Thailand Live Thursday 25 Oct 2012

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Thailand Live Thursday 25 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 24 Oct 2012

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POLITICS

Jatuporn links 'men in black' to Army

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Red shirt co-leader and Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan submitted to further questioning by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) yesterday in relation to the crackdown on red-shirt protesters in April and May 2010, which left 92 people dead.

Full story:

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CABINET RESHUFFLE

Lineup for PM's third Cabinet due 'this week'

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

Changes seen for Kittiratt, Plodprasob, Surapong; Jatuporn seen taking post

BANGKOK: -- The Yingluck 3 Cabinet line-up will be sent for approval by Royal command later this week, a well-informed Government House source said yesterday.

Full story:

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PEPSI-COLA DIVORCE

Coke goes for top spot as Pepsi splits with Serm Suk

KWANCHAI RUNGFAPAISARN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Coca-Cola plans to take advantage of the impending divorce between Pepsi-Cola and its local bottler Serm Suk by spending Bt200 million on marketing this quarter to leapfrog Pepsi and become the undisputed leader of the Bt38.5-billion carbonated-drink market.

Full story:

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CORRUPTION

Sorrayuth a no-show at House fraud hearing

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- TV news-programme host Sorrayuth Suthassanachinda yesterday failed to appear before a House panel to answer allegations of fraud levelled against his production company, Rai Som.

Full story:

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TAK BAI MASSACRE

Deputy PM, Army chief visit South ahead of anniversary

PARES LOHASAN

THE NATION

PATTANI: -- Deputy PM Yuthasak Sasiprapha and Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha yesterday visited Pattani and instructed officials to exercise caution on today's 8th anniversary of Narathiwat's Tak Bai massacre.

Full story:

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Street racers nabbed

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A 20-strong team from Bangkok's Vibhavadi Police Station rounded up 27 young street racers (21 males and six females) - eight of them minors - and seized 23 motorcycles at 3.45am yesterday in front of the 1st Infantry King's Own Bodyguard Regiment on Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road.

Full story:

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EDITORIAL

Hospitals bleeding to death as govt stands dithering

The Nation

Thousands of state-employed nurses, fed up with their temporary contracts, are threatening to quit

BANGKOK: -- It seems ironic that while the government has been quick to use give-aways to buy its way out of other problems, it has chosen to drag its feet over the critical issue of 17,000 state-employed nurses on temporary contracts.

Full story:

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THAI TALK

Wanted: A roadmap out of 'the middle of nowhere'

Suthichai Yoon

The Nation

Somkiat Tangkitvanij

BANGKOK: -- A sage told me recently, in describing how depressed he was over the future of Thailand: "I can't say Thailand is marching forward. Neither can I say it's lagging behind. I can't say Thais are stupid. Neither can I say my fellow countrymen are bright

Full story:

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Italian Tourist Drugged And Robbed From Central Pattaya Hotel Room

Full story:

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Chalerm claims he lunched with Boonlert to 'reminisce'

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung and Pitak Siam leader Boonlert Kaewprasit lunched together yesterday in what was dubbed a "walk down memory lane" rather than a politically influenced event.

Full story:

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House passes law targeting funding for terrorism

Olan Lertrattanadamrongkul

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The House yesterday passed the anti-financial sponsorship of terrorism law and the amendment to the Anti-Money Laundering Act that were needed to remove Thailand from an international blacklist and help businesses conduct foreign transactions.

Full story:

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NARCOTICS

Policeman admits he was a drug mule

KWANHATAI MALAIKARN,

PATINYA IAMTARN,

ANAN WIJITPRACHA

THE NATION

Pol Snr Sgt-Major Manas Suapho confessed to police yesterday that he worked as a drug deliveryman, which he said earned him a lot of money over the past two years.

Says he sometimes earned close to Bt2.2m for driving shipment to capital

BANGKOK: -- A junior police officer yesterday confessed to having delivered illicit narcotics for drug traffickers over the past two years, saying each delivery earned him about Bt1 million.

Full story:

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Kids' progress slow, survey finds

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The development of social skills in Thai children between three and five years of age is slow, according to a survey.

Full story:

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Encroachment crackdown set

JANJIRA PONGRAI

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Using the harsh tactics deployed against illegal resorts at Tub Lan National Park in Prachin Buri and Nakhon Ratchasima as a model, officials will soon begin crackdowns on encroachment at parks in Phuket and Tak.

Full story:

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Collect extra tax to fund scheme, experts advise

PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

Advocates say all three benefits should be merged; everyone should be given equal access

BANGKOK: -- Health advocates yesterday advised the government to collect additional tax and use this extra money to support the national healthcare scheme. They also suggested that the three available schemes be merged together so every citizen has equal access to medical benefits.

Full story:

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Students reject lottery machines

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Forty members of the New Generation Kids Don't Gamble network yesterday rallied outside the Finance Ministry calling on the government to scrap its lottery-vending-machine scheme.

The group submitted a letter stating its objections to Deputy Finance Minister Tanusak Lekuthai via his adviser Sakda Buranapong at 10am. Members also performed a symbolic return to the ministry of some 30 black gift boxes bearing signs reading: "Take back the lottery vending machines." The government has touted the scheme as a "New Year gift" to all Thais.

Ramkhamhaeng University student Pornpen Thianpaisal, the network's coordinator, said the group wanted the government to know that young people don't appreciate a gift that creates vice, false value and social problems, nor do they believe the scheme will solve the problems of overpriced lottery tickets or underground betting. They also urged the ministry to spend lottery money to rehabilitate gambling addicts and launch a public campaign against gambling. They would fight against this scheme until the end, she said, warning of the possibility that it could eventually lead to legalisation of soccer betting and casinos.

-- The Nation 2012-10-25

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BMA tries to soothe foreign firms' fears over transit system plans

NONGNAPAS MAIPANICH

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Foreign railway-equipment companies have expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding Thailand's mass-transit policy, but the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority's Traffic and Transportation Department insists that the government will go ahead with the 10-route Skytrain extension project.

Full story:

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update:

Obama, Romney close among likely voters following last two debates: poll

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama is cutting into Republican challenger Mitt Romney's lead among likely voters nationally following the second and third presidential debates, the latest Gallup daily tracking poll showed on Wednesday.

Full story:

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Well-known Baht Bus pick-pocket gang arrested on Pattaya Beach

PATTAYA: -- Three suspected members of a Baht Bus pickpocket gang were arrested by Pattaya Police on Wednesday afternoon. The alarm was raised by an American citizen, Mr. Malcolm M. Bashi aged 68 who realized he had been the victim of the pickpocketing suspects.

Full story:

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SET index opens up 2.59 pts,0.20 pct

The Nation

Thai composite stocks index (SET) opened on Thursday at 1,297.59, up 2.59 points, or 0.20 per cent in line with regional shares

Blue chip SET-50 index was at 877.47, up 1.83 point, or 0.21 per cent.

Top five active (value) stocks: BBL, KTB, RML, CPALL, JAS.

-- The Nation 2012-10-25

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Somsak confirms Yukol to become new agriculture minister

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Somsak Prissanananthakul, a core member of the Chart Thai Pattana Party, confirmed Thursday that Yukol Limlaemthong will become the new agriculture minister, replacing Teera Wongsamut.

Teera wants to resign because of health reason.

Somsak denied earlier speculations that the Chart Thai Pattana wanted to exchange the position of agriculture minister with Pheu Thai Party's education minister.

-- The Nation 2012-10-25

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Tight security in Narathiwat to prevent possible attack on 8th anniversary of Tak Bai incident; many shops closed as precaution /MCOT

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3G AUCTION

Moody's sees positive credit outlook to True Corp

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- True Corp's success in winning three lots of 3G spectrum bandwidth for a total bid price of Bt13.5 billion is credit positive to the company, said Moody's Investors Service

Full story:

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RT @RichardBarrow: Book Fair at Queen Sirikit continues until this Sunday. Not so crowded at the moment http://thai.vi/QHhlc8

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Security tightened in Narathiwat on 8th anniversary of Tak Bai incident

NARATHIWAT, Oct 25 - In Narathiwat, security has been tightened on the eighth anniversary of the Tak Bai incident to prevent any possible attacks.

Full story:

[Lite Beer]

Major cabinet reshuffle likely

BANGKOK, Oct 25 -- A major cabinet shake-up by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is looming with 20 portfolios expected to be changed amid speculation from various media outlets.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/593386-lineup-for-yinglucks-third-cabinet-due-this-week/#entry5782205

[Lite Beer]

SOUTH CRISIS

Authorities in the south urged to help solve violence

Yuthasak

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapa has urged security agencies in the southern border region to work to the best of their abilities to boost confidence among the local residents that authorities could protect them.

Gen Yuthasak and the Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha chaired a meeting with security agencies in the five southern border provinces at Ingayuthaboriharn milirary camp in Pattani on Wednesday. They were briefed about the latest situation, including the recent series of eight insurgent attacks in Narathiwat’s Tak Bai district as well as preventive measures on the eve of the eighth anniversary of the Tak Bai incident.

The deputy premier, who supervises national security, urged all relevant agencies to make all efforts to ward off any recurrences of violence and assure the public that the state could take care of them.

He said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra instructed all agencies to exercise restraints and tolerance in enforcing security measures ahead of the Tak Bai incident anniversary on Thursday and during the Eid Al-Adha festival on Friday. The premier’s instruction was meant to prevent insurgents from creating public misunderstanding about the military operations for their own gains.

The government is ready to provide advanced equipment for security personnel, in particular those manning checkpoints to prevent violence, Gen Yuthasak pledged.

Meanwhile, the army chief said he assigned concerned agencies to urgently stamp out oil and drug smuggling, saying these problems make the troubles worse. He threatened to take immediate legal action against any officials found involved in the illegal businesses.

-- The Nation 2012-10-25

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GAZA STRIP

Three Thais wounded in Israel

Three Thai workers in Israel were injured, two in critical condition, as a result of fighting near the Gaza Strip in Israel, according to Thai Labour Minister Phadermchai Sasomsub.

Phadermchai said that he was informed by the Thai Embassy in Israel that the latest fighting between Israeli forces and the Palestinian militant group Hamas at 7am Israeli time injured three Thai workers.

The Thais were working at Tel Aviv when the fighting erupted. They were sent to hospital for treatment as two of them were seriously injured. They could be initially identified only by their first names: Suchan, Somsak and Sawat.

Phadermchai said he asked the Thai ambassador to Israel to take care of the three workers.

He said the location where the three Thai workers were working was considered a risk area and the ministry earlier warned them to avoid working at the 6th farm area or Moshaf. However, some Thai workers were willing to risk their life to work in that area as they would receive higher payment.

-- The Nation 2012-10-25