Thailand Live Tuesday 22 May 2012

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Transport Ministry: BKK-Chiang Mai high speed rail ready by 2018

BANGKOK, 22 May 2012 (NNT) – The Transport Minister has expressed confidence that the first high speed railway connecting Bangkok and Chiang Mai will be ready for service by 2018.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....sport-ministry/

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Thaksin a loyal friend of reds: Natthawut

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Agriculture Minister Natthawut Saikua on Tuesday criticised the Democrats for trying to drive a wedge between the red shirts and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

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RT @RichardBarrow: Wed 23 May, sees the re-opening of the remaining schools in BKK for start of new school year. Expect heavy traffic 6-8am

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4 provinces removed from drought list

BANGKOK, 22 May 2012 (NNT) - The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has announced that four provinces have been removed from the list of drought disaster zones.

DDPM Director-General Wiboon Sanguanpong said Phrae, Lamphun, Uttaradit, and Chanthaburi provinces are no longer drought-struck zones; leaving 47 provinces on the list, 28 of which are still facing severe drought with over 12 million suffering from the drought crisis.

Mr Wiboon stated that large reservoirs in the country are holding around 53 percent of their total capacity, which is less than what they contained during this period in 2011.

Large dams such as Bhumibol and Sirikit Dams are holding 47 and 49 percent of their total capacity respectively.

-- NNT 2012-05-22

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PM insists no political interference on removal of Piyasvasti

BANGKOK, 22 May 2012 (NNT) – The Prime Minister insisted that the government did not meddle in the Thai Airways Board of Directors’ decision to sack its President Piyasvasti Amranand.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/556733-thai-president-piyasvasti-gets-golden-handshake/page__st__25#entry5321896

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Deputy PM Yuttasak and army chief visit Narathiwat to be briefed on situation there /TAN_Network

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Railway police superintendant assures gambling den at Makkasan train station has been dissolved since February/TAN_Network

522 victims of political rallies to receive compensation from the state tomorrow/TAN_Network

Fire at Thepanom frozen storage behind Tai market causing damage of Bt100 mn/TAN_Network

Bombing in Raman, Yala injures 3; authorities assure security would be tightened for provincial Red Cross fair /TAN_Network

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Reds want amnesty for royal insult

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A group of 100 red shirts on Tuesday petitioned the government to grant amnesty for all inmates serving prison sentence for royal insult as per Article 112 of the Criminal Code.

"The government should complete the amnesty process by June 12," petitioner Anusorn Samithkul said.

Anusorn said the amnesty would prevent a repeat of the tragedy faced by lese majeste inmate Amphol Tangnoppakul who died of cancer in prison before he could file for a pardon.

Government House official Sangiam Samranrat accepted the petition on the government's behalf and promised to act on it in a speedy manner.

In March, some 8 lese majeste inmates, including Amphol, lodged their joint petition asking for the government's intervention to push for the pardon legislation. The eight decided to apply for pardon via the government rather than the King because they viewed their legal wrangling as politically-motivated.

-- The Nation 2012-05-22

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EXPORT

EU lifts chicken import ban for Thailand

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The European Union will terminate the 6-year import ban on fresh chicken and eggs from Thailand, starting from July 1.

Full story:

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RT @cnnbrk: SpaceX successfully launches first private spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, Florida, bound for the International Space Station

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New version of Thaivisa App for Android devices released, iPhone/iPad version also available.

Download it now: http://apps.thaivisa.com

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BBC: Body of climber missing on Mt Everest is spotted, bringing death toll from weekend to four, Nepali officials say bbc.in/Jt7sPl

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Schapelle Corby May Be Out Of Jail As Early As August

Full story:

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Students Continue Hunger Strike

BANGKOK: -- A number of high school students from Bodindecha School are continuing a hunger strike after the education minister said he will find other schools for them.

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Poll: 59 percent of Thais use pirated software

BANGKOK, 22 May 2012 (NNT) According to survey results by Business Software Alliance (BSA), over 59 percent of computer users in the kingdom admitted to using pirated software on a regular basis.

Full story:

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SET index closed at 1131.52, down 3.64; Bt/USD31.20; GBP49.16; AUD30.74; EUR39.76; CAD30.50; HKD4.01; SGD24.47; JPY38.93

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Dams Ready for Rainy Season

BANGKOK: -- The national power agency affirms that major dams under its management are ready to retain water during the present rainy season.

Governor of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand Sutat Patthamasiriwat said water in Bhumibol and Sirikit dam reservoirs is below 50 percent of their full capacity with the volume of discharged water at 20 million cubic meters a day and inflow at 10 million cubic meters a day.

Sutat said if the volume of rainwater during this rainy season does not exeed last year's, the dams should be capable to hold water through the season.

He said the recent 5.1-magnitude quake striking Myanmar and the tremor of 2.1 magnitude felt in Chiang Mai and Kanchanaburi had no impact on Srinakharin Dam located near the Thai-Burmese border.

The governor said power consumption has already grown eight percent this year, higher than the average growth of five or six percent due to economic recovery and hot weather.

-- Tan Network 2012-05-22

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Insurgents launch bomb attack in Yala ahead of Prayuth's visit

The Nation

YALA: -- Insurgents launched a bomb attack in Yala hours before Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha visited a school in this southern border province Tuesday.

Insurgents detonated a roadside home-made bomb at noon to ambush a unit of six troops traveling in an armoured personnel carrier to Ban Bueng Nam Sai School in Raman district.

No one was injured in the blast, which shattered the windshield of the APC.

The explosion occurred on the Talohalo-Kapho Road in Puramo village in Tambon Kero in Raman.

Police said the unit was travelling to the school to secure the area before Prayuth visited in the afternoon.

-- The Nation 2012-05-22

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Irrigation Dept Getting Ready for Possible Floods

BANGKOK: -- The Irrigation Department has approved an urgent budget of 11 million baht for immediate repairs of a sluice gate of Naresuan Dam before a new round of flooding hits.

The Naresuan Dam in Phrom Phiram District of Phitsanulok Province continues to raise its three sluice gates to 1.20 meters to speed up water discharge to help drought-stricken areas in the the Central Region.

As for the progress in repairs of a sluice gate that was swept away by torrents, the director of the Operation and Maintenance Division of the Phitsanulok Provincial Irrigation Office said the Irrigation Department has approved an urgent budget of 11 million baht for the immediate repairs.

The installation of the new gate is expected to be completed in three months before a possible new round of flooding to make the dam ready for effective water management during a flood situation.

-- Tan Network 2012-05-22

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to continue:

Thailand Live Wednesday 23 May 2012