Week 51 (17th December 2012 – 23rd December 2012) ASEAN Newspapers Issues pertaining to Thailand ‐ politics Number of article(s): 6 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 China Post (China) Headlines and Summaries THE PHNOM PENH POST 5 19 /D EC. / 2012 ­ WORKERS FEARING DEPORTATION GET HELP FROM GOV’T 5 ‐ Some 150,000 illegal Cambodian may escape deportation after a plan between the Cambodian and Thai governments is currently in the works that would allow Cambodian officials to travel to Thailand and begin issuing passports at the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok. The Thai government would then affix the passports with the proper visa and work permit without forcing the workers to exit the country and come back across the border legally (a process which has forced many migrant workers into debt bondage). ‐ According to Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Koy Kuong, the agreement “… means that we will provide passports to our workers there at our Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok [starting] from the 28th this month.” ‐ Permanent secretary to the Thai Ministry of Labour, Dr Somkiat Chayasriwong, confirmed that talks were indeed in the works, but that nothing was finalized yet. ‐ Labour migration expert Andy Hall of Thailand’s Mahidol University said that he had yet to hear of the agreement but, if it went through, it would be a “commendable” process. ‐ However, he noted, because illegal migrants aren’t allowed to travel between provinces, getting to Bangkok to receive the passports could become cost‐prohibitive. THE JAPAN TIMES 6 21 /D EC. / 2012 ­ LINCHPIN FOR THAI AMNESTY – OR MORE VIOLENCE 6 ‐ Last week the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) decided to press murder charges against former Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban in connection with their role in the April to May 2010 anti‐government protests. As such, the question is how far will DSI go, whether it will also probe to what extent the military became involved in the deadly operations? ‐ The country has struggled to come to terms with the loss of life during the protests in 2010. While politicians have called for a reconciliation, possibly by forgiving and forgetting in order for the country to move forward, Red Shirt supporters have continued to pressure the current government over the killings of their family and friends. ‐ Some analysts say the charges against Abhisit were part of the government's tactic to compel the opposition to endorse legislation for a "blanket amnesty." ‐ According to Pavin, during a recent interview by the BBC, the former PM Abhisit failed to answer questions fully and win arguments. Rather the former PM came across as overly confident and somewhat aggressive. His denial of any responsibility shocked the BBC as much as viewers at home. ‐ Since the charges, there has been a general question of if DSI will also investigate the involvement of the current army chief, General Prayuth Chan‐ocha, who played a role in the crackdown. Prayuth has forged close ties with the royal palace. As such, could this lead to a new phase of political conflict, potentially even more brutal? THE CHINA DAILY 8 23 /D EC. / 2012 – THAI DIPLOMACY WILL BE TESTED IN 2013 8 ‐ With recent leadership changes and growing nationalism couple with the rising confidence of Southeast Asian nations, will severely test the tenets of Thai foreign policy. ‐ As the only independent country, which has not been colonized, Thailand has pursued a well known diplomacy of “mai kao kang krai” or in the middle. But with small twist, though, Thailand has, in the past, change sides if there was a clear winner in geopolitical/international disputes/fights. Thailand’s alliance with Japan during WWII and is turn around as well as the close military collaboration with Communist China during the Cambodian conflict in the 1980s serves as prime examples. ‐ Until recently, Thailand was at the forefront of global politics such as its fight against Communism. Yet in the eyes of western countries, Thai strategic values have receded quickly to a point of insignificance. Pundits often blamed ongoing political uncertainties and polarisations that have further handicapped the country's diplomatic versatility and flexibility. ‐ The quality of day‐to‐day resiliency (little/none resiliency), which the country holds dear, is becoming a huge liability in the globalised world of the 21st century. ‐ In this region, continuity and change is a great virtue. However, in the case of Thailand, the countries, which have dealt with it would quickly conclude that there is only change but not continuity. 20 /D EC. / 2012 – THAI ARMY ACCUSED OF KILLING BOY DURING CRACKDOWN 10 ‐ It was concluded by Thailand’s Criminal Court that a 14‐year‐old boy, who did not belong to either red or yellow‐shirt camp, was indeed killed by troops on May 15, 2010. ‐ The court believes that the 14‐year‐old‐boy, Srisuwan Kunakorn, was hit by a hail of bullets when soldiers opened fire at a van that had strayed into an area under Army control near the Airport Rail Link's Rajprarop station. The boy was shot in the back and the bullet pierced through his abdomen. He succumbed to his injuries on his way to hospital. 19 /D EC. / 2012 – EX­THAI PM TO FACE 2,000 COMPLAINTS 10 ‐ DSI has set up a centre tasked to handle cases involving the former PM and his deputy, linked to deaths and injuries in the 2010 violent protests. ‐ DSI director‐general Tarit Pengdith said the two (Abhisit Vejjajiva and Suthep Thaugsuban) would face three types of charge ‐ ordering the killings, attempted killings and physical assault. ‐ After the injured victims have filed their complaints, the DSI would take statements and collect evidence before combining the reports on all related cases for the prosecution review in order to expedite the legal proceedings. ‐ Criminal Court chief justice Thawee Prachuablap said if and when the cases reached the trial stage, the court might invoke its mandate to combine all related cases. 18 /D EC. / 2012 ­ EX­THAI PM ABHISIT COULD FACE 700 ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGES 11 ‐ Chief of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) held a meeting last Wednesday with other police investigators to speed up work on cases against former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban. ‐ A well‐informed DSI source said about 700 people were severely injured in the 2010 political violence, so Abhisit and Suthep would face a similar number of attempted‐murder charges. ‐ The source said Tarit also ordered investigators to divide the injury cases into four groups based on dates and locations. The Phnom Penh Post 19 / Dec. / 2012 ‐ Workers fearing deportation get help from gov’t The 150,000 illegal Cambodian workers currently living in Thailand may escape deportation after all, Cambodian and Thai officials said yesterday. According to representatives of the two governments, a plan is currently in the works that would allow Cambodian officials to travel to Thailand and begin issuing passports to workers out of the embassy in Bangkok, passports that the Thai government would then affix with the proper visa and work permit without forcing the workers to exit the country and come back across the border legally – a process that experts have said puts workers at risk of debt bondage. “So far, our working group is working with their Thai counterparts about that, and now our government has decided to send a working group to provide a passport to our people there, our workers,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Koy Kuong said. “It means that we will provide passports to our workers there at our Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok [starting] from the 28th this month.” Kuong said that he did not know when the program would close, but that officials would try to issue passports to “as many Cambodians as possible”. “Our working group tries to work with their Thai counterparts so [workers] will not be deported, because deportation will make the work complicated,” he said. Dr Somkiat Chayasriwong, permanent secretary to the Thai Ministry of Labour, confirmed that talks were indeed in the works, but that nothing was set in stone. “We are talking to Cambodians, [asking] can they send officials to make the passport in Thailand,” he said, noting that Cambodians would then “be able to stay and work for their same employer”. Somkiat also said that if Cambodians got their passports while inside the country, the Thai government would consider issuing necessary work documents in‐country as well. “If they get the passport from the government, we will do it in Thailand too, without going to the border,” Somkiat said. “It is not definite, but we try to do it so it’s more convenient.” Labour migration expert Andy Hall of Thailand’s Mahidol University said that he had yet to hear of the agreement but, if it went through, it would be a “commendable” process. However, he noted, because illegal migrants aren’t allowed to travel between provinces, getting to Bangkok to receive the passports could become cost‐ prohibitive. “It doesn’t have to be, but generally it becomes that way,” he said. “When they have to travel somewhere, they come across enforcement agents, and they come across corrupt officials who just take money from them.” http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2012121960366/National/workers‐fearing‐ deportation‐get‐help‐from‐govt.html The Japan Times 21 / Dec.