In Chiang Rai province, the smog has been building up, although the amount of small particulate matter of up to 10 microns in diameter (PM10) was not still beyond the safe limit of below 120 microgram per one cubic metre.

Still, dense smog in the province has affected visibility. Chiang Rai governor Boonsong Techamaneesatit said the province aimed to reduce the haze problem by 30 per cent this haze season by authorities issuing a burning ban from February 17 to April 17.

“We have already informed the community leaders to create a good understanding among local people and ask them not to burn during the burning ban period. If we find |anyone violating the rule during this period, they will be punished by the law,” Boonsong said.

He said there would be a Bt3,000 cash reward for anyone who provide information pinpointing people breaking the ban.

In Prachin Buri’s Kabin Buri district, haze affected more than 700 people and resulted in the elderly, the sick and children being evacuated.

Firefighting operation underway 

As of yesterday, fire had burnt a large portion of a 20-rai (3.2-hectare) landfill in the district and firefighters were trying to control it. The kamnan of Tambon Kabin, Somjai Wuttisang, said the fire started before noon yesterday in an abandoned factory near the landfill and spread rapidly, as much of the garbage in the landfill was flammable and a strong wind fanned the flames.

“Ten fire trucks are deployed at the scene, but it is very hard to control the fire since there is a strong wind, which help spread the fire. So right now we are just trying to stop the fire from spreading to other nearby landfills,” Somjai said.

There are more than 160 houses in the area.

Medical staff from the local hospital and other emergency services evacuated the sick, the elderly and children.

A Bangkok Poll conducted by Bangkok University surveyed 1,202 people nationwide between last  Tuesday and Thursday.

The poll found that respondents rated the government performance at 5.83 out of 10. The score decreased from 6.19 after two years in office and 5.92 after 18 months in office.

The government’s performance score in each category dropped including security, law enforcement, social issues and quality of life, foreign affairs, and economics.

For Prayut himself, his satisfaction score also declined. Prayut received 7.40 out of 10 after two-and-a-half years in office. His satisfaction rating after two years in office was 7.57.

The anti-corruption policy of the government was the most admired policy followed by the project to register people who are poor/low-income earners.

Most of the respondents thought the country’s economic problem needed to be solved urgently

In Chiang Rai province, the smog has been building up, although the amount of small particulate matter of up to 10 microns in diameter (PM10) was not still beyond the safe limit of below 120 microgram per one cubic metre.

Still, dense smog in the province has affected visibility.Chiang Rai governor Boonsong Techamaneesatit said the province aimed to reduce the haze problem by 30 per cent this haze season by authorities issuing a burning ban from February 17 to April 17.

Investigators said three speeding pick-up trucks failed to stop at a checkpoint in norther Lampang province, close to Thailand’s porous borders with Myanmar and Laos.

“Police shot out the tyres of the middle car and arrested one Thai national,” Colonel Chairoj Uangpayung, commander of Wiang Mok police station, told AFP.

In his truck they found 3.4 million meth tablets and 20 kilogrammes of “ice” — a purer form of methamphetamine.

Authorities sped after the other two pick-up drivers who escaped, but not before dropping 20 bags of methamphetamine on the road.

“Police have not counted the second batch yet but altogether I think it’s more than seven million tablets,” Colonel Chairoj said.

Investigators estimate the street value of the haul at around $32 million.

Thailand is a major drug market as well as transit route, particularly for “yaba” — meth pills produced in the notorious Golden Triangle region bordering Laos and Myanmar.

The region churns out huge quantities of methamphetamine as well as heroin, opium and cannabis — much of it bound for consumers in Asia and beyond.

While drug seizures and arrests of low-level couriers are common, it is rare for authorities in Laos, Myanmar or Thailand to take down cartel kingpins.

Police data obtained by AFP earlier this month showed Myanmar confiscated a record 98 million meth tablets last year, double the previous year’s haul.

In December, Thai police made a record seizure of pure methamphetamine, seizing half a tonne — worth some $40 million — being transported in an 18-wheel lorry.

A month later they also arrested Laos national Xaysana Keopimpha, describing him as a major drug kingpin, although few had heard of him until his arrest.

Police say Xaysana had links to a number of Thai celebrities and powerful people who are now part of a widening probe.

But experts say most cartel leaders continue to do business with relative impunity and that laboratories in Laos, Myanmar and southern China can easily make up for losses incurred during raids.

Europe: 24 centres in 11 countries 

1. Austria: Wat Buddha Austria and Wat Buddha Vienna (2)

2. Belgium: Wat Phra Dhammakaya Benelux (1)

3. Denmark: Wat Phra Dhammakaya Denmark and Wat Phra Dhammakaya Kors?r Lystskov (2)

4. France: Wat Phra Dhammakaya Bordeaux, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Paris, and Wat Bouddha Toulouse (3)

5. Germany: Wat Phra Dhammakaya Bavaria, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Berlin, Wat Buddha Hamburg, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Frankfurt, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Schwarzwald, and Wat Buddha Heilbronn

Wat Buddha Nordrhein Westfalen (7)

6. Italy: Wat Phra Dhammakaya Italy (1)

7. Malta: Wat Buddha Malta (1)

8. Norway: Wat Phra Dhammakaya Norway (1)

9. Sweden: Wat Phra Dhammakaya Boras and Wat Buddha Stockholm (2)

10. Switzerland: Wat Phra Dhammakaya Switzerland (1)

11. United Kingdom: Wat Phra Dhammakaya London, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Manchester, and Wat Buddha Newcastle (3)

America: 17 centres in two countries

1. Canada: Dhammakaya International Meditation Society of B.C. and Centre Meditation Dhammakaya de Montreal (2)

2. United States: Dhammakaya Meditation Center Boston, Dhammakaya International Meditation Center, Palm Beach Meditation Center, Meditation Center of Chicago, Florida Meditation Center, Georgia Meditation Center, Minnesota Meditation Center, Dhammakaya International Meditaion Center Kansus, Dhammakaya International Meditation Center of New Jersey, Oregon Meditation Center, Seattle Meditation Center, Meditation Center of Texas, Meditation Center of D.C., Dhammakaya Meditation Center Tennessee, Dhammakaya Meditation Center Silicon Valley, and Dhammakaya International Meditaion Center Denver (15)

Asia and Oceania: 38 centres in 14 countries

1. Brunei: Brunei Meditation Center (1)

2. China: Wat Bhavana Kowloon, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Hong Kong, Dhammakaya Coordination Center Shanghai China, Kunming Dhammakaya Co-ordination Center and Beijing Meditation Center (5)

3. Indonesia: Meditation Center of Indonesia (1)

4. Japan: Wat Phra Dhammakaya Ibaraki, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Kanagawa, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Nagano, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Osaka, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Saitama, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Tokyo, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Tochigi, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Yamanashi, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Aichi, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Gunma, and Thai Bukkyo Meisou Center (11)

5. Malaysia: Dhammakaya Meditation Association of Selangor and Dhammakaya Meditation Center of Penang (2)

6. Mongolia: Dhammakaya Meditation Center of Mongolia (1)

7. Nepal: Dhammakaya Meditation Center of Nepal (1)

8. Philippines: The Middle Way Meditation Institute (Iloilo) (1)

9. Singapore: Kalyanamitta Centre (1)

10. South Korea: Wat Bhavana Yangju (1)

11. Taiwan: Wat Phra Dhammakaya Taipei, Wat Bhavana Taizhong, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Taoyuan, and Dhammakaya International Meditation Center of Gaoxiong (4)

12. Australia: Wat Phra Dhammakaya Brisbane, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Melbourne, Wat Phra Dhammakaya WA, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Sydney, and Dhammakaya Meditation Centre, Albury (5)

13. New Zealand: Wat Phra Dhammakaya Dunedin, Wat Phra Dhammakaya Auckland and Wellington Meditation Centre (3)

14. Solomon Islands: Solomon Islands Meditation Center (1)

Africa and Middle East: five centres in four countries

1. South Africa: The Buddhist Temple of Cape Town and The Johannesburg Meditation Center

2. Bahrain: Bahrain Meditation Center (1)

3. Oman: Oman Meditation Center (1)

4. United Arab Emirates: Dubai Meditation Centre (1)

Source: http://www.dhammakaya.net

The failure came as government figures expressed uncertainty as to whether the 72-year-old monk was still in the temple.

During the search of the 830-acre compound (over 2,100 rai), officials went inside a sick bay used by the former abbot. But instead of finding him they found an orange robe that covered several pillows arranged to look like a person sleeping.

The search team also uncovered secret tunnels running underneath the UFO-like building that dominates the temple complex, which may have been used by the former abbot as a hiding place, Agence France-Presse reported.

Authorities discovered a – spilt into two routes – dug under the dominant structure. The U-shaped tunnel is about five metres high and three kilometres long.

Reporters joined authorities on a tour of the tunnel, accompanied by a number of Dhammakaya monks.

“It only has one entrance but it does not go outside of the temple,” Department of Special Investigation (DSI) deputy spokesman Worranan Srilum told reporters.

Worranan said the DSI would continue its search for a third day today, with a focus on areas outside the temple. But he did not elaborate on that.

“There is no plan to carry out the operation inside the temple,” he said.

“Although the wanted person was not found during the search, we will still continue our hunt.” Anyone with information about the suspect’s whereabouts may tip off the DSI through its 1202 hotline.

He said authorities had also sealed off the Daowadueng building, where Dhammachayo’s hyperbaric chamber was found so experts can try to determine when the monk last used it.

Reporters observing yesterday’s operation by DSI officials and police officers experienced less resistance from temple staff members and followers. Military personnel gathered outside the temple compound to enforce an order issued by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha early on Thursday that gave authorities legal control over the monastery compound.

Justice Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana, who oversees the DSI, said yesterday that the agency needs to work out where Dhammachayo has gone after the former abbot was not found after two days of searching.

“DSI has to have an answer for me, the government and society as to what happened and where Phra Dhammachayo is,” Suwaphan said.

He said that if the search team did not find the monk inside the temple that would mean Dhammachayo had escaped the legal action against him, but criminal offences the monk faces carry a 15-year statute of limitations.

Suwaphan said he was unsure if the monk was still inside the temple or even the country. “It’s difficult to confirm that. The DSI has to determine if he has a passport,” he said.

Prime Minister Prayut was unsure yesterday if Dhammachayo was still in the temple.

Army chief General Chalermchai Sitthisart, in his capacity as secretary of the National Council for Peace and Order, said it would be clear within a few days whether Dhammachayo was still inside the temple.

He said the key thing was officials were now able to enter the temple to enforce the law. “If authorities know where he is, we will go after him,” the Army chief added.

The court-issued search warrant allows authorities to conduct a search for 10 days. Prayut’s order, issued in his capacity as the junta head, bans resistance to the search and outlines penalties against offenders.

Two previous search operations last year failed to get the former abbot of the scandal-hit temple, which faced hundreds of legal charges ranging from encroachment on forest reserves to illegal construction in public space.

Dhammachayo, now honorary abbot of the temple, is wanted for alleged money laundering and accepting stolen goods in connection with an embezzlement case involving a key follower of the monk. His close disciple, former Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative chairman Supachai Srisupa-aksorn, is serving a 16-year jail term for embezzling billions of baht from members of the cooperative. Before his arrest, Supachai had donated over Bt900 million to the monk.

Dr Mano Laohawanit, a former close aide to Dhammachayo, said yesterday he believed the former abbot was still hiding in the vast temple compound, quoting inside “sources”. Earlier, he said Dhammachayo had left the temple to live in a “safe house” belonging to a key follower. But Mano said his sources live in the temple and update him on the monk’s movements.

Dhammakaya spokesman Phra Sanitwong Wutthiwangso denied yesterday that the temple faked Dhammachayo’s presence in the Daowadueng building.

Phra Sanitwong, director of the temple’s information division, said there was no attempt to fool officials.

A LARGE machine allegedly found in the room where Dhammakaya Temple founder Phra Dhammachayo used to stay has been identified as a multi-million-baht hyperbaric chamber – sparking debate on social media that the device might the |reason for the fugitive monk’s well-preserved appearance.

The image of the machine went viral on social media following the raid on Dhammakaya Temple on Wednesday in search of the former abbot, who has at least two arrest ||warrants issued against him.

According to an article on Mahidol University’s website by trauma surgeon Dr Supaporn Opasanon, from the institution’s Faculty of Medicine (Siriraj Hospital), the device is used in hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy.

The therapy involved breathing in pure oxygen in a pressurised space or via a tube to boost the oxygen intake into a patient’s body, the doctor said.

This helped the patient to have better cell and capillary growth while their white blood cells had a higher capacity to destroy germs, the doctor said. The blood supply to organs improved, swelling was reduced and air bubbles in the blood supply were also reduced.

Supaporn said hyperbaric oxygen therapy was effective in treating chronic wounds from diabetes or radiation injuries, as well as serious infections with swelling of cells or bones.

It was also helpful in preventing a disability from organ removal and when battling serious swollen wounds.

Facebook user Wirangrong Dabbaransi commented that the device cost Bt15 million and was used by cosmetic hospitals for rejuvenation treatments.

Wirangrong speculated that the device might have been used to treat the monk’s injured leg on a regular basis, meaning there was a higher chance he was still in the temple’s sprawling Pathum Thani compound.

She urged authorities to seize the device or seal the room it is kept in.

“If you can’t find Phra Dhammachayo, just follow the device and you will,” she said. Another said the device should be seized.

PROTESTERS HAVE vowed to continue their campaign with mass demonstrations in Bangkok, after the controversial Krabi coal-fired power plant project finally got the go-ahead yesterday after two years of resistance.

After an Energy Policy Planning Office (EPPO) committee meeting at Government House yesterday, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said the new power plant was needed to ensure power stability in the South.

The EPPO committee also ordered the Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning Office to rush the project’s Environmental and Health Impact Assessment by considering the comments of the tripartite committee.

After the decision was announced, environmental protesters who gathered outside Government House marched to the entrance gate and tried to enter the compound, but they were blocked by a line of police. Minor clashes between protesters and police went on throughout the afternoon as the demonstrators demanded that they be allowed to continue their protest and asked others affected by the decision to join their conflict.

Some opponents said they did not fear the “absolute power of the junta” and were “prepared to die fighting” the governments “disastrous” policy.

Prayut, who heads the EPPO committee, said he was worried about power instability in the future as the Krabi plant had already been delayed for two years and there was a risk of blackouts in the South in the future from increasing power demand.

“We have considered the information and argument on the current electricity generation technology and concluded that a coal-fired power plant is the best option because it can generate electricity at a reasonable price and also be safe,” he said.

“Therefore, I have ordered the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand [Egat] and the Energy Ministry to continue with the Krabi coal-fired power plant project, while trying to reduce the conflict with the locals as much as possible.”

He stressed that power demand in the South was growing rapidly and asked people not to protest. He ordered Egat and the Energy Ministry to explain the project to local people so they could understand and accept the project and realise that it is clean.

The decision upset the protesters. One rally leader, Prasitchai Nu-nuan from the “Save Andaman from Coal” group, announced that they would continue their protest in front of Government House until the government scraps the project.

“I would like people from all the Southern provinces and those who are affected by the government policies, no matter their political affiliation, to march to Bangkok, because this is not a political matter, this is the matter of people’s lives,” Prasitchai stressed.

“The prime minister’s permission to move forward with the Krabi coal-|fired power plant project is clear |proof that the government is on the side of the big capitalists, not on the people’s side and they are the tyrants who take advantage from their |own people for their benefit.”

Akkaradej Chakchinda, another rally leader, said they had no plan to stop protesting despite the National Council for Peace and Order’s demonstration ban and they will not move till the government cancels the project. “We do not fear the absolute power of the junta and we are prepared to die fighting the government’s disastrous coal policy,” Akkaradej said.

“The military junta is cooperating with the capitalists in the energy sector and trying to make them benefit from the fossil fuel trade, as they just bought shares in the Indonesian coal mine company. People have no other way but to just fight now or never.”

Meanwhile, Kanokwan Sae-eiaw, one of the local people from Ban Leam Hin in Krabi near the site of coal transporting pier, also vowed to continue protesting until they achieve their goal, because the livelihood of the people in her community is at stake.

“The project will destroy the healthy environment that we depend on. This is a matter of our life, so I have to fight until the end,” Kanokwan said.

Meanwhile, Lt-Colonel Supak Wongsawat, from Dusit Police Station, sent a petition to the Civil Court, asking for an order to end the protest. The court accepted the petition and will start hearing witnesses from both sides at 9am on Monday.