Northern Thailand

A Dark Cloud Hovers Over Thai Activists’ Victory

Thongnut Sawekchinda was shot and killed near his home by gunmen on a motorcycle.

SAMUT SAKHON- A Thai court has recently backed protests by a local community, ordering the closure of a coal company. However, victory was bitter-sweet, with one campaigner the latest fatality of an apparent culture of intimidation.

There was delight this month for community members from Samut Sakhon province, after the Thai Central Administrative Court backed their protests against the coal company’s operations and ordered activities to be shut down.

The battle was about local authorities allowing a coal company to handle, transport and store coal and the construction of a port without authorization. Protesters claimed the operations were damaging the environment. Samut Sakhon lies at the mouth of the Tha Chin Klong River, a tributary of the Chao Phraya River, which runs onto the Gulf of Thailand.

Central Administrative Court ordered activities to be shut down

Though welcome, the court victory was tinged with sadness, having come at a high price.

In July 2011, community protest leader Thongnut Sawekchinda was shot and killed near his home by gunmen on a motorcycle. Arrests followed, including the suspected gunmen and a coal transport operator, accused of masterminding the murder. One of the conspirators was himself killed in May 2012 as he prepared to testify before a local court.

After the court decision, Thongnut’s widow, Jomkhwan Sawekchinda, said she was satisfied her late husband had played a part in improving the lives of the local community.

Paying a high price

Thongnut is one of more than 20 activists who have paid with their lives after leading campaigns over the environment and land rights in the past decade.

In the early morning of November 19, 2012, in the southern Surat Thani province, Montha Chukaew and Pranee Boonrat were killed by unidentified assailants as the women made their way to a local market.

Thai investigators discovered ten bullet cases from assault rifles near the bodies. The women were members of the Southern Peasants Federation (SPFT), set up in 2008, to fight for land rights access against a palm oil company at the village of Khlong Sai Pattana.

Somchai Homlaor, a human rights lawyer, says the killers remain at large. “No one was arrested because the many of the police in Thailand are under the influence of powerful people – business tycoons, big people,” Somchai said. “So the rule of law is not so effective because the police do not comply with the principle of the rule of law.”

Samut Sakhon lies at the mouth of the Tha Chin Klong River, a tributary of the Chao Phraya River, which runs onto the Gulf of Thailand.

Conflict of interest

Whereas in the past, murders and disappearances in Thailand were often linked to politics, Pasuk Pongpaichit, a Chulalongkorn University political economist, says activists deaths these days are more often tied to conflicts over development projects.

“You see this kind of conflict of interests which involve large sums of money, with a large amount of profits to be made,” Pasuk said. “You see this a lot – people, interested parties, get very selfish and resort to killing,” she said.

Shalmali Guttal, a researcher with the non-government organization, Focus on Global South, says the pursuit of rapid growth – including in Thailand – has led to conflicts leading to human rights violations, environmental destruction and rising inequality. Asia may be the engine for growth, “but this comes at a huge cost for local communities, the environment and human rights in Asia,” Guttal told DW.

“The government pays less attention to the protection of the human rights defenders in Thailand because (they are) activists, they are environmentalists and they are seen as trouble makers – the ones who protest the development,” rights lawyer Somchai told DW.

Call for reform

Activists point to the need for reform to ensure progress in investigations of murders and disappearances. They say Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission has failed to protect campaigners.

“One has to look at the judicial process. It’s very rare that the gunmen get punished or the people behind these kind of contracts get punished properly. And I think there is something wrong with the judicial process… We need to reform our judicial system,” she said. “It’s very rare that the mastermind gets punished,” political economist Pasuk told DW.

Activists are calling for more international pressure to protect rights advocates. But Human Rights Watch’s Deputy Asia director Phil Robertson remains pessimistic.

“Really, at the end of the day, the elite groups and the corrupt abusive government people behind them know who the activists are and they assess the situation,” said Robertson. “If they feel they can go after them they will and sometimes it starts with intimidation and sometimes it ends with murder.”

Northern Thailand

Tubers on Pai River Draw Anger Over Inappropriate Behavior

The Governor of Mae Hong Son province in northern Thailand has sought stricter rules for tourist tubing on the Pai River, following allegations of tourists sneaking into resort areas to engage in sexual activities, which prompted police reports and considerable criticism online.

After a resort owner in Pai protested about the existing situation of tubing activities along the Pai River, the Governor became aware of the matter. According to the accusations, wine and beer are discreetly offered to tourists while disguised in plastic water bottles to prevent detection.

After their tubing adventures, these tourists, both men and women, would walk around Pai town in their swimsuits. Men often wear one pair of swim briefs, but most women wear two-piece swimsuits or bikinis.

This behavior was considered derogatory to local culture. Recently, there were instances of tourists slipping into resort areas to engage in sexual activities, which prompted police investigations and considerable online criticism.

Following the complaint, provincial governor Chuchip Pongchai requested a meeting of the police and allied authorities on July 16 to explore further tourism restrictions.

The province already restricts the selling of alcohol to tourists who go tubing, which involves floating down a river on inner tubes made of rubber tires. Most people observe the guidelines, but others, including some store owners, break them by concealing the alcohol by pouring it in water bottles.

According to TNA, Pai is one of Northern Thailand’s most popular tourist spots, attracting 40,000 visitors each year and strengthening Thailand’s economy.

Tubing in the Pai River has become a favorite activity among foreigners. However, the governor stated that the attitude of some tourists has jeopardised the province’s image.

Tourists Tubing on Pai River

Girl 16 Arrested in Thailand for Defaming Royalty on Facebook

Girl 16 Arrested in Thailand for Defaming Royalty on Facebook

Northern Thailand

Pregnant Woman Goes Psycho Stabs Family Members in Phayao

Police in northern Thailand’s Phayao province have arrested a 40-year-old pregnant mother for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to create bodily harm.

Phayao Police report they were called after a woman and her daughter had been stabbed and beaten by a family member to a house number 206, Soi 7, Village No. 3, Ban San Nong Niao Subdistrict. Tom, Mueang District.

When officers arrived they found Ms. Chayada Chaiyawan, age 45, and her daughter Ms. Patida Chaiyawan, age 19, with injuries to their bodies and heads. Blood was spread all over the bedroom, and they found Mrs. Sakulkarn, aged 40 years, who was a relative living next door, tied up.

The police then transported all of them to Phayao Hospital for treatment. Ms. Chayada was stabbed thirteen times and her daughter twice. Both also sustained head injuries, according to Phayao police.

Ms. Chayada was stabbed thirteen times and her daughter twice

Ms. Chayada told police the incident occurred around 4:00 a.m. She was sleeping in the room with her young son, when she heard someone opened the bedroom door. She said at that time it was still dark and all she saw a shadow of a person lifting what she though was a hammer.

She said the got up and fought until she fell after being hit in the head and stabbed with a knife, in fear for her life she screamed for her daughter to come and help. When the daughter entered the room the assailant proceeded to hit her in the head and stabbed her also.

The assailant ran out of the room and was immediately restrained by a neighbour who heard the screaming and ran into the house to help. Mrs. Sakulkarn who was 7 months pregnant was tied up and police and rescue workers were called to the scene. The neighbour told police that all the time they were waiting for the police.

Police said Mrs. Sakulkarn is being held in Hospital and is under psychiatric care. Ms. Chayada and her daughter were treated for their injuries and sent home.

According to Thai Media, Police said charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to create bodily harm will be filed against Mrs. Sakulkarn after she is released from Hospital.

Phayao Gets City-Class Air Purification Tower for Air Pollution

Phayao Gets City-Class Air Purification Tower for Air Pollution

Northern Thailand

Train Crashes into Pickup Killing 5 in Phitchit Province

Five people were killed and two others badly injured when a pickup truck was hit by a north-bound train at an unguarded railway crossing in Phitchit province on Monday evening.

Phitchit police reported the horrific crash occurred around 6 pm at Moo 1 village in tambon Pak Thang of Muang district of Phitchit.

Police said the 201 passenger train from Bangkok to Phitsanulok approached the crossing, which was unguarded and had no safety barriers.

A four-door pickup truck plates drove across the tracks and into the path of oncoming the train which was was unable to stop or slowdown in time to avoid hitting the pickup truck.

The force of the crash drove the pickup about 30 metres down the railway crossing and off to the side. All passengers on the pickup were thrown from the vehicle.

Three women passengers died immediately and two more passengers died later at Phichit Hospital. Two others including the driver of the pickup were seriously injured.

Police investigators said truck driver Pratya Khongthat, 40, was taking relatives, including a 14-yea-old girl, to a funeral at Wat Ratchangkhwan in tambon Pak Thang, approximately one kilometer from the accident scene.