As of press time Wednesday, the survey asking for “one comment about the solution to the problem of justice officials’ housing project” had drawn more than 18,000 responses.

The survey is posted on the Facebook page of the Government Spokesman Bureau, @ThaigovSpokesman.

More than 6,000 Facebook users shared the post within 24 hours of its appearance on Tuesday just before noon.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had pointed out earlier that the judges’ residential estate had been established in accordance with the law, but the government was concerned that it had caused a public outcry and wanted citizens to suggest a solution.

The resulting opinion poll on Facebook insists that only one comment be posted and it must not be offensive, defamatory or seek to politicise the issue.

Most of the comments agree with the stance of the network formed to oppose the housing estate – that all buildings erected beyond the former forest line be demolished – but some respondents side with the government, wanting the project left as is.

The majority see the project as visual pollution, an invasion of a “sacred” mountain, destruction of pristine headwater forest and an unreasonable expenditure for such an obscure use.

“We should entirely demolish it and not regret the money already spent, because we need to rebuild the foundations of our society,” a Facebook user posting as Seree Pansang commented. “If the authorities need official residences for judges, they should not be so luxurious.”

“Amornsak Kit” said the authorities, especially Court of Justice officials, should be role models for others when it comes to protecting the environment and remove all structures that encroached on the forest, which is an important “lung” allowing residents of Chiang Mai to breathe clean air.

“Ente Vogel” was among posters urging the government to let the buildings stand because so much money had been invested, but to turn the site over to the public to use.

“Hamich Teenrabirt” said razing the buildings and restoring the forest would be a further huge expense and waste the money already invested. He suggested letting the project stand but making it less visually obtrusive by planting more trees among the buildings.

The attack left 54-year-old Thaweesak – chief of Tambon Por and president of the Hmong People Club of Thailand – and his three-year-old son seriously injured. His wife and five-year-old daughter were killed.

Police suspect that Thaweesak’s role in the recent arrests of drug suspects might have prompted the attack.

Chiang Rai police chief Pol Maj General Yutthachai Puaprasert led Wiang Kaen precinct police officers in the pre-dawn raid in Ban Huai Han (Moo 9).

Soldiers from the Northern Border Drug Prevention and Suppression Operations Centre, paramilitary rangers and Border Patrol police also participated.

The search turned up no illegal items.

Officers led by Provincial Police Region 5 deputy chief Pol Maj General Churat Pan-ngao and Wiang Kaen administrative officials had the day before seized about 300 legally registered guns for inspection.

Police are hoping to find weapons that match spent cartridges recovered at the scene of the ambush.

AS WORKERS took part in Labour Day events across Thailand yesterday, labour rights groups stressed that unjust employment and the depletion of employees’ power was undermining the well-being of the Thai workforce.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday promised to improve conditions for workers nationwide and said the government has already raised the minimum wage up to 5 per cent as a May Day gift to all Thai labourers.

But unionists said labour rights violations were not yet solved and the “totalitarian” administration installed by National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) was making the problem worse.

The Labour Congress of Thailand and the Textile Industry and Leatherworks’ union jointly released a statement yesterday urging the junta to return power to the people by stepping down and holding the election this year. This would improve the livelihood of workers and make a better society for all citizens on the principles of liberty, equality, fraternity and human rights.

The joint statement insisted that the sovereignty must belong to the people and ordered the NCPO to hand power back to the people concerning politics, economics and culture.

On politics, the labour groups called for the election within this year, revocation of all NCPO orders, a guarantee of the right for the workers to cast a ballot at their workplace, and cancellation of the social security pension policy amendment.

On economics, there were demands on the enforcement of progressive tax collection and an assurance of a proper wage structure for all workers.

On the cultural aspect, the unions pressed for reforms in the education system, free education for all, adequate state welfare and the establishment of social security specialised hospitals.

Four labour rights defenders were taken into police custody yesterday without charge during the peaceful demonstration at the United States Embassy in Bangkok. They were seeking mitigation measures on labour rights violations against workers of General Motors (GM) Thailand.

The four arrested activists were Assembly of the Poor (AOP) executive officer on labour law Boonyuen Sukmai, head of GM Thailand Workers Union Naruphon Meemuan, union coordinators Chanchai Thoopmongkol and Natin Chaonsri.

They were arrested after police claimed that they were no longer permitted to take part in the public gathering, although Boonyuen informed officers that the group had notified authorities two days in advance as per the legal requirement for arranging a peaceful demonstration. As well, the group had advised the embassy of their plans.

Boonyuen said police took them to Lumpini Police Station for interrogation and checked their criminal records. They were all later released without charge.

Around 70 members of GM Thailand Workers Union participated in the march to the US embassy on Wireless Road. They intended to submit petitions to the US government and General Motors Company Head Office to ask for help on what they described as the unjust treatment of 116 GM Thailand’s workers.

Police initially did not allow marchers to walk to the embassy and only allowed three representatives of the union to enter the embassy to submit their petition.

Boonyuen said protesters were eventually allowed to gather in front of the embassy and representatives allowed to hand over their petition.

“We asked the US government to closely monitor the investment from their country in Thailand, investigate the labour rights violations by General Motors’ subsidiaries, ensure compliance with ILO Conventions, and forward our petition to General Motors headquarters in America,” Boonyuen said.

He said that there was still no protection for workers against lock-out measures, unjust lay-offs, and unfair treatment at work.

Meanwhile, Prayut proclaimed his love to all workers and stated that the government has given a bigger May Day present than previous years to workers nationwide, with an improved minimum wage and adjustments to social security and retirement systems.

“Please be patient. Labour is significant to develop the country. Labour is human capital which the government has paid attention to,” Prayut said during his weekly press briefing.

“I love everyone. I understand your problems but we have to take it one step at a time and take investment, economy and other things into consideration,” he said.

He pointed out that due to the limited budget, not all workers’ problems can be solved at once. He asked workers to understand the situation that the government faced, as the country also has to compete with other nations to attract investors by providing tax benefits and ensuring a low minimum wage.

Representing various labour unions, they gathered at the Democracy Monument to declare their requests and make their voices heard.

Thai workers gather at the Democracy Monument before marching to the Government House to mark International Workers’ Day in Bangkok, Thailand, 01 May 2018.Thousands of Thai laborers rally on Labor Day calling on the government with a 10-point petition demanding for better welfare as well as improvement their work and living conditions. // EPA-EFE PHOTO

Prasert Jongcharoen, vice president of the Building and Woodworkers’ International Council of Thailand, said the benefits and welfare Thailand afforded to workers were poor compared to other countries.

“The standard of labourers’ lives is very low compared to other countries,” he said.

He said that an election would help solve |problems as it would allow workers’ voices to be heard.

Apantree Jaroensak a member of the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee’s department of youth and women, said she had been fighting for benefits under the International Labour Organisation’s Maternity Protection Convention for about five years. Most employers fire workers when they become pregnant without paying compensation, she said.

Arwut Pinyoyong, vice president of the National Congress of Thai Labour, called on the government to change the labour protection law by increasing the retirement age for workers to 60 years, from 55 at present.

“Retiring at 55 is considered early for most workers. At 55, most workers can still do their job very well,” he said.

When asked whether an election would help improve worker problems, Arwut said having an election was part of democracy, which is essential for not only workers but also the economy and foreign investors wanting to put their money into Thailand.Right now, everything is moving at a slower pace because there is no election, he added.

Across the country, workers held marches and other activities to mark Labour Day yesterday.

Large events took place in Chiang Mai, Surat Thani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Pathum Thani and Uttaradit. The participating workers called for improved welfare benefits, fair wages and better labour rights.

The German government together with the Thai government celebrated the launch of the Thai-German Climate Programme last Monday at the German embassy in Bangkok. The programme’s mission is to provide financial support for climate change mitigation efforts in Thailand, with a team of international and national experts working closely with partners in the Thai government.

Funding of 17.9 million euros (Bt690 million) was granted by the German Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Ministry (BMU), while the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH will provide support for implementing climate change mitigation projects and personnel support.

The 2018 to 2021 Thai-German Climate Programme will support Thailand through a cross-sectoral approach anchored in five sectoral plans, said the BMU. The wide-ranging plans cover implementation of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) at the sub-national level, greenhouse gas measurement, establishing reporting and verification systems, mobilising funds to implement the NDCs, and extension of international cooperation.

The BMU and GIZ will work with Thailand’s Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, the Ministry of Energy, the Pollution Control Department, the Department of Water Resources, and the Rice Department.

File photo

“This will see governmental partners, the private sector and civil society cooperate on climate-friendly development approaches in the energy, waste, water and agriculture sectors, as well as on general aspects of climate change,” according to the statement.

In his opening remarks at the launch announcement, German ambassador Peter Pruegel put an emphasis on the two countries working together. His nation will share Germany’s experiences as they work with Thai partners to reach more sustainable sourcing, increased energy efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions, he said.

It was through close cooperation and hard work on climate change mitigation and adaptation that the international community could prevent global disasters caused by global warming, said Stephan Contius, BMU Commissioner for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Business-as-usual is no longer an option, said Contius.

“Thailand is an important partner country of the BMU’s International Climate Initiative, as since 2009, the ministry has financed more than 13 bilateral projects with a total value of nearly 50 million euros,” said Contius. The projects so far have “focused on mitigating CO2 emissions and helping Thailand to adapt to climate change as well as to protect forest areas and biodiversity”, he said.

“Both governments are very much interested in accelerating the implementation of the Paris Agreement and of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

Thailand’s permanent secretary of Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, Wijarn Simachaya, thanked the BMU and GIZ for their continued support over the past years.He said he was pleased that both countries had extended that cooperation to implement this new climate programme.

“Thailand has set itself ambitious CO2 mitigation targets and adaptation goals. We have formulated an NDC mitigation road map outlining sectoral measures to achieve our targets,” Wijarn said.

“By the end of 2018, Thailand will launch our National Adaptation Plan for adaptation goals. Thai-German cooperation, particularly the Thai-German Climate Programme, has greatly contributed to our efforts.”

GIZ will work with civil society organisations and academics, as well as the official Thai partners and public sector, said Tim Mahler, the GIZ country director for Thailand and Malaysia

“GIZ will further seek close cooperation with other projects in Thailand on climate change to ensure that the international support is implemented as effectively as possible,” Mahler said.

Meanwhile, national police deputy chief Pol General Weerachai Songmetta said summonses had been issued to seven more individuals for them to testify as witnesses about their alleged involvement in manufacturing and distributing Magic Skin products. The products have been at the centre of allegations about dubious legality and alleged sub-standard quality.

The seven – Pavee Pandamrongsatit, Thippawan Tanchai, Sunee Kromsungnoen, Apiwat Pongpattananukul, Natthanan Aoumkaew, Kritsanapol Pinjorhor and Siriyanee Ritdeesirithorn – are separate to the batch of 59 Thai celebrities that police would summon for information about product advertisements, Weerachai said.

The 31-year-old Piyapong – whose love story with Pavena was made famous by the television show “Take Me Out” – insisted to Weerachai that his appearance in a Facebook Live video clip about the Cleo slimming powder drink product was a move to “help out with the wife’s product-selling”. It was not a “product review” advertisement and he was not paid nor under contract, he said.

He said he wore a doctor’s gown-style shirt in the Facebook Live clip alongside one of the suspects in the case, Kasit “Ying Yuay” Worachington – who has been arrested and released on bail – because he always had the shirt in his car. He said he didn’t know that that could be considered a breach of professional medical ethics.

Pavena admitted that she had been a distributor of Magic Skin products for less than a month before this scandal broke. She claimed she spent Bt300,000 to buy the products to sell. Denying accusation that she used her husband’s medical position to boost sales, she told police that she and Piyapong were also damaged persons.

She claimed that she checked the products’ label for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hallmarks and had tried one product and lost a kilogram of body weight in a week.

Medical Council of Thailand member Dr Sampan Khomrit revealed on Monday that the council would soon summon Piyapong to explain himself about the alleged ethics breach of using his position as a doctor to endorse a health product. A committee would be assigned to investigate him mid-month.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday that he had instructed the FDA and related agencies to implement more measures, such as more random checks and stricter screening, when registering products in a bid to screen out sub-standard food supplements. He also urged the public to help alert the authorities to illegal or substandard products.

Meanwhile, news radio reporter Kriengkraimas “DJ Kendo” Phochanasunthorn yesterday filed a police complaint with the Technology Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok, asking that a charge of inputting false information to a computer system be laid against Manita Rattanakasemchai, a key saleswoman for controversy-hit Lyn weigh loss product. He accused Manita of having doctored their 28-minute phone conversation about controversial products into a three-minute audio clip so as to discredit him.

The message was conveyed during a visit by Kampaypanh Thongdy, deputy consul-general of the Lao Consulate General office in Khon Kaen to Pol Colonel Yutthakorn Wongwian, provincial police chief of Ubonrat district where the body of Suthat Chanda, 49, was found on Sunday.

Suthat had a cut wound to his neck. His burnt-out pickup was found in Khao Suan Kwang district in the same province.

Kampaypanh was quoted as saying that he wanted to know the latest in the investigation. He also noted that a Laotian woman was mur

dered in Kalasin province in 2016.

Provincial police commissioner Pol Maj-General Boonlue Kobangyang said police expected to arrest suspects in the murder of Suthat within a week.

Forensic evidence and other investigations pointed to certain suspects, and police were collecting evidence in order to arrest them. Boonlue said the suspects were drug traders who were acquaintances of the victim.

The Labour Congress Centre for Labour Union of Thailand and the Labour Union of Textile Industry and Leatherwork jointly released an International Workers’ Day statement on Tuesday, urging the junta to step down and arrange an election for this year.

This would assure improved livelihoods for workers and a better society for all citizens based on the principles of liberty, equality, fraternity, and human rights, it said.

The joint statement insisted that sovereignty must belong to the people and demanded that NCPO hand over power in three aspects: politics, economics, and culture.

On politics, the groups called for a democratic election within this year, revocation of all NCPO orders, a guarantee of workers’ right to cast a ballot in the locality of their workplace, and cancellation of the social security pension policy amendment.

On the economy, the workers demanded enforcement of tax collection at the progressive rate and assurance of a proper wage structure for all workers.

On culture, the statement pressed for education system reform, free education for all, adequate state welfare, and the establishment of special social-security hospitals.

“On this International Workers’ Day, all labourers are reminded of their ongoing struggle against unjust employment and to cherish the dignity of all workers, which has continued for more than 200 years,” the statement read.

“We must believe in our power and join forces to overthrow the legacies of the NCPO and amend the Constitution in order to recover our rights and freedom in politics, economics, and cultural aspects.”

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Unesco representative Benno Boer, chief of Natural Sciences at Unesco Bangkok Office, presented the certificate to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha at the Government House on Tuesday.

Prayut then handed over the certificate to Satun Provincial Governor Pattarapon Rattanipichettachai.

Satun Geopark is the first Unesco Global Geopark in Thailand, the fifth of its kind in Asean and the 38th in the world.

The site covers an area of distinctive geological, ecological, archaeological and cultural value in four districts of Satun province in Thailand’s Far South.

Satun Geopark was established in 2010 in the area, which has more than 500 million years of geological and natural history, as well as diversified karst topography and rich cultural traditions of the indigenous ethnic minorities.

CONSTRUCTION tycoon Premchai Karnasuta will face prosecution on seven charges related to his alleged poaching in a wildlife sanctuary.

The public prosecutor yesterday announced that the Attorney-General had decided to arraign Premchai on the seven charges favoured by the prosecutor, despite police requesting that he add a further three charges to the tally.

The seven charges against Premchai are: collusion in bringing guns to a public place without permission; collusion in hunting wildlife in a sanctuary without permission; collusion in hunting protected animals without permission; collusion in possessing wild animal carcasses; collusion in hiding illegally-acquired wild animal carcasses; collusion in collecting forest products inside a forest reserve without permission; and bribery.

Police argued for Premchai facing three additional charges: entering a wildlife sanctuary without permission, possession of hunting tools, and attempted hunting.

The disagreement between the two bodies led the local public prosecutors to ask Attorney-General Khemchai Chutiwongse to make a ruling on which charges Premchai and his alleged accomplices should face.

The three other suspects variously face between five and seven charges, depending on their alleged role in the alleged crimes.

National police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda yesterday said he respected the decision by public prosecutors to pursue legal actions against Premchai on six counts (plus a bribery charge added later) instead of nine as suggested by police investigators.

“The police worked to the best of our ability in gathering the pieces of evidence,” Chakthip said.

When asked if Premchai would eventually benefit from the decision, the police chief said: “This matter involved judgement by public prosecutors.”

In a related development, public prosecutors yesterday indicted Premchai and his chauffeur Yong Dodkrua for offering a bribe to an official. The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 7 in Samut Songkhram accepted the case for trial.

The court scheduled May 28 for the two defendants to testify after they denied the charge of bribery.

The defendants later were released on bail of Bt100,000 each on condition that they do not leave the country without court permission. Premchai left the court without speaking to reporters.

Apichart Tordamrong, a senior prosecutor in charge of corruption litigation, said yesterday that the prosecution was convinced they had sufficient evidence to support their case.

The public prosecutor in charge of the case, Apichon Rakbua, yesterday said prosecutors had carefully built their case from available witnesses, documentary evidence, and an audio recording in which Premchai’s driver is said to have offered a bribe in exchange for not taking legal action against all those accused of hunting wild animals in the national forest.

He declined to give further details regarding the case.

Offering a bribe is an offence under the Penal Code.

Premchai and his three alleged accomplices were arrested in February after officials found evidence that they had hunted wild animals, including a highly endangered black leopard, in Thung Yai Naresuan wildlife sanctuary, Kanchanaburi province.

His arrest made headlines partly because of his position as president of Italian-Thai Development (ITD), a leading construction firm.

The public and activists have closely monitored the progress of Premchai’s case out of concerns that his influence and wealth would allow him to find a way out of his legal troubles.

At a shareholder meeting of ITD, Premchai recently said that he had done nothing wrong. He also related several phone calls in which people shared their sympathy with him.

Following his arrest, Premchai submitted a petition for justice.

The prosecution has reviewed Premchai’s petition and rejected his request that additional people be interviewed regarding the case.

“We have found that documents attached to Premchai’s petition for justice, which include a request for authorities to interrogate more witnesses, are not related to the case,” said Office of Public Prosecution Region 7 director-general Somsri Wattanapaisan yesterday. “They are just people expressing their opinions on media.”

She added the investigation was already complete and there was no need to interview additional witnesses.

“His request is seen as an attempt to delay legal proceedings,” she said.

An economic analysis estimated the value of the dead animals and damage to the environment at Bt3 million.