Thailand Live Saturday 16 Jul 2011

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Thailand Live Saturday 16 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 Friday 15 Jul 2011

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Today's Thailand weather and forecasts:

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Kasit seeks a meeting with German deputy FM over impounded plane

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Tuesday is judgement day: Thai Election Commission

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Thai Tiger Airways Put On Hold

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SPECIAL REPORT

Female bodyguards for Thailand's next prime minister

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EDITORIAL

We need to release brake on progress in Thai technology

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THAI flights to Japan resume normal schedule

BANGKOK: -- Thailand’s national flag carrier Thai Airways International Pcl (THAI) has announced the return to normal of its flight services to and from Japan to levels served prior to the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

THAI has resumed all its previously regularly operated services on routes from Bangkok to five airports in Japan as passenger traffic to and from the country has regained its normal level, according to Pandit Chanapai, THAI executive vice president of for commercial services.

For its flight schedules in the winter season, THAI will operate three additional Bangkok-Osaka flights per week on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, beginning Nov 16. A total of 17 flights to Osaka per week will facilitate passenger connections with flights to Europe.

The adjusted flight schedule will make it more convenient for passengers from Japan to travel to Thailand’s resort island of Phuket, a popular destination for Japanese tourists. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-07-16

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Bangkok Police break gang who mugged musician Bruce Gaston

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Lawyers council restarts Bangkok firetruck case for NACC

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NDWC warns of floods in North, Northeast

By The Nation

The National Disaster Warning Centre (NDWC) issued a statement yesterday cautioning residents in the North and Northeast of possible floods.

The NDWC said heavy rainfall in Nong Khai's Seka, Si Wilai and Fao Rai districts; Sakon Nakhon's Muang district; Nakhon Phanom's Si Songkhram and Pla Pak districts; and Chiang Rai's Mae Chan district; might cause flash floods.

Residents should pay close attention to weather news and instructions from the authorities, it warned.

In Nan, where heavy downpours have hit six districts, the Nan River has overflowed and inundated 20 lowlying homes in Phu Phiang district since Thursday night. In the province's Santisuk district, 17 villages and 3,000 rai of farmland are also submerged.

Chief of the Nan Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, Thawat Petchweera, said the authorities were closely monitoring the weather situation so they could inform the public in a timely fashion.

-- The Nation 2011-07-16

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NACC drops cases against Pheu Thai MPs and Suthep

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Price of household water set to rise in Thailand

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New Democrat leader to be named by early August

By The Nation

The Democrat Party is expected to select a new leader early next month, just in time to lead the opposition bench as the new government declares its policies to Parliament, Nakhon Si Thammarat MP Thepthai Senpong said yesterday.

The MP explained that according to party regulations, a new leader had to be selected within 90 days of the election, and the deadline falls in late August. The caretaker party executives are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to set the date of voting, and it is possible that a new leader will be chosen on August 6.

On the day after the July 3 elections, Abhisit Vejjajiva stepped down as party leader - a move that also ended the term of other party executives.

Krabi MP Pichet Panvichatikul said he would respect the people's decision if Abhisit were to be selected as party leader again, though he believes that Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich would be a good replacement for former secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban.

After the 64-year-old party was defeated on July 3, Pichet said, the party desperately needed a revamp.

Meanwhile, Abhisit said yesterday that Apirak Kosayodhin had been put in charge of seeking public opinions, and that the Democrats would be open to all suggestions and take any and all steps needed to improve the party.

In response to the Northeast Democrat MP candidates' demands that the party be completely revamped, Thepthai said the party's executive had already stepped down to show their responsibility and that it was up to the new leader to decide what should be done next.

Thepthai believes the Democrats would win another 15 to 20 MP seats in the Northeast once the party has been revamped, because it had already won more party-list votes in the region than expected.

In a related development, the Election Commission has ordered a second round of balloting in Nong Khai's Constituency 2, where Pheu Thai candidate Somkid Banthaisong won the most votes. Abhisit, however, said it was difficult to change people's minds and get them to vote for Democrats in such a short time.

The Democrat Party has never been popular in the Northeast. In the last election, it won in five constituencies, a number that dropped to four in the July 3 polls. Some MP candidates in the region are demanding change and many are pushing for Supachai Panichpakdi, currently leader of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), to take over as party leader.

-- The Nation 2011-07-16

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Devout Buddhists celebrate auspicious day nationwide

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Petrochemical plant shut down in Map Ta Phut

By The Nation

Rayong's governor yesterday forcibly shut down the APEX Petrochemical factory and declared the surrounding area as a dangerous zone after leaks of a hazardous substance were detected.

Governor Tawatchai Terdphaothai was present as the doors of the factory in Map Ta Phut industrial zone were closed, and refused to allow anyone else to enter the premises.

The factory produced vinyl chloride monomer, which is used to make polymer polyvinyl chloride or PVC, and is highly toxic, flammable and carcinogenic.

Tawatchai yesterday led a team of engineers and officials to investigate the premises and has ordered authorities to remove all hazardous substances from the factory.

"The removal will be finalised after a team of engineers meets with the company's representatives," Tawatchai said.

-- The Nation 2011-07-16

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Lottery Committee to Investigate Northeastern Teachers' Fund Scam

The Government Lottery Committee is scheduled to meet on July 20 to investigate the pyramid scheme that has affected many teachers' funds in several northeastern provinces.

Deputy Permanent-Secretary of the Finance Ministry, Somchai Poonsawat, who is also the head of the Government Lottery Committee, has insisted that the Government Lottery Office has nothing to do with the pyramid scheme that has scammed a number of teachers cooperatives in many northeastern provinces.

Many cooperatives' members have been falsely led into believing that they would be allocated government lotteries.

So far, the scam has caused hundreds of millions baht in monetary damage.

Somchai reported that inspectors are currently investigating the matter in the area.

At the same time, the committee is waiting for the results of the police investigation.

The committee will meet on July 20 to discuss the issue.

Those responsible could be barred from being government lottery distributors.

The Government Lottery Office has been warning the public about various kinds of lottery frauds.

The office has also asked the Department of Special Investigation to look into these cases.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-16

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Thai election promises evaporate in cold light of reality: Watchdog

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AFP: UN's highest court to rule on Thai troop withdrawal

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Officials arrest Iranian man at Suvarnabhumi for attempting to smuggle out 26 snakes bought from Jatujak Market and hidden in socks /TAN_Network

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Iranian man arrested while allegedly smuggling 50 snakes out of Thailand

An Iranian man was arrested at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport late Friday night while allegedly trying to smuggle 50 snakes in a suitcase out of the country.

Ghahremani Arash, 23, was arrested at Gate 1 while he was about to board Mahan Air's Flight W5 5044.

His arrested was announced at a press conference at 1:30 am Saturday.

Sitthichai Juengjiranon, chief of Customs office at the airport, told the press conference that airport officials scanned the suitcase and spotted living animals inside it.

Customs officials were alerted to check the suitcase and found the snakes inside 26 socks.

Arash was arrested after he failed to produce export permits of the snakes.

He claimed he had bought the snakes at the Chatuchak Weekend Market and planned to take them home as pets.

The snakes were sent to the National Park, Flora and Fauna Department for nursery pending release into the wild.

-- The Nation 2011-07-16

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Fromer Royal Guards Pretends to be Narcotics Officer

A Former Royal guard is charged with threatening another's life. He has been accused of exhorting the victim for money, threatening to expose him as a drug trafficker and telling him he'd kill him.

Srisuriyen Srikamonpaksi was arrested after he falsely claimed that he was a Narcotics Control Board officer.

Meanwhile, 3 other people believed to be part of his gang, are still on the run.

Recently, his gang abducted Boonsong Arporn from his house in the Sukhumwit 71 area and accused him of drug trafficking. Srisuriyen and his collaborators tortured and threatened his life in exchange for 350,000 baht.

The victim said that after he transferred them money, he was left across from the Central Lardprow Department Store.

Srisuriyen is a former royal guard. Previously, he was found guilty of forgery.

Based on the initial investigation, he has been charged with detaining a person without authority.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-16

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Selection of new house speaker remains unclear

BANGKOK, 16 July 2011 (NNT) – Former Deputy House Speaker and Pheu Thai party-listed MP Somsak Kiatsuranont refuses to give comments about a possibility of the Pheu Thai Party to nominate him to the new house speaker.

As he reported himself to the House of Representatives as a new MP on Friday, Mr Somsak said the nomination for the new house speaker will be based on a decision of the Pheu Thai party executives.

Three Pheu Thai members expected to sit in the mentioned post comprise Mr Somsak himself, another former Deputy House Speaker Colonel Apiwan Wiriyachai and former Opposition Chief Whip Wittaya Buranasiri.

Mr Somsak also showed no worries over the MP status certification process of the Election Commission (EC), believing that the EC will be able to finish endorsing at least 95% of the newly elected MPs within 30 days of the election.

Moreover, the former deputy house speaker believed that the commission would do justice to the MP status endorsement for Pheu Thai Party’s number one party-listed MP candidate Yingluck Shinawatra, who has been tipped to be the first female prime minister.

Regarding the speculated allocation of ministerial positions for core leaders of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), Mr Somsak refused to give comments, saying that consideration on the matter is a duty of the party executives.

-- NNT 2011-07-16

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AFP: Monks teach maleness to Thai 'ladyboys':

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Public debt not to go beyond 50% under Yingluck’s administration

BANGKOK, 16 July 2011 (NNT) – The national debt is anticipated to be around 45-50% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) under the Pheu Thai-led administration, according to the Centre for Economic and Business Forecasting (CEBF) of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

CEBF Director Mr Thanawat Polvichai believed a certain amount of mega projects are likely to be launched during the four-year term of the new government led by incoming Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Although loans must be made to invest in the projects, the amount would not be high.

Furthermore, the public debt is likely to be under control, or around 41% of the national GDP if budgets are injected into those projects in a worthy manner. The debt is expected not to go beyond 50% of the GDP.

Regarding the factors to help control the national debt, Mr Thanawat explained that the government’s investment in those mega projects would create more jobs and income for workers as well as related sectors.

The domestic purchasing power then will be generated, pushing greater expansion of the country’s economy. Mr Thanawat projected that the Thai economy will grow 5-7% instead of 4-5% in this year.

-- NNT 2011-07-16

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Driver plows Phuket trees, hits pole

The Isuzu D-Max took down six trees before ramming a power pole

at high speed. Photo: Wichai Witthawat

Mr Methee suffered only minor injuries in the crash, thanks to his

seatbelt and air bag. Photo: Wichai Witthawat

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Buddhists countrywide make merit on Buddhist Lent Day

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/483253-devout-buddhists-celebrate-auspicious-day-nationwide/page__view__findpost__p__4562153

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Abhisit dismisses report of Democrat holding Aug 6 vote for new party leader, urges Pheu Thai to clarify policy on minimum wage hike to Bt300/day./MCOT

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Phuket downpours mark arrival of Khao Phansa

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/483359-phuket-downpours-mark-arrival-of-khao-phansa/page__view__findpost__p__4562295

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German court decision on seized Thai plane expected Monday: Thai PM

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/482802-germany-seizes-thai-crown-princes-aircraft-in-debt-dispute/page__view__findpost__p__4562489