Thailand Live Thursday 4 Aug 2011

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SRT Chairman: Authorities Working to Optimize Airport Rail Link

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Thai Airways Upgrade Aircraft Cabins to Attract More Passengers

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Muslim religious teacher shot dead at home in Pattani’s Nong Chik district; man, wife killed by gunshots in nearby Sai Buri district /MCOT

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OBEC: 80 schools damaged by floods

BANGKOK, 4 August 2011 (NNT) – The Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) has reported that there are over 80 schools in 21 educational zones damaged by floods following tropical storm Nock Ten, and the OBEC will arrange budgets to provide initial assistance.

According to OBEC Secretary-General Chinnapat Bhumirat, the affected schools are in 13 provinces in the north and the northeast, mostly primary schools.

A total of 27 schools have been forced to close temporarily due to the flood, and most of them have their classes suspended since 1 August 2011 after water flooded into school buildings, causing classrooms and laboratories to become inaccessible.

In many areas, flood has blocked roads making students unable to go to schools. Mudslides are reported in some areas.

The OBEC hence has arranged a budget of 200,000 baht for initial assistance to each educational zone. Details of the damage will be assessed again after the water level subsides.

-- NNT 2011-08-04

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Outgoing PM Warns New Govt of Overspending

The outgoing prime minister suggests the Pheu Thai Party be very careful in borrowing money to push for its policies and stimulate the economy.

Outgoing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the Pheu Thai Party will have to be very careful before deciding to borrow money to support its policies.

Abhisit further said the Pheu Thai-led administration could take out up to 800 billion baht in borrowing.

However, he is of the view that there is still no need to use money to stimulate the economy.

He noted that the new government should take risk factors such as the global economic condition and the local inflation problem into consideration, as they could have impact on the people’s cost of living and the Bank of Thailand’s monetary policy.

The outgoing premier also suggested the new government undertake investment projects with long-term benefits to the Thai economy and society.

On the occasion of his 47th birthday yesterday, Abhisit offered food to nine Buddhist monks at his residence in Soi Sukhumvit 31.

The merit-making ceremony was held within the family amid security forces. Media members were not allowed to take photos of the event.

In the meantime, Pheu Thai Party's prime ministerial candidate Yingluck Shinawatra extended her best wishes for Abhisit’s happiness and good health upon his birthday.

As a newcomer in national politics, she expressed her hope to work together in a constructive manner.

After learning about Yingluck's birthday wishes Abhisit assured that as the opposition he will work creatively to push the country forward, and he hopes Yingluck work for the benefit of the country.

The Democrat Party’s source said the party’s members want the outgoing premier to lead the party again, while acting Secretary-General Suthep Thaugsuban convinced the party’s members to nominate Abhisit back as party leader.

-- Tan Network 2011-08-04

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AFP: Storm abates after killing seven in Thailand

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Reds exclusion not a problem, Thaksin-Prayuth call not happen: Jatuporn

Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan on Thursday played down speculation that the red shirts would not be included in the Cabinet line-up.

"No problem if the red shirts are not getting the job," he said.

Jatuporn said the red shirts and he did not seek to sit in the Cabinet and that he wanted to remind his party not to justify the exclusion of the red shirts in order to boost the government's image.

-- The Nation 2011-08-04

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Pheu Thai Source Reveals Back-door Discussions of New Cabinet Appointments

A source in the Pheu Thai Party has revealed back-door discussions to appoint the Cabinet's ministers.

A Pheu Thai Party source reported that Potjaman Damapong Na Pombejra discussed with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra about the incoming Cabinet in Dubai.

The two reportedly are attempting to form the new Cabinet within this week.

A Pheu Thai Party source revealed that the issue has not been entirely resolved.

Potjaman has supposedly appointed Bannapoj Damapong to take care this matter in Thailand.

In addition, Thaksin is believed to have appointed Yaowapa Wongsawat to handle the appointment of ministerial positions.

Yingluck and Phayap Shinnawattra are said to be clueless about the new Cabinet.

Meanwhile, the source said the Executive Chairman of Siam Commercial Bank Vichit Surapongchai has backed out of an offer to become the Finance Minister.

He and Thaksin reportedly failed to reach an agreement.

-- Tan Network 2011-08-04

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Young woman drowns after fall at Phuket's Phromthep Cape

Visitors to Phuket's Phromthep Cape look on as the rescue team

recovers the young woman from the water.

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3.1 magnitude quake reported in Myanmar, just 43 km away from Maesai, Chiang Rai; no damages reported in Thailand /TAN_Network

Dusit District Court orders 15-day jail for 55 y-old man making bomb-threat phone call to Parliament on opening day of House session /MCOT

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Prayuth ready to meet Yingluck

Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha on Thursday voiced readiness for a meeting with Pheu Thai's PM-to-be Yingluck Shinawatra in order to discuss who should be the Defence minister.

"The government does not need to seek out the Army's view on the Defence portfolio but it will be an honour if asked," he said.

-- The Nation 2011-08-04

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Facelift for Thai capital's historic Sanam Luang

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-- The Nation 2011-08-04

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Police arrest Swedish national wanted in Scandinavian countries to stand trial on 20m-krona fraud case hiding in Thailand for 9 years /MCOT

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Would-be PM Defends Cabinet Nomination

The prospective premier insists the selection of her Cabinet ministers is free from intervention by her brother former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Pheu Thai’s top party-list MP Yingluck Shinawatra, also the prime ministerial candidate, said the consideration on her Cabinet line-up has not been finalized yet and her brother Thaksin has not meddled in her decision on the matter.

Yingluck maintained the selection of ministers is being carried out in the country and not in the United Arab Emirates, where Thaksin is living in exile.

Yingluck said the delayed decision on her Cabinet is unavoidable as she has not been officially named as prime minister yet.

She said it is too early to determine if red-shirt elements will be given ministerial posts, but affirmed consideration on posts will be based on the qualifications of the nominees.

The prospective prime minister remarked she has suitable candidates for the economic and security portfolios in mind already, but declined to disclose their names at the moment.

She added she has no idea about the resignation of Wichit Surapongchai as Chief Executive Officer of Siam Commercial Bank to take the finance portfolio given the decision on the post remains inconclusive.

-- Tan Network 2011-08-04

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Pheu Thai to submit Yingluck as PM candidate with Sanoh being the person who nominates her; party MPs asked to meet at 9am at Parliament /TAN_Network

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Swedish National Nabbed near Hua Hin On 100 Million Baht Fraud Case

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Four shot dead in Thai south

YALA, August 4, 2011 (AFP) - Militants shot and killed four Muslims on Thursday in separate attacks across the restive Thai south, police said, amid fears of a spike in violence during the holy month of Ramadan.

A religious teacher, aged 39, was shot dead in a pre-dawn ambush on his home in Pattani province as he took a shower, while a married couple, also in their 30s, were killed on their way home from working in the rubber fields.

In neighbouring Yala province a 38-year-old male defence volunteer was killed in a drive-by shooting, police said.

Thailand's army chief warned earlier this week that unrest was likely to flare in the region during the Muslim fasting month, as it has in previous years since shadowy rebels launched an uprising in early 2004.

Rights groups say the militants are rebelling against a long history of perceived discrimination against ethnic Malay Muslims in the deep south by governments in the Buddhist-majority nation.

However the militants keep a low profile and have not publicly stated their goals.

More than 4,700 people have been killed in the insurgency, according to the latest figures from Deep South Watch, which closely monitors the conflict.

Deep South Watch says more than half of the victims are Muslims, many apparently targeted because they are seen as traitors for cooperating with the local authorities.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-08-04

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SET index closed at 1124.01, down 9.45; Bt/USD29.69; GBP48.41; AUD31.43; EUR42.16; CAD30.53; HKD3.80; SGD24.34; JPY37.00

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Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) denies media reports SCB executive chairman Vichit Surapongchai resigns to take up ministerial post in Pheu Thai-led new govt /MCOT

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Hoax caller gets 15-day detention

Bangkok's Dusit District Court Thursday sentenced a hoax caller to 15 days' detention for threatening to bomb the Parliament building on Tuesday when the new House of Representatives convened to elect the new House speaker.

Weerapong Nilyakanont, 55, was found guilty of causing public fear. Arrested earlier yesterday, the man confessed to having dialled a Parliament number and told an operator that bombs were planted at six locations inside the Parliament compound.

Due to the defendant's confession, the court commuted the original penalty of one month in jail to 15 days in detention at a Pathum Thani detention centre.

-- The Nation 2011-08-04

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AFP: Thai PM-Elect Yingluck Denies Thaksin Picking Cabinet

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Thailand Live Friday 5 Aug 2011

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