Thailand Live Friday 1 Jul 2011

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AFP: Strife-torn Thailand set for tense election

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DSI to Hold Off Legal Actions Against Thaksin, Wife in Shin Corp Asset Concealment Case

The Department of Special Investigation is following the decision of the public prosecutor not to take legal action against exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his former wife according to the court's ruling in the asset concealment case last year.

Department of Special Investigation or DSI Director-General Tharit Pengdit said the agency agrees with the public prosecutor not to bring legal action against ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his former wife, Pojaman Na Pompetch, as petitioned by the Securities and Exchange Commission or SEC in the alleged asset concealment case involving the sale of shares in Shin Corporation.

The SEC alleged that the two transferred all of their shares held in the company to family members and Ample Rich Company on September 1, 2000.

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions last year ruled to seize 46.37 billion baht out of the 76.6-billion-baht Shinawatra family fortune earned by selling their shares in Shin Corp and share dividends.

The DSI chief said the refusal to proceed with legal action according the court's ruling in this case is separate from the petition filed by a civic network against amnesty for Thaksin, which called for a probe into alleged irregularities in Pheu Thai Party No.1 list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra's share reports.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-01

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At 7pm today: Dem fans meet Abhisit & team at Royal Plaza. Pheu Thai fans meet Yingluck at Rajamangala stadium. /via@veen_NT

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Insurgents threw giant firecrackers at the city hall and the Bajoh District Office in Narathiwat but no damages were sustained /

Metropolitan police confiscated Bt416 mln worth of substance used to make narcotics; DSI confiscate more than 1 mln speed pills /

/TAN_Network

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Two Thai men sentenced to hang for drug trafficking in Malaysia

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AFP: Thai PM finds Thaksin tough act to follow

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Residents, authorities alarmed as 4 cracks emerge in middle of village in Nan's Pua district after flood, over 100 villagers evacuated /MCOT

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Police Prepare For Election Day Expat Sobriety Riots

Bangkok’s alcoholic farang population “unpredictable”

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Phuket guides call for action over Korean, Russian rivals

A guide leads tourists at Phuket's iconic Laem Promthep viewpoint.

The issue of foreigners working illegally as tour guides is to be

investigated by a provincial committee.

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Phuket Red Cross blood drive for July

The Phuket red Cross Blood Center is continuing its drive to replenish

much-needed blood stocks.

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Rolling boulders crash into Phuket resort

L'Orchidee Residences managing director Jean Jacques Gramond

explains how the boulders crashed into the resort.

A tree at the Patong hillside resort was sheared off by one of

the tumbling boulders.

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PAD to Call Off Rally Tonight

The People's Alliance for Democracy is planning to end its rally tonight after 158 days.

The group has also reiterated that voting No has valid legal implication and will give the people leverage against the government.

Spokesperson for the People's Alliance for Democracy Panthep Puapongpan, said that the group will end its rally today at 8 P.M.

The group will also make a statement, outlining its accomplishments during the rally and call on its supporters to vote No in the election.

Panthep said that according to Articles 88 and 89 of the charter, voting No has valid legal implication.

He said in 2007, lawmakers approved a law that constituency MP candidates must win at least 20 percent of total votes, while the figure must also exceed the number of abstained votes.

The PAD is confident in its 'Vote No' campaign, saying that it is a symbolic gesture which will empower the people against the government.

Chamlong Srimuang, one of the PAD leaders, reiterated that during the 158 days of the rally, the group has never demanded House dissolution because its main purpose is to demonstrate its intention to protect national sovereignty.

Chamlong added that even though the rally will end tonight, it will take some time for the group to clean up the area and dismantle the main stage.

As for whether voting No will have any legal implication, Chamlong said that it will be up to the court's ruling.

Meanwhile, PAD coordinator Prapan Koonmee pointed out that there have been some attempts to smear the 'Vote No' campaign, such as a misleading statement released by the Election Commission.

Prapan said that poll panel has acted inappropriately because all votes of abstention must be respected.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-01

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Insurgents attack Narathiwat Hall, district chief's house

By The Nation

Insurgents fired an M79 grenade at the Narathiwat Provincial Hall Friday, in what are seen as a stepped-up attacks ahead of election day.

Police said an unknown number of insurgents fired the grenade with a M79 launcher at the Narathiwat Hall in the Government Complex in Muang district at about 11.20am.

The grenade missed the hall and landed on the ground in front of the national flag pole. No one was hurt and the explosion did not cause any damage to the building, police said.

At almost the same time, two insurgents attacked the Bacho district chief's house inside the district office compound with a home-made bomb, police said.

The explosion blew a big hole outside the fence of the district office and damaged two sedan cars and two motorcycles parked at the scene.

The attack was about 15 metres away from the district chief's house.

Police checked the feed of the security camera at the spot and saw two men in traditional sarongs arriving on a motorcycle.

The pillion rider lit the bomb made with a PVC pipe and threw it at the district chief's house. But the bomb hit the leaves of a coconut palm and fell outside the fence, police said.

-- The Nation 2011-07-01

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Security stepped up for rallies

By The Nation

The Metropolitan Police Bureau has stepped up security as a precaution in the face of Friday's closing campaign rallies by the Democrats and Pheu Thai while a number of police officers have been temporarily transferred due to their partisanship.

"Internal probes have been launched on police officers suspected to have abandoned political neutrality," Police legal adviser General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said Friday.

Surin police commander Maj General Ronnapong Saikaew have been seconded to Bangkok and targetted for a fact-finding investigation following a complaint about partisanship, Pongsapat said.

Police inspector General Sataporn Laothong is leading the probe on the Ronnapong case and Maj General Prasit Thamdee will become the acting Surin police chief during the investigation, he said.

During the campaign, some nine police officers have been banned from entering constituencies in Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Maha Sarakham, Bueng Kan, Nong Khai, Yasothon, Chon Buri and Ratchaburi, he said.

He added that police were investigating a complaint filed by 13 kamnan in Ang Thong alleging intimidation to sway votes. The complaint claimed that an aide of Pheu Thai campaign manager Panlop Pinmanee had made threatening calls to canvassers to stop supporting rival candidates.

From the start to the final week of campaigning, police have dealt with 25 cases of electoral cheating.

Under the election law, candidates and parties must stop all campaign activities tomorrow at 6pm ahead of Sunday's vote. The campaign ban runs until midnight on Sunday even though the ballots close at 3pm

-- The Nation 2011-07-01

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American resident injured in East Pattaya house fire

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Man Accused Of Lewd Acts On 4 Year Old Child In South Pattaya

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Middle Eastern man wanted for aggravated theft of shop owner in North Pattaya

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TAT: Foreign tourists love Thai sea

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Suspect in shooting of Pheu Thai former MP Pracha in Samut Prakan turns himself in; paid Bt5,000 to identify Pracha to gunman /TAN_Network

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100 Nan residents evacuate village as widening cracks threaten stability of flood-impacted structure

NAN, July 1 – Local authorities in Nan's Pua district have evacuated over 100 residents of Sakad subdistrict after rains and flooding, and possible underground erosion, weakened the subsoil, threatening the safety and stability of a school and at least 30 homes.

Heavy rains followed by flooding have threated the stability of the villages structure, the authorities said.

Watcharachai Chaiyamas, a senior official of Sakad suddistrict, said local government workers inspected the cracks at four village locations and were concerned that the small crevasses forming in the village centre could lead to subsidence and collapsing structures.

A crack 12 metres long and 35 centimetres deep was found at the entrance of Sakad Pattana School and another, is six metres long and 12 metres deep, occurred in front of the main school building.

A shallow crack, 500 metres long and but three centimetres deep was found on a mountain side, south of village, while a crevasse 20 metres long and 20 centimetres deep was found north of the village. Cracks in the soil were found at three homes.

Officials have evacuated 136 residents from 30 homes to stay in a temporary shelter at the Baan Sakad health office. The cracks and the evacuation followed heavy rain and flooding in Pua district. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-07-03

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Criminal Court rejects 4th bail request by key UDD leader Jatuporn seeking temporary release.

'No new grounds to change earlier court verdict' / MCOT

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Pheu Thai, Democrats conclude campaign with major rallies

BANGKOK, July 7 – Thailand’s contending Pheu Thai and Democrat parties wrapped up their political campaigns Friday evening with major rallies in Bangkok, as supporters braved the rain to attend the last gatherings before Sunday’s election.

The political parties are prohibited from any campaigning after 6pm Saturday until midnight Sunday, July 3.

Thailand's oldest political party, the Democrat Party, held its biggest campaign rally at the Royal Plaza, focusing on the future of the country with a non-violent approach, as the rival Pheu Thai Party opted for its last rally at Rajamangala Stadium concentrating on the party's so-called "Thailand Vision 2020."

The two rallies broadcast their events live on satellite TV and streamed online in the Internet.

The main focus of the Democrat's last rally was "the future of Thailand under the same sky". Outgoing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, in his capacity as Democrat Party leader pointed out to the public that they and the country will share a bright future if they walk together and strengthen the country under the constitutional monarchy.

Other key Democrat speakers were former Bangkok mayor Apirak Kosayodhin, the party's election director for Bangkok, and deputy party leader Korn Chatikavanij, Minister of Finance in the outgoing current government.

The top Pheu Thai party list candidate for the premiership, Yingluck Shinawatra, youngest sister of ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, announced her party’s theme of "Thailand Vision 2020."

"Thailand Vision 2020" outlines 20 targets Pheu Thai will try to achieve, including building national reconciliation, raising the minimum daily wage to 1,000 baht as part of its poverty eradication focus, and to improve the country’s main infrastructure, graft reduction and improved administration of justice.

Key speakers in the Pheu Thai camp included former chief Pheu Thai MP Chalerm Yubamrung and Natthawut Saikua.

Other parties also were holding their last major rallies including Chart Thai Pattana Party leader Chumpol Silpa-archa at Nakhon Pathom, and the Rak Prathet Thai of Chuwit Kamolvisit at Sukhumvit Soi 10. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-07-01

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Thailand officially signs Germany's Winfried Schaefer as coach

Thailand officially signs Germany's Winfried Schaefer as coach for its national football team on three-year contract. /MCOT

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Police on guard during Democrat, Pheu Thai final campaigns

BANGKOK, 1 July 2011 (NNT) – Police have beefed up security during the last major election campaigns of the Democrat and the Pheu Thai Parties within Bangkok this evening while confirming no signs of violence before the poll on Sunday.

With the major campaign events of the Democrat and the Pheu Thai Parties being held today at the Royal Plaza and Rajamangala Stadium, respectively, National Police Advisor Police General Pongsapat Pongcharoen stated that the Metropolitan Police Bureau had been ordered to station 600 security officers at each location. Security checkpoints have been set up while inspectors are on the lookout on the outer, middle and inner circles of the events.

Special attention is being paid to the Democrat’s campaign due to its close proximity to the demonstration of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) at Makkawan Rangsan Bridge. As the PAD has announced the end of its rally, the protesters are expected to start packing up their belongings and moving out tonight, increasing the possibility of their confrontations with Democrat supporters as well as unrest instigations.

As for the security operation during the last leg of the election campaign, Pol Gen Pongsapat affirmed that there had been no indications of political chaos or movements of suspected gunmen thus far. He also reminded the public to refrain from making comments regarding political parties on the internet from 18.00 hrs of 2 July until after midnight of 3 July, adding that numerous websites would be under surveillance by the police.

-- NNT 2011-07-01

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to continue

Thailand Live Saturday 2nd July 2011

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/479401-thailand-live-saturday-2-jul-2011/