Woman Convicted of Filing False Rape Charge Against Former Minister

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21 January 2015, 13:17

Phakkapon Santalunai (R) arriving at court this morning, where she was sentenced to 3 years in prison for filing a false rape charge against a former Cabinet minister.

BANGKOK — Thailand's Supreme Court has sentenced a state employee to three years in prison for filing a false rape charge against a former Cabinet member.

The case dates back to 2003 when Phakkapon Santalunai, an employee at the Trat Provincial Department of Public Work and City Planning, told police that she was raped in a hotel room in Bangkok’s Pradipat district by Sombat Uthaisang, who served as Deputy Minister of Transport from 1995-1996 and Deputy Minister of Interior Affairs from 2001-2005.

Sombat disputed the charge and told the press that the sex was consensual. The Minister alleged that Phakkapan was accusing him of rape because he would not pay her 1 million baht in "silence money."

Lower courts acquitted Sombat of the rape charges, and found Phakkapan guilty of filing a false report with police. The Supreme Court upheld that decision today.

"Mr. Sombat was 67 year old at the time. Although Ms. Phakkapon was smaller in physical build, she could resist, struggle, or call for help," the verdict reads. "Yet Ms. Phakkapon did not such things. The staff at the hotel also testified that they did not hear any call for help."

Citing the "horrendous" nature of her crime, judges sentenced Phakkapon to three years in prison. She is also required to pay a damage fee of 1 million baht to the former Minister, and publish a summary of the verdict in four newspapers for 10 days.

There was no immediate reaction from Phakkapon or Sombat at the time this article was published. However, Phakkapon insisted to Manager ASTV yesterday that she was a victim of sexual assault.

"I would like to tell other women who fell prey to sexual harassment: don't be afraid. Stand up and straight. Don't let anyone take advantage of you," Phakkapon was quoted as saying by Manager ASTV.

"I have been pressured by society and my workplace while I have been fighting for truth in the last 12 years," she said. "Women must not give up. You must have faith that justice system will eventually prove the truth."

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Japan Seeks International Help to Resolve Hostage Crisis

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21 January 2015, 12:17

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (center) visits the tomb of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat upon his arrival to the West Bank city of Ramallah, on January 20, 2015. Abe cancelled part of his trip to the Middle East to deal with reports that the Islamic State militia threatened to kill two Japanese hostages unless 200 million dollars in ransom is paid within 72 hours. EPA/MOHAMAD TOROKMAN / POOL<br /> — Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (center) visits the tomb of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat upon his arrival to the West Bank city of Ramallah, on January 20, 2015. Abe cancelled part of his trip to the Middle East to deal with reports that the Islamic State militia threatened to kill two Japanese hostages unless 200 million dollars in ransom is paid within 72 hours. EPA/MOHAMAD TOROKMAN / POOL

By Take Kambayashi and Maher Abukhater

TOKYO (DPA) — The Japanese government Wednesday called on the United States as well as European and Middle Eastern countries to help save two Japanese men held by the Islamic State militant group, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe flew home to deal with the crisis.

Japan will "send a message calling on an immediate release of the hostages through diplomatic channels and all kinds of media," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference.

The group threatened in a video posted on the internet Tuesday to kill the two captives unless a 200-million-dollar ransom payment was made within three days.

Suga confirmed the identities of the men as Kenji Goto, a freelance journalist, and Haruna Yukawa, who works for a private security firm.

On Tuesday, Abe told reporters in Jerusalem that the threats to the hostages were "unforgivable" and demanded their immediate release.

The premier, who had planned to travel around the region until Saturday, cut short his trip and was to return to Tokyo later Wednesday to deal with the hostage situation, the Kyodo News agency reported.

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Taxi Association Condemns 'No Japanese Passengers' Sign

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21 January 2015, 12:17

A photo widely shared on social media this morning shows a sign posted on a taxi window that says in English, Japanese, and Thai: "No picking up of Japanese passengers."<br /> — A photo widely shared on social media this morning shows a sign posted on a taxi window that says in English, Japanese, and Thai: "No picking up of Japanese passengers."

BANGKOK — A taxi association at Bangkok's international airport has condemned a cabbie who is reportedly refusing to take Japanese passengers, one day after a Japanese man made headlines with his rant against a driver who refused to turn on his meter at the airport.

A photo (below) widely shared on social media this morning shows a sign posted on a taxi window in English, Japanese, and Thai. The Thai text reads: "No picking up of Japanese passengers."

The notice ends with the text, "From: Association of Suvarnabhumi Airport's Taxi Drivers."

The photo surfaced a day after airport authorities fined a taxi driver 1,000 baht and banned him from picking up passengers at Suvarnabhumi Airport for trying to overcharge a Japanese man. The punishment was carried out after the Japanese man's harsh rebuke of the cab driver, who reportedly demanded a flat-rate of 700 baht for a ride to Bangkok's Saphan Kwai district, went viral on social media.

However, Sadit Jaitiang, director of Association of Suvarnabhumi Airport's Taxi Drivers, told Khaosod in a phone interview that he had nothing to do with the notice, and only found out about the sign from social media today.

"I have not seen the sign with my own eyes, but I have seen photos of it. Let me stress that the Association is not related to such notice in any way," Sadit said. "Taxi drivers cannot be picky. We cannot choose to take or refuse passengers of certain nationalities. If we do that, we won't have any money. We have to take care of our families."

Sadit said he is looking into who is responsible for sign, and will hold that person accountable if he or she is a member of the airport taxi association.

"As the director of the Association, I condemn this action. The Association wholeheartedly disagrees with it. We are working to find out which driver put up the sign. If we discover that one of our members indeed put up the sign, that person will be held responsible," Sadit said.

Hundreds of Thai internet users have vented anger at the "No Japanese" sign, with some accusing the taxi driver of racism, discrimination, and refusing to obey the regulation. Others have jokingly commented that the driver should stop using a Japanese car.

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'Karaoke Dispute' Leaves One Dead in Chonburi

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21 January 2015, 12:17

Rescue workers come to the aid of a man injured in a brawl at a karaoke bar in Chonburi province on 21 Jan 2015.

CHONBURI — A 31-year-old man was stabbed to death in a brawl at a karaoke bar in Chonburi province early this morning.

The victim, a 31-year-old man, died from knife wounds to his stomach, medical workers at Chonburi Hospital told reporters. Another customer is also being hospitalised for severe injuries to the head.

Chonnidcha Inpetch, a 20-year-old waitress at the karaoke bar on Chonburi Bypass Road, told police that two groups of men were drinking at the bar that night, taking turns singing two songs per table. According to the waitress, one man's rendition of a "northeastern song" upset customers at another table, who were annoyed by his "awful singing" and tried to turn off the karaoke screen.

A fistfight between the two groups quickly erupted, with some men using knives, the waitress told police. She added that everyone fled the area soon after the fight ended, leaving the dead and the wounded at the bar.

Police say they are looking for all of the suspects.

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'Karaoke Dispute' Leaves One Dead in Chonburi

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21 January 2015, 12:17

CHONBURI – A 31-year-old man was stabbed to death in a brawl at a karaoke bar in Chonburi province early this morning.

The victim, a 31-year-old man, died from knife wounds to his stomach, medical workers at Chonburi Hospital told reporters. Another customer is also being hospitalised for severe injuries to the head.

Chonnidcha Inpetch, a 20-year-old waitress at the karaoke bar on Chonburi Bypass Road, told police that two groups of men were drinking at the bar that night, taking turns singing two songs per table. According to the waitress, one man's rendition of a "northeastern song" upset customers at another table, who were annoyed by the "awful singing" and tried to turn off the karaoke screen.

A fistfight between the two groups quickly erupted, with some men using knives, the waitress told police. She added that everyone fled the area soon after the fight ended, leaving the dead and the wounded at the bar.

Police say they are looking for all of the suspects.

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UNICEF launches the End Violence Against Children Campaign, urging Thai parents to stop corporal punishment

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21 January 2015, 01:57

Note: This is a press release. Its contents are not produced by Khaosod English.

BANGKOK, 19 January 2015 – The United Nations Children's Fund ( UNICEF) and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) today launched the “End Violence Against Children” campaign aimed at creating awareness of the negative impact it has on children and urging Thai parents, caretakers and teachers to stop using any forms of violence against children.

According to several studies supported by UNICEF Thailand, violence against children regularly occurs in homes, schools, care centres and juvenile justice facilities.* A study found that more than 50 per cent of Thai children surveyed said they had experienced violent punishment by their parents, caretakers or teachers. Many children suffered injuries as a result and often believed it was their fault.

According to the Ministry of Public Health, which collected data from 631 hospitals in 2013, more than 19,000 children (or about 52 children per day) were treated in the hospitals due to physical and sexual abuse.

“Violence against children persists because it is often accepted by adults and the children themselves as part of life,” said Bijaya Rajbhandari, the Representative for UNICEF Thailand.” Violence against children is a serious problem in our society. It doesn’t only harm the well-being of children, but it also undermines the productivity and prosperity of the country as a whole”

Violence affects children’s physical and mental health in many ways, both in the short and long term, said Rajbhandari. Children who have suffered from violence have an increased risk of mental health disorders, depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide. Violence impairs their ability to learn and socialize and increases the chance of them engaging in risky sexual behaviors and becoming violent adults.**

The End Violence Against Children Campaign which has the slogan “Parenting without Violence”, urges parents, caregivers, and the public to change their attitudes and behavior by stopping all forms of violence and using a positive discipline approach to raising children. The campaign introduces an easy concept of “CUTE” which is Confidence, Understanding, Trust, and Empathy as the way to care for children.

Under the campaign, 30-second and 15-second TV adverts about the negative impact of violence will be aired on Thai television, while messages and parenting tips will be promoted through several communication channels such as posters, leaflets, roadshow activities, online at www.endviolencethailand.org and through social media with the hashtag #ENDviolence.

Pol. Gen. Adul Sangsingkeo, Minister of Social Development and Human Security said that “collaboration from all sectors is needed to address this issue The Ministry has introduced measures and policies as well as activities to protect children from violence including a good parenting scheme. At the same time, the public can call the One Stop Crisis Center (OSCC) on 1300 if they witness any violence against children.”

21 Charged Over Former Govt's 'Fraudulent' Rice Sale

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20 January 2015, 21:36

Vicha Mahakhun at NACC press conference on 20 Jan 2015.<br /> — Vicha Mahakhun at NACC press conference on 20 Jan 2015.

BANGKOK – Thailand’s national anti-graft body has charged 21 people, including a former Minister and his deputy, for allegedly committing fraud in a rice sale that was billed as a transaction between the Thai and Chinese governments.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has accused former Minister of Commerce Boonsong Teriyapirom and 20 other officials and businessmen of entering government-to-government rice deals with private Chinese companies that did not represent the People's Republic of China.

Fifteen of the 21 suspects charged by the NACC are representatives of the Siam Indica Company, a Thailand-based rice company that allegedly bought rice from the Chinese companies and later sold it to processing plants in Thailand.

Vicha Mahakhun, a member of the NACC, said the transaction caused "serious damage to the country." He estimated that the sales cost Thailand more than 600 billion baht, and added that the Ministry of Commerce has been authorized to recoup those losses by filing a compensation lawsuit against the 21 suspects.

Vicha said the NACC is also working with the Office of Attorney-General to prosecute the 21 suspects in the Supreme Court's Division for Holders of Political Office.

The NACC’s decision to take legal action against the so-called G2G deal comes two days before the junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly (NLA) will vote on whether to impeach former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for failing to stop corruption in the rice-pledging scheme.

The charges were brought against Yingluck by the NACC. If found guilty, she faces a five year ban from politics.

Under the rice-pledging program, a key policy of Yingluck’s administration, the Thai government bought rice from farmers at above-market prices, but then struggled to sell the rice on the international market, accumulating stockpiles and resulting in huge financial loses.

According to the NACC, the scheme was riddled with mismanagement and corruption that cost the country more than 500 billion baht in damages.

Appearing before the NLA on 9 January, Yingluck denied the allegations and insisted that program was meant to improve the livelihood of Thai farmers. Yingluck’s supporters have accused the NACC of being allied to conservative factions in Thailand and conspiring against the former leader and her political party.

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Police Arrest Suspected Human Traffickers Targeting Rural Thais

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20 January 2015, 17:30

Marine police in Satul province inspected fishing boats manned by Burmese workers to look for potential human traffickers and drug use, 19 June 2014.<br /> — Marine police in Satul province inspected fishing boats manned by Burmese workers to look for potential human traffickers and drug use, 19 June 2014.

BANGKOK — Police have arrested two suspected human traffickers who allegedly coerced more than 100 Thais into working under slavish conditions on fishing boats in Indonesian waters.

The director of Thailand’s Division of Special Investigation (DSI),Suwana Suwanchutha, announced at a press conference today that two suspected traffickers have been arrested, with a third on the run.

Eight victims filed formal complaints to police, leading to the arrests, she said.

Pol.Col. Paisit Sangkahapong, the director of the DSI's department on suppressing human trafficking, said the suspects targeted Thais who originally hail from rural provinces, approaching them in Bangkok's major transportation hubs, such as Mo Chit Bus Terminal and Hua Lamphong Central Rail Station, with fake job offers.

"They befriend the victims and lie about well-paying jobs at factories and other places," Pol.Col. Paisit explained. "In some cases, the perpetrators admit that the jobs are on fishing boats, but they lie that the jobs will be only short term, and that the pay is good."

In reality, the victims are locked up in buildings in coastal provinces and later forced to work on fishing boats, he said.

"They have to work for many years. They cannot go home. They receive very little pay. They are intimidated, sometimes beaten," said Pol.Col. Paisit, noting that some of the victims are younger than 18.

Pol.Col. Paisit also told reporters that the traffickers sometimes traveled directly to rural communities in Thailand, especially in the northeast, to dupe villagers into working on the boats.

The two suspects have been charged with human trafficking and illegal detention, he said.

Thai authorities are currently working to rescue the victims from boats off of Indonesia, but Pol.Col. Paisit warned that the effort could take a long time due to the geography of the Indonesian archipelago. He added that the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) is working to trace the money trail in order to identify other members of the trafficking network.

Human rights groups and foreign media agencies have documented the extensive use of forced labor in the Thai fishing industry, mostly involving undocumented workers from neighboring countries like Myanmar and Cambodia. Thousands of immigrants and refugee seekers, such as the stateless Rohingya,have been exploited and forced to work under hellish conditions on fishing boats off of Thailand, which is currently the world's third-largest exporter of seafood.

An investigative report by The Guardian in 2014 alleged that Thailand's largest seafood company, CP Foods, has purchased fishmeal from boats manned with slaves.

The Thai government announced today that it is no longer considering a plan that would send prisoners to work on fishing boats in an effort to address the industry's labor shortage. The proposal, which was announced in December, was heavily criticized by human rights groups, who said the program would not address the root causes of the labor shortage that drives trafficking in the induistry.

The United States downgraded Thailand to the lowest rank in its annual report on human trafficking last year, citing the government's failure to meet the minimum standards needed to combat human trafficking. The report also alleged that some members of the Thai police and military have participated in the trafficking of Rohingya refugees.

As Thailand prepares a report for the US on its efforts to root out trafficking in 2014, authorities have announced a series of new measures aimed at curbing trafficking, such as strengthening legislation to protect workers in the fishing industry and hiring 700 anti-corruption staff to investigate cases of trafficking.

Police Arrest Suspected Human Traffickers Targeting Rural Thais

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20 January 2015, 17:30

BANGKOK — Police have arrested two suspected human traffickers who allegedly coerced more than 100 Thais into working under slavish conditions on fishing boats in Indonesian waters.

The director of Thailand’s Division of Special Investigation (DSI), Suwana Suwanchutha, announced at a press conference today that two suspected traffickers have been arrested, with a third on the run.