Thailand Live Friday 1 Jul 2011

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Thailand Live Friday 1 Jul 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 Thursday 30 June 2011

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Today's Thailand weather and forecasts:

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London gap year students killed in Thailand coach crash

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ANALYSIS

Thai Election - A last-ditch attempt

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What you can't do this weekend; Thai election

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Thai PM Abhisit accuses rivals of hidden agenda

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Bangkok selected as World Book Capital 2013

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JULY ELECTION

Chart Thai 'will lead a coalition you could trust'

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EDITORIAL

Thailand is a regional hub for human misery

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Democrats present new face in Bang Kapi

By Budsarakham Sinlapalavan

The Nation

Bang Kapi is one of the few constituencies where the Democrat Party has decided to a field a new face for the July 3 election.

Nat Bantadtan, 37, son of Democrat adviser and former party chief Banyat Bantadthan, is contesting in Bangkok's Bang Kapi constituency against Pheu Thai's Pakdeeharn Himathongkham, a former elected member of the Bangkok Council from Wang Thonglang district.

Just as in many other constituencies, Bang Kapi has seen the Democrat candidate being booed by red shirts who also showed them Pheu Thai's No 1 election number. However, the candidates from the two biggest parties have agreed to refrain from slandering each other in the campaign.

In his campaign, Nat has made door-to-door visits to explain his policies while his staff give him written reports on people's problems.

"After one month, I am getting slimmer," he said. "Please give me an opportunity. I want to work for our country," is what Nat usually says when visiting the constituents.

He said he believed the constituents' support for him and the Pheu Thai candidate was split equally. He said it was clear that people in housing estates supported him while those living in markets supported his rival.

He sees the red shirts' protest against him as a form of expression. Nat said he had talked to many red shirts and Pheu Thai supporters in a bid to make them understand the problems the country was facing.

"They have shown some understanding but are still not very happy," he said.

His team said they faced a tough time in the early stages of their election campaign. Some people showed the No 1 sign, some booed while some waved posters carrying the words "No 10 [the Democrat number] is iron" every time they walked past the Bang Kapi Market.

"But now they don't show that poster to us. We think it's because we pass the market almost every day and they are probably tired of showing the poster every time," a member from Nat's campaign staff said.

Pheu Thai's Pakdeeharn, 38, recently was admitted to hospital after a long election campaign. He was discharged two days later and resumed his campaigning almost immediately.

Pakdeeharn said he visited most areas in his constituency and received a warm welcome, with many people giving him flowers. Despite what he viewed as strong support for him, he would not underestimate his competitor or become too confident, he said.

In the 2007 election, he outperformed his competitor in many opinion polls but failed to get elected. So this time, despite his good performance in the polls, he said he would continue visiting his constituents. In some areas, he makes door-to-door visits to explain his policies but in other areas he only makes speeches at certain locations.

"I have served this area for a long time, so I know when and where to visit the constituents in each area. Moreover, my wife helps me in visiting people, too. Sometimes we divide the areas we intend to visit, but sometimes we go together."

He said he did not know whom the people would choose but he would do his best.

-- The Nation 2011-07-01

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Voters should double-check details: EC

By The Nation

Voters should double-check their name and designated polling station in order to rectify any errors ahead of Sunday's vote, Election Commission member Prapun Naigowit said yesterday.

"Checks can be done through the voting kit mailed to each voter, the list of eligible voters posted at every district office and the website www.khonthai.com," he said.

Prapun said absentee voters, who registered to cast advance ballots outside their designated polling station but failed to show up last Sunday, would not get a second chance to vote on election day.

Under Article 97 of the Elections Act, only absentee voters registered at their designated polling station can choose to vote either in advance or on election day, he said.

Election watchdog P-Net has called for those who planned but failed to vote outside their designated polling station to get another chance to vote at their constituency. The EC cannot comply with such a request due to the law, Prapun said.

In regard to concerns that there might still be voters lining up to cast their ballots at closing time, he said officials at each polling station could use their discretion in allowing those arriving before or precisely at 3pm to vote.

He urged voters to plan ahead in order to avoid being late.

Should an unanticipated incident disrupt voting, each polling station can be moved to a safer place, he said, adding that the EC could, under dire circumstances, reschedule the ballot if necessary.

He said the public should not be overly concerned about balloting obstacles because the floods in Nan had receded and there were no reports about military skirmishes breaking out on the Thai-Cambodian border.

In a related development, the EC yesterday organised a briefing about the Thai electoral system for international observers from the European Union, foreign watchdogs and 10 countries.

At the EC's invitation, representatives from Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Switzerland and Japan will observe Sunday's balloting to ensure a free and fair vote.

-- The Nation 2011-07-01

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Poll a 'chance to bring about new social order'

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

Thailand needs to re-negotiate its social contract and this cannot be imposed from the top but negotiated in an all inclusive and rule-based deliberation process, said Marc Saxer, Thailand director for the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

Saxer, who wrote an analysis paper on the future of Thai politics released yesterday, said Thai politics, which is still largely determined by "traditional power structures" behind facades, are being increasingly undermined by socio-economic development. However, democratic mechanisms are not yet powerful enough to satisfy the growing expectations of society.

"Thailand is experiencing the de-legitimisation of its traditional order, and fights fiercely over the re-negotiation of the social contract," Saxer wrote.

Sunday's general election, Saxer said, opens a window of opportunity for competing elites to strike a deal; a political stalemate has occurred since the 2006 coup. He pointed out that the support of the majority of the population, or at least their silent consent, is now needed to legitimise any future government. At the same time, new economic elites and a broader middle class depend to a much lesser degree on the patronage of traditional elites.

One major challenge is how the new emerging political culture can accept plurality in politics and identities.

"Today, the traditional resentments of the North and the Northeast against Bangkok are reflected in the red movement. But even in the centre, the diversification of ways of life creates a plurality of identities and value communities. Myriads of subcultures co-exist in the metropolis of Bangkok. Gender relations are beginning to change, and a broad spectrum of sexual identities is being embraced in the open. Consumerism and the ethics of globalised capitalism are contradictory to the widespread rediscovery of Buddhist traditions and ways of life. Dealing with this plurality is a challenge for Thailand's political culture."

Saxer concluded that the current political crisis can only be understood by recognising the underlying legitimacy crisis of the political, social and cultural order.

"The crisis goes well beyond the failure of individuals or institutions, but rather the centralist, semi-authoritarian governance system, the vertical social hierarchy and the unified political culture are no longer able to deal with the complexity, plurality and conflict of Thai economy and society," Saxer concluded.

Saxer adds that Thais need not feel fatalistic about the situation. "The vitality of social movements, an alternative media, the courage of civil society and the expertise of academia shows clearly that the country has already changed much more profoundly than many elites like to acknowledge."

-- The Nation 2011-07-01

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Exhibition opens at the National Gallery to celebrate the King's 84th birthday

By The Nation

The Fine Arts Department yesterday launched an exhibition relating to HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 84th Birthday Anniversary.

Held at the National Gallery, the exhibition displayed 112 designs about the beloved monarch.

They were entries submitted to a contest, which the Fine Arts Department has organised to look for what should be used as the official emblem for the king's 84th birthday anniversary celebrations.

Up to 63 people joined the contest, submitting a total of 112 designs.

Three best items were selected and forwarded to His Majesty for consideration.

His Majesty has handpicked the design created by Siri Nudaeng, a lecturer at the Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin's Poh Chang College.

"It's the greatest honour," Siri said.

According to him, he has adjusted his original design in response to His Majesty's comment too.

"His Majesty wishes to see the rabbit become agile and cheerful," he disclosed.

The updated version has now been declared as the official emblem for His Majesty's 84th birthday anniversary celebrations.

Siri received an award from the Fine Arts Department deputy director general Anek Seehamart yesterday.

He said the exhibition would run till December 31. Also on display were emblems used for His Majesty's 60th birthday anniversary celebrations and many special occasions relating to the monarch.

Anek said the National Archive in Commemoration of HM the King's Golden Jubilee in Pathum Thani also displayed an exhibition about His Majesty's royal ordination ceremony.

"Group visitors can enjoy video presentation too but their group size must comprise at least 50 persons," he added.

According to him, the national archive there has hosted an exhibition about His Majesty's biography too.

"It has chronicled his life from birth till now," Anek said.

-- The Nation 2011-07-01

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Hunters sought in Umphang

By The Nation

Authorities in Umphang district in Tak are seeking two Vietnamese hunters and a Hmong man who are on the run for allegedly hunting tigers and wild boars in Thung Yai Naresuan and Huai Kha Khaeng wildlife sanctuaries.

The developments follow the arrests on Monday of hunters Nhai Saetao and Hoang Van Hien along with guns, 23 kilograms of wild boar meat and some chopped agarwood.

Um Phang district chief Chawengsak Jaikham said officials had set up checkpoints around the district and sent a team to hunt for the three fugitives, who are believed to be hiding in jungle. The Hmong man was identified as Kuk Saesong from Khiri Rat subdistrict in Phop Phra district.

Nhai and Hien face charges of carrying guns to hunt animals in a wildlife sanctuary and cutting down agarwood trees, which violates the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act 1992, Chawengsak said.

-- The Nation 2011-07-01

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Esarn students "insufficiently taught" inspectors find

By The Nation

A large number of Esarn University students can expect postponement of their graduation in the next semester, as a result of "substandard quality" of lectures, the head of an inspection committee probing the scandal said yesterday.

All 2,713 graduates, mostly studying educational management at bachelor's and masters level, had been insufficiently taught, said Prof Anont Thiangtrong.

The group had only three lecturers to coach all of them- either at the ESU headquarters in Khon Kaen or other campuses, while the legal minimum ratio was one lecturer per five students,

"The panel would likely recommend postponing approval of the degrees and their graduation after the current semester ends," he said. The panel would decide on the postponement on July 13.

Esarn University has been supervised by an Education Ministry administration as a result of a degreeselling scandal, which saw a number of students' teaching degrees revoked - while teachers who secured jobs using fake degrees were faced with dismissal and possible criminal prosecution for use of fake documents.

-- The Nation 2011-07-01

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Thailand joins battle to save the gentle dugong

By Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Thailand has become the 20th partner country in international efforts to save the dugong [sea cow], despite reports that some 15 dugong are found dead in its waters each year.

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry's Marine and Coastal Resources Department yesterday teamed up with the UN Environment Programme(UNEP)'s convention of migratory species to sign a memorandum of understanding on the conservation and management of dugongs and their habitats. To date, 19 countries - including Australia, France, India, Kenya,and Burma - have signed this MoU to share resources and knowledge to protect dugongs.

Thailand and the UNEP will plan ways to preserve dugongs and share knowledge from research to save the gentle marine mammal, the department's director Kasemsant Jinnawaso said.

Moreover, Thailand will be listed as a priority country to receive grants to support research on dugong conservation.

Recently the dugong population around the world has drastically declined. At present, Australia has the highest dugong population of 80,000, followed by the Arabian Sea nations with 2,000 to 3,000.

In Thailand, the dugong has been listed as a protected animal under the 1992 Preservation and Protection Animals.

Nowadays it has 240 dugongs living in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand. Trang province's Koh Lipong and Hat Chao Mai are also important dugong habitats.

Even though the dugongs' mortality rate has declined over the past twelve years and there is no direct hunting in Thailand, the marine resources agency reports that 14 to 15 dugongs are found dead each year. Most died from entanglement in fishing gear.

" The greatest source of mortality was from human [influence], which occurs around the world," biologist Kanchana Adulyanukosol said.

Moreover, seagrass, a primary food source for dugongs is being destroyed heavily by fishing activity which puts dugongs at risk from extinction.

-- The Nation 2011-07-01

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Politicians prioritise personal benefits: Senate committee

By The Nation

The Senate subcommittee on corruption and good governance yesterday came up with an explanation as to why many politicians are corruptible: according to their values, their own and their party's benefits are more important than those of everyone else.

Secretarygeneral of the Office of the Ombudsman, Sriracha Charoenpanich said corruption was a serious issue in Thailand, especially among officials.

Global graft watchdog Transparency International has ranked Thailand 80th in the world and given it a rating of 3.5 out of 10 (zero being highly corrupt, 10 being very clean).

It also reported that Thai publicsector corruption had risen by 10 per cent since 2007 to 50 per cent at present, representing Bt200 billion in cost terms.

Subcommittee member and chairman of the 5th National Moral Marketplace and Assembly organisation, Air Chief Marshal Weerawit Khongsak, said politicians with twisted values contributed to the overall problem, but so, too, did political parties that ignored antigraft and moral promotion policies.

Urging Parliament to get back on track on the occasion of its 79th anniversary, he called on MPs to support antigraft laws under the principle of the "five virtues": honesty; diligence; achievement of goodness for society; keeping one's word; and being credible and respectful in the eyes of others.

-- The Nation 2011-07-01

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Floods recede in Tak, Phayao

By The Nation

Flooding in Tak and Phayao provinces is improving, whilst large areas of Chiang Rai, Nan and Sukhothai provinces remain submerged, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief Wibul Sanguanpong said yesterday.

The floods have struck five northern provinces, affecting 118,886 people. One person has died in Tak and another is missing in Nan.

The department and provincial governors will hold a teleconference today to discuss solutions to the flooding and rehabilitation.

Wibul said the northern flood had damaged 53,227 rai (8,516 hectares) of farmland and various infrastructures. Disaster prevention offices in Phitsanulok, Chiang Rai and Lampang were working with the affected provinces to assist 44,679 residents in 20 districts of Chiang Rai, Nan and Sukhothai provinces.

The floodwater has damaged an ancient wall and canal in Nan's Muang district.

Fine Arts Department deputy chief Anej Sihamat said four or five historical sites in other districts had been slightly damaged. The department is monitoring the flooding in Sukhothai province in case of further damage to historical sites.

-- The Nation 2011-07-01

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Got you covered

By The Nation

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) yesterday installed the city's 10,000th security camera at Victory Point Plaza, near the Victory Monument, and vowed to keep adding them until there were 20,000 security cameras around Bangkok by the end of next year.

In a ceremony to mark the installation, Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra said the 10,000 security cameras aimed to protect people by covering risky areas, including 700 schools, 600 communities and markets, and 160 hospitals and important sites.

After the number of cameras reaches 20,000, the BMA will integrate them with about 200,000 closedcircuit cameras belonged to private organisations and other agencies, feeding images through fibreoptic cables to coordination centres in 50 districts as well as to police stations. The images will also be sent to the city hall's security system and riskyarea control centre, which will pass them on to agencies such as the Metropolitan Police Bureau.

-- The Nation 2011-07-01

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Aliens register

By The Nation

Nearly 400,000 alien workers have applied for worker registration with the Thai authorities, Labour Ministry permanent secretary Somkiat Chayawong said yesterday.

Inspecting alien workers' registration processes in Chiang Rai's Mae Chan district, Somkiat said the ministry required employers to register immigrant workers in the month from June 15 to July 14. Up to June 29, 62,300 employers around the country have registered 396,936 immigrant workers. Of these, 286,542 are from Burma.

In Chiang Rai alone, 20,000 immigrant workers are applying for registration.

Somkiat expressed confidence that more people would come forward in the remaining days and the ministry would achieve its target of registering 1 million immigrant workers.

He also warned Thai employers against selling or buying the right to hire immigrant workers from others, as this was illegal and a waste of money.

-- The Nation 2011-07-01

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Thai Army Chief Brushes Aside Coup Rumor

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Phuket expo center coming ‘no matter what’: Raywat

Raywat Areerob and his ‘team’ of supporters at the Phuket Merlin Hotel.

Photo: Natdanai Arno

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Officials 'slash and burn' 25 tons of pirate goods in Phuket

More than 27,000 of the items in the pile were seized in Phuket.

Photo: Natdanai Arno

Customs officers use box cutters to slash a fake Louis Vuitton bag with box cutters.

Photo: Natdanai Arno

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Phuket restaurants race against coastal erosion

Workers have dropped sandbags in place and are racing to repair the

collapsed sea wall before the pounding monsoon surf does more damage.

A large section of the pavement has collapsed into the sea.

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Region 7 police arrest 2 suspects in shooting of Donyai SAO chief in Ratchaburi; motive is affair victim had with suspect's wife /TAN_Network

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Financial markets in Hong Kong and Thailand are closed on Friday for public holidays /MCOT

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Abhisit claims 3rd party looking to cause chaos if he loses election; confident there will be no coup and military fully democratic /TAN_Network

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Pheu Thai Denies Bribing Press

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PAD's 'Vote No' Campaign Reaches Last Leg

With the election coming up on Sunday, the People's Alliance for Democracy is pushing its 'Vote No' campaign where the public has shown support for the cause.

A member of the People's Alliance for Democracy or PAD splinter group, the Land Protection Power, Vice Admiral Prateep Cheunarom said while campaigning at Chattuchak market, Suwintwong Road, Ramindra Road, Sripatum University, and other places, that the public has shown continuous support for the PAD's 'Vote No' campaign.

He asserted that ticking 'No Vote' on the ballot will demonstrate the public's political power, and the campaign has been smooth, with only a few obstacles where there has been opposition in red-shirt areas.

The PAD is holding its 'Vote No' campaign rally in Silom area today and will continue its campaign at Makawan Rangsan Bridge later today.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-01

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AFP: Thaksin 'clone' frontrunner to be Thai PM

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