Thailand Live Thursday 2 Jun 2011

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Thailand Mobile Expo 2011 starts today at QSNCC in Bangkok and runs until the weekend. /via@RichardBarrow

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Speed Pills and 'ice' worth Bt150m Seized at Border in Chiang Rai

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Foreign Minister Kasit challenges Thaksin to debate after Thaksin slammed Thailand for invading Cambodian territory /TAN_Network

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REDS MOVEMENT

Reds leaders to appear before court next month

By The Nation

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) agreed Thursday to delay the date for red shirts leaders to appear before court on lese majeste charges from today to July 7, said DSI chief Tharit Pengdit.

The DSI earlier summoned the 19 reds leaders to hear lese majeste charges today, but their lawyers asked for a postponement, claiming they must take part in political campaigns for the July 3 general election. The campaigns were crucial for them and were under practice of democratic principles.

They had submitted letters requesting to delay the date of their required appearance to July 7, saying ten of them are candidates for parliament on party-list and constituency-based systems and are busy for their campaigns.

Seven are Pheu Thai party key leaders and leading UDD members who must participate in the political campaign.

The last two -- Jatupon Prompan and Nisit Sintuprai -- are detained at Bangkok Remand Prison and demanded equal treatment in the postponement. They argued that as they were in prison and as impossible for them to escape or reject the summons.

Jatuporn and Nisit, both former members of parliament, were sent to Bangkok Remand Prison immediately after the Criminal Court revoked their bail on May 12. The court dismissed their bail requests later that day, citing concerns that they might cause disorder after any temporary release.

The group who were summoned comprise both leaders and supporting figures whose speeches and actions at the April 10 rally were considered lese majeste and as inciting others to disobey the law.

-- The Nation 2011-06-02

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Pattaya: NGV-Gas Container Explodes After Collision

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The music is over: Crackdown on foreign musicians playing live music

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Forest runoff claims one life in Phetchabun

PHETCHABUN, June 2 - One villager drowned Thursday as heavy rains throughout the night triggered forest runoff in this lower northern Thai province, while portions of the southern province of Phangnga were under water as the rains continued.

Forest runoff from heavy rain hit Phetchabun’s Wichian Buri and Nong Phai districts Thursday. Torrential waterflows swept a bus and a pickup truck from a main highway, but no casualties have been reported. Both vehicles were packed with passengers.

Floodwaters also damaged a bridge, cutting of traffic in the area, while one house was damaged. Householder Samruay Thong-on was killed as the flood hit swept through his home while he was sleeping and failed to escape.

His body was found one kilometre from his home.

In Phangnga, the southern province which earlier was severely hit by floods, two days of consecutive rain caused flooding in several areas, as a result of southwest monsoon.

The provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office warned residents in lowlands and along rivers and waterways to be aware of the possibility of landslides, while small boats are advised to keep ashore due to strong wind and possible 2-3 metre high waves. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-06-02

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Thai customs officers seize 451 smuggled Indian turtles

Bangkok airport customs officials confiscated 451 turtles and seven baby gavials that had been packed in suitcases on a flight from Dhaka to Bangkok, officials said Thursday.

Suvarnabhumi International Airport customs officials on Wednesday found the animals stuffed in four suitcases that had been abandoned at the luggage carousels.

"The owner of the suitcases must have abandoned his luggage when he saw that customs officials were inspecting everyone's bags," Customs Department Director-General Prasong Poontaneat said.

They found hundreds of Indian star tortoises and mud turtles and seven baby gavials, an endangered crocodile species with a long, thin snout.

The three species, all indigenous to India and Bangladesh, are popular on Bangkok's pet markets.

"I want to appeal to the public not to buy these pets because they will not survive in Thailand," Prasong told a press conference.

-- The Nation 2011-06-02

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Phuket steps up fight against illegal timeshare touts

The government sign in Patong, on Phuket's west coast, warning tourists

about dodgy timeshare schemes.

Patong Mayor Pian Keesin called for officials to be investigated.

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Police Tighten Security for PAD Rally

Police have increased the number of security personnel for the yellow-shirt rally after Tuesday's bomb attack.

They also ask the group to consider ending its months-long protest.

Metropolitan Police Division 1 Commander Police Major General Wichai Sangprapai confirmed the city police have already stepped up security for the People's Alliance for Democracy, or PAD, after a bomb attack at its rally site on Tuesday night.

Wichai denied that police have been negligent in ensuring safety for the protesters, saying the number of officers has been reduced after the Internal Security Act was lifted.

With the election approaching, more police personnel have been put on patrol throughout the capital to prevent possible violence.

He believes that the attack was aimed at stirring chaos prior to the election rather than to take lives.

He insisted that police are working hard to investigate the case.

Footage from all surveillance cameras around the crime scene is being examined thoroughly to find traces of the attacker.

Wichai also reiterated that if the yellow-shirt group ends its ongoing protest, police can work more efficiently to deter election-related violence.

Deputy Prime Minister for national security Suthep Thaugsuban said he did not understand why the yellow-shirt protesters were targeted as their activities had declined dramatically and no political parties were campaigning around their rally site.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-02

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NEW POLITICS PARTY

Somsak accuses Suriyasai of embezzling donation money

By The Nation

Rift inside New Politics party has deepened with its leader Somsak Kosaisuk planning to file complaint with police against its former secretary general for embezzlement of Bt650,000. Somsak said he would go to see Nang Leung police tomorrow.

He accused Suriyasai of embezzling the sum which was donation money from fund raising campaigns.

The party's legal team has already prepared the documents to file with police tomorrow. Election Commission is already informed of the matter.

Somsak and Suriyasai were both leaders of the yellow shirts movement which organised protests against ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra. But after they formed New Politics Party in 2009, they had conflicts in many matters, resulting in resignation of Suriyasai,

One of the conflicts was that Somsak wanted to contest in the election while Suriyasai and other yellow shirts leaders viewed otherwise.

However the party's general meeting voted in favour of Somsak.

-- The Nation 2011-06-02

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Pheu Thai Officially Announces There Is No Possibility of Alliance with Bhum Jai Thai

The Pheu Thai Party has officially announced that there is no possibility that it will join hands with Bhum Jai Thai Party in setting up the new government coalition.

Before Abhisit Vejjajiva was appointed prime minister, members of the Bhum Jai Thai faction, under the leadership of Newin Chidchob, were members of the Pheu Thai. However, they decided to abandon the party, set up Bhum Jai Thai and back Abhisit as premier.

For the discretion, Thaksin Shinawatra and the Pheu Thai leadership have never forgiven Newin and his faction for betraying them.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-02

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Tattooed Tourists Welcomed In Thailand, Culture Minister Says

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Health regulations sought to curb tattooing of religious patterns

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Thailand's Red Shirt UDD wants to set up election watchdog group/b]

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SET index closed at 1059.81, down 5.82; Bt/USD30.15; GBP49.14; AUD31.90; EUR43.17; CAD30.80; HKD3.87; SGD24.27; JPY36.92

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Narathiwat soldiers engage in gunfight with insurgents while conducting a raid; 3 dead and lots of M16 and ammunition seized /TAN_Network

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PAD Warns of World Court Verdict Setback

The People's Alliance for Democracy warns the government that recognition of the world court's jurisdiction over the Preah Vihear dispute with Cambodia will cause the country to lose its maritime sovereignty.

The People's Alliance for Democracy, or PAD, spokesman Parnthep Puapongpan said the government's information presented to the International Court of Justice, or ICJ, in its legal battle with Cambodia over the Preah Vihear dispute is generally similar to that provided by his group.

However, Parnthep said the government's legal fight at the court means Thailand recognizes its jurisdiction over the case.

He added the verdict will not be beneficial for the country and could put it ata risk of losing maritime territory.

Parnthep explained that the government is using the memorandum of understanding, or MOU signed with Cambodia in 2000, as part of its evidence to show the border demarcation has not been completed yet but Cambodia is using that same document to show to the court that the border demarcation process has been completed, using the one in 200,000 scale French map.

He suggested it is still not too late for the government to reject the ICJ's jurisdiction over the case.

PAD core leader Chamlong Srimuang said the government's refusal to listen to his group's demand, asking it to scrap the MOU, provides room for Cambodia to present the one in 200,000 map to seek the world court's injunction against Thai military presence in the overlapping zone around the Preah Vihear Temple.

Meanwhile, Parnthep urged Rak Santi Party leader Purachai Piemsomboon to make it clear which animal in the PAD's “Vote No” campaign posters insulted his image as a politician as no other parties have no come out to complain about them.

Staff of the Pathumwan District Office yesterday removed scores of “Vote No” campaign posters around Lumpinee Park.

They said the office has received complaints that those posters display vulgar message and could violate the poll law.

On the Pathumwan District Office's seizure of the campaign posters of the Puea Fah Din Party by claiming they do not display the election campaign number, its secretary general Samdin Lerdbut said he has studied in the law and found that the posters do not need election campaign numbers on them.

Samdin said the district office has already re-installed some of posters but he vows to press charge against anyone who removes his party's campaign posters.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-02

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Phuket night clubber escapes disaster

Phuket rescue workers attend to Mr Wiwat, who was attacked while walking

home from a karaoke bar near the Heroines' Monument.

Photo: Wichai Witthawat

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AFP: Thailand seizes hundreds of turtles in air luggage

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2 Ayutthaya districts declared disaster area

Two districts of Ayutthaya have been declared a disaster area after a barge carrying 1,800 tons of sugar crashed into the bank in Phranakorn Si Ayutthaya district, dumping its load in the river on Tuesday.

The sugar was suspected to be the cause of deaths of fishes in many areas in the province. Some fishes in some districts downstream, including Bang Sai and Bang Pain were seen swimming at the river surface.

Ayutthaya Governor Witthaya Piewpong announced the disaster area after chairing a meeting with other authorities concerned.

-- The Nation 2011-06-02

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Three 'militants' killed in Thai south: police

NARATHIWAT, June 2, 2011 (AFP) - Thai security forces killed three suspected Islamic militants Thursday during a raid on their jungle hideout in the far south, the scene of a seven-year insurgency, police said.

Two assault rifles were seized after a 20-minute gunfight in mountains in Bacho district, Narathiwat province, authorities said.

Thailand's three southernmost provinces near the Malaysian border have been plagued by almost daily violence since shadowy Islamic insurgents launched an uprising in the 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.

Last month four suspected insurgents, including one senior alleged militant, were killed in a gunfight with government security forces.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-06-02

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to continue

Thailand Live Friday 3 June 2011

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