(21 May) The brother and cousin of kidnapped Saudi businessman faced the police officers alleged of engineering his disappearance for the first time in Bangkok′s court.

Mr. Mohammad Al-Ruwaili was abducted in Bangkok 23 years ago, and presumably murdered, although his remains were never found. 5 senior ranking policemen were arrested and accused of the kidnapping. They maintained their innocence.

The saga contributed to a breakdown of Thai-Saudi relations, but the case has seen new developments in recent months, including the report that an important witness, who now resides in United Arab Emirates (UAE) might be willing to give his testimony, but experts have feared that legal complications between the two nations might invalidate that chance.

Yesterday (21 May), however, the Criminal Court judges said during the landmark court hearing that acquiring testimony from Pol.Lt.Col. Suwichai Kaewpaluek would not violate the Constitution. The court has arranged a team to interview Pol.Lt.Col. Suwichai in UAE on 31 May.

The defenders said they disagreed with the court′s decision and said they would not participate in the interview.

All parties involved were present at the court yesterday. Mr. Ateeq Al-Ruwaili and Mr. Matrouk Al-Ruwaili, brother and cousin of the victim, respectively, and the delegation from Saudi Arabia sat in the plaintiff side of the pews while the accused – Pol.Lt.Gen Somkid Boontanorm, Pol.Col. Sorrarak Juusanit, Pol.Col. Prapas Piyamongkol, Pol.Lt.Col. Suradech Udomdee, and Pol.Sgt.Maj. Prasong Torrang – sat at the other side of the pews.

Other officials and member of the press separated the two sides. The Al-Ruwaili family did not speak with the accused throughout the session.

Additionally, Mr. Anek Kumchoom, the lawyer representing the Al-Ruwaili family in court, file a request from Ms. Wakdah Al-Ruwaili, mother of the victim, to join her son as a joint plaintiff. The court approved her request.

Once the hearing was over, the 5 police officers, released on bail, filed out of the courtroom immediately. They refused to be interviewed by the press, saying that they did not want to violate their bail conditions.

The next court hearing is scheduled on 2 September. Both Mr. Ateeq and Mr. Matrouk told our correspondent they would be at the court.

(20 May) A survey conducted by Assumption University (ABAC Poll) revealed their findings on Thai public′s perception of troubles in everyday life, their opinion about the government′s stability, and their support for PM Yingluck Shinawatra.

The survey consists of 2,115 respondents from 17 provinces.

36.5% consider themselves in great troubles, while 65.7% say the government gives little to no attention at all to their troubles. 64.6% feel that good and hard working individuals were not supported in working for the benefit of the public.

Asked about their perception of the government, 85.2% feel that the main factors for a shaky government is the high cost of goods and cost of living, and 81.9% feel that it is due to the ruling party′s efforts to amend the 2007 Constitution. 73.8% believe that government visits to troubled areas can help stabilize the government.

A majority of 55.9% said they will still give Ms. Yingluck a chance to finish her 4-year term.

On the same day, a survey commissioned by Dusit University (Dusit Poll), which asked 1,346 citizens for their opinion about a potential new election predicted by the opposition leader Mr. Abhisit Vejjajeeva. Mr. Abhisit has recently expressed his belief that a nationwide election might be held in late 2013.

Concerning this matter, 44.80% said they would not support a call for another election so soon because it would waste the national budget and might set the administration of the country back to zero. These citizens also expressed their fear that a fresh election might bring political chaos.

Meanwhile, 34.05% said they are still not sure if there will be an election or not.

(20 May) A burglar reportedly took away candies coffee from a cooperative inside a kindergarten in Chiang Rai province.

Mueang Chiang Rai police station received reports from a teacher at Anuban Chiang Rai School, that the cooperative at the school had been broken in to. Officersarrived at the scene to investigate.

The teacher and a cooperative worker were waiting at the scene, where primary school students were buying candy and school supplies. They took the police to investigate the area of the break-in, which is the back door of the cooperative, saying that some candy and a large bag of instant coffee, worth over 100 baht, were stolen.

Moreover, some huffing glue was discovered on the table, and empty candy wrappers were left behind. Police took these in as evidence to dust for fingerprints and investigated the security camera footage.

The coop worker said that this was not the first time this incident happened. Previously, not many things were stolen since the coop did not keep any cash in the register. He suspects that the culprits may be homeless person addicted to sniffling glue who roams around the nearby market, and has asked the police to investigate.

Meanwhile, the coop will be adding more secure locks to its doors, he said.

(19 May) Locals in Trat province who went fishing for shrimps at Khlong Bang Pra canal had found rusty remains of stolen motorcycles instead.

Officials and rescue workers, notified of the discovery, arrived at the bridge crossing near the Bang Phra canal to find Mr.Manop Rawung, headman of Moo 5 village, Mr.Prasarn Poompuang, 56, the discoverer of the motorcycle wreckage. Rescue workers and Trat police officials dove 4-5 meters in to Bang Pra river and spent about 1 hour recovering 5 motorcycles.

Investigations reveal the motorcycles to be a Honda Wave without a license plate, a Honda wave 125, license plate กฉท  635 Trat, a Honda Tayna license plate กบย  761 Chantaburi, and 1 unbranded motorcycle. These 4 motorcycles had their parts removed. One Yamaha Fino motorcycle was also found, with all its parts intact.

The motorcycles were taken in as evidence to Trat police station and the police is now waiting for the owners to come forward to identify the motorcycles or report them missing.

A senior police officer said that these wreckage are most likely stolen motorcycles, whose parts have been separately sold, and the rest dumped into the river to destroy the evidence.

"Right now what’s left of the motorcycles is being investigated for serial numbers to identify the owners and whether they have reported the motorcycles missing, and in order to identify the culprits," he said.

(19 May) Khaosod brings you pictures of the Redshirts during their rally to commemorate the 3rd anniversary of the military assault on their encampment in central Bangkok 3 years ago.

(19 May) Redshirts are back at Ratchaprasong intersection in central Bangkok to commemorate the military assault which violently ended their months-long protest at the intersection 3 years ago.

The Redshirts staged mass protests in March 2010, demanding the resignation of then-PM Abhisit Vejjajeeva and calling a fresh election. Mr. Abhisit, a long time opposition leader, was appointed new PM of Thailand by the parliamentary votes in late 2008, particularly helped by drawing supports from renegade MPs of the ruling party at the time.

Before Mr. Abhisit came to power, 2 prime ministers were ousted by the court, citing corruption cases. Mr. Abhisit never won any election in his career.

The Redshirts, mostly supporters of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra who was overthrown by the military coup in 2006, saw Mr. Abhisit′s rise to power and his alleged alliance with the military as obstacles to democracy in Thailand.

Today′s event was titled 3 Years 19 May: Remember the Brave Martyrs, Seek the Justice. In a scene that resembles their peak strength in April 2010, tens of thousands of Redshirts today flooded the city′s financial district, occupying stretches of Rama IV Road, Ratchaprasong, Pratunam, Rajdumri, and Siam. Some shopping malls decided to shut down for the day.

Protesters sat around on pavements, roads, and elevated Skywalks under the soaring heat to listen to the speeches and songs performed on the rally stage at Ratchaprasong intersection. Vendors and hawkers sell food, drinks, and Redshirts-related memorabilia. Some offered Thai massage service for the wearied protesters.

Some Redshirts prayed tothe Erawan Shrine – a landmark of Ratchaprasong area – asking for blessing and democracy for the country.

At 13.30 Ms. Tida Tojirakarn, chairwoman of the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) arrived at Pathumwanararm Temple (commonly known as Wat Pathum) to lay down wreaths in memory of 6 civilians who were shot dead inside the temple on 19 May.

The temple was declared ?Safe Zone? by the Thai authorities at the time and many Redshirts took refuge in the temple compound after their main encampment was overrun by the military, but witnesses said soldiers om BTS track opened fire on the temple, killing 6 civilians, including a medic volunteers named Ms. Kamonkate Akhard, aka. Nurse Kate.

Ms. Tida said that it′s been 3 years since the authorities killed the people, and today events were organized to salute the martyrs who fought for democracy. She said the incident at Wat Pathum was particularly shocking because the temple was not a conflict zone, yet the military fired on are handed protesters.

The UDD chairwoman was accompanied by Ms. Payao Akhard, mother of Nurse Kate; Ms. Elizabeth Polenghi, sister of Italian photographer Mr. Fabio Polenghi who was shot and killed on 19 May 2010; and Mr. Robert Amsterdam, UDD′s legal adviser.

After the wreaths laying ceremony, a skit commemorating the incident was performed, retelling the scenes of Wat Pathum shooting and the killing of Mr. Hiroyuki Muramoto, the Japanese journalist shot and killed during the clashes in 10 April 2010.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sombat Boonngam-anong, aka. the Dotted Editor (Bor Gor Lai Jood), coordinator of the Red Sunday campaign group, led his group to tie red ribbons at the Ratchaprasong intersection roadsign – the gesture initiated by the Red Sunday group few months after the military operation in May 2010 which considerably irritated the authorities of the time.

During that time, martial laws was still effective in Bangkok,and Mr. Sombat′s weekly ribbon-tying activity was a rare defiant move. Bangkok authorities ended up removing the roadsign from the intersection for a while, thus denying Mr. Sombat his stable activism.

Today, Mr. Sombat said that the incident 3 years ago rewrote the history of Ratchaprasong area, transforming it from a commercial heartland into a killing field, the site of political crime.

We tie the red ribbons again today to signify that we still do not forget what happened, Mr. Sombat said.

Our correspondent added that earlier in the day, a Redshirt identified as Ms. Kaikee Wongrasee, 68, a resident of Sakol Nakorn province, was found dead in Wat Pathum′s restroom. Her boy was transferred to Police Hospital, just opposite the temple, and her death was said to result from her poor health.

UDD representative said the organization will contribute money to organize Ms. Kaikee′s funeral and some leaders will attend her funeral as well.

The events continued into the night, with famous Redshirts leaders giving rousing speeches on the stage, urging the Redshirts to keep their fights for justice. The rally is estimated to last till 01.00 on the next day.