Regional News
Demonstrators Continue Protests Despite Ban on Public Assembly
Pro-democracy demonstrators have defied Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s governments recent ban on public assembly. The Pro-democracy demonstrators gathered outside the Criminal Court on Saturday evening calling for the release of detained colleagues. They also called for the abolition of the lese majeste law, that has been used to try and silence Pro-democracy protest leaders.
Three other politically themed rallies went ahead peacefully earlier in the day, but tensions were high at the protest staged by the group known as REDEM (Restart Democracy).
“Release our friends,” the REDEM supporters shouted in unison as they gathered in front of the court building on Ratchadaphisek Road, which was surrounded by barbed wire. A handful of small, symbolic fires were set and quickly put out by volunteers — but not before some people had set royal portraits ablaze.
The courts have repeatedly denied bail for detained co-leaders of the pro-democracy movement pending their trials for royal defamation and other charges. Judges cited their tendency to repeat the offence as one of the reasons, but the protesters say it goes against the principle of presumption of innocence.
Shortly before 9pm, organizers declared the activity over for the day, seeking to avoid a repeat of last Sunday, when their rally came to an ugly end with numerous injuries and arrests. They asked supporters to join a larger march planned by the Ratsadon pro-democracy group on Sunday.
Some demonstrators remained at the scene, and there was lingering anger over the arrest earlier in the evening of Piyarat “Toto” Chongthep, a leader of the volunteer guard group known as WeVo. He and three others were taken by men who claimed to be plainclothes police on the second storey of the parking building at Major Ratchayothin at 6.40pm.
Shortly after the arrests, demonstrators attempted to block two police vans leaving the area with an unknown number of detainees. They were taken to the Phahon Yothin police station and some protesters headed there to await further developments. All told, 14 people were said to have been arrested.
Ban on public assembly
It is not known whether charges will be pressed for violating the revised ban on public assembly. Convictions could result in up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to 40,000 baht.
The announcement, published in the Royal Gazette on Friday, was more specific than a previous order, naming six provinces where the ban applies — Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Samut Songkhram, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom and Pathum Thani. The previous order applied the ban based on disease-control zones, which have changed as infection rates are declining in most places.
Pol Maj Gen Piya Tavichai, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, told a news conference earlier on Saturday that police might not enforce the ban on gatherings immediately, so long as protesters were peaceful and did not trespass on or vandalise public or private properties.
However, he warned of harsher measures if protesters became unruly.
The following is a summary of the day’s other activities:
In northern Bangkok, the “Dern Talu Fah” march of activists, including the People Go Network, arrived in the capital after setting off from Nakhon Ratchasima on Feb 16.
Jatupat “Pai” Boontararaksa of the Dao Din group, led the march. Participants were joined briefly by 87-year-old Sulak Sivaraksa, one of the country’s most prominent social critics.
The marchers’ goals are the resignation of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as prime minister, the rewriting of the constitution, the abolition of the royal defamation law, and the release of fellow activists who have been detained under Section 112.
The group arrived at the Zeer Rangsit flea market in the morning and made a few stops along the way including at one at the state-owned ThaiPBS TV station before settling in at the Kasetsart University campus where they plan to spend the night and have a few seminars.
On Sunday they intend to complete their 246-kilometre journey with a march to Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen Avenue.
No clashes have been reported although they were stopped briefly by crowd-control police who wouldn’t let them use Vibhavadi Rangsit Road. They reportedly sat down on the road in protest and officers finally allowed them to continue on the route.
Progressive Red: Lotus Rangsit-Government Complex
Also in northern Bangkok, a pro-democracy group under the Ratsadon umbrella calling itself Progressive Red met at the Lotus Rangsit store at 1pm.
They had planned to march to the 11th Infantry Regiment but later changed their destination to Building B at the Government Complex on Cheng Watthana Road. They were stopped at 3pm by police who backed down a few minutes later. More crowd-control officers reinforced the existing team.
At the Big C Saphan Mai intersection, police formed a line blocking the protesters. They negotiated with the protesters to use Vibhvadi Ransgit Road instead of Phahon Yothin.
Sira Janejaka, the Palang Pracharath MP for Nonthaburi, gave a warning after hearing the protesters were planning to visit him at his house in the area.
“I warn you not to cross the line. This doesn’t mean I fear you. I just don’t want to see losses,” he said. “If you trespass on a private plot of land with an intention to hurt me or my assets, I can pick up arms to protect them as allowed by law.” The group dispersed at 7pm without incident.
Royalists: CentralWorld
In the capital’s shopping district, royalist groups met near CentralWorld to demonstrate the solidarity of people seeking to protect the institution.
They wore T-shirts bearing their groups’ symbols, with yellow the dominant colour. Many also tied ribbons in the colours of the national flag. Some wore green with a message saying they were independent defenders of the monarchy
A group calling themselves the Centre for Monarchy Defenders brought a vinyl banner with its symbol. On it was a signature which they claimed belongs to Her Majesty the Queen.
Many demonstrators claimed the burning of a royal portrait in front of Klong Prem Prison on Feb 28 was the last straw, according to the BBC. They took turns reading statements, most of which contained warnings for those who wish the palace ill.
Source: Bangkok Post, BBC
Thailand’s Immigration Police have detained approximately 26,000 illegal migrant workers from Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia during an eight-day operation in Bangkok and surrounding regions, according to a Royal Thai Police spokesperson.
Mr Adisorn Keudmeuangkhon of the Bangkok-based Migrant Working Group said the drive was in response to an increasing number of concerns about an influx of illegal migrant labor.
“Some Thai people see that many illegal workers are competing for their job positions in the past few months,” he told me. “That’s why the ministry has to take tougher action.”
Civil strife in Myanmar and the recent implementation of a military conscription have driven thousands of Burmese into Thailand, while severe inflation and limited job opportunities in Laos have also encouraged an influx of workers from that country.
Between June 5 and 12, officials detained and checked 20,111 Myanmar laborers, 1,659 Laotian migrant workers, and 3,971 Cambodian workers, according to the Ministry of Labor.
It marked the start of a 120-day campaign to audit workplaces and arrest unlawful migrant workers, according to the government.
Migrant Workers to be Deported
According to Keudmeuangkhon, undocumented workers face fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 Thai baht (US $136 to $1,365), deportation, and a two-year prohibition on re-entering Thailand.
Authorities did not intend to file criminal charges, he claimed.
Authorities raided 1,774 workplaces, according to Moe Gyo, chairman of the Joint Action Committee on Burmese Affairs, which advocates for Myanmar labor rights.
He stated that since the military junta activated conscription, there has been an upsurge in the number of arrests of Myanmar citizens in Thailand who do not have a work permit identity card.
All men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 must serve in the military for at least two years. The first group of 5,000 conscripts summoned by Myanmar’s junta will start duty at the end of this month, military sources told AFP on Monday.
According to Keudmeuangkhon, the bulk of Lao migrant workers in Thailand work as fresh market shopkeepers, restaurant servers, and mall salespeople.
Most people visit Thailand as part of ASEAN’s visa-free policy for tourists, but they stay longer than the 30-day restriction once they find job.
“Employers like to hire Lao migrant workers in the service sector because they can speak fluent Thai,” he told me.
Immigration Police Detain Illegal Migrant Workers
The Thai Cabinet may approve an enhanced program for Thai employers to register their unauthorized foreign workers in July or August. Keudmeuangkhon explained.
Last month, the Thai Ministry of Labor’s Foreign Workers Administration office announced that 268,465 Lao migrant workers were officially working in Thailand.
Baykham Kattiya, Lao Minister of Labor, told Radio Free Asia earlier this month that there are 415,956 migrant workers in other nations, the majority of whom work in Thailand.
According to her, the Lao government believes that over 203,000 persons working outside of the nation lack proper work documents.
However, a Lao official familiar with the labor industry informed Radio Free Asia, a BenarNews-affiliated news station, on June 20 that the number of illegal Lao migrant workers in Thailand and abroad is likely significantly greater.
“They go to other countries as illegal migrant workers through different types of methods – as tourists or students,” said the politician. “Thus, it is hard for the immigration police to collect data on these people.”
Government Officials Responsible for Smuggling in Migrant Workers
Government Officials Responsible for Smuggling in Migrant Workers
Thailand’s Office of Basic Education Commission has initiated an investigation into the electrocution of a 14-year-old student by a water dispenser in a high school. The event happened at noon on Friday, during the high school’s sports day. The victim was a Grade 8 student.
According to local media in Trang Province, the incident occurred when a teacher instructed the pupil to turn off a water dispenser amid a heavy rain.
According to a witness, the child collapsed while strolling with his friend near a water station. The friend claimed he attempted to assist but was also shocked by electricity.
According to reports, the friend then recovered, left the site, and requested assistance from teachers. A teacher ran to the scene and used a towel to pull the boy away by the ankle. He was taken to the hospital, but it was too late, they claimed.
The event sparked criticism from parents and netizens over school safety, as well as the slow response to aid the young youngster.
Mr. Chainarong Changrua, head of Trang-Krabi’s Secondary Educational Service Area Office, told local media on Sunday that forensic officers from Trang Provincial Police had visited the area. They discovered the blown breaker switch behind the water dispenser, he explained.
The breaker was burned out, thus the authorities assumed the disaster was caused by a short circuit that allowed energy to spill to a neighboring power pole. The student also appeared wet and was not wearing shoes when electrocuted.
According to the Office of Basic Education Commission, a probe team will complete its investigation this week.
The student’s father, Mr Pornchai Thepsuwan, 53, claimed he was saddened when he saw his son’s body. The boy (Wayu), was the youngest of two boys, he explained. He stated that following the tragedy, the school director and staff gave financial assistance to the families.
Mr Pornchai also said he would not seek charges against the institution because he believed it was an accident.
Electrical accidents in Thailand
Electrocution instances in Thailand have increased alarmingly in recent years. Many mishaps occur as a result of improper wiring and inadequate maintenance of electrical systems.
Public locations, such as schools and markets, frequently lack adequate safety precautions, putting individuals in danger. In rural areas, antiquated infrastructure exacerbates the situation, resulting in more frequent and serious events.
Although several high-profile cases have brought these challenges to light, genuine progress has been gradual. Furthermore, the rainy season heightens the likelihood of electrical accidents, as water and exposed wires do not mix well.
The government has made steps to strengthen safety standards, but enforcement is patchy. More education on electrical safety could help to reduce these accidents.
Unfortunately, better infrastructure and tougher rules may have prevented many of these incidents. The loss and injuries caused by electrocution are avoidable, emphasizing the need for immediate action.
Over 200 High School Students Facing Sedition Charges in Thailand
Over 200 High School Students Facing Sedition Charges in Thailand
Thailand’s Tourist Police said it is collaborating with embassies from five countries to combat tourist scams and ten criminal gangs in Pattaya. The Tourist Police Bureau, convened a meeting on Thursday Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuek-am told a press briefing.
Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuek-am, the Tourist Police bureau commissioner said the participants included ambassadors from South Korea, Ukraine, Russia, India, and Switzerland.
He told the briefing the he had ordered a crackdown on tourist frauds, such as fraudulent or low-quality tour operators and unfair sales of goods and services. Stepped-up operations began on June 19 and will continue until June 25.
He stated that the agency was working with numerous organisations to increase tourists’ confidence in visiting Pattaya.
Gen Saksira spent time on the famed Walking Street speaking with officers on duty and assigned them to seek for members of ten criminal groups known to operate in Pattaya.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will visit Chon Buri on Saturday to assess the tourism situation. He intends to visit the site of a future Formula One racecourse near Khao Phra Tamnak in Bang Lamung District.
Prime Minister Srettha recently met with Formula One organisers in Italy to examine the potential of including Thailand on the race schedule in the future.
On Sunday, the Prime Minister will pay a visit to Rayong’s U-tapao airport to discuss development on the airport’s land, with the goal of encouraging investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor.
Police Chief Reinstated
In other police news, Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol has been reinstated as national police chief following the conclusion of an investigation into a highly publicised quarrel, according to Wissanu Krea-ngam, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s counsellor.
Mr Wissanu released the investigation’s findings on Thursday, after the prime minister formed a fact-finding committee chaired by Chatchai Promlert to investigate into the quarrel between Pol Gen Torsak and his deputy, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn.
The four-month study revealed conflicts and disorder at all levels of the Royal Thai Police, but it was unclear whether these issues arose from a single cause or several causes, according to Mr Wissanu.
The findings revealed that both Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate were involved, with each team contributing to the tensions, he noted.
Mr Wissanu indicated that Pol Gen Surachate was reinstated as deputy national police head on 18 April following his relocation to the Prime Minister’s Office on 20 March. A disciplinary committee was formed to investigate Pol Gen Surachate, and he was ordered temporarily suspended from the police force.
Because there were no further difficulties to explore, it was decided to restore Pol Gen Torsak. He plans to retire on September 30.
On March 20, Mr Srettha abruptly transferred both top police officers to the Prime Minister’s Office in an effort to address the growing schism within the police service.
Kitrat Panphet, Deputy National Police Chief, was subsequently named Acting Police Chief. According to sources, Pol Gen Surachate could face money laundering charges related to online gaming networks.
Source: Bangkok Post
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