Kanpitak sentenced to 15 years & 2 months jail

Kanpitak Pachimsawas, 21, son of former Miss Thailand, was sent to prison for 15 years and two months in jail by Phrakanong Court on Friday on charges of premeditated-murder due to his aggressive driving which killed one and injured three others. However, owing to the fact that the guilty had already paid some compensation to the injured, the court reduced the penalty to 10 years and one month.

It may be recalled that on July 4, 2007, Kanpitak swerved his car into the footpath near a bus-stop where many people were waiting for buses after he got into an argument with the driver of bus number 513, claiming that the bus hit him and fled. One died and three others were injured.

Court ordered Kanpitak to pay compensation to Sangwan Srihawong, for Bt800,000 (S$34,480). Kanpitak’s parents claimed that he has a mental condition and he cannot control himself when he is under a lot of stress.

UNHCR wants access to abused Myanmar refugees

A Thai court on Wednesday convicted 66 barefooted, broken down Myanmar migrants of illegally entering the country. A Ranong provincial court judge sentenced each defendant to five days in prison after none of them was able to pay a 1,000 baht ($30) fine. Four were brought to the court from the hospital, one carried by two men because his legs were broken.

On Thursday, Thailand was supposed to grant the U.N. access to these 66 boat people following allegations that Thai officials had earlier abused asylum seekers beached on its shores. But Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya did not allow the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees access to all Rohingya refugees.

However, UNHCR representative Raymond Hall said that he had asked the Thai government to investigate treatment of the refugees in a transparent and urgent manner and was positive that UNHCR would be granted access to the refugees.

Talking to reporters after meeting with Hall, Kasit said solving the problem will require cooperation from the United Nations, Southeast Asian nations and the international community at large.

“The world community has to help,” he said.

On the other hand Thai authorities insist that they do not force migrants out to sea but only detain and repatriate people entering the country illegally. The Foreign Ministry added that Thailand faces an “enormous burden” because of 3 million illegal migrants currently in the country.

Thai StemLife hopes to expand its services

Thai StemLife at present holds 90 percent of the market share for cord blood banking in Thailand and the company is hoping to expand its services in 2010 owing to the increase in market demand.

Dr. Kostas Papadopoulos, the company’s chief operations officer said that the amount of stem cells at Thai StemLife’s storage facility this year could increase 50% over last year as more people become aware of the technology.

‘The Economist’ banned in Thailand

Thailand has strict laws against any kind of defamation to royal family and owing to this, the latest edition of UK-based current affairs magazine the Economist has been banned in Thailand which contains an article about an Australian writer, Harry Nicolaides, who was jailed for slandering the monarchy. Nicolaides wrote a novel four years ago, which contained a brief passage referring to an unnamed crown prince. It sold just seven copies.

The Economist sent an e-mail to its Asia subscribers stating: “This week our distributors in Thailand have decided not to deliver the Economist in light of our coverage relating to the Thai monarchy.”

Even the newly-installed Democrat Party government has said that protecting the royal family is a top priority. More than 3,000 websites have now been blocked, and one political activist was jailed for six years in November for an anti-monarchy speech she made just a stone’s throw from the old royal palace last July.

Bank of Thailand warns people of fake notes

With a sharp increase in the number of counterfeit bills, the Bank of Thailand has warned people to be wary of fake bills.

Nopporn Pramojaney, the official in charge of printing bills, said high-denomination fakes are likely to be circulated during the New Year holiday. He urged residents to be especially wary of 1,000-baht notes, worth about $28.50.

The bank seized 18,895 counterfeit notes in the 12 months that ended Nov. 30, Nopporn said. The majority of the seized counterfeits are 1,000-baht notes. In the previous year, 10,819 notes were seized. Nopporn suggested hard times may be luring more people into counterfeiting.

Thailand to dispose 5m tones of rice from its stockpile

Thailand is the world’s largest rice exporter and the country has decided to sell upto 5m tonnes from its stockpile. This amount is equal to a fifth of the world’s annually traded rice. The stockpile has built up as a result of its policy of buying surplus production at above market prices in an effort to protect agricultural incomes.

Now, the question arises here that such a large disposal could lower the price further, which have already halved since hitting an all-time high of about $1,100 a tonne last year.

Supported by fresh demand from importers in Africa, Thai medium quality rice, at present, trades at $580 a tonne, more than double the price in 2007.

The ministry of commerce, which controls the rice reserve, has yet to decide whether to release the stocks on to the open market, which could hit world prices, or try to dispose of it in a government-to-government deal.

Chookiat Ophaswongse, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said that if Bangkok decided to sell rice from the stockpile, the government would have to absorb the losses, estimated at a minimum of $100 per tonne.

“The question is, are they willing to lose that sort of money?” he said.

However, Mr Chookiat said a sale might be the best option in the long term because the existence of the stocks was capping prices. “If the government keeps the rice in Thailand, I don’t think the world price will increase,” he said.

Laos to be Thai PM’s first overseas visit

As his first overseas visit, the Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva departed for Laos with an aim to strengthen existing ties with one of the kingdom’s key regional allies.

“Thailand and Laos have cooperated to progress several joint projects… This trip will help strengthen our relationship,” Abhisit told reporters.

These joint projects include infrastructure works to build railways and roads across their common border, as well as the building of a sports stadium in Laos.

However, discussion about the ethnic minority Lao Hmong migrants is not on the PM’s agenda as a joint border committee (JBC) is already handling the issue.

“We already have a framework for this issue under the JBC committee and everything has proceeded smoothly,” Abhisit said.

“There is no problem on the Hmong issue as we have a mechanism to return them home smoothly,” he said.

Thailand’s foreign ministry has said it had agreed to repatriate 5,000 members of the Hmong ethnic minority to Laos from Thai refugee camps.

Chumpol Silpa-archa elected leader of Chart Thai Pattana party

After the members of Chart Thai Pattana party had a three-hour meeting on Saturday, the Tourism and Sports minister, Chumpol Silpa-archa, was elected as the leader of the party. Chart Thai Pattana party is the reincarnation of the disbanded Chart Thai party that was led by a one-time premier Banharn Silpa-archa.

Krit Rattanakaminee was chosen as deputy leader, Preecha Chanpetch as secretary-general while Thaworn Champa-ngern as deputy secretary-general. Nine people, including Prasarn Ruengsukudom and Surachai Thinkerd, were chosen as party executives.

Thai Airways International seeks funding

Thai Airways International THAI.BK is on a lookout for nearly $1 billion in funding due to the loss it suffered because of political unrest culminating in airport closure added to global recession. The air carrier said that it was looking for up to 34 billion baht ($974 million) in loans from financial institutions — 19 billion baht for working capital and 15 billion baht for refinancing short-term loans.

The shares of this primarily Govt. owned airline have fallen more than 12 percent over the past week due to concerns about the company’s health.

“Every airline around the world is facing some difficulty but Thai has particular difficulties because of the political situation right now and the fact the airport was shut down,” said Nicholas Ionides, Asia Editor of Flight International magazine, adding, “It also doesn’t help that their management is in a bit of turmoil right now.”

Acting President Narongsak Sangapong said on Monday the airline was looking for 19 billion baht in loans from state-owned banks after being hit by the week-long closures of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports by protesters late last year. The airline is in the process of drafting a restructuring plan, which could be put to the board in February.

Private sector requests PM to lower taxes

During a Joint Public/Private Consultative Committee meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, Thailand’s business sector Wednesday urged the Abhisit government to lower both corporate and personal income taxes, and the tourism industry asked for an additional budget of Bt30 billion for recovering the loss in the tourism sector during the recent political turmoil. These requests came in just the next day after the Thai Cabinet approved several measures in a move to boost economy.

The private sector requested the government to lower personal income tax through an increase in the amount of tax reprieve to Bt200,000 from Bt150,000 at present so that low- and middle-income earners will have more cash to spend. On corporate income tax, the private sector suggested it be lower to between 20-25 per cent from 30 per cent being collected now. In addition, the Tourism Council of Thailand had requested the prime minister to provide assistance amounting Bt30 billion for use in organising seminars and boost tourist destinations.

Mr. Amphon said a Joint Public/Private Consultative Committee at the provincial level would be established so that the private sector could air problems to the government.

Santi Vilassakdanont, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, said the private sector proposed additional short-term measures to jump-start the economy, while both medium- and long-term measures to improve competitiveness among the players in the sector should also be implemented urgently.

Mr. Santi said entrepreneurs are worried about rising unemployment in the country and the government ought to jointly help respond to the crisis.

Thai cabinet approves tax measures to boost economy

In order to boost Thailand’s economy, the country’s weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved a number of tax measures which have taken effect from Jan. 1 of this year. The tax measures that range from the property sector, tourism sector, small- and medium-sized (SMEs) industry to household will supposedly result in the government’s loss of tax revenues of 10 billion baht (29 million U.S. dollars) per year. These tax measures are:

1. Individuals or a group of individuals without fixed income will be taxed 5,000 baht (147 U.S. dollars per annum, for the income higher than one million baht (29,411 U.S. dollars). Earlier, they were subjected to 300 baht tax (8.8 U.S. dollars), for a minimum income of 60,000 baht (1,764 U.S. dollars).
2. Those who buy houses this year are eligible to deduct a taxable income with 300,000 baht (8,823 U.S. dollars) of principle and 100,000 baht (2,941 U.S. dollars) of interest.
3. Tax privileges to venture capital funds which invest in SMEs enterprises would also be extended for another three years to 2011.The privileges were expired at the end of 2008.
4. Tax privileges on restructuring of debts incurred from mergers and acquisitions will be extended by another year.
5. Companies which are hosting seminars at domestic tourist destinations can deduct its corporate taxable income twice the value of the expenses.
6. Households will be waived from water and electricity charges, if their water and electricity consumption does not exceed 60 units and 90 units per month, respectively.
7. The government will also intervene prices of five main agricultural products including rice, tapioca, rubber, corn and palm.

Apart from this, the cabinet has also decided to waive visa fee for all foreign tourists over the next three months, lowering a landing and parking fee for aircraft at major domestic airports, and reducing an entrance fee at all national parks for two years.

Australian writer jailed for insulting Thai Royal family

An Australian writer, Harry Nicolaides, was sentenced by Bangkok’s Criminal Court on Monday to three years in prison for insulting Thailand’s royal family in his novel. The court had sentenced Harry to six years behind bars but reduced the term because he had entered a guilty plea, the judge said.

Nicolaides is a 41-year-old writer from Melbourne and was charged with insulting Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej and the crown prince in his 2005 book “Verisimilitude.” A passage in the book that discussed the personal life of a fictional prince “suggested that there was abuse of royal power,” the presiding judge told the court.

Nicolaides was arrested Aug. 31 at Bangkok’s international airport as he was about to board a flight home, apparently unaware of a March arrest warrant issued in connection with his novel, according to rights groups. He was indicted in November and denied bail.

Shackled at the ankles and handcuffed, Nicolaides said he felt “dreadful” as guards escorted him out of the courtroom.

“I would like to apologize. This can’t be real. It feels like a bad dream,” a tearful Nicolaides told reporters earlier. He said he had “unqualified respect for the king of Thailand” and had not intended to insult him.

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy but has severe lese majeste laws, mandating a jail term of three to 15 years for “whoever defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir to the throne or the Regent.”

King Bhumidol receives Global Leaders Award from WIPO

The World Intellectual Property Organization, (WIPO) is a UN agency that deals with international norms related to intellectual property. This organization has decided to award its first Global Leaders Award to King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand for his work to better the living conditions of his subjects.

The award is for those who “support the development of a community, creative ideas and innovation.” WIPO director-general Francis Gurry presented a medal to the King at Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Klai Kangwon Palace in Huahin, Thailand.

King Bhumibol, also known as Rama IX, was born on December 5, 1927 in Cambridge in the United States. Married to Princess Sirikit Kitiyakara he has reigned over Thailand since May 5, 1950. He is the ninth king of the Chakkri dynasty, which has reigned in Thailand since 1782. To date, more than 20 of the King’s inventions have been patented.

Thailand to investigate alleged mistreatment of refugees

Thai Government has decided to investigate the charges that illegal immigrants from Burma were dumped at sea in boats with no food and no engines.

According to the reports, as many as 1,000 people, including both Rohingya refugees from Burma and migrants from Bangladesh, were forced back to sea after the Thai Navy intercepted their boats. Migrants who reached the Andaman Islands or Aceh Province in Indonesia said they were detained on a Thai island where they were subjected to brutal treatment, and were then forced to board a barge with their hands tied, the BBC reported.

The Indian coast guard in December rescued about 100 people believed to be from the same group near a remote island chain in the Bay of Bengal, but a search for the remaining 300 was unsuccessful, Indian officials said at the time.

Rights groups say the Rohingya face religious and ethnic persecution from Myanmar’s military regime, forcing thousands of them to take to rickety boats each year to try to escape poverty and oppression.

14 Thai provinces at risk from birdflu reappearance

14 provinces in Thailand have been listed as the danger areas at risk from reappearance of the H5N1 birdflu virus by the Thailand Public Health ministry. These provinces include Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Chai Nat, Prachin Buri, Nakhon Nayok, Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen and Nong Bua Lamphu.

“The cool weather provides a good environment for it,” said deputy permanent secretary Dr Paijit Warachit adding that he has instructed health officers known as “Mr Bird Flu” across the country to monitor for avian flu and infection in humans, especially in provinces where the virus appeared frequently. Also the ministry was bringing in stricter controls, even though H5N1 infection in humans had not been reported for three years.

Measures include rapid detection and reporting of infection, rapid primary spreading control, sampling, containment training, laboratory preparation and information on prevention.

Paijit also added that national strategy covered poultry farming, surveillance, prevention of human and animal infection and pandemic preparedness.