Provincial Police Region 9 chief Pol Lt General Ronnasil Phusara on Monday reported significant progress in the investigation by Army, police and administrative officials of the insurgent attack on the double-decker bus in Bannang Sata district.

Armed militants commandeered the bus, ordered all 16 passengers and the driver off, and set it on fire. No one was physically harmed.

Ronnasil said suspects had helped convince authorities there could be another attack between January 6 and 10, which had prompted heightened security measures in seven economically strategic towns in the South.

A source at a national security agency said five suspects were detained within days of the attack and interrogated.

Their information led to 20 more suspects being rounded up in Bannang Sata on January 4 under the Emergency Decree, which allows for the detention without charge of citizens in the southern border provinces for up to 37 days.

The source said three suspects confessed to launching the attack on the orders of Abdulloh Tapohtoh and Ahama Leubaesa.

Security officials believe the same site in Sri Sakhon district was where insurgents met to plan an armed attack on December 26 in which one ranger was killed and three other rangers and a civilian injured.

Paramilitary rangers, police and forensics officers searched the property based on testimony by Mahama (last name withheld), who is in custody in relation to that fatal attack.

Ban Nam Won (Moo 2) village headman Abdullayi Jehkhor and his assistant, Waesa-ari Wae-asae, observed the search operation.

A special task force of the 49th Rangers Regiment led by commander Colonel Charoon Chaturong discovered the disassembled M16 rifles and ammunition in a sack buried under a tree.

Five metres away, they found a 15-kilogram cooking-gas cylinder – already cut open ready to make an explosive device – and other bomb-making components hidden in brush.

The rifles are being tested to determine whether they were used in the December 26 attack, a police source said.

Mustarsheedeen Waba’s lawsuit stems from a remark made by Sansern on the TV programme “Thailand Moves Forward”, which promoted government policies.

Sansern speculated about Mustarsheedeen’s disappearance after the police crackdown on an anti-Thepa demonstration in Songkhla last November, suggesting the reason could have been due to him meeting with a secret lover.

Mustarsheedeen said such a remark was a very serious insult for a Muslim like him and while he had not originally intend to sue Sansern, his lawyer had suggested he file a defamation case against Sansern in order to clear his name and raise the issue publicly.

“I do not feel disgraced by his false claim, because Sansern spoke poorly about me without any proof, but this was not the first time that he had slandered other people – he has also wrongly accused people opposed to the government’s policy in order to create misunderstandings about them to the public,” he said.

“One of the most notable examples was when he presented a fake relationships chart of people involved in a mission to overthrow the monarchy, or his ‘dethrone chart’. The government spokesperson should not behave like that.”

He said his lawyer was now gathering evidence to sue Sansern. The exact date the complaint would be filed had not yet been determined, he said, but it would have to be done within 90 days of the offending statement.

Sansern has acknowledged the possible defamation lawsuit against him, said he was ready to defend himself in court and added that Mustarsheedeen was within his rights to file the lawsuit.

“I have already made it clear that my remark did not mean to say that Mustarsheedeen committed adultery,” he said, “but some people twisted my words and caused the misunderstanding.

“If anyone has any doubts about my statement, they can watch a recording of the programme and listen to what I actually said.”

The “Warm Love to Heal Coldness” festival will be organised by royal agencies at the Royal Plaza and nearby Sanam Suapa area in Bangkok from February 8 to March 11, said PM Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as quoted by Government Spokesperson Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

The retro-themed festival will consist of three zones: the first will cover exhibitions and activities on the lives and duties of the late King Chulalongkorn and the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. It will also be decorated with architecture and gardens relevant to the period of those two kings.

The second zone, in Sanam Suapa, will host military spouse shops and shops by royal initiative such as:

– Silapacheep 904 shop by royal initiative of HM the King

– Royal Project Foundation shop by royal initiative of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej

– Chitralada shop by royal initiative of HM Queen Sirikit

– Phufa shop by royal initiative of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn

– Friends in Need (of “Pa”) Volunteers Foundation shop by royal initiative of HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha

This zone will also host local culture shows and an outdoor cinema. Part of generated revenue will be forwarded to the King to further help those in need.

The third zone will include around 30 authentic Thai restaurants, folk culture, arts demonstrations and a retro photo studio.

Visitors are asked to wear retro clothes from the time of King Chulalongkorn’s period, traditional Thai clothes or appropriate modern clothes.

The musician was arrested after posting a Facebook Live broadcast while shooting a gun into the sky inside a temple in Nakhon Si Thammarat ahead of the New Year Festival.

Regarding the urine test that led to an additional charge of drug abuse, the singer said he had not taken illicit drugs, only sleeping pills and medicine to treat Bipolar Disorder.

Seksan also claimed he had asked his lawyer to negotiate with Nakhon Si Thammarat police chief Pol Maj General Wanchai Ekpornpit for him to turn himself in to fight the charges after completing a concert in Pattaya but the officer refused.

He said that when police turned up at his home at 10am ahead of the raid on New Year’s Eve, one of his staff asked to see their search warrant, which police claimed to have, but the officers never showed it.

Of the raid itself, Sek said he didn’t resist arrest and just wanted to wait for his lawyer to be present before doing anything.

“But the officers went right up to my bedroom door, the incident which Eve [his girlfriend] recorded in a clip,” he said. “I cannot believe the “Arintharat” police SWAT team would come with arms to arrest a singer who had merely fired a gun skywards.”

Of his threat in the clip to shoot anyone who went into his room, Seksan said he had just made the remark in the heat of moment.

“The charge of firing a gun skywards at 2am at the temple in the mountains is a small matter. I’m sure the bullets didn’t hit anyone and I wasn’t drunk,” he said, adding that he spent a night in a detention cell and didn’t get any special privileges after the arrest.

Sekan earlier yesterday posted a 25-minute Facebook Live broadcast to explain how a photo appeared online of him dining at a restaurant with two Nakhon Si Thammarat-based policemen and others. He said it was just a treat he had arranged to thank police officers for taking good care of him.

Insisting that he had acted sincerely and had admitted making a mistake in inviting police to a party, Seksan said he didn’t personally know superintendent Pol Colonel Rangsan Sukkua or Muang Nakhon Si Thammarat inspector Pol Lt-Colonel Theerapol Phumchai before his arrest and he didn’t wish to interfere with them carrying out their duty.

Both officers had been transferred to inactive posts pending a probe shortly after the photo drew widespread public criticism and threatened to undermine public confidence in the officers’ neutrality in the investigation.

Meanwhile, Pol Maj-General Wanchai said the fact-finding committee would submit the result of its inquiry against Rangsan and Theerapol later last night. He said he also received an invitation via phone to attend the same party but had refused due to Seksan being a suspect.

Seksan was charged with carrying and discharging his gun, which he admitted.

He is also accused of illegal gun possession, which he denies, insisting he legally owns the gun and that it was registered.

He was released on bail by the Nakhon Si Thammarat Court so he could return to Bangkok to respond to the drug abuse charge.

Seksan is due to attend Khanna Yao police in Bangkok this Friday to hear the drug abuse charge, based on the findings of a urine test conducted after his arrest.

After Artiwara’s overwhelmingly successful cross-country charity run, which raised more than Bt1.2 billion for 11 public hospitals across the country, the public has been focusing on how this large sum of money will be spent.

Doctors from two of the 11 hospitals confirmed that all of the money would be used to buy new medical equipment, not on preventive health promotion, as some health experts have suggested.

This was to respect Artiwara’s original intention ahead of a meeting between all 11 hospitals and the Phramongkutklao Hospital Foundation, the manager of the money, later this month.

The 11 public hospitals are Yala Hospital, Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital, Phramongkutklao Hospital, Nan Hospital, Surat Thani Hospital, Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital, Khon Kaen Hospital, Chao Phraya Yommarat, Saraburi Hospital, Nakhonping Hospital, and Ratchaburi Hospital.

Khon Kaen Hospital director Dr Chanchai Chanworachaikul said no final decision had yet been reached on how to spend the proceeds of Artiwara’s charity campaign since fund-raising had not yet finished.

“Right now we have listed some of our medical equipment wishlist, which includes catheterisation laboratory equipment and new respirators for the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). The average cost of this new equipment is around Bt400 million,” Chanchai said.

“However, this wish list is not the final one, because there has still been no official discussion between the 11 hospitals and the Phramongkutklao Hospital Foundation and there still needs to be more discussion with the local authorities and the people on how will we spend the donation.”

Chanchai said that it was very likely that Phramongkutklao Hospital Foundation would allocate its allocation to Khon Kaen Hospital and other hospitals in cash and let each one decide for itself how best to spend it on medical equipment. That way, he said, they would be able to select the medical equipment that suited their needs the best.

“For Khon Kaen Hospital, we have already planned to set up a committee, including all stakeholders and chaired by the provincial governor, to oversee the donation management and assure the transparent use of this donation,” Chanchai said.

He added that this was the way Khon Kaen Hospital had decided to handle the matter but that each hospital might have different ways of using their allocation.

He was clear about one thing: that the money in Khon Kaen should be spent exclusively on vital medical equipment, since Khon Kaen Hospital is the centre for treating critical patients from neighbouring provinces and the new equipment would significantly improve the health services it was able to provide and save people’s lives.

Nan Hospital director Dr Paradorn Mongkonchaturong also confirmed that his hospital would spend its share on new medical equipment as well as on new operation theatres.

As with Khon Kaen, Paradon said his hospital’s new medical equipment wishlist had still not been finalised, as his hospital also had to wait for an official decision from its meeting with the Phramongkutklao Hospital Foundation.

“I insisted that the money from all donors across the country would be wisely and transparently spent, because we will purchase the new necessary medical equipment as per the official regulations,” he said.

Even though Artiwara’s charity run ended last month, people still have until the end of May to donate to his campaign charity.

THE GOVERNMENT’S proposed policy to provide housing loans to low-income earners sounds too good to be true.

So, while many cash-strapped people are quick to embrace it, several others have had strong doubts as their community leader has raised concerns about the policy’s practicality.

“I don’t have stable income. So, I really don’t think that a bank will give me a loan,” Thongyoi Wongsa, 56, said yesterday from her community in Khon Kaen province.

Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong recently revealed that the Government Housing Bank (GHB) would implement a special housing-loan programme for welfare-card holders.

“The repayment term will be up to 40 years, with a fixed interest rate of just 2.75 per cent during the first four years for a loan amount not exceeding Bt1 million,” he said.

He added that for loans exceeding Bt1 million but not over Bt2 million, the fixed interest rate would be at 3 per cent per annum during the first four years.

Welfare cards have been issued to more than 10 million Thais, each of whom earn less than Bt100,000 a year.

While the housing-loan project looks very tempting, Thongyoi still doubts whether it will really reach the poor.

“Although I am paid Bt3,000 a month, my job is not of a permanent type,” she said. “Will any bank grant me a loan?”

Thongyoi works as a road sweeper without any guaranteed income.

Her family has rented space from the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) at the rate of Bt1,950 a year and her house is a part of a railway-side community.

“We don’t have housing security because the SRT may ask us to relocate if it needs land to develop its dual-track railways,” Thongyoi said.

Jitti Cherdchu, who heads the Teparak Community in Khon Kaen, said he believed the bank would require guarantors and collateral before approving loans.

“Besides, the government would do better to focus on occupational and skill development for the urban poor,” he said. “That would be a long-term solution to various problems including housing and debts.”

Jitti argued that better skills would increase the urban poor’s job opportunities and likely raise their income.

“When they have enough income, they will be able to apply for housing loans,” Jitti said. “Without raising their incomes, the purchase of a house will only increase their debts”.

Nongkran Pamara, a worker at a fresh market in Phayao province, said she had heard about the project but had no idea how she could really take part in it.

“I have not heard any detail,” she said.

She said like most other daily-paid workers, she had to rent a room because she could not take out a housing loan.

“Instead of just paying rent, if we can pay money and own our housing unit in the end, that would be good,” she said.

Nongkran said if she was allowed to take the housing loan under the project for welfare-card holders, she would definitely join in.

“Delayed development may affect their intelligence quotient [IQ] in the future,” Mental Health Department director-general Sqn Ldr Boonruang Triruanworawat said.

He was referring to findings from a check on 19 children aged under five at the Ti Lai Pa village. Located near the border, this village is home to 607 people from 108 families.

Boonruang said signs of delayed development were mostly about below-average understanding of language and dexterity.

He added that the IQ scores of 67 per cent of Prathom 1 students at the Ti Lai Pa Border Patrol Police School were also below average – less than 90.

“This is because they are children of close blood relatives,” he said.

Boonruang said the problem of delayed development could be solved if parents acquired the right parenting attitudes and skills.

“They should focus on hugging, playing and storytelling so as to encourage their children’s development,” he said, adding his agency had helped by preparing proper group activities for them to attend.

Boonruang said his department would also re-evaluate children suspected of suffering from delayed development on a regular basis.

Regarding physical health, Boonruang said 87 per cent of children at Ti Lai Pa Border Patrol Police School were healthy. The school has 147 primary students.

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited the school on Thursday as it was under her project to provide free primary services such as healthcare services to people.

The Princess’ project covers many border schools, including the Ban Prak Takhro Border Patrol Police School in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.

The unit in Prachuap Khiri Khan has provided basic healthcare to about 1,400 people – most of them Karen.

The Mental Health Department checked the development of 87 primary students at the Ban Prak Takhro Border Patrol Police School last year and found that most of them showed proper development.

Regarding IQ, 54 per cent of Prathom 1 students were found to have below-average scores.

The Mental Health Department has vowed to assign experts and clinical psychologists to educate parents about proper parenting techniques. Such knowledge, it said, could facilitate the children’s development.

Those interested can check the vehicles on January 10 at Ninthan Co in Tambon Hua Nakham in Kalasin’s Yan Talad district. Bidding will be held at the Tambon Yang Talad Administration Organisation Office’s conference room the next day from 10am.

The vehicles up for auction include a Kobelco tractor (model SK200-8) with a starting price of Bt750,000 and a Hino truck with a starting price of Bt280,000.

The vehicles had been impounded as they were linked to a corruption case involving pesticide procurement to aid farming disaster victims in Maha Sarakham’s Chiang Yuen district; Ubon Ratchathani’s Na Tal, Warin Chamrap, Muang, Nam Yuen and Khemmarat districts; and Amnat Charoen’s Muang and Phana districts.

Nakhon Ratchasima employment official Nithi-on Boonyanusit and her team interviewed the alleged victims on Sunday at Tambon Talad Sai in Chum Phuang district and collected evidence about the Facebook page, details of the bank account the victims had wired the money to, and the victims’ chat records with the suspect.

Victim Boonlert Ard-dee, 36, told officials that she found information of the job opportunity in South Korea in December on a Facebook page of a Thai man named Kongpop Pongkamla. She and five relatives applied for passports and sent all information to the man to book their tickets. He charged them Bt17,000 each while her two other friends, who were charged at Bt20,000 each, also joined them. A total of Bt142,000 was wired to the suspect. They became suspicious when the suspect closed his Facebook page just a few days before the group’s departure date on December 15 so they filed a police complaint on December 14. Police began investigations and froze the suspect’s bank account.

Another victim, Kanokporn Chaloychim, 24, said she became interested in the higher-paid job in South Korea as she wanted to build a house for her mother. She pawned her gold necklace for Bt20,000 to fund her travel but it turned out to be a scam. “I am very sad that I lost the money. I will be more careful next time. Now I know I should contact the Department of Employment [DoE]’s provincial office for job opportunities so I can travel and work legally in another country,” she added.

Nithi-on said many Thais were duped in this way by criminals who used social media as a channel to boost their credibility and lured prospects before fleeing with their money. She urged people wishing to work abroad to check all information if the individual or a company, who claimed to be a job agent, were certified by the DoE or to contact the DoE provincial offices to find legal work abroad.