Thailand Live Sunday 13th April 2014

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Spirit of Songkran brings respite from stand-off
The Sunday Nation

Tourists from neighbouring countries, mostly Malaysia and Singapore, take part in a water fight during yesterday

BANGKOK: -- As nation soaks in the festivities, political rivals prepare to take the centre stage after uneasy truce

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718563-spirit-of-songkran-brings-respite-from-stand-off/

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Yingluck and Suthep, the pair we most want to drench
The Sunday Nation

Supporters of the anti-government People

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban are the female and male politicians people would most like to have a water fight with during Songkran, a Suan Dusit Poll has found.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718565-yingluck-and-suthep-the-pair-we-most-want-to-drench/

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39 killed on roads on day one of Songkran holidays
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Number of accidents and injured people well above figures from first day last year; drunk driving the major cause

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718566-39-killed-on-roads-on-day-one-of-songkran-holidays/

[Lite Beer]

Minister slammed for proposal to seek royal judgement if PM is disqualified
Piyanut Tumnukasetchai,
Pimnara Pradubwit,
Praphan Jindalertudomdee
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- The idea to seek a royal judgement in case of a political vacuum, proposed by the caretaker justice minister, has been slammed by both ruling and opposition politicians.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718567-minister-slammed-for-proposal-to-seek-royal-judgement-if-pm-is-disqualified/

[Lite Beer]

Police believe 'Ko Tee' still in the country as hunt continues
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Crime suppression police believe a Pathum Thani red-shirt leader who faces an arrest warrant for alleged lese majeste is hiding in the Kingdom.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718568-police-believe-ko-tee-still-in-the-country-as-hunt-continues/

[Lite Beer]

Car bombs in the far South: 40 over past decade
The Sunday Nation

YALA: -- In the 10-plus years since 2004 up till last Sunday, when there were multiple explosions in Yala, the far South has seen a total of 40 car bomb attacks. Narathiwat has had the highest number with 21 blasts.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718569-car-bombs-in-the-far-south-40-over-past-decade/

[Lite Beer]

UPDATE:

Seven Lahu shot dead in drug clash in North
The Sunday Nation

CHIANG RAI: -- A clash between Thai security officers and a drug caravan in Mae Fah Luang, Chiang Rai on Friday night resulted in the deaths of seven suspects and the seizure of 700,000 'ya ba' pills, police said yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718380-thai-forces-shoot-dead-seven-drug-suspects/page-2?p=7683665#entry7683665

[Lite Beer]

Storm kills man in North
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Summer storms in the North on Friday killed a man and damaged two hospitals.

Following one storm, which started at about 6.30pm and caused a four-hour blackout, the body of Prasan Khuenwang, 52, was found in the storm-destroyed house in Muang, Phayao.

Phayao Governor Suchat Kilapaeng said the authority would provide financial assistance to Prasan's family to cover his funeral and the house repairs, while the authority would work with soldiers to repair other homes damaged in the storm.

The storm caused about Bt500,000 in damage to three buildings at Phayao Hospital that housed a kitchen, a water filter facility and a library.

In Chiang Rai another storm caused an estimated Bt500,000 in damage to Mae Lao Hospital.

Public Health permanent secretary Dr Narong Sahametapat yesterday visited the two hospitals, which were providing normal public services. He said eight tambon hospitals had rooves damaged by storms last week.

-- The Nation 2014-04-13

[Lite Beer]

Drama near Abhisit's home
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- An unknown person yesterday morning hauled a rock at a police booth in front of Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva's home in Bangkok's Sukhumvit Soi 31.

Following the report of the 6.45am incident, police inspected the roadside booth and found a glass winder had been shattered by the small rock.

Since the booth is state property to accommodate police providing security in the area, the police - not Abhisit, were the wronged party, according to Thong Lor superintendent Colonel Chutrakul Yosmadee.

Police would inspect security camera footage in an attempt to identify the suspect, he said, adding that police suspected the incident could stem from the political conflict or merely reckless vandalism by a youngster.

-- The Nation 2014-04-13

[Lite Beer]

Another arrest in Indonesian navy murders
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- A Thai fishing trawler captain has been arrested in Beung Kan and confessed to having disposed of an AK-47 assault rifle that belonged to one of the two Indonesian naval officers killed by Thai fishermen last month.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718571-another-arrest-in-indonesian-navy-murders/

[Lite Beer]

EDITORIAL
Car seats for children: Govt must help get the cost down
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The govt could reduce child road deaths by axing the 30-per-cent surcharge it imposes on foreign-made car seats

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718572-car-seats-for-children-govt-must-help-get-the-cost-down/

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BOOK
Learning by the lake
Chusri Ngamprasert
The Sunday Nation

King Ananda, King Bhumibol and the Princess Mother

The son of His Majesty the King's tutor in Switzerland publishes a new book covering the royal family's stay in Lausanne

SEVERAL BOOKS have been written about His Majesty the King of Thailand in recent years, among them Nicholas Grossman and Dominic Faulder's excellent tome "King Bhumibol Adulyadej: A Life’s Work". Few though have done more than touch on his years in Switzerland, the country in which the King spent much of his youth and where he and his siblings were educated.

Lysandre C Seraidaris is bridging that gap with his book "King Bhumibol and the Thai Royal Family in Lausanne", which was presented to the press last week at an event in Bangkok.

Seraidaris is the youngest son of Cleon C. Seraidaris, a young lawyer who became the private tutor to two monarchs of Thailand, King Ananda and His Majesty King Bhumibol.

The book, which has been translated from French into both English and Thai, has two main parts. The first focuses on the memories of the tutor while the second covers the relationship between Lausanne and Thailand.

Written in narrative style, it provides a chronology of the events in the older Seraidaris' life and comes with illustrations at the end of each chapter, making it easy to check back for reference. All photos in the book are from Seraidaris senior's private collection and have rarely, if ever, been seen elsewhere.

Cleon C. Seraidaris was working towards his law degree at the University of Lausanne when he was introduced to Princess Mahidol and her three children by his close friend Rasmi Suriyong, a Siamese Prince, in 1935.

"A grandson of King Rama IV told my father that he would like to introduce him to his cousin, just in case he could help them. Shortly afterwards, Princess Mahidol asked my father if he'd be willing to become the tutor of the boys," says Seraidaris, who is Honorary Trade Adviser to Thailand's Ministry of Commerce.

"Lausanne is a charming university city. Today everyone comes to Switzerland for holidays or business but in those days people came for education and especially to Lausanne. Other cities have industries and international organisations but Lausanne has prestigious schools and universities and that's why the royal family decided to come to the town. You can be a famous person but live a quiet life in Lausanne. People do not bother you."

Seraidaris says that his father steadfastly refused to write of his experiences prior to his death in 1997, saying that his professional life and his memories did not belong to him but to His Majesty.

"My father always said 'I will not write if His Majesty does not ask me to do so'. It just happened that His Majesty encouraged me to write. I was very proud that His Majesty trusted me. He thought this book would be good for history. The King offered to make corrections if there were any mistakes but he didn't need to correct anything," he says.

"I am neither a writer nor a historian but I happened to have information about the past that had never been made public, so I decided to write the book. I am extremely proud of the trust His Majesty placed in me, but it was a delicate undertaking because I knew there could be no mistakes. There are many things I chose not to develop as I preferred to stick to facts of which I have evidence both in my memory and in my papers."

Seraidaris Senior was also proficient in woodworking having learned at l'Ecole Nouvelle and with his father-in-law, a professional cabinet-maker. He passed on the high art of woodworking, known only to the elite elderly craftsmen to the young monarchs.

"They learned to make things by hands from my father. My father was acting in a way like a father, passing on his knowledge to the children.

"They used to talk about sports and ask the same sort of questions that children pose to an adult. My father was there everyday from early morning until late evening to answer all their questions, supervise their education, lead them to the right schools and to the right teachers as well as to help them learn about life.

"My father took them to school, talked to the teachers, collected them from school and taught them some sports. The two kings loved the outdoors and enjoyed skiing, cycling, skating, climbing the mountains and picking mushrooms. They were interested in everything. My father called them perfect students. You can see in my book the weekly reports on which the teachers commented 'extremely good'.

"I remember my father as a kind and well-respected person. Even at 90, he was always keen to learn something new. He used to say he wanted to learn one thing everyday. That's why he got along so well with the royal family. They share the same outlook. My father and the two kings, they developed together.

"My father considered himself so privileged to be a tutor of two kings and on top of that, one of the most admired kings in the world. It was a privilege that fell to no one else. That's why I think it is worth writing a book."

Unlike other heads of state, the two monarchs didn't attend boarding school as their mother felt it was more important for them to understand life outside the palace.

"They behaved like kings but they were living with their mother because she wanted them to have a normal family life. This, she felt, would help them to understand the lives of ordinary people and thus be able to work for the people. By knowing what the problems are, they can find solutions.

"I don't know whether it also comes from Swiss education but King Bhumibol likes perfection. He likes work to be well done, which is a Swiss quality. Actually, I think Prince Mahidol of Songkla and Princess Mahidol were also like this and their children inherited that trait. That's why they coped so well with Switzerland. I think they felt at home."

The royal family was greatly appreciated by the people of Lausanne and often stopped on the street to say hello to the people they knew.

"The wife of the owner of the Chinese restaurant told me that King Bhumibol had picked cherries at Vadhana Villa and brought her a basketful. She was so touched because, as she said, the King could have told any of his people to buy cherries and deliver them but he chose to do this himself. She also told me how she slipped and the King helped her up. She never forgot that moment," he says.

Seraidaris also hopes that the young generation in Lausanne will read his book and be proud that their home played host to a royal family for more than 50 years.

"The King's works has been inspired by his studies and the way of life in Switzerland. The older generation in Lausanne knows this but the young people are ignorant of this history. I consider it my duty to tell them that one of the most admired monarchs in the world studied in Lausanne and that the royal family feels close to our city. They should be hugely proud."

>>>

Title: King Bhumibol and the Thai Royal Family in Lausanne Author: Lysandre C Seraidaris

Published by: Sirivatana Interprint Public Co.,Ltd.

For details: contact Asia Books Customer Service by calling (02) 251 8571 or sending e-mail to [email protected].

-- The Nation 2014-04-13

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-- The Nation 2014-04-13

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RT@RichardBarrow: People from Ayutthaya preparing to offer alms to 999 monks to make merit for the Thai New Year & #Songkran pic.twitter.com/cMJqo1yASt

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RT@RichardBarrow: Protesters in Lumpini offering alms to monks for #Songkran (Pic @nongyangyang) pic.twitter.com/IAFVVg5Eu9

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RT@suthichai: A great picture to mark Songkran in Thailand. Phra Paisal Wisalo is a respected Buddhist monk.Water calms everything. pic.twitter.com/sBU1Zrs7vJ

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RT@suthichai: Check in at Nation Downtown Studio @ Siam Discovery from 2-6 pm today for a free drink and audition as TV anchor!

[Lite Beer]

Thaksin pleas for unity, peace

BANGKOK: -- Fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra sent best wishes to the Thai people on the occasion of the traditional Thai New Year and pleaded for unity and peace in the country.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718592-thaksin-pleas-for-unity-peace/

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RT@ Richard Barrow: Elephants & tourists play waterfights during the #Songkran festival in Ayutthaya #Thailand pic.twitter.com/dzRWp00GY5

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Suthep leads PDRC supporters on merit making for Thai traditional New Year of Songkran at Lumpini Park /MCOT

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Road Safety Centre: 102 deaths, 893 injuries in road accidents nationwide reported on Saturday, the first two days of seven-day Songkran /MCOT

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Caretaker PM accompanies her son to pay respects to sacred Buddha image for Thai traditional New Year of Songkran /MCOT

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Gentle start to Songkran in Phuket – though not for long
Suthicha Sirirat

Monks receive alms at Saphan Hin.

PHUKET: Songkran Day 2014 started gently – in Phuket Town at least – with a traditional ceremony of pouring scented water over others’ hands, donating alms to monks, releasing birds and fish, and washing Buddha images.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718615-gentle-start-to-songkran-in-phuket-though-not-for-long/

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RT@191Thailand: [bangkok Post] 18 injured in Phitsanulok bus accident

RT@191Thailand: A double decker bus going from Bangkok-Trang crashed in Huay Yot district in Trang. 27 injured - TR @Tui_ThaiPBS

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RT@RichardBarrow: The Northern end of Silom Road will be closed for #Songkran waterfights from 2pm-9pm. Motorists advised to avoid - TR @js100radio

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US sailors arrive in Phuket ready to party
Alasdair Forbes

The USS Hopper drops anchor this morning. Photo Brad Kenny

PHUKET: The skipper of the American guided missile destroyer USS Hopper seems to know a thing or two about good timing; the warship dropped anchor off Phuket this morning (April 13) at 7am, just in time for the 290 officers and crew to join in the Songkran merriment.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718632-us-sailors-arrive-in-phuket-ready-to-party/

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Songkran death toll rises to 102 after two days

A total of 850 road accidents happened on Friday and Saturday, the first and second days of the seven dangerous Songkran holidays, killing 102 people.

The accidents also injured 893 other people, the Road Safety Directing Centre announced Sunday.

On the second day alone, 471 accidents happened, killing 63 people and injuring 491 others.

-- The Nation 2014-04-13

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A double-deck bus from Bangkok to Trang skidded off the Phetkasem highway and overturned while it was near Kilometre marker 16 in Huay Yod district of Trang province early this morning.

One passenger was killed and 39 others injured, among them a pregnant woman and a 5-year old child. They were admitted to Huey Yod hospital for treatment.

-- Thai PBS 2014-04-13

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Hopes fade for MH370 black box batteries

Sydney - Eleven planes and 14 ships were scouting the Indian Ocean on Sunday for traces of a Malaysia Airlines plane that disappeared five weeks ago on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.

No new acoustic signals that could be from the Boeing 777’s flight recorders have been detected since Tuesday, raising fears that their batteries have given out.

The search ship Ocean Shield first heard a promising acoustic signal on April 5, and then again three days later, but since then there have been no new transmissions monitored by the special device the vessel is towing.

The Joint Agency Coordination Centre in the west-coast Australian city of Perth said fresh signals were needed to justify sending down an underwater probe, to scan the ocean floor for debris from flight MH370 that could include the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder.

The centre said in its latest bulletin that the "work continues in an effort to narrow the underwater search area for when the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle is deployed.

"The batteries in the plane’s flight recorders have passed their regulation one-month life span.

-- The Nation 2014-04-13

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THAI TG281 Bangkok-Samui returned safely to Suvarnabhumi due to technical glitch;159 passengers, crew transferred to new aircraft /MCOT