Barkar Nash (Page 60)

The House of Representatives on Thursday rejected the idea to record der guess among the offences that would be pardoned under a new social asylum bill, with 152 MPs voting against the charge being included, while 152 voted in favor of the drive.

The alternative options to the proposed asylum costs for political offenders are included in a House special commission report.

The majority of the report, which outlined the findings of the agency’s research into different amnesty options, was supported by the House, which voted against the addition of Lese Majeste.

MPs in the government coalition oppose extending amnesty to those convicted of lese majeste, while the opposition People’s Party ( PP ) is in favor of an amnesty for those found guilty under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lese majeste law.

The state will now be given access to the record thanks to the House. However, the government is never obliged to follow the agency’s tips.

Chairman of the particular panel, Chousak Sirinil, said that the statement is just a guide for granting amnesty to social criminals.

The report will be taken into account when the House considers four asylum bills that the PP and some other parties differently presented in the next parliament session, according to Mr. Chousak, who is also Pheu Thai’s constitutional expert.

Pheu Thai MP and general government whip Wisut Chainarun had previously stated that the House is unlikely to deliberate any asylum bills in the current treatment because they have not been scrutinized by parliament paddles.

Next month, Parliament is scheduled to go into corner.

Anutin Charnvirakul, the party’s leader and interior minister, reaffirmed the party’s opposition to any attempt to include der majoreste crimes in any asylum bill.

Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen, a United Thai Nation Party part who sits on the House commission, said an asylum should not be extended to those convicted of der qualifications.

Since 2005, he added, there have been 57, 966 scenarios involving democratic offenses. Out of these situations, there are 1, 206 which involve offences under Part 112, Mr Pongpol noted.

Chaithawat Tulathon, a PP representative and a member of the House council, said the main goal of an asylum is to cultivate unity, not to overturn or destroy any law.

Pun Bai case expiry does stir discontent

As the statute of limitations on the Tak Bai murder case expires today, officials worry that bad-willed groups may cause new turmoil in the heavy South.

Lt. Gen. Phaisarn Nusang, captain of the 4th Army Region, reported yesterday that a House committee looking into peace efforts to end the fight in the three southern provinces had asked him how to deal with any potential turmoil in the area once the statute of limitations for the event expires.

Lt. Gen. Phaisarn expressed concern about” third-party” organizations that are intended to cause turmoil and claimed to have asked local authorities in the deep South to be vigilant.

As the case’s statute of limitations expires, he said,” Security companies are now tasked with keeping peace and order in the deep southern,” but they may have to tighten security procedures.

Anutin Charnvirakul, the interior minister, claimed he had instructed provincial rulers and local government in Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat, the three southern provinces, to make emergency plans for any possible upheaval.

” All parties involved should concentrate on the prospect and collaborate to reduce crime.” The region is moving in the right direction. Unity among the people will help improve foreigners ‘ confidence”, said Mr Anutin, who is also a deputy prime minister.

More than 80 people are alleged to have died as a result of the protests that took place on October 25, 2004, in Tak Bai city, Narathiwat, and their following transportation to a military service in the neighboring state of Pattani.

Before the distribution, the demonstrators had been demanding the transfer of six prisoners. The Dapat Bai horror occurred while Thaksin Shinawatra, the then prime minister, was in office.

The Thai Sang Thai Party’s head, Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, demanded yesterday that the government bring the case against all offenders in the Tak Bai murder case before the statute of limitations is up.

Despite the incident occurring a long time ago, Thai Sang Thai Party deputy leader Chaowalit Wichayasut added that the government should apologize to the victims ‘ families. The Tak Bai murder resulted in 14 offenders being identified.

Seven of these, including Gen Pisal Wattanawongkiri, then chief of the Fourth Army Place, Pol Lt Gen Wongkot Maneerin, next secretary federal police commander, and Maj Gen Chalermchai Wirunpeth, then chief of the 5th Infantry Regiment, have been indicted by the Narathiwat Provincial Court in a case filed by the patients ‘ people. They have been issued arrest permits for them.

However, two attacks occurred tuesday.

A bomb detonated in a stolen pickup in Pattani, causing injuries to two defense volunteers and property damage to the city of Panare shortly after midnight yesterday.

Around 12 o’clock in the morning, an explosion occurred on a path close to the city company and the Panare police station.

The fire damaged the police depot, the region office, near state vehicles, and other property. Two active members of the defense service were hurt. The tambon Ban Nam Bo management organization’s pickup truck, which contained the bomb, was located in the Panare area.

About 10 people raided the regional administration business, tied up the four people present, and stole the pick at about 11pm on Wednesday.

Another weapon attack injured three men in Rangae area, Narathiwat, on Wednesday evening. As a group of men passed by, an explosive machine was hidden in an underground drainage tube.

Prior to the request for an executive order to extend the statute of limitations on the situation involving the 2004 Tak Bai murder, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra recently declined to comment.

The idea was first made at a public platform by law professor Thammasat University associate professor Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, who on Sunday urged the government to think about issuing an executive order in accordance with Section 29 of the law.

The Seub Nakhasathien Foundation has expressed concern about a dolomite mining project near the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex in Phetchaburi.

Ornyupa Sangkaman, the foundation’s secretary-general, said mining activity would destroy the fragile ecological system and affect the World Heritage site.

Ms Ornyupa said a company is seeking concession rights to mine over 540 rai of land in Pa Yang Nam Klad Neau and Pa Yang Nam Klad Tai national reserve forests. The area is classified as a high-priority buffer zone of the World Heritage National Park.

Public hearings were held in December last year. Most villagers said they disagreed with the project because the mining site is just 1.14 kilometres away from the World Heritage site.

Ms Ornyupa said the buffer zone is fertile, adding it has wildlife, including elephants and chamois, which is considered an endangered species.

She said the mining activities would affect the natural ecosystem by creating pollution and causing wild animals to change their behaviour.

Meanwhile, excavation and ore washing will harm the groundwater system, which is a water source for the livelihood of locals who are mostly farmers, she said.

Ms Ornyupa said human activities have constantly threatened the outstanding universal value of Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex’s biodiversity. The threats include a dam construction project in Ratchaburi’s Tanaosri district.

The dam project will span over 2,168 rai of forested area covering a watershed forest and Maenam Phachi Wildlife Sanctuary, the only wildlife sanctuary in the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex.

“This year, the country has lost over 300,000 rai of forest land, which is the largest amount in a decade,” said Ms Ornyupa.

“At this point, the forest shouldn’t be exploited more by human activities. The government needs to protect the forest based on its commitment to the global community,” she said.

Earlier this month, residents of Nong Maka village in Phetchaburi’s Kaeng Krachan district filed a petition with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against the dolomite mining project, which they see as posing a great risk to the community’s natural resources and way of life.

On July 26, 2021, Unesco’s World Heritage Committee inscribed Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex as a World Heritage property.

It is Thailand’s sixth World Heritage site and the country’s third World Heritage property.

The Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) wants to build a 71.6-kilometre expressway that would link Samut Sakhon with Samut Prakan, under a new project called the Samut Sakhon-Samut Prakan Riviera project, a source close to the matter revealed on Wednesday.

The project — which is estimated will cost about 109.25 billion baht to complete — would see a new expressway built to link Highway 35, also known as Rama II Road, in Samut Sakhon, with Highway 34, or Bang Na-Trat Road, in Samut Prakan’s Bang Phli district.

According to the source, Exat wants the project, which is currently classed as a low-priority one, to be accorded higher priority by the Paetongtarn Shinawatra government.

In an effort to do so, Exat is planning to launch a new feasibility study for the project sometime in 2026-2027, the source said, adding the study will take about 1-2 years to complete.

The study has to be re-done because the initial feasibility study into the project didn’t take into account the possibility of building a railway line along the new road, which will make the project considerably more attractive to investors, the source noted.

Ultimately, the Transport Ministry wants the project to be incorporated into the Department of Highways’ (DoH) Motorway and Railway Master Plan (MR-Map), said the source.

Permanent secretary for transport, Chayatan Phromsorn, recently instructed Exat to conduct a new study into the project, because of the increasing volume of traffic on this route, said the same source.

In terms of investment format, the project is currently designed with Exat as the sole investor in charge of physical construction. Maintenance and operation, meanwhile, will be handed over to a third party through open bidding, the source said.

However, if the new study finds merit in granting the right to build, operate and maintain the expressway to a private investor, the project’s investment format will be changed accordingly, said the source.

restoring restoration efforts to flood-damaged tourist destinations and different places

According to lieutenant government Tosapol Phuanudom, Chiang Mai will be ready to welcome visitors in November ahead of the great time.

He made the commitment at a gathering of a public-private business team convened to discuss growth in the Upper North’s Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Lampang, and Lamphun regions. The great post-flood clean-up work in Chiang Mai was among the subjects discussed.

Many places in Chiang Mai were greatly affected by the recent flooding, including homes, classrooms, establishments, factories, facilities, restaurants and tourist destinations, with estimated total destruction of about 5 billion ringgit, Mr Tosapol said.

At the mobile cabinet meeting scheduled for Chiang Mai on November 26th, participants in the meeting on Thursday agreed to press the government for more funding for rehabilitation, he said.

Work is still being done in Chiang Mai to restore many tourist attractions so they can open again at this busy time of year. Everything is expected to return to normal starting in November, he said.

According to Mr. Tosapol, the government’s financial support for the flood victims in Chiang Mai has so far totaled more than 100 million baht.

According to Paisan Sukcharoen, president of the Thai Hotels Association Northern Chapter, damage to hotels and lodgings in the floods was estimated to be around 500 million baht. He predicted that 90 % of the buildings would be ready to open by November and have undergone immediate restoration.

He said,” I find it encouraging that the rate of room booking has increased significantly in this time.”

He said,” If you do n’t book any hotel rooms in Chiang Mai in advance, you might not get a room because the booking rate is currently over 90 %,” adding that the cool weather is another factor that draws people to the North.