Thailand Live Wednesday 14 Dec 2011

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Thailand Live Wednesday 14 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 Tuesday 13 Dec 2011

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Today's Thailand weather and forecasts:

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NEW YEAR

Ten Bangkok sites face bomb threats during New Year: police

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CONTROVERSIAL APPROVAL

Chuwit files complaint about massage parlour reopening

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Court to consider red-shirt Arisman's fresh bail plea

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DEFENCE ACT

Thai PM Yingluck confident no coup against her

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POLITICS

Murdered canvasser's widow asks PM Yingluck to ensure justice

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STOPPAGE TIME

Truth, lies and reconciliation: Thai opinion

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DEFAMATION SUIT

Karun found guilty of libel

The Nation

The Criminal Court has given Pheu Thai MP Karun Hosakul a suspended one-year jail term and fined him Bt40,000 after finding him guilty of libel against former Democrat MP Somkiat Pongpaibul.

The day after he kicked Somkiat in Parliament on April 2, 2008, Karun gave an interview to a radio and a television station which the court considered defaming Somkiat.

The court initially sentenced Karun to six months in jail and Bt20,000 fine for each interview. However, since Karun has a clean record and is now an MP, the court ordered a probation of two years and told him to publish the verdict in three newspapers for three days.

-- The Nation 2011-12-14

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Red-shirt leader Kwanchai: Reconciliation a priority next year

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Ex-policeman gets 38 years for firing rocket at Thai Defence Ministry

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New Year holidays from Dec 31-Jan 3

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

It is now official: the New Year holidays will run from December 31 to January 3.

"It's a Cabinet resolution," Government Spokeswoman Thitima Chaisang announced yesterday.

An informed source said Cabinet secretary general Ampon Kitti-ampon asked during yesterday's Cabinet meeting whether Tuesday, January 3, was also a holiday.

"Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra then suggested the New Year holidays should run until January 3 because many government officials have to clean up their flooded homes," the source said.

With the country having faced its worst floods in decades, millions of people have been affected and many have found their homes submerged under filthy water for weeks, if not months.

After emerging from the Cabinet meeting, Thitima disclosed that Yingluck asked her ministers to use products from the One Tambon One Product (Otop) scheme as New Year gifts.

Many participants in the Otop scheme, which was launched by the government, have been suffering from the adverse impact of the flood.

Thitima also announced that Yingluck planned to hold her first mobile Cabinet meeting in Chiang Mai on January 16. "After that, it will take place once a month," she added.

Meanwhile, the cool weather has attracted a large number of tourists to Chiang Mai.

During the long weekend from December 10-12, more than 10,000 people visited Doi Inthanon National Park each day.

"Accommodation at the park and nearby areas were all booked up," park assistant chief Jiradej Boonmak said.

-- The Nation 2011-12-14

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Insurgents launch new attacks in South

The Nation

Insurgents launched two separate attacks in Pattani and Yala yesterday, killing one person in each incident, and also planted bombs in three locations in Narathiwat province.

In response to this, the Cabinet agreed yesterday to put all three provinces under emergency law.

In Pattani, two men on a motorbike shot dead Wirat Bamrungwong, a mechanic, who was riding a motorcycle.

In Yala, Army paramilitary ranger Anan Awae was shot dead in his home in Muang district by two teenage men wearing Muslim caps. Police believe Ahmad Tue-nga and Yasa Damae, two insurgent leaders in the area, might have ordered this shooting.

Meanwhile, a home-made bomb exploded inside the office of a local administrative body in Narathiwat's Rusoh district where some soldiers were resting. Everybody escaped uninjured. Another 5-kilogram bomb went off at a nearby office of another district agency, though no casualties were reported.

In the third incident, insurgents brought down several trees along a road leading to both locations, likely to keep security officials away.

The authorities later explained that the bomb attacks in both offices had been meant to destroy walls and make way for up to 50 insurgents to storm in. However, since the blasts were not powerful enough to bring down the walls, the waiting attackers had to settle for just lobbing grenades into the site.

These mistakes on the attackers' side helped save the lives of up to 30 soldiers. A senior policeman said many attackers were part of the team that raided a military outpost on January 19, killing four soldiers and stealing 50 assault rifles.

-- The Nation 2011-12-14

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BMA hopes to set up panel to prevent floods

The Nation

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is hoping to set up a committee to help prevent floods in the long term.

"I will chair the committee myself," Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra said yesterday.

He disclosed this plan after massive run-offs from the North wreaked havoc in several districts in the capital over the past few months.

"The current water-drainage system is designed to deal with heavy rain and natural high tide, not an influx of run-offs from upriver," Sukhumbhand said, adding that he expected the government to work closely with the BMA to help prevent such crises in the future.

As of yesterday, some schools in Thawee Watthana and Klong Sam Wa districts were still inundated and students had to walk across temporary bridges to reach their classrooms.

"We will be discussing the matter with the government," the governor said.

Meanwhile, more than 300 residents from Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi blocked Highway 340 Taling Chan-Suphan Buri Road to demand that the authorities pay attention to their plight.

The protesters said their communities had been flooded for a long time because the sluice gates of Laklee, Song and Lampho canals had not been opened wider and were letting more water into Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district.

"We want the gates to be opened by at least a metre, not just 38 centimetres," a protester said.

Meanwhile, the Royal Irrigation Department has installed pumps in several housing estates and farmland in north Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani to help drain out the water.

-- The Nation 2011-12-14

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Nod for perks to parliamentarians

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

The Cabinet yesterday approved adjustments to the allowances and perks of parliamentarians as well as direct reimbursement of their healthcare expenses.

The Finance Ministry had submitted a draft royal decree on allowances and benefits to the House speaker and his deputies, Senate speaker and his deputies, the opposition leader, MPs and senators and committee members.

The ministry also proposed a draft law on the regulations for reimbursement of healthcare-related expenses of senators and MPs.

The Abhisit Vejjajiva Cabinet resolved last year to adjust the benefits and allowances of parliamentarians, which had not been changed since 1992, and related laws.

The Finance Ministry was assigned to draft the law and regulations. The changes would need royal endorsement.

The controversial issue was the reimbursement of costs for the parliamentarians' healthcare.

The current law, issued in 2004, allocates a budget to buy Bt20,000-Bt50,000 health insurance for each parliamentarian annually. The law was accused as a waste of taxpayers' money or allowing corruption.

The Abhisit government, after a study, proposed direct reimbursement by the Comptroller-General's Department within specified rates.

The rates for parliamentarians are different from that of government officials, who can get reimbursed up to the amount they actually paid.

-- The Nation 2011-12-14

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Three Thai soldiers killed in mine explosion: army

BANGKOK, December 14, 2011 (AFP) - Three Thai soldiers were killed and one was critically wounded when an old landmine exploded Tuesday as they were trying to defuse it on the country's border with Cambodia, a military official said.

The anti-tank device, thought to have been planted decades ago, was discovered in Klong Hat district, Sakaeo province, around 240 kilometers (150 miles) east of Bangkok.

"The three soldiers killed in the course of their work were aged between 45 to 50," said a local military official, who declined to be named.

The border between Thailand and its neighbour is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

Earlier this year, deadly border clashes broke out between the two countries near an ancient temple further northeast on their shared frontier.

The Hague-based International Court of Justice in July asked both nations to withdraw military personnel from around the Preah Vihear temple complex and the border has been calm in recent months.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-12-14

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Students protest against school authorities

The Nation

More than 1,000 students of privately-run Trangwittaya School yesterday staged a protest demanding that the school director and manager resign.

The Student Council's chairman Suwit Thongpud led the protest. In the rally, the students accused school director Supis Iadchuthong and manager Aree Arporn of abusing their authority.

The last straw came after 25 Mathayom-6 students were told to write resignation letters as part of a disciplinary measure. They were being punished for leaving school early for lunch.

"This is too much," a student said.

The protesters also blamed Supis and Aree of unfairly forcing 10 teachers to quit over the past two years. They claimed the two school executives had also unreasonably cut down the budget for recreational activities, including funds earmarked for entering the school's team in football and volleyball competitions. Moreover, they said, these two executives also required students to carry out activities that generated money.

Winai Thongrat, who heads the Trang Educational Service Area Office 1, visited the school to help resolve the conflict. He asked for seven days to look into the complaint so he could ensure justice on both sides.

"We hope the result is satisfactory. If not, we will continue our protest and quit school en masse," Suwit said.

-- The Nation 2011-12-14

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Woman Caught Smuggling 1.5Kg Of Cocaine In Her Dreadlocks On Flight To Bangkok

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BKK governor gives alms to 140 monks on occasion of 39th anniversary of BMA /TANN

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Meteorological Dept reports of continuous cool weather but temperature will gradually increase while South will see increased rain /TANN

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Central Plaza Rama IX to open its doors today at 10.09am; Zen at Central World to have soft launch on Christmas Day /TANN

BMA launches governor's hotline at 081-933-5999 for complaints about flooding to make sure all areas in capital are dry before Dec 31 /TANN

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From 10pm-4am Buraphavithi expressway will close its Bangbor exit ramp on inbound lane to make repairs to road surface /TANN

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Tourist's keen eye saves green sea turtle

The turtle was the third to be rescued off Phuket since October 1. Photo: Warisa Temram

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Tourism Thriving Despite Floods: Thailand

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RT @RichardBarrow: 5th International Firework Festival on 16 -17 December at Soi 6, Liab Chai Hat Rd., Pattaya /via @ThailandFanClub

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Home Repair Products Curbed to Help Flood Victims

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Thai stock index opens on Wednesday at 1,033.99, up 3.38 points /MCOT

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Ex-Transport Permanent Sec to Testify Next Week

The fact-finding committee investigating the robbery at the house of a former transport permanent secretary has invited him to testify next Tuesday, while denying conflicts with the anti-graft watchdog.

Prime Minister's Office Permanent Secretary Thongthong Chantarangsu, as head of the fact-finding committee investigating the robbery at the home of former Transport Permanent Secretary Supoj Saplom, said Deputy Superintendent of the Criminal Investigation Department, Police Lieutenant Colonel Sophon Yanatham has submitted a document to his committee containing a report of cash seized in the case, totaling 18 million baht.

The suspects claimed there is an additional 55 million baht in cash that has not been discovered.

Thongthong said to ensure fairness, the panel will call in the former permanent secretary to clarify the matter next Tuesday.

Relevant officials or agencies may also be invited to testify.

He affirmed that his committee can perform its task legally and work with the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

The PM's Office permanent secretary said although Transport Minister Sukumpon Suwanathat did not set a timeframe for the investigation, the panel will swiftly investigate the issue.

-- Tan Network 2011-12-14

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AFP: Lone Belgian Gunman Kills Four, Injures Scores

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Cold Spell Chills Provinces

The weather in many provinces are getting colder, which is having a big affect on residents.

Yesterday, at the country's highest peak, Doi Inthanon Mountain in Chiang Mai's Chomthong District, there was frost along the Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail, causing a lively atmosphere among residents and tourists. The temperature yesterday was 4 degrees Celsius.

In Nan Province, the temperature yesterday at Muang District was 11 degrees Celsius, while the temperature on the top of mountain was approximately 7-8 degrees Celsius.

1,500 Buddhist monks from 538 temples were also affected, and the early morning alms collection rounds were shifted to half an hour later due to the freezing weather.

In Phitsanulok Province, parents have begun to purchase jackets and winter clothing for their children, with temperatures was as low as 0 degrees Celsius, causing frost for the first time at Ban Mai Rong Kla in the Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park.

In Loei Province, the weather has begun to get colder, with temperatures of 10-13 degrees Celsius.

Teachers have been bringing students outside classrooms to have a class and activities in the sunlight to keep them warm.

All districts in Loei Province have been declared disaster zones because of cold spells.

The Local Administration is currently coordinating to assist 150, 000 residents who lack jackets and winter clothing.

-- Tan Network 2011-12-14