Thailand Live Monday 24 Jan 2011

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Thailand Live Monday 24 January 2011

News, Bits and Tweets

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

For breaking news,national, regional and international news updates on a daily basis only, this thread is closed to commentary so that those 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 Sunday 23 Jan 2011

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2.4 millions of Thai to enter new social security scheme

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The ruling Democrat Party has declared its plan to include 2.4 million Thais in the social security system, hoping their livelihood will improve.

According the party, the next parliamentary session will focus on changing the law concerning social security entitlements for the Thai people. Thai nationals who are working independently and those who are hired outside of the regular employment regime will be entitled to social security benefits.

The ruling party said it expected at least 2.4 million more Thais to enter the system. The move, defined by Section 40 of the Social Security Law, will see millions of Thai from a wide range of occupations such as farmers and self employed people register at the Social Security Office.

Under the change, compensations will be paid if they meet disability as well as sickness requirements or when there is a proof of death. The Democrat Party also said their support was not intended to resemble a populist policy, but for the better living of Thai people. Once the law has been changed, all of the entitlements will remain the same in the future.

-- NNT 2011-01-24

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Democrats urge activists to remain peaceful as conflict may affect the future of the two remaining Thais in Cambodia

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Democrat Party told the activists protesting for the 7 Thai nationals not to propose conditions following the recent return of some of them yesterday, for fears tensions may arise between Thailand and Cambodia.

Dr. Buranat Samutarak, Democrat Spokesperson, said despite the two remaining Thais’s wishes not to move up the trial earlier than scheduled on 1 February, the Government remains firm in its stance to bring them back safe and sound as soon as possible.

The Spokesperson urged demonstrators not to express themselves negatively towards Cambodia while the government is coordinating with the Foreign Ministry and law experts in getting the two Thais back.

He adds that unity among Thai people despite their political belief is important amid for Thailand to stay strong. Conflicts may even affect the Cambodian Court’s ruling or lead to internal problems.

-- NNT 2011-01-24

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Thousands of 'Red Shirts' rally in Thai capital

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Pattaya beach could erode away within five years, academic warns

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'Our Cambodian Prison cell was like a cage for birds', released Thai says

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ANALYSIS

Abhisit walking a tightrope

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Anti-riot squads prepared for red and yellow rallies in Bangkok

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Thailand's soaring food costs hitting homes

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Landowner killed execution-style in South

By The Nation

Published on January 24, 2011

An old man was found dead inside his palm plantation in Narathiwat yesterday, apparently after pleading for his life with the attacker.

He and his family had earlier received threats after turning down repeated offers from someone interested in buying their plantations.

Chuay Promsorn, 69, left his home on Saturday evening and never returned.

His wife, La-ong Dejboon, and their children started searching for him yesterday and found him dead with two gunshot wounds inside the plantation.

His body was in a kneeling position with his face down. It was as if he had been shot while lying prostrate before the gunman. There was a gunshot wound to his waist, and the other to his head.

La-ong said her husband received 20 rai of land from Bacho Cooperative many years ago and the family had turned the plots into palm plantations. When the trees grew to maturity, the family earned up to Bt200,000 a month.

The land price in the area has since soared from Bt6,000 to Bt3.5million per rai, and many agents approached Chuay and other local palm-plantation owners to buy the plots.

During the past three months, Chuay's family became a target of two explosions. The first killed the family dog. The second caused a minor injury to La-ong.

Police are investigating the case.

Security agencies are also working to nail down armed men who raided a military base and stole weapons in Narathiwat on January 19.

During the half-hour clash, four soldiers were killed and six others injured.

"We will nail down the culprits and reclaim the stolen items," Fourth Army Region chief Lt General Udomchai Thammasa-rochat said.

He believed the insurgents staged the raid to shake locals' confidence in the authorities and to make officials doubt locals' sincerity.

"We will not fall into the insurgents' trap. They try to provoke us to use violence," Udomchai said.

Some 200 people offered moral support for Udomchai yesterday.

During his weekly television programme, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva extended his condolences to the families of soldiers killed and injured during the raid.

He then talked about his visit to Pattani last week when he attended a memorial service for 138 teachers killed in the deep South over the past seven years.

Abhisit said he remained confident the government's current approach was right in dealing with the unrest. "We will continue to focus on development works and justice," he said.

Since 2007, the government has implemented a project that gives Bt200,000 to each village in the five southern border provinces for locals to use as they deem fit.

Some villages have spent the money on vocational training while others have used it to boost security in their community.

"Since the launch of the project, the violence has clearly eased," Abhisit insisted.

Today, Abhisit will have a meeting with officials on key regulations for the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC).

A highlight in the draft regulations is that the SBPAC secretary will have the mandate to remove local officials from the area if they are found to have bullied local people.

-- The Nation 2011-01-24

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'Father' of Santi Asok seeks to heal rifts among sect

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Call for data on controversial dam

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

Chiang Rai residents have called on the authorities to reveal more details about the strategic environmental assessment for the proposed Xayaburi dam in northern Laos, which is likely to affect a huge number of people, as well as the ecology of the Mekong River.

"We need sufficient information from the report to evaluate the environmental impact, so we can make a decision on whether to accept this project," conservationist Hannarong Yaowalers said.

"All information should be released before a public hearing," Hannarong, who sits on the Senate Water Resource Subcommittee, said during a forum sponsored by the Mekong River Commission (MRC) in Chiang Khong on Saturday.

Thongsuk Intavong, chief of Ban Huay Luek village, which is situated on the Mekong River, said he strongly opposed the hydropower project since it could change a lot of lives in his village and other areas.

"China has already built a lot of dams upstream. Now Laos is preparing to build a lot more downstream. Please tell me, how can we live in the basin?" he said.

Laos plans to open a massive 1.26-gigawatt dam on the Mekong River at Kaeng Luang rapids, some 30 kilometres from northern Xayaburi province.

The Xayaburi dam could block critical fish migration routes to the Mekong's upper stretches as far upstream as northern Thailand, which is an important spawning ground for the critically endangered Mekong Giant Catfish, according to the International Rivers group.

Thai construction firm Ch Karnchang has signed a concession with the Lao authorities and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand inked an initial purchase agreement last June for 95 per cent of Xayaburi dam's electricity.

In September, Xayaburi became the first mainstream dam project to be submitted for approval by a regional government through a decision-making process called the "Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement", facilitated by the MRC.

A regional decision on whether the dam goes ahead would be made as early as April, MRC expert Vithet Srinetr said.

Xayaburi dam's environmental impact assessment did not mention the trans-border environmental impacts, as it covered only the "project area" in Laos, he told the forum.

However, a SEA report published in October by the MRC recommends that any decision on such dams be deferred for 10 years due to the massive risk and impacts associated with Xayaburi and other dams proposed on the mainstream of the Mekong.

However the Lao government was likely to decide to continue with the project, an official said.

The MRC will sponsor two more consultative meetings on the Mekong dam - in Loei's Chiang Khan next week and in Nakhon Phanom at the end of this month - to gather opinions from local communities that might be affected by the project.

-- The Nation 2011-01-24

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'Court ruling' needed on Panich

By The Nation

House Speaker Chai Chidchob yesterday declined to decide on Panich Vikitset's status as a Democrat Party MP for Bangkok, saying the Election Commission (EC) had to seek a Constitution Court ruling on the case.

Panich and four other Thais on Thursday were handed an eight-month suspended jail sentence for illegal entry by a Cambodian court.

Chai said he also had no right to call a Parliament meeting to resolve Panich's status. If more than half of the House meeting tomorrow to deliberate charter amendments objected to Panich joining on grounds he was no longer a member, the matter would be submitted for court interpretation, he said.

In another case, Pheu Thai Party MP Padermchai Sasomsab was declared bankrupt and lost his MP status but continued working as an MP because the EC did not submit his case to the Constitution Court, he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said Panich remains an MP and could join the House session.

PM's Office Minister Ongart Klampaiboon said the Cambodian verdict was irrelevant because the 2007 Constitution states that the status of MPs ends after they are sentenced to jail by a Thai court.

-- The Nation 2011-01-24

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Ukrainian man held hostage by Thai employer for 14 years

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Japanese Miyazaki prefecture agricultural official says bird flu has been detected on farm in southern Japan and its 410,000 chickens are to be culled /MCOT

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Inferno wipes out Phuket slum, leaving scores homeless

The inferno incinerated scores of dwellings in Soi Slum.

Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

Ten fire trucks and more than 40 firefighters were called to the blaze.

Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

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Thai stock index opens on Monday at 999.42, down 7.15 points /MCOT

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Red Shirts end Bangkok rally peacefully

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Police chief meets Suthep on yellow-shirt rally

Police Commissioner-General Pol Gen Wichien Pojphosri met Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban at the Government House Monday morning to discuss measures for dealing with the upcoming yellow-shirt mass rally.

Wichien met Suthep about 40 minutes to report the police's preparations for dealing with the rally of the Peoples' Alliance for Democracy on Tuesday.

-- The Nation 2011-01-24

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Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva vows to protect the country´s sovereignty and territorial integrity

BANGKOK, 23 January 2011 (NNT)-Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva affirmed the Government ‘s stance on protecting Thailand’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in dealing with border encroachment by the Thai and Cambodian people on both sides of the border.

Speaking in a special report on the case of border incident involving Bangkok MP Panich Vikitsej Sunday evening, Mr Abhisit explained how Mr Panich and 6 other Thais were skirting the ad hoc boundary line still in dispute between the two countries. The controversial site still has to be jointly surveyed and demarcated in line with the Thai-Cambodian MOU 2000.

In his explanation, an aerial map was used to explain the area. The Prime Minister said such a dispute was normal along the border, with dozens of disputed area still to be settled. Thus, the call for the annulment of MOU 2000 cannot be complied with, as there would be no longer an agreement adhered to by both countries, and turmoil could follow.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the Cambodian court’s verdict had no bearing on the boundaries between Thailand and Cambodia. At present, the verdict’s translation is awaited and an official protest can be launched from the Thai side. He pleaded that all patriotic Thais consider the issue with reasons and raise the issue with the Government in earnest. He himself and his Government would be willing to explain, as they have no reasons to make any concessions to the Cambodian Government over the common borders.

-- NNT 2011-01-24

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Dusit Poll: Majority do not agree with egg pricing policy

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PM: Army chief Gen Prayuth will meet Cambodian official to negotiate removal of sign erected at Kaew Sikha Khiri Sawara temple, charging Thais with being invaders /MCOT

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Fire Rages In Russian Tour Office Whilst Workers Sleep

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Tourism Authority Expects 8 Billion Baht in Tourism Revenue During Chinese New Year

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has prepared a budget of 30 million baht to sponsor various Chinese New Year's celebrations across the country this year.

The agency expects to see eight billion baht spent by both Thai and foreign tourists during the festivities.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand or TAT Governor Surapol Svetserani, along with Qin Yusen, the Cultural Attache for the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok, representatives for various provincial governors, along with others involved in hosting Chinese New Year celebrations this year, held a press conference where they provided details about events being held from February 2 to 11.

The TAT governor said a budget of 34 million baht has been slated for the events to promote tourism during the period, celebrate this year’s 84th birthday anniversary of His Majesty the King, and commemorate the 36th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Thailand.

Surapol expects up to 3.3 million tourists to travel during the Chinese New Year period.

A total of 130,000 Chinese tourists are expected to visit Thailand in February, so the TAT is estimating tourists’ spending during the period to be 7.8 to 8 billion baht.

The main venues for this year’s Chinese New Year events include Chinatown, or Yaowaraj, in Bangkok, Suphan Buri province, Ayutthaya province, Pattaya in Chon Buri province, Ratchaburi province, Chiang Mai province, Nakhon Sawan province, Nakhon Ratchasima province, Hat Yai in Songkhla province, and Phuket island.

-- Tan Network 2011-01-24

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Democrat Demands Opposition's Stance on Charter Change

The Democrat Party is demanding that the Opposition reveal its position regarding the charter change issue.

The ruling party also believes that the disagreement regarding the number of MPs will be settled by the lawmakers.

Spokesperson for the Democrat Party Buranat Samutarak talked about amending the 2008 Charter, which will be voted on by Parliament next week, claiming it is a good opportunity for the MPs to contribute to the decision making process.

Buranat also said that the ruling party has never forced other Coalition members to vote its way by threatening a House dissolution.

The Democrat Party spokesperson said that the charter change is one of the main things that would bring about reconciliation in the country and says the issue will eventually be decided on by the lawmakers themselves.

Buranat also said that it is normal for the political parties to have different opinions on issues, which doesn't necessarily mean there is instability in the Coalition.

He also urged lawmakers to perform their duties responsibly.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party Leader's Personal Spokesperson Thepthai Senpong is demanding that the Opposition clearly articulate its position after the Pheu Thai Party recently announced that it would not take part in the charter change.

Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the national security Suthep Thaugsuban, who is also the secretary general of the Democrat Party, pointed out that the meeting among Coalition members scheduled for is a long practiced tradition.

The purpose of the meeting is to give the government's lawmakers a chance to consult with one another before Parliament reconvenes.

Suthep also indicated that there is an ongoing discussion among government leaders on the charter change issue.

He expects the voting session to last about a day.

-- Tan Network 2011-01-24

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Panich Holds Presser; Confirms He was Investigating Claims by Villagers of Cambodian Encroachment

Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth has held a press conference while recovering at the Samitivej Hospital. He confirms that he was at the Thai-Cambodian border, investigating claims by Thai villagers that Cambodian troops had encroached on their land. He said he had no intension in entering Cambodia illegally.

-- Tan Network 2011-01-24

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Person who took video before 7 Thais were arrested insisted he was arrested on Thai soil and was forced by Cambodian troops onto their soil /MCOT

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3,600 policemen to keep security during yellow-shirt rally

Twenty-four companies of policemen or about 3,600 policemen will be deployed to keep security around the Government House and Parliament when the People's Alliance for Democracy holds a mass rally Tuesday, the national police chief said Monday.

Pol Gen Wichien Pojphosri said 4 companies would guard the Government House and 2 others would protect the Parliament.

He said the police forces would be reinforced by some troops.

Wichien said the government would not declare the state of emergency or enforce the Internal Security Command to demand the area off-limit to protesters.

But the security forces would not allow the protesters to besiege any government office, Wichien said.

-- The Nation 2011-01-24

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PAD leader Chamlong affirms gathering tomorrow at Makawan Bridge at 2pm to protest Preah Vihear issue /TAN_Network