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Thailand Live Wednesday 22 Dec 2010

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Agriculture Bank Hails 'Populist' Policies

Bank of Agriculture has expressed support for the government’s new economic policies, downplaying concerns of a probable surge in bad loans.

The Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives President Luck Wajananawat, said he believes the government’s new economic stimulus polices, dubbed the 'Pracha Wiwat' populist policies, will be beneficial for grassroots Thailand.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is set to announce the details of the new policies in January.

Luck said the Bank is now considering a loan program for community co ops across the country, in order to help the government achieve its goal behind the new policies.

He said taxi and motorcycle taxi drivers are the initial targets for the new loan program.

The plan is an extension from the Bank of Agriculture’s practice, which, up to this point, has only been focusing on agricultural cooperatives.

The bank president is confident that the upcoming loan plan, which will charge a maximum annual interest rate of 6.7 percent, will strongly benefit low income earners.

He added that the bank is not worried about non-performing loans, and it has forecast next year’s loan growth rate at 10 percent, compared to an expected growth of 8 percent for this year.

In related news, Luck said the Agriculture Ministry has informed the Bank that recent flooding has affected 2.6 million households throughout the country.

Some 6.7 million rai of paddy fields and 1.8 million rai of other crops, as well as 1.4 million livestock have been damaged by the flood crisis.

He said the total flood compensation is now set at 2.4 billion baht.

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-- Tan Network 2010-12-22

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Former ranger arrested for allegedly firing M79 at BTS Saladaeng

Investigators of the Department of Special Investigation has arrested a former ranger and an aide of late Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdiphol for having allegedly firing M79 grenades at the skytrain's Saladaeng station.

A DSI source said James Singsitthi was tracked by DSI investigators and arrested in Bangkok.

He was taken to the DSI head office for interrogation at 10 am Wednesday.

James from Si Sa Ket used to be an aide of Khattiya during the red-shirt protests in April and May.

He was suspected of firing M79 grenades at demonstrators of the so-called multicoloured group at the Saladaeng Intersection.

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-- The Nation 2010-12-22

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New Red-Shirt Leader Plans to Request Bail of Jailed Comrades

The new leader of the red-shirt group has reaffirmed that she would push ahead in requesting bail for the jailed anti-government protesters.

Acting leader of the red-shirt movement Thida Thavornset has announced that after having consulted with the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, she is planning to submit a bail request for the release of the jailed red-shirt protesters.

The bail request will be filed to the court next week, and she is hoping that her comrades, including her husband, Dr. Weng Tochirakarn, will also be released before the New Year holidays.

Thida has plans to attach the recommendations from the reconciliation committee set up by the prime minister and the Rights and Liberties Protection Department with the bail request.

She has expressed some confidence that the request will be granted by the court.

Meanwhile, Deputy General-Secretary to the Prime Minister Panitan Wattanayagorn has announced that the government will provide legal support for the jailed red-shirt protesters who were not directly involved in violent incidents, as recommended by the reconciliation committee.

However, it will be up to the court to decide whether they should be released.

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-- Tan Network 2010-12-22

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PM campaigns against drunk driving

BANGKOK, 22 December 2010 (NNT) -- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva this morning released a procession of wheel chairs to campaign against drunk driving in the hope of reducing accidents during the New Year celebration.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva at 8.30 this morning presided over the “Arrive Alive 2010” event in order to campaign against drunk driving, with an aim to reduce the number of accidents during the New Year.

The Prime Minister also handed out shirts bearing a slogan “Arrive Alive, don’t drink and drive” to several celebrities attending the event before releasing a procession of wheel chairs traveling from Bangkok to Samui in their campaign to urge drivers to avoid drinking before getting behind the wheels.

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-- NNT 2010-12-22 footer_n.gif

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Commerce vice minister dismissed over graft charges

By Piyanart Srivalo,

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday ordered the dismissal of Veerasak Jinarat, a vice minister at the Commerce Ministry, because he was found involved in graft related to sale of the government rice stockpile.

The order came after the National Anti-Corruption Commission filed its investigation report with the Cabinet yesterday, and in it Veerasak was named as being involved in illegal dealings.

Deputy government spokesman Supachai Chaisamut said the Cabinet was also thinking about stopping every price-intervention programme via the government's pledging scheme within a year. This proposal has been drawn up to stop corrupt practices in the rice-pledging projects.

Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai, meanwhile, reacted to Veerasak's dismissal by setting up an investigation committee of her own.

"I did not know any details about the case before, but have told permanent secretary Yanyong Phuangrach to set up an investigative committee to check if Veerasak did indeed breach the law," Porntiva said.

Veerasak had been allegedly paving the way for private rice trader MT Centertrade to purchase large amounts of grain from the Commerce Ministry by helping with the company's bank loan.

Last month, Veerasak denied being involved in any rice trading deals. However, his role became obvious when MT Centertrade won the bid for 1.8 million tonnes of rice, even though this firm is unknown among Thai rice traders. Eventually, this deal was cancelled because the firm lacked enough cash, and in the end, it was only given 380,000 tonnes.

A source noted that the company had the support of an influential politician from the coalition. It has been alleged that Veerasak also got his job as vice minister by pulling some strings.

Previously, Veerasak was questioned about his transparency in spending big amounts on overseas trips.

According to the Thailand Development Research Institute, the government should have completed two urgent tasks in order to eliminate corruption in rice-intervention projects.

First, it should have released the 5.6 million tonnes of rice in its stockpile by May 15. This rice was harvested between 2001 and 2009, and the government had to spend Bt810 million every month to maintain its quality.

Second, the number of registered farmers and their farms registered under the income-guarantee scheme did not match the amount of rice produced.

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-- The Nation 2010-12-22

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Uncensored Version of Erotic Film “Eternity" to be Released

The erotic period drama “Chua Fah Din Salai” or “Eternity” will be re released late this month in a director's cut version over three hours long.

Following the success of “Chua Fah Din Salai” or “Eternity”, which hit screens across the country in September, M.L. Bhandevanob Devakul recently launched a director's cut or uncensored version and aims to submit the new version to film festivals overseas.

The new cut is significantly more sexually explicit than the original rated theatrical release and is a more accurate presentation of Bhandevanob's screenplay.

It also explains more about the motives of the three main characters.

The film stars Ananda Everingham, Ploy Cherman Boonyasak, Theerapong Liawrakwong and Penpetch Penkul.

The director said he reedited the film, adding a few special techniques and an extra hour in length.

The new version runs 3 hours and 10 minutes one hour longer than the theatrical version and will screen at House RCA theater for just two weeks from December 23 to January 5 of next year, showing in digital HD with English subtitles.

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-- Tan Network 2010-12-22

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Police Search Suspected Police Shooters

Police have searched the home of a gunman suspected in the bombarding of a vehicle carrying Buriram police officers, but found no suspicious items.

Buriram police said they searched the house of a man in Muang district suspected of opening fire on a vehicle carrying police officers on duty on December 20.

However, investigators found nothing illegal in the search.

The man has been identified as Wasant Tawanha.

On the night of December 20, a teenage gang used a shotgun to attack a police car.

However, all the officers escaped unharmed in the attack.

Police went on to say they managed to arrest six other accomplices on that night, as they failed to flee the scene.

Police added that all six suspects have been detained and all have denied all accusations against them.

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-- Tan Network 2010-12-22

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Special branch police hunt for those behind dog massacre inside police head office

The Special Branch Police Wednesday launched a manhunt for persons behind massacre of over 20 stray dogs inside the compound of the Royal Thai Police.

Pol Maj Gen Chanthawit Ramasut, commander of the Special Branch Police Division 3 which is in charge of the head office, said he had checked records of security camera but did not see anyone poisoning the dogs.

He said his agency did not ordered anyone to poison the dogs.

Critics said over 20 stray dogs in the police head office disappeared Tuesday and might have massacred before the prime minister visited the Royal Thai Police Wednesday.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Wednesday chaired the inauguration ceremony of a new medical service centre of the General Police Hospital inside the police head office.

Chanthawit said police would hunt for the killers of the dogs.

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-- The Nation 2010-12-22

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