Surin, which previously operated under the 10 percent rule, was converted to a ‘virgin beach’ in late 2015 by Cherng Talay OrBorTor President Ma-ann Samran, who cited the vendors’ failure to follow rules as the reason behind the change. Since then, no vendors have been allowed on its sands.

It was then declared as a ‘Beach of Honor’ in June last year, in honor of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej and HM Queen Sirikit’s visit to it in 1959.

Ma-ann accepted the letter today and said that he would bring the issue to the attention of the beach management committee as soon as possible.

“The beach vendors at that time had agreed to the virgin beach concept, which means no umbrellas, loungers or mattresses. Since the beginning of the high season, however, some of them have been disobeying the regulations again, for which we have arrested and duly ‘punished’ them,” said Ma-ann.

“The vendors kept asking why other beaches have 10-percent zones, so I told them to write a letter explaining their reasons and how they would plan to manage it, if implemented,” he added.

Despite their terrible track record of following beach management rules – which led to their exclusion from the 10-percent zone category in the first place – Surin vendors have reportedly been “very upset” regarding the matter. They particularly resent that sun loungers are now officially allowed at other beaches, including Patong, since late last month.

“All I can do is bring the matter to the attention of the committee, but until an official decision is made, Surin will remain a virgin beach,” said Ma-ann.

Silpakorn University student Thirapong Thitatharn, 24, succumbed to his injuries in hospital on March 2.

Chief of the Forensic Police Institute Maj General Pornchai Suteerakune said on Monday that the latest finding by the institute’s medical examiner was in line with a previous autopsy carried out by Ratchaburi Hospital, where Thirapong died.

He also praised the Ratchaburi’s examiner for conducting the initial autopsy thoroughly.

“Thirapong died from the bleeding in the brain which was punctured by a screwdriver through the area above his right ear, which is the fragile part of the skull. His body also had some bruises and two shallow stab wounds by screwdriver in his back,” Pornchai said.

He said Thirapong’s body would later be released for relatives to collect for religion rites.

Wissanu said that they had to split up to join in meetings with different agendas. For instance, some would need to travel to Austria to join a session there.

The deputy’s reaction came after a website of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights published a paper, issued by the Thai Permanent Mission in Geneva, to the UN Human Rights Committee, that the Thai delegation would take part to the UNHRC’s 119th session.

The review would be conducted to consider reports from Thailand and five other countries over whether they have complied with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

According to papers published on the website, Thailand holds highest number of 46 participants to the session, followed by 33 from Serbia, 25 from Italy, 16 from Bangladesh, 12 from Bosnia and Herzegovina and five from Turkmenistan.

Headed by permanent secretary to the Justice Ministry Charnchao Chaiyanukij, the delegation consists of 14 officers from the Foreign Ministry, six from the Justice Ministry, four police officers, four from the Labour Ministry, three representatives on South issues, three from the Education Ministry, two from the Interior Ministry, two from the Defence Ministry, two from the Social Development and Human Security Ministry, each officer from the Office of the Attorney General, Office of the President of the Supreme Court, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry, the National Security Council, and an interpreter.

The high number of Thai participants raised public doubts and criticism online, given that the 119th session would only run from Monday afternoon to Tuesday morning.

Thailand is scheduled to submit its second periodic report for the committee to consider under the article 40 of the Covenant. The article requires state parties to submit reports on the measures they have adopted to make the rights effective.

Besides the report, the Human Rights Committee has also provided a list of 10 issues involving 28 inquiries for Thailand to respond to.

They also include rights and liberty and security of person as well as rights to freedom of expression, which are constantly highlighted by civil society organisations in Thailand.

For instance, the committee requested that the representatives provide information on the use of some of the junta orders authorising military officers to search or detain any individual deemed a threat to national security.

To this, the Thai representatives provided an initial response in a document saying that the country did not allow impunity. If a state official, or someone acting on their behalf, commits crime, that person shall be held accountable and subject to a disciplinary action and/or legal punishment, the document read.

The use of the Military Court was also queried by the Human Rights Committee , which asked the country to clarify whether military courts could try civilians and, if so, how and under what circumstances. Thailand was also asked to indicate measures taken to transfer all cases involving civilians from military to civilian courts.

In response, Thailand wrote: “Cases involving unlawful exercise of administrative power by state officials are prosecuted by the Administrative Court. The court has the power to order officials to stop or refrain from an act, as well as recompense the damage. The responsibility is not limited to officials committing unlawful acts, but extends to the state agency to which those officials are affiliated.”

The list of issues in relation to the second periodic report of Thailand and country’s replies can be accessed via https://goo.gl/B7nqgI and https://goo.gl/3ndwyZ respectively.

The suspect, identified as construction worker Suneeporn Sakda, reportedly lost her own baby in the womb and stole the new-born to lie to her husband that she had given birth, police said.

She was arrested and the baby recovered at a workers’ camp in Soi Phai Toey Tai in Tambon Bor Phab of Nakhon Pathom’s Muang district at around 10am.

Suneeporn befriended the baby’s mother at the hospital’s maternity ward on Thursday and followed the mother and infant to their home when they were discharged from hospital on Saturday.

She allegedly returned on Sunday to tell the couple that the hospital required the baby to have an injection, so the father got a taxi back to the hospital along with Suneeporn and another Myanmar friend.

Suneeporn allegedy then took the baby and walked ahead, purportedly to see a doctor, while the father paid the taxi fare. But she left the premises with the baby.

On Monday, as police arrived to ask for the baby’s birth document, she burst into tears and admitted to stealing the baby from his parents at the hospital because she wanted to raise him as her own child.

She said she had been pregnant to her 22-year-old husband Wirachai Niamkhlai, but found that her child had died in the womb. Nevertheless, she told her husband she would go to give birth in Ratchaburi before proceeding with her plan to abduct a child.

Suneeporn, who reportedly was wanted for fraud by impersonating another on a warrant issued on April 9, 2013, was arrested initially on a charge of taking a minor under 15 from his parents and was brought to re-enact the crime.

The baby was sent to the hospital for a check-up as police questioned his parents about the case.

Nakhon Pathom governor Adisak Thep-asana praised police for their prompt investigation and safe return of the baby, and urged hospitals to increase security procedures to prevent such an incident happening again.

“We have started an investigation,” HSSD chief Dr Visit Tangnapakorn said Monday.

He was responding to a private hospital’s advertisement which offered free fuel coupons to rescue teams that brought in accident victims and patients needing immediate medical help.

The advertisement appeared on social media.

Visit said he expected the results of the investigation within three days, and added that incentives might adversely affect the delivery of emergency medicine to patients in need.

“What if it is a long way to go to that hospital? We need to ensure people needing emergency medicine get it fastest,” he said.

HSSD deputy directorgeneral Dr Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn said the executive of the private hospital involved had said he was not aware of the possible impacts from the promotion and promised to scrap it immediately.

“To prevent such things recurring, we will issue a circular to all private medical facilities that such a promotion is unacceptable,” he said.

Thongchai also urged consumers to play a role in preventing such incentives.

“If you see such a practice, you can alert us via our 24hour Hotline at 02 193 7999,” he said.

According to the Medical Facilities Act, it is an offence for medical facilities to offer promotions or advertise their medical services. Offenders are liable to up to one year in jail and/or a maximum fine of Bt20,000. This is on top of the Bt10,000 daily fine that will be imposed until the advertisement is withdrawn.

Advertisements may be made if medical facilities seek prior approval from the HSSD or provincial public health offices.

Marcus Andreas Schneider, 33, who carried a German passport, was arrested by immigration police at the Klongluek border checkpoint in Sakewa’s Aranyaprathet district at 9am while he was crossing the border from Poipet in Cambodia.

The police checked his passport with the online immigration system and found that he was wanted.

Schneider admitted that he was the person sought by the arrest warrant. He was handed over to the Economic Crime Division for further action.

Schneider was accused of posting copyrighted music for download for a fees. He fled Germany after the arrest warrant was issued against him.

Deputy spokesman of Department of Special Investigation Pol Major Woranun Srilum said that the fugitive monk was under arrest because he did not report to the authorities as ordered by the NCPO.

Deputy national police chief Pol General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul had earlier said that Phra Dhammachayo has already been issued with warrants in relation to more than 300 cases.

He also referred to the security measures around the temple, which is considered a controlled zone under Article 44 of the interim charter. The security officials deployed at the Pathum Thani temple were instructed to check whether any orders were being violated, such as the wearing of a facemask and gathering to pray with a view to instigating violence.

He said his legal team would look at whether songs the temple adapted from music camps were intended to cause chaos. “The owners of the songs can take legal action against the temple if they want to,” the deputy spokesperson said.

Meanwhile the temple authorities have suspended media coverage within the temple’s premises now that the temple has cooperated with DSI in searching for Phra Dhammachayo.

In the announcement, the temple said the suspension would come into force at noon on Monday and said it was sorry for possible inconvenience this may cause.

The DSI has still failed to locate Phra Dhammachayo, who is wanted on several charges including land encroachment, money laundering and refusing to follow NCPO’s order. Immigration at the borders has been strengthened to prevent the monk from fleeing to neighbouring countries.