Thailand Live Monday 14 Feb 2011

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F16 fighter jet taking part in Cobra Gold military exercises crash at Tardtone Waterfall in Chaiyaphum, pilot safe /TAN_Network

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PAD leader Chamlong to file a suit calling for compensation of Bt250 mln from Pol Lt Gen Somyos, in charge of airport seizure case /TAN_Network

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9 suspected insurgents rounded up in Yala

Yala - Nine suspected insurgents were rounded up in this southern border province. Some of them were suspected being involved in the car-bomb attack in Yala downtown Sunday.

The suspects were arrested after some 300 border patrol policemen, Yala policemen and Provincial Administration Department officials besieged and carried out searches at 10 spots in Tambon Lidol and Tambon Yala of Muang district.

The search began at 6 am and lasted about three hours.

A security official, who asked not to be named, said the suspects included two Islamic teachers of a private school and eight youths.

-- The Nation 2011-02-14

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Norwegian Held In Cebu For Murder Of 6 Year-Old Philippine Girl

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UPDATE

Two F16s crashes in Chaiyaphum

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Police Find 60 Firecrackers on Two Males Behind PAD Stage

Two people behind yellow-shirt stage were arrested for possession of 60 firecrackers. They are suspected of being involved in a firecracker incident.

Commander of Metropolitan Police Region 1 Police Major General Wichai Sangprapai said officers have arrested an adult and a teenager behind the protest stage of the People's Alliance for Democracy, or PAD, near Makut kasat-tariyaram Temple.

The adult was identified as Suchart Panya.

The two are suspected of having been responsible for setting off firecrackers at the rally site, which scared demonstrators, leading them to believe that it was carried out by authorities to incite chaos.

Police also found 60 firecrackers, which the suspects claimed were meant to be used in the case that authorities launched a crackdown or that the red-shirt group interfered with the PAD's activities.

They said they bought the firecrackers from vendors nearby.

The two are being held for further questioning.

-- Tan Network 2011-02-14

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PAD Leadership to Accept Charges of Disobeying Internal Security Act

The leadership of the People's Alliance for Democracy have expressed their enthusiasm in turning themselves in for disobeying the Internal Security Act.

Major General Chamlong Srimuang, a key leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy or PAD, claims that all of the yellow-shirt leaders are willing to turn themselves in for disobeying the Internal Security Act.

The PAD leadership has announced that they are willing to comply with the judicial system and would rather be jailed than to see the country lose territory.

Chamlong has reaffirmed that the group is not looking to challenge or to provoke the police and has promised that there will be no protesters on the day they turn themselves in.

The yellow-shirt group has also thanked police for providing security at the rally.

Chamlong dismissed any possibility of a clash occurring between the PAD protesters and the red-shirt demonstrators who were also conducting a rally nearby over this past weekend.

-- Tan Network 2011-02-14

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Deputy PM Denies Knowledge of Cambodian Spies

The deputy prime minister has denied having any knowledge about the suspected Cambodian spies who were arrested by Thai authorities.

Deputy Prime Minister in charge of national security, Suthep Thaugsuban said that he has yet to be briefed about the suspected Cambodian spies who were arrested by Thai border authorities.

Suthep said that given the current situation, it is expected that there would be attempts to gather intelligence along the border.

The deputy prime minister went on to say that such arrests will be handled according to the law.

Suthep has urged everyone to be careful about implying that spies have infiltrated the Cambodian workforce in the country, to avoid causing unnecessary panic.

The deputy prime minister also said that the Cambodian military has reinforced its forces along the border because Phnom Penh is trying to draw the United Nations in to mediate the dispute.

However, contrary to a claim made by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen that the two countries are at war, the Thai government insists that the recent clashes were minor.

Suthep believes that the UN will have its own standards in evaluating the issue making it more likely that an international organization to step in to mediate the border conflict.

The deputy prime minister has also pointed out that the presence of Cambodian forces in Banteay Meanchey Province was for Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's scheduled visit to the area. Suthep reaffirmed that Thai soldiers are prepared to defend the country's sovereignty.

-- Tan Network 2011-02-14

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Urgent: Dane Needs Blood On Phuket

blood type is type O negative

"Blood donations can be made in Phuket at the Vachira Hospital Blood Bank on the hospital's 4th floor or through the Red Cross in Bangkok."

Vachira Phuket Hospital Address: 353 Yaowarat Rd, Taladyai. Tel:

076-361 234. Fax: 076-211 155. Hotline: 1669. Email:

info [at] vachiraphuket.go.th

Donors in Bangkok can go to any Red Cross or Hospital Blood Bank.

There is one located at Chulalongkorn University.

Please call 0810 968 429 or +66 831 802 892

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Pilots of two F16s crashes in Chaiyaphum are safe

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AFTERMATH

Border schools in Si Sa Ket resume classes

By Thai News Agency

The Nation

Schools along the Cambodian border in Si Sa Ket's Kantharalak district resumed their classes on the first day Monday after being closed following deadly border clashes last week.

Only about half of the students came to schools as their parents were still not confident of the security of their children, a senior education official said Monday.

The border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia last week killed three and injured many others. The artillery shells fired by Cambodian troops forced people to take shelters in bungers and stadiums. The attacks burnt to the ground many buildings including schools in the district. Wanna Boonsuk, director of the Si Sa Ket Primary Education Service Area Office inspected conditions at all schools including Ban Phum Srol school.

The school which is near the border has been closed for five days since the clash between Thai and Cambodian soldiers on Phu Ma Kua near Preah Vihear temple.

Wanna said only about 70 of 384 students of the Ban Phum Srol school's 384 registered students came to classes on Monday.

Sixty schools were closed temporarily and only 30-50 per cent of all students came to school, she said, adding parents may not yet be confident of safety for their children.

It is expected that all students will come to school on Tuesday. Schools are facing shortage of instructional media because most were destroyed or went missing during last week's hasty evacuation.

Donations may be made directly at the schools themselves or at the Si Sa Ket Primary Education Service Area Office. Prospective donors may contact the educational authorities at telephone number 045-661432.

-- The Nation 2011-02-14

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Thousands of protesters rally outside Democrat Party

Thousands of protesters demonstrated at the Democrat Party head office Monday morning.

Some 2,000 sugarcane farmers from Sukhothai arrived at the party head office at 4 am.

They demanded that Industry Minister Chaiwut Bannawat allow a sugar factory in Uttaradit to open a new factory in Sukhothai so that they could cut travelling cost.

And at 9 am, about 150 villagers from Nakhon Sawan arrived at the party. They demanded that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva issue land ownership documents to them.

The villagers claimed that the authorities issued an announcement to prohibit the use of land they have been living on so they wanted the right to use the land.

-- The Nation 2011-02-14

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Sugarcane farmers end demonstration

Some 2,000 sugarcane farmers from Sukhothai dispersed from their demonstration outside the Democrat Party head office Monday afternoon.

They dispersed after Industry Minister Chaiwut Bannnawat met them at 1:30 pm and promised to consider their complaint.

The farmer wanted a new sugar plant to be built in their province so that they could sell sugarcanes to the factory without having to travel Uttaradit.

Chaiwut promised that he would consider the issue on Friday.

-- The Nation 2011-02-14

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Chamlong files defamation lawsuit against assistant police chief

Chamlong Srimuang, a co-leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, Monday filed a defamation lawsuit against Assistant Police Commissioner-General Pol Lt Gen Somyos Poomphanmung, demanding a compensation of Bt220 million.

In his suit with the Civil Court, Chamlong alleged that Somyos damaged his reputation by charging him and other PAD leaders with having committed terrorism.

Chamlong said in the lawsuit that he and the PAD instead used their constitutional right to campaign for justice.

Chamlong said Somyos also threatened to arrest him and other PAD leaders if they fail to meet investigators. Chamlong alleged that Somyos abused his authority to intimidate the PAD leaders.

The court is scheduled to make a decision on April 25 as to whether to proceed with the case.

-- The Nation 2011-02-14

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Pol Lt Gen Somyos resigns from heading investigation into PAD's airport closure case, claimed too much pressure on case /TAN_Network

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Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad dissolves Cabinet in response to Egypt crisis - AP /RT @tukky_nt /RT @BreakingNews

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SET index closed at 967.07, up 17.50; Bt/USD30.63; GBP49.02; AUD30.60; EUR41.32; CAD30.96; HKD3.92; SGD23.77; JPY36.59

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Phuket call for urgent blood donations

The Phuket Blood Center is located in Saphan Hin in Phuket Town.

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Power outages to hit southern Phuket

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Phuket Bluest Fest artists to stage free concert in Patong

Award-winning guitarist Rich Harper, a regular performer at the

Phuket International Blues Fest, will be playing a free concert in Patong.

Photo by Ulf Jonsson

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ADB Lends 300 Mln Dollars For Strong Thailand Scheme

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AFP: Thai 'kissathon' claims new world record

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AFP: Cambodia to ask UN to help secure ceasefire

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[Maestro]

to be continued

Thailand Live Tuesday 15 February