Govt Mulling State Of Emergency Declaration

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21 January 2014, 14:46

Anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban receives donations from supporter on Silom Road, 21 January 2014

(21 January) The Thai government is reportedly considering whether to declare the State of Emergency following the increasingly violent political protests in Bangkok.

Pol.Gen. Adul Saengsingkaew, Chief of the Royal Thai Police, said the Cabinet will study the possibility of the emergency decree today.

Much of the deliberation will involve predicting the possibility of further violence in the capital city, Pol.Gen. Adul said.

His comment came a few days after a grenade was thrown at supporters of People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) at their rally site around Victory Monument on Sunday, injuring 28 people.

Last week another grenade attack on PCAD demonstrators also killed one protester and wounded dozens.

Emergency decree will grant the authorities a sweeping power to contain the protests, such as imposing curfews, censoring the media, and searching properties and individuals arbitrarily.

Governmental officials have previously stated that the government will not impose State of Emergency over Bangkok, and military chiefs have likewise opposed the idea.

Nevertheless, Pol.Gen. Adul said the Centre for Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) has been attempting to ensure public security even without State of Emergency. He added that CAPO will also be involved in the decision concerning the emergency decree declaration.

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Chinese Chartered Flights To Thailand 'Cancelled'

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21 January 2014, 13:32

Anti-government protesters marching in Krabi province, 20 January 2014

(21 January) Officials of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) have expressed fears that the ongoing political crisis continues to affect the Kingdom's tourism industry.

Mr. Thawatchai Arunyik, Governor of the TAT, said he has instructed the policy and evaluation teams to closely monitor the tourism market throughout the year in order to reinvigorate the industry, which has suffered greatly from the political crisis.

For instance, once the "Bangkok Shutdown" operation of the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) is over, Mr. Thawatchai said, the TAT will "regain tourists′ confidence" by organising "Big Events" in areas previously occupied by the protesters, such as Ratchadamnoen Avenue and Ratchaprasong Intersection.

"We will invite many foreign [business] agents and foreign media to visit Thailand to express our confidence," Mr. Thawatchai said.

However, it is unclear when the protests will be over; PCAD has adamantly insisted that their occupation of Bangkok will not end unless Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra resigns from her caretaker position, a demand repeatedly rejected by the government.

Another option to revive the tourism market is to focus on "niche market", said Mr. Apichart Inpongpan, Deputy Director of the Policy Section of TAT.

The TAT has also conducted meetings with Thai Airways to develop strategies to encourage more tourist arrivals, according to Mr. Pongsathorn Ketsamlee, Deputy Director of the Asian and South Pacific section of TAT.

He admitted that the TAT is facing tough works because the political rallies are prolonged and it is impossible to predict violent incidents.

"Many foreign tourists have either avoided Thailand, or changed their destination from Bangkok to Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Samui," Mr. Pongsathorn said, "The goal of 28 million foreign tourists for this year might not be achievable, but it won′t be in the minus. I think we can expect at least 26 million".

He stressed that tourism industry is the barometer of confidence other nations have toward Thailand.

The TAT′s hope that Chinese New Year season would make up losses in tourism revenue might not be fulfilled neither, according to a number of officials.

Mr. Suchart Hirankanokkul, Director of the southern region section of Thai Hotel Association (THA), lamented that all Chinese charted flights to Thailand have been cancelled by the Chinese authorities out of concerns about the current political crisis.

The market is experiencing 20% decline in Chinese tourists, Mr. Suchart said.

Mr. Kasian Chaowattanapisut, Director of the Thai-China Tourism Alliance Association (TCTA), said he has originally expected that 500,000-600,000 Chinese tourists will visit Thailand during the Chinese New Year season, but now he would be satisfied if 300,000 of them did arrive.

Meanwhile, the raging southern insurgency has caused many tourists to cancel their hotel booking in Songkhla province, said Mr. Somchart Pimthanapoonpon, Director of Hat Yai – Songkhla Hotel Association.

Overall hotel reservation has fallen to 60% of all capacities, whereas it should have been 80-90% at this time of the year, he said.

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Woman Arrested After Rally Drive-By Shooting

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21 January 2014, 12:21

(21 January) A woman has been arrested in connection with the drive-by shooting incident at anti-government protest rally site in central Bangkok.

The incident took place at around 02.00 today at a People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) rally site near Victory Monument.

Witnesses said a Honda Civic driven by 3 individuals approached the protest campsite from Phayathai Road, circled the Monument twice, before the assailants rolled down the windows and fired at least 3 shots at the protesters who were camping there.

The car then attempted to escape along Phaholyothin Road but crashed into metal barricade placed there by PCAD guards, according to witnesses.

The suspects reportedly fired their weapons to make way for the escape. Two managed to slip away into the night, but one of them was apprehended by PCAD guards.

The suspect was identified as Ms. Orawan Charbkan, 27, and was handed over to police officers for further interrogation.

One of the suspects who escape was described as male, "fat", wearing green jacket, blue shirt, and grey pants, while the other suspect was described as male and "lean".

The suspects′ car bears the license plate issued in Trang province, and there were bullet holes on the vehicle, suggesting that the PCAD guards might have shot at the car as it attempted to escape. No injury has been reported.

Police say the investigation is ongoing.

The drive-by incident took place just few days after an unknown individual lobbed a grenade at the protesters at Victory Monument, injuring at least 28 people.

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200,000 Baht Bounty On Rally Grenade Thrower

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20 January 2014, 19:27

(20 January) The Thai authorities have set a 200,000 baht bounty on the suspect behind the grenade attack on anti-government protesters.

The man was seen on a CCTV footage throwing a grenade at the supporters of People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) who were rallying around Victory Monument yesterday.

The blast wounded a total of 28 people – 9 of them severely. The wounded victims included a journalist and a relative of Mr. Thaworn Senniam, a leader of PCAD, who was giving speech on the stage close to where the grenade landed.

The suspect immediately fled the scene, and threw another grenade at a crowd of PCAD guards who gave chase, witnesses said. Afterwards, as he was running away in an alley, the suspect drew out a handgun and shot at one of his pursuers, wounding the man in the stomach, according to witnesses.

The suspect eventually eluded the chase.

Nevertheless, he was filmed on a CCTV mounted on a bubble tea shop when he threw the grenade. The footage is being widely shared on the social network in the hope of identifying the man.

The attack has been condemned by both PCAD leaders and governmental officials.

Today the Centre for Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) announced that members of the public who have information on the suspect would rewarded with 200,000 baht by the Royal Thai Police.

As the head of CAPO, Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul also stressed that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is deeply concerned by the incident, and she has instructed the security forces to capture the perpetrator as soon as possible.

CAPO is also planning to discuss with PCAD leaderships about possible joint efforts to provide security to the protesters, Mr. Surapong added.

Pol.Maj.Gen. Adul Narongsak, spokesman of the Bangkok Metropolitan Police, noted that the suspect might have been well trained in combat capabilities, judging from his ability to infiltrate the protest site unnoticed, his good knowledge of the terrains around the rally site, and his uses of grenade and handgun to elude from the pursuers.

"Even members of the police or the military could not have executed such a brazen operation if they were not specifically trained to do so," Pol.Maj.Gen. Adul said.

Those who recognise the perpetrator should immediately call the police hotline via 1599, Pol.Maj.Gen. Adul added.

Meanwhile, Pol.Gen. Worapong Chiewpreecha, Deputy Chief of the Royal Thai Police, said the grenade used by the suspect was likely a Chinese-manufactured RGD-5, which is reportedly the same type involved in the deadly grenade attack on PCAD demonstrators on Banthat Thong Road last week.

Pol.Gen. Worapong also told our correspondent is "confident" that the perpetrator behind the Victory Monument grenade attack would be arrested.

He attributed his confidence to the fact that PCAD guards have allowed the police into their rally site and investigate the crime scene in timely manner, unlike the incident at Banthat Thong Road, in which PCAD protesters refused to let the police to investigate the scene.

Citing intelligence reports, Pol.Gen. Worapong said the perpetrator belongs to a group of 6 armed militants who have been well trained in weapon handling. The group′s objective is to cause violence around Bangkok in order to escalate the ongoing political crisis, according to Pol.Gen. Worapong.

"I believe the grenade attacks and shootings in various spots are all connected," Pol.Gen. Worapong said.

The suggestion that these attacks have been orchestrated by combat-trained individuals has resulted in much-circulated rumour on the social network that members of the military might have been involved. One such rumour specifically claimed that the Victory Monument suspect might be a Royal Thai Navy officer.

Concerned by the rumours, Rear Admiral Winai, Chief of the Navy Special Warfare Command, told reporters that the Navy is not behind the violence in any way.

In a curious move, Rear Admiral Winai also said he has consulted with his staff and will proceed to file defamation lawsuit against the Royal Thai Police for spreading the rumour.

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Ballots Undamaged By Protesters, Official Says

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20 January 2014, 17:39

1390219816 — Pro-election rally at Wong Wian Yai, 19 January 2014

(20 January) The anti-government protesters' attempt to disrupt the printing of ballot papers have not caused damages to the ballots, an Election Commissioner said.

A group of People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) supporters marched to a state-owned publishing house last week and laid siege to the building, forcing the printing of ballot papers to grind to a halt.

PCAD demanded that the 2 February election be scrapped in favour of the establishment of an unelected "People′s Council" which would then implement series of "reforms" deemed desirable by PCAD leadership.

However, PCAD′s protests have not resulted in any damage of the printed ballots, said Mr. Puchong Nutrawong, secretary-general of the Election Commission (EC).

The publishing house only suffered electric and water cuts, Mr Puchong said, but added that it is still unclear whether any ballot paper has gone missing.

"We have to thoroughly investigate that," Mr. Puchong told reporters.

Nevertheless, Mr. Puchong also denied the rumour on the social network which alleged that the EC has printed a surplus of 10 million ballot papers in suspicious manners.

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State-Owned CCTVs Fail To Film Grenade Thrower

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20 January 2014, 16:10

(20 January) CCTVs operated by Bangkok authority have reportedly failed to capture the identity of the man who threw a grenade at anti-government protesters near Victory Monument yesterday.

The brazen attack, perpetrated in daylight and in the heart of the capital city, wounded at least 28 people. 9 of the them were described to be in critical condition.

The perpetrator was filmed on CCTV owned by a shop in the vicinity as he hurled the grenade toward the supporters of the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) who were rallying at Victory Monument, before fleeing the scene.

However, other 16 CCTVs installed in high position around the area by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) did not film the perpetrator, because they have been covered by anti-government protesters prior to the attack, said Mr. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, the Governor of Bangkok.

According to Mr. Sukhumbhand, the authorities have resorted to asking for CCTV footage installed by private shops in the area. The evidences have been copied on DVDs for further investigation, he added.

The Governor also said that BMA officials have already asked the anti-government protesters to remove the veils they had placed on CCTVs in the area.

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Army Chief: Stop Smearing The Military

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20 January 2014, 14:26

Ant-government protester cheered convoy of military personnel as it passed one of their rally sites on Chaeng Wattana Road, 18 January 2014

(20 January) The Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army has asked the media to stop making libelous remarks about the military.

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters today that he is deeply concerned by the ongoing violent situation, after two separate grenade attacks on anti-government protesters left one dead and scores injured.

He said the security forces and the protest leaders should work cooperatively to provide security for the protesters.

"There has been accusation against all sides on the social network," Gen. Prayuth, "Please give the officials some time to investigate in details before concluding who the perpetrators are".

He added, "Please stop smearing the military and the police. Instead, [we] should work together to find the perpetrators and punish them under the legal process".

The Army has also urged the Royal Thai Police to investigate the cases in a timely manner, the army chief said.

Furthermore, Gen. Prayuth said everyone should listen to the teachings of His Majesty the King, who has encouraged the Thais to perform their duties well. He told reporters that the soldiers have been doing their duties appropriately, so there should be no slandering rumours about the military.

"Please give some dignity to the military. Whoever says things that damages the military is undermining the armed forces," Gen. Prayuth fumed, "They accuse the military of preparing to do this or that. If they continue to think like this, we can′t coexist".

Gen. Prayuth continued, "The military is doing military′s works. The police is doing police′s works. The demonstrators are making demands according to democracy, while the government is fixing problems. If the media mess up their reporting, there won′t be a resolution to the conflicts".

He told reporters that he had to express his frustration because he had been stressful in recent days. "The military aren′t happy. They have to care for their subordinates, and now they have to listen to these criticisms everyday. You might be pressured, but please know that every soldier is more pressured than you," Gen. Prayuth said.

Nevertheless, Gen. Prayuth stressed that "the army is not the enemy of the people".

He also dismissed reports that the military will intervene in the current crisis.

"In 2010, the military came out to work as required by their duties, but we end up getting criticised. It′s something really painful. So, I don′t want to see that happen again, because the country would be damaged," the army chief said, referring to 2010 Redshirts protests which were eventually ended in a bloody crackdown by the military operations.

"Please don′t think I am not doing my duty. When things are calm, they are suspicious about the military, but when there are troubles, they switch to calling for the military to come out," Gen. Prayuth said, "Let me thank everyone for placing hopes on the military, but the armed forces have to think together. We work … with principles and reasons. We don′t make decisions based on hatred".

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Protesters Detain Official For Refusing To Join Protests

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20 January 2014, 13:35

(20 January) A state official has been briefly detained and chastised by anti-government protesters in Surat Thani province because he refused to join their protests.

Local supporters of People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) marched to Surat Thani City Hall this morning in the bid to close down the state agencies, as ordered by PCAD leader Suthep Thaugsuban.

Mr. Suthep has previously called for provincial PCAD groups to disrupt functions of the authorities, in order to force Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to resign and scrap the 2 February election.

Rallying in front of the City Hall, the protesters demanded that all civil servants abandon their works and join their campaign against Ms. Yingluck′s government instead.

Chaos ensued when a group of PCAD supporters captured a yellow-shirted civil servant named Mr. Sarayuth Saneewong na Ayutthaya, an official of the the provincial revenue department, and brought him onto the speaker truck manned by the protest leaders.

The protest leaders claimed that Mr. Sarayuth attempted to go to work in spite of PCAD′s commands, and has insulted the protesters by spitting onto a loudspeaker owned by PCAD.

The protesters then marched to the official residence of the Governor of Surat Thani in order to hand Mr. Sarayuth back to the officials. However, the protesters arrived to find that all doors and windows of the building firmly shut, causing the protest leaders threaten that they will storm inside the building unless the Governor came out to meet them.

Concerned by the threats, Deputy Governor Uaychai Innak emerged and told the protesters that the state agencies in the province have been ordered to close down per requests from the protesters.

As Mr. Sarayuth was handed to Mr. Uaychai, a large group of protesters mobbed the two and blew their whistles to express their anger, but PCAD guards fended them off. Mr. Sarayuth was visibly distraught by the incident, and he was seen gripping Mr. Uaychai′s arm until the protesters were forced back.

Mr. Sarayuth clarified that he was returning to work after watching a football match. He also claimed that he spat because he was feeling thirsty and did not intend to cause any offence.

The protesters eventually left the Governor′s residence and marched to other state agencies.

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Taxi Driver Wounded By 'Tomboy' Robber

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20 January 2014, 12:43

(20 January) A taxi driver has been injured by a woman who attempted to rob him in Pathumthani yesterday, police said.

Police in Thanyaburi district arrived at the crime scene on Rangsit-Nakhornnayok Road at 04.00 yesterday. At the scene, they found two individuals bloodied by stabbing wounds, who were identified as Mr. Charoen Pennadee, 59, and Ms. Achrarat Chantra, 24. A taxi was parked nearby.

Mr. Charoen and Ms. Achraarat were sent to hospitals. Mr. Charoen later identified himself as a taxi driver, and told police that he had picked up the passenger, Ms. Achrarat, from Don Mueang district.

The taxi driver added that Ms. Achrarat was a "tomboy".

According to Mr. Charoen, Ms. Achrarat told him to drop her off in Thanyaburi district, but when he arrived at the destination, Ms. Achrarat kept telling him to drive further. Mr. Charoen said he became suspicious, so he stopped his car and asked where exactly she would get off, only to be told by Ms. Achrarat that she had no money to pay for the fare.

Mr. Charoen then reportedly told her to get off anyway, but Ms. Achrarat suddenly drew a knife and attempted to rob him. According to the driver, he fought with Ms. Achrarat and tried to disarm her, and the two individuals ended up injuring each other.

An official who worked at a nearby Corrections Centre later investigated the noise and alerted the police.

Police said Mr. Charoen was wounded in his hands and torso, while Ms. Achrarat was also wounded "in many places".

Ms. Achrarat would be detained at the hospital for further investigation, police said.

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Motive Behind Railroad Bombing Unclear

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18 January 2014, 21:03

(18 January) Railway chief has insisted that it is too early to determine whether the bomb attack on the southern rail rote earlier this morning is related to the ongoing political crisis.

The explosion occurred 500 metres away from Cha Am station in Petchburi province. It is reported that a Bangkok-Trang train had just passed the spot only 8 minutes before the incident took place.

The bomb, which is believed to be a C4 high-compression bomb, broke apart the rail track and created a 50×150 cm wide hole underneath the rail track.

According to inspectors, the bomb should weigh no more than 1 pound, which indicated that the perpetrators might not intend to cause any fatality. It is also reported that they had found in the wooded area near the rail track an empty snack package with carbon soot, and a tiny piece of electronic equipment.

Petchaburi Governor, Mr. Monthien Thongnit stated that the main motive for the attack might be related to the current political situation.

The railway is the main transportation which carries supporters of anti-government movement from the south to the protesting ground in Bangkok, and the perpetrators might have chosen to attack the rail track to convey their threat against the protesters, Mr. Monthien said.

The attack also came just a day after a deadly grenade attack on demonstrators led by People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD), which killed one protester and wounded 36 others.

7 rail services were forced to delay during the maintenance before the service resumed at 10.00 am on the same day.

However, Mr. Prapat Jongsa-nguan, Governor of the State Railway of Thailand, told reporters that it is too early to make a connection between the attack and the ongoing political protests.

He also asserted that the bomb attack was merely a symbolic threat. "The culprits must have been aware that no one was on the track, and that no one could have been harmed by the bomb," Mr. Prapat suggested.

All passengers should feel confident about the service regardless of their political preferences, so the SRT will not take any political side, Mr. Prapat added.

“SRT is independent of politics. Everybody has the right to their own political expression. Moreover, SRT′s main task is to facilitate the safety of people’s train journeys, not to join any political activity”, said SRT governor, who also said that the SRT Labour Union has not taken any action concerning the current political crisis so far.

Nevertheless, the SRT has informed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Transport Minister, Mr. Chatchar Sitthipan about the incident.

Asked how will SRT ensure the safety of southern line’s passengers, Mr. Prapat admitted that he is still concerned about the situation, but said that he had instructed SRT officials to maintain safety of the stations and railway route, which have also been collaboratively protected by the military and the police.

“There are no main obstruction at for the southern route, however, there might be some delays due to the repairmen of the train track”, said SRT governor, “We have recently hired contractors to repair some tracks to ensure safety and confidence of the people".

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