Thailand Live Wednesday 12 October 2011

News, Bits and Tweets

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Keep up to date with live updates from the news, hour by hour.

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Related topic: Thailand Live Tuesday 11 Oct 2011

Today's Thailand weather and forecasts:

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Bangkok should have escaped the threat of being flooded

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Thai envoys told to provide correct info

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FLOODS

Supplementary govt budget possible

Wichit Chaitrong

The Nation

Further losses seen as run-offs approach Bangkok

The economic cost of the severe flooding is expected to increase further, as parts of Bangkok may not now be spared from the fast-rising water levels.

The government may, therefore, need a supplementary midyear budget for economic rehabilitation, said Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong.

-- The Nation 2011-10-12

Yingluck, Abhisit discuss Bangkok risk

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There's no place like home: evacuees

MAYUREE SUKYINGCHAROENWONG

THE NATION

More than 1,000 flood victims have taken shelter at Thammasat University's Rangsit Campus. But for them, there's no place like home.

"Life is much more comfortable here. But I wish I could return to my home soon," Kedwadee Jamlongpeng from Ayutthaya said yesterday.

Her two-storey house, shared by 14 family members, is behind Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Hospital. When the flood waters broke in, they scattered to the homes of their relatives in Nakhon Pathom, Chon Buri and Buri Ram.

"We don't want to cause more of a burden on our relatives. So we went to Ayutthaya City Hall instead," Kedwadee said about the decision made by her and her husband.

"Then someone said we had better move here because it's more comfortable. That's how we ended up here."

The 27-year-old refugee said her family received all the necessities they needed at the campus.

"We get food and clothes. All the volunteers are nice. They always ask us if we need anything," she said. "Still, no place can make us feel at ease like our home can."

She is now praying that the flood will soon subside and her family can go back home soon.

"All our belongings might be gone. We moved them up to the second floor but it reached the upper floor too," she said.

This flood is more severe that the big flood in 1995. Back then, it did not enter the second floor, she said.

"But by the time we decided to leave home this time, the flood waters were already knee-deep," she said.

Nirut Wiboonchaikul, 35, said his one-floor house and his car were now submerged.

"I've lost everything, all the things in the house and all the important documents in the car.

They're all gone," he said. He hopes the government will offer more assistance than just the Bt5,000 handout. "That's too little," he said.

Nirut, his wife and their two children escaped the flooding unharmed.

Prof Somkit Lertpaithoon, rector of Thammasat University, said the Gymnasium II building and the main stadium at the Rangsit campus could accommodate up to 1,700 evacuees.

"If necessary, we can open Gymnasium I. So far, there are just 1,031 evacuees with us now," he said.

About 1,300 volunteers including students were at the campus helping out the flood refugees.

"We're confident we can take good care of them," he said.

-- The Nation 2011-10-12

Thailand Beefs Up Airport Flood Defences

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Thailand To Seek Rehabilitation Help From Other Countries

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Long road ahead before life in Nakhon Sawan returns to normal

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NORTHERN THAILAND

International Horticultural Exposition returns to Chiang Mai

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Flood Barriers Breached As Pathum Thani Struggles On

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Princess visits Ayutthaya

THE NATION

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn yesterday visited flood-affected residents in Ayutthaya province, which has been severely inundated after some embankments collapsed on Monday.

During the visit, the princess handed out relief packages and also led a medical team from Ramathibodhi Hospital to provide medical treatment.

The municipal area was submerged after the flood barriers collapsed, and hospitals had to evacuate patients in critical condition to other facilities. The rising floods drove hundreds of people from their homes, while some lost their homes altogether.

The princess also visited rice mills under the royal-initiated Chai Pattana Foundation in Ayutthaya's Lat Bua Luang district as well as the flood shelter set up at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University's Wang Noi campus. The princess has told officials to set up makeshift kitchens in the campus to provide food to the flood-hit people.

-- The Nation 2011-10-12

Steve jobs, the man who changed the world ... almost

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Activist's jail term reduced

THE NATION

The Supreme Court yesterday sentenced an environmentalist to four months in jail for crashing a party thrown by the developer of the Hin Krut Power Plant project.

Jintana Kaewkhao, who heads the Ban Krut Environ-ment Club, was convicted of intrusion.

On January 13, 2001, she led supporters into the compound of Union Power Development and threw dirty things onto dining tables there during a party to commemorate its third anniversary.

The company took legal action against Jintana, but the Criminal Court dropped the case against her.

The company appealed and Jintana was convicted and sentenced to six-months' imprisonment.

The case went to the Supreme Court, which cut the jail term to four months.

Korn-uma, another activist, thanked locals for their united opposition, as the Hin Krut project was eventually scrapped. "We will camp out in front of the prison where Jintana is detained. We will show her our moral support," she said.

-- The Nation 2011-10-12

Revise the law only if it benefits society as a whole: Thai opinion

GUEST COLUMN

The military must learn to respect the law and the govt: Thailand

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Suvarnabhumi Airport contingency plan in place

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From now until after the weekend, all high tides will cause flooding in Bangkok http://tinyurl.com/6zmrfm9 /via@RichardBarrow

Saenseb Canal boat service cancelled indefinitely until canals' water level stabilizes /TAN_Network

Exit 1 of MRT's Samyan Station closed for #Thaiflood drill during 8.30 - 11am today. /via@tukky_nt

(8pm) Ayutthaya's Hitech Industrial Park hit by flood; workers have been evacuated. /via@tukky_nt

About 2,212 Thai schools have suffered some 1.4 billion baht in #ThaiFlood damage (BkkPost) /via@RichardBarrow:

Pathum Thani gov not confident he can keep situation under control; patients are being evacuated from Pathum Thani Hospital /TAN_Network

Soldiers posted at all flood embankments around BKK round the clock to monitor water level /TAN_Network

In Bkk itself, many piers along the Chao Praya and the canals could be closed, call 1199 and ask first before you go.

In any case, call 1111 (then press 5) to reach the govt's Flood Relief Center, English speakers are supposedly on hand as well.

/via@Saksith

Chao Phraya express boat service to run only from Sribunrueng Temple to Pratunam /TAN_Network

UPDATED 12 October: Maps of Flood Risk Areas in Bangkok: http://bit.ly/qlId0X

/via@RichardBarrow

Marine Reports: Bangkok Tide Tables

Follow this link: http://www.myforecast.com/bin/tide.m?city=75672&metric=true&tideLocationID=T2106

Wittaya's home flooded, Ayutthaya inundated

The Nation

On Wednesday's morning, Bang Pa-in district was completely submerged, resulting in the inundation of the entire Ayutthaya province.

Overflowing water from Chao Phraya River inundated the Hitech Industrial Park, the province's last line of flood defence, district chief Natthee Bosuwan said.

The home of Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri, located near the industrial park, was also flooded, he said.

The last batch of 50 industrial park officials were evacuated just before

Relief workers were presently focused on distributing supplies for flood victims. They would also assess the situation before deciding whether to evacuate those Bang Pa-in residents living outside the supplies network.

Flood victims have been advised to raise a flag in front of their home to alert officials should they require emergency services.

-- The Nation 2011-10-12

Klongchik canal along Bangpa-in industrial estate is now rising up the dyke and flooding the road. http://yfrog.com/nv11jcsj /via@inOnymous

Thai stock index opens on Wednesday at 944.10, down 0.70 points /MCOT