Thailand Live Sunday 17 Jun 2012

[Lite Beer]

Government plans to increase tourism income to THB 2 trillion in 5 years

BANGKOK, 17 June 2012 (NNT) - The government has set a target to increase income from tourism to THB 2 trillion in 5 years in line with its announced policy. Director-General of the Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Mr. Suphon Sriphan, has called for integrated cooperation from all agencies to achieve the goal.

Mr. Suphon revealed that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was calling a meeting of units concerned this afternoon to discuss strategies to stimulate the tourism industry, the result of which will be forwarded to the mobile Cabinet meeting in Pattaya, Chon Buri, during June 18-19.

The measures include closer cooperation among stakeholders, expansion of runways at Suvarnabhumi Airport to meet a greater influx of tourists, promotion of the Phuket and Hat Yai airports as national gateways to receive overseas visitors, and encouraging members of the tourism industry to provide better service without taking advantage of consumers.

These measures have been conceived after a TAT survey showed that 70% of tourists traveling to the country are repeat visitors while the rest are one-time or new visitors.

-- NNT 2012-06-17

[Lite Beer]

Phuket Light Rail: All stop at feasibility studies

Phuket Gazette –

Kobkul Motana, the assistant director of the Bureau of Regional Transport and Traffic Promotion, told the Phuket governor that by law only the Thai government could conduct feasibility studies in projects such as the Phuket light rail. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/563194-phuket-light-rail-all-stop-at-feasibility-studies/#entry5398011

[Lite Beer]

Minister of commerce assured Thailand will remain major rice exporter

BANGKOK, 17 June 2012 (NNT) - Mr. Boonsong Teriyapirom, Minister of Commerce, was firm in stating that Thailand would not lose its place as the world’s number one exporter of rice. This assertion comes in the face of concern over the increasing prices of Thai rice. It is believed these rising prices may cause trade partners to import more rice from Vietnam and India. Thai rice, however, is of high quality and can be sold at a premium price, thus mitigating the fact that export numbers are down.

The price of Thai rice for export is higher than that during the same time period last year. The price is USD 100 higher, at USD 670 per ton. The minister of commerce is certain that export numbers will rise in the later half of the year. Export numbers have been affected by the Eurozone debt crisis, but rice is still a food staple, and has seen less of an impact.

In the past five months, Thailand has already exported 3.17 tons of rice, worth over USD 2 billion.

-- NNT 2012-06-17

[Lite Beer]

PM inspects Map Ta Phut to follow up plan resolving environmental impact, satisfied with evacuation drill ahead of cabinet meeting in Chon Buri

/MCOT

[Lite Beer]

158 Myanmar migrants hiding in forest in Tak's Mae Sot detained for illegal entry after Naresuan Task Force soldiers spent 2 days searching for them

/MCOT

[Lite Beer]

Somjai re-elected Phuket City Mayor

Phuket Gazette –

Somjai Suwansupana has been elected to her third successive term as Phuket City Mayor. Photo: Gazette file

Local residents count the votes for the Phuket City Municipality elections as they come in last night. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: The preliminary vote count inyesterday’s Phuket City Municipality elections show that SomjaiSuwansupana has been re-elected as Phuket City Mayor, with 11,477votes from the 15,786 voters who showed up at the polls.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/563242-somjai-re-elected-phuket-city-mayor/#entry5398661

[Lite Beer]

PM inspects Map Ta Phut industrial estate ahead of cabinet meeting

RAYONG, June 17 - Prime Minsiter Yingluck Shinawatra on Sunday visited the Map Ta Phut industrial estate in Rayong ahead of Tuesday’s cabinet meeting.

The prime minister observed an emergency evacuation drill at the Map Ta Phut industrial estate in the eastern province of Rayong to see the progress of an emergency response plan at the surveillance and environmental control centre after a fire at the compound of the BST Elastomers Co. on May 5.

The company is responsible for paying compensation to families of the deceased and those injured in the incident. It has sent mobile medical units to nearby communities and set up a 10-million-baht fund to help affected people as ordered by the prime minister.

The prime minister observed a drill of a mock fire incident in an oil tank in a storehouse. About 200 fire fighters and medical staff with 35 fire trucks managed to put out the fire and evacuated people in the simulation. The prime minister instructed the drill to be conducted periodically.

Ms Yingluck also ordered a flood prevention plan including evacuation of local residents and machinery movement to be added in the emergency plan and advised inspections in industrial plants which may not adhere to acceptable safety standard. She underscored environmental concerns to see whether Rayong province may become an example of proper environmental management in an industrial estate.

After meeting with agencies concerned, Ms Yingluck received a letter from representatives of the Eastern People Network, gathering at the Map Ta Phut industrial Estate. Several factions of the group submitted petitions, calling for the government to tackle problems on air pollution, industrial waste and industrial impacts on local fisheries.

The prime minister told them that the government understood their problems and were urgently addressing pollution in Rayong, encompassing a large number of industrial plants. She instructed the governor and the industrial minister to oversee the issue and report to her.

Ms Yingluck later travelled to the Royal Cliff Beach Resort in Pattaya to chair a workshop on driving policies to increase tourism income to 2 trillion baht within five years as well as another workshop to boost work efficiency of tourist police. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-06-17

[Lite Beer]

PM confident tourism income will reach Bt2 trillion within five years while chairing workshop on driving tourism policies in Chon Buri /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

The Fifth Mobile Cabinet Meeting in Chon Buri Province

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is making an inspection tour of Rayong and Chon Buri provinces before chairing the fifth mobile Cabinet meeting in Pattaya, Chon Buri province.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to begin the trip at 10:30 hr on Sunday, 17 June 2012 at the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate in Rayong before proceeding to the Royal Cliff Grand Hotel in Pattaya to chair a workshop on tourism.

At 10.00 hr on Monday, 18 June 2012, she will depart for the Laem Chabang Port in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province. At the port, Transport Minister Jarupong Ruangsuwan will present a briefing on logistics development to support connectivity between Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard and the Dawei deep-sea port and industrial estate in Myanmar.

Managing Director of the Laem Chabang Port, Chalermkeat Salakham, will present a plan on the development of the Laem Chabang Port. Then the Prime Minister will inspect the port before returning to the Royal Cliff Grand Hotel in Pattaya.

At 15.00 hr on the same day, the Prime Minister will chair a meeting of the Regional Joint Public/Private Sector Consultative Committee at the Orchid Ballroom, the Royal Cliff Grand Hotel.

Later, at 17.00 hr, she will hold a meeting with governors of the eastern cluster of provinces at the Jomtien 4 Room, Royal Cliff Grand Hotel. At 9.00 hr on Tuesday, 19 June 2012, Prime Minister Yingluck will chair the fifth mobile Cabinet meeting at the Grand Ballroom, the second floor, Royal Cliff Grand Hotel. Following the meeting, she will depart the hotel and is scheduled to arrive in Bangkok at 15.00 hr.

-- NNT 2012-06-17

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: Remember the Frenchman who had the bright idea of robbing a bank on a small island? Here are the re-enactment pics: http://t.co/w24B4ZSq

[webfact]

to continue:

Thailand Live Monday 18 Jun 2012