Thailand Live Monday 4 Jul 2011

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AFP: Outgoing Thai PM Abhisit Resigns As Party Leader

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MARKETS

Majority win will help Thai shares

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Jealous Phuket cop kills wife, self

The site of Phuket's latest murder-suicide was a woman's boutique

on Nanai Road in Patong.

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Private Sector Demands New Government Boost Investor Confidence

The private sector is hoping that the new government will focus on fixing the country's economy, while adding that the Thai economy will continue to expand assuming there is no political chaos.

Despite the ongoing expression of Thais being fed up by politics, a large number of people exercised their democratic rights during the general election yesterday.

The Sahapat Group manager Songchai Wongpiyavarang said that the country's political stability is essential to creating investor confidence.

However, he said most investors are well aware of the Thai political situation and will continue to invest with caution despite the political chaos.

He said the new government should start by solving the issue of expensive goods prices.

He added that those who attended the Sahapat Group 15th fair expressed their opinion, saying that they want the government to solve the issue of rising goods prices while bringing about national reconciliation and increasing the minimum wage rate to keep up with the rising goods prices.

He said the Sahapat fair was held for four days, and that yesterday was the last day.

He said the fair attracted interest from the masses as it provided a variety of commodities at low prices.

He said the fair had 10 percent more customers, or 1.2 million more people, and had injected 20 to 25 percent more money into circulation compared to last year.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-04

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France Proposes to be Middleman for Border Conflict

France has vowed to assist Cambodia in a variety of matters such as politics, their economy and the long-standing border conflict between Bangkok and Phnom Penh.

The Prime Minister of France, Francois Fillon said on Saturday that France is ready to help resolve the simmering Thai-Cambodian border conflict, through map provisions and by providing other means for a peaceful solution.

Fillon's promise was made during a one-hour meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday afternoon at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh.

At the meeting Fillon promised to send a copy of a map jointly explored and created by France and Thailand during the early 20th century, if requested.

The maps were produced by the Franco-Siamese commission between the period of 1905 and 1908 when France ruled Indo-China.

Secretary to Prime Minister Hun Sen, Srey Thamrong, added that Fillon even vowed to tighten relations regarding politics, the economy and investment in return for Cambodia's help with oil and natural gas exploration and airports for France.

As for political matters, France's Secretary of State for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ouch Borith, said that Fillon has promised to completely support Cambodia as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Meanwhile, Hun Sen thanked France for supporting Cambodia in health, education, and ancient temple restoration, and has called on Paris to continue helping Cambodia in terms of human resources and resolving legal and judicial problems.

He also pledged to support France's plans to invest in rice mills as they are one of Cambodia's primary focuses at the moment.

People Daily reported that last year Cambodian--French trade totaled 228 million U.S. Dollars.

Of the figure, France's exports to Cambodia were 66.8 million U.S. dollars and Cambodia's exports to France were 161.2 million U.S. dollars.

Cambodia's main products to France were garments, foot-wear and rice.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-04

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Democrat Party will have to pick new leader within 90 days. Abhisit can b re-nominated for post but doubt he will accept it. /via@tulsathit

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Fact-finding committee head Kanit says he will push forth with reconciliation but it has nothing to do with amnesty /TAN_Network

Banharn says he will not abandon pact with Bhum Jai Thai and will discuss with Pheu Thai about including it in coalition /TAN_Network

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Army chief will refrain from speaking to the media until new govt is formed /TAN_Network

EC expects to announce official result tomorrow /TAN_Network

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Election Thailand: Full count for Phuket is in

Long-standing Phuket Democrat Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr

casts her vote yesterday.

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PROFILE

Abhisit steps down as Democrat leader

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AFP: Thai ex-PM says no plans to return after sister's poll win

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Suthep states he will not accept a new nomination for the post of Democrat secretary-general /TAN_Network

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AFP: Thai Red Shirts urge govt to probe deadly unrest

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US congratulates Thailand for election result

BANGKOK, 4 July 2011 (NNT) – The United States has congratulated Thailand for a high voter turnout in the Sunday general election and says it is ready to work with the new government of Thailand.

According to a statement issued by US State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland, the US congratulates people of Thailand, whom it deems the long friend and ally of the US due to the high voter turnout in the 3 July general election.

The statement continued that the choice of the next leader of Thailand now depends on representatives elected by Thai people. The US is looking forward to working with the new Thai government to strengthen alliance, which is based on shared values and mutual respect.

According to the statement released by the US Department of State, the US is also looking forward to working with the opposition and non-partisan civil society, as it has always been doing.

Meanwhile, political expert Michael Montesano from the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore believed that the success of Pheu Thai heavyweight Yingluck Shinawatra is attributed to excitement of Thai people to see the first female prime minister despite her first entry into politics.

The academic added that Ms Yingluck is naturally attractive during her political campaigns with her supporters while the Democrat Party fails to hit the target as it promoted its policies in election campaigns.

-- NNT 2011-07-04

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Yingluck announces five-party coalition

By The Nation

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Lamphun sees highest voter turnout

Election Commission secretary-general Sutthipol Thaweechaikarn announced Monday that Lamphun saw the highest voter turnout in the Sunday general election.

Sutthipol said the northern province saw the voter turnout of 88.61 per cent.

-- The Nation 2011-07-04

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Ford signs Bt15.5 bn loan with Thai banks

By The Nation

Ford Motor Company has signed the credit facility worth Bt15.5 billion with Thai banks, to finance the construction of its new passenger car plant in Rayong.

The financiers are Bangkok Bank, Tisco Bank and Export and Import Bank of Thailand.

The agreement for the facility was reached earlier this year, but the signing took place today.

-- The Nation 2011-07-04

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Yingluck Pledges to Fulfill Party's Promises

Thailand's likely first female prime minister thanked voters for their overwhelming support after it became clear that a decisive majority was within reach.

She thanked all of the voters who gave her and the Pheu Thai Party the chance to work for the country.

Yingluck Shinawatra, the soon-to-be first female prime minister of Thailand, pledged to fulfill the party's campaign promises.

She thanked her brother, the fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinnawatra and all of the supporters who encouraged her along the way, since the beginning.

Yingluck insists that her party would make solving the people's economic difficulties their main priority and will move ahead with a national reconciliation plan.

Regarding the case concerning her family, she will assist the inspection team, led by Kanit Na-Nakorn that was assigned by the Democrat-led government as they proceed with the investigation.

Meanwhile, Yingluck said that Pheu Thai Party had approached the Chart Thai Pattana Party to join the coalition government and is considering what other parties to invite.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-04

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Foreign Media Interest in Thai Election

The International media is covering and discussing Thailand's 2011 general election which ended up in a landslide victory for the Pheu Thai Party.

CNN reported that Yingluck Shinawatra is set to become Thailand's first female prime minister after she led the opposition Pheu Thai party to a landslide election victory.

With almost all the votes counted, the Pheu Thai party has won a clear majority, with 262 seats out of the 500 up for grabs.

Abhisit Vejjajiva, on Sunday, conceded defeat in the hotly contested general election and congratulated his victorious opposition-- allies of fugitive ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

He said he will give Yingluck, the first female prime minister, the opportunity to form a government. He wants to see unity and reconciliation, and that the Democrats are ready to be the opposition party.

CNN also mentioned the concerns of many people that Yingluck will be under shadow of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra who is living in self-exile in Dubai, even though she has rejected these accusations.

Thaksin did an interview after the poll in which he said that although he wants to return to Bangkok, he will wait for the right time.

The Associated Press disclosed that Thailand called the first snap poll in five years' time after a bloodless 2006 coup d'etat by the junta and stated that it was hoped by many Thais that this poll would result in reconciliation.

However, AP pointed out that the 2011 poll is unlikely bring political peace to the Kingdom and suggested that upheaval could instead be deepened even further in the case that the poll results are not accepted by all sides, for example the Army Forces.

If this is the case, Thailand could encounter renewed political unrest and bloody protests that may be even worse than the protests 2010 that killed more than 90 people.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-04

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Ballot Tearing Reported in Many Provinces

Many provinces have reported cases of people tearing up their ballots and the incidents are being processed by authorities.

Uthai Thani police arrested 50-year-old Sam-ang Jitsue at polling station number 5 in Constituency 2 in Nongchang District after she tore her party-list ballot, which is a violation of Article 148.

Police said the suspect seemed drunk and she reasoned that she got a headache when she saw the long list of party names.

In Nakhon Sawan Province, Constituency 6 in Lardyao District, 55 year old Chalom Pancheewa tore up the party-list ballot.

She also seemed drunk and could not give a coherent statement to the police.

The penalty for tearing up a ballot is a one-year jail term, a fine of 20,000 baht, or both.

In Maha Sarakam Province, 81-year-old Boonsom Namsomboon tore up her ballot because she wanted a new ballot, since she could not find the pen provided to mark the ballots with.

Even though she was taken into custody, officials do not believe she intended to vandalize her ballot.

In Kalasin’s Khaowong District, deaf and mute 73-year-old Kern Krissanasai tore up her constituency ballot because she thought she needed three ballots for the election.

Charges have also been filed against her.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-04

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EC: Official election result available this evening

BANGKOK, 4 July 2011 (NNT) – The Election Commission (EC) has announced that the official election result will be announced by this evening pending a delayed delivery of results from some provinces due to bad weather conditions.

According to EC Secretary-General Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn, almost 100% of the ballots have been counted, and most of the constituencies have reported to the EC, except for Tak and Mae Hong Son provinces due to heavy rains and hilly terrain.

The official election result hence is expected to be available this evening or by tomorrow morning at the latest. The northern province of Lamphun has the highest voter turnout of 88.61% with 5.98% void ballots in the constituency system and 5.77% in the party-list system.

As for the whole country, void ballots were found in the constituency system more than in the party-list system with 5.74% and 4.87% respectively. Most of the void ballots were reported in the southern part of Thailand. The EC attributed the problem to poor knowledge in both Thai and Yawi languages among southern Muslim people.

In southernmost Yala, 10.37% of ballots in the constituency system were found void while 6.77% were found in the party-list system. The figures in Pattani were at 9.21% and 6.52% respectively while the figures in Narathiwat were at 8.18% and 6.34% respectively.

-- NNT 2011-07-04

In addition, there have been 195 complaints filed to the EC so far, and most of them are about vote buying, lack of political neutrality among electoral officials, violation against EC regulations as well as liquor and party arrangements.

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What a kind neighbour! Cambodia's Hor Nam Hong has congratulated Pheu Thai. /via @tulsathit /RT @veen_NT

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Govt formation at SC Park today (remember Arisman's spiderman stunt?) by @nationphoto http://yfrog.com/h283232323j /via@veen_NT

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Jatuporn to remain in jail, but things may change once EC endorses election results and pave the way for Parliament to convene. /via@tulsathit

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Yala sees highest number of invalid ballots

The southern province of Yala saw the highest number of invalid ballots, Election Commission secretary-general Sutthipol Thaweechaikarn announced Monday.

He said 10.37 per cent ballots for constituency election in the province became invalid while 6.77 per cent of party-list election were invalid.

Sutthipol said Pattani came second with 9.21 per cent invalid ballots for constituency vote and 6.52 per cent for party-list vote.

-- The Nation 2011-07-04

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New coalition govt pressing ahead with reconciliation

BANGKOK, 4 July 2011 (NNT) – Incoming Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has announced that the new Pheu Thai-led government will feature five political parties with 299 MP seats and will press ahead with the national reconciliation mission as the very first priority.

Speaking in a press briefing with representatives from coalition partners after luncheon at SC Park Hotel in Bangkok, Ms Yingluck announced that the new government will include the Pheu Thai, Chart Thai Pattana, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin, Phalang Chon and Mahachon Parties.

Ms Yingluck elaborated that the first mission of the government is to spearhead the reconciliation plan as the government will instruct Political Violence Fact-Finding Panel chaired by Prof Dr Kanit Na Nakorn to continue the operation while a free panel will be appointed to assist the operation.

The Pheu Thai heavyweight pledged that her party will not interfere in the operation of the panels so they will be neutral and free. She added that no amnesty will be made for only one person as criticised as the free panel will consider this issue while the nation is under the rule of laws.

Other missions are solutions to living costs problem, restoration of damaged foreign relations, unity rehabilitation and anti-corruption plan; therefore, people can rest assured that operation of the government can be traced and transparent.

The new government will also arrange a grand celebration for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej upon his 84th birthday anniversary so Thai people can express their loyalty to the monarch.

Ms Yingluck stated that selection of cabinet members would depend on performance, but she noted that it was too soon for this issue at present. She also answered the media that the military would be responsible for national security while the government would take care of national administration.

-- NNT 2011-07-04

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Pheu Thai leader forming five-party coalition gov't with 299 seats

BANGKOK, July 4 – Pheu Thai party leader Yingluck Shinawatra on Monday announced that her party, which gained a majority of votes in the July 3 election, will join forces with four smaller parties to form a coalition government.

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Missing: Swedish National Michael Carlberg

Mother's Phuket plea for help in finding son Michael Carlberg

PHONE HOME: Police have confirmed that Michael Carlberg is still

in the country.

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French drug suspect arrested by Pattaya Police with loaded firearm

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Pattaya report on Thai General Election

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