NARATHIWAT — Thai authorities have promised to conduct an impartial investigation into the death of a 14-year-old Muslim boy who was shot by army volunteers in a restive southern border province last week.

The boy was slain near an outpost manned by a group of Army Rangers in Narathiwat province on the night of 22 August. The military claimed that a group of insurgents on motorcycles opened fire into the base first, forcing the Rangers to shoot back. The boy was later dead found dead with a gun in his hand, according to a military statement. The seven other boys who accompanied him, ages 12 – 14, were not injured. 

Relatives and friends of the deceased have disputed the official explanation and insisted that the boy was merely riding a motorcycle with his friends, none of whom were associated with the insurgents who have been waging a separatist campaign in the region for a decade.

At a police press conference yesterday, high-ranking officials assured the boy's relatives and community leaders that an inquiry has been launched into the incident.

Pol.Maj.Gen. Pattanawut Angkanawin, a police commander in Narathiwat province, said the case has already seen "80 percent" progress, but that police are still trying to establish whether the Rangers' claim of engaging in live fire with the teenagers is substantial. 

"Things will be in accordance with evidence and who is implicated in the wrongdoing, be it military officers, police officers, or any other side. They will be strictly brought to legal prosecution in a straightforward manner," Pol.Maj.Gen. Pattanawut said. "The investigation team asks for seven more days before we can send the case to the court, and we will hold another press conference."

"If the officials are indeed guilty of wrongdoing, they will be punished," Maj.Gen. Singhasak Uthaimongkol, a military commander based in Narathiwat, assured the audience. "Laws must be equally applied to everyone. Don't be afraid that I will protect my subordinates. If they are guilty, they will be prosecuted according to the evidence."

The boy's relatives said after the press conference that they were satisfied by the officials' words, but stressed that they will ask for a more detailed explanation once the period of seven days has passed.

More than 6,000 people have died in the separatist violence that has plagued the provinces of Narathiwat, Yala, and Pattani since 2004. Several groups of Islamic insurgents are thought to be behind many of the incidents targeted at Buddhist civilians and security officers, though there have also been cases of revenge attacks on Muslims by Buddhist vigilantes. 

Human rights activists have criticised the military's occasional heavy-handed approach to stamping out the violence in the southern border provinces, as well as their reliance on Rangers, many of whom are volunteers armed by the authorities.

In March, two Rangers confessed they shot three boys dead and wounded their parents to seek revenge for one of their family members in Narathiwat province. 

BANGKOK — A prominent scientist has started an online petition protesting the recent appointment of a cult leader and UFO believer to lead a national education reform panel in Thailand.

“The appointing of [Mr. Art-ong Jumsai Na Ayudhya] to be in charge of Thai education by OBEC is truly unacceptable,” Jessada Denduangboripant, a scientist from Chulalongkorn University, wrote on his Facebook.

Mr. Art-ong was appointed by the Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC) to lead a subcommittee tasked with "revising and reforming" the national curriculum earlier this week, following a suggestion by the military junta to overhaul Thailand's education system. 

The committee will debate issues such as whether Thai students have too much homework and whether public schools' teaching schedules are appropriate for a modern-day lifestyle, said OBEC official Kamol Rordklai on 26 August.

Yet Mr. Art-ong’s appointment has alarmed many Thai scientists because of his association with a "pyramid cult" and endorsement of pseudo-scientific ideas. 

Mr. Art-ong, an engineer who reportedly collaborated with NASA on several projects, is heavily involved with the Baan Suan Pyramid movement, a cult that claims to posses the ability to heal sick people with "pyramid power" and boasts a lineage to ancient Egyptian "sorcerers." Mr. Art-ong gave lectures at many of the group's gatherings, including an occasion in which he claimed "pyramid power" can slow down the decay of fruit.

Mr. Art-ong  has also expressed his belief in extra-terrestrials; he asserted in one lecture that he could communicate with the "UFOs" that were hovering over the earth. 

As of the time this article is published, international astrophysicists have unanimously agreed that Earth has not been visited by any extraterrestrial civilisation.

To protest his appointment, Chulalongkorn University scientist Mr. Jessada launched an online petition calling for the removal of Mr. Art-ong from the OBEC subcommittee.

"If Dr. Art-ong, a believer in pseudoscience, has the role in reforming curriculum, he may use beliefs that are not based on credible science to affect his decisions about reforming the curriculum," the petition reads. "It may lead to teaching false beliefs to Thai youth."

The petition concludes by stating that "good education will enable our youths today to grow up as important figures in the future" and urging the OBEC to reconsider its decision.

Over 1,000 people have signed the petition so far.

Mr. Jessada is a vocal opponent to pseudoscience and paranormal beliefs in Thailand. He became widely known when he called for scientific test of "GT200" devices, a version of fake bomb-detecting device sold by a British businessman to Thailand's armed forces several years ago. 

After initial resistance, Thai authorities conducted the test in early 2010. The result established the GT200's accuracy to be as good as random chance, forcing then-Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to suspend the use of GT200 devices across the country. However, top army leaders and security officials continued to defend the devices long after the test.

A former prominent defender of GT200 devices, Pornthip Rojanasunand, was recently re-appointed as the head of Central Institute of Forensic Science.

Correction: The original version of the article incorrectly described Mr. Art-ong as a physicist. He is in fact an engineer.

BANGKOK — The relatives of a 17-year-old boy and a volunteer nurse who were murdered during the 2010 military crackdown on Redshirt demonstrators staged a protest in defiance of the junta's ban on public gatherings today.

The protest followed the Criminal Court's decision to reject criminal proceedings against then-Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban for their authorisation of the crackdown, which killed over 90 people, mostly civilians. Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep were charged with murder and attempted murder.

The court argued that Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep must be tried by the Supreme Court's Division of Political Office Holders because the two men were in political office when the alleged crimes were committed.

Pansak Srithep, whose son Samapan Srithep was killed in the clashes between soldiers and Redshirt in May 2010, distributed leaflets around Mo Chit BTS station at around 11 am today. The leaflets called for the establishment of a "People's Court" to try those responsible for the military crackdown on behalf of the victims' families. 

The leaflets named 5 people including Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep and three high-ranking military officers as "defendants" in the murder and attempted charges. Khaosod English is not publishing the names because of legal concerns.

Police moved in to detain Mr. Pansak almost immediately after he started distributing the flyers, while another group of police officers arrested Payao Akhart and her son Nattapat Akhart while they were waiting to stage a protest near the BTS Station. Ms. Payao’s daughter, Kamonkate "Nurse Kate" Akhart, was killed in the May 2010 unrest while she was working as a volunteer medic. 

Ms. Payao insisted to police that today's activities weren't meant to "protest or contest" the Criminal Court's verdict.

"I do not have intention to defame the court. I only want to ask for fairness for the deceased victims," Ms. Payao told police.

Nevertheless, Ms. Payao said she did not agree with the court decision, as she believes the murder charges against Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep are not "political offences" and therefore not appropriate for the Supreme Court's Division of Political Office Holders.

The three activists were detained at Bang Sue police station for six hours before they were released. 

Pol.Gen. Amnuay Nimmano, deputy commander of Bangkok Metropolitan Police, initially wanted to press libel charges against Ms. Payao and Mr. Pansak for "defaming" the individuals named in their flyers, but police officers later explained that the charges could not be filed because none of the mentioned individuals filed a complaint with the police.

"As for this case, I want to inform other victims' relatives that the Criminal Court did not acquit Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep," said Pol.Gen. Amnuay, "The court did not take up the case because it lacks jurisdiction."

Police say officers of the Judge Advocate General's Department are still considering whether to press charges against Mr. Pansak and Ms. Payao for defying the junta’s ban on public demonstrations.

Citing the power of martial law, the junta's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has placed a nationwide ban on public protests and tried those who violate the ban in military court. 

Last week, the military court handed down a suspended one-year jail sentence to eight anti-coup demonstrators for staging a protest against the NCPO in Chiang Rai province.

BANGKOK — A prominent scientist has started an online petition protesting the recent appointment of a cult leader and UFO believer to lead a national education reform panel in Thailand.

“The appointing of [Mr. Art-ong Jumsai Na Ayudhya] to be in charge of Thai education by OBEC is truly unacceptable,” Jessada Denduangboripant, a scientist from Chulalongkorn University, wrote on his Facebook.

Mr. Art-ong was appointed by the Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC) to lead a subcommittee tasked with "revising and reforming" the national curriculum earlier this week, following a suggestion by the military junta to overhaul Thailand's education system. 

The committee will debate issues such as whether Thai students have too much homework and whether public schools' teaching schedules are appropriate for a modern-day lifestyle, said OBEC official Kamol Rordklai on 26 August.

Yet Mr. Art-ong’s appointment has alarmed many Thai scientists because of his association with a "pyramid cult" and endorsement of pseudo-scientific ideas. 

Mr. Art-ong, an engineer who reportedly collaborated with NASA on several projects, is heavily involved with the Baan Suan Pyramid movement, a cult that claims to posses the ability to heal sick people with "pyramid power" and boasts a lineage to ancient Egyptian "sorcerers." Mr. Art-ong gave lectures at many of the group's gatherings, including an occasion in which he claimed "pyramid power" can slow down the decay of fruit.

Mr. Art-ong  has also expressed his belief in extra-terrestrials; he asserted in one lecture that he could communicate with the "UFOs" that were hovering over the earth. 

As of the time this article is published, international astrophysicists have unanimously agreed that Earth has not been visited by any extraterrestrial civilisations.

To protest his appointment, Chulalongkorn University scientist Mr. Jessada launched an online petition calling for the removal of Mr. Art-ong from the OBEC subcommittee.

"If Dr. Art-ong, a believer in pseudoscience, has the role in reforming curriculum, he may use beliefs that are not based on credible science to affect his decisions about reforming the curriculum," the petition reads. "It may lead to teaching false beliefs to Thai youth."

The petition concludes by stating that "good education will enable our youths today to grow up as important figures in the future" and urging the OBEC to reconsider its decision.

Over 1,000 people have signed the petition so far.

Mr. Jessada is a vocal opponent to pseudoscience and paranormal beliefs in Thailand. He became widely known when he called for scientific test of "GT200" devices, a version of fake bomb-detecting device sold by a British businessman to Thailand's armed forces several years ago. 

After initial resistance, Thai authorities conducted the test in early 2010. The result established the GT200's accuracy to be as good as random chance, forcing then-Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to suspend the use of GT200 devices across the country. However, top army leaders and security officials continued to defend the devices long after the test.

A former prominent defender of GT200 devices, Pornthip Rojanasunand, was recently re-appointed as the head of Central Institute of Forensic Science.

Correction: The original version of the article incorrectly described Mr. Art-ong as a physicist. He is in fact an engineer.