POLITICS
Democrats: Amnesty bill a financial law
Jintana Panyaarvudh
THE NATION



House begins process for first reading; police successfully block protesters heading to Parliament

BANGKOK: -- The controversial amnesty bill cruised through the initial parliamentary process last night when the House voted 301-160 against a proposal by opposition and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva to postpone deliberations on the bill. Last night's vote kick-started a process for the first reading that is certain to be hotly debated and see an increase in political tensions.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659269-thai-democrats-amnesty-bill-a-financial-law/

POLITICS
Democrats pleased with 'symbolic' fight against bill
Hataikarn Treesuwan,
Tanatpong Kongsai
The Nation



Opposition party says it's goal has been accomplished and people alerted

BANGKOK: -- The Democrats are happy with their symbolic anti-government challenge yesterday, although the rally was dispersed before noon, a Democrat source said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659272-thai-democrats-pleased-with-symbolic-fight-against-bill/

UPDATE:
Gambling cops to be fired: police chief
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Metropolitan Police commissioner Lt Gen Camronwit Toopgrajank is planning to fire 11 policemen found playing the dice game "hi-low" during a break from their crowd-control mission.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659121-11-cops-sacked-for-playing-hi-low-before-protests-bangkok/page-3?p=6695055#entry6695055

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Media groups study police action over online posts
Asina Pornwasin,
Pakorn Puengnetr
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Professional media associations are studying whether police intimidated the media when they summoned social-media users, including a Thai PBS news editor, over their Facebook posts.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659274-media-groups-study-thai-police-action-over-facebook-posts/

SOUTH CRISIS
Taib to continue representing BRN
Jeerapong Prasertpolkrung,
Pakorn Peungnetr
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Hassan Taib has confirmed that he will continue representing the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) in its ongoing peace dialogue with Thailand, Deputy Prime Minister Pracha Promnog said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659275-thai-south-crisis-taib-to-continue-representing-brn/

EDITORIAL
PREVENT renewed conflict before it's too late

BANGKOK: -- A new round of conflict is looming over the government's amnesty bill, being deliberated by the House of Representatives. Politicians in power have backed the proposed law, as well as similar bills, as part of the effort to attain national reconciliation following years of political conflict.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659276-prevent-renewed-conflict-before-its-too-late-thai-editorial/

THAI TALK
RECONCILIATION slow train's next stop: nowhere

BANGKOK: -- Premier Yingluck Shinawatra says she isn't asking the Thai people to forget the past, but to learn from the past so that the country can start counting from one all over again.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659277-thai-talk-reconciliation-slow-trains-next-stop-nowhere/

German resident found dead at Central Pattaya Condominium



PATTAYA: -- Police and rescue services were called to a Central Pattaya Condominium on Wednesday afternoon to deal with a foreign fatality in a 5th floor apartment.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659279-german-resident-found-dead-at-central-pattaya-condominium/

Father of Canadian slain in Thailand in 2008 says suspect has pleaded guilty
BY BILL GRAVELAND, THE CANADIAN PRESS

CALGARY - Five years after a young Calgary man was shot and killed in a town in northern Thailand, his father says he is finally getting justice with word of a guilty plea in the case.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659282-father-of-canadian-slain-in-pai-in-2008-says-thai-suspect-has-pleaded-guilty/

BURNING ISSUE
Court ruling not good news for Democrat leaders
Attayuth Bootsripoom
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- An inquest by the Criminal Court found on Tuesday that soldiers were responsible for the deaths of six people at the Pathum Wanaram Temple on May 19, 2010, during the political unrest. The finding has put the Democrat Party's Abhisit Vejjajiva and Suthep Thaugsuban, who were then prime minister and deputy prime minister in a difficult position.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659283-court-ruling-not-good-news-for-thai-democrat-leaders/

Official says dept looking into US concerns on migrant workers
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- In response to US concerns over reports of employers seizing migrant workers' passports and employment agents charging exorbitant fees from Thai workers placed in jobs overseas, Labour Protection and Welfare Department chief Arthit Issamo yesterday said complaints of employees' passports being held would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659284-thai-official-says-dept-looking-into-us-concerns-on-migrant-workers/

Corals, marine life destroyed in oil-spill areas
Janjira Pongrai
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation



About 20% have died in tainted areas: survey

BANGKOK: -- The state marine-watch agency has found that some coral reefs in the oil-slick-affected Ao Phrao area of Koh Samet have been killed off by bleaching, and some marine life had been reduced by up to 20 per cent.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659285-koh-samet-corals-marine-life-destroyed-in-oil-spill-areas/

Bueng Kun officials accused in fungicide-procurement scam
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A Department of Special Investigation (DSI) probe has found some 10 high-ranking provincial officials were involved in a corruption scandal in which an outbreak of para-rubber disease was allegedly declared without proper grounds in order to receive a budget allocation.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659286-thai-officials-accused-in-fungicide-procurement-scam/

Almost time for George to go home
Naraporn Tuarob



PHUKET: -- After spending almost a year in Vachira Phuket Hospital, American George Byrdwell Harris Jr, severely disabled in a road accident in Kamala in August, 2012 looks like he may be be flying home next week.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659288-phuket-almost-time-for-american-george-harris-to-go-home/

Truck Takes The Life Of 5 Factory Workers In Pattaya

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659291-truck-van-crash-kills-5-factory-workers-in-pattaya/

Korat: Cyber-Thief Steals 400,000 THB Over The Internet



A cyber thief was able to steal 400,000 THB over the internet after he faked the account of an internet banking user.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659299-korat-cyber-thief-steals-400000-thb-over-the-internet/

A 166-m. skywalk (2nd fl) linking Airport Rail Link's Makkasan station to MRT subway stn (Phetchaburi) opens to commuters /The Nation

PM Yingluck chairs meeting on railway development plan onboard Bkk-Hua Hin train;will then visit Nakhon Pathom /The Nation

UPDATE:
Heart failure 'most likely' in Phuket 'somtam' death
Naraporn Tuarob

PHUKET: -- Doctors are leaning towards heart failure as the likely cause after a woman died on Sunday morning (August 4), the apparent victim of food poisoning.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/658590-woman-dies-of-suspected-food-poisoning-in-phuket/#entry6695621

Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 1,440.58, up 10.59 points /MCOT

Demonstrators settle firmly in Lumpini Park--for now
By English News



BANGKOK, Aug 8 – Anti-government protesters continued their rally at Lumpini Park today and said they would not move out of their demonstration site unless the political situation changes.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659327-demonstrators-settle-firmly-in-lumpini-park-for-now/

Next rice subsidy purchase expected at Bt15,000/tonne
By English News



BANGKOK, Aug 8 – The government is expected to buy rice from the 2013/2014 harvest season under the rice pledging scheme at Bt15,000 per tonne with a maximum purchase of Bt400,000 from each farming household, a farmer leader said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659328-next-thai-rice-subsidy-purchase-expected-at-bt15000tonne/

Wood Processing Factory in Pathum Thani catches fire

PATHUMTHANI, 8 Aug 2013, (NNT) – A wood processing factory of Prize of Wood Industry Company Limited located in Sam Khok District, Pathum Thani Province, caught fire last night. No casualties have been reported.

Several firefighters from both Pathum Thani and Ayutthya provinces were called in to put off the fire. Stored pieces of wood in the factory were reported to be major obstacles to the operation. Besides, steel structure weakened by the fire also prevented firefighters from entering the inner complex as they feared it could collapse anytime.

According to initial reports, the fire occurred after overtime workers were leaving the factory at 8 PM on Wednesday, leaving only a stay-in chief worker inside the complex. Fortunately, he managed to escape.

Officials are currently determining the cause of the fire, saying they would summon the owner of the factory for an inquiry.


-- NNT 2013-08-08

PM chairs onboard meeting on railway development plan
By English News

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Thursday led cabinet minsters travelling by special train from Bangkok to Nakhon Pathom and will chair an onboard meeting on a railway development plan.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659336-pm-yingluck-chairs-onboard-meeting-on-railway-development-plan/

Anti-narcotics agency arrests Hmong drug traders in Chiang Rai with 4.2 million meth pills /MCOT

Anti-government group will stay put today

BANGKOK, 8 August 2013 (NNT)-The so- called People’s Army against Thaksin Regime will not move from Lumipini Partk, where they are currently camping out, to the Parliament today, saying that the timing is not right.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659327-demonstrators-settle-firmly-in-lumpini-park-for-now/

UPDATE:

Oil spill damage not as great as feared, say Phuket Marine Biologists
Phuket Gazette


Coral near Koh Samet Photo: The Nation

PHUKET: -- The environmental damage to Koh Samet is not as great as initially feared, according to five Phuket-based marine biologists who have just returned from a fact-finding mission to the oil-spill stricken island.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659285-koh-samet-corals-marine-life-destroyed-in-oil-spill-areas/#entry6695951

Oil residues found in 8 food samples from oil slick sites
By English News



BANGKOK, Aug 8 – Random tests of eight food samples from Rayong which was recently hit by an extensive oil slick found five kinds of residues of concern--but within health standards, with another test planned for next Thursday, according to the Public Health Ministry.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659349-oil-residues-found-in-8-food-samples-from-rayong-oil-slick-sites/

Thailand to use cat bags to entice tourists
By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), a government ministry well-known for oftentimes baffling publicity stunts, is at it again.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659352-thailand-to-use-cat-bags-to-entice-tourists/

Background of amnesty bill

BANGKOK (NNT) – Here is more on the government-sponsored amnesty bill, which aims to pardon demonstrators taking part in the political crisis between September 19, 2006 and May 10, 2011.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659366-background-of-thai-govt-sponsored-amnesty-bill/

Security agencies may lift ISA before August 10
By English News



BANGKOK, August 8 - National police chief Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew said the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) may consider whether to lift the Internal Security Act before August 10 as situation is tending to turn normal.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/659367-security-agencies-may-lift-isa-in-bangkok-before-august-10/