Thailand Live Wednesday 12 Mar 2014

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Traffic Police: Bus stop parking in busy zones will be punished

BANGKOK, 12 March 2014 (NNT) - The Traffic Police will start arresting and/or fining public buses and taxis parking in busy bus stops on 15 March 2014. The police hopes strict enforcement of the traffic law will help reduce traffic congestion in the capital city.

Pol.Maj.Gen.Adul Narongsak who is responsible for traffic control in the inner parts of Bangkok has instructed traffic police officers to seriously tackle public buses, taxis, Tuk-tuk taxis and vans which parked for a long time in bustling bus stops and caused heavy traffic jams. The officers would fine and/or arrest the violators in ten areas, including those in front of the Chatuchak Weekend Market, large department stores and Don Mueang airport, the official said.

According to the traffic law, public vans and taxis can park 15-20 meters away from a bus stop. Clear signs will be put up to advise them of how many vehicles are allowed to park in a designated spot. Traffic police officers will be dispatched to the ten areas to facilitate motorists.


-- NNT 2014-03-12

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Court Drops Case Of Alleged Police Station Sexual Abuse
By Khaosod English

BANGKOK: -- The Supreme Court has dropped the case of a policeman who allegedly sexually harassed an underage rape victim, stating that the defendant and the victims have come to mutual agreement.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710264-thai-court-drops-case-of-alleged-police-station-sexual-abuse/

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Court schedules hearing on Satish's deportation case for Mar 25

BANGKOK, 12 March 2014 (NNT) – The Civil Court is set to summon both the plaintiff and the defendant for testimony in the case related to the Center for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO)’s deportation of an Indian activist on March 25.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710265-court-schedules-hearing-on-satishs-deportation-case-for-mar-25/

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UDD to hold mass rally Saturday
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, March 12 – The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), Thailand's red shirt movement, has announced its plan to hold a major rally in central Ayutthaya province Saturday to show support for the elected government.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710266-redshirts-to-hold-mass-rally-saturday/

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PM, five others sued over Phan Fah clash
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, March 12 - Relatives of two anti-government protesters slain in the deadly clashes at Phan Fah Bridge nearly a month ago yesterday filed a criminal lawsuit against caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and five others for premeditated murder.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710267-premeditated-murder-yingluck-five-others-sued-over-phan-fah-clash/

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UPDATE:

MISSING OF MH 370
Iranians identified
The Nation,
Asia News Network


A Malaysian police official displays photographs of the two men who boarded the Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight using stolen European passports, at a hotel near Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang yesterday.

Malaysian police do not see terrorist connection

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710015-thailand-exposed-as-crime-hub-over-mh370-stolen-passports/page-7?p=7550898#entry7550898

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UPDATE:

GUBERNATORIAL POLLING
EC votes for Bangkok governor re-election
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Election Commission yesterday voted 3-2 recommending a gubernatorial re-election after finding out that incumbent Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra won the poll on March 3 last year with the help of slanderous campaigns assisted by fellow politicians that gave him an advantage over other candidates.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710158-ec-votes-to-give-yellow-card-to-sukhumbhand-for-bangkok-governor-election/page-2?p=7550905#entry7550905

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CONTROVERSIAL LOAN BILL
Court rules today on Bt2-tn bill
Nakarin Srilert
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The caretaker government might scrap the Bt700-billion high-speed train project if the Constitutional Court rules today that the Bt2-trillion loan bill was passed in violation of the Constitution.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710269-court-rules-today-on-bt2-tn-loan-bill/

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BURNING ISSUE
Thailand's location a boon for international criminals
Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- News reports of two passengers on the missing MH370 flight allegedly travelling on passports that were stolen in Phuket seems to have exposed Thailand as a regional hub of nefarious goings on. Yet, nobody is surprised.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710270-thailands-location-a-boon-for-international-criminals/

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POLLUTION
Fewer fires, but dust levels above safety in the north
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Chiang Mai and four northern provinces yesterday reported amounts of fine dust in air as beyond the maximum safety standard of 120 micrograms.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710272-fewer-fires-but-dust-levels-above-safety-in-the-north/

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PATTAYA TOURIST
Pattaya sees drop in 2014 tourists to 7m
Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit
The Nation

Chaos in Bangkok keeps visitors away

BANGKOK: -- The number of tourists, both local and foreign, visiting Pattaya is now projected to drop to 7.5 million this year from 9 million last year because of the prolonged political turmoil.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710273-pattaya-sees-drop-in-2014-tourists-to-7m/

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POLICY RATE
Cut in policy rate expected
Erich Parpart
The Nation


With consumer purchasing power having fallen, shopping centres in Bangkok and elsewhere around the country have been launching special discount campaigns in a bid to boost spending. The private sector needs the Monetary Policy Committee to cut the policy rate

Most experts believe central bank must act now as political instability has taken a big toll

BANGKOK: -- The Bank of Thailand is widely expected to cut the policy interest rate at today's meeting, due to the repercussions of the country's political turmoil.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710274-cut-in-policy-rate-expected/

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EDITORIAL
Somchai's disappearance a stain on the country's conscience
The Nation

Ten years after his abduction, the fate of the human rights lawyer remains unknown, proof that a culture of impunity still reigns in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Ten years ago today, prominent Thai Muslim human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit was abducted in the heart of Bangkok, allegedly by a group of five police officers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710275-somchais-disappearance-a-stain-on-the-countrys-conscience-thai-editorial/

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STOPPAGE TIME
And the Thai political Oscars go to...
Tulsathit Taptim

BANGKOK: -- It's been over a week since the Academy Awards, so here's hoping the fever has not subsided completely. Too many political stars have emerged over the past few months to let all that talent go to waste. (Now, cue music and imagine Glenn Close speaking the following.)

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710276-and-the-thai-political-oscars-go-to/

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Domestic tourism marred by political unrest



BANGKOK: -- Kasikorn Research Center (KResearch) says Thailand's domestic tourism this year will not grow as expected due mainly to ongoing political turmoil which is likely to drag on to the second quarter of this year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710277-thailands-domestic-tourism-marred-by-political-unrest/

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RT @191Thailand: 6:45am A man has been shot dead on Ratchada inbound. Police at the scene - TR @nuttapong_Rw: http://t.co/ypa8KV6nyQ

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PDRC seeks to have military, police man rally sites
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- People's Democratic Reform Committee core leader Thaworn Senneam said the group would ask the military and police to set up joint checkpoints to prevent allegations that PDRC guards were instigating violence.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710279-pdrc-seeks-to-have-military-police-man-rally-sites/

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No official discussion on lifting emergency decree
The Nation


In a move to soften the image of armed personnel, a military bunker on Chaeng Wattana Road is decorated with pot plants and a fountain. The Army began adding such decorations to its checkpoints around the capital after caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck

BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet has not discussed the issue of lifting the Bangkok emergency decree, which gives security agencies some more time to evaluate the situation, caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said after the Cabinet meeting yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710280-no-official-discussion-on-lifting-emergency-decree-in-bangkok/

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Charter court judges 'overstepped authority'
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Former Pheu Thai party-list MP Chavalit Vichayasuthi and party-list MP candidate Pol General Viroon Phuensaen filed a petition with the Criminal Court yesterday claiming that judges at the Constitutional Court had overstepped their authority by ruling last year that moves to amend the charter regarding the make-up of the Senate were unconstitutional.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710284-charter-court-judges-overstepped-authority/

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Chicken deaths mysterious

The Nation

NONG KHAI: -- Over 3,000 chickens have mysteriously died since March 1 at a farm in Nong Khai's Tha Bo district. Lab test results on the chicken samples will be out today, said farm owner Tuanjai Jaibao. The carcasses were disposed of according to the proper methods, she said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710285-nong-khai-chicken-deaths-mysterious/

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Teen suspect 'confesses' to shooting his family
Panor Chompusri,
Wattanaphon Matcha
The Nation



Police say closed-circuit system showed boy, 19, turning off 8 security cameras

BANGKOK: -- A 19-year-old boy has allegedly confessed to shooting dead his parents and younger brother after he tried and failed to pass the blame on to the dead sibling, according to police.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710286-teen-suspect-confesses-to-shooting-his-family-in-pathum-thani/

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Kingdom in grip of drought
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Official figures show that drought is now well entrenched in many provinces across the country. As of last Friday, they reveal water shortages have struck 20 provinces in the North, the Northeast, the East and the South.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710287-thailand-in-grip-of-drought/

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UPDATE:

Tourist Police confirm round up of Phuket dive instructors
Phuket Gazette


Dive instructors were being picked up as they disembarked from their ships. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- Tourist Police joined forces with the Chalong Police yesterday afternoon and took into custody more than 20 dive instructors as they disembarked from their respective dive tour boats at Chalong Pier.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710165-questions-over-crackdown-on-phuket-dive-industry-as-foreigners-arrested-over-permits/?p=7551065#entry7551065

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Malaysian general says missing plane changed course

KualaLumpur - The search for a Malaysian Airlines passenger plane was extended to the Strait of Malacca Tuesday, three days after the Boeing 777 went missing, after a top military official said radar last picked up the flight far from its intended route to Beijing.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710290-missing-mh-370-malaysian-general-says-plane-changed-course/

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PM tells CNN "govt’s rice scheme launched for farmers' benefit"



BANGKOK, 12 March 2014 (NNT) – Prime Minister and Defense Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has reassured that the government’s rice subsidy program is to benefit the Thai rice growers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710311-yingluck-tells-cnn-govts-rice-scheme-launched-for-farmers-benefit/

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Caretaker PM flies to Khon Kaen to inspect anti-drought measures for northeastern provinces /MCOT

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Phuket Immigration head warns of stricter monitoring of passports
Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: -- Phuket’s head of Immigration has ordered officers to be more strict when inspecting passports, and to visit guesthouses and hotels in Phuket to view the guest list, in order to keep a closer eye on fraudulent passport use.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710314-phuket-immigration-head-warns-of-stricter-monitoring-of-passports/

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698 million baht contributed so far to funds for assisting rice growers

BANGKOK, 12 March 2014 (NNT) – The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) reveals that 698 million baht has been contributed so far to the funds it established to assist rice growers who are still waiting for payment owed to them under the rice pledging scheme.

According to staff at the BAAC headquarters, 18 million baht has been donated into the 1st type of fund, which is a fund for direct donation to help the rice growers; 510 million baht has been contributed to the 2nd type of fund, which does not earn any interest for the depositor, and 169 million baht has been deposited into the 3rd type of fund, which yields 0.63% interest per year.

Uttaradit governor Chat Kittinopphadon on Tuesday presided over the launch of such a fund by the BAAC branch in Uttaradit province. 13 million baht was contributed to the fund by heads of local state agencies, rice mill owners and members of the public to mark the occasion.


-- NNT 2014-03-12

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Officials express belief emergency decree will be lifted soon

BANGKOK, 12 March 2014 (NNT) – Internal Security officials believe the Emergency Executive Decree will be lifted and replaced with the Internal Security Act instead, in order to facilitate the work of authorities in maintaining order in Greater Bangkok.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710280-no-official-discussion-on-lifting-emergency-decree-in-bangkok/#entry7551487

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Thai stock index opens on Wednesday at 1,359.63, falls 4.65 points /MCOT