Thailand Live Tuesday 28 Jun 2011

[webfact]

Thailand Live Tuesday 28 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.

FOLLOW US:

You can also follow us on

- Twitter: http://twitter.com/georgebkk

- Google Buzz: http://www.google.com/profiles/thaivisa

- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ThaiVisaNews

- Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/564113621/

- Breaking News via SMS text messages to your mobile phone or handheld device

To subscribe dial *424010011 on AIS, One-2-Call, DTAC or True Move networks

14 days complementary subscription for Thaivisa members.

If you have questions about the Breaking News SMS service,

email: sms [at] thaivisa.com

________________________________________________________________________________

Thailand's current weather and forecasts: http://weather.thaivisa.com/

________________________________________________________________________________

Related topic: Thailand Live Monday 27 June 2011

[webfact]

Today's Thailand weather and forecasts:

Follow this link: http://weather.thaivisa.com/

[webfact]

ANALYSIS

World Heritage Committee Walkout: More loss than gain; Thai opinion

Follow this link:

[webfact]

WHC

Thai Govt urged to delist World Heritage site

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Ukrainian and Turkish credit card thieves arrested in Bangkok

Follow this link:

[webfact]

New Thai Govt will face early crisis of funding

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Powers outside Thailand's electoral system 'key'

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Probe into vote from outside booth

By THE NATION

The Election Commission (EC) will look into alleged electoral "fraud" involving a voter casting his ballot outside a polling booth during Sunday's advance voting in Bangkok's Phya Thai district.

Authorities yesterday defended their decision to allow the overweight man to cast a vote on his two ballot papers - one for the constituency MP and the other for the party-list system - immediately after he received them from officials at the central polling station.

Election commissioner Sodsri Satayathum said yesterday the EC chairman was informed the voter needed help as he had developed weak muscles and could not stand at the voting booth. She said the EC would look into this matter and would require a detailed report.

Wisuth Pothitaen, another election commissioner, said he did not think the law allowed voters to cast their ballots outside of the voting booth, even though they were inside the polling station. However, he said the EC would investigate and take legal action against those involved if there was a law violation.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Malinee Sukvejworakij said an initial check showed the man had a health problem and his muscles weakened while he was in the polling station. She said the officials allowed him to cast his vote outside the booth, citing the law that required officials to provide convenience for voters.

A 1.46-minute video clip was posted by "prainn2011" on YouTube video-sharing website, showing the man cast his vote at Phya Thai District Office on Sunday. He was surrounded by several other people and helped by a person in a civil servant's uniform.

Phya Thai district director Sawang Boonsit said yesterday the voter came with three friends and that while in the polling station, complained about his muscles weakening. He was then helped by an official who handed him the ballot papers and offered a seat. The man still could not stand up so he was allowed to mark his ballots while seated, Sawang said.

He said he did not think the man committed any electoral fraud, adding that political party representatives and other voters nearby would have protested if there anything wrong occurred.

"If the man did not get help, the officials would have been criticised for failing to take care of a voter who could not help himself," he said.

A statement by the Phya Thai District Office explaining the matter appeared yesterday on the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Facebook page (Facebook.com/ prbangkok).

The Democrat Party's Bangkok campaign director Apirak Kosayodhin yesterday called on the EC or relevant agencies to look into the matter and similar incidents during advance/absentee voting.

The EC yesterday reported that 56 per cent of eligible voters, registered to vote outside their constituencies, cast their ballots in Sunday's absentee voting, compared to 88 per cent of those registered for advance voting because they would be absent on election day.

Ballot papers completed by Thai nationals living overseas during the recent advance voting have arrived in Thailand. Chakra Boonlong, director-general of the Department of Consular Affairs, said yesterday all ballots cast at Thai missions in 66 countries would arrive by tomorrow.

-- The Nation 2011-06-28

[webfact]

Man gets Bt300.000 compensation for wrongful arrest by Thai police

Follow this link:

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Can Thai society ever be freed of corruption?

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Bhum Jai Thai election canvasser shot dead

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Raids target beauty items

By The Nation

A large quantity of beautification products and instruments were seized yesterday in a series of joint raids by police and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agents at three locations in Bangkok.

No suspects were arrested, although some were later identified indirectly at a news conference.

A well-known beauty clinic, which operates all three installations, was not registered either as an importer or licensed practitioner for all the items seized, which are worth about Bt60 million, said FDA secretary-general Phiphat Yingseree.

"A member of this company's board of directors was present during the raids, and admitted to owning the items," he said.

At the first location, in Soi Lat Phrao 101/3, sunblock, skin-readjusting, and whitening lotions with no known production sources were found, either in bottles without labels or with labels without sufficient details required under FDA regulations. A number of lotions were found to contain an illegal substance.

Lotions at another location also on Lat Phrao Road were allegedly distributed to clinics under the same brand. At a warehouse in a housing estate in Bang Kapi district, 10 types of unregistered instruments were allegedly found in large numbers without import documentation.

Among the items were radio-frequency skin-rejuvenation machines, carbon-dioxide laser machines, large LED photon-energy beauty machines, crystal skin-rejuvenation machines, and infra-red-ray-swept venation machines.

FDA deputy secretary-general Srinual Kornkotchakorn called on clients of beauty clinics to check whether instruments they used were certified or legally imported and had been supplied without reference details or certification.

-- The Nation 2011-06-28

[webfact]

Bhum Jai Thai candidate banned for five years

By THE NATION

The Supreme Court yesterday banned a Bhum Jai Thai Party candidate from politics for five years after convicting him of falsifying an asset statement when he was a Puea Pandin party-list MP.

The court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Office found Purapat Wisetjindawattana guilty of concealing a debt worth Bt3.5 million when he submitted a financial statement to the National Anti-Corruption Commission on February 18, 2008, as a party-list MP.

The court initially sentenced him to two months in jail and fined him Bt4,000, but the jail term was suspended.

The ban automatically disqualified Purapat as the Bhum Jai Thai candidate in Nakhon Ratchasima's Constituency 8.

-- The Nation 2011-06-28

[webfact]

Ministry plan for better media

By The Nation

Thais spend nine hours a day on digital media such as television and social media, while 23 million are regular Internet users.

The Culture Ministry says that in response to these high figures it has drafted a master plan for the next government, aimed in particular at children.

Permanent secretary for culture Somchai Sianglai said yesterday that more and more Thais used high-tech media in the past year - the Internet, TV and new media, such as Facebook, a website with 10 million Thai users. He said that under this pressure, local media was fading.

Mahidol University's National Institute for Child and Family Development has been assigned to study the master plan for safe and constructive media (2012-16) highlighting youth's understanding of media, to boost constructive media by 10 per cent and help the social sector to produce material.

Somchai said a public forum would seek public opinion before finalising a plan for the new government's consideration.

-- The Nation 2011-06-28

[webfact]

Upset mother

By Jirapong Prasertphonkrang

The Nation, Amnat Charoen

The mother of a victim of the bloody crackdown in May last year has asked Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to take responsibility for her son's death.

"Nobody has taken any responsibility since my son died," Khamchan Sang-kham, 48, told Abhisit on a visit to Pathum Ratcha-wongsa in Amnat Charoen.

Her son Warawuth Warakham, 22, joined the red-shirt protest in May last year. He was killed at Bangkok's Bon Kai. He was among 91 people killed during the crisis.

"There is no progress on my son's death," the crying woman told the prime minister, who is campaigning for re-election in next Sunday's national vote. "I just want to know what really happened with my son."

Abhisit said victims and their relatives were free to complain but the state had not stood idle on the cases. It had tried its best to help victims' relatives. Inquiries into all deaths were continuing, he said."It is not easy, as we need to balance the evidence and witnesses," he said.

-- The Nation 2011-06-28

[webfact]

CRISIS IN THE NORTH

Nan residents fear another

By THE NATION

Six districts in the northern province of Nan, including the town of the same name, were declared flood disaster zones yesterday, while 50 schools were temporarily closed and the Nan Prison ordered some of its 100 inmates moved to other facilities.

Five districts in the western province of Tak were also declared disaster zones and officials moved residents from Ban Khane Jeu in Tha Song Yang district out of the landslide-prone area.

As rain continued, the flood level in Nan municipality was 50-70 centimetres deep, which prompted businesses to close and people to shift belongings to higher ground, with help from local soldiers.

The Nan River had risen to a "crisis point" of 11.69 metres at Baan Pha Kwang. It gradually lowered as the water poured into nearby areas, causing the river to reach 8.26 metres at Kad Laeng as of press time.

Flooding was heavy at Muang Nan, Thung Chang, Pua, Tha Wang Pha, Phu Piang and Wiang Sa districts, cutting off many villages.

Governor Senee Jittakasem announced the six districts as disaster zones and set up a special coordination centre at Nan City Hall to aid flood victims 24 hours a day. A meeting hall in Pang Kha Road in Muang district was set up as a shelter for evacuees from risky areas.

Locals fear the deluge may be like the "great flood" in 2006.

Nan Prison was under 70cm of water. Officials moved its 100 inmates to other facilities, with 30 men sent to Phrae Prison and 72 women sent to the Khao Noi Prison in Muang Nan.

Fifty schools in Muang Nan, Wiang Sa, Phu Piang, Santi Suk and Na Noi districts were shut temporarily for safety reasons.

Nan provincial administrative organisation president Narin Laoariya said officials had prepared sandbags and manpower to help flood-affected residents protect their homes while food and drinking water were sent to victims yesterday.

Nan municipality mayor Surapon Thiensutr said sandbags, food and water were in hand for three days but warned residents that officials may cut electricity late last night.

Water 30cm-deep at Nan Museum prompted Fine Arts officials to pile up sandbag barriers and check on ancient sites such as Wat Chang Kham and Wat Phumin.

Meanwhile, schools in Mae Sot have closed indefinitely, while Umphang, Mae Sot, Mae Ramat, Phop Phra and Tha Song Yang districts were all declared disaster zones, after being hit by up to 150mm of rain.

Villagers at Ban Khane Jeu in Tha Song Yang were evacuated from a landslide-risk area while a man's dead body was found in the river in Mae Sot's Jokjor Community.

The Northern Meteorological Centre said 90 per cent of the northern region had been hit by heavy rain for 1-2 days, while Tak would also faced downpours for a similar period.

Nakhon Ratchasima had had about 110mm of rain. Residents in risky parts of Pak Chong district were warned of flood-water pouring out of Khao Yai National Park.

-- The Nation 2011-06-28

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Thai Parties must work together to heal rifts

Follow this link:

[webfact]

OBEC planning fee to improve state school

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Nan floodwater stabilise; two dead in disaster, PM to inspect flood sitation today; Tak authorities worry as water keeps rising /MCOT

[webfact]

Pick up truck collided into 10-wheeler in Chiang Mai during heavy rain killing 10 instantly and injuring 2 /TAN_Network

[webfact]

Abhisit slams former FM Noppadon, saying he does not have the right to criticize govt because he supported Cambodia's sole listing of temple /TAN_Network

[webfact]

Facebook valued at 70 billion dollars as new investor buys in

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,015.33, up 5.01 points /MCOT

[webfact]

Bail Petition for Red Leaders Dissmissed

The court has again denied a petition seeking the release of two core red-shirt figures who have been held for months on terrorism charges since the revocation of their bail.

The Appeals Court turned down a petition by a legal team representing two core red-shirt figures, Jatuporn Prompan, a Pheu Thai Party-list MP candidate, and Nisit Sinthuprai.

The legal team was requesting that the two be released on bail.

The two have been held at Bangkok Remand Prison after the court ruled to revoke bail in response to their controversial political rally speech, which referred to the monarch.

Meanwhile, Jataporn appeared in Criminal Court to hear the libel case Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has filed against him.

The charge comes from Jatuporn's suggestion two years ago that Abhisit acted as a royal member by taking a seat at the same level with His Majesty the King while in audience.

Former premier Somchai Wongsawat, one of Jatuporn's witnesses, said the suggestion must come from the accused's perception that Abhisit's manner during his audience with His Majesty was inappropriate, while the claim that his remark could create misunderstandings depends on the judgment of the individual.

Somchai said the people in the prime minister post will always be advised about proper etiquette for an audience with His Majesty the King, and he cannot determine whether Abhisit followed the etiquette.

He added that he is unsure whether Jatuporn's remark could put a strain on Abhsit's image given that it is based on the perception of an individual.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-28

[webfact]

AFP: Violence feared after key Thai elections

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Those who fail to vote will lose their political rights

BANGKOK, 28 June 2011 (NNT)-One week before the 54th election takes place on 3 July 2011, the Public Relations Department emphasized that eligible voters could lose certain rights if they did not vote in this election.

Those requesting to vote in the advance voting last Sunday but failed to do so are required to provide the authority with reasonable explanation until 10 July if they wish not to lose their rights.

By not voting on the election day, their rights to become a member of parliament and a senator would automatically be renounced. They will not be able to object the election of MPS, senators, local councils and local senators. And lastly, they will lose their rights to run as head of a sub-district or a village.

-- NNT 2011-06-28

[webfact]

Historical Site Tourism Unaffected by World Heritage Withdrawal

The Ayutthaya Tourism Business Association believes Thailand’s withdrawal from the World Heritage Committee will not affect tourism at Ayutthaya historical sites as they are famous by their own rights.

Itthipan Khaolamai, a public relations officer for the Ayutthaya Tourism Business Association, has expressed confidence that Thailand’s withdrawal from the World Heritage Committee will not affect tourism at historic ruins in the province since they were long ago designated as a World Heritage sites.

He believes the move will not affect the World Heritage status of the historic sites, and he expects foreign tourists will continue to visit the historic sites, which attract some three million foreign visitors annually.

Itthipan noted that the ancient city of Ayutthaya has become a major tourist attraction among foreign tourists due to its outstanding history and culture, and this makes him confident that the World Heritage site will not be affected by the withdrawal.

He added that the number of visitors should be influenced by global economic conditions and the local political situation.

In the meantime, Jirapan Pimpan, chairman of the Ayutthaya Cultural Council, stated that valuable historical sites in the province attract numerous tourists, both Thais and foreign, each year.

He said being designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site is simply a form of national pride for being accepted by foreign countries, but no one can deny that these sites are famous by their own rights.

Jirapan revealed Thailand has received only a small budget from UNESCO for the care of these sites.

Most of the money used for restoration and development of the historical sites has come from the state budget, while activities to promote tourism of these sites have been supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the private sector.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-28

[webfact]

Police Arrest Bomb Throwers in Sisaket

Sisaket police have nabbed four men in connection with a bomb attack at the house of a Bhumjaithai Party MP candidate for constituency three.

Sisaket police said they arrested four men for allegedly throwing bombs into the home of Bhumjaithai Party MP candidate for constituency three, Udomlak Pengnorapat, on the evening of June 25.

They have been identified as 20 year old Wasat Suksawang and three boys of 14-16 years old.

The bombs destroyed many items in the house, including the windows and the door, but no one was injured in the attack.

An initial probe suggested that all four suspects did it out of bad judgement as they merely wanted to figure it out if the bombs really worked.

They insisted they did not intend to claim a life or destroy property.

Police said the four men will be indicted for bomb possession and bombing a public area.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-28

[webfact]

Michelle Yeoh, who plays pro-democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi in an upcoming film, has been deported from Myanmar /AFP

[webfact]

UNESCO chief sends letter to Thai PM expressing regret over Thailand's decision to withdraw from World Heritage Convention /MCOT