The Thai senator who helped bring down former premier Samak Sundaravej filed a similar complaint against his successor on Monday, accusing the new prime minister of violating the constitution.

Ruangkrai Leekijwattana has accused Thailand's prime minister of breaching the charter by holding shares in Internet provider CS Loxinfo. The Election Commission received the complaint Monday, a spokesman said.

At present, there is no decision on whether the complaint will be further investigated or not. That decision must come from the five election commissioners, the EC's Ruangroat Jomsueb said: As a government office, we are mandated to accept every complaint submitted for further consideration.

The current constitution, drafted while Thailand was under military rule, bans members of parliament from holding shares in companies with links to the state, and CS Loxinfo has a concession with government-owned CAT telecom.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who was only elected earlier this month, said he was unfazed by the possible charges: There is nothing to worry about, let everything follow the legal process.

Staff from Perth's Winthrop Baptist College have flown to Thailand to bring home a touring student group after their teacher died in a suspected lighting strike in the country's north-east.

And a 19-year old Perth youth worker, who has not been named, also died, becoming the second Australian victim of the storm.

The college says teacher Greg Crombie died in Khon Kaen province, where he and a group of Year 11 students were sightseeing.

A teaching assistant from the college is in a serious condition in hospital, and two Thai nationals were also killed in the storm, the ABC said today. A third Thai student, a 16-year-old girl died later in hospital, following the storm that also killed Crombie and two Thai teenage girls, aged 14 and 17.

Anti-government nationalists clashed with airport security in Surat Thani soon after Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat arrived in the southern city Saturday. No serious injuries were reported and the protesters, who numbered about 100, fell short of closing the airport as they threatened to prevent Somchai from visiting his hometown near the town.

Somchai, who became prime minister on September 18, said he wanted to return to his hometown to celebrate his appointment.

The protests were in support of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which is spearheading demonstrations in Bangkok against the government they claim is controlled by ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who is seeking political asylum in Britain.

Chamlong Srimuang, a core PAD leader and retired army general, said what PAD supporters do in the south is independently up to them and not controlled from Bangkok.

Stick to cooking...it's safer

Former prime minister Samak Sundaravej and his co-defendant Dusit Siriwan have failed to win an appellate review and were sentenced to serve two years in jail for defamation.

The defence is entitled to petition for a final appellate review by the Supreme Court within 30 days.

The two defendants are leading figures with political experience who knew that their opinions could sway the public, yet they have repeatedly aired their malicious views via television although the judiciary has granted a number of opportunities for remorse and reform, the Court of Appeals said in its verdict.

The high court said it found no cause to grant leniency in the sentencing.

As talk show hosts, Samak and Dusit were convicted by the Criminal Court for defamation against former deputy Bangkok governor Samart Ratchapholsit.

The two insinuated that Samart was linked to bidding irregularities in 2006. Their last year's conviction involved four counts of making libel remarks against Samart. For each count they were punished to serve six months in jail.

The brother-in-law of ousted Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra has won a parliamentary vote to become the country's new prime minister.

Somchai Wongsawat, whose candidacy was supported by the governing People Power Party, won a simple majority of votes in Bangkok's lower house of parliament.

Somchai became acting PM last week after a court forced his predessesor, Samak Sundaravej, to step down.

Protesters in Bangkok claim the present government is a proxy for Thaksin.

The government is expected to face continued opposition because Somchai is married to Mr Thaksin's sister, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. Every decision the new prime minister makes will be scrutinised for signs of his brother-in-law's hand in it, our correspondent adds.

Thailand's governing People's Power Party has named Somchai Wongsawat as its candidate for prime minister to succeed Samak Sundaravej.

Somchai Wongsawat has been acting prime minister since Samak's dismissal by the courts last week.

Somchai is a brother-in-law of Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted as prime minister in an army coup in 2006.

So the selection of Somchai - who is married to Mr Thaksin's favourite sister - is unlikely to placate the PAD protestors, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok.

His appointment as prime minister will have to be approved by parliament later this week.

Over the weekend executives from the PPP have been bargaining hard to ensure they have enough support from the party's coalition partners and its own MPs behind a single candidate for prime minister. They now believe they have that support for Somchai, a softly spoken former judge, our correspondent reports.

Thaksin is believed to have lobbied strongly for the party to select Somchai.

Thailand's acting prime minister lifted the state of emergency in Bangkok Sunday as the ruling party met to choose a new candidate for premier, but the nation's political crisis looked set to drag on.

Somchai Wongsawat said tensions had eased in Bangkok since the emergency was imposed two weeks ago after pro- and anti-government protesters clashed in violence that left one person dead and dozens injured.

We have analysed that the situation is less serious and if we still maintain the state of emergency, it might damage the country, acting premier Somchai said after meeting the country's army chief and other officials.

Time to return to the day job

Former Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's hope for a political comeback suffered a severe blow this morning when his allies both outside and within the ruling party boycotted a special House session to select a new chief executive.

The allies disapproval of Samak's re-instatement forced the boycott. The House is scheduled to convene again next Wednesday to elect a new prime minister, but Samak's chances now appear doomed.

All eyes are on the coaltion partners now, as none of them sent MPs to join the urgent House session. Even senior PPP leaders are acknowledging that the possibility of Samak's return has caused widespread conflicts.

Speculation about the allies 'shifting their loyalty' and the possibilities of a 'national government' have resurfaced. However, it is believed that if the PPP nominates another person, the coalition partners will continue their backing for the ruling camp.

A quorum check showed 161 MPs were inside the assembly hall this morning. Earlier, more than 240 MPs had signed their names for the meeting, which would make the quorum. It was obvious that many of those who signed their names decided or were told not to join the urgent session, which required attendance of at least 235 MPs to proceed.

On Thursday, the coalition partners resolved to continue backing the PPP in forming a new government after Samak was disqualified by the Constitution Court on Tuesday. That pledge of loyalty, however, did not include backing Samak's return to power.

The Democrats, who unsuccessfully nominated their leader Abhisit Vejjajiva during the quorum check, described the postponement as a time-buying tactic to settle differences among PPP MPs and coalition allies.

Many PPP MPs were also absent from the Assembly Hall today, underlining reports that Samak was causing a divide even in his own party.

Update: From TV Chef to Prime Minister to TV Chef

13th September 2008

Thailand's ruling party has abandoned its attempt to get embattled leader Samak Sundaravej reappointed as prime minister.

The People Power Party (PPP) had initially backed Samak, who was stripped of office earlier this week.

But it became clear that coalition partners and some PPP lawmakers opposed the decision, and a planned vote to re-elect him could not go ahead.

Time to return to the day job

The Thai Constitution Court on Tuesday reached an unanimous decision of 9-0 to disqualify Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on grounds for conflict of interest relating to his involvement in two cooking shows.

The high court ruled that Samak lost his job by an individual offence, hence although his Cabinet would face a mandatory removal, it could act as the caretaker administration pending the formation of a new government.

Of the nine presiding judges, six said Samak's involvement as honourary show host has constituted a status as an employee of programme producer, Face Media Co.

Three said his involvement could be interpreted as a business partner.

The nine judges cited the intent of Article 267 of the 2007 Constitution for preempting Cabinet members, including the prime minister, from committing a conflict of interest.

Under the provision, the legal definition of being employed or the status of employee is broader than that specified in the Civil Code and relevant labour laws.

Evidence showed that Samak continued to host the two shows after he assumed office in February. Furthermore he received allowances, such as petrol expenses which could be contrued as income earnings. And he got involved with the show which is a business transaction designed to seek profits.

His premiership is over, and the term of the cabinet has also expired, although according to the constitution they must remain as an acting government until there is a new prime minister and cabinet, said Constitution Court Judge Chat Chawakorn.

Under the charter, members of the cabinet except Samak will continue to perform their duties as caretaker ministers until a new cabinet is appointed.

The first deputy prime minister, Somchai Wongsawat, will be caretaker prime minister.

Sounds like more dry days for another election

Thailand is once again effectively under military rule after Prime Minister and Defense Minister Samak Sundaravej declared a state of emergency for the capital Bangkok in response to pro- and anti-government group clashes early on Tuesday morning. At least one person was killed and dozens injured in the pre-dawn melee.

The emergency move came after a joint sitting of parliament over the weekend failed to arrive at a compromise solution to the escalating conflict. Samak has said the move towards martial law will be temporary and is aimed at preserving democracy and restoring order. He formally issued the order from a military facility rather than the Prime Minister's Office, which is now besieged by protesters.

Read full article from atimes.com

The acting president of Airports of Thailand confirmed Friday evening that all flights to and from Phuket, Hat Yai and Krabi international airports were cancelled and the airports will be closed indefinitely.

Serirat Prasutanont, the acting president of the AOT, said the airports will remain closed indefinitely until the situation changes.

At about 4:45 pm on Friday, People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protesters breached the main gate at Phuket International Airport, made their way into the main terminal and smashed the windows of the VIP lounge.

Several hundred protesters stormed the runways and airport officials have ordered a halt to all air traffic. Police have been called in from around the island to supervise the anti-government rally, which had swelled to an estimated 10,000 protesters by 3:30 pm. Earlier, at about 2:30 pm, the protesters used vehicles to block road access to the airport.

The THAI Airways Union has allowed their 15,000 staffers to stop work to show their support for the protest.

Protest organizers at the airport told Gazette reporters at the scene that they will remain at the airport until Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej resigns. PAD members will close down airports in other provinces as well, they said.

Thailand's nationalist organisation, People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has entered the National Broadcasting Service of Thailand (NBT) television station, forcing it off the air.

The group reportedly entered the back entrance of the station in the early morning and forced all employees to leave as part of their plan to force the Samak Sundaravej government to resign.

The station briefly aired pictures of the protesters before broadcasting was cut.

Police later arrested a group of 80 protesters, who were reportedly armed with two pistols, knives, and golf clubs.

But PAD core leader Sondhi Limthongkul denied that the men were carrying weapons, saying the break in was done peacefully.

Other PAD protesters, meanwhile, invaded the Transport Ministry, Finance Ministry and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives compounds. The road leading to Government House was also blocked, forcing the government to cancel its weekly meeting.

Local media reported Prime Minister Samak called an urgent meeting with Supreme Commander Boonsang Niampradit and chiefs of the armed forces.

Army chief Anupong Paochinda, meanwhile, insisted that the military will not overthrow the government to quell political unrest: The military will not stage a coup d'etat. The public must not panic and must carry on their daily lives. The army will not get involved in politics.

Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the world's richest royal, according to a Forbes magazine list which is dominated by Middle Eastern monarchs riding high on surging oil prices.

The magazine said the 15 monarchs on its list had a combined wealth of $131 billion (£70 billion), up from $95 billion last year.

It did warn that its wealth estimates were a blend or art and science, because the relationship between individual and state wealth was not always clear.

King Bhumibol, who is 80 years old and the world's longest-reigning monarch after six decades on the throne, is regarded as semi-divine by many Thais. Forbes said he was worth an estimated $35 billion.

Among European monarchs, Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein was the wealthiest, coming in at No6, followed by Prince Albert of Monaco, in ninth, and Queen Elizabeth, who was 12th.

Based on article from bangkokpost.com

A report in Forbes magazine on the world’s richest royals, which ranked His Majesty the King as the world’s richest monarch with an estimated fortune of US$35 billion, or about 1.1 trillion baht, is inaccurate and inconsistent, according to the Crown Property Bureau.

The Foreign Ministry yesterday released a statement saying the report was inaccurate and inconsistent. While the report states that some items are not considered to belong to the King and as such were not counted in the monarch’s net worth, Forbes included land and other assets belonging to the Crown Property Bureau, which is not part of His Majesty’s personal net worth.

Forbes said in its report that the Crown Property Bureau granted unprecedented access to its assets this year, revealing vast landholdings, including 3,493 acres, or about 8,732 rai, in Bangkok.

 A total of 499 Buddhist, Christian, Islamic and Hindu priests and a Buddha statue in the ''Calming the Ocean'' posture will take part in a ritual next Tuesday to keep the province's coastline safe from storm surges. Provincial governor Anuwat Maytheewibulwut said the Stop the wind, stop the water ceremony will be held at the provincial hall in Muang district. (on the coast south of Bangkok)

The ancient Buddha statue will be borrowed from Wat Phra Samut Chedi, and its presence will be the highlight of the ceremony.

It portrays an episode when Lord Buddha saved worshippers from a flood in Magadha state of India.

Anuwat said the multi-religious ceremony is planned to calm anxious residents and inform them of progress in preparation plans.

The mayor of tambon Khlong Dan, Narong Klomkom, said newspaper stories and brochures warning of the danger of a storm surge had left local people fearful. Most were fishermen, or live along the river.

Provincial authorities met yesterday to prepare contingency plans to deal with such an emergency.

A storm surge is generated by strong onshore winds, usually from a tropical depression or typhoon, which cause the water to pile up above normal sea level as it approaches the shoreline, building large waves which overwhelm low-lying land. National Disaster Warning Centre chairman Smith Dharmasarojana declared Samut Prakan as the most vulnerable province in the inner Gulf of Thailand.

He warned of the possibility of 'the worst storm surge in 50 years'.

Being a beggar will not be so easy anymore if draft legislation approved by the cabinet becomes law. The bill proposed by the Human Security and Social Development Ministry sets conditions for people who want to be beggars.

They must provide proof they are underprivileged, disabled, homeless or elderly without children to care for them. And this will be a reserved occupation, exclusively for Thais who must carry ID cards.

Would-be professional beggars will have to report to local administration organisations for approval and work permits.

Local agencies will be responsible for controlling beggars in their jurisdictions, while the Social Development and Welfare Department will have special centres to help them and programmes to care for them.

Those who force other people to beg, or exploit them, will be liable to criminal punishment, deputy government spokeswoman Suparat Nakboonnam said.

Passing the legislation into law would help the authorities get rid of the large number of foreign beggars in the country, she said. The bill will soon be handed to the government whips and then go to parliament for approval.

More than two thousand Britons ended up in Spanish jails last year after being arrested for drunk and abusive behaviour.

In addition to the 2,032 Britons arrested in Spain, 695 needed hospital treatment 29 were raped, and 1,591 – mostly permanent residents – died there. Most of the arrests were the outcome of heavy drinking.

The figures were released yesterday by the Foreign Office, which added a double warning – behave yourself when you are abroad, and make sure that you have taken out travel insurance.

Last year, there were 17 million visits by Britons to Spain, and 761,000 British citizens have moved there. Proportionate to their numbers, British visitors are more likely to be arrested in Cyprus, the United States or the United Arab Emirates than in Spain. While an average of six Britons a day were arrested in Spain, mostly for offences linked to excessive drinking, the ratio in Cyprus was even worse: one in 4,000 UK tourists to the island was arrested, compared with only one in 100,000 in France and Italy.

Many of the 230 Britons arrested in the UAE fell foul of the country's zero tolerance policy on drugs. The authorities in the UAE also take a very strict line on drunkenness, bad driving, and any perceived anti-Islamic behaviour.

The figures also show that Indonesia and Thailand are more hazardous for British visitors than Spain, in proportion to the numbers. Thailand is the country where a British visitor is at the greatest risk of death or injury because of the high rate of traffic accidents. In Indonesia, one British visitor in every hundred is involved in an accident, or robbed of money or passports, or arrested for possessing drugs.

Cigarette and liquor prices are expected to rise once new measures for calculating excise taxes take effect.

The cabinet yesterday approved draft amendments of four acts _ the Liquor Act, Excise Tax Act, Excise Tariff Act and Tobacco Act _ under which ex-factory prices would be clarified to make it easier for calculating taxes.

A review was needed given that ex-factory prices had been left unchanged for over a decade, resulting in discrepancies with actual market prices, said Suparat Nakboonnam, a deputy government spokeswoman.

The review would not only check whether manufacturers' self-declared ex-factory prices were accurate, but also if there were big gaps with retail prices, indicating possible profiteering or tax evasion.

Tax rates for liquor are based on an ad valorem or specific rate, whichever is higher. An ad valorem tax generally means a tax collected on the value of goods or services. The ad valorem tax for fermented liquor would increase to 90% (of the value of the products) from 60%, with tax for distilled liquor such as white spirits and blended liquor to increase to 90% from 50%.

Taxes on tobacco, currently levied at 80%, would be raised to 90% if the new legislation takes effect.

The number of Thai companies that were forced to close down during the first half of this year nearly hit 7,000, up 22% compared with the same period in 2007, news reports said .

Altogether 6,899 companies were shut down in the January to June period, with 1,681 firms closing in June alone, according to figures released by the Business Development Department.

Thai firms are facing a myriad of challenges this year including rising oil prices, an inflation rate that reached 8.9% in June, a slow down in consumption and growing political instability that has affected foreign investment.

During the first six months of this year, some 1,206 new companies were registered, up 6% cent, the department's deputy director-general Pranit Lortragood told The Nation.

Thailand currently has a total of 548,818 registered companies.

The temple of Preah Vihear is one of the most spectacular and historic sites in South-East Asia. Now it is threatening to make history for a different reason, as the first World Heritage Site to become a battleground.

Thai and Cambodian troops pulled guns on one another in a tense stand-off in the 1,100-year-old Hindu temple, after several days of increasing military tension. Stoked by a build-up of soldiers, accusations of corruption and a developing political crisis in Thailand, Preah Vihear has emerged as Asia's newest flashpoint.

About 400 Thai and 200 Cambodian troops have moved into the temple area since Tuesday, after three Thai activists were detained briefly for entering the temple to assert Bangkok's claim to the land. Yesterday a Cambodian general reported that soldiers from both sides levelled weapons at one another on Thursday night, after the Thais drove Cambodian forces out of one of the temple buildings. We exercised patience to prevent weapons from being fired, Brigadier-General Chea Keo said. He said that the Cambodian troops had been escorting monks and nuns, but withdrew after the encounter.

Cooking up a treat

Thailand's embattled government announced a $1.4 billion package of tax cuts and other measures as it seeks to shore up popular support after suffering legal setbacks that could lead to a ban on the key party in the ruling coalition.

Political analysts here described the economic-stimulus package as a countermove to recent court rulings against the populist government led by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and backed by his political patron, former Premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The government has been locked in political combat with Thailand's military-backed opposition for control of one of Southeast Asia's anchor economies.

The feud has taken a toll on the country's economy, reflected in declining stocks. After buying up shares earlier in the year, investors have dumped Thai equities in recent weeks. The key Bangkok stock-exchange index fell 3.3% to close at 693.41 Tuesday as worries about the global economy added to the concern about Thailand's own worsening political and economic outlook.

Prime Minister Samak announced the stimulus measures Tuesday in a televised news conference. They include slashing duties on diesel and gasoline-ethanol hybrid fuels to near zero, reductions in water and electricity charges for low users and free bus rides in Bangkok, in a bid to ease the rising cost of living.

Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee said the package would help poor households save about 1,000 baht, or $30, a month while keeping Thailand's inflation rate this year within the government's 6%-to-7% target.

Preah Vihear, a stunning temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, is perched on a Cambodian cliff-top straddling the Thai border. It was finally awarded World Heritage status this month, despite fierce protests from ardent Thai nationalists and the parliamentary opposition in Bangkok.

Now, according to a Cambodian official, 40 Thai troops have crossed the border and entered the temple complex.

The temple's ornate structures date back to the eleventh century, but the site was occupied two hundred years earlier. Preah Vihear has become an explosive issue in domestic Thai politics. It has also exposed how narrow-minded nationalism can obstruct efforts at world conservation. Indeed, according to the Thai opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, the dispute over the temple's ownership is the "knockout punch" that could bring down the Thai government.

...Read full article

As many as 12% of Britons travelling overseas have been victims of crime in the last five years.

Most of the incidents involved theft of personal belonging but 1% of travellers suffered physical or sexual assaults, the statistics from the InsureandGo company revealed.

The majority of crimes took place in Europe, with visitors to Spain suffering the most. Almost twice as many crimes against Britons have occurred in Spain as in the second-most "dangerous" country - France.

However, based on the numbers of Britons who go to each country every year, Spain is actually relatively safe and, proportionately, Thailand is the country where Britons are most likely to become crime victims.

InsureandGo said Britons made almost 14 million visits to Spain last year - 32 times more than to Thailand. But there were only four times as many British victims of crime in Spain as in Thailand, which means an estimated 10% of British visitors to Thailand suffer crime.

These were the top 10 countries for crime involving British tourists in the last five years:

1. Spain 871,569
2. France 457,832
3. Austria 252,068
4. Italy 215,329
5. Thailand 213,416
6. Greece 184,771
7. India 155,096
8. USA 150,191
9. Australia 106,095
10. Turkey 105,899

TV Chef told not to give up the day job

Thailand's political troubles are fast morphing into economic woes as Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's coalition government moves slowly, and some say with continued complacency, to rein in inflation, risking a sharp and sustained economic downturn.

Earlier expectations that his four-month-old administration may be toppled in a military coup or through a still possible court-ordered dissolution of his ruling People's Power Party (PPP) on electoral fraud charges are now joined by speculation that Samak's beleaguered government may instead collapse under the weight of its own economic mismanagement.

...Read full article

A top leader of Thailand's People Power Party (PPP) was found guilty of vote buying and banned from politics for 5 years on Tuesday, a ruling that could lead to the dissolution of the main party in the coalition government.

The Supreme Court decision against deputy leader Yongyut Tiyapairat piles more pressure on the six-party coalition, already weakened by a street campaign against Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej which has unsettled investors.

There was enough evidence to believe that (Yongyut) had violated the 2007 election law, said a judge who read out a verdict broadcast on national television.

The PPP appeared to be in disarray after the ruling.

Gan Thiengaew, another deputy leader, said he would urge Samak to dissolve parliament and hold fresh elections, but the party's chief spokesman rejected the idea. It is not necessary. What are we running away from? Can a house dissolution help us escape a party dissolution, PPP spokesman Kuthep Saikrachang said.

The guilty verdict against Yongyut paves the way for the Election Commission to investigate whether the party was involved in the vote buying in the December poll. The EC could then pass its findings to the Constitutional Court, which could disband the PPP as happened to Thaksin's former Thai Rak Thai partyafter the coup.

The court ruling came on the same day the Supreme Court opened the first graft trial against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, nearly two years after he was ousted in a bloodless 2006 coup. Thaksin, who did not appear in court, is accused of using his position as prime minister to influence the sale of a prime piece of Bangkok land by a state agency to his wife.

From the Bangkok Post

The government suffered its third justice-administered setback in 24 hours on Wednesday as the Constitution Court kicked Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsab out of office.

Judges even back-dated Chaiya's dismissal to March 6, for failure to declare his wife's holding in a company.

This leaves Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej in a tight spot when he begins what appears to be an inevitable cabinet reshuffle in coming days. He is under strong pressure from both within the PPP and the opposition to get rid of under-performing and controversial ministers, and to appoint competent replacements, to try to regain authority lost in the past several months of political chaos.

He has three basic choices: Bow to the "party financier" on the public health ministry, ignore or try to negotiate with him and appoint someone else - or dissolve parliament and call yet another election.

The premier said he would make no direct comment on his next actions until Sunday, when he speaks to the nation on his weekly morning TV show.

He got strongly conflicting advice from all sides on Wednesday about whether to call a snap election. Even within the PPP, opinion was divided. Only Samak has the power to dissolve the House.

Update: Foreign Unemployment

11th July 2008

Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama has resigned after a top court ruled he had violated the constitution by signing a deal over a disputed temple.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has sharply cut its projection for the number of international visitors and tourism revenue next year due to soaring oil prices, which are discouraging international travel and have led to cuts in inbound flights.

It targets only a 3.3% growth in the number of international visitors in 2009, a sharp downward revision from the original projection of 10%. From a projected 17 million, or a 10% growth, the TAT expects only 16 million travellers to visit the country. About 15 million visitors are expected in 2008.

The TAT also halved it revenue-growth projection for next year to 5%, though spending per head per trip is expected to increase from Bt38,760 this year to Bt39,375. Revenue projection for this year is Bt600 billion The authority is maintaining next year's domestic projection of 87 million trips with revenue of Bt407 billion.

Deputy governor for international marketing Santichai Eua-Chongprasit said the three key negative factors were oil prices, world economic uncertainty and fewer flights into the Kingdom.

British adult video director John T. Bone was arrested June 12 in Bang-na, Bangkok after authorities received a tip that a group of foreigners were shooting porn in a local apartment complex.

Police arrested Bone (a.k.a. John Gilbert Bowen) and five others in the raid, including three Brazlian men, a Filipina woman and a Thai "katoey" or transsexual "bar girl," according to the Pattaya Daily News. The report states that officers caught Bowen and his crew in the act of shooting a group sex scene.

Police told the Daily News they found a fully equipped studio inside the apartment with lights, camera equipment, lube, DVDs, stills and boxes of condoms. The report identifies Bone as the ringleader of the group.

The production and sale of pornography is illegal in Thailand. Bowen and two associates were arrested in April 2007 on the same charges in Pattaya, Thailand, southeast of Bangkok.

According to the Daily News, Bowen and his associates will face 3 years in prison and fined up to 6,000 baht ($180) for the crime.