RT @CBSNews: Fireworks explosion on China highway kills 26 http://cbsn.ws/11pK1sV

Cambodia begins funeral for King Sihanouk

PHNOM PENH: -- Crowds have gathered in Phnom Penh for the start of funeral proceedings for King Norodom Sihanouk, who died in October.

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Local agencies to set up knowledge hub in every region of Thailand

BANGKOK, 1 February 2013 (NNT) -Local agencies and the government will set up knowledge hub in every region of the country in order to provide space for children to read and acquire knowledge.

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Huge crowds mourn Cambodia's beloved former king

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PATTAYA

City pledges better maintenance of road lines, traffic lights

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PATTAYA

Transport Ministry plans 15 million baht Sukhumvit bridge for disabled

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Majority of Pattaya stores, hotels, rental companies fail consumer-protection inspection, officials say

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Eastern Seaboard Sees Record Industrial Investment In 2012

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Navy donates home to injured Sattahip marine

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Special Report: Chinese New Year celebrations will be "special" in 2013

The Chinese New Year is celebrated by over a billion people, including millions in Southeast Asia alone. In Thailand, although the tradition is thriving, event organizers say the celebration will be special this year.

The Chinese New Year tradition was first brought to Thailand by Chinese who migrated to Ayutthaya between the 14th and 18th centuries. The tradition has since been handed down and is still thriving today. Yaowarat in Bangkok, and the city of Nakhon Sawan in the North, have long been the centers of Chinese New Year celebrations in Thailand.

This year, however, there are some special features. For example, on February 10th and 11th, Yaowarat will host a Tibetan cultural show. Event organizers say that a troupe of performers, sent over by the Chinese government as a gift for Thailand to honor the long-standing relationship between the two countries, will be the first ever major Tibetan cultural show in Thailand. In addition, there will also be a Lion Dance competition, and prize giveaways for lucky festival-goers, including 18 gold bars.

If you feel that the two-day festival in Yaowarat is too short, simply travel up north to the city of Nakhon Sawan for an 11-day celebration, from February 3rd to 14th; which features a grand procession of 1,500 participants, including acrobats climbing up on ten-meter-high poles.

According to a legend, thousands of years ago a hungry magical beast came upon a village on a Chinese New Year Day. It ate the villagers’ crops, livestock, and even the villagers and their children. It kept coming back for its feast every New Year Day.

Over time the villagers learned to hang food outside their houses to fill up the beast’s stomach before it could take in cattle and human beings. Moreover, they learned that the beast was scared of red color. That, the legend goes, was the beginning of the Chinese New Year celebrations, in which everything is adorn red.

Throughout the world, Chinese communities celebrate the Chinese New Year both at home and on the streets. Red envelopes with luck money – called “Hong Bao” in Mandarin and “Ang Pao” in Hokkien – are given by married couples to unmarried family members. Streets of every so-called Chinatown in the world are filled with cracking sounds and red paper – the remains of fire crackers. Mythical lions perform Lion Dance through the streets. The noise from the bands that follow them is constantly heard. And people will say to each other: “Xin Nian Hao Ya”.

-- NNT 2013-02-01

Australian sisters recount horror Phuket boat ordeal

Young Australian tourist Tegan Larin has described yesterday’s (January 30) terrifying speed boat ordeal from her Phuket International Hospital bed, where she remains bedridden with a serious back injury following the boat incident.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/615689-phuket-tourists-injured-as-waves-swamp-phi-phi-tour-boat/#entry6072986

Two Kanchanaburi natives arrested for drugging and robbing Supreme Court judge

By Coconuts Bangkok

Photo: Dailynews

Yesterday at 8pm, police announced the arrest of a man and a woman who were suspected of robbing the house of a former Supreme Court judge.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....me-court-judge/

RT@191Thailand Violence in the far South killed 23 and injured 43 people last month (Bangkok Post)

Two new government measures issued to help SME businesses hit by wage hike

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Feb 1 - The Thai government has initiated two measures to help Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) affected by the Bt300 daily minimum wage.

Prime Minister's Office minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan said after chairing the first meeting of a committee to help SME businesses that many factors are impacting business, including the eurozone debt crisis and the US economic slowdown, combined with domestic factors such as the January 1st nationwide minimum wage hike and the baht appreciation.

Mr Niwattumrong said state agencies have insufficient information regarding the impact on SME business, citing that the Labour Ministry has been officially informed that only 60 private business operators were affected.

He said the committee wants more details on the number of affected businesses and what kind of help they need.

The committee issued two measures to deal with the problems, staring with opening more channels of communication for business operators to apply for the government's assistance.

He said a centre to assist SME business will open under the Office of the Prime Minister. Those who seek help could send the information to www.sme1111.opm.go.th from Monday, or to the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion and other concerned state agencies from the end of next week.

The second measure, according to Mr Niwattumrong, is to establish two sub-committees; the first to survey the impact and problems affecting SME businesses, while another group will analyse the problems and propose solutions.

He said once the centre compiles the data on the needs of the affected businesses, he will present it for consideration of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Deputy Premier/Finance Minister Kittiratt Na Ranong.

Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom said today that apart from the new centre under the PM's Office, upcountry, operations will be supervised by the governors who will gather information from provincial branches of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and provincial chambers of commerce where affected businesses can apply for help. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-02-01

Thailand’s 2012 economic growth 5.3%, higher than predicted

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Feb 1 – An increase in Thailand's gross domestic product (GDP) in the final quarter of last year has contributed to Thailand’s 5.3 per cent economic growth for the entire year – slightly higher than the predicted 5 per cent expansion, according to Kasikorn Research Centre.

It said the positive momentum will possibly spill over into this year when the GDP could expand by 5.3 per cent in the first quarter thanks to the improving economy abroad.

The research centre limits this year’s forecast GDP growth at 4.5-5.5 per cent due to the possible impact from surging production costs and the appreciating Thai baht since earlier this year.

The two components might put pressure on the revival of Thailand’s business and exports, the centre forecast.

It said the government’s measures to alleviate the impact and accelerated budget spending on water resource management and infrastructure will help move the Thai economy ahead. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-02-01

Charter court rules in favour of Varathep

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Constitution Court Friday ruled that PM's Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn was not disqualified because of a suspended jail term in the case of two- and three-digit lottery scheme.

The court ruled 6 to 3 votes that Varathep was not disqualified under Article 182 (3) and Article 174 (5) of the Constitution.

Varathep oversaw the two- and three-digit lottery scheme when he was deputy finance minister during the Thaksin government

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders convicted Varathep of offences and sentenced him to a suspended two-year jail term.

A group of 24 senators requested the court ruling on whether Varathep should be disqualified under Article 182 (3) and Article 174 (5) of the Constitution.

The court reasoned that the two articles would be enforced only on those who have really been jailed, not those who have received only suspended jail term.

-- The Nation 2013-02-01

50,000 Baht compensation for Pattaya Disco Fight victims

PATTAYA: -- Three French tourists who were attacked by security guards at a popular South Pattaya disco early last Sunday Morning have received 50,000 Baht compensation from the Disco who are sorry for the injuries they sustained.

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Middle-Eastern man strips twice at Pattaya Police Station

PATTAYA: -- A Middle-Eastern man who is thought to be aged in his late twenties was involved in a bizarre incident at Pattaya Police Station on Friday Morning which saw him forcibly taken into custody.

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Thailand can be a deadly destination for Australian tourists

THAILAND is one of the nation's favourite overseas holiday destinations - but the popular family playground has a darker side.

BANGKOK: -- Figures reveal the South-East Asian kingdom is the deadliest destination for Aussies. The 100 Australians who died there last year accounted for one in eight of the 791 deaths on foreign soil.

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Phuket land grab by villagers, stalled by police, title deed

Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- Plans by local residents to develop over 100 rai of land in Chalong, they claim is theirs, ground to a halt yesterday after more than 60 police officers arrived to support the alleged owner, who produced a title deed as proof of ownership.

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Bangkok governor candidate disqualified

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A Bangkok governor election candidate was Friday disqualified on charge that he failed to vote in the latest general election.

But the No-14 candidate, Prateep Watcharachokkasem, insisted that he voted on July 3 2011 and he would appeal against his disqualification.

Bangkok City Clerk Ninnart Chalitanon, the director of Bangkok election, Friday announced the list of qualified candidates.

She said Prateep was disqualified because record showed that he did not vote and failed to inform the authorities of any reason.

Ninnart said the candidacy numbers of candidates would not be changed because of Prateep's disqualification. She said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration would skip the Number 14 when printing the ballots.

Ninnart Prateep could appeal with the Election Commission within three days.

Prateep insisted that he voted in all elections so he would file a complaint with the EC, seeking to have his election right reinstated. He said he might file a defamation suit against the BMA.

Upon hearing Prateep's argument, Ninnart said Prateep would have to prove it with evidence because record of the household registration department of the BMA did not show that Prateep voted on July 3 2011.

-- The Nation 2013-02-01

SET index closed at 1499.22, up 25.02; Bt/USD29.68; GBP47.00; AUD30.77; EUR40.34; CAD29.58; HKD3.82; SGD23.78; JPY32.07

Special Report: Thailand to benefit from free flow of skilled labour in 2015

BANGKOK: -- Thailand stands to benefit from the free flow of skilled labour during the ASEAN integration in 2015, despite mounting concerns over immigration and economic impacts.

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Security-related agencies urged to collaborate more in national security missions

BANGKOK, 1 February 2013 (NNT) - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has urged all state agencies involved in maintaining national security to commit and collaborate more in keeping Thailand peaceful.

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Ratree Pipattanapaiboon, jailed in Cambodia for espionage and illegal entry, freed from prison following Cambodian king's royal pardon /MCOT

PM orders installation of CCTV cameras nationwide to integrate overall system to address security, drug, crime, traffic problems /MCOT

EC urges candidates to avoid divisiveness, play by rules

Atapoom Ongkulna

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Election Commission (EC) Friday urged gubernatorial candidates to campaign under the theme of "reconciliation" so as to prevent animosity and avoid protests against the outcome of the vote.

The commission also reminded the candidates to fully comply with electoral rules, such as the requirements to disclose the identities of their canvassers and to release campaign financing information.

Bangkok EC chairman Thaweesak Tuchinda organised a meeting of candidates to outline rules and issues related to campaigning in order to ensure compliance with the electoral law.

Thus far, only six of 25 candidates have completed notifying the commission about the details of their canvassing activities as per the legal requirements, Thaweesak said.

He said compliance with the electoral rules would benefit the candidates because their rivals would not have grounds to dispute the balloting.

The chairman went on to suggest that candidates unveil their respective teams of 18 administrators, who will work with them should they be elected. This would help voters to form their decision, he said.

He said candidates should offer platforms that could be practically implemented under the jurisdiction of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, rather than churn out empty promises.

At this juncture, no complaints of campaign violations had been filed, he said.

-- The Nation 2013-02-01

Cigarette warning labels to get even bigger

Thailand will have the biggest warning labels on cigarette packs in the world.

The size of the warnings, which are dominated by graphic photos showing the consequences of smoking, will be expanded to cover 85 per cent of the pack, up from the current 55 per cent, Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong said Friday.

He told reporters after a meeting with national tobacco control board that they agreed to issue a ministerial declaration that would increase the size of the picture warnings from 55 per cent to 85 per cent of the packs as they believed that this would help reduce tobacco consumption.

-- The Nation 2013-02-01

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Thailand Live Saturday 2 Feb 2013