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

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Environment
10 resorts in Phu Tub Berk face demolition, villagers charged
The Nation October 23, 2015

THE Royal Forestry Department is going ahead with the demolition of 10 resorts in Petchabun's Phu Tub Berk mountainous area after a court ruled that they were violating the law and ordered occupants to leave immediately, the department's director-general Chonlatid Suraswadi said yesterday.

Chonlatid added that officials were ready to apply special laws against anybody who obstructs the operation or refuses to cooperate. He said related agencies were formulating a land-management plan for the 47,000-rai Phu Tub Berk area, which should be ready in three months. Chonlatid visited the province yesterday morning to attend a meeting of officials on the illegal construction and land encroachment.

According to the Department of Social Development and Welfare, as many as 57 resorts have been accused of misusing land plots that had originally been allocated to hilltribes for agricultural use. So far, 10 resorts face prosecution and their occupants have been ordered to leave.

Meanwhile, three villagers in Sakhon Nakhon's Phu Phan district have been sentenced to jail for encroaching into the Pa Dong Chom Phu Phan and Dong Kracher national forests, while six other villagers have been given two-year suspended jail terms.

The Sakon Nakhon Provincial Court on Wednesday sentenced Surat Sriswasdee to six years in jail, which was then halved, while her aunt Kong Pongsakbun was given a two-and-a-half-year term. Kong's husband Boonsom Pongsakbun, who was also given a two-and-half-year term, was released after his relatives came up with Bt270,000 in bail. The two women were still behind bars at press time yesterday because their relatives were unable to find the Bt600,000 needed for their temporary release.

"This forest-encroachment allegation made against the villagers is putting many families under huge debt," Sudthida Pongsakbun, a relative of the three defendants, said.

Some 50 members of the Isaan Land Reform Network and the Thai Ban Phuraisit Sakon Nakhon were also at court to give moral support to the defendants. The three defendants are among the 31 villagers from Ban Chad Rabeab in tambon Lub Lao who face forest-encroachment charges.

 

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Hacking
Hackers target Thai telecoms agency
Deutsche Presse Agentur October 23, 2015

Bangkok - Hackers have struck state-run telecommunications agency and published sensitive information, amid uncertainty over the government's plan to establish a single internet gateway for the country.

International hackers group Anonymous gained access to the systems of state-run CAT Telecom Thursday, according to posts on a Twitter account apparently run by the group’s members on Friday.

The group has expressed concern that the junta still plans to tighten its control over the internet, despite saying earlier that the plan had been shelved. Critics say establishing a single government-controlled line would allow for easier monitoring of users and content by the authorities.

Thai hackers in September attacked government websites in protest.They published what appeared to be personal account information of customers early Friday, and brought down the CAT website for several hours.The attackers also accessed documents that demonstrate along-standing strategy by the military to establish potential controlover the internet, a news report said.

The TelecomAsia news site said it had received documents dated 2006 showing the army’s plan for an information warfare unit, and listing social media to be selected as surveillance targets, including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Wordpress.

The report did not mention any plan for the single gateway, but said the documents "could suggest the Single Gateway project has been a priority and pushed by the highest levels of the army for years."

Deputy Premier General Prawit Wongsuwon said on October 15 that there was no fixed plan for such a gateway. But CAT Telecom this week announced it was putting the infrastructure in place, rebranding the project from "single gateway" to "national gateway." It would turn Thailand into a digital hub, it said.

The military junta has been criticised by local and international organisations for restrictions on freedom of expression and of the press, and on public criticism of its government. On September 30, simultaneous denial-of-service attacks were launched on several government websites by thousands of users protesting against the planned central gateway, and an online petition against it gathered 100,000 names.

 

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Indonesia's Forest Fires
South's worst haze
The Nation October 23, 2015

Health of locals threatened as particulate matter far exceeds safe level; Flight to Trang and Krabi hit ; Indonesia apologetic

THE WORST haze crisis in 17 years hit Songkhla’s Hat Yai district hard yesterday, with the amount of PM10 particles far exceeding the safe level. As of yesterday, the amount of particulate matter (PM) of up to 10 microns in size (PM10) reached 369.0 micrograms per cubic metre of air in Hat Yai, the economic hub of Thailand's South.

People are considered safe only when the PM10 does not rise above 120 micrograms. In 1998, the PM10 in Songkhla skyrocketed to 459.5 micrograms per cubic metre of air. Locals had hoped that such a seriously hazy situation would never recur.

But yesterday, although the PM10 did not yet beat the previous record, air pollutants were clearly visible in Hat Yai, even to the naked eye. The problem is widely blamed on Indonesia's forest fires. Officials in Songkhla province were busy handing out facial masks to help locals cope with the health impacts.

Government Spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha had already instructed family-medicine teams to visit affected people.

"People need to get proper healthcare," he said, "They also need to get advice. For example, they should avoid staying outdoors with the haze raging on. If they develop tightness in the chest or have difficulty breathing, they should immediately seek medical help".

According to Sansern, the prime minister is very concerned about the haze, which has blanketed Thailand's South. All relevant authorities are now ordered to closely monitor the situation and extend help to people. "Local administrative bodies, on their part, can help ease the pollution by spraying water in the air," the government spokesman said.

Sansern said the government has already contacted Indonesia about the haze, and Indonesia said it was sorry about the pollution caused. Yesterday, haze was also a major problem in at least five other southern provinces: Satun struggled with a PM10 of 276 micrograms; Pattani with PM10 211 micrograms; Surat Thani with PM10 of 187 micrograms; Yala with PM10 of 172 micrograms; and Narathiwat with PM10 of 123 micrograms.

As haze significantly reduced visibility, flight services to and from Thailand's South have been affected. Executives of schools in Songkhla are now allowed to decide whether temporary closure is necessary should the PM10 rise above 350 micrograms.

So far, Songkhla has not been declared a disaster-hit zone as authorities are worried that such a declaration may affect local tourism. Halem J Marigan, director of the Regional Environmental Office 16 (Songkhla), yesterday evening said there were signs of improvement.

"The average PM10 amount during the past 24 hours has finally reduced. It dropped from 369 to 365 micrograms per cubic metre of air if we concluded the measurement at 4pm Thursday," he said. He believed stronger winds had benefited Thailand, as the haze was pushed away faster.

In Surat Thani, several flights to Samui Airport were delayed yesterday because of the haze. "Many flights could not land in the morning. They had to wait until the afternoon," said Surat Thani Governor Wongsiri Promchana.

He said he had also advised locals to turn on the headlights of their vehicles when driving in hazy areas. Wongsiri said all tourist attractions were still open as normal as of now. Flight services in the southern provinces of Trang and Krabi are also affected.

In Trang, locals yesterday urged relevant authorities to help tackle the haze problem that had recurred every now and then.

"It has affected us adversely. I feel uncomfortable because the haze has made it hard for me to breathe," Areerat Boonprasert, 52, said.

 

[NilsG]

keep Up the good work

 

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Gas found at Khon Kaen drilling site
Writers: JITIMA CHANPHROM & PRATCH RUJIVANAROM
THE SUNDAY NATION October 25, 2015

THE ENERGY MINISTRY has revealed that a drilling site in Khon Kaen has enough gas to operate commercially - so a gas pipeline and another rig at the same site are set for construction within the next few months.
But a local environment group warned that petroleum production in the area would severely affect nearby villagers' lives because of the pollution the drilling would emit.

Energy Ministry geology specialist Santi Thongwilard revealed that the Dong Mun 5 site near Ban Namun village in Kranuan district could produce 6.5 million cubic feet of gas per day.

"As the Dong Mun site was found to be operational, the gas pressure test will be done for another 30 days and after that 16 kilometres of gas pipeline will be constructed to transport gas to the plant and there will be drilling for another site nearby," Santi said.

"This is good luck for the country that we found an operational gas site in our country. It can reduce the gas reliance from abroad and it will generate income for the country through royalties and taxes."

Santi said Thailand used 5,000 million cubic feet of gas per day, while the country produced only 3,800 million cubic feet per day and had to import the shortfall from Myanmar.

He said that Apico, the American firm operating the site, would pay Bt29 billion to the local government and Bt188 billion to the central government in royalties.

Locals 'left sick by exploration'

The news has shocked locals in Ban Namun, who claimed that 15 days of round-the-clock gas burning at the site as part of the exploration had left villagers sick.

The village is 1.7 kilometres from the site.

"We just heard the news that the gas pit will be developed into a gas production site and we are very disappointed with this news, because the people here have already been hurt by the gas exploration. The gas production will definitely change the locals' lives," said Nattaporn Arthan, a representative of the Namun Dunsad Environment Conservation Group.

The villagers had asked the Khon Kaen Administrative Court to suspend the drilling, which they said leaked methane into the environment and contaminated the local food and water supply.

The court was scheduled to rule on the matter on October 15 but that did not happen.

Nattaporn said the villagers would go to Bangkok tomorrow to protest at Apico's office.

"We have no choice but to fight to protect our livelihoods," she said.

 

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Suspect in lese majeste case dead
THE SUNDAY NATION October 25, 2015

Pol Major Prakrom Warunprapa, when he was taken to the military court on October 21.

THE AUTHORITIES are investigating the death of a suspect in a high-profile lese majeste case who was found hanged while in military detention on Friday night.

Justice Minister General Paiboon Koomchaya said yesterday the Corrections Department had reported to him the death of Pol Major Prakrom Warunprapa, who was charged with violating Article 112 of the Penal Code along with well-known fortune-teller Suriyan Sujaritpolwong and his secretary Jirawong Wattanathewasilp.

Paiboon said he had ordered the Corrections Department to investigate the incident and report its findings to him as soon as possible.

At about 10pm on Friday, Prakrom tried to hang himself with a shirt |in his room at a temporary deten-|tion facility at the 11th Military |Circle, Corrections Department |director-general Vitaya Suriyawong said in a statement released yester-day.

A night-shift guard found Prakrom hanging and saved him. He was still alive at the time and was taken to the Corrections Department's hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, the director-general said.

Death to be investigated

Vitaya, currently in Australia, said the department was required by law to investigate the death of anyone who had died in custody. He said Prakrom's body would be sent to the Royal Thai Police's Institute of Forensic Medicine for autopsy. The Bangkok Remand Prison, which oversees the detention facility at the 11th Military Circle, has set up a fact-finding committee to look into the incident, and the findings will be reported to higher authorities, he added.

Prakrom, formerly a superintendent at the Technology Crime Suppression Division, was being held at a facility on Nakhon Chaisri Road along with the other two suspects in the case. They were being held in separate rooms. They admitted to wrongly citing the monarchy to make personal gains, according to police, who have confiscated a number of their assets.

On Wednesday, the military court approved a police request to detain the trio for a longer period, as investigators are still working on the case.

Rumours on Mor Yong denied

Vitaya has denied a rumour |spread on social media that Suriyan, who is better known as Mor Yong, became seriously ill and had to be hospitalised. He said Suriyan suffered from high blood pressure and was treated by a military doctor at the 11th Military Circle and was still being detained.

He said the detention rooms differed from normal prison cells, as they had concrete walls that made it difficult to see inside. Anti-Money Laundering Office deputy secretary-general Suwanee Sawangpol said Prakrom's death would result in a criminal case against him ending although his death would not affect the civil proceedings.

She said AMLO's monetary transaction committee would convene on Thursday to determine whether the agency had the authority to confiscate and seize assets of the three suspects. National police chief General Chakthip Chaijinda yesterday instructed police investigators to complete their probe into the case within three weeks.

He said the investigators had completed about 80 per cent of the work.

The team is led by assistant national police chief Lt-General Srivara Rangsitbhramanakul.

 

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Robinson to open stores in SEZs
Writer: KWANCHAI RUNGFAPAISARN / THE NATION October 24, 2015

ROBINSON Department Store, a unit of Central Retail Corporation (CRC), plans to open stores in special economic zones (SEZs) in line with the government's policy to promote cross-border trade in those areas.

Alan Thomson, president of Robinson Department Store and international business director of CRC, said Robinson would continue to expand in Thailand wherever the company sees a good opportunity. However its expansion is now slower and its focus is more on its existing stores.

Last year, the company opened a Lifestyle Centre in Mukdahan on the border with Laos and this year on December 18, a new Lifestyle Centre will be opened in Mae Sot in Tak province. "These stores are being built to take greater advantage of cross-border trade. SEZ projects are good initiatives but will take time to develop and for us to realise any opportunities," Thomson said.

He said Robinson had four major business units, which are department stores, Lifestyle Centres, shop-in-shop stores for international fashion brands, and department stores in Vietnam.

The company currently operates 42 department stores in the Kingdom, as well as two in Vietnam. Robinson also has 15 Lifestyle Centres, with two more on Sri Saman Road in Nonthaburi and in Mae Sot to open by the end of this year. The company also operates shop-in-shop stores for international fashion brands, including Payless Shoes, Claire's and BabyShop. Next year, Aeropostale will be added to this unit.

"This year sales have been challenging due to the economic situation, but we are gradually seeing a recovery driven by the changes we are making to our business. We still, however, do not see any significant improvements in the economic situation and the customers' mindset to spend money on discretionary items such as clothing," Thomson said.

Thomson joined CRC in October 2009 as managing director of CRC Sports Co, running SuperSports, Thailand's largest sporting-goods retailer. In 2011, he was also assigned to be international business director for CRC to develop stores in Vietnam, including Robins Department Store, SuperSports and single-brand shops such as New Balance and Crocs. Thomson was promoted as president of Robinson Department Store in January 2014.

"We currently have two RBS stores in Vietnam. Both are now celebrating their first anniversary, in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. We are still evaluating the sales and performance, which is good, before we further develop our business in Vietnam. It takes time to understand our Vietnamese customers and their preferences. We have no plan to expand to other markets at the moment," he said.

He said Robinson was slowing down its expansion to focus more on its top 20 existing stores in which the company still sees great potential.

In August next year, the company will open a new department store in the new CentralPlaza shopping centre in Nakhon Si Thammarat being developed by Central Pattana. The company will also open its 18th lifestyle mall in Lop Buri in October next year.

"From 2018 to 2020, if we see an improvement in the economic situation, we hope to open between three and four new stores per year," Thomson said. He said Robinson was currently the No 1 department-store chain in Thailand with the widest market coverage. Its stores serve more than 2 million customers monthly.

"With strong business fundamentals and a [listing] on the Thai stock exchange, our vision is to continue to exceed the expansions [expectations] of our customers, employees and shareholders," he said.

 

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Migrants on trawlers arrested over girl's murder in Ranong
The Sunday Nation October 25, 2015

Two more migrant workers have been arrested for alleged roles in the murder of an 18-year-old female student in Ranong's Muang district. The men were arrested on fishing trawlers off the Phang Nga coast on Friday night.

The development follows the arrest of another migrant worker who reportedly confessed to having stabbed the girl in an isolated alley while high on glue. He reportedly told police that he and three friends were sniffing glue at the alley's entrance on September 28 when they encounter the girl and an argument erupted before she walked on.

Police believe the motive for the killing could be the argument, robbery or related to sex. They are looking for the fourth suspect identified as a migrant in his 20s. On Friday police found what is thought to be the knife used in the attack at a mangrove forest 500 metres from the scene of the murder.

 

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Arrests in debt-collection shooting in Thanyaburi
The Sunday Nation October 25, 2015

Police have paraded two alleged members of a debt-collection gang accused of shooting at the house of a woman debtor in Pathum Thani's Thanyaburi district last Sunday.
Wissanu Ampaiboon, 25, and Sompong Poonsuk, 30, reportedly confessed to having joined 11 other debt collectors in firing at the house allegedly on the order of reputed Nonthaburi-based loan shark Wuthichai Pho-art. They were brought to the 56-year-old victim's house to re-enact the crime yesterday.

The men have been charged with attempted murder, gun possession, carrying a gun in public without permission and causing damage to another person's property.

They claimed the victim failed to repay her debt despite receiving many previous warnings. They also said the woman's son argued with them.

Deputy police chief Pongsapat Pongcharoen said the duo fled to Cambodia and were arrested in Sa Kaew upon returning to Thailand.

 

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Kathing Festival
Flags of the dharma fly again
Writer: Phatarawadee Phataranawik, The Nation October 26, 2015

Kathin banners with their highly charged symbolism are seldom seen in Bangkok, but moves are afoot to revive the tradition

Phra Maha Somsak of Wat Pradoo Nai sits by a flag with a centipede, used to indicate that a temple can accept no further merit-making donations. Photo courtesy of Department of Religious Affair

Worshipers at a temple in Pathum Thani carry flags bedecked with a crocodile and the half-female, half-fish being Supanna Matcha. Photo/Nation

athin flags bear the image of a turtle, a centipede, a crocodile or the hybrid Supanna Matcha, each offering clues to a riddles of the dharma. Photo courtesy of Department of Religious Affair

The khatin flags are fluttering in the autumn gusts again at Wat Suwannaram in Bangkok Noi at Wat Pradoo Nai across the river in Bang Phlat, but there's been doubt about how many more years they'll make their annual appearance.

For two and a half millennia the white flags imprinted with dramatic emblems have been flown to mark the end of Buddhist Lent, but, as with so many traditions, interest appears to be on the wane.

The kathin rites closing out Vassa, the Lent period, and bidding farewell to another rainy season most commonly take the form of giving fresh robes to monks. That variation on alms-distribution is in no danger of vanishing thanks to the devotion of the faithful, but the practice of hanging kathin flags has long been fading away.

In a bid to preserve the tradition, the Culture Ministry's Department of Religious Affairs has urged the abbots and lay leaders of more than 30,000 Thai temples to fly the flags this year for the month-long duration of the kathin "festival", starting from the full moon of the eleventh lunar month, in accordance with Theravada Buddhism. This year that runs from October 28 to November 25.

The monks of the royal temple Pradoo Nai in Thoburi and of Wat Suwannaram in Bangkok are showing their enthusiasm, and the flags are already out.

"Temples in Bangkok rarely hanging kathin flags, though the practice is still followed upcountry, especially in Isaan," says Phra Maha Somsak, assistant abbot at Wat Pradoo Nai. The flags - more like banners in their configuration - bear one of three animals and a supernatural being that illustrate a "puzzle" of the dharma, he explains.

"A temple hanging the flag depicting a centipede with a lotus blossom in its mouth indicates that the temple is already 'booked up' with laypeople coming to make kathin offerings, so anyone else wishing to do the same will have to go elsewhere. Putting the flag out front thus saves them from wasting their time by going inside."

In a proper kathin procession at a temple, laypeople carry robes and other necessities for the monks, along with the crocodile flag and another that shows a half-woman, half-fish being - Supanna Matcha from the Ramakien - holding a lotus bud in her hands. These flags will later be displayed outside the temple.

As well as "signalling" the temple's status to passers-by, the creatures depicted on the flags represent human traits that are frowned on in Buddhist teachings. The centipede signifies anger, Supanna Matcha foolishness and the crocodile greed. Bringing such creatures into the temple is a metaphorical way of overcoming these faults.

At the conclusion of the initial kathin ceremony, the temple will hang another flag, bearing an image of a turtle, also with a lotus in its mouth. It represents the calm mind to which Buddhists aspire in making merit, praying and meditating. The turtle flag stays in place until the festival ends on November 25.

Artisans upcountry have been busy recently painting flags for the coming week, attaching them to bamboo poles ready for distribution in the provinces. For urbans, computer-printed flags are already on sale at shops stocking religious items in Bangkok's Phra Nakhon area, near the Giant Swing.

Vassa is the period during which Buddhist monks - most of whom were nomadic in bygone times - were obliged to stop wandering and remain in one place "in retreat" for three months, a time for deeper contemplation and study that corresponded, then as now, with the rainy season.

The kathin rites mark the moment for them to move on again, clad in new robes and presumably wiser and holier. For the laity, it's a time for giving. The faithful express their gratitude to the monks by presenting them with the few basic items they are permitted to possess.

In a special ceremony central to the kathin observations and just as steeped in history, His Majesty the King presents robes to selected monks at the royal temples , although this year, owing to the monarch's health, a representative will take his place, likely His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

The King's representative will personally travel to Wat Pradoo Nai on November 5 and to Wat Suwannaram on November 18, and kathin robes from the Palace will be further distributed among the 294 royal temples in Thailand and 13 Thai Buddhist temples abroad.

The ceremony is replicated in other Asian countries with substantial Theravada Buddhism followings, including Sri Lanka and Laos and in some parts of Myanmar. "I hope that preserving this tradition gives more Buddhists the chance to make merit and learn about the meanings of riddles behind the kathin flags," says Phra Maha Somsak.

 

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Eight dead in Kanchanaburi tourist bus crash

THE NATION October 26, 2015

EIGHT people died and 22 others were seriously injured in a tourist bus crash at a notorious black spot in Kanchanaburi's Si Sawat district yesterday.

Pol Lieutenant Anusorn Sudtho, an investigator at Si Sawat Police Station, said the accident occurred near Khao Tubtao. Police and rescue teams transported the injured to Tha Kradan Hospital, Anusorn said. The officer said the bus was off its wheels and seriously damaged.

Many passengers were trapped inside the bus when rescue teams arrived and some were dead. The bus crashed when returning to the W&H Film Company's Samut Sakhon office after the conclusion of a seminar at a nearby resort. Si Sawat sheriff Seree Khongyue said there were 36 passengers on the bus including the driver.

The eight who died were killed instantly, while six passenger had suffered minor injuries, Seree said. The injured passengers were |later shifted to the larger Paholpolpayuhasena Hospital in Kanchanaburi's Muang district.

 

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CHECK In for VACATION.
Luxury with a SENSES of SMILE
Writer: MANTA KLANGBOONKRONG / THE NATION
KOH SAMUI October 26, 2015

The newly renovated Six Senses Samui is ideal for a pampered vacation
After two months of extensive renovations, Six Senses Samui recently re-opened with a much more youthful and contemporary look. Located on the northern-most headland of the island, the resort, which has been up and running since 2004, has retained its close-to-nature décor but added a brighter and polished chic to its villas, which are scattered over the lush, tropical landscape.

The dark wood décor in all 66 villas has been replaced with lighter and warmer shades of rich, creamy brown that amplifies the natural light and brightens up the room. The oversized cushions are now dressed in bright green upholstery and rustic cabinets and furniture have been polished to contemporary stylishness. The thick and bushy panels that made the outdoor shower a little too dark have also gone and now it's a bright and airy area to enjoy a leisurely shower, with just enough green to prevent it from feeling too exposed. The newly fitted wall-to-ceiling glass walls in the bathroom make the room appear bigger and let in more natural light. Most importantly, it makes you feel closer to nature yet private and secluded in the lush garden.

Gone too is that annoying board of light switches that guests would systematically curse as they flicked through a dozen switches one by one trying to find the one that applied to a particular light. Now the lights are clustered, with one switch controlling several lights, making it easier to adjust the lighting. The villa pools have been resurfaced with turquoise stone tiles and an additional seven have been built, giving the resort 59 villas with private pools.

The public areas have also undergone renovations. The lobby is more modern but still retains Six Senses wooden flair. The library is more spacious and has been equipped with new reading material, floor-to-ceiling bookcases, games tables and suspended relaxation nets. There's also a "jungle gym" in the woods where you can get some fresh air while exercising.

The resort serves some of the best regional and international cuisine on the island, especially at the renowned Dining on the Rock, perched on a hill and offering a panoramic view of the ocean. Expect some inspiring new menus from the newly appointed Guatemalan chef de cuisine Giancarlo Caffaro who mixes and matching ingredients from all over the world in his culinary creations.

With the secluded location a mere 15 minutes drive from the airport, Six Senses Samui is an ideal choice for vacationers wishing to take in the healing power of nature. A stay here offers more than spa pampering and gazing at the ocean though: the resort offers activities for both kids and adults throughout the day, including a yoga session that doesn't start too early, non-motorised water sport activities and Thai cooking classes.

After two months of extensive renovations, Six Senses Samui recently re-opened with a much more youthful and contemporary look.

The spot doesn't boast a long stretch of beach but there is a gigantic infinity pool that blends seamlessly with the ocean. And for those wanting some high-powered nightlife, Chaweng Beach and the famed Fisherman's Village are not far away. While Six Senses Samui is recommended for couples and families with older children, the plethora of steps and hilly paths make it difficult to get around for senior guests or those using wheelchairs.

AT A GLANCE

High points: Conveniently located just 15 minutes from the airport, the hotel offers comfortable, spacious rooms with unobstructed view of the ocean. The food and spa are excellent.

Low points: Limited access to the beach. Not ideal for senior guests or wheelchair users.

Pay for it: Check the website for the best deals and promotions.

Find it: 9/10 Moo 5, Baan Plai Laem, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani

Call it: (077) 245 678

Browse it: www.SixSenses.com/Samui

 

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Overstayers face stiff re-entry bans
26 Oct 2015 | WRITER: POST REPORTERS

Immigration police say these are just a few of the estimated 800,000 foreigners who are in Thailand on passports and papers that have expired. (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)

The Immigration Bureau has asked Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to exercise his special powers to issue a ban on foreigners found guilty of overstaying in Thailand from re-entering the country for one to 10 years.

The move is aimed at cutting the number of illegal migrants by 80%, down from the current crop of overstayers estimated at 800,000 people. Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn, the bureau chief, said in cases of overstaying of more than 90 days to one year, the ban from re-entry will be one year. In cases of overstaying between more than one year and three years, the ban from re-entry will be three years, while those found guilty of overstaying between more than three years and five years will face a ban from re-entry of five years.

For those found guilty of overstaying more than five years, the ban from re-entry will be 10 years. Most illegal migrants in Thailand came originally from Africa, India and Bangladesh and their motives for breaking the immigration law here were mainly that they wanted to use Thailand as a temporary shelter before migrating on to a third country, said Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn. One reason for the growth of overstayers was the rather weak penalties for overstaying that comprise a fine of 500 baht-20,000 baht and deportation, he said.

Anyone who doesn't have money for the fine can opt for imprisonment in which one day is equivalent to the payment of 200 baht in fines, he said. However, under the present law, after being deported to their countries of origin, those illegal migrants can still return to Thailand again and again, he said. The proposal to impose a re-entry ban on illegal migrants via the prime minister's order under Section 44 of the interim charter has won approval from the Interior Ministry and is now being considered by the prime minister, he said.

In a crackdown over the past week, 9,265 foreign suspects were arrested, 97.5% of whom were accused of violating the immigration law by overstaying, said Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn. Of this number, only 18 people were detained on other criminal charges. A vast majority of the detained suspects were African people, he said. Pol Gen Dechnarong Suthichanbancha, a Level 10 police adviser who specialises in security affairs, said an instruction had been issued to stamp out illegal migrants in Thailand, which led to authorities deciding on the 80% initial reduction target.

In four notable cases recently, a total of six foreigners were detained. In the first case, Kristina Monka, 23, and Grigory Lyaskov, 24, both from Russia and wanted by Russian authorities and Interpol on fraud charges, were detained in Pattaya City on Oct 21. Ms Monka was wanted by police in Russia after she was found to have transferred about 4 million baht from customers' accounts at the bank where she worked to her own secret accounts before fleeing to Thailand.

She worked as a customer relations manager for the Russian Bank and colluded with Mr Lyaskov who himself secretly transferred about 945,000 baht from customers' accounts to his own, police said. In the second case, Agborbelle Mkpot Etah, 32, and Chanceline Ngenwie, 28, both from Cameroon, were arrested on Saturday, Mr Etha in Bang Kapi district of Bangkok and Ms Ngenwie in Chon Buri's Phanat Nikhom district. These suspects were wanted by Khon Kaen police on document forgery charges.

Police found they hired a Cameroonian visa broker in Khon Kaen to submit on their behalf fake documents claiming they were hired as language teachers in the northeastern province. The fake documents were intended to deceive immigration officials into renewing their visas. In the third case, Minwoo Cho, 43, from South Korea, who was wanted under a "red notice" issued by Interpol for alleged involvement in illegal online gambling was detained in Chon Buri's Bang Lamung district on Thursday.

Immigration officials in Chon Buri had been looking for this suspect for some time before they found he operated a massage shop on Sukhumvit Road in this district. In the fourth case, Myo Kyi, 47, from Myanmar, was arrested on Oct 19 for allegedly forging a departure immigration clearance stamp at the immigration office in Ranong province. This suspect was found to have used the fake immigration stamp on his passport during an immigration check at Suvarnabhumi airport.

Immigration officials who inspected his passport had detected signs of irregularities in the stamp on page 11 of his passport, prompting them to compare the stamp with the record stored in the VSC6000 immigration system. They found the stamp on his passport was fake. The suspect was believed to have used the fake stamp to extend his stay in Thailand when he was actually overstaying, an immigration source said.

No word was to hand on when the prime minister was likely to make a decision on the call for re-entry bans.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/742528/overstayers-face-stiff-re-entry-bans.

 

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Law will deal with any red-shirt rally on Sunday: Prawit
THE NATION October 27, 2015

having fun Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra joins a colourful festival at Samut Prakan yesterday and throws lotuses at a boat procession carrying a sacred Buddha image. Several other former Pheu Thai MPs were also present.

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan has warned red-shirt leaders against mobilising members to rally in support of former PM Yingluck Shinawatra on Sunday over the legal actions being taken against her.

He said if a rally is held on that day, the red shirts leading the protest would be held responsible. "Everyone can wear red but there is no use wearing red and rallying. It is not allowed," he said. "We are not afraid of any groups expressing their opinions. We will take action according to the law."

The red-shirt rally threat came after the government moved to make Yingluck pay for civil liability incurred from her government's rice-pledging scheme; the amount will be determined by the Finance and Commerce ministries.

Yingluck and her Pheu Thai Party say the move is unjust because the criminal trial against her over the scheme has only just begun. However, the government said it would be charged with negligence if it did not act before the case's statue of limitations expires.

Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda warned red-shirt leaders not to exploit people's sentiments in relation to Yingluck's case. "I do not ban rallies. I want everyone to exercise sound judgement over whether the country should be divided over this," he said. "The national divide must end. Don't incite mass supporters over justice. Right or wrong, it should go by the law.

"Don't cite any reasons [to rally] such as democracy … as it is not worth wrecking the country's unity. If I have to go to court one day, no one needs to display their support for me because we can walk within the framework of the rule of law," he said.

Meanwhile, United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) core leader Nuttawut Saikuar wondered why the authorities have "overreacted" about the prospect of people rallying on Sunday. He said Yingluck was concerned the matter has been "blown out of proportion".

"We are worried that when the time comes, there may be other groups intentionally wearing red and staging rallies to create conditions that the government can cite to fully exercise its power so the red shirts become culprits," he said. "I hope every sector has honour and does not use this disgraceful method.''

Prawit dismissed UDD chief Jatuporn Prompan's claim that there is widespread graft in the Bt5-million tambon fund project. He said he had officials explain the implementation of the project in detail and Jatuporn must substantiate his allegations with evidence. "It is not good to make unfounded allegations. Show me who has got the money. I will bring all culprits to judgement,'' he said.

He said the National Council for Peace and Order had military personnel check the project's progress and transparency.

Kwanchai Sarakham (formerly Praipana), chairman of the red-shirt Rak Udorn Group of Udon Thani, said he would not urge his members to wear red shirts on Sunday. He said his group had toed the line for more than a year and did not want to cause any problem. He urged red shirts in the 20 Isan provinces to keep their faith and love Yingluck in their minds.

"Don't do anything that will cause trouble for her or for the government, otherwise we will be blamed for being troublemakers,'' he said. He called on the red shirts to maintain a low-profile until democracy blossoms. "I believe Udon people have good judgement,'' he said.

 

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Saudi prince held in 2-tonne Beirut airport drug bust
•27 Oct 2015 • WRITER: AFP


A Saudi prince and four others were detained on Monday in Lebanon in the largest drug bust in the history of the Beirut airport, a security source said. Saudi prince Abdel Mohsen Bin Walid Bin Abdulaziz and four others were detained by airport security while allegedly "attempting to smuggle about two tonnes of Captagon pills and some cocaine," a security source told AFP.

"The smuggling operation is the largest one that has been foiled through the Beirut International Airport," the source said on condition of anonymity. Captagon is the brand name for the amphetamine phenethylline, a synthetic stimulant. The banned drug is consumed mainly in the Middle East and has reportedly been widely used by fighters in Syria.

The security source said the drugs had been packed into cases that were waiting to be loaded onto a private plane that was headed to Saudi Arabia. The five Saudi citizens were still in the airport and would be questioned by Lebanon's customs authority, the source added.

In April 2014, security forces foiled an attempt to smuggle 15 million capsules of Captagon hidden in shipping containers full of corn from Beirut's port. Lebanon's state news agency also reported Monday's drug bust, saying the private plane was to head to Riyadh and was carrying 40 suitcases full of Captagon.

Saudi Arabia's large royal family has had past run-ins with authorities in various countries. Late last month, a Saudi prince was arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly trying to force a woman to perform oral sex on him at a Beverly Hills mansion. But authorities decided not to pursue the charge, citing a lack of evidence.

In 2013, a Saudi princess was accused in Los Angeles of enslaving a Kenyan woman as a housemaid, but the charges were also eventually dropped.

 

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Thai airlines 'damaged by open skies'
27 Oct 2015| WRITER: BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA

Emirates’ A380 superjumbo fleet at Dubai airport. The airline, which offers the largest seat capacity between Thailand and the UAE, supports Thailand’s openskies policy.


Thailand's open-skies policy is so liberal that foreign airlines are exploiting it to the disadvantage of Thai carriers, claims one airline boss. Patee Sarasin, chief executive of budget carrier Nok Air, made the remark as he questioned certain countries for not reciprocating air service rights to Thai airlines that Thailand had granted to them.

"While we [Thailand] fully comply with the open-skies policy, some others that are said to be committed to reciprocation do not," he told the Bangkok Post. Cash-rich Persian Gulf carriers have exploited Thailand's aviation liberalisation to the fullest by substantially adding capacity to flights between the Middle East and Thailand and beyond, Mr Patee said.

He specifically cited Laos and Cambodia as countries that continued to restrict Thai airlines' access to their air space, describing their commitment to open skies as mere rhetoric. South Korea is another example, with Asiana, Korean Air, Jeju Air, Jin Air and T'way Air enjoying substantial traffic between Thailand and South Korea, he said.

On the other hand, only two Thai airlines -- Thai Airways International (THAI) and Thai AirAsia X -- operate limited scheduled flights between the two countries. "It's high time that we [Thailand] started looking at the pros and cons of our open skies, especially as some countries are still using the traffic rights restriction to protect their carriers," the jeans-wearing pop singer/executive said.

"Thai authorities should look for means to protect our own airlines." Mr Patee said flag carrier THAI had been heavily affected by the open-skies policy. However, his views are not entirely taken on board as an industry consensus by executives of Thai-registered airlines approached by the Bangkok Post.

One senior executive said Thailand's open skies were indeed benefiting the country as a whole, although some Thai airlines might feel at a disadvantage. Thailand's aviation liberalisation has allowed international airlines to bring in a great number of visitors to Thailand to support its burgeoning tourism industry, whose importance as an economic backbone is growing. They are making Thailand a global destination and a regional hub with connections to almost anywhere in the world, the source said.

Cash-strapped THAI has been suspending long-standing routes such as Bangkok-Madrid, making Thailand less connected to the world and stemming inbound tourist traffic. "But let's be honest. The traffic rights to operate flights to foreign countries rendered by Thailand's open-skies policy are there for THAI and others to make use of if they choose to," the executive said.

If Thailand decided to restrict its skies, the country would not be able to attract a significant number of Chinese tourists who travel by Chinese carriers and who have proved to be a saviour for Thai tourism. Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline that provides the largest seat capacity between the Gulf and Thailand, supports Thailand's open-skies policy.

"Emirates has always advocated the benefits of open skies, which we have in Dubai and which we believe are in the best interests of consumers and economies as well as a healthy and competitive airline industry. Around the world, aviation liberalisation has been evolving over time," an Emirates spokesman said. Emirates in Thailand operates within government agreements, the source said.

The airline is on course to ramp up seat capacity between Thailand and the UAE from 3,053 a day to 4,500 from Dec 1. "We're proud to have served our customers in Thailand since 1990 and facilitate tourism and trade by promoting Thailand to travellers across our global network," the spokesman added.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/tourism-and-transport/744744/thai-airlines-damaged-by-open-skies.

 

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Defence team cites reasons for acquittal
27 Oct 2015 | WRITER: POST REPORTERS

Myanmar nationals Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 22, are on trial for their lives for the Sept 15, 2014, brutal murders of English tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, the rape of Witheridge and theft of some valuables. (Bangkok Post file photo)


Unlawful questioning, torture and unreliable evidence are the key reasons the two Myanmar men accused of the murder of two Britons on Koh Tao should be acquitted, the defence lawyer team told a court Monday. The team, working under the Lawyers Council of Thailand, submitted a 56-page closing statement to the Koh Samui
Provincial Court. The team is trying to convince the court to acquit two Myanmar suspects -- Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun.

They are accused of raping and killing British tourist Hannah Witheridge, 23, and murdering David Miller, 24, on Koh Tao on Sept 15 last year. The court will hand down its ruling on the case on Dec 24. In their statement, the defence says the questioning and charging of the accused prior to their prosecution was unlawful. The accused were questioned as "witnesses" but this turned into confessions to murder and rape.

The accused were questioned without lawyers present and were not read their rights as criminal suspects or told the nature of offences they were charged with, the statement said. Neither were the accused provided adequate translation and legal representation. The suspects' DNA samples were also taken from them involuntarily and are hence inadmissible as evidence in court, according to the lawyers.

It said the original confessions of the accused, cited by the prosecution in court, came about involuntarily from "torture" or "abuse" that made them fear for their lives and safety. These written confessions, even if they had been signed, should not be considered by the court, said the team. In addition, the lawyers said there is no link between the alleged murder weapon, a hoe, and the two suspects.

"DNA samples from the hoe don't match the accused DNA profiles but instead match the DNA profiles of other individuals." According to the statement, the DNA evidence allegedly matching the accused as well as all circumstantial evidence in this case apparently showing the guilt of the two men is unreliable and should be inadmissible and not considered by the court.

"All of this evidence was not collected, tested or analysed in accordance with internationally accepted standards such as ISO 17025," it said. As a result, this evidence should not be considered as satisfying beyond reasonable doubt that the accused violently raped and murdered the female deceased or murdered the male deceased.

The lawyers also said there is an absence of evidence needed to prove the guilt of the accused, including photographs of the crime scene, autopsy and DNA analysis processes, chain of custody documents for forensic evidence, certain forensic evidence documents as well as detailed DNA analysis lab case notes.

Still, police investigators said earlier they are confident in their investigation and the evidence they gathered.
According to the investigators, the key evidence is not DNA on the hoe but samples collected from the body of Witheridge which matched that of the suspects.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crime/744088/defence-team-cites-reasons-for-acquittal.

 

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Ten hurt as famous bridge collapses
Writers: Damnoen Tuamjok & Patinya Srisupamat
The Nation October 29, 2015

TEN people were injured yesterday, three of them seriously, when the "country's longest bamboo bridge" partially collapsed in Mae Hong Son's Muang district.
The bridge, called Su Tong Pae or "fulfilled prayer", in Tambon Pang Moo, buckled under the weight of more than 500 people as they were offering "Devorohana" alms marking the end of the Buddhist Lent.

Permwittaya Kantasong, chief of Mae Hong Son Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, said people had gathered at the famous bridge to offer alms to 29 monks when the accident occurred. The 500-metre bridge across the Mae Sa Nga River, which links the Phusama Buddhist Meditation Park and Ban Kung Mai Sak, collapsed at 7.30am with 500 people on it.

The weight of so many people reportedly snapped the cables, pulling down the main pillars, and resulting in the bridge almost hitting the river, he added.

Two monks and eight laypersons were injured. One victim, 37-year-old Bangkok tourist Chatrit Jiranyapreuk, sustained brain injuries and had to be airlifted to the better-equipped Nakhonping Hospital in Chiang Mai province.

A source said the section of the bridge that collapsed had previously been damaged by flash floods and reopened for use in the middle of this month after repairs. The bridge is being inspected.