Thailand Live Friday 4 May 2012

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Construction expert fears labor shortage in the future

BANGKOK, 4 May 2012 (NNT) – The Home Builder Association (HBA) has expressed its worries that the construction sector will face construction worker shortages in the future as higher percentage of people have become more educated.

Home Building Association President Patchara Tantayanyong said although the government has raised the minimum wage; the sector is still facing the problems of labor shortages. She explained that the population structure has changed drastically. There are now more senior citizens than in the past and young people are having higher education; as a consequence, fewer and fewer of them want to work as construction workers. She added the flood last year had also halted many construction projects forcing workers to go back to their hometowns to work on the farm or look for other jobs.

As for housing business this year, Ms Patchara said constructions of customized homes in Bangkok and its vicinities will expand by 15 percent as a result of the continuous demand. She added that housing prices will likely increase by 5-10 percent by the middle of the year on account of the minimum wage hike and construction material cost increase.

-- NNT 2012-05-04

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Samsung Galaxy S3 launched

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RT @tulsathit: Chalerm: Jatuporn's work rate and good look qualify him for a Cabinet post.

RT @tulsathit: Chalerm: Jatuporn and Nuttawut together will make Yingluck Cabinet click.

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Bangkok ranked as One of Asia’s 10 Greatest Street Food Cities

BANGKOK: -- The travel website www.cnngo.com recently ranked Thailand’s capital of Bangkok as one of Asia’s 10 greatest street food cities. The website proclaimed the city as a street food "heavyweight" due to its easily accessible choices of street food.

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[Lite Beer]

Thailand burns 34 tonnes of contraband drugs, worth Bt221 million

AYUTTHAYA, May 4 - Thai Public Health Ministry on Friday burned m 34 tonnes of illegal drugs, including pseudoephedrine-based drugs, valued at estimated Bt221 million (more than US$7.36 million).

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[Lite Beer]

SET index midday down 7.16 pts, 0.58 pct

Thai composite stocks index (SET) at midday Friday stood at 1,232.87, down 7.16 points, or

0.58 per cent in line with most regional shares amid Bt18.01 billion turnover.

Blue chip SET-50 index was at 866.50, down 6.25 points, or 0.72 per cent.

Top five active (value) stocks: CPALL (XD), KBANK, PTTGC, PTT, SCB.

-- The Nation 2012-05-04

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People urged to use more discretion when consuming media content

BANGKOK, 4 May 2012 (NNT) – With a rapid expansion of the media, people are urged to use more discretion when consuming the media content.

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on May 3rd, a seminar was held under the topic of 'New challenges of the media freedom'. As technology develops and expands communication channels, people have easier access to information.

Prime Minister’s Office Minister Niwattamrong Boonsongpaisan said currently more cable and satellite television channels have both good and bad sides. He explained that the good side is that they enable people to have better access to information, but, on the other hand, anyone can produce or abuse the information.

Viewers are, therefore, advised to use more discretion, and the media itself must also improve themselves to be able to compete in the tougher competition in both domestic and world stages.

-- NNT 2012-05-04

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Chiang Mai selected 24th best tourist destination city

CHIANG MAI:-- The northern city of Chiang Mai has been selected by the Trip Advisor web site as the 24th best tourist destination city in the world.

Chalermsak Suranan, the director or the Chiang Mai Office of Tourism Authority of Thailand, said Chiang Mai ha has become a fixture in the global tourism mat now because last year it was also selected as one of the top ten tourist destinations in the world by Lonely Planet.

According to the Chalermsak, the top five tourist destination in the world is London, New York, Rome, Paris, and San Francisco.

Siem Reap in Cambodia became the best Asian tourist destination city selected by Trip Advisor. It is the ninth city on the top 25 tourist destination cities in the world.

-- The Nation 2012-05-04

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Caltex cuts benzene, gasohol prices by Bt0.40/litre, effective Saturday, diesel prices unchanged /MCOT

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Chiang Mai to Host UNWTO Green Tourism Meeting in May

CHIANG MAI: -- The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has chosen Chiang Mai as the host of a Regional Conference on Green Tourism on 3-5 May 2012, which is being billed as a “warm-up” event in preparation for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in June.

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Thailand burns 34 tonnes of contraband drugs, worth Bt221 million

AYUTTHAYA, May 4 - Thai Public Health Ministry on Friday burned 34 tonnes of illegal drugs, including pseudoephedrine-based drugs, valued at estimated Bt221 million (more than US$7.36 million).

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'Ong Bak' Star Rings Wedding Bell

RATONG: -- 'Ong Bak' star Tony Ja has tied the knot with a hotel heiress at the Royal Navy Convention Hall.

Thai actor Tony Ja, who is best famous for his role in action-packed international blockbuster, Ong Bak, got married to Piyarat Chotwatananont, a daughter of the owner of a luxurious hotel in Rayong Province yesterday, after three years of dating.

The wedding reception was held at the Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall last night, with Sahamongkol Film owner Somsak Techarattanaprasert and veteran director Pratya Pinkaew being among distinguished guests.

The couple has not made their honeymoon plan yet, as the bride will be focusing on helping her father's business first, while the action star has to continue filming a sequel of Tom Yum Gung, or internationally known as the Protector.

The film is now 50 percent complete.

-- Tan Network 2012-05-04

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Assistant to Transport Minister Raises Question over BMA's Extension of BTS Concession

BANGKOK: -- An assistant to the Transport Minister has raised a question as to why the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has rushed to give a 30-year extension to the Bangkok Mass Transit System's concession.

Assistant to the Transport Minister Prapas Jongsanguan has raised his suspicion as to why the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration or BMA has decided to extend the Bangkok Mass Transit System or BTS's operating rights of the capital's sky train service to 30 years, even though there are still 17 years left on the current contract.

Prapas claimed that this is improper because the BMA could only initiate a bidding process once the current concession has reached its 18th year in order to ensure fair competition.

He has asked the BMA how it can be so sure that other firms cannot operate the sky train service more cost-efficiently than the BTS, as there are many sky train lines.

Prapas also inquired into whether the BMA has consulted the concession extension with the Interior Ministry, which also has a stake in the project.

Moreover, according to the land transportation regulations, the BMA must transfer the rights over all of its mass transit rail systems to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand or MRTA.

-- Tan Network 2012-05-04

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Ford Opens New Plant in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- The industry minister expresses confidence that Thailand is an important automaking base in the world after Ford Motor spent over 14 billion baht on the construction of a new plant in Thailand.

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Drought threatens eastern seaboard industrial estates: Thailand

BANGKOK, May 4 – In an attempt to avert a repetition of the 2005 drought crisis, the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) is closely monitoring the drought in the East, coordinating with concerned agencies to ensure adequate water supply for the eastern industrial estates, IEAT Governor Veerapong Chaiperm said on Friday.

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Supermoon to occur on May 6

BANGKOK, 4 May 2012 (NNT) - The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) revealed that the biggest full moon of the year, or a “supermoon”, will occur on May 6 at 10.34pm, local time.

Mr. Saran Poshyachinda, NARIT deputy director said a supermoon takes place when the moon hits its full phase while making the closest approach to Earth for the month, a lunar milestone known as perigee. This year the distance between the Earth and the Moon during the full moon is estimated at 356,953 kilometers.

He added that the phenomenon is scientifically termed as a “perigee moon.” Due to the oval shape of the Moon’s orbit, full moon varies in sizes. Full Moons that occur on the perigee side of the Moon’s orbit, unlike the farther side termed ‘Apogee’, generally appear bigger and brighter by 2-3%.

Mr. Saran pointed out that a perigee full Moon commonly entails extra-high perigean tides, which is a natural occurrence. The supermoon occurs approximately once a year on average and the last such coincidence fell on March 20, 2011, producing a full Moon that was measured at 356,577 kilometers away.

-- NNT 2012-05-04

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Samarn Pummakanchana, ex-deputy minister for transport, industry, health, 8 time MP, dies at 76 from coronary heart disease /MCOT

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SET index closed at 1227.41, down 12.62; Bt/USD30.84; GBP49.81; AUD31.51; EUR40.43; CAD31.03; HKD3.97; SGD24.69; JPY38.2

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Heavy rain and flash flood warning issued for North, Central, East, South from Meteorological Dept /TANN

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No lifeguards on beaches as Phuket enters surf danger season

The tourists are still visiting the beaches but swimming with no life-savers on patrol cover can be risky at this time of year. Photo: Chris Hudon

PHUKET: : -- As the southwest monsoon sets in and Phuket enters the most dangerous period for beach swimmers, the Phuket lifeguards have yet to return to their towers at popular tourist beaches along the west coast.

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Thailand Live Saturday 5 May 2012