Funeral for Sihanouk to be held this evening in Phnom Penh

The Nation

PHNEM PENH: -- Leaders from around the world will today bid farewell to Cambodia's great King Norodom Sihanouk who steered his country through turbulence after its independence from France.

Today, Sihanouk’s widow Norodom Monineath Sihanouk and his son King Norodom Sihamoni are scheduled to light his funeral pyre in the early evening. A firework display and gun salute are also due to take place.

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Many foreign leaders are expected to attend the royal funeral including Japan's Prince Akishino, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.

Sihanouk, who died of a heart attack in October in Beijing at the age of 89, was revered by Cambodians, notably the elder generation, as a great king for his struggle to build the nation during hard times since accession to the throne in 1941.

Exiled from political conflict at home twice in the early and late 1970s, Sihanouk was well known around the globe for his colourful political and personal life.

Returning to Cambodia from exile in the early 1990s after the end of civil war, Sihanouk regained his throne in 1993 after the United Nations-sponsored election. He abdicated in 2004 for health reasons and was succeeded by his son Sihamoni, who was seen as unlikely to try to fill his father's shoes or follow his steps.

-- The Nation 2013-02-04

Golden oldies on march

Chularat Saengpassa,

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

This is the first of The Nation's series outlining the challenges and proposed solutions as the population rapidly ages and people will depend more on family and government support

BANGKOK: -- As the rapidly greying society will see the over-60 population nearly double from 8.56 million now to 17.8 million in 2030, the gnewsjsovernment will have to redouble its efforts through tax and non-tax measures to boost the capability of senior citizens and their families to cope with age-related demands and to minimise the cost burden on the treasury.

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ANALYSIS

Dems anxious to ramp up Sukhumbhand campaign

Thanatpong Kongsai

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Two weeks after gubernatorial candidates stepped up campaigns following their registering to run in the poll, the competition for the Bangkok governor's seat remains a two-horse race. Several pollsters say Pheu Thai new-face Pongsapat Pongcharoen enjoys the highest approval rating, with the Democrat Sukhumbhand Paribatra trailing.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....-thai-analysis/

Asean must address Rohingya issue on humanitarian grounds, Surin insists

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Rohingya immigrant issue is an internal affair of Myanmar, which Asean members should address on humanitarian grounds, former Association of Southeast Asian Nations secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan said yesterday.

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Thai banks lure Asia's wealthy

SUCHEERA PINIJPARAKARN

THE NATION

Competition in the private-banking sector is likely to heat up as banks launch strategies to retain wealthy customers and attract the newly rich.

BANGKOK: -- As global growth has been shifting from Europe and North America to Asia, the number of wealthy Asians has been rising. Of 11 million high-net-worth individuals, defined as those with assets under management of more than US$1 million (Bt30 million), 3.37 million are in Asia, against 3.35 million in the United States. In Thailand, the number is estimated at 50,000. For Thai commercial banks, success in winning over these customers means success in expanding banking services in the coming years.

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Tablets get cautious thumbs-up in early test

WANNAPA KHAOPA

THE NATION

Interactive content motivates Prathom 1 students

BANGKOK: -- Months have passed since hundreds of thousands of tablets were given to Prathom 1 (Grade 1) pupils across the country. So far, interactive learning with the tablets has provided good motivation to study and to practise for Prathom 1 pupils at a Bangkok school.

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CAMPUS UPDATE

Bring your own tumblers, uni says

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- In an attempt to reduce the amount of garbage, Chandrakasem Rajabhat University plans to launch a personal tumbler campaign.

The university will encourage its staff and students to bring their own tumbler to drink water from the university's drinking water machines.

Anek Thienbucha, vice president of the university said there were about 10,000 personnel and students disposing of thousands of plastic bottles daily. The campaign aimed at reducing plastic bottle garbage. It would also help students save money on drinking water and reduce the risks of diseases caused by the plastic bottles or tumblers containing different kinds of beverages from beverage shops.

He said the university would inspect the quality of all the 60 machines, change their water filters and send water samples from the machines to the Department of Science Service to ensure that the water was safe for drinking.

The staff and students would also be invited to compete in motto and mascot design competitions for the campaign.

The university would kick off this green campaign on February 14.

-- The Nation 2013-02-04

CAMPUS UPDATE

Mahidol inventors heading to Sweden

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- An invention created by a team of students from Mahidol Wittayanusorn School (MWITS) who recently won a national water conservation award for youths will represent Thailand at an international competition.

The invention, which uses natural absorbers to absorb heavy metal contaminated in wastewater released from factories, won the first prize of the competition. It was held as part of the 21st Conference on Science, Mathematics and Technology in School hosted recently at Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre.

It would be among the finalists of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition to be held in Sweden's Stockholm during the World Water Week from September 1-6.

Each year, thousands of participants in over 30 countries all around the globe join national competitions in hopes of earning the chance to represent their nation at the international final held during the World Water Week in Stockholm.

The winner of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize receives a US$5,000 award, a blue crystal prize sculpture, a diploma as well as the stay in Stockholm. HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden is the Patron of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize.

-- The Nation 2013-02-04

Victims' families join call for amnesty for all demonstrators

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Relatives of victims killed and injured in the May 1992 uprising called on the government yesterday to enact an amnesty law to absolve all demonstrators, with the exception of the protest leaders.

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Pongsapat ahead: polls

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- "Bored with conflicts", "wanting change for Bangkok" and "interesting policies" are major reasons Bangkok voters want to give Pheu Thai Party candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen a chance to become the next Bangkok governor, according to Abac poll results released yesterday.

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Foreigners Arrested on Charges of Underage Gay Sex

By Staff Reporters

Karl Josef Rupple, charged with sexual activity with a minor in Pattaya

PATTAYA: -- Supermarkets are ideal for food shopping, but not as a pickup point for underage boys as 60 year old Englishman, Andrew John Tracey, found out to his cost in Pattaya this week end.

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OVERDRIVE

Fight back against cheap capital inflows

Thanong Khanthong

BANGKOK: -- Dr Virabongsa Ramangkura, who has the ears of the government, has come out yet again with his call for the Bank of Thailand to cut interest rates to stem capital inflows. Speaking at a Wednesday seminar, "Thailand's Economic Outlook 2013", hosted by the Thai Institute of Directors, he warned about asset price bubbles as a result of the present interest-rate policy of the Thai central bank. He suggested that the central bank slash its policy rate, now at 2.75 per cent, to narrow the gap with the US rate, and to put a lid on baht appreciation. By doing so, the Thai economy will not only gain in competitiveness from weaker exchange rates, but Thai asset prices would be spared the bubble.

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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.

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Deputy PM Plodprasop instructed northern provinces to closely monitor smog,forest fire over next 80-day period /The Nation

LPG Car Explodes outside Pattaya City Hall

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Thai Kitchen to the World set to get big boost

By English News

BANGKOK, Feb 4 – Thailand has targeted increasing its export of agricultural and food products by 10 per cent as part of the “Thai Kitchen to the World” programme, according to a senior Commerce Ministry official.

Srirat Rastapana, director general of the International Trade Promotion Department, said activities are being organised to promote Thai food abroad including joining food fairs in various countries, holding Thai food fairs in 12 countries, promoting health foods for export and assigning Thai commercial representatives to directly promote Thai food in Southeast Asian countries, China, India, Japan and the Middle East.

There are 19 international food events in 14 countries including the World Food Moscow 2013 in Russia Sept 16-19, Fine Food Australia 2013 in Sydney, Australia Sept 9-12, Food Taipei 2013 June 26-29 and Anuga 2013 in Cologne, Germany from Oct 5-9, she said.

She said the department will also provide consultations and assistance to Thai businessmen interested in opening restaurants or food-related businesses in Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Myanmar and Indonesia, and in Eastern European countries such as Russia and Poland. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-02-04

Thai stock index opens on Monday at 1,508.98, up 9.76 points /MCOT

Cancer is top killer of Thais among all diseases

By English News

BANGKOK, Feb 4 – Cancer kills an average of seven Thai people every hour--and the number of new cancer patients has surged to over 100,000 people each year, according to the minister of public health.

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Suitcase Theft And Room Safe Robbery From North Pattaya Hotel

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DPM Plodprasop follows up northern haze problem

CHIANG RAI, 3 FEBRUARY 2013 (NNT) – Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi has been following up on the efforts to control and prevent the haze problem in Thailand’s northern region.

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RT @191Thailand: Four people burned to death yesterday when their car crashed in Nakhon Sawan (Bangkok Post)

Thai transport sector well prepared for AEC

By English News

BANGKOK, Feb 4 – Thailand’s transport sector is ready to become part of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) as Thai driving licences are valid in member nations, while trucks and buses are allowed to be operated in neighbouring countries without having to pass through a vehicle condition inspection, a senior Thai official said.

Somchai Siriwatanachoke, director general of Thailand's Land Transport Department, said AEC members have agreed to endorse licences on vehicle condition checkup as issued by every AEC country.

Trucks and buses from Thailand will be permitted to run in neighbouring countries without the necessity of changing licence plates, he said.

He added that the Transport Ministry has collaborated with related government agencies in pushing ahead the framework agreement on transport across border and drafting an ASEAN agreement to facilitate passengers crossing the border.

Inter-country transports are currently allowed on several routes including Thailand-Laos, Thailand-Laos-Vietnam and Thailand-Cambodia and the Thailand-Laos-China route should be in operation in the future, he said.

Mr Somchai said the Land Transport Department is developing transport infrastructure including the opening of a product transfer centre in Chiang Rai's Chiang Khong and building goods transport depots in 15 major cities to upgrade Thailand as the regional transport hub.

More rest areas will be built along major highways for travellers’ convenience, he said. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-02-04

Today marks World Cancer Day

BANGKOK, 4 February 2013 (NNT) - The Public Health Ministry has raised awareness about cancer, the disease which has claimed more lives than any other in the world. February 4th marks the World Cancer Day.

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Child killer may be released in Belgium

A court hearing will be held on Monday in Belgium to decide whether to grant parole to the "most hated" prisoner in the country, the pedophile and child killer Marc Dutroux who was arrested in 1996.

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RT @RichardBarrow: Growing outrage among Thais of "Rosetta Stone" clip that implies Thailand is a country of prostitutes. Bomb threats made against US Embassy.

Suvarnabhumi expects more passengers during Chinese New Year

BANGKOK, 4 February 2013 (NNT) - Suvarnabhumi Airport is expected to welcome around 166,000 passengers per day during the Chinese New Year, more than double that of the same period last year.

Suvarnabhumi Airport Director Wilaiwan Nadwilai said that the airport saw around 80,000 visitors per day during last year’s Chinese New Year. However, during February 6-18, she expected the number to increase to 166,000 people per day, or around 2.1 million during the festivities.

According to Ms Wilaiwant, fewer tourists than usual visited Thailand during Chinese New Year last year owing to the fact that the country was still recovering from the flood devastation.

This year, the airport is cooperating with the Immigration Bureau to provide sufficient staff; while the number of security officers, baggage officials, and information staff will be increased.

-- NNT 2013-02-04

Russian tourist found dead at Phuket resort, cause unclear

Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- Police are hoping that assistance from forensics investigators will help unravel the cause of death of a Russian tourist whose body was found in his Phuket resort villa yesterday.

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Yingluck arrives in Phnom Penh to attend royal funeral

The Natio

BANGKOK: -- Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra left Bangkok for Phnom Penh this morning to attend the royal funeral of former King Norodom Sihanouk.

She arrived in the Cambodian capital together with other leaders who are invited to the royal funeral.

-- The Nation 2013-02-04

Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai see rare hail storms

BANGKOK, 4 February 2013 (NNT) - Several areas in the provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai experienced hail storms following heavy rains Sunday evening.

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Imperfect security protection penetrated, faulty measures blamed for death of farmers in South

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Feb 4 – Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha admitted today there were flaws in the security measures for farmers under the state’s rice planting revival scheme in the far South which resulted in the fatal shootings of two trainer farmers from the central plains and the wounding of 10 others in Pattani province last Friday.

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