Southern Unrest: 'Drunk' Private Kills 3 Soldiers

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6 November 2014, 13:25

Soldiers guard a school in Narathiwat province on 6 Nov 2014.

PATTANI — Three soldiers were killed and two others seriously injured in the tumultuous southern province of Pattani after a private opened fire during a heated argument this morning, officials said.

Prior to the shootings, the soldiers were drinking alcohol in a boy scout camp in Bo Thong district, which also serves as a barrack for troops stationed in the province, police officers at Nong Chik Police Station told reporters.

The soldiers were members of a task force stationed in Pattani to combat Islamist separatist groups that have been mounting attacks against security forces in the region.

After an argument between the men escalated, the private fetched his automatic rifle and opened fire on the group, killing three, police say.

The private, who has not been identified by name, reportedly tried to commit suicide afterwards but survived. He has been sent to a hospital along with the two other soldiers who were wounded in the shooting.

Police say they are investigating whether the private has had any history of stress caused by operations in the region.

The incident came several days after the Internal Security Operation Command (ISOC) announced a plan to establish a new "marine" unit to combat Islamic insurgents in Pattani and its two neighbouring provinces, Yala and Narathiwat.

Tens of thousands of troops, policemen, and armed volunteers are already deployed in the three border provinces, known as the 'Deep South,' where more than 6,000 people have been killed since separatist violence broke out in 2004.

Human rights activists have documented many cases of brutality and abuse of power by security forces in the region, which has alienated much of the Muslim-dominated populace from Thai authorities.

In August, a volunteer ranger admitted to killing a local 14-year-old boy and planting a firearm on his body to falsely implicate him as an insurgent.

A month later, the court threw out a lawsuit by a man who alleged that security officers in Narathiwat province tortured his brother during his military custody. According to the court, the lawsuit's claim that Thai citizens are protected from human rights abuses under the 2007 Constitution was invalid because the charter was dissolved following the military coup in May 2014.

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230,000 Baht Water Bill Declared Error

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6 November 2014, 11:55

Wiriya Saenmai, 53, received a bill that claimed he owed the state 233,647 baht for using more than 9 million litres of water in a single month.

AYUTTHAYA — Thailand’s Provincial Waterworks Authority has admitted to mistakenly billing a man from Ayutthaya province more than 233,000 baht for a monthly water bill.

Wiriya Saenmai, 53, said he was shocked to receive a bill that claimed he owed the state 233,647 baht for using more than 9 million litres of water in a single month.

"I couldn't sleep at all. My blood pressure went up," said Wiriya, who works as a local rescue volunteer. "I kept asking my wife how we are going to pay the bill. I was very stressed."

The water bill was particularly surprising for Wiriya because his family mostly uses groundwater reserves and only resorts to state water on some days, he said.

"Usually I only pay 80-100 baht in water bill."

Officials at the Provincial Waterworks Authority later clarified that the mistake was the result of a new meter installed in Wiriya’s house.

The bill has now been voided, officials said.

After hearing the explanation, Wiriya told reporters that he wishes the Waterworks Authority would have been more careful. He added that the agency should not repeat the mistake, especially with elderly people who have heart conditions.

"They may have a heart attack and die," Wiriya warned.

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Laotian Women Rescued From Thai 'Karaoke' Brothels

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5 November 2014, 18:04

Police officers count money seized from the brothel in Nakhon Pathom province, 5 November 2014.

NAKHON PATHOM — Police say they have rescued 23 young Thai and Laotian women who were allegedly being held captive in a karaoke shop in central Nakhon Pathom where they were forced into prostitution.

Anti-human trafficking police organized the raid following a tip off from an NGO worker who received a text message from one of the women seeking help. Sixteen of the victims are under the age of 18, police say.

One of the victims told police she came to Nakhon Pathom several months ago after a Thai dealer offered her a job at Nong Fuse karaoke bar, where she was told she would earn more money than she did in Laos.

However, the woman said that she has been forced to sleep with customers and is only earning around 200 baht of the 1,000 baht each client is charged.

According to police, no arrests have been made yet as the karaoke bar’s owners appear to have fled the premises before the raid.

The victims are now staying at a state-run shelter home for mental and physical recovery, a police officer said.

On the same day, police also raided a brothel in Udon Thani and rescued four Laotian women, thanks to a tip off from another NGO organisation. A woman has been arrested on suspicion of human trafficking and running a prostitution ring.

Thailand is a major source, transit, and destination for sex trafficking. The majority of sex workers in Thailand are foreigners from neighboring countries and more than two thirds of them are under the age of 18.

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Junta Leader Chides Newspapers' Use of Dramatic Headlines

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5 November 2014, 17:38

Prime Minister and chairman of Thailand’s military junta Prayuth Chan-ocha with athletes preparing for the 2014 Asia Beach Games at the Government House, 5 Nov 2014.

BANGKOK — The Prime Minister and chairman of Thailand’s military junta has asked newspapers not to describe him with dramatic or "negative" language, a government spokesperson says.

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha is concerned that the media’s use of colourful language will affect his credibility as a strong, serious leader, said Maj.Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnert, deputy spokesperson of the Office of Prime Minister.

"The Prime Minister believes that some words have a negative tone," Maj.Gen. Sansern said. "We are not sure how these words were invented."

He cited Thai words like wo (to claim), foong (to suggest some incredible plan), pad (to deny), tee peep (to advertise one's achievement), and huem (to be angry), which are routinely used by Thai-language newspapers in headlines and leads about Gen. Prayuth.

"These words are negative and un-constructive. When the public hear these words, they feel that the official described in the news is not credible," Maj.Gen. Sansern told reporters in a press conference yesterday.

He added that Gen. Prayuth is still concerned by "some newspapers" that continue to "present news that contradicts with reality."

"The Prime Minister has already explained that some information presented by the media is not accurate, and has shown what is correct," Maj.Gen. Sansern said. "[The official information] is backed by evidence, reasons, document, and existing operation. However, certain media agencies still present the same pieces of information without regards to what the officials have tried to explain."

Gen. Prayuth, who came to power by staging a coup against the elected government on 22 May, is increasingly seen as an authoritarian leader with a growing cult of personality. As the chairman of the military junta, which has retained absolute power over his semi-civilian government, Gen. Prayuth has banned all public protests against his regime and urged the media to refrain from criticising his missions.

Gen. Prayuth has also antagonised a number of reporters by scolding at them at press conferences for asking questions about the country's administration.

In late September, Gen. Prayuth went as far as threatening to throw the podium at a reporter who asked if the general would run as Prime Minister in the next election.

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Thai Govt Promises 'Colour-Blind Constitution'

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5 November 2014, 16:37

Thailand's newly-appointed Constitution Drafting Committee, 5 Nov 2014.<br /> — Thailand's newly-appointed Constitution Drafting Committee, 5 Nov 2014.

BANGKOK – Thailand’s military government has promised that the new charter will not support any of the country’s political factions, despite the conservative leaning of the 36 people appointed to the drafting committee this week.

"This Constitution will not be any colour. It's a colour-blind charter," Deputy Prime Minister Wisanu Krue-ngam said yesterday in reference to Thailand’s colour-coded politics. For much of the past decade, Thailand has been polarised by a political battle between the mostly-poor and rural Redshirts and the urban and elite-backedYellowshirts.

The Deputy Prime Minister's statement came after Redshirt supporters criticised the conservative makeup of the newly formed 36-seat Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC), which is headed by a staunch Yellowshirt academic, Bowornsak Uwanno.

The committee has been tasked with drafting a charter to replace the constitution dissovled by Thailand's military leaders after they staged a coup on 22 May.

Six other members of the CDC also have a history of supporting the Yellowshirt movement, which has staged prolonged street protests to successfully pave the way for the ousting of five Prime Ministers backed by Redshirts.

Three other CDC members are military officers, and the rest are long-time bureaucrats and academics. None of the CDC members have any known ties to Redshirt organisations.

The charter drafters were selected by the military junta, formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the Cabinet, the National Legislative Assembly, and the National Reform Council. The latter three groups were also appointed by the junta.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Wisanu said the 11 CDC members allotted to the NCPO and Cabinet were handpicked by Prime Minister and junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha himself.

"We have inquired about the background of each individual. We found that none of them are involved in any conflicts," Wisanu said.

He also dismissed media speculation that the CDC, like the reform council, is dominated by the so-called "Chulalongkorn Connection," a clique of conservative academics from Chulalongkorn University. CDC chairman Bowornsak is considered a member of the clique.

"If we look at the list, you will see that there are many colours, like green, yellow, red, pink [the official colour of Chulalongkorn University]," Wisanu explained, "I insist that when we appointed these people, we didn't have any colour or connection in mind. Everyone has one anyway. But connections are fine, as long as they aren’t a conspiracy."

According to the 2014 interim charter, which was partly drafted by Wisanu, the reform council will advise the CDC and a final version of the charter draft will be approved by the NLA, the Cabinet, and the military junta.

The new constitution will further seal Thailand's record as the country with the most number of charters in the world; the nation has seen 18 constitutions since constitutional democracy was installed in June 1932.

It is also the second time Bowornsak, a well-known conservative law academic, is involved in the drafting of a charter. He also sat in the committee that drafted the 1997 Constitution, which was nicknamed "The People's Constitution" for its role in steering Thailand toward a more democratic governance.

However, Bowornsak later said in an interview with Manager newspaper that the 2007 constitution, which followed the 2006 military coup, was an "improved version" of the People's Constitution. That constitution was seen as major step back for Thai democracy, as it did away with a fully-elected Senate and gave more power to “independent,” unelected bodies.

"The new constitution that is being drafted right now is, in fact, an improved version of the 1997 Constitution," said Bowornsak, who was serving as a lawmaker in the post-coup government at the time. "I think it deserves some praise."

Gen. Prayuth says he led the 22 May coup – the twelfth in modern Thai history – to prevent mounting protests from spiraling out of control. Prior to the military takeover, anti-government Yellowshirt protesters demanded that unspecified “national reforms” be held before the next election, while Redshirt activists rallied in support of holding elections first.

Many critics of the coup view the junta's reform effort as evidence of the military’s tacit alliance with Thailand's Yellowshirt faction. The reforms are widely expected to curb the influence of the Redshirt-supported political parties, backed by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, that have won every national election since 2001.

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Thai Govt Promises 'Colour-Blind Constitution'

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5 November 2014, 16:37

Constitution Drafting Committee chairman Bowornsak Uwanno praying at Bangkok's city shrine, 5 November 2014.

BANGKOK – Thailand’s military government has promised that the new charter will not support any of the country’s political factions, despite the conservative leaning of the 36 people appointed to the drafting committee this week.

"This Constitution will not be any colour. It's a colour-blind charter," Deputy Prime Minister Wisanu Krue-ngam said yesterday in reference to Thailand’s colour-coded politics. For much of the past decade, Thailand has been polarised by a political battle between the mostly-poor and rural Redshirts and the urban and elite-backed Yellowshirts.