Thailand Live Wednesday 25 Jul 2012

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Thailand Live Wednesday 25 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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Related topic: Thailand Live Tuesday 24 Jul 2012

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POLITICS

Present fresh evidence, Army chief tells Abhisit's critics

THE NATION July 25, 2012 1:00 am

Prayuth

BANGKOK: -- Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha yesterday said critics of Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva must have fresh evidence in order to reopen the probe into his conscription as the case was closed since 1999 after finding no wrongdoing.

Full story:

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HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

Strain of HFMD killed toddler: doctors

POUNGCHOMPOO PRASERT

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- As hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) continues to alarm parents around Thailand, virology experts yesterday concluded the 2-year-eight-month-old girl who died last week at Bangkok's Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital succumbed to Enterovirus 71, which can cause HFMD.

Full story:

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POLITICS

Computer tablets get good

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- A second consignment of 730,000 tablet computers has been delivered to Thailand and will be distributed to schools pending random inspection of specifications by the Information and Communications Technology Ministry.

Full story:

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RAINY SEASON

Worries return as projects slow

CHULARAT SAENGPASSA,

PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

Plan to raise roads in Nakhon Pathom falls behind, official says

NAKHON PATHOM: -- Although there has been much optimism about the government's plans for raised roads to combat flooding, many locals are getting worried as the projects have yet to begin.

Full story:

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British suspect in 2007 London murder arrested in northern Thailand

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ed-in-thailand/

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PAD tells govt: Withdraw bills or we'll rally

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) yesterday called on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Parliament President Somsak Kiatsuranon to withdraw the contentious reconciliation bills to ease political tensions.

Full story:

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NACC seizes Bt64.7 million from Suphoth

THE NATION

Wealth of former top bureaucrat at Transport Ministry declared unusual; he could face criminal charges

BANGKOK: -- The National Anti Corruption Commission yesterday ruled that former Transport permanent secretary Suphoth Sublom had amassed unusual wealth, ordering the seizure of Bt64.7 million in ill-gotten gains.

Full story:

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Appeals Court slaps suspended jail term on Suthep for defaming Prommin

Full story:

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Dutchman Falls To His Death From South Pattaya Hotel Balcony

Full story:

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American and Austrian residents found dead in their Pattaya apartments

Full story:

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Ukrit: Give amnesty to coup-makers, political prisoners

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Former Parliament president Ukrit Mongkolnavin has recommended amnesty for the 2006 coup-makers and for political prisoners once a section of the Constitution that relates to them is changed, in order to create an atmosphere of reconciliation.

Full story:

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US approves HIV drug

The Nation

CHIANG MAI: -- The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved the use of the anti-retroviral drug Truvada as a measure to prevent HIV infections, a Chiang Mai-based academic said yesterday.

"The approval came after a big-scale trial in 16 countries showed a 42 per cent reduction of HIV acquisition risk among those taking Truvada," said Assoc Prof Suwat Chariyalertsak, head of the Chiang Mai University Research Institute for Health Sciences.

Studies show that risks of HIV infection are reduced even further if people have taken the drug regularly, he said.

Truvada, manufactured by US-based Gilead Sciences, is available in Thailand, but it has only been prescribed in the treatment of patients who already have HIV.

-- The Nation 2012-07-25

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FLOOD

Water management commission kicks off bidding

PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Water and Flood Management Commission will take six months to select bidders to run the Bt300 billion worth of flood and water management projects.

Full story:

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Bid to halt dam project

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- An environmental group yesterday lodged a petition with the Central Administrative Court asking it to nullify the Cabinet's approval of the controversial Mae Wong Dam.

Full story:

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PM calls for more safety zones in South

Olarn Lertrattanadamrongkul,

Amornrat Khemkhao

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has urged that operations to curb the unrest in the South be adjusted, including the addition of more "safety zones" to increase security in community and commercial areas, Deputy PM Yutthasak Sasiprapha said yesterday.

Full story:

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Bangkok No 18 in global survey of office rent rises

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok was ranked 18th in rises in office rents this year, with rates up 11.3 per cent over last year, according to a survey.

Full story:

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Old city hall to become museum

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok's old city hall complex in Phra Nakhon district will be turned into a museum and library after the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration moves to its new city hall in Din Daeng district.

Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra has already approved the plan. The BMA will hire a consulting firm for the design of the museum and library as early as next month.

All offices of the BMA will soon be relocated to the new complex with the move completed by the first quarter of 2013.

-- The Nation 2012-07-25

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Strong earthquake with magnitude of 6.6 hit off northern Sumatra in Indonesia, no immediate reports of damage or casualties /MCOT

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BMA closely monitoring hand, foot and mouth disease

BANGKOK, July 25 -- Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has closely monitored the situation on hand, foot and mouth disease as there were 13,000 patients nationwide and some 3,000 in Bangkok were infected with the virus.

The governor on Tuesday inspected Wat Ratchanadda School under BMA supervision to ensure the measures to prevent the spread of hand, foot and mouth disease are being strictly observed.

The BMA has instructed the schools to screen students everyday, to clean teaching aid equipment, toys and educate students on how improved personal hygiene to wash their hands properly.

Mr Sukhumbhand said he was satisfied with the measures implemented in the city’s schools to prevent to disease and stressed that the public should not panic.

He said the BMA has closely monitored the situation during January-July and found that there were some 13,000 patients nationwide while in Bangkok alone, there were 3,000 patients.

The Department of Disease Control on Tuesday announced that a lab test confirmed a two-year-old girl died of a severe strain of hand, foot and mouth disease.

The toddler is the first HFMD death this year in Thailand. She died last Thursday at Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital and hospital director Passakorn Chaivanichsiri said Enterovirus 71 (EV-71) was found in her body. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-07-25

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Thai stock index opens on Wednesday at 1,186.88, down 0.76 points /MCOT

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Court sentences Senate President Teeradej Meepien to 2 years prison for increasing own salary when he was Chief Ombudsman; jail term suspended for 2 years /MCOT

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Weather bureau predicted Typhoon Vicente to soon weaken

BANGKOK, 25 July 2012 (NNT) – The weather bureau has predicted that Typhoon Vicente will soon weaken to the level of a tropical storm soon.

The Meteorological Department’s Deputy Director-General Somchai Baimoung said that, according to the Meteorological Department Announcement No. 8, Typhoon Vicente has landed on Tuesday on the northern part of Hainan Island before weakening further and moving on to Vietnam on Wednesday.

As a result, several parts of Thailand, particularly the country’s northern, northeastern and eastern regions, will experience heavy rain until July 27th.

Mr. Somchai stated that the amount of rain in some areas may be more than 100 millimeters and that residents in high-risk areas should be cautious.

However, the Meteorological Department’s Deputy Director-General assured that the impact from the storm will not be as bad as that seen in Hong Kong or the lead to the devastation experienced during the occurrence of Tropical Storm Haima and Tropical Storm Nock-ten in 2011.

He added that, on the bright side, Thailand will benefit from the downpour, which can be stored at all dams and reservoirs for use during the next drought.

-- NNT 2012-07-25

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Economists urge govt to remove some unnecessary populist policies

BANGKOK, 25 July 2012 (NNT) – Economists in Thailand have expressed their worries over the government’s populist policies, asking the government to skip some unnecessary ones.

Full story:

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57 students nationwide infected with hand, foot, mouth disease; 2 more BKK schools close after 7 students at each school contract virus /MCOT

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Project to reverse Patong traffic flow hits a speed bump

Phuket Gazette

Patong's busy Soi Ruamjai will be turned into a two-way road as part of the reversal of the traffic flow. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

The Laem Petch Circle, a cornerstone in the traffic-reversal plan, is taking longer than expected to complete. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- A long-awaited plan to reverse the direction of one-way traffic flow in Patong was expected to take effect in June, but has been delayed as work to complete a new roundabout at the north end of the beach road has fallen behind schedule.

Full story:

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Mountain Lion Roars Into App Store

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....into-app-store/

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Supreme Court accepts case involving ex-premier Thaksin, 27 accomplices, for alleged malfeasance regarding Krung Thai Bank loans; sets first hearing for Oct 11 /MCOT

Defence Minister to host press conference on Democrat party leader Abhisit's conscription case Friday; admits meeting ex-premier Thaksin in Hong Kong /MCOT

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Depression Vicente carries heavy rain to Thailand’s North

MAE HONG SON, July 25 - Depression Vicente, downgraded from tropical storm status over China, has nonetheless triggered nonstop heavy rain in upper parts of Thailand.

In the northern province of Mae Hong Son, a landslide, triggered by rain has blocked the road leading to one hilltribe village in Sop Moei district. The local authorities will use a backhoe to unblock the road.

Farmland in Pai district has been submerged due to the heavy downpour.

In Chiang Rai, local residents in at-risk areas have been warned of likely flash floods and mudslides.

Flash flooding from the upstream level of waterways in Phichit. Off-season paddy fields, producing grain, have been flooded.

Local irrigation office has opened sluice gates to speed up releasing water into the Yom River, which has capacity to receive more water.

The meteorological department warned of severe weather and possible flash floods in low-land areas near waterways in the North and the Northeast.

Today through Friday, the strong southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea, mainland Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand has resulted in waves 2-3 meters high.

All shipping is advised to use caution and small boats should keep ashore, the department warned on its website. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-07-25