Regional News

Thai Army Dragnet Hampers Peace Hopes in Rebel-Hit South

Members of a bomb squad inspect damaged vehicles after a bomb explosion outside a hotel at Betong district in Thailand’s southern province of Yala. A car bomb exploded on July 25 outside a hotel in southern Thailand, killing three people and wounding more than 30 others. (AFP/Tuwaedaniya Meringing)

PATTANI– A bomb suspect held for two weeks without charge in Thailand’s insurgency-battered south says an army dragnet following the coup is calcifying hostility towards the kingdom – and undercutting a fresh bid for peace.

The decade-long conflict has claimed more than 6,100 lives across Thailand’s lush, forested Muslim-majority southern provinces, where shadowy rebels are fighting for a level of autonomy from the Thai state.

Most of the victims are civilians caught up in the near-daily bombings, shootings – and occasional beheadings – that define a war largely ignored by Thais and forgotten by the wider world. From a remote hamlet cocooned by fruit trees, 23-year-old Ri says he was arrested on suspicion of planting one of a series of bombs that rocked the provincial capital Pattani.

“They took me to an (army) rangers’ base. I told them I was innocent, but they still held me. I don’t know why,” the student, whose identity has been changed by AFP, said of his arrest in July.

The blasts, which occurred two days after the May 22 coup, killed several people and wounded scores more – appearing timed to remind the junta that new political realities in Bangkok had little bearing on the battle for the deep south. Thailand colonised the area more than a century ago and has tried to corral the local Muslim population into accepting its rule through assimilation schemes, cash inducements and hard military power.

But they have comprehensively failed to staunch the insurgency, which has ground on since 2004. In that time security forces have been accused of widespread human rights abuses – including extra-judicial killings.

‘STOP ARRESTING US’

The three southern provinces bordering Malaysia are also smothered by emergency powers allowing suspects to be held without charge for more than five weeks.

It took two days for Ri’s father and brother to trace him, with the detainee denied phone calls. “They kept asking me ‘Did you do it? Where were you when the bombs went off?'” the student said.

Despite protesting his innocence, Ri was held for a further 10 days under an emergency decree before being released. His family say no evidence was brought against him, neither was an apology or explanation for his detention offered. The ordeal has left Ri scared and angry but also dismissive of a loudly trumpeted effort by the junta to forge peace.

“Prayut says he wants peace,” he said referring to new Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha – who is also the outgoing army chief. “But first they have to stop arresting us.”

PEACE UNDER THE GUN?

An already parlous rights situation has deteriorated sharply following the military takeover, according to campaigners, with scores of suspects swept into arbitrary detention for days or weeks amid the power plays in the Thai capital. Despite tightening security the junta insists it is focused on rebooting stalled peace talks.

Thailand’s Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) said 78 people were arrested in the deep south between July 7 and August 28. The figures omit the initial six weeks after the coup and do not reveal how many of those detained were subsequently released or charged.

Three people died in raids – including a 14-year-old boy mistakenly shot on August 20 by a paramilitary soldier, who is now facing charges after planting a handgun on the dead teen to cover up the killing. “Our security measures have been more aggressive in hunting for suspects,” ISOC spokesman Colonel Pramote Promin told AFP.

The result has been a further erosion of trust in the justice system and the sincerity of the Thai side to address local grievances, according to Anchana Heemmina, of advocacy group Duay Jai. “No-one believes in Prayut and his peace talks… they will be held under the gun,” she said. “The recent experience of villagers is the opposite of peace, they have been harassed and arrested.”

While exact numbers of the detained are hard to gather across remote communities stalked by fear, Anchana says false arrests are a “story that is told many times”, hardening mistrust and acting as a recruiting tool for the rebels.

REBELS READY TO TALK?

Several rounds of peace discussions last year floundered and questions remain over the ability of the rebel interlocutors to tug the leash of increasingly ruthless foot soldiers. In his weekly televised speech Friday, Prayut said Kuala Lumpur had agreed to continue facilitating peace talks.

But a source close to the discussions told AFP that insurgent leaders are yet to agree to return to the table – annoyed that Thai negotiators failed to respond to a set of demands made last year. Those included a broad amnesty and discussions on a form of autonomy for the region.

Even if the insurgents agree to talk, sceptics say the Thai army’s reflex is to control rather than compromise. The military is already backing away from the “hearts and minds” policies of the former civilian administration, according to rights activist Pornpen Khongkachonkiet of the Cross Cultural Foundation.

“The military is more important than before and there are fewer checks and balances to their power,” adds Pornpen, who is facing a defamation charge linked to her work in the Thai south. “That makes the human rights more vulnerable.”

Regional News

Thai Immigration Police Detain Over 26,000 Illegal Migrant Workers

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

News

High School Student Dies After Being Electrocuted By School Water Dispenser

14-year-old boy was electrocuted by a water dispenser: File Image

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

News

Thailand’s Tourist Police Crackdown on Tourist Scammers in Pattaya

Tourist Police Pattaya: File Image

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