Phuket international airport expansion set to bring 12.5mn visitors

Superjumbo passenger planes will be able to take advantage of a planned 700 meter extension to the current runway at Phuket’s airport

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Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller advisory service.

The following Travel Advice has changed or been added since our last update ( 5 Jan 2012 16:37:17 EST):

* Thailand

http://www.smartrave...Advice/Thailand

Current Advice Level: "High degree of caution"

Change Summary:

This advice has been reviewed and reissued. It contains new information in the Summary and under Safety and Security (updated information on terrorism in southern Thailand), Border regions (situation on Thai-Cambodia border), Crime (harassment and threats of violence by jet ski operators and reports of additional items being placed in shopping bags by checkout staff at duty free stores at international airports), Local travel (caution when using taxis and tuk-tuks). We no longer advise Australians to Reconsider their need to travel to areas on the Thai-Cambodian border. The overall level of the advice has not changed.

SET saw fluctuating trade during morning session before closing up by 3.02 points at 1,039.23 at midday break; value was at Bt13.48 bn /TANN

December Consumer Confidence Index rise first in four months: Commerce Ministry/MCOT

New Year Festival Ends With 335 Deaths And 3,375 Injured On The Road: Thailand

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SRT governor hints at gangs being behind Chatuchak market fire

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Six charged for Phuket resort GM stabbing; Hollywood actor Renner caught in brawl

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Democrat campaign spendings outpace Pheu Thai's

The Nation

The Democrat Party spent Bt165 million to sway votes for 125 party-list candidates while the Pheu Thai Party's spendings amounted to Bt93 million for 124 candidates in the July 3 general election.

In the campaign audit report released yesterday by the Election Commission, the campaign finances for the two major parties were below the legal limits.

The Democrats were allowed to spend up to Bt187 million and Pheu Thai's spending cap was at Bt186 million.

In the last general election, some 40 political parties fielded a total of 1,379 party-list candidates to compete for 100 House seats allocated via proportionate voting.

The campaign spendings for other parties included Bhum Jai Thai (Bt81 million), Chart Thai Pattana (Bt59 million), Chart Pattana Puea Pandin (Bt57 million), Palang Chon (17 million), Rak Prathet Thai (9.5 million) and Matubhum (9.5 million) and Palang Chon (17 million).

-- The Nation 2012-01-05

Charter Change Plan Remains Murky

A senior Pheu Thai Party member agrees with the suggestion that the charter amendment plan be put aside for eight months, or until the country recovers from the recent devastating floods.

Meanwhile, the House speaker says he has not been coordinating with the party on its plan.

House Speaker Somsak Kietsuranont said he still has not had any contact with the ruling Pheu Thai Party over its plan to seek approval of constitutional amendment after the completion of deliberation of the draft bill for the 2012 budget.

Somsak went on to say the red-shirt group's plan to collect 200,000 signatures in support of a revision to the charter's Article 291 concerning the formation of the Constitution Drafting Assembly is their own campaign.

The speaker suggested the House does not need to consider the charter bills presented by Pheu Thai and the red-shirt group simultaneously, although they do share similar details and can be deliberated together.

Somsak maintained that no draft bills would be considered during the present House session

He stated that he still has not received a petition from police asking for the House's permission to bring Democrat M.P for Samut Sakhon Province, Kanchit Thapsuwan , in for interrogation regarding the murder of a local politician in which he is a suspect.

Somsak remarked that he would certainly add the matter to the House meeting's agenda at the request of police.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai party-list M.P Apiwan Viriyachai said he has not been informed yet about the red-shirt group's signature campaign for the charter rewrite and remarked that he agreed with Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobumrung's idea to put the amendment plan on hold for eight months given that the most pressing matter right now is flood rehabilitation.

However, Apiwan insisted that the amendment must take place, adding that the draft bill will not be from his party, but the people themselves as the campaign was initiated by MPs.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-05

Protesters Close Off Rama 2 Inbound

Hundreds of protesters have closed off the inbound lanes of Rama 2 Road heading into Bangkok from Mahachai District of Samuksakorn Province. The locals are unhappy that 2,000 baht coupons given to them by the Energy Ministry to help relieve flood victims cannot be used.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-05

Body Of Newborn Baby Found In Refuse Bag

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SET index closed at 1036.8, up 0.59; Bt/USD31.47; GBP48.92; AUD32.24; EUR40.41; CAD30.82; HKD4.05; SGD24.21; JPY40.74

BKK governor admits to possibility that capital can be flooded in 50 years, urges residents to elevate homes /TANN

Phuket's Seven Days of Danger claims six lives

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Phuket Governor predicts investment boom in 2012

Governor Tri Augkaradacha looks optimistically to 2012 as a golden opportunity for investors coming to Phuket. Photo: Warisa Temram

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RT @ASEAN_NEWSROOM: AP - Aung San Suu Kyi says Myanmar government has approved her party to run in upcoming by-election.

Parliament: House votes 267:136 approving Bt420 billion Budget Bill; 11 abstentions/MCOT

Swede NATO officer dies in Phuket crash

Phuket Gazette –

PHUKET: A 48-year-old Swedish man who reportedly worked for NATO died in a motorbike accident on Phuket’s west coast early this morning.

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/523992-swede-nato-officer-dies-in-phuket-crash/page__view__findpost__p__4957845

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Thailand Live Friday 6 Jan 2012

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