Thailand Live Thursday 16 Jan 2014

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RT @RichardBarrow: 12:15pm - RT @KG_Promotions: Protesters starting a Parade down Sukhumvit Rd towards Nana on Day 4 http://t.co/pzcrOyJKTK

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Thailand’s Industrial Confident Index hits 2 year low in December

BANGKOK, 16 Jan 2014 (NNT) – The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) revealed the December 2013 Thai Industries Sentiment Index (TISI) hit the lowest in 2 years, standing at 88.3 compared to 90.3 in the previous month.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697090-thailands-industrial-confident-index-hits-2-year-low-in-december/

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RT @veen_NT: Closing time of Central Dept stores

Chidlom 9pm

Zen 6pm

LadPhrao 9pm

Silom Complex 9.30pm

Cheangwattana 9pm #BKKShutdown

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RT @Juarawee: RT @Nattha_ThaiPBS: Dharma Army camping (black tents) on Rama 8 Bridge. #exitTH http://t.co/fv5tP9LJyk

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RT @Tulip_Oum: 12:19PM Nontburi PDRC to stay at Public Health ministry at least 3 days, said Issara the core leader.-@Phop_NTV http://t.co/v3Ly5Z1Qqt

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Industry confidence declines to 25-month low



BANGKOK: -- The Thai Industries Sentiment Index (TISI) dropped to 25-month low in December last year since December 2011.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697090-thailands-industrial-confident-index-hits-2-year-low-in-december/?p=7299008

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Phuket resort raided over beach beautification project
Phuket Gazette


The naked beach in front of the resort. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- National park officers yesterday raided the Anantara luxury resort in Phuket and filed a police complaint for alleged encroachment on park land.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697095-phuket-resort-raided-over-beach-beautification-project/

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CAPO: many suspects arrested with guns; pingpong bombs hurled at home of PDRC leader Issara Somchai /MCOT

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RT @RichardBarrow: A manned tent belonging to Operation Mass Royal Thai Army in front of Benjasiri Park http://t.co/BhBFR9Kjy8

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RT @Tulip_Oum: 12:33PM PDRC from Pathumwan has closed the traffic at Excise dpt on Nakhonchaisri rd.-@7_preysor http://t.co/nN7nTopfev

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RT @MimiSawitta: Democrat Party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut says party has never said it would take part in election if pushed back to another date.

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RT @RichardBarrow: 12:49pm Traffic on Sukhumwit is good until Soi 20 where first roadblock is. Can pass now but later it's a car park http://t.co/UCqIGnzNfE

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RT @RichardBarrow: 12:56pm Vendors used to get fined for blocking the sidewalk. Now it's a camping ground #Bangkok http://t.co/kcZ5ew5gOL

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Government faces growing pressure from more farmers



BANGKOK: -- The caretaker government of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck is facing growing pressure by rice farmers when farmers in the central provinces are facing the same fate as their colleagues in the North and Northeast when they failed to obtain money from rice sold to the government.

About 500 farmers in Bang Sai district of Ayutthaya province, about 60 kilometers north of Bangkok rallied at Bang Sai district office when they rallied at the district office demanding payment for their rice from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives.

They said they sold rice to the government under the rice-pledging scheme for the 2012/2013 harvest year.

But since then they only received rice vouchers from the rice sale. They said that when they showed vouchers to the bank to receive cash, they were rejected with reason that the bank has no money.

Since farmers have to pay rents for farmland and fertilizers to begin the new planting season, they could not do so without money.

Internal Trade Department’s office chief Chairat Boonsong said farmers from six other central provinces, namely Chachoengsao, Phetchabun, Prachinburi, Uthai Thani and Suphanburi, who sold rice amounted to 700 million bat are still not paid.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/22831/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=22831


-- Thai PBS 2014-01-16

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Crackdown On 'Counterfeit' Whistles Begins
By Khaosod English



BANGKOK: -- Blue Sky TV has announced a crackdown on sales of counterfeit whistles in anti-government rally sites.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697098-crackdown-on-counterfeit-whistles-begins-bangkok/

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Thai government urges police to arrest rally leaders

BANGKOK, January 16, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's government pleaded with police Thursday to arrest opposition protest leaders who have threatened to take the prime minister captive and paralysed parts of central Bangkok.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697068-capo-issues-tough-warning-to-suthep/page-3#entry7299262

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BOT: Bangkok SMEs hit by mass rally

BANGKOK, 16 Jan 2014 (NNT) – The Bank of Thailand (BoT) revealed that the People's Democratic Reform Committee's mass rally in Bangkok has put a strain on the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) operators in the capital.

The BoT is closely observing the rally's effects on the SME industry. It quoted reports from various commercial banks as saying several rally-affected SME operators have so far managed to get by.

Service businesses are taking the biggest hit as their profits directly depend on public spending which is greatly diminished by the rally on top of ailing economy.

Nonetheless, the Bank of Thailand indicated that at the moment commercial banks are assisting SMEs by extending loan repayment periods and cutting interest rates.

The BoT also said although the overall credit market is on the decline, the SME credit market is able to maintain a steady pace of growth. The BoT’s record showed the overall credit market growth in November last year was at 10% while that of the SME's was 14%.

-- NNT 2014-01-16

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Magnitude 4 earthquake hits Ban Khao Phang in Surat Thani's Ban Ta Khun; no report of damage /MCOT

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‘Yingluck’ chairs first formal reform forum

BANGKOK, 16 January 2014 (NNT) — Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is charing a political reform forum for the first time on January 16 at the Royal Thai Air Force Base.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/696939-pm-to-chair-first-reform-forum-meeting/page-2#entry7299299

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RT@RichardBarrow: 1:35pn Road from Asoke to Ratchapeasong is open at the moment & traffic is normal. This is outside Landmark pic.twitter.com/0e1CVTmlqH

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EC rejects government’s 130-billion baht rice loans

BANGKOK: -- The Election Commission (EC) has rejected the caretaker government ‘s request to seek 130 billion baht loans to finance its rice-pledging scheme, and the government-to-government rice sales to China.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697105-ec-rejects-governments-130-billion-baht-rice-loans/

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RT@RichardBarrow: 1:40pm The entrance/exit to the expressway at Ploenchit is open which gives access to hotels between Asok & Ratchsprasong

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RT@RichardBarrow: 1:52pm The Erawan Shrine at Ratchaprasong is open but this could change at short notice #Bangkok pic.twitter.com/HXyYknOELH

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Caretaker PM Yingluck not joining today's EC meeting
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, Jan 16 - Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will not join today's meeting with the Election Commission (EC) although she was earlier invited, according to her secretary-general.

Suranand Vejjajiva said Ms Yingluck has to chair a meeting on national reform with representatives from several organisations at the Royal Thai Air Force headquarters at Don Mueang this afternoon and is unable to attend the meeting organised by the poll agency.

The caretaker premier earlier criticised the EC action after the agency turned down the invitation to Wednesday's multi-faction political forum specially hosted by the government. She said the EC should have received first-hand information from the meeting to assess the election situation.

The EC instead asked for a meeting with Ms Yingluck today to discuss the delay of the poll.

Meanwhile, prospective Pheu Thai MP candidates today filed police complaints against the five EC commissioners for negligence of duty for failing to organise the candidacy registration for constituency MPs in southern provinces.

The complaints were filed at Thungsonghong police station by prospective Pheu Thai MP candidates for Chumphon Thanaisuathanapol Sukpan and Akkarapong Nilsuwan, as well as the prospective candidate for Trang Suthee Polawat.

Mr Thanaisuathanapol said the EC resolved to ask the caretaker premier to postpone the election without appropriate reasons although the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for the Holders of Political Positions earlier ruled that the EC is duty-bound to organise the snap poll.

He said the EC's move shows it is likely to avoid conducting the Feb 2 election, claiming that the process has been obstructed.

The prospective Pheu Thai candidate said he considered the poll agency as failing to perform its duty and damages have incurred. As of now, the prospective MP candidates in 28 districts in the southern region could not register their election candidacy whereas the EC is authorised to issue regulations to facilitate the case. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-01-16

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Russian Man Steals Vendor’s IPod

PATTAYA – January 16, 2014 [PDN]; at 2.30 a.m. Pol. Lt. Col. Natthawat Srithongpech (Investigation officer of Pattaya city police station, Chonburi province) was notified by a female vendor that she had apprehended A foreign man that stole her property at Mike department store, Pattaya second road, Moo 10 Tambon Nong Prue, Amphur Banglamung, Chonburi province, so he rushed to the scene to investigate further.

Full Story:

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Govt calls on protesters to review Bangkok shutdown
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, Jan 16 - Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul today pleaded with protesters against their continued seizure of Bangkok to avoid further damage to the country.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697068-capo-issues-tough-warning-to-suthep/page-3#entry7299262

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Social Security Office closed following protest

BANGKOK: -- The Social Security Office sent its officials at the head office homes after protesters rallied there Thursday.

The protesters led by the People's Democratic Reform Committee started blocking the head office of the SSO at 10:30 am.

Most officials were sent home, leaving only some officials to take care of the SSO computer server and hotlines.

Workers who are insured under the Social Security Fund were advised to use services at branches of the SSO.

-- TNA 2014-01-16

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RT@RichardBarrow: 2:17pm In front of MBK pic.twitter.com/Hc3yklKsJk

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FTI: Dec 2013's car production lowest in 20 months

BANGKOK, 16 Jan 2014, (NNT) - The Thai automotive industry produced 158,893 cars in December 2013, the lowest in 20 months; a 13.09% drop from the previous month's, and a 28.22% decrease year-on-year.

According to the Federation of Thai Industries' spokesperson, Surapong Paisitpattanapong, the drop is attributed to two factors: the expiration of the government's first car policy and the holiday season in December. Overall, in 2013 Thailand produced 2,457,086 cars, 0.14% more than it did in 2012.

Last December the country exported 87,961 cars valued at 40.4 billion baht, a year-on-year decrease of 0.75%. Altogether Thailand exported 1,128,152 cars in 2013, an increase of 9.88% compared to 2012's figure. The 2013 export was worth 512.1 billion baht, 4.5% higher than 2012's.

Meanwhile, 108,688 cars were sold domestically last year, a 24.9% decrease year-on-year.

-- NNT 2014-01-16

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RT @RichardBarrow: 2:30pm - RT @thehuntinghouse: Marchers Silom Rd -> Lumpini. All, even most, NOT middle class. Not a selfie among them http://t.co/ydptKLuWJz