Thailand Live Thursday 8 Nov 2012

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Thailand Live Thursday 8 November 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 7 Nov 2012

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Kingdom to host Obama, Wen

PIYANART SRIVALO,

SUPALAK GANJANAKHUNDEE

THE NATION

Newly re-elected US president and outgoing Chinese PM to visit this month

BANGKOK: -- US President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will visit Thailand late this month to reaffirm their respective regional strategies after the political shake-ups in both Washington and Beijing, government and diplomatic sources said yesterday.

Full story:

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ICC'S jurisdiction 'being reviewed'

NUNTIDA PUANGTHONG

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Ministry will first launch a review before deciding on whether an international inquiry into the 2010 political violence should be allowed.

Full story:

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Mostly pro-Obama turnout at Election Watch event

KORNCHANOK RAKSASERI

THE NATION

Students vote in a mock poll at the US Presidential Election Watch Party held by the US Embassy in Bangkok yesterday.

BANGKOK: -- After picking up the Democratic Donkey pin he accidentally dropped on the floor, Nichnan Wongson, 14, uttered, "Oops! Is this a bad sign?"

He repeated the question to his friends as they joined hundreds of observers at the US Presidential Election Watch Party at the Plaza Athenee Hotel yesterday morning. He and dozens of his friends from Islamic College of Thailand all threw their support behind Barack Obama to continue his presidency.

"I prefer Obama's policies as they help the poor. However, I didn't like it when he said it was the right of a woman to choose abortion. It doesn't sound morally correct," he said.

Warinporn Ruengprach, Nichnan's senior from the same school, said she did not like Republican candidate Mitt Romney's policies towards Islamic countries and immigrants.

Most of the guests at the party hosted by the US Embassy were students. They were invited via Thailand's secondary schools, universities, military and police cadet academy. Some were exchange students from abroad. Others were diplomats, academics and politically active figures.

Among them were Pheu Thai MP Jarupan Kuldiloke and former Election Commission secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn.

Sapai Melamed from Florida, meanwhile, entered a contest on Facebook just to win one of the 10 invitation prizes. She came to the party with her 14-month-old son Isaac.

"I can stay home and watch CNN but I'm living abroad. I want to feel the excitement I felt in America during the election," she said.

Americans are very serious about the election, she said. Although her husband went to work, she was sure that he must have been following the voting results too. Both are Democrats.

"I think Obama really understands how the people are feeling and I agree with everything he stands for," she said about the president who "made history".

Most of the guests at the event supported Obama. The mock poll also showed that the pile of about 500 ballots marked by guests for Obama was so much higher than the one for Romney that there was no need for a count.

Philip Robertson, deputy chairman of Democrats Abroad Thailand, came in a T-shirt with Obama's name written in large Thai characters. Unsurprisingly, he defended all the policies of Obama.

"Obama as the US leader will be better for Thailand and Southeast Asia because there will be continuation of policies placing priority on Southeast Asia," he said.

It after 11am before the participants really started paying attention to the wall monitor showing the voting tally. They cheered loudly as it became apparent that Obama was leading.

Both before and after learning the vote results, Salvador Ahumada, chairman of Republicans Abroad Thailand, said he would support the US president no matter who wins the election and he believed that America deserved to be seen as a good model of a political system.

"At the end of the day, one thing we can share with the rest of the world is that the system of democracy does work. It makes sense. Everyone should have a voice, should be able to elect their government that will also represent them," he said.

His message was in line with US Ambassador Kristie Kenney's comments in closing the event before noon. She declined to make any remarks about the result as it was not yet official, but she thanked all participants and, in Thai, asked them to give a round of applause for democracy.

"Choen probmue hai kab prachatipatai!"

-- The Nation 2012-11-08

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Thai-American elected to US Congress

The Nation

CHICAGO: -- Tammy Duckworth yesterday became the first Thai-American to join the US Congress after beating freshman Republican Joe Walsh in Illinois' eighth congressional district.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....o-u-s-congress/

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GAT scores hit an all-time low

CHULEEPORN ARAMNET

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The National Institute of Educational Testing Service (NIETS) yesterday pointed out that scores in GAT 1 had hit a record low as it announced countrywide scores in the General Aptitude Test (GAT) and Professional and Academic Aptitude Test (PAT).

Full story:

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US ELECTION

Obama victory good news for Kingdom

BUSINESS REPORTERS

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The re-election of Barack Obama as president of the United States is expected to have a positive impact on the global and Thai economies, but the "fiscal cliff" poses the biggest threat to the US recovery if he cannot make a compromise with the Republicans, who retain a majority in the House of Representatives, economists and business leaders said.

Full story:

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INTERVIEW

Not time to invest in Thai stocks, says financial adviser

PICHAYA CHANGSORN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra should make a "big U-turn" in its economic policies as they could make Thailand vulnerable to impacts from global economic volatility, said Paul Gambles, a regional financial expert.

Full story:

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UPDATE

THAKSIN CANS TRIP TO TACHILEK

Panthongtae's claim of plot to kill his father given as reason; NSC chief changes stance after Chalerm lunch

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has cancelled his plan to visit Tachilek near the Thai border to meet red shirts following reports of an assassination plot against him, a source close to him said yesterday.

Full story:

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Yaowapa big winner from faction merger

PIYANART SRIVALO (@TIK_NT)

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The powerful faction of Yaowapa Wongsawat, sister of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is expected to become even more formidable when it is joined by the Matchima faction of the Bhum Jai Thai Party.

Full story:

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Court declines to review G2G rice sales

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Constitution Court yesterday decided not to launch a judicial review on whether the government-to-government sale of rice violated the charter.

Full story:

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Bhum Jai Thai head 'won't expel pro-govt MPs'

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Bhum Jai Thai Party leader Anuthin Charnweerakul said yesterday that he would not expel seven MPs of the party's Matchima faction, even though it has become clear that the group supports the ruling Pheu Thai Party.

Full story:

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Man kills wife, injures self

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A man fatally shot his wife and seriously injured himself yesterday in Bangkok's Phya Thai district.

Nutthaya Bunyayothin, 43, was shot dead by her husband Sombat Thanomwa-jaman, 46, at a counter at Krung Thai Bank's Phya Thai branch.

According to police, bank workers saw Sombat walk into the bank to conduct a transaction before his wife came in to talk to him. They got into an argument and Sombat left the bank and returned with a pistol to shoot Nutthaya. He then tried to shoot himself but the gun malfunctioned. He then ran to his tuition centre nearby.

As police were approaching Sombat, they heard a gunshot. They found him on the floor in a pool of blood. Still alive, he was taken to Rajavithi Hospital.

Witnesses said the couple was separated and have a 10-year-old daughter. However, they still ran their tuition business together.

-- The Nation 2012-11-08

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Prison guards injured in shooting

The Nation

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: -- Nakhon Si Thammarat's Thung Song Prison director Phichit Wannajit and two officers were injured in a shooting while they were drinking in front of a guard's home in Tambon Tham Yai on Tuesday night.

The shooting, involving three or four assailants who pulled up in a sedan, took place at 10.15pm.

Police collected seven bullet casings from the scene.

Phichit, 56, was shot in the back while guard Weerasak Reungkerd, 55, was shot in a leg. Guard and homeowner Pakdi Surapakdi, 53, sustained two gunshots in the back and one on each arm.

Ten police guarded the victims, now stable, at Thung Song Hospital.

Phichit told police he believed the motive for the shooting stemmed from his strict approach to tackling the prison's drug ring. He also said he remembered the face of one of the gunmen who walked up close to shoot at them.

However, police aren't sure Phichit was the actual target because Pakdi was struck by the largest number of bullets.

-- The Nation 2012-11-08

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Bt10 hike in wage for students okayed

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Central Wage Commit-tee yesterday approved a Bt10 increase in part-time wages for students. From January 1, the minimum hourly part-time student wage will be Bt40.

Deputy Permanent Labour Secretary Arthit Ismo said there's no punishment for employers who fail to meet the hike but he asked for their cooperation. He said it's necessary to keep in line with the cost-of-living rise that will occur when the Bt300 daily minimum wage goes into effect nationwide on January 1.

-- The Nation 2012-11-08

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Govt pushes AIT leadership to respect Thai law

SAOWANEE NIMPANPAYOONWONG

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Several government agencies have pressured the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), which has the status of an international intergovernmental organisation, to abide by Thai law or to operate under its old charter at least until Parliament agrees to approve its new charter.

Full story:

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Nurses unimpressed by offer of civil servant status to 4,000 medical workers

PUANGCHOMPOO PRASERT

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Public Health Ministry yesterday offered to grant immediate civil-servant status to 4,000 medical workers, including nurses, and - at the very least - offer longer contracts to other temporary employees, but nurses were sceptical about the move, saying the number was too small.

Full story:

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Microsoft to retire its Messenger IM service in Q1 2013, moving 100M+ users to Skype

Full story:

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Victory Monument getting facelift

The Nation

Full story:

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Effort launched to get local officials involved in quelling Southern violence

SOMCHAI SAMART

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Panu Uthairat, the Interior Ministry's deputy permanent secretary for special activities, has gone back to the deep South on a mission of restoring peace there, this time by increasing the involvement of local communities.

Full story:

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NBTC committee postpones auction of digital licenses

USANEE MONGKOLPORN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission's broadcasting committee has decided to postpone from March to April the auction for licences to run commercial terrestrial digital TV channels so applicants have more time to draw up investment plans.

Full story:

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British expat dies in Phuket motorbike crash

Phuket Gazette

Phuket Police have yet to determine what caused the crash. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

PHUKET: A British expat living on the island died last night after the motorbike he was riding slammed into the back of a pickup truck in Thalang.

Full story:

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Patong Hill road repairs on hold until March

Phuket Gazette

Traffic makes its way past the collapsed outside lane on the busy road linking Patong and Phuket Town. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luedwonghad has revealed that the much-anticipated 22-million-baht permanent repairs to Patong Hill road may not begin until March.

Full story:

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Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 1,286.98, down 12.76 points /MCOT

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PM attending Bali Democracy Forum in Indonesia, showing Thailand's standpoint on democracy; to hold bilateral talks with 3 leaders on sidelines /MCOT

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Feature

Volunteer medics on frontline of Thai south insurgency

by Aidan Jones

BANNANG SATA, Thailand, Nov 8, 2012 (AFP) - They are rubber tappers by trade but every week are summoned to the scene of beheadings, bombs and shootings as volunteer medics dealing with the fallout from Thailand's southern insurgency.

Full story:

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Lao Central Airline to operate 2 weekly flights a week to Luangprabang, Laos from Khon Kaen Airport /The Nation

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Residents evacuated following Ammonia leak from Ice Factory in East Pattaya

PATTAYA:--The emergency services were called into action late on Wednesday Night to respond to reports of a gas leak at an Ice Factory in East Pattaya.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....n-east-pattaya/

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New York Times weighs in on changing role of Thai women

By Shane Danaher

Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra

BANGKOK: -- Earlier this week, the New York Times ran a story about changing attitudes toward women in Southeast Asia, using Thailand’s own Yingluck Shinawatra as a frame for the debate.

Full story: