PITSANULOK — Fearing fatal stampedes, soldiers have taken control of a temple event in which five free iPhones were given away to local temple-goers.

More than 3,000 people lined up in front of Wat Ratchaburana Temple in Pitsanulok province this morning to participate in the event, which  is a part of a tradition that typically involves monks throwing coins at crowds of temple-goers following major religious ceremonies.

While most temples distribute coins and other humble gifts, Wat Ratchaburana has decided to give away five iPhone 6 Plus devices and banknotes worth 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 baht. The money and winning raffle tickets for the iPhones were put in small bags, which temple staff planned to throw indiscriminately into the crowd. 

However, over 100 military officers arrived at the temple today to take control of the event, instructing monks to hand out the prize bags in an orderly fashion. Worshippers were asked to line up and receive the money bags one by one. 

 Soldiers took control of the giveaway event at Wat Ratchaburana temple in Pitsanulok province, 9 Jan 2015.

A total of 300,000 baht was given away in the money bags, temple staff said. 

Meanwhile, one of the temple-goers reported to the police that her wallet and two mobile phones were stolen while she was waiting in line for the prize bag.

"I only got 5 baht from the giveaway," said the temple-goer, Chantra Phusri, adding that the perpetrator has also stolen her ATM and credit cards.

Police say they are investigating the incident. 

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PITSANULOK — Soldiers have been dispatched to maintain order at a temple in Pitsanulok province where monks have promised to give away five free iPhones to temple-goers tomorrow.

The giveaway is a part of a tradition that typically involves monks throwing coins at crowds of temple-goers following major religious ceremonies.

Yet while most temples distribute coins and other humble gifts, Wat Ratchaburana in Mueang district will be giving away banknotes worth 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 baht, its abbot says.

The temple will also give away five free iPhone 6 Plus devices, said the abbot, Phra Kru Sitthitham Wipat.

He explained that the winning raffle tickets for the iPhones will be mixed in with the cash prizes and thrown indiscriminately into the crowds.

"We will throw the money in four different spots throughout the temple, to prevent the crowd from becoming too dense," Phra Kru Sitthitham said. "We have already requested police, soldiers, and rescue workers to assist us in the event, to deter any criminals that may blend in with the crowd."

The giveaway is scheduled to take place after a ceremony marking the construction of a new Buddha statue at the temple on 9 January. 

The iPhones were donated to Wat Ratchaburana Temple by some "Thais who are living in Germany," said Weerayuth Potassa, a staff at the temple. 

Over 100 police officers and soldiers will be deployed to oversee security at the temple during the iPhone draw tomorrow, said Pol.Col. Damrong Muen-artyim, an officer at Mueang Pitsanulok Police Station.

"We are afraid that a fight may break out between the people when they struggle to collect the money," Pol.Col. Damrong said. "There may also be criminals who intend to commit crimes during the ceremony."

A group of soldiers from a local military base were already stationed at the temple by today's afternoon. 

BANGKOK — Junta leader and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has a special "surprise" planned for Thai children on Saturday, his spokesperson said.

Yongyuth Maiyalap, spokesperson of the Office of Prime Minister, said the Government House will host several exhibitions and events to celebrate National Children’s Day, which falls on the second Saturday of each year.

"The Prime Minister will have a surprise," Yongyuth said. "You have to wait for that day to see what it is."

On National Children's Day, the Government House traditionally open its doors to children and allows them to take turns sitting at the Prime Minister’s desk.

According to Yongyuth, this year's celebration will also feature cultural performances, photo-ops with the Prime Minister's podium, and a motorized parade by the Prime Minister's bodyguard corps.

Gen. Prayuth will personally open the ceremony at 8.30 am and watch the cultural show at 10.30 am, Yongyuth said. 

"Then the Prime Minister will give a speech to the children. It will be broadcast live on Channel 11," the spokesperson said. 

As per tradition for Prime Ministers, Gen. Prayuth designated the "lesson" of this year's holiday in an announcement last month: "Knowledge and morality will lead us to the future." 

Other state agencies will also hold their own activities to mark the holiday. The main highlight will be military parade and display of weaponry by the Thai armed forces.

Officials at Royal Thai Army informed the media on 5 January that the army would be moving tanks, APCs, and helicopters from various military bases into Bangkok for the occasion. The army alsoadvised the public not to panic when they see the military vehicles.

Last year, the army issued a similar statement assuring the public that its convoy of tanks for National Children's Day should not be interpreted as a sign of an imminent military coup.  

"The public should not mistake such maneuver as a military coup," the deputy spokesperson of the Royal Thai Army said on 6 January 2014. 

Five months later, Gen. Prayuth, who was serving as an army chief at the time, led a coup on 22 May and toppled the elected government. He later appointed himself as chairman of the ruling military junta and was selected as Prime Minister by a legislature whose members he handpicked. 

BANGKOK — Several dozen people gathered in central Bangkok Thursday evening to honor those killed in the deadly attack on a satirical magazine in France yesterday.

The group lit candles and lay flowers around signs printed with the words “Je Suis Charlie” and other phrases that have come to symbolize solidarity with the satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, that was the target of the shooting.

A vigil for the victims of the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Bangkok, 8 Jan 2015.

Two masked gunmen broke into the magazine’s office in Paris yesterday and opened fire on journalists and cartoonists who were gathered for an editorial meeting, killing twelve, including two police officers.

“I could not sleep last night after I heard about the news, and when I woke up the next day I felt like I needed to do something,” said Chiranuch Premchaiporn, a journalist at Prachatai who helped organize the vigil in front of the Bangkok Art and Cultural Center.

Witnesses say the gunmen screamed “Allahu Akbar” during the shooting, which the President of France has labeled an “act of terrorism.” The magazine regularly poked fun at religions, including Islam, and was firebombed in 2011 after it published a spoof issue “guest edited” by the Prophet Muhammad.

Shortly after the massacre, crowds began gathering in cities around the world to condemn the attack, with many holding up pens and pencils to show their support for free speech.

The attack on freedom of expression has particular resonance in Thailand, where people were forced to test the military junta’s ban on political gatherings to attend tonight’s vigil.

“We had to do something simple because of martial law,” said Chiranuch. “So we made it clear that this is not a political gathering, just a spiritual gathering to honor those whose lives were lost.”

Thailand's military junta banned all political activities shortly after seizing power in a coup on 22 May 2014.

Prach Panchakunathorn, a former journalist who attended tonight’s vigil, said the attack in France made him think of another restriction on free speech in Thailand: the draconian lese majeste law that punishes any criticism of the monarchy with up to 15 years in prison.

“What happened in France has happened in Thailand to a lesser degree,” Prach said. “People who mock or criticize members of the royal family are often bullied. In some cases people have even come to where they live and shot bullets at their homes.” 

Those accused of lese majeste often face severe social stigma in Thailand, where King Bhumibol is widely revered. Even those acquitted of the charge often struggle to find employment. 

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