Thailand Live Thursday 23 Feb 2012

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Thailand Live Thursday 23 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 22 Feb 2012

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THAIVISA CONNECT

Thaivisa Forum Apps for your mobile or tablet

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http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/thaivisa-connect-thailand/id492600537

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Decrees get Thai Constitution Court approval

BANGKOK: -- Verdict restores confidence but experts warn that it is the quality of the projects that will determine success in flood-prevention

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....court-approval/

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PM'S FOUR SEASONS MEETING

Thai PM Yingluck vows to cooperate over hotel meeting

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday promised to cooperate with the Ombudsman's Office as it looks into a complaint of misconduct in connection with her choosing to attend a private meeting at a Bangkok hotel instead of being present at a parliamentary meeting.

Full story:

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Phuket Police investigate mysterious roadside death

Full story:

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Bangkok Blasts Seen Not to Spoil Tourism

Full story:

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Iran Says Ready To Help Id Thailand Bombers

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ailand-bombers/

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Thai police arrest 3 people for illegally possessing elephant meat and ivory

PHETCHABURI: -- Three people have been arrested for purchasing elephant meat and ivory from poachers who allegedly hunted the pachyderms in Phetchaburi province's Kaeng Krachan national park.

Full story:

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CHARTER REVIEW

Red shirts and multicolored shirts to rally for and against charter change

BANGKOK: -- Constitutional amendment seems likely to bring the political conflict back to the boil, with supporters and detractors of the move expected to gather today when Parliament begins its deliberation of the bills seeking changes to a charter clause to allow the formation of a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA).

Full story:

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VALENTINE'S DAY BLASTS

More clues on Iranian bomb plot: Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- More signs possibly relating to planned bomb attacks and prepared by a group of Iran nationals have been identified on Bangkok streets, apart from the stickers reading "SEJEAL" which police discovered earlier, a police source said yesterday.

Full story:

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RESHUFFLE

Irrigation chief moved out in sudden job swap: Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Chalit Damrongsak yesterday was abruptly removed as chief of the Royal Irrigation Department after a Cabinet decision forced him to swap his post with that of Lertwiroj Kowattana, a deputy permanent secretary for Agriculture.

Full story:

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Needed now: Alternative politics to help us out of this mess: Thai talk

BANGKOK: -- It wasn't very widely reported, but Pheu Thai leader Yongyuth Vichaidit's bold statement recently to a group of visitors to his party's headquarters about his confidence in the party's electoral longevity was strikingly upbeat.

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

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STOPPAGE TIME

Each to his own, and no changing course: Thai opinion

When everyone is speaking at the same time, there can only be one result: nobody will be listening.

Full story:

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EDITORIAL

Thailand should allow mediators in the deep South

BANGKOK: -- If the southern insurgency is ever to end, the Thai government must accept the help of outsiders who also want to see peace in the region

Full story:

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Phuket tourist cheats spark foreign diplomat intervention

EU Ambassador David Lipman (pictured) is to meet Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa about tackling the growing problem of Phuket cheats and swindlers ripping tourists off. Photo: Gazette file

Full story:

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Cabinet okays 29 development projects in the Northeast

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet yesterday approved a package of 29 development projects for 12 upper northeastern provinces worth Bt1.65 billion, including a Bt30-million university in Udon Thani.

Acting government spokeswoman Titima Chaisang said the batch was part of the 190 projects requiring more than Bt10 billion of government spending.

At Udon Thani Rajabhat University, where Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra chaired the mobile Cabinet meeting, about 1,000 people gathered to submit a petition for government assistance.

They included members of rival political groups.

Two companies of crowd-control police were maintaining law and order.

The people were not allowed to meet with the prime minister in groups. Instead their representatives submitted their grievances in front of the Cabinet meeting room inside the campus.

Surathin Wijan, a senior member of the PM's working group on complaints, said that since Sunday, 82 cases had been filed by people seeking government help.

-- The Nation 2012-02-23

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Thai Govt not doing enough for creative economy: poll

Full story:

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PM Yingluck worries cheaper computer tablets may not be good

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday she was doubtful about the quality of the tablet computers after the per-unit price in the budget plan had dropped from more than Bt3,000 to just Bt2,500.

Full story:

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Foreigner charged over bomb-making materials

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- A suspect in a bomb-related case, Lebanese-Swede Artris Hussein, was yesterday indicted officially for illegally possessing substances that could be used to make explosives.

The 3,412-page investigation report and indictment, filed in 18 sections, has been handed to a senior public prosecutor, Phongniwat Yutthaphan-borikarn, who said he would complete an indictment and forward it to the court by March 2 - before a fourth 12-day detention period ended.

He would not require an extension.

The indictment said the suspect had 11 gallons of liquid ammonium nitrate, capable of being made into bombs, along with 335 boxes containing an explosives-equivalent substance kept in plastic bags in his possession, without permission.

Hussein has denied the charge.

Police cited Hussein’s status as a member of Hezbollah, which was described as a terrorist organisation in their indictment.

However, they have decided to file against him only the charge of possessing explosives-equivalent substances.

-- The Nation 2012-02-23

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Rangers' pickup truck bombed

The Nation

NARATHIWAT: -- Four paramilitary rangers were injured when suspected insurgents detonated a bomb near the Joh I Rong-Pa Phai railway in Narathiwat's Joh I Rong district yesterday.

The home-made bomb went off at around 9am when a pickup truck carrying six members of the Ranger Unit 4502 passed a local bridge on its way to the 45th regiment in Rangae district. It is believed that insurgents hiding inside a nearby rubber plantation had detonated the device.

Security officers inspecting the bomb scene managed to disarm another bomb buried in a 20-kilogram fire extinguisher. They believe the insurgents were planning to attack officials sent to investigate the first blast.

In Yala's Muang district, security officials said the recent arrest of suspected insurgent Hamdi Tolubo, 27, led officials to search his hiding place in Khao Yala cave in Bang Begu. They seized camping gear, food, clothing and solar cell panels, which would be collected for fingerprint and DNA samples. Hamdi, said to be in the same group as the wanted Romeulee Meesa, 25, was involved allegedly in the January 24 attack that killed two monks.

-- The Nation 2012-02-23

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Group fights Thai Govt on Bt30 fee for health services

Full story:

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PM puts brakes on cable-car proposal

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- PM Yingluck Shinawatra has urged caution and more study before any decision is made on the proposal to build cable-car services inside Loei's Phu Kradung National Park. A mobile Cabinet meeting in Udon Thani on Tuesday was reportedly ready to approve the project.

Government spokeswoman Thitima Chaisang said the premier pointed out that this was an ecologically sensitive issue and needed further study to prevent criticism. The Cabinet assigned the Natural Resource and Environment Ministry to study the environmental impact of this funicular railway construction, before the Cabinet makes a decision. Yingluck said she had not spoken to locals about the project, which has been requested by the private sector.

-- The Nation 2012-02-23

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O-Net answers on Net incorrect

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Samphan Phranphruek, director of the National Institute of Educational Testing Service (NIETS), yesterday admitted that the questions posted on the Net by some students were used in the February 18-19 Ordinary National Education Testing (O-Net) exam papers, except the choices posted were incorrect.

The most criticised question was "What do you do when you feel sexually aroused?" The choices offered were: a) invite friends to play football; consult your family; c) go out with a friend of the opposite sex; d) invite a friend to watch a movie.

Samphan said these questions had been set by qualified teachers and were in accordance with the 2008 Basic Education curricular, however initial investigation had found that the Internet posts included answers that were not included in the multiple-choice exam papers.

He added that he would table the matter with the NIETS board.

-- The Nation 2012-02-23

[Lite Beer]

UPDATE

An Update From The Royal Thai Consulate Hull.

"Update from the Royal Thai Consulate in Hull (UK).

Following my recent message on the topic ‘Non Imm Visa When You Have Thai Child’ I can now inform you that, non-immigrant visas can be granted to persons only if they can show that they have legal custody of the Thai child living in Thailand.”

Alan P Taylor

Hon Consul

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/535091-new-visa-rules-for-fathers-of-thai-children/page__view__findpost__p__5079667

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Fire forces evacuation of Phuket Town theater complex

Phuket City firefighters use a spotlight to illuminate the area where the electrical fire broke out. Photo: Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai.

Phuket City firefighters get a briefing after their one-hour effort to get the situation under control. Photo: Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....heater-complex/

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MRT fare to increase by THB1 starting July 3

BANGKOK, 23 February 2012 (NNT) – Commuters are expected to brace themselves for a price hike of 1 baht for MRT services starting on July 3.

The Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) board has resolved to permit a fare raise for MRT rides according to the concession agreement which grants the Bangkok Metro Company Limited (BMCL) the authority to increase MRT fares every two years. The positive consumer price index in September 2011 has indicated a need to adjust the minimum fare upward by 1 baht. Thus, the current fare range of 15-40 baht will be adjusted to 16-40 baht. The MRTA board stated that commuters will not be impacted by this minor change.

The MRTA will be proposing the price adjustment to the Ministry of Transport to await further approval from the cabinet. The new fee is scheduled to come into effect on July 3, 2012.

Currently, the standard fare for MRT services stands at 15-40 baht, depending on the journey distance. Children under the age of 14 whose height is less than 90 cm. are entitled to free rides. Meanwhile, children and senior citizens are charged at a discounted price of 8-20 baht. Student card holders aged under 23 are charged at 13-33 baht.

-- NNT 2012-02-23

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Joint Parliament session starts to deliberate three bills seeking Constitution amendment

BANGKOK, Feb 23 -- A Joint seating of the House of Representatives and Senate commenced at 9:30 am to deliberate three bills seeking an amendment of Section 291 of the Constitution to allow establishment of a Constitution drafting assembly.

The three draft Constitution amendments were separately proposed by the Cabinet, the ruling Pheu Thai Party, and the coalition Chart Thai Pattana Party.

All three drafts proposed the amendment of only Section 291 of the 2007 Constitution, each seeking to set up a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA), but with differing numbers of members and different selection processes.

A draft presented by United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) or the Red Shirts, was also submitted for the deliberation, but was not included in today joint session, since identity verification for the several thousands of signatories was not yet completed as it was a time-consuming process.

The coalition and senatorial whips agreed on Wednesday that deliberation of the three drafts would take two days, over Thursday and Friday. It was also agreed that the Senate, the opposition, and the coalition would each be given eight hours of debate time.

After the deliberation, a 45-member vetting committee would be set up, with 10 members from the Senate and 35 from the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, the opposition Democrat Party has affirmed its stance against the constitutional amendment.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said earlier that he was concerned that a constitutional amendment could create further social rifts in the country as well as for political intervention in the Constitution Drafting Assembly.

He also called on the government to clarify its real motives behind the amendment and promised his Democrat party would keep a close eye on the process. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-02-23

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AFP: Bomb plot shows Thailand's security gaps: experts

BANGKOK, February 23, 2012 (AFP) - A bungled bomb plot by Iranian suspects in Bangkok has highlighted Thailand's vulnerability to terrorist attacks, experts say, even as authorities in the kingdom play down the threat.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....y-gaps-experts/

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Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 1,141.82, up 4.00 points /MCOT

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Pregnant Aussie teenager beaten, robbed in Phuket ladyboy attack

The attack reportedly occurred in a dark street near the east end of Soi Bangla. Photo: Gazette file

Full story: