Thailand Live Wednesday 12 Mar 2014

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UPDATE:

Court Kills Bill Approving Loans For Govt Mega-Project
By Khaosod English



BANGKOK: -- The Constitutional Court has ruled that the bill intended to way for 2.2 trillion baht infrastructure overhaul is unconstitutional in its content and procedure.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710361-bt2tn-bill-ruled-unconstitutional/page-3#entry7552952

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Thailand cuts interest rate due to protests

BANGKOK, March 12, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand reduced its official interest rate to the lowest level in three years on Wednesday to boost the economy in the face of a protracted political crisis.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710374-thailand-cuts-interest-rate-due-to-protests/

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Supreme Court sentences Yongyut's wife five years in prison



BANGKOK: -- The Supreme Court today sentenced the wife of former minister of natural resources and environment Yongyut Tiyapairat in the Thaksin government to five years in prison after finding her guilty of giving false information in connection with a local administration assembly election in Chiang Rai province in 2006.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710375-supreme-court-sentences-yongyuts-wife-five-years-in-prison/

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POLITICS
Chalerm looks to the future

BANGKOK: -- A new caretaker premier, if appointed, must be one who is acceptable to the public, caretaker labour minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said on Wednesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710377-chalerm-looks-to-the-future/

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McDonald’s Thai says it filed police complaint over cockroach claim
By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- After a photo purporting to show a cockroach inside one of its sundaes went viral recently, McDonald’s Thai has sort of responded with a lot of corporate speak and a vague threat.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710383-mcdonalds-thai-says-it-filed-police-complaint-over-cockroach-claim/

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SET index closed 1,356.42, down 7.86; Bt/USD32.25; GBP53.50; AUD28.74; EUR44.52; CAD28.91; HKD4.14; SGD25.30; JPY31.22

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Judges want special court marshals to protect them

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710406-thai-judges-want-special-court-marshals-to-protect-them/

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EC endorses Education Ministry's decision to sack Education Council's chief

BANGKOK: -- The Election Commission voted Wednesday to endorse the decision of the civil service committee of the Education Ministry to fire Education Council Secretary Generals Sasithara Pichaicharnnarong from the government's ervice.

The committee has found that she had committed grave disciplinary offence regarding to the procurements of education equipment for vocational schools when she was secretary general of the Vocational School Commission.

The EC voted 3:1 to endorse the decision to fire Sasithara from the government's service.


-- The Nation 2014-03-12

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RT @tulsathit: Korn: Constitution Court's ruling on Bt2 trillion borrowing plan has done the Thai economy big favour. via @isranews_agency

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RT @tulsathit: Korn says it's perfectly practical to build high-speed trains using normal budgetary channels. via @KobkarnL

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PM says she feels sorry for the scrapping of infrastructure mega projects



BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said today (Wednesday) that she felt sorry that the Constitution Court ruled the two trillion baht borrowing bill unconstitutional because they would mean the lost opportunity for Thailand to develop its infrastructure in order to maintain its competitiveness among countries in the region.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710439-yingluck-says-she-feels-sorry-for-the-scrapping-of-infrastructure-mega-projects/

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No queue fixing for passport application: Thai Foreign Ministry
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, March 12 - The Foreign Ministry has asserted that there is no queue fixing for the passport application process, urging the public not to panic as passport issuance can definitely cope with the demand.

Department of Consular Affairs director general Thongchai Chasawath gave his assurance after complaints were spread on social media calling for the Department of Consular Affairs to clarify reports that some applicants hired stand-ins to line up for them at the Passport Office in Bang Na.

Mr Thongchai said that the department acknowledged the complaint but its rented the office area and the queuing extends outside the office.

He said the building opens at 6.30am and queueing tickets are available then. There is no fixing of the queue.

Passport officials note the ID card numbers of people waiting in the queue and they re-check the numerical order as applicants' arrive at the counter.

Many passport applicants have complained about the inconvenience as the long queue has created a new "hired to queue" business, forcing passport applicants to pay more for the process.

Mr Thongchai has also given assurances that Thai passports are produced with the second highest standard of safety in Asia after Hong Kong. He said the Thai passport is considered a forgery-proof passport with 37 spots, from 50 spots under the Department of Aviation's standard, to check the forgery. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-03-12

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UN experts urge Thai govt to find, prosecute perpetrators in missing lawyer case
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, March 12 - A group of independent United Nations experts today called on the Thai government to establish the truth and hold criminally responsible the perpetrators of the disappearance of human rights defender Somchai Neelaphaijit.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710441-un-experts-urge-thai-govt-to-find-prosecute-perpetrators-in-missing-lawyer-case/

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to continue:

Thailand Live Thursday 13 Mar 2014

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710515-thailand-live-thursday-13-mar-2014/