Thailand Live Wednesday 28 Jul 2010

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Thailand Live Wednesday 28 July 2010

News, Bits and Tweets

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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 Tuesday 27 July 2010

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New tourist attractions in Thailand to be promoted among Japanese travelers

BANGKOK (NNT) -- Japanese travel agents have pledged to help promote new tourist attractions in Thailand to Japanese travelers in Nagoya and Osaka.

Tourism and Sports Minister, Chumpol Silpa-archa led Thai delegates on a trip to Japan in a bid to meet representatives of Japanese leading travel agencies in the cities of Nagoya and Osaka.

According to Mr Chumpol, Thailand's political turmoil in recent months had greatly impacted national tourism. Many travel agencies in Japan had canceled their tour programs to Thailand due to the circumstances and shifted their destinations to nearby countries.

Following the visit, most Japanese travel agents have pledged to help boost Thai tourism by constantly introducing new travel packages to the Japanese travelers in Nagoya since the city has been ranked top-three with its residents choose Thailand as their main travel destination. Thai delegates have also introduced other Thailand's tourist attractions to the Japanese travel agents.

In addition, Mr Chumpol believes that the exchange of Thai and Japanese representatives to visit Loy Krathong Festival Night in Thailand and Tenjin Matsuri Festival in Japan would greatly help promote both countries’ tourism image, while the recent bomb explosion in front of Big C Rajdamri is believed not to have affected the tourism sector.

-- NNT 2010-07-28

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Thailand likely to repatriate refugees after Burmese general elections

BANGKOK (NNT) -- Thailand plans no immediate prospect of returning Burmese refugees home but likely after the general elections in Myanmar.

National Security Council’s Secretary-General, Tawin Pleansri on Tuesday dismissed rumors of an immediate return of refugees back to Myanmar by the Thai government. According to him, there are around 140,000 refugees residing at the nine remote camps located within the Thai territory.

Mr Tawin said that the matter was still under the government’s consideration but the exact date and time has not yet been set. Thailand, however, will only return these refugees home if the situation in Myanmar reaches normalcy, and that would probably be after the general elections take place, Mr Tawin concluded.

-- NNT 2010-07-28

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Preah Vihear Rally Ends after Leaders Meet PM

The People's Alliance for Democracy has asked the government to push out Cambodian forces and people out of disputed zones without waiting for UNESCO's resolution on the registration of the Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage site.

Core leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, Chamlong Srimuang, said he has been notified by UNESCO's Chief Administrative Officer in Bangkok Edgar Sharuk that the group's petition against Cambodia's request to list the Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage site has already been forwarded to the meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Brazil.

Chamlong suggested the Thai government will not have a chance to protest against Cambodia's request at the current meeting as it will consider only evidence from Cambodia.

The PAD leader also urged the prime minister to push out Cambodian troops and people out of the disputed 4.6-square kilometer area around the Preah Vihear Temple, asserting it is Thai territory.

Meanwhile, PAD spokesman Panthep Puarpongpan said after his meeting with the prime minister that the latter turned down the group's demands on cancellation of the memorandum of understanding which accepts the 1 to 200,000 scale map of the Thai-Cambodian border and Thailand's withdrawal from the Word Heritage meeting.

Panthep quoted the prime minister as saying that the presence of Thai representatives at the meeting will provide a chance for the country to argue Cambodia's proposal although the PAD is worried that this could be seen as acceptance of Cambodia's sovereignty over the disputed area.

After making its demands, the PAD decided to call off its rally at around 5:30 P.M. It vowed to be back to protest against the government if it fails to push Cambodians off the disputed land.

-- Tan Network 2010-07-28

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Thailand´s political factor won´t affect BMW´s investment decision

BANGKOK: (NNT) -- Industry Minister Chaiwut Bannawat confirms that the recent political turmoil would not affect BMW Group’s decision to invest further in energy-efficient automobile production in Thailand.

According to Mr Chaiwut, the Industry Ministry has agreed to further discuss the matter with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Energy, following the BMW’s request to review the government’s policies that support the production of energy-efficient vehicles, especially in term of tax privileges. The progress should be completed by mid 2010.

Meanwhile, BMW Regional Director for Asia, Pacific and South Africa regions, Guenther Seemann said he saw the growth opportunity in Thailand as the leading automobile production base to serve the Asian market. He further elaborated that the production rate in Thailand was speculated to increase from 2,000 to 3,000 units year on year, while the sales in 2010 had also boosted to 56%. Mr Seeman is certain that Thailand’s political issue had no effects on the luxury car market.

Recently, BMW has planned to test the all-electric powered version of the BMW Mini called Mini E before the nods on further production. The company has also planned to release an electric "megacity car" to the market including Asia within 1-2 years time.

-- NNT 2010-07-28

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Doctors set to rally against malpractice bill

By PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

The Medical Council has called on the government to expand the no-fault compensation fund to cover patients under the Social Security Fund or the Civil Servants Medical Benefits Scheme.

Dr Prasopsri Ung-thavorn, vice president of the Medical Council, said yesterday that the no-fault fund now applies only to patients registered with the National Health Security Fund's universal healthcare scheme.

As the government has not yet come up with a resolution for the draft medical malpractice victim protection bill, the Medical Council is proposing that the government extend Article 41 of the National Health Security Act to include members of all the three public healthcare schemes.

The Cabinet should approve a resolution to ask the Social Security Fund and the Comptroller-General's Department to provide an additional budget for the National Health Security Office so it could serve patients under the three healthcare schemes.

The government should also raise the compensation ceiling from Bt200,000 per case to a higher amount, he said.

Dr Prachumporn Boonjaroen, a vice chairman of the Federation of Doctors at State General and Provincial-level Hospitals, said about 90 of the hospitals across the country will stage a rally tomorrow and participants would dress in black to protest against the draft bill for medical malpractice victim protection.

Preeyanant Lorsermwattana, head of the medical malpractice victims' network, said she insists on the government and the House of Representatives not withdrawing this bill from the council's consideration. It would help the Medical Council correct its errors and let the public know the real figures that victims should receive from the no-fault fund.

Dr Winai Sawasdivorn, secretary-general of the National Health Security Office, said the NHSO has spent about Bt200 million from the fund to compensate 2,264 victims from 2003-2009.

The NHSO's board had initially advised the office to allocate about Bt1 billion per year to compensate victims under the universal healthcare scheme. But the board later revised the budget to only Bt100 million per year after learning that the payout was not as much as expected.

Last year alone, the NHSO dispensed Bt72 million to help victims but Winai expects that figure to increase in two years. However, he said he is now waiting to see the government's response to amending Article 41.

Some of the no-fault fund was also earmarked to promote activities that improve the doctor-patient relationship, he added.

-- The Nation 2010-07-28

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CLOSING OF MAE SOT BORDER

Bt1 Billion if border remains blocked

By The Nation

A second bilateral meeting on Burma's closure of the Mae Sot border checkpoint in Tak will be held on Friday, after negotiations earlier this week failed to reach a settlement.

If the border remains blocked beyond this month, the loss in cross-border trade at Mae Sot will reach Bt1 billion, according to an estimate by the district's chamber of commerce. Damage since last week is estimated to be running at Bt88 million a day.

Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot led the delegation to discuss Burma's sealing of its side of the border - a protest against Thailand's construction of a dyke along the Moei River.

Burmese authorities said the structure had caused a change in the current that is eroding the riverbank. They have closed the border checkpoint nine times, each briefly, since last month, but this was the longest.

Banphot Korkiatjaroen, chairman of the Tak Chamber of Commerce, said the problem should be solved after the meeting on Friday and the border checkpoint reopened.

-- The Nation 2010-07-28

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Crackdown victim fights for his life in ICU

By The Nation

A victim of the military crackdown on the red-shirt protesters in mid-May is in a coma in an intensive-care unit.

As of press time yesterday, Boonmee Rermsook, 71, |had been in the ICU of the Police General Hospital |on a ventilator since Monday night, director Pol Lt-General Jongjate Aojanepong said.

Jongjate said Boonmee's blood had a bacterial infection.

"Doctors need to monitor his condition around the clock because he is in a coma.

"He has little chance of surviving."

The victim's son-in-law Sorayut Naknaka said Boonmee had suffered gunshot wounds to his small intestine near Bon Kai community on May 14.

Right after Boonmee was shot, he had been in Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital for about a month.

He had three operations on his small intestine before his family requested he be transferred to the Police General Hospital for treatment with thrombolytic drugs, which dissolve blood clots, Sorayut said.

Jongjate said earlier Boonmee had an operation on his large intestine before the shooting.

He now was suffering from leakage from the small intestine, but the effects of the earlier operation kept doctors from repairing the damage.

During a visit to a patient at the hospital injured by last weekend's Big C Rajdamri explosion, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday also met Boonmee's family.

-- The Nation 2010-07-28

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Education body- to forge ahead with reform

By The Nation

The Office of the Education Council plans to propel forward the second-decade education reform road map's four objectives and 36 projects, which will need Bt109.4 billion funding from the 2011 fiscal year budget, a senior official said yesterday.

Council secretary-general Thongthong Jantharangsu said his office had set four objectives and 20 indicators according to Education Minister Chinnavorn Boonyakiat's road map.

The first objective was to provide Thai people with education that meets international standards. This goal has seven indicators, including an average score of more than 50 per cent in a national test's core subjects; a ratio of higher secondary students to vocational students of 60:40; and an average of 12 schooling years for Thais aged 15-59.

The second objective is to have Thais interested in life-long learning and reading.

This has five indicators, including at least 75 per cent of students being able to search for knowledge on their own and being keen on learning and continuous self-development; 100 per cent literacy among those aged 15 to 60; an average of 60 minutes per day spent reading outside work or the classroom; and 50 per cent of those aged over 10 using the Internet for educational purposes.

The third objective is for Thais to have such virtues and values as a volunteer spirit and being a good citizen.

This has five indicators, including an annual 10-per-cent drop in the number of juvenile offenders sent to remand homes; an annual 10-per-cent drop in pregnancies among girls under 15; and an annual 10-per-cent drop in the number of children undergoing drug rehabilitation.

The last objective is for Thais to gain the skills necessary to solve problems on their own.

This has three indicators, Thongthong said: at least 75 per cent of students having the ability to analyse, synthesise, be critical, and think creatively; vocational and bachelor's degree graduates having satisfactory job performance and getting employed within one year of graduation; and a 65-per-cent increase in Mathayom-educated workers.

-- The Nation 2010-07-28

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New Thai banknotes coming in December

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Police warn of ATM tricksters

By The Nation

Financial banks should add software to their ATM systems to help prevent a "call centre" criminal gang from duping unaware people into wiring out their money, a senior police officer said yesterday.

Acting crime suppression chief Colonel Supisan Pakdinareunart, was commenting on the case of reality-TV singer Zeenam "Zeenam Af1" Sunthorn, recently tricked into transferring Bt160,000 via ATM to one of these criminal gangs. Supisan said the public should offer information that can be used to arrest wrongdoers. They should be careful performing money transactions via ATMs and assume phone calls urging them how to use the machines were from tricksters.

Supisan urged banks to put up warning stickers and on-screen messages at ATMs and install software to help ripped-off victims, allowing them to dial in codes to suspend wired money. At present, when people realise they've been duped and file police complaints to suspend a money movement, it's often too late - the gangsters have often withdrawn the cash already.

-- The Nation 2010-07-28

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Truth council says chaining prisoners inappropriate

By The Nation

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PREAH VIHEAR TEMPLE

PM vows to defend Thailand's rights

Preah Vihear Temple

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CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD

Thai team wins big

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First hearing on Bt29m scandal today

By Prapan Chindalert-udomdee

The Nation

The Constitution Court has summoned the Democrat Party and the Election Commission (EC) to provide evidence on the Bt29-million case today.

Democrat chief adviser Chuan Leekpai yesterday led the party's legal team in collecting all the necessary documents for the hearing. The plaintiff - the EC - will vet the documents in court today.

Chuan said the defence documents, which include 1,500 pages of testimonies from 58 witnesses, were ready. The witnesses include party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, former party leader Banyat Bantadtan and Deputy Finance Minister Pradit Pataraprasit, who was the party's secretary-general when the funds were donated to the Democrats.

A source, who asked not to be named, said the party would also ask the Department of Special Investigation director-general, Tharit Pengdit, to testify. The Democrat legal team is scheduled to meet in the party's headquarters at 8.30am before moving on to the Constitution Court at 10am.

-- The Nation 2010-07-28

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EDITORIAL

Promote Thai fruit for good health and better business

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STOPPAGE TIME

Not a Thai hero, only a victim of cowardly killers

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AVIATION

Rolls-Royce seeking to develop Thai supply chain

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Bangkok awaits decision from World Heritage Committee today

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The next long holiday weekend in Thailand is for the Queen's Birthday 12th-15th August 2010 /via @RichardBarrow

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Thailand Officially Protests Registration of Phrea Vihear

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Emergency rule for Bangkok but not in other areas: Boonjong

Although the state of emergency is deemed necessary in Bangkok due to the Sunday's bomb attack, other areas may be taken off emergency rule following the resumption of normalcy, Interior Minister Boonjong Wongtrairat said on Wednesday.

"The enforcement of emergency rule will vary depending on the situation in each locality," he said.

Boonjong said at today's meeting, the Cabinet might debate the lifting of the state of emergency in some areas, excluding the capital.

He also said his Bhum Jai Thai Party had favoured the complete cancellation of emergency power but this stand was adopted before the Rajdamri blast.

-- The Nation 2010-07-28

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Thailand's Big C, Berli Jucker - best candidates for Carrefour

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In Thailand there are 17.5 million Internet users which represents 26% of the population /via @RichardBarrow:

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PAD Lawyers Postpone Suspect Appearances to Aug 26

Lawyers representing the People's Alliance for Democracy have submitted a request to postpone scheduled appearances of nearly 70 suspects in the airport closure case. The first three suspects were requested to make an appearance at the Crime Supression Division today. However, lawyers claim their clients are not ready and have asked to rescehdule for August 26.

-- Tan Network 2010-07-28

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TERRORISM CHARGE

Court postpones decision on Veera's bail to Thursday

The Criminal Court on Wednesday delayed deciding whether to grant red shirt leader Veera Musigapong temporary release for the charge of terrorism.

The postponement to this Thursday was decided after Veera's lawyer and Department of Special Investigation failed to bring witnesses to testify in the trial.

Veera's lawyer posted a cheque of Bt3 million for the request to free Veera on bail.

The Thursday trial will start at 9am.

Veera had appealed for bail individually after a joint request with 10 other red shirt leaders being detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison had been turned down by a lower court, according to his lawyer Ongart Kamthong.

If Veera's request is granted, individual requests will be made for each of the red shirt leaders now being in remand, the lawyer said.

-- The Nation 2010-07-28

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Heavy Rainfall in Trang Damages Homes, Causes Blackout

Heavy rain in many districts of Trang province has damaged several houses and caused a blackout.

Many districts in Trang province have been affected by a storm that has caused heavy rainfall for four consecutive days.

The storm has damaged about thirty homes in Palien, Libong, and Hat Samran districts.

Many trees in the area have been uprooted, while some have fallen on power lines, causing blackouts in many sub-districts. There have no reports of injuries or deaths.

The Office of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation in the province has issued a warning to residents in the area to be prepared for possible flash floods and landslides for the next couple of days.

Officials are currently inspecting the damage caused by the storm and are providing assistance to those residents who are affected.

-- Tan Network 2010-07-28

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Yala Defense Volunteers Participate in Weapons Training

Yala's village defense volunteers are participating in a weapons training program in an effort to tighten local security.

Three hundred and sixty defense volunteers posted at various villages in Yala's Muang district have entered a weapons training program to build volunteer confidence in weapons handling for self-defense and protecting the villagers, following the resurgence of violence in the area.

Volunteer Unit Commander General Permsak Puangsaroj said the village defense volunteer unit is set up under royal patronage and is aimed to help the villagers protect themselves from insurgent attacks.

-- Tan Network 2010-07-28

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Police mark 4 groups of suspects for Big C blast

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Metropolitan Police Commander admits there are a number of areas in Bangkok prone to terrorist attacks while officers are pressing on with the investigation into the recent blast taking place in the heart of the capital.

Investigative teams have been instructed to keep an eye on 4 groups of people suspected to be involved in the Sunday night’s explosion. At the same time, the forensic evidence team is looking for DNA samples on the plastic bag used to hold the bomb in order to compare it to the samples collected from the previous bombing cases.

The Metropolitan Police has coordinated with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and concerned agencies in seeking prevention measures against possible instigation in risk-prone areas.

The Metropolitan Police has also been asked to examine whether the existing evidences suggest the case is terrorist-related. If it is the case, the investigation will be immediately transferred to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).

-- NNT 2010-07-28

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10 Orangutans in Thailand Have No Way Home