#Thailand - 9 policemen sacked as Mae Hong Son child-sex investigation widens

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NINE MAE HONG SON police-men have been dismissed from the civil service and put under serious disciplinary investigation after being implicated in the northern province’s underage prostitution scandal.

They could also face legal action for their alleged involvement in the teenage vice ring, deputy national chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said yesterday.

The nine officers include alleged racket operator Pol Senior Sgt Major Yutthachai Thongchat of Nam Piang Din police station, three officers under Kong Koi police station who face charges of gang-raping of a minor, and five policemen for whom summonses were issued for over accusation that they paid to have sex with minors.

Srivara said police investigators were gathering evidence against seven more suspects – including several state officials, a soldier and a local politician – and hoped to make arrests soon.

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He was speaking at Chiang Mai’s Provincial Police Region 5 office where he presided over a meeting to discuss an anti-human trafficking crackdown. 

Srivara said the Mae Hong Son investigation saw local police handle 37 cases – 29 of human trafficking, seven of buying sex services, and one gang rape of minor – while the Anti-Human Traffic Division (AHTD) handled one human trafficking case in which all eight suspects had been arrested, including Yutthachai.

Earlier yesterday, Srivara went to Mae Hong Son to check progress in the investigation. He met some of the four police who showed up in response to summonses yesterday, but a teacher who reportedly moved away from the province failed to show up.

The fifth police officer, a deputy superintendent who is a lieutenant colonel, also did not appear, claiming he was preoccupied with work. But his supervisor said he had not been assigned with any mission. 

Although the officer, who also now faces an investigation for omission of duty, is believed to have fled, investigators issued a second summons for him. If he fails to respond by May 15, an arrest warrant will be obtained. 

Srivara also visited a police flat where the missing officer allegedly took a minor for sex but it was empty.

Also yesterday, a master sergeant under the Internal Security Operations Command, identified by victims as “Uncle Pan”, went to the Mae Hong Son police office to report to Srivara and hand over documents he said proved his innocence, but missed him. However, he caught up later at Mae Hong Son airport.

“Uncle Pan” said he knew the girls but his involvement with them was for intelligence-gathering purposes against the prostitution ring.

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Laos - Largest Forest in Xayaboury to be Opened as Tourist Attraction

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 Hoping to draw more people to experience its natural beauty and establish its profile as a tourist destination, Xayaboury Province is opening up its largest forest as one of its visitor attractions.
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An official has confirmed that provincial authorities surveyed the forest in Phieng District, which is 80 km from the provincial capital. After surveying the trees and the surrounding area, provincial authorities considered various ways  on how they could develop the forest into a tourist attraction and open it up to the public.
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The director of the province’s Information, Culture and Tourism Department, Mr Chanthi Simanichan, has stated that the biggest trees in Phieng district are maitaekha (Sindora cochinchinensis) and can grow up to an impressive 15 metres in width and more than 10 metres in height. The maitaekha are hundreds of years old and are highly valued for their solid wood.
The area will be of interest to those with an interest in nature and those who can appreciate the preservation of the towering trees surrounding them . There is potential for a variety of outdoor activities for visitors who enjoy the great outdoors, as well as for individuals wanting to study tree species in Laos.
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 Apart from observing the massive trees and the serenity of nature, there are fascinating caves waiting to be explored, including the beautiful Lobphai Cave.
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There are many officially designated tourist sites in Xayaboury Province but due poor road access, reaching tourist sites is difficult and dangerous, particularly during the wet season.
However, provincial authorities plan to build a road to the forest in an effort to bring development to impoverished Phieng District. Mr Chanthi stressed that it is essential to build roads to make more of the sites accessible.
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Due to poor road conditions, Mr Chanti urges anyone who is looking to visit the forest to plan ahead and contact the Phieng District Information, Culture and Tourism Office to find out current road hazards.
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“The provincial authorities plan to build a dirt road to the forest because there is no road access at present,” Mr Chanthi has stated. “Construction will start this year and then district authorities will officially open the forest area as a new tourist site. Locals and foreigners can visit at any time, but don’t forget to contact the Phieng district Information, Culture and Tourism Office so that officials can provide help”.
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SOURCE - Laotianpost

#Thailand - Prostitution bust ‘requires Article 44’

Police escort five suspects linked to the Mae Hong Son |prostitution scandal from Bangkok’s Thung Song Hong Police Station to Ratchadapisek Criminal Court to apply for the first 12-day detention period yesterday morning.

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District chiefs fear offical meddling in probe

THE FEDERATION of Assistant District Chiefs of Thailand filed a petition at Government House yesterday for Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to use his absolute power under Article 44 of the interim constitution to deal with civil servants involved in the Mae Hong Son underage prostitution scandal.

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The group, led by federation chairman Boonyarit Nipawanit, claimed that the use of normal laws would cause delays and might risk interference by local influential figures. He urged authorities to punish supervisors who were guilty of dereliction of duty or negligence allowing such crimes to take place, as well as officials directly involved in the racket or patronising underage prostitutes. They said that if the case was tackled seriously it could lead to the end of the unofficial tradition of sex services being offered to senior officials. Lawyer Kerdpol Kaewkerd, who represented victims of the prostitution ring and accompanied Boonyarit yesterday, said the government should expedite legal action in the case as there had been attempts to interfere with the work of police investigators by trying to tamper with evidence and witnesses who were not being provided protection. 

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 Kerdpol said that if the investigation was prolonged the victims might lose interest in fighting the case as they would feel that they would not receive justice.

Meanwhile, Phrae deputy governor Wirun Panthewee said he had been at a party to welcome Suebsak Iamwichan last year as he took his position as Mae Hong Son governor, adding the festivities were normal without any suspicious activity. 

Suebsak is being questioned by an Interior Ministry disciplinary panel over his alleged involvement in the case although he maintains that he was innocent. 

Wirun urged the public to not spread rumours about Mae Hong Son people or treat accused officials including Suebsak unfairly unless they are proven guilty. 

Meanwhile, five human-trafficking suspects allegedly involved in the prostitution ring were brought to Bangkok’s Ratchadaphisek Criminal Court yesterday to apply for their first 12-day detention period pending police investigation. 

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 Police opposed their release on bail on the grounds that the case carried a heavy punishment and there was a risk of them tampering with evidence and witnesses.

Anti-Human Trafficking Division (AHTD) chief Pol Maj Gen Kornchai Klayklueng told a yesterday press conference that he believed all involved in human trafficking crime in the ring were already identified – as per the teenage girl’s mother’s testimony that the racket had eight teams under suspect Pol Senior Sgt Major Yutthachai Thongchat. 

Kornchai said local police had 36 complaints and arrested three police officers wanted for the charge of gang rape of a minor, while AHTD had one case with eight suspects, all in custody. He affirmed police would check all points including the identity and involvement of a man called Uncle Pan whose Line chat leakage led to the complaint. 

He said the lie detection device use on victims or suspects were to show sincerity and required them to sign consents first. 

To a witness’s claim a man resembled governor took a girl under 18 to have sex on the night of welcoming party last year, he said it was a heresy, not a direct testimony of the girl in question hence the girl should file the complaint to have police probed it.

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Scrutiny of Mae Hong Son suspects 
 Group 1 
The three suspects in custody for whom a court issued arrest warrants on charges including conspiracy to commit human trafficking to benefit from prostitution. They include Pol Senior Sgt-Major Yutthachai Thongchat of Mae Hong Son’s Nam Piang Din Police Station, who was dismissed from the civil service.
Group 2
The five suspects in custody on charges including conspiracy to commit human trafficking to benefit from prostitution. They are one 30-year-old man and four women aged from 22 to 40.
Group 3
Three police officer suspects attached to Kong Koi police station in Mae Hong Son’s Sop Moei district facing charges of gang rape of a minor linked to the prostitution ring. They have also been dismissed from the civil service due to the alleged breach of discipline.
Group 4 
The five police suspects and one public school teacher accused of buying sex services from the prostitution ring. Previous police applications for arrest warrants were turned down twice on the grounds that they were civil servants with known addresses and were not a flight risk. The court suggested that summonses be issued for them instead.
Group 5
Police are trying to locate six men, including two military officers, a public health official and a district highway official, who are accused of buying sexual services from the prostitution ring.
Persons of interest
Mae Hong Song governor Suebsak Iamwichan is being questioned by an Interior Ministry panel over his alleged involvement. 
The mother of one of the victims this week has also filed a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division against Mae Hong Song police chief Pol Maj-General Preecha imonchaijit, Muang Mae Hong Son precinct superintendent Somkiat Sawngsuk and other officers who served on a disciplinary panel reviewing Yutthachai’s behaviour. 
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Source - TheNation
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#Thailand - ‘Clear evidence’ against Mae Hong Son governor in prostitution scandal

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There is clear evidence against Mae Hong Song Governor Suebsak Iamwichan, who is accused of buying sexual services from a minor, according to police.

Deputy national police commissioner Lt-General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said on Thursday that police already had clear evidence in hand but could not release details at this point. 

“There is no need to summon him for questioning for the time being because he is already facing a probe by the Interior Ministry,” Srivara said. 

Suebsak has denied any wrongdoing, saying that he had evidence to prove his innocence. 

Source - TheNation

Cash Will No Longer Be Accepted for Tax Payments in #Laos

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According to the Minister of Finance, Mr Somdy Douangdy, several new systems have been installed to ensure tax payments can be processed through banking systems and digital technologies, allowing government tax officers to relinquish receiving tax payments in cash directly from taxpayers.

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Addressing questions raised by people’s representatives, Mr Somdy gave a briefing on the methods and measures in managing revenue collection, that have been devised and implemented by the ministry to prevent revenue leakage and maintain that applicable regulations are obeyed.

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As of 2016, the Ministry of Finance has developed custom and tax payment instruments to ensure entrepreneurs can pay customs and taxes conveniently. 

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These include Smart tax, Smart VAT, which can be used to settle tax payment when passing border checkpoints, and other bank-based tax payment systems.

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The ministry is currently working on expanding several technologies to make it more convenient to pay taxes and fees through ATMs and smartphones, preventing tax officers from directly receiving taxes in cash.

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The ministry is increasing revenue sources,  suggesting entrepreneurs to inspect bookkeeping, installing tax devices, promoting cash registration at hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, and establishing a revenue management database.

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These revenue source expansion endeavors are funded with a soft loan from the Republic of Korea and will take around two years to complete.

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source - Laotiontimes

Travel journal: a trip to Kawthaung, #Myanmar (Burma)

Yes, tour guides ware biased. Very biased. But according to them, Myanmar’s southern islands are far more beautiful than anything Thailand has to offer. 

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 So why are they still so empty?

There’s the most obvious reason – the region was closed-off to the outside world for many years.
But according to Ye Zaw, the southern part of Myanmar is experiencing all sorts of teething problems around catering for tourists, both local and international.
He gave an example – while a beachside bar on a Thai island is all about the natural setting, providing a lost-at-sea ambiance, Myanmar bars down south are more concerned with … air conditioning.
“Visitors have air conditioners in their home, you know. They come to the islands to feel nature,” he said.
On a recent trip to Kawthaung, I visited five islands: Thahtay Island, Zadetkyi Island, Horse Shoe Island, Dunkin Island and Cocks Comb Island.
As with any adventure, preparation is essential. But – in typical Myanmar style – we made the decision to travel in haste.
We planned to stock up on supplies once we arrived, but much to our surprise, every store in Kawthaung has items price-tagged with Thai baht. With the current exchange rate, this made the area surprisingly expensive.
First up we decided to see what was on offer around Kawthaung City. This included a monument to the storied King Bayint Naung (a monarch who assembled one of the largest empires in the history of Southeast Asia) and a five kilometre shoreline that was brimming with mud. Suffice it to say, we indulged in a bit of shopping instead.
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We took a speed boat from Kawthaung jetty to the islands the following morning. An initial warning was a valuable one – our tour guide instructed us not to pick any sea shells as souvenirs because they are an integral part of the ecosystem. Full marks for the environmental awareness.
Then came my very first experience at snorkelling at Horse Shoe Island. As a Yangon native, I’d only ever been in a swimming pool. So I was pretty nervous about the initial jump into the sea.
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But that first plunge into cold seawater was a feeling I’ll never forget.
Once in, the guides directed us around the underwater sights – a kaleidoscope of fish, plants and coral. The 30-minute session was like being in another world.
Our next stop was lunch on Dunkin Island. It was the definition of paradise. The sea was a radiant blue and the white sands were totally unspoiled – not even one piece of trash (perhaps the only such location in Myanmar!).
Then came a very important Myanmar tradition. Lots of selfies.
Nearby Cocks Comb Island is more unique than the others. From the air it looks almost heart-shaped.
The entrance to the island is through the mouth of a cave. This can only be traversed at an ideal tide. The cave walls almost consumed us as we floated through.
Once inside, we admired the geographic features and resident sea urchins while staying on board.
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But the highlight was yet to come. Zadetkyi Island provided the most beautiful underwater sightseeing so far. I could have spent a lifetime floating among the fish under the warm sun.
There were even Nemo-esque clownfish among structural marvels of reefs.
But soon enough our island adventure had come to an end. Was it worth the very hefty K160,000 price tag? In my opinion, yes it was.
As businesses become savvier to the potential down south, the region will likely become a major tourist draw card in the years ahead.
My advice? Get down there now to hang out with those clownfish all by yourself.
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Source - mmtimes

 

Thailand - New work permit rules make for an uncertain May Day for migrant workers

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WORKING IN Thailand is becoming harder and more expensive for unskilled migrant workers from neighboring countries after the government imposed tougher policies addressing illegal |immigration.

Residing in the Kingdom for more than 12 years, 28-year-old Ei Dhan Dar from Myamar has already adapted to Thai society and can speak the language |fluently.

But despite her integration into society, she said she felt increasingly uncertain about her future in Thailand, since tough new regulations to register for work permits were issued, which entail a difficult and expensive process.

“Recently, I had to spend nearly Bt10,000 for the work permit registration fee and other related costs just to make my status legal, but I only earn Bt300 salary per day. It’s like we work hard to pay Thai bureaucrats and we are getting poorer in Thailand,” she said.

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“As I’ve lived in this country for a long time, I now feel that I have a bond with Thailand and I always hope that one day I can live comfortably in this country, but now I am not sure about this dream.”

Ei Dhan Dar is just one among hundreds of thousand migrant workers who have struggled to legalise their work status.

Labour Rights Promotion Network Foundation coordinator Surachai Mintun said his organisation had received many calls for help from migrant workers across the country, who had problems with the recent migrant worker registration, including some who were facing deportation.

“There are so many workers having problems with the registration because the regulation is unclear, specifies too short a period to register for a work permit, and lacks information for applicants,” Surachai said.

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According to the rule implemented this year, migrant workers who hold temporary pink identification cards have to register certificates of identity to get a passport and Thai visa, and then they have to register for a work permit within 15 days. If they fail to register within that period, their status will be illegal and they will be |subject to deportation.

The government cancelled its recognition of the temporary pink identification cards for migrant workers nationwide on March 31, requiring migrant workers to hold valid visas and work permits. There were an estimated 1.3 million migrant workers holding the temporary pink identification cards.

As a result of the rule, Surachai said migrant workers faced two major issues. First, many workers were unable to register for the work permit in time for various reasons, so even if they were |legally registered with authorities and holding a Thai visa, they |suddenly risked arrest and faced deportation.

The second problem is the cost of registration. Although the official cost was only Bt910, Surachai said, many workers had to employ an agent because the entire process was complicated and slow, which could cost as much as Bt10,000.

“It is very hard for workers to register by themselves because many of them cannot communicate in Thai and have limited knowledge about the bureaucratic procedures, so registering through an agent is the easiest way, but there is an extra financial burden,” he said.

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The tough new regulations are justified as an effort to tackle human trafficking and illegal migrant workers by the Labour Ministry.

Labour Ministry deputy permanent secretary Varanon Peetiwan has said the government wants to control the entire migrant labour system, meaning that all migrant workers should be brought to Thailand under the memorandum of understanding (MOU) system only.

Sakultara Bhupornwiwat, owner of a Samut Songkram squid processing factory, said she would like the government to reconsider the policy, because the MOU system was unreliable and unsuitable in practice.

“If I want to import workers via the MOU system, I have to pay a large amount of money first before the agent will recruit workers for me and there is no guarantee that I’ll get the workers. The business cannot rely on that,” Sakultara said.

“Moreover, the workers in the MOU system have to pay more than Bt10,000 in their home countries just to apply to work in Thailand. They cannot afford such an expensive fee. If they could pay that amount of money, why would they want to work in unskilled jobs in Thailand in the first place?”

She said that if the situation remained unchanged under the new policy, there would be a serious shortage of workers in the near future, which would harm not only her business but the country’s economy as a whole.

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Source - TheNation