Thailand Live Sunday 01 Sept 2013

[Lite Beer]

PROTEST
Southern rubber-growers to go ahead with protest
The Sunday Nation

A worker shoulders sheets of raw rubber sold to a middleman

BANGKOK: -- As the network of rubber growers in 14 southern provinces were set to protest in Surat Thani on Tuesday, the government yesterday affirmed measures to aid them.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664913-southern-rubber-growers-to-go-ahead-with-protest/

[Lite Beer]

NEW YORK TIMES
NY Times corrects opinion article about Thailand
The Sunday Nation

The New York Times has run a correction on an opinion article about Thai politics that appeared in its print edition on August 23.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664916-ny-times-corrects-opinion-article-about-thailand/

[Lite Beer]

NAGALAND
'Thai in weapons deal'
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Metropolitan Police Area 2 yesterday announced the arrest of a 56-year-old Thai man for alleged involvement in supplying Chinese-made weapons to Nagaland rebel groups operating on the Myanmar-India border.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664917-thai-in-weapons-deal/

[Lite Beer]

POLITICS
Democrat MP to sue Sa-ngiam over terrorism allegation
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Democrat Party MP for Phatthalung, Nipit Inarasombat, vowed yesterday to counter-sue Sa-ngiam Samranrat, a political appointee at the Prime Minister's Secretariat, for an alleged false claim in a police complaint on Friday against Nipit and five other Democrat MPs that accused them of terrorism and security-related offences in connection with the ongoing protest by rubber farmers in the South.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664918-democrat-mp-to-sue-sa-ngiam-over-terrorism-allegation/

[Lite Beer]

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Teenager's take on how to reform Thai education

Netiwit

BANGKOK: -- Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, 16, is perhaps the youngest critic of the Thai education system.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664919-teenagers-take-on-how-to-reform-thai-education/

[Lite Beer]

Transfer order after 'rape'
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Social Development and Human Security Minister Paveena Hongsakul has issued an order to transfer the head of the Chon Buri Home for Children and Family to Bangkok, following a claim that a girl aged four was raped in the state-funded facility.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664921-transfer-order-after-assault/

[Lite Beer]

Warrant over loan bashings
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Police yesterday issued an arrest warrant for a man aged 18, said to have led 14 armed men to assault two people at a home in Sai Mai in Bangkok on Thursday over the failure by a borrower to repay a high-interest loan.

The warrant is for home invasion at night time, property damage, assault and loan interest overcharging, Bang Khen police chief said.

-- The Nation 2013-09-01

[Lite Beer]

Boy magician now dazzling audiences abroad
Mayuree Sukyingcharoenwong
The Sunday Nation

Thirawat Kongnukul proudly shows off an award he won at a young magicians

BANGKOK: -- In the last two months, 12-year-old Thirawat Kongnukul has waved his magic wand at two international contests and returned home with two much-coveted prizes.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664922-boy-magician-now-dazzling-audiences-abroad/

[Lite Beer]

EDITORIAL
Action needed on state killings
The Nation September 1, 2013 1:00 am

BANGKOK: -- Credible investigation and judicial follow-up is badly needed on many cases of people 'disappeared' in Thailand

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664923-action-needed-on-state-killings/

[Lite Beer]

RT@191Thailand: Phuket Expat Woman Robbed at Gunpoint While Jogging

[Lite Beer]

RT@ChadapornLin: Boromratchachonnani outbound closed until 9am for charity walkathon

RT@ChadapornLin: 12,000 test takers expected at Ramkamhaeng Univ from 8am-5pm today

RT@ChadapornLin: Expressway toll goes up today to 50 baht

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: Scheduled Power Cuts in #Bangkok & nearby provinces on Sunday pic.twitter.com/1hNjybasI1

[Lite Beer]

RT@ChadapornLin: Cooking gas price and electricity are also going up today

[Lite Beer]

Phuket Opinion: The Carnival of Corruption
Phuket Gazette -

Tackling corruption can only help Phuket become the dream island it wants to be. Image: Gazette Graphics

PHUKET: Corruption has publicly reared its ugly head as a topic of much heated debate, with one and all tacitly accepting that the situation in Phuket is out of hand. However, few are offering any realistic strategies to combat the problem at its roots: the well-entrenched mind-set that “playing by the rules is for suckers”.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664929-phuket-opinion-the-carnival-of-corruption/

[Lite Beer]

Rubber protest guards in Nakhon Si Thammarat shot by gunmen; one dead, one seriously injured /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

Benefits of the Prime Minister’s Overseas Trips

Government Spokesman Teerat Ratansevi has stated that Prime Minister and Defense Minister Yingluck Shinawatra made 42 overseas trips from September 2011 to August 2013.

Mr. Teerat said that, during the period, the Prime Minister visited nine ASEAN countries, made 26 official visits, and attended 19 international conferences.

He explained that it is a common practice or tradition for a new prime minister in ASEAN to visit other ASEAN partners on familiarization trips. Moreover, the Prime Minister’s overseas trips also provided opportunities to promote trade and investment cooperation with various countries and create new opportunities for the Thai economy.

The Government Spokesman said that statistics, compiled by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, show more tourist arrivals. At the same time, Thailand’s international trade has also been on the rise.

He quoted a report by the Office of the Board of Investment (BOI) stating that, during the Prime Minister’s road shows abroad in 2012, the Prime Minister was able to attract foreign investors wanting to invest in 31 projects, worth 137.77 billion baht, in Thailand. Her overseas trips also created investor confidence and explored new opportunities for the country.

Mr. Teerat said that, during the trips, a number of business people engaged in several fields accompanied the Prime Minister. In this regard, the Government has received good cooperation from the Federation of Thai Industries, the Board of Trade of Thailand, the Federation of Thai Capital Markets Organization, and others. Having these organizations on board would encourage foreign investors to be more confident in the Thai private sector and would also open up opportunities for Thai businesses to meet new trading partners.

In addition, he said, the Thai private sector would be able to increase productivity for production chains in Thailand. For instance, during the trips, Thailand was able to export more vegetables and fruits to the Middle East. The Thai private sector has also co-invested in infrastructure development in foreign countries.

The Government Spokesman quoted leading Thai business people as saying that Thailand today needs new markets. Since they could not contact directly with the trade organizations of some countries, the Prime Minister’s overseas trips helped open new trade gateways for them.

He said that, with the Prime Minister’s participation in international meetings abroad during the past two years, Thailand has gained greater recognition in the international arena.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck is scheduled to attend the 10th China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, China, on 2-3 September 2013. The event marks the 10th Anniversary of the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership.

On this occasion, she will deliver a speech at the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit on 3 September.


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

[Lite Beer]

Last group of 49 Thai evacuees from Egypt arrive Suvarnabhumi Airport; 8 flights evacuated 1,192 Thais /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

Phuket Opinion: Needed – more greenery for our souls
Phuket Gazette -

We need more parks, not more gray, in Thalang. Image: Nick Walker

PHUKET: When I lived on Racha Island, I could never really figure out where Thalang was. The only time I encountered it was taking a taxi to the airport. Around Koh Kaew I’d ask the driver, “Is this Thalang?”, then again at the Heroines’ Monument. Finally, as we whizzed through the Ton Sai Waterfall intersection, he’d say, “This is it.”

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664940-phuket-opinion-needed-more-greenery-for-our-souls/

[Lite Beer]

Pheu Thai still hopeful for Democrat’s participation in political reform forum

BANGKOK, 1 September 2013 (NNT) – Pheu Thai Party is calling the Opposition Party to show their sincerity by joining the political reform forum to seek reconciliation and unity for the nation.

Deputy Pheu Thai spokesman Anusorn Iamsa-ard said he is still hopeful that the Democrat Party will take part in the second round of the political reform forum without any conditions, adding that all senior MPs should put the country’s benefit first and together seek peace and reconciliation. He said if the Democrat Party wants to see the country move forward, they must join the discussions and find a solution to the ongoing conflict.

The deputy spokesman also mentioned about the Democrat’s plan to restructure party, saying the first thing the Democrat needs to do is to find its stance. He added that if the Democrat truly wants to fight for the people, then they should do it in a more creative way.

The Democrat Party earlier announced that some changes are about to be made to the structure of the party, while the legal team has already been assigned to study the legal context relating to the party’s roles and responsibilities to the society within 30 days.

-- NNT 2013-09-01

[Lite Beer]

Commerce Min: LPG price hike will not affect ready-to-eat meals

BANGKOK, 1 September 2013 (NNT) – The Commerce Ministry is confident the LPG price hike which took effect on September 1st will not affect ready-to-eat meals, while sending out inspection teams to make sure the prices do not exceed the ministry’s suggested price.

According to Director-General of the Internal Trade Department (DIT) Wiboonluk Ruamruk, prices of ready-to-eat meals will remain constant as she has told the food vendors under the “Blue Flag” project and supermarkets to maintain the prices of food sold to consumers until the end of this year.

She said the increasing price of LPG by 50 satang per liter will drive up the production cost of ready-to-eat meals by only 2-3 satang per dish. However, she said inspection teams will be sent out to make sure that food vendors and supermarkets will not take the advantage of the increasing price of LPG.

She said for those products whose prices are likely to affect the living cost of people, the ministry will include them in the “Blue Flag” fairs which is organized weekly across Bangkok.

-- NNT 2013-09-01

[Lite Beer]

UN inspectors' report expected in 3 weeks

The Hague - The report by the UN weapons inspectors over suspected use of poison gas in Syria is to be presented in three weeks at the latests, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said Saturday evening.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664898-obama-to-make-statement-on-syria-at-115-pm-edt/page-3?p=6778003#entry6778003

[Lite Beer]

Last Thai evacuees arrive from Egypt
By English News

BANGKOK, Sept 1 - The last group of Thai evacuees from Egypt, 49 students, arrived Thailand this morning.

Peerasak Chantavarin, ambassador attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, welcomed the students.

Buses from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security's Prachabodee Operations Center transferred the evacuees to different places.

Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and involved agencies have collaborated to bring Thais living in Egypt to return home since August 19. Eight flights evacuated 1,192 persons, while 100-200 Thais returned to Thailand on their own.

According to Mr Peerasak, some Thai students are still in Egypt preparing for examinations and living in safe areas far from protest sites.

However, he said the Thai embassy in Cairo is ready to assist them in case of emergency.

Meanwhile, some Thai workers have already been assisted by their employers. The embassy asked the workers to register so they can be contacted when problems occur. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-09-01

[Lite Beer]

Move to ease BKK's pedestrian traffic

A CentralWorld security guard in front of the shopping complex. Public space in front of the mall is now dominated by street vendors and vehicles.

BANGKOK; -- The footpath and pedestrian flyover bridge in front of CentralWorld would be the next target of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, which is attempting to make Bangkok nicer to local dwellers and foreign visitors.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664964-move-to-ease-bkks-pedestrian-traffic/

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: Thailand Tourism Fair will take place at QSNCC in #Bangkok from 5-8 September 2013 pic.twitter.com/qLRMEDG1yt

[Lite Beer]

A security guard of Nakhon Si Thammarat was killed Sat morning

A man was killed and another was seriously injured when unknown assailants fired into a group of rubber grower protesters in Nakhon Si Thammarat province early Sunday morning.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664913-southern-rubber-growers-to-go-ahead-with-protest/#entry6778149

[Lite Beer]

Low confidence in reform initiative: Poll

BANGKOK: -- Only 19.2 per cent of Thais foresee a successful result of the government's political reform initiative, according to ABAC Poll.

The rest foresees a failure, with the government’s weak intention and deep social division being pointed as major hindrances.

The poll also showed that 69.1 per cent of Thais believed that the reform is for the ruling party’s interests.

It was conducted during August 20-31, covering 2,103 respondents aged over 18 years old in 17 provinces.

-- The Nation 2013-09-01

[Lite Beer]

Pheu Thai set to explain higher costs
The Nation

Pheu Thai Party's MPs will convene on Tuesday, for a briefing on the increases of cooking gas price, expressway toll fee, and fuel tariff which took effect on September 1.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664968-pheu-thai-set-to-explain-higher-costs/

[Lite Beer]

PM Yingluck’s jewellery 'worth B45m'

Daytime jewellery - the PM wearing simple pearl-and-diamond earrings. Inset, the Cabinet's richest member, Pongthep Thepkanchana. Photos Gerd Seidel, Chaiwat Sardyaem

BANGKOK: Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra owns B45.69 million worth of jewellery and accessories, according to information on the asset list provided by the National Anti-Corruption Commission this week.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/664977-pm-yinglucks-jewellery-worth-b45m/

[Lite Beer]

PM concerned by rubber protest; protesters ask Govt to be responsible for guards who were shot; Deputy PM Pracha denies police did shooting /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

Suvarnabhumi Airport opens Passenger Facilitation Center to welcome high season travellers; 27.5 mln tourist arrivals forecast /MCOT