Thailand Live Wednesday 7 Oct 2015

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NCPO to split into two divisions; maintaining security and facilitating administration

BANGKOK, 7 October 2015 (NNT) - The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has announced it will divide its functions into two sections consisting of maintaining security and facilitating orderly state administration.

Army spokesperson Col Sirichan Ngathong revealed that NCPO head Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has approved the organization’s restructuring in order to fully respond to the current situation. The NCPO will be divided into one division to facilitate state administration and a second division to carry out national security measures. The two divisions will operate under the Commander of the Royal Thai Army.

The army spokesperson added that the NCPO will be directing all sectors of society to carry out policies that coincide with the NCPO’s roadmap and to foster public understanding of the NCPO’s actions.


-- NNT 2015-10-07

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UPDATE:

POLITICS
Court rejects Yingluck suit against AG
THE NATION



BANGKOK -- EMBATTLED former PM Yingluck Shinawatra might consider appealing against the Criminal Court's rejection yesterday of her lawsuit against former attorney-general Trakul Winitnaiyapak and three prosecutors.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/860923-criminal-court-drops-yinglucks-lawsuit-against-attorney-general/page-3?p=9935650#entry9935650

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UPDATE:

Yala woman tested for MERS after Haj trip
NAKARIN CHINWORAKOMON
THE NATION

YALA: -- YALA HOSPITAL yesterday admitted a 59-year-old Thai Muslim woman, who had just returned from the annual Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, with symptoms resembling those of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/860986-yala-woman-tested-for-mers/#entry9935655

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HAZE
PM: Asean help needed on smog
THE NATION



Thais complain at Indonesian Consulate in Songkhla

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND will be pushing for Asean-level efforts to rein in haze that comes from smoke-belching fires in neighbouring countries.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861078-pm-prayut-asean-help-needed-on-smog/

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DIGITAL GATEWAY
Gateway won't be pursued if illegal, breaches rights: Prayut
JEERAPONG PRASERTPOLKRANG,
ASINA PORNWASIN
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday the "single gateway" plan would not be implemented if an ongoing study found it to be illegal and a breach of human rights.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861080-single-gateway-wont-be-pursued-if-illegal-breaches-rights-prayut/

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UNGA
Prayut denies BBC Thai's 'staged handshake' Facebook post
WASAMON AUDJARINT
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday denied that his handshake with US President Barack Obama was staged, saying it was everyday etiquette.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861082-prayut-denies-bbc-thais-staged-handshake-facebook-post/

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RATCHABURI
Downpour helps baby crocs escape, deeper pits ordered
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- AFTER six baby crocodiles escaped a farm in tambon Bo Kradan in Ratchaburi's Pak Tho district due to heavy rains on Sunday, deputy provincial governor Ronnapop Luengpairoj yesterday instructed the 31 crocodile farms in the province to ensure no further escapes from their pits.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861083-downpour-helps-baby-crocs-escape-in-ratchaburi-deeper-pits-ordered/

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DROUGHT
Extra Bt4.7 bn earmarked to help counter the drought
Erich Parpart
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THE Cabinet has approved an additional Bt4.7 billion from the central budget to further support the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry's eight measures aimed at tackling the drought this year and next.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861084-extra-bt47-bn-earmarked-to-help-counter-the-drought/

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TPP REACTION
Joint panel urges govt to join TPP
Petchanet Pratruangkrai,
Erich Parpart
The Nation


Isara

BANGKOK: -- The Kingdom's most powerful private-sector organisations have urged the government to consider joining the Trans Pacific-Partnership (TPP) and get moving on other free-trade talks to ensure the country's competitiveness in global trading, after 12 Pacific Rim countries agreed on Monday to create the world's largest free-trade area.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861085-joint-panel-urges-thai-govt-to-join-tpp/

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New reform council 'to carry on NRC's work'
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE 200-STRONG Reform Steering Council (RSC) will carry on with the same reform agendas of its predecessor, the National Reform Council (NRC), to ensure that they are effected before the general election, some members said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861086-new-reform-council-to-carry-on-nrcs-work/

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Activists join city trail to remember Oct 6 victims
CHAYADA KHIANNOK
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- HUMAN-RIGHTS, pro-democracy activists and general enthusiasts yesterday gathered at various iconic locations in Bangkok associated with the October 6, 1976, massacre to commemorate the students who lost their lives in the tragic event.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861087-activists-join-city-trail-to-remember-oct-6-thammasat-victims/

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CDC panel to gather opinions from the public
KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN,
WASAMON AUDJARINT,
KHANITTHA THEPPAJORN
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- CDC aims for "public concerns and opinions" during drafting processIN an attempt to make time for public debate on a new charter draft, the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) yesterday set up an opinion-gathering subcommittee, its spokesman Amorn Wanichwiwatana said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861088-cdc-panel-to-gather-opinions-from-the-public/

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BURNING ISSUE
Govt may need new name for 'single gateway' plan if it goes ahead
NOPHAKHUN LIMSAMARNPHUN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE GOVERNMENT may need a new name for its controversial "single gateway" plan now that it is no longer marketable to the public.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861089-thai-govt-may-need-new-name-for-single-gateway-plan-if-it-goes-ahead/

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Drafters unveil their visions for new charter
THE NATION

PUBLIC CONSULTATION HIGH ON AGENDA FOR NEW ATTEMPT TO WRITE A CONSTITUTION

BANGKOK: -- NEWLY appointed Constitution Drafting Committee members yesterday unveiled their thoughts on drafting the new charter, their priorities and the challenges they expect to face.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861091-drafters-unveil-their-visions-for-new-thai-charter/

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Traffic woes require more than one hero
The Nation

The Bangkok governor's call for proof of a parking space as a criterion for car ownership is interesting - and doomed to fail

BANGKOK: -- Propose a solution to Bangkok's traffic woes and you get people's attentions. Start executing a plan and you earn praise. Fail to eliminate the problem and you'll be cast into history's dustbin amid jeers. We've seen it happen countless times, despite the clear and evident fact that there are genuine solutions to the chaos on the streets of the capital.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861092-bangkok-traffic-woes-require-more-than-one-hero/

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STOPPAGE TIME
Who are we to define online 'freedom'?
Tulsathit Taptim
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Call me ignorant or naive, but the thing that concerns me as far as the Internet goes is speed. There has been much fuss about online freedom lately - which I think is taking it a bit too far. We are all cyberspace toddlers, so talking about rights, liberty, responsibility and state control in relation to the "single gateway" is like kindergarten kids pondering a university course.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861094-thai-opinion-who-are-we-to-define-online-freedom/

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Pattaya Police Volunteer suspected of being a serial thief, arrested by Police



PATTAYA: -- It was announced on Tuesday that a 47 year old Motorbike Taxi Driver, who also worked as a Pattaya Police Volunteer, had been conducting criminal activities around the Pattaya area for the last 3 years.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861095-pattaya-police-volunteer-suspected-of-being-a-serial-thief-arrested-by-police/

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Fatal road crash in South Pattaya



PATTAYA: -- Bad weather and driving with no regard to the poor road conditions is the cause of a fatal road crash on the Sukhumvit Road in South Pattaya which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, according to Police Investigators.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861096-fatal-road-crash-in-south-pattaya/

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PM says he does not want to force farmers to shift to alternative crops



BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha made it clear that he didn’t want to force farmers to stop rice cultivation in light of anticipated water shortage but would prefer them to volunteer to shift to other crops which consume less water and marketable.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861098-pm-prayut-says-he-does-not-want-to-force-farmers-to-shift-to-alternative-crops/

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Rain-making operations to be stepped up and extended



BANGKOK: -- Rain-making operations will be escalated and extended from mid-October until November or until the weather is not suitable for rain-making to replenish water stored in dams and reservoirs.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861099-rain-making-operations-in-thailand-to-be-stepped-up-and-extended/

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BMA proposes 11 projects to rehabilitate Klong Saen Saeb



BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has proposed to the Transport Ministry 11 projects aimed to clean up and improve the environment of Klong Saen Saeb and a few klongs which will be used as a model for the management of pollution problem in rivers and klongs.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861100-bangkok-administration-proposes-11-projects-to-rehabilitate-klong-saen-saeb/

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Phuket haze health readings spiral, hospitals issue free masks
Tanyaluk Sakoot


The air quality in Phuket plunged after nightfall on Tuesday (Oct 6). Image: Pollution Control Department

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) has maintained its health warning from the Indonesian fire haze that has blanketed Phuket, but has confirmed that so far it has not received any reports of people being admitted to hospital for breathing difficulties.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861103-phuket-haze-health-readings-spiral-hospitals-issue-free-masks/

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Pattaya announces forthcoming Chinese Vegetarian Festival



PATTAYA: -- The Chinese Vegetarian Festival known as “Gin Jai” is fast approaching and an announcement was made on Tuesday confirming the dates of this year’s festival.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861105-pattaya-announces-forthcoming-chinese-vegetarian-festival/

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Irishman Warns about Proper Health Insurance after his Ordeal in Thailand

BELFAST – A British-Irish National Darren Vogan, 33, who was stranded in Thailand after a serious road accident have spoken of the ordeal and warned other travelers to be careful when taking out insurance.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861106-irishman-warns-about-proper-health-insurance-after-his-ordeal-in-thailand/

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Father defends babysitter who had sex with 11-year-old son because the boy was 'fully up for it'
Alexandra Sims

The boy’s father said his son is 'sex-mad'

SWINDON, UK: -- A babysitter who had sex with an 11-year-old boy she was looking after has been defended by the child's father.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861107-uk-father-defends-babysitter-having-sex-with-his-11-year-old-son/

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Yacht Carrying American, 2 Britons, Canadian, Filipino Goes Missing in South China Sea

MANILA – The Philippine coast guard says a yacht carrying two Britons, an American, a Canadian and a Filipino has gone missing while sailing from Hong Kong to the northwestern Philippines at about the time a storm was affecting the region last week.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861108-yacht-carrying-american-2-britons-canadian-filipino-goes-missing-in-south-china-sea/

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Clashes in West Bank city of Nablus



NABLUS: -- Euronews correspondent Mohammed Shaikibrahim reports from Nablus in the West Bank where Israeli security forces entered overnight. It comes after Israel announced that five men from the city had confessed to fatally shooting an Israeli couple last week.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861109-clashes-in-west-bank-city-of-nablus/

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EU top court rules in favour of privacy activist
By Joanna GillFollow



STRASBOURG: -- The EU’s highest court has ruled in favour of an Austrian law student who claims that a trans-Atlantic data protection agreement doesn’t protect consumers, a victory for privacy campaigners and a potential blow to tech giants.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861110-eu-top-court-rules-in-favour-of-privacy-activist/

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France tries to repair its image abroad after violent Air France confrontation



PARIS: -- The French President says scenes of Air France workers attacking managers at Charles de Gaulle airport are unacceptable.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861111-france-tries-to-repair-its-image-abroad-after-violent-air-france-confrontation/

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NATO doubts Russia’s explanation for Turkish airspace incursions



BRUSSELS: -- NATO has cast strong doubt on Russia’s claims that its violations of Turkish airspace at the weekend were a “mistake”.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861113-nato-doubts-russias-explanation-for-turkish-airspace-incursions/