Thailand Live Tuesday 2 Oct 2012

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SOUTH CRISIS

Violence in south to delay end of semester exams

The Nation

Students of Baan Bor Ngo School in Narathiwat still come to school although it suspended the classes following killing of a school teacher.//Photo Charoon Thongnual

NARATHIWAT: -- The spirit of teachers in the deep southern province of Narathiwat has sunk to an all-time low following the shooting of one of their number from Baan Bor Ngo School in Rangae district on Monday.

The school abruptly suspended classes after learning of the fate of Komsun Chomyong, who became the 152 nd member of the country's educational personnel to be killed in the southern violence since 2004.

Sanguan Indharak, the president of the Teachers' Federation of Narathiwat, said Tuesday troops have sealed the area in the district where Komsun was killed in an attempt to find the culprits.

"Our spirit has been low for years due to the daily violence in the region. But now it is at its lowest because of Monday's attack on Kru Komsun," he said.

Sanguan was speaking after attending an urgent meeting of teachers' federations in the southern region in Songkhla province. The meeting agreed that the situation has worsened and that the lives of teachers and students are at risk. They are thus considering postponing the final examinations of the first semester so as to close the first semester earlier than scheduled.

"It is possible that the final exams will be conducted at the beginning of the second semester to allow security officials to control the situation and to reduce risks to teachers and students," he said.

Each school is allowed to make its own decision whether to speed up the examinations and end the semester before time or to delay the exams to the next semester.

-- The Nation 2012-10-02

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SOUTH VIOLENCE

Security strengthened following killing of a Narathiwat teacher

The Nation

Identity cards of Komsun

NARATHIWAT: -- Security authorities on Tuesday tightened security in the southern border province of Narathiwat after a teacher was shot dead on Monday.

Komsun Chomyong, a teacher at Baan Bor Ngo School, was killed as he was returning home from school. Police are seeking the gunman who took the slain teacher’s handgun. The homes of suspects have been raided, but the killer has not been found.

Ba-ngokubo village in Bo Ngo sub-district is believed to house armed RKK militants. The authorities believe the gunman is still hiding in the area.

Patrol and teacher protection units stepped up security measures while the school has been closed temporarily in light of shooting. The body of the slain teacher will be returned to his home in the central province of Ratchaburi.

-- The Nation 2012-10-02

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SETTLEMENTS AND LAND EXPROPRIATION

Activists demand action from government

The Nation

Photo : Vorawit Pumpuang

BANGKOK: -- Some 30 social activists called on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Tuesday to demand sustainable solutions from the government to the problems of settlements, stateless people and land expropriation from construction of the Pak Mool Dam in Ubon Ratchathani.

The representatives of a group calling itself People’s Movement for a Just Society who met with the premier said the three major problems have been pending for years without solutions or signs of progress.

Another 100 activists with banners and loudspeakers demonstrated at a side entrance to Government House.

Yingluck said she has set up working committees to resolve the problems, admitting that some of the issues - particularly land disputes - involved law enforcement. She said more discussions on the issues are needed. The activists urged the premier to chair the working committees, saying the people continue to face major problems.

They cited the issuance of community land title deeds as one the most crucial issues.

-- The Nation 2012-10-02

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Thailand warned of heavy rain this weekend

BANGKOK, Oct 2 - Thailand's Northeast, East and Central regions are warned of heavy rains triggered from a new tropical storm this weekend.

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UPDATE

Cosmetic filler victim dies in hospital

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A product presenter died on Tuesday after having been in a coma for weeks following an illegal cosmetic filler injection into her buttocks.

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SET index closed at 1305.66, up 5.95; Bt/USD30.58; GBP49.29; AUD31.40; EUR39.39; CAD31.00; HKD3.94; SGD24.73; JPY38.93

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Thai Airways Airbus A380 lands at Suvarnabhumi

By Cole Pennington

Thai Airways Airbus A380

BANGKOK: -- All the talk about the new Airbus airplane is now a reality. Thai Airways Airways just took delivery of the superjumbo aircraft at the Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France on Sept. 28. They’ve now joined the league of world-class airlines like Emirates, Qantas, Singapore Air, and Lufthansa that operate the massive A380.

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Two-pronged rallies against abolition of rice pledging scheme

CHIANG MAI, Oct 2 – Farmers in this northern city and the rice-growing province of Ayutthaya rallied separately Tuesday protesting a civic move to abolish the government’s rice pledging scheme.

A group of students and academics from the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) and Thammasat University petitioned to the Constitution Court last week, seeking a judicial review of the government’s widely-criticised scheme. The Office of the Constitution Court however turned down the petition Monday, saying the petitioners did not clearly state regarding which section of the charter was breached by the government.

About 500 farmers demonstrated at Chiang Mai city hall, calling on the government to go ahead with the scheme and claiming that terminating it would severely affect farmers.

Samarn Tatthiang, leader of the farmers network federation, proposed a joint meeting among government officials, academics and farmers to find a suitable rice pledging measure.

The group also proposed guidelines for a transparent rice pledging plan for the 2012/2013 harvest. Mr Samarn did not elaborate on the proposal.

Meanwhile, farmers from Ayutthaya province, dubbed the rice bowl of the central plains, gathered at nearby Pathum Thani province to lodge a similar protest to the government. They threatened to rally at Government House in Bangkok if the academics continued the movement against the rice pledging scheme. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-02

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Another major rice pledging budget approved

BANGKOK, Oct 2 – A Bt240-billlion budget to pledge 15 million tonnes of paddy in the 2012-2013 harvest sailed through the Thai cabinet Tuesday amid criticism from academics and the private sector over a lack of transparency in the government’s rice pledging scheme.

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Air Force to deploy Diamond DA42 surveillance aircraft to support military operations in southern provinces, beginning December /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

Nine insurgent defectors surrender to Yala authorities

YALA, Oct 2 - A group of nine insurgents in Thailand’s deep South surrendered to the authorities in Yala on Tuesday, expressing their sincerity and readiness to be dealt with using existing legal procedures.

Yala Governor Dejrat Simsiri witnessed the nine reporting to the authorities to help restore peace in the southernmost provinces.

Four were suspects who may have been involved in previous violent attacks but there was insufficient evidence to request arrest warrants from the court.

Three were defendants whose cases are pending in the courts for security related offences.

All have been temporarily released with verification documents issued by the Yala authorities.

The remaining two men were defendants in a security-related case. They were acquitted by the Court but said they still live in fear and that they decided to meet the authorities after learning about the policy to bring peace to the troubled region.

Mr Dejrat said the province has been implementing a development policy to ease violence in the area, based on His Majesty the King's advice – to understand, access and develop the local area as well as setting up the Yala Outreach Centre between October 2009 and April 3 this year.

During the period, 209 insurgents joined the government's attempt to bring peace to the southern provinces. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-02

[Lite Beer]

Red Bull heir to face additional charge

BANGKOK: -- Red Bull heir Worrayuth Yoovidhya, who was involved in a hit-and-run crash killing Pol Snr Sgt-Major Wichean Klinprasert on September 3, will meet police on October 19 to hear an additional drunk-driving charge, deputy city police chief Pol Maj-General Anuchai Lekbamrung said Tuesday.

He said police were still waiting for results of Worrayuth's blood test, which initially showed traces of a narcotic substance and needed expert examination because such a substance can also be found in some medicines.

-- The Nation 2012-10-02

[Lite Beer]

Village head killed, assistant wounded, in Pattani shooting

PATTANI, Oct 2 -- A village head was shot dead and his assistant was wounded as they drove from a meeting in this restive southern province today, according to local police.

Koya Kamae, the 52-year-old head of Ban Pula village, died at the scene and Sama-ae Karao, 52, the victim’s assistant, was wounded, according to Pol Col Tuande Chutanant, chief of Yarang police station.

The attack took place as the men were returning to their homes after the monthly meeting at the Yarang district office.

As Mr Koya drove, unidentified assailants in another pickup followed them, came alongside the headman’s vehicle.

The gunman, in the back of the pickup truck, shot them with an AK47 assault rifle. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-02

[Lite Beer]

Thai Air Force to send more surveillance aircraft to deep South

BANGKOK, Oct 2 - The Royal Thai Air Force will deploy more aircraft on aerial surveillance missions in Thailand's violence-plagued deep South by the end of this year, the air force chief said today.

Air Force commander-in-chief Air Chief Marshal Prachin Chantong said the Diamond DA42 aircraft will be used in aerial surveillance missions to support the ground security operations in the southern border provinces.

The aircraft, equipped with thermal video and digital cameras, will be able to perform its duty by December, said the air force chief.

Currently, ACM Prachin said, the air force deployed C130 aircraft to transport military personnel and other provisions, while the two Fairchild AU-23A Peacemakers have been used for aerial surveillance in the insurgency-torn region.

Marshal Prachin said the air force personnel who will man the Diamond DA42 will be the same group of those stationed at Taklee air force base in Nakhon Sawan province.

He said the air force is considering deploying additional personnel in Narathiwat or Pattani's Nong Chik district and Songkhla's Hat Yai district, to support ground operations of other agencies. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-02

[Lite Beer]

Thais to enjoy free transport until March

BANGKOK, Oct 2 – Thailand’s government-sponsored free bus and train services will be extended until March 31 next year, government spokeswoman Sansanee Narkpong said today.

The scheme, which initially expired on Sept 30, covers 800 public buses on 73 routes in Bangkok and the metropolitan area. The government has subsidised the Bangkok Mass Transport Company by Bt1.5 billion to extend the transport benefit to low-income people.

Another subsidy of Bt555 million was granted to the State Railway of Thailand for 172 free economy-class trains a day.

The government also extended the tax exemption on diesel fuel, which also expired on Sept 30, for another month, to Oct 31. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-02

[george]

FULL MOON PARTY

Israeli tourist injured and raped on Koh Phangan

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to continue:

Thailand Live Wednesday 3 Oct 2012