Thailand Live Monday 9 Jul 2012

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Nine red-shirt suspects released on bail

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Nine red-shirt suspects were Monday freed on bail from the Lak Si temporary prison.

Narinpong Jinapak, the president of the Law Society of Thailand, said the nine suspects were charged with torching the Mahasarakham provincial hall.

They were released after posting Bt1 million in cash as bail. The money came from the Justice Ministry.

The Nine and 13 other suspects, who were released on bail earlier, were led to meet Justice Minister Pracha Promnok to thank him.

Pracha gave the suspects Bt3,000 each from his coffer for them to sue to travel home.

-- The Nation 2012-07-09

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2012 Olympic Games broadcast won't be blacked out

BANGKOK, 9 July 2012 (NNT)-The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has disclosed that Thai viewers will be able to watch the London 2012 Olympic Games live via satellite and normal TVs.

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Police keeping an eye on political groups as charter rewrite being debated

BANGKOK, 9 July 2012 (NNT)-National Police Chief General Prewpan Damapong has instructed all police units to monitor any public movements when the Constitution Court hands down a ruling on the controversial charter amendment this Friday.

The Police Chief has told metropolitan and provincial police to keep their eyes on possible mass political gatherings after the verdict is rendered, given, regardless of the outcome, it will pit one side against the other.

The Police Chief said people are entitled to their opinions but forbidden to destroy public’s or other people’s properties. He added so far no movements have been reported.

Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Pol Maj Gen Piya Uthayo insisted that police have always had a security plan to protect all the constitution court judges, their residences as well as the courthouse. He added that the police are analyzing the situation on a daily basis and have so far found no threats. Police have also been recording and filming any political speeches by politicians, to be used as evidence in case they violate any law.

-- NNT 2012-07-09

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Health ministry reaffirms mystery disease killing dozens of Cambodian kids won't spread to Thailand; Sa Kaeo strictly screens for disease /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: Three separate bus accidents in Bangkok this evening have resulted in 3 deaths. Be careful out there /via @191Thailand

[Lite Beer]

Health Minister boasts 'eggs-for-expired pills' successful

NONTHABURI, July 9 - More than 36 million unused or outdated tablets, worth over Bt40 million, were returned to health officials nationwide under the ‘eggs-for-expired pills’ campaign which proved successful, Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri announced on Monday.

The public health ministry held the five-day campaign from July 2-6 to encourage residents countrywide to return old, expired tablets to 10,000 sub-district hospitals by using eggs as an incentive in exchange for the medicines.

Mr Witthaya said that the scheme was well received beyond expectation by the public with over 36 million pills returned. Most of the medicines were diabetes pills, followed by high blood pressure medications and those for reducing cholesterol in the blood.

The top three categories of the returned pills were valued at some Bt40 million while the rest of the returned medicines, about 17 million pills, were identified as antibiotics, drugs for relieving pain and reducing fever as well as drugs for curing chronic diseases.

The minister said that all the returned medicines will be incinerated on Friday at Bang Pa-In Industrial Estate in Ayutthaya province.

As for the capital, the ministry planned to run the programme from July 23-26 at nine Bangkok hospitals under the public health ministry, department stores and Skytrain stations.

Following the campaign results, Mr Witthaya said that the relevant agencies may have to improve drug packaging systems to prevent deterioration in drug quality.

Meanwhile, Deputy Public Health Minister Surawit Khonsomboon affirmed that all the returned pills will be completely destroyed and will not be reused for other patients.

Regarding the top three categories of the returned pills--related to diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol in the blood, the deputy minister pointed out that this showed that a large number of Thai people suffer from these diseases.

As the patients did not take the pills continuously as prescribed, this caused ineffective treatment, and the problems of using medicines unnecessarily.

He advised people suffering from chronic diseases to meet doctors as appointed and to bring the medications which were prescribed previously to show the doctor for appropriate new prescriptions. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-07-09

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Thailand Live Tuesday 10 Jul 2012