South Dovani

[Zanz]

UPM Terror Closes Schools Across the East
18 July 5636

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Widespread school closures and reduced hours are reported across the eastern provinces today as hundreds of teachers and administrative staff have failed to appear for work following a coordinated terror campaign by Unified People's Militia extremists in response to the government's modernization of the education curriculum.

Pamphlets distributed across the rural provinces bore a likeness of Education Minister Anawin Jantarapong (HP-PA) hanged from a noose and promised death to school workers who appeared in classrooms this week. Authorities in the east have noted an increased incidence of kidnapping reports, with several major headmasters and principals missing in Thasaem and Khamlua, border towns where military presence has increased to stem crime waves believed in large part to be associated with renewed UPM activity.

Reaction to the closures in Udon Nakhon has been swift and varied. Strong Nation Party (SNP) leader Gen. Baroma Rattanakosin called upon the Prasert government to continue the surge of forces into the region, wondering publicly whether the military had been allowed sufficient leeway to enforce necessary measures to counter UPM violence. Former New Elephant Worker's Party (NEWP) prime minister Chandra Srirai expressed concern over the violence but called upon the Prasert government to exercise control in any response to alleged UPM activity. The UPM for its part has published misinformation through its propaganda outlet the Blood Red Path claiming the closures are the result of "spontaneous action" by local educators and staff at the schools.

The Education Ministry announced that it was considering all options to reopen schools in the east.



PHRA RATH (พระรัฐ; Phra State) is a daily broadsheet newspaper and media company headquartered in Udon Nakhon, South Dovani. 
The newspaper has historically been tied to the Hanzenese monarchy and generally adheres to a conservative political stance. 

@PhraRath
#SouthDovani
#AnawinJantarapong
#FourCoreValues
#Education

[GreekIdiot]

Amudim
South Dovani snatches Jelbic made, nuclear powered, Yeudicho IRBM packing submarine in "bargain deal"
November 5637
https://forum.prtcy.com/thread-3-post-7089.html#pid7089

[Zanz]

"Froa-what, now?": South Dovani Did Not Purchase Sub, Gov't Says
17 November 5637 (OOC: Backdated)

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Following assertive protestations from the Wrnukek Politburo yesterday, the government of South Dovani has finally acknowledged reports in Himmelshterner press earlier this month that alleged the sale of a surplus Froahiko IRBM-capable submarine from Himmelshtern to South Dovani.

The acknowledgement of the story, however, came as an outright denial.

"Froa-what, now?" said Nodthakorn Jivacate, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry, when asked about the WJZR demand that South Dovani renege on the sale. "I'm afraid the story there is more about who, exactly, bought that submarine, because it simply wasn't us."

The startling claim was met with audible gasps in the conference press pool. Since the initial reporting by Neset, the Prasert administration has refused to comment on the report, with several spokespersons prior to today stating that they would need to circle back with press on the topic. The Neset reporting claimed that the buyer had been "vetted extensively", a quote that Nodthakorn seized on as the more interesting story, here.

"I think the world deserves to know, and I hope you all will ask, what exactly that vetting process entailed. The Republic of South Dovani has made no purchases from Himmelshtern, now or ever. Who bought that sub?"

International commenters have struggled to interpret the response. Though news outlets and government entities in the former Beiteynu are largely still held to be trustworthy, it is demonstrably true that since the alleged purchase no submarine has been observed delivered to South Dovani. Whether the Prasert administration's own claim denying the purchase could be trusted is another question - the government hangs on a razor edge and faces elections later this month where polling has shown an ascendent right seems poised to fare well. Online message boards have been alight with rumors that South Dovani did purchase the sub and is docking it overseas to avoid scrutiny. When the purchase was first announced, regional states expressed concern over the possibility of an IRBM-capable South Dovanian navy, and a denial is seen by some experts as an attempt to assuage concerns from neighboring states.

"I'm very concerned, very concerned," finished Nodthakorn. "It would seem someone has dragged the reputation of the Republic of South Dovani into what appears to be an international arms proliferation cover up. We had nothing to do with it. Someone ought to look into that."

#FroahikoForSale
#WhoBoughtTheFroahiko
#Froawhat

@UdonNakhonPost

[Wu Han]

South Dovani PM Under Fire for Vulgar Remarks About NEWP Leader
20 July 5636

UDON NAKHON, South Dovani (HNB) – Prime Minister Prasert Thanomchai (UCF-PA) has received criticism following an outburst directed at former Prime Minister Chandra Srirai, leader of the New Elephant Workers’ Party (NEWP). When asked by reporters about Srirai’s recent call for restraint in the government’s response to terrorist threats by the Unified People’s Militia (UPM) in the Eastern provinces, the 80-year-old premier responded with a series of vulgar and inflammatory remarks.

“She’s a sick bitch,” Prasert said, each word cutting through the spittle collected in the corners of his mouth. “A truly deranged, dirty mutt of a bitch. The kind of big bloated bitch you’ve got to put down.”

He went on to accuse Srirai of sympathizing with militants, saying: “Her party is disintegrating under her feet, so she drops to her knees for these degenerate jungle boys? The NEWP has to have better ideas than sucking off terrorists who threaten the lives of our children to bring their party back from its certain death.”

The comments have sparked outrage across the political spectrum, but mostly from the opposition parties which have called for an apology, while raising questions about Prasert’s fitness to lead amid rising tensions in the country’s east.



South Dovani's Foreign Minister Seeks to Strengthen Regional Cooperation
22 July 5636

UDON NAKHON, South Dovani (HNB) – South Dovani’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Konthorn Thabchumpon (UCF-PA), has launched a diplomatic push to establish a new regional intergovernmental organization aimed at deepening economic, political, and security cooperation across Southern Dovani.

Konthorn met with his counterparts in Yerrawa and Kimlien this week to lay the groundwork for what he described as “a forward-looking, homegrown framework for peace, development, and shared sovereignty.” Konthorn intends to meet with leaders of Ntoto, Xsampa, Bianjie, Medina, and Yingdala in the coming months. [/color][color=#323163]The proposal comes amid rising regional uncertainty, with concerns over insurgencies, resource competition, and foreign influence pressing leaders to seek durable multilateral solutions.

Analysts note that Konthorn’s initiative reflects the general effort of successive governments since the 5574 democratization of South Dovani to reposition foreign policy posture from isolation during the communist era to proactive regional and global engagement. Konthorn's efforts have been applauded across the political spectrum, with liberal and left-leaning opposition parties in particular throwing their full support behind stronger, more formalized regional cooperation.



South Dovani Officials "Close to Deal" in Talks to Reopen Schools After UPM Threats 
26 July 5636

NA SAP, South Dovani (HNB) – Government officials, military leaders, and the National Teachers’ Federation have continued their negotiations to reopen schools in South Dovani’s eastern provinces, eight days after a wave of closures caused by threats from the Unified People’s Militia (UPM). The talks follow a surge in UPM-linked violence, including kidnappings and death threats targeting educators over curriculum reforms. Education Ministry officials say any reopening plan will depend on new security protocols and assurances for teacher safety.



The Hanzen News Bureau (สำนักข่าวหัณย์) or HNB, is a not-for-profit news wire agency headquartered in Udon Nakhon, South Dovani, with dispatch offices across the continent of Dovani. The HNB produces news reports that are distributed to major daily newspapers and radio and television broadcasters across the continent.

[Wu Han]

Schools Reopen Under Military Protection in Eastern Provinces
28 July 5636



Na Sap –– Ten days after terrorist threats shuttered schools across the eastern provinces, the government, military and National Teachers’ Federation have reached an agreement to return students to the classroom. Under the agreement, 7,000 additional military personnel and National Police Force officers will be stationed at schools across the region to ensure the protection of students, teachers, and education workers. This deployment comes on top of a recent surge of military personnel into the eastern provinces, which many have described as the largest military presence in the region since the height of the conflict in the 5550s. 

The National Teachers' Federation had ordered a work stoppage on July 18th, following the distribution of Unified People's Militia (UPM) pamphlets and social media posts threatening to murder school workers who appeared in classrooms last week. These threats also came amidst an increase in kidnapping incidents involving school administrators. Education Ministry officials stated at the time that they found the work stoppage "unnecessary," though "understandable in light of the fear caused by terrorist propaganda." 

The UPM has reportedly cited their opposition to the National Unity Curriculum as the reason for the threats against civilians. Education Minister Anawin Jantarapong (HP-PA) was directly targeted in UPM propaganda, with Phra Rath reporting that some UPM pamphlets featured "the likeness" of Anawin hanged from a noose. However, appearing at a school in Khamlua, Minister Anawin was defiant.

"I am a Hanzenese soldier, and my supreme responsibility as a soldier lies with protecting our nation and the rights of 90 million Hanzenese citizens," Anawin said. "Defending our children's education, the foundation upon which the very future of our people depends, is a battle I am duty-bound to fight – and I shall until my final breath."

The Minister also highlighted the enhanced importance of the Youth Readiness Program, a part of the new curriculum which provides students basic training in emergency drills and national service simulations, in light of these recent terrorist threats of violence against the public. Prime Minister Prasert Thanomchai (UCF-PA), for his part, declared that the government would not retreat "one inch" from the implementation of the National Unity Curriculum, and vowed "to disrupt and ultimately defeat these terrorist cells in order to restore harmony among our peoples." 



Hanzen Daily is a major newspaper and online news outlet in South Dovani.

@HanzenDaily
#SouthDovani

[Wu Han]

OOC: Post-dated.


PPU Drops Metzism
6 December 5636

Udon Nakhon –– At the Progressive People Union's (PPU) national conference held this week in Chanburee, party members voted overwhelmingly to amend the party's constitution and policy book in order to remove all references to Metzism or communism. 

The party, which many consider the "spiritual successor" of the South Dovani Communist Unification Party (SDCUP) before it was merged into the Popular Revolutionary People's Alliance in 5542, has sought to break the party's association with the communist period in South Dovani amidst shifting political winds in the Republic that have favoured the right-wing. The party also hopes to stem the flow of its supporters abandoning the party in favour of the new progressive Justice-Green alliance. 

The PPU membership also elected a new leader, Udon Nakhon Teachers' Union president Kanita Rardchawat, who vowed to fight for higher wages for public school teachers and more generous education grants for low-income university students. Party members and supporters are hopeful that, given her stature in public sector organizing, Kanita will attract labour unions to back the PPU. 



Hanzen Daily is a major newspaper and online news outlet in South Dovani.

@HanzenDaily
#SouthDovani

[Wu Han]

OOC: Post-dated.

▲ Mr. Rak Khemanich

PIE Defectors Join NEWP Ahead of 5637 Election
12 December 5636

UDON NAKHON, South Dovani (HNB) – Former Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (PIE) leader Rak Khemanich has announced his decision to join the New Elephant Worker’s Party (NEWP) ahead of the 5637 legislative election. Rak has sat as an independent since leaving the PIE following a contentious leadership election that saw Finance Minister Vitaya Kongsangchai defeat the incumbent Rak for the leadership of the party. Twelve other assemblymembers who resigned from the PIE in solidarity with Rak have also joined the NEWP.

Rak is a left-leaning nationalist who has long been at odds with his former party’s dominant neoliberal faction, led by Vitaya, particularly over the NERI privatization initiative spearheaded by the party. In contrast, Rak maintained a close personal and working relationship with former NEWP Prime Minister Chandra Srirai, under whose government he served as leader of the largest junior coalition member. Many observers have consequently viewed Rak as being more aligned with Chandra than with his own party. Responding to reporters’ questions while walking between meetings at the National Assembly, PIE leader Vitaya Kongsangchai remarked, “Rak should feel right at home now among the socialists who obstructed our national development and progress.”



The Hanzen News Bureau (สำนักข่าวหัณย์) or HNB, is a not-for-profit news wire agency headquartered in Udon Nakhon, South Dovani, with dispatch offices across the continent of Dovani. The HNB produces news reports that are distributed to major daily newspapers and radio and television broadcasters across the continent.

[Wu Han]

South Dovani Election 5637: Winners and Losers
11 November 5637 (OOC: Post-dated.)

Udon Nakhon — Amidst a deteriorating security situation in the Eastern Provinces, voters in South Dovani have decisively cast their ballots for right-leaning political parties. The biggest victor of the night was Prime Minister Prasert Thanomchai's United Conservative Front (UCF), which received the highest vote share in the party's history, significantly outperforming pre-election polls. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Chandra Srirai was the biggest loser, with support for her New Elephant Worker's Party (NEWP) plummeting, and voters seemingly rejecting her call to take a calm and measured approach in addressing UPM terror. With the NEWP losing more than half of its seats, election night has likely brought the end of Chandra's political career.

Homeland Party, Strong Nation Party Surge 

Another major winner of the night was Anawin Jantarapong’s Homeland Party (HP), which gained an astonishing 38 seats, making it the fastest-growing political force in the nation. Anawin's slogan of "strength through unity, progress through order” resonated particularly well among the urban middle-class seeking economic stability, security, and moral leadership. 

While Anawin reaffirmed his loyalty to the Patriotic Alliance government, his growing popularity positions him as a possible rival to Prime Minister Prasert. “The largest party has the right to form the government,” Anawin said on election night in congratulating the Prime Minister, a comment seen by many as gracious, yet subtly assertive.

Meanwhile, the Strong Nation Party (SNP), led by retired General Baroma Thannajaro, gained 27 seats, bringing its total to 48. The party, which explicitly advocates for a greater role for the Hanzenese military in political, economic and social life, won over the most hardline anti-UPM voters, with General Baroma pledging to "obliterate" the Eastern insurgents, as well as drug traffickers, petty criminals, and rapists. Most of the SNP's gains came from the populist right-wing Hanzen Heritage Party, which lost 20 seats; General Baroma focused much of his campaign on attacking the HHP for allegedly supporting "hooligans, gangsters, and thugs" through its paramilitary connections, a strategy which seems to have paid off. 

Out With the Old Left, in With the New

Aside from the biggest loser of the night, Chandra's NEWP, nearly every establishment party on the left of the political spectrum bled support. While most of these voters seemingly shifted to the ascendant right, the Justice Party (JP), under Thaksin Luang, continued to stake its claim as the new vanguard of progressive politics in South Dovani, winning 41 seats with 8.2% of the vote — a 14-seat gain over the last election (the first which the JP contested). The JP's success came through its appeal to younger voters and urban reformists frustrated by the stagnation and perceived baggage of the Revolutionary Alliance (RA) and Progressive People's Union (PPU), rooted as they are in the authoritarian communist-era of South Dovanian politics.

Technocrats and Centrists Hold Ground

Finance Minister Vitaya Kongsangchai’s Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (PIE) managed to over-perform pre-election projections, losing only three seats in the turbulence. PIE remains a large and influential bloc within the National Assembly, representing the interests of business and economically liberal minded voters, though its utility to Prasert's government is greatly diminished on account of the right's increased strength. The liberal Civic Alliance (CA), under the leadership of businessman Kantayot Chanpakdee, gained a single seat, while the National Development Party (NDP) under Napat Chansiri gained two.



Hanzen Daily is a major newspaper and online news outlet in South Dovani.

@HanzenDaily
#SouthDovani

[Wu Han]

PM Prasert’s Hospitalization Raises Fresh Questions About Health
20 January 5638 (OOC: Post-dated.)

Udon Nakhon — Prime Minister Prasert Thanomchai (UCF) was rushed last week to Khemkhaeng University Hospital for treatment of a respiratory infection, marking his second hospitalization in just three years. The 80-year-old leader, who recently celebrated both his milestone birthday and his party’s sweeping electoral victory, sought to reassure the public that he remains in “stunning health” during a press appearance at the re-opening of the Little Tian'an night market in Udon Nakhon.

“When I cough, my opponents tremble – that’s how strong my lungs still are!” the prime minister declared, his characteristic bravado on full display. While consuming a shocking amount of shumai, PM Prasert pointed to the recent birth of his fifth son (his ninth child overall), adding that “there is no question that I am as potent and powerful as ever. I’d like to see the young boys in the National Assembly try to keep up with a real bull like me! I’d really pay to watch!”

Despite these assurances, his latest hospitalization has reignited debate over whether the octogenarian leader has the physical stamina to navigate a nation facing growing instability in the East, a surge in drug-related crime, and early warning signs of economic stagnation.



Hanzen Daily is a major newspaper and online news outlet in South Dovani.

@HanzenDaily
#SouthDovani

[Wu Han]

31 Dead, Hundreds Injured as SLF Leaders Gunned Down at Rocket Festival
Protests have rocked the region, while the SLF has vowed to rearm after the massacre, which officials blame on UPM militants
14 June 5640 (OOC: Post-dated)

Na Sap, Suman – A festive atmosphere devolved into a scene of horror today as gunmen opened fire on Sumanese Liberation Front (SLF) leaders during a Rocket Festival event in the outskirts of the capital of Suman Province, Na Sap, leaving at least 31 people dead and more than 200 injured.

The attack occurred during the annual merit-making ceremony celebrated by ethnic Sumanese communities across South Dovani, when thousands had gathered to launch ceremonial homemade rockets and fireworks to mark the beginning of the rainy season and encourage the coming of the rains. Following ceremonial addresses delivered by leaders of the SLF, witnesses claim to have seen several men wearing plain clothes but bearing the red-and-black arm badge insignia associated with the Unified People’s Militia (UPM) move toward the stage before opening fire with handguns and automatic rifles, throwing grenades and other improvised explosives. 

Panic erupted through the crowd as explosions and gunfire echoed across the festival grounds. “We thought it was part of the fireworks at first,” said Somnuek Phonchai, a local vendor. “Then people started falling, and everyone ran for their lives.” 

Among the dead were Somchai Naewbun, the SLF’s longtime military leader, Raiya Thongsap, the group’s deputy political leader, as well as six members of the SLF's twelve-member Coordinating Council. At least four of the attackers were stopped by festival goers and beaten to death, while the rest are thought to have escaped in the chaotic aftermath of the attack. 

The SLF, formed in the early-5500s, fought for decades against the communist-era RECSD regime for autonomy and recognition of the Sumanese ethnic minority. While the SLF never officially signed a ceasefire with the government of South Dovani, the group voluntarily disarmed the majority of its fighters during negotiations with President Surasak Darawan in 5576. 

However, in the evening following the bloodshed, the SLF’s remaining leadership issued a televised statement on local broadcaster SBSC, vowing to “rearm and remobilize for the defence of the Sumanese people." The group accused the UPM of carrying out the “massacre of unarmed civilians,” while so far the UPM has not claimed responsibility, and conflicting accounts have fuelled speculation and conspiracy theories, primarily on social media, that the assault may have been a false-flag operation by elements within the South Dovani military seeking to destabilize South Dovani's eastern region.

“The attackers’ use of UPM insignia is suspiciously conspicuous,” said Dr. Patham Phraewchai, a conflict researcher at Khattaya University. “As such, some online seem to suspect that this attack was orchestrated to justify the massive military presence in the east, as well as provide cause for the military to target the SLF in the case of their rearmament, while eliminating the organization's highest leaders.” 

Prime Minister Prasert Thanomchai (UCF) condemned the killings, pledging to “restore order and bring justice to the whole of the Hanzenese people” and "eliminate the UPM terrorists once and for all." President Kob Suchinda declared a state of emergency for the Suman Province, with the military imposing curfews and checkpoints across major transport routes. However, the declaration has been met with growing public anger and grief with thousands of protestors flooding the streets of major towns and villages across Suman Province, many condemning both the attackers and the central government’s perceived failure to protect local communities. Outside of Suman, many have voiced their criticism of the military deployment in the East, the largest in decades, for failing to prevent such an attack.

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The Khattaya Post (คัทยาโพสต์) is a major newspaper and online media company headquartered in the city of Khattaya, South Dovani. 
The paper is owned and published by the Khattaya Post Company. It is generally politically moderate, but economically liberal.

khattayapost.com