Thailand Live Tuesday 31 Jan 2012

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Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport to resume operation on 6 March

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SET ended midday break up by 1.15 points at 1,075.86 with value of Bt11.30 bn /TANN

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Cabinet approves Apr 9 as public holiday on occasion of HRH Princess Bejaratana's cremation; mourning from Apr 8-10 /TANN

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Cabinet approves across-the-board civil servant salary pay hike to be retroactive from Jan 1 /TANN

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Pattani governor orders setting up fact-finding committee/MCOT

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Marine Department to dredge main rivers to facilitate water flow

BANGKOK, 31 January 2012 (NNT) - The Marine Department is prepared to dredge the Chao Phraya and other main rivers to facilitate the flow of water to the sea in order to improve water management to prevent possible flood and drought.

According to Marine Department Director-General Tawanrat Onsira, the Department will dredge the Chao Phraya, Ta Chin, and Bang Pakong Rivers at the points that are less than one meter deep to make them around two meters deep; at the cost of 277 million baht. Mr Tawanrat hopes that the dredging will increase the amount of water flowing by around 500 cubic meters per second.

Additionally, the Department will spend 1.2 billion baht on dredging and rehabilitating rivers across the country, and another 900 million baht on expanding the width and depth of the Chao Phraya and Yom Rivers to enable them to release water to dams faster.

As for the problems of people encroaching on canals in Bangkok, the Department said that most people did not trespass the canal areas. Rather, the water has eroded the soil around the canals. Concerning people encroaching on the waterways of the Chao Phraya River, Mr Tawanrat said it was not a criminal offence; the authority could only charge them with civil offences, but it had to integrate with many agencies to find new places for those people.

-- NNT 2012-01-31

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CIVIL SERVICE

New pay structure approved

The Nation

BANGKOK:-- The Cabinet today approved the new pay structure for civil servants, which is retroactively effective on Jan 1, 2012.

Nonthikorn Kanchanachitra, secretary-general of the Office of the Civil Service Commission ( OCSC), said that the new pay restructure will cover civil servants holding all types of education degrees.

Prior to the approval, bachelor-degree holders earn Bt11,680 a month. Additional allowance would be extended to boost the monthly pay to Bt15,000.

The monthly pay for civil servants with master degrees will also rise from Bt15,300 to Bt17,500, while those with doctoral degrees will earn Bt21,000 from Bt19,000. The pay of those holding no bachelor degree would be raised to at least Bt9,000.

Under the initiative, a number of 649,323 civil servants will enjoy a higher pay. They include military servants, police officers, teachers, government employees and temporary employees.

-- The Nation 2012-01-31

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FIDF

FIDF debt to be cleared in 25 years

The Nation

BANGKOK: --Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul today reiterated the plan to clear the Financial Insitutions Development Fund (FIDF) debt within 25 years.

He noted that under options submitted to Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong’s consideration, all intend to clear the debt within 25 years.

He also insisted that such clearing would not involve the foreign reserves.

Prasarn and Kittiratt held a closed-door meeting on Jan 30 over the best solutions to handle the principal and interest repayment on the FIDF debt. Then, Kittiratt was informed of the Monetary Policy Committee’s concern over the discrepancy of commercial and state-owned banks as the latter are omitted from burden sharing. Lack of level-playing field could lead to ineffectiveness of monetary policies.

"We proposed several options. All contain the pros and cons, for the deputy prime minister’s review. Then, we would discuss with banks as they would be affected. There should be a meeting, when the Finance Ministry completes the review," he said today.

Kittiratt said on Jan 30 that the issue would be finalised within 1-2 weeks.

Prasarn added today that all the preparation process would continue, though the Democrat Party has filed for the Constitution Court’s interpretation of an executive decree involving the debt transfer. He noted that the process would stop when the Court agrees to proceed accordingly to the Democrats’ request.

-- The Nation 2-12-01-31

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Thailand to probe army shooting of four Muslims

BANGKOK, January 31, 2012 (AFP) - Thailand has ordered an investigation into the deadly shooting of four Muslim civilians by paramilitaries in the restive south, a top official said Tuesday, after the deaths sparked local outrage.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/530028-thailand-to-probe-army-shooting-of-four-muslims/page__view__findpost__p__5018522

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CONTROVERSIAL DECREES

Senators question constitutionality of the Bt1.14 trillion decree

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A group of 68 senators on Tuesday filed a petition seeking the judicial review on the constitutionality of a financial decree to trasfer Bt1.14 trillion debt from the government to the Bank of Thailand.

The senatorial petition followed an earlier move by the opposition Democrat Party questioning the constitutionality of this decree and another one on the Bt350 billion loans for flood control.

The senators, led by Khamnoon Sitthisaman, said the Bt1.14 trillion decree might be not be constitutional because the government cited a false urgency to justify the decree when the actual situation was not dire.

Khamnoon said even former finance minister Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala had conceded that the government's fiscal position was strong enough for additional borrowing without having to window dressing the state's financial account.

Many see the decree as an attempt to manipulate the accounting rules in order to deflate the public debt, hence allowing the government to take out more loans.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said he expected the Constitution Court to hand down its ruling within a month. The government is, meanwhile, obliged to put the two decrees on hold pending the judicial decision.

-- The Nation 2012-01-31

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TAXES

Tax officials innocent in Pojaman's share transfer case

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Appeals Court today affirmed the innocence of five Finance officials including former Revenue Department Director-General Sirote Sawasdipanich, charged of dereliction of duty and negligence for not taxing a share transfer by Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra.

Supporting the Criminal Court’s decision on acquittal on Feb 26, 2009, the Appeals Court reasoned that evidence failed to show the five officials’ intention in causing damage. The Criminal Court also found no deliberate intent to assist avoidance in tax payment.

The allegations originated from a share purchase in November 7, 1997, when Pojaman transferred 4.5 million shares of Shinawatra Computer and Communication Plc (now Shin Corp) worth Bt738 million to her half-brother, Bhanapot Damapong, as a wedding gift. The officials were charged of failing to properly tax the transfer which caused Bt270 million damage to the country.

Aside from Sirote, the other four officials were;

- Vichai Juengrakkiati, director of the State Enterprises Policy Committee Office, who was at the time director of the Legal Division

- Moreerat Boonyasiri, director of the Legal Division

- Kulruedee Saengsayan, senior legal official

- Suchinda Saengchompu, senior regional revenue official.

-- The Nation 2012-01-31

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UAE national carrier Rak Airways to fly to Bangkok

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Deputy PM Unaware of Plan to Topple Govt

BANGKOK: -- The deputy prime minister denies he's privy to the details of a report that four groups of people are working together to topple the Pheu Thai-led government. Meanwhile, the outspoken deputy PM says he's determined to push ahead with the self-initiated national reconciliation bill.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobumrung is adamant he'll go ahead with plans for the national reconciliation bill. He revealed he'll personally write up the draft of the bill, consisting of six separate articles.

Chalerm expects the bill's draft to be submitted to Parliament after his trip to the northeastern region. The outspoken deputy PM said he's not worried about any movement against the proposed legislation.

The deputy prime minister went on to say that he did not know the details of the speculation that 4 groups of people are working to overthrow the government.

Meanwhile, Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Nuttawut Saikua also said he's unaware of the details but is confident a certain group is planning to topple the Pheu Thai government.

In addition, Nuttawut insisted that the premier and the Pheu Thai Party never agreed with the plan to amend Article 112 of the Constitution. Instead, he accused the Democrat Party of trying to link Pheu Thai's name to the attempt to rewrite the lese majeste law for its own political gain.

Nuttawut says he continues to support the Nitirat group while saying that some of the calls made by the group are made in an untimely manner.

The name Nitirat group refers to a group of law scholars who called for the amendment of Section 112 of the Criminal Code relating to lese majeste. The group also called for the exemption from punishment of those who honestly express a political opinion, as well as those whose allegations are proven to be true or useful to the public.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-31

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RECONCILIATION

Chalerm pushing for swift reconciliation legislation

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Slain Pattani residents are not insurgents : Deputy PM

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'Case closed' on mystery death of Brazilian in Phuket

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Human trafficking agent arrested in Saraburi

BANGKOK, Jan 31 - A human trafficking agent was arrested in the central province of Saraburi for smuggling foreign labourers from the Lao PDR to Thailand.

The suspect was identified as Vitoon Tongsin. He was apprehended with 20 male and female Lao.

Mr Vitoon confessed the labourers were charged with an import fee at Bt1,600/person before they were sent further to other agents in the capital.

Police had had traces of the human trafficking ring to have transported the foreign labourers from the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani to Bangkok. A checkpoint was thus set up to intercept vehicles of the suspects in Saraburi province.

The imported workers were to be dropped in Pathum Thani province near Bangkok before being picked up again and delivered to would-be employers in the capital, according to Anti-Human Trafficking Division (AHTD) police.

Initially, the suspect was charged with illegally bringing in and harbouring migrants to Thailand. Punishment is up to five years with a fine of up to Bt50,000. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-01-31

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SET index closed at 1083.97, up 9.26; Bt/USD30.77; GBP48.34; AUD32.67; EUR40.45; CAD30.62; HKD3.96; SGD24.40; JPY40.12

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Bangkok Motorcycle Taxis Cry for Help after Being Victimized by Mafias

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Bartender stabbed to death inside South Pattaya Go-Go Bar

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....taya-go-go-bar/

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Major crackdown on unlicensed bars around Pattaya begins

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....pattaya-begins/

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Phuket school kids busted on meth

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Phuket expat reunited with 'best friend' Micky

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UPDATE

Pattaya Police assist stranded Tourists following collapse of Russian Tour Company

PATTAYA:-- The fallout from the collapse of the Russian Tour Company Lanta-Tour continues here in Pattaya with Police revealing that 341 Russian Tourists in Pattaya are currently without a return ticket to Russia.

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Thailand Live Wednesday 1 Feb 2012

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