Thailand Live Thursday 16 Jan 2014

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

BMA to assist people residing near protest sites

BANGKOK, 16 January 2014 (NNT) - The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has prepared plans to rehabilitate people who live near the rally sites. Teams of BMA officers will be sent there to listen to their problems.

Deputy Governor of Bangkok Banchong Sukdee said the BMA’s rehabilitation plans targeted people in the areas surrounding the Government Complex and Lat Phrao intersection currently occupied by the protesters. The people were affected by traffic woes as well as loud noises, the official said.

Mr Banchong instructed district directors to send staff from the BMA’s community development, public health, and environmental divisions to talk to the affected people and help them accordingly. The deputy governor also instructed all civil servants and officers under the BMA to perform normal duties and do their utmost in providing service to the general public.

-- NNT 2014-01-16

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

Thai anti-graft panel to probe PM Yingluck

BANGKOK, January 16, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's anti-corruption authorities launched an investigation against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Thursday in a new setback to her government following weeks of mass opposition protests.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697154-thai-anti-graft-panel-to-probe-pm-yingluck/

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

PTT and Bangchak cut oil price by 40 satang/litre

BANGKOK, 16 January 2014 (NNT) - Domestic oil retailers and refineries, PTT Plc and Bangchak Petroleum Plc have decreased their retail prices of benzene products by 40 satang, except for E85, which has earlier been adjusted down by 20 satang per liter; starting from Friday at 5am onwards.

The price adjustment is due to the lower price of Dubai crude in the Singapore market. The new retail oil prices at all PTT and Bangchak stations in Bangkok and its vicinities are as follows:

Benzene 95 costs 48.05 baht per liter. Gasohol 95 stands at 40.53 baht and Gasohol 91 at 38.08 baht per liter. E20 is at 35.58 baht, while E85 at 24.38 baht per liter. High speed diesel remains at 29.99 baht per liter, thanks to the government's diesel price subsidy policy.

Demand for fuel in the region has been stable and is expected to rise during the Chinese New Year period.

-- NNT 2014-01-16

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

Yingluck has no appointment with EC: Suranand

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker PM's secretary-general Suranand Vejjajiva said Thursday caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has not received any official meeting invitation from the Election Commission.

Therefore, Yingluck has no appointment with the EC on Friday as stated by the EC via the media, Suranand said.

-- The Nation 2014-01-16

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@PKinbangkok: 17.53 Chants of elections! Elections! Elections!...We want to vote! We want to vote!..... at Benjasiri Park. pic.twitter.com/CWR8eILMx8

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@BKK_POST: FBI asked to help solve case of self-proclaimed child serial killer Nui

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

Special Report: Govt opts to use state enterprises' fund to pay back rice farmers

BANGKOK: -- The government is set to borrow money from state enterprises to fund payments to unpaid farmers under the rice-pledging scheme after its bid to use the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC)'s liquidity was unsuccessful.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/697154-thai-anti-graft-panel-to-probe-pm-yingluck/#entry7300990

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@Saksith: Vittayen claims that there have been interferences to @BLUESKYCHANNEL’s TV signal, especially whenever Suthep speaks on stage.

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@veen_NT: Suthep talked about 25 incidents since the protest started, calling the attack on protesters cowardice acts.

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@Aim_NT: 3 armed naval officers have allegedly been found working unlawfully as guards for hardline anti-government movement STR, police said. -NNA

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@Saksith: RT @gayathry: Jonathan Head up next on the panel - speaks about challenges in reporting for a global audience @pakhead

RT@Saksith: RT @gayathry: .@pakhead Its a very emotional conflict and expectations of the media to take their sides, which the media shouldn't do

RT@Saksith: .@pakhead: “It’s not about not understanding ‘Thainess’ … it’s b/c we have to explain a complex issue in very little time and space.”

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@S_BKK : Do organizers and BMA know that after 12am even protesters are trying to sleep? so Music until 2 am is just anoying

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@RichardBarrow: MBK is still open if anyone’s interested. Unlike the big brothers next door who closed early at 6pm, MBK is open until 10pm

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@Saksith: @BLUESKYCHANNEL managing director: “Reasons why Thai feel foreigners don’t get it: 1) some deliberately mistranslate foreign news for their own gain.

RT@fratticcioli: Blue Sky rep. believes protesters are not "anti-election" as the int'l media say. They want election, but at the proper time.

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@Tulip_Oum:
Nuttawut announce campaign to "capture" Sutep and stop hurting the country, pointing out incomparable to Gandhi and Mandela.-@politics_mcot

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@RichardBarrow: I think embassies might need to add to their travel advice for #Thailand: DON’T JOIN A PROTEST MARCH!!! pic.twitter.com/JTO9P5W65S

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@AP: BREAKING: Bernie Ecclestone steps down from Formula 1 board of directors, will continue to run the sport.

RT@SkyNewsBreak: Sky sources: Bernie Ecclestone to stand down as the boss of Formula One and will go on trial on bribery charges in Germany in April

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

Ex-Minister Boonsong vows to fight his case in court

BANGKOK: -- Former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom has vowed to fight for justice against the corruption charges to be filed against him by the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Mr Boonsong is among 15 people who include former deputy commerce minister Poom Saraphol, officials of the Foreign Trade Department and representatives of Thai firms involved in the non-existent government-to-government rice deal between Foreign Trade Department and a Chinese firm, Guangzhou-based GSSG Import and Export Corp to face the corruption charges.

The embattled former commerce minister complained that he was not treated fairly by the NACC because he had never been invited to testify to give his side of the story.

He noted that the way the NACC quickly wrapped up the case while the election is to be held in less than three weeks would impact on the votes of the Pheu Thai party.

He vowed to fight the case in the court of law to seek justice and would not allow himself to be persecuted.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/ex-minister-boonsong-vows-fight-case-court/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ex-minister-boonsong-vows-fight-case-court

-- Thai PBS 2014-01-16

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@Saksith: @BKKApologist asks Blue Sky about if members of foreign media are being singled out by them, e.g. attack on Nick Nostiz.
A: We can’t keep up with the hate speech comments about every issue on our Facebook page, but we understand and exercise caution.

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@@Tulip_Oum: Sutep to lead PDRC march from Lumpini park to business district in Silom and Sathorn tomorrow.

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@newley: Crowd in front of Asoke stage, 8:50 p.m. pic.twitter.com/pId9mYhm0S

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

Thailand’s corruption index sinks

BANGKOK: -- Thailand’s corruption index has plunged from June last year as bribery still prevails across the country.
Director of the Economic and Business Forecasting Centre at the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce, Thanavath Phonvichai, said Thursday that the country scores 39, two points down from June last year at 41.

The December’s corruption index was conducted among entrepreneurs, government officials and general public.

The study shows that bribery still widely exists in obtaining the government contracts.

Total money spent on bribery equals 25-35 percent of the total government budget.

He said more money spent on bribery could incur a decline in GDP at about 1.8-2.6 percent.

Most people reckon that corruptions can be solved starting with politicians followed by government officials and business entrepreneurs, while private sector should be able to partake in promoting transparency. There should also be a revision of law that allows serious punishment of corrupted behavior.

Thailand ranks 102nd out of 177 countries in the 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index, falling from 88th in 2012.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/thailands-corruption-index-sinks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=thailands-corruption-index-sinks

-- Thai PBS 2014-01-16

Lite Beer · January 16, 2014

RT@Aim_NT: A Nation Multimedia Group photographer was physically threatened and detained briefly by a group of men claiming to be PDRc security guards.

RT@Aim_NT: The photographer wore a Press armband issued by the Metro Police Bureau. It has "MPB" on it, so the attacker might (try to?) confuse w/ cop.

RT@Aim_NT: The Thai Journalists Association and Thai Broadcast Journalists Assoc urge journos to use the light green armband issued by TJA/ TBJA.