Thailand Live Monday 9 Sep 2013

[webfact]

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Chaturon looks abroad for guidance
Chularat Saengpassa
The Nation


Minister of Education Chaturon Chaisang gives an interview to Nation Multimedia Group (NMG) executives, including NMG Chairman Suthichai Yoon.

Minister wants to talk to stakeholders to try to get real education reform happening

BANGKOK: -- Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang will count on international assessments like TOEFL scores and PISA ranking in determining whether Thailand's education is rising to world-class standards.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666550-thailands-education-minister-chaturon-looks-abroad-for-guidance/

[webfact]

UPDATE
Duty cuts to make Thailand a shopping paradise
Suphannee Pootpisut
The Nation

Move in two months could enable Thailand to compete with Hong Kong and Singapore

BANGKOK: -- Thailand is on its way to becoming a shopping mecca like Hong Kong and Singapore, as the Cabinet is expected to cut import duties on designer goods in a couple months.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666448-lower-tariffs-on-some-luxury-products/page-3#entry6804521

[webfact]

Flight TG669 skids off runway
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- All 298 persons on board Thai Airways International's flight TG669 are safe despite the accident during the landing.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666553-flight-tg669-skids-off-runway-at-suvarnabhumi-airport/

[webfact]

PROTEST
Govt in bid to forestall fresh protests by rubber farmers
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Following protest threats, the government will instruct provincial governors from southern provinces to help farmers affected by the plummeting price of rubber, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666554-thai-govt-in-bid-to-forestall-fresh-protests-by-rubber-farmers/

[webfact]

MEDICINE
Health ministry to investigate 'medicine mix-up'
The Nation

Pradith says 100 tablets put in wrong packages, but no reports of patients affected

BANGKOK: -- The Public Health Ministry will set up a panel to probe an alleged mistake that led to two medicines being put in the wrong packages and distributed to hospitals nationwide.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666555-thai-health-ministry-to-investigate-medicine-mix-up/

[webfact]

SOUTH CRISIS
BRN explanation on five conditions to be tabled
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- aradorn Pattanathabutr, secretary general of the National Security Council, said yesterday the explanation of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional's five conditions for continuing the peace dialogue would be tabled at the meeting next week.

The new round of talks, likely in the second or third week of October in Malaysia, would take up the Southern violence over the month of Ramadan, so there should be an official answer on which group had carried out the attacks, he said.

In the BRN statement received on Friday, the group insisted that the five demands were not out of line with the Constitution, whether the Malaysian government acts as a mediator, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and NGOs witness the talks or the Thai government acknowledges the rights of the Melayu Patani nation.

The BRN said it was about the Malayu nation people's identification, not about separatism.


-- The Nation 2013-09-09

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
'Improved' govt-military ties face crucial test
The Nation



Upcoming military reshuffles will say a lot about Thailand's political future

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666556-thai-editorial-improved-govt-military-ties-face-crucial-test/

[webfact]

British & Italian victims of 1 Million Baht drugging and theft at Central Pattaya Hotel



PATTAYA: -- Two men, one British and the other Italian reported a suspected drugging and theft from their hotel rooms by two Thai females which occurred on Sunday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666557-british-and-italian-victims-of-1-million-baht-drugging-and-theft-at-pattaya-hotel/

[webfact]

300,000 Baht Gold Necklace Snatch on Jomtien Beach



PATTAYA: -- The Father of a senior Police Officer from Chantabouri Province became the victim of a 300,000 Baht Gold Necklace snatch on Sunday afternoon in front of Soi 8 on Jomtien Beach.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666558-300000-baht-gold-necklace-snatch-on-jomtien-beach/

[webfact]

Here We Go Again! Foreigner Seen Walking Around Naked Again



An Elder foreigner was spotted running around naked once again, this time the foreigner was found near a bar in North Pattaya.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666559-foreigner-seen-walking-around-naked-in-pattaya/

[webfact]

ENVIRONMENT
Dam would flood tiger habitat : activists
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation



NAKHON SAWAN: -- A group of prominent environmental activists will kick off a protest today against the Nakhon Sawan Mae Wong Dam project, calling on the government to scrap the plan.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666561-nakhon-sawan-mae-wong-dam-would-flood-tiger-habitat-activists/

[webfact]

SPECIAL REPORT
Village funds open to abuse, NPLs 'quite high'
Hataikarn Treesuwan
The Nation


A file photo shows Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra during the village fund relaunch ceremony.
If fund was not properly managed it would not have lasted 12 years, says official

BANGKOK: -- The government has spent more than Bt77 billion over the past two years on its four key populist projects. However, some experts have cast doubts on the official percentage of non-performing loans (NPLs) generated by the funds, saying the real figure is much higher.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666562-thai-village-funds-open-to-abuse-npls-quite-high/

[webfact]

Rayong oil spill dangers remain despite clean-up, say US experts
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation


David Krause

BANGKOK: -- Despite the clean-up efforts of PTT Global Chemical in the early stages of the recent oil spill at Rayong province's Koh Samet, the re-emergence and long-term impact of submerged oil should be inspected, according to US experts.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666563-rayong-oil-spill-dangers-remain-despite-clean-up-say-us-experts/

[webfact]

UPDATED: Thai Airways Airbus A330 Accident on Landing at Bangkok
By AirlineReporter.com Staff

BANGKOK: -- Late Sunday night, local time in Bangkok, Thailand, a Thai Airways Airbus A330-300 landed and experienced a failure of its front landing gear.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666553-flight-tg669-skids-off-runway-at-suvarnabhumi-airport/#entry6804648

[webfact]

UPDATE:
A THAI flight slides off Bangkok runway Sunday night, 13 injured


Photo : Wing Magazine (Twitter)

BANGKOK: -- THAI International Airways is investigation into an accident in which its TG 679 skidded off the runway while landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Sunday night.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666553-flight-tg669-skids-off-runway-at-suvarnabhumi-airport/#entry6804870

[webfact]

Thai stock index opens on Monday at 1,353.61, gains 17.36 points /MCOT

[webfact]

Thailand’s expanded industry to use 1 million tonnes of rubber in 2015
By English News

BANGKOK, Sept 9 – Thailand will double rubber consumption to one million tonnes in the next two years to help solve the problem of oversupply, according to Industry Minister Prasert Boonchaisuk.

He said Thailand's 30 leading tyre manufacturers will be invited to meet tomorrow for a discussion while talks will also be held with manufacturers of rubber products such as rubber gloves, rubber medical equipment and condoms to find ways to use more local rubber.

The total production capacity of local rubber-related products is 710,000 tonnes per year but the real consumption is 500,000 tonnes per year.

In increasing consumption to one million tonnes, the private sector must be encouraged and investment promotion privileges must be granted to them, he said.

Mr Prasert said a rubber industrial estate in the southern province of Songkhla, constructed by Michelin Thailand, would be completed next year. It will consume 25,000 tonnes of rubber per year to produce tyres.

Several other rubber industrial projects, scheduled for completion in the next few years, will use more than 70,000 tonnes of rubber while the first and second phases of the eco-car project will increase the use of rubber from 10,000 tonnes a year to 25,000 tonnes a year, said the industry minister. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-09-09

[webfact]

RT @mpoppel: Kim Jong-un has a baby girl named Ju-ae, Dennis Rodman has told The Guardian

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Journalist Scammed!


Two Italian friends were scammed by two Thai girls, their belongings worth 600,000 baht were stolen after they were drugged using sleeping pills.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666557-british-and-italian-victims-of-1-million-baht-drugging-and-theft-at-pattaya-hotel/page-2?p=6805410#entry6805410

[webfact]

Protesters gather to rally against LPG float

BANGKOK, 9 September 2013 (NNT) - Members of people’s networks gathered on Monday morning at the PTT head office on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road to protest against the government’s decision to float the price of cooking gas.

According to the protesters, they are planning to collect 50,000 signatures to petition for the removal of the Minister and the Permanent Secretary of Energy.

Under the ministry’s plan, the LPG price will be increased by 50 satang per kg every month until October next year, when the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) price reaches 24.82 baht per kg, up 37%.

Low-income earners and businesses operators have complained over hikes in the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), electricity and Expressway tolls this month.

Food vendors in Charansanitvong area admitted that the prices of ready-to-eat meals have been adjusted to 30 to 40 baht per dish due to higher costs. They also noted that the Ministry of Commerce’s price guideline of 25-30 baht per dish did not reflect the actual costs.


-- NNT 2013-09-09

[webfact]

Ubon Ratchathani holds “Blue Flag” fair, helps Thais reduce living cost

BANGKOK, 9 September 2013 (NNT) – Ubon Ratchathani is organizing the “Blue Flag” fair with an aim to help residents reduce their living expenses. The fair will be held until September 10th.

According to Deputy Governor of Ubon Ratchathani Province Napa Sakuntanaga, this is the fifth time the province has organized this event. The fair will help boost local economy, trigger domestic consumption, and alleviate the pressure from the present high cost of living.

The fair is being held at the province’s City Hall, where more than 100 stores are participating. Products available at discount prices at the fair include cooking oil, eggs, refined sugar, and other food products and necessities. These products are directly supplied by manufacturers and prices will be 20-40 percent lower than those selling in the market

The government is well aware that people are having difficulties coping with the cost of living and has ordered related agencies to come up with measures, among which the Blue Flag fair, to help reduce their living expenses, especially during the time of economic slowdown.The fair will be held in Ubon Ratchathani Province until September 10th, from 9am to 9pm, said the Deputy Governor.


-- NNT 2013-09-09

[webfact]

Phuket town hit by flash flood after three-hour downpour
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- Many parts of Phuket Town were briefly underwater yesterday in the wake of a ferocious three-hour morning rainstorm.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666608-phuket-town-hit-by-flash-flood-after-three-hour-downpour/

[webfact]

Celebrated artist dies in Phuket surfing accident
Prapaporn Jitmaneeyaphan


Pharuephon “Tum” Mukdasanit died in Phuket on Saturday.

PHUKET: -- Celebrated graphic and street artist Pharuephon “Tum” Mukdasanit, 34, better known as “Mamafaka” died this morning after a surfing accident at Kata Beach on Saturday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666611-celebrated-artist-dies-in-phuket-surfing-accident/

[webfact]

Uthai Thani woman murdered for debts
By Coconuts Bangkok



UTHAI THANI: -- A woman was gunned down in Uthai Thani's Thap Than district on Sunday in a murder police believe is linked to her debts.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666612-uthai-thani-woman-murdered-for-debts/

[Lite Beer]

Pongsapat meets with Chula Ratchamontri on lifting kratom from banned narcotic list

BANGKOK, 9 September 2013 (NNT) – Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) secretary-general Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen has met with Chula Ratchamontri Aziz Pitakkumpol to discuss the possibility of lifting kratom from the banned narcotic status.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666624-pongsapat-meets-with-chula-ratchamontri-on-lifting-kratom-from-banned-narcotic-list/

[Lite Beer]

RT@RichardBarrow: Picture of the damage done to the runway at Suvarnabhumi - RT @notelive: สภาพ runways สนามบินสุวรรณภูมิ pic.twitter.com/wGzD9nxE3v

[webfact]

UPDATE:
Broken landing gear cited as cause for THAI accident
The Nation


Photo : Wing Magazine (Twitter)

BANGKOK: -- The initial investigation into the accident that saw a THAI aircraft skidding off the runaway while trying to land at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport on Sunday has revealed it was caused by a problem with the back right landing gear.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666553-flight-tg669-skids-off-runway-at-suvarnabhumi-airport/page-8?p=6806168#entry6806168

[webfact]

AOT: Repair work on runway to be completed on Sep 11 after THAI accident

BANGKOK, 9 September 2013 (NNT) - Airports of Thailand has announced that due to the closure of parts of the eastern runway at Suvarnabhumi Airport following an accident on Sunday, most flights will be delayed by 30 minutes.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666553-flight-tg669-skids-off-runway-at-suvarnabhumi-airport/page-9?p=6806266#entry6806266

[webfact]

Old enough to know better: Thailand's infamous Full Moon Party turns 25
Ben Groundwater

The Full Moon Party is old enough to know better.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/666661-old-enough-to-know-better-thailands-infamous-full-moon-party-turns-25/

[webfact]

Bangkok sets to clean up footpaths
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is removing unlicensed banners and phone booths, as part of its mission to clean up footpaths throughout the capital city.

After the city council’s meeting, BMA spokesperson Tridao Apaiwong said the clean-up will focus on three things - unlicensed advertisement banners, unlicensed phone booths and the motorcycle taxi stations.

Last week, BMA has removed 3,118 unlicensed banners and legal actions will be taken against the owners, for causing damage to public properties - trees and footpaths. Civil lawsuits will also be launched.

-- The Nation 2013-09-09