Redshirt TV Channel Sues Media Regulator for 15 Million Baht

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30 June 2015, 15:45

Top Redshirt leader Nattawut Saikua on a segment uploaded by Peace TV on YouTube, 24 June 2015.

BANGKOK — A satellite television station operated by the Redshirt movement is suing Thailand's state media regulator for 15 million baht in damages for "illegally" shutting down its channel two months ago.

Thanadet Puangpoon, a lawyer who represents Peace TV, filed the lawsuit at the Administrative Court today on behalf of the five Redshirt leaders who operate the station.

The Redshirt leaders are challenging the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission’s (NBTC) decision to revoke Peace TV’s license in April for allegedly violating junta orders that forbid the media from inciting unrest or causing "divisions in the Kingdom."

Speaking to reporters today, the station’s lawyer said the ruling was unlawful, and cited the backing of Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which has called the shutdown an excessive punishment and intrusion on free speech.

In May, the director of Thailand’s rights commission said he did not find any content on the channel that incited unrest or division, and urged the station to file a lawsuit.

"In this lawsuit, we would like the NBTC to compensate us for 15 million baht, because throughout the two months we were shut down, the company has accumulated 7.5 million baht in damages per month for not airing the programs," Thanadet said.

He also told reporters he has asked the court to issue an injunction that would allow Peace TV to operate normally until a verdict is reached.

Although the station was formally shut down on 30 April, Peace TV has continued to news shows and programs on the station's official YouTube channel.

Both of Thailand’s Redshirt and Yellowshirt movements operate their own TV and radio channels featuring news programs and live broadcasts of their political rallies. The partisan channels were initially shut down by the military in the wake of the coup, but later allowed resume operations as long as they agreed not to instigate violence, divisions, or "confusion."

Critics say the junta is particularly bent on curbing the influence of the largely anti-coup Redshirt movement, which supported the government toppled in the coup and has determined the winner of every national election for the past decade.

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Redshirt TV Channel Sues Media Regulator for 15 Million Baht

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Khaosod English

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30 June 2015, 15:45

Top Redshirt leader Jatuporn Prompan singing on a segment uploaded by Peace TV on YouTube, 26 June 2015.

BANGKOK — A satellite television station operated by the Redshirt movement is suing Thailand's state media regulator for 15 million baht in damages for "illegally" shutting down its channel two months ago.

Thanadet Puangpoon, a lawyer who represents Peace TV, filed the lawsuit at the Administrative Court today on behalf of the five Redshirt leaders who operate the station.

The Redshirt leaders are challenging the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission’s (NBTC) decision to revoke Peace TV’s license in April for allegedly violating junta orders that forbid the media from inciting unrest or causing "divisions in the Kingdom."

Speaking to reporters today, the station’s lawyer said the ruling was unlawful, and cited the backing of Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which has called the shutdown an excessive punishment and intrusion on free speech.

In May, the director of Thailand’s rights commission said he did not find any content on the channel that incited unrest or division, and urged the station to file a lawsuit.

"In this lawsuit, we would like the NBTC to compensate us for 15 million baht, because throughout the two months we were shut down, the company has accumulated 7.5 million baht in damages per month for not airing the programs," Thanadet said.

He also told reporters he has asked the court to issue an injunction that would allow Peace TV to operate normally until a verdict is reached.

Although the station was formally shut down on 30 April, Peace TV has continued to news shows and programs on the station's official YouTube channel.

Both of Thailand’s Redshirt and Yellowshirt movements operate their own TV and radio channels featuring news programs and live broadcasts of their political rallies. The partisan channels were initially shut down by the military in the wake of the coup, but later allowed resume operations as long as they agreed not to instigate violence, divisions, or "confusion."

Critics say the junta is particularly bent on curbing the influence of the largely anti-coup Redshirt movement, which supported the government toppled in the coup and has determined the winner of every national election for the past decade.

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Examination of Human Trafficking Witnesses to Take 5 Years: Police

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30 June 2015, 14:34

Police officers processing the case files for suspected human traffickers in Songkhla province on 30 June.

SONGKHLA — A top police commander said it will take at least five years for the court to examine the testimony of more than 200 witnesses in a massive legal case against alleged human traffickers in southern Thailand.

Pol.Gen. Aek Angsananont, deputy chief of Royal Thai Police, said yesterday that Na Thawee Provincial Court has only completed one witness examination since police started arresting suspects belonging to the human trafficking network in early May.

"The court is open for this special case on every Saturday and Sunday to make the witnesses examination process faster," Pol.Gen. Aek said. "Because there are more than 200 witnesses in this case. It will take at least 5 years to complete the witness examinations. As for the case files, they are still being deliberated on by the Office of Attorney-General, and we expect that they will formally bring the case to the Na Thawee Provincial Court within the next week."

Police have issued a total of 119 arrest warrants in connection to the trafficking ring since 1 May. Nine more suspects were arrested today, bringing the number of suspects in custody to 65. The suspects include local officials, politicians, police officers, and one senior army officer.

"[Police] are urgently working to track down and arrest every suspect for prosecution, and we have assigned protection officers for every witness until the case is over," Pol.Gen. Aek said.

Thai police launched the unprecedented crackdown on the long-running smuggling operation in southern Thailand after discovering abandoned jungle prisons used to detain migrants and demand ransoms from their relatives. Most of the migrants were Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar and Bangladeshis seeking to settle in Muslim-majority Malaysia.

Hundreds of shallow graves – presumably containing the corpses of those who did not survive the grim conditions of the camps or were unable to secure enough money – were also found near the camps along the Thai-Malaysian border.

For years, human rights groups and journalists have accused Thai authorities of turning a blind eye to the human trafficking trade. Last year, Thailand was downgraded by the US for failing to meet the minimum standards to combat people smuggling.

There have also been numerous reports of officials and military officers profiting from the illicit trade through bribes, and a documentary produced by the BBC this year found that "entire communities" assisted human traffickers in some parts of southern Thailand.

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Police Close Down 'Oral Sex Club' in Pattaya for Ten Days

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30 June 2015, 13:11

Police investigated 808 Disco Club in Pattaya on 29 June 2015.<br /> — Police investigated 808 Disco Club in Pattaya on 29 June 2015.

CHONBURI — Police have ordered a nightclub in the resort town of Pattaya to close down for ten days after a photo of a woman appearing to perform oral sex in the venue circulated on social media.

Calling the incident "shockingly" inappropriate and unlawful, police tracked down the club, named 808 Disco Club, on Pattaya’s Walking Street and interrogated the staff last night.

A security guard told police the photo was taken shortly before the club closed at around 3am on 29 June. He said the people in the photo, a Korean man and Thai woman, were both clients of the bar at the time, and were kicked out as soon as security staff noticed what they were doing.

Police said the club’s owners will not face legal action for the lewd act because their staff quickly expelled the couple. However, the club was ordered to shut down for ten days because police discovered that the management has not been keeping records of its employees, as is required by regulations.

Pol.Col. Sukthat Pumpanmuang, the superintendent of Pattaya Police Station, said officers are still working to track down the pair in the photo and charge them with public indecency, but added that there is no CCTV footage of the incident because the club's security camera was broken.

Chakorn Kanchanawatta, an administrative official in Pattaya, which is one of the world's top destinations for sex tourism, said incident has brought "great shame" to the popular beach town.

"I will summon all entertainment establishment [owners] to acknowledge our policies to prevent such a thing from happening again," he said.

Although prostitution and sex shows are banned under Thai laws, both businesses operate openly in Pattaya other red-light districts in major cities around the country, and are mostly tolerated by authorities.

In response to the 808 Disco Club incident, an official from Thailand’s Ministry of Social Development urged the government to set clear zones for adult entertainment in Pattaya, instead of turning blind eye to the trade.

"I suggest we implement the regulation of exclusive zoning for lewd or sexual shows," said Somchai Charoenamnuaysuk, who directs the Ministry's Women and Families Department.

"For example, the Netherlands has zoning regulations. There's exclusive space for sexual shows, with restrictions on the age of the clients," he explained. "There's clear and appropriate for regulations, equipment, and laws specifically for tourism and service in those zones. It's an option for tourists. Anyone who doesn't want to see lewd and sexual shows doesn't have to visit those zones."

However, Sanpetch Suphabowornsatient, the director of a hotel association, told Khaosod that the government should respond to the incident by "campaigning and educating people about the good culture and tradition" of Thailand.

"Right now, Thailand is trying to promote the Thai way of tourism, and Buddhist way of tourism," Sanpetch said. "Thailand is a Buddhist country, yet nowadays men and women express themselves in a way that causes damages to image of the country."

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KFC Opens First Outlet in Myanmar

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30 June 2015, 11:27

The first KFC restaurant in Yangon, Myanmar, 22 June 2015. EPA/LYNN BO BO<br /> — The first KFC restaurant in Yangon, Myanmar, 22 June 2015. EPA/LYNN BO BO

YANGON (DPA) – US chain KFC opened its first outlet in Myanmar's commercial capital Yangon Tuesday, becoming the first major western fast-food chain to establish a foothold in the once-isolated country.

Its first outlet is on Bogyoke Aung San Road in central Yangon and can seat up to 240 people.

"It has been our dream for a long time to have a KFC in Yangon, one of the great cities of the world," said Micky Pant, chief executive of KFC, in a press release.

KFC views the country with a total population of 50 million as an important emerging market, he said.

The South-East Asian country has seen an influx of foreign brands since the end of military rule in 2011, which prompted the lifting of many Western sanctions.

KFC's parent company, Yum! Brands, had signed a deal with Yoma Strategic Holdings as a local partner in Myanmar.

Yoma Strategic Holdings is an investment holding company based in Singapore, with various business interests in Myanmar that span across several industries, including real estate, agriculture and tourism.

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Three Arrested in Chiang Mai After Pro-Democracy Rally Outside US Consulate

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29 June 2015, 20:16

A brief pro-democracy rally outside of the US consulate in Chiang Mai on 29 June 2015.

CHIANG MAI – Three people have reportedly been arrested for their suspected connection to a brief pro-democracy demonstration in front of the United States Consulate in northern Thailand today.

Around ten masked activists gathered in front of the US Consulate in Chiang Mai province this afternoon and held signs pledging their support for human rights, democracy, and non-violence.

The consulate was presumably chosen as the location for the rally because of the US government’s criticism of the 2014 May coup and the junta’s ongoing suppression of civil rights.

The protesters wore masks with cartoon portraits of the fourteen young activists who were arrested last Friday for staging a peaceful pro-democracy demonstration in Bangkok. The activists, thirteen men and one woman, are facing up to seven years in prison for charges of sedition and violating the junta's ban on political gatherings, which was has been in place since the military seized power from an elected government thirteen months ago.

The activists are being held in prisons while they await trial in a military court.

One of the protesters in Chiang Mai today read a letter that condemned the arrests, and called upon authorities to release the fourteen activists without any conditions, Matichon reported.

"Our [decision] to come out and make this demand today is nothing more than doing a duty of friends who see their friends being bullied by injustice," the activist said. "We do not understand why the state sees the youths of this nation, who hold the principles of democracy, human rights, justice, public participation, and non-violence, as individuals who are dangerous to national security. The brutality that is happening to our friends today is so irrational that we find it hard to believe that it is a reality."

The protesters dispersed from the consulate before soldiers arrived to inspect the scene.

According to Prachatai, several hours later police arrested three people at a cafe in Chiang Mai in connection with the protest, which took place on the same day that junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha arrived for a two-day visit in Chiang Mai. Security officers previously told the media that they were not expecting any political demonstrations.

The three suspects were taken to the police station for interrogation, Prachatai reported.

Last week, Glyn Davies, who was recently nominated to be the next American ambassador to Thailand, repeated the US’s concerns about the junta's restrictions on civil liberties in his testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"Since the coup, the United States has consistently underscored both publicly and privately our concerns about the disruption of Thailand’s democratic traditions and accompanying restrictions on civil liberties, including freedom of expression and peaceful assembly," Davies said according to a transcript published on the US Embassy in Bangkok's website. "We maintain that democracy can only emerge when the Thai people freely and fairly elect their own representatives and leaders. As required by law, the United States has suspended certain assistance until a democratically elected civilian government takes office. When that occurs, our bilateral relationship can return to its fullest capacity."

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Drug Smugglers Escape After Gun Fight on Thai – Burmese Border

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29 June 2015, 19:33

(Chiang Mai City News)

CHIANG MAI – Police seize a bag of yaba pills after a gun fight with smugglers found walking along the Thai – Burmese border, June 26.

The Pha Muang Task Force receieved tip-offs that narctoics would be in transit in a certain area in Mae Fah Luang.

While patrolling the area, they met three men who were carrying a large bag. After military officials asked to look in the bag, the three men drew their guns and started shooting at officials.

Khon Kaen Reds Out on Bail

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29 June 2015, 19:30

(The Isaan Record)

KHON KAEN – Three Red Shirt prisoners were released on bail from Khon Kaen Central Prison on Friday evening, a little over one week since four newly-elected Pheu Thai government representatives offered their parliamentary status as surety for their release.

All three suspects had been detained on charges related to last year’s May 19 arson and violence in Khon Kaen city.

Mr. Jiratrakul Sumaha, Mr. Adisay Wibulsek, and Mr. Udom Khammul were met at the prison’s front gates by several hundred Red Shirt supporters, relatives and three Members of Parliament – all of them there to celebrate the release.

Brawl in Trat Hospital's ER Unit Damages 3 Ventilators

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29 June 2015, 19:02

The ten men who started a brawl in a Trat hospital promise not to hold grudges against each other, 29 June 2015.

TRAT — Ten people, including three teenagers, were arrested for starting a fight and damaging three medical ventilators in a hospital emergency room in Trat province last Friday.

According to police, the ten were friends of two men who were injured in a fight at a nightclub shortly after midnight on 26 June. The pair was sent to Trat Provincial Hospital, and their friends arrived at around 2am, said Pol.Lt. Boonma Thathong, an officer at Mueang Trat Police Station.

However, upon seeing each other, the two groups resumed their brawl in the hospital's emergency unit, the officer told reporters.

"Such action damaged three of the hospital’s ventilators, which are medical equipment for the public," Pol.Lt. Boonma said.

Police tracked down and arrested ten suspects after the director of the hospital filed charges.

The suspects were identified as Kachane Anusap, 18; Anuwat Kansong, 19; Tatthep Buddhakesorn, 20; Samran Promma, 20; Jakkrit Ruengkachit, 23; Kritchapat Suthan, 21; and Athiwat Retsuk, 24, and three underage individuals.

Police say one more suspect is still at large.

The group has been charged with intruding a state building at night, and causing damage to public property. They will also be forced to pay for the costs of the damaged devices, Pol.Lt. Boonma said.

At a press conference today, police made the young men join hands and swear that they would not hold grudges against eachother.

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Two Cops Hit by Drunk Drivers in BKK on Same Night

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29 June 2015, 17:34

The BMW that crashed into a police officer who was riding a motorcycle in Bangkok on 28 June 2015.

BANGKOK — Two policemen were injured by drunk drivers in two separate road accidents in Bangkok last night.

The first incident took place at around 11pm on New Phetburi Road, when traffic police asked a visibly intoxicated motorcyclist to stop at a checkpoint. Instead of braking, the motorcyclist reportedly accelerated and crashed into Adisak Doisap, a 40-year-old traffic police volunteer who had attempted to block the bike.

Adisak was treated for minor injuries at hospital and released last night.

The driver, Udon Buarapha, 27, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after tests revealed that his blood alcohol content was above the legal limit.

The second incident took place within minutes of the first at an exit off of an expressway in Din Daeng district. Police said Pol.Lt. Sombat Phraethep, a traffic officer, was patrolling the highway on his motorcycle when a white BMW crashed into him from behind. His right leg and hip bone were fractured by the impact.

The driver, Waranchai Amornchaiyakul, 37, was arrested and determined to be driving under influence of alcohol, said Pol.Lt.Col. Teera Ruengnate, an investigative officer at Expressway 1 Police Station.

"[He said] he was changing to left lane and couldn't see the police officer," Pol.Lt.Col. Teera said, adding that Waranchai did not flee from the scene.

The suspect has been charged with a DUI, which carries a penalty of one year in prison under Thai laws. The the jail term can be raised to five years if the reckless driving leads to injuries, and ten years if it leads to deaths.

Drunk driving is a major cause of traffic accidents in Thailand. During the seven-day Thai New Year festival in April known as Songkran, intoxicated drivers were responsible for more than 1,000 accidents, according to statistics compiled by the Thai authorities.

The Transportation Research Institute ranks Thailand as the second most dangerous place to drive in the world, with a rate of 44 deaths per 100,000 people, a number nearly twice global average.

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