Thailand Live Saturday 30 Jun 2012

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Thailand Live Saturday 30 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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Court declines to order euro broadcasts

Watchiranont Thongtep

The Nation

A distraught Saree Ongsomwang, secretary of the Foundation for Consumers, leaves the Civil Court after hearing the court

Airing matches via free-TV channels would put Kingdom in violation of international copyright rules, Civil Court says

BANGKOK: -- After a marathon hearing yesterday, the Civil Court decided not to have the operators of the three free-TV channels, namely BEC's ThaiTV3, the Royal Thai Army's TV5 and MCOT's ModernineTV, transmit unencrypted satellite signals broadcasting Euro 2012 matches to satellite TV receivers because this would violate international copyright law.

Full story:

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Two Pakistanis held in alleged fake passport bust

The Nation

PHANG NGA: -- Two Pakistani men have been arrested in Phang Nga on suspicion of forging passports and selling them, with the likely help of corrupt district officials.

Full story:

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PM says Parliament debate on Nasa request to go ahead despite cancellation

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday that the proposed parliamentary debate on Nasa's request for use of the U-tapao Airport for a climate study would go ahead despite the US agency calling off its mission after a delay in Thailand's approval.

Full story:

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MP backs postponing debate on reconciliation bill

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- A Pheu Thai MP who is also a red-shirt leader said yesterday that he fully supported the plan to postpone House debate on the controversial reconciliation bills for the sake of government stability.

Full story:

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Special bonds proposed to fund reforestation

Janjira Pongrai

Pongphon Sarnsamak

Sirinart Sirisuntorn

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Government issued "forest bonds" should be used to raise money from the private sector to fund the recovery of 30 million rai of degraded forest areas across the country, a leading thinktank has proposed.

Full story:

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Asian foreigners drive Phuket residential property market

SOMLUCK SRIMALEE

THE NATION

PHUKET: -- Demand for residential projects in Phuket is growing strongly among both locals and foreigners, especially for homes priced between Bt2 million and Bt5 million.

Full story:

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Australian Ambassador calls for Phuket weapons ban

Phuket Gazette

WISE MOVE? Australian Ambassador James Wise today called for an island-wide ban on carrying weapons on Phuket. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- Australian Ambassador to Thailand James Wise today called for police to launch an island-wide crackdown on weapons, including those carried by tuk-tuk drivers.

Full story:

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EDITORIAL

Migrant worker policy amounts to deportation

The Nation

This country's economic success is built on the backs of labourers from neighbouring countries; it's time we started treating them with respect

Full story:

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Court president threatened, says driver

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The driver of Wasan Soypisut, the Constitution Court's president, confirmed yesterday that his boss had indeed received threatening calls.

Buncha, 47, who chose not to reveal his last name, has been with Wasan for four years now and said he had answered the first call at his boss's home on June 1. He added that the caller, who sounded like an elderly person, said that Wasan should be careful when considering cases, otherwise about 20 million red-shirt supporters would be brought over to harass him.

The caller did not mention what case he was talking about in particular, or where these red shirts would show up to put pressure on Wasan, Buncha said.

The driver said he had answered two calls like this, and had already told his boss about them but Wasan had not reacted. Buncha said he has been very careful when driving his boss around and is always suspicious of motorcycle drivers. He said he has not filed a police complaint because he has never encountered a problem like this before.

-- The Nation 2012-06-30

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Violent students to be drafted into Army automatically

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- From now on, students from vocational schools who are regarded as troublemakers or have a history of violence will be automatically conscripted to the Army as soon as they reach the correct age, Army chief General Prayuth Chanocha announced yesterday.

Full story:

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Heavy rain, winds predicted

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The meteorological department yesterday said that tropical storm "Doksuri" would be moving across Hainan Island and southern China today and tomorrow.

With the tropical storm and a strong Southwest monsoon moving over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, the Kingdom would see more rain and isolated heavy showers over the North, the Northeast, East and the West from yesterday to Monday. People living in Mae Hong Son, Tak, Chanthaburi and Trat have been warned against strong winds, and since waves in the Andaman Sea and the upper Gulf of Thailand are expected to be two to three metres high, ships have been told to proceed with caution.

-- The Nation 2012-06-30

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Countries discuss landmine removal

The Nation

PHNOM PENH: -- Thailand and Cambodia are discussing the removal of landmines at the border area near Preah Vihear Temple, not troop withdrawal, Defence Minister Sukampol Suwannathat said yesterday, referring to the second Joint Working Group Meeting in Phnom Penh.

The meeting convened on Wednesday to discuss the preparation for the implementation of a demilitarised zone in the areas adjacent to the temple as ordered by the International Court of Justice.

The forum was co-chaired by Thailand's chief of joint staff General Worapong Sanga-netra and Cambodia's secretary of state for defence, General Neang Phat.

Sukampol said he expected the mine-clearing operation to commence in July, paving the way for further talks about troop deployment and the presence of international observers for the demilitarised zone.

-- The Nation 2012-06-30

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Thai police sought help from Malaysia over a bomb suspect

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thai police is planning to ask their Malaysian counterpart to look into the case involving a Thai national who they said has been released from custody after serving time for violation on immigration charges in Malaysia.

Mohamad Khairi is wanted by the Thai police for insurgency-related violence committed over the years, a source in the Thai police department said.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, informed The Nation that Thai authorities believe Mohamad is an ordinance expert and part of the separatist movement behind some of the ongoing violence in Southern Thailand.

Thai police he has been released from Malaysian detention centre and believe he is still at large in either Malaysia or Thailand.

The two countries have no extradition treaty but police on both sides of the said a standard operating procedure has been informally agreed upon with regards to handing over suspects.

-- The Nation 2012-06-30

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Lawsuit against Samut Sakhon governor dropped

The Nation

SAMUT SAKHON: -- Sonthiya Sawatdi, who is suing Samut Sakhon governor for negligence of duty for allowing coal to be transported through the Tha Chin River, told the Central Administrative Court yesterday that he wished to drop the lawsuit.

The plaintiff said he had decided to drop the lawsuit - which demanded that the governor ban the transport of coal and take remedial measures - because he was satisfied with the court's temporary injunction, which forced the governor to take action and hence improve the state of the river. The injunction was ordered on August 23 last year. The court agreed that the governor had not neglected his duty and agreed to dismiss the case and lift the injunction.

-- The Nation 2012-06-30

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Acting THAI Airways boss reports low revenue

WATCHARAPONG THONGRUNG

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Thai Airways International's acting president Chokchai Panyayong began his job with a terrifying message: The national carrier missed its revenue target in the first five months and if the situation is poorly managed, the company's financial condition could become critical.

Full story:

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ICT firms back pilot tablet project for secondary students

Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

The private sector has stepped in to help state secondary schools use tablet computers provided by the government more effectively.

BANGKOK: -- Several firms recently met with officials and teachers from more than 50 secondary schools in Bangkok to introduce software that can be used as teaching equipment and classmanagement tools.

Full story:

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Calls for Thailand to protect tourists

CRAIG SKEHAN

PHUKET: -- THE Australian government has called on Thai authorities to clamp down on violence, extortion and scams against foreign tourists on the resort island of Phuket.

Full story:

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RT @KristieKenney: Congratulations to new US Ambassador to Burma, Derek Mitchell! Just confirmed by US Senate. 1st US Amb to Burma in 22 yrs

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RT @RichardBarrow: Thailand International Dog Show 2012 & Dog Plaza this weekend at IMPACT. Entrance fee 20 Baht.

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DPM Chalerm, National Police Chief, stand in for PM on weekly TV programme, reiterate govt is serious about drug crackdown; to prevent new addicts /MCOT

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Bangkok US Independence Day Celebrations

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....y-celebrations/

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James Lakin, founding member of Rawai Supports' Club, passes away

Phuket Gazette

James Lakin, recently married, was a strong supporter of FC Phuket since its formation in 2010. Photo: Facebook

PHUKET: -- James Lakin , long-term Phuket resident and one of the founding members of the Rawai Supporters’ Club, has died at the age of 38.

Full story:

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AOT forecasts 70 million people to pass through Thai airports in 2012

BANGKOK, 30 June 2012 (NNT) – Thailand’s airport operator is hopeful that its business will still be expanding well in spite of the impact of last year’s severe flooding.

Airports of Thailand (AOT) President Flying Officer Anirut Thanomkulbutra said that AOT will be celebrating its 33rd anniversary on July 1st.

Mr. Anirut stated that, during the first 8 months of the current fiscal year, 47.74 million travelers have flown in or out of all 6 AOT-operated airports on 319,765 flights.

Moreover, the company’s performance in the first half of fiscal 2012 posted a net profit of 4.25 billion baht, which is 1.54 billion baht or 57.19 percent higher than the same period of last year.

The AOT President went on to say that the flood crisis in late 2011 and the ongoing Eurozone debt crisis have not posed serious impacts on the company’s operations.

For the current fiscal year, AOT specifically forecast that 52.2 million passengers will fly through Suvarnabhumi Airport with 9.1 million traveling through Phuket Airport.

Overall, AOT is eyeing to achieve record passenger traffic of 70.9 million on a total of 476,159 flights flying through all of its 6 airports.

When compared with 2011, this year’s target represents a 7-percent increase in passenger numbers and a 7.9-percent rise in the number of flights.

-- NNT 2012-06-30

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Health officials warn Chiang Mai residents to beware of influenza outbreak

CHIANG MAI, 30 June 2012 (NNT) – Health officials are warning Chiang Mai residents to particularly beware of the possible outbreak of influenza.

Full story:

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Experts call for Phuket 'Special Admin Zone'

Phuket Gazette

More than 200 people, including high-ranking officials, voiced their support for the move. Photo: PR Dept

PHUKET: -- Experts speaking at a public forum held in Phuket Town last week have voiced their strong support for Phuket to be designated a “Special Administrative Zone”, saying the move would pave the way to resolving many of Phuket’s long-standing problems.

Full story:

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Government to cooperate with China, Myanmar in drug suppression

BANGKOK, 30 June 2012 (NNT) – The government has confirmed that it is ready to eradicate narcotics. It has set goals to coordinate with China and Myanmar to work on two drug-suppression laws.

Police Captain Dr. Chalerm Yubamrung, Deputy Prime Minister, made public the drug suppression activities during the weekly TV program " Yingluck Government Meets the People". The actions come after the government put in place several national agendas regarding drug suppression, six of which have been found to be highly effective. These are setting up checkpoints, increasing interception points, enforcing laws, and rehabilitating drug users. The objective is to have 400,000 drug users receive treatment this year.

It was also discovered there are eight areas in the north with severe drug trafficking problem, particularly in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Maehongson. This problem has now been set on the regional agenda, and will be discussed with neighboring countries, such as Myanmar and China. The Chinese premier will soon be traveling to Thailand, and China’s aid regarding this issue will be sought.

-- NNT 2012-06-30

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PM establishes high-level working group to oversee Eurozone debt crisis impact on Thai exports

BANGKOK, 30 June 2012 (INN) - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has chaired a meeting that discussed Thailand’s export strategies. At the meeting, the Prime Minister noted that the government is concerned about the Eurozone debt crisis, particularly its effects on Thailand’s exports.

According to the Prime Minister, the government is exercising vigilance on the matter by establishing a working group that includes members from the National Economic and Social Development Board, the Ministry of Finance, and the Bank of Thailand.

The working group is headed by Mr. Kittiratt Na-Ranong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance while ministers of the nine economy-related ministries are also members. The working group will keep a close watch on the Eurozone debt crisis and its impact on the Thai export industry.

The prime minster also expressed confidence that with all agencies working together and wholeheartedly modifying their methods as needed, the export target of 15% would certainly be reached.

-- NNT 2012-06-30

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Two dead in Phuket as motorbike swerves to avoid fallen power pole

Phuket Gazette

The driver of the motorbike, who died en route to hospital, was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

The motorbike crashed into a low retaining wall after the driver swerved to avoid a power pole blocking the road. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

PHUKET: -- Two men died and one was seriously injured in Phuket this morning in a single-vehicle motorbike crash after the driver swerved to avoid a utility pole blocking the road in Mai Khao.

Full story: