Anything & Everything About Thailand

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monday 10 April 2006 :-

Heavy rains, storm warning during the Songkran festival

Several areas in the Northeast, East and Central Plains regions have been told to brace for heavy downpours, strong winds and hail storms during the Songkran festival. Khatawut Malairojsiri, head of the Meteorological Department's weather forecast section, said the cold air mass would nudge its way over the Northeast, East and Central regions during April 14-17, increasing precipitation.

The region is likely to experience heavy rains, strong winds and thunderstorms with the possibility of hail.

He warned residents to stay away from advertising billboards and big trees, and not to wear metal ornaments which could attract lightning.

He said the upper part of the country and Bangkok were being hit by unpredictable weather patterns which would bring rain and strong winds today.

Hail storms wreaked havoc in some localities in the East and North at the weekend.

In Sa Kaeo, more than 30 houses in Prasongsuk village of Aranyaprathet district were destroyed by hail on Friday. The storm also caused a power blackout and uprooted trees.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Monday 10 April 2006 :-

Thailand to get hotter and hotter

Meteorologists predict 42C in Tak next week, as the country really starts to sizzle.

The next few weeks are forecast to be the hottest of the year, with temperatures in Tak, Lampang and Kanchanaburi likely to exceed 40 degrees Celsius, according to Meteorological Department experts.

The department's director, Suparuek Tunsrirattanawong, said the country usually sees the highest temperatures in the third week of April, unless there are heavy clouds or rainstorms.

The average temperature this summer has been around 37-39C for all regions except the South and the East, which have seen rain, he said.

"Tak and Kanchanaburi have always been the hottest places

in the country each summer due to their geographies," said Suparuek.

The head of Tak's provincial meteorological centre, Somsong Duanmai, said the province saw historic high temperatures last year, with the mercury reaching 43C.

This year, the hottest day was March 19, when the temperature hit 41.6C.

"Next week, we're forecast to reach 42C," he said.

According to Somsong, the province's geography, especially in Muang district, is characterised by a large amount of granite, which absorbs heat during the daytime and releases it at night. So, the heat lingers round the clock.

"The temperature at 4am is about 31C; that's as high as other places in the afternoon," he said.

According to Meteorological Department statistics, the highest temperature ever recorded in Thailand was 44.5C in Uttaradit in 1960, while Tak saw 43.7C in 1998, the third-hottest day in Thailand's history.

However, this year won't be as hot as last year because there's more rain about, said an official of the department.

In Bangkok and its adjacent provinces, the average temperature will be around 39C. Anond Snidwongs, a scientist who works for the Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research, said Bangkok has become hotter year by year because of the "heat island phenomenon".

This refers to the accumulation of heat in cities, which have a large number of buildings trapping the heat and high use of air conditioners releasing greenhouse gases.

The hotter temperatures seen in Thailand are due to this phenomenon, rather than global climate change, which will have an effect in the long term, he
said.

According to Anond, the country's average temperature could climb by 2 or 3 degrees Celsius within the next 30 years, resulting in an average high summer temperature of 43C. Global climate change is blamed on an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Monday 10 April 2006 :-

Police find 11-year-old girl in 'slave shop' raid

Police yesterday rescued an 11-year-old girl from a shop where it is claimed she was forced to work like a slave and often kept locked in a room without any food or water for long periods.

The rescue mission in Nakhon Si Thammarat took place after two illegal Cambodian workers, both aged 19, complained to the police of maltreatment at the same shop.

"We were forced to work hard and didn't receive any payment. The shop owner seized our passports and gave us nothing, so we couldn't go anywhere," Khon Suchandee said. An agent in Cambodia told Khon she would earn Bt3,200 a month from the shop owner but she was only paid Bt7,000 after two years of employment, the girl claimed.

"Sometimes the shop owner gave us rotten food," Khon said. She and Porn Sampua managed to run away from shop in Muang district because the owner started to trust them enough to allow them work at the front of the premises.

Following the complaint, the police immediately sought a search warrant from the court to investigate the shop.

The shop owner was identified as Marinee Tantiprapas, 49.

When they investigated the building, the police found a girl working at the shop, who Khon and Porn said was often locked up in a room without food or drink. However, police could not find the other three illegal workers that the two teenage girls claimed were incarcerated within the building.

Marinee claimed that all girls were her husband's relatives from Cambodia but she is yet to back up her claim with any evidence. The police investigation continues.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Monday 10 April 2006 :-

Mixed signals on the subway

The subway is such a convenient mode of travelling in a city notorious for traffic snarls that it is no wonder its popularity has attracted advertisers to its stations.

Among them is the operator itself, Bangkok Metro Plc (BMCL), with a poster drawing attention to the company's upcoming share offering, though this is not in the advertisement area but on a stand that all commuters must see before taking the escalator down to the trains.

It says now's the chance for all Thais to own the first Thai subway.

This may well puzzle passers-by, coming as it does from BMCL and not the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand, which actually owns the subway: how is owning a share of the operating company, which has a 25-year concession, equivalent to having your own little bit of the subway?

Environmentalists could also be forgiven for being awestricken at how many watts of electricity the subway consumes each day. You can't very well argue with the necessity of air-conditoners to keep the air cool and breathable, given that the subway is by its nature underground, and of course the stations must be kept lighted day and night for safety reasons.

What worries me is the way all the escalators are programmed to work from the minute the subway starts to the minute it stops.

I don't know for sure how many escalators there are in the system. A rough estimate of four for each of the 18 stations would give a total of 72, all of them working virtually around the clock, though at some stations, at some times of day, you scarcely see 100 people. BMCL could have saved on its electricity bills, and thereby boosted its income, if it had programmed the escalators to work only when there were people on them.

Overall, the service is impressive. BMCL really cares for its passengers. In the carriages there are little stickers suggesting people offer their seats to those in need, children and the elderly in particular, and as the trains draw in a nice announcer tells everyone in two languages to mind the gap between the carriage and the platform.

What amuses me is that in English she says "Phra Ram Nine" for Rama IX station, named after the road named after King Rama IX, who in Thai is indeed called Phra Ram Kao but is Rama in English. Saying "Phra Ram Nine" is a bit of a linguistic mishmash.

Somehow farang commuters seem to understand it. You don't see them milling about lost.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monday 10 April 2006 :-

Top PAD leaders face arrest

Security authorities will soon issue arrest warrants against core members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) which has led an anti-government movement for several months, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Pol. Gen. Chidchai Vanasatidya said.

He did not specify charges.

Pol Gen Chidchai, who was assigned by outgoing Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to hold the premier's post until parliament meets, told journalists that the authorities concerned were accelerating the process.

He said he would follow up the matter at a meeting of security agencies here on Monday.

Responding to suggestions that a highest profile PAD leader, Sondhi Limthongkul, a local media magnate turned Mr. Thaksin arch critic, might flee overseas and an arrest warrant should be issued against him before the anticipated escape, the caretaker deputy premier said Mr. Sondhi had asserted that he would never flee.

"It's considered normal that a person fly in and out the country," he added, refering to Mr Sondhi's trips to China recently.

Commenting over Mr Sondhi's attacks against the Thai government on a Chinese TV recently, Pol Gen Chidchai said the administration was not serious about the matter.

He added, however, that he believed Thai citizens must love their motherland.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monday 10 April 2006 :-

Laos bans mobile Songkran spraying

The government of Laos has banned revellers from spraying people with water from moving vehicles during this week's Buddhist new year celebrations, Radio Vientiane reported Monday.

The first-time ban appears to be part of a campaign to tone down the yearly celebrations in the communist nation, during which people in Laos, Thailand and Burma drive around in open-backed vehicles and douse pedestrians and other motorists with water and powder.

The Lao government radio broadcast, monitored in Bangkok, said police would set up checkpoints to prevent the mobile water fights, as well as to enforce speed limits and catch drunk drivers.

"It's prohibited to use vehicles to spray water from containers on people on the streets," the broadcast said, adding that offenders would be arrested and possibly fined.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monday 10 April 2006 :-

MAN DRIVES LINGERIE LEADER : From shy schoolboy to underwear guru, the man behind the designs of Wacoal bares all

It's hard to imagine how a soft-spoken young man who was very shy around girls would one day become an expert on women's lingerie.

But Amnuay Bumroongwongtong, aged 56, is the man behind every detail of the popular Wacoal brand of women's undergarments.

Wacoal is the local leader in the female underwear market, holding a dominant share of more than 50% of the country's 14 billion-baht lingerie market. Its products are worn by nine out of 10 Thai women.

Mr Amnuay shows off one of the company's latest "sexy and fashionable" designs aimed at more discerning women who like to be different.
The brand has been selling so well that it has had to open a new factory every two years since its first year of operations.

Mr Amnuay, managing director of Wacoal Plc, said that the firm's early success may have been because there were a limited number of underwear brands, which include Wacoal, Chintana and Sabina, on the market, resulting in higher demand than supply.

In the beginning, Mr Amnuay's educational background had nothing to do with underwear.

After graduating from Siam Thurakit College with a vocational commerce degree he immediately joined Thai Wacoal and has worked there ever since.

During the company's first year, with only 28 people in the factory, Mr Amnuay and his colleagues had to provide each other with strong support.

He chose to do everything from letter typing, to arranging import and export documents and being a messenger boy.

"As I wasn't well educated, I had to try my best to pick up knowledge while working, particularly during messenger duty when I had the chance to meet, and listen to clever conservation, from top executives," he said.

During his 10 years at the factory, Mr Amnuay worked in all areas for Wacoal, from raw-material buying to purchase planning.

After gaining experience at the factory, Mr Amnuay moved to merchandising and sales, which was where he came out of his shell.

One of his colleagues said, "With his 33 years in the underwear business, he can tell at a glance whether the item will be a hit or a miss."

"When I was in secondary school, my female classmate used to tease me by asking me to hook up her bra, I was so embarrassed I would run away," recalled Mr Amnuay.

He said he had changed a lot since then, and he had learned a lot about what women wanted.

As more brands of lingerie emerge on the market and Thai customers become more demanding, the company has had to switch from a conservative paced business strategy to a more proactive one.

According to him, Thai consumers were becoming more fashion conscious, and liked to wear more "ornamental" underwear.

Therefore, the company planned to launch four new collections.

Mr Amnuay aims to offer his customers "sexy and fashionable" products.

Apart from spending more money on research, researching new trends from overseas and attending fashion shows around the world, the company has also revamped Wacoal's brand image.

"We will offer products with special designs. You will no longer see Wacoal in the mass-market segment," Mr Amnuay said.

With this in mind, some of the Wacoal collection was designed to serve customers who like to be different, rather than people with higher purchasing power, as in the past. Prices for the new products range from 400 baht to 1,000 baht or more.

Apart from lingerie, Wacoal also produces boutique fashion and children's apparel.

Sales of Wacoal products totalled 3.76 billion baht in 2005 with a net profit of 371.58 million baht.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monday 10 April 2006 :-

Mystery over fate of Don Muang Airport

Caretaker Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal has relayed mixed messages over the future of Don Muang Airport after the scheduled opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport later this year.

Mr Pongsak yesterday indicated that all air-transport activities, except chartered flights, at Don Muang would be moved to Suvarnabhumi, east of the capital.

The statement contradicted his words on Saturday, when he said Don Muang would continue to cater for domestic and chartered flights, while the 125-billion-baht new airport would serve international flights and other air services.

He reportedly said that it was the government's policy to continue using both airports as it would create more advantages for the country.

In his statement, he turned down a formal call from Thai Airways International's management and union for the shutdown of Don Muang after the opening of Suvarnabhumi for commercial operation.

Mr Pongsak's confusing message is one of the key national policy matters which the Thaksin Shinawatra government has not got around to clearing up.

The Transport Ministry earlier suggested that Don Muang should be retained for serving point-to-point, chartered and special flights, as well as for low-cost carrier operations.

Suvarnabhumi Airport meanwhile should serve international services and domestic flights connecting with overseas flights, according to the ministry proposal.

The idea of keeping Don Muang in operation was aimed at lessening the load for Suvarnabhumi to avoid congestion, if its capacity of 45 million passengers per year overflowed.

The heavily congested Don Muang airport is currently operating beyond its capacity, handling about 38 million passengers a year.

Don Muang could reduce Suvarnabhumi's load by around 10 million passengers a year, thus delaying the need for expansion of Suvarnabhumi, which would cost more than 30 billion baht.

Several airlines and critics are unhappy with the double-airport policy as they say it is likely that carriers operating out of Suvarnabhumi will be subject to much higher airport-services fees than Don Muang.

"It would be like Suvarnabhumi subsidising Don Muang," an airline executive said, adding that the cost of operating two Bangkok airports at the same time would mean a substantial burden for airport authorities.

Airlines operating out of Don Muang would also have the advantage of being closer to Bangkok's city centre, an important factor for passengers when choosing an airline.

THAI union has implied that the Thaksin Administration twisted the government's single-airport policy to benefit Thai AirAsia, the low-cost carrier, which was partly owned by Shin Corp, the telecom giant previously controlled by Mr Thaksin's family. Shin Corp is now largely owned Temasek Holdings, the Singapore government's investment arm.

Senior executives of Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT), the operator of Thailand's six key airports including Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi, said yesterday there had been no official word about the role of Don Muang.

"What we could sense from the most recent statement by government leaders was that all the scheduled flights would be operating in and out Suvarnabhumi only, leaving non-scheduled services at Don Muang," an executive said.

Technically speaking, all the works AoT was involved in were still geared towards a single-airport policy, he said.

Mr Pongsak yesterday reiterated that the long-delayed Suvarnabhumi Airport would be ready for commercial service in July, but the date for the official opening would be set by the next government.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Tuesday 11 April 2006 :-

Bangkok gets low 'liveability' score

Bangkok ranks 107th among the world's larger cities for quality of life, far behind many other Asian cities, in a new report by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

Another Thai city, Rayong, ranked 132nd, while Singapore was the top Asian city, at 34th place in the world.

The analysis is part of Mercer's annual Worldwide Quality of Life Survey,
covering more than 350 cities, to help governments and multinational companies place staff in international assignments.

Each city is based on an evaluation of 39 criteria, including political, social, economic and environmental factors, personal safety and health, education, transport and other public services. Cities are ranked against New York City, which serves as the base index with a score of 100.

"When multinational companies set up expatriate assignments, they have to
provide attractive reward packages to compensate employees for any
negative changes to their quality of living," said Yvonne Sonsino, a partner at Mercer.

"Moving abroad can be a big upheaval for expatriates and their families, so international assignments tend to carry large price tags, particularly if they are in cities with low living standards facing political unrest or terrorist threats."

She added, "Many companies use benchmark data to help them structure pay deals at the right level."

Zurich ranks as the world's top city for quality of life. The city scored 108.2 points, only marginally ahead of Geneva's 108.1, while Vancouver followed in third place with 107.7. In contrast, Baghdad is the lowest-ranking city in the survey, scoring just 14.5 points.

In Asia, Singapore ranked 34th with a score of 102.5, followed by +++yo, Japan's highest-scoring city, in 35th place with 102.3.

Hong Kong's modern and efficient infrastructure, including its airport, which is considered one of the best in the world, pushed it up from 70th to 68th place, with 95.4 points.

Mercer Human Capital Products and Solutions leader for the Asia-Pacific Neo Siew Khim said: "Singapore's positioning as the highest-ranked Asian city is attributed mainly to its strong political and social environment, its repositioning as a knowledge-based economy, excellent health services, efficient public services, transport and airport and a vibrant cultural scene.

"Overall, during the past six or seven years, we have seen an increasing trend in foreign direct investment. We anticipate that as Singapore gains further ground as an excellent place to live, it will better be able to attract foreign talent as well as retain local talent, thereby growing its workforce to a higher level of quality. This, among other factors, will in turn help attract more foreign investment to Singapore."

The top-ranked city in China was Shanghai, in 103rd place with a score of 80.1.

"Beijing and Shanghai are on the rise and should experience rapid improvements in their quality of life in the coming years. This will mainly be due to greater international investment driven by the availability and lower cost of labour and manufacturing expertise," explained Mercer senior researcher Slagin Parakatil.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Tuesday 11 April 2006 :-

Thai products set to go on sale in Chinese department stores this year

Export Promotion Department director-general Chantra Purnariksha said yesterday buyers from several Chinese department stores would visit Thailand to buy local products for resale in China.

The Commerce Ministry plans to form alliances with six giant department-store chains in China that have a combined total of more than 300 branches. The products will be on Chinese shelves later this year and include food and home decorations.

Chantra said the current strength of the baht would only continue for a short period and should ease in line with the other Southeast Asian currencies.

Moreover, signs that the current political turmoil could be resolved should also be favourable for the Thai economy, she said.

The country's economic condition tends to move in the same direction as the export rate, which has risen since the beginning of the year.

Last month's exports should show growth of less than 10 per cent on year. Export growth for all of this year is expected to be 15-17.5 per cent.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Tuesday 11 April 2006 :-

Weatherman warns of Songkran storms

It's going to be a wet Songkran for many people - and not just because of water-throwing.

The Meteorological Department warned today that it expects heavy rain and some storms later this week, particularly in the North and Northeast. The Songkran warning said downpours were likely in all of upper Thailand, from the Gulf to the northern borders, including in Bangkok.

Southern winds currently prevail, and are carrying water from the Gulf and South China Sea. But scattered rain is also forecast in the country's southern regions over the next couple of days.

Beginning on Songkran on Thursday, a high pressure ridge from China will cover the country's warmer northeastern region, causing rainstorms but also hail, according to the weather bureau.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Tuesday 11 April 2006 :-

Thaksin most-favoured Songkran honouree

People living in Bangkok want to pay respects to caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra most during the Songkran festival, the traditional Thai New Year, by pouring perfumed water on his palms, according to a recent poll.

The Abac Poll of Assumption University, conducted from April 8-10, found that the caretaker premier is still the most popular politician, with 52.9 per cent of respondents saying they want to pour perfumed water on Mr Thaksin's hands and being blessed in return.

Former prime minister Chuan Leekpai of the former opposition Democrat Party and incumbent Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva came a distant second and third, or 13.2 per cent and 12.8 per cent respectively.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin, also a Democrat, and former prime minister Banharn Silpa-archa of the Chart Thai Party came the fourth and fifth, or 9.2 per cent and 5 per cent respectively.

ABAC pollsters interviewed 1,540 people in the capital and surrounding provinces, aged 18 years upward, on the random basis.

Among male artists, Thongchai McIntai, one of Thailand's most popular singer known widely among youngsters as "Pee Bird"--his nickname, wins the hearts of most respondents who want to pour water on his palms (13.8 per cent), followed by Saksit Tangthong (12.6 per cent) and Jesadaporn Phondee (9.7 per cent).

The most popular female artist whom the capital residents want to pour water on her palm is Suwanan Kongying (27.9 per cent), followed by Woranuj Wongsawan (26 per cent) and Patcharapha Chaichua (22.8 per cent).

The majority of the respondents, or 74.8 per cent, spoke of the signifigance of the Songkran festival, saying they would definitely observe the traditonal Thai New Year.

The survey also found that Chiang Mai and Chonburi, Thailand's famous northern and eastern resort provinces, are top destinations for Songkran revellers from Bangkok this year,

Most of the respondents, or 30.3 per cent, plan to celebrate the traditional Thai New Year in Chiang Mai, followed by Chonburi (23.1 per cent).

Some other respondents, or 17.6 per cent, said they would celebrate the Songkran festival in the eastern Rayong Province, while 16.9 per cent would enjoy the festival in the capital and 15.3 per cent in the kingdom's old capital of Ayutthaya.

The respondents said they would spend on food and beverage most during the Songkran festival (33.6 per cent), followed by transport costs (24.9 per cent), merit makings (15.9 per cent), souvenirs for relatives (12.2 per cent) and accommodation (8 per cent). - (TNA)

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Tuesday 11 April 2006 :-

PM eyes talks with leaders in Europe

Thaksin hopes to stay in limelight with high-profile meetings; requests causing 'discomfort' in diplomatic quarters

Embattled caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has sought meetings with European leaders including French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair during a planned visit to the region, a source said yesterday.

The message was relayed to the ambassadors of at least two European countries during recent meetings initiated by Thaksin's camp, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

It was not clear what Thaksin was hoping to gain by meeting European leaders but, the source said, one of the European ambassadors to Bangkok was "uncomfortable" with the request.

The source said Thaksin was keen to clarify his current position with the Bangkok-based ambassadors and that he blamed the opposition Democrat Party for Thailand's current political malaise.

Thaksin told the envoys the Democrats had been unable to defeat his Thai Rak Thai Party at the ballot box and so had resorted to joining the coalition of protesters seeking his ouster, said the source.

Another political source said Thaksin wanted to maintain a visible role during his current political hiatus, in which he is still officially caretaker premier but has turned over his duties to Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya, who is serving as acting premier. "He will be travelling the world and will bring back some ideas in order to keep Thais abreast of his hectic activities. The Democrats are no match for Thaksin when it comes to creating hype," he said.

Uncertainty hovers over Thailand's political future, with the anti-Thaksin coalition calling for the nullification of the April 2 general election and appointment of a new government by His Majesty the King to see through political reform.

One source said Thaksin had told the envoys that the April 2 election was "the cleanest" in Thailand's recent history.

A spokesman at the US Embassy in Bangkok said the meeting bet-ween Thaksin and US Ambassador Ralph Boyce last Friday touched on the prime minister's upcoming visit to the United States. He did not elaborate on the timing of the visit, and would not confirm or deny whether there had been a request to meet US President George W Bush.

"Questions [about his meetings] should be directed to the office of the caretaker prime minister," the spokesman said.

Besides ambassadors from the US, Britain and France, Thaksin has called for meetings with envoys from China, Japan and Russia.

The Thai Constitution stipulates that a new Parliament must convene within 30 days of the general election to appoint the prime minister, who may in turn appoint his own cabinet.

This means Thaksin's reign as prime minister will end on May 1, raising the question of legitimacy if his meeting with these leaders were to take place after that date.

Thaksin yesterday told reporters he planned to take a trip outside Thailand after tomorrow's Senate election, but did not give an exact date.

The Democrats' Kiart Sithi-amorn said Thaksin's initiating discussions with so many Bangkok-based envoys at a Thai Rak Thai office was "not the proper thing to do".

Thaksin remained tight-lipped over his political future and continued to brush off journalists' questions about his upcoming world tour. He said he was no longer functioning as the prime minister and any question should be directed to Chidchai.

Besides the current political crisis, concerns in diplomatic circles also centred around the future of Thailand's planned Bt1.7-trillion mega-project infrastructure investment.

Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon told reporters yesterday that "all diplomats now have a good understanding of what is going on politically in Thailand and are well aware of Thaksin's current status."

Thaksin announced on April 4, two days after the general election, that he had decided not to accept the premiership in the new government.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Tuesday 11 April 2006 :-

Tears mark departure of leader : He'll be back in a year, Suriya says as party members gather for sombre Songkran festivities at headquarters

Thai Rak Thai members yesterday celebrated Songkran festival in tears as they sprinkled water on their leader Thaksin Shinawatra at the party's headquarters.

Thaksin told them the Democrats and People's Alliance for Democracy aimed to remove the Thai Rak Thai Party from the country's political scene.

"They are doing it step by step. Now they have removed me, next they will destroy our party. So I want everyone to help each other.

"Some ministers have played safe and did not come out in defence of the party. We were also not united and eventually the situation got out of hand.

"Damage control was too late. We were verbally attacked till we lost. I admit that I made the move too late,'' Thaksin said.

Party secretary-general Suriya Jungrungreangkit led members in wishing Thaksin a happy Thai New Year.

"There has been no incident in Thai political history when a prime minister announced he was taking a political break and thousands of people shed tears,'' he said.

Suriya said party members would dedicate themselves to maintaining the party and be united as Thaksin requested - and ensure he remains the centre of the party. Suriya said he believed Thaksin would return as prime minister in one year.

Party leaders Somkid Jatusripitak, Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, Watana Muangsook, Suwat Liptapanlop and Chidchai Vanasatidya all sprinkled water on Thaksin. Yaowapa Wongsawat, Thaksin's sister embraced him and cried.

Thai Rak Thai party-list MP Porntip Pattanakulert, Bangkok MP elect Sawaeng Rerkcharal, and Sukhothai MP elect Anongwan Thepsuthin had tears in their eyes.

They also expressed their feelings during the meeting that they could not answer to their constituents as to why Thaksin had to take a political break when the party had won the election.

Porntip said she defected from the Democrats to the Thai Rak Thai because she had full faith in the party's policies. She added that during the 12 years she was with the Democrats, she had written an anti-drug law but it was never implemented.

Thaksin will fly with his family tomorrow night to England and will be back for the party's annual caucus on April 25. Suwat, Watana, Newin Chidchob, Surakiart Sathirathai also booked tickets to fly out with Thaksin.

Thaksin said he is determined to build the party into an institution and believes every party-list MP can take a turn at becoming prime minister.

During this meeting, Thaksin appeared to change his character by tending to listen to the opinions of the party's members.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 12 April 2006 :-

Thaksin: I took my break reluctantly

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra admits he took time off from government only reluctantly and to avoid being defeated by those who did not play by the rules. However, many Thai Rak Thai members believe he can make a political comeback in a year's time.

With tears in his eyes, Mr Thaksin told fellow Thai Rak Thai members and executives that a stand-off with his opponents had been an option, but he chose to back down to lift the political standard.

''I could have chosen to move ahead or end the impasse violently, but that would have only caused damage to the nation. So I decided to make a bitter sacrifice to set a precedent. [Regretfully] those playing by the rules lost to those who don't respect them,'' he said.

Mr Thaksin was at party headquarters to allow fellow party members to seek the traditional Songkran blessing yesterday.

Mr Thaksin admitted being advised to take a break from government after winning the snap election in order to prove his ''selfless'' leadership.

He promised to be around and continue serving his party and the people by leading a nationwide caravan to tell the people's problems to the new government.

The Thai Rak Thai leader accused the People's Alliance for Democracy and the Democrat party of intending to run the Thai Rak Thai party into the ground after ruining his political career.

He also blamed himself and certain cabinet members for coming out too late to protect his party against slander.

Thai Rak Thai secretary-general Suriya Jungrungreangkit said he represented party members in wishing Mr Thaksin well and vowing to respect his decision, while still considering him the party pillar.

All believed Mr Thaksin would become prime minister again within a year.

Election commissioner Parinya Nakchatri said he was uncertain if the Election Commission, which studied its subcommittee's inquiry report yesterday, could promptly hand down its ruling on whether Mr Thaksin had breached election law by allegedly buying votes and tampering with the commission's database to enable small parties to contest the April 2 poll.

To ensure fairness for both the accused and accusers, the commission could either demand a further inquiry or allow Mr Thaksin to explain himself if he was found guilty, he said.

Mr Parinya denied the EC wanted to buy time until the election process ended.

To date, Thai Rak Thai is the only contender in the House by-elections in 16 of a total of 38 constituencies - Chumphon's constituencies 1 and 3, Trang's constituency 4, Pattani's constituency 1, Phangnga's constituency 1, Yala's constituency 1, Songkhla's constituencies 1-4 and 6-8, Satun's constituency 1, Nakhon Si Thammarat's constituency 8, and Narathiwat's constituency 4.