PM to tour three provinces in a day

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Tuesday is the second day of the flood-inspection tour and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is scheduled to inspect Phitsanulok, Phichit and Nakhon Sawan.

After spending the night at a Phitsanulok hotel, Yingluck and selected Cabinet members will get a briefing on flood prevention plans for the upstream provinces.

The prime minister will later this morning travel to Phichit. She is scheduled to inspect Khlong Klam, the location for Bang Rakam monkey cheek project for water retention. Bang Rakam is one of the worst flood-prone areas in the upper North.

The prime minister will stop off for lunch at Pheu Thai Party's office in Phichit before inspecting a flood control project at Bung Si Fai.

The next stop is at the Bung Boraphet flood control project in Nakhon Sawan where the prime minister will spend a second night of the trip.

-- The Nation 2012-02-14

US and EU approve Google's 12.5-billion-dollar Motorola purchase

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Chiang Rai police arrest suspected drug trafficker, seize 1.8 million methamphetamine pills, 40kg of crystal meth /MCOT

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Trousers to go on at Phuket Village Health Volunteers Fair

Culinary highlights at the Phuket Village Health Volunteers Fair include grilled fish and spicy horseshoe crab egg salad. Photo: Stephen Fein.

A poster showing the Kangkeng band, set to appear at the Phuket Village Health Volunteers Association Fair tonight.

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Thais celebrate Valentine’s Day, some in the Village of Love

BANGKOK, Feb 14 --- Many Thais across the country joined events to celebrate the special occasion of love on Valentine’s Day, falling on Tuesday this year.

In the capital of Bangkok, hundreds of couples flocked to a building owned by Bangkok Commercial Asset Management Co., as more spacious venue for marriage registration than the Bangrak district office on this Valentine’s Day, in order to register their marriages.

Nine selected couples also attended a religious ceremony, including offering food to Buddhist monks during their morning alms.

With its name meaning ‘district of love’ in Thai, Bangrak has always been popular among lovers wishing to officially sign their marriage certificates there as they believed that the district name implies harmonious relationships and gives good luck to such marriages. It is famed as the Village of Love.

Some 900 couples are expected to register their marriages here on Valentine’s Day, according to Bangrak District Chief Suechana Sukchareon.

Apart from the marriage registration service, Bangrak district offered gold marriage certificates for 11 lucky marriage couples.

Up north, the Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC) in Lampang province held a wedding ceremony on elephant back, joined by nine marrying couples in Lanna Thai-style traditional costumes.

The event began with religious rites when all nine couples together with nine elephants gave food to Buddhist monks during their morning alms rounds, followed by the traditional blessing ceremony.

Then all the couples mounted on elephants proceded in a marriage procession to the elephant performance ground to exchange wedding vows.

In Phichit province, goods related to love and romance, in particular roses, sold like hotcakes among teenagers to give to their sweethearts.

On this special occasion, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra also expressed her love and sincerity to all Thai people, calling for everyone to pay homage and loyalty to His Majesty King Bhumibol and the members of the royal family. (MCOT online news)

-- Tan Network 2012-02-14

SET index midday down 2.74 pts, 0.25 pct

The Nation

Thai composite stocks index (SET) at midday Tuesday stood at 1,114.66, down 2.74 points, or 0.25 per cent amid Bt 18.69 billion turnover.

Blue chip SET-50 index was at 781.86, down 2.22 points, or 0.28 per cent.

Top five active (value) stocks: KBANK, BANPU, PTT, BBL, SCB.

-- The Nation 2012-02-14

Bank of Thailand hints 0.47% surcharge on total deposit holdings may be reviewed within 3 years; state-owned banks see profits shrink /MCOT

US Marine and Thai Navy Cooperate to Construct Multi-Purpose Building in Chantaburi

CHANTABURI: -- The United States Marines and the Royal Thai Marine Corps constructed a multi-purpose building in Chantaburi Province, which they will dedicate to local residents for educational and community activities.

Third Marine Logistics Group commander Brigadier General Craig C. Crenshaw will chair a ceremony to hand over a building at Wat Koon Chong School in Chantaburi's Hang Maew District to Provincial Governor, Wichit Chartpaisi.

The building will be managed by the school director and the subdistrict headman for educational and community activities. The Royal Thai Marine Corps and the United States's 3rd Marine Logistics Group, under the Cobra Gold 2012 Operation, along with local residents coordinated in constructing the building on a 160-square meter area.

The building took 24 days to construct, beginning on January 17 and was completed on February 12. Up until now, the building had been used as a local library.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-14

American Woman Stabbed To Death At Fraser Suite Hotel In Bangkok

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....tel-in-bangkok/

Strict Monitoring of Underage Teens on Valentine's Night

BANGKOK:-- The Children and Women Protection Sub-Division police are stepping up their monitoring of Valentine's night to prevent underage teens from having sexual activities and using narcotics. Underage teens found congregating in inappropriate places after 10 P.M. tonight will be sent home and their parents alerted.

A team of 60 police officers from the Children and Women Protection Sub-Division under the Metropolitan Police Bureau will be working with the 88 district police stations in the capital to monitor Valentine's night to prevent crimes that may happen to women and those younger than 18 years of age.

The officers will be patrolling entertainment venues, motels, apartments with rooms for rent at a daily rate, snooker halls, internet cafes, and any other areas that underage teens may gather to take drugs and engage in sexual activities. Those who are under 18 years of age and found to be at an inappropriate area after 10 P.M. tonight will be sent home and their parents notified.

Operators of such areas have been asked to cooperate with the police and inform them of any patrons who are younger than 18.

Underage teens who are seen coddling in public will be warned and their parents notified. Those who are engaged in illegal activities will be brought to the police station and their parents called in.

Police said they haven't issued a curfew banning those under 18 from leaving their homes after 10 P.M. but they will be enforcing the law on bans of underage teens at entertainment venues.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-14

Police arrest drug trafficking suspect, seize Bt1bln drugs

CHIANG RAI, Feb 14 – Chiang Rai police arrested a drug trafficking suspect and seized 1.8 million methamphetamine pills and 40kg of crystal meth, worth an estimated one billion baht.

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Democrats have three questions for PM

BANGKOK:-- The Democrats will raise three questions for the prime minister to answer during the House session on Thursday, chief opposition whip Jurin Laksanavisit said on Tuesday.

In the first question, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra should explain why she had attended a private function at the Four Seasons Hotel last Wednesday.

For the second question, the Democrats want to hear the justification for Education Minister Suchart Thadathamrongvej's policy to legalise tea money for school enrollment, calling it a donation instead.

The third question is about the government's decision for compensation payments to victims of southern violence, including those involved in criminal activities and the destruction of government property.

-- The Nation 2012-02-14

Husband, Wife shot dead in Pattani; police believe insurgents behind Valentine's Day murder/MCOT

Apple Tries to Ban Android Ice Cream Sandwich

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Phuket Police keep the heat on drug dealers

Phuket Provincial Police Commander Chonasit Wattanavrangkul shows the media the haul of evidence seized in last Friday's raid in Mai Khao. Photo: Warisa Temram.

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RT @RichardBarrow: 2:51pm 3 people are reported injured in a taxi near the scene of the explosion on Soi Pridi, Suk 71 /via @js100radio

RT @RichardBarrow: 2:36pm Road closure on Sukhumwit 71 from Khlong Tan intersection to Phra Khanong Intersection /via @ThaiPBS

Sukhumvit Soi 71 closed off to traffic due to explosion at phone booth in front of Pridi Bhanomyong Soi 44 which killed 1 /TANN

Sri Lankan threatens self-immolation outside UN headquarters in Bangkok seeking refuge to third country; negotiators restore control /MCOT

Warning graphic photo (via @motorcyrubjang) - a foreigner loses legs in a bomb explosion on soi Sukhunmvit 71 http://t.co/E5QgQ7oS

update

RT @js100radio Image from explosion scene at Sukhumvit Soi 71 shows foreigner with both legs blown off but still alive and no fatalities

No Gambling Dens Exist as Chuwit Claims

BANGKOK: -- The Phaya Thai police chief says that there are no gambling dens at Soi Kingpetch, as was claimed by the Love Thailand Party leader.

After the Love Thailand Party Leader Chuwit Kamolvisit made a public announcement about underground gambling dens at Soi Kingpetch 4 and 6, Phaya Thai Police Chief Police General Saman Rodkamnerd responded by saying that the dens Chuwit mentioned do not really exist.

Additionally, Chuwit said he has information about human trafficking, insisting that there are a number of brothels in the Samrong and Ramintra communities as well as on Petchburi Road.

Metropolitan Police Chief Police Lieutenant General Winai Thongsong declined to give an interview regarding the matter, saying that any further arguments would lead to a misunderstanding.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-14

Three injured in explosion at Sukhumvit 71

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/533506-3-foreigners-injured-in-bangkok-bomb-explosion/

Bomb explodes in Bangkok's Soi Preedeepanomyong 35, Lebanese man injured by self-inflicted wound; bomb squad unit defusing another bomb in nearby area /MCOT

RT @RichardBarrow: Reports coming in of the foreigner being a "suicide bomber" from Lebanon - motive or target is still unclear

RT @RichardBarrow: Taxi driver who was injured, is reporting that the foreigner threw the first explosive device at the taxi; three injured

SET index closed at 1106.41, down 10.99; Bt/USD30.73; GBP48.14; AUD32.67; EUR40.28; CAD30.50; HKD3.96; SGD24.12; JPY39.2

EXPLOSIONS

Two bombs explode in Klongton, bomber injured

The Nation

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Bomb Kasem Pittaya School asked students remain inside. Police use high pressure water to diffuse bomb at suspect's house Bhanomyong 31. /TANN

Foreign Ministry seeks cooperation from Iran on 3 bomb suspects

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PM urges public not to panic following Sukhumvit bombing

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__5054927

Reports of an Iranian suspect in the Suk 71 bombing has been arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport /via Bangkok Post