Thailand Live Tuesday 1 Oct 2013

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Princess Srirasm visits flood-affected villagers in Tambon Phong Pheng

BANGKOK, 1 October 2013 - Her Royal Highness Princess Srirasm, royal Consort to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, yesterday afternoon travelled to Tambon Phong Pheng in Pa Moak district, Ang Thong province, to give moral support to people affected by floods and presented them with relief packages. The Princess visited affected villagers at their temporary shelters built along an irrigation canal by the province where they can have access to electricity.

A total of about 800 households in two districts of Ang Thong namely Muang and Pa Moak have been hard hit by floods since September 17. Her Royal Highness Princess Srirasm also took a boat trip to observe the flood situation and visited senior villagers and disabled people confined to their home by the floodwater. She talked with them closely and gave them packages of necessities. On the day, a number of soldiers from the 11th Artillery Battalion of the Royal Guards also provided public service by reinforcing a pier to prevent mudslide and facilitating people in their traveling with their boat service.

Her Royal Highness, afterwards, stopped by Phijansophon Monastery to pay respect to the principal Buddha image and presented packages of necessities to the abbot for distribution to other monks.


-- NNT 2013-10-01

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SPECIAL: 2013 Thailand Flood Updates - Maps, reports, local updates

Info: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671446-2013-thailand-flood-updates-maps-reports-local-updates/

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Flood Crisis Will Be Solved In 7 Days: Former PM
By Khaosod Online



BANGKOK: -- Former Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-Acha told reporters he is expecting the flood crisis that has been inundating over a quarter of Thailand′s provinces to be solved within 7 days.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671573-flood-crisis-will-be-solved-in-7-days-former-pm-banharn-silpa-acha/

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TYPHOON
Typhoon Wutip, heavy rain on the way
The Nation



Officials make emergency-response preparations; PM visits Si Sa Ket, Ubon

BANGKOK: -- The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department has warned that typhoon Wutip is heading for Thailand and will bring with it heavier rainfall, and hence, worse floods.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671574-typhoon-wutip-heavy-rain-on-the-way/

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WATER MANAGEMENT
Forums on dams, flood scheme start in 2 weeks
Jeerapong Prasertpolkrung
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Meeting in Lamphun will be first in 36 provinces affected by water projects under govt mega-scheme; residents in 41 other provinces to get a chance to voice opinions via Suan Dusit Survey

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671575-thai-water-management-forums-on-dams-flood-scheme-start-in-2-weeks/

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POLITICS
Businesses back Yingluck, others not impressed
Hataikarn Treesuwan,
Tinnakorn Chaowachuen,
Somthawil Thepsawat
The Nation


A file photo shows Yingluck in a trip to Malaysia.

Debate rages over cost effectiveness of premier's foreign visits, while problems at home are unresolved

BANGKOK: -- Business people are happy that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is helping to boost trade opportunities - but experts in international relations have questioned whether the returns warrant the cost of her globetrotting.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671576-businesses-back-yingluck-others-not-impressed/

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MEDIA CENSORSHIP
MCOT 'killed interview with Sasin'
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Government spokesman Teerat Ratanasevi insisted yesterday the government had nothing to do with the suspension of an interview recorded with environmentalist Sasin Chalermlarp about his campaign against the Mae Wong Dam that had been due to air last Saturday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671577-mcot-killed-interview-with-sasin/

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CHARTER AMENDMENT
Pressure mounts on court as govt pushes charter change
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- THE PUSH for amending additional charter provisions should be completed within the current legislative session, Science Minister Peerapan Palusuk said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671578-pressure-mounts-on-court-as-govt-pushes-charter-change/

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TOURISM
Nearly half of travel firms expect lower sales this year
Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit
The Nation

Faltering economy, weakening in consumer spending power expected to hit operators' profit margins: TAT poll

BANGKOK: -- Tourism operators do not see their industry emerging as a "hero" to save the economy this quarter, blaming falling consumer purchasing power and the rising cost of living for undermining their business.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671580-thai-tourism-nearly-half-of-travel-firms-expect-lower-sales-this-year/

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LUXURY TAX
Heinecke congratulates govt for its business savvy
The Nation


Heinecke

BANGKOK: -- William E Heinecke, chairman of Minor International, recently wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in which he applauded her government's initiatives to drive Thailand's competitiveness across many industries, especially tourism, which has put the country at an advantage in today's economic global community.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671582-luxury-tax-heinecke-congratulates-thai-govt-for-its-business-savvy/

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ECONOMY
BOT may revise GDP growth forecast downward again: director
Chairat Srisook
The Nation


Mathee

BANGKOK: -- The Bank of Thailand may cut its forecast for national economic growth for 2013 in October, despite economic figures in August showing the economy had begun to stabilise.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671583-bot-may-revise-thailands-gdp-growth-forecast-downward-again-director/

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STREETWISE
Aiming to be top of the league
Achara Deboonme


One of the giants at Suvarnabhumi Airport's passenger terminal

BANGKOK: -- When we were young, we yearned for top scores in our favourite subjects and to be top of the class. When people start their own companies, they want to get ahead of their peers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671584-suvarnabhumi-aiming-to-be-top-of-the-league/

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Two Liberians arrested in Pattaya over "Black Money" scam



PATTAYA: -- On Monday Afternoon Police Major General Katcha, the Provincial Police Commander, held a press conference at Nongprue Police Station to announce the arrest of two Liberians accused of attempted to extort money in relation to a “Black Money” scam.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671585-two-liberians-arrested-in-pattaya-over-black-money-scam/

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Complaint over attorney general's failure to review Pojaman ruling
Pimnara Pradubwit
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- ATTORNEY General Chulasingh Vasantasingh has been targeted for a criminal probe for alleged abuse of power, Democrat MP Thaworn Senneam said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671586-complaint-over-attorney-generals-failure-to-review-pojaman-ruling/

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BURNING ISSUE
Better early warning system is sorely needed
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- JUDGING FROM the recent flooding, it is clear that the government needs to improve its early-warning system so people can protect themselves and their property.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671587-thai-flood-better-early-warning-system-is-sorely-needed/

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Obec considers cash-coupon plan for tablets
Supinda na Mahachai
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) is considering the idea of handing out Bt3,000 cash coupons to parents so they can purchase tablet PCs for their children in the upcoming academic year, Anek Ratpiyapaporn, director of Obec's Technology for Teaching and Learning Office, said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671588-obec-considers-cash-coupon-plan-for-tablets/

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Terms cut for BPP team jailed for abduction, assault, extortion
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court in Bangkok yesterday reduced sentences for a former border patrol police (BPP) Captain, Nat Chonnithiwanit, and nine ex-BPP officers for abuse of authority.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671589-terms-cut-for-thai-bpp-team-jailed-for-abduction-assault-extortion/

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Typhoon Wutip, downgraded to tropical depression, enters Nakhon Phanom, bringing heavy rain to Eastern, upper Northeast, eastern North of Thailand /MCOT

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Yukol wants registration of rubber growers to finish by mid-October

BANGKOK, 01 Oct 2013 (NNT) - Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Yukol Limlamthong yesterday met with officials responsible for implementing the rubber compensation scheme to discuss ways to wind up the registration of rubber growers within mid-October.

During the meeting with the Office of the Rubber Replanting Aid Fund, the Deputy Prime Minister instructed the officials to examine the plots of land registered for the Government's assistance in order to accelerate the fund distribution process. Mr. Yukol aims to complete the registration within the middle of this month so that the exact figures will be forwarded to the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives for sorting out the payment.

At the moment 890,000 rubber farmers out of an estimated 1 million have registered for the scheme. Out of that number 26,000 have been verified, and 4,648 have received the fund. So far 55 million baht worth of compensation has been handed out.

Meanwhile, the Government is also pushing for the use of surplus rubber. The Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center has proposed to use rubber in projects to repair and construct more than 200 kilometer-long roads. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has expressed interest in using rubber to build athlete lanes and playgrounds. More rubber induced road construction projects are also proposed by the Transport Ministry.

The fund needed to materialize the aforementioned projects will soon be finalized and proposed to the cabinet for approval.


-- NNT 2013-10-01

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Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,390.32, gains 7.16 points /MCOT

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BKK starts putting sand bags at risk spots as floods loom

BANGKOK, 01 Oct 2013 (NNT) - Officials of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) started laying sand bags in Bang Plat District located near the Chao Phraya River, in preparation for possible floods.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671608-bangkok-starts-putting-sand-bags-at-risk-spots-as-floods-loom/

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UPDATE:

Typhoon Wutip brings rains to North, Northeast
By English News



NAKHON PHANOM, Oct 1 – Typhoon Wutip, despite being weakened to the status of a low pressure cell, is moving above Thailand’s northern and northeastern regions today, bringing rainfall and strong winds.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671574-typhoon-wutip-heavy-rain-on-the-way/#entry6878114

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UPDATE:

Court rules two protesters in 2010 protest shot from direction of military
By English News



BANGKOK, Oct 1 – The Bangkok South District Court has ruled that two of the victims who died in the 2010 political upheaval in Bangkok were fired at from the direction of military forces situated in front of a school on Rajdamnern Avenue.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671441-two-redshirts-killed-by-bullets-fired-by-soldiers-court/?p=6878142

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Yellow-shirt leader Sondhi Limthongkul gets 2 years in jail without suspension for repeating speech deemed insulting monarchy of red-shirt activist Da Torpedo /MCOT

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UPDATE:

Heavy rainfalls in 25 districts leave rice fields flooded

BANGKOK, 1 October 2013 (NNT) – The Department of Disaster Prevention and Meditation has reported that current floods still persist in 25 provinces, inundating 817,290 homes.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671574-typhoon-wutip-heavy-rain-on-the-way/?p=6878290

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OTOP products to be offered at Suvarnabhumi

BANGKOK, 1 October 2013 (NNT) – The Ministry of Commerce has inked a memorandum of understand to sell OTOP products at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, expecting the sales of the products to top 30 billion baht a year.

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan has penned an MoU with King Power Company on OTOP products. Under the agreement King Power will act as a product distributor for food, clothes, decoration items, and spa products in Suvarnabhumi Airport. The company will be looking after all management tasks, as well as overseeing product selection, product quality, and pricing. After the signing ceremony, the minister said he was confident that OTOP products were capable of competing with other brand name products offered at the airport.

According to Minister Niwatthamrong, the OTOP stores will be up and running in November. He expects to see around 30 billion baht in revenue, adding that the ministry has a plan to open more stores in other international airports such as Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, and other airports in the country. When these stores are opened, the minister said Thailand will reap in at least 70 billion baht a year from OTOP products, as he targets a 10 percent growth annually.


-- NNT 2013-10-01

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More militant groups want to join peace talks on Thailand's South
By English News



BANGKOK, Oct 1 - Two more militant groups have proposed to hold talks with the Thai authorities on solutions to the unrest in Thailand's southern border provinces, National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabut said today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671631-more-militant-groups-want-to-join-peace-talks-on-thailands-south/

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Chinese gang arrested for online extortion scheme
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- Police have arrested five Chinese men who allegedly extorted more than THB100 million from businessmen before fleeing to Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671633-chinese-gang-arrested-in-bangkok-for-online-extortion-scheme/

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SHUTDOWN
US government shuts down as Congress misses deadline

WASHINGTON: -- For the first time in nearly two decades, the US government staggered into a partial shutdown Monday at midnight after congressional Republicans stubbornly demanded changes in the nation's health care law as the price for essential federal funding and President Barack Obama and Democrats adamantly refused.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671643-us-government-shuts-down-as-congress-misses-deadline/

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Sondhi convicted for royal offence

BANGKOK: -- Sondhi Limthongkul, former leader of defunct People's Alliance for Democracy has been sentenced to serve two years in jail for offending the monarchy in 2008.

The guilty verdict and sentencing came after the Appeals Court overturned the lower court's verdict of acquittal last year.

-- The Nation 2013-10-01