Thailand Live Wednesday 1 February 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 Tuesday 31 Jan 2012

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Chalerm Pushing For Swift Reconciliation Legislation

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Bangkok motorcycle taxis cry for help after being victimized by mafias

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ized-by-mafias/

COURT

Acquittals in Thaksin share case upheld

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CORRUPTION

Thai govt pressed for response to anti-graft demands

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2m rai marked out to hold flood water this year: Thailand

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Thailand to probe army shooting of four Muslims

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LESE MAJESTE LAW

Thammasat rector defends Nitirat ban

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Somkid Lertpaithoon, the beleaguered rector of Thammasat University, yesterday defended its ban on campaigning against the lese majeste law, saying he feared more conflict and chaos if the campus continued allowing the use of its facilities for such rallies.

"Being Thammasat's rector is a dilemma. I faced a protest when I expressed opposition to Nitirat's movement. When I allowed [Nitirat] to use our campus [to hold its campaign], another group turned against me. Can't Thai society tolerate it when someone wants to take a stand on a just and appropriate point?" Somkid wrote on his Facebook page. He said he was not trying to stifle freedom of expression or academic freedom, but people needed to separate those freedoms from political movements, which risk igniting conflict and chaos inside the university and the country.

Thammasat University on Monday prohibited the use of its facilities to campaign against the lese majeste law in a move that would likely apply more heat on the controversial Nitirat group, which advocates changes to the law.

The decision of the university's executive board drew applause and condemnation from both students and alumni.

Several groups of students put up posters on the campus' buildings against the decision. They also plan to place wreaths to oppose the decision at Puay Ungpakorn's statue on the Rangsit campus tomorrow and at Pridi Banomyong's statue on the main Prachan campus on Sunday.

The House of Representatives committee on reconciliation chaired by Sonthi Boonyaratglin said all political party leaders insisted to the committee that they disagreed with amending Article 112 of the Penal Code, known as the lese majeste law, because it is a sensitive issue and might lead to a national crisis.

-- The Nation 2012-02-01

ULTRAMARATHON

First ultramarathon kicks off this weekend

Nutdanai Charasjirawat

The Nation

If running a full 42.195km marathon sounds gruelling, imagine having to run a 100km ultramarathon!

SAMUT SONGKHRAM: -- This pinnacle of sporting pain comes to Thailand for the first time this weekend, with the inaugural North Face 100 - Thailand 2012 trailrunning race, held from Friday to Sunday at Kaew Jaroen Temple, Amphawa in Samut Songkhram.

The Thai leg of the biggest trailrunning series in AsiaPacific features the 100km run, 100km duo (run in pairs, 50km each), 50km, 25km and 10km runs, with participants split categories according to sex and age. The first Thai national to cross the finish line in the 100km event will represent the country in the North Face 100 Grand Finale in Beijing in May.

Trophies will be awarded to the top three finishers in every age group, while cash prizes worth more than Bt800,000 will go to the overall winners in each category.

Race briefings will take place on Friday, while all races are scheduled to kick off at 4am the following day. Competitors in the 100km ultramarathon must complete the course within 18 hours. The 100km world record of nine hours 19 minutes and six seconds was set last year by Spaniard Kilian Jornet, 23, in Australia.

Thai marathoner Boonthueng Srisang, former double SEA Games gold medallist, will test his mettle in the 50km trail run, his longest race ever. Genevieve Jane Irwin, aka Channel V's extreme sportsloving VJ Jenny, will compete in her first trail ultramarathon.

-- The Nation 2012-02-01

Opposing views must be heard and tolerated: Thai opinion

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Restoration of historic Ayutthaya sites to cope with renewed flood

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House debate to cover all four decrees: PM Yingluck

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Hazing victims' parents seek help

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Parents of 15yearold Adisak Phanpheng, who sustained a fatal injury during a freshmen hazing ritual at the hands of older students at Neda Business Administration and Engineering School on January 21, have appealed for justice to the Samut Prakan governor.

Adisak's father, Pramin Phanpheng, who filed a complaint at City Hall along with his wife and 50 villagers, said Adisak joined the hazing ritual hosted by secondyear students at a Samut Prakan housing estate on the night of January 21.

The freshmen were told by the older students that anyone who could take three kicks to the chest would win a Tshirt bearing an image of the Hindu god Vishnu and the school's former name. Adisak accepted the dare, but collapsed after being kicked. He was later pronounced dead at Chularat 5 Hospital with a torn right lung and injuries to his brain. Pramin said he had filed a police complaint at Bang Sao Thong police station but had seen little progress, adding that the school had refused to take responsibility.

-- The Nation 2012-02-01

Surin prison officials accused of dealing drugs

The Nation

SURIN: -- Three officials working at a Surin prison have been suspended and face prosecution after a search allegedly turned up evidence linking them with drug dealings within the prison complex.

The three officials at Rattana Buri prison are Bunhome Rawirueng, wife Sommai Bussaba and Wachirasak Suknongbueng, who have each been released on a Bt2million bail. The search was tipped off by inmates.

Authorities also found 63 mobile phones, 15 SIM cards, a number of amphetamine tablets and ice flakes, along with evidence at the residences of all three showing names of drug racket members and transactions of more than Bt50 million, Bt37 million allegedly through the three suspects.

Police said the suspects dealt in drugs with an inmate imprisoned in Khao Bin prison in Ratchaburi, which will soon house around 500 highprofile drug convicts transferred from other prisons.

This inmatedealer is identified as Phanuwat Sirichai, and was allegedly helped by two relatives identified merely as Mangkorn and Ball.

Phanuwat also did business with another racket led by the Wongyam brothers, which had direct contact with the three prison officials suspended yesterday, police sources said.

The Corrections Department will sort out highprofile drug convicts with two government agencies, before finalising who is on a 500name list to be transferred to Khao Bin prison. There are now 2,200 inmates at the Ratchaburibased prison which has a 3,000inmate capacity.

Deputy directorgeneral Kobkiat Kasiwiwat said devices to jam mobile phone signals would be installed at three prisons in Phitsanulok, Rayong and Nakhon Ratchasima, which will have a total of 10,000 inmates under the signals cover, including 500 at the Khao Bin prison.

In Kanchanaburi, a public health official, a driver and a guard working at a local hospital were arrested at a police checkpoint yesterday, with nine amphetamine tablets and a pack of marijuana in their possession.

Police identified the suspects as C3 official Somphorn Wongsema, driver Pharadorn Thongdee and security guard Rattamakamphol Sangkhajorn. Police said Pharadorn and Rattamakamphol turned in a positive urine test result.

Police are investigating whether a luxury SUV with the three occupants inside pulled over at the checkpoint belonged to a senior official, and whether he had anything to do with illegal activity.

-- The Nation 2012-02-01

GAT/PAT EXAMINATIONS

Poor overall showing by Thai students

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....-thai-students/

Big plans for small schools: Thailand

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AMLO takes up case of Suphoth's unusual wealth: Bangkok

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Civil service pay rises get nod: Thailand

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....t-nod-thailand/

Facebook Scam: Switch To Pink Facebook (Limited Time!)

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Firefox 10 Regular and ESR is now live

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Bangkok squad to tackle Phuket's illegal taxis

Phuket Governor Tri said he appreciated the support from Bangkok. Photo: Warisa Temram

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....-illegal-taxis/

RIM Launches BlackBerry Business Cloud Services for Microsoft Office 365

File photo, source: wikimedia

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Ambush Brit Fights For Life in Hua Hin

Fighting for his life after disputing decorating bill

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Thai stock index opens on Wednesday at 1,082.49, down 1.48 points /MCOT

5 injured by latest remote control bomb in Yala

BANGKOK, 1 February 2012 (NNT) - A team of military patrol and a villager have been injured by a remote control bomb while en route back to their base in Yala Province.

On Tuesday evening, 4 military officers and a local resident were injured by a roadside bomb on Saai Baan Niang-Lum Mai Road in Muang District of Yala Province.

Those who suffered minor injuries have been promptly taken to Yala Hospital fo treatment.

The explosion has damaged a military vehicle and a nearby pick-up truck.

Bomb squad said that the homemade bomb which contained 10 kilograms of explosives was hidden in a parked motorbike.

The investigators revealed that the injured military patrol was part of a team tasked with escorting teachers of the Baan Burin School.

The attack took place after the patrol had completed the day's mission and was on the way back to their base.

Preliminary investigation suggested that the bombing was the work of those who wanted to further instigate fear and violence in the strife-torn region. Since 2004, there have been more than 5,200 killed and nearly 9,000 injured in Thailand's Deep South.

-- NNT 2012-02-01

Cabinet Declares April 9 Public Holiday

BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet has approved the late princess' royal cremation day scheduled for April 9 as a public holiday.

Flags will also fly half-mast from April 8 to 10.

Today's Cabinet meeting resolved to approve the proposal by the PM's Office to designate an additional public holiday to mourne the late Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda Sirisobhabannavadi.

The royal cremation for the late princess will take place on April 9. The day has been declared as a public holiday.

The government also seeks cooperation from members of the public to wear mourning outfits between April 8 and 10.

Flags at state agencies, state enterprises and schools will fly at half mast during the mourning period.

Moreover, cooperation is also being sought for all venues to refrain from hosting any celebration during the mourning period.

Television and radio stations are asked to closely monitor their contents and air appropriate programs during the period.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-01

Fujitsu slashes profit target by 42 percent after Thai floods disrupt output

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Appeals Court hands down life imprisonment for Pathumwan vocational school student who killed a rival school's student in 2006 /TANN

Former police chief Pol Gen Seripisut expresses interest in running as independent candidate for BKK governor this Dec /TANN