Thailand Live Tuesday 26 Nov 2013

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Thailand welcomes 22 million tourists in first ten months of 2013
By English News



BANGKOK, Nov 26 – Almost 22 million tourists have visited Thailand in the first ten months of this year, according to Deputy Government Spokesman Chalitrat Chantarubeksa.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684332-thailand-welcomes-22-million-tourists-in-first-ten-months-of-2013/

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UPDATE:

Thai PM tightens security as protests escalate
by Thanaporn PROMYAMYAI

BANGKOK, November 26, 2013 (AFP) - Thailand's embattled premier on Monday invoked a special security law in the tense capital Bangkok and nearby areas after protesters stormed key ministries in a bid to topple the government.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684284-govt-to-restore-control/page-3?p=7082451#entry7082451

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US urges calm amid Thailand protests

WASHINGTON, November 26, 2013 (AFP) - The United States Monday called for restraint amid turmoil in Thailand as opposition demonstrators stormed key ministries seeking to topple embattled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684331-us-urges-calm-amid-thailand-protests/

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PROTEST
Call for 'people's government'
The Nation


Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban is greeted by protesters following their occupation of the Budget Bureau yesterday.

Protesters occupy three state offices in bid to paralyse the Yingluck government

BANGKOK: -- Suthep Thaugsuban, a key leader of the protest against the so-called Thaksin regime, announced a plan to form a "people's government" yesterday following a peaceful seizure of state power by the people.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684336-suthep-calls-for-peoples-government/

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POLITICS
Media groups urge state TV to report fairly
Chanon Wongsatayanont,
Kornchanok Raksaseri
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Media professional organisations have called on the public to understand the work done by the media in times like the present political demonstrations.

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Call-for-peoples-government-30220589.html

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UPDATE:

PM extends ISA and insists she won't resign or dissolve House
Hataikarn Treesuwan,
Anapat Deechuay,
Khanittha Thepphajorn
The Nation


Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told reporters she wouldn't dissolve House or resign.

PM to explain stance during censure debate; 'coalition parties staying put'

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra last night extended the invocation of special internal security law to cover entire Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan’s Bang Phli district and Pathum Thani’s Ladlumkaew district.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684284-govt-to-restore-control/page-4?p=7082472#entry7082472

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BURNING ISSUE
Has Suthep thought through his political goals?
Kornchanok Raksaseri



BANGKOK: -- The fact that protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a former Democrat MP, has stepped up his recent rallying many times - and his statement on Sunday that he would not stop, even if Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra resigned or dissolved the House - has many puzzled.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684340-has-suthep-thought-through-his-political-goals/

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Travel-warning threat looms over tourism

Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The tourism industry could lose Bt25 billion in revenue next month if countries issue their highest warnings against travelling to the Kingdom, said Sugree Sithivanich, deputy governor for marketing communications of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684342-travel-warning-threat-looms-over-tourism-tat/

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Anti-Govt Campaign Marked By Media Intimidation
By Khaosod Online

BANGKOK: -- Anti-government protests appear to be increasingly hostile toward members of the media seen as pro-government by the protesters.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684257-german-photojournalist-attacked/page-3?p=7082503#entry7082503

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Be early for flights: AOT
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Airports of Thailand Plc urged travellers yesterday to travel to Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang airports at least three hours ahead of flights so they do not miss trips amid chaotic traffic because of protests in Bangkok.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684343-be-early-for-flights-aot/

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Down the streets of Bangkok
The Nation



Though the numbers dwindled yesterday, people still took part in 14 marches across the capital

BANGKOK: -- Some 27,000 people took part in 14 marches across Bangkok yesterday, Metropolitan Police spokesman Maj-General Adul Narongsak said, though he pointed out that the crowd at Democracy Monument had surged on Sunday, allegedly to 82,000 people.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684346-down-the-streets-of-bangkok/

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Education ministry shifts
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Education Ministry officials decided yesterday to leave Ratchadamnoen Road for Phaholyothin Road as anti-government protesters jammed streets around its office.

"We will evaluate the situation day by day. We will work from Hor Wang School starting today on a temporary basis," he said.

Permanent secretary Suthsri Wongsamarn said all entrances and exits to the ministry were closed for safety reasons. Staff with no urgent business or with difficulty travelling were told to work from home.

Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang has instructed security officials to provide protection around-the-clock for the ministry and officials.

The Vocational Education Commission has already moved to its branch on Ram-Intra Road to provide convenience for employees as they commute and work, secretary-general Chaiphruk Sereerak said.


-- The Nation 2013-11-26

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24 schools shut doors
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- With anti-government rallies having snarled traffic in many parts of the city, 24 municipal schools located near protest sites cancelled classes for yesterday and today.

Eleven of the schools are in Phra Nakhon district, nine in Dusit district and four in Prom Prap district.

Silpakorn University has closed its Wang Tha Phra campus for the same two days, president Chaicharn Thavaravej said. He urged the government to maintain common sense to solve issues of the anti-government movement. Thammasat University also suspended activities at its Phrachan campus yesterday, rector Somkid Lertpaitoon said.


-- The Nation 2013-11-26

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Flood crisis in South eases as rain stops
The Nation



Some areas still under water, though less rainfall, milder winds in the Gulf forecast

BANGKOK: -- FLOODS IN THE SOUTH have eased as rainfall has stopped and water levels have subsided.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684347-flood-crisis-in-thai-south-eases-as-rain-stops/

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Wall blocking Loei mine to be demolished
Boonchu Sritraipop
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Sopon Suwanrat, chief of Loei's Wang Saphung district, said yesterday that he had instructed Tambon Khao Luang Administration Organisation to demolish by Thursday a wall that protesters built on a road leading to the Thung Kham gold mine.

He said he had received an order from Loei governor, adding that the demolition job should be under the jurisdiction of the tambon administration organisation.

He said he had warned protest leaders that blocking a road was against the law and they should opt for other steps, such as taking the company to court. He said it would be ideal if the protesters demolished the wall themselves so they could escape punishment. Otherwise, the wall would be used as evidence of the protesters' violation of law, which is punishable by six months in jail.

This is the third time that a wall has been built by the residents, who fear the mining and the company's expansion plans will have a negative impact on them and the environment. The previous walls were demolished by an unknown group and then the mining company filed a lawsuit against 14 protest leaders for violating the firm's rights by blocking the mine's entrance.

Meanwhile, Samai Pakmee of the Rak Ban Kerd Group that led the protest yesterday confirmed that some 200 villagers had left for Bangkok on Sunday night and were planning to file a lawsuit at the Administrative Court.

They will sue four state agencies for negligence of duty in allowing the gold mine to affect local residents, Samai said.


-- The Nation 2013-11-26

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Commerce confident to defend rice scheme



BANGKOK: -- The deputy commerce minister said the government was confident to clear all issues to be questioned by the opposition Democrat MPs during the no-confidence debate in Parliament tomorrow.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684350-thai-commerce-confident-to-defend-rice-scheme/

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PM Yingluck calls on intruders to withdraw from state building
By English News



BANGKOK, Nov 26 – Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra today pleaded with anti-government protesters not to intrude into government buildings, an act which is detrimental to tourism and the international community’s confidence in Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684352-pm-yingluck-calls-on-intruders-to-withdraw-from-state-building/

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Thai opposition protesters storm foreign ministry

BANGKOK, November 25, 2013 (AFP) - Hundreds of Thai opposition protesters on Monday forced their way into the foreign ministry compound in Bangkok, occupying a second major government building, a ministry spokesman said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684352-pm-yingluck-calls-on-intruders-to-withdraw-from-state-building/

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Newtown gunman Adam Lanza had 'obsession' with Columbine

NEWTOWN: -- The gunman who killed 26 people at a Connecticut school last year had "an obsession" with the 1999 Columbine massacre, an official report has found.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684359-newtown-gunman-adam-lanza-had-obsession-with-columbine/

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RT @ChadapornLin: Censure debate starts 9.30am; police have placed cement barriers to block protesters from entering area

RT @ChadapornLin: 880 police officers guarding PM's residence to prevent protesters from gathering there

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Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand wants anti-govt rallies leaders to publicly denounce attacks on journalists /The Nation

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RT @RichardBarrow: Anti-govt protesters continue their occupation of Finance & Foreign Ministries. Education Ministry closed

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US State Department issues travel warning to its citizens



BANGKOK: -- The US State Department yesterday warned its citizens on their travels to or residing in Bangkok to avoid areas of demonstrations and exercise caution as the current peaceful protests now in the capital could escalate into violence.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684388-us-state-department-issues-travel-warning-to-its-citizens-bangkok/

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RT @RichardBarrow: Today there is no problem in #Bangkok. Life goes on. But people book holidays in advance & want to know about next week

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RT @RichardBarrow: RT @forestmat: IMHO I don't believe there is any danger whatsoever to tourists coming to Bangkok, provided they stay away from protest site

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No confidence debate to start this morning



BANGKOK: -- The two-day no-confidence debate against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan will go ahead at 9.30 a.m. today under tight security around the Parliament and Government House area.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684389-no-confidence-debate-to-start-today-26-nov/

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Suthep declares prolonged rally, continuing occupation of state buildings
By English News



BANGKOK, Nov 26 – Former Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban flatly rejected a police attempt to arrest him for leading protesters to intrude into state buildings yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684390-suthep-declares-prolonged-rally-continuing-occupation-of-state-buildings/

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Political unrest affecting tourism in Bangkok
By English News



BANGKOK, Nov 26 – Bangkok’s tourism revenue may fall 10 per cent lower than projected if the political demonstrations continue, according to a senior Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) official.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/684392-political-unrest-affecting-tourism-in-bangkok/

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RT @Tulip_Oum: Pol Gen Pracha says govt have been trying to contact Sutep through a mediator, has not get any response.-@news1005fm

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"Men in Black" cover CCTV