Students mock PM, protest over Somyos jailing

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK :-- A small group of young activists led by the son of Somyos Prueksakasemsuk, sentenced recently by the Criminal Court to 10 years in jail for lese majeste, yesterday made a scene during a parade ahead of the 69th annual Traditional Football Match between Chulalongkorn and Thammasat universities.

Full Storyhttp://www.thaivisa....somyos-jailing/

Pongsapat maintains lead in Bangkok race, latest survey shows

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Pheu Thai Party candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen continues to top the popularity ratings among those contesting the Bangkok governor race, according to the latest Dusit Poll results released yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....t-survey-shows/

Ratree freed because of PM's efforts: Surapong

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul yesterday credited Friday's release of nationalist activist Ratree Pipattanapaibul to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....forts-surapong/

Kamnan Poh can't stay in hospital indefinitely, officials say

Supachai Petchthewee,

Pimnara Pradubwit

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Somchai Khunpluem, also known as Kamnan Poh, the corruption and murder convict arrested last week after years on the run, will not be allowed to stay in hospital if it is deemed unnecessary by doctors, the deputy director-general of the Corrections Department said yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....-officials-say/

SPECIAL

Corruption blamed for attacks on security cameras in South

Pakorn Puengnetr

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Following a spate of attacks targeting security cameras in the southern border provinces, the government has just awoken to the problem and is acting to prevent corruption in camera procurement that cost a huge amount of the taxpayers' money.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....meras-in-south/

Two more 'killers' in custody in South

The Nation on Sunday February 3, 2013 1:00 am

SONGKHLA:-- Two more members of the team that killed Songkhla mayor Peera Tantiseranee about three months ago surrendered to police yesterday, bringing to three the number of suspects in custody, given the previous surrender of suspected gunman Paisal Nuphan.

Sudkheed Jankhiew, 31, was accompanied by lawyer and relatives to surrender yesterday at 11am at the Muang Nakhon Si Thammarat police station. He refused to give testimony until the matter goes to court.

Later, village headman Athip Duangmak, 59, surrendered to Muang Songkhla Police. He was also accompanied by a lawyer, but denied doing any wrong. He was detained without bail.

The man suspected to have hired the hit squad, Tambon Tha Bon Administrative Organisation president Pramote Saeng-arun, and suspected accomplices Nattaporn Nak-rae and Chayan Nuphan remain at large.

-- The Nation 2013-03-02

8 killed in van crash

The Nation on Sunday

Eight people were killed and two others wounded when a van crashed into a parked 10-wheel truck in Nakhon Ratchasima's Chok Chai district yesterday morning. Police suspect the van driver fell asleep.

The group went from Nakhon Pathom to make merit at a temple in Khantaralak in Si Sa Ket.

Police rushed to the scene after the accident at 4.50am on Sikiew-Chok Chai road in Tambon Chok Chai.

They found seven bodies, while three injured women in their 60s were sent to Chok Chai Hospital. Killed were; van driver Sithiporn Sathansathit, 61; Banjong Janjira, 60; Yupha Lao-auyporn 63; Chuanpit Sermsilp, 69; Sirae Jaiwang, 63 and three women in their 60s whose names were not immediately known.

-- The Nation 2013-02-03

Farm trainers attack

The Nation on Sunday

Pattani Governor Pramuk Lamun and Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre (SBPAC) chief Tawee Sodsong yesterday visited injured rice-farm trainers at Pattani Hospital.

The trainers from Sing Buri and Suphan Buri came to teach local farmers to revive abandoned rice fields as part of a SBPAC project, but were shot by insurgents on Friday evening while travelling on a rural road in Tambon Baloy in Yaring district. Two were killed and 10 others were injured.

Three injured people are in ICU, while three others are recovering at hospital and three more were released. A critically wounded person was sent to better-equipped Songkhla Nakarin Hospital.

Tawee presented the injured with flower baskets and initial money assistance. He said the project would continue due to demand from local farmers.

-- The Nation 2013-02-03

POACHING SCANDAL

District chief moved over 'biased' probe

Kampanart Khantrakul,

Mattana Laddasiriporn,

Anan Khongcharoen

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Suthipong favoured accused police officer: Kaeng Krachan park chief

The Provincial Administration Department has transferred the chief of Phetchaburi's Kaeng Krachan district, Suthipong Tanbunyasiridej, over a scandal involving an illegal hunting party in Kaeng Krachan National Park that included Prachuap Khiri Khan inspector Pol Lt-Colonel Thirayuth Katemungmee.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/616533-district-chief-moved-over-biased-probe/

EDITORIAL

Is homework the key issue of concern?

The Nation February 3, 2013 1:00 am

BANGKOK: -- Quality of teachers and class sizes should also be considered by ministry

Homework is a burning issue for Thai educators these days. Traditionally, Thai teachers would assign quite a substantial amount of homework for students, hoping that they would spend time constructively after school.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/616534-is-homework-the-key-issue-of-concern/

RT@RichardBarrow: 3rd February: Today in Thailand it is Veterans’ Day (วันทหารผ่านศึก). There is a wreath laying ceremony 7am-10am at the Victory Monument.

Tom Armstrong search: Thailand trip for missing man's father

The father of a Suffolk (UK) man who has been missing in Thailand for nearly a month is flying out to the country on Sunday to try to find him.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....ng-mans-father/

RT@RichardBarrow: PM Yingluck accused of fixing winning lottery digits to match licence plates of vehicles she owns (Bangkok Post)

Chinese New Year, Valentine’s Day to inject B2bn into Phuket economy

Phuket Gazette -

Chanchai Duangjit, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office, expects Chinese New Year being coupled with Valentine’s Day this year to generate about 2 billion baht for the local economy. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: More than 300,000 tourists are expected to visit Phuket this month for Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year, altogether providing a boost of more than 2 billion baht to the Phuket economy.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....phuket-economy/

King designates Privy Councillor Surayud Chulanont as his representative to lay a wreath at Victory Monument on Thai Veterans Day /MCOT

Phuket Opinion: Stem the growing tide of gun crimes in Phuket

Phuket Gazette -

ARSENAL OF THE ANDAMAN? To slow the increase in violent crimes committed with illegal firearms, police need to first determine how the weapons are entering Phuket. Image: Gazette Graphics

PHUKET: The recent surge in the number of violent crimes involving firearms needs to be addressed by authorities immediately, otherwise Phuket’s self-designated sobriquet “Pearl of the Andaman” risks being inadvertently changed to “Arsenal of the Andaman”.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/616562-phuket-opinion-stem-the-growing-tide-of-gun-crimes-in-phuket/

RT@RichardBarrow: Last chance today to visit the Bangkok Motorbike Festival at CentralWorld in #Bangkok pic.twitter.com/lAAzFJcx

RT@RichardBarrow: Kaset Fair at Kasetsart University in Chatuchak district until 9 Feb, Mon-Fri 10am-midnight & weekends 7am-midnight

Chiang Rai declares 3 districts disaster zones from drought; water level in Mekong River very low, affecting cargo ships,large tourist boats MCOT

RT@191Thailand: 5 car pile-up near the Pinklao Bridge yesterday - RT @naoki69cool: สภาพรถที่เกิดอุบัติเหตุเชิงสะพานปิ่นเกล้า pic.twitter.com/wQ28AWsB

Phuket Sports: New Laguna triathlon

Phuket Gazette -

Two-time Ironman World Champion Chris McCormack. Photo: Steven Layne

PHUKET: Challenge Family recently announced a partnership with Asia’s longest running triathlon, Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT), and in so doing, revealed its commitment to developing a series of half and full distance events throughout the region.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/616589-phuket-sports-new-laguna-triathlon/

Panicked Family Crashes Car With Dead Body Inside

A 38-year-old woman driver crashed into a tree after driving through a police checkpoint, because the vehicle contained her husband’s dead body. Her elder brother had killed him in a drunken fight, so her brother and her son were helping her look for a place to dump the body.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/616620-panicked-family-crashes-car-with-dead-body-inside/

Phuket Police Deputy Commander: Gun Control Still Within our Grasp

Phuket Gazette -

Deputy Commander of Phuket Provincial Police Arun Kaewvatee thinks that illegal firearms are - relatively - not a problem in Phuket. Photo: Orawin Narabal

PHUKET: Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Arun Kaewvatee, 52, is originally from Ron Phibun District in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, a province well known throughout Thailand for gun use. Col Arun has been Deputy Commander of Phuket Provincial Police for a year. Here, he talks about illegal guns and gun ownership in Phuket.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/616623-phuket-police-deputy-commander-gun-control-still-within-our-grasp/

RT@WWF: Thailand is the biggest unregulated ivory market in the world & a top driver of poaching & illegal trade. bit.ly/11w0BM2

Commerce Ministry targets food, farm produce exports to increase 10%, goes ahead with 'Thai Kitchen to the World' campaign /MCOT

Hackers attack Twitter, up to 250,000 users affected

Washington - Unknown hackers tried to hack into the Internet micro-blog service Twitter Inc and may have obtained access to password information for about 250,000 users, the San Francisco-based company said Saturday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/616642-hackers-attack-twitter-up-to-250000-users-affected/

Tourist arrivals at Suvarnabhumi airport during 13-day Chinese New Year festival projected to grow 167% y-o-y with some 166,000 tourists/day: airport director /MCOT

RT@RichardBarrow: The next Concert in the Park is in Lumphini from 5:30pm. The last one is next Sunday. Free admission.

Thai cop arrested with 20 elephant tusks

BANGKOK, Feb 3, 2013 (AFP) - A Thai policeman has been arrested after he was caught trying to smuggle 20 elephant tusks, officials said Sunday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/616689-thai-cop-arrested-with-20-elephant-tusks/

to continue:

Thailand Live Monday 4 Feb 2013