Bangkok to have alcohol free zones

BANGKOK, 31 August 2011 (NNT)-Bangkok will have alcohol free zones across the city with the move determined to curb violence that often stems from binge drinking.

Deputy Permanent Secretary for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) MD. Peerapong Saicheua will sign the memorandum of understanding with MD. Narong Sahamethapat, the Deputy Permanent Secretary for Public Health, to enforce an alcohol free zone on every public park, government building and police station.

Selling, drinking and advertising alcohol will be prohibited in these places. Alcoholic drinks can only be sold in a shop or a club. The legal age to drink alcohol is 20 years and over. Sales of alcohol will be limited to two periods. From 11.00 hrs – 14.00 hrs and from 17.00 hrs – 24.00 hrs.

Thailand to crack down on insults against the monarchy

Thailand's new government has vowed to crack down on what it described as online insults against the revered monarchy, despite widespread criticism of the country's strict lese majeste rules.

Yingluck Shinawatra won't reform strict lese majeste 

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said insulting Thailand's royals was "unacceptable" and identified an online campaign as an immediate priority.

"The first thing I must tackle as a matter of urgency are those lese majeste websites. They are not allowed during this government," he told reporters in comments that come within weeks of the new Thai government's taking power.

"I will set up a war room, a working group to take care of this immediately, starting today. It must be done as soon as possible."

Under Thailand's lese majeste legislation, anybody convicted of insulting the king, queen, heir or regent faces up to 15 years in prison.

The laws have come under heavy criticism from rights groups, which have expressed concern that they were used to suppress freedom of expression under the last government, considered close to the establishment.

Soon after winning the July 3 election, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said the rules should not be abused.
But in a sign she did not want direct confrontation with the country's powerful elites, Yingluck stopped short of saying she would reform the legislation.
Tens of thousands of web pages have been removed from the internet for allegedly insulting the monarchy in recent years.
Discussion of the monarchy's role is a long-standing taboo in politically divided Thailand.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 83, the world's longest-reigning monarch and revered as a demi-god by many Thais, has been in hospital since September 2009.

Bt8 bn sought for TAT's 'Miracle Thailand' campaign

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will ask the government for Bt8.4 billion to finance its new 2011-2012 tourism campaign, "Miracle Thailand".

The Cabinet will be asked to approve the budget by next month before the new financial year kicks off in October. This new campaign will replace TAT's long-running "Amazing Thailand" theme.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who presented her government's tourism policies to the Cabinet, hopes to boost total visitors to 30 million per year in the next four years. The private sector has predicted that the country would have more than 19 million tourists this year. The new government is also hoping to boost tourism income to Bt2 trillion per year by 2016.

TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni said the country's tourism industry needed more money to achieve its goals, adding that the additional funding would be spent mostly on marketing activities both in local and foreign markets.

Kongkrit Hirankit, vice president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, has called on Yingluck to help push the tourism industry forward because it desperately needs the confidence of operators overseas.

Suraphon said tourists were returning to Thailand after the July 3 general elections, and the industry should pick up significantly if there are no threats.

"The number of international tourists at Suvarnabhumi Airport grew by 30 per cent from August 1 to 20. This is a very good sign for high season this year," he said.

In the first seven months of this year, Thailand has already welcomed more than 11 million tourists despite ongoing political activities.

However, TAT is preparing to deal with the economic slowdown in key markets like Europe and last week's earthquake in the United States, which may halt inbound traffic.

"All TAT offices in the US and Europe were told to keep an eye on the situation, but continue selling Thailand because it is still a value-for-money destination compared to other countries in the region," Suraphon said.

Meanwhile, TCT has suggested that the government and TAT focus on regional markets and reclaim visitors from key markets such as Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong. Tourism authorities are also urged to capture emerging markets like India, China and Russia.

Killer of NZ croquet chief nabbed

Syrian ex-commando admits stabbing New Zealander in Jomtien after row
A former Syrian Army commando has been arrested in connection with the murder of Charles Edmund Jones, late president of the World Croquet Federation, in Jones's rented condominium in Chon Buri's Jomtien area on Monday night.

The New Zealander's body was discovered in the condominium with multiple stab wounds on Tuesday.

Provincial Police Region 2 chief Lt-General Thangai Prasajaksatru and Pattaya Police superintendent Col Nanthawut Suwanla-ong yesterday presented the suspect, 21-year-old Mohamad Shanar Ryad, at a press conference along with the victim's notebook, cell phones and wristwatch, which were reportedly stolen, as well as a pocket knife they alleged was the murder weapon.

Ryad reportedly told police he met Jones on August 19 in South Pattaya. He said Jones invited him to smoke marijuana with him in his room and paid him Bt400 to perform oral sex on him. Ryad claimed that on Monday night, Jones invited him to his room again, but the pair got into an argument, during which Jones pulled a knife on him and attempted to sexually assault him. According to police, Ryad admitted to using his pocket knife to stab the victim about 20 times before fleeing with Jones's valuables and hiding at the room of Ryad's Thai girlfriend in Soi Chalermphrakiat 19.

Thangai said police had determined that Ryad came to Thailand as a refugee with the assistance of the United Nations after serving as an army commando in Syria.

He had travelled between Thailand and Malaysia frequently over the past four years and was recently fired from his job as a cook at a Pattaya restaurant before moving in with his girlfriend, Thangai said. Police took the suspect to re-enact the crime at the Jomtien condo yesterday.

In related news, police have arrested an alleged hitman, ranked 16th on their most-wanted list of professional killers, in connection with several murders in Nakhon Sawan. The suspect had evaded police efforts to arrest him and taken a job as a security guard at Suvarnbhumi Airport before quitting work, going into hiding and seeking treatment for gout, they said.

Bundit (also known as Sathit) Tomoung, 53, was arrested while lying low in his hometown in Nakhon Sawan's Chumsaeng district, Pol Colonel Supat Pheungphuang told a press conference at Metropolitan Police Headquarters yesterday.

Halt to oil levy approved

Big cuts in petrol, diesel prices today; gasohol unaffected

The National Energy Policy Committee yesterday resolved to suspend the Oil Fund levy on diesel as well as octane-95 and octane-91 petrol, effective today.

The Oil Fund now collects Bt7.50 per litre from octane-95 petrol. This will also affect the excise tax, which is calculated on the overall price.

The octane-95 petrol price will immediately come down by Bt8.02 per litre: Bt7.50 as the contribution to the Oil Fund and Bt0.52 as excise tax. The price of octane-91 will drop by Bt7.17, and that of diesel by Bt3 per litre. After the cuts, octane-95 petrol will retail at Bt39.32 a litre, down from Bt47.34, while octane-91 will drop to Bt34.77 from Bt41.94. Diesel will cost Bt26.99, down from Bt29.99.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, chairing the committee's meeting for the first time yesterday, said that the approval of the government policy to reduce the price of petrol and diesel by lowering the levies on these fuels to the Oil Fund has been granted. The matter has now been handed to the Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO) for further implementation.

In addition, the meeting approved a study to be undertaken to determine what impact the levy reductions will have on gasohol, and whether the Oil Fund will be used to subsidise alternative energy prices. The outline of the intended study has been forwarded to the EPPO for further consideration.

The Energy Policy Administration Committee, chaired by Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan, also met yesterday after the meeting of the National Energy Policy Committee.

Pichai said after the meeting that the committee agreed to reduce the price of octane-95 petrol, octane-91 petrol and diesel starting at 6 am today. The resulting price reduction of these fuels across the country will follow the approval of the National Energy Policy Committee.

"The policy will wipe out Bt1.6 billion in monthly contributions to the fund," Pichai said, adding that the compensation would run up to about Bt3 billion.

Last night, a ministry caravan kicked off an inventory check for the calculation of compensation to fuel station owners.

Retailers to be compensated

To shield oil traders from losses on fuel remaining in storage that will now be sold at the new lower prices, the commission has allocated Bt3 billion to compensate filling stations. In addition, the commission has approved Bt7 million for Energy Ministry officials and provincial energy departments to inspect the inventory of 17,000 filling stations across the country from midnight last night to 6am today.

With regard to the expected loss of Bt6.16 billion from levy deductions to the Oil Fund, it is worth noting that the fund has a current outstanding balance of Bt1.06 billion. The expected cash flow to the fund is Bt15 billion, which is sufficient to subsidise gasohol, NGV and LPG to January of next year. After that period, the Energy Fund Administration Institute (EFAI) will consider borrowing from financial institutions or issuing government bonds for an amount of Bt20 billion, which will be used to continue subsidies and will need to be approved by the EPPO.

Prasert Bunsumpun, CEO of PTT, expressed his concern over the suspension of the Oil Fund levy, stressing that the inventory inspection and compensation to oil traders before and after the price changes must be transparent and fair to all parties. PTT is also concerned whether the government is able to fund subsidies for price differences between petrol and gasohol, and whether these funds come from the Oil Fund or from reduction of excise taxes. If the government is committed to fund and maintain the price differences, then PTT will go ahead with its plans to invest in alternative energy.

Accordingly, Prasert believes that the measure will not affect the financial status of the Oil Fund because it's a short-term policy. But if there is not enough money, the government will have to borrow to make up any shortfalls.

He further stated that these price reductions will not affect the consumption of LPG and NGV, because the price of these fuels is still lower. However, if the government has to cap the price of NGV at Bt8.50 per kg, then the government may have to find ways to support this low price.

Seree Denworalak, president of the Thai Tapioca Traders Association, said that the government should have measures to keep the gap between the price of benzene and gasohol at Bt6 per litre in order to ensure a stable price for cassava.

"The government previously announced that it would have some measure to shoulder the cost of gasohol and keep the retail price lower than benzene. It should urgently consider reducing collection for excise tax to help promote the use of gasohol," he said.

Seree added that the government might also provide soft loans or subsidise the retail price of gasohol for a while.

The market price of cassava is currently quoted at Bt2.20-2.30 a kilogram. If the price remains stable, farmers will not suffer from the lower price of petrol, he noted.

Broke Brit in Pattaya Fed By Thai Beer Bar Hostesses

A middle-aged Londoner wants return to England after hitting rock bottom in Pattaya. Kind Thai people have given him food everyday. He is upset with the British government for not assisting him although he has paid taxes throughout his life. He is grateful to the Thai police since they will send him back to the UK. If he has the chance he wants to return to Thailand again.

Pattaya, August 24, 2011 Police Colonel Chusak Panasumporn, Immigration Director, Chonburi, together with Police Lieutenant Colonel Prapansak Prasarnsuk, Deputy Immigration Director , Chonburi were notified of a destitute foreigner walking around beer bars near the Beach Road in Pattaya.
Upon arrival police find the foreigner: Mr Smit Chistopher Paul age 57, British citizen. Mr Smit is glad to see the police team and he gives them his passport. He tells them that he is down and out, hungry and thirsty but the beer bar women buy him food and drink. Since he ran out of money on July 2011 he had no where to sleep. He added that the persons responsible for English people in Thailand never helped him. He has been coming to Thailand every year for four years continuously, but this time he he ran out money. He says he wants to go back to his hometown to see his family, he has eight children; seven girls and one boy. He added that he will come back to Thailand again, the country he loves very much.
After investigation, Police Lieutenant Colonel Prapansak Prasarnsuk, found Mr Smit’s passport had expired. Later they took Mr Smit to the Immigration Service facilities and let him take a bath, provide him food and water. Thereafter Mr Smit’s case was handled according to the Thai immigration law in order to have him repatriated to England.
Mr. Smit was pleased to know that he would to return his home country and his family.

Four Thai 'red-shirt' protesters jailed for 34 years

 

Many of the red-shirts were loyal to ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra

Four protesters in Thailand have been jailed for 34 years each for their part in anti-government unrest last year.

They were among 21 people charged with involvement in an arson attack on a town hall in Ubon Ratchathani in north-east Thailand.
They belonged to the red-shirt movement, broadly loyal to ousted Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra.
His sister is now prime minister, following an election win in July.
The red-shirts held more than two months of protest in Bangkok last year aimed at forcing the previous government, led by the Democrat Party's Abhisit Vejjajiva, to step down.
Sporadic protests were also held in towns outside the capital, particularly in the north-east where Mr Thaksin remains very popular.
A total of 21 people were tried over the attack in Ubon Ratchathani in May.
"Four were found guilty and sentenced to life in prison, but as they cooperated the court commuted the sentence to 34 years," an official told AFP news agency.
Nine others were acquitted and the rest received shorter jail terms.
Mr Thaksin was ousted by the military in a 2006 coup, but parties loyal to him have won both subsequent elections.
A court ruling forced his allies from power in late 2008, allowing Mr Abhisit to form a government.
The red-shirts called his government illegal and, 15 months later, occupied key Bangkok streets in a bid to force him to step down.
More than 90 people died in the subsequent unrest, most of them red-shirt protesters.