POLITICAL VIOLENCE

Over 2,000 register for compensation

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- A total of 2,129 people have registered for compensation relating to events stemming from the political conflict since 2005, according to the chairman of a government subcommittee dealing with the matter.

Tongthong Chandrangsu, who chairs the subcommittee responsible for civil rehabilitation and recovery, said yesterday he expected payment to begin in late April for victims with no legal problems. Registration ends on April 12.

The families of two foreigners killed during the political turmoil in 2010 - a Japanese and an Italian - would be paid lump sums of Bt7.5 million each through the Foreign Ministry, according to Tongthong, who is also permanent secretary of the Prime Minister's Office.

He said families of the deceased Thai victims would be paid in cash and partly in Government Saving Bank lottery deposits valued at Bt4.5 million.

The 2,129 registered cases include 187 deaths, 70 disabilities, 91 cases involving the loss of important organs, 138 serious injuries, 430 injuries and 736 minor injuries.

Tongthong said the three-year GSB lottery deposits might be withdrawn before the stated maturity date, although the offered interest would be reduced as penalty for early withdrawal.

In cases where beneficiaries are minors, he said, the cash would be deposited with the GSB. The minors would each be given Bt5,000 every month from their accounts and would be entitled to the entire amount when they reach legal age. His subcommittee would take care of complex cases.

He said the subcommittee dealing with compensation to businesses affected by the political conflict would report findings about losses to his panel at its next meeting in late April.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court yesterday postponed a hearing concerning the death of Army Private Narongsak Sala, who was shot dead near the National Memorial on April 28, 2010, during a clash between government security forces and red-shirt protesters.

The trial was postponed until June 18, as more witnesses needed to be contacted about testifying.

At the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court, prosecution witnesses were heard in a separate case against red-shirt protesters Saichon Paebua and Pinit Channarong, who were accused of setting fire to Central-World on May 19, 2010, the day the red shirt leaders announced an end to their three-month protest.

Prosecutors say Saichon, Pinit and a number of other people still at large caused damage of Bt8.89 billion and one death in burning the shopping complex, located next to the red shirts' main rally site at the Ratchaprasong intersection.

A lawyer for the two defendants, Akom Ratanapojanart, said yesterday his clients had been detained at the special prison for political cases in Bang Khen. Courts had rejected repeated requests for them to get temporary release, he said.

-- The Nation 2012-03-20

The 2,129 registered cases include 187 deaths

curious what the breakdown of that total number is...

.