News about Thailand

APEC and Nightlife : Thailand has still a long way to go

2003-10-17T02:57:00.000-07:00

Just the other night I went for a few drinks at Soi Cowboy. I entered one of the better known bars in the soi, and was quietly enjoying the bikini-clad girls dancing on the stage. Lately the nightlife has been somewhat 'dull' with all the preparations for the APEC meeting. Because one does not want visitors to get the wrong ideas, there has been a (temporary?) crackdown on the nightlife. In particular, naked dancing and various shows have been prohibited.
I was thus somewhat surprised to see the girls go naked all of a sudden, but on the other hand I have seen this umpteen times in the past. When I left the bar after finishing my beer, I noticed a whole group of metropolitan police officers enjoying some food and drink, right in front of the bar. Obviously the 'naked' dancing had started when these officers arrived. I won't go into how this all works, it is quite obvious. I assume the officers present were supposed to increase security at Soi Cowboy and surroundings, not clear whether that job was being done. Well, all in all the customers benefit by getting 'better views' for the same price. The bar owners get some more customers (that is what they all seem to think anyway). The officers possibly get something. So who is the loser? Well the loser is the country, for having such poor law enforcement.

2003-10-16T19:50:00.000-07:00

INTERVIEW / GEORGE W. BUSH AND ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION

Terror and trade top Bush priorities

Pichai Chuensuksawadi, editor-in-chief of the Bangkok Post, joined a select group of Asian journalists to interview President George W. Bush at the White House this week. Mr Bush's focus next week at the Apec summit will be on the continuing war against terror, free trade with East Asia, and democracy and freedom.

I am really looking forward to this trip. It is a chance for me to say thanks to a lot of nations for cooperating with America, for being friends with America, for working with America to achieve common objectives. It's a chance to strengthen alliances, long standing alliances.

Alliances are important, an important part of our foreign policy. Together we can accomplish a lot of important objectives. No more important objective is continuing to fight terror, and it is going to be an important part of my discussions to renew our efforts to find those who would kill innocent people and bring them to justice, to disrupt cells, to cut off financing, to prevent the catastrophes that have taken place, that have taken innocent lives from happening again.

I go with a strong determination to work with the leaders to fight terror. It is very important for them to look at me and listen to me because my determination is as strong today as it was on Sept 12, 2001.

Secondly, I am looking forward to talking about economic matters, to tell our friends that things are looking up for the US economy. But there is more work to be done and one of the key components of economic growth in America is job creation. Job creation with our friends is a trade policy that opens markets and at the same time recognises that a level playing field is prevalent.

I will raise the World Trade Organisation as a missed opportunity, and talk about free trade agreements with friends. We've just completed one with Singapore. There will be other free trade agreements to discuss. But a key part of this trip will be discussion on mutually beneficial economic policy.

Finally, an important part of the trip for me is to talk about values of freedom and democracy, and to herald the moderate Islamic movements in certain countries as being a very important part of a healthy society. Those movements are willing to participate in the democratic traditions of their respective countries.

One of the things we stand for in this country is democracy, and I will remind people about those values. It is those shared values with some of our friends that have caused us to take very decisive action in the world, not only for world security but also for freedom.

Question: How important is Australia to America as an ally and, given the war against terrorism, do you think this alliance, this relationship, will become more important in the future?

Mr Bush: I would say the alliance between America and Australia is a critical alliance. And the reason I say this is because Australia has a keen understanding of the relationship between good, strong, decisive action and security, and a relationship between freedom and peace. It is a very important connection, a very important mutual understanding that helps us, us being all of us, take the action necessary to make the world more peaceful. I call it a critical alliance.

I found John Howard a visionary person able to see beyond the immediate noise and see the future, and realise that some times difficult decisions will yield short term issues but long term success. I appreciate that vision.

When I go to Australia I will be speaking to a country that really does understand the consequences of sacrificing something greater than themselves. Yes, the alliance will be critical for the future because the war on terror goes on.

We've just commemorated the first anniversary of the Bali bombing. How concerned are you about terrorism in Southeast Asia? What role do you think Australia should be playing, and to what extent do you see a leadership role for Australia in combating regional terrorism?

There's no question that Southeast Asia has seen its share of violence from terrorist activities. That's why one of the key agenda items on my trip is to discuss terror, and remind people we are dealing with cold-blooded killers, people who just take innocent life in order to create and instill a sense of fear. They want people to be afraid. They don't want governments to take action.

The good thing about the Australians is that they are not afraid. Prime Minister Howard knows that one of the tactics of the terrorists is to create the conditions so that people will say: ``Let's withdraw and let them have their way.''

The relationship in Southeast Asia is an important relationship because we're starting first and foremost with the strength of John Howard and the Australian people. The Australians know first hand what it is to be attacked without impunity or without care.

There are a lot of things we must continue to do together and that's part of the purpose of my trip. First of all, we've got good smart intelligence gathering. Australians are good at that.

Secondly, it means we've got to work to cut off funding. When we find cells that are using the international finance system we've got to collectively cut off money. Then we've got to have the capacity to move and work with other governments to bring these killers to justice, and the Australians are very good at that as well.

One of the things I would like to thank the people from Thailand for is that we brought Hambali to justice. He's the guy who masterminded the Bali bombing.

My point to Indonesian President Megawati (Sukarnoputri) is that we cannot allow her country to be defined by the hatred of a few, and that it is very important that we combine efforts _ not just the United States with Indonesia but all assets _ to help Mrs Megawati bring the rest of the cells to justice and prevent this from happening.

Indonesia is a very important country because of its strategic location. It's important because of the nature of its population. It's important that this country succeeds. I look forward to working with Indonesia.

If you think about what cooperation was like prior to Sept 11, 2001 compared to today, it's a different world. It's a part of my trip to continue to emphasise the mutual need to enhance democracy and freedom and support those peaceful people who live in Indonesia or any other country to support that. Support the hopes and aspirations by defeating those who like to act contrary to moderate and peaceful people.

Are you concerned American jobs are sucked away to China, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia? Are you going to be talking about this with your Apec colleagues?

I am going to say that where there are trade imbalances, countries need to be mindful we expect there to be fair trade.

I understand that the competitive world is positive so long as the competition is fair. We'll talk about currency with the Chinese and my friend Prime Minister Koizumi (of Japan). I'll remind them that this nation has a strong dollar policy and we expect markets to reflect the true value of a currency, and that the way currencies ought to be valued is based upon economic activity, the fiscal and monetary policies of the respective governments, the potential for growth, the viability of the economies. Yes, we will bring that up.

My main focus here in the United States is job creation, and it looks like we are getting some positive results. Part of the momentum of job creation is to talk to our trading partners about fair trade. There are some trade imbalances that I will be discussing.

Singapore has supported the US in the war against Iraq and you have signed a free trade agreement with Singapore recently. How would you characterise Singaporean-US relations?

We have free trade agreements with countries with whom we'd like to trade. It is fairly logical. And these are countries we respect. We respect the people and the government, and we respect the fact that they want to trade with us.

Cooperation on the war on terror has been excellent with Singapore. As you know, one of the interesting opportunities is the use of new technology to have a better handle on what's leaving a port, what's in containers, what's on ships, and have basically an inspection process prior to cargo leaving a particular port. Singapore has been a lead in this, helping to establish a virtual customs inspection process so we can better track what is being shipped. It makes sense that we have full transparency from the point a cargo ship leaves until it arrives.

I appreciate Prime Minister Goh's leadership. On a personal basis, he's got a very good handle on, and a good feel for, the neighbourhood. I value his advice. He is plugged into the political currents. He's a very savvy man and I've enjoyed my relationship with him.

There seems to be a rising tide of anti-American feeling in Southeast Asia. Are you going to try to resolve this?

Sure, that's part of the purpose, to make sure that people who are suspicious of our country understand our motives are pure. We believe in freedom for all people. We believe in peace. We don't believe a few killers ought to determine the fate and future of a lot of people. We believe in education and health.

One thing about this nation is that we are strong militarily but we are also very compassionate. People have to understand that we have to fight those willing to kill. Terrorists who take innocent lives must be treated as cold blooded killers. That's what they are.

We will continue to work with our friends who understand that to bring people to justice so we don't lay wreaths, so we don't commemorate anniversaries of the brutal slaughter of innocent people in the name of a religion or an attempt to instill fear.

They want us to go away so they can spread their false ideology based upon hate. America's ideology is based on compassion and decency and justice.

Has the threat of the terrorist network diminished in Southeast Asia as a result of policies so far?

Yes it has. Hambali is gone. Thanks to the Thai officials, a major operator has been brought to justice. That was a major blow to networks affiliated to al-Qaeda. There's more to do. I want to remind everybody that from the perspective of the United States, the war on terrorism is going to last a while. I don't know how long but it is very important that free nations understand that this is a long term effort. We cannot relent, we cannot yield.

I know one of the hardest tasks I have is explaining this is a different kind of war to our own people. We think about flotillas and bombing runs, or whatever. The war on terror, although there have been some traditional battle moments, like parts of the battle for Baghdad, which is a part of the war on terror, is different. Most of the war on terror will be fought on the use of intelligence, highly trained teams with the capacity to move quickly and with the willingness and the will of elected governments to stay on the hunt. We're making good progress but there's more to be done.

A question on trade: The WTO failed in Cancun; what is your assessment?

The meeting in Cancun did not go well, but I wouldn't condemn the WTO round to failure yet. I do feel we can get the Doha Round up and running. The meetings in Cancun was disbanded.

The sense I get is a lot of countries feel that this is a missed opportunity. Our ambassador believes there is a framework to get the process restarted and moving forward. We are interested in getting it up and running again. The United States has not quit on the process.

At Cancun the Philippines left the US to join the G21 countries and it appears that the United States administration was displeased. Does this put at risk discussions about a trade agreement?

Not at all. It is very important for me to explain to the leaders that we are interested in moving the process forward, that WTO negotiations are complex matters. That we believe that it is in the interest of the Philippines and Thailand that we want the Doha Round to succeed, that we want to work out the difficult issues. A lot of countries now believe that this was a missed opportunity. It was an opportunity to make progress and the fact that we did not make progress may actually serve as an impetus to get people back together.

Let's not miss this opportunity again. Let's move on.

Our strategy is to have free trade worldwide, free trade regionally, free trade of the Americas, and free trade on a bilateral basis. The congress gave me trade promotion authority. I have the capacity to negotiate free trade agreements and then bring these to the congress. This has given me the opportunity to move forward on a bilateral basis.

Previously you mentioned how the United States values democracy. Could I have your take on Burma and how you see the latest developments there?

I am displeased with Burma. I think Burma continues to detain an heroic figure who needs to be treated with respect. The wishes of the people need to be honoured and we will continue to speak out. I will talk to the Thai prime minister about this. He is concerned, as you know, about the flow of narcotics.

I believe free societies and the ability to control narcotics and terrorism go hand in hand. We will continue to press for freedom in Burma. Aung San Suu Kyi is a great figure. She is an heroic woman. This country honours her and will continue to press for her freedom.

2003-10-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

APEC SUMMIT

Commandos will travel on at-risk Thai Airways flights
Comments : Lots of things are happened with regard to the upcoming APEC summit.
Visas are being refused to members of NGOs to enter Thailand during this time (the Thai authorities want a meeting without protests). More than 500 foreigners have been rounded up in recent days, declared illegally staying in the country. For the 'common' man, the most obvious is that an effort is being made to clean up some parts of the city. It looks like all the pavements and compound walls where foreign visitors are likely to wander, are being remodeled or painted. Rumor has it that the nightlife centers will be closed down during the Apec meeting. In any case, probably related to the meeting, a serious crackdown is underway in the entertainment business.

Wassana Nanuam

Sixty air marshals will be on duty on Thai Airways International flights between Bangkok and the United States, the Middle East and other countries thought to harbour terrorists, to stop people hijacking planes and hitting Apec targets.

The guards will be trained commandos from the air force Security Forces Command, and three will be deployed on each flight.

Air Combat Commander ACM Chalit Pukpasuk said the guards would blend in with passengers and sit close to suspicious characters. They would travel with the plane from Bangkok to the destination and return.

The precaution had became common practise by many commercial airlines after the Sept 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States.

ACM Chalit said other airlines had been asked to put air guards on flights in and out of Bangkok prior to the Apec meetings. An air force source said the guards on THAI flights would wear plainclothes and travel incognito.

A close vigil would be kept on flights to and from countries where terrorists were believed to reside.

The source said the guard deployment was authorised by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after the Sept 11 strikes.

Air force chief ACM Kongsak Wantana said the main concern was that commercial planes could be hijacked and hit Apec leaders' aircraft in mid-air.

During the Apec gathering, a no-fly zone would be imposed over Bangkok to protect security at hotels where the leaders are staying, and at meeting venues.

F-16 fighter jets would be on standby at Wing 1 in Nakhon Ratchasima and could take off in three minutes to head off unauthorised aircraft. After the leaders arrived at Don Muang, security helicopters would fly above their motorcades all the way to their destinations.

Bangkok Post Tuesday 07 October 2003 - Teacher accused of coaxing his pupils to strip for photographs

2003-10-08T01:52:00.000-07:00

Bangkok Post Tuesday 07 October 2003:
SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATION
Teacher accused of coaxing his pupils to strip for photographs
Comment : Typically Thai. It takes about a dozen girls before this is finally reported to police. Thai children are invariably told to respect their teachers. Even though the general level of education in Thailand is somewhat low, not in small part due to the fact that a lot of the teachers prefer to be paid for tutoring, rather than teach properly in the regular classes.

Civil inquiry panel supports dismissal
Manit Sanabboon - Chachoengsao
A warrant is to be sought for the arrest of a male teacher accused of asking 11 pupils aged 9-12 to take off their school uniforms so he could take photos of their genitals.

Anuchart Udommaneewat, a C-7 teacher at Phra Phimolseneeprom Hongsakula school in Bang Pakong district, has been found guilty by a civil service inquiry panel of sexually assaulting minors and faces dismissal.

The scandal was exposed by the pupils' parents, who complained to the Pavena Hongsakula foundation. The young victims and their parents were yesterday accompanied by foundation staff to lodge a complaint with Chachoengsao police.

One nine-year-old pupil said Mr Anuchart had called one or two students a day to meet him at a deserted teachers' dormitory where he asked them to play ``a game'' in which the winner would get 50 points.

The game required the students to quickly take off their school uniforms and wear towels instead, the girl said. Each was then asked to sit on a chair and the teacher inserted a camera inside the towel to take a photo of the student's genitals.

A total of 11 pupils, studying in Prathom Suksa 4-6 were sexually abused in this way by Mr Anuchart, she said.

The mother of one of the victims said she and other parents had earlier filed a complaint with Bang Pakong police before seeking help from the foundation.
Then they found that the police record of testimony given by the children contained inaccuracies.

Paveena Hongsakula, chairwoman of the foundation, said the accused teacher's conduct had violated the rights of children and posed a danger to society and students.

Pol Maj-Gen Wichian Samarnpong, Chachoengsao police chief, said investigators would compile a report and then seek an arrest warrant, which he expected would be issued in the next three days.

If found guilty by a court, the accused could get up to 10 years in jail, he said.

Provincial education authorities, meanwhile, have resolved that Mr Anuchart should be dismissed from the government service.

Thawat Ouwichian, director of Chachoengsao education zone, said he would ask his superiors to dismiss Mr Anuchart from the service for bad conduct.

Bangkok Post Saturday 04 October 2003 - Periodic `wars' have only a limited effect

2003-10-04T21:25:00.000-07:00

Bangkok Post Saturday 04 October 2003
Periodic `wars' have only a limited effect(editorial)
Our politicians and police have always been great believers in the power of widely-publicised ``crackdowns'' as a supplement to routine everyday law enforcement. Of late, new life has been given to this age-old practice by upgrading the more high-profile, urgent and important of these into fully-fledged ``wars'', which guarantee at least 90 days of sustained action against designated types of wrongdoers. Recent targets, apart from the ongoing war against drugs, have included those wielding dark influence, firearms, illegal lotteries, pirated software and unlicensed CDs, VCDs and DVDs.

Massage parlours are also a target and the police chief has vowed to eradicate any sexual services they might provide. That declaration echoed one made by a holder of the same office 30 years ago, which was followed by a spectacular lack of success in subsequent decades.

Police claim the policy of deploying a large amount of manpower over a set period of time to combat a particular group of lawbreakers is necessary because of a shortage of police and budgetary constraints. Senior police officers have long insisted that the reason they cannot keep up the pressure of a sustained and concerted assault on all members of the criminal fraternity simultaneously has nothing to do with any lack of willpower within the department.

They assure us that periodic crackdowns do have a deterrent effect. At the end of each crackdown, whether it be on wayward motorists, bars or nightclubs selling alcohol after hours, drunk driving, hooligans, gamblers or those littering the streets, impressive statistics are released and photo opportunities provided of suspects being paraded to testify to its effectiveness.

The big problem with selective crackdowns is that they do little to solve long-term problems, which can only be kept under control by stringent enforcement of the law at all times and, in some cases, social measures designed to get at the source of the problem. For instance, there is little use in rounding up vagrants unless they are given somewhere to stay because they will only return to their previous haunts once they are released.

Keeping the pressure on at all times is an established fact recognised by law enforcement agencies worldwide. It also defies common sense to announce the date, time, place and duration of crackdowns in advance as is sometimes the case. In one instance, the locations of checkpoints where drivers would have their blood alcohol levels tested were given in advance. To no one's surprise, motorists avoided them.

A classic example of how frustrating it can get when a temporary crackdown ends came towards the end of last month when most schools finished their terms and traffic chaos abated. Police had been out in force during rush hours and doing an excellent job of keeping heavy traffic moving by nabbing violators. The massive show of force was an adequate deterrent to other would-be breakers of traffic laws.

Once the school term ended, traffic police cut back both their numbers and their vigilance. Now some motorists have returned to their bad old habits of weaving between lanes, jumping red lights and rampant illegal parking, which selfishly blocks a whole lane. These irresponsible drivers provide a convincing argument for a strong police presence at all times. After all, the police have proved it can be done.

The widely-publicised crackdown on smoke-belching and noisy vehicles also seems to be running out of steam. A walk down any major road at rush hour is an assault on the ears, eyes and nose. Anyone driving from the airport to the city centre at dusk cannot fail to have noticed the pall of smog hanging over the city. Surely this is not the first impression we want Apec delegates or tourists to get of Bangkok.

It is not enough just to have the laws on the statute books. They must be continually enforced because infrequent ``crackdowns'' clearly have had their day _ criminals are usually one jump ahead.

Bangkok Post Friday 03 October 2003 - 5,000 motorcyclists on watch for missiles, suspicious types

2003-10-03T18:57:00.000-07:00

Bangkok Post Friday 03 October 2003
APEC SUMMIT

5,000 motorcyclists on watch for missiles, suspicious types

Urged to brush teeth, keep eye on foreigners

Wassayos Ngamkham

Almost 5,000 taxi motorcyclists operating in Don Muang area are being briefed on helping police detect shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles and suspected terrorists during the Apec summit.

About 1,300 of 4,812 taxi motorcyclists from 168 taxi queues were yesterday being trained on how to identify missiles and other suspect items. The training session was held at Don Muang Technical College, about five kilometres from the international airport.

The special training, arranged by Don Muang police, follows rumours that six shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles may have been smuggled into the country for terrorist attacks during the Apec summit in Bangkok.

Pol Col Cherdchai Sekhanant, Don Muang police chief, said police chose taxi motorcyclists for the training as they are in a large number and operate around the clock in many city streets and alleys.

They could help police monitor movements of suspicious individuals, said Pol Col Cherdchai, adding there were 300 police in Don Muang area.

The motorcyclists were briefed about the arrest of Indonesian terror suspect Hambali, news coverage by an international agency about Thailand being vulnerable to terrorist attacks and rumours about the surface-to-air missiles.

Police also sought cooperation from the air force's anti-aircraft regiment to put a missile on display during the training session for the trainees to view.

The missile was hidden in a PVC tube contained in a golf bag, which surprised many motorcyclists, who thought the missile would be harder to conceal.

``If I had not been trained, I would not have known what the missile looked like. I have seen them in movies,'' said a 34-year-old woman motorcyclist from Kosumsamakhee housing estate queue.

She said tips on how to spot suspects and explosives would help her detect suspicious people.

Natthapon Ruangrit, 40, a motorcyclist from Sirisuk housing estate queue, said many foreigners lived in temporary housing in his service area. Most were new faces and rented apartments for temporary stay. He was told by police to keep a special watch on foreigners.

Samran Kumphon, 35, a motorcylist working in front of Don Muang district office, said putting the missile on display was a good idea. ``It's very dangerous as it can shoot aircraft. Don Muang is vulnerable for attacks as it is. The missile is very light, portable and easy to operate,'' said Mr Samran.

Pol Lt-Col Surasak Prakkamakul, Don Muang deputy traffic chief, said motorcyclists would receive crime informant cards from Don Muang police station.

He expected more taxi motorcyclists would join the training today. ``We can call them spies. They need not disguise themselves when doing the task. We give them tips on how to detect suspicious things.

``We also tell them to wear clean clothes, take a bath and brush their teeth to welcome Apec participants. Don Muang police are 100% ready for the security task,'' said Pol Lt-Col Surasak. People can alert Don Muang authorities about suspicious individuals on 01-6201104.

Bangkok Post Thursday 02 October 2003 - 60-day countdown begins

2003-10-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

Bangkok Post Thursday 02 October 2003
WAR ON DRUGS : 60-day countdown begins

Anucha Charoenpo
A 60-day countdown to declaring the country free of illegal drugs began yesterday.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said law enforcement authorities would re-examine ``every square inch'' of the country in the culmination to the war on drugs launched in February.

The countdown _ Sixty Days for His Majesty the King _ will run out on Dec 3, before the King's birthday on Dec 5.

Mr Thaksin said any remaining drug dealers and traffickers had to be brought to justice, and drug addicts and users had to be put in rehabilitation schemes. State officials involved in drug activities would face criminal charges.

Only three-billion baht in drug assets had been seized so far, but he expected another 10-billion baht's worth before the countdown expired.

``Although only 20% of the drug problem remains, this mission will not be easy for the authorities. It is challenging, so they must be serious,'' he said.

``Those who performance well will be rewarded. Those who do badly will be punished.

Bangkok Post Friday 26 September 2003 - It's still business as usual down on Khao San Road

2003-09-27T02:41:00.000-07:00

Bangkok Post Friday 26 September 2003 - It's still business as usual down on Khao San Road

Traders, tourists unruffled by reports backpacker haven was on Hambali's list of targets

NONDHANADA INTARAKOMALYASUT AND SUPOJ WANCHAROEN

Music plays at full blast, food carts pass by, and ice-cold beer is still the hottest menu item. It is business as usual on Khao San Road, Bangkok's world-famous night entertainment strip said to be a terrorist target.

``We have more foreigners than Thais now even though it's not crowded as it used to be. It is simply because we're going into low season,'' said Paisal Kittikasem, a 23-year-old vendor.

Mr Paisal, who has been selling second-hand bags in the area for five years, said recent media reports about possible terrorist attacks were exaggerated.

``And once the Apec summit is over, we're going to hear the meeting went well because of excellent security measures,'' he said.

JW Marriott hotel on Sukhumvit road and the Conrad on Wireless road were also said to be among the targets during next month's Apec summit.

Mr Paisal said terrorists were unlikely to give any warning of their attacks, citing the bombings on resort island Bali of Indonesia.

Tanit Pholvaddhana, manager of the Silk bar & restaurant on Khao San road, said media reports had sent operators scurrying for a meeting.

``But the fears didn't materialise. The number of tourists is down by 20-25%. We're not sure if it is related to the reports as we are also heading into low season,'' he said.

Mr Tanit said he was confident the government has taken all necessary security measures.

However, he was worried the reports could still hurt his business.

Mr Thanit cited the Sars case as an example.

``When the Sars scare took place, I got Mr Thaksin's messages of assurance translated into English and posted them up front,'' he said.

Chaiwat Laolert, 37-year-old food vendor, said he was worried when he heard about the reports, but they could not stop him from making a living. ``I'm more scared about starving,'' he said.

Veerapol Buntoonprayuk, a pharmacist and manager of Boots, said operators could help prevent attacks by keeping an eye on what was going on.

Anne Miller, a 25-year-old Australian tourist, said she was not about to change her travel plans.

``I've never feel insecure when I am here,'' said Ms Miller, who has lost count of how many times she visited the country.

Another young tourist, who identified himself only as Stuart from London, said he would go somewhere else if the reports about terrorist attacks proved to be credible.

``But my plans remain unchanged for the time being,'' he said

Bangkok Post Monday 22 September 2003 - Troops, machinery leave early for Iraq

2003-09-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

Bangkok Post Monday 22 September 2003 - Troops, machinery leave early for Iraq:
Comments : So Thailand is going to help in Iraq. This is all the more relevant since in preparation to and during the war, the country was quite 'neutral'. Quite a lot of pressure must have been applied on the government, escpecialy when one sees the reluctance of other, bigger countries to participate. If something seriously happens to the Thai troops this may come to haunt prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who otherwise has no political opposition at the moment to worry about.

Another 400 soldiers to be dispatched later
A handful of Thai soldiers will leave for Iraq with 652 tonnes of heavy machines and equipment today and tomorrow.

Lt-Gen Khemrat Kanchanawat, director of the Directorate of Joint Operations of the Supreme Command, said the heavy machines and equipment, accompanied by a small number of Thai soldiers, would depart Chuk Samet naval port in Sattahip, Chon Buri, on US ships. The remaining contingent, of about 400 soldiers, would fly there later this month.

The early departure, instead of the scheduled Oct 6-13, was at the request of the United States.

An advance team of 21 Thai soldiers is already in Karbala with Polish soldiers.

Col Boonchu Kerdchoke, commander of the Thai task force, said the army had picked four women nurses from about 10 volunteers to join the Thai contingent. A Supreme Command source said the situation in Karbala remained tense. Polish troops had managed to stop a planned rally by Iraqis on Thursday against foreign troops in their country.

Bangkok Post Sunday 21 September 2003 - Dazzling diamonds for demure dressing

2003-09-21T20:35:00.000-07:00

Bangkok Post Sunday 21 September 2003 - Dazzling diamonds for demure dressing

But students say they prefer `sexy outfits'

SIRIKUL BUNNAG

Bangkok University students in their revealing outfits. The university is offering jeweller in a lucky draw persuade students to wear something a little less provocative. - Somchai Poomlard
Dress properly and get a chance to win diamond pendants with gold necklaces. That's the message from Bangkok University, which wants to discourage students from wearing sexy uniforms to class.

``Well-dressed'' students will be selected every month and at the end of the academic year, they will be entered in a lucky draw for three sets of diamond pendants and 18K gold necklaces worth 4,800-6,500 baht.

Suree Buranathanit, deputy rector of the private university, said the draw was launched to tackle violations of the dress code. Most women students wore undersized shirts and skirts with long slits that showed too much flesh.

``The university understands that young girls must be in trend but that may put them in danger,'' she said.

Revealing dress was inappropriate for a learning environment and could distract young men.

Disciplinary action rarely succeeded in persuading students to dress more conservatively.

Thaksakong Wanichpruet, vice-president of the university student union, backed the campaign, saying it would improve the university's image.

Undersized skirts and shirts were so popular it was difficult to find regular-sized uniforms selling on campus. Most customers demanded uniforms Size S or smaller.

About 90% of women students at the university _ even plump ones _ loved to wear tight outfits.

Yongyos Chailarbyos, another vice-president, said the student union would promote the campaign because proper dress also showed respect to the university.

However, students said they preferred fashionable outfits to diamonds.

Thaithip Homhual, a senior major in mass communications, said she would stick with her undersized uniforms because she could not afford to be out of fashion. ``The diamond project will attract only students who usually dress by the rules,'' she said.

Sunisa, a senior studying business administration, said youngsters were not interested in precious stones.

Sexy outfits did not affect student learning, Ms Sunisa said, adding the university should focus on improving the quality of its instruction.

Bangkok Post Friday 19 September 2003 - Anti-pollution drive begins in earnest against city vehicles

2003-09-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

Bangkok Post Friday 19 September 2003 - Anti-pollution drive begins in earnest against city vehicles:
"Drivers facing fines and getting stickers "
Dirty diesel vehicles were banned from city streets as of yesterday in a campaign to improve air quality in Bangkok.

Public transport drivers were stopped for exhaust emission checks on Somdet Phrachao Taksin road in Thon Buri to see if their vehicles' emissions met the 50% opacity standard.

Transport authorities spray-painted "not roadworthy" in red on the windscreens of smoke-belching buses, mostly those operated by private concessionaires. Pick-up trucks and vans were issued with "temporarily banned" stickers if they were releasing black fumes.

Drivers were also fined and required to have their engines repaired and re-inspected in 30 days before hitting the roads again. Those putting banned vehicles back on the road without repairs would be issued with an "absolutely banned" sticker and prohibited from moving the vehicles.

Those stripping the stickers would be punished.

Supat Wangwongwatana, deputy chief of the Pollution Department, said the road was one of the 10 dirtiest streets in the city, where the level of dust particles in the air was very high.

He said 30 check-points would be set up across the city, including Rama III, Phya Thai and Sukhumvit roads, in the next three months.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Prapat Panyachartraksa, who supervised yesterday's checks along with high-ranking city officials, including Deputy Bangkok governor Prapan Kittisin, pleaded to motorists time and again not to lose their cool over the inspections which had slowed down traffic. "There will be complaints. But the checks can't be avoided if we want to see an improvement in Bangkok's air quality," he said.

PRISON LIFE

2003-09-05T00:48:00.000-07:00

Our Comments : One of the sad truths about Thailand, is that besided all the smiles, there is a lot of blatant violence around, especially involving the male part of the population. Below is one example of this. Prisoners are regularly used to clean the ever clogging drains around Bangkok city.

Prisoners land in hospital after being beaten by guard

`They were treated as if they were animals,' health official says

A Nonthaburi prison guard beat four inmates cleaning the drains at the Public Health Ministry with a club and kicked one of them unconscious in front of several officials yesterday.

The four, who were not identified, were admitted to the Corrections Department's central hospital in serious condition.

The guard, Chaiyuth Putkaew, claimed the four prisoners had sneaked away to drink liquor, so he had to punish them.

However, Boonpart Sin-anand, a health official, said he doubted the prisoners could slip away unnoticed. He saw Mr Chaiyuth and five other guards drinking and playing cards when they should have been supervising the clean-up.

Mr Boonpart said he was working when he heard a man cry in great pain. He and about 10 colleagues went to check and saw a guard hit four inmates repeatedly with a club, pour water on them and then knock one of them out with a kick to the chin.

``That guard treated the men like animals,'' he said. ``That is very sad. We couldn't eat our lunch. We also wonder if more cruelty awaited those prisoners back in the jail.''

Police arrived after he called Ruam Duay Chuay Kan radio station, but did not take any action, he said.

Another ministry official said a prison official also appeared and he heard that person advise the six guards to tell investigators the prisoners tried to escape and fought with them, so they had to use force.

``They did not fight back and they did not go anywhere since coming here this morning,'' he said.

Corrections Department chief Kwanchai Wasawong admitted Mr Chaiyuth beat the prisoners and said there would be an inquiry.

War on Drugs

2003-09-02T23:44:00.000-07:00

1,763 deaths and 49,161 arrests (Bangkok Post 2 September)
Our comments : Some statistics about the war on drugs in Thailand, that claimed many lives, mostly unexplained and 'attributed' to gang killings. Quite puzzling why the international media did not make a big thing out of this, just imagine it happening in China or some Middle East country, and how CNN would cover it then. An interesting part is at the bottom of the article, reporting how many officials were 'dismissed'. This is quite typical. While in most places, officials that partake in illegal activities will be more severely punished than the common population, in Thailand the usual action taken is that the officials in question are dismissed, put on 'inactive' duty or moved for their work to another location. If they have taken bribes, they seem to be able to just keep the money etc. In our opinion, the first to be punished and put in jail, are those officials that turn a blind eye when drug trafficking is involved, and not the small petty criminals. Society would be upgraded a lot, if the people in government or position of authority would be forced to follow the law in the first place.
Article :
A total of 49,161 drug dealers and producers were arrested and 1,763 others killed in the seven-month crackdown which ended on Sunday, the Interior Ministry said.

Another 43,549 suspects surrendered to authorities and 31,236 others had joined a project called ``Do Good Deeds for the Country'', the ministry reported yesterday.

Of the 1,763 deaths, 74 were confirmed to have been killed by police. The rest were believed to have been murdered by their own kind.

The outcome of the Feb 1-Aug 31 crackdown will be reported to the cabinet today.

Interior permanent secretary Sermsak Pongpanich said 25 provinces were successful in arresting all blacklisted suspects in their areas.

They included Kamphaeng Phet, Khon Kaen, Chainat, Chumphon, Chiang Mai, Tak, Nakhon Ratchasima and Nakhon Si Thammarat, he said.

The ministry's anti-drug centre also seized assets worth a total 6.79 billion baht from 1,843 drug dealers, he said, while 370 ministry officials were dismissed after being found involved with drugs. Another 141 ministry officials were cleared of drug charges, but investigations were continuing into the activities of another 41.

Hidden jumbos return to city

2003-09-02T03:44:00.000-07:00

Hidden jumbos return to city (Bangkok Post 1 September)
Comment : Off and on elephants are indeed a common sight in Bangkok in the evening and during the night. With their mahouts they are seen in the Sukhumvit area and the popular tourist nightspots of Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy. Especially sad is the sight of baby elephants, that clearly are still in need of their mother, being dragged through the streets, making pitiful noices indeed.
Just remember to pay some attention when passing elephants on the street, and do not play with them when food is involved. I guess once or twice a year one can read some story in the newspapers about a tourist been killed by an elephant. Best of all, do not give any money to the mahouts. Elephants do not belong on the streets, and this kind of street scene should not be encouraged.

A mahout on a very young elephant tries to sell fruit to tourists on a major city thoroughfare, so they can feed his animal. After a brief absence, elephants are again a common sight in Bangkok. — Surapol Promsaka Na Sakolnakorn
Foundation urges govt to take action

Supoj Wancharoen

The return of elephants to Bangkok streets only a few months after they were banned is not surprising _ because they never left, the Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation says.

Secretary-general Soraida Salwala said although they were banned from April 11, the elephants were simply kept out of sight for a few months.

They were hidden in fields and overgrown areas near Royal City Avenue (RCA), Nawaminrachuthit road, along Soi Chok Chai 4 and Muang Thong Thani.

The problem remained because businessmen had brought many elephants to Bangkok from the North and Northeast. Some businessmen had up to 100 elephants for rent.

The keepers and mahouts no longer had to bring their own animals to the city. They simply rented them at 6,000-7,000 baht per month for as long as they needed them.

Each elephant could then earn its keepers 30,000-40,000 baht a month roaming city streets, soliciting money and being fed in the process, Ms Soraida said.

``Ninety per cent of elephants wandering around Bangkok are rented ones. Baby elephants are popular now and priced at only 300,000 baht each because foreign tourists like them,'' Ms Soraida added.

The state project to pay elephant owners and mahouts to work in deep forests inaccessible by vehicles had failed as wages were very low. The elephant rental business was more attractive.

The problem was an old one, and the issues complicated because there were vested interests involved, but the government should take serious action, Ms Soraida said.

For a start, the elephant occupation scheme would be more practical if the wages were higher.

A 20-year-old elephant keeper, who gave his name as Dit, said he and three friends came back to Bangkok with their elephants after returning to his hometown, Surin, to enrol at an elephant occupational centre which never existed except in the newspapers.

``I am afraid of the police, but I do not know what else to do.

``My elephant eats almost 200kg of food a day and I have to eat, too.

``Working in Bangkok brings in enough to keep both men and elephants alive.''

He and his five-year-old elephant, Paeng, and friends stayed in a small forest beside the Max hotel, near RCA. They started work about 6pm most days, walking to tourist spots like soi Nana and returned around midnight.

They were sometimes arrested, fined 100-200 baht, and asked to leave the area where they were begging. No serious action was taken against them.

When asked, Dit said he did not know that there was a law allowing the seizure of elephants found in the city.

His friend angrily asked how officers could seize his elephant since both he and the animal had identity cards.

Wat Pongthong, a security guard at Rajah hotel in soi Nana, said he remembered them. The men and their elephants disappeared about a month ago but now returned to beg every night in the area, which was packed with foreign tourists.

2003-08-30T03:28:00.001-07:00

APEC SECURITY

3,000 agents to guard Bush's life (Bangkok Post 28 August)
Comments : The APEC meeting will have a profound though probably temporary effect of life in Bangkok. Lots of offices will be closed (forced holidays), traffic will be much better than average, and the city will be cleaned up. Possibly this is not too bad a time to visit the city.

Wassana Nanuam

At least 3,000 US security agents will be on hand to protect the life of President George W Bush during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit.

National police chief Sant Sarutanont said ``every square inch of Bangkok'' was being checked in advance of the October meeting _ including water pipes in the Chao Phraya river and drains beneath buildings.

US security experts had already poured over maps of the city's underground water and drainage systems.

The banks of the Chao Phraya river would be guarded by US agents and Thai police. Marine police would patrol the river while Apec leaders watch the royal barge procession from the navy convention hall on the night of Oct 20.

``It will be like Mr Bush's visit to England, when security guards were everywhere around the Thames river,'' Pol Gen Sant said.

Part of the 3,000 US security team had already been training with the Special Branch police, city police and the Arintharat riot police task force.

Pol Gen Sant said the use of so many US agents should not be interpreted as a lack of trust in the capability of Thai police to ensure security.

``They always mount this kind of security wherever the president goes, whether it's a visit to advanced countries like Germany or England or a less advanced country like Thailand. The US is a major target for terrorist attacks, so such tight security is understandable.''

Pol Gen Sant said the Russian and Chinese leaders would also be accompanied by huge security teams.

Air force chief Khongsak Wanthana, meanwhile, said security systems at the Don Muang base, where Apec leaders' aircraft would be parked, had already been upgraded.

2003-08-30T03:28:00.000-07:00

APEC SECURITY

3,000 agents to guard Bush's life
Comments : The APEC meeting will have a profound though probably temporary effect of life in Bangkok. Lots of offices will be closed (forced holidays), traffic will be much better than average, and the city will be cleaned up. Possibly this is not too bad a time to visit the city.

Wassana Nanuam

At least 3,000 US security agents will be on hand to protect the life of President George W Bush during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit.

National police chief Sant Sarutanont said ``every square inch of Bangkok'' was being checked in advance of the October meeting _ including water pipes in the Chao Phraya river and drains beneath buildings.

US security experts had already poured over maps of the city's underground water and drainage systems.

The banks of the Chao Phraya river would be guarded by US agents and Thai police. Marine police would patrol the river while Apec leaders watch the royal barge procession from the navy convention hall on the night of Oct 20.

``It will be like Mr Bush's visit to England, when security guards were everywhere around the Thames river,'' Pol Gen Sant said.

Part of the 3,000 US security team had already been training with the Special Branch police, city police and the Arintharat riot police task force.

Pol Gen Sant said the use of so many US agents should not be interpreted as a lack of trust in the capability of Thai police to ensure security.

``They always mount this kind of security wherever the president goes, whether it's a visit to advanced countries like Germany or England or a less advanced country like Thailand. The US is a major target for terrorist attacks, so such tight security is understandable.''

Pol Gen Sant said the Russian and Chinese leaders would also be accompanied by huge security teams.

Air force chief Khongsak Wanthana, meanwhile, said security systems at the Don Muang base, where Apec leaders' aircraft would be parked, had already been upgraded.

2003-08-30T03:26:00.000-07:00

APEC SECURITY

3,000 agents to guard Bush's life

Wassana Nanuam

At least 3,000 US security agents will be on hand to protect the life of President George W Bush during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit.

National police chief Sant Sarutanont said ``every square inch of Bangkok'' was being checked in advance of the October meeting _ including water pipes in the Chao Phraya river and drains beneath buildings.

US security experts had already poured over maps of the city's underground water and drainage systems.

The banks of the Chao Phraya river would be guarded by US agents and Thai police. Marine police would patrol the river while Apec leaders watch the royal barge procession from the navy convention hall on the night of Oct 20.

``It will be like Mr Bush's visit to England, when security guards were everywhere around the Thames river,'' Pol Gen Sant said.

Part of the 3,000 US security team had already been training with the Special Branch police, city police and the Arintharat riot police task force.

Pol Gen Sant said the use of so many US agents should not be interpreted as a lack of trust in the capability of Thai police to ensure security.

``They always mount this kind of security wherever the president goes, whether it's a visit to advanced countries like Germany or England or a less advanced country like Thailand. The US is a major target for terrorist attacks, so such tight security is understandable.''

Pol Gen Sant said the Russian and Chinese leaders would also be accompanied by huge security teams.

Air force chief Khongsak Wanthana, meanwhile, said security systems at the Don Muang base, where Apec leaders' aircraft would be parked, had already been upgraded.

2003-08-29T03:17:00.000-07:00

Stricter penalties soon to force compliance with caffeine limit
Our comment : This seems to be a good idea. The consumption of these so-called energy drinks is extremely high in Thailand, and has probably even increased in the last few months thanks to ever increasing marketing efforts, and the crackdown on yaa baa (methamphetamines), which claimed more than 2,000 lives in a few months. Overstimulation by caffeine laced drinks (actually caffeine in high doses has similar effects when compared to methamphetamines), is certainly partly to blame for the erratic and 'energetic' behaviour of taxi and truck drivers, and thus for the amazing traffic accidents statistics in the kingdom of Thailand.
End Comment.

Product labels must clearly state amount (Bangkok Post 27 August 2003)

Post reporters

Laws are being amended to impose heavier penalties to ensure new regulations on caffeine drinks are fully complied with, Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan said yesterday.

Some manufacturers have put out products in violation of the July 29 resolution, which limits caffeine content per container unit to no more than 50 milligrammes, she said.

The new regulations, which aim to control caffeine content and advertisements, were acknowledged by cabinet yesterday.

Mrs Sudarat said the amendment will limit natural and synthetic caffeine in beverages to 50 milligrammes. The products will also be required to carry labels warning people not to consume more than two bottles per day.

Producers will be banned from adding synthetic caffeine to drinks which already contained natural caffeine such as tinned coffee and tea, and labels must inform consumers of the amount.

Synthetic caffeine will be banned in soft drinks which already contained natural caffeine.

Such beverages may contain no more than 15 milligrammes of caffeine per 100 millilitres of the drink.

``These amendments will come very soon. A fine of 20,000 baht or two years in jail are too little compared to the scale of their businesses,'' Mrs Sudarat said, suggesting the penalty be increased ten-fold. She called on manufacturers of caffeine beverages to comply fully with the new regulations.

``We are not overdoing things here. The tougher rules have been carefully studied,'' she said.

As for energy drinks, a warning of the potential dangers must be displayed on product labels. The makers are also required not to exaggerate their products in advertisements.

Mrs Sudarat said the ministry would summon manufacturers to a meeting next week to discuss the advertisement restrictions.

``They need to add warnings and change some wording. Consumers have the right to know what they're buying,'' she said.

The ministry was also moving to limit caffeine content in snacks and candies

2003-08-27T02:34:00.000-07:00

Thai wealth only for the rich as the rest suffer _ Trairong
(Following article Bangkok Post 25 August)
Comment : Indeed, the Thai economy is picking up. However, as a long time visitor to Bangkok, I can only observe that there never have been so many beggers, prostitutes on the main streets and destitute people checking out the garbage bins for food and things to use. So the article mentioned has obvious truth in it. 'Trickle down' economics does not seem to work right now.

Mongkol Bangprapa - Khon Kaen

This year's estimated GDP growth of 6% will make only the rich richer, while the majority of 60-million-plus Thais will get only 780 baht each, says deputy Democrat party leader Trairong Suwannakhiri.

Wide disparities in income was real proof that the government's populist policy benefitted the haves more than the have-nots.

Mr Trairong was speaking at a seminar on ``Effects of the Government's Policies on Society'', arranged as part of the party's special general assembly on Saturday.

He said the government's 6% GDP growth target, if met, meant the country's income would increase by 324 billion baht on last year.

But in the first six months of this year, 379 companies listed on the stock market had already seen their profits rise by 137,797 million baht, he said.

That would double 275,594 million baht if the economic situation and profits remained the same in the second half, he said.

However, too few people shared in that wealth, he said.

``People who are not relatives of those 379 firms will each have their income increase by only 780 baht by the end of the year,'' Mr Trairong said.

His calculations confirmed findings by Chulalongkorn University economist Pasuk Pongpaijit that Thailand's income gap between the rich and the poor was the widest in the world.

Somkiat Pongpaiboon, an academic at the Rajabhat Institute's Nakhon Ratchasima campus, said the populist policies created a patronage state and made the people weak.

``People just ask and they will receive. They do not have to do anything,'' Mr Somkiat said.

Administrative power was centralised and a political kingdom was being built for cronies and relatives, he said.

``It is not even a one-pole politics, it is a one-person politics. It is also alarming that people back the use of absolute power. They just don't realise it's dangerous,'' he said.

Mr Somkiat suggested the Democrat party regain public trust by designing attractive and practical policies, not getting involved in a war of words and always listening to public opinion.

The party also had to continue scrutinising mega-state projects for corruption.

He said no government could stay in power for too long and that public support for a government could reduce as time passed.

``There is no way the government can implement all policies it keeps rolling out every week or there already would be no poor people in this world,'' he said.

2003-08-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

Thai troops leave Thursday to help rebuild war-torn country

Not deterred by blast at UN headquarters

Wassana Nanuam (Bangkok Post 23 August)

Soldiers chosen for a humanitarian mission in Iraq undergo training in Ratchaburi province. The first batch of 31 troops will leave for the war-torn country on Thursday. _ JETJARAS NA RANONG
The first contingent of Thai troops will leave for Iraq on Thursday to help rebuild the war-ravaged country.

The 31 military technicians will board a US transport plane for Karbala to be followed by another batch of 412 on Sept 16. Vehicles, tools and machinery will be shipped to the troops by a US vessel next Friday.

All 443 soldiers bound for Iraq come from the Ratchaburi-based engineers battalion, the First Army, Second Army, Fourth Army and the Navy's Sattahip-based Marine Corps. This will be the first time that marine corps technicians join peace-keeping operations abroad.

Lt-Gen Thanadej Pathumrat, chief of the Engineering Department, said the move showed Thai troops were not scared and wanted to help rebuild Iraq _ even after this week's bomb attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad.

``The duties of Thai military technicians are to mend buildings, roads and facilities and to help Iraqi people. They will be accompanied by military doctors. We do it for humanitarian reasons and are not their enemy.''

He said the soldiers selected for the task were healthy, well-behaved, aged 30-45 and without drinking habits.

All soldiers sent to Iraq had to take English and Arabic lessons and study Islamic traditions to prevent misunderstandings and causing offence.

Some of the chosen are Muslim soldiers from the Fourth Army in the South.

``The most important thing for us is to have Thai soldiers who can speak Arabic as translators so we can communicate with Iraqi people. This is because Thai troops must make it known that we are there for humanitarian reasons to help restore their town and that we are not enemies but friends,'' Lt-Gen Thanadej said.

The Thai soldiers will work with Polish troops in Karbala, 110km south of Baghdad, which had not experienced any violence.

``Thai soldiers, nevertheless, will have to be careful and take care of themselves,'' Lt-Gen Thanadej said.

The Thai troops consist of 250 technicians, 70 doctors, 26 frontline command officers, 50 security officers and a bomb clearance team.

The battalion will be under Col Boonchu Kerdchok, an experienced special warfare officer attached to the Supreme Command's anti-terrorism centre.

Soldiers who were not selected for this mission will get a second chance when screening takes place for a contingent to be sent in April next year.

This group would have more time to prepare and study the languages.

2003-08-22T01:43:00.000-07:00

A crackdown on drugs trafficking was started a few months back in Thailand. During the first few months alone more than 2000 people got killed. Police claims intergang wars are mainly blamed, not so much extrajudicial killings by police themselves. Even if the this is true it would signify a major police inadequacy, since they are after all responsible for law and order in society. Just ask the question, if so many people would be killed in any European country, or 'non-Western' friends like China or certain Arab countries, how the international media and governments would react. As it is, this issue is really not talked about much in the international press, though it is somehow covered well enough in the local English-language newspapers in Thailand. The Thai population though does not seem to care much about the issue in general, violence relatively being accepted locally as rather normal. Read the balanced assessment from the Bangkok Post.

Justice isn't found at the end of a gun (editorial Bangkok Post 22 August)

The war on drugs flared anew yesterday, when nine drug traffickers were killed and 11 others wounded in a shootout in Chiang Mai with police and army units. Some 500,000 methamphetamine pills were seized, along with assault rifles, grenades and ammunition. The firefight took place just one 1km from the Burmese border and the traffickers were reported to be from the United Wa State Army, a group accused of running drug factories whose output is sold throughout Thailand.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has made the war on drugs one of his government's top priorities, has vowed to step up suppression and enforcement activities and has indicated that if the Burmese junta is unable to police its borders, the Thai authorities will step in, regardless of the potential impact on relations. While Thailand values constructive engagement with its neighbour, protecting the future of its children and eliminating the threat of drugs takes priority.

More pointedly, Mr Thaksin has all but reaffirmed the government's long suspected, shoot to kill policy in dealing with drug traders, saying that force will not be spared in any confrontation and the death of those caught up in this week's shootout was fully justified. Served them right, Mr Thaksin said, adding that traffickers entering Thailand would face elimination.

Over 2,500 suspected drug traffickers have been shot dead since the war on drugs began earlier this year. Authorities earlier maintained that the majority of killings were the result of internecine struggles among drug gangs, and that the much smaller number of shootings by security forces was fully justified in the name of self-defence. Perhaps. But it is notable that the government no longer discloses casualty figures in the war on drugs, no doubt in response to the furore raised by human rights activists and legal experts that extrajudicial killings by police and armed forces are being sanctioned by the state.

There is no question that drug abuse represents one of the greatest threats now faced by society. Horror stories abound about the extent of drug abuse found throughout the country, even in elementary schools, where pushers are enlisted to convert their playmates into full-blown addicts. Tens of billions of baht are spent each year on suppression, rehabilitation and enforcement programmes, evidently to little avail as the number of estimated drug users continues to rise each year into the millions.

Mr Thaksin is absolutely correct when he describes the drug threat as one of the most pernicious cancers facing the country. The hundreds of billions of baht in revenue generated by the drug trade not only corrupts the sellers and users but also state officials and authority figures by the thousands, undermining the rule of law and public faith in the country's institutions. Mr Thaksin is equally correct in saying that authorities, whether immigration, police or customs officers, must improve their vigilance to protect the country's borders and sovereignty, whether from drugs or terrorists. Thailand has long enjoyed a reputation as the Land of Smiles, one which underpins the country's burgeoning tourism industry, but openness and tolerance must go hand in hand with vigilance to protect the public interest and safety.

The justification of harsh authoritarian measures in the name of national security is a delicate undertaking. The concept of universal human rights, of the sanctity of the rule of law, and the right to fair trial are not idle constructs, but rather values which must be preserved and supported for all, by all. All too many governments have justified the use of force against their citizens in the name of the public good. By all means take the firmest action against drug traffickers, but even the guilty deserve their day in court.

2003-08-20T00:54:00.000-07:00

IQ of Thai children declines (Bangkok Post 19 August)
Ever wondered why so many motorcycles and cars race through Bangkok and Thailand, causing thousands of casualties every year. Well, besides alcohol consumption (also related, of course) here is part of the explanation :

Lack of state policy on families blamed

Aphaluck Bhatiasevi

There has been a decline in the intelligence quotient (IQ) level among Thai children, a study has found.

A recent research by the Prospective Cohort Study of Thai Children under the Public Health Ministry states that the average IQ of Thai children has dropped from 92 in 1996 to 89 in 2001. An average child should have an IQ of 90-110.

Research director Chanpen Choprapawon blamed the decline on a lack of policy focusing on child development in the past decade.

``We've only had policies that focus on education, not on child development. There has also been no clear policy on improving the family institution as most government policies focus on household economies ,'' Dr Chanpen said.

She said children should be helped to develop their brain power right from the time they are still in the womb, for it would be too late to wait until they reached school age before exposing them to programmes designed to help build their intelligence.

Details of the ongoing research will be unveiled on Monday. The research, which began two years ago, is monitoring the development of children in 4,200 families from selected districts throughout the country over a 24-year period to help state authorities identify the causes of deficiencies in their development.

Dr Chanpen hoped the study would help outline problems and help in the drafting of necessary policies.

Under the study, researchers begin compiling information from the time a woman in a sample family becomes pregnant, until her child reaches 24 years of age. The youngest mother under study is 14 years old and the oldest 50.

Data collected over the past two years showed Bangkok women, despite their better financial status, had a low level of nutrition _ the most important factor required for the development of their babies.

2003-08-19T00:02:00.000-07:00

POLICE CORRUPTION (Bangkok Post, 18 August)

Force can't live without taking bribes
Academic claims they rake in at least B36.4bn a year

by Preeyanat Phanayanggoor

An expert on the underground economy says the police force is the most corrupt state institution and cannot survive without bribes.

He called for urgent reform to stop police becoming too powerful.

Sundsidh Piriyarangsan, of Chulalongkorn University and also deputy chairman of the National Economic and Social Advisory Council, said the police force was autonomous and very powerful because it was not subject to checks from other agencies.

``Bribe-taking, patronage and position-buying have become the culture of the police force, and reform is desperately needed.''

Bribes had become their main source of income. Last year they took more than 19 billion baht from gambling operators, 11 billion baht from the underground lottery, 3.4 billion baht from massage parlours and three billion baht from taxi motorcyclists.

He was now doing fresh research on their takings from massage parlours, and expected to complete the study in a few months.

``All owners of massage parlours pay bribes to police, based on the size of their business. The upscale parlours must pay around two million baht a month in police bribes, B-grade parlours about 1.5 million and lower-range parlours about 500,000 baht,'' he said.

``Bribes are not paid only by wealthy underground business owners or operators like Mr Chuwit [Kamolvisit, who unleashed a host of bribery allegations against the police], but also by low-income people such as masseuses and illegal workers.

``Each masseuse pays about 100 baht of her earnings from each customer to police, while many illegal immigrants pay 100 baht a month to avoid being arrested.''

Mr Sundsidh said police were the only organisation in which even the lowest-ranking officers could easily get bribes.

``Even newly graduated police officers know the bribe-taking channels. They know whom they should go to and how to get placements in so-called `grade A' police positions _ the ranking based on bribe-taking opportunities,'' he said.

Mr Sundsidh said the government's methods of tackling police bribery _ by transferring crooked officers or raising the reward money for police arrests _ were ineffective.

He suggested the abolition of the Police Cadet Academy to get rid of favouritism based on police cadet classes, and instead recruit them directly from universities.

The force should also be scaled down from 240,000 to 100,000 officers, he said, and suggested more recruitment of community police to work on a voluntary basis under local authorities.

Apec was Hambali's target: PM

2003-08-18T01:07:00.000-07:00

Pre-decree law could not have stopped him (Bangkok Post 17 August)

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday confirmed that Hambali, the most wanted terrorist in Southeast Asia, was in Thailand specifically to plan an attack on the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Bangkok in October.

``He was not just using Thailand as a transit point. He came here for the purpose of mounting a terrorist attack,'' Mr Thaksin said. ``The investigation uncovered an attack being planned for the Apec summit.''

The Apec meeting will bring 21 world leaders, including US President George W Bush, to Thailand for a summit on October 20-22.

Hambali, who is accused of plotting last year's Bali bombings as well as a string of other attacks, was captured on Monday in Ayutthaya.

Hambali is thought to be operations chief for terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah and the only man from Southeast Asia to sit on al-Qaeda's military committee.

Thai officials say Hambali, an Indonesian, was handed over to the United States and flown out of Thailand on Wednesday. There has been no word on where he was taken and Mr Thaksin said he did not know.

``I wouldn't tell you if I knew,'' he said.

He added, however, that Hambali was being detained for joint interrogation by ``allied countries'' including Thailand.

``We are taking turns interrogating him and we are also exchanging information,'' he said.

He said Hambali had received money transfers in Thailand for the purpose of carrying out terrorist attacks.

Mr Thaksin insisted that all terrorist suspects in Thailand who have links with Hambali have now been arrested and none of them were Thai.

Yazid Zubair, another senior Jemaah Islamiyah figure, was arrested in the South in July. The Malaysian allegedly provided information which led to Hambali's arrest.

But according to Mr Thaksin, the arrests were made after Thai intelligence agencies had obtained tip-offs from abroad and detected the suspects' irregular money flows.

The prime minister praised the National Security Centre, the Supreme Command, the National Intelligence Agency and the police Special Branch Bureau for working hard to arrest Hambali.

Mr Thaksin promised restrictions on immigration procedures to curb the availability and use of fake passports in Thailand after Hambali was found to have used a fake Spanish passport to enter Thailand from Laos.

He admitted Thai officers must be more careful about screening travellers since Thailand was an aviation hub.

Mr Thaksin added the two new anti-terrorism laws had to be issued as executive decrees since changes were needed urgently to mend legal loopholes barring legal action against terrorists here unless they violated Thai law.

Deputy Prime Minister Visanu Krue-ngam agreed with the prime minister, saying the law as it stood before the decrees came into effect could not be applied against terrorist suspects except on grounds of illegal assembly, illegal entry and using fake passports.

Mr Visanu said it was good that a Constitution Court ruling was being sought about the executive decrees since the government would have a chance to explain why they were necessary. _ Bangkok Post/Agencies

Bangkok Post Tuesday 12 August 2003 - Now it's war on lewdness, striptease

2003-08-13T01:22:00.000-07:00

Bangkok Post Tuesday 12 August 2003
Now it's war on lewdness, striptease

Patrons all low-class, miserly, not wanted

Temsak Traisophon

Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenont has declared war on obscene shows and striptease at entertainment venues across the country.

Mr Pracha said they would face a relentless three-month crackdown.

He said some foreigners would help authorities ferret out those venues providing explicit sex shows and other indecent performances, particularly in Bangkok's nightstrips in Patpong, soi Nana, soi Cowboy and Sutthisan road, and Pattaya in Chon Buri, Koh Samui in Surat Thani, Hat Yai in Songkhla and the southern island resort of Phuket.

Mr Pracha said he was not worried that tighter controls on obscene shows would affect tourism. Tourists visiting places providing indecent shows were of low-quality and Thailand did not welcome such visitors.

``We do not want them here.

``They spend little money and look down on Thai women and Thai people,'' Mr Pracha said.

Mr Pracha, who personally supervises the social order crusade, said he inspected Nana Plaza on Sukhumvit road on Aug 8 and found 27 entertainment outlets were hosting obscene shows.

He gave police and the Klong Toey district office one week to get all operators at Nana Plaza to obey the law.

Mr Pracha said he would also ask the Excise Department to use tax measures to bring traditional massage parlours back into line.

Mr Pracha said some traditional massage establishments were also providing illicit sex services and this could not be allowed.

Our comment : Two years ago a rather profound crack down took place mainly at Nana Plaza. For quite a while the girls were covered up. Over the last half year the situation had been going back to 'normal'. It can be expected now that more modesty will be shown at Nana Plaza, and maybe this is all for the better. I would not be surprised at all if certain entertainment venues will be closed during the upcoming APEC meeting. There is some kind of policy of covering up and 'beautifying' the city, since many television and other media crews will be in town, and likely will want to cover miscellaneous issues besides the APEC meeting.

Bangkok Post Monday 11 August 2003 - Divorce, late marriage age population

2003-08-11T21:14:00.000-07:00

Bangkok Post Monday 11 August 2003
Divorce, late marriage age population

Bangkok has lowest replacement rate

Thailand's proportion of elderly people may be one of the highest in the world in 25 years if it fails to address the problems of late marriages and high divorce rates, Chulalongkorn University population experts say.

The population replacement rate drop-ped below the benchmark of 2.05 children per woman in 2000 and the trend was heading downward. More people were getting married later in life, while the divorce rate was increasing.

The College of Population Studies predicts people aged 60 and over will make up 20% of the population in 2028, up from 9.45% now. Thailand has 65 million people.

Professor Kua Wongboonsin, the study team leader, said Bangkok registered the lowest replacement rate of 1.17 babies a person while the South recorded the highest at 2.25 a person.

Bangkok's rate is the same as Italy's. Its working age population is declining as the number of elderly increases.

Professor Kua attributed Bangkok's low replacement rate to the fact that more of its people were getting married later, which affected the fertility rate.

Thais generally preferred to remain single. On top of that, more couples were seeking divorce.

The divorce rate was 9.6% 10 years ago, and had increased to 20.9% in 2000, he said, adding his research would be presented to the National Social and Economic Development Board for use in national development planning.

Comments (not given by Bangkok Post):
This demographic situation will have serious consequences in the years to come :
Among those imaginable :
1. The influx of immigrants will certainly continue despite efforts of the government to stem the flow. This workforce will be needed in the future.
2. Low-grade professions like prostitution etc. will slowly be moved out, since young people will find better paid jobs
3. Young people will be valued more, and therefore more efforts will eventually be taken to limit the about 30,000 mostly very young one who die in traffic accidents. They will be needed for the general economy.
4. Farang residents will be more appreciated if they contribute to the workforce.

2003-07-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

Bangkok Post Friday 18 July 2003

Visas, residence permits face big price jump in Aug
by Manop Thip-osod

Huge increases will apply to cost of visas for foreigners, including residence permits, starting on Aug 26.

However, tourists from 39 countries visiting for no longer than 30 days will continue to be exempt from having to get an entry visa. The fee increases are given in a ministerial regulation, signed by Interior Minister Wan Muhamad Nor Matha. Some of the fees are as follows:

- Transit visa, single entry 800 baht

- Tourist visa, single entry 1,000 baht

- Non-immigrant visa, single entry 2,000 baht

- Non-immigrant visa, multiple entry for use within one year 5,000 baht

- Application for visa extension 1,900 baht

- Application for a single re-entry permit 1,000 baht

- Application for a multiple re-entry permit 3,800 baht

- Application for a residence permit 7,600 baht

- Approval of a residence permit (payable on receipt of residence book) 191,400 baht

- Approval of a residence permit (payable on receipt of residence book) for a foreigner married to a Thai, the spouse of a resident, and any of their children who have not reached the status of a Thai juristic person (ie, unmarried children aged below 20 years) 95,700 baht.

The 39 countries with a 30-day visa-free privilege are Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bahrain, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Luxemburg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, the Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam and Qatar.

2003-03-06T20:11:00.000-08:00

Sukhumvit, one big nightlife and prostitution area?

Sukhumvit has long been housing Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy and Thermae about right in the middle between the other two main entertainment areas. Beerbars at Nana Plaza in front of the ground floor a-go-go bars are the rule, and Soi Zero under the highway has been around also for quite a few years now(though never very successful)
About two years ago Clinton Plaza, close to Thermae, became a major attempt at creating another a-go-go entertainment place, located just 50 meters from Sukhumvit road, in a prime location. However, due to 'legal' problems and a tendency by bar managers to charge high prices, it never really took off, and all the a go go bars at that locations have now been closed down..
The last couple of years also saw the development of a beerbar area close to Soi Cowboy on the corner between Asoke road and Sukhumvit road. Various sections of the rather large area are known as Asoke Plaza, and Asoke corner. An (in) famous bar called Lolita, apparently specializes in 'deep throat' like activities.
On the opposite side of the road from Thermae, at so called Sukhumvit square a new assortment of beer bars was developed. Sukhumvit square started of as an agglomerate of shops selling various Thai art and handicrafts. Probably the shops did not make enough money to pay the rent, and developing a new area for the girls to ply their trade, seemed to be a solution for that problem. Just as the area was starting to attract more an more customers, this place however was raided (this is a most appropriate word) in the middle of the night, and the 50++ shops and beerbars have been completely distroyed in a couple of hours, quite illegally, and without any warning to the shop owners. The area of destruction, though surrounded by concrete walls, is now visible to all who take a trip on the skytrain, that passes just next to the site.
This proliferation of beerbars and also of 'traditional Thai massage' places, certainly has something to do with the economic crisis that developed in the years following 1997. On the other hand, more and more tourists are coming to Thailand, creating a enlarging market for prostitution in various forms.

What is certainly new the last few years is active freelancer activity throughout central Sukhumvit. Girls are 'available' in front of Robinson department store, close to Ambassador hotel, and on the other side of the road, in front of Pacific place (close to Landmark hotel). Furthermore, quit a few girls take up position in the evening and night, between soi 3 and soi 5 (soi Foodland). When walking at night in between Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza, it is quite impossible for male wanderers, not to get various propositions. Katoeys are around close to Nana intersection and in front of Ambassador (there is a narrow passage in between Ambassador entrance and a tourist information kiosk, where a lot of them are located). At night some of them seem to prefer the pedestrian bridge crossings. Watch out for your wallet!

The Foodland area at night has become a place where quite few unsavory characters hang out, including prostitutes, pimps, mobile telephone 'operators' etc.

All in all, central Sukhumvit road, in between Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy, a stretch of road about 1.5 km long, has become one large entertainment area with lots of beerbars and freelance prostitutes. It is quite puzzling why the development of a freelance market is being tolerated by the authorities, especially in view of the crackdown on other parts of the entertainment scene (go-go bars at Nana Plaza in particular). For sure Sukhumvit is becoming an area of low grade criminality. Hopefully this development does not go much further. Unfortunately, police in Bangkok have a habit of either driving around on motorcycles or directing traffic (or sitting in the traffic control boxes). Not much walking around, checking out the area. Just a few policemen walking down the sidewalk of Sukhumvit, would do wonders in controlling the illegal activities going on there.
Besides the description above it has to be noted that pornographic material is widely displayed and available on the sidewalk. While certainly illegal, there seems to be no enforcement of the law.

(Excerpt from www.bangkokbargirls.info)

2003-03-06T20:01:00.000-08:00

Rolling Stones to rock Bangkok

Veteran Rock and Roll band the Rolling Stones are set for a concert at Impact Arena, Bangkok, on 8 April 2003.
It had been rumored the band was scheduled here, after a trip to China for performances at Shangai and Beijing.
Ticket are handled through thaiticketmaster boots, prices ranging from 1,500 to 8,000 baht, which of course will be rather steep for the local population, but otherwise, at least in my opinion, still a bargain. Impact Arena can house 11,500 seated patrons. The only major drawback is the location of Impact Arena, quite way out of Bangkok city, so finding suitable (fast?) transport to get there will be a hassle. Hopefully BTS skytrain provides some extra services for this problem.
It will be awfully hot in the beginning of April, even in the early evening, so I hope Mick Jagger and his Stones are in good shape when performing in Bangkok. Hopefully they do not forget to order some extra bottles of water for drinks in between songs. The same can be advised for the spectators, some who will be arriving early on in the afternoon.

2003-03-06T05:12:00.000-08:00

Violence in Thailand

Since 1 February the Thai government
has initiated a serious crackdown on the drug trade. In
the month that followed more than 1000 people got killed,
mostly in the provinces of Thailand. The authorities claim
the great majority of those killed are drug-gang related.
Because of the great danger of being turned in by their
colleagues, gangs are killing potential 'traitors'. Only
15-20 suspected drug dealers are killed extrajudicially
by the police and those tracking down the dealers. Black
lists apparently are available to the police to track
down dealers, and thousands of suspects have been arrested
already. There have been reports of children and innocent
people killed in this carnage. What is going on is greatly
supported by a policy of rewarding those local authorities
that have the greatest success and threatening to demote
those who are less efficient. The prime minister of Thailand
is quoted as saying he does not care whether drug dealers
are killed or not. He apparently is not able to see the
middle way. People and human rights proponents are told
they care more about a few drug dealers killed, than caring
about the future of Thai children etc. Statistics of the
tally of deaths were published almost on a daily basis
initially, but have now been suspended. The majority of
Thai people seem to greatly favor what is currently going
on, but lately there have been daily editorials trying
to promote the alternative view : going down on drug dealers,
without resorting to a policy of extrajudicial executions,
and in general with an emphasis on being more careful
in executing the government policy.

Belatedly the international press has taken up the issue.
BBC, the Economist and other international newspapers
have reported on the issue. One can only guess how much
about this would be reported about these killings if the
country involved would be on the non-friendly list of
the Western nations.

The number of people killed is now not in the open anymore,
but continues to rise. Very few forensic investigations
are carried out, and in general this type of investigations
seems to be hindered by the authorities.

While claiming most of the deaths are gang-related, and
not the work of the police themselves, they clearly also
demonstrate they are quite incapable of maintaining law
and order in the country. It is unlikely to be pleasant
at present to be walking around after dark in some of
the remoter areas of Thailand. While not being able to
prevent the killings, also very little is being reported
about success in pursuing those that are responsible for
them.

While a crackdown on drug dealers is certainly called
for, it is quite apparent though for the moment, that
only small time dealers are successfully traced down,
while there have not been any significant major catches
in the higher echelons. It is possible all a classic ploy.
The smaller players are found and eliminated, thereby
making it more difficult to find the real big players,
since witnesses and compromising evidence have disappeared.

Hopefully, the present policy will be modified, but the
present prime minister is not known to back down on his
policies, and for the moment has the support of the majority
of the Thai population. But the future may judge the present
government, not as the one that improved the general economic
situation, but as the one that allowed unrestrained carnage
in the streets and villages of Thailand.