Thailand Live Sunday 5 Feb 2012

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Pheu Thai to submit charter amendment bill to Parliament by Thursday

BANGKOK:-- The Pheu Thai Party will submit its version of charter amendment bill to Parliament by Thursday seeking to set up a 99-member charter drafting assembly, the party spokesman said Sunday.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit told a press conference that the party's legal team had finished drafting the amendment bill.

He said the draft will be sent to the coalition whips to deliberate on Monday to check whether further changes are needed.

If the whips agree with the draft, it will be sent back to the Pheu Thai to endorse during a party meeting Tuesday, Prompong said.

He said if the draft will be tabled to Parliament on Wednesday or on Thursday at the latest.

-- The Nation 2012-02-05

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Happiness index of Thais continues to decline

BANGKOK, Feb 5 - Thailand's Gross Domestic Happiness (GDH) has continuously declined due to the overall political situation and household economic circumstances, according to Assumption University's ABAC poll released on Sunday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__5031544

[Lite Beer]

Government Aware of the Importance of Investment in Women’s Development

The Government is proceeding with its plan to set up a national women’s development fund in line with its urgent policy in the 2012 fiscal year.

The fund came after the Government had sounded out the opinions of various relevant organizations and committees. It is scheduled to hold public forums to listen to public opinion on the fund in all regions of the country between February 11 and 17.

According to the plan, each province will be provided with an allocation of 100 million baht to set up the fund. Information gained from the public forums will be used as guidelines for budget allocation in time for the celebration of International Women’s Day on 8 March 2012. The fund will offer greater opportunities for women to develop their potential and occupations, promote their leadership, and ease problems. Campaigns will also be launched to create better understanding about women in all dimensions.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra stated that the Government realizes the significance of investing in the education of girls in order to improve their living conditions and increase their income, so they can help support their family. The statement was part of her remarks made recently in the plenary discussion under the theme “Women as the Way Forward” at Congress Hall, Congress Center, in Davos, Switzerland.

The Prime Minister expressed her feeling that she is lucky to be born and brought up in Thai society, which respects equality between men and women. She has hence been given an opportunity to study, to assume the position of CEO in a private company, and to be elected the first female Prime Minister of Thailand.

Although she was an example of some women in Thailand, the Prime Minister expressed her concern over many women residing in almost every region of the world who are now facing sexual inequality. Compared with men, women on average are less educated, have little opportunity to access monetary sources, earn less income, and encounter obstacles to possessing property and assets. Moreover, women are often victims of sexual harassment and abuse.

She pointed out that, in order to create power for women and end sexual inequality, society must seek out the root cause of the problem, which lies deep in the culture and social values. Failure to address this problem is partly caused by an ignorance of the deeper causes of the problem.

In the life and social security policy under the Yingluck Shinawatra administration, the Government will promote equal opportunities for women to take part in the country’s development by protecting women’s rights and improving laws that protect women from domestic violence and maximize their potential. It will establish a foundation for improving the role of Thai women in the modern world, as well.

Foreign Office, The Government Public Relations Department

[Lite Beer]

MOPH warns of the spreading of dengue fever

BANGKOK, 5 February 2012 (NNT) - The Ministry of Public Health has warned the public to be aware of the dengue fever outbreak due to the precipitation at winter’s end. So far this year, more than 300 people are reported to have contracted the disease.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri pointed out water retaining in puddles, plant pot saucers, and old tires caused by occasional rainfall in many areas would become breeding grounds for common house mosquitoes, leading to the spreading of the dengue fever despite the winter season.

In order to prevent the disease, Mr. Witthaya has assigned public health officials to seek cooperation from local people in eliminating possible breeding grounds on a weekly basis.

According to Permanent Secretary for Public Health MD Paijit Warachit, during January 1-19, 2012 there have been 332 patients infected with the dengue virus in Thailand with one death reported, whereas the number of the patients in the same period of last year was 291 with no death.

-- NNT 2012-02-05

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Khon Kaen University to be promoted as regional medical hub

BANGKOK, 5 February 2012 (NNT) – Deputy Public Health Minister Dr. Surawit Khonsomboon announced that a medical hub will be established at Khon Kaen University (KKU) in order to extend medical services in all specialized fields to both Thais and foreigners.

The plan to set up the KKU medical hub will require a budget of THB4 billion. Currently, the university’s Srinakarin Hospital already has THB1.6 billion in hand while the remaining THB 2.4 billion will be requested from the government at the mobile cabinet meeting later this month.

Dr. Surawit explained that the Northeastern region of Thailand has a population of 22-23 million, which is higher than any part of the country. The university hospital’s potentials in medical diagnosis and treatment are widely accepted and can be compared to that of Bangkok hospitals. Additionally, patients from neighboring countries in the Mekong sub-region, including Myanmar, Laos, South China, Cambodia and Vietnam, are traveling to Khon Kaen for medical services. Moreover, the upcoming establishment of the ASEAN Community will permit a free flow of workforce. Therefore, KKU is ready to become a regional medical hub given its geographic location and competent personnel.

This project also corresponds to the Eleventh National Economic and Social Development Plan as well as the government’s policy to elevate the quality of the country's medical establishments with better services, modern equipments and specialized medical personnel. Thus, the government is urged to provide financial support to the project.

Currently, medical hubs in other parts of Thailand are located in Mahidol University in central Thailand, Chiang Mai University in the North, and Prince of Songkla University in the South.

-- NNT 2012-02-05

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Royally-sponsored cremation for Dusit Nonthanakorn, chairman of Thai Chamber of Commerce, at Tatthong Temple at 5.30pm/TAN_Network

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Group of academics to push forth with amendment to lese majeste law campaign;students protest Thammasat's ban on lese majeste law activities/TAN_Network

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Gas leak from overturned LPG truck now under control

PATHUM THANI, Feb 5 – Gas leak from an overturned truck carrying LPG in Pathum Thani is now under control and the cause of accident and the leakage will be investigated, said Somnuk Bumrungsalee, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Energy Business.

He said the truck carrying 15 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)

is owned by the Hathairads Petroleum Co,.Ltd, a customer of PTT PCL.

It was delivering the gas from an oil depot in Ayutthaya’s Bang Pa-in to a refueling station at Klong 7 in Pathum Thani when it skidded off the road.

An emergency team of the PTT could contain the gas leak, which is normally controlled by a safety valve. The cause of the accident and how the safety valve was opened is under investigation.

Meanwhile, Sarun Rungkasiri, Senior Executive Vice President, Oil Business Unit, said that when the truck overturned and crashed, liquid poured out of the truck and smoke and fumes appeared.

A PTT emergency team and local police officers worked to control the leakage. He also apologized for traffic disruption.

Sarun said that normally PTT has strict measures and inspections regarding transportation. In the event of accidents, safety valves can open to release pressure in the gas container to prevent explosion.

However, in this case, an investigation will be conducted to find out why the safety value opened when the truck overturned.

The cause of accident will be also investigated, as to whether it was caused by slippery roads or reckless driving, to prevent such accidents in the future.

Traffic on the east outer ring road was forced to close and power was cut off in a radius of 500 metres Sunday morning to prevent any sparks that could ignite the leaking gas. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-02-05

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Transport Ministry to discuss tighter safety measures for public passenger vans after 60 people killed in accidents from Jan 2011 - Jan 2012./MCOT

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Pheu Thai expects to propose charter amendment draft to parliament next week

BANGKOK, Feb 5 - Thailand's ruling Pheu Thai Party has finished its drafting on the charter amendment and will submit the draft for consideration of the government whip on Monday, said the party spokesman Prompong Nopparit on Sunday.

Mr Prompong said the draft proposed the amendment of Constitution, Article 291, to allow the establishment of a 99-member constitutional drafting assembly.

The spokesman said the government whip committee will consider the draft on Monday, then return the final draft to each coalition party for their endorsement before proposing it to the House of representative.

“If a concluding agreement between Pheu Thai Party and the coalition is reached, the draft is expected to be proposed to parliament next week,” stated Mr Prompong. “The move is to fulfill a promise that the Pheu Thai Party made during its election campaign last year.”

Government whip chairman Udomdej Ratanasatien said that after the Monday meeting, each coalition party will send a list of names of MPs who agree to endorse the charter amendment draft back to the whip on Wednesday, 8-February.

The whip chairman expressed confidence that the coalition will be able to submit the draft to parliament by Feb 10, as until now no party has shown different views on the move.

Mr Udomdej elaborated that the draft which proposes an amendment to Article 291 seeking to form the constitutional drafting assembly consisting of 77 members elected by voters in each province of Thailand and another 22 academics and experts in required fields selected by the Parliament.

The government whip chairman added that the content of the charter amendment depends upon the consideration of the drafting assembly. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-02-05

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Mae Sot to become Special Economic Zone

BANGKOK, 5 January 2012 (NNT) – Deputy Commerce Minister Siriwat Kajornprasart presided over a meeting of the Federation of Thai Industries’ border economic committee to proceed with the cabinet's resolution to set up the Mae Sot Special Economic Zone. The policy was first conceived during the defunct Thaksin Shinawatra government.

The FDI border economic committee supports a speedy establishment of the Mae Sot Special Economic Zone to accommodate the upcoming formation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The Mae Sot Special Economic Zone will cover three districts along the Thai-Myanmar border, including Mae Sot, Phop Phra and Mae Ramat in Tak province. Mae Sot district will be the main development area for border trade, investment, industry and tourism while the other two districts will focus on the development of agriculture and agro-industry.

At the meeting, the Committee also encouraged the government to provide financial support to projects which will contribute to the development of the Mae Sot Special Economic Zone, such as the construction of a four lane road on the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC), the improvement and expansion of Mae Sot Airport, the establishment of industrial estates, transport terminals for goods and people, one-stop service centers, and the development of Thai-Myanmar tourism routes. These projects are urged to be finalized before Thailand enters into the AEC.

After the meeting Mr. Siriwat and the committee members investigated areas designated as Mae Sot Special Economic Zone, as well as the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge and Myanmar’s Myawaddy Special Economic Zone in order to study how to integrate the two economic zone projects with trade and tourism development plans of the two countries.

-- NNT 2012-02-05

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Thailand Live Monday 6 Feb 2012

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