Thailand Live Sunday 23 Dec 2012

[Lite Beer]

Thailand Live Sunday 23 December 2012

News, Bits and Tweets

with Lite Beer

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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[Lite Beer]

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[Lite Beer]

INSURGENCY IN SOUTH

Governments 'in denial about crisis'

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation on Sunday

McCargo

BANGKOK: -- Political solution desperately needed to resolve insurgency, top scholar says

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/606891-governments-in-denial-about-crisis/

[Lite Beer]

NEW CONSTITUTION

Charter 'to be ready in 1-2 years'

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Varathep says constitution could be rewritten promptly, if it gets nod from public

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/606893-charter-to-be-ready-in-1-2-years/

[Lite Beer]

Key PAD figure backs Sereepisuth for Bangkok governor

The Nation on Sunday

Sereepisuth

BANGKOK: -- A key member of the yellow-shirt movement has joined the campaign of Bangkok governor aspirant Sereepisuth Temeeyaves.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/606894-key-pad-figure-backs-sereepisuth-for-bangkok-governor/

[Lite Beer]

TDRI research to focus on improving quality of education

Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation on Sunday

Somkiat

BANGKOK: -- A national think-tank will continue to conduct its research on education, especially basic schooling, to ease the dropout problem and improve learning outcomes at schools with different levels of performance before giving concrete policy recommendations to the government, according to its president.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/606895-tdri-research-to-focus-on-improving-quality-of-education/

[Lite Beer]

Bang Khae shopping mall badly damaged by fire

Jessada Jantharak

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- A six-storey shopping mall in Bang Khae in Bangkok was engulfed in flames late on Friday night, causing damage estimated at Bt3 million. No one was injured in the blaze.

Bang Khae District Office yesterday declared the IT Grand shopping mall a danger zone, prohibiting people from entering as the building remained very hot, while the large amount of water used to control fire also posed a hazard, according to Phitsanu Charoennukul, assistant to the director of the district office.

The fire broke out on the sixth floor at about 10pm and quickly spread to the fifth and fourth floors. Materials stored in an underwear-manufacturing facility on the sixth floor caused the fire to spread quickly, officials said. The fire was brought under control at 11.50pm.

Lak Song Police attended the blaze. Crews using some 30 fire engines took nearly two hours to control the fire, police said. Some firemen had difficulty reaching the building because it is situated in a small alley. Reports said the cumulative heat caused the fire to re-ignite on the fifth floor, but fire-fighters were able to bring it under control again.

The lower storeys of the IT Grand mall housed shops selling computers, gadgets and other information-technology products, while the upper levels were used as a clothing factory.

A panel of engineers and relevant officials was set up to assess the building's structural condition, Phitsanu said. Police and forensic investigators were trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Police said that after inspecting the building, officials from Bang Khae District Office would announce when the mall would be allowed to reopen.

Bang Khae Police Station has set up a temporary service centre where people affected by the fire can file complaints.

-- The Nation 2012-12-23

[Lite Beer]

Court ex-chief questions about-turn on buildings

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Former Supreme Court president Sawat Chotipanich yesterday said there was evidence that senior officials at the Fine Arts Department, including a then deputy director-general, had agreed to the demolition of two buildings in the Supreme Court's compound because they weren't of significant historic and architectural value, as claimed by the department now.

He said the department's move against the demolition had led to the court being viewed in a negative light. He urged the Fine Arts officials to study the details of the demolition first and respect the people who had made the previous agreement.

Fine Arts Department chief Sahawat Naenna said he had sent a letter to the Supreme Court president and the Office of the Judiciary secretary-general to seek their opinion on the call to stall the proposed demolition.

Rattanakosin Conservation Committee member Suvit Rasmibhuti said the court was told in many meetings with the department that the building should be conserved hence the court stalled this project for five years. Although a Cabinet resolution allowed the demolition, it required the court to submit the plan to the department first but the court did not do so.

-- The Nation 2012-12-23

[Lite Beer]

Duped into buying insurance policies

The Nation on Sunday

LOP BURI: -- A total of 165 people in Lop Buri's Pattana Nikhom district were duped by an agent of SCB Life Assurance into buying life insurance policies for which they sought loans from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), Lop Buri Office of Insurance Commission director Somkiat Saleepol said yesterday. Each of them bought a policy valued at Bt20,000-Bt40,000.

SCB Life Assurance was checking information to return the cheques to the villagers who were misinformed about the policies and no longer wished to hold the policies, Somkiat said.

He said the company executives admitted that the agent, instead of telling the assured that they had to pay for 20 years had wrongly informed them that they had to pay for only 3-5 years after which they would get their money back plus 2 per cent interest. They also sent 10 SCB officials to try to complete the cases by December 28, he said, adding his office was also gathering evidence to revoke the agent's licence if the agent duped people as accused.

-- The Nation 2012-12-23

[Lite Beer]

Contaminated canal

The Nation on Sunday

Bang Lamung district chief yesterday warned locals in Chon Buri not to use water in a canal in the district for agricultural purposes after authorities discovered some hazardous chemical substances.

Chaowalit Saeng-uthai, the district chief said an aluminium factory had illegally released the chemical substances into the canal. Public health officers were checking samples of the contaminated water before giving more details about the chemical substances.

Six cows were found dead after they had drunk water from the canal on Friday night. The cows convulsed and had froths and blood at their mouths.

The authority is also carrying out autopsies of the cows' bodies to find out the cause of the deaths.

-- The Nation 2012-12-23

[Lite Beer]

Waves lash Songkhla

The Nation on Sunday

SONGKHLA: -- Big waves yesterday damaged a road parallel to a beach, many tall pine trees and a multipurpose ground along the beach in Songkhla's Muang district.

A 10-metre section of a lane of the two-lane Songkhla-Nathub Road was eroded, many big pine trees along the beach were uprooted and the facilities on the multipurpose ground were damaged as the waves surged towards the road, which did not have any buffer.

The Southern Meteorological Centre (East Coast) warned of 2-3-metre-high waves from the weekend until Tuesday. It also warned of coastal erosion due to high waves. It urged local fishermen to avoid fishing during that period.

-- The Nation 2012-12-23

[Lite Beer]

ANALYSIS

Govt having second thoughts on charter referendum

Somroutai Sapsomboon,

Khanittha Thepphajorn

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai-led coalition says it is not back-pedalling, but its latest moves indicate that it is very worried about the referendum, which it had so boldly announced earlier.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/606897-govt-having-second-thoughts-on-charter-referendum/

[Lite Beer]

Fresh ATM action prompts hope for finding missing Phuket expat

Phuket Gazette -

PHUKET: Police investigating the disappearance of American Brett Bean, last seen on Phuket on November 25, are now searching for a man who used Mr Bean’s debit card to withdraw cash from a Phuket ATM on Monday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/606898-fresh-atm-action-prompts-hope-for-finding-missing-phuket-expat/

[Lite Beer]

Muslim residents in mass rally for peace in far South

Patidta Noosanthad,

Pares Lohasan

The Nation on Sunday

NARATHIWAT: Fed up with years of insurgent violence, about 1,000 mostly Muslim residents joined a rally yesterday led by a religious leader in Narathiwat's Rangae district.

Imam Mahamadkhalik Pathan yesterday led the large crowd in a rally at Long Gong Roundabout in Tambon Tamyongmas municipality to condemn fanatics and called on them to stop creating disunity among different faiths.

Mahamadkhalik condemned violence in the region as a lack of virtue, saying the Islamic faith didn't teach people to incite and create disunity with other religions - it taught people to be righteous and live together in peace.

"Peace is Muslim, [and] those who create disunity between religions are heretics. So I pray 'God change their minds to stop the violence' and pray to Allah to bless this country with restored peace," he said.

Sunan Ongboon, head of a group promoting the role of women, urged Thais of Buddhist or Islamic faith to unite and love each other instead of living without trust in each other. She vowed to push for families to take "misguided" members back home in a bid to restore peace in the region.

Meanwhile, 26 closed-circuit television security cameras were burnt in Sai Buri in Pattani at 2am yesterday by five to six suspected insurgents on motorbikes. Some 22 cameras on seven electric poles in Tambon Taluban and Trohbon were burnt with rubber inner tubes, while four others were set on fire along Number 42 road (Pattani-Narathiwat) in Tambon Tabing.

Meanwhile, thieves broke into Tambon Kadunong Health Promotion Hospital and stole a television and a computer, as well as oxygen and gas tanks. This caused suspicion that insurgents may use the tanks to make bombs.

At 4pm yesterday, a home-made bomb went off in front of a grocery opposite Nikhom Thepa Market in Songkhla's Thepa district, which borders the restive region, but no injuries or deaths were reported.

In related news, Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre secretary-general Thawee Sodsong presided over a ceremony on Friday morning to give out Bt2.53 million in aid to 212 people who were wrongfully detained during the Tak Bai incident in Pattani on October 25, 2004.

-- The Nation 2012-12-23

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: This afternoon in Siam Square area street performances, from 4pm Walking Street on Phra Athit Rd & at 5:30pm free concert in Lumphini Park

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: Early this morning there was a mass alms giving on Soi Thonglor in #Bangkok (Pic @edwfree) https://t.co/xnJLPG1o

[Lite Beer]

Phuket Opinion: Family, the best defense against technology risks

Phuket Gazette -

All things, good and bad, now spread around the world via the Internet. Image: Gazette Graphics

PHUKET: With the holiday season upon us, we would like to encourage all of our readers to take a few moments to pause and reflect on how lucky we are to live in this incredible age of technology.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/606913-phuket-opinion-family-the-best-defense-against-technology-risks/

[Lite Beer]

WASTE

BMA setting up green waste incinerator

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority is setting up a thermal incinerator at Nong Khaem Waste Management Centre that will convert garbage into electricity.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....r/

[Lite Beer]

Johnson & Johnson first certified for "sustainable" palm oil procurement

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Johnson & Johnson, the world's leading health care company, won the purchasing deal of RSPO certificates under the Book and Claim system* from Thailand's four independent oil palm smallholders' groups, the first in the world to be certified with the RSPO standard. Through the purchase of the RSPO certificates, direct support is provided to small scale farmers and sustainable palm oil production.

Adherence and certification to RSPO Principles and Criteria provides rigorous assurance that palm oil is cultivated and processed in a sustainable and responsible manner. The certification of the first groups of independent smallholders is a major step forward for Thailand's palm oil industry.

The four groups of Thai smallholders were among the pilot independent smallholders taking part in the "Sustainable Palm Oil Production" project, which received RSPO certification in October 2012. The 3.5 year project (January 2009 - June 2012) was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and implemented by German International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Office of Agricultural Economics under Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. During the course of the project, the income of the Thai palm oil industry increased by up to 40 million baht, significantly from the reduction of the production costs. Farmers are now even receiving a price premium for their certified products. The participating mills, which provided considerable support to the farmers also financially benefited by increased Oil Extraction Rate (OER). There is huge potential for further up-scaling in the Thai Oil Palm Industry, as 'only' 412 smallholders have been certified, managing overall 2.767 hectare of plantation and producing about 52.000t of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) per year.

Darrel Webber, Secretary General of RSPO, commented "As the third largest producer of crude palm oil (CPO) in the world, more than 70 per cent of oil palm in Thailand is produced by independent smallholders. Without certification, it is now difficult to compete in the world market. Because of the increased demand for environmentally friendly products from consumers, more and more manufacturers using palm oil as a raw material are looking for certified palm oil. However, there are challenges, and the smallholders need assistance to become certified. We are therefore pleased to have more partners from the manufacturer side like Johnson & Johnson to assist the smallholders to achieve their RSPO certification."

"We are convinced that both parties have signed a very supportive agreement and we are proud to have been able to assist them all. We sincerely hope that the farmers continue their way of sustainable production and achieving benefits from good agricultural practices as well as from certification," added Daniel May, Director of the Sustainable Palm Oil Production for Bio-energy Project, GIZ.

-- The Nation 2012-12-23

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RT@RichardBarrow: Plans for 2 cable cars across the Chao Phraya River from Klong Toei to Phra Pradaeng & Paknam to Phi Suea Samut Island pic.twitter.com/GtudHSjD

[Lite Beer]

LPG Car explodes on Sukhumvit Road

LPG Gas powered car explodes on Sukhumvit Road

Pattaya:-- Police and fire department rushed to the scene of a single vehicle fire on the Sukhumvit just before one o clock on Sunday morning, to find an old Nissan ZX which had become an inferno within minutes, as its LPG gas system exploded.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/606940-lpg-car-explodes-on-sukhumvit-road/

[Lite Beer]

Chiang Mai to declare all districts disaster zones affected by cold spell.

CHIANG MAI, Dec 23 - The northern province of Chiang Mai plans to declare all districts disaster zones affected by the cold spell as the temperature is forecast to drop further this week.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/606965-chiang-mai-to-declare-all-districts-disaster-zones-affected-by-cold-spell/

[Lite Beer]

Pope pardons butler who stole confidential documents

Rome - Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday pardoned his former butler, Paolo Gabriele, sentenced by a Vatican court to 18 months in jail for aggravated theft after being found guilty of stealing confidential papal documents and passing them on to the press.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/606970-pope-pardons-butler-who-stole-confidential-documents/#entry5955840

[Lite Beer]

Phuket child-exploitation gangs put in the spotlight

Phuket Gazette -

PHUKET: A 12-year-old girl fleeing her captors to the safety of officials on Soi Bangla last week, has raised the ugly specter of Phuket becoming a prime human-trafficking and child-exploitation destination, according an international children’s rights agency.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/606977-phuket-child-exploitation-gangs-put-in-the-spotlight/

[Lite Beer]

Caltex raises gasoline, gasohol prices by Bt0.50/litre, diesel price remains unchanged; effective today /MCOT

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Female village defence volunteer injured in shooting attack in Narathiwat's Chanae /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

Pheu Thai to announce Bangkok governor candidate on Jan 10, the same day MR Sukhumbhand's term as governor expires: party spokesman Prompong /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

Storm, flash flood hit southern provinces

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, Dec 23 – A storm and flash flood hit two southern provinces as the meteorological department warned of heavy rain in the South in the next few days.

In Nakhon Si Thammarat, two villages were hit by a storm while rainfall continues with threat of floods. At least 50 houses were damaged and a number of trees were felled. No one was reported injured.

As water in a canal rises and rain continues on the mountain, local authorities warned villagers to brace for a possible flash flood.

In Phatthalung, about 350 houses and about 1,200 acres of para rubber and oil palm plantations, paddy fields and orchards in the provincial seat have been hit by a flash flood from the Bantad mountain range. Roads have been under 50-70 centimetres of water.

Four districts have been affected by flooding so far and soldiers were deployed to assist affected local residents.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department on Sunday issued a warning that the strong northeast monsoon will prevail over the Gulf of Thailand and the South.This will cause more rain in the region as well as isolated heavy rain in some areas.

Residents in Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat should beware of heavy rain from December 23-25, 2012.

In addition, strong wind and heavy waves still prevail over the Gulf. People along the southeast coast should beware of high wave coming inshore. All ships should proceed with caution and small boats in the lower Gulf from Surat Thani southward keep ashore during this period. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-12-23

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to continue:

Thailand Live Monday 24 Dec 2012