Thailand Live Saturday 18 Aug 2012

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Thailand Live Saturday 18 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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Update:

Four killed, 11 others injured in Phuket pub fire

The Nation

The remains of a two-storey building in Phuket housing a discotheque and beer bar after it was gutted in a deadly fire early yesterday.

PHUKET: -- The issues of closing times and the condition of fire exits at night-entertainment venues have returned to the media spotlight after another deadly blaze - this one at a Phuket pub early yesterday that left four people dead and 11 others injured.

Full story:

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Not all follow TU's lead on cross-dressing grads

Chanikarn Phumhirun,

Chuleeporn Aramnet

The Nation

THE NATION: -- Not all male graduates with "women's hearts" will be able to dress as females at their commencement ceremonies, as long-held traditions and rules remain firmly in place at Chulalongkorn University (CU) and likely elsewhere.

Full story:

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POISONING CASE

Mom Luk Pla jailed for 4 years over prince's death

The Nation

Chalasai Kwanthiti, better known as Mom Luk Pla, shows up in court yesterday in Bangkok. The Supreme Court sentenced her to four years and eight months in prison for the 1995 poisoning death of her husband Prince Thitiphan Yugala.

Saga of fatal love triangle concludes, but royal pardon sought

BANGKOK: -- The 17-year-old fatal-love-triangle case involving poisoned Prince Thitiphan Yugala, his wife and her lover came to the final chapter yesterday with a Supreme Court ruling that sentenced her to four years and eight months in jail.

The Supreme Court found Chalasai Kwanthiti, 42, better known as Mom Luk Pla, guilty of physical assault leading to the death of the prince in 1995.

The Supreme Court reversed the Appeals Court's decision that acquitted Luk Pla. The Supreme Court found her guilty of poisoning the prince's coffee with carbonate insecticide but without intention to kill.

The Supreme Court initially sentenced Luk Pla to seven years in jail but because she confessed during interrogation by police, the court commuted the sentence by one-third to four years and eight months.

Democrat Party MP Suthas Ngernmuen, who provided legal assistance to Luk Pla, said he would seek a royal pardon for the woman before His Majesty the King's birthday on December 5.

The case made headlines in 1997 when public prosecutors charged Luk Pla with either premeditated murder or manslaughter for the death of Thitiphan.

Luk Pla, whose name means "little fish", was also dubbed the "little bird in the golden cage" after she was married to the prince in 1994 in a grand ceremony, which elevated her from a commoner to a royal. The prince was reportedly infatuated with her so much that she was put under tight monitoring.

Luk Pla tried dozens of times to flee the prince to be with her lover at that time, Uthes Supwa. She has two children with Uthes but broke up and is remarried to Thawechai Noirpasert, 39, after Uthes was jailed on a theft conviction.

Although she was charged with murder, Luk Pla received public sympathy because she was seen as a helpless woman.

Born as Nipaporn to a woman from Ubon Ratchathani, the baby Luk Pla was abandoned at Chulalongkorn Hospital and was adopted by the prince's sister when she was two years old. The prince later took her as a servant in his house when she was four.

She was made a common-law wife of the prince when she was 12 before she was officially married to him in 1994, a year before his death. He believed the marriage would stop her running away.

Although police and prosecutors charged Luk Pla with having committed either premeditated murder or manslaughter, the Criminal Court declined to convict her of murder. On February 19, 2002, she was convicted of physical assault leading to death. She was initially sentenced to nine years in prison but the court commuted the sentence to six years because of her confession.

Luk Pla appealed against the verdict and in a ruling on March 8, 2005, the Appeals Court acquitted her on the grounds that there was no witness who saw her put the insecticide in the coffee.

The Supreme Court considered the main point as to whether Luk Pla had really poisoned the prince. The court ruled that she failed a lie-detector test when she claimed she did not poison him. The court also noted that she had confessed during interrogation that she put the insecticide in the prince's coffee with an intention of making him sick so that she could later ask him in front of others to divorce her.

The high court also ruled that it was impossible for Luk Pla to plan the murder by putting insecticide in the coffee because the amount she used didn't kill him within an hour as charged. The prince died nine days after he was taken to the hospital.

-- The Nation 2012-08-18

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Democrats attack govt on airport, lack of rail spending, rice subsidies

WICHIT CHAITRONG,

KORNCHANOK RAKSASERI

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Opposition MPs expressed concern over the quality of runway repairs at Suvarnabhumi Airport, inadequate railway investment and huge losses from the government's rice-subsidy scheme during yesterday's debate of the Bt2.4-trillion budget bill for fiscal 2013.

Full story:

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ECONOMY

BOT losses a cause for worry for some, but chief is unfazed

THE NATION

BOT Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul

BANGKOK: -- The Bank of Thailand's board members are still at odds over the central bank's losses, though they have been able to compromise on the inflation targeting issue, BOT Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul said.

Full story:

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ECONOMY

Monetary policy can use 'a mix of tools'

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation

Supachai

BANGKOK: -- Arguments between two schools of thought on the use of monetary policy to target growth or stability have become intense. However, some have floated the idea of using a "mixed" policy as an alternative.

Full story:

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Heineken ups bid for Tiger Beer maker to fend off Thai rival

THE HAGUE, Aug 18, 2012 (AFP) - Dutch brewing giant Heineken Friday agreed to a final offer of Sg$53 a share for Singapore's Asia Pacific Breweries to fend off a Thai rival and gain control of Asia's fast-growing beer market.

Full story:

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Protest against Tesco Lotus in Phuket Town

Phuket Gazette

More than 500 people took part in the protest in front of Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

Local traders say no to a large-scale Tesco Lotus opening in Phuket Town. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- More than 500 local traders, business owners and residents marched on Provincial Hall yesterday to petition the Governor to stop construction of a new Tesco Lotus outlet planned for Phuket Town.

Full story:

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Army denies troops involved in red-shirt crackdown had sniper rifles

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Army spokesman yesterday denied that troops deployed to the crack down on red-shirt protesters were armed with sniper rifles.

Full story:

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Bt500m compensation paid to families of 2004 violence in South

THE NATION

Yala

YALA: -- The Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre (SBPAC) yesterday handed over nearly Bt500 million in compensation to 422 relatives and heirs of victims of violence in the Krue Se, Saba Yoi and Tak Bai incidents in 2004.

Full story:

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Boonchai to try for Senate deputy speaker

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Senator Boonchai Chokwatana has declared his candidacy for the position of Senate deputy speaker, replacing Senator Nikom Wairatpanij, who was elected speaker in a peer vote on Tuesday.

"I have been a senator for four years and four months and I know and work with all 146 senators, therefore I believe I can work to coordinate all groups without any problems," Boonchai said yesterday.

If elected, Boonchai said he was confident he could do his job well.

Born in 1947, he is concurrently chairman of the Saha Group, one of the country's largest business conglomerates. He is also vice chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

He served his first term as appointed senator from 2008 to 2011. He formerly sat on the Senate committee for economics, commerce and industry. He donated his Senate salary and allowances to a fund set up for the welfare of Senate Secretariat staff and their children.

For his second term, he was nominated by the private sector and appointed last year to serve until 2017.

-- The Nation 2012-08-18

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Changes urged to 11th NESDB plan

Saowanee Nimpanpayungwong

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Development of Thai citizens' quality of life and a clearer picture of Thailand's future population structure are the keys to achieving sustainable prosperity - and to achieve these goals, the National Economic and Social Development Board's 11th Plan will need to be adjusted, a hearing on the plan was told.

Full story:

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PM, on her weekly TV programme, urged all sectors to help take care of canals & rivers to ensure flood prevention /MCOT

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RT @RichardBarrow: 18 August: Today in Thailand it is National Science Day วันวิทยาศาสตร์แห่งชาติ

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Don Mueang Airport ready to open for service on October 1

Don Mueang. File photo, source: wikimedia

BANGKOK, 18 August 2012 (NNT) – The Transport Ministry has affirmed that the Don Mueang Airport will be ready for full commercial operation again at the beginning of October, as planned.

Full story:

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Govt to speedily investigate wildfires at Phru Kuan Kreng Wetland

BANGKOK, 18 August 2012 (NNT) – The government has pledged to speed up the investigation into ongoing wildfires at the Phru Kuan Kreng Wetland.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Friday got an official update on the wildfires at the Phru Kuan Kreng Wetland in southern Nakhon Si Thammarat, which has devastated thousands of rai of forest and farmland.

Natural Resources Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk has visited the wildfire-hit areas and ordered officials to speedily put out the fire.

An investigation is set to begin once the wildfires have been doused, especially into allegations that local politicians have encroached the forest.

The Prime Minister said that investigators have begun collecting evidence into the claims and pledged that justice will be served in this case.

She also said that the government will consider more serious punishment for encroachers.

-- NNT 2012-08-18

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Security forces in Deep South staying extra-vigilant around all state offices

BANGKOK, 18 August 2012 (NNT) – The government has ordered security forces in violence-plagued southern border area to step up surveillance measures around all state offices.

Deputy Prime Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapa said that the Thursday bomb attack in front of the Panare District Office in Pattani Province was intended as a symbolic act of violence during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

General Yuthasak said that the blast did not seem to be aiming at taking lives or property damages, anyhow.

In any case, the Deputy Prime Minister has urged the Army Region4 Commander to instruct all security officers to step up the monitoring of vehicles entering all state grounds in the far South.

He stated that the inspection of all vehicles is essential in the prevention of more blasts.

-- NNT 2012-08-18

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RT @RichardBarrow: is this a jumper? Man sitting on the ledge on top of Big C Ratchadamri opposite CentralWorld (Pic @Lynging) http://thai.vi/SyIXhQ

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RT @RichardBarrow: Jumper on Big C is getting a lot of attention as national press are on the other side of the road at the "Stop Corruption" event with the PM

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RT @RichardBarrow: 11am Close-up of the jumper on top of Big C opposite CentralWorld (Pic @yoware) http://instagr.am/p/OdH4uYm4Tt/

RT @RichardBarrow: Jumper on top of Big C Ratchdamri is a 30y old male. Police have found suicide letter. Officials trying to talk him down.

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RT @RichardBarrow: Do you know this man? http://bit.ly/PBJ5k7 - Sitting on ledge of Big C opposite CentralWorld. Your help urgently needed

RT @RichardBarrow: Jumper on Big C Ratchadamri has changed his mind & has walked back from the edge - TR @tueng_nna http://thai.vi/SyMPPZ

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RT @RichardBarrow: 1 Japanese & 1 French died in the Tiger Pub fire according to Matichon. Also a Thai staff member. 4th body unknown.

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RT @RichardBarrow: Officials saying that man who tried to jump from Big C Ratchdamri was heartbroken. His girlfriend broke up with him.

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House of Representatives approves 2013 budget bill

BANGKOK, Aug 18 - The House of Representatives early Saturday morning voted 279-8 to approved on the third reading the proposed Bt2.44 trillion budget bill for the fiscal year 2013.

Full story:

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PM still concerned by water situation

BANGKOK, Aug 18 -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinwatra thanked the public and private sectors for assistance in dredging canals while expressed worry over the water situation, as deforestation persisted.

Full story:

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Mass-circulation 'Asia Weekly' launched in Phuket

Phuket Gazette

The 'Asia Weekly' is a rapidly growing part of the China Daily Group and is a must read for Phuketians doing business in Southeast Asia. Image: Gazette Graphics

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Gazette is proud this week to be ushering into Phuket the China Daily Asia Weekly, a world-class publication built in Hong Kong by, among others, senior expatriate editors from the UK, the United States, Europe, India, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

Full story:

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University of Phayao holds National Science Week event 2012

PHAYAO, 18 August 2012 (NNT) - Assistant Professor Dr. Wiboon Wattanatorn, deputy dean of research and quality assurance at the University of Phayao, presided over the opening ceremony for university’s Faculty of Science’s National Science Week event, to be held from August 17 to 19. The opening ceremony was attended by administrators, professors, university personnel, university students, and students from the University of Phayao Demonstration School.

The event will play host to a number of activities. Among these will be science and technology exhibitions from various agencies within the university and elsewhere, a science project competition, a contest of local wisdom, a science-themed drawing contest, a mobile planetarium, and numerous games for which prizes will be awarded.

Dr. Wiboon revealed the National Science Week event is being held in response to the continuous development of both science and technology. The event aims to spread knowledge about both science and technology. It is also hoped the event will entertain visitors.

-- NNT 2012-08-18

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Phuket B12mn meth bust 'tip of the iceberg', say Bangkok Police

Phuket Gazette

Police say that so much drugs is being shipped in the Bangkok-Phuket connection, 'It's scary.' Photo: Gazette file

Lt Col Prawit Engchuan of Phuket City Police led the 12mn baht drug bust in Rawai. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- The lead officer in the investigation that led to 12 million baht in methamphetamine being seized in Phuket last weekend has told the Phuket Gazette that the bust was the “tip of the iceberg” of the true volume of drugs being trafficked to the island from Bangkok.

Full story: