Move to oust Commerce Minister

About 100 protesters were seen at Commerce Ministry around 1pm of September 11. Calling themselves "The Peoples Army", they said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatras administration has failed to control the cost of living, as prices of oil and goods rise. They call for the dismissal of Commerce Minister, his deputies Yanyong Phuangrach and Nattawut Saikuar, and permanent secretary Vatchari Vimooktayon.

Ex-leaders of yellow shirts reject political reform

Former leaders of the now-defunct People's Alliance for Democracy rejected invitation of political veteran Banharn Silapaarcha to join in the government-initiated political reform. Banharn, de facto leader of government coalition Chart Thai Pattana Party, went to ASTV Manager's headquarters on Wednesday to meet with Sondhi Limthongkul and Chamlong Srimuang, former leaders of the anti-government yellow shirt protesters.

Davis a repeat champion in Bangkok

Mark Davis is becoming a 6-red legend in his own right. The way the Englishman trounced reigning world No 1 Neil Robertson 8-4 in the Bt6 million SangSom 6-red World Championship title showdown on Saturday night was an impressive feat by all counts. It is the second time in a row that Davis has collected the world trophy along with the winner's purse of Bt2 million at the Montien Riverside Hotel. Robertson was rewarded with a pay cheque of Bt800,000 for his effort. No other player has won the tournament twice so far. Davis had beaten former world professional champion and current No 4 Shaun Murphy by the same scoreline in the final last year. A beaming Davis said after his victory, "Robertson played really well and went 3- 1 up. I just had a couple of chances and made most of them. There was no real pressure on me going into the match and that probably also made the difference. "I did well but got a bit nervous in the last frame, then got the chance I had been looking for. It was my safety that really worked well today and I am happy to have the claimed the title again here in Bangkok. "I know that I am out of the Top 16 now in the 15-red format, but I am not worried as it is only the beginning of the season. I am enjoying my snooker and that is the most important thing." The venue was flooded with snooker fans, presenting a great blend of locals and expatriates, who were a bit more sympathetic towards Robertson. For Davis, the scenario wasn't much different from last year and the final ran its course almost in a

familiar manner. This time it was Robertson who come out of his corner blazing all guns and it was only a matter of time that he took a 3-1 lead. However, Davis went to work with his safety tactics and the Australian giant was shackled. Davis staged a recovery that did not seem to be on the cards at all, and a brilliant mix of sure-shot potting and immaculate safety turned the tide in his favour. Robertson first saw his lead being washed away and then Davis sail to the safer ground with a 7-3 advantage. The Australian had his say in the 11th frame, but quickly ran out of luck. With Davis showing nerves despite holding an upper hand in the 12th, Robertson tried his best to write off the deficit through snookers but eventually gave his opponent an opening that brought the curtain down on his campaign. A total of 48 players from around the world, including 12 professionals ranked among the top 16, participated in the championship, which was sanctioned by World Snooker.

Top Thai junior Wishaya gets a chance to slug it out with the best
Local top junior Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul has been awarded a wild card into the US$631,530 ATP Thailand Open, which features three top-10 stars in Andy Murray, Tomas Berdych and defending champion Richard Gasquet. The towering teenager, who stands 192cm, will be making his ATP debut in the event, which is due between September 21 and 29 at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani. "I'm quite excited to have this chance to compete in the biggest tournament in my career. There will be a lot of top players in this event and I will try to learn as much as I can from them," said the 18-year-old junior world No 70. The 12th grade student from Suphanburi Sports School represented Thailand in the Davis Cup in the Philippines this year and will reunite with Italian coach Alberto Castellani, who will fly from Italy next week to provide intensive training for the country's biggest tennis competition. "I worked with him briefly in Europe last year. He has a lot of experience and I hope he will help me get ready for the ATP Thailand," added Wishaya, or "Junior" as he is called by friends. The tournament also handed wild cards to junior world No 7 Laslo Djere of Serbia and South Korea's Sun-Young Jeong, who won the privilege by winning the Toyota Asian Championships staged by the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand in Bangkok last December. Djere, 18, has been described as the "next Novak Djokovic". The young Serb has won two Futures events so far this year as well as the prestigious Orange Bowl Championships in Florida in December 2012. Back in 2004 Djokovic was given a wild card into the Thailand Open before he began his ascent to the top of the world rankings, and expectations are high that Djere will be the next top-10 star from Serbia.

Apart from the London Olympics gold medallist and Wimbledon champion Murray, Czech big gun Berdych and US Open semi-finalist Gasquet, the Thailand Open will also be joined by elite players including No 11 Milos Raonic of Canada, last year's quarter-finalist, former champion Gilles Simon of France, the resurgent Tommy Robredo of Spain, who has climbed back to the top 20 in his comeback from injury, the inform Russian world 20 Mikhail Youzhny, as well as crowd favourites Feliciano Lopez of Spain and Jarkko Nieminen of Finland. In total, the tournament will feature 28 players in the singles draw and 16 teams in the doubles. Thai No 1 Danai Udomchoke and his close buddy Lu Yen-hsun of Taiwan will be given a wild card into the doubles, which they surprisingly won a year ago. For the first time, host broadcaster TrueVisions has announced that it will be broadcasting the tournament in High Definition this year. Seven days' of action will be shown on the network in Thailand and international markets around the globe will be taking the HD broadcast. BEC-Tero, organiser of the event, said that tickets have sold quite well for the first time in several years. Fans can purchase the tickets at Thaiticketmajor outlets, online at www.thaiticketmajor.com or by calling (02) 262 3838.

Rising use of cloud drives growth in security software

Thai providers expand offerings as more firms wake up to increased threat of cyber-attack
Thai companies are providing a broader range of security products and solutions in light of the increasing threat of cyber-attacks on the business sector, with new offerings contributing to estimated security-software market growth of 16 per cent this year. Pramut Sriwichian, country manager of Symantec (Thailand), said that given the rise in cyber-threats and targeted cyber-attacks, the company was focusing on the provision of security software and solutions to support mobile workforce productivity, enabling the safe management of devices in terms of Internet access. Other Symantec products provide information security and information management for customers from the consumer level through to enterprise clients. He said online criminals were following users onto new platforms with attacks that mostly target small businesses and the manufacturing and banking sectors, with mobile malware among the chief techniques used for such attacks. Those companies engaging in a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy and businesses switching from physical infrastructure to cloud computing are at particular risk of cyber-attack. "I think the security software and solutions market in Thailand has high potential, since more and more companies are realising the dangers and are concerned about the security of their business from cyber-threats, and want to protect themselves from losses from cyber-attacks. Moreover, mobile devices and information-technology infrastructure play important roles in driving security-software market growth in Thailand. "The firm therefore expects its revenue growth to exceed overall market growth this year," said Pramut. Meanwhile, William Tan, regional country manager, Thailand and Indochina, of Trend Micro (Thailand), said the cyber-security market in the Kingdom offered high potential for growth as businesses transform their IT infrastructure into cloud computing and more companies see the need to invest in security solutions. To support the market, the company has introduced Trend Micro Deep Security 9, which features protection for virtualisation systems via VMware by offering comprehensive functions including vulnerability protection, systemintegrity monitoring and configuration for virtualisation without installing additional antivirus software. Moreover, it will enhance flexibility and bring costs down, allowing corporate customers to have scalable data centres

to increase their system loads for cloud systems with confidence, he said. Target customers for the new product include the business, financial, banking, government and manufacturing sectors. Tan added that Trend Micro (Thailand) expected the new security product to contribute to revenue growth of around 25-30 per cent this year. Cyber-criminals target cloud According to a report by US research company TechNavio, the global market value of security software for cloud systems worldwide is expected to reach US$963.4 million (nearly Bt31 billion) next year. The key factors driving this growth are the increasing use of cloud services to store important data, and the significant surge in the number of cyber-criminals targeting the cloud system. Nakrop Niamnamtham, managing director, nForce Security Systems AP, said the IT security market in Thailand was continuing to expand, especially given the effectiveness of Regulatory Compliance for PCI Compliance, which would stimulate and alert many companies to plan for such certification. "As for the technology trend, I believe cloud security will continue to be the key technology. Despite it having entered Thailand more than two years ago, recognition is still limited. Today, we see more and more technologies relying on cloud technology, so cloud security will play a more vital role," he said. The company over the rest of the year will continue to drive collaborative strategies on vertical marketing by focusing on banks, service providers and educational institutes. In addition, nForce plans to enhance skills for 20 system engineers of its partners via the awarding of certificates for passing the Next-Gen Firewall and Penetration test, as this will help serve the growth of IT security next year. "In the first half of this year, our business sustained the projected growth rate of 16 per cent. For the second half, nForce will complete major projects, resulting in an annual sales growth rate of 20 per cent," said the MD. Market research company IDC, meanwhile, has estimated that the overall Thai security software market this year will grow by about 16 per cent.

Catalysing the growth of Thai tech start-ups

This week's 'Echelon Ignite' event in Bangkok aims to open doors and enable new technology firms to realise full potential Singapore-based media company e27, which is focused on expanding Asia's technology start-up ecosystem, has collaborated with the Thai start-up community, Hubba Thailand, in arranging "Echelon Ignite Thailand 2013", which takes place this Thursday and Friday at Bangkok University. The collaboration is an attempt to catalyse the growth of technology start-ups and businesses in Thailand, and to connect this community of innovators and entrepreneurs, said the organisers. The event provides the platform and experience for opening doors for Thai start-ups and enabling them to realise their full potential. By connecting with local and regional influencers, the delegates will be inspired to take their business to the next level, and make valuable connections with speakers and trainers, and with each other, said Thaddeus Koh, cofounder and chief operating officer of e27. Ultimately, he said, e27 wants the events to be a platform and tech resource for start-ups in Asia, and to connect the region together. Echelon Ignite will feature international speakers and coordinators working together with local speakers and coordinators to really address what is happening both locally in Thailand, regionally in Asia, and globally, he said. "We want start-ups to be challenged and inspired to take on the world after they've spent the two days at Echelon Ignite," he added. One more thing to look out for at the event will be the pitching session to Japanese venture company Global Brain. The start-up that most impresses the company will represent Thailand at this year's "Global Brain Alliance Forum" in December. The event organisers are confident of achieving their goals through the international speakers and coordinators they have attracted, said Koh, who mentioned by way of example Ray Chan from 9GAG and Khailee Ng from 500 Startups, who will share their insights as successful start-up founders and investors.

There are now many innovators and entrepreneurs in the rest of Asia, which has a growing interest in Thai businesses, technology and culture, he said. "We hope to see Thai start-ups positively impacted through the business insights that will be shared, and the connections that will be made. Many of our speakers and coordinators are either successful founders or investors, who have plenty of experience. They have tasted both successes and failures, and their experience is valuable to anyone that wants to learn from their journeys as entrepreneurs," he added. Koh also said Thailand could be considered similar to other countries in Asia in terms of regional Internet trends. Major cities have a growing broadband penetration and mobile uptake in terms of smart phones and tablets, so from a technology point of view, Thailand "is definitely as current as countries like Indonesia and Malaysia", he said. Start-ups are also similar in that they attempt to create social mobile apps and are developing more e-commerce platforms. The strength of Thai start-ups, he said, definitely lies in their creativity when it comes to solving problems and building products. Entrepreneurial resilience However, there is also a certain resilience and tenacity in Thailand's entrepreneurs, who work hard and were able to weather the Asian financial crisis. Another strength is the community that has developed. With co-working spaces like Hubba Thailand and a growing number of tech media and community groups, a type of unity is growing in Thailand and coming together to offer innovative solutions and businesses to the Thai and Asian markets, he explained. "As far as opportunities go, 2012 only saw Builk represent Thailand at [the main] Echelon [event]. This year, we saw four Thai start-ups in the top 50, and two making it to the top 10. These start-ups - Stamp, Noonswoon, HipFlat and Infinit Closet - show just how far Thailand's start-up ecosystem has grown in a year, and how much opportunity there is in Thailand when it comes to ideas, community and great talent," said Koh. He acknowledged, however, that every growing opportunity runs the risk of becoming a bubble. There will be many who try to "talk the walk" but don't "walk the talk". Ultimately, that's why e27 organises events like Echelon and Echelon Ignite, and also works with partners like Hubba Thailand. "We know that starting a business is risky and full of hard work; we face it every day, as well. The events that we organise are not meant to give you a silver bullet to reach success; no event can claim that. "But what we can claim is that because we do our absolute best to create a great event and platform, and support startups with knowledge, resources and access to fantastic mentors, we help to open doors that may have been closed, and we equip start-ups with knowledge and skills through respectable speakers and trainers. "As long as we are all sincere about building great businesses, growing industries through truly unique and gamechanging products and services, and do not take short cuts, we can all build a sustainable industry for start-ups, not just in Thailand, but also for Asia," said e27's co-founder.

Push for legalisation of kratom

NCB will be urged to consider developing herb for economic benefits
Relevant authorities have decided to push for the legalisation of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa), a herb that for years has been included in the prohibited narcotics list. Tomorrow, a committee tasked with the development of kratom policy/law will officially recommend that Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri ask the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) via the public health minister to consider three options: l Or come up with ways of maximising the use of kratom for economic benefits if it decides to continue including the herb on the narcotics list. "The committee has already discussed this issue with representatives of relevant authorities including the National Security Council and the Food and Drug Administration," ONCB secretary-general Pongsapat Pongcharoen said yesterday in his capacity as the panel's chairman. He added that the ONCB, meanwhile, would continue researching the impact kratom users might have on national security. FDA deputy secretary-general Viroj Verachai said yesterday that if the ONCB agreed to remove kratom from the banned narcotics list, then the public health minister had the mandate to immediately announce its removal. An ONCB report estimates that 404,548 people in Thailand used kratom in 2011, and of them, 200,000 were in the South. As per the report, 11,339 kilograms of kratom has already been seized this year and most of the users were farmers and workers aged between 15 and 24. The report revealed that in Australia kratom was described as a herb containing controlled substances - alkaloids while in the US, kratom is openly sold in shops for about Bt1,000 per packet. However, the sale of this herb is controlled in Malaysia and Myanmar. In Malaysia, the Mitragyna genus in kratom is included in the list of controlled substances and any possession of it for sale is punishable by two years in jail. Pongsapat said if the kratom was legally listed as a psychoactive substance, the authorities would need to ensure that kratom is not processed into more powerful drugs. "Chewing kratom leaves can be allowed provided they are not processed or mixed into anything else," he said.

Pracha sets up panels to resolve rubber issues

Deputy Prime Minister Pol General Pracha Promnog Wednesday gave three sub committees the job of resolving rubber-related issues. Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Yukol Limlamthong will lead the panel tasked with checking title deeds for land used as rubber plantations, while Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Varathep Ratanakorn will head the committee in charge of publicising rubber price solutions. Meanwhile, deputy secretary general to the PM Thawat Boonfueng will lead the committee in charge of looking into rubber protest issues. Down South, a group of rubber growers went to Yala's Betong district office yesterday to register for government subsidies. Acting agriculture official for the district Somchai Thongpul confirmed Wednesday that the government would consider paying eligible farmers a subsidy of Bt2,520/rai for up to 25 rai through the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives. He said Betong district had 24,000 rubber plantations covering about 400,000 rai of land - of which 370,000 rai had trees that were ready to be tapped.

Uniforms at university: Sexual protest posters

Two of the controversial posters. The left one reads, 'Did you wear your uniform to the last exam?', and the right 'When theuniversity uniform is being challenged'. The posters appeared suddenly at Thammasat University's Rangsit Campus, and they were designed to shock They showed students in uniform simulating sexual acts, in provocative positions with legs spread and buttons undone, though without any nudity The four guerilla posters, put up surreptitiously last week, did their job - igniting a storm ofcontroversy and opening up debates not only about student uniforms but also the big themes of freedom choice, and the value of one of Thailand's educational institutions On Sunday, a second-year liberal arts student who calls herself Aum Neko admitted responsibility for the posters. She was protesting against a lecturer who required his students to wear uniforms to class. The caption on one poster reads: "Did you wear your uniform to the last mid-term exam?" And another: "Free yourhumanity from the shackles " Thammasat University rector Somkid Lertpaitoon said he would set up a committee to review Aum Neko's actions, since this was not the first time the 19-year-old student had engaged in "inappropriate" behaviour (Last year, she posed for a sensational photograph with the statue of Pridi Banomyong, the revered founder of Thammasat.) Meanwhile, social media and mainstream news outlets have been abuzz with debate about the necessity ofuniversity student uniforms and the implications for democracy, social values and even about liberal-versus-conservative politics that resonate beyond the campus

Education reform: Let go of central control

Is it true that the quality of Thai education is the worst among Asean countries? Pavich Thongroj, adviser to the education minister plunged the country into gloom earlier this week when he said Thailand's education ranks last after Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam. Mr Pavich said he got the figures from the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report. It turned out that the ranking comes from an opinion survey of Thais that asked how well the education system met the needs for acompetitive economy. As for the ranking on higher education and training among Asean countries, Thailand is ranked 4th after Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei, followed by the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia. To put the record straight it's not true that Thai education is the worst in Asean. What's true is that our education system is in an appalling state which has been confirmed repeatedly by both domestic and international findingsSo much so that parents have lost hope in the system. This is a shame Thailand's education budget about 20% of the national budget is proportionately among the highest in the region and the world. Yet, the majority of students consistently fail national tests, from primary to high schoollevels. A few years ago, teachers sat the same exams as their students. The teachers failed too. In the internationally famous Pisa test, which assessed 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics and science in 2009, Thailand was ranked among the poorest performers in the bottom 25%. As for English proficiency Thailand is among the countries with the lowest proficiency scores in a study by EF Education First, a global language trainingcompany. To be fair, Thailand must be credited for making universal education accessible to nearly all children in the country as well as in bridging the gender gap in education. But this is not good enough. The sole focus on academic excellence based on rote learning results in a high level of drop-outs The lack ofquality vocational education punishes children who are not academically inclined with low self-esteem pushes them into antisocial behaviour and robs the industry sector of much-needed skilled workers and technicians Meanwhile, the centralised pro-Bangkok curriculum destroys youngsters' respect for their cultural roots Theemphasis on university education also favours rich youngsters who can afford expensive tutoring. In short, the education system ends up perpetuating inequality rather than bridging it.

Pakistan NA may take up counter-terrorism strategy

The National Assembly session that will begin early next week is likely to take up the governments national security strategy, the outcome of the recent all-party conference and targeted operation against criminals in Karachi.
The NA session commencing on Monday is the first one to be summoned by President Mamnoon Hussain. President Mamnoon Hussain, on the advice of the prime minister, has summoned the National Assembly session to meet in the Parliament House, Islamabad, on Monday, 16 September 2013, at 4pm, an official handout said on Wednesday. The government is reportedly giving final touches to its national counter-terrorism strategy which is likely to be discussed during the session. Political parties and all stakeholders are said to be quite eager to know the details of the strategy which is being prepared in the interior ministry. Holding talks with Taliban is said to be one of the main features of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) governments strategy to end violence in the country. All parliamentary parties this week gave their nod to the government to hold talks with the Taliban as the first option, instead of a military operation against the militants who have killed thousands of innocent people in the country. Opposition parties like the Pakistan Peoples Party, Muttahida Quami Movement(MQM) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have submitted a call-attention notice before NA Secretariat, drawing attention of the lower house towards the governments plan to build a third airport in Islamabad near Rawat. The notice may also be tabled in the session. In the coming session, the issue of formation of NAs standing committees is also likely to be resolved. The government has a lready missed the deadline of July 5 of forming these committees. The committees were to be formed within 30 days after the election of the prime minister.

Army ordered to 'shoot on sight' after riots kill 38 in India Violent sectarian clashes between Hindus and Muslims in northern India have left at least 38 people dead, a report published by Skynews said on Wednesday. According to report, about 1,000 soldiers have been deployed to Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, to prevent further violent outbreaks. Security forces have been ordered to shoot rioters on sight to quell the clashes, which began on Saturday, after a video that went viral on social media caused an uproar among members of the public. The YouTube video showed three villagers being killed for trying to protect a woman who was being harassed by men from a different community. However, the police have claimed that the video was not recent and that the incident did not take place in Uttar Pradesh. The police are currently investigating the footage and are looking for the person who uploaded the clip. Another 10,000 Provincial Armed Constabulary officers, 1,300 paramilitary troopers and a 1,200-strong rapid action force have also been moved to the area after a state of alert was declared. A curfew has been imposed. Television footage showed troops on patrol in riot-hit areas, with villagers seeking safety in police stations. "No leniency will be shown towards those disturbing peace. District officers have been given a free hand to control the situation," Uttar Pradeshs Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav warned through television broadcast. India will go to the polls next year in a general election and intelligence agencies have warned the federal government of future clashes. Uttar Pradesh is Indias most populous and politically crucial state with 80 seats in the Indian parliament. It saw some of the worst religious clashes in 1992, following the destruction of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya by a Hindu mob. More than 2,000 people were killed. Federal home minister Sushilkumar Shinde said that incidents of violence due to religion has since increased in the country. "410 incidents occurred in the country last year. This year, 451 incidents have taken place to date."

Dawson's Creek Star Kerr Smith All Grown Up and Rocking Gray Hair
Technically, Kerr Smith was already all grown up (as actors playing teens tend to be) when he played Jack McPhee, gay BFF to Michelle Williams' Jen Lindley on the hit teen drama Dawson's Creek from 1998 to 2003. But he's really all grown up nowand entering George Clooney territory. The 41-year-old actor (he's five years older than the creek master himself, James Van Der Beek) has been rocking gray hair for a while now, as evidenced by this pic, taken in July at the grand opening of Del Frisco's Grille in Santa Monica, Calif. He's still super handsome, but we can't help but remember him as the dark-haired, sometimesbrooding, always-ready-to-trade-a-quip Jack. (Though that last quality really could've applied to anyone on Dawson's Creek.) The boyish grin remains, however, and Kerr's eyes are still downright piercing. After his groundbreaking Dawson's Creek days, when his kiss with Adam Kaufman became the firstever kiss between two men to air on prime-time TV, the Philadelphia-born actor costarred in Final Destination and amassed appearances on shows including Charmed, E-Ring, Justice, CSI: NY, Eli Stone, Life Unexpected and NCIS.

Demi Moore Dating Restaurant Mogul Peter Morton Father of Ex-Boyfriend Harry Morton: Exclusive Details
Demi Moore has been dating restaurant mogul Peter Morton for a few months now after being introduced by Morton's son Harry, a source exclusively tells E! News. Harry, in case that name rings a bell, dated Demi for about six months before they amicably parted ways in May. A source told us at the time that they had "become great friends during the dating process" but were not headed for long-term romance. And now it's Harry's father who has caught Demi's attention. "They are into one another," our source tells us. Morton, 66, "is very charismatic and she loves that about him. He's a go-getter." Meanwhile, Demi, 50, is "very grounded" and he is "learning from her spirituality." The twice-divorced restaurateur, the son of famed steakhouse founder Arnie Morton, cofounded the global Hard Rock Caf chain in 1982. The first location opened in London and, in 1995, Morton sold his interest in the company for a reported $410 million. He unloaded the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for a reported $770 million in 2006. Business smartswhich we know Demi is a fan ofrun in the family. Harry owns two Pink Taco restaurants in L.A. Demi, who is still in the midst of divorce proceedings with Ashton Kutcher as the two-year anniversary of their separation approaches, was briefly linked to former commercial pearl diver Will Hannigan after she dated Harry. She and Morton each have three kids, and we're told that Morton has met Demi's daughters.

Augur Resources launches SPP to advance prefeasibility study at the Randu Kuning deposit
has launched a share purchase plan which along with existing cash reserves will be used to support the company's ongoing operational costs, including the continuation of a prefeasibility study of the Randu Kuning deposit at the company's Wonogiri project in central Java, Indonesia. The company is offering shareholders the opportunity to subscribe for up to A$15,000 worth of new shares in the company priced at A$0.04 each, or a 17% discount to the volume weighted average share price in the five trading days prior to 3 August 2012. The maximum number of shares that can be issued under the Share Placement Plan is 53,156,414 shares. Proceeds from the placement will be used to complete the earn-in component of the deal with PT Oxindo Exploration that allows Augur to increase its stake in Wonogiri to 80% from 51% by spending a further A$225,000 on exploration and development by early December 2012, and to continue the PreFeasibility Study for the Randu Kuning gold copper deposit at the project. All directors in Augur plan to participate in the placement to their maximum entitlement.

Augur Resources launches SPP to advance prefeasibility study at the Randu Kuning deposit
has launched a share purchase plan which along with existing cash reserves will be used to support the company's ongoing operational costs, including the continuation of a prefeasibility study of the Randu Kuning deposit at the company's Wonogiri project in central Java, Indonesia. The company is offering shareholders the opportunity to subscribe for up to A$15,000 worth of new shares in the company priced at A$0.04 each, or a 17% discount to the volume weighted average share price in the five trading days prior to 3 August 2012. The maximum number of shares that can be issued under the Share Placement Plan is 53,156,414 shares. Proceeds from the placement will be used to complete the earn-in component of the deal with PT Oxindo Exploration that allows Augur to increase its stake in Wonogiri to 80% from 51% by spending a further A$225,000 on exploration and development by early December 2012, and to continue the PreFeasibility Study for the Randu Kuning gold copper deposit at the project. All directors in Augur plan to participate in the placement to their maximum entitlement.

Daily weather forecasts. At September 12, 2556.

General Situation on 10:00

Monsoon rather strong low pressure area stretching from the eastern Bangkok. And the Northeast, a low pressure area to the coast of Central Vietnam. With rather strong southwest monsoon covered the Andaman Sea, southern Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand to look like this: Abundant rain and isolated heavy to very heavy rain in the Lower North. Northeast. Region including Bangkok and surrounding provinces, East and South, people in such danger of heavy to very heavy rainfall during the 1-2 day wave height of about two meters in the Andaman Sea to the late caution. of navigation in this phase as well. Announced on September 12, 2556 at 11:00 am

Daily weather forecasts. At September 12, 2556.

North

There are nearly 70 percent of thunderstorms and heavy rain in some areas of the province of Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Phichit and Phetchabun minimum temperature 23-25 degrees Celsius maximum temperature of 33-34 degrees Celsius east wind 10-30 km / h

AMLO to size up assets of Pracha, ex-official

Agency chief says graft gains could be seized, pending study of ruling THE Anti-Money Laundering Office will evaluate assets belonging to former deputy interior minister Pracha Maleenont and a former senior Bangkok Metropolitan Administration official before pursuing possible seizure if they are found to have been acquired illegally, after both were sentenced on charges of bid-rigging in the fire vehicles case by a court on Tuesday. Secretary-general Seehanat Prayoonrat said the AMLO needed to study the ruling by the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Person Holding Political Positions to see whether it had issued any sanction on both men's assets. If so, the agency will act to seize the illegally acquired assets belonging to both the convicted, whether the assets were in Thailand or overseas. A deputy AMLO secretary-general had earlier said that the Bt6.68 billion paid by the BMA for a large number of unused fire vehicles to a foreign manufacturer could be entirely retrieved through a seizure authorised by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), whereas the AMLO could seize only money or assets acquired through wrongdoing by convicted criminals. While AMLO has the authority to order seizure of money or assets belonging to convicted criminals that was acquired through their wrongdoings, the NACC can seize entire amounts of cash, profits or assets to make up for losses through corruption. The NACC can file criminal or civil lawsuits, explained Suwanee Sawaengphol. The NACC yesterday did not respond to Suwanee's comments. It also made no statement on any plan to retrieve the Bt6.68 billion paid for the fire vehicles. On Tuesday, Pracha was sentenced to a 12-year prison term for his role in the 2004 purchase of the fire and rescue vehicles and equipment for the BMA.

Both agencies also did not state yesterday what action they might take against Pracha, and former senior BMA official Athilak Tanchookiat, who has been sentenced to 10 years, in terms of seeking compensation. Even if the NACC takes action over the Bt6.68 billion, it will certainly be difficult for Thai authorities to reclaim the money, as there has been strong resistance through civil countersuits from Austrian manufacturer Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug AG & Co KG, which assembled and sold the fire vehicles to the BMA. Foreign Ministry awaits request The Foreign Ministry is awaiting a written request from agencies authorised to seek the arrest of Pracha, who is believed to have fled overseas, said deputy ministry spokesman Jakkrit Srivali. He said the immigration police would know where Pracha was now, from his latest visa stamps. Pracha's passport would expire on March 18, 2017, he added. The 315 fire trucks and 30 fire boats sit unused at two locations in Nonthaburi and Chon Buri due to the NACCseizure order and the BMA's refusal to accept them. Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra has said an arbitrator based in Switzerland is working on making use of the vehicles. This prevents the BMA from using them, while the arbitrator cannot make any public statement about the case. The head of the BMA's Fire and Rescue Department, Pol Colonel Phichai Kringwatthanasiri, said although the engines of all the vehicles may still work, their tyres were all flat and it would take hundreds of millions of baht to have them replaced. A BMA source said that the court's ruling was being translated into English and would later be sent to the arbitrator as key evidence to add more weight to the BMA's case seeking compensation for the nonuse of the fire vehicles, because of corruption being committed and ruled accordingly by a Thai court of justice. The BMA is also fighting two legal battles with local custodians of the parked vehicles, who are demanding extra pay for their services from the BMA. Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was glad that former Bangkok governor and a deputy party leaderApirak Kosayodhin, who was acquitted by the court's ruling, would return to political work, without any distraction.

our arrested in Bt12m marijuana bust in Songkhla

Songkhla Governor Kritsada Boonraj yesterday announced the arrest of four men and the seizure from them of 600 kilograms of compressed bars of marijuana with a street value of Bt12 million. The four men were believed to work for a drug ring that traffics cannabis from a neighbouring country through the Northeast for distribution to Malaysian dealers via Songkhla. Lured into a sting operation, in which authorities posed as buyers of the marijuana, the four suspects showed up on September 10 at a local gas station in Songkhla's Rattaphum district to deliver the drugs and were nabbed along with the cannabis, which was hidden among vegetables in a six-wheel truck. They reportedly confessed to having been hired for Bt200,000 to deliver the cannabis.