Thailand Live Thursday 18 Oct 2012

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Phuket Hard Rock Cafe catches fire after spark from iconic guitar sign

Phuket Gazette

Thai rock-blues sensation Hugo (right) performs on the outdoor stage next to the iconic Hard Rock Cafe electric guitar sign earlier this year. Photo: Christian Mouchet

PHUKET: -- Fire broke out at Phuket’s Hard Rock Cafe on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road in Patong at about 9am today after a spark reportedly jumped from the iconic electric guitar neon sign and started the blaze.

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German and Thai Girlfriend killed in early morning Central Pattaya road crash

PATTAYA: -- A German and his Thai Girlfriend were killed in an early morning road accident in Central Pattaya on Thursday.

Police and rescue services were called to the scene of the crash on Pattaya Second Road in front of the Hard Rock Hotel, just after 6.30am.

Lying across their mangled motorbike was the German, Mr. Kai Ivangean aged 33, who was reportedly driving the motorbike, along with Khun Jootatit aged 27 who was riding as passenger.

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AUTOMOBILE

Toyota ups engine capacity in Thailand

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Toyota Motor Corp on Thursday announced the 40 billion-yen investment (approximately Bt16 billion) to expand its diesel engine manufacturing capacity in Thailand.

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TAK BAI ANNIVERSARY

Violence feared in South as anniversary approaches

The Nation

Yutthasak

TAK BAI: -- Southern authorities have been instructed to be on full alert for possible violence as the eighth anniversary of the Tak Bai massacre in Narathiwat province, in which at least 85 people were killed, draws near, a deputy prime minister said Thursday.

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Thai tourist police soon to speak fluent English

BANGKOK, Oct 18 - Thailand's tourist police have been given six months to speak fluent English as the kingdom is widely opening its doors to foreign visitors as part of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015.

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[Lite Beer]

Englishman caught-up in fatal road crash in East Pattaya

PATTAYA:--In the early hours of Thursday an English resident was involved in a fatal road crash close to the Maprachan Reservoir in East Pattaya but was judged not to be at fault.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/592040-englishman-caught-up-in-fatal-road-crash-in-east-pattaya/#entry5763176

[Lite Beer]

Local security worker shot dead in Yala

YALA, Oct 18 - A member of a village protection unit was gunned down Thursday in the latest violence in this restive southern province.

Identified as Pipob Homhuan, 49 the victim was shot dead in roadside ambush by presumed insurgents while he drove a motorcycle work in a rubber plantation in Krongpinang district.

Several spent M16 cartridges were found near his body.

Police collected the cartridges for further investigation to determine if they were linked to previous insurgent attacks.

Meanwhile, a bomb exploded in a rubber plantation in Narathiwat's Rangae district this morning.

A dog lost its leg as it stepped onto the bomb which was planted under the soil.

The authorities believe insurgents hid the bomb last night, intending harm to local security workers in retaliation for a search yesterday by paramilitary rangers who cordoned off an area in Tanyong Limo sub-district to search for suspected Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK) leaders.

Intelligence reports said the RKK were hiding there preparing to attack an unidentified target. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-18

[Lite Beer]

POLICY RATE

HSBC expects another 25-bps rate cut

The Nation October

The Bank of Thailand's Monetary Policy Committee is expected to announce another 25-basis points cut in the policy rate to 2.50 per cent in the next one or two meetings, said HSBC economist.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/591790-bank-of-thailands-monetary-policy-committee-unexpectedly-slashes-rate-to-275/#entry5763213

[Lite Beer]

PM firm on proceeding with rice pledging scheme

BANGKOK, Oct 18 - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra insisted today that Thailand’s government-to-government rice deals are legitimate and that the rice pledging scheme will proceed despite a Senate move to temporarily suspend the programme.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/591700-rice-scandal-thai-senators-want-court-to-examine-rice-deals/#entry5763230

[Lite Beer]

INTEREST RATE

Banks reluctant to cut lending/deposit rates

The Nation October

BANGKOK: -- Commercial banks perceive the Bank of Thailand's policy rate cut on Wednesday as a sign of worries over external factors, not the pressure for a cut in lending and deposit rates

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/591790-bank-of-thailands-monetary-policy-committee-unexpectedly-slashes-rate-to-275/#entry5763259

[Lite Beer]

Three foreigners roller ski for charity

LAMPANG, Oct 18 - Two Norwegians and a Swedish national are roller skiing for charity at 1,000km for a remote school in this northern province.

The trio, led by 67-year-old Norwegian Kalle Kristensen, has been roller skiing on the road since Oct 15 from Chiang Rai, passing through Phayao and Lampang. Their destination is to arrive Nov 4 at the resort town of Pattaya in the eastern province of Chonburi.

The other two men are 65 and 50 years old.

Apart from asking for donations, their activities include selling 'Thailand Tour de Ski' T-shirts to the public.

All proceeds will be donated to a school in Chiang Rai province, where Kristensen's wife was educated, as well as to other schools in need nationwide.

Roller skiing on the road by the trio has received much attention from Thais upcountry.

Mr Kristensen said he wished to expand his team to 200 members and aims to organise the activity every year. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-18

[Lite Beer]

Nature lovers head for the hills as chill hits provinces

CHANTHABURI, Oct 18 -- Nature lovers are booking camping areas at Chanthaburi's Khao Soi Dao to enjoy the natural beauty as the cold weather starts to blanket the provinces.

Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary chief Apisit Pidthong said that recent rainfall has evaporated and cool breezes have started to blow before the arrival of the fully-fledged cold season, both Thais and foreign tourists alike have started to book the tent areas for overnight stays close to nature.

Khao Soi Dao, the highest peak in the Eastern region, is located in Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary and it is a prime location to for enjoying cold weather.

He said sanctuary could receive around 2,000 tourists daily. The tent area could serve 200 tents and more than half is now booked.

It was expected that during November to December, through the New Year holiday, Khao Soi Dao would accommodate visitors at full capacity.

Meanwhile, in the northern province of Tak, particularly the districts bordering Myanmar, temperatures have dropped to 16 degrees Celsius.

The villagers must light campfires to warm themselves.

The provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office has warned travellers to be especially careful during over the roads.

Motorists are urged to use their headlights to facilitate driving as visibility will be poor due to the thick fog. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-18

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Nearly 58,000 people petitioned Senate Speaker,seeking removal of all 11 NBTC members for 3G spectrum auction mismanagement /The Nation

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Couple killed in hit-and-run, 4-month-old son survives

Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- Both parents of a 4-month-old boy died last night after a hit-and-run driver struck their motorbike in Chalong.

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THREE SAKS

Veteran singer and song somposer Meesak Nakkarat dies

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Meesak Nakkarat, a veteran singer and song composer, died on Thursday from lung cancer. He was 74.

He was known as a member of three-Sak group, which also featured Thanongsak Pakdeeteva and Sakkarin Boonyarit, both of whom died several years ago.

He was well known for composing Thai lyrics using foreign rhythms. Most of the songs had funny meanings.

-- The Nation 2012-10-18

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Krabi's fossil shell cemetery faces destruction by erosion

KRABI: -- Named “The 75 million year old shell cemetery”, this mollusk fossil site, one of the main tourist attractions in the Andaman coastal province of Krabi, is now facing erosion from strong currents, particularly during the monsoon season.

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Kathu Mayor contenders face off for Phuket election

Phuket Gazette

The candidates were mobbed by hundreds of supporters. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

The crowd of supporters, along with the candidates, gathered in front of the Kathu Municipality offices before registration opened. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Hundreds of people turned out at the Kathu Municipality offices yesterday in support of their preferred candidates for the upcoming election for Kathu Mayor and the Kathu Municipal Council to be held on November 18.

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Police Battle Police over alleged illegal house entry in East Pattaya

PATTAYA:--A Bangkok Police officer is demanding action over an alleged illegal search of his family home in East Pattaya which took place on Sunday Night by a group of four men, with at least one of them being identified as a Pattaya Police Detective.

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SET index closed at 1311.21, up 9.93; Bt/USD30.48; GBP49.04; AUD31.49; EUR39.82; CAD30.98; HKD3.93; SGD24.90; JPY38.32

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RT @Reuters: Apple loses tablet copyright appeal against Samsung http://reut.rs/Wr7L1J

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Controversial 3G auction gets official stamp of approval

BANGKOK, Oct 18 – Thailand’s telecom committee today endorsed the results of Tuesday’s third-generation (3G) mobile auction amid a bombardment of criticism from academics and other quarters of Thai society.

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[george]

Thai government claims to have struck deal to host Bangkok Grand Prix in 2014 http://t.co/wxRf90G5 #thai #thailand #GrandPrix

[Lite Beer]

Sylvia Kristel, star of Emmanuelle, dies

The convent-educated actress was arguably the first star of adult cinema

Dutch actress Sylvia Kristel, who starred in the 1974 erotic French film Emmanuelle, has died aged 60.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/592136-sylvia-kristel-star-of-emmanuelle-dies/#entry5764491

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Thailand Live Friday 19 Oct 2012