Thailand Live Monday 4 Mar 2013

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Election Commission: Record turnout for Bangkok governor election; no vote buying found, EC set to verify election result /MCOT

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Defence Min says government-BRN agreement is first key to end southern crisis; villager protection unit member shot dead in Narathiwat /MCOT

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Special report:
Why were pollsters all wrong about Bangkok Governor election result?

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Governor election result has been a surprise to pollsters, most of whom predicted that Puea Thai candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen would win.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623259-credibility-of-opinion-polls-at-stake-as-most-tipped-ponsapat-bangkok/#entry6170342

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Loan Shark Plants Bomb At Debtor's Front Door Over Unpaid Bt2,000

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623315-loan-shark-plants-bomb-at-debtors-front-door-over-unpaid-bt2000/

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RT@RCSBKK (American Citizen Services) : Thanks 2 all who came 2 see us at Pattaya Outreach yesterday! Don't miss us when we head out to Udorn (3/6), Phuket (3/15), & Hua Hin(3/20)!

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Police to reinstate Pongsapat with open arms
By Digital Media

BANGKOK, March 4 – Defeated Bangkok gubernatorial candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen is welcome to return to the National Police Bureau where he was posted prior to resignin to contest in the polls, a senior police officer said today.

National Police spokesman Piya Uthayo said Pol Gen Pongsapat is entitled to apply for reinstatement in the police force within 30 days after the Election Commission officially announces results of Sunday’s city election.

The former deputy national police chief, who contested the election under the government’s Pheu Thai ticket, was edged out by his Democrat Party rival Sukhumbhand Paribatra.

Pol Maj Gen Piya said Pol Gen Pongsapat will be required to directly submit his application to the national police chief after which a decision will be made by the Thai Police Commission (TPC).

He said the national police chief has instructed the commission to be prepared to consider Pol Gen Pongsapat’s case as it is in accord with a Cabinet decision and an imposition in the Constitution authorising the reinstatement of a state official who resigns to run in an election.

“He (Pol Gen Pongsapat) will be instantly restored to the police force. The National Police Bureau is pleased to welcome him back,” Pol Maj Gen Piya said.

The police spokesman would not confirm if Gen Pongsapat will be reappointed to concurrently take the helm at the Office of Narcotics Control Board. Gen Pongspat is due to retire in 2016.

Meanwhile, Pol Gen Pongsapat said he would discuss his post-election plans later with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra after her return from overseas. The former deputy police chief however said he could be able to help out on tackling traffic, crime and drug problems if being reinstated to the police bureau.
(MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-03-04

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Historic turnout in Sunday’s Bangkok election
By Digital Media

BANGKOK, March 4 – Bangkok voters wrote a new chapter for the history of the city's gubernatorial elections on Sunday with a record turnout of 63.98 per cent of those who were qualified, an Election Committee (EC) member said today.

Prapan Naikowit expressed his appreciation to Bangkokians for going to the polls in full force, and to related authorities and the media for making a smooth and honest election possible.

The Sunday’s election saw the highest voter turnout, beating the record of 62.5 per cent in 2004, he said, adding that Sukhumbhand Paribatra of the Democrat Party received 1,256,349 votes, beating the 2000 record made by the late Samak Sundaravej.

“The EC would like to thank Bangkokians for exercising their rights despite the rain. It’s a good sign for democracy and it will help improve the gubernatorial election landscape from the past few decades,” he said.

Mr Prapan said the EC will meet this afternoon to discuss the election results before making an official announcement.

The EC has received 14 complaints concerning the election but none involved vote buying, he added. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-03-04

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PM to promote bilateral trades and investments in EU

BANGKOK, 4 March 2013 (NNT)-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is leading a team of business and industrial representatives from Thailand to Sweden and Belgium in an effort to boost Thai export and investments

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623162-thai-pm-to-visit-sweden-belgium/#entry6170537

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Phuket Charity Event Sets Record
Phuket Gazette


MAKING IT HAPPEN: Committee members (from left): George Des, Jagota Phuket; Vicky Gregory; Martin Smetsers, Pura Organics; Anand Jagota, CEO; Kanittha Prasopsirikul, Marketing Director, RPM; and Banyan Tree GM Sriram Kailasam. Photo: Marc Mulloy

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623345-phuket-charity-event-sets-record/

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Polling agencies promise better methodology after wrong predictions in Bangkok Governor race

BANGKOK, 4 March 2013 (NNT) - After the Bangkok Governor election result on Monday proved the survey results wrong, some polling agencies have come out to admit their errors and explain why the true result deviated from the results predicted

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623259-credibility-of-opinion-polls-at-stake-as-most-tipped-ponsapat-bangkok/page-2#entry6170776

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Thai defence minister optimistic Kuala Lumpur deal will improve southern crisis
By English News



BANGKOK, March 4 – The situation in Thailand’s strife-torn far South will improve following the signing of an agreement between the Thai government and a Muslim insurgent group last Thursday, Thai Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat said today.

The deal was inked by the Thai National Security Council and the liaison chief of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) militant group in Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian authorities acting as witnesses.

Describing negotiations with the BRN as a channel in resolving the southern unrest, Air Chief Marshal Sukumpol said, “Talks are necessary in every battle and every fight. They are a good gesture and enable us to know how to move on instead of guessing. Security forces in the South must do their best in maintaining peace.”

He said the Kuala Lumpur agreement was the “first key” (toward unlocking a stalled peace process) while the next step is to determine the topics and venue of negotiations.

Asked why the government signed an agreement with the militants whom ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra once described as trivial criminals, the defence minister replied, “Don’t ask this kind of question. The situation has changed. Now we know what’s going on.”

Meanwhile, police in Narathiwat province reported that a 37-year-old security volunteer, identified as Marosi Yanong, was shot dead while heading for a village in Rue-so district on a motorcycle.

Police suspected that the shooter had been hiding in a rubber plantation. The victim was shot in the head and chest. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-03-04

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SOUTH CRISIS
Narathiwat man fatally shot in Bacho
The Nation


Photo by Narong Nuansakul

NARATHIWAT: -- A 37-year-old man was shot to death on Monday in the Narathiwat's Bacho district.

Police identified the victim as Maroesi Yaning of Bacho district and said he also worked with a security unit in his village of Palukapaera. His body was found near a motorcycle he had borrowed from a friend at about 7.30am.

He was on his way to run an errand in a village when a gunman hiding in a rubber plantation shot him in the chest. Police said the gunman then emerged and shot him again in the head to make sure he was dead.

Police have not ruled out possibility that the attack may have been the result of a personal conflict. The village is in a red zone and has been attacked by insurgents many times in the past, resulting in several deaths and injuries.


-- The Nation 2013-03-04

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Coca-Cola's bottlers in Thailand will invest Bt4bn this year to up capacity, the biggest annualised investment in 60-yr history for the brand. /The Nation

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SHOPPING
Men lead in shopping from foreign websites
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Online shopping from foreign websites is becoming increasingly popular among Thais, particularly male shoppers, according to a survey.

Thai men are more likely than women to shop from foreign websites, the latest MasterCard Online Shopping Behaviour survey shows. Male shoppers accounted for 35.0 per cent of online shopping occasions going overseas. This average of 35 per cent has significantly grown from 24 per cent in the previous survey, as well as the share of online spends of 32.3 per cent from 23.0 per cent for male shoppers' behavior.

As for female, their online purchase occasions accounted for 27.9 per cent in 2012 (compared to 17 per cent in 2011) and the online spends of 27.5 per cent (compared to 18 per cent).

The most common purchases from overseas websites for people in Thailand were apps (19.9 per cent), hotel accommodations (18.1 per cent), and toys and gifts (15.7 per cent).

Average of share of online purchase occasions from websites outside of Thailand has notably increased to 31.5 per cent from 20.0 per cent in 2011, and the share of online spends climbed up to 29.9 per cent from 20.0 per cent.


-- The Nation 2013-03-04

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Commerce Ministry needs Bt320 billion for new round of rice subsidy
By English News



BANGKOK, March 4 – A new injection of Bt320 billion (US$10.7 billion) will be needed as subsidy for the Thai government’s rice pledging scheme in the new harvest seasons, a senior Commerce Minister official said today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623381-commerce-ministry-needs-bt320-billion-for-new-round-of-rice-subsidy/

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Pol.Gen.Pongsapat is welcome to return to National Police Bureau after coming in 2nd in yesterday's Bangkok governor election /The Nation

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EC to verify governor poll results in 7 days

BANGKOK, 4 March 2013 (NNT) - The Election Commission has expressed satisfaction with the record voter turnout during Sunday’s Bangkok gubernatorial election, which saw MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra winning his second term.

Election Commissioner Prapun Naigowit said Bangkok registered a record voter turnout in the March 3 governor election at 63.98 per cent, or a total of over 2.7 million voters casting their ballots. Only 1.37 per cent of the voters spoiled their ballot papers and 1.75 per cent crossed the “no vote” box on their ballots.

The poll marked the first time both the winning candidate and the runner-up amassed more than 1 million votes each. According to unofficial results, MR Sukhumbhand, who represented the Democrat Party, received over 1.25 million votes while his main rival, Pheu Thai contender Pongsapat Pongcharoen received 1.07 million votes.

Mr Prapun said the EC is expected to endorse the March 3 election results in the next seven days if no more complaints about electoral frauds are made. The EC is currently instigating probe into 14 complaints pertaining to electoral frauds.


-- NNT 2013-03-04

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RT@191Thailand: Pick-up truck on fire earlier this evening on the Kanchanapisek Road (Pic @hoonsri) pic.twitter.com/Mg19rEN9QI

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Ministers urged to wear Thai fabric

BANGKOK : -- The Culture Ministry will file a proposal with the Cabinet Tuesday suggesting that Cabinet members wear clothes made from Thai fabric in order to save energy.

Culture Minister Sonthaya Kunplome Monday said he had assigned Culture permanent secretary Prissana Pongthadsirikul to notify all ministry offices to also campaign for the public to wear clothes made from Thai fabric in order to save energy, conserve Thai culture and promote the local textile industry.

They have also designed five patterns for men and women to wear at work, for casual wear as well as for semi-casual wear.

-- The Nation 2013-03-04

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Rice-pledging scheme holds firm

The government will have adequate funds to continue its rice-pledging scheme this year, with the guaranteed price remaining at Bt15,000 per tonne, the Commerce Ministry says.

Ministry permanent secretary Vatchari Vimooktayon said Monday that the government is expected to spend Bt297 billion on the scheme for this year's harvests.

"The government is confident that we will have sufficient funds to carry on the pledging scheme at the same price. The drought problem has caused lower-than-expected yields of rice in the upcoming season, so the spending on pledging will be lower than last year," Vatchari said.

-- The Nation 2013-03-04

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Frenchman in Coma after Pattaya Beach road crash

PATTAYA:--A French National is currently in a Coma after a road crash involving his rented motorbike, a Baht Bus and a Coach.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623411-frenchman-in-coma-after-pattaya-beach-road-crash/

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Thai PM says she 'sometimes' thinks like her brother

STOCKHOLM, March 04, 2013 (AFP) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Monday during a visit to Stockholm that she "sometimes" thinks like her brother, the controversial and exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623415-thai-pm-says-she-sometimes-thinks-like-her-brother/

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to continue:

Thailand Live Tuesday 5 Mar 2013

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623486-thailand-live-tuesday-5-mar-2013/