Thailand Live Friday 5 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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Related topic: Thailand Live Thursday 4 Aug 2011

Today's Thailand weather and forecasts:

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AFP: Thai parliament to vote in new PM

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Activist group to seek stay on Bangkok's Lak Si condo project

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Thirachai for Thailand's Finance Ministry?

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'Berlin should do what it can to make Thailand pay'

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Thailand's five top research scientists honoured Wannapa Khaopa

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Thai officials team up to fight encroachers

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Death toll rises in flood-hit North

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Correction

By The Nation

Correction : The online version of an August 4, 2011 article by Pravit Rojanaphruk entitled 'Officer relied on a Blurred Image to Make Arrest over CentralWorld Fire" misreported the amount of shares in Deves Insurance held by His Majesty the King.

HM the King privately owns 0.23 per cent of Deves Insurance or 27,600 shares. The writer regrets the inaccuracy.

-- The Nation 2011-08-05

Man sent to jail over bomb hoax

By The Nation

Bangkok's Dusit District Court yesterday sentenced a man to 15 days in 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 fear. Arrested early yesterday, the man confessed to calling the Parliament and telling the operator that bombs were planted at six locations inside the compound.

Due to his confession, the court commuted the original penalty of a month in jail to 15 days in detention at a Pathum Thani detention centre. The court also ordered the seizure of the mobile phone used.

"The false warning triggered panic," Metropolitan Region I commander Maj-General Wichai Sangprapai said. Since the call was made from the cellphone number (087) 094 2406, police could trace the call to the suspect's home in Hua Mark district.

Weerapong admitted that he had made the call because he was dissatisfied with bad people being elected. He said he had also made calls to the Election Commission, the Democrat Party and Chart Thai Pattana Party, but did not elaborate.

"I am sorry for causing trouble but I had no harmful intent. I just wanted to voice my disappointment over the injustice of good people being mistreated," he said.

The punishment for causing public fear includes a month in jail and a fine of Bt1,000.

-- The Nation 2011-08-05

Dept wants to build five motorways in Thailand

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Prime Minister Abhisit's farewell speech

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Four gunned down in 3 South attacks

By The Nation

Unknown gunmen shot and killed four Muslims yesterday in separate attacks across the restive South, police said, amid fears of a spike in violence during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Asming Jaema, 37, a religious teacher at Sang Prateep Witthaya Foundation School, was shot dead by a group of suspected insurgents waiting in a rubber plantation near his home, according to Pol Col Chanavee Chamareuk, superintendent of Nong Chik police station.

Investigators found that when the teacher left his house to bathe, armed men forced him back inside and shot him at least three times with M16 assault rifles. Police are assuming the incident is related to the regional insurgency.

A man and his wife were also shot dead in Pattani's Sai Buri district yesterday morning.

Witnesses told police the attack happened about 7.50am on a road in front of the health office of Payo village in tambon Kadunong.

Mahasumai Jehtae, 40, and his wife, Masira Madeng, 34, were riding a motorcycle from their home to work at a rubber plantation when they were attacked by armed men. Thirteen spent 9mm bullet cartridges were recovered at the scene.

In Yala province, Dorawmae Petccherngkhao, 38, a village defence volunteer of Ban Yae, was killed in a driveby shooting about 11.45am yesterday, police said.

Meanwhile, students and staff at Tan Yong Lu Loh school in Pattani's Muang shut down their classes yesterday, hours after a teacher was shot dead by insurgents. The school will reopen next Monday.

The murder of Nopphadol Sasimonthol has demoralised the 35 staff and 450 students, said director Phornnida Thongchum. The closure was intended to allow the staff and students to attend his funeral, she said.

-- The Nation 2011-08-05

Draft design of Princess' crematorium next month

By The Nation

The crematorium for Her Royal Highness Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda would be based on the one built for princess Galyani Vadhana, but with a different styled top due to different royal honours, the Fine Arts Department said yesterday.

A royal chariot to be used in the ceremony has been selected by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who heads the funeral committee, directorgeneral Somsuda Leeyawanich said.

The Wetchayan Ratcharot, 1.17 metres high and 1.75 metres long, was crafted during the reign of King Rama I and used in the funerals of King Rama V, VI and VIII, and other highranking members of the Chakri Dynasty.

The department will next week complete a draft design for the creฌmatorium, said Avuth Ngernchooklin, a former departฌment directorgeneral and now chief designer.

"It has been slightly reduced in size from the one used for princess Galyani Vadhana, but will uphold the highest honours available to Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda," he added.

Princess Sirindhorn has told the department to handle the design and construction of the crematorium, and set late March for the deadline, said Somsuda, in response to a stateฌment issued by the Royal Household Bureau suggesting that it may take over the project.

The outgoing government yesterฌday set up seven panels to organise various aspects of the funeral. They could resume work after the new government takes over.

A Bt100 million appropriation was also approved by the outgoing government although the departฌment has not yet finalised the budgฌet for the funeral and other expensฌes, Somsuda said.

Princess Sirindhorn presided over a daily prayer session at the Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall in the Grand Palace, where throngs of mourners attended and paid respects to Princess Bejaratana.

-- The Nation 2011-08-05

Study supports HIV medication for young children

By The Nation

Children living with HIV at any level of severity should be given medication from an early age, if or when it's available or affordable, according to a joint ThaiCambodian experiment made public at a Bangkok seminar yesterday.

Young patients with a severity index CD4 - between 15 and 24 per cent, which shows higher immunity - should also be given medication. Similarly, so too should those with CD4 lower than 15 per cent because it can minimise further complications, said Assoc Prof Dr Thanyawee Phoothanakij, a senior Thai Red Cross Society official.

In a threeyear study of 300 children, aged 1 to 12 years, living with HIV at seven Thai and two Cambodian hospitals under a WHO sponsorship, 150 with CD4 between 15 and 24 per cent who received medication showed good results like those 150 with CD4 below 15 per cent.

The study's objective is to encourage medication for children with HIV who must take a daily dose for the rest of their lives.

-- The Nation 2011-08-05

Some labourers may get pay rise by October: Jaruphong

By The Nation

The flat Bt300 minimum daily wage could initially be introduced in October among government and state-enterprise contract workers and later offered to the rest of the labour force in January, Pheu Thai Party secretary-general Jaruphong Ruengsuwan said yesterday.

"But I cannot tell you if the hike would be granted to workers across the country by January or only in Bangkok and other large provinces first," he added.

"All I can say is that the Pheu Thai Party is confident that this policy can be implemented. We need to discuss the matter further with relevant agencies in business and public sectors," the new government's manager said.

He added that the Pheu Thai Party, which will lead the new coalition, welcomed a meeting proposed by the Federation of Thai Industries and the Thai Chamber of Commerce two weeks after the Cabinet is set up to discuss the wage hike.

Jaruphong said he had faith in the existing mechanism to calculate the minimum wage through the Wage Tripartite Committee, though he had earlier dismissed the panel, saying a new structure would be set up to replace it.

-- The Nation 2011-08-05

Court asked to halt Samut Sakhon coal shipments

By The Nation

Samut Sakhon

A former local government official yesterday petitioned the Central Administrative Court to stop the shipment of coal into Samut Sakhon.

"People in 34 tambon of this province are suffering from the transportation of coal to their neighbourhoods," said Sontiya Sawasdee, a former strategic partner for the provincial authority.

Sontiya also asked the court to transfer Samut Sakhon Governor Jullapat Saengjan out of the province within 30 days.

He accused Jullapat of negligence in failing to take action against many piers and boats that had provided coaltransportation services without permits.

"I filed a complaint about the problem with Jullapat on February 1 but he has not acted on my complaint at all," Sontiya said.

If the court did not provide a satisfactory response, he would take the case to the Public Sector AntiCorruption Commission.

Kamjorn Mongkhontrilak, president of the Samut Sakhon Fisheries Association, and Nankamon Tiengsunthorn, another key activist, convened a meeting to discuss how their anticoal movement should proceed.

"We will continue to fight," Nankamon said after the meeting.

Anticoal sentiment had been festering in recent years after the pollution grew worse and flared up after a key activist was shot dead late last month.

Seven suspects have already been arrested in connection with the murder of Thongnak Sawekjinda.

Yesterday Pairoj Saengsawang turned himself in to police and confessed to assisting in the attack on Thongnak.

Pairoj, 28, told police that he was offered Bt5,000 to block the road briefly with his truck so the gunman could escape.

"I have not yet received any payment," he said.

He said he knew just one of the men arrested in this case.

Provincial police chief Maj General Somkiat Saengsinsorn said Pairoj would be charged with conspiring to murder Thongnak.

"We will object to any bail request for him too," he said. "We'll also investigate further to determine whether anyone else is involved."

-- The Nation 2011-08-05

Phuket residents cry foul over poisoned water

One of the local children lends a hand pulling the dead

fish from the canal, which runs alongside a major school

in Phuket Town.

Every time the canal is poisoned, hundreds of fish die.

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Thai Army Chief Denies Talks with Thaksin

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Phuket probe digs deep into 'missing hill' row

The investigation team walked around the excavation site to gain

a perspective on the volume of illegal digging done.

Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet points to where the top of the hill used to be.

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New House speaker doesn't foresee problem with today's vote for PM and expects process to be completed in 2 hour /TAN_Network

House speaker to forward name of new PM to seek royal endorsement immediately after today's vote /TAN_Network

House Speaker will submit Yingluck's name for royal endorsement right after voting - expected to be granted this evening. /RT @jin_nation /via@Aim_NT

Red shirt souvenir sellers occupy footpath front of Dusit Zoo, opposite to Parliament. /RT @joize_nna /via@Aim_NT

August 5, 2011= 124th anniversary of Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. /via@Aim_NT

All oil traders to cut gasoline prices by Bt0.60/litre, E85 by Bt0.30/litre; effective tomorrow /MCOT

Vote on PM to take two hours: Somsak

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Thai stock index opens on Friday at 1,089.38, down 34.63 points /MCOT

Brits in trouble abroad: UK FCO reports

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Yingluck Shinawatra Voted In As First Female Thai Prime Minister

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AFP: Thaksin's 'clone': Thailand's first woman PM

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