Thailand Live Tuesday 11 Dec 2012

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Thailand Live Tuesday 11 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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Opposition cries foul over ex-PM on state TV

The Nation

Group to seek probe by Ombudsman, anti-graft agency of 'legal breach'

BANGKOK: -- The opposition Democrat Party and Green Politics Group threatened yesterday to file a lawsuit against the government for allowing former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to appear on Channel 11 of the national broadcasting service.

Full story:

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North Korean native found dead in Phuket

Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- A Russian national, but born in North Korea, was found dead in his rented Phuket apartment room this evening.

Full story:

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All schools to reopen in far south today

SUPITCHA RATTANA

THE NATION

Security tightened to protect teachers from insurgent attacks

NARATHIWAT: -- All schools in southernmost Narathiwat province will fully resume classes today after a week-long closure due to teachers' dissatisfaction over safety measures to prevent attacks by insurgents.

Authorities have also beefed up security at 332 schools in Pattani province to boost teacher and students' confidence and morale, as well as support the schools' educational activities.

Sanguan Intarak, leader of the Federation of Narathiwat Teachers, said yesterday that about 100 schools out of 378 had closed over concerns for safety after insurgents shot dead a 32-year-old female teacher in Joh I Rong district on December 3 and severely injured a 52-year-old male teacher in Sungai Padi in Narathiwat the next day.

A female director in Nong Chik district in Pattani was also shot dead on November 22, while two schools were burned down on November 29 and December 3.

Violence flared in the mainly Muslim region in early 2004 and has now claimed more than 5,000 lives, with the authorities struggling to contain the unrest. Teachers and schools are "soft targets" often attacked by the insurgents.

Sanguan said all schools insisted they would fully reopen today. Agencies that provide security would guard teachers and students in areas around the schools and along routes to them around the clock.

"However, we told every teacher to beware of violence, as teachers are among the targets of the insurgents," Sanguan added.

Pramote Prom-in, spokesman for Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, said all forces responsible for providing security to teachers and students had met with them and adjusted plans according to current situations in the areas. They will provide close security to individual teachers in high-risk areas and combine with defence volunteers to guard schools around the clock.

Pattani Governor Pramuk Lamul said forces had integrated to provide security to teachers in the province continuously after the director had been slain and the two schools set on fire. Such incidents had frightened teachers. Teachers at any school who were worried about safety should tell officials to provide close security, he said.

After a group of insurgents stole assault rifles from a village defence volunteers' outpost in Pattani's Kapho district last week, officials questioned suspicious people, while he visited villagers and asked their leaders for help search for the robbers, the governor said.

In an unrelated event, women in the 14 southern provinces will get a political boost today when Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra presides over the national launch of a Leadership Academy for Muslim Women at Government House, the United Nations said yesterday.

The Academy Programme will train Muslim women in the South through two distinct training programmes. The first programme will equip participants with skills to participate and take leading roles in community development activities. The second will further develop skills for women who want to pursue political ambitions and will focus more intensively on skills for political participation.

The UN Development Programme and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security will officially launch the innovative new programme at 2pm today, with a joint partnership signing.

Out of roughly 7,000 political positions in villages and towns across Thailand, women account for just 4 per cent. In Parliament, women make up just 16 per cent, while they represent more than half of Thailand's population. There is only one female Muslim MP.

-- The Nation 2012-12-11

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As AEC looms, MPs get to know their neighbourhood

Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- As the starting date for the Asean Economic Community nears, Thai MPs are preparing for 2015 in their own individual ways. One has begun to watch Indonesian drama via satellite TV and is reading the history of neighbouring countries, while another shares a meal with his Filipino friends weekly to learn more about their community.

Full story:

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MEDICAL BENEFIT

Govt aims to cut cost of civil-servant scheme

Chularat Saengpassa,

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Authorities urged to limit availability of costly medication; focus on basics

BANGKOK: -- The government's efforts to lower the cost of the Civil Servant Medical Benefit (CSMB) scheme will mean lower medical benefit expenses for those working in the civil service.

Full story:

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STREETWISE

The New Year looms frighteningly

Achara Deboonme

BANGKOK: -- There are three weeks to go before New Year arrives, but some executives of foreign companies have already left the office and will return only after the end of December. They have jobs that most of us envy, having so much time to unwind after the long year and prepare for the next one ahead.

Full story:

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'The Nation' set to get first female editor

From left: Nation Multimedia Group executive director Thepchai Yong and NMG chairman Suthichai Yoon are seen with incoming Nation editor Achara Deboonme and incoming managing editor Jintana Panyaarvudh, plus outgoing Nation editor Tulsathit Taptim, and Pana Janviroj

BANGKOK: -- Former business editor of The Nation, Achara Deboonme will become the newspaper's first female editor, effective January 1, 2013, replacing Tulsathit Taptim, who will go on a sabbatical leave for health reasons.

Newsroom restructuring also sees Jintana Panyaarvudh, deputy managing editor, rising to the position of managing editor.

Nation Multimedia Group chairman Suthichai Yoon is confident the combined strengths of Achara and Jintana, who have extraordinary expertise in economic and national affairs respectively, will mean The Nation is well equipped for upcoming challenges facing the Thai media, especially when Thailand and other Asean countries move ever closer to becoming a common trade zone.

"Regional economic and political developments are increasingly important and The Nation's focus as the region moves toward the Asean Economic Community is clear," Suthichai said. "We have strong confidence in Achara and Jintana, who will lead the paper into the exciting new era."

Suthichai was The Nation's first editor when the paper was launched more than 40 years ago. He was succeeded by Thepchai Yong. Pana Janviroj was The Nation's third editor,

succeeded by Tulsathit. Suthichai said changes at the top always take into account continuity and talent of the groomed new generation.

With Thepchai and Pana now heading NMG's regional expansion efforts, Suthichai believes the group's English content, upon which the organisation’s foundation was laid, is in good hands.

"I welcome the challenges and I have strong trust in my colleagues," said Achara in a statement echoed by Jintana. "Teamwork is the most important and it has been the key spirit in the newsroom," Jintana said.

Both new newsroom leaders are tasked with making The Nation "more regional" by utilising the paper's strong regional network. The head office of Asia News Network, a web-based channel through which top Asian newspapers publicise and share their English-language content, is at The Nation headquarters.

Achara and Jintana will also carry on plans to push The Nation content into new, digital platforms, as well as to implement an English-language newspaper joint venture with Myanmar’s Eleven Media Group.

Tulsathit, who will take six months of sabbatical leave, will continue to contribute to The Nation in the form of editorial and column writing. He said he had strong trust in the capabilities of Achara and Jintana.

"With the two of them taking newsroom management responsibilities, my contribution will be focused. The changes will be good for the paper's overall content," he said.

-- The Nation 2012-12-11

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UNDERGROUND LENDING

Sharks may be registered in bid to curb interest rates

Suphannee Pootpisut

The Nation

Full story: Loan sharks may be registered in bid to curb interest rates: Thailand

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Indictment of Abhisit, Suthep based on legal 'mumbo jumbo'

Avudh Panananda

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The prosecution of top Democrats Abhisit Vejjajiva and Suthep Thaugsuban has all the hallmarks of a political show trial without a bearing on justice.

Full story:

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'More democratic' charter wanted

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Coalition partners in Yingluck Shinawatra's government declared their intention yesterday to amend the 2007 charter, saying they want to make it more democratic.

Full story:

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Eatery found stocking contaminated fish

The Nation

CHIANG MAI: -- The Public Health Office in Chiang Mai said yesterday that initial tests of food samples taken from a barbecue restaurant showed that the fish it was stocking was contaminated, and that more food samples were under examination.

Full story:

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Info sought on missing property of Thais detained in Myanmar

THE NATION

RANONG: -- Thai authorities will soon seek a progress report from their counterparts in Myanmar on the return of the possessions of the 92 Thais arrested for trespassing on July 4, of whom 90 were later repatriated.

The two other Thais have been jailed in Myanmar on drug charges.

Colonel Uthit Anantananont, deputy chairman of the Ranong-Koh Song Township Border Committee, said yesterday that the Thais and their relatives kept asking about the status of their property.

The Thai side will ask for the details of the items still left in Myanmar and the guidelines for their retrieval because the Ranong TBC has not received anything yet, Uthit said.

They will also ask Myanmar officials to take care of the remaining belongings in Ban Inthaninkwang of Koh Song (Kawthaung) province, where the Thais were arrested, after some people reportedly smuggled some back to the Thai side.

Seri Phetchnoi from Surat Thani said he and 100 other relatives of the 92 Thais |had come to Ban Nai Krang in Ranong's Kra Buri district, which is across the border from Ban Inthaninkwang, to search for the property that was reportedly brought into Ranong without the knowledge of the Thais and their relatives.

Their probe along with Thai soldiers and officials along the Thai-Myanmar border opposite Ban Inthaninkwang found traces of a backhoe and six or seven pickup trucks allegedly used by the smugglers.

However, no one knows who the smugglers are and none of the 90 Thais know about such a move or have received their property back.

Thai authorities should quickly investigate this case as the personal assets might have been stolen or lost, Seri said.

-- The Nation 2012-12-11

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Precious artefacts on show at Kingdom's first 'night museum'

Pakamard Jaichalard,

The Nation

The 73.5cm-tall Gandhara Buddha image, created during the Rattanakosin era by an Italian sculptor, is on display at Thailand

BANGKOK: -- The Fine Arts Department has put precious artefacts up for public display, including a gilded-bronze Gandhara Buddha image sculpted during the reign of King Rama VI and the first inscription of King Ramkamhaeng the Great, at Thailand's first "night museum".

The museum was launched yesterday as part of the celebration of 230 years of the Rattanakosin era.

The department's deputy chief, Sureerat Wongsangiem, said the night museum, which will be open to the public at the Phra Nakon National Museum until 8pm every day, also contains examples of traditional Thai masterpieces and the "Creative Fine Arts" project's prototype products.

There will also be Thai performances.

The celebration sees Tha Phra Arthit Road - from Kurusapa Printing House to Thammasat University - being closed to vehicles on the following weekends in order to showcase the old Bangkok way of life and activities. The event takes place on December 15-16, December 22-23 and January 12-13.

-- The Nation 2012-12-11

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Strike threat, as more seek jobs

PRASIT TANGPRASERT

THE NATION

Nakhon Ratchasima

BANGKOK: -- The Temporary Public Health Employee Network yesterday affirmed the threat to strike from January 1-3 to demand an upgrade for temporary ministry employees in more than 21 health professions to government employee status and improved benefits.

The move follows an agreement by the government to enlist most of 30,188 contract positions in 21 health professions in the civil service over a three-year period, in a bid to fend off a similar planned strike by 17,000 contract nurses who wanted permanent jobs and better benefits.

The network says its 100,000 members are unhappy because they were not included. Secretary Thanachai Sawaengsuk explained the five-point demand that they want the government to grant, or they will stop work for three days.

First, the Public Health Ministry should increase non-medical employees' welfare payment by amending Section 9 (4) of the regulations, which states that such employees are only paid wages.

Second, the Bt2,500-per-head monthly sum - "danger money" for non-medical employees in the restive far South, in effect in 2004 then cut in 2005 - should be continued and paid to workers retroactively, to boost their morale.

Third, payments for afternoon and night shifts should also be paid to non-medical employees.

Fourth, P4P - pay for performance, which will be allocated to civil servants - should also be paid to employees outside 21 health professions in an appropriate ratio.

Last, the ministry should consider upgrading non-medical employees with more than five years' service to government employees, according to the Thaksin Shinawatra Cabinet resolution on October 5, 2004.

Thanachai said the network would negotiate with Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong and permanent health secretary Narong Sahamethapat soon for solutions.

-- The Nation 2012-12-11

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Apple Maps flaw could be deadly, warn Australian police

By Nick Thompson, CNN

(CNN) -- Inaccurate, inconvenient, ill-conceived ... now add "potentially life-threatening" to the list of words being used to describe flaws in Apple's much maligned maps app.

Full story:

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Mother offers B50k reward for missing Phuket expat Brett Bean

Phuket Gazette

Lynne Bean holds up posters of her missing son Brett Bean, 43, last seen in Phuket on November 25. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

In the appeal for finding Brett Bean, investigators pointed out that he may have shaved off his beard. Photo: US Embassy handout

PHUKET: -- The mother of an American ski instructor, who was last seen in Phuket, has offered a 50,000-baht reward to find her son.

Full story:

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No need for 90-day oil reserve: ex-energy minister

Watcharapong Thongrung

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The government's plan to increase the statutory oil reserve from the present 36 days of consumption to 90 days to deal with a possible energy crisis could unnecessarily burden the public, according to former energy minister Piyasvasti Amaranand.

Full story:

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Berlusconi outraged at European reaction to his comeback

ROME: -- Silvio Berlusconi has lambasted as insulting the response of some European politicians and the media to his announced decision to run for re-election.

Full story:

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18-wheel trailer truck hooks high voltage cable, pulling down 20 electricity poles on Boromratchonni Rd 62, causing traffic jam /MCOT

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25 year old mother jumps from 6th floor balcony at Jomtien condominium

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/604236-25-year-old-mother-jumps-from-6th-floor-balcony-at-jomtien-condominium/

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300,000 Thai children suffer from hyperactivity

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Dec 11 – More than 300,000 Thai children in grades 1-6, or 7 per cent of 5 million children in the age group, are at abnormal states of hyperactivity, according to Deputy Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew.

Full story:

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Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,342.01, up 7.06 points /MCOT

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Two killed, seven injured when insurgents fire at teashop in Narathiwat

The Nation

NARATHIWAT: -- Two Muslims were killed and seven others injured when insurgents opened fire at a teashop in this southern border province Tuesday morning.

Police said the attack happened at 7:13 am in Damabuwoh village in Rangae district.

Marositi Hayiyusoh, 45, the head of Moo 1 village, said he was drinking tea with some 15 villagers when a pick-up truck parked in front of the shop and three assailants at the back of the truck opened fire into the shop.

Samua Ritao, 37, and a two-year-old girl were killed.

The seven injured villagers were rushed to the Ranage district hospital before they were forwarded to the provincial hospital.

Police found more than 30 spent shells of M16 and AK-47 ammunitions at the scene.

-- The Nation 2012-12-11

[george]

TOP DOWNLOAD

Thaivisa Calendar 2013

Thaivisa Calendar 2013/2556 is ready for download. It includes all Thai public holidays for 2013.

Download here: http://www.thaivisa....-calendar-2013/

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Facebook voters reject privacy changes but fail to meet threshold

SAN FRANCISCO: -- Facebook is free to implement controversial changes to its privacy policies after online voters failed to meet the threshold Monday needed to make their rejection of the proposal binding on the social networking company.

Full story:

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RT @ReutersIndia: Kingfisher Airlines gains 4.7 pct on report of 48 pct stake sale to Etihad Airways

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Thai woman tricked and sexually abused by Brazilian drug traffickers

A 24-year-old Thai woman was invited to visit Brazil by a work colleague, but instead she got raped by black men and ordered to smuggle drugs back to Thailand or she would be killed. The Paveena Hongsakul foundation helped bring the victim back home. Thai girls are continually being victimized abroad by human traffickers, the foundation warned.

Full story:

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Three people killed in Narathiwat shooting

By English News

NARATHIWAT, Dec 11 – Three people, including 11-month old baby girl, were killed and five people were wounded in a shooting at a tea shop in this soutern border province.

Over 40 cartridge casings from M16 and AK47 assault rifles were scattered at the shop.

Two men and an 11-month-old baby girl were killed. Five others who were wounded were rushed to hospital.

According to the initial investigation, a pickup truck stopped outside the shop and three armed men fired into the shop before fleeing.

The police believed the attackers were suspected insurgents intending to extend atmosphere of fear and uncertainty in the general public. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-12-11