Thailand Live Monday 30 Jan 2012

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First-ever Hua Hin Film Festival Ends with Success

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__5015370

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Knowledge-exchange center for the blind to be established

PETCHBURI, 30 January 2012 (NNT) - A knowledge-exchange center for the visually impaired will be established in Petchburi province to improve the quality of lives of the multiply handicapped blind in Thailand.

The Christian Foundation for the blind in Thailand under the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King will open the knowledge exchange center in Cha-am district, Petchburi province, to help ASEAN citizens who are visually impaired with multiple disabilities.

The center, expected to be opened this year, will help improve the living standards of the blind with multiple disabilities and improve their abilities enabling them to live on their own.

According to the foundation, there have been no report on the exact number of the multiply handicapped blind in Thailand and the cause of the disabilities. It has only found that the problems involve chemical substances and the mother having German measles during pregnancy.

The foundation is asking for the government’s financial support to help those as they need special care. In addition to being unable to see, these people may have brain problems, deafness, or other disabilities; therefore, they need a one-on-one care.

It says the government’s 30,000 baht per person per year assistance is not enough as each needs at least 70,000 baht per year.

A school for blind children in Ramindhra, Bangkok, is currently housing 70 blind children, while there are only 40 workers taking care of them. The school advises parents of these children to allow them outside of the house, saying it is an important step to improving their learning ability and social skills. Out of every ten blind students in the school, six are found to have multiple handicaps.

-- NNT 2012-01-30

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SET index midday up 3.24 pts, 0.30 pct

Thai composite stocks index (SET) at midday Monday at 1,079.53, up 3.24 pts,0.30 per cent in line with most regional shares amid Bt12.35 billion turnover.

Blue chip SET-50 index was at 754.34, up 2.16 points, or 0.29 per cent.

Top five active (value) stocks: PTTGC,BANPU,TMB,SCC,PTT

-- The Nation 2012-01-30

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Ruling, opposition parties ask DSI to probe websites insulting monarchy

BANGKOK, Jan 30 – Both Thailand’s ruling Pheu Thai Party and the opposition Democrat Party on Monday submitted complaints to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) asking the agency to take legal action against website operators and social networks which are deemed to be insulting to the kingdom’s royal institution.

Pheu Thai spokesperson Prompong Nopparit representing the ruling party filed its complaint with DSI Deputy Director-General Pol Col Prawet Moolpramuk asking the agency to investigate and proceed with legal action against websites and social networks which violate the Criminal Code, Article 112, for alleged disseminating of messages insulting to the monarchy.

Mr Prompong said the government has already closed some 60,000 websites but later found that they reopened and were operating under the cover of other networks or movements.

At the same time, Democrat Deputy Spokeswoman Mallika Boonmeetrakul petitioned the department asking for legal action against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, ICT Minister Anudit Nakornthap and the national police chief for negligence of duty.

Ms Mallika claimed that she informed the premier about websites allegedly insulting the monarchy since Dec 1, and presented the URL of 280 alleged anti-monarchical web pages. As of now, she said, none is closed or has resulted in legal proceedings.

Representing the so-called ‘Cyber Warrior Club’ coordinating with the Democrats, Ms Mallika said she has collected URLs for 483 web pages allegedly insulting the monarchy to submit to the DSI and asked the department to consider the case as being special.

The Democrat deputy spokesperson pledged that she would inspect the work of all concerned agencies every two weeks, while slamming the government's claim on the closure of 60,000 web pages as information distortion.

The DSI deputy chief said upon receiving the letters from the two parties that the department has set up a centre to prevent and crackdown on websites insulting the monarchy since December.

Regarding Ms Mallika's request to prosecute the prime minister and other concerned figures, Col Prawet said the National Anti-Corruption Commission will consider the issue. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-01-30

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Senators call on govt to declare stand against Nitiraj

The Nation

BANGKOK:-- Several senators Monday called on the government to clearly declare that it will not support a proposal of the Nitiraj group of academics to amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code and King-related constitutional provisions.

The senators made the call during a debate before the Senate started deliberating its official agenda.

The senators voiced concern that the campaign by the Nitiraj to compromise the King's power through the legal amendments caused rifts in the society.

The senators included Doctor Jeth Siritharanon, Khamnoon Sitthisamarn and Somchai Sawaengkarn.

Jeth said the campaign by the Nitiraj academics led to severe rifts in the society because many people came out to oppose the campaign.

Jeth said the many people suspected that the Niitraj academics had ulterior motives behind their campaign.

He said the government should express its official stand as soon as possible that it would not support amendments to the lese-majesty law as proposed by the Nitiraj so that the public could feel assured that the bill would be rejected by the House of Representatives.

Khamnoon said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra should also announce clearly that her Pheu Thai government would not seek to amend articles related to the King when it seeks to amend the 2007 Constitution.

Somchai said the prime minister should also announce that her government had nothing to do with the Nitiraj.

Somchai said the prime minister should also order the red-shirt leaders to stop supporting the Niitraj or else the country could erupt in another round of political crisis

-- The Nation 2012-01-30

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SOUTH CRISIS

Four die, six wounded in Pattani incidents

Pattani:-- A ranger was wounded in a presumed insurgent assault on a Pattani base on Sunday night, while four residents were killed and another five wounded in a roadside attack on their vehicle a short time later in Pattani's Nong Chik district.

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Yutthasak: No intelligence reports about conspiracy to topple govt

BANGKOK:-- Deputy Prime Minister Gen Yutthasak Sasiprabha said Monday that intelligence agencies have no reports about an alleged conspiracy to topple the government.

Yutthasak was commenting a claim by Deputy Government Spokesman Anusorn Iamsa-ard that some businessmen, academics, the military and some journalists had a plot to overthrow the government.

Yutthasak said he had not heard of such a conspiracy and he would find out about it during a meeting of the Pheu Thai Party on Tuesday.

-- The Nation 2012-01-30

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Sukhumbhand denies he will step down as BKK governor

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said Monday that he will not resign before completing his term early 2013.

Sukhumbhand was commenting on a statement of Pheu Thai Party deputy spokesman Jirayu Huangsup that the governor would step down before completing his term.

He laughed when reporters asked him to comment on Jirayu's statement, saying: "If I want to resign, the media will know before Jirayu."

-- The Nation 2012-01-30

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Phuket tour van in three-way accident on Patong Hill

Phuket Gazette –

PHUKET: A van carrying foreign tourists was involved in a three-vehicle accident on Patong Hill road this morning, causing a long traffic tailback into Phuket's most popular west coast resort town.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/529737-phuket-tour-van-in-three-way-accident-on-patong-hill/page__view__findpost__p__5015664

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FLOOD

Dredging of canals and sewers to be completed by May: Bangkok governor

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Flood compensations in Bangkok done by 80 per cent: governor

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said Monday that the paying compensations to flood victims in Bangkok for 30 districts has been done by 80 per cent.

But he said the government has yet to approve compensations for 12 other districts, prompting residents of these districts not to receive compensation yet.

-- The Nation 2012-01-30

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Phuket 'anti plastic bag' campaign kicks into gear

If the campaign works well, plastic bags will be a blight of the past in Phuket. Photo: Phuket Gazette

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Defense Minister Affirms Military's Support for Govt

BANGKOK: -- The defense minister insists the military and politics are inseparable.

He also stands firm that the military is ready to support all constitutional governments and admits being informed about rumors of a move to overthrow the current administration.

Defense Minister Air Chief Marshall Sukumpol Suwanatat insisted that the military and politics cannot be separated as the military needs support from the political branch, particularly on the budget front.

Commenting on criticisms that the military should be spared from politics, the minister said only military transfers should be exempted from political influence.

He also urged all parties not to attempt to exclude the military from politics, as the two sectors usually move forward hand in hand in other countries.

Sukumpol added that the military is ready to support every democratic and constitutional government as it is the duty of the armed forces to do so.

In response to rumors about a move to overthrow the Pheu Thai-led government, in which the military was linked, the minister cited that he has been informed.

He is not ignoring the report but is not giving it much significance.

The minister refused to comment whether any agency has been tasked with probing the issue.

Today, the minister chaired his first Defense Council meeting and vowed to continue the military's policies on national security and protection of the Monarchy.

However, Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha did not attend today's conference due to his prior upcountry engagement.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-30

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Malaysians apprehended for smuggling endangered species spiny anteaters

SONGKHLA, Jan 30 - Two Malaysian men were arrested in southern Thailand Monday for smuggling pangolins—an endangered species commonly known as the spiny anteater-- while passing through the inbound immigration border checkpoint in Sadao district.

Forty-five pangolins weighing over 100kg were found in 24 net bags hidden under the back seat of the suspects' vehicle.

The two men were identified as Mr Ahmad Ikram Bin Anuar and Muhamad Shaifol Bin Abidin.

The suspects were detained for questioning and confessed they had bought the wild animals from Malaysia in order to deliver them to customers in Thailand’s Sadao district.

Smuggling pangolins is against the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-01-30

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Economists' Confidence Lowest in 18 Months

BANGKOK: -- According to the latest opinion poll conducted by Bangkok University, leading economists' confidence in the Thai economy in the next three to six months is at the lowest point in 18 months.

From January 17 to 24, Bangkok University asked 72 economists from 32 leading institutions about their opinions on the Thai economy in the next three to six months.

According to the poll results, economists' confidence index is at 28.11, far below the 50-point mark.

Most believe that the economy is in a fragile state.

The index is also at the lowest point in 18 months, due to sluggish growth in the export, private investment and tourism sectors.

It is believed that the sharp drop in the confidence index is a result of last year's major flood disaster, which has severely affected tourism, export and investment.

The United States' warning of possible terrorist attack also further deteriorated the tourism industry.

In any case, it is expected that economists' confidence index will rise to 63.41 and 72.19 in the next three and six months respectively because most respondents are confident that the economic situation will improve over the period.

Economists believe that consumption and investment from the government and the private sector will be crucial to economic recovery.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-30

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Democrat deputy leader Korn submits list of 128 MPs' names to Constitution Court to seek review of 2 financial executive decrees /TANN

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AFP: Thailand welcomes Twitter censorship tool

File photo, source: wikimedia

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Opposition Leader Abhisit Denies Plan to Topple Thai Government

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....hai-government/

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SET index closed at 1074.71, down 1.58; Bt/USD31.00; GBP48.59; AUD32.65; EUR40.73; CAD30.69; HKD3.99; SGD24.54; JPY40.18

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Russians trapped in Pattaya following collapse of Tour Company

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....f-tour-company/

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Illegal Korean Call Center uncovered by Police in North Pattaya

Full story: http://www.pattayaon...-north-pattaya/

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No conclusion whether four killed in Pattani shooting linked to armed group: Military

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Russian loses his clothes following late night swim on Pattaya Beach

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/529772-russian-loses-his-clothes-following-late-night-swim-on-pattaya-beach/

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Three drug suspects killed in clash with army rangers

CHIANG MAI, Jan 30 – Three suspected drug traders were killed in a clash with Thai army rangers at the Thai-Myanmar border in the northern province of Chiang Mai.

Ritthipong Techaphan, deputy Chiang Mai governor, said that he was told of the clash in Mae Ai district at about 7am Monday.

Col Pairote Yawincharn led the Pa Muang Task Force to patrol Doi Samsao at the Thai-Myanmar border in order to stem drug smuggling from the neighbouring country into Thailand.

While on patrol, they met about ten suspected drug smugglers who were armed. After the ten-minute clash, they retreated and the authorities found three people dead with M-16 assault rifles lying near the bodies.

Five kilogrammes heroin were found in a rucksack at the scene. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-01-30

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to continue:

Thailand Live Tuesday 31 Jan 2012

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