Anything & Everything About Thailand

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 11 March 2006 :-

EDITORIAL : When sweet can also mean sickly

Escalating costs are usually nothing to cheer about. A rare exception, though, might be made for the huge jump in the ex-factory sugar price approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday. It increases the cost of sugar by three baht a kilogramme which will be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices for soft drinks, sweets, desserts, sweetened milk, cakes, chocolate, snacks and other mouth-watering but, sadly, often unhealthy and teeth-rotting delights.

The silver lining in this latest cloud of inflationary gloom must be the hope that higher prices can do what sheer willpower and reasoning have been unable to and help us tame that sweet tooth. Only a health fanatic would want to see all sweets and soft drinks driven off the market but no one without a vested interest could argue that a reduction in their consumption would not be a good thing. As a nation we are having limited success in combating childhood and adult obesity and the cost factor might prove a bigger deterrent to overindulgence than current awareness campaigns.

According to Public Health Ministry figures, there has been an eightfold increase in sugar consumption since 1995. Add to this the fact that people are spending more time in front of computer and TV screens and less in getting exercise and you not only have the ingredients for expanding waistlines, you have the root cause of an epidemic of diabetes which is exploding faster in Thailand and other parts of Asia than in any other region in the world.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says diabetes cases in Asia will rise by 90 per cent in the next 20 years and that this silent killer - and its related disorders - is set to become the 21st century's biggest health crisis. Speaking in Bangkok recently, Prof Paul Zimmet, director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Diabetes, warned that without quick and effective intervention, diabetes could grow to the point where it created social and economic devastation. He said the threat far outstripped that of bird flu or even HIV/Aids and cited WHO projections of 200 million diabetics in Asia within a decade. This, he predicted, would reduce life expectancy globally for the first time in a couple of hundred years.

Thai nutritionists have also been quick to express alarm at the trend. Dr Ladda Mohsuwan, head of a research project on nutrition among Thai children, conducted a survey of 342 schools nationwide and concluded that most of them were harmful to health. School food was singled out as the major cause of obesity among Thai children, with the survey finding the problem spreading even to kindergartens. Dr Ladda's study found that over a five-year period, the number of young children becoming overweight rose by 40 per cent, and that up to 21 per cent of kindergarten children had obesity problems. She warned that if the situation was left unchecked, one-fifth of Thai children would become obese in the next 10 years.

Some schools even permit advertisements for snacks, ice cream and soft drinks on their premises. A few schools she visited did not provide free drinking water to students. About three-quarters supposedly had a ban on soft drinks, but at 15 per cent of them the drinks were still sold within the school compound, and in a quarter of them the schools ran the business.

Clearly, what students need are nutritious lunches along with sufficient drinking water. Banning soft drinks and snacks on school premises and ensuring that all school drinks contain no more than five per cent sugar could work wonders. So could warning of the dangers of trendy fast food and an additional 15 minutes a day set aside for exercise. And, of course, so could more parental concern and involvement.

There are plenty of alarmists and doomsayers around, always eager to tell us of new ways in which we are going to get sick or die. But, in this instance, the evidence is all around us and we have to admit to the problem. The only argument can be as to the extent of it.

The solution is to adopt a healthier lifestyle and the government and sugar producers unwittingly gave us a push in the right direction this week.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 11 March 2006 :-

Charoen top local billionaire

Liquor tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi has retained his position as Thailand's richest person with a net worth estimated at $3.2 billion in the latest ranking of the world's billionaires by Forbes magazine.

Mr Charoen is joined on the list by Chaleo Yoovidhya ($2.5 billion) of Red Bull fame, and Dhanin Chearavanont ($2.4 billion), the patriarch of the Charoen Pokphand agribusiness group.

Conspicuous by their absence from the list are members of the Shinawatra family, who are $1.9 billion richer through the sale of their shares in Shin Corporation. Forbes bases its rankings heavily on individuals' shareholdings in publicly traded companies.

Thaksin Shinawatra, the caretaker prime minister and founder of Shin Corp, last appeared on the Forbes list in 2002 with a net worth of $1.2 billion.

The magazine said the number of billionaires worldwide rose by 102 to a record 793 over the past year, and their combined wealth grew 18% to $2.6 trillion. Many of the newcomers were from emerging markets such as Russia, India and Brazil where stock markets have been surging.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates topped the list for the 12th consecutive year with his net worth rising to $50 billion from $46.5 billion.

While Mr Charoen's wealth grew last year to $3.2 billion from $3 billion, he slipped to 214th place from 194th in the table. Mr Chaleo's ranking was unchanged at 292nd while Mr Dhanin ranked 317th, up from 387th, with his holdings growing from $1.7 billion.

The Chearavanont family's wealth peaked at $5.3 billion in 25-baht dollars in 1994, the year that Forbes listed a record 11 Thais as dollar billionaires

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 11 March 2006 :-

Thai Princess to open fashion boutique

HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, the youngest daughter of HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, is planning to open her first fashion store at Siam Paragon. The Sirivannavari boutique will be on the first floor of the luxury shopping mall in central Bangkok.

''It will be opened on Jan 8 next year, which will coincide with my birthday and the brand will have an image of a peacock as its logo,'' the designer princess said at a press conference at the Fashion Trend Center at CentralWorld on Friday.

''The products will be separated into two lines, which will be haute couture and ready-to-wear,'' said the princess, who is a first-year student at the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts at Chulalongkorn University.

Since deciding to study fashion design, Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana has taken part in a few design events, including Bangkok Fashion Week 2005.

She is currently preparing to introduce her latest autumn/winter collection, created under the ''Fly to Nouveau'' concept, on Tuesday for Bangkok Fashion City 2006 at the fashion dome in Benjakitti Park.

Items from this collection, which was inspired by the 1920s and 30s, together with those from the princess's previous collection, called Viva Victorian 2005, will be available at her boutique.

''After I did the show at Bangkok Fashion Week 2005, many people asked where could they get my designs. This prompted me to open this store,'' she said.

Apart from clothing, the store will carry a wide range of accessories. However, those who do not want to wait until the store opens can purchase the princess's accessory designs from a special booth during Bangkok Fashion Week 2006.

Some of the revenue will go to the ''Art for All'' project established by the Faculty of Fine and Applied Art, which encourages the use of art as therapy for people with disabilities, including autism.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 11 March 2006 :-

Phuket hospital expands

HEALTH CARE :Siriroj Hospital in Phuket has begun building a new 320-million-baht building as part of its plan to be a centre for medical tourism.

The five-storey building will have a capacity to accommodate 700 patients per day. It will house a number of specialised clinics for plastic surgery, haemodialysis, heart disease and dentistry.

Anurak Tharnsiriroj, managing director of Phuket International Hospital Co, said the existing facility served 300 patients a day, 30% of whom were foreign tourists.

He said the hospital's plastic surgery services, especially those involving gender reassignment, were popular among international visitors.

An average of three patients a week seek gender reassignment, which costs 300,000 baht, substantially cheaper than in North America and Europe.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Saturday 11 March 2006 :-

Singapore school in Bangkok on high alert : Security guards warned to watch for unusual activity


As anti-Singapore sentiment grows following the purchase of Shin Corp by Temasek Holdings, a Singaporean international school in Bangkok has stepped up security measures for its students and staff.

The school, whose name is being withheld, has instructed all its security guards to be on the highest state of alert, with its gates locked at all times.

Any unauthorised persons, protesters or groups moving towards the premises must be immediately reported to the administrative office, according to instructions issued by the school.

"Our drivers have been told to be more alert. For safety reasons in the face of possible extremists, the school has decided to temporarily remove the school's name plate from its vans," the institution said.

"This is an important precaution as we have no way of knowing if our vans will pass any of the protest areas in different parts of Bangkok," it added.

The Singaporean Embassy in Bangkok will keep in close contact with the school during these tense times.

Singapore was dragged into the ongoing domestic political conflict after protesters accused the city-state's government of involvement in the business deal between its investment arm, Temasek, and Shin Corp, owned by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatara's family.

The Shinawatra and Damaphong families sold their stake in Shin to Temasek for a largely tax-free Bt73 billion. The anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy has launched a campaign to boycott goods and services from Singapore, accusing it of entering into an unregulated deal with Thaksin.

The alliance held protests in front of the Singaporean Embassy in Bangkok on Tuesday and Thursday.


Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Saturday 11 March 2006 :-

Siam Ocean World defends its record

Touted as the country's largest aquarium, Siam Ocean World has admitted that its 30,000-odd species of fish and marine life are being looked after by a solitary veterinarian.

Siam Ocean World was yesterday inspected by police from the Natural Resources and Environment-related Crime Division, led by Maj-General Latthasanya Pieansom-parn. Assistant curator Ross Werner admitted that though the animal husbandry team numbered 19, there was only one full-time vet working at the aquarium. But he said there were two other marine experts, including himself, to help take care of the marine exhibits.

Werner said the aquarium also had connections with marine experts in many other countries who helped as consultants. Since it opened in December, Siam Ocean World has received numerous complaints about the poor quality of its care for the marine life. Many fish are reported to have died.

Marketing manager Kantaporn Tongman said the fatality rate of the displayed fishes was at an "acceptable level" in that less than 10 per cent of the fish had died, and most of that was during transportation.

The latest case that caused concern among many marine biologists was the death of a giant grouper from eating a plastic ball as big as a ping-pong ball, which was accidentally released through the water treatment equipment. Werner promised it would not happen again.

The aquarium was also questioned about the origin of its displayed fish. After inspecting the aquarium, Latthasanya said he did not see any protected species for which an aquarium operator would need permission from the Fishery Department. He added that it was legal for anyone to own unprotected marine species as long as they were not caught in a marine park.

"That is something that is impossible to prove since fish can be anywhere in the sea, unless [the collectors] are caught red-handed and arrested," he said.

Kantaporn said the aquarium had bought marine life from many places in the world. In Thailand, it had only bought some small beautiful fish from two agents, but she did not know where they had acquired them.

"We only asked them not to do anything illegal," she said.

Pennapa Hongthong
The Nation

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Born in captivity

The first spotted seal to be born in Thailand is now several days old but no one yet knows if it is male or female.

The seal pup was born at 8.20pm on Monday at Siam Ocean World aquarium where its parents have been on display.

Pisit na Phatthalung, an adviser to Siam Ocean World Company Limited, said yesterday the seal was healthy and had white fur all over its body. "We can't identify its sex yet," he said.

The seal baby and its parents will remain at the Bangkok-based aquarium until April 16, after which they will be sent to a more suitable facility in Shanghai.

Pisit said Siam Ocean World had no intention of keeping the spotted seals in the first place and thus had not prepared a tank for them.

"For the spotted seals, we would need a tank that is more than two-metreshigh so that they could swim about conveniently. At the moment the seals are using a tank we had prepared for penguins that will be soon arriving," he said.

Pisit said it would cost about Bt20 million to build a tank suited to accommodating the spotted seals. Siam Ocean World is located in the Siam Paragon shopping centre.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Sunday 12 March 2006 :-

Summer storm warning in Thailand

BANGKOK, March 11 (TNA) - People living in many parts of Thailand, including Bangkok, are warned to be aware of and prepared for summer storms over the next couple of days.

The Meteorological Department issued the warning on Saturday, saying that the country's northeastern, northern, central, as well as Bangkok and surrounding provinces would face the summer storms early next week, as a cool range from China would cover the warm parts of the kingdom.

Some of the affected areas may face hailstones.

The weather bureau said the country's northeastern region would be first affected by the summer storms Sunday evening, following by the other areas.

The Meteorological Department also warned of high waves of more than two metres with strong wind in Gulf of Thailand from March 13-15, especially in the evenings.

Thai trawlers should, therefore, be more careful and should closely follow updated news reports before sailing out.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Sunday 12 March 2006 :-

Andaman coast residents on quake alert

People living along the Andaman coast and fishermen at sea are being urged to be on alert following a report of 31 earthquakes in the Andaman Sea over recent days. In a statement, the National Disaster Warning Centre calls on residents and fishing vessels to notify authorities if they detect irregular changes in the sea including changes in colour, bubbles on the sea surface and a smell of sulphur.

According to the centre, these could be signs of underwater volcano eruptions which may trigger a tsunami. However, the chances of this happening are slim.

There were 31 earthquakes in the Andaman Sea, with the epicentre being about 400 to 600 km off the Ranong coast, from March 9 to 11.

On Friday alone there were as many as 21 tremors while a mild earthquake measured at 4.9 on the Richter scale was felt yesterday morning in Phuket.

Plodprasop Suraswadi, the centre director, said that while a tsunami is unlikely, it is better to put people on alert because having 31 earthquakes in a short space of time is rare.

He advised residents living along the coast to keep their ears to the ground and said the centre will update the situation every 12 hours. He said the centre can issue an early warning, which will give villagers at least 40 minutes to evacuate to safety.

Phuket Governor Udomsak Asavarangkoon said yesterday that the province has informed residents and tourists of the quakes and possible consequences.

Some residents in Laem Tukkae cape community have evacuated to higher ground after learning about the tremors while those at several other beaches have stayed put for a warning.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Sunday 12 March 2006 :-

Ammar urges an end to Singapore-bashing

Respected economist Ammar Siamwalla has urged anti-Thaksin protesters to "come to their senses" about launching a boycott of Singaporean investment in Thailand, saying that "prejudice" could harm the economy.

Ammar, the honorary adviser to the Thailand Research Development Institute, said on the sidelines of a seminar yesterday that the protesters should be clear about whether it is Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra they are against, or foreign investment.

"They should instead focus on whether the [Shin Corp] share sell-off has breached any Thai laws [and not on foreign investment in general]," he said.

The comment followed protests against Singaporean investment in Thailand that started on Thursday with the destruction of SIM cards of Advanced Info Service, a cash-cow subsidiary of Shin Corp, which was acquired by Singapore's Temasek Holdings. The protesters have urged the Singaporean government to have Temasek withdraw the deal or Singapore could face more serious boycotts.

The boycotts have brought alarm to the business community, as the pro-democracy alliance has named a number of companies as targets. Several companies have issued statements denying that they have significant Singaporean shareholders, including Sathorn Park Co Ltd , which owns the Sukhothai Hotel.

"As Bangkok's only stand-alone five-star hotel, which strives continually to promote Thailand's heritage and culture, we are justifiably angry and deeply offended by the misinformation," said George Benney, general manager of the hotel.

"I urge you to verify the validity of the list as it appears many innocent companies have suffered because of it. It is a sad day indeed when innocent companies become pawns in a political stalemate," he added.

Bank of Thailand Governor MR Pridiyathorn Devakula also said late on Thursday that the anti-Singapore sentiment was unjustified.

"Why do we oppose the deal? It's good that a lot of money is flowing into the country," he said.

A movement to oust Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra swelled in January after his family sold its 49.6-per-cent stake in Shin Corp to the Singapore government-owned investment company, netting Bt73.3 billion. Critics allege the sale involved insider trading and tax dodges, and complain that key national assets - such as the country's communications satellites - are now in the hands of a foreign government.

The tender offer for outstanding Shin Corp stock ended on Thursday, and payment will be made on Tuesday.

The baht gained sharply against the US dollar in January due partly to the capital inflow from the Thaksin family's sale of its stake in Shin. Before the end of the tender offer, the unit spiked up to above the $/Bt39 level.

Yesterday, the dollar ended at Bt39.065, down from Bt39.10 at the Asian close on Thursday.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Sunday 12 March 2006 :-

Ammar urges an end to Singapore-bashing

Respected economist Ammar Siamwalla has urged anti-Thaksin protesters to "come to their senses" about launching a boycott of Singaporean investment in Thailand, saying that "prejudice" could harm the economy.

Ammar, the honorary adviser to the Thailand Research Development Institute, said on the sidelines of a seminar yesterday that the protesters should be clear about whether it is Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra they are against, or foreign investment.

"They should instead focus on whether the [Shin Corp] share sell-off has breached any Thai laws [and not on foreign investment in general]," he said.

The comment followed protests against Singaporean investment in Thailand that started on Thursday with the destruction of SIM cards of Advanced Info Service, a cash-cow subsidiary of Shin Corp, which was acquired by Singapore's Temasek Holdings. The protesters have urged the Singaporean government to have Temasek withdraw the deal or Singapore could face more serious boycotts.

The boycotts have brought alarm to the business community, as the pro-democracy alliance has named a number of companies as targets. Several companies have issued statements denying that they have significant Singaporean shareholders, including Sathorn Park Co Ltd , which owns the Sukhothai Hotel.

"As Bangkok's only stand-alone five-star hotel, which strives continually to promote Thailand's heritage and culture, we are justifiably angry and deeply offended by the misinformation," said George Benney, general manager of the hotel.

"I urge you to verify the validity of the list as it appears many innocent companies have suffered because of it. It is a sad day indeed when innocent companies become pawns in a political stalemate," he added.

Bank of Thailand Governor MR Pridiyathorn Devakula also said late on Thursday that the anti-Singapore sentiment was unjustified.

"Why do we oppose the deal? It's good that a lot of money is flowing into the country," he said.

A movement to oust Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra swelled in January after his family sold its 49.6-per-cent stake in Shin Corp to the Singapore government-owned investment company, netting Bt73.3 billion. Critics allege the sale involved insider trading and tax dodges, and complain that key national assets - such as the country's communications satellites - are now in the hands of a foreign government.

The tender offer for outstanding Shin Corp stock ended on Thursday, and payment will be made on Tuesday.

The baht gained sharply against the US dollar in January due partly to the capital inflow from the Thaksin family's sale of its stake in Shin. Before the end of the tender offer, the unit spiked up to above the $/Bt39 level.

Yesterday, the dollar ended at Bt39.065, down from Bt39.10 at the Asian close on Thursday.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Sunday 12 March 2006 :-

Ammar urges an end to Singapore-bashing

Respected economist Ammar Siamwalla has urged anti-Thaksin protesters to "come to their senses" about launching a boycott of Singaporean investment in Thailand, saying that "prejudice" could harm the economy.

Ammar, the honorary adviser to the Thailand Research Development Institute, said on the sidelines of a seminar yesterday that the protesters should be clear about whether it is Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra they are against, or foreign investment.

"They should instead focus on whether the [Shin Corp] share sell-off has breached any Thai laws [and not on foreign investment in general]," he said.

The comment followed protests against Singaporean investment in Thailand that started on Thursday with the destruction of SIM cards of Advanced Info Service, a cash-cow subsidiary of Shin Corp, which was acquired by Singapore's Temasek Holdings. The protesters have urged the Singaporean government to have Temasek withdraw the deal or Singapore could face more serious boycotts.

The boycotts have brought alarm to the business community, as the pro-democracy alliance has named a number of companies as targets. Several companies have issued statements denying that they have significant Singaporean shareholders, including Sathorn Park Co Ltd , which owns the Sukhothai Hotel.

"As Bangkok's only stand-alone five-star hotel, which strives continually to promote Thailand's heritage and culture, we are justifiably angry and deeply offended by the misinformation," said George Benney, general manager of the hotel.

"I urge you to verify the validity of the list as it appears many innocent companies have suffered because of it. It is a sad day indeed when innocent companies become pawns in a political stalemate," he added.

Bank of Thailand Governor MR Pridiyathorn Devakula also said late on Thursday that the anti-Singapore sentiment was unjustified.

"Why do we oppose the deal? It's good that a lot of money is flowing into the country," he said.

A movement to oust Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra swelled in January after his family sold its 49.6-per-cent stake in Shin Corp to the Singapore government-owned investment company, netting Bt73.3 billion. Critics allege the sale involved insider trading and tax dodges, and complain that key national assets - such as the country's communications satellites - are now in the hands of a foreign government.

The tender offer for outstanding Shin Corp stock ended on Thursday, and payment will be made on Tuesday.

The baht gained sharply against the US dollar in January due partly to the capital inflow from the Thaksin family's sale of its stake in Shin. Before the end of the tender offer, the unit spiked up to above the $/Bt39 level.

Yesterday, the dollar ended at Bt39.065, down from Bt39.10 at the Asian close on Thursday.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monsay 13 March 2006 :-

Black May 1992 footage re-aired

Old footage of His Majesty the King acting as mediator between former Palang Dharma party leader Chamlong Srimuang and former prime minister Suchinda Kraprayoon in the aftermath of Black May 1992 was re-run on state television last night, sending mixed messages.

The footage which came on air without prior announcement caught viewers by surprise amid heightened political tension in a lead-up to the mass rally tomorrow. The broadcast was obviously timed to coincide with the stalemate as a dialogue between caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his opponents is nowhere in sight.

Earlier, a source in Channel 9 said a TV Pool of Thailand committee made up of directors of state-run television channels met before agreeing to re-broadcast the footage around 8pm, shortly before the royal news.

In the 15-minute footage, His Majesty is seen talking to Maj-Gen Chamlong and Gen Suchinda about non-violence. The two men were granted an audience with the King after the military suppression of pro-democracy protesters in May 1992, which culminated in the bloody Black May event.

Maj-Gen Chamlong was the core leader who campaigned for Gen Suchinda's ouster, branding him a dictator. After the audience with the King, Gen Suchinda stepped down as prime minister.

The source said deputy justice permanent secretary Thongthong Chandrangsu had prepared a script for news anchormen to read before airing the footage. The preceding message was that the escalating political pressure had raised concerns of a possible confrontation among people. There was a compelling need to forge unity.

A source at Channel 5 said a senior figure had ordered the footage played. After the broadcast, a party claiming to be from the Royal Household Bureau called Channel 5 demanding to know who authorised use of the footage.

A Channel 7 source said the airing of recorded motion or still images and speeches of Royal Family members required prior permission from the bureau.

Sulayasai Katasila, spokesman of the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy, said the alliance would adopt the non-violence principle prescribed by the King in its major rally tomorrow outside Government House.

He said Mr Thaksin should also refrain from recruiting supporters to clash with the PAD rally-goers.

PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul said the underlying message of the broadcast was for Mr Thaksin to resign the same way Gen Suchinda did when the country was bitterly divided.

He allayed fears of violence breaking out at the rally, saying the PAD protesters would sit down if provoked by pro-Thaksin supporters.

Gen Suchinda said politics has reached a dead end. He suggested an arbitration commission be appointed to sort out the conflict.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monsay 13 March 2006 :-

AirAsia adds Surat Thani to flight plan

Thai AirAsia will launch a daily Bangkok-Surat Thani service on April 1, which will not only break Thai Airways International's monopoly on the route, but could also take considerable business away from it.

Surat Thani will be the low-cost carrier's ninth domestic destination, after Krabi, in addition to eight international cities.

Thai AirAsia, part of the Malaysian budget airline AirAsia, is set to take delivery of its 10th Boeing 737-300 later this month, which will help it launch new routes and increase frequencies, according to its executives.

A one-way Thai AirAsia ticket from Bangkok to Surat Thani will cost between 499 and 2,300 baht, excluding 643 baht for tax and insurance.

THAI charges a flat fare of 2,640 baht, plus 405 baht for extras, such as a fuel surcharge and tax. It provides services low-cost carriers do not offer, including drinks and snacks on board.

However, Thai AirAsia executives say the airline and THAI are really catering to to different markets rather than competing directly.

Thai AirAsia hopes to attract budget-conscious passengers such as foreign backpackers, many of whom travel further to Koh Samui by ferry, along with local businessmen and other tourists.

The budget airline may even draw some Samui-bound air businesses from Bangkok Airways, which flies Bangkok-Samui non-stop, frequently each day, industry analysts say.

However, Bangkok Airways' Samui-bound passengers are mostly foreign tourists who prefer the services and convenience of a conventional carrier over a budget carrier, they note.

Thai AirAsia chief executive Tassapon Bijleveld expects strong passenger demand for the Bangkok-Surat Thani route.

The introduction of budget carrier service would help spur tourism in the South of Thailand, he said.

The airline is looking to add a second, daily flight on the Bangkok-Krabi route in the middle of next month to meet market demand; it began flights on the Bangkok-Krabi route on March 1.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monsay 13 March 2006 :-

Winners of ADSL boom

The availability of interactivity delivered by broadband Internet is projected to flood the household market in Thailand next year, with two private fixed-line telephone operators gearing up to capitalise on the phenomenon.

True Corporation, the Bangkok operator that dominates the digital broadband market, says it believes greater competition in high-speed Internet will be seen in 2007, driven mainly by the planned service launch by the provincial fixed-line operator TT&T.

TT&T plans to begin offering voice-over-Internet Protocol fixed-line and broadband Internet services in Bangkok this year. It aims to offer at least 300,000 numbers in the first phase and draw 300,000 new broadband users.

Phaibul Sirivanich, director for consumer services of True, said that while the company earned only a few hundred million baht from broadband, the business had grown significantly since last year.

True is seeing rapidly growing demand for converged-technology connectivity among users of mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and laptops.

The company recently launched a home automation services platform in a collaboration with the electrical equipment distributor Alllight Centre.

Customers who buy Alllight's products and sign up for True broadband can control their home electrical appliances via a mobile phone, PDA or laptop.

He said the company planned to introduce one more wireless digital home solutions in June, called Home Office services, which would cover areas such as document management, printing-on-demand, software security and hold-back file services.

True has already introduced WiFi at home, home monitoring, security and home automation services.

The company has almost 200 medium- to high-end housing projects with 80,000 units signed up for the installation of Cyber Home by True services.

"We expect to have 600,000 broadband Internet subscribers at the end of the year, out of a projected total of one million," Mr Phaibul said, adding that the company expected the number of its WiFi users to exceed 50,000 this year, compared with 20,000 currently.

The company expects to boost the number of households in Thailand signing up for Internet services to exceed the current 15.5%, out of a total 16.7 million households, this year.

Mr Phaibul said the number of broadband users in Thailand could surge to 2.7 million by 2007, once leading players tap into IPTV (Internet protocol television), or TV broadcasts over the Internet.

[taurus75]

Black May 1992 footage re-aired

Old footage of His Majesty the King acting as mediator between former Palang Dharma party leader Chamlong Srimuang and former prime minister Suchinda Kraprayoon in the aftermath of Black May 1992 was re-run on state television last night, sending mixed messages.

finally The King speaks.....everyone will listen.