Thailand Live Saturday 22 Sep 2012

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Thailand Live Saturday 22 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 Friday 21 Sep 2012

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Don Mueang passes AOT readiness test

Nakarin Srilert

The Nation

Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Don Mueang Airport is 95 per cent ready to serve low-cost airlines and passengers when it is fully relaunched on October 1, Airports of Thailand (AOT) said yesterday.

Full story:

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Six dead, dozens wounded in Thai south car bomb

Full story:

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Bangkok gangs danced 'Gangnam Style' before Ekkamai gun battle, report claims

By Coconuts Bangkok

Full story:

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Russian Resident goes berserk at his Jomtien apartment

Full story:

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Phuket City to spend more than Bt100mn on flood defense

Full story:

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FLOODS

'Discharge water' from Chao Phraya Dam

Chatchawan Sopapun,

Mongkhonchaowarat Tangmangmee,

Attaphum Ongkoolna

The Nation

More heavy rain expected in some areas; elderly man drowns in Sa Kaew

BANGKOK: -- The Meteorological Department yesterday recommended the discharge of more water from the Chao Phraya Dam ahead of expected downpours in the Lower North and Upper Central regions this weekend.

Full story:

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High levels of lead contamination found in school playground equipment

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Rayong

Students at the Ban Khao Huay Mahat School in Rayong

RAYONG: -- The Pollution Control Department (PCD) reported yesterday that high levels of lead had been found in playground equipment at a primary school in Rayong.

Full story:

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Rice sellers query govt's output forecast

Achara Pongvutitham,

Pranee Muenphangwaree

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Concerned rice traders and exporters have questioned what they say is the government's exaggerated forecast of the country's rice production, and raised fears that rice from neighbouring countries will circumvent safeguards and find its way into the price-subsidy scheme.

Full story:

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Somsak's trip 'paid for by leftover cash'

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The trip to Europe by the House Speaker and his entourage was made possible by a surplus in the Parliament's 2012 budget, a source who asked not to be named said yesterday.

Full story:

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Decision on TRCT proposals due by year-end: Yongyuth

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The government will need time to study the final report from the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand before deciding what to do next, Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit said yesterday.

Full story:

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EDITORIAL

No one in Thailand wants to listen to the hard truth

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The TRCT's report on the political violence of 2010 will be ignored because people are unwilling to take responsibility for their actions, leaving us no closer to reconciliation

Full story:

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Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page in Pattaya for worthy cause

By Staff Reporter

PATTAYA: -- The Jesters celebratory fund-raiser, takes place on Saturday at the Amari Orchid Pattaya.

Full story:

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Huge meth bust in Chiang Rai

The Nation

CHIANG RAI: -- Chiang Rai police have arrested a man in possession of 15 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, or "ice", and 516,000 yaba tablets with a street value of more than Bt200 million.

Bunchai Sanil was arrested by a joint police-Army task force at a cordon set up after a tip-off. The 60-strong team stopped the suspect, who was allegedly also carrying a fully loaded pistol, as he was driving a pickup truck carrying the narcotics on a road in Mae Sai district. Police say they later searched a house rented by Bunchai in another tambon, and found empty plastic bags and other equipment used to package tablets for retail sale, along with two fake licence plates.

-- The Nation 2012-09-22

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7 hurt after repairs set off factory blaze

The Nation

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: -- A flour depot in Nakhon Ratchasima was damaged in a fire that started while workers were repairing machinery yesterday, injuring seven workers, three of them seriously.

Quoting workers, police said the blaze began during repairs to a machine, when flames from a blowtorch set ablaze a flammable cloud of potato flour left in the machine. The blaze caused a fireball that engulfed the seven workers.

Duty supervisors and owners of the factory were being questioned by Nong Bun Mak police.

-- The Nation 2012-09-22

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Man faces three counts in coma case

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A man alleged to have put a model-cum-presenter into coma after giving her an injection to fill out her hips faces three charges, including causing serious injury through carelessness.

Thanat Natchaweerakul, who worked as a helper at a beauty clinic before opening a practice of his own, surrendered to police on Wednesday night. At a news conference yesterday, he apologised to the parents of Arthittaya Iamyai, who went into a coma after getting a glutathione injection. The suspect also faces charges of practising medicine without a licence and opening a medical clinic without permission.

The suspect said he had given glutathione injections to about 20 women, for Bt40,000 each, without any problems. He told police that Arthittaya had stopped breathing and lost consciousness after he gave her the injection. He said he then took her to hospital and went into hiding, but decided to turn himself in once the news broke.

A police source said the suspect, known among event presenters as Dr Pop, did not reveal where he had obtained the glutathione and other chemicals used as fillers. Police later heard that Thanat reportedly ran his business with the help of another presenter called Bogie and that she might have been his source of chemicals. Police are on the hunt for this woman.

Arthittaya has been in coma since taking the injection early this week and is being treated at a Bangkok hospital.

-- The Nation 2012-09-22

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Police officer resigns over NACC allegations

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Pol Maj-General Wichai Sangpraphai, a deputy police inspector-general, resigned yesterday after the National Anti-Corruption Commission accused him of abusing his authority in an alleged extortion case.

On Thursday, the NACC accused Wichai of abusing his authority as commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1 when he arrested a couple and allegedly forced them to issue cheques worth Bt10 million to repay a gambling debt. The NACC recommended severe disciplinary and criminal action.

Wichai, meanwhile, said he was resigning because he did not want to be seen as abusing his authority to influence the case, adding that the NACC never heard his side of the story. He said he would defend himself in court.

He added that he had filed a defamation suit against the couple in question.

-- The Nation 2012-09-22

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Sorrayuth denies charges levelled against him by NACC

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Media personality Sorrayuth Suthassana-chinda yesterday insisted that he had paid Bt138 million to MCOT in advertisement revenue and that he would defend himself in court over a legal charge.

Sorrayuth also denied that he had paid a bribe to a member of the MCOT general staff to help him embezzle the advertisement fees.

During his news programme on Channel 3 at 7.11am, Sorrayuth expressed no emotion when he read from a prepared statement to defend himself.

He spent six minutes and 12 seconds on the defence statement.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission resolved on Thursday to seek a criminal action against Sorrayuth, an executive of his Raisom Co, and two MCOT officials related to the alleged embezzlement of the Bt138 million in revenue from extra-time advertisements.

Sorrayuth said he did not come out to explain the issue earlier because the NACC was still investigating the case and he did not want to influence the probe.

He said he had paid Bt138 million to MCOT as demanded, although he was still in dispute with the company over the sharing of the advertisement revenue.

He said the contract required MCOT to share the revenue from extra-time advertisements with Raisom at the rate of 50 per cent, but it had not paid this.

He said Raisom had filed a complaint with the Central Administrative Court asking it to order MCOT to pay up.

Ready to defend himself in court

Sorrayuth said he would defend himself in court over the NACC's allegation that he had bribed an MCOT staff member to help him embezzle the ad revenue.

He said he did not know this staffer, Pitchapha Iamsa-ard, personally. He said he signed six cheques worth more than Bt700,000 to her because he was the only one in Raisom with the authority to sign cheques on behalf of the firm.

He said the money was for brokering fees for Pitchapha's soliciting advertisements for the programme, and Raisom also deducted taxes from the fees, so it was not a bribe.

Sorrayuth said it was impossible for just one staff member to assist him in a cover-up of a long-term embezzlement as alleged by the NACC.

-- The Nation 2012-09-22

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Phuket gold thief surrenders to see 'dying wife'

Phuket Gazette

Mr Koson, wanted for robbing a Phuket gold shop on Monday and making off with millions of baht in jewelry, surrendered voluntarily to police today, saying that he wanted to see his wife again before she died from a heart condition. Photo: PR Dept

Mr Koson explains to police the circumstances of his voluntary surrender to face charges for the robbery of a Phuket gold shop on Monday. Photo: PR Dept

PHUKET: -- One of the two men wanted for making off with millions of baht in jewelry from a Phuket gold shop on Monday surrendered to police today, saying that he wanted to see his wife again before she died from a heart condition.

Full story:

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Cabinet cuts it close with announcement of new Phuket Governor

Phuket Gazette

The replacement for Phuket Governor Gov Tri Augkaradacha (pictured) is expected to be announced on Tuesday next week. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- A last-minute announcement of Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha’s successor is expected to be made on Tuesday, less than a week before the incumbent takes office.

Full story:

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Lighthouse Club Pattaya Networking Event 5th Oct 2012

Full story:

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Phitsanulok Irrigation official says Yom River level exceeds critical point; water inundates Bang Rakam, local authorities speed up drainage /MCOT

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Update Mekong killings

Suspect in murder of Chinese sailors admits guilt

BEIJING, Sept 22, 2012 (AFP) - A gang leader accused of masterminding the murder of 13 Chinese sailors on the Mekong River last year has pleaded guilty at a trial in southwest China, state media said Saturday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....y/#entry5688465

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BMA to work with Royal Irrigation Dept on drainage works in overlapping areas

BANGKOK, 22 September 2012 (NNT) – The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is now discussing with the Royal Irrigation Department about the drainage works in the areas where their jurisdiction overlaps.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Vallop Suwandee said that the BMA and the Royal Irrigation Department have been discussing their areas of responsibility related to the drainage works.

Mr. Vallop stated that both offices have collaborated well in the water and flood management, especially after recent flooding in the capital.

He said that the Royal Irrigation Department has been pushing excess water mass out of Bangkok through the Bang Pakong River to the Gulf of Thailand.

Moreover, the Royal Irrigation Department has been busy installing 12 water-flow push machines across the Thai capital, which are intended to help drain as much as 20 million cubic meters of water each day.

In addition, all water pumping stations have also been fully activated to help lower the water level in various canals while officials have been keeping a close watch on the situation around the clock.

When asked about doubts over the efficiency of the giant tunnels in the city, Mr. Vallop said that the distance that water has to travel and garbage, which has been blocking the sewerage system, have affected the speed that excess water could be drained out.

In any case, the Department of Sewerage and Drainage is planning to expand the size of the giant tunnels by at least 30 percent to help speed up the drainage works.

-- NNT 2012-09-22

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Phangan Paragliders Created Uproar By Vandalizing Tree

Full story:

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Transport: Thailand to focus on rail transport development during 2013-2020 fiscal years

UBON RATCHATHANI, 22 September 2012 (NNT) – The Transport Ministry is set to continue the development of the country’s rail transport system during fiscals 2013 and 2020.

Transport Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan said on Friday that the ministry will be playing an important role in the reconstruction and future development of Thailand.

Mr. Charupong said that, in order to implement such a plan, Thailand will likely need around 2.2 trillion baht, which can be raised through domestic and overseas borrowings.

For the Transport Ministry, the construction of the rail transport system is a focus, as it can be an effective tool in lowering costs in times that oil prices continue to rise.

The Transport Ministry stated that the rail transport system will also enhance the country’s transport industry while helping it better compete with other countries within this region.

However, he conceded that land, marine and air transports are still needed to perfect the whole system.

Mr. Charupong added that the Transport Ministry is poised to further develop international transport systems with Bangkok set as the center in this region.

-- NNT 2012-09-22

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HM Queen Sirikit recuperating well

BANGKOK, 22 September 2012 (NNT) – Her Majesty Queen Sirikit is recuperating well from her illnesses involving a slight shortage of blood in the cerebellum.

The Bureau of the Royal Household said in its 11th statement concerning Her Majesty the Queen’s conditions while staying at Siriraj Hospital that Her Majesty was generally well, having good appetite and sleeping well. Her walk and movement of the body was satisfactory to the doctors while the tests on her physical strength showed her muscles were functioning nearly to the normal level.

The team of royal physicians has asked that Her Majesty continue to take physical rehabilitation and refrain from official functions for another period of time.

-- NNT 2012-09-22

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American aircraft carrier to arrive in Phuket

Phuket Gazette

About 3,500 US Navy sailors will have the opportunity to soak up some local culture and take a break from their duties when the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis pulls into Phuket early next month. Photo: US Navy

NEED A LIFT? Crew members of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis are looking forward their stop in Phuket. Photo: US Navy

PHUKET: -- The American aircraft carrier USS John C Stennis (CVN-74), dispatched four months ahead of schedule back in August, will arrive in Phuket early next month along with two US warships and 3,500 sailors.

Full story:

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American suspected of conducting lewd acts with 13 year old boy in Central Pattaya

PATTAYA: -- An American National was arrested in the early hours of Saturday, accused of conducting lewd acts with a 13 year old boy inside a Central Pattaya Department Store toilet.

Full story: