Thailand Live Monday 11 Jul 2011

[webfact]

Thailand Live Monday 11 July 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

- 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 Saturday 9 Jul 2011

[webfact]

Today's Thailand weather and forecasts:

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

[webfact]

AFP: Thailand set for return to 'Thaksinomics'

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Thailand deports 15 Taiwanese facing fraud charges

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Abhisit likely to be re-elected as party leader

Follow this link:

[webfact]

FIRST FEMAL PREMIER

Do and don't for Yingluck

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Thai health officials unsure about reviving Bt30 scheme

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Top academics oppose Pheu Thai computer tablets plan

Follow this link:

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Reconciliation is everyone's job; Thai opinion

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Short-living plants found

By The Nation on Sunday

Biology researchers from Khon Kaen University have discovered 18 new short-living plants, and they are studying their medicinal properties, biology lecturer Prof Pranom Jantharanothai said yesterday.

The newly discovered plants - three in the Piperaceae family and four in the Xyridaceae family - were found in Bung Kan, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Loei and Sakon Nakhon provinces. Most live only for one season, he said. Researchers will study the plants' properties, which could take up to 10 years.

-- The Nation 2011-07-11

[webfact]

Dawn shootings hit 3 bikers in Bangko

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Few kids Turn up for ID cards

By Kasem Chanatinart

The Nation

Only a few children aged over seven years turned up in Nakhonratchasima province yesterday to register for their ID cards on the first day of registration under the new Identity Card Act of 2011.

Abhisit Theerapuwarit, a chief of Ampheo Moung District of Nakhonratchasima province, said only 10 children out of 45,621 who are eligible to register for the ID card, had come to the office yesterday.

A 13-year-old boy, Saran Thongnakkhokkruad who studies at Surathampitak School, was the first in the province to register.

Officials said the registration had technical problems due to the failure of an online system- but parents did not complain.

"The system is under a trial period," he said.

The district office had provided mobile units to help children register for their ID cards in three areas. It has also coordinated with local schools to provide registration services which are expected to sign up 200 - 300 children a day.

Abhisit said however the process was a slow one, especially when children misbehaved as their pictures were being taken.

Provincial Administration Department's director-general Mongkol Surasatcha said seven-year-old children can register for their ID cards within the 60 days after July 10, and children aged over seven are allowed to register within a year. Failing to register can mean a fine of Bt 100.

-- The Nation 2011-07-11

[webfact]

Two polls say Thai majority happy with new govt

Follow this link:

[webfact]

TOT pushes its 3G lease bidding process

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Gunman assassinates Chumphon's Patoh Subdistrict Admin chief at funeral /TAN_Network

[webfact]

Thaksin: Bt300 minimum wage is only applied in Bangkok. /via @aunonline #PostToday /via@suthichai /via@veen_NT

[webfact]

200 Cambodian workers at GFP poultry slaughterhouse in Chon Buri rioted and damaged 4 police cars; situation now under control /TAN_Network

[webfact]

Family of 80yo woman said she didn't commit suicide because Abhisit lost. She was plagued /w illnesses. Via @Thai_Talk /TAN_Network

[webfact]

Scam letters plague Chon Buri province

CHON BURI (NNT) --The Office of the Consumer Protection Board is warning people not to be fooled by the scam letter. Receivers falling prey to the new type of scam claimed they ended up paying a large sum of money for low quality items.

According to the report, the scam is mainly found in Chon Buri province. Deputy Governor of Chon Buri Mr. Pongsak Preechawit said victims of the scam were led to believe that they had won expensive products such as home theatre sets, vacuum cleaners or rice cookers.

Scammers would convince victims that these items were worth between 70,000 -90,000 THB where in fact they were valued only 5,000-6,000 THB. Before the victims could claim these items, they were asked to pay the tax by as much as 23,000 to 25,000 THB.

Scammers often rent an office to display their prizes without actually identifying themselves as a legal entity to the local commerce office. Mr. Pongsak believed that Chon Buri is not the only place with such a scam.

-- NNT 2011-07-11

[webfact]

Three Bombs Go Off in Yala

Reports are indicating that insurgent attacks have gone off in Yala Province. Two bombs went off almost simultaneously in rubber plantations in Raman District, injuring nine. Another bomb, reportedly a car bomb, went of in Lammai District shortly after the first two.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-11

[webfact]

Thai stock index opens on Monday at 1,081.45, down 7.01 points /MCOT

[webfact]

Parents Attack 2-year-old Boy Killer at Re-enactment

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Jatuporn's election right reinstated

The Wang Thong Lang political party registrar has reinstated election right of party-list-elect Jatuporn Promphan, clearing his way to be officially endorsed as a Pheu Thai Party MP.

Winyat Chart montree, the lawyer of Jatuporn, said he sent a letter to the district political party registrar, explaining why Jatuporn could not go to his polling station.

Winyat said the registrar replied that Jatuporn had justification for not casting his vote so he did not lose his election right.

Winyat said he would submit a demand to the Election Commission to endorse Jatuporn's MP status so that he would use the endorsement to seek Jatuporn's release on bail.

-- The Nation 2011-07-11

[webfact]

Head of Local Branch of Pheu Thai's House Attacked

The director of Pheu Thai's branch in Utharadit Province has been attacked. Suspects using AKA rifles opened fire on his home, riddling his car and the front of his house with bullet holes. No injuries have been reported.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-11

[webfact]

Caretaker PM Urges Yingluck Not to Issue Amnesty Decree

The outgoing PM warns the soon-to-be PM to make the reconciliation plan a priority, rather than focusing on issuing the amnesty decree.

Meanwhile, he is urging his supporters to allow the next government govern the country smoothly.

The outgoing PM and the Democrat Party caretaker leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva, said that the soon-to be PM, Yingluck Shinnawatra should not obstruct the independent organization, called the Truth and Reconciliation Committee led by Khanit Na-nakorn and allow them to investigate the case of the ousted former PM, Thaksin Shinnawatra thoroughly.

In addition, Abhisit urged all sides to let the next government govern the country smoothly.

As for the possibility of a constitutional amendments, he believes that it is just a rumor.

Meanwhile, Abhisit said that the Pheu Thai-led government should solve the country's economic difficulties and make them an immediate priority.

He insisted that the Democrats, as the Opposition, would be watching the next government to see whether the Pheu Thai Party can fulfill the promises it made during its campaign.

As for the complaint made by the Nakorn Ratvhsrima Election Commission, claiming that Yingluck violated the election law as she cooked Chinese noodles and distributed them to her supporters, the election Commissioner, Sodsri Sattayatham, compared Yingluck's case to Abhisit's, when he cooked the Thai sweet, 'Kanom Krok', during his campaign.

Abhisit said that the EC should investigate each case on a case-by-case basis before making a final decision.

At the same time, Abhisit said that it will depend on the party consensus as to whether it is appropriate that he be the Democrat Party leader for a second term.

Abhisit had resigned from the post after losing the general election.

Moreover, Abhisit is mourning the death of 80-year Lamian Yoosook in Rayong Province, which has been attributed to stress, after the Democrats did not win the latest election.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-11

[webfact]

Poll Calls for Appointment of Qualified Ministers

A recent poll found that most respondents would like to see ministerial appointments be based on qualifications rather than on quotas handed out to different parties and factions.

Dusit Poll conducted a public survey regarding the formation of the new government and ministerial appointments and found that more than 56 percent of the respondents do not agree with appointing ministers based on quotas allotted to each political party or faction based on the number of MP seats they have.

Respondents said, instead, ministers should be appointed based on their qualifications.

About 55 percent said they agree with having a six-party coalition as it will allow the ruling coalition to enjoy stability.

However, more than 27 percent disagree, saying it will become a monopoly, while 17 percent are uncertain, reasoning that having many parties in the coalition may bring about conflict.

As for the ruling coalition controlling 300 out of the 500 MP seats, 64.94 percent say they do not believe it will lead to a parliamentary dictatorship as it is the norm that the ruling coalition have the majority of MP seats.

However, 35 percent believe that the Pheu Thai Party intends to pave the way to becoming a parliamentary dictatorship.

Nearly 30 percent of respondents are confident that the new government will remain in power for a long time because it has talented individuals working within it.

Around one third of the respondents believe the election has brought about political change while 25 percent are not so certain.

Meanwhile, an ABAC Poll found that most Thais feel happier after the election.

Among the issues respondents prioritized as being most urgent for the new government to address are a narcotics crackdown, reconciliation, reducing gasoline prices by six to seven baht per liter, and a reimplementation of the 30-baht healthcare scheme.

A total of 58 percent of respondents are confident that the Pheu Thai Party will not resort to cronyism.

The survey found that 73 percent support Pheu Thai party-list MP Yingluck Shinawatra in becoming prime minister and 71 percent want to see Abhisit Vejjajiva return to the helm of the Democrat Party.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-11

[webfact]

ASTV reports that Banharn admits to flying to Brunei to meet up with Thaksin but denies negotiating for ministerial posts /TAN_Network

[webfact]

Follow-on booby trap bomb badly injures 9 security personnel inspecting Yala plantation bombing which wounded one man; Imam, wife shot dead in Narathiwat /MCOT

[webfact]

Thais encouraged to wear clothes made of silk to promote jobs and revenues

BANGKOK, 11 July 2011 (NNT)-The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, together with the Ministry of Culture, is encouraging Thais to wear clothes made of silk on various occasions to boost the silk industry in Thailand.

Director-General of the Department of Sericulture Pairoj Limjamroon said there are currently 30,000 silk manufacturers in the country. The number ensures there will be enough raw materials to cushion the Ministry’s policy to encourage government officials to wear silk clothes to work or on any occasion at least once a week.

The policy comes after Her Majesty Queen Sirikit has shown strong support for the industry, saying she wishes to see Thai people wear Thai silk in everyday life. It is believed that the policy will generate upto 30,000-40,000 million baht to this industry. The Culture Ministry has recently signed an agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to promote the popularity of silk-based clothes in the society by starting with youth.

In the joint effort, the Ministry of Culture will be responsible for the design of clothes while the other party will conduct a market survey and production in each region.

-- NNT 2011-07-11

[webfact]

Thaksin unveils 3 megaprojects-land reclamation along Bangpakong and Tajean rivers, high-speed train, new water source construction /TAN_Network