Thailand Live Wednesday 1 Feb 2012

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Police Raid Building Claimed to Host Gambling Den

BANGKOK: -- The police found no evidence in a building at Lat Phrao District allegedly being used as a gambling den, but they said the environment has been adapted to host betting activities.

Police officers led by Police Inspector General Sathaporn Laothong raided a two-story building at Lat Phrao District after receiving a complaint that the building was being used as a gambling den.

Officers found only an empty room with no gambling devices, but they said the condition of the building suggested it has been arranged to run betting activities.

They said a gambling den was operated in the building for months before it was closed last month.

The police will summon the owner of the building for interrogation.

The information from the Metropolitan Police Bureau suggested similar gambling dens operated in Lat Phrao, Wangthonglang, Chokchai, and Hua Mak districts. Five dens are also operated in Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani provinces.

Deputy Police Inspector General Tha-ngai Prassachaksatru and his staff have explored the places believed to be being used as gambling dens, but found no betting equipment.

Sathaporn said reports will be sent to the national police chief in seven days, and if a gambling den is found in any area, the corresponding police agency must be held responsible.

He also remarked that officers who are found to have ignored gambling dens in their areas will be transferred to inactive posts and disciplinary probes may be possible.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-01

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Famers under Bhumibol Dam suffers flood

NAKORN SAWAN, 1 February 2012 (NNT) –Several farms at the foot of the Bhumibol Dam in Nakorn Sawan have been inundated by the water released from the Dam as the government is preparing for possible flood.

Agricultural crops around the Ping River in Muang district of Nakorn Sawan have been damaged by the inundation. Locals said the water, released from the dam, has been increasing rapidly until it overflowed the fields.

According to one of the farmers, the water during the drought period is at the highest level this year. If the water is to be released released from the Bhumibol Dam earlier than usaul, residents ask authorities to also release water from the Chai Nat Dam so that the area in the middle will not be flooded.

The Bhumibol Dam director pointed out that the water in the dam has been released 24 hours a day to prepare for the incoming rainy season. Despite farms being inundated in Nakorn Sawan, the director insists that the release does not affect people at the foot of the dam.

-- NNT 2012-02-01

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SET ended down by 1.33 points to close the Wed midday break at 1,082.64 with value at Bt9.77 bn /TANN

PM warns Democrats against criticizing financial decrees for political gains as they'll help country recover;boasts of 5% GDP growth /TANN

Deputy PM Chalerm admits gambling den disclosed by Chuvit does exist and warns police involved that they'll be prosecuted /TANN

Thailand deports 4 Cambodian nationals held on drug-related charges for the 1st time /TANN

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Defence volunteer shot dead in Pattani

PATTANI, Feb 1 – A defence volunteer was gunned down in this southern border province on his way back from sending his daughter to school on Wednesday morning.

Thanong Sinthu, 40 was en route to his military base when two gunmen on a motorcycle followed him and shot the defence volunteer three times in his back. He died at the scene. An investigation is underway to find if the shooting is related to the killing of four villagers in Nong Chik district on Jan 29.

An unknown number of assailants fired three M-79 grenades at a ranger base in Nong Chik district Sunday night. The rangers fired back, pursued the group and down the road found a suspicious pick-up truck.

The rangers challenged the men in the vehicle to identify themselves, but heard a gunshot in response as they approached. They then shot at the vehicle, which resulted in four men dead and five wounded.

The authorities are investigating the incident as the slain villagers were civilian, and had no relation to the insurgent groups.

In the nearby province of Yala, Governor Detrat Simsiri visited and gave moral support to five government personnel who were wounded in motorcycle bombing in the provincial seat on Tuesday evening.

The four victims were soldiers from Yala's Task Force 11 and the fifth is an assistant to a village head.

The bomb was planted in a motorcycle parked beside Ban Niang-Lum Mai Road.

The victims were sent to hospital and the doctors said that all five were recovering.

Yala Task Forces 11 and 14 are collecting evidence and information on the bombers. The locations of the incidents are being searched by a combined force of police and military but no suspects have been apprehended. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-02-01

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January inflation up 3.38% year-on-year as severe flooding continues to take toll on consumer prices, especially food and beverages /MCOT

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PM Yingluck Forced to Speak to Virtually Empty Seminar Room

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DSI, Thai and US narcotics control agencies jointly arrest husband, wife drug traders in Chiang Rai, using furniture material and stone shop as cover; freeze Bt30 million cash /MCOT

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Yingluck's political indices dropping

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The political situation under the Yingluck Shinawatra government is in the decline as measured by 25 political indices for the past three months.

The Suan Dusit Poll, released on Wednesday, said the January indices dropped to 5.07 out of 10 points. In comparison the indices were at 5.15 in December.

The survey said the overall indices were declining because of the government's failing scores on a number of issues, particularly, corruption, dark influence, poverty, unemployment, cost of living and fractious politics.

Although the people in the North, the Northeast, the South and Bangkok gave higher scores on several indices relating to the government performance, this was offset by the failing indices.

For example, the government's overall performance improved to 5.35 points. But its poverty eradication dropped to 4.72 points.

Despite the publicity, the index on illicit drugs suppression dropped to 5.06 from 5.12 points.

-- The Nation 2012-02-01

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Small schools to be improved

BANGKOK, 1 February 2012 (NNT) - The Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) has affirmed it will go ahead with its small school development project by merging over 10,000 such schools.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__5021008

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KTB clients show higher confidence

Sucheera Pinijpalakarn

The Nation

BANGKOK:-- Though floods devastated the country in the fourth quarter, Krung Thai Bank's business clients expressed higher confidence in the business outlook.

The business client confidence index rose to 56 frmo 53.5 in the third quarter of 2011.

Sompit Chareonkietkul, senior executive vice president of the bank, said that the improvement attributed to confidence that the post-flood government spending would lead to quick economic recovery in 2012.

They anticipated recovery thanks to the hike in civil servants pays, the first home buyer scheme, the first car buyer scheme and the reduction of corporate tax. Meanwhile, financial institutions’ aggressive lending policy also eased their concerns over the impact of the global economic volatility.

-- The Nation 2012-02-01

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Simsimi: The New Craze among Thais

The Korean application Simsimi has become an overnight hit in Thailand and what's interesting is that this application is not a chat between humans to humans but is a chat platform between human and the application. What is it and how does it work? Here's the answer.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__5021041

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Northern red shirts seek charter change

BANGKOK:-- A group of 50 red shirts from the North, accompanied by Phue Thai MP Sanguan Pongmanee, on Wednesday submitted a people's bill seeking to amend the charter via the formation of the Constitution Drafting Assembly.

The bill was endorsed by 60,000 voters and filed with Deputy House Speaker Charoen Chankomol. It followed on the heels of the last month's draft sponsored by the red shirts from the Northeast.

"The 60,000 signatures endorsing the bill will have to be verified within 90 days," Charoen said, explaining the process before the bill could reach the House floor.

-- The Nation 2012-02-01

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Government plans to drive 2012 Thai economic growth to 5%: PM

BANGKOK, Feb 1 – Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Wednesday that she is confident that the country's strong fundamentals would enable the government to push Thai economic expansion to five per cent this year through three major strategies.

The first is to promote exports to the Middle East, India, ASEAN members, and other countries having free trade agreements with Thailand such as China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, Ms Yingluck said in a seminar entitled “Decoding GDP 2012” held by the Economic Reporters Association.

The government will also accelerate development of basic infrastructure to facilitate connections to Thailand’s neighbouring countries, aiming to be a hub of trade and investment. Transport development to link the Dawei deep-sea port in Myanmar, the Laem Chabang deep sea port in Thailand and the Chennai Port in India will help support shipping of goods from the Andaman Sea to the Gulf of Thailand.

In the long term, the government will expedite construction of high speed trains and transportation routes worth Bt2.24 trillion in total. Meanwhile, a budget of Bt350 billion will be spent on preventing flooding and generating employment and incomes to stimulate the economy.

As a third emphasis, the government will stimulate household spending by increasing their purchasing power which will also help boost sales for small- and medium-sized enterprises, Ms Yingluck said.

The government will boost household spending through its policies such as its village fund project and a fund to promote women’s role as women can also play a larger role as breadwinners to support their families.

The prime minister said she hoped that the Thai economy will recover “in the form of a V shape” and that the recovery should be seen in the second quarter of this year. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-02-01

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Govt should not sponsor reconciliation law: Abhisit

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva on Wednesday reminded the government that it was a party of the conflict, therefore lacking the credibility to spearhead the reconciliation law.

"I think the government is not suitable for sponsoring reconciliation which should be handled by an independent and neutral party," he said.

-- The Nation 2012-02-01

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Govt should not sponsor reconciliation law: Abhisit

The Nation

BANKOK: -- Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva on Wednesday reminded the government that it was a party of the conflict, therefore lacking the credibility to spearhead the reconciliation law.

"I think the government is not suitable for sponsoring reconciliation which should be handled by an independent and neutral party," he said.

Abhisit said Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung should focus on the drug suppression campaign rather than divert attention to legislate the reconciliation.

So long as former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, seen as the puppeteer behind the government, was at the centre of the poltical conflict, the ruling Pheu Thai Party was in no position to bring about reconciliation, he said.

Commenting on the push to amend the lese majeste law, he said Thaksin appeared insincere about upholding the monarchy because his lawyer Robert Amsterdam was spearheading the change in royal offence.

-- The Nation 2012-02-01

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Yes! Your Passwords suck! Hints on creating solid passwords

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Facebook Data Center in Oregon doubles the power usage in the county

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Thailand inflation at 3.4 per cent in January

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's inflation for January was 3.38 per cent year-on-year, pushed up by rising food and beverage prices, the Commerce Ministry said Wednesday.

The rate moderated from spikes at the end of 2011 as widespread flooding caused demand to rise. Inflation in December was 3.53 per cent year-on-year and in November and October was 4.19 per cent.

January’s consumer price index for food and beverages rose 7.7 per cent year-on-year but was down 0.21 per cent when compared with December prices, Permanent Secretary for Commerce Yanyong Puangrach said.

He predicted 2012 inflation of 3.3 to 3.8 per cent if crude oil prices stayed within the range of 95 to 110 dollars per barrel and the baht currency remained at 29 to 33 baht to the dollar.

The ministry reported 3.81 per cent inflation for 2011.

-- The Nation 2012-02-01

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AFP: Thai PM expects 5% growth in 2012

BANGKOK, February 1, 2012 (AFP) - Thailand's economy will grow roughly five percent in 2012, rebounding from the impact of months of devastating floods last year, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Wednesday.

That would mark a sharp pick-up from 2011, when the export-reliant economy is estimated to have expanded by 1.5 percent, according to the government's National Economic and Social Development Board.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__5021306

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DSI Chief Unaware of Possible Transfer

BANGKOK: -- The DSI chief has denied knowledge that he would be transferred to head the National Intelligence Office. However, he is ready to do so, should he be assigned.

Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation, or DSI, Tharit Pengdit said he has no knowledge about his possible transfer to head the National Intelligence Office, citing he has not been informed by the government.

Tharit added that he will continue working as the DSI chief and said he is willing to take up the director post of the National Intelligence Office, should he be assigned to do so.

The DSI chief explained that he has been working in accordance with the government's policies and will respect the new assignment.

Tharit expressed confidence that he and other DSI officials will do their best for their current assignments.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-01

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Chalerm Sure Bangkok Metropolitan Police Can Suppress Gambling Dens

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Pattaya Police seize counterfeit goods worth Bt10ml at shopping mall

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Fire destroys Beer Garden in Central Pattaya

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RT @veen_NT: Attn fashionistas: Dior opens the flagship boutique in #Bangkok on G floor at the Emporium today at 6pm.

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SET index closed at 1086.36, up 2.39; Bt/USD30.87; GBP48.57; AUD32.74; EUR40.35; CAD30.70; HKD3.97; SGD24.44; JPY40.30

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Yala police searching for illegal drugs in Bannang Sata district, detain 12 year old boy with 100 meth pills /MCOT

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Thailand remains world's largest rice exporter

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THAI-US TIES

US$50,000 donated by the US Army to build school

The Nation

The American Army donated USD50,000 to build a school building at Ban Wang Nam Khieo School (Poungpho Upatham) in Nakhon Ratchasima's Wang Nam Khieo district.

Senior Colonel Kangwalklai Chomphusri, deputy chief of staff of the Army Region 2's 2nd Development Division said Kangwalklai brought 21 Thai soldiers and 30 American soldiers, as part of the Cobra Gold 2012 H/CA Project, to build the building with three classrooms and toilets, slated to complete and be given to the school on February 16.

Saying the Cobra Gold, a multilateral training exercise, this year aimed to create peace, he said it consisted of three events.

-- The Nation 2012-02-01

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Provincial jail sends drug offenders to Cambodia

SA KAEW: -- Thai authorities Wednesday extradited four Cambodian drug offenders through Sa Kaew's Aranyaprathet border checkpoint to serve the rest of their jail terms in Cambodia - following a request from both Cambodia and the inmates.

Attending the handover at the Cambodian consulate in Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaew prison director Kittipat Dechapahul said it was the country's first inmate extradition through a local border checkpoint.

Two of the inmates,both female, had served 14 years in Sa Kewa Prison out of their 37-year jail term. The other two male prisoners were each given a 35-year jail term, leaving them 12 years to serve in Cambodia.

-- The Nation 2012-02-01

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Honda to resume production in Thailand next month

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