Thailand Live Friday 22 Jun 2012

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Thailand Live Friday 22 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 21 Jun 2012

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NASA to withdraw U-Tapao plan if no answer from Thailand by June 26: Surapong

Full story:

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KMIT researcher backs Nasa weather mission

Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

Lecturer insists no hidden agenda by US; says 'eminent scientists involved in project will not stake reputations'

BANGKOK: -- Nasa's mission to study weather in the Southeast Asia region has nothing to cause worries about security. It is purely science, a Thai researcher told Nation Multimedia Group of publications yesterday.

Full story:

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Gender inequality still a problem among police cadets, say female students

Tossaporn Wongwaikolayoot

The Nation

The less tough physical training has not made male police cadets happy and has led to anti-female cadet feeling in the school.

BANGKOK: -- The Royal Police Cadet School is proud of a recent workshop it conducted on ending violence against women in the community.

Full story:

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TAT: Bangkok named the 3rd-top destination in the world

Full story:

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Ayutthaya 'will be submerged again'

Pongphon Sarnsamak

Experts warn that blocking water will only submerge several provinces

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok, Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi should not be affected too badly by floods this year because enough dykes and embankments have been built to protect them, though Ayutthaya will be under more than 3 metres of water, experts said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....umberged-again/

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Foreign Minister denied visiting US to get entry visa for Mr. Thaksin

Full story:

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Off-duty cop accused of Phuket street killing gets bail

Full story:

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SPECIAL REPORT

Red shirts reclaim 1932 coup anniversary to advance cause

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- As Sunday's 80th anniversary of the June 24, 1932 coup approaches, Thai society has seen a steady revival of interest - especially among red shirts - in the day that marked the end of absolute monarchy, and whose date served as Thai National Day for two decades.

Full story:

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ECONOMY

Govt warned over surge in public debt

WICHIT CHAITRONG

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The government must address the rising level of public debt and cut populist spending to free up funding for investment in infrastructure projects, participants in a seminar said.

Full story:

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TRCT calls for reform of justice system

Tossaporn Wongwaikolayoot

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT) has presented its research, suggesting ways to achieve reconciliation by reforming the justice process, especially amending the Constitution and criminal law, which is the cause of inequality and conflict in Thailand.

Yesterday, the TRCT arranged a second presentation on the roots of the current conflict, which pointed out some important issues that need to be fixed immediately. It concluded that one reason for political conflict in Thailand for the past five years has been the justice process, which has not been independent and was vulnerable to political intervention.

Reforming the justice system would bring back social trust, which is one of the most important factors for reconciliation.

Asst Prof Pokpong Srisanit, the representative of the justice reform issue, said there are some articles in the Constitution that need to be amended. For example, Article 237 of the penal code, which allowed the Court to dissolve a political party and impose a five-year ban on all its executives if found guilty of electoral fraud. He said that this goes against political rights and is too severe.

"The court should only impose a political ban on the party's leader or the guilty one, not the whole set of leaders," Pokpong said.

He also said that Thailand should have a law to control public assembly as nowadays, protesters go over the limit.

Moreover, criminal law is being misused and it has become a political tool to defame the opposition. Pokpong was referring to articles 157 and 112 of the Criminal Code.

Article 157 allows the sentencing of an official who wrongfully exercises or does not exercise any of his functions and Article 112 sentences whoever threatens or defames the Royal institution.

The research suggested that these two articles should be amended. It should only be the prosecutor who files the complaint, instead of anyone under the current law.

"In many cases, the criminal code is used with the wrong objective; it is supposed to be for social benefit. But now it's being used for personal benefit," Pokpong said.

The research also mentioned the Reconciliation Bill, which is in the parliamentary process. Pokpong said the bill process was rushed and would not bring real harmony as the real reconciliation process still needs to find the truth, provide compensation and enact measures to prevent violence in future.

The proposed Reconciliation Bill does not include these processes.

Surakiart Sathirathai, a former deputy prime minister in the Thaksin government, was invited to comment on the research. He agreed with the TRCT's conclusion as he thinks that the reconciliation should start with participation in society, not in Parliament.

He suggested that the process needs two forums - the public deliberation, and those effecting the deliberation before passing the common denominator to implement it in the Parliament.

"Personally, I feel strange that the House brought up the Reconciliation Bill as the House always has the mood of conflict."

-- The Nation 2012-06-22

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EDITORIAL

Another slap in the face for Thai law enforcement

The Nation

As with a host of other issues, the govt isn't doing enough to combat human trafficking, thus bringing more unwanted publicity to our failings

BANGKOK: -- Thailand has again been put on a Trafficking in Persons (TIP) watchlist by the US government. This is Washington's diplomatic tool to "encourage" other countries to tackle the problem of human trafficking. The listing is bad news for Thailand because it shows that the government is not doing enough to bring this issue to a proper conclusion. After all, Thailand has been on the Tier 2 watchlist for three consecutive years.

Full story:

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2009 influenza H1N1 under control in Thailand's northeast

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, June 22 - The 2009 influenza H1N1 situation is now under control and no more patients have been found affected with the virus, according to Nakhon Ratchasima Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital deputy director Dr Norachart Ratanachata.

Forty-one people were confirmed Wednesday as being infected with 2009 influenza H1N1 in this northeastern province. Most of them have improved conditions, he said

The patients were given Tamiflu, a drug for the treatment of flu infections including bird flu, and have been under quarantine for 14 days.

About one-third of the hospital's staff (out of 350) have already received an injection for flu prevention. Anybody with a temperature higher than 38 degrees will be sent for a thorough and immediate medical checkup.

Meanwhile, Dr Lalitya Kongkam, deputy director of Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, said the 41 patients at the other hospital have responded well to the Tamiflu treatment.

However, one patient was sent to her hospital on Wednesday, for the patient suffered from alcoholism and was also infected with H1N1 influenza, causing blood in his abdomen. She affirmed the blood symptom did not result from the influenza. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-06-22

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Police officers to teach at vocational schools

Kwanhatai Malaikarn,

Noppadon Sritaweekas

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Education Ministry is planning to have police officers conduct some classes at vocational schools in order to prevent brawls between students.

Full story:

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Cheating suspect surrenders

The Nation

LAMPANG: -- The brotherinlaw of a Lampang politician surrendered to police yesterday in order to defend himself against allegations that he was involved in the police entrance exam cheating gang.

Accompanied by a lawyer, Chiang Mai restaurant owner Prapat Muangmul, 47, who faces an arrest warrant over public fraud charges, surrendered to Lampang provincial police chief Pol MajGeneral Pornchai Pakpongsri and superintendent Pol Colonel Thanakorn Khumwong.

Prapat, and politician Dachai Uchukosonkan, were implicated by the six suspects arrested in Nakhon Ratchasima after applicants taking the entrance exams were found wearing vibrating devices to help them cheat.

During the initial interrogation, Prapat denied any wrongdoing and insisted that he had nothing to do with the gang, adding that he had surrendered to show his sincerity and innocence.

-- The Nation 2012-06-22

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Udon Hospital execs 'in coldpill scam'

Piyanuch Thamnukasetchai,

Somjit Rungjamrasrassamee

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation yesterday referred five Udon Thani Hospital executives to the National AntiCorruption Commission and the Public Sector AntiCorruption Commission after it found evidence that they had siphoned off cold medicine containing pseudoephedrine, a methamphetamine precursor.

Tarit Pengdith, DSI directorgeneral, said that over 201012, the five executives had placed 129 orders for a total of 7.87 million pseudoephedrine tablets worth Bt12 million. As most of the cold remedies were supposed to be distributed to 28 tambonlevel heath promotion hospitals, investigators found that the Udon Thani tambonlevel heath promotion hospitals over the period had only sought 600,000 pills and used about 300,000.

The DSI also submitted to the NACC and PACC the case of Sakkosin Sutsonthi, a pharmacist at Nong Bua Lamphu's Na Klang Hospital, who allegedly forged the hospital director's signature to buy 100,000 tablets of cold medicine and then gave the medicine to Naramol Musawat and accomplices.

A source said the DSI would summon Dr Chote Nisung, director of Lamphun's Sirivej Hospital, to hear the charges against him on July 1. DSI investigators had found Chote was involved in the unusually large purchase of pseudoephedrinebased cold medicine, in which the hospital 's pharmacist Hathairat Chaiyawan reportedly forged the drug purchase and dispenser forms.

The DSI had earlier submitted to NACC and PACC the case report on Saroj Jaimuk, director of Uttaradit's Thong Saen Khan Hospital, and sought arrest warrants for Theerapong Eiumon, a pharmacist at Thong Saen Khan Hospital, and Somchai Saekhow, a pharmacist at Udon Thani Hospital.

Also yesterday, Pongthep Buasab, a customs officer in Tak's Mae Sot district, and the 4th Infantry Regiment presented three suspects - Pairat Sinthao, 35, Chid Orthorlan, 35, and Pairin Kaewprasert, 32 - together with packs containing 300,000 Actifed tablets imported from Turkey that were smuggled out of the Suvarnabhumi Airport cargo terminal. The three men would be passed onto Narcotics Suppression police.

-- The Nation 2012-06-22

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State to provide standard care for HIV, kidney patients

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- More than 260,000 patients will receive the same standard of treatment for HIV and terminal chronic kidney failure under an initiative to unify the three major state healthcare plans.

"It will ensure uninterrupted treatment for patients even if they have to change from one scheme to another," Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri said yesterday.

He was speaking after attending a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on the integration of the universal healthcare, social security and Civil Service Medical Benefits schemes.

The same standard would apply to treatment, medicine, service delivery and information technology.

"Even though the (IT) systems will be integrated, patient information will continue to be treated with strict confidentiality," he said.

Yingluck recommended the delivery of best services to patients and also improvements to prevent outbreaks of diseases, he said.

Dr Paijit Warachit, permanent secretary of the Public Health Ministry, said the government had already ensured that all people were guaranteed the same standard of emergency medical services.

Since April 1, patients are free to seek attention from any hospital in case of emergency.

As of June 13, 2,353 patients have already sought emergency care at private hospitals under this policy.

"Of those seeking the services, 92.6 per cent have survived," Paijit said.

Witthaya said the Thailand eHealthcare Telemedicine CARE, or the Internetbased medicalservice system for big hospitals and small hospitals at the tambon level, would also be developed further.

"The prime minister wishes to see doctors get advice from medical specialists around the clock," he said.

-- The Nation 2012-06-22

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Further tests on sisters' bodies

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok's Ramathibodi Hospital is conducting further tests on the bodies of the two Canadian sisters, who were found dead in their hotel room on Phi Phi Island, off Krabi province, on Friday.

The autopsy results should be ready in a week or two, a doctor said yesterday.

Ramathibodi Hospital is conducting these tests at the request of the Canadian Embassy.

Dr Wichan Pliewnim, chief of the hospital's pathology department, said yesterday that relatives had collected the bodies of Noemi, 26 and Audrey Belanger, 20, on Wednesday, though the hospital is still awaiting toxicity and labtest results.

Meanwhile, Weerapat Jantharo, chief of the Koh Phi Phi tourist business club, said yesterday that the mysterious deaths had not affect the island's tourism business and that there was 30 to 40 per cent occupancy as is normal during the low season. He said that travellers understood that Thai officials were working hard to determine the cause of the two sisters' death, which is unlikely to have been caused by a criminal act. However, he called on the authorities to solve the case as soon as possible.

Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul said the Canadian Embassy has called on his office to coordinate with the investigation team to ensure that it is going properly and effectively. The embassy has also requested for the deceased women's tissue samples for further tests.

-- The Nation 2012-06-22

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Two injured in Narathiwat blast

The Nation

NARATHIWAT: -- A soldier and a female civilian were injured yesterday when a roadside bomb, targeting a 12soldier teacher protection team, went off in Narathiwat's Sukhirin district yesterday morning.

The 7.50am explosion, which left a 2.1metrewide and 90centimetredeep crater on Ban Ikabu Moo 1 road, injured Private Wutthichai Jamrueng, 21, as well as passerby Pathom Thammasaro, Sukhirin police superintendent Pol Colonel Jongjairak Khongphao said.

Insurgents hiding nearby allegedly detonated the bomb that was packed into a gas cylinder and buried in the road.

-- The Nation 2012-06-22

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4 Thais among Forbes Asia's 48 Heroes of Philanthropy

Full story:

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UEFA insists broadcasting deal with GMM private

WATCHIRANONT THONGTEP

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Union of European Football Associations (Uefa) has declined to disclose the details of its broadcasting contract with GMM Grammy, which holds the rights to broadcast live matches of the Euro 2012 football tournament, the company said.

Full story:

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Cover up? Kickboxer 'savagely bashed in Phuket'

From: Gold Coast Bulletin

PHUKET: -- A CHAMPION Gold Coast kickboxer has suffered life-threatening injuries on the Thai tourist island of Phuket, the victim of what his family believe was a savage bashing.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....shed-in-phuket/

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Commerce Ministry launches probe into irregular shareholdings by foreigners

BANGKOK, 22 June 2012 (NNT) – The Commerce Ministry has initiated a probe into cases of foreign shareholdings in Thai companies that are above legal limit.

Full story:

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Thailand to further develop railway network to connect with Malaysia ahead of AEC in 2015

BANGKOK, 22 June 2012 (NNT) – Thailand is ready to be more connected with Malaysia via an improved railway network before the realization of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015.

The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTTPP) Director-General Soithip Trisuddhi has recently led a team of OTTPP executives and local press members on an official visit to Malaysia to inspect the double-track railway system, which is expected to be constructed in Thailand in the near future.

Mrs. Soithip said that the double-track railway network is essential to help connect the country with Malaysia, especially with the AEC set to be realized in less than 3 years.

Malaysia is now in the middle of the construction of double-track railway system, an upgrade from the original single-track railways, which will connect with Thailand’s southern train network at the Thai-Malaysian border district of Padang Besar.

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT)’s southern office chief Thanongsak Pongprasert conceded that the volume of cargo transported between Thailand and Malaysia has dropped by around 20 percent due to the SRT’s shortage of locomotives.

He added that Malaysia’s development of the double-track railways is now 90 percent completed, after the project kicked off in 2008.

Mr. Thanongsak hopes that Thailand will speedily complete the same endeavors in order not to miss out on more opportunities when the AEC comes to life in 2015.

-- NNT 2012-06-22

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RT @RichardBarrow: 9:10am Large media prescience outside Juvenile Court for case of reckless driving that killed 9: http://yfrog.com/hwrgamsj - TR @Reporter_Js5

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RT @mpoppel: More than $410,000 has now been raised for bullied NY bus monitor - http://tinyurl.com/cygm7vl

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Gold prices drop sharply by Bt400 in tandem with global gold prices; gold bars selling at Bt23,600, ornamental gold at Bt24,000 /MCOT

Thai stock index opens on Friday at 1,148.65, down 10.40 points /MCOT

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Commerce Ministry: Business registration dropped 3% on-year during Jan-May 2012

BANGKOK, 22 June 2012 (NNT) – Official data from the Commerce Ministry showed that there is a slight drop in the number of newly-registered businesses since the beginning of this year.

Deputy Commerce Minister Siriwat Kajornprasart said on Thursday that a total of 4,906 limited partnerships and companies registered themselves with the Ministry in May. The number represented a 1-percent increase from the same month of last year.

Mr. Siriwat said that all new entities have the combined registered capital of 24.07 billion baht, while the top-3 businesses registered last month included construction, recreation and real estate.

However, during the first 5 months of this year, there have been 25,212 newly-registered businesses in the Ministry’s book, or a 3-percent year-on-year fall.

Meanwhile, 948 companies have officially gone out of business in May or 39 percent more than in 2011.

The Deputy Commerce Minister added that, at present, there officially are 509,144 companies and limited partnerships along with 927 public companies across the country.

-- NNT 2012-06-22

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Army Chief: If approved, NASA must adhere to agreement on using U-Tapao Airport; denies operation affects Thailand's sovereignty /MCOT