Thailand Live Tuesday 2 Aug 2011

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Thailand Live Tuesday 2 August 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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Today's Thailand weather and forecasts:

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TRAVELLING

Strong baht likely to spur foreign travel

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POLITICS

Jatuporn, other MPs endorsed

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Sanam Luang set to re-open next week

By The Nation

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will invite HM the King to preside over the official opening of Sanam Luang on August 9, BMA deputy governor Theerachon Manomaipibul said yesterday.

City officials planned to invite His Majesty to preside over the ceremony because the re-opening of the key landmark for royal ceremonies will occur in the auspicious year of the King's 84th birthday, Theerachon said. He said the city had also assigned its Public Works Department to oversee building of the royal crematorium for HRH Princess Bejraratana.

The city also assigned the BMA Office of Legal Affairs and Litigation and the city regulation committee to draft rules on using the public area before submitting them to the Bangkok Governor for approval, he said.

After August 9, Sanam Luang will open from 5am to 10pm daily but people are prohibited from sleeping or selling goods there, he said. He warned that people who intrude on Sanam Luang, which is registered as an ancient site, could face up to 10 years in jail and/or a fine of up to Bt1 million, if convicted of such an offence.

The renovation committee for Sanam Luang is due to meet tomorrow to discuss the re-opening and may consider improving the nearby Klong Lod as a new tourist attraction.

-- The Nation 2011-08-02

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UPDATE

Royal assets to end dispute

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New political phase set to begin; Thai opinion

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Confusion at old airport

By The Nation

Some passengers who went to Don Mueang Airport yesterday were unable to get domestic flights because services has switched to the Terminal 1 building, an informed source revealed.

While people generally welcomed the change, because Terminal 1 was larger, some suggested there should be more and clearer direction signs.

Terminal 1, which can accommodate 16 million people a year, will host domestic flights for Nok Air, Orient Thai, Solar Air and Siam GA while the previous building, which can accommodate 11 million people a year, will host personal jets and charter flights. The Airports of Thailand (AOT) expects about four million passengers to use the airport in the current fiscal year - 44 per cent up from the previous fiscal year.

-- The Nation 2011-08-02

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JOBS

Recruiters warn on Bt300 pay hike

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Thai doctors want changes on rights to die

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MURDER PROBE

Police arrest 3, hunt gunman for killing of coal activist

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Encroachment at Khao Yai National Park

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Floods hit 10 provinces in North

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Roadside bombs in Pattani,Yala : soldier dies

By The Nation

Pattani

A soldier was killed and two others wounded in a roadside bomb attack yesterday in Pattani, before a similar explosion went off in Yala, but without any casualties.

In the first incident, a squad of six soldiers from Company8021 returning from a dawn patrol and escort mission in Yarang district were hit by the roadside bomb near the Pattani river.

Lance Corporal Atthaphol Hongkham died after the blast while Sergeant Prajak Wisetrat and Private Assawin Phoonphan were slightly wounded.

Army ordinance men said it was a homemade bomb containing three kilos of explosives detonated by wire linked to a spot 50 metres across the river. A manhunt failed to find any attackers or suspects.

Insurgent attacks are frequent in Yala and other areas in the deep South, designed to demoralise civilians while warning them against cooperation with authorities, security officials said. Patrols have increased in Yala in response to intelligence reports that more frequent bomb attacks can be expected in coming weeks.

Later in Yala, a roadside bomb exploded after it was detected by a squad of soldiers on patrol, shortly before a bomb disposal team arrived. It is not known whether it was detonated accidentally, or on purpose.

The bomb consisted of five kilos of explosives and steel rods cut into pieces as shrapnel, said team members. They have not determined how it was detonated.

-- The Nation 2011-08-02

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Commemorative book to honour princess

By The Nation

His Majesty the King has graciously asked the Office of His Principal Private Secretary to publish a commemorative book for guests at the merit-making to mark the 7th Day since HRH Princess Bejraratana's passing - tomorrow.

At 7pm yesterday, HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn along with three members of the Royal family graciously attended an Abhidhamma recitation for HRH Princess Bejraratana's funeral at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall.

Earlier at 7am, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously presided over a morning food offering to eight monks for the funeral's Abhidhamma recitation.

Royal Household Bureau officials said the commemorative book to be distributed tomorrow is about the ceremony for the Princess' laying-in-state, plus related items to provide educational content to the public. The book would also be a historic record about the Princess' funeral.

Organisations and members of the public continued to pay respect to HRH Princess Bejraratana at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall yesterday despite rain.

Meanwhile, a special meeting of the outgoing Cabinet yesterday approved an initial budget of Bt100 million to organise the royal cremation of the Princess.

Ministers also approved a committee to organise the cremation and assigned the Fine Arts Department to design and build a royal crematorium up till March 2012.

Princess Bejraratana, the only child of King Rama VI and Queen Suvadhana, passed away on July 27 at the age of 85.

Outgoing Culture Minister Nipit Intarasombat said after the meeting outgoing PM Abhisit Vejjajiva signed an order to appoint the organising committee, which would be chaired by Abhisit himself, and approved the Bt100 million budget.

The Fine Arts Department said former department chief Air Vice Marshal Avudh Ngernchuklin, who designed the crematorium for HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, was granted an audience with HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to seek advice. He said Princess Sirindhorn wanted the cremation to be same as that for Princess Galyani Vadhana.

Avudh and the Fine Arts Department would design the crematorium and build it at Sanam Luang, which would take eight months to complete - till March 2012.

He said the department had already contacted the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration for use of Sanam Luang to build the royal crematorium.

A meeting of agencies under the Culture Ministry would be held today to discuss the matter, then Nipit would report the results to the organising panel, which will meet at Government House at 2pm.

Following HRH Princess Bejraratana's passing, the government said state offices and enterprises would mourn and lower the national flag for 15 days, except on August 12, which is HM the Queen's birthday.

-- The Nation 2011-08-02

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Veteran Pheu Thai MP Somsak picked as House speaker

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New Phuket bridge opens to traffic

Traffic rolls across the new 300-million-baht bridge. The left lane will

remain closed so construction on the adjacent Sarasin Bridge can

continue. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

Work on converting the old Sarasin Bridge into a tourist attraction is

expected to be completed by the end of this month.

Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

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Phuket daycare teacher charged over child beatings

One of the concerned parents with her children at the meeting on Friday.

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Nok-ten tropical storm floods Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in North; Phitsanulok hit by forest run-off; train service in Phichit halted /TAN_Network

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Swedish Expat Murdered At Luxury Villa In Phuket

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Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,142.60, down 1.54 points /MCOT

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Somsak Kiatsuranond selected as House Speaker, Charoen Chankomol, Wisut Chainarun as Deputy House Speakers as Parliament opens Tuesday /MCOT

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Somsak elected House speaker

Pheu Thai MP Somsak Kiartsuranon was Tuesday elected as the House speaker in the first House meeting at 9:30 am.

Somsak, a Khon Kaen MP, will become the ex-officio Parliamen president.

Chart Thai Pattana MP Paradorn Prissananthakul nominated Somsak for the post and no one was nominated to contest for the position so Somsak was automatically given the post.

Chart Pattana Pua Pandin MP Wannarat Charnnukul nominated Charoen Chankomol, a Pheu Thai MP from Chaiyaphum, as the first deputy House speaker. He was given the post with no one contending for it.

Wsiut Chainaroon, a Phayao MP of the Pheu Thai, was nominated and won the position of the second deputy House speaker.

The meeting was closed at 9:55 am.

-- The Nation 2011-08-02

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AIS Customers Warned to Ignore False Threat from Credit Bureau

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Two Drug Dealers Killed in Accident while Fleeing Buriram Police

Two drug dealers were killed while trying to escape a police checkpoint in Buriram Province.

More than 70,000 methamphetamine pills were found in their vehicle.

Buriram police said the suspects were killed in a road accident while trying to run from a checkpoint on Nakhon Ratchasima-Yasothon road.

Police explained that the suspects refused to stop their sedan at the checkpoint.

After fleeing for a short distance, the dealers' vehicle slammed into another sedan in the opposite lane, before skidding off the lane into the shoulder of the road.

The driver, identified as Samat Puangklin, was seriously injured and later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

His accomplice, identified as Wittaya Premying, was killed at the scene.

The driver of another sedan was only slightly injured, despite the car being totaled in the accident.

Police reported that more than 70,000 methamphetamine pills and 8,000 baht in cash were found inside the drug dealers' car.

They believe the drugs were imported from Laos through Mukdahan Province to an agency in Bangkok.

They expect the target for this product was probably teenagers.

-- Tan Network 2011-08-02

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Hospitals told to stay alert despite subsiding flood

BANGKOK, 2 August 2011 (NNT) – The Ministry of Public Health has ordered hospitals across the country to reserve medicine and prepare evacuation plans for patients in case of emergency although flooding caused by tropical storm Nock-Ten has lessened.

Permanent Secretary for Public Health Medical Doctor Paijit Warachit reported that the situation has started to return to normalcy, and none of the hospitals were seriously affected by the recent heavy rainfalls, especially in the northeastern province of Nong Khai where flooding was earlier said to be critical.

The permanent secretary noted that there is no need to set up a war room at present, but he said he has instructed all provinces to monitor the weather forecast closely on a daily basis while hospitals near Chao Phraya River and those used to be inundated seriously are told to prepare preventive plans for flash floods.

Medical Doctor Paijit added that hospitals are also assigned to rehearse an evacuation of patients out of hospitals, prepare removal plans for medical equipment, reserve medicine and electricity as well as ensure readiness of mobile medical units.

The permanent secretary then warned people residing in areas with heavy rainfalls not to get into flood water unnecessarily and clean themselves thoroughly if they need to walk through floods to prevent waterborne diseases such as tinea pedis, leptospirosis and pink eye.

-- NNT 2011-08-02

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Court approves bail for red-shirt leaders Jatuporn and Nisit at bond of Bt600,000 each /TAN_Network

INN: Yingluck affirms Cabinet appointments is halfway completed /TAN_Network

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House expected to vote for new Thai prime minister Friday: House Speaker

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Two Detained Red Shirt Leaders Released on Bail

The court has agreed to release red shirt leaders Jatuporn Phrompan and Nisit Sintuprai on 600,000 baht bail each. Both have been ordered from causing any public disruption.

The bail was granted partially on grounds that Jatuporn will need to report for duty as Member of Parliament after the EC endorsed him yesterday evening. Thailand's MP's enjoy immunity against imprisonment while Parliament is in session.

-- Tan Network 2011-08-02

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Jatuporn, Nisit Released On Bail

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Airport Rail Link Not Facing Serious Management Issue

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