Thailand Live Wednesday 23 Mar 2011

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Chalerm Yubamrung, chairman of Puea Thai MPs, submits resignation from Parliament to House Speaker without giving reason; resignation effective immediately /MCOT

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Cabinet Approves Motorway Fare Exemption For Songkran Holiday

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Voting outcome will decide Thaksin's fate: Suthep

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The Government Postpones U-Tapao Airport Project

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FLASH: Black smoke seen rising from no.3 nuclear reactor at Fukushima plant - NHK

FLASH: Saudi Arabia to hold first phase of municipal elections in April - Government website

/via@Reuters

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Free helmets to promote road safety by the TISI

BANGKOK, 23 March 2011 (NNT)-The Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) has launched a campaign encouraging motorcycle drivers and passengers to wear safety helmets this year. Over 8,400 helmets are expected to be given away for free.

In its 42nd Anniversary celebration, TISI has made this year “The Year of Helmet Wearing”. The institute has urged every sector involved to enforce stricter rules on wearing a helmet on the road as well as improving the quality of the helmet to suit the Thai environment and promoting safety.

TISI said according to world statistics, 25 people died every minute on the road, which account for 1.3 million people per year. 50 million people with disability were also the result of road accidents each year.

Thailand has also recorded the highest number of deaths in 2009. There were altogether 10,171 deaths, 70% of them were without helmets. The TISI further encouraged Thai people to protect themselves on the road by wearing helmets during the Songkran Festival.

-- NNT 2011-03-23

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Police Chief: ISA Required to Keep Peace

The national police chief feels the Internal Security Act must be extended in order to facilitate police operations and ensure that all protests are conducted lawfully.

National Police Chief, Police General Wichien Pojphosri said he met with the Cabinet ministers to request a 30-day extension of the Internal Security Act or ISA in order to ensure lawful conduct at the demonstrations.

He explained that if the ISA is not enforced, police security operations will be very difficult to carry out.

Wichien claims the ISA prevents violent incidents from erupting and has been very effective in keeping the peace among protesters.

As for negotiations with protest leaders to open the rally site for the annual Red Cross Fair, Wichien said authorities are seeking cooperation from protest leaders to facilitate traffic for the public to attend the event.

On the upcoming election, Wichien reassured that the Election Commission has full backing from the police regarding security operations.

Concerning the Joint Border Commission or JBC meeting scheduled for March 29, the national police chief said protesters will not be permitted to hold protests on U-thong, Ratchawithee, or Pichai Roads which surround the Parliament.

If the protesters wish to submit a letter to oppose the meeting, it will be up to Parliament to decide whether the demonstrators can send a representative to submit the letter.

The yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy have warned parliamentarians against approving the three pending JBC minutes, which they say, could cause Thailand to lose land.

-- Tan Network 2011-03-23

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PAD Files Complaint over Hit-and-Run at Rally

The People's Alliance for Democracy has filed a complaint with the police regarding a recent hit-and-run that left a man injured.

Tossapol Kaewprachum filed a complaint to the police after he was hit by a black Volvo yesterday at Misakawan Intersection near the People's Alliance for Democracy rally.

According to Tossapol, his right leg was injured by a car driven by a middle-aged man.

Some witnesses saw the same car driving around the rally site provoking the protesters by honking at them three or four days prior to the incident.

Yesterday, the protesters were trying to stop the car when it returned at high speed.

The car rammed through the blockade and fled the scene, leaving Tossapol injured.

The police say they will run the car's license plate number and the owner will be summoned for questioning.

-- Tan Network 2011-03-23

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Bangkok to Become World Book Capital in 2013

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Chevron awards $120mn drilling contract for operations in Thailand

By The Nation

Halliburton, one of the world's largest providers of products and services to the energy industry, has been awarded a US$120 million, three-year contract extension by Chevron Thailand for the provision of directional drilling, measurement-while-drilling (MWD) and logging-while-drilling (LWD) services for its ongoing offshore developments in the Gulf of Thailand.

The majority of the wells that Halliburton's Sperry Drilling business line will service are high-temperature wells that exceed 150 degree Celcius, with some exceeding 200 degree Celcius.

Chevron has operated in Thailand since 1948. It began exploring for oil and gas there in 1970 and is now operating 14 blocks with ownership interests ranging from 35 to 80 percent.

Chevron is expected to invest billions of baht for its exploration and production in Thailand after winning a contract renewable.

-- The Nation 2011-03-23

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Thai Embassy in Libya to Stay Open

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has insisted that the Thai Embassy in Libya will not be closed due to the armed clashes.

An evacuation plan has been prepared for the officials in case of emergency.

Spokesperson to the Foreign Affairs Ministry Thani Thongphakdee said that the Thai Embassy in Libya will stay open to assist Thai citizens, but that most of staff have been relocated to the border and the remaining officials will be ready to evacuate if chaos emerges.

Thani said Thailand is merely committed to implementing the Security Council's recent resolution in 1973 as any other UN member country.

As for the embassies of the United States, France and Libya in Bangkok, Metropolitan Police Chief, Police Lieutenant General Chakthip Chaichinda, stated he has not ordered tightened security, as local police stations responsible for the three embassies have already been paying extra attention over the past few weeks.

-- Tan Network 2011-03-23

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Commerce Minister Monitors Libya and Japan for Effects on Thai Exports

The commerce minister has ordered for the situations in Libya and Japan to be closely monitored as they could affect Thai exports.

Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai has reported that she has ordered the Office of International Trade Promotion and the Department of Export Promotion to evaluate the situation in Libya and Japan, which could affect the Thai exports.

The departments were also instructed to formulate measures to deal with possible effects as soon as possible.

The Commerce Minister will also asses domestic demand of consumer products.

The commerce minister has pointed to the political turmoil in Libya as the cause for the recent surge in global oil prices, which is expected to take a toll on the Thai economy.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director-General of the Depart of Export Promotion Wuttichai Duangrat said that between January and February of this year, Thai exports to Libya is valued at 42.6 million US dollars, a 22.68 percent drop compared to the same period last year.

Among Thai exports, which have been hardest hit are auto parts, followed by process foods.

Also, Thailand imported over 30 million US dollars worth of oil from Libya in 2010.

Concerning the earthquake and tsunami disasters in Japan, the Office of International Trade Promotion in Japan is currently keeping a close eye on the nuclear crisis to determine their impacts on Thai-Japanese trade in order to formulate effective assistance measures.

-- Tan Network 2011-03-23

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541 Thais unaccounted for in Japan: Thai Foreign Ministry

BANGKOK, March 23 – About 541 Thais living in Japan are so far unaccounted for, while Thailand has found no radiation contamination in food imported from Japan so far, according to Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ministry received requests to locate some 2,422 Thais living in Japan from their relatives in Thailand but of this number, the ministry could contact only 1,881 persons while about 541 others are unaccounted for, said Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman and Information Department Director-General Thani Thongpakdi.

Japan immigration reported 488 Thais are in Ibaraki, Fukushima and Iwate and that 188 of them could be contacted, he added.

Thai Airways International (THAI) reported to the ministry that cabin factor of each flight from Japan is about 50 per cent as a number of Thai people have already returned home. Since March 12, about 9,000 of the estimated 40,000 Thai nationals in Japan have returned home, Mr Thani said.

Over concerns on radiation after reports of radiation contamination in vegetables and sea water, he said it is not at a harmful level and Thailand has also strictly controlled imported goods from Japan and found no radioactive contamination so far. Japanese authorities have strictly controlled goods to prevent any impact on consumers.

Meanwhile, donations from the Thai people to help victims of the massive earthquake and tsunami, channeled through the ministry, reached Bt47.6 million (US$1.5 million) as of today, and the ministry will continue to accept donations for a period of time before presenting the money to Japanese Red Cross. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-03-23

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Number of daily Thai applications for Japanese visa has dropped from thousands to a few hundreds. /via@tulsathit

Weather bureau: all of Thailand except for South to see rain, hail, and strong wind until Friday /TAN_Network

Interior Minister Chaowarat leads merit-making for establishment of Bungkan province as 77th province /TAN_Network

House Speaker Chai does not believe coup will happen as army chief promised it will not /TAN_Network

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Police say troops not responsible for Japanese cameraman's death

Police investigators have concluded no authorities were responsible for the killing of a Japanese cameraman for Reuters, the Department of Special Investigation announced Wednesday.

DSI Director-General Tharit Phengdit said police have wrapped up the case and sent it to the DSI to carry out further investigations to try to find the one behind the death of Hiroyuki Muramoto.

Tharit said the DSI would need about a year to carry out further investigations.

-- The Nation 2011-03-23

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Foreign Ministry: no plans to ban Japanese vegetable import; Thailand to impose light sanctions on Libya /

Palm oil board keeps price at Bt47/lr; to meet again on Mar 30 /

Parliament deliberates 3 draft bills on election organic laws; PM asks MPs to speed up passage for House dissolution in May /

/TAN_Network

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Bungkan Province Established

Interior Minister Chaowarat Charnweerakul presided over the merit-making with 77 monks to celebrate the establishment of Bungkan province as the 77th province.

The province is separated from Nongkhai and has 8 districts and 2 MPs.

-- Tan Network 2011-03-23

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SET index closed at 1027.54, up 8.40; Bt/USD30.14; GBP49.22; AUD30.30; EUR42.63; CAD30.63; HKD3.86; SGD23.70; JPY37.10

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20 year old female motorbike passenger killed in horrific East Pattaya crash

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Extreme Weather Hits Pattaya

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Bang Pra offers Songkran Festival alternative to Pattaya

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REUTERSFLASH: Earthquake jolts Japan near region of damaged nuclear plant - TV

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Phuket Opinion: 'No budget' no excuse for road mayhem

A 24-year-old died in this Phuket crash six months ago.

Could a stripe of paint at road's edge have saved him?

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Thai-Cambodian border conflict: Indonesian observer will make situation more difficult: Army chief

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BNONews: Elizabeth Taylor has died.

LOS ANGELES (BNO NEWS) -- Legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor died early Wednesday morning, her publicist said. She was 79. /via@mpoppel

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REU: DOZENS OF CASUALTIES IN JERUSALEM BLAST -POLICE /RT @mpoppel

BREAKING: Witnesses say a bus has exploded in Jerusalem -CC /RT @AP

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to be continued

Thailand Live Thursday 24 March