Thailand Live Wednesday 25 Apr 2012

[webfact]

Thailand Live Wednesday 25 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 Tuesday 24 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]

WHO hopeful drug-resistant malaria can be contained

Bangkok, April 25, 2012 (AFP) - The World Health Organisation said Tuesday it was optimistic drug-resistant malaria that has emerged along Thailand's borders with Cambodia and Myanmar could be contained within the region.

Full story:

[webfact]

Toshiba To Build New Chip Plant In Thailand

Full story:

[webfact]

POLITICS

Chuvit claims MPs 'voted for absent colleagues'

Outspoken MP Chuwit Kamolvisit claims this photo posted on YouTube shows an unidentified male MP voting with another MP

BANGKOK: -- A new parliamentary scandal broke yesterday as MPs from a large political party were accused of using their colleagues' electronic ID cards to vote during the charter amendment debate.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ent-colleagues/

[webfact]

Transgender's candidature a new first for provincial poll

MAYUREE SUKYINGCHAROENWONG

THE NATION

A beautiful transgender has caused a stir by registering as an election candidate for the Nan Provincial Administration Organisation.

BANGKOK: -- "I'm confident that my experience and ability will be useful in the development of Nan," Yonlada "Kirkkong" Suanyos, 30, said yesterday.

Full story:

[webfact]

CONTROVERSIAL POLL PROMISE

Computer tablets delivery could take nearly 3 years: Thai education ministry source

Chinese firm Shenzhen Scope says manufacturing capacity is 1,000 devices per day, not 20,000

BANGKOK: -- Thai students will likely have to wait longer than expected for their promised computer tablets, as the China-based provider can only produce around 1,000 per day, not 20,000 as it told Thai authorities previously, a source at the Education Ministry told The Nation yesterday.

Full story:

[webfact]

COLD PILLS

Largest order for cold pills came from Lamphun

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discovered that the largest order in the country for pseudoephedrine-based medication came from Sirivej Hospital in Lamphun's Muang district, Provincial Police Region 5 deputy chief said yesterday.

FDA is planning to file a police complaint against the hospital.

Meanwhile, Pol Maj-General Chamnan Ruadraew said investigation had found a link between the Chiang Mai Memorial Hospital and Sirivej Hospital, while police were looking to see if there was a link to the large number of medicine packages burned in Chiang Mai's San Kamphaeng district in February.

Police are also seeking an arrest warrant for another pharmaceutical salesperson believed to be linked to the previously arrested salesperson Mayuree Luangkreung.

Following an inspection on Monday, Sirivej Hospital's director Dr Chote Nisung said yesterday the hospital had ordered 670,000 pseudoephedrine tablets and 390,000 pseudoephedrine-based pills. However, he said, all but 100 of the pseudoephedrine pills had been returned.

However, he said, since only 3,000 of the pseudoephedrine-based pills were left in its inventory, the hospital itself would launch an investigation. He added that he had told the pharmacist in charge of dispensing drugs in the hospital to file a police complaint, and confirmed that he had not ordered any drugs since March 2011.

In related news, Phayao police chief Maj-General Damrongsak Kittiprapat said engineer Thanakit Wongjin, 40, who was allegedly involved in the smuggling of 40 tonnes of pseudoephedrine tablets from South Korea was nabbed on Sunday in Phayao's Mae Chai district. Police allegedly found 36 narcotics-producing equipment and 650 grams of pseudoephedrine at Thanakit's rented home in Pathum Thani's Lam Luk Ka district last October, and Phayao police will send him back to that province.

-- The Nation 2012-04-25

[webfact]

MYSTERIOUS DISEASE

Girl's skin infection identified

The Nation

CHACHOENGSAO: -- The six-year-old girl treated at Chachoengsao Hospital with purple spots on her legs that looked like a mysterious Vietnamese skin disease, in fact had a noncontagious autoimmune disease triggered by bacteria infection.

Public Health Ministry inspector general Dr Thavatchai Kamoltham yesterday said the girl was recovering from HenochSchonlein purpura, which can be found in 22 persons per 100,000, mostly among children aged 6. It had nothing to do with the far more serious skin disease in Vietnam and the public shouldn't panic.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Dr Malinee Sukvejvorakij, presiding over the launch yesterday of a veterinarian's mobile unit, said there had not been a death from rabies in Bangkok from June 2010 to March 2012. However, the city continued to detect rabid dogs and had vaccinated 378,048 of the animals.

The veterinarian's mobile unit can be contacted at 022487417 or www.vphbma.com

-- The Nation 2012-04-25

[webfact]

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Drug patent loophole raised

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Patients living with HIV/Aids, cancer and kidney disease have called on the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) to make it harder for drug makers to extend their patents, claiming the practice prevents poor patients from accessing life-saving medicines.

The move comes as the department drafts new guidelines for issuing drug patents. Pajchima Tanasanti, director-general of the department, said the DIP wants to hear the concerns of patients, as the issue concerns their ability to access drugs.

The guidelines for drug patent registration are expected to be complete in August. They will be based on the views of all parties involved, including patients, drug producers, academics and legal experts, Pajchima said.

Normally, registered patents provide 20 years of protection for a drug formula, and allow producers to quote prices as they see fit. However, patients have become concerned about so-called "evergreening", in which patent holders - typically large, multinational drug companies - can apply for new patents by making only minor changes to a drug formula.

The strategy allows them to keep an existing patent in play for much longer than intended.

Anan Muangmoonchai, vice president of the People Living with HIV/Aids Foundation, said many poor patients have died because they could not afford expensive drugs protected by patents for long periods.

The government should consider details of patent registration as drug producers may ask for new patents for old formulas that have undergone small adjustments, he said.

-- The Nation 2012-04-25

[webfact]

Moratorium on debts OK: Thai Govt stimulus measures

A picture taken recently shows cassava growers in many districts in Buriram has called the government for debt moratorium scheme to help ease their burden after facing with lowering cassava prices.

SMEs, diesel users get tax breaks too

BANGKOK: -- The government is pressing ahead with its populist policies, in particular a debt-moratorium package that was approved by the Cabinet yesterday.

Full story:

[webfact]

PRO-THAKSIN MOVEMENT

Red shirt leader Thida warns Thai govt on cosying up to 'elite'

Red leader says there could be negative consequences in disappointing supporters

BANGKOK: -- The leader of the red shirt movement yesterday warned the government of the negative consequences of trying to appease the elite while disappointing its red-shirt supporters.

Full story:

[webfact]

WHO raises alarm on resistance to malaria drug

THAILAND: -- The World Health Organisation (WHO) is calling on nations in the Mekong region to take urgent action to combat growing resistance to artemisinin - the frontline drug in the treatment of malaria.

Full story:

[webfact]

Four surrender over Songkran killing

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Four youths suspected of killing an 18yearold rival after a Songkran Festival in Bangkok's Silom area, turned themselves in to police yesterday, claiming they were threatened by the victim's group first, said a senior policeman.

City police chief Pol Lt General Winai Thongsong, said the four youngsters aged 1928, surrendered and confessed to the killing of Thanachit Thothong, 18, on April 15 in Yannawa district. Another six young people are still being sought for questioning. Winai was reporting on investigations into eight crimes during the 10day Songkran period.

He said two male drug suspects had been arrested in a police sting operation along with 86,740 ya ba tablets, one kilogram of crystal meth and a pistol along with bullets at a garment factory in Thon Buri district. Police seized the suspects' assets worth Bt2 million. The suspects said the drugs weren't theirs and belonged to a friend.

-- The Nation 2012-04-25

[webfact]

Man jumps to death from BTS

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A 43yearold man jumped off the Bangkok Bang Na BTS station to his death yesterday. Police suspect he committed suicide over his illness.

Following the suicide report at 10.05am, found the body of Pornchai Meesapwattana on the road beneath the station. His backpack was on the station's third floor platform on the Mor Chit route.

Station guards told police they saw the man crying and talking on a cell phone at a nearby bus stop before going to the station's third floor. When he saw nobody was around he dropped his bag, climbed the fence and jumped over.

Relatives told police he had suffered from mental illness for nine years, eight of which he spent under treatment at the Somdet Chaophraya Hospital before moving to Manarom Hospital.

-- The Nation 2012-04-25

[webfact]

Blinded bomber gets 35 years: Bumjaithai Party Headquarters 2010

BANGKOK: - A man blinded in his attempt to bomb the headquarters of the Bhumjaithai Party in 2010 was yesterday sentenced to 35 years in jail.

Full story:

[webfact]

Downstream Mekong residents rally against Xayaburi Dam

Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Residents from eight provinces along the Mekong River gathered yesterday outside the headquarters of the construction firm Ch Karnchang and Siam Commercial Bank to protest against the companies' role in the construction of the Xayaburi Dam in Laos.

Full story:

[webfact]

More banned items found in second raid on central prison

Krissana Thiwatsirikul

The Nation

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: -- A followup search has uncovered more banned items at the Nakhon Si Thammarat Central Prison and more than 600 inmates have tested positive to drug tests.

The surprise followup operation started Monday evening and finished at 2.30am yesterday.

During the search, 52 smart phones, more than 100grammes of crystal methamphetamine, and 50gm of raw opium were found.

The followup search was conducted alongside urine tests, which showed at least 655 inmates had abused drugs.

Nakhon Si Thammarat police chief Maj General Ronnapong Saikaeo said yesterday many of the smart phones found in the followup search were brandnew. He said it was clear these devices had been delivered to many inmates right after the surprise search on Sunday.

The surprise operation on Sunday had uncovered about 300 cell phones, some illicit drugs, and many weapons.

"Some prison officials have clearly supported drug traffickers who operated their network behind bars," Ronnapong complained yesterday.

He urged the Corrections Department to take action against these corrupt officials as well as inmates who had benefited from mutual ties with them.

Ronnapong said many inmates have used the ties to claim their status as wellbehaved prisoners - allowing them to stay on the list for a royal pardon.

Ronnapong said these corrupt officials should be fired and face legal prosecution.

He said after Sunday's surprise search at the Nakhon Si Thammarat Central Prison, many drugtrafficking operations in the South were disrupted.

"Clearly, they cannot arrange the delivery of illicit drugs and manage the financial transactions because the bigtime traffickers have lost their cell phones," Ronnapong pointed out.

Up to 14 officials at the Nakhon Si Thammarat Prison have now been barred from entering the inmate zones because of their suspected role in giving the banned items to inmates who can afford them.

An informed source said these 14 officials were now under huge stress.

Corrections Department directorgeneral Suchart Wongananchai yesterday vowed to take tough action against the guilty officials.

"If found guilty, they will be fired. They will face criminal proceedings and their assets will be seized too," he said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an operationlevel official at the Nakhon Si Thammarat Central Prison said some of his colleagues had taken considerable amounts of money from inmates for a long time.

"One official has bought a rubber plantation of more than 200 rai," he said. "Another has just bought a brandnew Fortuner vehicle".

The official lamented that with the corrupt network, more than 90 per cent of inmates at the prison had not been reformed into good persons.

"On the contrary, they have learned to excel in the criminal world here," the same official said, "Here, they will know where to get drugs and where to sell them in a larger volume".

-- The Nation 2012-04-25

[webfact]

Court asked to weigh constitutionality of lese majeste law

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Two defence lawyers handling the lese majeste case against Voice of Taksin editor Somyos Prueksakasemsuk will today petition the Constitution Court to rule whether the lese majeste law is constitutional or not - and request a suspension of the trial until the court makes a ruling.

Karom Polpornklang and Suwit Thongnuan argued that the penalty under lese majeste law is too harsh and undemocratic, as it is more severe than that for other civil defamation cases. With a maximum imprisonment term of 15 years under the lese majeste law, compared to three years for an ordinary defamation case, the current law is tantamount to placing the monarchy "above the constitution", the lawyers argued.

The lawyers urged in their petition letter that Thailand needs to bring itself in line with international standards, "otherwise [Thailand] will not be accepted among civilised nations, which would be detrimental…to the Thai justice system."

"We're doing this not just for Somyos but for others," Karom told reporters.

If the Constitution Court accepted the petition, it might take up to a year for a ruling and Somyos could end up in jail longer, as he has already been denied bail seven times and spent nearly a year under detention.

Somyos told The Nation yesterday that he has decided the petition is worth trying.

"It's for posterity. I'm just a scapegoat," said Somyos.

The trial yesterday heard from Tongthong Chandarangsu, permanent secretary to the PM's Office Ministry and a noted expert on royal affairs, testifying as a prosecution witness.

Tongthong told the court he thinks penalties under the current lese majeste law are too "severe and not proportionate" to the crime. Tongthong also pointed out that lese majeste penalties under an absolute monarchy were less severe than now, under a constitutional monarchy.

"The issue is the [severity of the] penalty, whether it's proportionate or not and how these cases processed. I offered my opinion at a public symposium that not just anyone should be able to file [lese majeste] charges, but they should also not be filed by any organisation under the Royal Household either. This would ensure that the principle of lese majeste law is not abused," Tongthong told the court.

Tongthong testified he believed the two articles in Voice of Taksin magazine, written under the pen name Jit Polachan, made negative references to the Chakri Dynasty, though he was not sure they could be interpreted as directly referring to HM the King.

Another prosecution witness, Bovorn Yasinthorn, leader of the Citizens Network to Protect the Monarchy, testified however that the two articles constituted an attack and defamation of HM the King.

-- The Nation 2012-04-25

[webfact]

Failed Phuket tsunami warning towers spark full test

A potentially catastrophic failure of the warning system has led Mr Chutichart to bypass the red tape and organize a full test of the system. Photo: Sampawat Wannasangkam

PHUKET: -- After two weeks of waiting for official requests to inspect tsunami warning towers that failed to sound the alarm on April 11, Chutichart Boonchuwit will bypass the bureaucratic hurdle and go ahead and have the towers tested anyway.

Full story:

[webfact]

Phuket Customs seize B21mn of illegal diesel

The two Taiwanese fishing boats, seized off Phuket, were internally modified to smuggle diesel in hidden gasoline tanks. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

Rakop Srisupa-at, director of the Royal Thai Customs Investigations and Suppression Bureau, symbolically pours some of the smuggled diesel. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Phuket Customsofficials have seized 47,000 liters of smuggled diesel hidden on board twoTaiwanese boats off the east coast of Phuket Sunday.

Full story:

[webfact]

Don Mueang train derailment rectified, normal service resumed; Bt160 million initial estimated damage /MCOT

[webfact]

Thai stock index opens on Wednesday at 1,202, up 2.14 points /MCOT

[webfact]

Phuket guard in coma after snake show shop arson attack

Kongpol Phanuek stands next to the window that the arsonist came through. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

The walls of the Phuket Healthy Nutriment shop were scorched by the fire started after the security guard was struck unconscious. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- A security guard at Phuket Healthy Nutriment and snake show remains unconscious in hospital after being knocked out by attackers and his workplace being set afire early Monday morning.

Full story:

[webfact]

EGAT: April-24 power consumption, new 5-year high

BANGKOK, 25 April 2012 (NNT) – Thailand's electricity consumption has hit a new high in 5 years on April 24th, according to the country's state power producer.

Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) Governor Sutat Patmasiriwat said that statistics showed the country’s power use has reached its peak of 25,551 megawatts at 2.30 pm of Tuesday.

The record has surpassed the previous peak of 25,178 megawatts, registered on April 20th of this year, according to Mr. Sutat.

The EGAT Governor added that the latest peak is also the highest in 5 years, mainly due to scorching heat in Thailand, which averaged 38.2 degrees Celsius.

However, he continued to ask the public to help conserve electricity by using only energy-efficient appliances and regularly perform maintenance on them.

-- NNT 2012-04-25

[webfact]

Railway service restored; Bt160 million initial estimated damage

BANGKOK, April 25 -- The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) early Wednesday cleared four oil tanker train bogies derailed Tuesday afternoon in Bangkok’s Don Mueang district, allowing northern and northeastern rail services to resume since 1am today.

Service to Ubon Ratchathani was the first train after the oil tankers were removed from blocking the railway. One track was to be temporarily used as the Bangkok bound track needed repairs.

The oil tanker carriages derailed at around 3pm Tuesday, blocking tracks and leaking 200,000 litres of crude oil in the immediate area. The 27-carriage train was en route from Phitsanulok to Bangkok to deliver oil to the Bangchak Petroleum refinery.

Bangchak and SRT workers were transferring the remaining oil into trucks for delivery to the refinery, with only two tanker carriages left to empty.

SRT officials said that when the oil was unloaded, the carriages would be pulled into the Bang Sue locomotive workshop and the damaged rail track would be repaired to resume the dual track operations normally, a procedure which was expected to be completed in two days.

The initial estimated damage was around Bt160 million. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-04-25

[webfact]

Earthquake Prevention Commission Established

BANGKOK: -- The National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission has set up an earthquake prevention commission, which is the first unit to receive updates from the National Disaster Warning Center.

National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission, or NTBC, secretary-general Thakorn Tantasit disclosed that an earthquake prevention commission has been established.

The group comprises of the NBTC secretary-general, the National Disaster Warning Center, three cell phone public operators, and all television and radio stations.

The commission will be in charge for all aspects regarding telecommunications and that it is ready to connect to all networks and temporary radio and television stations to inform residents about possible disasters.

The NTBC is also the first unit that receives updates from the National Disaster Warning Center and is able to carry out its operations immediately.

Regarding the warning procedures, the National Disaster Warning Center will inform the NTBC about the disaster, and the NTBC will inform the matter to the cellphone operators, who will further inform residents.

The information's will be validated for around five to ten minutes to ensure credibility and the time frame will be reduced in the future.

-- Tan Network 2012-04-25

[webfact]

Phuket boy, 12, home alone escapes as blaze engulfs slum

The blaze devoured two homes within minutes in the heart of Phuket’s poor Soi Kingkaew community in Rassada. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

Phuket firefighters took 20 minutes to extinguish the blaze. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- A 12-year-old home alone boy had a lucky escape from his house on Tuesday morning, as fire broke about in the poor Soi Kingkaew community in Rassada, north of Phuket Town, destroying two homes.

Full story:

[webfact]

Pheu Thai Party on Decline?

BANGKOK: -- Even though they were just local elections, the ruling Pheu Thai Party suffered humiliating defeats in the races for Pathum Thani Province's District 5 MP seat and the presidency of the provincial administration organization over the past weekend. The poll results are clear evidence of the government's declining popularity among voters.

Full story:

[webfact]

Two Pattani villagers killed in Narathiwat attack by presumed insurgents while driving pickup to Pattani market /MCOT