Thailand Live Wednesday 29 Aug 2012

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Thailand Live Wednesday 29 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 28 Aug 2012

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Update:

DUREX SEX SURVEY

Thai infidelity claim brings strong denials

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thai lovers and couples have been identified as the world's most unfaithful in a Durex sex survey of 29,000 people in 36 countries.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....25#entry5614653

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COMMUNICATION

DTAC failure to bring heavy fine

USANEE MONGKOLPORN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Total Access Communications (DTAC) experienced another network failure yesterday, which could draw it a heavy penalty.

Full story:

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Pheu Thai M.P. Urges Thai Women: Marry A Farang For An Easier Life

Full story:

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Suthep Denies Troops Fired During The Day Of April 10, 2010

Full story:

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No charges in bomb-scanner case

The Nation

NACC says not enough evidence to pursue Thaksin, Suriya; will probe six top officials for malfeasance

BANGKOK: -- The national anti-graft agency yesterday decided not to take legal action against the politicians implicated in the CTX bomb-scanner scandal, citing lack of evidence against them.

Full story:

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Blood poisoning disputed in Rayong

The Nation

RAYONG: -- Following the discovery of lead contamination in the blood of 42 Rayong schoolchildren in a random test by Thammasat University's Public Health Faculty, Map Pa Wai School director Thianchai Songbundit suspected the cause might be the adjacent Rojana Industrial Park.

However, Rayong public health official Dr Krit Palasut said a June 2011 test on 907 students found 82 cases of blood contamination in Pluak Daeng, Nikhon Pattana, Ban Chang and Ban Khai districts. A second round of tests in May found fewer cases of lead poisoning.

Officials have told families to throw away old water and food containers made of metal. They also collected water and air samples for further testing.

-- The Nation 2012-08-29

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New BTS cars arrive

THANATPONG KONGSAI

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The first batch of additional carriages for the Skytrain system reached Thailand yesterday, raising rush-hour commuters' hopes that they will be able to board the first train that reaches their station and not have to wait due to overcrowding.

Full story:

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Flood-warning system installed

The Nation

CHIANG MAI: -- The Water Resources Department has installed disaster-warning systems at 852 locations near mountains, covering 2,385 villages nationwide, Weerawut Pornrattanapan, director of the Hydrology Division Region 1 in Chiang Mai, said yesterday.

The department reviewed flood-risk areas in 4,427 villages, and would install warning devices at more than 800 additional locations, he said.

In Bangkok, the dredging of 644 canals in 18 districts, covering 988 kilometres, was 96-per-cent complete, city spokesman Wasan Meewong said.

-- The Nation 2012-08-29

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No six-wheelers on Krung Thon Bridge

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok police yesterday issued an order banning six-wheel trucks and heavier vehicles from using the Krung Thon Bridge due to its age and condition

Deputy city police chief Pol Maj-General Worasak Nopsittiporn said. Completed in 1957, the four-lane span carries Ratcha-withi Road over the Chao Phraya between Dusit and Bang Phlat districts.

-- The Nation 2012-08-29

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Pipeline leak prompts checks

The Nation

AYUTTHAYA: -- Monday night's leak of a gas pipeline at Rojana Industrial Park in Ayutthaya's Uthai district has prompted PTT and estate officials to discuss prevention of further leaks and to inspect the pipeline in areas prone to subsidence.

The leak, which took place at 11.30pm, was fixed and the situation back to normal by 6am, PTT Operations Manager Pramot Kor-kerd said.

-- The Nation 2012-08-29

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Land in protected area found illegally owned by rich people

JANJIRA PONGRAI

THE NATION

PHATTHALUNG: -- A natural-resource protection agency learned yesterday that some wealthy people in Phatthalung province had cordoned off a plot of land inside the Thale Luang Non-Hunting Area, which has been declared protected under the Ramsar Wetlands Convention.

Full story:

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Women from Ghana and Thailand 'most unfaithful': study

Full story:

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Witnesses ID truck used in killing

The Nation

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: -- Four witnesses in the August 20 fatal shooting of Farut Thaiset, son of Chat Thai Pattana Party MP Chada Thaiset, all say their attackers fired first and were driving a lowered Mitsubishi Strada pickup with a licence plate starting with the number 12, Provincial Police Region 3 chief Panu Kerdlarppol said yesterday.

Ten 9mm bullet casings were found at the scene in Nakhon Ratchasima - seven from the pistol of Farut's friend and three from the attacker, Panu said. There were also casings from a .38 pistol, but no one could say where they came from. The witnesses admitted they flashed their headlights and overtook the attackers' vehicle, which led to the shooting, Panu said, giving weight to the police theory that the gunplay was the result of road rage and not a politically motivated assassination.

-- The Nation 2012-08-29

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MULTI-COLOURED MOVEMENT

Police investigate bomb on Dr Tul's car

Dr Tul

BANGKOK: -- Police have investigated a report that a paper bag containing explosives was hung from a side mirror of a car belonging to Dr Tul Sitthisomwong, leader of the multi-coloured movement leader, while it was parked in Chulalongkorn Hospital, his place of work, on Monday.

Full story:

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Red-faced Sukumpol rebukes Sathian over reshuffle leak

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwannathat yesterday said he had acted within his mandate to place his permanent secretary General Sathien Permthong-in on secondment in the wake of an embarrassing leak of the military reshuffle list.

Full story:

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Probe use of Army trucks to transport water: ex-senator

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Former senator Ruangkrai Leekitwattana yesterday called on the Election Commission to investigate the use of military trucks in transporting bottled water donated to the Democrat Party.

Full story:

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A dull giant, NAM has little value for Thailand

Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the world's second-largest international organisation, might not be of sufficient interest - or may simply be too big - for Thailand to play a role in it.

Full story:

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Education gaps 'cost country trillions'

SAOWANEE NIMPANPAYUNGWONG

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Without help, 5 million underprivileged children whose parents cannot afford to give them a proper education are fated to become low-skilled workers, an outcome that could cost the country trillions of baht in the long run. To prevent this scenario, the Education Ministry has been urged to ensure that these children are properly educated.

Full story:

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Fired MCOT head 'reapplies for his old job'

WATCHIRANONT THONGTEP

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- After applications closed last week to fill the post of MCOT president vacated by Tanawat Wansom when he was fired last year by the board, Tanawat appeared as one of the 12 applicants, an MCOT source said yesterday.

The long-awaited recruitment process started on April 5 and ended last Friday after a second postponement. Applicants had to hand their cover letter and documents directly to acting president Premkamon Tinnakorn Na Ayutthaya, who serves as chairman of the nomination committee.

The source said Tanawat could be invited in for an interview if he is deemed as meeting the qualifications and as not involved in a conflict with the organisation.

After he left MCOT on November 13, he decided to file for legal remedy against the organisation and some former directors because he believed that the accusations against him were unfair.

After complaints against him in the middle of last year, MCOT's board, led by chairman Surapon Nitikraipot, who was later ousted himself, set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the issues raised by the labour union and employees, including possible rifts from the organisational restructuring proposed by Tanawat.

The panel's key findings were slow performance, neglecting compliance, failing to manage human resources and not practising good governance.

The board agreed unanimously to cancel the president's employment contract.

Tanawat received about Bt2 million in compensation for his dismissal.

Among the reported 12 applicants were Anusorn Tamajai, economics dean at Rangsit University; Anek Permvongseni, who resigned as an MCOT director last week; and Tom Kruesopon, Asia-Pacific head for Panda Software and a political adviser for international media.

MCOT, which runs Modernine TV, aims to forward the shortlist of candidates to its board by next month.

Those passing the initial criteria will be interviewed by the committee. The candidates must give a presentation on their vision for managing and developing the organisation during the president's four-year term.

Once negotiations over salary and benefits are completed, the committee will submit the list of finalists for the board's approval by the middle of October.

The directors on the board now are different from those involved in Tanawat's departure.

-- The Nation 2012-08-29

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Tourism Ministry Revives Controversial Elite Card

Full story:

http://www.thaivisa....ial-elite-card/

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Officials launch drive to register illegal Phuket taxis

Phuket Gazette

Teerayut Prasertpol, chief of the Phuket Land Transportation Office, said that standard taxi fares in Phuket may be introduced as early as mid-September. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- Illegal taxi drivers in key tourist areas in Phuket will have the chance to apply to become legal as part of the government’s campaign to resolve the decades-old problem of illegal drivers plying Phuket’s lucrative tourism trade.

Full story:

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RT @mpoppel: JAXA says ice extent in the Arctic Ocean is now the smallest in observation history.

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Thai stock index opens on Wednesday at 1,233.76, up 0.60 points /MCOT

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Trains on schedule after two government casualties in Narathiwat attack

NARATHIWAT, Aug 29 – One government defense volunteer was killed and another wounded as presumed insurgents attacked a Sungai Kolok-bound train on Tuesday.

Ten gunmen believed to be insurgents fired at a train enroute from Surat Thani to Sungai Kolok and also fired on the base of a railways protection unit in Cho Ai Rong district.

Two defence volunteers on the train were hit. One man, wounded in the back of his head, was pronounced dead at hospital.

Local train passengers are using train services as usual today. The first train from Sungai Kolok to Surat Thani left Sungai Kolok station at 6.30am.

Security has been tightened aboard trains and at stations to ensure safety for passengers.

The authorities believe that the shooting was an insurgent retaliation after a member of the Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK) group was killed by a local defence volunteer shooting from a train on Saturday.

The insurgent gunman was killed at the scene shortly after he shot dead a military informant at Cho Ai Rong railway station. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-08-29

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BMA: City canal dredging works near completion

BANGKOK, 29 August 2012 (NNT) - The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has assured that the dredging of all city canals is nearly completed to accommodate the possible arrival of floods.

Advisor to the Governor of Bangkok Wasan Meewong said on Tuesday that about 96 percent of the dredging of 644 canals in the capital has been achieved to date.

The dredging works were initiated as an urgent campaign in 18 districts of the city and cover the distance of 988 kilometers of waterway. Mr. Wasan added that the BMA will soon proceed to construct dikes along the Bangkok Noi Canal.

Concerning the cleanup of all sewers in Bangkok, he said that the Department of Drainage and Sewerage, which is in charge of the project, has completed 358 out of the 362 routes, or around 97 percent of the planned works which involve 1,022 kms in total length.

In addition, similar cleanups are being conducted on another section of 4,315 kms of drainage pipes by district offices, and 81.3 percent of the works have been completed.

The Advisor to the Bangkok Governor went on to say that the government will perform a test run of the flood way on the eastern side of Bangkok on September 5 and the Bangkok Governor has already instructed the Drainage and Sewerage Department to monitor the test closely.

-- NNT 2012-08-29

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Govt to organize special event to showcase state initiatives on water management

BANGKOK, 29 August 2012 (NNT) – The government is set to organize a special event to showcase all of its initiatives related to water management policies.

PM’s Office Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, who is the deputy chairman of the Strategic Committee for Water Resource Management, revealed on Tuesday that the government will hold a special exhibition titled “Determined to Work and Management Water Resources for the Public” during August 31st and September 2nd.

The event is set at Central Plaza Ladprao and will feature everything about last year’s severe flood crisis and the government’s actions to solve the problems.

Mr. Niwattumrong said that the exhibition has been planned to inform the public of the government’s efforts related to water management and flood prevention policies, which entailed a budget of 120 billion baht.

He stated that the press preview will be held at 10 am of August 31st am, while a special preview for foreign diplomats and representatives from the public sectors will follow at 10.30 am.

-- NNT 2012-08-29

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Bank of Thailand governor says government faces difficult task to achieve 7% export growth;ready to cut interest rate to respond to world economic downturn /MCOT

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Experts forecast a decline in Thai rice exports in 2012

BANGKOK, 29 August 2012 (NNT) – The KU-OAE Foresight Center predicts a decline in Thai rice exports for this year, when global rice prices are likely to go down too.

Full story: