Thailand Live Friday 20 Apr 2012

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Thailand Live Friday 20 April 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 Thursday 19 Apr 2012

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ELECTION CAMPAIGN'S PROMISE

Tablet project is in jeopardy: Thailand

Delay in signing of contract and Chinese firm's backtracking on commitments put deal in doubt

BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai government's ambitious but troubled plan to hand out computer tablets to nearly a million schoolchildren is in danger of collapsing because the Chinese suppliers are reportedly putting off the signing of the contract, sources told The Nation yesterday.

Full story:

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Prize-winning Thai teacher admits to plagiarism

SUPHAN BURI: -- A Suphan Buri-based teacher has been stripped of a Thailand Innovative Teachers Leadership Award after confessing that his prizewinning software project was stolen from students in another province.

Full story:

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'I was tagged, so I was just browsing': Thai Democrat Party MP Nutt

BANGKOK: -- Democrat Party MP Nutt Bantadtan, a son of former party leader Banyat, admits at a press conference yesterday that he accidentally viewed a pornographic pic during a parliamentary debate on Wednesday.

Full story:

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AFTERMATH

Wave of quake concern spreads across Thailand

BANGKOK: -- The recent quakes in Phuket sparked concerns across the country over potential future disasters.

Discussions on earthquake emergencyresponse and disaster-prevention plans have since been held in many provinces.

Full story:

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Bangkok Police Arrest Members Of Vietnamese Pickpocket Gang Led By Thai National

BANGKOK: -- A Thai woman and six Vietnam nationals have been arrested for up to 100 cases of theft at fairs and at tourist destinations.

Full story:

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Controversial transfer probed

The Nation

Panita

BANGKOK: -- Investigation into the controversial transfer of Social Development and Human Security Ministry's former permanent secretary Panita Kambhu na Ayutthaya, who faces allegations of misspending state funds, should be concluded early next month, PM's Office permanent secretary Thongthong Chandrangsu said yesterday.

Panita is now an adviser to the PM.

After the factfinding committee met yesterday, Thongthong, who is leading the investigation, said Panita had presented evidence that suggested that she had a different understanding of legal matters compared to the Office of the AuditorGeneral (OAG). Hence, he said, the committee would speak to OAG officials on April 30 before drawing a conclusion of the case in early May.

Meanwhile Panita said she would continue with her job, because she is confident that her abrupt transfer did not go in line with the prescribed procedure. She added that would also file a lawsuit if Social Development and Human Security Minister Santi Promphat did not revoke the transfer order in a month or two on grounds that the disciplinary probe did not go in line with the prescribed procedure because it had skipped the factfinding step.

-- The Nation 2012-04-20

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EDITORIAL

Insulting stunt doesn't help with reconciliation

BANGKOK: -- Provoking his opponents by singing a lewd song was an ill-advised move on the part of Thaksin Shinawatra when the country needs cool heads on both sides of the political divide

Full story:

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Former Thai PM Chavalit to lead people's movement

BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh plans to come out of political retirement to spearhead a grassroots campaign for a People's Assembly that would promote public control over sovereign resources, including the airwaves.

Full story:

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Reconciliation meant to 'absolve Thaksin'

BANGKOK: -- The government is preaching reconciliation, but that is just a smokescreen for whitewashing fugitive ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra and it will lead to deeper divisions, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday.

Full story:

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BURNING ISSUE

Citizen groups' rally may be a mere fizzle: Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- The yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has denied any links with a protest that is scheduled for tomorrow at the Army Club.

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Lese majeste witness downplays PAD links

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A prosecution witness in the lese majeste trial of Voice of Taksin magazine editor and key red shirt Somyos Prueksakasemsuk testified yesterday that two articles in the magazine allegedly defamatory to the monarchy could be construed as such if the reader is a royalist who - like himself - has "faith" in the monarchy.

Chawan Sae Lim, a 21-year-old law student at Thammasat University, said he was among three former student trainees at the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) who were asked to read the magazine and testify.

When cross-examined by defence lawyer Kamron Polpornkang, Chawan admitted to having joined People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) rallies in the past and having slept at rally sites on two occasions. The witness insisted, however, that he merely went there to learn about the PAD.

When pressed by the defence lawyer to describe the PAD's stance toward the red shirts, the witness told the court that the PAD sees the red shirts as being anti-monarchist.

On Wednesday, another prosecution witness testified that officials from some half a dozen organisations, including the National Security Council, the DSI, the police and the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, had met to discuss content in various media deemed offensive to the monarchy.

Somyos appeared in good spirits yesterday, although his hair is now mostly grey after almost a year in prison and seven bail rejections. Kamron said a verdict in the trial would likely be delivered by July. He said he hopes to make it clear to the court that while Somyos is the editor of the magazine, he did not write the articles.

One prosecution witness, who used to work with the magazine, earlier testified to the court that he believed the author of articles written under the pen name Ji Polachan is fugitive politician Jakrapob Penkair, although he admitted he had no proof to back up the claim.

-- The Nation 2012-04-20

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PM ends China tour with visit to flood centre

The Nation

BEIJING: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday wrapped up her visit to China with a lesson from the country's flood-management centre on how to handle inundations and droughts, followed by a trip on a high-speed train.

The flood centre was set up in 1950 to help agencies tasked with preventing floods across the nation. Its duties also include dealing with urban flooding and managing other disasters. The centre also has authority to control and adjust water levels in lakes.

Additionally, the centre has authority to allocate budgets for flood and drought management, according to a briefing given to Yingluck by a Chinese official.

After touring the centre, Yingluck took a high-speed train from Beijing to Tianjin, 140km from the capital.

Thailand and China plan to jointly develop a high-speed rail link between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

Yingluck concluded her visit to China with a visit to Tianjin's city planning museum, before leaving for Tokyo, where she will attend the Mekong-Japan summit.

Yingluck will be in Japan until tomorrow for the summit, where she will meet with leaders from Japan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Yingluck told reporters that Thailand would be a strategic partner with Japan in the sustainable development of the Mekong basin. She said she would emphasise the Kingdom's readiness to cooperate with Japan to develop infrastructure to handle natural disasters and facilitate transportation and connectivity in Asean. Japan could contribute in terms of financial and technical support to countries in the Mekong region for infrastructure development, she said.

Yingluck said she would examine Japan's railway system as well as local Japanese products to get ideas on how to develop rail transport in Thailand, and the Kingdom's One Tambon One Product scheme.

At the Mekong-Japan summit, leaders are scheduled to adopt the Tokyo Strategy for Mekong-Japan Cooperation as a master plan for cooperation and development over the next three years. Major components of the document include enhancement of connectivity in the Mekong region, joint development as well as human security and environmental sustainability.

-- The Nation 2012-04-20

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616 emergency cases over Songkran

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A total of 616 subscribers to healthcare schemes have received emergency medical care at hospitals during the Songkran period (April 1116), Social Security Office (SSO) deputy chief Dr Suradech Waleeitthikul said yesterday.

After the policy allowing subscribers of SSO, civil healthcare service and the "goldcard" universal healthcare scheme to seek emergency treatment at all hospitals was implemented on April 1, Suradech said there had been 187 accident cases and 429 had sought treatment for illnesses such as heart attacks and breathing problems.

He said some minor details, such as the misunderstanding about what can be done for the patients, will be discussed later. For instance, those in hospital for coronary heart disease could undergo an angioplasty at the same hospital where they had been made stable, unlike the current practice where the patient is moved to their subscribing hospital for further treatment.

-- The Nation 2012-04-20

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Govt seeks deal with Burma to import 200,000 workers

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- More than 200,000 Burmese workers could be hired to fill positions in Thailand under a direct statetostate agreement if the measure is approved at a bilateral meeting next month in Burma, an adviser to the Thai Labour Ministry said yesterday.

If the plan, which was drawn up to address a labour shortage in the Kingdom, is approved, the workers would be flown directly from Burma to Bangkok, as large numbers of workers are available in Burma's cities and are ready to be employed immediately, Anusorn Kraiwatnusorn said.

There are not enough labourers living in Burma's border provinces to meet the needs of Thai largescale employers, while processing citybased workers to enter Thailand through the border would be timeconsuming, inconvenient and expensive, he said.

Burmese Deputy Labour Minister Mynt Teng met with Thai Labour Minister Phadermchai Sasomsap on Wednesday to discuss the agenda of the meeting, to be held at an as yet unspecified location and time. New labour issues will be discussed in addition to existing arrangements, Anusorn said.

Burma has requested an extension of the identityverification period for Burmese nationals working in Thailand from an earlier deadline of June 14, Teng said, due to a delay in opening new verification centres in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Chiang Mai and Surat Thani. Anusorn said the centres should begin verification work next week.

The extension request - which would be submitted to a government committee on illegal migrant workers - was deemed necessary because the time left between next week and June 14 is insufficient to verify the nationalities of 851,830 foreign workers registered with Thai authorities, more than 540,000 of whom are Burmese. Only 33,604 Burmese and 103 Laotians have been verified. The likely date of the extended deadline has not been decided.

Teng asked the Thai ministry to add the following conditions to employment deals between Burmese workers and Thai bosses: that contracts could be revoked or ended prematurely after six months on mutual consent when Thai bosses abuse Burmese workers physically; the Thai employer dies or terminates the business; or the employer violates the Thai Labour Law.

Another problem in need of solving is that most Burmese workers flee their workplaces shortly before their fouryear work visas end, because they do not want to be sent back. A workingage range of between 2035 years should be officially designated and approved by the Thai government committee, Anusorn quoted Teng as saying.

Another problem was that an unfair situation is created when employers hire workers who have fled existing contracts or workplaces, because the new bosses do not face the cost burden of importing the Burmese worker. This burden, paid by the original employers to jobplacement companies, can involve a payment of up to Bt20,000 per head. An orientation session should be given to all Burmese workers to tell them that reapplying for a new job after fleeing was illegal, Anusorn said.

-- The Nation 2012-04-20

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Thai Health Ministry boosts medical workers' quake preparedness

BANGKOK: -- Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri yesterday instructed health officials in 22 provinces in earthquakeprone areas to stand by around the clock to provide emergency medical assistance in case of a disaster.

Full story:

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3.7 Million Thais Admit To Using Illegal Drugs: Survey

Full story:

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GURU SPEAK

Thailand's first currency futures set to launch

BANGKOK: -- The Thailand Futures Exchange (TFEX) plans to launch US dollar futures as another effective tool for investment this year.

Full story:

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The Band's Levon Helm Dies At 71

Full story:

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3.2 magnitude quake at Talang, Phuket at 2.43am; no damage reported /TANN

Parliament voted 346:134 to approve setting up of charter drafting assembly with 77 members elected and 22 appointed / TANN

Police arrested former child singer Howard Wang,recently embroiled in abortion scandal,at narcotics orgy after drug test /TANN

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Thai stock index opens on Friday at 1,184.06, down 1.28 points /MCOT

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Phuket gears up for opening of new bus terminal

PLTO chief Teerayut Prasertpol explained that buses will transfer passengers between the new Phuket bus terminal to the old one, which provides bus services to destinations across the island. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

Last-minute fittings are being installed at the new Phuket bus terminal before its soft opening on Saturday. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) is in the process of negotiating set fares for all forms of local transportation that will operate out of the new Phuket bus terminal in Rassada, which will open on Saturday.

Full story:

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Phuket opens 'village watch' earthquake monitoring center

Srisoonthorn Mayor Worawut Songyot and Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada presided over the opening of the earthquake monitoring center last night.

Local villagers turned out in force to launch the new 'village watch' earthquake monitoring center in central Phuket's Srisoonthorn subdistrict, which has been identified as the epicenter of the 4.3-Richter earthquake on Monday. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Srisoonthorn Municipality have set up an ‘earthquake monitoring center’ after discovering that Thalang was at the epicenter of the recent aftershocks that rattled Phuket.

Full story:

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Phuket fishmeal factory probe takes a twist

Phuket Gazette

Teerasak Tanphan (left), manager of the Saeng Aroon fishmeal factory, leads Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak on a tour of the facility. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

Sang Aroon Mr Teerasak (left) explained to Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet that the factory passed a Ministry of Industry inspection within the past month. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- Phuket officials investigating a complaint about foul smells emanating from a fishmeal factory this morning found little amiss – and now suspect that the complaint may be more about business than bad odors.

Full story:

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Constitution Court dismisses Pheu Thai's complaint against Democrat leader Abhisit and MP Warong for distributing govt's flood relief bags /TANN

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Fear of recurring earthquake stresses Phuket villagers

One of the villagers recounts to the medical team the sequence of events as Phuket earthquake rattled her home. The event has left many of the villagers in fear that a large-scale disaster is soon to follow. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- A team of mental health professionals yesterday visited villagers at Srisoonthorn Moo 2 to provide counselling after the 4.3-Richter earthquake struck fear into their hearts on Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....uket-villagers/

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Thai Police Probe Human Skulls Found in Fertilizer Bag

PATHUM THANI: -- Five human skulls have been found in a fertilizer bag left by Rangsit Canal in Pathum Thani Province.

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Over 60 aftershocks detected in Phuket

PHUKET, 20 April 2012 (NNT) – The Meteorological Department said over 60 aftershocks have been detected in Phuket while local officials have installed earthquake detectors in three spots in Talang District.

Residents in Talang District continue to report damage sustained by the earthquake and aftershocks. Over 100 people have filed the reports, which mostly involve cracks in their houses. Authorities will gather all of the complaints before forwarding it to the provincial administrative office to proceed with a repair process.

The Meteorological Department has so far reported over 60 aftershocks in Phuket after the 4.3-magnitude earthquake with the epicenter in Talang District rocked the province on April 16.

Meanwhile Phuket officials have installed three seismographs in the district, where the Khlong Marui fault lines pass through, to detect tremors.

An earthquake watch center has also been established to receive reports and inform people of emergency situations.

-- NNT 2012-04-20

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Officials Releasing Porn Picture During House Meeting to be Punished

BANGKOK: -- The secretary general of the House of Representatives affirmed that officials who released a pornographic picture on a giant projection screen during the parliamentary session will be punished since it disgraced the image of the Parliament.

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