Thailand, the region and World news in a glance
	Current Issue Archive E-mail Subscription Copyright Info	Copyright (c) 1998 Post Publishing Co and by the author. This article is provided for information only and may not be reproduced in any commercial publication or broadcast of any kind without permission. 2 - 8 April 2000
	Siamweb.org Announcements About Thailand News-culture People Social Romance Sanook (Fun) Technical Guestbook	40 Years Ago Prime Minister Sarit has toured the northeastern provinces and says that priority must be given to irrigation projects and road building. 1960 ``Let's rock the planet like never before. After all, it's the only one we have.'' - Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Beach" actor, promotes the environment on www.leonardodicaprio.com Bangkok Todaybb Hot with isolated thundershowers. S winds 15-30kph. HIGH: 35 LOW: 25 (95/77F) Holiday time Police began their annual task of trying to prevent Songkran traffic jams. It will be an especially long weekend this year -- five days, beginning on Thursday. Combined with last Thursday's Chakri Day holiday, some crafty workers figured out they could get 12 days off at the cost of just four leave days. But in some places, including the interior ministry, bosses stomped on that idea. Long holidays good -- but very long holidays bad, said the ministry. It barred staff from starting a leave period last Thursday, claiming it would be unfair both to fellow workers and to the public whom civil servants are supposed to serve. /-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/ FOR WEB FANS who prefer to read news on the Web, the Week in Review is at: http://go.to/newsthai/ This week's column is at http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/sanjacinto/1113/week1400.html /-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/ `Medical murder' Police charged three prominent doctors and a former hospital administrator with premeditated murder. Officers said the four colluded to misdiagnose patients as brain dead so they could snatch their organs for illegal transplants. The medical people face two murder charges for now. But police said they believed there were as many as 38 more cases -- and more doctors could be involved. Charged were doctors Siroj Kanchanapanjaphol, Veeradej Lertdamrongluck and Vivat Thirapanich and administrator Nanthawit Thongchai, all from Vachiraprakarn Hospital. Medical licences have been withdrawn from all three doctors. Dr Siroj, the only one to comment publicly, said he was innocent. Baby watch Doctors at the Samut Prakan Hospital put five pregnant women under close observation after learning they were among residents close to the cobalt-60 radiation leak. The five were not involved in the alleged theft of the cobalt cannister. But they live within 100 metres of the scrap yard where the cylinder was sawed and smashed open. Dr Wichart Kerdwichai said he wants to watch the fetal development and white blood cells in the women. So far, three people have died and six are still in critical condition from the country's first radiation poisoning. Cabinet making Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai said he will fill two vacant posts by Wednesday, so he can submit the new cabinet to His Majesty the King before Songkran. The main change will be a new interior minister, Banyat Banthadtan, to replace the disgraced, resigned Sanan Kachornprasart. But, just like the last time Mr Chuan planned a "minor reshuffle," up popped coalition partner Chart Pattana with some suggestions of their own. In particular, the party wants to kick out ministers who have accepted the bid of Thai Rak Thai to switch allegiance. All our people The annual census showed a population of 61,661,701 on the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. The Local Administration Department said that included 30,650,172 of the minority sex -- 49.7% men. The LAD claimed there are 5.6 million people in Bangkok, without a smile or irony or an explanation that it goes by house registration papers and not physical residence. Apart from Bangkok, only Nakhon Ratchasima has more than two million people. The smallest province is Ranong, with 158,185. Power protest Singaporeans got a rare look at a legal protest -- or at least Singaporean diplomats in Bangkok did. They looked out their embassy window and saw 500 angry Thai villagers, demonstrating against reported Singaporean investment in the controversial coal-fired electricity plant scheduled for Prachuap Khiri Khan province. Recent reports said Singapore Power International was taking over part of the investment in the Hin Krut plant. Investors from Finland and the US have already fled at the sight of the protesters. Double shock If that wasn't enough to turn Singapore against all that democratic stuff, there was a second protest outside the Sathorn Road embassy. About 200 Rayong villagers demanded Singapore companies keep their money out of TS21 -- a planned industrial estate beside a reservoir. JTC International of Singapore is a partner in the government-backed industrial estate. Environmentalists claim it could ruin the water in the reservoir. Builders say that all local people support the venture -- which has hired an international environmental engineering expert, Dames & Moores, to establish an environment management system. Refugee flow Mae Sot -- Burmese troops attacked Karen rebels along the border, sending hundreds more refugees into northern Thailand. More than 1,700 refugees fled to Thailand in just two days, to escape the fighting and heavy Burmese shelling. The fighting was close to the Thai frontier, as usual. The Third Army, already involved in anti-narcotics operations in the area, tried to increase border security to protect the frontier and the new refugee camps. Not a fun party The sad saga of Palang Dharma continued. The leader of the former party of righteousness now is to be sued for forgery, perjury and obstruction. Seven party members claimed that Chaiwat Sinsuwong falsified Palang Dharma records. The Election Commission has already a 1.6 million baht subsidy to the party. Also in the news Corrections officials took 52 boys out of Ban Karuna remand house and locked them down up-country; they found a weapons collection and feared the youths would try to break out this weekend to spend Songkran in freedom. Samak Sundaravej of Prachakorn Thai and Paveena Hongsakula of Thai Rak Thai played yes-no-maybe over whether they will run for governor of Bangkok. Police spent their weekend catching 60 speeders on the expressways, with their jim-dandy new radar gun -- at up to 1,000 baht per driver. TMB recaps Thai Military Bank finally unveiled its plan to raise 40 billion baht in new capital. The somewhat complicated plans call for the bank to issue 305 million new shares via a 3-for-10 right issue at 10 baht each. Then, it will privately place 695 million new ordinary shares at 10 baht apiece. Finally, it will place 2.5 billion new preferred shares with the finance ministry to gain government support for its capital raising scheme, and sell 500 million new preferred shares. The finance ministry must approve the plan, which the sixth largest bank says will go ahead from May 10-16. Moody's likes us Moody's Investors Service, the US firm which rated us into junk status, said it will start upgrading our currency -- not now, but soon. A Moody's statement said the long- and short-term debt and deposit ratings of Thai banks and financial institutions also are on review for upgrade. The agency cited more confidence, better-working banks and more transparent economic policies to justify its optimism. Rice opened up Beijing -- Scientists working for biotech giant Monsanto announced they have made a huge breakthrough, and have almost completed decoding the genetic code of rice. It is the most complicated plant ever mapped. The scientific advance could quickly lead to higher yields, better crops, and virtually guaranteed food security. On the other hand, it could lead to fears of "frankenrice." Whatever. Monsanto's first act was to hand the entire dossier on the rice genetics to Thailand and the other nine members of the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project. Flight to where? The Aviation Department officially opened the Phetchabun Airport amid deafening cries of "Why?" Official consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers said the airport, built at the site of the anti-communist victory at Khao Kor, didn't even pass the "Huh?" test. The pork-barrel project was promoted by a Phetchabun MP who had the luck to be deputy communications minister in the Chavalit government. He claimed The 542-million-baht project has a high tourist potential. Coal miners The Electricity Generating Authority said it wants the legal right to explore for, find and mine high-grade lignite in Chiang Mai. The soft, brown coal can provide a secure fuel supply for the controversial Mae Moh lignite power plant. Private mining companies are getting out of the lignite business, Egat claimed in its application to the Department of Mineral Resources. Note to overseas readers: US $1 = 37.7 baht (approximately) ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** *** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** *** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** A roundup of the week's high-tech technology ** ** news from Thailand and the world is available ** ** each Wednesday via e-mail on these same facilities ** ** of the Internet Thailand company. To subscribe ** ** to this weekly column from the Bangkok Post ** ** Database section, send an e-mail ** ** To: ** ** Subject: (ignored) ** ** In the body of the message, put: ** ** subscribe dbweek ** ** ** ** The service is free and no subscriber information ** ** will be divulged, exactly like the column you ** ** are currently reading. Now back to our programme: ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** *** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** *** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** In other news Social welfare planners said they are going grey -- because the country is greying so quickly; by 2020, 18% of Thais will be over 60, putting social security at risk. The bioscience boffins at Chulalongkorn University see clones in the nation's dairy future; Ing the cloned calf is 35 days old and healthy. Some of a beach The Forestry Department closed The (real movie) Beach for restoration. The Phi Phi Le location used in the Leonardo DiCaprio flick apparently has detiorated recently. Of course, the movie making had absolutely nothing to do with that, it was Mother Nature _ said the film-loving, location-supplying Forestry Department. Of course it was all that transplanting and sand-moving that caused it _ said Somsak Kittithorrakul, administration chief of Krabi province. The battle and the lawsuits continue. Paper profits Hong Kong -- The corruption watchdog arrested five people for stealing newspapers from the passenger cabins of incoming flights. The Independent Commission Against Corruption claimed the five netted more than 3.8 million baht a year selling the ifBangkok Postnf and four other newspapers from Australia, New Zealand and Britain. They took the papers when they cleaned the cabins of incoming flights and put them on sale in newspaper stalls downtown. Paper prophets Chiang Mai -- Academics and NGOs said they will soon start the People's News Agency to report on all those problems of "the little people" that don't get reported in the mainstream Thai media. They didn't explain where they expect the PNA stories to be printed. Thai `sex slaves' Washington -- A CIA report claimed 50,000 women and children have been smuggled to America to become slaves. Among the chief victims are Thais. The report said that, typically, Thai women are made into virtual sex slaves by the human traffickers. Asian girls as young as nine are sold as indentured sex slaves. Luxury rides Thailand is already the second largest Mercedes Benz market in Asia after Hong Kong, but DaimlerChrysler AG said it can do better. The German-American company announced it wants to regain leadership of the entire luxury car market from archrival BMW by next year at the latest. "I am absolutely sure we will win the leadership back in 2001 and are quite optimistic for 2000," said Dieter Zetsche, head of DaimlerChrysler's commercial vehicle division. BMW sold 1,840 cars last year to snatch the lead from Benz, which sold 1,396 units. Private life You're in the Army now, Private Num -- or at least you will be in four weeks. The real-life soap opera to escape the draft finally ended for singer-actor Sornram Theppitak, who will report to the performing stage of the 11th Army Circle's Infantry Battalion on May 1, for two years. Over at Channel 3, meanwhile, executives set aside 600 million baht to make a dozen movies in the next two years. BEC World thinks Thai people are getting tired of Hollywood and want more Thai films. Siam's square Officials descended on Siam Square after reports they could buy drugs at Centre Point, the newest teenage place to hang out. PM's Office Minister Jurin Laksanavisit failed to score any drugs, but was photographed talking to several under-aged girls. They claimed to be waiting outside a milk bar for their tutoring classes to begin -- but then they would say that, wouldn't they? Then Mr Jurin heard he could get drugs at the Chong Non Sri skytrain station, and rushed there. But he failed to score again, or at least he claimed to reporters that he failed. But of course he would say that, wouldn't he? -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/- EDITORIAL OF THE WEEK >From the Bangkok Post 4 April 2000 BACKGROUND Experts on organised crime see trends that are deeply disturbing for Thailand and our region. Western and Caribbean nations are slowly squeezing money launderers out, and they are moving to Asia. And a new version of the old crime of slave trading is taking deep hold within the international mafia groups. Crime syndicates get ever closer The good news is that progress is being made against international criminals and money launderers. The bad news is that in their search for safer, friendlier areas, the cross-border gangs are concentrating more and more on Asia. For nations like Thailand, this news is doubly bad. Our authorities are going to have their work cut out for them in coming years. Organised crime loves free countries, with excellent transportation. They hunger for a well-developed system of banks and communications with little experience in combatting big-league criminals. The most senior and authoritative United Nations group on international crime has just concluded a deeply disturbing conference. The UN Offshore Forum Plenary met in George Town, in the Cayman Islands -- a territory with a long history of pandering to money launderers and other financial thieves. They managed to be somewhat optimistic, but also realistic. The top experts from 30 nations believe they are making progress. They cite several recent and major victories against the cross-border bandits. In America, authorities finally shut down the world's largest known money-laundering case. Russian mafia moved a minimum of $7 billion through the previously respected Bank of New York. That operation was fronted by a bank executive known throughout the world for her expertise in combatting money laundering. Authorities also cited the cleanup in Nigeria, and the "un-laundering" of the 590 banks and trust companies in the notorious Cayman Islands. But for us in Thailand, the rest of the news was ominous. The UN coordinator, Ronald Ranochak, told the conference that squeezing the drug lords and money merchants in the Caribbean creates other problems. First and foremost, the mafias are moving their dubious business out of the Western hemisphere and into Asia. "Most" money laundering rackets are moving to the Orient, claimed Mr Ranochak. The international criminals also continue to shock the world with just how deeply they can descend into exploiting fellow humans. Major syndicates continue to operate in fields such as drug trafficking, prostitution and arms smuggling. Now, however, some of the groups have added another serious crime to their shameful business -- human slave trading. Immigration rackets are a growth industry for organised crime. Groups now operate in many capitals of the world to work in this disgusting crime. Like other such activities of these groups, human trafficking is enormously profitable. On the surface, they seem -- like drug dealing or prostitution -- to deal with "victimless crimes," or transactions where all parties are willing. In fact, laws and international treaties against human trafficking are necessary to protect the very real victims. Typically, modern human slave trading involves moving people from poor and badly ruled countries to prosperous ones. Rackets known to exist in Bangkok organise groups of Thais who want to go to America. Chinese workers have been taken to the US and Australia. The victims are charged massive amounts of money for the "privilege" of being transported by cattle boat or worse to another country. Once there, gang members put the immigrants to work as slaves -- typically in restaurants and illegal factories. The slaves have to work off their debts, a task that is often impossible based on the smuggling fees. A CIA report leaked in America this week says Thai women and children have been forced into sex slavery in the United States. Other Thais have been put into slave textile factories -- in one case by their fellow Thais in America. That such slavery exists in our new millennium is shameful. We cannot welcome, in any way, such people or their filthy money in our country. If it is true that slave smuggling and money laundering is steadily increasing, it is necessary to put our defences up higher. Our government has recently played host to its own conference on international crime. There cannot be too much cooperation among the countries of our region to shut it out.
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