Thailand Live Monday 10 December 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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'Government to blame' for poor graft ranking

Opas Boonlom,

Tanatpong Kongsai

The Nation December

Clean bureaucrats badly needed, NACC's Wicha says

BANGKOK: -- Politicians must take all blame for the failure of Thailand to improve its international anti-corruption rating, which fell from 80 last year to 88 this year - to the same level as African countries, members of an anti-graft body said yesterday.

Full story:

World's fastest men head for Bangkok to compete in racing extravaganza

Lerpong Amsa-ngiam

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok will be transformed into a racing venue when the world's fastest racers led by three-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel and MotoGP king Jorge Lorenzo congregate this weekend for the Red Bull Singha Race of Champions (ROC).

Full story:

Status of bill to rewrite constitution remains uncertain

Pravit Rojanaphruk,

Pimnara Pradubwit

The Nation

Whip says move afoot to kill draft; Bhokin still pushing for 3rd

BANGKOK: -- Chief government whip Udomdet Ratansathien confirmed yesterday that a move is underway to kill the charter amendment bill in Parliament to prevent possible political turmoil."But so far no one has supported the proposal," he said.

Full story:

Villagers say insurance agent deceived them over policies

Somroutai Sapsonboon,

Chartchaval Kaewkrajai

The Nation

LOPBURI: -- More than 50 villagers in Lop Buri claim they've been duped by an agent of SCB Life Assurance into buying life insurance policies when they sought loans from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), their leader said.

Full story:

Expat denies role in grisly killing

The Nation

PHUKET: -- A second Hungarian suspect yesterday surrendered to Samui Tourist Police, denying any involvement in the grisly murder of a countryman in a Phuket house.

Full story:

EDITORIAL

Contentious case against Abhisit marks a new era

The Nation

Charging of ex-PM is a historic move but it could yield positive fruit

Full story:

Five sites set ablaze in Nakhon Phanom

The Nation

Police are searching for culprits who launched five arson attacks in different parts of Nakhon Phanom on Saturday night.

NAKHON PHANOM: -- The first attack took place at 11pm near a shop selling car tyres in Nakhon Phanom's Muang municipality. Police found 10 used-car tyres had been set ablaze.

Full story:

Thailand must learn from Philippines on abolishing death penalty, says expert

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Various campaigns and lobbying activities had to be undertaken before the Philippines eventually did away with capital punishment in 2006, a legal expert and abolitionist told Thai academics and activists .

Full story:

Academic dismisses govt's charter-change

Khanittha Thepphajorn

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The government's awareness campaign to sway sentiment in favour of charter change kicking off today is simply a brainwashing exercise, rather than an effort to educate people, an academic said yesterday.

"Especially when the government will use Interior Ministry mechanisms - kamnan, village heads, heads of local administrative bodies, and some academics - in the campaign. The campaign cannot be independent, but will follow the goal of the government, which is to amend the charter," said Trakul Meechai, an academic at Chulalongkorn’s Political Science Faculty.

The chairman of the government's committee studying charter amendments, Bhokin Bhalakula, said last week the government would spend about a month or two campaigning for public support for the passage of the third reading of the charter-amendment bill.

Trakul suggested the government assign the Election Commission, educational institutions, and neutral academics to take responsibility for the campaign, instead of the Interior Ministry and academics close to Bhokin. And the campaign should take at least three months, he said.

He said he had learned that the academics joining the campaign are close to Bhokin and share his opinions and goals.

Trakul said charter amendment is justified if there is a problem with the mechanisms of governing, but the current government should make it clear what the problem is and how the amendment will solve it. Moreover, if the government is sincere, it should listen to the opinions of those who oppose the change, he said.

-- The Nation 2012-12-10

Russian Tourist found dead in South Pattaya Hotel Room

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....aya-hotel-room/

Thai people slam politicians as most corrupt: Poll

By English News

BANGKOK, Dec 10 – Thai politicians have been branded as the most corrupt people in the country, followed by civil servants, according to a Suan Dusit University poll.

Full story:

Patrick Moore, Eccentric Astronomer and TV Host, Dies at 89

By MICHAEL SCHWIRTZ

LONDON: -- Patrick Moore, an eccentric and accomplished astronomer, television show host and author of popular science books who once wrote an astronomy book with the guitarist from the band Queen, died on Sunday at his home in Selsey, England. He was 89.

Instagram completely removes photos from inside of Twitter

Devindra Hardawar

And the mobile photo wars continue.

Full story:

Dog Hotel Opens In Pattaya

Full story:

Graft buster vows to continue probe of rice pledging scheme

By English News

BANGKOK, Dec 10 – Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) will press on with its investigation on alleged irregularities in the government’s rice pledging scheme despite the ruling Pheu Thai Party’s attempted intervention, a senior official announced.

Full story:

Coffee made from Thai elephant dung sells for $50 per cup

Thailand News.Net

BANGKOK: -- Coffee connoisseurs are rushing to Thailand to get a sip of a new brand of gourmet coffee made from beans hand-picked from Thai elephant dung, which cost 5 dollars a cup.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/604088-coffee-made-from-thai-elephant-dung-sells-for-50-per-cup/

RT@tulsathit: Pheu Thai: Yingluck& govt "had absolutely no idea" that Thaksin would b broadcast live on govt channel chairing boxing event in Macau.

​RT@tulsathit: Pheu Thai: Thaksin live broadcast from Macau was prepared and carried out by private sector who had contract with Channel 11.

​RT@tulsathit: Suriyasai on Thaksin Macau broadcast: It was a govt-Channel 11 conspiracy, period.

German accused of stealing pair of socks from South Pattaya Shopping Mall

PATTAYA: -- A 63 year old German National was accused of stealing a pair of socks from a store inside the Royal Garden Plaza Shopping Mall in South Pattaya on Sunday Night.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....-shopping-mall/

RT @RichardBarrow: Phra Athit Rd will be turned into a walking street again from 4pm-10pm. Includes a market & cultural shows #Bangkok

RT @ReutersIndia: North Korea extends rocket launch window due to 'technical problems'

to continue:

Thailand Live Tuesday 11 Dec 2012