2010 Unrest Ruling: Victims' Families Request Appeal

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29 August 2014, 14:29

A military sniper shoots at Redshirt protesters near Lumpini Park on 15 May, 2014.

BANGKOK — The families of victims killed in a military crackdown on protesters in 2010 have requested to appeal a court verdict yesterday that dropped murder charges against the government leaders who ordered the operation.

Yesterday, the Criminal Court dismissed a murder case filed against former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban over their authorization of the crackdown in 2010, citing a lack of jurisdiction.

According to the court, 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. It is now up to the National Anti-Corruption Committee (NACC) to take up the case.

But relatives of the victims who died in the crackdown and their lawyers are urging the Attorney-General to appeal the court ruling.

"I believe it’s well within the authority of the Criminal Court to deliberate on the case," said Chokechai Angkaew, a lawyer who represents the victims' families. "Murdering people has nothing to do with political office."

The decision on whether to appeal the case rests with the Office of Attorney-General, who is currently "studying the case," its spokesperson, Wanchai Rujjanawong, said yesterday.

"This case is unprecedented," Mr. Wanchai said , "I cannot say much at the moment. We have to give time to the working team of the Attorney-General who is responsible for the case."

The Attorney-General prosecutor has 30 days to file an appeal.

Waiting for justice

The military crackdown in 2010 was an effort to quash mass Redshirt protests against Mr. Abhisit’s administration that began in March of that year.

More than 90 people, mostly civilians, were killed in clashes between security forces and demonstrators. The Division of Special Investigation (DSI) charged Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep with murder and attempted murder in late 2010 for authorizing the military operation.

Although Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep denied the charges, insisting that the fatalities were caused by militants allied to the protesters, court inquests have shown that soldiers operating under the government's orders were responsible for a majority of the deaths in the crackdown.

"I still want to see the wrongdoers punished," said Teerawat Chumchan, whose brother Attachai Chumchan was shot dead by soldiers near the entrance to Wat Pathumwanararm Temple on 19 May 2010. "But I can't do anything about it. I'm waiting for the prosecutor to file an appeal, and then I will consult with my lawyer about what to do."

Phayao Akhard, the mother of a volunteer medic who was shot dead inside Wat Pathumwanararm Temple on the final day of the crackdown, said she is preparing a letter to junta leader and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha asking to provide"justice" to the families of the victims.

"I never thought that it would happen," Ms. Phayao said. "As a family that lost my loved one, I will continue to seek justice for my daughter."

The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned the ruling in a report released today, calling it a “serious setback for accountability efforts in Thailand” and “an affront to basic justice and international law.”

The verdict fits into a larger trend of impunity, the report said, citing the repeated failure of governments since 2010 to prosecute those responsible for the violence.

“An important lesson from 2010 is that failure to end impunity will fuel future lawlessness and violence in Thailand,” said Brad Adams, HRW’s Asia Director. “This is particularly important now, when Thailand is living under a military junta that controls all state powers.”

Since staging a coup d'etat on 22 May, Thailand's military junta has banned public protests and intimidated the media in an effort to silence dissent. Over the past three months, the junta has arrested dozens of anti-coup protesters, many of whom are now facing trial in martial court.

Suriyan Polsrila, the widow of a Redshirt demonstrator shot dead by the military in 2010, says she is shocked by the verdict, but unsure of what to do next.

"I don't want to criticise anything at this time, because, as we all know, anyone who campaigns about anything gets arrested."

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Dolphin Park To Damage Phuket's Reputation, Critic Says

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29 August 2014, 12:23

A dolphin caught in a fisherman's net at Taiji Cove, Japan. [Photo: The Dolphin Project.org]<br /> — A dolphin caught in a fisherman's net at Taiji Cove, Japan. [Photo: The Dolphin Project.org]

(Phuket Gazette)

PHUKET — Phuket stands to suffer widespread damage to its global reputation as a tourism destination if it allows the establishment of a dolphinarium in Chalong, said renown dolphin trainer turned animal rights activist Ric O’Barry, well-known for his role in the Academy-award winning documentary The Cove.

“Most of the [captured] dolphins today are coming from the cove in Taiji, Japan. An extremely violent process has to take place to get them to Phuket,” he told the Gazette in an exclusive interview last week.

“If Phuket actually imports dolphins from Taiji, it’s going to be a blemish on tourism in Phuket on an international scale, because Phuket will be supporting this dolphin slaughter.”

WHO Issues Roadmap to Scale Up International Response to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa

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29 August 2014, 01:08

(World Health Organisation)

The aim is to stop ongoing Ebola transmission worldwide within 6–9 months, while rapidly managing the consequences of any further international spread. It also recognizes the need to address, in parallel, the outbreak’s broader socioeconomic impact.

It responds to the urgent need to dramatically scale up the international response. Nearly 40% of the total number of reported cases have occurred within the past three weeks.

The roadmap was informed by comments received from a large number of partners, including health officials in the affected countries, the African Union, development banks, other UN agencies, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and countries providing direct financial support.

It will serve as a framework for updating detailed operational plans. Priority is being given to needs for treatment and management centres, social mobilization, and safe burials. These plans will be based on site-specific data that are being set out in regular situation reports, which will begin this week.

The situation reports map the hotspots and hot zones, present epidemiological data showing how the outbreak is evolving over time, and communicate what is known about the location of treatment facilities and laboratories, together with data needed to support other elements of the roadmap.

The roadmap covers the health dimensions of the international response. These dimensions include key potential bottlenecks requiring international coordination, such as the supply of personal protective equipment, disinfectants, and body bags.

The WHO roadmap will be complemented by the development of a separate UN-wide operational platform that brings in the skills and capacities of other agencies, including assets in the areas of logistics and transportation. The UN-wide platform aims to facilitate the delivery of essential services, such as food and other provisions, water supply and sanitation, and primary health care.

Resource flows to implement the roadmap will be tracked separately, with support from the World Bank.

Junta Urges Fugitive Dissidents To Come Back

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28 August 2014, 20:05

Soldiers stand guard at the Army club in Bangkok, where politicians and activists were ordered to report following the coup d'etat, 23 May, 2014.

BANGKOK — Thailand’s military junta has called upon anti-coup dissidents living in exile to come back to Thailand, promising to provide them with fair trials once they return.

"We want them to come back. We never shut the door to them. We never prohibit them [from coming back]," said junta spokesperson Col. Winthai Suvaree at a press conference today.

Col. Winthai was responding to a comment by Karom Polpornklang, a lawyer who represents a number of Redshirt activists and lese majeste (insult of monarchy) defendants. Mr. Karom accused the junta's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) of failing to give a fair trial to its critics.

Since the military staged a coup on 22 May, dozens of activists, academics, and politicians allied to the previous government have been charged with defying the NCPO's summons orders. In addition, at least fourteen new cases of lese majeste have been opened.

Many dissidents fled the country soon after the military takeover, including former Minister of Interior Affairs Charupong Ruangsuwan, Redshirt leader and former Deputy House Speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai, and historian and critic of the Thai monarchy Somsak Jiamteerasakul.

In response to a news report that Mr. Apiwan is currently in the Philippines, Col. Winthai insisted that the NCPO has no intention of asking for his extradition, despite an existing lese majeste charge against the politician.

"The case is the duty of the police to decide how to proceed. Everything is in accordance with the law. The NCPO will merely ask for cooperation [from Mr. Apiwan] to come back and contest the charge in Thailand," Col. Winthai said. "Let me stress that we have no policy of hunting down individuals who are taking exile abroad."

He claimed that NCPO leader and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has personally invited all dissidents to return to Thailand, with promises to treat them fairly.

Col. Winthai continued, "This does not only apply to Mr. Apiwan. Other people who are in foreign countries should come back and fight the charges, and enter legal procedures. People who are contesting their charges in the country, those that don't run away, get their bail release."

Contrary to Col. Winthai's claim, a Thai criminal court recently denied a bail release for two activists charged with lese majeste for their role in a play that was performed in October last year. Police say the theater performance was offensive to the Thai Royal Family.

The two activists are currently imprisoned as they await their trial. If found guilty, they could face up to 15 years in jail.

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'Lucky Prayuth Number' Craze Hits Thai Lotto Industry

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28 August 2014, 18:04

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha meeting with Japanese investors at the Army HQ in Bangkok, 28 August 2014.<br /> — Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha meeting with Japanese investors at the Army HQ in Bangkok, 28 August 2014.

BANGKOK — Four days before lottery draw, tickets ending with the number “29” are flying off the shelf because of their association with Thai junta leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who recently became the country’s 29th Prime Minister.

In some provinces, the price of lottery tickets ending in “29” has been driven up to 500 baht per ticket — a steep increase from the usual price of 90-100 baht, and certainly higher than the junta's recommendation of 80 baht per ticket.

Some vendors said they have already sold out all the tickets ending in "29," even though the next round of lottery draw, 1 September, is four days away.

"I ran out of those tickets many days ago," said Amphai Kanchanarak, a lotto seller at a market in Ubon Ratchathani province.

Chatri Khun-in, a vendor who sells lottery tickets in Chiang Mai province, said that the numbers 21 and 60 are also highly sought after by lottery veterans because Gen. Prayuth was voted into the office as Prime Minister on 21 August and born on 21 March, making him 60 years old.

The craze has also sent a wave of panic across the Kingdom's underground lottery industry, which is even more popular than the state-owned lottery system.

One underground lottery coordinator in Surat Thani province told Khaosodthat all major dealers in the province have already stopped selling the "29" tickets because they are convinced the number will be drawn, which would force them to make a massive payout to their buyers.

"We are really surprised that the number has so many buyers. So, many big hands decided to stop taking the bets early. Usually, they only stop taking the bets on the day of the lottery draw," said the coordinator, who asked not to be named.

Lottery enthusiasts also rallied around numbers associated with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra when she was in office, convinced that she has a supernatural ability to hint at winning lottery numbers.

However, many lottery veterans say they are more confident about betting on numbers that correspond to Gen. Prayuth because they believe the lottery system under the Thailand’s military regime will be rigged to produce numbers that reinforce the Gen. Prayuth’s charisma.

Since staging a military coup on 22 May, the junta's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has ruled Thailand with undisputed authority. The NCPO has outlawed criticism of the regime, banned public protests, censored the media, and issued legal orders at will.

"Gen. Prayuth's number is the biggest number in years," said Mr. Chatri, a lotto vendor in Chiang Mai province. "Because he is the supreme sovereign authority. The new director of the Government Lottery Office is also a military officer. That makes Gen. Prayuth's number the biggest trend in many years."

Mr. Chatri added, "Right now, all the underground dealers are too scared to take bets anymore. Those who do just told their buyers that they will only pay out the rewards in half. It shows the power of Gen. Prayuth's number."

Officials at the Government Lottery Office dismissed speculation that Gen. Prayuth will somehow influence the outcome of the next lottery draw. They insisted that the lottery draw equipment is up to international standards and that every step of the draw procedure is transparent and observed by high-ranking officials.

Col. Winthai Suvaree, spokesperson of the NCPO, said he was disappointed by lottery vendors who used the craze around Gen. Prayuth's lucky number to greatly increase the price of their tickets.

"The Government Lottery Office has been asking for cooperation from vendors not to sell lottery tickets at an inappropriate price, but some sellers still sell them at a price much higher than [acceptable] rate," Col. Winthai said.

The spokesperson also advised buyers to "exercise their good judgment" before they decide to spend large money on lottery tickets.

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'Lucky Prayuth Number' Craze Hits Thai Lotto Industry

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Khaosod English

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28 August 2014, 18:04

Lottery vendor in Nakhon Ratchasima province, 27 August 2014.

BANGKOK — Four days before lottery draw, tickets ending with the number “29” are flying off the shelf because of their association with Thai junta leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who recently became the country’s 29th Prime Minister.

In some provinces, the price of lottery tickets ending in “29” has been driven up to 500 baht per ticket — a steep increase from the usual price of 90-100 baht, and certainly higher than the junta's recommendation of 80 baht per ticket.

Some vendors said they have already sold out all the tickets ending in "29," even though the next round of lottery draw, 1 September, is four days away.

"I ran out of those tickets many days ago," said Amphai Kanchanarak, a lotto seller at a market in Ubon Ratchathani province.

Chatri Khun-in, a vendor who sells lottery tickets in Chiang Mai province, said that the numbers 21 and 60 are also highly sought after by lottery veterans because Gen. Prayuth was voted into the office as Prime Minister on 21 August and born on 21 March, making him 60 years old.

The craze has also sent a wave of panic across the Kingdom's underground lottery industry, which is even more popular than the state-owned lottery system.

One underground lottery coordinator in Surat Thani province told Khaosod that all major dealers in the province have already stopped selling the "29" tickets because they are convinced the number will be drawn, which would force them to make a massive payout to their buyers.