Weekly roundup Feb 3

Man caught with weapons at protest site later revealed as PDRC supporter

Guards of the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) on Friday arrested a man with rifles and bullets, fake car plates and a red shirt ID card at a protest site. It was later found that he was a high-ranking executive at Nok Air, a civil society leader of a patients’ rights network and a PDRC supporter.

They found the suspect in a pick-up truck, with a home-made bomb, knives, live bullets and rifles. The man, whose name was later revealed as Sampart Kulsriroj, told reporters that he likes to collect knives for self-protection and the bullets were legal and belonged to his father.

His Facebook account showed a post which announced that his pick-up truck, the same one found by the PDRC guards, had been stolen while he was using it to carry stuff to sell at the protest sites.

Sampart refused to make any comment regarding the case, and insisted that he was non-partisan and definitely not a red shirt.

Source: http://prachatai.com/journal/2014/02/51549

Provincial court issues arrest warrants against PDRC leaders

Samut Sakhon Provincial Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for anti-government protest leaders Wacharin Chaojean, 47 years old, and Manit Prommet, 50 years old, for obstructing advance polling on February 26.

The authorities used the evidence of images and video clips showing the two leaders ordering protesters to blockade polling stations in Samut Prakan Province. They are the first arrest warrants issued by the courts related to advance polling, where 400,000 voters were blocked from voting.

Source: http://prachatai.com/journal/2014/01/51520

Netizens hold petitions, calling for the Election Commission to resign

A group of Thai Facebook users has gathered over 1,700 signatures to demand the resignation of the Election Commission, as it was perceived as having a political bias and unwilling to organise free and fair elections.

Two representatives of the groups went on Wednesday to present the petitions to Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, the more prominent commissioner among the five. Somchai did not accept the petitions, and later posted on his Facebook page that the two younger representatives of the group “stood above his head,” and criticised this as a sign of disrespect for elders in Thai culture.

Source: http://prachatai.com/journal/2014/01/51486

Students affected by political violence say ‘Respect My Future”

Student groups from five schools near the protest area on Ratchadamnoen Rd. held rallies on Wednesday to call for peaceful protest and no violence. They said their schools have been closed for more than 20 days due to the political situation.

Students from Bowonniwet School, Benjamaborpit School, Satri Witthaya School, Rachaborpit School and Mongkutkasat School held a candlelit vigil near Bang Lamphu, with placards stating “I want to study,” “My future?” and “This would be my first vote.”

The groups said the delayed school graduation date will affect the national admission test, or GAT/PAT, which could determine their university future.

Source: http://prachatai.com/journal/2014/01/51478

Mobile toilets parked at rally sites cause misunderstandings after hidden cameras found

Mobile toilets of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration stirred controversy after hidden cameras were founded in the tissue roll box.

Sukhumbhand Paribatra, Bangkok governor, said that the cameras were meant for the safety for toilet users, and the cameras were not positioned to intrude on users’ privacy.

Source: http://prachatai.com/journal/2014/01/51488

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