Thailand Live Thursday 20 Feb 2014

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Shinawatra business boycott forces its stock prices to plunge

BANGKOK: -- Stocks of Shinawatra family businesses listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand plummeted during the morning trade with SC Asset leading the plunge to fall 4.94% from yesterday’s close.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/705790-shinawatra-business-boycott-forces-its-stock-prices-to-plunge/

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Facebook to buy messaging app WhatsApp for US$19bn

(BBC) Facebook has bought messaging app WhatsApp in a deal worth a total of $19bn (£11.4bn) in cash and shares.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/705788-facebook-to-buy-messaging-app-whatsapp-for-us19bn/

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Thai Industries Sentiment Index (Jan.) fell to lowest level in 55 months due to prolonged political unrest /The Nation

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Chalerm asks Civil Court judges to clarify ruling



BANGKOK: -- The director of the Center for the Maintaining of Peace and Order (CMPO) Chalerm Yoobamrung today asked the 5-member panel of the Civil Court to clarify the banning of the enforcement of the center’s nine orders.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/705816-chalerm-asks-civil-court-judges-to-clarify-ruling/

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AoT board chairman begs farmers not to close Suvarnabhumi Airport to pressure caretaker govt to pay overdue payments under rice pledging scheme /MCOT

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Suvarnabhumi Airport warns over heavy traffic caused by anti-government rallies

BANGKOK, 20 February 2014, (NNT) -- Due to various rallies around Bangkok and its vicinity, all passengers travelling to Suvarnabhumi Airport have been advised to carefully check their routes or find alternative means of transport in order to avoid missing flights. Passengers should also leave for the airport at least 3-4 hours prior to their scheduled flights.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/705815-suvarnabhumi-airport-warns-of-heavy-traffic-caused-by-anti-government-rallies/

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UPDATE:

Yingluck defends her innocence on the rice scheme controversy



BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Thursday insisted that she is innocent and not involved in the rice-pledging scheme. She accused the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC) of unfair treatment by pressing corruption charges on her in just 21 days of inquiry.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/705786-thai-pm-protests-innocence-amid-impeachment-threat/#entry7464957

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RT @tulsathit: Public Health Ministry: Phan Fah clashes left 74 injured. Five killed including one policeman. via @news1005fm

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Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand seeks approval to raise subway train fares by Bt1-2 for each trip, effective July 2014 /The Nation

Reps of 2 organisations filed separate petitions w/ EC accusing caretaker PM of violating charter,election law by appearing on TV to clarify govt's rice subsidy scheme Feb.18 /The Nation

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Caretaker PM to present her case to National Anti-Corruption Comm.,to submit proof,witness list to defend rice-pledging graft allegation /The Nation

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RT @tulsathit: Stock market analysts: Think before you sell Shinawatra shares. via @kttvnews

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RT @SkyNewsBreak: Reuters: France, Germany & Poland Foreign Ministers leave Kiev without meeting Ukraine President for security reasons as violence breaks out

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Suthep warns red-shirt leaders of 'popcorn vendors'
The Nation


Suthep addresses protesters on Silom Road Thursday.

BANGKOK: -- Suthep Thaugsuban, secretary general of the People's Democratic Reform Committee, Thursday reiterated his threat to disrupt businesses of the Shinawatra family and warned red-shirt leaders of possible attacks by unknown gunmen.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/705823-suthep-warns-red-shirt-leaders-of-popcorn-vendors/

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UPDATE:

CMPO To Appeal Restriction On Emergency Powers
By Khaosod English

Police officers inspecting a collection of firearms and ammunition confiscated from an anti-government campsite near Ministry Of Energy, 18 February 2014

BANGKOK: -- The Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) said it will appeal the court ruling which effectively strips the government of powers under the emergency decree.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/705816-chalerm-asks-civil-court-judges-to-clarify-ruling/page-2?p=7465233#entry7465233

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SET index closed 1,303.98, down 17.02; Bt/USD32.45; GBP53.99; AUD28.89; EUR44.52; CAD29.16; HKD4.17; SGD25.54; JPY31.73

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Protesters will spare Rama IX Hospital, Shinawatra University: Suthep

BANGKOK: -- Suthep Thaugsuban, secretary general of the People's Democratic Reform Committee, Thursday reiterated his threat to disrupt businesses of the Shinawatra family.

Suthep Thaugsuban told the Silom rally that the protesters would rally at all business sites of the Shinatwatra family, such as Mlink and Voice TV.

He said the PDRC would spare the Rama IX Hospital and Shinawatra University.

"But we will render other businesses of Shinawatras bankrupt because these businesses defy the people's power," Suthep said.

He said the caretaker government could survive because of its money so the PDRC would try to disrupt its financial sources.


-- The Nation 2014-02-20

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Five tiger cubs seized in Thai police wildlife haul

BANGKOK, February 20, 2014 (AFP) - Thai police said Thursday they have seized five wild tiger cubs along with hundreds of other animals being smuggled to neighbouring Laos, for apparent onward sale in Vietnam or China as delicacies.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/705827-five-tiger-cubs-seized-in-thai-police-wildlife-haul/

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NATIONAL ANTI-GRAFT COMMITTEE
Caretaker PM comes out in her own defence

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker premier Yingluck Shinawatra on Thursday defended herself against the charges brought by the national anti-graft committee of neglect of duty in the rice-pledging scheme, saying she was innocent and has served with righteousness.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/705786-thai-pm-protests-innocence-amid-impeachment-threat/page-3#entry7465321

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Industries Sentiment Index makes 55-month record low

BANGKOK, 20 February 2014 (NNT) - The Industries Sentiment Index in January 2014 has dropped to 86.9 due to the political standoff and an export slow down. The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has therefore suggested the government urgently resolve the political conflicts for better confidence in the industrial sector.

The FTI said the January 2014 index was the lowest in 55 months since June 2009 and it showed that confidence of entrepreneurs was not in a good level. The index decreased compared to December 2013 due to entrepreneurs’ concerns over the political situation, anti-government protesters’ surrounding of many business districts and government buildings in Bangkok as well as the invocation of the Emergency Decree.

The political impasse also affected domestic consumption, SMEs and exporters who called on talks to end the crisis quickly, the federation said. They also urged state-run financial institutions to provide soft loans and help fund trade fairs where their products would be sold.


-- NNT 2014-02-20

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Temple Builds Robot To Draw Young Worshipers
By Khaosod English



AYUTTHAYA: -- A Buddhist temple in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya province has launched an exhibition aimed to young children to encourage their temple attendance.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/705853-ayutthaya-temple-builds-robot-to-draw-young-worshipers/

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RT @BreakingNewsUK: Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone wins case at London's High Court relating to sale of F1 - @AP

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Administrative Court accepts farmer's petition against Commerce Ministry

BANGKOK: -- The Central Administrative Court Thursday accepted for judicial review a petition filed by a farmer against the Commerce Ministry.

Lamyai Srithong on January 30 filed her petition with the court, asking for damages from the ministry for its failure to pay money for the rice she sold under the government's pricepledging scheme.

She had obtained a receipt of deposit for the rice pledged with the scheme but later the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) refused to cash her receipt of deposit.

In the petition, codefendants are the Finance Ministry, the Budget Bureau, the National Economic and Social Development Board, and the BAAC.

The court gave the defendants 30 days to submit their statements and their lists of witnesses and documents.

-- The Nation 2014-02-20

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1,000 farm tractors, 15,000 farmers head to Bangkok
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A long convoy of rice farmers from four central provinces is heading to Bangkok to demand for unpaid subsidy for pledged rice.

As of 6 pm, they have reached Ayutthaya and they are expected to enter Bangkok Friday.

The total number of them is estimated at 15,000, who are travelling in 1,000 tractors and improvised farm vehicles. Former Chat Thai Pattana Party MP Chada Thaiset, who represents Uthai Thani-based farmers, said that part of the farmers would be heading to Suvarnabhumi airport, on purposes he did not specify.

A leader of Lop Buri-based farmers, Ubolsak Bualuangngarm, said farmers would blockade the capital for seven days if the government failed to pay them, but would not cooperate with anti-government movement People’s Democratic Reform Committee in its drive to oust the government. He also asked capital residents to stockpile food supplies for seven days before then.

"If the goverment wants to disperse farmers’ protests or arrest us. All of us are ready to die, and donate our bodies, if the government wants to do anything to farmers," he said, adding that the farmers travelling with this convoy would be joined by those travelling from the Northeast and the West who are expected to reach Bangkok Friday.

-- The Nation 2014-02-10

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Farmers demand rice payments Feb 28

By Digital Content

BANGKOK, Feb 20 – Protesting farmers today set Feb 28 as their deadline for the government to pay them for the rice they have sold under the state’s subsidy scheme.

Rawee Rungruang, leader of the Thai Farmers Network, insisted that officials would not be allowed to enter the Commerce Ministry in Nonthaburi, adding that some protesting planters would occupy the office of the International Trade Promotion Department on Ratchdapisek Road tomorrow to completely cripple the ministry.

Not a single official will be permitted into the Commerce Ministry’s premises whether in Nonthaburi or elsewhere, he said.

Mr Rawee said farmers wanted overdue payments in seven days, or by Feb 28.

Payments for farmers in seven western provinces would be Bt5 billion and another Bt10 billion for those in central region, he said.

An informed source said cash-strapped farmers might be compelled to sell their rice at Bt5,000 per tonne.

Rice millers offered to buy rice at Bt8,000 per tonne early this year while the government’s pledging price is Bt15,000 per tonne.

In the rice-growing province of Ayutthaya, farmers from several central provinces took a rest on the Asian Highway opposite the provincial hall, after having travelled from Uthai Thani and joined by others in Nakhon Sawan, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Sara Buri and Lop Buri.

Chada Thaiseth, former Chatthaipattana MP from Uthai Thani, who led the caravan of farmers, said the group was heading for Suvarnabhumi Airport to put pressure on the government for rice payments.

He promised that farmers would neither close the airport nor create traffic congestion in the area, saying they only wanted to talk with caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, and not her representative. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-02-10

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to continue:

Thailand Live Friday 21 Feb 2014

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/705933-thailand-live-friday-21-feb-2014/