Thailand Live Thursday 15 Dec 2011

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Opium production in Myanmar increases for fifth consecutive year in 2011, while its price skyrockets nearly 50 percent, according to United Nations report /MCOT

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Thai activist jailed for 15 years for royal slur

BANGKOK, December 15, 2011 (AFP) - A court in Thailand sentenced a "Red Shirt" political activist to 15 years in prison Thursday for insulting the monarchy, the latest in a series of convictions under the kingdom's lese majeste laws.

Daranee Charnchoengsilapakul, a hardcore supporter of Thailand's ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was accused of defaming the royals during speeches at political rallies in 2008.

"The Criminal Court convicted her on three counts as she committed offences on three different occasions, and sentenced her to five years for each," her lawyer Prawais Prapannugool told AFP.

"She said she will not appeal her sentence because she lost her faith in the judicial system and she is convinced that she will not receive a fair trial," he added.

The activist -- better known as "Da Torpedo" because of her hard-hitting speeches -- was sentenced to 18 years in jail in 2009, but an appeals court ordered a retrial because the hearings were held behind closed doors.

Critics accuse Thailand of increasing the use of its lese majeste legislation to suppress freedom of expression, particularly under the last government, which was supported by the Bangkok-based elite.

Observers say the new administration of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra -- Thaksin's sister, who took power in August -- has yet to improve the situation.

A 61-year-old Thai man was jailed last month for 20 years for sending text messages deemed insulting to the monarchy, while a US citizen was handed two-and-a-half years in prison last week for defaming the king.

Mass protests in April and May 2010 by Thaksin's "Red Shirt" supporters in the heart of Bangkok left 90 people dead in street clashes between demonstrators and the army.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-12-15

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Former Deputy PM: Proper Procedure Followed in Red Shirt Rally Crackdown

The former deputy Prime Minister in charge of security affairs reaffirmed that the government followed proper procedures in handling last year's red-shirt rally.

Former Deputy Prime Minister in Charge of Security Affairs, Suthep Thaugsuban, who was the director of the Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situation, or the CRES, attended an 8-hour interrogation session about the 16 deaths of red-shirt members during a political rally in May last year.

Afterwards, Suthep told reporters that he was questioned about his role as the CRES director at the time.

He reaffirmed that the government dealt with the red-shirt protesters to an acceptable international standard.

The former deputy prime minister added that the soldiers were instructed to give the protesters verbal warnings before firing their weapons into the air and unpopulated areas.

Only in strict self-defense were the soldiers permitted to aim at the protesters, and only from the knee down.

Suthep said he presented photographs and videos to the investigation team showing the soldiers operating around the rally site on May 20, 2010.

He also showed an order issued by the former Army Chief, General Anupong Paojinda, for his subordinates to refrain from using force against the protesters.

Regarding the Security Authority's attempt to reclaim the rally site on May 19, 2010, Suthep said he ordered the soldiers not to come into direct confrontation with the protesters, while preventing additional people from entering the rally site, in hopes of forcing the protesters to disperse voluntarily.

The former deputy prime minister also pledged to fully cooperate in the investigation and expressed confidence in the Thai justice system.

-- Tan Network 2011-12-15

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Presumed insurgents make three attacks in Narathiwat, shooting into and throwing hand grenades at three sites, including army base, no casualties reported /MCOT

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Phuket Carnival reaches zero hour

Phuket Flying Club’s Les Vorosmarthy will perform aerobatic stunts in the skies over Patong as part of this year’s Patong Carnival.

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Suvarnabhumi Airport 2nd phase development to be finished in 2016

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Provinces Reel Under Cold Spell

Many provinces are still facing cold temperatures, and locals are suffering due to a shortage of warm clothes.

Yesterday, the temperature in Phayao Province dropped quickly in the morning, to 13 degrees Celsius.

Thick fog and hoarfrost covered a wide area of Phayao.

The head of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, Thawarat Chaiyainpun, said that in addition to the cold snap, residents are also affected by pollution caused by forest burning.

Many homes were caught on fire annually due to dry weather and freezing winds.

Nongkhai Province has also been experiencing cold weather for the last few days.

Yesterday, thick fog covered areas of Sangkom, Sri Chiang Mai, and Tah Bor districts in the morning for the first time this year.

Residents have to wear jackets and winter clothing to keep warm, while drivers were warned to travel with caution.

In Buri Ram Province, the weather continues to get colder, with temperatures as low as 15 degrees Celsius for the last three days.

Twenty-three districts were declared cold-snap disaster zones.

Officials are currently surveying the number of residents who lack warm clothing and blankets.

Prachuap Khiri Khan Hospital Director Supannee Praditsathawong said the weather in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province has been variable over the last few days.

As the temperature dropped quickly and strong freezing winds continue to hit the area, more than 130 residents, both children and adults, have been admitted to the hospital.

Residents were warned to take care of themselves and drink lots of water.

They were also advised to see a doctor if they experienced any unusual symptoms.

-- Tan Network 2011-12-15

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PM visits Royal Thai Navy headquarters, supports submarine purchase project but must study details of plan /MCOT

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RT @veen_NT: "@USEmbassyBKK asks facebookers to refrain from using language that is profane or abusive. http://fb.me/1ir4aL8BM"

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Estimated Thai food industry flood loss reaches Bt50 billion

BANGKOK, Dec 15 – Initial flood losses to Thailand's food industry have been estimated at Bt50 billion.

The figure is the result of a survey carried out by the National Food Institute, the Board of Trade of Thailand, and the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).

According to the organisations, around 1,300 plants countrywide were impacted by the flood. Most of them, about 950 factories, were located in the capital of Bangkok and its vicinity, excluding Samut Prakan province.

Over 30 food-related industries specialising in packaging, food ingredients and labels were also affected and halted operations due to the flood.

National Food Institute Director Petch Chinabutr said the projection of Thailand’s food exports value this year has been changed as a result of the temporary closure of some Thai food industry factories for at least three months.

Thailand exported over 28 million tonnes of food in the first ten months, a 59-per cent increase year-on-year, with an export value at Bt812 billion, or about a 22 per cent rise.

Mr Petch said Thailand’s export growth will tends to slow in this fourth quarter except for rice, of which about 10.5 million tonnes was projected to be exported in 2011. The amount of rice already exported reached 10.1 million tonnes during the past 11 months. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-12-15

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MARKETS

Stock market, gold down

The Nation

Unflavourable factors, internal and external, are dampening the stock market sentiment and gold prices.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand Index today continued yesterday’s loss. The index ended the morning session 11.32 points lower or 1.11 per cent, to 1,012.16 points. Brokerage houses expect the index to remain volatile until the end of this month, mainly on concerns of the eurozone debt crisis as well as Thailand’s post-flood economic recovery.

Tisco Securities expected the index to swing in the range of 990-1,050 points from now until the end of this month.

Global investors are adopting a risk-free position, unloading the euro and risk assets including equities and gold on concern of further euro depreciation against US dollar, in light of growing possibility of double dip recession. Worsening the outlook is rating agencies’ preparation to downgrade sovereign debt ratings of eurozone countries. The only positive factor that could pull up the SET index is new investment in long-term equity funds (LTFs) and retirement management funds (RMFs). Asia Plus Securities and Tisco Securities expected the net investment to hit Bt10 billion.

Phillip Securities expected the SET index to end this year at around 1,014 points.

As the euro fell to the 11-month low against US dollar, gold prices also slumped.

According to Gold Traders Association, domestic physical gold prices were cut by Bt850 per baht weight in the morning, before a Bt50 increase at 11.31am. Ornament gold then was sold at Bt23,950 while gold bar at Bt23,550. It was reported that the lower prices drew huge traffic to gold shops, and buyers have to queue up for the purchases.

-- The Nation 2011-12-15

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ECONOMY

Huge flood toll

Wichit Chaitrong

The Nation

The Thai economy may contract as much as 3.7 per cent in the fourth quarter of this year, which would pull down the full-year growth to only 1.4 per cent, according to University of Thai Chamber of Commerce.

​Thanavath Pholvichai, director of the university’s Centre for Economy and Business Forecasting, said today that the econmy would start to recover in the second half of next year largely driven by public investment and domestic consumption.

Gross domestic product is expected to expand 4.7 per cent next year.

Unlike some economists’ expectation that global factors would force the Bank of Thailand to cut the policy rates, Thanavath foresees a cut by 50-75 basis points as inflation risks heighten.

He said that if the world economy recovers, inflation will accelerate as oil prices would stay over US$100 per barel.

"The weak global economy remains risk to growth but a chance that the world economy would experience another crisis next year would be as small as 25 per cent," he added.

Despite political wrangling on several issues, he does not expect severe political instability next year.

-- The Nation 2011-12-15

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FUEL

Bangchak seeks price hike

Watcharapong Thongrung

The Nation

Bangchak Petroleum will ask the government to raise the retail prices of its fuels by Bt0.8-Bt1 per litre after its production process achieved the Euro 4 standard for pollutant emissions.

The company will propose hikes of 80 satang in the retail price for diesel and Bt1 for gasohol and petrol to reflect the company's higher production costs under the government's requirement starting early next year.

Manufacturing higher-quality fuels will allow the company to export a greater volume of naphtha, petrol and diesel.

Bangchak yesterday formally launched its high-grade fuels after investing Bt14 billion to upgrade its refinery to the Euro 4 standard.

President Anusorn Seangnimnuan said Euro 4 fuels would be distributed nationwide this month, ahead of the implementation of the government's health and environmental-safety requirements early in the new year.

With the Euro 4 standard, sulphur will be reduced by 10 times and benzene, which can enhance cancer, by 2.5 times.

The company has prepared a new export plan to protect its return on investment when the government discontinues sales of 91octane petrol next October. The end to 91octane sales will leave the company with an oversupply of that grade of petrol, which will have to be disposed of overseas. However, the company will be able to absorb the cost, as neighbouring countries have not announced implementation of the Euro 4 standard.

It plans to stop distributing 91octane petrol in Thailand in August.

The company targets its diesel exports to reach between 12 million and 20 million litres per month and petrol exports to reach 50 million litres per month next year.

Refinery operations are scheduled to be suspended in May as part of the plan to add catalysts to upgrade crude-oil quality. and suspend facilitate refining.

The move will enable the company to make a variety of petroleum products. For instance, it will import more crude oil from Russia to make more green products with lower sulphur.

Its refining ratio will also be changed to concentrate on diesel, at 50 per cent. Jet fuel will be 15 per cent, petrol and gasohol 20 per cent and liquid petroleum gas 3,000 tonnes per month.

Its average refining capacity next year will slip to 92,000 barrels per day from 100,000 barrels currently because of the temporary halt in its refining operations.

Its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation are expected to reach US$7 billion (Bt219 billion) next year based on a refining margin of $7 per barrel, up from $6 this year.

-- The Nation 2011-12-15

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Five provinces declared cold spell disaster zones

Five northern and northeastern provinces have been declared cold-spell disaster zones, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief said Thursday.

Wibul Sanguanpong, the director-general of the department, said the cold spell has affected 3,014 villages in 41 districts of two northern and three northeastern provinces.

He said Omkoi, Samerng, Chom Thong, Fang, Kalayaniwattana and Mae Ai districts in Chiang Mai were declared disaster zones.

Wibul said Pang Ma Pha district in Mae Hong Son was declared a disaster zone.

In Sakon Nakhon, Mueang, Kusumal, Kudbak, Phannana Nikom, Phang Khon, Waritphume, Nikom, Nam Oon, Wanorn, Niwas, Kham Takla, Ban Muang, Akas Amnuya, Sawang Daendin, Songdao, Tao Ngoi, Khok Srisuphan, Charoensilp, Phonna Kaew, and Phuphan districts were declared disaster zones.

In Loei, Mueang, Wang Saphoong, Thali, Chiang Khan, Dan Sai, Phu Kradueng, Pakchom, Phurua, Nahaew, Phuluang, Phakhao, Erawan, and Nong Hin districts were declared disater zones.

Wibul said Kham Cha-ee, Wanyai and Dontan districts were announced disaster zones in Mukdaharn province.

-- The Nation 2011-12-15

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Burma's opium cultivation up 14 per cent, 37 per cent in Laos

Opium cultivation in Burma's insurgency-plagued Kachin and Shan states increased 14 per cent this year while in neighbouring Laos the poppy-growing area jumped 37 per cent, a United Nations report said Thursday.

In north-eastern Burma’s Shan State, home to about 91 per cent of the country’s crop, the cultivation area was up nearly 13 per cent in 2011 from the previous year.

In Kachin State, just to the north, crop areas were up 27 per cent, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s annual South-East Asia Opium Survey 2011 said.

Laos saw its opium poppy cultivation increase from 3,000 hectares in 2010 to 4,100 hectares, up 37 per cent, according to agency estimates.

The agency attributed the regional increase in cultivation to rising prices for the illicit drug, and a lack of crop-substitution projects in these remote areas, where in Burma’s case there are ongoing insurgencies.

"These projects are a necessity because reductions in illicit crop cultivation and opium production can bring tangible benefits to the lives of ordinary people and also improve regional peace and security," the agency’s executive director, Yuri Fedotov, said

-- The Nation 2011-12-15

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Minister Denies Having Rendezvous with Thaksin in Cambodia

The deputy transport minister denies having an appointment with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his visit to Cambodia to attend the ASEAN ministerial meeting.

Deputy Transport Minister Police Lieutenant General Chat Kuldilok is attending the ASEAN transport ministers meeting in Cambodia on behalf of Transport Minister Air Chief Marshal Sukampol Suwanthat.

He is scheduled to return on Saturday.

Chat denied having an appointment with ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as reported by some newspapers.

However, he admitted that he might want to see Thaksin if there is confirmation that the former PM is in Phnom Penh.

On a potential Cabinet reshuffle, the deputy minister said he would not be disappointed if removed from the Cabinet because he did not expect to be given his current post in the first place.

Chat insisted that he has no conflict with his superior, while saying that there might have been some disagreements because he and Sukampol have different working styles.

He asked critics not to divulge information that might lead to conflicts as both of them are working for the interest of the nation.

-- Tan Network 2011-12-15

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SOUTH CRISIS

Insurgents target army and police buildings in Narathiwat

Violence continued in Narathiwat early Thursday morning with separate attacks on an army post and two provincial offices. No injuries were reported.

Police were alerted at 7.30am that an unknown number of insurgents had thrown grenades at a police residence and highway office in Ba Joe district. They also fired at an army post in the district.

No one was hurt in the attacks.

At the highway office, the explosion damaged a roof of a building near the fence. Shrapnel was found at the scene.

The second blast at the police residence slightly damaged the roof of the kitchen. A sergeant lives on the premises.

At the army post on Narathiwat-Pattani road, police found a number of AK rifle cartridges. Police believe that five to six insurgents in three groups were involved in the attacks.

Officials at the highway office narrowly escaped injury as the grenade hit the roof rather than the office.

-- The Nation 2011-12-15

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WEATHER

Five provinces declared cold spell disaster zones

The Nation

Five northern and northeastern provinces have been declared cold-spell disaster zones, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief said Thursday.

Wibul Sanguanpong, the director general of the department, said the cold spell has affected 3,014 villages in 41 districts of two northern and three northeastern provinces.

He said Omkoi, Samerng, Chom Thong, Fang, Kalayaniwattana and Mae Ai districts in Chiang Mai had been declared disaster zones as well as Pang Ma Pha district in Mae Hong Son.

In Sakon Nakhon, Mueang, Kusumal, Kudbak, Phannana Nikom, Phang Khon, Waritphume, Nikom, Nam Oon, Wanorn, Niwas, Kham Takla, Ban Muang, Akas Amnuya, Sawang Daendin, Songdao, Tao Ngoi, Khok Srisuphan, Charoensilp, Phonna Kaew, and Phuphan districts were declared disaster zones.

In Loei, Mueang, Wang Saphoong, Thali, Chiang Khan, Dan Sai, Phu Kradueng, Pakchom, Phurua, Nahaew, Phuluang, Phakhao, Erawan, and Nong Hin districts were declared disaster zones, in addition to Kham Cha-ee, Wanyai and Dontan districts in Mukdaharn province.

-- The Nation 2011-12-15

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Thai Democrat Spokesman Claims Thaksin's Passport Reinstated

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RT @tulsathit: RT @tnd1964: Today a Hong Kong newspaper's big cover story is Dangerous X'mas in Bangkok.10 spots of risks.

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University of Thai Chamber of Commerce revises Thai 2011 GDP projection down to 1.4pct, lowest in 2 years /MCOT

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Phuket tourists warned of drink-spiking thieves

Phuket tourists walk down Soi Bangla, the heart of Patong's nightlife scene, where visitors have been warned of drink-spiking thieves. Photo: Gazette file

Soi Paradise, where one of the spiking incidents was reported. Photo: Gazette file

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Narathiwat police commander transfers Sungaikolok police chief for allowing pubs and karaokes to carry out prostitution activities /TANN

PM visits Navy HQ and thank naval officers for helping with the floods; she denies blocking the approval for submarine purchase /TANN

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SET index closed at 1024.16, up 0.68; Bt/USD31.24; GBP48.27; AUD30.86; EUR40.60; CAD29.98; HKD4.01; SGD23.74; JPY39.85

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37 structures in Tablan National Park to be razed

Tablan National Park officials will start dismantling 37 resorts and vacation homes encroaching on its territory on Monday.

"We will bring down the illegal structures," the park's chief, Tewin Meesap, said Thursday.

The Civil Court has ordered the demolition of 64 resorts and vacation homes in Tablan National Park. However, some owners have appealed the order to the Administrative Court, saying they have documents to prove that their structures are authorised.

"We will take action on the structures whose owners have not appealed against the demolition order and those whose owners' petitions to the Administrative Court have been rejected," Tewin said. "We will act quickly."

-- The Nation 2011-12-15

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No Crack At Bhumibhol Dam: EGAT

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Key reconciliation decisions to be made in Parliament: PM

The Nation

Parliament will play a leading role in relation to the legislation for reconciliation, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Thursday, as she insisted that her government fully supported the law for mending fences and would support the issue.

"I want to see national reconciliation, peace, equality and impartial law for every Thai citizen," she said.

However, Yingluck said the final outcome of reconciliation would hinge on the legislative deliberation.

-- The Nation 2011-12-15

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Tsunami blamed for Phuket beach encroachment confusion

Phuket Gazette

Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet said he understood how the 'misunderstanding' may have occurred, but added that the Land Department would now need to survey the site to confirm who owns what. Photo: Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai

Pradtana Saejew, president of Cherng Talay Traditional Thai Massage Club, Phuket. Photo: Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai

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Phuket police defuse hostage situation

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PM Yingluck Affirms Amnesty Law's Fate Rests with Parliament

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