Court to query public-health minister's injunction comments

The first trial to decide whether Chaiya's comments are in contempt of court will take place next Wednesday. Earlier this week, the Administrative Court issued an injunction against the orders to remove Dr Wichai Chokewiwat and seven others from the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO).

In response to the injunction, Chaiya vowed to appeal. He said: "If a public-health minister cannot give any order, why should the country have a public-health minister?"

Chaiya also said the Central Administrative Court had no trained judges on its bench and had failed to consider the legal implications in this case. "On its bench are government officials, administrative officials and teachers," he said.

Ruling expected on Monday on 2- and 3-digit lottery case

The Constitution Court on Monday will begin a hearing on two issues based on whether the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) has the authority to rule on graft cases involving ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra. The long-running case concerns the Thaksin government's handling of the two- and three-digit lotteries.

Thaksin's defence team has put forward two arguments on charter provisions - one on the mandate of the AEC and another on its term of duty - to the Supreme Court to reject the authority of the investigative panel set up by leaders of the September 2006 coup. The Supreme Court decided to halt the trial and asked the Constitution Court to rule on the issue.

Train service to resume in deep South today with extra security

Train services in the deep South will resume today, a senior official of the Civilian-Police-Military Task Force said yesterday.

Pol Colonel Worapol Woraphan said security officials would send personnel to man each train.

Services from Hat Yai to Sungai Kolok have been suspended since last weekend after insurgents killed four officials on a train.

Meanwhile, a Muslim man who was taken for questioning by the authorities two months ago was killed in a drive-by shooting in Narathiwat yesterday morning.

Kamaruding Timoh, 36, was shot dead by a man in the back of a pickup truck on the Tanyong Mas-Bango Sato Road in Rangae district at 7.50am. Police said Kamaruding had been riding his motorcycle home after taking his children to school. An 18-year-old student was injured by a stray bullet.

Teachers file suit over noise, language, smell at PAD rally

Teachers at a school near the People's Alliance for Democracy rally site yesterday filed complaints against the co-leaders of the group in the Civil Court for blocking streets, illegally using speakers, using rude language and leaving human waste around the area.

Wattanan Pruantonsai and nine other teachers at Rachawinit School named  said the protesters had violated their rights by blocking public streets, causing inconvenience for the teachers and forcing them to use other routes to reach the school.

The court has scheduled Monday to order an injunction and scheduled August 18 to order the case.