Thailand Live Wednesday 22 Aug 2012

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Thailand Live Wednesday 22 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 Tuesday 21 Aug 2012

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EXTRA REVENUE

Hike in excise on cigarettes and liquor backed

The Nation

Lao khao to rise by up to Bt10 per bottle today but beer, wine not affected

BANGKOK: -- Smokers of imported and local cigarette brands, plus drinkers of liquor - known locally as lao khao - will be hit by a rise in excise tax. The Cabinet yesterday backed a higher excise on cigarettes and white liquor, citing a policy to boost the health of Thai people as the reason.

Full story:

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COURT

Jatuporn, reds face bail ruling today

THE NATION

Jatuporn

BANGKOK: -- Trying to predict whether the Criminal Court will revoke bail today granted earlier to red-shirt leaders may be as tough as reading the minds of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her big brother on the issue.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....l-ruling-today/

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CALIFORNIA WOW

Customers, staff to sue failing fitness centre

THAMMARAT KITCHALONG

THE NATION

A press conference yesterday an official from the Foundation for Consumers delivers a statement about the complaints filed by clients of the California Wow fitness centre, which is only operating its Siam Paragon branch at present.

BANGKOK: -- A consumer protection foundation yesterday encouraged customers of once-popular California WOW to register complaints with it so that lawsuits could be filed against the firm for the return of membership fees.

Full story:

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ASSASSINATION

MP likely target of killing: police

THE NATION

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: -- A personal or political conflict was thought to be behind the fatal shooting of the son of a government MP on Monday night. But the victim could have been mistaken for his father, according to police and the politician's colleagues.

Full story:

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Thailand says Briton among nightclub fire victims

Full story:

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Wildfires in peat swamp prove tough to contain

KRISSANA THIWATSIRIKUL,

KANYA KHAMNURAK,

KITTIYANEE SOMMAI,

THANIS SUDTO

THE NATION

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: -- Wildfires in a protected peat swamp forest in the South - both on and below the surface - are proving tough to extinguish despite significant efforts by hundreds of fire-fighters over recent weeks.

Full story:

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More evidence found in bomb scanner case

ATAPOOM ONGKULNA

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The National Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday postponed its decision on the CTX bomb scanner scandal until next Tuesday, saying it had found new evidence of high-ranking Thai government officials being involved.

Full story:

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BURNING ISSUE

NBTC effort to improve TV soaps misguided

Pravit Rojanaphruk

BANGKOK: -- The vernacular Daily News newspaper on August 13 reported the alarming news of the latest move by the broadcasting regulator to "improve" the country's notorious soap operas.

Full story:

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Army to support ex-marksman in DSI rehearing: Prayuth

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Army will provide legal assistance for an ex-soldier summoned for renewed questioning on his involvement in crowd control during the 2010 strife, Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said yesterday.

"The Army has always cooperated with the investigation on violent incidents," he said, voicing confidence the truth would come out that soldiers followed prescribed procedures on crowd control. Prayuth was commenting on reports the Department of Special Investigation wanted to conduct a new round of questioning of the squad-designated marksman involved in reining in the protesters. The DSI had taken statements from anti-riot forces at the end of the red-shirt rally. He said the marksman in question had left military. The Army chief said he would allow legal proceedings to run their course.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court rescheduled yesterday's inquest into the death of taxi driver Phan Khamkong to August 28 and 30. A decision into his case is expected on September 17. Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and MP Suthep Thaugsuban are now due to testify about overseeing the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation on August 30. Phan was shot dead on May 15, 2010, on Ratchaprarop Road, a designated zone for live bullets at the height of the protests involving the red shirts.

-- The Nation 2012-08-22

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Cambodian Muslims not involved in South violence: Army chief

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Most Cambodian Muslims living in the deep South of Thailand have no connection with insurgents in the predominantly Muslim region, and are simply job-seekers who have fled poverty in search of better lives, Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said yesterday.

Prayuth's statement contradicted Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha's earlier comment that many Muslims from Cambodia did not return home after travelling to the deep South, suggesting that they might be involved in the ongoing violence there.

Prayuth said only some 30-100 Muslims from Cambodia entered Thailand monthly. The figure varied according to the season, he said. Larger numbers entered during months when religious activities took place, such as Dahwah missionary work, he said. Some Muslims from Cambodia entered Thailand during other periods in search of work, he said.

"That's normal. I don't think they have any connection with violence in the deep South," Prayuth said. "It's about poverty, as they want to seek jobs in predominantly Muslim regions, including Malaysia, where they can obtain higher incomes than in their home country."

Nonetheless, authorities would keep eye on them since immigration records show that many of them do not return home.

Thai authorities have been especially sensitive to the movement of Muslims inside the Kingdom since violence erupted in the deep South in early 2004, killing thousands of people in the past eight years. No specific group has claimed responsibility. The government has pointed to separatists, but a solution to the violence remains elusive.

Meanwhile, Burmese national Chali Sinorat was shot dead yesterday in Narathiwat's Sungai Kolok district while using a motorbike to herd his cows into an enclosure.

In Narathiwat's Rangae district, an ambush killed a ranger and injured other two villagers while they were on the way to Ban Kujing Lupah. The dead ranger was Sgt-Major Bang-ern Phanyoo, 39. Injured were Nisoh Eduereh, 42, and Somchit, family name unknown.

Rangae district official Suriya Ahwaekuji and six security volunteers were targeted by roadside bombs as they rushed to inspect the earlier incident in Ban Kujing Lupah.

Three bombs went off within 15 seconds when their pickup truck passed into the area, but nobody was hurt.

Police said the two incidents in Rangae district were related and might have been committed by the same group of insurgents.

-- The Nation 2012-08-22

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Bt30 scheme is back but not everybody is happy

PUANGCHOMPOO PRASERT,

KANNIKAR WIJITSAKONKARN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Despite the return of the Bt30 healthcare scheme, not all hospitals will be collecting the co-payment from patients seeking treatment under the government's universal health plan, which had previously been free.

Full story:

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Royals to visit Thung Phra Phimol Project

THE NATION

NAKHON PATHOM: -- Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and HRH Princess Srirasmi will visit a flood-prevention project in Nakhon Pathom's Nakhon Chaisi district tomorrow and offer their own ideas on flood prevention.

The Prince and Princess will travel down Klong Mahasawat on a Navy boat and head for the Thung Phra Phimol flood-prevention project. They will board the boat at Wat Suwannaram in Buddhamondhol's tambon Salaya.

The Thung Phra Phimol monkey-cheek project covers about 275,000 rai (44,000 hectares) in Nakhon Pathom and Nonthaburi, and will involve 69 pumps at 17 water stations, which will drain nearly 18 million cubic metres of water per day.

Thung Phra Phimol is the southernmost irrigation area, which receives run-offs from the North before it flows into the economic zones of Bangkok and Samut Sakhon.

The Prince and Princess will look at how the military and the Royal Irrigation Department have been dredging a 6-kilometre stretch of Klong Mahasawat. They will be welcomed by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, and other ministers. The chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and National Police will also be present.

Chaiyaporn Promsuwan, chief of the Phra Phimol project, said it was almost 90 per cent complete and four large fixed water pumps and 10 moveable ones had been installed. In addition, he said, the tasks of dredging the canal, removing water plants and weeds, as well as strengthening watergates had been completed.

These measures will help boost the project's capacity to drain water into the sea and prevent floods in Bangkok districts such as Thawee Watthana and Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong, Sai Noi and Bang Yai districts.

Chaiyaporn added that his team had dredged five canals in the vicinity of these high-risk areas, with the Army stepping in to dredge and clear Klong Mahasawat and Klong Yong. Roads along the banks of the Tha Chin River have also been raised to act as embankments.

He said that since early this month, it had been raining a lot and the water had been drained to a level of less than 30 centimetres, so the field had a greater capacity to hold water when the rainy season goes into full swing.

-- The Nation 2012-08-22

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Events to push govt policies

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The government plans to hold coordinated events nationwide on Saturday and Sunday to advertise its policies, Deputy Finance Minister Thanusak Lek-uthai said.

The government will present to the public 11 projects including the debt-suspension and rice-subsidy schemes, he said.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her Cabinet members will kick off the event on Saturday at Ratchamungkhalakirasatan Sport Stadium. Related events will be held in all 76 provinces, he said.

The government will highlight the first-home, first-car, farmers' credit card, crop-insurance, women's fund, village fund and universal healthcare fund policies, along with many other financial schemes implemented by state-run banks. Some economists have criticised these projects as populist policies that waste taxpayers' money and serve only to boost unsustainable consumption.

-- The Nation 2012-08-22

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Tiger to pay families of victims Bt1mn compensation each

Phuket Gazette

The management of Tiger Discotheque has announced they will pay the families of the four victims killed in the blaze one million baht in compensation. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

Tiger Group has already paid to have one of the severely burned victims, Benjamin Tallanotte, flown by air ambulance to Bangkok Hospital, Bangkok, for further treatment. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- The management of the Tiger Discotheque has announced that it will pay one million baht in compensation to each of the families of those who died in the blaze early Friday morning.

Full story:

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RT @mpoppel: BREAKING -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un to attend NAM summit in Tehran next week, Iran's Tabnak news reports.

RT @mpoppel: This would be Kim Jong-Un's first foreign visit since taking control in North Korea

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RT @191Thailand: 15 cars were torched in Nonchik, Pattani at about 2am (Pic @idongphoto) http://thai.vi/O2AZfr

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Thai stock index opens on Wednesday at 1,230.68, down 1.61 points /MCOT

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Flooding brings Phuket Town to a standstill

Phuket Gazette

The scene on Yaowarat Road in front of Bangkok Phuket Hospital at about 7am. Photo: Natacha Kitchakarn

PHUKET: -- Severe flooding has affected large areas of Phuket this morning, with traffic brought to a standstill throughout Phuket Town and tailbacks of more than 10 kilometers on the main arteries leading into town.

Full story:

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MRT to expand service due to increase in passenger demand

BANGKOK, 22 August 2012 (NNT) – The operator Bangkok’s underground train system is going to expand its service after reports of an increase in passenger demand.

According to Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) Governor Yongsit Rojsrikul, with the number of MRT passengers going up by 10 percent per year, from the previous average of 250,000, the MRTA is considering buying more trains to add to its fleet of 19 cars.

Mr. Yongsit said that between 5 and 10 new cars will be procured to serve more passengers.

The MRTA Governor added that the implementation of a flat fare of 20 baht, as called for by the government, will boost passengers’ number to more than double.

He reckoned that the 20-baht fare policy will likely be implemented on the Blue Line MRT system in 2 years from now, before it is expanded to the Purple Line, which is expected to be completed in 2015.

Mr. Yongsit went on to say that that the extension of both Blue and Purple Line systems has been delayed because of the flood crisis in late 2011.

He said that as the MRTA will propose that the Cabinet agree with the postponement of the construction deadline by 180 days, while pushing the contractors to complete the project as planned.

-- NNT 2012-08-22

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DDPM to help provinces hit hard by shortage of rainfall

BANGKOK, 22 August 2012 (NNT) – The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) is set to speedily extend help to those hit hard by the shortage of rainfall in 4 provinces.

DDPM Director-General Viboon Sanguanpong revealed on Tuesday that DDPM provincial and district offices in Surin, Buriram, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Phatthalung have been instructed to provide water supply to those in need.

Mr. Viboon said all offices have also been ordered to supply water pumps to farmers, who are in need of water for their crops, and to assist related Local Administrative Organizations to dig more underground water wells, where needed.

The DDPM’s rush to help supply water in all 4 provinces was prompted by the recent shortage of rainfall, since July.

In Phatthalung along, at least 8 districts have been declared disaster zones, as more than 115,200 people have already been hit hard by the lack of rain.

-- NNT 2012-08-22

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BoT affirms current monetary policy suits Thai economic expansion

BANGKOK, 22 August 2012 (NNT) – The central bank chief has assured that the bank’s current monetary policy is suitable for the country’s economic growth momentum.

Bank of Thailand (BoT) Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul said on Tuesday that the BoT is confident in its monetary policy, which entails a flexible inflation target, as an appropriate move to go along withThailand’s economic growth momentum.

Mr. Prasarn added that the current policy is also supporting domestic consumption and the expansion of local loans.

He stated that Thai interest rate has been relatively low, when compared with the country’s inflation.

The BoT chief went on to say that the present monetary policy is effective in stabilizing and supporting the economic growth, as seen from the continued rise in private loans granted by commercial banks in spite of inflationary pressure from some domestic factors.

Mr. Prasarn conceded, anyhow, that the BoT is to keep monitoring overseas inflationary pressure on the country for some more time.

-- NNT 2012-08-22

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Cabinet granted more budgets to support water management policies

BANGKOK, 22 August 2012 (NNT) – The Cabinet has agreed to allocate more budget to support the water management policies in Bangkok and across the country.

Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, who chairs the Water and Flood Management Committee (WFMC), said on Tuesday that the weekly Cabinet meeting has resolved to grant around 450 million baht in an additional budget to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Royal Irrigation Department.

Mr. Plodprasop said that the additional budget allocation has been within the Emergency Decree, which authorized the Finance Ministry to make decision on loan applications to help manage the country’s water resources.

With this new amount, the BMA will be able to procure 30 more water pumps, while the Royal Thai Navy will be able to purchase 10 water-pushing vessels.

At the same time, the Royal Irrigation Department will also get more money to install garbage strainers and water-pump support systems.

Mr. Plodprasop added that the Cabinet will discuss next week the request from the Royal Irrigation Department for 603 million baht more to implement the siphon project at the Bang Chom Sri sluice gate in Ayutthaya Province and for another 340 million baht for a new sluice gate and a semi-permanent water pump station in Pathum Thani Province.

-- NNT 2012-08-22

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RT @MCOT_Eng: Honda showroom in Pattani's Nong Chik district set afire; 15 cars burnt, Bt20 million damage

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Govt Mulls Pre-Packed Lunch Boxes For High Speed Trains; Sees New Market For Upscale Travelers

BANGKOK, Aug 22 - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has assigned a government agency to create a special lunch box for use the yet-to-introduced high speed train, which will carry priority travelers to various locations.

Full story:

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RT @RichardBarrow: 11:45am Red Shirts have now set up tents in front of Criminal Court leaving 2 lanes for traffic (Pic @jigoro_max) http://thai.vi/OvS4R0

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Operation Center set up to support police in southern provinces

BANGKOK, 22 August 2012 (NNT) – The National Security Council or NSC has confirmed that an operation center for southern unrest will be set up in order to ease the police’s activities.

Police General Wichien Pojphosri, Secretary-General of the National Security Council has revealed after a meeting to consider the establishment of an operation center for the southern unrest, that the NSC and the Office of the Council of State have discussed solutions to the violence in the deep South. The issues include the structure and duty of the operation center that will be set up and intelligence data analysis and information exchange between government agencies. At the moment, the National Intelligence Agency or NIA is in charge of data analysis.

Mr. Wichien added that the name list of all committee members for the operation center will be presented to the Prime Minister for approval by August 24th. General Sirichai Distakul will be the secretary general of the operation center.

-- NNT 2012-08-22

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Phuket schools close after floodwater hits

Phuket Gazette

Traffic delays in Phuket Town are expected to continue throughout today as municipal workers use pumps to drain the floodwater from the streets. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

Floodwater sweeps through the Radio Thailand staff accommodation compound in Rassada, north of Phuket Town. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Phuket City Municipality this morning announced that Phuket Wittayalai School and Satree Phuket School, both on the north side of Phuket Town, are closed today after heavy rains last night caused minor flooding across the island.

Full story:

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15 new cars burnt in Honda showroom arson in Pattani

PATTANI, Aug 22 – Fifteen new automobiles were destroyed in Nong Chik district of Pattani province in an insurgency-related act of arson early today.

Ten men dressed in headgear to prevent their being recognised overpowered guards to force their way into a Honda showroom here, setting it afire Wednesday morning, and burning 15 new Honda cars.

Fifteen new cars—two Honda Civics and 13 Honda Jazz models – and two motorcycles belonging to showroom employees were destroyed. According to the local Honda manager.

Investigators said that some 10 armed arsonists, with headgear covering their faces, entered the showroom compound by a back entrance. They forced three security guards to lay down on the floor, poured the petrol onto the cars in the warehouse in the compound and set them on fire.

The arsonists then fled the scene.

Showroom manager Mayuree Songkaew said that the 15 cars were all new and that seven of the new vehicles were scheduled to be handed over to buyers on Wednesday after being reserved and awaiting delivery for seven months.

Ms Mayuree said today's incident was the second arson at the automobile agency. The first was in 2007 when arsonists set fire the front portion of the agency. This time the blaze was in the warehouse at the back of the compound.

She said the company is assessing the damage and that has fire insurance coverage. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-08-22