Thailand: Webmaster Under Trial

Chiranuch Premchaiporn (known to friends as Jiew), editor of Prachatai.com, has been charged in court by authorities in Thailand for violating the country's Computer Crimes Act. Prachatai, which means ‘Free People', is an independent web portal in Thailand.

Photo of Jiew from the website of Digital Democracy.

An overview of the case is provided by FACT (Freedom Against Censorship Thailand). Jiew is accused of allowing ten Lèse majesté [anti-royal family] comments to be posted on Prachatai’s public webboard.

She had already deleted the comments when she received a removal notice from the state, but this didn’t stop the authorities from arresting her last year. Jiew is facing 50 years in prison if found guilty.

Thailand has strict Lèse majesté laws, and the country is aggressive in blocking websites which are deemed insulting to the monarchy. Censorship intensified last year when a national State of Emergency was declared in response to the anti-government Red Shirt protests. It is estimated that at least 425,296 web pages are blocked in Thailand.

Jiew’s trial has been closely monitored by netizens, journalists and human rights advocates. Global Voices Advocacy has daily reports of Jiew’s five trial sessions held this month, written by CJ Hinke – days one, two, three, four, and five. The next trial date has been postponed to September 2011.

Why is Jiew's case important? She is being prosecuted not for something that she wrote in her website but for comments posted by other people

People's Alliance Suggests Conflict between Defense, Foreign Ministries

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People's Alliance Suggests Conflict between Defense, Foreign Ministries

UPDATE : 5 April 2011

The People's Alliance for Democracy comments that the detention of two Thai activists in Cambodia is being used as a political ploy by the Cambodian government, which wants former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to benefit.
The group also points to a possible conflict between the Defense and Foreign ministries concerning the Thai-Cambodian conflict.
People's Alliance for Democracy, or PAD, spokesman Parnthep Puapongpan commented that the Thai government could have done more to pressure Cambodia to release two jailed Thais, Weera Somkwamkid and Ratree Pipattanapaiboon, through economic and military means.
He noted that he understands the struggle the families of the two are going through to try to secure their release, including going to the opposition Pheu Thai Party and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra for help.

Parnthep also said the comment by Defense Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan that the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee, or GBC, meeting should not be held in Indonesia and should not include foreign observers conflicts with the policy of the Foreign Ministry which welcomed Indonesian troops to observe the Thai-Cambodian border area.
Meanwhile, PAD coordinator Prapan Khoonmee said Weera and Ratree's detention is becoming a political ploy for the Cambodian government to help Thaksin by having him negotiate their release in return for benefits.
Praphan said the government should not proceed with any meeting with Cambodia at this time as it is about to leave office but should hand over the issue to the next government.
He said the PAD will continue with its protest as long as there is no clarity on the Thai-Cambodian border conflict.

TAN Network

Nightmare islands

Nightmare islands
By THE NATION

1 million stranded as floods rage through South; 9 killed, with Nakhon Si Thammarat hit the hardest; Heavy rain likely to continue for next few days
Nearly a million residents living in flood-hit areas in the South have been left stranded with no access to land and air transport, even as the number of deaths increased to nine, with the grim prospect of heavy rains pounding many of the areas for the next few days.
A storm yesterday aggravated difficulties for the hardest-hit province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, damaging 250 homes in coastal areas and the Talum Phuk peninsula. The raging winds felled a number of power poles, causing blackouts in many areas.
Local residents of the peninsula complained about the total lack of assistance from authorities, and shortages of food and electricity. Fishermen are relying entirely on high-interest loans from illegal lenders to pay for their regular expenses while they are unable to go out fishing.
In Lan Saka district, a large number of people living at the foot of small hills have been evacuated following mudslides, with the possibility of more coming. A large pile of debris has covered farmlands and damaged them.
The situation in the whole region, including the other six hard-hit provinces - Surat Thani, Chumphon, Phang Nga, Ranong, Trang and Phatthalung - will likely return to normal next week if the heavy rains cease.
All train services down from Nakhon Si Thammarat have been suspended due to high flooding of the railway tracks. Villagers living in the foothills of nine provinces have been advised to watch out for mudslides, which have occurred in nine districts in four provinces. There are 1,628 locations facing the risk of mudslides in 14 southern provinces, with a total of 5,593 locations in 51 provinces across the country.
In tambon Pak Phoon in Muang district, desperate villagers seeking to be evacuated made a false appeal for help. When rescuers arrived at the scene, they rejected their request for evacuation citing priority for an incident in which a brick oven had collapsed. A villager then confessed to raising a false alarm to get the attention of rescuers.
Four Navy vessels, including an amphibious landing craft, are on their way to the South from the Sattahip Naval Base, with on-board helicopters hoping to pick up a large number of tourists stranded on many tourist islands. A total of 103 tourists stranded on tourist islands off Phang Nga coast on Andaman Sea side have been rescued by two local Navy vessels.
In Phi Poon district, two reservoirs are brimming and releasing water on an hourly basis to prevent cracks or a collapse. The Kathoon and Khlong Din Daeng cannot accommodate any more water, said district chief Trairat Chaiyarat.
In the latest fatality reported in Phatthalung, a woman drowned when her car plunged into two-metre roadside floodwaters, raising the number of dead to nine, according to unofficial news reports. The latest official update on the disaster yesterday reported seven deaths, with 979,665 people living in 310,406 affected households. The flood areas cover 63 districts in seven southern provinces.
Airports in Nakhon Si Thammarat have been closed because the runways and taxiways have been flooded while the one in Samui Island remains closed as of press time last night.
Ekkarat Sukpetch, a reporter at The Nation, said rain poured down day and night, forcing Bangkok Airways to cancel most of its flights to and from Samui Airport. "Floodwater is also rising to a point that electricity had to be cut off on Lamai Beach," she said.
She added that tap water was not available on the beach as electrical pumps stopped working when the electricity went off on Monday night.
"I've heard that someone was electrocuted. So, power has been turned off," Ekkarat said. Without any access to electricity and tap water on Lamai Beach, she moved to Chaweng Beach instead.
Ekkarat had gone to cover the Samui International Body Painting Competition, which took place during the weekend. She was scheduled to fly back to Bangkok on Monday but the weather conditions made it impossible. Ekkarat showed up again at Samui Airport at 4am yesterday, awaiting a Bangkok Airways flight. "But because there are just two flights, there are not enough seats to carry all the stranded passengers back," she said.

Disaster zones imposed in South after flooding

By The Nation on Sunday.

Southern Thailand is suffering from downpour-triggered floods, with all 16 of Nakhon Si Thammarat's districts, eight of Phattalung's districts, and three of Chumphon's districts declared disaster zones yesterday.
In response, the government will open a flood situation follow-through centre at Government House this morning

PM Abhisit Vejjavija said that he had instructed Sathit Wongnongtaey of the PM's Office to coordinate with the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD) to assist flood victims in the South, especially in hard-hit Nakhon Si Thammarat and that he himself would visit the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) today to check disaster warning systems.
Sathit, who chairs the committee following up assistance for flood victims, said that the committee had started working from the beginning and related agencies such as DPMD, NDWC and theMeteorological Department had reported on the situation directly to the prime minister. However since the situation became more and more severe, a flood situation follow-through centre will be opened today at 11am at the Government House. He also commented that, besides the committee's report of flood situation and assistance, the Cabinet meeting tomorrow will table the idea of setting up a central coordinating center to warn the public of disasters and assist victims.
In Nakhon Si Thammarat, the bodies of two Buddhist monks who were reported missing in a landslide-hit area of Khanom district were discovered. And 60 tourists were marooned in the popular Nam Priwan Resort in Nopphitam district.
At Nakhon Si Thammarat, where all district were declared disaster zones and flood conditions extended due to ongoing heavy rainfalls, a road linking the province to Surat Thani was damaged and several cars were reported to be swept off the road. The Nakhon Si Thammarat-Thung Song Road was also impassable due to floodwater Officials on 38 flat-bottom boats were dispatched to evacuate at-risk residents to safer grounds.
The bodies of Phra Pattaraporn Jirawara and Phra Apichat Akhathammo, who meditated in the wooded area of Bang Nai Plao in Khanom district and were apparently caught in a landslide, were discovered yesterday about 100 meters away from their original camping spot.
Phattalung yesterday declared its Muang, Kuan Khanoon, Kongra, Srinakarin, Pa Payom, Khao Chai Son, Sri Banphot and Bang Kaew districts as disaster zones. The situation was particularly severe in Muang and Kuan Khanon, where a total of some 8,000 households and 45,000 rai of farmland were under deep floodwater. Chumphon's Mungam Lang Suab and Sawi districts were also declared disaster zones.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department's southern region office continued to warn people on the southeastern coast. especially those in Phattalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani and Chumphon, of heavy downpours until tomorrow as well as possible flash floods and landslides. Small fishing boats were also urged to remain on shore due to strong winds and 2-3 meter-high waves during this period.
In related news, 150 homes of 1,200 people in 10 tambons of Trang's Muang, Na Yong, Huai Yod and Wang Wiset districts were flooded yesterday, while many areas of Surat Thani were flooded, especially the low-laying Kanchanadit district. The district is now under 50cm-deep water and at-risk residents have been evacuated.
The continuous rainfall prompted Ranong to have its seacoast residents to move their belongings to higher grounds for fear of flooding condition from rising tides. They also watched out for landslides.

Phi Phi Police 'Beat Up Tourists,' says Phuket Expat

AN American told today of ''36 hours of hell'' on Phi Phi in which five young tourists were allegedly beaten by police before they disappeared in mysterious circumstances.
Miller Williams says that the five were English, Australian and American, and he is now keen to have word that they are safe. The 21-year-old wants the incident revealed, he said to Phuketwan, so he can be certain that the five are out of danger.
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''Twenty people were witnesses to the beating,'' said Mr Williams, who... read more

Quakes 'a concern'

Quakes 'a concern', say Thai scientists
By Janjira Pongrai
The Nation

Several fault lines in Thailand have destructive potential, say geologists
A major fault line in Burma that caused Thursday's earthquakes is connected to a fault line in Thailand and both possess "similar seismic behaviours", a Chulalongkorn University geologist said yesterday.
"The quakes in Burma have caused us concern," said Assoc Professor Panya Jarusiri, noting the greater length of the Mae Chan fault line in Thailand, at 250 km, compared to the 150km length of the Mengxing fault line in Burma.
"What is a relief is that the quakes are inland and would cause less devastating effects than those occurring on sea beds," he added.
Asked of the chances of the Mae Chan fault line causing earthquakes in the future, Panya said: "The chances are there, but we can never tell when. A fault like Mae Chan yields the possibility of one quake in a 600year period, at a possible size of 6.07.0 on the Richter scale."
There are two other "locations of concern" in Thailand, Panya said: the Three Pagoda fault line in Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi provinces and the Khlong Marui fault in the southern provinces of Surat Thani, Krabi and Phang Nga. Both fault lines regularly cause small earthquakes of 2.03.0 magnitude, with the greatest possible quake being 6.0.
Professor Thanawat Jarupongsakul, another CU geologist, said Thursday's quakes stemmed from fault lines connected to others in China and Laos that have caused a total of 27 quakes of magnitude 6.07.0 since 1973.
The greatest quake in 1988, at 7.1 magnitude in Sichuan, caused 700 deaths, while another three years ago was 6.3.
Of 13 fault lines in Thailand covering 22 provinces, there are four groups of active frontlines: those at Sri Sawat and Three Pagodas Pass in Kanchanaburi province; at Sakaing in the west; and the Khlong Marui fault covering Surat Thani, Krabi and Ranong.
Of the 22 provinces, 11 are in the North, six are in the South, three are in the West and two are in the Northeast.
Despite the tremors felt in Bangkok, the jolts have not impacted or damaged highrise buildings because their foundations are deep below the capital's top layer of soft clay, Thanawat said.
History of quakes in Thailand
The first recorded earthquake was a major quake in 1015 in presentday Lampang province, which caused much of the ancient kingdom of Yonok Nakhon to collapse into a huge crater, the remains of which are now just a large pond.
A moderate quake in 1545, in the heart of the Chiang Mai kingdom, caused heavy damage to property.
In 1935, a 6.5magnitude quake was reported in Nan and a 5.9 quake was reported in 1975 in Tak's Tha Song Yang district.
In 1994, a 5.1Richter quake in Phayao caused damage to buildings and schools.

-- The Nation 2011-03-26