Nyheter från thailändska tidningar (Jo-Be citerar nyheter på engelska)

[JBK.Ltd.]

Multiple-entry tourist visa to start Nov 13
The Nation September 22, 2015

Thailand's multiple-entry tourist visa will be available from November 13, the Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday.
It said the kingdom will grant multiple-entry visas to visitors to facilitate the forthcoming Asean Community and to boost the tourism industry.

It said the multiple-entry tourist visa will cost Bt5,000 and tourists with such visa will be allowed multiple entries during a 6-month period, for up to 60 days per entry.

All foreign nationals are eligible to apply for the multiple-entry visa, the statement said.

 

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Surat Thani
Forensic team to testify in Koh Tao trial
CHULARAT SAENGPASSA
THE NATION September 22, 2015

File Photo
Aust expert among defence witnesses
Officials from the Central Institute of Forensic Science (CIFS) will testify today in the defence of two Myanmar suspects who stand accused of murdering two British tourists in Koh Tao. Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan, director general of the CIFS, said yesterday three CIFS members would testify because they took part in the process of DNA testing and physical examination of the defendants.

"Two of them are doctors and the other is a lab technician," she said.

The CIFS team found that the DNA on the hoe - believed to have been the murder weapon - does not belong to the two Myanmar nationals who are standing trial. The chief judge had allowed Porntip to retest the hoe at the request of defence lawyers, who are working pro-bono on behalf of the 22-year-old bar workers, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo.

The Koh Samui Provincial Court is looking into the high-profile case after public prosecutors arraigned the two Myanmar migrant workers for the murders. The murders took place in September last year on Koh Tao, Surat Thani province. Following weeks of investigations and DNA tests, police arrested and charged the two Myanmar suspects.

Despite initially confessing to |the murders, the two defendents now insist they are innocent and that they had been forced into confessing. Nakhon Chomphuchat, a lawyer for the defendants, yesterday revealed that a DNA-collection expert from Australia would testify in court tomorrow. Thai police and public prosecutors have used DNA test results as incriminating evidence against the two Myanmar workers, saying that the DNA found on the female victim's body matched those of the two defendants.

"But we also have to focus on whether the DNA collection is in line with international standards, to begin with," Nakhon said. On Thursday, members of the National Human Rights Commission and the Lawyers Council of Thailand will testify in court about the human-rights issues surrounding the treatment of the defendants, he said.

"On Friday, we will also have testimony from three witnesses from the Myanmar Embassy," Nakhon said.

He said one of the embassy officials would be an interpreter so as to make clear how the communication barrier and the prejudices of an interpreter could affect the investigation. Police are accused of using an interpreter from an ethnic group that was unfriendly towards the group to which the two defendants belong. A highly-placed source yesterday said that although the court would finish listening to witnesses this week, the court would likely take a long time before concluding this case.

"The court will need time to examine further evidence," it said

 

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NBTC urged to curb sexual TV adverts
23 Sep 2015 NEWS WRITER: DUMRONGKIAT MALA

Too much improper content, says Apinan.

The Ministry of Culture wants the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to strengthen regulations on advertising on cable and satellite TV which widely uses sexual imagery to sell products.

Apinan Poshyananda, permanent secretary for culture, told a
seminar on sex in advertising on Tuesday that the ministry had
received several complaints about inappropriate commercials
on cable and satellite television that show women wearing
skimpy clothing.

It wants the NBTC to help oversee and control advertising content.
"I plan to meet the NBTC and discuss how to oversee and control
the advertising content broadcast on TV," Mr Apinan said.

Vietnam: Censors ponder 5-second sex rule for films

He said as far as he knows the NBTC has no censorship restrictions
on TV commercials on cable and satellite television.
That was why some companies air sexually-charged commercials to
gain viewer attention while advertising their products. "I've seen
a fertiliser product advertisement using sexy-looking women even
though they have absolutely nothing to do with the product being
advertised.

"If we let this kind of ad on TV where it can be seen by children,
then I am worried women will still be seen and used as sex objects
[in advertising]," Mr Apinan said.

On YouTube, the advert is presented as a "funniest sexy commercial".

In addition to seeking cooperation from the NBTC, Mr Apinan said
his ministry wanted to contact the Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) Ministry to get its help in regulating
advertisements on websites, mobile sites and Facebook that use
sexual imagery to sell products.

"I understand it's hard to separate creativity and obscenity, but
at least advertising agencies and product owners should have social
responsibility. Many products, particularly insurance products,
are advertised without using sexual imagery," he said.

Ua-jit Virojtrairat, director of the Media Monitoring Project, said
sexism in advertising is not limited to portraying women wearing
skimpy clothes, but it covers other stereotypes and sets beauty
standards for so-called "perfect" men and women.

For example, she said "perfect women" must be skinny, white and
big-breasted and "perfect men" must be masculine. "If the media
keeps stereotyping men and women and reproducing unrealistic
content for audiences, it can lead to mental health issues
because many people who don't have perfect bodies will think that
they are not good enough. This can lead to serious issues such as
depression and anorexia," she said.

Ms Ua-jit said gender stereotyping in advertising is one of
several factors that have a big influence on efforts to build more
gender equality. When women and men are portrayed in stereotypical
ways it can become difficult in other contexts to see women and
men's real personalities and abilities, she said.

An-yaorn Panichpungrat, chairwoman of the Creative Media and Family
Network, said apart from sexual imagery in advertisements, she was
worried many young people share selfie photos in an improper manner
with others on social media. Families must help monitor this kind
of sharing closely to stamp out excesses, she said.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/703172/nbtc-urged-to-curb-sexual-tv-adverts.

 

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Abhisit advises Prayut to watch what he says in NY
The Nation September 23, 2015 4:57

FORMER PREMIER Abhisit Vejjajiva Wednesday warned Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to be careful about what he says while attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week.

Abhisit said that Prayut's typical tongue-in-cheek remarks could send confusing signals to the international community, adding that this was a good opportunity for the premier to explain Thailand's situation to the world.
Prayut, who left for the US last night, is scheduled to speak at the General Assembly next Tuesday. However, Abhisit said he was not certain whether Prayut's explanations would help improve Thailand's post-coup image.

"The prime minister should be more careful. On many occasions, he has spoken somewhat jokingly with the Thai media and caused misunderstanding among foreigners that he is denying media freedom," the Democrat Party leader said. Prayut has also agreed to give an interview to Voice of America (VOA), the US government's official external broadcast institution, while in New York, a source from the Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

The premier's stay in New York is expected to be marked by protests from both pro- and anti-coup groups. However, Abhisit said Prayut should not be worried because they would be exercising their freedom of expression, though he said the demonstrators should abide by the law and not use violence or inappropriate behaviours otherwise it would hurt the country's reputation.

Abhisit added that the premier should announce his political road map if he confident that it will be implemented on time. Also, he said, this was a good chance for the prime minister to shed light on His Majesty's sufficiency economy philosophy.

 

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Koh Tao
Hoe, clothing become focus of case
Writers: Chularat Saengpassa, Suwannee Bandisak
The Nation September 23, 2015

Family members of the two Myanmar defendants show up at the Koh Samui Provincial Court yesterday to listen to the court hearing on the much-publicised murder of two British tourists on Koh Tao last year.

File Photo
TWO KEY AGENCIES have come to the same conclusion that the DNA of two Britons who were brutally killed on Koh Tao last year appeared on a hoe believed to be the murder weapon.

But just one, the Central Institute of Forensic Science (CIFS), has publicly announced that the hoe did not contain the DNA of the two defendants, both Myanmar nationals.

"As far as I know, the police report does not mention whether the DNA of the defendants was found on the hoe," Dr Worawee Waiyawuth, a forensic physician at the CIFS, said after testifying before the Koh Samui Provincial Court as a witness yesterday. Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan, director-general of the CIFS, said the police had relied on the tests conducted by the Office of Police Forensic Science.

Three officials from the CIFS yesterday took the witness stand in defence of the two Myanmar migrant workers, 22-year-old Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo. Despite initially confessing to the double murders, the two defendants now insist they are innocent and that they had been coerced into confession.

The chief judge had allowed Porntip to re-test the hoe at the request of defence lawyers. "We received the items of evidence for this case on July 17," Worawee said yesterday. He reckoned that some DNA traces could disappear from the evidence over time. The shocking murders of the two Britons took place on Koh Tao of Surat Thani province in September last year.

Holder of a doctorate degree from Germany, Worawee yesterday confirmed the credibility of the CIFS by explaining that it had won internationally recognised ISO 17025 certification.

He said an analyst at the CIFS had examined the DNA without knowing whom the DNA samples belonged to and which cases the DNA test results would be used for. After the examination was completed, another official would compare the DNA while fully aware for which case the results would be used.

"Then, I checked all the documents before signing to endorse the results of the test," Worawee said. Nakhon Chomphuchat, a lawyer for the defendants, yesterday called Pol Colonel Krissada Mitruamsap from the CIFS to the witness stand. During the court session, Nakhon pointed out that police had not yet examined the underpants of the victims as evidence items. Krissada said the underpants and shorts should in fact be used as evidence.

"They are needed in the process to identify the culprits," Krissada said.

This biology expert has solved many big cases in Thailand before, including the murder of Dr Phassaporn Boonka-whosemsanti, whose body was dissected by her husband. The CIFS has just received the clothing and other evidence for examination. The families of the two defendants also appeared in the courtroom yesterday. The defendants, throughout the court session, did not show any sign of stress.

Today, a DNA-collection expert from Australia will testify in court in defence of the defendants.

 

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Dry Season
Drought tipped to drag on till mid-2016
Writer: Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation September 23, 2015

Dams near record lows, farmers told to look for jobs

DROUGHT will be more severe and could drag on until at least next May, water experts have warned.

They have advised farmers to adopt new farming styles or look for jobs as a way to avoid loss from the dry conditions in the near future.

Discussing the drought at a forum at Kasetsart University, they said losses in the rice-producing sector could top Bt1 billion after three bad seasons in a row. The experts suggested farmers not rely on irrigation water and adjust their farming activities to respond to the drought challenges.

Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Kasetsart University, Bancha Kwanyuen, said calculations from the Royal Irrigation Department revealed that water in the four major dams in the Chao Phraya River Basin was at its lowest level on record.

"Since the dams were built, this is the first time we have seen such a serious water shortage problem. We only have 2,589 million cubic metres of available water in the four major dams," Bancha said.

Secretary-General of the Office of Agricultural Economics Lersak Rewtarkulpaiboon said this lowest water storage on record was due to a natural factor two years in a row in which we received a much lower than average rain; and man-made factors, such as water mismanagement and higher water demand.

"Last November we had 5,000 million cubic metres of available water in four major dams. So last dry season we faced a water shortage problem, but given the unusually dry rainy season this year, we hoped that we could store up to 3,600 million cubic metres of available water in October. [But] as we speak, in mid-September, we still need more than 1,000 million cubic metres of water," Lersak said.

"We definitely will endure a more serious drought in the upcoming dry season and therefore we have no water left for rice production," he said.

With the drought expected to get worse, a water management expert from the Department of Water Resource Engineering at Kasetsart University, Suwatana Chittaladakorn, admitted there was nothing that could be done to improve the drought situation now only promote a shift in farming methods and a water saving campaign.

"Farmers in the irrigation zone will be the group most affected by the drought because they just plant the crops and wait for the irrigation water to come unlike the farmers outside the irrigation zone, who know better how to adjust their farming patterns to the drought," Suwatana stated.

He suggested farmers should change to crops that need less water, or adopt poly-culture farming, raise animals or find another career.

For farmers outside the irrigation zone, he advised them to create a water supply such as digging wells or ponds, cultivating short-life plants, halting farming if there was no water, or change to a job.

"The farmers need to be more flexible to the uneven weather pattern due to climate change. We will face drought and flood more frequently in the near future," he said.

Suwatana admitted compensation for farmers and the market for the new crop were still not guaranteed by the government.

He feared a water conservation campaign for people in urban areas would not be very successful, as people in the city were used to easy access to water.

"Every year more than 1,000 cubic metres of water are used to produce tap water for the people in Bangkok.

"It would be helpful if everyone used less water and did not expect the farmers to handle the burden for us," he said.

DRYING UP: THE RECORD

Water level in four major dams as of September 22:

BHUMIBOL

Total available water: 783 cubic metres (8 per cent)

Inflow: 30.17 cubic metres

Outflow: 1.5 cubic metres

SIRIKIT

Total available water: 1,400 cubic metres (21 per cent)

Inflow: 19.78 cubic metres

Outflow: 4 cubic metres

KHWAE NOI BAMRUNGDAN

Total available water: 235 cubic metres (26 per cent)

Inflow: 3.08 cubic metres

Outflow: 0.52 cubic metres

PASAK JOLASID

Total available water: 171 cubic metres (18 per cent)

Inflow: 13.29 cubic metres

Outflow: 0.00 cubic metres

TOTAL

Total available water: 2,589 cubic metres (14 per cent)

Inflow: 66.32 cubic metres

Outflow: 6.02 cubic metres

 

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Gasohol prices up Friday
•24 Sep 2015
• WRITER: ONLINE REPORTERS

PTT and Bangchak Petroleum will raise the retail prices of all formulas of gasohol, except gasohol E85, by 50 satang per litre, effective from 5am Friday.

Gasohol E85 will go up 30 satang per litre. Starting tomorrow, pump prices per litre in Bangkok and nearby provinces will be as follows:

Petrol 95 -- 33.76 baht

Gasohol 95 -- 26.80 baht

Gasohol 91 -- 26.38 baht

Gasohol E20 -- 24.98 baht

Gasohol E85 -- 22.48 baht

Diesel -- 23.29 baht

 

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Somkid pushes 5 public-private projects
24 Sep 2015 WRITER: ONLINE REPORTERS

The construction of the Purple Line is in progress and Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak promised on Thursday that three more routes will come. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has identified five projects that will need to be endorsed by the government this year in a bid to bolster investment for the country. There are three mass transit lines and two waste treatment projects under public-private partnerships (PPP) on his list that will be put before the cabinet for approval by the end of this year, he told the PPP Policy Committee on Thursday.

The rail projects are the Pink Line from Khae Rai to Min Buri, the Yellow Line from Lat Phrao to Samrong and the extended Blue Line. The other two projects involve waste management and power plants in Nonthaburi and Nakhon Ratchasima. They have a combined investment cost of around 200 billion baht.

"The investment will be in the form of a PPP to save state funds on plans to improve basic infrastructure and to make the government control public debt in line with the Finance Ministry's policy to cap it between 50% and 60% (of GDP)," he said.

The government will issue an infrastructure fund to pool money to partner with private firms on the projects, he added. Kulit Sombatsiri, director of the State Enterprise Policy Office, said the Blue Line could be first in the line-up for cabinet approval as its blueprint was ready, which should enable the project to get off the ground quickly, followed by the Pink and Yellow routes.

The government plans to extend the Blue Line beyond Bang Khae to become a main feeder for commuters from the southern part of Bangkok to downtown. The line now runs from Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue, and the new section from the two stations to Bang Khae are under construction.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/706020/somkid-pushes-5-public-private-projects.

 

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South Crisis
Pattani woman restaurateur prevents bomb attack
The Nation September 24, 2015

Police inspect a spot in front of Saithong Restaurant in Pattani

A 60-year-old woman cleared a bomb found at her restaurant in Pattani's Yaring district on Tuesday night. The bomb went off later without causing any casualties.

Pannee Rattanachinda noticed a suspicious box under a table inside her Saithong Restaurant after two men dropped by without buying anything. After opening the box Pannee found what looked like explosives inside. She rushed it out to a pile of sand in front of her restaurant. The bomb went off half an hour later without any casualties. A few minutes later another blast occurred nearby, but nobody was hurt.

Yaring Police Station received reports of the blasts at about 7.25pm. They found that one explosion had occurred in the pile of sand in front of the restaurant, and the other bomb had been hidden inside a garbage bin when it went off. Upon scouring the scene, police also found a third bomb that was successfully defused. Saithong Restaurant is popular andhas attracted a number of high-ranking government officials and celebrities. Police believe the blasts were designed to spur unrest in the deep South.

 

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Monkey who took grinning 'selfie' should own copyright : Peta
September 24, 2015 2:16 pm

Photo : PETA
Los Angeles (AFP) - US animal rights activists filed an unusual lawsuit on behalf of a macaque monkey who snapped selfie photographs, arguing it owned the photos rather than the nature photographer involved.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) filed the suit in federal court in San Francisco on behalf of six-year-old Naruto, seeking to have the macaque "declared the author and owner of his photograph". "Our argument is simple," PETA said in a statement. "US copyright law doesn't prohibit an animal from owning a copyright, and since Naruto took the photo, he owns the copyright, as any human would."

The photos were taken in 2011 on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi by British nature photographer David Slater. He later published a book of his photographs that included two selfies taken by Naruto. The San Francisco-based company that published the book - Blurb - is named as a co-defendant in the suit.

"If this lawsuit succeeds, it will be the first time that a non-human animal is declared the owner of property, rather than being declared a piece of property himself or herself," PETA said. "It will also be the first time that a right is extended to a non-human animal beyond just the mere basic necessities of food, shelter, water, and veterinary care.

"In our view, it is high time." But Slater insists he owns the rights to the photos since he set up the tripod and walked away for a few minutes only to find out that the monkey had grabbed his camera and snapped away.

He told the Washington Post last year, when the copyright controversy erupted, that the widespread distribution of the photos on the Internet had cost him a lot of money.

 

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Yingluck at Chiang Mai temple to dispel bad luck
25 Sep 2015 WRITER: CHEEWIN SATTHA

Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra (front row left) and her sisters pay attention to chanting on Friday at Wat Sri Boonruang in Chiang Mai province. (Photo by Cheewin Sattha)

CHIANG MAI — Yingluck Shinawatra has performed a religious ceremony for a better fortune as it became clear another tough battle lies ahead. Ms Yingluck and her sisters, Yaowapa Wongsawat and Monthathip Shinawatra, were at Wat Sri Boonruang in Muang district, Chiang Mai province, on Friday for a ceremony specially arranged for her.

The former prime minister attached the head to the headless Phra Singh Buddha statue in what Phra Khru Suthep Sitthikhun, the temple abbot, said was a step to dispel all misfortunes. The process completed when she took the whole statute and placed it in the main pavillion hall at the famous Wat Phra That Doi Suthep overlooking the northern city.

The abbot and eight other monks at Wat Sri Boonruang also performed a chanting ceremony and sprinkled holy water on her and other attendants, including red-shirt members and former MPs of the Pheu Thai. Ms Yingluck is taking a political break after her government was overthrown by last year's coup led by Prayut Chan-o-cha, the then-army chief and now the prime minister.

A court battle could be her next fight as two investigation panels will soon conclude whether she and 21 other persons should take financial responsibility for the losses of the rice-pledging scandal of around 500 billion baht.
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Sept 18 the decision could be wrapped up by the end of this month.

She and the other offenders still have a chance to fight the case in the Administrative Court if the government orders her to compensate for the damages. Ms Yingluck told reporters after the ceremony that she felt fine after making merits, Thai Rath Online said.

The abbot also gave her a blessing during the ceremony to end all her bad luck. He also hoped she would have a chance to return as the government, it added.

The monk also is well respected by her brother Thaksin.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/707652/yingluck-at-chiang-mai-temple-to-dispel-bad-luck.

 

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Erawan bomb blast
Suspect 'confesses' he planted shrine bomb
THE NATION September 25, 2015

Police looking for clinching evidence to prove Adem Karadag was the bomber in yellow t-shirt

ADEM KARADAG, the foreigner arrested late last month in connection with the Erawan Shrine bombing, has confessed that he was the man who planted the explosive device that killed 20 people and injured 100 others on August 17. Karadag, or Bilal Muhammed, has confessed that he was the man who planted the bomb at the shrine, according to a source familiar with the ongoing police investigation.

He told police that after placing his backpack containing the explosive device at the shrine, he hired a motorcycle taxi to Lumpini Park. He then removed his wig, glasses and armbands before changing into new clothes, according to the source. Police investigators have studied security-camera recordings that show a man who looked like the bomber entering a toilet in Lumpini Park, which is just a few minutes' ride from Erawan Shrine.

The video showed the man caught on CCTV in a yellow T-shirt before and after he entered the toilet. Police took Karadag to different locations associated with the bomb attack to confirm his confession, according to the source. Investigators found that Karadag looked like the man in the video who went to Lumpini Park to change his clothes, the source said.

The man has become more cooperative with the investigators and has given them more information that was helpful to the probe, the source said. Meanwhile, Karadag's lawyer, Chuchart Kanpai, yesterday said his client has insisted that he is not the bomber. He challenged the police claim that Karadag has confessed that he had planted the bomb.

National police chief General Somyot Poompanmuang yesterday declined to confirm that Karadag was the bomber. But he said he believed the police had evidence to prove so. "For me, Thai police are the best in the world. I believe police have evidence, but I can't disclose anything further about this," he said.

The police chief said that judging from the amount of bomb-making materials found in possession of the suspects in this case, it appeared they were making more than 10 explosive devices. It was fortunate for Thailand that those people were arrested before the bombs were planted, he added.

"If all those 10 explosive devices had been planted, they would have caused massive damage to Thailand. Thanks to all the sacred beings, the country was spared from disaster," Somyot said. However, he also said that despite Karadag's confession, investigators would still need confirmation with more clinching evidence.

"The investigators are confident that Adem was the bomber but they still cannot be conclusive from the CCTV images," Somyot said. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said yesterday that DNA tests would be required to confirm that Karadag was the bomber.

He said that the authorities were not attempting to close the case and that it should be dealt with in accordance with evidence. He said the confession could not prove that the man was the real bomber. Metropolitan Police chief Lt-General Sriwara Rangsiphra-manakul yesterday said the investigation into the case was 90 per cent complete.

Commenting on Karadag's reported confession, he said that the investigators would need more evidence to strengthen their case against the suspect, as confession was insufficient to prove in court.'

 

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Flood, landslide alert in 14 provinces
26 Sep 2015 WRITER: ONLINE REPORTERS

Motorcycles and other vehicles wade through floodwater in downtown Rayong last week. (Bangkok Post file photo)

Residents in 14 provinces in the central region, the East and the South have been told to brace for heavy rain and possible landslides in risk areas from today to Wednesday. Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department director-general Chatchai Promlert said on Saturday a monsoon trough will lie across the lower Central Plains,
the East and the upper South between Sept 26 and 30, causing heavy downpours that may trigger flash floods and landslides in some areas.

He asked the disaster prevention and mitigation offices in the 14 provinces to be on full alert to deal with possible flooding and landslides and to closely monitor the situation around the clock. Rapid deployment teams and necessary equipment must be put on standby to help affected residents.

The 14 provinces are:
Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Prachin Buri, Sa Kaeo, Nakhon Nayok, Chon Buri, Trat, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Ranong, Phangna, and Phuket.

Tropical storm Vamco, which caused heavy rain and flooding in the country from Sept 13, had affected 950 villages in 24 provinces across the country, said Mr Chatchai. Three people were killed and one injured in the flooding. The situation in 23 provinces has returned to normal. Only two districts in Prachin Buri — Kabin Buri and Ban Sang districts — remained inundated, he said

The Meteorological Department on Saturday said the moderate southwest monsoon would be over the Andaman Sea, the South and the Gulf of Thailand for seven days. It forecast there will be more rain the central region, the East and the South. Waves are expected to be as high as 2 metres in the Andaman Sea during the period.

All ships in the Andaman sea and the Gulf of Thailand were told to proceed with caution.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/708108/flood-landslide-alert-in-14-provinces.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Police: Karadag planted bomb
•26 Sep 2015 • WRITER: AFP

Police on Saturday said a foreigner held in custody over last month's deadly Bangkok attack was the same yellow-shirted man seen on CCTV placing a rucksack at the shrine moments before the blast.

Authorities have earlier said it was unlikely that either of the two men detained over the Aug 17 blast, which left 20 dead, were the bomber in what has been an often confusing and contradictory police investigation.

On Saturday, national police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said the probe now revealed the first arrested suspect, a man police identified as Adem Karadag whose nationality remains unconfirmed, was the bomber.
"It is confirmed that Adem is the man in the yellow shirt based on CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts and his own confession," Pol Lt Gen Prawut said.

A suspect identified by police as Adem Karadag is escorted upon his arrival at the Court in Bangkok, on Sept 5, 2015.

"After he placed the bomb at the shrine he called a motorbike taxi and changed his shirt at a restroom in (nearby) Lumpini Park." Mr Karadag's lawyer — who says his client's real name is Bilal Mohammed — could not immediately be reached for comment but earlier this week had cast doubt on rumours of his confession to the crime and has said his client was not in the country at the time of the attack. The suspect now faces up to eight charges including premeditated murder, Pol Lt Gen Prawut said.

Mr Karadag is due to undergo a reenactment of his alleged role in the crime — a standard Thai police procedure — starting at the shrine from 11am. The unprecedented attack in the heart of Bangkok's bustling downtown district last month stunned the nation and dealt a fresh blow to Thailand's reputation as a tourist haven.
•Earlier report: Military court approves 17 warrants for city bombings

The majority of the blast's fatalities were Chinese visitors, who believe prayers at the shrine bring good fortune. More than 100 other people were left injured. The motive for the bombing remains unclear but this month Thailand's police chief linked the attack to China's Uighur minority for the first time, after weeks of speculation over their role.

Somyot Poompanmoung blamed the blast on a gang of people-smugglers motivated by revenge for a crackdown on their lucrative trade including the transfer of Uighurs. That motive has been widely dismissed by security experts who instead have pointed to Thailand's forced deportation of 109 Uighurs to China in July, a move that ignited anger in Turkey where nationalist hardliners see the minority as part of a global Turkic-speaking family.

Mostly Muslim Uighurs have long accused Beijing of religious and cultural repression in China's far western Xinjiang region, with hundreds of refugees believed to have fled in recent years, often heading to Turkey via Southeast Asia. Police arrested Mr Karadag in a flat on the outskirts of Bangkok late last month saying he was in possession of bomb-making equipment and dozens of fake Turkish passports.

The other man is custody has been identified as Yusufu Mieraili, who was seized with a Chinese passport that police believe is real. It notes Xinjiang as his birthplace. Mr Karadag's lawyer Chuchart Kanphai has previously said his client was born in Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi, but moved to Turkey in 2004 where he received Turkish nationality and found work as a truck driver with his brother.

He entered Thailand on Aug 21, four days after the bomb blast, with the aim of finding work in Malaysia, the lawyer has said.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crime/708084/police-karadag-planted-bomb

 

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Hungarian tourist killed, 23 injured in Thai boat accident
September 26, 2015

BANGKOK (AFP) - A Hungarian woman was killed and 23 other tourists were injured when their boat crashed into another vessel in central Thailand, police said on Saturday.

The 61-year-old died after the collision Friday evening in the popular Amphawa district of coastal Samut Songkram province, around 80 kilometres (50 miles) southwest of Bangkok. The group were on a tour to see fireflies on the Mae Klong river, in an area also popular for its floating market and homestays, when their boat crashed into an empty vessel, district police officer Wattana Nualsrida told AFP.

"She was pronounced dead at hospital after suffering from brain injuries," the officer said. He added that all but two of the injured tourists were from South Korea with one woman left seriously wounded. The other two injured passengers were Hungarians, Wattana said.

The Hungarian embassy in Bangkok confirmed that one of its citizens was killed in a boat accident but could provide no further details.

 

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New fund 'may leave farmers deeper in debt'
Writer: KAWINTRA JAISEU
THE NATION September 26, 2015

WHILE many were happy to get "vocational promotion" loans via village funds, a scenario at a village in Roi Et's Pathumrat district raises the possibility of villagers finding themselves deeper in debt and being caught in the vicious cycle of endless poverty.

After funds were wired by the Government Savings Bank into the accounts of 78 Ban Samran villagers in Tambon Nong Khaen on September 21, many withdrew the cash almost immediately. This means their debts have risen by another Bt10,000 to Bt25,000, and whether they can pay it back depends on whether they use it on income-boosting investments as intended - or otherwise.

For now though, the villagers are using the money for other reasons, Ban Samran village fund's committee member Sawang Suksaen said. Most villagers appear to be spending the money on their children's schooling in Bangkok or on paying interest for their old debts, he said.

"If people use these loans wrongly, they will find themselves in an even bigger whirlpool of debt," he said. "The villagers have this fund, the savings group and banks as loan sources, yet they are not financially liquid and keep falling behind in interest payments. Some savings groups then convert the interest owed into principle, putting them deeper in debt. Some of these villagers have fled to Bangkok to avoid paying their debts and have never returned," Sawang said. "The new village fund is worrying because it could start a repetitive cycle of debt."

Farmers' incomes are dropping, but their expenses are rising, which is why they have to borrow from legal and illegal sources. A 2013-2014 survey showed that local villagers had combined debts worth Bt293 million from legal sources and another Bt4.3 million from illegal sources, while the per capita income per year is Bt30,000.

Sawang said the new loans were not enough to generate income, and since most people were already in debt, this money would be gone in a few days, adding that similar scenarios had risen when other funds were used to sprinkle money among communities.

Yet, despite the potential problems, Tambon Nong Khaen fund committee still hopes that people will work on finding solutions rather than solely waiting for state agencies' help.

A small start would be for debt-stricken villagers to get together and learn how to be more self-reliant, follow a budget, look for ways to reduce their expenses and boost their incomes. They should also start exchanging ideas for financial freedom and lead self-sufficient lives, he said.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Special Report
Village Fund expected to boost grassroots economy
Writers: BOONCHU SRITRAIPOP, PATINYA SRISUPAMART
THE NATION September 26, 2015

People sign on to collect money under the government

VILLAGERS are overjoyed about this month's Cabinet resolution to add money to 59,000 Village Funds for vocational support for low-income earners.

The money is distributed to the Village Funds ranked as Grade A and B. Villagers said the move was a sign of the government's acknowledgement of the grass-roots economy's importance.

Up to Bt1 million per village in loans totalling Bt60 billion and are being distributed via the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives and the Government Savings Bank.

Also part of this economic stimulation package are grants of Bt5 million to 7,255 tambon for job promotion and investment projects in communities. The Interior Ministry's Permanent Secretary's Office is in charge of the scheme, with the grants totalling Bt36.27 billion.

Pornnapa Nenraksa, a member of the Ban Nong Bon Village Fund in tambon Na Pong of Loei's Muang district, said this revolving fund would create economic opportunities for rural people and promote the economies of communities, as well as help stabilise the country's economy.

She said that while the grants were not much, the money would be invested in industries like farming, such as buying fertiliser and pesticides, and would solve villagers' problems to a degree. "The first interest-free two-year period [for the loans] is most welcome," she said, adding that villagers could borrow up to Bt20,000 depending on their ability to repay the debt within the given time frame.

Usanee Sapboonmaklee, village head of Ban Nong Bon and its fund's secretary, said the 134-member Village Fund established in 2000 was run by a nine-strong committee and had capital worth Bt4.4 million. She said the additional Bt1-million loan, with an annual interest rate of 6 per cent after the two-year grace period, would be a big boost to people's quality of life.

"This is a good solution for villagers who didn't get a Village Fund loan before. Now we can consider more applicants," she said. "We require villagers aged over 18 to apply for membership and we lend money to up to two members from one household at up Bt75,000 each."

A member of the Ban Nong Bon Village Fund, Salakjit Phetchansri, said he would borrow Bt20,000 to buy parts to fix his work motorbike, while one of his relatives would borrow to cover his restaurant expenses. Tambon Siew resident Yolchan Kamonrat, having worked closely with Loei's civil society, said the money was good, although some families were still unable to access the money, so the budget should be bigger.

He said the Bt5-million-per-tambon grant scheme was too rushed, as it required communities to plan projects within three days. More time should have been given to ensure public participation and variety rather than just plans to build roads. Yolchan said villages had ready-made plans for building roads and had submitted them.

A provincial-level screening committee should be in place to ensure maximum benefit to communities, he said. The 220 households of Ban Mueang Pha Ruam Jai Moo 5 in Chiang Mai's Mae Rim district has a Grade B Village Fund as it has systematically managed to improve its residents' quality of life.

Fund president Somsri Yakling said all the villagers could receive vocational support loans from the fund without having to borrow from loan sharks. The loans also aided various businesses such as trade, ceramics and basketwork, she added.

"This year's programme requires villagers to use the loans to create family income, not to pay old debts, so it will prevent money being wasted as in the past," she said. "But the new rule that requires a fund committee member to provide loan surety might cause problems in the long term when the committee needs to be changed."

Basketwork-business owner Suthep Homnuan said he borrowed Bt20,000 from the fund 10 years ago to support his business and now had more than 10,000 orders per month. The business has become his main job and enabled him to hire others in the village such as the elderly. "Because I am a good debtor, I can borrow continuously." Suthep said.

Ceramics-business owner Phayao Buawatthana said she had borrowed a total of Bt90,000 on three occasions over the past four years to support her business. "I plan to borrow more to expand my business and improve my store's front on the main road, which leads tourists to Mae Hong Son's Pai district," Phayao said.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

[QUOTE="Jo-Be, post: 180250, member: 231"
]Yingluck at Chiang Mai temple to dispel bad luck
25 Sep 2015

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/707652/yingluck-at-chiang-mai-temple-to-dispel-bad-luck.[/QUOTE]

Satte in denna artikel härom dan, lite för att komiken i hennes handlande när det kommer till politiken, skulle inte tro att 1000 munkar ens lyckas att få hennes olycka gå iväg/försvinna, de felaktiga beslut som tagit i hennes brors namn borde egentligen falla till hans favör, men tyvärr håller han sig borta från landet(ena riktiga tomtar & troll)...

 

[Ubon]

Special Report
Village Fund expected to boost grassroots economy
Writers: BOONCHU SRITRAIPOP, PATINYA SRISUPAMART
THE NATION September 26, 2015

People sign on to collect money under the government

VILLAGERS are overjoyed about this month's Cabinet resolution to add money to 59,000 Village Funds for vocational support for low-income earners.

The money is distributed to the Village Funds ranked as Grade A and B. Villagers said the move was a sign of the government's acknowledgement of the grass-roots economy's importance.

Up to Bt1 million per village in loans totalling Bt60 billion and are being distributed via the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives and the Government Savings Bank.

Also part of this economic stimulation package are grants of Bt5 million to 7,255 tambon for job promotion and investment projects in communities. The Interior Ministry's Permanent Secretary's Office is in charge of the scheme, with the grants totalling Bt36.27 billion.

Pornnapa Nenraksa, a member of the Ban Nong Bon Village Fund in tambon Na Pong of Loei's Muang district, said this revolving fund would create economic opportunities for rural people and promote the economies of communities, as well as help stabilise the country's economy.

She said that while the grants were not much, the money would be invested in industries like farming, such as buying fertiliser and pesticides, and would solve villagers' problems to a degree. "The first interest-free two-year period [for the loans] is most welcome," she said, adding that villagers could borrow up to Bt20,000 depending on their ability to repay the debt within the given time frame.

Usanee Sapboonmaklee, village head of Ban Nong Bon and its fund's secretary, said the 134-member Village Fund established in 2000 was run by a nine-strong committee and had capital worth Bt4.4 million. She said the additional Bt1-million loan, with an annual interest rate of 6 per cent after the two-year grace period, would be a big boost to people's quality of life.

"This is a good solution for villagers who didn't get a Village Fund loan before. Now we can consider more applicants," she said. "We require villagers aged over 18 to apply for membership and we lend money to up to two members from one household at up Bt75,000 each."

A member of the Ban Nong Bon Village Fund, Salakjit Phetchansri, said he would borrow Bt20,000 to buy parts to fix his work motorbike, while one of his relatives would borrow to cover his restaurant expenses. Tambon Siew resident Yolchan Kamonrat, having worked closely with Loei's civil society, said the money was good, although some families were still unable to access the money, so the budget should be bigger.

He said the Bt5-million-per-tambon grant scheme was too rushed, as it required communities to plan projects within three days. More time should have been given to ensure public participation and variety rather than just plans to build roads. Yolchan said villages had ready-made plans for building roads and had submitted them.

A provincial-level screening committee should be in place to ensure maximum benefit to communities, he said. The 220 households of Ban Mueang Pha Ruam Jai Moo 5 in Chiang Mai's Mae Rim district has a Grade B Village Fund as it has systematically managed to improve its residents' quality of life.

Fund president Somsri Yakling said all the villagers could receive vocational support loans from the fund without having to borrow from loan sharks. The loans also aided various businesses such as trade, ceramics and basketwork, she added.

"This year's programme requires villagers to use the loans to create family income, not to pay old debts, so it will prevent money being wasted as in the past," she said. "But the new rule that requires a fund committee member to provide loan surety might cause problems in the long term when the committee needs to be changed."

Basketwork-business owner Suthep Homnuan said he borrowed Bt20,000 from the fund 10 years ago to support his business and now had more than 10,000 orders per month. The business has become his main job and enabled him to hire others in the village such as the elderly. "Because I am a good debtor, I can borrow continuously." Suthep said.

Ceramics-business owner Phayao Buawatthana said she had borrowed a total of Bt90,000 on three occasions over the past four years to support her business. "I plan to borrow more to expand my business and improve my store's front on the main road, which leads tourists to Mae Hong Son's Pai district," Phayao said.

Åhhh, nej, inte nu igen, här finns lån att hämta, hela tiden likadant, mot dom fattigaste, byter man ut rävsaxen mot en gilgotin, hushållens belåning, vad ligger den på idag 80-90%? det finns två ekonomier i Thailand, dom som har ekonomi och som suger ur dom som ingen har.......
skriver för att skingra tankarna

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Fake B500 note found in Trang
27 Sep 2015 WRITER: METHEE MUANGKAEW

A fake 500-baht banknote was found by in Trang by a food vendor who received it from a customer, indicating that fake notes could be rampant again in the province.

The female vendor of rice with curry told Pol Sr Sgt Maj Suthinat Sengrod, 50, a well-known radio show host and an officer attached to Musng district police, that a well-dressed couple who came in a car stopped to eat in her shop and paid for food with a 500-baht note on Sept 19.

She only found out two days later that the note was fake, but look very must like a real one in the dark.

The woman wanted other traders and people in general to be cuationed about fake notes which might again spread as once happened in 2013, particularly during major festivals or religious holidays.