Thailand Live Monday 6 Sep 2010

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Thailand Live Monday 6 September 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 Sunday 5 September 2010

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Visitors pour into Thai Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo

BANGKOK (NNT) -- Scores of visitors are flicking to the traditional “Sala Thai” or "Thailand Pavilion", in order to join the Thailand’s National Pavilion Day celebration inside Shanghai World Expo 2010 at Shanghai, China.

Speaking via his weekly TV program “Confidence in Thailand with Prime Minister Abhisit”, the Prime Minister said the Thailand Pavilion attracted a number of both Chinese and other foreign visitors. He deemed the event a good opportunity to make Thailand well-known in the world community.

Prime Minister Abhisit hence believed that Thailand stood a chance to be supported as host the World Expo 2020 but said details of the arrangements and preparations should be studied again.

Meanwhile, Social Development and Human Security Minister Issara Somchai, also joining the Prime Minister in the TV show, expected that at least 2,000 visitors would attend the Thailand’s National Pavilion Day celebration today.

Mr Issara said Thailand’s flag would be raised on the top of a flagpole at the pavilion as part of the celebration.

-- NNT 2010-09-06

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Democrat asks all to respect Map Ta Phut case´s ruling

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The ruling Democrat Party has asked every side, especially the civil sector, to accept the recent verdict of the Administrative Court on the Map Ta Phut case for the sake of the country.

Earlier, the Administrative Court ruled that 74 out of 76 projects at Map Ta Phut industrial estate in the eastern province of Rayong could resume operations. The other two projects were still suspended due to concerns over serious effects on the environment.

On the civil sector’s anger with the ruling, Democrat Party Executive Sathit Pitutecha stated that the civil sector could appeal the case with the Supreme Administrative Court. He however suggested that all sides should better respect the court’s ruling and stop their movements against it.

Mr Sathit reasoned that a planned demonstration of the civil sector would cause more problems in the industrial estate areas and negatively affect investor confidence.

The party executive also suggested the Government use studies of the four-party panel working on the industrial estate’s problems to improve the quality of life of villagers in Map Ta Phut areas. The industrial sector must show its sincerity to well cooperate with the Government to restore and preserve the local environment, he added.

-- NNT 2010-09-06

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Democrat: PM’s visit to China successful

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The ruling Democrat Party has declared Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva trip to China a success in creating confidence for Thailand in many aspects upon his visit to the Shanghai World Expo 2010.

Democrat Party Spokesperson MD Buranaj Smutharaks stated that the visit of the Prime Minister was successful in many aspects such as reviving confidence in Thailand by making people see that the Thai Government succeeded in steering the country away from the surrounding crises.

The spokesperson also regarded the joint investment plan between Thailand and China to construct high-speed train as an important step to open up for economic opportunities as the project was well received by the Chinese side.

Responding to the opposition Pheu Thai Party’s request for the Government to do beneficial things for the nation, MD Buranaj confirmed the Government was committed to work and solve problems for the betterment of Thai people.

The spokesperson then talked about progress of ten projects pushed forward by the Government such as the income guarantee scheme for farmers, the 15-year free education scheme, the Strong Thailand scheme, the pension for senior citizen, and many others.

-- NNT 2010-09-06

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Thais confirmed safe from New Zealand quake

BANGKOK (NNT) -- All Thai people living in the quake-hit country of New Zealand have been confirmed safe after the country was recently rocked by a powerful magnitude 7.0, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

As confirmed by Deputy Information Department Director-General and Deputy Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Thani Thongphakdi, no fatalities and injuries of Thai people in New Zealand have been reported from the quake although some of their residences were damaged.

According to the Thai Embassy in Wellington, the New Zealand authorities will prepare temporary shelters for the victims. Local Thai temples have also confirmed readiness to provide accommodations if there is any problem.

There are about 500 Thai people residing in the quake-hit city of Christchurch, noting that about 100 of them are students.

Assistance has been mostly given in the form of accommodations. No one has requested to travel back to Thailand so far.

The magnitude earthquake recently struck Christchurch, located in the Southern Island of New Zealand. Buildings and roads were severely damaged. No fatalities have been reported thus far.

-- NNT 2010-09-06

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Rice price reduction caused by exporters

BANGKOK (NNT) -- Domestic rice prices have slightly decreased despite high demands, speculatively due to heavy sales of rice bought from the Government by exporters.

Rice exporter Ponglarp Co President Sompong Kitireanglarp stated that the domestic rice prices last week fell slightly by 100-200 THB/ton partly because some exporters decided to sell the rice that they had earlier bought from the Government stockpile for fear of potential falling price.

The president explained that those exporters were afraid that they would not be able to sell well when the Government announced to sell another lot of its rice while rice supplies in the market remained large.

Mr Sompong added that exporters were concerned that those winning the auction for the second lot of Government rice would cut prices, causing the domestic rice prices to drop.

The president said demands for rice were still high both in domestic and world markets.

-- NNT 2010-09-06

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ICT to seek cabinet approval for foreign firms to co-invest with Thais on 3G network system in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Minister of Information and Communication Technology Chuti Krairiksh said he had ordered a revision on the planned bidding to launch the innovative 3G network services to allow Thai investors to co-invest with foreign firms.

Mr Chuti said he had ordered TOT Public Co., Ltd. to review the planned bidding for 3G network services in the country valued at Bt19 billion to allow local investors to co-invest with foreign firms in an attempt to encourage Thais to gain wider knowledge and grow in building telecommunication network systems.

Previously, only foreign firms in Thailand including two from China and another three from Europe, including Ericson, were allowed to enter the bidding for the scheme.

The planned revision for bidding will be presented for Cabinet consideration, probably on Tuesday, Mr Chuti said. TOT plans to build about 5,500 base stations for 3G network services so that services could be offered nationwide.

Also, it plans to discuss with Advanced Info Service (AIS) about using its already existing stations throughout Thailand.

A government concession given to AIS will expire in five years and it must transfer its assets to TOT.

Realising that it is unnecessary to invest heavily on constructing the stations, the TOT board feels that the company could save

money if stations could be used jointly with the AIS system. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-09-06

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Arson attacks in Narathiwat

By The Nation

Seven districts in Narathiwat province were hit by simultaneous arson attacks yesterday, four days before Ramadan, the annual Muslim fast, finishes.

Security authorities had warned and prepared for possible insurgent attacks during this period in the deep South.

The attacks started about 7pm in seven districts - Bajoh, Yi Ngor, Chanae, Ra Ngae, Sungai Padi, Muang and Rue Soh. No one was injured.

In Muang district, insurgents set fire to a bus-stop pavilion and a telephone booth in Tambon Manangtayor.

In Bajoh, roadside food stalls on Phetkasem and the Pattani-Narathiwat Roads were set alight. A mobile phone antenna and phone booth were also torched.

In Yi Ngor, an office of Chang Pheuk Tambon Administration Organisation was burnt to the ground, while tyres were set ablaze along with a roadside pavilion in tambon Laharn.

A phone booth in Ra Ngae was also burnt last night.

-- The Nation 2010-09-06

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COUP ANNIVERSARY

Gen Sonthi reveals more details about coup

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2009 H1N1 INFLUENZA

Virus may be re-emerging : ministry warns

The Public Health Ministry has warned of a widespread return of the 2009 flu virus after reports that two people in Lop Buri and Nonthaburi provinces died from the infection of the type-A (H1N1) virus last week, raising the death toll for this year to 57.

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Mahidol aims to be Thailand's 'University of Choice'

By CHULEEPORN ARAMNET

THE NATION

Mahidol University (MU) is improving its infrastructure in a bid to upgrade itself as the "University of Choice" and the first university Thai students want to enter, its president Clinical Professor Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn MD said last week.

Piyasakol made these remarks in a speech on new visions for MU's 35th anniversary.

He said Mahidol targeted to reach international standards and be one of the country's top research universities, with aca-demic quality, a creative studying atmosphere and activities, and well-rounded graduates with vol-unteer's mindset.

Being the University of Choice, the president said, "cream of the crop" stu-dents would choose to fur-ther their stud-ies and conduct research at MU. So, the country could attract elite students, who would surely benefit foreign countries with useful research work if they stud-ied abroad, to study and help their homeland. To lure them to study locally, MU needed to have high enough capacity to draw them in.

He said MU's lecturers and students would have to conduct research in communities together with local people.

MU had extended its curricu-lum to cover all fields. It focused on producing good and quality graduates able to live and work with others in society, he said.

"The university council has approved MU to provide 70 per cent of its areas as green areas. MU has recruited knowledgeable lecturers, provided well-equipped laboratories, easy Internet access, comfortable dormitories, and had freshmen in different fields learn living and studying together. In addition, its herbal garden will be turn into the most beautiful natural park in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces. A large concert hall will be also available for hosting graduation ceremonies and for students to show their musical performanc-es," he said.

Despite infrastructure improvement, tuition fees would not be raised, he insisted.

-- The Nation 2010-09-06

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

You're never too old to learn : Aunty Sorn

By Rojana Manowalailao

Special to the Nation

New life skills |help poor city residents to buy their own homes

Aunty Sorn is going to finish her primary education next semester. Thanks to the Office of the Non-Formal and Informal Education (ONIE), 51-year-old Aunty Sorn, otherwise known as Ratchaneekorn Chanbariboon, can not only read, write and complete numeracy tasks, but she has also selflessly rescued her entire community from poor living conditions to enable them to own their first ever homes.

A four-rai plot of land has been bought to build two-storey concrete houses for 103 families living in the Klong Bangpran Pattana community of around 1,000 residents in Bangkok's Bang Bon district.

A Bt30-million bank loan was secured to buy the land and build the houses. Aunty Sorn was the driving force to get the scheme underway in her role as community president, since the community was established eight years ago.

"It's heartbreakingly hurtful every time when thinking about the time when we were evicted from the land we had lived on for over 20 years. It's been very tough but I told community members if we want to have our own land and homes, we would have to endure together and help each other to make it through," she said.

Sorn started collecting Bt100 per household each month, rising to Bt2,500 a month over the past eight years to prove to the bank the community's ability to handle the loan repayments.

"Sometimes members are not able to supply the expected amount of savings, but since we talk very often, we know each other's situation. And we find more part-time work for community members to earn a little extra income," she said.

Sorn said she had never saved before, but her new found numeracy skills have enabled her to manage her earnings more efficiently.

"Now I save at least Bt5,000 a month," she shyly replied when asked how much she was able to put away. She owns a small grocery shop and is a One Tambon One Product (OTOP) agent for the community.

Most residents work as taxi drivers, motorcycle taxi riders, construction workers and traders. They can also earn extra income by tying ribbons for garlands, colouring domino games and producing Thai traditional toys made from coconut shells for the OTOP scheme.

The community has been backed by ONIE for literacy and life skills programmes, which consist of basic and lifelong education, including non-formal primary, lower and higher secondary equivalent education, income-generation programmes, short and long-term skills training, plus quality of life improvement activities.

Established in 1979, ONIE aims to promote the development of non-formal and informal education schemes to those who lack learning opportunities and give them greater chances in society.

Before the arrival of ONIE, about 30 per cent, mostly adults, could not read and write, Sorn |said. Now every person in the |community is literate.

"In the beginning, some illiterate adults in the community said they were too old to study. But it's not about age and the ability to read and write or do numeracy. But it is about being proud of oneself, increasing one's confidence, self esteem and self empowerment," she said.

"I used to feel very nervous, scared and inferior. But now that has all changed. I can proudly tell people that I am having an education. I am a student of ONIE and I will be until my physical conditions do not allow me to do so."

Two in every three of the world's 759 million illiterate adults are women, according to the UNESCO-commissioned Global Monitoring Report 2010. In Thailand, about six per cent of adults (15 years and over) were illiterate in 2007.

International Literacy Day is celebrated worldwide on September 8. This year's theme will highlight the empowering role of literacy for girls and women. In Asia over 60 per cent of non-literates are female.

In Thailand, UNESCO Bangkok will join ONIE at the Science Centre in Rangsit for the launch of 24 mobile libraries for 24 provinces.

-- The Nation 2010-09-06

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SOUTH CRISIS

Blast injures four in Pattanai Sunday

By Story and Photo : Charoon Thongnuan

Violence continues in Pattani's Kok Phoe district on Sunday.

Insurgents hid explosives in a motorcycle and parked it near a crowded market in Sai Khao village in the district during the busy morning.

The insurgents then triggered the explosives which wounded four villagers.

-- The Nation 2010-09-06

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Train project looms: PM

By The Nation

The bullet train project will be put to Cabinet within two weeks, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday after a recent try out of Shanghai's super sprinter.

"After that, it should be able to proceed to Parliament," Abhisit said with-out mentioning who would submit the proposal.

He was speaking on his weekly television show.

Last week Deputy Prime Minister Korbsak Sabhavasu of the Democrat Party and Transport Minister Sophon Saram of the Bhum Jai Thai Party were reportedly wran-gling over the multibillion-baht project.

Abhisit said the train ride in Shanghai took just seven minutes to cover 30 kilome-tres. He said his government was determined to develop a similar rail system in Thailand, which would be integrated into the regional rail network.

Whether the proposal would sail through the Cabinet and Parliament would depend on preparations made by state agencies, he said.

-- The Nation 2010-09-06

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Dyke bursts, homes flood

By The Nation

The strong current of run-off water from the Phu Khieo Mountain range burst a local dyke and flooded more than 100 houses in Chaiyaphum yesterday.

Man Thanomsat, a village head in Ban Khwao district, said relief items were being handed out to flood victims.

"More than 500 people are affected," he said.

He added that sandbags were also given to people.

-- The Nation 2010-09-06

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SENATE ON BUDGET BILL

Conflict of interest fear : Ruangkrai

By The Nation

The Senate debate on the Budget Bill starting today is expected to be fiery, as 50-60 senators have decried what they see as lopsided funds for local governments, runaway military spending and a self-serving pay hike for lawmakers.

"The 2011 budget may not be rejected but its passage will be a close call," Deputy Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanich said yesterday.

Senator Prasit Pothasuthon doubted claims that a clique of senators would vote against the bill, saying they were just rumours floated to test the political winds and should not be taken seriously.

Some senators might put on a show during the debate but at the end of the day, they would back the bill, he said. Senator Ruangkrai Leekitwattana said some colleagues were uncomfortable about passing the bill out of concern over a possible conflict of interest. The budget included a rise for MPs and senators, and would expose them to possible criminal proceedings if the lawmakers voted to reward themselves, he said.

"By my calculation, I will get Bt3,100 extra per month or a net Bt2,170 after deducting 30-per-cent tax. This is not worth risking prosecution," he said.

Depending on the direction of today's debate, he might petition the Constitution Court to rule on the possible conflict of interest.

He denied that he was trying to delay the bill, saying a judicial review would only take seven days to complete.

The debate is expected to run from 10am-10pm today and 1pm-10pm tomorrow, with 89 senators lined up to speak from the floor.

-- The Nation 2010-09-06

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THAI-SAUDI TIES

Tension keeps rising over Somkid's promotion

By The Nation

Somkid

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MERCHANT OF DEATH

Fuss over Bout visit drags on

By The Nation

Democrat MP Sirichoke Sopha's visit to suspected arms trafficker Viktor Bout at the Bangkok Remand Prison in April continues to shadow him.

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Action better than talk, PM says

By The Nation

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva hit back yesterday at Thaksin Shinawatra's supposed efforts to boost national reconciliation, saying the former PM should act immediately if he truly wants to achieve reconciliation - not just talk about it.

Abhisit said the government was ready to take reconciliatory steps but he asked the Opposition not to carry out any activity that is disloyal to the monarchy.

"We have to admit that there has been systematic actions to cause national security [alerts] and violate the monarchy. [if there were no such acts] I believe everything would be bright and optimistic,'' he said.

In regard to the opposition Pheu Thai Party's five-point reconciliation plan, which the party released details of on Friday, Abhisit said it was the right move and it would be good if Thaksin or Pheu Thai brought all sides to support the plan.

Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit said the party would meet tomorrow to decide whether to accept the five-point reconciliation plan.

Party executives and members would air opinions before reaching any resolution. He said his opinion on the government reconciliation plan was that it would not materialise unless the government granted clemency and allowed the country "to return to democracy".

"What the government has been doing is to beat the Opposition, attract MPs to defect from the Opposition and siphon off state funds.

Reconciliation will be achieved when the red shirts and yellow shirts engage in direct talk and amnesty is granted," he said.

Bhum Jai Thai Party deputy leader Boonjong Wongtrairat said the party supported the Pheu Thai's five-point reconciliation plan as it believed it would be useful and wanted every sector to push for it to be a success.

"The Bhum Jai Thai Party wants to see solidarity and national unity and I believe PM Abhisit is happy to accept the Opposition's recommendations," he said.

-- The Nation 2010-09-06

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CHANG NOI

Newinomics: is the Thai powerbroker moving forward to the past?

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No oil spill from Phuket wreck, Thai marine official confirms

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An oil refinery under the Thai Oil Sriracha umbrella was blasted last night; no reports of death/injury. /via @TAN_Network

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Energy Minister orders probe of oil depot explosion in Chonburi; no impact on local residents /via @MCOTEnglishnews

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Thai stock index opens on Monday at 940.20, up 10.30 points /via @MCOTEnglishnews

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17-year-old boy alleged to have stabbed 3 students at mall Saturday surrenders to police; charged with attempted murder, possessing weapon, harming others /MCOT

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Thai Navy Declare Phuket Oil Slick Contained

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3 police, 1 troop injured in Yala bomb attack

YALA: -- Three policemen and one troop were injured when they rushed to check a bomb incident and were ambushed Monday morning.

The security officials rushed to inspect an explosion in a rubber plantation in Moo 5 villate of Tambon Taloh in Raman district at 7:30 am.

But when they arrived at the scene, insurgents detonated a bomb hidden on a roadside, injuring the four.

They were rushed to the district hospital before they were forwarded to the Songkhanakharin Hospital in Hat Yai, Songkhla.

The four are Pvt Sorasak Laksanawong of Yala Taskforce 12, Pol Senior Sgt Maj Chawakan Sansuwan, Pol Cpl Sarayuth Supaka, and Pol Cpl Pongwiwat Weruwan.

They were severely injured.

-- The Nation 2010-09-06

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US$6,200 more needed to send comatose German tourist home

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Pattaya: Norwegian Man Stabbed Following Drunken Dispute

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Lawyer asks court to conduct trial on deaths of 9 red-shirt protesters

Kharom Polthaklang, a lawyer of the red-shirt movement, Monday represented relatives of nine red-shirt protesters to ask the Criminal Court to conduct a trial on their deaths.

Kharom lodged the complaint with the court at 10 am.

The relatives want the court to conduct trial as to who killed the nine protesters at the Kok Wua Intersection on 10 April.

Kharom also asked the court to allow 19 red-shirt leaders, who have been detained, to become witnesses in the case.

The Criminal Court has yet to decide whether to proceed with the complaint.

-- The Nation 2010-09-06