Anything & Everything About Thailand

[U-Need]

BANGKOK, March 20 (TNA) – Thai Airways International Public Company Limited has teamed up with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Star Alliance to organize additional programs to stimulate tourism under the Star Alliance Visit Thailand Campaign, which will last until September this year.



Included is the Star Alliance Air Pass program under which there is an offer of air tickets with special price discounts for international aviation routes of partners’ airways linking that of Thailand where there are key tourist sites.



Visitors to Thailand will also be offered coupons for purchasing goods in the country at discount prices to stimulate their spending in the country.



To support the TAT-initiated Thailand Grand Invitation Program, THAI has also organized the Homecoming and Package Program under which Thai people living overseas will be invited to come home to celebrate the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King’s ascension to the throne.



The Star Alliance Visit Campaign is launched during October 2005-September 2006 with an aim to attract foreign tourists into Thailand, particularly Andaman coastal areas hard hit by the tsunami disaster.



TAT’s Governor Juthamart Siriwan said the campaign used to be successful in Japan as it could increase the number of foreign arrivals by 18 per cent.



She said the campaign was launched in Thailand with a main aim to draw foreign arrivals from Japan, Korea, and Germany.



The Star Alliance comprises 16 business airlines with an aviation network of 139 countries. Airplanes of members are bound from and to 795 airports worldwide. (TNA) – E005

[U-Need]

BANGKOK, March 20 (TNA) - Forensic tests of blood stains found preserved in oil residues found on an oil drum discovered in a river west of Bangkok last week failed to provide the DNA traces investigators expected, according to Thailand's top forensic expert, dashing hopes that it will help shed light on the fate of a prominent Muslim human rights lawyer, missing for two years and presumed dead.

Somchai Neelaphaijit disappeared in Bangkok in March 2004 while defending a group of Muslims charged with plotting attacks in the insurgency-plagued south of the country.

He went missing after publicly accusing Thai police officials of torturing his clients while in custody.

Dr. Pornthip Rojanasunan, acting director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, said on Sunday that the DNA test provided no result.

In this case, she said, it could mean that the bloodstains may not belong to humans or that the DNA could no longer be detected due to the lengthy period of time that has lapsed and the exposure of the blood samples contamination from other sources.

However, Dr. Pornthip said the the fat stains would be sent for further laboratory tests to prove whether they are human remains or not.

Meanwhile, Piyawat Kingket, spokesman of the Department of Special Investigation said the search for more clues will continue in the Mae Klong River west of Bangkok in the central province of Ratchaburi where the investigative team tracked some leads from unusual cell phone records of those allegedly involved in the disappearance of the lawyer.

A team of underwater archaeologists from Chanthaburi are due to arrive in Ratchaburi Tuesday and they are expected to start working to find material evidence in the Mae Klong riverbed, Piyawat said. (TNA)-E001

[U-Need]

BANGKOK, March 20 (TNA) – EGAT Public Company Limited says it is interested in acquiring shares of Glow Energy Public Company Limited because the latter operates the same power business.



EGAT’s President Kraisee Kanasutr conceded the company had already discussed a possibility of the share acquisition with Glow Energy for a certain period.



Private power operators normally offer shares for sale to other investors when they change investment policies, he said, however, adding that EGAT would consider the share acquisition with caution.



Should it decide to invest in Glow Energy, it would have its affiliates negotiate for the deal.



Mr. Krasee said EGAT was interested in acquiring Glow’s shares because the latter generates power, which is a core business already run by the former.



He said its affiliates, which would be assigned to negotiate for the deal, might be Ratchburi Electricity Generating Holding Public Company Limited or Electricity Generating Public Company Limited.



A company in which EGAT holds most stakes will be encouraged to take the job first.



Currently, EGAT holds a stake of 25.41 per cent and 45 per cent in Egco and Ratchburi. (TNA) – E005

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Monday 20 March 2006 :-

Singapore's love affair with Sathorn

Three magical words that guarantee the success of a property development project - location, location and location. This is exactly what highlights the attractiveness of Sathorn Road, where both commercial and residential projects have been more than warmly welcomed due to the proximity to downtown Silom as well as the convenient public transport network.

Unsurprisingly, on both sides of the road lie a number of properties by Thai and foreign companies who could afford the pricey land which is estimated to be worth more than Bt60,000 per square wah.

Among the foreign properties that make their presence felt are the Sukhothai Hotel of Hong Kong-based HKRI, which is on South Sathorn Road, and the Evergreen Hotel of a Taiwanese investor. Aside from several embassies that flank the road are banks like the Bank of +++yo Mitsubishi, and there is also the French language school Alliance Francaise.

But none of this can outpace the investment from Singapore, which is concentrated mainly on South Sathorn.

A survey has showed that on the road stand a number of structures of companies that are either Thai-Singapore joint ventures or Thai companies with Singaporean interests. The number is so high that some people in property circles call the stretch "Singapore Road".

From the junction of Rama IV and Sathorn Road, the 38-storey grade-A office building Q House Lumpini is located on the left-hand side. Not far away is Q House Sathorn, located next to Soi Atthakan Prasit. This is also a first-class office building, with 20 floors.

The two buildings are developed and operated by the listed Quality Houses Plc, the country's leading property developer of luxury residential and office-building projects. Apart from Land & Houses Plc, the firm's second-largest shareholder is the Government of Singapore Investment Corp (GIC) with a 13-per-cent stake as of October 2005.

The next building is the British hotel-chain-managed Metropolitan Hotel, developed by a Thai-Singapore joint venture. The hotel consists of 171 rooms.

Before reaching Soi Suan Plu, one comes across a five-star hotel called the Banyan Tree, developed and managed by Singaporean-based Banyan Tree Holdings. Over the years the Banyan Tree group has poured billions of baht to add to its properties in the Kingdom.

Off South Sathorn Road and Soi Suan Plu, there is the 239-apartment serviced block Somerset Park Suanplu. The building is operated by the Ascott Group, which is part of CapitaLand, a property arm of Singapore's Temasek Holdings.

The Singapore Embassy is also located at the corner of Suan Plu Road.

The Met, a 66-floor luxury condominium, will also be a major feature on South Sathorn. The condo, which is under construction and expected to be complete by 2007, is developed by Pebble Bay (Thailand), a member of the Singaporean-based HPL Group.

Situated behind the Empire Tower alongside Narathiwat Soi 4 will be the 43-storey condominium Empire Place. Developed by TCC Capital Land, this is a joint venture between liquor tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi's TCC Land and Singapore's CapitaLand.

The luxury serviced-apartment building Ascott Sathorn Bangkok is located next to Empire Tower.

Then you have United Overseas Bank (Thai). Singapore's United Overseas Bank spent Bt6.5 billion to acquire Radanasin Bank's shares in October 1999. Last year it injected about Bt22 billion to buy out Bank of Asia and merged it with UOB Radanasin, and is currently represented in Thailand by United Overseas Bank (Thai).

And it's not just investors from Singapore who have developed properties in the South Sathorn area, as other international groups have shown interest in the area, said Dr Sopon Pornchokchai, managing director of the Agency for Real Estate Affairs.

He said the area offered high potential for making a handsome return on one's investment.

Piya Treruangrachada, financial controller of Keppel Thai Properties Plc, which is seeking a plot to build a middle-upper condominium in the Sathorn area, said the area had high potential to become a new financial district of Bangkok - an extension from the nearby Silom area. About 45 per cent of Keppel Thai Properties is owned by Keppel Land, the property arm of Singapore's multinational Keppel Group.

"The Sathorn area is also attractive to financial-related firms, including lawyers, auditors, large enterprises, as well as residential buildings," said Piya.

He added that Sathorn Road would soon be like Singapore's Orchard Road and New York's Wall Street, where office buildings and financial institutions are concentrated in great numbers.

Supporting this is research by local developer Raimon Land. Since 2004, 16 condominium projects comprising 2,756 units have been launched in the Silom and Sathorn areas. That is a huge number, but still worth the investment.

In 2005, the average price for a condo in inner-city Bangkok was Bt80,774 per square metre. The biggest price hike was in the Silom and Sathorn areas, where the current price/sqm of available units has reached Bt97,284.

Office buildings also enjoy near-full occupancy rates as local and multinational companies demand space for the convenience of clients.

"It just happened that Singapore was the first to see the road's potential," said a source in property circles, explaining why the overall Singaporean investment is larger than that of other foreign companies.

Reflecting this comment is the fact that Singapore's GIC was among the first foreign investors to resume investment in Thailand right after the 1997 financial crisis, when most foreigners still shunned the Kingdom.

Sasithorn Ongdee
The Nation

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Monday 20 March 2006 :-

Singapore's love affair with Sathorn

Three magical words that guarantee the success of a property development project - location, location and location. This is exactly what highlights the attractiveness of Sathorn Road, where both commercial and residential projects have been more than warmly welcomed due to the proximity to downtown Silom as well as the convenient public transport network.

Unsurprisingly, on both sides of the road lie a number of properties by Thai and foreign companies who could afford the pricey land which is estimated to be worth more than Bt60,000 per square wah.

Among the foreign properties that make their presence felt are the Sukhothai Hotel of Hong Kong-based HKRI, which is on South Sathorn Road, and the Evergreen Hotel of a Taiwanese investor. Aside from several embassies that flank the road are banks like the Bank of +++yo Mitsubishi, and there is also the French language school Alliance Francaise.

But none of this can outpace the investment from Singapore, which is concentrated mainly on South Sathorn.

A survey has showed that on the road stand a number of structures of companies that are either Thai-Singapore joint ventures or Thai companies with Singaporean interests. The number is so high that some people in property circles call the stretch "Singapore Road".

From the junction of Rama IV and Sathorn Road, the 38-storey grade-A office building Q House Lumpini is located on the left-hand side. Not far away is Q House Sathorn, located next to Soi Atthakan Prasit. This is also a first-class office building, with 20 floors.

The two buildings are developed and operated by the listed Quality Houses Plc, the country's leading property developer of luxury residential and office-building projects. Apart from Land & Houses Plc, the firm's second-largest shareholder is the Government of Singapore Investment Corp (GIC) with a 13-per-cent stake as of October 2005.

The next building is the British hotel-chain-managed Metropolitan Hotel, developed by a Thai-Singapore joint venture. The hotel consists of 171 rooms.

Before reaching Soi Suan Plu, one comes across a five-star hotel called the Banyan Tree, developed and managed by Singaporean-based Banyan Tree Holdings. Over the years the Banyan Tree group has poured billions of baht to add to its properties in the Kingdom.

Off South Sathorn Road and Soi Suan Plu, there is the 239-apartment serviced block Somerset Park Suanplu. The building is operated by the Ascott Group, which is part of CapitaLand, a property arm of Singapore's Temasek Holdings.

The Singapore Embassy is also located at the corner of Suan Plu Road.

The Met, a 66-floor luxury condominium, will also be a major feature on South Sathorn. The condo, which is under construction and expected to be complete by 2007, is developed by Pebble Bay (Thailand), a member of the Singaporean-based HPL Group.

Situated behind the Empire Tower alongside Narathiwat Soi 4 will be the 43-storey condominium Empire Place. Developed by TCC Capital Land, this is a joint venture between liquor tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi's TCC Land and Singapore's CapitaLand.

The luxury serviced-apartment building Ascott Sathorn Bangkok is located next to Empire Tower.

Then you have United Overseas Bank (Thai). Singapore's United Overseas Bank spent Bt6.5 billion to acquire Radanasin Bank's shares in October 1999. Last year it injected about Bt22 billion to buy out Bank of Asia and merged it with UOB Radanasin, and is currently represented in Thailand by United Overseas Bank (Thai).

And it's not just investors from Singapore who have developed properties in the South Sathorn area, as other international groups have shown interest in the area, said Dr Sopon Pornchokchai, managing director of the Agency for Real Estate Affairs.

He said the area offered high potential for making a handsome return on one's investment.

Piya Treruangrachada, financial controller of Keppel Thai Properties Plc, which is seeking a plot to build a middle-upper condominium in the Sathorn area, said the area had high potential to become a new financial district of Bangkok - an extension from the nearby Silom area. About 45 per cent of Keppel Thai Properties is owned by Keppel Land, the property arm of Singapore's multinational Keppel Group.

"The Sathorn area is also attractive to financial-related firms, including lawyers, auditors, large enterprises, as well as residential buildings," said Piya.

He added that Sathorn Road would soon be like Singapore's Orchard Road and New York's Wall Street, where office buildings and financial institutions are concentrated in great numbers.

Supporting this is research by local developer Raimon Land. Since 2004, 16 condominium projects comprising 2,756 units have been launched in the Silom and Sathorn areas. That is a huge number, but still worth the investment.

In 2005, the average price for a condo in inner-city Bangkok was Bt80,774 per square metre. The biggest price hike was in the Silom and Sathorn areas, where the current price/sqm of available units has reached Bt97,284.

Office buildings also enjoy near-full occupancy rates as local and multinational companies demand space for the convenience of clients.

"It just happened that Singapore was the first to see the road's potential," said a source in property circles, explaining why the overall Singaporean investment is larger than that of other foreign companies.

Reflecting this comment is the fact that Singapore's GIC was among the first foreign investors to resume investment in Thailand right after the 1997 financial crisis, when most foreigners still shunned the Kingdom.

Sasithorn Ongdee
The Nation

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Monday 20 March 2006 :-

Singapore's love affair with Sathorn

Three magical words that guarantee the success of a property development project - location, location and location. This is exactly what highlights the attractiveness of Sathorn Road, where both commercial and residential projects have been more than warmly welcomed due to the proximity to downtown Silom as well as the convenient public transport network.

Unsurprisingly, on both sides of the road lie a number of properties by Thai and foreign companies who could afford the pricey land which is estimated to be worth more than Bt60,000 per square wah.

Among the foreign properties that make their presence felt are the Sukhothai Hotel of Hong Kong-based HKRI, which is on South Sathorn Road, and the Evergreen Hotel of a Taiwanese investor. Aside from several embassies that flank the road are banks like the Bank of +++yo Mitsubishi, and there is also the French language school Alliance Francaise.

But none of this can outpace the investment from Singapore, which is concentrated mainly on South Sathorn.

A survey has showed that on the road stand a number of structures of companies that are either Thai-Singapore joint ventures or Thai companies with Singaporean interests. The number is so high that some people in property circles call the stretch "Singapore Road".

From the junction of Rama IV and Sathorn Road, the 38-storey grade-A office building Q House Lumpini is located on the left-hand side. Not far away is Q House Sathorn, located next to Soi Atthakan Prasit. This is also a first-class office building, with 20 floors.

The two buildings are developed and operated by the listed Quality Houses Plc, the country's leading property developer of luxury residential and office-building projects. Apart from Land & Houses Plc, the firm's second-largest shareholder is the Government of Singapore Investment Corp (GIC) with a 13-per-cent stake as of October 2005.

The next building is the British hotel-chain-managed Metropolitan Hotel, developed by a Thai-Singapore joint venture. The hotel consists of 171 rooms.

Before reaching Soi Suan Plu, one comes across a five-star hotel called the Banyan Tree, developed and managed by Singaporean-based Banyan Tree Holdings. Over the years the Banyan Tree group has poured billions of baht to add to its properties in the Kingdom.

Off South Sathorn Road and Soi Suan Plu, there is the 239-apartment serviced block Somerset Park Suanplu. The building is operated by the Ascott Group, which is part of CapitaLand, a property arm of Singapore's Temasek Holdings.

The Singapore Embassy is also located at the corner of Suan Plu Road.

The Met, a 66-floor luxury condominium, will also be a major feature on South Sathorn. The condo, which is under construction and expected to be complete by 2007, is developed by Pebble Bay (Thailand), a member of the Singaporean-based HPL Group.

Situated behind the Empire Tower alongside Narathiwat Soi 4 will be the 43-storey condominium Empire Place. Developed by TCC Capital Land, this is a joint venture between liquor tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi's TCC Land and Singapore's CapitaLand.

The luxury serviced-apartment building Ascott Sathorn Bangkok is located next to Empire Tower.

Then you have United Overseas Bank (Thai). Singapore's United Overseas Bank spent Bt6.5 billion to acquire Radanasin Bank's shares in October 1999. Last year it injected about Bt22 billion to buy out Bank of Asia and merged it with UOB Radanasin, and is currently represented in Thailand by United Overseas Bank (Thai).

And it's not just investors from Singapore who have developed properties in the South Sathorn area, as other international groups have shown interest in the area, said Dr Sopon Pornchokchai, managing director of the Agency for Real Estate Affairs.

He said the area offered high potential for making a handsome return on one's investment.

Piya Treruangrachada, financial controller of Keppel Thai Properties Plc, which is seeking a plot to build a middle-upper condominium in the Sathorn area, said the area had high potential to become a new financial district of Bangkok - an extension from the nearby Silom area. About 45 per cent of Keppel Thai Properties is owned by Keppel Land, the property arm of Singapore's multinational Keppel Group.

"The Sathorn area is also attractive to financial-related firms, including lawyers, auditors, large enterprises, as well as residential buildings," said Piya.

He added that Sathorn Road would soon be like Singapore's Orchard Road and New York's Wall Street, where office buildings and financial institutions are concentrated in great numbers.

Supporting this is research by local developer Raimon Land. Since 2004, 16 condominium projects comprising 2,756 units have been launched in the Silom and Sathorn areas. That is a huge number, but still worth the investment.

In 2005, the average price for a condo in inner-city Bangkok was Bt80,774 per square metre. The biggest price hike was in the Silom and Sathorn areas, where the current price/sqm of available units has reached Bt97,284.

Office buildings also enjoy near-full occupancy rates as local and multinational companies demand space for the convenience of clients.

"It just happened that Singapore was the first to see the road's potential," said a source in property circles, explaining why the overall Singaporean investment is larger than that of other foreign companies.

Reflecting this comment is the fact that Singapore's GIC was among the first foreign investors to resume investment in Thailand right after the 1997 financial crisis, when most foreigners still shunned the Kingdom.

Sasithorn Ongdee
The Nation

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Monday 20 March 2006 :-

Singapore's love affair with Sathorn

Three magical words that guarantee the success of a property development project - location, location and location. This is exactly what highlights the attractiveness of Sathorn Road, where both commercial and residential projects have been more than warmly welcomed due to the proximity to downtown Silom as well as the convenient public transport network.

Unsurprisingly, on both sides of the road lie a number of properties by Thai and foreign companies who could afford the pricey land which is estimated to be worth more than Bt60,000 per square wah.

Among the foreign properties that make their presence felt are the Sukhothai Hotel of Hong Kong-based HKRI, which is on South Sathorn Road, and the Evergreen Hotel of a Taiwanese investor. Aside from several embassies that flank the road are banks like the Bank of +++yo Mitsubishi, and there is also the French language school Alliance Francaise.

But none of this can outpace the investment from Singapore, which is concentrated mainly on South Sathorn.

A survey has showed that on the road stand a number of structures of companies that are either Thai-Singapore joint ventures or Thai companies with Singaporean interests. The number is so high that some people in property circles call the stretch "Singapore Road".

From the junction of Rama IV and Sathorn Road, the 38-storey grade-A office building Q House Lumpini is located on the left-hand side. Not far away is Q House Sathorn, located next to Soi Atthakan Prasit. This is also a first-class office building, with 20 floors.

The two buildings are developed and operated by the listed Quality Houses Plc, the country's leading property developer of luxury residential and office-building projects. Apart from Land & Houses Plc, the firm's second-largest shareholder is the Government of Singapore Investment Corp (GIC) with a 13-per-cent stake as of October 2005.

The next building is the British hotel-chain-managed Metropolitan Hotel, developed by a Thai-Singapore joint venture. The hotel consists of 171 rooms.

Before reaching Soi Suan Plu, one comes across a five-star hotel called the Banyan Tree, developed and managed by Singaporean-based Banyan Tree Holdings. Over the years the Banyan Tree group has poured billions of baht to add to its properties in the Kingdom.

Off South Sathorn Road and Soi Suan Plu, there is the 239-apartment serviced block Somerset Park Suanplu. The building is operated by the Ascott Group, which is part of CapitaLand, a property arm of Singapore's Temasek Holdings.

The Singapore Embassy is also located at the corner of Suan Plu Road.

The Met, a 66-floor luxury condominium, will also be a major feature on South Sathorn. The condo, which is under construction and expected to be complete by 2007, is developed by Pebble Bay (Thailand), a member of the Singaporean-based HPL Group.

Situated behind the Empire Tower alongside Narathiwat Soi 4 will be the 43-storey condominium Empire Place. Developed by TCC Capital Land, this is a joint venture between liquor tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi's TCC Land and Singapore's CapitaLand.

The luxury serviced-apartment building Ascott Sathorn Bangkok is located next to Empire Tower.

Then you have United Overseas Bank (Thai). Singapore's United Overseas Bank spent Bt6.5 billion to acquire Radanasin Bank's shares in October 1999. Last year it injected about Bt22 billion to buy out Bank of Asia and merged it with UOB Radanasin, and is currently represented in Thailand by United Overseas Bank (Thai).

And it's not just investors from Singapore who have developed properties in the South Sathorn area, as other international groups have shown interest in the area, said Dr Sopon Pornchokchai, managing director of the Agency for Real Estate Affairs.

He said the area offered high potential for making a handsome return on one's investment.

Piya Treruangrachada, financial controller of Keppel Thai Properties Plc, which is seeking a plot to build a middle-upper condominium in the Sathorn area, said the area had high potential to become a new financial district of Bangkok - an extension from the nearby Silom area. About 45 per cent of Keppel Thai Properties is owned by Keppel Land, the property arm of Singapore's multinational Keppel Group.

"The Sathorn area is also attractive to financial-related firms, including lawyers, auditors, large enterprises, as well as residential buildings," said Piya.

He added that Sathorn Road would soon be like Singapore's Orchard Road and New York's Wall Street, where office buildings and financial institutions are concentrated in great numbers.

Supporting this is research by local developer Raimon Land. Since 2004, 16 condominium projects comprising 2,756 units have been launched in the Silom and Sathorn areas. That is a huge number, but still worth the investment.

In 2005, the average price for a condo in inner-city Bangkok was Bt80,774 per square metre. The biggest price hike was in the Silom and Sathorn areas, where the current price/sqm of available units has reached Bt97,284.

Office buildings also enjoy near-full occupancy rates as local and multinational companies demand space for the convenience of clients.

"It just happened that Singapore was the first to see the road's potential," said a source in property circles, explaining why the overall Singaporean investment is larger than that of other foreign companies.

Reflecting this comment is the fact that Singapore's GIC was among the first foreign investors to resume investment in Thailand right after the 1997 financial crisis, when most foreigners still shunned the Kingdom.

Sasithorn Ongdee
The Nation

[KatoeyLover69]

Delete double postings ............

[siamkia1977]

BANGKOK, March 21 (Reuters) - A mentally-ill Muslim smashed a landmark Hindu statue in central Bangkok which was worshipped by people of many religions and was then beaten to death, police said on Tuesday.

Thanakorn Pakdeepol broke into the shrine housing the four-faced statue of Brahma, venerated by Hindus as the creator and to whom people prayed for anything from a child to winning the lottery, in the early hours of the morning, they said.

He then used a hammer to smash the statue, which has drawn tourists from around Asia to the shrine beside the five star Erawan hotel, where U.S. President George W. Bush stayed during a state visit in 2003.

"After a scream from a street vendor shouting our father was destroyed, I saw three or four men arresting that man and beating him up," taxi driver Somyos Srikamsuk told Channel 3 television. "He was unconscious, but still alive when police got there."

Two cleaners of the shrine were arrested and charged with murder, Police Colonel Supisan Pakdeenarunart told the television station.

Thanakorn, 27, had been in and out of mental hospitals over the past 10 years, said his father, Sayan.

People who believed the statue had granted their wishes offer gifts, with carved wooden elephants the most popular, and pay for Thai classical dances, making the shrine a lively spot.

A sign at the shrine says it was built 50 years ago to protect the Erawan hotel because the foundation stone was laid on an inauspicious day.

Police cordoned off the shrine compound with yellow tape and the statue itself was draped in white sheets. Offerings of yellow garlands and lotus flowers lay nearby.

Dozens of people gathered on the pavement, clasping their hands in silent prayer and lighting incense sticks and candles.

"This is so sad. It cannot be good luck," said tourist San Trinh, a 50-year-old Cambodian living in California.

He visited the shrine a few years ago after his sister had been denied permission twice to visit the United States. But after he made offerings at the shrine, she was granted a visa.

"Many people really believe in this place," he told Reuters. (Additional reporting by Nopporn Wong-Anan)

By Ed Cropley

[U-Need]

BANGKOK, March 21 (TNA) - Bangkok's most popular religious site--the shrine to the four-headed Hindu God Brahma at the Erawan corner--was destroyed early Tuesday by a mentally-ill street person, who was later beaten to death by as yet-unidentified persons.

The body of an unidentified man believed to be the desecrator was found about 100 metres away.

Thousands of Bangkokians--from vendors, bus and taxi drivers, to bankers, businessmen and politicians--look to the Erawan Shrine for personal solace and answers to their prayers.

A shocked caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he was "appalled" by the incident and said he would instruct the Ministry of Culture to quickly restore the statue, beloved by millions the Bangkok public for fifty years.

The mentally-ill man used a hammer to shatter Bangkok's most revered 'popular religion' image, a shrine which traditionally helped barren women have children, the unemployed find job, lovers to resolve their quandaries, and those confronted by impossible burdens to find relief.

The traditions, the 'home' of a Hindu deity whom hundreds of thousands of Bangkok residents in the past half-century believed to have answered their prayers -- the four-headed statue of the Hindu god Brahma – was Bangkok's most accessible and successful local shrine.

According to a witness who is a flower seller, the man broke into the shrine when it was closed early Tuesday morning and destroyed the statue of the god with hammer before running away.

People who saw the incident followed him and attacked him. The man died at the spot.

Police said they were tracking persons suspected to be involved in the killing to bring them to trial.

The Brahma statue, located next to the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel in the shopping area downtown, was built in 1956.

Both locals and foreign tourists, particularly visitors from Asia, flocked to visit the shrine to worship the god every day and to make offerings when their wishes were granted.

[U-Need]

BANGKOK, March 21 (TNA) - Anti-Thaksin demonstrators led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have agreed to move from areas surrounding Government House to Makhawan Bridge in front of the United Nations' regional office here.

This is to provide spaces for the annual Red Cross Fair, this year scheduled to be held from March 29-April 6, and to faciliate communications of visitots to the charity fair.

The demonstrators, however, announced their new strategy, saying they would travel to many areas in the capital, including Silom and Pathumwan, to launch their campaign inviting more members of the public to join their move to oust caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

They began their campaign at the Silom area on Monday and went there again Tuesday morning.

The demonstrators invited more members of the general public to join a new mass rally at the Makhawan Bridge on March 25.

The PAD-led movement received both positive and negative responses from the public, as some of them expressed frustrations over traffic woes caused by the demonstrators' caravan; while some others said the move was acceptable given their reasons.

Meanwhile, the caretaker prime minister chaired the cabinet's weekly meeting via video conference at Chiang Rai's provincial hall Tuesday morning.

Mr. Thaksin is visiting the northern province for his official mission and election campaign for his Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party. (TNA)--E002

[U-Need]

BANGKOK, March 21 (TNA) – Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak on Tuesday conceded investors are worried that a continuing political turmoil would have an impact on long-term investment in the country.



Speaking before attending the cabinet meeting at the Government House, he said the current economic situation remains not of concern given economic figure reports he had obtained



He acknowledged that the investors felt worried about the impact from the political uncertainty on the investment in the long run.



However, if the ongoing conflicts ended in a compromising manner, the economy would not be adversely affected.



On a concern by the Federation of Thai Industry’s chairman that the country’s gross domestic product growth would edge down by 0.05-1 per cent this year, he said all state agencies concerned would be asked to closely supervise the matter.



On a report by retailers that total sales of products in department stores had reduced by 4-5 per cent, he said people might not be in a good mood to go shopping for this moment. (TNA) – E005

[U-Need]

BANGKOK, March 20 (TNA) - Thailand's tourism has begun to feel the pinch of ongoing political crisis as more than 60,000 Chinese and Singaporean tourists have cancelled trips to the kingdom during the past three weeks, Thailand's tourism agency said Monday.

Juthamas Siriwan, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the ongoing crisis on tourism has significantly impacted this month as many tourists have dropped their plans to visit the country.

She said Thailand had generated at least Bt 88 billion (US$2.2 billion) from higher tourist arrivals during the two pervious months.

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has faced a series of mass protests calling for his resignation over the sale of shares in his family-owned telecom company to a Singaporean firm. The political crisis did not end after he dissolved parliament and called for a snap election on April 2.

''I do hope to see expected growth in tourism if the current political crisis does not prolong,'' said TAT governor. She hopes the country would generate Bt427 billion (US$1-.7 billion) from tourism this year--an increase by 18 per cent over last year.

Meanwhile, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak urged TAT to work harder to prevent a slump in foreign tourism.

Mr. Somkid on Monday chaired a meeting of officials from government agencies to review growth in the economy, exports, investment and tourism.

The meeting found higher value in the country's exports during the past two months, with a reduced foreign trade deficit, while there has been more new investment, particularly in electronics.

However, he expressed concern over the growing slump in tourism during the past two months due to political instability. (TNA)-E110

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CHIANG RAI, March 21 (TNA) – Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Monday took an English-language newspaper to task for its report on a change in the chairman of the organizing committee responsible for holding the country’s grand event to commemorate the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King's ascension to the throne, saying it is very unethical for the press to do that.

The independent Nation Newspaper quoted a source in its news report in the Monday issue as telling that privy councilors resolved at a recent meeting to replace the caretaker premier with Privy Council President and Stateman Gen. Prem Tinsulanond as the chairman of the committee.

Mr. Thaksin said the government had denied the report as totally groundless.

“It is very unethical for the press to make up that story. It is very terrible and shameful. Such a behavior is so damaging. It is very inappropriate,” said Mr. Thaksin.

He added Government Spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee had enquired to the Bureau of the Royal Household and the Privy Council on the matter.

Both confirmed there was no such a story. So, the government needs to clarify it to the people.

Mr. Thaksin affirmed the continuing political tension would not affect the country’s grand celebration events in honor for the beloved longest-serving monarch

Asked about the political development, he said: I will talk less about politics. I want to ask the media to present news stories candidly. Don’t make up a story.”
(TNA) – E005

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BANGKOK, March 20 (Xinhua) -- A serious disease outbreak in Thailand's northern province of Nan put weapon specialists and U.S.disease investigators on full alert on Monday.

Almost 150 people in the province have been stricken by botulism, a rare yet lethal bacterial disease that could potentially be used as a biological weapon.

Health authorities have sought international assistance treating the patients.

U.S. military biological weapons experts and the World Health Organization disease specialists have been flown into Nan, said Thai Disease Control Department chief Thawat Suntharacharn.

Since March 4, 143 villagers in Nan's Ban Luang district have been diagnosed as suffering from botulism, a disease caused by toxins produced by several members of a group of bacteria known as Clostridium botulinum.

All of the patients reportedly have eaten dishes containing preserved bamboo shoots from the same batch at a merit-making feast in their village last week. Shortly after eating the shoots they began to suffer similar symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, difficult swallowing, dry mouth and muscle weakness, Nan chief health officer Dr. Pisit Sriprasert said on Sunday.

Of the 147 patients, 33 are currently breathing with the aid of respirators, he said.

"This bacterium is among three strains that can be used as a biological warfare agent -- the others are anthrax and smallpox," said Thawat.

Fears of a biological attack arose because of the number of people falling ill at one time, he added. Enditem