Thailand Live Monday 9 May 2011

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Purachai's Rak Santi Party to Field Candidates in All Bangkok Constituencies

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PTT cuts gasoline group prices by 60 satang/litre, E85 by 30 satang/litre, diesel price remains unchanged; effective on Tuesday /MCOT

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Culture Ministry satisfied with TV soap's self-censoring

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ABAC Poll:Prachawiwat has reduced crime rates in Bangkok

BANGKOK, 9 May 2011 (NNT)-The ABAC survey found that the Prachawiwat policy was proven to have reduced crime rates in Bangkok during the first 3 months of this year while 42% of the sampled population had shown concerns for the safety of their lives, properties as well as the problem of drug abuse.

Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner Maj-General Worasak Nopsittiporn in collaboration with ABAC Poll have recently carried out the survey on the opinions of the Thai people and crimes. Over 7,400 people living in risk prone locations around Bangkok had participated with most of them citing gangsters as the biggest threat to their lives and properties. Meanwhile drug abuse was their second biggest concern.

In addition, Police Major General Anand Srihirun, Deputy Commander of Metropolitan Police Division One, has also asked ABAC Poll to conduct a survey on the policy prohibiting Thai youth from leaving their homes after 22.00 hrs and whether parents should be held responsible for their child’s misdemeanor.

-- NNT 2011-05-09

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Thailand's newly-elected Speaker of the Senate takes office

BANGKOK, May 9 - Thailand's newly-elected Senate speaker Gen Teeradej Meepien officially began work Monday after countersigning His Majesty the King's royal command on the appointment, saying he believed the political situation would gradually improve after the general election.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej on May 4 signed a royal command appointing Gen Teeradej as new Senate speaker.

Gen Teeradej told reporters that he felt unworried by his duties as Senate speaker in the wake of looming dissolution of the lower House, the House of Representatives.

He pledged to work to the best of his ability and to conduct meetings in accordance with regulations and rules.

The new Senate speaker said he believed the general election would be held smoothly under the election law and the political situation would be gradually improved after the poll.

Taking the chair to conduct a Senate session meeting for the first time, Gen Teeradej thanked fellow senators for electing him as the speaker of the upper house.

He pledged to carry out his duties with fairness and urged for the cooperation from fellow senators, officials and concerned staff to create trustworthy upper house for the best benefit of public and the nation.

Gen Teeradej, an appointed senator, was voted Senate speaker April 22 with 91 votes of a total 142 senators present, replacing Prasupsuk Boondet who completed his term of office.

Gen Teeradej was one of the 73 appointed senators assuming office in April. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-05-09

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Thaksin over Abhisit?

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AFP: Malaysia blames Thailand over Cambodia border clash

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Govt Urged to Push Back Cambodian Forces

The People's Alliance for Democracy urges the government to quickly push back Cambodian troops from the border before agreeing to allow observers into the disputed area.

Despite the House dissolution, the group still believes the caretaker government must maintain its national defense policy.

The People's Alliance for Democracy, or PAD, spokesperson Parnthep Puapongphan commented on the prime minister's refusal to sign an agreement to allow observers into the disputed border area if Cambodia does not withdraw its troops from there first.

He said such a condition was previously proposed by the PAD.

He said even if Cambodian troops were pushed back, the situation would remain unstable since Cambodia may again claim its right over the disputed Preah Vihear Temple's vicinity and mobilize its troops back.

Therefore, Thailand should take control of the area before allowing Indonesian observers there.

Parnthep went on to say the government must be dedicated in pushing back Cambodian forces despite the announced House dissolution date since there is still time to carry out its defense and diplomatic policies.

He added that there has been little progress regarding government policies and if the dispute is prolonged until the election date, it will show that the government has failed.

PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang slammed the government for being slow as seen from how the prime minister asserted that Thailand wanted Cambodia to remove all troops from the disputed territory while his counterpart Hun Sen said he had never heard Thailand making such a demand prior to the ASEAN meeting.

He added that the ASEAN meeting in Jakarta was a failure and if the government had listened to the PAD's proposals, there would not have been any problem.

Regarding the "Vote No" campaign, Parnthep affirmed that the PAD will continue with the campaign nationwide.

The group traveled to Sakhon Nakhon Province yesterday and received a positive response to the campaign.

-- Tan Network 2011-05-09

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SET index closed at 1072.47, up 21.62; Bt/USD30.06; GBP49.13; AUD32.24; EUR43.24; CAD31.18; HKD3.86; SGD24.29; JPY37.11

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Court Rejects Jatuporn's Plea against Red-shirt Leaders' Bail Withdrawal

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PM Reportedly Taped Public Address to be Aired Tonight

Thai media are reporting that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has recorded a public address on the House dissolution. According to the reports, the tape is scheduled to air tonight after the royal news at 8 PM.

-- Tan Network 2011-05-09

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Machine gun found in drain in front of Siam Paragon

A machine gun and some ammunition were found in a bag left in a drain in front of Siam Paragon shopping mall Monday.

The bag was found by workers who were cleaning the drain.

The gun, 50 rounds of ammunition, a silencer, a magazine and a giant firecracker, were found in the bag.

Police said they have yet to identify the made of the gun.

-- The Nation 2011-05-09

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Police prepare for subway extension work

The Metropolitan Police have adjusted their traffic direction plan to support the "Blue Line" subway extension construction (Bang Sue-Hua Lampong-Yaowarat-Sampeng-Charansanitwong) from July onwards.

Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy commissioner Panu Kerdlarppol, who supervises traffic affairs, said that the contractor would dig mainly the tunnel and set up foundation pillars at Hua Lampong, Wat Mangkon Kamalawat and Wang Burapa areas, where the stations would be.

The construction would take 4-5 years and was expected to be complete by 2016. Besides informing motorists to avoid the routes and dispatching more traffic officers to the construction spots, the traffic police would close one traffic lane in Yaowarat, Sampeng, Charoenkrung as well as Tha Phra and Charansanitwong areas, he added.

-- The Nation 2011-05-09

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Most Bangkok residents support the BMA: Poll

The majority (79.75 per cent) of Bangkokians were satisfied with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)'s achievements, BMA spokesman Jate Sopitpongsathorn said Monday.

The February survey of 10,495 Bangkok residents found that 79.75 per cent were satisfied with BMA works, an increase from the August 2010 survey's figure of 66.35 per cent. The polled residents were happiest with education, health and security works as they gave a score of over three out of 4.

Forty-nine per cent, however, had expected from BMA more than they received.

The respondents also urged BMA to provide additional services regarding traffic, drug issues, city cleanliness, more parks and garbage disposal. They said the most urgent issues were the unruly road surface usage, fresh markets and street vending.

-- The Nation 2011-05-09

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Reports Indicating that Royal Endorsement Imminent; Election Likely Held on July 3

Thai media reports are indicating that a royal endorsement from His Majesty the King on the House Dissolution Decree is imminent. The prime minister's taped speech is expected to be aired at 8:30 PM tonight. If developments occur as scheduled, it is speculated that the most likely date for an election is July 3.

-- Tan Network 2011-05-09

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INN: His Majesty the King has endorsed the House dissolution, effective tomorrow; general election on July 3 /TAN_Network

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His Majesty The King Signs House Dissolution Decree; Election set for July 3: government

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to be continued,

Thailand Live Tuesday 10 May