Thailand Live Wednesday 18 Jul 2012

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Three killed in co-ordinated Thai south attacks

NARATHIWAT, July 18, 2012 (AFP) - At least two civilians and a soldier were killed after two dozen militants launched simultaneous attacks on a village and a military outpost in Thailand's restive south, the army said Wednesday.

The militants, riding pick up trucks and motorcycles, arrived at the Buddhist village in Rueso district of Narathiwat province on Tuesday evening and shot dead a young man and an elderly woman, wounding two others.

They also started a fire-fight with nearby military, leaving a 24-year-old soldier dead and four others wounded, an army spokesman said, adding he believed the attacks were in a response to a recent blitz on the insurgents' leadership.

"Some 25 militants opened fire at the (military) outpost and villagers' homes simultaneously," according to Colonel Pramote Prom-in, spokesman for the army in the southern region.

Pramote said he could not confirm reports that militants were also killed in the clash.

Authorities say militants are likely to stage a large-scale attack ahead of holy month of Ramadan -- which starts on Friday.

A shadowy insurgency, without clearly stated aims, has raged in Thailand's three southernmost provinces -- Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala -- since 2004.

Near-daily bomb or gun attacks have targeted both soldiers and civilians, Buddhists and Muslims, and have claimed more than 5,000 lives in eight years.

A state of emergency is in force in the worst-affected parts of the region, which rights campaigners say in effect gives the tens of thousands of military troops based in the area legal immunity and fuels rights abuses.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-07-18

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One soldier, two villagers killed in insurgent attack on army outpost

NARATHIWAT, July 18 - One Thai Army Ranger and two villagers were killed in an insurgent attack on a military outpost in Narathiwat Tuesday night.

Five others were wounded including a sergeant, two Rangers and two other local residents.

At least 20 armed men on two pickup trucks and two motorcycles with M-16 assault rifles, M-79 grenade launchers, and 11 mm guns, carried out an attack at an army outpost in Ruso district.

The two sides exchanged gunfire while about 10 defence volunteers and villagers helped the soldiers fighting.

After the five-minute clash, the gunmen left in their pickup trucks. Many gunmen were injured as blood stains were found.

Col Pramote Prom-in, deputy spokesman of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), Region 4 said that a special infantry unit deployed personnel to reinforce Army Rangers tracking the attackers.

According to the latest report, two suspects have been detained for questioning.

It is initially believed that the assault was by the same group which attacked a military outpost in Narathiwat's Rangae district in January last year, killing three soldiers and one Army Ranger. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-07-18

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Army rebuttals on a taxi driver killed

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Army on Wednesday issued a statement rebutting its involvement in the killing of a taxi driver during the 2010 political mayhem.

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Chiangmai zoo introduces red-shanked douc

Bangkok, July 17 2012 (NNT) – Chiangmai zoo is preparing to introduce 3 red-shanked doucs which are rare and nearly extinct.

Red-shanked douc is a species of Old World monkey, one among the most colorful of all primates, with 5 colors on its body, grey on its head, blackish red on the forehead, white on the beard, yellow on the cheeks, and red on its shins.

They live in tropical rain forests and highland forests.

The red-shanked douc is on the IUCN Red List of endangered species due to the fact that they are on the verge of extinction. Director of the Chiang Mai Zoo Tanapat Pongpamorn has revealed that the zoo has been given 3 red-shanked doucs by Dusit Zoo after having succeeded in the red-shanked douc breeding.

At present, those 3 doucs are resting before being introduced to the public. The red-shanked doucs can no longer be found in Thai forests; this species can be seen in Indonesia, Laos, and Vietnam only.

According to the research, red-shanked doucs can feed up on 450 different kinds of foods. They are quiet and like to stay as a group. Their pregnancy period is 196 days before giving birth to 1 baby. Visitors can appreciate these jungle beauties at Chiangmai zoo, Dusit Zoo, and Khao Kheow Open Zoo

-- NNT 2012-07-18

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TOURISM

Chinese tourists reach top of visitor list in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- The number of Chinese nationals visiting Thailandsurged during the first half of the year, exceeding Malaysians forthe first time, tourism officials said Wednesday.

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Cambodia must remove squatter communities, construction from contested 4.6 sq km Preah Vihear border area, affirms no loss of territory: Deputy PM Yuthasak /MCOT

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BKK Deputy Governor: 22 BKK schools closed due to spread of hand, foot and mouth disease /MCOT

5 Uttaradit nurseries closed when 9 children found infected /MCOT

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HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

HFMD cases reaching peak but not fatal : DCD

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) currently being found in Thailand are neither new strains nor mutations, said Emerging Infectious Diseases Bureau director and Disease Control Department spokesman Dr Rungruang Kitpati.

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800m section of Suvarnabhumi airport's eastern runway has been repaired and opened for use again /The Nation

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Referendum organised before and after charter rewrite: Ukrit

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Independent National Rule of Law Commission on Wednesday issued a statement calling for a new charter modelled after the suspended 1974 charter and two referendum votes before and after charter rewrite.

"Parliament should abandon the third reading of the charter amendment bill in order to hold the referendum on the issue," NRLC chairman Ukrit Mongkolnavin said.

Ukrit said the referendum should be organised twice, one before commencing the rewriting of the charter and another to seek the people's endorsement after completing the drafting process.

In the first referendum, the government should frame the question in such a way as to offer the voters an alternate choice in case of discarding the 2007 Constitution, he said.

If the referendum question was merely about the charter without an alternative, then the voters would be left in the dark on what they would get as a replacement of the Constitution, he said.

He suggested that the 1974 charter should be offered as the alternative since it was seen as the most democratic and liberal basic law.

Should the people agree to the overhual of the political system, the new charter would then emulate provisions in the 1974 charter. The new charter should be drafted by a panel formed by the Cabinet before being vetted in Parliament.

The drafting panel should include MPs, senators and appointed members from a pool of academics and professionals.

The charter draft would be subjected to the referendum vote before coming into effect.

The drafting process and two referendum votes should complete within 15 months.

-- The Nation 2012-07-18

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RT @RichardBarrow: The 4th Bangkok Used Car and Imported Car Show 2012 starts on Friday at Impact Challenger Hall 2-3

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INVESTMENT

ThaiBev confirms takeover reports

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thai Beverage Plc has confirmed the news reports that it is in negotiation with Singapore-based Overseas-Chinese Banking Corpo (OCBC) and its insurance arm Great Eastern Holdings Ltd.

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Sanam Luang readied for royal birthday celebrations

BANGKOK, 18 July 2012 (NNT) - The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is expediting the renovation of Sanam Luang and the surrounding area in preparation for the coming birthday celebrations of Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.

Deputy Governor of Bangkok Theerachon Manomaiphiboon traveled to Sanam Luang on Wednesday to inspect the landscaping of Sanam Luang by the First Army Area Command. He said the operation was progressing well with the grass replanted and some parts of the ceremonial ground resurfaced. The BMA has contacted the Metropolitan Electricity Authority to fix damaged electrical systems throughout the site.

The government will hold grand celebrations on the occasion of Her Majesty the Queen’s 80th birthday anniversary on 12 August and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s 60th birthday anniversary on 28 July this year.

The deputy governor added that after a major renovation last year, the BMA had tightened regulations for permission to use Sanam Luang. Street vendors are now prohibited within the ground and the surrounding area.

-- NNT 2012-07-18

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Myanmar Seminar Invitation: 'Doing Business in Myanmar'

BANGKOK: -- Foreign investors and business people who want more information and guidelines about the practicalities of doing business in Myanmar will benefit greatly by attending this professional seminar.

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SET index closed at 1220.14, down 4.07; Bt/USD31.54; GBP49.25; AUD32.38; EUR38.65; CAD30.98; HKD4.06; SGD24.87; JPY39.70

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Cambodia, Thailand pull troops from temple flashpoint

Phnom Penh, July 18, 2012 (AFP) - Cambodia and Thailand pulled hundreds of soldiers out of a disputed border area on Wednesday, a year after a ruling by the UN's highest court, replacing them with police and security guards.

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Bangkok Christian College closes for two days after students confirmed infected with hand, foot, mouth disease /MCOT

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Thailand Live Thursday 19 Jul 2012