Thailand Live Thursday 21 Jul 2011

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Election Commission to deliberate on 11 red shirts, except Jatuporn

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Demand for Election Annulment Denied

The Supreme court has rejected the PAD's petition calling for the nullification of the July 3 election and a new election.

Yesterday the Supreme Court rejected the petition from the People's Alliance for Democracy core leader Chamlong Srimuang.

Chamlong filed a lawsuit to the court, demanding it to annul the July 3 election and to call for a re-election.

The court rejected his petition, saying there is no law to empower one to annul the election result.

Chamlong said he would file a petition to the Criminal Court by next week.

He insists he has the right to call for the nullification of the vote.

In his petition, he accused the Election Commission or EC of causing a large number of people to be denied the vote on July 3, because they failed to cancel the previous registration in advance.

As for the PAD spokesperson, Panthep Puapongphan, Chamlong said the court rejected the petition because the petitioner is just a voter, not an MP candidate.

He added that the PAD has already prepared evidence to file a lawsuit against the EC.

In addition, the PAD plans to charge some MPs-elect of violation of the election law during their campaigning.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-21

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'Yellow Card' for Bhumjaithai Party winner in Sukhothai

BANGKOK, July 21 -- Thailand's Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday issued a 'Yellow Card' to the Bhumjaithai Party's winning candidate in Sukhothai Constituency 3, necessitating a new election for the constituency which is set for July 31, EC Secretary General Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn announced.

The elections agency issued its first 'Yellow Card' July 14 to Somkid Banthaising, winning candidate of the Pheu Thai Party in Nong Khai Constituency 2.

Mr Suthiphon said the EC had considered the complaint against Bhumjaithai candidate Jakkawan Chaiwiratnukul filed by Democrat Party candidates who accused him of violating the election law by buying votes.

The Democrats claimed that Mr Jakkawan, who won the July 3 election, was involved in distributing money to 20 eligible voters for Bt100 each.

The EC questioned the voters who received money and said it was not an allowance for them to help in election campaign as claimed, Mr Suthiphon said, adding that the EC commissioners decide to give a 'Yellow Card' to Mr Jakkawan, and that Mongkol Srioon who represented him in giving the money would be prosecuted.

The new election in the constituency will be held on July 31, he said.

Mr Suthiphon said the EC will meet Thursday and expects to endorse the status of MPs with no complaints.

However, the EC secretary general said he could not confirm whether the agency could reach its target of endorsing 95 per cent of the 500 candidates as required by the constitution for Parliament to convene.

A total of 370 MPs from 500 seats have been endorsed by EC so far -- 259 constituency seats and 111 as party-list MPs.

To meet the minimum constitutional requirement of 475 seats of the overall 500, at least 105 more MPs must be endorsed for the first meeting of the Lower House of Parliament to be able to take place. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-07-21

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Culture minister tells his successor-to-be to work hard

BANGKOK, 21 July 2011 (NNT) – Outgoing Culture Minister Nipit Intarasombat has asked an incoming minister in his portfolio to uphold the royal advice of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej that to preserve the culture is to preserve the nation.

Talking to the press at the Ministry of Culture, the outgoing minister stated that he has already completed major policies of the ministry while Permanent Secretary for Culture Somchai Sianglai will be responsible for the rest of the remaining tasks.

Mr Nipit elaborated that his pride as the minister of culture is to make people become aware of cultural issues, which are rather intangible and abstract while the press at least has not named him a ‘forgotten minister’.

Asked what he wanted to tell his successor to do, the outgoing minister responded that he might not dare to give suggestions because each person has a different policy, but he just wanted to extend support to the incoming culture minister to work hard for the national culture promotion.

Mr Nipit said the incoming minister should shrug off all criticisms but uphold the royal advice of HM the King given in 1962 that says 'to preserve the culture is to preserve the nation'. He added that it will be great if the ministry will receive a greater budget to promote cultural activities.

-- NNT 2011-07-21

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2 Brothers Arrested for Trafficking 200 KGs of Marijuana Packs

Two brothers have been arrested for trafficking nearly 200 kilograms of marijuana packs in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.

In Nong Khai Province, a man was nabbed for stealing wheels from vehicles parked on the roadside at night in the municipal area.

The Commander of the Provincial Police Region 3 Police Lieutenant General Dechawat Ramsomphop announced the arrest of two brothers for trafficking 198 kilograms of marijuana packs, worth 1.9 million baht.

The drugs were found hidden in two pick-up trucks.

The suspects, identified as Kringsak and Somchai Sombat, were on their way to Bangkok to deliver the drugs to clients when they came across a police checkpoint on Mitrapharp Road in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.

They abandoned their cars at a resort in Soongnern District and at a service station in Si Khew District before eventually getting caught.

The two confessed to their crime and said they were hired by 28 year old Pichanant Wattanaruangtrakul to deliver the packs from Sakon Nakhon Province to clients in the Minburi area of Bangkok.

They claimed it was the first time they were involved this type of crime.

In a separate incident, Police Colonel Paisarn Luesomboon, chief of Nong Khai Police Station, announced the arrest of Adisak Deemee at his home in Viengkhuk Sub-district for stealing the wheels off four cars that were parked on the roadside in the municipal area.

Police also seized the tools used in the robbery.

The suspect was caught on a surveillance camera removing the wheel of a car in front of the Chaiyaporn fresh market at night.

Adisak confessed to his crime and said he only targets pick-up trucks parked on the roadside and spends approximately 20 to 30 minutes removing the wheels.

He said he would then sell the stolen wheels or trade them for audio systems or other electric appliances.

-- Tan Network 2011-07-21

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Cabinet taking shape but searching for FM: Yingluck

By The Nation

The Cabinet line-up is taking but the position of Foreign Minister remains open, Pheu Thai Prime Minister-designate Yingluck Shinawatra said on Thursday.

Yingluck said outsiders will fill several positions, hinting at the appointment of non-MPs.

She said she will tomorrow hold a meeting of Pheu Thai MPs in order to outline their work.

She also urged the red shirts to stop rallying to pressure the Election Commission to endorse the balloting outcome of their leaders.

-- The Nation 2011-07-21

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Phuket Police on lookout for panty bandit

After lurking in the shadows, the man moved in to make the snatch.

Panties in hand, the man quickly exited the narrow passageway.

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Mystery death likely a suicide: Phuket Police

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Phuket land issues to be reported 'direct to PM'

Lt Gen Akanant Ratanasopar made plain that his fact-finding panel will

report any Phuket land issues directly to ISOC, which operates as part

of the Prime Minister's Office.

Phoppol Sirilugsanapong, head of the Natural Resources Division of the

Phuket Natural Resource and Environment Office, identified lack of

consistent policy as one of the main issues hindering enforcement

of land rights.

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EC poised to endorse 20 MPs-elect

By The Nation

The Election Commission is poised to endorse the balloting outcome for 20 MPs-elect by Thursday, EC secretary general Suthiphon Taveechaiyagarn said.

During today's deliberation, the EC will rule on seven to eight complaints and dismiss other 10 compliants, before endorsing the new batch of MPs, Suthiphon said.

He said he was uncertain whether the endorsement for the red shirts could be finalised by today since the probe on their qualifications were still incomplete.

-- The Nation 2011-07-21

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Yingluck urges Red Shirt supporters to not pressure poll agency

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Myanmar army locates Black Hawk crash location

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INN: Acting Foreign Min Kasit says Thailand will not place the 20 mln Euro deposit for Boeing but will wait for German court's final verdict /TANN

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ASEAN steps up to support Korean tourism to Phuket

Young Jai Cho (seated, center), Secretary-General of the ASEAN-Korea

Center in Seoul, with delegates at the three-day Phuket intensive

training session.

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AFP: Thailand Posts Record Exports In June

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PATTAYA NEWS

Russian victim of transsexual pickpockets on Pattaya Beach:

Pedestrian killed as he crosses main road close to Pattaya:

Karaoke customer dies in suspicious circumstances in North Pattaya:

Disturbance at North Pattaya Bus Terminal:

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THAI to use Amadeus Altea to modify booking system, reduce cost

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SET index closed at 1104.15, up 2.78; Bt/USD29.80; GBP47.99; AUD31.79; EUR42.09; CAD31.25; HKD3.82; SGD24.41; JPY37.58

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REUTERSFLASH: Space shuttle Atlantis lands at Kennedy space centre in Florida, ending NASA's 30-year shuttle program

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UPDATE

AFP: Thailand rules out paying to free prince's plane

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Thailand Live Friday 22 Jul 2011

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