Gmail Revolutionized Email 20 Years Ago. People Thought It Was Google’s April Fool’s Day Joke

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1 April 2024, 10:03

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin loved pulling pranks, so much so they began rolling outlandish ideas every April Fool’s Day not long after starting their company more than a quarter century ago. One year, Google posted a job opening for a Copernicus research center on the moon. Another year, the company said it planned to roll out a “scratch and sniff” feature on its search engine.

The jokes were so consistently over-the-top that people learned to laugh them off as another example of Google mischief. And that’s why Page and Brin decided to unveil something no one would believe was possible 20 years ago on April Fool’s Day.

It was Gmail, a free service boasting 1 gigabyte of storage per account, an amount that sounds almost pedestrian in an age of one-terabyte iPhones. But it sounded like a preposterous amount of email capacity back then, enough to store about 13,500 emails before running out of space compared to just 30 to 60 emails in the then-leading webmail services run by Yahoo and Microsoft. That translated into 250 to 500 times more email storage space.

Besides the quantum leap in storage, Gmail also came equipped with Google’s search technology so users could quickly retrieve a tidbit from an old email, photo or other personal information stored on the service. It also automatically threaded together a string of communications about the same topic so everything flowed together as if it was a single conversation.

“The original pitch we put together was all about the three ‘S’s” — storage, search and speed,” said former Google executive Marissa Mayer, who helped design Gmail and other company products before later becoming Yahoo’s CEO.

It was such a mind-bending concept that shortly after The Associated Press published a story about Gmail late on the afternoon of April Fool’s 2004, readers began calling and emailing to inform the news agency it had been duped by Google’s pranksters.

“That was part of the charm, making a product that people won’t believe is real. It kind of changed people’s perceptions about the kinds of applications that were possible within a web browser,” former Google engineer Paul Buchheit recalled during a recent AP interview about his efforts to build Gmail.

AP24088627911200 — FILE – An ad for Google’s Gmail appears on the side of a bus on Sept. 17, 2012, in Lagos, Nigeria. Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin unveiled Gmail 20 years ago on April Fool’s Day. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba, File)

It took three years to do as part of a project called “Caribou” — a reference to a running gag in the Dilbert comic strip. “There was something sort of absurd about the name Caribou, it just made make me laugh,” said Buchheit, the 23rd employee hired at a company that now employs more than 180,000 people.

The AP knew Google wasn’t joking about Gmail because an AP reporter had been abruptly asked to come down from San Francisco to the company’s Mountain View, California, headquarters to see something that would make the trip worthwhile.

After arriving at a still-developing corporate campus that would soon blossom into what became known as the “Googleplex,” the AP reporter was ushered into a small office where Page was wearing an impish grin while sitting in front of his laptop computer.

Page, then just 31 years old, proceeded to show off Gmail’s sleekly designed inbox and demonstrated how quickly it operated within Microsoft’s now-retired Explorer web browser. And he pointed out there was no delete button featured in the main control window because it wouldn’t be necessary, given Gmail had so much storage and could be so easily searched. “I think people are really going to like this,” Page predicted.

As with so many other things, Page was right. Gmail now has an estimated 1.8 billion active accounts — each one now offering 15 gigabytes of free storage bundled with Google Photos and Google Drive. Even though that’s 15 times more storage than Gmail initially offered, it’s still not enough for many users who rarely see the need to purge their accounts, just as Google hoped.

The digital hoarding of email, photos and other content is why Google, Apple and other companies now make money from selling additional storage capacity in their data centers. (In Google’s case, it charges anywhere from $30 annually for 200 gigabytes of storage to $250 annually for 5 terabytes of storage). Gmail’s existence is also why other free email services and the internal email accounts that employees use on their jobs offer far more storage than was fathomed 20 years ago.

“We were trying to shift the way people had been thinking because people were working in this model of storage scarcity for so long that deleting became a default action,” Buchheit said.

Gmail was a game changer in several other ways while becoming the first building block in the expansion of Google’s internet empire beyond its still-dominant search engine.

After Gmail came Google Maps and Google Docs with word processing and spreadsheet applications. Then came the acquisition of video site YouTube, followed by the introduction of the the Chrome browser and the Android operating system that powers most of the world’s smartphones. With Gmail’s explicitly stated intention to scan the content of emails to get a better understanding of users’ interests, Google also left little doubt that digital surveillance in pursuit of selling more ads would be part of its expanding ambitions.

Although it immediately generated a buzz, Gmail started out with a limited scope because Google initially only had enough computing capacity to support a small audience of users.

“When we launched, we only had 300 machines and they were really old machines that no one else wanted,” Buchheit said, with a chuckle. “We only had enough capacity for 10,000 users, which is a little absurd.”

But that scarcity created an air of exclusivity around Gmail that drove feverish demand for an elusive invitations to sign up. At one point, invitations to open a Gmail account were selling for $250 apiece on eBay. “It became a bit like a social currency, where people would go, ‘Hey, I got a Gmail invite, you want one?’” Buchheit said.

Although signing up for Gmail became increasingly easier as more of Google’s network of massive data centers came online, the company didn’t begin accepting all comers to the email service until it opened the floodgates as a Valentine’s Day present to the world in 2007.

A few weeks later on April Fool’s Day in 2007, Google would announce a new feature called “Gmail Paper” offering users the chance to have Google print out their email archive on “94% post-consumer organic soybean sputum ” and then have it sent to them through the Postal Service. Google really was joking around that time.

Elsa Costume Saves Thai Girl from Pink Line Construction Accident

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Khaosod English

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1 April 2024, 01:38

BANGKOK – The Transport Minister has ordered to halt construction of the Pink Line extension for seven days after cement went through a BMW car’s rear window, slightly injuring a three-year-old child inside. Fortunately, it’s tempered glass. In addition, the child wore a cloak, similar to Elsa from Frozen, which helped shield her from broken glass.

Mr. Suriya Jungrungruangkit, Minister of Transport, revealed on March 31 that the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), which oversees the operation of the Pink Line extension project from Si Rat Station to Muang Thong Thani Station, received an accident report from the concessionaire (Northern Bangkok Monorail Company Limited, or NBM).

It was reported that the accident occurred on March 30 at around 5:00 p.m. as concrete was being poured on the concourse floor of IMPACT Muang Thong Thani Station. While workmen were pouring concrete, the prototype side moved, causing pieces of liquid concrete to fall and break the BMW car’s rear window. As a result, one person in the backseat suffered minor injuries. Rescue volunteers then transported the injured person to the World Medical Hospital.

According to traffic police at Pak Kret Police Station in Nonthaburi Province, the affected person was a middle-aged woman driving a BMW out of the arena building on Muang Thong Thani, Chaeng Watthana Road, Bang Phut Subdistrict, after taking her two children to see the Disney On Ice Show and returning home.

She added that the cement that dropped on the back window was so strong that it broke the glass and hit directly on the daughter’s car seat. The child’s head is covered with broken glass; fortunately, she dressed as Elsa and was wearing a cloak.

Her son, sitting on the opposite side, also had his clothes covered by the broken pieces of glass, but he remained uninjured. The doctor stated that both kids were extremely fortunate that it was tempered glass.

The construction team paused work and rapidly fixed the situation. Sino-Thai Company, the project’s contractor, contacted the affected person and offered to cover all of her expenses.

Later, on March 31, the Department of Rail Transport and MRTA ordered a 7-day halt to work in the area and assigned a company to consult on the project to inspect the work process and those responsible in the area, including guidelines for preventing incidents, resolving problems, and reporting to MRTA immediately in order to consider further action.

Previously, on March 28, an incident occurred with the Yellow Line when fragments of metal equipment fell off the tracks into the road. Two cars were damaged, and the monorail line had to be shut down at all stations. The Ministry of Transportation anticipates penalties and reconsiders concessions if the incident occurs again.

King Charles Shakes Hands, Chats With Crowd at Most Significant Public Outing Since Cancer Diagnosis

By

Associated Press

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31 March 2024, 21:15

Britain Royals — Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla greet people after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England, Sunday, March 31, 2024. (Hollie Adams/Pool Photo via AP)

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III shook hands and chatted with onlookers after attending an Easter service at Windsor Castle on Sunday in his most significant public outing since being diagnosed with cancer last month.

The king, dressed in a dark overcoat and shiny blue tie, smiled as he made his way along a rope line outside St. George’s Chapel for about five minutes, reaching into the crowd to greet supporters who waved get-well cards and snapped photos on a chilly early spring day. “You’re very brave to stand out here in the cold,” Charles told them.

“Keep going strong,” one member of the crowd shouted as Charles and Queen Camilla walked by.

AP24091436144946 — Britain’s King Charles III waves as he leaves after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, England, Sunday, March 31, 2024. (Hollie Adams/Pool Photo via AP)

The 75-year-old monarch’s appearance was seen as an effort to reassure the public after Charles stepped back from public duties in early February following an announcement by Buckingham Palace that he was undergoing treatment for an unspecified type of cancer.

The king has continued fulfilling his state duties, such as reviewing government papers and meeting with the prime minister. But his attendance at a traditional royal event like the Easter service is seen as a sign that he is beginning a managed return to public life. British media reported last week that Charles would slowly increase his public appearances after Easter.

The service itself was smaller than usual as Kate, the Princess of Wales, is also being treated for cancer and has paused public duties. The princess, her husband Prince William and their children did not attend.

Kate shock’s announcement that she, too, had cancer was made on March 22, after weeks of speculation about her health and whereabouts following major abdominal surgery in February.

Charles’ enforced absence from public life has been a setback for a man who is eager to put his stamp on the monarchy after waiting almost 74 years — longer than any previous heir — to become king.

AP24091417667404 — Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla greet people after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, England, Sunday, March 31, 2024. (Hollie Adams/Pool Photo via AP)

When he succeeded his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles faced the daunting task of demonstrating that the 1,000-year-old monarchy remains relevant in a modern nation whose citizens come from all corners of the globe. After less than two years on the throne, the king is still defining himself with the public as he tries to persuade young people and members of minority communities that the royal family can represent them.

“He knows that being seen by the public and having public goodwill is really what’s at the core of a successful monarchy,” royal commentator Jennie Bond told the BBC. ”He needs to have that interaction and I think he quite enjoys it, actually.”

Although the duties of a constitutional monarch are largely ceremonial, the job of being a royal can be exhausting.

AP24091369594154 — Britain’s King Charles III, center, and Queen Camilla arrive to attend the Easter Matins Service at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, England, Sunday, March 31, 2024. (Hollie Adams/Pool Photo via AP)

Besides the occasional procession in full royal regalia, there are meetings with political leaders, dedication ceremonies and events honoring the accomplishments of British citizens. That added up to 161 days of royal engagements during Charles’s first year on the throne.

The palace has worked hard to keep the king in the public eye — even as he sought to limit contacts to reduce his risk of infection while receiving treatment. Videos of the king reading get-well cards and an audience with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak were released. He also attended a session of the Privy Council, an assembly of senior advisers.

While he skipped a pre-Easter service on Thursday, Charles released a prerecorded audio message in which he expressed his regret at missing an occasion traditionally attended by the monarch.

The king also reaffirmed his coronation pledge “not to be served, but to serve.”

“That I have always tried to do and continue to do, with my whole heart,” he said.

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Thailand Steps up Border Control of Livestock After Anthrax Outbreak Is Reported in Laos

By

Associated Press

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31 March 2024, 14:26

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s government has ordered officials to closely monitor livestock along the border with Laos after more than 50 people were reported to have contracted anthrax in the neighboring country.

Thai authorities have been working closely with those in Laos after receiving reports of the outbreak and have prepared vaccines in case of infections being detected in Thailand, said Narong Leangcharuen, director of the Bureau of Disease Control and Veterinary Services of the Department of Livestock Development.

In an interview with Thai state broadcaster NBT on Friday, Narong said the transport of livestock across the border is being strictly controlled. He warned livestock farmers to quarantine animals from Laos and immediately report any suspicious illnesses or deaths.

Thailand has received reports that 54 people in Laos have been infected with the disease, Thai government spokesperson Chai Watcharong said in a statement Thursday. He said Thailand’s Department of Disease Control is coordinating with local authorities, especially along the border, to keep a close watch on the situation.

Media in Laos earlier this month reported livestock deaths and cases of people contracting the disease in the southern province of Champasak, which borders Thailand. There are currently no reports of human fatalities.

Anthrax is a rare but serious disease caused by bacteria that primarily affects grazing animals. It can spread to humans through contact with or consumption of the infected animals, and can be deadly, though the risk of human-to-human transmission is low.

Reports were inconsistent in state-controlled media in Laos, which is a single-party communist state.

Nanthasan Vannavong, a deputy in the health office in Champasak, acknowledged the outbreak in a media briefing earlier this week, cautioning people against consuming sick livestock.

Thailand’s most recent reported case of anthrax in humans was in 2000, according to the Department of Livestock Development.

Opinion: Same-Sex Marriage Victory for LGBTQI in Thailand but Don’t Leave Other Marginalized Groups Behind

By

Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer

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31 March 2024, 13:00

The passing of the Same-Sex Marriage Bill by the parliament earlier this week on March 27 was a historic day for not just LGBTQI people but Thailand, and hopefully the region, as the kingdom became the first nation in Southeast Asia to recognize equal marriage rights for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, queers, intersex, and those questioning their gender or sexual orientation.

The rights were not achieved overnight but were a culmination of at least three to four decades of gradual opening up of the minds of straight people that LGBTQI are also equally human and normal, just like the rest of us. In the end, 400 MPs endorsed the bill and only 10, mostly Muslim MPs, rejected it.

Only two abstained, while three refused to vote. The message for change and making Thailand a more inclusive society was non equivocal and both the government’s ruling and coalition parties and the opposition parties agreed on most issues and decided that the time for change has come – if not long overdue.

The passing of the bill was a reflection of a growing social consensus that developed over the past few decades as LGBTQI people were gradually accepted and played increasingly important and prominent roles in various sectors in society, and not just in the entertainment industry.

As over 100 laws will have to be altered and LGBTQI people celebrate, Thais, both LGBTQI and non LGBTQI, should strive to make Thailand more inclusive for other people and groups in the society that are still left behind and kept unequal. These include ethnic minorities, physically disabled people, homeless people, migrant workers, and more.

The protests by migrant workers for just compensation and social security in Rayong province on Friday night and yesterday after a construction crane collapsed at Xin Ke Yuan Steel factory construction site killing seven Burmese migrant workers and injuring a few is one example.

Initially, it was reported that the company will pay only 500,000 baht in compensation to the family of each worker killed, but workers feel that was too cheap for one life and demanded 5 million baht per person for the families of their dead colleagues instead.

In the end it was agreed at 1.6 million baht each (plus social security payment) after 30 police officers were dispatched, local MPs visited the site, and officials from Myanmar Labour Union (WAG) arrived, to diffuse the growing dissent among the 500 Burmese workers and family members of those who died.

Workers disclosed to the local press that the employer had previously refused to pay compensation when one of the workers was killed in the past from electrocution and that they no longer trust the employer.

This is probably not an isolated incident and migrant workers continue to be made invisible and treated like third-class people in Thailand despite their significant contribution to the Thai economy. It is only humane and right for us Thais to strive to ensure they are treated better and enjoy more rights.

The same can be said about the physically handicapped people with much less employment opportunities, many impediments due to the inadequate infrastructure for the physically handicapped, that prevent them from not just leading a normal life but equally participating in the society.

Another group is the homeless people in Bangkok. Both the central and local governments appear to lack the will or interest in ensuring they are afforded with minimum facilities and rights and are instead a left to sleep rough, particularly on Ratchadamnoen Avenue, every night, and in other places.

Over the decades in the struggle for equality for LGBTQI people, this writer repeatedly stated publicly that you do not need to be a member of the LGBTQI community to support their equal rights and inclusion into Thai society – all you need is to recognize that they are human just like us.

I say the same now regarding other marginalized groups who are still left behind or discriminated against – let us continue to work towards a more inclusive and humane Thai society.

15 Burmese Masseurs Arrested for Working Illegally

By

Khaosod English

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31 March 2024, 13:00

The suspects seen at Chokchai City Police Station on Mar. 30, 2024. — The suspects seen at Chokchai Police Station on Mar. 30, 2024.

BANGKOK — Police on Saturday raided a massage parlor inside a Lat Phrao mall where they arrested 15 foreign nationals.

Officers from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division raided the establishment called “Uncle Ood Massage” located inside Big C Ladprao mall in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district following a tip-off that sexual services were offered to male customers.

Fifteen masseurs, all Myanmar nationals, were found inside the shop. They were arrested for illegally entering the country and working without a legal work permit. Sanid Kodphukeaw, 62, who identified himself as the owner, was also charged with hiring illegal migrant workers.

Police said they will investigate whether the suspects engaged in prostitution.

Japanese Authorities Raid a Factory Making Health Supplements Linked to 5 Deaths

By

Associated Press

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30 March 2024, 12:03

Japan Drug Supplement Recall — Japan's health ministry officials walk towards the Osaka plant of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. to conduct an on-site inspection in Osaka, western Japan, Saturday, March 30, 2024. Japanese government health officials raided a factory Saturday producing health supplements that they say have killed multiple people and hospitalized more than 100 others.

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese government health officials raided a factory Saturday producing health supplements that they say have killed at least five people and hospitalized more than 100 others.

About a dozen people wearing dark suits solemnly walked into the Osaka plant of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. in the raid shown widely on Japanese TV news, including public broadcaster NHK.

The company says little is known about the exact cause of the sicknesses, which include kidney failure. An investigation into the products is underway in cooperation with government health authorities.

The supplements all used “benikoji,” a kind of red mold. Kobayashi Pharmaceuticals’ pink pills called Benikoji Choleste Help were billed as helping lower cholesterol levels.

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, based in the western Japanese city of Osaka, said about a million packages were sold over the past three fiscal years. It also sold benikoji to other manufacturers, and some products have been exported. The supplements could be bought at drug stores without a prescription from a doctor.

Reports of health problems surfaced in 2023, although benikoji has been used in various products for years.

Company president Akihiro Kobayashi has apologized for not having acted sooner. The recall came March 22, two months after the company had received official medical reports about the problem.

On Friday, the company said five people had died and 114 people were being treated in hospitals after taking the products. Japan’s health ministry says the supplements are responsible for the deaths and illnesses, and warned that the number of those affected could grow.

Some analysts blame the recent deregulation initiatives, which simplified and sped up approval for health products to spur economic growth. But deaths from a mass-produced item is rare in Japan, as government checks over consumer products are relatively stringent.

The government has ordered a review of the approval system in response to the supplement-related illnesses. A report is due in May.

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Thai Authorities Suppress a Large Chinese Call Center Gang

By

Khaosod English

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30 March 2024, 00:51

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT – On March 29, Thai officials reported the taking down of a huge Chinese call center gang in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, which had been illegally established to defraud Thais and Chinese citizens. Officers arrested 90 people and seized computers and other devices.

Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabutr, assistant police commander, stated at a press conference at Chawang Police Station in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province that since the investigation began at the end of 2023, this operation has been carried out in coordination with 100 officials, including cyber police, DSI officers, detective police, police region 8, immigration police, and NBTC officials. They have been dispatched to seek out four targets in Nakhon Si Thammarat province.

nakhon si scam2 — Thai authorities presented smart phones as evidence during a press conference at Chawang Police Station in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.

At the time, officials discovered a large network of Chinese people forming a call centre gang in Chawang District to defraud and steal property from fellow Chinese, Japanese, Russians, and Thais through a variety of scams, including inviting them to invest in digital currencies, online gambling, tricking people into buying products by creating pages, and using various tricks to lure victims to transfer money. The officials then conducted a thorough investigation and collected evidence.

Then, on March 28, 2024, officials obtained a search warrant from the Criminal Court and conducted a simultaneous search operation at four locations, discovering both Thai and Chinese citizens working there.

They also confiscated 228 computers, 1,037 mobile phones, 4 iPads, 21 internet routers, 2 CPUs, 2 USB sticks, 521 phone SIM cards, 2 credit cards, 80 bank accounts, one long gun, and tax-evaded cosmetics.

nakhon si scam4 — Chinese members of call-center gang were arrested in Nakhon Si Thammarat province on March 28, 2024.

Police Lieutenant General Worawat Wattanakornbancha, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Police, stated that officers detained all 90 members of this call centre gang. During the investigation, Lin Shuozhao, a 30-year-old Chinese national, stated that he was simply an employee whose job was to wait. The big bosses at the command level are in China.

Many Chinese individuals that have joined this call center gang use passports to enter Thailand through Cambodia. Some travelled directly from China to Thailand disguised as tourists.

nakhon si scam1 — Some of the computers were seized as evidence.

Furthermore, there are offers to come and work before joining forces to establish a group that defrauded victims for nearly a year. They planned and worked systematically. Thai employees will receive an average monthly salary of 20,000 baht each person, whereas Chinese personnel would earn an average of 40,000 baht per month.

Officials have accused these individuals of establishing a group to conceal the method of operation and purpose for illicit reasons, as well as conspiring with five or more people to commit an offence or commit theft.

The cyber police are now planning to expand on that by looking into the financial histories and other characteristics of each group of accused people involved in other crimes. Investigators from the Chawang Police Station held all suspects and transported them for prosecution.

Protests Erupt as Rayong Construction Crane Collapses

By

Khaosod English

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30 March 2024, 00:38

RAYONG – Migrant workers at the Xin Ke Yuan Steel factory in Rayong province’s Pluak Daeng district staged a protest after a construction crane collapsed on Friday, killing seven workers. Six died on-site and one died later in the hospital.

According to witnesses, the incident occurred as the crane was transporting seven workers to work at a point around 100 metres above the ground when it unexpectedly tumbled over, causing workers on the platform to fall from a height, killing six workers instantly.

crane12 — A construction crane collapsed on Friday, March 29, 2024, killing seven workers at the Xin Ke Yuan Steel factory in the Pluak Daeng district of Rayong province.

After the incident, the workers, who were largely Burmese, refused to allow the rescuers to transport the bodies away. They demanded the company owner provide compensation to the deceased’s families of 5 million baht per individual.

Initially, it was reported that the company agreed to pay only 500,000 baht per person, but the workers insisted on paying 5 million baht per individual immediately, as well as compensation for all of the workers.

At the same time, a group of the deceased’s relatives came to file a complaint. They grieved and were miserable. Some of them became upset and tossed items onto the roof.

rayong3 — The workers refused to allow the rescuers to transport the bodies away.

Later, officers from the Crime Suppression Division and Rayong Province, arrived at the scene of the incident.

At 7:00 p.m., Pol. Col. Chaiphong Saengphongchai, superintendent of Pluak Daeng Police Station, travelled with a group of 30 police officers to negotiate with around 500 Burmese workers who encircled the four rescue vehicles transporting the bodies of six individuals. One car’s glass had been broken.

One of the Myanmar workers disclosed that the employer had previously refused to pay compensation when one of his employees died from electrocution. Even if they said to pay this time, they no longer trust the employer’s words.

He indicated that they would direct authorities to check the hillside behind the building site where workers who had died were buried.

At 11 p.m., officials from the Myanmar Labour Union, WAG, and a number of Rayong MPs began negotiating with the deceased’s families, the factory owner, Pluak Daeng District Chief, and the police.

They discussed for more than an hour to reach the agreement that the employer and the deceased’s relatives would sign a contract, while representatives from the Myanmar Labour Union would take part. The deceased’s relatives will receive 1,600,000 baht apiece in compensation, which includes social security payments and other legal compensation.

In addition, the factory will pay for all funeral expenses, up to 500,000 baht up front for each deceased person, with the rest of the payment due within three months.

When officials from the Myanmar Labour Union translated the agreement for the Burmese workers, they all clapped, accepted the terms, and left. Four rescue vehicles cleared the path to transport the bodies to Pluak Daeng Hospital for autopsy.

rayong end2 — Finally, the Burmese workers clapped and accepted the conditions.

Thai Court Acquits Dozens of Protesters Who Shut Down Bangkok’s Airports in 2008

By

Associated Press

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29 March 2024, 23:22

BANGKOK (AP) — A Thai court on Friday acquitted nearly 70 people of all charges related to mass protests that shut down Bangkok’s two airports in 2008 for about 10 days.

The ruling by the Bangkok Criminal Court was the second this year finding that the protesters, who opposed a government headed by allies of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had not committed serious criminal offenses in their activities.

Members of the group, the People’s Alliance for Democracy, also briefly seized a state television station and occupied Government House for three months.

The court ruled Friday that the airport protests were protected under the constitution because they were peaceful and the protesters were unarmed, public broadcaster Thai PBS and Thai Rath newspaper said.

Witnesses to the 2008 protests, including Associated Press reporters, saw acts of violence and intimidation by sometimes-armed guards employed by the PAD, though not by the people acquitted in January and on Friday.

The 67 people in Friday’s case had been indicted on serious charges including rebellion and terrorism, which carry a possible death penalty.

Panthep Puapongpan, a former PAD spokesperson and a defendant, welcomed the court ruling. He said they were acquitted because their actions were considered to be for the greater good of the country since they were rallying against a government that was accused of abuse of power and corruption.

“Our ordeal is not wasted. The ruling helps heal our feelings, and many of the defendants shed tears,” he posted on Facebook.

Several dozen defendants involved in the 2008 airport protests were divided into two groups and indicted in 2013. The first group was acquitted in January, although about a dozen of them were given 20,000 baht ($550) fines for violating an emergency decree that had banned public gatherings.

The protesters — popularly known as Yellow Shirts for wearing shirts with that color that shows loyalty to the Thai monarchy — had occupied Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports. They demanded the resignation of the government loyal to Thaksin, who was ousted by a 2006 military coup that followed large Yellow Shirt protests accusing him of corruption and disrespect of the monarchy.

Thaksin’s ouster set off years of sometimes violent contention for power between his supporters and his opponents.

The protesters shut down airport operations and defied an injunction calling for them to leave. The siege ended only after a court ruling forced Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat — who is Thaksin’s brother-in-law — out of office.

In 2011, the Civil Court ordered the leaders of the group to pay 522 million baht ($14.7 million) in damages to the state airport authority. They were declared bankrupt and had their assets seized last year in partial payment of the sum.

Thaksin returned to Thailand last year from self-imposed exile to face an eight-year prison term on several criminal convictions. He was immediately moved from prison to a state hospital because of reported ill health. He was released on parole after six months of hospital detention.

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