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Thailand Live Friday 17 June 2011

News, Bits and Tweets

with webfact

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 Thursday 16 June 2011

Posted

Taxis, tour agencies ink MoU to end blockades at Phuket Deep Sea Port

phuket-1-10513LyBWGPJnEvJXxZAaWRsGXxMbvy.jpg

Suwat Deejingtrakul (left) of tour operator Regale International makes a point

to local taxi driver representative Narong Kumban.

phuket-4-10513bxXAmQYmYddKGuKsqCDUBEJdHG.jpg

Phuket Marine Police Chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut vents his frustration over

further dithering at the meeting.

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Posted

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Birthday girl Nong ready to party

By Henry Lewis

Mayuree Sukyingcharoenwong

The Nation

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Teen might have lost her legs but her resilient spirit shines through

Not many teenagers would be happy to spend their 15th birthday in a hospital and without legs. Nonetheless, Nitcharee Peneakchanasak, or "Nong Than" as she is known to the public, is in characteristic good spirits.

"Smile and accept reality, don't try and avoid the truth," Nong Than said.

On April 3, while on a language course in Singapore, Nong Than had an accident on the Singapore mass transit system, the SMRT.

While on her way to meet friends at Singapore East Coast Park, she fell onto the tracks and was hit by a train at Ang Mo Kio station.

One of her legs was severed and the other had to be amputated. She is still recuperating at the Sirindhorn National Medical Rehabilitation Centre.

She has become a minor celebrity, though, because of her happy demeanour, lack of selfpity and a charming interview on Thai TV.

Yesterday she celebrated her 15th birthday surrounded by friends and family at the Tawandang German Brewery Ramintra.

"I want to have a party, to have a lot of people come and tell me 'happy birthday' and to eat cake,"

Anxiety tinges the occasion, though, as her father Kittanesh talks about her future.

"My daughter is strong, so I'm not worried about her psychologically, but the SMRT has refused to take any responsibility," he said.

The SMRT has offered to pay 5,000 Singaporean dollars (Bt123,000), but that price will hardly pay for the medical costs of Nong Than.

Her father estimates the accident has cost the family about Bt1.5 million. While donations have helped, his real concern is for the future.

"Her prosthetic legs will cost around Bt5 million and will need to be replaced every three to five years," he said, "If she lives until she's 75, that'll cost Bt60 million, not including the expenses inherent in changing her lifestyle."

The SMRT has a history of accidents. While the government has worked on installing platform walls at all stations, a project expected to finish next year, there have been 24 deaths on the rail system.

Kittanesh filed a lawsuit against the SMRT last week in the hope of receiving help with medical costs.

Still, Nong Than seems hopeful. Her father predicts that in a few weeks she'll get her prosthetic legs and start the arduous process of learning how to walk again.

She's also looking forward to continuing her studies in Singapore, hoping to get into a Singaporean school in six months' time.

Nong Than credits her longterm dream of becoming a psychiatrist with her ability to adjust so well and so quickly to her new situation.

To all others in situations like hers, she says: "Don't get too caught up on what you don't have now, but instead look to what you have in the future."

There was an air of happiness around Nong Than, as throughout the day people - strangers and friends alike - brought her presents and good wishes.

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-- The Nation 2011-06-17

Posted

Group of con men targeting elderly people

By The Nation

A few Bangkok residents have paid ransoms to socalled con men for allegedly kidnapping youngsters, the police said yesterday.

"These con men threatened to cut off the limbs and ears of the victims' young relatives," Crime Suppression Division deputy commander MajGeneral Panya Mamen said yesterday, adding that the victims were told to transfer money to a bank account. More than 10 people in Bangkok's Taling Chan area have lodged complaints about falling for this con, with a few saying they paid the ransom for nothing. Most of the victims are elderly people

"If you get such calls, try to contact your children and grandchildren or call the police at 191," Panya advised, adding that the police suspected these con men were linked to an illegal call centre in China.

"We are investigating this case," he said.

nationlogo.jpg

-- The Nation 2011-06-17

Posted

Murder charges against Thai workers dropped

By The Nation

An Algerian court has dropped murder charges against two Thai workers, Information Department deputy directorgeneral Jesda Katavetin said yesterday.

Rod Rerkchai and Kamon Rakdee, who were arrested last May, have both been released, he said.

"After we provided experienced Arabic, French and Thai interpreters, the court decided there was no solid evidence against them," Jesda said.

The two men will take a flight out of Algeria at 4.35pm today.

nationlogo.jpg

-- The Nation 2011-06-17

Posted

Tests on Chi River's 'warm spot'

By The Nation

Relevant authorities are conducting lab tests to determine why the Chi River became 3 degrees warmer in one spot near the border between Surin and Buri Ram provinces.

Pollution has been ruled out because there is no factory or community near the area.

Officials yesterday confirmed that the temperature had risen by 3 degrees to 35 Celsius.

"Tests have also shown that the water sample from the spot has the salinity of 17 parts per thousand," Sawas Thanadkha, the director of Environment Office 11, said yesterday. Water in the river is normally not saline at all, while seawater has about 30 parts per thousand.

"The electric conductivity from the water sample is also at 2,700 microsiemens per centimetre, when it should be no more than 200 microsiemens per centimetre," he added

nationlogo.jpg

-- The Nation 2011-06-17

Posted

Rainstorm buffets Narathiwat

By The Nation

A rainstorm hit the southern province of Narathiwat yesterday, damaging more than 50 houses and causing a power blackout. The strong winds also blew away roof tiles, and uprooted many trees as well as advertising billboards. Some roads became impassable.

More than 250 families in Tambon Loh Jood in Waeng district have had to live without electricity after the storm seriously damaged powertransmission system in the area.

Thamrong Sawaspong, who leads the local office of Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), said staff and machinery had already been dispatched to urgently to fix the problem.

Waeng's district chief Thakernsag Yoksiri, meanwhile, said relevant officials were surveying damages and handing out assistance.

According to the Meteorological Department, the Southwest monsoon is now hovering over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. Locals in seaside provinces have been warned to brace for possible strong winds and rough waves.

nationlogo.jpg

-- The Nation 2011-06-17

Posted

SOUTH CRISIS

Four soldiers killed in Pattani attack

By The Nation

Four soldiers were killed in an ambush late yesterday evening in Pattani, not far from a busy market they and fellow patrol members were stationed to provide security for shoppers.

All individual weapons and one side arm belonged to them were snatched by a team of insurgents, who disguised in civilian clothes as local shoppers, before they approached the victims and opened fire on them. A team of soldiers stationed nearby arrived at the scene to help, but the gunmen fled on two pickup trucks.

The fallen soldiers are identified as Sergeants Kittipong Singha and Phichit Khamrat, and Privates Khomsan Wongklom and Weewat Jantharathep.

Meanwhile, a roadside bomb near a school in Yala's Muang district yesterday wounded two people, one a policeman on duty.

Both victims were hospitalised but are now safe. Police found a crater 200 metres away from Nibhong Chanoopatham school, and parts of a homemade detonator which triggered two kilograms of explosives under a tree.

The explosion took place at 8am after all students had entered their classes. Mayor of Yala municipality, Phongsak Yingchonjaroen, condemned the attack for its proximity to a school. "Noone could have predicted such an inhumane act by the assailants who picked the attack site," he added.

A network of teachers based in the deep South, responding to the attack, said the sevenyear violence had affected students' learning. They criticised political parties for their lack of concern, saying none had highlighted the issue in their election campaigning during the runup to the July 3 poll.

Bunrom Thongsriphai said government teachers wanted to know how the next government would quell the violence and retain education standards in the strifetorn region.

nationlogo.jpg

-- The Nation 2011-06-17

Posted

Russian honeymoon tourist in Phuket dies after dangerous surf rescue

phuket-1-10511GbfynhUSasfXNrKJivTqidibIW.jpg

Lifeguards on lookout at Nai Thon Beach. A Russian tourist on honeymoon

has died after being pulled unconscious from the surf at Nai Thon and a

fellow lifeguard needed saving. Photo: Gazette

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Posted

Campaign spending to reach Bt39 bn: KResearch

By The Nation

Campaign spending for next month's election will reach an estimated Bt39 billion, a leap from Bt21 billion spent during the 2007 poll, KResearch said in a report released yesterday.

Most spending will take place in the Northeast, followed by Bangkok, which is the hub for telecommunications, broadcasting and media outlets.

Vote canvassers are expected to spread the money via established networks such as the underground lottery, football bookmakers and direct sales teams.

Printers and operators who rent out vehicles, audio equipment and rally facilities like tents and stages will be the main beneficiaries of campaign spending.

Political parties were well prepared to kick off their campaigns due to the advance notice given by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva ahead of House dissolution.

The most popular way to sway votes is campaign billboards, which line the streets and public places. Campaign leaflets are also popular.

Several parties are relying on using social media to reach out to voters via web-based and mobile technologies.

In departing from traditional campaign activities, this time political groups have been active in swaying votes on their parties' behalf.

nationlogo.jpg

-- The Nation 2011-06-17

Posted

Probe Underway for DTAC Shareholding Structure

The Department of Business Development is continuing with its investigation into the shareholding structure of the country's second-largest mobile phone operator, Dtac.

Meanwhile, True Move has filed a complaint alleging that the majority stake in Dtac is owned by foreigners.

Commerce Ministry Permanent Secretary Yanyong Puangrat said the Department of Business Development and the Crime Suppression Division are undertaking an investigation into the ownership structure in the country's second-largest mobile phone operator Total Access Communication, or Dtac.

He noted the agencies are reviewing information and examining legal interpretation in relation to the case.

Yanyong added the investigation might take a long time due to discrepancies in information.

On Tuesday, a legal representative from True Move filed a complaint asking the Department of Business Development to investigate the foreign share ownership of its rival.

True Move claimed it has been monitoring Dtac's shareholding structure for three years and found that the company has a majority of foreign shareholders.

True Move, however, said it will not call for further investigation if the finding of the agency is different from its report or has no concrete evidence confirming the allegation.

Earlier, director general of the Department of Business Development, Banyong Limprayoonwong, said Dtac's ownership structure is in compliance with the Foreign Business Act as a preliminary finding showed 51 percent of shares in the company are owned by Thai nationals and the other 49 percent by foreigners.

He noted that if it is found that the majority stake in Dtac is held by foreigners, the firm has to be recognized as foreign entity.

In that case, he added, his agency will need to check whether Dtac has a required permit.

The Foreign Business Act requires a foreign company to obtain a permit to operate a telecommunication business.

Violation could result in a maximum three-year imprisonment, a fine of 100,000 to one million baht or a shutdown of business.

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-- Tan Network 2011-06-17

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Posted

Armed Forces' leaders discuss security for election at Natl Police headquarters /

Abhisit campaigns in Prachin Buri while Yingluck is campaigning in BKK at Soi Aree /

/TAN_Network

Posted

Suthep voices opposition to amnesty for political cases after 2006 coup; critical of 4 election commissioners taking an overseas trip /

Yingluck confirms Thaksin has plans to return to Thailand in Nov /

PM and Deputy PM Suthep assures police are working hard on solving shooting of Lop Buri PAO chief /

/TAN_Network

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