Thailand Live Wednesday 20 Mar 2013

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Fund launched for families of slain police trio
Kwanhathai Malakan
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The Royal Thai Police has launched "Kongthoon Weeraburut Rusoh" (Fund for the Rusoh Heroes) for the families of three officers slain in a bomb attack in the deep South last week.

Pol Lt-Colonel Jakkrit Wongphrommes, Pol Sergeant Piya Phoophanwer and Pol Corporal Suwes Jantharangsee were killed on Friday by the blast in Narathiwat's Rusoh district.

National police deputy chief General Eke Angsananont said the three officers were not locals but had devoted themselves to their duties in the restive region and had made the ultimate sacrifice. Jakkrit had voluntarily transferred to the region in the hope of finding the killers of teacher Juling Pongkunmul, who was held hostage and fatally beaten in May 2006, and vowed to remain until he achieved that goal, Eke said. The two other officers had also volunteered to work in the deep South, where they had been for more than nine years. They were the main breadwinners for their poor families, supporting elderly parents and school-age children, he added. The Royal Thai Police (RTP) has given the families initial financial assistance and posthumously promoted the slain officers by seven ranks. Their cremation rites will be royally sponsored.

Ake said bank account "Kongthoon Weeraburut Rusoh", number 038-455301-8, at Siam Commercial Bank Siam Square, was available for those who wanted to make donations for the families. Donors can also fax money-transfer slips via (02) 205 1647, while more information on donation is available at (085) 441 3355, Ake added.


-- The Nation 2013-03-20

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Our stylish PM makes a cultural statement with clothes

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Perhaps more than any other leader before her, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been noted for her fashion sense, with her clothes making statements that are louder than words.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627153-our-stylish-prime-minister-yingluck-makes-a-cultural-statement-with-clothes/

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POWER PLAY
Pheu Thai's hopes rest on Yaowapa
The Nation


Yaowapa

Yingluck's big sister is expected to use her clout and keep MPs in line

BANGKOK: -- Yaowapa Wongsawat, already a powerful figure in the ruling Pheu Thai Party, will take on the additional role of overseeing its MPs and their parliamentary work if she is elected as Chiang Mai MP in next month's by-election, party sources revealed yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627154-pheu-thais-hopes-rest-on-yaowapa/

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SECURITY AGENCIES
Facing an April of uncertainty
The Nation

Contentious bills to be tabled; case on Preah Vihear to be heard in ICJ

BANGKOK: -- Security agencies are closely monitoring political groups intending to stage rallies that may escalate into violence next month, National Security Council (NSC) chief Lt-General Paradorn Pattanatha-butr said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627155-thailand-is-facing-an-april-of-uncertainty-security-agencies/

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UPDATE

Massive loan bill completed
The Nation



Logistics strategies revised; PM vows transparency

BANGKOK: -- The Bt2-trillion infrastructure borrowing bill - which will allow the government to raise the entire amount by end-2020 and require it to clear the debt in 50 years - is now ready for parliamentary screening.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627056-thailand-to-spend-68-bn-on-transport-projects/?p=6221211#entry6221211

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SPECIAL REPORT
New administration strategy for South set to be discussed
Pakorn Puengnetr
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- All eyes will be on the first official peace talks scheduled for next Thursday between the separatist movement Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) and Thai officials, during which a proposal to set up a special administrative region in the southern border area is likely to be discussed.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627156-new-administration-strategy-for-thai-south-set-to-be-discussed/

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ASIA-PACIFIC
Bangkok is one of the most innovative cities
The Nation

Capital porous to outside influence despite unique culture; tops society category

BANGKOK: -- A recently-released ranking of the most innovative cities in Asia-Pacific puts Singapore on the top of the list for making "a distinct statement through dramatic and perpetual improvements for the past 25 years".

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627157-bangkok-is-one-of-the-most-innovative-cities-in-asia-pacific/

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POLITICS
Thaksin denies Yaowapa will be a 'substitute' for the PM
The Nation


File photo : Thaksin

BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra phoned in during Tuesday's meeting of MPs from the ruling Pheu Thai Party to offer advice and make his views on issues ranging from peace talks in the deep South and constitutional amendments to the Bt2.2trillion in loans for infrastructure megaprojects.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627158-thaksin-denies-yaowapa-will-be-a-substitute-for-the-prime-minister/

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Chart Thai Pattana gets new leader
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Former agriculture minister Theera Wongsamut was yesterday unanimously named the new leader of the Chart Thai Pattana Party, replacing Chumpol Silapa-archa, who died in January. Theera was the sole candidate.

As party adviser Sanan Kochornprasart also died last month, the party's general meeting introduced Pradit Pattaraprasit and Thanonsorn Lertritsirikul to replace the two as party-list MPs.

Heavyweights like Pongpol Adireksarn, Paradorn Prissananantakul and Chada Thaiseth joined 300 party members for the meeting, but key members who had to attend the morning Cabinet meeting at Government House were absent.

The party's de facto leader, Banharn Silapa-archa, and other executives of the Chart Thai Party are banned from politics until December 3 when the party was dissolved by Supreme Court in 2008.


-- The Nation 2013-03-20

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Call to ban drilling for oil near Samui, Pha Ngan
Suwannee Bandisak,
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A network of environmentalists and academics demanded yesterday that the government abandon any exploration for oil and gas off the resort islands of Samui, Pha Ngan and Tao.

"We do not agree with such a plan. We will escalate our movement if the government doesn't listen to us," said Banjong Nasae, chairman of the Thai Sea Watch Association, which includes the Prince of Songkla University's Surat Thani Campus and several non-government organisations.

The Energy Ministry is reportedly preparing to allow three firms, including PTTEP and CEC, to explore for and produce petroleum near the islands in the Gulf of Thailand.

However, their operation would upset the spawning of short-bodied mackerel as well as hurt tourism in the area, the network has claimed.

The public should not be tame or fooled by politicians' and capitalists' warnings that the country was at risk of blackouts due to imported fuel shortages, the network has said.

Thailand has the highest petrol prices in Southeast Asia and ranks low in income derived from its petroleum concessions, it said.

"We are not against petroleum production but believe a petroleum concession must be well worth it in all respects. Associated operations should also have good environmental management," it said.

The government should review projects that may endanger the ecological system in the Gulf, it said.


-- The Nation 2013-03-20

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Man arrested over Krungthai heist
The Nation



CHIANG MAI: -- Police arrested a suspect yesterday for the theft of Bt9.2 million from a Krungthai Bank (KTB) armoured truck that was parked at Krungthai Bank's Mae Rim branch in Chiang Mai on March 6.

Following investigation of CCTV footage, police nabbed Sumek Lertphanupat, who was driving the cash delivery van, at his office at Krungthai Bank's Khoung Singha branch in Muang district.

He had Bt8 million in his possession and the Honda City sedan that he allegedly used in the theft.

The suspect told police he had stolen the money because he was unhappy about the bank's internal affairs, but said he did not have any accomplices.

Police did not believe |all of his confession and decided to continue investigating.


-- The Nation 2013-03-20

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NACC to probe purchase of pricey forensic devices
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The National Anti-Corruption Commission has launched a graft probe into the procurement of GT200 and Alpha 6 detection devices.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627159-thailands-national-anti-corruption-commission-to-probe-purchase-of-pricey-forensic-devices/

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Education Ministry gets names of cheating officials
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has given the Education Ministry the exam room layout, plus the names of civil servants allegedly involved in cheating in an examination to recruit 2,000 teaching assistants.

Deputy Education Minister Sermsak Pongpanich and DSI will announce the details at a press conference today.

DSI chief Tarit Pengdith said yesterday the DSI had found that in some cases the exam paper had been leaked in exchange for payment, while some used electronic devices to receive answers and others had somebody else take the test on their behalf.

He said the DSI would present its findings for consideration by the ministry, and get the exam results cancelled in some areas where clear evidence of cheating was found.

The DSI has a list of high and middle-ranking officials allegedly found involved in the cheating, but it will wait for the Special Cases Committee to take up the matter before conducting a further in-depth investigation and checking on monetary transactions and relations of those involved, he said.

The Teacher Civil Service and Educational Personnel Commission was scheduled to decide on Friday on how to proceed with the exam results.


-- The Nation 2013-03-20

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Danish businessman attacked and robbed in Thailand
BY ANDERS HOLM NIELSEN



PATTAYA: -- A businessman from Denmark was Monday last week severely injured and hospitalized in Pattaya with two broken heal bones and severe back injury. According to his own account of the incident, the injuries were sustained when he tried to flee a business meeting in Pattaya where he was also robbed of 420.000 Thai baht.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627160-danish-businessman-attacked-and-robbed-in-pattaya/

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Thai stock index opens on Wednesday at 1,568.48, up 0.23 points /MCOT

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Weather bureau warns northern residents of threats from summer storms

CHIANG MAI, 20 March 2013 (NNT) – The weather bureau has issued warnings for people in the northern region to stay alert for threats from summer storms until the end of the month.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627170-chiang-mai-weather-bureau-warns-northern-residents-of-threats-from-summer-storms/

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Thailand's Chalerm cancels meet with Malaysia's Mahathir
By English News



BANGKOK, March 20 – Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said Tuesday he has called off a planned meeting with former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad to concentrate on the government-proposed bill to seek Bt2 trillion loans for infrastructure investment.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627172-thailands-chalerm-cancels-meeting-with-malaysias-mahathir/

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Thai PM pleads for political understanding
By English News



BANGKOK, March 20 – Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has asked for a chance to run Thailand until her four-year term expires.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627173-prime-minister-yingluck-asks-for-a-chance-to-run-thailand-until-her-four-year-term-expires/

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FDA imposes penalties on repeated use of cooking oil

BANGKOK, 20 March 2013 (NNT) – The Food and Drug Association (FDA) has introduced a new penalty for food vendors found repeatedly using the same frying oils for cooking.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627174-thailands-food-and-drug-administration-imposes-penalties-on-repeated-use-of-cooking-oil/

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BoT chief rejects rumours of insufficient funds
By English News



BANGKOK, March 20 – Thailand’s central bank chief has quashed rumours of inadequate funds available to intervene to slow the Thai currency's rapid appreciation which hits a record high in 28 months on Tuesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627178-bank-of-thailand-chief-rejects-rumours-of-insufficient-funds/

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Cabinet approves over THB77mil to promote national reconciliation

BANGKOK, 20 March 2013 (NNT) – The Cabinet has resolved to allocate additional budget for the special committee in charge of national reconciliation to push ahead with its efforts to solve years of social and political conflicts in the country.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627185-thai-cabinet-approves-over-bt77mil-to-promote-national-reconciliation/

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Tourist Police hit in Phuket Town shootout, killing two
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- A Phuket Tourist Police officer is in hospital this morning recovering from wounds sustained after a gunfight in a neighbor’s room which left two men dead early this morning.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627187-tourist-police-hit-in-phuket-town-shootout-killing-two/

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Bangkok's top 10 most crime-prone places
By Coconuts Bangkok

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627191-bangkoks-top-10-most-crime-prone-places/

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US top court sides with Thai student in copyright row

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2013 (AFP) - The US Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with a Thai student who had resold text books bought abroad and sparked a copyright row with a publisher.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627206-u-s-top-court-sides-with-thai-student-in-copyright-row/

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RT @mpoppel: BREAKING -- Yonhap: Computer networks of S. Korean broadcasters KBS, MBC, YTN paralyzed

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MRT to suspend escalator service during daytime to help save energy

BANGKOK, 20 March 2013 (NNT) – The capital’s underground train operator is scheduled to suspend parts of its escalator services during a certain period of the day for 3 months in a bid to help save energy.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627164-mrt-to-suspend-escalator-service-during-daytime-to-help-save-energy/

[Lite Beer]

100 protesters demand Thai PBS executives to resign

BANGKOK: -- About 100 people rallied in front of Thai PBS station Wednesday, demanding its executives to resign following broadcast of a controversial series on the monarchy's constitutional role.

The group, which called itself as the "fed-up people" alleged that five-part series of Tobjote Thailand program had violated the King and infuriated a lot of Thais.

The group said it had earlier asked Thai PBS to cancel the broadcast of the last part of the series but it was still aired so it demanded the executives of the TV station to apologise to the people and resign.

-- The Nation 2013-03-20

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Thai defence minister asks for patience in talks with southern insurgents
By English News

BANGKOK, March 20 – Thailand’s Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat said today that only a few rounds of dialogue with Muslim insurgent groups will not solve the continuing violence in the country’s far South.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/627212-thai-defence-minister-asks-for-patience-in-talks-with-southern-insurgents/

[Lite Beer]

Chavalit denies being invited to join Cabinet

BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh Wednesday denied that he has been approached to join the Yingluck Cabinet, saying he can work for the country without any position.

Chavalit held a press conference to respond to speculations that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra would invite him to become a Cabinet member.

Chavalit said he had not received any invitation and he did not want to become a minister.

"I don't want any position. If someone extends and invitation to me, more discussions will be required. Now, the government already has a lot of choices," Chavalit said.

-- The Nation 2013-03-20

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: Good to see many posters up around the Silom/Sala Daeng area warning people about bag snatching pic.twitter.com/7OH4cVoBMm