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Thailand Live Sunday 19 May 2013

Lite Beer

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Korn rejects Thaksin's claim on BOT
The Nation on Sunday

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BANGKOK: -- Former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij yesterday disputed ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra's claim that an independent central bank was Thailand's problem in the face of a strengthening baht.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/640484-korn-rejects-thaksins-claim-on-bot/

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Political interference behind the sacking of GPO chief: rural doctors
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation on Sunday

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Witit Artavatkun

BANGKOK: -- The sacking of the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO)'s managing director was due to political interference, health advocates and the Rural Doctors Society said yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/640486-political-interference-behind-the-sacking-of-gpo-chief-rural-doctors/

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Chiang Mai village fighting dam project on the Mae Khan
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation on Sunday

CHIANG MAI: -- The government's ambitious plan to build water and flood infrastructure and management is facing strong opposition from local residents across the North as dam projects in the scheme are expected to adversely affect their villages and livelihoods.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/640488-chiang-mai-village-fighting-dam-project-on-the-mae-khan/

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Three Hmong charged with drug trafficking
The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Three Hmong hilltribes from Chiang Mai were arrested at the Chatuchak weekend market and charged with possessing 14.5 million tablets of "ice" worth Bt450 million, police said yesterday.

Police investigation found that Kasama Charoenman, 37, Anuchon Laochang, 20 and Panya Wangtrakul, 25 operated a front business, selling hilltribe clothes and handicrafts such as bags in the market and distributed the narcotics to distributors. The drug used to be smuggled and hidden inside hilltribe bags delivered by buses and kept in a storeroom in the market, the police said.

The three confessed that they were hired for Bt389,000 by Hmong to deliver the drug to distributors, the police said.

Pol General Pongsapat Pongcharoen, secretary-general of the Office of Narcotics Control Board, said drug-sniffing dogs will patrol the Chatuchak weekend market as part of preventive measures.

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-- The Nation 2013-05-19

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NGO backing for P-move protests
The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- The Northeastern region's NGO-Cord has issued a statement supporting a rally by the People's Movement for a Just Society (P-move), calling on the government to address grievances faced by the protesters, secretary-general Suwit Kulabwong said yesterday.

Suwit said the P-move protesters have the right to rally when they have problems such as land, dam construction, pollution, problems stemming from power plants, which have to be solved by the government as state panels have failed to tackle the issues.

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-- The Nation 2013-05-19

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PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
A man for all seasons
Jintana Panyaarvudh
The Nation on Sunday

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Filmmaker Banjong Pisanthanakun talks about his runaway success 'Pee Mak' and his hopes for the Thai film industry

As a teenager, Banjong Pisanthanakun would spend hours watching the images on a cinema screen and dreaming of the day that he would be involved in the world of celluloid. Today, less than two decades later, his name is on just about every movie lover's lips as the filmmaker who knocked "The Legend of Suriyothai" off its blockbuster perch.

Last week, Banjong's horror comedy "Pee Mak Phra Khanong" broke Thailand's box-office record, recording a massive Bt556 million in takings and beating out the Bt550 million amassed by the 2001 classic war epic.

"Actually, what really makes me proud is that a Thai movie can score higher than a Hollywood flick like 'Transformers 3 Dark of the Moon', which earned around Bt300 million," says Banjong or Tong as he's known to family and friends.

But the director, who made a name for himself back in 2004 with the shiver-inducing hit "Shutter", which he co-wrote and co-directed with Parkpoom Wongpoom, doesn't expect his future works to deluge the box office.

"I don't think I'll ever make another movie that has such broad appeal," says the 33-year-old film graduate from Chulalongkorn University.

While Banjong and his team at GTH were expecting the new adaptation of the tragic love legend to touch audiences and had even forecast box office revenues of Bt150-Bt200 million, no one had even an inkling that "Pee Mak" would become a cinematic phenomenon.

"We shouted out in delight as the earnings went crazy," he laughs. We couldn't understand that the income wasn't falling after so many weeks in the cinema."

On its way to the top, "Pee Mak" set several new records in the Thai film industry, breaking the all-time box office record in its third, fourth and fifth week.

Banjong credits three factors for the success of the film.

The first is that Mae Nak, an iconic urban legend, is still incredibly popular despite the countless adaptations over the years. Secondly, the feedback and response of filmgoers, who laughed from beginning to end. Third, he says, was the twist in the tail, which made "Pee Mak" stand out from other "Nang Nak" versions.

Banjong is no stranger to success, with his four movies in between "Shutter" and "Pee Mak" all raking in the cash. "Alone" (2007), also written and directed with Parkpoom, starred Marsha Wattanapanich as a woman haunted by the ghost of her conjoined twin, who apparently died during the surgery to separate them. Horror comedy omnibuses "4bia" and "Phobia 2" followed in 2008 and 2009 then Banjong decided to embrace romantic comedy with "Hello Stranger" in 2010, a move that which won him several awards.

Before he turned his attention to directing, Banjong worked as an assistant advertising director with Phenomena Production House. His boss quickly discovered his addiction to movies and encouraged him to write a screenplay. "Shutter" was the outcome.

While he leans towards horror and comedy, he says he has no stereotyped formula for directing a film.

Filmmakers never know which film will become a big hit or generate big money, he says, adding that from his experience, it's the movies about which filmmakers are optimistic that tend to flop.

"The most important thing is to make a film you want to narrate and watch, because then you put your entire self into its production. I'm probably lucky that my tastes are not very different from the mass audience," he says.

Inspiration for the subject often comes from current situations - a newspaper article, a picture, maybe even a sentence.

"The idea for 'The Man in the Middle' ('Khon Klang' in Thai), the third segment of "4bia", was triggered by the words 'If I am dead, I will come back to haunt those who preferred to sleep in the middle'," he says

"Khon Klang", he acknowledges, is the work in which he takes most pride: "I finally discovered that my signature is comedy with horror overtones and a sharp dialogue". He's also proud of "Hello Stranger", which poked fun at the Thai fascination for all things Korean.

"Shutter and "Alone" both did extremely well on overseas markets, scoring high with audiences in Asia and South America. "Shutter" also became the first Thai film to be acquired by Hollywood for an American remake.

"Pee Mak" has now set off on its journey around the globe. Released in Indonesia last month and Hong Kong last week, the film will also be entertaining filmgoers in Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam and Taiwan in the coming weeks and is slated for screening at the Rome Film Festival in August.

He says his next project will probably involve a romantic drama, a genre he has yet to tackle, but he still reflecting as to the what and the when.

Banjong puts his achievements down to working hard and having fun. His professional and personal lives, he adds with a smile, have become one and the same thing.

But while he has been approached by film companies in China and the Western, he has yet to accept an invitation to direct.

For now, he seems content to help the Thai film industry make a larger splash in the international market.

"Indonesian people are crazy about Thai movies," he says. "They've even set up a fan club for Thai films," he says,

He was also impressed by the Indonesian audience during a recent screening of "Pee Mak". "They didn't understand all the gags but they still laughed throughout the film. They loved Mario [Maurer] too," he says.

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-- The Nation 2013-05-19

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Phuket taxi driver arrested over Chinese tourist sex assault complaint
Phuket Gazette -
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Capt Nucharee Longkaew (left), the Phuket City Police specialist officer for interviewing victims of sex crimes, said the case is still under investigation. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: A Phuket taxi driver is being held by Phuket City Police today following a 19-year-old Chinese tourist alleging the driver held her captive for hours and tried to sexually assault her.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/640425-phuket-taxi-driver-arrested-over-chinese-tourist-sex-assault-complaint/

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Thailand Recognized for Its Role in Promoting the Rights of the Disabled

Thailand has been recognized for its commitment to promoting the rights of persons with disabilities. The Thai government hosted a regional consultation of Asia-Pacific countries on 15-16 May 2013, when Thailand presented its report under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process in the Thai Braille version.

This publication would enhance accessibility and engage the visually impaired in Thailand’s UPR process.

The regional consultation was carried out under the theme “The Way Forward: Asia-Pacific Regional Consultation on a Disability-Inclusive Development Agenda towards 2015 and Beyond.” It was organized as part of the preparation for the High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the realization of the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally-agreed development goals for persons with disabilities, to be held in New York in September 2013.

Over 100 representatives of ESCAP member governments, civil society, and the private sector, many of whom are persons with disabilities themselves, participated in the meeting. A notable aspect of the meeting was its accessibility to persons with various forms of disabilities, such as visual and hearing impairment. Mr. Santi Promphat, Minister of Social Development and Human Security, Mr. Shun-ichi, Murata, Deputy Executive Secretary and Officer in charge of the ESCAP Secretariat; H.E. Mr. James Wise, the Australian Ambassador to Thailand, and Ms. Julia Fraser the regional representative of the World Bank, delivered their statements at the opening ceremony.

The meeting also benefited from the views expressed by the participating international and Thai experts on the issues of disabilities, including Mr. Monthian Buntan, Thai Senator and member of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Mr. Hyun-shik Kim, member of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities from the Republic of Korea; and, H.E. Mr. Libran Cabactulan, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations in New York, who will be a co-facilitator of the upcoming High-level Meeting in New York.

The participants, who represented stakeholders from all sectors, exchanged views on ways to advance the rights of persons with disabilities at both the regional and international levels.

In particular, the meeting recognized the significant contribution of the Incheon Strategy to the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in the Asia-Pacific region. Moreover, the participants recognized the importance of disability-inclusive development, especially when disability was absent from the discussion on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

They strongly urged Member States of the United Nations to include the issue of disability in the post-2015 development agenda. The meeting was also a good opportunity to discuss challenges on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and to reiterate the importance of participation from civil society.

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

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Ahmadinejad cancels Thailand trip due to busy schedule

TEHRAN, Iran: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who was due to address a water security forum in Thailand has cancelled the trip because of his busy schedule, a member of the president's media office said Saturday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/640117-irans-ahmadinejad-to-join-thai-water-summit/page-7?p=6415712

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Phuket Opinion: Meth-ods for drug abuse prevention
Phuket Gazette -

phuketnews_Getting_the_message_across_to

Getting the message across to Phuket's youth about the dangers of crystal methamphetamine, known locally as ya ice, is critical. Image: Gazette Graphics

PHUKET: Dr Ruangsit Netnuanyai, the psychiatric social worker who runs the drug treatment center at Vachira Phuket Hospital, is absolutely right that more needs to be done to prevent youths from falling into the potentially fatal trap of drug abuse (story here). As he notes, this effort should start with the most commonly abused substance among young Thais: methamphetamine, known locally as ya bah.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/640511-phuket-opinion-meth-ods-for-drug-abuse-prevention/

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Red Shirts gather at Ratchaprasong; mark 3rd anniversary of May 19 crackdown
By Digital Media

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BANGKOK, May 19 - Red Shirt protesters on Sunday gathered at Bangkok's prime commercial area amid tight security to mark the third anniversary of the May 19 protest clampdown in 2010, which resulted in scores of deaths and injuries.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/640582-red-shirts-gather-at-ratchaprasong;-mark-3rd-anniversary-of-may-19-crackdown/

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Woman dies in Pathumwanaram Temple, waiting to join Red Shirt demonstration
By Digital Media

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BANGKOK, May 19 - A 68-year-old Red Shirt supporter fainted and died, apparently of exhaustion, while she was attending the group's ceremony marking the third anniversary of the May 19, 2010 crackdown.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/640582-red-shirts-gather-at-ratchaprasong;-mark-3rd-anniversary-of-may-19-crackdown/#entry6416821

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