Thailand Live Sunday 11 Jul 2010

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Thailand Live Sunday 11 July 2010

News, Bits and Tweets

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Related topic: Thailand Live Saturday 10 July 2010

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No sign of anti-government action for upcoming Thaksin birthday

BANGKOK: -- There is no sign of disturbances which might be created by the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) movement during the upcoming birthday later this month of fugitive, ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan said.

Gen Prawit told journalists on Saturday that intelligence gathered had so far found no unusual movements of UDD protesters except that they planned to gather in the northern city of Chiang Mai to celebrate on Mr Thaksin’s birthday which falls on July 26. Mr Thaksin is a native of Chiang Mai.

Mr Thaksin, now living in self-imposed overseas, was toppled during a bloodless coup in September 2006. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment in absentia for abusing authority while in power when his wife purchased a tract of prime land in Bangkok from the state at a heavily discounted price.

Gen Prawit said only Mr Thaksin’s relations and his admirers would gather and hold Buddhist religious rites in Chiang Mai so people should “not worry too much.”

On a decision by government security officials maintaining the emergency decree in 19 provinces, including Bangkok, Gen Prawit said the decision was made following reports that UDD protesters planned to hold a fresh demonstration soon.

The emergency decree, agreed by the Cabinet on Tuesday to be extended for another three months, is a vital tool for security officials to carry out their operations against disorder, he added. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-07-11

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Another Round of Havoc Cannot Occur

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva hints at a possibility of a third round of widespread chaos while the Special Branch of the Royal Thai Police said intelligence showed more troubles for Thailand are brewing and they are just around the corner. If the premier and the police's Special Branch are correct, it means confirmation of plans to mount another round of chaos has already surfaced.

The next question now who is (are) behind the next round of chaos. What are they trying to achieve? If there are more violent incidents in Thailand, no one will benefit, be they the government, the Opposition, or even the red-shirts. I believe the majority of the red-shirts don't wish to see more chaos. They want to fight for democracy at the next general election.

A new election is a chance for the majority to make their voice recognized and to show that they have the final say in who they wish to be the next government. A new election cannot be obtained through another burning spree.

Therefore, whoever is behind the next round of destruction, don't mean well to Thailand. They are havoc wreckers especially when the Truth and Reconcilation Committee has been established to begin the peace process while few more committees are tasked to work at reforming the country.

Those who question the neutrality of these committees can express their objection and raise concerns. By all means they can propose a way out for Thailand or bring out truths in the open. Paving way to a new election in order to resume democratic progress in Thailand is what all of us want.

Any masterminds of the next destruction are traitors and must be dealt with by the justic system. We cannot allow Thailand to be hurt anymore.

Suthichai Yoon, Kom Chad Luek, Page 4, July 9, 2010

Translated and Rewritten by Pornchai Sereemongkonpol

Please note that the views expressed in our "Analysis" segment are translated from local newspaper articles and do not reflect the views of the Thai-ASEAN News Network.

-- Tan Network 2010-07-11

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SOUTHERN STRIFE

Separatists 'observing cease-fire'

By Don Pathan

The Nation

Unilateral gesture aimed at pursuing dialogue on future, says PMLM

Malay-Muslim separatist organisations confirmed yesterday they unilaterally suspended organised attacks against government security forces for the past month in three districts of Narathiwat province.

The unilateral cease-fire - billed as a confidence-building measure - was implemented in Rangae, Yingor and Choh I-Rong districts from June 10 until yesterday.

"The aim of this limited cease-fire was two-fold: to indicate the movement's sincerity in wanting to hold a dialogue on the political future of the southern provinces, and at the same time to demonstrate the movement's command and control in the area," according to a statement sent to The Nation by the Patani Malay Liberation Movement.

The PMLM is a joint working group made up of members from the Patani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo) and representatives from the Barisan Revolusi Nasional-Coordinate (BRN-C). Pulo and BRN emerged in the late 1960s but collapsed in the late 1980s following a blanket amnesty that crippled their armed resistance.

PMLM spokesman Kasturi Mahkota, who is also vice president of Pulo, said the "modalities of the suspension of hostilities covered only organised attacks on the security forces and attacks on government targets".

A senior Thai Army officer in Narathiwat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the unilateral cease-fire but was quick to point out a violation on June 18 in Cho I-Rong when a police car was hit by a roadside bomb attack.

There were three other point-blank shootings against government security forces as well, but it is understood these weren't seen as "organised attacks", as described in the PMLM statement.

A Thai government source said Army chief General Anupong Paochinda, was aware of the militants' unilateral move and had observed it with keen interest.

The unilateral suspension of hostilities was the first of its kind in the wave of violence that erupted a decade ago but was not officially recognised until January 2004 when scores of militants raided an Army base and made off with more than 300 weapons. More than 4,000 people have been killed from insurgency-related violence since January 2004.

The Nation has learned from Thai and BRN-C sources that local military commanders and civilian leaders in the region have also sought, with the help of local community figures, to establish some sort of agreement on the rules of engagement with the local militants' cell.

The absence of an overall policy on the issue of talking to the enemy had forced a number of local commanders to seek such arrangements, they said.

Whether the recently concluded unilateral cease-fire in Narathiwat would pave the way for other bolder initiatives remains to be seen. But Thai security officials on the ground said they were not hopeful, pointing to the spike in violence in other parts of the region.

The decentralised nature of modern militants made it difficult to implement a region-wide initiative or to elevate any confidence-building measures to a national policy, they said.

-- The Nation 2010-07-11

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SYMPOSIUM

Govt best to 'keep out' of media reform

By PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK

THE NATION ON SUNDAY

Co-regulation by consumers and independent groups 'could restore trust'

The government should play little or no role in reform of the mass media, but should support self- and co-regulation, a symposium was told yesterday.

"Is [media reform] a role supposed to be played by the state? How about allowing society to help out instead? It's very dangerous [to allow the government to join in the process] because the government has a stake in it and is a party to the conflicts," said Vicharn Uen-ok, a representative from the National Federation of Community Radio.

Over the past months under the emergency decree, the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation had gathered a bumper crop of broadcasting equipment from community radio stations after falsely claiming that some of them relayed audio from red-shirt or yellow-shirt television stations, he said.

During the symposium, organised by the Thai Volunteer Service, a rural-development NGO, Vicharn, who is based in Kanchanaburi, said while he was neither a red nor yellow shirt, after listening to some red-shirt broadcasts from Rajdamnoen Avenue and the Rajprasong intersection, he now understood the plight of the red shirts and poor people better.

"They spoke bitterly about decades of exploitation [from Bangkok] and then having to send their children to the capital to serve these very people and the fact that they ended up being killed for having caused traffic jams after coming to Bangkok to protest. By the way, how many [mainstream] media today really try to uncover the truth behind the killings?"

Thepchai Yong, director of TPBS and former group editor at The Nation, said he thought the red-shirt media were not genuine mass media, because they incite violence and hatred.

Nevertheless, Thepchai agreed with Vicharn that the government should stay as far away as possible from trying to reform the media.

Media co-regulation, involving consumers and independent organisations, could help restore trust that the mainstream media had lost.

"The mass media always says 'we speak for society', so we must allow society to play a part in regulating us," Thepchai said.

Media reformist Supinya Klangnarong expressed concern at the greater role is being played by the military under the emergency decree and how that may affect distribution of broadcasting frequencies.

The growing number of websites blocked by the government also raised questions about whether Thailand was following the Chinese model of Internet censorship, she said.

A Thai model, where cyber censorship was not as severe as in China but not as open and free as in the US and Europe, could be a compromise, she said.

With more Thais gaining access to the Internet with the coming of 3G and 4G wireless broadband technology, it would be impossible to put tens of thousands of people behind bars for allegedly posting something online that is deemed by the government as threatening national security, she added.

-- The Nation 2010-07-11

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Daughter Vows To Safeguard Thai General Khattiya's Legacies

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Thai Democrat Donation Case Worries Chuan

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Farmers occupy land

By The Nation

KHON KAEN: -- A group of 200 farmers with the Four Regions' Farmers Network have occupied a 101-rai plot of land near Khon Kaen University's Nong Khai campus. They claim the land underwent three sale foreclosures, but as no-one had bought it, it now belonged to the state, they said.

The farmers, living in makeshift shacks on the block, said they suffered injustice after investors seized their land. They occupied the plot so it would not fall into the hands of foreign investors or politicians, said network adviser Phrom Srisangkhom.

-- The Nation 2010-07-11

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Troops hurt in South

By The Nation

NARATHIWAT: -- Three troops were injured in Narathiwat's Bacho district when insurgents detonated a bomb buried in the middle of a rural road yesterday.

The blast, set off by insur-gents using a wired detonator, slightly injured three troops from Narathiwat Task Force 32, who were driving by the spot in a pick-up at 10:50am.

The insurgents also opened fire at the troops after the blast. The two sides exchanged gunfire for about 5 minutes before the insurgents retreated.

-- The Nation 2010-07-11

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Italian prisoners win 'W/Cup behind Bars'

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A team of Italian prisoners won the "World Cup 2010 Behind Bars" event yesterday at Bangkok's infamous Klong Prem prison, ahead of the FIFA World Cup final, being played early tomorrow Thailand time.

A team of Nigerian inmates won third place after the "final" yesterday in which the Italians beat a team of Americans 2-0.

At the half-time break, former singer Worayos "Power Pat" Boonthongnoom, who is serving time for drug charges, per-formed a short concert.

Earlier, officials brought a guinea pig named Paula to pick which team would win (like octopus Paul in Germany). Paula chose Italy, they said.

Over a dozen teams, each with seven inmates from various countries imprisoned in Klong Prem, competed for the "World Cup 2010 Behind Bars" trophy from June 10.

-- The Nation 2010-07-11

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Council candidate killed in Chom Thong

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A Pheu Thai Party candidate for a council by-election in Bangkok's Chom Thong district next month was pronounced dead at a hospital after being shot yesterday afternoon.

Surat "Hung Watsai" Sathitangkul, 46, who had served three terms as Chom Thong district councillor before losing in last year's ballot, was shot twice in the stomach and once in the chest. He was walk-ing home from a friend's monk ordination ceremony at Wat Sai in Ekkachai Soi 23.

Police investigators found that two men on a motorbike waited inside the temple com-pound and one of them got off the bike to ambush Surat with multiple gunshots before fleeing the scene towards the mouth of Ekkachai Soi 23. They suspect the motive was a local political conflict. Police were checking if the culprits were caught on a security camera in front of the temple

-- The Nation 2010-07-11

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Lin Ping picks Spain to win World Cup

By KWANDAO JITPANA

THE NATION ON SUNDAY

More than 201 million postcards were sold to people wanting to "guess-the-winner" for a World Cup lucky draw, it was concluded yesterday when the submission date ended.

This exceeded the targeted 160 million cards and was more than the World Cup lucky draw sale of 162 million cards in 2006, Thailand Post executive Omsin Chivapreuk said.

In Nakhon Sawan, sales were red hot yesterday with 2.2 million cards sold, while outlets in Lop Buri managed to sell a further 1.85 million cards.

As international reports noted the prediction of Paul |the octopus in Germany (Spain), Chiang Mai Zoo's popular panda Lin Ping got his turn yesterday to choose the winning team. The cub chose to drink milk three times from a |container with the Spanish flag. The fourth time, which |was not in the schedule, Lin Ping overturned the container with the Dutch flag.

Prasertsak Boontrakul-poonthawee, head of Chiang Mai Zoo's panda section, said they got into the spirit of the World Cup due to a barrage of requests from Lin Ping's fans via Twitter. He said the panda research team wasn't worried that Lin Ping would face death threats - as has happened to the octopus Paul - because the intent was simply to allow Lin Ping a chance to entertain the public rather than make a tip that disappoints people.

Prasertsak said the activity also functioned as a training exercise for Lin Ping to drink milk on the carer's order in front of people at the panda display. Lin Ping passed the test because he cooperated with the request.

However, Moo Aun, a seal at Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo, came up with a different pick. Moo Aun twice chose to eat fish from a tray carrying the Dutch flag rather than a tray carrying the Spanish flag. The 19-year-old seal, imported from South Africa in 1999, is the "alpha" male in a nine-member herd at the zoo.

-- The Nation 2010-07-11

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Student team does Thailand proud in Asian event

By WANNAPA KHAOPA

THE NATION

Selangor, Malaysia

A Thai student team yesterday won the Shell Eco-Marathon Asia competition by designing a prototype vehicle that could run 1,521.9 kilometres on a single litre of gasoline.

"I'm extremely glad that my driving could bring victory to the country, which means the reputation of the country as well," said Kittiwong Kaewbumrung, 20, the driver of Team ATE. "I tried so hard to practise driving over the past three months."

Team ATE from Kong Thabbok Upatham Changkol Kho So Tho Bo School beat 80 teams from 10 countries - China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

The second and third prizes went to Hyogo Prefectural Tajima Technical Institute from Japan for lasting 1,235km and Tongji University from China for squeezing out 940km.

Applause was heard during an interview with The Nation while competitors from other countries gathered at the team's garage to congratulate them.

As loud applause greeted the Thai team at their garage, it brought proud smiles to their faces, including Kittiwong, who was tired after all his driving.

Phudit Rodarin, the team's teacher adviser, told The Nation the students and teachers had worked hard to tune the engine of the prototype and invent its safety system.

Team ATE was awarded US$1,500 (Bt48,700) and a trophy, while the runner-up received $1,000 and third place took home $500.

Teerapon Manying, the school's director, said that since the school was under the Army, he would present the trophy to the Army chief.

Thailand sent 13 teams - two from secondary schools, five from polytechnics and six from universities - to the event held from Thursday to yesterday at the Sepang International Circuit in Selangor.

Malaysia is the first country to host the Asia series. After three years, it will be another country's turn in Asia.

-- The Nation 2010-07-11

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Pheu Thai alleges Democrat candidate violated election law

Pheu Thai MP Wicharn Minchainun Sunday alleged that that Democrat Party election candidate had violated the election law.

Wicharn alleged that staffs of Democrat candidate Panich Vikritseth handed out Bangkok Metropolitan Administration journal to voters along with Panich's election campaign cards.

Wicharn said the journals were printed with taxpayers' money so it was illegal for Panich's team to use copies of the journal for campaign purpose.

-- The Nation 2010-07-11

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Meteo Dept: Rising rainfalls prevailing in some regions

BANGKOK: -- The Thai Meteorological Department issued its daily weather forecast warning of increasing rainfalls in some regions in the days ahead.

The Thai Meteorological Department has indicated that a wind is spreading across the Gulf of Thailand. In parallel, a southwestern monsoon is reportedly passing through the Andaman Sea and Thailand, which would contribute to rising rainfalls in lower part of Central Plains, the eastern and southern regions in the next few days.

-- NNT 2010-07-11

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PM: Immediate end of Emergency Decree if situation under control

BANGKOK (NNT) -- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has reassured that the government is ready to revoke the Emergency Decree if authorities are confident that situations are under control.

Speaking on his weekly talk show ‘ Confidence in Thailand with PM Abhisit’, the Prime Minister stated that the government has expressed its readiness to immediately lift the Emergency Decree, which has been extended in 19 provinces for another 3 months thanks to reports that underground movements have been detected in those areas, if the overall situation returns to normalcy. He also reaffirmed that the government has carried out its tasks within the legal framework and never given a free rein to any individuals to do as they please, as well as strictly adhered to basic human rights principles.

The retention of the emergency rule is not an infringement on the people's rights, according to PM Abhisit, adding that authorities have been closely monitoring the situation and would revoke the decree if normalcy in those areas could be guaranteed.

The Cabinet has recently endorsed the extension of the Decree in 19 provinces, including Bangkok, in a bid to facilitate state authorities in their operations to maintain peace and order in the country. The emergency law has been lifted in 5 provinces where overall situation is considered normal.

-- NNT 2010-07-11

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PM: House to deliberate amnesty bill for unauthorized arms possessors in August

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Government is planning to present the amnesty legislation on illegal war-weapon possessors to the Parliament Assembly for endorsement in August.

During his weekly talk show, ‘Confidence in Thailand with PM Abhisit’ on Sunday, the Prime Minister revealed that the Government has made a plan to propose the bill, now under the Council of state’s scrutiny, to the Parliament for further approval. The bill drafted ad hoc will grant amnesty to those presently in possession of illegal war-weapons and military hardware,—taken from troops during the two-month long rally of the anti-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), which finally culminated in the clashes between the army and protesters, deeply polarizing the nation.

-- NNT 2010-07-11

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Phuket Opinion: Let's Kill The Ignorance On The Roads

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Intellectual property crackdown underway in Phuket

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Beijing confirms it has renewed Google's licence to operate in China after company agrees to "rectify" its operations /MCOT

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Thailand urged to provide incentives for women to produce 'qualitative' children

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Bangkok: Police Nab Mexican National For Alleged Bank Robbery

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Foreign investors confident in Thai economy

BANGKOK (NNT) -- Foreign investors are still steadfast in the Thai economy and remain active to invest in Thailand, according to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Speaking in his weekly TV program “Confidence in Thailand with Prime Minister Abhisit” on Sunday, the Prime Minister said foreign investors were still interested in investing in Thailand as seen from plenty of their participation in the recent Euromoney Thailand Investment Forum.

The fourth Euromoney Thailand Investment Forum took place at Centara Grand Hotel in Bangkok on 6 July 2010. The Prime Minister was also present in the event to deliver a speech to foreign investors.

Prime Minister Abhisit added that many leading companies, such as Mitsubishi and Ford Motors, had pledged to increase their production capacity in the kingdom as well as were adamant about using Thailand as their central production bases to penetrate both Thai and neighboring markets in this region.

-- NNT 2010-07-11

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to be continued

Thailand Live Monday 12 July 2010

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