Barkar Nash (Page 943)

Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, the leader of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), stepped down from his position on Saturday, creating an opportunity for a new executive board to take charge.

PPRP deputy leader Paiboon Nititawan on Saturday confirmed Gen Prawit’s resignation with immediate effect.

Speaking during the party’s general assembly Mr Paiboon told PPRP members that Gen Prawit tendered his resignation on Saturday morning.

“Gen Prawit will remain in the party and will always look after the party,” said the deputy leader.

The resignation of Gen Prawit, who also serves as a caretaker deputy prime minister, resulted in an automatic end to the PPRP’s executive board under his tenure, paving the way for the election of a new party leader and executives.

Mr Paiboon then called an election to seek a new party leader. During the meeting, Gen Prawit was nominated again as the party leader, and he was the sole candidate for the post.

According to a party source, Gen Prawit did not attend the meeting.

This week, the election-winner Move Forward Party (MFP) stressed that it will not form a government with the PPRP and the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party as its coalition partners, calling them “remnants of a dictatorship”.

Prosperity predicted in birthday speech

His Majesty the King has urged all Thais to use their wisdom and judgement and set their mind on doing what is right not only for their own good but also the benefit of others in a speech marking his 71st birthday.

His Majesty the King grants a grand audience, or ‘Maha Samakhom’, to members of the royal family, senior government officials and dignitaries as they gather to wish him a happy birthday at the Amarindra Vinijaya Throne Hall inside the Grand Palace yesterday. Bureau of the Royal Household

In remarks delivered to his well-wishers at a grand audience, or Maha Samakhom, at the Amarindra Vinijaya Throne Hall in the Grand Palace, the King said working to bring about national prosperity is the most important task and will require good and smart governance as well as support from the entire nation.

“I wish that those of you who hold key positions in the main institutions and the people, through wisdom and judgement, set their mind on carrying out tasks that are good and right for themselves and the others. The results of these actions will lead to the prosperity of the nation and peace and happiness of the people,” he said.

His Majesty also expressed his appreciation and thanks for the birthday wishes conveyed to him by representatives of the royal family members and senior officials led by the parliament president, prime minister and the Supreme Court president.

In honour of the King’s birthday, the combined armed forces yesterday fired a 21-gun salute each while yellow-clad well-wishers gathered at designated places across the country to pay respect and wish the monarch a happy birthday.

Meanwhile, the grand reception, or Samosorn Sannibat, gala will be held today at Government House in honour of the King’s birthday, said deputy government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek yesterday.

His Majesty has granted the government permission to host the night event, and Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Krom Phra Srisavangavadhana will also attend the event, which starts at 7pm and will be broadcast live on television, she said.

About 1,888 pairs of guests have been invited, and they include political office holders, senior state officials and foreign diplomats, she said.

According to Ms Rachada, the government has put the final touches on the grand reception and appreciates the cooperation it received from both the state and private sectors, including the Fine Arts Department and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

She added that the reception will also feature a special khon Thai classical masked dance by performers from the Bunditpatanasilp Institute of Fine Arts and live orchestra music by Mahidol University’s College of Music.

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the leader of the Progressive Movement and key supporter of the Move Forward Party (MFP), has been questioned if he has made a political deal with Thaksin Shinawatra, the de facto leader of the Pheu Thai Party.

Assoc Prof Somchai Preechasinlapakun, who is a Chiang Mai University law scholar, said that Mr Thanathorn owes other MFP supporters a clear answer whether he had recently negotiated a deal with Thaksin in Hong Kong.

“[Mr Thanathorn] remains tight-lipped about this very question, and this will only shatter confidence in the MFP’s political direction,” said Assoc Prof Somchai, who stated he voted for MFP in the May 14 general election.

“As a citizen of Thailand, I expect to see a straightforward political development, not another political game being played through secret negotiations,” he said.

According to a Pheu Thai source, a political deal involving the forming of a new government was reached in Hong Kong between Mr Thanathorn and Thaksin, who has vowed to return to Thailand on Aug 10 after living in self-imposed exile for almost two decades.

Assoc Prof Somchai said if Mr Thanathorn didn’t go to Hong Kong, he needs to dismiss the rumour; but if he did go and was involved in negotiations, he must explain why.

Responding to media reports about the alleged Hong Kong deal, Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, an MFP list-MP, tweeted that he didn’t pay much attention to whether or not it was true.

“Even if I end up feeling like a fool when I realise I have been deceived and lost everything, my honesty and integrity will still be here with me. And I can still walk with my chin up and face anyone as usual,” he said on Twitter.

“And even if this mission is doomed to fail because of betrayal, that will still be better than making it fail now due to distrust within the team.”

Rangsiman Rome, another key list-MP for the MFP, declined to comment on the rumour, saying he wasn’t in a position to comment as Mr Thanathorn doesn’t hold a formal position in the MFP.

Attachak Satayanuruk, a history scholar at Chiang Mai University, said he thinks Thaksin’s announced return to Thailand is part of a deal between him, Pheu Thai and a side that the scholar described as the ruling class.

These sides are in a deal due to their mutual fears that the MFP’s reformist movement could threaten their political security, said Mr Attachak.

As a part of the deal, Thaksin will look for ways to divide the supporters of Pheu Thai and MFP as much as possible so as to stall the MFP’s reformist movement, said Mr Attachak.

The head of Khao Kho National Park has been ordered transferred to an inactive post, and an inquiry launched after several resorts were found encroaching on a forest reserve in Phetchabun province.

On Thursday, a snap inspection was conducted, led by the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) and Khao Kho National Park chief Prasan Iadsang.

It focused on Pha Hua Sing (lion head cliff), which is part of the park.

They found two resorts illegally occupying park territory. The first one was Phu Thap Boek Suansawan, situated about 200 metres from the edge of Pha Hua Sing on a 69-rai (110,400-square-metre) plot of land. The second resort, known as Good View-Hot View Suansawan Phu Thap Boek, was approximately 100 metres from the cliff’s edge and included a 100-metre-long stretch of land being used for camping.

Documentation for both sites was seized, and charges were laid for violating forestry laws, including the unauthorised destruction of natural resources.

Atthaphon Charoenchansa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said yesterday that the issue is not being taken lightly, and the head of the national park was ordered transferred from the area to an inactive post and will be subjected to a thorough investigation by a committee.

Demolition of the illegal resorts has been authorised, Mr Atthaphon added.

Five Thais died in a road collision yesterday while passing through Laos to board a train to China.

The incident occurred in Boten of Luang Namtha province, Laos, said Pol Lt Col Kanyawarat Jullasat, deputy chief of the Chiang Khong border immigration office.

Just past midnight, a tour group of 20 people travelling in two passenger vans collided with an 18-wheeler truck on the R3A Road connecting Chiang Khong district of Chiang Rai to Boten. The accident occurred some 100 kilometres away from the Fourth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, she said.

The group had planned to board a train in Laos to continue their journey to Kunming in China.

The collision happened when the truck slammed into one of the vans while making a wide turn. It claimed the lives of five Thai passengers and a Laotian driver. Three other members of the tour group sustained injuries.

The five Thai casualties were Nui Meechai, 68; Yupa Meechai, 66; Kanchana Ngernyen,68; Khamsai Chompubai, 59; and Boonnam Artpakdee, 68. All were natives of Wiang Pa Pao district of Chiang Rai.

Rescue workers took the injured to Chiang Khong Crown Prince Hospital.

Govt-backed break inspires travellers

CHON BURI: Beaches and tourist attractions in Pattaya buzzed with tourists yesterday, the first day of a six-day long holiday, with hotel rooms on Koh Larn, an island situated about 7 kilometres off the coast, fully booked.

Many Thais and foreign tourists boarded ferries at Bali Hai pier in South Pattaya yesterday to reach the island, resulting in the Pattaya City Municipality and the Marine Office deploying officials to facilitate their travel at the pier.

Authorities sought cooperation from ferry operators to strictly abide by safety rules regarding boat passenger numbers, while passengers were told to wear life jackets.

More parking spaces were also arranged to accommodate the rising number of vehicles, local authorities said.

Hotel operators said the room occupancy rate was 100% for the estimated 3,000 rooms on the island since early this month.

There was a rise in demand for rooms on Koh Larn after the caretaker cabinet on July 25 approved a cabinet secretariat proposal to declare Monday as a special government holiday, creating a six-day vacation period from July 28 to Aug 2 to spur tourism.

Yesterday was His Majesty the King’s birthday, Aug 1 is Asanha Bucha Day, and Aug 2 is the beginning of Buddhist Lent — all of which are government holidays. The extra day makes it an uninterrupted six day-weekend for government employees.

The long holiday period was expected to generate more than 100 million baht on the island.

Meanwhile, Koh Samui airport in the southern province of Surat Thani was lively and crowded with Thai and foreign tourists, who began arriving in large numbers at the island yesterday, thanks to the cabinet’s decision.

All Bangkok Airways flights from Suvarnabhumi airport to Samui were fully booked, as were all direct flights from Hong Kong and Singapore to the island.

Many other tourists arrived on the island from Surat Thani by ferry.

It was estimated that at least 20,000 tourists will visit Koh Samui during the long holiday, substantially boosting the local economy.

Some of the visitors are expected to continue their journey from Koh Samui to visit other islands, including Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, especially those among the younger generations looking to attend the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan at Hat Rin beach on Aug 3.

The Pheu Thai Party will hold a meeting with its partners next week to discuss the future of the eight-party coalition and notify other parties outside the bloc and opposing senators about the outcome of the discussions.

Pheu Thai deputy leader Phumtham Wechayachai yesterday said his party will coordinate with its seven allies to set a date and time for the meeting ahead of a vote in parliament scheduled for Friday.

Mr Phumtham said other parties outside the coalition, including Bhumjaithai, Chartthaipattana, the pro-military Palang Pracharath and United Thai Nation, and senators Pheu Thai spoke to this week strongly opposed any move to amend Section 112. They would not support Pheu Thai if the Move Forward Party could potentially be in a ruling government coalition, he said.

“We will ask the [coalition] meeting what to do next,” Mr Phumtham said. “How will other coalition parties, particularly the MFP, help find a way [to form a government]? We want the MFP to make a decision on this issue.”

Pheu Thai is likely to nominate its own candidate after MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat lost in his second attempt to become PM on July 19. The second attempt for a vote failed because a majority of MPs and senators said the renomination of Mr Pita was the same motion which failed in the first vote, which was not allowed by Article 41 of the House regulations.

Parliament president Wan Muhamad Noor Matha has announced a second vote for the next PM will take place this Friday. However, it may be held back, depending on whether the Constitutional Court accepts a petition challenging the renomination rejection of Mr Pita on Thursday.

If the court does not accept the petition, parliament will hold a vote for the prime minister the following day. If it does accept, a parliamentary vote will not take place until the court issues its ruling, possibly a week later.

Thida Thavornseth, a political activist and former chair of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), whose supporters are known as the “red shirts,” posted on Facebook to warn Pheu Thai against setting up a new government with the PPRP and UTN.

She said the red-shirt group was established after the coup in 2006 to fight against dictatorships. Red shirts stand firmly on the side of democracy, and while Pheu Thai is a democratic party, the activists also support the MFP’s democratic policies, she said.

If Pheu Thai chooses to switch sides and have the PPRP and UTN as coalition partners, the UDD will say goodbye to Pheu Thai and turn its disappointment into action, she warned.