Thailand Live Tuesday 4 Mar 2014

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Army Chief orders commanders to utilize radio to promote understanding within communities

BANGKOK 4 March 2014 (NNT) Army Commander in Chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has ordered army commanders to fully utilize the nations radio network to promote understanding with the Thai people during the period of political tension.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708468-general-prayuth-calls-on-army-commanders-to-promote-understanding-in-the-community-through-media/

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Army still provides support for CMPO

BANGKOK, 3 March 2014 (NNT) – The army has maintained its checkpoints near demonstration sites and continued support for the Center for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO). Its operation is still focused on violence prevention and peace keeping.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708470-army-still-provides-support-for-cmpo/

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Court of Appeals rejects Suthep's petition seeking to overturn lower court's decision rejecting dropping his arrest warrant on insurrection charge /MCOT

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Hua Hin High Speed Train Proposal Prepared

pic submitted

Hua Hin: -- The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning has prepared four high speed train projects to be proposed to the next government.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708273-hua-hin-high-speed-train-proposal-prepared/

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DSI Seeks Arrest Of Suthep For 2010 Unrest Deaths
By Khaosod English


Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban

BANGKOK: -- The Division of Special Investigation is seeking arrest warrant for anti-government protest leader over his role in authorising the deadly crackdown on Redshirts protesters in 2010.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708478-dsi-seeks-arrest-of-suthep-over-2010-deadly-crackdown-on-redshirts/

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Angry Phuket tuk-tuk drivers blockade Patong
Suthicha Sirirat


A row of tuk-tuks block Patong last night.

PHUKET: -- Hundreds of tuk-tuk drivers closed down traffic right across Patong last night (March 3), blocking the three main gateways into the city from Kathu, Kamala and Karon in protest against what they believe were the unjust arrests of four of their colleagues.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708479-angry-phuket-tuk-tuk-drivers-blockade-patong/

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UPDATE:

Yaowares has no regrets over opposition to rights promotion award



BANGKOK: -- Mrs Yaowares Shinawatra, president of the National Outstanding Thai Women Association, has no regrets over opposition to the proposed awarding of outstanding performance to her by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, her daughter Miss Chayika Wongpahan said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708216-women-network-calls-for-revision-of-rights-award-to-yaowares-shinawatra/page-2?p=7519582#entry7519582

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Court dismisses Suthep’s request to revoke arrest warrant
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, March 4 – Thailand's Appeal Court has dismissed a petition by anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, secretary-general of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), to drop his arrest warrant on insurrection charge.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708486-court-dismisses-sutheps-request-to-revoke-arrest-warrant/

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7-Eleven asserts sales growing, unimpeded by political stalemate

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708492-7-eleven-asserts-sales-growing-unimpeded-by-political-stalemate/

[Lite Beer]

Feb inflation rises 1.96%

BANGKOK, 4 March 2014 (NNT) – Inflation in the month of February surged 1.96 percent on-year, thanks to the increasing prices of meat products.

Miss Srirat Rastapana, Permanent Secretary for Commerce Ministry, revealed that the country’s inflation rate rose by 1.96 percent in February compared to that of the same month last year. The main factor contributing to such number, according to her, was the increase in prices of food and alcoholic beverages, which rose by 4.26 percent altogether.

The average inflation in the first 2 months of 2014 however stood at 1.95 percent, whereas the average rate for the entire 2014 is predicted to be in the range of 2-2.8 percent.

As for March, she said the inflation would be around 2 percent.

-- NNT 2014-03-04

[Lite Beer]

Three students die in Cha Am beach tragedy

Cha Am:-- Three eighteen year old students drowned, and another was left fighting for her life after coming into difficulty in deep waters at Naresuan beach in Cha Am, Phetchaburi.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708495-three-students-die-in-cha-am-beach-tragedy/

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Thailand celebrates World Wildlife Day

CHONBURI, 4 March 2014 (NNT) – Thailand has just celebrated the World Wildlife Day on March 3rd, holding activities to promote wildlife conservation in Chonburi’s Bang Pra non-hunting area.

As the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has proclaimed March 3rd as the World Wildlife Day, Chonburi Province yestertday held an event, the first of its kind in the world, to raise public awareness of wildlife conservation as well as to protect endangered species and restore forest areas.

The opening ceremony was presided over by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wichet Kasemthongsri and witnessed by US Charge d'Affaires to Thailand Patrick Murphy.

Releasing different species of birds into the wild, building artificial salt licks, and getting the locals involved in the process were part of the activities held in the event.

-- NNT 2014-03-04

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Govts urged to prevent drug spread

BANGKOK: -- Southeast Asia is the second largest producer of opium in the world. It is also a growing market for amphetamine-type stimulants, especially methamphetamine, the top illicit drug threat in East and Southeast Asia, where seizures of methamphetamine in both pill and crystalline forms reached record highs in 2012, according to the UN.

Referring to the Vienna-based International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)’s Annual Report 2013, UN officials in Bangkok expressed concern that economic integration could accelerate the drug trade in Southeast Asia. They urged governments to reconsider drug control priorities, given the huge treatment cost. Every dollar spent on prevention saves up to $10, they said.

Heroin or methamphetamine, however, can only be produced using precursor chemicals - which often are not made where the drugs are, but are smuggled in from nearby countries. While Asia is the biggest source and market for precursor chemicals used to make illicit drugs, neither Afghanistan nor Myanmar, the world's no. 1 and no. 2 heroin producers, produce acetic anhydride, the chemical necessary to produce heroin from raw opium, said Jeremy Douglas, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Representative, Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

-- The Nation 2014-03-04

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Anti secession banners scatter in Chiang Mai

CHIANG MAI: -- Huge banners reading “Chiang Mai people will absolutely never let anyone to divide Thailand” were seen placing on pedestrian overpasses at major intersections throughout the northern city today.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708494-anti-secession-banners-scatter-in-chiang-mai/

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Prayuth tells Defence Council he not biased against red-shirt group

BANGKOK: -- Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha told the Defence Council meeting that he was not selectively acting against a red-shirt group over sedition charges, a military source said.

The meeting was chaired by caretaker Prime Minister and Defense Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at the Royal Thai Airforce headquarters at 11 am Tuesday.

Prayuth said he had the ThirdArmy Area commander file charges against the leader of the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group in line with the laws.

The group was accused of seeking to separate the North and Northeast to set up a new republic.

Prayuth insisted that any group that violated national security would be taken action against.

-- The Nation 2014-03-04

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EC allows govt to use Bt20bn from central fund to pay farmers

BANGKOK: -- The Election Commission Tuesday approved the government's plan to use Bt20 billion from the central fund to pay farmers who joined the rice-pledging scheme, EC member Somchai Srisutthiyakorn announced.

But the EC requires the government to refill the central fund with the Bt20 billion amount from rice selling within May 31, Somchai posted on this Facebook wall.

The EC allowed the government to use the money in a form of a loan between the Foreign Trade Department and the Finance Ministry, Somchai said.

-- The Nation 2014-03-04

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RT@sunaibkk: PDRC: We don't want UN or any foreign countries to get involved [to mediate & facilitate dialogue with Yingluck government].

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POLITICS
EC allows govt to use Bt20bn from central fund to pay farmers

BANGKOK: -- The Election Commission on Tuesday approved the government's plan to use Bt20 billion from the central fund to pay farmers who joined the ricepledging scheme, EC member Somchai Srisutthiyakorn announced.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708502-ec-allows-thai-govt-to-use-bt20bn-from-central-fund-to-pay-farmers/

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10 best overpasses in Bangkok to get robbed
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- Whether running across an eight-lane road while dodging speeding vehicles or hiking 30 steps to cross a street via pedestrian bridge, pedestrians are still in danger.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708503-10-best-overpasses-in-bangkok-to-get-robbed/

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Redshirt 'Beaten And Left To Die' By PCAD Guards
By Khaosod English

BANGKOK: -- A member of the Redshirts has been beaten and left to die in a river east of Bangkok by a group of anti-government militants, police reports claim.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708505-redshirt-beaten-and-left-to-die-by-pcad-guards/

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FUGITIVES
Police arrest two foreigners on the lam

BANGKOK: -- Immigration police have separately arrested a Slovak and a Turk, both of whom were wanted by Interpol.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708508-thai-immigration-arrest-two-foreigners-on-the-lam/

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Yingluck to make 4-day trip to three northeastern provinces

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will make a four-day trip to three northeastern provinces.

She will leave Bangkok on Wednesday to visit Khon Kaen, Sakon Nakhon, Mukdahan and would stay there until Saturday.

She would return to Bangkok to attend the funeral of Somdej Phra Putthacharn, late abbot of the Wat Saket, on Sunday.


-- The Nation 2014-03-04

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A convoy of anti-govt protesters from Lumpini Park visited DSI chief Tarit at Muang Ake housing estate in Rangsit area Tue. /The Nation

Luang Pu Buddha Issara led about 200 anti-govt protesters,farmers toPolice HQ to lodge petition against caretaker PM,5 caretaker ministers,2 state agencies related to rice-subsidy /The Nation

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Couple shot dead on Bannang Sata-Bannang Kuwae road in Yala's Bannang Sata district /MCOT

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PTT, Bangchak raise gasoline, gasohol prices by 50 satang/litre, E85 by 30 satang/litre, effective Wednesday /MCOT

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Surapong: Protests must end before confidence can be restored

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul yesterday urged private sectors to ask the anti-government protesters to end their rally first and then he would help restore confidence of foreign investors to re-investment in Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708533-surapong-protests-must-end-before-confidence-can-be-restored/

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Thai Disney Story Artist with Oscar in her hand shared all over the web
By Coconuts Bangkok



LOS ANGELES: -- Sad that Fawn Veerasuntorn didn’t hold the camera herself, otherwise she would have created the coolest selfie in Thailand, what with the gleaming gold Oscar in her hands.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708534-thai-disney-story-artist-with-oscar-in-her-hand-shared-all-over-the-web/

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POLITICAL CHAOS
Slow process towards AEC concerns foreign chambers
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand urged Thailand to sort out the political impasse as soon as possible, in light of the long must-do list ahead of the launch of Asean Economic Community (AEC) in 2015.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708535-political-chaos-in-thailand-slow-process-towards-aec-concerns-foreign-chambers/

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Government mulls extending state of emergency
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, March 4 - Thailand's caretaker government will consider next week whether to extend the state of emergency, while saying situation will remain under close watch despite protesters abandoning rally sites at key intersections to consolidate into one base.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/708536-thai-government-mulls-extending-state-of-emergency/

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Caretaker PM Yingluck to make 4-day trip to 3 NE provinces (Khon Kaen,Sakon Nakhon,Mukdahan) to depart Bkk Mar.5 /The Nation

Indonesia is taking advantage of Thai political unrest in Thailand,rising Malay wages by promoting its industrial zones to US,EU,S.Korea,Japan /The Nation

US to suspend all military engagements w/ Russia,including military exercises,port visits, to oppose Russia invasion of Crimea /The Nation