Thailand Live Thursday 1 Nov 2012

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RT@RichardBarrow: 2 people in the queue for iPhone 5 which will be sold in 12 hours at strike of midnight - RT @V_TNO:มีคนมานั่งรอแล้ว twitpic.com/b99p2k

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Security tightened in southern border provinces as new semester starts

By Digital Media

NARATHIWAT, Nov 1 -- Security has been tightened in the southern border provinces to provide improved security to teachers and students as schools began their new semester on Wednesday.

Security agencies have deployed personnel in the three southern border provinces, particularly at schools, as today was the beginning of the new term.

Narathiwat 32 Special Task Force has applied strict measures to provide more security to teachers and students at Ban Puthoh School in Yi Ngo district. They also made foot patrols looking for suspicious items.

Security forces were deployed along roads in at-risk areas to prevent possible insurgent attacks.

In the nearby province of Yala, joint military and police patrol protect routes used by teachers and students, as well as around the schools themselves.

The atmosphere was lively as 80 per cent of students have appeared at schools, ready for classes.

It was expected that all students would attend school on Monday when teaching resumes fully. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-11-01

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RT @BreakingNews: Several people shot at a USC campus Halloween party in LA, police searching for gunman - @LATimes http://lat.ms/VF5ZFA

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Red Bull heir finally shows up for questioning

By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Red Bull heir and fatal hit-and-run suspect Vorayuth Yoovidhya has finally appeared for questioning at Thonglor Police Station.

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US election will not impact Thailand: Think tank

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Nov 1 - The result of the upcoming US presidential election will not have any significant impact on Thai economy and national security as the US policies over the ASEAN regional bloc has not been raised during the campaigns of both presidential candidates, according to the Political Development Council at Thailand’s King Prajadhipok Institute.

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Thai rice production likely to increase: TDRI

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Nov 1 - Thai rice production is likely to increase, according to the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).

Rice production grew about 24 per cent per year on average for in-season rice and 3.58 per cent for off-season rice due to increases of production per rai, farmland area, and rounds of rice cultivation.

Meanwhile, the Thai rice export ratio is likely to fall from 32.2 to 27.3 per cent of the world’s rice export volume. In the global market, rice prices tend to drop due to less rice consumption and increased production per rai.

According to TDRI, Thais are progressively tending to consume less rice. In 2011, each person in the cities ate only 84 kilogrammes, compared to 93kg in 2002. Upcountry, consumers ate around 99 kg in 2011, dropping from 114kg per person in 2002.

TDRI proposed more research on rice strains to increase production and to improve the quality of fragrant rice to increase the value of Thai rice in order to better compete in the global market. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-11-01

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RT @RichardBarrow: On 2nd & 6th Nov there will be full dress rehearsals for the Royal Barge Procession from Rama VIII Bridge to Wat Arun

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SET index closed at 1297.99, down 0.88; Bt/USD30.55; GBP49.15; AUD31.56; EUR39.49; CAD30.40; HKD3.94; SGD24.88; JPY38.02

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RT @BreakingNews: Apparent stampede at a public Halloween party in Madrid leaves 3 girls dead and 2 others in critical condition - @Reuters

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Security personnel survive ambush in Narathiwat

By Digital Media

NARATHIWAT, Nov 1 -- A bomb squad successfully defused a homemade bomb targeting security forces who were lured to inspect an earlier explosion in a Narathiwat market.

Narathiwat police inspected the scene at Dusongyo market in Chanae district. They said fragments of explosive devices were found scattered at the intersection. It was a half kilogramme homemade bomb put inside a food can.

The authorities found a 15kg homemade bomb in a metal box designed to be detonated by radio signal. The bomb was placed near a litter bin not far from an electric post.

Police technicians defused the bomb using a high pressure water gun to cut the circuit.

Investigators said two men on a motorcycle hurled a food can of explosives at the location to lure police to inspect the scene to detonate the second bomb to attack the officials.

The security team used a jammer to cut mobile phone and radio signals so that the bomb could not be detonated. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-11-01

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Cross-border crystal meth suspects arrested; order made via Facebook

By Digital Media

NARATHIWAT, Nov 1 - Two Thai women were arrested as part of an international gang smuggling 5kg of crystal methamphetamine pills to Malaysia, estimated to be worth Bt50 million.

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Chiang Mai designates cold spell as provincial priority

By Digital Media

CHIANG MAI, Nov 1 -- Chiang Mai Governor Thanin Supasan has announced the coming annual cold spell and atmospheric haze as priorities of concern on the provincial agenda, particularly the flying paper lanterns released during the Loy Krathong festival later this month.

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Thailand Live Friday 2 Nov 2012