Official Defends PM Yingluck's Frequent Foreign Trips

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26 September 2013, 19:35

(26 September) Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has defended the frequent trips Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has made to foreign nations in the past few months, saying it is a necessary step to improve Thailand′s standing in the world community.

Ms Yingluck′s trips abroad have become a source of discontent for anti-government critics, who argue that Ms. Yingluck appears to be more intent on enjoying her time in foreign countries than governing at home.

However, the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mr. Wichawat Issarapakdee, says the trips have been planned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the interest of the nation in mind.

He denied a report published by a media agency which claim that all the foreign trips were arranged by the Prime Minister′s Office. According to Mr. Wichawat, it was the Ministry that drafted the itinerary and later consulted with the Prime Minister′s Office.

"The Ministry has never delegated the decision to the Prime Minister′s Office," Mr. Wichawat said.

He explained that Ms. Yingluck′s trips are categorised into 3 parts: the nations in South East Asian region which are regarded by the Ministry as priority destinations; the nations with strategic importance with Thailand such as China, Japan, and South Korea; and the nations with strong ties to Thailand in term of investment, trade, and tourism.

The last category belongs to nations like Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, said Mr. Wichawat.

The official told our correspondent the Prime Minister also visited African nations in her recent trips because they are potential resource nodes and emerging markets which could benefit Thailand in the future.

Furthermore, Ms. Yingluck has attended a number of international forums in recent months, namely the Fifth Bali Democracy Forum, "so that Thailand could present its stance in the international community, and it also presented an opportunity for [Ms. Yingluck] to meet many foreign leaders for bilateral dialogues," according to Mr. Wichawat.

Asked whether Ms. Yingluck has made more foreign trips than previous leaders, Mr. Wichawat suggested it is the case, but insisted that the frequency of the trips denotes a confidence of many foreign governments toward Thailand.

He added, "At the same time, the Prime Minister has appropriately arranged her time in managing domestic issues".

American 'Drug Kingpin' Arrested In Phuket Golfcourse

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Khaosod English

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26 September 2013, 17:33

(26 September) A joint operation between the Thai and US authorities has led to an arrest of 3 American citizens accused of running a massive drug smuggle ring.

The trio was arrested at a country golf club in Phuket Province by special operations police. One of those arrested is Mr. Joseph Manuel Hunter, 47, who is wanted by a New York court for smuggling narcotics and believed to be the ringleader.

Reports say the US authorities have voided Mr. Hunter′s passport earlier this year, but they later discovered that Mr. Hunter had entered Phuket International Airport on 6 September, which led to the joint efforts with the Thai police to capture the fugitives.

It is understood that field agents of the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) were present during the operation to arrest Mr. Hunter and his associates.

Our correspondent says the effort to apprehend Mr. Hunter had been so secretive that local police and regional officials in Phuket Province were not informed about the matter beforehand.

After Mr. Hunter had been arrested, commando police raided several locations in Phuket and apprehended 4 more suspects.Mr. Hunter was brought to Bangkok this afternoon by a large number of police officers. He is currently kept in an isolate cell at Bangkok′s Crime Suppression Division, with several officers posted in front of his cell to monitor his movements.

The suspect would be handed to officials from the US Embassy in Bangkok on 28 September.

Girl's Death Causes Safety Concerns Over Water-Gates

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Khaosod English

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26 September 2013, 16:37

The canal sluice gate at Khlong Koo, Pathum Thani Province, with the sign warning residents not to approach the gate due to leaked electricity.

(26 September) A four year old girl was killed, her body severed, after she fell into Tha Rua Sluice in Ban Pho District, Chachoengsao province.

According to reports, the girl fell of the bridge which lies across Khlong (Canal) Prawet Buri Rom. Her mother then called for help from the rescue team, but later discovered her daughter’s headless body in the water. The girl′s other limbs were also dismembered by the water-gate fan.

Mr, Samroeng Rungsiri, 59, permanent officer of the Royal Irrigation Department and the victim’s grandfather, told police that his granddaughter was walking toward him, with her mother and grandmother accompanying her from afar. The girl then suddenly fell off the bridge and ended up in the tragic incident.

Autopsy for the child’s body is expected to be conducted as soon as the team gathers other parts of her body. So far, police had ruled the case to be an accident, and have not pressed charges against anyone.

Meanwhile in Pathumthani province, Ms. Bupha Phuangphut, 48, form Sam Khok District, made complaints to Khaosod to urge related authorities to be responsible for the electricity leakage at a Khlong Koo, which has killed a number of fish in the water resource.

Local residents had tried to prevent any lethal accident from happening by posting a sign warning by-passers not to get in the water in the area. However, Ms. Bupha said she is still worried as there might be some children who were not aware of the danger and might get themselves killed.

There are many people fishing nearby during holidays, which could be dangerous, according to Ms. Bupha, adding that many people had been injured from the leaked voltage in the area before.

Ms. Bupha hoped that her complaints would convince the Electricity Authority to inspect the area and remedy the situation as soon as possible.

These incidents have raised concern over safety of the canal water sluice gates in many areas, especially in the moment when a quarter of Thailand′s provinces are facing severe flooding.

Support Pours In For 'Granny-Looking' Girl

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Khaosod English

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26 September 2013, 15:34

(26 September) Neighbours and school staff are gathering support for a 4 year old girl who is suffering from a rare disease which has made her face resemble that of an old woman.

Chanagaln ‘Jenny’ Lung-Or, a resident of Fang district, Chiang Mai province, was born with Progeria Syndrome, a genetic disease which causes premature ageing to her skin and her body .

Chanagaln’s mother, On Lung-Lhoo, 28, a Burmese worker who migrated to Thailand in 2007 said she was very shocked to see that her daughter was born different from other infants.

Chanagaln then had undergone several medical treatments at the hospital, but the family eventually failed to afford the process.

Her parents then decided to put Chanagaln in school, while they have been trying to increase their income. When she attended Wat Pah Sak School, Ms. On said, the teachers actually asked for Chanagaln’s Birth Certificate, because they could not believe her age at first.

Chanagalnwas initially faced with constant teasing by her schoolmates but a week later she got along well.

Mr. Somsak Lohle-kha, M.D., President of the Royal College of Pediatricians of Thailand, explained that Progeria is incurable, and the girl will soon suffer other diseases like old people do.

A medical team from Lamphoon Hospital visited the school yesterday. After spending 30 minutes checking up on the girl’s health, the medics found that she was normal.

Nevertheless, Chanagaln was recently admitted to the hospital for 7 days for Pneumonia, and three days recuperating at home, before returning to school on 23 September.

In order to help her family with financial issues, the school has opened a bank account for Chanagaln. Ms. On believes that if her family had sufficient funds for the treatment, her daughter would be cured and able to live like other kids.

According to our correspondent, many neighbours and visitors have been at Chanagaln′s school to cheer her up. At the school, Chanagaln behaves naturally like other kids, playing cheerfully with her friends and looking excited when she was visited by many people.

Her friends also teased her that she had become a star now, to which Chanagaln smiled happily back in reply.

Those who suffer with Progeria, or Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, usually live until their post-teenage, or mid twenties. The disease incident rate is estimated to be 1 per 8 million live births.

Thai Army Canteen Bans Basil Fried Rice

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Khaosod English

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25 September 2013, 20:50

(25 September) The Royal Thai Army has finally met its mortal enemy – basil fried rice.

Numerous patrons were surprised to find a sign reading "Attention All Customers – No Basil Fried Rice" at the canteen of Office of the Army Secretary in Bangkok.

The owners of the stalls told our correspondent that the Thai staple dish had been banned after the pungent smell of the stir-fried chili, garlic and holy basil leaves had drifted into the offices of Army staff, causing much disturbance to the senior officers and preventing them from performing their duties in the finest manner.

According to one of the stall owners, the canteen had unsuccessfully tried to get rid of the smell by installing cooker hoods to every stall. Yet, the smell still leaked into the offices.

"The Army had spent so much money on dealing with the smell, including the renovation of the building and the installation of the cooker hoods," the vendor said, "But they weren?t very effective".

The Army staff eventually announced a ban on cooking the dish, but allowed the vendors to sell the dish if it had been prepared elsewhere.

Crashed LPG-Equipped Car Injures 6

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Khaosod English

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25 September 2013, 19:20

(25 September) LPG-equipped car burst into flames after it hit the rear of a pick-up truck early this morning, injuring 6 people.

The police in Klong Yai district, Trad province, were alerted to investigate a car accident, in which a car crashed into the back of the truck on Trad-Klong Yai Road. The incident had caused the whole car to be engulfed in flame.

According to witnesses, the car crashed violently into the truck which was slowing down to make a right turn. The car then burst into flame after the car′s LPG gas fuel leaked out.

Fortunately, the rescue team had successfully extinguished the fire, before removing the 4 passengers and a driver out of the car. A truck driver was also reported injured, and later transported to Klong Yai Hospital, along with the other casualties.

Police said the rain might have been a factor in the incident. No one has been charged for the moment.

Several reports had indicated the risk of using LPG gas in a car, which could easily leak following an accident and caused fire to the vehicles. However, the gas had gained much popularity as many drivers seek to avoid using gasoline, due to its hiking price.

The government has been tackling the distorted LPG gas price after losing millions of baht per year in subsidising the fuel. So far, the gas price remains at 21.38 baht/kg, and is expected to increase again in February 2014 to meet its actual market price at 24.83 baht/kg.

Phuket Launches Kingdom's Second 'Tourist Court'

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Khaosod English

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25 September 2013, 18:41

The unveiling ceremony of the tourism court in Phuket

(25 September) The Thai authorities have unveiled another "Tourist Court" in Phuket Province, one of the top tourist destinations of the country, in an effort to swiftly resolve legal issues in which tourists are involved.

The first "Tourist Court" was established in Pattaya, another popular tourist attraction of the kingdom.

The unveiling ceremony was presided by Tourism and Sport Minister Somsak Pureesrisak and Chairman of the Supreme Court, Mr. Pairoj Wayuphap.

Mr. Somsak told our correspondent that the court specifically designed to handle tourists? legal case is the government′s method to provide satisfactory services for the tourists.

The Minister said the first case handled by the "Tourist Court" in Pattaya has proven to be extremely successful. In that case, two Chinese tourists were killed in a Speed Boat crash at the seaside town. According to Mr. Somsak, the court has facilitated a compensation from the defendant to the families of the victims in a timely manner.

"The process had been conducted rapidly within one day, and the families of the victims were very satisfied," Mr. Somsak said.

Mr. Wirat Chinwinigkul, Secretary–General of the Office of the Judiciary, said that the tourism court in Phuket is under the governing of the Court of Justice and is expected to arrange the issues to be ruled by the appropriate courts.

According to Mr. Wirat, the new tourism court will provide advice to tourists to hasten the legal procedures, record testimonies of the foreign witnesses before they leave the country, and appoint a representative to handle the cases before informing the tourists as they depart Thailand.

If the tourists are accused of committing any crimes, he said, the court will contact the consulate representatives concerning the tourists’ nationalities, in order to ensure trust, safety and justice for the tourists.

The Office of the Judiciary Secretary–General is also looking forward to the launch of another five tourism courts in Thailand’s famous tourism areas including Krabi province, Chiang Mai province, Koh Samui island, Pathumwan district and Bangkok′s Dusit district.

Bangkok's Old City Offers Free Bicycle Lending

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Khaosod English

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25 September 2013, 17:45

Cyclists participating in 2013 Bangkok's 'Car Free Day' event.

(25 September) Bangkok authority has launched a free bicycle borrowing service around the tourist attractions in the Old City.

Ms. Pranee Sattayaprakorb, director of the cultural and tourism office for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), said officials have installed six bicycle stations for Thais and foreign tourists alike to use when exploring the tourist attractions.

Four of the stations are in eastern bank of Bangkok: at the Royal Field (Sanam Luang), BMAs tourism office, Pra Sumen Fort, and the Giant Swing. The other two are located in the western bank of Bangkok: at the Temple of Dawn and Rama I Bridge.

Each station holds 20 bicycles, Ms. Pranee said. They will be operating from 10.00-18.00 on Monday to Friday, and 09.00-19.00 on the weekends. Either a Thai ID card or a passport should be deposited at the station when borrowing the bike.

Ms. Pranee added that bicycles borrowed from each bank of the city would have to be returned to the respective bank.

Bangkok recently hosted a Car Free Day in order to encourage more bicycle usage in the city notorious for its traffic jam. More than 20,000 cyclists participated in the event last Sunday.

Abhisit Postpones 2010 Crackdown Deaths Trial

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Khaosod English

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25 September 2013, 16:56

(25 September) Former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has postponed a court appearance for the murder charges he received for his role in authorising the military crackdown on the Redshirts protesters in 2010.

More than 90 people lost their lives in the political violence that engulfed Bangkok from April to May 2010.

After the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra came to power, Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Deputy Prime Minister at the time, Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban, were charged by the Division of Special Investigation (DSI) with conspiring to murder the protesters and other civilians during the crackdown.

Both Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep have denied the allegation and were scheduled to appear at the court today. However, the lawyers representing the pair asked the court to postpone the trial, citing the busy schedule of Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep who are currently serving as MPs.

The Prosecutor for the case, Mr. Ruj Kuensuwan, also said his team has not yet finalised the necessary documents. The court therefore agreed to grant the postponement, setting the date for the next court appearance for Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Suthep on 31 October.

Construction Worker Attacks Wife 'For Refusing To Work'

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Khaosod English

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25 September 2013, 15:03

(25 September) A construction worker allegedly attacked his wife with a knife because she was too ill to help him at his work.

According to Ms. Nurat Tongmakha, a 40 year old resident of Sra Kaew Province, she was cooking for her husband, Mr. Narong Cheenpanich, 58, earlier this morning when he asked her to go to work with him at the construction site.

When Ms. Nurat said she could not go because she was feeling unwell, Mr. Narong reportedly became enraged and poured boiling water on his wife. Ms. Nurat said he also attacked her with a kitchen knife, wounding her right arm and right ear.

She said she was brought to the hospital by her neighbours.

Speaking to our correspondent from her bed at Aranya Pradesh Hospital, Ms. Nurat said her husband is an alcoholic who likes to beat her up when he is drunk. Police are trying to locate Mr. Narong.

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