Thailand Live Tuesday 24 Aug 2010

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Thailand Live Tuesday 24 August 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 Monday 23 August 2010

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23 More Provinces under Flood Threat

Many areas in northern provinces are reeling under the effects of recent heavy rain while the weather department has warned of more possible flash floods in 23 provinces.

An overflow from the swollen Yom River is rapidly flooding Muang Sukhothai district in Sukhothai province.

Disaster relief officials have been busy building sandbag embankments to keep out floodwater. Latest reports say more than 100 households have been affected.

The Yom River level near the Sukhothai governor's residence has exceeded the critical point of 6.50 meters and has flooded the surrounding area with water as high as two meters.

Flash floods flowing from Nang Kaew Mountain and the Lao River have inundated Chiang Rai's Wiang Papao district, damaging 500 households, 20 popular riverside tourist spots and farmland in nine villages.

The district's concrete bridge has also been damaged by the floods and the Meteorological Department has warned locals residing near the Lao River banks to closely monitor the water level.

Lampang's weather station chief Thiwa Panmaisee reported that 13 districts are covered by dark rain clouds, particularly in Hangchat and Korka.

Meanwhile, the flood situation in Nakhon Sawan's Banpotpisai district remains critical as run-off rain water from the mountains continues to flood the area. Small vehicles are now unable to use the roads.

The Local Administration Department is working around the clock to help the distressed public.

To protect their rice crops, rice farmers in Phitsanulok's Bang Rakum district rent rice harvesters to collect and store their newly-planted rice crops after learning about the rising water levels in the Yom and Ping rivers.

The Phitsanulok Irrigation Department is concerned that Bang Rakum district will be badly affected by the flooding and has collected data for tomorrow's meeting to discuss preventative and relief efforts to help residents.

In its latest report, the Meteorological Department has notified provinces around Thailand of heavy rainfalls and warned locals in the northern provinces residing near mountainous areas of possible flash floods from August 23 to 25.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-24

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Court Office Defends Extradition Verdict

The court office says the extradition of an alleged Russian arms dealer to Washington can be delayed from the mandatory 90 days. It also insists the decision to extradite the suspect was free and fair.

Spokesperson for the Court of Justice, Sitthisak Wanachakit, said no party whether it be the Thai government or a foreign government has influenced the appeals court's order to extradite suspected Russian arms smuggler Viktor Bout to the United States.

Sithisak said the Bangkok Criminal Court first decided not to extradite the Russian stemmed from its ruling that the charges against him were political.

Political cases are exempted from the extradition agreement Thailand has with the United States. However, the Appeals Court has overturned the lower court's ruling and ordered Bout to be extradited to the US within 90 days.

He insisted the court is well aware that the country has good relations with both the United States and Russia, which disapproved of the extradition order.

The spokesperson also said the court is considering whether to continue to prosecute Bout on other charges.

If it decides to do so, the Russian will continue to be under Thailand's custody until the remaining cases are finalized.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-24

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Viktor Bout sent to Bang Khwang Prison

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Department of Corrections has ordered the transfer of suspected Russian arms smuggler, Viktor Bout to Bang Khwang Prison.

The Department on Monday reportedly transferred Mr Bout's from the Bangkok Remand Prison to the male’s top security Bang Khwang Prison amid highest possible level of security, Secretary to the Justice Minister, Colonel Fuangvich Aniruth-deva said.

Viktor Bout was arrested in Bangkok in 2008 for allegedly supplying weapons for the outlawed Colombian rebels.

The Appeal Court last Friday decided to extradite Mr Bout to the US within three months after the extradition request by the US was rejected by the Bangkok Criminal Court in 2009.

The extradition schedule, however, has been kept confidential due to safety concerns during the transfer.

-- NNT 2010-08-24

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Court hearing for libel suit against PM, CRES members deferred

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Criminal Court has postponed the deliberation of the libel case lodged against three government officials by a university lecturer to 15 November 2010.

The court today decided to defer its hearing in the defamation case against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, Deputy Prime Minister and Director of the Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) Suthep Thaugsuban, and CRES Spokesperson Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd. The main reason was because the third defendant, Colonel Sansern, had yet appointed a lawyer to defend the case.

The lawsuit was filed with the Criminal Court by Mr Suthachai Yimprasert, lecturer of the Department of History, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, alleging the three high-ranking state officers of abusing their power. The plaintiff claimed that the defendants circulated leaflets with a list of persons behind a plot to topple the monarchy and falsely accused him of being one of them.

The court is set to start deliberating the case on 15 November at 9.00 hrs.

-- NNT 2010-08-24

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Chiang Mai Red-shirt Group Holds Rally

The Chiang Mai red-shirt group has held an activity on the province's well-known walking street after the emergency rule was lifted. The group also vows to carry out more activities every week.

More than 300 red-shirt supporters in Chiang Mai, led by Sombut Boon-ngam-anong, gathered at the walking street yesterday after the state of emergency was revoked in the province.

A six-wheeled truck, installed with loudspeakers, was used to invite locals to join the gathering.

The group also asked Chiang Mai residents to investigate what they claimed is the government's killings of red-shirt protesters at Ratchaprasong Intersection. A photo exhibition and a satire play were also staged to mock the government's actions.

Moreover, Sombut led some members of the red-shirt group to march on the walking street and verbally attack the Democrat-led government.

The group also vowed to stage similar activities every week in the province.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-24

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Disaster Areas Across Thailand As Rain Falls, Water Levels Rise

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ROBBERY

Gunman steals Bt2.5m in gold

By The Nation

A gunman yesterday made off with gold ornaments worth Bt2.5 million from an Aurora gold shop at the Imperial Lat Phrao shopping mall.

Police officers, quoting staff at the shop, said the man, wearing a hood, black jacket and blue jeans, showed up at the shop before noon and pointed a pistol at them. He then said "Don't scream or I'll shoot," and ordered them to walk to the back of the shop.

Then he swept up neck-laces weighing more than 2 kilograms from the display counters.

He fled on a blue Honda Sonic motorcycle with an unidentified licence-plate number.

Police said this shop was in an area inside the mall that had many possible escape routes. A mugger arrested for stealing elsewhere a month ago had confessed to planning to rob this store, citing that as a reason.

-- The Nation 2010-08-24

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MEDICAL BILL

Govt whip points out flaws in medical bill

By The Nation

A government whip yesterday said the draft bill on patients' protection rights, which has been put on the agenda for the House of Representatives in November, had some flaws that needed amending.

At a seminar held yesterday by the House Standing Committee on Public Health, Dr Warong Detkitwikrom said the merging of state and private hospitals' funds would be damaging.

He explained that the amounts demanded in lawsuits against private hospitals were far higher than the demands made of state hospitals, which meant private institutions would use up more of this fund.

Another flaw, Warong pointed out, was that the three sub-panels that are meant to discuss the draft bill do not include enough medical experts, adding that he agreed with Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit's idea that all sides should hold talks and present their conclusions to the House committee.

Citing the National Health Security Office, which adds about Bt1 billion every year to its fund, Warong said only Bt80 million of that fund was spent per year. So if a new compensation fund were established, it would be like transferring NHSO burdens to that fund, he said.

Meanwhile, Private Hospitals Association president Dr Auechart Kanchanapitak said fund contributions should be made voluntarily. Private hospitals faced many lawsuits nowadays and each hospital had a system of dealing with them, whether by offering patients discounts or waiving the medical bill. They dealt with 10 to 20 cases per week.

Having private institutions contribute to the new fund according to the draft bill would be an added cost for them, he said.

-- The Nation 2010-08-24

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Ministry to get new copter after crash

By Janjira Pongrai

The Nation

A new helicopter and an observer aircraft will be acquired by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry after a helicopter crash last week in the Nan jungles that killed the permanent secretary and four other people.

A two-engine helicopter from France-based Eurocopter, with maritime operation capacity, will be received by the ministry next March under a Bt100-million budget from last year.

Another Bt148 million will be approved next year to purchase a 10-seat single-turboprop observer plane, but the model has not yet been decided. This aircraft, with an operational distance of 917 nautical miles and maximum payload of 685 kilograms, is capable of low-altitude flight to observe marine life.

After the helicopter crash, a ministry survey found there were fewer than eight helicopters still operational out of an inventory of 18. Deputy permanent secretary Chatree Chuayprasit said purchases of the new aircraft had been planned before the fatal accident.

He said the ministry would have 26 aircraft in total. The 14 operational machines would be overhauled and 12 new ones acquired by 2014.

A ministry investigation into the cause of the helicopter crash, headed by inspector-general Monthip Srirattana, is underway and will reach a finding soon, Chatree said.

-- The Nation 2010-08-24

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Briton falls to his death at Novotel Suvarnabhumi Hotel

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BMA plans monorail, skywalk for Royal anniversary

By The Nation

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will sign a memorandum of understanding on Thursday with Chulalongkorn University on building the Siam-Samyan monorail, BMA spokesman Wasan Meewong said yesterday.

The city executives' meeting approved 14 projects to celebrate His Majesty the King's birthday anniversary on December 5, including the monorail project and the Pattanamuang skywalk, covering five sites. Design of the skywalk should be completed in September with construction beginning in December. The BMA will invest up to Bt2 billion on the monorail built on the university's property. It is working on the monorail garage site ahead of Cabinet approval to build the elevated transport system in the 25 square kilometre area which is beyond the government's "M-Map" transport master plan. In September, the city will hold a seminar for public opinion on the project while the Environmental Impact Assessment report should be complete by next May, he said. Construction should begin next year for completion before Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra's term ends, he added.

-- The Nation 2010-08-24

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Seven dead from dengue last week, 230 cases a day

By The Nation

Seven people died from dengue fever last week, bringing the death toll from the disease across the Kingdom this year to 70, Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said yesterday.

Two of the dengue deaths last week were in Krabi, while further deaths were reported in Chiang Rai, Phetchabun, Lop Buri, Chachoengsao, and Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Some 60,000 people have caught the disease this year - 83 per cent more than last year, with an average of 230 new cases detected every day. The outbreak is so severe, Jurin has instructed provincial health chiefs to monitor and control it, as well as urging people with "suspicious" symptoms to see doctors immediately.

The regional breakdown was: 14,361 cases in the South, with 15,871 in the Central region, 8,843 cases in the North, and 15,517 cases in the Northeast. Of these, seven patients were less than 28 days old and 409 were over 65 years.

Narathiwat had the highest dengue fever patient increase in the first two weeks of August at 354 cases, Jurin said, followed by Phayao, Krabi, Chiang Rai, Rayong, Songkhla, Pattani, Phattalung, and Trat.

In the Central region, Kanchanaburi was said to have the most mosquito larva incubating grounds, followed by Chachoengsao, and Chon Buri. In the southern region, Phuket, Trang and Pattani had the most larva breeding grounds.

In the North, Kamphaeng Phet, Uthai Thani and Phichit had the most, while Surin, Chaiyaphum, Buri Ram and Nakhon Ratchasima had the most incubating grounds in the Northeast.

Jurin urged officials in these provinces to spray all areas where mosquito larva might incubate.

The chief of the 11th Disease Control Office in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Dr Panumas Yanawetsakul, said dengue fever in the southern province was so severe that Maharat Hospital and district hospitals could not provide sufficient beds for the patients, some of whom were placed in hallways. Muang, Lan Saka and Na Bon districts had the worst out-breaks and the province's total dengue fever toll was nine deaths (this year).

The seven provinces in the South had been hit hard by the disease, with 13 people dying this year - 9 in Nakhon Si Thammarat and 4 in Krabi.

-- The Nation 2010-08-24

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VIOLENCE AFTERMATH

Anger over riot autopsy reports

By Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Relatives, rights activists say DSI release not good enough

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Thai appeal court followed the right procedure in Viktor Bout case

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Abhisit needs good people to help ward off scavengers

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CIVIL AVIATION

Cabinet to consider Suvarnabhumi's 2nd phase plan today

By Watcharapong Thongrung

The Nation

Airports of Thailand is optimistic that the Cabinet will today approve the company's Bt62 billion expansion plan for the Suvarnabhumi Airport, as the planned third runway is taken out of the plan pending for the environmental impact assessment (EIA).

Somchai Sawasdeepon, senior executive vice president of AOT, said in an interview yesterday that much of the investment is for greater convenience of passengers as it encompasses the second terminal, an office building and more parking areas.

"If the Cabinet approves the plan tomorrow, this will take 72 months for all to be completed on the assumption that in 2016 Suvarnabhumi will accommodate 64 million passengers. Without the approval, the existing facilities can handle more passengers, but they may have to wait in a longer line," he said.

At present, the airport is designed to accommodate upto 45 million passengers per annum.

A source said recently that the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry would axe the investment, on grounds that no EIA was attached. AOT was ordered to pay Bt11 billion in damage to residents near Suvarnabhumi for noise pollution caused by the two runways. To date, it has paid out only about Bt1 billion.

Somchai explained that as the plan did not include the third runway, there is no need for the EIA. AOT is now carrying out the EIA for the third runway, which would compliment the existing two in case of emergency. With two runways, the airport is capable of handling 76 flights per hour, but now at peaks, there are only 52 flights per hour.

According to Somchai, once the Cabinet approves the investment plan, AOT would need to outline the details for the National Economic and Social Development Board's screening. A project consultant would be then hired for the design. Then, a bidding will be called. He expected the process on the terminal would be the most lengthy.

-- The Nation 2010-08-24

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Eight hostages, gunman killed in Manila tourist bus siege /CNN

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World's No 1 golfer, Tiger Woods and his Swedish wife Elin Nordegren, divorce following torrid sex scandal that engulfed Woods late last year /MCOT

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Secretary Chavanond: 3 Thais arrested in Cambodian will not be prosecuted, return to Thailand in three days; Thai envoy to Phnom Penh resumes post today /via @MCOTEnglishnews

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Thailand, Cambodia to restore ties

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Parliamentary deliberation of 2011 fiscal year budget bill debate resumes today after House Speaker Chai ordered adjournment on Friday /via @MCOTEnglishnews

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Thailand Must Make Cautious Move on 'Bout' Issue

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Miss Thailand Fonthip Watcharatrakul wins Miss Photogenic and national costume awards at Miss Universe 2010 held in USA /MCOT

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Thai stocks open up 2.17 pt, 0.24 pct

Thai composite stocks index (SET) opened on Tuesday at 896.95, up 2.17 points, or 0.24 per cent.

Blue chip SET-50 index was at 609.89, up 0.34 point, or 0.06 per cent.

Top five active (value) stocks: TMB, CK, PTTEP, SAMTEL, PTT.

-- The Nation 2010-08-24

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PM Allows Televising of Debate on Budgetary Proposal Today

The government whip is to give the Opposition six more hours to finish deliberations on the 2011 budgetary proposal but decided against televising the debate.

However, the Prime Minister later decided to allow the debate to be televised.

Government chief whip Witthaya Kaewparadai said the government whip decided to give the Opposition MPs six more hours to finish the budget debate today and tomorrow.

Over the past three days of debate, the Opposition MPs spent a combined 24 hours debating, while it took the government side only three hours to defend the proposal.

If the Opposition debates the issue for more than six hours, the debate will become the longest in history.

The government decided against televising of the rest of the debate blaming that the opposition Mps often distracted viewers from the major issues discussed in the house.

However, the Prime Minister tried to compromise and later decide to allow live broadcast.

Previously, the government whip, the opposition whip and the House speaker agreed on a time-frame for the debate, but the Opposition failed to keep the debate within the agreed upon time limit, while some MPs used the debate to launch a censure against the government.

Deputy PM of national security, Suthep Thaugsuban is confident that the proposed budget will pass at the Lower House as Ongart Klampaiboon, PM’s Office Minister, said televising the debate is arranged through the Government Public Relations Departmen, with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva adding that the rest of the debate will be televised on the NBT channel.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-24

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No broadcast for final stretch of budget debate: Chai

House Speaker Chai Chidchob on Tuesday ruled out live broadcast for the final stretch of the budget debate, saying there was no precedent to air the final readings of the Budget Bill.

The final debate on budgetary allocations will last from this morning and complete by noon on Thursday, the deadline for the House deliberation before the bill is forwarded to the Senate, Chai said.

"Today's debate will pick up from last week by vetting Article 17 of the Budget Bill related to Bt230 billion earmarked for the Interior Ministry," he said.

Opposition chief whip Witthaya Buranasiri said the opposition would not object to the cancellation of live broadcast.

-- The Nation 2010-08-24

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PM expects Cambodia will release three detained Thais in Cambodia today; Deputy PM Suthep praises move as possibly reviving bilateral ties /via @MCOTEnglishnows

Thai students win one gold, two silver and three bronze medals at Southeast Mathematics Olympiad (SMO 2010) in Taiwan /via @MCOTEnglishnows

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UPDATE

Lone Robber Made Off with 130 Gold-Weight Baht

A man, armed with a pistol, stole more than 130 baht-weight in gold from a gold shop located inside a shopping mall in Ladprao area of Bangkok.

A man robbed the Aurora Gold Shop located inside Imperial Shopping Mall in the Ladprao district, Bangkok, making off with 134 baht-weight in gold ornaments, valued at approximately 2.5 million baht.

Police said witnesses described the man as 160 centimeters tall, wearing a black jacket, a beanie and a face mask and was armed with a pistol.

He held the shop's employees at gunpoint before gathering the gold ornaments displayed on the counter into a bag. He then fled the scene on a blue motorcycle.

Investigators said that it only took the robber about three minutes to complete the robbery.

However, one witness recalled seeing a man fitting the suspects' description talking on a cellphone near the shop prior to the robbery. A sketch of the man is being drawn-up with witnesses' assistance.

Police initially believe that the robber surveyed the shop prior to the incident as the robber moved in just 30 minutes after a routine police patrol.

Unfortunately, security cameras installed inside the shop were not working. Police are seeking tapes from other cameras inside the mall.

The shop was previously targeted by another thief, but the robber was arrested for robbing another gold shop in the area about a month ago.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-24

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Police Rescue Stressed Swedish Man in Pattaya

An elderly Swedish man severely cut himself in Pattaya. Police believe the man was suffering from emotional distress.

Pattaya police, along with rescue volunteers, were called to a condominium on Soi Arunothai in Central Pattaya upon receiving a call about an old foreigner who severely cut himself.

At the scene, officers found the Swedish man, aged between 55 and 60 years old, sitting and wailing in his room, with a large knife in his bloody hand. Police said there were several deep cuts all over his left arm.

Police and foreign onlookers tried to calm the man, but he would not stop hurting himself and kept moaning about his wife and son.

Police eventually caught the man off guard and charged at him, and was able to take the knife away.

The man was sent to Pattaya Memorial Hospital for medial treatment immediately. Police are now trying to contact his wife and relatives.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-24