By Kongpob Areerat |
<p dir="ltr">In a bid to lure investors, Thailand’s junta plans to evict some 300 citizens from their homes to construct a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the southern province of Songkhla. While the military’s development plans could boost a stalled economy, the country’s poor are paying the price.</p>
<p></p>
<div>
<div>The junta’s draft charter referendum faced an epic struggle over the past weekend as the voter lists across the country were spoiled by kids, monkeys and rain.
</div></div>
<div>Fully armed soldiers guarded state electricity executives during their visit to a controversial coal-fired power plant project in Thailand’s restive Deep South amid opposition from the local community.</div>
<p>On Wednesday, 13 July 2016, armed troops and Humvees were sent to guard executives of the state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) during their visit to the site of a coal-fired power plant project in Thepha District, Songkhla Province.</p>
<div>
<div>Civil society and student activists have rallied at military bases in Bangkok and the southern province of Songkhla after the military recently asked a university to silence academics who oppose a coal-fired power plant. Southern civil society also accused the military of being biased in favour of investors.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The Commander of the 42nd Military Circle recently submitted a letter asking the President of Prince of Songkla University to ‘educate’ opponents of a controversial coal-fired power plant under construction in the southern province of Songkhla.
</div></div>
<p>The fishery authority in the southern province of Songkhla concealed the existence of illegal fishing from European Union officials out of fear of that fishery exports would be cut. </p>
<div><span><a href="http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1418018631&typecate=06&section=">Khaosod English </a>— A military spokesperson has dismissed rumours that security officers locked a group of women and children inside a mosque while they searching for potential insurgents in the southern province of Songkhla last week. </span></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Col.
</div>
<p>Activists from Thailand’s restive Deep South voiced concerns that the security measures in which a whole village was surrounded and villagers detained could lead to further violence after reported confrontations between security officers and alleged southern insurgents.</p>
<p>A confrontation between the security forces and about eight members of an alleged insurgent group reportedly started around Thursday noon in Saba Yoi District of Songkhla. The 20-minute skirmish left two police officers injured.</p>