Thailand Live Tuesday 23 Oct 2012

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Thailand Live Tuesday 23 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 Monday 22 Oct 2012

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update:

Carbon Copy Attackers Leave Tourist Victim with serious Stab wounds

By Staff Reporter

PATTAYA: -- In an almost carbon copy attack to the one which caused the death of an Australian lady on Phuket island.

Full story:

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2010 POLITICAL VIOLENCE

Red-shirt offers to double rewards

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A red-shirt leader has offered to raise the reward to Bt2 million on each of seven unsolved cases to try to hasten the capture of hit-men suspected of killing people during the political turmoil in mid-2010.

Full story:

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TELECOMMUNICATION

NBTC promises lower fees on 3G

Usanee Mongkolporn

The Nation

Internal inquiry to be launched into auction amid push for graft probe

BANGKOK: -- The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission will launch an inquiry into alleged bidding irregularities and require the three winners to offer low 3G service fees - to deflect growing public criticism of its 2.1GHz spectrum auction last week.

Full story:

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Immunity for Thai senator who shot ex-wife

Full story:

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BURNING ISSUE

Reconciliation forums should be carefully managed

Avudh Panananda

The Nation

Chalerm

BANGKOK: -- With the government finalising preparations to kick off a series of public forums on reconciliation, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung has stepped into the limelight as the man in charge.

Full story:

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Embattled institute to seek solutions

Jutarat Thipnumpa

Suriyan Panyawai

The Nation

Students fear lack of ratification of new charter will hurt work prospects

BANGKOK: -- The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) will hold a big meeting next week to try to resolve its ongoing crisis.

Full story:

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GRAFT

I'm not source of graft claim: Dussadee tells DSI

Piyanut Tamnukasetchai,

Prapasri Osathanon

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Former graft-buster Dussadee Arayawut told the Department of Special Investigation yesterday that he was not the source of claims that Bt16 billion had been skimmed off anti-flooding projects.

Full story:

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HEALTH

Medical Council okays 11 stem-cell studies

Chularat Saengpassa,

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Medical Council has given the green light for medical schools to conduct 11 types of stem-cell research with the aim of finding clues for regenerative medication.

Full story:

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Everyone should help restore peace: Prayuth

The Nation

The Army chief yesterday called on all state agencies and ministries to help in the efforts to restore peace in the far South.

BANGKOK: -- Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said the 17 ministries and 66 state agencies should help encourage more local participation in the effort. He also said that agencies' work should be frequently evaluated, perhaps every three months, to see if they really are working to tackle violence in the Muslim-majority region.

Full story:

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THAI FASHION

Crafting the perfect cut

Sopaporn Kurz

Special to The Nation

Vienna

Thai designers return to take Vienna Fashion Week by storm

VIENNA: -- Vienna is better known for its music than couture but in recent years, the city's fathers have been working hard to revive the Austrian capital's former status as a fashion hub by hosting the MQ Vienna Fashion Week.

The fourth edition of the event took place from September 12 to 16 and while there was a focus on Austrian designers, selected international talents also got a chance to showcase their works.

Thanks to the continuous collaboration between the fashion week organiser and Thailand's Department of International Trade and Promotion, four young Thai designers have been showing their outfits on the catwalk since 2010.

"We want to continue promoting the talent of young Thai designers to international audiences" explains Pornpimol Petcharakul, the director of the Thai Trade Centre in Vienna. "Out hope is that they will inspire other young Thais to follow in their path."

Two of the four designers selected for the 2012 edition had shown in Vienna before. "I want to bring some continuity to the show," says organiser Zigi Mueller. "It makes no sense having them here once then never seeing them again. We like to bring them back so that people can see how they've developed."

The two "returnees" were Chatkeo Srisuwan of Mosstories, an accessories and fashion brand, and Chalermkiat Khatikasemlert of street-savvy label Wonder Anatomie, back for his third consecutive showing. Mueller says the young designer has also been selected for the city's "Artist in Residence", meaning he'll be spending three months in Vienna in the company of other talented young artists, sharing experiences and learning about life in the Austrian capital.

Key to selecting these two brands were requests from Austrian fashionistas. "All year people have been asking, 'will they be coming back'?" says Mueller. "Those two sold the most and garnered the most interest last year too," she adds.

Mueller flew to Thailand earlier this year at the invitation of the DITP to select her designers. "Since we already had Wonder Anatomie and Mosstories, which offer two totally different concepts, I wanted two that would fit in between."

Clutching her shortlist, she visited the shops and admits she found the experience not just enriching but also a lot of fun. "It is very interesting to meet them in their own environment. They are so open. And of course they are more confident and comfortable in their own spaces," she says.

Mueller picked Chamaimas Karnasuta of Pisces, who designs ready-to-wear outfits for women and Sansanee Toesomboon of Sane of Molly, a brand offering men and women clothes with a vintage and rock 'n' roll influence. All four designers were asked to come up a collection of 20 outfits for spring-summer 2013.

The fashion show by the Thai designers was among 60 shows that took place on the catwalk in front of the museum quarter in the heart of Vienna. The venue was packed, proving that Thai designers were among the favourites.

Pisces's "Not Available" kicked off proceedings with Chamaimas's loose-cut and light fabrics in pastel shades emphasising the feeling of being free. Asymmetric lines and silhouettes signified the concept of disconnecting from the world.

Next came "Love" by Sane of Molly, which hinted at the 1980s but brought modernity into the design. Geometrical lines and shapes dominated the collection and the menswear in particular drew loud applause from the crowd.

Mosstories "Ethnic" was inspired by human structures and the bright colours of a safari trek. Elephants, parrots and tigers were used to create silhouettes and emphasised the accessories, which are the brand's strongest point.

The show ended with Wonder Anatomie's "Tattoo after Death". Chalermkiat picked the key elements of his favourite body art, assembled them in 3D format then used them to decorate his clothes and accessories. As with earlier collections, the dominant colour was black.

After the show, the audience had the chance to buy their favourite items and chat with the designers. "That's great for us because when we're in Thailand, we are mostly in our studios creating new collections. Most designers don't have time to meet their customers," Mosstories' Chatkeo says.

Chamaimas and Sansanee loved the experience, confiding that they had learned a great deal about the tastes and sizes of Europeans.

For Chatkeo, the opportunity was a chance to judge if the lessons learned the previous year had paid off.

"The most important thing I learned from last year was I have to stay true to myself. Mosstories' strength have always been accessories but last year I put much more effort into the clothes because I thought a 'fashion show' meant clothes not accessories per se," she explains.

"The feedback was that people were more interested in my accessories than my clothes. So this year I did it the other way round, emphasising what I do best, and the result was amazing!

"Bringing designers back to such a show really help completes the learning process. It's certainly a great way to help Thai designers reach the international stage," she concludes.

-- The Nation 2012-10-23

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Chalerm to discuss anti-govt rally planned for Sunday

Atapoom Ongkulna,

Prapasri Osathanon,

Panya Thiosangwan,

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung will meet General Boonlert Kaewprasit, chairman of the Pitak Siam (Protecting Siam) group, to try to thwart plans for an anti-government rally scheduled for Sunday.

Full story:

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EDITORIAL

Slowly, surely, the Shinawatra dynasty tightens its grip

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Former police chief Priewphan Damapong is being drafted into the increasingly formidable core of family members within Pheu Thai

Full story:

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Thai-US ties 'will not change'

The Nation

US Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney, right, talks to Nation Group Executive Editor Thepchai Yong in an exclusive interview yesterday.

BANGKOK: -- US envoy Kristie Kenney tells Nation Multimedia Group that relations between two nations will be the same whatever the election's outcome

Full story:

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Husband held in shooting

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The husband of a senior provincial administrative official shot dead in Pathum Thani last week was arrested yesterday along with three accomplices including the alleged hit man.

While he reportedly confessed to having his second wife murdered out of rage, police suspect the husband was also after her money.

At 7am on October 15, Suree Yuwadamrongchai was shot dead in her car in Lam Luk Ka district.

Somkuan Kaewkhiew, 47, the husband, was suspected of being the procurer; Danai Matarat, 29, the getaway motorbike driver; Pawin Kongmeng, 26, the hit man; and Thammanoon Boonwai, 36, the boss of a gun-for-hire gang. The weapon and motorbike used in the attack were also seized.

Somkuan allegedly claimed he often quarrelled with his hot-tempered wife, who held a grudge against him and pestered his first wife and children in Ayutthaya by phone. He said she also didn't let him take the district-clerk post in another province and threatened him, so he hired the gunman for Bt600,000 to get rid of her.

-- The Nation 2012-10-23

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Safety probe planned

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok City Hall yesterday urged 5,200 building mangers to submit their properties to a safety inspection by Thursday or they could face a Bt10,000 fine and three-month imprisonment.

Prawet Councillor Kittipol Cherdchukij said that after an inspection was requested, officials from the metropolitan public works' building control division and engineers would visit the building and review safety measures.

They will leave remedial instructions and conduct random surveys to see if the managers follow the instructions.

-- The Nation 2012-10-23

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Trafficking charge

The Nation

CHAIYAPHUM: -- Anti-Human Trafficking Police on Sunday arrested Rungthiwa Phetchlam, 47, in Chaiyaphum’s Kaeng Khro district on charges of being a member of a Thai-Bruneian human-trafficking ring.

Two Chaiyaphum women had filed a police complaint against Rungthiwa and three foreigners for allegedly luring them into prostitution in Brunei. The suspect took the women to that country on March 6 on the promise of jobs as sales clerks at a clothes shop, they said.

However, the women were forced into the sex trade from March 8-21 before they fled and asked for help from Thai workers, police say.

Rungthiwa denied doing anything wrong, saying he only accompanied the two women to Brunei as he also needed to visit his son there.

-- The Nation 2012-10-23

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Drug manhunt

The Nation

LAMPANG: -- Police mobilised a helicopter, sniffer dogs and armed officers in a manhunt for a Bangkok traffic policeman who broke through a police checkpoint in Lampang's Ngao district early yesterday while transporting 1.28 million yaba tablets and 5 kilograms of "ice".

During the ensuing car chase, Pol Snr Sgt-Major Manas Seupho, 42, crashed his pickup truck into a house in tambon Na Kae then took a resident hostage at gunpoint and fled into the woods.

Police say they seized Manas' truck and the illicit drugs as evidence.

-- The Nation 2012-10-23

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Health promotion hospital okayed

The Nation

SURAT THANI: -- The mobile Cabinet meeting in Surat Thani has approved Bt50 million to develop the Koh Tao health promotion hospital to serve both locals and tourists.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra visited the site on Saturday, Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri said yesterday.

Construction should be completed in one year.

For fiscal 2013, Bt2 billion was earmarked for projects to improve medical facilities in the South alone and Bt9 billion for nationwide.

Since Yingluck had given priority to the demand by nurses for permanent employment, Wittaya will consult with her and other agencies on Thursday about public-health manpower requirements, he said.

-- The Nation 2012-10-23

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Royal barges set for rehearsal

Panya Thiewsangwan

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will preside over the Royal Barge Procession for the Royal Kathin Ceremony on behalf of His Majesty the King on November 9, Royal Thai Navy commander-in-chief Admiral Surasak Rounroengrom said yesterday.

The Navy will host a dress rehearsal on November 2. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will observe and be briefed about the preparation, Surasak said.

To celebrate the King's 85th birthday on December 5, the government assigned the Royal Thai Navy to orchestrate a royal barge procession on the Chao Phraya River for the Kathin Ceremony, a traditional royal Buddhist rite to mark the end of Buddhist Lent.

The Royal Barge Procession for the Royal Kathin Ceremony, the 16th such occasion during His Majesty's reign, will comprise 52 vessels, including four exquisitely crafted royal barges - the Suphannahong, Narai Songsuban HM Rama IX, Anantanakkharaj and Anekkachatpuchong. There will be eight animal-masthead barges, 22 lesser escort barges and 18 other vessels. A total of 2,311 oarsmen, mostly from the Navy, will take part.

As the procession proceeds from Wasukri landing to Wat Arun, Commander Nattawat Aramkleu will chant a song specially composed for this year's procession by retired naval Captain Thongyoi Saengsinchai, said Vice Admiral Pojana Puekpong, the Navy's deputy chief of staff.

The November 2 rehearsal is open to public viewing all along the river from 3 to 4pm.

-- The Nation 2012-10-23

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RICE PLEDGING

Senate panel slams rice-pledging failings, calls for urgent review

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The near-daily criticism over corruption and losses in connection with the rice-pledging scheme has led a key Senate committee publicly to express grave concern about what it considers the widespread failure of the programme.

Full story:

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Thailand Theme Park Continues to Host Orangutan Kickboxing Matches

BY AUDREY HAYNES

Endangered primates still exploited for amusement despite years of protests by animal welfare activists and anti-trafficking crackdowns

BANGKOK: -- I recently found out that Safari World, an animal theme park on the outskirts of Bangkok, hosts orangutan kickboxing matches. Captive orangutans, dressed in lurid satin shorts and boxing gloves, kick and punch each other until there is a knockout.

Full story:

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Navy Arrest Illegal Fishermen in Pattaya Waters

By Staff Reporter

PATTAYA: -- The Navy and coastguard mounted a joint operation on Monday, to take control of a fishing boat, being operated on the Pattaya Coastline by Cambodian fishermen, who had illegally entered the kingdom.

Full story:

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Corpse found at pierside location

By Staff Reporter

SATTAHIP: -- The body of an unknown male was discovered by fishermen at the pierside in Sattahip.

Full story:

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Pakistan Mother alleged to have "cut" her son inside Taxi, arrested by Pattaya Police

PATTAYA: -- Just after 10.30pm on Monday Night, Pattaya Police were called to Pattaya Second Road in front of Mike Shopping Mall to investigate allegations made by a taxi driver that an Iranian parent was seen to repeatedly slash the wrist of her son as he attempted to break up a verbal altercation between his parents which was taking place in the back of the Taxi.

Full story:

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Red Bull crash: Police to seek warrant if Vorayuth doesn't report for questioning

By Coconuts Bangkok

Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhya

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok police will seek an arrest warrant to apprehend Red Bull heir Vorayuth Yoovidhya – who is a suspect in the hit-and-run Ferrari accident that left a Thonglor policeman dead – if he does not turn himself in for questioning soon.

Full story:

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@RichardBarrow : 23 October is Chulalongkorn Day, a public holiday in Thailand. Commemorates death of King Rama V pic.twitter.com/hzaSZ5Gx

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Delegation pitches Phuket ICEC review to PM Yingluck in Samui

Phuket Gazette

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra politely said 'thanks' and headed into the Cabinet meeting. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

Mr Boonsupaa presents the letter to Prime Minister Yingluck. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- A delegation from Phuket yesterday lobbied Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to review the decision by Cabinet to shelve the 2.6-billion-baht project to build an international convention and exhibition center (ICEC) in Phuket.

Full story:

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RT @NickKristof: Obama's odds of reelection on Intrade betting site have risen in course of debate from 59% to 61%.

RT @piersmorgan: Omaba narrowly won by by a musket or three. But Romney did well too, and will have reassured people he's not a gun-toting, neocon cowboy.