Anything & Everything About Thailand

[U-Need]

414 words
1 February 2006
South China Morning Post
English

Beneath the golden pillars of a Thai temple, nine monks chant the final funeral verse as family members light incense sticks and place the urn of ashes next to the murder victim's photo.

Across the courtyard, Malai stops to buy lottery tickets from a street vendor and chooses a set of numbers matching the time and day of her boyfriend's death.

In Thailand, important dates are good luck, no matter what the circumstances - even if the deceased was a hired killer.

A Thai proverb says: "Do good, get good. Do bad, get bad." Tim, a hit man who killed the son of a prominent politician, fulfilled this Buddhist prophecy when he was gunned down at a shopping mall in central Thailand. The revenge killing was payback for murdering the boy four years ago, carried out by Tim and an accomplice.

Tim, the 25-year-old son of a police sergeant, was a gunman for a political heavyweight in northern Thailand who went by the name, "the Colonel". With at least two alleged murders under his belt, Tim's days were already numbered.

He was generous with his money. It was the Buddhist way of making amends for his misdeeds, Malai said. "He gave money to beggars. He would release fish to the water and birds to the skies."

The former beauty queen had met Tim in a Chiang Mai nightspot known to be frequented by gangsters, and the two had moved in together.

His blood money bought her gold jewellery, an expensive wardrobe and surgically enhanced breasts to further her career as a model. The slim 22-year-old said Tim originally told her that he was a bodyguard for the Colonel, but later the truth came out.

She feared for their lives after gunmen sprayed their house with bullets one night. Malai said she pleaded with Tim to quit, but he remained loyal to his crime boss until a pair of assassins, working for a rival jao pho, or godfather, shot him dead from the back of a car.

Tim had sold his latest 9mm handgun on the day of the slaying and had gone to the local mall to buy his girlfriend a gold bracelet.

"Tim had told me many times he was not afraid to die. He was only afraid not to have a gun to shoot back if someone tried to kill him," Malai said.Steve Sandford

[U-Need]

594 words
1 February 2006
Bangkok Post
English

Onsiri Pravattiyagul

If you haven't heard of Anna Issaraporn Chantarasopak from Jamp by now, you're probably one of many people who couldn't care less about short-lived popstars.

But, truthfully, even if you don't follow the trials and tribulations of has-been celebrities, it would be hard not to notice Anna as she's been the subject of water-cooler conversations all around town and even more so on the Internet.

The reason for all this attention? - The widespread distribution of a very "private" home movie that has been circulating the city. The female participant resembles Anna, which has prompted the entire nation to dive into a heated "is it or isn't it?" debate.

For the record, Anna maintains that the girl in the video is a look-a-like.

The film's male "co-star" apparently stored the explicit movie on his computer, which he took to a repair shop. Can you imagine the glee, shock or utter disgust of the computer technician when he stumbled upon such clips? A daily newspaper has reported that the unwitting actor has fled to Malaysia in order to avoid further questioning and the wrath of his family.

The technician had no right to distribute what he found on the computer entrusted to his care. But then we have a choice not to watch it "out of curiosity".

Still, I must own up that I did take a peak, just to understand what the fuss was all about. I have no justification for my peeking.

I've also engaged in the "is it or isn't it" discussion, but reached no conclusion. I knew I could have chosen not to watch, to stand my moral high ground that social voyeurism should be kept under self-control. What is entertainment to us could be a living hell for the two featured in the private home video. It's just that we don't really stop and think about it when watching their recording, reducing two very real people to mere pieces of meat.

The reactions found on the Internet fall roughly into three categories: 1. The usual debate over "is it or isn't it", 2. What a lucky dude and what a vamp the girl was, and, lastly, 3. Goodness gracious: Moral corruption!

There is resentment toward Anna's denials. Everyone seems to be certain that the girl in question is her. What do you expect Anna to say or do under such pressure? Surely, the most foolproof way is to stay aloof, but in this gossiping culture, "no comment" often means "yes, but I'm ashamed to admit it".

The sexist, cultural overtones tend to shift the shame/blame on to the woman who "allowed" herself to be put into such a lewd position. To me, the incident is pure accident, and it has nothing to do with moral standards or cultural norms being disrespected or dismantled. The fault doesn't lie in bed between the two participants because it's not wrong to tape your ... er ... activities, or even your bowel movements, as your heart desires. Sex shouldn't be a taboo subject in the first place. If people want to videotape themselves getting "busy", they should be free to do so. The computer technician should be condemned instead of the two caught on tape. People have different sexual itches, and they should be able to scratch them without having their wrists slapped, if they're not troubling anyone.

And on that note, claw away!

[U-Need]

Astrologer predicts Thailand PM’s fall
- By AP

Bangkok, Jan. 31: Forget the corruption scandals. The "God of Darkness" could be the downfall of Thailand’s beleaguered Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a respected astrologer said on Tuesday.

Boonlert Pairintra, a senator and noted fortune teller, said Mercury used to favour Mr Thaksin but has been eclipsed by Rahu — the God of Darkness — and Mr Thaksin’s words will now bring him more enemies than friends. Jupiter, which once made Mr Thaksin a millionaire, will also bring him trouble, he said.

"Rahu is overshadowing Mr Thaksin’s stars, which will bring all bad luck to him ... Thaksin will face his downfall anytime during the first half of this year," Mr Boonlert said. Mr Boonlert further added that the premier’s good luck will return after June.

[U-Need]

BANGKOK, Jan 31 (TNA) - Last Update : 2006-01-31 / 19:29:09 (GMT+7:00)

Passengers taking state-run city buses will have more money lying in their pockets, thanks to Tuesday's decision of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) to remain its fares unchanged.

The BMTA has confirmed that it will keep its fares unchanged amid a new fare rise by all private bus operators early next month.

BMTA's Acting Director O-bhas Petchmunee told journalists that BMTA had decided to continue to cap its fare rates until the diesel price on the domestic market rises to Bt26 per litre.

"We've thoroughly examined our operational costs and found that our fuel costs still stand at Bt0.10-0.13 per ticket on average. So, we've decided to keep our fares unchanged to help ease passengers' burden until our fuel costs jump to Bt0.50 per ticket or the domestic diesel price shoots up to Bt26 per litre, or ," he said.

The Ministry of Transport on Monday gave the green light for private operators of both city and inter-province passenger buses to raise their fares due to continued rising fuel costs.

Deputy Transport Minister Gen.Chainant Charoensiri told journalists that the ministry approved the new fare rise following the diesel price on the domestic market having surged to exceed Bt24.50 per litre.

The Ministry of Transport asked the private bus operators to remain their fares unchanged for the past six months and promised them that once the domestic diesel price surges to Bt24.50 per litre, they will be allowed for a new fare rise. Now the local diesel price has risen to Bt24.69 per litre.

Forcing the private bus operators to keep their fares unchange amid continuing fuel cost hikes may result in undesirable sub-standard services adversely affecting the passengers, he cautioned.

Given the approval, private city bus operators--both air conditionered and non air conditionered ones--are allowed to raise their fares by Bt1.0; while inter-province buses are allowed a fare rise of Bt0.03 per kilometre.

The new fare rise is expected to be effective from February 6 following a meeting of the Central Land Transport Committee here on February 1, in which the approved new fare rise is believed to be endorsed.

In anticipating of the increasing number of passengers turning to use BMTA's service due to the fare disparity, Mr. O-bhas said BMTA would provide sufficient buses to serve the passengers.

Asked whether the fare disparity would affect BMTA's revenues, Mr. O-bhas said BMTA had introduced special one-day tour programmes to tourist destinations in provincial areas--not far from Bangkok--on holidays for family members or groups of friends, namely those in Ayutthaya, Samut Prakan, Ratchaburi and Chonburi Provinces, which had earned the agency additional revenues sufficient to compansate the capped fare rates for a certain period of time and had also help boosted BMTA's image and good relations with the public. (TNA)--E002

[U-Need]

BANGKOK, Feb 1 (TNA) - Last Update : 2006-02-01 / 10:16:59 (GMT+7:00)

No violence or untoward incident is expected to occur during a gathering of demonstrators protesting against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at the Royal Plaza Saturday, because Thais are known to be a peace-loving and smart people, Deputy Prime Minister Pol. Gen. Chidchai Vanasatidya said Wednesday.

The authorities earlier changed the protest venue from Sanam Luang to the Royal Plaza at the other end of Rajdamnoen Avenue, surrounding the statue of King Chulalongkorn, Rama V, on horseback, where many Thais go to express reverence for the monarchy.

The demonstrators are expected to be led by media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul, Gen. Chidchai said.

He advised Mr. Sondhi and the protestors to remain peaceful and abide by the laws so that no untoward incident would take place -- as some officials fear.

The authorities learned a lesson from last month's unruly aftermath of such a demonstration (Jan 13) which escalated into a gate-crashing and intrusion into the Government House compound, he said.

"Peace and order will be maintained Saturday," vowed Gen Chidchai, who is concurrently justice minister.

"Peace-loving demonstrators must be able to tell right from wrong and not be misled by third parties sowing unrest and misgiving between the protesters and the authorities," the police general commented.

The deputy prime minister, who had consulted with the National Intelligence Agency about the matter, believes the situation at Royal Plaza -- around the equestrian stutues of King Chulalongkorn, King Rama V, in front of Thailand's Old Parliament -- and nearby could be conducted without the authorities losing control.

At the same time, he said, anti-riot police officers standing by will be able to cope with anything arising during the anti-Thaksin gathering.

Police will also stand guard at Government House and other government premises to prevent possible vandalism.

Gen. Chidchai called on groups of provincial teachers who had planned to join the Royal Plaza gathering to remain as respectable as ever and refrain from breaking the law. (TNA)-E008

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 1 February 2006 :-

B20m fine looms over PM's son : Democrats looking to impeach Thaksin

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is blaming his son Panthongthae, who is likely to be fined about 20 million baht, for the Ample Rich controversy, but the Democrats want the Thai Rak Thai leader impeached.

A government source said Mr Thaksin told the cabinet meeting yesterday that Ample Rich Investments Ltd had belonged to Mr Panthongthae since Dec 1, 2000, and the Stock Exchange of Thailand had been aware of this.

''There should not be any problem,'' he told cabinet members, the source said.

Mr Thaksin was referring to the company that reportedly sold 392 million shares of Shin Corp to Mr Panthongthae and his sister Pinthongta at one baht a share on Jan 20.

The two then sold all their holdings in the telecom giant to Singapore's Temasek Holdings on Jan 23 at 49.25 baht a share.

''Everybody can rest happy because your prime minister never ever breaks the law,'' he was quoted as saying during the meeting.

He told cabinet ministers that he had set up Ample Rich in the British Virgin Islands only because he wanted to invest in the US stock market and that the subsequent transfer of Ample Rich to his son did not violate any law.

Suvarn Valaisathien, the spokesman for the Shinawatra and Damapong families, would explain the matter to the press today, Mr Thaksin said.

He refused to say more, remaining tightlipped no matter how hard reporters pushed him for elaboration yesterday.

The Democrats refuse to believe the prime minister's story.

Korn Chatikavanij, deputy secretary-general of the opposition party, said that laying the blame on Mr Panthongthae was Mr Thaksin's last resort. It meant the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) would fine the son for failing to immediately inform the agency of his holding in Ample Rich.

Chalee Chantonyingyong, assistant senior secretary-general to the SEC, said Mr Panthongthae never reported the Shin shareholding through Ample Rich and was liable to a daily fine of 10,000 baht.

From the end of November 2000, when Mr Thaksin ended his holding in Ample Rich, until yesterday was a total of 1,946 days and the fine totalled 19.46 million baht, he said.

Media firebrand Sondhi Limthongkul said Mr Thaksin laid the blame on his son to prevent impeachment and the actual legal liability was a two-year jail term.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva called for a straightforward investigation by the SEC of the share acquisition and sale by Mr Panthongthae and Miss Pinthongta.

He said the transactions were complicated and they possibly involved taking advantage of insider information, which could make them liable to two years in jail and/or a 200% fine.

Thavorn Senniam, deputy secretary-general of the Democrat party, said Mr Thaksin's past action violated article 209 of the constitution that prohibited a cabinet minister from having a stake in a company or acting as if he was managing a company.

The violation automatically disqualified him from cabinet under article 216 of the constitution. The Democrats would ask the Constitution Court to rule on the issue.

Democrat executive Kobsak Sabhavasu said Mr Thaksin and his son must explain who Mr Panthongthae bought Ample Rich Investments from, how much he paid for it, where the money had come from and where the acquisition happened.

If the acquisition happened offshore, how had he taken the money out of the country and had the Bank of Thailand been aware of the movement.

''It is a convincing thought that actually the company never changed hands. It always belonged to Mr Thaksin and that was concealed,'' Mr Kobsak said. The explanation from the prime minister's side was delayed, possibly pending the fabrication of evidence, he said.

He challenged experts to prove when a written document was actually signed.

''All Mr Thaksin's actions have for a long time deprived him of legitimacy as prime minister.

''It's a shame the Thai people had to have a prime minister who has behaved like this,'' Mr Kobsak said

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 1 February 2006 :-

Chamlong urges PM to give B26bn to the poor

By Ampa Santtmatanedol

Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang yesterday called on Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to donate 26 billion baht to the country's poor, in lieu of the capital gains tax exempted for last week's sale of Shin Corp shares by the Shinawatra family.

The former adviser to the prime minister also warned cabinet ministers not to be overly confident of the government's 375-strong majority in the House, saying major political changes in the past always began outside parliament.

''The changes took place on Rajdamnoen avenue and at Sanam Luang. Don't be reckless,'' Maj-Gen Chamlong said at a press conference held at the Oct 14 uprising monument on Rajdamnoen avenue, where he presented his open letter calling on Mr Thaksin to donate 26 billion baht to the country's poor.

He said the suggested amount was based on a tax rate of 37% which Mr Thaksin should have paid for the 73.3 billion baht his family earned from the sale of Shin shares to Singapore's Temasek Holdings on Jan 23.

''Donate the 26 billion baht in waived tax to the state, especially to help the poor, and more than 46 billion baht will still be left _ enough for spending even if one lived through 100 reincarnations,'' said Maj-Gen Chamlong.

A cabinet source said Mr Thaksin made known his intention during yesterday's cabinet meeting that he would donate one billion baht from his huge fortune to the Thaicom Foundation for national development research.

Another 55 million baht would go to a fund earmarked for the one-district-one-doctor project, the source said.

Maj-Gen Chamlong said it would be ''rational'' of Mr Thaksin to donate the suggested amount of 26 billion baht since he had pledged to help the country's poor and to donate some of his earnings from the Shin share sale.

The donation would give the prime minister ''another good chance''. Also, it would be tantamount to an act of self-sacrifice, which was one of the essential qualities of a good national leader, Maj-Gen Chamlong said.

He added that he had discussed this moral quality with Mr Thaksin when they were still together in the Palang Dharma party.

Palang Dharma was founded by Maj-Gen Chamlong and became a vehicle for Mr Thaksin to enter politics.

Maj-Gen Chamlong said he disagreed with the Shin share sell-off because it would do more harm than good to the nation.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 1 February 2006 :-

BoT chief calls for change to capital gains tax rules

Bank of Thailand Governor Pridiyathorn Devakul yesterday suggested lawmakers amend Finance Ministry rules which waive the capital gains tax on stock trades, in the wake of the historic 73.3-billion-baht tax-free sell-off by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's family members of Shin Corp shares.
Testifying before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, M.R. Pridiyathorn advised the legislators to review and amend government directives under which all stocks changing hands on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) are exempted from the capital gains tax.

A SET official confirmed during testimony that no profits from stock trading are subject to the tax under Finance Ministry regulations set down a decade ago.

Committee chairman Kraisak Choonhavan called the sale in which the prime minister's son, Panthongthae, and daughter, Pinthongtha, sold 73.3 billion baht worth of Shin Corp shares to Singapore's Temasek Holdings in a tax-free deal an unbelievable twist which had greatly bewildered the Thai public.

M.R. Pridiyathorn said such mega-deals had been beyond anyone's imagination until last week's sale of Shin shares by the prime minister's family members to the Singaporean firm, plus little-known Kularb Kaew Co, jointly represented on the SET by Cedar Holdings.

M.R. Pridiyathorn added that he disagreed with the waiver of the capital gains tax in the first place but had been unable to do anything about it.

Senator Jon Ungpakorn said he had found the legal loopholes apparently taken by the prime minister's relatives a practice which may have compromised the premier's ethics, although they may not have broken the letter of the law.

It obviously offended the senses of those who might earn only about 20,000 or 30,000 baht a month and yet had to pay personal income tax, said the Bangkok senator.

The Senate committee discussed allegations the premier concealed billions of baht worth of Shin shares which were part of the sell-off by leaving them with Ample Rich Investments, an alleged front firm set up in the British Virgin Islands.

The central bank governor said no large amounts of money were found to have been transferred between the premier, who has supposedly owned Ample Rich for the last several years.

Nevertheless, transfers of holdings of a firm's stocks could in practice be done simply in a normal bookkeeping fashion whereby no cash needed to change hands, unless each transaction was worth US million or more.

Mr Panthongthae and Ms Pinthongtha must prove to the Securities and Exchange Commission in seven days' time that they bought 329 million shares of the giant telecom firm from Ample Rich for a period of time well before they were included in the Jan 23 sell-off.

The premier's children reportedly received the Shin Corp shares for one baht each from Ample Rich and sold them to Cedar Holdings for 49 baht apiece, reaping roughly 15 billion baht in profit.

Senator Niran Pithakwatchara said the premier might end up like Mahachon party leader Maj-Gen Sanan Kachornprasart, who was found guilty of asset concealment and banned from holding political posts for five years.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 1 February 2006 :-

PM's sister adamant share sale was routine

By Srisamorn Phoosuphanusorn

Yingluck Shinawatra, the Prime Minister's youngest sister, yesterday brushed aside mounting criticism of possible insider trading of shares in Advanced Info Service. She said the shares were partially sold off under the Employee Stock Option Plan (Esop) of the parent Shin Corporation, which grants share allocations to staff each year on top of their salaries.

She also denied any knowledge of the movements and shareholder structure of Ample Rich Investments, the British Virgin Islands-registered dummy company that sold Shin shares at one baht par to the prime minister's children.

Ms Yingluck, who is stepping down as the president of AIS in line with the shareholding change in Shin, was responding to reports about sales of her shares from December to early January.

She sold 278,000 AIS shares at prices ranging from 101 and 113 baht during a period of intense speculation about a foreign takeover of Shin Corp.

''I needed to sell the shares, which are a tiny amount when compared with my entire AIS shareholding, since the amount I gained in last three years under the Esop programme was due to expire this year,'' she explained.

At present Ms Yingluck holds an undisclosed number of AIS shares, awarded through the Esop.

''For my current shareholding, I would need at least three years to sell all of them out,'' she said.

Shin offers warrants to directors and employees once a year under the Esop, for five consecutive years.

The warrants are only valid for five years from the date they are issued, and must be approved by shareholders and a board of directors. They can be exercised within three years in varying amounts.

Last year, AIS gave executives and staff the opportunity to purchase ordinary shares, priced at 89.90 baht each.

''Normally, I gradually sell my shareholding every year, and inform the Stock Exchange of Thailand every time, when I sell in compliance with Shin's management principles,'' Ms Yingluck said.

''I'm not concerned about the criticism because I always know what I'm doing,'' she said, adding that she was used to the Shinawatra surname sparking criticism.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 1 February 2006 :-

KFC shifts focus away from big-store spaces

By Pitsinee Jitpleecheep

With space at a premium in large retail stores, the operator of local KFC restaurants is shifting its outlet expansion strategy to untapped markets this year.

The company plans to invest 500 million baht to open 35-40 new branches nationwide this year, bringing its total to 340-345, according to Waewkanee Assoratgoon, marketing director of KFC for Yum! Restaurants International Thailand.

Previously, the expansion of KFC outlets had followed the growth of large discount stores such as Tesco Lotus and Big C. But as a result of tighter zoning regulations, sites for new outlets are in short supply.

''Therefore, this year, we will open new outlets by finding locations that have market opportunity, in both shophouses and local department stores,'' she said.

KFC is especially interested in provinces where fast-food competition is limited, such as Kalasin, Phichit, Pattani, Phayao and Chiang Rai.

A market research firm ACNielsen survey of visits to fast-food restaurants, showed KFC first with a 49% share, then McDonald's at 26%, Pizza Hut 10%, The Pizza Company 6% and others 9%.

Sales of KFC last year grew by 10% because of outlet expansion, same-store growth and greater menu varieties. Figures were not disclosed.

Mrs Waewkanee said the addition of non-chicken menu items had been well-received by consumers. The company plans more non-chicken offerings this year and will make shrimp puffs a permanent menu choice. The new products are expected to account for 20% of its total sales this year.

Currently, an average of 6,000 customers a week visit each KFC shop with average spending of 200 baht per visit.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 1 February 2006 :-

Anti-Aids campaign to focus on gay men


[COLOR="red"]Thailand will this month see its first mass campaign to prevent HIV infection among men who have sex with men (MSM), amid an alarming surge in gay infection rates.

The five-month campaign – Sex Alert – will be run by the US non-government organisation (NGO) Family Health International, in conjunction with local NGOs and government agencies, including the Public Health Ministry.

A public relations firm has been hired to distribute safe-sex information through various media.

The category MSM includes gay and bisexual men, male sex workers (some of whom are not gay) and transgender individuals, explained Dr Frits van Griensven, associate director for science at HIV/Aids Collaboration, a joint activity of the Health Ministry and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Van Griensven said the nature of the epidemic in the country had changed.

“Previously Thailand faced a heterosexual epidemic of enormous size that required all its resources and attention,” Van Griensven said. “As that epidemic has been controlled…[it] diversified to other groups.”

USAID regional mission director Tim Beans said the problem of detection and outreach had been complicated by a tendency for men who have sex with men to be “stigmatised” and “neglected” by society.

“Up until now, men having sex with men has not been included in the national strategy plan,” he said.

Surveys carried out last year in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket found an alarming incidence of HIV infection among MSM. The rate of infection among MSM surveyed in Bangkok surged from 17 per cent in 2003 to 28 per cent last year, van Griensven said. The studies in Chiang Mai and Phuket were the first of their kind in those cities.

The campaign will disseminate safe-sex information through magazine and radio adverts, mobile phone text messages, the Internet and posters on “moving media” such as tuk tuks, said Dr Somchai Srip-lienchan, Family Health Inter-national’s director for Thailand.

Somchai said that besides stressing the importance of safe sex, the campaign would direct MSM to call centres and websites that provide information about preventing HIV or living with it. The call centres and websites will also provide information on other health issues for MSM and counselling.

Somchai said Sex Alert would target men who were openly gay as well as those who are secretly gay, while male sex workers would receive information from local NGOs.

During the five-month Sex Alert, flyers, postcards and packets of condoms with lubricant will be handed out at gay venues.

The PR firm hired to disseminate the information decided what media would be used based on its own study. The firm felt tuk tuk adverts would work best in Chiang Mai because the northern city is smaller than Bangkok, Somchai said.

Major factors behind the surge in HIV infection rates among MSM include a lack of prevention programmes, and limited access to condoms and lubricants, he said.

MSM need to use lubricants with condoms to have anal sex. Oil-based lubricants, however, can cause a condom to break or tear. Many MSM are unaware that they should only use water-based lubricants, said the owner of a gay entertainment venue, Kittinun Dharamadaj,

The rate of HIV infection among gay men under 21 has risen rapidly. Van Griensven said the rate among MSM in this bracket in the Bangkok studies tripled from 2003 to 2005.

Kittinun said the proliferation of gay venues and websites had created more opportunity for young MSM to have casual sex.

The director of the Disease Control Department’s Aids division pointed to other factors in the surge in infection rates. Dr Sombat Taenprasertsuk said the young men had “less bargaining power in sex and limited access to condoms due to the amount of money they earn”.

About a third of the 16,000 Thais expected to get HIV this year would be MSM, Sombat said.

Arthit Khwankhom,
Chris Vedelago
The Nation

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 1 February 2006 :-

Bus fares not going up yet

The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) will maintain its current bus fare rate until the price of diesel reaches Bt26 per litre, BMTA acting director Opas Petchmunee announced yesterday.

While the Transport Ministry was preparing to approve a fare hike for private buses after the diesel price rose to Bt24.69 per litre, Opas said the BMTA could maintain its current bus fare as bus operators’ costs had only increased Bt0.13 per ticket due to higher oil prices.

The BMTA would maintain its fares until the oil price went to Bt26 per litre, or the extra bus operating costs reached Bt0.50 per ticket, he said.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 1 February 2006 :-

Anti-porn show starts

The Cyber Cop radio show will kick off operations today aimed at cracking down on websites promoting pornography.

PM’s Office Minister Newin Chidchob announced yesterday he would participate in the first episode today. To be aired on FM105 between 3-5pm on weekdays, the show will serve as a channel for people to inform authorities of obscene websites, as well as offline vendors peddling sex movies.

Information on porn sites and obscene material in other media will be passed to police, who will then take legal action. The campaign will extend to offline promoters and sellers.

Newin warned operators of shopping malls to monitor their tenants because operators would be held responsible if police, following tip-offs, catch tenants distributing pornography on their premises.

Newin said he planned to ask the courts to hand down the harshest penalties to people convicted of selling obscene materials, a crime that carries a fine up to Bt3,000 and up to three years jail. He believed the culprits should receive prison sentences without suspension because pornography often led to other social problems.

In a related development, police yesterday searched a house in Don Muang of the operator of www.pamvcd.com, who is accused of peddling VCD copies of a pornographic movie starring a lookalike of a popular female singer.

Webmaster Harirak Phewngam, 27, was taken into custody when police discovered 1,000 pornographic VCDs at the house. Eleven computers were seized as evidence .

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 1 February 2006 :-

TAT plans retiree card

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is planning to launch a “Golden Travel Card” programme, targeting retired people aged 55 and over.

The TAT expects to sign up 15,000 members in the first year of operation, according to a source at the agency.

The source said a working group planned to propose the project to the TAT’s deputy governor for marketing within the next two weeks, and wanted to start the programme by the end of next month.

The Golden Travel Card project aims to encourage retirees to travel more on weekdays.

“Almost all retired people have free time and money for travel compared to a working person. As a result, the TAT plans to launch the card to promote travel in Thailand on working days,” he said.

Membership will be Bt500 a year and includes special travel packages, and discounts at hotels, restaurants and hospitals.

The source said that the 20-per-cent discount was attractive for members because most restaurants and hotels only offer reductions of 5-15 per cent for other membership cards.

“We want the Golden Travel Card to provide good prices when travelling compared to other cards,” he added.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 1 February 2006 :-

AIS issues Dee Dee card for those who don’t make calls

Advanced Info Service Plc (AIS) has introduced a SIM card for its subscribers who want only to receive calls. By using the Dee Dee (“Very Good”) SIM card at a cost of Bt150 apiece, subscribers do not have to buy refill cards to keep extending the validity of the service period.

However, they can receive calls only from those within the same AIS network and the network of AIS subsidiary Digital Phone Co.

AIS vice president for marketing Titipong Khiewpaisal said the programme would last for one year, but AIS would continue to extend it annually.

A Dee Dee user can place an outgoing call by dialling a code number, followed by the desired number, and the call will be charged to the receiver.

Titipong said that initially, they could call only prepaid users in the AIS network, but in the near future AIS would also allow them to connect to post-paid users in both the AIS and the DPC networks.

He said the programme would target 500,000 users within three months and that AIS would spend Bt60 million on a two-month-campaign.

He added that AIS did not have to share the money from this sort of programme with its concession owner, TOT Plc, because it did not earn revenues from Dee Dee SIM-card users.

AIS president Yingluck Shinawatra said that this year, AIS would target an additional 1.2 million customers.

Currently, AIS has more than 16 million subscribers.

Usanee Mongkolporn
The Nation