitting a short film, feature and video art piece have until Oct. 31 to do so by contacting [email protected].

Born as a side attraction at the Noise Market last year, the festival seeks to bring together filmmakers and audiences in the capital to enjoy a broader variety of films, from indie experimentation to animation and art.

The Bangkok Underground Film Festival will run over several days starting Nov. 19. At several venues. The shorts films will be shown Nov. 19 and 20 at Noise Market on the grounds of Museum Siam. Video art pieces will be shown Nov. 24 at Bridge Art Space and Nov. 25 at Jam Cafe. The features will screen Nov. 26 and 27 at a venue yet to be announced.

For more information, visit the festival’s website or Facebook page.

Congo Constitutional Crisis Inflames, Violence Likely

By

Associated Press

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12 October 2016, 10:47

An U.N. peacekeeper holds his radio as he patrols after violence erupted due to the delay of the presidential elections last September in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo: John Bompengo / Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS — The electoral crisis in Congo has become a constitutional crisis resulting in increasing political polarization and with no immediate end in sight, the U.N.’s special representative for Congo said Tuesday.

Maman Sambo Sidikou told the Security Council that parties on all sides appear increasingly willing to resort to violence to achieve their ends.

“If this trajectory continues, I believe large-scale violence is all but inevitable,” Sidikou said, adding that the scope of the threats “dramatically outstrip the (U.N. peacekeeping) mission’s capabilities.”

Tensions in Congo have risen as it has become increasingly apparent that President Joseph Kabila will stay in office after his term expires in December. Congo’s electoral commission said November’s scheduled presidential vote wouldn’t be possible until 2018, and a court has said Kabila can stay in power until the next election.

Dozens died in the capital Kinshasa in late September after security forces clashed with thousands of anti-government demonstrators opposed to delaying the election.

The opposition parties also called for restructuring the electoral commission and the Constitutional Court, saying they are partisan to Kabila, who came to power after his father’s assassination in 2001.

Sidikou said discussions over the election date were ongoing and that he hoped it could be held, “the sooner the better.”

He told the council it should encourage all parties currently boycotting the electoral process to return to dialogue and that the government should be prompted to take confidence building measures with the opposition, including direct engagement between Kabila and opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi.

He also said regional organization including the African Union should work with the U.N. to engage more directly and designate a high level emissary to bridge political divisions.

Story: Michael Astor

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