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History of Cannabis
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Thailand’s Notable
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Guide for Tourists
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Neither Free nor Fair:
  Burma’s Sham Elections



Sex Laws in Thailand:
  Part 1



Renewable Energy
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Transsexuals and
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Foreign Mafia in
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Acknowledgments:
This document was provided to Thailand Law Forum with the help of Chaninat and Leeds. Chaninat and Leeds is a Thailand full service law firm where Thailand prenuptial agreement attorneys work with clients to ensure their assets are well protected.

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‘‘(3) REGULATORY AUTHORITY.—The President is authorized to, and shall as necessary, issue such proclamations, regulations, licenses, and orders and conduct such investigations, as may be necessary to implement the provisions under paragraphs (1) and (2).

‘‘(d) INAPPLICABILITY.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The requirements of subsection (b)(1) and subsection (c)(1) shall not apply to Burmese covered articles and non-Burmese covered articles, respectively, that were previously exported from the United States, including those that accompanied an individual outside the United States for personal use, if they are reimported into the United States by the same person, without having been advanced in value or improved in condition by any process or other means while outside the United States.
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL PROVISION.—The requirements of subsection (c)(1) shall not apply with respect to the importation of non-Burmese covered articles that are imported by or on behalf of an individual for personal use and accompanying an individual upon entry into the United States.
‘‘(e) ENFORCEMENT.—Burmese covered articles or non-Burmese covered articles that are imported into the United States in violation of any prohibition of this Act or any other provision law shall be subject to all applicable seizure and forfeiture laws and criminal and civil laws of the United States to the same extent as any other violation of the customs laws of the United States.

‘‘(f) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—It is the sense of Congress that the President should take the necessary steps to seek to negotiate an international arrangement—similar to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for conflict diamonds—to prevent the trade in Burmese covered articles. Such an international arrangement should create an effective global system of controls and should contain the measures described in subsection (c)(2)(B) (or their functional equivalent).
‘‘(2) KIMBERLEY PROCESS CERTIFICATION SCHEME DEFINED.—
In paragraph (1), the term ‘Kimberley Process Certification Scheme’ has the meaning given the term in section 3(6) of the Clean Diamond Trade Act (Public Law 108–19; 19 U.S.C. 3902(6)).

‘‘(g) REPORT.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE (Junta’s Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008, the President shall transmit to the appropriate congressional committees a report describing what actions the United States has taken during the 60-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of such Act to seek—
‘‘(A) the issuance of a draft waiver decision by the Council for Trade in Goods of the World Trade Organization,
as specified in subsection (b)(3)(A);
‘‘(B) the adoption of a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly, as specified in subsection (b)(3)(B); and
‘‘(C) the negotiation of an international arrangement, as specified in subsection (f)(1).
‘‘(2) UPDATE.—The President shall make continued efforts to seek the items specified in subparagraphs (A), (B), and
(C) of paragraph (1) and shall promptly update the appropriate congressional committees on subsequent developments with respect to these efforts.

‘‘(h) GAO REPORT.—Not later than 14 months after the date of the enactment of the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE (Junta’s Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the effectiveness of the implementation of this section. The Comptroller General shall include in the report any recommendations for improving the administration of this Act.’’.

(b) DURATION OF SANCTIONS.—

(1) CONTINUATION OF IMPORT SANCTIONS.—Subsection (b)
of section 9 of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 (Public Law 108–61; 50 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(4) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—For purposes of this subsection, any reference to section 3(a)(1) shall be deemed to include a reference to section 3A (b)(1) and (c)(1).’’.

(2) RENEWAL RESOLUTIONS.—Subsection (c) of such section is amended by inserting after ‘‘section 3(a)(1)’’ each place it appears the following: ‘‘and section 3A (b)(1) and (c)(1)’’.

(3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by this subsection take effect on the day after the date of the enactment of 5th renewal resolution enacted into law after the date of the enactment of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, or the date of the enactment of this Act, whichever occurs later.
(B) RENEWAL RESOLUTION DEFINED.—In this paragraph, the term ‘‘renewal resolution’’ means a renewal resolution described in section 9(c) of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 that is enacted into law in
accordance with such section.
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 3(b) of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 (Public Law 108–61; 50 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘prohibitions’’ and inserting ‘‘restrictions’’;
(2) by inserting ‘‘or section 3A (b)(1) or (c)(1)’’ after ‘‘this section’’; and
(3) by striking ‘‘a product of Burma’’ and inserting ‘‘subject to such restrictions’’.

SEC. 7. SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE AND POLICY COORDINATOR FOR BURMA.
(a) UNITED STATES SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE AND POLICY COORDINATOR FOR BURMA.—The President shall appoint a Special Representative and Policy Coordinator for Burma, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
(b) RANK.—The Special Representative and Policy Coordinator for Burma appointed under subsection (a) shall have the rank of ambassador and shall hold the office at the pleasure of the President. Except for the position of United States Ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Special Representative
and Policy Coordinator may not simultaneously hold a separate position within the executive branch, including the
Assistant Secretary of State, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, the United States Ambassador to Burma, or the Charge d’affairs to Burma.
(c) DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Special Representative and Policy Coordinator for Burma shall—
(1) promote a comprehensive international effort, including multilateral sanctions, direct dialogue with the SPDC and
democracy advocates, and support for nongovernmental organizations operating in Burma and neighboring countries,
designed to restore civilian democratic rule to Burma and address the urgent humanitarian needs of the Burmese people;
(2) consult broadly, including with the Governments of the People’s Republic of China, India, Thailand, and Japan,
and the member states of ASEAN and the European Union to coordinate policies toward Burma;
(3) assist efforts by the United Nations Special Envoy to secure the release of all political prisoners in Burma and to
promote dialogue between the SPDC and leaders of Burma’s democracy movement, including Aung San Suu Kyi;
(4) consult with Congress on policies relevant to Burma and the future and welfare of all the Burmese people, including refugees; and
(5) coordinate the imposition of Burma sanctions within the United States Government and with the relevant international financial institutions.

SEC. 8. SUPPORT FOR CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY IN BURMA.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President is authorized to assist Burmese democracy activists who are dedicated to nonviolent opposition to the SPDC in their efforts to promote freedom, democracy, and human rights in Burma.
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 to the Secretary of State for fiscal year 2008 to—
(1) provide aid to democracy activists in Burma;
(2) provide aid to individuals and groups conducting democracy programming outside of Burma targeted at a peaceful transition to constitutional democracy inside Burma; and
(3) expand radio and television broadcasting into Burma.

SEC. 9. SUPPORT FOR NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS ADDRESSING THE HUMANITARIAN NEEDS OF THE BURMESE PEOPLE.
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress that the international community should increase support for nongovernmental organizations attempting to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of the Burmese people.
(b) LICENSES FOR HUMANITARIAN OR RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES IN BURMA.—Section 5 of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(a) OPPOSITION TO ASSISTANCE TO BURMA.—’’ before ‘‘The Secretary’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
‘‘(b) LICENSES FOR HUMANITARIAN OR RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES IN BURMA.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to issue multi-year licenses for humanitarian or religious activities in Burma.’’.
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, there are authorized to be appropriated $11,000,000 to the Secretary of State for fiscal year 2008 to support operations by nongovernmental organizations, subject to paragraph (2), designed to address the humanitarian needs of the Burmese people inside Burma and in refugee camps in neighboring countries.

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