Samutprakarn Police Round Up Dozens Of Teenage Bikers

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6 May 2013, 14:40

(6 May) Around 50 "Dek Van" (teen biker gangs) were arrested early morning today following a major police operation in Samutprakarn province.

Pol.Maj.Gen. Tatchai Hongthong, police commander of Samutprakarn, headed the operation which took place around 04.30 this morning. 60 police officers were positioned along the Bangna-Trad Road near Suwannabhumi Airport and managed to intercept many motorcyclists racing down the highway.

Police placed pickup trucks to block the exits, preventing the teenagers from escaping, while some abandoned their vehicles and fled the scene.

Police said they have apprehended 49 individuals aged 14-24 along with the confiscation of 57 motorcycles and 3 cars. Pol.Col. Kongpol Wongchun was injured in this operation and sent to hospital.

A senior police officer at Bangkaew police station told our correspondent his team had been receiving reports that every weekend, this group of teenagers gather on their motorcycles and raced along the highway, causing nuisance to local residents and posing harms to other motorists.

All vehicles were seized as evidence and the Dek Van were taken to the police station for drug tests and criminal records.

Parents were also contacted and questioned in their involvement since the vehicles confiscated were mostly expensive and new. If found guilty of aiding these
gangsters, parents may face up to 3 months in prison and 30,000 baht in fines to negligence.

Nighttime adventures by these Dek Van are problems universally experienced by residents in Thailand′s major cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

Memorial To Communist Revolutionary Unveiled

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Khaosod English

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6 May 2013, 12:51

(5 May) A group of academics officially unveiled a memorial dedicated to Jitr Bhumisak, the Communist writer who was killed 47 years ago and later became a symbol of youthful rebellion and activism for generations of progressives in Thailand.

Mr. Jitr was shot dead by members of local anti-Communist paramilitary on 5 May 1966 at the
edge of a forest in Nong Goong village, Sakol Nakorn province, and a memorial was built upon the
site of his death. Mr. Jitr was 36 when he met his demise.

The focal point of the memorial
is the statue of Mr. Jitr. Mr. Charnvit Kasetsiri, chairman of Jitr Bhumisak Foundation, which
spearheaded the project, hosted the ceremony to unveil the statue. Around 600 people, including
academics, students, local officials, and former fighters of the Communist Party of Thailand
attended the event.

The ceremony consists of many activities: making merit to Mr. Jitr′s soul
(which raised the eyebrows of some attendees, considering the atheistic ideals Mr. Jitr lived by),
performancesof songs Mr. Jitr wrote, laying down wreaths at the spot he was killed, and giving out
education funds to local students.

Mr. Charnvit, who taught history at Thammasart University,
said life and works of Mr. Jitr have been a light of wisdom and inspiration for those who sought a
better world for the people. He hoped the monument would inform locals and visitors about the late
revolutionary′s contributions to Thai society.

Mr. Chai Promvichai, who fought for the
Communists under his alias Sahai Sawan (Comrade Heaven) and witnessed Mr. Jitr′s death from nearby
hideout, told reporters that he was glad the monument was finally completed because Mr. Jitr had
done a lot of good things.

Everything he did, he did it for the benefit of the people. He
wanted thepeople to eat well, live well, and stay free from the authorities? exploitation, Mr. Chai
said.

Mr.Jitr Bhumisak was prolific author, having written dozens of books, essays, and songs
dedicated to the cause of Communism. His radical ideas were developed during his years at
Chulalongkorn University. Afterwards, he was imprisoned for some years alongside members of the
Communist Party.

Shortly after he was released in 1965, he joined the armed struggle against
Thai authorities, joining one of the Communist strongholds in Sakol Nakorn′s wooded mountains, and
was killed a year later.

Shootout At Well-Known Pathumthani Restro

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3 May 2013, 23:06

(3 May) Police had been notified at 02.00 today that there was gunfire and many clubbers injured at Viengchan restaurant, a popular night time destination in Pathum hani province.

Police found 3 cartridges of .380 handgun at the scene. The injured had been sent to
Pathumvech Hospital and Prachatipat Hospital.

An injured security guard, Mr Saravut
kwangthong, said that at 01.30 am, a fight broke out in the establishment.

We tried to
control the situation and took them out of the restaurant but that dissatisfied the gunmen, Mr
Saravut said, so they went back to the white Honda Jazz with unknown plate number and opened fire at
people in front of the restaurant.

More Bridges Are Closed Off After Ayutthaya Incident

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3 May 2013, 22:52

(2 May) Nationwide investigations reveal that a number of bridges is in shockingly poor condition, leading to more close-offs and netizens? furor over the negligence by local authorities.

In Prachin Buri province, residents complained of the suspension bridge between Moon Lek Temple and Sa-nga-ngam Temple which looks seriously damaged and in need of repair. In Pichit province, there is another damaged suspension bridge with malformed pole dome structure which people are afraid it would fall, asking the governor to have it closed.

Residents say a bridge over the river in Amphoe Non Suung, Nakhon Ratchasima province, was heavily damaged after the great flood last year thanks to water erosion and collapsed bridge abutment. Police already opens investigation into the company contracted with its construction.

Meanwhile, Pol.Col. Jitkasem Sonkam, chief of Ta Reua police station, Ayutthaya, discussed the progress of the investigation to determine the cause of Bicentennial Bridge which collapsed and killed 4 people last week.

He said the police station has already asked the construction engineers and director of the company to be investigated about the bridge.

Thanet Veerasiri, secretary of Engineering Institute of Thailand, said his team will do the maintenance- measure the wire rollers and check wires at every point to see if there are any missing wires.

Our correspondent has learned that residents warned the authorities about the bridge before the accident, but there was no renovation. Police said if this claim was true, those responsible would face an additional charge of involuntary manslaughter.

Soldiers Not Cooperative To Investigation Over Wat Pathum Deaths, Witness Says

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3 May 2013, 22:22

BANGKOK — A senior police officer testified in court today that military personnel were acting suspiciously when he and his men investigated the shooting at Pathumwanaram Temple, where six civilians were killed during the crackdown on Redshirt protesters on 19 May 2010.

Pol. Lt. Col. Sutad Chaiprom told judges at Bangkok South Civil Court today that he and his bomb squad were sent to collect evidence at Pathumwanararm Temple (commonly known as Wat Pathum) on the morning after the incident.

Soldiers were already stationed inside the temple when his team arrived, said Pol. Lt. Col. Sutad.

According to the police officer, the soldiers at the temple "focused more on observing our operation than cooperating with us." He said his team requested a closer investigation of the pond inside the temple compound, which the soldiers did not allow.

The officers also found a number of automatic rifles at the temple, all of which were army-issued weapons, he said.

Although many witnesses say they saw soldiers shooting into the temple on 19 May 2010, the military had always denied responsibility for the deaths.

The next hearing for the court inquest is scheduled for 9 May.

Defense Chief: PM Not Involved In Redshirts Protest Against Judges

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3 May 2013, 22:02

(3 May) A top government official today tried to distance PM Yingluck Shinawatra from the ongoing Redshirts protest against the Constitutional Court, saying it was "wrong" to assume that Ms. Yingluck is personally encouraging the protesters.

Air Chief Marshal Sukhumpon Suwannatat, the Minister of Defense, told reporters that even though the Redshirts were the major voting base for Pheu Thai Party, there were also other parties? bases, denying the speculation that the protesters are enjoying support from the party or the government.

People who were in charge of re-issue the laws should be doing their job. There should be no intervention from other organisations, he said, he case of the Redshirts wanting to drive out the judges is just an expression of political disagreement\r

ACM Sukhmpon stressed that the protesters should not resort to violence. The Minister of Defense also explained about former PM Thaksin Shinawatra′s Skype in the Pheu Thai Party meeting to order the change of law by saying that Mr. Thaksin was just expressing his opinions.

Pheu Thai Women MPs Condemn "Chai Ratchawatra"

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3 May 2013, 17:17

(3 May) A group of Pheu Thai female MPs issued a joint statement condemning the cartoonist who compared PM Yingluck Shinawatra to a prostitute.

The Thai Rath′s longtime cartoonist, known by his pen name Chai Ratchawatra, had posted on his Facebook account that "A whore sells only her body. An evil woman sells her country", alongside picture of Ms Yingluck.

The Pheu Thai women MPs were represented by Ms. Sunee Luengvichit who said during a press conference at Pheu Thai Party headquarters that the cartoonist′s remark "violates women′s rights and damages [the Prime Minister′s] reputation"

"Gentlemen don?t do this sort of things. His remark is distortion of fact and ignores his professional ethics," Ms. Sunee said.

Khaosod has received an English translation of the statement by the group, which can be found below:

Pheu Thai Party, 3 May 2013

Reference is made to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra′s speech in Mongolia. She was honored with an opportunity to deliver a speech on Democracy during her visit to Mongolia. In her speech, she mentioned the coup d? etat on 19 September 2006 and stated that in Thailand anti-democratic forces still exist. Later, Somchai Katanyutanan or Chai Ratchawat, a famous Thairath cartoonist, posted a defamatory message in Facebook "Please understand that whores are not bad women. They just sell their bodies. Bad women, on the other hand, sell their country." together with a photo of the Prime Minister and the President of Mongolia.

Pheu Thai Party Women MPs regard the above-mentioned Facebook message as a violation of women′s rights and insult on women.

On the one hand, it accuses women of being whores who sell their bodies. Although the message does not refer to a specific person, it reflects the opinion of the author which is insulting the female sex. As women and men have equal rights, this kind of comment is very inappropriate and is a serious violation of his professional ethics. It deserve an open condemnation.

On the other hand, the accusation of the Prime Minister of being a bad woman selling her country is a distortion of truth and cause serious damage to the Prime Minister as the Head of the Executive. It represents a disrespect of the leader of his own country. The comment was made despite the fact that the Prime Minister′s speech is truthful in relation to what happened in the country after the coup on 19 September 2006 and states a fact that the anti-democratic forces still exist. No part of it causes any damage to the country. Quite the opposite, it shows the international community the will of Thailand and of the Government to create democracy. Chai Ratchawat′s defamatory comment calling the country′s leader a whore is totally unacceptable.

For the above reasons, Pheu Thai Party women MPs hereby condemns the action of Somchai Katanyutanan (Chai Ratchawat) as professionally unscrupulous and unethical. It was an irresponsible comment. We call for him to apologize the Prime Minister and the women. We also call for all women to show their disapproval of such action. Pheu Thai Party women MPs will later make a request to the Thai Journalists Association and other relevant organizations to inquire after and condemn the action of this person.

Former Coup-Appointed State Asset Auditor: Yingluck Is Like Kim Jong Un

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Khaosod English

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3 May 2013, 15:07

(3 May) Backlash against PM Yingluck Shinawatra for her recent unusually-strong speech on Thai democracy continues, with a longtime critic of her brother comparing the prime minister to autocratic leader of North Korea.

Mr. Kaewsan Atipodhi, former member of the Assets Scrutiny Committee, which was tasked by
2006 coup leaders to investigate corruption cases filed against the brother of Ms. Yingluck, posted
a lengthy open letter on his Facebook account, calling all members of Community of Democracies to
treat Ms.
Yingluck′s speech at its latest convention as lies.

Ms. Yingluck, he charged, came to
power via her brother′s influence,
ot unlike how Kim Jong Un inherited the throne from his
father. Mr. Kaewsan also accused Ms. Yingluck′s family of dictatorship over Thai people, again
comparing the Shinawatras to the Kim dynasty that has been ruling North Korea for decades.

The Thai media obediently encourages the mass to be loyal to Shinawatra family, similar to
the Korean media [sic], according to the open letter, which was written in Thai, when you go to
North Korea, you will see faces of the Dear Leader staring out from billboards. Such is the case in
Thailand. The servants of the Shinawatra family are everywhere

Editorial: Battle Of Doctors

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Khaosod English

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3 May 2013, 14:05

(3 May) A recent conflict within Ministry of Public Health has attracted attention from the public and the media.

Some citizens are left wondering whether the Rural Doctors Group, which has been protesting the controversial pay-for-performance (P4P) policy, is driven by the genuine need to engage in public debate – or certain hidden political agenda.

The question arises from the demand posted by the Group. Instead of only calling for abolition of the scheme, the Group went on to call for resignation of the Minister of Public Health himself.

One cannot help wonder why the discontent doctors didn?t stick to the ?issue? instead of ?individual?.

It should be noted that both the Ministry has previously stated its willingness to modify the compensation system – but this offer has seemingly been ignored by the dissenting doctors.

Furthermore, the protest took place just when the executive powers of the Ministry began to investigate reports of various corruptions within the Ministry, and – perhaps by some coincidence – some of those involved in these potentially damaging cases appear to have close ties with the leaders of the protesting doctors.

Not to mention the ongoing investigation into the controversial 180 billion baht health insurance program.

Recently, Dr. Pravet Wasee, the Senior Citizen respected by the opposition to the Ministry, even expressed his concern that the protesters must make sure they are campaigning for something better.

If such protest turns out to be another political ploy that does fails to improve the actual health services on nationwide level, the public will never gain any benefit.

However, at least the current protest will certainly provide a glimpse to the ?inner guts? of the circle that has been largely closed off to outside observers.

Jail Sentences For Ubon Redshirts Upheld

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3 May 2013, 00:16

(2 May) The Appeals Court of Ubon Ratchathani province today ruled the case of the Redshirts accused of setting fire to the town hall in May 2010, standing by the civil court’s verdict to life time imprisonment for 4 and a lighter sentence for 7, while 2 Redshirts received additional sentences upon discovery of new evidence.

Earlier, the civil court ruled to convict 13 defendants, dismiss 8 defendants, where the
lawyers and attorneys filed for an appeal.

Today, the appeals court have stood by the
earlier verdict. The defendants have proven to disrupt the security of the state, commit acts of
terrorism, and destruction of property, arson of the town hall on May 19th 2010, the judges said.

Miss Pattama Moolmil, Mr.Teerwat Sujsuwann, Mr.Sanong Ketsuwan, Mr.Somsak Prasarnsub to life
time imprisonment, which is eventually reduced to 33 years and 12 months due toadvantageous
deposition.

The 4 defendants were not present at the court ruling because they were being
detained at Bangkok Remand Prison. The rest of the defendants were present and granted bail; they
said they would appeal their cases to the Supreme Court.

After the hearing, the defendants
emerged to greet the mass of 100 people who have gathered in support of the defendants on the lawn
in front of the provincial court where they watched the live broadcast of the hearing.

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