Thailand Live Friday 29 Oct 2010

[webfact]

Thailand Live Friday 29 October 2010

News, Bits and Tweets

with webfact

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.

FOLLOW US:

You can also follow us on

- Twitter: http://twitter.com/georgebkk

- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ThaiVisaNews

- Breaking News via SMS text messages to your mobile phone or handheld device

To subscribe dial *424010011 on AIS, One-2-Call, DTAC or True Move networks

14 days complementary subscription for Thaivisa members.

If you have questions about the Breaking News SMS service,

email: sms [at] thaivisa.com

________________________________________________________________________________

Thailand's current weather and forecasts: http://weather.thaivisa.com/

________________________________________________________________________________

Related topic: Thailand Live Thursday 28 October 2010

[webfact]

PM: 17th ASEAN Summit will be a success

BANGKOK (NNT) -- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is confident that the 17TH ASEAN Summit in Vietnam will be a success.

According to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, 14 topics will be up for discussion, which include issues relative to the ASEAN community itself and those in connection with ASEAN+3 and ASEAN +6. There will also be a special meeting among the bloc members and representatives from Australia, New Zealand, Russia, and the United Nations. The Summit will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from October 28 to 30.

Other main issues to be discussed in the meeting will be the topics on becoming an ASEAN community in the next 5 years by connecting with one another through communication networks.

-- NNT 2010-10-29

[webfact]

All public sectors get ready to propose flood relief measures to the cabinet

BANGKOK (NNT) -- All public sectors have joined hands coming up with flood relief measures to alleviate victim suffering and reduce their burdens. These measures will be proposed to the cabinet on November, 1st.

The Department of Business Development is set to launch a number of business rehabilitation centers nationwide aimed at giving consultation services and analyzing needs of affected entrepreneurs to help them put their businesses back on track.. The Department will also propose measures to assist SMEs and logistics entrepreneurs in need of financial assistance.

In an attempt to find the best solution to assist for the victims, flood-relief measures, particularly for the industrial sector, will be brought up during the next Broad of Investment (BOI) meeting, to be held tomorrow.Tax-relief measures for imported machinery imported to replace old equipment will also be considered.

After the water recedes, the Rice Department will immediately assist farmers by handing them 10,000 tons of high quality, light-sensitive rice seeds suitable for growing year round. The prices of rice will be much higher next year given ten of thousands of rai of paddy field have been heavily damaged, according to the department spokesperson.

Anirut Thanomkulbutra, the General Manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport, meanwhile, expressed his confidence that the Airport would by no means be affected by the floods, saying preventive measures had already been taken.

-- NNT 2010-10-29

[webfact]

Prosecutor files suit against July bombing suspect

BANGKOK: -- A Thai prosecutor on Thursday filed charges against a 37-year-old man for his alleged role in the deadly explosion near the Big C department store in downtown Bangkok's Ratchaprasong area and a court set the first hearing for this Friday.

The Criminal Court accepted the case filed by a prosecutor from the Department of Special Litigation 4, charging Seksan Warapiticharoenkrung with illegally possessing explosive devices and carrying firearms in public without grounds.

The prosecutor said in the lawsuit that Mr Seksan and two accomplices who remain at large violated the law in April and May chaos by possessing 51 bottles of energy drink which contained benzil and gunpowder, four fire extinguishers filled with urea and explosive materials, homemade explosive devices, M79 grenades and cartridges. All items were seized by police May 14.

Mr Seksan reported to police August 4 and denied all accusations.

The court set the first hearing for the defense for October 29.

Mr Seksan, a suspect in the bombing at a bus shelter in front of the Big C department store incident, closed since the April-May violence, was detained and questioned at the Department

of Special Investigation (DSI) headquarters before being released on bail August 6, with a Bt1 million bail bond and being barred from leaving Thailand.

At that time, Mr Seksan admitted to investigators that he had been present in a Honda Civic car carrying explosives intended to be assembled as a car bomb that was found earlier in

Ramintra Road Soi 34 by police on May 14.

However, Mr Seksan said he was unaware of how the car would be used and denied involvement in bombing at the Big C department store bus stop.

The DSI said the authorities believed bombing at Big C and the bomb-laden car found in Ramintra Road Soi 34 were linked as the electronic devices in both cases were found to be similar but the agency needed more evidence to confirm the case. Mr Seksan's DNA was collected for testing and further investigation.

One person was killed while another ten were injured in a bombing at a bus stop near the now-closed Big C department store on Ratchadamri Road July 25, the first major violence in the Thai capital after the anti-government Red Shirt movement ended their six-week long rally at Ratchaprasong intersection on May 19. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-10-29

[webfact]

Pakistan sympathizes with Thai flood victims

Pakistan expressed sympathies and condolence to Thailand and the flood victims.

In a letter to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said: "We have no doubt the people of Thailand will face this natural calamity with their characteristic resilience and quickly restore the areas affected by the floods."

Pakistan has also suffered from severe floods recently.

-- The Nation 2010-10-29

[webfact]

Lek Wongsawang dies

Lek Wongsawang, a well-known radio deejay of the 1960s who later became a successful music entrepreneur and publisher, Thursday died of complications caused by "acute leukemia" at the age of 68.

He had long developed myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a disease characterised by abnormal bone marrow and peripheral blood cell growth. MDS typically occurs in elderly people and has a certain risk of converting into the so-called acute leukemia - a rapidly progressing cancer of the blood-forming tissue (bone marrow).

-- The Nation 2010-10-29

[webfact]

Medical school aspirant's fate to be decided by court

By Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

The Central Administrative Court will today rule on whether a student can sit a medical school admission exam, even though her application was allegedly incomplete.

The Central Administrative Court will today rule on whether a student can sit a medical school admission exam, even though her application was allegedly incomplete.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) lodged a petition on Wednesday with the court, seeking an order to allow Saranya Channamwong to take the exam tomorrow.

The court agreed to consider the case and set the first hearing for yesterday.

Saranya, who attends Benjamaratcharangsarit School in Chachoengsao, was disqualified by the Consortium of Thai Medical Schools (COTMES) on technical grounds. COTMES claims that one of five photographs required for the exam application was missing.

However, Saranya insisted she had handed in all the required documents.

COTMES has reported to the Education Ministry a total of 185 disqualified students, with 41 of them, including Saranya, facing the same problem of a missing photograph, said Amnuay Soonthornchote, president of the Value for Building Thailand Club.

Amnuay had recommended Saranya to petition the NHRC, the prime minister and Education Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat, and accompanied her on her rounds.

The NHRC agreed to her request to represent her in the case against COTMES.

Amnuay said three more students with a missing photograph or signature would lodge petitions with the court today.

"We hope that the court will compare Saranya's case with the three students' cases, and make a decision," he said. "We also hope Saranya and those facing the same problem as her will be allowed to take the exam."

"The reason for the disqualification is trivial," he said.

The missing photograph should not be a cause for Saranya's ineligibility as it might have got lost during processing, he said.

"This case will lead COTMES to work more carefully with its application process next year. I hope it will not violate any other students' rights," he added.

Dr Boonmee Sathapatayavongs, chairwoman of a committee responsible for COTMES's direct admissions, said she would be pleased to give an explanation whenever the court or NHRC asks for one.

-- The Nation 2010-10-29

[webfact]

FLOOD-AFFECTED AREAS

Semester start likely to be delayed in flood zones

By The Nation

The flood crisis will likely delay the start of the second semester at 504 schools.

"These schools are either flooded or close to submerged routes," Education Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat said yesterday.

After inspecting the situation in many areas, he found 926 schools in 25 provinces were affected and most of them in Nakhon Ratchasima, Sing Buri, Lop Buri and Ayutthaya faced difficulties in beginning classes next Monday.

School directors are allowed to postpone the opening of school by seven days at a time until the flood waters subside, but then have to hold make-up classes.

"We will also extend various forms of assistance to students," Chinnaworn said.

As the chairman of the ministry's centre for flood victims, he said schools must visit the homes of student victims.

"We will check whether the students have lost their uniforms or instructional materials to the flooding," he said. "Then we will seek an additional budget to help them."

The Higher Education Commission will survey flood-affected students and consider waiving or deferring tuition in serious cases.

"We will also encourage unaffected private and international schools to assist flood-stricken private schools," Chinnaworn said.

-- The Nation 2010-10-29

[webfact]

FLOODS

Hundreds of victims battling suicidal tendencies

Follow this link:

[webfact]

FLOOD CRISIS

Bangkok warned of high tide on Nov 8

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Temperatures drop drastically up North

By The Nation

Following the Meteorological Department's prediction that winter this year would be the coldest in 30 years, temperatures in the North dropped drastically, with the mercury in Chiang Mai's Doi Inthanon and Doi Angkhang hitting 10 degrees Celsius yesterday morning.

Doi Inthanon National Park chief Kriengsak Thanonpan said the chilly weather would attract 10 per cent more tourists to this highaltitude attraction, compared to the same period last year that saw some 400,000 visitors. Park authorities will soon be meeting related state agencies, private sector and other tourismrelated bodies to prepare for the upcoming tourism season.

In related news, the cooler weather over the past few days also brought a nice surprise to Sakhon Nakhon's Muang district - a 10rai field along the road in tambon That Cherng Choom was suddenly ablaze with sunflowers. The sunflowers are expected to remain in bloom for another month or two.

-- The Nation 2010-10-29

[webfact]

Drug kingpin to serve 20 years, aides' terms cut

By The Nation

While upholding the 20year jail term for Klong Toei drug kingpin, Sayam "Parp 70 Rai" Sapworasit for moneylaundering, the Appeals Court yesterday lowered the jail terms for his wife and her elder sister to 10 and four years respectively.

In October 2004, the Criminal Court found the three guilty of violating the Money Laundering Act by transferring, concealing and converting Bt200 million to Bt500 million into other assets. The money was acquired from drug dealing.

In relation to money laundering charges, Sayam, who was already serving a life sentence over drug charges, and his wife Sayamon Sirithanathorn were each given 20 yearsl, while her sister Duangta Kanchanahan was given 12 years. All three of them appealed.

The Appeals Court yesterday saw that some transactions could not clearly be marked as money laundering, and therefore it halved Sayamon's jail term and reduced Duangta's to four years. However, the court upheld Sayam's 20year sentence.

-- The Nation 2010-10-29

[webfact]

Thailand to exhibit biodiversity projects

By The Nation

Thailand will showcase its biodiversity projects and activities under Her Majesty the Queen's initiation at the Convention on Biological Diversity's 10th Conference of the Parties (COP) from October 1829 in Nagoya, Japan.

Secretarygeneral of the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), Nisakorn Kositratna, said yesterday that as part of the COP10 each of the 193 members was asked to present exhibitions in the Interactive Fair for Biodiversity, which is expected to attract more than 8,000 visitors. ONEP plans to present the projects that were launched by Her Majesty, who has been giving much importance to biodiversity conservation and has implemented many projects even before the convention went into effect. The exhibition will be presented using hues of white, blue and green, and will showcase traditional items such as Thai silk and orchids.

-- The Nation 2010-10-29

[webfact]

CAMERON IS COMING TO TOWN?

UK embassy refuses to comment on its PM's trip to Thailand

Follow this link:

[webfact]

DEMOCRAT DISSOLUTION TRIAL

Dissolution case : Democrat raises 5 points

Follow this link:

[webfact]

RED MAGAZINE

'Red power' mag stranded on Cambodian border

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Defence minister warns troops against anti-royal messages

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan has sternly warned soldiers against posting lese-majesty messages on the Internet.

"The defence minister has instructed all military units to closely supervise the Internet accessed by soldiers and promptly report any abusive messages," Defence spokesman Colonel Thanathip Sawangsaeng said yesterday.

Prawit and military leaders were concerned about the spread of offensive remarks in cyberspace from inside and outside the country, Thanathip said.

Any rogue soldiers linked to the attack on the monarchy would be decommissioned and dispensed severe punishment as a lesson, he said.

Prawit chaired the Defence Council meeting and raised the issue of what he suspects was a conspiracy to use the Web to undermine the revered institution.

Emerging from the meeting, he said the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee meeting from today to Saturday in Pattaya would discuss about 10 points on the management of border affairs, including ways to boost trade and fight illicit drugs and transnational crime.

He said he did not plan to raise the issue of the nine fugitive red shirts - including Arisman Pongruangrong - who are believed to have fled to Cambodia. The Foreign Ministry is in charge of that, he added.

Department of Special Investigation (DSI) director-general Tharit Pengdit said he believes the planned cancellation of the nine men's passports would block them from fleeing to a third country.

The extradition request for the nine suspects, who are subjects of arrest warrants, was a separate issue. Without the passports, the nine could not leave the neighbouring country, but their return to Thailand would hinge on the cooperation of the authorities over there, he said.

The DSI and Special Branch police jointly requested that the passports be made void on grounds that the nine were terrorist suspects.

Meanwhile, police told yesterday's meeting of the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) that they will take legal action against 95 community radio stations that failed to apply for operating permits, CRES spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said.

He quoted police representatives at the CRES meeting as saying some of the community radio stations acted in contempt of the royalty or incited violence.

Anti-coup activist Sombat Boonngam-anong said the red shirts plan on Sunday to lead a bicycle procession at Ratchaprasong to demand the release of political prisoners, a reference to red-shirt leaders under custody.

Public prosecutors filed an indictment with the Criminal Court against Seksan Worapiticharoenkul for illegal possession of explosives related to a bombing incident at Ratchadamri Road. He will be arraigned today. He has been free on Bt1 million bail.

-- The Nation 2010-10-29

[webfact]

Police Identify Attacker of Danish Man in Pattaya

Identified only as “John,” the suspect is in

his 50s and stands 180 cm. tall. Two women at

the Orn Beer Bar positively identified him from

security camera footage and police were

preparing an arrest warrant.

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Makeshift dyke along Chao Phraya River at Singburi leaks, flooding streets; Ayutthaya and Nonthaburi still facing severe flood /MCOT

[webfact]

Truck heading to Bang Na hits guardrail of Din Daeng expressway, container falls, blocking road; authorities speed to open lanes /MCOT

[webfact]

Floods kill 94 in Thailand

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Cambodian PM accepts Thai PM's request to investigate report claiming that Red Shirt leaders are hiding on Cambodian soil /via @MCOT_Eng

[webfact]

RUNAWAY REDS LEADERS

Phnom Penh to verify Arisamun's whereabouts : Panithan

By The Nation

Cambodia has promised to check into reports that a runway red shirt leader; Arisamun Pongruengrong, is taking shelter in Cambodia, Thai government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn said Friday.

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen informed his Thai counterpart, Abhisit Vejjajiva during a meeting in Hanoi on Thursday that his government will report back to Thailand about the investigation into the reports.

Both premiers met in a bilateral meeting on the sideline of Asean Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Arisamun is among many pro-Thaksin movement leaders who escaped arrests after their protests at Rachaprasong area ended in May. Singer-turned-red shirt Arisamun reportedly escaped to Cambodia and is trying to go to a third country.

Panithan added Hun Sen also expressed concerns on the situation of ongoing floods in Thailand.

-- The Nation 2010-10-29

[webfact]

Thailand’s Second Phase of Education Reform

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Hun Sen Accepts Task of Finding Red Shirt Leaders in Cambodia

Thai Government Spokesman Panitarn Wattanayakorn has revealed that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has given his word that he will look into the matter of red shirts who could possibly using his country as a safe haven from Thai authorities.

-- Tan Network 2010-10-29

[webfact]

Thai stock index opens on Friday at 984.81, down 2.42 points /MCOT

[webfact]

Top Buddhist scholar to give workshop in Phuket

Dr Jeffrey Hopkins, who served as the Dalai Lama's chief

English interpreter on lecture tours for ten years.

Follow this link:

[webfact]

INN: Scaffolding in front of Central World collapses, killing 2 construction workers; rescue teams are on the scene /TANN

[webfact]

4 workers injured when scaffold as Central World collapses

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Phuket water woes prompt weir construction

Weir construction is one of the many strategies endorsed by

HM The King to source water for Thais living in remote areas.

Follow this link: