Thailand Live Tuesday 5 Jul 2011

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Thailand Live Tuesday 5 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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YINGLUCK CABINET

No red-shirt leaders in new Cabinet: Pheu Thai source

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THAI-KHMER TIES

Yingluck: Restoration of relations with Cambodia 'a priority'

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AMNESTY

Thai private sector warns against amnesty

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PARKING RAGE

Girl, 19, questioned by police over 'Dr Muk'

By The Nation

A 19-year-old girl at the cen?tre of an alleged act of "road rage" reported to police yester?day and stood by her father's statement that he drove the car that injured a female doctor on June 4.

Pinpisut Phuklan spent more than three hours being interrogated yesterday. She refused to give any interview to the media.

Since her father, Colonel Saksit Phuklan, came forward to show responsibility for injuries done to the doctor, doubts have grown about whether he was simply trying to protect someone else who may have driven the car.

As he works for the Royal Thai Army, the case will go to a military court if he is charged.

To date, police have not yet pressed charges against anyone. Saksit described the injuries of Dr Hathaiporn Imwittaya as being caused by an accident but her mother insisted it was a result of a deliberate attack.

Pinpisut reportedly quar?relled with Hathaiporn before the serious injuries were done. The victim is now slowly recov?ering from brain injuries.

Police will question the vic?tim, known as "Dr Muk", again before concluding the ongoing investigation.

"Available evidence is incriminating enough to press charges. But I am not going to disclose who will be charged at this point," Metropolitan Police Division 1 commander Maj General Wichai Sangprapai

-- The Nation 2011-07-05

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EDITORIAL

Yingluck's first challenge: prove you are not a puppet

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No jail release yet for red-shirt leader Jatuporn

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Sea-fan seller arrested

By The Nation

A man selling souvenirs made of a type of protected coral has been arrested at a Phuket market.

The provincial marine-life protection office warned at a press conference yesterday against possession of gorgonian, or sea fan, collected from the sea or products made of its parts. It also announced the recent arrest of the suspect.

Komol Phatjorn has been charged with possessing protected species or products made of their parts, after police arrested him recently for allegedly selling 120 souvenirs and bracelets and 20 pieces of sea fan at a market in Phuket.

Violators are subject to a four-year prison term and/or a maximum fine of Bt40,000.

-- The Nation 2011-07-05

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Figures show PAD failed to win support for 'no-vote'

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Other factors in Thai Democrats defeat: pundits

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Concern over promise for Bt300 minimum daily wage

By The Nation

The new minimum daily wage has become a major concern for employers and officials at the Labour Ministry, who are awaiting word from the incoming government, which promised voters during the election campaign it would back a pay hike for workers.

Somkiat Chayasriwong, permanent secretary at the Labour Ministry, said yesterday the Bt300 wage promised by Pheu Thai Party would be also be discussed at a meeting of the Wage Tripartite Committee scheduled tomorrow [July 6].

"As a government agency, the policy on the new [daily wage] rate will need to be reported and approved by the ministry's political leadership," he said.

A labour leader, Thawee Techatheerawat, said a flat rate of Bt300 and a starting salary of Bt15,000 a month for all university degree graduates - another promise by Pheu Thai Party - would be difficult. But labour groups would advocate the Bt300 rate to start from January 2012 at a meeting on Thursday.

Another labour leader, Chalee Loysoong, said the new government would be under huge pressure if it could not guarantee the flat Bt300 rate.

Withoon Kamolnaruemet, head of the Khon Kaen cham?ber of commerce, claimed a flat Bt300 rate would cause a 50-per-cent jump in operating costs for of most employers. Such election promises had already caused many companies to rethink whether they want to invest in Thailand.

Small and medium enterprises would be most affected by the Bt300 rate, and half of them would be suddenly faced with losses, or eventual closure. "And that would result in 50 per cent of (SME-associated] unemployment across the country," he warned.

Three foreign business owners based in Khon Kaen were seeking advice from his chamber about possibly relocating their businesses to countries where labour costs were cheaper, as a result of the possible hike, including the flat Bt300 rate promised by Pheu Thai.

Withoon said a new rate of Bt190 in Khon Kaen, up from the current rate of Bt167, was still acceptable to employers, but Bt300 would need to be backed by other measures, which he said Pheu Thai had never discussed or revealed.

-- The Nation 2011-07-05

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Pathum Thani police chief shifted over raid on slum dwellers

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Selection of Cabinet a key test for new Thai PM

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Parking ban

By The Nation

Starting from yesterday, motorists have been barred from parking vehicles along Charansanitwong Road and a section of Phet Kasem Road.

"The ban will remain in place until construction of the Blue Line train route is completed," Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner Maj General Panu Kerdlarpphol said yesterday.

He said any motorist who violated the ban would receive a warning first and if they still refused to oblige, they would face fines and arrest.

-- The Nation 2011-07-05

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Bridge to close

By The Nation

The Rama VIII Bridge will be closed to traffic between 5.30am and noon on Sunday for events held in honour of His Majesty the King.

Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner Maj General Panu Kerdlarpphol yesterday said the adjacent elevated Borommaratchachonnanee Road would also be closed for some hours of the day.

The Nurses' Association of Thailand and organisers of the Bangkok Triathlon are due to stage mini-marathons there on Sunday.

Panu told motorists to avoid the Rama VIII Bridge and Borommaratchachonnanee Road on Sunday morning.

"Please use the Somdej Phra Pinklao Bridge and the Boromratchachonnanee Road instead," he said. For traffic inquiries, please call 1197.

-- The Nation 2011-07-05

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EC expects to endorse election results for MP elects with no complaints against them by Jul 12; highest voter turnout this time at 75% /TAN_Network

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EC received 190 complaints against MP elects, most from Northeast, and will complete investigation into them in 30 days /TAN_Network

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Suchart eyeing Finance portfolio

By The Nation

Incoming Pheu Thai MP Suchart Thadathamrongwet on Tuesday voiced readiness for the position of Finance Minister although he said he won't be offended if he failed to get the job.

"I am ready for the job because I have extensive experience in macro economics," he said, adding he once served under the Samak Sundaravej government.

Suchart said he was confident the incoming Cabinet would meet public expectations.

He said Yingluck Shinawatra, tipped for the position of prime minister, would handpick her ministers. He refused to comment, however, whether ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra would have a say in the matter.

-- The Nation 2011-07-05

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PTT successfully closes leaking gas valve

BANGKOK, 5 July 2011 (NNT) – PTT Plc has successfully closed gas valve of its leaking gas tube in the Gulf of Thailand, and the operation is under way to clear seawater and humidity out of the pipeline before resuming normal gas transmission.

According to PTT Upstream Petroleum and Gas Business Group Chief Operating Officer Pailin Chuchottaworn, aquanauts have successfully closed the valve of the fractured pipeline in order to mend the problematic branches.

The PTT is now investigating damages to the main pipe. Seawater is expected inside, and it will take time to remove water and humidity from the pipeline. The PTT then will test the system again to ensure that gas transmission will resume as fast as possible.

As for fuel substitution, the PTT has been supplying bunker oil to power plants adequately. Part of the oil is domestically produced while other 30 million litres have been imported.

The PTT has also prepared additional 70,000 tons of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) this July to meet local demand. Meanwhile, the operation of the gas separation unit is still running as usual.

-- NNT 2011-07-05

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Pheu Thai: We're Ready to Help Two Thai Activists in Cambodia

The Pheu Thai Party spokesman has revealed that his party, the new coalition government leader, is ready to help two Thai activists, Veera Somkwamkid and Rathree Pipattanapaiboon. The two have been jailed in a Cambodian prison since December 2010 for charges of illegally entering the country and espionage.

Meanwhile, Veera's brother said he has now adapted to life in prison and his health has improved.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-05

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MPs endorsement to start on July 12

By The Nation

The Election Commission is scheduled to release the official ballot results by Tuesday's afternoon and will begin to endorse MPs-elect on July 12.

EC member Prapun Naigowit said the endorsement would proceed after the EC cleared the protest on balloting outcome and the charges on campaign fraud.

Prapun said he expected the investigations on some 195 campaign-related complaints would complete within the 30-day deadline. Should certain cases remain unresolved, the EC would allow MPs-elect to report to duty under the condition that the decisions on their qualifications would be issued on a later date, he said.

-- The Nation 2011-07-05

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Thaksin: No revenge. No interference in Cabinet set-up. /via@tulsathit

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Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,094.28, up 4.00 points /MCOT

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Flash floods, mudslides warned in 16 provinces

BANGKOK, 5 July 2011 (NNT) – The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has issued a warning for possible flash floods and mudslides in 16 provinces of the northern, central and eastern regions during this period.

DDPM Director-General Viboon Sanguanpong said villagers in the areas are warned to brace for heavy rain while those residing in risky spots such as on hill slopes and near waterways, are urged to stay vigilant for unusual signals in the nature including change of water colour, raining of longer than six hours, and rapid rise of water in rivers, so that evacuation can be made in time.

In addition, waves in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand are expected to be over two metres high. Fisher folks should be cautious when sailing at sea while small boats are advised to remain ashore for the time being.

The DDPM has dispatched officials to risky zones to monitor the situation closely. Villagers suffering from natural disasters could seek assistance from the office by dialling its emergency line 1784, which is available around the clock.

-- NNT 2011-07-05

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Floods Linger in North

A huge volume of floodwater from Sukhothai Province is flowing into Phitsanulok, resulting in inundation in some parts of the province.

Phitsanulok Governor Preecha Reungchan said he asked the head of Prompiram Subdistrict to press charges against individuals claiming to be officials of Kong Krai Lat District in Sukhothai Province who ordered the expansion of a small creek, worsening the flood situation in Phitsanulok.

Officials said the water level remains unchanged and the situation is likely to ease if floowater from upstream areas subsides.

They added water in troubled areas is being diverted into the Nan River.

Meanwhile, a large number of land cracks were reported in Pua

District in Nan Province following last week's downpours in many districts.

The Baan Sakat Nuea Village in Pua, as a result, has been declared a disaster zone.

A total of 100 ailing residents have been relocated to a local clinic for safety reasons until an official probe to find the exact cause of their illness is released.

The area is located on a limestone hill where landslide can easily take place.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-05

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EC: Lamphun Had Best Voter Turnout

The Election Commission secretary-general has disclosed that Lamphun Province had the largest voter turnout while Yala Province had the highest number of invalid ballots.

Election Commission Secretary General, Suthiphol Taweechaikarndisclosed that there were a total of 1.37 million ballots with votes of abstention, or 4.04 percent of the total ballots, and around 913,000 vote of abstention ballots for party-list candidates.

The five provinces with the most votes of abstention were Phuket, Ranong, Chumphon, Nakhon Pathom and Petchaburi provinces.

The EC reported that the province with largest voter turnout was Lamphun Province with 88.6 percent of voters casting their ballots while there were more invalid ballots for constituencies, as opposed to party lists, with Yala province reporting the highest number of invalid ballots.

He pointed out that the reason there were more defective constituency ballots was because certain parties did not field constituency candidates, which may have caused confusion among the public.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-05

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Sukhothai, Phitsanulok Face Flooding

The flooding situation remains worrisome in Sukhothai and Phitsanulok provinces.

Though authorities expect the situation to ease during the next few days.

The flooding situation is easing in five of the six central provinces hit by tropical depression Haima, with the exception being Sukhothai Province.

Over 400,000 people have been affected and 160,000 rais of farmland damaged by flash floods.

In Sukhothai, the water level of the Yom River at the provincial governor's office has decreased to 6.20 meters, allowing flood waters in many areas of Pak Khwae Sub-district to subside.

The province's bypass road is now usable.

However, floods are still taking a toll on residents in Pak Phra Sub-district as it is the lowest-lying area in the province.

It is expected that floods will not recede there for another three to five days.

In Phitsanulok Province, floods are still affecting homes and farmlands over a wide area.

Phrom Piram District has been inundated by flood run-off from Sukhothai Province.

The provincial authorities are working hard to channel flood waters into the Nan River and expect the situation to normalize soon, assuming there is no more rainfall.

The Meteorological Department, meanwhile, has issued a flood warning as a southwestern storm system is passing over the Andaman Sea, Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand, which will cause widespread showers and heavy rainfalls in some areas of the northern, central, eastern and southern regions.

Residents in the northern and eastern provinces who live on hilly slopes, near water courses or in low-lying areas are being advised to watch out for flash floods that could result from continuous rainfall.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-05

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'Bird' Thongchai Promotes Concert in August

The long last prominent singer win popular musical award 2011.

Recently, the eminent male singer, Bird Thongchai Mc-Intai has just received the Popular Singer Award 2011 from Siam Dara Star Award.

His latest album, called “Loving You Too Much Very Much“ is popular after its first debut.

In addition, his cartoon animation, named "Wonderful Bird's land” also has been well received by many children which guaranteed his popularity among people at all ages.

Bird thanks his fan-clubs who supports him for over 25 years.

He promises to continue his work as a gifts to all supporters.

He said that he plans to hold a grand concert nationwide.

The next concert would be hold in February from 25 to 27 and in September from 19 to 21 at Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-05

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MP Candidates Call for Vote Recount

A large number of MP candidates have filed complaints with the Election Commission asking them to conduct a ballot recount, claiming that the process was not transparent.

In Yala Province, Pheu Thai MP candidate for Constituency 2, Zugano Mata sent a letter to the Election Commission, or EC, asking them to suspend the official announcement.

In the general election, in the final tally he had only 48 votes fewer than the Democrat candidate, Abdulgarim Dengragine.

In addition, 9,000 void ballots were found.

He claimed that the vote counting process was not transparent, and is asking the EC to re-count all of the ballots.

The Yala Election Commissioner, Bunteang Watcharasereekul, reiterated that all constituencies that he is in charge of operated in accordance with all election laws.

He said that the MP candidates have the right to question the election results within 30 days, while the EC would consider, thoroughly, case by case, whether to object to the complaint, to hold a re-election or to recount ballots.

As for Sukhothai Province, the Election Commissioner, Jaroon Janin revealed that about 345,000 voters turned out on election day.

The unofficial results shown that Vivat Wiriyapong, and Sampan Tangbenjapol from the Democrat Party and Jakkawan Chaiwiratnukul and Manu Pookprasert from Bhumjaithai Party won the MP seats there.

Regarding the complaint, the EC will inspect all cases within 7 days.

Mostly, the candidates have accused the opposition of vote buying.

In addition, Chart Pattana Pheu Pandin MP candidate and former MP, Somjet Limpapan filed a complaint asking for a ballot recount.

Phuket Governor Tree Akkaradeja stated that almost 76 percent of voters turned out on the election day, while 5 percent of the ballots were void.

At the same time, Phuket had the highest number of 'Vote No' ballots, more than any other province, at around 9 percent.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-05