Thailand Live Sunday 10 Mar 2013

[Lite Beer]

BRN trusts Thaksin for South peace initiative
The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra won much admiration from the separatist movement for his initiative that led to the peace process in the deep South, according to a former member of the insurgent group that recently agreed to peace talks with Thai authorities.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624826-brn-trusts-thaksin-for-south-peace-initiative/

[Lite Beer]

Opposition not interested in debate on amnesty bills
The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- The Democrats have refused to join a talk on an amnesty law to be hosted by Deputy House Speaker Charoen Jankomol tomorrow, saying they would not allow an amnesty for criminal cases or help former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624828-opposition-not-interested-in-debate-on-amnesty-bills/

[Lite Beer]

Polar bear hunters promise restraint
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation on Sunday

Terry Audla, president of Canada

BANGKOK: -- Inuit hunters are celebrating their victory after the proposal by the US to ban cross-border trade in polar bears and their parts was defeated last week at an international wildlife and plant meeting but the hunters have promised to save the polar bear population.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624829-polar-bear-hunters-promise-restraint/

[Lite Beer]

Two held for use of fake credit cards
The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Two Latvian men were arrested following a tip-off that some tourists had used fake credit cards to buy goods in Bangkok malls, Tourism police deputy chief Pol Colonel Archayong Kraithong told a press conference yesterday.

The suspects, Vladislavs Poplavskis, 53 and Arkadijs Artjuhs, 56, were nabbed on Friday with eight credit cards (two issued by Credit Suisse, three by Disbank and three by Citi Bank) as well as a Canon 600EX flash and a Canon lens they tried to purchase at Central Lat Phrao Mall.

Archayong said the two had reportedly admitted getting the credit cards from a Russian gang leader who lived abroad, and travelled to Thailand to use them to buy goods. Every day they spent about Bt400,000-Bt500,000 through credit to buy goods.

-- The Nation 2013-03-10

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: Ivory shop owners are unhappy with the government's attempts to tighten controls on the ivory trade (Bangkok Post)

[Lite Beer]

Firms in North hurt by minimum wage rise, want more govt help

BANGKOK: -- Vice Minister for Labour Visa Khanthap presided over a workshop on SMEs at Lampang Rajabhat University yesterday. He said Lampang had 4,125 business establishments in 28 fields (especially food, wholesale/retail, wooden furniture, ceramics and glass) covering 57,523 employees - most of them were SMEs.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624831-firms-in-north-hurt-by-minimum-wage-rise-want-more-govt-help/

[Lite Beer]

DSI rejects account move
The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) yesterday turned down a request by the company that won a Bt3-billion contract to build 396 police stations across the country, seeking an end to a block on its bank account.

Tarit Pengdith, director general of the DSI, said the agency had to confiscate the account as part of its investigation into charges of fraud and bid rigging involving the firm.

"The DSI needs to confiscate the bank deposits in order to prevent transfer of the money," he said.

Tarit also said the firm's claim that the move had affected its business was insensible.

The request was made recently by Piboon Udomsitthikul, chairman of PCC Development and Construction, the contractor that won from deal from the Police, under the previous government.

-- The Nation 2013-03-10

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RT@ChadapornLin: Sikarin Hospital holds mini marathon on Srinakarin Road from Bangna to Paradise Park shopping complex

[Lite Beer]

Chavalit backs talks with BRN leaders
The Nation on Sunday

About 1,000 residents in Narathiwat rally near the office of the provincial Islamic Committee calling for end to all violence in the restive South.

Narathiwat rally urges locals to cooperate with Thai officials

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624832-chavalit-backs-talks-with-b-r-n-leaders/

[Lite Beer]

Pheu Thai may seek disqualification
Praphan Jindalertudomdee,
The Nation on Sunday

Pheu Thai is considering filing a complaint with the Election Commission to try to disqualify Bangkok governor-elect Sukhumbhand Paribatra over statements by Democrat leaders that allegedly framed its candidate, deputy party spokesman Jirayu Huangsap said yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624833-pheu-thai-may-seek-disqualification/

[Lite Beer]

Reds in bid to foil Democrat rally
The Nation on Sunday March 10, 2013 1:00 am

KHON Kaen: -- Hundreds of red shirts yesterday gathered in Khon Kaen University before a Democrat Party rally at the venue.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624834-reds-in-bid-to-foil-democrat-rally/

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: British supermarkets are selling Thai prawns reared using a technique that destroys the ocean’s ecosystem (Times) thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/public/art…

[Lite Beer]

Current session may hear achievements
Khanittha Thepphajorn,
The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Parliament is expected to allow the government to declare its first year achievements during the current parliamentary session, Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanij said yesterday.

House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont has scheduled a House-Senate joint meeting on Tuesday. One of the motions is to consider whether to allow the Cabinet to declare its achievements as required by the Constitution after failing to do so during the last parliamentary session. The joint meeting needs to consider whether the current session is legislative, which allows only debate on laws.

Nikom said a special session to discuss the government's achievements might take place during a session to debate the 2014 Budget Bill in May.

The current parliamentary session will recess on April 18.

-- The Nation 2013-03-10

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EDITORIAL
The double-edged sword called opinion polls
The Nation March 10, 2013 1:00 am

BANGKOK: -- It seems that pre-election survey predictions altered voters' behaviour and had an effect on the result of last weekend's city gubernatorial contest

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624835-the-double-edged-sword-called-opinion-polls/

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: Thai govt reject a report by UK's Sunday Times that its prawns industry destroys the ocean's ecosystem (Bangkok Post)

[Lite Beer]

Hail Phuket Provincial Hall
Phuket Gazette -

The need for a new provincial hall in Phuket is clear, so why the protests? Image: Gazette Graphics

PHUKET: Protests over the recently-unveiled plan to build a new 465-million-baht Phuket Provincial Hall (story here) strike us as quite surprising, especially the fact that self-described “local people” are leading the opposition: virtually all of the land in the immediate vicinity belongs to the state.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624841-hail-phuket-provincial-hall/

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: “The Colourful Andaman Sea Fair” at Seacon Square this weekend, 10:30am-9pm. Features local food. pic.twitter.com/RuReY850om

[Lite Beer]

Water Protest at Central Pattaya Condominium Complex

PATTAYA:--A protest took place on Saturday involving Thai and foreign residents of the Spanish Place Condominium on the Sukhukmvit Road in Central Pattaya, where residents claim they have been without a public water supply for the last 10 years.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624845-water-protest-at-central-pattaya-condominium-complex/

[Lite Beer]

16 year old shot after Exam Room confrontation with fellow student in North Pattaya
PATTAYA:--A 16 year old boy was shot in his left buttock on Saturday Afternoon in Soi Potisan in Naklua following an earlier confrontation with a fellow student in an Examination Room at a college in North Pattaya.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624844-16-year-old-shot-after-exam-room-confrontation-with-fellow-student-in-north-pattaya/

[Lite Beer]

Phuket Legal: Property purchase in the name of a Thai company
Phuket Gazette -

Phuket Legal: It is commonly believed that a Thai company with foreign shareholders cannot purchase and own land. In reality, ownership is not difficult to accomplish if one follows some simple rules. Photo: J3n

PHUKET: In many cases, foreign investors wish to register a company in Thailand with an eye toward purchasing property in the name of that company to use for business purposes, or simply to use as the company’s registered office.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624877-phuket-legal-property-purchase-in-the-name-of-a-thai-company/

[Lite Beer]

Soldiers clash with drug gang in Chiang Rai, one killed, 60,000 pills seized /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

Drug suspect killed in Chiang Rai
By Digital Media

CHIANG RAI, March 10 – Soldiers clashed with a drug gang in this northern province, killing one member of the gang and seizing approximately 60,000 methamphetamine pills.

The clash occurred in Mae Fah Luang district. Three suspicious men were riding two motorcycles on Mae Chan – Mae Salong – Terdthai Road to Mae Chan district. Soldiers attempted to stop them for a search and they opened fire at the soldiers.

Soldiers returned gunfire and pursued them. They abandoned their motorcycles and fled into the wood. One body was found and two others are still at large. The body remains unidentified.

Officials confiscated 60,000 methamphetamine pills and 35 AK-assault rifle bullets. An investigation is underway to determine which gang they belong to. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-03-10

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RT@RichardBarrow: Sunday: Football schedule on Thai TV tonight pic.twitter.com/zRF79DM0yU

[Lite Beer]

Swiss Resident in Critical Condition after East Pattaya House Fire

PATTAYA:--Early on Sunday Morning a fire took-hold of the second floor of a townhouse at the Ratanagorn Village 3 in East Pattaya which left a Swiss resident fighting for his life in Hospital.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624891-swiss-resident-in-critical-condition-after-east-pattaya-house-fire/

[Lite Beer]

Assault of Thai Man and Theft from Russian Late-night Swimmers on Jomtien Beach

PATTAYA:--Two Russians and their 19 year old Thai friend were assaulted and robbed as they went for a late night swim on Dongtan Beach behind the Pattaya Park Hotel early on Sunday Morning.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624892-assault-of-thai-man-and-theft-from-russian-late-night-swimmers-on-jomtien-beach/

[Lite Beer]

Wife of border patrol police officer shot dead while riding motorcycle home from market in Pattani /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

OTP: Transport infrastructure investment is essential for national development and AEC

BANGKOK, 10 March 2013 (NNT) - The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) has reasserted the importance of state investment in transport infrastructure, which is essential for Thailand’s development and preparation for entering the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015.

OTP Director Chula Sukmanop said Thailand’s infrastructure investment has been low since the 1997-1998 Asian Economic Crisis, even though such a move is significant for its development.

Mr. Chula added both state and private investment has also continued to fall while the government’s investment allocation has also been lower than the standard 25% level for 6 consecutive years.

The OTP Director insists that Thailand is in need for more basic infrastructure investment, particularly in the transport sector, in order to help spur development to other parts of the country and prepare it for the emergence of the AEC in less than 2 years.

Meanwhile, Governor of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Praphat Jongsanguan said an overhaul of the SRT’s basic service is urgently needed for the change of Thai railway to the dual-track system.

Mr. Praphat said Thai trains are currently running at the speed of 40 kilometers per hour and it is hoped that the speed will be boosted to 100-120 kilometers per hour to facilitate commuters more, in the future.

In addition, he noted that if all investment plans goes on as hoped, Thai railway system will get to switch from diesel to electric power soon.

-- NNT 2013-03-10

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Thailand pushing for GI registration of local coffee beans

BANGKOK, 10 March 2013 (NNT) - The government is poised to press ahead with the application for Geographical Indications (GI) patent of more Thai products while getting ready to export more organic produce to the European Union.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said during the weekly “PM Yingluck Government Meets the People” TV show that the government is determined to apply for the GI patent for Doi Tung and Doi Chang coffee beans from the northern region of Thailand.

The patent registration plan was initiated during the Premier’s recent official visit to Sweden and Belgium and after the EU has granted the GI patent for the Thai "Khao Hom Mali Thung Kula Ronghai” rice.

The PM expressed confidence that the EU’s preference for organic produce will be a good opportunity for Thai agriculturalists to send more of their products there.

The EU is Thailand's fourth largest trade partner with increasing trade value while Thailand is the EU's important exporter of food products.

-- NNT 2013-03-10

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Police inspect elephant carcass killed in Phetchaburi
By Digital Media

PHETCHABURI, March 10 - Police and a team of specialists on Sunday inspected an elephant carcass in the Kaeng Krachan national park and gathered evidence to find the culprits.

Assistant National Police Chief Jaramporn Suramanee led the team of specialists to the national park in Phetchaburi by helicopter after he met Chaiwat Limlikhitaksorn, head of the national park to work on finding evidence to punish the culprits, after a female elephant believed to be pregnant was shot dead in the forest.

Pol Lt Gen Jaramporn said according to the report of the Kaen Krachan national park, there is a link that the group killing this female elephant is possibly related to two people suspected of killing elephants for tusks and organs last year and were arrested by the police. Collected fingerprints and DNA will be compared to see if the killing was conducted by the same group.

An autopsy will be performed on the carcass to determine if she was pregnant or not. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-03-10

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to continue:

Thailand Live Monday 11 Mar 2013

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/625037-thailand-live-monday-11-mar-2013/