Thailand Live Tuesday 18 Sep 2012

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Thailand Live Tuesday 18 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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CONTROVERSIAL FILM

US Embassy to close ahead of film rally

The Nation, Agencies

Several hundred Thai Muslims tipped to protest in Bangkok this afternoon

BANGKOK: -- The US Embassy will close today when "several hundred people" are expected to protest about an anti-Islam film in front of the mission's compound in downtown Bangkok.

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POLITICS

Impeach me over Thaksin passport: Surapong

The Nation

Surapong

BANGKOK: -- Foreign Minister Surapong Towichuk-chaikul challenged the opposition Democrat Party and Green Politics Group yesterday to push ahead with impeachment proceedings over the issuing of a passport to former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, saying the Foreign Ministry had done nothing illegal.

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INUNDATION

Water expert: Slim chance of floods as bad as in 2011

CHULARAT SAENGPASSA,

PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

Panel chief urges Bangkok residents to pay attention to flood-related info

BANGKOK: -- There is only a "slim chance" Bangkok will face flooding as bad as last year. That's because it would take at least 17 storms this and next month to produce the same amount of water, according to Royol Chitdon, a panel chief on the Water and Flood Management Committee (WFMC).

Full story:

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Red Bull Heir May Have Taken Cocaine

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Thai Public Health warns locals of poisonous mushrooms

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Phuket tourist safety boost as Patong taxis install GPS units

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Ministers review surrender incentives

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Talks have begun about a proposed surrender by dozens of insurgents in the far South, with the Justice Minister studying how much the sentences for those who have committed crimes and acts of terror could be reduced, Army commander General Prayuth Chan-ocha said yesterday.

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CONTROVERSIAL DAM

Mekong river dam will kill us : protesters tell PM

PHATSURANG DECHABUDDHARUNGSI

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- A conservation group submitted a petition with more than 9,000 signatures from people opposed to a controversial dam on the Mekong River to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday, demanding the Thai government cease support for the Xayaburi Dam.

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BURNING ISSUE

Can 7 wise men solve Thaksin impasse?

Avudh Panananda

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The September 19, 2006 coup has, for the past six years, inflamed the very political animosity it set out to resolve.

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ANALYSIS

Suthep may avoid axe in Senate vote

Prapasri Osathanon,

Khanittha Thepphajorn

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Senate will today vote on the impeachment of Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban for allegedly abusing power by interfering in the work of permanent officials at the Culture Ministry when he was deputy prime minister in the last administration.

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Mini-flood crisis centre being set up

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Officials from 17 agencies are set to work together at a new unit - dubbed the mini Flood Relief Operations Centre (Froc) - to oversee efficient national water management.

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92 Thais detainees allowed visitors again

THE NATION

RANONG: -- Myanmar authorities will allow relatives to visit today the 92 Thais arrested on July 4 on charges ranging from illegal entry and farming without permits to possessing war weapons. Officials allowed relatives to visit the detainees for the first time on August 9.

This time, the authorities are only allowing one visitor per detainee between 9am and noon Myanmar time. The relatives will first have to meet Myanmar officials at 7am at a pier in tambon Paknum in Ranong's Muang district to fill in paperwork before heading to Koh Song at 8am.

Each detainee has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail for illegal entry, and in a separate trial, nine were given an additional seven years in jail for possessing weapons.

-- The Nation 2012-09-18

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First Hajj flight from Hat Yai takes off

THE NATION

HAT YAI: -- The first-ever Thai Airways flight from Hat Yai, Songkhla to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, took off yesterday with 295 Thai pilgrims.

This flight is part of a project jointly organised by the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre (SBPAC), the Religious Affairs Department and related agencies. Under the project, 13,000 Thai Muslims of the 19,000 applicants will be able to complete their Hajj pilgrimage this year, SBPAC deputy chief Adinant Pakbara said.

-- The Nation 2012-09-18

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Bt190m sought for vaccine factory

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The National Vaccine Institute will seek a Bt190-million budget to build a vaccine factory, institute director Dr Jarung Muangchana said yesterday.

Jarung said the institute was only made a public organisation last month so it was unable to seek funds for 2013 in time. It would seek an initial operating budget of Bt190 million from the government's central fund, he said, adding that the institute plans to build an additional factory to produce vaccines for all clinical trial projects.

The institute currently has a pilot vaccine plant at the King Mongkut's University |of Technology Bang Khunthien but wants to build a second plant at the Medical Science Department of the Public Health Ministry.

-- The Nation 2012-09-18

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Medical schools look to link up for AEC

WANNAPA KHAOPA

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The first-ever summit of Asean medical school deans kicked off in Bangkok yesterday with talks on research collaboration on communicable and non-communicable diseases.

University presidents, deans and deputy deans from 12 top universities in 10 Asean nations were due to propose different issues for discussion to try to find suitable conclusions. Different projects would be initiated in line with conclusions, Clinical Prof Udom Kachintorn, dean of Mahidol's faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, the meeting's host.

Professor Adeeba Binti Kamarulzaman from Malaysia responded to a question about the urgent matters to be discussed in terms of research collaboration, saying the academics would see how they could jointly deal with problems that every country in the region faces - diseases such as flu and diabetes.

Prof Agnes D Mejia from the Philippines said having done community based research on diabetes, HIV prevention, E-coli and diarrhoea; the Philippines would share its findings.

Prof Udom said: "In preparation for the Asean Economic Community in 2015, the medical schools have to discuss how to upgrade curriculum, learning processes, medical services and research together. We have to link our patient care systems to support free flow of patients in Asean."

The First Asean Deans' Summit will run until tomorrow, with the theme "Connecting Asean Medical Schools towards One Community". It aims to promote collaboration among leading medical schools in Asean to leverage medical education and health systems towards international excellence and to be prepared to work as one community by 2015.

They will sign the Asean Medical School's Intention Declaration tomorrow to establish and reinforce collaboration and a network among their medical schools. They plan to share human resources and provide capacity building for medical education and research and health systems in Asean countries.

Asked about doctor mobility in Asean, Dr Alonkone Phengsavanh from Laos, said: "We should set up new regulations among medical associations of each country, and the first thing is medical licences. [Each] Health Ministry should be aware about this issue. The country should think about a 'brain drain'.

Udom said he hoped that their collaboration - coming together to look at curricula and (medical) facilities they could share to help each other - would help lift every country's standards to a similar level.

-- The Nation 2012-09-18

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Rain rain go away, Pattaya is here to stay

By Staff Reporter

PATTAYA: -- Roads flood as storms continue over the city.

Full story:

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Phuket honorary consuls grill local transport chief over new taxi fares

Phuket Gazette

LIKE A TIGER: Phuket Land Transportation Office chief Teerayut Prasertpol defends the progress made in at least establishing a set of standard fares to be charged by taxis across Phuket. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

Anurak Tansiriroj, honorary consul for Finland, joins officers in inspecting one of the new taxis, complete with green license plates and the complaints hotline yellow sticker. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- In their first “regular” quarterly meeting with Phuket government officers since February, Phuket Honorary Consuls today delivered a barrage of questions over the new standard taxi fares “agreed to” on September 12.

Full story:

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Thai woman arrested in Phuket on prostitution human trafficking charges

Phuket Gazette

Dujdao ‘Champagne’ Barana, 27, was charged with facilitating the trafficking of at least two women, and conspiring with three accomplices to lure women into prostitution. Photo: Police handout image

PHUKET: -- Immigration officials arrested a Thai woman believed to be at the center of an international human trafficking ring at Phuket International Airport on Friday as she tried to board a flight to Bahrain.

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Amorous Indians in amazing Thailand

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Damaged Yom River flood prevention dyke repaired; Sukhothai flood easing; Governor asserts water situation is under control /MCOT

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RT @ACSBKK: Due to possible protests on 9/18, afternoon appts for routine services are canceled, more info available at http://ow.ly/dLf19

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Government and Red Shirt activists blamed for 2010 political violence

BANGKOK, Sept 18 – A commission probing the 2010 political riot that stalled Thailand has released its complete report blaming both the then government and Red Shirt activists for the months-long violence that killed 91 people and injured nearly 2,000 others.

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Myanmar pardons 83 Thais jailed for illegal entry, forest encroachment; detainees will be released today /MCOT

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Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,274.54, down 4.00 points /MCOT

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Myanmar president pardons 83 detained Thais; release today

RANONG, Sept 18 – President Thein Sein has pardoned 83 of the 92 Thai detainees the Myanmar government has detained since July, it was announced today.

Making the announcement was Col Pornsak Poonsawat, chairman of the Thailand-Myanmar Township Border Committee (TBC) for Ranong-Koh Song.

Col Pornsak led family members to visit 92 Thai detainees in a Myanmar prison across the border after they were arrested in Kaw Thaung in July for land encroachment and illegal drug and weapon possession.

Escorting the relatives of Thai detainees to the Kao Mile Prison, Col Pornsak said he received a report from the Thai embassy in Yangon that Myanmar President Thein Sein signed a pardon for 83 Thai detainees charged with illegal entry and land encroachment.

The Thai detainees will be released today.

The relatives brought personal items and medicine to the Thai inmates between 9am to noon, the visiting time allowed by the Myanmar authorities.

A Myanmar court earlier handed down verdicts to those charged with land encroachment and weapons possession, while cases involving illegal drugs are awaiting the court’s hearing.

A local court earlier handed down jail terms of three and one half years for the 92 Thai villagers -- 82 men and 10 women -- for illegal entry and deforestation, while another two were charged with drug-related offenses.

Eight Thais were sentenced to seven years in Myanmar jails for illegal possession of military weapons, an additional verdict on top of their illegal entry and deforestation charges. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-09-18

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Bangkok man targets pretty women for sexual assault

BANGKOK: -- Police have arrested a man who allegedly sexually assaulted at least 10 women at deserted bus stops in Bangkok.

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Apple's iPhone 5 sells more than 2 million on first day

SAN FRANCISCO: -- Apple shares hit a record high Monday, crossing the 700-dollar mark for the first time after the company said it had notched a record 2 million pre-orders for its iPhone 5 in the first 24 hours the smartphone was on sale.

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Plodprasop: Flood unlikely, unless country faces 10 storms in a month

BANGKOK, 18 September 2012 (NNT) - Chairman of the Water and Flood Management Committee Plodprasop Suraswadi has said that overall precipitation this year is lower than last year’s, affirming that flood will not happen unless the country is battered by at least 10 storms in a month's time.

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