Weekly highlights

Jul 22, 2011
Source: Bangkok Post

Yingluck Shinawatra's ambition to be country's first woman prime minister came one step closer when the EC had endorsed her election as a party-list MP; the International Court of Justice issued provisional orders to prevent further clashes between Thailand and Cambodia; but it was a tragic week for the Thai army with two helicopters crashing in dense mountain forest along the Burma border and all 14 on board confirmed dead.

Almost three weeks after the general election on July 3, the Election Commission has yet to confirm the 475 MPs needed for the convening of the new 500-member House of Representatives.

The House will choose a new speaker who will sound out the opinions of the MPs on the nomination of Pheu Thai's Yingluck Shinawatra as the new prime minister.

On Thursday, the EC approved a third batch of 32 MPs, including six key members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), bringing the total number of MPs certified to 402 (285 constituency MPs and 117 party list MPs) – still 73 short of the minimum 475 MPs, or 95 per cent, needed for the first House meeting.

Pheu Thai Party's candidate for prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra (Photo by Apichart Jinakul)

Others approved include Ms Yingluck and caretaker Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of the Democrat Party. Their results were endorsed by the EC on Tuesday.

The six red-shirt MPs-elect approved on Thursday are Pheu Thai candidates Weng Tojirakarn, Apiwan Wiriyachai, Wiputhalang Pattanapoomthai, Pichit Chuenbarn, Wichien Khaokham and Korkaew Pikulthong. Pheu Thai party-list candidates whose election has still to be confirmed are Jatuporn Prompan, Natthawut Saikua, Payap Panket, Jarupan Kuldilok and Karoon Hosakul.

Red-shirt supporters have been protesting at the EC office to put pressure on the EC to first endorse the poll results of all the red-shirt candidates and to later deal with the charges against them, which would result in their being stripped of their House seats if the charges were substantiated.

The red-shirts’ conduct in making demands on the EC came under heavy criticism from the media and also Mr Abhisit, who urged the Pheu Thai Party to try to restrain the red-shirts. Ms Yingluck belatedly appealed to all parties, including the UDD, to refrain from trying to put pressure on the EC.

Meanwhile, back-door lobbying for cabinet posts continues unabated. There is more speculation about the outsiders who will be invited into the Yingluck cabinet. Among the prominent candidates are Vichit Surapongchai, former communications minister in the Chuan administration and a prominent banker, and outgoing PTT Plc chief executive Prasert Boonsamphan.

One of Pheu Thai's populist election policies, a 300-baht minimum wage nationwide, has come under heavy criticism, with leaders of the business and industrial sectors warning the sudden labour cost hike would bankrupt many small and medium-sized firms, who might choose to move offshore, and reduce the competitiveness of Thai products in overseas.

The opposition to the new wage rate prompted Pheu Thai to backtrack, saying that it would first be introduced in Bangkok and Phuket -- with the rest of the country in-waiting. However, the party insisted that, in the end, the new wage would be enforced nationwide.

Preah Vihear temple (Photo by Jetjaras Na Ranong)

The International Court of Justice in the Hague issued a series of provisional measures aimed at settling the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over the land around the old Preah Vihear temple ruins.

The ICJ ordered the two countries to immediately withdraw all troops from the temple area and to establish a demilitarized border zone (DMZ) of approximately 4.5 miles by 2.5 miles (7.2km by 4km) adjacent to the world heritage site. Also, the court ordered Thailand not to obstruct Cambodia’s access to Preah Vihear temple and both sides were ordered to allow observers from Asean into the DMZ.

Both Thailand and Cambodia appeared to be sastisfied with the court’s orders, which are meant to prevent further clashes between troops of the two countries. Both sides, however, said they will have to meet to discuss details of implementing the court’s orders.

The only group which is opposed to the court’s decision is the People’s Alliance for Democracy, which urged the Thai government to reject the court orders out of hand.

The tough action taken by the Royal Forest Department against several resorts alleged to have encroached on protected forest land in Wang Nam Khieu, a popular tourist destination, in Nakhon Ratchasima province was surprising .

Department officials have put up signs at at least 10 resorts advising their owners to demolish the structures before the end of this month or the department will move in to do the job itself.

Mules from an army battalion in Chiang Mai are brought to the Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi to help in the search and rescue operation for the missing Black Hawk helicopter that crashed on July 19, 2011 near the Thai-Burmese border. (Patttanapong Hirunard)

Several resort owners and local tourism operators voiced protests against the department’s tough action, claiming that the land in question is Sor Por Kor land, or land under a land reform programme, and not protected forest land as claimed by the department. They also plan to take their cases to the Administrative Court, asking that it suspend the demolition of their properties.

Commentators questioned the Royal Forest Department’s demolition order as just a one-shot action. They pointed out that widespread encroachment of protected forest land and illegal sale of Sor Por Kor land has been a well known fact for several years.

They wondered just why the department has only now decided to take action against those responsible.

It was a tragic week for the Royal Thai Army for the loss of two helicopters and the 14 people on board them, who included a divisional commander and journalists.

The first helicopter crashed on Saturday. The UH-1H "Huey" went down in Kaeng Krachan national park in Petchaburi province while it was on a mission to pick up troops assigned to combat illegal loggers who were trapped by bad weather.

All five men on board were killed and their bodies have already been retrieved and returned to their families for proper funeral rites.

Since bad weather and rough terrain had prevented ground troops reaching the crash site, a second helicopter, a Black Hawk, was dispatched to the scene on Tuesday. However, this chopper also crashed, for reasons still unclear, into the thick forest of the national park. Nine men were on board the craft, including Maj-Gen Tawan Ruangsri, commander of the 9th Infantry Division based in Kanchanaburi, and a TV news cameraman.

Searchers reported finding the wreckage on Friday morning, just over the border in Burma and close to the wreckage of the first helicopter, and had ordered nine body bags, reports said.