Eight Countries Issue Thailand Travel Warning

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6 November 2013, 18:44

An anti-government protester wearing a mask of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at Ratchadumnoen Avenue, 5 November 2013

(6 November) At least eight nations have warned their citizens about their visits to Thailand during the ongoing political confrontation, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Surapong Tovichakchaikul.

According to the Mr. Surapong, Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Sweden, Israel, Japan and Taiwan had advised their citizens to refrain from visiting the protest grounds in Thailand.

The minister expressed his concern that the protests could worsen the welcoming tourism atmosphere of Thailand during the annual ?high season?, which would host many celebrations and festivals, such as Loy Kratong, Christmas, and New Year Day.

“It is understandable to protest as it is the right everybody possesses, however, the protesters should also respect other people’s right,” said Mr. Surapong, “They should understand that their actions create negative impacts to low-earning people, vendors, and enterprises. Moreover, every party should be concerned about our national economic performances and image of the country in long term”.

He added, “I hope every party that have come out against the Amnesty Bill, including all university professors, students and other movements, to understand that the legalization process is beyond the decision of the lawmakers", as the fate of the Amnesty Bill is now handed to the Senate.

“I believe that if everybody reasonably argues about the case, the Senators would listen to their arguments. I want to stress that we all can solve every problem our nation is facing if we turn to each other [to discuss the issues] and take a step back from confrontation," said Mr. Surapong.

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Bangkok Officials Ready To Clean Tons Of Kratong

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6 November 2013, 16:56

(6 November) The environmental agency of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) says it is prepared to cope with tons of Kratongs that are expected to flood Chao Praya River on the upcoming Loy Kratong Festival.

The festival, which falls on 17 November this year, is traditionally celebrated among the Thai people by floating Kratong into the water sources such as rivers to pay respect to the river goddess Pra Mae Kong Ka.

Mr. Somchai Chatsakulpen, deputy-director of the BMA environmental department, said that he expected the number of Kratongs would not differ much from last year′s festival.

In 2012 Loy Kratong, BMA workers have collected at least 916,354 Kratongs from Chao Praya River, which amounts to over 4,000 tons of waste. However, over 80 – 90% of Kratongs are made of natural resources which are easily disposed such as banana leafs, whereas only 10% are made of non-disposable waste like foam and plastic.

Numbers of Kratong retrieved from the river in 2012 doubled the waste gathered in 2010. In 2011, only 200,000 – 300,000 Kratongs were floated, partly due to the Great Flood that was devastating many parts of the country including Bangkok.

This year, the BMA environment department, in collaboration with Department of Drainage and Sewerage, and District Offices, had arranged the policy to gather Kratongs in many parts of Bangkok before 06.00 on 18 November.

The relevant agencies must submit their reports about the operatuion to the Environment Department by 07.00 to be assessed and reported to Bangkok Governor later in the same morning, said Mr. Somchai.

Mr. Somchai also asked the public to use natural materials for their Kratongs – banana chunk, banana leaves and bread – as they are environmentally friendly and can be easily disposed.

BMA also instructed Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department and City Law Enforcement Department to actively maintain public safety during the festival, particularly in the waterfront areas.

Furthermore, the use of fireworks would be prohibited throughout the festival. The BMA says it will press legal action against those who violated the restriction on fireworks. However, in previous years many Loy Kratong festival-goers ended up ignoring the prohibition, leading to injuries and deaths.

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Majority Wants To See Abhisit Stand Trial: Isaan Poll

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6 November 2013, 16:03

Soldiers confronting Redshirts protesters at Democracy Monument on 10 April 2010.

(6 November) An opinion survey conducted in 20 Northeastern provinces reveals that a majority of respondents wants to see former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva stand trial for his role in the deadly 2010 crackdown.

Mr. Abhisit and his Deputy Prime Minister at the time, Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban, have been charged with murders by the Division of Special Investigation for their authorisation of the military crackdown against the Redshirts protests in Bangkok which resulted in the deaths of more than 90 people, most of them civilians.

The ?blanket amnesty? proposed by Pheu Thai Party to the Parliament would dissolve Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep of their charges, while former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, the brother of PM Yingluck Shinawatra, would also be cleansed of his corruption convictions.

But the survey, conducted upon 1,190 subjects by Isaan Poll, indicates that 72.5% of the respondents prefer to see Mr. Abhisit and his former deputy face the court prosecution, whereas only 14.4% wants them to receive amnesty.

Additionally, only 36.7% of the respondents agrees with an amnesty plan for Mr. Thaksin.

As for their opinion toward ?amnesty for all? proposed by the government, a majority of 46.6% of the respondents say they are against it.

The evident lack of support for the government-sponsored Amnesty Bill is particularly striking as the Northeastern region, or Isaan, has long been known as a major stronghold of Pheu Thai Party and the Redshirts movements.

In what promises to be an alarming fact for Pheu Thai Party, the survey also indicates that the support for the ruling party among the regional population has dropped from 44% to 34% in the wake of the attempt by the government to pursue the blanket amnesty.

The survey was published at a time when Redshirts movements appeared to be increasingly alienated by the Pheu Thai Party and the government. Many prominent Redshirts leaders and activists have condemned the ?blanket amnesty?, accusing the Pheu Thai Party of reneging on their vows to hold those responsible for 2010 crackdown accountable.

Facing widespread discontent from both allies and enemies of the government, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday announced that the government would not contest the Senate′s decision if it chooses to reject the ?amnesty for all? draft, virtually signaling that the Pheu Thai Party has given up its effort to pursue the bill.

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Prachinburi School Bus Crash Injures 13 Students

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6 November 2013, 14:58

(6 November) 13 schoolchildren were injured after their songthaew school bus skidded off the road and crashed into a tree in Pachinburi province.

The songthaew vehicle was carrying 27 students at the time of the accident, police said. The injured students were sent to Nadee Hospital.

Pol.Lt.Col. Suchart Yaemsak, an investigative police officer from Nadee Police Station, told our correspondent that the momentum following the crash has caused many students to suffer broken bones.

Mr. Anuwat Sahinlom, 38, the songthaew driver, said he picked up the students from Triam Udom Sueksa Nomklao School and Chankrachang Sueksa School in the province prior to the incident.

Once he arrived at the scene, he said, a truck suddenly approached the school bus. Mr Anuwat said that he was forced to swerve onto the roadside, hitting into the tree.

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Protests Could Damage Thai Economy: Finance Minister

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6 November 2013, 14:21

(6 November) Minister of Finance Kittirat Na Ranong said the ongoing protests against the amnesty bill are hurting Thailand′s economic growth in Q4.

The protests could also drive away potential foreign tourists just as Thailand enters its annual ?high season? in tourist business, according to Mr. Kittirat.

Mr. Kittirat, who also serves as Deputy Prime Minister, warned that “the investors start to question about the current political situation."

“We tried to explain to investors about the ideas of peace and forgiveness in the amnesty bill” Mr. Kittarat added, “I believed that if people resort to discussion about the dispute, they should be able to solve the conflict peacefully.”

The Minister said he would like to ask every party to keep the nation’s economic performance in mind, as trade, tourism and investment sectors will be greatly affected if the situation has been escalated.

However, he stated that there is no need for the government to come up with any new stimulant plan at the moment, but all relevant authorities have been instructed to improve the economy during this particularly difficult time nonetheless.

Meanwhile, Mr. Itsara Wongkusolkit, President of Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC), revealed the results of the meeting between the Federation of Thai Industries, Thai Bankers Association and the Thai Chamber of Commerce that both three institutions had not yet concluded whether they would jointly stand against the proposed amnesty bill.

The TCC President added that the investors fear that if the situation worsened, the nation’s economy might be severely affected. He also expressed his wishes to urge every related party to find the solution for the current political conflict as soon as possible.

On an optimistic note, Mr. Chai Sriwikrom, President of Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association, suggested that protest against the Amnesty Bill woudl affect tourism and consumption only in a short term.

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Transport Minister Appalled By Minivan Safety Standard

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5 November 2013, 19:43

(5 November) Transport Minister Charchart Sittipan said he had instructed the authorities to urgently tighten the safety measures applied to public minivans, after he had personally discovered that much of the safety policies are blatantly ignored by the minivan drivers.

Mr. Chatchart said he had encountered such problems during his private minivan trips – the Minister is well-known for his preference to inspect various public transports such as buses, boats, and trains by riding one by himself.

According to the Minister, a number of minivans refused to comply with the safety standards issued by the Ministry of Transport. Reportedly, some of the vans did not equip any safety belts, fire extinguishers, and glass-breaking hammer in their cars.

Although some of the vehicles did equip the items, they did so in "inappropriate positions of the minivans", Mr. Chatchart said. He also complained that he had seen some vans illegally adding extra passenger seats.

Moreover, some vans operator did not ask their passengers to leave the vehicles when they refuel the gas, which is a very dangerous procedure, according to the Transport Minister.

Mr. Achsathai Rattanadilok Na Phuket, acting director-general of the Department of Land Transport, said that he had instructed the provincial authority to improve the safety policy.

According to the Director-General, the laws clearly states that minivans imported or manufactured after 1 April 2012 must be equipped with safety belts on every seat; as for minivan imported or manufactured before the date, the procedure must be applied by 1 January 2013.

"Every mini-van should have their seat equipped with safety belt by now", Mr. Achsathai said.

He added that the service providers must also warn their passengers to leave the vehicles during the refuel stops.

In case of minivans that had attached extra seats, legal prosecution will be pressed against the drivers and service operators, said the Director General.

Mr. Achsathai said that if any passengers have experienced minivans that do not comply by the safety procedure, they should call 1584 to inform the officials about the matter.

Accidents involving interprovincial minivans have killed and injured large number of passengers in recent years, and many drivers were discovered to have operated the vehicles without proper licenses or registration.

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Japanese Senior Police 'Concerned' By Amnesty Plan

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5 November 2013, 18:53

(5 November) A high ranking Japanese officer has expressed his concern that the ?amnesty-for-all? proposed by Pheu Thai Party might stall the investigation into the death of the Japanese reporter killed in 2010 crackdown.

Mr. Hiroyuki Muramoto, who worked as a cameraman for Reuters, was shot dead as he filmed the clashes between the soldiers and the Redshirts protesters near the Democracy Monument on 10 April 2010.

The circumstances of his death are under investigation by the court. While witnesses have told the court they saw soldiers discharging their weapons in the direction of Mr. Hiroyuki, the military and the government at the time blamed his death on the presence of the ?Blackshirts? armed militants who were also firing their weapons at the soldiers.

Earlier today, Mr. Nobuyuki Kawai, a senior member of the National Police Agency of Japan, has met with representatives of the Division of Special Investigation (DSI) in Bangkok to discuss the progress of the case. A group of Japanese police officials also accompanied Mr. Nobuyuki.

Speaking after the discussion at the DSI headquarters, Pol.Lt.Gen. Bantoon Chimkra said he had assured the Japanese officials that the DSI has been working very hard to shine the light on Mr. Hiroyuki′s death. It is the group′s eighth visit to Thailand to demand progress of the case, Pol.Lt.Gen Bantoon added.

"I told them the DSI is interviewing 20 witnesses per week," Pol.Lt.Gen. Bantoon said, "We have also interrogated hundreds of low-ranking soldiers".

However, the Japanese are intent on finding out who precisely shot Mr. Hiroyuki, the officer said. "We promise them that we will work on the case".

According to the DSI officer, Mr. Nobuyuki also voiced his worry that the ?blanket amnesty? would affect the court procedure of Mr. Hiroyuki′s death. "So DSI told them that the bill is under deliberation of the Parliament. We cannot give them any answer at the moment," Pol.Lt.Gen. Bantoon said.

10 more witnesses are scheduled to testify to the court concerning Mr. Hiroyuki′s death, Pol.Lt.Gen. Bantoon added.

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Thai-Cambodia Border Village Emptied Ahead Of Temple Verdict

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5 November 2013, 17:17

(5 November) Residents of Phum Salon village, which sits on the border of Thailand and Cambodia, have fled their abodes amid the fears of a potential military conflict between the two nations.

The International Court of Justice is due to deliver its verdict on the ownership of the area around Preah Vihear Temple which is claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia.

The border dispute has been simmering for half a decade, but it has escalated into open combat in 2011, when the Thai and Cambodian troops clashed near Phum Salon village. The community was eventually wrecked by artillery shells fired from the Cambodian positions.

Ms. Samrit Kawsa-nga, 46, whose house was destroyed by the Cambodian shellfire in 2011 and later rebuilt by Sri Saket pronvincial authority, said that she is still worried about the current situation and fears that the Cambodian weapons might be aiming at her house again.

She eventually decided that she should flee the village to her relatives’ houses, along with many other villagers for their own safety.

Nevertheless, a number of locals have decided to stay out of the conviction that the situation would be resolved peacefully by the two nations.

On Monday, representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Directorate of Civil Affairs also met with local residents in Tambol Sao-Thingchai, Katharalak district, to explain about the Government’s preparation plans as the ICJ ruling approaches.

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Thai Airways Plane's Tyre Bursts At Chiang Rai Airport

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5 November 2013, 17:02

(5 November) An Airbus aircraft operated by Thai Airways has suffered a tyre explosion shortly after it landed at Mae Fah Luang International Airport in Chiang Rai province.

The flight, numbered TG 130, was traveling from Bangkok′s Suvarnabhumi Airport.

All 179 passengers and 10 cabin crew were unharmed from the incident, as the pilot successfully brought the plane to its docking bay.

The airport maintenance team later replaced the damaged tyre with a new one, and the aircraft resumed its operation shortly afterward, bringing another load of passengers to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Reportedly, the airport maintenance team had replaced the impracticable tyre with the new one, and the aircraft continued to operate again shortly afterward.

Mr. Damrong Klong-Aksorn, the director of Mae Fah Luang Airport, told our correspondent he believes the wheel was prevented by its malfunctioned brake system from rolling as the aircraft touched down the runway. He insisted that the plane would function normally with the new set of tyre.

In September, a Thai Airways flight skidded off the runway at Suvarnabhumi Airport, injuring a number of passengers during the hectic evacuation. Several officials have blamed the incident on presence of malicious spirits.

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Yingluck Signals A Retreat On Blanket Amnesty

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5 November 2013, 15:32

(5 November) A day after thousands of protesters took to the streets of Bangkok, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced that the government will not pursue the controversial ?blanket amnesty? should the Senate vote to reject it.

Her speech came at a time when the sentiment against the government-sponsored ?amnesty for all? plan is increasingly evident in much of the Thai public.

Apart from the anti-government factions who see the bill as an attempt to whitewash the wrongdoing of Ms. Yingluck′s brother, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, the opposition to the amnesty draft also comes from the Redshirt allies of the government who argued that the bill would dissolve the legal responsibility of the former government who authorised the 2010 military crackdown against the Redshirts protesters.

In a live television broadcast from Government House earlier today, Ms. Yingluck began her speech by repeating her defence for the blanket amnesty, insisting that it is a part of the government′s effort to bring about the "reconciliation" for the country.

The Prime Minister also stressed that the Parliamentary approval of the bill is perfectly within the boundary of the laws.

However, Ms. Yingluck noted that the amnesty plan has caused debate and criticism from members of the public, and is slated to be decided by the Senate in the near future.

"Therefore, I would like to suggest the Senate … to fully employ their judgement on the basis of the reconcilation," Ms. Yingluck said.

She added that the Members of the Parliament who had voted on the amnesty draft would accept any decision of the Senate, even if the Upper House votes to reject the proposed amnesty for good.

"They will accept that decision for the sake of the reconciliation of the country," said the Prime Minister.

By implying that the Pheu Thai-dominated Parliament would not contest the Senate′s rejection of the blanket amnesty, Ms. Yingluck could be sending a signal that the government has abandoned its attempt to pursue the amnesty plan, our correspondent reported.

There is also a very slim chance that the Senate would approve the amnesty-for-all draft; half of the Senate are appointed, and many of the appointed Senators have been openly hostile to the elected government of Ms. Yingluck.

One such appointed Senate, Mr. Pichet Sunthornpipit, told Khaosod that he, for one, would definitely reject the revised version of the bill, citing his belief that the draft has breached proper Parliamentary procedures.

"Although I disagree with the original draft submitted by [Pheu Thai MP] Worachai Hema, I sympathised with the bill′s intention to help only the ordinary citizens who have been affected by the political crisis," Mr. Pichet said, "But the draft has been greatly distorted by the House Committee. It clearly shows the real intention [of the government]"

Ms. Yingluck′s statement also appears to echo the suggestion made by former Deputy Prime Minister Weerapong Ramangkul who told Khaosod yesterday that the government should surrender the effort to enact the amnesty-for-all by convincing the Senate to vote against it, and accept its decision.

The government can declare its support for the original amnesty plan proposed by Mr. Worachai afterwards, Mr. Weerapong suggested.

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