Thailand Live Wednesday 18 Aug 2010

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Arson attack by foreign tourist on Phuket guesthouse

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Motorcycle Bomb Injures Soldier in Narathiwat Province

An explosive device hidden inside a motorcycle has injured a soldier in Narathiwat province.

An explosive device hidden inside a motorcycle has exploded, injuring a soldier in Chanae district in Narathiwat province. At the scene, the investigation team discovered the destroyed motorcycle frame and debris along with a number of assault-rifle bullet shells.

The authorities believe the insurgents used a cellphone signal to detonate a five-kilogram explosive device in a metal box hidden inside the motorcycle.

The injured soldier was rushed to a hospital nearby. The authorities later revealed his identity as Volunteer Army Scout Somkuan Hattakij. He is currently in critical condition and is receiving close medical attention.

According to the initial investigation, Somkuan and his unit members were just leaving the base, located approximately 100 meters from the scene, for a foot patrol.

The device in the motorcycle parked on the road was detonated as they passed. The soldiers then fired shots at the insurgents hidden in the adjacent jungle, to protect themselves from additional attacks.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-18

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Govt plans to establish Thailand as Biofuel hub

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Phuket monk to turn 114

Revered Phuket monk Luang Pu Supha in his cell at

Wat Luang Pu Supha in Chalong. Photo by Atchaa Khamlo.

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Thailand Blocks Access To WikiLeaks Website

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Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller advisory service.

The following Travel Advice has changed or been added since our last update (11 Aug 2010 21:53:22 EST):

* Thailand

http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Thailand

Current Advice Level: "High degree of caution"

Change Summary:

This advice has been reviewed and reissued. It contains new information under Safety and Security: Civil Unrest/Political Tension (updated information on state of emergency). The overall level of the advice has not changed.

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Over 700 Surat Thani residents infected with dengue fever so far

SURAT THANI (NNT) -- Over 700 residents in Surat Thani province have come down with dengue fever while the authorities are trying hard to control the epidemic which remains rampant nationwide.

MD Prawing Euanontat, Director of Surat Thani Hospital, revealed that from 1 January to 16 August 2010, the accumulated number of dengue fever patients in the province stood at 701. In other words, the rate of infection is 72.24 per 100,000 people. No casualties have been reported while the highest number of patients was reported in July. Most of the patients or 453 are students aged between 10-14 years old.

Surat Thani Hospital has cooperated with the Provincial Public Health Office to clean bodies of stagnant water, which could become mosquito breeding grounds. Officials of the local administrative organization and local schools have also been asked to help campaign for the prevention of the disease.

-- NNT 2010-08-18

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UDD to keep seeking bails for its core leaders

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) will keep seeking temporary releases of its core leaders who remain behind bars, according to its Deputy Chairperson and Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Prompan.

Mr Jatuporn vowed to keep seeking bails for the other core leaders who remained in jail. He said the UDD would ask the court to interrogate witnesses from both the prosecution and the defendant sides, reasoning that the prosecutors had queried none of witnesses from the defendant side.

The UDD deputy chairperson noted that the legal proceedings against his groups were totally different from those of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which had been repeatedly stalled, with no progress made at all. He added that, unlike the UDD core leaders, none of the PAD core leaders had seen a day in jail.

Mr Jatuporn, a rabble rousing MP, also confirmed that he, along with Pheu Thai MPs Karoon Hosakul and Vichian Khaokham, would show up at the Criminal Court on Thursday, as required by law. The three have been alleged of inciting terrorism in the recent political unrest.

The MP also noted that he might reveal a crucial piece of information regarding Department of Special Investigation Director-General Tharit Pengdit, whom he had been accusing of having double standards against the UDD, after the end of the of the 2011 budget bill debate.

-- NNT 2010-08-18

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Thai Court to rule Friday on Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout

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SET index closed at 880.02, up 14.24; Bt/USD31.26; GBP48.51; AUD27.94; EUR40.15; CAD29.99; HKD3.97; SGD22.95; JPY36.32

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Naowarat, 21 other artists join national reform process

Some 22 renowned artists have joined the bandwagon of national reform with the hope of using arts to raise awareness on the structural change designed to overcome the predicament arising from social divisions.

The artists, led by national poet Naowarat Pongpaiboon, will work through the network of artists for reform, formed as part of the National Assembly Committee on Reform which is chaired by Prawase Wasi.

At the Wednesday's inauguration of the network, Prawase said through their arts, artists could communicate and raise the people's physical and spiritual awareness.

"Only through arts and creativity, society can rise above the prevailing crisis," he said.

-- The Nation 2010-08-18

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Thailand's high suicide rate likely a result of economic problems

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Met Dept: Torrential rains in forecast for North, Northeast

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Thai Meteorological Department has issued its daily weather forecast, warning the northern and northeastern regions of heavy rainfalls and flashfloods.

According to the Meteorological Department, a southwestern monsoon is prevailing across the Andaman Sea, Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand while a low-pressure system continues to sweep through the upper part of Vietnam. As a result, abundant rainfalls are expected in several provinces in the North and the Northeast during this period. Scattered rainfalls can also be seen throughout the country.

Residents in risk-prone areas along foothills, near waterways and in lowlands should be cautious of possible flashfloods and overflows of rivers caused by the heavy rains in the days ahead.

-- NNT 2010-08-18

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Burmese man stabbed in Sattahip following noise complaint to neighbor

Colombian Gang of suspected thieves arrested in Pattaya

Australian found dead in Central Pattaya hotel room

http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/26746/australian-found-dead-in-central-pattaya-hotel-room/

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Bangkok airport express train to open next week

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Phuket police: Violent crime, drug cases soaring

Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong at a press conference to announce the arrest of drug suspects earlier this week.

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UPDATE

Police Admit Lack of Public Awareness on Copyright

The National Police Office has acknowledged that the case of a trash collector getting fined for selling discarded CDs is somewhat too harsh, saying that either the public and police have not been adequately educated on copyright laws.

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to be continued

Thailand Live Thursday 19 August 2010

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