Latest News in Thailand

Thai Government Asks UAE to Stop Shielding Thaksin
The government of Thailand has asked The United Arab Emirates not to permit former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawtra to carry on to living in Dubai and make it his support for political actions against the Thai government, the foreign minister’s secretary, Chavanont Intarakomalsut, told reporters on Wednesday.
Mr Chavanont said the appeal was made through UAE representative to Thailand Mohammed Ali Ahmed Omran Al Shamri who was called in to meet with Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya.
Mr Kasit requested that the UAE government assist and not allow Thaksin to stay since there was rock-hard substantiation that the convicted former prime minister had used Dubai as a base for political actions against Thailand’s government.
Mr Chavanont said the ambassador agreed to communicate Mr Kasit’s communication to his government as soon as is feasible and the Foreign Ministry wished to be given a fitting response.
The Foreign Ministry has not set a timeframe for the UAE to ask Thaksin to depart the realm, he said.

Thaksin Sends SMS and Twitters to Followers
Thailand’s convicted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has sent out an SMS message to his followers asking them to join in the mass anti-government protest rally this weekend by the United front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) in Bangkok.
The UDD plans a giant public meeting in Bangkok this weekend, with aims to compel the suspension of the House and the holding of a general election. The organizers claim that a million backers will join the rally.

“On this 14, come join forces to bring back the disappeared democracy and justice for the future of our children,” Thaksin was reported to have said in his SMS on Wednesday.

The exiled fugitive politician also wrote on his Twitter page that his two daughters, Pinthongtha and Paethongthan, journeyed to Germany today to attend a hotel trade fair.

“The trip was scheduled long in advance. After that, they will visit me in Dubai as it is a long time since we last met,” Thaksin added.

In reply to supporters’ questions about potential fighting during the red-shirts assembly, Thaksin said he had constantly stressed that the red-shirts must stick to the approach of Mahatma Gandhi, who used nonviolent means in striving for the sovereignty of India.

“We must fight for democracy by peaceful means and by uncovering the truth, even if most media are under the control of the government,” he added.

Thaksin Family Leaves Thailand
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s immediate family has gone or is departing the country ahead of this weekend’s rally by followers of the exiled elected leader who was removed by a military takeover more than three years ago.
His former wife Potjaman na Pombejra and their son left for Hong Kong on Monday while the two daughters Ms Pinthongta and Ms Paethongtan flew out today. They have voiced concerns that they might be taken captive and held hostages by the current unelected government if the UDD gathering turned violent.
The UDD is hopeful to draw one million red shirts to the protest demanding elections but security powers say that they may be over-estimating.
Army chief Anupong Paojinda is convinced that the Internal Security Act, which was approved by the government yesterday and shifts the job of keeping law and order from the police to the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), will be sufficient to deal with the assembly without resorting to emergency rule.

Internal Security Act to be Enforced in Bangkok
The Thai Prime Minister’s cabinet on Tuesday concurred on a decision to bring into play the Internal Security Act (ISA) from March 11-23 to deal with with the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship’s (UDD) giant protest assembly, as advocated by the security monitoring commission, acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told reporters.
Mr Panitan stated that the ISA will be enforced throughout Bangkok and Nonthaburi and some regions of the close by regions of Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Pathom and Ayutthaya.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who is in command of protection matters, will be in charge of security functions under the ISA.

The spokesperson said the imposition of the ISA is meant to maintain law and order during the gathering by the red-shirt followers of the UDD. Eighteen other applicable regulations will also be implemented in support of the ISA, he also said.

Flying Cow Paddy Assault on Abhisit’s Home
A Thai man from Nakhon Phanom who flung a shopping bag containing cow manure over the railing of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s residence in Sukhumvit Soi 34 on Tuesday at sunup was sentenced by the Criminal Court to 10 days in confinement.
Khamphong Samart, 56, was captured shortly after the attack. The droppings adhered to the fence of Mr Abhisit’s house after he left for Government House five minutes before.

The court firstly sentenced him to 20 days incarceration. But due to his declaration of guilt and his clean criminal record, the jail term was commuted to 10 days imprisonment.

Khamphong admitted he was an admirer of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).

This event was the second such assault on Mr Abhisit’s home.

Chiang Mai Woman Walks for Peace in Thailand
A 63-year-old Thai lady on Tuesday afternoon began walking from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, to call on all groups to renounce the use of violent ways to end social conflicts.
Fahngam Kham-asoke initiated her long-distance hike for peace from Chiang Mai’s Doi Suthep locality.
She has stated that she will keep on walking until she arrives in the capital city to call for a nonviolent settlement to the political quarrel.
She also hopes that Chiang Mai become a violence-free region.
Mrs Fahngam has been gathering moral support from people the length of the route as she passes by.

Burmese Military Rulers Announce Election Laws
The government of Burma broadcast the endorsement of long anticipated laws on Monday that prepare for the country’s first ballot vote in 20 years expected to be held sometime this year.
State controlled radio and television said the new regulations would be issued in state newspapers starting Tuesday. The laws will set out the means and rules for the election and campaigning, and the circumstances under which parties may partake.
The previous 1990 election was won by the National League for Democracy party of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, but the military declined to hand over authority.

Accused Bombers Under Arrest
Two Thai men captured for alleged participation in last month’s grenade assault on a Bangkok Bank branch on Silom Road are not scapegoats and have acknowledged their guilt, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said on Monday morning.
Mr Suthep said they have come clean that they were hired by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).
Ekkachai Moolket, 21, a former technical scholar, was arrested on Sunday at the entry to Soi Narathiwat Ratchanakharin 14 in Bang Rak district by local police. Police also arrested Sawai Yangsantia, 48, fingered by Mr Ekkachai as the uncle figure, that same day.
He has refused to say whether the pilfering of thousands of rifles and bullets from an arms depot in the South was politically provoked, but admitted he is worried that a third party may use the state of affairs to bring about bedlam in the nation.

Red Shirt Rally Draws Crowds
Endeavors by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship to arrange a mass public meeting in Bangkok this coming Sunday are underway.
The Red-Shirted UDD says it is marshaling at least a million backers, mostly from regional locales, to journey to Bangkok for the assembly. They are demanding elections be allowed to take place in Thailand.
Some popular Thai media, particularly district radio stations, were diffusing the communication that the government was mistreating fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
He told reporters that the red shirts were made up of citizens loyal to Thaksin, constituents of the “silent majority” who support the UDD, in addition to die-hard fans of the UDD.