Opponents, Proponents of Chao Phraya Boardwalk Open Fire

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30 March 2016, 13:15

A narrow lane along Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River in a 2012 photo. Photo: David McKelvey / Flickr

BANGKOK — Conflict sparked Tuesday as government and activists could not agree on the approved Chao Phraya boardwalk project.

It was a day of competing announcements, as the military government promoted the next step toward building the 14-billion baht boardwalk along the river, while activists vowed to campaign against it and urged authorities to move forward transparently and with public participation.

“We are concerned that the seven-months for the feasibility study and public hearings is not enough for a conclusion that can answer all of society’s questions,” Friends of the River wrote in its statement.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, or BMA, on Tuesday held a joint news conference at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre with King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang and Khon Kaen University, the two universities contracted to conduct the 120-million baht feasibility study.

Both university teams chosen for the project said they are equipped with the technology and expertise to develop a design that will develop the river, economically and culturally. Friends of the River, an unpaid group of volunteer architects, environmental activists and community activists, say the project would destroy centuries of river heritage – and look ugly.

Asked about the 14-billion baht price tag, BMA representative Pirapong Saicheua said that wasn’t a final number. Activists pointed out it was the figure written into the cabinet resolution authorizing the project.

Conflict has been brewing since last week since when members of the paid university study team questioned information spread by the river activists who oppose lining a 7-kilometer stretch of the river with concrete walkways.

Architecture professor Antika Sawadsri of King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang dismissed all criticism from Friends of the River on March 23, saying the group was spreading false information based on outdated plans.

She insisted the project is dedicated to opening the riverside space for everyone to access.

The university teams have even launched their own competing group, Chao Phraya for All, and bickering has erupted between their Facebook page and that of Friends of the River, where some comments accuse the pro-promenade group of astroturfing.

Friend of the River leader Yossapon Boonsom said they aren’t anti- development but don’t believe spending 14 -billion baht to pave the sides of the river is the best project.

Renowned architect Duangrit Bunnag on Tuesday also suggested that if the project really sought equal access to the river, then it should also address access to government properties such as that held by the Royal Thai Navy.

When the seven months of study are completed, the construction of the boardwalk is expected to begin in early 2017.

River’s Friends Float Hope for Public Hearings on 14B-Baht ‘Promenade’

Radical Makeover of Chao Phraya River Delayed

Chao Phraya Promenade Should be Sent Back to Drawing Board, Architects Say

Htin Kyaw Sworn in as Myanmar's President

By

Associated Press

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30 March 2016, 11:49

Htin Kyaw, second right, takes oaths as Myanmar's new president during a sworn-in ceremony in Myanmar's parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Wednesday, March 30, 2016. Photo: Gemunu Amarasinghe / Associated Press

NAYPYITAW, Myanmar — Htin Kyaw, a confidante of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, was sworn in Wednesday as Myanmar's president, ushering in the first democratically elected government into office after decades of military rule.

But democracy in this impoverished Southeast Asian nation still feels incomplete. The military retains considerable amount of power in the government and parliament, and the president himself will play second fiddle to Suu Kyi, who has repeatedly said that she will run the country from behind the scenes because the military has ensured — through a constitutional manipulation — that she can't be the president.

For now, the country was celebrating the installation of the 69-year-old Htin Kyaw, as he took the oath of office in a joint session of Myanmar's newly elected parliament, as Suu Kyi sat watching in the front row.

"I, Htin Kyaw, do solemnly and sincerely promise and declare that I will be loyal to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and its citizens," he said, reading from a written pledge, while repeating after the house speaker Mann Win Khaing Than. "I will uphold and abide by the constitution and its laws… I will dedicate myself to the service of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar."

The same pledge was simultaneously read by First Vice President Myint Swe and Second Vice President Henry Van Tio. After a 20-minute tea break, all 18 members of Htin Kyaw's Cabinet, including Suu Kyi took a joint oath of office read out by the speaker.

Rightfully, the job belonged to Suu Kyi, who has been the face of the pro-democracy movement and who endured decades of house arrest and harassment by military rulers without ever giving up on her non-violent campaign to unseat them. But a constitutional provision barred Suu Kyi from becoming president, and she made it clear that whoever sits in that chair will be her proxy. She has said repeatedly she will run the government from behind the scenes.

Still, Htin Kyaw will be remembered by history as the first civilian president for Myanmar and the head of its first government to be elected in free and fair polls. Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, won a landslide victory in elections last November, in a reflection of Suu Kyi's widespread public support.

The constitutional clause that denied her the presidency excludes anyone from the position who has a foreign spouse or children. Suu Kyi's two sons are British, as was her late husband. The clause is widely seen as having been written by the military with Suu Kyi in mind.

The military has reserved 25 percent of the seats in parliament for itself, guaranteeing that no government can amend the constitution without its approval. The military also heads the Home Ministry and the Defense Ministry, which gives it control over the corrections department, ensuring that the release of political prisoners is its decision to make.

Also, it ensured that one of Htin Kyaw's two vice presidents is a former general, Myint Swe, a close ally of former junta leader Than Shwe. Myint Swe remains on a U.S. Treasury Department blacklist that bars American companies from doing business with several tycoons and senior military figures connected with the former junta.

Story: Esther Htusan / Associated Press

Thailand Eyes Luxury Tourists, Operators Say Keep Them Safe

By

Reuters

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30 March 2016, 11:15

A tourist poses for a photograph on a boat near Maiton island in Phuket, Thailand March 18, 2016. Photo: Athit Perawongmetha / Reuters

By Amy Sawitta Lefevre
Reuters

BANGKOK — Thailand needs to do more to keep its tourists safe if it wants to achieve its objective of attracting more high-end travelers, operators say, or it risks losing out to its up-and-coming neighbors.

With its palm-fringed beaches, Buddhist culture and racy nightlife, Thailand has been the poster child for Asian tourism for decades, attracting a range of visitors from backpackers and adventure-seekers, to families and culture vultures.

In recent years, increasing numbers of Chinese tourists have joined the mix. But dark clouds could be forming even as a record 32 million tourists are expected this year.

The industry, which accounts for 10 percent of gross domestic product, has been resilient to political upheaval over the last decade that has included violent street protests and military coups.

Even a deadly 2015 bomb attack on a Bangkok shrine popular with tourists failed to dent arrivals to any discernable degree.

But crime and accidents, and the perception Thailand is becoming a mass market, could pose a bigger threat to the government plan.

The murder of two British tourists in 2014 hit world headlines. This month, two French women filed complaints of rape.

Woeful road safety, accidents at sea, scams and even angry elephants have added to what seems like a never-ending litany of bad news.

"Visitor volume is high but with that the probability of crime also increases," Surapong Techaruwichit, chairman of the Hotel Association of Thailand, told Reuters.

"We need to reassure tourists that Thailand is safe."

The government's Tourism Authority now wants to focus on "quality tourism", and has launched a campaign to attract visitors who spend more, and hopefully stay out of trouble.

"Many people say tourists come here because it is a cheap destination. This needs to change," Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul told a tourist safety workshop last week.

Tourists take pictures at Mai Khao Beach, as a plane approaches the Phuket International Airport, March 17, 2016. Photo: Athit Perawongmetha / Reuters

'Nothing Goes Wrong'

But luring more discerning travelers might not be so easy.

"If we want to attract the high end we need to reassure them. Meeting our target luxury-traveler target will be harder after the recent negative publicity," said Surapong.

The figures can be frightening.

Fourteen U.S. citizens died of unnatural causes in Thailand from January to June 2015, higher than the 11 who died in France, a top destination for U.S. tourists, according to U.S. State Department figures.

Thailand had the second-highest number of deaths of British nationals in 2014 after Spain, which is the top holiday spot for Britons, British Foreign Office figures show.

Major General Surachet Hakphan, commander of the Tourist Police, says things will change. The men and women in his division will focus on safety, he said.

"Elephants trampling on tourists and tourists having their legs cut off by speed boats, this won't happen any more," Surachet told Reuters, referring to two recent fatal accidents.

Jason Friedman, managing director at J.M. Friedman & Co. – Bespoke Hospitality Services, said despite the bad news, Thailand had managed to preserve its image as a holiday paradise.

"People want to believe Thailand is a great place and nothing goes wrong here – this is a perception that works in our favor," Friedman told Reuters.

For Friedman, who focuses on the high-end, the bigger risk is the volume of arrivals creates the impression that Thailand has become a mass market. Or as Friedman puts it: industrial tourism.

Tourists wanting off-the-beaten-track travel need not look far, he said.

"The industrial-strength tourism will push people away. They have started looking for remote beaches in Cambodia or Myanmar," he said.

7 Dead in Quebec Plane Crash

By

Associated Press

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30 March 2016, 10:39

The wreckage of an airplane lies in a field Tuesday, March 29, 2016, in Havre-aux-Maison, Quebec. Photo: David Noel / The Canadian Press / Associated Press

HAVRE-AUX-MAISONS, Quebec — A small plane crashed Tuesday off an island in eastern Quebec, killing seven people, Quebec provincial police said.

Among those killed was former federal cabinet minister and political commentator Jean Lapierre.

His wife, two of his brothers and one of his sisters also died when their plane crashed. They were traveling to the Iles-de-la-Madeleine after the recent death of Lapierre's father.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that he was "shaken by the sudden death" of Lapierre and called it a great loss to the political world.

Former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin called Lapierre, who served as Martin's transport minister, a wonderful man who understood the issues and loved people.

The fluently bilingual Lapierre, 59, was much sought-after as a political commentator in English and French. Many well-known Canadian journalists posted messages on social media during the day, begging Lapierre to say something to deny rumors he was on board the plane.

The plane was a Mitsubishi turboprop and is believed to have belonged to a private company. The plane had taken off from the St-Hubert regional airport south of Montreal earlier in the morning.

"The crash took place in a field on approach to the airport," said Quebec provincial police Sgt. Daniel Thibodeau, who described the weather conditions as "not ideal" for flying.

The plane crashed close to the airport in the Iles-de-la-Madeleine just off eastern Quebec. The cause was not immediately known.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is deploying a team of investigators.

Environment Canada had issued an alert for strong winds in the region.

Lapierre was elected to Canada's Parliament as a federalist Liberal in 1979, representing a Quebec district. He briefly served as youth and amateur sports minister in a short-lived government in 1984. At that time, he was just 28, the youngest cabinet minister ever appointed to that point. He co-chaired Martin's campaign for the Liberal leadership in 1990. He later became a founding member of the separatist Bloc Quebecois, although Lapierre later said he was never really a supporter of an independent Quebec.

He quit federal politics in 1992 but returned after Martin became Liberal leader in late 2003. He served as transport minister between 2004 and 2006.

He is survived by his two children, Marie-Anne and Jean-Michel.

Story: Associated Press

Myanmar Lifts 4-Year Curfew in State After Communal Violence

By

Associated Press

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29 March 2016, 19:40

Lower House Speaker Win Myint, second left, walks to commence a session of the lower house parliament on Thursday, March 10, 2016 in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Photo: Aung Shine Oo / Associated Press

NAYPYITAW, Myanmar — Myanmar's outgoing government has lifted a nearly four-year curfew in the western state of Rakhine, where clashes between the minority Rohingya Muslims and majority Buddhists left more than 200 people dead, mostly Muslims.

State media reported President Thein Sein lifted the nighttime curfew on Monday on the recommendation of the state government, which felt it was no longer necessary.

The curfew was imposed in June 2012 after violent clashes that displaced more than 100,000 people, mostly Rohingya, in addition to the loss of life.

Rakhine state is home to most of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims, who live largely in abject poverty while facing widespread discrimination not only by the Buddhist-majority but also by the government. Myanmar does not recognize them as citizens and describes them as immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh although the Rohingya say they have lived in Myanmar for generations.

Most Buddhists refer to them as Bengalis because of the belief they sneaked into the country and because they speak the Bengali language.

Maung Kyaw Zin, a lawmaker of the lower house from Rakhine state said, "I've read about (the lifting of the curfew) in the newspapers but I don't know if that's a good thing or not because there are a lot of Bengalis there. I don't want to talk about it."

The lifting of the curfew is one of the last decisions of President Thein Sein, who will hand over power on Wednesday to a new government of Aung San Suu Kyi's party, which has led the struggle for democracy in the country long ruled by the military. Suu Kyi has been vague about her stance on the Rohingya and has not unequivocally stated that they are Myanmar citizens deserving of equal rights.

Story: Associated Press

Airport Taxi Loses License for Gouging Swiss Traveler

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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29 March 2016, 19:26

Taxi driver Phiphatphol Jaikham, seated at left, at Tuesday’s news conference in Bangkok.

BANGKOK — Authorities today revoked the license of a taxi driver who charged a Swiss national 6,000 baht for a trip from Suvarnabhumi Airport to his downtown hotel.

The driver, Phiphatphol Jaikham, confessed to fleecing the unidentified passenger and immediately lost his license, Sukree Jaruphum of the Land Transport Department announced Tuesday. Phiphatphol, 56, was also fined 3,000 baht and ordered to return the excessive fare.

The case came to light when Facebook user Krit Karnchanabatr posted Monday evening that his boss from Switzerland hailed a cab earlier that day from the airport to the W Hotel on Sathorn Road. Instead of using the meter, the driver demanded a fare of 6,000 baht – roughly 20 times the usual fare for such a trip.

“I felt like I was slapped in the face by that farang,” Krit wrote. “He could only complain that [the driver] shouldn’t have done that to him. He would tell his friends in Switzerland about it. I feel ashamed for Thai people. It really tears apart the image of Siam, the Land of Smiles.”

The post was shared more than 8,000 times and attracted many comments expressing anger at the taxi driver.

Hotel staff later tracked down the driver from CCTV footage of his license plate and submitted a complaint to the authorities, Krit said. The investigation led to Phiphatphol’s arrest later on the same day.

Airport taxis in Bangkok have long been a source of complaint for a tendency to overcharge passengers by refusing to turn on the meter.

Airport Taxi Busted for ‘Turbo’ Meter

Online Complaint Prompts Ban of BKK Airport Cab Driver

Say No to Taxi Passengers, Lose License 30 Days, Prayuth Proposes

Teeranai Charuvastra can be reached at [email protected] and @Teeranai_C.

Thai Women Face Double Oppression Under Junta and Patriarchy, ‘Woman of Courage’ Winner Says

By

Sasiwan Mokkhasen, Staff Reporter

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29 March 2016, 17:54

CHIANG MAI — A Chiang Mai bookseller who says Thai women are victims of double repression in a patriarchal society ruled by the military will become the first Thai recipient of an award recognizing courageous women around the world.

Rodjaraeg Wattanapanit, owner of Chiang Mai’s Book Re:public, is in Washington D.C., where she will deliver a short speech Tuesday evening as she accepts an International Women of Courage Award from the U.S. State Department.

“I will receive this award in the name of women and everyone in Thailand who are fighting with injustice,” Rodjaraeg said.

The award was established in 2007 to honor women around the world for promoting human rights, gender equality and social progress.

Rodjaraeg also helped start an association which trains politically active youth and builds political awareness called Creating Awareness For Enhanced Democracy, or CAFÉ Democracy.

More than just a bookstore, Book Re:public has been but a public space in Chiang Mai for discussion of social issues since it opened in 2011.

For her role in Book Re:public’s activities following the 2014 coup, Rodjaraeg found herself harassed and taken in twice for “attitude adjustment” sessions by the military.

“To open the bookshop and open the space to exchange ideas, to discuss political and social situations in an academic way were all meant to improve the nation,” she said. “But instead, we are considered a threat to national security.”

While there was no physical abuse, Rodjaraeg said she was severely emotionally damaged. But her experience in the military base convinced her that she was on the right track to fight injustice, she said.

“Under normal conditions, women already face a patriarchal social system,” she said. “Under the abnormal rule, Thai women are facing double oppression.”

Rodjaraeg and 13 other women will receive the award Tuesday morning local time in Washington D.C.