Thailand Live Monday 13 Sep 2010

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Thailand Live Monday 13 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 12 September 2010

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CRES told to take greater precaution against unrest during next two weeks

BANGKOK (NNT) -- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has instructed the Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situations (CRES) to beef up security during this week and next to prevent efforts of violence instigation.

Speaking in his weekly TV show “Confidence in Thailand with Prime Minister Abhisit”, the Prime Minister admitted that the authorities were still unable to identify the persons engineering the recent bomb plantings and terror incitement.

Prime Minister Abhisit said the situation must be closely monitored in the next two weeks. He however voiced his confidence that the Government would be able to maintain peace and order since the CRES has prepared contingency plans and personnel to deal with the situation.

As for movements of many groups to stage political activities commemorating the 19 September 2006 coup, the Prime Minister voiced his concerns with

the issue because there would be throngs of people attending those events, and ill-intentioned people might take opportunities to trigger violence.

Prime Minister Abhisit also asked the public not to support movements of political activist and academic Giles Ji Ungpakorn and his group which apparently offend and try to abolish the monarchy. He then pleaded the group to stage activities within limits of the democratic framework.

-- NNT 2010-09-13

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Democrat: UDD’s rally not to last long

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The ruling Democrat Party has voiced his belief that the upcoming gathering of the anti-government United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) would not be prolonged as it is merely seen as a symbolic demonstration.

Spokesperson to the Democrat Party Leader Thepthai Senpong deemed the planned UDD rally from 12 to 19 September 2010 not serious. He said the UDD just wanted to show continuous active movements to the society.

The spokesperson believed that the rally would not last long as citizens would not accept use of violence in the society. He pointed out that the number of UDD supporters was dwindling day by day as seen from many recent political activities held by the group.

In addition, Mr Thepthai was confident that the security forces would be able to control the upcoming street-protest effectively.

The UDD plans to launch its political activities in order to commemorate the 19 Sep 2006 coup d’état that overthrew then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Symbolic activities are said to take place in many provinces across the country.

-- NNT 2010-09-13

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Democrat proposes charter amendments

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The ruling Democrat Party has proposed that the 2007 Constitution should be amended on the part of election system and political party dissolution.

Spokesperson to the Democrat Party Leader Thepthai Senpong suggested that Section 94 about the electoral system should be rewritten from multiple- to single-seat constituency for fairer election. He said the constituency size should also be enlarged from 150,000 people per one MP to 200,000.

The spokesperson added that the party list MP system should be cancelled to prevent capitalists, interest groups, and business-oriented politicians with hidden agenda from entering national politics. He also proposed that the appointed senator system be abolished.

Mr Thepthai also recommended that Section 237 about party dissolution should be amended so that no party would be disbanded. Instead, only party executives should have their political rights withdrawn for a certain period of time. He noted that party leaders, secretaries-general of the party, and law violators should receive stronger punishment.

The spokesperson then called for a change to Section 265 in order to grant MPs the rights to hold political positions and Section 266 stipulating the period of party membership that MPs must hold to be eligible to run in the general elections.

-- NNT 2010-09-13

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Democrat asks UDD supporters not to dress in red

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The ruling Democrat Party has pleaded with supporters of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) not to dress in red, their iconic color during the upcoming political activity to mark the 2006 coup d’etat.

Democrat Party Executive Sathit Pitutecha said the UDD could hold its activity but its supporters should not wear iconic red shirts because the color might signal that the gathering was intended to be violent, and could negatively affect confidence of foreign countries on Thailand.

The party executive also requested activity organizers to disseminate true information to people only and avoid all sorts of information distortion.

Mr Sathit continued that the Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situation (CRES) must monitor movements of the anti-government UDD group closely, and ask the police to take immediate action once violations are found. He added that the police’s negligence of the duty will be reported to the national police commission for immediate prosecution.

The political activity of the UDD is scheduled to take place from 12 to 19 September 2010 in order to mark the 4th anniversary of the 2006 coup d’état in the kingdom.

-- NNT 2010-09-13

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NBT chopper wreckage retrieved from river

NONTHABURI (NNT) -- Wreckage of the helicopter that carried documentary crew of the state-run National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) to a crash on Saturday has been retrieved from the Chao Phraya River in Nonthaburi province adjoining Bangkok.

Staff members of the private company which owns the chopper could lift the wreckage from the River by using a pontoon boat carrying a 20-ton-weight crane for the retrieval at 9.30 hrs on Sunday. The chopper is said to be badly damaged and no longer functional.

The helicopter carrying four people crashed and sank into the bottom of the river for about 23 hours after it was trapped with electrical wires while it was flying around Ko Kret, a major tourist attraction of Nonthaburi, for documentary filming.

However, all the four people were reportedly safe although NBT reporter Phatcharavarin Phattharapraphanan was almost drowned in the accident. She could survive since Mr Winai Booppha, who was working for Wat Klang Kret renovation could rescue her in time.

Minister to Prime Minister’s Office overseeing media Ongart Klampaiboon on Saturday travelled to the scene before the wreckage was retrieved. He, on behalf of the NBT, gave the construction worker 20,000 THB as a reward for his heroic rescue.

-- NNT 2010-09-13

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Pheu Thai: Thaksin not related with party´s revamp

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The opposition Pheu Thai Party has dismissed the alleged involvement of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the restructuring of the party, especially the selection of a new party leader.

Acting Pheu Thai Party Spokesperson Prompong Nopparit brushed aside any use of political discourse to allude to the ex-Prime Minister. He confirmed that the party’s revamp this time would be made in preparation for the new election.

The spokesperson estimated that the ruling Democrat Party would dissolve the house after court judgment on its dissolution due to the 258 million THB scandalous donation case by the end of November; therefore, the Pheu Thai Party must be ready for the upcoming general election.

Mr Prompong said former National Police Chief and former Interior Minister Police General Kowit Wattana, who is seen as potential candidate for the party’s chief, would come to apply for party membership on Monday.

As for a news report that northeastern MPs would send their representatives for the new party leader selection, the spokesperson deemed it possible. He encouraged that MPs from each region should also send their representatives to vie for party executives.

-- NNT 2010-09-13

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Sasin plans new international learning centre in Phang Nga

By The Nation

Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration of Chulalongkorn University (Sasin) is planning to develop a Sasin International Learning Center at Phang Nga - to provide management education for Thai and international executives.

Professor Toemsakdi Krishnamra, the director of Sasin, said that because the world's economic focus has shifted from the West to Asia, the demand for quality managers in the region is expected to rise dramatically. The new Sasin international learning centre claims that, once in operation, it will produce premium quality business leaders to serve this business growth in Asia.

The project covers a 50 rai plot of land in Phang Nga province. Located 15 minutes from Phuket International Airport, it is an ideal location for businessmen in the region to fly in for study during the weekends.

Professor Toemsakdi said this learning centre project is the realisation of Sasin's vision "to be at the forefront of graduate management study in the Asia Pacific region and among leading international institutions of management education."

Architect 49 has been hired to master the conceptual design. The first phase is expected to be complete by the end of 2012.

-- The Nation 2010-09-13

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AFS to host world congress here in 2012

By Somluck Srimalee

The Nation

Group has helped sent more than 11,200 students study overseas

AFS Intercultural Programs Thailand will host a 'World Congress' in 2012 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of AFS in the Kingdom.

To date, more than 11,000 students have been sent on scholarships with AFS International Intercultural Programs.

AFS plans to increase its full scholarship programme from 30 now to 50 scholarships in 2012 and total scholarship students to between 700 and 800 a year, AFS Intercultural Programs Thailand's chairman Sanan Angubolkul said.

Currently, AFS Intercultural Programs has two types of scholarship. The first is a full programme that provides all expenses for students who get this. The second is a partial scholarship.

Sanan said more than 50 countries were part of the AFS setup but only four were strong enough financially to generate income to expand and support others in Asia that are part of the group. Thailand was one of these four, along with Italy, Germany and Japan.

"We are still a nonprofit organisation but we try to manage our programme to provide more full scholarships for poor students after AFS Thailand passed a crisis 22 years ago," he said.

Sanan said most AFS groups around the world faced a financial crisis because donations were lower than the demand of scholarships for poor students, including Thailand. As a result AFS Thailand had to change its policy to balance between full scholarships and partial scholarships. It needed funds to provide scholarships to poor students but they had to have the ability to pass exams to get into AFS's scholarship programme.

This year, over than 15,000 students have took part in AFS exams but they only 766 students passed and only 30 of them won a full scholarship.

"We will try to raise the number of full scholarships for students to 50 by the year 2012, as that is also the 50th year of AFS in Thailand," he said.

Sanan said some 11,293 students had been sent overseas after winning scholarships, or as exchange students, to learn about different cultures and societies since AFS was set up in Thailand in 1962. Most of them had been successful in life because they had learnt about coping and taking care of themselves in a different culture. They had matured after undertaking the AFS program.

Sanan, who won an AFS student scholarship in 196566, said the experience changed his life. He learnt how to participate with different people and different cultures. It was the best oneyear course possible in terms of succeeding in a business career.

"We believe that our students learn about different cultures, societies, and from being far from their family. They learn how to live with different people and learn how to communicate with different cultures. Students aged from 1517 years who join the oneyear exchange student programme will mature more than other students who don't have opportunity to join this programme," he said.

Given its long history and the success of AFS in Thailand, AFS International Intercultural Programs picked Sanan, who chairs the Thai chapter, to receive the AFS President's Award this year.

Sanan said he was proud to get the award and prove that AFS Thailand can successfully manage such an organisation to help Thai students enjoy new experiences with students in other countries.

"We also want to create the best relationship with colleagues in chapters in all the other countries," he said.

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AFS Intercultural Programs Thailand established in 1962

Number of student to joint with this program from 19622010 11,293 students

In 2012 will celebrate the 50th

-- The Nation 2010-09-13

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CHALK TALK

Proactive steps to prevent brawls are effective

By Chularat Saengpassa

The Nation

Student gang fighting, is there a cure? Or is it something that we have to let go unchecked? Should we take heart in the fact that once the fighting escalates, all the bad students will be gone and our world will be safe again?

Somchai Jitsuchon, researcher director for the Thailand Research Development Institute, clings to an optimistic view, saying in a recent interview with The Nation that he believes there must be a way to stop the clashes.

Youths are under the influence of families, friends and their circle, so extensive research on their behaviour would identify the root causes, making solutionsearching efforts easier, he said.

Schools could also do something to reduce the bloody brawls, he said. In recent months, students have engaged in deadly attacks many times and in one case a stray bullet hit an innocent nineyearold boy to the dismay of society as a whole.

The situation has got so serious that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva raised the issue at his Cabinet meeting last week.

Many ideas were floated, including the suggestion that aggressive vocational students should be sent to the violenceplagued South.

Fortunately, criticism has prevented controversial ideas like sending brawling students to the deep South from going ahead.

It should be made clear now that many tough measures have been introduced before. The government has already threatened to close down schools with brawling students, or cut down on their funding.

Even jail sentences have failed to stop the brawling trend.

Harsh actions will never be able to eradicate this problem. It needs a more understanding approach to keep youths away from the violent path.

Indeed, Phraramhok Technology School, Kong Thabbok Upatham Changkol Kho So Tho Bo School and Nakornluang Polytechnic College have already come up with quite practical measures.

Many teachers were assigned to directly supervise students' activities outside schools.

These teachers have conducted patrols alongside teachers from, according to students, two rival institutes, in risky zones. If students are found involved in a brawl, the teachers will intervene to stop the fight.

The teachers will also speak to them rationally in a bid to make them feel repentant. The attackers will then be taken to apologise to their victims. The teachers will mediate the disputes with the help of parents.

The teachers will not side with students from their institutes. They will settle each case fairly so as to stop the rivalry.

All these measures have proved effective for some time. The brawling incidents among these three rival institutes has dropped significantly.

However, just as the institutes were reaping praise, brawling broke out again.

The administrators of these institutes have not given up, though. They have been trying to do better by introducing recreational activities such as singing contests, reforestation trips and some other types of community service.

All these efforts are made based on the conviction that if youths have channels to release their energy and demonstrate their abilities, they will be less prone to stirring up trouble.

Lately, the government has also unveiled many more proactive measures to help stop the student brawling. All of them are good.

From now on, it will just take determination and understanding to put youths on the right track.

All these preventive measures are indeed always better than trying to mete out punishment to the brawling students.

Prevention is always better than cure.

Chularat Saengpassa

-- The Nation 2010-09-13

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PM, southern teachers to talk on compensation

By The Nation

More than 30 teachers based in the South will today meet with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva at Government House to discuss the ongoing insurgent violence and killing of teachers.

Bunsom Thongsriphrai, head of an umbrella group of teachers based in the South, said he would propose more measures for compensating families of those killed and injured in the past six years, which saw 135 teachers slain by Muslim insurgents.

All 326 schools in Narathiwat- which closed in protest at the killing of two teachers last week- will reopen today, he said, and new security meas¬ures have been laid out to boost teach¬ers' protection.

At the meeting, teachers will exchange ideas over the situation in the South and report all problems to the prime minister. Among many items on the agenda is the welfare and other benefits for government teach¬ers - such as higher regular and spe¬cial pay - to keep their morale high.

Abhisit said he should "make an undertanding with the teachers" fol¬lowing reports of their concern relayed to him in advance by Education Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat and Deputy Interior Minister Thavorn Senniam, who visited them in the past week.

An Education Ministry meeting last Friday turned up many things the min¬istry needed to work on further, Abhisit said. "I have ordered the ministry to work them out before the meeting on Monday," he added.

Asked whether the government would heed both teachers' safety and more benefits, he said: "I think most conditions should be met, but I dare not say all will be. The government intends to look into both issues and heed them all."

Bunsom said teachers affected had been divided into three groups, which should be compensated differently: the families of those killed; cases of injuries where victims are completely cured or still receiving treatment; and those still working in areas at high risk. He said all those affected throughout the sixyear spate of violence had not been suf¬ficiently compensated.

Sanguan Intharak, head of the Narathiwatbased teachers, said all teachers based in the deep South had placed "high expectations" on this today's meeting. "We anticipate a pos¬itive outcome from this meeting," he added.

"We hope the authorities would do something concrete to bring peace to the region, including talks between security agencies and insurgents, that should be an option leading to the end of violence, if or after we can identify them," he said.

-- The Nation 2010-09-13

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Talk of peace in Thailand is fine, but trust is what is needed

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All this talk of reconciling seems hollow in Thailand

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Govt boosts security following bomb attacks in Bangkok, major provinces

By The Nation

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Abhisit keen to win a second term in poll this or next year

By The Nation

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PM: Govt wants full-scale 3G service

By Usanee Mongkolporn

The Nation

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday that his government totally agrees with the National Telecommu-nications Commission's move to introduce a full-scale third-generation cellular service to the country.

"We want to see 3G happen in Thailand and the government did not order CAT Telecom to mount a legal challenge against the NTC's 3G spectrum licensing. We do not support that way," he said.

Championing use of technology

The government would champion the use of technology to benefit people in every sector and to help develop the country, he said during the last day of the 3.9G Thailand Human DNA fair at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.

Last week, CAT chief executive Jirayuth Rungsrithong said the state enterprise would file a petition with the Central Administrative Court today against the NTC's authority to grant licences for 3G wireless broadband service using the 2.1-gigahertz spectrum.

It will also ask for an injunction against the auction, citing the loss of revenue from 3G licensing.

The telecom operators that win a 3G licence will shift their customers from their concession service to 3G to save on regulatory costs.

They now pay concession fees of an average 25 per cent of revenue, while the licence fee will be 6 per cent of revenue.

CAT said the NTC should not have the right to issue 3G licences. The 3G licence regulations on infrastructure sharing and network roaming will also erode its revenue, it said.

However, CAT executives will meet again today to settle the final issues of the legal action.

Last Wednesday, the Administra-tive Court declined to review the petition lodged by CAT's labour union against the NTC, saying the union was not the party that would be directly injured by spectrum licensing.

3G auction on Sept 20

The NTC will call the auction for two 3G licences on September 20.

The three accepted applicants are Advanced Wireless Network of Advanced Info Service, DTAC Internet Service of Total Access Communi-cation, and Real Move of True Corp.

The NTC will announce the names of the qualified bidders today. All of the three subsidiaries of existing mobile operators are expected to pass the screening.

-- The Nation 2010-09-13

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Tax restructure needed to boost Thai govt revenue

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Thailand Denies Entry To Vietnam Activists

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Government popularity down: Abac survey

By The Nation

The government's popularity has plunged from 21.9 per cent in January to 14.2 per cent this month, with the Viktor Bout case cited as a factor in an Abac survey.

Respondents who said they do not support the government stayed about the same - 18.2 per cent versus 18.1 per cent - but those who do not support or oppose the government rose from 59.9 per cent to 67.7 per cent, Noppadol Kannikar, director of Assumption University's Abac Poll, said yesterday.

The weakening of public support would make it harder for the government to try to solve the country's problems, he said.

The survey found that 78.9 per cent believe the extradition case against suspected arms merchant Viktor Bout had damaged the reputation of the Thai judicial system, while the remaining 21.1 per cent did not think so.

The government would have to try to restore the confidence of Thais and foreigners, especially in the judiciary, he said.

The Abac survey was conducted among 1,513 households in greater Bangkok from September 6-10. In another survey by Suan Dusit Poll, 73.6 per cent of respondents said the latest bomb attacks in Bangkok were likely related to politics while 9.4 per cent did not think so and 17 per cent were not sure.

Up to 70.8 per cent do not believe the government could prevent more bomb attacks while 22.9 per cent are not certain, so 58.5 per cent want the government to maintain the state of emergency in Bangkok for fear that the security situation would worsen otherwise.

But 18.9 per cent think the emergency law should be lifted while 22.6 per cent are not certain.

-- The Nation 2010-09-13

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Massive Bomb Defused in Kolok

The INN news agency is reporting that a bomb as large as 50 kilograms was defused in Kolok district early this morning.

The incident occurs during the new police chief's first visit to the South.

-- Tan Network 2010-09-13

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Schools in Southern Thailand Reopen This Morning

Schools in Southern Thailand will reopen this morning after being closed for more than a week. The shooting of two teachers caused an uproar among teachers in Southern Thailand, demanding more stringent security measures. Representatives will meet with the prime minister this evening to discuss security. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is prepared to also offer special incentives to Southern teachers.

-- Tan Network 2010-09-13

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Thailand: More than 51,500 Inflicted with Flu

Reports suggest that more than 51,500 people nationwide have been inflicted with various strains of influenza since January 1 of this year. 57 deaths have resulted in the outbreak. The Public Health Minister will hold a press conference today to clarify the situation.

-- Tan Network 2010-09-13

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Army Chief Will Not Bring Back Emergency Decree in Chiang Mai

Army Chief General Anupong Paochinda confirms that he is not contemplating the reinstatement of the emergency decree in Chiang Mai province despite recent incidents of unrest.

-- Tan Network 2010-09-13

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Pheu Thai MP Confirms that Yongyuth Will Come Back as Party Leader

Pheu Thai MP Pracha Prasobdee claims that a group of the party's MP's travelled to Russia to meet with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. On the issue of the Pheu Thai Party leader, Pracha claims that Thaksin wants Yongyuth Wichaidit to make a comeback as party leader. Yongyuth resigned from the post last week to open the way for an executive committee restructure. Pracha says he is completely confident that Yongyuth will be selected as party leader in tomorrow's yearly conference.

-- Tan Network 2010-09-13

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Thai stock index opens on Monday at 931.71, up 7.14 points /MCOT

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Phuket convention center should open mid-2014

A computer graphic image of how one of the designs under consideration would appear.

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Art Village Weekend at Royal Phuket Marina

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8 Candidates Up for Pheu Thai Leader

Deputy House Speaker and Pheu Thai MP Apiwan Wiriyachai has revealed that there are a total of eight candidates vying for the post of Pheu Thai leader. Meanwhile, former leader Yongyuth Wichaidit has confirmed that he does not want to come back as the party's leader.

-- Tan Network 2010-09-13

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Banyat confronts Prompong outside Constitution Court

Former Democrat Party leader Banyan Bantadtan Monday confronted Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit over the latter's allegation against him.

Banyat and Prompong attended a hearing in the party's dissolution case against the Democrat. The Democrat was accused of receiving unlawful donation from TPI Polene for use during an election campaign.

While Prompong was speaking to reporters outside the court room, Banyat walked to him and said: "It's good to meet you here so that we can have a talk".

But Prompong walked away immediately without responding to Banyat.

So Banyat turned to speak to reporters, saying Prompong gave an interview t frame him that he had issued fake receipts over the Democrat's spending when he was the Democrat leader.

Banyat said Prompong had been monitoring hearings of the case and should realize that the allegations against him were not true as he had really hired a firm to make election campaign signs.

Banyat alleged that Prompong made false allegations to try to pressure the court to rule against the Democrat.

-- The Nation 2010-09-13

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Call for action over illegal Burmese workers in Phuket

WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN: This Burmese baby was abandoned by its parents,

workers at a Phuket construction site, in January. The family was

last reported on their way back to Burma.

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