By Cod Satrusayang, dpa

BANGKOK (DPA) — The Thai military is considering organizing its own military exercises after the United States threatened to exclude Thailand from its annual Asian drills, a senior military source said Monday.

For several years, Thailand has hosted the annual Cobra Gold exercises, Asia's largest, but US officials had suggested moving them to Australia after the Thai military took power in a coup on May 22.

The US had already cancelled Thailand's invitation to a maritime warfare exercise in Hawaii in June and the status of Cobra Gold was reportedly under review.

"We are fully prepared to have our own regional exercise," a senior Thai military official told dpa. "Several countries have already told us they would participate in such an event." 

"The United States must realize that we have countries on this side of the world who understand [the Thai political situation]," the source said.

Thailand's junta said the US was now willing to go ahead with the exercises in Thailand, a military source told The Nation newspaper.

"The US has submitted a letter saying it will resume Cobra Gold jointly with Thailand, but we have not responded to it," the source said.

Thailand has meanwhile been developing its ties with China.

Thailand's acting foreign minister travelled to China over the weekend to strengthen bilateral ties. The talks were described as "productive."  

The junta is also making diplomatic overtures to Latin America, Africa and elsewhere in the developing world to explain the reasons for the coup, and to clarify its roadmap to democracy.

BANGKOK — Police have issued arrest warrants for seven suspects behind the deadly grenade attack on anti-government protesters in February.

Two children and one 59-year-old woman were killed when unknown assailants launched a grenade at the rally site of the People's Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) at Ratchaprasong Intersection on 23 February. Twenty-one people were also injured by the blast, which police believe was caused by an M79 grenade.

At the time, the PCAD was halfway through its six-month street campaign to topple the government of then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, whom protesters accused of being controlled by her "corrupt" "anti-monarchy" brother and former prime minster Thaksin Shinawatra.

Today Pol.Gen. Somyot Pumphanmuang, deputy commander of the Royal Thai Police, said courts have approved the arrest warrants of the following seven suspects: Taweechai Wichakam, 39; Suthorn Pipuannok, 49; Susak Lomwong, 32; Somsri Marit, 40; Kannika Wongtua, 38; Wichian Supirom, 33; and Chatchawan Prapbumrung, 45.

All of the suspects have been charged with premeditated murder, causing explosions with intention to harm other people, carrying and using explosive devices without a permit, possessing firearms and ammunition without a permit, carrying weapons into residential areas without due cause, firing explosives in residential area without due cause, and violating the Internal Security Act, which was imposed over Bangkok at the time. 

Pol.Gen. Somyot confirmed that all suspects are civilians, but would not say whether they belong to any political groups. 

"We are still interrogating the people involved," Pol.Gen. Somyot said. "We also have to investigate how the suspects managed to acquire the weapons."

Pol.Gen. Somyot added that he could not provide additional details about the suspects and criticised other police officers for sharing too much information about criminal cases with the media.

"I already stressed to all the police officers that they should not publicise the methods of investigation, because it's like teaching criminals to understand the work of the police. It will make the work harder for the police," he said.

Almost 30 people were killed in shootouts and grenade attacks on PCAD protest sites throughout its six month campaign against Ms. Yingluck, which ended in a military coup on 22 May. 

The coupmakers, led by army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, insisted that the military intervention was necessary to prevent further bloodshed between the PCAD and rival pro-government political groups that were also staging rallies in Bangkok at the time. 

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SI SAKET— The rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl aboard a night train last weekend has spurred many female passengers to travel on buses instead of taking overnight trains.

Female passengers at train stations and bus depots in the northeastern province told our correspondent they feel safer on buses because there are many people around them when they sleep, as opposed to individual bunk beds on sleeper trains. 

This week, an employee of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) confessed to sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in a sleeper car and throwing her body out of the moving train. Wanchai Saengkhao, 22, remains under police custody and has been charged with murder, sexual assault, theft, and drug abuse.

Chim Sukphong, 44, said she and her daughters traveled from Bangkok to her hometown in Si Saket on a day train because they were afraid that they might be harmed if they traveled on the night train. She added that she deliberately booked the seats in the 3rd class section of the train to avoid the 1st class sleeping car.

"There are many passengers in the 3rd class. It assures me that no bad incidents will happen," Ms. Chim said, "I also want to suggest to the SRT that they should put double beds in the sleeping car, so that the passengers can sleep with their relatives or friends for their own safety.”

Meanwhile, Chirasak Pongpira, an SRT official at Si Saket Train Station, said many passengers who booked the sleeping cars have requested the upper bunk bed, citing safety concerns.

"The SRT is now actively providing safety for passengers," Mr. Chirasak said, "We have placed police officers on the trains and on platforms to ensure the safety of our passengers."

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