Thailand Live Thursday 11 Oct 2012

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Thailand Live Thursday 11 October 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 10 Oct 2012

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POLITICS

Ombudsman threatens to take Thaksin passport issue to court

CHANIKARN POOMHIRUN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Office of the Ombudsman has yet to receive a formal explanation from the Foreign Ministry for why it refused to comply with the ombudsman's instruction to recall fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra's passport.

Full story:

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MURDER

Suphat to face murder charges: police

ITTIPON IAMCHUEY,

KWANHATAI MALAIKARN

PHETCHABURI: -- Police are now getting ready to press murder charges against Dr Suphat Laohawattana, who was dismissed from the Police General Hospital in the wake of grave allegations.

Full story:

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National water plan based on zoning

SURIYAN PANYAWAI

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Zoning will play a key role in the country's water-management plan, according to the Office of the National Water and Flood Management Policy.

Full story:

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LAW

Lese majeste clause overrides individual rights: Court

CHANIKARN POOMHIRUN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Constitution Court issued a unanimous decision yesterday endorsing the lese majeste clause in the Criminal Code and saying that it was constitutional.

Defendant Somyos Prueksakasemsuk raised the issue of the clause's constitutionality in his defence for remarks deemed offensive to the monarchy.

In his defence writ, Somyos contended that the penal code's Article 112 was in conflict with his Constitution-sanctioned freedom of expression (Article 45), his constitutional rights (Article 29) and the role of the King (Article 3).

The high court struck down his arguments on grounds that the monarch, as head of state, was entitled to protection under the rule of law (Article 8).

The protection, including the offence and penalty, is in effect commensurate with the stature of head of state and does not violate an individual's rights, the court said in its verdict.

-- The Nation 2012-10-11

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SOVEREIGN CREDIT RATING

Govt pushing for boost

ACHARA DEBOONME

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai-led government is hopeful of an upgrade in Thailand's sovereign credit rating, believing the economy has apparently sailed through the global economic crisis and political stability has returned to some extent.

Full story:

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HEALTH

Depression, a silent threat

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Public Health Ministry yesterday cautioned that depression posed a silent threat to health, warning that it could strike at any age and revealing that about 350 million people worldwide and some 1.5 million Thais over the age of 15 suffered from the disease.

Only one quarter of Thais with the illness receive treatment, and people with depression commit suicide at a rate that is 20 times higher than persons without the disease, Deputy Public Health Minister Dr Surawit Khonsomboon said yesterday. Yesterday marked World Mental Health Day, which this year was themed "Depression: A Global Crisis".

Surawit said the ministry would implement three measures: educating the public that people with depression are not "crazy" and can be treated; extending depression-treatment services to all community and general hospitals; and encouraging people to exercise, which helps counter depression by the release of the hormone endorphine.

-- The Nation 2012-10-11

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EDITORIAL

Foreign words turn the focus on our native tongue

The Nation

The debate over the pronunciation of 'Thai-glish' reveals the challenges faced by the Thai language in an era of globalisation

BANGKOK: -- The debate surrounding the Royal Institute's plan to change the spelling of 176 words "borrowed" from the English language should focus the public's attention on the use of Thai language in today's fast-changing world.

Full story:

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THAI TALK

Even her critics may agree: Yingluck should be in charge

Suthichai Yoon

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Premier Yingluck Shinawatra has repeated the phrase often enough - to the point that she might finally be convinced of the statement herself: "I am the prime minister and I am in charge." Even die-hard sceptics will have to admit that the premier has recently demonstrated a higher degree of confidence in her work - so much so that I could sense that even the opposition Democrats may be resigned to the fact that she will be in power for a while yet.

Full story:

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Rush-hour traffic slowing down

The Nation

Full story:

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UN honours Yingluck

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The United Nations will present a plaque to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in recognition of her role in encouraging more women to get involved in disaster-reduction efforts in Asia.

Full story:

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BURNING ISSUE

Will Yaowapha dare take over as party leader?

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Now that the seat for the ruling party's leader is vacant, former deputy transport minister Kittisak Hatthasongkroah has proposed that Yaowapha Wongsawat, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra's sister, take over.

Full story:

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Thailand in urgent need of agricultural reforms: Sudarat

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Former Thai Rak Thai Party executive Sudarat Keyuraphan presents her vision on how the country should prepare itself for integration into the Asean Economic Community - in the second of a two-part interview given to The Nation.

Full story:

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Jaruvan loses bid to return as auditor-general

CHANIKARN POOMHIRUN,

KHANITTHA THEPPHAJORN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Former auditor-general Jaruvan Maintaka was defeated in her attempt to regain office after the Constitution Court ruled that she has already reached her mandatory retirement age of 65.

Jaruvan argued that after the 2006 coup, she concurrently held the post of auditor-general and that of a member of the State Audit Board, which oversees the Office of the Auditor-General.

Under relevant laws, board members are not obliged to retire.

However, the high court ruled that the key issue to the case was related to Jaruvan's mandate as auditor-general, and since she had retired in 2010, she was no longer authorised to continue in the job regardless of her other appointments.

In a related development, the House cast 389 votes to pass the first reading of the draft legislation on state auditing. This legislation was drafted in conformation with the 2007 Constitution in order to facilitate the works of two independent entities - the Office of the Auditor-General and the State Auditing Board.

The draft, co-sponsored by the Auditor-General and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, will be vetted by the House committee as the main document, while the Pheu Thai-sponsored bill will be seen as an auxiliary version.

-- The Nation 2012-10-11

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DSI accepts Skytrain, flood-donation cases

PIYANUCH THAMNUKASETCHAI

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) yesterday agreed to take up cases involving the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) extension of the BTS Skytrain concession and flood-donation money going into a Democrat Party bank account.

Full story:

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3 caught trying to retrieve drugs

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Police arrested three suspected drug dealers yesterday after they tried to retrieve crystal methamphetamine worth Bt180 million from their pick-up truck, which was impounded in Pathum Thani's Khlong Luang district after an accident.

At 4.30am, Pratunam Chulalongkorn police station officers apprehended three Chiang Rai men aged 25-39 along with 62kg of crystal meth. One of the suspects reportedly confessed that they were hired for Bt300,000 to deliver the drugs in the Khlong Luang area on October 5, but abandoned the pick-up truck after hitting a motorcycle. The person who hired them then told them to retrieve the drugs or they would be killed. They had broken into the storage facility on Tuesday and were searching the truck when dogs detected them, prompting them to flee emptyhanded. Police later discovered their attempt to retrieve the drugs and apprehended them in a stakeout.

In Khon Kaen's Mancha Khiri district, meanwhile, police yesterday seized 2,500 kilograms of marijuana at an abandoned warehouse. The drugs were reportedly procured from Laos by a Sakhon Nakhon-based drug gang and were being stored ahead of distribution in Bangkok and nearby provinces as well as Europe. Police arrested one man and are expected to issue arrest warrants for three more suspects soon.

-- The Nation 2012-10-11

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DEET did not kill Canadian Sisters

By Staff

KRABI: -- In June this year, two Canadian sisters Noémi Bélanger, (25), and Audrey Bélanger, (20) travelled to Thailand and to a resort on Phi Phi Island.

Full story:

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Ratchaburi flooded by overflow from Mae Klong River

RATCHABURI, Oct 11 -- Residents of San Khu and Ban Tha Sao in Ratchaburi municipality rushed to move necessities and valuables to higher ground after the waters of the Mae Klong River overflowed to flood their communities.

The rising level of the Mae Klong River was due to the discharge from Tha Muang Dam in Kanchanaburi to reduce the volume of water behind the dam.

Deputy Ratchaburi Governor Pititham Thitimontri expressed worry that historical sites in the province, particularly Wat Mahathat, located by the Mae Klong, and Ratchaburi’s market community which could come under water.

The monastery was a royal temple and is an important historical site in the province.

In Prachin Buri, Governor Chittra Promchutima visited the site in Bang Yang subdistrict in Ban Sang district where water-pushing machines were installed to help move water to the sea.

Two machines were installed, and another six machines will be installed later.

it was expected that already-flooded Ban Sang district will return to normal in two weeks. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-11

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Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 1,291.69, up 2.34 points /MCOT

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Thai arrested in Sukhumvit for forced prostitution links to Japan

BANGKOK, Oct 11 – A Thai man was arrested in a Sukhumvit neighbourhood Wednesday on charges of luring Thai women into prostitution in Japan, police said.

Crime Suppression police charged Niran Pansa-ngiem, 34, with human trafficking and said he collaborated with another Thai man, Chakrapan Vacharapin, who was earlier apprehended in Bangkok.

The separate arrests of the two men came in the wake of last year’s rescue of a Thai woman by police in Japan. The woman told Thai police on her return to Bangkok last year that she was forced to work as a prostitute by a Thai-Japanese human trafficking racket.

She reportedly said Mr Niran approached her to work as a waitress in a karaoke bar in Japan and promised a monthly salary of Bt680,000. She was told to meet Mrs Orachorn Yamachi, the wife of a Japanese in Japan.

Mr Niran admitted that he encouraged the woman to work in Japan but did not force her into prostitution.

Police charged him with collaborating with a group of three people to lure women into prostitution, and is subject to a 20-year jail term or fine of Bt80,000-200,000, or both. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-11

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RT @BreakingNews: Texas executes 44-year-old Jonathan Green for 2000 rape, murder of 12-year-old neighbor - @AP

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Pattaya Police Arrest Foreign Auto-Theft Suspect

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/590466-pattaya-police-arrest-foreign-auto-theft-suspect/

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Navy Sailor killed in early morning road crash in Jomtien

Full story:

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New border checkpoint on Thai-Lao border 'to prevent rice smuggling'

MUKDAHAN, Oct 11 - A new border checkpoint is now in place on the Thai-Lao PDR Mekong River border.

The border checkpoint was set up by Thai police at Ban Kok Suwan in this northeastern province across the river from the Lao province of Savannakhet to prevent rice smuggling from the neighbouring country to sell—illegally--under Thailand's rice pledging scheme.

Mukdahan Internal Trade Department Office chief Somboon Chumponsatien said checkpoints were set up also at other districts.

He added, meanwhile, the province could not proceed with implementing the rice pledging scheme, for the subcommittee monitoring rice pledging processes is verifying the qualifications of rice mills applying to participate.

However, Mr Somboon said local farmers have not yet been affected, as they have not begun their harvest.

In nearby Kalasin province, Internal Trade Department Office provincial chief Torawat Saengtong and representatives of the provincial committee monitoring rice have examined more than 20 mills joining the programme.

Mr Torawat said the pledging process cannot start, as the mills have not installed closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) as a hindrance to corruption. The pledging is expected to begin by the end of October in Kalasin. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-11

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RT @justindunne: While BKK automobile traffic speed has decreased 1% in the last year, walking speed, in collaboration with mobile phones, has dropped 64%.

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PM chairs nationwide flood meeting of governors

BANGKOK, Oct 11 - Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Thursday chaired a meeting of governors nationwide to follow up and resolve the flood situation.

Meeting by videoconference, the premier said there is much rainfall this year but now floods remain in only two provinces -- Prachin Buri and Kanchanaburi.

She said the Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC) opened a centre with the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and formed a single command centre leading to improved efficiency and coordination in operations and disaster warnings, as well as closer cooperation with the public.

The premier thanked all concerned agencies, reaffirming that governors must work cooperatively.

The premier said the single command allowed more rapid and improved operations than last year, while urging the governors to be pro-active with citizens as the centre of all.

Ms Yingluck spoke not only of the floods, but also the suppression of drugs, gambling and illegal products which need cooperation between the governors and police to help resolve the problems. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-11

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Songkhla expects more shops open Friday

SONGKHLA, Oct 11 – Despite warnings from anonymous insurgency-related groups, the governor of Songkla is confident that trade in his province's four Muslim-majority districts is likely to improve with more shops expected to open following a near lull for two consecutive weeks.

Provincial governor Krissana Boonraj said his optimistic view came in light of a campaign in the districts for better understanding among vendors to do their businesses as usual on Friday.

In addition additional security measures provided by the military are also likely to boost confidence among local business operators and residents.

The governor said the police and other representatives of the authorities will visit residents in the four districts tomorrow—particularly in the city centre and other communities--to assure both vendors and shoppers about their safety.

Most shops in Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, and half of those in Chana, Thepha, Saba Yoi and Na Thawi districts of Songkhla were closed last Friday for fear of being targetted by insurgent attacks. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-11

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RT @tulsathit: Chalerm: I'm not stripping Thaksin of his police rank. Instead, I'll make him a police general. Don't like it? Censure me in Parliament.

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Winter beckons in Thailand's North

CHIANG MAI, Oct 11 - Temperatures are dropping in Thailand’s northern provinces as winter approaches, after the floods began to fade, and cleanup is under way.

Full story: Winter beckons in Thailand's North: