CMPO May Revoke Emergency Decree By 18 March

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14 March 2014, 13:43

Thai national flag seen from behind anti-grenade net at anti-government rally in Lumpini Park, 11 March 2014

(14 March) The Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order is aiming to end the State of Emergency over Bangkok by 18 March, a top official said.

The government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra declared the emergency decree over Bangkok and its neighbouring provinces in January in an attempt to contain the anti-government protests led by the People's Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD).

But the CMPO has recently concluded that the situation can be maintained by repealing the State of Emergency and resorting to the Internal Security Act, which was imposed over Bangkok prior to the SoE's enactment in January, said Lt.Gen. Paradorn Pattanatabutr, secretary-general of the National Security Council and a secretary to the CMPO.

The CMPO will seek approval from the Cabinet on 18 March. If granted, the State of Emergency will be revoked on the same day, Lt.Gen. Paradorn said.

He expected that the government will retain the power of the Internal Security Act until the end of April in order to provide public security for the Senate election in that month.

The State of Emergency granted the authorities a sweeping power to contain the protests, such as banning or suppressing any political gathering, banning the use of certain buildings and roads, detaining suspects without charges, and censoring the media.

However, a recent ruling by the Civil Court strips the CMPO of many of those powers, rendering the emergency decree powerless in the eyes of many observers.

Thai Passports 'Very Hard' To Forge: Officials

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13 March 2014, 19:09

Mr. Luigi Maraldi, an Italian citizen whose lost passport has been forged by one of MH370's passengers, posed with a police officer in Phuket province, 9 March 2014

(13 March) In the wake of evidence that two passengers on a missing Malaysian Airlines flight have boarded the plane with fake passports, the authorities have told the Thais to rest assured that their passports are very hard to forge.

Concern over security of passports and immigration in Thailand was raised after the two real holders of the forged passports told media they had lost their passports in Thailand.

However, the Department of Consular Affairs has released a statement today that the authorities have not encountered any single case of forged Thai passport ever since its launch of E-Passport system in 2001.

The procedure of issuing Thai passports is accompanied with high levels of anti-forgery mechanism, the statement claimed, which corresponds to standard required by international authorities, such as the inclusion of biometrics data of the passport holders.

The statement also reminds the public that the passports used to board the missing flight MH370 were forgeries of foreign passports, not Thai ones.

"Ever since we began the program of electronic passports in 2001, we have procured over 10 million passports," the statement said, "No case of forged Thai passports has been reported".

Inquiry Over PCAD Guards' Alleged Attempted Murder Expanded

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13 March 2014, 18:54

Police investigate the scene where an unidentified body was found in Chao Praya River, 26 February 2014

(13 March) The police have expanded the investigation over attempted murder of a Redshirt protest after evidences suggested that the case might be related to two other dead bodies found earlier this year.

Previously, the police have alleged that a prominent anti-government activist might have instructed his "guards" to torture a man called Mr. Yuem Nilla, who held membership of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), in the anti-government protest campsite at Lumpini Park in downtown Bangkok.

According to Mr. Yuem, a the suspects later dumped him into Bang Pakong River east of Bangkok with his feet and hands bound together, but a group of locals reportedly rescued the man and sent him to hospital. Mr. Yuem is reported to be under intensive care, as his lung and other organs have been damaged during the alleged torture.

The police have issued arrest warrants for Mr. Issara Somchai, a core leader of the People's Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) and several of his guards in connection with the crime. Mr. Issara has refused to surrender himself to the police.

Today, the Bangkok Metropolitan Police stated that Mr. Yuem's case might not be an isolated incident.

Pol.Maj.Gen. Thitirart Nongharnpitak, deputy commander of the BMP, said in a press conference that the case features many similarities to recent discoveries of dead bodies in Bangkok.

On 28 January, the police found a dead body wearing anti-government protest outfit next to the railroad in Prachachuen district, and nearly a month later, on 26 February, another dead body with anti-government clothes and accessories was found in a submerged sack near the pier of Riverside Hotel on the western bank of Chao Praya River.

The first body was later identified as Mr. Boonthiang Kham-Im, a 41-years old resident of Chaiyabhum province, while the second body remains unidentified, Pol.Maj.Gen. Thitirat said.

Coupled with Mr. Yuem's case, all three incidents shared traces of torture, according to Pol.Maj.Gen. Thitirat. In these cases, he said, the bodies and the survivor were found with bound feet and hands, and wearing anti-government accessories, which might be planted on the persons without their willingness; Mr. Yuem has previously told police officers that the guards placed a whistle around his neck just before they dumped him into the river.

Furthermore, according to the deputy commander, investigation reveals that both Mr. Yuem and Mr. Boonthiang have ties to the Redshirts movements, raising speculation that the culprit in all three cases committed the crime out of political motive with intention to conceal the bodies afterward.

Nevertheless, Pol.Maj.Gen. Thitirart stressed that further investigation is needed before the police can officially establish the motive of the three incidents.

"We don't know for sure the intention of the culprits," Pol.Maj.Gen. Thitirart told reporters, "Please give the police some time to work things out".

He added that the police have acquired CCTV footage which purportedly captured the moments the suspects arrived on a car at Rama VIII Bridge and dumped the unidentified body into Chao Praya River before fleeing the area shortly afterward.

The area was said to be sealed off from traffic at the time, as officials were inspecting the area after PCAD guards dismantled their campsites on the bridge.

The police are still investigating the ownership of the car seen in the CCTV footage, Pol.Maj.Gen. Thitirart said.

Related Story: PCAD Activist Wanted For 'Attempted Murder' Of Redshirt

Redshirts Curse NACC Chief With Mock Funeral

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13 March 2014, 16:26

(13 March) A group of Redshirts protesters has staged a mock funeral service to condemn the director of the National Anti-Corruption Commission in front of his office today.

Led by a local Redshirts group called People's Radio for Democracy (PRD), over 100 protesters marched to the NACC headquarters in Nonthaburi province with two loudspeaker trucks at around 10.00 today, prompting police officers to seal all gates of the compound to prevent the protesters from intruding into the NACC office.

The PRD activists then proceeded to organise the mock funeral dedicated to NACC director, Mr. Wicha Makakhun, who has been accused by the Redshirts of harbouring prejudice against the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and conspiring with anti-government protesters to depose her.

The NACC has previously summoned Ms. Yingluck to hear her charge of corruption concerning the controversial rice-pledging scheme. If proven guilty, Ms Yingluck might be removed from her caretaker position.

The mock funeral was complete with a coffin, funeral wreaths, relics for Buddhist cremation, while a sanitary pad was placed atop the coffin to curse Mr. Wicha's spirit in accordance with folk belief. The coffin was later burned to represent a mock cremation ceremony.

The activist also hung large poster bearing the portrait of Mr. Wicha on the NACC main gate, and hurled bags of human feces at the banner to express their disgust at the NACC chief.

Mr. Sornsak Malaithong, a core leader of the PRD, said he is angered by the NACC's alleged enthusiasm to pursue corruption charge against Ms. Yingluck while the Democrat Party has been left unscathed despite several pending corruption charges against the Democrat-led former government.

He also threatened to "escalate" the protest against the NACC should the agency continue to persecute the elected government.

"There will be no more dialogue," Mr. Sornsak said, "We cannot let the fake NACC who has been tasked with the job of overthrowing the government to continue their works. If they have any conscience, they must announce an end to prosecution of Ms. Yingluck"

"Otherwise, the people will persistently harass the NACC board in every step," he added.

A representative of the NACC later met with Mr. Sornsak to receive the PRD's complaint letter addressed to NACC directors.

UDD To Launch 'Skin Suthep' Exhibition

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13 March 2014, 14:35

Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban (centre) prays at anti-government rally, 12 March 2014

(13 March) The Redshirts are set to launch an exhibition to "expose" the alleged corruption and sordid background of anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban.

Named "Thalok Nang Thaug" (Skin Thaug – a nickname of Mr. Suthep), the exhibition will be hosted at the 6th floor of Imperial Ladprao shopping mall from today onward, said Mr. Nattawut Saikua, a core leader of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD).

The event will feature videos, photos, and information which would persuade the audience that Mr. Suthep is in fact a corrupt and hypocrite politician who exploits the mass in the name of anti-corruption crusades. Mr. Suthep's "personal background" will also be discussed in the exhibition, Mr. Nattawut, without giving specific examples.

"So the whistle mob can visit the expo and make up their mind whether to continue to support this person," Mr. Nattawut said.

In the press conference, the UDD chariwoman, Ms. Thida Thawornseth, added that the Redshirts are due to mobilise for a mass rally in Ayutthaya province on 15 March. She said the UDD will encourage Redshirts in Bangkok and other regions to attend the rally, which was billed as the "drumming for war".

However, Ms. Thida quickly stressed that the term refers to "political fights" in accordance with democratic principles, not a military struggle.

"The UDD merely has political aspirations," Ms. Thida said.

One Killed In 'International Concert' Stage Collapse

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13 March 2014, 14:17

(13 March) One person has been killed and at least 10 injured when a concert stage collapsed before its scheduled performance in Udon Thani province.

Police in Mueang district received reports of the incident at around 00.30 this morning, which took place at Vessuwan event site in Nakhon Udon Thani Municipality compound.

Rescue workers and police officers arrived at the scene to discover that the entire right-hand side of the concert stage has collapsed, along with a large projector mounted on the metal structure. 11 people were trapped inside the wreckage at the time the police arrived, one of them severely injured.

The rescue workers eventually managed to extract all wounded victims from underneath the collapsed structures, but one of them later passed away at hospital.

Mr. Pachanapan Sornjai, 36, identified himself as the manager of concert stage construction under AV System company and told police that his team was preparing the stage for an international music event called MTV Exit Live In Udon Thani, which is due to open its door on 15 March.

The event, unrelated to a US-based music corporation with the same name, was slated to feature many famous Thai bands such as Body Slam, Slot Machine, and Kala, along with guest rock and pop musicians from neighbouring countries, including Malaysia and Laos, according to Mr. Pacharapan.

The manager told police that over 20 staff were perched on the concert stage structures to install lighting equipment when some metal joints moved away from their locking spots, causing the entire structure to collapse by enourmous weight of the giant projector and other equipment.

Mr. Pacharapan said he would consult with the company executives whether to postpone the concert.

The police did not immediately press charges against anyone, stating that a further investigation is needed.

TAT To Organise 13-Province Songkran Events

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Khaosod English

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13 March 2014, 13:17

Songkran revelers celebrate April 2014 on Khaosan Road in Bangkok.

(13 March) The Tourism Authority of Thailand is preparing the celebration of Thai traditional New Years festival which would be held in 13 provinces.

Although Songkran is officially observed with public holidays on 13-15 April, the TAT plans to extend the celebration to span from 6 to 20 April in order to attract tourists from all over the world, said Ms. Wilaiwan Tawitsri, deputy director of the TAT's commodity and tourism business department.

The events will cost 20 million baht in budget, Ms. Wilaiwan said, but in return they are slated to draw approximately 1.48 million tourists, both Thai and foreign, and generate over 4.3 billion baht in revenue. The vast majority of the tourists would be Thais, Ms. Wilai added.

The 13 provinces are named as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Sukhotai, Chonburi, Suphanburi, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Phanom, Khon Kaen, Nong Kai, Hat Yai, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Samut Prakarn. However, Ms. Wilaiwan expected that most of the events and visitors would be concentrated in the provinces of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, and Chonburi due to their unique "traditions".

The TAT will promote cultural activities such as temple tours and traditional Songkran ceremonies alongside the renowned water fights, according to Ms. Wilaiwan.

Some local communities will also host unique cultural Songkran celebrations, such as the Mon ethnic community in Sangkhlaburi district of Kanchanaburi province.

However, Ms. Wilaiwan expressed concern that foreign tourists might not be informed of "appropriate" ways to participate in waterfights and other activities during Songkran festival.

Alcohol-fuled crimes such as sexual harassment and car accidents have plagued Songkran festival in the past years, and the authorities have struggled to stamp out the problems.

Rayong Accident Kills 6 Motorists, 1 Elephant

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12 March 2014, 21:12

(12 March) A double car accident in Rayong province has killed 6 motorists, including a Singaporean, and one wild elephant.

Police at the Wang Chan Police Station received the reports of the accident at around 04.00 this morning. The police and rescue workers later arrived at the scene at the 70-71 kilometre mark of Route 344 which runs through a forested area in Wang Chan district.

At the accident site, the police found three injured elephants standing on the road. Nearby, they found two dead bodies in the front seat of a badly damaged Mitsubishi Pajero vehicle, while two severely injured passengers were stuck in the backseat area.

The rescue workers retrieved both passengers from the wreckage and sent them to hospital, but the pair succumbed to their severe injuries later. One of the passengers was named as Mr. Lim Bower Jonathan, a Singaporean citizen.

Close to the wrecked Pajero, the police encountered a pick-up truck which crashed into the back of a six-wheeler truck. Two dead bodies were found inside the pick-up truck's front seat – bringing the death tolls from the two vehicles to 6 – but two passengers in the backseat survived with a number of injuries.

Initial investigation by the police indicated that the driver of the Pajero was driving along the route at high speed and slammed into the group of elephants who happened to stray onto the road. The pick-up truck skid off the road into the side of the road after the crash.

Later, the driver of the six-wheeler truck approached the crash site and slowed down his vehicle to observe the accident, police said, but the driver of the oncoming pick-up truck behind the vehicle failed to notice that the six-wheeler had slowed down, and subsequently crashed into the six-wheeler truck.

Officials from Sri Racha Wildlife Preservation unit also arrived at the scene to inspect the injuries of the three elephants, and found that one of them, a 15-years old female, was gravely wounded. Officials then shot the elephant with painkiller darts to ease the pain before transporting the creature to an aid station, while the two slightly-injured elephants were herded back into the forest.

Officialis believe that the elephants strayed out of the forest area as they searched for food.

The Department of National Park later released a statement that the severely-injured elephant had died from a grave wound on her chest.

The department's director, Mr. Niphon Chotibarn, expressed his condolence to loved ones of the 6 motorists who died in the accident, and stated that the dead elephant amounted to "a loss in the national resources of Thai forest".

He added that he is particularly sadded because the accident coincided with the National Elephants Day in Thailand, and vowed to tackle the "longrunning" problem of stray elephants. According to Mr. Niphon, the problem leads to elephants dying in car accidents, trampling on locals' crops, and even hurting some of the locals.

The director said the Department of National Park might solve the issue by designating a special preservation zone in Ang Rue Nai Valley, covering an area of 4,000 rai.

The area might be surrounded by electric fences to keep the elephants inside the preservation zone, Mr. Niphon said.

Pheu Thai 'Not Surprised' By Loan Bill Verdict

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12 March 2014, 18:59

Reporters reading copies of verdict distributed by staff of the Constitutional Court moments after the ruling was read, 12 March 2014

(12 March) The ruling Pheu Thai Party accepts the court verdict which invalidates the bill seeking loans for the 2.2 trillion baht infrastructure project, says its spokesman, Mr. Prompong Nopparit.

"We are not surprised by the verdict," Mr. Prompong added.

His comment followed the decision reached by the Constitutional Court which declared the loan bill as unconstitutional, arguing that the bill violated the check-and-balance system instituted in the 2007 charter by allowing the government to borrow the funds without oversight from the Parliament.

Mr. Prompong insisted in the press conference that the bill was meant to pave way for the 2.2 trillion baht project which would vastly improve the public transportation system in Thailand, such as construction of high-speed railway and replacing the old diesel trains with new electric ones.

"The government wants to lead the country to a better future, especially by creating opportunities and jobs, and improving quality of life," Mr. Prompong said, "So we can compete with other civilised nations".

Nevertheless, Pheu Thai Party will not contest the ruling, he said, adding that he hoped the anti-government protesters and Democrat Party will not use the issue to criticise or manipulate it to depose the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

"Please let this issue end," Mr. Prompong pleaded.

Alleged Store Robber Caught By Passing Policeman

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12 March 2014, 18:24

(12 March) A teenage boy who allegedly robbed a convenience store has been apprehended by a policeman who happened to drive past the suspect.

The police received the robbery alert at around 04.40 today from staff at a 7-11 store in Langsuan district of Chumphon province. Police officers later arrived at the store, which locates opposite Suan Sri Wittaya School, to find frightened staff waiting for the police.

According to the staff, a teenage boy wearing black T-shirt and a yellow mask stormed into the store and held up the staff at knife-point, demanding money. The staff then handed the suspect 500 baht in cash before the suspect sped away on a motorcycle.

Shortly after the police radioed other units in the vicinity to locate the suspect, they were contacted by Pol.Col. Phakkaphon Nawitsri, a police commander at Langsuan Police Station, that he has encountered and apprehended the suspect on his way to inspect the crime scene.

According to Pol.Col. Phakkaphon, the suspect was driving past him on the opposing lane when he recognised the man's description, so he proceeded to instruct the suspect to stop his vehicle and surrender himself. Pol.Col. Phakkaphon said the suspect initially ran away, but the officer gave chase and eventually arrested the suspect.

Pol.Col. Phakkaphon added that he was not armed at the time.

CCTV footage and witnesses' testimony confirmed that the suspect was the man who robbed the store, police said.

The police identified him as a 15-years old local resident who is currently enrolled in a "famous school". According to the police, the suspect confessed that he committed the robbery because he needed money to spend at internet and game cafe.

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