Thailand Live Friday 15 Jun 2012

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Thailand Live Friday 15 June 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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Related topic: Thailand Live Thursday 14 Jun 2012

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Flood crisis this year? We'll know by End-July

Anapat Deechuay

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Subcommittee chairman Royol Jitdon said yesterday that by the end of July relevant agencies would be able to determine the amount of water and rainfall for this wet season.

Full story:

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CRIME

Crackdown urged after 2 killed in student brawl

Saowanee Nimpanpayungwong,

Kwanhatai Malakarn

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The families of those killed in the shooting incident on Wednesday on Bangkok bus number 59 are calling on the authorities to take tougher measures and permanently close schools that are unable to control their students.

Full story:

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Foreigners 'skirting rules protecting rice businesses'

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation

S'pore firms 'exploiting loopholes'; Study: local competitiveness falling

BANGKOK: -- Farmers and traders stand to lose business as they face a serious challenge from many foreign firms, mainly Singaporean, which have set up rice-trading operations and plantations here under Asean seamless trade.

Full story:

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UEFA contract change urged on blackouts

WATCHIRANONT THONGTEP

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Satellite TV customers might be able to view live broadcasts of the Euro 2012 tournament if the Union of European Football Associations (Uefa) agrees to change its contract with GMM Grammy, which holds the broadcast rights in Thailand, to extend those rights to other satellite TV platforms.

Full story:

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Election alcohol ban in Phuket Town this weekend

Full story:

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Yongyuth leaves options open on stepping down

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit yesterday insisted he would leave his options open despite a call from Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva for him to step down.

Full story:

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MEDICAL WELFARE

Healthcare schemes may be merged

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

If plan goes ahead, people living with HIV/Aids can get treatment

The government will merge its three national schemes to provide medical treatment and services to people living with HIV/Aids from October 1 onward, so patients have access to the same drugs and treatment anywhere in the country.

Full story:

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Bangkok: Vietnamese kidnapper escapes during crime reenactment in Sai Mai

Full story:

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Algerian Arrested In Connection With Hotel Safe-Box Theft

Full story:

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EDITORIAL

U-Tapao decision must be debated in public forums

The Nation

US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, left, meets Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at Government House in Bangkok on June 5.

BANGKOK: -- With the US showing renewed interest in the Thai military base, discussion on its use must be transparent to reassure the public and our neighbours

Full story:

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Thaksin seeks answers on failed vote from Banharn

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Chart Thai Pattana Party chief adviser Banharn Silapa-archa has acknowledged that Thaksin Shinawatra called him after Tuesday's Parliament session, in which the legislature failed to vote on whether to comply with the Constitution Court's order to halt the third reading of the charter-change bill.

Full story:

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Prawase calls on Thaksin to help forge genuine reconciliation

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The reconciliation bill is unlikely to bring genuine reconciliation to Thailand, said National Reform Assembly chairman Prawase Wasi yesterday.

Full story:

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Unlicensed cabbies heed crackdown

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- During the eleven days of the "Taxi Overhaul" project (June 1-11), a total of 16,278 cabbies applied for a public transport licence, or 1,479 a day, compared to the usual rate of 20 applications per day, Land Transport Department chief Somchai Siriwattanachok said yesterday.

Full story:

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Ratchprasong-Pratunam skywalk plan

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A new BTS skywalk from the Ratchprasong intersection to Pratunam will be built soon and take around a year to complete, deputy Bangkok governor Theerachon Manomaiphibool said yesterday.

The new section will connect Gaysorn shopping centre and Platinum Fashion Mall, while the existing skywalk between Amarin Plaza and Gaysorn is being expanded in width.

The projects are paid for by business owners and will eventually be handed over to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Theerachon said.

Meanwhile, a controversial plan by the BMA to build a massive Bt15-billion skywalk could possibly be halted, as the current term of Bangkok governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra will end soon, the deputy governor said.

Many businesses have connected skywalks to BTS stations. Examples include Bitec, which is building a skywalk from the new Bang Na station. Others are Noble Development, MBK shopping centre and Major Cineplex Sukhumvit. More businesses along BTS routes will soon be invited to connect their premises and expand the BTS skywalk system.

BMA's controversial skywalk plan would have spanned 50 kilometres, but was met with opposition over the huge cost. Theerachon said that 70 per cent of the respondents in a BMA poll wanted it built, but it has been put on hold for now.

-- The Nation 2012-06-15

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Kids of poisoned parents get aid

The Nation

MAE HONG SON: -- Mae Hong Son governor Nareumol Palawat said yesterday that the province would provide aid to six orphans whose parents died after eating poisonous mushrooms and left behind some Bt100,000 in medical bills.

Nine Sop Moei district residents succumbed after eating deadly mushrooms late last month. Nareumol said that state offices had gathered some Bt100,000 to give to the district chief and local administration organisation to pay the debts of the deceased.

The province would send the six Thai-Karen children to study at the Suksa Songkhro School (Wat Don Chan) in Chiang Mai, pending discussion with the children's relatives, while also providing a scholarship until graduation for one six-year-old girl among the orphans, she added.

-- The Nation 2012-06-15

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Vaccine trial results due in Sept

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A team of health experts who conducted a trial to test the efficacy of dengue fever vaccine expects to reveal the final result of the trial by September.

Full story:

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Thailand, Myanmar fight human trafficking

Thanapat Kitjakosol

The Nation

Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI: -- Thailand and Myanmar's joint effort to tackle human-trafficking is continuing with Yangon establishing more anti-human trafficking centres along border towns such as Myawaddy and Koh Song.

Full story:

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Phuket officials ramp up 'child protection' campaign

Phuket Gazette

A civil defense volunteer questions youngsters dining at a 'baraku' (water pipe) bar in Phuket Town. Photo: Phuket Semarak Center

A group of detained youngsters face more questions from officials. Photo: Phuket Semarak Center

PHUKET: -- A series of raids netting underage youths working at entertainment venues in Phuket Town has prompted Phuket authorities to ramp up their child protection campaign.

Full story:

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Phuket police take chainsaws to drug problem

Phuket Gazette

CHAINSAW MASSACRE: Police cut down several large kratom trees in Phuket Town. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

The trees were loaded into a pickup truck and taken to the Crime Suppression Division Phuket office. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Chainsaw-wielding police took a cut out of the drug-supply in Phuket on yesterday, bringing down several enormous kratom trees on Luang Poh Road.

Full story:

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RT @mpoppel: BREAKING -- Strong earthquake hits south of Davao Oriental in the Philippines - preliminary

RT @mpoppel: Preliminary estimates for Philippines quake are between 6.0 and 6.3

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RT @RichardBarrow: 8:42am RT @miguelmrqs: Airport Link has technical problem & they’re advising everyone going to Suvarnabhumi to take taxi

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RT @mpoppel: BREAKING -- Microsoft to acquire business-software Yammer Inc. for more than $1 billion, WSJ reports

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Phuket Airport security on the agenda

Phuket Gazette

Under the proposed security upgrade, people living near Phuket International Airport would be issued passes so they could access the road that runs parallel to the runway. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada expressed his concern that if anything ‘bad’ should happen at the airport, the island’s economy would suffer. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- The fence running along the perimeter of Phuket International Airport does not provide adequate security, Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada told a meeting of about 20 officials this morning.

Full story:

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Phuket assault victim left for dead at garbage tip

Phuket Gazette

Phuket Kusoldharm Foundation workers who rushed Mr Wichai to hospital described his condition as critical. Photo: Thavit Bilabdullar

PHUKET: -- Phuket Police have launched an investigation after a man with severe head injuries was found, apparently left for dead, at a garbage tip before dawn yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....at-garbage-tip/

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Thai stock index opens on Friday at 1,161.31, up 8.30 points /MCOT

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NEWS UPDATE: Phuket Police to order DNA confirmation of Joshua Shane's body

Phuket Gazette'

A woman contemplates entering the surf in front of Loma Park at Patong Beach, where Joshua Shane's body was pulled ashore this afternoon. Photo: Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai

PHUKET: -- Phuket Police will ask the Central Institute of Forensic Science in Bangkok to conduct DNA tests to confirm that the body recovered off Patong Beach yesterday afternoon is that of missing American student Joshua Shane.

Full story:

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Ombudsman finds appointment of Nalini and Natthawut grey area

BANGKOK, 14 June 2012 (NNT) - The Office of the Ombudsman of Thailand has concluded that the prime minister must be responsible should problems arise from the appointment of PM's Office Minister Nalini Thawisin while planning to ask Parliament to inspect the qualifications of Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Natthawut Saikua.

Full story:

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UTCC: Thailand still attractive to foreign entrepreneurs

BANGKOK, 15 June 2012 (NNT) – The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) has reported that foreign entrepreneurs view Thailand as an attractive investment destination, while pointing out that political conflicts and corruption are less worrying problems for the country in comparison with the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

UTCC’s Brand Studies and Research Center Director Mana Khuntharaporn announced the results of a survey on the image of Thailand in the perspectives of foreign businessmen, investors and press. The study found that Thailand is still an attractive country to invest in thanks to its friendly and warm culture.

However, the country must quickly solve the problems of political conflicts and corruption, which have rendered it weaker than it ASEAN companions, especially Singapore. If Thailand is to become the most attractive investment destination in the region, the country must rush to deal with its pending problems.

Meanwhile, Thailand must speed up the development of the English language skills among its population nationwide, as English is, at present, mostly concentrated in Bangkok.

-- NNT 2012-06-15