Thailand Live Wednesday 6 Nov 2013

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Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,414.78, falls 0.66 points /MCOT

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PM visits Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, aims to develop eco-industry city, instructs concerned officials to monitor health impact /MCOT

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Thaksin: 'I am Yingluck's caddie’
BY SINE NEUCHS THOMSEN
By Helge Heyerdahl
English by Sine Neuchs Thomsen

OSLO: -- Controversial politician Thanksin Shinawatra described himself as “a caddie” to his sister Yingluck, the prime minister of Thailand, dismissing as false the notion that he was wielding real political power from behind the scenes. In an interview given to a local newspaper while visiting his Thai supporters in Norway over the weekend, Thaksin also discussed his plan to help overseas Thais start their own Thai restaurant businesses.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679744-thaksin-i-am-yinglucks-caddie/

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RT @RichardBarrow: One lane on Silom already closed by protesters. It's expected that by 11:30am protesters will completely block both sides

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Phuket woman arrested for dealing in meth pills
Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: -- Thungthong police yesterday (November 5) arrested Renu Kwansrisuth, 32, and charged her with possession of methamphetamine (ya bah) pills for sale.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679754-phuket-woman-arrested-for-dealing-in-meth-pills/

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Seat belts to be installed in public transportation



BANGKOK, 6 November 2013 (NNT) - Transport Co. Ltd. has announced that all of its vehicles have been installed with seat belts to ensure the safety for its passengers. The company also plans to expand the idea into other public transport vehicles across the nation.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679755-seat-belts-to-be-installed-in-public-transportation/

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UPDATE:

Pheu Thai party to step back from amnesty bill
By English News



BANGKOK, Nov 6 - The ruling Pheu Thai Party and its coalition parties are ready to take a step backward by leaving it to the Senate's decision, according to Pheu Thai Party Secretary General Phumtham Wechayachai.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679701-thai-govt-ready-to-retreat/#entry7006151

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Foreigners who disobey Chinese courts could be barred from leaving
Cao Yin
China Daily

BEIJING: -- Foreigners who fail to comply with all court rulings face being banned from leaving China, with information about them disclosed online, court officials say.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679757-foreigners-who-disobey-chinese-courts-could-be-barred-from-leaving/

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Phuket expats risking lives on the road to stay in paradise
Phuket Gazette


Renita Dequina Polido, from the Philippians, was a singer working and living in Phuket. Photo: Facebook

PHUKET: -- The visa van crash that took the life of Filipina singer Renita Dequina Polido on October 21 (story here) sent shock waves through the Phuket expat community and raised questions about the logic of a system that requires foreign workers to leave the country to get visas and renew 90-day permits-to-stay so regularly.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679762-phuket-expats-risking-lives-on-the-road-to-stay-in-paradise/

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Thai man robs and stabs tourist in Pattaya

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679771-thai-man-robs-and-stabs-tourist-in-pattaya/

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Deputy PM Surapong: 9 countries advise their citizens to avoid anti-Amnesty Bill rally sites, ISA enforcement areas; urges protesters to think of country's image, tourism industry /MCOT

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Phuket police roll up ice ring
Eakkapop Thongtub


Alleged dealer Siriporn ‘Maew’ Insuk and her supposed assistant Tassanee Lomloy are questioned after their arrest.

PHUKET: -- Using the time-honoured ploy of pretending to be drug addicts buying a fix, plain-clothes police rolled up a small drug ring in Patong on Monday evening (November 4), arresting four people and seizing 5.2 grams of crystal methamphetamine (ya ice)

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679778-phuket-police-roll-up-ice-ring/

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Four embassies issue travel warnings

BANGKOK, 6 November 2013 (NNT) – Four embassies in Thailand have issued travel warnings to their people, urging them to avoid demonstration sites.

The French, Swiss, UK, and Japanese embassies have already issued warnings to their people traveling in Thailand. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the warnings have been issued since the beginning of November, asking travelers, for their own safety, not to pass through or go near any and all demonstration sites.

Despite the warnings, the country’s overall tourism industry remains affected, judging from hotel occupancy rates and the number of arriving foreign visitors. However, if the current political deadlock dragged on, hotels could see some cancellations in the first quarter of next year, admitted the TAT

The TAT further revealed that Thailand saw around 19.5 million foreign visitors in the first 9 months of 2013, which accounted for a 23 percent rise year-on-year, while expecting the number to top 26 million by the end of this year.


-- NNT 2013-11-06

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Senate to deliberate amnesty bill Friday: Abhisit

BANGKOK: -- The blanket amnesty bill would be deliberated in the first reading by the Senate on Friday, opposition Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Wednesday.

He said he had heard that the Senate would pick up the bill deliberation on Friday instead of waiting for Monday as the Senate speaker has earlier announced.

He said that people could not trust both the Senate and the government although Senate Speaker Nikom Waiyaratpanit vowed to reject the blanket amnesty bill after the Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has signalled to the Senate to do that.

The rejection was just a government's ploy to prevent protests from escalating because the government could reaffirm the draft's passage after six months, Abhisit said.


-- The Nation 2013-11-06

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Senate speaker ‘buys time’ to relieve pressure: Democrat leader
By English News

BANGKOK, Nov 6 – Thailand’s opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, skeptical on the Senate speaker’s offer to let go of the amnesty bill, today called on the Thai people to keep a close watch and strongly denounce the controversial legislation.

Mr Abhisit said he was surprised with the Senate speaker’s latest gesture – a complete reversal from his earlier stand, adding that in his capacity as speaker he is responsible to listen to legislators’ opinions, and not to set guidelines for others to follow.

He said the latest move by the government and the Senate was merely to buy time to ease the people’s pressure and protests since the bill would be resubmitted to the Lower House 180 days after a rejection by the Upper House.

Even the Senate votes down the amnesty bill, it remains in, and not withdrawn from, Parliament, said Mr Abhisit, adding that parliamentary regulations gives the government leeway to push for enforcement of the bill.

He said the government has underestimated the people’s force and its parallel attempt to move on with the Thailand Reform Council would not materialise now that a senior member in the council has resigned.

He was referring to Bhichai Rattakul, former Democrat deputy leader and deputy prime minister, who tendered his resignation from the government-initiated council.

Democrat party list MP Ong-art Klampaiboon said the Senate speaker’s stand on the amnesty bill has swayed in four days from strongly advocating to opposing it.

He called on senators to strongly pressure the Senate speaker for his inappropriate manoeuvring.

Referring to the permanent secretary for commerce’s order banning ministry officials from openly protesting the bill, Mr Ong-art said he wanted to remind the senior official that she has the duty of serving the people.

He said the Democrat Party would intervene if civil servants who publicly protested against the amnesty bill are transferred. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-11-06

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RT@RichardBarrow: 1:40pm Still about 1,000 protesters left on Silom Road. Police expect to re-open to traffic from about 2pm

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Business groups call for second "Occupy Silom"

BANGKOK, 6 November 2013 (NNT) - Business groups have invited anti-amnesty-law protesters to occupy Bangkok's key business quarters and blow whistles for the second time on Wednesday.

According to Somkiat Homla-or, the leader of the Businessmen for Democracy Club and the Green Silom Business Group, they would meet again at the Saladaeng underground train station around noon to express their opposition to the so-called " blanket amnesty" that was passed by the Lower House last Friday.

Many groups have taken to Bangkok's streets to rally against the controversial law, claiming it would let Thaksin and other corrupt politicians off the hook scot-free.

The Thai government has been in the hot seat since the debate of the amnesty law started several months ago. However, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced on Tuesday night that the government would be willing to accept the Senate's decision on the issue regardless of what it might be. The Senate is to start its first reading on November 11.

-- The Nation 2013-11-06

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RT@RichardBarrow: 2pm Silom Road now fully open to traffic - RT @NoteBUJR: ถ.สีลม btsศาลาแดง เปิดการจราจรแล้วทั้ง 2 ฝั่ง #Bangkok

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Former premier Thaksin, in statement, says he wants to see national reconciliation, respect for differing views /MCOT

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Thaksin says amnesty bill unfairly distorted by his political opponents
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra issued a statement on Wednesday criticising his opponents for distorting the intentions behind the amnesty bill and using this to attack him. The statement was distributed by his legal adviser Noppadol Pattama.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679814-thaksin-says-amnesty-bill-unfairly-distorted-by-his-political-opponents/

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Security chief predicts lengthy activist protest
By English News

BANGKOK, Nov 6 – Thailand’s opposition Democrat Party will shift its political manoeuvring from protest against the amnesty bill to zeroing in on reforming Thailand with an intention to let the situation drag on, Thailand’s security chief said today.

Paradorn Pattanatabut, secretary general of the National Security Council (NSC), said he believed the political heat would cool down after the Senate clearly decided the fate of the amnesty bill next Monday.

Passed in the final reading by the House of Representatives last week, the amnesty bill is pending Upper House deliberations.

Some groups may continue their protest and security-related agencies have been on alert for possible infiltration by third parties, he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Pracha Promnok said the latest gestures from Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanich and the ruling Pheu Thai Party to drop support for the amnesty bill reflected the government’s willingness to listen to the voice of the people.

“Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban and party leaders announced that they will continue their rally until they win. My question is whose victory they were talking about. The Democrat Party or the people?” said Pol Gen Pracha.

“If the Democrat Party wants victory, it should wait until the next general elections. If the Democrat Party wins the elections, the Pheu Thai Party will accept the (new) rules and regulations.”

Regarding a video clip of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra announcing in Norway his confidence he could eventually return to his home country, Pol Gen Pracha said he believed Mr Thaksin was mature enough to know whether he could come back to Thailand.

“How can he return if the law doesn’t allow him to do so? I believe he understands it well,” said the deputy prime minister. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-11-06

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Russian tourist nabbed for drunk-driving after Phuket crash
Eakkapop Thongtub


Igor Vashurkin’s damaged Yaris car.

PHUKET: -- A Russian tourist was arrested for drunk-driving yesterday evening (November 5) after crashing his car near the municipal swimming pool in Cherng Talay.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679820-russian-tourist-nabbed-for-drunk-driving-after-phuket-crash/

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INTERNATIONAL VIEW
Protests are a test for legitimacy: Forbes
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- As protesters are on the streets and as Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is besieged by criticism from within her own ranks - including from supporters who lost relatives in the 2010 crackdown, this indicates the fragility in Thailand's parliamentary system, said a Forbes article.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679825-protests-are-a-test-for-legitimacy-forbes/

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Yingluck says she not relying on Thaksin
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has given an interview to CNN, saying she has been in control of her government and she has not been relaying on her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679826-cnn-interview-yingluck-says-she-not-relying-on-thaksin/

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MFA: 8 countries already issued travel warnings



BANGKOK, 6 November 2013 (NNT) – According to Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichackchaikul, eight countries have already issued travel warnings to their people, urging them to avoid demonstration sites in Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679833-thai-fm-surapong-8-countries-have-already-issued-travel-warnings/

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Army chief concerned demonstrations would escalate

BANGKOK, 6 November 2013 (NNT) - Army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha has declined to comment on the amnesty bill, which will likely be turned down by the Senate, but expressed his concerns over the probable escalation of the demonstrations.

According to the army chief, the army is currently allocating more equipment and weapons to the troops in Narathiwat province to enable them to handle the unrest more efficiently. He said he was happy to have heard the news of a proposed peace talk.

Gen. Prayuth, however, declined to comment on whether the Senate would pass the amnesty bill - urging reporters to pose the question towards those who are directly involved.

In regard to the Thai-Cambodian boarder dispute over the Preah Vihear Temple, the general reaffirmed that the army was ready to protect the nation’s sovereignty, brushing aside suggestions that the Cambodian army was attempting to provoke Thai soldiers by reinforcing its troops on the boarders.


-- NNT 2013-11-06

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Prachinburi School Bus Crash Injures 13 Students

By Khaosod Online



BANGKOK: -- 13 schoolchildren were injured after their songthaew school bus skidded off the road and crashed into a tree in Pachinburi province.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679843-school-bus-crash-injures-13-students-in-prachinburi/

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SET index closed at 1,434.97, up 19.53;Bt/USD31.14; GBP49.99; AUD29.46; EUR41.94; CAD29.68; HKD4.01; SGD24.92; JPY31.41

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Majority Wants To See Abhisit Stand Trial: Isaan Poll
By Khaosod Online


Soldiers confronting Redshirts protesters at Democracy Monument on 10 April 2010.

BANGKOK: -- An opinion survey conducted in 20 Northeastern provinces reveals that a majority of respondents wants to see former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva stand trial for his role in the deadly 2010 crackdown.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/679849-majority-wants-to-see-abhisit-stand-trial-isaan-poll/

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Silom protesters blow whistles again to warn govt
By English News



BANGKOK, Nov 6 - White-collar protesters protesting against the amnesty bill took to Silom Road for the second time this week to blow a storm of whistles, wave Thai flags and vent furious objections, leading to traffic jam in one of Bangkok's most hectic business centres.

Workers started pouring out of their office buildings and areas nearby to Silom at around 11 am to wait for a flood of whistles blowing in noisy protest at 12.34 pm when protest leaders took to the stage to lash out at the government for attempting to ram through the bill.

They said their show of force would be held again for they were skeptical that the government would back off from its effort to pass a blanket amnesty in which ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra would also be pardoned.

They vowed to repeat their spirited whistle-blowing regimen on Silom every Monday and Wednesday lunchtime. Their first rally was held on Monday at Silom Complex, enveloping the Sadadaeng Skytrain Station and closing the road to all traffic. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-11-06