Thailand Live Thursday 2 Jun 2011

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Thailand Live Thursday 2 June 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 Wednesday 1 June 2011

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BANGKOK

Bangkok top Asian city for visitors

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BURNING ISSUE

Too early to underestimate Newin

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Factory producing toxic sweets raided in Bangkok

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JULY ELECTION

Abhisit heads to Lamphun, Chiang Mai

By The Nation

After delivering a speech in Phayao and spending last night at a temple, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva will today continue campaigning in the northern provinces of Lamphun and Chiang Mai.

He will begin the day by presenting alms at Nong Nguak Temple, where he spent last night, followed by taking part in a traditional northern blessing rite. The temple's abbot, Phra Kru Bhodhiso-phon, said Abhisit had promised to return to the temple if he became premier again.

This is Abhisit's first trip to the North after the House was dissolved.

Although the North and the Northeast are the strongholds of the main opposition Pheu Thai Party, Abhisit will be visiting Lamphun's Pa Sang district and Chiang Mai's Hot district, which are considered to have fewer red-shirt supporters compared to other areas in the region.

The prime minister won warm support from his audience during his rally in Phayao last night, amid tight security, with more than 100 police officers on duty.

Abhisit decided to go ahead with his trip despite the explosion on Tuesday night at the rally site of the People's Alliance for Democracy, near Makkawan Rangsan Bridge in Bangkok, which left a few people injured.

Though the yellow shirts are protesting against the government's stance related to the Thai-Cambodia conflict over Preah Vihear Temple, the explosion is seen as the first politically related blast in the run-up to the July 3 election.

Before heading off for the North yesterday, Abhisit visited Noopan Phuthongngern, a 50-year-old ice-cream seller, who was severely injured by the explosion at PAD rally site.

-- The Nation 2011-06-02

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GENERAL ELECTION

Three more provinces security hot spots: Thailand election

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PM Abhisit bullish on international Court of Justice (ICJ) battle

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Brothers get life over drug charges

By The Nation

Two brothers were sentenced to life in jail yesterday for running nearly half a million ya ba pills for a dealer last year. Sakchai and Thongsuk Luengsrithong were initially sentenced to death, but the penalty was commuted due to their confessions.

Police are hunting for Thidawan Jimek, the wife of Surasit Khamtai, who is serving time in Ratchaburi over drugdealing charges.

It is alleged that Thidawan was behind the 400,000 tablets worth Bt80 million being put up for trade, before the brothers were arrested in a sting operation on January 25 last year.

In Chiang Rai yesterday, a military task force found a haul of illicit drugs worth about Bt150 million after intercepting a team of six couriers from Burma. The six unarmed men dropped their cargo and ran back across the border.

The packs contained 25 kilograms of "ice" flakes and 900,000 amphetamine tablets.

-- The Nation 2011-06-02

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PM Abhisit rules out emergency law after PAD grenade attack

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Corruption spreading like plague : PM Abhisit

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Scrapped exam to be reinstated

By The Nation

The National Institute of Educational Testing Service (NIETS) is preparing to revive the Advanced National Educational Test (ANet).

"We have already issued the resolution to do so," NIETS chairman, Professor Somwang Pitiyanuwat, disclosed yesterday.

He expects the ANet to be held again as early as October.

ANet used to be in place to test students' level of advanced academic knowledge but was scrapped last year as relevant agencies welcomed the General and Professional Aptitude Tests (GAT and PAT).

ANet scores used to be a key criterion in the central university admission system, but GAT and PAT scores have taken over this role. Somwang expects the ANet scores to count only in the direct university admission system.

"I have assigned NIETS director Dr Samphan Phanphruk to raise the issue with the University Presidents Council of Thailand," Somwang said.

He hopes the UPCT will agree to use ANet scores in the direct admission system because it would save university applicants the trouble of having to sit a lot of tests. "ANet will cover seven subjects - mathematics, science, physics, chemistry, biology and English," Somwang said.

Samphan said he would hold discussions with the UPCT on June 11.

According to Somwang, the revived ANet will have the same format and style as the previous one.

-- The Nation 2011-06-02

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Panel to make decision on wage increase today

By The Nation

Labourers nationwide today will be eagerly waiting to find out whether the Wage Tripartite Committee has approved an increase in their minimum wage.

Labour Minister Chalermchai Srion said yesterday that an increase was possible given the rising cost of living and an increase in the price of daily commodities. "These factors have been supplied to the wage committee for consideration."

The committee is to start its meeting at 1.30pm and is expected to spend hours discussing the issue.

Echoing Chalermchai on the rising cost of living, the ministry's permanent secretary Somkiat Chayasriwong cited a study showing that more than 23,000 labourers surveyed were earning Bt20 less daily than they should. As such, they were leading lives that registered in negative numbers on the lifequality index, a measure used by statisticians to determine acceptable minimum incomes. The lifequality index varies in different parts of the country. It is minusBt25 in Bangkok, minusBt23 in neighbouring provinces, minusBt50.97 in the Central region, minusBt38 in the North and minusBt28 in the South, he said. [Writer says OK to cut this as the numbers are meaningless without an explanation, which was not provide by source.]

He added that efficiently controlling the price of goods was vital after the increase to daily wages was approved.

The study collected information on workers dating back to 1988 until last month, based on varying costs of living and inflation, which showed that each worker spent Bt2,015 on food, Bt1,400 on rent, Bt819 on trivial matters and Bt649 on travel per month.

The average increase in wages should be Bt20, though in Bangkok wages would only rise by Bt11, he said, adding that the increase would be Bt23 in adjacent provinces, Bt35 in the Central, Bt23 in the North, Bt13 in the Northeast and Bt11 in the South.

-- The Nation 2011-06-02

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Thai senator urges people to fight all kinds of coups d'etat

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Esarn probe might take longer

By The Nation

An investigation has been launched by the Teachers' Council of Thailand (Khurusapha) into Esarn University's "sale of diplomas", but the conclusion might be delayed because there are far too many details and evidence is not readily available, a member of the investigating team said yesterday.

The deadline for completion of the probe may have to be postponed from this Friday to June 16, when the Khurusapha meets next. In reality, though, panel chairman Yuenyong Jiratthitikal said it might take until next month to complete.

He added that investigators had to be careful and thorough, and therefore more evidence and details were needed. The panel has submitted a request for additional evidence with the Khurusapha.

Further criminal actions may be taken by the Office of the Higher Education Commission, which is jointly investigating the scandal. The Khurusapha, meanwhile, is only authorised to grant or revoke diplomas and look into the general operation of universities.

-- The Nation 2011-06-02

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Writers urge royalists to see the benefits in changing the law

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

True royalists should be openminded and join the growing call to at least amend the lese majeste law because it would be good for the future of the monarchy, say writers who launched a campaign recently to change the controversial law.

The remarks came as the writers held a closeddoor meeting on Sunday to plan more public campaigns. It follows the arrest of a Thaiborn US citizen, who was detained without bail last Thursday.

"The current situation is not good for the monarchy, especially in the long run. Dissatisfaction against [the monarchy without outlet] will lead to other unconstructive expressions and will become violent," said writer Wadrawee, 39, a key figure behind the campaign, which has attracted the support of more than 200 writers. "This won't be good, so if you are royalists, have a longterm view."

Wadrawee thinks some people who claimed to be royalists and supported growing use of the lese majeste law weren't true royalists. He said, however, that "secret trials", as happened to Daranee Charnchoengsilpakul, a detainee popularly known as "Da Torpedo", or the nearly automatic refusal of bail for a number of others facing lese majeste charges should have no place in a democratic society.

Writer Worapoth Panpong, a signatory to the campaign, said royalists should study details of the law and not pass any judgement readily.

"The penalty [of maximum 15 years' imprisonment] is very harsh," Worapoth said. "The law itself is the problem. I believe if you examine it you will be able to tell what is right or wrong."

Another writer thinks it is abnormal to not be able to discuss the monarchy institution in a critical way.

"The monarchy is not being addressed in a normal way - as human. Not to speak the truth will only eat away at the monarchy," said Thiti Meetam, writer and former editor of Pacarayasara, an alternative magazine, adding that royalists "should support amendment of the law".

Thiti said he had a problem discussing the monarchy in an open and honest manner even with his family, and at times, it had led to rifts with some senior members telling him not speak critically. He said much of the discussion, because of the lack of openness, ended up revolving around gossip and rumour. "Society should be able to question and scrutinise [the institution] like others," he said.

The writers said the growing list of cases and involvement of the Army in filing lese majeste charges, especially a recent one against Thammasat University historian Somsak Jiamteerasakul, had convinced them that it was time to do something.

"When the military came out [to express their loyalty] it became clear," said Worapoth, adding that for soldiers to march in a threatening show of force was like "slapping the faces of people with their feet".

"Society is in trouble. This is most visible in the cases of Somsak and [Red Power magazine editor] Somyos [Prueksakasemsuk]. What we are doing now is not new, and groups like Nitirat [of Thammasat University] have thought about it before," he said. "We don't think of it as sacrifice. Just like the 91 bodies [of protesters killed in April and May], we cannot sit idly."

For Wadrawee, Thai society should not be in fear. "People live in fear and dare not express differing views. But expressing differing views is not the same as having ill intention towards the [monarchy] institution."

-- The Nation 2011-06-02

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Crackdown on foreign tourists with religious tattoos

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EDITORIAL

Handouts have made Thais weak and dependent

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THAI TALK

Veterans share a 'thinking-the-unthinkable' vision

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KBank advises clients to use yuan as major export-import currency

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Reports claimed red shirts threatened people in Hod not to come out to welcome Abhisit & Democrat candidates. So he decided not to go there.

In Chiang Mai, he rescheduled to visit Mae Rim district instead of Hod reportedly because of strong redshirts movement there.

/via@ThaiElection11

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Nakhon Ratchasima PAD Kicks off 'Vote No' Campaign

The Nakhon Ratchasima People's Alliance for Democracy group has kicked off its 'Vote No' campaign and are preparing to march to encourage the public to tick the vote no box to demand political reform.

Earlier yesterday at the Muang Thong Hotel in Nakhon Ratchasima's Muang District, the People's Alliance for Democracy or PAD put up six large 'Vote No' posters in front of the hotel.

Nakhon Ratchasima PAD leader Supote Piriyasakul said the signs were made by local PAD supporters to encourage the public to vote no when casting their ballots in order to demand political reform.

Supote said around 200 'Vote No' campaign signs have been put up around the municipality, but more than ten posters have either been stolen or vandalized.

He went on to say the group will continue its campaign with a major rally on June 11 in front of the Jomsurang Hotel.

Core PAD leaders including Somkiat Pongpaiboon, Panthep Puapongpan, and others will participate in the campaign.

And as the the election day draws near, the PAD group will hold marches to promote their 'Vote No' campaign.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-02

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Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 1057.75, down 7.88 points /MCOT

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Deputy PM: Explosion near PAD Protest Site Meant to Create Chaos

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Foreign Ministry: Thai Lawyer Team Did Its Best

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has stated that the Thai lawyer team did its best to persuade the world court to revoke the petitions filed by Cambodia, adding that the court's verdict will be issued in July.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said the Thai legal team told the International Court of Justice that Cambodia was cunning in bringing the Preah Vihear Temple issue to the world community, adding that both Thailand and Cambodia must submit more documents by Saturday.

The foreign affairs minister's secretary, Chawanon Intarakomansut stated that the Thai Ambassador to the Hague, Weerachai Palasai, as the head of the Thai lawyers' team, tried to convince the court that Cambodia has a hidden agenda in raising the Preah Vihear conflict before the world community.

What's more, Chawanon said the injunction petition filed by Cambodia is beyond the authority of the court.

He said for this reason, Thailand has urged the world body to revoke Cambodia's pledge.

It is expected that the court will give its verdict within one month's time.

Chawanon added that the next step is for Thailand and Cambodia to present the details of the damage stemming from their armed confrontation, by Tuesday.

Then, the court will share the documents with both countries, and any objections must be made by June 14.

He concluded by saying the Thai legal team really did its best for the nation.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-02

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Pheu Thai MP Candidates Laid down in Coffin for Good Luck

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Jaturon urges all to stick with rule of law

BANGKOK, 2 June 2011 (NNT) – Former Acting Thai Rak Thai Party Leader Jaturon Chaisaeng has encouraged all sides to stick to the rule of law and move forward the reconciliation plan in order to solve the national political standoff.

Speaking in a seminar at Siam City Hotel in Bangkok, Mr Jaturon whose political rights have been suspended for five years, stated that the core of problems in the nation comes from lack of democracy, leading to persisting political division, which might expand further.

The leader of the disbanded political party explained that such a problem can be solved as Thailand should stick to the rule of laws and help one another to move forward the reconciliation attempt. He said political parties at present have not yet included this issue in their campaigns concretely.

Mr Jaturon continued to say that political parties and civil organizations are very important to help solve national crisis. He indicated that political parties now are different from those in the past as they are competing in terms of policies more intensely.

The veteran politician however noted that there have been ill attempts to reduce the roles of political parties; therefore, political parties and civil organisations should study their roles thoroughly and help one another out for the betterment of the nation.

-- NNT 2011-06-02

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Two districts in Phetchabun hit by flash floods destroying home, one dead; Phang Nga faces flood, landslide risk /MCOT

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Chart Thai Pattana Leader Defends Banned Politicians' Activities

The leader of the Chart Thai Pattana Party defends the political activities of banned politicians, saying that everyone should be allowed to give their opinion on politics.

Leader of the Chart Thai Pattana Party Chumpol Silapa archa said his older brother Banharn, who is the senior adviser of his party and is a banned politician, should be allowed to express his opinion on politics according to Article 45 of the Constitution, which guarantees equal political rights for all Thais.

Consequently, he said he is not worried of threats made by the Love Thailand Party leader Chuwit Kamolvisit that he would file a complaint about the involvement of banned politicians with the activities of political parties.

Chuwit named three banned politicians and three parties, which are Banharn and his activities with Chart Thai Pattana, Suwat Liptapanlop and his involvement with the Chart Pattana Puea Pandin, and Newin Chidchob and his influence with the Bhum Jai Thai.

He added that although Banharn was deprived of his political rights five years after Chart Thai Party was dissolved, law does not bar him from taking any political position.

Chumpol also talked about the proposed draft amendment for Article 237 of the 2007 Constitution, which specifies that if a member of a party's executive board is found guilty of violating the election law, the party must be disbanded.

He said his party and seven other parties back an amendment to this article because it limits the rights of political parties.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-02

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Thai Foreign Ministry Website Under Attack, "selling Viagra"

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