Thailand Live Saturday 11 Dec 2010

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Thailand Live Saturday 11 December 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 Friday 10 Dec 2010

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Red Shirts mark Constitution Day; floating lanterns, pigeons released

BANGKOK: -- Members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), Thailand’s anti-government Red Shirts, on Friday evening gathered at the historic Democracy Monument to mark Constitution Day and demand the release of the detained protest leaders.

The monument commemorates the country’s transition to constitutional rule in 1932.

As thousands of Red Shirts joined the political activities, led by recently-appointed acting UDD chairman Thida Thavornseth, it caused traffic congestion on Ratchadamnoen Avenue.

Four companies of police were deployed to provide security as Khok Wua intersection to Phan Fah bridge have been closed to traffic. The losses of life in this year’s protests began here.

The Red Shirts lit candles in commemoration for eight months after the clash between security and protesters at Khok Wua in March. They also released lanterns and pigeons in a symbolic way to show their demand for the release of the detained leaders.

Jatuporn Promphan, a top leader and an opposition Puea Thai MP, said the Red Shirts will gather again at Ratchaprasong on December 19 to mark the passage of seven months since the military operation to retake the protest site at Ratchaprasong.

Most Red Shirt leaders including Natthawut Saikua, Weng Tojirakarn (Ms Thida's husband) and Korkaew Pikulthong himself are among those who have been detained on charges of terrorism since surrendering to police after the clashes between the protesters and troops at Saladaeng and Ratchaprasong in May.

Some 89 persons were killed and at least 1,400 were injured during the ten weeks of UDD protests from March to May.

The mass gathering on Friday officially began at 6pm and was due to end at 8pm. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-12-11

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Think Tank: Skills, productivity of Thai workers must be improved

BANGKOK: -- As the daily minimum wage for workers in Thailand will be raised and take effective in January, the commercial bank-related Kasikorn Research Centre (KRC) advises in a new report that the Thai government should further develop the skills of the country’s workers and their productivity so that Thai products can compete more effectively in the global market.

The KRC recommendations were made after the National Wage Committee decision Thursday to increase the daily minimum wage by Bt8-17 countrywide effective Jan 1.

It said the increase is slightly higher than the inflation rate and is considered “positive news” to workers throughout the country.

However, Thai industry will encounter a challenging problem next year on the rise of operational costs due to the increase of the minimum daily wage and a decline in profit margin because of a fiercer competition in the market, both local and overseas.

Thailand’s exports have been hurt by the strength of its baht currency and the shortage of skilled labour, KRC said.

The Thai government should prepare a strategy to improve the country’s industrial sector so that it could compete in the free trade market overseas. The educational syllabus ought to be improved, modernised and simultaneously produce efficient workers who can match market demand for more highly-skilled labour in future, it said.

Also, productivity must be improved as well if the country wants to remain competitive in future, KRC said.

The government should introduce innovative knowledge and technology in order to strengthen labourers’ skills from medium to long-term by offering improved incentives so that they would not migrate overseas, the Kasikorn think tank added. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-12-11

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Abhisit hints at snap poll early next year

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ANALYSIS

By-elections presage upcoming national poll

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SMART BANGKOK

BMA has wide-reaching plan to make Bangkok a healthier city

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Jasmine rice task force heads for Hong Kong

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Thai Film Board might resurrect 'Insects' after its funeral yesterday

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Thai Govt crackdown on street people planned

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EC accepts failure in Thai Democrat cases

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Phuket storm pushes King’s Cup racers aground

Sailors working to save the Royal Thai Navy 2 yacht.

Photo: Guy Nowell

Tai II afloat, but caught in the strong surf at Kata.

Photo: Guy Nowell

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Thai students win one gold, five silver medals at 7th International Junior Science Olympiad in Nigeria /MCOT

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PM Abhisit: Officials compiling report on investigation of protest clashes

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[Maestro]

to be continued

Thailand Live Sunday 12 December 2010

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