SOUTH CRISIS

Teachers to discuss violence following second fatal shooting in two weeks

NARATHIWAT: -- Teachers in the deep southern province of Narathiwat are to meet urgently tomorrow to discuss the mounting unrest and attacks on their colleagues after a second fatal shooting of a female teacher on Monday.

The killing was the second murder of a teacher in this besieged province in less than two weeks. An elementary school principal in Nong Chik district was shot dead on November 22.

Chatsuda Nilsuwan, 33, was shot dead Monday night while riding her motorcycle home from Ban Ta-ngo elementary school in Cho-airong district where she taught.

Baan Ta-ngo school was torched in an arson attack, which completely destroyed the main building in April. Students, from kindergarten through grade six, have been studying in a store room, canteen and tents ever since.

Sa-nguan Intarak, leader of the Federation of Narathiwat Teachers, said teachers in the province must discuss the violence and intensified security measures for teachers.

More than 300 government schools in three southern provinces, Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani, reopened yesterday after closing their doors since the November 22 murder of the school principal.

-- The Nation 2012-12-04

RT@RichardBarrow: Some Thais already camping out in the Royal Plaza - RT @phassaphol: จับจองพื้นที่รับเสด็จ pic.twitter.com/0hUoEWfs

RT @SkyNewsBreak: Reuters: Fars news agency says Iran captures U.S. drone gathering intelligence over its airspace

Surin Man Survives Hanging Ordered By Ex-Boss

A Surin truck driver was taken away to kill by group of men who tied a rope around his neck and threw him off a bridge over a busy highway. But the rope broke and the victim rolled to hide on the side of road. He told police the murder was ordered by his ex-boss, who had accused him of stealing.

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HM THE KING'S BIRTHDAY

Crowds start amassing in front of Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thais began to occupy the Royal Plaza in front of Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall on Tuesday in order to get the best view of His Majesty the King's birthday audience scheduled for tomorrow.

All were wearing yellow, the colour representing Tuesday, the day of his birth. Throughout his more than 60 years on the throne, the King has granted a grand public audience on only five previous occasions.

Tomorrow, he will turn 85 and will receive best wishes directly from his people when he appears on a balcony of the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall.

The last time he granted the grand audience at the Ananta Samakhom was in June 2006.

To celebrate HM the King's birthday, also Father's Day, various public transport services will tomorrow offer free rides or discounted fares to fathers and children wearing yellow shirts in honour of the King. A total of free 22,071 rides on 2,530 city buses are available today and tomorrow, while 350 city buses and some interprovincial coaches will carry wellwishers from nine locations to the event venue at the Royal Plaza.

Fathers and children with yellow shirts and proof of kinship are entitled to halfprice tickets on interprovincial buses except services from Bangkok to Ayutthaya, Saraburi or Kamphaeng Saen in Nakhon Pathom, whose fares are already low. The discount is 30 per cent for routes longer than 300 kilometres.

-- The Nation 2012-12-04

Major Japanese travel agency to set up Asia Pacific Airlines (charter) based in Bangkok as demand for air travel in Asia soars /The Nation

update

Attendant in 'coffee-throwing threat' leaves Cathay

HONG KONG, Dec 4, 2012 (AFP) - A flight attendant has left her job with Cathay Pacific after saying on Facebook that she wanted to throw coffee over ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra's daughter, the airline said Tuesday.

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update

Nationwide manhunt for alleged killer of Hungarian businessman

Phuket Gazette

Maj Gen Choti Chavaviwat (left) with investigators at the rubber plantation where the body, suspected to be that of Peter Reisz, was found. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

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SET index closed at 1330.06, down 2.86; Bt/USD30.54; GBP48.89; AUD31.71; EUR39.74; CAD30.54; HKD3.93; SGD24.92; JPY37.01

Queen advised not to join King for tomorrow’s appearance

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Dec 4 – Her Majesty Queen Sirikit has been advised by her medical counsellors at Siriraj Hospital to not accompany His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej in his public appearance at Dusit Palace tomorrow, the Royal Household Bureau announced today.

HM the King will appear on the balcony of Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in the Dusit Palace tomorrow to mark his 85th birthday. Hundreds of thousands of Thai citizens are expected to occupy the Royal Plaza, located directly opposite the throne hall, and nearby Ratchadamnoen Avenue, to gain a glimpse of the King and royal family members.

The Siriraj medical team advised that HM the Queen suspend her royal activities for some time for health reasons.

In accompanying HM the King to the public appearance, the Queen would have to stand for a long period, a factor that could deteriorate the fragile health she has experienced for the past month, according to the Royal Household Bureau. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-12-04

Underground, Airport Link, Bangkok buses offer free rides on HM the King's birthday

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Dec 4 -- Thailand’s MRT underground train, Airport Link and BMTA buses are offering free rides on Wednesday to celebrate His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's December 5 birthday, National Father's Day.

Chartchai Praditpong, public relations director of Bangkok Metro Plc (BMCL) which operates the underground train services Chaloem Ratchamongkhon Line said that to celebrate HM the King's birthday on Wednesday and to promote family ties, the MRT would offer free ride for fathers who travel on the underground with his child or children.

The father must be accompanied by his son or daughter and travel to the same station, he said, adding that the father would travel free while the son or daughter must pay normal fare.

Meanwhile, SRT Electrified Train (SRTET) Company’s public relations manager Aim-atcha Pongpanpanu said that on December 5, the Airport Rail Link (Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link) will offer travel privileges to fathers and their children.

Fathers coming with their children could enjoy free rides on the City Line from 6am-midnight, she said.

Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) director Opart Petchmunee said BMTA, which operates bus services in Bangkok, will prepare special free buses for nine routes which the public can use during the celebration.

He said the free buses will operate from 6am until midnight on Wednesday. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-12-04

Nurses defer strike until Cabinet meeting

Poungchompoo Prasert,

Supinda Na Mahachai

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday negotiated with nurses’ representatives to postpone their threatened three-day strike from January 1-3 amid their discontent with their temporary-employee status.

The nurses will wait for a December 11 Cabinet decision before considering further action. Jintana Yunibhand, president of the Nurses' Association of Thailand, said most representatives were satisfied with yesterday's meeting with Yingluck at Government House. She said the PM agreed to consider their demand to employ as full time civil servants 17,000 nurses who have been working as temporary employees, in three rounds.

The two rounds of enlisting should be in January and October 2013 and the third in October 2014.

Jintana said Yingluck had assigned the Bureau of Budget and related agencies to study the situation. The Public Health Ministry would, in the meantime, enlist the nurses to be ministry employees so they would enjoy similar benefits regarding healthcare, career advancement and education opportunities.

As a result, the strike plan was put on hold, she said. They would wait for the December 11 Cabinet meeting to see if lawmakers would approve what Yingluck had promised them.

The Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) had approved 30,188 civil service positions to the Public Health Ministry for 2012-2014. In 2012, there were 10,494 positions available with 7,547 allocated to temporary employees working since 2006-2008. Another 2,947 would be given to government scholarship recipients (doctors, dentists and pharmacists), while 2013 and 2014 would each see 7,547 positions allocated, excluding government scholarship recipients.

The centre and general hospitals' clubs yesterday urged the government and OCSC to sympathise and see the importance of various professions, especially nurses. Hospital staff were asked to patiently wait for the Cabinet's decision and think carefully before launching a strike. If it occurred, hospital directors would monitor it and provide services so patients would not be greatly affected by the strike.

-- The Nation 2012-12-04

NGOS warn against extra patent protection

Duangkamon Sajirawattanakul

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) yesterday joined forces in demanding that the Cabinet refuse to endorse extra protection for drug patent holders.

They are worried that the increased protection under TRIPS Plus will hurt patients' access to much-needed medicines. These are tighter measures than those imposed by the earlier Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights under the World Trade Organisation.

"Please don't hurt Thais' health," said Apiwat Kwangkaew, chairman of the Thai Network of People living with HIV/Aids.

Joining his call are several organisations that have been fighting for patients' and consumers' rights.

They submitted a written petition to Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong amid reports that the Cabinet will today consider the negotiation framework for the free-trade-area agreement between Thailand and the European Union.

Apiwat said lower tariffs for certain products could never be compared to the health of people.

"In addition, the lower tariffs will likely benefit just some investment groups," he said.

Apiwat said his concerns were growing because the Commerce Ministry had never disclosed the information on the ongoing FTA negotiations with the EU.

"I am worried that the negotiations will lead to the extension of drug patents' validity." He insisted that the government should just follow the protection of intellectual-property rights in line with WTO regulations, not TRIPS Plus.

Foundation for Consumers board member Kannikar Kijtivejakul questioned why the Public Health Ministry did not reaffirm its stance against drug monopoly any more after the government was pushing ahead with the FTA negotiation.

"If the government goes for the TRIPS Plus, we will petition the Central Administrative Court," she said.

Pradit yesterday assured the NGOs that when it came to drug issues, the country would lose nothing in signing the FTA agreement with the EU.

-- The Nation 2012-12-04

@RichardBarrow: The King will leave Siriraj Hospital at 10:00am & arrive at Ananata Samakhon Throne Hall at 10:19am He will appear on the balcony at 10:30am

@RichardBarrow: Originally, royal guard were going to stay in the plaza, but the King asked them to wait on the lawn to make more room for the people.

RT@RichardBarrow: 7pm Crowds continuing to grow in the Royal Plaza - RT @winaithornPNC: รอรับเสด็จตอนเช้า instagr.am/p/S0Efn9rLPA/

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Thailand Live Wednesday 5 Dec 2012