Bangkok City of Jazz Concert to Celebrate HM the King's Reign

There is something a little offbeat being offered to jazz lovers this year as the Bangkok City of Jazz concert is set to offer a tantalizing line-up of talented local and international jazz musicians.

Bangkok has always attracted a wide array of musical talents and the latest offering comes to us as the Bangkok City of Jazz concert co-organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Bangkok Art and Culture Foundation.

The concert is being held to commemorate His Majesty the King's reign and celebrate his profound love for jazz with the performance of some of his world renowned jazz compositions.

The concert will be held at the Bangkok Art and Cultural Center where local talents will be accompanied by quality international acts like Canadian Jazz vocalist Irene Atman, who will serenade the crowd with her smooth and sultry voice.

The highlight of the concert has to be the Peter Beets Trio, who will be coming all the way from New York..

The Bangkok City of Jazz concert will also hold an exhibition about His Majesty the King and his affinity for jazz music.

As part of the exhibition, His Majesty's compositions will be made available to those who are interested.

-- Tan Network 2011-09-20

Owner of Santika Pub Sentenced 3-Year Jail Term

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Prosecutor pushes out arraignment of yellow shirt members in airports closure case to Oct 20 as more witness interrogation is needed /TAN_Network

Santika Club Owner Sentenced To 3 Years In Jail: Bangkok

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SET closed Tue midday break up by 5.54 points at 1,022.73 with value at Bt10.31 bln /TAN_Network

Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link Seeks 1.8 Billion Baht for Cash Flow

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American drug suspect arrested on Koh Phangan

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Cabinet has approved Bt15,000 starting salary for civil servants, starting in Jan. /via@tulsathit

Chalerm says US ambassador admires govt policies esp crackdowns on drugs, websites that insult monarchy. /via@tulsathit /via@nnanews

I did not discuss LM issues w DPM. Talked anti-drug efforts that meet good governance standards. /via@KristieKenney /

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Chiang Rai police search 14 locations, seize some 10,000 speed pills valued at Bt100 million /MCOT

Arraignment Hearing for PAD Airport Seizure Case Set for Oct 20

The prosecutor has decided to postpone the arraignment hearing for the People's Alliance for Democracy airport seizure case for October 20.

The police has charged Pramote Nakornthab, an independent scholar and member of the People's Alliance for Democracy with unlawful assembly, threatening of harm, public disturbance, violation of the Emergency Decree, damaging airport property and obstructing public transportation and communication services during his participation in the People's Alliance for Democracy rallies at Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports back in 2008.

So far, Promote has denied all charges.

The prosecutor has set the arraignment hearing for the case for October 20.

The PAD scholar has been released on bail with Air Chief Marshal Terdsak Sajjarak, a former air force commander, as the guarantor.

The prosecutor has also postponed the arraignment hearing for other PAD leaders to the same day as the case file has not yet been completed.

-- Tan Network 2011-09-20

Abhisit: Red Shirt village expansion calls for authorities' attention

BANGKOK, 20 September 2011 (NNT)-Democrat and the Opposition Leader Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva has stressed that the Prime Minister should have taken the helm of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) herself while pressuring the government to conclude the matter on the Red Shirt village soon.

Mr. Abhisit said ISOC was governed and guided by law which enabled the Director of the ISOC to appoint an individual as an advisor to provide him/her with advice on specific matter related to security issues.

Mr. Abhisit said following the self nominated General Pallop Pinmanee who expresed interest in the position of ISOC Director; Ms. Yingluck would be able to perform as well under the same set of law that governed the ISOC.

He further reiterated that the government should make a clear direction as to where it would go with solving the southern unrest and strengthening relationship with neighboring countries. However, he said all works related to the southern insurgency should be directed to the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center as it was already responsible for the issue.

The Opposition leader said he was not aware as to why General Pallop proposed himself for the position and called on the government to clarify his move. Meanwhile, Mr. Abhist said he was not surprised about the expansion of Red Shirt village, saying that Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra would do anything for his own benefit. He urged the Interior Minister to look into the matter and prevent the Red Shirt village from sprouting.

-- NNT 2011-09-20

Arisaman will not return to Thailand as of now

BANGKOK, 20 September 2011 (NNT)-Pheu Thai MP and United front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) leader Mr. Nattawut Saikuea has reported himself to the Criminal Court after his trip to Cambodia during which he claimed to have met Mr. Arisaman Pongruengrong, the UDD fugitive, who remained on the run.

Mr. Nattawut claimed he had also met with the exiled leader, Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, who had asked him to pass along his well wishes to the Thai people and the government.

The UDD leader also said that although he had tried to convince Mr. Arisaman to turn himself to the authority, his fellow UDD member was hesitant to return to Thailand for his own reasons. Mr. Nattawut said he would be ready to assist Mr. Arisaman whenever he was ready.

Meanwhile, the lawyer of the UDD revealed later that those who had returned from Cambodia recently; consisting of UDD members and Pheu Thai MPs, would submit a petition again to ask the Criminal Court for permission to make another trip to Cambodia.

-- NNT 2011-09-20

Danish businessman involved in fatal road crash in North Pattaya

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Suspected Pattaya drug dealer uses 3 year old daughter to conceal drugs

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Cabinet approves Bt15 billion for new Parliament complex

The Cabinet Tuesday approved Bt15 billion for the construction of a new Parliament complex, Deputy Government Spokesman Anusorn Iamsa-ard said.

The new Parliament complex will be built in Kiakkai area.

Anusorn said Bt11.1 billion will be spent for construction costs of buildings and Bt585 million infrastructure. Another Bt3 billion will be for setting up the computer network.

-- The Nation 2011-09-20

Former Deputy PM Fears Red Shirt Political Dominance

Former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban has commented on the current attempt to install a key red shirt member as the director of the Internal Security Operations Command as unfitting, citing political favoritism.

Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban, former deputy prime minister in charge of national security, commented on the attempt to appoint retired General Panlop Pinmanee, a known red shirt supporter as the director of the Internal Security Operations Command as unfitting.

Suthep added that the post is under the prime minister's direct command and there should be other candidates who are more suitable The former prime minister questions if the appoint is an attempt to create more supporter base for the red-shirt movement.

About the appointment of Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong as the secretary-general of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center, Suthep said Tawee lacks the experience to effectively solve the problems in the southernmost region.

He expressed concern that the Pheu Thai government will follow in the footsteps of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra in worsening the situation in the Deep South.

Commenting on reports that plans are underway to topple the Pheu Thai administration, Suthep said the Pheu Thai government could be toppled by the red-shirt movement itself.

He also fears the Pheu Thai Party and the red-shirt group will attempt to 'dominate' Thailand by indoctrinating communities nationwide with its political and social ideology and turning them into 'red' villages.

-- Tan Network 2011-09-20

SET index closed at 1026.28, up 9.09; USD30.38; GBP47.61; AUD31.01; EUR41.47; CAD30.52; HKD3.89; SGD23.92; JPY39.45

Cabinet Approves First Home Purchase Tax Refund and Civil Servant Pay Rise

The Cabinet has given the green light to a pay hike for civil servants whose monthly salaries are under 15,000 baht.

During the meeting, the first-home tax incentive scheme has also been given the okay.

The Cabinet meeting today endorsed the ten percent tax refund for first-time home buyers.

First-time home buyers will be eligible to a tax deduction of up to ten percent or 500,000 baht for their first home that costs less than five million baht.

The scheme will kick off this Thursday and end on December 31, 2012.

The deduction will be applied over the period of five years, at a rate of 20 per cent each year.

The project will cost the government 1.7 billion baht in tax revenue.

The department forecasts some 90,000 units of residential properties will be purchased under the project.

The predicted amount is in tandem with the present stock of newly-built homes.

The Cabinet meeting today also approved the rise of extra allowance for 649,000 civil servants whose salaries are under 15,000 baht a month.

The pay hike aimed to raise the monthly income of civil servants to 15,000 baht.

The increase will use over 18 billion baht of the 2012 fiscal budget.

The pay rise covers civil servants, state officials, military officers and employees under the employment of state agencies both on a permanent and temporary basis.

It will come into effect on January 1 next year.

The Cabinet also ordered the Civil Servant Commission to consider raising the entry salary base of civil servants every year for the next four year until it reaches 15,000 baht per month.

-- Tan Network 2011-09-20

'THAI Smile Air' operational July 2012

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Use of force 'necessary' in Phuket beach eviction: Police

Police say the 'use of force' in removing the vendors from Phuket's

Karon Beach was justified.

The workers took just one hour to tear down the restaurants.

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Street shooting leaves Phuket mother of two in disbelief

Preecha was shot while working on the blue Honda, while Kesinee and

his two children were inside watching TV.

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Thailand Live Wednesday 21 Sep 2011

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