Thailand Live Monday 29 Oct 2012

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Thailand Live Monday 28 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 Sunday 28 Oct 2012

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Pattaya Ladyboys take over 260,000 Baht at local hotel

By Staff Reporter

Pattaya’s ladyboy community improving their image at fund raising event

PATTAYA: -- : With no police involved, over 40 Ladyboys, assisted by several foreigners are reported to have collected in excess of 260,000 baht and got wet in the process.

Full story:

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Second rally planned at Government House

Kesinee Taengkhiew

The Nation

Boonlert Kaewprasit, leader of the Pitak Siam group, yesterday addresses an anti-government rally at the Royal Turf Club, whose nearly all 20,000 seats were filled.

20,000 attend anti-govt protest by Pitak Siam at Royal Turf Club

BANGKOK: -- The surprisingly successful first rally against the Yingluck Shinawatra government called by the Pitak Siam movement at the Royal Turf Club yesterday was just a "warm-up" for a bigger demonstration at Government House, leaders said.

Full story:

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Ammar slams rice 'blunders'

The Nation

Thaksin should use own money - not country's - to speculate on crop, economist says

BANGKOK: -- Outspoken economist Ammar Siamwalla on Friday lashed out at the government's "disastrous" rice-pledging scheme and dared former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to use his own money to speculate in the rice market.

Full story:

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Pinpointing weaknesses in our teaching system

Chularat Saengpassa,

Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation October 29, 2012 1:00 am

Pornpun Waitayangkoon

IPST head tells what key assessments have revealed

BANGKOK: -- Achievements by Thai students in national and international tests have steadily declined - a situation all stakeholders need to solve urgently, Pornpun Waitayangkoon, director of the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) told The Nation in a recent exclusive interview.

Full story:

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Anudith backs NBTC, says 3G auction complied with relevant regulations

USANEE MONGKOLPORN

THE NATION

Tokyo

BANGKOK: -- Information and Communications Technology Minister Anudith Nakornthap said he strongly |supported the National Broad-casting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) over its recent auction of the 2.1-gigahertz spectrum to grant spectrum licences.

Full story:

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All eyes on fifa today over Futsal Arena nod; playing surface yet to arrive

Kitinan Sangunsak

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand faces an anxious wait today to discover whether FIFA will grant approval to the multi-million-dollar Bangkok Futsal Arena for use at the Futsal World Cup, which kicks off on Thursday.

Intended as the main venue for the 24-team tournament to be held from November 1-18 in Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima, the arena is now at risk of being unable to host the event due to construction delays.

The arena has already missed the initial hand-over deadline, costing the hosts the opportunity to stage an opening ceremony and to hold Thailand's group-stage fixtures at the venue. FIFA has been lenient though, giving the home team a second chance to use the stadium in the later stages of the tournament should it be delivered by today's revised deadline.

However, as of yesterday, the playing surface at the arena had yet to arrive from China. It was supposed to arrive on Saturday.

Although construction of the stadium itself has finally been completed, the hosts are still waiting for FIFA's decision with bated breath following the problems concerning the playing court. With the world soccer's governing body also having oversight of futsal and setting the specifications for the floor, the local authorities had to import one, but it has faced logistics problems that caused a delay in delivery.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra - whose office is responsible for building the stadium as the host-city authority - stated earlier that if the floor did not arrive on time he would ensure that an alternative one was laid. This is widely seen as a last resort as no one knows whether FIFA will be willing to compromise on the issue.

If FIFA does not grant approval, the Bt1.3-billion arena will miss out on hosting Cup games altogether. No one had imagined that such a worst-case scenario could come close to developing, given that Thailand needed to build only one new stadium in the capital for the Cup.

The country's struggle to complete the building on schedule is embarrassing enough, let alone being unable to use it for any of the Cup games. People could be forgiven for struggling to come to terms with what has happened; it is a rare occurrence for a host country to fail to prepare on time for an international competition.

It is particularly humiliating for Thailand as concerned parties are pointing the finger at each other over the stadium farce, rather than making a collective effort to solve the problem.

"No one wanted this to happen. We were all glad when the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration changed its mind and decided to build the arena after initially aborting the plan," said Ong-art Kohsinkha, the secretary-general of the Football Associa-tion of Thailand. "They saw it fitting to have a new stadium for such a world-class tournament.

"We tried to explain to FIFA what happened, and they understood our situation. They knew we faced difficulties in construction from finding the building site to the major flood that hit our country last year.

"But, we can't do anything if they don't approve the stadium. It's just a missed opportunity for us. In fact, it's not a big deal as we can still host the tournament even without the arena," Ong-art said.

-- The Nation 2012-10-29

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REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Abhisit's memoir: fighting fears with hopes

Kavi Chongkittavorn

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's 174-page memoir revealed the young leader's gripping fears of losing innocent lives and the hopes that kept him alive to fight another days. "Truth has no color," was on sale early this month, contained simple thoughts

Full story:

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CHALK TALK

Huge need for bipartisan agreement on national priorities and policies

Chularat Saengpassa

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- All countries need educational policies, but the success of these policies depends largely on knowing from the outset who will benefit from them.

Full story:

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Former British pop star Gary Glitter arrested

Full story:

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Pheu Thai leaders acknowledge red-shirt discontent

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Two senior Pheu Thai Party members yesterday admitted that red-shirt supporters were dissatisfied that one of their movement's leaders, Jatuporn Promphan, has been left out of the new Cabinet.

Full story:

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Democrats launch campaign to 'save Thai democracy'

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- As the country's political struggles take on more complexity and intensity, Opposition Democrat heavyweights are teaming up in a campaign against their political opponents, opening political schools and calling on their supporters to fight against Thaksinomics.

Full story:

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Limit on civil servants' health costs

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Comptroller-General's Department will strictly control the budget for medical reimbursement for civil servants, limiting the expenses for eight illnesses and for out-patient services after health costs surged to over Bt60 billion a year in recent years.

"We have to do everything to keep this budget at Bt60 billion," Apisama Charnseubsakul, a legal officer of the department, said yesterday.

In the last fiscal year, the government spent over Bt61 billion providing medical benefits for 1.5 million officials and some 3.5 million relatives at a cost of about Bt12,000 each. Most of the health budget went on expensive medicine and outpatient services.

This fiscal year, the government is allocating only Bt60 billion to support the civil servant medical benefit scheme.

On Thursday, a department regulation will go into effect to cease reimbursement for glucosamine sulphate, which is used to treat arthritis. The department found that there was no health benefit for patients taking this kind of drug.

For the 2013 fiscal year, the department will likely control the reimbursement of drugs for eight medical conditions including cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

It will also set a cap on out-patient visits and expenditure.

Currently, civil servants can access outpatient medical services as much as they want.

Some of them receive outpatient services more than 700 times a year or go to the hospital to pick up drugs more than three times a week. The Department of Special Investigation will be asked to probe these cases and retrieve the money from patients abusing the system.

-- The Nation 2012-10-29

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16 injured in Pattani

The Nation

PATTANI: -- Yesterday 16 people including three six-year-old girls were wounded in a grenade attack at a night food shop in Pattani's Sai Buri district, which was packed with diners and visitors to a nearby market during the Muslim holiday.

Quoting eyewitnesses, police said two men on a motorcycle approached the shop and the rider threw a grenade at tables on a sidewalk connected to the beachfront food shop.

The grenade used was a US-made M-61, judging from the safety lever left at the scene.

Police, medics and rescue workers had to wait briefly before securing the scene and treating the wounded until an abandoned motorcycle could be inspected for explosives, but none were found. Remote detonation of a secondary explosion is a common tactic.

The three girls were not seriously hurt and could be treated at a local hospital.

The area had been targeted by an attack on October 15, but the grenade used was a dud, police said.

-- The Nation 2012-10-29

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Hongsa project brings town power in more ways than one

ACHARA DEBOONME

THE NATION

Hongsa, Laos

HONGSA (Laos): -- Besides the 250-metre chimney stack, the highest man-made structure in this hilly town, Hongsa Power, which is proceeding with construction of its US$3.7-billion (Bt144-billion) coal-fired power plant, is bringing about many other big changes.

Full story:

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Nation University's EX MBA course gets under way

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Nation University's first EX MBA class kicked off yesterday, with more than 50 students registered for this unique Master of Business Administration course, which is based on case studies and experiences offered by four prominent CEOs serving as special lecturers.

Speaking at the launch ceremony at NU's Bang Na campus, Nation Multimedia Group chairman Suthichai Yoon said the course lectures would not be based solely on textbooks; rather, the CEOs would share the real-life experiences that led to their business success.

He also emphasised the increasingly useful role of social media, which cost nothing to use, giving everyone an equal chance to achieve success in businesses and development. "When the digital age goes global, everyone wants to be the winner and should make full use of technology to maximise the change to reach their goals, prompting competition in every aspect to be more fierce," Suthichai said.

The renowned CEOs are Khunying Jada Wattanasiritham, a director on the Siam Commercial Bank board; Sanan Angubolkul, chairman and president of Srithai Superware Pcl; Tan Passakornnatee, president and CEO of Ichitan Group; and Alexander Paufler, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Thailand.

Nation University also aims to produce a team of Thai personnel, under the "Thailand Team A" project, in preparation for the Asean Economic Community 2015.

In their statements marking the launch of the EX MBA course, Jada said the basis of preparedness of any kind was a self-evaluation about one's strengths, weaknesses, limitations and opportunities, under the acronym SWOT. Tan said he never had any success formula, and his key to business success was based on a copycat basis. "But you need to copy from only good originals," he added.

Sanan said principles focusing on low production costs were gone, and future business establishments would rely on quality of products and services, with success being achieved through high quality staff. "The saying that the customer is god is not as important as putting into action and effect [the idea that] staff is god."

Paufler cited his three principles encouraging people to strive for more knowledge - N-No: don't say no; E-Engagement, energetic participation; and A-Asking, being bold in asking questions during class.

-- The Nation 2012-10-29

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Samui: All nightclubs to now shut by 2 am in Chaweng

Full story:

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Bloodbath in Soi LK Metro after argument about a girl

Pattaya: Soi LK Metro sees knife attack and violence on Sunday night

A reported fight in Soi LK Metro on Sunday night left barkeepers and customers stunned as the violence escalated into the street outside the Billabong bar, in full view of passing pedestrians and customer of adjacent bars.

Full story:

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RT @ReutersIndia: Flash - U.S. stock markets will close on Monday - sources

RT @mpoppel: REU: U.S. STOCK MARKETS MAY ALSO CLOSE ON TUESDAY -SOURCES

RT @mpoppel: REU: DECISION TO CLOSE U.S. STOCK MARKETS COMES BECAUSE OF CONCERNS ABOUT MARKET INTEGRITY -SOURCE

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Thai stock index opens on Monday at 1,281.55, down 0.26 points /MCOT

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Husband and Wife arrested following robbery from East Pattaya Gold Shop

PATTAYA:--Banglamung Police arrested a Husband and his Wife on Sunday evening following a 250,000 Baht robbery from a Gold Shop in Soi Kao Noi, East Pattaya on 18th October.

Full story:

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End of an era: Lumpini Stadium closing in 2014

By James Goyder

Leaky Lumpini: The roof of the old Muay Thai stadium has seen better days. Photo: James Goyder

BANGKOK: -- An era will end in 2014 when Lumpini Boxing Stadium closes down to be replaced by a new state of the art venue in Northern Bangkok. The existing stadium is in the heart of the city’s business district and, with it sitting on some very valuable real estate, the temptation to sell has become irresistible.

Full story:

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Warned of imminent influx of 500 million meth pills into Thailand, security agencies apply strict protective measures along Myanmar border with Chiang Mai /MCOT

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RT @asianewsnetwork: High court stops order to arrest Philippine ex-president http://bit.ly/Q0SAul - Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Minister denies Phuket 'robbed' of ICEC 2.6bn baht

Phuket Gazette

Woravat Auapinyakul, the Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, told Phuket residents not to worry about the 2.6 billion baht originally intended for building the Phuket ICEC as the government will put it to good use. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- The Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office has denied claims that the government has “stolen” the 2.6 billion baht sequestered from the now-shelved plan to build a Phuket International Convention and Exhibition Center (ICEC).

Full story:

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Mother brings son's dead body to police headquarters to demand justice

By Coconuts Bangkok

The Metropolitan Police Bureau on Sri Ayuthaya Road in Bangkok. Photo: Google Streetview

BANGKOK: -- A grieving mother delivered a strong message to Bangkok police officials by bringing the dead body of her 22-year-old son to the Metropolitan Police Bureau to demand justice.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ustice-bangkok/

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National Geographic Channel mistakenly reports death of Dutch prince

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SHOPPING

Bangkok ranked 7th in global shopper index

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok came seventh in the Globe Shopper Index, published by Global Blue today, a few points behind Sydney and ahead of Tokyo. Hong Kong topped the Index as the most attractive city for international travel shoppers in Asia-Pacific.

Full story:

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CRIME

Teen confesses to stabbing to death arts teacher

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A 18-year-old man has reportedly confessed to stabbing an arts teacher after mistaking him for a rival student.

Full story: