Thailand Live Thursday 5 Jul 2012

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Thailand Live Thursday 5 July 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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Refinery will not be relocated despite fire

WATCHARAPONG THONGRUNG,

THANATPHONG KHONGSAI,

SUPHACHAI PHETTHAWEE

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Energy Minister Arak Chonlatanon ruled out any plans to relocate Bangchak Petroleum's refinery complex from Bangkok's densely populated Phra Khanong district, despite the fact that its distillation unit caught fire early yesterday, the second such incident in two years.

Full story:

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Chuwit demands urgent crackdown on gambling den

Kwanhatai Malaikarn,

Suparat Iamtarn,

Samatcha Hunsara

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- MP Chuwit Kamolvisit called on the police yesterday to take immediate action against a gambling den located in Petchburi Soi 5 or risk facing charges of negligence.

Full story:

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Tax rule affecting married women struck down

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Constitution Court yesterday struck down Revenue Code clauses that disallowed married women from including their non-earned income when filing a separate tax return.

Full story:

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Democrats: Clip proves Thaksin influences Somsak

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The opposition Democrat Party yesterday called on House Speaker Somsak Kiartsuranond to explain an allegation that he was influenced by fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra in performing his duties.

Full story:

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Follow orders or face action, BMA warned

The Nation

Plodprasop says dredging of canals, ditches behind schedule in capital

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will face legal penalties if it fails to respond to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's flood prevention instructions.

Full story:

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THAI TALK

The danger of solving a crisis with another crisis

Suthichai Yoon

The Nation

Red shirts protests against the Constitution Court Wednesday.

BANGKOK: -- Another "constitutional crisis" in the offing this week? You must be joking. We don't consider a "crisis" a crisis anymore. It has become just an ordinary part of political life.

Full story:

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Stevie Bamford begins 15-day sentence for Phuket false sexual assault claim

Phuket Gazette

Phuket Provincial Prison Chief Rapin Nichanon (main photo) confirmed that Stevie Bamford (inset) will be released on July 18. Photos: Gazette file

Full story:

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Japanese tourist foils abduction attempt amid Phuket Police 'media blackout'

Full story:

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Riverside residents prepare for King's flotilla

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The government is calling on residents along a stretch of the Chao Phraya River to decorate their homes for His Majesty the King's upcoming tour by boat.

The King will journey from the riverside Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok on Saturday for the inauguration of five royallyinitiated irrigation projects. His boat tour will cover Koh Kret Island in Nonthaburi and include a stop at the Royal Irrigation Department in the capital's Dusit district.

PM's Office permanent secretary Thongthong Chandrangsu urged people along this stretch of the Chao Phraya to beautify their homes.

Royal Irrigation Department director general Lertwiroj Kowattana said his agency had almost finished the preparations for the grand ceremony to mark the occasion. He said five giant screens would project live broadcasts from the five royal irrigation projects.

"We wish to hold a big ceremony on order to show the respect and love of Thais for His Majesty. I am sure the preparations for the ceremony will be completed on time by this Friday," Lertwiroj said.

The five royal irrigation projects the King will inaugurate are the Khundan Prakarnchon dam in Nakhon Nayok, the Kwai Noi Bamrung Dan dam in Phitsanulok, the Uthok Vibhaja Prasid barrage in Nakhon Si Thammarat, the Thorranit Narumit barrage in Nakhon Panom, and the Lampayang Phumipat diversion tunnel in Kalasin.

The five projects will help solve farmers' waterrelated problems across the country and also help prevent drought and floods.

-- The Nation 2012-07-05

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Death toll of Surat Thani bus crash rises to 11

The Nation

SURAT THANI: -- The death toll from Tuesday's bus accident in Surat Thani rose to 11 after one of the victims succumbed to injuries yesterday.

Dhipaya Insurance company said it was paying Bt400,000 per death, while the bus operator, Transport Co, will provide Bt30,000 per death.

The latest victim to succumb to his injuries at Surat Thani Hospital has been identified as Komsan Nontasahakit, 36, while four of the injured victims were discharged from hospital yesterday.

Wuttichat Kanlayanamit, managing director of Transport Co, and Sanya Bunyapukna from the insurance company, visited the 12 victims still being treated in hospital of whom eight are foreigners. Doctors have said that all the injured victims were in a safe condition.

Meanwhile, Wuttichat said his company would provide Bt30,000 for every victim killed and Bt10,000 to each injured passenger, though it might consider increasing the compensation if the cause of the accident is determined. He said he thinks the accident might have been caused by two factors: the driver's carelessness or a tyre exploding, which made the driver lose control. However, he said, the vehicle was relatively new and had only covered 200,000 kilometres.

-- The Nation 2012-07-05

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Ministry warns against bird flu

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Public Health Ministry yesterday instructed health officials nationwide to keep an eye out for birdflu infections among humans.

Full story:

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DSI to arrest 87 over public fraud

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) yesterday concluded its investigation into 13 teacher cooperatives' lottery pyramid scheme, and will charge 87 suspects - who cheated some 1,000 individuals and the cooperatives of Bt8.5 billion - of public fraud, embezzlement and moneylaundering.

Chief investigator Pol Colonel Piyawat Kingket said the suspects included cooperatives' executives in Loei, Chaiyaphum, Roi Et, Sakhon Nakhon, Kalasin, Yasothon, Pathum Thani, Ratchaburi, Nonthaburi, Songkhla and Chiang Rai as well as three private lottery companies. He said the new executives of the cooperatives could also sue their predecessors for compensation.

DSI chief Tarit Pengdith said he had received a 400page report and assigned his deputy Yannapol Yangyeun to put together a team to investigate and offer respite to some minor offenders if they can testify against the big fish behind this fraud.

-- The Nation 2012-07-05

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New dates set for police exams

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Royal Thai Police Bureau has decided that the entrance exam for the police administrative stream will be held on August 3 and the one for the operative stream will be on August 5, police spokesman MajGeneral Piya Uthayo said yesterday.

The first round of exams in June had to be cancelled because some people were caught allegedly cheating. However, he said, applicants who registered online for the previous test would not have to reapply or pay any more fees, he said. The tests will be held at 10 different locations but they would be confirmed later, he said.

-- The Nation 2012-07-05

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Patience - the govt's key to survival

By Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- To stay in power as long as possible, the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra appears to have retreated on many issues it was trying to push through. The Pheu Thai Party currently faces its old "adversary", the Constitution Court. The court's verdicts are a recurring nightmare for the ruling party: its two predecessors, Thai Rak Thai and the People Power Party, were dissolved by the court.

Full story:

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Democrats urge NACC to look into Ruengkrai's unusual wealth

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Democrat Party said yesterday that it was going to ask the National Anti-Corruption Commission to examine former senator Ruengkrai Leekitwattana's assets, which rose by Bt34 million during his three-year term.

Democrat MP Satit Pitutecha said the party will be handing a letter over to NACC on Friday detailing the fact that Ruengkrai's wealth had increased from Bt120 million to Bt154 million during the three years he spent as senator. The MP added that Ruengkrai's underage son, who initially had assets worth Bt100,000, ended up with some Bt3 million in cash and bonds at the end of his father's term.

Satit added that though Ruengkrai had declared annual expenses worth Bt6.5 million and Bt3.3 million in bank deposits, his assets seem to have increased unusually quickly. For instance, his cash deposit in CIMB Bank grew from Bt400,000 to Bt7.6 million and his deposit in Krungthai Bank rose from Bt62,000 to Bt1.7 million. This is in addition to the Bt6.7 million he has in a Bangkok Bank account, saving bonds that have risen from Bt33 million to Bt66 million as well as a plot of land and house in Bangkok's Bang Sue area worth Bt14 million.

"Ruengkrai recently joined red-shirt rallies and hosted a pro-red television show, in which he demanded that the Democrat Party be examined. Maybe it is time for him to be examined too," Satit said.

-- The Nation 2012-07-05

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Kingdom looks to trade hub status

KWANCHAI RUNGFAPAISARN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Thailand can reap benefits from the im-|plementation of the Asean Economic Community in 2015 by becoming a regional trading hub for gift and premium products, leaders |of the sector said yesterday.

Full story:

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Chief Thaksin Advisor Now Yingluck's Guru

Written by Our Correspondent

BANGKOK: -- Pansak Vinyaratn, the former chief political adviser to ousted Prime Miister Thaksin Shinawatra, has reappeared in the same role for the Pheu Thai government headed by Thaksin’s sister Yingluck, according to a government spokesman.

Full story:

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Meth addicted woman terrorizes Phuket temple

Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- A deranged, knife-wielding woman had people running for cover at a Phuket temple yesterday until she was finally stripped of the weapon and placed under police custody.

Full story:

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8:54 Police tighten security at Constitution Court; judges set to start first of two days witness testimony on constitutionality of charter amendment /MCOT

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RT @MarcusBurtBKK: Battersea Power Station sold for £400m to Malaysian bidder by #Knight Frank http://bit.ly/NafZWd

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Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 1,193.47, down 0.68 points /MCOT

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Charter change inquiry begins

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Constitution Court on Thursday convened the two-day inquiry on the constitutionality of the charter change bill.

The high court will today hear the testimonies of seven witnesses against charter change.

The seven are Somjet Boonthanom (complainant and former junta member), Dej-udom Krairit (senator), Thongchai Chamnankit (activist), Wiratana Kalayasiri (complaintant and Democrat MP), Surapon Nitikraipot (former charter writer), Varin Tiemchamras (senator) and Boworn Yasintorn (complainant and activist).

Tomorrow the inquiry continues with rebuttals from eight witnesses for charter change.

A small number of ex-Communists from the Northeast encamped overnight to lend support for and act as shield of the inquiry. The supporters have billed themselves as counter forces to the red shirts.

Police said a company of policemen were deployed to keep peace but there was no disturbances detected.

-- The Nation 2012-07-05

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UTCC: June consumer confidence index at 9-month high

BANGKOK, 5 July 2012 (NNT) – The latest study showed Thai consumer confidence has strengthened to a 9-month high in June.

The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) Rector, Ms. Saowanee Thairungroj, said that, in June, the consumer confidence index rose to the highest level in 9 months, at 78.6.

Ms. Saowanee stated that the higher index was brought on by easing political standoff and falling global oil prices.

Moreover, the overall economic confidence index improved from 62.8 in October 2011 to 68.5 in June this year

The UTCC Rector noted that Thai consumers were still worried about the local political conflicts and the debt crisis in Europe, which could hurt Thai economic growth and exports.

In addition, the UTCC's Economic and Business Forecasting Center has forecast that the export industry will expand about 8-9 percent this year, considerably lower than the Commerce Ministry's prediction of 15 percent.

Ms. Saowanee said that even though Thai exports to Europe make up only 10 percent of the whole year's trade, the industry will likely see indirect impacts from business with some countries which are European market's active trade partners.

However, with high domestic spending and private investment and the return of the manufacturing sector to normalcy, Thai GDP in 2012 should end up at 5.5-6.0 percent.

-- NNT 2012-07-05

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PM urges Energy Ministry to conclude Bangchak refinery fire probe

BANGKOK, 5 July 2012 (NNT) – The Prime Minister has urged the Energy Ministry to speedily conclude an investigation into the fire accident at the Bangchak refinery in Bangkok.

Government spokesperson Sansanee Nakpong said that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been informed about the fire accident at a refinery of Bangchak Petroleum Public Company Limited, which took place at dawn on Wednesday.

Ms. Sansanee said that the Permanent Secretary for Energy was responsible for updating the PM with the situation and the initial cause of the fire.

The report suggested that the fire broke out at a refinery tower, with the production capacity of 80,000 barrels of oil per day, but spread to nowhere. No casualties have been reported too.

As the investigation into the incident continues, the fire-stricken refinery unit will be closed for 7 days.

Bangchak has assured that the temporary shutdown will not have any effect on consumers while residents in nearby have also been notified about the latest situation.

The government spokesperson said that the Prime Minister has urged the Energy Ministry to conclude the probe into the incident and come up with a set of measures to prevent the repeat of similar accidents in the future. The PM has instructed that all reports should be submitted in as soon as possible.

At the same time, the Prime Minister has ordered all state agencies related in economic affairs to collect all data to prepare preventive measures and to update the public with all the solutions the government has been planning, in order to help ease their anxiety.

-- NNT 2012-07-05

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TAT invests THB3mil to launch tourism promotion apps for smartphone

BANGKOK, 5 July 2012 (NNT) – The Thai tourism authority has decided to make sizable financial investment in developing a new application for smartphone, which is intended to help promote the country’s travel industry.

Full story:

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RT @ukworldnews: BBC News: Japan to release Fukushima report http://j.mp/NAVaPP

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Nonthaburi police seize 140,000 meth pills with street value of Bt30 million, packed in bag left on roadside /MCOT

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Govt invites riverside people to put up altar tables in show of respect as HM takes boat trip to Nonthaburi

BANGKOK, 5 July 2012 (NNT) – When His Majesty the King travels by the river from Siriraj Hospital’s pier to Nonthaburi Province on Saturday, 7 July, people living on both banks of the Chao Phraya River are expected to come out in full force to greet their beloved king.

Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office Tongthong Chandransu said His Majesty the King is scheduled to travel on the Angsana royal boat on Saturday, to officiate at the opening ceremony of five irrigation projects built under royal initiatives. The boat ride will take about two hours starting from 4.30 p.m., during which His Majesty will take his time observing life of local people while the boat cruises into short-cut as well as detour canals around Ko Kret islet in Nonthaburi. The royal boat will then stop at a pier in front of the Royal Irrigation Department in Tambon Samsen, Dusit District, Bangkok, at about 6.45 p.m., and His Majesty will perform the opening ceremony of the five irrigation projects from the royal boat, by pressing an electric knob to unveil the projects.

Mr. Tongthong said the government deemed it appropriate to encourage people living along the river to pay respect to HM the King on this occasion in a traditional way by putting up altar tables on their riverfront balconies on which pictures of His Majesty the King, flags depicting the royal initials and floral offerings can be placed.

In the old days, Mr. Tongthong said it was a popular tradition for local communities to arrange entertainment programs in honor of the king upon royal visits as people who gathered around could also enjoy the shows. On Saturday, he added, Buddhist monks at various monasteries along the river will gather in front their respective monasteries to chant the holy stanzas to bless His Majesty with happiness.

-- NNT 2012-07-05