Thailand Live Wednesday 6 Mar 2013

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FOOTBALL
Chelsea to use Thailand as launch pad
Kitinan Sanguansak
The Nation


Chelsea CEO Ron Gourlay, left, presents a club shirt to Piti Bhirom Bhakdi, Singha Corporation

Blues to spend a week in city for pre-season

BANGKOK: -- European champions Chelsea will lay the foundations for their 2013/2014 season in Thailand, when they visit for the second time in three years, to play an exhibition match in July to mark the 80th anniversary of Boon Rawd Brewery.

The English Premier League giants will face a Singha All Star XI at Rajamangala National Stadium on July 17, nearly two years after they last visited the country they call their "second home". However, this time around will be different, as the Blues are planning a week-long pre-season training camp in Bangkok.

"Our visit to Bangkok this July heralds a big, big change as we would like to use the Thai capital as our pre-season base. It's never been done before. We'll base ourselves in Bangkok at critical time in the pre-season," Chelsea CEO Ron Gourlay told a packed press conference yesterday at Bangkok's Renaissance Hotel.

"We'll spend a week in the community, as part of our "Here to Play Here to Stay" legacy. We promise you we aren't just coming to play the game and leave. We'll make the team as available to fans, to the community, as possible.

"We will support the fans with opportunities to meet the team at open training sessions at [Rajamangala National Stadium], at the "Blue Pitch", or soccer school, we'll have during our week-long stay. We will try as much as possible to pay back for the fabulous support we always have here."

Gourlay said the whole club was looking forward to returning, especially for the 80th birthday of Boon Rawd's Singha, the club's global partners, which extended its contract by another three years.

"This [bangkok] is our second home now. We normally have as much support here as we have in London. It's fantastic for us to come here.

"We all remember our last visit here in 2011. I made two promises then. One, I said if we won the Champions League I would bring the team back within two years. So, here we are.

"I also promised with our CSR work that we would launch the "Blue Pitch" for the community. That was launched in July last year. So, hopefully, we've delivered our promises for you.

"For the game against the Singha XI, as always, I'm absolutely certain that the stadium will be full.

"I assure you we'll bring the strongest team we can to one of Chelsea's real broad bases in the world, probably with a couple of new faces we hopefully acquire in the summer, as we continue to strengthen our team."However, Gourlay came up short of a clear answer when asked whether England international midfielder Frank Lampard, whose contract will expire at the end of the season, would be included for the Thailand trip.

"We're not prepared to discuss that at this time. Obviously, conversations must remain confiden-tial between the club and the player at all times. That's as much as I can say."

Chelsea will be the second EPL club to visit the Kingdom in July, with Manchester United due to play in Bangkok four days earlier.

Liverpool and Spanish giants Barcelona are the other two European giants scheduled to visit as part of a month-long football feast starting in mid-July.


-- The Nation 2013-03-06

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LOSS
Rice-pledging scheme taking a toll on budget
Suphannee Pootisut
The Nation

Funds from fiscal 2014-16 may need to be appropriated to cover Bt100-bn loss

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623762-govts-rice-pledging-scheme-taking-a-toll-on-thailands-budget/

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POLL
Pollsters say they're working to make better predictions
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Suan Dusit Poll chief Sukhum Chaloeysub has released a letter publicly apologising for the incorrect predictions for the governor's election.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623763-pollsters-say-theyre-working-to-make-better-predictions-thailand/

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CITES
Agencies to jointly combat wildlife crime
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation

This transnational felony needs to be tackled on all fronts, top Thai official

BANGKOK: -- More than 30 international agencies yesterday agreed to join in combating wildlife crime across the world.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623764-c-i-t-e-s-meeting-in-bangkok-agencies-to-jointly-combat-wildlife-crime/

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CITES
Thailand set to oppose protection of sharks and manta rays
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Thailand will be juggling several hot-potato wildlife issues as it hosts the 16th Conference of the Parties to CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which starts on Sunday and runs through March 14 in Bangkok.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623766-thailand-set-to-oppose-protection-of-sharks-and-manta-rays/

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WEALTH
10 Thais on Forbes' super-rich list, up from five last year
The Nation


Dhanin

BANGKOK: -- Thai billionaires have seen their wealth skyrocket in a year, with 10 making it into Forbes' list of the wealthy, compared with just five last year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623767-10-thais-on-forbes-super-rich-list-up-from-five-last-year/

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PM invites Sweden to invest in logistics, regional transport
Piyanart Srivalo
The Nation
Stockholm


Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra poses for a group photo with King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Silvia as they meet at the Royal Palace in Stockholm on Monday. Yingluck was in Sweden for a one-day official visit.

Gateway to states in region cited; ground laid for tightening ties

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623768-yingluck-invites-sweden-to-invest-in-logistics-regional-transport/

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Krungthep Turakij wins top award
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A series of articles covering the government's controversial rice-pledging scheme has won Krungthep Turakij, a sister publication of The Nation, the prestigious Isra Amantakul Award.

The articles, which exposed corruption in the scheme, hold a lot of significance because the government has already spent at least Bt450 billion on this controversial scheme. While the scheme has boosted the price of Thai rice, the real benefits have barely reached poor farmers.

The Krungthep Turakij articles also helped raise questions about why the government withheld information on its plan to sell rice stored under the rice-pledging scheme via a government-to-government deal.

The Thai Journalists Association, the Isra Amantakul Foundation and the Thai Society of Environmental Journalists jointly organised a contest for news reports published last year, and the award was presented yesterday evening at a Bangkok hotel. The event also marked the Thai Journalist Day, which falls on March 5 every year.

Two reports by Daily News have won honourable mention. One of them covered cheating in the police entrance exams and the other addressed graft in the procurements by a major education agency.

The top prize for Best Photograph was taken by ASTV Weekly photographer Santi Tehpia, who captured a shot of a cameraman falling while trying to take a picture of red-shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan at the Criminal Court. This picture beat 80 other contenders.

An image from The Nation's cameraman Pakdee Sukperm won honourable mention. His photo showed a boy jumping in joy after winning a school admission lucky draw.


-- The Nation 2013-03-06

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BOT eases rule on single lending cap
Sarun Kijvasin
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Bank of Thailand will temporarily relax the single lending limit rule to companies under a group to more than 25 per cent of the lender's Tier 1 capital base, according to a report by the central bank.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623769-bank-of-thailand-eases-rule-on-single-lending-cap/

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STOPPAGE TIME
Exit polls epic fail: Human error or divine intervention?
Tulsathit Taptim



BANGKOK: -- It's "Phew!" for the Democrats, "Aaagh!" for the Pheu Thai Party and "Nooo! Not again!" for those in charge of exit polls. The ruling camp is the loser, all right, but eggs are on the face of the pollsters who, many say, have never learned their lessons.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623770-exit-polls-epic-fail-human-error-or-divine-intervention-thai-opinion/

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NASA pulls out of project
Jutharat Tipnampa,
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has decided not to continue its cooperation with Thai authorities in a research project to study climate conditions in Thailand, the US ambassador to Thailand said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623771-n-a-s-a-pulls-out-of-project-to-study-climate-conditions-in-thailand/

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Abhisit, Suthep broke law in bids: DSI
Piyanut Tumnukasetchai
The Nation



Police station case given to NACC; findings due soon on precincts

BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban violated laws in awarding contracts to build 396 police stations, the Department of Special Investigation said in its investigation report submitted yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623773-abhisit-suthep-broke-law-in-police-station-bids-d-s-i/

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Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez Dies From Cancer at 58

MEXICO CITY, March 6 (RIA Novosti) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died after a prolonged battle with cancer, Vice President Nicolas Maduro announced on national television.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623774-hugo-chavez-dies-from-cancer-at-58/

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Russian murdered at Central Pattaya Hotel

A Russian was found dead in a Central Pattaya Hotel on Tuesday afternoon and Police suspect he was murdered.

PATTAYA: -- Just after 5pm Police were called to an apartment complex in Soi Baukao and were directed to a 2nd floor room. Lying on the floor, close to the bed was the body of Mr. Andrei Komarov aged 39, an architect from St. Petersburg.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623775-russian-tourist-murdered-at-pattaya-hotel/

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BURNING ISSUE
Vote result reveals a divided nation
Pravit Rojanaphruk

BANGKOK: -- Sunday's Bangkok gubernatorial election was more a referendum on Thaksin Shinawatra and what happened in April-May 2010 in Bangkok and beyond, than a normal local election where voters decided who should best administer the capital.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623778-bangkok-vote-result-reveals-a-divided-nation/

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EC to decide today on victory endorsement
The Nation


Newly elected Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra is welcomed warmly by fellow Democrats as he joins a party meeting yesterday.

BANGKOK: -- The Election Commission may today consider whether to endorse the victory of Bangkok governor-elect Sukhumbhand Paribatra, EC Secretary-General Puchong Nutrawong said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623781-election-commission-to-decide-on-sukhumbhands-endorsement/

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Swede dies in car crash on Koh Phangan
BY ANDERS HOLM NIELSEN

KOH PHANGAN: -- The Swedish man who was in his 30′s died Sunday after being involved in a serious accident in the holiday paradise of Koh Pha Ngan in Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623782-swede-dies-in-car-crash-on-koh-phangan/

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Killed activist's family 'fearful'
The Nation



CHACHOENGSAO: -- Jorn Naowa-ophas, a local politician and older brother of Chachoengsao's slain activist Prajob Naowa-ophas, yesterday applied to join the Rights and Liberties Protection Department (RLPD) programme which is giving Prajob's family Bt100,000 in compensation.

Prajob, a village head who led the anti-illegal waste movement, was shot dead on February 25. Investigation is ongoing.

Jorn said the situation wasn't good. Villagers who campaigned against illegal waste disposal in Phanom Sarakham district had been threatened and intimidated and they all lived in fear.

Jorn, accompanied Prajob's wife Arunrat and eldest son Watcharapong, met with RLPD chief Narat Sawettanan to collect the compensation under the Damages for Injured Persons and Compensation and Expense for the Accused in Criminal Case Act 2001.

Jorn and Arunrat also sought scholarships for Prajob's second child who studied in Mathayom 1 and the youngest who is only a year-old. Watcharapong has had to quit college to work and support the family.

Narat said the agency had set a budget of Bt200 million-Bt250 million per year to compensate victims in criminal cases. He said there had been up to 40,000 criminal cases in the past six years but only 18 per cent of the victims filed for assistance and only 10 per cent had received compensation.

Therefore the agency had established the Sawettanan Foundation to provide compensation to victims right away.


-- The Nation 2013-03-06

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Teacher Disciplined at East Pattaya School after Facebook video goes viral



PATTAYA: -- A female teacher at an East Pattaya government-run school was disciplined on Tuesday after the family of a student who was beaten with a wooden stick as other students looked on and secretly filmed the beating, posted the video on Facebook.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623784-teacher-disciplined-at-east-pattaya-school-after-facebook-video-goes-viral/

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Chiang Rai police clash with Ye Say's drug network in Mae Sai; one smuggler killed, 300,000 meth pills seized /MCOT

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Englishman found dead at East Pattaya House

PATTAYA:--A 61 year old English Resident of Pattaya was found dead at his family home in East Pattaya late on Tuesday Night by his wife and stepson.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623800-englishman-found-dead-at-east-pattaya-house/

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Thai stock index opens on Wednesday at 1,558.90, up 9.59 points /MCOT

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UPDATE

3 power generating giants allay fear of April power blackout
By English News

BANGKOK, Mar 6 – Thailand’s three core electricity generating agencies have given assurances that the country will be spared from power blackouts during the maintenance of a natural gas platform in Myanmar during April 5-14.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623637-blackout-of-2-hours-imminent-on-april-5-if-energy-supply-is-critical-thailand/page-3#entry6176430

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Intelligence warns against 8 bombs in downtown Pattani and car bomb in Songkhla

YALA, 6 March 2013 (NNT) – A state employee in Yala has been arrested for involvement with several bombing incidents in the province.

Masaophi Domae, an employee of the Department of Highways's Yala office, was found with 10 mobile phones, electrical repair equipment and more than a hundred electronic circuit boards in his possession. Forensics officials were testing his DNA and will continue his interrogation at the base of Yala Task Force 11. Mr. Masaophi denies involvement with the bombings.

Meanwhile, the commander of the Pattani Task Forces has told the troops in 12 districts of Pattani to tighten inspections at checkpoints and increase route patrols, after intelligence warned of RKK militants preparing to plant 8 bombs in downtown Pattani. According to Major General Thawat Sukplang, the 8 bombs were moved out of Yarang district and are being kept on the outskirts of Mueang district.

Furthermore, intelligence has indicated that a 40-kilogram bomb was being kept inside a white Mitsubishi sedan that had two black stripes on its hood. The car bomb is allegedly meant to be detonated in Songkhla province.


-- NNT 2013-03-06

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Education Ministry hands over investigation of teachers examination fraud to DSI

BANGKOK, 6 March 2013 (NNT) – The Ministry of Education has passed the case of fraud in examination for assistant teachers to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), for continued investigation.

Deputy Minister for Education Sermsak Pongpanit indicated that high-level bureaucrats of the ministry were involved with the fraud and that the testing fraud was systematically carried out.

Education Minister Pongthep Thepkanchana insists this case will not go silent, and the investigation will be carried out without bias.

Chinnaphat Phummirat, secretary-general to the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), was to bring forth information and documents concerning relocation of examination papers and test results to the DSI today (March 6). He said the ministry will take legal action to the full extent of law against any civil servants or high-level OBEC found to have been involved with the fraud.


-- NNT 2013-03-06

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Public Health Ministry on high alert against possible avian flu spread from Cambodia

BANGKOK, 6 March 2013 (NNT) – The Public Health Ministry is on high alert against the possible spread of avian flu into the country, after a number of people have been reportedly killed by H5N1 virus in neighboring Cambodia.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623838-health-ministry-puts-thailand-on-high-alert-for-bird-flu/

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Thailand launch of new international initiative to tackle convicted travelling child molesters from the UK

BANGKOK: A new international initiative to prevent UK sexual offenders travelling to other countries and gaining access to children through teaching or volunteering roles will see its launch in Thailand on the 5th March 2013.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623840-thailand-launches-an-initiative-to-tackle-convicted-travelling-u-k-child-molesters/

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SAS and Thai expand code-share agreement to include Thai nonstop flights Scandinavia – Bangkok
BY GREGERS MØLLER

BANGKOK: -- Effective April 8, Scandinavian Airlines and Star Alliance partner Thai Airways will expand their present code-share agreement to also cover the direct routes Stockholm – Bangkok, Oslo – Bangkok and Copenhagen – Bangkok.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623843-s-a-s-and-thai-expand-code-share-agreement-to-include-thai-nonstop-flights-scandinavia-bangkok/

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2 drug dealers arrested; 30,000 pills of methamphetamine seized

BANGKOK, 6 March 2013 (NNT) – Chonburi police have made an arrest of drug-peddling husband and wife, and seized over 30,000 pills of methamphetamine and 4 million baht worth of “ya ice”.

The suspect was arrested at a check point while smuggling drugs in his car. Upon the search, police found 150 packs which contained 200 methamphetamine in each one, totaling 300,000 altogether . After the arrest, the police went to the suspect's house for a thorough search and found 336 grams of ya ice, worth over 4 million baht, hidden in the room under the stairs. Police then took the suspect's wife into custody.

According to the suspect, he is only a delivery boy and admitted that he has been doing it for a long time. Police have already charged the couple with possession of narcotics.

Authorities have been taking tough measures against drugs and will continue trying to rid the country of illicit drugs.


-- NNT 2013-03-06

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Russian run over by Phuket OrBorJor bus

PHUKET: -- A Russian tourist named by police as Kirill Kulaein, 43, was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital about 10am this morning (March 6) after being run over by an OrBorJor “po tong” pink bus in the middle of Phuket Town.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/623851-russian-run-over-by-phuket-bus/