Latest News in Thailand

Puea Thai Party Invite Democrat to Lead

A former member of parliament and senate speaker for the Democrat party, Manoonkrit Roopkhachorn, has been invited to lead the Puea party, made up of supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The announcement was made by Puea MP for Samut Prakarn, Pracha Prasopdee.

Mr Pracha divulged that the current chairman of Puea Thai MPs Chalerm Yubamrung and a major representative of the pro-Thaksin United front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), Mr. Veera Musigkapong had invited the retired army general to join the Puea Thai party. These two major players have close ties with Maj Gen Manoonkrit. Other high ranking members of Puea Thai now have conceded that Maj Gen Manoonkrit will be among the new nominees to lead the opposition to the new government.

Mr. Pracha is quoted as saying, “The Democrats have lost their valuable diamond in hands as Maj Gen Manoonkrit is a competent person with years of experience in politics.”

Former Prime Minister Thaksin’s view on the nominee is unknown.

FBI Review of Evidence in Carradine Case

Police inspectors from the Bangkok police department, overseen by observers from the U.S. FBI have reviewed the evidence gathered in the strange case of David Carradine’s death and have determined that Carradine was alone at the time of his death. The report came from Pol Col Kachornsak Parnsakorn, deputy commander of metropolitan police division 5, in a statement he made to reporters late in the afternoon on Saturday. Closed circuit security cameras outside the room failed to show any indication of persons other than Carradine entering or leaving the room. All possible witnesses interviewed in the case also concur that no other person was with Carradine at the time. Auto-erotic asphyxiation will continue to be the listed as the probable cause of death.

The police inspector made his statement in response to continuing reports about possible foul play is the actor’s death.

FBI Review of Evidence in Carradine Case

Thaksin Promises to Fix Everything

The Democrat Party has failed to achieve results around the Thailand’s economic problems because it is not capable and must share decisions among other parties in the current coalition government, according to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s statements during his phone hookup to the seminar of red-shirt supporters late afternoon on Saturday, June 20.

High ranking officials of the United front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), led by Weng Tochirakarn and Arisman Pongruangrong, are currently holding a seminar on the present economic crisis at a hotel in Peektian Beach in Petchburi province.

Mr Thaksin stated that the current economic recession is not nearly as serious as the 1997 economic crisis which occurred at a time when he was in office. He explained that if he could return home and become Prime Minister, he would be able to fix all the problems in short order. Thaksin also stated that the double standards of treatment carried out by the Democrat controlled administration had resulted in increasing recruitment to the movement of the anti-government red-shirt organizations.

Thaksin concluded by denying reports that he has cancer.

Abhisit Announces Changes to Thailand’s Investment Laws

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, in a speech about restructuring the Thai economy and riding out the economic crisis, has announced that the Thai government is moving to amend laws regarding investment in an attempt to increase the confidence of those investing in Thai businesses. The government is hoping to attract local and foreign investors. He insisted the time is right for governments to move aside obstacles to investment by amending current laws.

Abhisit rolled out the welcome mat to foreign companies who would like to invest in large scale projects throughout Thailand. As an example, it was pointed out that the government of China has been invited to invest in the development of the Thai rail system.

Regarding the free flow of capital, the government will move forward to assist the stock market to become a large source of capital for private industry.

In regard to state controlled enterprises, Abhisit said he does not support having them fully privatized by allowing them to be traded on Securities Exchange of Thailand. Public utilities should not be privatized, because doing so could adversely affect the Thai people, he concluded.

Abhisit Announces Changes to Thailand’s Investment Laws

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Makes Statement About Online Gambling

Saying in regards to a proposed online lottery system , Prime Minister Abhisit said the following, “We have to weigh up the benefits and the problems, I personally do not support gambling.”

The Prime Minister insists that the government does not support gambling and is sill weighing the benefits and drawbacks of beginning an online lottery.

Deputy Finance Minister Pradit Phataraprasit has given approval for the online lottery project and sent the plans to Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij for possible approval.

Mr Abhisit said whether the project would be accepted or not depends on studies of its possible impact and if it complies with the Government Lottery Office Act of 1974.

He stated that Mr Korn told him that he had asked the Government Lottery Office (GLO) to take the project under consideration and make the proper assessment and recommendations and proceed with the project if it meets the approval of the government.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Makes Statement About Online Gambling

Rare Irrawaddy Dolphins Facing Extinction in Mekong River

The environmental organization, The World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) has announced a study finding that only 64 to possibly 76 Irrawaddy Dolphins remain in the Mekong river. The explanation given for the declining numbers is that toxic pesticides as well as industrial waste are so polluting the Mekong that the species, once plentiful is now facing extinction.

In a press statement, WWF spokesman Verne Dove states that “These pollutants are widely distributed in the environment and so the source of this pollution may involve several countries through which the Mekong River flows.”

Toxic levels of pesticides mercury and other pollutants have been found 50 dead dolphin calves that have been studied since 2003. The mercury is thought to derive from gold mining operations.

The Mekong flows through southern China, into Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam and is a main source of fish for 60 million people.

Rare Irrawaddy Dolphins Facing Extinction in Mekong River

Purchase of Armored Limos Approved for Big Shots

The Prime Minister’s cabinet voted on Tuesday to approve a proposal to have the Armed Forces Security Centre of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Command to buy 20 armored limousines for use by VIPs at a cost to the government of 122.8 million baht.

The purpose of the armored vehicles would be for the protection of officials and visiting dignitaries when they are traveling in Thailand, according to Supachai Jaisamut, a deputy government spokesman. Currently, the military has only three armored limousines, one of which was damaged during the Songkran riots when it was attacked by Red Shirted protesters. Conflicting claims as to whether Prime Minister Abhisit was in the vehicle at the time or not, have surfaced since the incident. One of the other limos is broken down and not running, leaving only one in service.

Also approved in the cabinet meeting was the purchase of crowd control equipment at the cost of 66.23 million baht for use by the armed forces.

FBI Observing Carradine Death Satisfied With Thai Police Investigation

FBI observers looking into the Thai police investigation of the strange death of David Carradine have stated that they are satisfied with the procedures of Thai police inspectors working on the case. Rumors had swirled at the time of death that there might have been foul play of some sort. Carradine’s family had voiced criticism of the Thai authorities handling of the investigation. Thai Pol Maj-Gen Amnuay blamed people not involved in the case for creating confusion among the public in regard to the circumstances of the death. He pointed out that “During the police inspection at the actor’s room, three officials from the American embassy were also present. Those officials can conclude what the cause of his death is.”

A forensic pathologist from the U.S., Michael Baden, who performed an autopsy on Carradine said “To reach a final determination as to the cause and the manner of death we must wait for further information from Thailand as to the scene findings and the completion of the crime laboratory and toxicology studies that are still being performed.”

Thai experts conclude that the cause of death was auto-erotic asphyxiation where oxygen is intentionally cut of to the brain to increase sexual arousal.

FBI Observing Carradine Death Satisfied With Thai Police Investigation

World Heritage Site Designation Leads to Thai Cambodian Bickering

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Wednesday that Thailand will request the World Heritage Committee to review the judgment to register Preah Vihear temple, on the border of Si Sa Ket province, as a World Heritage site under the sole administration of Cambodia,

The World Heritage Committee (WHC), which functions under the sponsorship of Unesco, named Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site, as wished-for by Cambodia, and required the Phnom Penh government to set up an International Coordinating Committee to safeguard the temple.

Mr Abhisit revealed that his cabinet on Tuesday determined to submit its call for to this year’s 33rd session of the WHC, which will be held in Seville, Spain, June 22-30.

At the upcoming meeting, Cambodia is expected to report on the state of upkeep of the ancient Khmer temple complex.

Abhisit said that an official group from the Thai world heritage committee, headed by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti will instruct the meeting that the listing of Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site had resulted in conflict, and this appears to go against Unesco’s objectives in having heritage sites.

The PM said a World Heritage site is designed to be an area where culture and history are preserved, allowing visitors to see and enjoy them. However, the registration of Preah Vihear had caused problems between the peoples of Thailand and Cambodia.

Mr Abhisit said that Preah Vihear should be administered jointly as a World Heritage site by Thailand and Cambodia.

“I want to see the temple as a peaceful area so that the people of the two countries can jointly benefit from this site of high historical importance,” said Abhisit.