Thailand Live Thursday 16 Feb 2012

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Thailand Live Thursday 16 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 Wednesday 15 Feb 2012

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Iran, Israel Play Blame Game Over Bangkok Blasts

Full story:

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Iranian badly injured in bombing stripped of residence status

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__5059466

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Thai govt urged to allay terrorism fears: Tourism

Full story:

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TOUR OF PROVINCES

Thai PM Yingluck runs show like a CEO

Full story:

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Explosions on Sukhumvit 71 believed to have minimum impact on tourism industry

Full story:

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AFP: Thailand charges Iranian bomb suspects

Full story:

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Foreign Minister Surapong plays down terrorist link to Bangkok blasts

Full story:

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Thaksin Urges Thais to Love Each Other Via Skype

Full story:

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Plodprasob: Thai govt 'will find 2M rai catchment area by tomorrow'

Full story:

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Thailand is losing out in terms of education: seminar

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EDITORIAL

Bangkok bomb blasts reiterate need for vigilance

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Charter change: What has real reform got to do with it?: Thai talk

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Red-shirt leader Natthawut must not neglect duties as minister

Full story:

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Thida elected to lead the red shirts

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....the-red-shirts/

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Surin bus crash kills 12

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....on-crash-surin/

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3 Koreans held for online gambling

The Nation

CHON BURI: -- Three Korean men have been arrested for operating an online baccarat gambling operation from a condominium in Chon Buri's Pattaya City.

Following an investigation that tenants of the Sky Beach condo were running the online casino, police arrested Ji-woo Lee, 26; Seungho Lee, 26; and Jinwoung Cho, 22; as they were taking bets.

The three said they were hired by another Korean man, Yoo-won Young to take bets in exchange for Bt50,000 a month per person. Some 15 to 20 people placed bets daily, ranging from Bt50,000 to Bt70,000, police said.

-- The Nation 2012-02-16

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Thailand's Education Minister Suchart backtracks on 'tea money'

Full story:

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New dykes may affect parks

PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

SPECIAL TO THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Operators of industrial parks should be concerned about the environmental and community impact resulting from dyke-construction projects to prevent flooding in Ayutthaya province, say state-run environmental agencies.

Secretary-general of the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), Supat Wangwongwattana, said his office was considering the effect of dyke-building around seven centres in Ayutthaya province - including the Hi-tech, Rojana, Bang Pa-In, and Nava Nakorn industrial parks.

He said industrial park operators should conduct environmental impact assessment (EIA) and then submit the reports to the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand for approval before going ahead with the building of flood-prevention dykes.

"ONEP is trying to inform the authority about the conditions and regulations industrial park operators need for an EIA for dyke-construction projects," Supat said.

He said dykes were needed urgently by the operators of the seven industrial parks that were inundated during the flooding last year. They must be built within five months, before the rainy season.

However, Supat conceded that his agency could not identify a clear environmental impact that would result from the dyke construction.

" I haven't seen any details about this project yet," he said, adding his office would monitor the environmental impact of the finished dykes. Supat also expressed concern over dyke construction along the Chao Phraya which, he said, could affect water flow and levels.

The Saha Rattana Nakorn Industrial Park has proposed a Bt1-billion dyke construction project over eight kilometres around its premises. But the Industrial Ministry has said it will study the appropriateness of the project as dykes to prevent flooding were installed around the park several years ago.

-- The Nation 2012-02-16

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Dip in Valentine's Day marriages

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) yesterday reported that 2,666 couples registered their marriages on Valentine's Day, which were 218 fewer couples than Valentine's Day 2011.

BMA spokesman Wasan Meewong said Bang Rak district topped with 903 couples - an increase from last year's 888 couples - followed by Bang Sue district 125 couples, Chom Thong district 83 couples, Sai Mai district 73 couples, and Lak Si district 71 couples. Thirty-five couples registered divorce, 34 fewer than on last Valentine's Day.

-- The Nation 2012-02-16

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Jail drug search yields nothing

The Nation

Nakhon Ratchasima police joined forces with related officials yesterday to search the Nakhon Ratchasima Central Prison for drugs but found none.

However three male inmates tested positive for drugs and their reported confession of trading 20 cigarette packs for one yaba tablet from a fellow inmate prompted officials to investigate further.

Provincial Police Region 3 deputy chief Pol Maj-General Chakthip Lohasudsakul and prison director Sudsawad Sancharoen led the 500-strong team to search the prison cells for drugs and other contraband at 4am, according to police.

They found home-made spikes along with cigarettes and cartoon books with porn pictures hidden inside.

The officials focused on Zone 1 inmates and also conducted urine tests.

A ball of plasticine containing 190 yaba tablets was thrown over Sakhon Nakhon Prison's 5.8-metre-high wall, but patrol guards intercepted it before inmates were released into the yard yesterday morning.

-- The Nation 2012-02-16

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Bomb factory in Narathiwat

The Nation

NARATHIWAT: -- A Thai security team yesterday seized 100 bomb-making items along with an instruction manual in Narathiwat's Chanae district. The explosive cache was reportedly revealed by an alleged insurgent sympathiser and bomb-maker, Ibroheng Dona, 25.

Ibroheng reportedly confessed and implicated several others as well as admitted to hiding bomb materials at his home in Ban Beu Dae in Tambon Chanae. Ranger Forces Regiment 46 Chief Colonel Paisal Noosang sent rangers along with soldiers, Chanae police and other officials to search the suspect's home, fruit orchard and rice field.

Paisal called it a major bomb-making operation, which southern insurgents used for violent incidents in the three southernmost provinces and to teach young sympathisers to make bombs.

-- The Nation 2012-02-16

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Charter change to go ahead without the red shirts

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The coalition will push for changes to the Constitution based on three bills sponsored by the Pheu Thai and Chart Thai Pattana parties and the government, chief coalition whip Udomdej Rattanasatien said yesterday.

Udomdej said the charter debate will be activated without waiting for the verification of voters' signatures solicited by the red shirts to support the other two separate drafts on the issue.

"The checking of signatures will take up to three months and there will be no time to start the amendment process in the current House session," he said, noting the House will recess in April.

He said the Pheu Thai-sponsored draft would be ready for debate within a few weeks and the government draft was to reach the House floor as soon as the Council of State had completed the vetting process.

Chart Pattana Party's draft could be completed and submitted in time for the debate, he said, explaining that the first reading of the charter amendment bills should commence by this month if the charter rewrite is to be activated before the House recess.

All drafts support the activation of a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) to take charge of amending the charter, but vary on the details of the CDA.

-- The Nation 2012-02-16

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Malaysia to send 3rd Iranian suspect to Thai police this evening /TANN

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4.2 magnitude quake hits Myanmar, 126km from Sobmoey, Mae Hong Son, at 10.36pm last night /TANN

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Police step up security on Khaosan Rd but confident there'll be no more attacks /TANN

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AFP: Malaysia Arrests Iranian Over Thai Blasts: Police

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....-blasts-police/

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Mark Kent Has Been Appointed As British Ambassador To Thailand

Full story:

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Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 1,124.82, down 1.66 points /MCOT