Thailand Live Tuesday 24 May 2011

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Deputy PM Unfazed by Pheu Thai Party's Lawsuit Threat

The deputy prime minister for national security is unfazed by the Pheu Thai Party's plan to file a a complaint against him for blaming the Bangkok riots on the red-shirt leaders, who are now its election candidates.

Deputy Prime Minister in charge of national security and Secretary-General of the Democrat Party Suthep Thaugsuban said he is unperturbed by the news that the opposition Pheu Thai Party is preparing to file a complaint with the Election Commission against him and seek the dissolution of his party over his statement with reference to its candidates who are also red-shirt leaders.

Suthep said he has been very careful about what he says and when he does, he only talks about facts.

He called on the public to listen to information from all sides and apply careful judgment.

The deputy prime minister claimed that the red-shirt leaders run in this election in hopes of obtaining legal immunity if they are voted into the Parliament.

In addition, he said they could push for amnesty for themselves and their peers.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he does not know when Suthep made his statement and what it really was about.

He reiterated that his Democrat Party does not intend to verbally attack its competitors in the election and it only states the facts and topics widely discussed among the public.

In response to a tweet posted by ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra asking the military not to interfere in the election, Abhisit reaffirmed that he will not allow that to happen.

He also called on the Pheu Thai Party to clearly state its support for amnesty for all politically-related cases after the 2008 military coup during its election campaign in order to promote transparency.

-- Tan Network 2011-05-24

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Honorary Consuls meet in Phuket to discuss jetskis, pollution and tuk tuk mafia

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Bangkok Poll: Yingluk 26.9%, Abhisit 17.4%

The Bangkok Poll has released the results of its latest survey. When asked if they intend to vote, 92.3 percent of Bangkok residents say they will.

When asked who they prefer as prime minister, Yingluk Shinawatra gained 26.9 percent while incumbent Abhisit Vejjajiva gained 17.4 percent.

-- Tan Network 2011-05-24

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Two police dead, one seriously wounded in Narathiwat bombing

NARATHIWAT, May 24 – Two police officers were killed and a female police officer was severely wounded Tuesday morning in a roadside bombing in Tak Bai district of Narathiwat province, according to police.

The bomb blast instantly killed Pol Cpl Suwit Kongsi, 38, and Pol Cpl Ubonwan Chindaphet, 33 and badly hurt Pol L/C Wipawan Kongsut, 26, who has been transferred to Tak Bai Hospital, police said.

According to a preliminary investigation, the explosion occurred while a group of local police in four vehicles was en route to Chehhe subdistrict to organise a community relations activity.

The homemade explosive device was a fire extinguisher packed with 15kg of explosives was hidden along the roadside and was detonated by a radio signal. The explosion completely destroyed one of the four vehicles and blew out a hole in the roadway measuring one-metre deep by three-metres wide

The deadly attack occurred after a series of insurgent attacks and related violence has rocked the southern border region almost daily. More than 4,000 people, most of them are government officials, military personnel, teachers and local villagers, have been killed in the three restive southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat since renewed violence erupted in January 2004. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-05-24

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ISA enforcement in Bangkok ends

By The Nation

Police have decided not to extend the enforcement of Internal Security Act in seven districts of Bangkok, legal adviser General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said on Tuesday.

"The campaigning is underway, allowing police to invoke the election laws in lieu of the ISA to ensure social order if deemed necessary," he said.

Pongsapat said the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order, formed by the ISA mandate, was already disbanded.

In the face of street protests by the red and yellow shirts, the ISA enforcement was activated on February 8, lasting 105 days.

-- The Nation 2011-05-24

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Bomb kills two police officers in Thai south

NARATHIWAT, May 24, 2011 (AFP) - Thai police said two officers were killed and another was wounded when a powerful bomb exploded beneath their truck in Thailand's violence-prone south on Tuesday.

Suspected Islamic militants detonated a device buried under the road as 10 officers drove past on their way to a function with villagers in Narathiwat, one of three provinces to have suffered more than seven years of insurgency.

The 38-year-old driver and a 33-year-old woman were killed instantly in the blast, police said. Another female officer sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital.

Thailand's southern provinces have been plagued by almost daily violence since shadowy insurgents launched an uprising in Thailand's southernmost region in early 2004.

More than 4,500 people, both Muslims and Buddhists, have died in the attacks, which have appeared to become more brazen in recent months, with car bombs and assaults on military bases or outposts.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-05-24

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Yingluck leading Abhisit but 52 per cent undecided : Poll

By The Nation

More than 92 per cent of Bangkok voters intend to cast their ballot although some 52 per cent say they are undecided on which party or candidate to pick, Bangkok Poll said in a survey released on Tuesday.

Pheu Thai candidate Yingluck Shinawatra is in the lead in the race for the position of prime minister with 26.9 per cent of support, followed by Democrat Abhisit Vejjajiva (17,4 per cent) and Rak Prathet Thai's Chuwit Kamolvisit (3.6 per cent).

Bangkok voters rank the Pheu Thai Party ahead of the Democrat Party with the popular rating of 25.8 per cent vs 14.7 per cent.

Asked about factors to help them form a decision on a candidate, voters said job track record (31.7 per cent), campaign platforms (31,2 per cent) and party's banner ( 16.6 per cent).

-- The Nation 2011-05-24

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Pheu Thai Confident to Win Poll

The top Pheu Thai party-list MP candidate expresses confidence that the Pheu Thai Party will win the July 3 election.

Pheu Thai's constituency MP candidates for Bangkok, led by its top party-list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra, took group pictures in front of the party's office before leaving for the Thai-Japanese Youth Center this morning.

The registration process for the constituency MP candidates begins today and will end on Sunday.

Yingluck said she is confident in Pheu Thai's chance in the upcoming poll. She is confident the party will be able to win the most number of seats.

Her remark was made in response to the suggestion by Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva that the poll outcome in Bangkok will be indicative of the poll results nationwide.

Yingluck refused to estimate how many Bangkok MP seats Pheu Thai will win. She said result rests in the hands of the voters.

She also told the media that no extra security has been prepared for herself during campaign visits to the provinces that are not the strongholds of Pheu Thai. She urged all parties to run a clean political campaign.

Several red-shirt core leaders, such as Weng Tojirakarn, Nutthawut Saikua and Korkaew Pikulthong, who are also Pheu Thai's party-list candidates, were all present at the Thai-Japanese Youth Center this morning to submit their applications to contest in the upcoming election.

Some of Pheu Thai's 33 candidates for Bangkok still have not submitted their applications.

A large number of supporters of both Pheu Thai and the Democrats gathered at the registration venue to voice their support for their favorite Bangkok MP candidate

-- Tan Network 2011-05-24

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40 Parties Compete in Party-list Race

The registration period for the party-list candidates who plan to contest in the upcoming poll came to a close on Monday.

A total of 40 political parties are fielding a total of 1,410 party-list MP candidates to compete in the election.

The registration of the MP party-list candidates at the Thai-Japanese Youth Center officially ended on Monday.

A total of 40 political parties have registered 1,410 party-list MP candidates to contest for MP seats in the upcoming election.

Yesterday saw nine parties turning up at the Thai-Japanese Youth Center to submit applications for their party-list candidates.

The nine parties were Rak Phaendin, Pracha Santi, New Aspiration Party, Asamatuphum, Palang Chaonathai, Palang Kon Keela or the Sport Party, Thai Sarngsan Party, Puen Kaset Thai Party and Maharat Pattana Party.

Election Commission Chairman Aphichart Sukkhagganond, today inspected the registration process of the constituency MP candidates at the Thai-Japanese Youth Center.

The registration period for constituency MP starts today and will end this Sunday.

-- Tan Network 2011-05-24

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Sony corporate websites in 3 countries have been hacked - Jiji /via@REUTERSFLASH

Personal information from 8,500 user accounts has been leaked from Sony's Greece website - Jiji /via@REUTERSFLASH

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Phuket expat hotelier and Hash House Harrier dies in motorbike crash

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Thai Health Ministry speaks regarding Chiang Mai Downtown Inn Deaths

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Two wanted thieves caught at Sriracha Shopping Center

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SET index closed at 1064.24, up 10.27; Bt/USD30.26; GBP48.72; AUD31.85; EUR42.52; CAD30.92; HKD3.88; SGD24.14; JPY36.74

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Thaksin's Daughter Tipped as New SC Asset CEO

Daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Pinthongta, is considered to be the best candidate to take the top job at SC Asset Corporation following her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra's resignation.

Yingluck Shinawatra is the sister of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

She has officially resigned from the post of chief executive officer of SC Asset Corporation to contest as Pheu Thai Party's number one party-list candidate.

The resignation will take effect on June 30.

SC Asset is the real estate arm of the Shinawatra family business.

After Yingluck's resignation, SC Asset has initiated a search for a new CEO to replace her.

Asked if Pinthongta Shinawatra, Thaksin's second daughter, is a likely candidate to succeed her, Yingluck said Pinthongta has recently been appointed as an executive board member of the company.

Although Yingluck has given up the top job at SC Asset, she still owns around one percent of SC Asset shares.

She noted her ownership of SC Asset shares does not violate the election law since the real estate firm is not involved in any state contracts.

Earlier, SC Asset's Chief Financial Officer Attapol Sariddipuntawat revealed that the company's board of directors has resolved to appoint Pinthongta as an executive board member at its meeting on May 12.

The appointment was effective immediately.

Currently, Paethongtan Shinawatra, Thaksin's youngest daughter, holds 29.61-percent stake in the company, followed by Pinthongta with 28.66-percent stake, Banpoj Damapong with 4.9-percent stake and Thaksin's ex-wife Pojaman Damapong with 2.85-percent stake.

-- Tan Network 2011-05-24

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HM the King visits Siriraj Hospital pier to view water level in Chao Phraya River /MCOT

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People's Alliance Alleges Secret Deal on Border Observers

The People's Alliance for Democracy has expressed its disagreement to the presence of Indonesian observers in the disputed territory.

The group claims the presence of the observers will affect Thai troops' ability to push out Cambodian soldiers from the area.

Spokesperson for the People's Alliance for Democracy, or PAD, Panthep Puapongpan, commented on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's reclassification of Indonesian “observers” to be deployed on Thai soil as “surveyors."

Panthep said the decision to grant a permission for foreign representatives to be in Thailand was made secretly.

He added that only the Thai and Cambodian governments were privy to the details.

Panthep said the group has learned that Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia have all agreed to a time-frame in preparation for the Joint Border Commission and the General Border Committee meetings.

According to the PAD, upon the conclusion of the meetings, a group of representatives from Indonesia will be sent to Thailand.

Panthep pointed out that the presence of the Indonesian observers, regardless of their location, will affect the Thai troops' ability to drive out the Cambodian soldiers.

The PAD spokesperson also questioned Abhisit's failure to disclose the new information, to be used at the International Court of Justice, to the Thai public.

He also questioned the government's decision to allow a French national, whose nation may have conflict of interest on the border issue, to represent Thailand.

Meanwhile, Chamlong Srimuang, a core PAD leader, has criticized the Abhisit administration for its lack of action to drive out Cambodian soldiers from the disputed area.

He also suggested, instead of a French national, a Thai lawyer should be given the chance to represent Thailand in the International Court of Justice.

-- Tan Network 2011-05-24

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SOCIAL NETWORKING

Crime prevention via FB and Twitter

By The Nation

Bangkok's Hua Mark police station and Aback (Assumption University) have joined forces to create a crime prevention network on Facebook and Twitter.

The pilot project, called Social Network, expects to attract about 10,000 members to help reduce crimes in Hua Mark, largely because more and more people are using the Internet and mobile phones, and the fact the crimeprevention scheme has had good results in trials in various countries.

Police plan to alert local people - who give an email address, Facebook or Twitter account or cellphone number - about crimes in the area, or suspects and getaway vehicles in the hope of arresting people who commit crimes.

The scheme is also seen as a channel for good citizens or people hit by crimes to alert police promptly about incidents.

-- The Nation 2011-05-24

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Sanam Luang off limit for campaign rally

By The Nation

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has banned the use of Sanam Luang for campaigning although it allows candidates hold rallies at 14 parks and civic grounds around the capital.

In the BMA annoucement released on Tuesday, electoral candidates are required to notify the city administration three days in advance for using designated areas for campaigning.

The campaign areas include Lan Khon Muang in Phranakhon district, Chatuchak Park, Rodfai Park, Lumpini Park, Benjasiri Park, King Taksin Circle and public parks in Bang Phlad, Rat Burana, Prawet, Bueng Kum, Lat Krabang, Bang Khen and Bang Khae.

-- The Nation 2011-05-24

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Thailand Live Wednesday 25 May 2011

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