Thailand Live Monday 5 Jul 2010

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Abhisit thanks Cambodian government for handing over 2 bomb suspects to Thai authorities

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Monday thanked the Cambodian government for handing over two bomb suspects to Thai authorities.

The two suspects, who were accused of being involved in the bomb attack at the Bhum Jai Thai, were sent back to Thailand Monday.

"We must thank the Cambodian government for the cooperation and we will seek more cooperation if there are other people involved," Abhisit said.

-- The Nation 2010-07-05

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ATTACK AT BHUM JAI THAI PARTY

Thais tell Khmer reporters they were behind attack

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PM casts doubt on Thaksin's vow to return to Thailand

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Monday expressed doubt on the statement of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra that he would return to Thailand before the yearend.

When asked to comment on Thaksin's statement, Abhisit said he believed Thaksin was simply trying to cheer up his supporters.

-- The Nation 2010-07-05

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Pheu Thai to launch new satellite TV next week

Pheu Thai Party deputy spokesman Jirayu Huangsup said the Pheu Thai Party will launch a new satellite TV next week.

The new channel will be called Asia Update and will be beamed down from a transponder of a foreign-owned satellite.

Jirayu said the new channel will not have content similar to the PTV of the red-shirt people but it will focus on monitoring the works of the government.

Jirayu said he believed the content of the new satellite TV would not violate the emergency decree.

He said 40 per cent of the content would be about foreign affairs, 25 per cent about politics and the rest would be entertainment programmes.

Pheu Thai MPs Karun Hosakul and Anudis Nakhonthap will be among the programme hosts.

-- The Nation 2010-07-05

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Deputy PM Unaware of Red-shirt Action Plan

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban today addressed developments pertaining to current national security and political issues.

Deputy Prime Minister for security affairs Suthep Thaugsuban brushed off any knowledge of the red-shirt group's Taksin offensive plot recently mentioned by Democrat leader's spokesman Thepthai Senapong and the Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situation, or CRES.

Suthep noted only that Thepthai and the center were merely relaying information they had received.

The deputy PM, also CRES director, is scheduled to meet with the center's officials later today to discuss the extension of the Emergency Decree enactment. The center will brief the Cabinet on its view on the issue tomorrow.

Suthep later declined to comment on an announcement by Cambodia that it would turn over two Thai suspects wanted for the bomb attack targeting the Bhum Jai Thai Party's headquarters last month, saying that he did not have enough information on the development.

He commented, however, that Cambodia's decision to extradite the suspects is a sign of its continued good relations with Thailand.

On Pheu Thai MP Chatuporn Prompan's insinuation during a recent poll rally that the government ordered the dispersal of red-shirt protests with harmful intent, Suthep said the statements must be reviewed by the Election Commission. He assured that his Democrat Party would not react to such a claim.

The Deputy PM has scheduled a visit to the southern border provinces to review the work of authorities there on July 12 in light of a resurgence of violence.

-- Tan Network 2010-07-05

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SET index closed at 804.03, up 1.46; Bt/USD32.02; GBP48.43; AUD26.72; EUR40.01; CAD29.88; HKD4.06; SGD22.86; JPY36.16

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RUNAWAY EX-PM

Montenegro asked to review Thaksin's passport

By Sopaporn Kurz

The Nation

BERLIN: -- Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya has urged Montenegro to review citizenship and Montenegrin passport of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who is wanted in Bangkok in connection with many charges including terrorism.

Kasit met Montenegro's Foreign Minister Milan Rocen at the Community of Democracies in Krakow, Poland.

It was the first meeting between the ministers and the first time that the Thai side made the request concerning Thaksin.

Thaksin is believed to travel under Montenegrin passport after he is granted its citizenship. He has planned to invest in a luxurious hotel in the country.

Community of Democracies is an inter-governmental organization of democracies and democratizing countries. The meeting is held every two years.

Kasit said he explained Thailand's political situation to Rocen and asked him to reconsider and review Thaksin's Montenegrin citizenship and passport.

Thaksin planed to invest in Montenegro but it remained unclear how did he obtain the citizenship and passport from the country.

"It's Montenegro's sovereign power in issuing anyone a passport. But I have showed him how it'd be difficult for me to explain to Thai people that it is not linked to Thai politics," said Kasit.

"Even today the former Thai Prime Minister is still politically active recently he hired a lobbyist to attack the Thai government. (Montenegro) should be well aware of this movement since it has implication to Thai government."

According to Kasit, Rocen said he was aware of the situation and did not want the issue to tarnish his country's image as it is also trying to become a member of European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation NATO.

-- The Nation 2010-07-05

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Man jumps through 2nd floor window at Pattaya Police Station

Suspected drug dealer and 6,000 Ya Ba tablets seized by Pattaya Police

Rookie fisherman drowns after going for a swim close to his boat

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Indian National Held At Suvarnabhumi Airport With 4.7Kg Of Ketamine Worth Bt22 Mil

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Hat Yai couple accused of holding woman for ransom

A man and a woman were arrested in a sting operation in the far South and charged with human trafficking and illegally detaining a Thai woman for ransom, Social Development and Human Security Minister Issara Somchai said Monday.

Sriwan Chaisri, 36, and her driver Somkid Thongchuchuay, 47, both residents in Hat Yai in Songkhla province, were nabbed along with Bt45,000 in cash, which was allegedly "ransom evidence" at Sriwan's home in Tambon Hat Yai.

The victim's daughter alerted the Prachabodi Centre that her 35-year-old mother was lured to work at a karaoke bar in Malaysia, allegedly owned by Sriwan's husband, but was ordered to do sex work. When her mother refused to do that, the family were told to pay the gang Bt95,000 before she was released. So officials organised a sting operation to pay the "ransom" and arrested the two suspects. However, the pair arrested denied any wrongdoing. Sriwan said the payment of Bt95,000 was an agreement between her husband and the alleged victim.

-- The Nation 2010-07-05

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CRES continues Emergency Decree in Bangkok, 23 other provinces; presents to Cabinet Tuesday, says situation remains 'unreliable' ?MCOTEnglishnews

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A court has sentenced 35 road-racing motorcyclists and accomplices to 15-day detention. Each of them is also ordered to pay Bt500 fine /via Urisara_NT

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Thai security officials seek extension to emergency rule

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Over 3,000 Thais commit suicide each year

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to be continued

Thailand Live Tuesday 6 July 2010

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