Thailand Live Monday 14 Jun 2010

[webfact]

Thailand Live Monday 14 June 2010

News, Bits and Tweets

with webfact

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.

FOLLOW US:

You can also follow us on

- Twitter: http://twitter.com/georgebkk

- Facebook: Incompatible Browser | Facebook

- Breaking News via SMS text messages to your mobile phone or handheld device

To subscribe dial *424010011 on AIS, One-2-Call, DTAC or True Move networks

14 days complementary subscription for Thaivisa members.

If you have questions about the Breaking News SMS service,

email: sms [at] thaivisa.com

________________________________________________________________________________

Thailand's current weather and forecasts: Thailand Weather

________________________________________________________________________________

Related topic: Thailand Live Sunday 13 June 2010

Thailand Live Sunday 13 Jun 2010 - Thailand Forum

[webfact]

150 football gambling suspects arrested

BANGKOK (NNT) – A total of 150 people involved in football gambling have been arrested in the first two days of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, according to Metropolitan Police Chief, Police Lieutenant General Santhan Chayanont.

Police Lieutenant General Santhan reported that after the opening of the ad-hoc center to receive petitions on World Cup gambling, the police had arrested two bookmakers and 148 other suspects. About 25,000 THB cash and lists of betting worth 159,000 THB were found and seized.

The Metropolitan Police chief noted that football gambling had started to spread among Thai football fans, so police suppression must be urgently launched in order to prevent it from spreading to Thai youths.

Police Lieutenant General Santhan reported further that most of the arrested gamblers were found to wager on with bookmakers directly; therefore, the police are expediting investigations into online football gambling.

-- NNT 2010-06-14

[webfact]

Rainy season expected to bring 6,000 million cubic meters of water to Bhumibol and Sirikit dams

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The upcoming rainy season is expected to help boost the combined amount of water in both Bhumibol and Sirikit Dams to 6,000 million cubic meters, according to the Irrigation Department.

Irrigation Department Director-General, Chalit Damrongsak, admitted that the estimated amount had not yet included more rainfalls to come during the monsoons by the very end of the rainy season. As for the time being, he said water in the two dams would be sufficient for 50-day consumption.

The director-general added that the water level in many dams and reservoirs at present remained critical although some rainfalls were recorded in many areas while artificial rain making operation was conducted on a continual basis. He said the amount of water flowing in still did not meet with that released to the public.

Mr Chalit explained that the department would try to manage the remaining water at 33 dams and reservoirs across the country to ensure adequate supply.

However, the director-general said the drought situation would be more critical if there was no more rainfall in July.

-- NNT 2010-06-14

[Maestro]

Colombian man nabbed over Bt12 m theft

By The Nation

A Colombian man was arrested yesterday in connection with the theft of Bt12 million in cash from a vehicle two months ago.

BANGKOK: -- Police claimed that prime suspect Omar Giovanni Rodiguez Apote implicated two other gang members - compatriot Jose Miguel Samianto and Spaniard Antonio Raul Gomez - in the heist on April 4.

A fourth suspect, Wilson Faramento, of unknown nationality, has already been identified as the getaway driver and police are preparing to seek an arrest warrant for him.

Police were led to a hotel on Ramkhamhaeng Soi 65 by a tip from someone who had spotted Apote there and found him, with his dark hair dyed red, with a Colombian woman identified only as Maria.

Police seized Bt1.9 million in cash hidden in the ceiling of his hotel room.

Apote has been charged with burglary and is now in the custody of Lumpini police, along with Maria, who has not been charged with any offence.

On April 4, a Thai businessman withdrew Bt12 million from Krung Thai Bank's head office and left the cash in his pickup truck parked in front of the bank. Three foreign men smashed the window of the vehicle and stole the money.

Police said the gang had entered Thailand to rob customers of banks who took a long time making deposits and withdrawals at tellers' counters. They would follow their victims to their cars and make off with the money when they could.

However, police did not say whether this foreign gang was behind similar thefts committed by foreigners.

-- The Nation 2010-06-14

[webfact]

Amnesty Possible For Peaceful Red-Shirts Protesters

Amnesty Possible For Peaceful Red-Shirts Protesters - Thailand Forum

[webfact]

Fears That Thaksin Plans To Buy Thai Govt MPs

Fears That Thaksin Plans To Buy Thai Govt MPs - Thailand Forum

[webfact]

Plan to protect buffer zone around Khao Yai

By Pongphon Sarnsamak,

Janjira Pongrai

The Nation

Khao Yai

The National Resources and Environment Ministry is studying areas around the Khao Yai National Park World Heritage reserve - to designate more environmental protection to try to control and reduce human activities damaging to natural forest.

Santi Boonprakab, deputy secretary general of the Office of Natural Resources and Environment Policy and Planning, said given the rise of activities surrounding the World Heritage Site, his agency was preparing to survey areas surrounding the national park. It wants to collect information about the classification of forest and human activities to designate areas surrounding Khao Yai as an environmental protection zone.

Such a move would mean only industrial and agricultural activities deemed friendly to environment would be allowed near the World Heritage site.

The height of building would be limited to reduce any impact on the environment, especially structures constructed in environmentally sensitive areas.

However, he said any such plan would have to involve a public hearing to get opinions of people who live around the Khao Yai.

National Park chief Manot Karnpanakngarn said Khao Yai had a designated three kilometres around the park as a buffer zone. However, there were no details about the use of land surrounding the park.

In related development, Jatuporn Buruspat from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said his office was drawing up a master plan to renovate infrastructure such as the Tourist Information and Service Centre and guest houses within the park.

The Tourist Information Centre will be renovated so it has a Multimedia Information Centre, where tourists can learn about the area's history and nature via multimedia devices.

And guest houses in the national park would be rebuilt as log cabins.

The park would also improve its nature trails so tourist learn more about local fauna and flora.

Jatuporn said he would ask the Cabinet to provide Bt95 million to support the master plan to rebuild park guest houses. PTTEP Plc had already provided Bt95 million to renovate the Tourist Information and Service Centre and improve nature trails in the park.

He expected the project would be finished next year.

-- The Nation 2010-06-14

[webfact]

3.7-Richter-scale earthquake rattled Kanchanaburi

3.7-Richter-Scale Earthquake Rattled Kanchanaburi - Thailand Forum

[webfact]

Special Report: Political Violence and Mental Health of Thai Children

Political Violence And Mental Health Of Thai Children - Thailand Forum

[webfact]

Iranian nabbed at Suvarnabhumi Airport smuggling 4.6 kg of crystal methamphetamine, worth Bt18 million /via MCOT

Full story

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Iranian-Nabbed-At-Suvarnabhumi-Airport-t374685.html

[webfact]

Tuk-tuks blockade US military in Phuket

Tuk-Tuks Blockade US Military In Phuket - Thailand Forum

[webfact]

2 paramilitary troopers, 3 civilians injured in Songkhla bomb attack

SONGKHLA - Insurgents detonated a homemade bomb inside a market in this southern border province Monday morning, injuring three civilians and two paramilitary troopers.

The bomb exploded at 8:20 am inside Thepha community market in Tambon Thamuang of Thepha district.

Police said insurgents planted the bomb among bags of fishes and detonated it to ambush paramilitary troopers.

-- The Nation 2010-06-14

[webfact]

All asked to stop calling for emergency decree revocation

BANGKOK (NNT) – The ruling Democrat Party has pleaded all organizations to stop pressing the government to revoke the state of emergency enforcement, reasoning that absence of the security law will help spawn the terrorism network.

Spokesperson to the Democrat Party Leader, Thepthai Senpong, shrugged off the demands and pressures to have the state of emergency inactivated. He believed that those organizations had been misled or had not received correct information.

Many organizations both domestic and international, such as the National Human Rights Commission, the opposition Puea Thai Party, and Amnesty International, have been pressing the government to put an end to the security law as they deem it a violation against human rights.

The spokesperson expressed his opinion that the state of emergency must be kept in effect and said that only ill-intentioned people would be suffering from the law while ordinary citizens would neither be affected nor have their human rights violated.

Mr Thepthai explained that revoking the security law would only promote terrorism to expand further as these ill-intentioned people would make their movements after the security law inactivation. He noted that cancelling the security law without thorough assessment would affect the nation.

Deputy Chairperson of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) and Puea Thai MP, Jatuporn Prompan, earlier warned the government of the third round of protest after the revocation of the state of emergency.

-- NNT 2010-06-14

[webfact]

Sportswear stores frenzied by World Cup fever

BANGKOK (NNT) -- Sportswear retail stores in Bangkok become lively after the FIFA World Cup has kicked off since last week.

Sport clothing vendors around the National Stadium in downtown Bangkok said the bestsellers were the football jerseys of favorite World Cup teams like Brazil, Spain, Argentina, and England. A shop owner admitted that the World Cup and the UEFA Cup seasons were usually the time when their sales skyrocket.

Copyright national team’s tops are priced at around 2,500 THB each. However, only a few have been sold because of the high price, a vendor said.

Meanwhile, surveys show that replica shirts available on the streets are more popular due to lower prices. Grade A quality immitations are priced at only 350 THB each while those with less quality are 150 THB each. Some of the team jerseys are even in short supply.

-- NNT 2010-06-14

[webfact]

Defence volunteer shot dead in Narathiwat

NARATHIWAT: -- A village defence volunteer was killed in a drive-by shooting late Sunday night, police said.

Marawi Yamabala, 37, was shot dead on a village road in Moo 5 village of Tambon Marue Botok in Rangae district at about 10 minutes after midnight.

Police said Marawi was riding his motorcycle to a market when two men on a motorcycle caught up with him and shot him dead.

-- The Nation 2010-06-14

[webfact]

Govt plan to acquire Temasek's stake in Thaicom

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Monday assigned the Finance Ministry to set an appropriate offer price to buy Temasek Holding's equity stake in Thaicom Plc to ensure national stability and prevent future anti-government broadcasts.

Thaicom stocks rose to Bt5.75, up 5.5 per cent this Monday morning, the highest level since April 7.

-- The Nation 2010-06-14

[webfact]

Accident with PM's Entourage

A Mercedes-Benz cut into the prime minister's entourage at the Rama IX expressway today, causing a media car to hit a bulletproof Landrover of the entourage. Fortunately, no one was injured.

-- Tan Network 2010-06-14

[webfact]

Police detain wife of Colombian suspect in Bt12 million theft at Nana while she visits husband at Lumpini police station; suspected of conspiracy /via MCOT

[webfact]

Thai student wins Student Academy Awards in the US

BANGKOK (NNT) – Director and designer Varathit Uthaisri, an MFA student in Design and Technology at Parsons the New York School for Design, won the 37th Student Academy Award in the Alternative category for his thesis project, Surface: Film from Below.

The award ceremony was held on Saturday, June 12, at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater located in Los Angeles, USA. Mr Varathit was awarded a Gold medal and a 5,000 USD cash prize.

Mr Varathit was the second Thai student after Tatchapon Lertwirojkul, who won an award in the Animation category in 2008. Mr Tatchapol currently works with Sony Pictures Animation in the US. He was part of the production team who produced an animated film, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” which was released in theaters in early 2010.

-- NNT 2010-06-14

[webfact]

Unrest Commission Head to Meet with Senior Red-shirt Leader

Khanit Na Nakhon, a former attorney general is set to begin his new job as the chairperson of the fact-finding commission set up to look into the recent political unrest.

Khanit has decided to meet with former head red-shirt leader Veera Musikapong on his first day.

Khanit Na Nakhon , a former attorney general, is said to be starting his new job as the chairperson of the fact-finding commission looking into the recent political unrest by meeting with Veera Musikapong, one of the red-shirt leaders held at a police compound in Phetchaburi province.

Khanit is planning to discuss how to conduct the investigation with Veera.

Khanit said that Veera is one of the people who has good intentions for the country and a well-known political figure. Khanit believes the former red-shirt leader would be able to give good advice regarding the selection of the commission's members.

However, the commander of the police compound where red-shirt leaders are being held said that he has not been contacted about where and when the meeting will take place, but believes that it should not be problem.

The former attorney general has reiterated that the commission is not authorized to file criminal charges against anyone or to assign blame.

Khanit pointed out that the commission's main objective is to investigate the exact truth behind the political violence that took place during the latest red-shirt protest between March 12 and May 19, including the fate of the bodies found inside Pathum Wanaram Temple, a designated humanitarian zone.

Khanit said that once the investigation report is complete, it will be submitted to the government in order to formulate procedures to prevent a repeat of such events in the future.

The newly appointed commission chairman also said that he is even willing to talk with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra if it will aid the investigation.

-- Tan Network 2010-04-14

[webfact]

SET index closed at 781.13, up 11.58; Bt/USD32.02; GBP46.92; AUD27.20; EUR39.03; CAD30.79; HKD4.06; SGD22.82; JPY34.59

[webfact]

Thai Govt overlooks Robert Amsterdam's attempt to slam its credibility

Thai Govt Overlooks Robert Amsterdam's Attempt To Slam Its Credibility - Thailand Forum

[webfact]

Judge gives police 3 days to investigate Briton Jeff Savage, Australian Conor Purcell detained for allegedly violating emergency decree: AP /via MCOTEnglishnews

[webfact]

EMERGENCY LAWS

Police allowed to detain 2 foreigners 3 more days

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A Judge gave police Monday three more days to detain two foreigners arrested for allegedly violating an emergency decree during the red shirts protests.

Briton Jeff Savage and Australian Conor Purcell were separately arrested and held for their alleged breaking the emergency laws imposed in Bangkok and surrounding provinces during the street clashes and arsons in May.

Police requested the judge extend their detention for an additional seven days, but he authorized an extension of only three more days.

Purcell told the Court, "I object to staying in a jail cell like a criminal with rapists and murderers when I have not been accused of anything," Purcell told the court.

Purcell, 30, a former Perth resident was a regular speaker on stages of the red shirts protesters at Rajprasong rally site.

Savage, 48, was detained for allegedly inciting or participating in arson. A video footage showed him stating his intention to set fire to the CentralWorld shopping mall. The arson broke up in Bangkok after red shirts leaders surrendered to police on May 19.

-- The Nation 2010-06-14

[webfact]

Pattaya Tour Company Scam uncovered by angry foreign customers

Pattaya Tour Company Scam Uncovered By Angry Foreign Customers - Thailand Forum

[Maestro]

Thai judge fast-tracks Brit trial

Monday June 14 2010

A Thai judge is speeding up the trial process for two foreigners detained nearly a month ago for violating an emergency decree during bloody anti-government protests.

Police will have only three more days to gather evidence against Briton Jeff Savage and Australian Conor Purcell for their part in street clashes between so-called Red-Shirt protesters and government forces which left almost 90 dead and more than 1,400 injured.

The judge made the ruling in a Bangkok court on Monday.

Read more: www.independent.ie/breaking-news/world-news/thai-judge-fasttracks-brit-trial-2219843.html

-- Independent 2010-06-14

[Maestro]

HM the King Orders Artificial Rain-making

UPDATE : 14 June 2010

His Majesty the King has ordered artificial rain-making in Khon Kaen, Nakhon Sawan and Chiang Mai to fight the ongoing drought.

-- Tan Network 2010-06-14

[Maestro]

to be continued

Thailand Live Tuesday 15 June 2010

Thailand Live Tuesday 15 Jun 2010 - Thailand Forum

//CLOSED//