Thailand Live Monday 27 Feb 2012

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Thailand Live Monday 27 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 Sunday 26 Feb 2012

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Democrats show liquor bottles

Evidence of MPs' drinking, they say; push for ethical conduct hearing

BANGKOK: -- Democrat MP Boonyod Sooktinthai yesterday brought empty liquor bottles found in a garbage dumpster at Parliament as proof of lawmakers drinking - but he stopped short of pointing a finger at Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung.

Full story:

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EDUCATION

O-Net test 'stuck in 20th century', Thai academic says

BANGKOK: -- Apparent flaws in the Ordinary National Educational Test (O-Net) have provided another strong reminder that Thailand's education system badly needs improvement.

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Thailand Constitution changes 'not justified'

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DEBT CRISIS

Euro zone will break up, Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn predicts

Central bank chief believes strong economies will distance themselves from common currency

BANGKOK: -- Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul envisions the eventual break-up of the euro zone.

Full story:

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NBTC panel yet to settle licence auction issues

Sirivish Toomgum

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Members of the telecom regulator's 2.1-gigahertz management subcommittee still have conflicting views on the spectrum reserve price, the number of licences to be made available at one time, and whether the so-called N-1 rule should apply in the upcoming licence auctions.

Some members of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunica-tions Commission (NBTC)'s 2.1GHz committee believe the reserve price should be lower than Bt12.8 billion, the level set by the now defunct National Telecommunications Com-mission (NTC) in 2010 in its licence auction plan. The reserve price is the minimum level the NBTC deems appropriate for the winning bid.

An NBTC source said these members reasoned that the reserve price should not be high. Unlike in the NTC era, all cellular operators now offer cellular broadband services, using their own spectra. Moreover, the NBTC will make more spectra choices available when the private cellular operators' concessions expire and their spectra are returned to the NBTC for reallocation.

The members said that in the new auction plan, the N-1 condition should be replaced by other measures. They also want to see three licences auctioned at a time.

The N-1 condition means three licences will be made available if there are four prospective bidders, two licences if there are three bidders, one licence if there are two bidders, and no auction if there is one bidder.

"They reasoned that even with the N-1 condition, the bidders could collude to set up nominees to join the bidding to enable them to get the desired licence numbers. So the 2.1GHz subcommittee should create other measures instead to ensure genuine competition," the source explained.

Some subcommittee members suggested that the NBTC auction off only one licence first. If the licence fetched a high price, the NBTC would then surprise the losing bidders by telling them that they would get the remaining licences if they agree to pay the same licence price that the bid winner paid for the first licence.

But some subcommittee members want to maintain the reserve price at Bt12.8 billion or raise it even higher, and want to put the N-1 condition in the auction plan. They questioned how the NBTC could give a satisfactory explanation to society if it lowers the reserve price without the N-1 condition.

The NBTC's telecom committee is expected to hire US consultant Nera to be its auction adviser and evaluate the reserve price. The NTC used Nera as adviser in its auction plan, which was suspended by the Central Administrative Court's injunction in September 2010, following CAT Telecom's challenge to NTC's licensing authority.

The NBTC intends to auction the licences in the third quarter. Under its timetable, it will conclude the licence numbers and begin work on the licence price next month, and finish auction rules, infrastructure sharing and national network roaming regulations in April.

According to CIMB Securities (Thailand), the NBTC's guidance of the 3G spectrum auction taking place in the third quarter is an optimistic scenario, particularly after the NBTC's recent announcement encouraging new players, both domestic and international, to participate in the bid. The NBTC will revisit regulations, such as the Foreign Dominance notification, that would encourage foreign telcos to join the licence auction. On top of that, the NBTC would have only 4-5 months to complete the whole regulatory process. That would be a tight schedule in CIMB's view.

-- The Nation 2012-02-27

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Haze spreads across north

BANGKOK: -- The thick haze yesterday spread across seven northern provinces and poor visibility interfered with a Bangkok Airways flight to Lampang.

Full story:

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Inequality must be corrected, Suu Kyi says

Burma's pro-democracy leader tells The Nation Thailand and her country should address economic imbalances

RANGOON: -- Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi says there is no real "economic equality" between Burma and Thailand and the situation must be corrected.

Full story:

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EDITORIAL

Flood measures must be swiftly implemented: Thai opinion

With ruling backing loan decree for flood plan, govt has no excuse to fail

BANGKOK: -- The government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has won a "second chance" to deal with the flood crisis after the Constitution Court gave a green light to its decree to permit Bt350 billion in loans for flood prevention work. Now, the government has no excuse to fail its mission.

Full story:

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Boosting education levels via a lift in teacher standards, accountability: Thai Chalk Talk

BANGKOK: -- ON FEBRUARY 15, the Thailand Development Research Institute Foundation (TDRI) demonstrated its sincere and great concern over the Thai education through its year-end Annual Conference 2011 entitled "Revamping the Thai Education System: Quality for All".

Full story:

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Challenge of teaching border area students: Chiang Rai

Use of mother tongue in early years is a success with Hmong kids in North, helps them learn Thai in later years

CHIANG RAI: -- Have you ever considered how teachers and their students in remote areas interact while they are in class, especially those in mountainous areas where the mother-tongue is not Thai?

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PM Yingluck, please implement moves to protect children in far South

BANGKOK: -- The Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF) is a non-government organisation that has published a report entitled "Juvenile Justice System: The case of children and youth being involved with procedures provided by security laws in the southern border provinces".

Full story:

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NEW MARKET

Developers flocking to Hua Hin

Projects worth more than Bt50 billion are expected to be launched this year

HUA HIN: -- Developers are lining up to launch residential projects in Hua Hin this year worth more than Bt50 billion and totalling about 8,000 units.

Full story:

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Price rises top public concern: survey

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- People are most unhappy with the Yingluck government's tackling of price rises - and most satisfied with her administration's crackdown on the drug trade, according to an Abac poll released yesterday.

Of the total respondents, 76 per cent said the government's national war on drugs agenda was the number one action in terms of meeting public demand, followed by healthcare policy with 67 per cent. And 56 per cent said they liked the government move on constitution amendment.

Government policies and measures causing most public dissatisfaction include price rise problems (70 per cent); rising price of fuel (68 per cent); quality of education (66 per cent); Bt300 minimum wage (60.5 per cent); and a Bt15,000 salary for graduates (57 per cent).

Respondents were asked what the top five news events were during the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration. Some 54 per cent said the arrest and seizure of Thaksin Shinawatra's assets; 49 per cent said the delay in appointing a national police chief; 47 per cent said the crackdown on red-shirt leaders; 43 per cent said the policy to sell eggs by the kilogram plus the palm-oil price problem; 40.5 per cent said the price subsidy on rice and other agricultural produce.

Asked what they most desired, 89 per cent wanted Thais to love Thais; 81 per cent wanted Thais to be kind to each other; 78 per cent wanted Thais to forgive; 75 per cent wanted Thais to stop quarrelling and 72 per cent wanted public interest put before personal interest.

Of the total, 38 per cent wanted Prime Minister Yingluck to serve a full term, 19.5 per cent said they wanted her to serve 2-3 years, 21 per cent 1-2 years, and 7.5 per cent wanted her to serve six months to one year, while 14 per cent said not more than six months from now.

-- The Nation 2012-02-27

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CP All offers 6,600 scholarships: Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Around 6,600 scholarships will be offered by two academic institutions established by CP All in the coming academic year.

Full story:

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Police arrest man who shot hospital orderly and 4 others at karaoke shop in Sakaew; police chief to hold press conference soon /TANN

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One suspect detained in Sukhumvit blasts

BANGKOK, Feb 27 -- One Iranian suspect was detained on Sunday after police raided a rented room at Nasa Vegas Tower in eastern Bangkok’s Khlong Ton area, where another Iranian suspect Leila Rohani who earlier left Thailand, had also lived.

Police with a search warrant raided room number 21434 on 14th floor of the apartment and detained an Iranian, identified as Madani Seyed Mehrded, 33.

The search came after police received information that Mr Mehrded had kept mostly to his room, rarely going out, while another Iranian provided him hand-carried food and drink.

Police found no illegal items but seized a computer, a mobile phone and some other items for further inspection.

The authorities later learned that the suspect overstayed his visa in Thailand which expired on Sept 29 last year. He had entered Thailand on July 27, two months earlier.

Police said that they tracked Mr Mehrded from telephone number information found in the SIM cards of two suspects already in police custody -- Saeid Moradi, 28, who lost both legs from his own explosive device, and Mohammad Hazaei, 42, arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport while attempting to board a plane bound for Malaysia.

They were detained in connection with the three Feb 14 explosions on Sukhumvit 71.

According to police, the call logs on the SIM cards showed Mr Mehrded had regularly communicated with both suspects by mobile phone.

On Feb 14, he was allegedly seen in front of the Israeli embassy on Asok Road.

Police said an Iranian working as a chef at a Soi Nana hotel supplied Mr Mehrded food and drink. The chef lived in the same apartment complex.

Investigators raided room number 21122 on the 11th floor of Nasa Vegas Tower and found him with foreign women in his room. All were taken for questioning.

Arrest warrants have so far been issued for Madani Seyed Mehrded, Saeid Moradi, Mohammad Hazaei, Leila Rohani, and Masoud Sedaghatzadeh who was arrested by Malaysian authorities in Kuala Lumpur. The Thai authorities are seeking his extradition.

The fifth suspect is a Middle Eastern man who was captured by CCTV footage walking away from the rented house where the first bomb apparently exploded by accident. (MCOT online line)

-- TNA 2012-02-27

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Chalerm files defamation suit against four newspapers on drunk allegation

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobumrung has filed a defamation suit against four newspapers for publishing allegations that he was drunk during Friday’s parliamentary session.

Full story:

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Thai stock index opens on Monday at 1,147.31, up 1.17 points /MCOT

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Phuket hotel barman dies in motorbike crash

Rescue workers said Phuket resort barman Phichit Masmalai probably died instantly when he lost control of his motorbike and ran into a utility poll. Photo: Wichai Witthawat

PHUKET: -- A hotel barman died instantly last night when his motorbike slammed into a utility pole in Koh Kaew, north of Phuket Town.

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Bangkok's 'Hitler chic' trend riles tourists, Israeli envoy

Thai youth are strutting around in T-shirts bearing cartoonish images of the Nazi dictator. Critics blame it on ignorance

BANGKOK: -- Cartoon pandas, Teletubbies, Ronald McDonald. At first glance they don’t seem to have much in common beyond a certain childlike quality. But during a visit to Bangkok you may discover another trait these popular cultural icons now share: their resemblance to Adolf Hitler.

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Thaksin Addresses on Video Link to Red Shirts

Full story:

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Tak Governor Issues Measures to Prevent Fire at Refugee Camp

TAK: -- The Tak governor has ordered tighter security at refugee camps in the province following a blaze that destroyed more than a thousand homes.

Tak Governor Suriya Prasarnbandit has ordered strict measures to prevent fires at three refugee camps in the province, namely Ban Nupo in Umphang District, Ban Mae La in Tasongyang District, and Ban Um Piem in Pobpra District following a blaze at Ban Um Piem on February 22.

More than 500 refugees at Ban Um Piem have been making repairs to their homes damaged by the blaze so they can return to live there again.

They had voluntarily dismantled their houses to control the blaze which could have spread among the closely-built homes and left all 15,200 refugees without a place to live.

Those whose homes were totally gutted have moved in with their relatives or are living in tents provided by authorities as temporary shelters.

Deputy Tak Governor Wut Sitthisurat met with representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and local non-governmental organizations to discuss help for refugees whose homes were destroyed and find measures to prevent fires from occurring again.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-27

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PM Yingluck Refuses to Comment on Chalerm Being Drunk During Parliamentary Debate

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Chiang Mai calls for artificial rain to ease haze that envelopes northern provinces; rainmaking process to start Wednesday /MCOT

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Prompong pushes for 10bn baht rail link

Government Spokesman Prompong called for a slew of new projects to support Phuket tourism. Photo: Nopparat Nambunyen

PHUKET: -- Government spokesman Prompong Nopparit has voiced his support for a 10-billion-baht extension of train lines from Surat Thani to just north of Phuket.

Full story:

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Police chief to interrogate 3 Iranians for possible links with triple blasts; Malaysia still not ready to extradite suspect /TANN

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Democrat Party Urges Deputy PM to Clarify Hotel Meeting

BANGKOK: -- The Democrat Party spokesman is calling on the deputy prime minister and finance minister to clarify if he took part in a conversation with the prime minister at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Democrat Party spokesman Chavanont Intarakomalyasut held a press conference and called on Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittirat Na Ranong to clarify a rumor that he was with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at the Four Seasons Hotel when she met a group of businessmen there early this month and the details of their discussion.

Chavanont said if the discussion's related to the city planning and adjusting of the appraisal price of land, it will be an important evidence to prove that there is a conflict of interest.

He noted that the examination shows that the deputy premier has business relationships with the President of property developer Sansiri Srettha Thavisin since 1999.

Chavanont also criticized the premier for staging a scene by forcing many food stalls at Minburi Market to participate in the Blue-flag campaign in selling ready-to-eat dishes at between 25 to 30 baht each and put up new price tags for her TV program.

The Democrat Party spokesman stated that tomorrow, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva will visit Japan to strengthen bilateral relationships and increase investor confidence. He added that Abhisit's planned visit doesn't aim to take attention as the premier who plans to visit the country soon.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-27

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Underpass plans start driving forward

Traffic along Thepkrsattri Road will flow smoothly, proponents say. Image: Highways Dept Phuket Office

Tailbacks in Koh Kaew have become a common feature. Photo: Gazette

PHUKET: -- Highways Department officials last week presented to local residents their preferred option for a two-lane underpass at the Bang Khu Intersection, north of Phuket Town.

Full story: