Foreigners dump more Thai shares, pushing month-to-date net-sell to Bt29bn. More sell is expected as Fed may taper QE early next year.

Anti-govt groups reject invitation of caretaker govt to participate in a public forum to find ways out of current political deadlock

Number of passengers using Suvarnabhumi Airport during this high tourism season is below the 6 pct growth target

Bank of Thailand may revise down 2014 growth target of 4% in January, looking for slight change - not as much as 0.5 percentage point.

Bank of Thailand may revise down 2014 growth target of 4% in January, looking for slight change - not as much as 0.5 percentage point.

Pro-govt,UDD (red-shirts) rejected protest leader Suthep's invitation to join his Thai political reform movement

/The Nation

RT@veen_NT: Suthep: Supreme Commander Gen Thanasak agreed to meet PRDC group on Saturday at 3pm.

RT@veen_NT: Suthep: I thank the military to offer us a chance to meet and clarify our movement.

RT@RichardBarrow: It looks like Government House is now on lockdown. Even the army had to ask permission to leave to get food. Protest guards at all gates.

RT@veen_NT: Suthep: The people won't accept the general election without reform.

RT@MimiSawitta: Suthep: There's time to think about the People's Assembly, first we need to get rid of the Thaksin regime.

RT@MimiSawitta: Suthep: Bangkok residents - we have fought this far.I know you can't get any sleep at home so come and fight shoulder to shoulder w/us.

RT@MimiSawitta: Suthep: Once my duties are done I'll go to sleep/stay on Samui island. I'll be done with politics.

RT@MimiSawitta: Speech over. Short one tonight.

Economists voice concern on protest impact

BANGKOK: -- The ongoing political unrest has continually affected the Thai economy, with economists and businesses voicing concern that if the protests prolong, the economy would be gravely affected.

An airport executive said one of the signs showing the effects, is the lower than target number of passenger arrivals at Suvarnbhumi International Airport.

Director of Suvarnbhumi airport, Raweewan Netarakawet admitted that tourist arrivals at the airport during this tourism season only rose only 1 percent, lower than the expected figure of 6 percent.

Bank of Thailand (BOT) Governor Prasarn Trairatworakul also admitted, he is worried about the political situation in the country, stressing, if such situation continued, it would gravely affect the economy.

The BOT governor pointed out the government is in charge of propelling the nation’s economy forward, without an efficient management system by the government, the country’s economy could be worsened.

The central bank spokesperson Rung Malikamas said the Thai economy could still expand next year, due to the improved world economy.

But she said the expansion would be less than 0.5 percent, noting that the better world economy would help Thailand gain more exports, but the national political situation must remain to be closely monitored. Monetary Policy Committee would also be revising its evaluation of the 2014 economic outlook at the end of January.

Meanwhile, the Kasikorn Research Centre said the economy would expand by only 2.7 percent this year, because the rate of consumption from the private sector has slowed down significantly, and the anti-government protests have been dragged on. It said such political situation would have the greatest impact on the country’s economy next year. If the situation turned even more severe, the economy would grow by only 0.5 percent, however, if the situation returned to normalcy, the economy would expand 4.5 percent.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/economists-voice-concern-protest-impact/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=economists-voice-concern-protest-impact

-- Thai PBS 2013-12-12

Thailand ranks the world’s third in highest road fatalities

BANGKOK: -- Thailand now ranks third in the list of countries having highest road traffic deaths worldwide with 38.1 road fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants per year in 2010.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/688565-thailand-ranks-the-worlds-third-in-highest-road-fatalities/

to continue:

Thailand Live Friday 13 Dec 2013

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/688640-thailand-live-friday-13-dec-2013/