31st December 2006

Sixty-eight people were killed and 760 injured in road accidents throughout the country on Dec 29, the second day of the New Year casualties-counting period. The death toll from the two days now stands at 109 with 1,300 injured. Altogether 696 road accidents were recorded on Dec 29, the second of seven days in the most dangerous period for New Year travel, said Transport Minister Theera Haocharoen. Drink-driving remained the most common factor in the accidents reported, accounting for almost 37%, followed by speeding (21%) and cutting in front of other vehicles (10%), said Adm Theera. Motorcycles accounted for 86% of vehicles involved in accidents, followed by pick-up trucks (7%) and private cars (3%). Adm Theera said anyone caught speeding, drunk driving or riding a motorcycle without a helmet would be arrested.

The government and the Council for National Security (CNS) must work harder and faster to win public acceptance or brace themselves for a resurrection of the old power clique, Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said yesterday. The veteran politician called on the cabinet of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont to make good its promises to carry out political and economic reforms, restore national reconciliation and re-install the rule of law. He said the CNS needs to make greater headway into solving the problems cited as the reasons for staging the Sept 19 coup to oust the government of Thaksin Shinawatra. They include division in the country, corruption, interference in independent agencies and activities verging on lese majeste. ''Otherwise, those removed from power would find justification for returning to power. This would throw the country into disruption,'' Mr Suthep said.
He said next year would truly be a year of political and economic reforms that would bring together members of all social sectors to work together to achieve them. As soon as the CNS lifts its ban on political activities, the Democrat party will organise its ''People's Assembly'' forums to sound out public opinion on the new constitution in all provinces across the country. ''The Democrat party can wait for the new election, no matter how long that takes. ''We aim to modernise the party under Mr Abhisit (Vejjajiva)'s leadership,'' he said.

30th december 2006

The government yesterday pointed to huge losses incurred from the populist rice mortgage scheme over the past two years as its critics kept up the pressure on Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and coup leader Gen Sonthi Boonyaratklin. The flaws in the rice mortgage scheme were released in what was seen as ''convenient timing'' to show the damage incurred by the previous government.
Thirapong Tangthirasunant, manager of the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, said the rice mortgage scheme during 2004-2006 incurred losses of some 43 billion baht. Mr Thirapong said the losses were due to the high prices set for the mortgage scheme, which had hoped to set the benchmark market price. The market price did not go up as projected, however.
The disclosures came as pro-democracy activists called on Gen Surayud to step down as prime minister over his land holding in Nakhon Ratchasima, and critics of the Sept 19 coup accused Gen Sonthi of registering two marriages. Pro-democracy activists led by Sant Hatthirat and Weng Tochirakarn insisted Gen Surayud went against the spirit of the law by building a house on land which was intended for landless farmers to make a living on. ''If he believes it takes moral integrity to run the country, he should consider stepping down. He even said himself it [the status of the land] is grey. He'd better review himself before it blows up in his face,'' they said in an open letter. The Forestry Department is now investigating the 20-rai plot on Khao Yai Thiang hill and Gen Surayud on Wednesday said he was ready to step down if he was found to be in the wrong. Earlier, Kamol Bandaipet, legal adviser of the former ruling Thai Rak Thai party, maintained that Gen Surayud broke the relevant forestry law and knew full well what he was doing was wrong.
Gen Sonthi, army chief and leader of the Council for National Security, is accused by the White Dove group of lying about his marital status by registering two marriages, thus breaking the Criminal Code's Articles 137 and 157.

The daily violence in the southern provinces continues. A school director and a teacher were killed and their bodies set on fire in Muang district of Yala early yesterday morning. The two charred bodies were identified as those of Chamnong Chupatpong, 59, director of Ban Bado school in tambon Yupo, and Manu Sornkaew, 52, a teacher. The attack took place 100 metres from the school. Chamnong and Manu were in a pick-up truck on their way to work when they were attacked. Police said four assailants on motorcycles approached their pick-up truck and shot them dead before dragging their bodies from the vehicle. They then soaked the bodies with petrol before setting fire to them and the pick-up, police said.
Before the brutal killing, the attackers placed metal spikes on two roads to Bado village and placed suspicious-looking objects on two bridges in an apparent attempt to divert police attention from the attack against the teachers.
Adinan Pakbara, director of Yala education zone 2, said Ban Bado school was closed immediately following the killing as teachers and students feared for their safety.
Elsewhere in Yala, a house owned by Baema Puteh, a villager in Than To district, was burned to the ground on Thursday night. No one was injured. Police believe the arson attack was linked to the insurgency.
Meanwhile, an intelligence source said southern insurgents were stocking up on homemade explosives which they planned to hide in milk cans imported from neighbouring Malaysia.

Forty-one people were killed and 540 injured in road accidents across the country on Dec 28, the first of seven days in the most dangerous period for New Year travel. Deputy Interior Minister Banyat Chansena said yesterday that there were 497 road accidents on Dec 28 alone.

29th December 2006

The Public Health Ministry has lost its appeal for a total ban on liquor advertisements, forcing it to turn to the Public Relations Department (PRD) for recourse. The Council of State yesterday upheld its opinion against the Food and Drug Administration's proposed ban on alcohol advertisements, a health ministry source said.
The alcohol reduction lobby will now try a new approach. Narong Sahamethapat, deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said the national alcohol consumption control committee would submit a package of measures to the cabinet on Jan 9. Apart from an all day advertising ban on television which seeks help from the PRD, the measures would include tax hikes for all kinds of liquor including local rice whisky, and the printing of graphic health warnings on liquor bottles.

National Disaster Warning Centre (NDWC) chief Smith Dharmasarojana is furious at a recent move by the government to transfer the department from the Prime Ministers's Office to the Meteorological Department, which he likened yesterday to drawing the ''final curtain'' on it. Mr Smith's reaction came after Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont endorsed the transfer proposed by Deputy Prime Minister Kosit Panpiemras, chairman of the committee on the national disaster warning system.

From now on, smokers will find it harder than ever to find a place to light up because every public area will be a smoke-free zone following the latest ministerial order from the Public Health Minister. According to the order, which takes effect today, offenders will face a Bt2,000 fine, while owners who allow smoking on their premises or fail to place a no-smoking notice will be charged up to Bt20,000. The ban forbids smoking on public transport, at bus stops, in elevators, public phone booths, libraries, theatres, children's playgrounds, drugstores, meeting rooms, massage parlours and spas. Smoking in indoor stadiums is also banned(excluding snooker rooms). The ban on smoking also includes schools and educational institutes. Air-conditioned areas in art exhibition halls, galleries, museums, shopping malls, barbershops, Internet cafes and karaoke booths are also no-smoking zones. The ban includes the lobbies of hotels, resorts, condominiums, apartments and restaurants, excluding entertainment areas.

28th December 2006

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department's director-general Anucha Mokhawes yesterday warned people living along the coastline and fishermen to keep abreast of weather forecasts and heed warnings. A southern weather bureau has already warned fishing trawlers against going out to sea for the time being. Waves will be between two and three meters high today and tomorrow. "People living around the Gulf of Thailand from Nakhon Si Thammarat down should be particularly watchful," the bureau's director Kamonsri Seneetantikul said yesterday.
Earlier this month, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chumphon, Songkhla and Narathiwat were hit by big waves.
Dr Traiphop Pongsuwan, a geophysicist at the Prince of Songkla University, believed global warming would bring more storms to the Gulf and big waves along the coastlines.

Internet access in Thailand has slowed to a crawl, with up to 90 per cent of e-mail and web access impossible. There was no word from CAT Telecom, the government monopoly which supplies all Internet service to Thailand. The situation will continue for some time after underwater cables were damaged in Taiwan,s earthquake. Repairs could take three weeks according to Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom Co Vice-General Manager Lin Jen-hung, but quality would improve daily.

27th December 2006

An earthquake south of the Pingtung County township of Hengchun, Taiwan, has caused damage to an underwater cable and this has interrupted communications with Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong. Today's unreliable internet connection is being attributed to this situation.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake, which hit at 8:26 p.m. (1226 GMT), registered magnitude 7.1, while Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau measured it at 6.7. It was followed eight minutes later by an aftershock registering 7.0, the USGS said.

26th December 2006

Revenue Department director-general Sirote Swasdipanich and four other senior officials were sacked from the civil service yesterday for failing to properly assess tax payable by Bannapot Damapong, Mr Thaksin's brother-in-law. A subcommittee chaired by M.R. Pridiyathorn unanimously agreed yesterday to fire all five technocrats for their conduct relating to why 4.5 million shares of Shin Corp "gifted" to Mr Bannapot by Khunying Potjaman, wife of Mr Thaksin, through her maid, valued at 738 million baht, did not incur any personal tax liability. "I sympathise with the officials, but all were fired from the civil service based on the decision by the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) that malfeasance and negligence had occurred," he said. Finance permanent secretary Suparut Kawatkul said the dismissal order would be announced within three days. All five officials have the right to appeal the dismissal with the Civil Service Commission.
It also emerged that the former prime minister, former transport minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit and 20 other officials will face an inquiry into the Suvarnabhumi airport project after the Assets Scrutiny Committee found grounds yesterday to pursue the case. ASC spokesman Sak Kosaengruang said the ASC found Mr Thaksin, Mr Suriya Jungrungreangkit and 20 other officials had abused their power in the procurement of the baggage handling system and 26 CTX 9000 explosives scanners for Suvarnabhumi airport.
The panel also decided to ask the Bank of Thailand to take action against Khunying Potjaman in the 772-million-baht land deal made with the BoT's Financial Institutions Development Fund on the grounds that she improperly bought the land on Ratchadaphisek road as her husband was in power as government leader.

25th December 2006

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

Poor construction at Suvarnabhumi may force parts of the new airport to be shut down for repairs. This would open the way for the recently abandoned Don Muang airport to be re-opened to serve Bangkok's air traffic needs. Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongcha-um said yesterday that following a recent report on the problems facing Suvarnabhumi airport, it was likely that part of the new facility would have to be closed and Don Muang airport would pick up the slack. Some people had suggested the airport, open less than three months, be completely closed for a revamp, with flights being redirected to Don Muang until the improvements are completed, Mr Sansern said. He was opposed to that. Trying to move everything back to Don Muang would cause chaos.
The Council for Democratic Reform (now the Council for National Security) asked about the readiness of Suvarnabhumi airport just after the Sept 19 coup, but executives of the Airports of Thailand (AoT) had insisted the airport was ready for the scheduled Sept 28 opening. Opening the airport before it was completed had inevitably led to problems. If the opening had been delayed to allow work to be finished properly, the airport would have started on a more solid footing.

24th December 2006

The Council for National Security (CNS) launched its first major publicity offensive in Chiang Mai yesterday, aimed at curbing political undercurrents and uniting the country in the post-Thaksin era. Patience is wearing thin in the council and interim government with the growing number of arson attacks against schools across the country since the military staged its coup d'etat on Sept 19. According to the Interior Ministry, 24 schools, 10 of them in the North and 14 in northeastern provinces, have gone up in flames. Authorities believe most were burned down by arsonists in an attempt to challenge the CNS and the interim government. Twenty-four village and tambon chiefs, representing every district in Chiang Mai, were summoned to meet CNS chairman and army chief Sonthi Boonyaratkalin at the Pha Muang Task Force head office here.
Later in the day, Gen Sonthi took to the stage at the 700th Anniversary Chiang Mai stadium where he spoke before 30,000 supporters from the northern provinces, calling on the country to unite. "From now on, the people and the armed forces must be united," he said, stressing the role of local leaders in mobilising their people to forge unity. "Kamnan and village chiefs are a vital force to help people, because you are close to them. "There are efforts to destroy our nation, our religion and our monarchy. But the soldiers and armed forces are with you."
However Suriyan Thongnu-eard, secretary to the Federation of Northern Farmers and an adviser to the Assembly of the Poor, questioned the effectiveness of the gathering at the stadium yesterday if some participants were forced to join against their will. If villagers were ordered to come to the stadium, the gathering was no different from events political parties organised in the past to show their strength, he said.

23rd December 2006

The Bank of Thailand denies that the capital controls imposed this week were aimed at cutting losses at the central bank. Tarisa Watanagase, the central bank governor, said the foreign reserves gained from market intervention over the past several years represented a small ratio of the official reserves. ''Our intervention in the currency market has been aimed at reducing the volatility of the baht and allowing exporters time to adjust. The amount used was small in relation to total assets,'' she said. The central bank has foreign reserves of almost $65 billion, compared with $49.8 billion at the end of 2004.

Strong waves and heavy downpours continued to lash coastal provinces in the South yesterday, while more areas were declared disaster zones and thousands of fishing boats were forced to stay ashore. Relentless rain and waves up to four metres high in the Gulf of Thailand have forced over 1,600 fishing vessels in Narathiwat to remain docked for almost a week now, affecting more than 500 fishing families in Tak Bai and Muang districts. National Disaster Warning Centre chief Smith Dharmasarojana said the high waves were triggered by a cool air mass moving southwards from China, and they were likely to continue until the New Year. Hardest-hit provinces were Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Songkhla.
While coastal areas in the South were being pounded by huge waves, villagers in the upper North were trying to cope with the cold spell. The lowest temperature recorded in urban areas of Nan province was +11 degrees Celsius, while the lowest recorded yesterday was at the peak of Doi Wat mountain in Pua district of Nan where it was a chilly +5 degrees Celsius.
The Meteorological Department predicted the temperatures could drop to as low as 0-3 degrees Celsius on mountain tops in the North and to 15 degrees Celsius in Bangkok today.

22nd December 2006

The trial of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra for corruption would not even get off the ground if he did not turn up to fight the case, the head of the Supreme Court's political crime section said yesterday. Prapan Sapsaeng's concern, voiced during a seminar, highlighted the dilemma facing the government and the Council for National Security (CNS), which ousted Mr Thaksin in the coup on Sept 19. The CNS and the government are reluctant to let Mr Thaksin come back to testify in a party dissolution case at the Constitution Tribunal. Mr Thaksin has fought for approval to come home but it remains to be seen how the prospect of a trial on graft charges influences his enthusiasm to return. Mr Prapan said the graft case would go nowhere and could be suspended if the defendant did not appear in court.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont yesterday threw his support behind Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister M R Pridiyathorn Devakula and the central bank for their handling of foreign investors' reaction after the introduction of the controls to curb baht speculation. Discussing the Bank of Thailand's (BoT) capital control measures that led to the stock market plunging 14.84% on Tuesday before rebounding on Wednesday, the prime minister said all measures have both positive and negative impacts.

21st December 2006

Policymakers were unrepentant about the effects of their decision to impose measures to protect the baht as the shattered stock market rebounded 11.16% yesterday. The market value of the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), which lost over 800 billion baht on Tuesday, regained 550 billion in value yesterday as the SET index rose 69.41 to close at 691.55 points. Analysts said the rebound came after regulators reversed their position late Tuesday and waived stock investments from new reserve rules on foreign inflows. But investors remained angry about the policy flip-flop and questioned the competence of the Bank of Thailand. Tarisa Watanagase, the central bank governor, defended the measures and blamed the sharp decline on Tuesday on the ''herd mentality'' of investors. ''We had expected long-term investors to stay, but they sold to avoid further risk. We didn't think this would occur, but have to accept the way it was,'' she said. ''There was panic selling, and the market overreacted. The measure was well thought out based on available information, but it is difficult to control herd psychology.'' Ms Tarisa said that foreign investors, not Thais, were the main losers. Foreign investors were net sellers of 25 billion baht worth of stocks on Tuesday, and net sellers of 2.8 billion yesterday.
Abhisit Vejjajiva, the head of the Democrat party, and Chaturon Chaisaeng, acting leader of the Thai Rak Thai party, both questioned the wisdom of imposing blanket capital controls given the impact on investors.
Somphob Manarungsan, an economist at Chulalongkorn University, said the central bank should be more forthcoming in explaining its position to the public. ''We shouldn't have central banks around the world criticise us while we remain still. At the very least, we need to explain our situation and the lessons learned,'' he said.
More critical was Ruengvit Dusdeesurapot, the chief executive of Seamico Securities, who said that the losses suffered were substantial and that the events showed that the central bank had learned little in the decade since the 1997 crisis. ''The reversal by the central bank in a span of just 12 hours has helped somewhat, but we won't return to normal anytime soon. Paper losses will soon become real losses, and the credibility of the central bank has been hurt by the uncertainties in policy,'' he said.

20th December 2006

Authorities were forced to make an embarrassing U-turn yesterday and eased stringent currency controls on foreign investors one day after the Stock Exchange of Thailand lost 800 billion baht in value, the largest one-day drop in its 31-year history. Effective today, stock and foreign direct investment will be waived from the new Bank of Thailand rule requiring a 30% reserve on currency transactions. M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula, the finance minister and deputy prime minister, acknowledged that authorities had ''underestimated'' the impact that the controls would have on the market.
Kongkiat Opaswongkarn, chairman of the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organisations, said the impact on the economy ''was worse than from World War II'', and criticised the central bank for not understanding the capital market. ''The central bank needs to be more cautious before taking such measures. We hope to see a rebound, but many investors, large and small, have already suffered,'' he said.
Korn Chatikavanij, a deputy leader of the Democrat party and former head of investment bank JP Morgan, blasted the central bank's measures as a ''disaster''. ''As the rule is structured, it penalises everybody and it only helps put more pressure on the funds flowing into the country,'' he said. Many institutional investors had explicit rules against investing in markets with capital controls. ''This is an error by the authorities and they should come out and correct it as soon as possible,'' Mr Korn said.
Not everyone was critical. Exporters welcomed the measure as long overdue in helping stem the baht's appreciation. ''The baht has risen by 14% this year against the currencies of our export rivals. ''How can we compete with others if the baht is allowed to get stronger?'' said Somsak Paneetatyasai, president of the Thai Shrimp Association.

Villagers gathered on the banks of the Mekong river near the second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge yesterday to worship the Naga, a mythical serpent believed to be the guardian of the river. They performed Buddhist and Brahman rituals to worship the Naga and ask the creature to bless the new bridge set to open today. Spanning the Mekong to the east of Mae Sai, the new bridge, which received financing from Japan, is 12 metres wide and 1.6km long.
However, after today's official opening, the bridge will not open for transnational traffic until next month, according to the Highways Department's acting director-general Songsak Phaecharoen. Thailand and Laos have to sign a bilateral agreement regarding regulations for bridge operations and traffic rules before it can be used for cross-border activities. Mr Songsak said Thai and Lao authorities had settled some regulatory details, including the entry fees for different types of vehicles. However, the agreement must be approved by the government of each country before taking effect.

19th December 2006

The National People's Assembly yesterday came up with a shortlist of 200 candidates for the Constitution-Drafting Council, but allegations of improper voting marred this first step towards political reform. At issue was the distribution of ballot papers and pencils, well before the members cast their ballots, which gave rise to allegations that some members compared notes or lobbied beforehand. Other complaints were made about the positioning of the voting booths which meant that votes were not cast in private and some votes were cast outside the booths. There have been calls for a review of the results. CNS secretary-general Gen Winai Phattiyakul voiced regret at what he said were "mistakes" by NPA officials rather than a "deliberate omission of transparency".
The top score of 55 votes went to state agency representative Okas Taepalakul, followed by Pharani Leenuthapong, an executive from BMW Group Thailand, with 51 votes. Farmers and unskilled workers were absent from the shortlist. A source said this partly stemmed from heavy lobbying by district officers who urged farmers in the NPA to vote for provincial governors instead of their own group representatives. Another source said there was fierce lobbying at three downtown hotels where provincial NPA members were staying.

The Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) yesterday dismissed the Shinawatra family's request for the removal of two graft busters from its sub-panel handling criminal charges against Khunying Potjaman, wife of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and her step-brother Bannapot Damapong, over their alleged part in a 1997 tax evasion case. Kaewsan Athiphothi, ASC secretary-general, said yesterday the ASC agreed that the claims of the Shinawatra family accusing Sak Korsaengruang and Klanarong Chantik of lack of impartiality were unconvincing because the two graft busters were not found to have anything personal against Mr Thaksin and his family, nor had they been proven to have interests or any involvement in the case.
Meanwhile a decision is still awaited on whether deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Khunying Potjaman are guilty of violating corruption laws in a 772-million-baht land deal in 2003 as reported yesterday.

18th December 2006

The People's Assembly for Political Reform (PAPR) yesterday demanded the new constitution, being drafted under the watch of the Council for National Security (CNS), state that the prime minister must come unconditionally from an election. The PAPR is conducting a campaign calling for a charter that would give more power to the people and reduce state dominance. The group called for the CNS to maintain the key principles of the 1997 constitution. "The CNS has no right to change the will of the 1997 constitution, and Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin as CNS chairman should stop saying things to sway charter-drafters on whether a prime minister should come from an election or not," said Pibhop Dhongchai, a PAPR leader.

Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh handed his country's garden at the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006 to the government, making it a permanent fixture in Chiang Mai province.

The Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) is to decide today whether deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Khunying Potjaman are guilty of violating corruption laws in a 772-million-baht land deal in 2003, an ASC member said yesterday. The investigation focused on the legal interpretation of Article 100 of the National Counter Corruption Act which bars officials including prime ministers, cabinet members and their spouses from entering into or having interests in contracts made with state agencies under their authorisation. In 2003, Khunying Potjaman bid for four plots of land in the Ratchadapisek area that were put up for auction by the Bank of Thailand's Financial Institutions Development Fund (FIDF). She secured the deal and paid 772 million baht for a 33-rai plot.

17th December 2006

Council for National Security (CNS) chairman Sonthi Boonyaratkalin promised yesterday that the selection of drafters for the new constitution will be carried out transparently. Under the interim constitution, the CNS will select 100 people from the 200 put forward by the National People's Assembly (NPA) to form the Constitution Drafting Council (CDC). The 100 members of the council will then choose among themselves 25 representatives while the CNS will select 10 from the rest or invite qualified outsiders to join their ranks. The 1,982-member NPA is due to select 200 members tomorrow. Each member can vote for three names. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin said the military is also preparing for its say in the constitution drafting process as the interim charter requires the CNS to provide opinions to the CDC. He said the military, along with legal specialists, are reviewing contentious points such as a two-term limit for the prime minister, 90-day political party membership rules for running in elections and the selection method of senators. He said the military was also considering whether the government should be allowed to remain as a caretaker cabinet after its term expires or if there should be a neutral interim authority to hold free and fair elections. He said regulations on the public scrutiny of the prime minister and cabinet members should be relaxed to make public inquiries easier. Gen Sonthi said a ban on the merger of political parties after the election was also being contemplated. ''These are questions that will shape the country's future. The military and legal experts are studying this. We have to study and prepare ourselves,'' he said.
According to Gen Sonthi, the new constitution must install free and fair elections and effective check-and-balance mechanisms.
NPA member Sodsri Sattayatham, representing the Election Commission (EC), said her views on the new charter would primarily involve the selection and qualifications of senators and political parties. She said she believed that half of the senators should be directly elected while the other half appointed to ensure a diversity of professions. The number of senators should remain unchanged at 200 and the minimum age should be set at 40 to ensure maturity, she suggested.

16th December 2006

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said yesterday he was worried about a possible surge in violence (in the south) during the New Year holidays as rebel groups may seize the opportunity to increase attacks. He expressed his concern after reporters asked him about the prospects for the region over the upcoming New Year break. Observers point to a raid on an arms depot in Narathiwat on Jan 4, 2004 as the date the current campaign of violence in the troubled region began. Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said yesterday he was worried about a possible surge in violence during the New Year holidays as rebel groups may seize the opportunity to increase attacks. He expressed his concern after reporters asked him about the prospects for the region over the upcoming New Year break. Observers point to a raid on an arms depot in Narathiwat on Jan 4, 2004 as the date the current campaign of violence in the troubled region began. ''I'd say I feel worried, if you ask me,'' Gen Surayud said after meeting army chief Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, who is also chairman of the Council for National Security.
In Yala, security officers have been ordered to monitor vehicles and strangers coming to the province's main town after police arrested 37 young militant suspects in the area on Thursday night, said Pol Maj-Gen Paitoon Chuchaichana. Aged between 20 and 26, the suspects were not local residents, but had come from the province's Bannang Sata district and neighbouring Narathiwat's Rueso district, police said. Police found amulets similar to those worn by many militants during intensive attacks on April 28, 2004 which ended with scores of young men being killed by security forces, including 32 who were slain after hiding out in the ancient Krue Se mosque in Pattani. Police are also examining pieces of paper obtained from the group that carry writing in Malay.

A paramotor crashed at the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek during a show on Saturday morning, injuring the French pilot, who was the paramotor world champion in 2005.
Mathieu Rouanet was flying his paramotor - essentially, a powered paraglider, where the pilot hangs from a winged parachute with a motor on his back - to celebrate the opening of a book fair exhibition "Colours of Plants" at the floral expo. His leg caught on a rope tied to a foundation, causing the paramotor to crash into a pool underneath.
Rouanet survived the fall, but suffered serious abrasions to his leg. The pilot, in his early 20s, was rushed to hospital soon afterwards.

15th December 2006

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has agreed to open four cases of extra-judicial killings during the war on drugs launched by the deposed Thaksin Shinawatra administration. The decision was made at a meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, in response to a call by human rights groups.
Justice Minister Charnchai Likhitjitta said the four cases were the death of a nine-year-old boy, Nong Fluk, and the disappearance of his mother in an incident on Feb 23, 2003; the killing of Nikhom Ounkaew and his wife Chanchaya, natives of Khon Buri district in Nakhon Ratchasima, on March 28, 2003, the killing of Pongthep and Ampaipan Rukhongprasert; who were slain in Tak's Mae Sot district on May 18, 2003; and the murder of Samarn Thongdee, an education specialist, in Tak's Muang district in April 2003. He encouraged other people affected by the war on drugs to bring their cases to the ministry.
Human Rights commissioner Wasant Panich welcomed the DSI's decision to look into the four cases of extra-judicial killings. He said he is preparing to submit another 40 such cases to the justice minister and justice permanent secretary to consider re-investigating. The dead victims in the cases have been proven innocent of drug-related crimes and the NHRC has recently been tipped off about three additional cases of extra-judicial killings, Mr Wasant said. In some of the 1,164 drug-related cases, drugs were not discovered on the spot but were reportedly found later, he said, adding that justice may finally be served.

14th December 2006

The government and the Council for National Security (CNS) have agreed to let the people decide whether the next prime minister should come into office by election or not, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said yesterday. Concern that the next prime minister might be appointed rather than elected is mounting as the process of drafting the country's new constitution draws near. A 1,982-member National People's Assembly announced on Sunday is expected to convene some time next week to choose 200 nominees from among themselves. Out of these 200, the CNS will pick 100 to sit on the Constitution-Drafting Council. Wether the next prime minister should be elected or not "should be decided by the people through a referendum." The Prime Minister told senior journalists invited to lunch at Government House yesterday.
Gen Surayud identified four items on the "national agenda":
1: political reform in order to bring about a constitution and free and fair elections;
2: restoring national unity and reconciliation so as to heal political divisions and bring justice to Thai Muslims in the far South;
3: economic reform to reduce the income gap; and
4: restoring the rule of law "so that everyone enjoys justice".
The fourth item, he added, entailed a revamp of the administration of justice, which involves reforming the police force and other state agencies beset with the problem of corruption.

13th december 2006

The Finance Ministry is in the process of picking a replacement for Revenue Department chief Sirote Swasdipanich, who was ruled guilty of failing to collect tax in the Potjaman Shinawatra-Bannapot Damapong share transfer. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula confirmed that a replacement was in the pipeline but did not say who he had in mind. The confirmation came as Mr Sirote sent what many thought was a farewell email to department officials nationwide. In the message, he expressed appreciation and thanks to his subordinates.
Last week, the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) found him and four other department officials guilty of dereliction of duty for failing to collect tax incurred from a share transfer between Khunying Potjaman Shinawatra, wife of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and her step-brother Bannapot Damapong.
The Finance Ministry is waiting for the ruling to be delivered to it before deciding on punishment for the five officials.

An earthquake registering 5.1 on the Richter scale hit Chiang Mai around midnight causing some damage to buildings but no injuries.

12th December 2006

The two grown-up children of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Panthongtae and Pinthongta Shinawatra, will this week counter with evidence a claim by the Revenue Department that they lied about a deal they made with Ample Rich Investments Ltd in January this year, according to family lawyer Noppadol Pattama. Their mother Khunying Potjaman and uncle Bannapot Damapong are facing charges for allegedly telling lies about another 738 million baht shares transfer in 1997. Mr Noppadol said the evidence (documents to prove there was a real transaction between the siblings and their own company Ample Rich) would be submitted to the tax agency this week. "The documents will verify that there was a real shares transaction. We will also wait for more evidence from Ample Rich, which will be submitted from overseas," said Mr Noppadol. Ample Rich was founded by Mr Thaksin and registered in the tax haven of the British Virgin Islands.
The two bought 329.2 million Shin Corp shares from Ample Rich on Jan 20 outside the stock market at one baht apiece, while the market value was 47.25 baht per share. Three days later, they sold the shares in the market to Singapore's Temasek Holdings at 49 baht per share. Revenue Department chief Sirote Swasdipanich has informed a tax investigation sub-committee of the Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) about his agency's recent finding that the deal did not take place.

11th December 2006

Some 1,000 protesters turned out yesterday demanding the departure of the Council for National Security (CNS) and the interim government led by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont. They also demanded the return of the 1997 constitution and fresh elections. This was the first major rally since the coup d'etat on Sept 19 and the government's decision to lift martial law in Bangkok and 40 other provinces. The demonstrators came with a clear message. "People are not beggars. We have our dignity. We won't accept a constitution of the military," said Sombat Boonngamanong, the leader of the Sept 19 Network, named after the day the military forcibly took over power from Mr Thaksin. The group demanded the immediate revival of the 1997 constitution and a new election.
The rally coincided with Constitution Day to show that it disagreed with the destruction of the 1997 constitution by the coup. Many of those who joined the rally said they could not rely on the CNS, the interim government or the National Legislative Assembly as they noticed those currently in power were simply exchanging privileges through a system of reciprocity like previous governments. During their march and upon their arrival at the monument, protesters continually shouted for the ousting of Gen Sonthi, assistant army chief Saprang Kalayanamitr, Prime Minister Surayud and Privy Council chairman Prem Tinsulanonda.
Gen Sonthi said he was aware that many people, especially democracy advocates, were dissatisfied with the coup and said he wanted to assure them soldiers had no will to stay on in political power. "I believe soldiers don't want to put themselves in politics," Gen Sonthi told a seminar at the Army Club. "And they are not crazy with power. We just want to see peace in the nation." Gen Sonthi reiterated his reasons for staging the coup and revoking the 1997 constitution, widely seen as the best charter the kingdom has had since democracy set its roots 74 years ago. "In fact every version of the constitution is good. What needs to be fixed is their users," he said.

10th December 2006

The September 19 anti-coup group is going ahead with its plan to stage a rally at Sanam Luang today, and expects up to 1,000 participants. The group will be the only anti-coup group to rally today after other groups led by Thaikorn Polsuwan, Theppanom Siriwithayarak and Chanaphat na Nakhon pulled out. Sombat Boonngamanong, a key member of the September 19 group, said he expected 500 to 1,000 protesters to join. They would march from Sanam Luang to the Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen Avenue where they will burn a copy of the Council for National Security's (CNS) interim charter.
Weng Tojirakarn, leader of the Democracy Federation who witnessed Mr Sombat's press conference yesterday, said he questioned the motivation of Mr Thaikorn's and Mr Chanaphat's political activities. He believed both worked for the military and intended to derail the anti-coup rally. "But I don't think the military will get what they want. After Sept 19, many people have opposed the coup," Mr Weng said. "About 1,800 soldiers have been dispatched to communities around the country to control people. This contradicts the CNS's words that the coup was a non-violent one," he said. He added the CNS should not be paranoid about a rally led by civilians, but instead should beware of a counter-coup by their colleagues. Mr Weng called for the CNS to lift martial law to prove its sincerity.

9th December 2006

A sub-panel probing the tax evasion case involving two children of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra concluded yesterday the siblings are liable to pay a tax bill of more than five billion baht, a source at the Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) said. The conclusion, reached unanimously, stipulated that Panthongtae and Pinthongta Shinawatra must be taxed for the 15-billion-baht profit they reaped in January this year and payment must be made by March next year.
Mr Panthongtae and Ms Pinthongta on Jan 20 2006 bought Shin Corp shares from their own firm, Ample Rich Investments, at one baht apiece, while the market value then was 47.25 baht per share. They and other members of the Shinawatra and Damapong families then sold their stakes to Temasek Holdings three days later for 73 billion baht at 49 baht a share.

8th December 2006

The National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) has found Revenue Department chief Sirote Swasdipanich and four other officials guilty of a serious negligence of duty for failing to collect tax incurred from a share transfer between Khunying Potjaman Shinawatra and her step-brother, Bannapot Damapong. Besides Mr Sirote, the other four are Legal Office director Vichai Juengrakkiat and legal advisers Kulluedee Saengsayan, Moreerat Boonyasiri, and Suchinda Saengchompu, said NCCC spokesman Klanarong Chanthik.
Mr Bannapot received 4.5 million shares worth 738 million baht held in the name of Duangta Vongpakdi, a maid of the Shinawatra family, and claimed the shares were a wedding gift from Khunying Potjaman who actually owned them.The transfer took place almost two years after Mr Bannapot's wedding which took place on Jan 12, 1996. Mr Bannapot has been ordered by the Revenue Department to pay 546 million baht in back taxes and fines for colluding in the tax evasion.

It is reported that the anti-coup rally at Sanam Luang on Sunday is expected to be insignificant as the Council for National Security (CNS) is blocking anti-coup activists in provincial areas from reaching Bangkok. Top executives of agencies in charge of administration and security affairs, both in Bangkok and provincial areas, have met to map out plans to prevent the rally from turning into a mass protest against the CNS and the interim government.
In Phitsanulok, Third Army Commander Jiradet Khotcharat, who oversees security issues in northern provinces, said his troops plan to mobilize rangers to intercept supporters of anti-coup groups and stop them from joining the rally. ''We've also asked local administration bodies not to incite their people to go to Bangkok, '' said Lt-Gen Jiradet at a seminar of 500 representatives of local administration bodies from 17 northern provinces yesterday.
Chiang Rai provincial police chief Police Major-Geneneral Suthep Detraksa said military intelligence has tipped him off that certain anti-coup activists have planned to rent minibuses and buses to transport their supporters from northern provinces to Bangkok to join the rally. Accordingly, he has sought cooperation from car rental businesses to report to police if they suspect any clients rented their vehicles for this purpose.

7th December 2006

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday urged the Council for National Security and the government not to obstruct the planned anti-coup rally at Sanam Luang on Sunday, saying the public's right to demonstrate should be observed. NHRC commissioner Jaran Ditapichai said that such a gathering, if peaceful, was a freedom of expression guaranteed under the 1997 constitution and the interim charter. In a bid to call for fresh elections, rally organisers, including academics and activists, have urged the public to attend the rally which coincides with Constitution Day and World Human Rights Day. Chanapat na Nakhon, a Thai Rak Thai party (TRT) supporter and leader of the People for Democracy group organising the demonstration, said he believed 30,000 people would turn up.

6th December 2006

Many thousands of people throughout the Kingdom took time yesterday to honour The King's 79th birthday. In Bangkok people packed Sanam Luang and both sides of Ratchadamnoen Avenue yesterday before joining the entire country in a mass candle-lit ceremony which started at precisely 7.19pm, considered an auspicious time.
In Chiang Mai a giant floating lantern was launched to celebrate the King's birthday. The Lanna lantern was made of 2,200 sheets of paper and was 16 meters high and 10 meters across.
In the southern province of Narathiwat, state officials and members of the public presented alms to monks in the morning and gathered at the provincial hall in the evening for the candle-lit ceremony. Muslim religious leaders also converged on the Islamic committee offices to pray for the monarch's well-being.

5th December 2006

Long live the King. Today is the 79th birthday of The King Of Thailand, His Majesty King Bhumibol.

A bomb hidden in a bag of vegetables killed two men and hurt 18 others at a food stall in Yala shortly before 8:00 AM this morning, police said. According to Pol Maj Sucharit Wongsaket, the bag containing morning glory was left with a food vendor. The bomb, hidden inside the bag, exploded minutes later. Pol Maj Sucharit said the bomb weighed about 5 kilograms and was believed to be triggered by an alarm clock.

Today is National Fathers Day in Thailand.

4th December 2006

More violence in the south has left three people dead. In Yala's Krong Pinang district, police found the bodies of Pol Senior Sgt-Maj Samart Wamaeng, 46, and village security volunteer Yusoh Jahsoh, 38, in front of a tea shop only 200 metres from the district police station. Witnesses said they saw six men, who were not local residents, ride up on motorcycles to the tea shop where Pol Senior Sgt-Maj Samart and Yusoh were drinking tea together. According to witnesses, the two quickly left the shop after becoming suspicious of the gang, but were gunned down as they walked out.
In Narathiwat's Si Sakhon district, a villager was shot dead as he was working in a rubber plantation nearby his house in tambon Karong.

3rd December 2006

During an inspection trip to flood-hit Suphan Buri and Nakhon Pathom yesterday, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont announced that there would be an initial spend of 10 billion baht for the clean up. However he recognized that this figure may have to be increased as a full estimate of the damage will not be possible until large areas of stagnant water in Nakhon Pathom, particularly, had subsided. Gen Surayud said the situation in low-lying areas of the Central Plains was most worrying as the flood situation was still critical. Nakhon Pathom governor Preecha Butrasri yesterday asked Gen Surayud to talk the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) into opening the Chim Phli and Thawi Watthana water gates, so that the remaining water from the upper part of Bang Len district could be drained into the Chao Phraya river.

2nd December 2006

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont is due to chair a meeting next week on extra-judicial killings during the war on drugs under the Thaksin Shinawatra government. Former senator Kraisak Choonhavan said no other prime minister had shown an interest in dealing with breaches of human rights. ''This is worthier than an apology. It shows he is serious,'' Mr Kraisak said, ''But I am still concerned because Mr Thaksin seems to have put state officials into murder mode without caring about human rights. The prime minister's task is to change that way of thinking. If he succeeds it would be a major change, making history,''Mr Kraisak added.
More than 2,500 people are estimated to have died during the anti-drugs campaigns. The National Human Rights Commission and the Lawyers Council of Thailand believe that in at least 40 cases, the victims were innocent. "Mr Thaksin effectively signed death warrants by issuing an order that drugs cases were considered closed only when the drug suspects were convicted, summarily executed or dead," Mr Kraisak said. Less than 15 days after that, 586 people had been killed, he added.

1st December 2006

From today all mobile 'phone numbers in Thailand will change from 9 digits to 10. An 8 has to be included after the 0 at the beginning of the numbers.

Two employees of the Southern Border Provinces Peace-building Command (SBPPC) were shot dead in the Yaha district of Yala province yesterday. Police said the victims, both employed in the SBPPC's job creation project, were riding a motorcycle from Yaha district office after a training program when they were attacked.
In Narathiwat, two armed insurgents sprayed a shophouse with bullets in Rangae district yesterday, seriously injuring three people aged 85, 60 and 26.
An intelligence source said the Barasi Revolusi Nasional Coordinate (BRN-Coordinate) separatist movement had mobilized the Permudor young militants group in preparation for a major attack in Yala's Than To, Bannang Sata, Yaha and Kabang districts.