Thailand Live Saturday 21 May 2011

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Thailand Live Saturday 21 May 2011

News, Bits and Tweets

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Keep up to date with live updates from the news, hour by hour.

For breaking news,national, regional and international news updates on a daily basis only, this thread is closed to commentary so that those who wish to follow the news can find it here...

Commentary is still open for Thailand news in the relevant thread posted in News Clippings.

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Related topic: Thailand Live Friday 20 May 2011

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Abuse of Phuket tourists: 'Bar mafia’ crackdown looms

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Businesses to sue govt and DAAD over losses due to continuing rallies by the red-shirts

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'Seh Daeng' most popular on internet search engines last year

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Thaksin's sister Yingluck qualified to run: EC

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Czech duo wanted for robbery nabbed

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3G DEALS

Dtac mulls appeal against court verdict

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Former prominent politician, businessman Chalermphan dies at 76

By The Nation

Prominent businessman and former Democrat Party secretary-general Chalermphan Srivikorn died yesterday of acute respiratory failure. He was 76 years old.

He was pronounced dead at Bumrungrad Hospital at around 5pm yesterday. A royal bathing rite was to take place at 6.30pm at his home on Sukhumvit Road, before a home funeral continues for another seven days.

The founder of the prestigious Srivikorn School and a minister in several past governments, Chalermphan also served as a deputy prime minister during his political career. He was the chairman of the board of President Hotel and Tower Co, and operated a number of successful businesses including the Taiping textile company and a joint venture in American Standard sanitaryware.

He entered politics in 1976 under the Democrat Party banner and became its secretary-general three years later. He served two years later as a deputy industry minister, before having internal conflicts with party members and setting up the January 10 faction a few years later. He later defected and founded the Prachachon Party, together with party executive Veera Musigapong, currently a red-shirt leader.

Chalermphan's last political post was as deputy prime minister in the Chatchai Choonhavan government, which was terminated by a military coup in 1991.

Chalermphan was a son of Phraya Srivikornmathit, and has two older siblings, Thanphuying Somsri Charoenratchataphak and Sutthiphong Srivikorn, both of whom own successful businesses.

Upon inheriting his father's assets, Chalermphan owned a vast amount of prime areas in Bangkok, including plots near the Ratchaprasong intersection in the city centre and the site of the Amarin Plaza building.

He is survived by his wife, Khunying Sasima, and four children: Phimol, a lecturer and former MP, Chaiyuth and Wikorn, both businessmen, and daughter Thaya Theepasuwan, a deputy Bangkok governor.

-- The Nation 2011-05-21

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Reds seek reprieve from OAG

By Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Redshirt protesters rallied outside the Office of the AttorneyGeneral (OAG) yesterday to demand that criminal lawsuits are not filed against them.

Some 30 red shirts from Mukdahan and Udon Thani provinces, including the relatives of the redshirt protesters who have been in prison for a year now, gathered yesterday to submit a request with the OAG, asking that criminal lawsuits are not filed against the protesters who were arrested last May.

About 29 people in Mukdahan and 26 in Udon Thani were arrested last year for their alleged role in the burning down of city halls last year. It is believed redshirt supporters set government buildings ablaze to avenge last year's bloody crackdown.

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) conducted an investigation and advised the provincial attorney to file criminal lawsuits against those found to have been involved in the incidents.

After learning that the authorities had used images captured on security cameras to arrest the suspects, the provincial attorney decided not to file criminal lawsuits against the protesters. However, the DSI opposed this decision and decided to take the issue to the OAG.

"The inquisitor just used a set of pictures that did not show the date and time to charge protesters," Yutthana Sophanna, a lawyer at the People's Information Centre: the AprilMay 2010 Crackdown, said.

To date, redshirt protesters imprisoned in Mukdahan are on temporary release, while the 26 nabbed in Udon Thani are still behind bars. According to the information centre, about 118 protesters were arrested for being allegedly involved in the burning down of city halls and other related incidents.

-- The Nation 2011-05-21

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Four insurgents gunned down; car bombs injure 10

By The Nation

Four suspected insurgents were killed in a raid yesterday in Narathiwat's Tharn To district, while two bombs hidden in vehicles exploded in Sungai Padi district, wounding ten people.

In a predawn raid, a 30strong team of security officials surrounded a home following tipoffs about an attack being planned. The four occupants were shot dead in a 10minute gunfight.

Of the four killed, two suspects faced several arrest warrants. They were Maae Aphibalbae, 34, who was wanted for a coldblooded attack on a van in which eight passengers were killed as well as a bomb attack that killed a senior policemen, while Arsae Hooloo, 30, was wanted for possessing explosives.

Police have launched an investigation to find out why the four Yalabased insurgents were planning an attack in Narathiwat, to determine their possible joint operations with local insurgents, as well as the support they were given by local sympathisers.

In a separate case, a motorcycle bomb went off at around 10.20am in an urban area, drawing a crowd of residents, a team of security officials and bomb disposal personnel to the scene. Nine minutes later a car bomb was detonated about 40 metres away.

Though the first bomb only damaged property, the second blast wounded one policeman and nine residents. Police later apprehended two unidentified men who appeared suspicious and detained them for questioning.

The motorcycle had a 5kilogram homemade explosive that was detonated by a mobilephone signal. The phone was registered under the name of a woman living in Tak Bai district, but there are no details as to whether it had been stolen.

The pickup truck carrying the second bomb was registered in Yala, but there are no details about the explosives and detonation methods used.

-- The Nation 2011-05-21

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Police close to identifying who was behind attack

By The Nation

Police say they have found some clues about who had blatantly opened fire on an armoured bank vehicle on Thursday.

The attempted robbery took place in Lop Buri. Thanks to the vehicle's bulletproof windowscreen and the driver's bravery, the vehicle carrying Bt10million cash for Krung Thai Bank managed to reach the nearest police station.

Lop Buri police chief MajGeneral Chatchai Taengiam said yesterday that investigators had some idea of who was behind the robbery. "They are expolicemen, but we are in the process of gathering more evidence. We should be able to make arrests soon," he said.

Police have also recruited the champion of a television contest on autos to help identify the vehicle used by the suspects from images captured on the security camera.

-- The Nation 2011-05-21

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Luang Phor shows signs of marked improvement

By The Nation

Luang Phor Khun Parisudtho, one of the country's most revered monks, is getting better, doctors said yesterday.

A few days ago, the monk's condition worsened after he developed side effects from a TB medicine. Luang Phor has been receiving treatment at the Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital since May 4. Apart from his chronic illnesses, he was also diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis.

After his TB medication was changed, the 86yearold monk has been showing signs of recovery. He even had the strength to wave to his followers when was taken out of his hospital room on a wheelchair yesterday morning.

The doctors say that Luang Phor Khun is strong enough to undergo physical therapy to improve his lungs and that his blood pressure, heartbeat and respiratory system were normal. However, the monk still needs to be feed via a tube.

-- The Nation 2011-05-21

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International Court of Justice (ICJ) to speak on Preah Vihear case this month

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100 young writers join forces calling for change in lese majeste law

By The Nation

One hundred writers have joined a growing chorus in the call to amend the lese majeste law and stop the use of the law as a "political tool" to suppress political opponents and freedom of political expression.

Signatories include wellknown youngergeneration mainstream writers such as Probed Yoon and Waning Prasertkul. In an open letter issued yesterday, they urged other writers, irrespective of their political ideology, to defend freedom of expression as a fundamental aspect of a free society.

"We believe you agree that enjoying freedom of expression and freedom of expression is a fundamental part of being writers in a democratic society, disregarding whatever genre of writing one subscribes to," part of the open letter reads.

It also called on the army to stop using the monarchy institution as an excuse to crush its opponents.

The move came months after other groups, including Awareness 112 - a reference to penal code section 112, which is another name for the lese majeste law - got together wellknown movie directors, advertising creatives, academics, journalists and students to commit themselves to the campaign to raise the public's awareness about the draconian nature of the lese majeste law and its undemocratic effect on freedom of speech, particular freedom of political expression in Thailand.

The latest move highlights the fact that as more and more people are being incarcerated under the lese majeste law, opponents of the law are now longer limited to leftists, repubฌlicans or those sympathetic to red shirts. Now, mainstream writers are joining the fray.

The turning point may have come last week, when Thammasat University historian Somsak Jiamteerasakul was charged by the Royal Thai Army for alleged lese majeste remarks made through writings that first appeared on prachatai.com online newspaper. The open letter mentioned the case of Somsak.

On Thursday, Red Power magazine editor Somyos Prueksakasemsuk was refused bail for the second time, making it more likely now that he will spend months if not more, at Bangkok Remand Prison while fighting lese majeste charges against him.

Then there is the issue of the lack of transparency regarding the number of people incarcerated under the law, with estimates that could top one hundred.

Last week, the International Herald Tribune, the international edition of the New York Times, highlighted the growing use of the law and Somsak's case on its front page.

-- The Nation 2011-05-21

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Hike in daily wages to be discussed

By The Nation

The Central Wage Committee will convene on June 2 to discuss a hike in daily minimum wage.

"We have already received proposed figures from provincial wage subcommittees," Labour Ministry permanent secretary Dr Somkiat Chayasriwong said yesterday.

According to him, the proposed figures - if approved - would raise the minimum daily wage by 3 to 5 per cent. Currently, the daily minimum wage ranges from Bt159 to Bt221.

-- The Nation 2011-05-21

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COUNTING OF VOTES TO END BY 9PM ON JULY 3

By The Nation

The unofficial counting of votes should be completed by 9pm on the balloting day, Election Commission member Prapun Naigowit said yesterday, with the winning party emerging within hours after the closing of ballot boxes on July 3.

As parties kickedoff their election campaigns yesterday, police stepped up security measures nationwide, focusing on 10 provinces placed under close watch for campaign violence.

To ensure fairness, the EC has designated a common site per constituency for all parties to access and hold campaigning activities.

It has also issued security guidelines designed to safeguard ballot boxes and ensure the casting of advance ballots in a transparent manner.

Strict regulations will be enforced for the handling of 53.5 million printed ballots. The distribution of ballots will be based on the number of eligible voters at each polling station. Some 3 million ballots will be allocated for advance voting.

Pol adviser General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said the police were ready to provide protection to electoral candidates if requested.

Pongsapat said every candidate was entitled to seek a police escort during the campaigning but they would not be allowed to choose individual officers for the job.

Bangkok, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buriram, Samut Prakan, Ubon Ratchathani, Roi Et and Udon Thani have been designated as areas where rival candidates might resort to violence, Pongsapat said.

In a bid to preempt campaign killings, police have circulated a wanted list of 50 gunmen. The crimesuppression campaign has resulted in the seizure of some 400 illegal firearms.

EC member Somchai Juengprasert said he was concerned about violence during the campaign. Last week's gun attack on Pheu Thai candidate Pracha Prasobdee had sounded the alarm, he said.

He said the EC was facing a huge challenge in ensuring a free and fair election.

-- The Nation 2011-05-21

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Police arrest suspect in shooting of Sai-ngarm police superintendant; suspect had been hiding out in Chiang Mai /TAN_Network

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BREAKING: Rapture fails to produce devastating earthquake as clocks hit 6 pm in Kiritimati

Everyone can rest assured. I just checked some earthquake centers and none of them are reporting an earthquake near Kiritimati #Rapture

/via@mpoppel

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Phuket prisoners ready to break out the furniture

The Phuket Prison main building in mulberry trim after its recent makeover.

Next due for decoration: the prison ramparts.

Phuket Prison chief Rapin Nichanon is looking forward to the public seeing

what talents some inmates have.

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Phuket's fireball yacht probe hits the doldrums

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Illegal Pattaya Slaughterhouse shut down by government officials

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Gem-Cutting Company Owner caught with “Ice” at Pattaya Police checkpoint

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2 year old child dies following sexual assault. Transsexual legal guardian questioned

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City officials issue more ultimatums to rules-flouting beach vendors

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Election officials ordered to stay neutral; Early voting set for June 26

BANGKOK, May 21 -- With the general election in Thailand approaching, concerned election officials were ordered today by the Election Commission (EC) to remain neutral, while the date for an advance voting is fixed for June 26, or one week before the election is held, senior officials said Saturday.

Realising that competition among candidates for the upcoming general election will be very fierce, Sutthipol Thaweechaikarn, secretary-general of the EC, told EC provincial authorities during a seminar held at a Bangkok hotel that they should act neutral and refrain from every kind of double standard practices, as complaints could be lodged against them.

“There are networks which want to discredit the EC along with several rumours prevailing [in the country] now,” Mr Sutthipol said. “Most importantly, EC provincial officials should help in publicising this election to prevent confusion among eligible voters as well as inducing them to exercise election rights after a recent survey found that many people are fed up with politics.”

Under the just amended constitution, there will be 375 constituency-based elected members of parliament and 125 proportional representation MPs. So far, 30 political parties have registered to contest in the election while the candidacy registration period is open until next Monday.

Meanwhile, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) permanent secretary Charoenrat Chutikarn told a seminar that BMA officials must act neutral, refrain from assisting political parties, and that disciplinary action will be taken against violators.

Mr Charoenrat said eligible voters wishing to exercise their rights of advance voting have to register themselves between June 13-17 and those staying outside their constituencies wishing to cast advance votes in their present constituency could also register themselves from now until June 2.

Advance voting will be held for only one day on June 26, compared to two days in previous elections in the country. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-05-21

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350 grams of heroin, 15,000 methamphetamine pills worth Bt6 million seized in courier company truck heading to Bangkok in Chiang Rai /MCOT

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Train collides with pick up truck in Chumphon, driver seriously injured; Southbound train services currently suspended /MCOT

[george]

END OF THE WORLD

End of the world prediction fails to deliver as clocks hit 6 p.m.

Full story:

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continues:

Thailand Live Monday 23 May 2011

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