sriracha john

Previous article expanded...

Red shirts submits royal petition

Will today end peacefully or will there be untoward incidents? Follow the developments as they happen.

We hope today will not end in any manner that belies the red shirts' much-proclaimed intention. They are supposed to seek forgiveness, or mercy, or whatever they want to call it, so let's hope the purportedly humble nature of their campaign stays that way throughout the day and beyound.

I will update key developments as they happen and give some analyses if necessary. In my opinion, Thaksin Shinawatra's supporters have the right to seek royal petition for him, as long as they respect whatever judgement or decision of HM the King afterwards. This doesn't mean I agree with claims in the petition that Thaksin's conviction was unfair. The Ratchadapisek land deal is a simple, straightforward case, and, with or without the coup, it broke the law.

10 am: Veera Musigapong, a red-shirted leader, said members of the movement will soon march to a gate of the Grand Palace, singing "Sadudee Maha Raja" (Love Live the Great King) along the way. There they will meet a royal representative.

One highlight is that Thaksin will sing along from his overseas hideout.

10.45 am: Thaksin has given a message through video link watched by his supporters gathering at Sanam Luang. Still adamant that his conviction was "a joke", he said seeking help from the monarch was his last resort. "We need to rely on His Majesty in order to bring back justice and peace" to Thailand, he said.

"It's funny how the owners, the buyers and the sellers were all acquitted while I was the only one who was convicted," he said.

Thaksin, I need to remind you, was convicted for giving consent to his then-spouse Pojaman to buy the lucrative Ratchapisek piece of land, thus breaking a law that prohibits such practice.

Wearing a red shirt, Thaksin said he wished HM the King to have a long life like Phra Anond. According to Buddhist history, Lord Buddha's closest aide passed away when he was 120 years old.

When he finished his speech, Thaksin turned and bowed to the portraits of Their Majesties the King and the Queen behind him.

11.30 am: The red parade had been taking peaceful shape. Veera wore a white shirt with a red necktie. In front of the parade were monks and students carrying Thai flags and HM the King's portraits. According to the plan, only about 15 red representatives will meet their royal counterparts around 1 pm. Afterwards, it has been said, all the petitioners will disperse.

The red-shirt movement insisted that the petition was endorsed by more than 5 million signatures. The signed papers are contained in more than 500 boxes wrapped with red clothes. Each box reportedly contains 10,000 signed papers.

1 pm: The submission ceremony has begun in front of the Wiset Chaisri gate of the Grand Palace.

The petition has been submitted. It is Veera Musigapong who reads from the petition to Injun Buraphan, deputy private secretary of His Majesty the King, during the submission ceremony.

1:03 pm: It has been very peaceful so far.

-- The Nation 2009-08-17

Le Fevre's article restores some faith in the integrity of this board. This is an excellent attempt at balanced journalism by "Thai Visa News". I commend them for it.

This subject matter will be increasingly corroberated in days to come. There were just too many involved and too much pressure exerted. Even 'Government Officials' pro-government inclinations are sorely tested by such arm twisting. It wont take much of a journalist's efforts in the near future to expose more details.

I just hope that all this 'smoke and noise' doesn't detract from the "legitimate" Citizen's supplication going forward and being considered solely on its' merits without all these frantic Govt'l illegitimate counter-measures clouding the process.

These coercive Govt. tactics have been observed on a broad front in this area for over a week now, but I didn't expect the English Language Media to report it.............But they did.

Be appreciative of this you Farangs, and thankful for some balance.

What does your alleged Thai Language media have to report on the threatening civil servants with their jobs? Please provide some links to corroborating stories.

I'm still waiting on any corroboration of another story in which it was also suggested we wait for as well, when it was questioned on whether or not a "pandemic" was actually occurring in Thai prisons and as yet there's been none in the past 11 days.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Pandemic-AH1...26.html&hl=

Is this what is going to be expected now. Print the news and then wait a week to see if it's real?

Hammered, in addition to the facts in Le Fevre'e report, I heard an additonal piece of information, that puts all those individual actions of the "Governors" into context.

Apparently, all Governors were given marching orders to produce 100,000 signatures from their province.

Apart from the as-yet-uncorroborated "facts" in the OP, do you have any corroboration or even the source of your latest addition?

Additionally, a response from the questions put forth to you yesterday, that remain unresponded to, would be nice.

Refer to:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=2942226

I guess we never will see those Thai language media reports confirming the OP nor corroboration of the new "100,000 signatures from provinces" claim.... at least, not from this claimant.

Red-shirts people submit petition

Red-shirts people submitted the Thaksin pardon petition to officials of the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary Monday afternoon.

The red-shirt people arrived at the Wiset Chaisri Gate at 12:25 pm.

They submitted the petition at about 1 pm to Injun Buraphan, deputy private secretary of His Majesty the King.

-- The Nation 2009-08-17

I think we've seen enough questioning of sources and some of it is pretty lame. Because someone is a convicted heroin trafficker doesn't mean his report has to be completely discounted (only verified).

which brings us back to square one... as that "verified" aspect is what people have been asking for with the OP... except now, we are looking to have verification of someone who supposedly verified the OP.

Basically because some posters don't like the story, they attempt to destroy the sources, from the journalist on down.

Who would dislike the story itself? Are we to believe there are pro-swine flu members?

The "sources" have destroyed the reliability factor themselves... as the two sources we have been provided are both incarcerated felons (one named and the other unnamed, one on a blog and one in an anonymous email). That, to me, is "lame" as far as the news credibility is concerned.

Some 10,000 red-shirt people descend on Sanam Luang

Some 10,000 red-shirt people from many provinces arrived at Sanam Luang at about 5 am Monday.

They arrived on buses and other vehicles from northern, northeastern and central provinces, such as Chiang Mai, Lampang, Nakhon Sawan, Udon Thani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram and Bangkok's satellite provinces.

The rally ground was surrounded by some 500 guards of the red-shirt movement who wore black clothes.

-- The Nation 2009-08-17

Newin faces moment of truth

44 defendants to hear rubber saplings ruling

Heavyweight political playmaker Newin Chidchob faces a possible 20-year jail term today - his future hinging on the Supreme Court ruling on the controversial rubber sapling procurement project. "I am prepared for whatever the verdict will be," he told the Bangkok Post.

The Buriram politician said he "had nothing to be worried about" and would appear at the court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions today. "As long as I believe that I did not commit any wrongdoing, I have no reason to be scared," he said, adding that he would face his fate rather than run away.

The case involves 44 defendants but the spotlight is clearly on Newin, who played behind-the-scenes roles in the formation of the coalition government led by the Democrat Party. Other key defendants are former Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, former Deputy Finance Minister Varathep Ratanakorn, former Agriculture Minister Sora-at Klinprathum and former Commerce Minister Adisai Bodharamik.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2216...moment-of-truth

-- Bangkok Post 2009-08-17

Rubber-sapling verdict : D-day for Newin

Today is D-Day for the Supreme Court to rule on whether Newin Chidchob, currently the core leader of the coalition Bhum Jai Thai Party, is guilty of wrongdoing in the 1.4 Billion Baht rubber saplings project of a few years ago.

The now-defunct Assets Examination Committee (AEC) and National Counter Corruption Commission, now known as the National Anti-Corruption Commission, indicted 44 people, including Newin, for alleged involvement in irregularities in the procurement of 90 million saplings to dispense to farmers.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Supachai Phosu, a key member of Bhum Jai Thai Party, said Newin definitely would be present in court. His Party's key members would also attend to give Newin moral support.

Former Deputy Finance Minister Varathep Ratanakorn said he would be there to hear the court's ruling. He had not talked to others about whether they would all attend, but he believed they would.

"All are likely to go [to court] as they all are summoned. As far as I know, nobody has said [they will] not go. If any do not, [they] must have acceptable reasons," he said.

A source close to Sora-at Klinprathum said Sora-at would hear the ruling with the other defendants.

All had testified before the court in person according to legal requirements.

Prosecution lawyer Jessada Anujaree said on Friday today's verdict session could be delayed for 30 days if some of the 44 defendants informed the court they could not show up. However, the court might issue arrest warrants if they did not have sound reasons.

It is the second of 14 cases scrutinised by the AEC that has been forwarded to the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders.

The first case involved the controversial purchase of property on Ratchadaphisek Road, which ended with the sentencing of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to two years in jail for abuse of authority, causing Thaksin to flee abroad.

The NACC accused the 44 politicians and state officials of malfeasance in office, abuse of authority and fraud.

Besides Newin, four other defendants are important politicians, namely Somkid Jatusripitak, then the Deputy Prime Minister who Chaired a Committee on policies and measures to help farmers; Varathep Ratanakorn, then Deputy Finance Minister; Sora-at Klinprathum, then Agriculture Minister; and Adisai Bodharamik, then Commerce Minister.

Pheu Thai Party MPs and the red shirts had leaked news that Newin would take off and not appear before the court to hear the verdict. Newin denied the rumour, saying he would not run away.

"I am Thai, Thai nationality and I am ready to go through the country's justice system and I am bowing to the verdict to be handed down by the judges in every case. I will appear in court on August 17," he said.

Newin was Thaksin's right-hand man when he ran the project, but Newin changed sides and his new party helped spring the Democrat Party into government. This may be the reason why Newin is confident and ready to hear his fate in court.

Banjerd Singkaneti, Chairman of the AEC's committee that investigated the rubber sapling deal, said the case is totally up to the court to decide. He does not believe that Newin, as one of the defendants, would have any influence on the deliberation. "The judges will rule in accordance with the facts and evidence and will not drag politics into the case," he said.

Jessada Anujaree, acting as the NACC's attorney, said he had put together a solid case with enough incriminating evidence to bring the culprits to justice. Jessada said laws and regulations had been amended in favour of certain interest groups to commit bidding collusion.

Today's corruption scene was different from the past, he said, when politicians accepting kickbacks from bidders could be probed more easily by checking their connections.

"I hope the case - about graft at the policy-making level - will set a standard in anti-corruption investigations. The verdict is up to the court's judgement," he said.

-- The Nation 2009-08-17

Thaksin calls on Govt not to block his petition

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra Sunday called on the government not to block the red-shirt people from petition His Majesty the King for a royal pardon from him.

Thaksin made the call during his phone-in to address some 10,000 red-shirt people who gathered at the stadium of Prachanukroh School in Nakhon Sawan's Muang district at 9:10 pm.

He said the people planned to submit the petition because they thought they had suffering so they wanted to seek help from His Majesty the King.

-- The Nation 2009-08-17

Fears of clashes loom

Reds present petition today; Newin supporters to gather outside court

Two gripping political dramas reach their climaxes today - the lodging of a petition to His Majesty the King seeking clemency for former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, and the reading of the Supreme Court's verdict in the rubber-sapling case against Bhum Jai Thai Party core leader Newin Chidchob.

The red-shirted supporters of Thaksin will march to the Grand Palace, where at Wiset Chaisri Gate they will hand the appeal to a representative from the Office of His Majesty's Private Secretary.

At the same time, the blue-shirted devotees of Newin will turn up at the Supreme Court's Political Division for Political Office Holders, which is located near Sanam Luang.

Since the two activities will take place very close by, authorities are afraid there could be clashes between the red shirts and blue shirts if they do not get the political results they want.

The red shirts will converge at Sanam Luang in the morning and Thaksin will phone in to their rally at about 10am.

The verdict in the rubber case against 44 defendants, including Newin, will be read out at 2pm.

Suriyasai Katasila, coordinator for the People's Alliance for Democracy, warned of a possible political twist if a third party took the opportunity to create a scene for its own benefit.

He questioned the impassive stance by military leaders, saying they will be the key factor wielding influence over the situation.

"It is very strange that they have kept very quiet, giving no comment,'' he said. Thaksin left a message on Facebook and Twitter that he was composing a speech to address to the gathering of his supporters.

He said it was what had been on his mind, that he wanted to speak out long ago, but he had not found a more suitable opportunity than today to do so.

Jatuporn Promphan, a core leader of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship, said Thaksin would call in twice - before the filing of the petition and afterwards. Veera Musikapong would lead the representatives to present the petition, then the gathering would be disbanded before 2pm.

He said he had learned that people were hired for Bt1,000 to provoke the red shirts. He warned the blue-shirt leaders that the red shirts were prepared for such a scenario and were determined to bring the plotters of turmoil to justice.

He said the red shirts would not move to the courthouse and he was told that there had been a plan to make the court postpone the verdict for one month by having some defendants not show up.

Two large tents were put up at Sanam Luang as a makeshift stage, equipped with loudspeakers and tables for more signatures from Thaksin's supporters. The red shirts will start arriving at 1 in the morning.

The petitioning procession will be headed by bearers of Thai flags and Dhammachak flags, representing religion, followed by a group of monks, holders of the petition and the general public. It will move from Sanam Luang to Wiset Chaisri Gate of the Grand Palace to submit the petition to representatives.

A Royal Household Bureau source said the 15 red-shirt representatives would not be allowed to enter the palace as requested by their leaders to prevent possible disturbances and to keep peace and order within the palace.

Traffic will be blocked off at Na Phralan and Na Phrathat roads to prevent any confrontation between the red and blue shirts.

Panithan Wattanayakorn, PM's deputy secretary-general and acting government spokesman, downplayed fears of scuffles between the two rival political groups, saying he believes the red shirts only intended to file the petition and resort to peaceful means.

-- The Nation 2009-08-17

The author of this story is obviously working with an agenda (same can be said of many posters of course). Go through his twitter postings, and the postings of the people he is responding to. There are discussions about manufacturing news, ie working with the red twitter groups to create coup stories prior to certain events. Also note that none of this news appears on any other sites, and on the red twitter groups the author frequents he himself only links to this ThaiVisa thread and not to any other news sources.

And yes, I would be happy to entertain additional scrutiny of ALL news articles, including the anti Thaksin ones.

I've had a look at Lefevre's twitter aacount and out of hundreds of tweeps (?) he's sent and received I can find four that have been sent to him from the supposed "red news sources" that he is alleged to be a member of. I also saw that he has exchanged some tweeps with the finance minister korn and follows the tweeps from Abhisit and some other government ministers as well as a hole bunch of media organizations - but lets not let the facts stand in the way of a good lynching.

I also found stories of his dating back to the 90s from Rwanda and a some links to his blog on Wikipedia for stories on the asian economic crisis and the genocide inRwanda as well as some articles onthe asian economic crisis written by him reproduced in text books.

Personally I find the attacks on the writer by people such as Insight, Animatic and Sirracha John to be bordering on slanderous. How many replies do you get when you demand CNN or even websites such as TMZ reveal their sources or explain how they got a story? Do you mob who are so quick to slander someone from behind your annonymous nicknames with no profile information do the same to reporters for other media organizations?

Seem their are plenty of people more interested inthe writer than what is being written about and the way the attacks are allowed to remain on this forum is a sad indictment of the whole forum - one reason I don't post a lot.

It's fairly obvious that some peopel here are so dyed in the wool anti-Thaksinists that no matter what was written by who they would attack the writer first as a way to try and discredit the story. This is classic misinformation tactics at its best. Before slagging off at the writer how about people with the biggest mouths, such as those I mentioned earlier, disclosing what their interests, employers and memberships are and filling out their profiles.

From what I've seen lefevre has tracable background in journalism. Insight, Animatic and Sirracha John are nobody's except on this forum where they are again, annonymous nobodies.

As for Sirracha John bitching about lefevres story on A(H1N1) in Bang Kwang, I've already posted something to that thread today I found while researching Bang Kwang and suggest that those with the loudest mouths should be the ones lining up first to offer their apologies as it seems Lefevre and ThaiVisa broke that story and brought some changes to the prisoner treatment by Thai authorities.

I've read and posted on the other thread following your addition in which I question aloud if a convicted, incarcerated heroin trafficker is actually a suitable news source to corroborate a news article that's based on the anonymous email writings of another convicted, incarcerated felon who is unnamed.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=2947659

btw.... that's question, not "bitching"... not "loud mouth"... not "slanderous" or any other personal inflammatory text you chose to use.

While doing some research on Bang Kwang today stumbled across a website today titled I am a prisoner in the Bangkok Hilton.

The site seems to be produced on behalf of someone named Gary Jones who claims to be a 58 year old computer consultant imprisoned in Bang Kwang.

From having read through thei thread I can't help but feel there are more than a few people who have posted comments attacking the author of the original story that owe him an apology

It will be interesting to see if those with the loud mouths and over eager pens are a quick to congratulate him and ThaiVisa on breaking this story.

So then, we've had the OP....

Pandemic A(H1N1) active inside Bang Kwang Central Prison

By John Le Fevre

BANGKOK: -- A British national in Thailand’s infamous Bang Kwang Central Prison has written to the charity Prisoners Abroad asking if it or the British Embassy in Bangkok has plans to pay for the flu treatment drug Tamiflu (also sold under the generic name oseltamivir), for jailed Brits in Thailand.

According to the prisoner, who requested his name not be divulged, as of July 13 two prisoners and one prison guard had died from the pandemic A(H1N1) virus, originally termed swine flu, with at least one other guard at that time “seriously ill” in hospital.

The author says he believes

An unnamed prisoner, without corroboration, is now a source of news AND an "author"??

but it's now been backed up by yet another incarcerated prisoner, a convicted heroin trafficker...

Hi,

A friend of mine, Gary Graeme Jones, 56, is a British prisoner serving 25 years in Bang Kwang for trafficking heroin.

I remember a time when the News Clippings Forum contained articles that was actually written by non-imprisoned journalists working for accredited news agencies...

oh well, the good ol' days have seemed to pass.

Wichien: Only 50 UDD supporters allowed to file amnesty petition tomorrow

BANGKOK, 16 August 2009 (NNT) – Acting National Police Chief Police General Wichien Pojphosri announced that only 50 supporters of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) would be allowed to present the Royal Pardon petition with the Bureau of the Royal Household tomorrow.

Police General Wichien stated that he had convened with related sectors to adopt measures to curb the situation during the UDD rally to petition for a Royal Pardon for fugitive ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on 17 August.

The Acting National Police Chief assured that 1,500 officers would be deployed at Sanam Luang while Na Phra Lan Road would be closed from Thammasat University to Wiset Chaisi Gate of the Royal Palace.

Police General Wichien insisted that only a group of 50 UDD supporters would be allowed to file the petition and boxes of related documents at Wiset Chaisi Gate.

He elaborated that representatives of the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary would come to receive the petition, and the police would carry all the documents into the Bureau of the Royal Household accordingly.

-- NNT 2009-08-16

Please help me understand - why exactly do monks have to step in? Did I miss the part where Thaksin became holy?

He's been wholly unholy for quite some time...

Matichon news

Poll: UDD´s royal pardon is politically-motivated

BANGKOK, 16 August 2009 (NNT) - The majority of the respondents of the recent survey of the Suan Dusit Rajabhat University agreed that the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship's (UDD) royal pardon was politically-motivated.

The Suan Dusit poll conducted a survey among people on their viewpoints toward the ongoing amnesty petition for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The poll showed that majority of respondents or 37.17 said the matter was a political game to win the rivalry by dragging the royal institution into politics; 28.93% said their actions might cause social chaos; 20.43% viewed that the people were used as a political tool and the remaining 13.47% stated that the petitioners should abide by the law rather than seek for royal pardon.

In addition, the survey indicated that majority of respondents or 27.54% voiced concerns over the possible violence between two groups while urging all sides not to pressure the royal institution.

The respondents also felt pity on the people who were exploited as political tools. 36.07% of respondents believed that the royal pardon would not end with bloodshed while urging all sides to avoid clashes.

-- NNT 2009-08-16

Nearly 300 illegal taxi drivers, tour guides nabbed at Suvarnabhumi Airport

BANGKOK, Aug 16 (TNA) – Police arrested nearly 300 unlicensed taxi drivers and tour guides in the two-week crackdown on crime at Suvarnabhumi Airport, said Piyapan Champasut, who chairs the board of directors of Airports of Thailand (AoT), the private corporation which oversees all operations there.

Police and AOT security personnel have worked together to crack down on illegal taxi drivers and tour guides at Suvarnabhumi Airport since July 31. Two hundred and five unlicensed taxi drivers and 83 illegal tour guides have so far been arrested, Mr. Piyapan said.

More than 100 officials work daily at the airport and more 30 surveillance cameras were installed to capture the footage of scammers.

Regarding baggage theft, Mr. Piyapan said that AOT will meet with representatives of two companies – Bangkok Flight Services (BFS) and Thai Airways International (THAI) -- to consider improved policies on preventing baggage theft. The two companies are service providers at the airport.

Revised policies are expected to be implemented by September1, he said adding the policies include installing more surveillance cameras, and requiring baggage handlers to wear uniforms without pockets.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Saturday ordered airport officials to resolve malpractice problems at Suvarnabhumi Airport and restore confidence among foreign tourists.

After inspecting airport facilities and talking with AoT officials in problem-areas, including duty-free shops, unlicensed taxis, baggage theft and civil servants representing themselves as higher, well-connected officials, Mr. Abhisit said guidelines would be laid out so that transparency and tourist confidence could be restored at the airport.

An international news reports recently said that a number of international – British, Danish and Irish in particular – reported they were falsely accused of shoplifting at Suvarnabhumi airport and some reported being taken away from the airport where they were intimidated and gave thousands of dollars in scams they said were to avoid arrest and prosecution.

-- TNA 2009-08-16

5 monks, 10 red-shirt supporters to submit petition next Monday

BANGKOK, 15 August 2009 (NNT) – Five monks and other 10 red-shirt supporters will submit their petition to seek the royal pardon for the ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra next Monday.

Each petition has three pages with one signature at the bottom of the third page.

10,000 petitions is 30,000 sheets of paper, or 66.6 stacks of regular A4 paper(450 sheets), and it would weigh 130kg, if they use 70 g/m2 paper.

Multiplied up to equal 6,000,000 petitions means quite a bit of a heavy load for just 15 people to carry.

Or will they be driving 15 fork lifts?

5 monks, 10 red-shirt supporters to submit petition next Monday

BANGKOK, 15 August 2009 (NNT) – Five monks and other 10 red-shirt supporters will submit their petition to seek the royal pardon for the ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra next Monday.

Veera Musikkaphong, one of the core leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), said the petition would be submitted at Wiset Chaisi Gate of the Grand Palace, where officials from the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary would accept the petition.

Veera said the former premier would phone-in around 10.00 am on the same day in order to greet and express his appreciation to his supporters prior to the submission of the petition. He added the former premier’s speech in his phone-in would exclude political subjects.

Veera said 1,000 monks and another 1,000 red-shirt supporters would march from Thammasat University to Wiset Chaisi Gate of the Grand palace, but only five monks and other 10 red-shirt supporters amongst them will be representatives to submit their petition.

-- NNT 2009-08-15

I wonder who the 'Designated Runner' will be?

If one's a no show no verdict??

All 44 showed up when they were initially arraigned last September... but that's certainly less perilous for them than showing up for the verdict reading...

All 44 defendants claim innocence in the 1.4 Billion Baht rubber saplings case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday convened the arraignment hearing for 44 defendants, including five former Cabinet members, for graft charges relating to the 1.4 Billion Baht rubber saplings case.

The case happened under the Thaksin Shinawatra administration.

After the high court read out graft charges, the 44 defendants entered a plea of not guilty and claimed trial.

Would you by any chance have a list of all of the accused?

I've not found a list of all the names personally, but 5 of them are the Thaksin Cabinet Ministers depicted in the OP. The remaining ones are...

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders decided yesterday to commence a trial over alleged irregularities in the 1.4 Billion Baht project. The 44 suspects are divided into three groups.

The first group involves political office-holders who sat on a committee screening projects for the Cabinet, a panel on policies and measures to help farmers, and a team that managed the rubber sapling project which set terms of reference for the bidding.

The second group is state officials on the committee that oversaw the bidding.

The third group is the companies that were allegedly involved, namely Charoen Pokphand Seeds, Resort Land, and Ek Charoen Agriculture.

and also, a further breakdown on the numbers...

15 staff members from three private companies involved in the bidding process, including Charoen Pokphand Seed Company, Resort Land Limited Company, and Eak Charoen Agriculture, are also among the 44 defendants.

Wichien told to prevent city clashes

Caretaker National Police Chief Wichien Pojphosri has been ordered to ensure no clashes between supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and those of Newin Chidchob tomorrow. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva gave the order to head off any confrontation between the groups, which are likely to gather close to each other in the city.

At the Grand Palace, the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship will submit to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary their petition seeking a royal pardon for Thaksin.

At nearby Sanam Luang, supporters of Newin will gather at the Criminal Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions to hear its verdict on the rubber sapling project. Newin has been implicated in irregularities in the scheme.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2212...nt-city-clashes

-- Bangkok Post 2009-08-16

Antiques dealer who sold £20 million of cannabis jailed

An antiques dealer who used his shop as a front to sell more than £20million worth of cannabis has been jailed for ten years.

Christopher Woodings, 27, used the warehouse for his business AIO Antiques to receive and process six tonnes of the drug.

Customs and Revenue officers were led to his business when they intercepted crates at Heathrow Airport that contained 'fresh flowering' skunk from Thailand.

Woodings, a father-of-one, admitted importing and supplying cannabis and was given two ten year jail terms to run concurrently at Warwick Crown Court.

The court heard how Woodings started the business in Coventry in January 2007 after losing his job and wanted extra money to support his three year-old daughter.

He imported 80 kilos of cannabis a week - worth up to £500,000 - hidden inside air filters from Thailand. Woodings then passed on the drugs to other dealers around the West Midlands who sold it on for profit.

Police raided his three-bedroom home and found 40 invoices for the shipments from Thailand.

It is estimated that the total street value of those shipments - six tonnes of cannabis - would have been around £20 million.

But Judge Christopher Hodson said the actual amount that was not traced could have been ''much higher''.

Louise Pierrepoint, prosecuting, said: ''The defendant set up the antiques business which was seemingly legitimate to the outside world.

''But that business was merely a front for importing massive amounts of cannabis that were sold on. The drugs came in crates with false bottoms which were then unpacked inside the shop with two other employees.

''There were a large number of invoices found at his home which suggest there would have been around £20 million, or six tonnes of drugs, that he handled.''

Judge Hodson sentenced Woodings to ten years for importing cannabis and ten years for supply to run consecutively.

He said: ''This was an example of importing cannabis on a massive scale. The defendant admits that he was sometimes recieveing several shipments a week which would make the actual total much higher.

''Somebody was making a lot of money from this operation but those higher up have never been arrested.''

Kate Illiffe, defending, said: ''Mr Woodings was doing the dirty work for somebody else and he tried to get out of it but they wouldn't let him. He had admitted that what he did was wrong and accepted responsibility for his actions.''

- Telegraph (UK) / 2009-08-14

Fake Coventry firm hid drugs operation

A DAD from Coventry used a fake business on the outskirts of the city as a front for an international cannabis smuggling operation.

Yesterday Christopher Woodings, aged 27, was jailed for ten years for his role in a scam which brought up to £19 million [1,070,844,867 Thai Baht] of cannabis into the UK during 18 months.

Woodings, of Somerset Road, Radford, was arrested following an undercover police sting.

The court heard he used a fake antiques business in Binley Woods, to act as a front for smuggling tonnes of illegal drugs into the country.

Woodings, who also duped his ­fiancée and their three-year-old child, that his money was made legitimately by the antiques business, formed the UK arm of a plot, which brought cannabis into the UK from Thailand.

It involved hiding packages of cannabis inside the false bottoms of metal water filters which were loaded on to crates and flown from Thailand into Heathrow Airport.

When first interviewed by police, Woodings maintained he was selling the filters on for scrap and was unaware of the drugs.

But during a third police interview – five months later – he admitted the crates had been delivered to his business unit based at OIA Adventure Warehouse in Binley Woods. From there the crates were taken to a garage in London Road, Whitley, where they were taken apart and the drugs recovered from inside.

Prosecuting, Louise Pierpoint told the court some 40 courier invoices had been recovered from Woodings’ home, detailing “regular” deliveries of ‘in-line filter systems’ to his business between June 27, 2007 and June 20, 2008.

Woodings later admitted the scam had been operating for longer but could not remember the exact number of deliveries he had received.

Ms Pierpoint said that if the deliveries continued at the same frequency throughout the 18 months, almost six tonnes of cannabis could have been imported with a street value of up to £19 million.

The plot was foiled when two consignments were searched at Heathrow Airport on June 17 last year.

After customs officials rumbled the smuggled drugs, the deliveries were allowed to continue on their route and were tracked to Woodings’ business and then to his ­garage in London Road. While the drugs were being unloaded police officers swooped and Woodings was arrested.

He initially denied knowledge of the operation but months later requested an interview with police, where he made a full admission of his involvement and revealed he had been paid £72,000 for his role.

Woodings, who at the time of his arrest had an “increasing cocaine addiction” was charged with four counts of acquiring possession of ­illegal drugs, three counts of supplying controlled drugs and one count of possession with intent to supply, relating to a stash of cannabis found in his kitchen. He admitted all charges.

Kate Iliffe, defending, said: “He was the man who got his hands dirty. I am not going to stand here on his behalf and make excuses for him and suggest he was roped into this or did not know what he was doing.

“He plainly did. He was approached and the suggestion was put to him. He went into this with his eyes open.

“He is the man the paper trail led to – both with the invoices in his house and other documents.

“It was always him who was going to be found. It was him effectively taking the risk and taking the responsibilty of these deliveries at this end.

“He was being paid a wage for what he was doing. He was effectively the foot soldier in this.”

- Coventry Telegraph / 2009-08-15

Thaksin petition will be thrown out: PM

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday that the petition by supporters of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra to seek Royal clemency for him would be rejected as it did not conform to legal criteria.

Abhisit said Thaksin himself or his family must be the petitioners.

He said normally the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary would seek the government's opinion about the petition and if the government believed the petition did not conform to the criteria, it could dismiss it on the grounds of legality.

He said that if the red shirts filed a general-complaint petition, the government would look into the matter but a political petition was another matter.

The prime minister said he had instructed caretaker national police chief General Wichian Pojphosri to try to prevent clashes between two political rival groups with events expected to take place close to each other tomorrow.

One event is the verdict in the rubber-sapling case to be read at the Supreme Court's Political Division for Political Office Holders.

The PM urged the red shirts to rally within the frame of the law after a report that they planned to stage a protest outside Government House. "The country is moving forward: do not let it trip,'' he said.

Meanwhile the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will send 200 municipal police to check CCTVs installed at significant spots around Sanam Luang yesterday night to ensure that they work properly, and security officials will stand by at some spots to prevent anyone from damaging the CCTVs. Mobile medical units will also be sent to the area tomorrow morning.

Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Thanathip Sawangsaeng said the military was ready to help police if they needed its support to keep the peace in the capital.

Veera Musikapong, a leader of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship, said the red-shirt rally would start in the morning at Sanam Luang with Thaksin phoning in to thank his supporters, who would move to the Bureau of the Royal Household at 1pm. They will sing the royal anthem before dispersing at 2pm, he said.

He said there would not be any clash, even if the red shirts were provoked.

Special Branch Police Bureau commissioner Lt-General Theeradet Rodpothong said police expected about 20,000 red shirts from 50 provinces would come to Bangkok to attend the rally.

Meanwhile, Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Political Sciences Dean Charat Suwanmala lectured yesterday on petitioning for clemency, saying laws in most countries opposes amnesty for politicians convicted of conflict of interest.

"If politicians are sentenced to jail and a government siding with them legislates to grant amnesty, the justice system is under the influence of lawmakers and the government, and the balance of power is disrupted,'' he said.

-- The Nation 2009-08-16

Godheads R Us has a new product line...

I am the light of the world. My word is omnipresent.

Has anyone in recent memory seen an ego this huge?

His role model and fellow SE Asian dictator Marcos liked his likeness built into the sides of mountains...

40 hours after the OP and as yet.... no corroboration.

Its unidentified sources and vaguely-worded points joins the earlier cited pandemic flu in prisons thread which was based on an unnamed, incarcerated felon's email as the news source is a disturbing trend.

*edit. Also, still waiting for Ferwert's Thai language media links as well as any justification for his own gossipy, unsubstantiated reports that he was asked about.