Thailand Live Thursday 31 May 2012

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DPM: Thailand will not impose trade barriers to prevent foreign competition

BANGKOK, 31 May 2012 (NNT) – The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance has stressed that Thailand will not be implementing any form of non-tariff barriers (NTB) to prevent market competition from its foreign rivals.

Full story:

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Pheu Thai MP Demands Apology from Opposition Lawmakers

BANGKOK: -- A Pheu Thai MP has demanded leaders of the Democrat Party to apologize to the house speaker for yesterday's commotion in order to maintain the good image of Thai politics.

Pheu Thai MP Paijit Sriworakhan of Nakhon Phanom Province, who is also the chairman of the committee on House affairs, has commented on yesterday's commotion, saying that he has never seen such a thing before in Thai politics and that the incident has severely damaged the image of the legislative branch.

Paijit said that it has not yet been decided on how to deal with what happened, while urging all sides to respect the rules and the parliamentary protocols.

He has also demanded the leaders of the Democrat Party to make an apology to maintain the Thai Parliament's good image.

In any case, Paijit was hoping that the disorder will not happen again and that the Democrat Party will be more effective in controlling their lawmakers.

Yesterday's commotion at the parliament is currently being examined.

-- Tan Network 2012-05-31

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WTO warns of Asian protectionism threat

BANGKOK, May 31, 2012 (AFP) - The head of the World Trade Organisation on Thursday warned against growing Asian protectionism and said the region would not escape the impact of economic woes across the globe.

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RETURN OF

Former Thai Rak Thai executives join Pheu Thai

Photo : Pramote Putthaisong

BANGKOK: -- Several former Thai Rak Thai executives applied for membership of the Pheu Thai Party Thursday, the first day after they exit the fiveyear political ban.

They started arriving at the Pheu Thai head office at 9:30 am.

The first group of former Thai Rak Thai executives who arrived included Warathep Ratanakorn, Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, Wichet Kasemthongsri, Virakarn Musigapong, Suporn Atthawong, Ladawal Wonsriwong, Sermsak Pongpanit and Wichit Plungsrikul.

Virakarn, formerly known as Vira and former chairman of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship, said he was willing to help any work of the party in any position.

He said he would not discuss now as to whether he would be given a Cabinet seat or not.

Virakarn said he was confident that his experience in coordination with the redshirt people would help increase stability for the government.

Warathep said former Thai Rak Thai executives would apply for Pheu Thai membership at each's convenience.

He said it would be up to the Pheu Thai to assign responsibilities for the former Thai Rak Thai executives. He said he believed the former executives would mainly help in the party's works instead of working in the Cabinet.

Wan Muhamad Noor said he had not been assigned to be charge of party's affairs in the deep South as reported yet. He said he would be willing to help the party any way he could.

-- The Nation 2012-05-31

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PM Orders Probe into Flood Compensation Delays

BANGKOK: -- The government has handed over the canal dredging project to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, while the prime minister has promised to look into the issue of how compensations have not reached flood victims yet.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday presided over a ceremony to conclude and hand over the government's canal dredging project to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, or BMA, at Sanamchai Canal in Bangkhuntien District of Bangkok, amid local residents and red-shirt supporters.

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister, General Yutthasak Sasiprapa, Defense Minister, Air Chief Marshal Sukampol Suwanthat, and Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, General Prayuth Chan-ocha.

The prime minister also greeted military officers working on the project and freed 1,199 fish in the canal.

In another matter, Yingluck insists that the government does not intend to avoid paying compensations to flood victims, but the process has experienced some delays.

She has promised to look into the problem in each affected province.

The prime minister has also instructed the BMA to keep waterways open and maintain embankments to brace for future flooding.

-- Tan Network 2012-05-31

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Police tighten Parliament security while PAD establish demonstration area in front of Parliament

BANGKOK, 31 May 2012 (NNT) – Police officers are tightening security around Parliament after the People's Alliance for Democracy set up a demonstration area in front of the Parliament building.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/559212-pad-vows-to-fight-reconciliation-bills-till-the-end/#entry5348245

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House meeting adjourned

BANGKOK: -- The House meeting was adjourned at 1 pm Thursday pending a discussion among the House speaker and chairs of 35 House standing panels as to whether the four reconciliation bills need to be first endorsed by the prime minister.

Deputy House Speaker Charoen Chankomol said the meeting would be adjourned pending a decision from the discussion.

House Speaker Somsak Kiartsuranon held the discussion after Democrat MPs said the bills were related to financial affairs and needed to be first endorsed by the prime minister

-- The Nation 2012-05-31

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Opposition Leader Adamant on Blocking Reconciliation Bills

BANGKOK: -- The leader of the opposition Democrat Party has vowed that he will be willing to put his party's reputation at stake to protest against the reconciliation bills.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/559304-opposition-leader-adamant-on-blocking-reconciliation-bills/#entry5348323

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RT@RichardBarrow: 1:40pm Latest picture of Yellow Shirts who seem to be wearing a variety of different colors - http://t.co/MXk8o9A7(Pic: @tin434)

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PM urges MPs to respect parliamentary rules; 35 House committee chairs still discussing if reconciliation bills could be classified as money-related /MCOT

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YALA: -- Two kindergartens closed after students found infected with disease

The Nation

Two kindergartens in Yala have been closed after their students were found infected with hand, foot and mouth disease, Dr Peerapong Paowanasutipaisit, director of Yala Hospital said Thursday.

The doctor said the hospital from May 23 until today has treated 28 students from the kindergartens in the province's Yala municipality and found they were infected with the disease.

"It is likely that the number is increasing. So we suggest to the two kindergartens where the disease was found to suspend the class to prevent the disease from spreading to the whole schools," the director said.

He did not reveal the names of the kindergartens. Of the 28, 25 children were of the first school while the rest were of the second one.

Closing the school will also facilitate officials concerned to visit the schools to inspect the places and seek the ways to cease the disease.

The director also recommend parents to monitor their children and if they have symptoms of the disease they should immediately bring their children to see the doctors.

-- The Nation 2012-05-31

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RT@RichardBarrow: 2:10pm Yellow Shirts at the gates to Parliament shouting "20 minutes" in a countdown to their demands http://t.co/8WcLu8gv TR @nikhon_

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RT @RichardBarrow: Sounds like they will allow 200 repres of the Yellow Shirts to enter the Parliament building, but only 50 at a time.

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Police may have a lead in Chinatown fetus case, more reports of crying baby noises

The six fetuses on display at Plabpachai Police Station. Photo: Moddum TV screenshot

BANGKOK: -- Police may have a lead in the case of six dead fetuses confiscated from a British-Taiwanese man in Bangkok’s Chinatown.

Full story:

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WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Surin confident protesters will not storm WEF

The Nation

File photo

BANGKOK: -- Asean Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan on Thursday is optimistic that the crowds protesting against the controversial reconciliation law will not storm the ongoing World Economic Forum in a repeat of the Asean Summit in Pattaya in 2009.

Full story:

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3 Budget Airlines to Return to Don Muang Airport

BANGKOK: -- The Airports of Thailand is in the process of negotiating with three low-cost airlines to move their operation back to Don Muang Airport in a bid to reduce congestion at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Full story:

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Democrats ask Senate to impeach House speaker

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Democrat and Rak Prathet Thai MPs Thursday submitted a motion to the Senate speaker, asking the upper chamber to impeach House Speaker and Parliament President Somsak Kiartsuranon as an MP.

The motion, which was signed by 127 MPs, alleged that Somsak had violated Article 125 and Article 143 of the Constitution while chairing the House meeting on Wednesday.

The motion was submitted to Senate Speaker Thiradej Meepian by Democrat deputy leader Thavorn Sennium and Rak Prathet Thai leader Chuwit Kamolvisit. The Senate speaker said he would proceed with the motion in line with the legal timeframe.

Thavorn alleged that Somsak failed to perform his duty as the head of the legislative branch without partisanship in line with Article 125.

Thavorn alleged that Somsak intentionally violated Article 125 by siding with the government.

He said Somsak also allegedly violated Article 143 by drawing his own conclusion that the four reconciliation bills were not related to financial affairs.

Somsak concluded during the House meeting on Wednesday that the four bills did not constitute laws related to the government's budget so the House could deliberate them without requiring the prime minister to endorse them first.

Thavorn pointed out that the reconciliation bills would actually affect the government's budget as the state might have to return Bt46 billion seized from former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thavorn said Somsak's behaviour had caused the opposition MPs to run out of patience and decide to seek Somsak's impeachment.

The Senate speaker will have to verify the signatures of the MPs and send the case to the National Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate.

If the NACC finds ground to suspect Somsak's wrongdoing, it will inform the Senate to consider impeaching him.

-- The Nation 2012-05-31

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SET index closed at 1141.5, up 2.87;Bt/USD31.70; GBP49.06; AUD30.79; EUR39.24; CAD30.70; HKD4.08; SGD24.55; JPY39.97

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BORDER VISIT

Tight security as Tak prepares for Suu Kyi visit

The Nation

File photo : Suu Kyi in Samut Sakhon on May 30.//Photo : Kititnun Rodsupan

TAK: -- Tak authorities have prepared tight security for the visit of Myanmar's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi who is scheduled to visit Mae La camp and a clinic for Burmese refugees in the province this Saturday.

Provincial police also are being assigned to provide safety for her and her team, as it is expected that a large number of Myanmar people will show up to greet her.

Security will also be tightened at the camp, which houses more than 40,000 Karens, an informed source said, adding that the security team will comprise territory defence volunteers.

Suu Kyi is visiting Thailand to attend World Economic Forum that will end on Friday and is taking the opportunity to visit the camp and the Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot district. The clinic, which is also known as Dr Cynthia's clinic after its founder Dr Cynthia Muang, serves as a community hospital in Tha Song Yang district and provides good quality healthcare to the refugee and migrant populations in the area.

Meanwhile Taweekit Jatucharoenkun, executive of TK Garment, which operates in Mae Sot district, said his firm and others would not prevent their workers, mostly Burmese, from receiving Suu Kyi on Saturday. However, he said that not all Myanmar workers would stop working on that day to see Suu Kyi.

To his knowledge, each factory would allow 20 to 30 workers to see Suu Kyi, who is adored and respected among migrants in the area.

Meanwhile Pol Col Yot Waneesorn, immigration police chief, said immigration at the border in Mae Sot district, which sees about 1,000 and 2,000 Myanmar people crossing the border daily, will be tight. He expected to see double the number of Myanmar people coming into the province to receive Suu Kyi.

-- The Nation 2012-05-31

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House panels' chairs decide reconciliation bills not financially-related draft law

The Nation

BANGKOK: - The meeting of the House speaker and standing House panel's chairs voted 22:1 to allow the House to deliberate the four reconciliation bills without endorsement from the prime minister.

After five hours of discussion, the meeting voted that the bills were not financially-related draft law.

Before the voting, Democrat MPs, who chair certain panels, staged a walkout, leaving only Shane Thuaugsuban in the meeting. Shane voted that the bills required endorsement from the prime minister before they could be deliberated.

-- The Nation 2012-05-31

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House votes to move 4 reconciliation bills to top Friday agenda

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The House of Representatives voted 272 to 2 to move the four reconciliation bills to top the meeting agenda so that they could be deliberated Friday morning.

An MP abstained and another was present but did not cast any type of the vote.

The four bills will be deliberated when the House convenes a meeting at 9:30 am Friday.

House Speaker Somsak Kiartsurasnon closed the meeting immediately after the voting.

During the vote, parliament policemen rushed out to surround the chairman's bench to prevent Democrat MPs from rushing in to attack the speaker.

Some Democrat MPs were seen throwing copies of documents and books at the House speaker while he was rushing out of the assembly hall after the meeting was closed.

-- The Nation 2012-05-31

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Pattaya Police arrest suspected German Drug Dealer in Central Pattaya

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....entral-pattaya/

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Video of the chaos at the end of Parliament today in Thailand

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to continue:

Thailand Live Friday 1 Jun 2012