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Man City's election strike
2007-11-16 16:09:00
In a move reeking of politics, Britain's Manchester City club - now owned by deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra - on Friday signed three Thai players and announced plans to set up a football academy. "Manchester City has signed up the Thai international footballers Suree Sukkha, Kiatprawut Saivaew and Teerasilp Dsangda and our world famous Manchester City Academy will open a centre in Thailand to help produce Thai football stars of the future," said team manager Sven-Goran Eriksson at the signing ceremony held at Bangkok's posh Conrad Hotel. Observers have questioned the timing of the sign-up, noting that the Thai footballers would not be able to play for the Club until January. With a general election scheduled on December 23, the outcome of which will determine whether Thaksin can return "safely" to the country, there is little doubt that Manchester City's local recruiting was linked to local politics. "I think everyone knows the motives,&...
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Thai climbers abandon Everest
2007-11-15 15:55:00
A nine-member Thai team trying to climb Mount Everest has been forced to abandon the climb less than 350 metres from the summit. Reports from Kathmandu said on Wednesday evening the expedition, with four staffers of TiTV, three members of the Royal Thai Navy and two others, was forced to turn back by bad weather. "The safety of our members is our first concern," the Thai Embassy in Kathmandu told the Indian news agency IANS. "The team is now coming down." The climb was devised as part of a tribute to His Majesty the King on his 80th birthday. The Thai Everest Expedition reached the 8,500-metre mark on the climb before being forced off the mountain. It is also the only team so far to attempt to scale Mt Everest from the Nepal side this autumn, in sharp contrast to last spring, when dozens of climbers had headed for the 8,848-metre summit. (From agency reports) Source Bangkokpost
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Philippines bomb kills moderate Muslim
2007-11-14 15:49:00
Manila - A massive, remotely detonated bomb killed three people including its apparent target, Representative Wahab Akbar, a former Muslim rebel who ran for Congress and backed a military offensive against Islamic militants. Radio reports said 11 people were rushed to hospitals, many of them suffering shrapnel injuries and burns from the blast. Among the injured was another congressman, Henry Teves, who was said to be in a serious condition from the bomb, which hit the south lobby of the sprawling complex in suburban Quezon City shortly after most congressman had left for the evening, officials said. Manila police chief Geary Barias said initial investigations showed the bomb was planted on a motorcycle parked near Akbar's car, prompting media to speculate the congressman may have been the target of the attack. Akbar, 47, had spoken in the past of his links with the founder of the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group, Abubakar Abdurajak Janjalani. He had twice served as govern...
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Sonthi rules out running for a seat
2007-11-13 16:48:00
Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Boonyaratkalin declared yesterday he will not run for election to the House or the Senate, but did not rule out holding ministerial office again in the future. Gen Sonthi said he already had other engagements planned after the interim government's term ends. ''Sporting activities such as football, tennis and golf will be my reward for a long year of hard work,'' the coup leader said after attending a seminar at the National Defence College. ''I won't enter politics for sure. The idea has never crossed my mind. You can make a contribution to the country whatever your profession,'' he said. Asked what his response would be if the new government offered him a ministerial portfolio, he said that was a matter for the future. He had no idea who would invite him. Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has assigned the former army chief to oversee security policy and to crack down on vote-buying in the Dec 23 election. People Power party leader S...
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'$100 laptops' start to deliver
2007-11-12 17:06:00
BangkokPost.com, with agency reports Low-cost notebook computers once considered for mass purchase and giveaways by the Thaksin Shinawatra government are rolling off the production lines in China. The first of the XO laptops being built at a Quanta Computer facility in Changshu are destined for Uruguay, marking a milestone for the charity group founded by Nicholas Negroponte in Massachusetts two years ago. "Against all the naysayers ... we have developed and now manufactured the world's most advanced and greenest laptop and one designed specifically to instill a passion for learning in children," Negroponte said. A challenge for the organization has been that governments have not backed effusive words of support with willing flows of cash to buy laptops for children inside their borders. Mr Negroponte at one time thought he had convinced Mr Thaksin to buy one million of the small, unique notebooks in order to give them away to Thai school children, the original...
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Police arrest man over 10 murders
2007-11-11 12:05:00
Security guards sleeping on the job led to killing spree By Post reporters A security guard who had beaten 10 fellow workers to death was arrested yesterday, bringing an end to his fatal dislike of guards who liked taking a nap on duty. Witaya Jaikhan, a security guard at Samitivej Srinakarintara Hospital, confessed to police he had ''wiped out'' those he said took advantage of their bosses and did not deserve to be paid for sleeping on the job. The 30-year-old, who had worked as a security guard for slightly more than one year, decided to punish other security guards after his attempts to wake them failed. ''I used to wake them up, but they scolded me. So I've remained enraged since then,'' said Mr Witaya. Since January he killed 10 and seriously wounded eight others, according to Metropolitan police chief Assawin Kwanmuang. His latest offence occurred on Nov 4 when he beat a guard at a pawnshop on Navamin road. Mr Witaya told police that his crimes were...
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Sonthi plays coup card
2007-11-10 12:38:00
BangkokPost.com Coup leader Sonthi Boonyaratkalin refused to rule out staging another coup d'etat if the People Power party (PPP) loyal to ex-premier Thaksin Shinwatra wins the election on December 23. "It is a future matter that we shall have to wait and see," Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi said when he was asked whether a coup will be staged if PPP gets to form a new government. He also countered PPP leader Samak Sundaravej's statement that the party's victory will mean ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra was right all along, saying that the court is the only one to decide whether Mr Thaksin committed any wrongdoing. "Laws, not statements of anyone, will tell whether he is right or wrong," Gen Sonthi told reporters. He also challenged Mr Thaksin to return to Thailand, saying "he can return now so we can prosecute him." Meanwhile, acting chairman of the Council for National Security (CNS) Chalit Phukphasuk said the CNS is not worried if Mr Sa...
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Tourists stranded on Samui, flights grounded
2007-11-09 18:08:00
SUPAPONG CHAOLAN & NUCHAREE RAKRUN More than 1,000 tourists were left stranded at Samui airport yesterday as torrential rain battered the resort island and other parts of the South. The bad weather grounded planes on Koh Samui and at Surat Thani airport on the mainland. Tourists and local residents struggled to return to hotels and homes along roads submerged under deep floodwater. The air force was called in to help. ''We had to use our six-wheel trucks to help them. Otherwise they could not have returned to their hotels and homes on such flooded roads,'' said Flight Lieutenant Surapong Sarakul. Surat Thani governor Winai Buapradit declared six tambons and 11 villages on the island disaster zones. Soldiers were assigned to help people carry their belongings out of flooded areas. Samui airport was turned into a temporary shelter for stranded tourists as Bangkok Airways, which has a monopoly on all flights in and out of Samui airport, cancelled all its 72 fl...
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Thaksin calls home to end PPP list row
2007-11-09 17:48:00
POST REPORTERS Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday intervened to end rifts in the People Power party (PPP) over party-list candidates running in a cluster including Bangkok, a party source said. Mr Thaksin called from London to plead for unity in the PPP, saying as the list could not be changed, members should focus their energy on the general election, the source said. The ousted premier had blamed secretary-general Surapong Suebwonglee and Newin Chidchob for causing the problem by adjusting names on the list hours before registration for party-list candidates started on Wednesday. The unexpected change, which elevated United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship of Thailand (UDDT) leaders Jatuporn Prompan and Manit Jitjanklab into the top five positions on the party list, led to threats by 32 politicians running for Bangkok constituencies to resign. They were concerned about their ability to draw support from Bangkok voters if Mr Jatuporn and Mr Manit ca...
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King returns to palace
2007-11-08 15:34:00
His Majesty the King left Siriraj Hospital on Wednesday after making a "significant recovery" from 25 days of treatment. Hundreds of well-wishers in yellow shirts gathered at the hospital to get a glimpse of the world's longest-reining monarch. His Majesty, wearing pink blazer and black trousers, left the hospital at 11.30am, with thousands of well-wishers shouting "Long Live the King" as he passed. His Majesty, who was admitted on Oct 13 after experiencing weakness on the right of his body, was accompanied by members of the royal family, including Her Majesty the Queen and their eldest child, Princess Ubolratana. Before leaving the hospital, His Majesty, moving on his own with the help of a walker, paid respect to the statutes of his late father and mother situated in the hall of the hospital. He was scheduled to return to Chitralada Palace , where thousands of Thais lined along the motorcade route to get a glimpse of the 79-year-old monarch. In its lat...

Seven killed by rebels in bomb, gun attacks
2007-11-06 15:49:00
Southern insurgents killed seven people yesterday, including two Muslim religious leaders and two village headmen, in separate attacks. Insurgents yesterday morning placed a bomb, which was attached to a bottle of acid used in the production of rubber sheets, on a road near the Aisatia railway station in Narathiwat's Cho Airong district before detonating it by remote control. The target was a patrol unit. The explosion seriously injured two passers-by, Suraida Mareusa, 29, and a 15-year-old boy, Arfundee Dolor, who arrived at the scene at the same time as the patrol unit. The officers were unhurt. Police said insurgents are now increasingly attaching explosives to bottles of acid to attack patrol units. In Yala, a village head and a village defence volunteer were shot dead in Yaha district yesterday morning. Binsor Masae, 48, the village head in Baju village, and Aree Samae, 36, were attacked by unidentified gunmen. The attackers stopped Binsor's car on the Patae-Bannang...
More About: Bomb , Attacks , Killed , Tacks , Attack

Embassy aids arrested Thais in Kuwait
2007-11-05 16:24:00
Thai embassy officials have met with Thai workers involved in a massive brawl in Kuwait on Thursday and are providing them with legal and other assistance, Labour Ministry spokesman Pairoj Suksamrit said. About 20 Thai workers are being detained by the Kuwaiti authorities for drinking alcohol, an offence usually punished by one month's detention followed by deportation. About 300 Egyptian workers stormed a camp occupied by 200 Thai workers on Thursday. The clash erupted after some drunken Thai workers intruded on the camp site's Muslim prayer room, Thai ambassador to Kuwait Dusit Chantasen said. Labour permanent secretary Juthathawat Intharasuksri said the remaining Thai workers had been transferred to a new camp after the incident. The ministry is carrying out its own investigation into the cause of the clash. Source  By Penchan Charoensuthipan  Bangkokpost
More About: Arrested , Embassy , Aids , Wait

King becoming more mobile every day
2007-11-04 13:09:00
His Majesty the King 's health continued to improve yesterday and he is now finding it easier to move around with the aid of a walker, according to the latest update on his condition. The Royal Household Bureau also announced yesterday that results of a blood test on His Majesty showed no major problems. The announcement also said there had been progress in the treatment of Princess Galyani Vadhana, the King's elder sister who is also being treated at Siriraj Hospital. The Princess' speech has become clearer and she is able to move her right hand with greater ease. The team of royal physicians is providing her with physical therapy and has increased the volume of intravenous feeding, the announcement said.
More About: Mobile

Supaksorn will doing One?s Best for Opening ? Closing Ceremony of SEA Games
2007-11-02 17:32:00
  Mr. Supawat Jongsiri or “Supaksorn”, the responsible man of the Opening – Closing of the 24th SEA Games 2007, reveals the progress of preparation that presently we will speed up working against time because had a few days before starting the competition at this period the Com Art Limited, went to schools in Nakhon Ratchasima province to choose 15,000 performers join in the Opening-Closing ceremony and we had the performers from 38 institutes to joining too.         ;  He expected the choosing of performer will completed on this October and next will already starting practice on November 1 2007, then will using real location which is His Majesty the King’s 80th Birthday Anniversary Sport Complex to practice on December 1 2007.         ;  For the grand rehearsal on December 4 2007, he said that from the primary schedule, the Organizing Committee of the 24th SEA Games 2007...
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Thaksin kicks in more funds
2007-10-26 07:13:00
Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has pledged more funds to back Sven-Goran Eriksson in the January transfer market, the British media reported Thursday.Thaksin has already spent 40 million pounds on new players since his summer takeover of the Eastlands outfit, or about 2.8 billion baht.This is despite having nearly 100 billion baht of his assets frozen in Thailand.Thaksin has already earmarked more money for Eriksson to continue his astonishing start to life with the Blues, according to the SportingLife.com website on Thursday morning.The move seems to indicate that Thaksin is not intimidated either by threats in Thailand to seize assets to pay his children's tax bill, or a new investigation by the military-appointed Assets Scrutiny Commission into the source of the funds Thaksin used to complete his City buy-out earlier this year.Currently third in the top flight, Manchester City are to play former champions Chelsea on Saturday knowing victory will take them an amazing se...
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Surayud welcomes NLA ethics scrutiny
2007-10-07 06:58:00
PM says he declined favour for Prasong Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said he is no saint, but welcomes parliament scrutiny of the land he owns in Nakhon Ratchasima. Speaking on the weekly television programme Perd Baan Phitsanulok, Gen Surayud said he was ready to explain his acquisition of the land in a forest reserve on Khao Yai Thiang mountain. He is likely to undergo grilling by members of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) during an ethics debate in parliament later this week. The ethics motion was filed last week by a group of NLA members who wanted to question cabinet members about their performance. But some members withdrew their signatures following reports Gen Surayud would face the onslaught. The prime minister said not everyone is "pure and white". He said he still had a lot to improve and was working on it. "I know well that I'm not a saint. I have done nothing so lofty to speak of," he said. He denied the government had lobbied NLA members to back dow...
More About: Ethics , Scrutiny

Busted: Hat Yai bomb plot
2007-10-07 06:56:00
By Wichayant Boonchote and Waedao Harai Security forces have foiled a suspected terrorist plot to wreak havoc in Hat Yai, the commercial capital of Songkhla province, recovering 17 bombs in the city yesterday before they could be detonated.A bomb disposal unit discovered the 17 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) hidden in two locations in the city.A security source said five bombs were discovered near a fence of the Prince of Songkhla University on Poonakan road. Explosives experts said the detonation cords were missing and would have probably been attached only shortly before an attack.Another 12 bombs were discovered outside a restaurant belonging to the navy in downtown Hat Yai.All the bombs were home-made and authorities believe they were destined to be planted at various places in the commercial hub of Hat Yai. The source said the low-pressure bombs were apparently intended to cause havoc rather than deaths. They were similar to a device that exploded near the army headquarter...
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Prachai leaves Pracharaj party
2007-10-06 14:18:00
Fuels talk of Matchima revival with him as bossPOST REPORTERS The departure of Prachai Leophairatana from the Pracharaj party and its leader Sanoh Thienthong has triggered speculation over the possible resurrection of the Matchima group with him as its new leader. Former members of Matchima, which merged with Pracharaj last month, have followed Mr Prachai out of the party, of which he was chairman of the executive board. They include Karun Sai-ngam, Somboon Thongburan and Maj-Gen Intharat Yodbangtoey. Anongwan Thepsutin, secretary-general of Pracharaj and wife of Matchima group leader Somsak Thepsuthin, will announce the group's political future today. The group is expected to announce its departure from the Pracharaj party to join with Matchima. It is reported that Mr Prachai, founder and ex-chief executive of Thai Petrochemical Industry Plc, approached Mr Somsak about having the Matchima members leave Pracharaj and that he promised to look after all of them. A close aide to Mr S...
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Sketch issued of army HQ bomb suspect
2007-10-04 15:44:00
Police are confident of arresting culprit   Police have distributed a sketch of a man suspected to have planted a bomb which exploded outside the army headquarters on Sunday. The suspected bomber is in his early 30s, 165-170 cm tall, with a square-shaped face and tanned complexion and military-style short, cropped hair.He was wearing a T-shirt and dark-coloured trousers, according to Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) deputy commissioner Krissada Pankongchuen.He said the investigation into the bombing, which injured two bomb disposal policemen, was progressing well.A special team had been set up to investigate the case and analyse all evidence, Pol Maj-Gen Krissada said. He expected more news soon.Deputy commissioner Jade Mongkolhatthee said police were confident the sketch would lead to the arrest of the bomber. It was based on descriptions given by eyewitnesses.''We're checking whether he is in our record of criminals,'' Pol Maj-Gen Jade said. ''Once we have enough evide...
More About: Army , Bomb , Sketch , Suspect , Sued

Bannawit moved to inactive post
2007-10-04 15:39:00
Maverick legislator Adm Bannawit Kengrian has been transferred from his military position as deputy permanent secretary to the Defence Ministry, allegedly for refusing to stop criticising last month's military reshuffle.He admitted that the transfer order had shocked him, and "came as a surprise".His response follows reports that he will soon be investigated for criticising several top military brass."I haven?t been informed of an order to assess whether I had violated the army?s code of conduct but I can assure you that I have never spoken badly about my superiors," he stressed.He is known as a close friend of Army Gen Saprang Kalayanamitr, a strong supporter of last year's military coup. Gen Saprang was a strong contender to be promoted to army commander on Oct 1, but lost out in the final selection.His Majesty the King today endorsed the appointment of Gen Totsarat Muang-Um to replace him as Deputy Permanent Secretary to the Defence Ministry. Adm Bannawit was appointed Chairman...
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Asean slams Burmese junta
2007-09-29 15:27:00
Dissidents say over 200 killed in crackdownACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT and AGENCIES Thailand and the Association Of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean ) have demanded that Burma stop using violence against demonstrators and voiced "revulsion" at the killings in Rangoon. The strong position against Burma, also an Asean member country, was delivered by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Thailand joined the grouping in demanding that Burma "exercise utmost restraint, seek a political solution and resume its efforts at national reconciliation. It should work towards a peaceful transition to democracy. "We call for the release of all political detainees, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi," said Gen Surayud. His speech was part of a statement worked out by nine Asean foreign ministers which read: "We are appalled to receive reports of automatic weapons being used and demand that the Myanmar (Burmese) government immediately desist from the u...

Thaksin on the coup
2007-09-20 17:32:00
By THAKSIN SHINAWATRA  I awoke on the morning of Sept 19 last year to the news that my government - and Thailand's democratic constitution - had been overthrown in a military coup. The coup came as a shock to me and to most Thais.[Thaksin Shinawatra is a former prime minister of Thailand. This article has been reprinted from The Wall Street Journal Asia 2007 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.] One year ago I was in New York, preparing to address the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of my nation. I was filled with pride as I looked forward to delivering my remarks. One year before that, I had been overwhelmingly re-elected as prime minister of Thailand. Thanks to the people of my nation, I was the first leader in the near 100-year history of Thailand to be not just democratically elected, but democratically re-elected. Under my administration, we had cut poverty almost in half, provided universal access to affordable health care for the first time, ba...
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88 die in Phuket plane crash
2007-09-17 17:33:00
Aircraft veers off runway, hits embankment, breaks apartPOST REPORTERS   A budget airline flight with 130 people aboard crashed on landing at Phuket airport in heavy rains and strong winds yesterday, killing 88 people and injuring 42. The One-Two-Go Airlines plane was carrying 123 passengers, two pilots and five attendants from Bangkok. It landed in heavy rain and veered off the runway, before hitting an earth embankment, breaking into two and bursting into flames. The 12-year-old McDonnell Douglas MD-82 plane that served flight OG/OX269 left Don Mueang airport at 2.30pm before crash-landing on arrival at 3.40pm. Only 44 passengers were Thai. The other 79 passengers were foreigners. Witnesses said the plane seemed to abort its first landing attempt. However, it skidded when it touched the runway, before hitting the embankment. Wreckage was strewn over a large area. Rescuers battled smoke and intense heat to remove bodies of the dead, and evacuate the injured. A pilot info...
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Thais to scale Everest 'for the King'
2007-09-16 12:32:00
Kathmandu - A Thai television station is planning a lofty birthday gift for His Majesty the King by organising the country's first expedition to the peak of Mount Everest next month, news reports said Sunday. Thai television station TITV (formerly iTV) has sought permission of Nepal's Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Ministry for the expedition up Everest, the highest mountain in the world, IANS news agency reported from Kathmandu. It plans to sponsor a nine-member team of Thai climbers, supported by Nepalese sherpas, who will plant the Thai flag, a Buddhist pennant and a flag with the king's emblem on the 8,848-metre Everest summit. "We want to show the Thai people's faith and loyalty towards the king, country and Buddhism," TITV's letter to the Nepal government said. People of various nationalities have climbed Mount Everest, but this would be a first for Thais. State-run TITV said it wants to organise the expedition in October. King Bhumibol, the world's longest-reigning...
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Islamic panels urged to step up anti-rebel role
2007-09-09 06:31:00
Islamic panels urged to step up anti-rebel role'Spiritual leaders need to work harder'By Post reporters Council for National Security (CNS) chairman Sonthi Boonyaratkalin yesterday asked provincial Islamic committees in the restive South to step up their role in tackling the insurgency. Gen Sonthi said people in Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala alone could not cope with the problem and needed assistance from all Islamic groups across the South to help restore peace. Gen Sonthi, who is also the outgoing army chief, made the request while speaking with more than 100 Islamic spiritual leaders in Hat Yai, according to those who attended the meeting. He received an open letter from Waedueramae Mamingji, chairman of the Pattani Islamic committee, which urged the government to pay more attention to education in the deep South and also set up an agency to oversee local education and provide scholarships for southern students. Mr Waedueramae said education played a key role in preventing you...
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EARLY MORNING BLAZE AT THE MANDARIN
2007-09-06 18:06:00
Hotel had no sprinkler system The old Mandarin hotel was declared a danger zone yesterday after a fire in the early hours of yesterday morning sent hundreds of foreign guests fleeing. Sixteen were treated for smoke inhalation, with five remaining in hospital last night. Police said the 30-year-old building on Rama IV road in Bang Rak, had no water sprinkler system. The blaze had started on the second-floor and smoke spread quickly to the 10th floor. About 400 guests were evacuated. The blaze took nearly four hours to bring under control. The Man darin hotel management said the fire affected a storage area, a fitness room and one wing of a connected building. Police were investigating the cause, but said an initial investigation showed a short-circuit was responsible.The flame- and smoked-scarred structure was declared off limits after an inspection by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration safety officers yesterday. Bang Rak police chief Santi Jeekangwan said guests had not been allowed...
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Sonthi denies plans to stay on as army chief
2007-09-02 17:41:00
Sonthi Boonyaratkalin yesterday denied he was planning to extend his tenure as army chief beyond his mandatory retirement date which is due at the end of the month. Gen Sonthi, who is also chairman of the Council for National Security, said he would not extend his tenure as commander-in-chief of the army. However he declined to respond to speculation that he was planning to contest the upcoming election, saying he was still in the military. Gen Sonthi also said he had already made a decision on who will replace him as army chief, but refused to say who that was. The army reshuffle list will be sent to the Defence Ministry in the middle of the month, he said. He made the statement after returning from Chiang Mai province where he bid farewell to personnel of the Third Army Region, which oversees security in the North. The three army officers tipped as the most likely successors to Gen Sonthi are assistant army chiefs Gen Saprang Kalayanamitr and Gen Anupong Paochinda as well as ...
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QUEEN OF HEARTS
2007-08-29 18:35:00
HM's demonstration farms help residents affected by insurgencyStory by ISSARA NEWS CENTRE, PATTANI Her Majesty the Queen 's demonstration farms have given a new lease of life to Buddhist and Muslim residents whose livelihoods have been affected by unrest in the strife-torn province of Pattani. As violence in the far South scares many people from travelling to work, the Queen's four farms at Ban Bang Khao, Ban Nam Dam, Ban Khok Mhad and Ban Yabi in Nong Chik district have been designed for villagers to work near their houses and earn sufficient income to feed their families. Similar projects have also been set up in Yala and Narathiwat. Sompol Sirichok, a district agricultural official responsible for the demonstration farm project, said the scheme was carried out after a group of local residents affected by the southern unrest sent a letter about their grievances to Her Majesty the Queen. Soon after hearing about the sufferings of her subjects, the Queen asked the locals to ...
More About: Hearts

Burma's regime getting worse
2007-08-27 18:44:00
Even for a regime that hardly ever treats its people with respect, the action against Burmese demonstrators last week was beyond the pale. It speaks volumes that the generals who mismanage Burma could not tolerate a tiny, peaceful protest against unacceptable economic hardships. But it was totally unacceptable that the dictators could not even treat the demonstrations with a show of legality. By turning loose gangs of its own thugs against the Rangoon protest, the Burmese military junta once again demonstrated that promises to bring democracy to the country are as empty as ever. Credit where credit is due, however, and for once its Southeast Asian neighbours are not sitting on their hands. Two days after the junta recommenced beating, jailing and intimidating the Burmese opposition, the main parliamentary group in the region took a small step forward. The Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, known as Aipa, an official arm of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), said it may ...

Thailand takes battle to deep-South's Islamic schools
2007-08-25 10:13:00
Analysis by Abdullah Wangni and Peter Janssen, dpa After almost four years of battling a deadly separatist struggle against a seemingly nameless foe in Thailand 's deep South, the Thai military have learned a thing or two. Firstly, they are now convinced that the main organizer behind the violence, which has claimed more than 2,500 lives since early 2004, is the BRN-Coordinate, the political arm of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional or National Revolutionary Front.BRN-Cordinate is blamed for the January 4, 2004, raid by Muslim militants on an army arms depot in Narathiwat that made away with 300 war weapons and is now seen as the watershed for the region's transition from a long-simmering separatist struggle into a nasty conflict with daily shootings, bombings and beheadings.Secondly, Thai military intelligence is convinced that the BRN-Coordinate has used the deep South's Islamic schools (pondoks) and religious teachers (ustas) to recruit and instruct a new generation of Muslim youth...
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