Army Chief Upholds King's Teaching As Guideline For Politicians

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21 August 2013, 17:03

BANGKOK – The commander in chief of the Royal Thai Army suggested that Thai politicians should learn from the teachings of His Majesty the King, which stress the merit of solving the problems with careful consciousness.

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha said he has been following the coverage of the Parliamentary debate on Constitution amendment yesterday that turned chaotic after opposition MPs heckled, hurled documents at the House Speakers, and fought with police summoned to keep the situation under control.

Politicians should not use anger to solve the problems, Gen. Prayuth said. Rather, he contended, they should heed to the words of His Majesty the King when he said solution to problems can only be found through calm deliberation.

"We should be vigilant of the threat to our country. His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen are still ill. I want everyone to do good so Their Majesties can be happy and relieved" said Gen. Prayuth. He did not specify which kind of threats.

Earlier this month, Bangkok was gripped by rumours about a possible military coup to oust the current government. Gen. Prayuth made no mention of the rumours but stressed that the military has its own duties and that it simply could not break the rules and step out of its boundary.

"I am not taking any side. I am speaking as a Thai and as the chief of Army," Gen. Prayuth said, adding that Thailand could face the unrest similar to what′s happening in Egypt if the political factions fail to find a common dialogue.

He continued: "Many Thais have just fled from that country. Do we really want to see Thailand ending up like that?"

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Anger Over Poor Condition Of Newly Opened Bridge

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21 August 2013, 14:39

(20 August) Residents in
Tawang District of Nakon Si Thammarart have complained about a bridge that already shows sign of
disrepair in spite of its young age.

Over 9 million baht was spent in building the Rames
Bridge that spans over a canal. It was opened to the public on 12 August – HM the Queen′s Birthday –
after series of construction delays.

After its inauguration ceremony, residents soon noticed
that environment around the canal starts to change for the worse, reportedly because the bridge′s
foundation blocks flows of sewage and damages the the bank soils.

The foundation of the
bridge is also visibly in poor state. Cracks can be seen in the pillars. Paste of cements were
slabbed onto some of these cracks, but the hastily-applied fixes already wore off in some places.

Many residents further complained about the uneven pillars that were supposed to be in
straight vertical lines, causing many motorists to worry for their safety as they make their way
across the bridge.

Today, Mr. Chaowasana Senpong, the governor of Nakorn Si Thammarart, said
in a conference that the officials have inspected the scene and declared the structure of the bridge
as perfectly safe.

The cracks are affecting the safety of the bridge, Mr. Chaowasana said,
while the chief public engineer told the reporters in the same press conference that the uneven
pillars also did not pose a danger to the public.

Deputy House Speaker Denies Report Of 'Gambling Drivers'

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Khaosod English

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21 August 2013, 14:06

(21 August) Deputy House
Speaker Wisut Chainarun disputed reports that a number of drivers for Pheu Thai MPs were gambling
right next to the Senate building on the Parliament compound.

Yesterday, Mr. Boonyord Suktinthai, a Democrat MP, announced in the
Parliament that he has been informed the drivers were playing Hi Lo, a Thai variant of Sic
Bo dice game. Gambling is illegal in Thailand.

However, Mr. Wisut told the reporters he
had dispatched officials to investigate the matter and they reported that the drivers were merely
playing chess, not Hi Lo.

When reporters told him there is photographic evidence of the
gambling, Mr. Wisut told them they should phone him to report the matter if they ever see any
gambling taking place inside the Parliament again

Let Society Judge Democrats' Actions, Pheu Thai Says

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21 August 2013, 13:53

(21
August) Following the day of chaotic debate in the House of Parliament, which saw some Democrat MPs
throwing documents at the House Speaker and engaging in scuffle with the police, a top official of
the Pheu Thai Party said his party will let the society judge the actions of the
oppositions.

Mr. Udomdech Ratanasatien, the chief coalition whip, was responding to reporters
who asked him why Pheu Thai MPs did not intervene to stop the Democrats from derailing the debate on
Constitutional amendment in the House yesterday.

The House Speaker did his best to let the
session continue, but the Democrat Party did not listen, so we will simply leave it to the society
to form its judgement, Mr. Udomdech said.

If chaos still erupts on the second day of the
debate, Mr. Udomdech said, he will make sure Pheu Thai MPs keep their distance from the brawl. Why
should we join the fight to damage ourselves? he asked.

Chatchart Gives State Railway 1 Month To Improve

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21 August 2013, 00:46

Transport Minister Chatchart Sitthipan and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinwatra visiting Hua Lampong trains station.

(20 August) The State
Railway of Thailand has been instructed by the Minister of Transport to improve its service and
safety within 1 month.

In the meeting with the SRT and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority
(BMTA), Mr. Chatchart Sitthipan stressed that he intends to revamp the woeful quality of the
country′s public transport system. He singled out the rail service as a particularly serious
concern.

Within 1 month, Mr. Chatchart told the SRT representatives, there must not be any
drunk individual or thief hanging around in the train stations. Dirty public restrooms in the
stations must also be improved, while the train schedules should be more punctual, Mr. Chatchart
said.

Additionally, Mr. Chatchart has asked the SRT to reconsider the policy of charging
individuals 3 baht per person to use the public restrooms, as he believes the service should be free
of charge. The BMTA charges its customers 5 baht per person in its bus stations, and Mr. Chatchart
likewise told the agency to reconsider the policy.

The Transport Minister also mentioned that
he did not quite agree with the fare rise for the State Railway Third Class Carriage, as it would
cause the government to spend more subsidies to the State Railway.

Currently, passengers can
board some Third Class Carriages for free, the costs paid for by the government as part of its
populist programs.

After Street Protest Flops, Democrats Resort To Massive Heckling

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20 August 2013, 22:33

(20 August)
Opposition lawmakers disrupted the parliamentary debate on Constitutional amendment so badly that
police were summoned to keep order in the House – only to end up in a brawl with the enraged
lawmakers.

The ruling Pheu Thai Party has proposed to amend the 2007 Constitution which was
drafted and approved under the shadow of the 2006 military coup.

Pheu Thai MPs have argued
that the Constitution reflects the dictatorship of the junta period by decreasing power of the
electoral functions in Thai politics. For instance, half of the Senate were appointed by a panel of
so-called experts, and the Pheu Thai Party has aimed to start the amendment plan by focusing on the
section concerning the Senate.

Anti-government groups, including the Democrat Party, opposed the
amendment, insisting that Pheu Thai Party would attempt to sneak in some changes that would benefit the
former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted by the 2006 coup. Mr. Thaksin′s sister, Ms.
Yingluck Shinawatra, is the current Prime Minister.

Today, the Democrats did their utmost to
block the amendment, mostly by shouting and heckling at House Speaker Somsak Kietsuranon as he tried
to facilitate the debate.

Obviously frustrated by the unceasing protests, Mr. Somsak at one
point slammed his hammer on the table and pleaded for calm. But not before he lamented, I have not
used the hammer for some time now, but today I really need to use it.

Eventually, police
were brought in to keep situation at bay. But some Democrat MPs responded by approaching the House
Speaker and caused him to summon even more police officers to provide protection for him.

A Democrat MP was later apprehended and led out by the police after Mr. Somsak expelled him
for defying his order of silence. Other Democrats quickly surrounded the police. Some were seen
assaulting the police officers, while a certain female Democrat MP (whose identity is not yet
confirmed) filled the hall with her long screeches.

After numerous fisticuffs and heckling
and time-outs throughout the 12 hours session, the debate was finally brought to a close at around
21.40.

While the Democrats had deployed the same tactics in disrupting the debate on Amnesty
Bill for those charged with or serving sentence for their alleged political crimes during 2010
unrest 2 weeks ago, the scale of the lawmakers? defiance in the Parliament today is visibly much
higher.

The sense of desperation was clearly in the air. The Democrat Party has already vowed
they would block both the Amnesty Bill and the Constitutional amendment tabled by their nemesis, but
the means to do so has always been in doubt.

The Democrats have no chance in the Pheu
Thai-controlled House and even the street protest organised by the Democrats to pressure the
government into abandoning its parliamentary ventures have flopped badly. Fewer than 5,000 people
have showed up for the protest, and it later quickly fizzled out when it was clear there was nothing
they could do to stop the debate in the Parliament.

Meanwhile, the ongoing anti-government
protests led by the People′s Army Against Thaksin Regime at Lumpini Park is also becoming more and
more irrelevant, its participants thinning each day and its momentum lost.

The excited rumour
about an imminent military coup against the government spread by many anti-government critics on
social network also eventually turns out to be nothing.

Some anti-government activists had
previously hoped for an ?Egypt Model?, a military strongman who would overthrow the government
similar to what General Abdel Fattah El-Sisi did to former President Mohammed Morsi in Egypt last
month.

Thai PM Used The Word ‘Nam Jai-Water from the Heart’ For Water Cooperation

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Khaosod English

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20 August 2013, 22:15

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra delivers her
speech during at the High Level International Conference on Water Cooperation Dushanbe,
Tajikstan on August, 20 2013

Yingluck said the Chiang Mai Summit in Thailand in May, the Dushanbe Conference today and the Budapest Meeting in October, reflect rising urgency and the political will of all parties to come together to cooperate on water issues.

On our part, Thailand is fully committed to join Finland,
Hungary and Tajikistan at the United Nations, as the Steering Committee of the Group of Friends on
Water, to work on building new initiatives and put together a viable plan of action.

It needs no reminding that water is the source of life and mankind’s most
precious resources. Without water, there is no life. Therefore, access to water is a basic
human right, which is the duty of any government to protect without
excuses.

But sadly, the fact remains that almost a billion people in this
world still do not have access to clean water. The World Water Development Report predicts
that 47 percent of the world’s population will be living in areas of high water stress by 2030.
Scarcity of water is set to be the cause of future political conflicts and
war.

And with climate change, water brings about natural disaster and
destruction through floods and tsunamis. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO),
the future will be one of rising global temperatures and changing sea levels.

We cannot live in fear of the natural disasters. We must work
together to take this face these challenges before it is too late.

I believe the
key principle is to restore the earth’s ecological balance. Economic development must be built upon
this principle to ensure sustainable growth and progress. Each nation needs to implement a
balanced water management program.

Each sub-region must cooperate to
manage shared resources. Regional cooperation bodies must put this issue on their priority
agenda. Only then, will what we are discussing here, at the UN and elsewhere, can become
reality.

Sometimes when we seek water security, there can be some
disagreements on approaches and ideas. However, difference in ideas can lead to better solutions as
long as parties concerned put common interest above all and do not use water issues for political
gain.

What is needed is for all of us to find the right balance between protecting
the ecological system and economic development

In Thai, we have a
word “Nam Jai” or “Water from the Heart”, which means compassion or caring for one another. We need
to approach water issues based on these values, by coming together as part of humanity and caring
for how water affects each other. Because if we do not come together to ensure water security
now, ultimately it is the common people who suffer.

Our generation must do
more to preserve this precious life resource for future generations. We cannot waste any more time.
I stand ready to work with all of you to preserve humankind.

Hotel-Style Renovation For Chonburi Police Station

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Khaosod English

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20 August 2013, 13:36

Saensuk Police Station in Pattaya, Chonburi Province, has attracted
much attention after it has been renovated with vintage style furniture, a spacious lobby, and
polite receptionists.

Moreover, when people arrive at the station to contact the police, they are provided queue
tickets and drinks.

Pol.Col. Itthipon Pothithong, the director of Saensuk police station, said that he arranged
the renovation in accordance with the policy of the Royal Thai Police which aims to rebrand the
image of the police force.

The
renovation process started in early 2012, as Pol.Col.Itthipon spent some of his money, including
money donated from local residents, to develop the place.

The police station now contains facilities
such as a car park, coffee shop, playgrounds and a 30-metre high flagpole.

The renovation had totally changed many
residents’ perception towards the police, he said. According to Pol.Col.Itthipon, people tend to
feel more welcome and less apprehensive about their worries when they encounter such heart-warming
reception from his force.

Pol.Col.Itthipon added that he was glad that the renovation impressed many visitors, and
that the station is now living up to its pride as the police station is located in the leading
tourism spot of the country.

Pattaya 'Mafia' Arrested After Confronting Police Officer

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Khaosod English

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19 August 2013, 19:46

(18 August) Police officers have arrested the individuals suspected of belonging to an
extortion gang in Pattaya after they have besieged a police officer who asked them to stop extorting
money from the citizens.

Ms.
Wipada Gankhem and her family told our correspondent they were being forced to pay a parking fee of
60 baht at an alley near a place called Big Eye Show in Pattaya. Just then, they said, a police
officer intervened and told the individuals to stop harassing Ms. Wipada and her
family.

Pol.Sgt.Maj. Somsri Sima, who was in charge of the parking space, said
he told the group politely that the space belongs to public highway, and they had no right to
charge people for parking there. However, the group reportedly mobbed the police officer and
threatened to attack him.

The
officer then called for backup team. Once they arrived, the gang quickly dispersed, but not before
the officers managed to arrest 4 of them: Mr. Saenrak Meesutha, 48, Mr. Akrawat Rungruengkit, 26,
Mr. Montree Chetjai, 30, and Mr. Suriyan Khongdai, 30.

The suspects were charged with interfering with police duty and insulting a
police officer.

Mr.
Suriyan and Mr. Montree also confessed they had taken illegal drugs, after their urinal result
indicate the use of illegal substances.

Russian Man Shot By 'Angry Teenagers' In Phuket

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Khaosod English

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19 August 2013, 19:21

(18 August) 2 teenagers had allegedly shot at a car in Phuket because they did not like the
way it was being driven, seriously injuring a Russian national.

Medical team at
Sririrojna Phuket alerted the police after Mr. Maxim Grankof, 32, was admitted to the hospital for
an abdomen injury.

According to Mr. Grankof’s friends, Mr. Grankof and two other friends were riding along
Rawai Beach on a hired car. As Mr. Grankof was sitting behind the driver, two teenagers chased them
with motorcycle, and shot at the car, they said.

Police investigation indicated that the bullet went through the car’s trunk to
Mr. Grankof’s back and stomach.

They suspected that the car which Mr. Grankof was sitting in had crosscut the teenagers?
motorcle, causing them to be enraged and chase after the car to take revenge.

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