Buddha Isara Sees M.L. Panadda More Suitable To Be Next PM

BANGKOK : -- Luang Poo Buddha Isara, the active abbot of Wat  Or-noi in Nakhon Pathom voiced opposition to any proposal to make  the military junta chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha  the next prime minister.
 
That he saw M.L. Panadda Diskul a better choice at this crucial  transitional period.

The abbot Buddha Isara  said all voices cheered and voted for Gen Prayuth as the next prime minister, but he disagreed.

He said he felt it was a disgrace instead if he accepts the proposal as he always said he does not want to have power but merely to come in to assist the country.

If the general should follow the instruction of His Majesty, and should act like  “pasting gold leaves at the back of the Buddha image”. He added.

He said many would feel good and comfortable if Gen Prayuth sits on  the PM position  because he would have absolute power to drive all unfinished jobs during the reform process to achievements with speed.

But this would lack grace and could be looked down upon by political opponents and some foreign countries.

Thailand Is Unlikely To See Ebola Victims

BANGKOK : -- Thai hospitals ready and able to tackle cases if they do show up, expert says.

Public should not panic over the Ebola outbreak in West Africa due to unsubstantiated social media reports, as there is little chance the deadly virus will make its way to Thailand - and even if it did, health organisations are well prepared to handle it, a seminar in Bangkok was told yesterday.

The virus is not airborne and can only be transmitted by direct contact, senior doctors said at "How to Handle the Ebola Virus When It Reaches Thailand.

Ebola virus's transmission is similar to that of HIV/Aids, which transmits only when there is a contact between organs and blood," said Dr Yong Poovorawan of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine.

He emphasised that it would be quite difficult for the disease to spread in Thailand.

He said there had been 20 Ebola outbreaks over the past four decades, but most were in West Africa.

Influenza spread quicker than Ebola due to the former being an airborne virus.

People could also contract Ebola through direct contact with a sufferer's blood or urine, he said.

With an Ebola mortality rate of 60 to 90 per cent, Yong assured the public that all hospitals would be able to control an outbreak.

Dr Narin Hiransuthikul, of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine, said there was no specified vaccine for the virus and the only way a doctor could help an Ebola patient was to give them medication to relieve the symptoms so the immune system could better fight the disease.

BANGKOK : -- Military junta chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha is qualified to become the prime minister whom the people can depend on.

The result of the poll conducted  by Bangkok Poll after the 200-member National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) was announced and became effective Thursday.

Poll revealed that Gen Prayuth received 80.5% of people it asked whether he is qualified to be the next prime minister and could be depended on if the NLA proposed his name.

Only 4.5% disagreed while 15%  remained uncertain.

Asked what they thought about the  cabinet list speculated in the media if they are suitable in the positions, 81.4% saw Gen Prayuth suitable as PM, while 72% viewed  M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula fit the finance job, and 70.1% favored former Army chief Gen Anupong Paochinda as defense and deputy prime minister.

69.9% gave former World Trade Organization chief Supachai Panitchapakdi suitable for commerce, and 55.7% backed ACM Prajin Juntong as deputy prime minister and transport minister.

Army chief-of-staff Gen Daopong Rattanasuwan received 53.2% for interior ministry, while 50% voted for Gen Chatchai Sarikalya as energy minister.

Robber Runs Away After Hurting Staff

BANGKOK : -- A robber escaped empty-handed after he tried to rob a convenience store and wounded a staff with his pistol early Friday morning.

The incident took place at 7-Eleven convenience store at Sukhapibaan 3, Rmkhamhaeng Road, Saphan Soong district.

The victim, 32-year old Satjatham Jongla, one of the two staff members at the store told police that he was in front of the counter while the other, a female, was behind the store, a man, wearing a crash helmet and black jacket walked toward him and pointed a gun at him.

He said the intruder forced him to open the safe but he told the latter that he did not have the code number to unlock the safe.  Then the intruder pistol-butted his forehead causing bleeding.

Families And Maid Perish In Furniture Shop Fire

PHUKET : -- Four people died of suffocation and the shop owner injured when a fire broke out at a three-storey row shophouse in downtown Phuket early Saturday.

Owner of the furniture shop Chokechai Furniture, Mrs Chanhorm Chakaeo, broke her hand and legs when she jumped down from the third floor room to escape the fire.

When rescue team rushed to pick her on the ground. She told the team that  four persons were still trapped in the room next to hers.

Firemen could not break into the room because of the raging fire and thick smoke coming out from the room.
Besides all the windows of the room were fixed with anti-theft  iron grills, thus preventing them to escape.

The fire was put out and kept under control two hours later.

They later searched the room and found three bodies on the bed, with the man falling over the body of his wife who hugged her 9-year-old son in her arms.

Another woman lied dead on the floor near the grill window.

Their bodies were not burned and they were believed to die from suffocation.

Thai Students Arrive Home

BANGKOK : -- Thai students arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport at noon Saturday from the war-torn Libya. 

The Eight Thai students arrived at the airport on Emirates Airlines flight EK384 at 12.25 p.m.

Foreign Affairs Ministry in coordination with the Social Development and Human Security Ministry to take them to their hometowns, said Sihasak Phuangketkeow, permanent secretary for foreign affairs.

Thai workers still stranded in Libya will start returning from Libya next week.

Al Bayda in Libya, 81 Thai workers will fly to Tunis of Tunisia on Monday, 10 to Cairo of Egypt on Tuesday and eight to Cairo on Friday, Sihasak  said.

Employers have cooperated fully in facilitate their while Tunisian authorities had eased its visa rule for the groups, allowing them to apply for the visa when they reached the country instead of before their entry. He said.

His Majesty appoints 200 National Legislative Assembly members

BANGKOK : -- His Majesty the King has issued a royal command to appoint 200 members of the National Legislative Assembly. More than half of them are either former and active military officers as expected.

HM the King has endorsed the list of the 200 National Legislatie Assembly members and ordered the inaugural meeting to be on August 7.

Many are either active and retired military officers, including Adm Kamthorn Pumhiran, Lt Gen Chart-udom Tithasiri, Lt Gen Preecha Chanthara-ocha, and Gen Boonsang Niampradit.



Several leading academics were also appointed, including Noraniti Setthabutr, former rector of Thammasat University, and Somkid Lertphaithoon, former rector of Thammasat who is known to be against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Former Ambassador to England Kitti Wasinond is also appointed.