Thailand
Democracy activist arrested, charged with violating junta’s order

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community
PHUKET: Pro-democracy activist Pansak Srithep was arrested early yesterday and charged with three offences, including violating the order of the military’s ruling National Council for Peace and Order forbidding political gatherings of more than four people.
The military court later granted bail to Pansak after 70,000 baht was used as a guarantee.
The key member of a group called Resistant Citizens, which staged a commemoration of the failed February 2012 elections in Bangkok in defiance of martial law, was arrested just after midnight after he parked his car at a temple near his hone in Nonthaburi.
On March 13, Mr Pansak was briefly arrested when he started a march to call for an end of trying civilians in military courts under martial law.
He appeared handcuffed in court yesterday and his lawyer was briefly barred from speaking to him while investigators interrogated him.
Mr Pansak has also been charged with violation of penal code Article 116, which forbids inciting unrest, and violating the Computer Crimes Act.
Mr Pansak, whose volunteer observer was killed during the 2010 crackdown on red shirts that led to at least 99 deaths, was taken by police for a medical examination before he was detained in order to prevent allegations that he was assaulted or tortured.
He was taken to Bangkok Remand Prison in the afternoon after the military court allowed the first round of 12 days’ detention. Anon posted a bail application of 500,000 baht but there was no word on whether bail had been granted at press time.
As Mr Pansak left the military court, Natcha Kongudom, a Bangkok University student, folded a number of paper planes with the message “no civilians in military court” and threw them near the court. The student was not arrested.
— Phuket Gazette Editors
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Samut Sakhon shrimp market, recent Covid-19 wave’s epicentre, is back open and bustling

The Samut Sakhon seafood market, the epicentre of the recent wave of Covid-19 infections, has reopened. The Central Shrimp Market had been shut down, sealed off and sprayed down after hundreds of vendors, migrant workers and visitors were infected with the coronavirus. Now, 10 weeks later, the market at a fishing hub just southwest of Bangkok, is not only back open, it’s bustling.
A waiting area now has rows sectioned off by plastic dividers to ensure social distancing. Those bringing fish to the market to sell must take a queue card and sit in the proper seat. The seafood will also be now sorted on a raised platform.
Market operators, vendors and customers are required to follow disease control measures. Screening points are set to check all vehicles entering the area including trucks delivering seafood as well as vendors and customers.
Workers are required to wear face masks, gloves, rubber boots and rubber aprons. Members of the market must have documents from a recent health screening.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
CCSA Update: 80 new Covid-19 cases, active infections on a downward slope

80 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing while 142 new cases were reported on Saturday and Sunday. Since the start of the pandemic, Thailand has reported 26,031 coronavirus infections and 83 deaths.
There are currently 624 active Covid-19 infections, a record low for Thailand since the December outbreak at a Samut Sakhon seafood market. The number of active Covid-19 over the past month drastically dropped after health officials slowed down mass testing efforts in high risk areas.
Out of the 80 new cases reported today, 28 were exposed to the virus in areas considered to be at “high risk,” including 19 in Samut Sakhon, 3 in Tak, 2 in Nakhon Pathom, 2 in Bangkok, 1 in Chon Buri and 1 in Ratchaburi.
36 cases were detected through proactive testing, including 35 cases in Pathum Thani and 1 in Nonthaburi.
The other 16 cases were detected in quarantine for those arriving to Thailand from overseas.

Active Covid-19 cases in Thailand as of February 28, according to Worldometers.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Drugs
Police seize 920 kilograms of cannabis smuggled across the Mekong River

In a major bust on the Mekong River, notorious for drug smuggling, border patrol police seized 920 kilograms of dried, compacted cannabis from a boat along the Nakhon Pathom riverbank, bordering Laos.
Police were tipped off about a large shipment of drugs being trafficked across the Thai-Laos border. Police spotted a boat around 4am yesterday. When police moved in, men onboard the boat jumped onto a smaller boat and sped off. Police found 23 sacks filled with 1-kilogram packages of compressed cannabis.

PHOTO: MGR Online
In the recent months, police have seized more than 5 tonnes of cannabis. While the Thai government has been loosening measures on cannabis, allowing parts of the plant with low traces of the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, to be used in food and medicinal products, trafficking cannabis is still illegal. Cannabis with high amounts of THC is still classified as a Category 5 narcotic.
SOURCE:Bangkok Post
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