King calls for unity, asks people to perform duties to best ability

BANGKOK, Dec 5 (TNA) — Thailand’s ailing, revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Saturday called on his 63 million subjects to unite and called for everyone to work to their utmost ability so that the country could advance further and enjoy peace.

In his terse response to members of the royal family, senior government officials and members of parliament who gathered at Bangkok’s Grand Palace to wish him happiness on his 82nd birthday celebrations, His Majesty the King said his happiness could be achieved “if the country prospers, is stable and is at peace.”

The king said this could be realised if every sector in the country is determined to perform its duty with utmost wisdom, understanding and sincerity by upholding the people’s interests rather than themselves.

“I ask all of you present here and holding important positions in key institutions of our country, as well as all Thais (everywhere), to consider thoroughly your duty and determine to perform your duty to your best ability for the success of the country,” said the king.

Saturday marked the third time that the king, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, has made a public appearance since being admitted to Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital on September 19 with a lung infection and fever.

The monarch was earlier seen in public twice — once on October 23, Chulalongkorn Memorial Day, and once on the evening of Loy Krathong on November 2 – both within the hospital grounds after being admitted over two months ago.

Today, he granted a public audience at the Grand Palace’s Amarin Winitchai Throne Hall.

After the brief ceremony at the Throne Hall, His Majesty the King returned to Siriraj Hospital.

Dressed in a white royal uniform and accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and members of the royal family later left the Grand Palace to return to the hospital in a motorcade as crowds of people lined the streets cheering “Long Live the King”.

The remarks by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who has been on the throne 63 years, on the occasion of his birthday celebrations came amid a sharp divisiveness in the country following a bloodless coup in September 2006 which ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra whose administration was accused of corruption.

Mr Thaksin, now living in self-imposed exile overseas, is also accused of attempting to change the country’s administration from that of a constitutional monarchy to that of a republic, but he denies the charges. (TNA)

Related articles by Zemanta

• No Royal Birthday Bash This Year for Thai King (time.com)
• Thailand king stable in hospital (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Ailing Thai king makes public appearance (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Whispers in the wind

 

Two of Thailand’s top songwriters and 98 other artists put their gentle sounds on the wind in the meadows of Korat

The weather may have been hot in the city of late but next month there’ll be an opportunity to chill in the cool breezes of the farming country of Nakhon Ratchasima, where two of Thailand’s best loved songwriters, Nitipong “Dee” Hornak and Cheewin “Boyd” Kosiyabong, will put on a music festival.

The Dee-Boyd Pop Fest is the duo’s first professional collaboration.

“We came up with the idea of working together on a record three years ago but put the project on the backburner because we were both too busy,” says Boyd, 42, who’s been in the spotlight since the early 1990s. “Now, at last, we’ve found the time to do something.”

“It is like an exchange of musical cultures,” says Dee, 49, who’s been writing hits for more than 20 years. “The concerts have a great sequence, moods and lots of atmosphere. It will feel like watching a football match.”

Camping out

With a budget of Bt60 million, the festival is set on 400 rai of farmland and divided into several zones. There’s one stage for the concerts plus lots of food stalls, a fun fair in both Thai and foreign styles and an area where fans can take photos of their favourite artists. There’s also a campground for 1,000 tents and parking for 7,000 cars.

The two-day festival is split, with Dee headlining on December 5 and targeting his 35-and-over age group. Boyd and his artists draw the younger crowd the next day.

Some 15,000 people per day are expected to turn up.

A list of names

A total of 100 artists will be playing. Among them are the Groove Riders, ETC, Boy Peacemaker, Nuvo, Moderndog, Namcha, Gam the Star, Peck Phalitchoke, Pop, Friday, Po of Yokee Playboy, Nat Myria, Amp Saowaluck, Mint Maleewan, Taem Charas, Kob Songsit, Pan Paibulkiet, Nop Pornchamni, Radklao Amaradit, Bee Peerapat, Pusaming, Thee Chaiyadej, Boy Trai, Tuk Viyada, Billy Ogan, New Jew, Mum Laconic, Ben Chalathit, Od Kheereeboon, Stamp, Crescendo, Champ, Too Popthorn, Chantana Kittiyapan, Suda Chuenban, Gancore Club, the Begins, Saichol, Pang and Pond of Hydra, Tor Saksit, Inca, Phusit Laithong, Watchara Paniem, Flure, and Lipta.

“There’ll also be some vocal jams on the same stage,” says Boyd.

SNUGGLING UP

>> The Dee-Boyd Pop Fest will be held Suwan Farm in Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima on December 5 and 6.

>> Tickets are Bt2,000 including a pillow and blanket from www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.

>> The first 2,000 people to purchase tickets get a special gift from Dee and Boyd.

>> On the Internet: www.IAmYoungDee.com.

 

Found at THE NATION

STOCK RUMOUR SCANDAL

The owner of a snooker bar in Chon Buri who allegedly posted unverified assertions that led to a stock market plunge last week is the link who will lead to the arrest of those behind rumour-mongering and their accomplices, a senior police officer said yesterday.

At 14, October rumours about the Kings Health was going around in Thailand. It immediately affected the Thai Stock Market, Social Security and Government Pension Fund

Somjate Itthiworrakul has admitted posting the items on his computer, but claimed he did not send them out on the Internet, said Tha-ngai Prassajarksattroo, commander of the Central Investigation Bereau.

“The items had been released through several channels, all through the Prachathai website. Somjate is a key suspect who is possibly aware of those behind [the rumours],” he added.

Tha-ngai said police had not found a connection between Somjate and two other people who have been arrested. Somjate has been released on Bt100,000 bail and is required to report himself to police in future appointments.

Meanwhile, well-known businessman Ekkayuth Anchanbutr praised Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij’s decision to alter Stock Exchange of Thailand regulations to tackle possible future manipulations of inside information for personal gain.

He called on Korn to check who had benefited from the plunge on October 14 as a result of rumours, especially in state-regulated funds including the Social Security Office and the Government Pension Fund.

Ekkayuth said the inspection should focus on which groups sold stocks en-masse before October 14 and bought them back afterwards. He said Korn was familiar with SET affairs and would know well how to identify those people.

“But it depends on whether he has the guts to do it,” he added. Citing his own sources, Ekkayuth said he learned of a person identified as Jor who managed an overseas stock market and was a relative of powerful people living outside Thailand who had bought large quantities of stocks.

“It is possible these people knew the government would dismiss the rumours the next day. These people made a Bt5-billion profit as a result of Jor’s acts,” he said, without further explaining.

“GOOD NEWS FOR EXPATS”

Thaivisa.com and Nation Multimedia Public Co., Ltd., have launched a new breaking news SMS service targeting the interests of the expatriate community in Thailand.

“We want to offer a different SMS service for the expat community”, saya Pana Janviroj, COO of Nation Multimedia. “We have hundreds of thousands of foreigners living in Thailand, and we will provide them with Thailand related news content from a foreigners prospective.”

Together with Thaivisa.com, the Nation plans to provide news that is important for foreigners living in Thailand. Breaking news, natural disasters and other important issues will be sent by SMS and in the afternoon odd or interesting news will be provided to the customer.

Free trial

The service offers a 14 day free trial  and costs 49 Baht per month after that. The service is available to AIS, One-2-Call, DTAC and TRUE Move and works both for prepaid and postpaid Thai mobile numbers.

Spam free news direct in your mobile

“We hope to offer the best English SMS service available in Thailand, with no spam and easy to unsubscribe from. We plan to send out breaking news that is of interest to expats as well as one or two selected “Todays best thread” from the Thaivisa forum, says Barry Main, marketing director at Thaivisa.com

 

To subscribe just dial *424010011  and you will recieve a SMS confirmation shortly.
If you want to contact our SMS support, the email is   sms@thaivisa.com

ASEAN Summit

‘Time to act’
By Kavi Chongkittavorn
The Nation
Published on October 23, 2009

At the start of the summit today, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will urge Asean countries to focus their energy on their citizens in what Thai government sources described as a “do-or-die” message to regional leaders.

It is only through such focus that Asean can maintain its relevance, especially since it has been under attack recently in terms of its human-rights standards, slow progress in trade liberalisation and conflicts among members.
Abhisit’s message, which will kick-start the three-day summit in Cha-am, will call on the grouping to maintain its standing in the globalised world, be responsive to the well-being of its citizens and commit itself to the Asean Community. Efforts must be action-oriented and connected in all spheres, he will say.

This is the first time that the prime minister will be sharing his vision of the Asean Community, which will come into being in 2015. An informed source said that now the crisis is under control and Abhisit has recovered from the mishaps he went through as the Asean chair, it was time for him to share his thoughts on the future of the grouping. “It is a do-or-die message,” added the source.
Abhisit, who was only three years old when Asean was established, thinks the Asean Community should be action oriented so it can respond to any challenges in terms of regional security or the well being of its citizens.

While he has been contending with progress and the achievements of Asean in handling both global and regional challenges – including the financial crisis, pandemics, climate change, food and energy security – he believes a better institutional structure would help the grouping make prompt decisions and execute them more effectively.
The source said that one way of doing this is to ensure that Asean Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan explains to the leaders the pivotal issues that need attention and decision. After the Asean Charter came into force last December, the grouping’s chief role and responsibility has expanded to include humanitarian operations as well.

For the Asean Community to remain vibrant, Abhisit believes the nations and their 600 million citizens should be interconnected. He also envisages the free flow of goods and services as well as investment and initiatives within Asean in 2015.
The Asean chair will also push for the need to improve the grouping’s infrastructure and information as well as communications technology to bring all members closer and at the same time allow Asean citizens to reach out and get to know each other better.

“Abhisit wishes to see the Asean people connected in their hearts and minds. He wants to make Asean work for the Asean people,” said the source, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak.
Over the past one year, Thailand has been pushing Asean to continue its engagement with the citizens and civil societies. The source said that Abhisit would also be touching on the issue of human rights in Asean, and would express hope that in the future, when “comfort levels” among Asean members increase, the role of the Asean Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights would be further enhanced.

After the opening session in the morning, the Asean leaders will hold informal meetings with representatives from various groups, including lawmakers, youth and civil-society organisations, which has become a routine at Asean summits.

——————————————–

Full opening speech of PM Abhisit

The 15th Asean Summit and related summits officially started on Thursday at Cha-am/Hua Hin, Thailand. The following is Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s opening remarks.

Statement by

H.E. Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva

Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand

At the Opening Ceremony

of the 15th Asean Summit and Related Summits

23 October 2009, Cha-am Hua Hin, Thailand

************************

Your Majesty,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. I would like, once again, to extend a very warm welcome to all of you to Cha-am Hua Hin.

2. Nine months ago, we all gathered here to pledge ourselves to work towards realising our aspiration to build a “people-centered Asean Community” that is rules-based and more effective in meeting the challenges of our times.

3. Today, we are gathering here again to reaffirm our commitment to driving our vision and dreams one step closer to becoming a reality.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

(Achievements)

4. As we move on to the new phase of ASEAN, we can proudly look back to what we have accomplished together during the past year.

5. We now formally have in place the Asean Charter that will make the organisation truly rules-based and more effective in enforcing what has been agreed upon among Member States. To make this achievement more tangible, we have adopted the Cha-am Hua Hin Declaration on the Roadmap for an Asean Community to guide our community-building efforts in all three pillars.

6. Indeed, an Asean Community has begun to institutionally come into place. The Committee of Permanent Representatives in Jakarta has been fully operationalised, and the three Asean Community Councils have already convened their respective Meetings to map out measures to achieve their targets and goals envisaged by the Charter.

7. Moreover, while advancing in these community-building efforts, Asean has had to weather the regional and global challenges, ranging from the economic and financial crisis, through the adverse impacts of climate change and food and energy security, to natural disaster and pandemic diseases. With both solidarity and togetherness, we have succeeded in keeping not only Asean relevant but also its vision alive.

8. In response to the global financial and economic crisis, we have acted promptly to convene a Special Asean Plus Three Finance Ministers’ Meeting in February to expedite the launching of the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM). I really hope that this regional self-help mechanism can be launched by the end of this year. Thailand will be pleased to temporarily host the CMI surveillance unit.

9. The representation of Asean in the G-20 Summits has also shown that Asean matters not just to the ten Southeast Asian nations, but also the rest of the world. We have made the voice of other developing countries heard in our attempt to cope with the economic and financial crisis both in London and Pittsburgh.

10. When people around the world were affected by the Influenza A (H1N1), ASEAN, together with our Dialogue Partners in East Asia, convened a Special Session of ASEAN+3 Health Ministers Meeting in Bangkok to collectively deliberate on effective measures to prevent and control this pandemic.

11. We have also reaffirmed the common position of Asean and other developing countries in the negotiation under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Moreover, Thailand was pleased to play our part in hosting the Bangkok Climate Change Talks earlier this month to prepare for the Copenhagen Conference.

12. To ensure food security in our region, there have been efforts to transform the East Asia Emergency Rice Reserve Pilot Project into a permanent mechanism under the Asean Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve. We should extend our full support to this effort and urge our Agriculture and Forestry Ministers, who will meet next month in Brunei Darussalam, to expedite the realisation of this permanent mechanism.

13. We have reinforced ASEAN’s outward-looking character with the completion of Free Trade Agreements with all our key Partners in the region including China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand, and are now exploring the possibility of establishing a region-wide FTA.

14. Early this year, I had the pleasure to co-chair the Commemorative Summit with His Excellency the President of the Republic of Korea and next month, I will have the honour to co-chair the ASEAN-US Summit with President Barack Obama in Singapore. We are also working closely with Russia to convene the ASEAN-Russia Summit in 2010.

15. I hope that our discussion with Dialogue Partners during the Related Summits will provide us with a clearer picture on how Asean can continue to be a driving force in the evolving regional architecture.

16. All these developments demonstrate the recognition that Asean has gained from the world community over the past one-and-a half year as a rules-based and people-centred organisation which is committed to establishing a fully integrated community by 2015.

17. Indeed, ASEAN’s many achievements can make us proud. Asean has delivered and thrived through the many global and regional challenges it has come to face with. What remains is the onus that lies on Asean to prove that it can implement whatever has been agreed, declared, or envisioned.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

(Vision for an Asean Community 2015)

18. Much has been discussed about realising an Asean Community—one that is a community of action, a community of connectivity, and a community of peoples. What we need to do is to collectively set a clear vision of what we want to achieve in the year 2015 and beyond. Let me share with you some of my thoughts as to how we are going to achieve our vision.

19. As a “Community of Action”, Asean can act decisively and promptly to address both internal and external threats as well as challenges to regional security and the well-being of our peoples.

20. We have to start thinking about a new approach in the way we do things. In this increasingly globalised era, we no longer enjoy the luxury of time. In order to address these challenges effectively, our institutional structures should be strengthened so that the decisions can be made promptly whereas their execution can also be done in a timely manner. In this connection, I strongly support the role of the Secretary-General in bringing pressing issues to the attention of Asean Leaders for immediate action.

21. Second, as a “Community of Connectivity”, Asean will be a region where goods and peoples, as well as investments and initiatives can move across the borders without obstacles. This can come about through concerted efforts to enhance region-wide multi-modal transportation linkages, including maritime, land and air transport. The challenge of logistics must also be jointly addressed. The ‘missing links’ in respective infrastructure development projects should also be completed by the end of the five-year Asean Transport Action Plan in 2010. Supporting legal infrastructure and rules for trade facilitation should also be harmonised to facilitate intra-regional transportation and communication.

22. It is evident that connectivity is at the heart of Asean centrality and will contribute to sustainable growth and prosperity of a vibrant East Asia at large. Inevitably, the success of this concept will largely depend on adequate funding for each project. To this end, the idea of establishing an Infrastructure Development Fund for Asean deserves our serious consideration, whereas participation and support from our Partners within and beyond our region should be welcomed.

23. This Asean Connectivity is only the first step. It needs to be linked with a larger East Asian connectivity where Asean will be connected to the rest of the Asia-Pacific region, bringing progress and prosperity to all.

24. Enhancing connectivity does not mean that peoples are only connected through physical means but also required the connecting of the hearts and minds of Asean peoples across the region. We need to promote intellectual and cultural connection based on friendship and mutual understanding of our common goals and shared historical heritage. This people-to-people connection will contribute to the ‘we-feeling ASEAN’ which is one of the key elements in our community-building process. In this connection, Thailand, on our part, is pleased to launch an Asean television channel to serve as a means to foster better understanding and promote common identity among Asean peoples.

25. Third, and most importantly, as a “Community of Peoples” that promotes both equitable access to human development opportunities and human rights and fundamental freedoms, our peoples would be the ultimate beneficiaries of our future Asean Community. Asean has always sought to improve the quality of lives of its peoples. We therefore need to, first and foremost, make Asean work for the peoples. Asean relevancy in the future will be judged from our ability to respond to challenges affecting the well-being of our peoples in a concrete and timely manner. Our cooperation should also focus on empowering our peoples to be able to compete in a more globalised world through education and human resources development. We also need to make Asean continue to engage with peoples to ensure that people are given the opportunity to actively participate in and feel a sense of ownership in this Asean community-building process.

26. In this connection, Asean Leaders already took a bold step forward by convening an Informal Meeting with representatives from the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), Asean Youth and Asean Civil Society Organisation during the 14th Asean Summit early this year. As the Chairman of ASEAN, I myself subsequently met with AIPA Leaders during the 30th AIPA General Assembly in Pattaya in August. They pledged to support our community-building process through early ratification of Asean agreements, harmonisation of laws as well as raising Asean awareness among our peoples. I therefore hope that these constructive dialogues will continue to take place in the years to come.

27. At the same time, we should make Asean a symbol of the hopes and values of our peoples. The purposes and the principles enshrined in the Asean Charter, including the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, should be translated into concrete action.

28. In this regard, I am pleased to note that, in about two hours from now, our fifteen-year dream will come true with the inauguration of the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. This important body, together with the establishment of the Asean Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children next year, will generate momentum in an effort to promote and protect human rights in the region. It will also increase the ‘comfort level’ of all Asean Member States to be able to accept a more enhanced role of this body in the future.

Your Majesty,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

29. The task ahead of us will not be easy, as governments alone cannot make it happen. It is the responsibility of all sectors in the society including the private sectors, the civil society, as well as each and every one of us, to move forward our ‘ASEAN Community’. Considering the changing dynamics of the region and of the world, we must work to sustain the efforts to achieve our goals. With sheer determination and in a spirit of cooperation, I am confident that we can collectively achieve a true Asean Community.

30. On my part, I am ready to work closely with all of you to ensure the concrete outcome of the 15th Asean Summit and Related Summits, so that, by the time we pass on this same torch to Viet Nam three months from now, Asean will be on course to becoming a more action-oriented and better-connected community for the benefit of our peoples.

Thank you

Thailand under Water

Heavy Rain in Thailand. Sometimes you are not able to see the Road and you have to stop driving for your own and other Peoples security.

A main road of Pattaya, the seaside town, is under water yesterday following three hours of heavy downpours.

I asked a Friend to make the Picture below while driving him to his Hotel. The highest Whipper Speed does not help. We had to stop after taking this Picture.

Chalerm quits his chairmanship for Pheu Thai MPs

By The Nation

Pheu Thai MP Chalerm Yoobamrung on Friday resigned his chairmanship for opposition lawmakers, a position created in lieu of the opposition leader which he can not assume since he is not concurrently the party leader.

“As the Pheu Thai party executive board and the party leader have entrusted me with the chairmanship for Pheu Thai MPs, I now deem it necessary to tender my resignation,” Chalerm said.

He cited his other obligations as the reason he could not devote sufficient time for the job.

Before submitting the resignation, speculation spreaded that Chalerm clashed with chief opposition whip Withaya Buranasiri over the Pheu Thai stand related to charter amendments.

Chalerm reportedly wanted the main opposition party to withdraw the support for charter rewriting. Withaya was pushing to amend the charter although he opposed the referendum vote.

Found at THAIVISA.COM

Sondhi Interview

Sondhi Limthongkul talks to Kornchanok Raksaseri on his new role as leader of New Politics Party

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Thai train in deadly derailment

A passenger train bound for Bangkok has derailed in Thailand’s Hua Hin coastal resort district, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens more.

At least six of the train’s 16 carriages went off the tracks amid torrential downpours.

The overnight train was travelling from southern Trang province to the capital when the accident happened.

Police said they were investigating the cause of the incident, which happened at about 0450 (2150 GMT on Sunday).

“From the information we have now, seven were found dead at the scene. They were all Thais,” said Police Col Krisna Jamsaweng, chief of Hua Hin’s police station.

Forty-five people had been sent for treatment at two nearby hospitals, he added.

Rescuers were using a truck-mounted crane to help lift the wreckage.

Police Lt Col Udom Chainoom said some bodies could not immediately be removed from the twisted carriages.

“Rescue workers including policemen and soldiers were sent to the area to help remove the wreckage,” he added.

Yuthana Thapcharoen, head of Thailand’s state railways, said it might take more than a day to clear the wreckage and reopen the rail link between southern Thailand and the capital.

via BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Thai train in deadly derailment.

Chalerm attacked for video threat – Nationmultimedia.com

Kasit, formerly a senior diplomat, made critical remarks about Hun Sen when he participated in a protest by the People’s Alliance for Democracy last year, shortly before he became foreign minister.

MR Priyanandhana Rangsit, an appointed senator who is deputy chair of the Senate committee on foreign affairs, said yesterday it would be improper for Chalerm to act in such a way.

“It is really improper to attack someone with a matter of the past.

It’s not a good idea for ties between the two countries and between Kasit and Samdech Hun Sen,” she said, referring to the Cambodian leader by his Cambodian title.

She said Kasit’s status had changed and he was now the Thai foreign affairs minister and no longer an activist affiliated with the PAD.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said it appeared Chalerm was trying every way possible to get his political camp back into power and acting for their benefit.

“That could cause damage to the country,” he said.

But Suthep said he had no concern that Chalerm’s move might threaten ties with Phnom Penh, as he believed the Cambodian leader had a good grasp of Thai politics.

“Prime Minister Hun Sen is a senior politician with a good understanding of politics.

I don’t think I need to call him [to explain about the matter].

Image via Wikipedia

But if I have time, I will call on him again to talk abou

t bilateral ties.

We must keep good ties with our neighbours,” he said.

Suthep visited Hun Sen a few months ago following a border dispute between the two countries.

found at The Nation