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Bookshop Owner, Suspected Shooter On NCPO Summons List

By
Khaosod English
-

BANGKOK — The military junta issued an order today summoning more than 30 people to report to the Army club tomorrow, including prominent activists from both of Thailand's rival political factions.

The junta's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) broadcast the list on national TV this evening.

The 33 individuals were instructed to report to the Army Club in Bangkok  by noon tomorrow, where they will presumably held for questioning. Most of the those summoned by the NCPO in the past few weeks have been held in military camps for 3-7 days before being released. 

Rajarek Wattanapanich, founder of the bookstore "Book Re:Public" in Chiang Mai province is among those summoned by the NCPO today. Several weeks ago, soldiers showed up at Book Re:Public in a show of initimidation, possibly due to the book store's history of hosting political discussions. 

Also on today's summons list was Thongchai Suwanwihok, aka Comrade Chuang, who is believed to belong to the inner circle of advisers to the anti-government protest movement that sought the ousting of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Sumet Trakulwoonnoo, aka Men, who police accused of leading a squad of armed security units for the anti-government protesters, was also summoned today. 

The police issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Sumet following a gunbattle between anti- and pro-government protesters in which  masked gunmen fired an automatic rifle concealed in a popcorn bag in the direction of pro-government demonstrators.

Mr. Sumet was identified by the police as the leader of the "Black King" cell, now popularly referred as the "popcorn gunmen." 

The police eventually arrested a suspect who was reportedly one of the "popcorn gunmen," but the court later withdrew arrest warrant on Mr. Sumet, citing insufficient evidence. 

 

 

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Bookshop Owner, Suspected Shooter On NCPO Summons List

By
Khaosod English
-
Masked "popcorn gunmen" shot at pro-government protesters in Bangkok on 1 Feb, 2014. (REUTERS)

BANGKOK — The military junta issued an order today summoning more than 30 people to report to the Army club tomorrow, including prominent activists from both of Thailand's rival political factions.

The junta's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) broadcast the list on national TV this evening.

The 33 individuals were instructed to report to the Army Club in Bangkok  by noon tomorrow, where they will presumably held for questioning. Most of the those summoned by the NCPO in the past few weeks have been held in military camps for 3-7 days before being released. 

Rajarek Wattanapanich, founder of the bookstore "Book Re:Public" in Chiang Mai province is among those summoned by the NCPO today. Several weeks ago, soldiers showed up at Book Re:Public in a show of initimidation, possibly due to the book store's history of hosting political discussions. 

Also on today's summons list was Thongchai Suwanwihok, aka Comrade Chuang, who is believed to belong to the inner circle of advisers to the anti-government protest movement that sought the ousting of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Sumet Trakulwoonnoo, aka Men, who police accused of leading a squad of armed security units for the anti-government protesters, was also summoned today. 

The police issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Sumet following a gunbattle between anti- and pro-government protesters in which  masked gunmen fired an automatic rifle concealed in a popcorn bag in the direction of pro-government demonstrators.

Mr. Sumet was identified by the police as the leader of the "Black King" cell, now popularly referred as the "popcorn gunmen." 

The police eventually arrested a suspect who was reportedly one of the "popcorn gunmen," but the court later withdrew arrest warrant on Mr. Sumet, citing insufficient evidence. 

 

 
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Telenor Dismisses Reports of Sacked Asia Chief Over Thai Facebook Row

By
Khaosod English
-
Norwegian telecom company Telenor sacks Asia communications head after the company said Thai junta for blocking social network website Facebook (DPA).

By Cod Satrusayang (DPA)

BANGKOK —  Norwegian telecommunication giant Telenor on Tuesday dismissed reports that it had sacked a senior Asia executive for saying the Thai military government ordered the blocking of Facebook.

Telenor Asia vice president and head of communications Tor Odland "is an employee of the Telenor group and remains in his current role," the company said.

The Bangkok Post earlier Tuesday reported that Odland was moved out of the Bangkok office, after the company said that a Facebook blackout on March 28 in Thailand happened when the government told local telecommunications company DTAC to block the social network website.

Telenor Sunday apologized for that comment to Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), expressing regret for having "damaged the public image" of the regulatory body.

The NBTC, which has been under military control since the May 22 coup, originally blamed the disconnection on technical difficulties.

Telenor holds a large stake in DTAC.

 

 
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Storm Destroys Krabi's 75 Million Year Old Fossil Site

By
Khaosod English
-

KRABI — Raging waves in southern Thailand have accelerated the destruction of a prominent fossil site in Krabi province, causing parts of the fossil bed to collapse into the sea.

Known to the Thais as "Shell Cemetery,” the popular attraction in Ban Laempho district consists of large slabs of stone formed by layers of fossilized shells and other organic substances. State archaeologists say the fossils were formed 75 million years ago and only two other similar fossil beds can found elsewhere in the world, in the United States and Japan.

According to park official Mr. Somporn Krupching, the fossil bed has been slowly eroded by waves, but heavy storm conditions over the past five days have accelerated the damage considerably. A few centimeters of the plate have sunk into the sea, while the base of the fossil bed has been hollowed out by the onslaught of waves.

Visitors are now barred from walking to the end of the fossil plate, which extends 50 metres into the ocean, in order to protect the hollowed bed from collapsing.  

Mr. Somporn said he wants the Department of Mineral Resources to come inspect the fossil bed and craft plans to protect the iconic site.

Fierce weather along the southern coast of Thailand this week has damaged hundreds of buildings and beach resorts in other popular tourist destinations as well. 

"These are the biggest waves we have seen in 10 years," said Se Komkla, manager of a resort on Bang Nian beach​ in Pha Ngan.

 

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New Lead in Missing Karen Activist Case

By
Khaosod English
-
Photos of park officials cutting down trees in Kaeng Krachan Park. The images were discovered on a flash drive that belonged to missing Karen rights activist Porlachee "Billy" Rakchongcharoen.

PHETCHABURI – The wife of missing rights activist says she has uncovered a set of photos that may shed new light on the suspected abduction of her husband.

Porlachee "Billy" Rakchongcharoen went missing two months ago on 17 April after he was detained by park officials in Kaeng Krachan National Park in Petchburi province. Mr. Porlachee is an ethnic Karen who had been campaigning on behalf of Karen communities in national park who say they have been intimidated and abused by park officials.

Mr. Porlachee is also a key witness in a court case against former Kaeng Krachan Park chief, Mr. Chaiwat Limlikitaksorn, who has been accused of engineering the violent eviction of 20 Karen families in 2011.  Mr. Porlachee's involvement in the case has led many to suspect that he was "disappeared" by park officials in an effort to silence the Karen community's accusations. 

Yesterday, Surapong Kongchantuek, a human rights expert and legal adviser to Mr. Porlachee's family, said he received a set of photos from Billy's wife that show park officials cutting down trees in the national park. 

According to Mr. Surapong, Mr. Porlachee took the photos and saved them on his flashdrive, which was discovered accidentally by his wife a few days ago.

Mr. Surapong said the photographed officials, who were wearing "Department of National Park" t-shirts, may have been engaged in illegal logging and it's possible Mr. Porlachee photographed the group to provide evidence of their misconduct. 

Local Karens claimed that the photos were genuine and confirmed that illicit logging took place near Baan Pong Luek and Bang Kloi villages, Mr. Surapong said. He urged the authorities to swiftly clarify the matter.

The director of the National Park Department, Nipon Chotiban, said an investigation of the photos is underway.

“I have already instructed officials to investigate the background of these photos, because these days there are a lot of photoshopped images,” Mr. Nipon said. “If national officials were indeed cutting down trees illegally, I will prosecute them according to the laws.”

It's now been two months since Mr. Porchalee was last seen, but Mr. Surapon said the police investigation into his disappearance is going nowhere. 

"I have been coordinating with Kaeng Krachan police, but the officers are so slow at work," Mr. Surapong said. "The case has seen no progress."

Human rights activists have accused park officials of collaborating with Mr. Chaiwat, the former park director, to cover up evidence related to Mr. Porlachee's disppearance. Mr. Chaiwat admits he detained Mr. Porchalee for carrying illegal honey on the day he went missing, but claims he released the activst on the same day. 

After initial reluctance, Mr. Chaiwat requested to be transferred to another national park to provide the Karen community with "peace of mind." The Department of National Park later moved  Mr. Chaiwat to a low profile post in Bangkok.

Pol.Lt.Col. Kollayut Wongpetch, an investigation officer at Kaeng Krachan Police Station, said yesterday that police have asked the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) to launch a separate inquiry into Mr. Chaiwat for his alleged negligence of duty and abuse of power during his term as head of Kaeng Krachan Park. Mr. Chaiwat is also facing a criminal investigation for allegedly masterminding the murder of another Karen activist from Mr. Porchalee’s network in 2011.

"Furthermore, we have already sent police officers to protect witnesses and Karen residents in Baan Pong Luek and Bang Kloi villages as they have requested," Pol.Lt.Col. Kollayut said.

 

 
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Two Cambodians Die En Route to the Border

By
Khaosod English
-
Sombat Daan was arrested yesterday and confessed to firing three rounds at truck of Cambodian immigrants in effort to stop the vehicle, 16 June 2014.

CHONBURI — Two Cambodian immigrants were killed in a car accident near the Thai-Cambodian border after a Thai police volunteer shot out one of their vehicle's tires.

The truck was found overturned on Prokfa-Pluakdang Road in Chonburi province on Sunday. Rescue workers found a dozen Cambodian immigrants lying injured on the road when they arrived at the scene, police say. Two immigrants died of their injuries. 

The pick-up truck, carrying a dozen Cambodian nationals, drove through a checkpoint in Chonburi on its way to the border in  Sa Kaeo province. An armed police volunteer nearby the checkpoint reportedly shouted at the vehicle to stop and chased after the truck when the driver refused.

The police volunteer, Sombat Daan, followed the truck for about five kilometres and fired several shots at the vehicle. One bullet struck an 11-year-old Thai girl in front of a grocery store, wounding her in the left arm. The girl was later sent to hospital where she recovered from her injuries, said her father, Manit Soipetch. 

Another bullet struck one of the truck's tires, causing the vehicle to spin out of control and flip over, killing two passengers. 

Mr. Sombat was arrested yesterday and confessed to firing three rounds at the truck in effort to stop the vehicle. He has been charged with committing reckless actions leading to injuries and deaths, carrying a firearm without permit, carrying a firearm into residential area without permit, and discharging the firearm without due cause.

Pol.Maj.Gen. Sanit Mahathaworn said the police promptly arrested Mr. Sombat to express their sincerity towards the Cambodian immigrants.

"We want to stress that the rumour among immigrants that police and troops are using violence against the immigrants is completely untrue," Pol.Maj.Gen. Sanit said. "This case was caused by a police volunteer who tried to arrest suspects and resorted to a disproportionate action. The police do not condone this action."

The incident took place amid a mass exodus of Cambodian immigrants who have been fleeing the country in droves out of the fear that Thailand’s military junta is prepared to launch a harsh crackdown on alien workers. 

Officials say more than 160,000 Cambodian workers have left Thailand in the past week alone. Human rights groups have accused Thai authorities of intimidating the immigrants and coercing them to leave the country.

However, the military junta's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has steadfastly denied that there has been any effort to drive the immigrants away. An NCPO spokesperson, Col. Winthai Suvaree, blamed the situation on "misunderstanding." 

The NCPO only intends to reform and regulate the system of migrant workers in Thailand to solve the problem of illegal immigrants, Col. Winthai said.

The NCPO issued an announcement today, demanding that “every bureaucratic agency must strictly enforce the laws to crack down on human traffickers and smugglers that ferry illegal immigrants into the country.”

Thailand has a total of 2.23 million migrant workers sustaining its economy, 1.82 million of whom entered the country illegally, said Thanit Noomnoi, deputy director of the Ministry of Labour’s Department of Employment.

Mr.  Thanit also offered another explanation for the mass exodus of Cambodians. He suggested that hundreds of thousands of immigrants are simply heading home in time for rainy season.

"It's rainy season right now, so they have to go back and help their families in the rice field," Mr. Thanit said. 

He also dismissed concerns that Thailand will suffer labour shortage in the near future. 

 

 
 
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Officials Confiscate 'Corrosive' Noodle Sauce

By
Khaosod English
-
The Food and Drug Administration has confiscated over 500,000 baht worth of unlicensed noodle sauce and other food products from a warehouse in Bangkok's suburbs, 16 June 2014.

BANGKOK — The Food and Drug Administration has confiscated over 500,000 baht worth of unlicensed noodle sauce and other food products from a warehouse in Bangkok's suburbs.

Police raided the warehouse in Phasi Charoen district yesterday after consumers complained about potentially unsafe substances they had found in the products, said Paisal Dunkhm, deputy secretary of the FDA.

Police found three food products that were unlicensed and contained high concentrations of acetic acid, said Mr. Paisal. The three products included "Krua Thai" fermented garlic sauce, "Nok" noodle sauce, and unnamed containers of garlic and lemonade for cooking.

"It's very dangerous and worrying … If you consume too much of this chemical, it will affect your health," Mr. Paisal said. "It will irritate your digestive system. It may even cause punctures in your stomach." 

The warehouse was also unsanitary, further raising the potential health risks of the products, Mr. Paisal said.

The warehouse owners have been charged with production of food under a false license and production of food in unclean venue.

Mr. Paisal urged the public to be vigilant about potentially fake or unlicensed food products. According to the official, some food producers are known to falsify the FDA-issued number on their containers, misleading many shoppers to think they have purchased products that are properly licensed. 

The FDA is also cracking down on the distribution of a weight loss product called FUCO that is widely available on many Thai websites. Mr. Paisal warned the public to refrain from buying any FUCO products because they have not been licensed by the FDA and may contain dangerous ingredients. 

 

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Two Cambodians Die En Route to the Border

By
Khaosod English
-
Cambodians immigrants in Sa Kaeo province prepare to cross the border to return to Cambodia, 15 June 2014.

CHONBURI — Two Cambodian immigrants were killed in a car accident near the Thai-Cambodian border after a Thai police volunteer shot out one of their vehicle's tires.

The truck was found overturned on Prokfa-Pluakdang Road in Chonburi province on Sunday. Rescue workers found a dozen Cambodian immigrants lying injured on the road when they arrived at the scene, police say. Two immigrants died of their injuries. 

The pick-up truck, carrying a dozen Cambodian nationals, drove through a checkpoint in Chonburi on its way to the border in  Sa Kaeo province. An armed police volunteer nearby the checkpoint reportedly shouted at the vehicle to stop and chased after the truck when the driver refused.

The police volunteer, Sombat Daan, followed the truck for about five kilometres and fired several shots at the vehicle. One bullet struck an 11-year-old Thai girl in front of a grocery store, wounding her in the left arm. The girl was later sent to hospital where she recovered from her injuries, said her father, Manit Soipetch. 

Another bullet struck one of the truck's tires, causing the vehicle to spin out of control and flip over, killing two passengers. 

Mr. Sombat was arrested yesterday and confessed to firing three rounds at the truck in effort to stop the vehicle. He has been charged with committing reckless actions leading to injuries and deaths, carrying a firearm without permit, carrying a firearm into residential area without permit, and discharging the firearm without due cause.

Pol.Maj.Gen. Sanit Mahathaworn said the police promptly arrested Mr. Sombat to express their sincerity towards the Cambodian immigrants.

"We want to stress that the rumour among immigrants that police and troops are using violence against the immigrants is completely untrue," Pol.Maj.Gen. Sanit said. "This case was caused by a police volunteer who tried to arrest suspects and resorted to a disproportionate action. The police do not condone this action."

The incident took place amid a mass exodus of Cambodian immigrants who have been fleeing the country in droves out of the fear that Thailand’s military junta is prepared to launch a harsh crackdown on alien workers. 

Officials say more than 160,000 Cambodian workers have left Thailand in the past week alone. Human rights groups have accused Thai authorities of intimidating the immigrants and coercing them to leave the country.

However, the military junta's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has steadfastly denied that there has been any effort to drive the immigrants away. An NCPO spokesperson, Col. Winthai Suvaree, blamed the situation on "misunderstanding." 

The NCPO only intends to reform and regulate the system of migrant workers in Thailand to solve the problem of illegal immigrants, Col. Winthai said.

The NCPO issued an announcement today, demanding that “every bureaucratic agency must strictly enforce the laws to crack down on human traffickers and smugglers that ferry illegal immigrants into the country.”

Thailand has a total of 2.23 million migrant workers sustaining its economy, 1.82 million of whom entered the country illegally, said Thanit Noomnoi, deputy director of the Ministry of Labour’s Department of Employment.

Mr.  Thanit also offered another explanation for the mass exodus of Cambodians. He suggested that hundreds of thousands of immigrants are simply heading home in time for rainy season.

"It's rainy season right now, so they have to go back and help their families in the rice field," Mr. Thanit said. 

He also dismissed concerns that Thailand will suffer labour shortage in the near future. 

 

 
 
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Australia Slams "Shameful" Lawsuit by Asylum Seekers' Families

By
Khaosod English
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Australian authorities assist asylum seekers who survived their vessel capsizing off Christmas Island, 09 June 2013. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has deemed legal action against the government for not preventing a different asylum-seeker boat from being wrecked in 2010 as "shameful". EPA/JON FAULKNER

SYDNEY (DPA) — Australian Immigration Minister Scott Morrison Tuesday condemned legal action against the government for not preventing an asylum-seeker boat from being wrecked three and a half years ago.

Fifty Iranian and Iraqi asylum seekers died when their boat was driven by heavy seas against rocks at Christmas Island on 15 December 2010.

Australian navy and rescue teams saved 39 people, but lawyer George Newhouse argued the government should have spotted the boat earlier and prevented the tragedy.

Morrison described the legal action, launched on Monday on behalf of eight families, as "shameful and offensive."

Speaking to reporters in Canberra, Morrison said it was like suing firemen who save someone from a burning house or police who risk their lives to rescue a hostage.

Newhouse told broadcaster ABC that the government should have had a better rescue system at Christmas Island.

A coroner inquiry in 2012 blamed people smugglers for putting people at risk in the boat, but criticized the government for a lack of rescue vessels on the island.

 

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Thai Military Asks Cinema Owners to Organize More Free Movies

By
Khaosod English
-
A man and his two children pose with a soldier at a cinema in Chiang Mai province, 15 June 2014

BANGKOK — The Thai military junta says its wants cinemas to organise more free screenings of the nationalist epic film, 'The Legend of King Naresuan 5,' to keep boosting the "happiness" of the public.

On Sunday, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) ordered all cinemas across the country to hold free screenings of the fifth installment of the Legend of King Naresuan, an action film loosely based on the Thai warrior king who fought Burmese armies and "liberated" pre-modern Thailand in 1593. 

The NCPO said the free moving screenings are part of its campaign to restore "happiness" to the Thai people.

Thousands of moviegoers rushed to local cinemas yesterday morning to see the film for free, but many were left disappointed after learning that each movie theater only gave out free tickets for one screening per day.

The limited number of tickets led to surging crowds and chaotic scuffles in some movie theaters, leading many observers on social media to cynically comment on the futility of the campaign's stated purpose of bringing "happiness" to the people.

To rectify that problem, NCPO spokesperson Col. Winthai Suwaree said in a press conference today that representatives of the private sector should consider providing more free screenings of the film in the future.

"The NCPO is not a main organiser [of this campaign]. We are merely playing the supporting role," explained Col. Winthai, who stars as King Naresuan's brother in the film. "It depends on the film producers, cinema owners, and private sector to consider the appropriateness."

"We want the civilians to coordinate and push this matter, because the [NCPO] has no duty to interfere with the private sector," Col. Winthai added. He also dismissed the allegation that the NCPO has been plundering the national budget to fund its "populist" campaigns. 

Last week, the NCPO paid the Thai entertainment mogul RS 430 million bath relinquish its exclusive rights over airing the 2014 FIFA World Cup matches and allow all army-owned TV channels to broadcast the 64 matches free of charge.

Meanwhile, the Democrat Party's deputy leader, Nipit Intarasombat, expressed horror at the images of Thais struggling with each other to get free Naresuan tickets. He blamed the chaos on the lack of "culture" among Thai population.

"It is time for Thailand to launch a cultural revolution," Mr. Nipit said.  

 

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