About 200 condominium projects awaiting EIA approval
source: Bkk Post Mar 17 2008

City condominium developers should be patient in waiting for the approval of environmental impact assessments (EIAs) before moving ahead with construction to avoid possible damages. The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) recently asked a district office in Bangkok to halt the construction of a condominium developed by SET-listed Prinsiri Plc. The move has troubled developers, especially in the highly competitive city condo segment.
All condominiums with 80 units or more require EIAs. However, some developers try to avoid the process by seeking construction permits for projects with less than 80 units. Once the permit is issued, they ask for an amendment and add more units in the project. Looking to make sales amid heavy competition, and facing rising construction costs, some developers start building before getting a permit and EIA approval.
Therefore, condominium buyers should ask developers about the construction permit and EIA approval before making a purchase commitment. That way they can head off future problems, such as delays in unit transfers or non-transferable units. Buyers should also ask what the developer will do for them if it does not receive the approvals. If buyers decide to buy a unit in the project that does not have a construction permit and EIA approval, they are taking a risk. Even when project construction is completed, they cannot get the rights transferred legally.
The Thai Condominium Association estimated that about 200 projects worth more than 40 billion baht were waiting for EIA approval. Among them, 15 projects worth 23 billion baht will be developed by listed property firms. Typically, most condominiums open sales before getting construction permits and EIA approval as they want to draw customers ahead of competitors. Many want to generate cash from bookings and down payments to use as a revolving fund and establish a certain number of bookings before seeking project finance.

Court to decide Yongyuth case on Thursday
source: The Nation Mar 18 2008
An Election Commission panel today lodged a 1000-page suit with the Supreme Court accusing House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat of buying votes. The panel headed Thawil Intornraksa, authoriesed by the EC to file the suit against Yongyuth expressed confidence that the EC had a solid case because more than 50 witnesses were ready to testify against the suspect. He said the EC also requested the court to ban Yongyuth from carrying out political activities. If the court accepts to hear the case, Yongyuth must end his political role. Yongyuth yesterday filed a complaint with police accusing the Election Commission of abuse of power for charging him with committing electoral fraud. Yongyuth who was red-carded accused EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond and two EC members, Sumeth Upanisakorn and Prapun Naigowit of conspiring to frame him of electoral fraud charges. He has also charged Maj General Chaiya Siriamphankul for acting beyond his jurisdiction to raise charges against him.EC to file suit against Yongyuth with Supreme Court Monday The Election Commission will Monday file a suit with the Supreme Court demanding a nullification of his election victory on charges of election frauds. EC Chairman Apichart Sukhakkhanon said he had finished checking the suit and expected it would be filed with the Election Case Division of the Supreme Court on Monday. He said Yongyuth would have to stop working as the House speaker and Parliament once the court accepts the suit. The Nation

AVIATION / CONSUMER PROTECTION

New rules improve passengers' rights on local flights
BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA Airlines operating in Thailand are facing stringent new legal requirements that make them more accountable to passengers in cases of flight delays, cancellations and boarding denials. Effective this month, passengers on scheduled domestic routes are entitled to ticket refunds and compensation under rules set by the Transport Ministry. Modelled European Union (EU) rules, the regulations promise to make it fair and transparent for passengers in terms of what they can legally expect in events that affect reserved air travel. The rules also include clear guidelines on how airlines are expected to treat passengers and avoid disputes that often are raised through the media and the Consumer Protection Board. Notably, they will make low-cost carriers more accountable for on-time performance and better passenger treatment in case of delays, cancellations and denied boarding. Chaisak Angkasuwan, director-general of the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), called the requirements practical and acceptable to airlines, saying they did not go to the extremes seen in the EU. ''It is fair for both passengers and the service providers,'' he said, adding that the DCA was prepared to amend the requirements if needed in the future. The regulations are similar to what international airlines provide passengers when flights are affected. The terms of compensation for domestic services vary depending on the extent and cases. If a passenger has booked, paid and checked in at the time specified, but is denied boarding for no good reason, he or she is entitled to a full refund of the ticket price, compensation of 1,200 baht per sector, or 600 baht if the airline can board the passenger in less than three hours from the original departure time. Carriers must also provide appropriate free food and drinks to passengers waiting for new flights, and allow them to use phones, fax or e-mail twice at no cost. If a flight is delayed by more than one day, airlines must provide lodging and airport transfers without charge. But airlines reserve the rights not to offer compensation in cases associated with health, aviation security, air safety and incomplete travel documents. Similarly, passengers can claim a full ticket refund, compensation of 1,200 baht per leg if the flight is cancelled or delayed more than three hours, and/or 600 baht compensation if the airline can board the passenger less than three hours behind schedule. But there are exceptions if the airline has informed the passengers of the delay at least three days in prior to the departure, and the cause is not due to a political situation, weather conditions, security or industrial action by third-party aviation service providers. Passengers also have the right to ask the carrier to provide the soonest replacement flight with no additional cost, or to pay the difference if the replacement fare is cheaper. If a flight is delayed for more than three hours, passengers can seek ticket refunds, change the flight or choose other modes of transport to arrive at their destination at or near the time specified in the original tickets without additional charges.

Phi Phi tourist has a pee that turns bad
KOH PHI PHI : It certainly doesn’t pay to drop your anchors and have a leak so close to a cliff now but was he actually just relieving the pressure or was he pushed over the rocky outcrop and too close to the cliff. Once again we will never know but then stranger things have happened in the land of smiles. But read on and tell us what you think may have happened.
A USA tourist on holiday at Koh Phi Phi Don fell about five meters to his death after he stopped to relieve himself at a rocky outcrop on the way back to his bungalow after celebrating New Year’s Eve at a local bar.
Michael Saul Schwartz, 64. was found found face up, covered with bruises and wedged between two large boulders in a dark spot under a Bodhi tree.
As his trousers were unzipped and covered with urine, Mr Schwartz is believed to have lost his footing and fallen down the slope after he stopped to urinate, he added and was dead for about three hours before his body was discovered. He had suffered five broken ribs, one of which punctured a lung, said Lt Noppadon of the Thai Police. Mr Schwartz was a guest at Kachita Hotel on Koh Phi Phi Don for a month at the time of his death, he said.
A search of his room uncovered an expired Israeli passport and a large quantity of medicine, perhaps indicating that he was suffering from an illness, the officer said.The US Embassy has thus far been unable to contact any relatives to claim the body. The Israeli Embassy has also been contacted in the hope of contacting his relatives.

Nok Air quietly grounds Phuket-Haad Yai route

Nok Air has quietly suspended its loss-ridden Phuket-Haad Yai service, once again making it impossible to fly between Southern Thailand’s two busiest airports, the Gazette has learned.Nok Air Executive Vice-President for Marketing Sehapan Chumsai told the Gazette today there were not enough passengers to continue the service, which began June 6 last year using 150-seat Boeing 737-400 aircraft.The service was terminated November 15

	Local services in Thailand = pick up, packing, export formalities
	International services = air- or ocean freight from Thailand to the buyer’s nearest port or airport
	Domestic services at destination = import customs formalities, delivery to door
	Miscellaneous services = fumigation, paperwork, transport insurance, etc.