[Bangkok Post] Rebels killed 115 teachers since 2004
[Lekha Issara, from Ban Po Meng in tambon Kayuboko of Yala's Raman district, was killed on June 16, the latest teacher to fall victim to separatist attacks.
She was the 115th teacher in the three southern border provinces to have been killed.]
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[AFP] Myanmar ophans flee to uncertain refuge in Thailand
[A sudden offensive against ethnic Karen rebels by Myanmar's military junta has caused what aid groups say is the biggest exodus of refugees from Myanmar since 1997, with some 4,000 people fleeing for safety since the start of June.
Just weeks ago the group of 96 destitute orphans fled their children's home in Myanmar to the sound of mortar shells and crossed into Thailand.]
[AFP] Thailand bans protests in Phuket at ASEAN meeting
["I am telling all parties.... No kind of rally is allowed in Phuket. We will not designate an area for demonstration, we will not allow protest representatives to show up or mount a road blockade -- even peaceful rallies are not allowed," defence minister General Prawit Wongsuwon told reporters.]
BP: Slight overkill?
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[Bangkok Post] Mingkwan: Thai PM must be economic expert
[In the midst of economic crisis, Thailand will need the government leader who has expertise in economic and capability to tackle the pressing problems of the country, former deputy prime minister and commerce minister, Mingkwan Saengsuwan, said on Friday morning.
His remark was made during a seminar on “Clear the Country’s Debt, Create Income for the People” held this morning at a hotel in Chiang Mai by the opposition Puea Thai Party.]
BP: He is saying, pick me! Reports that Puea Thai will keep some figurehead until closer to the election as they are worried about another party ban/dissolution. Mingkwan seems to be putting his hand up.
[Bangkok Post] Thaksin Does the South Pacific
"Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra flew to the Pacific islands this week, a Tongan government official says.
"He was here on Tuesday," the Tongan official, who did not wish to be named, said yesterday, adding he understood Thaksin left on Wednesday for Fiji.
"He talked to someone at foreign affairs, who looked after him."
The official did not give any further information on the purpose of the visit."
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[Reuters] Bomb kills soldier in Thai south
[A soldier was killed by a bomb and a Muslim civilian was shot dead in the latest violence in Thailand's restive south, police said Thursday.
The bomb was detonated as troops travelled in a pickup on a patrol in the town of Yarang in Pattani province. Five soldiers were wounded.]
[Thailand Politics] The Return of the Blue Shirts
[Matichon reports that the PM Abhisit will visit Buriram on Saturday, and that the Blue Shirts are part of the security preparations, which includes 3,000 provincial police from Nakhon Ratchisima, Surin, and Buriram. ]
BP: The red shirts will also be there....
[The Australian] Fugitive former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra's secret Fiji talks
[Fugitive billionaire former Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra flew in his Learjet to Fiji for a secret meeting with the controversial prime minister and military commander Frank Bainimarama.
The subject of their discussions, held in Mr Bainimarama's office in Suva on Monday, is unknown, but informed sources in Fiji say Mr Thaksin is considering investing $300million in the country.
In return, he would probably be assured safety there from extradition, if he should choose to use Fiji as one of his bases in exile. Thailand is seeking to return him to Bangkok, where he faces two years in jail for abuse of power.]
BP: He is meant to be heading to Tonga and Vanuatu next. Fiji also had a coup around the same time as Thailand and the military still haven't given up power.
[VOA] Internet, Satellite Communications Widen Political Debate in Thailand
[Thailand has undergone a quiet revolution as satellite broadcasters and the Internet have challenged traditional broadcast outlets to lead the political debate. There are concerns the government now wants to undercut these new challengers.
...
"The ability to broadcast a signal over the Internet outside Thailand, so that it could be uploaded legally to a satellite, and that really made a huge change because the government didn't have the legal means to control that," he said. "Suddenly you had a level of political debate on television you had never seen before." ]
BP: That is a quote from Baker. It is not just broadcasting over the internet, but also the internet itself which provides more access to information.
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Bangkok Post : Preah Vihear is a quandary hard to solve
This year, bilateral ties plunged after the government's protest against the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation last month. Thailand's argument was the approval of the registration resulted in border tension instead of bringing about peace and cooperation.
This strategy was unnecessary and in fact was a setback for Thailand more than the UN agency.
Mr Abhisit said this renewed protest did not involve Cambodia as there was no mention of the neighbouring country. But in reality, it cannot be denied Cambodia's involvement because of the nature of the issue.
Phnom Penh probably overplayed the issue too.
What the Cambodian strongman said on the mismatch of soldiers between the two countries went too far. He certainly is not welcoming war, but his remarks were clearly aimed at local consumption in order to get Cambodians behind him and boost his popula
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