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Rohingya Refugees Clash With Police At Phang Nga Center

(9 August) Security force
used batons and water cannons to quell groups of Rohingya asylum seekers who protested over rights
to practise Islamic prayer yesterday in Phang Nga Province.

Over 250 refugees caused mass
breakout from their quarters in the province′s detention centre, but the police officers managed to
bar the detainees from leaving the facility by holding them behind the main gate. Soon the police
were reinforced by riot control units and rescue workers.

The protesters demanded the right
to perform religious rites marking the end of Ramadan, the Islamic fasting season. The authorities
said they would only allow the group to perform the prayers outside the building in groups of 5 at a
time, but the Rohingya detainees rejected the offer and continued to shake the metal gate, intent on
breaking out.

The police responded by beating the protesting Rohingya with their batons,
while others fetched a local Imaam. The cleric arrived at the centre and convinced the detainees to
stay calm, and later he led a mass prayer with the Rohingyas as they stayed inside the
facility.

However, the detainees tried to break out from the gate again soon afterwards, so
the security forces decided to fire water cannons at the gate to keep the protesters at bay, but the
measure failed as the Rohingya kept surging back at the gate.

Some police officers voiced concern that
if the refugees broke out, they might cause harm to the society, as there are many provincial
authorities’ offices and a kindergarten in the area.

A number of officers requested
the tear gas to be fired to disperse the crowds, but the requests were rejected by the commanding
officers who ordered the gate to be reinforced instead. The officers were instructed to stand down
and let the rioting Rohingya become exhausted on their own.

Once the riots subsided, the riot
police moved into the building and sorted out instigators within the groups. The leaders were
separated and sent to other police stations in the province. Nevertheless, the unrest soon erupted
again. Some shouted that they wanted to be transferred to a third country instead of being holed up
in the facility.

Eventually around 17.00, after 8 hours of confrontation, the police finally
secured the facility and resolved the situation. The refugees were separated into groups and
transported to be detained in local police stations.

According to human rights activists and
news reports, the mostly-Muslim Rohingya ethnics suffer routine persecution in Myanmar. Many of the
Rohingya fled the country, and Thai Navy regularly intercepted their boats.

However, rights
groups also detailed abuse of Rohingya refugees at the hands of Thai authorities and the poor
condition of their detention centres.

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Redshirts Leader's Bodyguard Injured By Explosion

(8 August) A bodyguard of
the bombastic Redshirts leader Mr. Kwanchai Pripana was injured after he encountered an explosive on
the lawn of the radio station frequently visited by Mr. Kwanchai in Udon Thani
province.

Mr. Jaroon Suphata, 45, encountered the explosive when he was digging at the lawn outside
the radio station, according to the police.
One witness told our correspondent that Mr.
Jaroon was making a watercourse before he noticed a piece of roof-tile, which has been suspiciously
left on the ground.

He later used the shovel to lift it up and suddenly the bomb exploded,
severely wounding him in the two legs and the abdomen.

Mr. Kwachai, who serves as the
provincial representative for the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), was
not in the area at the time, as he was in Bangkok to observe the anti-government protests. It is not
clear why Mr. Jaroon did not accompany Mr. Kwanchai to Bangkok.

Speaking from Bangkok, Mr.
Kwanchai said that he had heard about the incident and is travelling to visit Mr. Jaroon as soon as
he can.

The Redshirts leader, known for his aggressive and confrontational behaviour,
suggested the incident is politically motivated, saying that he and his fellow activists are only
fighting for democracy but many people are using harmful weapons to eliminate us.

He and
his friends are victims of a deadly political game, Mr. Kwanchai said, and he claimed that a few
days earlier someone has placed a bomb just outside his house, but the explosive was
inactive.

Mr. Kwanchai vowed that he would do whatever he could to bring justice, since Mr.
Jaroon is his personal guard.

However, Mr. Kwanchai himself is also facing a different legal
issue in Bangkok, where he was seen wearing riot police uniform near the protest sites without clear
authorisation from the police force. Media reports suggest that he might be subject to criminal
investigation.

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DSI To Question 'Janie' About Her Fugitive Father-in-Law

(8 August) The Thai
public appears to be momentarily distracted from the ongoing political battle by the surprise
announcement of marriage between a famous actress and the son of a former politician, who is currently
on the run from Thai authorities.

After weeks of intense rumours and speculation about their relationship,
Ms. Janie Thienphosuwan and Mr. Chonsawad Assavahame finally spoke out on the matter in a press
conference at Mr. Chonsawad′s mansion in Samut Prakarn Province.

Although juicy gossips about
celebrities? relationships are common occurrence, the case of Ms. Janie is intriguing for many Thais
in its own right: not only is Mr. Chonsawad known to be married to an award-winning singer, he is
the son of Mr. Wattana Assavahame, the former
leader of the now disbanded
Pheu Phaendin Party
convicted of corruption cases.

In 2008, Mr. Wattana, as
Minister of Interior Affairs, was found guilty
of for conspiring with his colleagues to illegally buy and sell lands in Samut Prakarn Province for
a 23 billion baht wastewater treatment plant operated by the government.

Mr. Wattana
escaped his sentence during his release on bail. His whereabouts remain unknown, and Thai authorities
had vowed in the past to hunt him down.

No question about Mr. Wattana was raised today
throughout the press conference at Mr. Chonsawad′s family estate, where he stunned the nation by
announcing that he and Ms. Janie had just married hours earlier. They showed their wedding
certificates to the press, pointing to the time of 09.09 – a time deemed auspicious by the
couple.

Seated next to Ms. Janie, Mr. Chonsawad also apologised for keeping the relationship
a secret for so long, and said that everything happened because of love. He also denied rumours that
Ms. Janie is pregnant with his child, and showed the document from a hospital about Ms. Janie′s
health as a proof.

As for his ex-wife, Ms. Nanthida ‘Too’ Kaewbuasai, he said they had never officially
registered for marriage in the first place, and they had been virtually separated for 10 years now.
We only stayed together for the sake of our child, he said.

Asked about the dowry, Mr.
Chonsawad said his entire life from now on is the dowry for Ms. Janie. Nevertheless, media reports
indicate that Mr. Chonsawad also gave Ms. Janie a 7 karat diamond ring.

Meanwhile, the first
wedding gift to the newly weds was an order issued by the Division of Special Investigation (DSI) for
the couple to appear before its detectives in order to be questioned about Mr. Wattana′s
whereabouts.

The order came after a few days after a leaked photo showed Ms. Janie and Mr. Chonsawad with Mr.
Wattana at an unidentified place, believed by some netizens to be a hotel in Macau.

Mr.
Tharit Pengdit, chief of the DSI, said that it is his duty to look for fugitive convicts like Mr.
Wattana. If the former minister is confirmed to be hiding abroad, he said, the DSI will seek
cooperation from that nation′s government for extradition of Mr. Wattana.

Mr. Tharit′s
comments came few days after an official at the Office of Attorney General suggested that the police
should do more in locating Mr. Wattana. The case also received notable attention in much of social
network, where commentators grumble that the Thai police are never capable of bringing ig names
to justice.

Not everyone welcomes the attention Ms. Janie and Mr. Chonsawad are receiving, however.
Some anti-government activists complained that the news divert citizens? attention away from the
fierce debate on draft of government-sponsored Amnesty Bill in the Parliament.

The draft
promises legal absolution to protesters charged with or serving the sentences for crimes they
allegedly committed during 2010 Redshirts protests in Bangkok. Opposition party and its allies view
the draft as an attempt to whitewash criminal thugs who attacked soldiers and ?burned down the
city?.

Mr. Suriyasai Katasila, the coordinator for anti-government Green Party, posted on his
Facebook criticising Thai society for being obsessed with the marriage of
Mr. Chonsawad and Ms. Janie when they
should be concerned with the Amnesty Bill debate.

But I think the Thai society is not
going to give amnesty to Janie, though, Mr. Suriyasai noted with humour, referring to some netizens
who accuse Ms. Janie of marrying for the money and stealing someone′s husband.

The leadership
of
People′s Force for Democracy to Overthrow
Thaksinism (Pefot), which is staging protests against the government, has gone even further, posting
on their Facebook that the news about Ms. Janie and Mr. Chonsawad is result of conspiracy engineered
by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to bury the issue about Amnesty Bill.

The
Facebook post also alleges that Matichon Group, owner of Khaosod, receives Mr. Thaksin′s money to
publicise the news about the couple.

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'Nok Air' Plane Finally Salvaged At Trang Airport

(8 August) Trang airport
remains closed for a second day as rescue officials were struggling to remove a grounded airplane
from its premises.

The Boeing 737, operated by the low-cost airline ?Nok Air?, slid off the
runway on 6 August due to heavy rains on that day. The airport was forced to cancel all departing
and arriving flights, severely disrupting trips planned by numerous tourists in the southern
province known for its seaside resorts.

Travellers stranded at the airport included Bow Wee, a well-known country singer.

Meanwhile, airline staff arranged shuttle buses transporting their passengers to board the
planes at airports in Krabi and Nakorn Si Thammarart instead.

Today, the officials finally
managed to remove the grounded plane, after spending more than 48 hours in the effort.

The
main problem is said to be the wheels of the aircraft which were stuck deeply in mud. Rescue workers
were alarmed to find out that the plane also kept ′sinking? into the muddy ground, from 50
centimetres to 70 in the course of 24 hours.

The officials were forced to request additional
equipment from Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok to assist the operation.

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Suphanburi Temple Says No To Money Borrowers

(8 August) The abbot of
Wat Nor
Buddhangkoon Temple in Suphanburi province used to welcome residents in the community to come and
discuss their daily troubles with him.

The temple is a shelter for those who are in
troubles, Phra Mahanarong said, adding that sometimes tourists from other provinces would strike up
long conversation with him, too.

However, he said, in recent months many people simply came
to the temple to borrow the money. Sometimes they would put up a sad face and make up elaborate
false stories in order to gain sympathy before asking for financial assistance, according to the
abbot.

The amount of money they asked is not much, Phra Mahanarong explained, but temple
staff often have difficulty when it comes to collecting the money back.

Eventually, Phra
Mahanarong instructed the temple staff to put up a big sign at the temple entrance notifying
visitors that we can discussion any problem of yours, followed by the text in bright yellow, But
please DO NOT borrow money!.

The sign ends with a Buddhist proverb, written in Thai
and Pali, that reads It is best to rely on yourself (the Buddhist version of “God helps those who
help themselves”).

The result? Surprisingly, according to Pra Mahanarong, after he put the
sign on, he never has such trouble ever again. I should have done that long ago, he said.


The
sign had also raised a lot of smiles and many people had taken pictures with it, said Pra
Mahanarong.
 

Wat Nor Buddhangkoon is famous for its Luang Por Kham amulet (not
to be confused with the controversial ex-monk Luang Pu Nen Kham), which many people believe would
bring prosperity and honesty.

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Matichon Online Disrupted By 'Cyberattack'

(7 August) The online
service of Matichon newspaper – the main publication of Matichon Group – was down briefly today
after it reportedly suffered a series of cyberattack.

The news site was down around 15.00
earlier today and became accessible again some hours later. The management of Matichon Online
released a statement saying the site was attacked by Malware programs which has caused some damage
to the data system.

The statement said the attackers also engaged in data theft, but did
not offer more detail. The statement did not suggest who is behind the attacks.

Technicians
are still fixing the system and visitors to Matichon Online may encounter some problems, according
to the statement.

The websites of Khaosod and Khaosod English are not affected by the
incidents.

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PM Yingluck Attends School Mother's Day Event

(7 August) Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra took some hours off from her busy schedule and joined her son on Mother′s Day
ceremony at his school.

Mother′s Day falls on 12 August every year, which is also celebrated as Her
Majesty the Queen′s Birthday, but many schools organise Mother′s Day events much earlier. The events
typically feature a ceremony in which selected students presenting filial greetings and flowers to
their mothers in front of the class.

Ms. Yingluck attended such ceremony at Na Darun School
where her son, the 12 year old Suppasek Amornchatra, is studying.

The event gave Ms. Yingluck
a short break from the particularly tough morning,
as the anti-government protesters marched
to the House of Parliament in Bangkok and the debate on the controversial Amnesty Bill was about to
rage in the Parliament.

Nevertheless, Ms. Yingluck managed to tease the crowd of waiting
reporters as she arrived at the school, cheerfully telling the reporters not to get so caught up
with the protests that there is no space in the newspapers for the event at school.

Joining
the teachers, students, and other parents, the Prime Minister sang the Royal Anthem, and listened to
a poem praising Her Majesty the Queen written by a student.

Later, Suppasek gave his mother
a jasmine garland, and a little gift he made by himself. He also wrote his mother a short essay
saying that he looks up to her and thinks she is pretty and precious to him like a diamond.

He told the reporters that he is “grateful” that his mother can have some time for him. I
love my mom, Suppasek said shyly.

The Prime Minister said when she had a tough day at work,
he would come to her and give her a hug once she′s home. Ms. Yingluck said she is very proud to see
her son growing up and having good manners. My work is made easier because I don?t have to worry
too much about my son, she added.

Since he considers Ms. Yingluck as his idol, the reporters
asked Suppasek, would he one day become a politician as well?

The boy quickly shook his head
and answered No, sir!.

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German Expat Rescued From 9-Hour Sea Drift

(7 August) German expat
has been rescued after he was forced to spend 9 hours drifting in the sea off Koh Tao
Island.

The 47 year old German, identified simply by officials as ?Sasha?, is believed to
have fallen off the ferry boat on his way to the island, which situated near the coast of Chompon
province in southern Thailand.

The ferry crew told our correspondent they saw the German
smoking on the side of the boat around 02.00 on the previous night. They could not locate him once
the boat reached the island, they said, so they realised that he must have fallen overboard and
immediately alerted the rescue teams.

Mr. Sasha was eventually found 10 kilometres away from
the shore, close to Koh Mattra and Koh Kalok islands. He said he had been swimming for around 9
hours as he waited for the help to arrive. Officials said Mr. Sasha was very exhausted but had
sustained no injury.

According to his friends, Mr. Sasha is originally from Berlin and has
settled in Surat Thani province for 10 years now, where he has been running his hotel business.

Mr. Sasha′s friends also told our correspondent that, fortunately, he has been a very
talented swimmer.

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Briton 'Committed Suicide' In Chiang Mai Hotel Room

(6 August) 60 year old
British woman was found dead in her hotel room in Chiang Mai Province. Police ruled it was a suicide
case.

The body of Ms. Judith Robinson, 60, was found in the bathtub inside her hotel room
after cleaning staff noticed suspicious smell from the room.

At the scene, police found a
suicide letter detailing Ms. Robinson’s apology to the hotel along with her wishes to donate her
body to a medical school, and to donate 24,800 Baht to charity organisations. The money was found in
cash inside the room.

Primary investigation revealed no trace of intruders, according to the
police, who were convinced that Ms. Robinson had committed suicide.

A hotel staff told police
that Ms. Robinson stayed at the hotel with her lover, who later left for his/her native home in
Britain (the gender of Ms. Robinson′s partner is not immediately clear). Ms. Robinson was last seen
on 3 August, when she came to exchange used water bottles for new ones.

A housemaid said she
had gone into Ms. Robinson’s room for daily cleaning on 4 August and noticed a note sticking at the
bathroom door, but did not think anything of it and left shortly afterwards.

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UDD Leader Files Lawsuit Over Allegation Of Republicanism

Anti-Thaksin protesters in Bangkok, June 2013, holding photos of His Majesty the King.

(6 August) Chairwoman of the official Redshirts leadership files lawsuits against group of anti-government activists who accused her of planning to overthrow the monarchy and install a Communist regime.

(6 August) Chairwoman of the official Redshirts leadership files lawsuits against group of anti-government activists who accused her of planning to overthrow the monarchy and install a Communist regime.

Ms. Thida Thawornseth of the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) was accompanied by her lawyers and her husband, Mr. Weng Tojirakarn who serves as an MP for the ruling Pheu Thai Party, when she met Pol.Maj.Gen. Pisit Pao-in, Chief of the Technology Crime Suppression Division on 5 August.

At the police station, Ms. Thida filed a formal complaint against the group calling itself ?People′s Army Overthrowing Thaksin Regime?, which has vowed to depose Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra because it saw her as a puppet controlled by her brother, the controversial former leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr. Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 military coup, but he retains considerable influence over Pheu Thai Party and the Redshirts movements. The mostly urban and conservative Yellowshirts see him as a corrupt tyrant and have often painted Mr. Thaksin as an anti-monarchist – a charge Mr. Thaksin has repeatedly denied.

The monarchy is an extremely sensitive subject in Thailand. Insult of the Royal Family is punished by maximum of 15 years in jail per offence, and any attempt to overthrow the monarchy can result in life sentence or death penalty according Thai criminal laws.

The Yellowshirts and their affiliated groups, ever known for their overt royalist sentiment, often accuse Mr. Thaksin and his allies of secretly harbouring republican or even Communist ambition. The ?People′s Army?, the latest resurrection of the anti-Thaksin faction, has made statements in similar fashion directed at Ms. Thida, which led to the lawsuit she filed yesterday.

Ms. Thida told the police that the group had been posting false statements about the UDD members, herself included, causing much "defamation, insult, and hatred" toward the them.

The lawsuit names core leaders of the People′s Army as defendants. They are Mr. Thaikorn Polsuwan, the webmaster of the People’s Army website, Adm. Chai Suwannaphap, Gen. Chukiat Tansuwatna, Gen. Preecha Iaemsuphan, Am.Watchara Rittakhanee, Adm. Banwitya Kengrean, and Mr. Phichet Pattanachote.

Pol.Maj.Gen.Phisit told Ms. Thida that those individuals would be summoned for questioning. If they refused to show up on the appointed date, expected to be some time in August, the police will issue warrants of arrests against them, according to the officer.

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