Thailand Live Saturday 17 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 Friday 16 Nov 2012

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Military chiefs oppose using Security Act

The Nation

Police can handle crowd at anti-govt rally, Yingluck assured; Pitak Siam hopes for thousands to attend Nov 24 demo

BANGKOK: -- The Army chief and the armed forces supreme commander have opposed a suggestion by police and the National Security Council (NSC) that the government invoke the Internal Security Act (ISA) to deal with a mass rally planned for this month.

Full story:

Pitak Siam rally security a major headache for govt

Attayuth Bootsripoom

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Yingluck Shinawatra administration's concerns about next week's scheduled anti-government rally by Pitak Siam seem to be increasing daily. One clear sign of this is the change in attitude of Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, who is known to command a large intelligence network.

Full story:

Critically low supply of donated blood leaves hospitals in precarious position

Puangchompoo Prasert

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The country's supply of donated blood has dwindled to the point that it now takes the National Blood Centre a few days to respond to a hospital's request for blood.

Full story:

ANALYSIS

Wen eclipsed by busy Obama visit

Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

Govt seems keen to please US; China PM's visit to be low-key

BANGKOK: -- The government seems to be placing greater importance on the visit of US President Barack Obama than that of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, prompting observers to suggest there is an imbalance in the Kingdom's engagement with the two rival superpowers.

Full story:

Thai Airways targets Bt5 bn net next year

BAMRUNG AMNATCHARONERIT

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Thai Airways International will move ahead with its core business strategy next year by looking for ways to earn more from all business units to achieve Bt5 billion in net profit.

Full story:

EDITORIAL

Condom proposal shows we're at a social crossroad

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Underage sex, unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease: education and enlightened attitudes are the only answer to these problems

Full story:

Is reaching agreement in Thai politics impossible?

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- There is virtually no hope that the two sides of Thailand's political divide can ever reconcile or hold meaningful public deliberations on their differences while supporters of either side are consumed by hatred and their leaders manipulate feelings for their own benefits, according to Chaiwat Thirapanthu, a leading advocate of deliberative dialogue.

Full story:

PC Air told to patch things up with travel agencies

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) has called on the chief executive officer of PC Air quickly to address the problems experienced by travel agencies because of the carrier's recent abrupt cancellation of flights to South Korea.

Last month, a number of Thai holidaymakers had their package tours ruined when PC Air's only plane was denied permission to leave the airport in Seoul on a return trip to Bangkok because of a row over fees. It was eventually allowed to leave, but many Thai passengers on the return leg were stranded in Seoul airport overnight.

The secretary of the OCPB, Jirachai Moontongroy, said his office had joined the Consumer Protection Police Division to find ways to protect consumers. The CPPD invited the chief executive of PC Air to discuss the fee-payment problems with the authorities in South Korea. PC Air said it returned all payments to the affected travel agencies.

-- The Nation 2012-11-17

Red Shirts warned against getting near rally site

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Nov 17 – Pro-government leaders announced today that Red Shirt activists will not stage any gathering during an anti-government rally organized by the Pitak Siam group on Nov 24.

Full story:

Obama's Chance to Shift the Thai Stance

Written by Pavin Chachavalpongpun

America needs to take a critical look at the repressive tactics of Thailand's old elites

BANGKOK: -- The newly re-elected US President Barack Obama kicks off his second term with his first foreign visit to Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand from 17-20 November.

Full story:

Palestinian missile hits Jerusalem's outskirts

Ruth Pollard in Gaza City

JERUSALEM: -- Israel's government has approved the mobilisation of as many as 75,000 army reservists after a long-range missile fired from Gaza landed in an outlying Jerusalem suburb, setting off air raid sirens across the holy city but causing no casualties.

Full story:

Honda makes record sales

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Since resuming full production at its Ayutthaya manufacturing plant in April 2012, Japanese auto-maker Honda has made a dashing come-back to achieve record sales in Thailand. Honda, which launched nine new models in the past seven months, sold 21,265 vehicles in October.

Full story:

Motorcycle bomb in Yala kills one, injures around a dozen people /MCOT

Phuket pier under investigation

Phuket Gazette

An anonymous complaint filed at the Damrongtham Center alleged that the pier was illegal. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak (white shirt), village headman Somnuk Patee(wearing the hat) and Phuket Marine Office 5 Officer Bophit Chomchoei inspect the allegedly illegal pier. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- Phuket Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak yesterday gave an official task force 15 days to determine whether or not a pier, being built at the Baan Kor En village in Thalang, is legal.

Full story:

One killed, 18 injured in Yala bombing

The Nation

Yala

YALA: -- A motorbike bomb went off early Saturday morning, 17 November 2012, downtown Yala, killing one civilian, injuring 11 local residents and seven security personnel who were travelling in a pickup truck, the apparent target of the was targeted by the bomb.

The one civilian victim was killed after being struck by the military pickup truck.

-- The Nation 2012-11-17

Unidentified foreign male dies in 'high-speed' Phuket car crash

Phuket Gazette

Rescue workers arrived at the scene shortly after 5:40am. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

Witnesses told police that the driver appeared to have lost control of the vehicle as it took one of the many turns on the Kalim-Kamala Road. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

PHUKET: -- An unidentified foreign male died in a “high-speed” single-car crash early this morning on Kalim-Kamala Road, north of Phuket’s well-known Patong Beach.

Full story:

Two Polish men and Ukrainian caught with fake bank cards by Pattaya Police

Full story:

Police still on hunt for members of Burmese gang

Phuket Gazette –

Burmese national Aung Ko Oo Ku was killed in the gang fight. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

Workers at the camp look on as police begin their investigation. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

PHUKET: Phuket police are still hunting for those involved in a Burmese gang fight that broke out at a worker’s camp in the early hours of yesterday morning, leaving one dead and one seriously injured.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/598761-police-still-on-hunt-for-members-of-burmese-gang/#entry5853297

Former Police Officer arrested in East Pattaya Police Drug Sting

PATTAYA:--Four women and one man, who is a former Police Officer have been arrested by Police based at the Nongprue Police Station in East Pattaya.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/598760-former-police-officer-arrested-in-east-pattaya-police-drug-sting/#entry5853263

RT@RichardBarrow: RT @Ryn_writes: Wat Pho removed cats from its area for Obama's visit. Many cats have no home now pic.twitter.com/BbwKUw8w

RT@RichardBarrow: Thai beer market grew 12-13% in the first 9 months of this year from the same period last year, driven by major sporting tournaments (BP)

RT @KristieKenney: Checking out decorations for President Obama's visit to BKK tomorrow. #BOrakBKK http://instagr.am/p/SH2eVEimSt/

Update:

'Hit-and-run' driver still at large

Phuket Gazette

Police are still waiting for the driver of the bus, who fled the scene, to turn himself in. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

Full story:

RT @RichardBarrow: Reports of people being turned away at the Thai Red Cross in Bangkok as too many turned up to donate blood #คนไทยมีน้ำใจ

Local Kathu elections halt alcohol sales

Phuket Gazette

The booze ban will run from 6pm today until midnight Sunday. Image: Gazette file

Full story:

PHUKET: -- Alcohol sales will be banned within the Kathu municipal area starting at 6pm today until midnight tomorrow due to local elections.

Full story:

to continue:

Thailand Live Sunday 18th Nov 2012

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/598774-thailand-live-sunday-18-nov-2012/