(24 May) On her third day of official visit to Japan, PM Yingluck Shinawatra told the audience in a Tokyo conference that Asian region has the potential to influence the course of the world in 21st century.

The Prime Minister was attending 19th Future of Asiaconference in Tokyo, organised by Nikkei Co. Ltd. and the Economic Research Center of Japan. In her speech, she cited the growing strength and population of Asia, coupled with the capital influx to the region and its long-term investment returns, as main factors that would lead to the Asian Century.

Asia has the potential to expand trade and investment into other regions and to grow together. Each country should look to the overall interests of the region rather than the interests of their own, Ms. Yingluck said.

The Prime Minister also promised to focus on investment in creating a links, both land and sea; for example, the high speed rail, the Dawei deep-sea port project, and other projects aimed at developing the infrastructure and communications in Thailand worth 2 trillion baht to connect Thailand to other countries.

She concluded in her speech that Asia′s future is in the hands of the people to determine future direction and to lead to a sustainable growth together, for both the region and the world.

Prime Minister is scheduled to attend lectures and see the local trade show in Shibuya. She will also visit a commercial project called ?D47?, where shops displayed trades from villages in the 47 provinces of Japan.

(23 May) Chief of the Division of Special Investigation (DSI) has instructed the Metropolitan Police to revive its efforts in locating the armed militants that allegedly infiltrated the ranks of the Redshirts protesters during their mass protests in April-May 2010.

Pol.Lt.Gen. Anuchai Lekbumroong, vice commander of the Metropolitan Police, said Mr. Tharit Pengdit of the DSI has sent an urgent message to his police force to interrogate all security forces personnel involved in the military operations against the Redshirts in 2010 and find any evidence of the ?Blackshirts? fighters that Former PM Abhisit Vejjajeeva said have infiltrated the protesters and posed threats to the authorities.

The Blackshirts were also allegedly responsible for burning down Central World shopping mall (CTW) in Ratchaprasong intersection on the last day of the protests.

Previously, the police have released security camera footage which identified some of the suspects involved in the arson attack. The police said the investigation to locate these suspect is ongoing.

On the same day, Maj. Wintai Suwaree, vice spokesperson of the Royal Thai Army, said in press conference that the military could not intervene and extinguish the fires at CTW because ?unidentified armed elements? were shooting at the soldiers.

The vice spokesperson denied accusation by adviser of CTW′s security team that the soldiers were already in the area and prevented firefighters from entering the shopping mall. Maj. Wintai said that the Blackshirts could have disguised themselves as military personnel, so one cannot judge the matter from appearances of the uniforms.

Maj. Wintai said that no one should spread ?incomplete? information about the 2010 violence because the public could be ?confused? and ?become even more fractured?.

(22 May) Two children in Phitsanulok were killed in a house fire possibly caused by a candle they lit to provide some light in the house; their parents had failed to pay for electric bill.

The incident took place around 23.45 last night (21 May). Police and firefighters arrived at the scene to find a wooden house fully ablaze. The firefighters took 30 minutes to contain the fire.

Later, they found bodies of Sunpetch Polnok, 13, and Nutprapa Polnok, 9. The boy and the girl were reportedly burnt to death. Their bodies were tightly embracing each other.

Their mother, Ms.Chutikaan Polnok, cries painfully at the sight. She was injured after trying to enter the house to rescue her children where neighbors pulled her out. She said that she worked 200 meters from home at a barbecue restaurant, and that the electricity in her house was shut off recently because she did not pay the utility bill.

While at work, a neighbor ran to her to inform her of the fire. She immediately rushed home but it was too late. Ms. Chutikarn was later sent to Buddha Shinnarart hospital to treat her burn injuries.

Officers suspect the children lit a candle and fell asleep, and they candles may have caught fire to the sleeping net. The fact that the house was made of wood made the fire spread quicker.

The municipality provided 50,000 baht to the family for compensation. Additionally, the royal offices of HM the King and HM the Queen had sent some aid to the family as well.

Mr.Niwut Tummatikornchai, Provincial Electricity Authority manager of Mueang Phitsanulok branch, said that the electricity bill for the house was due on 2 May, which was not paid.

He said the incident greatly shocked and saddened him but the Authority cannot be held responsible for it since they have followed all necessary protocol.

Electricity customers in Phitsanulok is estimated at 250,000, with 15,000 late payments per month.

(23 May) Songkhla police arrested a transgender accused of robbing a Kuwaiti citizen while he was recovering from his sex change surgery in hospital.

Mr. Duhaimal Alalati, 56, employee of an oil company based in Kuwait, said he was robbed of his 300,000 baht by Mr. Sumit Manupan, 20, a transgender individual from Ubol Ratchathani province. The robbery reportedly took place in the early morning of 15 May after Mr. Alalati met Mr. Sumit and had sex with him.

Today, the police located Mr. Sumit in a hospital in Hat Yai district of Songkhla province, where he was undergoing a sex change operation. Mr. Sumit was still on doctor′s bed when police apprehended him. The police then confiscated 50,000 baht from the suspect and escorted him to Bangkok.

The police said it was very inconvenient trip for Mr. Sumit since he just had a sex change operation. However, preliminary medical report reveals that Mr. Sumit is not in any medical danger

Mr. Sumit, who gave his nickname as Nong (little sister) Aimie, confessed to the robbery. He told police that he and the victim met in front of a night club on Pattaya′s Walking Street. They subsequently went to a hotel room, and after they had sexual intercourse, the Kuwaiti fell into a deep sleep.

The suspect said he noted a wad of cash fallen out of the victim′s pants, so he took it and fled to Bangkok, where he deposited the money into his bank account and took a bus to Hat Yai to have a sex change operation. Mr. Sumit said he has already spent part of the stolen money.

“It is every lady boy’s dream to have a sex change operation, so after I got the money, I contacted a doctor immediately. I paid over 90,000 baht and now I feel relieved that I’m a woman. Too bad I was arrested on my hospital bed.” Nong Aimie said during the police press conference.

The police officer said the detectives have scoured Pattaya′s Walking Street looking for Mr. Sumit and received tips from other transgender individuals that he said he would have sex change operation in Hat Yai. Mr. Sumit will be transferred to Pattaya police to be prosecuted under the law.

(23 May) PM Yingluck Shinawatra said in an interview with Japanese TV channel NHK that Thailand is moving forward in the democratic process and will soon return to peace and stability.

The Prime Minister is currently visiting Japan to attend the 19th annual The Future of Asia conference, which takes place from 22-25 May. The content of the interview was posted by Mr.Teerat Rattanasewee, the newly appointed Spokesman of the Prime Minister.

In the interview, Ms. Yingluck emphasised that in the past two years the Thai government has always tried to create an open and democratic atmosphere, hearing out the comments of the public.

When asked about her brother, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra who was deposed in the 2006 military coup, Ms. Yingluck said that she plans to run the government in her own way, but being Thaksin’s sister, she will not throw away the philosophy of the administration that so many Thai people adored.

As for her being a female prime minister, Ms. Yingluck said the emphasis should not be put on her gender, but the trust that the public gives her to run the country in the past 2 years. Government has put an effort in creating a favourable atmosphere for investment, to enhance confidence, and Thailand′s economy, Ms. Yingluck said.

The Government of Thailand would like to see more cooperation between the public and private sectors to promote tourism and the relationship of the 2 countries… With the emergence of the ASEAN Community in 2015, Thailand is the gateway to ASEAN and is now in talks with industry leaders to reduce production costs. The state is restructuring the logistics system. This will help reduce costs Ms. Yingluck is quoted as saying.

Concerning Thailand’s role in the development of Myanmar, she stated that currently Myanmar has begun a process of reform. Thailand would be involved in the push for Myanmar to become a democracy. She noted that Thailand also has cooperation with Myanmar′s Dawei deep sea port project, and Thai government would like to invite Japan to invest in the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand.

When asked about the ongoing dispute in the South China Sea, mostly between China and Japan, the Prime Minister said that every country requires patience and cooperation of economic development to build trust and reduce conflict.

(22 May) Knife-wielding bandit attempted to rob a 7-11 store in Nonthaburi but ran into a well-armed undercover police officer who posed as a store clerk instead.

Mueang Nonthaburi police said in a press conference that the suspect, named simply as Mr. Suwit, is an infamous criminal who had been sowing chaos in the province by stealing cash and cigarettes from many grocery stores.

The police said they had formulated a plan to capture him, choosing a remote 7-11 store. The officer was posing as a 7-11 clerk on the early morning shift when the suspect came in and held a cleaver to the officer’s head, but he was quickly overpowered by the officer′s firearms. The suspect was charged for robbery armed with a knife.

Mr. Suwit confessed to 3 cases of robbery. He said he used the money to buy alcohol and spend at his leisure.

The case has drawn much attention from local media in Thailand because of its similarity to many Thai TV soap dramas, in which the protagonist is often a disguised police captain – and the plot conclusion usually involves the much-used phrase "I am an undercover police captain!" (ผมเป็นร้อยตำรวจเอกปลอมตัวมา!).