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News
| News Article: The downfall of the PAD begins |
The anti-government Peoples Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has proven to be its own worst enemy.
After successfully blocking Parliament from adjourning on Monday, which prevented a session which would allegedly have led to some controversial amendments, the PAD went around blocking non-parliamentary government meetings at other sites.
In transit between locations, some pro-government supporters wearing red threw some stones at the PAD convoy on Vipawadi-Rangsit Road.
The PAD guards ran out and attacked the attackers, set a motorcycle on fire and damaged other motorcycles, all caught on camera.
Soon thereafter, two PAD guards pulled out guns and started firing, which was caught on camera by a [ more .. ] |
| [Comments: 1]
Posted By: Mark |
| News Article: Sunday Showdown? (Nov 23) |
The PAD is calling for a massive rally on Sunday and possibly a resolute push onto Parliament, responding partly to threats of seige of their current occupation of Government House, and last night's explosion at Government House that killed one and has two others in the hospital, apparently an explosive which was launched from the outside.
The group's statement says: ""The PAD leaders agreed unanimously to mobilise a large crowd of supporters at Government House on Sunday for the 'final offensive' before moving to Parliament to end the use of power by the government of the puppet, who is a murderer." (The puppet is Thaksin's brother in law, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.)
Thaksin is organizing his crowd at Sua [ more .. ] |
| [Comments: 1]
Posted By: Mark |
| News Article: Thaksin and wife divorce, reportedly |
Exiled ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojamarn divorced on Friday (Nov 14, 2008) at the Thai Consulate General in Hong Kong.
Thaksin's sister is married to the current Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat, and she was present at the subsequent dinner with top political operatives who had flown into Hong Kong from Thailand.
For a long time, there have also been rumors about problems in PM Somchai's marriage as well. Recently, these rumors were bolstered by surveillance videos which surfaced of Somchai with other ladies months before he became PM, highlighted in the Thai press recently.
One source, a close aide, reported that Pojamarn disagreed with Thaksin continuing his political fight in Thailand [ more .. ] |
| [Comments: 1]
Posted By: Mark |
| News Article: Thaksin's UK visa revoked |
The British Embassy revoked the visas to ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife while they were on travel outside the UK. They have been living in the UK since the military coup overthrew then-PM Thaksin in 2006, and were reportedly seeking asylum in the UK. The notice states:
"Dear All,
The United Kingdom Border Agency has revoked the UK visas held by the following Thai nationals:
Thaksin Shinawatra. Thai Passport Number D215863
Potjaman Shinawatra. Thai Passport Number D206635
The UK visas contained in the passports of the individuals listed above are no longer valid for travel.
Airlines are advised not to carry these passengers to the UK."
The [ more .. ] |
| [Comments: 0]
Posted By: Mark |
| News Article: Thai bank deposits guaranteed |
Thailand's banks haven't been hit very hard by the financial crisis, relative to banks overseas, thanks partly due to regulations and attitudes following the 1997 Asia economic crisis.
Nonetheless, in a measure to discourage panic withdrawals, the government has extended its 100% guarantee of bank deposits to August 2011. No upper limit, any size of account.
After August 2011, deposit insurance will be reduced to guarantee only 50 million baht (about 1.5 million US dollars at this moment) per account, until August 2012. (This is still many times the amount that my US banks insure to.)
After August 2012, that will fall to 1 million baht (about 30,000 US dollars at this moment) per account.
more .. ] |
| [Comments: 0]
Posted By: Mark |
| News Article: Ex-PM Spin |
This past week, and especially the past few days, has seen some international public relations of the spin variety by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a military coup in 2006, and who was judged guilty in several cases of corruption charges in court in 2008.
His spin is, again, that he was a democratically elected Prime Minister and that the military in collusion with Bangkok elites are unjustly judging him guilty.
Thaksin is in exile in London. He returned to Thailand in 2008 after his proxy political party got majority power, and the courts dealt with Thaksin and his wife lightly upon their arrival, especially as regards low bail and lenient travel allowances, but Thaksin and his wife [ more .. ] |
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Posted By: Mark |
| News Article: News update situation |
| This "News" section hadn't been updated in months due to software problems (discussed on the forum) but the News will resume hereafter (October 26) since all the problems have been fixed, finally... [ more .. ] |
| [Comments: 0]
Posted By: Mark |
| News Article: Court rules 3 years in jail for Thaksin's wife Pojamarn |
On July 31, the Criminal Court sentenced former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's wife to 3 years in prison for tax evasion over a 546 million baht transaction, and falsifying statements, and the same for her adopted brother, with no probation.
The court also reprimanded her that her high position in society and politics meant she should have been a role model.
The Shinawatras are so extremely rich, and had such a firm grip on power, but blew it all due to greed -- corruption and tax evasion -- like they can never have enough money and power, and never graduated to moral leadership class.
It appears that the former Prime Minister's power has waned.
Last month, the court sentenced a few o [ more .. ] |
| [Comments: 0]
Posted By: Mark |
| News Article: 15,000 Free WiFi Zones for "Hotspot Capital" |
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) together with ISP True Corporation, have launched a program to provide 15,000 free WiFi hotspots with a focus on 10 major Bangkok areas, valid for one year thru June 2009.
However, the free version is just 64 kbps, which is fine for many mobile applications. (True offers much higher public WiFi speeds for its subscribers, as covered on the ThailandGuru.com website section on Internet.)
You can sign up at www.truewifi.net and renew every 3 months.
The stated objective is to encourage people to enjoy Bangkok's parks and other conveniences instead of travelling and wasting petrol as well as electricity s [ more .. ] |
| [Comments: 0]
Posted By: Mark |
| News Article: Taxi fares to rise about 10% starting this week |
Taxi fares will go up approximately 10% for typical rides, though it can be more or less depending on how far you go. The changes are as follows:
1. The 35 baht initial charge will stay the same, but will get you only 1 km instead of 2 km.
2. Each subsequent kilometer will cost half a baht more, which means:
5 baht per km instead of 4.5 baht per km for 1+ to 12 km
5.5 baht per km for 12 to 20 km
6 baht per km for 20 to 40 km
8.5 baht per kilometer for 40 to 60 km
Taxi rates have not changed since 1997 despite inflation and fluctuations in fuel prices.
However, most taxis are fuelled by liquified natural gas, not the usual petrol of ordinary cars.
more .. ] |
| [Comments: 0]
Posted By: Mark |
| News Article: Inflation in May, June, and projections |
Due mainly to the rise in oil prices, inflation in May hit a 10 year high at an annual 7.6% rate, but in June it's expected to be 8.3% and peak sometime in the third quarter of the year. Again, this is NOT inflation per month, which is less than 1%, but what the inflation rate would be per YEAR if every month of the year was the same.
Source: The Nation [ more .. ] |
| [Comments: 0]
Posted By: Mark |
| News Article: Mobile phone ban while driving - stricter enforcement starts today |
Starting Thursday, May 8, 2008, the ban on mobile phone use without a hands-free device while driving will be more strictly enforced.
This is a long awaited and unusually high profile announcement, including discussions on how they are using digital photography technology to catch drivers.
Today, the first day, while driving to work on the expressway, I saw several police vans on the expressway just driving up and down, perhaps taking photos out of the backs of the vans facing drivers.
You are prohibited from having a mobile phone in your hand while your car is running, including when stopped at a traffic light, or even stopped on a minor road with your engine on. You simply cannot pick up your phone. [ more .. ] |
| [Comments: 0]
Posted By: Mark |
| News Article: Property transfer taxes set to practically 0% |
In April, the new PPP government reduced the Property Transfer Fee for buying/selling condominiums, houses and land from 2% to 0.01% and the Specific Business Tax for property transactions from 3% to 0.1%.
Therefore, the most tax you would pay would be just 0.11% for transfer.
Before, transfer tax would take a significant chunk of seller profits, resulting in higher selling prices to buyers, and add a complication in negotiations between seller and buyer about who would pay the transfer fee.
This is part of an economic stimulus package for which we can thank the new PPP government.
With the overseas economic slowdown in 2008, and given Thailand's heavy dependence on exports (about 68% of G [ more .. ] |
| [Comments: 0]
Posted By: Mark |
| News Article: Queen Sirikit Center to be demolished, replaced, plus park |
The Queen Sirikit Convention Center located on Asoke-Ratchadapisek Rd. near Rama 4 Rd. and beside the tobacco monopoly will be demolished and replaced with another convention center about twice its size, a little over 100,000 square meters of floor space which will accomodate much larger events including industrial exhibitions, according to current plans. Bids are going out.
The old tobacco monopoly will move, and that 300 rai (120 acres, half a square kilometer) and will be converted into something else. It is a "green zone" so the park may be expanded. Highrises are banned in that area.
Bangkok currently has two other large exhibition centers, the largest and nicest being Muang Thong Thani down the expressway [ more .. ] |
| [Comments: 2]
Posted By: Mark |
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