Thailand Live Tuesday 6 Jul 2010

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Deep South Rocked by Unabated Violence

Authorities in Pattani have stepped up security following the continuing spate of violence that killed and seriously injured many in neighboring Yala.

A rubber tapper was killed by a land mine while working in a rubber plantation in Yala's Thanto district. The victim is identified as 30-year-old Jua Sae-yang, who is a Hmong worker.

The blast occurred early this morning in a rubber plantation in Ban Sakai, a village near the Malaysian border, owned by Lim Pongthong.

Police said three similar incidents have taken place in the area. The authorities believed southern insurgents are responsible for the violence.

In another case, a group of gunmen opened fire on villagers in Yala municipality, injuring two locals.

They were identified as 51-year-old Suthep Charoensuk and 39-year-old Bang-orn Bondaeng.They were admited to Yala Hospital.

Another shooting incident was reported in Kabang district. Two villagers, 16-year-old Tammeesea Maming and 23-year-old Halea Silaroo, were severely injured.

After the bomb attack in Yala's Bannang Sata district which killed two paramilitary troopers and seriously injured another two yesterday, the injured rangers, Suriyan Ketkao and Sabai Maklua, are still under medical observation.

Meanwhile, Pattani provincial police chief Police Major General Pichet Pitisetthapan has ordered police in all 12 districts to coordinate with soldiers and local administrative officials to step up security throughout the province and also asked the public to help monitor dubious vehicles after insurgent attacks continued unabated in the area.

Under the security plan, security units have been instructed to double their vigilance and enforce a 24-hour patrol in high-risk areas.

-- Tan Network 2010-07-06

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Report: Public spots in Thailand go smoke-free

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Bomb-making tips found on notebook of suspected mastermind of Bhumjaithai bomb attack

Bomb-making tips are found on the notebook belonging to Warisriya Boonsom - a suspected mastermind behind the botched bomb attack on the Bhumjaithai Party.

Warisriya, who is now in detention, admitted owning the notebook but denied writing down those tips.

"The notebook was found inside her luggage bag," Department of Special Investigation (DSI) director general Tharit Pengdit said Tuesday.

Warisriya and her husband, Kobchai Boonplod, were arrested in Cambodia last Saturday and were extradited back on Monday. The couple fled out of Thailand on June 23, one day after the bomb attack took place.

-- The Nation 2010-07-06

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Senate begins DNA tests to help 984 stateless persons

A project to DNA test 984 underprivileged stateless persons to verify their Thai citizenship was launched at Parliament Tuesday.

The activity is part of the Senate's celebration of His Majesty the King's 84th birthday on December 5, 2011.

Deputy Senate Speaker Nikhom Waiyaratchapanit said thousands of stateless persons were living in Thailand without any civil status or citizen's rights as other Thais.

A DNA test could accurately determine their blood relationship to Thais and thus their Thai citizenship. As harmony was needed in the county, this project could help promote love, faith and pride in being Thai, he said while presiding over the ceremony.

The 984 poor stateless persons who had passed initial screening would be allowed to use their DNA test results to back up their request to add their name to a Thai household registration, said Tuang Anthachai, chairman of the Chalermphrakiat DNA test committee.

-- The Nation 2010-07-06

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Kanchanaburi Army base chief denies detaining red shirts

The commander of the Kanchanaburi-based 9th Infantry Division Tuesday denied that red-shirt protesters were being detained at his base.

Maj Gen Uthit Sunthorn, the commander of division, said no red-shirt people were transported to the base for detaining as alleged by Pheu Thai Party MPs.

-- The Nation 2010-07-06

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GREENPEACE

Indonesia free Thai activists

By The Nation

Indonesian police on Tuesday agreed to release a group of 14 Greenpeace activists, including four Thais, who were briefly detained for campaigning against use of coals in the country.

Police said the group conducted the campaign without permission as they entered Indonesia with a tourist visa. Moreover they were alleged with causing chaos during their campaign.

The Thais detained were Suthi Attchasai, a core leader of Eastern People's Network and a member of four-party Map Ta Phut committee, two Greenpeace staffs and a Map Ta Phut villager. They are expected to arrive Bangkok on Wednesday.

Also detained and freed were activists from China, India, Philippines and Indonesia.

Earlier Suthi sent SMS to reporters and NGOs in Thailand that he was detained in a police station of Cirebon City for already 12 hours. He asked for help.

An official of Green Peace office in Bangkok said that Suthi travelled to Jakarta of Indonesia to join a group of activists from China, India, Philippines and Indonesia which campaigned and demanded for all the governments and people to reduce using of coal.

Accompanying him was Tara Buakamsri, campaign manager of Green Peace in Bangkok.

However it is still unclear whether Tara is with him and why he was detained in Corebon which is a city on the north coast of Java, approximately 297 km East of Jakarta.

Thai NGOs have already alerted Thai Embassy in Jakara about the matter.

-- The Nation 2010-07-06

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SET index closed at 815.52, up 11.49; Bt/USD32.03; GBP48.51; AUD26.91; EUR40.22; CAD29.92; HKD4.06; SGD22.93; JPY36.22

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Russian Arrested During Child Prostitution Busts In Pattaya

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Mystery of missing boyfriend at Bali Hai Port

Pattaya Bar Girl shot by mistake

Police raid well known South Pattaya pharmacy

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AMNESTY

Amnesty for those who return war weapons : PM

By The Nation

Cabinet on Tuesday endorsed an amnesty for those who have in possession war weapons and returned them to the authorities, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said.

Abhisit said the Cabinet will then submit the draft of the amnesty to the Parliament for approval.

If it passes the Parliament, the law will take effect within 60 days.

Abhisit said the law is an amnesty for those who possessed the war weapons, including explosives and ammunitions, to return to the authorities so that they would not be prosecuted.

The prime minister was speaking after chairing the weekly cabinet meeting at the Government House.

-- The Nation 2010-07-06

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Full-Moon frazzled Swiss tourist in weapons shop rampage

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Police urged to catch thief who killed boy, 13

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Santhan Chayanont urged investigators Tuesday to speed up their work in the case of a thief stabbing a 13-year-old boy to death to rob him of a Bt3,000 Nokia mobile phone on Sunday.

The victim's mother Janthra Thangthong, 24, filed a police complaint early on Monday, saying that her son Kittipop Poungsombat, 13, had been to his friend's birthday party at 4pm the previous day, before going to watch a movie at Central Rama II mall.

Her last phone conversation with her son was around 9pm. A receiver hung up on two calls after that before the signal was lost. She later was told by rescue workers that her son had been stabbed and pronounced dead at Bang Prakok 1 Hospital.

-- The Nation 2010-07-06

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to be continued

Thailand Live Wednesday 7 July 2010

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