PM Yingluck Calls For Wheelchair-Friendly Public Buses

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27 September 2013, 19:12

PM Yingluck Shinawatra taking children with disabilities to visit her office at the Government House

(27 September) Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has instructed the Ministry of Transport to study the plans for low-floor public buses to promote greater accessibility for disabled people.

At the meeting with over 100 people with disabilities at the Government House on 26 September, Ms. Yingluck promised to have the Ministry of Transport revise plans for the purchase of 3,000 buses in Bangkok metropolitan area, as proposed by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA).

BMTA had proposed to spend 16 billion baht to buy 3,000 buses, of which only 1,524 are equipped with elevators to support those with disabilities.

Mr. Wiriya Namsiripanpong, founder of the Universal Foundation for Persons with Disabilities, said that the current plan could create discrimination against the disable people, and suggested that the government should adopt the ‘low-floor bus’, which could be equally accessed by passengers with or without disabilities.

During the meeting yesterday, the Prime Minister explained that Bangkok’s low areas may prevent the accessibility of the low-floor bus, particularly due to frequent flooding in the roads.

However, she told the visitors she would appoint an authority to study the possibilities and routes that the service could be provided, but admitted that the service might not be 100% accomplished.

Mr. Teerayuth Sukhonthawit, President of the Association of People with Disabilities in Nonthaburi province, said that the low-floor buses are designed to comply with international standards in terms of its accessibility by all people.

He said his group has been working to promote the deployment of the disabled friendly buses. Mr. Teerayuth said many public buses in Bangkok are still unable to fulfill the need of people with disabilities.

The Prime Minister has insisted that the government is trying its best to facilitate the disabled and elderly people.

During their visit, Ms. Yingluck also led the group to tour her offices and take turns to take a seat on the Prime Minister’s chair.

73 Year Old Woman Jailed For 'Electrocuting' Drug Tree Thief

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Khaosod English

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27 September 2013, 18:17

(27 September) The Appeals Court sentenced a 73 year old woman to 2 years and 12 months in prison for installing electric fences around her house to prevent thieves from stealing illegal drug plants which led to the death of a 24 year old man.

Ms. Thongdee Jamsri, a resident of Bang Kapi district, Bangkok, was convicted of second degree murder and producing 41 kilograms of ?Kratom? plants, which are criminalised under current Thai laws.

The court decision detailed that Ms. Thongdee had conducted a fatally reckless action by putting 220 volt electric wires around her house, resulting in the death of Mr. Maropee Langmae, who tried to climb the fence into her house in February 2011 to steal her ?Bai Kratom?.

The lower court found Ms. Thongdee guilty of the two charges and sentenced her to 3 years and 4 months in prison. She then appealed the decision, arguing that her jail sentence should be suspended.

However, the Appeals Court only agreed to lower the jail term of her murder charge to an unsuspended sentence of 1 year and 8 months in prison. The defendant is also sentenced with an additional 1 year and 4 months for the possession of Bai Kratom.

After hearing the court decision, Ms. Thongdee said that she does not intend to take the case to the Supreme Court, in order to ask for Royal Pardon from His Majesty the King; only those who had served a required length of their jail sentence are eligible for Royal Pardon application.

Ms. Juthamas Sukanthachalachon, Ms. Thongdee′s daughter, said that her mother is suffering from Thyroid disorder and lung disease. After several consultations with their lawyer, they believe that accepting the court decision and seeking the Royal Pardon is the best solution for now.

Despite its illegal status, Bai Kratom is widely grown in Thailand, as a substance resembling Marijuana. Recently, the Thai authorities had suggested the legalisation of the plants, citing the fact that many, like Ms. Thongdee, have grown Kratom in their gardens.

Mother Of 'Nurse Kate' Pleads For Redshirts' Release

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Khaosod English

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27 September 2013, 14:51

(27 September) The mother of volunteer medic slain in the 2010 military crackdown on the Redshirts protests met with the chairwoman of the Thai human rights committee today and asked her to push for a bail release for the Redshirts currently imprisoned for their alleged crimes during the protests.

Ms. Payao Akhard, the mother of Ms. Kamonmate Akhard (?Nurse Kate?), has been campaigning for a legal prosecution which would have held the military and the government at the time accountable for over 90 deaths in the political violence of April-May 2010.

Earlier this morning she met with Ms. Amara Pongpapitchaya, chairwoman of National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) at the committee′s headquarters. At the meeting, Ms. Payao pleaded for the right to be released on bails on behalf of the imprisoned Redshirts.According to Ms. Payao, the incarcerated protesters deserve the rights to a fair trial outside prison. She added that the prisoners had been "suffering from many difficulties" in the jails.

"They are not convicts. They just the accused," the activist said, "They should be allowed the chance to fight in the legal process. Whether they are right or wrong is the matter to be seen"

Ms. Payao also criticised the perceived bias in which Redshirts are denied bail release, whereas members of the rival Yellowshirts are routinely granted bail as they contest their political charges.

Therefore, she said, she would like to see the NHRC pushing for a speedy release of these political prisoners, as the the Committee is directly responsible for upholding human rights, regardless of the "colours".

She stressed she was not meeting with Ms. Amara to protest her much-criticised report on the 2010 violence, in which much of the blame is delegated to the Redshirts instead of the authorities, saying "I understand there are bound to be contested points [in the report], but I am here today for a specific issue: for the release of the political prisoners".

At the end of the meeting, Ms. Amara promised Ms. Payao that the Commitee would look into the matter, and assuring her that it is within the ability of the NHRC to push for the prisoners? release.

However, Ms. Amara said the process would not cover all protesters, as those who "committed criminal acts" would not be released.

Popular TV Presenter Wins Case Against MCOT

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Khaosod English

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26 September 2013, 20:51

(26 September) MCOT Plc, operator of the Thai TV Channel 9, has been ordered by the court to return over 55 million baht plus 7.5% interests per annum to a company owned by the popular TV presenter Sorayuth Suttassanachinda.

The case followed a lawsuit filed by Rai Som Ltd against MCOT. In the court documents, Rai Som argued that MCOT, which is partly owned by the state, wrongfully charged the company for airing overtime commercials without offering them discounts in accordance to their contracts.

Rai Som was founded and is led by Mr.Sorayuth Suttassanachinda, who currently works as a daily news program host for Channel 3. Prior to becoming the face of Channel 3, Mr. Sorayuth had struck deals with MCOT to provide them with a TV show called “Talking and Digging the News” (Khui Khuy Khao) in 2004-2006.

The controversy started when MCOT sued Rai Som for airing commercial overtime, which, the company insisted, violated the contract between the two parties. MCOT then requested Rai Som to pay approximately 253 million baht to compensate for its loss.

Rai Som then filed another lawsuit against MCOT, stating that the Channel failed to honour the contracts, which dictated MCOT to give Rai Som 30% trading discount regarding time sharing commercial system.

After a lengthy and complex legal battle, the Administrative Court ruled today that MCOT must pay 55,523,763 baht plus 7.5% interest per annum to Rai Som as a discount for Rai Som’s previous payment.

In the ruling, the judges explained that an official of MCOT was involved in overseeing the airtime schedules, which would have made it very difficult for Rai Som to secretly violate their agreement without attracting MCOT′s attention.

Hence, the court said, the fault lay with MCOT for not reviewing their revenue sheets carefully and should be held partly responsible for the loss.

Moreover, the court also found that MCOT had taken 1.15 seconds in commercial time from Rai Som, which resulted in a payment of 253,255 baht, with 7.5% interest per year. The decisions mean MCOT must pay Rai Som 55,777,019 baht in total, and the payment must be made within 90 days.

Mr. Sorayuth did not attend the ruling in person. However, Rai Som’s lawyer, Mr. Mont-Anand Ruengjaras, said that he was not fully satisfied with the result and may need to consult with the company’s executives whether to appeal against the decision.

The controversy is perceived as another taint on Mr. Sorayuth′s reputation, particularly after the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) filed a lawsuit against him, accusing him of committing fraud against MCOT.

Although the Office of the Attorney General later put down the case, stating that there was not enough evidence to support the claim, Mr. Sorayuth came under fire from critics for using his airtime on "Morning Talk" (Rueng Lao Chao Nee) to defend himself in the matter.

The incident led the National Press Council of Thailand (NPCT) to pressure Mr. Sorayuth to resign from his duty, arguing that he had failed to present impartial opinions on his news program.

In response, Mr. Sorayuth initially vowed to quit the NPCT, but it later emerged that he was no longer a member of the council, as he had failed to pay for his membership fees despite his enormous income.

Official Defends PM Yingluck's Frequent Foreign Trips

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Khaosod English

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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.

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