Thailand Live Friday 28 Feb 2014

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Woman wounded in gun attack at PDRC rally in Trat dies; husband says they were not protesters /MCOT

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UPDATE:

Thai Election Commission hails govt, anti-govt negotiations to end political impasse
By Digital Content

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707602-somchai-sees-yinglucks-willingness-to-talk-to-suthep-as-a-good-sign/#entry7503029

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Prayuth declines to commit himself that he will not stage coup

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707627-prayuth-declines-to-commit-himself-that-he-will-not-stage-coup/

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Pollsters point finger at government in Trat and Ratchaprasong lethal attacks



BANGKOK: -- The caretaker government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra must be held responsible for lethal attacks in Trat and Ratchaprasong that killed five persons, including four children last week.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707628-pollsters-point-finger-at-government-in-trat-and-ratchaprasong-lethal-attacks/

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Mongkut Wattana director appeals to thuggish gang to stop intimidation



BANGKOK: -- The Mongkut Wattana director has warned red-shirt thugs to stop intimidating him and his hospital saying that he is not afraid of them.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707631-mongkut-wattana-hospital-director-appeals-to-thuggish-gang-to-stop-intimidation/

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POLITICS
Caretaker premier says she's willing to die on the democratic battlefield
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker premier Yingluck Shinawatra on Friday insisted that as defence minister, she was ready to die on the democratic battlefield.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707633-caretaker-premier-yingluck-says-shes-willing-to-die-on-the-democratic-battlefield/

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Phayao and Chiang Rai police remove “secession” banners



BANGKOK: -- A large banner advocating secession of the country to establish an independent state was placed at a pedestrian overpass in Mae Lao district of Chiang Rai province today but was later removed.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707589-anti-secession-banner-emerges-in-phitsanulok/page-3#entry7503290

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Army chief says he will not tolerate separatism



BANGKOK: -- Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said today (Friday) he would not tolerate attempts by anybody or any group of people to carve out the Thai territory to set up a separate state from the kingdom.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707627-prayuth-declines-to-commit-himself-that-he-will-not-stage-coup/#entry7503366

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SET index closed 1,325.33, up 7.28; Bt/USD32.52; GBP54.31; AUD29.00; EUR44.48; CAD29.10; HKD4.18; SGD25.54; JPY31.83

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Rotten rice frozen at a warehouse in Phitsanulok



BANGKOK: -- About 20,000 sacks of milled rice at a rice mill in Phitsanulok province have been frozen by officials of the Auditor-General’s Office after many of them were found to have rotten or infected with fungi.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707649-rotten-rice-frozen-at-a-warehouse-in-phitsanulok/

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Whistle blowers against Khunying Potjamarn face summonses



BANGKOK: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has been ordered by the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) to issue summonses on some core members of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee who blew whistles or harassed other people in public.

The CMPO’s reaction was in response to an incident Thursday when Khunying Potjamarn na Pompetch, ex-wife of fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was subject to whistlings as she was shopping at a high-end shopping mall on Sukhumvit road.

DSI chief Tarit Pengdit said that the whistle blowers would be summoned for questioning on sedition charge for their involvement in the protests and not for blowing whistles at the khunying.

Arrest warrants would be issued against them if they refuse to acknowledge the summonses, he added.

He thanked the Criminal Court for rejecting a request for the lifting of the arrest warrants against 18 PDRC core members, including Suthep Thaugsuban. CMPO will try to arrest them even if the job is difficult, he said.

Tarit also asked red-shirt followers who have been blockading the office of National Anti-Corruption Commission to remove the blockade, saying that it has caused a lot of inconveniences to motorists and commuters.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/whistle-blowers-khunying-potjamarn-face-summonses/


-- Thai PBS 2014-02-28

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Charter court asked to rule on the legitimacy of election in 28 constituencies



BANGKOK: -- A petition was lodged with the Constitution Court today (Friday) asking for a court’s ruling whether staging election in the 28 constituencies where election could not take place on February 2 is constitutional or not.

The petitioner, Thaikorn Polsuwan of the People’s Army to Overthrow Thaksin Regime, asked the court to rule whether the failure of the House to convene its first meeting within 30 days after the February 2 election is a violation of Article 127 paragraph 1 and Article 128 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Constitution.

Thaikorn also wanted the court to rule whether the failure to convene the House first meeting which will result to the failure to nominate the prime minister is constitutional or unconstitutional in accordance with Article 172 of the charter and how long Ms Yingluck Shinawatra can stay on as caretaker prime minister.

Thaikorn said that he wanted the court to set a precedent regarding the issues he raised and to deliver rulings quickly.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/charter-court-asked-rule-legitimacy-election-28-constituencies/


-- Thai PBS 2014-02-28

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RID warns farmers to avoid off-season rice growing due to drought

BANGKOK, 28 February 2014 (NNT) - The Royal Irrigation Department has once again warned farmers to avoid planting rice off-season this year due to an early onset of drought.

RID deputy chief Suthep Noipairoj said that the water supply allocated for agricultural use is dwindling as the water levels of the Bhumibol and Sirikit Dams are dipping low. The rainy season is not expected to begin until late May this year.

He expressed concerns over a possible shortage of water near Chao Phraya River communities as residents consume the biggest portion of the total supply.

He added that farmers living around the Chao Phraya basin will be urged to grow rice during the wet season next year in a bid to reduce the risks of flooding and to continue to avoid planting off-season rice.

Saltwater intrusion is also expected to hit areas in Bangkok and other provinces early this year during the dry season. Upstream dams will release more water to keep the saltwater at bay.


-- NNT 2014-02-28

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Foreign Ministry to launch queue online service Monday

BANGKOK: -- Starting on Monday, Thais who wish to apply for passport can request queue in advance online.

Foreign Ministry on Friday announced that posapplicants of passport can click into www.consular.go.th.

The queue online service is for Passport Division’s branches at Bangkok’s Bangna, Pinklao; Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Songkhla and Yala provinces.


-- The Nation 2014-02-28

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UPDATE:

Unlicensed School Bus Driver Slams Into Truck, Killing 15
By Khaosod English

BANGKOK: -- At least 15 people, mostly young students, have been killed after their bus slammed into an 18-wheeler truck in Prachinburi province this morning.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707553-14-killed-40-hurt-in-prachin-buri-bus-truck-crash/page-6?p=7503730#entry7503730

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NACC admits political situation affects its work

BANGKOK, 28 Feb 2014 (NNT) - Mr. Sansern Pollajiak, Secretary General of the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC), has admitted that the current intense political tension greatly affects its work.

The comment came after the recent finding of a bomb planted in the area nearby the NACC’s office. Currently members of a faction of the United front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) are staging a protest at the office, demanding the NACC to withdraw the rice support program fraud charge against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Mr. Sansern said the provincial administration of Nonthaburi and police are providing the NACC with tightened security. He added related authorities are instructed to collect any evidence that can be used against the violent protesters in court while specifically told to keep their eyes on 5 particular UDD protesters who already have an arrest warrant on them.

The Secretary General said that the UDD’s gathering has forced the agency to move its staff to other locations. He said NACC employees uphold honesty and transparency at heart without any bias. Mr. Sansern also stressed that the agency could not withdraw cases that are currently being investigated, as doing so would be considered a failure in performing duties.


-- NNT 2014-02-28

[Lite Beer]

Last witnesses for prosecution in Dokset murder trial take the stand
Phuket Gazette -

Dokset (left) after his arrest, with Garry Halpin, who is now facing charges for dealing ya ice. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: The prosecutor in the Stein Harvard Dokset case concluded his arguments on Wednesday after asking the confessed killer’s girlfriend and the case investigator to take the stand.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707679-last-witnesses-for-prosecution-in-dokset-murder-trial-take-the-stand/

[Lite Beer]

RT@Lerlaforever: Suthep: For Surapong, he said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon should be invited to sit in this negotiation between me and Yingluk

Suthep: The Reds must have forgotten that once they said why they had to listen to UN which was not their father

Suthep: First I don't think Mr Ban understands THai context well enough to be in the talk

Suthep: And second this talk will be in English, it will give Yingluk a hard time, She's already had enough problem with her Thai

Suthep: Record things u said Chalerm so u can play and listen to it once this is over.

Suthep: U said I have no clue how to end this. U get it wrong, Its Yingluk who is pushed to corner

Suthep: For u Chalerm, there r 2 endings. U end up listening to what u said in jail or running away to sell coffee in Denmark like the past

Suthep: Yingluk I didnt want to c u die in the battlefield, I'd prefer seeing u serving jail term.

Suthep: U said u r not a good debater, excuse me, is there anything u r good at?

Suthep: And u dont have to be a good debater. I just come up wih ur list. I will just listen to it and say yes or no. That's all

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RT@Lerlaforever: Suthep: And pls stop talking rules. Have u ever looked up in the charter? Every MP has a copy of constitution book on the 1st day at office

RT@Lerlaforever: Suthep: I bet u've never opened it as u hardly go to the parliament. U just showed up briefly with ur smile n disappeared

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RT@Lerlaforever: Suthep: Those positive thinking people, dont blame me. I was ready to talk with her but looke what she said. So dont bring it up again

RT@Lerlaforever: Suthep: To be honest Yingluk, I never wished for talks. I Only want u to resign

[Lite Beer]

RT@Lerlaforever: Suthep: U must n crazy to ask us to stop rallying before talks. How about some 20 casualties and more than 700 injured??

[Lite Beer]

RT@W7VOA: Bangkok Post: #Thailand army chief Prayuth repeats he cannot promise there will or will not be a coup in response to political stalemate.

[george]

FLASH

PDRC will end protest sites at Pathumwan, Ratchaprasong and Asoke while keeping to fight from Lumpini Park but Luang Pu will carry on protest at Chaeng Wattana. /Bangkok Post

[george]

Suthep announces end of #BangkokShutdown

Recap: Suthep announces end of #BangkokShutdown, many main downtown rally sites to relocate and to reassemble inside Lumphini Park. /‏@Saksith

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to continue:

Thailand Live Saturday 1 Mar 2014

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707771-thailand-live-saturday-1-mar-2014/