PM scheduled to visit Thein Sein next month

BANGKOK, 27 August 2012 (NNT) – Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is scheduled to pay Myanmar President Thein Sein a visit during September 19-21 to discuss Dawei deep sea port development.

Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul has revealed that PM Yingluck will lead a group of economy-related ministers to visit Myanmar during September 19-21, 2012 in order to discuss with President Thein Sein regarding the signed memorandum of understanding, or the MoU on Dawei deep sea port development. The MoU was signed last month when President Thein Sein paid Thailand a visit.

According to Mr. Surapong, a committee will be set up during the Premier's visit in order to implement and follow up on the agreed issues of the MoU. He added that the visit will be a good opportunity for both countries to further stabilize relations and economic partnership. Additionally, the Dawei deep sea port development is part of the project that is aimed to connect Laem Chabang Port and the Dawei port together.

-- NNT 2012-08-27

NESDB: Unemployment rises in Q2 by 0.85% y-o-y

BANGKOK, 27 August 2012 (NNT) - The National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has revealed that the unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2012 has risen by 0.85% year-on-year.

According to NESDB Secretary-General Arkom Termpitayapaisit, over 330,000 people were reported unemployed in the second quarter this year. He stated that the number of new graduates has risen this year by 13.6% or around 500,000 people since April.

Mr Arkom added that some factories were not fully in operation in the second quarter and other are hiring fewer workers due to the 300-baht minimum wage policy. Nonetheless, he added that although pay rates have increased by 22%, the increase in consumer product prices by an average of 2.5% has lowered the actual increase to 19%.

He said the overall unemployment atmosphere is not that worrying as the rate remains below 1%. However, he was concerned that, in the short run, the rate could rise under the worsening global economic situation. He also advised that the government improve Thai labors' skills and proficiency in the English language ahead of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), given Thailand has twice as much to do as other member countries to prepare its workforce for the arrival of the Asean block.

-- NNT 2012-08-27

Thai court jails 22 Chinese and Taiwanese for call centre scam

Bangkok Criminal Court Monday sentenced 15 mainland Chinese and seven Taiwanese to three years in jail for a call centre scam that bilked about 300 million dollars from victims in China, Taiwan and Malaysia, court officials said.

The sentences were reduced to 18 months after they all admitted their guilt.

The 22 defendants were arrested March 28 following a joint investigation involving police from Thailand, China, Taiwan and Malaysia.

The court found the defendants guilty of using Thailand as a base of operations to call victims and convince them to send money via ATM machines to accounts set up by the gang

-- The Nation 2012-08-27

BANGKOK

BMA is braced for flooding : Sukhumbhand

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has been bracing for possible floods and water run-off from the North, Bangkok Governor Sukhumband Paribatra said Monday.

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POLITICAL STRIFE

Abhisit testifies on 2010 bloody crackdown

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Monday testified and presented documents to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) concerning his government's crackdown on the 2010 red-shirt protests.

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INUNDATION

Heavy flooding in Uttaradit district close schools

The Nation

UTTARADIT: -- Uttaradit's Laplae district remains under floodwater today with several schools temporarily closed and 10,000 rai of rice fields inundated.

Seven villages in the northern province are submerged, affecting about 500 households.

Surapong Homsunthorn, head of Wat Phothong School in Laplae district, said his school closed Monday due to flash flooding from the heavy downpours over the weekend. School staff are assessing damage. Standing water remains in several parts of the compound, including the stadium, child development centre and classroom buildings.

Resident Renu Prathapthong said her home is still swamped and the flood washed away 20,000 fish from her fish-breeding pond.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department warns that abundant rain is likely with isolated heavy rain over the country for the next day or two as a monsoon trough lies across the North and the upper Northeast.

-- The Nation 2012-08-27

SET index closed at 1233.73, down 3.46; Bt/USD31.11; GBP49.06; AUD32.17; EUR38.79; CAD31.25; HKD4.00; SGD24.71; JPY39.3

Speedboat In Trouble Off Phi Phi

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Heavy rain blamed for Phang Nga bus accident

Phuket Gazette

Rescue workers pulled the driver and 15 injured passengers from the bus. All are likely to leave hospital today suffering only minor injuries. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Police assess that heavy rain caused a bus carrying 20 passengers from Haad Yai to Phuket to overturn on a curve in Phang Nga yesterday, injuring 16 people.

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RT @veen_NT: PM Yingluck: Kittiratt does not have permission to say "white lies", but she personally believes in his good intention.

Young Thais' Emotional Quotient needs remedies

BANGKOK, Aug 27 - The emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) of Thai youths from secondary schools through higher-learning institutes has decreased, with about one million children at risk of depression and emotional disturbances, according to the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB).

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Lin Ping, Thailand's beloved Chinese panda, celebrates 3rd birthday

CHIANG MAI, Aug 27 - Lin Ping, the first giant panda born in Thailand and a darling of the Thai people, has turned three years and three months old.

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Phuket 'false sexual assault' victim Bamford to reveal all on Australian prime time TV

Phuket Gazette

Tonight, Stevie Rochelle Bamford is slated to appear before millions on the Australian prime-time television show 'Today Tonight'. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- Stevie Bamford, the 21-year-old Australian tourist who in June confessed to Thai police that she had filed a false rape claim in Phuket, steps onto the Australian prime-time television show Today Tonight to reveal the 'truth' about her sexual assault in Thailand.

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Blood group A Rh Negative (A Rh-) urgently needed in in Ubon Ratchathani:

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Starting from 1st September, if a taxi driver refuses to pick up a passenger or turn on the meter they could be arrested. Call Hotline 1197. /via @RichardBarrow

Crackdown on cabbies who refuse to take passengers

Cabbies who refuse to take passengers can now be arrested if those affected call the 1197 hotline or visit www.trafficpolice.go.th and provide the taxi's licence plate number, Pol Colonel Weerawit Watjanapukka of the Traffic Police Command said Monday.

He also said that police would issue warnings for petty traffic violations instead of tickets from September 1. Those who receive these warnings will face the maximum fine if they repeat the offence, he added.

-- The Nation 2012-08-27

Bangkok police told to solve crime backlog

Bangkok police have more than 50,000 unsolved cases in which suspects have not been arrested, Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Khamronwit Thoopkrajang said Monday.

All 88 police stations and their chiefs have been ordered to pursue suspects for these crimes or close unsolved cases, but no timeframe had been given for this.

Since Khamronwit took over the post a few months ago, there have been two major operations, which have turned up more than 1,200 pistols. This was revealed at a twohour meeting of MPB leaders and chiefs of the 88 stations Monday.

-- The Nation 2012-08-27

Police find image of Koh Lipe rapist

KOH LIPE: -- Police have reportedly obtained the security camera footage showing the man who raped and robbed a Finnish woman on Satun's Koh Lipe on Thursday night, an informed source reported Monday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....50#entry5610769

Yingluck defends Kittirat's 'white lies'

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Monday defended her finance minister, Kittiratt NaRanong, for his admittance that he had lied about the country's economy in a bid to boost confidence.

Yingluck said she believed that Kittiratt, who is also deputy prime minister in charge of the government's economic team, had good intentions towards the country in making such a remark last week.

However, she denied having allowed Kittiratt to make "white lies sometimes" about the country's economic figures.

-- The Nation 2012-08-27

RT@AP: BREAKING: Myanmar president announces major Cabinet reshuffle in move seen as advancing reformist agenda.

Gen Sathian removed from Defense Perm Sec post

BANGKOK, 27 August 2012 (NNT) – Defense Minister ACM Sukampol Suwannatat has issued an order to remove Permanent Secretary for Defense Gen Sathian Phoemthong-in from his post for more efficiency in the ministry.

ACM Sukampol revealed that he has ordered a transfer of Gen Sathian, with an immediate effect, to an inactive post at the Office of the Minister of Defense. He said the urgent order is to facilitate the work of the ministry, confirming that there is no political interference involved. As a result, Deputy Permanent Secretary Gen Wittawat Ratchatanan will be acting in place of Gen Sathien for the time being.

Besides the Permanent Secretary, there are two other officers who have been removed from their positions, namely Gen Chatree Thatti, Deputy Permanent Secretary, and Gen Pinpas Sariwat, Director-General of the Secretariat Department of the Office of the Permanent Secretary.

All three officers were reportedly involved in the preparation of the entire military reshuffle list to come into effect on October 1st.

-- NNT 2012-08-27

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Thailand Live Tuesday 28 Aug 2012