The Thai Fine Arts Department claim the pro-democracy protesters, who installed a symbolic brass plaque in an area next to the Grand Palace yesterday morning, broke the law. The department filed a complaint saying the installation of the plaque damaged a historic site, a violation of the Archaeological Site Act.

Protesters cemented the plaque in the perimeter of the Royal Field, known locally as Sanam Luang. It read “At this place the people have expressed their will, that this country belongs to the people and is not the property of the monarch as they have deceived us.”

Sanam Luang is a registered archaeological site. Entering the area to install a plaque without permission is an offence under the Historical Sites, Archaeological Objects, Art Objects and National Museum Act 1961, according to the department’s director general Prateep Phengtako.

“Those who invade a historic site or destroy or depreciate it can face up to 7 years in prison and a fine of up to 700,000 baht.”

The department says since the plaque was illegally installed at Sanam Luang as part of the weekend’s protests.

“It is considered destruction and depreciation of a historic site.

Less than 24 hours after the plaque was installed, it was removed and covered with concrete. The plaque was to replace a brass plaque that commemorated the end of Siam’s absolute monarchy and the introduction of constitutional democracy for Thailand in 1932. The original plaque mysteriously disappeared in 2017 and was replaced with a new plaque with a pro-monarchist slogan.

The Fine Arts Department made no comment at the time of the removal of the old historical plaque in 2017.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand

If your visa lapsed since March this year, and you are currently under the amnesty grace period that expires on September 26 (this Saturday), you will need to schedule an appointment online with the Immigration Division 1 at Mueang Thong Thani in Bangkok (a temporary immigration office near Don Mueang Airport) . Other regional areas will likely require you to make an appointment as well. Contact them before you just go to the offices and expect them to attend to your visa immediately.

You will need…

• Online appointment with Immigration Division 1
• Passport
• TM 6 Departure Card
• 1,900 Baht fee for short term extension
• Letter from embassy specifically stating inability to leave Thailand due to lack of repatriation flights and or a high risk of contracting Covid-19 in one’s home nation, or because of your current health (which will also need a medical certificate).
• Portrait photo to affix to short term extension application 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm in dimension
• US Embassy letter request can be made online HERE.(The British and Australian Embassies have also said they will provide supportive letters for their citizens that can indicate why they need to stay in Thailand.)

Alcohol is now banned at national parks after tourists allegedly got drunk at a waterfall and others left a load of trash by their campsite. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has updated other park rules to make sure parks are kept clean and the wildlife isn’t disturbed.

Just last week, trash left at a campsite at Khao Yai National Park was boxed up in a parcel and sent back to the campers. Thailand’s Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa says he will blacklist certain tourists from national parks if they litter or cause damage to protected areas.

“We kindly ask every tourist to put garbage in the provided areas because the garbage that you left may kill wild animals that come down around the area looking for food. In this case, we purposefully collected all your rubbish in a box and sent them to your home as a souvenir as a lesson to not litter anywhere ever again.”

Other tourists were allegedly drunk and making a lot of noise at the Namtok Samlan National Park, Varawut says. He says both groups of tourists face charges for their actions.

Here are some of the revised rules…

• Alcohol is banned at national parks for the time being
• Loud noise is not allowed after 9pm and noise must be stopped at 10pm
• When renting a tent, tourists must provide identification, address and phone number

“Those who break the rules will be asked to leave and may face legal actions as well as being banned from other national parks. Camping equipment can also be confiscated.”

SOURCE: Bangkok Post