Anything & Everything About Thailand

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587 words
25 January 2006
Bangkok Post
English

SRISAMORN PHOOSUPHANUSORN, KOMSAN TORTERMVASANA & WORANUJ MANEERUNGSEE

The acquisition by Singapore's Temasek Holdings of telecom giant Shin Corp has raised public concerns over the deal's threat to national security, economic development and media independence.

Criticism grew after the Shinawatra and Damapong families, in a series of transactions, on Monday completed the sale of 1.48 billion Shin shares to two holding vehicles controlled by Temasek for 73.3 billion baht.

What worries academics and political observers most is the sale to foreigners of radio frequencies and satellite broadcasting, which are national assets. They fear it could jeopardise political stability and therefore national security.

The Temasek takeover reflects foreign dominance of the country's telecom industry. All mobile telephone operators are now owned by foreign partners except for TA Orange, which is searching for a new foreign partner.

Late last year, Telenor of Norway took over United Communication Industry and its mobile subsidiary Total Access Communication, the operator of DTAC, which consequently forced the founding Bencharongkul family to exit the Thai telecom industry.

"Allowing foreign companies to have a controlling stake in Thai telecom firms carries a high risk of interference by their own government agencies to track confidential information and tap the communications of our national security agencies," an academic from Chulalongkorn University said.

Local fixed-line and mobile telephone operators have already voiced concern over mounting requests by government agencies in charge of drug suppression, anti-money laundering, intelligence, national security and crime suppression to tap communications of customers.

An executive at a telecom company said there had been daily requests to track down prepaid mobile customers and even wiretap land-line customers. But only requests that were urgent and significant would be accommodated, and they needed necessary legal documents.

Another industry veteran urged the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to step in and formulate a regulatory framework for the industry.

"The NTC should now come up with rules of fair competition to prevent operators manipulating business or monopolising the market," he said.

Anuparp Thilalarp, president of Thailand Telecommunications Management Academy, said his study of the joint concession contract between TOT and Advanced Info Service revealed no legal problems in the change of the shareholding structure from Thais to foreigners.

Somkiat Tangkitvanit, a researcher with the Thailand Development Research Institute, questioned whether the Temasek deal would remove the "conflict of interest" issue from the Shinawatra family as claimed by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The prime minister and his family should clarify publicly how they are going to spend the 73 billion baht. If they invest in other businesses, there could still be conflict-of-interest claims, he said.

The deal is an obvious violation of the Alien Business Law which limits foreign holding in a Thai company to a maximum 49%, said Mr Somkiat. Direct and indirect holding through nominees in Shin Corp by Temasek was up to 80%.

By law, the deal was a liberalisation of the telecom sector, but in fact it amounted to a liberalisation of the entire service sector through pyramid holding by the foreign firm, he said.

It also set a precedent for other foreign investors to take up stakes in other sectors reserved for Thais through cross holdings.

TOT president Teerawit Charuwat said agencies concerned with national security and confidential information could shift to TOT if they felt unhappy with the takeover by the Singapore-government firm. The central intelligence service and military agencies already used TOT.

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283 words
25 January 2006
Bangkok Post
English

NATTAYA CHETCHOTIROS

CAT Telecom yesterday cut the signal of the ASTV satellite-based TV network's live broadcast of Sondhi Limthongkul's political talk show in Hat Yai.

Mr Sondhi and co-host Sarocha Porn-udomsak were explaining their plans to rescue the country during their show at the Prince of Songkhla University's conference hall when the signal was cut off, disrupting the live transmission of the programme from Hat Yai to Bangkok.

The station director, Pramen Thuk-diwatee, said they were forced to continue the broadcast via the internet.

Thaiday.Com, a firm belonging to Mr Sondhi's family, would sue those involved in cutting the transmission. The shut-down was politically motivated, he said.

State-run CAT Telecom, citing security problem, had ordered the signal cut.

PM's Office Minister Suranand Vejjajiva, who oversees the Public Relations Department, said he asked CAT Telecom to suspend the ASTV signal because the network was operating without permission.

He said it was policy to strictly enforce the law in a straight forward manner.

CAT Telecom had been asked to terminate the signals of community radio stations and all cable televisions which violated the broadcasting regulations.

ASTV had also violated the law by operating without permission, he said, insisting there was no ill motive involved.

Mr Pramen argued his station had rented the signal from CAT Telecom for two years. The network was legal. He had documents to prove he paid the rental he could not understand why the signal suddenly went off the air when Mr Sondhi's talk show was being broadcast.

Mr Sondhi said CAT Telecom had followed the government's orders.

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491 words
26 January 2006
Thai News Service
English

Section: Corporate News - Toilets can make or break the image of a public or private organisation that chooses to welcome guests, the Bangkok Post reports.Now with Danish-patented technology, Thai properties can sport classy washrooms with clean, odourless, urinals that don't need water.Uridan (Thailand) Co, a subsidiary of Uridan A/S in Denmark, has recently introduced waterless urinals under the Uridan brand to the Thai market.Uridan units have already been installed at Bangkok and Samitivej hospitals on an experimental basis.The fibreglass urinals contain a patented built-in waste trap, which is in effect blocking fluid that is lighter than urine.

It effectively creates a seal eliminating unpleasant odours and can stand 7,000 rinses.Rajesh Menon, managing director of Uridan (Thailand), said the company would revolutionise toilets in Thailand, following the waterless system's success in Europe, Australia and Japan since it was introduced in 2003.He said that success stemmed from savings made on water and electricity, adding that the product was easy to install because only a drainage system is needed.The product received a Highly Commended Judges' Award for Water Efficiency at the 21st Annual Plumbing Industry Awards held in Australia in 2003.The company also claimed that the Australian government now requires new airports to use waterless urinal systems.The other factors that Mr Menon says make the product a success are that it is odour-free and easy to clean.Uridan (Thailand), which was established late last year, aims to sell its urinals to organisations that provide public toilets, such as hotels, hospitals, factories, sports stadiums, cinemas, airports and gasoline stations."We feel that revolutionary change will catch on in all industries and gradually spread all over the country. We hope that people will understand the product so it can be sold without pushing," said Mr Menon.Marketing director Gerald Hansen said that the company anticipated that it would sell about 3,000 units in its first year in the Thai market. A Uridan urinal costs about 20,000 baht, but the company believes purchasers will realise savings in maintenance and installation as well as utility bills.Thailand is the first country in Southeast Asia to market Uridan urinals.Mr Menon said the parent company was concerned about the violation of intellectual property rights in the region, as the product will also be launched in Malaysia, India, Singapore and Vietnam.The company will consider manufacturing the fibreglass bowls in Thailand when product sales reach about 5,000 units per year. Uridan products are manufactured in Denmark, which has the capacity to produce around 2,000 units a month.Uridan A/S also plans to make a model for women's toilets in the future."My vision is to see Uridan become a common name for urinals in future, similar to the success of Xerox for photocopiers," added Mr Menon.

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327 words
25 January 2006
Bangkok Post
English

Siam Rath Editorial - Accident prevention seems to be very low on the government's priority list these days. Accidents happen every day, and sometimes small accidents can cause great damage to society, or the country. Therefore, the government must pay serious attention to the problem by launching a continuous campaign to raise public awareness of the importance of accident prevention. Tough legal punishment must be meted out against those who cause accidents that result in deaths or great damage to property.

Government agencies in charge must routinely inspect factories, buildings and all types of vehicles to make sure that they comply with safety standards.

We used to have a serious campaign for safety in the workplaces, but in recent years focus has been put on preventing road accidents during the festive season. The campaign against drunk driving has been quite successful in reducing the number of road deaths in the past few years.

However, railway accidents are still common. Last year, passenger trains derailed in Lampang province twice. There have been no follow-up reports in the press about what caused the accidents.

On Jan 18, a fire broke out at Thai Airways International's (THAI) flight catering building inside the Suvarnabhumi Airport, with one person killed and three injured. The four were repairing part of the cafeteria building. An initial investigation found that the blaze was sparked by metal welding being carried out inside the building. This should be a wake-up call for the government. The Suvarnabhumi Airport uses state-of-the-art designing and construction techniques, but the standards of certain construction work seem to be low. In the Jan 18 fire, the welder was apparently careless, or he could be inexperienced. But the responsibility lies with his supervisor. Of course, accidents cannot be totally avoided, but those responsible must do their jobs well. Workers must be trained to be responsible and careful in everything they do.

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BANGKOK, Jan 24 (TNA) – Last Update : 2006-01-24 / 18:00:36 (GMT+7:00)

Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra vowed Tuesday to crack down firmly on 'mafia types' -- criminal groups controlling passenger van services -- warning that unless the gangsters 'stop bullying the poor,' they will have no place to hide.

Referring to a passenger van bombing at Future Park Mall in Pathumthani province's Rangsit district Monday night, the prime minister admitted that despite the government's war on organised crime, mafias still exist.

"More importantly," the prime minister said, "some police have been found to be involved, so the crackdown must continue.".

"The problem has been dragging on a long time," Mr. Thaksin said, "but we must keep on fighting. We must get rid of it absolutely."

According to police, before the bombing the van owner had petitioned the prime minister several times by mail saying she had been threatened by gangsters, who claimed that her vans ran on their controlled routes.

Police said the bomb was detonated as a retaliatory action to give a lesson to the van owner.

An obviously angered Mr. Thaksin said he did not know details of this case, but vowed prompt action once the authorities had discovered who was involved in the incident.

"They can't do this, especially bullying the poor," the prime minister warned. "If I know who they are I'll crush them until they won't have even a place to stand.".

It is believed that thousands of both legal and illegal passenger vans are operated by criminal gangs -- and police -- in Bangkok. The government loses much potential tax and licensing income to extortionists running the queues or demanding 'protection' from illegal services.

Earlier, a group of van operators asked the government to investigate their complaints and offer them official protection.

The prime minister said he assigned Deputy Prime Minister Pol. Gen. Chidchai Vanasatidya, who also serves as Minister of Justice, to deal with this issue.(TNA)- E009

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151 words
25 January 2006
Xinhua News Agency
English

BANGKOK, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Thailand has been named as the World Best Tourist Country in the 2005 Grand Travel Award held in Norway early this month, the Thai News Agency said on Wednesday.

It is the third consecutive year Thailand won the award with Greece and Italy coming second and third.

Chitriya Pinthong, Thai Ambassador to Norway, and Nattheera Kachornserilikitkul, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand ' s Stockholm Office in Sweden, represented Thailand at the annual award presentation ceremony.

The accolade was granted to Thailand under the deliberation and decision by the Travel Trade Jury and 300 tour companies in Norway.

It shows tourists remain impressed by the friendliness of Thai people, as well as natural beauties and charms of Thailand's tourist sites although the country experienced a great loss from the tsunami disaster in late December 2004, the official News Agency said.

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100 words
25 January 2006
The Gold Coast Bulletin
27
English

A DOCUMENTARY highlighting the plight of the Thai people after the 2004 tsunami, will make its Gold Coast debut tonight.

Singer Michelle McRae produced the 38 minute doco, Back to Paradise - Life after Tsunami, the story of one woman's journey across Thailand's devastated areas, in the hope of helping the people she has grown to love.

It outlines the economic and emotional destruction in the tsunami's aftermath.

Michelle has travelled to Thailand regularly, over the past six years.

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BANGKOK, Jan 24 (TNA) - Last Update : 2006-01-24 / 15:34:45 (GMT+7:00)

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday played down a planned anti-government rally led by Media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul at Sanam Luang on Feb 4, but warned protestors to abide by the law.

Mr. Thaksin said he was not concerned that Mr. Sondhi's Muang Thai Rai Sapda ('Thailand Weekly') talk show and the gathering of demonstrators would cause any trouble, including shaking foreign investor confidence-- especially those invited to bid on the mega-projects under the government's "Thailand Partnership for Development" initiative at Government House on Jan 26.

"No problem. Don't pay any attention. Believe me! They (the investors) won't be frightened. Everything is all right so far," he said.

The prime minister said people had the right to stage a rally but they had to respect the law. However, he said, many people did not respect the law and tried to draw attention from others.

"Someone doesn't care about the rules, having problems in living in a society and trying make himself a hero," he said, apparently referring to Mr. Sondhi.

Mr. Thaksin also noted that the Thai press has been abused by those leading the anti-government gatherings.

"The weak point of the press here is that they make any news report just because it's their duty to do so. It therefore enables those who have problems with the society to do anything that can make them look good," the prime minister said.

Responding to the use of Sanam Luang as the rally point of demonstrators, Mr. Thaksin said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), not the government, allowed Mr. Sondhi and his supporters to use the area to stage the rally, and BMA seemed happy to do so.

"BMA is more than willing to allow them to use it (Sanam Luang)," the prime minister said.

The (Democrat-led) Bangkok municipal government even reserves Lumpini Park for the demonstrators every Friday, Mr. Thaksin said sarcastically, apparently criticising the BMA, which is headed by Governor Apirak Kosayodhin, deputy leader of the opposition Democrat Party.(TNA) -E009

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BANGKOK, Jan 24 (TNA) - Last Update : 2006-01-24 / 12:22:14 (GMT+7:00)

The government will go ahead with its negotiations with the United States on the proposed Thai-US Free Trade Area (FTA) Agreement, Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon reaffirmed here on Tuesday.

"The negotiations have been carried on with some positive results so far. The talks will be continued with no suspension," Mr. Kantathi told journalists.

"When overall benefits to the nation and the Thai people are taken into careful consideration, the government has decided to go ahead with the talks," he noted.

Mr. Kantathi's comments, when asked by the journalists, followed a recent call by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for the government to suspend the planned Thai-US FTA talks, citing fears of adverse effects on the Thai economy caused by trade liberalization with the stronger US economy.

Asked whether the government would raise the controversial Thai-US FTA talks at the House of Representatives' sessions, the Thai foreign minister said that the government had exchanged views with parties concerned, including the private sector, the parliament and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), since the beginning.

The government is scheduled to appoint a new three-member Thai negotiation team on January 24 following a recent resignation of the former head of the previous Thai negotiation team--Nitya Pibulsonkram, according to the Thai foreign minister.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak confirmed that the government would continue the Thai-US FTA talks.

He requested the public not to be against the new Thai negotiation team.

"The US is a huge export market of Thailand and all officials concerned have kept in mind to give priority to national benefits and not to put the Thai economy at the disadvantage," Mr. Somkid stressed. (TNA)--E002

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148 words
25 January 2006
English


Bangkok Post:

-- The acquisition by Singapore's Temasek Holdings of telecom giant Shin Corp has raised public concerns over the deal's threat to national security, economic development and media independence.

The Nation:

-- With the dust settling on the historic takeover of Shin Corp, the purported attempt to improve Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra 's political image is threatening to backfire, with a growing number of critics questioning whether he has jeopardized public interests with the 73 billion-baht sell-off, virtually tax-free.

Sing Sian Yit Pao:

-- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick in Beijing Tuesday. They exchanged views on Sino-U.S. relations as well as international and regional issues of common concern.

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436 words
25 January 2006
Asia Pulse
English

BANGKOK POST:

- Yingluck Shinawatra, the youngest sister of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, will take a post with no official title for the first time at SC Asset, the property investment arm of the family.

- Thai shares dropped 0.58 per cent yesterday on sluggish trade, with shares of companies in the Shin Group mostly ending lower as investors digested the ramifications of Monday's historic deal between the Shinawatra family and Singapore's Temasek Holdings.

- Dismayed Phuket authorities have asked Thai Airways International (THAI) not to axe its direct flights from Australia to the island, fearing it would hurt the tourism industry's revival.

- The state agency that owns the Bangkok subway system has received cabinet approval to borrow money to buy shares in the subway operator, Bangkok Metro Co (BMCL), in preparation for the latter's listing on the stock market.

- Bangkok Art Auction made its debut yesterday with the aim of tapping the growing interest in works by local artists and promoting liquidity in the domestic art-collecting market.

- Merchant Partners Securities Ltd, Thailand's newest brokerage firm, hopes to attract a 0.5 per cent market share by the end of the year and plans to list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand within three years.

THE NATION:

- The Bank of Thailand is undaunted by the possible strengthening of the baht, if Temasek Holdings is to bring in as much as Bt201 billion in cash to finance tender offers for the remaining shares in Shin Corp Plc and Advanced Info Service Plc.

- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday mentioned that a portion of the profits his family made from selling Shin Corp to Singapore's Temasek Holdings will go to foundations for charitable purposes.

- Pong Sarasin shocked reporters when he told them that, through his stake in Kularb Kaew Co Ltd, he was just a proxy in the earthshaking Shin Corp-Temasek deal.

- Cabinet yesterday approved broad guidelines for selecting contractors for its planned Bt1.8 trillion infrastructure projects, which are expected to draw interest from many foreign companies.

- Non-performing loans (NPLs) at financial institutions are likely to decline below the earlier expectation of 5 per cent of total loans this year due to supporting measures and robust economic sentiment, according to the Bank of Thailand (BOT).

- The TMB Bank said it will issue hybrid securities worth US$200 million (Bt7.85 billion) to foreign investors in the first quarter of the year to replace Bt5 billion worth of capital augmented preferred shares which expire in May.

Originally Posted by Malaysian Datuk

for which agency I still not sure though.

"agency" is the basis to everything we know about this subject.





Chicago Dating
- South Africa Cabins

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99 words
25 January 2006
Vietnam News Agency Bulletin
English

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin = Shinawatra has launched a national poverty alleviation campaign in Samat district, northern Roi Et province. PM Thaksin said the fight against poverty could not be won in the near future, but it could be won within two or three years with proper governmental policies and intensive efforts by citizens. The government will budget several billion baht for poverty alleviation programmes, he added. The PM pledged to implement infrastructure projects in disadvantaged areas and provide assistance for families without housing or farmland.

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Grace Ng
574 words
25 January 2006
Straits Times
English

Analysts divided, with core telecoms business, AIS, facing uncertainty

ANALYSTS say Temasek Holdings surely had its eyes wide open to the risks of buying into a diversified behemoth like Thailand's Shin Corp, but they are divided over what it saw in the conglomerate's core telecoms business that warranted a 73.3 billion baht (S$3.1 billion) price tag.

On Monday, Temasek and a group of Thai investors paid 49.25 baht per share for a 49.6 per cent stake in Shin, just as the stock hit an 11-year high.

Temasek's deal also comes at a time when Shin's crown jewel Advanced Info Service (AIS), the telecoms business, is grappling with regulatory inertia in granting the sought-after 3G cellular licences that may significantly boost its flagging bottom line, they note.

AIS, in which Shin owns a 42.86 per cent stake, saw its net income drop 10 per cent to 1.98 billion baht for the quarter ended Sept 30 last year, due to an intense price war in the Thai market. But it still retained its No. 1 spot.

Although Thai analysts expect AIS' growth prospects to recover, they note that Shin shares traded on an estimated price-earnings multiple of 16.1 times, compared with an average of 11.8 for the Thai telecoms sector, according to Reuters data.

'The price is not what most will consider cheap for the overall quality of assets that Temasek will get from the conglomerate, especially since AIS contributes about 90 per cent of Shin's bottom line,' noted one Bangkok-based analyst.

He reckons that Temasek may have 'some difficulty' streamlining Shin's diversified holdings in consumer finance, transport, broadband and telecoms in future and this is 'a hidden cost'.

Temasek will make a tender offer for all Shin shares as well as all AIS shares that it does not already own at 72.31 baht per share - about 23 per cent below the current market price of 99 baht apiece.

This 'low tender offer price suggests that Temasek may not be that keen to get a larger stake in AIS', noted one analyst with a local broking house.

Analysts say Temasek made this low offer because it was aware of the business uncertainty facing AIS now that it no longer has the backing of a political figure like Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to navigate regulatory changes.

AIS' earnings are currently hit by its payments - 24 per cent of annual gross revenues - to state-owned Telephone Organisation of Thailand for a cellphone concession that allows it to operate specific services until 2015, said Tisco Securities analyst Monchai Mokaranuraksa.

Some of AIS' rivals have to fork out even more, about 34 per cent, to the regulatory authorities for their own concessions. A way to avoid paying this amount is to apply for a new 3G licence, so that the telcos would pay only about 17 per cent of their gross revenues, said UOB Kayhian analyst Kowit Ongwinyoo.

'We expect that over the next five years, AIS will migrate 60 to 70 per cent of its subscriber base, who are the 'high-usage' customers, and 70 per cent of its revenues under the 3G new licence. With the lower fees they have to pay to the telecoms regulator, their growth prospects are better.'

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John Aglionby South-east Asia correspondent
404 words
25 January 2006
The Guardian
English

If the Thai masses won't come to Buddha then Buddha will come to the Thai masses by video, an alliance of monks, Buddhism experts and a devout businessman announced yesterday.

The group is seeking to arrest the declining popularity of Buddhism and materialism's seemingly unstoppable rise by using 21st-century technology to reach the masses in a way they can relate to.

It will produce a 250-part video CD - a simpler version of a DVD - series on Bud dhist teachings in the hope that a generation which has largely given up reading, and thus the religion, will be drawn back to the faith.

"We will translate text scripts into moving pictures to encourage people to practise Buddhist teachings," Phra Rachamethaphon, the acting head of Mahamakut Buddhist University, told the Associated Press.

Buddhism, which teaches compassion for all beings, and achieving inner peace through detachment from desires, is officially the religion of 90% of Thailand's 65 million people but in the past decade the number who see themselves as practi tioners of the religion has dropped significantly. "I've been to the countryside and seen abandoned temples. There were no monks," said real estate developer Sanan Sukdi, who plans to produce the videos.

"I was thinking of ways to help people understand Buddhism, and how to maintain religion in Thai society."

Monks will take three months to translate the Tripitaka - the three collections of Buddhist teaching - from Pali, the largely defunct language in which most Buddhist texts are written, into vernacular Thai. Film experts will then adapt them into a video series covering the Tripitaka's 45 books, which have 48,000 sections.

"We want to make that which is deemed difficult easy and accessible to Buddhists," Mr Phra said.

The project will cost some 97m baht (pounds 1.4m) and the video CDs will sell for 200 baht (pounds 2.80) each.

The first run will take up to four years to complete and will all be in Thai but there are plans to make an English version for the international market.

The videos are being made to celebrate the 60th anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's accession to the throne in June. Video production is scheduled to start before the king's 79th birthday in December.

A Buddhist monk washes his clothes