Thailand Live Thursday 9 February 2012

News, Bits and Tweets

with webfact

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 Wednesday 8 Feb 2012

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Valentine's Day curfew for teenagers and kids: Thailand

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Only 50 percent of pupils to get tablet computers next semester: Thailand

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Korn warns executive decrees will seriously erode fiscal discipline: Thailand

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BEC

BEC World 'ready' for digital TV

Usanee Mongkolporn

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- BEC World is ready to foray into digital TV broadcasting, executive director Pravit Maleenont said.

He added that he was not worried about the competition, because of his company's high potential to produce quality programmes for the upcoming digital platform.

BEC is keen to take part in the trial of digital broadcasting once the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) permits all free-TV operators to conduct one, Pravit said.

He added that the company had gradually upgraded its broadcasting system to cater to the digital TV era.

The NBTC plans to switch radio and TV broadcasters from analogue to digital systems within four years after its spectrum-management master plan takes effect, expected this quarter.

BEC World is the parent company of Bangkok Entertainment Co, which operates Thai TV Channel 3 under a concession agreement with MCOT. Its concession term will end in eight years.

Recently, NBTC vice chairman Natee Sukonrat said he hoped to see the number of terrestrial digital TV channels grow to 100 within five years after the commission starts auctioning licences for this service.

But Pravit is doubtful that the number of channels will grow that high, as there are just a few broadcasters with potential to provide promising digital-TV content. He estimated that if a broadcaster wanted to create 40 digital TV channels, it would need to invest Bt3 billion to do so.

Of Channel 3's current daily programmes, 13 hours a day are news content, while 11 hours are entertainment. Revenue from the latter accounts for 70 per cent of the total. Its advertising rate is about Bt500,000 per minute for prime-time programmes.

-- The Nation 2012-02-09

Govt, House rule out article 112 amendment

Kanittha Thepjorn

Jeerapong Prasertpongkrang

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

Chalerm proposes Cabinet resolution vowing not to touch lese majeste law; activist slams 'hilarious' idea

BANGKOK: -- The Yingluck government yesterday distanced itself further from the campaign to amend the lese majeste law, with the Pheu Thai-dominated House giving hints it would not deliberate amendment proposals initiated by the public.

Signals from the House of Representatives coincided with Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobam-rung's suggestion that the Cabinet should make it publicly clear it would never touch Article 112 of the Criminal Code.

The House will likely block the debate on the lese majeste law even if the signature campaign to amend the Article 112 of the Criminal Code proceeded to completion, spokesman Wattana Sengpairoh said yesterday.

"Coalition and opposition MPs are unanimous about not amending Article 112," he said.

Wattana said all 265 Pheu Thai MPs and the Democrats were united in leaving Article 112 as it is, therefore any draft amendments sponsored by the voters would languish in the legislative docket and expire before reaching the House floor.

In a related development, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm chaired a high-level meeting to map out police and security measures designed to protect the monarchy.

National Police chief General Priewpan Damapong, National Security Council secretary-general Wichean Potephosree and Interior permanent secretary Phranai Suwannarat took part in the meeting.

Priewpan said Chalerm was preparing to seek a Cabinet resolution against any attempts to amend Article 112.

"I can confirm there will be no change to Article 112 as the government is about to issue a Cabinet resolution on the issue," he said.

He reminded the Nitirat academic group that the authorities were keeping a close watch over its activities to spearhead the signature campaign on the lese majeste law. "We will arrest [you] for any wrongful moves and any illegal activities will face prosecution," he warned.

Earlier, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra vowed to keep the lese majeste law as it is. Yesterday's developments suggested the executive and legislative branches are in unison over the relevance of Article 112. The government's attempt to stay clear of the controversy, however, is unlikely to stop the on-going campaign to amend the law, which critics say, has often been abused and thus discouraged freedom of expression.

Two key members of the Campaign Committee to Amend Article 112 (CCAA), or lese majeste law, that is campaigning based on Nitirat's proposals expressed disappointment at Chalerm's idea but said it cannot stop the campaign to gather at least 10,000 signatures as required by the Constitution to amend the law. They said it also means that the deputy premier does not understand constitutional rights and the democratic system.

Yukti Mukdavichit, a lecturer of anthropology at Thammasat University and a key member of the CCAA said he finds Chalerm's idea "hilarious".

"I think it's hilarious. Our campaign is based on constitutional right. What other organisations' stance towards us is, will not have any effect on us."

Yukti said he thinks Chalerm is making such a suggestion to defend his "royalist" credential. "It also means that people in the government do not understand human rights and liberty under a democratic system. [such an idea] is also unconstitutional," said Yukti, warning that Chalerm and even the Cabinet could be charged with restricting the constitutional right to amend law by citizens.

Labour activist and CCAA committee member Jitra Kotchadej expressed a similar view. She said Chalerm has shown himself to not be respectful of people's constitutional rights and reflects a lack of respect for the democratic process. "I'm surprised because Chalerm was elected... It's horrible."

-- The Nation 2012-02-09

Crackdown on drug trafficking: Lie-detector tests may deter Thai prison guards

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The super agency and the little people of Ayutthaya: Thai talk

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....haya-thai-talk/

EDITORIAL

Thailand must learn the lessons of Greek debacle

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3-Year-Old Lampang Boy Teaches Himself To Read

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Thai Deputy PM Kittirat Orders Crackdown on Copyright Violations

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Curfew imposed

Police to patrol entertainment venues during Valentine’s Day

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....valentines-day/

Government's water discharges causes Ayutthaya flood: Thai Agriculture Ministry

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Chonburi Immigration Police Arrests American and 7 Ugandans

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PM denies Ayutthaya flood is water mismanagement

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Chuvit Party member ready to meet NACC

The Nation February

BANGKOK: -- Rak Thailand MP Chaiwat Krairiksh said yesterday he was ready to depose before the National Anti-Corruption Commission but asked party leader Chuvit Kamolvisit to publicise the full video clip of his conversation with Chuvit, instead of the edited version.

Meanwhile, Chuvit, yesterday filed a complaint with the NACC against Chaiwat. He also submitted a video clip of his conversation with Chaiwat as evidence, accusing him of interfering in budget allocation for road construction in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Chuvit said he would also later reveal corruption by another party member, Protepran Tohranee.

Chaiwat said he and Chuvit were no longer friends as Chuvit had destroyed his dignity and reputation.

Chuvit said his role as the party leader must be separated from their friendship. If the party must be destroyed after revelation about corruption by his party member, he would do it himself.

"This is not politicking. I don't like politicking. Chaiwat and I have been friends. But now we have different ideologies. If a prime minister in charge of the Cabinet allows Cabinet members to do bad things, that's conspiracy like rowing the boat for bandits," Chuvit said.

Chuvit earlier informed the Election Commission that Chaiwat and another party-list MP Protepran Tohranee had resigned from party membership.

Chaiwat yesterday denied pushing for more budget in favour of his locality in the South, saying it was not his duty as he is in the House Committee on National Security, not the budget.

Chaiwat said he would continue his work as an opposition MP.

-- The Nation 2012-02-09

Yingluck Govt Still Fails In Latest Opinion Survey

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Countries lift travel advisories

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Ministry said yesterday that countries that had issued warnings of possible terrorist activity in Thailand had now cancelled them.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdee said only Italy and Romania were still giving information to raise awareness among citizens visiting Thailand. He said the warning cancellation reflected the global community's confidence in Thai authorities.

-- The Nation 2012-02-09

Health commission queries hub plan

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The National Health Commission (NEC) yesterday urged media to investigate the establishment and operations of a big medical hub proposed by Siriraj Hospital.

"We have to check if the medical hub will provide its services in line with its founding objectives," NEC secretary-general Dr Ampon Jinda-wattana said.

One of the country's leading medical schools, the Mahidol University's Faculty of Medicine's Siriraj Hospital, is responsible for the medical hub. "It's a good project if it is implemented for public benefit and for medical excellence. Patients need that," Ampon said. "When the hospital called for donations, it also said the medical hub would benefit cash-strapped patients. So, we should monitor if the project sticks to its goals." He added that the medical school would be heading in the wrong direction if it planned to use the medical hub mainly for generating income.

The government has foreshadowed the assigning of many medical schools to develop medical hubs at their bases.

Ampon called on the government to prepare measures to minimise any brain-drain effect from such a plan. He said the medical hubs would likely draw doctors away from rural zones and shortage of medical staff in remote areas would be worsened.

Dr Sumet Peeravud, dean of Prince of Songkla University's Faculty of Medicine, said the Prince of Songkla Hospital under his medical school's care had now accepted patients with complicated conditions from seven southern provinces.

"We need more budget from the government to facilitate our services. If the government can't provide that, we may have to establish a fee-collecting medical hub and treat more foreign patients, which will affect Thai patients," Sumet said.

-- The Nation 2012-02-09

Police set up probe into dens

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- National police chief Pol General Priewpan Damapong has assigned city police chief Pol Lt-General Winai Thongsong, and Provincial Police Region 1 commander Khamronwit Thupkrachang, to set up a committee to probe gambling dens in the city area.

The move follows police Inspector-General Sathaporn Laothong's investigation which reported five such gambling dens, police spokesman Piya Uthayo said yesterday.

Priewpan sent the case to the two supervisors to proceed according to Sathaporn's recommendations and ensure justice for those accused. The probe would certainly affect police transfer orders, Piya said, but declined to comment if officers would be transferred. He would wait for results of the committee's ongoing probe result first.

-- The Nation 2012-02-09

RFID system in place to catch speeding vans and buses: Bangkok

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....-buses-bangkok/

Appeal to halt construction

The Nation

RATCHABURI: -- A Ratchaburi environmental group yesterday presented a 4,000-signature appeal against construction of the Ratchaburi World Cogeneration's power plant to Senate natural resource and environment committee chairman Surachai Liangboonlertchai.

The group wanted the Senate committee to check progress of their request to investigate and temporarily halt the building of a small power plant in the Ratchaburi Industrial Estate area that would affect people in 11 tambons.

Surachai said he would raise a question in Parliament over the plans. Thailand had only one such project for four provinces, leading to questions on land readjustment, land polling and also on flood issues as some industrial plants would be allowed in flood-retention areas

-- The Nation 2012-02-09

Drug dealers offering free 'ice' with amphetamine tabs: Thai Narcotics Control Board

http://www.nationmul...5471-01_big.JPG

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....-control-board/

Viktor Bout Prefers Thai Prison

Viktor Bout, file photo. Source: wikimedia

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Phuket tour buses: Two hurt in yet another crash

+ Video

The bus finally came to rest when it hit a townhouse at the end of the small soi, located just off one of Phuket's most dangerous intersections.

A view of the junction of Phra Barami Road and Pisit Gorani Road at the base of Patong Hill, where many serious tour bus accidents have occurred over the years.

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Viktor Bout to Be Sentenced on March 12 – U.S. Court

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__5040924

Car bomb in the downtown area of Pattani kills 1 and injures dozens /TANN

RT @terryfrd: Plodprasop floating idea of splitting Thonburi off from BKK. Confident "99.9 %" of Thonburi residents agree.

Army chief says no hint received of coup planned in April as claimed by Pheu Thai MP, Red Shirt leader Jatuporn; says the claim may violate security law Red Shirt leader Jatuporn; says the claim may violate security law /MCOT