Thailand Live Wednesday 17 Nov 2010

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Thailand Live Wednesday 17 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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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 Tuesday 16 Nov 2010

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BoT is confident the GDP will grow by 8% this year despite recent floods

BANGKOK (NNT) -- Thailand’s economy will grow between 7.3 to 8% this year despite the recent spate of flooding across the country, according to The Bank of Thailand (BoT)’s economic forecast.

In order to develope an effective fiscal plan, the BoT has been conducting a study to identify the cause of economic stagnation; the results of which will be forwarded to the Fiscal Policy Board for consideration on December 1st.

The Central Bank has predicted that the nation’s GDP will grow by 7.3-8% as expected despite an earlier speculation that the GDP would slow down by 0.3% as a result of the recent nationwide floods.

However, the BoT will continue to monitor how or whether the movement of foreign capital inflow, triggered by the U.S.’s move to ease its monetary policy, will affect the Thai baht and economy. The policy of the US, which is aimed at making imports to the U.S. more expensive, has caused a growing concern among exporting nations, including Thailand, whose major client is the US.

-- NNT 2010-11-17

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MOTS: Thai tourism needs to be restored after flooding crisis

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is forging ahead with its plan to rehabilitate Thai tourism severely affected by the recent flooding.

According to Sombat Kuruphan, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the recent flooding in many areas has done much damage to the tourism sector. The ministry has already had a plan to assist the sector by urging Thais to travel domestically. The budget for the purpose will be from that earmarked for tourism promotion next year by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). In addition, the ministry will ask the government for extra budget, so it could further stimulate domestic tourism, which has been in a coma thanks to the flooding and violence in the past months.

Thai Hotels Association has advised the government to help promote tourism among local and foreign tourists and inform them that the overall situation has returned to normal. The government should also urgently rehabilitate tourist attractions affected by floods in anticipation of foreign tourist influx expected during the end of the year.

-- NNT 2010-11-17

[george]

Thailand's Embarrassing Internet:

Hutch Drops CAT-CDMA Merge

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WEATHER CRISIS

Forecasters fear huge storm brewing

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UPDATE

348 foetuses discovered at wat

By Noppadol Srithaweekard

Police probing clinics to see which carried out illegal abortions

Follow this link: page__view__findpost__p__4028232?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>

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Red-Shirts, 'men in black' involved in eight cases of deaths: Thai DSI

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Viktor Bout's extradition might affect Thailand’s ties with Russia

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EDITORIAL

Thai South needs more than money and good intentions

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Six jailed for holding Taiwanese man

By The Nation

Six members of a Thai-Taiwanese gang were each given a three-year prison term for their involvement in the detention of a 36-year-old Taiwanese textile businessman last December.

The Criminal Court was told that Ampol Saewang, 21; Saravuth Saeyang, 24; Chen Cheu Wen, 24; Samuth Yangying, 29; Chang Ja Lun, 31; and Chingchang Saelee, 27 had detained businessman Ten Li-wei. They claimed to be policemen, stole his three mobile phones, Singaporean bank chequebook and Taiwanese passport, and broke into his Samut Prakan home to take cash worth Bt660,000.

The Criminal Court found that the six had followed the orders of two other gangsters who remain at large. They may have served as debt collectors, trying to get the money the victim owed. The court was not convinced Ten was being detained for ransom and said the prosecutor had not established that they were disguised as police. However, medical examination confirmed the six had assaulted the victim.

-- The Nation 2010-11-17

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Census uncovers missing brother

By The Nation

The National Statistical Office’s census project has helped a Nakhon Phanom man reunite with his younger brother missing for 17 years in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Muang district.

After a report by census volunteers that they had found his brother, Itthipol Saeng-ngam, 49, and relatives went to a shoemaker’s house and found brother Somchalao Saeng-ngam. Landlord Waiyawuth Thummanon told them Somchalao, who left his job in Bangkok in late 1993, worked as a gardener in the area but when that job ended, he had taken him in to do housework.

Itthipol recalled that his brother and friends went to work at Pathum Thani’s ice plant in April 1993 and had lost contact with the family ever since.

-- The Nation 2010-11-17

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Cabinet approves Bt1.95 bn for flood-hit rubber farmers

By The Nation

The Cabinet yesterday approved Bt1.95 billion to help flood- or storm-hit rubber farmers. Surveys showed the natural disasters had ravaged up to 212,074 rai (33,932 hectares) of rubber plantations up to November 12 last Friday.

Farmers who lost their rubber plantations to storms and floods will get compensation and financial help for replanting, if their plantations have not encroached on forest reserves or state land,” deputy government spokesman Watchara Kannikar said. “They will be compensated Bt6,007 per rai of ravaged plantation.

“The replanting financial help is Bt11,000 per rai”.

Watchara said the Office of the Rubber Replanting Aid Fund would offer financial help to its members, while the government would give financial support for replanting to non-members.

However, not all recipients of replanting aid will plant rubber trees.

Watchara said some affected rubber farmers would be required to plant other types of trees because their plantations were in low-lying areas that are flood-prone. “They are not suitable for rubber trees,” he explained.

There was reportedly heated debate on whether and how to help affected rubber farmers whose plantations are on encroached land such as forest reserve.

At first, the Cabinet thought about giving no compensation or help in such cases. However, Culture Minister and Phatthalung MP Nipit Intarasombat argued that some farmers had worked there for generations but had not secured land-right documents.

Watchara said the Cabinet had assigned the Agriculture, Natural Resource and Environment, and Interior ministries, as well as the Budget Bureau, to determine how to proceed with these cases.

Other agencies yesterday sought budgets to help flood victims in other aspects such as covering damage to animal feed and fishing trawlers.

-- The Nation 2010-11-17

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Abhisit's Meeting with Thai red shirts may mark a breakthrough

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EC closing statement to court

By The Nation

The Election Commission yesterday gave its closing statement to the Constitution Court in the case over the Democrat Party’s acquisition of Bt29 million in state funds from the Election Commission to fund election billboards.

The statement is due to be read out in the final court session on November 29, by Kittinant Thatpramuk, a senior public prosecutor, on behalf of the EC’s registrar of political parties.

-- The Nation 2010-11-17

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Warrants to arrest court officials

By The Nation

The Criminal Court yesterday approved arrest warrants for two former officials at the Constitution Court for their alleged involvement in videos secretly made of judges and others at the court, which have since been put on the Internet.

The warrants are for Pasit Sakdanarong, the former secretary to the Constitution Court president, and court official Chutima Saensinrangsri.

Pasit is believed to have fled to Hong Kong, and his alleged accomplice Chutima, who remains at large, have been charged with violating the 2007 Computer Act, and spreading false and confidential information on the Internet.

The video clips were posted on YouTube in separate batches over the past month. The clips were linked to the Democrat Party dissolution case and alleged cheating in tests undertaken by people seeking to work at the court.

Meanwhile, Phra Pokklao Institute secretary-general Boworn-sak Uwanno dismissed reports that he had been approached to chair a scrutiny panel to look into the scandal. He said he could only comment after seeing a written order of appointment.Kamchai Jongjak-kraphan, a Thammasat University law lecturer reportedly earmarked as a panel member, also said he could not comment yet on his appointment until he saw the order.

The Constitution Court reportedly wants Bowornsak as he is an “outsider”. It would like to clarify the facts about many aspects, including whether the dialogue transcribed is a fair record of what speakers in the clips say, and whether the clips have been edited from other material.

A review would be most effective if Pasit or Chutima volunteered information, but their cooperation was unlikely, court sources said.

“An investigation into the matter by outsiders is not conducted to whitewash the Constitution Court, but because it is important to ensure a transparent and independent investigation,” one source said.

The panel’s probe would be separate to the ongoing police inquiry, the sources said. “The Constitution Court is not afraid of facts and truths, but rather fears fabricated information [in the clips],” one of the sources explained.

-- The Nation 2010-11-17

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MINISTERIAL RESIGNATIONS

PM tells 2 ministers they need to quit

By The Nation

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday he had clarified with ministers the need for them to resign from their posts before contesting by-elections.

Deputy Interior Minister Boonjong Wongtrairat and Deputy Transport Minister Kuerkul Danchaiwijit are expected to resign before the end of this week.

A source from yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, who asked not to be named, said Abhisit had told the ministers they could be framed up easily, resulting in complaints that they had abused their ministerial posts during an election campaign. He said his deputy, Suthep Thaugsuban, had set a norm by resigning before contesting a by-election.

Another of Abhisit’s deputies, Trairong Suwankiri, supported the argument by saying that ill-intention government officials could do something to violate laws and claim they were told to do so by ministers running in a by-election.

Abhisit said he had already discussed the issue with Deputy Transport Minister Kuerkul Danchaiwijit, who would represent Chart Thai Pattana in the Ayutthaya by-election. Kuerkul had agreed to resign.

Deputy Interior Minister Boonjong Wongtrairat, who will represent Bhum Jai Thai Party in the Nakhon Ratchasima by-election, did not join yesterday’s meeting. He took business leave of absence for a second day yesterday, saying he was helping people affected by flooding and preparing for the election campaign.

Abhisit told reporters he had asked Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai, from Bhum Jai Thai Party, to clarify the matter for Boonjong.

He said there had been no discussion of conditions about appointments to fill the two posts.

On Monday, the two parties resolved to field the two ministers in the by-elections, but were reluctant to let them resign from their posts, leaving the final decision to the candidates.

Yesterday Kuerkul did not confirm clearly what his decision was. He said he would hold a press conference today and register as a by-election candidate on Monday.

"This decision must make every side relieved," he said, adding that his decision had been made without pressure from outside.

A source from Chart Thai Pattana Party said a party survey had found that Kuerkul's popularity would suffer because voters disagreed with him only taking leave of absence from the ministerial post for 20 days to run in the election.

However, by the same standards applied to Suthep, Kuerkul and Boonjong must get their ministerial portfolios back after being elected as MPs, he said.

Meanwhile, a source in the Bhum Jai Thai Party who asked not to be named said Boonjong had instructed a close aide to submit his letter of resignation on Friday before registering his candidacy for the by-election on Monday.

The source said Boonjong had told the party’s executives of his decision on Monday. Bhum Jai Thai’s de facto leader Newin Chidchob did not oppose his resignation.

Kuerkul and Boonjong are among six MPs disqualified by the Constitution Court for illegally owning shares in companies holding state concessions.

-- The Nation 2010-11-17

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Thai Charter amendments to be put to Parliament

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Deputy Interior Minister Resigns

Deputy Interior Minister Boonjong Wongtrairat has announced his resignation from the post to field in the Nakorn Ratchasima by-elelction. His resignation will take effect on November 22.

-- Tan Network 2010-11-17

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Thai stock index opens on Wednesday at 996.87, down 3.86 points /MCOT

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Phuket Amateur Golf Open event at Laguna on Sunday

A poster advertising the Phuket Amateur Golf Open series.

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Leonids Meteor Shower to be viewed via bare eyes after midnight and before dawn tonight, peaking between 3am-5am: National Astronomical Research Institute /MCOT

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AFP Interview: Wife says Viktor Bout 'card in political game'

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Photos: Viktor Bout Extradited to America http://bit.ly/8Xv1Qa /via@RichardBarrow

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Police Arrest Former Vocational Students for Drug Dealing

Police have arrested two drug dealers in Bangkok and seized items valued at about 60 million baht.

Metropolitan Police have arrested two former technology students for drug trafficking. More than 160,000 methamphetamine pills, 4 kilograms of 'Ice', along several other items, were seized in the arrest. Police said the bust came after they were informed that former college students were connected with drug abuse.

Arrested in a house in Ladphrao area, they have been identified as Thanapakorn Komsanthat , 27, and Monthon Thongthat , 27.

The two criminals have pleaded guilty, saying that the home is owned by a gang of drug sellers.

They added that they were hired to keep the drugs and deliver them to clients at countless locations. The two former students said they have earned 60,000 baht after having completed four deals.

Police added that Monthon also has an arrest warrant against him for the murder of an 18-year-old rival student back in August 2008.

-- Tan Network 2010-11-17

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Insurance Claim Adjuster Killed in Overpass Accident

An ill-fated insurance claim officer was killed after a pick-up truck hit him on an overpass in Bangkok LAST NIGHT.

Twenty-seven-year-old Nuttapong Thonglor, a claim adjuster with Mittare Insurance, was inspecting damages at the scene of a car accident at an in-bound overpass on Baromrajchonnanee Road in Talingchan district, when a pick-up truck knocked him off the bridge.

Police said the truck driver, a Surat Thani local, Nuttapong Karawek, was speeding and did not see the victim due to poor visibility, as the overpass was unlit during heavy rains at the time.

Police have charged the 37-year-old driver with reckless driving resulting in death and have taken him in for questioning.

-- Tan Network 2010-11-17

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Russian arms trafficking suspect Viktor Bout arrives in New York after Thai extradition /via@BreakingNews /via@Juarawee

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Tambon Talad Chaiya Municipality in Surat

Thani has installed a temporary bridge for locals to travel on after

recent flooding totally severed the concrete link. /nationnews

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Srisaket too cold; people fell ill

SRISAKET, 17 November 2010 (NNT)-The freezing weather begins to take its toll on the health of residents in the North and Northeast, with many people coming down with respiratory problems. Over 50 Buddhist monks in Srisaket Province have sought medical attention at the provincial hospital after falling ill due to the cold weather. Rasri-sa-lai Hosptial Director Somchai Pa-nu-mas-wi-wat said that respiratory diseases are commonly found, especially during the cold season. Although a large number of people have come down with the diseases, the number could have been much larger had it not been for a vaccination program against four strands of flu given earlier. Meanwhile, the Srisaket provincial authority has set up a prevention center to help people who are vulnerable to winter weather, including the elderly, children, the disabled, and the under privileged to get through the winter.

-- NNT 2010-11-17

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Police found 348 baby fetus at Pai-Ngern Temple yesterday, temple's undertaker admitted he was hired by abt 5 illegal abortion clinics /TAN_Network