'Popcorn Gunman' Claims He Was Tortured

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26 March 2014, 16:33

Mr. Wiwat Yordprasit (front) shows police how he allegedly shot at pro-government protesters in a crime re-enactment.

BANGKOK – The man accused of shooting at pro-government demonstrators in February has claimed he was tortured into giving false confession by the police, according to his lawyer.

Mr. Wiwat Yordprasit, 24, was arrested after he was identified by the police as the masked armed militant who fired a military-grade weapon concealed in a large popcorn bag during the gun battle between anti- and pro-government protesters in northern Bangkok last month.

The clashes left one elderly man paralysed after being hit by a bullet.

The suspect, dubbed "popcorn gunman" by much of the media, publicly confessed that he was hired by the People's Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) as a security guard, and that he received the weapon from fellow guards during the clashes, which he used to fire at pro-election demonstrators.

But his lawyer, Ms. Puangthip Boonsanong, said Mr. Wiwat told her during their meeting at Bangkok Remand Prison that he was coerced and tortured by the police into confessing to the alleged crime.

According to Ms. Puangthip, Mr. Wiwat was put in a van shortly after his arrest and blindfolded by a group of police officers who later allegedly punched and strangled him with a rope, a piece of cloth was wrapped around his neck in order to avoid the attack leaving any marks.

Ms. Puangthip also claimed Mr. Wiwat was forced to read his confession from a script provided by the police during the press conference.

However, her account was disputed by Pol.Gen. Adul Saengsingkaew, chief of the Royal Thai Police who said the Thai police do not have any kind of policy that allows the torturing of suspects.

"The police cannot do that" Pol.Gen. Adul insisted, while Pol.Lt.Gen. Winai Thongsong, deputy chief of the Thai police, said it was impossible that Mr. Wiwat was tortured, as there is no trace or evidence of the alleged attack on his body.

He stressed that the suspect voluntarily confessed to his alleged charges, and that the police provided no script for Mr. Wiwat at the press conference. "Reporters at the conference could see that," the deputy police chief said.

Pol.Lt.Gen. Winai also voiced his speculation that Ms. Puangthip brought the accusation against the police as part of her courtroom strategy.

Appeal Court Acquits Programmer Of Lese Majeste

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26 March 2014, 16:32

Mr. Surapak and his mother upon hearing the verdict (Photo by Prachatai)

(26 March) The Court of Appeals has found a programmer not guilty of lese majeste charges, affirming the ruling of the previous court.

Mr. Surapak (surname withheld for privacy reason) was arrested in September 2011 and accused of defaming the monarchy via a Facebook page.

Lese majeste, or insults of the Thai Royal Family, is punishable by up to 15 years in prison per offence under Article 112 of the Criminal Codes. The controversial Computer Crime Act also outlaws lese majeste.

The suspect had been detained by the police for nearly a year – his requests for bail release wererepeatedly denied – before the lower court acquitted him of the charges, but the prosecutors appealed the ruling.

The Court of Appeals today ruled that there was no sufficient evidence to support the prosecutor's case against Mr. Surasak, noting possibilities that crucial evidence, such as his computer, might have been tampered by the investigators.

In the verdict statement, the judges also remarked that lese majeste is a serious crime with sensitive implication to the Thai society. Therefore, the judges insisted, punishing individuals for the offence should only follow the strictest set of evidence and rule of laws.

Mr. Surapak and his mother expressed joy and embraced each other upon hearing the verdict, Prachatai reported.

Nevertheless, not-guilty ruling for lese majeste defendants is considered to be rare, and many individuals accused of insulting the monarchy have been sentenced to prison by the Thai courts in recent years.

A number of experts and human rights groups have urged the Thai authorities to amend or repeal the laws on lese majeste, arguing that it stifles freedom of speech in Thailand.

Double-Decker Buses May Be Banned From Hilly Roads

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26 March 2014, 14:19

Wreckage of the double-decker bus which crashed in Tak province, 25 March 2014

(26 March) Bus companies have been asked to refrain from operating double-decker vehicles on hilly roads, following a deadly accident involving such vehicle in Tak province on Monday.

The accident, which killed more than 30 passengers, occurred when the bus driver lost control of the vehicle as it descended down a slope and slammed into roadside barrier before plunging down into the gorge below.

It was the latest addition to the series of frequent deadly road accidents in Thailand; less than a month earlier, a double-decker bus also crashed in Prachinburi province and killed 15 victims, most of them young schoolchildren on a field trip.

In the wake of the Monday accident, Mr. Asdsathai Rattanadilok na Phuket, Chief of Land Transport Department, said during a conference with transport authorities across the country that double-decker buses should no longer be allowed to travel on dangerous hilly roads or steep slopes.

According to Mr. Asdsathai, the tall vehicles are not appropriate for curves and slopes as they can easily lose their balance, therefore double-decker buses should only be reserved for normal roads, and their traveling speed should be restricted.

20,000 of the registered public or chartered buses are double-decker, Mr. Asdsathai said, adding that the ban will be initially enforced by individual companies.

"In the first stage, we will try asking for cooperation from operators for 2-3 months," Mr. Asdsathai explained, "If the situation does not improve and accidents still happen, the Department will consider enacting a direct notice".

One possibility to enforce the ban is to amend the existing traffic legislation to reflect the new regulation, the director said.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Chatchart Sittipan, told reporters during his visit to the accident site in Tak province that experts from the Department of Land Transport are investigating the issue, particularly to determine whether the bus carried more passengers than the laws permit.

He named three possible causes for the accident: firstly, the driver might have been inexperienced; secondly, the vehicle might have poor maintenance; and thirdly, the road might have been poorly designed.

Nevertheless, in the meantime the Ministry of Transport will install more lighting equipment and warning signs around the slope to avoid further incident, Mr. Chatchart said.

Thai Transgender Actress To Star In New HK Film

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25 March 2014, 16:14

(25 March) Famous Thai transgender celebrity says she has secured a role in another movie produced in Hong Kong.

The upcoming film will be shot at many locations in mainland China and feature her as the main protagonist, according to the actress, Ms. Treechada "Poy" Petcharat.

The transgender actress, who rose to prominence after being crowned the winner for Miss Tiffany beauty contest in 2004, has previously starred in a Hong Kong film called White Storm.

Ms. Treechada told reporters she expects to devote herselfto her film career, and she has already signed a contract with a company in Hong Kong, which would land her in at least 2 movies per year.

Asked whether the company was aware of her biological sex, Ms. Treechada replied, "They know about it, but they have already looked beyond that issue".

Furthermore, due to the "strict" image-management protocol required in the contract, Ms. Treechada said she would not appear in racy photoshoots anymore. "They even told me I shouldn't have a boyfriend," the actress told reporters, "Well, they didn't tell me that frankly, but they did instruct me to something along those lines".

She added that she is not intending to engage in any romantic relationships anyway, since she is currently very busy with her works.

"I'm only free one day a week," Ms. Treechada said, "Any suitor would have a hard time".

2010 Unrest: Court Says Military Gunfire Kills Protester

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25 March 2014, 14:13

BANGKOK — A court has ruled that yet another Redshirt protester was killed by gunfire from a military position during the 2010 crackdown in downtown Bangkok.

According to the South Bangkok Criminal Court, Narin Srichomphu was shot and killed by military-issued weaponry fired from the location where a group of soldiers were standing at Saladaeng Intersection in the Ratchadamri district on 19 May 2010.

The inquest was a part of legal procedure to identify those responsible for the more than 90 deaths caused by clashes between security forces and protesters during March – May of that year.

Former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban are also facing murder trials for overseeing the military operation. Both leaders and high-ranking military commanders have publicly denied that security forces were responsible for any deaths, blaming the violence on the "Blackshirt" militants allegedly allied to the protesters.

Today, judges cited a significant body of evidence to back the claim that soldiers used live ammunition against protesters on 19 May 2010, such as video clips, testimony from soldiers themselves, and ballistic investigations.

Although Col. Noppasit Sitthipongsophon, commander of the troops around Saladaeng at the time, insisted his unit was only armed with blank rounds, soldiers in his unit testified in court that they did fire live ammunition at the protesters.

The court also noted that Narin was shot in the same vicinity where an Italian photojournalist, Fabio Polenghi, was shot and killed on the same day. A previous court inquest determined that Polenghi was killed by military gunfire.

"Therefore … the court found that the deceased was killed by high-velocity bullet which penetrated his head and nerve system," the court verdict concluded. "A bullet fired from the direction of the military personnel who were operating under orders of the Centre for Resolution of Emergency Situation (CRES)".

The court did not identify the particular soldier responsible for Narin's death, citing insufficient evidence, but a lawyer representing Narin's family says his clients were satisfied by the inquest’s findings.

"It is yet more proof that nearly every death of Redshirt demonstrators and civilians in the crackdown was caused by the military," Chokechai Angkaew told reporters.

Several previous inquests have also attributed crackdown deaths to the actions of military officers, such the deaths of six civilians who were shot and killed by soldiers inside Wat Pathumwanararm Temple on 19 May 2010.

Although some inquests were inconclusive and unable to identify the perpetrators, the Blackshirt militants have yet to be formally attributed with a single crackdown death.

Court: Military's Bullet Kills Italian Photographer Fabio Polenghi

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Chiang Rai Redshirts Cleared Of 2010 Charge

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25 March 2014, 13:10

A protester wounded by gunfire is carried away from clashes between the military and Redshirts in Bangkok, 16 May 2010

(25 March) Chiang Rai provincial court has found 5 Redshirts activists not guilty of charges under the Emergency Decree enacted during the 2010 political unrest.

The authorities previously charged the activists, local Redshirts coordinators and operators of a "community radio" station, of violating the State of Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to quell the Redshirts mass protests in Bangkok.

According to the complaints, on 17 May 2010 the five defendants organised a rally in front of Chiang Rai City Hall to protest against the ongoing military crackdown on their fellow demonstrators in Bangkok, hence violating the Emergency Decree which bans political gathering and dissemination of false information.

The defendants argued that they were exercising their political rights protected by the Constitution, and that they were merely trying to urge the authorities to call off a military crackdown on the Redshirts in the capital city.

After five postponements, the judges today finally ruled that the defendants were simply exercising their freedom of peaceful assembly as protected by the Thai Constitution.

Furthermore, the court noted that during their demonstration the defendants were stating simple facts – that the there was indeed a military operation using live ammunition against the Redshirts protesters in Bangkok, and that the violence resulted in some fatalities as the defendants said in their rally.

"There is no clear evidence of any distortion of fact in the defendants' speech," the judges said in the ruling, hence acquitting the five defendants of all charges.

Tak: Bus Plunges Down Gorge, Killing Dozens

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25 March 2014, 12:16

Transport Minister Chatchart Sittipan talks with one of the victims of the crash, 25 March 2014

(25 March) Faulty brakes are said to be the cause the charted bus accident in Tak province which killed more than 30 people.

The bus was traveling with three other vehicles that were hired by the regional authority of Tha Sai Luat subdistrict in the province to transport 30 officials and 160 local residents to a field trip in Laos, police said.

According to witnesses, when the convoy reached a descending slop of Route 105 in Mae Tho subdistrict at around 20.30 last night, the fourth bus, with around 50 passengers onboard, lost control and slammed into a roadside barrier before plunging down into 100-metres deep gorge below.

More than 20 police force units and rescue teams later arrived at the site of the accident, where they struggled to retrieve the dead and the injured from the bus wreckage amid the darkness and difficult terrain.

At least 30 people lost their lives in the accident, medical workers at Somdet Prachao Taksin Hospital said, adding that more of the dead were women.

Mr. Thammanoon Khatbho, a 41-year old resident of Bangkok and driver of the doomed bus, told police he regularly maintained and repaired the bus, and claimed to have good knowledge of the area, as he frequently traveled in the province.

When the bus started down the 4-km long slope, Mr. Thammanoon said, he attempted to slow the bus down, but the brakes did not respond. The driver reportedly intended to collide with a large truck in front of him to stop the vehicle, to no avail, causing the bus to crash into the barrier and fall into the gorge.

It is not immediately clear whether the police have pressed any charges against Mr. Thammanoon, but officers stress that the incident is currently under investigation.

Thailand is known for its notoriously poor safety record in public transportation, especially concerning inter-provincial travels which involve double-deck buses and public vans.

The accident also occurred less than a month since the bus crash in Prachinburi province which killed 15 victims, most of them young schoolchildren.

In the February accident, the driver was found to lack the proper license for operating a public or chartered vehicle.

Army To Remove Red Cross Signs From 'Bunkers'

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24 March 2014, 18:57

(24 March) The Royal Thai Army have agreed to remove Red Cross symbols from their numerous checkpoints in Bangkok, following complaints from the Thai Red Cross Society.

The organisation has previously notified the army that its displays of Red Cross signs might violate international principle on the symbol, as some soldiers in the checkpoints bear arms, said Col. Winthai Suvaree, deputy spokesman of the army.

The army will immediately proceed to remove the signs from the checkpoint to comply with the request, and to avoid any confusion, Col. Winthai said, adding that some tents which were solely manned by military medics might retain the Red Cross symbol.

The military has deployed over 170 checkpoints – nicknamed "bunkers" – across financial district of Bangkok with the stated purpose of maintaining public order amid the ongoing anti-government protests at Lumpini Park.

Although the government has revoked the State of Emergency, the bunkers are here to stay, Maj.Gen. Warah Bunyasidh said, insisting that the security checkpoints are necessary tool to deter any attacks by shadowy militants on the anti-government protesters.

He also told reporters that the army is willing to remove the Red Cross signs from these bunkers as requested by the organisation.

Nonthaburi PCAD Rally Site Seized By Redshirts

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24 March 2014, 16:53

A Redshirts supporter argues with police officers during the standoff in Nonthaburi province, 24 March 2014

(24 March) Redshirts activists have dismantled the rally stage set up by anti-government protesters in Nonthaburi province today.

Supporters of the People's Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) have previously installed a rally site, complete with loudspeakers and a stage, near the office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission in the province.

But pro-government Redshirts under the name People's Radio for Democracy (PRD) later arrived at the scene, and proceeded to dismantle the rally stage.

Police officers attempted to bar the Redshirts from storming the PCAD rally site, but the protesters have broken through the police barrier line by pushing six-wheeler trucks fitted with loudspeakers at the police officers.

A leader of the PRD claimed the operation was meant to "seize back" the area from anti-government protesters. The PRD has held rally in front of the NACC office in the past to protest the Commission's corruption case against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, and has vowed to stage another rally there.

"We will stay here until 31 March," said PRD core leader, Mr. Sornrak Malaithong.

Although no PCAD supporter was present at the rally site at the time of the incident, fistfights erupted when a monk approached the Redshirts before berating them for their actions and making other impolite remarks to the activists.

Some of the Redshirts became enrgaged and mobbed the monk, who was later rescued from the angry mob by police officers and protest security guards.

Crackdown On Shopping Mall Street Parking Announced

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24 March 2014, 16:51

(24 March) Parking of vehicles on roads in front of shopping malls in busy financial district of Bangkok would no longer be tolerated, police warned.

Pol.Lt.Gen. Rueangsak Jarit-Ake, assistant to the chief of the Royal Thai Police, said in a ceremony to mark the beginning of the crackdown that the police have received numerous complaints about cab drivers and tuk-tuk drivers who caused traffic jam in front of thse shopping malls by parking their vehicles on the roadside as they hawked their service to tourists.

The problem appears to be particularly widespread in Pathum district, where famous shopping malls such as MBK and Central World Plaza are located, said Pol.Lt.Gen. Rueangsak said, but added that the police will also look out for any offending on other districts in Bangkok, including the road in front of Don Mueang Airport.

"We have arranged traffic police to swiftly regulate the parking of these buses, taxis, tuk-tuks, and other vehicles for the sake of public orderliness," Pol.Lt.Gen. Rueangsak told reporters, "We want to provide convenience to the people".

He added that any violation will be strictly punished, and said that the police will evaluate the success of their operation in the next 15 days.

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