Thailand Live Friday 12 Nov 2010

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Thailand Live Friday 12 November 2010

News, Bits and Tweets

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Keep up to date with live updates from the news, hour by hour.

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Related topic: Thailand Live Thursday 11 Nov 2010

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Army Keeping Watch on Border Tension

Thai authorities are keeping a close watch for more violent clashes in Myanmar.

Border security has been tightened after the Burmese government has stepped up its offensive against a Karen minority rebel group in border areas near Kanchanaburi and Tak provinces.

The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army has retreated to its base camp in Myawaddy's Walay district close to the Thai Burmese border after having clashed with Burmese government troops.

A Thai security source said confrontation between the two sides continues in various areas near the Thai border.

However, the two sides have begun withdrawing some of their troops while waiting for negotiations between their commanders to take place.

Meanwhile, the Fourth Infantry Task Force continues to keep a close watch on the border line in Tak's Pob Phra district out of concern over new tension if no agreement could be reached in the peace talks.

Residents in Pob Phra district are staying alert for a potential evacuation order if more clashes break out in Myanmar.

At the same time, the situation in Mae Sot district has returned to normal after most of 20,000 refugees went back to Myamar.

Some shops have re opened, but Thai soldiers continue to patrol the area to oversee the border situation.

About 3,000 Burmese refugees at a shelter in Kanchanaburi's Sanngklaburi district have returned to their hometown of Paya Tongsu.

The refugees were sent back after Thai authorities in the area were notified by Myanmar that the situation there had already been brought under control.

As for the firing of rockets being heard near the Thai border early this morning, Surasee Task Force Commander Major General Tawan Reongsri said it was part of the Burmese troops' attempt to clear the way and push the DKBA fighters back into the jungle.

Tawan also confirmed the report that Burmese troops have already taken control of the entire area of Paya Tongsu from the Karen minority rebels.

-- Tan Network 2010-11-12

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Asian games will help promote Thai fruit

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives believes that this Asian game will help boost the export of Thai fruit to China by 20 percent.

According to Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Theera Wongsamut, the ministry last week sent 5 tons of top quality Thai fruit to the city of Guangzhou, China, in support of the 16th Asian games, which will be held there beginning tomorrow; after the Chinese government had asked Thailand to provide fresh fruit for VIP guests from 45 participating countries. The move will be a great opportunity to make Thai fruit well-known internationally, and will also create confidence in the quality of Thai fruit among consumers worldwide.

Export of Thai fruit to China is expected to grow by 20 to 30 percent next year, with a total value of at least ten billion baht; thanks to the Asian games.

However, there are still obstacles in exporting Thai fruit to China, given the distance and time it takes for fruit to get there. The construction of Route R9 connecting Nakorn Panom-Lao-Vietnam-China, and Route R3, which connects Chiangrai-Lao-Yunan, which is expected to be completed soon, will help shorten the trip and delivery time, the minister added.

-- NNT 2010-11-12

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RED SHIRTS

Freed red-shirts in surprise meeting with PM Abhisit

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RESHUFFLE

Suthep to return as Thai Deputy PM

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CAPITAL

Giant tunnels to ease Bangkok flood risk

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STOCK

Property stocks drop as Bank of Thailand (BoT) tightens rules

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All quiet on the Thai-Burmese border

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MPs can donate no more than Bt3,000: EC

By The Nation

According to the Election Commission, MPs are allowed to donate no more than Bt3,000 in cash or goods to flood victims, EC secretary-general Sutthipol Thaweechaikarn said yesterday.

Sutthipol said EC had met to review a letter from a House committee asking whether MPs were violating the Political Party Act by giving donations to flood victims.

He said the EC had decided that donating more than Bt3,000 violated Section 89 of the Act, and any amount above that would be considered part of an election campaign fund. However, he said, the EC had not considered the issue of an MP making several donations under the Bt3,000-per-time limit.

-- The Nation 2010-11-12

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Ten villages marooned as landslides hit Surat Thani

By The Nation

Landslides hit Surat Thani’s Chaiya district yesterday, marooning more than 10 villages and burying an 11yearold girl up to her neck for more than an hour.

Kanyarat Sayomporn injured both her legs while she was trapped under the debris of her house, as her mother and neighbours tried frantically for an hour to free her.

“Fortunately, her head was not trapped,” the young girl’s mother Arporn said, with fear in her eyes.

The landslides, caused by heavy downpours, damaged 10 houses and left a local road impassable effectively marooning more than 400 people.

Surat Thani Provincial Organisation chairman Montri Phetkhum and his team had to sometimes trek on foot to make it to the villagers, and chairman gave Arporn Bt5,000 from his own pocket.

According to him, many areas in Chaiya district were susceptible to landslides but the locals were reluctant to move out.

“We have told people to closely monitor the situation. If water from the mountain changes colour, they have been told to move right away,” Montri said, adding that people were urged to keep abreast of the weather forecast as well.

The flooding has badly affected 3.25 million people in 30 provinces, with the official death toll now at 203.

In Nakhon Ratchasima, more than 1,600 flood victims are suffering from stress and need medication to cope.

“We have prescribed them with sleeping pills, relaxants, etc,” Nakhon Ratchasima publichealth chief Dr Wichai Khattiyawittaya said yesterday.

Apirak Kosayodhin, who leads the government’s coordination centre for floodrelief operations, revealed that the authorities were in the process of expediting the payment of Bt5,000 in aid to each floodhit family.

“We have already delivered financial help to more than 10,000 families,” he added.

The Royal Irrigation Department’s director general Chalit Damrongsak, meanwhile, said floods should ease by midDecember in most areas.

-- The Nation 2010-11-12

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Severe shortage of medical specialists in Thailand

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12 provinces in North given Bt50m each

By The Nation

Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul said yesterday that each of the 12 provinces in the North declared as disaster zones were granted Bt50 million in emergency funds.

Chaovarat, who was in Chiang Rai yesterday to deliver winter clothing, said provincial authorities could seek more funding if the initial amount is not enough.

About 309,500 Chiang Rai residents are affected and need 323,202 pieces of winter clothing, but the initial budget of Bt1 million could only cover 5,555 blankets, Governor Somchai Hatayatanti said.

Six districts in Chiang Mai, two in Phetchabun, all of Phayao, 15 districts in Nan, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Udon Thani, Sakon Nakhon, Loei, Khon Kaen and Nakhon Panom have been named disaster zones. Lampang province yesterday reported that 150,000 residents were in need of blankets, while 1,000 people were affected from coldrelated illnesses in the Northeastern province of Kalasin.

-- The Nation 2010-11-12

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Police hunt suspect in failed robbery

By The Nation

Police yesterday gathered enough evidence to have the Criminal Court issue an arrest warrant for a man who tried to rob the Progress Gunpai company’s guards who were transporting money in Bangkok’s Lat Yao district.

One of the three guards had the presence of mind to run over the robber’s motorcycle, forcing him to flee and leave the bag with Bt2.7 million in cash behind. The licence plate, found under the seat, showed that the motorcycle belonged to a Prachuap Khiri Khannative Weerasin Asavapipat, 47. He reportedly suffered major losses in his gasstation business in Sa Kaew province.

At 9am yesterday, a 165cmtall dark skinned man was seen holding two guards at gunpoint while they were carrying a bag of money to fill up an ATM machine near Villa Market Ratchayothin. A third guard, who was in the truck, took the opportunity to run down the robber’s bike, forcing him to flee.

-- The Nation 2010-11-12

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Panel to consider minimum wage hike proposal

By The Nation

The Central Wage Committee will today review a proposed increase in the minimum daily wage for workers across the country.

The proposal, prepared by a subcommittee on wage review, is seeking to award the biggest raise to workers in Phuket.

The subcommittee’s chairman Sunan Phothong, who is also Labour Ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, yesterday revealed that if the Central Wage Committee gave the green light, the minimum daily wage in Phuket would jump from Bt204 to Bt214.

“In Bangkok and its adjacent provinces, we have proposed a Bt7 raise, which means the minimum daily wage will climb up to Bt213,” he added.

Sunan said workers across the country will likely earn at least Bt5 more per day as his subcommittee has proposed the minimum daily wage rise by at least Bt5 everywhere.

“Provincial panels on wages from 26 provinces have proposed a raise of fewer than Bt5. But we have resolved to award at least Bt5 raise to all,” Sunan said.

The proposed pay raise has failed to impress Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC) president Wilaiwan sae Tiam.

“The government has again failed to take into account the real inflation rate and the cost of living,” she complained, “Workers’ quality of life won’t improve then”.

Wilaiwan said workers in fact wanted to earn Bt421 a day.

“Or at least, the daily minimum wage should rise to Bt250 as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had earlier suggested,” she added.

Wilaiwan said if the workers got appropriate pay, they would have loyalty for their employers and would deliver better performance.

Pannapong Itattanont, secretary general of the Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry, explained the raise must take into account the employers’ ability to pay too.

“Some factories are now flooded. The wage increase may affect them,” he pointed out.

-- The Nation 2010-11-12

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PRINCE MAHIDOL AWARD

Thai awards for foreign doctors

By Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Work in malaria, zinc deficiency recognised

Five doctors from different part of the world including USA and UK who dedicated themselves to discover a new method to treat malaria and pioneer works on the importance of zinc in human health were yesterday named to receive this year Thailand’s prestigious Prince Mahidol Award.

The Prince Mahidol Award Committee's chairman, Professor Dr Vicharn Panich, said the foreign awardees were Professor Nicholas J. White, Chairman of WellcomeTrust South East Asian Tropical Medicine Research Units, Professor of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University and Professor of Tropical Medicine, University of Oxford and Professor Kevin Marsh, Director of WellcomeKEMRI Research Programme, Kenya and Professor of Tropical Medicine, University of Oxford.

In the field of public health, award is conferred to Professor Ananda S. Prasad, Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Professor Kenneth H. Brown, Professor of Nutrition, University of California at Davis and Professor Robert E. Black, Professor and Chairman, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Johns Hopkins University.

There are a total of 72 nominations from 31 countries. The Scientific Advisory Committee carefully screened all candidates from the year 2010, 2009, and 2008 and then submitted a short list of the candidates to the International Award Committee who scrutinised and made a recommendation to the Board of Trustees.

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, presided over the meeting of the Board of Trustees on November 1, 2010 in which the final decision on the Prince Mahidol Award 2010 was made.

In the past 18 years, 54 individuals, groups of individuals, and institutions have received the Prince Mahidol Award.

The Prince Mahidol Award Foundation under the Royal Patronage was established on January 1, 1992, in commemoration of the centenary of the birth of His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol of Songkhla, who was the late father of His Majesty the King of Thailand.

The Foundation, which is under Royal Patronage, with Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn as president, annually confers two Prince Mahidol Awards upon individual(s) or institution(s), which have demonstrated outstanding and exemplary contributions to the advancement of the world’s medical and public health services. Each Award consists of a medal, a certificate and a sum of US $50,000.

Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand have graciously consented to preside over the Presentation Ceremony of the Prince Mahidol Award 2010 at the Chakri Throne hall at the end of January 2011 at 17.30 hours. Prior to the Ceremony, Siriraj Hospital, as a founder of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation, will invite the 2010 Prince Mahidol Awardees to give lectures based on their achievement.

For outstanding contribution in the use of artemisininbased combination treatment for Malaria, Professor White is world leader on the treatment of malaria especially on the use of artemisininbased combination therapies.

He and his team carefully conducted a series of clinical studies that clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of artemisinin for treatment of previously drugresistant malaria, first in Southeast Asia and subsequently elsewhere around the world.

Professor White advocates the combination of artemisinin with other drugs in order to increase the effectiveness and to avoid further drug resistance.

This approach is now widely accepted by the World Health Organization.

Artemisininbased combination therapy has now become the recommended treatment of malaria worldwide, both in uncomplicated and severe cases. This approach saves millions of live of the population in developing countries especially in Asia and Africa where drugresistant malaria is endemic.

Meanwhile, Professor Marsh (United Kingdom) was named for outstanding contribution in the understanding of immune epidemiology of Malaria.

He pioneers the studies of immune epidemiology of malaria. Based mainly in Africa, his earlier studies showed the importance of strainspecific immunity in malaria.

His team examines life cycle of malaria parasites in human body and how the body responds to the infection. This led to the recognition of several classes of variants of specific malaria antigens that play a key role in the pathogenesis of the disease.

He and his colleagues further carried out immunological and clinical studies on several aspects of malaria in young African children which led to current understanding of the disease process and the effects of treatment. These works provide the basis for the development of vaccines for malaria to cover various strain variations.

Professor Prasad had worked hard to discover the importance of zinc in human health . He described first cases of human zinc deficiency syndrome in 1963 in young adults with delayed sexual development, short stature, anemia, enlargement of liver and spleen, and abnormalities of bone maturation. Zinc supplementation resulted in significantly increase in height, weight, bone development and sexual maturation.

This pioneering work highlighted the importance of zinc in the health of human and brought the attention of scientific and public health communities to further studying this important trace element.

The study lead to the understanding how zinc deficiency affects human white blood cells and lower host defense system.

Professor Brown devotes most of his career generating information and developing programs to improve nutritional and health status, especially in controlling and preventing zinc deficiency.

He and his team conducted a series of communitybased clinical trials of the effect of zinc supplementation on the child growth and development as well as risk of infection.

The studies showed that additional zinc supplementation help decreasing the incidence and severity of diarrhoea and pneumonia especially in children living in developing countries.

Professor Brown is instrumental in the International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group that advocates zinc supplementation, which is now widely accepted as an important public health measure to prevent zinc deficiency as a major contributor for childhood morbidity and mortality.

Professor Black’s longstanding works on the importance of childhood nutrition significantly contribute to the wide application of zinc supplementation.

His earlier studies in Bangladesh and India demonstrated that daily zinc supplementation during diarrheal episodes significantly reduced the severity of diarrhoea.

Similar situation occurs in pneumonia cases. He also described the diarrheanutrition cycle in which episodes of diarrhea lead to malnutrition and deficiency of trace elements, and in turn further augment the incidence and severity of diarrhea.

The World Health Organization and UNICEF currently recommend that all childhood diarrhea cases should be treated with zinc supplement as well as oral rehydration. The program has been implemented in more than 40 countries around the world.

-- The Nation 2010-11-12

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Confused Mystery Brit Found At Pattaya Bus Station

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Interpol to set up global facility in Singapore

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Death toll from flood related cases countrywide reaches 206; Decreasing in rain is likely in South and Gulf of Thailand /MCOT

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Thai stock index opens on Friday at 1,025.51, down 4.35 points /MCOT

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Foreign capital begins flowing at slower pace, says Bank of Thailand (BoT)

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6.1 magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia's eastern Maluku islands; no tsunami alert, no immediate reports of damage /MCOT

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North and Northeast will see cool temperatures and fog in the morning while South will see less rain and waves /TAN_Network

Famous Wat Ban Rai abbot Luangpor Koon sent to hospital because of acute loss of memory but now in stable condition /TAN_Network

PM leaves for China at 11AM to attend 16th Asian Games opening in Guangzhou; travels on to Japan tomorrow for APEC Summit; back on Sun /TAN_Network

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Suspected Hitman Killed during Reenactment in Ratchaburi

A suspected hitman has been killed by Ratchaburi police, after he snatched a gun off one police officer and fired at another officer during a reenactment.

Commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 7, Police Lieutenant Pongsan Jiem on, along with Ratchaburi Provincial Police Commander, Police Major General Petchrat Sangchai have inspected the scene where 30 year old Praphan Malaikun was killed in Pohtharam district of Ratchaburi province.

The suspect was killed after he snatched a gun from one police officer and shot at another during a reenactment of his previous crime.

The officer shot at the scene sustained minor injuries.

Praphan was arrested after the police discovered his involvement in a hitman gang in Ratchaburi province, which killed a well known village headman last week.

-- Tan Network 2010-11-12

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Flood in Northeast Improves

The Northeastern inundation seems to gradually improve while many governmental agencies continue to deliver aid and have started damage inspection.

Irrigation officials, soldiers and volunteers in the northeastern province of Ubonratchathani constructed sandbag dikes on the banks of a canal and diverted water to a reservoir for the dry season.

They said they have also planned to construct two more dikes in two other districts soon.

The move helps alleviate the burden of flood victims along Moon river.

Authorities said Moon river's water level remains unchanged at 6.80 meters high, while the water level of the Chee river has begun to stabilize.

Residents in this area joined hands to build a sand bag wall to protect their rice plantation as the harvest season is due in the next two weeks.

Surin province's Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office director Amnuay Chantarat said flood in Chumponburi, Tha Tum and Rattanaburi districts are improving and water levels are expected to be back to normal later this month.

The province earlier declared disaster zones in 16 districts with more than 230,000 people and 130,000 rais of farmland affected by the water crisis.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit and permanent secretary Paijit Warachit are scheduled to provide money to 1,300 disaster volunteers in the central province of Saraburi.

-- Tan Network 2010-11-12

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Phuket health workers battle HIV/Aids, STDs - and social stigma

Phuket Public Health officer Eam-orn Kittitornkul takes a blood sample from a

sex worker in Phuket Town. The woman agreed to be voluntarily tested for

HIV/Aids. Photo: Sitthipong Nongkaew.

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Temple thief shooting 'self-defense': Phuket Police

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Business Shorts for thaivisa.com from Sunbelt Asia

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CRES to Step up Security for Red-shirt Gatherings

The Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situations (CRES) says it will step up security for the gathering of the red-shirt group on November 13 and 19. The CRES called on the protesters to abide by the law and not to prolong their rally.

The group also called on the 2 recently released red-shirt leaders not to provoke the situation.

-- Tan Network 2010-11-12

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Internet in Phuket: Khun Woody speaks at IBAP meeting tonight

Khun Woody will use graphics like these to show how Internet access

speeds offered by various providers stack up.

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Phuket blackout schedule for November

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