Thailand Live Sunday 9 Feb 2014

[Lite Beer]

PM urged to set up royal panel for reforms
The Sunday Nation

A senior police officer representing the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order arrives for a meeting with protest leaders outside PTT

BANGKOK: -- Peace advocate says members should not be chosen by govt

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703115-pm-urged-to-set-up-royal-panel-for-reforms/

[Lite Beer]

Facing deportation, Sehgal ends political role
The Sunday Nation

Satish Sehgal

BANGKOK: -- Thai Business Forum chairman Satish Sehgal said yesterday that he would end his political activities after the government's Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order issued an order to deport him from the country on grounds that he had led protesters to besiege state premises.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703117-facing-deportation-sehgal-ends-political-role/

[Lite Beer]

Pheu Thai smells a 'trap' in EC bid for new decree
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- The ruling Pheu Thai Party yesterday expressed suspicion that a move by the Election Commission (EC) to get the government to issue a new Royal Decree for a new voting date may be a "political trap".

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703118-pheu-thai-smells-a-trap-in-ec-bid-for-new-decree/

[Lite Beer]

Suthep urges rice farmers to sue govt
The Sunday Nation

A newly erected billboard next to an expressway asks who helped the rich by allowing a loss of Bt800 billion through the Financial Sector Restructuring Authority, set up after the 1997 financial crisis, while preventing poor farmers from getting paid for

BANGKOK: -- PDRC chief plans fundraising drive tomorrow to pay for their legal expenses

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703119-suthep-urges-rice-farmers-to-sue-govt/

[Lite Beer]

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
We're not embarrassed about poll boycott, key Democrat says
Hataikarn Treesuwan
The Sunday Nation

Chuti Krairiksh

BANGKOK: -- Both sides involved in the ongoing political conflict have been unable to declare victory after the February 2 election and will fight on until one is victorious, says new Democrat Party secretary-general Chuti Krairiksh.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703120-were-not-embarrassed-about-poll-boycott-key-democrat-says/

[Lite Beer]

Bomb attack kills 2 police
The Sunday Nation

This bullet-riddled pickup truck was used by a group of border patrol policemen when they were attacked in a drive-by shooting in Pattani yesterday morning. Two of them were killed and three others were seriously injured.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703121-bomb-attack-kills-2-police/

[Lite Beer]

Stabbing murder: 30 wounds
The Sunday Nation

CHUMPHON:-- The daughter of village headman and Democrat Party canvasser was stabbed to death and her mother seriously wounded after coming to her aid following an attempted rape of the daughter in the family's Sawi district home in Chumphon early yesterday.

Police said the dead woman, whose name has been withheld, was stabbed 30 times.

Her mother, who was initially treated at Thung Tako Hospital before being transferred to the provincial hospital, suffered multiple hand and face wounds.

Na Sak police investigator Pol Lt-Colonel Jiroj Sathukan said police suspected a young drug addict tried to rape the daughter but she resisted and he stabbed her.

The mother reportedly told police that she was woken by her daughter's screams at about 4am and saw a young male running from her daughter's bedroom.

After she was attacked, the mother ran outside the house and called for help.

Neighbours reportedly saw the attacker flee.

-- The Nation 2014-02-09

[Lite Beer]

Police checkpoint gun battle
The Sunday Nation

KRABI: -- A gunfight between two suspected drug dealers and highway police in Krabi's Neu Klong district early yesterday morning ended with one injury. The car the dealers were travelling in crashed into a ditch after a tyre was shot out.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703122-police-checkpoint-gun-battle/

[Lite Beer]

Farmers rally at police station
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Some 100 farmers rallied outside a police station in Ratchaburi's Pak Tho district after police summoned their five leaders over the Rama II Road blockade from February 1-6, demanding payments under the rice-pledging scheme.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703124-farmers-rally-at-police-station/

[Lite Beer]

Arrest in Kwanchai shooting
The Sunday Nation

UDON THANNI: -- One of two suspected gunmen who shot at red-shirt hard-liner Kwanchai Praipana (Sarakham) in his Udon Thani home last month has reportedly confessed to being paid Bt8,000 to carry out the attack.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703125-arrest-in-kwanchai-shooting/

[Lite Beer]

-- The Nation 2014-02-09

[Lite Beer]

Phuket Opinion: Life aquatic starts at a young age
Phuket Gazette -

Babies' brains are hardwired to pick up swimming naturally at about the same age children learn to walk. Photo: Gazette Graphics

PHUKET: Much has been written about water safety in this space over the years. However, with a focus on maritime accidents and tourist drownings, we have neglected the troubling issue of the island’s children not being properly taught to swim, as a series of heartbreaking tragedies in recent weeks indicates

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703127-phuket-opinion-life-aquatic-starts-at-a-young-age/

[Lite Beer]

Clint Eastwood saves man from choking

WASHINGTON - Hollywood's iconic good guy, Clint Eastwood, is also a real life hero after swooping to rescue a choking guest at a California reception.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703132-clint-eastwood-saves-man-from-choking/

[Lite Beer]

Two injured by M-79 grenade attack last night at anti-govt protest site on Chaeng Wattana Road; Both are now in safe condition /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

Grenade attack injures three protesters



BANGKOK: -- Three anti-government protesters were injured, one seriously, when a M 79 grenade was fired into the protest site on Chaengwattana road on Saturday night.
The grenade landed at the tent which is used as the toilet for men, about 50 metres from the women toilet where two grenades landed on February 6 which nobody was hurt.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703148-grenade-attack-injures-three-protesters/

[Lite Beer]

UPDATE:

Soldier dies of health complications
Nopniwat Krailerg

Authorities allay fears of bird flu outbreak



CHIANG MAI: -- Army officers and public health officials allay worries that the recent death of a soldier was from flu, noting he died from other health complications. They encouraged at risk people, including children and the elderly or those in poor health, to get the flu vaccine.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702968-chiang-mai-soldier-dies-of-swine-flu/page-3?p=7414171#entry7414171

[Lite Beer]

RT@Lerlaforever: Bluesky: A female farmer had message for PM Yingluk "Ur son gets up and has breakfast ready, but my child has nothing to eat."

[Lite Beer]

Lady boy and Thai Woman Rob Victim Number 6

PATTAYA:--February 8, 2014 [PDN]; the journalist reported that there was a victim named Miss Ploy (alias), aged 31, Rayong resident, went to notify with Pol. Lt. Jakkrit Jantakham (Investigation police on duty of Pattaya city police station, Chonburi province) that she was deceived, assaulted and robbed of her belongings by a gang of robbers.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703154-lady-boy-and-thai-woman-rob-victim-number-6/

[Lite Beer]

One defence volunteer killed in explosion at rubber plantation in Mayo district of Pattani /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

Phuket Opinion: Boosting Phuket tourism through sport
Phuket Gazette -

Virat Patee, 55, believes Phuket should take advantage of the sports tourism sector on the island. Photo: Facebook

Virat Patee, 55, is a native of Phuket. He has served as the director of the Sport Authority of Thailand's Phuket office for five years, and formerly served as the director of the SAT Krabi office for 12 years.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703155-phuket-opinion-boosting-phuket-tourism-through-sport/

[Lite Beer]

UPDATE:

Two wounded in grenade attack at Chaeng Wattana protest site

By Digital Content

NONTHABURI, Feb 9--- Two persons were injured, one severely, from an M-79 grenade attack last night at an anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) rally site on Chaeng Wattana Road.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703148-grenade-attack-injures-three-protesters/#entry7414370

[Lite Beer]

Defence volunteer killed in Pattani bombing
By Digital Content

PATTANI, Feb 9--- A defence volunteer was killed in an explosion at a rubber plantation in Mayo district of violence-plagued Pattani this morning.

Lateh Doloh, a defence volunteer of Baan Nam Sai village, was killed instantly when a presumed homemade bomb hidden at the foot of a rubber tree was triggered.

Pol Lt Muhammad Madwang of Mayo police station, together with relevant officials, investigated and cordoned off the scene of the incident in order to prevent another possible explosion triggered by assailants.

According to an initial investigation, before the attack, the victim arrived from his home to apply fertiliser to the rubber trees. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-02-09

[Lite Beer]

Central bank plays down deflation

BANGKOK, 9 February 2014 (NNT) - The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has speculated that deflation is unlikely in the near future after entrepreneurs showed signs of raising product prices by 3-4% in the next 12 months

BoT Spokesperson Rung Mallikamas said the Thai economy had a slim chance of facing deflation since the increasing costs of production had been passed on to consumers and product prices would likely increase by 3-4% in the next four quarters. Furthermore, many research institutes, including the central bank, had projected that this year’s inflation would stand at 2-3%, Ms Rung said.

The central bank spokesperson expressed confidence that commercial banks would still play an important financial role in propelling the economy despite the ongoing slowdown. The commercial banks’ NPL level slightly increased but the overall NPL ratio was still low at 2% of the total loans. The banks were more careful with their loans while the borrowers were more careful with their spending, she said.

-- TNA 2014-02-09

[Lite Beer]

MRT benefiting from ongoing PDRC rallies

BANGKOK, 9 February 2014 (NNT) – The Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT) has benefited greatly from the ongoing demonstrations by the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), as more passengers have opted to take the subway.

The Bangkok Metro Public Company Limited (BMCL), operator of the MRT, has revealed that since the PDRC’s attempt to paralyze Bangkok on January 13th, the MRT has seen an increasing number of passengers, hitting the record on January 23rd, when more than 370,000 passengers used its service.

The BMCL also predicted there would be an average of 300,000 passengers per day for the entire year of 2014, representing a 20 percent growth compared to last year’s figure, which stood at 250,000 riders per day.

After the MRT Purple Line construction is completed in 2016, the BMCL expects up to 100,000 more commuters to avail themselves of its service daily, expecting to break even within 4-5 years for its investment of over 10 billion baht.

-- NNT 2014-02-09

[Lite Beer]

Commerce Min inspects rice warehouse in Chainat

BANGKOK, 9 February 2014 (NNT) – The Commerce Ministry has visited a rice warehouse in Chainat Province to inspect the quality of rice registered under the government’s rice mortgage program.

Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Phuangrach, along with a group of rice bidders, traveled to Sankhaburi District of Chainat Province to inspect rice stored in the warehouse under the government’s rice support program. The visit, according to the deputy minister, was aimed at building confidence among investors ahead of the upcoming auction.

A total of 220,000 tons of rice will be put on auction via the Agricultural Futures Exchange of Thailand (AFET). The bidding will take place on Feb 13th and the offers will be deliberated on Feb 18th.

Mr. Yanyong said the money received from the forthcoming auction would be paid to farmers who had not received their compensation.

-- NNT 2014-02-09

[Lite Beer]

Farmer protesters to rally at two ministries on Monday

BANGKOK, 9 February 2014 (NNT) - Rice farmer protesters have continued surrounding the Ministry of Commerce, awaiting their fellow farmers from other provinces before marching to the Ministry of Justice and the office of the Ministry of Defense in Mueang Thong Thani on Monday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703185-farmer-protesters-to-rally-at-two-ministries-on-monday/

[Lite Beer]

CMPO To Question Hotels For 'Sheltering' PCAD Leaders

By Khaosod English.

BANGKOK: -- Executives of 2 high-end hotels have been summoned to explain to the Thai authorities why they allowed anti-government protest leaders to stay in their hotels.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703187-cmpo-to-question-hotels-for-sheltering-pcad-leaders/

[Lite Beer]

German dies in Phuket of suspected Viagra overdose
Eakkapop Thongtub

Mr Huch's body is brought out of the room by Kusondharm volunteers.

PHUKET: A German expat was found dead in his room at a short-time hotel in Phuket Town on Friday afternoon (February 7).

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703189-german-dies-in-phuket-of-suspected-viagra-overdose/

[Lite Beer]

UPDATE:

Tearful, angry farmers call Yingluck to step down

BANGKOK: -- Farmers, who earlier this week petitioned the King, appeared on the Pathumwan protest stage of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) Saturday night, calling on caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in tears and angers to step down immediately if she could not find money to pay them.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703185-farmer-protesters-to-rally-at-two-ministries-on-monday/#entry7414689

[Lite Beer]

UPDATE:

Police know all suspects in Kwanchai’s assassination team

BANGKOK: -- The police said the team of gunmen responsible for the shooting of hardcore redshirt leader Kwanchai Praipana consisted of seven persons.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703125-arrest-in-kwanchai-shooting/page-2?p=7414698#entry7414698