Thailand Live Tuesday 10 Dec 2013

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EC ready to hold general election on February 2, 2014

BANGKOK, 10 December 2013 (NNT) – The Election Commission has expressed its readiness to hold a general election on February 2, 2014, and said the scheduled date is appropriate as it will allow all parties adequate time to rally for votes.

Election Commissioner Sotsi Sattayatham revealed on Friday that the secretary-general to the Cabinet of Ministers has coordinated with the Election Commission regarding the date for the general election. Sunday February 2, 2014 has been proposed as the election date, because the date will allow the Election Commission enough time to prepare. February 2 would also fall under the time frame dictated by the charter - no less than 45 days but no more than 60 days after House dissolution. Personally, Ms. Sotsi believes the date would allow ample time for both the party list and constituency MP candidates to rally for votes.

Chartthaipatthana Party member Somsak Pritsanananthankun on Monday expressed support for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's dissolution of Parliament, and added that party core figure Banharn Silpa-archa would soon hold a meeting of leading figures in the party, to discuss preparations for the upcoming general election.


-- NNT 2013-12-10

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14 days free trial: Thaivisa SMS News Alerts

Info: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/685660-breaking-news-sms-alerts-from-thaivisa-the-nation/

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Immigration clarifies retirement visa rules

Prapaporn Jitmaneeyaphan

After several days of confusion, a senior officer at Immigration today explained clearly the way the rules on retirement visa extensions will be handled from now on.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687733-immigration-clarifies-retirement-visa-rules/

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Suthep's Goals, And Thailand's Future, Remain Obscure
By Khaosod Online



BANGKOK: -- Weeks into their campaign to unseat the government, the aims and demands of the anti-government protesters remain unclear.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687823-sutheps-goals-and-thailands-future-remain-obscure/

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Thai-Cambodia Border Explosions Explained As 'Satellite'
By Khaosod Online

Makeshift bomb shelter in Bhumisrol village

BANGKOK: -- Mysterious explosions and subsequent metals raining down near the village on Thai-Cambodia border are caused by a downed satellite, officials said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687824-thai-cambodia-border-explosions-explained-as-satellite/

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POLITICS
'People's revolution' declared
The Nation


A bird

BANGKOK: -- His Majesty the King endorses House dissolution decree, national election set for February 2; some academics agree with protesters, but urge both sides to talk and find a solution

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687826-thai-politics-peoples-revolution-declared/

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POLITICS
Suthep pushes on
The Nation



Protesters demand that the prime minister must stand down

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's decision to dissolve the House of Representatives yesterday failed to satisfy leaders of the anti-government protest, who insisted on her also stepping down as head of government.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687829-suthep-pushes-on/

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SPECIAL REPORT
People power gets stronger
Veena Thoopkrajae
The Nation



March to government House shows that people don't always need leaders

BANGKOK: -- Walking along with the protesters yesterday was almost like deja vu, because the chant "Yingluck, Aok Pai" ("Yingluck, Get Out!") was just like the chant "Thaksin, Aok Pai!" that was heard back in 2006. This chant, matched with loud whistle blowing, was heard even though Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced earlier yesterday that she was dissolving the House.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687830-people-power-gets-stronger-special-thai-report/

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POLITICS
Charter-change, other bills to be rendered void
The Nation

Several important legal amendments and bills will become invalid as a result of the House dissolution.

BANGKOK: -- They include the controversial changes to three articles of the Constitution proposed by the Pheu Thai-led government, which were about to undergo their third and final readings, the spokesperson of the House secretariat office said yesterday. There are 68 bills and amendments pending.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687831-thai-charter-change-other-bills-to-be-rendered-void/

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POLITICS
Reds oppose demands
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Red-shirt leaders Jatuporn Promphan and Thida Thavornseth yesterday opposed demands by protesters that PM Yingluck Shinawatra and her Cabinet must not stay on as a caretaker administration. They also announced the cancellation of a rally in Ayutthaya today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687832-jatuporn-and-thida-oppose-demands-by-protesters/

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Mega-projects in doubt
The Nation


An anti-government protester uses a mobile phone to take a photograph through a fence

Transport, water management projects may face axe

BANGKOK: -- The dissolution of Parliament has whipped up more uncertainty over the government's mega infrastructure drive, led by the Bt350-billion water-management blueprint and flagship Bt2 trillion-infrastructure scheme.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687833-thai-govts-mega-projects-in-doubt/

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Tourism sector hopes House dissolution will boost arrivals
Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The prime minister's decision to dissolve Parliament to calm the current political chaos has come as a relief to tourism operators, according to Yutthachai Soonthronrattanavate, president of the Association of Domestic Travel, though he himself is not sure it will solve anything.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687834-thai-tourism-sector-hopes-house-dissolution-will-boost-arrivals/

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EDITORIAL
Move for non-elected premier a step backwards
The Nation

Protesters' push for "perfect democracy" is actually pulling the country back to bad old days of dictatorship

BANGKOK: -- Let us hope that the people of this country play by democratic rules now that the opposition Democrat Party's MPs have all resigned to join protesters in their push for a "perfect democracy".

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687836-move-for-non-elected-premier-a-step-backwards-thai-editorial/

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Shinawatra clan is still the protest target
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters marched towards Government House from all directions yesterday as they blew whistles, shouting "Get out" and "We won't take it" - even after Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra made an early morning announcement of a House dissolution.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687844-shinawatra-clan-is-still-the-protest-target/

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I have done the best I could, Yingluck tells coalition partners
Hataikarn Treesuwan
The Nation



BANGKOK: - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra finally decided to dissolve the House yesterday morning before demonstrators at all rally sites marched to Government House.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687845-i-have-done-the-best-i-could-yingluck-tells-coalition-partners/

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Protesters win support along the way as they march
Chanon Wongsatayanont
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Even during the tense political atmosphere, pictures of people helping the protesters marching to Government House were seen and shared on social media - giving food or water, allowing the use of toilets, or trying to brighten the atmosphere.

Many people posted pictures on Facebook of others giving food to protesters in cardboard boxes. Chutima Suncharoen posted a picture of a woman giving out "Ba Jang" in front of St Gabriel's School.

Weerid Hooncharoen posted a picture of a nurse from Rajavithi Hospital giving out cotton pads dipped in ammonia to help protesters who felt faint or dizzy from the march.

Protesters who brought their cars set up tiny stalls for others on their way to Government House, giving out free food, drinking water and hats from the back of their cars. Thisiselle's Instagram account posted a picture of a car with the sign, "Dump your rubbish in this car" on its window.

On Facebook, Somthawin Thepsawas posted a picture of a car used as a mobile toilet where black bags were provided so protesters could relieve themselves before disposing of the bags outside.

People who didn't join the march helped the protesters by offering services instead. A restaurant called Wannaporn on Bang Khunphrom Road announced that any protesters who need to use the toilet could use theirs.

One special image from the protest shared on Facebook was replicas of popular fictional characters holding Thai flags - Bumblebee from "Transformers", Ironman and the Predator - carried along with the march on pick-ups. The creator of these replicas joked that they would help topple the barriers at Government House.


-- The Nation 2013-12-10

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Protests hit Thai Motor Expo sales, attendance
Kingsley Wijayasinha
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The ongoing political protests have hit the Thailand International Motor Expo, with organisers expecting a 15-per-cent drop in both attendance and sales.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687846-protests-hit-thai-motor-expo-sales-attendance/

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Agency scours provinces for source of signal disruptions that hit TV channels
Watchiranont Thongtep
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will deploy 20 inspection vehicles in the provinces to detect the sources of illegal transmissions that recently interfered with broadcasts of the Asia Update and Blue Sky television channels during the political protests.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687847-thai-agency-scours-provinces-for-source-of-signal-disruptions-that-hit-tv-channels/

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Protesters' real-time record on social media
Asina Pornwasin
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- People who joined the nine anti-government protest marches yesterday turned to social media as a key communication channel to show their actions to the world, using the hash tag #Thaiuprising.

Social media has played an important role in organising protests around the world, and in recent days it has been Thailand's turn. People from many walks of life took to the streets yesterday to join marches to Government House to show the world they do not accept Yingluck Shinawatra's government. They were not deterred by her announcement yesterday morning that said she had sought royal approval for a House dissolution to return power to the people and to solve the ongoing political conflict.

Protesters continually posted photos on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, allowing people around the world to make real-time contact with the protest, simply by following the hash tag #Thaiuprising.

This hash tag belongs to everyone who joined the marches. It allowed people to easily gather real-time information on the movement of the marches, in addition to information found using news agencies' dedicated hash tags.

On Instagram, people have been posting photographs of their marches. Most of them are "selfie" shots.

A search for photographs with #Thaiuprising at Web Stagram (http://web.stagram.com/), the Instagram Web-viewer program, at 4.15pm yesterday turned up more than 6,367 photos publicly posted under the hash tag.

According to Thailand's Twitter trending gauge at http://www.lab.in.th/thaitrend/, as of 4pm, the hash tag #Thaiuprising ranked 10th with 8,907 hits (or mentions on Twitter). It was the most popular topic on Twitter.

Through social media, the public could follow in full the movements of all nine marches, which left from nine different starting points bound for the same destination - Government House.

As most people who joined the march took photographs and coordinated ahead of time to post them on social media networks using the same hash tag, #Thaiuprising, they were able to demonstrate their stance to the world. The marches took almost the whole day, starting from 9.39am until after 4pm.


-- The Nation 2013-12-10

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RT @RichardBarrow: 10 December: Today it's International Day of Human Rights & in #Thailand it's Constitution Day

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RT @tulsathit: Rajdamnoen on a Constitution Day morning. RT @news1005fm: http://t.co/jIoQtr7Nq2

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RT @tulsathit: This morning at Nang Lerng race course. Like a concert-ticket booking day. RT @news1005fm: http://t.co/yeSdNEqzlk

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RT @KristieKenney: Good morning. In honor of Thai Constitution Day, @USEmbassyBKK is closed today, December 10.

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RT @RichardBarrow: Protesters at Dem Monument are being read morning newspapers by protest leaders (Pic @sunsernr) http://t.co/byBCU85BM2

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Bt350-bn water management plan likely to stay on course as projected following House dissolution Office of National Policy on Water,Flood Management

Bt2-tn infrastructure development bill will not automatically be dropped following House dissolution,Transport Minister said

Dissolution of the House will not interrupt continuity of rice pledging scheme,Internal Trade Department Director-General said

HM the King endorsed royal decree on House dissolution;effective today; new election set for Feb 2, 2014

HM the King endorsed royal decree on House dissolution;effective today; new election set for Feb 2, 2014

/THE NATION

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US Senate votes to ban plastic guns for 10 more years

WASHINGTON: -- The US Senate has approved a 10-year extension of a ban on plastic guns invisible to metal detectors but has rejected tougher restrictions called for by gun-control advocates.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687871-us-senate-votes-to-ban-plastic-guns-for-10-more-years/

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Gen. Prayuth: army is not oblivious to political rift

BANGKOK, 10 December 2013 (NNT) — Army Chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha has thanked the general public and officials for maintaining peace during demonstrations and affirmed that the army is not oblivious to the current political situation.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687872-gen-prayuth-army-is-not-oblivious-to-political-rift/

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Royal ceremonies to mark Constitution Day

ฺBANGKOK, 10 December 2013 (NNT) - As December 10 marks the Constitution Day, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will today deputize for His Majesty the King in paying homage to King Rama VII, at the royal statue located in front of the Parliament Building. King Rama VII, or King Prajadhipok, promulgated the country’s first constitution in 1932.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is scheduled to arrive at the statue of King Rama VII at 2 p.m. to lay floral offerings of Their Majesties the King and Queen as well as his personal offerings. His Royal Highness will then proceed to the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall to preside over a religious merit making ceremony to commemorate the Constitution Day.


-- NNT 2013-12-10

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Thai PM Yingluck told to abandon caretaker job
By English News

BANGKOK, Dec 10 – Thai protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has insisted that Yingluck Shinawatra must resign from the caretaker premiership to pave the way for the formation of a people’s council.

In a speech at a rally site near Government House yesterday, Mr Suthep demanded that the prime minister seek His Majesty’s endorsement to relinquish the caretaker position.

He said Ms Yingluck could run in the next general election under a new regulation and after a political party reform which will prohibit a single person from manipulating a party.

A new law must be written to ensure that an election is subject to scrutiny and political reform is vital for the country, he said.

“We must have a people’s council to take charge of the country’s administration for 8-15 months to ensure that a general election really serves the people’s needs,” he said.

“We will have a prime minister from the people’s government. Legislators in the people’s council will replace those who have cheated us.”

The former Democrat MP said a people’s reform is urgently needed for the well-being of the Thai people.

He said the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, a anti-government grouping of which he serves as secretary general, has seized power from an illegitimate government which has abused its power, violated the Constitution and betrayed the people.

He said he would continue the demonstrations with anti-government protesters until their demands are met. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-12-10

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Patong ATM thieves caught with skimming equipment re-enact crime
Phuket Gazette


During the re-enactment Mr Suta and Mr Marin demonstrated how they broke into the ATM. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- The trio of professional thieves who were busted in Bangkok after robbing an ATM in Phuket were caught with what police believe to be ATM skimming equipment in addition to safe-cracking tools.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687874-patong-atm-thieves-caught-with-skimming-equipment-re-enact-crime/