Thailand Live Friday 6 Jan 2012

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Thailand Live Friday 6 January 2012

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 Thursday 5 Jan 2012

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HM the King's choral works performed in French

Pakamas Jaichalard

The Nation

His Majesty the King's compositions will be performed in French tonight at the auditorium of Siriraj Hospital.

"It's the first time we have received royal permission to provide French lyrics to His Majesty's songs. This is of course a very special occasion," Culture Minister Sukumol Kunplome said yesterday.

"We would like to show His Majesty's musical talents to the whole world".

The performance, with HRH Princess Chulabhorn Valayalaksana in attendance, will start at about 8.30pm at.

The Gitasiravadha Foundation and Mahidol University's Faculty of Medicine organised the event to commemorate His Majesty's 84th birthday last month.

Tonight's concert will feature 27 royal compositions with French lyrics.

She believed the move would also bolster Thai - French ties.

During his childhood, His Majesty studied in Switzerland and spoke fluent French there.

His Majesty's royal compositions have had English version for decades, but efforts to provide the French version to his musical creations have started not so long ago.

Premika Sucharitkul, an expert in French language, is tasked with the mission to provide the French lyrics for His Majesty's royal compositions.

The French versions include Saisons d' Amour (Love in Spring), Cocorico! (Near Dawn), Flamme d'Espoir (Candlelight Blues), and Crepuscule de Soir (Twilight).

Sukumol said a similar concert would be staged in France next month.

-- The Nation 2012-01-06

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Six charged for Phuket resort GM stabbing

Hollywood actor Renner caught in brawl

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4958225

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AFP: Thai elephant killed, mutilated 'for restaurants'

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YELLOW VS RED

Suriyasai-Jatuporn meeting infuriates yellow shirts

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SUNDAY MARKET

Police doubt arson behind Chatuchak fire

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POLITICS

Ombudsman approached over Thaksin

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FINANCES

Bank stocks plunge on FIDF debt transfer plan

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More rains predicted to lash South

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EDITORIAL

Debt diversion will do more harm than good: Thai opinion

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Swede NATO officer dies in Phuket crash

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POLITICS

Yingluck's no-show raises Democrat ire in House

The Nation

Photo : Sakol Sandhiratne

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Democrats outpaced Pheu Thai in campaign spending

The Nation

The Democrat Party spent Bt165 million in support of its 125 party-list candidates in the July 3 general election, surpassing the Pheu Thai Party's Bt93 million on 124 candidates, according to the Election Commission (EC).

Some 40 political parties fielded a total of 1,379 party-list candidates for 100 House seats allocated via proportionate voting in the last election.

The campaign finances for all parties were within legal limits, according to a campaign audit report released yesterday by the EC.

The Democrats were permitted to spend a maximum of Bt187 million, while Pheu Thai's spending cap was Bt186 million.

Political parties that fielded 125 party-list candidates - the maximum number - were permitted the maximum spending of Bt187 million.

-- The Nation 2012-01-06

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Sign-up campaign on charter change to be finished by Jan 20

THE NATION

A campaign seeking the signatures of 50,000 voters to sponsor a motion on charter amendment is expected to be completed by January 20, an MP from the ruling Pheu Thai Party said yesterday.

"The motion to amend the Constitution should be ready for legislative debate by next month," said MP Sanguan Pongmanee, who is campaigning for charter changes on behalf of the red shirts.

Sanguan said the gist of the motion was to pave the way for the formation of a Constitution Drafting Assembly by amending the charter's Article 291 pertaining to rewriting the Constitution.

He said the draft to amend Article 291 had already been finalised, spelling out the details of the CDA.

The CDA should comprise 101 elected charter writers and the deadline to complete the rewrite is 240 days. The 77 CDA seats will be allocated to each province and the remaining 24 seats will include leading figures from the academic circle.

The referendum vote will be organised following the completion of the charter draft.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai MP Apiwan Wiriyachai yesterday said the ruling party had submitted no parliamentary motion for constitutional amendment.

He said the party had nothing to do with the amendment draft to be submitted to the House of Representatives by the red shirts. "MPs may initiate constitutional amendment but the government will not do it," said Apiwan, a former deputy House speaker.

Apiwan also expressed support for Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung's stance that it was too early to make moves on constitutional amendment and that the government should now focus on rehabilitation for flood victims in the industrial, agricultural, and residential sectors.

Opposition Democrat MP Jurin Laksanavisit yesterday called on the Pheu Thai-led government to "be brave enough to host" the constitutional amendment. He said the ruling party had made charter change its election promise and therefore it should come forward to take responsibility for the matter.

He also warned that any constitutional amendment for personal benefit could lead to a new round of political conflict.

-- The Nation 2012-01-06

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Petition to challenge Thai govt's electricity price policy

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Customs uncover Bt30million bonanza

The Nation

The Customs Department yesterday announced the seizure of smuggled goods worth Bt30 million from two tenwheel trucks on Panom SarakhamChachoengsao Road in Chachoengsao province.

Customs Department chief Somchai Phulsawat told a press conference that 305 boxes of skinwhitening Glutathione, four tiger skins, 128 kilograms of tobacco for hookahs, some 10,100 pirated CDs and DVDs, 200 sacks of counterfeit clothes, some 30,000 Diazepam tablets, 300 fake pistols and magazines were seized from the two trucks with Sa Kaew licence plates. Truck drivers Jakkrit Boonlaphothi and Samran Leungprasert face charges of allegedly smuggling taxavoiding goods into the country.

-- The Nation 2012-01-06

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Widespread DSI roundup of exotic woods

The Nation

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has seized processed Siamese rosewood worth Bt20 million in raids at five locations in Nakhon Phanom, DSI chief Tharit Pengdit said yesterday.

After the smuggling of Siamese rosewood in the Northeast was taken up as special issue for DSI investigation, Tharit said he had instructed DSI officials to join with officials to simultaneously raid and search five locations.

They seized 89 logs of Siamese rosewood, 26 logs of Burmese sal and two pickup trucks at a house in Tha Uthen district. At another house in Ban Phaeng district, two men were arrested along with a pickup truck and 43 logs of Siamese rosewood, while the raid in Muang district saw one suspect arrested along with 473 logs of processed rubberwood smuggled from Laos, four logs of macea wood and 93 logs of Mersawa wood.

One suspect was arrested in a raid on a slaughterhouse which revealed 31 logs of Siamese rosewood, four logs of processed Burmese ebony, 22 logs of processed Burmese sal, and 18 logs of processed macea wood. A raid on an orchard in Ban Phaeng district saw officials seize 30 logs of Siamese rosewood.

-- The Nation 2012-01-06

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Courts to be open every day to clear backlog

The Nation

The Courts of Justice will work seven days a week this year to clear their huge backlog of trials, the office's secretarygeneral Wirat Chinwinitkul said yesterday.

Wirat said the Courts of Justice would adhere to Supreme Court President Pairoj Wayuparp's policy of disposing of the huge caseload speedily and fairly. They would also emphasise mediation or other alternative methods of dispute resolution before cases are brought to court, he said.

"As for political disputes, the Courts of Justice affirms that if they reach the court, no matter what political shirt colour [the trial participants] are, the Courts of Justice will make them all whiteshirts ... every colour will get justice equally," he said.

In 2012, the Courts of Justice will operate seven days a week and some courts will remain in session outside the usual hours, possibly until 8.30pm, he said. Court officials are aware that people suffer as a result of lawsuits, so court officials are willing to work hard and uphold the public interest, he said.

Meanwhile, Courts of Justice spokesman Sitthisak Wanachakij said that from January to October 2011, the lower courts granted bail in 176,650 cases - or 92.75 per cent of the 190,449 bail requests. Sitthisak said the statistic showed that the Courts of Justice upheld suspects' and defendants' rights when it proceeded with trials, as well as the rule of law and international principles.

-- The Nation 2012-01-06

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Thai govt hopes to find lessons in road toll drop

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AMLO seeks probe into Suphoth's finances

The Nation

The AntiMoney Laundering Office (AMLO) will propose to the transaction committee an official probe be held into Transport permanentsecretary Suphoth Sublom's financial transactions, AMLO acting secretary Pol Col Sihanat Prayoonrat said yesterday.

On January 31, AMLO officials would present to the committee the initial findings of Suphoth's financial transactions along with a probe result by the Office of the National Counter Corruption Commission, he said.

Sihanat said he didn't have details of NCCC's findings but, if the NCCC found Supoth's assets were gained from corruption, it would lead to an asset seizure.

If NCCC couldn't determioe the assets came from corruption, the AMLO would be authorised to trace Supoth's financial transactions in detail.

Supoth's case became famous after a gang of burglars in November allegedly stole Bt100 million in cash from his Bangkok home. Police so far have retrieved some Bt20 million of the cash - an amount much larger than that Supoth initially told police.

The AMLO will also seek to trace the financial transactions of Bangkok's Tao Poon gambling den. A raid on the den last month led to the arrest of over 100 gamblers, which placed it within the frame of antimoneylaundering law violations, Sihanat added.

-- The Nation 2012-01-06

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Today's Thailand weather and forecasts:

Follow this link: http://weather.thaivisa.com/

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Improving Thailand's education quality faces many challenges, academics warn

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BKK-Chachoengsao public van hits 18-wheeler on Motorway, 2 dead and 7 injured /TANN

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: 5 reported dead when a passenger van rear ended a 16-wheel truck at KM34 on Motorway. 5 injured /via @fm91trafficpro

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RT@RichardBarrow: 8:26am Passenger van (BKK to Chachoengsao) still on fire after hitting truck at motorway exit KM34 /via @fm91trafficpro

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Opening Over 20,000 Free Wi-Fi Hotspots in Bangkok

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RT @RichardBarrow: 9:15am Passenger van fire now under control but traffic jam on Motorway at KM34. Driver reported to have fled the scene

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Passenger van accident on Motorway results in 5 deaths already; driver has fled /TANN

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Thai stock index opens on Friday at 1,034.66, down 2.14 points /MCOT

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Bangkok Governor pledges to systematically develop capital

BANGKOK, 6 January 2012 (NNT) – The Governor of Bangkok has pledged to achieve a sustainable development goal for the Thai capital, in the face of ever-changing environmental challenges.

Bangkok Governor, MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra, stated during his lecture at the “5th Save our Planet” Forum that it is both a challenge and an opportunity for Bangkok to progress with its sustainable development plan due to changes in global weather pattern.

MR Sukhumbhand conceded that the city of Bangkok has been expanding unsystematically and without proper planning.

He said that, under his administration, a more clear-cut city planning will be implemented.

The Bangkok Governor added that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will also focus on the control and the reduction of greenhouse gas emission, with a goal to cut down on the emission by 15% within this year.

In addition, the City Hall will further develop public transport system, promote the use of alternative energy, systematically handle garbage and waste water, and add more green space to the Thai capital.

Regarding the much-worried water management plan, MR Sukhumbhand said that even though giant flood tunnels, dykes and levees have been constructed, the city still lacks a prevention system for flood water from upstream.

He is now calling on all related agencies to collaborate in building necessary prevention system in order to save Bangkok from future natural and environmental challenges.

-- NNT 2012-01-06