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PM Thaksin visits Chiang Mai as imminent trouble brews between pro and anti-Thaksin factions
Saksit Meesubkwang and
Staff Reporters
TRT staged a rally at Chiang Mai 700 Year Anniversary
Stadium on March 4, attended by large crowds of people from both Chiang Mai
and Lamphun provinces to listen to caretaker PM Thaksin Shinawatra. Before
Thaksin arrived at the stadium, several other members of the party took
turns to address the assembly, including Yongyut Tiyapairat, Warathep
Ratanakorn, Adisorn Piangket and Ladawan Wongsriwong.
Later, Thaksin reiterated his reasons for dissolving
parliament, saying that he wished to give back authority to the citizens, to
give them the opportunity to use the ballot box to choose whether or not
they would continue to support him and TRT. He said it was the democratic
right of every citizen to freely and privately cast their vote to choose who
would govern the country and form the next parliament.
He accused the opposition of resorting to smear tactics
by accusing him and his family of unethical behavior over the sale of shares
to the Shin Corp organization. He confirmed that he had complied with the
law over the sale of the shares and had not done it to escape paying tax,
even though that was the end result.
A defiant Thaksin said that he would not simply resign
from his post as PM just because his detractors weren’t happy with his
performance in leading the country. He promised to solve the country’s
poverty problem rapidly, if he was offered a further chance to be PM once
more. He vowed that every government policy would be continued, amongst
others, the 30 baht medical treatment scheme and the village budget. He
finally added that his present visit to Chiang Mai was to keep faith with
his many supporters in Chiang Mai; and that he felt humbled by the local
residents’ obvious encouragement for him to continue working for the
country.
On the other hand, Thaksin is not having it all his own
way, because a group of 95 academics and reputable persons in Thailand have
presented a petition to the King, requesting His Majesty to choose a
government minister to act as temporary PM for a period before a new PM can
be elected.
Meanwhile in Bangkok, Resident Alliances for Democracy
gathered on March 5 at Sanam Luang, headed by Maj. Gen. Chamlong Srimuang
and Sonthi Limthongkul. The assembly was attended by a huge crowd of around
200,000 persons, made up of businessmen, students and general citizens. They
gathered calling for Thaksin to step down from his political role, promising
their actions would be maintained until such times that he quit. This
assembly was also simultaneously broadcast to a 500 strong crowd gathered at
the Faculty of Social Science, Chiang Mai University.
While the anti-Thaksin lobby crusades for Thaksin
Shinawatra to stand down, the caretaker PM continues to muddy the waters by
involving the Thai Rak Thai party (TRT) which has not been asked to stand
down.
With widespread reports in the media of villagers being paid to attend
the TRT political rally, it seems that Thai politics have not managed to
become free of outside influences, and we have returned the “Good Old
Days”.
Influential criminal groups and arms dealers under central police scrutiny
Saksit Meesubkwang and Preeyanoot Jittawong
 A
crackdown on organized crime is being advocated by Thailand’s police
Inspector-General, Pol. Gen. Seriphisut Temiyawej, who is highlighting
crime and corruption in the North. With it being more than obvious that
there are still shady figures behind human trafficking, prostitution and
drugs, the police Inspector-General addressed police from the eight
northern provinces.
He outlined his policies concerning influential
criminals and arms suppression. The Inspector-General said that he was
deeply concerned about the many violent crimes that took place in the
Provincial Police Bureau Region 5 area and the Northern provinces. He
said that much of the evidence pointed to certain individuals and groups
who were influencing crime in the region. They were known to be involved
in human trafficking, drugs, prostitution, smuggling and arms dealing,
but always managed to escape prosecution. He urged police commanders in
the eight Northern provinces to compare information with each other to
check if these people were influencing crime just in their own backyard
or if they were building new connections elsewhere. He warned the
regional police commissioners of each area that they and their officers
were under close scrutiny and if any were discovered to be taking bribes
or turning a blind eye to the activities of these people, they would be
removed from duty and punished severely.
He urged the assembled commanders to keep a close
watch on prostitution and human trafficking and to investigate thoroughly
any persons suspected of being involved in these activities. He advocated
the creation of a special task force of police to gather information on
these international groups who conduct their human trafficking activities
as part of a large organization. The victims of these illegal traffickers
are mostly from the North and the Thai-Burmese border, some are willing
and aware of what they are getting into, but most are deceived into
parting with hard earned cash and then abandoned once they are over the
border.
The Inspector-General requested residents to
immediately inform the police if they learned of any clue or information
concerning criminal activity of any kind, no matter how insignificant it
might seem to the individual. This information would be sent to the
National Office of the Inspector-General and investigators would be sent
from central office to pursue each case. He gave his personal assurance
that any information would be confidential and the informant’s identity
would not be disclosed.
Air pollution brings out the exhaust police
Preeyanoot Jittawong
 Officers
checking black smoke from vehicles.
Chiang Mai Municipality has requested policemen and
environment academics to set up checkpoints on every main road in the city
to check black exhaust smoke from diesel vehicles. The first route to be
checked is on the Chiang Mai-Mae Rim Road, in front of the National Bank.
These measures were decided after air quality in city was measured and found
to be as much as 90 percent unburnt carbon particles. Further campaigns are
in the pipeline to attempt to reduce Chiang Mai’s rapidly worsening
pollution.
On March 6, Boonlert Buranupakorn, Chiang Mai Mayor, said
that the main problem causing pollution in Chiang Mai city is the large
amount of dust that occurs especially on waysides of dense traffic routes.
This dust is constantly stirred in the draught caused by passing traffic and
mixes with the unburnt carbon emitted from the exhausts of poorly maintained
diesel engines.
If any vehicle is detected emitting excessive black
smoke, measured at more than 75 percent, that vehicle will be considered to
be below the minimum standard and the driver will be fined 1,000 baht and
the vehicle put off the road. Vehicle owners will be forced bring the engine
up to standard and have it checked again before it will be allowed back on
the road.
It is hoped that these measures if rigorously enforced, will encourage
vehicle owners to spend more time keeping their engines properly maintained
and reduce the life threatening pollution in Chiang Mai Province. Drivers
who do so will find their efforts well rewarded when they discover that the
price of keeping a well maintained efficient engine will be amply offset by
reduced fuel costs.
Mae Ping residents opinions sought concerning the river wall
Chiangmai Mail Reporters
A conference was held to discuss the proposed plans to
construct a riverbank wall along both sides of the Mae Ping River. It was
presided over by Wilat Rujiwattanapong, Chiang Mai Deputy Governor on behalf
of Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning, who said that
the purpose of the conference was to study the plans and come to conclusions
concerning the advantages and disadvantages of proceeding with the project.
The riverbank wall along both sides of the river was 19.4 km long and would
be constructed in seven stages at a cost 1.3 billion baht.
Wilat said that he would like those people living
alongside the Mae Ping River to share their opinions and if they disagreed
with the five forms created by the Department of Public Works and Town and
Country Planning, they should say so. He said that if most of the people
concerned disagreed with the plans for the riverbank wall and construction
did not go ahead, resulting in Chiang Mai economic province being flooded
once more, local government could not be held responsible for it.
The government had authorized a budget to solve the flood
problem, based on the plans submitted by the Department of Public Works, and
he felt that these plans should be complied with and adjusted for the best.
He agreed that Chiang Mai residents, especially people living along both
river banks should have their say and that some changes may need to be made
in order to satisfy them. This is one of 30 projects to deal with flooding
problems; and since the projects have been publicized the department has
received objections by e-mail and by letter and phone calls. This period
will continue for one further month to clarify any outstanding issues before
plans will be finalized. During this time everyone concerned will try to
come up with the most practical solution.
The results will be published for everybody to be informed of what will
happen before any construction actually commences. The predominant opinion
of many residents is that local wisdom should be listened to instead of just
knee-jerk reaction to the problem. They felt that instead of trying to
contain the river inside ugly concrete walls, a more practicable solution
would be to dredge the river to an appropriate depth to contain the excess
floodwater. Furthermore, steps should be taken to stop or reduce alluvial
runoff further upstream, which will reduce the silting of the riverbed which
is causing the flooding in the first place. The costs of a future program of
dredging would be more than offset by selling the sand the dredging would
recover. The deputy governor said he would consider their ideas and perhaps
both methods might be applied together.
Tai tribe army denies US drug factory claims
Chiangmai Mail Reporters
 Col.
Chao Yodsuek speaking to journalists on Doi Tai Lang (Photo courtesy SHAN)
SHAN News Agency reported on March 3 that the SSA-S (Shan
State Army-South) denied accusations made by the US on March 1, 2006
claiming that the UWSA, troop of Wah and SSA-S had an amphetamine and heroin
factory.
Kruasaen Heng-on, spokeswoman for the RCSS said her
organization was the political wing of the SSA and strenuously asserted that
the SSA had six primary rules; and one of the most rigorously enforced of
these was drug suppression. The SSA had cooperated fully with the Thai
authorities in their joint efforts to eliminate drugs along borders of
Thailand and Burma and has destroyed several ya ba and heroin factories,
sending both evidence and the offenders to the Thai authorities.
“However, we are willing to participate with any
international country, if they would like to prove the true situation
regarding the American’s false allegations concerning this area”, she
said.
Col. Chao Yowdsuek spoke to foreign journalists on
January 28, 2006 on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the founding of
the SSA, concerning drugs in Shan State. He said that heroin dealing in the
Golden Triangle was still spreading, but the true extent of the situation
was concealed from international countries by the deceit and trickery of the
Burmese authorities.
Col. Chao Yowdsuek disagreed with the report of the
UNODC, which claimed that less and less opium was planted yearly in Burma
and was decreasing continually, saying that this claim was untrue. The study
carried out by the UNODC was limited in scope as it could not reach to the
root of the heroin problem, because the Burmese authorities did not reveal
the true situation.
He, nevertheless, accepted that although the SSA had
tried to eliminate drugs, unfortunately some officials of the army were
corruptly involved with drugs, due to the fact that the high rewards that
came from drug trafficking made participation hard to resist. However, if
any official was discovered to be involved with drug trafficking, he or she
would be punished according to regulations of the SSA Army.
He observed that concerning the report of the US, that it was highly
unlikely and even impossible that drug factory could be set up on Doi Tai
Lang, because that area was the base of the SSA and was surrounded with
Thai, Burmese and Wah troops, manning several roadblocks to prevent the
transport of drug ingredient substances.
Karen people take offence at radio presentation
Saksit Meesubkwang
 Representatives
of the Karen people from 18 organizations present a petition at Chiang Mai
city hall.
A passage in a book written by two monks has caused
outrage in the Karen hill-tribe community. The book, entitled “Kham Khom
Hang Lanna”, contains a passage on page 88 that defames Karen women saying
that “Karen women are not good at doing housework. They like dirtiness and
do not clean their houses or their bodies; and have a disgusting smell and
messy hair.” To make matters worse, this passage from the book was read
aloud on air by DJ Amnuay Klamphat.
30 Karen people from 18 organizations throughout the
country, including the Karen Network for Culture and Environment of Chiang
Mai, Tak, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Mae Hong Son, the Karen Social
Development Association, Karen KBC Church, Hill Tribe in Thailand Education
and Culture Association and Indigenous Knowledge and Peoples Network (IKAP)
headed by Waiying Thongbue, consultant to the Human Rights Federation
presented a petition to the media at Chiang Mai City Hall.
Waiying said that this paragraph presented the Karen
tribe in a negative light and it was a slur upon their good name. It was
intended to make Karen people feel ashamed and caused Karen students to be
mocked by their peers. Furthermore, some students were frightened to inform
their friends that they were Karen. The hurtful comments in the book caused
outrage among the Karen people, who called for the two monks and the DJ to
proclaim publicly, they were not how the book described them.
The Karen petition requested the book’s authors and the DJ to publish
an apology in at least two newspapers for seven days; the radio stations
which employed Amnuay should broadcast a similar apology for seven days; as
well as publishing the apology on their website for one month. Moreover,
Amnuay should be ordered to stop defaming the Karen people, otherwise these
18 organizations would take further action and sue the radio station.
The dry season predicted to be cooler than in 2005
Preeyanoot Jittawong
 Kannikar
Puranaphan, director of Northern Meteorological Center.
The Northern Meteorological Center, the Meteorological
Department of Thailand and the Ministry of Information and Communication
Technology offered their predictions concerning the climate during the
forthcoming hot season of this year (middle February to May).
Kannikar Puranaphan, director of Northern Meteorological
Center said that she anticipated that the climate during the hot season this
year would be sultry in the daytime and would be most hot during March and
April. However, she forecast that temperatures would be lower than last year
due to the likelihood of rain coinciding with those two months. Rainfall in
the hot season will be heavier than usual, but still not sufficient for
consumers and agriculture.
The meteorological center warned residents to be careful
of tropical storms predicted for March and April this year, especially in
the upper parts of Thailand. She stressed that although the drought this
year was not expected to be as severe as last time, nevertheless people
should save water and plan to minimize its use. Great care should be taken
when lighting fires so as not to cause forest fires, especially in the final
weeks of April to May.
There is a likelihood of rain if the temperature reaches 40-42 degrees
Celsius in Mae Hong Son, Lampang, Lamphun, Nan, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Tak
and Phetchabun.
Artificial rain, action for solving drought crisis in the North
Nopniwat Krailerg
The Northern region is now facing a drought and several
provinces are already experiencing water shortages. Recently, villagers of
Doi Tao, Chom Thong and Hot districts of Chiang Mai and Pa Sang District of
Lamphun reported that they were running short of water and the Artificial
Rain Center for the Upper North, Chiang Mai was preparing to help these
areas.
Somchai Ruansuthinaruepap, Director of the Artificial
Rain Center for Upper North, Chiang Mai disclosed that so far the drought
situation was not as severe as last year, but some areas were already
reported to be in crisis. However, the staff of Royal Rain Making Office was
prepared for the drought situation and had already taken steps to alleviate
the drought for residents in the seven Northern provinces, Chiang Rai,
Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Phayao, Lamphun, Lampang and Tak. Over the last
two months they have stockpiled around 1,000 tons of the chemicals needed to
make artificial rain and are ready to swing into action the moment the
atmospheric conditions are suitable.
This year, the budget set aside for artificial rain
making is 7-8 million baht; and if necessary the process will be carried out
until September. A small base has been set up in Tak so as not to waste time
and money traveling back to Chiang Mai after every sortie. Mountainous areas
in Hot, Chom Thong and Doi Tao districts will be damped down first to
prevent forest fires in these heavily forested locations. Artificial rain is
to be made over and around the catchment areas of various reservoirs to
increase the levels in those reservoirs.
However, at the moment the Artificial Rain Center is one aircraft short
of its original complement of four, with one plane undergoing repairs. Once
repairs are completed, the full squadron of four will take to the skies and
bring welcome rain to the thirsty folk of the North.
40 Mae Maw residents refusing to relocate until government valuation
Chiangmai Mail Reporters
Wanchai Sutthiworachai, Lampang deputy governor issued a
report on the progress of building new homes for the 493 residents who are
affected by the construction of the new Mae Maw Powerhouse. He said that it
was not clear which organization would be responsible for ascertaining the
cost of the residents’ possessions. Nevertheless, the province is to
present a petition to Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to
assign an organization to take care of this issue.
Provincial Public Works and Town and Country Planning
together with property officers are now jointly surveying the area provided
for those people and zoning the land. The Office of Natural Resources and
Environment has announced that 72 squatters have been ordered to remove the
buildings they have illegally constructed on land designated for the new
town before March 17, 2006 or they will be charged with trespass and
prosecuted. 40 squatters have already moved out and the rest are still
negotiating.
The Department of Rural Roads has surveyed and designed
routes for the new homes of those displaced people and construction is
expected to start very soon. The Department of Mineral Resources has already
drilled three artesian wells and will lay the pipes to carry the public
water to the new homes when the sites have been established.
The deputy governor added that because of the recent dissolution of
parliament, there could be delays in finding a suitable organization to be
responsible for estimating the value of the residents possessions, which
must be done before construction can go ahead. He hoped that the matter
could be swiftly resolved, when and if parliament resumes after the April
elections.
Chiang Mai Airport to be finished for the International Horticulture Exposition
Saksit Meesubkwang
 Officers
working on the northern extension of the runway of Chiang Mai International
Airport.
Flt. Lt. Pradit Mongkonapiban, director of Regional
Airports together with Serirat Wisutanon, deputy director and Flying Officer
Suthara Huangsuwan, Director of Chiang Mai International Airport addressed a
press conference on the occasion of the 18 th
anniversary of Chiang Mai International Airport. Flt. Lt. Pradit announced
that the airport was being brought up to international standards and when
completed, would be able to provide a better service for residents and
tourists.
Flying Officer Suthara reported that Chiang Mai
International Airport was capable of supporting 24 flights per hour, but at
present there was a total of only 70 flights per day. Income of the airport
area, from rents and landing fees etc. in the previous year, came to 345.32
million baht. This is forecast to increase this year after the ongoing work
to extend the runway by 300 meters at the northern end has been completed. A
new terminal building is under construction, which when finished, will be
capable of supporting 6.5 million passengers per year. Construction
commenced in 2004 and is expected to be completed in 2007. A budget of two
billion baht has been granted enabling it to support Chiang Mai’s role as
the hub of the Northern commercial center.
The extension of the runway at the northern end of the
airfield has become necessary to cater for the larger modern aircraft that
will be flying into Chiang Mai. This work is now in progress with a budget
of 153 million baht for the construction. Further extensions are in the
pipeline for the southern end, which will necessitate an underpass being
constructed on route 108, according to the 2006-2007 year plan.
The Director expressed his concern about how the runway
expansion would affect nearby households, but he reported that studies had
confirmed that nearby residents or households would not be affected if noise
abatement measures were set up alongside the runway to control the level of
noise from the aircraft.
The director added that after the new passenger terminal was completed,
the old one would be improved to more modern and attractive standards. The
entire process was expected to be completely finished before the start of
the International Horticulture Exposition at the end of this year. It will
be interesting to see if this new airport construction can meet the
timetable.
Recruitment company sued after deposits not returned
Chiangmai Mail Reporters
Maleewan Lowithee, head of Lamphun Provincial Employment
Office was informed by the Department of Employment that people in the North
and North-east had applied for jobs with Siam Overseas Recruitment, each
person parting with 60,000 baht for the privilege. This company had promised
to find them well-paid jobs in factories and farms; and to work as
tradesmen’s assistants in the USA. The jobseekers were guaranteed wages of
80,000-120,000 baht per month, with a contract of employment for three
years, but the company failed to live up to its promises and refused to give
back the money to the people who had paid them for the service.
Having verified the truth of these complaints, the
Department of Employment concluded that Siam Overseas Recruitment had acted
illegally under the Employment and Worker Protection Act 1994 and revoked
the company’s permit for 120 days. The whole matter was referred to the
police and the company was sued.
She warned job seekers to beware of this recruitment company and if that
organization or any other, advertised for people to apply for jobs abroad,
anyone wishing to apply should first of all check the information by calling
0-2272-2913, 0-2272-2915 or 0 5356 1090-1 on weekdays.
158 villages in Mae Hong Son likely to face drought
Chiangmai Mail
Reporter
Mae Hong Son Province announced that 158 villages in four
districts are likely to be facing drought. This places around 47,000
villagers in trouble, requiring the provincial authorities to provide a fund
of 116 million baht to deal with it.
Chana Naksuriya, Mae Hong Song Deputy Governor reported
that communities concerned were 77 villages in seven Tambons of Mae Sariang
district, 38 villages in four Tambons in Pang Mapha district, 32 villages in
six Tambons in Khun Yuam district and 11 villages in five Tambons in Sop
Moei district. Plans have been put in place to bring assistance to these
villagers when and if the need should arise.
The deputy governor added that during the final weeks of March and April,
seven districts of the province were expected to be affected but the
province had provided 116 million baht to solve the drought problem in Mae
Hong Son. Water tanks would be set up in the villages, as well solar cell
pumps to relieve the water shortage both for human consumption and for
agriculture
Drug traffickers take advantage of the political situation
Saksit Meesubkwang
 Pol.
Lt. Gen. Panupong Singhara Na Ayuthaya, Provincial Police Bureau Region 5
commissioner giving information at the press conference.
ONCB and Police in Chiang Mai, becoming more aware of the
increased activities of drug traffickers in the area, finally swooped on a
food shop at the side of the reservoir in Lanna Raw 9 Public Park on Chotana
Rd., Tambon Chang Puek in Muang, Chiang Mai.
Here they found five members of a gang engaged in selling
drugs. The five men were all Tai tribesmen from various communities around
Chiang Mai province and were identified as Thun Chaimongkol, 33, from Tambon
Pong Yang in Mae Rim distict; Ta Lungthun, 30, living at Tambon Piangluang
in Wiang Haeng district; Thun Pong-ngam, 34, living at Tambon Pong Yang in
Mae Rim district; Aw Lungkham, 28, resident of Tambon Thungkaopuang in
Chiang Dao district and Gam Loongloi, 28, living at Tambon Mon Ping in Fang
district. They were all arrested and their possessions seized, which
included 28,000 speed pills packed in a brown plastic bag, together with
three motorbikes and five cell phones. The gang were sent to Chang Puek
Police Station and charged with possessing drugs.
Before their arrest, investigation officers of Provincial
Police Bureau Region 5 had become aware of the activities of a group of Tai
tribe drug traffickers living in Chiang Mai, who were involved with drug
dealer networks in different provinces. They were bringing narcotics from
the Thai-Burmese border into Chiang Mai before continuing to distribute them
in Bangkok.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Panupong Singhara Na Ayuthaya, Provincial Police Bureau
Region 5 commissioner said that the drug dealers always followed the
political situation and the government’s movements, to choose an
appropriate time to transfer the drugs. “However,” he added, “the drug
dealers were wasting their time, because the police had prepared a special
task force to pursue them and the officers were ready on 24 hour standby.”
This case is being investigated further to identify other Thai drug dealers
involved, who will be arrested and brought to justice.
Chiang Rai police to apply new strategies for narcotics suppression
Chiangmai Mail Reporters
New strategies are to be applied in the constant war to
suppress narcotics in Chiang Rai, while still maintaining initial tactics to
combat drugs, to search and arrest dealers and to ask for participation from
local residents.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Chamnong Kaewsiri, Chiang Rai Provincial
Police commander reported that after receiving the governments policy to
eliminate drugs for the fifth period, that there was evidence of diminished
drug trafficking in Chiang Rai as a result of suppression by the police and
increased participation from the police forces of neighboring countries.
In the 5th period in the war on drugs, new strategies
have been created to intercept drugs at the border area and on highland
locations especially at Tambon Huay Chompoo, Tambon Mae Yao and Tambon Doi
Hang in Muang, Chiang Rai including Wiang Pa Pao and Mae Suai districts. An
additional 200 officers have been sent to these areas to assist with the
drug elimination process.
Nevertheless, around 1,000 known drug offenders are still
being sought by the police locally, but in the meantime several are believed
to have escaped into neighboring countries. Because of the shortage of the
proper facilities many drug addicts are being treated in police custody by a
special task force due to the fact that there is no other place for them to
go.
The commander offered his sincere thanks to residents for their
participation and valuable assistance in helping to prevent narcotics
spreading; and for the information they passed on to the police which was so
necessary in helping the officers to eliminate drug trafficking in Chiang
Rai Province.
More North Koreans detected illegally entering Chiang Rai
Chiangmai Mail Reporters
Hearing rumours of the presence of illegal aliens in
Chiang Rai, on February 28, Pol. Lt. Col. Dared Kanlaya, superintendent of
Muang Chiang Rai Police Station together with Pol. Sub. Lt. Supoj Suwan,
deputy superintendent headed a posse and arrested seven North Koreans who
were found to have entered Chiang Rai illegally. The group comprised of two
elderly females, a three year old child, three men and a woman, none of whom
were holding any kind of travel card.
The tourist police were contacted to investigate them and
it was later learned that they traveled from the Chinese border to the
Mekong River; continuing down the river before entering Thailand at Chiang
Saen, Chiang Rai; and then seeking asylum with the Thai authorities. They
had paid an agent 5,000 baht per person to arrange their passage from South
Korea to Thailand.
A senior border official disclosed that Chiang Rai was a popular route
among aliens wishing to enter Thailand illegally and was the final
destination for many North Koreans who had chosen a roundabout route to flee
to South Korea. There are now many North Korean on the Chinese border
waiting to cross the Mekong River, their goal being to get to the Golden
Triangle port of Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai and then seek asylum in Thailand
and eventually get deported to South Korea.
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