TV coverage will ensure deals with foreign business are transparent, premier assures. All Thais will be able to watch on television how the government presents its mega-projects to interested businessmen from across the world on January 26. “The broadcast aims to ensure transparency. People will be able to see every procedure and judge our work,” Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday.

ANTI-POVERTY DRIVE: TV show ‘Thaksin vehicle’

Academics take dim view of PM’s much-trumpeted crusade to the Northeast. A live television broadcast of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his five-day anti-poverty mission to At Samat district in Roi Et province next week is no more than a government strategy to promote the prime minister and will get a negative response, academics said on Thursday. Chat Thai Party leader Banharn Silpa-archa said yesterday that Thaksin might be sincere in his anti-poverty efforts but that it was not a simple matter.

BMA CORRUPTION SCANDAL: PM vows to take head-on approach

Premier admits Transport Ministry is next on DSI’s probe list; calls for a revamping of e-auction bidding process Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday vowed to aggressively deal with new allegations of corruption concerning the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and its bidding process for 16 large road-construction projects.

Thai teens still fall short of healthy height

Sixteen-year-old Thais are still several centimetres shorter than the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended height for that age.

Graduate killed in scuffle with drunks

During a scuffle with drunken men, one of whom was brandishing a handgun, a fresh graduate of Ramkhamhaeng University was pushed onto a road and knocked down by an oncoming car on Thursday night.

Rape, murder verdict due on Wednesday

A Surat Thani Court will on Wednesday pronounce its verdict on two fishermen charged with the brutal rape and murder of a British tourist on Koh Samui, the judge said yesterday.

DSI nets five suspected drug dealers in Songkhla

Officers with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) have arrested suspected members of a major drug-dealing network, including a palm-oil businessman in Songkhla, DSI director-general Sombat Amornwiwat said yesterday.

‘New citizen’ lauds efforts of Senate

Assumption University lecturer Namkhang Saetang yesterday thanked the Senate’s subcommittee on stateless children for pushing the government to grant citizenship to more than 10,000 stateless persons.

Senators seeking review of Tafta

Two Senate committees yesterday said they would seek a judicial review of the Thai-Australian free-trade agreement (Tafta) as a test case designed to block a similar pact with the United States.

Protesters evoke WWII movement

As the sixth round of negotiations for the Thai-US Free Trade Agreement was drawing to a close in Chiang Mai yesterday, Thai academics and protesters were re-energising their vocal anti-trade-pact efforts with a new “Free Thai Movement 2006” movement.

Pornthip would win Senate seat, poll reveals

Forensic expert Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunand would be elected from Bangkok if she were to contest the Senate election in April, the results of a Dhurakij Pundit University poll revealed yesterday.

TRT executive board plans to discuss changing ‘90-day’ rule

The Thai Rak Thai Party’s executive board will meet next week to discuss the “90-day rule”, as well as the internal conflict between Snoh Thienthong and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Hotel worker slain in South’s Nong Chik

One person was killed and three injured yesterday in the latest round of unceasing violence roiling the deep South. In Pattani’s Nong Chik district, Job Pinlamai, 50, and his wife, Soonthorn, 48, were on their way to work at the CS Pattani Hotel by motorcycle when two gunmen on another motorbike pulled up behind them and opened fire. Job was shot in the head, but his wife survived the attack.

The posse’s out to hunt down country’s most wanted

A newly-established police unit has set a target of arresting at least one-quarter of the 108 alleged gunmen on its wanted lists by the end of the year, a police official said yesterday. Speaking after the opening ceremony held to inaugurate the Centre for Suppression of Influential Figures and Gunmen, Pol General Phreophan Damaphong said that a minimum of 27 people on the list were still in Thailand and must be arrested.