Thailand Live Wednesday 3 Oct 2012

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Magician arrested following armed street robbery in South Pattaya

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/588649-magician-arrested-following-armed-street-robbery-in-south-pattaya/

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Mayor Pian blasts Phuket land probes as 'hypocritical'

Phuket Gazette

Don't investigate some illegal land plots in Phuket while ignoring others, said Mayor Pian. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

Mayor Pian congratulates new Patong Council President Thanin Attasab, as Acting Phuket Governor Sommai Prijasilpa (right) looks on. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- Following the inaugural meeting of the newly elected Patong Town Council yesterday, Patong Mayor Pian Keesin blasted the effectiveness of the current spate of ongoing and ever-increasing Phuket land investigations.

Full story:

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US court drops ban on Samsung Galaxy Tab

SAN FRANCISCO: -- In a potentially significant victory for Samsung in its patent war with Apple, a US court has lifted a temporary sales ban on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 after a jury found that it did not violate Apple's patents.

The ruling, made late Monday by the US District Court of Northern California, coincided with the filing of six new patent violation claims by Samsung against the iPhone 5.

Samsung was found to have infringed several Apple smartphone patents in August, and ordered by a jury to pay over 1 billion dollars in damages. Apple is seeking to have the amount of damages tripled, but Samsung is appealing the verdict. The next hearing is set for December 6.

In that judgment the jury found that the Galaxy Tab did not infringe on Apple’s patents, resulting in Monday’s lifting of the temporary sales ban by Judge Lucy Koh.

-- The Nation 2012-10-03

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Thai teachers’ death toll at hands of insurgents passes 150

NARATHIWAT, Oct 2 – Thailand’s civil, military and police authorities in the country’s southernmost provinces have vowed to intensify protection for teachers in light of a grim report by the regional teachers federation that 152 educators have been killed in numerous attacks by insurgents in Thailand’s three southernmost provinces.

The latest victim taught at Ban Bong School in Narathiwat’s Ra-ngae district. The two other violence-plagued provinces are Pattani and Yala, plus four districts of Songkhla.

Thawee Sodsong, secretary general of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC), said the agency is working closely with the Fourth Army Region and state officials to integrate security measures for teachers whom he described as the weakest target of the terrorist movements.

Boonsom Srithongprai, leader of the teachers’ federation for Thailand’s three southern provinces, said educators, administrators and other school employees felt threatened and are quite aware that they are at risk of being attacked by insurgents.

He called on the Fourth Army Region to deploy army personnel on roads to safeguard teachers since many of them commute to schools on their own. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-03

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154 Cambodians nabbed for illegal entry near Aranyaprathet

SA KAEO, Oct 2 – More than 100 Cambodians were arrested for illegal entry the trading town of Aranyaprathet in this Thai-Cambodian border province Tuesday for illegal entry.

Thai immigration police raided rented several shophouses near the busy Rong Klua market close to the Aranyaprathet border crossing and arrested 154 illegal immigrants, including 76 men, 65 women and 13 children.

The raid was conducted shortly after the authorities apprehended 71 Cambodians who were seen crossing a wooded area near the Rong Klua market. The market is a border trading centre for Thai and Cambodian merchants.

The detaimed Cambodians told police that they had stopped in Aranyaprathet on their way for jobs in Bangkok and the capital’s outskirts.

They reported they paid Bt2,500 each to Cambodian brokers for employment in Thailand. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-03

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SOUTH CRISIS

Nine insurgents surrender in Yala

YALA: -- A group of nine southern insurgents surrendered to the authorities in Yala on Tuesday, saying that they wished to give up their fight and were ready to face existing legal procedures.

Yala Governor Dejrat Simsiri was on hand to witness the nine coming forward to report to the authorities to help restore peace in the southernmost provinces.

Four were suspects who may have been involved in previous violent attacks although insufficient evidence is available 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 are 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.

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.

-- The Nation 2012-10-03

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PATTANI

One killed, another injured in shooting

PATTANI : -- A village head was shot dead and his assistant was wounded in an insurgent attack as they drove from a meeting in the restive southern province of Pattani Wednesday.

Koya Kamae, 52 of Ban Pula village, died at the scene while Sama-ae Karao, 52, the victim's assistant, was injured, 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 Koya drove, unidentified assailants in another pickup followed them and drew alongside the headman's vehicle.

The gunman, in the back of the pickup truck, shot them with an AK47 assault rifle.

-- The Nation 2012-10-03

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RT@RichardBarrow: Grammy Wonderland at Challenger 2-3, Impact Muang Thong Thani, 4-7 October 2012, 11am to midnight pic.twitter.com/BvL6t6Ch

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WELFARE

Free bus, train fares to continue through March

File photo

BANGKOK: -- Government-sponsored free public bus and economy-class train services will be extended until March 31 next year, government spokeswoman Sansanee Narkpong said Wednesday.

The scheme, which expired on September 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 September 30, for another month, to October 31.

Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) Director Opart Petchmunee earlier said that more than 900,000 passengers are using free buses daily on average costing around Bt30 million per month. The BMTA is receiving about Bt190 million each month in compensation for the free bus scheme, and the budget disbursement from the Ministry of Finance has so far been smooth.

Meanwhile, State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Governor Yutthana Thapcharoen also said the SRT there are about 28-30 million passengers using free train service each year while the compensation is about Bt62-82 million per month. He believed that the number of train passengers will drop if the free train service is cancelled.

A train fare of more than Bt100 for a provincial trip means a lot for low-income earners, he said.

-- The Nation 2012-10-03

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Weather warning for Phuket ahead of cyclone landfall in Vietnam

Phuket Gazette

Tropical Cyclone Gaemi expected to hit central Vietnam on Friday or Saturday, prompting a ‘torrential rain’ warning for much of Thailand, including Phuket and the Andaman region. Image: TMD

The cyclone is forecast to make landfall this weekend. Image: TMD

PHUKET: -- The Thai Meteorological Department today issued a “torrential rain” warning for much of Thailand as tropical cyclone Gaemi in the South China Sea is expected make landfall over central Vietnam this weekend.

Full story:

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Case closed on Belanger sisters' deaths

Phuket Gazette

Krabi Police have closed the case on the deaths of Canadian sisters Audrey and Noemi Belanger. Photo: Handout image

PHUKET: -- Krabi Police have closed the case on the deaths of Canadian sisters Audrey and Noemi Belanger with no more investigations to be conducted.

Full story:

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Abhisit: Opposition to submit censure motion this month

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Democrat Party leader and opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Wednesday that the opposition would submit a no-confidence motion against the government within this month.

He said the censure debate would take place before the current Parliament session expires next month.

Abhisit said the opposition would not wait for the government to announce its performance to Parliament on the first anniversary first.

-- The Nation 2012-10-03

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British Man Electrocuted At New Restaurant In Jomtien

Full story:

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SET index closed at 1307.55, up 1.89; Bt/USD30.55; GBP49.11; AUD31.09; EUR39.33; CAD30.81; HKD3.93; SGD24.66; JPY38.82

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Monk protest in Bangkok against Bangladesh unrest

BANGKOK, Oct 3, 2012 (AFP) - About 300 Buddhist monks demonstrated in the Thai capital Bangkok on Wednesday against recent attacks by Muslim mobs targeting temples and houses in Bangladesh.

Holding signs reading "No More Violence We Want Peace" and "Stop Muslim Terrorism on Bangladesh Buddhist", the monks from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand massed outside the UN offices to call for a probe into the unrest.

"We don't want to blame anyone, but we want this barbaric incident to stop because now Buddhist followers have to seek protection from police around the clock," one of the event organisers, Kanraya Tasanasarit, told AFP.

Bangladesh police said Tuesday they had arrested nearly 300 people in connection with the violence, which saw Buddhist temples and homes damaged or set on fire.

Buddhists, who make up less than one percent of Bangladesh's 153 million mostly Muslim population, are based mainly in southeastern districts, close to the border with Buddhist-majority Myanmar.

Sectarian tensions have been running high since June when deadly clashes erupted between Buddhists and Muslim Rohingyas in Myanmar's western Rakhine state.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-10-03

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Russian Drowns In Condo Complex Swimming Pool In Central Pattaya

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....entral-pattaya/

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Rush Hour Hijacked by Jack Knifed truck

PATTAYA:-- A truck with a second trailer jacknifed on the Sukhumvit in Pattaya in the middle of the rush our creating total havoc around the city

Full story:

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Bangkok floods may continue next month

BANGKOK, Oct 3 – Tropical storm Gaemi will cause flooding in Bangkok for at least two weeks, or perhaps be prolonged into next month, a water resources expert warned today.

Sucharit Koontanakulwong, chief of the Chulalongkorn University Water Resources Engineering Department said this year’s average volume of rainfall is 120 per cent which is higher by 40 per cent than last year.

September was recorded as having the heaviest rainfall, unusual in that it mostly rained downstream from the dams, he said. Water was released from most dams since early this year.

The upper central region will not flood like last year, but the lower central region, including the Ayutthaya watershed, including the the Pasak and Thachin rivers, will be inundated until early next month.

This year’s rainfall is high in Nakhon Pathom province, 60km west of Bangkok, and Kabin Buri district of Prachinburi province, 190km east of Bangkok, he said, adding that excess water will flow from the two provinces to Chachoengsao, adjacent to Bangkok on the East.

Water is building up in Bangkok’s western canals: Klong Tawee Wattana, Pityalongkorn, Bang Waek and Rajmontri.

If tropical storm Gaemi brings more rainfall, floods will be inevitable in areas on both sides of Klong Tawee Wattana which is currently 1.31 metres higher than mean sea level, he said.

He said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will need to dredge canals and improve the drainage system due to heavier rains in the future. (MCOT online news)

-- The Nation 2012-10-03

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Park service raids Chiang Mai snake farms

CHIANG MAI, Oct 3 –Thailand’s National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department officials raided three snake farms in the northern province of Chiang Mai and ordered them temporarily closed after they were found to have snakes in possession without permission.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/588756-park-service-raids-chiang-mai-snake-farms/#entry5721698

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RT@tulsathit: RT @Aim_NT: Besides Gaemi, 2 more storms are believed 2 be heading to northern Thailand which could bring huge rain in N, Central.

RT@tulsathit: spots vulnerable to flash floods: Sai Mai, Prawet, Min Buri, Lat Phrao, Phra Khanong, Prawet Canal, Sam Wa Canal, Song Wa Canal Phetkasem Rd, Phraya Ratchamontree Canal, Phittayalongkorn Canal and Thawee Watthana Canal. via @Aim_NT

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RT@terryfrd: Thai PBS's expert tonight stressed flood plans so far focus on "fighting w. water" from outside, not so good when its falling frm above.

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to continue:

Thailand Live Thursday 4 Oct 2012