BANGKOK — Thailand's Justice Minister has advised two Pheu Thai Party politicians who were recently jailed for libel to file for a royal pardon from the Thai King.

Pheu Thai’s spokesperson, Prompong Nopparit, and former Pheu Thai MP Kiatudom Menasawasdi were sentenced to one year in prison in Supreme Court last week on defamation charges for telling reporters in 2010 that a judge met privately with Democrat Party politicians who asked him to drop a lawsuit against their party.

The constitutional court judge, Wasan Soipisutthi, charged the politicians with defamation a week later. A lower court handed them two year suspended jail term, which they appealed up to the Supreme Court that sentenced them to one year in prison last Friday.

The two men are currently being held at Bangkok Remand Prison.

Today Justice Minister Paiboon Khumchaya said that although Prompong and Kiatudom cannot appeal their case to a higher court, they are eligible to apply for a royal pardon "like all other Thais."

Every year, King Bhumibol, 87, pardons thousands convicts on the recommendations of government officials and the Royal Household Bureau.

Gen. Paiboon insisted that Prompong and Kiatudom will not be treated unfairly because of their political affiliation with the Pheu Thai party, which led the elected government toppled by the ruling military junta in May 2014.

Speaking at press conference today, Gen. Paiboon urged the politicians to file applications for a royal pardon.

"Please send us the applications," he said. "I never divide who is who. I want everyone to see that Mr. Prompong [and Mr. Kiatudom] are Thai citizens who have rights like all other Thais to apply for the royal pardon."

Last Friday, on the same day that the pair was convicted, the Supreme Court acquitted three leaders of the rival Democrat Party, including former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, in defamation suit that was filed by former executives of Thai Rak Thai Party, the predecessor to Pheu Thai Party that was dissolved by the Constitutional Court in 2007. 

The plaintiff said that Abhisit and his deputies, Suthep Thaugsuban and Ongart Klampaiboon, falsely accused Thai Rak Thai of hiring small political parties to run in the 2006 election, which was boycotted by the Democrat Party. The Supreme Court judges ruled that the accusation was a criticism made "with sincere intention" and therefore did not qualify as a libel. 

BANGKOK — Junta chairman and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said he will accept Thailand's ranking in the United States' annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, which is scheduled for release tonight.

Gen. Prayuth said he has already been unofficially informed about the results of the 2015 assessment, but told reporters that courtesy forbids him from making the announcement before American officials.

"It's a courtesy to let the people who set the rules speak about this," he said. "We [should] only speak about what we have done."

In last year's report, Thailand was downgraded to Tier 3, the lowest rank possible, for failing to meet the minimum requirements to combat human trafficking across its borders.

Thai officials have expressed hope in recent months that the country will be upgraded in this year’s report, which is scheduled for release at 9pm Thai time on Monday, because of the government’s efforts to crackdown on trafficking networks since the May 2014 coup that brought Gen. Prayuth into power.

Over the past year, Gen. Prayuth’s military government has strengthened anti-trafficking legislation, launched measures to encourage the registration of migrant workers, and passed laws aimed at regulating Thailand’s fishing industry, which for years has been staffed by hundreds of thousands of men trafficked from neighboring countries in Southeast Asia.

Last week, 72 people were indicted on human trafficking charges following a crackdown on smuggling networks in southern Thailand that began in May 2015. However, it is unclear whether the May crackdown will be considered in this year's TIP report, which normally only assesses actions taken before March.

Today, Gen. Prayuth said he is not focusing on the upgrade, only on the results of his government’s anti-trafficking efforts.

"I do not have any expectations about whether we will be upgraded,” he said. “I only expect that what we have done will bring some successes.”

He continued, “It won't take a day, a month, or a year to fix the problems. It will take time to [fix] the entire system. I am confident that I have made improvements in every area, but it depends on the United States, whether they trust or have confidence in us. We respect their decision, because the United States sets the rule." 

When a reporter asked whether Gen. Prayuth believes Thailand's reputation will be affected if the country remains in Tier 3, the junta chairman said, "If it turns out that way, I will acknowledge that. But I hold it that I have not yet been officially informed about it. But no matter what the result will be, I will accept it." 

Gen. Prayuth also told reporters he cannot comment any further until the report is released.

"However, I am confident in what I have been doing," he said. "If I wasn't, I wouldn't have done all those things. I am confident that I have done better than [previous governments]. But whether we will get [the upgrade] or not depends on the deliberation of the US. We have to accept the rules."

PATHUM THANI — A massive fire burned down parts of a laborers' camp in Pathum Thani province that was home to over 1,000 construction workers, the majority of whom are immigrants from neighboring countries.

The blaze started yesterday afternoon in the center of the camp, which is located in Thanyaburi district near a construction site overseen by the estate company Lumpini Township.

The camp is home to an estimated 1,200 workers, many of whom are from Myanmar and Cambodia, who live in tightly packed rows of houses constructed out of wood and iron.

Fifteen firetrucks were dispatched to contain the fire, and loud explosions could be heard intermittently as cooking gas canisters inside many homes exploded, forcing firefighters to slowly work their way into the blaze area. The fire was eventually put out after several hours. Five people have been hospitalized for inhaling smoke.

The deputy mayor of Rangsit municipality, Decha Klinkusum, said that some workers from the camp are missing, but no dead bodies have been found so far.

He also told reporters the fire may have been triggered by an explosion in the camp’s single power transformer, which was providing electricity to numerous homes and may have overheated. 

Some workers reportedly ran into the nearby wooded area while the fire was raging and hid until soldiers arrived and reassured them that they would not be punished for lacking proper documentation.

An emergency shelter has been set up in the parking complex of a nearby Lumpini Township estate for workers whose homes burned down in the fire.

The Governor of Pathum Thani and other officials visited the shelter today to ensure that the workers are being provided with adequate food, clothes, and other necessities.

According to the Governor, Pongsatorn Sajjacholapund, the shelter has been receiving goods and donations from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Red Cross Society, local rescue workers foundations, and people who live nearby.

He said new camps for the workers are expected to be finished within the next week. 

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]

PATHUM THANI — A massive fire burned down parts of a laborers' camp in Pathum Thani province that was home to over 1,000 construction workers, the majority of whom are immigrants from neighboring countries.

The blaze started yesterday afternoon in the center of the camp, which is located in Thanyaburi district near a construction site overseen by the estate company Lumpini Township.

The camp is home to an estimated 1,200 workers, many of whom are from Myanmar and Cambodia, who live in tightly packed rows of houses constructed out of wood and iron.

Fifteen firetrucks were dispatched to contain the fire, and loud explosions could be heard intermittently as cooking gas canisters inside many homes exploded, forcing firefighters to slowly work their way into the blaze area. The fire was eventually put out after several hours. Five people have been hospitalized for inhaling smoke.

The deputy mayor of Rangsit municipality, Decha Klinkusum, said that some workers from the camp are missing, but no dead bodies have been found so far.

He also told reporters the fire may have been triggered by an explosion in the camp’s single power transformer, which was providing electricity to numerous homes and may have overheated. 

Some workers reportedly ran into the nearby wooded area while the fire was raging and hid until soldiers arrived and reassured them that they would not be punished for lacking proper documentation.

Construction workers evacuate their camp in Pathum Thani after a fire broke out on 25 July 2015.

An emergency shelter has been set up in the parking complex of a nearby Lumpini Township estate for around 500 workers whose homes burned down in the fire.

The Governor of Pathum Thani and other officials visited the shelter today to ensure that the workers are being provided with adequate food, clothes, and other necessities.

According to the Governor, Pongsatorn Sajjacholapund, the shelter has been receiving goods and donations from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Red Cross Society, local rescue workers foundations, and people who live nearby.

He said new camps for the workers are expected to be finished within the next week. 

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]