Thailand Live Friday 18 Nov 2011

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RT@tulsathit: PAD to hold protest in front of Council of State office this Monday against the amnesty plan. Press conference tomorrow.

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Supoj to face graft probe linked to burglary

The National Anti Corruption Commission is to launch a graft probe against Transport permanent secretary Supoj Saplom on suspicion of unusual wealth, NACC member Klanarong Chantik said on Friday.

The probe is in connection with the testimonies of two burglar suspects who confessed to stealing Bt200 million in cash after breaking into Supoj's home, Klanarong said.

He said the probe would focus on three issues - whether Supoj filed false asset statement, whether he stashed ill-gotten gains and whether he was involved in irregularities.

Reacting to the probe, Supoj said he was smeared by the burglar suspects who claimed he might have hidden as much as Bt1 billion at his home.

-- The Nation 2011-11-18

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Facebook friends can now send each other cash with Paypal

San Francisco - Avoiding paying back your friends the cash you borrowed just got a little bit harder. Online payment platform Paypal said Thursday that it had introduced a Facebook application called Send Money that allows people to easily send cash to their Facebook friends.

"Today, we’re bringing the largest online payments company to the world’s largest social network to make it even easier to send money to your friends and family directly from Facebook," said PayPal product manager JB Coutinho on a blog posting. "In a world that’s turning increasingly to social media, we are giving our customers the flexibility to send their money to whoever they want, whenever they want and for whatever (occasion) they want."

Coutinho said the service is free in the United States if the sender uses a bank account linked to Paypal. No details were available on the cost for international transfers.

-- The Nation 2011-11-18

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Censure debate against Pracha expected on Nov 27

A no-confidence debate against Justice Minister Pracha Promnok may be held on November 27, House Speaker Somsak Kiartsuranon said Friday.

Somsak was speaking to reporters after Democrat MP Jurin Laksanavisit, the chief opposition whip, submitted a no-confidence motion against Pracha to him at Parliament.

Jurin said the motion was signed by 153 opposition MPs.

Somsak said he personally though the debate could start at 9:30 am on November 27 and end before midnight and a vote of no-confidence would be held in the following morning.

-- The Nation 2011-11-18

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BRIBERY SCANDAL

Supoth denies scandal

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451 bank branches closed

The Nation

The number of closed bank branches on Nov 18 fell by 32 from the previous day to 451, according to the Bank of Thailand.

The number dropped as 26 branches in Lat Phrao, Bang Bon and Bang Phlad re-opened, along with five more in Pathum Thani. The number of closed bank branches in other 5 provinces stabilised.

Of total, 208 are in Bangkok, 131 in Pathum Thani, 58 in Nonthaburi, 27 in Nakhon Pathom, 14 in Ayutthaya, 10 in Samut Sakhon and 3 in Nakhon Sawan.

The number of unplugged ATMs also dropped by 161 to 4,942 (including 2,020 in Bangkok).

-- The Nation 2011-11-18

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AFP: Aung San Suu Kyi's Party Announces Official Myanmar Comeback

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One ranger killed, another injured in Pattani bomb attack

The Nation

Pattani - A ranger was fatally injured and another severely hurt when insurgents detonated a roadside homemade bomb to ambush a patrol unit.

The explosion occurred at 11:30 am on a remote road in Sunga Baru village in Tambon Klongmai in Yarang district.

Sgt Kongsing Jamnamkapha, 49, suffered cuts on his head and body and died on his way to the Yarang Hospital. Private Songkran Promtrai, 21, was severely injured.

Kongsing and Songkran were riding the same motorcycle in a unit of six rangers on three motorcycles. The unit was patrolling the road.

Insurgents detonated the bomb with a wired remote.

-- The Nation 2011-11-18

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Flood Woes Continue in Nakhon Pathom's Samphran District

The flood situation at Samphran District in Nakhon Pathom Province remains critical as stagnant floodwater begun to turn stale.

Meanwhile, Uthai Thani residents have gathered to clean up important historical sites, as the flood situation has eased.

The flood situation in the areas from Buddha Monton Number 5 and Petchkasem Road in Rai King Sub-district of Nakhon Pathom Province remains serious, although the water level is no longer rising.

However, the water remains more than one meter, forcing local residents to travel by boat. Meanwhile, high volumes of floodwater remain pooled up at the Educational Training Institute and the Nakhon Pathom Professional College in Rai King Sub-district.

Villagers expressed that they lacked access to clean toilets and the floodwater is turning stale.

All the orchids in the area that were specially exported from overseas have been submerged for more than 20 days, as well as coconut and grapefruit orchards.

Yesterday, nearly 1,000 Buddhists, villagers, volunteers, and tourists gathered to join the “Big Cleaning” day at Buddhist places including Viharn Kaew at Tha Sung Temple, which has been submerged for more than two months.

They were helping to clean the areas through collecting waste and washing off the roads, in order to normalize the situation and prepare to move the body of Luang Por Luesi Lingdam back to the Viharn Kaew for the Buddhists and tourists to visit again.

Meanwhile, at Koh Tae Po subdistrict the water level has decreased, allowing vehicles to access the area.

However, those residents with homes located in lower areas are still suffering from the flooding.

Their homes have been submerged for two months, and the roads and electric poles were seriously damaged.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-18

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RT @mpoppel: UPDATE: Strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake strikes off the North Island of New Zealand; centered 150 kms east of Tikitiki

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Bkk gov invites volunteers to help clean BangPlad (Yanhee Hospital-BangPlad Inters'n) after flood on Nov 20 from 10AM in front of Lotus /TANN

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Suvarnabhumi airpt asks people in the 'no parking' zone to remove their cars frm today to Nov 20 otherwise staff will move cars themselves /TANN

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Phuket Rotary polio campaign: 10,000 kids to get free vaccines

Rotarians in action during last year's polio vaccination drive.

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AFP: Thai Yellows to protest over Thaksin amnesty reports

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Finnish resident drowns at communal swimming pool in East Pattaya

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Tonight, tonight: Election alcohol ban in Phuket

A breakdown of the seats to be contested in this weekend's local elections.

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SET index closed at 984.16, down 9.22; Bt/USD30.81; GBP48.58; AUD30.70; EUR41.51; CAD29.80; HKD3.95; SGD23.65; JPY39.86

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THAI launches new Bangkok-Brussels route, builds confidence among travellers

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Denmark: Go to Bangkok - but keep informed

Denmark’s removed on Thursday its advice against non-necessary travel to Bangkok. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs now advises travelers to Bangkok to exercise caution and keep informed about the local situation.

Denmark has never warned against travel to the major tourist destinations such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Sukhothai, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Koh Chang, Rayong, Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui and all provinces in southern Thailand – but Danes along with so many other nationalities have mistaken the travel warning to Bangkok as a travel warning to all of Thailand.

Consequently, tourists at these destinations currently report that the weather is as wonderful as it always is this time of the year, the food is as delicious as they remember it and the people as helpful and smiling as ever. Only difference is, there are less other tourists to share it with.

The other Nordic countries have so far not downgraded their advice against non-essential travel to Bangkok.

Source: http://www.scandasia.com/viewNews.php?news_id=9860&coun_code=dk

-- scandasia.com 2011-11-18

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INDUSTRIAL ESTATES

Power supply at 3 estates resumes

The Nation

The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has supplied electricity to three inundated industrial estates - Factory Land, Nava Nakorn Industrial Estate and Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate.

PEA Governor Narongsak Kammales said that power supply to Factory Land fully resumes, while the supply to the other two industrial estates covers only 13 factories each.

"Water level at the other four industrial estates remains high," he said, referring to Hi-Tech Industrial Estate, Rojana Industrial Park, Bangkadi Industrial Park and Saha Rattana Nakorn Industrial Estate.

It was reported yesterday that Thailand Tobacco Monopoly (TTM) may relocate its Bt16.2 billion cigarette factory from Rojana. TTM had bought 242 rai of land at Rojana Industrial Park in 2009, and has plans to acquire another 100 rai.

To DBS Research, TTM's decision to relocate to another industrial park, if any, would be very negative news for Rojana, as it will not only lose the potential 100-rai of land sales but future sales to other investors could be affected as confidence slips.

Rojana is now planning to construct a 4-metre-high concrete barrier around its industrial park as one of the flood prevention measures in order to restore investors' confidence. This will cost the company about Bt1.3-Bt2 billion, using soft loans from the government.

-- The Nation 2011-11-18

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Bank of Thailand: Cutting key interest rate possible to stimulate post-flood economy

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RT@terryfrd: Dr Seri said he has been talking to a lot of foreign investors who want assurances this will never happen again.

RT@terryfrd: During this crisis, Dr Seri says, pumps have been paramount,very risky situation since they depend on power. Floodways, are the answer.

RT@terryfrd: Dr Seri envisions 2 major floodways, 1 frm Nakorn Sawan thru Supanburi & 2 more originating in Ayuttaya & going on either side of CP river.

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RT@tukky_nt: PTT and Bangchak to reduce benzene and gasohol price by 50 satang/litre, E85 by 30satang/litre, diesel remains unchanged;effective Sat #INN

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Fighting broke out amongst inmates in Trad Prison, 2 dead and 30 injured. 200 prison guards used to restore order./TAN_Network

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Transport min says transfer of perm-sec, who's suspected of being unusually wealthy, was coordinated by deputy PM Yongyuth of Pheu Thai./TAN_Network

FROC spokesman: Legal threats won't be used vs locals destroying BigBag barriers, focuses on negotiations./TAN_Network

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to continue:

Thailand Live Saturday 19 Nov 2011

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