Thailand Live Thursday 11 Nov 2010

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Death toll from Thai floods tops 200

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Plan to Utilize Bangkok's Don Muang Airport to Be Proposed to Cabinet

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Mae Hong Son to seek help from China for tunnel digging

Mae Hong Son: Governor Kamthorn Thawornsatit said Thursday that the Mae Hong Song provincial administration will submit a plan for digging three tunnels to the Chinese ambassador to Thailand on Monday.

Kamthorn said the Chinese ambassador will visit Mae Hong Son on Monday so the provincial administration will propose the plan to him for consideration.

He said the tunnels will shorten the Samerng-Mae Hong Song route by bypassing notoriously widening mountain roads.

Kamthorn said the construction will cost about Bt30 billion so the provincial administration will seek aid from China.

-- The Nation 2010-11-11

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PM to attend 16th Asian Games opening ceremony in Guangzhou, China; participate in APEC Summit in Japan Nov 12-14 /MCOT

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Thai Consumer Confidence Index in Oct drops 1st time in 6 months to 80.2, due to concern about floods, employment, baht appreciation /MCOT

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Air force officer gets fired for posting lese majeste on Facebook

BANGKOK, 11 November 2010 (NNT) - The Royal Thai Air Force has set up a panel to investigate into a charge that one of its officer has committed a serious offence of lese majeste.

Air force spokesman Monthon Satchukorn has disclosed that one of its offices, Sqn Ldr Chanin Khlaikhlung, of the Aeronautical Engineering Directorate, has been suspended from duties as a result of his posting inappropriate messages against the nation's highest institution on Facebbok.

His supervisor filed a complaint against the officer with the Don Muang police last week.

Sqn Ldr Chanin has been accused of posting inappropriate messages against the monarchy on Facebook several times; the messages were found by some members of the online network, who then informed the Air Force.

The spokesperson said the Air Force had already reported the incident to the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation last week . The Sqn. Ldr.has been relieved of his duty pending an investigation.

-- NNT 2010-11-11

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European Commission drops charges against Thai airways

BANGKOK, 11 November 2010 (NNT) - The European Commission will drop charges against Thai airways in an air cargo cartel case.

Thai Airways International PCL revealed that the European Commission had dropped charges against it; the charges were in relation to the breach of competition rules in the cargo sector.

The European Commission fined 11 airlines a total of 799 million euros, the fourth-largest fine in cartel case history, for forming a global cartel to fix air-freight tariffs, mainly fuel surcharges, ending an investigation that had dragged on for years.

-- NNT 2010-11-11

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BURMA'S FIGHTING

Burmese taking shelters in Kanjanaburi return home

By The Nation

Some 2,000 Burmese who fled internal fighting in their country to Kanjanaburi’s Sangkhlaburi district returned to their homeland on Thursday.

The repatriation started at about 5am and the Burmese displaced persons who had taken shelters in a Thai school were accompanied back home by Thai authorities and soldiers while Burmese officials waited for them at the Three Pagoda pass.

The group were destined to Phayatongsu town.

However when they arrived at the pass, they heard sounds of several explosions inside Burma. Thai army then escorted the Burmese back and waited at a school near the border.

A total of 82 explosions were heard until 7.15am. After that the Burmese side asked the Thai side to wait for 45 minutes before resuming the repatriation.

Surasri Task Force’s Commander Maj Gen Tawan Ruengsri told reporters the Burmese side informed him that the Burmese army fired the artillery shells to clear the way for the repatriation as some Karen rebels may hide and wait to attack the Burmese along the way.

After all the Burmese returned home, the border markets would resume but the Thai army would still on alert to ensure safety for Thai people, the general said.

-- The Nation 2010-11-11

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12 provinces announced winter disaster zones

BANGKOK, 10 November 2010 (NNT) - The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation has declared 12 provinces winter disaster zones.

According to the Department, 155 districts in 12 provinces have been declared winter disaster zones. Out of the 12 provinces, seven are in the north and the other 5 in the northeast.

The Department has also planned to establish special winter assistance centers to alleviate people’s hardship from brass monkey weather. Provincial governors could use the government budget to set up the centers and purchase winter clothing for those who need them in all regions, except for the South.

-- NNT 2010-11-11

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Patong taxis to get meters, call center

A Patong tuk-tuk driver waits for a fare on the beach road in Patong.

Apinun Saitong.

Patong probably has the highest concentration of tuk-tuks in

Thailand - as well as the highest fares. Apinun Saitong.

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House top prize in 2011 Phuket Red Cross raffle

The atmosphere was electric at last year's Red Cross Fair

raffle drawing at Saphan Hin. File photo.

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Govt to spend Bt840 million to improve drainage system on Samui

Deputy Prime Minister Trairong Suwankhiri said Thursday that the government will spend Bt840 million to improve drainage system on the popular tourist destination Samui Island.

He said the improvement, which will be done next year, will prevent flooding on Samui for 20 years.

-- The Nation 2010-11-11

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Abhisit: Suthep to be reinstated to Cabinet soon

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thursday that he will soon reappoint Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban as a deputy prime minister.

Suthep resigned as deputy prime minister to contest a by-election in Surat Thani.

Abhisti said he would soon reshuffle the Cabinet after Suthep has won the by-election.

Abhisit said the reshuffle will be done only on part of the Democrat's quota to reinstate Suthep.

-- The Nation 2010-11-11

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GIANT TUNNELS

Bangkok To Build Giant Tunnels To Prevent Flood

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Red shirt sues the PM against a charge on its members

BANGKOK, 11 November 2010 (NNT)-The red shirt’s lawyer has file a lawsuit against Prime Minister Abisit Vejjajiva and government officials claiming that they have wrongfully taken legal action against the red-shirt and arrested many of its members.

Mr. Karom Poltaklang (คารม พลทกลาง), the lawyer, said the lawsuits had already been filed against the Prime Minister, the Director of the DSI : Tarit Pengdit (ธาริต เพ็งดิษฐ์), and policemen involving in the crackdown on the red shirts earlier this year.

According to the lawyer, the lawsuits came in light of irregularities found in the legal process which the defendants had taken against the red shirts. He added that since the bloody crackdown on the anti-government rally, the autopsies of the 89 deceased red shirt members have been unusually slow.

Mr. Karum has expressed his opinion that it is not too late to fight back by legal means since the Court has not made the final ruling in the cases filed by the DSI yet.

-- NNT 2010-11-11

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Man burnt-alive in his car, following beach road street race in Bang Saen

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Mystery surrounds discovery of corpse in East Pattaya Lake

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SET index closed at 1029.86, down 12.42; Bt/USD29.46; GBP47.46; AUD29.41; EUR40.37; CAD29.34; HKD3.79; SGD22.78; JPY35.6

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1 month old baby left at Temple in Bang Saen by his teenage parents

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Royal British Legion inaugural Service of Remembrance held in Pattaya

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Phuket surf claims two more victims

Phuket Ruamjai Kupai workers transport the remains of the late

Mr Kittisak to hospital.

The passport photo of the late Dmitriy Kuznetsov.

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PM hints SOE in Bkk, nearby areas may be lifted, as it's due to expire this January; or earlier if situation restores peace sooner. /TAN__Network

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Phuket cabbie returns German tourist's purse

Hebecca Lexamora (right) poses with taxi driver

Sompote Tongwattana at Central Festival Phuket.

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to be continued

Thailand Live Friday 12 November 2010

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