A Pakistani passport forger whose fakes may have been sold to Islamic State operatives has been arrested in Thailand, police said Friday, ending a career that helped people slip into Europe illegally.

Mohammad Iqbal, 52, was arrested on January 14 in a Bangkok suburb in possession of Singaporean and Indian fake passports as well as plates and laminates to forge entry visas to France, Italy and Spain.

&quot;He has worked on faking documents for a long time using Thailand as his base,&quot; Commander of the Immigration Bureau Lt-Gen Suttipong Vongpint told reporters in Bangkok.

The arrest is the latest in a series of targeted operations against skilled passport forgers in Thailand as fears over security and immigration have compelled authorities to tackle a shadowy industry that has thrived in the kingdom for decades.

Iqbal, who is believed to have operated from Thailand for more than 10 years, was charged with falsifying passports, visa seals and trafficking of fake passports a few days after police seized him as he pulled into his Bangkok condo on a motorbike.

Earlier this week defence minister Prawit Wongsuwan linked Iqbal to a group selling passports to the Islamic State, also known as ISIS.

&quot;The suspect has falsified visa and passports for the IS group with the attempt to make them travel from the Middle East into Thailand,&quot; he said before adding that the attempts were unsuccessful.

But at Friday&#39;s press conference officials downplayed the IS connections in favor of a portrait of a businessman who welcomed all clients.

&quot;Based on the investigation he will sell to every group, not particularly to IS, he just made them by orders,&quot; Suttipong said.

A typical fake passport would sell for only a few hundred dollars, according to the immigration bureau.

Thailand&#39;s role as a global hub for fake passports came under renewed scrutiny following the 2014 disappearance of Malaysian Airlines MH370.

Two Iranians travelling on European passports bought and modified in Thailand were on board the ill-fated flight.

It is an industry dominated by highly skilled Iranians and Pakistanis serving customers from South Asia, the Middle East and further afield.

Immigration police said Iqbal was affiliated with a shadowy Iranian master forger known as &#39;The Doctor&#39; who sold &#39;Triple A&#39; quality passports to refugees, economic migrants and criminals from a Bangkok suburb for nearly 20 years.

Detectives hailed his 2016 arrest as a major breakthrough in the fight against passport crime - although other forgers have taken his place.

Transient, vast and permissive, Bangkok has for long provided sanctuary for people wanting to disappear or re-invent.

Thailand welcomes visa-free travel to many countries and is Southeast Asia&#39;s best connected transport hub, sharing long, ungovernable borders with Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.

That draws transnational criminals moving everything from people and rare wildlife to drugs, weapons and gems.

Mohammad Iqbal, 52, was arrested on January 14 in a Bangkok suburb in possession of Singaporean and Indian fake passports as well as plates and laminates to forge entry visas to France, Italy and Spain.

A Pakistani passport forger whose fakes may have been sold to Islamic State operatives has been arrested in Thailand, police said Friday, ending a career that helped people slip into Europe illegally. Mohammad Iqbal, 52, was arrested on January 14 in a Bangkok suburb in possession of Singaporean and Indian fake passports as well as plates and laminates to forge entry visas to France, Italy and Spain. "He has worked on faking documents for a long time using Thailand as his base," Commander of the Immigration Bureau Lt-Gen Suttipong Vongpint told reporters in Bangkok. The arrest is the latest in a series of targeted operations against skilled passport forgers in Thailand as fears over security and immigration have compelled authorities to tackle a shadowy industry that has thrived in the kingdom for decades. Iqbal, who is believed to have operated from Thailand for more than 10 years, was charged with falsifying passports, visa seals and trafficking of fake passports a few days after police seized him as he pulled into his Bangkok condo on a motorbike. Earlier this week defence minister Prawit Wongsuwan linked Iqbal to a group selling passports to the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. "The suspect has falsified visa and passports for the IS group with the attempt to make them travel from the Middle East into Thailand," he said before adding that the attempts were unsuccessful. But at Friday's press conference officials downplayed the IS connections in favor of a portrait of a businessman who welcomed all clients. "Based on the investigation he will sell to every group, not particularly to IS, he just made them by orders," Suttipong said. A typical fake passport would sell for only a few hundred dollars, according to the immigration bureau. Thailand's role as a global hub for fake passports came under renewed scrutiny following the 2014 disappearance of Malaysian Airlines MH370. Two Iranians travelling on European passports bought and modified in Thailand were on board the ill-fated flight. It is an industry dominated by highly skilled Iranians and Pakistanis serving customers from South Asia, the Middle East and further afield. Immigration police said Iqbal was affiliated with a shadowy Iranian master forger known as 'The Doctor' who sold 'Triple A' quality passports to refugees, economic migrants and criminals from a Bangkok suburb for nearly 20 years. Detectives hailed his 2016 arrest as a major breakthrough in the fight against passport crime - although other forgers have taken his place. Transient, vast and permissive, Bangkok has for long provided sanctuary for people wanting to disappear or re-invent. Thailand welcomes visa-free travel to many countries and is Southeast Asia's best connected transport hub, sharing long, ungovernable borders with Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. That draws transnational criminals moving everything from people and rare wildlife to drugs, weapons and gems.

Thai cops nab Pakistan passport forger with IS links

Roadside&nbsp;bombs&nbsp;planted by suspected Muslim insurgents in&nbsp;southern Thailand&nbsp;killed one soldier&nbsp;on Thursday (September 14) and&nbsp;wounded&nbsp;20&nbsp;other people, most of them&nbsp;soldiers and police, security forces said.

The blasts occurred in Yala, one of the predominantly ethnic, Malay Muslim provinces in the deep south&nbsp;where a separatist insurgency has dragged on for decades, with more than 6,500 peoplekilled since&nbsp;2004 alone.

The first bomb did not result in any casualties, but the other two&nbsp;killed one&nbsp;soldier&nbsp;and&nbsp;wounded 18&nbsp;soldiers and police and two villagers. As with most violence in&nbsp;Thailand&#39;s&nbsp;deep&nbsp;south, there was no claim of responsibility.

The insurgents are fighting for secession from mostly Buddhist Thailand. Until they were annexed in 1909,&nbsp;Thailand&#39;s&nbsp;three&nbsp;southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat were part of an independent Malay Muslim sultanate.

The blasts occurred in Yala, one of the predominantly ethnic, Malay Muslim provinces in the deepsouth?where a separatist insurgency has dragged on for decades, with more than 6,500 people killed since?2004 alone.

Roadside bombs planted by suspected Muslim insurgents in southern Thailand killed one soldier on Thursday (September 14) and wounded 20 other people, most of them soldiers and police, security forces said. The blasts occurred in Yala, one of the predominantly ethnic, Malay Muslim provinces in the deep south where a separatist insurgency has dragged on for decades, with more than 6,500 peoplekilled since 2004 alone. The first bomb did not result in any casualties, but the other two killed one soldier and wounded 18 soldiers and police and two villagers. As with most violence in Thailand's deep south, there was no claim of responsibility. The insurgents are fighting for secession from mostly Buddhist Thailand. Until they were annexed in 1909, Thailand's three southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat were part of an independent Malay Muslim sultanate.

Thailand: 1 soldier?killed, twenty injured in bomb attack

Thailand&#39;s foreign ministry on Tuesday reassured the international community that the country would increase security at sensitive locations a day after a bomb exploded at a hospital in the capital Bangkok wounding 24 people.

Thailand has been ruled by a junta since a May 2014 coup. The attack on Monday coincided with the third anniversary of the takeover and the army has blamed the incident on groups opposed to military rule.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack which happened at the military-owned Phramongkutklao Hospital.

&quot;Bombs will have an impact anywhere,&quot; Thailand&#39;s Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai told reporters on Tuesday.

&quot;Any action at a hospital violates human rights &hellip; I would like the foreigners to know that security forces are looking after this,&quot; he said.

&quot;We didn&#39;t want this to happen. If we can catch those behind this even better,&quot; he added.

One of the most popular holiday destinations in Southeast Asia, Thailand attracted 32.6 million visitors last year, a rise of nearly 9 percent from the previous year.

The country&#39;s beaches and city destinations continue to lure travelers with Chinese making up the largest group of tourists.

But Thailand has been rocked by attacks, including a series of explosions last year at popular beach locations, which cast a shadow over Thailand&#39;s safety credentials.

The beach attacks killed four people and wounded dozens, a day after Thais voted overwhelmingly to accept a military-backed constitution that critics said would only serve to entrench military power.

Thailand&#39;s military seized power on May 22, 2014 to end months of street action aimed at overthrowing a populist movement that had won several national elections since 2001.

The coup was the 12th military takeover since 1932 when Thailand saw the end of an absolute monarchy.

Junta spokesman Winthai Suvaree said security would be increased following Monday&#39;s attack.

&quot;Any security measures that are not working will need to change,&quot; junta spokesman Winthai told reporters at Bangkok&#39;s Government House.

On May 15, a small bomb went off near the National Theatre in Bangkok&#39;s old quarter, wounding two people. It was not clear who was behind the bomb. An explosion outside a former government lottery office on April 5 wounded two others.

Army chief Chalermchai Sitthisat said on Monday that he believed the two attacks were linked to the hospital attack, adding that the materials used to make the bombs were the same.

(Reuters)

The attack on Monday coincided with the third anniversary of the country's military takeover

Thailand's foreign ministry on Tuesday reassured the international community that the country would increase security at sensitive locations a day after a bomb exploded at a hospital in the capital Bangkok wounding 24 people. Thailand has been ruled by a junta since a May 2014 coup. The attack on Monday coincided with the third anniversary of the takeover and the army has blamed the incident on groups opposed to military rule. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack which happened at the military-owned Phramongkutklao Hospital. "Bombs will have an impact anywhere," Thailand's Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai told reporters on Tuesday. "Any action at a hospital violates human rights … I would like the foreigners to know that security forces are looking after this," he said. "We didn't want this to happen. If we can catch those behind this even better," he added. One of the most popular holiday destinations in Southeast Asia, Thailand attracted 32.6 million visitors last year, a rise of nearly 9 percent from the previous year. The country's beaches and city destinations continue to lure travelers with Chinese making up the largest group of tourists. But Thailand has been rocked by attacks, including a series of explosions last year at popular beach locations, which cast a shadow over Thailand's safety credentials. The beach attacks killed four people and wounded dozens, a day after Thais voted overwhelmingly to accept a military-backed constitution that critics said would only serve to entrench military power. Thailand's military seized power on May 22, 2014 to end months of street action aimed at overthrowing a populist movement that had won several national elections since 2001. The coup was the 12th military takeover since 1932 when Thailand saw the end of an absolute monarchy. Junta spokesman Winthai Suvaree said security would be increased following Monday's attack. "Any security measures that are not working will need to change," junta spokesman Winthai told reporters at Bangkok's Government House. On May 15, a small bomb went off near the National Theatre in Bangkok's old quarter, wounding two people. It was not clear who was behind the bomb. An explosion outside a former government lottery office on April 5 wounded two others. Army chief Chalermchai Sitthisat said on Monday that he believed the two attacks were linked to the hospital attack, adding that the materials used to make the bombs were the same. (Reuters)

Thailand reassures foreigners following Bangkok hospital attack

One side of the temple gate is blocked by cops in blue, the other by rows of bald men in orange -- the frontline of a bizarre stand-off between the Thai state and Buddhist monks that is raising questions of impunity, religion and power.

The&nbsp;Dhammakaya&nbsp;temple&#39;s compound&nbsp;in northern&nbsp;Bangkok&nbsp;has been under siege for two weeks as thousands of officers try to arrest the sect&#39;s 72-year-old spiritual leader.

Phra Dhammachayo, who is accused of colluding in a $33 million embezzlement, is believed to be hiding somewhere on the temple&#39;s sprawling 1,000 acre grounds, an area twice the size of Monaco.

The Thai junta, which has run the country since 2014, has invoked special powers to get him but so far failed spectacularly.

Police were initially led on a merry dance through secret tunnels, empty rooms and even to the fugitive abbot&#39;s quarters -- where they found a bed with pillows arranged under a sheet in a poor imitation of a sleeping person.

But defiant monks and temple followers have now blocked officers from entering the temple and resuming the search.

With the stand-off lurching into farce, the Thai junta that ordered the raid is fast &#39;losing face&#39; and transfixing a public banned from criticising the generals who seized power in a 2014 coup.&nbsp;

&quot;At&nbsp;first&nbsp;this&nbsp;area&nbsp;was&nbsp;controlled&nbsp;by&nbsp;police...&nbsp;but&nbsp;the&nbsp;temple&nbsp;devotees&nbsp;took&nbsp;it&nbsp;back,&quot;&nbsp;Phra Pasura&nbsp;Dantamano,&nbsp;a&nbsp;senior&nbsp;monk,&nbsp;explained&nbsp;after&nbsp;his staff helped&nbsp;sneak&nbsp;reporters&nbsp;inside&nbsp;the&nbsp;compound.

Around him sat&nbsp;rows&nbsp;of&nbsp;monks and disciples chanting mantras in the direction of officers who have ordered them to leave but fear sparking a violent confrontation.

Temple staff,who deny knowledge of the former abbot&#39;s whereabouts, say he is innocent and accuse the junta of launching a politicised witch-hunt.

Inside the compound, where phone service has been cut by authorities, defiant devotees fear authorities are trying dismantle their temple and seize its assets.

&quot;We&nbsp;will&nbsp;stay&nbsp;until&nbsp;we&nbsp;win,&quot;&nbsp;said&nbsp;67-year-old Narin&nbsp;Mingkwan, one of thousands of mostly middle-aged women leading the unlikely holdout.

&nbsp;How much to nirvana?

Founded&nbsp;in&nbsp;1970 the temple&nbsp;has harnessed modern technology and aggressive PR&nbsp;methods to build a cult-like following, &nbsp;and a handsome bank account.&nbsp;

Critics&nbsp;accuse&nbsp;the&nbsp;abbot of&nbsp;distorting&nbsp;traditional&nbsp;Buddhist&nbsp;morality&nbsp;by encouraging materialism and promising spots in the afterlife in exchange for donations.&nbsp;

Beyond the temple&#39;s gates, manicured lawns and tree-lined canals sweep around towering geometric shrines, including one that famously resembles a glittering UFO.

The Dhammakaya campus also boasts a slick &#39;Donation Room&#39; that resembles a bank branch, complete with ATM machines.

Yet devotees&nbsp;deny&nbsp;an obsession with money, insisting the sect is popular because of its accessible meditation methods.

&quot;We have tried to adapt ourselves to the changes of society,&quot; said Phra Pasura&nbsp;Dantamano, a monk tasked with media relations who has been furiously Tweeting out the daily drama.

Junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha insists arresting the abbot is essential to the rule of law in a country where connections and cash frequently shape the justice system.

Experts speculate the temple is however in the junta&#39;s crosshairs for political reasons.

It is rumoured to have close links with former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whose super rich clan win Thai elections but are hated by the army and its elite backers.

Yet the junta&#39;s quest for the abbot appears to be backfiring.&nbsp;

Arresting him by force&nbsp;risks&nbsp;an&nbsp;unholy&nbsp;collision with monks and devotees,&nbsp;scenes that would inflame Buddhists around the world.

But admitting defeat may invite other challenges to the military regime.

&quot;It&#39;s&nbsp;a&nbsp;breakdown&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;system,&quot; Sanitsuda Ekachai, an expert on Thai religion and politics, said of the stalemate. &quot;I really fear for a violent confrontation.&quot;&nbsp;

The junta appears in no mood to retreat and Prayut is convinced the fugitive monk is still inside the temple.

&quot;If&nbsp;he thinks he is innocent then he should come out and fight the case... don&#39;t use faith as a shield,&quot; the junta chief said on Thursday.

(AFP)

&nbsp;

The?Dhammakaya?temple has been under siege for two weeks as thousands of officers try to arrest the sect's 72-year-old spiritual leader

One side of the temple gate is blocked by cops in blue, the other by rows of bald men in orange -- the frontline of a bizarre stand-off between the Thai state and Buddhist monks that is raising questions of impunity, religion and power. The Dhammakaya temple's compound in northern Bangkok has been under siege for two weeks as thousands of officers try to arrest the sect's 72-year-old spiritual leader. Phra Dhammachayo, who is accused of colluding in a $33 million embezzlement, is believed to be hiding somewhere on the temple's sprawling 1,000 acre grounds, an area twice the size of Monaco. The Thai junta, which has run the country since 2014, has invoked special powers to get him but so far failed spectacularly. Police were initially led on a merry dance through secret tunnels, empty rooms and even to the fugitive abbot's quarters -- where they found a bed with pillows arranged under a sheet in a poor imitation of a sleeping person. But defiant monks and temple followers have now blocked officers from entering the temple and resuming the search. With the stand-off lurching into farce, the Thai junta that ordered the raid is fast 'losing face' and transfixing a public banned from criticising the generals who seized power in a 2014 coup. "At first this area was controlled by police... but the temple devotees took it back," Phra Pasura Dantamano, a senior monk, explained after his staff helped sneak reporters inside the compound. Around him sat rows of monks and disciples chanting mantras in the direction of officers who have ordered them to leave but fear sparking a violent confrontation. Temple staff,who deny knowledge of the former abbot's whereabouts, say he is innocent and accuse the junta of launching a politicised witch-hunt. Inside the compound, where phone service has been cut by authorities, defiant devotees fear authorities are trying dismantle their temple and seize its assets. "We will stay until we win," said 67-year-old Narin Mingkwan, one of thousands of mostly middle-aged women leading the unlikely holdout. How much to nirvana? Founded in 1970 the temple has harnessed modern technology and aggressive PR methods to build a cult-like following, and a handsome bank account. Critics accuse the abbot of distorting traditional Buddhist morality by encouraging materialism and promising spots in the afterlife in exchange for donations. Beyond the temple's gates, manicured lawns and tree-lined canals sweep around towering geometric shrines, including one that famously resembles a glittering UFO. The Dhammakaya campus also boasts a slick 'Donation Room' that resembles a bank branch, complete with ATM machines. Yet devotees deny an obsession with money, insisting the sect is popular because of its accessible meditation methods. "We have tried to adapt ourselves to the changes of society," said Phra Pasura Dantamano, a monk tasked with media relations who has been furiously Tweeting out the daily drama. Junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha insists arresting the abbot is essential to the rule of law in a country where connections and cash frequently shape the justice system. Experts speculate the temple is however in the junta's crosshairs for political reasons. It is rumoured to have close links with former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whose super rich clan win Thai elections but are hated by the army and its elite backers. Yet the junta's quest for the abbot appears to be backfiring. Arresting him by force risks an unholy collision with monks and devotees, scenes that would inflame Buddhists around the world. But admitting defeat may invite other challenges to the military regime. "It's a breakdown of the system," Sanitsuda Ekachai, an expert on Thai religion and politics, said of the stalemate. "I really fear for a violent confrontation." The junta appears in no mood to retreat and Prayut is convinced the fugitive monk is still inside the temple. "If he thinks he is innocent then he should come out and fight the case... don't use faith as a shield," the junta chief said on Thursday. (AFP)

Thailand: Monks and Police engaged in temple turf war

A Pakistani man suspected of starting a devastating factory fire in Karachi four years ago that killed 255 people has been arrested in Bangkok, Thai police said Saturday.

Abdul Rehman, 46, was detained at a hotel in the red light district Nana area of the capital on Friday evening, said Thailand&#39;s Interpol chief.&nbsp;

&quot;Thai Interpol tracked this suspect following an arrest warrant sought by the Pakistani authorities,&quot; Major General Apichart Suriboonya told AFP.

&quot;He will be repatriated as soon as Pakistan is ready,&quot; he added.

Apichart said Rehman was suspected of being part of a criminal gang that was extorting the owners of a Karachi garment factory.&nbsp;

The gang burned down the factory when the owners refused to pay seven million baht ($200,000), he said.&nbsp;

The fire at the Ali Enterprises factory in September 2012 was one of Pakistan&#39;s worst industrial disasters.

A judicial probe into the blaze was damning, pointing to a lack of emergency exits, poor safety training for workers, the packing in of machinery and the failure of government inspectors to spot any of these faults.

Initially the fire was believed to be an accident.&nbsp;

A murder case was registered against the factory owners, but it never came to trial.

Earlier this year police said they now believed an extortion gang was behind the blaze, naming Abdul Rehman as the suspect who allegedly lit the fire.&nbsp;

Much of the factory&#39;s garment output went to the German company KIK, who have paid out nearly two million dollars in compensation to the victims&#39; families.

(AFP)

Abdul Rehman is suspected of starting a devastating factory fire in Karachi four years ago that killed 255 people.

A Pakistani man suspected of starting a devastating factory fire in Karachi four years ago that killed 255 people has been arrested in Bangkok, Thai police said Saturday. Abdul Rehman, 46, was detained at a hotel in the red light district Nana area of the capital on Friday evening, said Thailand's Interpol chief. "Thai Interpol tracked this suspect following an arrest warrant sought by the Pakistani authorities," Major General Apichart Suriboonya told AFP. "He will be repatriated as soon as Pakistan is ready," he added. Apichart said Rehman was suspected of being part of a criminal gang that was extorting the owners of a Karachi garment factory. The gang burned down the factory when the owners refused to pay seven million baht ($200,000), he said. The fire at the Ali Enterprises factory in September 2012 was one of Pakistan's worst industrial disasters. A judicial probe into the blaze was damning, pointing to a lack of emergency exits, poor safety training for workers, the packing in of machinery and the failure of government inspectors to spot any of these faults. Initially the fire was believed to be an accident. A murder case was registered against the factory owners, but it never came to trial. Earlier this year police said they now believed an extortion gang was behind the blaze, naming Abdul Rehman as the suspect who allegedly lit the fire. Much of the factory's garment output went to the German company KIK, who have paid out nearly two million dollars in compensation to the victims' families. (AFP)

Thai police arrest suspect in Pakistan factory fire that killed 255 people

It is not your average marketplace, there is an active railway track located right in the midst of a farmers market

The Maeklong Railway Market in Thailand might look like your average farmers market, but amidst the hustle-bustle lies something unique - an active railway track. A train slowly makes its way through the market eight times a day, with food piled up to the track's edge. A warning bell goes off just a few minutes before the train arrives. Within a minute of the warning, vendors pull back their produce and with equal agility put it back on display right after the train departs. Market visits were never so adventurous!

360? Video: Thailand's railway market

A series of bomb blasts in southern Thailand killed four people in the last 24 hours. There are conflicting reports about the number of blasts. News agency AFP says a total of eight explosions have taken place. 
 
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha has called the bombings an attempt to &#39;create chaos&#39;. 
 
The blasts in Surat Thani, the gateway to Thailand&#39;s southern resort islands, killed one woman, officials said, hours after twin blasts in another resort town killed one and injured more than 20. 
 
Provincial governor Wongsiri Promchana said that the bomb, hidden in a flower bed, exploded in front of the marine police offices, killing a municipal worker and injuring another man. 
 
&quot;I think it&#39;s related to the blasts in Hua Hin,&quot; Wongsiri told AFP, referring to the overnight attack in the town that lies further north. 
 
Two bombs had earlier exploded in the Thai seaside resort of Hua Hin on Thursday, killing one woman and injuring 10 people, Thai police said. 
 
The explosions happened ahead of a public holiday on Friday to mark the birthday of Queen Sirikit. Hua Hin is a popular upscale Thai resort south of Bangkok and many people will have gone there for the holiday weekend. 
 
The second bomb exploded near a bar at about 10:20 pm (1320 GMT), killing a Thai woman and injuring eight foreigners and one other Thai person, local deputy police chief Samer Yousamran said. 
 
The injured are being treated at a local hospital, he said. 
 
The first bomb went off about twenty minutes earlier about 50 metres (yards) away from the second bomb, he said. Nobody was injured in the first explosion. 
 
Police are investigating and as yet do not know the motive or the identity of the bombers, he said. 
 
In a separate incident earlier on Thursday, a bomb exploded at a market in the southern Trang province in Thailand, injuring six people, police said. 
 
Police believe that explosion was related to a local dispute. 
 
Thais voted less than a week ago in a referendum to adopt a military-backed constitution, the first test of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha at the ballot box since he seized power in a coup in May 2014. 
 
Thailand&#39;s 88-year-old King Bhumibol Adulayadej, the world&#39;s longest-reigning monarch, and his wife Sirikit are in hospital in Bangkok but have resided in recent years in Hua Hin at the Klai Kangwon Palace royal palace, which translates as &lsquo;Far from Worries Palace&rsquo;. 
 
King Bhumibol has received treatment for an infection over the past month in a Bangkok hospital, the Royal Household Bureau said on Aug. 1. 
 
(Reuters and AFP)

The explosions at resorts injuring many occured ahead of a public holiday on Friday to mark the birthday of Queen Sirikit

A series of bomb blasts in southern Thailand killed four people in the last 24 hours. There are conflicting reports about the number of blasts. News agency AFP says a total of eight explosions have taken place. Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha has called the bombings an attempt to 'create chaos'. The blasts in Surat Thani, the gateway to Thailand's southern resort islands, killed one woman, officials said, hours after twin blasts in another resort town killed one and injured more than 20. Provincial governor Wongsiri Promchana said that the bomb, hidden in a flower bed, exploded in front of the marine police offices, killing a municipal worker and injuring another man. "I think it's related to the blasts in Hua Hin," Wongsiri told AFP, referring to the overnight attack in the town that lies further north. Two bombs had earlier exploded in the Thai seaside resort of Hua Hin on Thursday, killing one woman and injuring 10 people, Thai police said. The explosions happened ahead of a public holiday on Friday to mark the birthday of Queen Sirikit. Hua Hin is a popular upscale Thai resort south of Bangkok and many people will have gone there for the holiday weekend. The second bomb exploded near a bar at about 10:20 pm (1320 GMT), killing a Thai woman and injuring eight foreigners and one other Thai person, local deputy police chief Samer Yousamran said. The injured are being treated at a local hospital, he said. The first bomb went off about twenty minutes earlier about 50 metres (yards) away from the second bomb, he said. Nobody was injured in the first explosion. Police are investigating and as yet do not know the motive or the identity of the bombers, he said. In a separate incident earlier on Thursday, a bomb exploded at a market in the southern Trang province in Thailand, injuring six people, police said. Police believe that explosion was related to a local dispute. Thais voted less than a week ago in a referendum to adopt a military-backed constitution, the first test of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha at the ballot box since he seized power in a coup in May 2014. Thailand's 88-year-old King Bhumibol Adulayadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, and his wife Sirikit are in hospital in Bangkok but have resided in recent years in Hua Hin at the Klai Kangwon Palace royal palace, which translates as ‘Far from Worries Palace’. King Bhumibol has received treatment for an infection over the past month in a Bangkok hospital, the Royal Household Bureau said on Aug. 1. (Reuters and AFP)

Multiple blasts in 24 hours rock Thailand, 4 dead

Thailand&#39;s military government has set up security centres around the country ahead of an August referendum on a new constitution, a spokesman for the government said on Monday. 
 
The centres are the latest measure rolled out by the government as Thailand prepares to vote on a new constitution that critics fear will entrench the military&#39;s influence. 
 
The draft of Thailand&#39;s 20th constitution is to replace one scrapped after a 2014 coup by generals who promised stability in Southeast Asia&#39;s second-biggest economy. 
 
The August&nbsp;7 referendum will be the first real rest of the junta&#39;s popularity since it took power. 
 
A &quot;Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order&quot; has been set up in every one of Thailand&#39;s 76 provinces, said Major General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman for the Thai prime minister&#39;s office, in order to ensure &quot;no cheating, no lobbying and no persuading people to vote one way or another.&quot; 
 
Provincial governors will be responsible for assembling teams to join the centre including police, troops and civilian volunteers. 
 
&quot;We need to ensure peace during the referendum so that people can decide how our country will move forward,&quot; Sansern told Reuters.&nbsp; 
 
Last month,&nbsp;junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha and opposition supporters of ousted populist premier Thaksin Shinawatra both contacted the United Nations after an upsurge in political tension, just a day after police shut down an electoral monitoring centre of the &quot;red shirt&quot; anti-government movement.&nbsp; 
 
The red shirts say the centres are needed to prevent fraud.&nbsp; 
 
Thanawut Wichaidit, a spokesman for the red shirt movement, accused the government of double standards. 
 
 
&quot;We weren&#39;t able to set up our monitoring centres so why should the military government be allowed to set up their centres?&quot; Thanawut told Reuters. 
 
&quot;The military government is blindfolding the electorate and leading their hand to vote in the manner they want.&quot; 
 
Under the proposed charter, a junta-appointed Senate with seats reserved for military commanders would check the powers of elected lawmakers for a five-year transitional period.

(Reuters)

The August?7 referendum will be the first real rest of the junta's popularity since it took power

Thailand's military government has set up security centres around the country ahead of an August referendum on a new constitution, a spokesman for the government said on Monday. The centres are the latest measure rolled out by the government as Thailand prepares to vote on a new constitution that critics fear will entrench the military's influence. The draft of Thailand's 20th constitution is to replace one scrapped after a 2014 coup by generals who promised stability in Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy. The August 7 referendum will be the first real rest of the junta's popularity since it took power. A "Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order" has been set up in every one of Thailand's 76 provinces, said Major General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman for the Thai prime minister's office, in order to ensure "no cheating, no lobbying and no persuading people to vote one way or another." Provincial governors will be responsible for assembling teams to join the centre including police, troops and civilian volunteers. "We need to ensure peace during the referendum so that people can decide how our country will move forward," Sansern told Reuters. Last month, junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha and opposition supporters of ousted populist premier Thaksin Shinawatra both contacted the United Nations after an upsurge in political tension, just a day after police shut down an electoral monitoring centre of the "red shirt" anti-government movement. The red shirts say the centres are needed to prevent fraud. Thanawut Wichaidit, a spokesman for the red shirt movement, accused the government of double standards. "We weren't able to set up our monitoring centres so why should the military government be allowed to set up their centres?" Thanawut told Reuters. "The military government is blindfolding the electorate and leading their hand to vote in the manner they want." Under the proposed charter, a junta-appointed Senate with seats reserved for military commanders would check the powers of elected lawmakers for a five-year transitional period. (Reuters)

Thailand sets up security centres ahead of August referendum

Hundreds of followers of an influential Buddhist leader in Thailand blocked investigators aiming to arrest the abbott on corruption charges at the Dhammakaya Temple north of Bangkok. 
 
The abbot, Phra Dhammachayo, 72,&nbsp;is accused of conspiring to launder money by accepting cash stolen from a credit union. 
 
The controversy over Dhammachayo, in part reflects more than a decade of divisive politics in Thailand, which has permeated all aspects of life, including Buddhism. 
 
Many of his supporters suspect he has been targeted because of perceived links to political opponents of the military-dominated establishment. 
 
Officials from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI)&nbsp;who turned up at&nbsp;Dhammachayo&#39;s Wat Dhammakaya temple complex found rows of followers sitting silently in the rain. 
 
&quot;We got in as far as we could, but were blocked by a group of devotees&nbsp;who, no matter what, would not let us get through,&quot; said DSI deputy chief police major Suriya Singhakamol. 
 
The failed bid to enter the wealthy and influential temple was broadcasted live on national television. 
 
Scores of riot police, who carried no weapons or batons, waited at a nearby government office but were not deployed. 
 
Suriya said a police search warrant was only valid until 6 p.m. (1100 GMT) on Thursday. 
 
He said he was &quot;confident&quot; the abbot remained inside the temple. 
 
&quot;This mission is not over. We still have the arrest warrant so the officials can still work with this warrant,&quot; Suriya added. 
 
Citing ill health, the abbot failed to appear at a police station to answer graft charges in May. 
 
The temple&#39;s spokesman said the abbott was still sick and he will not try to flee. 
 
&quot;Some of the devotees do not listen to anything and they insisted to ask mercy from the officials because Abbott Dhammachayo is still sick, and most importantly, he&#39;s not going to flee,&quot; said Phra Sanitwong Wutthiwangso, the temple spokesman. 
 
His followers reject the accusations against him, saying the charges are politically motivated because of the temple&#39;s perceived links with populist former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. 
 
Respected Buddhist monks are often seen as untouchable and many Thais would frown upon police entering a temple by force. 
 
But others say the repeated failure to arrest the abbot is further proof of Thailand&#39;s culture of impunity - the ease with which the rich and powerful can get away with nearly anything. 
(Reuters)

Buddhist devotees were found meditating in the rain as investigative officers entered the temple to arrest the abbot for corruption charges

Hundreds of followers of an influential Buddhist leader in Thailand blocked investigators aiming to arrest the abbott on corruption charges at the Dhammakaya Temple north of Bangkok. The abbot, Phra Dhammachayo, 72, is accused of conspiring to launder money by accepting cash stolen from a credit union. The controversy over Dhammachayo, in part reflects more than a decade of divisive politics in Thailand, which has permeated all aspects of life, including Buddhism. Many of his supporters suspect he has been targeted because of perceived links to political opponents of the military-dominated establishment. Officials from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) who turned up at Dhammachayo's Wat Dhammakaya temple complex found rows of followers sitting silently in the rain. "We got in as far as we could, but were blocked by a group of devotees who, no matter what, would not let us get through," said DSI deputy chief police major Suriya Singhakamol. The failed bid to enter the wealthy and influential temple was broadcasted live on national television. Scores of riot police, who carried no weapons or batons, waited at a nearby government office but were not deployed. Suriya said a police search warrant was only valid until 6 p.m. (1100 GMT) on Thursday. He said he was "confident" the abbot remained inside the temple. "This mission is not over. We still have the arrest warrant so the officials can still work with this warrant," Suriya added. Citing ill health, the abbot failed to appear at a police station to answer graft charges in May. The temple's spokesman said the abbott was still sick and he will not try to flee. "Some of the devotees do not listen to anything and they insisted to ask mercy from the officials because Abbott Dhammachayo is still sick, and most importantly, he's not going to flee," said Phra Sanitwong Wutthiwangso, the temple spokesman. His followers reject the accusations against him, saying the charges are politically motivated because of the temple's perceived links with populist former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Respected Buddhist monks are often seen as untouchable and many Thais would frown upon police entering a temple by force. But others say the repeated failure to arrest the abbot is further proof of Thailand's culture of impunity - the ease with which the rich and powerful can get away with nearly anything. (Reuters)

Devotees shield Buddhist monk from arrest in Thailand

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