Thailand Live Friday 9 Nov 2012

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Thailand Live Friday 9 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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UPDATE

IMPEACHMENT

Yingluck among three major targets

THE NATION

File photo : Yingluck

BANGKOK: -- Democrats to attack Sukampol, and Chatt for his role as transport minister; Bhum Jai Thai won't back impeachment and censure motions

Full story:

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BURNING ISSUE

Is this a case of 'wolf, wolf' again?

Avudh Panananda

The Nation

Photo : Panthongtae's FB

BANGKOK: -- Defence Minister Sukampol Suwannathat seemed to hit the nail on the head when he said that Thaksin Shinawatra would know better than anybody else if he was going to be assassinated.

Full story:

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EVIL MAN FROM KRABI

Krabi tourism hit by viral video clip

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....tch-video-clip/

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POLITICS

Sukampol approves decision to strip Abhisit of military rank

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Defence Minister Sukampol Suwannathat said yesterday he had officially endorsed the decision by a ministry committee to strip opposition and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva of the rank and salary given to him when he worked as military lecturer.

Full story:

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Myanmar Denies Plot To Assassinate Thaksin: WSJ

Full story:

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THAI-MYANMAR RELATIONS

Thaksin invited to Myanmar 'again': Noppadon

The Nation

File photo : Thein Sein

BANGKOK: -- Myanmar President Thein Sein has invited former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to visit his country again to deliver a lecture on economic development, notably on the eradication of poverty and the development of rural areas, the ex-leader's legal adviser Noppadon Pattama said yesterday.

Full story:

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Pentagon chief to visit Australia, Thailand and Cambodia

WASHINGTON, Nov 9, 2012 (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will travel to Australia, Thailand and Cambodia next week as part of America's strategic tilt to the Asia-Pacific, even as crises in the Middle East demand the Pentagon's attention and resources.

Full story:

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BALI DEMOCRACY FORUM

Yingluck praises reds for 'protecting democracy'

THE NATION

BALI: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra praised the red shirts for their struggle in 2010 to protect democracy, which she said had been overthrown by a military-backed coup d'etat in 2006, while speaking at the Bali Democracy Forum yesterday.

Full story:

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Thaksin's ex-classmate to show force against Pithak Siam group

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's former classmate at Pre-Cadet Academy would show force on Friday against the Pithak Siam group, former army chief Chaisith Shinawatra said.

Full story:

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POLITICS

MP pushes for probe against Speaker

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A Democrat MP yesterday urged Parliament to investigate an allegation that House Speaker Somsak Prissana-nanthakul demanded 20-per-cent kickbacks from two firms planning to bid for a contract to build the new Parliament complex in the Kiakkai area of Bangkok's Dusit district.

Full story:

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The growing influence of social media

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Is the latest Thaksin assassination plot genuine or a mere publicity stunt? Is it a bid for sympathy or a plan to scrap a meeting with disappointed red shirts who failed to secure ministerial seats as reported in local media?

Full story:

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Political conflict likely motive: Police

SUPITCHA RATTANA,

SANTIPHAB RAMASUT

THE NATION

Internal conflicts could be blamed for Songkhla mayor's slaying: officials

SONGKHLA: -- An investigation into Wednesday night's daring assassination of Nakhon Songkhla Municipality Mayor Peera Tantiseranee, 53, in front of a Muang Songkhla restaurant has turned up circumstantial evidence pointing to local political conflicts as the most likely motive.

Full story:

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Ghost Festival-themed 'Gangnam Style' video offends Loei villagers

BOONCHU SRITRAIPOP

The Nation

LOEI: -- Residents of Loei's Dan Sai district yesterday denounced a YouTube video clip produced by Dan Sai municipality showing people wearing masks from the province's famous Phi Ta Khon, or Ghost Festival, performing the popular "Gangnam Style" dance, saying it was inappropriate and would tarnish the unique traditional event.

Full story:

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Head of key water-resource panel quits, denies rifts

JUTARAT THIPNUMPA

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- One of the government's most prominent scientific advisers, Royol Jitdon, has tendered his resignation from a subcommittee tasked with analysing and allocating water resources.

Full story:

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Work on Phuket's B600mn underpass to start November 21

Phuket Gazette

Traffic heading north through the junction will be reduced to two lanes from November 21. Photo: Gazette file

One of the alternative routes suggested for motorists heading north from Chalong was to use Muang Chaofa Road, which joins Kathu and the Anuphas Honda showroom on Chao Fa West Road. Photo: Google Maps

PHUKET: -- The leading engineer heading the project to build Phuket’s first underpass at the Darasamuth Intersection, located in front of the Central Festival Phuket shopping mall, today confirmed that work will commence on November 21.

Full story:

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Phuket youth crime blitz nets 220 arrests for weapons, drugs charges

Phuket Gazette

Phuket City Police chief Col Sermphan Sirikong (right) addresses his officers before heading out on one of the many night raids during the campaign. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- In a 12-day blitz on youth crime in Phuket Town, Phuket City Police arrested 220 people on drugs and weapons charges – and six youths for attempted murder after being caught in two separate gang sword fights at Saphan Hin.

Full story:

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Dtac To Lead Thai Telecom Industry Into 4G Era

Full story:

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RT @RichardBarrow: Fri 9 Nov: Chao Phraya Express boats to halt 9am-5:30pm. Cross river ferries 11am-5:30pm. Bridges to close at 3pm

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Hillary Clinton due to step down as Secretary of State within 'days' of start of Barack Obama's second term

By TOBY HARNDEN

WASHINGTON: -- Hillary Clinton will step down as U.S. Secretary of State within 'days' of President Barack Obama's second inauguration in January, her spokesman said today.

Full story:

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RT @RichardBarrow: A 60-meter section of the newly built 15 Million Baht flood embankment in Ayutthaya has collapsed (Bangkok Post)

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New Project For Airport On Koh Phangan

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Thai stock index opens on Friday at 1,291.27, down 2.43 points /MCOT

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Malaysian court drops drug charges against Australian nurse

KUALA LUMPUR: -- An Australian nurse facing the death penalty in Malaysia over the discovery of a kilogram of methamphetamine has been sensationally freed during a court hearing in Kuala Lumpur.

Full story:

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German falls to his death from 56th floor at Pattaya Park Tower

Full story:

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'Reaching the World' summit to raise public awareness of literature

By Digital Media

BANGKOK: -- The S.E.A.Write Award, in collaboration with Asia Pacific Writers & Translators Association (AP Writers), and the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, recently staged for the first time in Bangkok an international writers’ and translators’ forum entitled "Reaching the World".

Activities included a series of talks, panel discussions, and author showcases, participated in by renowned writers and translators from some 22 countries.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra hosted the event with a poetry reading session by some renowned ASEAN poets including Dr Edwin Thumboo, a leading Singaporean poet and the 1979 inaugural S.E.A. Write awardee, and Thailand's 2010 S.E.A. Write awardee Zakariya Amataya.

Deputy Dean for International Affairs of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Arts Assoc Prof Surapeepan Chatraporn said the event was named 'Reaching the World', for it was the first international summit for writers, poets, translators, and also publishers from ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific region, where they could express their ideas and share their opinions in order to enhance the literary climate in Bangkok, while it was to create better understanding among people of these countries.

Deputy Dean Surapeepan said the forum was aimed to bring larger numbers of people to awareness that literature was part of life.

"It is life and soul in itself, and people need to see this aesthetic aspect of life to uplift their spirits," she said.

With the imminent coming of the ASEAN Community, the deputy dean said she thinks Thai people are still at a great disadvantage regarding use of the English language, as they don't speak English as much and don't use English as much, and there are few Thais as literate in English compared to other countries, such as Malaysia, the Philippines, and Myanmar.

She pointed out some obstacles faced in preparation for the event was that qualified translators were scarce to beautify writers' valuable works to be known internationally.

Nonetheless, somehow she said Thai writers and poets are no fewer and no less significant than those from other nations, but language barriers remain a big problem. Thais have to try to overcome these barriers, she said. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-11-09

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Police draft new approaches to crime busting

BANGKOK, 9 November 2012 (NNT) - The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has made known that it will adopt a more community-centered approach to its work.

CIB Commander Police Lieutenant General Pongphat Chayapan revealed yesterday that his agents have been successful in adopting the approach, which has helped them reduce fear of crime, strengthen communities and garner widespread acceptance.

The commander said the concept was based on the policy of National Police Chief Police General Adul Saengsingkaew, which involved encouraging public participation and creating community networks using public members to deter crime.

He said the CIB, the office of the national police, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Australian Agency for International Development have organized a seminar on the approach to take place this this month from the 13th to the 14th at the Amari Watergate hotel. Members of the public and police will exchange ideas during the discussion.

-- NNT 2012-11-09

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Two teachers shot by gunman, severely wounded while travelling to work at Pattani school /MCOT

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Anti-govt group to stage new rally Nov 24-25

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Nov 9 - The anti-government Pitak Siam group will rally again Nov 24-25 aiming to draw as many as a million protesters to unseat the Yingluck Shinawatra government. If it fails, organisers say, they will call it quits.

Full story: