Thailand Live Saturday 13 Apr 2013

[webfact]

British sex fiend arrested in Phuket
Phuket Gazette


Convicted sex offender Hugh Glass (seated), arrested in Phuket, will be deported and handed over to the British authorites. Photo: Phuket Immigration

PHUKET: -- British national Hugh Glass, 57, wanted for multiple sex crimes involving children, was arrested yesterday afternoon while walking along the beach road in Phuket’s key tourism town of Patong.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632659-british-sex-fiend-arrested-in-phuket/

[webfact]

UPDATE:
Road toll at 39 on first day of Songkran
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Road accidents resulted in 39 deaths on Thursday - nine more in comparison to last year's first of the "seven dangerous days" of the long Songkran holiday, the Road Safety Centre reported yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632585-39-road-deaths-on-first-day-of-songkrans-seven-dangerous-days/page-4?p=6297738#entry6297738

[webfact]

Swedish Pattaya bar operator gets death penalty in Malaysia for drugs

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632610-swede-gets-death-penalty-in-malaysia-for-drugs/

[webfact]

PREAH VIHEAR
Locals worry about clashes over ruling
Jittima Janprom
The Nation
Si Sa Ket

Villagers ready to evacuate as Thai, Cambodian troops take position

SI SA KET: -- People living in this border province are keeping their fingers crossed and hoping that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on the Preah Vihear Temple and its surrounding area will not trigger a war or bloody clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632719-locals-ready-to-evacuate-as-thai-cambodian-troops-take-position-preah-vihear-ruling/

[webfact]

Top party to announce stand on amnesty law

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai Party will hold a meeting of its MPs on Wednesday before announcing whether it will call for the enactment of an amnesty law, a legal adviser to former PM Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632720-pheu-thai-party-to-announce-stand-on-amnesty-law/

[webfact]

ECONOMY
BOT raises 2013, '14 growth forecasts
The Nation


Investment in infrastructure projects is a key factor to boost the economy.

BANGKOK: -- The BOT's new forecast is close to the International Monetary Fund's 5.5-per-cent projection for Asean-5, which covers Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632721-thai-economy-b-o-t-raises-2013-14-growth-forecasts/

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
Remembering a day we learned nothing from
The Nation



The political violence of three years ago demonstrated that Thais have been unable to reap any benefit from past tragic experiences

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632723-remembering-a-day-we-learned-nothing-from-thai-editorial/

[webfact]

UPDATE
Pheu Thai certain of victory in court verdict on amendment bill
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai Party's legal team yesterday appeared confident that it could defend a charter-amendment bill, despite the Constitutional Court accepting another petition against the planned amendment to Article 68.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632619-pheu-thai-confident-of-victory-in-amendment-ruling;-second-petition-filed/#entry6297763

[webfact]

Park chief, jumbo deaths 'not linked'
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation
Phetchaburi

PHETCHABURI: -- The recent slaughter of elephants in Phetchaburi's Kaeng Krachan National Park and calls for the removal of the park's chief are being treated as two separate issues, a high-level environmental official insisted yesterday.

"I will study whether there was any link between the elephants' deaths and the work [done by] national park chief Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn," said Chote Trachoo, permanent secretary of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, who yesterday led a team of officials investigating the causes of the animals' deaths. "Sometimes Chaiwat was too serious in his work, and this led to conflict between him and local people. However, I'll find the real cause of these crimes," he added.

The investigation follows the discovery of two headless female elephant carcasses, one this month and one in March. One of the elephants was pregnant when she was killed.

Chote has refused to approve a reassignment of Chaiwat to another area, saying he needs to gather more facts on the issue before making a decision on whether to remove the park chief.

"Removing him immediately would discourage forest officials who have a done good job protecting national parks and wildlife. Officials' removal must comply with legal procedure," he said.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has paid close attention to the elephant killings in Kaeng Krachan and has instructed Chote to report to her on the issue, the permanent secretary said.

About four elephants have been killed in the area since last year. Most of them were found dead near Padeng Reservoir.

"This is an abnormal situation," Chote said. He said he would invite officials from agencies including the Livestock Department and the Interior Ministry to find a solution to problems relating to elephant conservation in the area.


-- The Nation 2013-04-13

[webfact]

TOURISM
Phuket Airport sees higher traffic
Salinee Prab
The Nation



PHUKET: -- A large number of Thai and foreign tourists flock to Phuket International Airport on Friday, ahead of the long holiday period.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632725-phuket-airport-sees-higher-traffic/

[webfact]

Plan to disclose names of 'terrorist' list could jeopardise peace talks, experts warn

Phaisarn Saokleaw,

Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- National-security experts have voiced concerns over a Justice Ministry plan to publish the names of "terrorists" in the South under an anti-money-laundering law, saying it could hurt the ongoing peace dialogue between authorities and insurgents' representatives.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632726-plan-to-disclose-names-of-terrorist-list-could-jeopardise-peace-talks-thai-experts-warn/

[webfact]

Unidentified body found off Phuket Deep Sea Port
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- Police are trying to determine the identity of a man whose body was discovered off Cape Panwa, on the east coast of Phuket, today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632727-unidentified-body-found-off-phuket-deep-sea-port/

[webfact]

Phuket Songkran: Four accidents but no deaths on Day 1
Phuket Gazette


Phuket survived the first 24 hours of the Songkran Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign without a single fatality. Photo: Irfarn Jamdukor

PHUKET: -- The first 24 hours of Phuket Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign for the Songkran holidays passed with zero deaths.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632728-phuket-songkran-four-accidents-but-no-deaths-on-day-1/

[webfact]

RT @191Thailand: During the first two days of Songkran, 101 people have been killed & 838 injured during road accidents.

[webfact]

Powerful Quake Hits Japan, Aftershocks Expected - Agency

TOKYO, April 13 (RIA Novosti) – A series of moderate aftershocks are expected to follow a 6.0-magnitude earthquake that hit western Japan early on Saturday, the country’s meteorological agency (JMA) said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632743-powerful-quake-hits-japan-aftershocks-expected-agency/

[webfact]

RT @RichardBarrow: From 13-15 April both Khao San & Silom Roads in Bangkok will be closed for people to play #Songkran waterfights.

[webfact]

UPDATE

Pattaya Bar Owner Sentenced to Death in Malaysia


(photo credit: News Straits Times)

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632610-swede-gets-death-penalty-in-malaysia-for-drugs/?p=6298046#entry6298046

[webfact]

RT @191Thailand: 11-12 April: 791 accidents (33 less than last year), 101 deaths (13 more) & 838 injuries (52 less) #Songkran #Thailand

[webfact]

Suspected insurgents attack ranger base in Narathiwat last night, no injuries reported; in Pattani assistant village head shot dead /MCOT

[webfact]

Wage hike a blow to 80% of small Thai industries
By Digital Media



BANGKOK, April 13 – Thailand’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are in deep trouble, with 80 percent reporting losses in this year’s first quarter and 10 per cent on the verge of shutdown, an industrial organisation said on Friday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632760-wage-hike-a-blow-to-80-of-small-thai-industries/

[webfact]

Road Safety Centre: 101 killed, 838 injured in 791 accidents over 1st 2 days of Songkran festival; drunken driving major cause of accidents /MCOT

[webfact]

A 7-yr girl is the 1st confirmed H7N9 bird flu case in Beijing this yr,as bird flu cases rose to 44 (11 people died) /The Nation

[webfact]

Deputy PM/Foreign Minister, Defence Minister lead Thai delegation to The Hague for final statements at ICJ on Preah Vihear case, April 15-19 /MCOT

[webfact]

RT @RichardBarrow: 1:15pm Pictures of #Songkran fun at Siam Square in #Bangkok, 13-15 April 2013 http://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/322957209623461888/photo/1

[webfact]

PM sends holiday greetings for happiness, preserving Thai traditions for Songkran
By Digital Media



BANGKOK, April 13 -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has imparted holiday blessings and wishes for happiness, urged the public to help in preserving Thai traditions for Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year.

Ms Yingluck, on her pre-recorded weekly TV programme, said she would like to take an opportunity to call on the people to preserve the traditional and unique ways of Songkran which could also promote tourism in the country.

She said this was also a good chance for family reunions and to live together in happiness on the Family Day on April 14.

Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year, and is normally celebrated from April 13 to 15. April 13 is National Senior Citizens Day and April 14 is Family Day.

The premier said she wanted to see people celebrating and enjoying Songkran with happiness, observed the traditional way without alcoholic drinks.

She also expressed worry over the safety of motorists and travellers and has instructed authorities to step up measures to ensure public safety on the roads.

She hoped that with the prevailing hot weather, splashing water during Songkran could eventually cool down the temperatures in term of weather and political atmosphere.

Ms Yingluck was in Chiang Mai on Saturday to preside over the opening ceremony of Chiangmai Traditional Songkran Day 2013. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-04-13

[webfact]

Road accidents kill 101 in first two days of Songkran festival
By Digital Media



BANGKOK, April 13 -- Road accidents have killed 101 people and injured 838 in 791 accidents over the past two days in Thailand, as the country is celebrating the annual Songkran festival marking the start of a new year in the Thai calendar, according to an official in charge of disaster prevention.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/632784-road-accidents-kill-101-in-first-two-days-of-songkran-festival/

[Lite Beer]

Ranger outpost in Thailand’s South bombarded by gunfire
By Digital Media

NARATHIWAT, April 13 – Southern militants fired a hail of bullets last night into a ranger base near the residence of a Muslim core leader involved in peace dialogue with the Thai government.

A joint police and army team this morning inspected the scene of the exchange of gunfire in Ra-ngae district which is located close to the house of Hassan Toib, a leading member of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) movement which has been engaged in the peace process with Thai security authorities.

Hassan has attended the first two rounds of peace meetings with Thai representatives in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

Police said about 4-5 assailants opened fire into the ranger outpost, after which both sides fired at each other for five minutes amid heavy rains. There was no casualty reported from government forces.

Authorities found 92 shells of M-60 machine guns and 44 of M-16 rifles at the scene.

In another attack in adjacent Pattani province last night, a village assistant leader, identified as Tolae Putan, 46, was killed as he was driving home.

Police said an unknown number of attackers opened fire at his sedan on a road in Mayo district. He was pronounced dead as he was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Police found 8 shells from an AK assault rifle and five from M-16 rifles at the scene.

Attacks on Thai authorities and civilians as well as army outposts in Thailand’s three southern border provinces have escalated in the last few months as the government is holding talks with some Muslim insurgent groups in an effort to seek peace in the region. Some militant factions denounced the move and flatly refused to take part in the peace talks. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-04-13

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: 1:40pm Beer now being openly sold on Khao San Rd despite the ban on alcohol (Pic @Rangsima_s)

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: No alcohol or powder allowed inside #Songkran zones at Siam Square. Body searches as you enter pic.twitter.com/veJeeJhjJW

[webfact]

RT @RichardBarrow: 2:45pm Bangkok's biggest #Songkran waterfight is here on Silom Road http://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/322979085284438016/photo/1