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Thailand Live Tuesday 4 Oct 2011


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Thailand Live Tuesday 4 October 2011

News, Bits and Tweets

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Keep up to date with live updates from the news, hour by hour.

For breaking news,national, regional and international news updates on a daily basis only, this thread is closed to commentary so that those who wish to follow the news can find it here...

Commentary is still open for Thailand news in the relevant thread posted in News Clippings.

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Related topic: Thailand Live Monday 3 Oct 2011

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461 drug dealers in the capital

The Nation

There are 461 retail drug dealers in 179 slums and communities in 48 Bangkok districts, except for Sathorn and Bang Rak districts, the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) announced yesterday.

There are no details about big-time dealers or sub agents at any scale larger than the retail level provided in the ONCB report read out yesterday at a press conference by secretary-general Pol General Adul Saengsingkaew.

There are no explanations why there are no retail dealers in both districts, possibly whether because they are no slums in those areas which are prime properties and business districts and residences of well-to-do people.

In a breakdown by police precincts, there are 26 dealers in Phra Khanong police jurisdiction, 23 in Pracha Chuen police’s and 21 in Bang Khen police’s, said Adul, citing the report.

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-- The Nation 2011-10-04

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FAMILIARISATION TRIP

Yingluck to visit Burma tomorrow

The Nation

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will make a one-day official visit to Burma tomorrow, during which she is expected to discuss anti-narcotics smuggling efforts and illegal immigrant workers, among other issues.

Yingluck said yesterday that during the visit, she would have a discussion with Burmese leaders about boosting bilateral ties, particularly involving trade and investment. The opening of more permanent border crossing points would also be discussed, she said.

At Government House, she took part in recording a special television programme chronicling the Burma visit.

The visit, Yingluck's first to Burma as prime minister, comes as Burma is the focus of significant international attention following last year's general election.

Yingluck is scheduled to leave Bangkok military airport at 1.30 pm tomorrow on a flight to Naypyidaw, Burma's new administrative capital. There, she is scheduled to pay a visit to Burmese President Thein Sein, before taking part in a meeting between Thai and Burmese leaders.

The Burmese president is to host a dinner for the Thai leader in the evening. Yingluck and her entourage are scheduled to return to Bangkok shortly before midnight on the same day.

Later this month, the prime minister is scheduled to visit other member countries of Asean: Malaysia on October 10, Singapore on the following day and Vietnam on October 17. She will visit China between October 19 and 21.

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-- The Nation 2011-10-04

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Floods threaten Lop Buri temple's murals

The Nation

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The Fine Arts Department yesterday expressed concern that ancient stucco wall decorations and murals at the Lai Temple in heavily inundated Lop Buri will fade if they are submerged in flood water for too long.

"I am waiting to hear detailed reports from local officials," said the department's director general, Soamsuda Leeyawanich. "I've been told the flooding has caused serious damage to many historical sites, especially those in Lop Buri."

Lop Buri is among the provinces that have been hit hardest by the floods.

Stucco artworks at the Lai Temple date back to the Ayutthaya period (1350-1767), said Soamsuda, who also lamented damage done to the Phra That Muen Kruen in Lop Buri.

"We will urgently repair the structure," she said.

She said her department did not have sufficient funds to construct permanent embankments to protect historical sites.

"We can only form sandbags and try to pump flood water out for now, then restore the structures later," she said.

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-- The Nation 2011-10-04

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Supreme Patriarch honoured

Pakamard Jaichalard

The Nation

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Their Majesties the King and Queen yesterday graciously presented a flower vase to the Supreme Patriarch for his 98th birthday.

The Supreme Patriarch's Secretary Office will distribute Khum Phai amulets to police and military officers in the deep South on October 25 at Santi Worakhun Temple in Songkhla's Sadao district to lift their spirits.

At Bovornniwet Temple, Privy Councillor Ampol Senanarong, on behalf of Their Majesties, passed the flower vase for the Supreme Patriarch to Somdet Phra Wanrat.

Then 19 senior monks recited prayers while a merit-making ceremony to offer food and other necessities to 499 monks was held at Wachirayanawong Building.

Another robe-offering ceremony was held at the temple's hall at 3pm to procure medical equipment and supplies for Paholpolpayuhasena Hospital in Kanchanaburi for the Patriarch's merit.

In the temple compound, well-wishers wrote messages for the Patriarch's birthday at the Supreme Patriarch's Secretary Office and the Tamnak Phetch Pavilion. They received sacred amulets as souvenirs.

A Siriraj Hospital medical team set up a booth offering free health check-ups for the public at Wat Bovornniwet School near the temporary almshouse.

The Supreme Patriarch, who is undergoing treatment at Chulalongkorn Hospital, went alms collecting in the hospital in the morning for the occasion. At 4pm, he granted an audience to the public through a sterile room.

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-- The Nation 2011-10-04

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Drainage workers rally over changes

The Nation

Employees of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Department of Drainage and Sewerage (DDS) rallied in the Giant Swing area outside City Hall yesterday, complaining that 424 employees' job contracts had not been renewed at the beginning of the month.

Workers on yearly contracts with the canal system section threatening to file a lawsuit with the Administrative Court, and called for contracts to be renewed for another year. They said their contracts were changed two months ago to six-monthly arrangements.

Demonstrators said the sudden change affected their incomes - especially elderly employees with low education. If they didn't get justice, they would take complaints to the Justice Ministry and court. The protest dissolved at around 3pm after negotiations.

DDS executive Jirasak Jiwarak said the contract problems were due to a system change and plan to tackle the budget shortage by outsourcing to the private sector. After reviewing contracts in 15 days, they would pay compensation to the employees.

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-- The Nation 2011-10-04

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Body to discuss provincial wages

The Nation

The Central Wage Committee will meet tomorrow to consider proposed hikes in the daily minimum wage from all provincial subcommittees, Somkiat Chayasriwong, permanent secretary of the Labour Ministry, said yesterday.

He heads the centre to help carry out the government's policy to raise the minimum wage to Bt300 across the country.

Currently, the minimum wage ranges from Bt159 in Phayao to Bt221 in Phuket.

Labour Minister Phadermchai Sasomsap said the subcommittees in most provinces had agreed with raising the minimum wage by 40 per cent on January 1.

The subcommittees for 23 provinces have asked for a hike of only 30-35 per cent.

The subcommittees for Buri Ram and Mukdahan have resolved that the minimum wage should be raised by more than 80 per cent to Bt300 from just Bt166 in Buri Ram and Bt155 in Mukdahan now.

"The wage subcommittees for Chaiyaphum, Prachin Buri, Nong Bua Lamphu and Phatthalung have also pushed for a hike of over 40 per cent," he said.

The subcommittee for Samut Songkhram has asked for an increase of 40 per cent on January 1 and an increment to Bt300 within three years.

"In Bueng Kan, there's no subcommittee in action yet," he said.

The subcommittees for Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Rayong and Surat Thani had not yet reached a conclusion, Phadermchai said.

Somkiat said his centre had listened to the opinions of all parties.

"We're implementing the government's policy to raise the daily minimum wage to Bt300 with caution," he said.

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-- The Nation 2011-10-04

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Darunee to surrender to police today, reds say

The Nation

Fugitive red-shirt Darunee Kritboonyalai will turn herself in to police today, and other wanted leaders still at large will follow suit later, Pheu Thai MP and red-shirt leader Natthawut Saikua said yesterday.

Natthawut said other fugitive red shirts like Arisman Pongruangrong, Jakrapob Penkair, and Jaran Dittha-apichai would surrender later but he did not know exactly when. Jaran is believed to have returned to Thailand.

On Sunday, Darunee crossed the border from Cambodia in her car. She was fined for having failed to complete the usual immigration procedure when leaving the country.

After dispersal of the red-shirt protests last year, some leaders surrendered to police to face charges of terrorism in connection with the unrest and riots, but many fled across to Cambodia.

Darunee would turn herself in at Lumpini police station, her lawyer Karom Polthaklang said. She had received a summons for her arrest, not an arrest warrant, he said.

Unlike other red shirts, she has not been charged with terrorism but is accused of violating the Internal Security Act, according to Department of Special Investigation chief Tarit Pengdith.

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-- The Nation 2011-10-04

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Microsoft (Thailand) aims to become a services company

JIRAPAN BOONNOON

THE NATION

Microsoft (Thailand) plans to transform itself from a software firm into a services company within the next four years.

Meanwhile, the firm is today opening a pilot Microsoft Experi-ence Zone at Pantip Plaza to serve as a showroom and demonstration centre for the US giant

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-- The Nation 2011-10-04

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Chaiwattanaram Temple in Ayutthaya sees 3m flooding; dyke at Sakae Temple in Pathum Thani collapses/TAN_Network

Floodwaters pour into Ayutthaya's Wat Chai Wattanaram 1.5 metres high; workers rush to strengthen makeshift dyke, pump water out of ancient temple/Mcot

Traffic on Chao Phraya River barred from 3pm onwards for royal barge procession practice/TAN_Network

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LPG levy seen unlikely to hit petrochemical firms hard

NALIN VIBOONCHART

THE NATION

Petrochemical operators will not feel much effect from the policy to collect Bt1 per kilogram of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) sales for the Oil Fund, said industry analysts.

Even PTT Chemical, which sees LPG demand of 400,000 tonnes per year, is likely to face minimal impact from the measure as the planned merger with PTT Aromatics and Refining (PTTAR), one of the suppliers of LPG to PTTCH, will allow the company to use LPG as feedstock internally without purchasing it.

Meanwhile, it is unclear whether users of LPG as feedstock, not as fuel, will be required to pay this contribution to the Oil Fund.

Patiphan Sukhonthaman, vice president of finance and accounting for PTTCH, yesterday said the details of the policy had not been finalised.

The company believes that the Energy Ministry will meet with the petrochemical producers |and discuss the policy in detail before its implementation in January.

He believes producers that use LPG as a raw material, rather than as a fuel, should not have to pay this levy, as its end use would be to create value-added petrochemical products.

PTTCH so far has not evaluated the increased cost from this measure. Currently, it mostly buys LPG from PTT, while some feedstock is from other suppliers, including PTTAR.

The National Energy Policy Council last week resolved that the petrochemical industry had to contribute Bt1 per kilogram to the Oil Fund for LPG trading.

This measure is meant to reduce the burden of importing LPG.

Veerasak Kositpaisal, president and chief executive officer of PTTCH, said the impact to the company would be minimal, |as LPG is not a major raw material. The company mainly relies on ethane for petrochemical |production.

Bowon Vongsinudom, president and CEO of PTTAR, said that once the company and PTTCH merged to form PTT Global Chemical, the LPG purchase transaction would end automatically. Thus PTTCH would not have to contribute this levy to the Oil Fund.

PTTAR also supplies LPG to SCG Chemical, but a lower amount than its supply to PTTCH.

Atikom Terbsiri, senior executive vice president for corporate strategy and planning at IRPC, said LPG was a by-product from its refinery business and was used as a raw material for the petrochemical business, so it should not be required to contribute the levy to the Oil Fund.

Kim Eng Securities (Thailand) said in its research that the levy would cost PTTCH US$33 (Bt990) per tonne. However, the proportion of LPG feedstock is lower than ethane, which is the main raw material of PTTCH. Therefore PTTCH, which buys LPG from PTT, is estimated to contribute Bt300 million per year to the Oil Fund, accounting for 1.2 per cent of its profit next year as estimated by Kim Eng. And if some of the LPG feedstock is purchased from PTTAR, the impact will be lower after the merger is completed.

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-- The Nation 2011-10-04

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AUTOMOBILE

Govt policy hits Ford Fiesta

The Nation

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Ford Thailand's complaint over the government's first-car buyer policy prompted sales of its Fiesta model to drop by 20 per cent last month to the lowest level since February.

Customers cancelled reservations for more than 600 units last month.

Fiestas account for 70 per cent of the company

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-- The Nation 2011-10-04

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