Thailand Live Tuesday 7 Feb 2012

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Thailand Live Tuesday 7 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 Monday 6 Feb 2012

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THAKSIN'S LAWYER

Thai Army has veto power over key issues: Robert Amsterdam

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....bert-amsterdam/

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PRE-POLL PROMISE

PC tablets involve many systems, download problems: Thai Education Ministry

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ation-ministry/

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BURNING ISSUE

Thai govt moves to keep Prem on side amid shaky times

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....id-shaky-times/

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Floodwall planned for Chao Phraya River: Thailand

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....river-thailand/

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Zoos to be checked after tiger skins and carcasses found

Full story:

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GLOBAL ECONOMY

Bank of Thailand cautious on Greek spillovers

Full story:

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EDITORIAL

Money is not the answer in cases of grave injustice: Thai opinion

Full story:

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Plan for Khon Kaen to be a medical hub in Northeast

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....b-in-northeast/

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Woman dies, kids hurt in triple pileup: Chiang Mai

Full story:

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Teachers demand action over 'pyramid ripoff'

The Nation

Chaiyaphum: -- More than 9,000 teachers yesterday rallied in front of the Chaiyaphum provincial hall to demand the transfer of Cooperative Promotion Department chief Somchai Charnnarongkul within three days for allegedly obstructing a probe into a pyramid scheme that preyed on them.

The group also threatened to move to Bangkok soon to pressure the prime minister and agriculture minister into speeding up the work of the Department of Special Investigation.

Piyawat Kingket, a senior DSI official, said the lottery quota scheme had ripped off more than Bt20 billion from more than 2,000 victims, mostly government teachers and officials.

Thewasitthi Phikkhanet Co started by securing lottery ticket quotas from the Government Lottery Office and selling them at a huge mark-up to members of the scheme. The buyers had to seek support from other members down the line.

Beginning in Loei in 2009, the scheme recruited members from cooperatives of government teachers and farmers, who expanded their networks to police and military officers, doctors and the public.

The scheme spread to 18 major cooperatives and networks in 11 provinces.

The teachers said a CPD order had resulted in a Chaiyaphum-based cooperative delaying refunding deposits totalling Bt295 million to them, which would leave them facing financial difficulties for five years.

Piyawat said the company was founded by Srisuk Rungwichai, a former appointed senator and a person believed to have profited from this scheme unlawfully.

He identified two other suspects, Sutthikorn Senphab and Samart Robroo, who were on the run.

The DSI has found many irregularities in all 18 cooperatives' operations, including account fabrication, signature forgery and asset concealment.

The DSI would soon add other charges to certain suspects which would lead to the seizure of their assets, he added.

-- The Nation 2012-02-07

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Thailand signs global pact

The Nation

Thailand has signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, a source at the Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

The source said authorities were preparing draft laws needed to facilitate full compliance with the convention.

"The draft laws will have to be legislated before Thailand ratifies the convention," the source said.

According to the source, the human-rights instrument will take effect in Thailand after ratification. However, by signing the convention, Thailand has demonstrated a political will to comply with it, the source said.

This convention is one of nine international conventions relating to human rights. To date, Thailand has ratified seven of them.

-- The Nation 2012-02-07

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Universities agree to push back start of academic year from 2014: Thailand

Full story:

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Riot at Trang prison linked to drug crackdown

The Nation

TRANG: -- A riot erupted at a prison in Trang yesterday morning, when more than 600 inmates protested against overcrowding and alleged abuse by a guard.

Inmates set fire to a sleeping quarters, burning bedding and vandalising a lot of property before tension was reduced by talks in the afternoon. Prisoners agreed to end their revolt when certain conditions were settled and a "stalemate" was achieved by press time last night.

During the riot, inmates fought off firemen who were trying to put out blazes they had lit by throwing objects at them. A number of fire-fighters were injured.

Prison officials and extra men recruited from soldiers and police later shot rubber bullets at the inmates to relieve the firemen and hold off the rioters. The officials threatened to disperse the rioters at noon but did not do so when the deadline came.

The fires were later put out and the inmates agreed to negotiations, which began at 1pm. Five inmates met with provincial governor Seni Jitkasem and prison officials.

Speaking after the talks, Seni said the riot was probably influenced by the inmates' opposition to a government crackdown on drug dealing in prisons. A demand that visitors and goods brought to inmates not be searched could not be met, he said.

Referring to another demand to not install devices that jam mobile phone signals, Seni said this was another reason to believe that the revolt looked to be aimed at countering the crackdown.

He said a prison guard, Subin Thanasabkasem, was transferred away from his duties at a prison zone where the riot took place, but not away from the Trang prison as demanded by the inmates.

Seni and prison officials also promised in the talks, with media members present, to solve problems in regard to overcrowding, and insufficient food, water and medicines, as demanded by the inmates.

At press time in the evening, the inmates had calmed down but guards had not re-entered the jail. There were no details available immediately about what action would be taken against prisoners for their riot, or if their actions would be pardoned.

-- The Nation 2012-02-07

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Royal pardon bill

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A version of a pardon bill, in honour of His Majesty the King's 84th birthday, will also benefit government officials serving disciplinary action and criminals who completed their terms before December 5 last year, Deputy Education Minister Sakda Khongphet said yesterday.

Such a pardon benefiting both groups had been granted during previous auspicious events when the King turned 56, 69, and 80, he said. The pardons would give beneficiaries [an opportunity] to amend their wrongdoings and begin new lives," he said.

"The conditions, proposed by Sakda, would be submitted to the Cabinet for approval and later for parliamentary scrutiny, if Education Minister Suchart Thadathamrongvej endorses it," he said.

Around 1,000 state teachers and ministry officials - most of who were punished for lesser crimes - would benefit from the pardon under Sakda's proposed conditions.

He said the pardon had nothing to do with any aspect of politics and would not benefit fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who did not qualify under the proposed conditions.

-- The Nation 2012-02-07

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Bt28m from China, Japan

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has received assistance money from two Chinese cities and two Japanese cities worth over Bt28 million for flood-hit communities, BMA spokesman Wasan Meewong said yesterday.

Wasan said the BMA had a created a project to aid flood-hit communities by using funds from the city's "Together We Can" fund, which received donations from Chongqing, China (Bt25 million), Beijing, (Bt1.5 million), Tokyo, Japan (Bt1.5 million) and Chiba prefecture's Yashio city in Japan (Bt680,000).

The money would be distributed to 616 communities in 21 districts that were declared disaster-hit areas with flooding of over-80cm-deep, he said.

Wasan explained the criteria under which the 61 communities that suffered 7-14 days of flood would each get Bt30,000, or Bt1.83 million in total. The 212 communities that endured 15-30 days of flood would each get Bt40,000, or Bt8.48 million in total. The 343 communities flooded for over 30 days would each receive Bt50,000, or Bt17.15 million in total. Another 21 Bangkok districts that weren't included could request relief funding if they had experienced flooding of over 80cm-depth, he added.

As for the "Yimsoo Kupai Namtuam" project in which BMA and four financial institutes (Government's Saving Bank, Islamic Bank of Thailand, Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives and Government Housing Bank) granted low-interest loans to flood victims, Wasan said 746 people have applied for the loans worth Bt29 million totally.

-- The Nation 2012-02-07

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Whips back move for panel to amend charter

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Government whips agreed yesterday to seek an amendment to Article 291 of the Constitution that would allow for a panel to be formed to rewrite the entire charter.

The whips resolved at their meeting to support the amendment drafted by the ruling Pheu Thai Party, chief coalition whip Udomdej Ratanasathien said.

The draft bill would be submitted to the House speaker on Thursday for debate by the House, he said.

The Pheu Thai draft calls for a Constitution Drafting Assembly with 99 members - 77 elected from each province and 22 experts in law and political science selected by legislators, the chief whip said.

The framing panel was expected to take four months to form and then six months to complete its work.

"So things will get clearer late this year," he said.

A Pheu Thai source said four draft amendments are expected to be presented for parliamentary deliberation - one from the coalition government, one from Pheu Thai and two from civic groups.

The government and Pheu Thai drafts have some "small differences" but the source declined to go into detail.

The CDA will decide which clauses in the current post-coup charter should be corrected, the source said.

Apichart Sukhagganond, chairman of the Election Commission, said the EC was ready to hold an election for CDA members but the charter had be amended first to let it do so.

Sodsri Satayathum, another EC member, said changes in the law were necessary so that it would not be against the law for the EC to hold polls for the CDA members.

-- The Nation 2012-02-07

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Compensation details for victims of political violence to be announced next week

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Some 2,000 victims, including no more than 100 killed, will be entitled to compensation payments in connection with the political disturbances since 2005. Details of the compensation package should be available by next week.

"The deadline has been set - next Tuesday - to release details on how the compensation should be paid," PM's Office permanent secretary Tongthong Chandransu said yesterday.

Tongthong, in his capacity as panel chairman in charge of compensation payments, said the total number of casualties remained unclear due to poor records kept on political clashes from 2005 to 2007.

In order the expedite the process, he said he had instructed that records prior to 2007 be set aside and for checks to focus on casualties from 2008 to 2011.

The checks would spell out the victims as those injured, killed and being tried in various stages of legal proceedings, he said.

Victims without legal worries would be the first in line to be compensated but those tied up in legal proceedings must be screened ahead of any compensation payments, he said.

Under a preliminary check, the number of casualties should be around 2,000 victims, he said. After verifying the details, officials will then decide if compensation is to be paid in a one-off package or under an installment plan.

-- The Nation 2012-02-07

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No invite yet, but Prem will be at flood function, Thai govt says

Full story:

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iPhone Helps Apple to 75% of Mobile Profits with Just 9% of Units

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ust-9-of-units/

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Phuket prison raid reveals rectal stashing of telephones

More than 200 officers were part of the dawn raid of Phuket Provincial Prison as they launched a search for drugs and mobile phones.

Randomly selected prisoners line up for urine drug tests.

Full story:

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Officials raid Surat Thani prison in drug busting operation, crystal meth, other prohibited substances, items seized /MCOT

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Torrent search engine BTJunkie voluntarily shuts down

Full story: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/02/torrent-search-engine-btjunkie-voluntarily-shuts-down.ars

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Thai Public Health Ministry to host 1st Global Alcohol Policy Conference

Full story:

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Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,096.71, up 2.70 points /MCOT

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Drug-Case Inmates to be Relocated this Week

BANGKOK: -- The Corrections Department chief expects that the transfer of inmates being detained on drug charges can take place this week as part of the department's efforts to prevent inmates from being involved in narcotics trades with dealers on the outside.

Corrections Department Director-General, Colonel Suchart Wonganandchai, today held a meeting with the panel in charge of relocating drug-convicts regarding their transfer to high security prisons.

He expects the relocation to proceed this week.

Suchart said the decision about which inmates must be relocated will be dependent on what charges they were convicted on, and decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

The director-general remarked that Khao Bin Prison in Ratchaburi Province has already transferred some of their inmates, who have just a few years of their prison sentence left to accommodate the detention of drug-case prisoners from other jail facilities.

He said he has instructed all prison commanders to carefully consider the relocation, as the transferred inmates could become frustrated.

Suchart is scheduled to inspect Khao Bin Prison's readiness today.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-07

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Cambodian Villagers Encroach on Disputed Land Around Preah Vihear

Families of Cambodian soldiers have settled around Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri Sawara, which is an encroachment on the 4.6-square-kilometer land plot around the Preah Vihear Temple that is claimed by Thailand.

About 200 Cambodians, representing 158 families from the Svay Chrum village in the northern province of Preah Vihear, which borders Thailand, gathered yesterday morning at Pathumwati Temple near the residence of the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, asking for his intervention in the land dispute with the Preah Vihear provincial authority.

In the afternoon, the office of Prime Minister Hun Sen accepted the request and asked the provincial authority to give each family with a new plot of land that is 100 square meters in the Thammachart village, which is ten kilometers from Svay Chrum.

An agreement was signed by villagers and the provincial authority concerning the resolution.

However, some Cambodian soldiers' families have relocated to Wat Kaew Sikha Khiri Sawara near the Preah Vihear temple, which lies is within the 4.6-square-kilometer disputed area of land.

Hundreds of Cambodian families are living in the area and it is quite densely populated. Meanwhile, the Cambodian government has authorized the Lee Yong Pat Group to develop the land for tourism.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-07

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Alleged 'call center' gang of expats busted in Phuket

The three Filipino suspects (seated), with arresting officers at the Tourist Police office in Phuket Town.

PHUKET: -- Phuket Tourist Police arrested three Filipino members of an alleged ‘call center’ gang for fraud, but the alleged mastermind, a Briton, remains at large.

Full story:

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Interior Ministry Orders 24 Provincial Governors to Prepare Plans for Upcoming Floods

BANGKOK: -- The interior ministry submitted a letter to 24 provincial governors to order them in preparing plans for the future floods and post-flood remediation measures, which they will have to present to the prime minister between February 13-17.

The interior ministry has sent a letter to 24 provincial governors to order them in preparing plans for possible floods within the upstream, midstream, and downstream areas.

The governors are required to present these plans to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra along with their process of post-flood remediation measures during her visit between February 13-17.

Upstream areas include Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Tak, Nan, Phrae, Lampang, Lamphun, and Phayao provinces.

Midstream areas include Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Phi Chit, Kamphaengphet, and Chai Nat provinces.

Meanwhile, the downstream areas include Suphanburi, Ayutthaya, Prachinburi, Singburi, Angthong, Lopburi, Saraburi, and Nakhon Nayok provinces.

Governors have been ordered to prepare information and launch flood-preventive measures, especially before the rainy season.

The interior ministry also asked governors to dig up new floodways and monkey-cheeks, as well as remove weeds that are blocking waterways.

The measures must also be in accordance with the water resources management of the Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management.

Secondly, governors have been asked to speed up to provide a 5,000-baht flood compensation to each household that were affected by flooding, and prepare information and and plans for upcoming obstacles.

Finally, governors have to coordinate with government units in the province to establish long-term flood preventive measures of the province.

Governors must present their reports to the prime minister regarding requests in the letter, while the prime minster has scheduled to visit their areas during February 13-17.

The letter has been signed by Deputy Interior Permanent Secretary Pracha Taerat.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-07