Thailand Live Sunday 21 April 2013

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German map expert who surveyed Preah Vihear in 1961 returns
Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation on Sunday

THE HAGUE: -- More than half a century ago, Prof Friedrich Ackermann of the Institute for Photogrammetry at the University of Stuttgart sat in a courtroom at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague and offered his views on watersheds, maps and the international boundary near the Preah Vihear Temple.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634163-german-map-expert-who-surveyed-preah-vihear-in-1961-returns/

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PM lauds 'job well done' in The Hague
The Nation on Sunday

Virachai

THE HAGUE: -- Thai team did its best to make country's case on Preah Vihear, Surapong says

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634165-pm-lauds-job-well-done-in-the-hague/

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Pheu Thai statement to target court
Prapan Jindalert-udomdee
The Nation on Sunday

Pheu Thai MP Pichit Chuenban

BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai Party will this week officially submit a statement rejecting the Constitutional Court's authority to consider Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn's petition on whether the proposed amendment to Article 68 of the Constitution is unconstitutional.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634166-pheu-thai-statement-to-target-court/

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Trafficking gang 'killed elephants'
Jessada Chuntraruk,
Janjira Pongrai
The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- A Laotian-Vietnamese wildlife trafficker and influential local people are believed to be behind the slaying of wild elephants in Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi, an elephant expert told reporters at the Crime Reporters and Photographers Association of Thailand.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634168-trafficking-gang-killed-elephants/

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Communities should rely on themselves to tackle HIV/Aids: Mechai
Wannapa Khaopa
The Nation on Sunday

People don't need to just wait for governments to help them overcome problems in their own communities. Many communities in various countries, including Thailand, have proved successful in combating HIV/Aids, a recent meeting of international partners dealing with HIV/Aids was told.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634169-communities-should-rely-on-themselves-to-tackle-hivaids-mechai/

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Police urged to be cautious at crime scenes in deep South
The Nation on Sunday

Pattani Governor Pramuk Lamun yesterday said procedures for officers approaching a crime scene would be overhauled as many incident sites, to which police officers were called, turned out to be ambushes or traps set by insurgents bent on inflicting further casualties in the deep South.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634171-police-urged-to-be-cautious-at-crime-scenes-in-deep-south/

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Red-light camera system ready to snap your picture
Monthien Inthaket
The Nation

Bangkok's red-light camera system, set up at 30 main intersections in the capital to capture vehicles running red lights, is now fully functional again, following an overhaul of damaged cameras, said Police Major General Piya Tawichai.

The red-light cameras are placed at Sanghi, Phayathai, Urupong, Mengjai, Asoke-Phetburi, Bangpho, Prachanukul, Pradiphat, Ratchada-Ladprao, Romklao, Chokechai, Nida, Banma, Lamsalee, Prawes, Phokaeo, Khlongtan, Phattanakarn-Ram 24, Ratchada-Rama 4, Sunlakakorn, Rajprasong, Witthayu-Ploenchit, Asoke-Sukhumvit, Narinthorn, Sathorn, Henri Dunant, Thaphra, Bangplat, Taksin and Ban Khaek intersections.

Piya said the system had sent tickets to 12,044 drivers running red light on those intersections from January to April this year.

He said traffic police would also collaborate with the Expressway Authority of Thailand to buy speed cameras and install them on all expressways. The same system would be used to send speeding tickets to violators.

Plans are also underway to adopt a lane-change management system, which would use cameras to capture vehicles flouting road regulations when change lanes, Piya added.

-- The Nation 2013-04-21

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Legal team did well, Chula academic says
Pakorn Puengnetr
The Nation on Sunday

THE HAGUE: -- But prepare for a negative ruling, Puangthong warns

Chulalongkorn University political scientist Puangthong Pawakarapan said Thai people should be jubilant about the seemingly well-executed legal fight over disputed land around Preah Vihear Temple in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), but should prepare for a possible negative ruling.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634165-pm-lauds-job-well-done-in-the-hague/#entry6322587

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GOLD
Active gold trade in Hat Yai
Santiparp Ramsut
The Nation

Gold shops in Hat Yai, Songkhla, witnessed brisk business on Saturday as falling gold prices attract small clients

As gold is traded below Bt20,000 per baht weight (15 grammes) for the first time since 2011, the gold shops see demand for both gold bars and gold ornaments.

Rerngchai Viriyakul, president of Hat Yai gold shops club, said that demand should remain high in 1-2 months from now if gold prices remain below Bt20,000 per baht weight. Demand naturally rises in May, a popular period for wedding. Gold is part of marriage endowments. A cheaper price should raise demand, he said.

He said that some buyers are ready to sell gold immediately when seeing the opportunity to make profits, as gold prices are adjusted several times during a day. He said some netted about Bt200,000 in profit in a day, but there are many who lose handsomely.


-- The Nation 2013-04-20

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Thais want negotiations: poll
The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Nearly half of Thais surveyed fear the Preah Vihear dispute could lead to war, and almost all want to see a peaceful solution, according to the results of an Abac poll released yesterday.

Abac Poll assistant director Suriyan Boontae said the survey was conducted on 2,232 people aged over 18 in 17 provinces from April 15-19. It found that 48 per cent of respondents were worried about the future of Thai-Cambodian relations, while some 52 per cent said otherwise.

Asked if they feared a war between Thailand and Cambodia, nearly half (47.4 per cent) said they were very worried, 28 per cent said they were slightly worried or not worried, and 25 per cent said they were moderately worried. Some 95.2 per cent urged negotiation as a solution. Only 4.8 per cent backed the use of force.

-- The Nation 2013-04-21

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Phuket Opinion: Seeing through the muck
Phuket Gazette -

Local authorities need to step forward and stop the sickening waste from flowing into Bang Yai Canal. Image: Gazette Graphics

PHUKET: Pollution levels in the Bang Yai Canal strong enough to make residents of Phuket Town’s Samkong area physically ill should spur authorities in all relevant jurisdictions to work together to pinpoint the source of the contaminants and punish any violators.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634079-raw-sewage-leaves-phuket-residents-retching/#entry6322700

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Prime Minister to Pay an Official Visit to Mongolia

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will pay an official visit to Mongolia to strengthen bilateral relations and promote further cooperation between the two countries.

She will be the first Thai Prime Minister ever to visit Mongolia, scheduled for 27-30 April 2013.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister will deliver a keynote statement at the seventh Ministerial Meeting of the Community of Democracies in Ulaanbaatar on 29 April as the guest of honor of the President of Mongolia. She will focus on Thailand’s leading role in empowering people, particularly at the grassroots level, in order to strengthen sustainable democracy.

A report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Prime Minister will also touch on Thailand’s adherence to the rule of law and democracy, as well as their inter-linkage with sustainable development. Such inter-linkage should be acknowledged in the context of the United Nations and the post-2015 international development agenda. Thailand will continue to work with all partners to promote democratic development.

As an active member of the global community, Thailand is committed to promoting democracy and human rights, regardless of gender, age, physical ability or economic status. For Thailand, raising global awareness on the significance of empowering people, especially by eradicating inequality and promoting inclusiveness, is also vital in order to ensure sustainable democratic growth.

Thailand has placed importance on Education for Democracy as a key mechanism for inculcating lifelong awareness of citizenship and democratic values into the people. Apart from co-sponsoring the resolution on Education for Democracy at the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly and adhering to the core international human rights conventions regarding this issue, Thailand has domestically applied the student-centered approach to education in order to strengthen the development of students’ democratic awareness, behavior, attitudes and values in a way that is physically, intellectually, and morally balanced.

Concerning Thai-Mongolian relations, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited Mongolia in 2009. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Mongolia, Mr. Gombojav Zandanshatar, visited Thailand in late 2010.

Mongolia has also sent officials to learn more about Thailand’s development experience. It also hopes to become a dialogue partner of ASEAN in the future.

Both countries have close cooperation in combating human trafficking, SME development, ICT cooperation, and climate change. In recent years, Thai investors have taken a keen interest in investment in Mongolia in the areas of mining, hospitality, housing development, agro-industry, and infrastructure.

Thailand has stressed the need for both countries to strengthen people-to-people contact and increase the frequency of charter flights between them.

Foreign Office, The Government Public Relations Department, Office of the Prime Minister

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RT@USEmbassyBKK: Thanks to our Thai friends for this morning's run in support of the Boston Marathon runners. http://t.co/tWiv24VUIf

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RT@USEmbassyBKK: Thai runners come to embassy to present flowers & express condolences for Boston Marathon. Thank you for your support pic.twitter.com/0FiuNeeHjc

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Thai team back from The Hague on Preah Vihear case mission will meet, brief PM on Monday /MCOT

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Earth Day celebrated with Phuket beach cleanup
Phuket Gazette -

Go Eco Phuket encourages everyone on the island Monday to come out and take part in the Kata Beach cleanup for Earth Day. Photo: Go Eco Phuket

PHUKET: Earth Day, underway in Phuket and around the world Monday, will see local residents, tourists and island visitors take to Kata Beach in an effort to preserve the island's environment with Go Eco Phuket’s beach cleanup.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634186-earth-day-celebrated-with-phuket-beach-cleanup/

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Relearning the balance of life
Phuket Gazette -

French national Roland Fabre, 34, was an up-and-coming Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, up until about five years ago, when his life changed forever – seemingly for the worse.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634187-relearning-the-balance-of-life/

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RT@RichardBarrow: Premier League football on Thai TV tonight: 7:30pm Tottenham vs. Man City (TrueSports1) & 10pm Liverpool vs. Chelsea (CH.3/TrueSports1)

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Thai team back from The Hague after Phra Viharn case mission
By Digital Media

BANGKOK, April 21 - Thailand's ambassador to the Hague and head of legal team Virachai Plasai led the Thai delegation returning home after delivering final oral statements to the Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the Phra Viharn (Preah Vihear) case.

Foreign legal counsels and experts are scheduled to arrive Sunday afternoon and Monday.

Mr Virachai thanked the Thai people for emotional support, saying Thailand did its best in preparing information and delivering the oral statement presented to the court and the legal team will meet again in Bangkok.
Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said the ministry will compile the oral statements to publish and give explanation on possible verdicts for the public’s understanding ahead of the verdict, scheduled for later this year.

On Monday, the working committee and foreign legal counsels will meet Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to brief her on the issue.

The foreign minister insisted Thai and Cambodian relations will remain unchanged no matter how the verdict comes out. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-04-21

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A PKR leader claims that a top Thai police officer and his wife, who were witnesses, have been detained by the Malaysian police.

PENANTI: PKR has claimed that a Thai police colonel and his wife have been detained by the Malaysian police.
The colonel, according to PKR supreme council member Badrul Hisham Shaharin, was part of a team probing the allegation that the sex videos which implicated Anwar Ibrahim were made in Thailand.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634197-thai-police-colonel-and-wife-detained-in-malaysia-to-prevent-them-from-debunking-anwar-sex-video/

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RT@191Thailand: Four mild quakes hit Lampang (Bangkok Post)

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YouTube airs video of Bali Police extorting tourist

SEMINYAK: A four and half-minute video showing a Bali police officer asking for money from a Dutch tourist following a minor traffic violation is currently circulating on YouTube, uploaded from an account called “gil4sekali”.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634204-youtube-airs-video-of-bali-police-extorting-tourist/

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Speed boats collide at Pattaya beach injuring 20 Korean tourists, two of them in critical condition /MCOT

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RT@RichardBarrow: 21 April: Schedule of football matches on Thai TV tonight pic.twitter.com/9qw8rneAEg

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Eight soldiers wounded, two of them critically, in accident while cleaning M72 rocket ammunition at 1st Infantry Regiment in Kietkai area /MCOT

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RT@191Thailand: Thai media say that the tourists in the speedboat accident are from South Korea. A 51 year old lost both legs & a 63 year old lost one leg.

RT@191Thailand: Reports suggest that the two speedboat captains ran away from the scene of the accident.

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18 Korean tourists injured in speed boat accident in Pattaya
By Digital Media

CHONBURI, April 21 - Eighteen Korean tourists were wounded in speed boat accident off Pattaya's Laan island on Sunday with two reportedly in critical condition.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634257-18-korean-tourists-injured-in-speed-boat-accident-in-pattaya/

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to continue:

Thailand Live Monday 22 Apr 2013

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634338-thailand-live-monday-22-apr-2013/