Thailand Live Wednesday 6 Apr 2011

[webfact]

Phuket taxis blockade luxury cruise ship passengers from disembarking

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Less rainfall in South; Nakhon Si Thammarat airport reopens

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, April 6 -- The overall flooding in southern Thailand has improved slightly, little rainfall is reported, and the airport in Nakhon Si Thammarat province resumed operations Wednesday.

Scattered showers were reported in about 30 per cent of the South, according to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.

Concerned officials were busy repairing public utilities in the three provinces of Phangnga, Narathiwat and Satun, of the 10 flood-ravaged provinces hard hit by flash floods and mudslides since the disaster began March 23, the department said.

As the total death toll stood unchanged at 51, repairs on public utilities have begun in certain provinces, but it is expected that it would take months before they could be completed.

Initial surveys found that about 4,500 roads, 400 water drainage systems, 75 dykes, 420 bridges, 370 temples and schools, and 90 government offices in the region were damaged by floods and mudslides, the department said.

By Wednesday, it was estimated that 1.09 million rai of crops were destroyed by flood, it said.

The airport in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, closed due to severe flooding, reopened early Wednesday while train services from Bangkok could go as far as Surat Thani’s Chaiya district. Train services between Nakhon Si Thammarat and Sungai Kolok district bordering Malaysia are now also resumed.

A lack of clean water supplied through household taps persists. The waterworks in Surat Thani’s Phunphin district for example is still closed while another one in the provincial seat produces only 800 cubic metres per hour while demand is at 3,000 cubic metres the department said.

About 30,000 households in the 10 provinces were without electricity as of early Wednesday after roads were submerged and electricity poles collapsed, it added. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-04-06

[webfact]

Pasit to 'disclose more secret' at red-shirt rally Sunday

Pasit Sakdanarong, former secretary to the Constitution Court president, will disclose more secret at the red-shirt rally on Sunday, red-shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan said Wednesday.

The red-shirt rally plans a mass rally on Sunday to mark the first anniversary of the clash between troops and red-shirt people at the Kokwua Intersection on April 1.

Jatuporn said a religious rite will be held at 3 pm.

At 6 pm, Pasit would disclose information he has never released anywhere, Jatuporn said.

Pasit has been arrested and released on bail on charge that he had secretly recorded discussion of Constitution Court judges and released the clips on YouTube.com to purportedly show that the judges had been lobbied to help the Democrat Party in a party-dissolution case.

-- The Nation 2011-04-06

[webfact]

AFP: Group slams Thailand's alleged cluster bomb use

Follow this link:

[webfact]

NYT: US nuclear experts see new, mounting risks at #Japan nuclear plant http://bit.ly/dNoDaO /via@CBSNews

[webfact]

Princess Chulabhorn visits flood victims in Satun; distributes 500 sets of flood relief supplies /MCOT

[webfact]

Chinese government extends Panda Lin Ping stay in Thailand for another two years /MCOT

[webfact]

Phuket Chinese celebrate Qingming

Follow this link:

[webfact]

PAD lauds Army for not joining GBC meeting

BANGKOK, 6 April 2011 (NNT) – The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has commended the Thai military for its refusal to participate in the upcoming Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) meeting in Indonesia.

In response to a statement by military commanders on Tuesday that Thailand would not partake in the annual GBC meeting, scheduled during 7-8 April in Indonesia, PAD Spokesperson Panthep Puapongpan deemed such a stance applaudable while urging the authorities to continue to protect the national sovereignty by driving Cambodian forces out of the Thai territory.

At the same time, he believed that the boycott of the GBC meeting had been approved by the Government and, therefore, it justified the PAD's warning relative to the Thai-Cambodian border dispute. He called for the Government to show responsibility for its underestimation of the problem.

In addition, Mr Panthep voiced satisfaction with the military’s dismissal of the coup rumor while disclosing that after the Songkran holiday the PAD would proceed with its campaign to persuade the public to cast abstention votes during the next general election. He claimed that positive responses had been received from many people and organizations, especially via the social network.

-- NNT 2011-04-06

[webfact]

Bars and pubs near Thai schools, universities to get tight control

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Government Returns Budget to U-Tapao Airport Project

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Lady Boy Steals Money From German Man

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Cambodian govt: Veera & Ratree must serve at least 2-thirds of the prison term b4 seeking a royal pardon. /via @veen_NT /via@tulsathit

[webfact]

HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn graciously adopts two young siblings orphaned by landslide in Krabi under royal patronage /MCOT

[webfact]

China allows extension of panda’s stay in Thailand 2 more years

Follow this link:

[webfact]

BNO NEWS: MORE THAN 250 MIGRANTS MISSING, 47 RESCUED AFTER SHIP SINKS OFF LAMPEDUSA, ITALY /via@mpoppel

[webfact]

CNN: Senior administration official confirms the State Department received a letter from Col. Ghadafi. /via@mpoppel

[webfact]

Phuket's sick dolphin now comatose, clinging to life

PMBC researchers feed and medicate the dolphin by tube and funnel.

Follow this link:

[Maestro]

to be continued

Thailand Live Thursday 7 April