Thailand Live Thursday 10 Nov 2011

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2:48pm BMA said water in main canals still high. Water on Vibhavadi Rd receded from 95cm to 80cm ~ ThaiPBS

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2:22pm Water level on Ladprao Rd at Pawana junction is 50cm http://yfrog.com/h0olwfcj ~ @e20ive

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Energy Reg Commission: No electricity price hike from Jan-Apr, paymt can b delayed by 3 mths; no collection of mthly fixed electricity fee /TANN

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EU to Give More Flood Aid to Thailand

The European union announces that it will donate 84 million baht to assist with the flood crisis in Thailand.

Meanwhile, other relief efforts continue to deliver goods and financial aid from around the world.

The Delegation of the European Union in Thailand said the EU plans to increase the flood rescue fund from 1.5 million euros, or 60 million baht, to two million euros, or 84 million baht.

Head of the Delegation of European Union Ambassadors, David Lipman, delivered the funds to the Thai Red Cross foundation.

He also visited the mobile kitchen, and the relief bags distribution center.

The EU ambassador traveled with the Thailand Red Cross rescue team to deliver the relief bags to the flood victims on Paholyothin 48 Road.

The 84 million-baht rescue fund will be divided into two parts.

The first 62 million baht will be donated to the Thai Red Cross in order to provide relief bags for 100,000 people in 15 flooded provinces.

The Red Cross will purchase motorboats, generators, portable cooking gas sets, drinking water tanks and tents.

Another 22 million baht will be passed to the organization helping children in Great Britain to provide essential goods, and mobile toilets to 16,000 of flood victims who have not been able to move out of the affected industrial estates.

More than 7,000 of them are foreign workers.

Donations, goods, and other aid continue pouring in from many countries worldwide.

Earlier, China sent 500 water pumps to the Foreign Ministry, while Indonesia plans to send their search and rescue team to Thailand.

Switzerland has offered to send experts to work with the Public Health Ministry to inspect water quality as well as waste water treatment systems.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-10

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Bangkokians Advised to Skip Loy Krathong over Floods

The deputy Bangkok governor urges residents not to drift their candle-lit floats, or krathong, in waterways during the Loy Krathong festival tonight as that could cause water drainage difficulties.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Doctor Malinee Sukavejworakit gave an interview on a radio news program saying that today, Loy Krathong Day, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, or BMA, is opening parks that have not flooded, such as Lumpini Park and Benjasiri Park, to allow residents to float their krathong on lakes and ponds.

However, the BMA did not organize any events for the festival due to the flood situation.

Malinee also urged residents not to float krathong this year.

She encouraged residents to participate in the Loy Krathong festival in accordance with tradition, not just for amusement, warning that floating krathong could cause them to get stuck in water pumps and create difficulties in draining out the water.

Furthermore, Malinee expressed concerns about setting off fireworks and sky lanterns as they could attach or catch fire at residents' homes, while many residents have evacuated to other areas since the flooding began.

Also, extinguishing the fire will be very difficult given that many main roads are submerged under water and have been cut off.

Regarding the widespread flooding in Bangkok, which has begun to get polluted, officials have applied effective microorganism in many flooded areas to improve the water quality.

Mixing effective microorganism with the water and then spraying it to flooded areas is more effective than placing the effective microorganism balls in the water, as Bangkok is a large area.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-10

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3:20pm Zeer Rangsit still submerged under 70cm of water ~ @fm91trafficpro

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Industry Minister surveys flooding in Bangchan Industrial Estate; 16 factories have stopped operations; hurrying to pump water out /TANN

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BMA issues evacuation advisory for Bang Bon, Bangkok Noi, Chom Thong

BANGKOK, Nov 10 – Five more sub-districts of Bangkok have been tagged for evacuation in the face of the current oncoming flood, according to City Hall.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on Thursday issued an evacuation advisory for five sub-districts in three districts -- one for Bang Bon, two for Chom Thong and three for Bangkok Noi while 560 communities in the capital were under 80cm of water.

The BMA, in its latest evacuation notice, advised residents of Bang Bon sub-district of Bang Bon; Bang Khun Thian and Bang Kho sub-districts of Chom Thong district and Bang Khun Non, Bang Khun Si and Arun Amarin sub-districts of Bangkok Noi district to consider moving out from their homes because of the flood and informed them that they could stay at the shelters provided by the BMA.

There are now 560 communities in 12 districts under 80cm of water and over 400,000 Bangkok residents were affected by the flood.

Meanwhile, Minister of Public Health Wittaya Buranasiri said that as the flood continues spreading in Bangkok and adjacent provinces including Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon and Samut Prakan, the ministry advises families with members in eight at-risk categories from flood-affected areas without waiting for an advisory from the authorities.

The eight risk groups were small children, pregnant women, disabled people, the elderly, kidney disease patients and/or other patients who must meet doctors many times in one week, patients needing chemotherapy or regular immunosuppressant medications, chronic disease patients and other patients that doctors advised to move (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-11-10

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Police wear POLICE tshirts. Now we have tshirts that say THIEF and Flood Victim on sales. CREDIT: http://Matichon.co.th http://yfrog.com/h8thyclj /TANN

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Ministry Denies Imported Goods Overpriced

The Commerce Ministry insists that the imported eggs and drinking water are being sold at the prices determined by the Internal Trade Department and are not overpriced as some have complained.

Meanwhile, retailers have indicated that domestic egg production is starting to catch up with demand.

Permanent Secretary to the Commerce Ministry, Yanyong Puangraj is insisting that some imported goods, such as eggs and drinking water, are being sold at the prices determined by the Internal Trade Department.

Eggs are selling for four baht each while 600-CC, 700-CC and 1.5 liters of bottled drinking water are selling for seven baht, nine baht and 14 baht respectively.

Instant noodle and canned foods are also priced accordingly, but with some transportation costs added on.

Regarding the claim that the imported goods are overpriced, Yanyong said that the department will find out who made these complaints, as he believes they did not come from consumers, but rather from domestic manufacturers who stand to lose.

The Commerce Ministry is urging all sides to put flood relief efforts ahead of their own interests.

Meanwhile, Big C Super Center, a major retail-chain, has decided to put off importing 650,000 eggs from Malaysia as the domestic production is now capable of producing up to 7.35 million eggs per week which may ease the shortage problem.

Moreover, it may take awhile for the imported eggs to reach consumers, considering that they must also go through an inspection.

Meanwhile, drinking water and other non-perishable foods are continuing to be imported by the company.

At the same time, Central Food Retail, the operator of Tops and Central Food Hall supermarket-chains pointed out that the company's egg supplies are still intact because its supplier is located in Ratchaburi Province which has not been affected by the floods.

However, the company still has to import drinking and mineral water from Malaysia.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-10

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3:15pm Central Plaza Pinklao branch to reopen on November 13th ~ @Centralnews

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SET index closed at 968.3, up 0.46; Bt/USD30.67; GBP48.73; AUD30.87; EUR41.47; CAD29.81; HKD3.94; SGD23.60; JPY39.27

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560 Bangkok communities in 12 districts under 80-cm water

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) announced that 560 communities in 12 districts have been under deeper than 80-centimetre water.

The 12 districts and the number of affected people are:

1) Dong Mueang - 84 communities, 37,228 people

2) Saimai - 70 communities, 87,229 people

3) Nong Khem - 57 communities, 35,852 people

4) Lak Si - 54 communities, 51,266 people

5) Phasi Charone - 53 communities, 51,920 people

6) Klong Samwa - 48 communities, 22,341 people

7) Bang Kae - 46 communities, 11,667 people

8) Bang Plad - 46 communities, 51,055 people

9) Taling Chan - 37 communities, 21,221 people

10) Chatuchak - 26 communities, 17,624 people

11) Bang Khen - 24 communities, 22,326 people

12) Thaweewatana - 15 communities, 11,248 people

-- The Nation 2011-11-10

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Disappointment with Thai govt performance may lead to riots, opposition warns

Follow this link:

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Phuket probe reveals 1,400 meth pills in man’s underpants

From left, suspects Narongrit Metula (brown shirt); Bualin Panachai (gray shirt);

Seksan Srithamma (blue shirt). Photo: Warisa Temram

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BUDGETS

Chalerm assures budget transparency

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SRT Thur suspended train services between Wong Wian Yai station, Bangkok; Mahachai station,Samut Sakhon due to floods /The NATION

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Samut Sakhon prepares emergency plan for workforce

With Samut Sakhon braced for flooding, the Labour Ministry has joined forces with business operators to find eight temporary shelters to support 300,000 Thai workers and some 200,000 immigrant workers, in order to prevent a repeat of Ayutthaya's flood woe when workers were scattered and couldn't access assistance easily.

Labour Minister Phadermchai Sasomsap Thursday commented on the worker-assistance measures in Samut Sakhon, which will soon receive floodwater runoff from Bangkok.

He said that Labour Ministry permanent secretary Somkiat Chayasriwong and his team visited the province Thursday and met business operators at the two Samut Sakhon industrial estates, which employ some 500,000600,000 workers in total.

The operators would find shelters for Thai workers, while the ministry would send immigrant workers to existing shelters in various provinces, he added.

-- The Nation 2011-11-10

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Phuket models call for votes in Thai Supermodel contest

Thai-German Vanessa 'Van' Herrmann, 20, a former student at Satree Phuket School,

made it to the final 50 round of the Miss Teen Thailand 2008.

Uraisri 'Yim' Watrsang, 16, is still studying at Srinagarindra school in Phuket Town, where

she is enrolled in the Intensive Math Program.

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Govt caravan to go around capital offering help

A government-commissioned 800-vehicle caravan started travelling around Bangkok Thursday to provide assistance and relief supplies to people in the 23 districts that are inundated.

While launching the project at Royal Plaza, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said a large kitchen would be built in each of Bangkok's 50 districts to cook fresh food for flood evacuees and that 23 provinces had started sending daily supplies to the inundated districts in Bangkok.

The caravan consists of ambulances, mobile toilet units, water purifiers and smallsized garbage trucks.

-- The Nation 2011-11-10

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Bangkok floods influence condominium development

The Nation

Lumpini is expected to be the most lucrative location for condominium development, followed by Sukhumvit, following the floods which drive developers to develop new projects in the inner city aeras, according to Knight Frank Thailand.

Risinee Sarikaputra, associate director of Research and Consultancy Department, said that Lumpini would be in high demand as it is in long distance from canals. She said that it is generally believed that big floods like this would re-occur in the future.

This will drive up land prices in non-flooded areas,

"Not only location, another concern is the design. We quite believe that the underground parking will be omitted from the building design since the construction cost is much more expensive and it will not be a major critical success factor to avoid floods," she said.

Out of 32,549 condominium units launched in the first half of this year, 19 per cent is located in the inner city area. Another 23 per cent in the city fringe areas and the rest in peripheral areas. Srinakarin and Bang Na have recently been new locations, offering 7,933 units in the first half or 42 per cent of new supply from urban areas.

-- The Nation 2011-11-10

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Mitsubishi Motors President Osamu Masuko confirms company will not relocate elsewhere, donates Bt12 mln to help Thai flood victims: Deputy govt/MCOT

New BMA evacuation calls affect Bangkok Noi, Jom Thong, Bang Bon./via@tulsathit

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Bang Kapi district chief: Krungthep Kretha Rd -as the lowest spot in the district - is most vulnerable area in Bankapi. via @wannasiri_/via@veena_NT

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Businesses demand written assurance on tap water quality

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation

The Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) urged the government to produce an assurance in writing for the quality of tap water, as contamination fears could scare away demand for Thai food products.

TCC Vice Chairman Pornsilp Patcharintanakul said that the association’s members, which use tap water in the manufacturing process, are now highly worried over investor confidence.

"The government should produce an announcement to assure the water quality. Verbal assurance through news media is not enough to maintain foreign investor confidence and win confidence from importers," he said.

On Nov 11, the association will officially submit Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra a request for such written assurance.

Yingluck has assured all of the water safety. It was also announced on Nov 8 that Bangkok’s tap water quality meets the World Health Organisation standard.

-- The Nation 2011-11-10

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PM asserts she won’t step down

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/511422-pm-yingluck-will-not-step-down/page__view__findpost__p__4837482

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Team Group water expert on TV: Bkk has seen the worst and will only get better. By Nov 28, the East BKK should be dry. #Ch.3/via@veen_NT

Team Group's reason for optimism RT @terryfrd: soon water level of Chao Phya will be lower than canals, making draining much easier/via@tulsathit

Big bag barrier unlikely to give way, says Chavalit, because it's not continuous. Breaches reduce pressure, so a new torrent won't occur/via@terryfrd

Chavlit, who seems to have his hand on detailed info throughout city, says significant further penetration into inner city unlikely./via@terryfrd

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ERC approves Bt20bn relief measures

The Energy Regulatory Commission approved relief measures for individuals and manufacturers, which could be valued about Bt20 billion.

Direk Lawansiri, chairman of the commission, said that the measures cover a waiver of service fee, the payment of electricity bills in installments, a temporary maintenance of fuel tariff (FT), the exempt of demand charge or minimum charges on factories, and a cut in power factor for all manufacturers.

Nationwide, service fees (Bt8.1-Bt38.22 monthly) levied on households will be waived from the period when the houses are flooded. Factories will also be waived from the Bt312 monthly fee, while non-profit organisation’s fee will be cut from Bt320 to Bt20. The unpaid bills during the flood period could be paid in 3 instalments, without interest. The Metropolitan and Provincial Electricity Authority will shoulder the cost.

The fuel tariff for the Jan-Apr period would also be maintained, and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand will shoulder the cost of about Bt7.7 billion.

The commission also approved a cut in free electricity from 90 units per month per household to 50 units, starting from January 2012. Direk said that this will reduce the number of eligible households from 7.9 million to about 4 million, and reduce the subsidy from Bt12 billion to Bt3.6 billion per annum. The National Energy Policy Council will later decide whether the burden would be shared by all power users at the cost of 3 satang per unit, or if the government would shoulder the entire cost.

-- The Nation 2011-11-10

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Biggest risk to optimistic scenario is a major pump breakdown, i.e., significant portion of 17 pumps at Bang Sue pumping stations./via@terryfrd

Many contradicting info: Dr Seri says mass water from the North is 6,000 million M3 while Team Group today says it is 4,000 million M3./via@veen_NT

An observation from our newsroom geek: may be the crocodiles drank the 2,000 million M3.>LOL/via@veen_NT

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Announcement: Aor Tor Kor market in Chatuchak remains open, though floods hit the area.via@Biz_TheNation

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People on Krungthep Kreetha Rd and other areas in Pravet district can ask Pravet pol station for help 02-328-7337 via @noppatjak/via@NationNews

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More than 1,000 Russian tourists have gone to Pattaya for Loy Krathong after arriving on charter planes from Moscow (BP)/via@Richardbarrow

People in North, Northeast, South enjoy Loy Krathong Festival, wishing severe flooding eases; Bangkok festival not livelyMCOT