Thailand Live Sunday 9 Sep 2012

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Thailand Live Sunday 9 September 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 Saturday 8 2012

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[Lite Beer]

Trains in North stopped as wet causes sinkhole

The Nation on Sunday

Chiang Mai: -- Forest run-off from Khun Tan Mountain caused a large sinkhole under the northern rail line in Lamphun yesterday morning, prompting the suspension of train services from Chiang Mai and Lamphun.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/583032-trains-in-north-stopped-as-wet-causes-sinkhole/#entry5648617

[Lite Beer]

FLOOD THREAT

Bangkokians still not fully confident

The Nation on Sunday

Bangkok: -- Poll reveals mixed level of faith that govt can handle flood

Most Bangkokians are not fully confident about the Yingluck administration's measures to contain possible flooding, a recent poll has found. Dusit poll stated, however, that majority of respondents in the west of Bangkok were satisfied by the government's recent water drainage drill.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/583033-bangkokians-still-not-fully-confident/#entry5648623

[Lite Beer]

PM learning the ropes of politics quickly

Jeerapong Prasertpolkrung

The Nation on Sunday

Yingluck

BANGKOK: -- Political and personality observers might have seen the changes in Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra since the day she first took the reins of government on August 8 last year.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/583035-yingluck-learning-the-ropes-of-politics-quickly/

[Lite Beer]

Rights activists concerned about status of human rights under AEC

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation on Sunday September 9, 2012 1:00 am

Despite so much excitement in the run-up to the inception of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, experts and activists on human rights and democracy are ambivalent about what AEC's repercussions will be on human rights and democracy.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/583036-rights-activists-concerned-about-status-of-human-rights-under-aec/#entry5648630

[Lite Beer]

PM, Najib back use of technology for border patrol

The Nation on Sunday

Russian President Vladimir Putin (front L) shakes hands with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (front R) at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vladivostok , Russia, Saturday.

VLADIVOSTOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday discussed with her Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak security issues involving the joint border on the sidelines of the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Russia.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/583037-yingluck-najib-back-use-of-technology-for-border-patrol/#entry5648639

[Lite Beer]

SPECIAL REPORT

Locals up in arms over toxic waste dumps

Thanapat Kitjakosol

The Nation on Sunday

A village water source heavily contaminated by toxic leaks.

CHACHOENGSAO: -- Toxic leaks at many garbage disposal sites in Chachoengsao province have upset nearby residents due to treatment methods that appear to be ineffective.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....s/#entry5648641

[Lite Beer]

EDITORIAL

Bangkok police chief hits the Thaksin iceberg

The Nation

Bangkok: -- Khamronwit under fire for meeting with exiled former PM

The "line" is barely there. Although Metropolitan Police commissioner Lt-General Khamronwit Thoopkrajang did cross it, the current legal and ethical campaign against him for having met his "beloved" Thaksin Shinawatra is unlikely to lead to anything. The man in exile has greeted and been greeted by many people, from unknowns associated with his political base in Thailand to who's who in the world's exclusive diplomatic club.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/583040-bangkok-police-chief-hits-the-thaksin-iceberg/#entry5648656

[Lite Beer]

Police eye cooperation from taxi drivers in fight against narcotics

BANGKOK, 8 September 2012 (NNT) - Police Major-General Chaiwat Chantaworaruk, head of the Patrol and Special Operations Division of the Metropolitan Police Commission, today opened a training course for volunteer taxi drivers who will be trained as informants on drug trade.

Opening the training course, Pol Maj-Gen Chaiwat said that the project has the objective to train volunteer taxi drivers in reporting drug-related activities to 191. The participants would also help report on traffic conditions, thus building a network of cooperation between police officers and taxi drivers.

The training course is held in cooperation with 12 taxi call centers. It is divided into three groups, each with 200 participants. The project is expected to help raise the number of taxi drivers who will join in the the police patrol against drugs.

Pol Maj-Gen Chaiwat made known that there are plans to secure funding in support of volunteer taxi drivers, and the issue will be raised to the consideration of a police board in the future.

-- NNT 2012-09-09

[Lite Beer]

Blue Flag event held in Phetchabun from September 8 to 10

PHETCHABUN, 8 September 2012 (NNT) - Mr. Supachai Eimsuwan, deputy governor of Phetchabun province, presided over the opening of a Blue Flag fair in the province.

Ms. Srisurang Lasongsri, the provincial official for the Department of Internal Trade, reported at the ceremony that the Department of Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce, has been given the policy to relieve hardship of citizens whose living conditions have been adversely affected by the present economy. Prices of goods, especially foodstuffs, have been raised.

Thus, to help alleviate the pressure from a high cost of living, and to help stimulate internal trade, Phetchabun province is holding a Blue Flag event from September 8 to 10, 2012, at the provincial city hall. Over 160 entrepreneurs have set up their booths, selling food and other products directly supplied by manufacturers and thus sold at prices 20% to 40% lower than the market. Goods that are being offered at high bargaining prices are eggs, cooking palm oil, and refined sugar.

-- NNT 2012-09-08

[Lite Beer]

Thailand pledges with APEC to promote & sustain employment to help stabilize growth

VLADISVOSTOK, 9 September 2012 (NNT) – The Prime Minister has pledged with this year’s APEC Summit to continue promoting employment in another bid to help achieve stabilized economic growth.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has pledged with 20 Asia-Pacific leaders at the 20th APEC Summit in Russia that Thailand will always be ready to work with all countries in making the region a driving engine for the world economic growth.

Moreover, PM Yingluck also stated that Thailand would promote and sustain the rate of employment in the country as another means to stabilize its economic growth while pushing to integrate all of its Free Trade Agreements (FTA) into the regional level, a move that is believed to benefit the Asia Pacific region as a whole.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in return, commended Thailand’s strong, fast and stable economic growth.

Mr. Putin said that he believes Thailand will be instrumental in promoting all bilateral-level FTAs into the Asia-Pacific level.

-- NNT 2012-09-09

[Lite Beer]

Foreign Ministry: China is ready to work with ASEAN to sort out SC Sea dispute

VLADISVOSTOK, 9 September 2012 (NNT) – The Thai Foreign Minister has revealed that China is ready to work with ASEAN to sort out the South China Sea dispute.

While attending the 20th APEC Summit in Russia, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul held a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Mr. Yang Jiechi.

At the meeting, both ministers touched on the ongoing problem of South China Sea dispute, for which Thailand has been playing the part of the ASEAN-China coordinator.

Reporters said that the Chinese Foreign Minister agreed in principle on Thailand’s suggestion to organize unofficial talks among senior officers from ASEAN and China, in Cambodia before the ASEAN Summit later this year.

Under this suggestion, Thailand expressed its wish to see ASEAN and China sit down and work on the Code of Conduct (CoC) for South China Sea, which it believes to be the best way-out for the ongoing conflict.

Mr. Surapong revealed that he also talked with Mr. Yang about the water management in Mekong River, as Thailand will host a Greater Mekong Region-China meeting next January while China brought up the issue of maritime safety in the Mekong.

-- NNT 2012-09-09

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: International Car Free Day is on 22 September every year. There will be special activities across Thailand next weekend.

[Lite Beer]

RT@tukky_nt: RT @suthichai: "Krungthep Turakij TV" -- Thailand's first full-fledged business TV channel -- is launched today. #kttv

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: Several hundred cyclists going around Rattanakosin Island this morning as part of Bangkok Car Free Sunday

pic.twitter.com/cjNJRsMi

[Lite Beer]

Disease Control Department director-general says new strain of bird flu virus in Vietnam has not yet spread to Thailand /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

Phuket Opinion: Time to roll on traffic law enforcement

Phuket Gazette –

Learning the law of the road in Phuket is more often than not a matter of survival. Image: Gazette Graphics

PHUKET: Any serious effort to improve road safety in Phuket will need a major shift away from the existing “police checkpoint” method of enforcing traffic law and instead move towards catching violators in the act.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....t/#entry5649187

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: 10:40am Cyclists on Ratchadamnoen Klang Road taking part in Bangkok Car Free Sunday event http://t.co/NFiqERRx

[Lite Beer]

Flooding hits Phichit, 3 Phisanulok districts ready for evacuation /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

Myanmar scrambling to ease hotel shortage in Yangon

Yangon - Some 1,670 new hotel rooms will become available in Yangon next year, but officials say it will not be enough to meet an expected the surge in demand, reports said Sunday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/583095-myanmar-scrambling-to-ease-hotel-shortage-in-yangon/#entry5649516

[Lite Beer]

ABAC Poll: 83.6% of Thais agree to see PM Yingluck continue working

BANGKOK, 9 September 2012 (NNT) – The latest street poll has shown that around 4 in 5 Thais are willing to let the Prime Minister continue working in office.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/583098-poll-836-of-thais-agree-to-see-pm-yingluck-continue-in-office/#entry5649553

[Lite Beer]

RT@tulsathit: TR @Rawangpai: A 12-year-old girl died after reportedly falling off an escalator at a department store in Rangsit early this afternoon.

[Lite Beer]

Department of Foreign Trade advises improvement of cassava product quality

BANGKOK, 9 September 2012 (INN) - Mr. Surasak Riangkrul, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, revealed that over the past 2 to 3 years, Thailand’s cassava products, especially cassava chips, have been the subject of complaints from importers.

The complaints are in regards to the quality and standard of the products. It has been found that there is a large concentration of contaminants in the products, and this has created difficulties for export and transport of the products.

A large amount of dust is having an impact on the environment and the industries that must utilize the cassava. As a result, there has been a reduction of orders for Thai products.

China, for instance, has switched over to buying Vietnamese products before ordering Thai products. Consequently, the export of Thai cassava chips has been greatly reduced. The price of cassava within the country has also fallen.

If Thai manufacturers do not improve on the quality of their products, there may be a reduction in import numbers to other countries as well.

In order to forestall foreign countries from using the aforementioned issue as a rationale for putting forth measures that may obstruct the import of products from Thailand, manufacturers should quickly improve the quality of their products. Furthermore, agencies involved in quality inspection must be more stringent.

-- NNT 2012-09-09

[Lite Beer]

Nine-year-old boy steps on booby trap bomb in Narathiwat; explosion blows off leg /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

Pheu Thai spokesperson says most citizens satisfied with drainage test

BANGKOK, 9 September 2012 (NNT) - Mr. Prompong Nopparit, the Pheu Thai party spokesperson, stated that, in regard to the floodwater drainage test undertaken in Bangkok last week, it was found that citizens in the capital and its vicinities, particularly the business sector, were mostly satisfied with the test results.

He said the test proved satisfactorily and succeeded in convincing local and international communities of Thailand’s water management capability in the face of disasters, namely flooding. The success also reflected the strong leadership of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Next week, the Pheu Thai Party will hold a meeting of party members to compile information regarding the drainage test conducted in the western part of Bangkok, as well as on the aborted test for the eastern part which has been postponed. The information will be later presented to the National Water Resources and Flood Policy Committee, for use in improving measures to deal with future floods.

-- NNT 2012-09-09

[Lite Beer]

More time needed to fill sinkhole under railway track, caused by heavy rain in Lamphun, Lamphun-Chiang Mai trains remain suspended /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

RT@Aim_NT: Uttaradit people! Brace yourself, flood predicted in Lap Lae district this afternoon. Via @ittipat_Rw เตือน!! ต.ทุ่งยั้ง ต.ไผ่ล้อม อ.ลับแล

[Lite Beer]

RT@Aim_NT: Ayutthaya people, be prepared. Water will be released from Chaopraya Dam making water level in Noi River 40-50cm higher. Via @Chu_SpringNews

[Lite Beer]

Nine-year-old boy steps on booby trap, leg ripped off

NARATHIWAT, Sept 9 – A nine-year-old lost his leg after he stepped on a booby trap in the violence-plagued province of Narathiwat.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/583131-nine-year-old-boy-steps-on-booby-trap-leg-ripped-off/#entry5650174