Thailand Live Monday 12 Dec 2011

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Thailand Live Monday 12 December 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 Sunday 11 Dec 2011

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Today's Thailand weather and forecasts:

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AIDE'S SLAYING

Democrat ex-candidate suspects political motive

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MUSTS

Flood-prevention plan must include tunnel: Saving Bangkok

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Lop Buri schools battle to get back on their feet

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Thai public split on 1997 charter: Survey

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RECONCILIATION

House panel to hear from Anand, Prawase: Thailand

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AFTER FLOODS

Govt vows to protect industrial areas: Flooding

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Cement firms keenly await Thai govt schemes: Flood damage

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REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE

What is the value of a Thai passport?

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It's time Thais took a peek over the fence: Opinion

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CHALK TALK

What do Thailand's historical sites really offer as tourist attractions?

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Thai stars are giving us an object lesson in social media's downside: Opinion

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Meteorological Dept warns of cool weather nationwide with 2-3 degree drop in temperature and strong wind, South to see heavy rain /

Residents of Sethakij housing estate in Bangkae can dump their flood garbage at roundabout 1 frm 9am-7pm for district office to collect/

Cabinet to convene special meeting today to discuss flood rehabilitation budget and make sure recovery projects don't overlap /

Wedding reception of Thaksin's oldest daughter Pinthongta and Natthapong Kunakornwong at Plaza Athenee Hotel this evening /

/TAN_Network

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AFP: Noriega home in Panama after 22 years

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AFP: Species, and threats grow in Mekong region: WWF

Mekong River, file photo. Source: wikimedia

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PM chairs special cabinet session to consider post-flood rehabilitation projects, budget

BANGKOK, Dec 12 -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Monday chaired a special cabinet meeting to consider projects and budget for post-flood rehabilitation after the floods have receded, while only some areas are still under water.

The meeting will link with governors of the flood-hit provinces via video conference to acknowledge details of the discussion and share the rehabilitation plans of the respective provinces.

Participation of the governors is intended to avoid duplication of the projects.

Ms Yingluck said earlier that the meeting would consider measures to speed up distribution of financial aid to flood victims and to apply budget effectively to worthy uses.

Priority will be focused on repairing infrastructure and returning normalcy to flood hit areas, she said.

Deputy Prime Minister/Commerce Minister Kitttrat Na Ranong earlier told the media that the cabinet would consider projects already screened by diverse panels and give final approval to budgets which were part of the Bt120 billion rehabilitation budget.

He said the cabinet could approve Bt40 billion immediately but it depended on the cabinet budget decision. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-12-12

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Traffic warning: Phuket Provincial Youth Games today

Phuket Gazette

The stage is set to determine the best young athletes in Phuket today. Photo: Stephen Fein.

Competitors in the 6-years-and-under bracket pose for a group photo at the kindergarten event yesterday. Photo: Stephen Fein.

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Bangkok Governor's pledge: full metro area dry, back to normal by year-end; garbage will be cleared up by then /MCOT

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PM to preside over wedding reception of niece Pinthongta, Thaksin's oldest daughter, tonight /TANN

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Cold front moves into northern, eastern Thailand; South warned of heavy rain, flash floods

CHIANG RAI, Dec 12 - Temperatures in Thailand's north and northeast has moved to sustained low levels, while residents in the south are warned of likely rain, strong winds and flash floods.

Temperatures in Chiang Rai, particularly Mae Fa Luang district, have remained lower than 10 degrees Celsius for several days due to its high elevation and hilly geography.

The local disaster prevention and response centre, representatives of the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Chaozhou Association in Thailand on Monday donated 3,000 blankets to those affected by the cold, mainly the poor, handicapped, the elderly and children from ethnic minority groups, giving Bt300 in financial assistance to 500 people.

In Phitsanulok province, the temperature fell to 2 degrees Celsius Sunday morning at Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park. Many travellers visited Rong Kla Village there to appreciate the beauty of the 'Mae Kha Ning', the seasonal frost phenomenon. The Thai Meteorological Department is warning of cold weather in the area for the rest of the week.

In Thailand's northeast, the lowest temperature at Khao Phra Wihan National Park's Pha Mo I Daeng in Si Sa Ket province was at 9 degrees Celsius in the morning, while villagers along the Thai-Cambodian border at Ban Phum Saron in Kantaralak district gathered together with their pets to set up campfire to get relief from the cold.

Meanwhile, the southern province of Songkhla's meteorological centre issued its 11th warning for heavy rain, strong wind and flash floods from the northeast monsoon for provinces along the Gulf of Thailand, including Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-12-12

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TR@tulsathit: In exclusive interview published in Matichon, Noppadol says Thaksin camp is ready for peace talks with opponents.

TR@tulsathit: Key points for suggested peace talks with Thaksin revolve around seized money, "political convictions" and charter amendments.

TR@tulsathit: Asked why Thaksin wants peace talks now, Noppadol says "Crisis has wasted our energy, opportunities, and children's future."

[Lite Beer]

Mercury on northern mountaintops drop to 4 C degrees

The Meteorological Department Monday warned people in northern provinces to brace themselves for colder weather, saying the temperature would drop by two or three degrees.

In its morning forecast, the department said minimum temperature on mountaintops in the North would range from 4 to 10 Celsius degrees from 6 am Monday to 6 am Tuesday.

The minimum temperature on the lowland in the North would range from 16 to 20 degrees.

It said the minimum temperature in Bangkok would range from 19 to 20 degrees

-- The Nation 2011-12-12

[Lite Beer]

BMA says 9 Bangkok districts still flooded

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announced Monday that nine of its districts are still partially flooded.

The BMA said the districts, which are still affected by flooding, are Thawee Watana, Nong Khem, Bang Kae, Don Mueang, Sai Mai, Bang Khen, Khan Nayao, Klong Samwa and Min Buri.

-- The Nation 2011-12-12

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Time running out for Phuket Convention Center

An artist’s conception of how the completed 5,000-seat Phuket convention center would appear. Photo: Gazette file

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RT @tulsathit: Expect news about drought to come flooding in in the near future.

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Cabinet approves Bt20 billion budget for post flood rehabilitation

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German Resident Robbed At Gun Point In North Pattaya

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Walking Street Go-Go Bar raided by Police

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AUTOMOTIVE

25,000 vehicles booked at Motor Expo

The Nation

The 28th Thailand International Motor Expo successfully ended with the booking for 25,000 vehicles.

The expo preliminarily generated Bt27.5 billion in revenue, inclusive of the value of brand-new, second-hand and accessories sold at the 12-day event. It welcomed 1.5 million visitors. Official figures would be updated and concluded at 10pm today.

Due to the great floods, the organiser cut down the original target of 30,000 units to 25,000 units.

"This reflects the power of coordination from all parties - the organiser, exhibitors and the general public. Despite the disaster, all would go through the crisis with cooperation," said Kwanchai Papaspong, chairman of Inter-Media Consultant Co Ltd which organised the event.

Nissan received the highest booking at the event, at 4,600 units. In last year’s event, it was ranked the fourth. Mazda rose from the fifth place to the second with the booking for 4,500 units. Isuzu maintained the third ranking with the booking for 3,400 units.

This year, Toyota which holds the biggest market share and Honda did not take orders. Toyota just resumed operations on Nov 21 and had to clear accumulated orders, while Honda still does not know when its assembly plants in Ayutthaya can resume operations.

-- The Nation 2011-12-12