A draft bill seeking amendments to the Criminal Procedures Code to protect women who are witnesses or victims in criminal cases has passed its first reading with a majority vote. However, some concerns were raised about the provisions in the bill which was passed by the House of Representatives. A Democrat MP raised the issue of allowing closed-circuit television or video conferencing in witness examinations, arguing that the judge would not be able to tell if a witness was dictated to or not. He also pointed out that since female police officers were not available in some provinces, having only female interrogators to perform interviews on sexual assault victims was impractical. The Justice Minister, however, defended the bill, saying that female interrogators would be provided by the Royal Thai Police Office to examine female victims in such cases.

Senior industrial officials are seeking to amend the 1969 Factory Act which stipulates regulations for factory construction and operation, expansion and safety. Under the current Act, only the Department of Industrial Works is authorized to carry out inspections. According to Ministry officials, the changes sought would help to accelerate the licensing process and reduce the workload of the Department. Compliance with licensing laws could also be ensured if factory and machinery inspections could be performed by private inspectors. The Factory Act has been revised four times to date - the most recent in 1992, where strict controls on industrial pollution were brought into effect.

The Social Development and Human Security Ministry is proposing a new law to stamp out begging in Thailand, and it is planning a major crackdown on the begging gangs in 13 problem areas in Bangkok. Starting end of May in Bangkok, the clampdown will target gang leaders, those who exploit the disabled, elderly and children, as well as those who use animals to beg. Thai beggars will be reunited with their relatives and jobs would be provided for them; they will also be closely monitored by the officials. Non-Thai nationals will face deportation and would not be allowed to return to Thailand. A Ministry spokesman said that similar clampdowns would follow suit in other provinces at a later date.

The new law proposed to replace martial law in the violence-stricken South will provide a mandate for the Prime Minister and his cabinet to declare emergency zones nationwide, said the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) at a meeting with representatives from various government agencies. The legislation would empower the cabinet to declare an emergency zone in any area in the country. A civilian committee would then be established to handle the situation as well as to put forth measures which could be taken by the government within that zone. Under the new law, emergency situations will be classified as low level, middle level and high level. He gave examples of the emergency classification: low level for areas affected by natural disasters; middle level for situations akin to the situation in the deep South; and high level for situations such as the tsunami disaster or large-scale terrorist attacks. According to the DPM, the Prime Minister could declare an emergency zone and seek the approval from the cabinet later if the Prime Minister could not convene with his cabinet in time. In the case whereby cabinet approval is not granted in the allowed timeframe, the declared zone would revert back to its original status. He added that the law had been drafted as a bill to be promulgated by the Parliament, but the government might consider enacting the law as a decree.

The Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) has announced that a new central law to deal with “uncommon situations” within Thailand would be written by academics, government and security officials as well as the military. Such “uncommon situations” include the violence in the South of Thailand, where martial law is being carried out. This new law could also give security forces legal rights to carry on certain security operations in the southern Muslim-dominated provinces once martial law is lifted. The DPM said that there is a need for a central law which could be enforced anywhere within the country when faced with a crisis or an emergency. Its enforcement, however, would have to be endorsed by the cabinet and during an emergency, the law could only be applied for a limited timeframe by the respective authority. The DPM also said that no one authority would be given unlimited power and that the amount of “power” to be exercised would be decided by the law. He added that the new law would replace martial-law rule in the South but it does not mean that the martial law system would be abolished.

Workers are renewing their calls for an independent occupational safety and health institute to be set up and run by occupational health experts. According to a spokesperson for the group looking after employees with work-related illnesses, many workers have been exposed to health risks at their workplace but they have not received any treatment from occupational health medical experts. The spokesperson also claimed that the authorities have failed to put up measures to prevent work-related accidents in spite of the rapid expansion of industrial factories in Thailand. During 2003-2004, more than 200,000 workers had been injured in work-related accidents. In response, a Labor Ministry Official said that a draft bill for setting up the institute is being considered by the parliament.

A draft bill for conserving fossils in Thailand will be reviewed by the Cabinet in May. Among the issues included in the bill are calls for jail terms of up to 10 years or a one-million-baht fine for unlawful fossil exporters; new zoning rules for fossil excavation; a ban on the export and sale of fossils; and establishing a fossil-management foundation financially independent from the government. The draft, which will authorize the creation of a national registration system and the setting-up of a research center to study and exhibit fossils, will be tabled by a screening committee led by the Deputy Prime Minister. The draft will also allow officials to investigate unlawful fossil digs as well as cases whereby prehistoric relics are used for commercial gain.

A Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) report found that more than 100 large billboards on private property around Bangkok did not pass safety inspections. According to the report, the Bang Kapi district has the highest number of sub-standard signboards, followed by the business district of Bang Rak. Speaking at a talk on hazardous billboards held by the Thai Society of Environmental Journalists, the Bangkok Deputy Governor said that operators made use of the legal loopholes present in the existing building control law to erect these unsafe billboards. He added that billboard operators should pay close attention to public safety awareness and not solely focus on their profits. Under the law, billboards less than 40 meters in height are required to sustain a wind speed of 120 kg per square meter. However, according to the Meteorological Department, the average wind speed in and around Bangkok is 150-190 kg per square meter.

The Culture Ministry is seeking to amend an existing law to counter commercial exploitation of heritage sites, including temples, by hotels and resorts in Thailand. A spokesperson from the Ministry said that changes to prevent the exploitation of Buddhist art, architecture and local wisdom would be proposed. The Ministry will also recommend national heritage sites and apply for patents to protect the intellectual property of Buddhist art and architecture.

A new committee to crack down on Intellectual Property Right (IPR) violations has been set up. Consisting of individuals from 27 companies in industries such as entertainment and software production, the Prevention and Suppression of Intellectual Property Infringement Committee promises to tackle IPR violations as well as the production and distribution of counterfeit goods. One of the main tasks of the committee is to create policies and measures to further suppress IPR violations. The committee will also assist the Police in keeping a close watch on any officials or members of the police force who could be abusing the Intellectual Property Act. The IPR law is one of the key policies in the government’s four-year national economic and social development plan. The plan aims to encourage people to register their ideas and inventions and to regard IPR protection more seriously.

The Democratic Party is seeking support from senators and other political parties to push for a constitutional amendment whereby political parties are prevented from influencing the recruitment processes of influential independent organizations. The Party claims that by preventing political parties from participating in the selection committees which nominate the candidates for Constitution-based organizations, political interference would be minimized. However, the government has objected to the idea of a constitutional amendment, saying that such an amendment was unnecessary.