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Thailand Live Saturday 9 Feb 2013

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Chinese dragon all set to rock

Man Noipitak

The Nation

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A dragon dance by the Loog Chao Phraya Troupe at a Bangkok international school.

NAKHON SAWAN: -- At Chinese New Year celebrations every year, it is the impressive show of colourful lion and dragon dances that many people look forward to.

Nakhon Sawan has long been associated with one of Thailand's biggest Chinese New Year celebrations. To mark this special occasion, ethnic Chinese stage a number of colourful dragon and lion performances every year. But where do they come from?

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Bandhit Tomorn and his father Lek Tomorn, the owner of Loog Chao Phraya Troupe, have diligently been making the heads and the costumes of the dragons and lions almost every day. Their products are a rare art and are sold to various customers across the country.

"I learnt this art from my dad," Bandhit said. "He picked up the skills from my grandpa."

Bandhit's father has now elaborately designed the heads of the dragons and lions while Bandhit has worked on the dazzling costumes of their tails.

A student of law at Siam University, Bandhit, 31, said the art of dragon/lion-making requires great skill and neatness.

"We can produce just one lion head each month," he said, "The dragon head takes us about one and a half months."

He said each dragon/lion head costs at least a five-figure sum. Sometimes, it fetches a six-figure amount. Some components of the dragons and lions are imported from China.

He is not just a skilled artisan in the art of dragon/lion making, but is also an exceptional dancer.

The Loog Chao Phraya (Children of the Chao Phraya) Troupe is famous. It has been contracted to stage the dragon/lion dances at many events such as house-warming rituals and opening ceremonies for companies/shops throughout the year. But they have been most sought after during the Chinese New Year.

"I practise the dance moves every now and then," Bandhit said.

At the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations, his troupe will stage a performance in Nakhon Sawan.

"The dancer who moves the dragon/lion head is not just a person who can make perfect moves in accompaniment with the drum sounds; he must also strictly observe religious precepts," Bandhit said.

He will show his moves with the dragon his family has made, in Nakhon Sawan, very soon.

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-- The Nation 2013-02-09

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Woman arrested and freed on bail in Furby doll scam

Wisit Chuanpipatpong

The Nation

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Due to its popularity, the cute little Furby doll has been used by scammers to lure their victims.

The increasing popularity of the robot toy, Furby, has led to some Internet scams.

BANGKOK: -- A woman suspected of being behind an Internet scam turned herself in after a court approved an arrest warrant for her earlier this week, police told the press yesterday.

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NEW PORTFOLIO

Plodprasop sets October deadline for Water Ministry

Jeerapong Prasertponkrang

The Nation

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Draft for ministry being worked out; it will handle water-related policies

BANGKOK: -- The so-called "Water Ministry", which will be handling all flood and water-management policies as well as projects at the national level, should be established by October, Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi said yesterday.

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No intention to fire BOT governor, says Kittiratt

Nakarin Srilert

The Nation

Finance minister rejects criticism that letter he sent amounted to 'intervention'

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong has strongly defended the reason for the "intervention" letter sent to the Bank of Thailand, but insisted that he had no intention to dismiss the central bank governor on this ground.

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Thai Airways board approves 6.77% average

Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The national carrier's board of directors yesterday approved extra financial incentives and an increase in salaries as requested by the Thai Airways International Union, ending a dispute that started last month.

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Two-way pact reached to thwart bribery

The Nation

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Public, private reps map up steps to ensure transparent procurement process

BANGKOK: -- A so-called integrity pact will be created as part of joint public-private efforts to prevent bribery in the government procurement process.

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EDITORIAL

Finance minister is responsible for fiscal discipline

The Nation

The govt seeks short-term political gain through populist spending as state-run banks amass huge losses

BANGKOK: -- The letter sent by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong to the Bank of Thailand's (BOT's) board of governors accusing them of negligence for failing to impose a rate cut cannot be seen in any other way except a government attempt to intervene in the central bank's operations.

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Red-yellow talks backed

Khanittha Thepphajorn

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Independent National Rule of Law Commission has voiced support for a dialogue between the red and yellow shirts, leading to amnesty in connection with the political mayhem.

"I agree that the parties concerned should consult one another as a way to lessen the political conflict," commission chairman Ukrit Mongkolnavin said yesterday. He said should both sides find common ground on the amnesty issue, it would help speed up the legislative process to rescue those found to have violated the emergency law.

Senator Kamnoon Sidhisamarn said he understood the parties concerned had agreed to the enactment of two amnesty legislations. He said one legislation would apply to offenders of the emergency law while the other would be for offenders of the Internal Security Act.

The remaining contentious issue was whether to grant amnesty to criminal offenders such as rally organisers and fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, he said.

He also said the draft provisions should be clearly written on what an amnesty would entail in order to avoid confusion in enforcing the legal absolution.

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-- The Nation 2013-02-09

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3 agencies find high mercury levels in fish

The Nation

PRACHIN BURI: -- Toxicity tests conducted by three departments under three different ministries all showed high mercury accumulation in fish in water resources near an industrial estate in Prachin Buri province.

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Assembly urges govt to make care for the elderly a priority

Pongphon Sarnsamak,

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The National Assembly on Ageing yesterday urged the government to make healthcare services and social benefits for the elderly a top national priority to improve older Thais' quality of life.

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Bt32-bn plan to improve Laem Chabang Port infrastructure

Nongnapas Maipanit

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Ministry of Transport plans to spend Bt32 billion to expand its road network to Laem Chabang Port to ease traffic and also increase the port's shipping container capacity.

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Phuket: Accident or carelessness?

Nattha Thepbamrung

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Tegan in hospital.

PHUKET: -- Two Australian sisters recount their horror speedboat trip to Phi Phi to Nattha Thepbamrung.

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Malaysia seeks help abroad over dead Borneo elephants

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 98, 2013 (AFP) - Malaysian authorities said Friday they are seeking help from forensic experts in Thailand and Australia after their own tests failed to establish if 14 rare Borneo pygmy elephants were killed by poison.

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Democrats plan new national blueprint

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Democrat Party kicked off the drafting of "Thailand's blueprint" yesterday by launching its Thailand Designing Institute.

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BANGKOK POLL TRACKER

Natdanai vows free education courses

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Candidate No 7 Natdanai Phubetarthavich has proposed a policy of free education under which he would recruit volunteer teachers to provide language, vocational and educational courses for free. He believes there are many charitably minded people in society who could offer such courses. Members of his own team, for example, had served as volunteer teachers, he said.

Natdanai, who promotes himself as a "clean governor" free from political party influences, said he would introduce efficient methods for market operators to create a balanced distribution of marketplaces and customers, encouraging customers to shop at less crowded venues. Moreover, markets should be able to operate both day and night, he said.

Pongsapat woos flood-prone Lak Si

Pheu Thai Party candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen, No 9, yesterday vowed to improve the drainage system in Bangkok's Lak Si district to prevent flooding in the area.

He said Lak Si was flood-prone because the area was low-lying. He said he would dredge existing drainage pipes and build new ones to connect them to the city's giant flood tunnel.

Pongsapat also attended a seminar on gender variety organised by the Sex Variety Network.

He promised that if elected, he would push for the adoption of the network's proposals, which include setting up an education centre on "third-sex" rights and opening a hot-

line offering counselling for third-sex people.

The network called for the allocation of special bathrooms and hospital wards for third-sex people, while urging that the next governor institute a campaign at Bangkok Metropolitan Administration-run schools to create better understanding on third-sex issues.

Sukhumbhand offers more tunnels

Democrat Sukhumbhand Paribatra, candidate No 16, yesterday promised to improve the capital's flood-prevention system if re-elected.

He said he would build nine more giant flood tunnels and 25 monkey-cheek flood-retention areas, as well as increase the city administration's rain-prediction capabilities. The radar system's capacity would be expanded from coverage of 70 square kilometres to 250sqkm. All the tunnels would be built by 2018, Sukhumbhand said.

The former governor also attended a seminar on third-sex issues at the Central Christian Students Centre in Pathumwan.

He said he could not make any promises to the group because he feared that giving such a promise would violate the election laws. However, he was ready to accept the group's proposals for consideration.

Sukhumbhand said he thought that human beings have a variety of attitudes and sexual orientations, and Thais should respect this variety.

He said he was sorry if the BMA offices under his administration had ever discriminated against third-sex people. He was not aware of any such discrimination because no one had raised it with him, he said.

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-- The Nation 2013-02-09

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British Expat mishtakes McDonalds Drive Thru for a Drive IN

By Staff Reporter

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Did You Want Fries With That Sir?

PATTAYA: -- A 60 year old British Expat left a Whopper of a mess at Pattaya’s McDonald’s Drive thru, when he wrapped his car around the service booth instead of pulling up slowly alongside to place his order.

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Phuket Provincial Transportation Office brokers breakthrough deal for taxis

Phuket Gazette

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PLTO chief Teerayut Prasertpol issued stern warnings to drivers who do not complete the registration process by the deadline. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- A breakthrough arrangement with banks and insurance companies means that all taxi drivers in Phuket have until February 28 to become legally registered – or face a 2,000-baht fine every time they are caught carrying passengers.

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Phuket Old Town festival to showcase Chinese heritage

Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- The annual Phuket Old Town Festival will begin on February 15, ushering in the three-day celebration of the town’s historical origins and unique ethnic mix of cultures.

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PM, on her weekly TV programme, addresses Thais of Chinese descent for Chinese NY; plans to draw more investors /MCOT

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Bt400 million sought to cushion smaller Thai enterprises

By Digital Media

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BANGKOK, Feb 9 – The Thai Commerce Ministry is proposing to the cabinet next Tuesday an allocation of Bt400 million from the Foreign Trade Promotion Fund to help over 1,500 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) whose businesses have been severely affected by the sharp appreciation of Thai currency and the global economic crisis.

Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom said Bt300 million will be used to support SMEs in their overseas market expansion while Bt100 million will be set aside as an emergency fund, as proposed by the Foreign Trade Department.

If earmarked, the fund will assist more than 1,500 SMEs operators nationwide over a three-year period (2013-2015), he said.

Spending of the Foreign Trade Promotion Fund must be approved by the cabinet, as imposed by a decision in 1988.

The latest financial status of the fund is Bt4.2 billion, including capital and interest. Its annual interest is Bt100 million while the public and private sectors were granted loans of Bt2 billion each year.

The requested allocation of Bt400 million will be taken from the capital which will cut into its depleting reserves.

A working committee has been set up to find ways to increase the size of the fund while a move is being contemplated to seek the cabinet’s approval of a budget to inject into the fund. (MCOT online news)

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-- TNA 2013-02-09

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4-in-1 vaccine for Thailand to materialise soon

By Digital Media

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BANGKOK, Feb 9 – Thailand plans to invest Bt700 million (US$24 million) to produce DTP-HB, a combination vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and hepatitis B, in cooperation with a French pharmaceutical company, according to the Thai public health minister.

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Muay Thai Grand Master Dies in Pattaya

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PATTAYA: -- The man behind 57 champions in Muay Thai has died this week in Pattaya where he was, until his death, Grand master of the Sityodtong Muay Thai Camp.

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Fire rages at foam factory in Chon Buri's Si Racha district, three buildings damaged, fire now under control /MCOT

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Overall economic indicators showed Thai economy is growing; domestic consumption, purchasing power up, PM said /The Nation

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PM: 2013 will be the Year of Thailand

By Digital Media

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BANGKOK, Feb 9 - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Saturday said she wants 2013 to be the Year of Thailand, where the country's economy is growing and confidence will be restored.

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RT@RichardBarrow: A very large offering for the ancestors of this Thai-Chinese family on the eve of Chinese New Year pic.twitter.com/sMluKg91

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RT@RichardBarrow: Walk Rally against Shark Fin Soup on Sunday in Bangkok buff.ly/14HfxWQ

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