Criticised For Watching ICJ Verdict, Man Hangs Himself

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11 November 2013, 20:20

Police cordon around Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Bangkok, 11 November 2013

(11 November) A man has hanged himself to death in Sa Kaeo after he was criticised by his wife for watching the live broadcast of the verdict on the possession of Preah Vihear Temple, police said.

The verdict of the International Court of Justice was broadcast live on major Thai state-owned television channels. The ruling reaffirmed the previous ICJ verdict handed down in 1962 that the border temple of Preah Vihear belongs to Cambodia, along with a small tip of promontory close to the temple′s entrance.

Although the district of Aranya Prathet, which sits near the Thai-Cambodia border, remains peaceful in the aftermath of the ruling, police were alerted of a man in Ang Sila village who killed himself after the verdict was read out.

Mr. Boonma Mongkolchakkawarn, 49, was found as in his 2 storey wooden house. Witnesses said Mr. Boonma was previously watching the verdict broadcast with other locals around the television set in the village center. However, witnesses said, Mr. Boonma′s wife showed up and scolded him for wasting his time on watching the broadcast instead of going to work.

According to witnesses, Mr. Boonma promptly rose up and walked back to his house. He was later found hanged to death there. Police believe Mr. Boonma was already stressed by loan problems he was facing when he was pushed over the edge when he was criticised by his wife, leading him to commit suicide.

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Thaksin Pressed Libel Against Celebrity Actress

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11 November 2013, 17:16

(11 November) Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has pressed defamation charges against a leader of the anti-government protests and a famous actress.

UPDATE: Mr. Thaksin said he no longer wished to press charge, according to his lawyer: link.

The lawyer representing Mr. Thaksin, Mr. Winyat Chartmontri, told the police Mr. Thaksin is gravely insulted by Mr. Somboon Thongburan, a leader of the People′s Democratic Force For Overthrow of Thaksinism (Pefot), who accused Mr. Thaksin of sending 400 foreign militants to take shelter in Dharamakaya Temple in northern Bangkok and wait for Mr. Thaksin′s order to attack the anti-government protesters.

Dharmakaya is a Buddhist sect which is seen as harbouring close ties to Mr. Thaksin and his party.

Mr. Winyat told reporters the anti-government protests have often broadcast false statements and claimed to have the support of the monarchy in order to mislead the public and discredit the government.

"I?d like to call on the protesters to use their reasons. Don?t be used by anyone," said Mr. Winyat.

The lawyer also pressed charge on Mr. Thaksin′s behalf against Ms. Pattarathida ?Tang Mo? Patcharaweerapong, a well-known actress who gave speeches on the stage of the anti-government rally in Ratchadamnoen Avenue last week.

Mr. Winyat called Ms. Pattarathida′s speeches "libelous", without naming the problematic parts of her speeches.

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Foreign Tourist Beaten, Robbed In Pattaya Beach

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11 November 2013, 15:39

(10 November) A foreign tourist has been reportedly beaten unconscious by a group of muggers on the beach of Pattaya.

Pattaya police said a Russian man of 30-35 year old was found unconscious on the beach late last night.

Witnesses told police the man was drinking alcohol and enjoying the nighttime view of the sea on his own when three individuals on motorcycle arrived and proceeded to assault the man. The suspects escaped with the foreign man′s belongings.

Police are still searching for the suspects.

Meanwhile, Pattaya police have arrested a man accused of robbing handbags from two Chinese tourists earlier this week.

Mr. Narong Pimkaew confessed upon his arrest that he and his friend committed the robbery. He also told police he did not know how to turn off the iPhone he found in the Chinese tourists? handbags, which led the police to track the phone via GPS.

Mr. Narong′s accomplice is still at large, police said.

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International Students Bus Overturns In Phuket

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11 November 2013, 15:14

(11 November) A bus carrying foreign students has overturned in Phuket province, injuring almost 40 people.

The incident took place on the ascending road toward Patong Mountain in Kathu district of the province, where the bus appeared to have plunged into the roadside cliff. At the scene, police and rescue workers worked frantically to send the injured to hospitals.

Nationalities of the injured students vary: police so far have identified the wounded as Burmese, Nepalese, Indian, and Pakistani nationals.

Initial investigation said the bus was hired along with three other buses to transport around 200 students in Asian Institute of Technolgy (AIT) during their excursion from Bangkok to Patong Beach in Phuket. However, as it climbs the mountainous road, the third bus suddenly went into a reverse gear and overturned, plunging into the nearby cliff.

The driver, Mr. Manit Sawadee, 32, is seriously injured so he cannot give testimony to the police at the moment, officers said.

A senior police officer added that the bus might be carrying passengers over its capacity, but stressed that further investigation is needed to establish the clear cause of the incident.

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Bangkok Rocked By Protests: As It Happened

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11 November 2013, 13:21

Bangkok is bracing for a major push by the anti-government protesters to oust the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, in what many predicted to be the largest political crisis in two years.

The anti-government faction has enjoyed its new surge in momentum after the government pushed for a ′blanket amnesty′, which would absolve the corruption convictions of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and allow him to return to power in Thailand.

The plan backfired, as the thought of giving amnesty to Mr. Thaksin has deeply angered many middle class urbanites who viewed the former leader as a corrupt tyrant.

Although the government has insisted it will no longer pursue the ′amnesty-for-all′, prominent leaders of the anti-government faction, namely the Democrat Party which has been organising a rally in Ratchadamnoen Avenue, said the government has already lost its legitimacy.

The date of 11 November also coincides with the scheduled verdict of International Court of Justice on the possession of the territory around the border temple of Preah Vihear, which is claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia.

Experts warn that if Thailand loses the case, it will greatly embolden the anti-government protesters, leading them to accuse the government of ′′betraying the country".

Follow the latest development of the anti-government protests in Bangkok with Khaosod English.

Latest:

19.00: Suthep Thaugsuban urged the Thai people to adopt four ′civil disobedient′ measures to show their defiance against the government.

Detailing the civil disobedient measures, Suthep called for a nationwide strike between 13-15 November, along with shutdown of all schools and business. Meanwhile, the Thai citizens should also refuse to pay tax, Mr. Suthep said, so that the government will not be able to "corrupt" taxpayers′ money.

Mr. Suthep also urged all anti-government activists to carry a Thai national flag and a whistle with them at all time, so that they can heckle PM Yingluck and members of her Cabinet with whistle noises whenever and where they encounter these politicians.

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18.35: Suthep Thaugsuban has announced onstage that he would resign from his post as a Democrat MP in order to lead the anti-government protests without legal consequences against the Democrat Party.

Under Thai Constitution, members of political parties in the Parliament cannot lead street protests. Mr. Suthep′s resignation is seen as a measure to prevent Pheu Thai Party from filing charges to the Constitutional Court against the Democrat Party.

8 other Democrat MPs also resigned alongside Mr. Suthep.

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16.00: A speaker on the protest rally at Ratchadamnoen Avenue told the protesters to wait for instructions from the protest leaders on 18.00 on how to proceed with their next stage of the campaign against the government.

News reports say five senior Democrat MPs might resign from their parliamentary positions to devote themselves to the anti-government campaigns.

The atmosphere of the rally in Ratchadamnoen Avenue is visibly in high spirit. Over 20,000 people are believed to join the protest there, our correspondent reports.

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15.00: A representative of Student and People Network For Political Reform of Thailand has submitted a letter to Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army, calling on the army to investigate a rumour that the government has secretly brought in foreign armed militants to sow chaos against the anti-government protesters.

A senior office told the protesters he will present the letter to Gen. Prayuth.

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14.35: Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has arrived at Government House to monitor the situation about the protests and the verdict of ICJ on Preah Vihear Temple.

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14.30: Anti-government protesters are facing off with riot police at Makkawan Bridge on Ratchadamnoen Avenue. Concrete barriers and rolls of barbed wire separated the two opposing sides.

Makkawan Bridge has been the site of clashes in many of Bangkok′s previous protests, as it connects much of Ratchadamnoen Avenue with the district in which many important governmental offices are based, including the Government House. Police feared the protesters might repeat the tactics of the Yellowshirts in which they seized the Government House during their protest in 2008.

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14.15: The protesters from other parts of Bangkok have arrived at Ratchadamnoen Avenue, swelling the ranks of the anti-government protesters there.

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13.00: Thousands of protesters are now gathering in many spots of financial districts of Bangkok, such as Aree, Ratchathewi, and Asoke Intersection. The protesters held a brief ′whistle blowing′ as a symbolic gesture of defiance against the government, and later marched to join the larger protests at Ratchadamnoen Avenue.

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12.00: Anti-government protesters are also converging in the southern province of Trang. Around ten thousand protesters are expected to join the rally in front of Trang City Hall, says one of the protest organisers, who banded under the name Student and People Network For Political Reform of Thailand.

Mr. Saksarit Sriprasart also vowed to march to Bangkok to support their fellow protesters if they requested a reinforcement.

The Bangkok chapter of Student and People Network has also been camping in Uruphong Intersection, just few blocks away from Government House.

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11.00: The court has allowed Mr. Chaiwat Sinthuwong, a leader of the Yellowshirts, to join the anti-government rally and give speeches on the stage, as long as the speeches do not "encourage chaos in the nation".

Mr. Chaiwat is facing a legal action for his role in leading the occupation of Survanabhumi Airport in 2008 as an attempt to oust the Thaksin-allied government at the time. The court has previously allowed him a bail release on the ground that he must not join any political activity.

Mr. Chaiwat said he would later give speeches at the rally in Ratchadamnoen Avenue today.

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10.15: Mr. Jarupong Ruengsuwan, Minister of Interior Affairs, said he predicted that the anti-government protesters would exploit the issue of ICJ ruling this evening to mobilize their campaign against the government.

The protesters have been rallying under the pretense of their opposition against ′blanket amnesty′ bill, Mr. Jarupong argued, whereas in reality they are harbouring a plot to overthrow the government.

He also called the ongoing anti-government protests "an act of treason" and vowed to discuss the issue with relevant authorities.

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10.00: Marching from the Ministry of Defence, where they proclaimed their rejection of ICJ′s scheduled verdict, Pefot protesters have merged with the anti-government protesters around Democracy Monument who have been rallying under the leadership of the Democrat Party.

Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban, a prominent MP of Democrat Party, personally welcomed the Pefot protesters, inviting them to have lunch together at Democracy Monument.

Our correspondent reports that thousands of protesters are relaxing in their tents and in front of rally stage. On the stage, speakers offered torrents of criticism against the government, particularly on the issue of Preah Vihear Temple. Much of the opinion here predicts that the government will lose the case, our correspondent says.

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09.40: Around 1,600 protesters led by People′s Democratic Force For Overthrow of Thaksinism (Pefot) marched to Ministry of Defence on Ratchadamnoen Avenue and read a statement proclaiming their loyalty to the nation.

If the ICJ′s ruling favours Cambodian position, the protesters will not accept the verdict, the statement says. It also calls on the Ministry of Defence to protect the sovereignty of Thailand by refusing to yield "even just one square inch" of Thai territory to Cambodia.

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08.00: Citing security concerns, 24 schools in the vicinity of the protesters′ main encampment in Ratchadamnoen Avenue have decided to close down from 11-13 November.

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07.00: In the bid to bar the anti-government protesters from storming important governmental offices, the police have cordoned off many roads in the old quarters of Bangkok, such as Phan Fa Bridge, Din So Road, and traffic around Giant Swing will be limited to one lane.

Apologize To Redshirts, Red Sunday Leader Tells Govt

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10 November 2013, 22:45

(10 November) A splinter group of the Redshirts movements has organised a rally in downtown Bangkok to criticise the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for its pursuit of the ?blanket amnesty? bill.

The protest organised by the Red Sunday group coincides with a much larger rally held by Pheu Thai Party and the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), the Redshirts? official leadership, in Muang Thong Thani exhibition complex where the messages are generally about showing support to the government at a time when anti-government factions seem to be gaining momentum in their campaign to oust Ms. Yingluck.

But at Ratchaprasong Intersection, the main site of the Redshirts mass protests in 2010 that ended in a bloody crackdown, Mr. Sombat Boon-ngarmanong, the coordinator of Red Sunday, told reporters the Redshirts should criticise the government′s attempt to push for the blanket amnesty, which would absolve the legal responsibility of those who authorised the 2010 crackdown.

Two types of governments are Thailand′s problem, Mr. Sombat said, the government of Ms. Yingluck which has proposed the ?amnesty for all? and led the nation into a renewed political crisis, and the government of former PM Abhisit Vejjajiva which has refused to take any responsibility for its role in 2010 crackdown.

He added that the blanket amnesty proposed by the government also had one other flaw: it excluded the amnesty for prisoners currently incarcerated for lese majeste (insults of monarchy) offences.

"These people are not criminals. They are victims of political conflict," Mr. Sombat argued.

Police estimated the number of protesters at Mr. Sombat′s rally at 2,000-3,000 people, while Mr. Sombat himself said 7,000 people were present at Ratchaprasong at the height of the rally – far below the expected show-up of 10,000 Mr. Sombat had hoped for.

The low turnout might have been influenced by the separate rally of UDD at Muang Thong Thani – a long drive from downtown Bangkok. Many protesters said they had to leave early to make their way to the UDD rally.

Nevertheless, it was a colourful rally. Police cordoned off roads around Ratchaprasong Intersection, leaving the protesters in full command of Ratchadamri Road which was usually crowded with traffic. The activists tied giant red ribbons over the road, while smaller red banners decorated the symbolic Ratchaprasong signpost. A Redshirts music band performed nearby.

Later in the afternoon, Mr. Sombat gave his speeches – next to a large teddy bear on a couch set in front of Ratchaprasong signpost – insisting his point that the Redshirts should finally form their own political party, in order to pursue their own agenda without dependence on Pheu Thai politicians.

When someone in the crowd suggested that the Redshirts should maintain unity with Pheu Thai Party despite its flaws in order to keep the Democrat Party from taking power, Mr. Sombat replied that the tactics reminds him of how the Democrats threatened Bangkok urbanites to vote for the Democrat Party out of fear that Pheu Thai would win the election.

"In foreign democracies, people vote for the parties they like," Mr. Sombat said, "In Thailand, we voted for the party that is the opposite of the party we hate. That must be changed". If there is no viable choice, he added, the Redshirts must build their own political choice.

"The Redshirts should learn from Green Party in Europe," Mr. Sombat suggested.

He also demanded that the government apologise to the Redshirts for its attempt to pursue the amnesty plan for Mr. Abhisit even though it had previously promised that the cases of over 90 people killed in the 2010 crackdown would go through legal prosecution.

Some of the protesters have also hung their cardboard placards around Ratchaprasong Intersection. While many of them condemn Mr. Abhisit and his former deputy as murderers of unarmed protesters in 2010, some shared Mr. Sombat′s sentiment that Pheu Thai Party should apologise to its supporters.

The activities wrapped up around 17.00, without the usual candlelit vigil, as the police have asked the protesters to return the roads to traffic.

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Thai-Myanmar Trade 'Expanding By 22%'

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9 November 2013, 07:54

(9 November) The trade between Thailand and Myanmar expanded 22% in 2013, after Myanmar opens its arms to welcome trade and investment, said Ms. Nantawan Sukuntanak, Director-General of the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP).

In the first nine months of year 2013, the trade between Thailand and its neighbour generated at least THB 6 billion (USD 2,777 million), while Imports from Myanmar elaborated 12% to THB 90 billion (USD 2.9 billion).

Earlier this year, DITP expects the cross-border trade between two nations to hit 25% in 2013, and 30% in 2014, excluding of the border trades which are generally worth 3 – 4 times bigger than the conventional trades; trades along the borders of Thailand and Myanmar are conducted in less formal manner, without going through international banking system.

Overall Thailand exports to members of the ASEAN also expanded 6.3% to THB 1.4 trillion, whereas imports from the Southeast Asian countries to Thailand also grew to THB 0.991 trillion or at least 5.8%.

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'Red Sunday' Coordinator Urges Redshirts To Form Party

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8 November 2013, 21:14

(8 November) The coordinator of the more progressive faction of the Redshirts has called on the movements to establish their own political party and be independent from what he called the exploitative nature of the Pheu Thai Party.

Mr. Sombat Boon-ngarmanong, who prefers to be referred to as ′horizontal leader′ (แกนนอน) rather than a vertical one (แกนนำ), was speaking as a panelist at the event hosted by Foreign Correspondent Club of Thailand (FCCT) in Bangkok.

He was slated to speak alongside two other prominent Redshirts leaders: Ms. Thida Tojirakarn, chairwoman of the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), and Mr. Jatupon Prompan, who had also served as an MP of Pheu Thai Party.

However, Ms. Thida and Mr. Jatupon cancelled their appearance in the last minute, citing security concerns, as thousands of anti-government protesters were converging just few metres away from the building where FCCT is housed to voice their anger against the government′s ′blanket amnesty′ bill.

The panel came at a time when the Redshrits are believed to be experiencing a deep rift with Pheu Thai Party following the party′s push for the ′blanket amnesty′ deal that would let those responsible for authorising the bloody crackdown on Redshirts protests in 2010 to be absolved of any legal accountability.

The panel was also co-chaired by Mr. Yukti Mukdawijitra, an academic who has studied extensively on the Redshirts movements.

Mr. Sombat told the audience via an interpreter that the division between Pheu Thai Party and its longtime ally the Redshirts is very "serious", and that is very interesting.

"In my estimates, 80% of Redshirts are angry at Pheu Thai," said Mr. Sombat, "Their anger suggests that Redshirts are finally feeling their own power. They feel they own these politicians,"

That anger can translate into real political consequence, according to Mr. Sombat, as it means Pheu Thai would lose substantial votes among its supporters in the next election. He cited his own experience. "I have a problem now. I am not sure who to vote for anymore. I′m sure many Redshirts are confused, too".

While some Redshirts are bound to defend the current government from the attempts by anti-government factions to overthrow it ("because they feel they built this government"), and while Pheu Thai might try to reconcile the Redshirts into its fold, the UDD and Pheu Thai cannot coexist anymore because the Redshirts now feel they had been betrayed by their allied party, Mr. Sombat said.

According to the activist, how Pheu Thai Party tramples on the rule of laws in its pursuit of ′amnesty for all′ also help prove the Yellowshirts right that politicians are evil.

If the ongoing political turmoil ever leads to dissolution of the Parliament, Mr. Sombat warned, Pheu Thai Party might not emerge from a new election as ruling party because it has alienated so many votes from the Redshirts and the swing voters, while even the 17 million Thais who had refused to vote in previous elections might simply decide to go to ballots this time just to punish Pheu Thai Party.

As the rift between the UDD and Pheu Thai Party is in full view, the Red Sunday activist urged the Redshirts to form their own political party to push their own agenda, independent of Pheu Thai politicians′ attempt to subvert the movements.

He also shared his analysis of the factors that had led to the current conflict between the Redshirts and Pheu Thai, noting that "those pushing for democracy uses election to achieve it, while those pushing for electoral victory uses democracy as the rhetoric to achieve it," hence dividing the movements into democratic activists and electoral politicians.

"We want to see politicians who are also believers of democracy. We like to say we are believers of democracy and that the other is not," Mr. Sombat said, "But it isn′t true. There are people who exploit democracy in both sides."

He continued, "Look at the anti-amnesty protesters. They have legitimacy to oppose the government. It is good when people examine their government. They feel like they have power in this nation. But what I feel bad about Yellowshirts is that they are obsessed with the issues of personality and the institution [of the monarchy] when they talk about democracy. That made them look backward".

Both Yellowshirts and Redshirts, in Mr. Sombat′s belief, can compliment each other in Thailand′s quest toward democracy, as the Yellowshirts focus on shaping the personality of who should be allowed to rule Thailand, while the Redshirts focus on building institutions that would keep check and balance on those politicians. "All sides should do their jobs", Mr. Sombat added.

Yet, the conflict between the two colours arises, and Mr. Sombat believes it is due to the each side′s attachment to personalities.

"The Yellowshirts are obsessed with the monarchy … They see His Majesty the King as a god," Mr. Sombat complained, "And the Redshirts falsely view Thaksin as champion of democracy. They see him as a god of poor people", so the conflict boils down to the battle of personalities – about arguing whose hero is better.

"Maybe we Thais don′t like to talk about principles," Mr. Sombat lamented.

Fewer Chinese Tourists Due To Tightened Tourism Law

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8 November 2013, 20:06

PM Yingluck Shinawatra hosting Premier Li Keqiang of China during his visit to Bangkok

(8 November) Number of tourists from China to Thailand has dropped by 50-70% since the Chinese authorities enacted a crackdown on the extortive ?zero dollar tours?, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Under the scheme of ?zero dollar tours?, tourists from China paid very little to tour operators for their trips to Thailand, but they would be later coerced into paying for unwanted services and products, while the tour organisers rake in the commissions.

The scheme has been criticised by many experts, and on 1 October the Chinese government finally enacted a legislation prohibiting the operation of ?zero dollar tours?.

Mr. Pongsatorn Ketsamlee, Deputy Director of the Asian and South Pacific section of TAT, said the law has led to a massive decrease of Chinese tourists traveling to Thailand.

However, Mr. Pongsatorn believes the law will eventually benefit Thailand’s tourism industry in the long term as it terminated some long-overdue problems, such as the scamming of Chinese tourists by business owners and tour operations.

“The law urges our organisation and travel agencies to reassess the real demand of Chinese tourists” said Mr. Pongsatorn, “We have communicated more to seek in-depth information about the tour business.”

He continued, “For example, in case of historical products, we must try to highlight the historic links between Thailand and China, because if Chinese tourists can learn more about the history of their ancestors, the tour will be more valuable”.

The new law also leads to the 30 – 50% fall in expected numbers of coming in tourists in this year′s fourth quarter, after tour reservation and airline reservation decreased. Moreover, the price for the tour had doubled from last year, from ?20,000 – 25,000 to ?40,000 – 65,000.

“The newly established law resulted in the cancellations of charter flight from various airlines”, said Mr. Pongsatorn, “however, we need to see whether the service could resume again in December and January which coincide with [international] New Year Day and Chinese New Year Day."

“On the positive side, this bill encouraged Chinese tourists to travel in the closer destinations in Asia rather than going to Europe” added Mr. Pongsatorn.

The deputy director also expressed his delight that over 3.23 million Chinese tourist have visited Thailand in the fourth quarter, exceeding the expectation of 17% increase projected by the TAT.

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Consumers Confidence 'Lowest In 19 Months'

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8 November 2013, 19:50

(8 November) Thai economy continues to take the toll from the ongoing political crisis, according to a number of experts, with data showing that consumers confidence has hit the bottom in the past year and half.

Mr. Thanawan Phonwichai, the director of the Business and Economics Forecasting Center at the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), said that the consumer confidence index in October 2013 revealed the lowest numbers in 19 months at 76.6.

The lowered resulted is believed to have been partly due to political instability, weakened economic growth, and the uncertainty of global economic performance.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Mr. Kittirat Na Ranong, said that the prospect of Thai Economy is to expand 5% in 2014, but admitted the possibility of failing to achieve the expected GDP in 2013 due to the current political restraints, as thousands of protests took to the streets to protest the government′s plan of ?blanket amnesty?.

“I have asked every party to understand about forgiveness, but I do not think I had succeeded” said Mr. Kittirat, “The current situation is that we are not yet ready to forgive.”

Ms. Saowanee Thairungrojna, Rector of UTCC, also unveiled the result of an opinion survey conducted by the university. The survey, she said, noted that 65.4% of 1,200 subjects disagree with the Amnesty Bill, whereas only 22.5% agree.

The UTCC rector suggested that there are four possibilities for Thai Economy to grow in the coming year; first, if the conflict dissolve within 1-2 weeks, 2013 GDP could remain at 3.5% while 2014 GPD is aimed to be 5.1%, and 20 trillion baht would be lost in the political turmoil.

Second, if the political restraint last until the end of the year, 2013 GDP should be 3.3-3.4% and 5.1% in 2014.

Third, if the protest lasts until the end of this year and is escalated to a violent stage, the country may suffer 30 – 60 trillion baht losses, as 2013 GDP remains 3 – 3.2%.

Fourth, if the protest resulted in violence situation until next year, this year GDP would result in 3 – 3.2% and 4.5 – 4.7% in 2014. The total loss could be up to 200 trillion baht.

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