Thailand Live Thursday 23 Jan 2014

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RT@veen_NT: 2.20pm Suthep reaches Chidlom.

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Yingluck tells top brass to instruct military personnel to check voting rights
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told the top brass to instruct their subordinates to check their voting rights, a well-informed source said on Thursday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698845-yingluck-tells-top-brass-to-instruct-military-personnel-to-check-voting-rights/

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Bangkok Poll says country needs economic reform too

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Poll says the majority of economists wanted to see economic reform in the country.
The poll result was revealed by the research centre at Bangkok University, or Bangkok Poll, on its survey of the Thai economy and national reform.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698847-bangkok-poll-says-country-needs-economic-reform-too/

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PDRC says state of emergency is meant to stop farmers' protests in capital



BANGKOK: -- A People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) said the declaration of state of emergency was meant to stop rice farmers from travelling to the capital to join anti-government protest rallies.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698849-pdrc-says-state-of-emergency-is-meant-to-stop-farmers-protests-in-capital/

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Islamic Officials Slam PCAD's Mosque Siege

By Khaosod english



BANGKOK: -- Muslim officials have reacted angrily to reports that anti-government protesters disrupted a prayer session at a mosque in Trang province.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698851-islamic-officials-slam-pcads-mosque-siege/

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Polish Girl Dies After Falling From Luxury Hotel

A polish girl died after she accidentally fell out of a window which she was trying to open in a luxury hotel in Bangkok. She fell out of the window and landed on the awning on the first floor killing her instantly.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698874-polish-girl-dies-after-falling-from-luxury-hotel-in-bangkok/

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Air Force chief objects to plan to house Peacekeeping Centre at Air Force HQ; Chalerm affirms military cooperation in emergency decree enforcement /MCOT

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Labour Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said emergency law will be used to capture People's Democratic Reform Committee's core members to end protest in 60 days. /Bangkok Post

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RT @BPbreakingnews: 3.47pm: The Constitution Court agreed to take up the EC case on who has authority to postpone the polls. #bpnews

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Air Force chief says Air Force headquarters cannot be used as state of emergency centre

BANGKOK: -- Air Force Commander-in-Chief ACM Prajin Juntong said Thursday that it is inconvenient for the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) to use the Air Force headquarters as its commanding centre.

Prajin was reacting to speculations that the CMPO would move from the Defence Ministry to the Air Force headquarters.

On Wednesday, protesters surrounded the Defence Ministry, prompting the CMPO to cancel its meeting.

Prajin said it was fine for caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to use the Air Force headquarters as a meeting venue once it a while.

But it would be inconvenient if the CMPO wanted to use the Air Force as its commanding centre because the head office of the Air Force is both an air base and an airport with a lot of security rules to be kept.


-- The Nation 2014-01-23

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Group warns US against simplistic view of Thai conflict

A network of medical volunteers has cautioned the US ambassador to Bangkok against a simplistic portrayal of Thailand's ongoing political conflict as an ideological clash between pro-democracy and anti-democracy groups.

In its letter to the ambassador, the Network of Medical Volunteers for National Reform in Thailand dismissed any suggestion that protesters and protest leaders are trying to change the country's democratic system into a non-democratic one.

"They are calling for a strengthening of the democratic system, which, among other things, seeks to give tougher safeguards against corruption and abuse of power by elected officials," the group said in the letter.


-- The Nation 2014-01-23

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Explosion at rally site a retaliation, says hardliner
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, Jan 23 – An explosion at the rally site of an anti-government group near a Bangkok temple early this morning was possibly to retaliate for the group’s defacing of the signage at the national police headquarters, a hardline activist said today.

Uthai Yodmanee, coordinator of the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand (NSPRT), said the group did not intend to despise the police but displayed their negative reaction toward the national police chief for serving the Thaksin regime instead of the people.

NSPRT activists moved from their stronghold to police headquarters yesterday where they lambasted the police and defaced the name sign “National Police Bureau” and replaced with “Kor Por Tor” – the Thai-language abbreviation of the activist group.

Mr Uthai said the NSPRT is willing to replace the police headquarters signage if the police promise to perform their duties with righteousness.

Apima Sithprasert, an NSPRT lawyer, led a group of protesters to inspect the bombing scene near Wat Benjamabopitr and speculated that the explosive was aimed at protest leaders who have criticised the government on stage.

He said demonstrators were on alert until dawn but police did not inspect the site of the incident. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-01-23

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Group warns US against simplistic view of Thai conflict
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A network of medical volunteers has cautioned the US ambassador to Bangkok against a simplistic portrayal of Thailand's ongoing political conflict as an ideological clash between pro-democracy and anti-democracy groups.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698878-group-warns-us-against-simplistic-view-of-thai-conflict/

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Red Shirt leader announces plan for nationwide mass rally, except BKK, outlying state of emergency areas, Jan 29, to back caretaker govt, Feb 2 election /MCOT

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21 Protesters Sought In Police HQ Vandalism Case
By Khaosod English



BANGKOK: -- Police said they have identified 21 suspects who were involved in the defacing of police headquarters′ sign.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698883-21-protesters-sought-in-thai-police-hq-vandalism-case/

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Constitution Court accepts petition to rule whether govt or Election Commission has authority to defer Feb 2 poll; ruling set for Friday at 9.30am /MCOT

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SET index closed 1,308.34, up 17.85; Bt/USD32.82; GBP54.33; AUD28.66; EUR44.51; CAD29.35; HKD4.22; SGD25.47; JPY31.32

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86 bank branches closed today

BANGKOK: -- Commercial banks have closed 86 branches as of 3.30pm on Wednesday, according to Bank of Thailand.

Of total, 33 were closed all day.


-- The Nation 2014-01-23

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Chalerm warns of intensified action against protesters, financiers
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Jan 23 – Enforcement of Thailand's Emergency Decree will be strengthened with an emphasis on arresting protest leaders and taking legal action against major financiers of rallies, caretaker Labour Minister Chalerm Yubamrung announced today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698886-chalerm-warns-of-intensified-action-against-protesters-financiers/

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Kwanchai recovering after gun attack

BANGKOK: -- Red-shirt leader Kwanchai Sarakham is recovering after undergoing surgery to treat gunshot wounds he sustained in an attack in his political stronghold, Udon Thai province, on Wednesday.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the attack, he said at a local hospital that he would continue his political tasks. He said the gunmen were professional and sent to kill him. "I took the first bullet in my right arm, and a later round in my leg, before I ducked under a desk and the gunmen continued firing. They later fled, thinking I was dead," he added.


-- The Nation 2014-01-23

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Red Shirt leader announces nationwide mass rally on Jan 29
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, Jan 23 - The pro-government Red Shirt movement, the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), today announced its plan to stage a mass rally nationwide Jan 29 in a move to support the Feb 2 general election.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698887-red-shirt-leader-announces-nationwide-mass-rally-on-jan-29/

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2014 tourist arrivals likely to drop 5%: Tourism Minister
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Jan 23 - Caretaker Tourism and Sports Minister Somsak Pureesrisak said Thursday that the number of tourist arrivals this year is likely to decrease to 26 million from the previous projection of 28 million, or a drop of 5 per cent year-on-year following months of anti-government protest.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698888-2014-tourist-arrivals-likely-to-drop-5-thai-tourism-minister/

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Six measures announced by CMPO chief Chalerm
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, the chief of the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO), Thursday announced following measures:

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698891-six-measures-announced-by-cmpo-chief-chalerm/

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Constitution Court accepts to hear election delay

BANGKOK, 23 January 2014 (NNT) – The Constitution Court has unanimously resolved that it will judge whether the government or the Election Commission (EC) has the power to postpone the general election scheduled on 2 February this year.

The Constitution Court justices met on Thursday on the EC’s request for the court’s decisions about the general election. The EC asked the court to decide which government unit had the authority to invoke a royal decree to schedule a general election and whether the 2 February polls could be put off if necessary. The EC sought the court’s judgments after it was in conflict with the government on the two issues.

The court is expected to hand down its rulings this Friday.

-- NNT 2014-01-23

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Chamber of Commerce: Economy unaffected by Emergency Decree

BANGKOK, 23 January 2014 (NNT) - The Thai Chamber of Commerce has indicated that the invocation of Emergency Decree has not yet affected the economy and forecast that the economy will grow by 3-4% if the political protests do not turn violent.

Academic from the Thai Chamber of Commerce Thanawat Polwichai said no significant impact had been found in the Thai economy as the stocks continued its upward trend which was a sign that foreign investors were still confident in Thailand. The general public’s spending was also normal, Mr Thanawat said.

The Thai Chamber of Commerce projected that the anti-government protests would result in a 5-7% decrease in domestic consumption and tourism. The decrease accounted for 5-10 billion baht. Without violent incidents, the economy can grow by 3-4% due to its strong fundamentals.

The academic added that the retention of 2.25% policy interest rate by the Monetary Policy Committee showed that the Thai economic was still strong and the global economy was on its way to recovery. The positive outlook would lead to good export growth in the first quarter but the Monetary Policy Committee might decrease the benchmark rate in its next meeting due to concerns over effects of politics on the economy.

-- NNT 2014-01-23

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Phuket tourist injured as car hits three bikes at Chalong Circle, then speeds away
Claire Connell



PHUKET: Paulina Ioannidou, 23, had a rocky start to her island holiday when her motorbike was hit by a car at Chalong Circle and the driver sped off, leaving her lying injured on the road.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698896-phuket-tourist-injured-as-car-hits-three-bikes-at-chalong-circle-then-speeds-away/

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RT@tulsathit: Not to be overshadowed by other developments, Chalerm has called protesters something along the line of "barbarians".

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Protesters Alarmed By 'Sniper' In DSI Building

By Khaosod English.

BANGKOK: -- Anti-government protesters have alleged that a sniper has taken position in the headquarters of the Division of Special Investigation (DSI).

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698899-protesters-alarmed-by-sniper-in-dsi-building/

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Pheu Thai pleads with rights organizations for justice

BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai party has pleaded human rights organizations for justice for the government over its decision to declare state of emergency in Bangkok and its periphery to cope with anti-government protests and possible violence.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698901-pheu-thai-pleads-with-rights-organizations-for-justice/

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RT@tulsathit: Bit messy isn't it? SOE prohibits gathering, but some of those gathering are those govt owes money.