Thailand Live Tuesday 25 Sep 2012

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Thailand Live Tuesday 25 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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BANGKOK

Military facilities asked to retain flood water to ease traffic mayhem

NONGNAPAS MAIPANICH,

SURIYAN PANYAWAI

ANUPAN CHANTANA

THE NATION

BANGKOKK: -- The Transport Ministry has floated the idea of having two Bangkok military facilities retain flood water temporarily so commuters can be spared traffic nightmares like those last week.

Full story:

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update:

Victims shot at close range : Forensics

THE NATION

One skeleton identified; provincial court okays police doctor’s detention

PHETCHABURI: -- A police doctor has been suspended from practice - and put in court custody - over suspected links to the murder of three people after three skeletons were found on his farm in Phetchaburi. Two of his suspected victims were a couple reported missing three years ago.

Full story:

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Thai Health Ministry urges drinkers to avoid floodwaters

Full story:

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update:

POLITICS

Transfer 'not discussed' on trip: Kamronwit

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Metropolitan Police chief Kamronwit Thoopkrachang yesterday admitted going to Singapore with Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung but said the subject of his possible transfer never came up.

Full story:

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UNGA

Yingluck hopes to discuss Dawei with Thein Sein

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

NEW YORK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is scheduled to meet Myanmar President Thein Sein in New York tomorrow to discuss the progress of cooperation between the two governments over Myanmar's Dawei deep-sea port project.

Full story:

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BOT SYMPOSIUM

Economic stability 'priority' in deciding policy rate: Prasarn

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul yesterday promised that economic stability would be the central bank's priority in determining the policy interest rate, which he indicated would not be cut despite intensifying risks from the euro zone as well as more capital inflows as a result of quantitative easing in the US.

Full story:

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BURNING ISSUE

Govt seeking another quiet deputy PM

AVUDH PANANANDA

THE NATION

Yongyuth

BANGKOK: -- The government is stonewalling on the fate of Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit in an attempt to avoid infighting over the Cabinet line-up.

Full story:

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EDITORIAL

Personal benefit will always defeat moral integrity

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Whether the interior minister can keep his post after his involvement in the Alpine land scandal is a moot point: Thais too easily forgive and forget the misdeeds of those in power

Full story:

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Gates grant to create new loo

WANNAPA KHAOPA

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Up to 99 per cent of Thais have access to toilets but they are not units that provide safe and sustainable sanitation, a Thai researcher said yesterday.

Therefore, a team of researchers has been funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), which is co-chaired by the head of Microsoft and his wife, to try to invent better toilets.

BMGF has provided a Bt150-million (US$5 million) research grant to a team led by the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). The team, which has five years to work on the project, is the sole group in Southeast Asia funded for this goal, a news conference heard yesterday.

"We are privileged to be a partner of BMGF to improve things left after flushing. We will see what to do next with waste, excreta and urine management," said Associate Professor Thammarat Koottatep, a researcher for environmental engineering and management at AIT's School of Environment, Resources and Development, who leads the research team.

Thammarat said the Sustainable Decentralised Wastewater Management in Developing Countries research project would run until 2017 and his team would seek technologies that would help people reuse waste. It could be turned into biogas, fertiliser, electricity or other energy. The team has researchers from AIT, Thammasat, Ramkhamhaeng, the University of Science Ho Chi Minh City and Rajamangala University of Technology in Surin.

They would adopt a market-led approach, and there would be lab research to find new waste-management technologies, and market research to figure out needs of customers and users in the region and set affordable prices for the treatment technologies.

Doulaye Kone, a senior programme officer for water, sanitation and hygiene with the BMGF, said the team was among more than 70 research groups in different parts of the world participating in the "Reinventing the Toilet" campaign.

"About 2.5 billion people don't have access to [reliable sanitary] toilets at all. Around 75 per cent of them live in the Asia and Pacific region. We want high-tech solutions to be affordable for them," he explained.

-- The Nation 2012-09-25

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New immune deficiency disease discovered here

Jitima Janphrom

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A new immune-deficiency disease similar to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been detected in Asians, especially in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Thailand, Dr Ploenjan Chetchotisak of Khon Kaen University’s faculty of medicine said yesterday.

Full story:

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Berry pickers

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Employment agencies should ensure a monthly income of at least Bt100,000 for workers who go to Sweden and Finland to pick berries during the annual picking season from July to September, Labour Minister Phadermchai Sasomsap said yesterday.

Phadermchai said he told Employment Department chief Pravit Khiangpol and the Office of Overseas Employment Administration to speak with ambassadors from the countries, to try to ensure workers are only hired by firms that guarantee such an income. The minister, who recently visited 5,000 Thai workers at five berry-picking camps in the two nations, said if talks were fruitful, the income-guarantee scheme should be in place by next year. He also planned to propose that Thai workers be hired to plant trees in Finland.

-- The Nation 2012-09-25

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Thai pair in Myanmar court

THE NATION

KOH SONG: -- Two Thais; a man and a woman; faced questioning in a court in Koh Song province (known as Kawthaung in Myanmar) yesterday about drug charges.

The pair are among nine Thai detainees still imprisoned after the arrest of 92 people in July for illegal entry, encroaching on Myanmar territory and clearing land opposite Ranong in southern Thailand.

Recently 83 others were pardoned after being found guilty by a Myanmar court of illegal entry and encroachment on a local forest.

The two faced additional charges of possessing drugs. The court said yesterday it would rule on both defendants on October 1.

Seven others face charges of possessing military weapons.

Col Pornsak Poonsawat, Thai co-chairman of the Thai-Myanmar Township Border Committee, said his office was preparing to negotiate with Myanmar to help the remaining Thais.

He said his office would hold talks with Myanmar officials over the release of the nine Thai detainees. It is a positive sign considering Myanmar's earlier decision to pardon 83 Thais. "So we could expect good news in the near future," he said.

In a related development, Pornpun Pupiangjai, the second secretary at the Thai Embassy in Yangon, said relevant officials were doing their best to assist the nine detainees in the same way as the 83 who were pardoned.

A Myanmar court earlier handed down jail terms of three and a half years to the 92 Thais - 82 men and 10 women - for illegal entry and deforestation after they encroached on Myanmar territory opposite Ranong.

-- The Nation 2012-09-25

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PCD to propose waste solutions

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Pollution Control Department chief Wichien Jungrungreung said yesterday he would give Cabinet four measures early next month to help officials in 25 provinces manage many factories secretly disposing of hazardous waste.

The measures include having factories regularly provide the authorities with a list of the sort of waste they create, getting all waste trucks be painted orange, getting them to carry GPS devices so they can be located easily and providing better waste-treatment or recycling options.

The measures would be enforced initially in pilot provinces such as Chachoengsao, Prachin Buri, Rayong, Chon Buri and Samut Prakan, followed by Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Ayutthaya, he said.

Wichien called on the Interior Ministry to instruct officials in the 25 provinces to look out for areas at the risk of becoming dumpsites and suggested that local people create networks to watch out for people illegally dumping waste.

Wichien said up to 2.65 million tonnes of waste was created in Thailand every year, but only a million tonnes goes through the waste-management system and only 20 per cent of that is properly disposed of.

Meanwhile, PCD deputy chief Worasan Apaipong said his office had formulated a plan to prevent garbage pollution caused by floods and that guidelines would be sent to all provinces and the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department. Last year's floods saw as huge amount of garbage, oil and farm chemicals pollute flood-hit areas. He said units had been set up to control water pollution and chemical contamination in flood-hit areas. So far, the quality of water in 48 main rivers was good with the exception of Yom River, which has only 2.3 to 2.5 milligrams of oxygen per litre, while water in some parts of Nan River had 0mg of oxygen per litre.

-- The Nation 2012-09-25

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Speaker to be invited to explain his 'study trip'

Khanittha Thepphajorn,

Niphawan Kaewrakmook

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The parliamentary committee on House of Representatives Affairs will meet on Thursday to discuss the "study trip" House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont led to Europe, panel chairman Pheu Thai MP Paijit Srivorakhan said yesterday.

Full story:

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DSI probes accuracy of TRCT report on deaths

Piyanut Tumnukasetchai

The Nation

Panitan Wattanayagorn, left, former deputy secretarygeneral to former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva, testifies at the Department of Special Investigation over matters relating to the political violence in mid2010. Picture by Uthorn Sriphantha

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation is examining the final report by the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT) on the deaths and other

Full story:

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National carrier confident of competitive edge with six Airbus 380s

BANGKOK, Sept 25 - Thai Airways International (THAI) will become more competitive in the international aviation business when its new fleet of six Airbus A380s is delivered to the national flag carrier—beginning Wednesday, a senior THAI executive said today.

Full story:

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Global vitamin D map launched

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- An interactive global map of vitamin D status was recently launched by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), which presents a snapshot of vitamin D levels worldwide.

Full story:

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Rice scheme 'good for a few years'

THE NATION

Thaksin defends controversial programme

BANGKOK: -- Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra voiced support yesterday for the government’s controversial rice price-pledging programme, saying it should be extended for several more years.

Full story:

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Longer cross-border stays proposed in far South

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand and Malaysia would allow residents in border provinces and states to have more access and longer stays in either country in an aim to facilitate trade and cultural connectivity, a government source said yesterday.

However, there are security concerns about the proposed measure.

The cabinet meeting today will consider a proposal from the Interior Ministry to review the 1940 border agreement between Siam and British Malaya in an effort to make it more compatible with current situation, the source said.

Thailand and Malaysia agreed in principle to review the pact at a meeting of the Joint Commission nearly 10 years ago. The Interior Ministry and Malaysia's Home Affairs Ministry held a meeting in March to review the old agreement and negotiate a new one.

Residents of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla and Satun and the Malaysian states of Kedah, Kelantan, Perak and Perlis would be allowed to use a border pass rather than their passport to cross the border. They would be allowed to stay up to 30 days, rather than the current seven days. Their travel allowance would cover the entire province or state rather than the current 25 kilometres from the border. Also, the border pass would be a valid for year, double from the current six months.

If the Cabinet approves, concerned agencies would sign the necessary agreement with Malaysia by the end of this year, the source said.

The National Intelligence Agency has concerns that the new border-crossing arrangements might affect security in the violence-torn provinces.

The National Security Council (NSC) has commented that authorities must tighten their operations along the border to stop smugglers as well as insurgents who might take advantage of the freer access and use Malaysia as a sanctuary.

Since 2004, there have been almost daily incidents of violence in the southernmost provinces, claiming more than 5,000 lives.

Yesterday, two school directors and two soldiers were injured in a bomb explosion at Ban Batu School in Narathiwat's Bajoh district.

School director Korde Laemaenae, Ban Buenaepiyae School director Ma Dueramae, Private Wattana Sridet and Private Panuwat Chinrak, were rushed to Bajoh Hospital to be treated for shrapnel wounds.

Police say the directors and soldiers were in the school pavilion discussing preparations for a meeting of school directors when the bomb went off. It's believed that insurgents planted the bomb near the pavilion and set off the device when they saw the men sitting there. The blast destroyed marble stools in the pavilion and blew a small hole in the edifice.

The government and concerned agencies are debating solutions to contain the violence.

Newly appointed NSC chief Paradorn Pattanathabutr wants to put an end to the special emergency and security laws in a bid to restore normalcy to the region.

However, Army chief Prayuth Chanocha disagrees, saying it would be more difficult for officials to counter the insurgents because the procedures under normal law are too long and complicated.

-- The Nation 2012-09-25

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'Migrant market'

The Nation

CHIANG MAI: -- Chiang Mai Internal Security Operations Command offi?cials, provincial officials and other agencies rounded up 200 migrant workers queuing up on both sides of Assadathorn Road in Chiang Mai’s Muang district, known as a migrant labour market.

Police later took some 30 workers into custody at 6am when they failed to provide ID papers. These detainees face charges and deportation.

Officials have set up a temporary coordination site on Assadathorn Road. Info about migrant workers will be given to potential employers. Health officials will also be on hand to provide a check-up for migrants looking for work.

-- The Nation 2012-09-25

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Road safety App launched

BANGKOK, 25 September 2012: New applications that monitor road safety will be introduced that will encourage residents and commuters to report road accidents.

Full story:

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Iran blocks access to Google and Gmail - Starts a giant walled-off domestic intranet

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....estic-intranet/

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Thailand’s former capital to stay dry as water recedes

AYUTTHAYA, Sept 25 - The provincial irrigation bureau in this former capital of Thailand, 70km north of Bangkok, has allayed fears of floods thanks to receding water in the Chao Phraya River.

Maitree Pitinanond, director of the Ayutthaya Irrigation Bureau, said less water has been released from the Chao Phraya Dam in upper northern Chai Nat province and the water level in the Chao Phraya River, measured at Bang Ban and Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya districts, has fallen by 5-10cm per day.

The Chao Phraya River will be stable for a period, he said, adding that the huge volume of water which wreaked havoc in Sukhothai province has passed the Chao Phraya Dam and spread out.

In Ayutthaya’s Bang Pa-in and Bangsai districts, the Chao Phraya River rose by nearly 10cm yesterday after water was discharged from the Rama VI Dam into the Pasak River which meets the Chao Phraya River near Ayutthaya’s ancient temple of Wat Panancherng.

Several communities in Bang Pa-in and Bangsai districts have been flooded but Mr Maitree assured the public that the situation will not worsen thanks to the reduced amount of water from upstream. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-09-25

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Seven nabbed in two insurgent attacks in Pattani

BANGKOK, Sept 25 – Seven men were arrested for allegedly involvement in two separate attacks on government forces, killing more than 10 people and injuring scores in Thailand’s deep southern province of Pattani, according to a state security official.

Pol Maj Dittaporn Sasasmit, spokesman of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), said four soldiers were killed in an ambush by insurgents in Mayoh district on July 28.

The second violence which implicated the arrested suspects occurred last Friday when a car bomb exploded near a busy market in Saiburi district. Six officials were killed and about 50 people injured in the tragic incident.

Maj Dittaporn said some of the insurgents are extremists who previously attacked government personnel.

The spokesman said that the 2005 emergency decree remains necessary in the deep South, adding that a review to lift its enforcement in some areas must be thoroughly discussed among the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre, the ISOC southern office and the provincial administration. The decree is in force in the three southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.

Some observers say the decree--officially the Executive Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situation--has loopholes heightening the risk of arbitrary detention and mistreatment of detainees. Some liken it to martial law with less accountability. The decree is renewed every three months. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-09-25

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Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,287.52, up 3.22 points /MCOT

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New hospital wing rises in Patong

Phuket Gazette

Construction workers on the roof of the incomplete new wing at Patong Hospital as the Royal Paradise Hotel rises in the background. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- Construction of a new 69-million-baht wing at Patong Hospital, that will double the facility’s inpatient capacity, is well underway and scheduled for completion by August next year.

Full story:

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Taxi driver dies during fight with Sukhumvit McDonald's delivery driver

By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- A taxi driver died during an altercation with a motorcycle delivery driver for the McDonald’s at Sukhumvit 17 after they crashed into each other last Sunday.

Full story:

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RT @tulsathit: ASTV: Shameless Yongyuth not quitting, adamant that he did nothing wrong in Alpine case.

RT @tulsathit: Matichon: Yongyuth goes ahead with governor appointments; Democrats seeking ways to remove him

RT @tulsathit: Thai Post: Yongyuth set to make two wrongs in a row