Thailand Live Tuesday 29 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...

Commentary is still open for Thailand news in the relevant thread posted in News Clippings.

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CONTROVERSY

Assumption College director to be removed

Chuleeporn Aramnet,

Ployrung Ounwises

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The St Gabriel's Foundation is moving to dump Anant Prichavudhi as Assumption College director while continuing his two controversial projects.

Full story:

BURNING ISSUE

New minister a tough call for PM

Avudh Panananda

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will soon have to make a judgment call on whether to shuffle her Cabinet in order to keep her allies happy.

Full story:

REFUGEES

Rohingyas 'not trafficked' : NSC

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The entry of Rohingya migrants into Thailand has been deemed illegal and not in accordance with the definition of crimes constituting human trafficking, meaning they will be subject to repatriation, the National Security Council concluded yesterday after a meeting with the Foreign Ministry.

Full story:

SOUTH

More security cameras torched, as teachers seek transfers

Parez Lohasan,

Narong Nuansakun,

Wattana Kamchu

The Nation

PATTANI: -- Unknown attackers destroyed 15 security cameras and stole seven others in Pattani early yesterday. They were the latest simultaneous attacks on the authorities' closed-circuit television system in the deep South since early this year.

Full story:

MEDIA

Soldiers not behind ASTV shootings

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha yesterday insisted that soldiers had nothing to do with shots being fired at ASTV news vehicles on Saturday. He urged police investigating the case to arrest the suspects soon.

Full story:

EDITORIAL

Set a bad example and you will get a bad reaction

The Nation

It's no surprise that violence between college students persists when adults behave in an antisocial fashion

Full story:

Rally over 'political prisoners'

Atapoom Ongkulna,

Pimnara Pradubwit

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A political group calling itself the "29 January United Front for the Release of Political Prisoners" (UFRPP) will today launch a campaign at the Royal Plaza to demand "political prisoners" from every political group be released.

The group, previously named "The Declaration Outside the Court", is led by Suda Rankupan, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University.

Members of the group, which claims to have 10,000 supporters, comprise political activists from the September 2006 coup and those who joined rallies in 2010.

But leaders of red-shirt groups, Thida Thavornseth and Kwanchai Praipana, said their organisations would not join in the rally.

Thida said the UFRPP supported the amnesty law drafted by the academic Nitirat Group, which was different from her group's version. Kwanchai, meanwhile, said a powerful person had asked him not to join the rally at the moment as it might hurt the ruling Pheu Thai Party's popularity during the run-up to the Bangkok governor's poll.

The group will gather to first lay a wreath to pay respects to those who sacrificed their lives for democracy in 1932 at the Royal Plaza before moving to the Government House.

They will carry out activities on Phitsanulok Road all day, starting with the reading of a statement that calls for the release of all political prisoners. Seminars will be held to discuss Thai political history, the principles of human rights of political prisoners and political economy and governance, to be conducted by noted academics such as Somsak Jeamteerasakul, Suthachai Yimprasert and Pichit Likhitkitsomboon.

The group has actively campaigned in support of several political prisoners such as the late Ampol Tangnopakul, a 62-year-old man known as "Uncle SMS" who died while serving a jail term after he was convicted of defaming the Royal Family in text messages.

"The death of Ampol in prison demonstrates the cruelty of the country's justice system," Suda said.

The group, which claims to be politically neutral, has also campaigned continuously via the Internet to demand the release of political prisoners of all colours and in every case, totalling 1,857 people from 3,000 families across the country.

"Although these people committed offences, their motivation derived from different political ideologies of state officials,'' Suda said.

She cited the example of a prisoner convicted of theft and resisting authority in 2010 - his motivation was a need to protect people from being assaulted with weapons.

She said the red-shirt cases had been prosecuted in a speedy manner while those against the yellow shirts were few, adding that Sondhi Limthongkul was released on bail even though he was charged with serious cases.

The group also moved in support of Panithan Prueksakasemsuk who went on a 112-hour hunger strike to seek justice for his father, Somyos Prueksakasemsuk, Voice of Taksin magazine editor and key red-shirt member.

After spending 21 months in detention - with 12 bail requests denied - Somyos was last week sentenced to 10 years jail for publishing two articles deemed offensive to HM the King and King Rama I.

Suda said the group supported the Nitirat group's move to amend the charter and issue an amnesty law and would submit their demands to the government and wait three months to see how it responds in the next parliamentary session.

While she understands that her group is pushing the government to take a political risk, she said it had the responsibility to help people who support it.

In a separate development, the government whip has agreed to ask the Council of State to consider an amnesty law draft proposed by the Independent National Rule of Law Commission (NRLC) led by former Parliament president Ukrit Mongkolnavin, an adviser to Whip Udomdej Rattanasathien said yesterday.

The Council of State would be asked to see who would get an amnesty according to the draft and how different it was from the amnesty law for political incidents in 1973, he said.

-- The Nation 2013-01-29

Govt hasn't kept its word: Korn

Chanikarn Phumhiran,

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation

Only 1 per cent of executive decree for Bt350 billion has been used, so it wasn't urgent, he tells court

BANGKOK: -- Democrat Party deputy leader Korn Chatikavanij yesterday tacitly told the Constitution Court it had been duped by the government into endorsing an executive decree for a Bt350-billion loan.

Full story:

Sukhumbhand pledges support for the elderly

The Nation

Kosit Suwinijjit, Bangkok governor candidate number 10, demonstrates how to prepare food as he is accompanied by his wife and daughter. He was campaigning at Yingcharoen Market yesterday. Food preparation or food tasting is one of the popular gimmicks

BANGKOK: -- Democrat Party candidate MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra yesterday promised to provide better care for aged Bangkok residents if he is re-elected as the Bangkok governor.

Campaigning at the Bang Khun Thien Hospital for the Aged, Sukhumbhand said he built the hospital as a first step to providing comprehensive care for ageing Bangkok residents.

Sukhumbhand said in ten years, Thailand would have some 12- million aged people.

Apart from the Bang Khun Thien hospital, the city administration would build a shelter-ed accommodation on the 48-rai plot near the hospital so that it would be more convenient for the aged to receive medical treatment.

He said he would also upgrade 68 public health centres in Bangkok to provide doctors and nurses to take care of aged people.

Sukhumbhand said he would set up special service counters for the aged at all 50 Bangkok districts as well.

Pongsapat woos flat dwellers

Pheu Thai Party gubernatorial candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen yesterday wooed support from residents of the old and massive Din Daeng flat buildings.

Pongsapat promised residents of the old housing project of the National Housing Authority that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration under his leadership would provide better care for the Din Daeng flat residents so they would have a better quality of life.

The BMA would cooperate with the NHA to ensure that there would be no drug problems in the flat area and would get rid of pests and solve garbage problem.

Pongsapat reiterated his plan to provide free bus services. He said he would reduce the size of buses to make them more mobile and would also restructure minibus services. He said he would ensure that buses for each route would be available every five minutes and about 30 per cent of the buses would pass major housing estates.

Candidates challenged on young drinkers

An anti-alcoholic drink activist yesterday called on Bangkok governor candidates to detail policies on how to protect the rising number of young drinkers.

Songkran Pakchokdee, the director of the Office of the Network against Alcohol Drink-ing, said none of the Bangkok governor candidates had talked about an anti-alcohol consumption policy.

Songkran said the candidates should pay attention to the problem of alcohol consumption because it was a major social problem and the cause of other problems, including crimes and sexual trouble and family violence.

Songkran said the candidates should propose policies on how to prevent alcohol shops from springing up around schools and universities. He said the drinkers who are younger than 20 have increased by 12 per cent - so the new Bangkok governor should tackle this problem.

-- The Nation 2013-01-29

Medical fees set to rise by 10 - 15%

Puangchompoo Prasert

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- New rates for medical services - up by an average of 12.5 per cent - will take effect at state hospitals within the next two weeks, Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong has said. Some services may be cheaper, but, overall, prices are expected to rise by between 10 and 15 per cent.

Full story:

Abortion pills to be legalised for some women

Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand plans to legalise abortion pills for some women with 'unwanted pregnancies' under Medical Council of Thailand regulations and criminal laws. The move would be done to provide safer and cheaper choices for some women, such as rape victims.

Full story:

Suicide cited in hotel fire

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A 45-year-old hotel worker who died in a fire at the Grand Tower Inn on Rama VI Road on Saturday night left a suicide note and is a prime suspect in what's being treated as an arson case, Bangkok police chief Pol Maj Gen Khamronwit Thoopkrajang said yesterday.

Full story:

Corruption costs 'Bt193 bn a year'

Nongnapas Pithapatee

The Nation

Thawatchai Yongkittikul, an executive member of ACT

Illegal outflow of money hits welfare, education, wealth distribution: groups say

BANGKOK: -- An average of US$6.42 billion (Bt192.6 billion) a year illegally flowed out of Thailand between 2001 and 2010 - and a large portion of this was believed to be earned through corruption, an anti-graft campaign group has said.

Full story:

Saraburi dust at dangerous level

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

SARABURI: -- The Pollution Control Department (PCD) plans to strictly control activities at Saraburi's quarry and rock crushing sites, after locals were found to be at greater risk of lung disease because the level of small dust particles exceeded health standards and was the highest in the country.

Full story:

Lottery sales double in past decade

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Centre for Gambling Studies director Nuannoi Trirat yesterday said more Thais are gambling on the lottery as ticket publishing rose from 36 million to 72 million per round in the past decade.

Citing a report on 2011-2015 casino market estimation, she said the Asia-Pacific region's casino market growth would rise by 9.2 per cent a year, and its world market share will rise from 29 per cent to 43 per cent to become the world leader.

Nuannoi urged for a crackdown on gambling and an anti-gambling campaign to be spearheaded by the Social Development and Human Security Ministry.

Chulalongkorn University law lecturer Nanthawat Borommanant said the Gambling Act of 1935 was no longer effective and urged for a new law to clearly define gambling crimes, cover new gambling methods, impose an age limit on punters and collect taxes from online gambling.

-- The Nation 2013-01-29

Wetlands back in focus

The Nation

Encroachment of wetlands is in focus as Thailand prepares to mark the February 2 World Wetlands Day.

BANGKOK: -- Santi Boonprakub, deputy chief of the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), said yesterday the five most-encroached and most-damaged wetlands last year were Nakhon Si Thammarat's Kuan Kreng peat swamp, Nakhon Sawan's Beung Boraphet lake, Sakhon Nakhon's Nong Han lake, Udon Thani's Nong Han Kumphawapi lake and the Sarakham river basin's Bung and Tam forestland.

Thailand has 12 wetlands listed on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, 69 wetlands of international importance, 47 wetlands of national importance as well as 19,295 wetlands of local importance. A Cabinet resolution on November 3, 2009 called for clearer wetland conservation practices and a stop to wetland encroachment.

-- The Nation 2013-01-29

Dutch Queen Beatrix to abdicate throne after 33 years

2013-01-29 04:56:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (BNO NEWS) -- Dutch Queen Beatrix announced Monday that she will abdicate on Queen's Day in April after more than three decades as head of state, allowing her eldest son Willem-Alexander to become the kingdom's first king in more than a century.

Full story:

Tesco Lotus Botched Robbery in Pattaya

PATTAYA:--Monday evening shoppers in a Pattaya Tesco Lotus witnessed an armed robbery that went viciously wrong.

Full story:

British man Julian Ponder facing Bali drugs sentence

An Indonesian court is due to deliver its verdict in the case of a British man accused of drug offences.

Full story:

Motorcycle narrowly misses container truck hit

Traffic cameras have captured an extraordinary escape for two men in eastern China.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=Cmf6o8xyYvM

American accused of unlawful encounter with 13 year old girl on Pattaya Beach

PATTAYA: -- A 38 year old American was caught in a compromising position with a 13 year old girl after meeting her on Pattaya Beach, early on Tuesday Morning.

Full story:

Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,1475.42, up 3.37 points /MCOT

Mobile service providers to be fined 134 million baht

BANGKOK, 29 January 2013 (NNT) – Mobile telephone service providers will be forced to pay the Legal Execution Department retroactive fines they owe to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).

According to NBTC secretary Thakorn Tantasit, the NBTC will ask the Legal Execution Department to force 3 mobile service providers, DTAC, AIS, and CAT TELECOM, to pay the fines they owe for not complying with the prepaid-mobile regulations

He said the 3 providers will be fined up to 71.6 million baht altogether for breaking the validity period regulation forbidding setting an expiration date on the prepaid-phone numbers. In the case of failure to register new users of prepaid SIM cards, 4 providers including AIS, DTAC, TOT, and CAT Telecom will be fined 15.6 million baht each for the violation. Therefore, the total fine for not complying with the rules amounts to 134 million baht.

Concerning the regulations on voice-call rates, the secretary said the NBTC is still waiting for answers from DTAC and AIS in relation to what measures they will take regarding the combined 99 satang per minute promotional call packages. However, the 2 providers have confirmed that they have already complied with the rules.

-- NNT 2013-01-29

Court asked to challenge government’s water management delays

By English News

BANGKOK, Jan 29 – The opposition Democrat Party has sought the Constitution Court’s intervention in response to the government’s failure to deliver a realistic plan for water management and applying the Bt350 billion in loans approved under a royal decree.

Full story:

Red shirt group rallies at Government House to submit letter to government demanding amnesty law; Deputy PM Chalerm receives petition /MCOT

Comedian denies link to drug ring

By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Yesterday, Theerachart Theerawittayakul, also known as Aood Pentor, shrugged off speculations that he was involved in a drug ring allegedly run by his sister-in-law.

Full story:

Finance Minister affirms govt able to seek 350 billion-baht loan

BANGKOK, 29 January 2013 (NNT) – The Finance Minister has assured that the government will be able to acquire the entire amount of the 350 billion baht for its water management projects.

Full story:

Bird flu kills two Cambodian children, taking 2013 toll to four

PHNOM PENH: -- Two children have died of bird flu in Cambodia, bringing the number of cases recorded this month to five, officials said Tuesday.

Full story: