Thailand Live Thursday 17 January 2013

News, Bits and Tweets

with webfact

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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NUA MEK 2

Producers 'Do NOT Know about politics'

Khanittha Thepphajorn,

Pakamard Jaichalard

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Chatchai Plengpanich, producer of TV Channel 3's Nua Mek 2 and director Nonzee Nimibutr yesterday said they had no idea whether political interference had led to the abrupt cancellation of the SHOW on January 4, when the reason given for the withdrawal was 'inappropriate content'.

Full story:

REFUGEES

UN, 20 nations join Thailand to help Rohingya

The Nation

Envoys hold conference to organise support; UNHCR granted permission to visit refugees

BANGKOK: -- Envoys of more than 20 countries yesterday joined a teleconference that was held to address the grievances of and get help for more than 850 Rohingya people. These illegal migrants were arrested in Thailand's South earlier this month.

Full story:

2002 ANTI-PIPELINE PROTESTS

Police found guilty of using excessive force

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Court limits state's use of power, endorses community rights: lawyer

BANGKOK: -- Yesterday's ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court that protesters were subject to excessive force by police during an anti-pipeline demonstration in Songkhla in 2002 is expected to encourage more people to defend their rights, officials said.

Full story:

Inquest not conclusive in 2010 shooting

Kesinee Taengkhiao

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- An inquest into the death of a man who was killed during the 2010 political protests was inconclusive on whether he was shot by soldiers or by armed protesters.

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Some 1,000 mid-sized Japan firms eye Thai bases

SUCHEERA PINIJPARAKARN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- More than 1,000 medium-sized Japanese companies are planning to expand their business and invest in Thailand this year, the highest number for seven years, Kasikornbank said yesterday.

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Capital inflow boost bond market

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Hot money is flowing into the Thai and other Asian bond markets as foreign investors seek to benefit from relatively high interest rates and foreign-exchange gains.

Full story:

DREAMLINER

No plan to review orders for new jet

NONGNAPAS MAIPANIT

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Thai Airways International has reaffirmed its plan to purchase the Boeing 787, more commonly known as the Dreamliner, despite a series of operational problems faced by carriers currently using the new aircraft.

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THAI TALK

Charter change: Road ahead is lined with booby-traps

Suthichai Yoon

The Nation

Interior Minister Charupong

BANGKOK: -- The proposed constitutional amendment by the ruling Pheu Thai Party is stuck in the mud. Things could get messier if the next step in that direction isn't handled with great care.

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EDITORIAL

Give our poorer students a chance to learn online

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The money wasted on the first-car scheme could easily have provided free lessons for kids who cannot compete with wealthier peers who can afford private tutors.

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BANGKOK GOVERNOR RACE 2013

Pongsapat denies shoplifting allegations

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The ruling Pheu Thai Party's Bangkok gubernatorial candidate Pol General Pongsapat Pongcharoen yesterday sought to quash allegations that he'd been prosecuted for shoplifting in the US.

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BURNING ISSUE

Charter rewrite still confounds govt

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- It seems the "big boss", the coalition, the Pheu Thai Party and the red-shirt movement have tried to create new hot issues to divert public attention from the plan to rewrite a new charter.

Full story:

Skytrain executive doubts Ministry will cancel contract

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Prapanpong Vejjajiva and Amorn Kitchawengkul, both executives of Krungthep Thanakom Co, yesterday acknowledged criminal charges related to the running of the BTS Skytrain.

Krungthep Thanakom was set up by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to oversee its business operations.

The Department of Special Investigation has targeted top city officials, including governor candidate MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra, in its probe of a contract that it contends was illegitimate because it lacked prior approval by the interior minister.

Prapanpong said the deal was a management contract to operate mass transit services and not a state concession as interpreted by the DSI.

He doubted that the Interior Ministry would try to cancel the contract because that would disrupt key transport services and risk the wrath of commuters.

-- The Nation 2013-01-17

Two women arrested in underage prostitution sting

Patinya Iamtan

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Two Thai women who allegedly lured nine girls aged 14 to 16 into prostitution have been arrested and charged with human trafficking, said city police chief Pol Lt-General Kamronwit Thupkrajang at a press conference yesterday.

A 17-year-old suspect identified as Bee was arrested in a police sting at an unnamed dormitory in Bangkok's Thung Khru district along with the nine girls. Police later nabbed Nok Thonglek, 23, as the suspected mama-san. The gang reportedly charged customers Bt1,500 for each girl's services, with Bee pocketing Bt200, Nok Bt300 and the girl the remainder.

Kamronwit said police would extend arrests to the gang's customers because their actions constituted statutory rape of minors. Police say they also found that some of the girls were drug addicts. Kamronwit said police would crack down on human trafficking gangs in line with the policy of the national police chief.

-- The Nation 2013-01-17

Assumption teachers not being pushed out: president

Chuleeporn Aramnet,

Ployrung Aunwisas,

Panrapee Kamolrat

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Assumption College executives yesterday denied reports that the school was forcing teachers to quit because it was merging its primary and secondary levels.

Full story:

15 locations set for Bangkok election rallies

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Election Commission will prepare 15 locations for Bangkok governor candidates to hold rallies and make campaign speeches, including Lumpini, Benjasiri, Queen Sirikit and Chatuchak parks.

Weera Yiprae, director of the EC's Bangkok office, said yesterday that candidates can submit requests to the Bangkok EC's organising committee.

The other venues are the City Hall plaza, Rot Fai Park, King Taksin Monument, Rama VIII Bridge park, Rama IX Bridge youth centre, Ram Indra Sports Park, Seri Thai Park, Phra Nakhon Park, Health Park, Chalerm Prakiart Sports Park and the park in front of The Mall Bang Kae.

The committee will invite candidates and their teams to a briefing on how to conduct election campaigns within the law, at the Thai-Japanese Youth Centre on February 1.

-- The Nation 2013-01-17

CONFLICT

Bloody conflict threatens Thailand's security

BANGKOK: -- A civil war raging between Muslim separatists and the Thai military in the south of the country becomes a great challenge for Bangkok as the conflict escalates.

Full story:

Thailand to rent additional storage facilities as rice warehouses fill up

BY APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT

BANGKOK — THAILAND, struggling to find storage for a rice buying scheme that cost the country its crown as the world’s biggest exporter of the grain, will rent private warehouses to store next month’s harvest, government officials said on Wednesday.

Full story:

European diplomats satisfied with Thailand's human trafficking solutions

By English News

SAMUT SAKHON, Jan 16 – European Union envoys expressed satisfaction with Thailand’s handling of migrant workers after a visit to frozen food factories in this coastal fishing province, the foreign minister said.

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UPDATE

Dutch tourist autopsy results from Bangkok expected next week: Phuket Police

Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- Police yesterday morning confirmed that the body of 26-year-old Dutch tourist Stephan Buczynski had been sent to Bangkok for an autopsy.

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Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 1,420.99, up 4.85 points /MCOT

100,000 tourists from China,HK expected to visit Thailand this Chinese New Yr;Bt4.2bn tourism revenue projected: Tourism Council /The Nation

Court sentences Red Shirt leader Jeng Dokjik 2 yrs in jail for delivering speech deemed insulting monarchy; Bt500,000 bail bond lodged /MCOT

Democrat leader, deputy to sue top DSI officials next week

By English News

BANGKOK, Jan 17 – Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his then deputy Suthep Thaugsuban will file lawsuits against the head and four top officials of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) for abusing their power and falsely imposing charges against them in connection with the 2010 political upheaval in Bangkok.

Full story:

Thailand may face heat over ivory trade business at endangered species conference

By Darryl Fears

BANGKOK: -- It was a professional hit, the quick and ruthless slaying of a family of 12. Poachers with machetes hacked off the tusks of 11 African elephants on Jan. 5 in a Kenyan reserve, passing over a baby that was crushed by its mother after a gunshot felled her.

Full story:

Thai PM: Rohingya 'might join southern insurgency'

By Francis Wade

BANGKOK: -- Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Sinawatra indulged in some loaded conjecturing yesterday when she warned that the 840-plus Rohingya in detention in Thailand “might join the southern insurgency rather than seek asylum in a third country”. The men, women and children in question were found in Songkla’s Sadao district over the course of several raids last week on smuggling dens run by human trafficking rackets.

Full story:

Presumed insurgents fire on vehicle carrying Narathiwat Rueso Witthaya School students; driver killed, students unharmed /MCOT

All cargo trucks carrying hazardous substances must have warning signs as of Jan 25: Dept of Land Transport /The Nation

Receptionist drugged, hotel robbed in Phuket

Tanyaluk Sakoot

PHUKET: -- Police are looking for a foreigner who drugged the receptionist at the Karon Place Hotel, Phuket, on Monday (January 14) and then robbed the safety deposit boxes behind the counter.

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