US-Thailand Commence Annual Cobra Gold Despite Differences

Cobra Gold 2014 by U.S. Pacific Command is 

licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Though the United States sanctioned Thailand in 2014 for its ongoing coup, both countries still hosted the annual Cobra Gold joint military exercises, reports the Bangkok Post.

There had been speculation that the U.S. might cancel the Cobra Gold this year which has been conducted in Thailand for nearly thirty years. 

One expert on Asian security issues, Ian Storey, told the Bangkok Post that cancelling the Cobra Gold wouldn't have been in Washington’s best interests as it could have “created an opportunity for Beijing to strengthen its strategic ties to Bangkok.”

Washington did scale back the number of troops it sent this year, from 4,300 to 3,600, and “refocused” the drills this year on humanitarian civic-action training and non-combatant evacuation drills.

“Cobra Gold is a symbol of long-standing and continuous military cooperation,” said General Wuttinun Leelayudth, Thailand's deputy Supreme Commander, to this year’s attendees. “The training shows transparency in terms of these relationships.”

Read the full story here and here.

Chaninat and Leeds has a team of Thailand investigators experienced and prepared to gather evidence for clients to build their court cases.

Japanese Dad Sues Thai Gov for Surrogate Babies

The Thailand Social Development and Human Security Ministry is being sued by Mitsutoki Shigeta, the Japanese man who fathered at least nine surrogacy babies in Thailand, reports the Bangkok Post.

Vichien Chaovalit, the ministry’s permanent secretary, said he received notice that the lawsuit would be filed by Shigeta’s lawer in the Nonthaburi civil court.

Caninat and Leeds’ Thailand paternity attorneys specialize in representing Thai and international cases in Thailand Family Court. 

The ministry took custody of the babies after police discovered them in a raid. At least nine of the surrogacy babies were fathered by Shigeta.   

Thailand currently doesn’t have any laws expressly governing commercial surrogacy practices, though the Thailand Draft Surrogacy Law is still under review with the National Legislative Assembly.

Read the full story here.

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Police Search for Man being Monitored for Ebola in Thailand Over

“Ebola virus” by CDC Global is licensed under CC BY 2.0

A Sierra Leone citizen visiting Thailand was found after instigating a nationwide search when he didn’t report for mandatory medical checkups, reports the Bangkok Post.

Samuel Sesay, 31, flew into Bangkok on Nov. 13, and was reportedly taken to the Public Health Ministry upon arrival for further medical examination.

Health officials determined that Sesay did not have any Ebola-like symptoms and was healthy, and released him on Nov. 15, according to the Bangkok Post. As an apparent precaution, Sesay was asked to report for daily medical examinations.

The Thai personal injury lawyers at Chaninat and Leeds have a proven record of success assisting international and national clients with personal injury claims cases.

The Royal Thai Police and Immigration Bureau issued an urgent search after receiving a complaint filed by the Bureau of General Communicable Diseases that Sesay reportedly never appeared for further checkups.

According to the Bangkok Post, the man was found on Tuesday, Nov. 25 and left Thailand the same day.

Read the full story here and here.

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Thailand Bureaucracy Corruption: Land Office Tops the List in a New Survey

A recent survey shows that respondents gave the most bribes to land offices in Thailand making it the “most corrupt agency,” according to The Nation.

Faculty of Chulalongkorn University conducted the academic survey in January and February 2014, collecting results from 6,048 heads of Thai households.

Chaninat and Leeds’ Thai real estate lawyers have decades of experience assisting Thai and foreign clients purchase and sale land in Bangkok.

According to the survey, 7.2 percent of the survey respondents said “they were asked for a bribe by officials at land offices whenever contacted for a service,” reports The Nation. The total of bribes accepted by land offices amounted to 1.9 billion baht.

The Nation reports that an official from the Land Department, which oversees over 800 land offices that handle all land sales and purchases in Thailand, said the department is aware of “bad reputation” and is taking steps internally to prevent corruption.

Read the full story here.

Thailand Close To Agreeing Tax Information Sharing Agreement With US

The Thailand Revenue Department has announced that Thailand and the USA have tentatively agreed to a tax information sharing agreement.  Pursuant to the agreement the Thai Revenue Department and the US Treasury will share the financial information of citizens of both countries including banks, mutual funds and life insurance firms.

The USA has been increasing awareness and enforcement of the new Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FACTA). According to the term sof the agreement, Thailand would assist the US in collecting information they need to enforce FACTA with regard to US nationals holding assets outside of the USA. 

Chaninat & Leeds law firm in a Bangkok based full service law firm assisting new and existing commerical ventures with  Thailand company registration 

FACTA is a US federal law which requires Americans, including expatriates (they have no exemption)  to file an annual report to the US Treasury Department, regarding any financial accounts or assets held in foreign countries.

Another 80 countries are in talks with the US regarding similar agreements for tax information sharing.

Thai TV Star Blasts Use of Photo for "Thai Hookers"

A photo of TV star Usanee "Nok" Wattana, taken in 2008 has been published on the front of the book "Thai Hookers 101" reports The Malaysian Chronicle.

However Nok asserts that she never granted permission for the photo to be published on the cover of "Thai Hookers 101 - What You Must Know about Sex and Prostitutes before Coming to Thailand".

 Nok yesterday filed a criminal complaint with the Royal Thai Police Technology Crime Suppression Division against the American author, identified only as "Seven".

On filing the complaint, Nok said "I'm not particularly angry about the photo on the cover because this isn't the first time my photo has been abused for commercial purposes. What makes me furious is the text on the cover and the content, which greatly insult Thai women."

There has been no response so far from the book's author.

Although Thailand copyright law protects the rights of the authors of original literary, musical and artistic works including poetry, movies, songs, novels, computer software and architecture. 

People who are the subject of photos normally have an independent intellectual right to the use of their identity and image according to intellectual property rights attorneys at Chaninat & Leeds. Therefore if Nok's assertions are proven, she may have a case against the publisher for infringement of Nok's rights to protect her image in addition to a claim for  defamation, based on the tarnishing of Nok's image.  

Read the full report here

Cannabis Use in Thailand

Cannabis, also known as marijuana and ganja in Thailand is arguably the most controversial plant in history. Most government and police organizations, view it is a dangerous substance and its users are criminals. To others, the plant is considered to be anything from a fairly benign recreational substance to a miracle plant with a countless medicinal and industrial uses. 

Eric Blair writing for for thailawforum has published an engaging article on the history of cannabis in Thailand.

A little known fact is that Cannabis has historically been used in Southeast Asia as: an ingredient, a condiment in foods, a medicine, and a source of fiber. The most well known historical example of Cannabis being used as a spice in Thailand is the famous boat noodle soup, although using Cannabis as a coking ingredient has long since been outlawed in Thailand. 

 Despite Cannabis being illegal since 1937, many tourist and counter-culture hotspots of Thailand have a large drug tourism scene. Chaninat & Leeds criminal attorney, Phiriya Weerasawadi warns “just because a destination is well-known for marijuana does not mean you won’t get arrested for using. The majority of drug arrest cases come from tourist areas such as Khao San Road and Koh Phangan”.

Read the full article here

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Thailand's Narcotics Laws Part 1 
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