Thailand Live Thursday 21 Apr 2011

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MRT Contractors to Face Labor Shortages

The Transport Ministry says contractors are facing labor shortages, as there are many large construction projects at the moment.

Transport Permanent Secretary Supoj Saplom said the many of the Transport Ministry's large construction projects, together with projects planned for next year, has created labor shortages.

The shortages have caused a delay for the Mass Rapid Transit or MRT Purple Line, running from Bangsue to Bangyai.

Supoj said contractors will have to find labor substitutions and finish the project within the contracted due date, otherwise fees will be charged according to the rules.

The Transport Ministry currently has many large projects including the MRT Purple Line running from Bangsue to Bangyai, the SRT Red Line running from Taling Chan to Bangsue, and the extended Blue Line running from Hualampong to Bang-Kae and Bangsue to Tha Pra.

The projects to be constructed next year include the SRT Red Line running from Bangsue to Ransit, the Light Green line running from Barring to Samutprakarn, and the Chao Phraya River crossing bridge at Nonthaburi.

-- Tan Network 2011-04-21

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Govt Ups Counter-Drug Effort, to Form Special Task Force

The government has stepped up efforts to crack down on drugs, expediting the formation of a special task force consisting of four state agencies.

Following the Cabinet meeting, Government Spokesperson Panithan Wattanayakorn said the structuring of a counter-drug task force is expected to be completed, with the Office of the Narcotics Control Broad or ONCB functioning as a central unit.

He noted that the ONCB, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister in charge of national security Suthep Thaugsuban, will coordinate efforts with the Royal Thai Police, the Internal Security Operations Command, and the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission.

Their mission is to crack down on drug trafficking throughout the country.

Panithan added that these agencies will work with local authorities, and already have a list of drug dealers and gangs to work with.

He said the renewed initiative will kick off this week in Bangkok and its surrounding areas, before being expanded to the provinces.

The government spokesman further stated that the task force will also supervise the rehabilitation of drug addicts.

The ONCB will convene on Monday to work out a budget and operation guidelines.

-- Tan Network 2011-04-21

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Piece of Human Remains Found at Si Mum Muang Market

A piece of human remains was found in a box last night at the Si Mum Muang market in Rangsit area.

A piece of human remains was found last night in a box wrapped tight with duct tape in a garbage area at the Si Mum Muang market.

An initial examination suggests the remains belong to a man aged between 25 and 30, and that the victim had only been dead for a couple hours. Investigators have yet to identify the man.

Witnesses said a young man who does not look like a Thai came to buy a box similar to the one containing the human remains from a shop near the garbage area.

Police believe the victim was killed by a co-worker and that the motive involves a personal conflict or a love affair.

Officers are searching for the remainder of the body and for the murderer.

-- Tan Network 2011-04-21

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Defence volunteer shot dead in Narathiwat

NARATHIWAT, April 21 – A gunman shot dead a defence volunteer in his Sungai Padi district home in Narathiwat last night.

Thirty-five-year-old Sugiflee Waenu was about to sleep Wednesday night when he responded to the sound of someone walking outside his house. Opening the window to see what was happening, he was shot in the head by a gunman in the dark and died at the scene.

Police believe it was the work of an insurgent active in the area.

Meanwhile, in Pattani, a man was shot dead while driving his motorcycle to a mosque. Samaae Salae, 51, was shot by three gunmen in a pick-up truck and was severely wounded. The victim was sent to hospital, where he died.

The police are investigating to determine a motive for the killing, whether it is part of the southern insurgency, due to conflicts regarding his used-car business, or local politics as he was the mayor’s brother. The incident occurred opposite the mayor’s home. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-04-21

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BNO News Wire: Australian MP arrested, charged with possessing child porn.

We know who the MP is.. but Australian law prevents it from being released

/via@mpoppel

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Pattaya: English Man Robbed and Assaulted

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Today is Queen Elizabeth II's birthday /via@mpoppel

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Ayutthaya ‘sex lottery’ exposed, cops get tough on getting lucky

Winning ‘players’ chose girls from a photo album.

Photo: Kom Chad Luek

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PM wants to have new government by August; wants delay of PTT plan to raise NGV prices fearing it could affect general public /MCOT

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Jatuporn and other Red-shirt leaders blow the whistle on coup

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PM Abhisit expects new government in office in August

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Country Music Singer steps-in to help seriously injured motorbike driver

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SET index closed at 1109.92, up 2.56; Bt/USD29.76; GBP49.01; AUD31.88; EUR43.43; CAD31.26; HKD3.82; SGD23.97; JPY36.07

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Anti-government “Red Shirts” injured at Pattaya protest site by mystery shooter

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Bangkok Airways: Check-in at Bangkok City Air Terminal (BCAT) in Makkasan will be temporarily suspended from May 1 until further notice

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Thai Com satellite down causing blackouts for several free TV channels /TAN_Network

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All TV channels broadcast via Thai Com blacked out

TV channels, including the True Visions subscription TV, went off the air Thursday afternoon.

The TV channels could not be accessed since 4:07 pm.

At press time, they services were still off air.

Thai Com has informed Nation Channel that its satellite up-link station at Kaerai, Nonthaburi, has developed technical errors.

-- The Nation 2011-04-21

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Thai Com Satellite Down Causing TV Blackouts

Thai Com satellite is reportedly down causing blackouts for several free TV channels nationwide. The satellite signal is expected to return at 6 PM.

-- Tan Network 2011-04-21

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Thaicom and ICT minister Juti apologize; a spare satt will b launched asap /via @veen_NT /via@AmmSarosha

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ThaiCom down since 16.07, ICT Min expects the satt signal to return w/n 3 hrs.Govt spokesman denies satellite blackout related to coup /TAN_Network

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PM: No new coup; TV blackout across country caused by Thaicom 5 satellite out of orbit, normal broadcast expected at 8pm /MCOT

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Thaicom 5 Expected to be Fixed by 8 PM

The technical problem Thaicom 5 satellite is experiencing is currently being corrected. Authorities claim the problem should be fixed by 8 P.M. this evening.

The prime minister and his aides have been quick to assure the public that the nationwide television blackout was caused by a technical problem and that it has nothing to do with rumors of a coup.

-- Tan Network 2011-04-21

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Latest reports say TV transmission in some other countries have also been affected. /via@tulsathit

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Work begins to make phuket ‘death bend’ safer

The road through the notorious bend will be made 12 meters wide

at a cost of about one million baht.

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Thai Com CEO holds press conference announcing that Thai Com 5 did not go out of orbit but some technical faults occurred and is being fixed

Thai Com CEO says problem is being fixed and satellite should resume operation soon /TAN_Network

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Thaicom's KU Band Services Up and Running

Thaicom 5's KU Band services, which supplies feeds for most of Thailand's cable television operators, have been repaired. Thaicom's CEO has come out to deny rumors that the satellite went out of orbit, but claimed it was a technicality which was being fixed.

-- Tan Network 2011-04-21

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Chuan Leekpai: No coup d'état

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FLASH - Earthquake shakes buildings in Tokyo: Witnesses /via@Reuters

Earthquake of 6.3 magnitude hits off Japanese coast - U.S. Geological Survey /via@REUTERSFLASH

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Fate of Chavalit, Snoh and Thaksin intertwined

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[Maestro]

to be continued,

Thailand Live Friday 22 April