Week 37 (10th September 2012 – 16th September 2012) ASEAN Newspapers Issues pertaining to Thailand ‐ politics Number of article(s): 8 Keywords/criteria used for search: Thailand, Thai Search Engine: www.google.com Online newspapers included in search: Borneo Bulletin (Brunei) Brunei Times (Brunei) Phnom Penh Post (Cambodia) Jakarta Post (Indonesia) Jakarta Globe (Indonesia) Vientiane Times (Laos) Vietnam Net (Vietnam) Nhan Dan (Vietnam) The Star (Malaysia) The New Straits Times (Malaysia) The Strait Times (Singapore) The Philippine Inquirer (Philippines) The Japan Times (Japan) China Daily (China) The Korean Times (South Korea) Headlines and Summaries THE BRUNEI TIMES 5 15 / SEPT. / 2012 – THAILAND SAYS MYANMAR GETTING READY FOR REFUGEES RETURN (AFP – ALSO FEATURED IN THE STRAIT TIMES) 5 • According to Thailand’s National Security Council, an estimated 120,000 Myanmar refugees along the Thai‐Myanmar border may return home within a year. This follows recent talks between the two nations. • Wichean Potephosree, Secretary‐general of NSC who recently visited Naypyidaw, discussed the issue with Aung Min, Minister in the President’s office. During the visit, Minister Aung Min told the secretary‐general that the former military junta‐ruled country would provide training and jobs for the returning refugees. • The NSC statement came as Human Rights Watch released their report condemning Thailand for failing international standards on treatment of refugees. 14 / SEPT. / 2012 – HRW CHIDES THAILAND FOR REFUGEE RULES (REUTERS) 5 • Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticizes Thailand’s refugee policies as they are considered “fragmented, unpredictable, inadequate and ad hoc, leaving refugees unnecessarily vulnerable to arbitrary and abusive treatment”. • Furthermore HRW further notes that Thailand must ratify international treaties recognizing refugees as a status. Currently, Thai law does not distinguish refugees from asylum seekers or any other migrants. • This follows as recent preliminary talks between the Myanmar and Thai government have suggested a possible early repatriation of Myanmar refugees along the Thai border. HRW has stated that such early repatriation of Myanmar refugee were unlike and daunting for the approximate 150,000 people living along the camps. • Bill Frelick, HRW refugee policy director, say that for people who were either too scared or unable to return to Myanmar should be given the opportunity to be registered or seek asylum. • HRW does not expect a mass exodus of Myanmar refugees from Thailand. According to Phil Robertson, HRW deputy director for Asia, “The younger generation [who have lived in Thailand]... have no skills and no idea on how to live and survive in rural eastern Burma. So, we're not expecting to see a return en masse any time soon”. 13 / SEPT. / 2012 – QUARTER OF THAILAND’S PROVINCES FLOODED (REUTERS) 6 • Up to a quarter of Thailand’s provinces have been inundated by floodwaters. This comes amid fears that the Thai government has been too slow in strengthen flood defenses after last year’s devastating floods. • The economic impact of last year's flood on Thailand was that Thailand registered only 0.1 per cent annual growth in 2011. • Although the latest flooding is not considered as bad as last year, however another disaster could deal a blow to PM Yingluck Shinawatra and the Puea Thai government which came under heavy criticism for negliance during the 2011 crisis. THE NEW STRAIT TIMES 7 15 / SEPT. / 2012 – FOUR SHOT AND BURNT IN THAI SOUTH UNREST 7 • Three paramilitary soldiers and a woman were shot dead by militant/insurgents who then torched their bodies in an early morning ambush in Southern Thailand. • The attack happened as the victims drove to a market in Yala province. • Groups of militant/insurgents who want greater autonomy have carried out near‐daily attacks in the south. • Following the upsurge in violence in the South, Thai authorities have said that they have step up their efforts to talk with the militant group however analysts remain skeptical of the likelihood of peace in the near future. 14 / SEPT. / 2012 – THAI PM VISITS FLOODED PROVINCES 8 • Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra visits flood‐hit areas on Thursday, taking the opportunity to hand out the government’s relief packs to flood victims and assess the water situation. • Leading figures in the opposition Democrat Party, including former prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, visited flood hit areas and victims in Ang Thong and Ayutthaya province a day before. • Ministry of Public Health are sending out physicians and psychiatrists to take care of people in the flood affected areas. 10 / SEPT. / 2012 – SHORING UP PEACE EFFORTS (OPINION PIECE) 8 • Steps are being taken to shore up peace efforts in Southern Thailand. On the sidelines of the Asia‐Pacific Economic Cooperation's Leaders Summit in Vladivostok, Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Thai counterpart, Yingluck Shinawatra discussed possible joint development cooperation in the rubber industry on the Kedah‐Thai border to address growing volatility in the area. • This comes amidst decline in demand for rubber because of the global economic slowdown. Last Friday, price rose on rubber as the decision was taken by Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia to slash exports and cut old trees. • Furthermore, last month, the Thai government admitted to have held informal talks with insurgent groups. Also last Friday, one of the Thai deputy Prime Ministers, Chalerm Yubamrung, floated the idea of elected governors and limited autonomy for the south. • As stated in the article, with two track talks and autonomy back on the discussion, a political solution to the conflict does not seem too bleak. However raising rubber prices is one thing, the article argues that there remains no short cut to end the violence. “Talking would be a good start, as would be a degree of autonomy”. CHINA DAILY 9 12 / SEPT. / 2012 – 16 THAI PROVINCES AFFECTED BY FLOOD 9 • Thai authorities have reported that 16 provinces, mostly in Northern Thailand were hit by flood. Furthermore, it was also reported that more than 939,000 people from about 335,000 households were affected by the floods. 11 / SEPT. / 2012 – ABHISIT MAY BE SUED FOR CRACKDOWN ON RED SHIRTS 10 • Former Thai Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva and former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban could be charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with their alleged involvement in the military crackdown against Red Shit protesters in 2010. • The fate of the two former leaders rest with the Criminal Court, which is set to issue a ruling on whether a taxi driver was killed by government personnel. • Abhisit and Suthep chaired the now defunct military‐run center for the Administration of Peace and Order. Both have denied that they had given the orders to the military to disperse or kill the protesters. Both men place blame on the men in black who they alleged mingled among demonstrators and started the killing. • "The court's ruling on the homicide case involving the death of a taxi driver could trigger the filing of other 22 charges that would squarely put the blame on "government personnel" for the bloody incident, the DSI said." The Brunei Times 15 / Sept. / 2012 – Thailand says Myanmar getting ready for refugees return (AFP – Also featured in The Strait Times) ABOUT 120,000 Myanmar refugees in Thailand may return home within a year, the kingdom's National Security Council said yesterday, following recent talks between the two nations. Tens of thousands of people, many from the Shan and Karen ethnic minorities who have fled war, are housed in camps along Thailand's border, but the end of outright military rule in Myanmar has raised hopes they will return. Myanmar "is clearing landmines along the borders, preparing to build shelters and other infrastructure... to be ready within one year ", the NSC said in a statement, citing its secretary‐general Wichean Potephosree. Wichean, who visited Naypyidaw last week, discussed the issue with Aung Min, a minister in the President's Office, who told him the former junta‐ruled country will also provide training and jobs for the returning refugees. Myanmar also wants Thais "to invest in building industrial estates" on its soil to employ the tens of thousands of potential returnees, the statement added. The NSC's comments came as Human Rights Watch released a report condemning Thailand for failing to meet international standards on the treatment of refugees. AFP http://www.bt.com.bn/news‐asia/2012/09/15/thailand‐says‐myanmar‐ getting‐ready‐refugees‐return 14 / Sept. / 2012 – HRW chides Thailand for refugee rules (Reuters) THAILAND must ratify international treaties and formalise policies on migrants to protect tens of thousands of refugees mostly from Myanmar from extortion, deportation and arrest, a human rights group said yesterday. Despite ceasefires between Myanmar's reformist government and ethnic minority rebels, the prospect of early repatriation was unlikely and daunting for the estimated 150,000 people living in camps on the Thai side of the border, New York‐based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said. So laws were needed urgently to recognise refugees and grant asylum. "Thailand's refugee policies remain fragmented, unpredictable, inadequate and ad hoc, leaving refugees unnecessarily vulnerable to arbitrary and abusive treatment," the group said in a report. Refugees are not legally recognised in Thailand, which has not signed a 1951 international refugee convention. The government has no legal framework that distinguishes between a refugee from an asylum seeker, or any other migrant. Nearly one third of those in camps along the 2,107 km (1,310 mile) Thai‐ Myanmar border are unregistered and barred from leaving their camps, or seeking employment. Those who find jobs are deemed illegal and often have to bribe officials and businessmen, leaving them open to mistreatment, HRW said. In addition to the mostly ethnic minority people who have fled decades of fighting to the border camps, between one and three million migrants from Myanmar work in Thailand and most are unregistered, labour activists say.