Thailand Live Friday 9 Dec 2011

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RT @KristieKenney: @USEmbassyBKK @bangkokdave Thaksin return to Thailand is for Thailand, not USA, to determine. #AmbKKchat

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Q's for AmCit by @georgebkk & others: Medicare for Am living overseas? Health care? Getting arrested? Absentee voter? #ambkkchat

RT @KristieKenney: Re Amcits asking about health care, absentee voter. @ACSBKK standing by to answer #ambkkchat

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UNESCO experts voice concern over flooded Ayutthaya World Heritage Site

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PM Yingluck Denies Meeting Thaksin in Singapore

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Police chief: those behind bomb scare at lottery office are same group behind previous acts of violence; unsure if politicians involved /TANN

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3 Meter Long Crocodile Found in Bang Bua Thong District

A three-meter long crocodile was found in Bang Bua Thong District after the flood situation has eased.

Authorities believe the crocodile was a breeder that escaped from a farm.

Following reports of a three-meter long crocodile found in a pond in Soi Rong Mhee of Bang Kruai-Sai Noi Road in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong District, Subdistrict Administration Organization Governor Vichean Jaroennontasit brought in officials with equipment to capture the crocodile.

The crocodile was found in a Soi that was flooded with 50 centimeters of water.

While it was trying to escape, local residents rounded it up onto the road.

The crocodile was captured after more than half an hour.

It measures approximately three meters in length and weighs about 200 kilograms.

Vichean said the recently captured crocodile is the largest of the total of three captured crocodiles.

Residents were advised to avoid going in the water if the water seems unusual.

As the floodwater continues to recede, more crocodiles have been found in many dry areas looking for food.

The captured crocodile will be sent to the Fisheries Department for further care.

-- Tan Network 2011-12-09

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RT @Biz_TheNation: Expressway Chiang Rak toll booth reopens today, as the area is dry

Previously deeply-flooded Boromratchonni Rd outbound now totally dry, traffic opened on all routes; lower ground in Sai Mai district remain water-clogged /MCOT

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Entertainment Channel Seeks Donation of Toys for Slum Community

Super Bunterng entertainment channel is gathering toys to donate to a slum community in Bangkok.

Stars have been showing up to donate toys for underprivileged children.

Famous couple Yong Armchair and Koy showed up Saturday with their fan club members to donate toys as part of Super Bunterng entertainment channel's project to donate toys for a children's foundation in a slum community in Ratchadapisek Soi 36 on December 24.

The singers brought toys they were given by their fans during concerts, as well as new ones they bought to donate to the underprivileged children.

They voiced their happiness at being able to take part in this charity project and asked others to also donate to the cause.

Super Bunterng is taking donations of toys and cash until December 20.

-- Tan Network 2011-12-09

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Ex-top Transport Official Affirms Only 5 Mln Baht Robbed

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Phuket, Krabi counter tourism flood damage in Dubai, Doha

Phuket Tourism Association Vice President Bhuritt Maswongsa (right) and Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) President Paiboon Upatising (2nd from right) hailed the tourism roadshow in Dubai and Doha a succees.

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French girls rescued from Phuket red light district

Phuket's infamous Soi Bangla, where the second of the two French Moroccan girls were rescued last night.

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URGENT: O neg blood is needed on KOH SAMUI.

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[Lite Beer]

Interim Report Truth for Reconciliation commission of Thailand

Recommendations - TRCT has presented recommendations to the Prime Minister on two occasions; the first regarding the use of chains on detainees and the second regarding fundamental rights of accused persons in criminal proceedings.

Further, the First Interim Report of TRCT contained eight recommendations.

TRCT would like to point out that although these recommendations were presented to the previous government, they were general in nature and not specifically addressed to any particular government. TRCTtherefore requests that the current government take into consideration all recommendations made so far and proceed according to the recommendations in a concrete manner so as to continue to create a supportive environment for national reconciliation.

TRCT now has the honor to present further recommendations on important issues to the Prime Minister as follows:

5.1 TRCT believes that the period of conflict is still extant in Thai society. The

government should determine to adhere to the rule of law while governing the country by respecting the law and holding the interest of the nation above all else. The government should proceed with measures to reduce the conflict by ensuring that officials of the executive branch strictly abide by the law; allow people who have been treated unfairly to gain access to the system of justice; provide legal aid to people and accused persons when needed; and investigate and urge all parties responsible for violent incidents, including government officials, to be judged equally by the system of justice which should give due weight to human dignity and human rights.

5.2 As such a situation of conflict still exists and as Thai society hopes to overcome the conflict and achieve reconciliation, TRCT requests all parties involved in the conflict - the government, those involved in the supervision and control of the use of state power, political parties, political groups, and many agencies - to exercise caution and not commit any act which could adversely affect the reconciliation process. In particular, the election of the current government was, in part, based on their campaign pledge to support reconciliation so they should be especially careful to avoid any act which could provoke an increase in conflict.

TRCT is well aware that amid the stream of ongoing conflicts it is difficult for the government to appear impartial in the view of all parties. However, reconciliation among diverse groups in our nation can only be achieved if the government, which supervises the use of state power, is strongly committed, tolerant and persevering in their desire to lead the country to reconciliation.

5.3 TRCT believes that political conflict that has occurred in the past was a

significant factor in later violence and violation of criminal law by various parties. The violence and violation of criminal law that occurred cannot be considered as normal social behavior without such political conflict because the violation is fundamentally based upon political perspectives.

Hence, even if such illegal behavior affects and harms individuals and the public and requires that perpetrators be held legally accountable, criminal responsibility and criminal punishment may not conform to the punishment philosophy and may not render justice and contribute to solving the conflict. Perpetrators who have political motives are different from common criminals who are essentially villains and criminals.

Punishment for this type of violent behavior may not result in deterring the perpetrators themselves or the entire public according to the common philosophy of punishment. Moreover, the prosecution of criminal cases related to political conflict may encounter problems because of limitations of the investigation process, accusations, and the gathering of evidence and witnesses viewed as being impartial, as well as bias for the advantage of those who control state power in each period.

TRCT sees the prosecution of criminal cases according to the Royal Decree on

Public Administration in Emergency Situations B.E. 2548 (2005), the offence of unlawful assembly of ten or more persons under Section 215 of Criminal Code, and other relevant cases relating to incidents of political violence before and after the 19 September 2006 coup including cases of lèse majesté under Section 112 of Penal Code and Computer Related Crime Act B.E. 2550 (2007) as all being related to political conflict. The government should thus proceed with the prosecution of such offences as follows:

5.3.1 Clarify whether the accusation and the prosecution against accused

persons or defendants are consistent with the circumstances and consider whether the accusation is unduly harsh or the evidence too weak to prove guilt.

5.3.2 Proceed in earnest with the temporary release of detainees as this is a

fundamental right of accused persons and defendants.

Temporary release will enable accused persons and defendants to prepare their defense and reduce the effects of restriction of freedom on themselves and their families.

The relevant authorities, such as investigating officers and prosecutors, should file petitions with the court providing information relating to accused persons and defendants, whether or not there is a risk that they will abscond, a reason to destroy evidence or a reason to cause harm to society if a temporary release is granted.

If no such reasons exist, the legal principle protecting the fundamental right to temporary release of accused persons and defendants should be affirmed. With regard to temporary release, although Section 110 of the Criminal Procedure

Code does not require bail, it has been the practice of agencies within the justice system to require bail.

This practice is not in accordance with legal principles and has caused substantial damage to the justice system. It has opened the door to "professional bailers", illegal in the justice system, to take advantage of detainees whose rights and freedoms have been withheld. Likewise, an "insurance company" also takes advantage. Permission for an "insurance company" to gain advantage in this manner originated from a government policy in one era which lacked understanding of the legal principle.

However, the solution to the root cause of the problem, which is a correct understanding of the legal principle, cannot be brought about at this time because this problem involves legal education and a change in perspective of those applying the law. In a case where the court allows temporary release on bail, it is right that the government should provide such bail to all accused persons and defendants who are not able to provide it. It should be noted that harsh accusations against an accused is no reason for not allowing temporary release according to the law.

5.3.3 Accused persons and defendants are not villains or criminals as in regular

criminal cases but are accused of committing an offence in order to achieve political goals.

Therefore, if accused persons and defendants are not granted temporary release, the government should arrange for their detention in an appropriate place, not in a common prison as has been the case in the past.

5.3.4 These cases are related to the ongoing political conflict over the past few

years. The perpetrators have political motivations and the ongoing conflict is rooted in the transition of Thai society. Therefore, the principle of criminal justice which uses criminal prosecution measures and punishment is not appropriate for the current situation in our country. It is thus appropriate to study and apply the theories of transitional justice and restorative justice in order to properly apply their principles and methods.

This will enable Thailand to learn from the experience of foreign countries that have encountered severe conflicts. While studying how to properly apply various measures to the conflict situation in Thailand, prosecutors should be requested to cooperate by delaying prosecution of these cases and by not taking them to court until collection of the relevant information is complete - correct and reliable information concerning circumstances of the case, overall information regarding the causes of the problem, and information on academic principles pertaining to legal measures under the framework of transitional justice and restorative justice. This will benefit prosecutors and the public and will enable us to decide on appropriate measures before the cases come to court.

5.4 TRCT believes that the reparation and restoration of all parties affected by

violent incidents is an important condition for bringing about reconciliation. The state has the responsibility to protect the rights of people and prevent violence which affects the rights to life and property of individuals and society as a whole. When the state fails to prevent violent incidents, the state has the duty to provide reparation for damages against individuals and for the restoration of society. The government should promptly and decisively proceed with reparations by following these guidelines:

5.4.1 Reparations in this case are different from reparations made in a normal

case because they represent the state's response to a lack of adequate and effective mechanisms that would enable peaceful control of political conflict. Moreover, they demonstrate that the state is aware of, and recognizes, the pain and loss that occurred to all affected parties and that they share responsibility for such pain and loss. It is not appropriate that reparations in this case should depend upon the principles and measures relating to compensation and expenses ordinarily used by the state in cases of disaster.

To prevent future violent incidents and bring about reconciliation the government must employ special measures, which may not correspond exactly to existing rights under the legal framework or to the practices of agencies and organizations in a normal case.

5.4.2 The government should urgently and continuously provide reparation to

all affected parties. Groups to which reparations are made should not be limited to only those affected by the April - May 2010 incidents but should cover those affected by violent incidents related to political conflict since the 19 September 2006 coup. This should include

individuals, government officials, mass media and the members of the private sector as well as their families and other affected persons. In addition, the scope of the reparations and restoration should be extended to those affected at the level of area, community and society, particularly the residential neighborhoods and commercial areas affected by demonstrations and violent incidents.

5.4.3 The government should determine the reparation framework broadly to

be consistent with the actual situation of the incidents and to cover various types of loss - physical and mental - including economic loss; loss of opportunity; physical and mental suffering and pain from violent incidents; identity loss; loss of career; damage to residence, occupation, opportunity or expected profit; and restoration expenses.

The government must be aware that reparations can proceed in various ways and does not have to be limited to monetary reparation. There is wide variance in type and extent of damages and effects to individuals and their families and reparations and restoration must be consistent with each to ensure effective reparation and contribute to reconciliation. Some need money due to poverty and economic distress; some need an apology to restore honor to deceased and injured persons; some need occupation and career opportunities; some need perpetrators to be brought to justice; some need mental reparation, etc.

5.4.4 The government should establish an ad hoc committee mandated to

provide reparation to all affected parties. The ad hoc committee must effectively serve as a center in coordinating budgetary aid to ensure systematic, thorough and continuous reparation.

5.5 Besides those affected by violent incidents, reparation of those who have faced

unfair trials, which is a significant target group, is also a condition for bringing about reconciliation. The perception that they have been unfairly accused of committing offences and prosecuted, have been accused of unduly harsh offences, have been denied temporary release, and have not been given opportunities to defend their cases have affected them and their families economically and emotionally. These cases require urgent reparation.

Another matter of grave concern is the perception that the justice system fails to render justice but is used as a mechanism to deliver injustice. This has inevitably led to resentment and lack of faith in the justice system and has given rise to an ideological united front which is angry at the government. These issues represent a grave danger to the peace and stability of the country. TRCT is therefore of the opinion that reparations for those facing trials because of their actions during demonstrations should proceed as follows:

5.5.1 The fundamental rights of demonstrators and involved persons who are

detained in prisons throughout the country should be guaranteed. Accusations should be examined to ensure that they are not unduly harsh. The list of persons detained and defendants should be made complete and current. The categorization of detained persons and defendants should be revised and made more systematic. Reparation to those affected but who were left off the previously compiled list or who have not received reparation should be provided as soon as possible.

5.5.2 Remuneration should be paid to defendants after a final judgment is

made by the court to dismiss the case without further consideration of the defendant's innocence or guilt.

5.5.3 In respect to defendants who are convicted or who are denied release,

support should be provided to their families. For those acquitted, the government should have a policy to provide occupational and career support and advice to reduce acrimony and help them successfully integrate back into society.

5.6 TRCT expresses concern regarding the prosecution of individuals for lèse

majesté offences under Section 112 of Criminal Code and Computer Related Crime Act B.E. 2550 (2007).

The increase in the number of cases could have a political impact. TRCT believes that although the government has the obligation to vigorously protect the monarchy, regarded by Thai people with the utmost reverence, from being defamed by inappropriate behavior and acts, the use of criminal prosecution without due regard for criminal policy or control guidelines for proper enforcement during times of political conflict can create national and international complications, particularly in regard to freedom of expression. At present, the enforcement of lèse majesté laws in Thailand has become an issue of interest for the United Nations, international human rights organizations, and several foreign countries.

TRCT believes that the enforcement of lèse majesté laws during this period is

directly related to the political conflict inside the country. Finding an appropriate solution to this problem will benefit the monarchy and play a significant role in mitigating the conflict and expediting reconciliation. Regarding this matter, TRCT recommend the following:

5.6.1 Because of the sensitive nature of this issue, TRCT is of the opinion the

government must proceed by keeping in mind the final goal which is to protect and safeguard respect for the monarchy and to maintain its status of most exalted honor. The government should strictly and stringently proceed against those who defame and violate with malice against the monarchy. However, punishments should not be excessive or without direction or without regard to the sensitivity of the case as this might subsequently affect the monarchy domestically and internationally.

5.6.2 All parties involved in the conflict must proceed in a way that expresses

their reverence for the monarchy which is above political conflict. All parties must stop referring to the monarchy for political advantage, either directly or indirectly. A pertinent solution to the problem, addressing its root causes, can be achieved through serious discussion among relevant politicians, political parties, and political groups. Through such discussion, appropriate measures can be determined which will protect the revered monarchy from being referred to for political advantage.

5.6.3 The government should unify and integrate agencies involved in the

enforcement of lèse majesté laws. There should be a mechanism for determining appropriate criminal policy and for categorizing cases according to degree of behavior, intention, motivation to commit, status of the perpetrator, and overall context of the situation leading to the commission of the crime.

The current situation in Thai society should be taken into consideration.

The present political conflict is unique in that there are attempts to claim lack of loyalty to the monarchy and use this to create a political issue.

All parties must see that the highest advantage for all comes from honoring the monarchy.

5.6.4 In the prosecution of lèse majesté cases, prosecutors have an important

role. They must use discretion as to whether to prosecute or not and in doing so emphasize a means for ordering cases (Opportunity Principle). This is a universal power of the prosecutor.

Although there might be adequate evidence for ordering prosecution, the prosecutor must weigh the advantages and disadvantages of doing so, taking into account the public interest. In cases of lèse majesté, the prosecutor must consider whether ordering a prosecution or not ordering is more beneficial in protecting the honor of the monarchy. This is the method used in countries such as the Netherlands.

5.6.5 The government should arrange for the temporary release of accused

persons and defendants in lèse majesté cases, as the severity of the accusation is not a legal reason for denying the right to temporary release which is a fundamental right under the law. Courts usually grant temporary release in other cases which have a heavier punishment than lèse majesté cases such as for murder.

5.6.6 The government should consider reviewing the prosecution of cases

which expand the issue of lèse majesté law during political conflict such as the existing accusations and propaganda that there is a conspiracy to "overthrow the monarchy". In this respect, the interpretation of the law might be too broad to affect reconciliation in the nation and adversely affect the protection of the monarchy. Further prosecution must be undertaken by considering the explicit evidence regarding specific individual behaviors to prove guilt in accordance with the rule of law.

5.7 TRCT requests all parties to remain aware of the fact that the ongoing conflict

has gradually escalated over time and has now created serious divisions in Thai society. The problem cannot be solved by any one organization alone. All parties involved in the conflict - the government, civil society, the business sector, mass media, and the public at large - have a significant role to play in leading the country towards reconciliation. The government should facilitate exchange forums that will enable all parties in Thai society to understand

the cause of the conflict and to understand that such conflict is a phenomenon that occurs in every society during a major transition. In this regard, the government should vigorously support knowledge dissemination and the exchange of opinions through various media to support a mutual understanding of the root causes of the problem and the correct way to overcome the conflict. The creation of such an important knowledge asset will contribute to building a strong and sustainable democratic society.

5.8 TRCT has concluded that the root causes of the conflict and the violence that

erupted in April and May 2010 is not attributable to a single incident but is the result of repeated actions and incidents. TRCT has attempted to classify events according to importance, beginning with the adoption of the Constitutional Charter of the Kingdom of Thailand BE 2540 (1997) which set the stage for significant reforms, especially political reform, as well as administrative and monitoring mechanisms by several independent organizations such as the Constitutional Court, National Corruption Commission and the Election Commission.

The Thai Rak Thai party was the first elected government under the new politic

regime, on January 6th 2001, with Thaksin Shinawatra as a Prime Minister. After their first 4-year term, the Thai Rak Thai party gained a majority of votes in the parliamentary election of February 6th 2005 and was therefore able to form the government by itself. However, during its second term of administration, the government was confronted with many criticisms and accusations including policy corruption, parliamentary dictatorship, and intervention by independent entities which gravely affected the rule of law and the country's judicial administration.

It seemed that both administrative and legislative power rested with only a small

group of individuals and that they were intervening in the judicial process. This led to various anti-government protests. The most high profile group among the protesters was the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). This group developed a strong movement and had many supporters until the Prime Minister of the time, Thaksin Shinawatra, dissolved the Parliament.

In the subsequent election on April 2nd 2006, the Democrat Party, Chart Thai Party and Mahachon Party refused to enter the election. The Thai Rak Thai Party won the election but there were a tremendous number of no-voters and elections had to be called again in many districts. Eventually, the Constitutional Court decided that the election was invalid and the Cabinet passed a resolution to set new elections for October 15th 2006. This election in October never took place as there was a coup d'etat on September 19th 2006. An interim government was set up and repealed the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand B.E. 2540 (1997).

This led to the formation of another group of protestors under the name of Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) which hold a public protest on July 22nd 2007 outside the residence of Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda. A new constitution was drafted and enforced (Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand B.E. 2550), however; in the next election on December 23rd 2007 the People Power Party won and formed the new government. The People's Alliance for Democracy gathered and protested against the government once again, Between May and December 2008, PAD protestors invaded the Government House and the headquarters of the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand, they started rallies at the parliament which then has been dispersed on October 7th 2008.

Furthermore, PAD protestors blockade the Don Muang Airport as well as the Suvarnabhumi International airport. The People Power Party was dissolved and a new government was formed under the Democrat Party leadership. This led to countrywide protests by the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) and eventually led to the violence that occurred in April 2009, and, once again in April and May 2010.

5.9 The TRCT sees the root cause of conflicts that took place from the time of

promulgation of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand B.E. 2540 (1997) to the rampage in 2010 was the use of procedures that were against the rule of law and democratic procedure. In addition, law enforcement procedures were weak and inefficient leading to the use of power outside the system to solve problems. Such solutions resulted in even more problems.

The root cause of violent events in Thailand, in fact, was an Constitutional Court

judgment in 2004 in a case in which Thaksin Shinawatra was accused of acting against the Thai Constitution BE 2540 Section 259, famously known as "the hidden assets" case. The Constitutional Court did not follow the law which stated that in deciding a case in any court, the judge has to first see whether the case in front of the court is under its jurisdiction or not. This is referred to as a "Prerequisite for Prosecution". If the court sees that the case is under its jurisdiction, the court can then decide whether the accused is guilty of not according to the facts presented.

In this "hidden assets" case, the Constitutional Court duly decided the matter of "prerequisite" by a vote of 11 to 4 that the case was under its jurisdiction. However, in court proceedings regarding the facts of the case, seven judges found that Thaksin was guilty while six judges found that he was innocent. Surprisingly, two judges that had previously decided that the case was not under the Constitutional Court jurisdiction did not rule on the facts of the case. The court subsequently counted the two votes of these judges as "not guilty" which when combined with the existing not-guilty votes totaled eight not-guilty votes.

This meant that the decision of the court was that Thaksin was innocent of the charges. Such a decision is hard for normal people to understand and gives rise to suspicion. Moreover, the political atmosphere of the time was tense and expectations were so high that the Constitutional Court was shaken.

The fact that two judges did not decide on the facts of the case and the fact that

the court itself included their two votes as not guilty was a failure to comply with the law. There were actually two failures; the first was that the two judges did not decide on the case which is their duty to do so; and the second failure was the inclusion of the two novotes into the number of not-guilty votes. These make the judgment suspicious.

The Thai Constitution B.E.2540, section 303, states that a cause for discharging a person from their position is 'deliberate use of power against the rule of the Constitution or the law.' The afore-said malpractice of the two judges and the court itself was a distortion of law25, which led to serious ambiguity regarding the rule of law in Thailand.

Since the time the law was distorted in the case involving hidden assets of Thaksin in 2004, the government has not carried out any investigation of the case to determine the underlying reasons for such a suspicious occurrence. Therefore, the TRCT propose that the government along with relevant social agencies examine this case according to the rule of law.

-- The Nation 2011-12-09

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Thai ex-PM reports for questioning over rally crackdown: AFP

BANGKOK, December 9, 2011 (AFP) - Former Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva reported to police on Friday for questioning over a deadly military crackdown he oversaw on mass opposition protests in Bangkok last year.

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THAI operates first Asian passenger biofuel flight

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PM pledges hands-off on military affairs

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Chalerm launches crackdown on royal insult

The Nation

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung on Friday chaired a first meeting of his committee tasked to crackdown on websites deemed offensive to the monarchy.

"The focus of crackdown would be on websites spreading royal insult and undermining the national security," he said.

Chalerm said police would be the primary unit in charge of the crackdown and relevant agencies would cooperate in the police work.

The Chalerm committee comprise 22 senior-most officials, including permanent secretaries for Defence, Interior, Information and Communication Technology, Justice. National police chief, National Security Council secretary general and National Intelligence Agency director are also on the committee members.

-- The Nation 2011-12-09

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Village defence volunteer killed in Yala gunfight

YALA, Dec 9 – A village defence volunteer was killed Friday during an exchange of gunfire with presumed insurgents in Yala’s Raman district.

The killing took place after a combined force of government security personnel cordoned off a rubber plantation to hunt three men suspected of planning to incite unrest.

Yayah Dama, a 28-year-old village defence volunteer, was pronounced dead en route to Raman Hospital after being wounded in a 10-minute gunfight with the attackers early Friday morning, according to Jakwa police.

The government personnel raided a rubber plantation in Jakwa susbdistrict to seek the suspects.

A Kubakueloh village head told police that residents alerted him after seeing three men armed with AK-47 assault rifles walking around the area. He coordinated with Maj Artmart Nati, deputy commander of Yala Special Task Force Unit 12, and Jakwa police to lead combined forces of 30 security officials to cordon off the rubber plantation and surrounding area.

As the authorities searched the area in the early morning, the suspects ran from a house into the nearby rubber plantation. The suspected insurgents and government personnel exchanged gunfire for about 10 minutes. Mr Yayaha was seriously wounded and died en route to hospital.

Meanwhile, the presumed insurgents disappeared.

Suspects’ shoes and a firelock weapon were found at the scene and collected as evidence.

Investigators initially believed that the men belonged to an insurgent group, and that they were surveying the area to plan violence.

Anti-government violence has continued unabated on an almost daily basis in Thailand’s far South in a string of bombing and ambushes since the insurgency erupted in 2004. So far, violence has claimed the lives of approximately 4,800 residents and officials. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-12-09

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SET index closed at 1034, down 9.24; Bt/USD30.80; GBP47.97; AUD30.95; EUR40.89; CAD29.90; HKD3.95; SGD23.53; JPY39.46

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Confused Russians fight with transsexuals at South Pattaya Hotel

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10 Million Baht raid of shop selling counterfeit branded items in South Pattaya

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Rice Pledging Program Falls Short of Expectation Due to Flood Disaster

Even though the government reintroduced the rice pledging program in October, the quantity of crops admitted into the the program is still far below expectations due to the flood disaster.

Farmers in many provinces also complain about discriminatory measures by officials.

The first day of the rice pledging program for the 2011 to 2012 harvest in Kalasin Province was relatively quiet as more than 300,000 rai of farmland in five districts were damaged by the recent flood.

Kalasin Governor Somsak Suwansujarit reports that ten rice admission centers have been opened. More than 35 tons of unmilled rice from 9,947 farmers have been accepted into the program.

Somsak has also ordered police to keep a close eye on the border to prevent foreign rice from being smuggled in from neighboring countries to take advantage of the program.

Meanwhile, Surin Governor Niran Kalayanamit and related officials inspected rice mills and warehouses participating in the program in Prasat District.

So far, the authorities have not received any complaints about the program.

As of December 5, there are a total of 25,947 farmers registered with the program with more than 114,000 tons of unmilled rice admitted.

Also, more than 860 million baht has already been distributed to 10,213 farmers.

At the same time in Phitsanulok Province, some farmers are found to have been ineligible for the program because they have been refused certification by local agriculture officials.

Representatives from Wang Thong District have submitted a letter to the governor, demanding the issue be addressed.

More than 80 farmers have already harvested their crops, yet cannot participate in the pledging program after they were denied certification by local agriculture officials, who claim that the registration period has expired.

However, some other farmers were given certifications during the same time.

The disgruntled farmers say they do not want to sell their crops to local rice mills at a cheaper price of 4,000 baht per ton.

Furthermore, they were told by the Agriculture Ministry's district office that there is no time limit for the registration period, contradicting local officials' claim.

-- Tan Network 2011-12-09

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Pattaya Foreigners Demand Consumer Protection

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2011 Foreign Tourist Arrivals in Thailand Shrink over Floods

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AFP: SEAsia floods cost US$6.3 bln in lost output: UN

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to continue

Thailand Live Saturday 10 Dec 2011

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