Thailand Live Friday 7 Feb 2014

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Number of foreign visitors to Thailand fell 8 pct below target after govt impose emergency decree,Tourism Authority of Thailand reported /The Nation

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CMPO warns people against providing support to PDRC



BANGKOK, 7 February 2014 (NNT) – The Center for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) has warned the public against providing support to the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) as doing so could entail legal violations. In the meantime, the CMPO's list of those providing funds to the PDRC has grown to include one hundred and thirty-six names.

The Department of Special Investigations Director-General Tharit Phengdit, in his capacity as a CMPO committee member, declared on Thursday that there were another thirty-nine PDRC leaders that the CMPO was seeking arrest warrants for, in addition to the nineteen leaders whose warrants have already been issued. The fifty-eight alleged supporters were considered to have committed severe offenses under the Emergency Executive Decree.

Mr. Tharit advised people to stop providing funds, food, vehicles, or equipment to the PDRC and to refrain from going on stage to make speeches, as all such conduct is considered an offense under the law.

He added that the one hundred and thirty-six individuals providing the aforementioned means of support to the PDRC will have their financial accounts frozen and they will be called in to explain their actions.


-- NNT 2014-02-07

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True Move to give 2 million phones to unhappy customers
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- True Move has learned an expensive lesson in making good on its promises.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702726-true-move-to-give-2-million-phones-to-unhappy-customers/

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4G
DTAC TriNet to kick off 4G service in April
Usanee Mongkolporn
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- DTAC TriNet is expected to launch fourth-generation long-term evolution (LTE) wireless broadband service on its 2.1-gigahertz spectrum in April, said a source in the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702727-dtac-trinet-to-kick-off-4g-service-in-april/

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THAI union firm on Monday shutdown of the airline



BANGKOK: -- Thai Airways International labour union has reaffirmed its earlier threat to go on strike on Monday to demand the ouster of chairman Amphon Kittiamphon and acting president Chokechai Panyayong.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702728-thai-union-firm-on-monday-shutdown-of-the-airline/

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Thailand is 4th in liquor drinking
By Coconuts Bangkok

Photo: Peter Hoang

BANGKOK: -- If we all drink just one more shot of liquor each week, we could win the bronze medal for booze consumption for Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702729-thailand-is-4th-in-liquor-drinking-per-capita-euromonitor-international/

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Permanent Secretary for Finance mum on loan plan for farmer payment, fearing it could be disrupted by opposition group /MCOT

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Immigration Reaffirms Warning to Foreigners Involved in Protests

Bangkok:-- As the political unrest in Bangkok and throughout Thailand continues, the Immigration Bureau has once again issued a warning advising against any form of involvement in the protests by foreign nationals.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702732-immigration-reaffirms-warning-to-foreigners-involved-in-protests/

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Hotels refuse to return deposit to cancelled tours

BANGKOK, 7 Feb 2014, (NNT) - A number of foreign tourists have filed complaints that hotels in Bangkok have refused to refund their deposits despite their cancellations of the rooms in the wake of the emergency decree imposition.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702739-bangkok-hotels-refuse-to-return-deposit-to-cancelled-tours/

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RT @tulsathit: Rant: Suthep's "fund-raising" march for unpaid farmers is in full swing now, and must have added insults to PT injuries.

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CMPO assembles 12 teams to apprehend PDRC core leaders

BANGKOK 7 February 2014 (NNT) — National Security Council (NSC) Secretary Lieutenant General Paradon Patanatabutr is confident that police will be able to arrest core leaders of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) for whom arrest warrants have been issued.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702744-cmpo-assembles-12-teams-to-apprehend-pdrc-core-leaders/

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
She's not such a 'bad girl'
MANTA KLANGBOONKRONG
THE NATION



Avril Lavigne, in town next week, sings about never growing up, but admits she has

BANGKOK: -- CANADIAN POP-ROCK chick Avril Lavigne is returning to Bangkok next week for her second show at Impact Arena.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702748-avril-lavigne-talks-about-her-live-concert-in-bangkok-next-week/

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Buriram battered by drought

CHIANG MAI, 7 February 2014 (NNT) – Buriram is running short on water supply as 8 villages are struggling without water.

Buriram Governor Thongchai Lue-Adun, together with Disaster Prevention and Mitigation authorities, has paid a visit to 8 villages in the province that have been hard hit by an early drought since January 20th. According to him, more than 3,700 families in the affected area have requested that authorities bring them water from somewhere else to ease this tribulation.

As this year’s drought is expected to last longer than those in the past few years, the governor has ordered all related agencies to inspect all areas and collect relevant information in order for the province to request an appropriate amount of budget to assist the victims.


-- NNT 2014-02-07

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Rice Mills asked to pay part of pledged value to farmers



BANGKOK, 7 February 2014 (NNT) – The Ministry of Commerce asked rice mill owners yesterday, to provide 50-60% of the pledged value owed to rice growers, until the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) could pay the rice growers in full.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702753-rice-mills-asked-to-pay-part-of-pledged-value-to-thai-farmers/

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Nida Poll: 59.25 pct of 1,259 people polled by nationwide would like to see Feb. 2 invalidated, over half think caretaker govt should step down /The Nation

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Office of Ombudsman not forwarding Democrat Party petition to Constitution Court for ruling on election validity, saying it is Election Commission's authority /MCOT

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Police wind up Phuket meth dealing gang
Eakkapop Thongtub


The gang, in order of arrest, from left: Thammarat, Supawadi and Nawin, and Nared.

PHUKET: -- Anti-narcotics police yesterday rolled up a gang of four drug dealers and seized 3,648 methamphetamine (ya bah) pills and 70.58 grams of crystal methamphetamine (ya ice).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702757-police-wind-up-phuket-meth-dealing-gang/

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Pridiyathorn tells Kittirat to stop lying



BANGKOK: -- Former deputy prime minister and finance minister Pridiyathorn Devakula told finance minister Kittirat na Ranong to stop lying about the rice-pledging scheme saying it was useless as now the people have lost faith in him.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702759-pridiyathorn-tells-kittirat-to-stop-lying/

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CMPO: PM cannot quit until new Govt is formed

BANGKOK, 7 January 2014 (NNT) – The Center for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) has reaffirmed that the Prime Minister cannot resign from her post until the new government has been set up.

Labor Minister Police Captain Chalerm Yubamrung, as Chief of the Center for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO),has reiterated that by law Miss Yingluck Shinawatra cannot quit her post as the caretaker Prime Minister until the new administration has been formed. His comment came after former Finance Minister M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula had sent an open letter to PM Yingluck, asking her and her cabinet to resign as the caretaker government.

As for the recent bomb attack near Lak Si demonstration site, Chalerm said the government did not want to see such incident taking place, while assuring that no matter what happened the government would not use force against the protesters.

-- NNT 2014-02-07

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Suphan Buri’s 15th Food and Goods Festival, February 12-18

SUPHAN BURI, 7 February 2014, (NNT) -- Suphan Buri governor and mayor, has held a press conference to promote the 15th Food and Goods Festival in the province. The event will run from February 12-18 with a variety of famous local dishes and goods on offer to visitors to the city.

The event will be taking place south of Nenkeaw Road in Muang Suphan Buri district. As this year the six day occasion includes February 14, Valentine’s Day, the province is pleased to create a very romantic event for the many loving couples who are invited to attend the event.

There will be an amazing selection of local food specialities. Suphan Buri is known for various types of freshwater fish and prawns. Many local dishes made from a variety of fish will be available for visitors to taste and enjoy. Popular local goods will also be sold at the event.

Entertainment by famous singers and artists, as well as performances from local students will also be featured every evening, to light up the Suphan Buri Food and Goods festival even more.

-- NNT 2014-02-07

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One volunteer killed and two injured in gun attack

YALA: -- One village defence volunteer was killed and two others seriously wounded in a gun attack at a village in Yala’s Yaha district early Friday morning.
Police suspected that the assailants were members of the RKK separatist group.

The three volunteers namely Mapeeyoh Yoneemae, Marosee Makae and Wae-sama-ae Jaoo were chit-chatting in front of Mapeeyoh’s house shortly after midnight when, out of a sudden, a motorcycle stopped in front of the house and the pillion rider disembarked and walked towards the three men.

The pillion rider then drew out a pistol and opened fire at the three men who, apparently, were caught unprepared and unable to fight back. Then he sped away in the waiting motorbike.

The three victims were later rushed to the district hospital but Mapeeyoh died while on the way to the hospital.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/one-volunteer-killed-two-injured-gun-attack/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=one-volunteer-killed-two-injured-gun-attack

-- Thai PBS 2014-02-07

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NIDA poll says election must be voided, PM must resign

NIDA Poll released its latest poll from people of all walks of life across the country showing the February 2 general election must be voided because less than half of the total eligible voters cast their votes. Majority of the pollsters also said the caretaker prime minister should resign to pave the way for a neutral prime minister to take over the job.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702767-nida-poll-says-election-must-be-voided-pm-must-resign/

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UPDATE:

Indian PCAD Activist Seeks Help From Rights Commission

BANGKOK: -- The India-born anti-government activist has sought help from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to fight the government's effort to deport him.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702669-deportation-from-thailand-any-appeal-from-sathit-invalid-tarit-says/page-3#entry7406903

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POLITICS
Ulterior power obstructs govt, rice subsidies : Yingluck

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has blamed an "ulterior power" for attempting to topple the government and disrupting the rice-pledging scheme.

On her Facebook page on Thursday, she said the Finance Ministry was finding financial sources to pay farmers despite legal restrictions while the Commerce Ministry would tender rice in the state stockpiles to earn money for overdue payments to farmers.

She claimed there were unconventional and undemocratic political games with the objectives of removing the government and obstructing the present administration from successively working for the people's well-being despite the fact that farmers themselves have been in favour of rice subsidies, she said.

She said related government agencies were instructed to solve problems which impeded payments to farmers.

Claiming that the government's policy has been accepted by farmers and has been successful in increasing farmers' income in the last two years, she vowed to work with her Cabinet for the success of the project.

Political unrest in the last few months which led to dissolution of the House of Representatives and general election had restricted administrative work, she said.

-- The Nation 2014-02-07

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Bangkok protesters march to collect donations for farmers

BANGKOK, Feb 7 - Anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban led his supporters marching across the capital's business district today to collect donations for protesting farmers suffering from overdue payments for the rice they have sold under the government’s rice pledging scheme.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702778-bangkok-protesters-march-to-collect-donations-for-farmers/

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Chalerm expects explosions to happen every night at PDRC rally sites

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said Friday that he expected that bomb explosions would happen every night at rally sites of the People's Democratic Reform Committee.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702776-chalerm-expects-explosions-to-happen-every-night-at-pdrc-rally-sites/

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Farmers lift Rama II road blockade to join Bangkok protest

Protesting farmers who have been blocking Rama II highway at Wang Manao intersection of Ratchaburi’s Pak Tho district have decided to lift the blockade and to travel to Bangkok to join the protest at the Commerce Ministry.

The agreement to lift the road blockade was reached between protest leaders and Pol Lt-Col Suparat Kam-in, inspector of Petchaburi highway police.

Mr Valit Charoensombat, chairman of Ban Rang Mai Daeng rice centre, apologized commuters and motorists for the blockade, saying that the farmers were deeply in trouble and the move was necessary to attract government’s attention.

However, since the government did not pay attention to their plight, he said the farmers decided to lift the blockade and to travel to Bangkok to join the protest at the Commerce Ministry instead.

Regarding the government’s suggestion that it will return the pledged rice in stockpiles to any farmers who want them back, Mr Ravee Rungruang, another protest leader, said the rice need to be checked first whether they were Thai rice or rice smuggled in from neighbouring countries.

It was expected that Rama II would be reopened to normal traffic by noon today.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/farmers-lift-rama-ii-road-blockade-join-bangkok-protest/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=farmers-lift-rama-ii-road-blockade-join-bangkok-protest

-- Thai PBS 2014-02-07

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UPDATE:

Clarification sought from CMPO over Satish Sehgal’s threatened deportation

BANGKOK: -- The National Human Rights Commission will ask for a clarification from director of the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) Chalerm Yubamrung about the charges and deportation threat against Thai-Indian businessman Satish Sehgal.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702669-deportation-from-thailand-any-appeal-from-sathit-invalid-tarit-says/page-3#entry7407029

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Thai central bank lowers 2014 GDP to 3%
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, Feb 7 – The Bank of Thailand (BoT)'s Monetary Policy Committee today announced the adjustment of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) this year from the originally projected 4 per cent to 3 per cent due to the sluggish economy.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702773-thai-central-bank-lowers-2014-gdp-to-3/

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After 22 years, 'Tonight Show' host Jay Leno signs off

WASHINGTON - Talk show icon Jay Leno bid farewell to his remarkable 22-year run at the top of the late-night US television heap on Thursday when he signed off from NBC's "The Tonight Show" for the last time.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702761-after-22-years-tonight-show-host-jay-leno-signs-off/