Thailand Live Monday 21 January 2013

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...

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BANGKOK GOVERNOR RACE 2013

The countdown begins

Jintana Panyaarvudh,

Attayuth Bootsripoom

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The battle for Bangkok governor officially starts today - the first day of candidate registration. The election will be a direct contest between the two major parties, the ruling Pheu Thai and the opposition Democrat Party. None of the political parties linked to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra - Thai Rak Thai, People Power, and Pheu Thai - has won the election even when they were in power. Despite winning the general elections to run the country, they have never won the hearts of Bangkokians. The Democrats have retained their popularity in Bangkok. The Nation talks to the two campaign managers.

Full story:

BANGKOK GOVERNOR RACE 2013

Candidates to register today

The Nation

Pheu Thai brass to join Pongsapat; Dems more low-key

BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai Party leader and several prominent members will accompany Pongsapat Pongcharoen to register as a Bangkok governor election candidate today.

But Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva will be on a trip to Singapore and unable to accompany Sukhumbhand Paribatra as he applies to enter the race on the first day of candidacy registration.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said Charupong Ruangsuwan, party leader and chairman of the election management committee, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, chairman of the election committee for Bangkok and Thonburi, Information and Communications Minister Anudith Nakhonthap, PM's Office Minister Sansanee Nakpong and Yongyuth Wichaidit, a leading member, would accompany Pongsapat to register for his candidacy.

The candidacy registration will start at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration headquarters at 9 am.

Prompong said after Pongsapat received his candidate number, the team would pay sacred respects and then campaign at the Bangkok City Shrine.

The Pheu Thai gubernatorial candidate would campaign at the BMA 2 public ground at 4 pm, together with several leading Pheu Thai members, Prompong said.

He said Pheu Thai MPs, Bangkok councillors and district councillors were reminded by the Pheu Thai leader to take leave before helping Pongsapat campaign -- and were asked not to use official vehicles for the election campaigns.

Pongsapat yesterday campaigned at the Chatuchak Weekend market during which he helped a road sweeper clean the road.

Meanwhile, Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said he would be travelling to Singapore today and could not accompany Sukhumbhand to register his candidacy.

Abhisit said he had been invited earlier to give a speech at a public event chaired by the Singapore prime minister at noon. He would also give a lecture to a Singapore education institute in the afternoon.

"I would like to inform the people now of my schedule so that you will not be surprised not to see me around," Abhisit said.

Abhisit helped Sukhumbhand campaign at Lumpini Park yesterday. Abhisit said Sukhumbhand received a warm welcome from people at the park as in other areas.

Abhisit said the Democrat would not yet select a team of deputy governors, secretary, spokesman and advisers for the Bangkok governor. He said the team's groups in education and public health affairs would be organized before selection of deputy governors and other positions.

Also yesterday, Pol Maj General Wichai Sangprapai, former deputy metropolitan police chief, said he would be ready to work as a deputy governor for Sukhumbhand if the Democrat wins the election and entrusted him to the position.

Wichai said he would accompany Sukhumbhand to apply for the race today.

Paveena Hongsakul, chairwoman of a foundation for children and women, said she would not work as a deputy Bangkok governor under Pongsapat.

Paveena said she helped Pongsapat campaign last week because she had worked with him on social issues.

In another development, Suharit Siamwalla posted on his Facebook wall that he would register his candidacy at 9:09 am today.

He said he would announce details of his policies after the candidacy registration. He said he needed support from Bangkokians to change the capital with unconventional ideas.

-- The Nation 2013-01-21

UPDATE:

Goldilocks Rescued from Thai Forest

By Staff Reporter

Dr. Lydia Koch, a cardiologist from Berlin Germany, found out, over the weekend that Thai People have excellent hearts.

Full story:

THAI strike called off, meeting today

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- After calling off their strike for bigger bonuses and wages at midnight on Saturday, Thai Airways International's labour union will meet today with management to see if the airline has made enough profit last year to afford a bigger payout.

Full story:

LITERACY CAMPAIGN

'Book capital' looks to boost reading

Chularat Saengpassa

Pongphon Sarnsamak

Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

BMA to build more libraries, wants residents to read 10 books a year

BANGKOK: -- Despite the fact that Thais read only about five books per year on average, Bangkok has received international recognition after being selected for the prestigious "World Book Capital 2013" award by Unesco to encourage Bangkokians to read more.

Full story:

FIRST CAR IMPACT

First-car scheme may hit buying power in low-priced-home segment

Sucheera Pinijparakarn,

Somluck Srimalee

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Property developers that sell housing priced between Bt1 million and Bt3 million may suffer from a drop in purchasing power of potential customers with monthly incomes around Bt20,000 if they bought vehicles under the first-car tax-incentive scheme last year.

Full story:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Transport agency gets expanded role

Chularat Saengpassa

The Nation

Chula Sukmanop at a public hearing on Red and Green lines in November 2012. His office is expected to play a key part in the government's logistic infrastructure development scheme.

BANGKOK: -- The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) has been tasked with playing a significant role in the government's logistics infrastructure investment, of which the four high-speed train projects are the highlight.

Full story:

EDITORIAL

Asean integration will require a new mindset

The Nation

Thai business people are still struggling to grasp the change that looms in two years time

BANGKOK: -- Ironically, even though we can hardly miss the acronym "AEC" when browsing through the newspaper each day, some Thai businessmen confessed to a survey recently that they don't have a true understanding of how to prepare for the regional integration which is due to come into existence in 2015.

Full story:

'No camp for Rohingya'

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The people of Ranong will oppose the setting up of a refugee camp for Rohingyas in the southern coastal province, their leader said yesterday.

Sucheep Patthong said his group would launch protests if there were reports indicating the government intended to open a Rohingya refugee camp in Ranong.

Sucheep said he had sympathy for the Rohingya people but if they were allowed to live in a refugee camp in Ranong, it would have a negative impact on the local people.

"Ranong is now already suffering enough from some 100,000 immigrant workers living in the province. This has led to social, security and public health problems," Sucheep added.

He said Thailand is also facing a problem because of some 20,000 children born to Myanmar workers in the Kingdom so the Rohingya would add to the problems to the country.

He said Thailand had nothing to do with the Rohingya hence Myanmar, Bangladesh and the United Kingdom should step in to help them.

Meanwhile, a 54-year-old Rohingya, who called himself Aree and who has been living in Ranong for 20 years, said he had to pay a bribe of Bt30,000 to get an identification of a non-Thai displaced person allowed to live legally in the country.

He said he and his wife had been living in Thailand for more than 20 years and had to earlier pay bribes to local officials regularly to avoid being rounded up and deported. They have eight children.

He said he, his wife and his first daughter got the ID card and were allowed to work without having to hide.

-- The Nation 2013-01-21

Ex-minister Sompat found dead in Chiang Mai hotel, 'no foul play'

The Nation

CHIANG MAI: -- Sompat Kaewpichit, a former Chart Thai MP for Nakhon Pathom and former deputy agriculture and cooperatives minister in the Samak Sundaravej government, was found dead in a room in a Chiang Mai hotel on Saturday night, reports said.

Full story:

Pitak Siam backs UFPTP in temple protest

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Pitak Siam group will support the United Front of Patriotic Thais for the Protection of Thai Territory (UFPTP) by giving the list of its 80,000 supporters to be used by the latter for their campaign over the Preah Vihear dispute, General Boonlert Kaewprasit said yesterday.

Full story:

MANAGEMENT

Thai managers lag behind regional peers in leadership

Pichaya Changsorn

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thai managers lag behind their peers in other countries in their capability to lead and supervise their staff effectively, says Pichpajee Saichuae, managing director of Tower Watson (Thailand), citing a survey conducted by his consultancy.

Full story:

Money Launderer from Congo Arrested in Fake Passport Scam

PATTAYA: -- When a Congolese national tried to open a bank account in Pattaya, she wasn’t banking on diligent staff who double checked her passport and found it to be a fake.

Full story:

Obama sworn in for second term during low-key ceremony

Full story:

Avalanche in Scottish Highlands kills 4, injures 1

Full story:

Pheu Thai gets candidacy No 9, Democrat 16 in Bangkok governor race

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Pheu Thai candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen was assigned candidacy number 9 while his Democrat rival Sukhumbhand Paribatra got Number 16.

Bangkok governor hopefuls registered their candidacy Monday morning.

In the lot drawing, Sukhumbhand got Number 16.

Pongsapat was the last one to draw the lot and the Number 9 was left for him.

Former police chief Pol Gen Seripisut Temiyaves got number 11.

-- The Nation 2013-01-21

Thai stock index opens on Monday at 1,441.35, up 6.91 points /MCOT

7 Injured in Pattaya Car Wreck

PATTAYA: -- A pickup truck, littered with Beer cans, is thought to have caused a major traffic accident this morning, injuring 7 people in Pattaya

Full story:

Deputy PM/Tourism Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa passes away at age 72 due to heart failure /MCOT

All set for cabinet meeting in Thailand's North today

By English News

UTTARADIT, Jan 21 – The provincial administration and private sector here are expected to show up in full force as Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra leads her ministers and high-ranking officials to a mobile cabinet meeting in this primarily agricultural province today.

Uttaradit Governor Chalermchai Fuangkon said provincial officials are ready for the meeting which will take place on the campus of Uttaradit Rajabhat University.

Six major issues slated for discussion today involve trade and investment promotion including the opening of the Mae Sot special economic zone in Tak province, reviewing a project to develop Phitsanulok as the transport hub for Thailand’s lower Northeast and the Indochina region, and water resource management.

The Uttaradit administration will propose many projects for cabinet deliberation, such as opening a permanent checkpoint at Chong Pudu Pass, tourism promotion for the farming district of Laplae and a budget request for Bt1.2 billion to develop Uttaradit Hospital as a major medical centre.

Two other national sessions to be simultaneously held during the cabinet meeting are that of the Joint Public and Private Sector Committee and a meeting of governors from the lower northern provinces.

Deputy Prime Minister/Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana arrived yesterday and was briefed on a planned communication network and a large flood prevention project in the province under the government’s Bt100 million development budget. Both will be considered by the cabinet today.

Mr Phongthep said Uttaradit, 490km north of Bangkok, is a feasible base for a communication networking project linking Thailand with Myanmar in the West and with Laos in the East.

In the Joint Public and Private Sector Committee, Thai investors and industrialists will discuss development of high-speed and dual-track rail systems to upgrade Thailand as the a transport hub, or what they called the “Indochina intersection”, in preparation for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 and to promote domestic tourism.

In nearby Tak province, Ms Yingluck and some cabinet members were briefed on the planned development of a special economic zone in the Thai-Myanmar border district of Mae Sot.

Tak Governor Suriya Prasartbundit said the northern province generates an annual revenue of Bt40 billion – Bt39 billion from border trading, and revenue will possibly increase to over Bt50 billion when Thailand is integrated in the AEC. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-01-21

Chumpol dies at 72

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Hospitalised for heart disease in the middle of December, veteran politician Chumpol Silapa-archa passed away today, aged 72.

Full story:

NBTC agrees with Thai PBS to run digital TV trial

BANGKOK, 21 January 2013 (NNT) - The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has signed an MOU with Thai PBS Channel in running a digital terrestrial TV trial with the help of set-top boxes.

The new digital system will provide a better quality of the image and sound. The channel will run its trial through an ultra high frequency (UHF) system from January 25th onwards for six months. The area to receive this signal covers 50 kilometers in radius. As the high definition broadcast will be jointly conducted with Channel 5, the Channel 5 will distribute 1,000 set-top boxes to a sample group.

The Thai PBS is also planning to apply for a network provider license and a public-service channel license. It is expected that the NBTC could grant the licenses by the beginning of the second quarter this year.

-- NNT 2013-01-21

Myanmar suspects wanted for Rohingya migrant trafficking

By English News

SONGKHLA, Jan 21 – More arrest warrants will be issued for Myanmar suspects involved in the smuggling of over 800 Rohingya migrants into Thailand, according to police in this southern province.

Songkhla police earlier released three warrants for the arrest of two Thais and Myanmar national on charge of illegally arranging the Rohingya migrants’ trip to Thailand and confining them on Thai soil.

The three suspects were identified as Prasit Laemlae, former deputy mayor of Padang Besar municipality, Sarote Kaewmaneechote, former operator of a cock-fighting den, and Jama Nadin, a Myanmar citizen.

Police said the trio will surrender to the authorities soon and information from them should lead to more arrests.

An ethnic Rohingya man identified as Muhammad Alla led police into a forest near the Khao Kaew mountain range in Hat-Yai's Chalung sub-district close to the Malaysian border to search for more migrants suspected to be in hiding.

Police found no migrants but saw broken branches pointing to the Malaysian border as if giving directions to illegal migrants trekking from nearby Satun province.

Songkhla health officials gave medical checkup to Rohingya migrants at different temporary shelters yesterday and said they mainly suffered from dehydration, malnutrition and malaria.

Psychiatrists said many were stressed in fear that the Thai government would repatriate them to Myanmar. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-01-21

GURU SPEAK

Rising consumer loans endanger Thailand's economic stability

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- To be the bearer of bad news is not pleasant. But recent signs are alarming. And unless there is a strong effort to reverse current trends, the recent surge in consumer loans could see another home-grown financial crisis.

Full story:

'We were cheated' say Dutch-Thai family in Phuket

Thai customs officials say they'll examine the case of a visiting Dutch-Thai family in Phuket, who say a travel company in Bangkok scammed them out more than B200,000.

Full story:

Patrol units protecting dugongs from poachers.

By Digital Media

TRANG, Jan 21 - Petrol units are on alert to protect the endangered dugong or sea cow from poachers after rumours swirled that there were gangs of poachers killing some of the sea animals, and illegally sending their carcasses abroad, according to a wildlife conservation official. .

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....-from-poachers/

RT@191Thailand: 12:40pm Car on fire on the overpass at Lad Phrao junction (Pic @Vimolsiri_S) pic.twitter.com/BR5r3YIW

RT@191Thailand: Remains of Honda Jazz car after fire at Lad Phrao (Via @SpringNews_TV) pic.twitter.com/dzaKT3yH