Thailand Live Tuesday 17 Jan 2012

[webfact]

Thailand Live Tuesday 17 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.

FOLLOW US:

You can also follow us on

- Twitter: http://twitter.com/georgebkk

- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ThaiVisaNews

- Google+: http://plus.google.com/116866638430460700577/

- Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/564113621/

- Breaking News via SMS text messages to your mobile phone or handheld device

To subscribe dial *424010011 on AIS, One-2-Call, DTAC or True Move networks

14 days complementary subscription for Thaivisa members.

If you have questions about the Breaking News SMS service,

email: sms [at] thaivisa.com

________________________________________________________________________________

Thailand's current weather and forecasts: http://weather.thaivisa.com/

________________________________________________________________________________

Related topic: Thailand Live Monday 16 Jan 2012

[webfact]

THAIVISA CONNECT

Thaivisa Forum Apps for your mobile or tablet

"Thaivisa Connect" for iPhone, iPad and iPod:

iTunes App Store:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/thaivisa-connect-thailand/id492600537

"Thaivisa Connect" for Android:

Android Market

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.quoord.tapatalkthaivisa.activity

OR

For QR code just go here with your desktop or mobile:

http://apps.thaivisa.com

[webfact]

POLITICS

Red-shirt Natthawut tipped to join Thai Cabinet

Red-shirt leader Natthawut Saikua might become a minister in the first Cabinet reshuffle, a source said yesterday.

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa....n-thai-cabinet/

[webfact]

FORMER UK PM

Tony Blair's friendly chat wows Thai kids

Meeting former British prime minister Tony Blair in person yesterday was an exciting and inspiring moment for a number of Thai students.

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa....wows-thai-kids/

[webfact]

TERROR

Explosive materials seized

Raid on shophouse in Samut Sakhon yields tonnes of urea fertiliser and ammonia nitrate, often used to make bombs

Follow this link:

[webfact]

TEACHERS' DAY

'Teacher of the nation'

The Nation

HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej has been honoured as "Teacher of the nation".

"His Majesty has been a kind teacher to his people," Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday, which was National Teachers' Day.

"He has given them knowledge via non-formal education. During his reign, non-formal education in Thailand progressed considerably in all aspects."

She spoke at a ceremony at the Teachers' Council of Thailand, held to honour His Majesty as 'Teacher of the nation'.

"The duty of teachers is not just about giving knowledge but also about inculcating ethics," the prime minister said.

-- The Nation 2012-01-17

[webfact]

Vietnam poised to topple Thailand as world's largest rice exporter

Vietnam will eclipse Thailand as the world's biggest rice exporter this year as the government's pledging scheme artificially inflates Thai prices, exporters predicted.

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa....-rice-exporter/

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Lese majeste is an old argument made new

Avudh Panananda

The Nation

The debate on the lese majeste law is nothing new. Indeed, long and rambling arguments have been rekindled time and again following the October 13, 1973 student-led uprising.

Article 112 of the Criminal Code was introduced under the reign of King Chulalongkorn as part of the country's modernisation. Traditional Thai laws had no comparable provisions to the lese majeste clause.

The provision, then and now, was designed to shield the monarch as head of state in a manner similar to the protection of private individuals against defamation.

The majority of convictions for a violation against the monarchy were about slander and physical insults in connection with vandalism, which had no bearing on freedom of expression or the free flow of ideas.

The articulate social critic Sulak Sivaraksa had been repeatedly prosecuted for lese majeste but never convicted for his critical views.

For the first hundred years after the lese majeste clause was adopted few Thai citizens were aware that such an offence existed.

Debate on the suppression of violations deemed offensive to the monarchy coincided with political turbulence in the wake of the 1973 uprising.

In the face of a rising leftist movement propagating socialism, conservatives- at the time known as right wingers- were alarmed about the country's future. They pushed for a crackdown on the spread of poison-pen leaflets attacking the monarchy.

The political chaos culminated when the student movement, seen as the bastion of the left wing, was crushed in 1976. The ensuing power seizure saw the right wingers seal victory by gaining control of the country.

In what might be construed as a celebratory gesture, the right wingers successfully pushed for amendment of the lese majeste law to increase the punishment to between a three-year minimum and a 15-year maximum jail term.

The amended punishment deviated from international norms of a maximum of seven years in jail. Conservative legal minds tried to justify the change by citing the Thai people's reverence for the monarchy. They also argued that a tougher punishment would act as an effective deterrent.

The debate was inconclusive and became mute following the end of the Communist insurgency and the waning of leftist sentiment.

For more than three decades, rival camps put the issue aside. After prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra won his second term in 2005, there was an eruption of political turbulence and cases of royal insults started to soar once again.

Just as the right wingers put on royalist cloaks to crush their leftist rivals, the yellow shirts too invoked the monarchy as their rallying cry to outwit their red-shirt rivals. They tried to brand their rivals as anti-royalist. The on-going struggle picked up on where the left and right wingers had fought, inconclusively.

The monarchy has suffered collateral damage in the political struggle even though the King is above and beyond politics.

On Sunday, the Nitirat academic group morphed into the 112 campaign to spearhead support for changing the lese majeste clause. At the same time, the multi-coloureds launched a counter campaign for tougher enforcement of Article 112.

Opponents of Article 112 argue that the clause has stifled freedom of expression. But the fact that they are free to campaign, ironically, debunks their own argument.

Proponents are pushing for stronger penalties but the rising offence in the face of an already-tough punishment is proof of ineffective deterrence.

Arguments are expected to ramble on, however, but the opposing sides are unlikely to move anywhere but back to square one.

-- The Nation 2012-01-17

[webfact]

LESE MAJESTE LAW

Democrats challenge govt over Nitirat 'fake academics'

THE NATION

The Democrat Party yesterday attacked the Nitirat group of lecturers and their public campaign to amend the lese-majeste law, saying the move paved a way for the abolition of the monarchy institution.

Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, Democrat Party spokesperson said the Yingluck Shinawatra government should make it clear it would have nothing to do with these fake academics".

He also accused Nitirat of not speaking the whole truth because the monarchy institution could not be separated from the issue of national security.

Thai society, said Chavanond, had long existed with both the monarchy institution and lese-majeste law with which the party had no problem whatsoever.

Chavanond said the public must be careful and closely watch proposals by the Nitirat academics. He said the prime minister and the Pheu Thai government should state clearly their stance on the matter as they can no longer say they don't know anything about it - and they must declare clearly their intention not to cooperate with such a move.

"The Nitirat group is a charlatan society causing misunderstandings that [the lese-majeste law] is problematic. The law never had any problem...Thai people have problems [with the law] because they have been agitated and deceived and because there are fake academics who distort things on a daily basis, sowing social division," said Chavanond.

"All supporters of Nitirat are red shirts who support the government which is playing a double-game. The PM can't pretend not to know the matter is affecting the feelings of Thai people by saying that some who support [the move] are doing it [for their own reasons]. The government and Pheu Thai [should] renounce having anything to do with them because the lese-majeste law doesn't affect people who do not want to overthrow the monarchy."

Opposition leader and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said people have the right to sign a petition to submit a draft-amended lese-majeste bill to the Parliament. Abhisit said, however, the government must make clear whether it believes the law is problematic or not.

Ten thousand signatures are being collected by Nitirat and its allies to put an amended bill before Parliament. The observation that the supporters of the campaign are also Pheu Thai supporters is something that must be explained by the government, said Abhisit.

Head government whip Udomdej Rattanasathien said yesterday the coalition parties would not touch the lese-majeste law.

Udomdej said he personally thought Nitirat's proposal would be confused with the one to amend the constitution. When asked if he thought supporters of Nitirat were also Pheu Thai supporters, Udomdej said people must separate the party from the masses who support it.

-- The Nation 2012-01-17

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

The handshakes that offer no genuine hope: Thai opinion

Despite the appearances of friendly gestures between rival political leaders, our society is even more deeply divided than ever before

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa....e-thai-opinion/

[webfact]

-- The Nation 2012-01-17

[webfact]

The Nation tete-a-tete with Blair

Former British prime minister Tony Blair is scheduled to discuss key global political and economic issues in an interview with The Nation's Editor in Chief Suthichai Yoon today.

Follow Nation Group's reports on the interview through Asean TV (True 99) tonight, Nation Channel, www.nationmultimedia.com, The Nation newspaper, Krungthep Turakij and Kom Chad Luek.

Blair will also speak on "The Challenges and Opportunities in a Globalised World" at the BOI Fair's CEO Forum at the Plaza Athenee Hotel this morning, the first international gathering of its kind in Thailand since last year's flood disaster.

-- The Nation 2012-01-17

[webfact]

HSBC

Thailand to have 23rd-biggest economy by 2050: HSBC

Thailand is predicted to become the world's 23rd-largest economy in 2050, being one of several emerging economies that will break into the top 30 in that time scale, according to HSBCs "The World in 2050" report.

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Building collapse not caused by flood: Thai engineer

Suggestions that prolonged flooding in Bangkok late last year was the main cause of the recent partial collapse of a building under construction was ruled out yesterday by the secretary general of the Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT).

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa....-thai-engineer/

[webfact]

Southern teachers want moral, financial support

Teachers in the deep South want to live a normal life just like their peers in other regions, a local leader said on National Teachers Day yesterday.

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa....ancial-support/

[webfact]

8 professions to face tough competition from foreigners: Thailand

Members of eight professions look set to face fierce competition from foreigners after the Asean Economic Community (AEC) materialises in 2015, according to a senior official at the Labour Ministry.

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa....gners-thailand/

[webfact]

Delegates from many states here for Seameo

The Nation

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (Seameo) is holding its 34th High Officials Meeting from today to Thursday to tackle pressing education issues affecting the region this year.

Almost 100 delegates from more than 20 countries in Southeast Asia and beyond are expected to attend the event at the Grand Sukhumvit Hotel in Bangkok.

The three-day meeting will draw education vice ministers, undersecretaries, permanent secretaries, directors-general and other high-level education officials of Seameo member countries, associate members, affiliates and partners.

High on the agenda are issues such as education for sustainable development, disaster-risk reduction in education, and Education For All, a global movement led by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. The education leaders are also expected to endorse the 10-year strategic plan for Seameo and the development plans for Seameo Regional Centres.

Education Minister Woravat Auapinyakul is expected to deliver the opening address tomorrow morning.

Witaya Jeradechakul, the Seameo secretariat director and the leader of the preparations for the event, said yesterday: "The meeting of the Seameo high officials this year is crucial in setting the direction of Seameo for 2012.

"We very much look forward to the discussions on educational issues that need urgent attention and concerted efforts of the member countries and partners."

The High Officials Meeting is an annual event that serves as a forum for discussion on priority issues, review of proposals and presentation of accomplishments. The results of the meetings are submitted to the Seameo Council, the highest governing body of Seameo. The council members are the education ministers of member countries.

Brunei is chairing this year's meeting, which is being organised with the cooperation of Thailand's Education Ministry.

The sixth Asean Senior Officials Meeting on Education and the Asean+3 Senior Officials Meeting on Education will also be convened back-to-back with the main meeting.

-- The Nation 2012-01-17

[webfact]

Thai Democrats petition court against pay-out to unrest victims

The opposition Democrat Party petitioned the Administrative Court yesterday, seeking a repeal of the Cabinet resolution to provide compensation to victims of the political unrest over the past six years.

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa....unrest-victims/

[webfact]

BJT's Boonjong attends vote-buying hearing

THE NATION

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders conducted its first hearing yesterday in a case in which opposition Bhum Jai Thai executive Boonjong Wongtrairat is accused of buying votes ahead of a December 2010 by-election that he won. The case could result in the party being dissolved if Boonjong is found guilty.

Six prosecution witnesses testified yesterday.

One, a local Election Commission official, said authorities investigated after a complaint by Boonjong's rival Apicha Lertpatcharakamol of the Pheu Thai Party.

It was found that most witnesses said they did not see Boonjong at a November 2010 seminar of Nakhon Ratchasima community leaders in Rayong that the politician was accused of sponsoring. Some 300 eligible voters from the northeastern province attended the seminar.

At that time, Boonjong was a Cabinet minister, contesting a by-election in the Nakhon Ratchasima constituency where the seminar participants came from, while Pheu Thai was in opposition.

Apicha said during yesterday's court trial that he found a video clip on Youtube video-sharing website about the seminar in Rayong before bringing the case to court. However, he did not find out if Boonjong had paid the costs of the event.

Sommart Raksa, a Nakhon Ratchasima resident who took part in the seminar, told the court she saw Boonjong in front of an auditorium hall in Chakarat district where seminar participants had left on buses. However, the witness said she did not see him in Rayong.

She said that during the seminar, organisers did not say Boonjong was a sponsor and no mention was made of him being a candidate in the by-election.

Boonjong, who attended the court yesterday, said that defence witnesses would be heard from tomorrow until Friday, and he would produce - among his nine witnesses - top provincial officials from Nakhon Ratchasima who organised the seminar in question, plus others who participated.

"I am confident that I will be able to prove that I had no involvement in holding the seminar," he said.

-- The Nation 2012-01-17

[webfact]

Report: Facebook IPO set for May

San Francisco - Facebook's record-smashing 100-billion-dollarinitial public offering is set for late May, according to a report Monday in the Wall Street Journal.

Follow this link:

[webfact]

Police officer and son shot by insurgents in Pattani; Yala on alert after intelligence about possible car bomb during Chinese New Year /TANN

[webfact]

US embassy rejected Thai PM's request that terrorist threat warning issued by US for Bangkok be lifted /The Nation

[webfact]

Court rejects injunction on government's energy price hike

BANGKOK, Jan 17 - Thailand's Administrative Court on Monday night rejected a request from the civil sector asking the court to issue an injunction against the Oct 4 cabinet resolution to raise the price of Natural Gas for Vehicles (NGV) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), citing insufficient evidence to show that the cabinet action is unlawful.

The injunction was earlier sought by the Foundation for Consumers and three citizens who presented themselves as gas consumers against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the cabinet, Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan, Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO) and PTT Public Company Limited.

The complaint urged the court to consider the injunction until the court has its verdict on the cabinet resolution made on Oct 4, 2011 that the NGV price would rise, from Jan 16, by 50 satang/kg monthly until the end of 2012 when it would stay at Bt14.50/kg from the present Bt8.50/kg, a 70 per cent hike.

The liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) price would also increase by 41 satang/litre every month to Bt16.06/litre from the current Bt11.14/litre.

The court however rejected the request saying there is insufficient evidence to prove that the resolutions made by the cabinet and the EPPO were unlawful and if the court issues an injunction, the action will affect state operations on energy price policy and obstruct public service as well as country's administration.

Before the court consideration, taxi and truck operators last week rallied against the cabinet decision, blocking roads outside Government House and PTT headquarters in Bangkok, calling for the revocation of the energy rise plan.

After negotiations, the Land Transport Federation of Thailand (LTFT) and the government agreed to set up a joint working group to determine the NGV cost and appropriate pricing but in the meantime the NGV price would rise in accord with the cabinet resolution in the first four-month period. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-01-17

[webfact]

French cinema fete coming to Phuket

A poster advertising the French Thai Cultural Festival, which runs from February 2 to March 29 this year and hits Phuket on February 13.

Follow this link:

[webfact]

US And Thai Military Discuss Terrorist Threats

The Thai Defense Ministry's representative held a discussion yesterday with the United States military attache concerning the recent terror alert that was issued by the US.

Defense Ministry spokesman Colonel Thanatip Sawangsaeng revealed that the Director of the Defence Ministry's Policy and Planning Office, General Nipat Thonglek and the United States military attache, Colonel Edward Swanda discussed about three main involving the United States's embassy procedures at a meeting yesterday.

The first was issuing security alerts to American citizens concerning terrorist threats.

Secondly, the United States embassy and the Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry will coordinate with each other regarding any possible attacks.

Lastly, they talked about procedures for effective communication between the Thai and the US authorities in the event of a future terrorist attack.

The United States military attache added that the United States always issues warnings concerning security threats to their citizens through the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

In response, the Defense Ministry confirmed that it will do inspections of all procedures to ensure safety.

Thanatip reaffirmed that Thailand is not the terrorist's prime target.

Moreover, the recent alert situation in which Washington warned of terrorist threats does not specifically apply to Thailand.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-17

[webfact]

Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,043.62, up 6.61 points /MCOT

[webfact]

Man's Dream Led to Discovery of Body of 7-month Old Baby

The body of a 7-month old baby was discovered on the side of the road near Rama III Rd in Yannawa District. The police suspect the body was dumped after the mother had a miscarriage.

The body of the baby boy was discovered in a paper bag, wrapped in a red sarong, on the side of Rama III Road. The police had noticed the flies around the bag, and the certain smell of decay.

The most mysterious side of this news report is how the police were alerted of the body's existence. Denprachak Kamkong, 33 years old, was the first to discover the body and alerted the police. He told the police that he had dreamed of a baby boy. In the dream, the baby came to him and said "Daddy, I'm cold. Help me".

Denprachak told the police that he felt this strange compulsion to find this baby boy. He shared his dream with his wife who later dismissed the dream as, that, just a dream.

On his way to run an errand at the bank this morning, Denprachak noticed that the deserted area near the bank resembled the scene from his dream. He then went to investigate the area and found the paper bag that contained the boy's corpse.

The police said they believe the body has been dumped there 3-5 days ago. They suspected the boy's body was left here after the mother had a miscarriage. They are collecting more evidence in order to prosecute the mother who has yet to be identified.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-17

[webfact]

Game of horse trading among Thaksin's men

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa....g-thaksins-men/

[webfact]

New Chiang Saen Port to be Launched on April 1

The Transport Ministry deputy permanent-secretary inspected the progress on construction of the second Chiang Saen port in Chiang Rai Province. The port is expected to open on April 1.

Deputy Transport Permanent-Secretary Sorasak Saensombat and Marine Department Director-General Thawan Onsila, along with other officials, did a progress inspection of the construction for the second Chiang Saen port on the Mekong River in the northern province of Chiang Rai.

The new port is situated on a 387-rai plot of land at the mouth of the Kok River at Baan Saew Sub-district in Chiang Saen District, which is across from the Bor Kaew District in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

It is half the size of the Bangkok Port and aims to accommodate the increasing border trade in the economic quadrangle of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and China.

At the old port, which is situated in the ancient Chiang Saen city area, there is no room for expansion.

The new site will be able to handle up to ten 300-ton small freighters at the same time.

A private company was contracted to build the port with a budget of around 1.5 billion baht.

Construction was not completed within the agreed time frame of 960 days, but the Cabinet gave the contractor another two-and-a-half months to finish the work, saying that the delay was understandable due to the recent flood crisis.

The construction progress is now at 98 percent and the port is expected to open on April 1.

Experts believe the site will be unaffected by the Mekong River drying up during the drought season as it is six kilometers downstream from the old port and situated in a deep part of the river.

Today, border trade at the existing Chiang Saen port is valued at around ten billion baht a year, with exports totaling nine billion.

Most traders are from southern China and major exports include fuel, consumer goods, and dried longans, while imports are fruits and vegetables.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-17

[webfact]

New Terror Threats in the South; Heightened Alert Jan 18 - 28

Thai media reports are suggesting that the National Intelligence Agency has recieved credible information that Yala Province is the target of unrest between the period of January 18 to 28. Police and military personnel are taking increased precaution.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-17