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Thailand Auditor General pressured to resign
BANGKOK: -- - The biggest problem for Jaruvan Maintaka is that she
knows too much - about corrupt politicians, shady tycoons and
multimillion-dollar rip-offs. And that may well cost Thailand's ``Iron
Lady'' her job as the country's first auditor-general. Jaruvan
has been locked out of her office and had her salary frozen, but she
refuses to resign unless King Bhumibol Adulyadej endorses the
government's pick to replace her. In a move with few precedents, the
revered constitutional monarch hasn't signed off on the nomination. The
case has heightened political tensions, generated debate about possible
rifts between the government and Royal Palace and focused the spotlight
on massive corruption in and around the regime of Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra.
Thai faces jail for killing endangered stork
A Thai man faces up to eight years prison on charges that he killed an endangered stork.The greater adjutant stork's population is estimated at only 500 worldwide.The 53-year-old has been charged with hunting, possessing wildlife and carrying a firearm without authorisation in northeastern Buriram province.The man reportedly shot the bird while he was driving his pick-up truck past Huai Sawai reservoir in Buriram.With only 500 adjutant storks left in the world, mainly in South Asia, the bird was the first one sighted in the wild by bird watchers in Thailand in 40 years.Gold set to remain above 9,000 baht
BANGKOK: -- Gold prices have risen over the last five days, with the domestic price including the goldsmith fee exceeding 9,000 baht and expected to increase further well into next year on expectations of more hikes in interest rates, a weaker baht against major currencies and high oil prices."Retail gold trading is very quiet right now, as nobody is buying and selling,'' said Jitti Tangsithpakdi, president of the Gold Traders' Association and Chin Hua Heng Goldsmith outlet."Due to relatively expensive gold prices, buyers are reluctant to purchase, while sellers are waiting for the prices to go up further.''The price of ornamental gold soared to 8,750 baht per baht-weight (15.2 grammes) since Sept 10 compared with 8,600 baht in early September. When taking into consideration the standard 300-baht goldsmith fee, it is 9,050 baht.Property boom in Pattaya and around new airport
BANGKOK: -- Private investors are flocking to grasp big opportunities seen in areas around Suvarnabhumi Airport and Pattaya, and many property projects – both big and small – are in the pipeline, developers told a seminar last week. Entitled “The Development and Business Opportunities around Suvarnabhumi International Airport”, the seminar was organised by Airports of Thailand Plc, The Nation and BizWeek by Krungthep Turakij.Teerachon Manomaiphibul, assistant managing director of Property Perfect, said the new airport would attract many business activities, including air transport services, aerospace equipment, manufacture of chemicals and electronics, freight forwarding, warehousing, delivery businesses, car rental, printing, contracting, building services, parking lots, hotels, travel businesses, machinery and mailing.Post newsmen said their papers are not for sale
BANGKOK: -- A group of over 20 reporters and photographers from the Post Publishing PCL. made a statement against attempt to hold majority stake by entertainment conglomerate GMM Media. Wearing black shirts with the message “Bangkok Post, Post Today : Not for Sale” these newsmen gathered at the Government House to hand out a statement against heavy-handed interference by businesses in editorial independence.Heavy petting in Ayutthaya
BANGKOK: -- These pets don't have to be housebroken because they won't fit in your house.But not just anyone can own an elephant, says Laithongrian Meephan, 47, owner of the Ayutthaya Elephant Farm, 70km north of Bangkok, who is selling about 20 of them.Prices start at two-million baht apiece for the beasts, which he promises are well bred, well trained, well behaved and a source of luck.The sale of wild elephants is forbidden by law, but the Ayutthaya ones on sale are domesticated, the offspring of an "elephant wedding" held several years ago.There are about 140 elephants, including 40 calves, at the farm, where they put on shows and give rides to tourists. -- Sapa-AP 2005-09-20English drug dealers arrested in South Pattaya
We joined Police Colonel Somnook, the Chief of Pattaya Police at house number 106/16 in Soi 17, South Pattaya where he made a major drugs seizure and arrested three men. Two of the arrestees are British Nationals, Mr. Martin Ward aged 39 and Mr. Paul Bangle aged 42. The other man is a Thai, Khun Songlan aged 26. A total of 10 kgs of Marijuana, and 334 Packets of Cialis, which is similar to Viagra, which were later found to be fake, were seized.Tourism picking up as high season approaches
PHUKET: -- A Singapore-based budget airline is to launch a four-times-a-week service to Phuket from October 25, and will be offering special low one-way fares (excluding taxes) of S$22 (520 baht) until December 15.The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hopes the flights by Jetstar Asia, an affiliate of Australia’s Qantas Airways, will attract many Singaporeans to Phuket during the high season.Suwalai Pinpradab, Director of the Phuket TAT Office, told the Gazette she expects tourism to Phuket to return to normal from October: “Korean Air and Asiana plan to fly here from October 16, and we have 40,000 bookings already from Korea.”Phuket Vice-Governor Supachai Yuwaboon said he expected events such as the Vegetarian Festival to boost tourism and help the hotel industry.“Phuket tourism is growing fast, from what we have seen at TAT road shows to many countries in Asia and Europe. Tourists from those countries will come to Phuket again,” V/Gov Supachai said.--Phuket Gazette 2005-09-20Chuwit urges PM to close down massage businesses
BANGKOK: -- Deputy Chart Thai party leader Chuwit Kamolvisit yesterday called on Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to stamp out the prostitution-riddled massage business within the next few years. Earlier widely known for having run several lucrative massage parlours in the Ratchadaphisek road area and nearby, Mr Chuwit suggested Mr Thaksin introduce legislation to criminalise the "modern-day'' massage parlour business, which, he said, not only involves the flesh trade but harbours other illegal dealings.''For the sake of our young generation, the premier should come up with a bill to put an end to all massage businesses in the next three years. Modern-day massage is not only prone to prostitution but encourages gambling and other vices,'' said the maverick lawmaker.About 20 business people currently own leading massage parlours in the Ratchadaphisek road and New Phetchaburi road areas, Mr Chuwit said.BMA plan to change addresses is on hold
BANGKOK: -- Plan by BMA to rearrange street addresses in 25 districts spurs complaints from unhappy residents. In the face of growing complaints, Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin yesterday suspended the city administration’s plan to rearrange the street addresses of some one million homes and businesses in 25 districts across the capital. “We have put the plan on hold after we received complaints from some residents,” Apirak said. He said he had assigned Deputy Bangkok Governor Panich Vikitsret to meet with and gather information from affected residents. The governor said Panich would study the problems and forward information to him for a review within the next few weeks. “Then we will decide whether to scrap or go ahead with the plan,” Apirak said.Miss Thailand resigns her crown
Miss Thailand World 2005 Angela McKay yesterday gave up the crown she had won only 10 days before. The beauty said she was quitting because she wanted to pursue her studies and modelling work in New York. While rumours flew that she had posed for raunchy photographs, her supporters dismissed them and defended her motives as purely personal.“I’m under contract with a modelling agency in New York. I’m willing to step down. I didn’t understand the contract when I applied, because I can’t read Thai,” she said.“It was just for fun, experience and an opportunity to learn more Thai, and I didn’t think I’d win”, said Angela. “During the 10 days I’ve been Miss Thailand World, I’ve felt the duties are too heavy. It’s a shame, but I can’t take it”.South Koreans arrested for double kidnapping
PATTAYA: -- Police yesterday arrested two South Korean men at a Pattaya hotel for abducting two compatriots separately and extorting money from one of them, following business conflicts between the suspects and the victims’ friend. Kim Choen-seob and Son Jung-sik were charged with coercion, assault and criminal conspiracy, as well as possession of illegal firearms for their two unregistered handguns.Govt targets massage parlours
BANGKOK: -- Massage parlours could be hit with higher licence fees or increased taxes under government plans to drive people out of the business. The moves comes in the wake of the controversy over the location of the Alaina massage parlour, opposite a high school on Ratchadapisek road.PM's Office Minister Suranand Vejjajiva, said the government wanted to reduce the number of massage parlours inside and outside areas zoned for entertainment.Tailor arrested for stealing Bt 10M from employer
BANGKOK: -- A tailor has been arrested after he withdrew nearly Bt10 million from his employer’s bank account using bona-fide cheques with forged signatures. Patiwes Kerdboonkhum, 47, intended to use the money to realise his dream of opening his own tailoring shop. But before he could fulfil his plan, police arrested him at a relative’s house in Bangkok’s Wattana district.He now faces charges of theft, forgery and stealing documents. Meanwhile, his wife, allegedly an accomplice, has fled the country. Patiwes came under suspicion after he suddenly stopped going to work, said Pol Lt-Colonel Chotiwat Luangwilai, an inspector at Lumpini Police Station.Government considers two baht coin
BANGKOK: -- The Treasury Department on Wednesday said it planned to re-launch Bt2 coins as a cost-saving measure. You don’t need to be an economics genius to figure out the logic of re-launching the coin. If people switch from Bt1 to Bt2 coins, the cost of churning out the Bt1 mint will be cut in half, sort of. So why don’t they just introduce a Bt3 coin to reduce the production cost to a third of the normal rate? The Treasury Department didn’t say this in its press release, but everyone knows that the word “three-baht” is a jinx. It often conjures up images of the creepy three-baht ghost, the leading character in the popular Thai cartoon series and blockbuster movie of the same name.A Bt4 coin would be no good either because its value would be too close to the Bt5 coin. As a halfway alternative, a Bt2.50 coin would not work because it would be too complicated for people to use in daily life.Ban of cigarette displays starts Saturday
BANGKOK: -- Tobacco-control officials will soon begin checking shops and convenience stores across the country to ensure that they respect the Public Health Ministry’s ban on cigarette displays at points of purchase. The ban starts on Saturday.Disease Control Department deputy director-general Dr Narong Methapat said yesterday officials would only be giving warnings if shops or stores still display cigarette packets when the inspectors visit.Foreign arrivals decline by 10 per cent
BANGKOK:-- In its latest statistics for January to August, the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta) reports that tourist arrivals handled by members at Bangkok International Airport dropped by 10.25 per cent. Atta welcomed 1,540,137 travellers in the first eight months at Don Muang, against 1,716,001 visitors during the same period last year.From January to August, the largest number of tourists were from China with 211,309 visitors, followed by South Korea (198,493), Japan (185,732), Hong Kong (105,581) and Singapore (99,698).Drastic overhaul to be made by Immigration Bureau
PATTAYA: -- Acting Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau Pol Maj Gen Suwat Thamrongsrisakul on September 16-17 presided over a workshop of 500 senior immigration officials, conducted at the Jomtien Palm Beach Hotel and designed to explore ways of moving the bureau forwards.Amongst those attending were Pol Maj-Gen Thanakorn Siri-at, commander of border police region 3, and Pol Maj Gen Surapol Tanakoses, commander of division 2.Pol Maj Gen Suwat said the purpose of the seminar was to gather opinions on updating the bureau’s tactics, and that the new working methods would be adopted from October onwards.Two Marines killed in South Thailand
BANGKOK - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has insisted the entire country is under government control, one day after two soldiers taken hostage were beaten to death by muslim villagers. "There is no liberated zone. Every square inch of Thailand must be under Thai constitution," he told a press conference.On Wednesday, two Thai marines were beaten and stabbed to death, after an 18-hour hostage ordeal that pitted 2,000 Muslim villagers against the military in violence-wracked southern Narathiwat province.Muslim women and children shield marine killers
BANGKOK: -- Suspected Islamist insurgents avoided capture after torturing to death two Thai marines by beating and stabbing the bound-and-gagged victims behind a human shield of defiant Muslim women and children, horrifying the government and plunging southern Thailand into a fresh security crisis. Amid the world's most violent Islamist insurgency outside Iraq, angry and confused security forces hunted the elusive killers, described as three or four young men who ran away, leaving the marines' bloodied bodies in Tanyong Limo village. "They were brutally beaten to death with machetes and sticks, while their hands and legs were tied up, and they were gagged and blindfolded," Lieutenant General Kwanchart Klaharn, commander of the Fourth Army and director of the Southern Border Provinces Peace-building Command, told reporters.
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Wez Barber
on
30/08/2010 07:00:25
The only way of preventing the spread of diseases by Mozzies is the a la Singapore way of total eradication.
Robin Sharpe
on
24/08/2010 07:11:38
No surprise here...
Robin Sharpe
on
19/08/2010 03:21:39
This pooch has been out of the bag for years already. Why stir it up again??
Robin Sharpe
on
18/08/2010 14:52:40
114 years old? Gawd- I hope that I don't live that long!
Wez Barber
on
01/08/2010 14:18:36
And it will keep on happening...
Unfortunately, holidaymakers the world over leave check in their brains with their luggage a lot of the time.
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