Weekly highlights | Bangkok Post: news

As more bombs were found in Bangkok and Nonthaburi, violence surged in the far South with two more teachers gunned down, resulting in more than 400 schools being closed. Thailand is embroiled in yet another diplomatic mess with Riyadh, and the Viktor Bout mess is yet to be settled. And another bombshell at the Puea Thai party.

The discovery of three unexploded, improvised bombs in Bangkok and Nonthaburi on Wednesday has prompted a further beef up of security in the capital, already tight in the aftermath of a string of M79 grenade attacks.Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the three bombs were intended as a symbolic message to mark the 4th anniversary of the Sept 19 coup in 2006.  He also predicted more attacks on the government in the coming days.The three unexploded bombs were found at the parking lot of The Mall Ngam Wong Wan shopping mall, at the Ministry of Public Health and in front of a school in Phaya Thai district.  All were defused by the bomb squad.The latest incident followed an M79 grenade explosion at the state-run National Broadcasting Serrvice of Thailand (NBT) station on Vibhavadi Rangsit highway on Tuesday Aug  31.  There were no casualties but some cars in the parking lot were damaged.  On Aug 26, an M79 grenade was fired at the King Power duty-free shopping complex on Soi Rangnam, injuring a guard.It was suspected that the same people were responsible for all the bombings in Bangkok and nearby provinces.The opposition Puea Thai party suggested that Wednesday's disco very of the three explosive devices  might be the work of men on the government side,  to be used as an excuse to extend the emergency decree in the capital and neighbouring provinces.  This was categorically denied by the prime minister.Last Friday, the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation placed 464 spots in the capital deemed vulnerable to bomb attacks under special security watch.Special Branch Police commissioner Pol Lt-Gen Trithos Ronnaritviahi said on Thursday that security for the prime minister and  Suthep Thuagsuban, the deputy prime minister for security affairs, had been tightened following intelligence reports that the two men were marked for assassination.The five-point peace plan proposed last week by Puea Thai Party deputy leader Plodprasob Surasvadi  appears to have gone nowhere, with the initial reponse from the government, the media and the public a mixture of endorsement and suspicion.The real problem seems to be from the Puea Thai Party itself. Its members were divided on the idea with the majority of  members, especially the MPs, apparently totally unware of the plan from the start.  The party however endorsed the idea, although Mr Plodprasob himself was fiercely criticised by those who disagreed with it.While welcoming the peace plan and expressing his willingless to meet with the Puea Thai Party to discuss the idea, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the party must first formally endorse the plan and appoint someone with authority to lead the peace talks.Despite the rhetoric from both camps, the peace plan is still just an idea.  There is not even a tentative date for a first meeting between the government and the opposition.Like the peace plan which came out of no where, a bombshell was dropped at the Puea Thai Party on Thursday when Yongyuth Wichaidit, the party leader, offered his resignation.  Mr Yongyuth told reporters that no one had forced him to resign.  However, it was widely suspected that he was asked to step aside by exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who wants a new leader who can do away with the public perception that the party is not loyal to the monarchy.Although legally the party leader, Mr Yongyuth was never more than  a figurehead with no clout over the MPs.  The actual leader has always been Thaksin.Mr Yongyuth’s resignation opened up a race for Puea Thai  leadership.  Among the candidates are former prime minister Gen Chavalit...