Anything & Everything About Thailand

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Broadcast signal for Thaksin critic's talkshow cut off for allegedly not having a license

Bangkok Post
Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Manager Group founder Sondhi Limthongkul will today submit a petition to the Administrative Court, asking it to lift CAT Telecom's suspension of the ASTV signal used to broadcast his talk show. Suwat Apaipak, the media firebrand's lawyer, said the petition accuses senior state officials of the Public Relations Department and CAT Telecom's management of abuse of authority for their alleged role in cutting the signal of the ASTV satellite-based TV network.

ThaiDay.com, operator of the signal, is a co-plaintiff.

Named in the lawsuit are the Public Relations Department director-general Suchat Suchatvejapoom, deputy director-general Pattareeya Sumano, CAT Telecom, its president Pisarn Jorpocha-udom, and its deputy managing director.

On Jan 24, CAT Telecom cut the signal of ASTV when Mr Sondhi took his campaign to Songkhla's Hat Yai district, claiming he did not have a licence.

Mr Suwat said he will also file suit against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for alleged negligence of duty in relation to Jan 20's ruckus at his talk show.

A similar lawsuit was filed against nine other people on Jan 26, including Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat for allegedly plotting the anti-Sondhi protest at Lumpini Park.

Meanwhile, in Surat Thani, unidentified groups yesterday circulated flyers urging locals to gather in force and throw their support at Mr Sondhi's talk show due to be held at a local hotel today.

Registration forms have reportedly been sent to communities in downtown Surat Thani to collect names of those who want to attend the Feb 4 rally at Royal Plaza.

Suriyon Suwannawong, secretary-general of the anti-transfer teacher networks representing the Central and Eastern regions, said 100,000 teachers from all regions plan to travel to Bangkok to join the planned rally.

He said the teachers will come separately to avoid being kept out by the authorities. They plan to submit a petition to His Majesty the King, asking him to prevent the planned school transfer.

In a related development, Deputy Interior Minister Somchai Sunthornwat said the public has the legal right to attend the rally and the government will not hold its own rally to counter Mr Sondhi's.

Metropolitan police commissioner Pol Lt-Gen Viroj Chantharangsi, meanwhile, said that more than 20,000 police officers will be deployed to handle the gathering and that security measures would be in place for any contingency.

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By CAMILLE BAINS

VANCOUVER (CP) - Fugitive banker Rakesh Saxena could be killed or at least tossed in a prison cell and locked in leg irons if Canada surrenders him to Thailand to face allegations that he embezzled millions of dollars, a lawyer told the B.C. Appeal Court on Monday.

Russ Chamberlain argued that Saxena would be tortured in Thailand, a country where human rights abuses are so shocking that prisoners are routinely beaten, shocked with cattle prods and placed in metal cages. "To be electrocuted in the genital area would shock the conscience of any fair-minded person, in my respectful submission," Chamberlain told a panel of three judges.

He also said his client would be discriminated against in Thailand as an Indian foreigner.

"There is some evidence that Indians are on the lowest scale of people who live in Thailand," Chamberlain said.

But a lawyer for the Justice Department said outside court that there's no corroborative evidence that Saxena would be tortured if returned to Thailand.

Saxena, now in his early 50s, has been fighting to stay in Canada since 1996 when he was arrested at a luxury hotel in Whistler.

The Canadian government ordered him to surrender to Thailand three years ago after a B.C. Supreme Court judge decided there was enough evidence against him to go to trial in that country.

Saxena has been charged in Thailand with embezzling $88 million from the Bangkok Bank of Commerce, which led to a 1996 run on deposits, causing its collapse.

Chamberlain cited several reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to argue that despite Thailand's Constitution, torture is still prevalent.

He told the court that Saxena would have a difficult time if returned there because people believe the banker single-handedly brought down the country's economy.

"There is a risk that Saxena will be extraditionally killed," Chamberlain said.

Reading from an affidavit, he said people would rather see Saxena dead than testify against them in court.

Saxena has maintained that he is being made the fall guy by executives of the bank related to the Thai royal family and by financial regulators embarrassed by the scandal.

Chamberlain said he's not buying assurances the Canadian government has received from Thai officials that his client would be given preferential treatment because of his high profile.

In a letter to Ottawa, Thailand has assured that every reasonable effort would be made to ensure Saxena is allowed communication with lawyers and visits by officials at any time.

But Chamberlain said the letter isn't even signed.

"How can you accept assurances of a torturer?" he asked the judges.

"Put yourselves in the position of Mr. Saxena, locked in leg irons in a small cell in Thailand with this document to protect him.

"In my respectful submission it is of little comfort to have these assurances."

Saxena was charged under the Thai Penal Code, which has now been barred under a statute, although charges under the Securities and Exchange Act won't fall under a statute of limitations until 2010.

Outside court, Chamberlain said his client can no longer be prosecuted by the Thai government because of the statute of limitations that came into effect in June 2005.

He also said there are no facts to support allegations against Saxena under the Securities and Exchange Act, which can't be a basis of prosecution because his client wasn't a securities broker.

But Justice Department lawyer Deborah Strachan said outside court that the Canadian government is relying on assertions by Thailand that the charges under the Securities and Exchange Act are justified.

"The question for the courts here is whether the allegations amount to criminal conduct in Canada and the extradition judge found that they would amount to fraud and/or theft in Canada," Strachan said.

She also said the Canadian government has reviewed volumes of human rights reports submitted by Chamberlain.

"But the minister also reviewed a number of other things, including the new Constitution of Thailand and various other documents and came to the conclusion that while there have been human rights abuses that he was satisfied that Mr. Saxena himself would not be tortured."

Chamberlain said he'll take his case to the Supreme Court of Canada if the Appeal Court upholds the extradition judge's decision.

Amrit Sarup, Saxena's mother, said outside court that her son is holding up well.

"He just goes along with what's happening. What to do?" said Sarup, a former lecturer at the London School of Economics.

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AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

Travellers on public buses will need to dig a little deeper into their pockets from next Monday now that the Transport Ministry has given the green light for increases in fares.

Fares for private buses and passenger vans joining the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority will rise by one baht and for interprovincial buses by three satang per kilometre. Fares for BMTA-run buses, however, remain unchanged.

Deputy Transport Minister Chainant Charoensiri cited the rise in the oil price, which has hit 24.70 baht a litre, as the main reason for the increments.

Private bus operators have demanded that the Transport Ministry honour its earlier pledge to nudge up fares after oil prices went past 24.50 baht a litre.

The fare hike proposal will be forwarded to a committee on land transportation for endorsement tomorrow , Gen Chainant said.

Bangkok bus fares are currently charged at a flat rate of seven baht per passenger. Fares for airconditioned buses start at 10 baht and the maximum is 20 baht. Minibuses charge a 5.50 baht flat rate.

Fares for interprovincial buses will rise by three satang per kilometre, well short of operators' demand of nine satang.

However, the BMTA has decided to freeze its bus fares for another one to two months, pending a firmer picture on oil prices, the deputy minister said.

The BMTA would cut management costs first to ease the burden on the public.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Tuesday 31 January 2006 :-

Chuwit urges Banharn to quit as party chief

By SUPAWADEE INTAWONG MONGKOL BANGPRAPA

Former Chart Thai MP Chuwit Kamolvisit yesterday urged Chart Thai party leader Banharn Silpa-archa to step down in favour of a younger man.

He made the call after returning a month's salary to the state over his disqualification as an MP.

The Constitution Court had stripped Mr Chuwit of his MP status for failure to meet the 90-day legal minimum requirement for a person to be member of a political party before he or she can stand in a general election.

The maverick MP told reporters that he had no future plans for himself but will not be resigning from Chart Thai.

He suggested that Mr Banharn "step up" to become the party's advisory chairman.

"He had said the party belonged to everyone. He is not its owner and I'm not his employee, but just a party member and that's why I'm speaking up. If the party wants to open up [to the wider public], a change of leadership should follow," Mr Chuwit said.

Mr Chuwit, stripped of the MP status on Jan 26, yesterday came to the parliament to return the 90,930 baht salary he was paid for the month of December and other state possessions including a notebook computer and the MP identity card he was carrying.

He said all the remaining possessions of the state still in his hands would be returned to the parliament in the next 30 days.

"By doing this, I wanted to act as a model for other politicians. What is happening to me is a case of whose side you are on.

"After my MP status was revoked, the Election Commission seemed very eager to keep me out of the Senate elections also," said the ex-massage parlour tycoon.

Election commissioner Prinya Nakchatree said yesterday that Mr Chuwit was unlikely to qualify for the April 19 Senate poll.

The Senate election law bars candidates from any political affiliation for at least one year prior to registering. Mr Chuwit's MP status was revoked on Jan 26.

The commissioner suggested that Mr Chuwit apply to run in the election first and lodge an appeal if his application was rejected.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Tuesday 31 January 2006 :-

Bus fares to cost more from Monday

By AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

Travellers on public buses will need to dig a little deeper into their pockets from next Monday now that the Transport Ministry has given the green light for increases in fares.

Fares for private buses and passenger vans joining the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority will rise by one baht and for interprovincial buses by three satang per kilometre. Fares for BMTA-run buses, however, remain unchanged.

Deputy Transport Minister Chainant Charoensiri cited the rise in the oil price, which has hit 24.70 baht a litre, as the main reason for the increments.

Private bus operators have demanded that the Transport Ministry honour its earlier pledge to nudge up fares after oil prices went past 24.50 baht a litre.

The fare hike proposal will be forwarded to a committee on land transportation for endorsement tomorrow , Gen Chainant said.

Bangkok bus fares are currently charged at a flat rate of seven baht per passenger. Fares for airconditioned buses start at 10 baht and the maximum is 20 baht. Minibuses charge a 5.50 baht flat rate.

Fares for interprovincial buses will rise by three satang per kilometre, well short of operators' demand of nine satang.

However, the BMTA has decided to freeze its bus fares for another one to two months, pending a firmer picture on oil prices, the deputy minister said.

The BMTA would cut management costs first to ease the burden on the public.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Tuesday 31 January 2006 :-

Keppel Thai aims to acquire office building

By KANANA KATHARANGSIPORN

Singapore - After keeping a low profile for two years, Keppel Thai Properties Plc (KTP) plans to launch at least three residential projects and acquire an office building to sell to a property fund established in Singapore.

The office building would be sold to the K-REIT Asia fund, a subsidiary of KTP's parent, the Singapore-based developer Keppel Land Ltd (KLL).

Lawrence Peh, a KTP executive director, said the company would launch the first phase of the 78-rai Villa Arcadia in the Vacharapol area, with 100 detached houses worth more than one billion baht in total.

The second phase of Villa Arcadia is in the Srinakarin area, with 156 units on lots between 55 and 125 square wah of land. Unit prices will range from 5.5 million to 12 million baht. The company expects to close sales for both projects in early 2007.

The third project is a mid-priced condominium, located near Bangkok's central business district. KTP is holding talks with landlords to form a joint venture to develop the condo project.

"A local partner is crucial to help us carry out marketing in Thailand," Mr Peh said.

He said KTP was also considering acquiring an office building within this year. It is interested in either completed or unfinished buildings and non-performing assets for renovation, which it would then sell it to K-REIT Asia.

The office real estate investment trust (REIT) was established with an initial portfolio of four office buildings worth about S0 million or 15.75 billion baht. The buildings are Keppel Towers, GE Tower, Bugis Junction Towers and Prudential Tower. All are located in Singapore's central business district.

Mr Peh said K-REIT Asia would invest primarily in office buildings throughout Asia. It is interested in major cities including Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok, with target yield of at least 6-7% per year. KLL also plans to set up more REITs for hotel and commercial property.

KLL is a subsidiary of Keppel Corporation whose major shareholder is Temasek Holdings. It develops and invests in 26 cities and 13 countries in Asia. It expects growing demand for quality homes and residential townships in China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.

KLL reported earnings of S5.7 million or 3.89 billion baht in 2005, up 17% from 2004. Its overseas earnings rose last year to 59% of total revenue, from 43% in 2004. KLL sold about 2,700 residential units in 2005, mostly in China and India. It also acquired additional shares to gain a 67% holding in Dragon Land, a middle-income housing developer in China.

KLL acquired a 45.45% stake in the Thai listed developer Five Star Property Plc in January 2000 for 300 million baht.

KTP shares closed yesterday on the SET at 2.24 baht, unchanged, in trade worth 62,000 baht.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Tuesday 31 January 2006 :-

THAI to suspend direct flights from Australia to Phuket

Thai Airways International announced Tuesday it would suspend direct flights from Australia to Phuket due to sluggish demand in tourism after the December 2004 tsunami, effective this Wednesday.

Since the tsunami, demand has been very low. The number of passengers is not so high, the company spokeswoman said.

The company used to run three flights per week from Sydney and Melbourne to Phuket.

Tourism accounts for six per cent of Thailand's gross domestic product, and memories of the devastating tsunami which killed nearly 5,400 people in the
country still lingers.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation Post dated Tuesday 31 January 2006 :-

Chuwit already has plans for comeback


The Chat Thai Party is likely to field former MP Chuwit Kamolvisit in a Bangkok by-election if any of the February election winners is disqualified or refused endorsement by the Election Commission, a senior party figure said yesterday.

Jongchai Thiengtham, a deputy Chat Thai leader, said he agreed to an idea of having Chuwit contest a by-election in the hope that he would make a comeback to the House of Representatives.

Chuwit yesterday returned a government-issued computer, his ID and voting card and Bt90,930 – his last month’s pay and allowances – in the wake of a court verdict disqualifying him last week.

“I returned my earnings derived from tax money to set an example for other officeholders,” he said.

Chuwit also pledged to reimburse his salary from last year to the House Secretariat within a month.

The Constitution Court ruled he was not eligible for his House seat, allocated under the quota of the Chat Thai party-list, as he had not met the 90-day rule for party membership before contesting the general election.

On his future, Chuwit said he was still a Chat Thai member.

“I have yet to decide whether to contest the Senate race,” he said. “At this moment, I am with Chat Thai and want to tell my party leader Banharn Silapa-archa to step down in order to pave the way for a younger successor.”

House Secretary-General Pitoon Phumhiran said Chuwit was not obliged to return his salary, because he was disqualified on a legal technicality, not for graft.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation Post dated Tuesday 31 January 2006 :-

Direct flight foul up irks Phuket realtors

After a tough year surviving the aftermath of the monster tsunami, Phuket’s hotel and property developers now face a fresh battering from the government’s decision to route Thai Airways International’s direct flights through Suvarnabhumi when Bangkok’s new international airport opens.

Leading developers like James Batt, who heads Laguna Resorts & Hotels and Gulu Lalvani – builder of the Bt6-billion Royal Phuket Marina – warn of “dire consequences” befalling the overall economy as billions of baht could be lost from resort home sales.

Their main concern is over THAI’s direct flights to Phuket being re-routed, but they are also worried that other direct regional and long-distance flights – in particular, those involving Singapore and Hong Kong – will be similarly affected.

Batt said cutting direct flights to Phuket to inflate future arrival figures at Suvarnabhumi Airport was a misguided attempt to boost statistics at the expense of losing capital that comes with high-end tourism and sales of holiday homes, which are selling in the region of Bt10 million to Bt150 million.

“What the government needs to recognise is that high-end visitors contribute the most to the island’s economy and these visitors don’t fly on budget airlines. They always fly direct and not on economy class,” he said.

These high spenders have been the backbone of the hotel and housing industries as they are the ones buying luxury homes. “In 2004, we sold Bt500 million in properties to mostly foreign buyers,” he added.

“This year, Laguna plans to sell more than that amount. But flights are directed through Suvarna-bhumi, and this will deter many customers from coming frequently,” Batt warned.

The obsession by state authorities to use arrival figures as a quantitative mark of success will hurt Phuket as mass tourism doesn’t bring as much profit or “quality visitors”, he warned. Lalvani, who is starting his second phase of marina hosing at his east coast project, agrees. In fact, he is far more disappointed, being a “number-one fan of Thaksin Shinawatra”.

“I am a big supporter of Prime Minister Thaksin and I was one of the first subscribers of the Elite Card,” said the British entrepreneur, referring to the membership programme for the global rich to vacation in Thailand.

“But the government is wrong in the direct-flight issue to go through Suvarnabhumi,” he said. “It will hurt the very visitors who support Thailand the most.”

Lalvani said business leaders were always short of time and hated wasting time being shuttled from the domestic terminal to the international airport, let alone being party to wasting expensive fuel when oil is at US$68 a barrel.

Hong Kong-based developer Alan Zeman, who is best known for his Lan Kwai Fong entertainment complex, is less critical but agrees the move is negative.

Zeman, who is building homes from US1.6 million (Bt65 million) to $4 million, says visitors who like Phuket will still come, but for them “it will be inconvenient”.

He agreed that direct flights would certainly be regarded as a step forward.

The current plan cannot be said to enhance quality service at all, said another developer, Bill Barnett, who is offering apartments at Crowne Plaza Residence from about Bt12 million.

The direct-flight curb could not come at a worse time. The developers said that year-end sales had been very strong, all agreeing that the recent outflow from US dollar-linked assets to Asian markets has helped the Phuket housing business.

Lalvani said the government should realise rivals for foreign investment like Malaysia, Dubai and Singapore are battling for a lion’s share of this cash.

Malaysia’s Langkawi island, located near Phuket, is backed by Malaysian Airlines’ direct flights from London and Dubai and is offering automatic residency to foreign home-buyers.

Itthi C Tan
The Nation
PHUKET

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation Post dated Tuesday 31 January 2006 :-

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT: Keppel plans city condo block : Is in talks to either buy land or form JV for project in central Bangkok

Keppel Thai Pro-perties Plc, an indirect subsidiary of Singapore-based Temasek Holdings’ Thai property arm, hopes to construct a condominium building in central Bangkok.

If all goes as planned, the company will start pre-selling units in the project at Bt5 million to Bt10 million each this year. The company hopes to tap into the growing demand for condominiums in prime city centre locations.

But first it needs land.

“We are in talks with a few landowners to either buy their land plots or join with them to develop the condominium project,” said Piya Treruangrachada, Keppel’s financial controller.

Keppel Thai Properties was renamed from Five Star Property Plc after Keppel Land Limited, a property arm of the Keppel Group, one of Singapore’s largest multinationals, bought a 45 per cent stake from the Krisdathanont family, in 2000.

After entering the local property market, it seems Keppel Group appetite for residential projects had waned.

Only two new single detached-house projects were unveiled over the past few years: the Bt2.5-billion Villa Arcadia project on Srinakarin Road and the Bt1.9-billion Villa Arcadia project on Watcharapong Road.

Keppel Thai Property hopes to boost sales at its projects by co-sponsoring a sales event with the Bank of Ayudhya on March 18. There will be a wide range of special promotions homebuyers, said Piya.

Villa Arcadia at Srinakarin will consist of 367 homes on 99 rai with prices ranging from Bt5 million to Bt10 million a house. Piya declined to reveal the number of houses sold to date, but he said that there would be 50 finished homes available at the sales event.

Meanwhile, Villa Arcadia at Watcharapong, which boasts 270 units on 78 rai, will be officially launched this year with prices ranging from Bt5 million to Bt10 million per unit.

The Thai projects are one part of Keppel group’s expansion from 2006 to 2008. Others projects will be launched in Vietnam, India, and Indonesia.

Dominic Ng, general manager of Keppel Land International for Malaysia, said that overseas ventures accounted for 50 per cent of Keppel group’s revenue last year.

Keppel Land’s overseas profits grew to 43 per cent of the group’s net profit in 2004 from 3 per cent in 2002.

The group last year sold about 2,700 residential units, mostly in China and India. In China the company has already sold 98 per cent of 456 units in the Eight Park Venue in Shanghai, 88 per cent of 1,250 units in the Seasons project in Beijing, 81 per cent of The Waterfront’s 1,023 units in Chengdu, and 970 units in the first phase of The Botanica, also in Chengdu.

In India, it has already sold 76 per cent of the 410-unit Elita Promenade.

Ng said that the company would either acquire land or enter into joint ventures with any partners to develop a condominium project in Thailand.

Keppel Thai Properties posted a Bt7.7-million net loss in the first nine months of last year, following a Bt52.1-million net loss in 2004.

Keppel Land, the third-largest listed property company in Singapore, also constructs office buildings. Projects in Singapore currently under development are Urbana, The Belvedere, and Park Infinia.

Its portfolio of finished projects includes the Chatsworth and Cluny Park bungalows, condominiums in Keppel Bay, Pebble Bay and Casuarine Cove, and other condominiums such as the Linc, Freesia Woods, Butterworth 8, Amaranda Gardens, The Mayfair and Palm Gardens.

Sasithorn Ongdee
The Nation
Singapore

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BANGKOK, Jan 31 (TNA) -Last Update : 2006-01-31 / 14:25:11 (GMT+7:00)

Thai government agencies denied they order the closure of a high-visibility anti-corruption website on the Internet, Government Spokesperson Surapong Suebwonglee said Tuesday.

Dr. Surapong said after checking the information with the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Ministry, CAT Telecom Plc, and the Public Relations Department (PRD), all said they did not order the closure of the 'corruptionwatch.net' website.

According to the government spokesman the shut-down was the responsibility of Thaidreamhost, the company that hosted the website, and that he tried to contact the company but nobody answered his telephone calls.

"As a result, we don't know what's happened," Dr. Surapong said.

However, according to the government spokesman, the government has talked to the ISSP (Internet Solution and Service Provider) company, which provides hosting services for Thaidreamhost, and ISSP is ready to host the anti-corruption website.

Dr. Surapong said that he contacted Mr. Veera Somkwamkid, one of the founders of corruptionwatch.net to reopen his website. Now, ISSP is waiting for Mr. Veera's decision to go ahead.

Corruptionwatch.net director Veera is also secretary-general of the Peoples Network against Corruption.

The truth will become known, said Dr. Surapong, who claimed the government also wants to know who threatened the company to force it to close the website.

The government reaction to find a web hosting company for the anti-corruption website showed the government's honesty (in supporting it), he said.

The site was blocked on Jan 21. Theeraphat Serirangsan, a political scientist at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, and a website founder, said Monday that he and his colleagues would petition the ICT minister to investigate the case.

If the ICT minister fails to help them, Dr. Theeraphat said, they'll change the base of their website to an overseas location. (TNA)-E004

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BANGKOK, Jan 31 (TNA) - Last Update : 2006-01-31 / 13:36:43 (GMT+7:00)

Media baron Sondhi Limthongkul vowed Tuesday to go ahead with an anti-government mass rally at Sanam Luang on Feb 4, insisiting that he would fight for society in a peaceful manner.

Mr. Sondhi said that the main objective of the rally is to submit a petition to His Majesty the King through Privy Council president Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda detailing alleged political grievances inflicted by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The media tycoon reiterated that he would execise his constitutional rights in line with democratic principles regarding the freedom of expression.

When asked if his demonstrators might be instigated and that the rally might lead to violence, Mr. Sondhi stressed that he would not resort to violence against anyone, but the gathering would be held in a peaceful manner.

"It's not me who stirs the problem," Mr. Sondhi said. "Just ask the government who pitted mobs against mobs recently."

"There is a taped conversation among some forestry officials that they felt obliged to join the mob just to express gratitude to the minister," he explained.

"I want to ask whom this people serve -- the government or the public?," he asked rhetorically.

The firebrand orator referred to the disturbance created at his "Thailand Weekly" show at Lumpini Park in early January. Mr. Sondhi accused Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yongyut Tiyapairat of being behind a move to disrupt his show.

His co-host said the disrupters were each paid Bt750 each to come to Bangkok to spoil the show.

Natural Resources and Environment Ministry spokesman Apiwat Settarak denied allegations that his minister incited the crowd that attempted to disrupt Mr. Sondhi's weekly talk show.

The media tycoon dismissed suggestions that the opposition Democrat Party was allegedly behind the anti-government rally, saying that those who joined his campaign were all well-educated people who have never been bribed or hired to rally.

Mr. Sondhi vowed to "right the wrongs" for Thailand's coming generations to be able to live in a society based on corruption-free practices. (TNA)-E001

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CHIANG MAI, Jan 30 (TNA) - Last Update : 2006-01-30 / 22:03:46 (GMT+7:00)

Thailand's four northern provinces--Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Tak--which may be affected by earthquakes in neighbouring countries will soon conduct rehearsals to deal with the possible tremors, according to Director of the National Disaster Warning Centre Plodprasop Suraswadi.

The move was ordered by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra following earthquakes in neighbouring countries, particularly Myanmar, over the past three months which were felt by local residents in the four northern provinces, said Mr. Plodprasop in Chiang Mai on Monday.

"Due to the recent earthquakes, particularly the latest one in Myanmar the past days measuring over 5 on the richter scale, the premier has instructed that all the four provinces urgently conduct the rehearsals to prepare their people to properly deal with possible tremors in the future," he told local journalists.

The rehearsals would be organized by provincial governors of each of the provinces and local disaster prevention and mitigation officials, he noted.

The prime minister also suggested that local residents and business firms check conditions of their houses and commercial buildings and improve them, if necessary, to meet the safety standard suggested by local authorities, said Mr. Plodprasop. (TNA)--E002

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BANGKOK, Jan 30 (TNA) - Bangkok's underground train service is reinforcing its security measures at all stations and even inside its coaches, thanks to a newly-established canine bomb expert squad.

The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), which oversees the Bangkok's subway service, in cooperation with the Royal Thai Army, has set up the new canine bomb expert unit to boost and ensure the safety of subway passengers, according to MRTA's Deputy Governor Ronnachit Yaemsa-ard.

The 12-member squad of well-trained dogs will begin their operations in Febuary.

They would be divided into four groups each day to separately inspect suspicious objects and detect any bomb at all subway stations and inside the underground train, Mr. Ronnachit told journalists here on Monday.

The canine bomb expert squad would be on service everyday from 06:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m., the daily service hours of the underground train, he said.

Assistant Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Jariya Tabthong presided over a ceremony here Monday morning to hand over the 12 canine bomb experts to MRTA.

Mr. Ronnachit said, however, that there had been no bomb threats against the subway service so far although subway security officers used to discover unattended briefcases which later turned to be forgetfully left by some passengers. (TNA)--E002

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300 words
31 January 2006
15:20
Dow Jones International News
English

BANGKOK (Dow Jones)--Thailand's Minister of Finance Thanong Bidaya said Tuesday he doesn't see any irregularity in the transaction concerning Temasek Holdings Ltd.'s (TEMAH.YY) purchase of the 49.6% stake in Shin Corp. PCL (SHIN.TH) from the family of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

"I have discussed the issue with the Securities & Exchange Commission. But there is nothing irregular in the transaction," Thanong told reporters.

Thanong said a representative of Thaksin's family will hold a press conference to detail the transaction Wednesday and the SEC will also give a briefing on the deal in the coming days.

Relatives of Thaksin sold last week their 49.6% stake in Shin Corp. to two holding companies controlled by Temasek, Singapore's government investment holding company, for THB73.3 billion in the biggest acquisition deal in Thailand's history.

The deal has met with strong criticism about transparency in the share transfer of Shin Corp. shares to the two adult children of Thaksin from Ample Rich Investments Ltd. ahead of the deal with Temasek.

The SEC has said Ample Rich sold 164.6 million shares, equivalent to a stake of 5.49% in Shin Corp., to each of Thaksin's two children.

It said Thaksin's son Phantongtae and daughter Pintongta acknowledged Monday that the shares were bought from Ample Rich at THB1 each, in preparation for the sale to Temasek at THB49.25 each.

The Nation newspaper said Saturday that Ample Rich was set up by Thaksin in in the British tax haven of the Virgin Islands, and that it has its headquarters in Singapore.