Thailand Live Tuesday 3 Aug 2010

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Explosion-like sound heard near PM's house

An explosion-like sound was heard at the front of the soi, where the prime minster's house is located, early Tuesday, his birthday anniversary.

The explosion was heard at 5.30 am at the front of Soi Sukhumvit 31.

The chief of the security officers for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva rushed to inspect the scene and coordinated with police to investigate.

Abhisit gave alms to a monk inside his house's compound at 7:15 am.

He left the house for his office at the Government House at 7:30 am.

-- The Nation 2010-08-03

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Dengue fever infection toll in Surin hits 1,500

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Foreign tourists arrivals in Thailand mounting continuously

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Sender Lese Majeste SMS Arrested in Samut Prakarn

The Central Investigation Police have arrested a man suspected of sending SMS messages containing lèse majesté content to a number of parliamentary officials in May.

Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau Police, Lieutenant General Ta-ngai Prasachaksattru led officers in arresting Ampol Tangnoppakul at a rental residence without a house number on Soi Wat Darnsamrong 17/1 in Samutprakarn province.

Police also seized 3 mobile handsets and some SIM cards.

The 60-year-old man was charged with lèse majesté for sending SMS texts with inappropriate reference to the royal institution to the mobile phones of notable parliamentary officials, between May 9 and 12.

Ampol denied the allegation, while police are convinced that the suspect was hired by somebody to send the messages.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-03

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Suthep orders tighter security in Bangkok

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Municipal Councilor Arrested in Gambling Raid in Satun

Twenty-eight people have been arrested in the raid of a gambling ring in a house in Satun province. One of the suspects is a member of the province's municipality council.

Provincial Police Region 9 raided a shrimp farm on Sulkanukul road in Satun province following reports that it was being used for illegal gambling activities. Police arrested 28 male and female gamblers, and seized an assortment of gambling paraphernalia, 32 motorcycles and 60,000 baht in cash.

The bookmaker was identified as Payungsak Lertbusayamas. Among the apprehended gamblers was a member of Satun Municipality Council, Supol Angworachot.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-03

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Cabinet resolves to maintain VAT at 7% until September 2012, citing fragile economy /via @MCOTEnglishnews

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Prayuth tipped for Army chief

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan has reported forwarded the list of military reshuffle to the prime minister to seek the royal endorsement.

PM Abhisivit Vejjajiva on Tuesday confirmed submitting the list to the Royal Palace.

Prawit's recommendations for key positions are the followings:

General Prayuth Chan-ocha is slated for the position of Army commander-in-chief, replacing outgoing chief General Anupong Paochinda, who will retire on September 30.

-- The Nation 2010-08-03

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Officers quelling reds promoted, Prayuth tipped for Army chief

By The Nation

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan has reported forwarded the list of military reshuffle to the prime minister to seek the royal endorsement.

PM Abhisivit Vejjajiva on Tuesday confirmed submitting the list to the Royal Palace.

Prawit's recommendations for key positions are the followings:

General Prayuth Chan-ocha is slated for the position of Army commander-in-chief, replacing outgoing chief General Anupong Paochinda, who will retire on September 30.

Lt General Daopong Rattanasuwan will be elevated to a full general, becoming the Army chief-of-staff.

Lt General Kanit Sapitak is up for promotion to become the assistant Army chief. He is presently the commander of the 1st Army Region.

General Theerawat Boonyapradab will replace Prayuth as deputy Army chief and General Wich Thephasdin na Ayutthaya is to become Army chief adviser.

General Pirun Paewpholsong will move from his position of Army chief-of-staff to become the deputy Supreme Commander.

General Kittipong Ketkowit is tipped for the position of Defence permanent secretary.

Prayuth, Pirun, Kanit and Daopong are duly promoted and rewarded for their involvement to rein in the violence linked to the red-shirt rally.

-- The Nation 2010-08-03

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Lampang hit by flashflood, North warned of torrential rains

LAMPANG (NNT) – The northern province of Lampang was struck by a flashflood this morning while the Meteorological Department has warned northern residents of heavy rains during this period.

Early this morning, Mae Ang Creek in Lampang province overflowed into more than 50 houses in Wang Yuam village of Mueang district as a result of heavy rain overnight. Losses of properties and livestock were reported, but there were no fatalities, thanks to a prompt evacuation of local residents.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department warned that a low-pressure system would cover the upper part of Thailand while a southwestern monsoon would intensify during this period, resulting in continuous torrential rains in all northern provinces and high waves in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.

Northern residents residing in risk-prone areas, especially near foothills, have been warned to take extra precautions of flashfloods during 3-5 August.

-- NNT 2010-08-03

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Water level in Pa Sak Jolasid Dam still critical

LOP BURI (NNT) -- The water level in Pa Sak Jolasid Dam remains critical despite frequent heavy rainfalls and flooding in many parts of Thailand at present.

According to Regional Irrigation Office 10 Director for Operation and Maintenance, Ukrit Thavornkraikul, water in the dam is very low with about 70 million cubic meters of water. Inflow is only about 200,000 cubic meters per day while the dam must release 200,000 cubic meters of water daily to maintain the ecological system in the Pa Sak River.

Mr Ukrit expected more water to be supplied from the Pa Sak watershed areas in Phetchabun province. He also hoped that the amount of rainstorms from the South China Sea during August - September would raise the amount of water in the Pasak’s tributaries which will finally flow into the reservoir.

While Pa Sak Jolasid Dam is experiencing a critical water level, Ko Chang, Thailand’s second largest island located in the eastern province of Trat, and many provinces of the kingdom are reportedly facing with flooding due to continuous heavy rainfalls.

-- NNT 2010-08-03

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Bueng Karn To Become Thailand's 77th Province

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10 Laotian women rescued from forced prostitution

Lop Buri - The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) in collaboration with relevant officials rescued 10 Laotian women from a prostitution ring late Monday night.

The officials are now pressuring the ring's leader Wiroj Sukpitak to surrender, and trying to locate where other victims have been hidden.

The rescue operation took place after two Laotians managed to escape from Wiroj and altered the Social Development and Human Security Ministry about their ordeal.

These victims said Wiroj had forced many female Laotians into prostitution.

-- The Nation 2010-08-03

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Chalerm confident budget bill to sail through

Chalerm Yoobamrung, chairman of Pheu Thai Party MPs, Tuesday expressed confidence that the 2011 budget bill will sail through the House in the second and third readings.

He said it would be nothing wrong if some Pheu Thai MPs vote for the bill's passage.

"I believe the bill will be approved by MPs because it will be beneficial to the country and the people," Chalerm said.

He said the opposition simply tried to make sure that the budget allocations would not be concentrated to only certain provinces but would be fairly distributed.

-- The Nation 2010-08-03

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SOMTOW'S HATE MAILS

Police promise to nab mail senders

Police promise on Tuesday to arrest and take legal action against senders of hate mails to renowned condcutor/novelist Somtow Sucharitkul.

Somtow received hate mails threatening to pour his blood at the Rajprasong intersection and kill all his family members.

The mails were sent in response to his recent articles responding to Thaksin Shinawatra's lawyer Robert Amsterdam after the latter issued a "White Paper" on Thailand's political crisis.

The messages have prompted police to provide protection to him.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Santan Chayanon said Tuesday that the investigation to find the senders would take time. "Police have already contacted Information and Communication Technology ministry and provided it with IP address of the senders. We believe the investigation would not be difficult but will take time," he said.

Police will soon get the senders of the hate mails.

Somtow said he never thought his well-intended articles about Thai politics would provoke such hate mails. He said people who knew him, including Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan, were alarmed by the very strong wording in the mails, and police who were shown the messages agreed to increase surveillance around his house.

-- The Nation 2010-08-03

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Toyota: Thai auto sales to reach 750,000 vehicles this year

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Value-added tax (VAT) maintained at 7% for two more years

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Phuket students prevent suicide leap

Nat Koeypoekaisanand and a Phuket City Police officer

escort the young woman down from the footbridge.

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Again, the court has rejected red-shirt leader Korkaew Pikulthong's bail request. /via @Urisara_NT

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Court rejects Kokaew's bail request

The Criminal Court Tuesday rejected red-shirt leader Kokaew Pikultong's request to be released on bail.

Lawyer Khamnuan Chalopathm represented Kokaew to submit the request along with Bt2 million cash as a guarantee.

The Criminal Court reasoned that since the Appeals Court refused to release Kokaew temporarily, the lower court has no justification to overturn the higher court's decision.

-- The Nation 2010-08-03

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SET index closed at 864.48, up 1.30; Bt/USD31.81; GBP50.56; AUD28.68; EUR41.94; CAD30.73; HKD4.05; SGD23.40; JPY36.66

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Drugs seized following routine inspection of car involved in Pattaya road crash

19 year old man accused of sexually assaulting a 16 year old girl, arrested by Pattaya Police

Pattaya Police catch suspected drug dealer in Central Pattaya

Pattaya Police arrest man accused of sexual assault on his 15 year old step-daughter

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Police in Northeast on Alert against Unrest Culprits

The commander of the Provincial Police Bureau 3 has ordered local police to keep a close watch on the lower northeastern region in an effort to stem possible more violence.

Provincial Police Bureau 3 Commissioner Police Lieutenant General Dechawat Ramsomphop stated that due to the increasing incidents of violence in Bangkok, he has ordered more stringent watch over the eight provinces of the lower northeastern region.

The command, affecting provinces such as Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket and Yasothon, is based on a belief that the instigators of unrest in the capital are based in the lower Northeast or using it as a route to exit the Kingdom.

Provincial police have been asked to more actively search vehicles possibly transporting contraband or criminals as well as initiate social information networks.

Preliminary investigations have not yet yielded any signs of subversive activity.

On a report that an explosive was tossed onto a protest stage in Si Sa Ket province, Dechawat elaborated that the object was only a firecracker.

He has nonetheless, pressed investigators to bring the perpetrators, most likely teenagers, to justice.

Another protest in Si Sa Ket is scheduled for August 7.

Asked about the Emergency Decree still in effect in Buri Ram and Ubon Ratchathani, the commissioner said that the situation must be reviewed but voiced confidence the special law would remain active in the two provinces for no more than three months.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-03

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Bangkok DSI Chief Confirms Getting Death Threats

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Four Iranians arrested in separate 'ice' smuggling cases

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CRES agrees to unfreeze bank accounts of 83 persons, corporates suspected of funding Red Shirt illegal activities /MCOT

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Fire at a School in Prachinburi

A school in Prachinburi province was severely damaged in a fire, which is suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit.

The fire took place at Ban Ta Toom school in the Ta Toom district of Prachinburi province.

It took a team of firefighters 20 minutes to control the fire, but by then the old wooden building was critically damaged.

The fire began in the ceiling of a top floor room that was being used as an office.

A malfunction with the electrical switchboard in the office is assumed to be the cause of fire. Authorities will be further investigating the cause of the fire.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-03

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Rough seas off Phuket through Thursday

Big waves at Nai Harn Beach. Swimmers should never

enter the water when red flags are flying.

File photo by Jim Welsh.

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to be continued

Thailand Live Wednesday 4 August 2010

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