Thailand Live Tuesday 16 Oct 2012

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Telecom stock rally positive in response to 3G license auction opening; brokers warn of risk, recommend short term profit taking /MCOT

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SURVEY

Vegetarian fest a hit with Bangkokians: Poll

The Nation

Chiang Mai

BANGKOK: -- Sixty-nine per cent of Bangkokians are determined to stick, at least in part, to a vegetarian diet during the 10-day vegetarian festival to make merit, a Bangkok Poll revealed on Tuesday.

The poll was conducted on 1,243 respondents who live in Bangkok between October 12 and 14.

Of the 69 per cent who would eat vegan food, 31.7 per cent said they would have the dishes for some meals, while 22.9 per cent would have them for every meal throughout the festival and 7.2 per cent said they would eat them for three days.

Forty per cent of them said they ate the vegan food to make religious merit, 24.6 per cent for their health and 12.7 per cent said they followed their practice every year.

Asked about the symbol of the festival, 69 per cent of the respondents mentioned vegan food, the yellow Je flag (26.4 per cent) and the fire-walking ceremony (2.4 per cent).

Meanwhile 57.4 per cent thought the prices of vegan dishes and raw materials had increased from the previous year while 39.9 per cent felt they were the same and 2.7 per cent believed the prices were lower.

The respondents said they would buy food from shops and restaurants (67.5 per cent), make the dishes at home (25.7 per cent) and buy frozen ones from convenient stores (3.4 per cent).

-- The Nation 2012-10-16

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RT @AP: Elton John raises $2 million dollars at annual AIDS foundation benefit; remembers Ryan White: http://apne.ws/RzVohd - VW

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RT @flacqua: Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli said his government may seek to use the euro as its national currency in addition to the dollar.

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Thailand set to boost Halal food industry with Kuwait: PM

KUWAIT, Oct 16 - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra reaffirmed close ties between Thailand and Kuwait and pledged that Thailand is ready to cooperate with the Middle Eastern country to produce Halal food for the world.

The Thai premier made her remarks as she hosted a reception for the Thai and Kuwaiti business communities as she arrived in Kuwait, at the opening of her three-day visit there.

Ms Yingluck said Thailand and Kuwait have had a close relationship for nearly 50 years and the value of mutual trade between the two countries has increased by 185 per cent in the past five years.

In the first half of this year, about 40,000 Kuwait tourists visited Thailand, she said.

The Thai prime minister stated that Thailand's economic fundamentals remain strong: some US$74 billion is being invested for additional basic infrastructure development including transport routes connecting Thailand with neighbouring countries, expansion of international airports, and joint investment in Myanmar's Dawei deep-sea port which will link Thailand with India and the Middle East.

Regarding economic cooperation between Thailand and Kuwait, Ms Yingluck highlighted the concept "Kitchen to the World". She said that exports of Halal food have increased by 30 per cent compared to last year, and an efficient standardised Halal food industrial estate has been established in the country's southern region.

She said Thailand expects to cooperate with Kuwait in producing and exporting Halal food to the world community.

Ms Yingluck added Thai businesspersons who accompanied her during this trip are also keen to invest in the energy, public health and tourism industries here.

The Thai premier is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) summit, along with the leaders of 32 countries today.

As Thailand is an ACD coordinating country, Ms Yingluck will speak on Thailand's role in tourism, finance and human resources.

ACD was inaugurated in June 2002 in Cha-Am, Thailand, where 18 Asian Foreign Ministers met together for the first time. A continent-wide forum, ACD aims to build links in Asia incorporating every Asian country, building an Asian community without duplicating other organisations or creating a bloc against others.

The grouping currently comprises 30 countries from East to West Asia, including Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-16

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Vegetarian festival boosts income for foodsellers nationwide

PHITSANULOK, Oct 16 – The 10-day vegetarian festival nationwide is attracting Thai Buddhists and many of Chinese descent to participate in the festivities, boosting the economy for restaurants and food stalls selling vegetarian food.

In the provincial seat of Phitsanulok province, 200 miles north of Bangkok, many residents are shopping for vegetarian food. A takeaway dish to eat with rice costs 20-30 baht. Merchants say they are trying to maintain the same price as last year for consumers but probably in smaller portions due to higher cost of ingredients…they have doubled for the festival.

In the northern province of Chiang Rai, the vegetarian atmosphere is also lively. More teenagers are participating with enthusiasm in the annual festival of abstaining from meat and pungent vegetables. Prices of vegetables and other ingredients here have also increased and are more expensive than last year. Local Chinese shrines have become more attractive for those wishing for free food, as Buddhist faithful distribute food at own cost to make merit.

In Thailand's northeast, officials of the Kalasin provincial hospital and the local Public Health Office randomly checked for contaminants in fruits and vegetables as well as other ingredients used for vegetarian cooking in order to ensure the safety of the public.

Meanwhile, in Songkhla's Hat Yai district in Thailand's south, tourists from Malaysia and Singapore as well as Thais of Chinese descent continued to flock to the area to participate in the festival there. Chinese shrines are packed all day for those coming to pay respect to the Chinese gods and to have free food. Most travellers come as families. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-16

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Australian police observe forensic operations in Thai South

YALA, Oct 16 -- Thailand's assistant national police chief Pol Lt-Gen Charamporn Suramanee led two senior officials from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to observe forensic operations by the Thai police in this country’s southernmost provinces.

Full story:

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3G AUCTION

3G bidders bid for 8 out of 9 slots

The Nation October

Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access Communication (Dtac) and True Move came up with the bidding for eight slots of the 2.1GHz spectrum, out of nine available slots. Each slot's reserve price is Bt4.5 billion.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....y/#entry5757866

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CHIANG MAI

Airlines, public asked to respect rules during Loy Krathong

Chiang Mai International Airport will advise local airlines to tighten safety measures concerning floating lanterns during the Loy Krathong Festival in November, Airport director Rawiwan Netrakawessana said Tuesday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/591573-airlines-public-asked-to-respect-rules-during-loy-krathong/#entry5757856

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Hungry Ghost compete with Phuket Vegetarian Festival

Phuket Gazette –

The 12 statues of hungry ghosts, also called Pret, posted around the temple are hoped to scare people into doing good deeds. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

BUFFET FOR THE DEAD: Hundreds of people turned out to offer food as a way of making merit to appease the hungry ghosts. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: As thousands of celebrants and devotees take part in the many Phuket Vegetarian Festival activities currently underway across the island, hundreds of people turned out yesterday to make merit for their ancestors for the Southern Thai festival Sart Duen Sib.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/591572-hungry-ghost-compete-with-phuket-vegetarian-festival/#entry5757848

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RT @BreakingNews: Radovan Karadzic tells UN Yugoslav war crimes court he should be rewarded as he did everything to avoid war - @AFP

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67 senators petition Senate speaker seeking Constitution Court ruling on governments rice sales: Do government-to-government deals violate constitution /MCOT

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SET index closed at 1287.49, down 3.07; Bt/USD30.53; GBP49.00; AUD31.23; EUR39.52; CAD30.99; HKD3.93; SGD24.85; JPY38.45

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Wealthy Singaporean Porsche motorists cross Malaysian border, arrive Thai South

SATUN, Oct 16 – A caravan of 29 luxury Porsche cars from Singapore crossed the Thai-Malaysian border in this southern province for a sightseeing tour along the scenic Andaman Sea coast.

Satun and Trang officials and tourism representatives welcomed the group of 50 Singaporean travellers at the Wang Prachan border checkpoint in Satun.

Organised by the Singapore Porsche Club, the tour includes three Thai resort provinces: Trang, Krabi and Phang-nga in southern Thailand.

Rosi Baikadem, deputy chief of the Satun provincial administration, said the arrival of the high-end travellers could be a good impetus for other groups in the future.

A new tourism route from Satun and Trang will be mapped by the two provinces, he said. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-16

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RT @veen_NT: Dr Somkiat in his statement: the Govt has lost Bt16.34 billion from the (lower-than-expected) 3G auction. via @MrNaling

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RT @veen_NT: "Chuvit Goes Undercover":

An evening with Thailand's colourful Opposition MP Chuvit Kamolvisit at FCCT tonight at 8pm.

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Hostage situation follows unsuccessful undercover drugs bust in East Pattaya

PATTAYA:-- A hostage situation occurred during an undercover drug suppression operation on Monday Night which required intervention by the Provincial Police Commander.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....n-east-pattaya/

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HEALTH

Thais consume too much salt: Survey

Duangkamon Sajirawattanakul,

Saowanee Nimpanyapayungwong

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- On a daily basis, Thai people consume twice as much salt as needed, a recent survey revealed.

Full story:

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Commerce Ministry expects home, gift fare to generate Bt300 million

BANGKOK, Oct 16 - The 34th Bangkok International Gift Fair and Bangkok International Houseware Fair, BIG & BIH October 2012, kicked off on Tuesday, with deputy commerce minister saying the event would help generate over Bt300 million in circulation.

Deputy Commerce Minister Poom Sarapol presided over the opening ceremony, saying the lifestyle products industry continues to bring in revenues to the country with continuous growth every year with the United States, Britain, Germany and Japan as Thailand’s main trading partners.

Over 600 Thai, ASEAN member country and other interntional entrepreneurs are participating in the fair, which is expected to draw more than 100,000 Thai and foreign visitors shopping for gifts and home decor items.

Mr Poom said that although the export performance of lifestyle products in the first eight months of this year was at minus 3 per cent, he was confident that the last quarter would see a positive figure, as it is a gift-giving season. The export sector would then see a 4-5 per cent expansion, or around Bt100 billion in value.

The deputy commerce minister said there was also an agreement to found an ASEAN gift association signed by three parties -- the Thai Gifts Premiums & Decorative Association, Malaysian Gifts & Premium Entrepreneurs Association and the Gifts Association Singapore. The new group is to create higher trade value among member countries and to create bargaining power with countries outside ASEAN. The other seven nations are expected to join the club by next year.

The BIG & BIH October 2012 is held through Oct 21 at Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC), Bangna. The first round on Oct 16-19 is for business partners' negotiations. The second retailing round open for the public is this weekend, Saturday and Sunday Oct 20-21. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-16

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3G AUCTION

TDRI slams NBTC

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand Development Research Institute President Somkiat Tangkitvanich expressed his disappointment over the result of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission's 3G auction.

Full story:

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Red-shirt woman and UDD guard jailed for alleged offences against soldiers in 2009

A woman and a guard for the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship have been sentenced to prison for detaining and attacking soldiers during red-shirt rallies in 2009.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/591639-red-shirt-woman-and-udd-guard-jailed-for-alleged-offences-against-soldiers-in-2009/#entry5758694

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to continue

Thailand Live Wednesday 17 Oct 2012