Thailand Live Sunday 23 Feb 2014

[Lite Beer]

More children and 'innocents' being killed in attacks down South
The Sunday Nation

YALA: -- 6-year-old injured in latest Yala attack; report shows 62 children have been killed in the region since 2004

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706330-more-children-and-innocents-being-killed-in-attacks-down-south/

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PM staying at 'safe house'
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has not returned home for four days due to security concerns and is believed to be staying at a "safe house" at an unknown location in Bangkok.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706332-pm-staying-at-safe-house/

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Suthep aims for 'endgame' this week
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Suthep Thaugsuban, leader of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), announced yesterday that it will renew its fight against the government and the Shinawatra business empire as part of its "endgame" to uproot the Thaksin regime in the week ahead.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706333-suthep-aims-for-endgame-this-week/

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'PDRC's four-step plan to oust govt'
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Pheu Thai accuses anti-govt movement of plot of evict PM; red leaders to meet in Korat today

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706334-pdrcs-four-step-plan-to-oust-govt/

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Fergie's biography a hit here too
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- After hitting the shelves for less than a week, the Thai edition of "Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography" has risen to the top of the best-sellers chart.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706335-fergies-biography-a-hit-here-too/

[Lite Beer]

Princess Somsavali's sister hurt in car accident
The Sunday Nation


ML Sarali Kitiyakara

CHIANG MAI: -- ML Sarali Kitiyakara, the younger sister of HRH Princess Somsavali, and three others were injured in a car accident in Chiang Mai's Omkoi district yesterday morning.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706336-princess-somsavalis-sister-hurt-in-car-accident/

[Lite Beer]

Six arrested over drugs in South
The Sunday Nation

CHUMPON: -- Three men and a woman have been arrested in Chumphon for allegedly smuggling 100,000 'yaba' (methamphetamine) tablets worth Bt30 million on the street, while two men were nabbed in Songkhla with 20,000 yaba pills in another case.

Pol Maj-General Puthichart Ekachant, deputy chief of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, told the press yesterday that the suspects, aged between 33 and 49, had been arrested at a checkpoint in Tha Sae district's tambon Hong Charoen. The suspects were travelling in two pick-up trucks and a sedan. One of the trucks was found carrying the drugs in a modified secret compartment near the petrol tank.

Suspect Sa-ard Homhuan, 49, reportedly confessed that they had been hired by a prisoner, held for drug-related charges, to deliver the drugs to an agent in Surat Thani in exchange for Bt50,000.

Sa-ard, who was wearing a wristband in the colours of the national flag, said he had recently attended an anti-government rally in Bangkok.

Puthichart also told the press about the other case in which two men were arrested in a gas station in Songkhla's Rattaphum district with 20,000 yaba pills.

-- The Nation 2014-02-23

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Rangers find 105 pieces of rare wood
The Sunday Nation

Paramilitary rangers seized 105 pieces of Siamese Rosewood worth Bt4 million from a smuggling gang in Beung Kan's Beung Khong Long district yesterday.

After a tip-off that the pieces were being smuggled for sale in a neighbouring country, the rangers were sent to check passing traffic on the Beung Kan-Ban Phaeng Road when they encountered this suspicious van heading toward the Mekhong River. The driver initially sped off toward Ban Dong Reu before fleeing on foot. The rangers forwarded the rosewood to local police.

-- The Nation 2014-02-23

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As crisis continues, people discover that there's more to life than politics
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- People whose family members or friends hold different political opinions should not allow their relationships to be affected by polarised viewpoints because there is far more to life than just politics.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706337-as-crisis-continues-people-discover-that-theres-more-to-life-than-politics/

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Attackers given 'tacit' authority support: PDRC
The Sunday Nation


An elderly protester is blessed by a Buddhist monk during yesterday

BANGKOK: -- People's Democratic Reform Committee co-leader Witthaya Kaewparadai suspects the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order and police failed to arrest assailants who hurled grenades near the PDRC rally at the Pratunam intersection on Friday because they "allegedly gave tacit support to them".

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706339-attackers-given-tacit-authority-support-pdrc/

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-- The Nation 2013-02-23

[Lite Beer]

Scores of people injured in bomb attack during anti-government rally in Trat

TRAT: -- At least 19 people were injured in a shooting and bomb attack during during an anti-government rally in Trat’s Khao Saming district at about 9.30pm, doctors said.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706342-scores-of-people-injured-in-bomb-attack-during-anti-government-rally-in-trat/

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Commerce Ministry notes rice stockpiles are up to standard.

BANGKOK, 22 February 2014, (NNT) -- The Deputy Commerce Minister, Yanyong Phuangrach, has disclosed that the government is planning to auction off more than 500,000 tons of rice in the stockpiles in addition to the 200,000 tons to be auctioned via the Agricultural Futures Exchange of Thailand (AFET) next week. More than one million tons of rice is expected to be sold monthly from February onwards.

Mr. Yanyong has inspected rice stockpiles under the rice-pledging scheme at two rice mills in Nakhon Chai Si district of Nakhon Pathom province. Next week AFET will hold an auction of 200,000 tons of 2013/2014 white rice and jasmine rice in order to pay farmers in the program.

He is confident that from February onwards, no less than one million tons of rice will be sold every month, equivalent to around 10 billion baht revenue to be submitted to the Finance Ministry monthly.

However, the government would not be able to purchase this season’s double-cropping rice under the rice-pledging scheme, even though it was planning to do so after the last day of pledging for in-season rice on February 28.

In the current circumstance, double-cropping rice farmers would have to wait for the new government to join the program. The current government would have to find alternative methods to assist farmers, such as establishing funds for farmers via the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC).

-- NNT 2014-02-22

[Lite Beer]

Overall passport service almost back to normal

BANGKOK, 22 February 2014 (NNT) – Thailand's Director General of Consular Affairs said that passport services are almost back to operating normally.

Last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs established temporary passport offices all over the country to accept passport applications from people who were affected by the political situation in Bangkok. The Bureau of Consular Affairs’ building in Chaenwattana, however, still is not opened.

On February 20th, 8,000 passports in total were produced. Next week, authorities will raise the capacity of Pinklao temporary passport office to receive up to 500 applications a day.

-- NNT 2014-02-22

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Phuket Opinion: 'Bangkok-centric' travel slows Phuket progress
Phuket Gazette -

Direct flights between major hubs like Phuket and Hat Yai have yet to be successful. Photo: Gazette Graphics

PHUKET: There are many different indices used to assess how developed a country is. Fortunately for Thailand, the state of the domestic aviation industry is not among them, because if it were, the country would not fare well in the ratings.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706341-phuket-opinion-bangkok-centric-travel-slows-phuket-progress/

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RT@RichardBarrow: Still no confirmation of number of deaths & injuries after an attack at a rally in Trat last night. But Thai Rath saying 2 dead & 41 injured

RT@RichardBarrow: RT @e_prosser: Just been to Trat hospital to give blood. Told to come back Monday.

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RT@BreakingNews: Maria von Trapp, last surviving member of famous family that inspired 'The Sound of Music,' dies at 99

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UPDATE:

Trat PDRC spokesman believe attackers not native residents

TRAT: -- The spokesman of the People's Democratic Reform Committee in Trat Sunday believe that the attackers who lobbed grenades and fired at a PDRC rally in the northern province are not local people.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706342-scores-of-people-injured-in-bomb-attack-during-anti-government-rally-in-trat/page-3?p=7476676#entry7476676

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RT@tukky_nt: The eight-year-old girl seriously injured in #Trat attack on Sat night was dead: Public Heath Ministry

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UPDATE

Bomb and gun attack at anti-government rally in Trat injures over 40

Trat: -- Unknown number of armed men threw hand grenades and fired shots into hundreds of people attending anti-government rally at a market place in Khao Saming of Trat province last night, injuring over 40.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706342-scores-of-people-injured-in-bomb-attack-during-anti-government-rally-in-trat/page-3?p=7476731#entry7476731

[Lite Beer]

RT@Rusembilan: Elderly couple shot dead in M4, Bannang Sata, Yala overnight. Reports of 3 car loads black clad men setting fire to houses before shooting.

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UPDATE:

Eight-year-old girl succumbed to injuries

TRAT: -- An eight-year-old girl succumbed to injuries inflicted in an attack against the rally of the People's Democratic Reform Committee in Trat Saturday night that also saw 34 others injured, a doctor said.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706342-scores-of-people-injured-in-bomb-attack-during-anti-government-rally-in-trat/page-3?p=7476742#entry7476742

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RT@RichardBarrow: Some people have criticized parents for taking children to a political rally. However, some of the injured were at a nearby noodle stall.

RT@RichardBarrow: The Thai media used the phrase "stray bullet" for a good reason as the attack took place at a busy market & not everyone was at the rally.

RT@RichardBarrow: RT @tnuttapon: The attack was located in front of the market, believe that she was there for her dinner with parents. RIP

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RT@tukky_nt: Another 7-yr-old kid among victims seriously injured fr Trat attack: Anurak Amornphetsathaporn, director of Emergency Public Health Office

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Trat Governor: 8-year-old girl shot in head dies, grenade attacks at anti-govt PDRC stage last night; 25 hospitalised; 5 seriously injured /MCOT

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RT@RichardBarrow: The 8 year old who was shot in the head has sadly died. This 5 year old was hurt by grenade explosion (Pic @aodbu) pic.twitter.com/LuGuUDbGRN

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UPDATE:

One of five severely injured persons in Trat attack is a seven-year-old child

TRAT: -- One of the five seriously-injured victims of Trat rally attack is a seven-year-old child who was hit by a grenade fragment at the head, a senior public health official said Sunday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706342-scores-of-people-injured-in-bomb-attack-during-anti-government-rally-in-trat/page-5?p=7477068#entry7477068

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RT@tukky_nt: The mother of the girl died in #TratAttack said they were not there for rally but washing dishes at her mother's noodle stall. via #Ch3

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RT@RichardBarrow: Trat Hospital has moved press conference about deaths/injuries to 1pm - RT @MrNaling: รพ.ตราด เลื่อนแถลงยอดผู้เสียชีวิต-บาดเจ็บ เป็น 13.00น.

[Lite Beer]

UPDATE:

Gunmen kill girl, wound dozens at Thai anti-govt rally

BANGKOK, February 23, 2014 (AFP) - A five-year-old girl was killed and 30 other people were wounded after gunmen sprayed bullets on an anti-government rally in eastern Thailand, police said Sunday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/706342-scores-of-people-injured-in-bomb-attack-during-anti-government-rally-in-trat/page-7?p=7477164#entry7477164