Thailand Live Tuesday 25 Dec 2012

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Thailand Live Tuesday 25 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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REFERENDUM

Pheu Thai chooses to go ahead

Jeerapong Prasertpolkrung,

Pimnara Pradubwit

The Nation

File photo : Chalerm

Ruling party to seek 24 million votes; bowing to Thaksin, Abhisit says

BANGKOK: -- The ruling Pheu Thai Party will go ahead with its plan for a referendum on amending the Constitution after concluding it is feasible, after Deputy PM Chalerm Yoobamrung and others softened their opposition.

Full story:

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GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION

Sukhumbhand seeks explanation over nomination

Tanatpong Kongsai,

Pimnara Pradubwit

The Nation

File photo : Sukhumbhand

BANGKOK: -- Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra says he wants an explanation if the Democrat Party decides not to nominate him for the upcoming Bangkok election.

Full story:

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EIGHTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Tsunami warning system finally ready, after 8 years

Chularat Saengpassa,

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand now has the best warning system in Southeast Asia, eight years after the Andaman coast was ravaged by a devastating tsunami on Boxing Day in 2004.

Full story:

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UPDATE

CONTROVERSIAL PROJECT

Demolition plan 'approved 20 years ago'

Opas Boonlom,

Anuphan Chantana

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Fine Arts Department agreed to plans for the Supreme Court compound more than 20 years ago, so its opposition to the demolition of the buildings there now is unfounded, senior judges concluded yesterday.

Full story:

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EDITORIAL

Conservation issue reveals social media influence

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- With rebuilding work going on at the Supreme Court compound, public pressure is mounting for preservation of historic structures at the site

Full story:

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Phuket's Parb says Sydictive New Year Party can 'move it, move it' to Patong

Phuket Gazette

Preechavude “Prab” Keesin, son of Patong Mayor Pian Keesin, will allow the Sydictive Element New Year's Eve party to be held on Patong Beach – but only if Thai Beverage approve it. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Gazette was told today that Patong Municipality sent Preechavude “Prab” Keesin, son of Patong Mayor Pian Keesin and head of the largest taxi driver association in Patong, to Bangkok to discuss with party organizers Sydictive Element about moving the controversial Sydictive party from Surin Beach to Patong Beach at Loma Park.

Full story:

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Phongthep, the richest newcomer to Cabinet

Atapoom Ongkulna

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana leads the newly-appointed Cabinet members in terms of wealth, boasting a net worth of Bt2.9 billion.

Full story:

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Complaint over Abhisit's remarks about referendum

Chanikarn Phumhiran,

Kesinee Taengkhiao

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Activist Ruangkrai Leekitwattana applied to the electoral watchdog yesterday for a probe into Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva in connection with plans for a referendum on changing the Constitution.

Full story:

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EMIT braces for new year holidays

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand (EMIT) has amassed additional equipment and manpower to ensure extra road safety during the four-day New Year holiday break, acting secretary-general Prajakwit Lebnak said yesterday.

Full story:

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Experts want education 'shock'

Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

BANGKOK: - Academics are calling on relevant agencies to shock the Cabinet into realising the severity of the educational crisis before they propose concrete solutions for implementation under the revised national education plan.

Full story:

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People to fight AoT over noise pollution

Thanapat Kijjakosol

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- People affected by the noise pollution from Suvarnabhumi Airport are promising a 'fierce fight' against plans to construct more runways and will go as far as releasing balloons to disrupt flights, according to the Stop Global Warming Association.

Full story:

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Monsoon brings cold, floods from north to south

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok weather will be cooler by 2-3 degrees Celsius until tomorrow, while the North and Northeast will have cool to cold weather, the influence of active high pressure from China, the Meteorological Department reported yesterday.

Full story:

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Rayong medical equipment plant hit by fire

The Nation

RAYONG: -- A fire broke out yesterday at a medical-equipment factory inside an industrial estate in Rayong, though nobody was injured or killed.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause and whether there had been any chemical leaks during the fire, which raged for two hours at the B Brown Medical Production plant.

A warehouse storing plastic pellets used in the plant was destroyed. Reporters were not allowed to enter the company's 10-rai (1.6-hectare) compound in the Pluak Daeng industrial estate even after the fire was put out by 50 fire engines.

-- The Nation 2012-12-25

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Blaze damages 30 shops, no injuries

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A fire started in a market in Rayong's Muang district on Sunday night, damaging 30 shops, but there were no reports of injuries.

Firemen spent about 20 minutes fighting the blaze before being able to extinguish it. Initial investigation, estimating damages at Bt5 million, showed the fire may have been caused by a short in a generator.

Sak Boonyarit, 55, a security guard, said he was patrolling the market around 9.30pm when he saw flames from the generator before they spread to the shops nearby. The fire damaged about 30 of 180 shops in the market.

-- The Nation 2012-12-25

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Children's Day activities set

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The motto for Children's Day on January 12 next year is to "Uphold Discipline, Enhance Knowledge, and Bring Thailand towards Asean".

"Activities for Children's Day will be held in line with the motto theme," PM's Office Minister Sansanee Nakpong said yesterday, adding that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra wrote the motto.

Sansanee said activities on Children's Day at Government House would run from 8am until 3pm. Children aged between six and 14 could also take part in a "composition contest". Application and composition forms are available on Facebook.com/ThaiKhuFah and www.Thaigov.go.th.

Compositions under the theme of "Good Stories I Want to Share" must be handwritten and sent to the Secretariat of the Cabinet or fax No 02 288 4489-90, or e-mail [email protected] by January 7.

"There will be three categories for contestants in different age groups: those between six and eight years, those between nine and 11 years, and those between 12 and 14 years," she said.

Twenty successful contestants from each age group will be allowed to join the PM in the recording of "Yingluck's Government Meets the People" show for broadcast on January 12.

-- The Nation 2012-12-25

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Democrat cleared of vote fraud

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Supreme Court’s election division yesterday dropped a case against Democrat MP for Bangkok Samart Muangsiri that could lead to a new election, saying there was no clear evidence of involvement in election fraud.

He was accused of vote-buying as a canvasser allegedly constructed a walkway to a community near Thon Buri Remand Prison and told voters to vote for Samart. A police officer was also accused of abuse of power and working in an unfair way in taking care of election units on the voting day last year. One of the plaintiffs was Wan Yoobamrung, son of Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm, who was a candidate in the same constituency as Samart.

The Election Commission had earlier unanimously voted to send the case to court.

Samart tearfully welcomed the court verdict, and Wan said he respected the ruling and would continue to visit people before running in the next election.

The constituency covers Bang Bon and Nong Khaem districts.

-- The Nation 2012-12-25

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Unverified migrants to get an extension

THAMARAT KITCHALONG

THE NATION

Three-month 'grace' for workers from Myanmar after confusion on deadline

BANGKOK: -- The government will today offer a three-month moratorium to the 266,677 migrant workers from Myanmar and other neighbouring countries who failed to meet the December 14 deadline for nationality verification, the Employment Department said yesterday.

Full story:

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Promotion for mid-ranked troops

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Defence Ministry will make about 9,000 non-commissioned troops into commissioned officers next year.

The eligible soldiers must be at least 55 years old, have good work records, and have never caused any damage to the reputation of the ministry or the armed forces. They must also have the rank of senior sergeant or above.

"The promotions are in line with Defence Minister Sukampol Suwannathat's policy to boost the morale of junior soldiers who will soon reach mandatory retirement age," ministry spokesman Colonel Tanatip Sawangsaeng said yesterday.

Funds for the promotions will come from the armed forces, he said. "We have not requested any extra budget from the government."

-- The Nation 2012-12-25

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Big boost to sites for rise in visitors

BAMRUNG AMNATCHAROENRIT

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Tourism Department has been allocated Bt4.3 billion in 2014 to continue improving tourism sites nationwide as part of the plan to attract more visitors and drive revenue from the sector to Bt2 trillion in 2015.

Full story:

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'Odd Couple' actor Klugman dies at age 90

By Steve Almasy, CNN

Tony Randall Jack Klugman Odd Couple 1972

File photo, source: wikimedia

(CNN) -- Jack Klugman, best known as the messy sports writer Oscar Madison in TV's "The Odd Couple," died Monday, his son Adam said. He was 90.

Full story:

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American rescued during failed sailing trip to Thailand from Philippines

By Staff Reporter

Vietnamese fishermen have rescued an American yacht sailor who had been drifting in the ocean en route to Thailand for over a week.

Full story:

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Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,376.09, gains 0.27 points /MCOT

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SCANDAL

CP denies Thaksin's involvement in Ping An Insurance acquisition

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Charoen Pokphand Group flatly denied news report that Thailand's fugitive prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra partially financed the acquisition of Ping An Insurance, China's second largest insurer.

Full story:

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Myanmar passenger jet in emergency landing near airport

YANGON, Dec 25, 2012 (AFP) - A Myanmar plane carrying 65 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing near an airport in eastern Shan state on Tuesday, leaving two pilots injured, the airline said.

Full story:

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UPDATE

One dead, 11 hurt as Myanmar jet crash lands: airline

YANGON, Dec 25, 2012 (AFP) - One person was killed and 11 others injured when a Myanmar plane carrying 65 passengers crash-landed near an airport in eastern Shan state on Tuesday, the airline said.

Full story:

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SOUTHERN CRISIS

Army chief orders tightened security in deep south for New Year

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha has ordered government security agencies operating in the southern border provinces to tighten their security measures with more checkpoints to ensure safety during the New Year celebrations.

Gen Prayuth is visiting Sirindhorn Camp in Pattani's Yarang district today to review the latest developments in the southern border provinces and follow up the measures implemented to address the problems.

He is also offering moral support to the agencies on the occasion of the New Year and to thank them for working tirelessly in the violence-torn southern provinces.

He told reporters before departing to Pattani that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat have instructed all agencies provide special care for the military working in the areas.

Gen Prayuth said that during the long New Year weekend, he has ordered the military to be more vigilant, more checkpoints should be set up to provide more safety to the public.

He urged the public to be patient and to cooperate fully with the authorities, always have ID cards with them and to be more careful when travelling.

The army chief said he believed that the situation in the southern provinces would be improved if all sectors cooperate to solve the problems.

As for the idea to deploy more soldiers, paramilitary rangers and border patrol police to the south to help educators in teaching in schools, Gen Prayuth said that it would depend on discussions and decisions taken among the government, the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) and Ministry of Education.

-- The Nation 2012-12-25

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Floods wreak havoc in South; schools close, district declared disaster zone

By Digital Media

NARATHIWAT, Dec 25 – Thirteen districts of this southern border province have been flooded, forcing the closure of schools, while one district in Surat Thani province was declared disaster zone on Tuesday.

Full story: