Thailand Live Tuesday 20 Mar 2012

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Boonjong acquitted of vote-buying by Supreme Court

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Supreme Court Tuesday acquitted Bhum Jai Thai MP Boonjong Vngtrairat of vote-buying charges filed by the Election Commission. March 20, 2012 4:51 pm

The court disagreed with the EC to issue a red-card to disqualify Boonjong as an MP.

The court reasoned that it lacked strong evidence to substantiate charges that Boonjong had officials of the Nakhon Ratchasima Community Development Office take community leaders on a trip to Sabay Sabay Resort with intention to convince the community leaders to campaign for Boonjong.

The court said the trip had been planned before the election date was announced.

-- The Nation 2012-03-20

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Farmers against Govt's Plan to Import Palm Oil

BANGKOK: -- The palm growers association in the southern provinces are set to rally against the government's plan to import crude palm oil from abroad and force refineries to cut their purchase prices, directly affecting farmers.

Trang Palm Growers Association Chairman and Trang Palm Oil Company's executive manager, Manit Wongsureerat, said he disagreed with the government's decision to solve the current price increase of palm oil by importing crude palm oil.

He said importing supply will distort the market mechanisms.

Manit noted that the fresh palm fruit currently costs six to eight baht per kilogram. Palm oil output from local farms will enter the market next month, naturally driving down the currently inflated market prices.

He further said that the palm oil price in the global market is currently between 33 to 34 baht per liter, while the government has pegged the price of palm oil at 42 baht per liter.

The Palm Growers Association chairman remarked there is no need to import crude palm oil since the supply in the country is still sufficient to meet the domestic demand.

He went on to say that the price of the government's plan to import crude palm oil hurt farmers by pushing refinery prices lower by one to two baht per kilogram.

Manit stated that by the end of this week, the association will hold a meeting to plan its next move to protest against the government's plan to import crude palm oil.

In the meantime, Leucha Unyuang, chairman of the Surat Thani Palm Growers Association, has discussed the matter with representatives of palm growers associations in seven southern provinces and plans to stage a rally against the palm import soon.

He noted that the purchasing price of palm nuts has already declined and believed that the import of crude palm oil, expected to begin next month, would drive the price down even further.

-- Tan Network 2012-03-20

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FLOOD IMPACT

Half of Saha Rattana Nakorn back in business

The Nation

AYUTTHAYA: -- Twenty four factories from total 46 operating in Saha Rattana Nakorn Industrial Estate have resumed operations allowing 9,000 workers to return to their work places, according to Ayutthaya governor Withaya Phiewphong.

Speaking while joining the re-opening ceremony of TS Tech (Thailand)’s plant, Withaya said that all the factories should resume operations within June. The 46 plants hire a total of 12,176 workers.

TS Tech is a supplier of seats and door panels for Honda Automobile (Thailand), which announced that it would resume operations on March 26.

Naraphot Tewthanom, deputy governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, said at the same occasion that none of investors, local and foreign, are relocating their factories elsewhere. He added that these investors show confidence towards the government’s water-management plan and the barriers around the industrial estate.

Saha Rattana Nakorn is one of 7 inundated industrial estates in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani. It houses plants mostly operating in the electrical and electronics, plastic, tannery and metal industries.

-- The Nation 2012-03-20

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Thailand Live Wednesday 21 Mar 2012