THAI-MALAYSIAN TIES
Malaysia's armed forces chief visits to boost bilateral military ties

BANGKOK: -- Malaysian Armed Forces chief Gen Zulkifeli bin Mohhd Zin is paying a two-day visit to Thailand to boost military relations between the two neighboring countries.

Gen Zulkifeli, who arrived in Thailand on Tuesday, was welcomed by General Prayuth Chan-ocha, Thai Army Chief and head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), at the Thai Army headquarters.

His visit to Thailand as the guest of the Royal Thai Armed Forces is the first ever by the Malaysian Armed Forces chief.

The visit has demonstrated Kuala Lumpur's strong ties with Thailand, especially in defense, and Malaysia was the first country whose military top brass has visited Thailand since the coup.

Thailand has continued to maintain close military ties with countries, despite the United States and Australia having downgraded official ties, following the NCPO seizure of administrative power on May 22.


-- The Nation 2014-06-04

National reconciliation efforts are underway
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, June 4 -- All administrative sectors have geared up for national reconciliation as preparation for reform was underway to restore happiness to the Thai people.

Gen Surasak Kanchanarat, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Defence, convened a working group tasked with restoring happiness to the people at the Defence Ministry.

Gen Surasak, the acting Permanent Secretary for Defence, presented a four-stage process for public happiness restoration and the national reform roadmap of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

The four-stage process consists of public hearings, reports of findings from such forums to the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) that handles reconciliation for national reform, analysis of people's opinions from such forums and proposals to the NCPO.

National reconciliation attempts are proceeding in the provinces.

In Chiang Rai, provincial army chief Maj Gen Patana Matmongkol, Chiang Rai governor Pongsak Wangsamer, and Chiang Rai police chief Pol Maj Gen Wanchai Suwansirikhet met heads of local communities to convince them to help promote reconciliation.

In Lamphun, Maj Gen Suthas Jarumanee, commander of the 7th Infantry Division, and Col Boonyuen Inkwang, chief-of-staff of the same division, met heads of local government offices and communities for the same purpose.

This evening, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the 2nd Cavalry Division and the Metropolitan Police Division 1 will organize many activities for public well-being at Victory Monument.

The activities will include a concert, a trade fair, checkup services and a show by cavalrymen.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva asked the NCPO to reveal the details of its national reconciliation plan.

Mr Abhisit said he supported the council's intentions to promote reconciliation from the local to national levels. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-06-04

Four NSPRT leaders surrendered to the DSI this morning to hear insurrection and other charges in connection with their anti-govt protests along with the PDRC. /Bangkok Post

PRD is holding the first Music in the Park Festival tomorrow to promote happiness

BANGKOK, 4 June 2014 (NNT) - The Government Public Relations Department (PRD) is holding a Music in the Park festival to bring happiness back to the public, every Thursday, starting June 5th.

The music festival at The Government Public Relations Department, Soi Ari Samphan is beginning tomorrow for the first time to restore happiness to society after the political crisis has eased up. The Music in the Park festival will be held every Thursday, from 16.30 pm onward and is free. All kinds of music will be played to entertain every generation.

Director-General Apinant Chantharangsi added we all need to promote a weekly family day in Thai society other than the Songkran holiday which is only once a year. To be united, family unity should start first and since we are in the land of smiles, in the reign of His Majesty the King, we should all become united once again.


-- NNT 2014-06-04

Large number of bombs, M-16 ammunition in good condition found in canal surrounding Government House /MCOT

10-Year-Old Boy Sole Provider for Bedridden Parents
By Khaosod English


10-year-old Geng is the sole provider for both of his parents, who have been bedridden for years.

SUKHOTHAI — Before going to school every morning, ten-year-old Geng cooks, feeds, and bathes his parents, who have not been unable to leave their beds for years. He also sweeps and cleans his family’s one-story house, washes the dishes, does the laundry, and empties his parents’ bedpans.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/731706-10-year-old-thai-boy-sole-provider-for-bedridden-parents/

Body wrapped in fertilizer sack, tent found on Bangkok's Phadung Krung Kasem canal near Makhawan Bridge in search operation at protester rally site /MCOT

Thailand regains top rice exporter crown
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, June 4 - Thailand has regained the top spot for rice exporters after the first four months of this year, according to Thai Rice Exporters Association.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/731711-thailand-regains-top-rice-exporter-crown/

Phuket gets ready to celebrate World Environment Day
The Phuket News


Climate change will have consequences on all aspects of life on the planet, especially food supplies. Image courtesy of the European Environment Agency

PHUKET: -- Tomorrow (June 5) is World Environment Day (WED), an annual day designated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to promote environmental stewardship in urban centres across the globe.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/731712-phuket-gets-ready-to-celebrate-world-environment-day/

Moroccan arrested for faking credit cards
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Metropolitan police on Wednesday announced they had arrested a Moroccan man in Bangkok's Hua Mak area for allegedly falsifying credit cards.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/731715-moroccan-arrested-in-bangkok-for-faking-credit-cards/

Abhisit voices support for NCPO's efforts to defuse conflicts at grassroots level

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva Wednesday voiced support for the National Council for Peace and Order's conception of the Reconciliation Centre for Reforms (RCR) to defuse conflicts at grassroots level.

Abhisit said using the bottomtop approach in wooing support of the grassroots and dissolving conflicts might help bridge national divide and bring about reconciliation, which is the NCPO top agenda.


-- The Nation 2014-06-04

Body Found In BKK Canal During Search For PCAD Weapons
By Khaosod English


Troops from the 1st Region Army, police, and staff from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration found a dead body in the Padung Krung Kasem canal this morning.

BANGKOK — Soldiers say they uncovered a dead body in the canal next to the Government House in Bangkok during a search for weapons discarded by former anti-government protesters today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/731718-body-found-in-bangkok-canal-during-search-for-pcad-weapons/

Coca-Cola send three Thais to World Cup camp

BANGKOK: -- Coca-Cola have handed three young Thai football players an opportunity to live their dreams by taking part in the Copa Camp prior to the kickoff of the World Cup next week.

Apart from the camp to be held between June 10 and 15, the Thai trio will also have a chance to watch the opening match of arguably the world's biggest sporting event between Brazil and Croatia on June 12.


-- The Nation 2014-06-04

Public Health Ministry to crackdown on illegal beauty clinics nationwide

BANGKOK, 4 June 2014 (NNT) - The Ministry of Public Health has assigned all of its branches across Thailand to shut down illegal beauty clinics and has cautioned the public not to be easily misled by the media.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/731720-crackdown-on-illegal-beauty-clinics-in-thailand/

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NCPO: Social media used to discredit military
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, June 4 -- The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) said there were attempts to discredit the armed forces via social media following the May 22 coup.

Speaking at a daily press briefing at the Government House, Army deputy spokesperson Col Winthai Suwaree said there were users of social networks spreading distorted information to tarnish the military.

Col Winthai said one of the reports claimed that a group of undercover soldiers abused their power by raiding people’s houses, and he denied such incidents.

He said if soldiers were to search homes, they would wear uniforms and conduct the search in cooperation with police and administrative officers.

The army spokesperson also said that the majority of Thailand’s joint military exercises with other counties remained intact following the coup. Only the United States and Australia have postponed military programmes with Thailand.

He also declined to answer questions from journalists of when an interim Constitution would be drafted. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-06-04

US Becomes Punching Bag For Pro-Coup Thais
By Khaosod English

BANGKOK — Supporters of the military coup in Thailand are demanding the United States, the kingdom's biggest western ally, stop meddling in Thai politics.

After the Thai army seized power on 22 May, the US cut military aid to Thailand to demonstrate its opposition to the coup.

Prominent American officials, such as US Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel, have also called on the military junta’s National Council of Peace and Order (NCPO) to return to a civilian administration and organise elections as soon as possible. US Ambassador to Thailand Kristy Kenny has echoed this call.

These actions have outraged pro-coup supporters, many of whom belong to a conservative political class known for its ultra-nationalism and strong loyalty to the Thai monarchy.

'Khun Ying' Songsuda Yodmanee, chairwoman of the American University Alumni Association (AUAA), said in a press conference on Sunday that the United States' “meddling in Thai politics” will only lead to a loss of friendship between the two nations.

"It is time for the US Department of State to treat allies of the US in equal status, not as colonies of the US," Ms. Songsuda said. "Thailand has never been colonised by anyone, and we will continue to maintain our independence and liberty."

"All of executive committee members of the AUAA have graduated from American universities. We know the US almost as much as we know our country," explained Ms. Songsuda, who is the daughter of Field Marshal Thanorm Kittikachorn, the military dictator who was ousted in a student uprising in 1973.

Ms. Songsuda added that the AUAA plans to submit a formal letter to the US Embassy in Bangkok to inform them about the “true” situation in Thailand. She stressed that the AUAA's action are not political.

"We do this as friends who wish well for the US,” Ms. Songsuda said. “This is not a political commentary, because the AUAA is not involved in politics."

Her sentiment has been echoed by a number of pro-coup columnists in Thai media. For instance, the author of a recent column in the pro-establishment Naewna newspaper claimed he received information from "Thais living in the United States" about an "evil plan" being plotted by Western superpowers to organise a resistance against the Thai military junta.

Another column, written by Somtow Sucharitkul in The Nation, urges the United States to be more understanding of the situation in Thailand, warning that the American officials may come to regret their "knee-jerk" reaction toward the coup in Thailand in the future.

"I believe that the General did the one thing that could allow the opposing camps to retreat without losing face," Somtow wrote. "He chose between incurring the wrath of the international community and saving his country from a civil war."

Yesterday, a private Thai badminton team announced it would withdraw from a tournament in the US to protest the country’s condemnation of the coup.

Similar attitudes have been expressed among supporters of the coup on social media, as reflected by the ongoing online campaign to have Ms. Kenny, the American ambassador to Thailand, removed from her position.

"The countless acts of unprofessionalism, well documented in her never-ending Twitter selfies, reflect negatively on her position and the American people as a whole," reads an online petition submitted to the White House website. "The United States deserves professional representation to restore credibility to the American people in the region and provide an accurate assessment as the situation unfolds."

The petition has garnered about 8,000 signatures so far and will likely fall short of the 100,000 signatures required for the White House to make a formal response.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1401876214&section=11&typecate=06


-- Khaosod English 2014-06-04

NCPO: Military exercises with foreign countries carried on

BANGKOK, 6 June 2014 (NNT) - The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) confirms foreign countries still join military exercises with Thailand except the U.S. and Australia which have cancelled some courses. The council also dismissed the rumors that plainclothes police and military officers have raided domiciles.

Deputy spokesman of the NCPO Col.Winthai Suwaree said after the council’s meeting on Wednesday morning that Thailand’s cooperation on military exercises with many countries was continued as usual. As for the rumors of raids by plainclothes police and military officers on houses of civilians, the deputy spokesman said the rumors, spreading in the social media, were not true, saying that they might be aimed at creating a situation.

Col.Winthai added that a raid was usually a joint operation between the military, police and administrative officers. The officers are required to wear their uniforms in the operation and the house owner can ask them to identify themselves.


-- NNT 2014-06-04

Police have confirmed they will not reinvestigate the Akeyuth Anchanbutr murder case unless new evidence emerges. /Bangkok Post

Deputy leader of NCPO visits the ministry of culture to regain people's happiness

BANGKOK, 4 June 2014 (NNT)- The deputy leader of National Council for Peace and Order is to visit the Ministry of Culture to monitor plans to resume a happy atmosphere in Thailand.

The meeting, was also attended by Admiral Narong Pipathanasai (Royal Thai Navy Commander), deputy leader of the NCPO as chief of the social psychology department and executives of the government ministry of culture to further propose both short term and long term measures to the NCPO’s culture chief. Measures that are said to be part of the country’s social road map.


-- NNT 2014-06-04

NCPO: China and Vietnam maintain good relations with Thailand

BANGKOK, 4 June 2014 (NNT) - The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has reported that the recent visits by the Chinese and Vietnamese ambassadors to the Thai supreme commander signified their continued good relations with Thailand and said the ambassadors understood the situation in the country.

Member of the NCOP team of spokesman Capt.Yongyuth Maiyalarp said Moody’s assignment of the same rating to Thailand showed that Thailand still had strong foundations despite political problems. Moreover, the ambassadors’ courtesy calls to Thai Supreme Commander Gen.Thanasak Patimaprakorn, who was also the deputy chief of the NCPO, reflected that China and Vietnam were still friends of Thailand, he said.

Capt.Yongyuth added that the Malaysian supreme commander were officially visiting Thailand on 3-4 June and had already met with army chief and head of the NCPO Gen.Prayuth Chan-ocha. The Malaysian supreme commander had confirmed Malaysia supported Thailand and the Malaysian army was still on good terms with its Thai counterpart.


-- NNT 2014-06-04

NCPO to be asked to slash household LPG price

BANGKOK: -- The so-called Thai Energy Reform Group will propose the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to slash the price of liquefied petroleum gas or LPG for household from 22.63 baht/kilogramme to 21.38 baht/kilogramme as charged on LPG for transport.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/731780-ncpo-to-be-asked-to-slash-household-lpg-price/#entry7928776

PATTANI: -- Two special action force policemen were injured when an unknown group of Muslim militants attacked a police special action force base at Bann Kor Laedee in Muang district of Pattani before dus with grenades and assault rifles..

Combined force of police, soldiers were combing the area as they believed the assailants are still inside the area.

-- Thai PBS 2014-06-04

73 taxi drivers arrested in Phuket anti-mafia drive
Anthika Muangrod


Crackdown leaders, from left: Royal Thai Army Maj Gen Peerapol Wiriyakul, Pol Lt Gen Panya Mamen and Gov Maitri Inthusut.

PHUKET: Seventy-three taxi drivers were arrested today (June 4) in a massive joint operation by police and armed forces in Phuket.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/731785-73-taxi-drivers-arrested-in-phuket-anti-mafia-drive/

Suspects in grenade attack on PDRC rally in Trat arrested

Trat provincial police Wednesday arrested two suspects who they said were involved in the M 79 grenade attack at the rally of the PDR protesters in Trat which killed two children and a woman on February 22.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/731786-suspects-in-grenade-attack-on-pdrc-rally-in-trat-arrested/

Reconciliation goes in full swing at Victory Monument



BANGKOK: -- The Victory Monument was filled with joys and smiles when soldiers, police and city officials turn dancers and singers to entertain the passing people with hope to bring back unity to the divided societies under the strong determination of the head of the National Council for Peace and Order Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha.

Entertainment activities held this evening from 4.00 p.m. until 7.00 p.m. brought out hundreds of smiles in central Bangkok.

The event was intended by the junta chief to become the starting point for national reconciliation that people have long waited to see and achieve.

Musicians in both police and army uniforms went on the stage to perform their music to entertain people here at the Victory Monument. But hundreds of police and soldiers were also deployed to ensure that the event went peacefully without any disruption by anti-coup protesters.

The entertainment event started right at 4 p.m. or an hour before office closure hours under the heat of the sung.

However the boiling temperature did not deter people from this event here.

It started up with free concert by soldiers and police officers, who went up on the stage and danced and sang songs to entertain people.

Near the performance stage, free drink and food were provided as well as free health checks, and ID card issuance by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

The free food arranged by the Army drew many to queue up to fresh up their body and get ready for dances.

One favorite dish is omelet on rice, stir-fried chicken with ginger and chili sauce.

The Army also debuts its newly composed song “Returning Happiness to the People” at the stage.

It was played and sang for the first time during this event.

These activities aimed to shed light on Thai value and culture and reduce the colour conflict that has dominated the Thai societies for a decade.

One participant said she would like such event to take place again as it could bring happiness and joys to all people.

It was good to see Thais united and would also like to see an end to the conflict, she added.

Chief of the police psychological unit Pol Sub Lt Surachai Praponsiri said he advised all

subordinates to do all they could to make people smile and laugh.”Their smiles are our happiness,” he said.

The event went smooth and well without any untoward incident.

The army, police and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BAM) will discuss again of when such activities will be organized to promote reconciliation and return happiness to the people

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/reconciliation-goes-full-swing-victory-monument/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reconciliation-goes-full-swing-victory-monument

-- Thai PBS 2014-06-04

to continue:

Thailand Live Thursday 5 Jun 2014

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/731826-thailand-live-thursday-5-jun-2014/