The stamps depict locomotive models used in Thailand, including the General Electric diesel electric locomotive (1964-1966), the Krupp diesel hydraulic locomotive (1969), the GEA diesel electric locomotive (1995) and the CSR Qishuyan diesel electric locomotive (2015), while the background sheet depicts the Airport Rail Link train.

The four stamps on the background sheet cost Bt28. Each stamp is Bt3 and a 10-stamp sheet is Bt30. People who are interested can call Thailand Post marketing or visit the Facebook page “stamp in love”.

This is the first year that the government has exempted immigration fees for migrant workers, allowing them to exit and re-enter Thailand without paying fees.

They can apply for the privilege if they return to Thailand between April 5 to April 30.

The crowds started to queue up at the Aranyaprathet checkpoint in Sa Kaew province before 8am, which is the official opening hour.

They have to present passports and a working slip to immigration officials before being allowed to enter Cambodia.

Extra officials were deployed to help handle the thousands of the Khmer migrants.

Meanwhile Sa Kaew police patrolled along the border to prevent illegal migrants sneaking back to Cambodia.

They arrested six Cambodians after they were unable to present their travel documents.

The forum, held under the theme of Asean’s role in the enhancement of a multicultural society and peace in southern border provinces, saw representatives from various sectors express ideas and suggestions to promote an understanding between the members of the public and state agencies.

Yala Task Force chief Maj-General Sompol Pankul said Isoc intended to solve the unrest and improve local people’s quality of life through peace and understanding, while urging the participation of all sectors of society.

However, police say there will be immediate safety checks and fines for any drivers or passengers found not wearing seat belts.

Government spokesman Lieutenant General Sansern Kaewkamnerd on Thursday insisted that officers will get tough on drunk drivers, speeding motorists or reckless drivers.

Sansern, who pointed out that Thailand was among the countries with the most road fatalities, urged the public to understand that the government’s true intention in enforcement is to prevent the loss of lives and property in road accidents.

The government did not want to create difficulties for the public but road safety measures must be in place, he said.

The government originally planned to enforce strict new laws that would ban all passengers from riding in the cargo bed of pickup trucks and also behind the driver’s seat in extended cab pickup trucks.

But following opposition and considering that people were not given time to prepare for the new regulations – made under the interim charter’s all-powerful Article 44 – the government decided to pull back on the timing. The postponement regarding a complete ban on passengers riding in the cargo bed of pickups, was made to give officials time to explain the new regulations to people involved.

He said police officers would still check, arrest and fine front-seat drivers and passengers who failed to wear seat belts, while they would issue warnings to passengers in the back seat of private vehicles.

However, all passengers on public transport vehicles such as vans, taxis and inter-province buses (Bangkok city buses are exempt) must wear seatbelts.

Up to six passengers riding in pickup truck’s cargo bed will be permitted, but they must not sit on the edge or the truck’s tail gate.

Sansern also quoted the premier as instructing police officers to perform duties with honesty and integrity without accepting bribes.

Since Wednesday, police across the country have been fining commuters and passengers between Bt100 to Bt500 for violating the new regulations which prohibited passengers from riding in the cargo bed or extended cab space of pickup trucks, and required all passengers travelling in a vehicle to wear a seatbelt.

Thailand is one of a few places in the world where the pickup truck is used to carry everything from farm products to passengers in urban and rural areas.

The most popular type of pickup truck in Thailand is the extended cab, where a few passengers can sit on bench seats behind the driving seat. However, there are no seat belts in the extended space, which is a contravention of the new regulations.

Arrest warrants were issued on Wednesday for nine soldiers allegedly connected to the death of Private Yuthkinan Boonniam, who was found beaten to death while in detention at Vibhavadi Rangsit Military Camp in Surat Thani on Saturday.

Renu Mhodrakee, Yuthkinan’s mother, said police and the military had made rapid progress in the case leading to the identification and capture of the suspects. She added that she was satisfied with the investigation’s outcome.

Renu had vowed that she would not cremate her son’s body until the killers were arrested, but she said yesterday that the goal had been fulfilled and the family would cremate Yuthkinan’s body on Monday.

The commander of the 45th Military Circle, Maj-General Wichai Tassanamonthien, said all of the soldiers named in the arrest warrants had already been captured and dismissed from the military.

Wichai also said that he had ordered a staff rotation at the military camp’s prison to facilitate the police investigation and make it more transparent.

Pol Maj-General Apichart Bunsrirote, commander of the Surat Thani provincial police, said the investigation team was interrogating more witnesses inside the military prison and more arrest warrants might be issued.

Regarding the motive for the killing, police said they suspected that it was because of a personal conflict between Yuthkinan and other soldiers, which matched Renu’s claim that Yuthkinan had been in an argument with one of the soldiers.

Meanwhile, it has come to light that a male inmate at Takua Pa Prison in Phang Nga province, Suriya Supalak, 47, was found beaten to death on the same day as Yuthkinan’s death was discovered. However, there has not been an investigation of Suriya’s death.

Suriya’s brother, Weerayut Supalak, said prison officials had told the family that Suriya fainted and later died, but when they saw his body, many bruises and cuts were visible.

“The body has been examined at a forensic science centre in Surat Thani, which found severe injuries including internal organ damage, fractured ribs, a severe liver injury and bruises from blunt weapons, so we are sure that my brother was beaten to death,” Weerayut said.

The family has said they will not cremate his body until they receive justice and the offenders, who they believe to be more than two persons, are punished.

Another death in detention announced in Phang Nga

The Nation

Another death that occurred in detention has been revealed at Takua Pa Prison in Phang Nga province after a male inmate was beaten to death last Saturday, the same day as an Army private was killed at a military camp in Surat Thani.

Suriya Supalak, 47, was found dead at the prison, and although prison officials said he had fainted and died, his family said many bruises and cuts were visible on his body.

Family members have said they are sure that Suriya was beaten to death and they will not cremate his body until they get justice and the offenders, who they believe to be more than two persons, are punished.

Sanit said a police review of CCTV recordings in the area had been “useful” but declined to elaborate. He also instructed police investigators to gather evidence and report back to him on Friday afternoon.

Sanit also urged the members of public to not jump to conclusions or link the incident to politics pending the police investigation.

Sanit said police had not found any links to previous bombings in Bangkok, while urging city precincts to boost security measures as a precaution.

His comments were made after an urgent one-hour meeting at the Chanasongkram Police Station on Thursday morning. Sanit also inspected the explosion scene again and expressed his opinion that the fragments found were similar to those found after a blast damaging telephone booths in front of Major Cineplex Ratchayothin. No one was injured in that attack.

Police said they suspected that the explosion, which took place at 8pm inside a garbage bin in front of the old Government Lottery office and was initially believed have been a low-pressure pipe bomb, was aimed at creating chaos.

The blast slightly wounded two people who were standing nearby. Suriyaporn Poolsombat, an employee of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), experienced a ringing sound in her ears while Pimwar Raweenoppasit, another BMA worker, had scratches on her arm.

Earlier in the morning, police forensic officers along with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team collected evidence at the scene including metal pieces and an electrical circuit panel.