Thailand Live Thursday 16 Jan 2014

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RT @RichardBarrow: This is the Southwest corner of Lumpini Park. Literally 1000's of tents here. Elsewhere in park is normal #Bangkok http://t.co/KVs655JJZ7

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Met Dept: At 12.18am, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.0 on the Richter scale was recorded in Ban Ta Khun district /Bangkok Post

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

The Election Commission has sought to meet PM Yingluck tomorrow, Jan 17, at 10am at the navy's meeting hall to discuss the election, Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said /Bangkok Post

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2 Robbers Deceive And Rob Women In A Deserted Alley

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697120-2-robbers-deceive-and-rob-women-in-a-deserted-alley/

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Two explosions heard near STR's rally site

BANGKOK: -- Two explosions were heard near the rally site of the Students and People Network for Thailand's Reform (STR) Thursday.

The explosions were heard near the barrier of the STR security officers on Rama V Road near Benchama Bophit Temple.

The first explosion was heard at 12:45 pm and the second one at 12:50pm.

The security officers of the group suspected that someone might have lit giant firecrackers.


-- The Nation 2014-01-16

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http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697121-capo-orders-probe-into-arrest-of-navy-seal-troopers-near-protest-site/



BANGKOK: -- The Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) head Surapong Tovichakchaikul today ordered the defense permanent secretary to probe into the arrest of three armed Navy Seal troopers carrying with them VIP security guards issued by the Network of Students and People for the Reform of Thailand (NSPRT), a hardcore anti-government movement.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697121-capo-orders-probe-into-arrest-of-navy-seal-troopers-near-protest-site/

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Red-Shirt leader apologises to Prayuth for urging supporters to capture his daughters
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Sudchai Boonchai, a leader of the Friends of Thaksin group, Thursday issued an apology to Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha for having urged red shirts to capture his daughters in case of a coup.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697123-red-shirt-leader-apologises-to-prayuth-for-urging-supporters-to-capture-his-daughters/

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Thai tourists are better prepared for overseas trips and generous in spending spree

BANGKOK, 16 Jan 2014 (NNT) – Affluent Thai people have been wiser in taking their trips abroad by planning ahead of their journey and taking along electronic devices or new communication tools, according to the Visa Global Travel Intention Survey 2013.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697125-thai-tourists-are-better-prepared-for-overseas-trips-and-generous-in-spending-spree/

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Thailand now in top 10 of world’s largest auto producers

BANGKOK, 16 January 2014 (NNT) - Thailand’s car production made a 52-year record high of 2.45 million units in 2013, making the country earn a spot in the top ten of the biggest car producers in the word.

Deputy Chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) Surapong Paisitpattanapong said 2014 was a good year of the Thai automotive industry due to the historic increase in production. Last year’s car production increased by 0.14% from the previous year. 1.12 million units of them or 45.6% accounted for exports and 1.33 million units or 54.4% were sold within the country.

However, car production in December 2013 was lowest in 20 months, the deputy chairman said. The main reason was the end of the first-time car buyer tax rebate scheme.


-- NNT 2014-01-16

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NBTC tells Thaicom to provide backup channel for Bluesky
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission on Thursday told Thaicom Plc to provide a backup channel for satellite TV Bluesky channel in case its broadcasts again suffer from interference.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697130-nbtc-tells-thaicom-to-provide-backup-channel-for-bluesky/

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RT @RichardBarrow: 16 January 2014: Thai Lottery Results - 306902 | 52 | 242 077 149 510

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'Bikini Island' reality show scouts Phuket for possible filming locations


Charles Dupois.

PHUKET: -- Charles Dupois has arrived from Australia to Phuket to scout for possible locations for his latest reality television show, Bikini Island.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697129-bikini-island-reality-show-scouts-phuket-for-possible-filming-locations/

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Caretaker PM attends Reform Forum; small explosives thrown into Nang Lerng protest site;; no injuries reported; suspect detained /MCOT

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Adul appoints special team to try to arrest Suthep

BANGKOK: -- National Police Chief Pol General Adul Saengsingkaew has appointed a team to get People's Democratic Reform Committee secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban arrested.

Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who is head of the Centre for Administration of Peace and Order called a meeting of top officials from concerned agencies at the Defence Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Office and Adul joined the meeting via a video conference.

Surapong asked Adul to report the progress of the case against Suthep and his whereabouts Wednesday night and the protest situation .

Adul told the meeting he had already appointed a police team to arrest Suthep.


-- The Nation 2014-01-16

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RT @RichardBarrow: #ThaiDrone Looking down towards Pratunam from the Victory Monumentin #Bangkok http://t.co/PHjW5oH9j4

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RT @RichardBarrow: #ThaiDrone Aerial photo looking down on the Victory Monument in #Bangkok http://t.co/SP233k53JF

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SET index closed 1,301.48, up 24.45; Bt/USD32.73; GBP53.44; AUD28.67; EUR44.45; CAD29.80; HKD4.21; SGD25.56; JPY31.13

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RT @RichardBarrow: The guy that sold one of the "Bangkok Shutdown" t-shirts donated more than 1 million Baht from his profits to Suthep.

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Protests to slow Thai economy but no ratings downgrade: Moody's

SINGAPORE, January 16, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's political unrest could slow down the economy but the current situation does not merit a ratings downgrade, credit rating agency Moody's said Thursday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697136-protests-to-slow-thai-economy-but-no-ratings-downgrade-moodys/

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Thai woman arrested for allegedly smuggling in 2kgs of 'ice' drug

BANGKOK: -- Thai Custom Department Thursday announced the arrest of a 26-year-old Thai woman for smuggling 2,090 grams of crystal meth worth Bt7 million in street value from China's Shenzhen City into Thailand.

Nanthicha Tipplook, who has recently been arrested at Don Mueang Airport after officials discovered the drugs concealed in her luggage, reportedly confessed that she was hired by a Nigerian man in exchange for Bt10,000, said the department deputy chief Paisal Cheunjit.


-- The Nation 2014-01-16

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PM assures government’s non-interference in reform roadmap



BANGKOK: -- The government will not get involved in the drafting of a national reform roadmap but will only act as a facilitator, caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced Thursday as she presided over the opening of the reform forum.

She said that the government has no intention whatsoever to influence the forum participants regarding their reform proposals as the private sector has already made known their proposed reform plans earlier.

The government, she added, is open to divergent opinions regarding reform from all stakeholders, including the People’s Democratic Reform Committee. Then she pleaded with the media to disseminate all proposed reforms from the forum to the public so that they will be informed.

The PDRC and the opposition Democrat party have refused to join the forum. Seven private organizations and their 18 associate organizations however joined the forum.

As far as the government is concerned, Prime Minister Yingluck said the government would propose a three-stage reform procedure – the first stage covers working procedure, the second concerns the organisational structure of the so-called reform assembly and the third stage compilation of all proposed reforms in the order of priority.

Mr Vichai Assarasakorn, vice president of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the private sector had made a four-point proposal. This includes a special organization tasked with implement reform must be set up before the election, a new date of election must be set, a joint agreement among political parties and readjusting the caretaker government before the election.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-assures-governments-non-interference-reform-roadmap/

-- Thai PBS 2014-01-16

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RT @RichardBarrow: 5:10pm The northern end of Chatuchak Park is a bit like a tent city #Bangkok http://t.co/YRrV3abbco

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Appeals Court rejects Suthep’s appeal against his arrest



BANGKOK: -- The Appeals Court has rejected an appeal of protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban against the lower court’s approval of a warrant for his arrest on charges of illegal assembly of more than ten people and trespassing of government offices.

The Appeals Court ruled that the authority to issue arrest warrant rests with the judge of the lower court in accordance with Articles 66 and 59/1 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Therefore, the lower court’s decision not to accept Suthep’s appeal is legally justified.

The arrest warrant for Suthep, secretary-general of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, was requested by Bang Sue police.

Additionally, Mr Suthep has another arrest warrant pending against him. The warrant was issued by the Criminal Court on December 2 as requested by Thung Song Hong police on insurrection charge.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/appeals-court-rejects-sutheps-appeal-arrest/


-- Thai PBS 2014-01-16

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F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone to be tried on bribery charges, German court rules /BBC

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Police team given task of arresting Suthep
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- National Police Chief Pol General Adul Saengsingkaew has appointed a team have People's Democratic Reform Committee secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban arrested.

Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who is head of the Centre for Administration of Peace and Order, called a meeting of top officials from concerned agencies at the Defence Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Office with Adul joining the meeting via video conferencing.

Surapong also asked Adul for a progress report as well as information about Suthep's whereabouts Wednesday night and the latest on the protest situation.

Adul told the meeting that he had already assigned a police team to arrest Suthep.

The highest number of protesters on Wednesday was at 23,000, with only 7,000 protesters left yesterday as many from the South have returned home. Adul said 40 guards were protecting Suthep and that he would report about the protest leader's arrest at a closed-door meeting without media presence.


-- The Nation 2014-01-16

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NACC to probe Yingluck over rice-pledging scheme, press charges against 15 others

BANGKOK: -- The National Anti-Corruption Commission Thursday resolved to investigate caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for allegedly failing to stop the damage in the rice-pledging scheme.

The NACC announced that Yingluck would face a probe for alleged negligence of duty.

The NACC also decided to against former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and 14 other alleged accomplices.


-- The Nation 2014-01-16

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Phuket Airport Terminal X on target to open in February
Phuket Gazette -

PHUKET: The new terminal at Phuket International Airport is on track to open on February 5, boosting the capacity of the island’s critical tourism portal by 4,000 people per hour.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697149-phuket-airport-terminal-x-on-target-to-open-in-february/

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Spot check finds two Phuket bus drivers on meth
Prapaporn Jitmaneeyaphan

The two drivers who admitted to having taken ya bah – Udorn, left, and Natthapong

PHUKET: Provincial officials today took urine samples from 33 tour bus drivers, at the request of two bus companies, to test for illegal drugs.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697150-spot-check-finds-two-phuket-bus-drivers-on-meth/

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UPDATE:

Four suspects in Abhisit home bomb attack in police custody
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, Jan 16 -- Four persons allegedly involved in Tuesday's late night bomb attack on Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva's Sukhumvit residence are now in police custody, pending further investigation.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697031-abhisit-says-bomb-attack-at-his-home-was-well-organized/page-3#entry7300780

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Yingluck declines to comment on NACC's decision against her

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Thursday declined to give any comment on the decision by the National Anti-Corruption Commission to probe her over the rice-pledging scheme.

Yingluck left the Royal Thai Air Force headquarters in a van at 5.20pm

Before she left, reporters shouted to ask for her reaction to the NACC’s decision. She did not turn to answer.

-- The Nation 2014-01-16

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SRT increases train trips during big rallies

BANGKOK, 16 January 2014, (NNT) --The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has increased the frequency of trips from train stations located in the vicinity of Bangkok. During rush hours, train will be leaving station every 15 minutes to accommodate all commuters as the big rallies drag on.

Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt and SRT Governor Prapat Chongsanguan have taken a train ride from Rangsit Station in Pathumthani province to Bang Sue Station in Bangkok, which also has an easy access to MRT underground train and buses, in order to assess the quality of the services.

According to Mr. Chadchart, during rush hours of 5.30-9 am and 3-8 pm, train will leave station every 15 minutes to ensure that commuters will be able to transfer to other types of public transportation in the city without much delay.

He admitted that train might not be the most convenient way to travel; however, without traffic and improved schedules, more people may avail themselves to the train services.

-- NNT 2014-01-16