Thai royal insult law may have been misused: govt

BANGKOK, October 14, 2011 (AFP) – Thailand on
Thursday accepted its controversial royal insult laws may have been
misused and could “inadvertently” have affected freedom of expression,
in response to UN concerns.

The aim of lese majeste legislation, which prohibits criticism of the
monarchy and is punishable with up to 15 years in prison, “is not to
limit” freedoms of speech or academic discourse, the Thai Foreign
Ministry said.

“Be that as it may, in recent years, there have been cases where the law
has been enforced in such a way that may not be in line with its
purpose of protecting the dignity of the monarchy and may in some cases
inadvertently affect people’s freedom of expression,” it said.

It said the government recognises “potential issue arising from the
application of this law and also wishes to prevent the misuse of the
law”.

The statement comes after Frank La Rue, United Nations special
rapporteur on freedom of expression, called on Thailand to amend the
laws, saying a recent increase in legal cases highlights the urgent need
for reforms.

La Rue said such laws “encourage self-censorship and stifle important
debates on matters of public interest, thus putting in jeopardy the
right to freedom of opinion and expression”.

The foreign ministry statement said the lese majeste law works “in a
similar way” as libel law does for commoners, stressing that individuals
must be “accountable” for the views they express.

It added that a special committee in the Royal Thai Police headquarters had been set up to scrutinise potential prosecutions.

Academics have noted a sharp increase in new royal insult cases in
recent years and rights groups have expressed concern that the law was
used to suppress freedom of expression under the previous government.

On Monday, a US citizen Joe Wichai Commart Gordon pleaded guilty in a Thai court to charges of insulting the monarchy.

He was arrested in May during a holiday in the kingdom and accused of
translating a banned unauthorised biography of King Bhumibol Adulyadej
into Thai and publishing it on the Internet while living in the United
States.

Thailand’s royals are an extremely sensitive subject in the politically divided country.

King Adulyadej, 83, the world’s longest-reigning monarch and revered as a
demi-god by many Thais, has been in hospital since September 2009.

– ©Copyright AFP 2011-10-14 | AFP News Sponsor

Published with written approval from AFP.

Thai PM moves to soothe Bangkok flood panic

BANGKOK, October 14, 2011 (AFP) – Thailand’s premier
moved Friday to reassure Bangkok’s 12 million residents over a looming
flood crisis, after one of her ministers briefly sparked panic with an
evacuation warning.

Science minister Plodprasop Suraswadi rushed out of a flood briefing
late Thursday to say that several areas in Bangkok’s northern suburbs
were at risk of being submerged by up to one meter (3.3 feet) of water
after a dyke burst.

But the authorities quickly backtracked, causing confusion among
residents who have been braced for floodwaters to reach the capital
after causing havoc  across northern and central Thailand, leaving at
least 289 people dead.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Friday that the situation was under control.

“The water level is stable and not increasing. So I would like to ask people not to panic,” she told reporters.

“Minister Prodprasob wanted to update the people about the situation
because he was concerned that they were anxious about it,” Yingluck
explained.

“So he just reported about the possibility of what might happen to the people, and nothing happened. Everything was normal.”

Some residents in the affected areas rushed to move their belongings to higher ground after the warning.

In the Bangkok suburb of Saimai, local authorities received hundreds of
phone calls from concerned residents, district chief Nongpanga Boonpaksa
told AFP by telephone.

“After last night’s announcement people in Saimai were panicky. There
were some frantic traffic jams in our district because people were
trying to move their cars to higher places but the situation later
returned normal,” she said.

About 110,000 people around the country have sought refuge in shelters
in the face of the floods that have destroyed crops, inundated hundreds
of factories and damaged the homes and livelihoods of millions of
people.

Currently 26 out of 77 provinces are affected, but conditions in inner
Bangkok and at most of Thailand’s top tourist destinations are normal.

The capital is, however, bracing for a large amount of run-off water to
reach the city along with seasonal high tides that will make it harder
for the flood waters to flow out to sea.

Bangkok residents have thronged supermarkets in the capital to stock up
on instant noodles and other non-perishable food, while flashlights have
been flying off the shelves.

Sandbags have been piled in front of homes and businesses in preparation
for possible inundation, while some residents have opted to leave their
vehicles in multi-storey carparks in the city to avoid possible
flooding.

Central Bangkok is protected by flood walls and the authorities have
piled sandbags along the Chao Phraya River to try to keep water out of
nearby areas, whose residents are no strangers to seasonal floods.

The authorities have said they will dredge and drain canals in the capital to allow more water to flow through.

The floods have dealt a heavy blow to Thailand’s economy, leaving hundreds of factories under water.

Japanese automakers including Toyota have suspended production in the
kingdom due to water damage to facilities or disruption to parts
supplies.

The ancient city of Ayutthaya, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) upriver of
Bangkok, has been badly affected and the UN cultural organisation
UNESCO said it would launch a mission to the World Heritage site to
assess the impact.

– ©Copyright AFP 2011-10-14 | AFP News Sponsor

Published with written approval from AFP.

627 Bangkok communities under water

The Nation

As of press time yesterday, 627 communities had been
flooded in Bangkok, with water levels as high as 70 centimetres in some
spots. These flood-hit areas are in 20 of Bangkok’s 50 districts.

The worst-hit spots are in Klong Sam Wa district in the east of Bangkok,
where flood levels range between 30cm and 70cm. Some zones in inner
Bangkok, such as Phra Nakhon, Dusit, Sathorn and Yan Nawa, are also
flooded.

Officials of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) are rushing
to pile up sandbags along waterways that look set to swell or overflow.
They are also handing out relief items, including medicines, to flood
victims.

The BMA has designated 96 schools in 17 districts as possible shelters for up to 19,400 evacuees.

Masses of water are expected to hit the capital from the North today and downpours have also been forecast.

After checking the level of the Chao Phraya River near the capital’s
largest flower market, Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra said it
was higher yesterday than the 2010 peak.

“It has risen to 2.13 metres above the median sea level,” he said.

Last year, the river’s highest level in Bangkok stood at just 2.10 metres.

“We have to get ready to evacuate people living near the embankments,”
Sukhumbhand said, adding that the situation would be most worrying from
today to Monday.

– The Nation 2011-10-15

Thai city offers bounty for fugitive crocodiles

BANGKOK, October 16, 2011 (AFP) – The ancient Thai city of Ayutthaya,
which has seen its temple engulfed in the kingdom’s flood crisis, has
discovered a new menace lurking in the floodwaters — crocodiles.

Around 100 reptiles are thought to be on the loose after escaping from
farms in the area and authorities have issued a 1,000 baht ($33) bounty
for each crocodile caught alive, said Public Health Minister Vitthaya
Buranasiri.

“The crocodiles need to be captured to keep people safe,” he told AFP.

The creatures have been spotted in several areas of the former Thai capital, a World Heritage site and major tourist attraction.

Thailand’s worst floods in decades have inundated huge swathes of the
kingdom, swallowing homes and businesses, shutting down industry, and
forcing tens of thousands of people to seek refuge in shelters.

About 300 people have died in the disaster, although there have been no
known incidents of animal-related deaths resulting from the flooding.

The natural resource ministry has dedicated a hotline for people wanting to report wild animals on the loose in flooded areas.

“We are now coordinating with the fishery department for a hotline about
any loose animals in the flood areas, whether it is tigers, snakes or
crocodiles,” said an official, who said the department has received
“many phone calls”.

The ministry said government agencies have been dispatched to catch the
creatures, but was unable to disclose how many had been caught. The
hotline number inside Thailand is 1362.

– ©Copyright AFP 2011-10-16 | AFP News Sponsor

Published with written approval from AFP.

Govt scales down plan to give free tablet PCs

Chularat Saengpassa

Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

Any school ready to use tablet computers for
teaching and learning will be given the tools early next year, Education
Minister Woravat Auapinyakul told Nation Multimedia Group (NMG)
yesterday.

He urged interested schools to prepare their teachers and students well
to embrace the opportunity, as only schools that can prove they are
capable of making use of the tablets will be chosen.

“We won’t distribute them to all Prathom 1 [Grade 1] students in every
school. We won’t force every school to take the tablets. Teachers should
be prepared for the technology. We are not concerned about students as
they’re from a generation ready and enthusiastic to learn from the
technology – but teachers of the older generation may find it difficult
to use such tools,” Woravat said.

Budget will be allocated for the tablet distribution project in
February, with distribution plans and their conditions completed in
January, he said.

Woravat has an idea to provide the tablets with basic specifications,
but if any schools want higher or advanced specifications, they can
apply for funds to get them.

As strong competition in the tablet market brings down prices, he
expects the tablets to be cheaper next year when the ministry buys them
in volume.

To make the tablets more varied and useful, e-contents in extra subjects
will be installed, some produced by the Office of the Basic Education
Commission.

The minister yesterday discussed with NMG executives and editors his
reason for a reshuffle of senior officials at the ministry – an issue
that has been in the spotlight for two weeks.

He has been accused of bias or using political influence in moving some of the officials.

“My consideration was based on their work performance. People at the
ministry know the chosen officials’ performance very well,” he said. A
senior official he chose was a cousin of a member of the Democrat Party
who had contested against him during the July election, but he did not
care because she demonstrated good working ability.

“However, when I find any who cannot do their jobs well, I will certainly reshuffle them again.”

Woravat was also criticised for being dominant as people have not seen
any concrete work from his two deputy education ministers. Under his
area-based education development policy, each minister is in charge of a
different region.

“The deputy ministers cannot do much now since it is the end of the
fiscal year. So, no budget is available for new projects. We’re now in
the process of creating the national strategic plan. I have had many
meetings late at night with senior officials to create the plan and it
will be finished this month. The 11th National Economic and Social
Development Plan will have to adjust so that it will link into our
education plan.

“The Education Ministry is a large agency with more than 500,000
personnel. We won’t work without the plan to be implemented next year,”
he said.

The plan will stimulate higher employment by targeting universities to
lead education development, passing on knowledge to schools, finding
strong points of each area and strengthening basic education and
students’ working skills. It will be based on each area’s strong points
with help from vocational institutes.

Proficient practitioners will equip students with working skills; but
the Government Teacher and Educational Personnel Act does not allow
people without professional teaching licences to teach.

Woravat said he would adjust some regulations to allow experts from different professions to be involved in teaching.

Woravat said he would host a meeting with education ministers from Asean
countries early next year to discuss how to prepare their education for
the Asean Economic Community, which comes into effect in 2015.

– The Nation 2011-10-06

Tuk-tuks, jet-skis top complaints by Aussie tourists in Phuket

Simon Farbenbloom of the Australian Embassy in Bangkok tells
Governor Tri that tuk-tuk and jet-ski scams top the list of complaints
filed by Aussie tourists in Phuket.

PHUKET: — Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha yesterday received more bad news about the state of Phuket’s tourism industry as the Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Bangkok told him that complaints about tuk-tuk drivers and jet-ski scams topped the embassy’s list of complaints filed by Aussie tourists in Phuket.

“I personally haven’t heard any complaints, but I do read people commenting on websites… There are a lot of different comments about tricky jet-skis and tuk-tuk fares,” said Deputy Head of Mission Simon Farbenbloom.

“Some people complain and others say that it is just the way things are and everyone knows this. You have to be careful,” he added.

Mr Farbenbloom said he placed good faith in the Australian honorary consul in Phuket, Larry Cunningham, to help resolve the issues.

“He has good ideas on how to solve the issues that come out,” Mr Farbenbloom said.

The news delivered to Governor Tri at the meeting yesterday followed the quarterly meeting of Phuket’s honorary consuls and local officials on Wednesday.

That meeting saw some of the strongest comments yet by Phuket consuls about the need to address tuk-tuk drivers’ conduct.

German honorary consul Dirk Naumann voiced his concerns about German national Kurt Trotnow being rendered comatose after an attack allegedly by tuk-tuk drivers over the refusal to pay a 200-baht fare.

Also at the meeting, Dutch Honorary Consul Seven Smulders said that while the British, Australian and German consuls were normally the most vocal participants, their views were backed by other consuls.

He said two young Dutchman were similarly beaten by Patong tuk-tuk drivers recently over a what, he said, was a “minor issue”.

While acknowledging that the vast majority of tourists enjoy incident-free holidays in Phuket, he went on to raise the issue of a new “motorbike scam” being reported.

In this newest way to cheat tourists, unscrupulous operators rent out motorbikes to foreign tourists and then arrange for companions to steal them overnight, he said.

The foreigners are then forced to pay the price of a brand-new motorbike, even if the stolen vehicle was old, he added.

The Phuket Gazette notes that foreigners have little leverage to negotiate in such cases as they are typically asked to leave their passports as a form of surety until they return the vehicle. This issue was raised at previous consul meetings but largely remains unaddressed.

However, Mr Farbenbloom yesterday said the complaints haven’t stopped Australians visiting Phuket in large numbers.

“More than 700,000 Australian tourists have come to Thailand this year, and more than half, about 420,000, have come to Phuket,” he said.

Mr Farbenbloom expects an influx of Aussie tourists to arrive in January.

“January is when many Australians take a long holiday so more people will come for sure,” he said.

Mr Farbenbloom is in Phuket on a two-day visit.

He and other embassy officials will visit the Srinagarindra the Princess Mother School Phuket in Saphan Hin, Phuket Town, to participate in a water and waste management campaign coordinated by the Planet Savers organization and the Australia-Thailand Institute.

This afternoon the embassy entourage will attend the formal opening of the Phuket Lifeguard Education Center at Nai Harn Beach.

Tonight, Mr Farbenbloom will attend the “Hucky Eichelmann and Anthony Garcia Guitar Thailand Tour 2011”, at Phuket Rajabhat University, starting at 7pm.

Mr Farbenbloom will fly back to Bangkok on Sunday.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz…il.asp?id=10910

– Phuket Gazette 2011-09-02

Miracle Thailand?

Kent, 52 from Sweden, Got hearth problem- was thrown in jail!

Arrested- when Kent Melmblom realized that his visa expired after he had been discharged from hospital,
he went to the police station in Pattaya. But received no help – but was arrested immediately. Photo: Jonas Bilberg

Kent Melmblom, 52, got heart problems when he was in Thailand and was hospitalized. So long that his tourist visa in Thailand run out. Then began the worst 12 days of his life.

- I never thought that Thailand could be so dangerous, says Kent Melmblom.

Kent Melmblom from Stockholm rented a house in the town of Pattaya southeast of Bangkok, when he got a chest pain and was admitted to Bangkok Hospital in Pattaya.

When Kent Melmblom was discharged from the hospital, knew that his visa expired. One week after discharge, he went to the police station in Pattaya for advice.

But he did not receive any help – he was arrested on the spot.

- I was thrown into a detention cell. There was one person there. During the night it had been filled with other inmates, 67 people pressed together in five by five meters, said Kent Melmblom.

Chained with other The day after he was brought to justice. He was sentenced to pay 2000 Baht, 480 Swedish crowns, and would be released within one hour.

- It sounded reasonable.

But Kent Melmblom was not released. Outside the hall was instead a group of policemen waiting for him.

- I was handcuffed, shackled and chained with a lot of prisoners and taken to a cell. I had to live under terrible circumstances, he says. He was forced to pay another 1800 Baht, but not released. Went lost 16 kg weight.

He was arrested on July 16, but would remain in the narrow cell for several days. Every day he received a small bag of rice and a bottle of water. There was a fan of the cell to relieve the heat, but it broke after a few days.

- I lost 16 kg. I got diarrhea of the infected water and threw up every day. The sweat ran down on me. It was so crowded on the floor it just went to lie down on the page.

Began to feel increasingly ill.

One morning a man lay cold beside him. He had died, but was to remain in the cell. In two days. No one took him away. Kent Melmholm did not understand how he got there – in the cell that appeared to be the worst possible nightmare.

- There was no dignity at all. After two days he began to smell.

Kent Melmblom had no access to his heart medication and was feeling increasingly ill, both mentally and physically. He had no watch and could not see out any windows.

- I did not know if it was day or night. We only had a stone floor and opposite water bottle to rest your head on. And the toilet in privacy was not to speak of.

Bribed free by lawyer

The news reached after a few days, Kent’s mother in Sweden who in turn contacted the Foreign Office. One day, opened the door in the cell. Someone searched for Kent.

With the help of a lawyer who knew the police chief could Kent Melmblom bribe himself free.

It cost a further 30 000 Baht, just over 7260 Swedish kronor.

Then the trip home went very quickly. He was not given the opportunity to either pick up their belongings in their house or change clothes.

Was flown home in the same clothes the same day, July 29, he was thrown into a car, was taken to Bangkok airport and put on a plane to Sweden. In the same clothes as he was jailed in July 16 – a pair of shorts, sandals and a tank top.

- I stank of urine, faeces and sweat, and would sit on a plane among the common people.

And totally uncovered without money or a few belongings.

Now he has had time to shower and rest, but still feel very bad for what he had.

- I do not know if I should laugh or cry. I did not know that Thailand was so dangerous. I still lived there previously for ten years and was no novice. I want to warn others. The police were just looking for my money, says Kent Melmblom.

Several similar cases of UD (Swedish Ministry of Foreign affairs)

One month after his arrival in Sweden, he finally had time to gather strength to talk to the Swedish police, his insurance company and the Foreign Ministry.
But Kent’s case is not unusual.

- We have many of these matter. It is common to be taken for not having valid visas. One must follow the laws and regulations in the country, says Karin Nylund.

She would not comment on individual cases but said that UD (Swedish Foreign affairs) has many similar cases on their desk.

Translated from Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet today: http://www.aftonblad…icle13567329.ab

– Aftonbladet 2011-09-03

Aldhouse extradition to Phuket looks inevitable: British press

Lee Aldhouse, who is wanted for the August 2010 stabbing murder of American Dashawn Longfellow in Phuket’s Rawai subdistrict.

PHUKET: The extradition of British kick-boxer Lee Aldhouse to Thailand to stand trial for the August 2010 stabbing murder of US Marine Dashawn Longfellow now seems inevitable, British media have reported

Britain’s Sunday Mirror today reported a source in the British Home Office as saying: “The only way he could have realistically avoided extradition is if he would have faced the death penalty if found guilty. But the Thai Government have assured us that he will not.”

Mr Aldhouse has 14 days to appeal the ruling, according to the report.

Nicknamed “The Pitbull”, Mr Aldhouse managed to flee Thailand through Cambodia, but was later arrested at Heathrow Airport in London.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/_n10925

– Phuket Gazette 2011-09-04

Brit tourist in Phuket dies in soaked power surge

Not many tourists in evidence at the popular shopping mall on
Soi Bangla today.

The outdoor power socket.

PHUKET: — A young British tourist died in Patong early this morning after he accidentally placed his hand on an outdoor, floor-mounted power socket covered with water.

The 20-year-old man, whose name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was sitting in the undercover forecourt of the Ocean Plaza Patong [shopping mall] on Soi Bangla at about 6am when the incident happened.

“He was sitting with his male traveling companion and a group of Thai people,” said one officer who arrived at the scene.

“He was waving his hand around while talking and accidentally placed it on top of a power socket covered by a metal plate. There was a lot of water on the floor from the rain and he was electrocuted,” the officer said.

A Thai woman [in the group] tried to pull him away from the power socket, but she received a shock and could not pull herself away.

Then a Thai man tried to help, and he too suffered an electric shock and could not free himself.

“Another Thai guy saw this and kicked the Thai man away from the others. Then they used a wooden stick to push the Thai girl away,” the officer said.

The Thai man and woman were not seriously injured.

The British tourist’s friend suffered an electric shock when he tried to help.

He is now recovering at Wachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town.

“Although his physical injuries are not serious, he is suffering from the emotional shock of losing his friend,” a hospital worker told the Phuket Gazette.

A masseuse who works in the Ocean Plaza forecourt said today that she had heard about the incident, but was not aware that the man had died.

“We knew about the power socket, but we didn’t know that it could be so dangerous. Some of us used to walk barefoot around here, but now we all wear rubber soles all the time,” she said.

– Phuket Gazette 2011-09-25

MP’s gambling-dens charge prompts crackdown
By The Nation

Action has been taken against two senior Bangkok police officers and three other policemen after allegations in Parliament this week of widespread illegal gambling.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Lt-General Jakthip Chaijinda yesterday transferred Metropolitan Police Division 2 commander Maj-General Damrongsak Kittiprapat and Sutthisan superintendent Colonel Paisal Wongwatcharamongkol to inactive posts at Metropolitan Police Headquarters.

The move took place after Chuwit Kamolvisit, leader of the Loving Thailand Party, revealed a gambling-den operation in Bangkok’s police jurisdiction with the initial “Sor” during Tuesday’s Parliament session, and later commented further on other gambling dens in the Ratchadaphisek area.

Besides the two officers, three other policemen at Sutthisan police station were transferred to inactive posts, police spokesman Pol Maj-General Prawut Thawornsiri said yesterday. Chaktip ordered their immediate transfer to Metropolitan Police Headquarters for 30 days pending investigation, he said.

Meanwhile, Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission secretary-general Ampol Wongsiri said PACC investigations had uncovered other gambling activities similar to those alleged by Chuwit. It found a major gambling den in Soi Ratchadaphisek 18 belonging to the same owner as another den on Rama IX Road, while smaller dens operated in Lat Phrao apartments.

He said most nightclubs had drug-selling activities in their toilets as Chuwit had claimed.

A source at PACC said the agency had received complaints about a large gambling den that Chuwit claimed had senior police as shareholders and was operated openly and with immunity to police raids. The PACC too had ignored the den’s activities because it was said to have connections with high-status figures, the source said.

The PACC investigation found that Bangkok gambling dens had been told to close temporarily before the July 3 election so that customers would turn to those in a neighbouring country – especially those with Thai politicians as shareholders who wanted to get money for vote-buying.

National police chief Pol General Wichian Pojphosri said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had ordered police to crack down on the gambling dens mentioned by Chuwit. He had set up a committee to investigate why local police had not been able to locate gambling dens and if police were involved in them. Wichian said he would personally follow the action against these law-violating nightclubs and gambling dens.

Wichian held a videoconference yesterday with regional police headquarters and ordered them to take strict action against illegal casinos and other gaming outlets, as well as stepping up drug suppression.

Police Inspector-General Sathaporn Laothong, chairing the committee to investigate the gambling-den video clip presented by Chuwit, said he would get information from a number of parties including the MP. The committee would check whether there were gambling dens as claimed and whether police had neglected or benefited from them, he said.

It would summon the Sutthisan superintendent and police officers at Metropolitan Police Division 2, as the committee was expected to report back to the national police chief in seven days. Sathaporn also prepared to obtain a search warrant for the Ratchadaphisek gambling den and he would inspect it himself today.

Jakthip said he was not worried or disheartened about the setting up of a committee to probe gambling activities, despite his previous report that there was no such gambling in Bangkok. He said the committee was established according to procedure and the supervisor’s authority.

He said he had done the best he could and instructed Bangkok police to crack down on vice all along. If it was deemed a fault in the performance of his duty, he was willing to take responsibility.

– The Nation 2011-08-26