Thailand Live Thursday 26 Aug 2010

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Thailand Live Thursday 26 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 Wednesday 25 August 2010

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2,000 megawatt-power generation project to be up for bidding in Sep - Oct

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Energy Ministry will open the 2,000-megawatt power generation project for bidding by Small Power Producers (SPP) in September

– October.

The project of 2,000 - megawatt- power generation will be up for bidding by SPP with co-generation system for power production during 2015 -2021 in

response to the resolution of the Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO) to purchase power from the private sector.

This project is aimed to maintain the reserved power for use in 2013-2014 in accordance with the country’s power development plan. The Energy Ministry

also allows private companies to co-invest in the project.

-- NNT 2010-08-26

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Cabinet Endorses Finance Ministry Reshuffle

The Cabinet endorsed appointments of high-ranking officials in the Finance Ministry as proposed by the ministry itself. Permanent Secretary to the Finance Ministry, Sathit Limpongpan, will reach his mandatory retirement at the end of September. His pending retirement prompted the need for a post reshuffle between high-ranking officials in agencies under the Finance Ministry, except for the Office of Public Debt Management.

Excise Department Director General Areepong Bhoochaoom will succeed Sathit as the new Finance Permanent Secretary. Pongpanu Svetarunda, director-

general of the Comptroller General’s Department, will replace Areepong. Pongpanu will be succeeded by Rangsan Srivorasart, an inspector general.

Naris Chaiyasoot, the deputy Permanent Secretary to the Finance Ministry, will become the new director general of the Fiscal Policy Office. Somchai

Sajjapong, the director-general of the Customs Department, will become the director-general of the State Enterprise Policy Office.

Revenue Department Director-General Winai Wittawatkaravet will become the new director-general of the Treasury Department, while Sathit Rangkasiri,

director-general of the Fiscal Policy Office, will succeed him at the Revenue Department. Prasong Poonthanet, an inspector general, will head the Customs Department.

Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij said Areepong is appointed the new permanent secretary despite the fact that he is not the most senior official,

because he has ample experience and oversaw the development of many state enterprises. He added that although seniority is a factor, it is not the

most important criteria.

The Cabinet approved the fifth public debt management plan for 2010. Korn said this plan is different from the previous ones, as it aims to reduce

government debt. The plan consists of two parts. The first part is using 42 billion baht from the government reserves to prematurely settle romissory

notes. The second part deals with 22 billion baht the State Railway of Thailand will borrow from the Finance Ministry for the construction of an underground extension line from Bang Sue to Rangsit.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-26

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Budget bill gets nod from House, to be viewed by Senate on 6 Sep

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The House of Representatives has unanimously endorsed the 2011 Budget Bill while the Senate is set to deliberate on 6 September

2010.

The vote session on the 2011 Budget Bill worth 2.07 trillion THB was conducted on Wednesday at 12.40 hrs after five days of debate. As a result, the bill was given the green light by a vote of 253-178 with 14 abstentions and 21 no-votes.

The budget bill will be further considered by the Senate on 6 September tentatively from 10.00-24.00 hrs. According to Senate Speaker Prasobsuk Boondej, senatorial members are in the process of signing up for debate time from now until 31 August.

-- NNT 2010-08-26

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Govt will ask traders to continue fixing goods prices after 30 Sep

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Commerce Ministry will call traders to a meeting to ask them to peg commodities’ prices for a further three months after the

expiration of price fixing measure on 30 September.

Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade (DIT), Ms Vachari Vimooktayon stated that the commodities’ price fixing measure would expire on

30 September and the Government would hold a meeting among consumer goods operators on the feasibility of continuing the measure for a further

three months in response to the Government’s policy.

As for exclusive goods for some particular groups, reconsideration would be needed whether prices should be adjusted.

She said that goods’ prices control would be made to ease consumers' burden and ensure that the operation would not impact the country’s inflation rate as well. People who encounter unfair trading operation can inform the DIT at the Hot Line 1569.

-- NNT 2010-08-26

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Thai Tiger Airways to Proceed

The Chairman of the Thai Airways' board said Thai Tiger Airline, the joint venture between Thai Airways and Tiger Airline, will go ahead as planned.

National Economic and Social Development Board Secretary-General Ampon Kittiampon, in his capacity as the chairman to the board of Thai Airways, said

Thai Tiger Airline, the future joint venture between Thai Airways and Tiger Airline of Singapore, remains in the pipelines, and he is ready to answer

questions regarding the low-cost airline, to Transport Minister Sophon Saram.

Thai Airways sent a letter to the Transport Ministry informing the ministry of the joint venture.

Next week the transport minister will meet with the board of Thai Airways to discuss the new budget airline in detail.

The cost to set up Thai Tiger Airline is set at 200 million baht, 300 million baht less than the cost of setting up Nok Air. The difference is that Thai Tiger Airline will be co-owned by a foreign airline, and, therefore, it must be thoroughly examined.

According to Thai Airway’s plan, Thai Tiger Airways will begin its operation in the first quarter of next year, targeting low-end flyers. The airline is expected

to provide low-priced flights and sell 97 percent of its tickets online for domestic and regional flights.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-26

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MERCHANT OF DEATH

Viktor Bout's extradition delayed at least until early October

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Land, building taxes draft bill not true reform : critics

By Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

More measures are needed to reduce inequality; generate income for poor

The draft bill on land and building taxes will not cut down on inequality in terms of land ownership or generate income for poor people and farmers, prominent economist and social critic Pasuk Phongpaichit said.

"This land and building tax bill is not directly aimed at reducing social inequality in land ownership or distributing unoccupied land. There seems to be a misunderstanding and expectations from the bill," she said.

Pasuk was speaking at the "Bill on Land and Building and the Fairness of Land Ownership" seminar held by Thai Land Reform Network at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Economics.

The Cabinet approved the bill in April after it was submitted by the Finance Ministry.

Under the draft bill, landowners must pay their taxes to the local administrative organisation. The maximum rate would be 0.5 per cent of the value as appraised by the Treasury Department at the initial stage.

The draft bill also sets a ceiling on rates for three types of land, with no more than 0.05 per cent on farmland; no more than 0.1 per cent on residential land; and no more than 0.5 per cent on land used for other purposes or left unused.

If land is left unused for three years, owners must pay 1 per cent of the value of the land in taxes, which will be increased to 2 per cent after three years and remain at that rate in following years.

"The bill will force landowners either to sell their land or put it to good use so they can avoid having to pay high taxes," she said. "Also, the bill will help stop realestate speculation."

Pasuk said the government should run programmes like the ones used in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, where people who own large tracts of land have to hand some over to the state in exchange for government bonds.

"The government could take public land and distribute it among the landless," she said.

Surapong Songrak, a member of the landreform network, said the government should revoke the ceiling on the rate that owners are taxed for unused land, because this would allow them to profit from speculating on land.

"The government should collect land tax at a progressive rate," he said, adding he did not see any clear policies about using financial measures to support the redistribution of land.

Meanwhile, Duangmanee Laowakul, a lecturer at Thammasart University's Faculty of Economics, said the government should set up a committee to monitor each individual owner's usage of land so the local administrative organisation can esti mate the rate at which they should be taxed.

-- The Nation 2010-08-26

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Illness forces surrender of redshirt leader

By The Nation

A cancerstricken, redshirt leader in Ubon Ratchathani yesterday turned himself in to police to face charges of arson and joining political rallies in violation of the State of Emergency Decree.

Prayuth Moonsarn, 54, showed up in hospital patient's garb, reporting to the Ubon Ratchathani police office. He said his condition had worsened since he went on the run and hid in the border forest.

"I could not see my doctor as scheduled. Sometimes, I need morphine to suppress my pain," he said. Prayuth, the leader of Ubon People Love Thaksin Group, is also known as DJ Num Niranam.

He said he had just Bt20,000 cash with him when he went on the run after May 19 at the height of the disturbances.

"When the cash ran out, I decided to consult people I've known and arranged my surrender," he said.

Sombat Rattanano, a former Pheu Thai MP, submitted Bt200,000 to support Prayuth's bail request.

Prayuth was finally released on bail yesterday, after police investigators and DSI did not object to his bail application.

Sombat said earlier when Prayuth's bail request was approved, many more red shirts would come forward to face charges.

-- The Nation 2010-08-26

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Police board to appeal against court verdict

By The Nation

The Royal Thai Police board will appeal against the Central Administrative Court's verdict cancelling the appointment of Pol General Watcharapol Prasarnratchakij as deputy national police commissioner.

"Office of Police Commission deputy commissioner MajGeneral Wiboon Prongdong has already been told to file a petition with the Supreme Court," Deputy National Police Commissioner General Wichien Pojphosri said yesterday.

The court ruled in favour of Pol General Chalor Chuwong, who lodged a complaint accusing thennational police chief General Patcharawat Wongsuwan, the nomination committee, the Royal Thai Police board as well as the prime minister for wrongly giving Watcharapol the post. Chalor is an adviser to the national police chief.

Watcharapol said yesterday that he had heard about the appeal, and added that he would respect the final court ruling. He also said that if his appointment were cancelled he would return to his old post as assistant national police commissioner, which would require an adjustment to his police ranking.

"I'm not discouraged," Watcharapol said.

-- The Nation 2010-08-26

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AFTERMATH

DSI ready to issue autopsy results

By The Nation

Though most autopsy results on the 89 victims of the redshirt crackdown in May are ready to be made public, "it is still difficult to identify who killed them", a senior Department of Special Investigation official said yesterday.

"The identification process is rather problematic, given the fact that firearms were used by both security officials and unidentified militants," Phayao Thongsen said at a DSI press conference yesterday. "There were also a number of governmentissued assault rifles that were seized by redshirt protesters and used against soldiers. To find out who killed whom will take time and require a delicate identification procedure."

Autopsy results in all cases can be revealed as soon as the DSI leaders give the greenlight, Phayao said, adding that the identification should be ready in the next two months.

Of the 89 killed, autopsy on 73 bodies has been completed, Phayao said. The remaining bodies are of those killed during the intense fighting from May 14 to May 19 and have not yet been handed over to the DSI by police. "They should be handed over by the end of this month," he added.

-- The Nation 2010-08-26

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2 arrested over moneywire scam

By The Natioon

Two Taiwanese men, alleged to be part of a moneywire scam for which six of their compatriots were arrested last month, were nabbed by the police while they were using several cards to withdraw money at an ATM machine in Bangkok.

Hsu Tien Yu, 22, and Chen ChunJung, 30, had been under close watch following tipoffs indicating their links with the six suspects, before police caught Yu withdrawing money at an ATM machine on Petchaburi Soi 10 on Tuesday. Jung was later arrested at his hotel room in Bangkok's Pathum Wan district.

Police found in their possession 10 Bangkok Bank debit cards, 10 Kasikornbank ATM cards, five bank books each from both banks, seven mobile phones and their passports showing that Yu entered Thailand on July 28 and Jung on August 7.

Deputy Central Investigation Bureau chief Pol LtMajor General Panya Mamen said all "callcentre rackets" based in Thailand was slowing down their operations following intensive police crackdown. He said 10 bank accounts opened by the racketeers had been frozen, making overseas transactions more difficult.

Those still operating now immediately transfer the victims' money to a third party's accounts to cut down on the police tracking them and their money, while their local accomplices were becoming careful in opening bank accounts to facilitate the crimes.

-- The Nation 2010-08-26

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Talkshow hosts fined over rumour

By The Nation

The Criminal Court yesterday handed down a suspended jail term to two television talkshow hosts for slandering the son of a former deputy interior minister in their programme.

The hosts, Chetthawut "Buai" Watcharakhun and Pornthip "A" Wongkijjanon, also had to pay Bt20,000 each in fines.

In the May 22 and May 27, 2009, episodes of their Channel 7 "Khan Pak" programme, they discussed rumours that a famous young actress had escaped her parent's watchful eyes to get drugs off Pai Lik, a wellknown race driver and son of former MP Ruangwit Lik.

In their defence, the hosts said this report was based on information provided to them and the script. They said that in a subsequent interview, the actress in question denied the rumours.

The court, however, issued a guilty verdict on grounds that TV hosts should understand the effects that their words have. However, since they provided useful information, the court suspended their jail term and reduced their fine from Bt30,000 to Bt20,000. The suspended jail term was also commuted from three to two months.

Chetthawut, however, said he would consult his lawyers and Channel 7 executives before he takes any further action. Asked whether he would be careful with what he says on air, he said: "We are always careful."

Porntip said she and Chetthawut were just doing their job - delivering entertaining news to audiences in the morning.

She said Channel 7 executives were helping them with a simultaneous lawsuit that Pai had filed with the Civil Court, reportedly demanding up to Bt50 million in compensation.

-- The Nation 2010-08-26

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Labour groups urge fair treatment of migrant workers

By Thanongsak Muennoo

The Nation

Labour groups yesterday called on the government to resume the registration of migrant workers and stop deporting those who missed the February 28 deadline.

The registration will allow more than a million migrant workers to work lawfully in Thailand and possibly scale down human trafficking, the groups told a Bangkok seminar yesterday.

The labour groups attending the session organised by the National Human Rights Commission included the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC), the State Enterprises Workers' Relations Confederation (SERC) and the Foundation for Human Rights and Development (FHRD).

They suggested that the government recruit private companies to carry out the registration, but keep regulations in place to stop them overcharging the workers. The labour leaders advised the government to have the companies registered with and supervised by the Department of Employment.

Thailand and Burma should also hold a meeting to deal specifically with crossborder registration and other issues regarding Burmese migrant workers.

The Labour Ministry should engage in a proactive public relations campaign, such as producing pamphlets in the Burmese language, to encourage voluntary registration. It should also give Thai employers incentives to register their workers.

The FHRD's Somchai Homlaor said migrant workers should be provided with adequate public health services once they have registered.

The TLSC's Chalee Loisoong said migrant workers should get the same benefits that Thai employees are entitled to.

Sathien Thanphrome, of the Operational Network for Overseas Labour, said the repatriation of Burmese workers should at least be slowed down if not halted.

Labour Ministry official Anrak Thossarak said that about 140,000 Burmese workers had passed the nationality verification process endorsed by the Burmese Embassy. However, he said, there were still 20 large cardboard boxes full of applications that could not be processed because of the lack of personal verification details.

Fifteen Thai companies are vying for the job of carrying out the verification process and many are offering to halve their service charges to beat the competitors.

-- The Nation 2010-08-26

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Braving flash floods

By The Nation

Tropical storm Mindulle,which brought heavy rain and flooding to the North, East and Northeast, was downgraded to a series of low pressure ridges over the Northern region last night - but downpours, floods and landslides continue in many provinces.

Interior Minister Chavarat Charnveerakul and Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart have urged provincial governors to tackle conditions behind the flooding. Sanan reminded them that 22 storms were forecast this year and so far only six had developed.

Revealing that 190 "monkey cheek" water absorbing areas would be built this year, Sanan said the Royal Irrigation Department would consider the best site for dams.

Despite Mindulle's downgrading, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office Region 10 in Lampang continues to watch for floods. Director Anusorn Kaewkangwal said the office supplied manual sirens to endangered villages in Chiang Mai, Lampang, Lamphun and Mae Hong Son and has urged villagers to use local radio communication to warn of approaching floods.

Lampang's Kew Lom Dam, which holds 80million cubic metres out of 116million cubic metres' capacity, released water into the Wang River at 100-200 cubic metres per second to prepare for more water input.

Following reports that the early warning device at Ban Pa Kham in Lampang's Muang Pan district had malfunctioned, the water resource office in Chiang Mai yesterday insisted devices at all 27 stations were in good condition.

The office inspects the devices three times a year and the latest was on May 19. Since the alarm sends information to the control centre every 15 minutes, the centre would know immediately if the device was broken and send officials to fix it, said office executive Weerawuth Pornratpan.

On August 22, after 12 hours of heavy rains, the forest flooded. The warning device measured 63.5 millimetres of rainfall but failed to sound because it was set at 82.5 millimetres, he explained.

The Mae Hong Son-Mae Sarieng road's 174th kilometre marker area was cleared for traffic yesterday after being blocked by a landslide since Tuesday. The highway authority surveyed parts of the 164th-165th and the 174th-175th kilometre markers that were eroded by water and used heavy machines to repair them. River overflowing late yesterday flooded farmlands in Mae Sa Rieng and Mae La Noi districts.

Uttaradit's Thong Saen Khan district has seen 160 millimetres of rain. Flash floods inundated 5,500 homes, affecting 21,000 residents in Tambon Namphi, Pa Khai, Phak Kwuang and Bo Thong. The area does not have a rain-measuring device and the flood alert was slow, residents said. As they fled to higher ground a 54-year-old man injured his head from a fall while dashing from his home. A relief centre was set up in Tambon Namphi and local authorities supplied drinking water and lunchboxes to the victims.

In Khon Kaen's Ban Fang district, a cyclonic storm badly damaged 102 homes in two villages in Tambon Pawai Nang on Tuesday night, kamnan Triumsak Thipsaeng said yesterday.

Provincial Electricity Authority executive Niraman Janejarassakul has urged flood-risk residents to call PEA via the hotline 1129 to have power metres moved if they were under threat of being flooded. If floodwaters cover a homes' ground floor, residents should turn off the cutout switch as a precaution, she said.

-- The Nation 2010-08-26

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THAI-CAMBODIA TIES

Three Isaan men still in Khmer prison

By The Nation

Three Thai nationals are still under detention in Siem Reap because Prime Minister Hun Sen's instruction to release them remains unclear.

The three Surin residents - Sanong Wongcharoen, Rim Phuangphet and Rain Sabdee - were arrested last week while hunting for food in the forested area along the Thai-Cambodian border.

Surin Governor Raphee Pongbuppakit said on Tuesday that Hun Sen had ordered the prisoners' release now that diplomatic relations have been normalised.

However, the Foreign Ministry's deputy spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said on a radio programme yesterday that the three were still in Siem Reap prison, because their case had not yet been put through the court. He added that Thai authorities were working to get them released.

Thailand and Cambodia normalised ties after former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra resigned as an adviser to Hun Sen on Monday.

Both countries have reinstated their respective ambassadors after recalling them nine months ago when Thaksin was given the appointment. Thailand regarded the appointment as an insult to its judicial system because Thaksin is fleeing the jail term given over conflict-of-interest charges.

Cambodian Ambassador You Ay arrived in Bangkok yesterday to resume her duties, though she would not speak to reporters as she walked out of the airport terminal.

Thai Ambassador Prasas Prasasvinitchai arrived in Phnom Penh on Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said yesterday that the government would continue cooperating in projects with Cambodia now that ties are back to normal, adding that the Preah Vihear dispute would not be an obstacle.

The two countries have been in conflict over the designation of the Hindu temple as a World Heritage Site as well as fears of territory loss.

-- The Nation 2010-08-26

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Thailand's House votes in 2011 Budget Bill

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MAP TA PHUT CONTROVERSY

Map Ta Phut projects to eventually boost PTT

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THAI TALK

Yesterday's activist, today's reluctant reformer

By Suthichai Yoon

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EDITORIAL

Economic outlook leaves no room for complacency

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Thailand and the US talk on agricultural cooperation

BANGKOK (NNT) -- An Advisor to the Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister, Mr Apichart Pongsrihadulchai discussed with Ms Judith Beth Cefkin, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in Bangkok, on agricultural cooperation of the two nations.

The US Government offered technical collaboration between the two countries in regulations, food safety, technology and environment since the United States had expertise in these fields. The US side informed about the problem in livestock products import that involved farms were required to be guaranteed by the Thai agency, but Mr Apichart confirmed it was the common process to be made with every countries for consumers' safety.

Thailand has joined the pre-clearance program of the US Government which can help facilitate Thai agricultural products exported to the US. However, the US Custom still investigates those products which causes more expenses. The Thai Government thus asked the US to reconsider the matter and solve the problem.

This discussion was aimed to expand agricultural cooperation and would result in reducing trade obstacles between the two countries.

-- NNT 2010-08-26

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Sondhi led 79 PADs to report themselves to investigators of Crime Suppression Division to acknowledge charges on 2 airport seizure in 2008. /via @TAN_Network

People's Alliance for Democracy leader Sondhi Limthongkul & PAD supporters/speakers report to police for charges re:airport closures in '08 /via @TAN_Network

PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul leads Yellow Shirt leaders and activists arriving at Crime Suppression Division

PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul leads Yellow Shirt leaders and activists arriving at Crime Suppression Division to answer charges related to their seizure of two airports

-- TNA 2010-08-26

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Viktor Bout's lawyer stayed overnight at Bang Kwan prison, citing he doesn't trust the Thai gov't /via @RichardBarrow /via @Juarawee

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Bt200 Million to Promote Thai Film Industry

The Culture Ministry is preparing to spend 200 million baht under an economic stimulus scheme to support Thailand's film and video industry, focusing on the promotion of Thai culture and tourist destinations to the international community.

With the film industry raking in over 20 billion baht in Thailand annually, chief ddviser to the culture minster, Witoon Karuna, stated that the Culture Ministry has decided to set up organizations to support and develop Thailand's film and video industry, using 200 million baht from the Strong Thailand economic stimulus program.

The initiative is also intended to inspire creative business plans that can be used to promote Thai culture and tourist destinations to the international market to further stimulate the economy.

The Culture Ministry is preparing more concrete and substantial objectives for the film and video industry development program by strategically using the budget to illustrate and promote the beauty of Thai culture.

The ministry is already supporting more than 70 films, particularly the third and fourth installments of the King Naresuan series, which has been alloted a 46 million-baht budget.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-26

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Sondhi, yellow shirts report to police for airport seizure

People's Alliance for Democracy leader Sondhi Limthongkul on Thursday reported himself at the Crime Suppression Division to fight charges related to the airport seizure in 2008 by the yellow shirts.

"I come today to give my statement to police as I have been charged for terrorism and myriad offences - this is going to be a long story," he said upon arriving at the CSD.

Sondhi said he suspected police trying to throw frame-up charges at him and the yellow shirts. He vowed to fight by filing counter lawsuits against police to the full extent of the law.

-- The Nation 2010-08-26

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Thai policy interest rate is projected to increase further by a quarter point to 2% by the end of this year

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Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 888.20, up 3.69 /via @MCOTEnglishnews

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Foreign Affairs Minister's Secretary Discusses Border Dispute with PAD

The Secretary to the Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya recently met with the leaders of the People’s Alliance for Democracy or PAD.

He said the government is ready to listen to suggestions from any civil group regarding the border dispute with Cambodia.

Chawanon Intarakomarasut, secretary to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, had a meeting with leaders of the PAD to discuss approaches to dealing with the bilateral tension with Cambodia.

The meeting is a part of the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s policy to listen to suggestions from civil groups. These suggestions will be forwarded to Parliament for consideration.

Chawanon added that he will meet with the PAD again, as the group has a lot of information that is valuable to the Thai-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission.

When asked why the meeting was done in private, he said there was no intention to conceal information. He said the government will choose its stance based on facts and documents, and the decision will not favor any particular group.

PAD Spokesman Panthep Puapongpan said he hopes the government will change its mind regarding an MoU signed in 2000.

He believes the government's choice to heed suggestions from the public will result in benefits for the nation.

The Thai government is planning to hold bilateral talks with the Cambodian government, using the framework provided by the MoU. The PAD, however, is concerned that the MoU is a symbol of agreement to a map established by France which affects Thailand's sovereignty.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-26

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AOT President Testifies in Airport Seizures Case

The Airports of Thailand's president testified in court yesterday admitting he was the one to order the closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport when the People's Alliance for Democracy marched into the airport in November, 2008.

President of Airports of Thailand Serirat Prasutanont testified in court yesterday on the civil case against 14 leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy or the PAD for organizing sit-in demonstrations at Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports in November, 2008.

The leaders are being sued for monetary damages, a total of 245 million baht, from the closure of the airports.

However, the Transport Ministry has estimated that the seizures had cost 19 billion baht in damages, not including the impact on the tourism sector.

Serirat claimed that he did not know who the airports belong to or whether taxpayers' money was spent on the construction of the airports.

However, he pointed out that the airports had been petitioned into two zones, the public area and the controlled area for authorized personnel only.

Serirat admitted that he ordered the temporary closure of the airports at 9 PM on November 25, 2008 after the protesters entered the terminals, which caused both passengers and employees to panic at the time.

The AOT president added that at 11 PM that night, he ordered the airports to be closed indefinitely, to ensure the safety of those inside the airports.

Serirat also mentioned there was a failed attempt to negotiate with the protesters before his order was issued.

In a separate matter, Serirat also admitted he is a brother-in-law to Veera Musikapong, one of the core red-shirt leaders.

However, the AOT president denied knowing whether Veera was working for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

-- Tan Network 2010-08-26

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Suvarnabhumi Airport link - What a mess!

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