SONGKHLA — Police say they have rescued 30 Rohingya refugees who were reportedly abandoned by smugglers and forced to fend for themselves in the jungle for five days.

According to police, 17 Rohingyas were found yesterday in Songkhla province by local residents who alerted the authorities. Thirteen more Rohingya men were found and rescued by security officers today. 

Stranded Rohingya men discovered by police in Hat Yai, 7 May 2015.

A police officer said the group was found wandering in the forest near Thaug Khao Kaew mountain in Hat Yai district.

"The Rohingyas told us via interpreter that they spent 20 days sailing from Myanmar on a boat," the officer told reporters. "Five days ago – they couldn't remember where – a smaller boat picked them up from the large boat and left them stranded on land. They had to walk in the jungle for five days before they found Thai people."

The refugees are currently being held at Thoong Tam Sao Police Station. Officials from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security will investigate whether the Rohingyas were victims of human trafficking, police said. 

Police also found at least 30 recently-dug graves in Hat Yai district today. Local villagers reportedly told police the site was an old cemetery that had not been used for decades, but that 30 of the grave sites appeared to be fresh.

Several kilometers away, police also discovered remnants of a small camp site, consisting of tarps, clothes, and wooden huts. Police say they believe the camp was used to house Rohingya refugees en route to the Malaysian border. 

Thai officers have discovered several abandoned jungle camps over the past week in Songkhla's Padang Besar district. The sites are believed to have been used by human traffickers to hold Rohingya refugees for ransom. Mass graves and at least 30 corpses have been found near the camp sites, which are located deep in the jungle near the Thai – Malaysian border.

The police have issued a total of 18 arrest warrants in connection with the detention camps and trafficking network. The suspects include police officers and local administrative officials. Six people have been arrested so far.

The sixth suspect, Prasit Lemlae, deputy mayor of Padang Besar, surrendered himself to police today. He has been charged with human trafficking, illegal detention, and demanding ransom.

More than 50 police officers in southern Thailand have also been transferred from their posts following the discovery of the abandoned camp sites. 

The world's 'most persecuted' people

The Rohingyas are a Muslim ethnic group that hails from the Rakhine state of Myanmar and is considered one of the world's "most persecuted" minorities by the United Nations. 

Since 2012, tens of thousands of Rohingyas have fled ethnic and religious violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they are denied citizenship. Many refugees headed for Muslim-friendly Malaysia have been exploited by human traffickers and held in Thai detention camps for ransom, or sold as slaves. For years, Thai authorities have largely turned a blind eye to the practice. 

Last June, the United States government downgraded Thailand to the lowest rank in its annual Trafficking In Persons (TIP) report for failing to meet the minimum standards to combat trafficking. 

Thailand's military government, which came to power a month before the downgrade, has said that eradicating human trafficking is national priority. 

SONGKHLA — Police say they have rescued 30 Rohingya refugees who were reportedly abandoned by smugglers and forced to fend for themselves in the jungle for five days.

According to police, 17 Rohingyas were found yesterday in Songkhla province by local residents who alerted the authorities. Thirteen more Rohingya men were found and rescued by security officers today. 

Stranded Rohingya men discovered by police in Hat Yai, 7 May 2015.

A police officer said the group was found wandering in the forest near Thaug Khao Kaew mountain in Hat Yai district.

"The Rohingyas told us via interpreter that they spent 20 days sailing from Myanmar on a boat," the officer told reporters. "Five days ago – they couldn't remember where – a smaller boat picked them up from the large boat and left them stranded on land. They had to walk in the jungle for five days before they found Thai people."

The refugees are currently being held at Thoong Tam Sao Police Station. Officials from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security will investigate whether the Rohingyas were victims of human trafficking, police said. 

Police also found at least 30 recently-dug graves in Hat Yai district today. Local villagers reportedly told police the site was an old cemetery that had not been used for decades, but that 30 of the grave sites appeared to be fresh.

Several kilometers away, police also discovered remnants of a small camp site, consisting of tarps, clothes, and wooden huts. Police say they believe the camp was used to house Rohingya refugees en route to the Malaysian border. 

Thai officers have discovered several abandoned jungle camps over the past week in Songkhla's Padang Besar district. The sites are believed to have been used by human traffickers to hold Rohingya refugees for ransom. Mass graves and at least 30 corpses have been found near the camp sites, which are located deep in the jungle near the Thai – Malaysian border.

The police have issued a total of 18 arrest warrants in connection with the detention camps and trafficking network. The suspects include police officers and local administrative officials. Six people have been arrested so far.

The sixth suspect, Prasit Lemlae, deputy mayor of Padang Besar, surrendered himself to police today. He has been charged with human trafficking, illegal detention, and demanding ransom.

More than 50 police officers in southern Thailand have also been transferred from their posts following the discovery of the abandoned camp sites. 

The world's 'most persecuted' people

The Rohingyas are a Muslim people from the Rakhine state of Myanmar who the United Nations considers to be one of the world's "most persecuted" minorities. 

Since 2012, tens of thousands of Rohingyas have fled ethnic and religious violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they are denied citizenship. Many refugees headed for Muslim-friendly Malaysia have been exploited by traffickers and held in Thai detention camps for ransom, or sold as slaves. For years, Thai authorities have largely turned a blind eye to the practice. 

Last June, the United States government downgraded Thailand to the lowest rank in its annual Trafficking In Persons (TIP) report for failing to meet the minimum standards to combat trafficking. 

Thailand's military government, which came to power a month before the downgrade, says that eradicating human trafficking is national priority. 

BANGKOK — Thai authorities have condemned the killing and burning of a married couple in the southern border province of Yala yesterday, an attack that was attributed to local Islamic separatists.

Sanpetch Kanchanapetch, 42, and Nopparat Kanchanapetch, 37, were shot dead in their pick-up truck on a road in Bannang Sata district yesterday evening. The gunmen also set fire to their vehicle and fled the scene before security officers arrived, police say.

Police believe the attack was committed by local Islamic militants waging a bloody separatist campaign against security forces and Buddhist civilians in the region. A shadowy network of insurgent groups has launched regular attacks since 2004 in an effort to secede Yala and its two neighboring provinces, Narathiwat and Pattani. At least 6,200 people have died in the violence, according to data compiled by human rights groups.  

Col. Pramote Prom-in, spokesperson of the Internal Security Operation Command (ISOC), condemned the killings and expressed his condolences to families of the victims.

"The perpetrators are still displaying extremist behavior, committing terrorist acts, and disregarding humanitarian principles," Col. Pramote said. "Apart from violating the laws and human rights principles, such action also gravely violates teachings in the religion of Islam." 

The colonel also told reporters that authorities are collecting evidence to identify and arrest the perpetrators. 

"The Internal Security Operation Command would like to ask all sectors of the society, especially organizations that campaign for justice in the region, to come out and join hands in condemning the perpetrators in this incident," said Col. Pramote.

Yesterday, an NGO called Buddhists Network for Peace issued a statement condemning the attack as an "inhumane and cruel act." The statement also urged authorities to swiftly bring those responsible to justice, and called on the armed militants to stop targeting "vulnerable" targets. 

While the vast majority of Thailand is Buddhist, the three southern border provinces are dominated by Malay Muslims who speak a distinct dialect and trace their ancestry back to the sultanate of Patani, which was annexed by Thailand in early 20th century.  

BANGKOK — The hit-and-run motorist who fatally ran over a cyclist in Bangkok surrendered to police yesterday, and was released after being charged with reckless driving.

The driver, Saran Intanin, crashed into a group of cyclists on 4 May, killing one 31-year-old woman and injuring several others. After the incident, Saran made a brief visit to the hospital, where he provided a false name, and left before speaking with police.

Saran surrendered to police yesterday after a Facebook page called CSI LA, operated by a self-styled "investigation expert," identified him using a grainy mobile phone image taken by a witness at the scene. Saran was charged with reckless driving leading to deaths and injuries of others, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. 

Saran told reporters he was driving a car that belonged to one of his friends, and lost control of the vehicle while he was trying to pass another car in front of him. He said he did not realize that he had crashed into the cyclists until he stepped out of the car.

"That second I knew I hit someone. I ran to see the man who was on the road, then I ran and jumped across the [roadside] fence to see the body of a woman in front of me," Saran told reporters. "My knee suddenly went down, and I apologized. I told her I was sorry, I didn't intend to do this." 

Saran also explained that he later fled the hospital because he was "frightened." He said he decided to surrender to police with a lawyer after consulting his family about the incident. 

"I apologize. I'm sorry. I cannot do anything now. I will let the laws handle the case," Saran said, adding that he was not drunk during the incident. He was later interrogated by police for several hours and released from custody on the same day.

Retracting early statements made by police, Pol.Lt.Gen. Sriwarah Rangsipramkul, commander of Bangkok Metropolitan Police, said the car driven by Saran was not stolen after all. According to Pol.Lt.Gen. Sriwarah, the car was mistakenly reported stolen because of a dispute among family members in 2010. 

"There was misunderstanding that it was a case of theft," Pol.Lt.Gen. Sriwarah said. "But actually it's family issue. So that led to some inaccuracy in the facts." 

Five bicyclists have been killed on Thai roads in the past week alone. On 3 May, three cyclists were run over and killed by a 23-year-old university student in Chiang Mai province whose blood alcohol content exceeded the legal limit. On 5 May a bicyclist died in Ayutthaya province after a truck crashed into a roadside billboard, causing the structure to fall and crush the 63-year-old man. 

Yesterday, a cyclist was injured by a motorcycle in Bangkok's Prawate district. Police say the cyclist, Wichian Pinkesorn, 55, suffered some injuries on his head but state that his condition is not life-threatening. 

Wichian, who is missing one hand, is well-known among bicyclist circles in Thailand for having biked through 72 countries. 

BANGKOK — The Governor of Bangkok filed a libel charge over a satirical article in a prominent newspaper that lampooned his perceived failure to stop floods in the capital city.

Sukhumbhand Paribatra assigned two assistants to file the charge against the paper, ASTV Manager, on his behalf at Chanasongkram Police Station today.

Assistants of Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra filed a libel charge on the governor's behalf over a satirical article in ASTV Manager, 7 May 2015.

The piece was published on 6 May in ASTV Manager’s “Pujadkuan” section, which leads with a disclaimer explaining that all articles in published in the section are fictional.

The article joked that Sukhumbhand had mobilized all virgin women in Bangkok plant lemongrass – a Thai superstition said to ward off rain storms.

"Anything that will make the public feel relieved, the Governor is willing to do," the article quoted a fictitious "source" as saying. 

Sukhumbhand has been criticized for failing to adequately prepare for regular floods in Bangkok, despite promises during his re-election campaign in 2013. After a particularly severe flood on 26 March, Sukhumbhand suggested that people who want Bangkok to be free of floods should simply "go live on a mountaintop," setting off a deluge of criticism on social media and in the press.

The public outcry prompted junta chairman Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha to call on Sukhumbhand to apologize to the people. The governor eventually explained in another press conference that he was only "joking." In reference to the controversy, the ASTV Manager article on 6 May concluded by stating that Sukhumbhand urged Bangkokians to prepare to live on the mountain in the event that the lemongrass ceremony failed. 

Wasan Meewong, one of Sukhumbhand's assistants, told reporters today that the article violated Thailand's libel laws because it presented false information that could "damage" the Governor’s reputation.

"This charge filing is the first time in six years that the Bangkok Governor has taken legal action against media agencies that try to present false news and cause hatred toward the Governor," Wasan said. "In order to protect Sukhumbhand’s reputation, and prevent any presentation of news like this in the future, I would like to ask all media to work ethically, and only report news based on facts."

Police said they will investigate the matter. 

Known for its royalist and conservative editorials, ASTV Manager frequently mocks Redshirt activists and Pheu Thai politicians in its satire section, often with crude language. 

On 1 July 2014, the newspaper published a "parody" piece describing in graphic detail about how a transgender anti-monarchy activist would be gang raped by male prisoners after the junta finally tracked her down. The online version of the article was later pulled. 

Last March, the section "quoted" a progressive actress, Intira Charoenpura, as urging Redshirts to start a separatist campaign in northern Thailand. The piece became popular among pro-monarchy Thais, many of whom failed to realize that it was satire. 

BANGKOK — Thailand's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the ruling military junta to invoke its sweeping emergency power to eradicate human trafficking networks.

Niran Pitakwatchara, chairman of the NHRC, said he has been closely following the plight of Rohingya refugees who flee ethnic persecution in Myanmar only to be intercepted by traffickers in Thailand, where they may be held for ransom or sold as slave labor. 

 
Security officers carrying the remains of one of six bodies found in Songkhla province on 6 May 2015.

In the past week, police have discovered several abandoned camps near the Thai – Malaysian border that they believe were used by traffickers to detain Rohingya refugees for ransom. Mass graves and at least 30 corpses have been found near the camp sites, which are located deep in the jungle.

"Because of these [discoveries], no agency will dare deny the existence of a trafficking operation in Thailand," Niran said. "I am also glad that Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, the Prime Minister, has announced that combating human trafficking is a top priority."

Gen. Prayuth, who is also chairman of the military junta, has pledged to crackdown on trafficking networks, which he has said may require the use of Article 44, a clause in the interim constitution that grants him power to unilaterally issue orders and enact laws.

Niran said yesterday that he welcomes the idea. 

"If the government exercises its power under Article 44 to solve this problem, especially by using the administrative power to deal with bureaucrats or local politicians who are involved, and to root out the causes of the problem, then it may be a good solution."

International human rights groups have largely condemned Article 44, which has been described as a "dictatorial" power because of its sweeping scope.  According to Brad Adams, Asia director of the New York-based Human Rights Watch, the use of Article 44 has deepened Thailand's "descent into dictatorship." 

The NHRC has come under steady criticism from pro-democracy activists in Thailand for its perceived failure to challenge the junta's suppression of civil rights since the 22 May 2014 coup. Critics also accuse the agency of harboring a bias against the Redshirt movement, which supported the former government toppled in the takeover.

In late December 2014, an UN agency warned that it maydowngrade the NHRC for failing to act as an impartial watchdog. 

Security officers search the coast of Phang Nga province to look for suspected Rohingya detention camps, 6 May 2015.

10-day deadline to clear out camps

Gen. Prayuth has given local authorities 10 days to find and dismantle any other trafficking camps in their jurisdictions, said junta spokesperson Maj.Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

The junta chairman also said he would activate Article 44 to deal with complicit officials, Sansern said.

"If they discover information that state officials are involved, and make it unable for local authorities to handle the cases in their areas, they can report about it to the Department of Provincial Administration," Maj.Gen. Sansern explained. "The Prime Minister will use his power under Article 44 to solve problems for them." 

For years, successive Thai governments have failed to effectively dismantle trafficking networks in the country, in part because of the protection offered by some Thai officials involved in the lucrative trade.

Last year, the United States government cited the complicity of Thai officials as one the reasons for downgrading Thailand to the lowest rank in its annual assessment of how foreign governments combat human trafficking.  

Since the downgrade, the Thai military government has pledged to turn the country’s reputation around, enacting new legislation and toughening the legal penalties for convicted traffickers. This week, at least 50 police officers in southern Thailand, including high-ranking commanders, were transferred following the discovery of the suspected trafficking camps. 

At least four people, including three local Thai officials in Songkhla province and one Burmese national, have been charged with human trafficking, illegal detention, and abduction for ransom for their alleged connection to the camps. 

Meanwhile, the search for more detention camps and suspects related to the operation continues. Yesterday, the remains of four men and two women were found in Songkhla province near the mass grave discovered over the weekend.