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Thailand Live Friday 17 August 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 Thursday 16 Aug 2012

Posted

UPDATE:

Transvestite grads get the nod

Wannapa Khaopa/Suriyan Panyawai/Chuleeporn Aramnet

The Nation

30188520-01_big.jpg

Baramee Phanich, centre, is among the Thammasat University students applying for permission to dress as a woman for the August 30 graduation ceremony.

Thammasat says five can wear female attire to graduation ceremony

BANGKOK: -- Reports of a male transvestite who has been given permission to dress as a female at his graduation ceremony have given hope to other male graduates with "women's hearts".

Full story:

Posted

Kaew, Pimsiri and Chanatip showered with money

Lerpong Amsangiam

The Nation

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BANGKOK: -- Life has become busy for Thailand's three Olympic heroes these days. Kaew Pongprayoon, Pimsiri Sirikaew and Chanatip Sonkham were mobbed by adoring fans and media when they attended two awards functions at McDonald's and Siam Commercial Bank yesterday.

Full story:

Posted

BUDGET DEBATE

Opposition demands details of spending

Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Opposition yesterday repeatedly asked for reports detailing the government's spending of Bt110 billion from a flood-rehabilitation fund and Bt30 billion from the central budget set aside for emergencies.

Full story:

Posted

Talks on with insurgent groups: Yuthasak

The Nation

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The wreckage of an explosives-packed vehicle is seen after yesterday

BANGKOK: -- In a policy reversal, the government is holding peace talks with some Muslim insurgent groups in the violence-plagued South, Deputy Prime Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapha said yesterday.

Full story:

Posted

BURNING ISSUE

Govt clueless on how to deal with South

Avudh Panananda

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The strife-torn Southern provinces have always been an enigma in the modern history of Thailand and will likely remain a serious security threat for decades to come.

Full story:

Posted

FLOOD FEARS

Govt to host forum on strategy

Piyanart Srivalo,

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Three-day event will be held at Central Lat Phrao on August 30

BANGKOK: -- The government will for the first time hold a big event to explain to the public how it has been working to prevent a repeat of last year's disastrous floods.

Full story:

Posted

Cops, drivers at odds on rush-hour checkpoints

Crime Desk

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Metropolitan Police's plan to prohibit officers from setting up checkpoints during the daytime has been met with mixed reactions.

Full story:

Posted

Wages fall behind living costs: study

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The daily minimum wage increase to Bt300, in effect since April 1, has not kept pace with daily living costs, according to a survey reported yesterday by the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee (TLSC).

Full story:

Posted

BMA gives unsafe billboards 30 days

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Owners of illegal billboards must remove their structures within 30 days of being reported to police, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has ordered.

Since the fatal collapse of a billboard in Chom Thong district last Sunday, the BMA has been inspecting all the billboards under its jurisdiction.

"The owners of the legal billboards will also have to ensure that their structures are secure and safe," Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra said.

Deputy Bangkok City Clerk Jumpol Sumpaopol said there were about 945 billboards in Bangkok.

"During the past decade, between 600 and 700 billboards have been dismantled because they were erected against the law," he said.

nationlogo.jpg

-- The Nation 2012-08-17

Posted

Verdict for eight Thais in Myanmar could take 2 weeks

The Nation

RANONG: -- The trial in Myanmar of eight Thais charged with possessing war weapons was scheduled to finish yesterday, but the verdict could take two weeks to be handed down.

Sek Wannamethee, deputy spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, said yesterday that two other Thais facing drug charges would appear before another court on the same day for witnesses to testify.

The maximum imprisonment for possessing military weapons is 20 years and for drugs 30 years.

The eight suspects are among 92 Thais, including 10 women, rounded up at Koh Song or Victoria Point in Myanmar opposite Ranong on July 4 for allegedly encroaching on Myanmar soil to raise crops including marijuana without a permit.

The weapons and drugs charges were added later in certain cases.

Relatives of the eight Thais gathered at the coordination office in Ranong on Wednesday after learning about the trial. They wanted to cross the border and attend the hearing but their request was rejected because they did not ask for permission in advance. They were allowed to wait for the verdict at the coordination office.

The suspects maintained they were misled by a broker into clearing land for a rubber plantation and only later found out that the site was beyond the authorised zone for Thais to use.

In a courtesy call on Myanmar President Thein Sein on Wednesday, Defence Minister Sukampol Suwannathat discussed the plight of the 92 Thai detainees and requested that they be released and repatriated.

The Myanmar leader promised to look into the matter, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.

Ranong military authorities warned the relatives of the 92 Thais not to be duped by some people claiming to know high-ranking Myanmar officials and promising to help get their loved ones released for Bt1 million in payment.

nationlogo.jpg

-- The Nation 2012-08-17

Posted

DSI probes graft allegations in govt's rice-pledging scheme

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is investigating complaints of corruption in the government's rice-pledging scheme.

Full story:

Posted

Tarit 'apologised' for DSI pointing finger at Army for May deaths

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief has apologised for his agency's pointing the finger at the Army for the deaths of many people during the unrest and riots in 2010, according to Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha.

Full story:

Posted

Meteorological Dept warns of tropical storm Kai-Tak

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BANGKOK, Aug 17 -- The Meteorological of Thailand on Thursday warned that tropical storm "Kai-Tak" is moving to China's Hainan province and could cause heavy rain in the north and northeastern regions of Thailand.

Full story:

Posted

Phuket National Park chief transferred after island resorts raided

Phuket Gazette

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DNP Director-General Damrong Phidet said the chief of Phuket's Sirinath National Park would be 'better suited to work in Bangkok'. Photo: Orawin Narabal

PHUKET: -- National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department (DNP) Director-General Damrong Phidet yesterday announced that the chief of Sirinath National Park will be transferred from Phuket after less than a month in office.

Full story:

Posted

Four reportedly killed in Phuket discotheque fire

PHUKET: -- Four tourists were believed to be killed in a massive fire broke out at the well-known Tiger Pub in Phuket's Krathu district early Friday, Thai Rath Online reported.

Full story:

Posted

National Park Conservation Dept reported vast damages from wildfires in Nakhon Si Thammarat

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, 17 August 2012 (NNT) – Officials have conceded that ongoing wildfires in southern Thailand have caused vast damages to forest and farmland.

Director General of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department Damrong Phidet, on Thursday, visited the Phru Khuan Khreng Wetland in southern Nakhon Si Thammarat to get firsthand update on the ongoing wildfires.

Mr. Damrong said he spotted more than 30 locations hit by wildfires and 13 other spots covering some 9,000 rai of land, where the fire is yet to be put out.

He added that around 500 rai of wildfire-hit land was an experimental farm area, belonged to the Chaipattana Foundation under the patronage of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Siridhorn.

The Director General of the National Park Department conceded that the wildfires may be more serious without timely solutions.

He said that 1,000 officers will travel on foot to put the fire out, as the use of chemical could pose risks to locals living nearby.

Director of Protected Area Regional Office 5 Jirasak Chukwamdee said that officials have been extra-vigilant about the situation, while asking locals to refrain from setting fire and entering the Phru Khuan Khreng Wetland.

nntlogo.jpg

-- NNT 2012-08-17 footer_n.gif

Posted

Tourism Ministry content with Jan-Jul tourist arrivals

BANGKOK, 17 August 2012 (NNT) – The Tourism Ministry is content with the tourist arrivals in Thailand during the first 7 months of this year.

Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa said that the 11th Thai International Travel Fair 2012 (TITF), which kicked off on Thursday, is intended to help boost local spending and revenue of travel business operators.

Mr. Chumpol stated that, during January and July 2012, 12.5 million overseas travelers have set foot in Thailand. With such satisfactory records, the Tourism Minister is confident that this year’s tourist arrivals will hit the ministry’s target of 19.5 million.

Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) President Suthiphong Pheunphiphop said that the 11th TITF is carrying the theme of “Amazing Winter”, which means the travel packages available at the fair will focus on the holiday plans during the cool season later this year.

Mr. Suthiphong said that more than 20 million baht has been spent to organize this event, which is expected to draw 300,000-400,000 fair-goers and bring in 300-400 million baht in travel income during the 4-day period.

The 11th TITF will run until this Sunday at Queen Sirikit Convention Center from 10 am to 8 pm.

nntlogo.jpg

-- NNT 2012-08-17 footer_n.gif

Posted

EXAT to install steel barrier on expressways to prepare for future accidents

BANGKOK, 17 August 2012 (NNT) – The operator of Thailand’s expressway system is stepping up its effort to prevent serious accidents that may happen in the future.

Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) Governor Aiyanat Tinapai said on Thursday that EXAT has planned to install steel barriers at 13 risk spots along the expressway routes to minimize the impact of future crashes.

Mr. Aiyanat said that the installation cost at each spot is estimated at 600,000 baht, or more than 7 million baht in total.

He stated that the actual installation will commence at the end of August and the project is expected to complete by the end of this year.

The EXAT Governor went on to say that more barriers will be installed in 2013 at other spots where serious crashes could happen.

He is confident that the initiative will help ease the seriousness of future accidents to a certain level.

Mr. Aiyanat added that EXAT has already installed other safety measures, such as signs and warning lights in order to help save motorists from deadly accidents.

nntlogo.jpg

-- NNT 2012-08-17 footer_n.gif

Posted

UTCC: Farmers in 100,000-baht debt on average

BANGKOK, 17 August 2012 (NNT) - A survey by the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) has indicated that Thai farmers on average are in 103,000 baht debt, the highest since it has conducted the survey.

Full story:

Posted

UPDATE:

4 dead, 11 injured in Tiger disco inferno

Phuket Gazette

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Phuket rescue workers recover one of the bodies from the gutted Tiger disco in Patong. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

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People fleeing the fire gather near the fire trucks in front of the disco as firefighters extinguish the blaze. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- A pre-dawn blaze at the popular Tiger Bar and Discotheque in Phuket has left four people dead and 11 people injured.

Full story:

Posted

Thai youngsters see tutoring as a must: NIDA survey

BANGKOK, Aug 17 - Almost 80 per cent of Thai youngsters viewed that tutoring is a must due to high academic competition, according to a poll by National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA).

The survey was conducted in July and August among 1,116 Bangkok students from school years 5 through 13 (about age 9 to age 17) on the subject of tutoring schools.

Those saying that tutoring is necessary viewed extra classes as self-improvement and for better understanding of their academic subjects.

More than 60 per cent indicated that the decision to enroll in a tutoring school is their own choice, followed by 26 per cent who said their parents demanded it, and about 5 per cent said they were following their friends’ actions.

However, 21 per cent of the students said tutoring is not necessary, for they can have good grades if only they paid attention to class and practised and revised their lessons.

Regarding factors in choosing a tutoring school, the students said they picked it from the school's reputation (42 per cent), followed by the tutor's reputation (34 per cent), and the school's location and environment (15 per cent).

Most (38 per cent) said they spent a couple of days a week for tutoring, and a lesser number, 31 per cent, said they spent one day a week on extra classes. (MCOT online news)

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-- TNA 2012-08-17

Posted

More rain forecast in North, Northeast due to impact of Kai-Tak

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BANGKOK, Aug 17 - More rain has been forecast for the north and northeastern regions of Thailand due to the impact of typhoon Kai-Tak which approached China's Hainan on Friday morning, according to the Meteorological Department.

Full story:

Posted

UPDATE

Tiger fire ‘sounded like a bomb’, report staff

Phuket Gazette

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A woman waits beside a friend's bed at Patong Hospital as the victim recovers from the Tiger Disco fire early this morning. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

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Thamrongsak Boonrak, Legal Counsel for Tiger Discotheque, said compensation will be paid in full. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: Staff at the Tiger Discotheque in Patong initially thought the sound of an exploding transformer was a bomb, which caused people to panic and stampede towards the door when fire broke out at the Phuket venue early this morning. Four people were killed and at least 12 others injured, according to officials.

Full story:

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