Thailand Live Monday 28 May 2012

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Thailand Live Monday 28 May 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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Thais happy to see King

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thai people who watched the live broadcast of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's visit to the people in Thung Makham Yong, Ayutthaya, on Friday expressed a happiness level as high as 9.59 out of 10 points, a survey by Assumption University's research centre found.

Meanwhile, almost 90 per cent of the respondents said they wanted political figures to solve the nation's problems using the Royal Development Projects as examples and guidelines.

Assumption University's Academic Network for Community Happiness Observation and Research's research director, Noppadon Kannika, said the level of happiness for people's loyalty for the monarchy was 9.25 and the happiness for the love and gratitude to the country was 9.21 points out of 10.

While the survey was conducted with 1,114 households nationwide, the indepth interview found most of the family members were tearful with joy to have seen His Majesty in good health, Noppadon said. Meanwhile, as a result of watching the programme, children in primary school level had developed their loyalty to the monarchy and accordingly felt their love for the country just as their parents, who joined watching the programme, had.

Noppadon said 93.4 per cent of the respondents said they hoped to see a peaceful and happy society under the King, 86 per cent said they expected harmony among the people and 80 per cent expected national unity.

As for what they expected from politicians, over 77 per cent of the respondents said they wanted politicians to stop quarrelling and almost 76 per cent said they wanted corruption eradicated.

-- The Nation 2012-05-28

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Pheu Thai faces hard decision on unity bill

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Party will meet today to discuss whether to put controversial draft at the top of parliamentary agenda

Full story:

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

'Time to scrap party-dissolution rule'

Chularat Saengpassa,

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Veteran Phoomtham Vejchayachai to file petition to axe severe ban on execs

BANGKKOK:-- Penalties under the Political Act which prescribe the dissolution of parties and the revocation of their executives' voting rights must be revoked, according to veteran politician Phoomtham Vejchayachai, a former executive of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai Party who was banned from politics for five years.

Full story:

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Lese majeste petition to Parliament

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A group of university lecturers will submit over 27,000 names of voters to Parliament tomorrow to sponsor a bill to prevent abuse of the lese majeste law.

The Campaign Committee for Amendment of Article 112 held a rally at Thammasat University yesterday after it had gathered enough names to table a bill to amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code.

Since January 15, 38,281 people had signed the petition to support the amendment bill, but the committee verified the names and found 27,296 were eligible. The Constitution allows at least 15,000 eligible voters to propose any laws on basic rights and state policies to Parliament.

The committee would go to Parliament tomorrow to submit the petition and the proposed bill to the Parliament president.

The Thammasat auditorium was filled with red-shirt supporters who back the Article 112 amendment. The demonstrators said they would band together until Article 112 is either annulled or rewritten to stop it from being manipulated as a political tool.

The group said in a statement issued yesterday that the lese majeste law was widely applied by politicians and political activists to silence their opponents. Cases of lese majeste increased dramatically after the military coup in 2006 polarised politics in the country. Many pro-coup politicians and activists used the law to gag their critics.

Many academics, writers and journalists were accused of breaking the law for their literary attacks on the establishment.

The case of Amphon "Akong" Tangnoppakul, who died recently in prison during his trial on lese majeste charges, drew sympathy and questions from the public over heavy-handed imposition of the law. Amphon was charged with lese majeste for sending an SMS allegedly defaming the monarchy from his mobile phone.

The elderly man denied the allegation, saying he did not even know how to send a text from a cellphone. The prosecution failed to prove clearly it was him who sent the message. Amphon was sentenced to 20 years and was declined bail during the trial before he died of cancer in prison early this month.

The lecturers and the bill proponents called for a reduction in jail terms for violations of Article 112 and a limit to the authority to indict someone on lese majeste charges to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary. The current law allows anybody to sue anyone whom they believed insulted the royal institution.

-- The Nation 2012-05-28

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Pheu Thai to file BTS complaint with DSI

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A Pheu Thai spokesman said yesterday he would file the BTS contract extension with the Department of Special Investigation for an inquiry.

Full story:

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REGIONAL INTEGRATION

Brewers get ready for launch of AEC

KWANCHAI RUNGFAPAISARN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Two local beer giants are spreading their wings to cash in on the Asean Economic Community, but some concerns have been raised, as Thailand will lose competitive advantage to other Asean members when the AEC is fully effected in 2015.

Full story:

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BMTA urges crackdown on transit

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority is pushing for harsher sentences for crimes against public transport, while police nabbed the former vocational student suspected of shooting the driver of a 131 bus.

Full story:

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Cabinet facing giant bills for health, roads

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Two budget requests have been put on the agenda for approval by the Cabinet tomorrow one a colossal amount of more than Bt157 billion from the National Health Security Office (NHSO) for free or lowcost treatment for holders of healthcare golden cards.

In the second, the Transport Ministry’s Department of Rural Roads is seeking Bt3.64 billion for repairs and maintenance of roads associated with royal projects for a five year period.

For the NHSO’s request, Bt155,666,287,200 is needed for treatment costs while another Bt1,672,025,400 is for management and administrative purposes. The Public Health Ministry, which would submit the request, said it was government policy to achieve better standards and services for the NHSO.

For road repairs and maintenance, the budget would be spent on roads linking many royal project sites and several royal research centres, mostly located in the North.

A budget plan has divided the works into three phases: from 20122014 for 24 roads covering 219 kilometres and needing Bt1,306 million; from 20142016 for 34 roads covering 390 km and needing Bt2,044 million, and in 2016 for 18 roads covering 76 km costing Bt296 million.

-- The Nation 2012-05-28

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OEC will promote reading skills in a move to boost IQ

The Nation

The Office of the Education Council (OEC) is planning to focus on children's reading skills to boost IQ levels as part of a sample project in six provinces.

Full story:

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Return of 111 won't break up party

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- While allocating Cabinet seats to some of the returning 111 banned politicians will not cause the Pheu Thai Party to break up, some MP defections are possible if the banned politicians are to run under the party banner in the next election, an opposition MP said.

Full story:

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London Olympics to give Thai food exports a boost

PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI

THE NATION

London

BANGKOK: -- Thailand is confident of exporting more than US$1.2 billion (Bt38 billion) worth of foods to the United Kingdom this year, as the Summer Olympic Games in London boost demand and economic growth despite the financial problems in Europe.

Full story:

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EC checks poll preparations

The Nation

CHIANG MAI: -- Somsak Suriyamongkol, a deputy secretary-general of the Election Commission, visited Chiang Mai yesterday to monitor advance voting for the July 2 by-election.

Somsak, who oversees the Political Party Affairs and Referendum Bureau, and officials inspected polling stations in San Kamphaeng and Doi Saket districts and Mae On subdistrict.

Since online registration was required for absentee voting, he predicted that up to 90 per cent of 490 eligible voters in Constituency 3 would show up and cast ballots.

At the sites, some voters had not pre-registered and were asked to come back on July 2.

Somsak expressed confidence about attendance for the July 2 by-election.

Considering the awareness of people from the publicity for local elections to select the president of the Provincial Administration Organisation and PAO councillors around the same time, the turnout could reach about 70 per cent, he said.

-- The Nation 2012-05-28

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Steroid vacation

EAMONN DUFF

PATTAYA: -- THERE'S something about the seedy Thai beachside town of Pattaya that keeps enticing Michael Dorn back - but it's not the sun, sea, sand or sex for which the resort is famous.

Full story:

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Thai stock index opens on Monday at 1,130.59, down 2.24 points /MCOT

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AOT airports ready for World Economic Forum on East Asia in May

BANGKOK, 28 May 2012 (NNT) - The Airports of Thailand (AOT) is preparing Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi International Airports to welcome world leaders and delegates attending the World Economic Forum on East Asia 2012.

Thailand will be the host country for the 2-day World Economic Forum on East Asia, which will be attended by leaders of all 10 ASEAN countries, as well as leaders of China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and India. The WEF will be held at the Shangri-La hotel in Bangkok from May 30th to June 1st .

More than 600 foreign delegates willl be attending the forum, utilizing both Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi Airports as gateways in and out of Thailand. Therefore, both airports have prepared all necessary security measures and facilities; closely collaborated under the advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Airport ambience and surrounding environment has been revamped, both inside and around the Passenger Terminals; for example, welcome booths in Arrival Halls, flower and plant decorations, among many others.

The AOT said its management and staff have placed great importance on the preparation of the airports for the upcoming Forum, as they are the “Gateways to Thailand". It added that all staff are to ensure that all delegates are welcomed with a great and memorable first impression of the country.

The WEF will be officially opened by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on May 31st.

-- NNT 2012-05-28

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Bay Area celebrates 75th birthday of iconic Golden Gate Bridge

SAN FRANCISCO: -- The Golden Gate Bridge got its chance to shine Sunday, with people around the Bay Area flocking to the iconic span to celebrate its 75th birthday.

Full story:

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Electrical appliance to see price increase in June

BANGKOK, 28 May 2012 (NNT) – Consumers may be forced to face a price increase of no less than 5% in electrical appliances from June onward given entrepreneurs inability to bear the burden of increased material and labour costs.

Chairman of the Electrical and Electronics Club under the Federation of Thai Industries, Mr. Supachai Suthipongchai has revealed that the prices of electrical appliances will see a gradual increase of 5% during the second half of the year in line with the higher initial cost of about 10%, caused by price increase of raw materials imported from abroad as well as the 300-baht minimum wage hike.

At present, electrical appliances manufacturers are attempting to control all initial costs to maintain the current product prices. However, they will be obliged to adjust product prices upward if the attempt fails.

Mr. Supachai pointed out that the price increase will vary according to the group of products. Retailers, such as Power Buy, have begun to receive requests to raise the prices, especially in the household appliance group; for instance, 5% increase for air conditioners, 5-7% for washing machines, and 3-5% for refrigerators.

Meanwhile, the electrical appliances market sees a 10% growth year-on-year during the first yearly quarter given the need to buy new electrical appliances to replace those damaged by the flood of 2011. The hot weather has also raised the sales figures of electric fans and air conditioners. Thus, it is expected that the electrical appliance market will see a 10% growth, worth 200 billion baht, this year.

-- NNT 2012-05-28

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Phuket worker hurt as tree crashes onto moving vehicle

Phuket Gazette

One of the passengers in the pickup suffered minor injuries when the storm conditions across Phuket yesterday sent a tree crashing onto the moving pickup truck on the Patong-Kamala road. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

The road from Patong to Kamala, along Phuket’s west coast, was closed to traffic for about one hour while workers removed the tree. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

PHUKET: A Phuket construction worker was injured late yesterday morning when a tree crashed down onto the cab of the pickup truck he was riding in on the coastal road from Patong to Kamala.

Full story:

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Pathum Thani residents block Lam Luk Ka Road, again, protesting flood compensation, demanding more fairness, causing heavy traffic jam /MCOT

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All northbound trains resume normal service schedules

LAMPHUN, May 28 -- All northbound trains resumed service Monday morning after being suspended since Saturday evening because of the derailment of an empty Chiang Mai-Bangkok train in the northern province of Lamphun.

Lamphun station chief Pichit Dokphut said that the derailed Nakhon Phing special express train between Chiang Mai and Bangkok has been successfully retrieved.

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) staff took two days to clear the seven derailed carriages and repair the track, he said. Northern train service between Lampang, Lamphun and Chiang Mai resumed normal operation at 9am this morning.

The Nakhon Phing special express train arrived at Lumphun train station at 9.30am and reached its terminus in Chiang Mai at 10am.

Other local rail services are operating normally now.

The SRT earlier mobilised staff from various stations to repair the tracks and retrieve the locomotive and seven carriages that derailed in a valley near the provincial seat some three kilometres before Nhong Lom Station.

The operation progressed slowly because of continuous rain and the accident happening in a valley which provided an obstacle for staff to access for work.

No one was wounded in the incident, as there were no passengers on the train when it derailed. The cause of the accident is being probed.

The SRT executive board ordered an investigation as derailments which have occurred at least three times this year could dampen passenger confidence in train services. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-05-28

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THAI-KHMER TIES

Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting gets underway

The Nation

Gen Sukampol

BANGKOK: -- Defence Minister Air Chief Marshal Sukampol Suwannathat left Thailand this morning for Cambodia to attend the 6th Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM).

Gen Sukampol led the Thai delegation, which included Permanent Secretary for Defence Gen Satien Permthongin and Gen Nipat Thonglek, director of the ministry’s office of policy and planning, to the regional meeting of defence ministers in Phnom Penh today and tomorrow.

The meeting, on the theme "Enhancing Asean Unity for a Harmonised and Secure Community", will be chaired by Cambodian Defence Minister Gen Tea Banh.

The Thai defence minister will hold bilateral talks with his counterparts from Indonesia, Myanmar and Malaysia.

Gen Sukampol, however, said that there will be no talks with Cambodia on the implementation of the orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the Preah Vihear dispute as the issue has nothing to do with the ASEAN ministerial meeting on regional security.

The ICJ last July ordered both Thailand and Cambodia to immediately withdraw military personnel present in the provisional demilitarised zone and refrain from any military presence within that zone, while urging both countries to work with ASEAN to reach an agreement allowing regional bloc observers to enter the disputed zone.

The ADMM was first held in Kuala Lumpur in 2006, allowing the ministers to exchange views on issues of security and with the aim of promoting mutual trust and confidence within the regional bloc.

-- The Nation 2012-05-28

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Criminal Court handed 2 years,6 months jail term to Surachai "sae Dan" Danwattananusorn,Red Siam Group core member,his 5th lese majeste charge /The Nation

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LESE MAJESTY LAW

Court to imprison red shirt leader

The Nation

File photo : Surachai

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Criminal Court ruled on Monday to sentence Surachai SeaDan, leader of the RedSiam Group, to 5 years in prison for contravening the lese majeste law, Article 112 of the penal code.

However, his term of sentence was reduced to 2 years and 6 months, due to his confession on May 10.

He asked the court to deliver its verdict and pass judgement as soon as possible. He confirmed that the government is currently offering the compensation scheme, which is a chance for him to seek the royal pardon.

-- The Nation 2012-05-28

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Myanmar president delays Thai trip amid Suu Kyi visit

BANGKOK, May 28, 2012 (AFP) - Myanmar's president has postponed this week's official visit to Thailand, where opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is set to arrive on her first foreign trip in two decades, Bangkok officials said Monday.

Full story:

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Commerce Ministry refutes claims of products overpricing

BANGKOK, 28 May 2012 (NNT) – The Commerce Permanent Secretary has insisted that the higher product prices at present are not inordinate, while expecting that the ready-to-eat meal price control scheme will be ready within two weeks.

Commerce Permanent Secretary Yanyong Phuangrach has disclosed that the recent 2-4% increase in product prices is the consequence of last year’s devastating flood combined with the poor economic situation at present. Thus, the Ministry is closely monitoring product prices from their origins to retail shops in order to prevent excessive pricing.

Meanwhile, Mr. Yanyong said that the price control scheme of ready-to-eat food should be finalized within the next two weeks. The plan will be discussed among the Subcommittee in charge of ready-to-eat meal prices before being submitted to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr. Kittiratt Na Ranong, for approval.

-- NNT 2012-05-28

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Lao prime minister Bangkok-bound

Vientiane - Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong would visit Bangkok this week to attend the World Economic Forum on East Asia, state media reported Monday.

Thongsing would attend the forum Thursday and Friday and thereafter pay an official visit to the kingdom Saturday and Sunday,the Vientiane Times said.

The prime minister’s participation at the meeting and his official visit are in response to an invitation from his Thai counterpart, Yingluck Shinawatra.

Hundreds of business leaders and policy makers were expected to attend the regional economic forum, including Myanmar democracyc ampaigner and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi

-- The Nation 2012-05-28

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AoT in full decoration for upcoming World Economic Forum

BANGKOK, 28 May 2012 (NNT)-The Airport of Thailand (AoT) is now in full preparation for the upcoming World Economic Forum on East Asia 2012 or ‘We Forum,’ to which Thailand will be playing host.

The 'We Forum' will kick off this Wednesday and conclude on Friday. The AoT has decorated Suvarnabhumi Airport with beautiful floral arrangements both in and outside of the passenger terminal.

Small gardens of plants and floral center pieces have been placed around the gates to create a pleasant atmosphere for foreign officials who will arrive in Thailand to participate in the economic forum.

‘We Forum’ banners and information have also been displayed on the express ways and appearing on the TV screen at the passenger check-in counters to promote the event.

-- NNT 2012-05-08

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Four companies of police to keep security at PAD rally

BANGKOK:-- The Metropolitan Police Bureau will deploy four companies of policemen to keep security when the People's Alliance for Democracy stages a rally outside Parliament on Wednesday.

Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Pol Maj Gen Methi Kusolsrang said he had been informed by the PAD that its demonstrators would start gathering at the Royal Plaza at 9 am before marching to Parliament.

The PAD would protest against a reconciliation bill, which is seen as an effort to whitewash wrongdoings of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

-- The Nation 2012-05-28