Protests
UPDATE: Thai singer “Ammy” arrested for allegedly setting fire to royal portrait

UPDATE: A popular Thai singer from the band Bottom Blues was arrested in Ayutthaya on lèse majesté charges for allegedly setting a portrait of HM the King on fire. Yesterday, the Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for those suspected of burning a portrait of HM the King outside a Bangkok prison on Sunday. Police earlier denied arresting the singer, Chai-amorn Kaewwiboonpan, aka“Ammy.”
Police say the singer was arrested in a rented room at around 12:40am this morning. He told police he was sick and requested to be taken to the hospital.
Ammy wrote a post on his Facebook page confessing to burning the royal portrait, saying he is ashamed and disappointed in himself and it was a foolish idea that put him in danger. He adds that there is a hidden, symbolic meaning behind the burning of the portrait and he hopes everyone understands it.
Original story…
The Metropolitan Police Bureau has denied reports that the Thai musician and anti-government activist, Chai-amorn Kaewwiboonpan, aka, “Ammy” has been arrested. The musician and 2 other people are suspected of setting fire to a portrait of His Majesty the King. The Bangkok Post reports that his whereabouts are currently unknown.
Piya Tawichai from the MPB says there is no record of the musician being taken into custody. He was responding to local media reports that Chai-amorn had been arrested.
“We haven’t received any report that Mr Chai-amorn was arrested or put in police custody.”
Chai-amorn and 2 others face charges of lèse majesté, arson, and violation of the Computer Crimes Act. They are suspected of setting fire to a portrait of His Majesty the King outside Klongprem Central Prison in the Chatuchak district of Bangkok in the early hours of Sunday morning. They also face charges of damaging state property.
It’s understood officers conducted a search for the musician yesterday, following the Criminal Court’s approval of arrest warrants for the 3 suspects. Piya says the MPB has sufficient evidence to back up the charges, including CCTV footage at the scene of the crime. It’s reported that Chai-amorn got out of a vehicle in order to set fire to the portrait, while the other 2 suspects remained in the car.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Investigations of Covid-19 infected elite rule-breakers demanded

Investigations are being demanded by a corruption watchdog into Thai politicians infected with Covid-19 after allegedly attending venues in the Thong Lor entertainment venues in Bangkok that have now emerged as the ground zero for the Coronavirus third wave in the Kingdom.
The Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand are being asked to investigate the latest Covid-19 outbreak, noting in a Facebook post that the second wave was also linked to illegal activities, spreading through illegal migrants and other visiting gambling dens. This third wave is also angering those who see the wealthy elite and powerful politicians frequenting high-end bars and not following Covid-19 safety protocols.
Mana Nimitmongkol, secretary-general of ACT argues that the ministers visiting these clubs did not behave “ethically”, and it’s part of a larger problem. He is pushing for legal action against not only club owners, but against police, public health officials, and even the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration for failing to enforce laws to protect against Covid-19.
Investigations into whether the code of ethics had been violated were requested to be carried out by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Ombudsman and the committee on ethical standards.
As entertainment venues have been ordered closed for at least 2 weeks, Mana proposes that along with restrictions, a hotline to report rule-breakers should be set up, and all people should be held to the same standard without exception.
The president of the Rural Doctors Society agreed, saying that especially important is the need for Covid-19 infected public officials to disclose their personal timelines to reassure the public and assist in contract tracing. It is feared that little or no action will be taken to investigate and punish powerful rulebreakers.
One controversial infection was that of Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, rumoured to be infected from Thong Lor nightclubs, but later shown to be in another province at the time. The entertainment venue outbreak was not completely innocent though, as details emerged that the minister’s infection was in fact passed to him via an aide who had frequented clubs in Thong Lor.
Chuvit Kamolvisit, a former massage parlour owner turned activist, has been outspoken on the issue, calling for investigations into high-society VIP clubs like Krystal Club and Emerald Club, who allegedly flaunted restrictions and ended up with dozens of Covid-19 infected staff members.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau chief had said that legal action was pending against these clubs for the virus spreading.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Chiang Mai
Tourism officials slash Songkran travel expectations by half

The TAT, ever the optimists regarding anything tourism related, even domestic tourism, predict that the Bangkok clusters that have emerged in the week before the Songkran break could reduce traffic and spending by up to half.
Today the CCSA is reporting 789 new infections and one additional death. 522 were local infections, mostly walk-ins to Bangkok hospitals, 259 were discovered through track and tracing. The remaining 8 were found in quarantine from overseas arrivals. In Phuket, another 17 cases have been reported today, taking the island’s week total to 43.
GRAPH: Worldometer figures for Thailand, up to April 9
A 68 year old man from Nakhon Pathom province died on April 4 but wasn’t reported until today. The CCSA report that he died from Covid and “complications”. 33 other former patients have recovered and been discharged.
Last week the TAT estimated 3.2 million domestic trips would circulate 12 billion baht for the Thai economy. But the Tourism Authority has now slashed their estimates by half after hotels, airlines and bus companies reported mass cancellations in the last few days. Other provinces are reporting less than 20% cancellations. Although this weekend will see a lot of travel, Songkran doesn’t formally start until next Tuesday and the TAT expect there could be additional fallout as travellers decide to have a staycation for Songkran instead heading home.
Bangkok Post reports that 70% of travellers to Prachuap Khiri Khan and Hua Hin have already cancelled hotel bookings. Similar cancellations have been reported in Pattaya, Phuket and Chiang Mai. Many other provinces, particularly in the north east and north, are also enforcing quarantine on arrivals or additional paperwork to try and protect their provinces from any of the Bangkok clusters.
8 north eastern provinces rare now requiring 10 or 14 day quarantine periods for anyone arriving from areas where new clusters have been reported. Chiang Mai provincial officials say that tourists from Samut Prakan, Nakhon Pathom, Bangkok, Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi – basically Bangkok and surrounding provinces – must complete a 14 day mandatory quarantine or conduct a test for Covid when they arrive.
The reality is that the travel and quarantine changes are outstripping the ability to communicate them all. Anyone crossing into other provinces in the next few day, especially if you’re travelling from Bangkok and surrounding provincial ‘red zones’ can expect some additional paperwork or a Covid test. Or even quarantine.
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Protests
Attendance on the wane for Thai democracy protests

While protesters against the Thai government are continuing as they have for endless months, attendance is lessening in the face of crackdowns, coups and Covid-19. The throngs of 10,000 plus protesters, mostly energetic youth, that waved The Hunger Games 3 finger salute and demanded change in Thailand last summer have thinned to a few thousand or less these days.
The government isn’t in the clear yet though, as the protester’s calls to replace the current government, lessen the power of the Thai monarchy, and draw up a new constitution are still popular ideas. But a number of factors are causing protester size and vigour to wane.
The second wave of Covid in December quickly curbed the daily demonstrations for fear of spreading the virus. After that, the coup in Myanmar on February 1 has brought massive protests with international attention shifting to the growing humanitarian crisis just across the border. On top of the pandemic and the Burmese coup, the Thai government has taken a much more hardline approach to protesters in recent months.
Police began fighting back against mass demonstrations, dispersing crowds with water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets. And after 2 years of leniency, the government has begun prosecuting people under the strict lèse-majesté laws, where offending the monarchy can carry harsh punishment including a jail sentence of up to 15 years.
Anon Nampa, a human-rights lawyer, and Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, a student activist, have already been arrested under this law and held without bail. Arrests like these have been demoralising for the pro-democracy movement, and have scared away a lot of Thai protesters. Many have shifted focus to more immediate efforts to demand the release of the detained protest leaders.
Even with the crowds shrinking, the protests have already brought about change, bringing once unspeakable conversations into the national conversation, and keeping pressure on Thailand’s leaders. Opposition is growing, with efforts to push no-confidence votes and amendments to the constitution being constantly proposed and advocated.
SOURCE: The Economist
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Ian
Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 7:02 pm
Ive just burned a picture of harry and megan if I had one of the so called king and dictators that would have burned as well and guess what nobody’s knocking on my door maybe because I live in a country of freedom and free speech
Jim kelly
Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 10:27 pm
yes Ian, agree totally. where we are we can say whatever we like and voice any opinion…constructive or destructive, good or bad. Covid 19 has only just allowed those dictators and people in power to wield that light sabre of control even more!! QUEEN ELIZABETH AND HER FAMILY A TOTAL DRAIN ON THE BRITISH PURSE… Oh, and before I forget, PRINCE PHILIP ORDERED THE ‘HIT’ ON PRINCESS DIANA!
Ynwaps
Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 11:29 am
Always avoid China heads with military hair cuts.
consequence never sleeps
Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 11:43 am
he should check for some common sense in advance
Toby Andrews
Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 3:03 pm
“You are being arrested for lese majeste arson.”
“You are also being arrested for wearing a silly hat, and because you are in show business and on the media, subjecting Thailand to disrepute and ridicule.
We accept Thailand is already subjected to ridicule, but with that hat you increase that ridicule.
The hat will be confiscated and destroyed – unless it fits one of us.”
Ray
Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 3:46 pm
Here in Holland we have short movie clips on TV with real footage of the Dutch king and queen. It is cleverly edited and new voices are given to the royals. They look like clumsy retards. It is hugely popular and extremely funny at times. I also recall British royals on Spitting Image. Great show, especially the first seasons.
Ian
Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 7:51 pm
Yes Ray it’s called FREEDOM something the dictators don’t understand thier is also a show ridiculing our monarchy called the crown our queen hasn’t stopped it because we are free I so hope one day the lovely Thai people get this freedom I’m still young enough to hopefully witness it