The initial mourning period, as agreed on March 1 by the committee responsible for the matter, is to end in late October, he said.

The committee’s determination is being forwarded for consideration by His Majest King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Sansern said.

Cross Cultural Foundation director Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, who is also chair of Amnesty International Thailand, Duay Jai Group founder Anchana Heemmina and senior human rights lawyer Somchai Homla-or were facing criminal charges over the publication of a 2016 report that recounted allegations of torture by security forces in the southern border provinces.

The 2016 report, based on interviews with 54 former detainees, described alleged torture tactics used by soldiers and police across the Muslim-majority region, which has been ravaged by a violent insurgency that has spiked in the last 13 years.

Laurent Meillan, acting regional representative of the United Nations’ Human Rights Office for Southeast Asia, said yesterday: “Today’s developments are very positive, and we encourage the government of Thailand to take additional steps to strengthen measures to protect activists carrying out human rights reporting and monitoring.”

He also urged authorities to drop similar charges against other human rights defenders, including prominent human rights lawyer Sirikan Charoensiri.

“Our office supports today’s plans to establish mechanisms whereby the military, activists and other concerned stakeholders will come together to review and investigate allegations of human rights violations in the South,” Meillan said in a statement yesterday.

The trio faced up to seven years in jail for defamation and a separate charge filed for publishing the report online.

But the Army’s southern command spokesman unexpectedly said yesterday the charges would be dropped.

“We didn’t want the three human rights activists punished,” Colonel Pramote Prom-in told reporters after meeting the trio in Bangkok, adding the charges would be withdrawn shortly.

He repeated the Army’s denial of any torture and said the military has its own “measures to punish” abuses.

Pornpen said she and the other activists stood by their report and welcomed the Army’s pledge to “re-establish the relationship” with rights workers in the South through a committee to report abuse.

More than 6,800 people – mostly civilians – have been killed in the insurgency by Malay Muslim militants against the state.

The insurgents are ruthless in their tactics – targeting troops and police, civilians seen as collaborators with the state, and suspected informants. But the military has also faced accusations of abuse, including extra-judicial killings.

The UN Human Rights Committee, which monitors implementation by states of a major international human rights treaty, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, is due to review Thailand in Geneva next Monday and Tuesday.

Thirapong Thitatharn, a senior at Silpakorn university’s Phetcha-buri campus, died in hospital on March 2 and two other students were injured in the attack.

Thirapong’s mother, who took her son’s body for a funeral in their hometown Chumphon, promised to press charges and expressed concern that justice might not be served as some of the assailants were sons of local politicians and police officers.

Based on forensic evidence and security camera footage, police secured arrest warrants for 18 suspects. Cha-am police superintendent Pol Colonel Pakin Sivamethakul said previously that 16 suspects had already surrendered to police while two remained at large.

Thirapong’s relatives said they believed the person responsible for Thirapong’s death was not among the 18 suspects. They said they would not cremate Thirapong until the investigation had progressed.

Phetchaburi police chief Pol Maj-General Surapong Chaichan said police would summon the 18 suspects for additional questioning before submitting them for prosecution. He assured Thirapong’s relatives that police would investigate the case honestly.

Thirapong’s wounded friends have also filed a police complaint at the Cha-am precinct bringing attempted murder charges against the 18 suspects.

One of the injured students said that between 15 and 20 assailants arrived at the dormitory in three cars at 1am. The occupants of two of the cars entered the dorm, while the occupants of the third car waited in front of the dorm.

When one of his roommates opened the door he was hit in the head by a bottle and stabbed in the arm with a broken bottle, the student said. His other friend was stabbed with a 20-centimetre-long screwdriver in his face.

The student said one assailant stabbed Thirapong in the back of the head with a screwdriver, which broke off from its handle and stuck in his skull, while other attackers kicked him, sending the screwdriver in deeper.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said that due to worsening smog caused by wildfires, Lampang province had suffered from harmful air pollution levels for three days in a row.

The department’s director-general Chatchai Promlert said his department had been informed that wildfires in Nan, Payao and Surat Thani had ravaged more than 80 rai (13 hectares) of forestland.

“I have already ordered our local offices in these provinces to work with related agencies to extinguish the fires and build the firebreaks to control the wildfires spreading,” Chatchai said.

“We have also cooperated with the Pollution Control Department [PCD] and found that nine northern provinces still have average air quality. However, Lampang still suffers from harmful levels of air pollution, so I have told the local authorities to |rapidly tackle the haze problem and |prevent burning in their areas of responsibility.”

The PCD yesterday reported that the level of particulate matter of up to 10 microns in size (PM10) in Lampang’s Mae Moh district was at 154 micrograms. It was the highest air pollution recorded in the northern region.

An uncontrolled wildfire was also reported at Thung Salaeng Luang National Park in Phitsanulok, where a large area has burned for five days.

Phitsanulok Wildfire Control Division chief Banjong Srijaiwong said that since October, the province had experienced 218 wildfire incidents, mostly caused by people burning to expand their farmland.

Regarding the current wildfire in the national park, Banjong said officers had been working to extinguish the blaze and build firebreaks, adding that it would take one or two days to get it under control.

According to information from the Royal Forestry Department and Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, there were 47 hotspots in Thailand yesterday – 28 on agricultural land, 12 in national park areas and seven at national forest reserves.

Meanwhile, Disease Control Department director Jessada Chokdamrongsuk recommended that vulnerable groups including the elderly, pregnant women, sick people and children should avoid going outside and wear face masks.

“If the PM10 level is above 120 micrograms, it is harmful to health, so people should refrain from outdoor activities and always close doors and windows. People in poor health or suffering from chronic diseases should always wear a face mask,” Jessada said.

In an effort to reduce air pollution, water-spraying equipment was deployed in northern provinces such as Chiang Mai and Lampang to increase moisture and reduce dust particles in the air.

Authorities also warned people not to burn during this period, with penalties of one month imprisonment, a Bt2,000 fine or both.

MANY PROVINCES were affected by wildfires yesterday, causing the acute haze problem to intensify, while the Disease Control Department warned vulnerable groups such as the elderly and the infirm to stay indoors and wear face masks.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said that due to worsening smog caused by wildfires, Lampang province had suffered from harmful air pollution levels for three days in a row.

The department’s director-general Chatchai Promlert said his department had been informed that wildfires in Nan, Payao and Surat Thani had ravaged more than 80 rai (13 hectares) of forestland.

“I have already ordered our local offices in these provinces to work with related agencies to extinguish the fires and build the firebreaks to control the wildfires spreading,” Chatchai said.

“We have also cooperated with the Pollution Control Department [PCD] and found that nine northern provinces still have average air quality. However, Lampang still suffers from harmful levels of air pollution, so I have told the local authorities to |rapidly tackle the haze problem and |prevent burning in their areas of responsibility.”

The PCD yesterday reported that the level of particulate matter of up to 10 microns in size (PM10) in Lampang’s Mae Moh district was at 154 micrograms. It was the highest air pollution recorded in the northern region.

An uncontrolled wildfire was also reported at Thung Salaeng Luang National Park in Phitsanulok, where a large area has burned for five days.

Phitsanulok Wildfire Control Division chief Banjong Srijaiwong said that since October, the province had experienced 218 wildfire incidents, mostly caused by people burning to expand their farmland.

Regarding the current wildfire in the national park, Banjong said officers had been working to extinguish the blaze and build firebreaks, adding that it would take one or two days to get it under control.

According to information from the Royal Forestry Department and Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, there were 47 hotspots in Thailand yesterday – 28 on agricultural land, 12 in national park areas and seven at national forest reserves.

Meanwhile, Disease Control Department director Jessada Chokdamrongsuk recommended that vulnerable groups including the elderly, pregnant women, sick people and children should avoid going outside and wear face masks.

“If the PM10 level is above 120 micrograms, it is harmful to health, so people should refrain from outdoor activities and always close doors and windows. People in poor health or suffering from chronic diseases should always wear a face mask,” Jessada said.

In an effort to reduce air pollution, water-spraying equipment was deployed in northern provinces such as Chiang Mai and Lampang to increase moisture and reduce dust particles in the air.

Authorities also warned people not to burn during this period, with penalties of one month imprisonment, a Bt2,000 fine or both.

“The National Buddhism Office and the Sangha Supreme Council are in the process of taking monastic action,” Prayut said yesterday.

He did not elaborate on what measures the two organisations would take.

Phra Dhammachayo lost his high monastic rank several days ago, but he has yet to be defrocked.

The controversial honorary abbot of Dhammakaya Temple is facing arrest warrants for alleged money laundering and accepting stolen items.

It was found that he received a huge sum of money from Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, the former head of the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative. Supachai has been sentenced to jail for embezzlement for stealing members’ life savings, but Phra Dhammachayo has never answered to charges related to the scandal.

Last month, Prayut in his capacity as chief of the National Council for Peace and Order invoked Article 44 of the interim charter to declare Dhammakaya Temple a special controlled area. The move was designed to pave the way for the search to bring the fugitive monk to justice.

As of press time, Department of Special Investigation (DSI) officials were preparing to conduct another search at the huge temple compound.

The Boonraksa building in the temple caught the attention of the DSI recently as aerial pictures showed big oil tanks and canals had suddenly emerged around it.

“We will assess the situation and plan another search at this building,” DSI chief Pol Colonel Paisit Wongmuang said.

Phra Channarong Uttamo of Dhammakaya Temple said in a press conference that oil tanks seen in the aerial pictures were put there to facilitate nets to block hot wind and dust.

“We have cooperated with authorities. With our cooperation, officials have already thoroughly searched Zones A and B at our temple,” he said.

Phra Maha Tossaporn, of the temple, said earthen dykes were placed near the Boonraksa Building because temple followers did not want outsiders to enter the zone. “But we don’t know how water comes to nearby areas and also the temple,” he said.

Sompong Noimai, a farmer living near the temple, lamented that his farm had been flooded ever since temple bosses suddenly adjusted its landscape. “Now, my Fragrant Panda farm is under one metre of water. If the situation drags on, I will lose my produce,” he said.

In a related development, more than 10 figures associated with the temple reported to the DSI yesterday after facing summonses.

One of them, Wuttisarn Panaree, denied claims he had mobilised people to obstruct DSI operations at the temple, saying “I’m just a co-ordinator”.

He said DSI officials had barred him from entering the temple compound and giving any interviews that might spur followers to any form of resistance.

The DSI has summonsed at least 164 people related to the temple stand-off.

He said the agency must make people understand that the use of Uber was illegal and if accidents occurred, passengers would receive less protection under the law.

Nanthapong also called for an improvement of taxi services to make them more attractive to users.

“We may need a stronger medicine; we might propose the use of Article 44 to close this [Uber] app, as it is destroying the public transport system in the area,” he added.

However, a Bangkok-based Uber driver said yesterday that authorities should allow phone app taxi services such as Uber and Grab to operate legally as they do in other countries, because people doing the job were decent and hard-working, and not criminals.

Khomsan Saeheng, 34, said he had been providing Uber and Grab car rides to earn extra income after work and on weekends or holidays for six months. “I like the fact that it is an independent sideline that yields up to Bt6,000 a week, which is almost as much as what I earn from my full-time job. I can do it anytime, just being online via my smartphone app. Some people, if more diligent, can earn much more,” he said.

Following a crackdown and a series of stings to arrest and fine Uber and Grab car drivers, Khomsan said he would not take the risk in the meantime as it would not be worth getting arrested. “I will wait until this period passes, then I will decide if I want to do it or just quit this sideline,” he added.

Khomsan urged authorities to allow the business to operate legally. He said passengers could ride safely with Uber and Grab because drivers’ information was logged by the companies, which also run criminal background checks.

He said both companies gave promotions to drivers including a 1.8 to 2-per-cent additional fee for driving during the morning and evening rush hours and the Bt790 bonus payment for drivers picking up more than seven rides per week. Passenger promotions included a Bt70 discount for hailing a ride at night.

Former passenger Shirayu Mekseriwatana said she had tried the cab-hailing app out of curiosity to find out how good the service was. At the time, she said she had doubts about its legality after reading media reports.

“I gave the service a score of 70 out of 100. However, I found the cab service difficult to call to my place, which is in a suburb of Bangkok. Now I have turned to the All Thai Taxi service, which is legally operated and has cars in my area.”

In the northern province of Chiang Mai, there has been a conflict between Uber and Grab car drivers and the “Red Car” Songthaew drivers, with the latter recently joining provincial land transport officials to launch a sting operation to catch and fine the app-affiliated drivers.

Meanwhile, a Chiang Mai-based consumer campaign was launched on March 3 to gather signatures via the website Change.org for a petition to be submitted to the Land Transport Department. It calls for regulation and improvement in the quality of the “Red Car” service and opposes the arrest of Uber and Grab car drivers. So far, 8,315 supporters have signed the online petition out of the 10,000 needed for submission.

Chiang Mai Bus Terminal’s “Red Car” service supervising committee member Somporn Kaewmul said passenger safety was the most important thing. In emergencies, customers could contact or file complaints with the “Red Car” authority or at the Nakhon Lanna Transport Cooperatives, which is the head office of “Red Car” services in Chiang Mai, he said.

However, a Chiang Mai resident who had used the “Red Car” service and asked not to be named, said some “Red Car” drivers overcharged customers and drove recklessly, so the Uber service seemed safer and a better choice.