Regional News

Thailand’s Pro-Government Red Shirts Ready to ‘Fight’ Coup Attempts

Red Shirts, United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship

BANGKOK – Thailand’s Red-Shirt movement expects a half-million government supporters to take to the streets on Jan. 13, the day anti-government forces have pledged to “shut down” Bangkok, and says it can marshal 10 times that number to protest if needed.

A red-shirt supporter holds a poster of Thai Prime Minister Yingluck

The Red Shirts stand ready to “fight,” and are organizing a meeting of 4,000 to 5,000 core leaders on Jan. 7 to plan future steps, Tida Tawornseth, one of the movement’s top leaders, told the Globe and Mail in an interview Saturday.

The plans for mass demonstrations are being made as Ms. Tida estimates a “more than 50 per cent” chance of a coup amid the latest political crisis to sweep Thailand, Ms. Tida is chairwoman of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship, the leading red-shirt organization. She warned that bloody reprisals are possible if voters aren’t given a chance to elect a legitimate new government.

“We don’t want to use violence. We try to keep this policy, because I think we still have ways to fight with a peaceful movement,” she said, speaking in a small red-painted office at the UDD headquarters on the fifth floor of a shopping mall on the outskirts of Bangkok. “But in the future, I don’t know.”

In red-shirt stronghold regions, talk of a looming “civil war” has become uncomfortably common. It is the product of frustrations over a new round of political turmoil mixed with fears of a worst-case outcome to a seemingly-intractable political tussle that has led to the serial downfall of elected governments over the past decade, often through army intervention, which in 2010 fired on redshirt protesters in clashes that killed 87. It is “too much for Thailand,” Ms. Tida said. “People are dying in the streets because of the military. So many deaths.”

Asked about the possibility of violence, Ms. Tida said she is “not ruling it out.” In the past, Thais have responded peacefully to coups because “they didn’t want to have violent action. But I think right now everything has changed.”

Red Shirts draw their support from Thailand’s agrarian north and north-east, the power base for Ms. Yingluck, who along with predecessor governments has introduced a series of policies especially popular with lower-income brackets, including cheap health care, a guaranteed minimum price for rice and a higher minimum wage. On Saturday, Ms. Yingluck’s Pheu Thai party officially kicked off a campaign for a Feb. 2 election, one that seems mathematically incapable of delivering a new government. Too few electoral districts have registered candidates to reach the quorum of MPs needed for the House of Representatives to be seated.

That is thanks to efforts to block the election by the anti-government yellowshirts, or “multi-colour,” as some say the diverse movement should be called. They have rallied huge numbers of people in recurring protests aimed at unseating the Yingluck government. Ms. Yingluck has been reduced to caretaker status after she dissolved parliament Dec. 9, following an outcry to a hastily-passed amnesty bill that would have allowed her brother, exiled billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra, to return to Thailand. The protestors call themselves a “people’s movement” intent on removing the influence of Mr. Thaksin, who they accuse of buying control of the country through massive cash-for-vote schemes.

“We are determined to fight and we will let the world know that this is a tyrant government,” said Satish Sehgal, one of the 34-member anti-government leadership committee. They call for Ms. Yingluck to be replaced by a 400-strong People’s Council that would spend a year or more drafting new laws to clean up elections that would then follow.

As the two sides battle for legitimacy, numbers on the street matter, and Mr. Satish believes his will prevail.

“From the 13th onwards, I think we will be able to mobilize six-million people to come out on the streets,” he said.

Those arrayed against the government are also skeptical of claims the Red Shirts can muster large forces. They believe support for Ms. Yingluck is weakening, even in her strongest constituencies. Asked if the Red Shirts can get out five-million people, Prasit Boonchey, chairman of the Thai Farmers Association, said: “I doubt it.”

Some farmers who came to the most recent big Red Shirt rally in November weren’t paid what they were promised for attending, he said. Others have lost faith in the government’s policies. The revenue boon created by the high guaranteed rice price, for example, has been offset by rises in field rent, fertilizer prices and the minimum wage. “After deducting all of those expenses, we believe we are getting less than under the previous government,” Mr. Prasit said.

Ms. Tida, however, said the red-shirt strength is drawn from a simple premise: government opponents want to suspend an election, and are thereby acting against the most basis premise of democracy.

“They say we cannot have one man one vote in Thailand. I don’t need to say anything more,” she said. “They cannot trust the people. They think government should come from heaven.”

She denied that Red Shirts were defecting – “because to be a Red Shirt is the right thing; we only want democracy, and just one word: equality” – and reiterated her support for the current government, which even some redshirts believe might be better with new leadership. Asked if she thought Mr. Thaksin’s influence should purged, she said no.

“We fight for the system and for democracy. We don’t care about the person,” she said. “It’s crazy that all of the aristocrat groups are afraid of Thaksin. Very crazy.

Ms. Tida offered her support to Ms. Yingluck, as well.

“I want to cheer her as a woman,” she said. “I told her, ‘you cannot resign, because the power that you have right now comes from the people. It’s not your own.’”

David Van Praagh, a former Globe and Mail correspondent in South and Southeast Asia, is the author of Thailand’s Struggle for Democracy: The Life and Times of M. R. Seni Pramoj. He is a retired professor of journalism at Carleton University.

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