Thailand Live Saturday 7 Apr 2012

[webfact]

Thailand Live Saturday 7 April 2012

News, Bits and Tweets

with webfact

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.

FOLLOW US:

You can also follow us on

- Twitter: http://twitter.com/georgebkk

- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ThaiVisaNews

- Google+: http://plus.google.com/116866638430460700577/

- Breaking News via SMS text messages to your mobile phone or handheld device

To subscribe dial *424010011 on AIS, One-2-Call, DTAC or True Move networks

14 days complementary subscription for Thaivisa members.

If you have questions about the Breaking News SMS service,

email: sms [at] thaivisa.com

________________________________________________________________________________

Thailand's current weather and forecasts: http://weather.thaivisa.com/

________________________________________________________________________________

Related topic: Thailand Live Friday 6 Apr 2012

[webfact]

THAIVISA CONNECT

Thaivisa Forum Apps for your mobile or tablet

"Thaivisa Connect" for iPhone, iPad and iPod:

iTunes App Store:

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

"Thaivisa Connect" for Android:

Android Market

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.quoord.tapatalkthaivisa.activity

OR

For QR code just go here with your desktop or mobile:

http://apps.thaivisa.com

[webfact]

Police chief orders tight security in capital

Female traffic police officers do a little jig at Ratchaprasong intersection as part of a campaign encouraging motorists to drive carefully during the Songkran period.

BANGKOK: --National police chief Pol General Priewphan Damapong sent an urgent fax to all relevant police bureaux to boost security and adopt aggressive measures to ensure safety in the capital during Songkran.

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

[webfact]

Sonthi says talk of him replacing Yingluck is 'nonsense'

Sonthi

BANGKOK: -- General Sonthi Boonyaratglin yesterday dismissed speculation that he would soon replace Yingluck Shinawatra as prime minister, with the blessing of ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ck-is-nonsense/

[webfact]

4 Bulgarians and 1 German involved in ATM Fraud, arrested by Pattaya Police

PATTAYA:--Four Bulgarians and a German accused of involvement in a multi-million Baht ATM card theft operation have been arrested by Pattaya Police.

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

[webfact]

Royal Order for Yingluck

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- His Majesty the King has bestowed the Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The official announcement was made on Friday, according to the Office of the Prime Minister.

The Order was established in 1861 by King Rama IV to acknowledge outstanding services to the Kingdom of Thailand by Thais including Royal Family members and government employees. Originally there was no sash, but this was added later by a decree from King Rama V. This Order consists of eight classes.

Last month, the prime minister was granted the Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand.

-- The Nation 2012-04-07

[webfact]

Abhisit in '2-for-1' offer

If Thaksin is not given amnesty, ex-PM and deputy would accept same fate

BANGKOK: -- Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has offered to disqualify himself and his former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban from any future amnesty if the same measure applies to ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, while other people involved in the political conflict are set free.

Full story:

[webfact]

Sukampol visits South, says Thaksin did not meet PULO leaders

Officials brought damaged cars out of the March 31 car bomb scene at Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel

BANGKOK:-- Defence Minister Air Chief Marshal Sukampol Suwannathat yesterday said it was not considered possible that fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had held secret talks with exiled insurgents abroad.

Full story:

[webfact]

SPECIAL REPORT

Meeting hears of professors' plight: Thailand

Many lecturers work extra hours to supplement their meagre salaries

BANGKOK: -- The sense of unease was palpable when some 200 employees from different state-supervised universities across the country met to air their problems at Chulalongkorn University last week.

Full story:

[webfact]

Higher petrol levy, LPG price hike in works to aid Oil Fund

Watcharapong Thongrung

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Energy Ministry is expected to require petrol retailers to contribute an additional Bt1 per litre to the Oil Fund, while it will raise the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for the transport sector to ease the burden on the fund.

A source at the ministry said the energy policy administration committee chaired by Energy Minister Arak Chonlatanon is expected on Tuesday to approve the increase in the LPG price in the transport sector by 75 satang a kilogram from the present Bt20.38.

The committee will also discuss the higher petrol-sales contribution to the Oil Fund, in line with the resolution of the National Energy Policy Council that the retailers gradually raise their contribution by Bt1 per litre per month since January 16 until it reaches Bt7.50 per litre. If approved at Tuesday's meeting, the petrol-sales contribution to the fund will total Bt2 per litre.

The National Energy Policy Council has approved borrowing by the Oil Fund of an additional Bt20 billion on top of earlier approval for Bt10 billion in borrowing.

-- The Nation 2012-04-07

[webfact]

WATCHDOG

Government should not mess with foreign exchange policy

Nophakhun Limsamarnphun

BANGKOK: -- The government should allow market forces to dictate the value of the Thai baht rather than asking the Bank of Thailand to excessively intervene in the foreign exchange market to weaken the unit.

Full story:

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Use the minimum wage rise to rethink strategy: Thai opinion

BANGKOK: -- With labour costs increasing, Thai companies need to start thinking innovatively in order to remain competitive as Asean integrates

Full story:

[webfact]

Workers collapse after chemical leak at factory

The Nation

PATHUM THANI: -- Dozens of workers at a factory in Pathum Thani province fainted yesterday morning and were rushed to hospital after inhaling a chemical gas that leaked from a machine.

Some of the 22 workers affected by the leak at the V R Washing company were discharged from Pathum Thani Hospital after they recovered.

Personnel manager Thassawan Wongkamsar said the leakage occurred when a truck carrying the chemical was transferring it to a storage tank. The worker in charge of the transfer mistakenly plugged the line into the wrong tank, causing the leak.

The factory, which had about 200 workers on shift at the time of the accident, immediately suspended operations and moved other workers out of the area.

Manager Thaweechoke Boonsawapark said the factory would from now insist on stricter measures when transferring chemicals and other substances to ensure safety of the workers and no recurrence of this accident.

-- The Nation 2012-04-07

[webfact]

Fireworksmaker charged after blast

The Nation

LAMPHUN: - Following an explosion late Thursday night at a fireworksmaker's home in Lamphun's Muang district, police yesterday filed charges of recklessness causing property damage, and of possessing explosives and making fireworks without permission, against Jamnian Nanthakard, 56.

No one was injured in the explosion, which could be felt within a 910km radius, damaged Jamnian's home and shattered windows and damaged roofs in 16 surrounding houses. Sympathetic neighbours set up a donation booth to collect money, clothes and commodity goods for Jamnian, who was released on bail yesterday. Jamnian said he made a living making fireworks for events and had placed 10 of them in storage for delivery to a customer yesterday(April 6) before going to bed, but a little before midnight Thursday the fireworks exploded.

-- The Nation 2012-04-07

[webfact]

TAT, tourism operators map out Hat Yai recovery

HAT YAI: -- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) officials yesterday met with tourism-industry representatives in Hat Yai to discuss in detail how to rebuild the sector in the wake of last week's car-bombings with the aim of getting it back on track within three months.

Full story:

[webfact]

DSI talks to hospital staff over drug order

The Nation

BURI RAM: -- Department of Special Investigation (DSI) officials yesterday went to Buri Ram's Nong Khee Hospital to interview the hospital director, pharmacists and medical staff after hospital pharmacist Sompong Triratha reportedly filed an order for 90,000 tablets and 1,500 bottles of cold medicine containing pseudoephedrine to sell at his private pharmacy.

Initial findings suggested the hospital wasn't involved with the pharmacist's alleged wrongdoing, and that Sompong may have used the hospital's name to obtain the medicine, which can be used in the production of narcotics and was recently banned. The DSI would check the details of Sompong's drug orders and distributions in 2010 and 2011.

The investigation resulted from the discovery that, in 2011, the hospital's cold medicine orders of 100,000 tablets and 3,000 bottles didn't match a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report showing that it had sent the hospital 190,000 tablets and 4,500 bottles.

Sompong was transferred to an inactive post at the Buri Ram Public Health Office, pending investigation results.

-- The Nation 2012-04-07

[webfact]

Rain over all regions from today-Monday; hail possible in Northeast /TANN

RT @RichardBarrow: This afternoon, 40,000 people expected to attend Korean concert at Rajamangala Stadium. Best to avoid Ramkhamgarng Rd. /TANN

[webfact]

RT @RichardBarrow: Reports coming in of a Bangkok-Chiang Mai night bus crashing into a truck in Lampang; 15 injured /via @191Thailand

Ruammitr Rd in Yala closed off for merit-making 7 days after car bomb attacks /TANN

[webfact]

Siem Reap governor quoted by Cambodian media as expecting 40,000 red-shirts to be meeting with Thaksin there during Songkran /TANN

[Lite Beer]

PM expressed condolences for bombings in South on her weekly TV show;officials told to speed up compensation,step up security for Songkran /TAN_Network

On her TV weekly programme, PM expresses sympathy for car bomb victims in Hat Yai, Yala; vows to provide good care, compensation /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: This weekend, last chance for you to go to the Book Fair at Queen Sirikit & Motor Show at Impact Muang Thong Thani

[Lite Beer]

FINANCIAL TIES

BOT's rep office in Beijing officially opened

The Nation

BEIJING:-- Bank of Thailand has officially opened its representative office in Beijing, China, to gain first-hand knowledge of economic and financial developments in the world's second largest economy.

The representative office, the third after the ones in New York and London which were opened in 1990 and 1993, respectively, also aims to strengthen cooperation and financial ties between Thailand and China over the long term.

The official opening ceremony on April 6 was presided over by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

"The increasingly important role of China to the Thai economy and financial system has brought about the need for broader and deeper understanding of the Chinese economy and a more proactive response from public agencies, including the Bank of Thailand, to seek a presence in China," said BOT Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul in his speech to Thai and Chinese guests attending a luncheon on the day.

Prasarn said that the event paid tribute to history of the friendship between China and Thailand that has spanned over 700 glorious years since the Tang Dynasty and the Sukhothai Era. To him, the long-standing relations provide a solid foundation that shaped the modern economic and financial relationships. China is now Thailand’s largest export destination and the second largest trading partner.

For more than 30 years, Thai businessmen have invested in China and now China is the fourth largest foreign investor in Thailand. While Bangkok Bank, Kasikornbank, and Krung Thai Bank are now operating in China; Bank of China and ICBC, the two largest Chinese banks, are already operating in Thailand. The relationship is strengthened through the Asean+3 framework, which paved way for the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation which pools resources within the region to safeguard against risks and volatilities, and the setting up of the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic and Research Office or AMRO to act as a surveillance unit for the region. The other achievement is the Executives’ Meeting of East Asia-Pacific Central Banks or EMEAP, which have helped develop the capital market in the region through the establishment of the Asian Bond Fund and many other initiatives.

While saying that the representative office is the first of an Asean nation in China, Prasarn noted that the office has fulfilled its objectives to further promote closer ties between the Bank of Thailand and the People's Bank of China, as well as other Chinese government agencies.

This is illustrated by the deepening financial cooperation between China and Thailand, following the conclusion of the bilateral local currency swap arrangements between both central banks during the visit of Vice President Xi Jinping to Thailand, he said.

The agreement provides for the exchange of respective local currency upto 70 billion yuan or Bt320 billion, to facilitate bilateral trade and investment.

"I believe this is a crucial role that the public sector can provide to give assurance to the private sector on the availability of their access to the yuan and the baht for their trade and investment needs," he said.

In addition, the Bank of Thailand received approval from the People's Bank of China and China Securities Regulatory Commission to participate in the interbank bond market and securities market here in China.

"Our investment would allow our asset allocation and diversification to better reflect the increasingly important role of the yuan in international monetary system," Prasarn noted.

-- The Nation 2012-04-07

[Lite Beer]

PM expresses worries on security during Songkran Festival, orders stepped up measures to ensure safety, intensify campaign on drink driving /MCOTT

[Lite Beer]

BANKING

Banks expected to report profitable first quarter

Sucheera Pinijparakarn

The Nation

BANGKOK:-- Net profit of the banking sector in the first quarter of this year is expected to register a rebound after dropping in the fourth quarter of 2011 because of the flood disaster, brokerage houses say.

Tisco Securities estimates the net profit of banking industry in the first quarter will rise by 18 per cent year on year and 68 per cent quarter on quarter thanks to a 13-per-cent rise in interest income and the lower corporate tax. The industry has normalised its loan loss provisions and had no special expenses as it did in the previous quarter.

However, lower interest rates have had an impact on net interest margin (NIM) and are expected to pressure the growth of net interest income.

Tisco Securities predicts that Kasikornbank will record the highest growth of net profit at 30 per cent, followed by Bangkok Bank at 24 per cent and Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) at 17 per cent.

Foreign investors are optimistic on the Thai economy, and economic figures suggest that the country has been able to recover from the flood crisis, including the quick recovery of domestic consumption and investment.

Tisco says the soft-loan scheme, the economic stimulus packages and the recent rise in the minimum daily wage would increase demand in the second half of the year, resulting in double-digit growth in lending.

Maybank Kim Eng Securities (Thailand) expects eight banks listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand excluding LH Bank will post a combined net profit of Bt37.48 billion for the first quarter, an increase of 92 per cent quarter on quarter, though up by just 1 per cent year on year. Four major banks - Bangkok Bank, KBank, Krung Thai Bank and SCB - are expected to see record profits.

Lower interest rates and higher financing costs are main two factors putting pressure on NIM of the banking industry. Non-interest income should expand by 17 per cent for the quarter in line with loan growth and financial transactions. Moreover, the reduction of corporate income tax to 23 per cent is beneficial to the bottom line.

Based on expected growth in gross domestic product of 5.2 per cent, the brokerage houses estimates lending this year will grow in all segments, driving overall lending growth of 13 per cent this year.

-- The Nation 2012-04-07

[webfact]

TRAVEL ADVISE

Suvarnabhumi Airport Urges Travelers To Check In 3-4 Hours Before Departure

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....fore-departure/

[webfact]

89-yr-old Nakhon Pathom man fainted while burning grass, fell into the fire and died /TANN

[webfact]

Rocks and Fire

DEEP-WATER SOLOING: Climbers from around the world plunge into the ocean after peeling off the unique overhang walls of Krabi. Photo: Jackie Duemler

KRABI: -- The world-class rock climbing walls in Railay Beach, Krabi across the bay from Phuket, will be the playground for seasoned and novice climbers alike at the Rock and Fire International Contest 2012 from April 28 to 29.

Full story:

[webfact]

Phuket Yacht Club will live on

OUT WITH THE OLD: PYC’s former base was an ideal environment for sailors of any standard

PHUKET: -- Phuket Yacht Club (PYC) officials recently announced that after nearly half a century based at Ao Yon Bay, circumstances have forced them to weigh anchor and move on.

Full story:

[webfact]

PM expresses sympathy for car bomb victims in Hat Yai, Yala

BANGKOK, April 7 --Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has expressd sympathy for car bomb victims in the southern province of Yala and Songkhla, vowing to provide full remedies and step up security measures to rebuild confidence among tourists.

The premier, on her weekly programme “Yingluck Government Meets the People," said she felt regret and would like to extend condolences to all the families who lost their loved ones and who were affected by the devastating car bombing incidents in Yala and Songkhla's Hat Yai district.

She said the government would take responsibility in taking care of the approximately 400 victims who wounded in the attacks.

Security agencies would step up security measures--particularly in public areas--as more police and military would be deployed to ensure safety of public and more cameras would be installed in the CCTV system network, she said.

The Transport Ministry would also apply strict security checks at public bus services and airports, said the premier.

The bombing at Hat Yai's Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel on April 1 killed three persons--including two Malaysians--and wounded over 350 tourists and shoppers, while two car bombings in Yala's provincial seat claimed 11 lives and wounded about 200 victims. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-04-07

[webfact]

Yuthasak rejects claim ex-PM Thaksin held secret talks with southern insurgency group

BANGKOK, April 7 -- Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapa on Saturday rejected a claim made by the opposition Democrat Party that fugitive ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has held secret talks with Thailand’s southern insurgency group.

Full story: