Thailand Live Today - Live Sunday

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Thailand Live Today - Sunday May 30

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Keep up to date with live updates from the news, hour by hour.

For breaking news,national, regional and international news updates on

a daily basis only, this thread is closed to commentary so that those

who wish to follow the news can find it here...

Commentary is still open for Thailand news in the relevant thread posted in News Clippings.

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Related topic: Thailand Live Today - Live Saturday

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thailand-Liv...ay-t369986.html

[Maestro]

FM Kasit: Thailand won’t ask world community to pressure Montenegro

BANGKOK, May 29 (TNA) -- Although the chances for Montenegro to deport fugitive Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and face charges here do not look bright, Foreign Affairs Minister Kasit Piromya said Saturday the Thai government would not ask foreign governments to pressure the Montenegro to comply with the Thai request.

Believing that Mr Thaksin now holds both Thai and Montenegrin citizenship, making it difficult for that government to extradite him, Mr Kasit said the hunt for the ousted premier would continue in line with the duty of his ministry.

Mr Thaksin, ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2006, is now facing terrorism charges after being accused of funding bloody anti-government protests which ended on May 19. He was earlier sentenced in absentia to two-year imprisonment for conflict of interest while in power.

Asked whether relations between the two countries could turn sour if the Montenegrin government refuses to extradite him, Mr Kasit said: “No, because the problem now rests with that government.”

He said the Thai ambassador to Hungary has been in contact with the Montenegrin government on a regular basis and has also supplied all the necessary information concerning the case. It is untrue that Thailand has not supplied sufficient information as claimed by Montenegro.

He said Thailand is well prepared to further send more information if asked by the Montenegrin government.

“As Montenegro wishes to become a member of the European Union (EU), it must strictly follow EU regulations, especially on good governance and transparency. Allowing Mr Thaksin to stay and issuing its passport to him would fit good governance.

Legal or not," Mr Kasit said, it is now the responsibility of that government and its leader to do their 'homework.'

Thailand doesn’t wish to become an enemy of anyone, Mr Kasit said, but it is only seeking cooperation in order to fulfill its duty and not hunting Mr Thaksin,” Mr Kasit said.

It is not proper to ask a third party to pressure the Montenegrin government, he said. The two governments “can negotiate" regarding the issue. (TNA)

-- TNA 2010-05-29

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[Maestro]

Scepticism remains over government's ability to achieve national reconciliation

By PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK

THE NATION ON SUNDAY

Published on May 30, 2010

Foreign diplomats, correpondents anxious to learn more about plan to placate red-shirts; PM to focus on rule of law

Foreign correspondents who met with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday in an hour-long session to hear the PM discuss the political crisis remained sceptical about events leading up to the May 19 crackdown on red shirt protesters and the prospects of national reconciliation.

Many questions by mostly Western reporters focused on whether the government used excessive and disproportionate force to bring an end to the red-shirt protest at Rajprasong intersection or not.

German freelance photographer Nick Nostitz claimed he was with unarmed protesters "who merely want to exercise their political rights" but were shot at by soldiers. He asked Abhisit about accountability under the Emergency Decree.

The PM replied by saying soldiers did fire warning shots but live bullets were used in self defence and on clear targets.

He asked Nostitz to submit evidence.

"If you have that please submit [it] to the investigating committee. You're welcome to provide the testimony," the PM said.

Abhisit also said later it may be unfair to say civilians were killed because of "indiscriminate use of firearms" by soldiers.

In regard to six bodies inside Pathum Wanaram Temple, Abhisit said a "full investigation still needs to be made". His vow came despite a government document handed to journalists yesterday concluding that what took place was the result of attacks by "those armed with weapons of war" but people who were not soldiers.

The mood was not good partly due to the distribution of a text by the government prior to the hour-long session listing 12 "common misperceptions of foreign media regarding the current situation in Thailand".

One western journalist complained after the hour-long session to his peers: "We don't have this kind of shit in the Soviet Union [era]!"

An Associated Press reporter asked why prachatai.com news-site continued to be blocked while state-controlled NBT television, which was full of "hate and fear mongers" broadcast freely. The premier said he didn't know about prachatai.com but added that its web-board discussion may have defamatory content.

"The whole website should not be shutdown. I thought we lifted [it] for a while. But I will look into the matter again."

Nirmal Ghosh, of Singapore's Straits Times newspaper, pointed out to the PM that Thailand continued to be divided for the past year and a half, although Abhisit talked about reconciliation and elements of red shirts were now being suppressed.

Abhisit replied by saying his reconciliation was based on the rule of law. "It is not the government side that is reluctant in offering solutions," he said, adding that he hoped to separate extremists from ordinary people.

On the charge of a plot to overthrow the monarchy, Abhisit claimed without producing any evidence that a printed text had been produced by "people who openly say that they have an aim to do just that".

Asked by another journalist why some members of the People Alliance for Democracy (PAD) had been not punished yet, the premier said "they're under the same law". Sitting to the left of Abhisit was Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, a staunch PAD supporter who went up on PAD stage several times.

Kasit did not look pleased.

The previous session with members of the diplomatic corps, heads of international organisations and foreign chambers of commerce was closed to journalists.

An Asian diplomat from an influential Asian country told The Nation he did not come out more convinced by the PM's explanation of recent events and the session "didn't explain too many things".

"Basically it's still the same things that he has been saying."

-- The Nation 2010-05-30

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[webfact]

BBC reports Hollywood actor Dennis Hopper, best known for his role in Easy Rider, has died from prostate cancer at the age of 74.

US actor Dennis Hopper dies at age 74: Obituary

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Actor-Dennis...74-t370339.html

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M16 found hidden in hotel where red leaders stayed

By THE NATION ON SUNDAY

BANGKOK: -- Metropolitan police yesterday found an M16 rifle hidden in a room at the SC Park Hotel, where the red shirt leaders stayed.

Pol Lt General Sathan Chayanont and 40 other metropolitan police officers examined the third floor of the hotel. They came with a Criminal Court warrant.

In the ceiling over a toilet in room 369 they found the rifle with two full magazines of bullets.

Police Col Arnat Kletmanee said red-shirt leaders stayed at the hotel during the big rally at Rajprasong. Some 13 rooms on one floor were booked by the same person.

It is not known if the M16 was one of two taken from troops at Din Daeng.

A 35-year-old Thai man was arrested on Friday for stealing one of two M16 rifles taken from soldiers at Din Daeng Triangle on May 14, deputy city police chief Pol Maj Gen Sumet Reungsawat told a press conference yesterday.

Khamlah Chomcheun, |identified by media photos taken on the day, reportedly told police he ditched the gun, marked "Bor Kor 132" on its handle, in Klong Saen Saeb near the Century Hotel.

But police couldn't find the gun in the canal and hotel security guards said they saw a chubby man dive in and take it away.

The other M16, marked |"Bor Kor 252" on its handle, was found hidden in Wat Pathum Wanaram after the red-shirt rally ended.

But the first gun that Khamlah reportedly took remained missing.

Police are now looking for three more people photographed by the media.

-- The Nation 2010-05-30

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BRT service starts on Sathorn

By JEERAWAN PRASOMSAB

THE NATION ON SUNDAY

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok's first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service between Sathorn and Ratchapruek was officially opened yesterday.

The service will run free of charge for a test-run period up until August 31.

From September 1, the bus fare will be a flat rate of Bt10 for about four months, after which progressive rates from Bt12 to Bt20 will be enforced from January 2 onwards.

MR Sukhumbhand Paripatra chaired the opening ceremony for the BRT service yesterday, while PM's adviser and former governor Apirak Kosayodhin attended the first bus service from Sathorn Station to Ratchapruek Station.

Sathorn Station also has a "sky walk" linking to the Skytrain system at Chong Nonsi BTS station.

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has published 200,000 copies of a BRT handbook for public dis?tribution at the 12 BRT stations, plus the BMA Traffic and Transportation Department and 50 district offices.

The Sathorn-Ratchapruek route is one of five BRT routes planned. Other four routes to be completed respectively are: Mor Chit to the civil service complex and Nonthaburi; Sathorn to Suksawat; Don Muang to Min Buri, then Suvarnabhumi, and Min Buri to Sri Nakarin and Samrong. The Mor Chit- Chaeng Wattana and Nonthaburi route is expect?ed to start in 2012.

-- The Nation 2010-05-30

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Groups seek solutions, to clean up Chiang Mai

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Groups-Seek-...an-t370326.html

[webfact]

Saluting Thailand's coolest colonel - Colonel Sansern

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Saluting-Tha...el-t370327.html

[webfact]

Election Unlikely This Year: PM Abhisit

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Election-Yea...it-t370328.html

[webfact]

Dispersal operation

By The Nation

One of the most contentious issues coming out of the red-shirt rally is whether arms were hidden in Lumpini Park, and if so, how much.

This story is based on the account of an Army source who told The Nation he was there when troops moved in to clear the protest area. The interview was given on condition that he remained anonymous.

-- The Nation 2010-05-30

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/Thaivisa warning: graphic image visible in enlargement

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Obama: Next step against oil leak also has risks

WASHINGTON: -- US President Barack Obama Saturday indicated he had been braced for news that BP's top kill attempt to seal the oil gusher had failed, but said the next "difficult" step - a version of previous containment attempts - also had its own risks.

Obama made his remarks in a statement after BP announced that the three-day-long attempt to shut down the crude oil flow by forcing engineered mud and "junk" into the well had failed.

"It is also important to note that while we were hopeful that the top kill would succeed, we were also mindful that there was a significant chance it would not," Obama said.

BP had given top kill 60 to 70 per cent chance of succeeding.

The final order to stop the top kill approach apparently came from the very top. BP officials said it had made the decision in consultation with Obama's top cabinet secretaries involved in the case and the National INcident Commander Admiral Thad Allen.

The next attempt, called the "lower marine riser package," will also be "difficult" and take several days. The LMRP will be a variation on past efforts to put a dome over the leak and siphon the oil to a drill ship/tanker on the surface. Engineers will direct underwater robots to cut off the damaged riser pipe coming out of the well head and cover it with a new, smaller containment dome.

"This approach is not without risk and has never been attempted before at this depth. That is why it was not activated until other methods had been exhausted," Obama said

-- The Nation 2010-05-30

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[george]

Multicoloured-shirt group submit impeachment request against 10 Pheu Thai MPs

BANGKOK: -- The so-called multicoloured-shirt group submit a motion to Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondej Sunday, seeking an impeachment against 10 Pheu Thai MPs.

Doctor Pojanaphan Meesajji represente the group to submit the motion at Parliament at 11:40 am.

The group has garnered 20,000 signatures of voters to back up the motion.

The ten MPs include Deputy House speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai.

The MPs were accused of violating code of MP's ethics by joining the red-shirt people's protests during which the MPs allegedly criticized the monarchy.

-- The Nation 2010-05-30

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[Maestro]

to be continued

Thailand Live Today - Monday 31

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thailand-Liv...ay-t370457.html

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