Educator’s plan to petition latest review results. Disgruntled teachers yesterday vowed to stage a massive rally at the Royal Plaza on Saturday after the Cabinet failed to consider their demand for decentralisation laws to be changed. The laws require that local administrative bodies take over responsibility for supervising all state schools.

ANALYSIS: Schools flip-flop stirs confusion

Decentralisation and education reform on hold until transfer mess sorted out. It is time the government stopped dithering about its planned transfer of government-run schools to local administrative bodies and makes up its collective mind firmly one way or another.

Pulo four lose treason appeals

The Appeal Court yesterday upheld life sentences meted out to separatist leaders convicted of treason.

Phone records faked: accused cop

Mobile-phone records that make up key prosecution evidence in the abduction of a prominent Muslim lawyer were fabricated, a prime suspect told the Criminal Court yesterday.

Royal Guard commander turns up heat on Sondhi

First Infantry Division (Royal Guard) commander Maj General Prun Suwanathat said he would lead his subordinates to submit a letter of protest at the publishing office of media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul.

EGAT RULING: ‘Little impact’ on other share floats

Privatisation plans for state agencies unaffected by temporary setback: govt

Protesters hail court’s ruling on Egat

Anti-privatisation protesters yesterday hailed a court injunction against the Egat’s initial public offering until the completion of a judicial review on the matter.

Bus route bids to be renegotiated

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will next week negotiate with construction firms to try to lower the cost of its first two Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes, which are expected to open to the public in December 2006.

BURNING ISSUE: Court takes cocky pm down a notch

Thaksin pays for his scheme to avoid public hearings on sale of key state asset

Opposition plans to test constitutionality of listing

The opposition plans to file a complaint with the ombudsman regarding the privatisation of Egat, formerly known as the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand.

Senate election set for Wednesday April 19

Cabinet yesterday approved April 19 as the day for the Senate election, which means people who work in different provinces will have to go home to vote on a Wednesday.

Thaksin mans call centre

Thai Rak Thai party leader Thaksin Shinawatra took several calls personally yesterday at the official launch of a call centre to provide quick feedback for party members.

Police to crack down on mobiles porn

Many VCD rental shops offer an easy-to-use technique to download pornographic pictures onto mobile phones and charge their clients Bt20 per download, Provincial Police Region 5 deputy commissioner Maj-General Phanwat Sriwalai said yesterday.

Bird-flu agreement reached

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) reached an agreement yesterday on joint efforts to control bird-flu in Bangkok – ending a three-week conflict between the government and the city administration over the issue.

Teenagers with sexual diseases double

The number of teenage patients infected with venereal diseases doubled this year, the Public Health Ministry said yesterday.

Cigarette display regulation sent for rewriting

The Cabinet yesterday told re-lated agencies and the Council of State to go back and clearly draft the ministerial regulation to ban cigarette displays, government spokesman Surapong Suebwong-lee said yesterday. Realising the necessity to control harmful-to-health tobacco products, the Cabinet decided that the council’s ruling was still vague.