Thailand Live Thursday 27 Sep 2012

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Thailand Live Thursday 27 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 Wednesday 26 Sep 2012

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Central region, South warned of more floods

THE NATION

Phuket is hit by flood yesterday.

Phuket roads covered; BMA attacked for |its failure to dredge sewers

BANGKOK: -- Meteorological officials are warning of flooding in the Central region and the South, with heavy rain continuing for the next two days or so.

Full story:

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New Skytrain stations are more than 70% complete

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra yesterday inspected the progress of construction at the BTS Pho Nimit Station on the Skytrain's Taksin-Phetkasem route.

Full story:

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Pheu Thai asks EC to rule on Yongyuth's status

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit has given his consent to initiate checks on his MP and ministerial qualifications in a bid to dispel lingering doubts on his status in the Cabinet as well as in the House.

Full story:

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Fearing Loss Of Visa Fees, Thailand Opts Out Of Common Visa Plan

Full story:

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Thai citizens abroad now able to renew ID cards at embassies

Full story:

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PM discusses trade with EU in NY

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

NEW YORK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday pushed ahead with negotiations to establish a free-trade arrangement with the European Union (EU) to boost Thai exports to the bloc, with which it no longer has any trade privileges.

Full story:

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Thais In America are protesting against Madam Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra

Full story:

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Thailand to sell generic Viagra drug: officials

Full story:

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Worker shows shooting site

The Nation

PHETCHABURI: -- Kala, the Myanmar man who allegedly worked for police doctor Pol Colonel Supat Laohawattana for years and said he had been tortured by his boss and forced to bury other workers, was summoned by the police yesterday to identify the spot where a couple were allegedly shot.

Supat is in court custody over suspected links to the three skeletons found on his ranch in Phetchaburi's Tha Yang district.

According to Kala, the shooting had taken place behind bamboo bushes, close to where the skeletons were found. Also, a police search of the ranch yesterday revealed some spent bullets in the grassy area behind the house, where Supat reportedly did target practice.

Pol Lt-General Hanpol Nitwibool, chief of the Provincial Police Region 7, said Supat's wife Wilsa Chantornbanchorn had called to say she was still raising bail money so was not ready to surrender yet.

Police General Hospital director Jongjet Aoajenpong said the forensic examination of the three skeletons should be ready tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Supat's brother Suthep said he preferred not to testify at the Tha Mai Ruak police station because he feared for his safety. Supat's ranch is under the jurisdiction of the Tha Mai Ruak police station. Also, he said, that the white van that was still under his name had actually been sold to Supat and that he had faxed the purchase papers to police. He also insisted that he had nothing to do with the June 2009 disappearance of Samart Noomjui and Orasa Kerdsap or the skeletons.

-- The Nation 2012-09-27

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GROWTH

BOT may lower 2012 export growth forecast after dismal exports

SARUN KIJVASIN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul said yesterday that the central bank might downgrade its export forecast for this whole year after shipments continued to fall last month.

Full story:

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THAI TALK

TRCT report: Each claims his own version of the truth

Suthichai Yoon

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- I am not sure how many people have read the 276-page full report issued last week by the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT) headed by Dr Kanit na Nakhon. But I am certain that few Thais appreciate the gruelling task the commission undertook in very trying circumstances.

Full story:

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BURNING ISSUE

How serious is the govt about fighting corruption?

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The government has put its anti-corruption strategy - listed as one of its 16 urgent policies and officially launched on May 18 - on the national agenda. Under this strategy, the government has assigned all agencies to "clean their own houses" with the motto of each department or province: "One project to prevent corruption". The project aims to show how government agencies and provinces throughout the country plan to prevent corruption. A total of 220 projects from all agencies and provinces have been mapped out as action plans for the anti-corruption strategy.

Full story:

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Bt175m budget for foreign trips

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Out of Bt379 million allocated to 35 House standing committees in Parliament's 2012 budget, Bt175 million has been set aside for foreign trips, a source said yesterday.

The budget for domestic travelling expenses stood at Bt35 million, reception expenses for foreign guests Bt7 million, seminars Bt52 million, support and promotion funds Bt52 million, catering for committee members Bt14 million, allowances, hotel rooms and vehicles Bt35 million, and Bt88 million in fees for interpreters.

Parliament does not limit the number of foreign trips in each fiscal budget. The House Committee on Parliament Affairs will today look into the controversy involving the Bt7-million trip to Europe by House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont, who has returned to Thailand.

The Office of the House Speaker has been allocated Bt49 million from the 2012 fiscal budget, Bt155,200 of which was spent on a seminar on coups, which is the only expense incurred from October 1 last year to May 31 this year.

-- The Nation 2012-09-27

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Red-yellow clash was 'instigated', police say

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Tuesday's clash between the yellow shirts and red shirts seemed to be instigated, a police officer said yesterday.

Full story:

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ANALYSIS

Constitution Court to decide Yongyuth's fate

Somroutai Sapsomboon

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A decision on whether the 2007 Exoneration Act can be used to grant Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit total absolution now lies in the hands of the Constitution Court.

Full story:

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Women warned against opting for dangerous procedures

Suriyan Panyawai

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Dermatological Society of Thailand issued a warning on Tuesday about the use of sub-standard chemicals to plump up flesh, saying that this could lead to death in some cases. Besides, more and more people in the past two years have been seeking treatment for complications stemming from these flesh-plumping injections.

Full story:

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DISEASE

New Sars-like virus threat to pilgrims from Mecca

PUANGCHOMPHOO PRASERT

THE NATION September 27, 2012 1:00 am

Thais returning home will be under medical observation for 10 days

BANGKOK: -- Thais returning from Saudi Arabia may have to stay on a 10-day medical surveillance if they develop symptoms suspected to be of a new potentially serious disease, a novel coronavirus.

This disease has already killed a man in Saudi Arabia, and sent a Qatari man to the intensive-care unit of a hospital in London. This seriously ill man visited Saudi Arabia before coming down with the critical symptoms.

About 15,000 Thais make a pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia each year.

A group of pilgrims left Hat Yai International Airport for Mecca yesterday, as Culture Minister Sukumol Kunplome wished them good luck.

These pilgrims have been accompanied by medical doctors.

"We have not yet found any other case of novel coronavirus infections," Professor Prasert Thongcharoen, adviser to the Department of Disease Control (DDC), said yesterday.

However, he believes that judging from the two cases of this disease so far, the situation looks quite dangerous.

He said this disease was in the same category as the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome |(Sars).

Prasert said the novel coronavirus affected the respiratory or gastrointestinal system of an infected subject.

"It's possible that symptoms may range from just cold-like symptoms to respiratory failure and death," he said.

DDC specialist Dr Khamnuan Ungchusak said his agency had taken measures to deal with this potentially dangerous disease.

"Doctors accompanying the hajj trip will take care of pilgrims who fall ill.

"After the pilgrims return, they will be monitored for 10 days to check whether they develop any symptoms," Khamnuan said.

He said pamphlets about this new disease in Thai, English and Arabic would be handed out to travellers coming to Thailand from the Middle East.

"We will inform private and state hospitals about this disease. If they find anyone travelling from Saudi Arabia and Qatar coming down with serious symptoms such as pneumonia, they must investigate the cause of the symptoms," he said.

Khamnuan said there was no medicine specially produced for the novel coronavirus.

"The Department of Medical Services will prepare guidelines for hospitals in treating novel-coronavirus patients to prevent the spread of the disease," he added.

-- The Nation 2012-09-27

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'First shot came from victim's car'

The Nation

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: -- The team looking into the road-rage shooting in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district on August 20, in which Uthai Thani MP Chada Thaiseth's son Farut was killed, concluded yesterday that the first shot was fired from Farut's car.

Following the shooting, 40-year-old Mun Poolsap surrendered to police claiming he shot in self-defence because he had been fired at first. The probe results will be submitted to the public prosecutor tomorrow, Provincial Police Region 3 chief Panu Kerdlarppol said yesterday.

He said Mun will face charges of murdering Farut, possessing a gun and ammunition, carrying a gun and shooting in a public area, while Chada's nephew Suriya Thaiseth will be charged with attempted murder, carrying a gun and ammunition as well as shooting in a public area.

-- The Nation 2012-09-27

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Asia must make money, not trouble: Thai PM

NEW YORK, Sept 27, 2012 (AFP) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Wednesday that Asia's emerging economies can help the troubled global economy, but warned against allowing conflict in the seas around China from derailing development.

Full story:

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Bombing at Narathiwat Ban Rom Klao School as school bus passes by wounds two students /MCOT

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Patong police defer action in Tiger Disco investigation

Phuket Gazette

Patong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Pochanaphan at scene of the Tiger Discotheque fire. Photo: Gazette file

Provincial Police Commander Chonasit Wattanvrangkul, who will be transferred to Bangkok on Sunday, chaired the meeting to ‘discuss’ what action police will take in handling the case. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- Police yesterday declined to commit to pressing any charges against the operators of the Tiger Discotheque over the fire that destroyed the venue and killed four people, including two tourists in Phuket's main tourism town, Patong.

Full story:

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Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 1,280.97, up 6.47 points /MCOT

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Army chief renews warning against bickering

BANGKOK, Sept 26 – Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s visit to Thailand’s deep South obviously indicated that the southern provinces are not entirely volatile.

He said only 10-15 per cent of the southern area is plagued by unlawful activity, insurgency infiltration and instigation of disorder and violence. The three most affected provinces are Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.

Gen Prayuth said the princess has regularly visited the South without any fear. Her latest three-day trip to the region ended yesterday.

The army chief said situation and fighting in the South have changed with more insurgents adopting guerrilla warfare methods which makes it harder for the authorities’ suppression activities, adding that the situation has intensified and become more complicated since 2004.

Calling on the Thai people to end squabbling and factional divisions, Gen Prayuth said, “If we continue fighting among ourselves, we may encounter an undesirable situation one day. Please stop acting violently [against one another] and abide by the law if you don’t want the country to reach ‘doomsday’,” he warned. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-09-27

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Phuket Vice Governor to take the big chair on October 1

Phuket Gazette

Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa will become Acting Governor on Monday. Photo: Gazette file

Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha will retire on Sunday, bringing to an end 36 years of civil service. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa will take on the responsibility of Acting Governor from October 1 following the Thai Cabinet failing to name a successor to Tri Augkardacha, who will retire this Sunday, September 30.

Full story:

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Criminal Court handed 6-month jail term, suspended for 2 years, plus Bt50,000 fine to red-shirt co-leader Jatuporn Prompan for defaming ex-PM Abhisit /Nation

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Yingluck assures Europe of flood management measures and FTA

BANGKOK, 27 September 2012 (NNT) – During her visit, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra met with the European Council to discuss Thailand’s flood management measures and free trade agreement between Thailand and Europe.

After attending the 67th United Nations General Assembly on the topic of "Bringing about adjustment or settlement of international dispute or situations by peaceful means", Ms Yingluck Shinawatra arranged a meeting with the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, during which the European Council President asked the Thai Premier about Thailand's flood disaster management and the Thai PM assured Mr. Herman that Thailand had a number of short- and long-term measures to handle future floods.

Additionally, Ms. Yingluck also negotiated with Mr. Herman on free trade agreement or FTA between Thailand and Europe. The push is meant to benefit the Thai agricultural sector.

The Prime Minister also said that if Thailand was to be excluded from the “Generalized System of Preferences” or GSP list, the FTA framework would help solve that problem and drive the Thai export sector.

-- NNT 2012-09-27

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Health officials call for a 'safer' Phuket Vegetarian Festival

Phuket Gazette

Fireworks whiz past a mah song's face (spirit medium) as he his paraded through Phuket Town during the Vegetarian Festival last year. Photo: Dean Noble

The Phuket Health chief also called for the mah song handlers to ensure better care for their devotees during the festival. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- With 70 people injured and one person dying from complications brought on by smoke inhalation during the Vegetarian Festival last year, the Phuket Health Office is calling for more stringent measures to protect celebrants from harm this year.

Full story:

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RT @RichardBarrow: Muslims protesting this morning - RT @lilrichardb: Protest at the US Embassy, maybe 250 people http://thai.vi/Qd8uwy