Philippines Vows to Curb Illegal Fishing Amid EU Pressure

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11 June 2014, 15:59

The Philippines on Wednesday vowed to curb illegal fishing after the European Union warned of a possible import ban. CHRISTIAN CHARISIUS/dpa

MANILA (DPA) — The Philippines on Wednesday vowed to curb illegal fishing after the European Union warned of a possible import ban.

"The Philippines is working actively to comply with the EU's requirements," said presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma. "The Philippines seeks to meet EU norms as the country endeavours to increase trade with EU countries and raise level of investments."

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources was leading efforts to meet the EU's standards on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, he said.

The Philippines' fishery exports to the EU, the world's biggest fish importer, totalled 170 million euros (230 million dollars) in 2013.

The EU issued a "yellow card" or a formal warning against the Philippines and Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, noting that they had to improve their standards within six months to avoid trade sanctions, which could include a ban.

"We want the Philippines as a partner to combat illegal fishing," said Maria Damanaki, the European commissioner in charge of maritime affairs and fisheries. "We want the country to improve its legal and control systems as required by international rules."

The EU said it had offered technical assistance to help the Philippines address deficiencies in monitoring, controlling and surveillance of fisheries.

"In view of the serious threat posed by illegal fishing, the EU is able to take certain trade measures against non-cooperative states including a ban on that country selling fisheries products to the EU," it said.

The EU said it had been discussing the issue with the Philippines since 2012, but had not noticed any progress.

In March, the EU banned fish imports from Belize, Cambodia and Guinea for "acting insufficiently against illegal fishing."

Up to 26 million tonnes of fish are caught illegally every year, making up at least 15 per cent of the global catch, the EU said.

Red Politician Describes Surprise Arrest by Soldiers

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Khaosod English

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11 June 2014, 15:59

Soldiers guard the Army Club in Bangkok where hundreds of activists and politicians have been summoned to report. 23 May 2014.

BANGKOK — Prominent politician and Redshirt leader Singthong Buachoom said he was greatly frightened when soldiers woke him up and arrested him in his home on Monday.

"I was so surprised because the NCPO never summoned me to report to them,” Mr. Singthong said, referring to the military junta’s National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). Since seizing power in a coup d’état on 22 May, the NCPO has publicly summoned and detained hundreds of politicians and activists, most of whom were allied with the former Pheu Thai government.

According to the former Pheu Thai MP, a group of armed soldiers arrived unannounced at his home on 9 June and instructed his housekeeper to open the gate for them. Once the gate was opened, they rushed in and searched every room before they found Mr. Singthong asleep in his bed.

"The soldiers 'invited' me while I was in my pajamas," Mr. Singthong said. "They said the NCPO had issued a summons for me to report on 10 June, so I told them I would be there on 10 June, but they said no. They told me I had to leave right then and there."

The Pheu Thai MP added that he was "shocked" by the sudden raid because he has not been involved in politics or talked to any Redshirt leaders since the coup.

"Then they took me on a pick-up truck,” Mr. Singthong said. “Soldiers with M-16 rifles flanked me. I tried to ask them where they were taking me, but they wouldn't tell me. I asked to use my phone, but they said no.”

Once he arrived at the military camp, Mr. Singthong was asked by a group of military officers to “cooperate” with the NCPO's stated mission to reconcile the country’s political divisions and restore happiness to the people. Mr. Singthong said he was also asked to give his opinions on a variety of political issues, such as the proposal by conservative politicians that the votes of Bangkokians are more valuable than those from Thailand’s rural provinces.

After "a long talk" Mr. Singthong said he was let go without signing any conditions of release. Most detained politicians and activists have been forced to promise they will not participate in any political activities.

Mr. Singthong said he later received a formal apology from Col. Songwit Noonpakdee, the commander of the raid on his house, who reportedly admitted that the soldiers were wrong to detain him in such way.

"He said, 'If you ever talk to the press, please tell them I apologize for the action of the soldiers,’” Mr. Singthong told Khaosod. “He apologised to me and my family.”

In a statement released today, Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned the Thai military’s arbitrary arrests of politicians and activists and cited the case of Mr. Singthong specifically.

“The military needs to stop summarily arresting anyone they want and taking them to undisclosed locations,” said Human Rights Watch’s Asia Director Brad Adams.

The human rights group also called upon the Thai military to confirm the location of a Redshirt activist that has been secretly held for nearly two weeks. Under martial law, the military is only permitted to detain citizens without charges for up to seven days.

According to HRW, Kritsuda Khunasen has not been seen or heard from since the military arrested her during a raid on Redshirts in Chonburi province on 28 May.

“Kritsuda and all the others held without being charged with a credible offense should be freed immediately,” HRW’s Mr. Adams said.

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Earthquake Damaged Schools in Chiang Rai get Financial Assistance

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Khaosod English

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11 June 2014, 15:59

(Chiang Rai Times)

CHIANG RAI — The office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) has allocated 18 million baht to assist the educational institutions that sustained damage in the quake in Chiang Rai Province, and will urgently request budget of 200 million baht from the military government for further crucial maintenance.

Read the rest of the story here.

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Media Giant Wins Exclusive Rights to World Cup Broadcasts

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Khaosod English

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11 June 2014, 15:17

Divers play football in Chiang Mai Zoo aquarium in anticipation of the FIFA World Cup.

UPDATE: The Thai military junta has ordered RS to air all World Cup matches on state-owned television channels in exchange for 427 million baht.

BANGKOK — Thailand’s supreme administrative court has granted Thai media giant RS exclusive rights to broadcast the 2014 FIFA World Cup matches, making it the first time in Thai history that viewers will not be able to watch the entire football tournament for free.

The court decision follows a bitter legal fight between RS and Thailand's media-regulating body, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC), over who had the rights to broadcast the World Cup tournament to Thai viewers.

RS argued that it secured the rights to broadcast the matches from FIFA, the tournament's organiser, and said that viewers who wanted to watch the games on their TVs had to purchase a special 1,700 baht "signal box" from the corporation.

The NBTC attempted to challenge RS's exclusive claim to the World Cup broadcasts, citing a potential breach of customers' rights, and ordered that all of the matches be made available on Thailand's state-owned TV for free. In response, RS filed a lawsuit against the NBTC.

In a key ruling announced today, a judge struck down NBTC's order and upheld RS’s sole rights to the matches, making it the first time in Thai history that a private corporation has owned exclusive rights to broadcast World Cup matches. In previous years, a "pool" of state-owned TV channels shared the rights and broadcasted the matches for free.

This year, RS has agreed to allow state-owned TV channels to broadcast 22 out of 64 games, including the final matches. TrueVision, Thailand's major cable TV corporation, has also bought the rights from RS, at an undisclosed sum, to broadcast all 64 matches to its subscribers.

Although restaurants and pubs that have purchased RS's signal boxes will be able to broadcast the matches to their customers, many Thais will likely be forced to buy the signal boxes for their own homes because the military junta has not lifted its midnight – 4 am curfew. Most of World Cup matches will be played during in those curfew hours.

There were hopes among Thai football fans that the military junta may intervene and force RS to relinquish its exclusive rights. Daily News quoted Gen. Prayuth Chan-oca, army chief and chairman of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), as saying the army will ask for cooperation from RS to broadcast all of the 64 matches on Channel 5 and 7, which are operated by the army.

The news led many commentators on social media to joke that the NCPO is finally "Returning Happiness to the People" — the name of the military's national reconciliation campaign.

However, their hopes were dashed when NCPO spokesperson, Col. Winthai Suwaree, told FM 97.0 radio this morning that he is not aware of any plan by the NCPO or Gen. Prayuth to ask for cooperation from RS to broadcast the matches on army-operated channels.

"Let me stress that I am not aware of this information," Col. Winthai said.

Col. Winthai also previously told the press last week that the NCPO has no immediate plan to revoke the military curfew in time for the kick-off of 2014 World Cup.

Football is extremely popular in Thailand, and World Cup matches typically bring huge crowds to restaurants and bars across the country. This year's FIFA World Cup will kick off in Brazil on 12 June, which falls on the early morning of 13 June according to Thailand's timezone.

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Media Giant Wins Exclusive Rights to World Cup Broadcasts

By

Khaosod English

-

11 June 2014, 15:17

[UPDATE: The Thai military junta has ordered RS to air all World Cup matches on state-owned television channels in exchange for 427 million baht.]