Thailand Live Friday 11 Feb 2011

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Thailand Live Friday 11 February 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 sothat 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 Thursday 10 Feb 2011

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Finance Ministry Adamant Not to Cut Oil Tax

The government's energy policy advising body is scheduled to convene another meeting to discuss new approaches to keep retail diesel prices under control.

Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry is adamant that cutting excise tax on oil sales will do more harm than good.

The National Energy Policy Committee or NEPC, which is chaired by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, will convene a meeting to consider new approaches to help keep a liter of diesel under 30 baht.

Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul said the budget allocated from the State Oil Fund to subsidize retail diesel prices has only around one billion baht left.

And even though the Oil Fund has access to another 20 billion baht budget, Wannarat said that it is crucial to find new ways to subsidize diesel.

The minister said that the State Oil Fund will only be sufficient to help keep the price under the desired level for only five more months.

The Finance Ministry's Permanent Secretary Areepong Bhoocha oom said that if the government agreed to cut excise tax collected from the sale of diesel, revenue collection will be hurt considerably.

He stated that such an approach must be thoroughly considered, especially when the Excise Department is carrying out a tax restructuring process.

After the restructuring is completed, it is expected that cigarette tax will be increased, due to higher cigarette imports in the past year.

And in January, the Excise Department reported that it has collected more than 37.7 billion baht in tax revenue, or 10.89 percent higher than the same month of last year and 3.99 billion baht or 11.83 percent higher than the initial target.

As a result, during the first four months of the current fiscal year, the Excise Department has collected as much as 149.5 billion baht in revenue, which is 13.1 percent higher than its target.

The department revealed that it has collected the highest level of tax from oil and oil products, followed by auto, liquor, beer and tobacco.

-- Tan Network 2011-02-11

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Commerce Ministry confirms increase base salary for Thais to cope with higher cost of living

BANGKOK (NNT) -- Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai has confirmed that the minimum wage increase, soon to take effect, stems from the government’s determination to take care of Thai people against the backdrop of rising commodity prices.

The issue was brought up by Puea Thai MP for Chiang Mai Surapong Towichakchaikul , who queried the government why the prices of consumer goods had gone up so much that people, farmers and workers in the agro-industry in particular, found it difficult to make both ends meet. The majority of the people have suffered more from rising prices than from war, especially that of oil. Surapong also wanted to know what the government planned to do, as the proposed salary rise for government’s employees would inevitably force product prices to rise even further.

In response to Surapong’s questions, Commerce Minister Porntiva revealed that the government was currently considering various options in order to help ease the burden on families’ breadwinners.

According to the Minister, an increase in salary will relieve struggling families, especially those with low incomes, adding that it has been years since the government last increased the base salary. In addition, she purported that consumer product prices usually fluctuate in line with the global oil prices; therefore, making it impossible for the government to put them under control.

-- NNT 2011-02-11

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Pattaya A-Go-Go Staff Beat Up Foreign And Hi-So Customers

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Thai teens won't lose their virginity on Valentine's Day: Poll

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Conflict goes international:

UN Security Council to hold closed meeting on Thai-Cambodia clashes

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Auditor-General's office tells CAT to explaIn 'hasty' True deals

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Thailand Charter change on MP numbers set to be passed

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Bt11m compensation over Klong Dan project

By Janjira Pongrai

The Nation

Thai Arbitration Institute (TAI) yesterday issued a verdict on the Klong Dan wastewater treatment project, demanding Pollution Control Department (PCD)to pay compensation for the jointventure construction company NVPSKG.

Panel of arbitrators chaired by Witoon Tangtrongjit and other arbitrators including Satient Wongwachian and Kian Permboon had read the verdict on the case and asked PCD to pay Bt 4 , 983 , 324 , 383 and US$ 31 , 035 , 780 as compensation and 7.5 percent as interest of Bt 4 , 424 , 099 , 982 and US$ 26 , 434 , 636 which counted from 28 February 2003. PCD also must return letters of guarantees and fee worth Bt 6 million to NVPSKG.

Previously PCD had hired NVPSKG to constructed the Klong Dan wastewater treatment project located at Samut Prakan province. The project, worth Bt 23 billion, had started constructing since August 1997 and almost completed 98 percent of construction but PCD had alleged that there was corruption regarding the purchase of land and accused NVPSKG for conducting the fraud construction contract.

But NVPSKG had later submitted its petition to TAI and asked PCD to pay Bt 6.2 billion as compensation but PCD had denied to participate into the process under TAI. After that, NVPSKG had asked Civil Court to appoint arbitrators for PCD.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti said Office of the Attorney General had sent its official letter to PCD to inform about the verdict after that PCD had sent its official letter to the Finance Ministry on February 2 to ask the comment from ministry. This process had followed the Office of Prime Minister's regulation.

Meanwhile, PCD has asked the Office of the Attorney General to appeal the TAI's verdict to Civil Court and the ministry did not agree to appoint the arbitrators. Additionally, civil court earlier had sentenced that the contract between PCD and NVPSKG was invalid.

However, PCD's director general Supat Wangwongwattana will today hold press conference to clarify about the TAI's verdict.

-- The Nation 2011-02-11

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Thais to enjoy live Bodh Gaya broadcast

By The Nation

As part of this year's Makha Bucha celebrations at Bangkok's Lumpini Park, for the first time Thais will be treated to a live broadcast from the candlelit procession at Maha Bodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, India.

The broadcast, organised by the Culture Ministry, will be shown on Channel 11 on February 18 from 5.30pm to 8.30pm.

Culture Minister Nipit Intarasombat told a press conference yesterday that the ministry, religious offices and temples would host meritmaking activities from February 1418 to worship Lord Buddha as well as make merit for HM the King's 84th birthday anniversary on December 5, 2011.

Meanwhile, the Office of National Buddhism yesterday announced that it would host Makha Bucha Day celebrations at Nakhon Pathom's Buddhamonthon park from February 1418.

Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kajornprasart will preside over the opening ceremony.

-- The Nation 2011-02-11

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Fighter-jet flights 'routine'

By The Nation

Two F-16 fighter jets of the Royal Thai Air Force were spotted in the sky above the common borders with Cambodia yesterday afternoon.

The jet fighters were sighted flying above Si Sa Ket's Kantharalak district for about 30 minutes.

The RTAF described the flight as part of a routine mission and rejected speculation it was intended as a show of force following armed clashes with Cambodia a few days ago.

Air Chief Marshal Prajin Jantong, the RTAF chief of staff, said there were two major missions involving the use of F-16 fighter jets - the Cobra Gold military exercise taking place in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, and a routine patrol of the border areas.

RTAF spokesman Air Vice Marshal Monthon Satchukorn said yesterday the F-16s were involved in an aerial patrol of the border areas.

-- The Nation 2011-02-11

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Thais duped with false promises of work abroad

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NCO cops threaten exam legal action

By The Nation

A group of noncommissioned police officers yesterday threatened to take the National Police Office (NPO) to court if it cancelled an exam to select officers for promotion to commissioned ranks.

The exam last took place in September but was mired in a cheating scandal.

Pol LtGeneral Santi Pensut, who heads the NPO Education Bureau, yesterday confirmed that a panel had recommended the exam be cancelled.

"We are now in the process of presenting the recommendation to the Police Commission," he said.

Santi said that after the exam was cancelled a new one would be held, perhaps as early as next month.

Pol Snr SgtMajor Supon Roida of Samphong police station in Khon Kaen complained that like him,thousands of junior policemen had been studying for years to prepare for the exam.

"Please protect honest test takers' rights and endorse their exam results," he said. "The NPO must separate the honest from the cheaters."

Supon was speaking as he led more than 30 noncommissioned police officers to Bangkok to seek justice from national police chief Pol General Wichien Pojphosri.

He said if the NPO cancelled the exam, he would lodge a complaint with the Central Administrative Court.

In September, 56,653 noncommissioned police officers sat the exam for 2,300 vacancies in the commissioned ranks.

-- The Nation 2011-02-11

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Call centre fraud gangs linked to the same network: AMLO

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Gold robbers arrested

By The Nation

Police yesterday arrested two men involved in robbing a gold shop in Bangkok's Prawet district on Monday, and retrieved many stolen gold items from them.

The suspects were identified as Wayak Intha and Chutidej Petchjaisak. They faced charges relating to armed robbery in which no one was harmed.

Both pleaded guilty.

Deputy National Police Commissioner General Panupong Singhara na Ayutthaya told a news conference that police were able to track down the suspects because of their fingerprints at the gold shop.

"Some of the fingerprints there matched the records in our criminalfile database," he said.

Chutidej was once arrested on drug charges in Nan province. He used to work as a chef at a French restaurant.

Wayak said he had been inspired by a TV serial and encouraged his unemployed friend to carry out the robbery in the hope of finding some cash to spend.

He told the news conference they had spent only Bt1,000 of the money gained from the robbery.

The suspects were arrested at their apartment in Samut Prakan.

Wayak's girlfriend, Tien Jankham, is also now in police custody, because she allegedly pawned some stolen gold necklaces. However, she insisted that she knew nothing about the crime.

Wayak and Chutidej said that they had stolen gold weighing only about 20 baht (305 grams) from the heist, an amount much lower than the 1 kilogram reported by the goldshop owner.

Police said they would look into the details again.

As of yesterday, police had managed to recover three gold necklaces, five gold bracelets, and Bt100,000 cash from the suspects.

-- The Nation 2011-02-11

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ASK THE EDITOR

PM Abhisit keeps everyone guessing

By Tulsathit Taptim

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Abbot, 75, stays at border temple

By The Nation

Insists on providing spiritual comfort; some people return home

The 75yearold abbot of Wat Don Awe (Klong Sai) in Si Sa Ket's Kantharalak district yesฌterday insisted on remaining at his temple near the border, despite the threat of Cambodians firing at the vilฌlage, so he could offer spiritual solace to soldiers and residents who stayed behind.

Phra Kan Paphaso also welcomed back many of the 10,000 residents who had fled the border fighting to seek refuge at state offices and were starting to filter back home.

For almost a week, the abbot and his disciple Phra Boon lived mainly on rice and boiled gourds and eggฌplants that they cooked for themฌselves out of what remained in the kitchen.

"I used to grow gourds and eggฌplants to give to poor people, never thinking I would depend on them," the ageing abbot said.

No agencies had come to assist them yet because everyone was afraid of the border clashes and left, includฌing three other monks at the temple.

"But I won't go anywhere. I'll stay at the temple and give moral support to the soldiers and villagers. If they fight [with Cambodians], I'll go bless them to be safe and protect Thailand's sovereignty," he said.

Admitting to being startled by the recent skirmishes, Phra Kan said he wasn't worried much because he used to be a ranger stationed at the border.

"I would listen to the cannon shells to determine the direction. If it went 'phew phew', it would fly over you to somewhere else, while if it went 'crack crack' like a machine running out of fuel, it would drop near you, so that was a time of everyone for himself," he said.

The abbot said he didn't have any sacred amulet for protection but practised the Buddhist precepts.

The border clash resulted from both sides being stubborn, so the disฌpute was prolonged, but he hoped the tensions wouldn't escalate, he said.

In Bangkok, the Sangha Supreme Council meeting was informed by Nopparat Benjawattananun, direcฌtor of the National Buddhism Office, that six temples in Si Sa Ket had been affected by the border dispute. They were Bhumisarol, Ban Bhumisarol, Ban Chammeng, Sao Thongchai, Pa Phu Laem and Ban Ta Thaen. And 32 monks were evacuated to Muang disฌtrict temples.

Urging soldiers to guard the six temples' property, Nopparat said a monastery called Thudongsathan Wihanpetch had been damaged by an explosion to the tune of about Bt200,000.

Many refugees started to trickle home in Si Sa Ket despite the risk of more crossborder exchanges.

Somkid Duangkaew, 65, said his village, Nonesawang Pattana, was within range of Cambodian forces and several artillery shells had landฌed on Sunday, scaring villagers into escaping.

However, as the situation seemed to have calmed down, he and many others decided to head home. He said he was worried about his house and 30rai (4.8hectare) rubber plantaฌtion, while staying at the shelter made him stressed out and waste money on expenses. He said some people believed the Cambodians didn't mean to hit Thai villages.

Governor Somsak Suwannasujarit said he didn't stop the villagers going home if they were concerned about their property, but urged them to come back if fighting broke out, because being in the crossฌfire zone was dangerous.

Khmer radio reportedly claimed that Thai soldiers intended to fire cannons at Preah Vihear Temple and urged Cambodian workers to return home.

In Ubon Ratchathani, a 10yearold boy was buried alive and died near his Muang district home while trying to make a bunker like he saw on TV.

At 11pm on Wednesday, police went to inspect the scene. They were told by the boy's father Samai Wongman, 47, that in the evening, they looked for their son but couldn't find him until the boy's friends said he had been trying to dig a foxhole inside a pile of dirt near the home. The father had ordered a truckload of dirt to fill up some land.

They found the boy's body inside but doctors could not revive him because he had suffocated.

-- The Nation 2011-02-11

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Thailand, Cambodia trade accusations of cluster-bomb use

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Foreigners in Thailand Closely Watching Thai "Shirts" Reaction to Arab Protesters

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PAD to March Short Distance to Royal Plaza at 10 A.M.

Supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy will march a short distance from their rally site to the Royal Plaza. They will be there for a short time to pledge their loyalty and dedication to protect Thailand's sovereignty. After their pledge, they are scheduled to return to Makkawan Bridge.

-- Tan Network 2011-02-11

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PM to be Briefed on Border Situation Via Video Conference

The prime minister is set to be briefed on the border situation by provincial officials in Si Sa Ket and Surin provinces via video conference at 8:30 A.M. this morning.

-- Tan Network 2011-02-11

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All Eyes on Parliament's Decision on Charter Amendments

Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate are gathering at the Parliament building for the last reading of the draft amendments to the Constitution. The government needs at least 313 votes to pass the bill. The session will officially start at 9:30 A.M. when short debates are expected. A vote will then be taken.

-- Tan Network 2011-02-11

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Thai stock index opens on Friday at 948.64, down 0.45 points /MCOT

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PAD moves to Royal Plaza to take patriotic oath before King Rama V Equestrian Statue /via@MCOT_Eng

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Secretary to Foreign Minister: Thailand Wants Peace

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PAD Continues to Pressure PM over Preah Vihear Temple

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Tight security at Parliament as joint sitting of MPs and Senators vote on 3rd reading of two constitutional amendment bills /MCOT

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Army chief confirms Thai-Cambodian border remains peaceful and locals have started to return home /TAN_Network

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Buri Ram Prepares Evacuation Plan for 2 Border Districts

Buri Ram provincial officials are preparing to evacuate villagers from two districts near the Thai-Cambodian border.

Following recent clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces near Si Sa Ket province, neighboring Buri Ram province has decided to evacuate villagers from the two high-risk border districts including Ban Kruad and Lahan Sai districts.

The province has set up ten emergency shelters and trucks to facilitate villagers' evacuation.

Buri Ram Disaster and Mitigation officer Pornchet Sangthong said emergency centers have been set up at various meeting halls and children's centers in Ban Kraud district.

As for Lahan Sai district, Chitwitaya School and the Lahan Sai meeting hall have been converted into emergency shelters, and if the clashes erupt again, the province can immediately evacuate the villagers to the designated emergency centers.

-- Tan Network 2011-02-11