Explosions rock Bangkok

BANGKOK: At least three died and 75 people were hurt after a series of explosions that hit Bangkok as political tension rose ahead of a planned massive anti-Thaksin rally today.

The first three explosions went off slightly after 8pm Bangkok time at the Sala Daeng skytrain station just a few metres from where the pro-government supporters were having a shouting match with the anti-government Red Shirts.

Two people were injured, one a Thai and the other a foreigner. Soldiers had been stationed at the skytrain station since Monday when the Red Shirts announced that they had planned to march to Silom, Bangkok’s commercial district.

About half-an-hour later, another two explosions happened where the hundreds of pro-government supporters had gathered, injuring dozens. The blast broke the window of the Au Bon Pan Bakery on the road.

The explosions were caused by grenades fired from M79 grenade launchers. But it was uncertain who had fired them.

There has been rising tensions between the government and anti-government Red Shirts over the past six weeks.

The Government is trying to reclaim the Rajchaprasong district, an upmarket district which the Red Shirts has been occupying since April 4.

Hotels and shopping malls were closed in the area. The Government is under pressure from the business community and pro-government supporters to evict the Red Shirts.

The Red Shirts are on the side of the ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. They are calling for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to step down and call fresh election.

On April 10, when the Thai troops tried to evict the Red Shirts from the Rajdamnoen-Phan Fa bridge area, things turned bloody with 25 dead, including 5 soldiers and more than 800 injured.

The Red Shirts blamed the troops for the incident but the Government fought back by accusing the Red Shirts of having “terrorists” with weapons among them.

Soldiers also told of a third party, a group of well-equipped and well-trained men in black, who emerged and fired at both the Red Shirts and soldiers. - By SHAHANAAZ HABIB/The Star

Ministry wants fish products sent to US to be USFDA-compliant

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PETALING JAYA: All exporters of fishery products to the United States are to register immediately with the Health Ministry to facilitate compliance with the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).

The USFDA has scheduled an inspection mission from July 19 to 30 to ascertain the requirements of the aquaculture products for the US market were met, said a joint statement by the International Trade and Industry Minister and Health Minister.

They said the purpose of the mission was aimed to better understand and evaluate the antibiotic and chemical application regulatory system in aquaculture production in Malaysia, as well as the food safety controls in place.

The mission will involve the inspection of facilities for the entire aquaculture fishery product supply chain for the US market.

This include the processing establishments, aquaculture farms, traders/middlemen, retail/wholesale suppliers of veterinary drugs and feed used.

Malaysia’s total exports of fishery products to US was RM439.9mil in 2009 and RM680.9mil in 2008.

Registration can done by completing the form I/EE/US-1-09 Inform­ation on export establishment of fishery products to the United States. The form can be downloaded from http://fsq.moh.gov.my.

For further information, contact Food Safety and Quality division, Putrajaya, at 03-8883 3558/3505. - The Star

Government may allow refugees to work

PUTRAJAYA: The government is considering allowing the 80,000-odd refugees to work in the country.

The Home Ministry and Wisma Putra are expected to discuss the issue following calls from many sectors asking the government to allow the group to work here while waiting to be resettled in third countries.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hisham-muddin Tun Hussein said the matter was being considered because the refugees’ stay in Malaysia was only temporary.

“The suggestion might work but we need to look at it from all angles.

“The implications need to be made known before we decide. “My ministry cannot decide on this alone. We will engage the Foreign Ministry and probably even foreign missions as well as other relevant authorities to get their views,” he said yesterday.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said the government needed to weigh all the pros and cons before implementing the new policy.

“We have to study this in detail. It will benefit the country if refugees with certain expertise are allowed to work while they are here,” he said.

Several parties, including the Malaysian Trades Union Congress have called on the government to allow refugees to work, particularly in labour-strapped sectors, instead of importing more foreign workers.

This would help to overcome the worker shortage and, at the same time, gain Malaysia international recognition as a humane country.

Refugees who are waiting to be resettled to third countries are not allowed to work but can take on odd-jobs.

The government announced recently that it planned to issue identification cards to refugees so that they would not be arrested as illegal immigrants. - By MAZWIN NIK ANIS/The Star