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Thailand Live Sunday 8 Jan 2012

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Thailand Live Sunday 8 January 2012

News, Bits and Tweets

with webfact

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 Saturday 7 Jan 2012

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Flood victims angry over 'useless' appliance coupons

The Nation on Sunday

The government's much-touted programme to ease flood victims' woes by distributing Bt2,000 coupons to buy electrical appliances has run into several problems and prompted an outcry in many provinces.

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/524586-flood-victims-angry-over-useless-appliance-coupons/page__view__findpost__p__4963017

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Murder suspect says victim stole drugs; sister says killed for refusing loans

The Nation on Sunday

The suspect in the killing of jewellery trader Hamad Muhammed, 30, whose body was found in a Mercedes-Benz sports car in Bangkok's Yan Nawa district on December 22, yesterday confessed to shooting the victim, claiming Hamad had stolen a quantity of the drug crystal meth from him, police said.

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/524589-murder-suspect-says-victim-stole-drugs%3B-sister-says-killed-for-refusing-loans/page__view__findpost__p__4963025

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Police search for driver in horror van

The Nation on Sunday

Police have issued a summons for the driver of a public-transport van that crashed into a semi-trailer in Samut Prakan's Bang Bo district Friday morning, killing six passengers and injuring seven. The driver, who fled the scene of the crash, has been ordered to report to police investigators by Monday.

The Mor Chit Bus Terminal-Chachoengsao van was driving at great speed at the time of the accident, according to witnesses. Driver Somboon Thachalard, 39, fled the scene on the Bangkok-Chon Buri motorway and so far had not contacted police, who contacted Chachoengsao Transport (1971) Ltd in an effort to locate him.

Pol Lt-Colonel Suriyan Winijmontri said police had interviewed the truck driver, Wasin Chaiprasit, 64, and spoken to the injured van passengers at Chularat 11 Hospital. The owner of the container being hauled by the truck reported that Bt2.5 million in damage was done to the items inside the container.

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-- The Nation 2012-01-08

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Govt must announce new protections for depositors: Korn

The Nation on Sunday

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The government will have to come up with new measures to protect depositors if it goes ahead with its plan to use funds from the Deposit Protection Agency (DPA) to service the Financial Institutions Development Fund's Bt1.14 trillion debt, former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij said.

Korn, deputy leader of the opposition Democrat Party, also expressed concern that commercial banks would pass on the additional fees to be collected by the government to their customers.

At present, the DPA levies a 0.4-per-cent fee on all deposits held by banks and other financial institutions.

To service the public debt of Bt1.14 trillion, a legacy from the 1997 financial crisis, the government is planning to boost the DPA fee to 1 per cent, bringing the total levy to about Bt76 billion per year based on the country's total deposits of Bt7.6 trillion.

This will allow the government to service the annual interest payment on the Bt1.14 trillion debt as well as some principal debt.

Korn said the Finance Ministry would have to issue a formal announcement that the government will protect depositors in the event of future banking crises on behalf of the DPA if its funds were diverted to pay back the debt.

Korn said the Yingluck government's decision to back off its original plan to transfer the legacy debt directly to the central bank was a positive step.

Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul confirmed that the government would remove a key article in its executive decree on the public debt transfer so that the central bank would not be affected. The government earlier attempted to pass on responsibility for servicing the Bt1.14-trillion debt to the central bank.

Korn said the central bank had the right and duty to speak up against measures that may hurt its independence in conducting monetary policy, which he said was crucial to the country's macro-economic stability.

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-- The Nation 2012-01-08

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House passes Bt12-trn 2012 budget

THE NATION ON SUNDAY

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The House of Representatives approved the 2012 Budget Bill with 272 votes in favour in the early hours of yesterday(Saturday) morning, with three votes opposing the motion and 155 abstentions.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra thanked the House for approving the Bt12-trillion budget and promised to set up a committee to review all requests for use of funds, which would be subject to Cabinet approval. The premier vowed that the government would use the budget in the most efficient and transparent manner.

Under the Constitution, the Senate must consider the Budget Bill within 20 days of its passage by the House.

The Senate is expected to meet to discuss the bill, which has been criticised as concentrating too heavily on populist schemes at the expense of long-term policies, on January 20.

Some fierce debates erupted in the House late Friday night, especially on the matter of the construction of a new Parliament building and whether some construction contracts may not be in the institution's best interest. Former House speaker Chai Chidchob asked why there had been no bidding on the contracts for the construction, which was scheduled to begin last month. Chai was upset by House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranond's comment that it would take time to sort out possible irregularities regarding the bidding process, which involves four companies

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-- The Nation 2012-01-08

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Electrical fault Chatuchak fire; BMA seeks opinion poll

The Nation on Sunday

Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Winai Thongsong yesterday announced that an initial investigation had found that the January 4 fire at four shops at Bangkok's Chatuchak Market resulted from an electrical short circuit, not arson.

Other than that, market security - provided jointly by city police and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) - had gone smoothly over the period of management transition from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to the SRT, Winai said. He added that 20 Bang Sue police officers and 20 crowd-control officers were providing security at the market around the clock. Winai dismissed as rumours news reports that Mafia gangsters were operating at the market.

Meanwhile, a source at the BMA revealed that the agency - claiming it had the legal responsibility to take care of city residents, while the SRT had no authority to run a market - planned to have relevant agencies survey public opinion on which was the preferred agency to run the market. City Hall also believed that the SRT should let the BMA run the market during the six-month administration transition period, with the SRT assuming control later once it was ready to do so.

nationlogo.jpg

-- The Nation 2012-01-08

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AMLO has 147 cases on books Bt600m

The Nation on Sunday

The Anti-Money Laundering Office has 147 cases under investigation involving a combined Bt600 million, acting secretary Pol Colonel Sihanat Prayoonrat said yesterday.

Most of the cases involved drug trafficking, Sihanat said. He was speaking to representatives of financial institutions and officials involved in reporting transactions at a seminar on the anti-money laundering law in Surat Thani yesterday.

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-- The Nation 2012-01-08

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Temperature drops 2-4 degrees Celsius in North, more rain and strong waves in South/TAN_Network

Siam Univ holds graduation ceremony at Queen Sirikit Natl Convention Center from 6am-5pm/TAN_Network

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10 officials face legal action over flood-bag graft

The Nation on Sunday

A Department of Special Investigation (DSI) probe into alleged corruption in the procurement of flood-relief bags has found that 10 officials at the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD) acted in favour of two private companies, DSI director-general Tarit Pengdit said yesterday.

The DSI has sent its findings and evidence to the National Anti-Corruption Commission so it can launch legal action the firms, as the DSI does not have the authority to do so, Tarit said.

He said the DSI reported the results of its probe to Interior Ministry permanent secretary Pranai Suwannarat, who will decide whether to set up a disciplinary inquiry committee to conduct its own investigation into the actions of the 10 middle- and low-ranking officials.

A DPMD deputy director-general who was also investigated was found not to have committed any offence. The DSI did not include him in the list of officials found to have violated Article 157 of the criminal code by performing their duties dishonestly.

"The DSI will continue investigating the two private companies' involvement in this case to see whether they colluded on bids," he said.

nationlogo.jpg

-- The Nation 2012-01-08

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Power cuts in Nakhon Si Thammarat

Kritsana Thiwatsirikul,

Nakharin Chinworakomol

The Nation on Sunday

Authorities yesterday found residents in tambons See Kheed and Si Chon in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat have been cut off by floods.

Locals had to wade through water when leaving their communities to meet the Si Chon district chief and electricity officials to seek help, food and drinking water. They have been living without power for a week as many poles were felled in recent storms.

Officials at Tambon See Kheed administrative organisation have been using heavy machines to move objects blocking the flow of water and building a temporary bridge so residents can travel elsewhere. Construction work is expected to finish within one or two days.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is scheduled to visit this province today and get an update on flooding in Nopphitam district.

In a related development, Rajaprajanugroh Foundation chairman Disathorn Watcharothai yesterday distributed 1,000 relief bags from His Majesty the King to flood affected residents in Rueso district in Narathiwat and 800 bags to others suffering in Raman district in Yala.

Meanwhile, a representative of His Royal Highness Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and his consort, Her Royal Highness Princess Srirasmi, yesterday handed out 1,000 relief bags to locals in Tak's Umphang district who have been affected by a cold spell. The Prince let his mobile clinic treat residents, who were ill due to the cold. Temperatures had dropped to 10-15C degrees.

The Tak governor has declared cold-spell disaster zones in five districts since November 18. About 78,000 residents have been affected.

nationlogo.jpg

-- The Nation 2012-01-08

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Agriculture Ministry calls on Thais to consume more eggs

BANGKOK, 8 January 2012 (NNT) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is on its path to promote egg consumption among Thais, for fears of supply surplus during the cool season.

Deputy Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mr. Lertviroj Kowattana, said that the ministry is worried that there may soon be a problem of chicken egg supply surplus in the local market after latest data showed that there are as many as 32 million eggs entering the market each day.

The large quantity of eggs Thailand can produce was induced by the previous government's import of 500,000 chickens to solve the expensive egg problem, according to Mr. Lertviroj.

He said the ministry has forecast that, within 6-8 months, there may be a total of 10-15 million egg-laying chickens at all local farms, the situation that will likely lead to excess quantity of eggs in the market.

The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry's Deputy Permanent Secretary added that worries over egg supply surplus has been heightened by the government's ban on egg exports. During January and September 2011, Thailand shipped out 55 million eggs, worth THB170 million, to overseas markets, a 52% year-on-year decrease that resulted in 1 million eggs left in the inventory each day.

He noted that the quantity of left-over eggs may rise to 3 million within 2 months and hurt local egg prices accordingly.

Mr. Lertviroj is now calling on the government and related offices to come up with effective measures and approaches to prevent such a problem and save farmers from future losses. He commented that the government may try to boost Thais' consumption of egg from 140 to 200 eggs per person per year.

However, he conceded that in order to rein in this issue successfully, there needs to be an integrated joint effort between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Commerce, as well as cooperation from the private sector, entrepreneurs and egg farmers.

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-- NNT 2012-01-08 footer_n.gif

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SRT to waive rental fees at Chatuchak market for 2 months

BANGKOK, 8 January 2012 (NNT) – The State Railway of Thailand has announced its plan to waive rental fees for all tenants for 2 months while hinting a future plan to raise the rate.

Mr. Charasphan Vajarothai, Acting Chatuchak Market Director, said that the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has approved a plan to waive rental fees at the popular weekend market in January and February, while the change of the market operator is in process.

However, Mr. Charasphan affirmed that the SRT will raise rental fees in the near future. While conceding that the new rates are yet to be decided, he assured that the final decision on this issue will be accepted by both the SRT and the tenants.

Moreover, the Acting Chatuchak Market Director said that there are 8,500 out of 8,807 existing tenants at the market, who have confirmed their intention to continue the stall rentals with the SRT.

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-- NNT 2012-01-08 footer_n.gif

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Analysts expect Thai stocks to enjoy healthy rise in January

BANGKOK, 8 January 2012 (NNT) – Securities analysts have predicted that local stocks will enjoy some gains in the month of January but warn that gold trade will likely see high volatility in 2012.

Globlex Securities analyst, Mr. Tawatchai Asawapornchai, said that Thai stock prices are expected to go up during the first 2-3 weeks of January. However, local securities are forecast to see benign trade due to a predicted hit that listed companies' earnings should have suffered from the flood crisis in the fourth quarter of last year.

Mr. Tawatchai said that Thai stock market index in 2012 should end up at around 1,195 points. He added that, in case trade picks up more than expected in tQ1 and Q2 of this year, the index target may be accordingly adjusted upward.

All in all, he said factors that investors should keep an eye on continue to be the economic situation in the US and its unemployment rate as well as the debt crisis in Europe and its remedy.

In terms of gold trade, Chief Executive Officer of Globlex Securities, Mr. Songwut Aphirakkhit, said that gold prices will likely rise during the Chinese New Year festival, because of high demand from consumers. However, for 2012, prices are expected to be quite volatile due to uncertain global economic circumstances.

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-- NNT 2012-01-08 footer_n.gif

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Chiang Mai Night Safari succeeds in breeding additional Serow

BANGKOK, 8 January 2012 (NNT) – Chiang Mai Night Safari has announced its success in breeding another rare goat-antelope, which is one of Thailand's 15 rare and endangered species.

Chiang Mai Night Safari executive, Dr. Sarawut Srisakul, revealed that the zoo has successfully bred a female Serow, which came out on last Christmas Day.

Before the arrival of the new member of this rare and endangered goat-antelope, Chiang Mai Night Safari had bred one male and 3 female Serows. The new Serow, which is yet to be named, is healthy and ready to be presented to visitors now.

The Serow, commonly known as 'Liang-pha' in Thai, is similar to a goat with a short body and long legs. Its body fur is black with a long rough hairline running across the body and under the neck. The animal, which is recognized by its large head with large standing ears and horns that are short with a wide base, can normally be found in areas that range from Cashmere in India to the foot of the Himalayas, stretching to Assam in the east to the south of China and Burma.

They can also be found in Malaysia, Sumatra and Thailand, where they used to be found on the limestone cliffs in every region except the central plains. Today they are found in the wild only in some wild life reserves.

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-- NNT 2012-01-08 footer_n.gif

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RT@Biz_TheNation: Baht expected to move in Bt31.50-80/USD range next week; monitor developments on euro debt crisis

​RT@Biz_TheNation:Brokers see Thai stocks moving in 1,020-1,010 pts range next week amid euro debt concerns,pending transfer of FIDF debts to central bank

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Developing Tourism for People with Disabilities and Older Persons

The Department of Tourism will launch a project to develop tourism for people with disabilities and older persons by removing barriers that prevent them from enjoying travel.

The Director-General of the Department of Tourism, Mr. Supol Sripan, said that the project seeks to make the physical environment favorable to barrier-free tourism for not only people with disabilities but also the elderly, families with young children, pregnant women, and sick people.

Mr. Supol said that the market for this group of tourists has great potential for further growth in the future. According to a research study, the number of travelers with disabilities and older persons in Europe is between 134 and 268 million. If Thailand can capture 2 percent of the market share of this group of tourists, its earnings from tourism income are likely to increase by 78.2 billion baht annually.

He revealed that the Department of Tourism had sought cooperation from the Disabled Peoples’ International Asia-Pacific, the Thailand Association of the Blind, and the Professional Tourist Guide Association of Thailand in encouraging hotel, restaurant, and souvenir shop operators to pay greater attention to this group of tourists. In the initial stage, the project will be carried out in four pilot provinces, namely Bangkok, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, and Phuket. These provinces have been rated among the most popular destinations in Thailand, in the eyes of international visitors. They are unique in their own ways.

Dubbed a multi-faceted “City of Asia,” Bangkok was voted one of the world’s best cites by the US-based Travel and Leisure magazine. It was ranked first among the top ten popular cities in 2011, according to a survey conducted by Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports. One out of every ten Thais lives in Bangkok, which presents itself as a city of culture. So it is interesting to visit Bangkok to understand modern urban culture in Thailand.

Chon Buri is popular for the city of Pattaya, which is recognized as a beach resort for all seasons and a sun-and-fun center. Pattaya offers a wealth of attractions and meeting, entertainment, and water sport facilities.

Chiang Mai, one of Thailand’s creative cities, is famous for numerous handicrafts, especially community products. Recognized as a center of Thailand’s northern culture and traditions, the city has architecture, food, dialects, and customs that set it apart from the rest of the country.

Often dubbed the pearl of the Andaman Sea, Phuket is internationally renowned for its beautiful beaches and excellent sea food. The island has already been put on the world map as a desirable recreational center famous for its natural beauty.

Under the project to develop tourism for people with disabilities and older persons, training will be arranged to equip tourism personnel with proper knowledge about providing facilities and services for disabled persons and the elderly, making tourism accessible to this group of people from around the world. This group of tourists, in fact, represents a huge untapped market for the travel industry.

Foreign Office, The Government Public Relations Department

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Prince Mahidol of Songkla: The Father of Thai Tertiary Education

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The Ministry of Education recently presented the title “Father of Tertiary Education” to His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol of Songkla, in commemoration of the 122nd year since HRH Prince Mahidol’s birthday on 1 January 2012.

January 1 marks the birthday of His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol of Songkla, the father of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej (King Rama IX).

The Prince Father is recognized as “the Father of Higher Education” because of his great contributions to the improvement of higher education in Thailand.

Born in 1892 to King Chulalongkorn and Queen Savang Vadhana, Prince Mahidol of Songkla graduated in Medical Science from Harvard University in the United States. During the first period of his residence at Harvard, he negotiated and concluded, on behalf of the Thai government, an agreement with the Rockefeller Foundation for assistance to Thailand’s education.

In his life, he had a yearning for knowledge and worked devotedly. Thus, the Prince Father set a good example of a learner and a teacher. His work played a crucial role in improving the education in Thailand to meet international standards. He not only initiated good governance for university administration, but he also graciously donated his personal money to support Thailand’s education.

According to Minister of Education Woravat Auapinyakul, although Prince Mahidol of Songkla had been honored with several titles in the educational field, such as the Father of Modern Medicine, the Father of Public Health of Thailand, and UNESCO’s “outstanding personality”, the new title does not overlap them. All these formerly awarded titles are a result of tertiary education. Therefore, Prince Mahidol deserved the title of “Father of Tertiary Education”.

The Prince Father passed away from a severe kidney disease at the young age of 37, on 24 September 1929.

Foreign Office, The Government Public Relations Department

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28 Programs under “Miracle Thailand Year” to Boost Thailand’s Tourism

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The Department of Tourism has proposed 28 projects with a budget of 452 million baht in order to restore Thailand’s tourist destinations. The move is aimed to boost Thailand’s tourism under the campaign named “Miracle Thailand Year”.

According to Mr. Supol Sripan, the Director-General of the Department of Tourism, the period between 2011 and 2012 is designated Miracle Thailand Year. He said that the proposed budget aims to support the Miracle Thailand Year campaign. Part of it will be spent on renovation of roads to the destinations, as well as roads inside them, such as public parks.

The 28 programs will include improvement of scenery at Lake Tale Luang in Sukhothai and Ko Tao in Surat Thani, improvement of scenery and renovation of infrastructure and guideposts in Huai Kha Khaeng in Uthai Thani, and development of Ban Chang Ta Klang or Elephant Village in Surin.

All these programs and others are included in 2012 National Budget, which is waiting for approval from the House of Representatives.

Foreign Office, The Government Public Relations Department

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