News from Thailand – April 6, 2013

The gold price fell to 21.245 baht per baht weight (15,244 grams) on Thursday to its lowest level in 2 years, due to the expensive baht and the sharp fall in the world gold price. Experts expect one bear market after a decade of bull run.

Sanya Harnpatanakitpanich of Globlex Securities predicts that the gold price will fall further and enter a period of long-term correction. On the world market, the gold price fell for the third consecutive day, approaching one after 12 years of gains bear market due to concerns that investors will seek higher margins in other investments.

According to Sanya, now is a good time for long-term investors who see gold as one safe haven asset because the gold price has a 10-year cycle. Usually takes one upward upward cycle 12 to 15 years before entering a stable phase of 10 to 20 years, depending on the global economy. [Sorry for the untranslated terms.]

– The authorities are concerned about the possibility that with the influx of tourists due to Songkran, bird flu will rear its head in Thailand. In China, the sixth victim succumbed to the H7N9 virus, a new variant of H5N1, yesterday. H5N1 was recently active again in Cambodia, China and Egypt. In addition, there are fears of a Sars-related disease, which has also recently been detected in some countries.

Authorities in China have slaughtered all poultry in the Shanghai market after H7N9 was detected in pigeons. The virus has sickened fourteen people, six of whom have died. The health authorities in China assume that contamination occurs through direct contact with poultry. So far there is no evidence that the virus spreads easily between humans.

Narong Sahamethapat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, yesterday held a video conference with health authorities from 77 provinces and urged them to be alert to possible cases of H7N9. Particular attention should be paid to patients with severe and acute respiratory problems and those with pneumonia. For the time being, no restrictive measures apply to passenger traffic in and out of Thailand.

– The Department of Special Investigation (DSI, the Thai FBI) ​​is still hunting former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban (Democrats) because of his involvement in the construction of 396 police stations and service houses, which have not been completed to date.

The investigation into the service residences has been completed; the file now goes to the National Anti-Corruption Commission. The DSI hopes to complete the investigation into the police stations by the end of this month. That file goes to the public prosecutor, because 32 subcontractors have complained that they have not received money for their work, which is why they stopped work last year.

Suthep is said to have replaced the initially planned regional tender for the works with a central tender. It was won by contracting firm PCC Development and Construction Co. The contractor then subcontracted the work. He would have been guilty of inflating prices and fraud.

– Release or bail Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, convicted of lèse-majeste. This appeal to the Supreme Court is made by the International Federation for Human Rights in Paris and the World Organization Against Torture in Geneva. They are calling for a revision of the 10-year prison sentence that Somyot received in January for publishing two articles (not written by him) in his magazine Voice of Taksin.

On April 30, it will be 2 years ago that Somyot was arrested. So far, fourteen requests for bail have been rejected by the court because he is a threat to national security. Tomorrow, a group campaigning for Somyot's release will demonstrate for the second time at the Book Festival at Queen Sirikit Convention Centre, wearing masks with Somyot's face.

– On the first day of the reduced supply of natural gas to power plants, electricity failed everywhere yesterday. At 24.955 pm, peak demand was lower than expected at XNUMX MW. Tuesday and Wednesday next week are again critical days.

Natural gas supply has been reduced due to maintenance on a Myanmar production platform. Thailand's power plants run for 70 percent on natural gas. Thai companies have been asked to save energy, leading to a reduction in demand of 970 MW. Electricity company Egat had expected peak demand to be 26.600 MW yesterday and perhaps as much as 28.200 MW due to the hot weather. The electricity reserves increased yesterday to 2.450 MW or 8,8 percent of the total capacity.

– I raped the girl, not my older brother, who has now been imprisoned for 26 years. This is what Jirayuth Nukaew (26) stated to the police yesterday about the rape of a 15-year-old girl three times 7 years ago in Nakhon Si Thammarat. “I feel guilty and want to help my brother, who is innocent. So I decided to go to the police and ask to reopen the case.'

The victim, now 22, who has a family with children, confirms that the man in prison is not the person who attacked her. "Those [there were more suspects at the time] who raped me have not been punished and some continue to harass me."

According to the elder brother's lawyer, 21 people were involved in the case, but only four were arrested and three were prosecuted. According to him, the one in prison is a scapegoat.

– Two days after Silpakorn University announced that it would select students for the Communication Arts study program separately from the central admission test, it abandoned the plan. Candidates must still take part in the central entrance test, but it will be held at the Phetchaburi campus, where the program will move to. 180 students are selected for the program.

Wednesday's announcement had to do with the Office of the Higher Eduaction Commission refusing three out of five majors of the Bang Rak campus program. The ratio of teachers to students was said to be wrong and the teachers were not sufficiently qualified.

– Two train derailments within a week: would that be good for an entry in the big book of Guinness? A train derailed at Lak Si station yesterday. Five wagons derailed and three passengers were injured. The train was en route from Phitsunalok to Bangkok. As a result of the derailment, train traffic to Lop Buri and Ayutthaya was halted; the other directions were diverted. Train traffic was supposed to have resumed last night.

On Wednesday, a train bound for Chiang Mai derailed in Lampang. This led to a blockage of more than 16 hours.

– The sailing license of the driver of a ferry on the Saen Saep channel has been revoked. The man had sailed too close to a pier at high speed, causing waiting passengers to be hit by the stern waves and some to fall. The incident became known thanks to video clips on YouTube. The driver may also pay a fine of 5.000 baht.

– During Songkran (April 13-15) the Silom Road between Saladaeng and Nararom will be closed from 14 to 21 pm. Three hundred policemen are standing by to keep order. Talcum powder and enhancers are prohibited. Checkpoints will be set up on both sides to ensure that weapons and alcohol are not brought into the area.

– Myanmar accuses six Thais treated at Chumpon hospital for the death of 13 Myanmar soldiers. The soldiers were killed yesterday in a border village in Myanmar in a firefight with about 40 to 50 gunmen.

The Thai authorities are investigating whether there is a connection with the detention of 92 Thais in July last year who were on Myanmar territory. Of these, 90 were released and 2 were convicted of drug smuggling.

Varies

– A couple in Kamphaeng Phet has married their 6-year-old twin son and daughter. The parents were worried about the twins because they were sick so often. When one of them recovered from an illness, the other suddenly fell ill. So they resorted to the superstition that if you marry the other half of your twins you will stay sane.

The wedding ceremony was attended by 150 guests, who gave money and presents as usual, but of course that had nothing to do with it, writes Guru, the naughty Friday sister of Bangkok Post. According to the father, the boy and girl were in their previous lives lovers.

– More bizarre news. A 36-year-old woman in Nakhon Si Thammarat says she gave birth to an egg weighing 1 million kilograms and 1 billion centimeters long after an XNUMX-month pregnancy. She built an altar for the egg, which was visited by local residents, who of course left behind monetary offerings. According to the husband, the egg was a gift from heaven to help people and make them happy.

– A 37-year-old man who broke into cars and homes used to leave his business card in the form of his stool. He said this protected him from being arrested, which indeed did not happen 4 times in 100 years. When he stopped this curious practice (perhaps constipated?), he was apprehended shortly afterwards in Udon Thani.

Economic news

– The private sector is again calling on the Bank of Thailand to curb the inflow of foreign capital, especially the funds invested in the stock and equity markets.

Pongsak Assakul, outgoing chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, points out that the baht is now the strongest currency in Southeast Asia and that other central banks have already taken steps to contain foreign capital inflows. Pongsak proposes that the withholding tax for the stock market, which is now at 15 percent, and a capital gains tax especially for foreign investors.

Payungsak Chartsuthipol, chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking, said his committee will meet Tuesday with Commerce ministers and officials on measures to mitigate the impact on exporters. The food, textile, agriculture and furniture sectors in particular have been hit hard by the rise in the rate of the baht.

Over the past three months, the baht has risen 4,2 percent against the US dollar. The exporters fear that the ministry's export forecast of 8 to 9 percent will not be achieved this year.

The Joint Standing Committee is a collaboration between the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Thai Industries and the Thai Bankers' Association.

– For the sixth consecutive month, consumer confidence rose last month, reaching its highest point in seven years. Consumers believe in the country's economic prospects, the recovery of the global economy, an increase in tourism and the government's $2 trillion plan.

Last month, the consumer confidence index rose from 84 points a month earlier to 84,8 points. The economic index rose from 74,3 to 75 points, the job opportunity index from 75,5 to 76,4 points and the future income index from 102,2 to 102,9 points. A score below 100 points means that consumers are more pessimistic than optimistic, and above 100 they expect the situation to improve.

– Oneworld, one of the world's three largest airline alliances, is not considering moving to Don Mueang. The twelve members, including British Airways and American Airlines, prefer to stay at Suvarnabhumi, which offers far better quality than the old airport, especially for premium passengers who are Oneworld's main customer base.

The new chairman of Airports of Thailand (AoT), the manager of both airports, suggested last month that the alliance was willing to move. The alliance is said to have even proposed making the airport suitable for A380 superjumbos. The board of AoT has expressed the wish to develop Don Mueang into a fully-fledged airport. Currently, only budget and charter airlines fly from the airport.

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post