• 
• 

Published on August 15, 2007

Marohpee Itae, 26, was found dead in front of his house in Rangae district. His body was riddled with AK-47 bullets. He had been granted bail while on trial in a provincial court in connection with violence in the predominantly Muslim region.

Lt-Colonel Suthipong Sophonsukkul, deputy chief of Rangae police, said militants in the same cell as Marohpee might have wanted to silence him so they would not be incriminated in court.

In another incident in Narathiwat yesterday, one person died and three police were injured when a bomb exploded. The bomb was hidden in a motorbike parked at a drug store in Sungai Padi district. Police said the blast also damaged a pickup truck and a sedan.

Bangkok: Panel to probe drug deaths

The Cabinet yesterday officially appointed former attorney-general Khanit na Nakhon as chairman of an independent committee looking into 2,569 drug-related murders during the first Thaksin Shinawatra government. The committee comes with a long official name: "The Independent Committee Inspecting, Studying and Analysing Anti-Narcotics Policies and Implementation that led to Loss of Life and Assets and Injuries to Members of the Public".

The 12-member panel includes Justice Ministry permanent secretary Charan Phakdithanakul, his deputies Kittiphong Kittayarak and Charnchao Chaiyanukij, former senator Kraisak Chonhavan, former crime-buster Wanchai Srinualnat, and Office of Narcotics Control Board secretary-general Kitti Limchaikij.

The others are Thammasat University deputy rector Udom Ratamarit, senior public prosecutor Uthai Arthiwej, Department of Special Investigation deputy chief Tharit Phengdit, senior Corrections Department official Wasan Singkhaselit, and senior officials from the Justice and Foreign ministries.

The panel's main responsibilities include fact-finding into murders and identifying the killers. It is also tasked with working out compensations for victims' families. The panel is authorised to summon state officials and individuals for interviews, and call for evidence from state agencies.

Bangkok: We have to pay up: Apirak

The fire-truck purchase deal by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration was completely legal and the BMA was obliged to comply, Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said yesterday. He was defending his order for payment of Bt777.44 million to Austrian manufacturer Steyr Daimler Puch on August 10, saying the BMA would breach the deal if it refuses to pay.

Singapore :Thai fined for smoking on jet

She was on a budget airline, but the flight ended up costing her a lot more than she had bargained for. Thai national Suparat Daorung, 24, was fined S$1,000 (Bt22,200) for smoking in an aircraft toilet on Monday. She had been on a Tiger Airways flight from Bangkok to Singapore last Saturday when a crew member smelt cigarette smoke coming from a toilet. Suparat was then spotted leaving the toilet.