Thai Press Reports articles from April 2011

Thai Press Reports archives from April 2011

Philippines: It's business as usual despite impeachment trial, assures Belmonte.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - As Congress session resumes on May 9, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. assured that the House of Representatives will continue to exercise its legislative function during the impeachment trial of Ombudsman Merceditas...

Philippines: DBM reviews absorptive capacity of government agencies.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is now looking at the absorptive capacity of government agencies due to below-target spending in the first quarter this year. Disbursements in the first three months this...

Philippines: House leader underscores need to strengthen CHR.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - With the resolution recently released by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on the abduction and torture of Filipino-American Melissa Roxas in Tarlac in 2009, House Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo "Erin" Tanada...

Philippines: De Lima pushes for extradition of ex-PAOCTF officer Aquino.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila De Lima is pushing for the extradition of former Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) officer Police Sr. Supt. Michael Ray Aquino to the Philippines to face...

Philippines: Ochoa: Uphold environmental standards and protection in mining activities.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on Wednesday issued fresh calls for strict adherence to environmental standards and protection in mining activities to avoid disasters similar to the massive landslide in Pantukan,...

Philippines: DOJ to form panel of prosecutors to probe P533-M plunder raps vs. ex-President Arroyo, 3 others.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The Department of Justice (DOJ) will create a panel of prosecutors to conduct a preliminary investigation on the P533-million plunder charges filed by former Solicitor General Frank Chavez against former President and now...

Philippines: SC orders recount of Taguig mayoralty race.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday ordered a recount in the mayoralty race in Taguig City. This, as the SC dismissed the petition filed by Taguig City Mayor Maria Laarni Cayetano, seeking to stop the recount and...

Philippines: Aquino appoints Lagman as Comelec commissioner.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - President Benigno Aquino III appointed Augusto Lagman, a veteran information technology executive, as commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) filling the slot vacated by former commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer....

Philippines: Extradition of former police officer will put closure to Dacer-Corbito case.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The Aquino government is hoping that the impending extradition of a former police officer will shed light and eventually put a closure to the Dacer-Corbito double murder case. In a media briefing in Malacanang on...

Philippines: New COA chief says her position is the answer to her prayers.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Lawyer Ma. Gracia M. Pulido-Tan, only on her fifth day as chairperson of the Commission on Audit, told a government news forum what she has to do as COA chief while studying things on how she could run the agency...

Philippines: Valenzuela working double-time to declog canals this summer.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Valenzuela Mayor Sherwin "Win" Gatchalian announced that he has ordered the city's engineering office to de-clog all canals and waterways this summer so that the city won't be caught flat-footed by floods this coming...

Philippines: Zubiri supports P-Noy's action against big oil companies.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, chairman of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources, expressed on Wednesday his full support to President Benigno Aquino III's move to scrutinize the records of oil companies....

Philippines: SC rules Microsoft not entitled to P11-M tax refund.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld the ruling of the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) that Microsoft Philippines, Inc. (Microsoft) is not entitled to a tax refund of P11 million for taxes paid in 2001. Microsoft renders...

Philippines: Villar eyes tax incentive for parents with special children.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Senator Manny Villar has filed Senate Bill 2624 seeking to reduce the tax being paid by parents and guardians of children with special needs. This bill seeks to ease the financial burden on families who have children...

Philippines: Aquino inaugurates Expressway Extension in Kawit, Cavite.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - President Benigno S. Aquino III Wednesday led the inauguration of the newly-completed seven-kilometer R-1 Expressway Extension, Segment 4 of the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway Project (MCTEP). That a major road project...

Philippines/Syria: DFA ready to repatriate 110 Filipinos in Syria's conflict area.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday said there are at least 110 Filipinos living in the conflict-affected area in troubled Syria and it is ready to repatriate them if the need arises. DFA spokesman...

Philippines/Italy: Phl embassy in Rome warns against bogus job offers in Italy.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The Philippine Embassy in Rome warns prospective employees about bogus job offers being circulated among Filipinos in Italy and in the Philippines using L'Aquila, Italy as a purported destination for Filipino workers. ...

Philippines: NCRPO honors honest cop for returning wallet.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is set to honor a Makati policeman for his honesty after returning a wallet found by his nephew at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). NCRPO Director Nicanor...

Philippines: Mayor Binay asks Makati high-rise building owners to install earthquake sensors.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The city government of Makati has ordered owners of high-rise buildings in the city to install seismographs, also called accelerometers, which can monitor ground movement during an earthquake as well as the buildings'...

Philippines: DILG chief asks local execs to hold trainings within territory.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo on Wednesday asked local chief executives (LCEs) to refrain from conducting trainings and seminars sourced from public funds outside of the geographical island of...

Philippines: DSWD formally files child abuse charges against Revillame.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday formally filed a case against "Willing Willie" host Willie Revillame for violation of Republic Act No. 7610, otherwise known as the 'Special protection...

Philippines: VP Binay urges top execs to foster culture of integrity.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Stressing that corruption is the unkindest theft, Vice President Jejomar Binay called on top executives to help fight the menace by cultivating a culture of integrity in their own organizations. Corruption, whether in...

Philippines: Malacanang vows no new taxes.
April 29, 2011... Section: Genral News - Malacanang assured that there will be no imposition of new taxes, saying that the present thrust of the Aquino administration is to generate more revenues through efficient collection rather than adopt new tax measures. ...

Philippines: De Lima names panel of prosecutors to probe plunder raps vs. 3 ex-AFP chiefs, 14 others.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Justice Secretary Leila De Lima has created a panel of prosecutors to conduct the preliminary investigation on the plunder charges filed by former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) budget officer Ret. Lt. Col. George...

Japan: Outlook for Japan gov't debt rating downgraded to negative.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Standard & Poor's on Wednesday downwardly revised the outlook for the credit rating on Japanese government bonds to "negative" from "stable," citing likely increases in the country's fiscal deficits due to emergency...

Philippines: ERC approves Ayala unit as retail electricity supplierþ.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has a Retail Electricity Supplier (RES) license to the Philippine Integrated Energy Solution, Inc. (PIESI) allowing it to sell, broker, market or aggregate electricity to end-users....

Philippines: Calibrated approach in introduction of RE in power mix pushed.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) is strongly pushing for the adoption of a gradual and well thought calibrated approach in the introduction of renewable energy (RE) to the country's power mix. The...

Philippines: Palace allays fears of electricity problem.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Malacanang allayed fears of possible problem with electricity due to unrest in the Middle East, saying electric power generation is only nine percent dependent on fuel. In an interview over government-run radio station...

Japan/United States: S&P cuts outlook on Japan sovereign debt amid impact from earthquake.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Standard & Poor's on Wednesday cut its outlook on Japanese sovereign debt ratings to "negative" for a possible future downgrade, warning of a likely increase in the nation's fiscal deficits due to the emergency...

Iran/United Arab Emirates: Iranian ambassador in UAE confers with ruler of Umm al-Qaiwain.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Iran's Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Mohammad Reza Fayyaz conferred with Ruler of Umm al-Qaiwain Sheikh Saud bin Rashid al-Mu'alla on Tuesday. In the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to develop...

Germany: Berlin to host int'l meeting on strengthening NPT.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Berlin is to host a 10-nation meeting on strengthening the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) on Saturday, the Germany foreign ministry said in a statement Tuesday. Dubbed 'The Friends of the Non-Proliferation...

Russia/Libya: No instructions to call Security Council meeting on Libya -- Medvedev's aide.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev gave no instructions to call an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council for discussions on the NATO-led military operation in Libya, his aide said. NATO has been...

Russia: Russian Duma speaker Zhirinovsky to run for president in 2012.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the controversial leader of Russia's ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party and the State Duma's deputy speaker, announced on Tuesday his plans to run in the 2012 Russian presidential elections....

Japan: Fukushima City removes radioactive topsoil in schools.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - A city in Fukushima Prefecture on Wednesday started to remove topsoil from playgrounds in its elementary and nursery schools following radiation leaks from a crisis-hit nuclear power plant nearby. Heavy machinery began...

India: Rights' group urges India to charge Congress leaders involved in 1984 Sikh massacre.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The Indian government should ensure that those responsible for newly discovered massacres of Sikhs in 1984 - when Congress Party was in power - are brought to justice, Human Rights Watch said Monday. The discovery of...

Russia/Europe/Asia: Russia ready to increase fuel supplies to Europe, Asia -- Putin.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Russia is ready to increase its oil and gas supplies to Asian and European markets to make up for growing demand, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said. "We treat the situation on the global energy market with...

United States: 77-M PlayStation Network users' personal info may have been leaked.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Sony Corp. said Tuesday personal information of up to 77 million users of its PlayStation Network services around the world may have been leaked as it was compromised as a result of an illegal intrusion into its systems....

Ukraine: Ukrainian foreign ministry indignant over Lukashenko's remarks.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has expressed its indignation over Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's statement about the Ukrainian leadership. "On such day, any quarrel or accusation is tantamount to dancing...

United States/Libya: Obama orders non-lethal aid of US$ 25-M to Libyan rebels.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - U.S. President Barack Obama has authorized a US$ 25-million non-lethal assistance to Libyan opposition, fighting to overthrow the Muammar Gaddafi regime, the White House said. "I therefore direct the drawdown of up to...

Russia/Libya: Russia's Putin rips NATO bombing of Qadhafi compound.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday strongly condemned the recent NATO bombing of the compound of Libyan dictator Moammar Qdahafi in Tripoli. Speaking at a news conference in the Danish capital Copenhagen,...

India: Crucial third phase of West Bengal Assembly election begins.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Polling began Wednesday morning in 75 constituencies for the crucial third phase of the six-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal amidst tight security. An electorate of 1.44 crore will decide the fate of 479...

Russia: Russia may lead global nuclear safety debate -- Rosatom.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Russia may become the global leader in discussions on safeguards for the atomic energy industry, the head of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom said. Commenting on the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's...

United Nations/Sri Lanka: Experts find credible reports of war crimes during Sri Lanka conflict -- UN.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that he cannot order an investigation into possible war crimes during Sri Lanka's final assault on Tamil separatists in 2009. He made these remarks after a panel of experts found...

Kazakhstan: Over 300 workers evacuated as fire breaks out at Kazakh mine.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - More than 300 people have been evacuated from the Kostenko coalmine in Central Kazakhstan's Karaganda Region, the republic's emergencies ministry said on Wednesday. "A total of 319 people have been evacuated. No...

Pakistan: Major Iqbal, a serving ISI officer -- report.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Pakistan national Major Iqbal, who has been indicted by US federal prosecutors for his involvement in the Mumbai terrorist attack, was serving as an ISI officer, a media report said Wednesday. Filed before a...

United States: Obama seeks to end tax subsidies for oil companies.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - US President Barack Obama on Tuesday urged Congressional leadership to take immediate action to eliminate unwarranted tax breaks for the oil and gas industry and to use those dollars to invest in clean energy and reduce...

Egypt: Egypt extends detention of Mubarak's sons for 15 days.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Egypt's public prosecutor Councillor Abdel Meguid Mahmoud extended for 15 days the detention of Gamal and Alaa Mubarak, the sons of recently deposed president Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian media reported on Tuesday. Both are...

Philippines: Malabon mayor orders crackdown on motorcycle riders without helmets.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Mayor Canuto Oreta of Malabon City has directed the local police and traffic enforcement units to crack the whip on motorcycle riders who do not use safety helmets. He also ordered the above-mentioned units to book the...

Malaysia: GPH to MILF: See the problems realistically.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - As their formal exploratory talks began on Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the government told the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that underlying issues of negotiations require them to see problems...

Philippines: SM declares cash dividends.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - SM Investments Corporation (SM), the holding company of retail tycoon Henry Sy, announced the distribution of cash dividends for its stockholders payable on June 22. SM's cash dividend declaration comes with our...

Indonesia/Taiwan: 1,000 RI migrant workers arrive in Taiwan each week.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - In a week, an average of 1,000 Indonesian migrant workers (TKI) arrived at Taoyuan airport in Taiwan, and the 160,000 TKIs are the biggest of foreign workers there. Head of the TKI placement and protection agency...

Italy/Libya: Italy assigns 8 combat aircraft for Libya airstrikes.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Eight Italian combat aircraft will be directly involved in airstrikes against forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Italian Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa said on Wednesday. The strike group comprises four...

United States: Obama expected to announce national security team changes.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to announce long-anticipated changes in his national security team this week, including a new ambassador to Afghanistan. The Washington Post, quoting senior administration...

India: Pilots' strike: 60 Air India flights canceled.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Around 60 Air India flights were canceled while several others delayed on the second day of the pilots' strike which continued despite the Delhi High Court directing them to return to work. In Delhi, 33 domestic and...

Russia/Libya: Putin says 'dumbfounded' over NATO operation in Libya.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin continued on Wednesday to criticize NATO military operations in Libya, saying that he was "dumb-founded" over how easy decisions are made to use force against countries. When asked...

Focus is on proper nutrition for the 1st 1,000 days of life.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - New recommendations call for significant changes in the nutritional content of foods the United States delivers to the world's hungry. The United States is the world's largest supplier of food aid, reaching 55 million...

United States/China: Tensions High as US, China Open Talks on Human Rights.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The United States and China have begun two days of talks on human rights in Beijing amid differing opinions about China's ongoing crackdown on dissent. Human rights is one area in which the U.S. and Chinese governments...

Tibet: Exiled Tibetans Elect Political Successor to Dalai Lama.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Tibet is officially under Chinese control. But the region's Buddhists have long considered the Dalai Lama as their leader. Now, the 75-year-old exiled spiritual leader is stepping down from politics. The 42-year-old...

Tibet: Newly-Named Tibetan Exile Leader Faces Task of Reshaping Government.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The global community of Tibetan exiles has elected a Harvard-educated legal scholar as its next prime minister. One of his first priorities will be to reshape the Tibetan exile governing structures so that they derive...

South Korea: Scots Hope Free Trade Pact Changes South Koreans' Tastes.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Barring any final legislative hurdles in Seoul, the European Union and South Korea are to eliminate 97 percent of all tariffs on each other's goods from the beginning of July. The EU's first free-trade pact in Asia is...

Pakistan/India: Pakistan and India Talk Trade, But Historical Tensions Persist.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - After a lengthy break following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, India and Pakistan are sitting down for bilateral talks focusing on trade, Our correspondent reports from the Pakistani side of the Wagah border crossing...

Vietnam/Lao: Vietnam Seeks 10-Year Delay on Lao Dam Project.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Vietnam has asked Laos to delay by 10 years the construction of a controversial multi-billion-dollar dam on the Mekong River to allow for more studies about its effects on the lives of millions of people who rely on the...

Pakistan/United States: Pakistani, US Spies Are at Odds Over Operations.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] and Pakistan's Interservices Intelligence directorate [ISI] have had an up-and-down relationship over the years. Current ties between the two countries' spy agencies, however,...

Thailand/Cambodia: Thailand Cancels Ceasefire Talks with Cambodia.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Thailand has canceled plans for ceasefire talks with Cambodia, scuttling hopes for an early end to the worst fighting along their disputed border in decades. Each side blames the other for the breakdown and clashes that...

Japan: Japan's Emperor, Empress, Visit Quake's Hardest-Hit Areas.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Japan's emperor and empress were in devastated Miyagi prefecture Wednesday to view earthquake damage and comfort survivors. It was the first visit to the hardest-hit areas by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, though...

Belarus: Opposition Leader Andrei Sannikov Goes On Trial in Belarus.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - One of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko's main political opponents has gone on trial in Minsk on charges of organizing mass protests against the disputed results of the presidential election last December. Former...

United Kingdom: William, Kate Spark Comparison to Charles, Diana.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Prince William and Catherine Middleton's big wedding day is just hours away. And while people around the world prepare to toast to their future, some are also drawn to that other happy day nearly 30 years ago when...

Ukraine/United States: Former Ukrainian PM Tymoshenko Files Racketeering Lawsuit in US Court.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has filed a lawsuit in an American court against natural gas company RosUkrEnergy and one of its co-owners, Ukrainian Dmytro Firtash. The class action lawsuit was filed...

United Kingdom: Formal Clothing, Informal Speeches Typical at British Weddings.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Marriage ceremonies of any kind are steeped in tradition. Consider some of the traditional Western elements: bridesmaids and groomsmen dressed to match the bride and groom; the wedding veil; flowers for decoration; a...

Syria: Syria Brings Out Military Reinforcements Despite International Outcry.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The Syrian government has reportedly brought in reinforcements to the flashpoint southern city of Daraa, amid international condemnation of the military crackdown on widespread popular protests. Dozens of flatbed...

Syria: At Least 228 Ruling Syrian Baath Party Members Quit.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - At least 228 members of Syria's ruling Baath Party have resigned in protest of President Bashar al-Assad's deadly crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators. A group of more than 200 party members from Deraa province...

United States/Libya: US Envoy Sees Splits in Gadhafi Camp.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - A senior U.S. diplomat said Wednesday that he believes key figures in the Libyan government would like to break with Moammar Gadhafi, and are remaining in Tripoli only out of "terror and fear." U.S. Ambassador to Libya...

Libya: Analysts Say Air Power Alone Will Not Defeat Gadhafi.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Warplanes from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization continue to attack the forces of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. But some analysts say air power alone will not defeat the Libyan leader, and they argue that the Libyan...

Palestine/Israel: Hamas, Fatah Reach Reconciliation Deal.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The rival Palestinian Fatah and Hamas factions have reached a reconciliation deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded by asking Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to choose between peace with Israel,...

United Nations/Syria: UN Fails to Condemn Syrian Violence.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The United Nations Security Council has rejected a resolution condemning the ongoing violence in Syria that has resulted in hundreds of deaths. Russia and China have blocked the statement proposed by Britain, France,...

Israel/Palestine: Israel Prepares to Stop Planned Gaza Flotilla.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - Israel's prime minister says he has instructed his security forces to continue to enforce a naval blockade on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, as activists prepare to send another flotilla to the region. Prime Minister...

Yemen: At Least 13 Dead in Yemen as Thousands Continue Protest.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - At least 13 people were killed Wednesday in clashes between security forces and protesters in Yemen where anti-government activists rallied against a political transition agreement. Yemeni medical sources say 10 of the...

United States: Obama Releases Birth Certificate.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - President Barack Obama has released copies of his original birth certificate, hoping to end a controversy over his place of birth and his qualification to be president. The president says the so-called "birther"...

United States: Bernanke: US Economy Growing Moderately.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The head of the U.S. Central Bank flung the doors of the normally secretive Federal Reserve wide open Wednesday to hold the first of three planned news conferences. Fed chief Ben Bernanke fielded questions on a number of...

United States: Walk for Water Honors Those Who Walk Far to Drink.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - The U.S. State Department says roughly 900 million people in the developing world walk an average of six kilometers to get water for their families. So on Wednesday, the department sponsored a six-kilometer walk to raise...

United States: California High School Has Environmental Focus.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - American charter schools are public schools that are run by private educational enterprises, under special rules, or charters, from state or local school boards. Many charter schools have specialized areas of study such...

United States: Health Group Finds Half of US Breathing Poor-Quality Air.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - More than half the people in the United States are breathing air that could be threatening their health, according to the American Lung Association. The private health group has just released (April 27) its 12th annual...

United States: US Space Program Goes Commercial.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - This Friday, the U.S. space shuttle Endeavor is scheduled to lift off on its last voyage to the orbiting International Space Station. And on June 28, barring any last minute complications, Alantis will become the last...

United States: Obama Releases Birth Document, Trump Takes Credit.
April 29, 2011... Section: General News - President Barack Obama sought to put to rest a political issue Wednesday that has dogged him since before he was elected to the White House in 2008. Mr. Obama released his original birth certificate from the state of...