Thai anti-coup leader released on bail

BANGKOK, July 2, 2014 (AFP) - A prominent Thai activist who led an anti-coup campaign using the three-finger salute from the "Hunger Games" films has been freed on bail after nearly a month in detention, officials said Wednesday.

Sombat Boonngamanong faces up to 14 years in jail on charges of incitement, computer crimes and ignoring a summons to turn himself in to the junta.

Following his release Tuesday he was taken to another court in the northeastern province of Roi Et to hear a separate charge of insulting the monarchy, which carries a punishment of up to 15 years in prison.

That case, filed by a member of the public, relates to a photo that Sombat allegedly posted online, said Roi Et chief investigator Lieutenant Colonel Suriya Saengonta.

"He denied the charge and said he did not intend to insult the monarchy," Suriya said.

Sombat was one of several hundred politicians, activists, academics and journalists called in by the junta following the May 22 coup.

Sombat, the leader of a faction of the "Red Shirts" movement that broadly supports fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, refused to turn himself in, posting a message on Facebook saying: "Catch me if you can".

While on the run he urged followers to stage peaceful public demonstrations, flashing the three-finger salute from "The Hunger Games" films that became a symbol of defiance against the junta.

He was later tracked down and arrested.

Sombat said Wednesday that he was not mistreated while being questioned in military detention.

"They were very gentle. There was no intimidation, no physical contact at all," he told AFP.

He said the legal cases against him were expected to proceed, and insisted he was innocent of insulting the monarchy.
Sombat said his bail conditions restrict him from further political involvement.

"I have to stay still unlike in the past when I was involved in a lot of activities," he said.

The military banned public protests and temporarily imposed a night-time curfew after the coup, which followed months of mass opposition protests and political violence.

Critics see the coup as a pretext for a long-planned power grab by the military-backed royalist establishment to purge politics of the influence of Thaksin, who was himself ousted by the army in 2006.

The billionaire tycoon-turned-populist politician lives in Dubai to avoid jail for a corruption conviction.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-07-02

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Nakorn Phanom opens biomass power plant

NAKHON PHANOM, 2 JULY 2014 (NNT)-Nakhon Phanom has opened a biomass power plant to boost the local economy by selling plants or plant-based materials to generate power.

The Nakhon Phanom Provincial Governor, Mr. Adisak Thepart, presided over the opening ceremony of the biomass power plant in Pla Pak, a district in Nakhon Phanom province in the northeast of Thailand.

The new energy plant is believed to help the area economically by allowing agriculturists and farmers to earn more income from the large amount of biomass material left over from farming.

Biomass is biological material derived from living, or recently alive organisms. It most often refers to plants or plant-based materials

Creating a bio-energy grid in this way will benefit people in Nakhon Phanom, as well as provide input for an overworked national power grid. The power produced will be distributed to governmental agencies and could also be distributed to the farmers in the future.


-- NNT 2014-07-02

Heavy rains trigger a mudslide in Ranong Province

RANONG, 2 July 2014 (NNT) - Ranong province has been battered by torrential rains for the past few days and eventually caused a 30 meter-long mudslide to flow down on the side of a rural road area.

Continuous rainfall during daytime and nighttime hours in Ranong province have softened the soil on the mountains next to a rural road in the Hat Som Paen village in the province. The mudslide that was triggered has brought down several tree branches on the side of the road. Even though the mudslide has caused the road to narrow down a bit, it still has not been completely blocked off.

However, there has been a concern on whether the road is safe to travel or not as it is rather steep and winding. Should any more mudslides occur in the next few days, then there is a possibility that the road may be fully blocked and that the slides could also bring down electric poles placed on the side of the road.


-- NNT 2014-07-02

Ayutthaya sends DDPM officers to check readiness to prevent flooding in September

AYUTTHAYA, 2 July 2014 (NNT) – Mr. Witthaya Phewphong, the Governor of Ayutthaya, reports that all local administrative organizations have been instructed to prepare for flood prevention due to the rainy season starting in July. It is necessary to prepare for flooding in September and October as it is a regular problem.

Canals will be dredged to remove obstacles to the flow of water. The province will take action to solve the problem of shallow rivers and canals and the issue of bank erosion.

The Provincial office of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation was instructed to check the contingency plans of each village, Subdistrict and district, to see how ready they are to handle the annual flood problems.


-- NNT 2014-07-02

VIDEO: A sneak peek into Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 4

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/739403-a-sneak-peek-into-singapore-changi-airport-terminal-4/

Thai military court approves 4th detention round for Chaturon
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, July 2 -- Thailand’s military court on Wednesday approved a police request for a fourth round of detention for former Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang before allowing him a temporary release as he was earlier granted bail.

Mr Chaturon reported to the military court in Bangkok this morning, even though police sought his further detention from July 3 to 14.

As he had been temporarily released for his past presence at the court, he was released again today.

Mr Chaturon was charged with refusing to report to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), violating the Computer Act and inciting unrest and violation of the law.

He has his team of lawyers to defend himself at the military court.

Narinpong Jinapak, Mr Chaturon's lawyer, said the legal team and Mr Chaturon would do their best in the defence as he faces many charges and is liable to severe punishment.

The lawyers would seek his temporary release again when police pressed charges with the court, Mr Narinpong said.

Some supporters from Chachoengsao province gathered at the military court to give him moral support.

Meanwhile, red-shirt activist Sombat Boonngam-anong, better known as Bor Kor Lai Jud (The Polka Dot Editor), was released on Bt300,000 bail on condition that he refrain from inciting unrest, violating the law and must not leave the country without permission from interrogators.

The military court had detained him since June 5 for defying NCPO orders. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-07-02

48 radio stations in South given okay

BANGKOK: -- The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has given 48 radio stations in border provinces in the South permission in principle to go on air during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Colonel Pramote Prom-in, spokesman for the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Region 4's forward command, said yesterday that the idea was to have the radio stations in Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla's four districts to support Islamic religious activities during Ramadan, which rns from June 28 to July 27.

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/48-radio-stations-in-South-given-okay-30237585.html


-- The Nation 2014-07-02

Britain launching global superbug fight

LONDON - Britain is to lead a global effort to combat antibiotic-resistant superbugs that threaten to knock medicine "back into the dark ages," Prime Minister David Cameron said Wednesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/739407-britain-launching-global-superbug-fight/

NCPO declares August 11 an official public holiday: Queen's birthday

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/739411-ncpo-declares-august-11-an-official-public-holiday-queens-birthday/

UPDATE

August 11 announced an extra holiday

BANGKOK; -- The National Council for Peace and Order has endorsed the proposal of the Tourism and Sports Ministry to announce August 11 as an extra holiday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/739411-ncpo-declares-august-11-an-official-public-holiday-queens-birthday-aug-12/?p=8048942#entry8048942

Thai Court Awards Abused Karen Girl $140K in Compensation
By NYEIN NYEIN / THE IRRAWADDY|

Thai reporters photograph a 12-year-old Karen girl who suffered extreme abuse at the hands of a Thai couple last year. The Thai prosecutor has thus far failed to open a criminal case against the perpetrators. (Photo: Pattaya Daily News)

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/739451-thai-court-awards-abused-karen-girl-140k-in-compensation/

to continue:

Thailand Live Thursday 3 Jul 2014

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/739498-thailand-live-thursday-3-jul-2014/