(8 May) Mueang Pattaya police station received reports of a mugging at Jomtien Road 2, stating that the victim was a foreign man and a Thai woman who were on motorcycles. Police quickly closed off the road to search for the suspect.

Later, police received reports that the victim was able to catch up to the suspect at the entrance of Soi Potisarn on the Sukhumvit side and was able to capture 1 suspect. The foreigner and the Thai woman were injured in the motorcycle chase.

At the scene, Mr. A (real name undisclosed for legal reason), 16, was apprehended and taken in for questioning. He informed police that his conspirator Mr. B, 16, was able to escape with a portion of the stolen goods.

Meanwhile, the injured victims were taken to Banglamoong hospital. After leaving the hospital, the two victims arrived at the Mueang Pattaya police station to identify the suspect. Ms. Somwung Siringon, 45, hit the suspect with a motorcycle helmet in anger and the police had to intervene.

Upon questioning, Ms.Somwung revealed that she and her boyfriend, a Liberian footballer named Mr.Barclay Saydee, 32, were on their way back to their lodging on a motorcycle when 2 teenagers on motorcycles came up on either side of them and pulled her purse away.

Her boyfriend then chased the culprits and was able to catch up to them at the entrance of Soi Potisarn on the Sukhumvit side. He drove straight into the motorcycle and she was able to grab the man on the back and her purse. Both motorcycles lost balance and both Ms.Somwung and Mr.Barclay were injured. One of the culprits was able to escape. The purse was retrieved but the wallet was still missing.

Police said Mr. A confessed to the theft, implicating Mr. B. He stated that this was his first offense and he did it for some extra cash so he can entertain himself in the city. Police investigators are not buying the deposition and believe that these two have mugged many tourists in the area. Investigation is ongoing.

Thousands of Redshirts, organised by a group named The People′s Radio For Democracy, gathered in front of the Constitutional Court today before embarking on motorised march along the roads in central Bangkok.

The protesters eventually staged rally
around the Parliament House, repeating their demands that 9 judges of the Constitutional Court step
down. The Redshirts accuse the judges of manipulating the laws and meddling in politics.

(7 May) Our correspondent in Chiang Mai province has reported that a group of international reporters have visited the province recently to discuss with representatives from elephant conservation organizations in the northern part of Thailand about the wild elephants living in forest conservation at Kaengkrachan National Park, Phetchaburi Province

Questions were raised by many reporters about the news that Thai officials have been attempting to locate and capture a ?white elephant? in the area. Some reporters wondered if the hunt could be a disruption of the animal’s natural life.

One of them is a Washington Post reporter, who stated that she came to Thailand to investigate this incident specifically. She said there were news of wild elephants being killed in the national parks in Thailand which greatly shocked much of the public in the US since other national parks around the world all work to conserve wildlife while Thailand appears to be failing even to protect wildlife living in the conservation area.

She also added that Thailand was recently the host of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Wildlife and Wild Plant Species (CITES), in which wild elephants was one of the most prominent topics. The news of killing of wild elephants and the officials? hunt for white elephants have greatly confused the western media since it is a clear violation of the elephant’s rights.

Her trip to Thailand is meant to acquire more information on this subject to shed light to the public in form of news stories and documentaries on wild elephants in Thailand, she said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Rungsrinoppadol Yukol, head of the Rungsrinoppadol Yukol Foundation which seeks to protect wild elephants, said that he is greatly opposed to the hunt for the white elephant at the Kaengkachan National Park.

He said he has already contacted Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation to order the National Park to cease the hunt immediately. The Royal Elephant House also confirmed that they will not be sending in any officials to this national park to aid with this hunt, he added.

Recent reports revealed that the national park had invited the press to go inside the forest and watch as the elephants march down to drink water, but no strangely colored elephant is to be found. It is safe to say there are no white elephants in the park and the hunt should be stopped immediately, Mr. Rungsrinoppadol said, imploring the park officials to let the elephants be.

He also revealed that his foundation is currently working on a song about the life of elephants that are always hunted and about heir cries for mercy, which will be released to the public soon.

This song will be the vice of the wild elephants, so that the public and the hunters can finally feel the pain of these elephants, Mr. Rungsrinoppadol said.

(7 May) Pheu Thai Party again tried to distance itself from the Redshirts protesters who had been campaigning for resignation of 9 Constitutional Court judges.

Mr. Prompong Noparit, spokesperson for Pheu Thai Party, responded to the reports that many Pheu Thai MPs support the Redshirts? major rally – scheduled to take place on 8 May – by insisting that all of these stories are untrue.

He said that he had personally checked with the leadership of the party, and that they have all denied support or involvement.

Mr. Prompong expressed his belief that rumors may have come from the opposition to create confusion to the people of Thailand.

The spokesperson also stated that PM Yingluck Shinawatra and her brother former PM Thaksin Shinawatra should not be dragged into this protest without evidence.

Nonetheless, he said that he believes the protest will be non-violent and law-abiding.

I am not worried about the protest, but I am worried about a third party taking advantage of the situation, Mr. Prompong was quoted as saying.

Mr.Suporn Attawong, the Deputy Prime Minister, stated that the group gathered to express their opposition to injustice and just wants to see lawmakers that are fair and just. As for the rumours that MPs have gathered protesters, he confirms that this is untrue because if that were the case, here would be more than 100,000 people in the rally.

Meanwhile, our correspondent has reported that earlier, Mr.Praset Chaikijdennapalai, an MP of Pheu Thai Party, asked the Redshirts to end the daily rally against the Constitutional Court, but the protesters asked to continue the protest until 8 May, since the mass from the 37 provinces have already made plans to attend the rally.

Latest report indicated that Pheu Thai Party leadership had contacted the group again, but any further detail was not immediately clear.

(7 May) With a day before their major rally against the Constitutional Court, the Redshirts who had been staging daily protest for 15 days in front of the Court office in Chaengwattana Road said they would abandon the protest if less than 100,000 people show up tomorrow.

Mr. Chan Chaiya, vice president of The People’s Radio for Democracy, announced they will continue the largely peaceful protest until 8 May, whereby the group will take the protest to the next level with the slogan “100,000 protesters on 8 May”, calling for resignation of 9 judges of the Constitutional Court and the cancellation of Section 309.

Mr. Chan said more than 100,000 protesters from 37 provinces will present.

8 May will be the deciding day for this protest. If more than 100,000 people show up, the judges will have to resign, but if less than 100,000 people show up, we will announce defeat and understand that this is not what the people want. We will end the protest immediately, he said

At the operations center of the police department, Pol.Maj.Gen. Parinya Junsuriya, vice commander of Metropolitan Police, called a meeting to prepare for the protest.

Pol.Maj.Gen. Parinya revealed that from the assessment on late night 5 May, there were 2,000 protesters. They dispersed after midnight without any violence. Officers are still performing their duty as normal, with no reinforcements.

He also stated that for 8 May, the police have prepared to protect the safety of the citizens and the government buildings in the area with the same number of police officers, since the location does not allow heavy fortification. However, the officer said, the police have prepared reinforcements should chaos ensue.

The situation is currently under control, the commander assured the reporters.

Mr.Sompoj Prasartthai, a leader of the Redshirts of Nakhon Ratchasima province, revealed that vehicles have been prepared to take the Redshirts to the protest on 8 May. A bus was chartered and will leave from Tao Suranaree monument at 07.00 am, others will travel via personal vehicles and vans. The number is currently estimated at more than 1,000.

Mr. Sompoj added that the Redshirts will not make trouble in Bangkok and urged Bangkokians to rest assure that there will be no violence.

We just want to display the power of the mass to the judges, the Redshirts leader said.