Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej dies, at 88

Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, has died after 70 years on the throne, the palace says.

The king, 88, was widely revered in Thailand. He was seen as a stabilising figure in a country hit by cycles of political turmoil and multiple coups.He had been in poor health in recent years and made few public appearances.

The king's death comes as Thailand remains under military rule following a coup in 2014.The palace had warned on Sunday that the king's health was “not stable”.

Many Thais had been wearing pink to try to bring good luck to the ailing monarch. Hundreds of people had gathered outside the hospital where he was being treated.

“His Majesty has passed away at Siriraj Hospital peacefully,”the palace statement said, adding he died at 15:52 (08:52 GMT).

Parliament is to hold a special session at 21:00 local time (14:00 GMT).King Bhumibol's heir-apparent is 63-year-old Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, who does not attract the same level of affection as his father.Strict lese-majeste laws mean public discussion of the succession are punishable by lengthy jail terms.

Given the pivotal role the king has played in maintaining the balance of power in Thailand's volatile political environment, the succession will be a formidable challenge for the government, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok.

King Bhumibol, who was born in Cambridge in the US state of Massachusetts, acceded to the throne on 9 June 1946 after his brother, King Ananda Mahidol, died.

Though a constitutional monarch with limited powers, King Bhumibol was regarded by many Thais as semi-divine. They looked to him to intervene in times of high tension.

He was seen as a unifying and calming influence through numerous coups and 20 constitutions.

However, his critics argued he had endorsed military takeovers and at times had failed to speak out against human rights abuses.

Duminda receiving undue privileges

Parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra said she had filed a complaint with the Prisons Commissioner regarding undue privileges granted to former parliamentarian Duminda Silva, incarcerated for the murder of her father.

Speaking to News Online, the Premachandra said she had received reports that some of the officers and jailors within the prison were helping Duminda Silva by according him with various advantages and privileges. “For instance,” she said, “A person sentenced to death can only see family members once a week.”

“However, we received reports that Duminda Silva is receiving family members very frequently.”

“Just yesterday, he was visited five times by his family,” the parliamentarian charged.

“This situation should be looked into,” she said. “Whatever position they may hold outside of prison, once sentenced, all death row prisoners must be treated the same way.

If they are allowing him unfair advantages, then the other prisoners on the death row must be afforded the same.”

“I don’t know what illness Duminda is suffering from,” she said, referring to reports that the former MP was moved to the prison hospital last week, with a viral fever, “but whatever the illness, and even while in hospital he is not allowed to receive undue privileges.”

“I am saying this because I am 100% aware of the situation,” she said.

When asked to comment on the former MP’s appeal to the Colombo High Court, that the verdict made sentencing him to death be set aside, she said, “Anyone can appeal their sentence - that is their right, we cannot stop them.”

“But I will watch this appeal very closely,” she said,

“Just as I have watched and worked on this case, the past five years.”

Court bans sale of Sajin’s Property

Mount Lavinia Magistrate Mohomed Shahabdeen issued an order yesterday prohibiting the sale of a property down Templar's Road , Mt. Lavinia, that...... has been mortgaged to a bank and was put on sale by the bank to recover defaulted mortgage commitments.

The property purportedly belonging to ex-MP SajinVaas Gunawardena, was mortgaged to the bank by a property development company after it was purchased for Rs 163 million.

The sale of a property, 309 perches in extent at Soysa Mawatha , Templars Road , Mt. Lavinia purchased by Asian Cotton Mills too was similarly prohibited by another Court Order.This land was mortgaged by Asian Cotton Mills to a bank after it was purchased . But this property had been sold outright according to a complaint received by the FCID which has launched a probe into the transaction.

Following a request by the FCID , the Land Registrar had issued an order forbidding the transfer of the land under reference.

CMC fuel fraud comes to light

The Kotahena Police took into custody some individuals who attempted to sell 400 litres of Diesel, from a Dimo 'Batta' vehicle, to a private fuel shed in the city of Colombo itself, which had been stolen from a fuel shed at Campbell Park belonging to the Colombo Municipal Council, at Rs 70 per litre.

This stock of diesel had been taken to Kotahena in a Dimo 'Batta' vehicle, bearing number WP PS 3337, owned by the Mihindu Mawatha Office of the Colombo Municipal Council, on 7 October at about 7:00 p.m.

At present three connected to this incident including two employees of the fuel shed at Campbell Park in Borella and a driver of the Colombo Mihindu Mawatha Municipal Office have been interdicted by the Colombo Municipal Commissioner V. K. A. Anura, with immediate effect.

In reply to an inquiry made from the Municipal Commissioner V. K. A. Anura by Ceylon Today regarding the interdiction of three workers, he said that the interdiction in connection with the Diesel fraud was made based on a report issued by the Officer-In-Charge of the Borella Police.

The three suspects were scheduled to be produced in Court yesterday (12).

Meanwhile, there is whispered conversation throughout the Colombo Municipal Council that when an investigation was carried out into the fuel stocks at the Campbell Park fuel shed in Borella by the Internal Audit Investigation Unit of the Colombo Municipal Council no shortage had been found.

Anyhow, a Municipal Councillor of the United People's Freedom Alliance who wished to remain anonymous told Ceylon Today that this fuel of 400 litres had been collected from Lorries and Tippers including other vehicles of the Colombo Municipal Council over a period of time and had been prepared to be sold off at once. The same Councillor said that there had been an agreement to sell each litre of this stolen stock of diesel, at Rs 70.

Sexual harassment of policewomen by their male

The National Police Commission (NPC) yesterday said that a new mechanism had been put in place to tackle sexual harassment of policewomen by their male counterparts.

Addressing the media at the NPC, BMICH premises, Secretary to the institution N. Ariyadasa Cooray explained that a senior woman law enforcement officer had been designated for each province to receive complaints.

Both Cooray and NPC Chairman Prof. Siri Hettige discussed measures taken to improve safety and security and also facilitate inquiry in case of sexual harassment (SF).

Over 500,000 affected by drought

The ongoing drought has severely restricted the water supply to about 550,000 people the areas of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Moneragala, Hambantota and Ampara.

“The Disaster Management Ministry will provide drinking water to those who have been most affected by the drought,” Disaster Management Ministry Secretary, S. S. Miyanawala said at a press conference at the ministry yesterday.

"Disaster Management Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa visited four districts and met with the divisional secretariats recently to discuss plans to mitigate the drought damage,” he said.

The Treasury has allocated Rs. 25 million to each affected district to satisfy the needs and wants of those suffering from the drought. While there is a shortage of drinking water in many parts of Sri Lanka, the country’s agricultural output is very much at risk.

It is estimated that between 25-30 percent of paddy cultivation will be damaged by the drought, while the harvest as a whole is predicted to decrease by up to 20 percent.

“Huge amounts of water are being consumed in the fields of agriculture. Because of the water crisis, the farmers have been informed to limit their water usage,” the secretary said

“Water is being consumed the most in the field of agriculture and because of the drought and the water crisis the farmers have been informed to control the usage of the water,” Agricultural Department Secretary, B. Wijayarathne said.Despite these troubles, Govi Sathiya scheduled to take place between October 8-16 will continue.

The lack of water is also straining the country’s electricity sector. Low river volume means that hydropower installations produce less energy.

“Instead of generating power from water sources, we are using the Norochcholai coal power plant to supply electricity,” Ceylon Electricity Board Chairman Anura Wijayapala said. He added that about 50 percent of the country’s electricity is currently being produced by the Norochcholai plant.

Furthermore, demand for electricity is increasing due to the hot, dry conditions across most of the country.

While there was much cause for alarm at the press conference, rain is expected in many districts within the next two or three days.

Full statement by CB on Treasury Bond scandal soon

Acting Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Minister Karunaratne Paranavithana said the Central Bank would release a full statement on the scandal surrounding bond trader, Perpetual Treasuries in the near future.

Addressing the weekly Cabinet briefing yesterday at the Government Information Department, Paranavithana said the issue was not discussed in Cabinet and that it was up to the Central Bank, the regulatory authority, to make a final decision on the matter.

Perpetual Treasuries, owned by former Central Bank Governor, Arjuna Mahendra’s son-in law, caused controversy this month when it made a phenomenal post-tax profit of over Rs 5 billion in the year ending March 2016; much ahead of the competition.

An online publication in the meantime which leaked a draft investigation into Perpetual Treasuries Ltd. that stated that Central Bank did find that the company had made extraordinary profits from unusually large volumes of Treasury bonds allocated to it at high yields during the tenure of the former Central Bank Governor.

The Central Bank since then has called the report ‘unauthorized’ and has called for law enforcement to investigate into the leak. The scam is said to be one of the biggest in Sri Lanka’s financial history.

Meanwhile, the Central Bank is to complain to the CID regarding the leaking of Bank’s secret financial information to the public through devious means requesting a probe into the matter.

Since this unofficial release of Central Bank’s secret information posed a serious threat to the country’s financial status. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to summon the finance committee to discuss this matter soon after his return from his visit to Brussels, informed sources said. It is reported that several important decisions would be taken to prevent this type of leakage of vital financial information.

Sources said that due to this leakage of information several foreign banks and financial institutions planning to invest in the proposed financial city project have decided to reconsider their decision. The Prime Minister has already held several rounds of talks with the Central Bank Governor over this issue and the Governor’s complaint to the CID is a direct outcome of these discussions.

The Central Bank is planning to take stern action against those individuals responsible for this leaking of information irrespective of their position or status it is reliably learnt.

Independent commissions should be devoid of political agendas

President Maithripala Sirisena says the independent commissions have been established to strengthen freedom, democracy and human rights in the country. 

They should refrain from political agendas and work hard to establish a country free of corruption and malpractices.   There is an accepted procedure to investigate complaints and the law should be equal for all.
The President made these observation at a ceremony held in Colombo to distribute housing and land deeds to war hero families.

The President further said that members of three armed forces should not be exploited to gain political mileage. He stressed that he did not leave room to weaken the security forces or to discredit war heroes. As the defence minister he does not agree with the recent procedure that took former defence secretary and three former navy commanders before courts. The President is totally against in influencing the judiciary, independent commissions and judges.

The President said he will never order to set free the political supports who are suspected of severe crimes such as rape and robberies.   The President stressed his commitment to protect democracy and the rights of the people.  The President pointed out that he is ready to give up powers at any times.