News from Thailand – October 12, 2012

A Canadian coroner doubts whether the two Canadian sisters who died on the island of Phi Phi in June were in their hotel room were found, died of the use of DEET as a component of a drug popular among young people.

That was the cause of death, according to the Thai autopsy. But according to the Canadian, the concentration was not high enough for that. The concentration wasn't even toxic, let alone deadly, he says. A second autopsy was performed in Montreal, but the results have not been released. [For information on that drug, see the article: Krathom: drug or medicine?]

– The quarrel between the municipality of Bangkok (BMA) and the (government) Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC) continues. Today both talk to each other.

The issue revolves around sandbags that the municipality has placed in a sewer. This was done under the Srinakarintara Road (and perhaps also in other places) to prevent water from a canal from flowing into the sewer so that the road cannot be flooded.

Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, chairman of the WFMC, says what the BMA is doing is technically wrong. On Tuesday, he ordered the municipality to remove the sandbags within two weeks, but the municipality does not intend to do so because the sewers fall under its jurisdiction.

Wallop Suwandee, deputy governor of Bangkok, explained it all again in great detail yesterday in the radio program Inside Thailand. [Technical story. Too complicated to list.]

Prompong Nopparit, spokesman for ruling party Pheu Thai, said yesterday that if the sandbags are not removed in time, a complaint will be filed with the National Anti-Corruption Commission for negligence.

Other flood news

• Hundreds of residents in Ratchaburi province fled with their belongings yesterday as the water level of the Mae Klong River rose rapidly. Many homes on the riverbank and in low-lying areas have already been flooded as water outflow from the Tha Muang Reservoir increased into the river. High flood water levels further exacerbated the situation and in some places the water reached heights of 1 to 2 metres. Many orchards now resemble ponds. Later yesterday, the outflow was reduced, causing the water level in the river to drop again. All misery is expected to come to an end within a few days.
• Low-lying areas in Ang Thong province have been flooded for the third time this year. The culprit was water from the Chao Praya reservoir in Chai Nat province. Along the Pong Peng canal, 20 houses were under 1 meter of water.
• According to Prime Minister Yingluck, only Kanchanaburi and Prachin Buri provinces are experiencing flooding. She said this after holding a video conference with provincial governors and interior ministry officials.
• During the floods in 11 provinces this month, 13 people drowned and 1 person was electrocuted. The number of patients is 69.005. According to figures provided by the Ministry of Health.
• The governor of Khon Kaen is concerned about the expected drought next year in the dry season. The Ubolrat reservoir is only 45 percent full. In the past two months, four times less water flowed into the lake than last year. So far, the lack of rain in Si Chomphu and Chum Pae districts has caused damage of 3,7 million baht.

Other news

– Prime Minister Yingluck will personally conduct interviews for the position of head of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. The new head succeeds Damrong Pidech, who has started a hunt for illegal holiday parks and houses in forest reserves and national parks. Some have already gone under the sledgehammer. According to the secretary of the minister, there is no question of political interference with the appointment. [I think Yingluck's political friends have such an illegal holiday home.]

– Against former Prime Minister Thaksin, who fled abroad in 2008, another arrest warrant has been issued. This time because of a loan of 11,58 billion baht, granted by state-owned bank Krung Thai (KTB). That loan was granted to subsidiaries of a project developer, which was classified as a 'non-performing debtor'.

The Public Prosecution Service has summoned the former KTB president, Thaksin and 26 others in this case. All defendants with the exception of Thaksin have already appeared in court and pleaded not guilty.

– A music teacher from Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University has been suspended because he is suspected of assaulting students. Four students of the teacher training have filed a complaint against him. The incidents already took place in 2010, but the girls dared not say anything before because he had threatened to lower their grades.

– The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) estimates that the number of unemployed graduates with a bachelor's degree will increase by 10 percent next year: from 145.000 to 170.000. The director of the Labor Development Research Project of the TDRI attributes this to the increase in the minimum daily wage and starting salary of bachelors, a bonus of the Pheu Thai government. According to him, these wage increases have led to job vacancies and staff reductions.

- True or False? Has the government sold 7,3 million tons of rice to Indonesia, China, Bangladesh and Ivory Coast? Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom (Trade) keeps on going, exporters and opposition don't believe it.

Also yesterday during a press conference Boonsong declined to give details because the deals would be 'confidential'. 1,4 million tons have already been delivered, 300.000 tons will be shipped this year and the rest in the course of next year. The government's stock consists of rice that it bought for upper market prices in the context of the mortgage system during the past rice season.

Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Exporters Association, does not understand the secrecy. Details of the sales can be easily disclosed as they do not affect relations between countries. He thinks the government is false information gives. “The government should have said that it intends to sell rice to other governments, but has not been able to sell the rice yet. The government is riding a tiger and can't get rid of it," he says.

Chookiat also criticized the government's decision to use a cargo shed at Don Mueang airport as a silo. More space to store rice is needed, because 'every grain of rice' is bought up, also in the coming season. Chookiat considers the warehouse unsuitable because it is normally used for the storage of industrial products.

Economic news

– Although heavy floods have not happened this year, Japanese investors are worried about next year and the years after. Setsuo Iuchi, president of the Japanese External Trade Organization, therefore called on the government not to falter in its anti-flood measures during a lunch meeting in Bangkok.

When concerns are allayed, Thailand will have the opportunity to attract Japanese investors who want to leave China because of the growing conflict over the islands disputed by both countries, he said. But those concerns only disappear when information is available on the long-term implementation of the plans, the financing, agreement on the plans by experts and ministries and the year of implementation. And that information should be provided to foreign investors in English.

Minoru Furusawa, president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok, said Japanese investors are looking for opportunities in Asean. Thailand has an advantage over other countries such as Myanmar because it has a good infrastructure. But on the condition that the worries about flooding are allayed.

Over lunch, Supoj Tovichakchaikul, secretary general of the Water and Flood Management Committee, tried to address those concerns. He said flooding in Bangkok will be a thing of the past within 5 years when the 300 billion baht budget for water management projects is spent.

– The Thai business community also calls on the government not to let the matter take its course, as was the case after the floods in 1995. After that year, nothing has been done about water management, as was shown last year, when floods cost billions between September and December baht damage.

Payungsak Chartsutipol, president of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), warns the government not to postpone or cancel investments in water management because the monsoons could be much more severe in the coming years.

The FTI is in consultation with insurance companies about the level of the premiums. They have risen sharply after last year's floods. If they remain this high, it will not be good for the business climate in Thailand, because the country remains known as a risk area.

– The twins Surasak and Surachai Nittiwat are doing good business. They install conversion kits for CNG (natural gas) in petrol cars. Not Chinese or Japanese, but decent Italian. This year they did this with an average of 17.000 cars per month, and since last month they have been supplying a new product that can handle petrol, CNG and LPG.

The former car salesman and lawyer started their business in 2005 when the price of petrol skyrocketed and the government started heavily subsidizing CNG and LPG. Initially, the business grew slowly because there were few CNG pumps, all operated by PTT Plc. They did not yet assemble the Italian kits themselves, but supplied them to garages. Within two to three years, about a hundred companies entered the conversion market with different brands. Explosions and fires occurred almost every month.

The choice for a quality product, mounted by professionals, turned out to be a bull's eye, all thanks to word of mouth. Currently, Energy Reform Co, as the company is called, serves 20 percent of the market. The kits come with a 2-year warranty up to 200.000 baht. If the motor breaks down as a result of the installation, the owner will receive a refund of the purchase price.

Although the subsidy on LPG and CNG is being phased out, the twins are not afraid for the future, because gas will always remain cheaper.

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post