Police have successfully reclaimed the Interior Ministry, a rally site of People’s Democracy Reform Committee (PDRC), just in time to avert a possible standoff between the protesters and the combined forces of village heads and sub-district chiefs nationwide who planned to gather at the site today.

Commissioner General, Police General Adul Sangsingkeaw, yesterday headed a team of police to negotiate with the PDRC protesters over its planned reclaiming of the rally site.

According to Royal Thai Police Spokesperson, Pol. Lt. Gen. Anucha Rommayanant, the negotiation came in the face of possible violent clashes between the protesters and tens of thousands of Interior Ministry employees, sub-district chiefs, and village heads nationwide, who are on their ways to the Ministry to reclaim the site today.

Also joining the negotiation were Deputy Metropolitan Police Bureau, Police General Adul Narongsak and MPB Division 6 Commander Pol. Lt. Gen. Wallop Patum-muang. The protesters were escorted out of the rally site safely by the officials after the negotiation had concluded.

The National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) has announced the results of a survey regarding the opinion of Thais towards a proposal for an Election on July 20, 2014. It was carried out on 2nd & 3rd of May, with 1,252 respondents who are eligible to vote, and who represented all regions across the country. The results show that 62.94% think that the election won’t go smoothly, 24.76% think the election will go well and 12.30% were not certain and didn’t express an opinion.

Also asked what should be the priority between ‘election’ and ‘national reform’, 49.68% say national reform should come first; 38.02% say the election should be prioritized; while 6.07% say the two should be done simultaneously, and that all parties should stop holding or supporting political demonstrations. Another 6.23% could not be sure.

The Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Police have laid down management strategies for traffic, and allocated parking areas to receive the public, who have arrived in great numbers to be in the presence of His Majesty the King on Coronation Day.

Pol.Maj.Gen. Thaneth Soontornsuk, Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Police Chief, said that on the occasion of Coronation Day on May 5th, a group of more than 1,500 provincial police officers and Police Region 7 officers have been directed to be on guard duty along the processional highway starting from the palace entrance to the Rajapracha Samakhom Pavilion at Klai Kangwon Palace. Meanwhile, another group will ensure safety and convenient access to viewing areas for the huge public audience. An 800-meter section of Phet Kasem Road in front of the palace has been closed in both directions. Meanwhile, there is a parking area with a capacity of over 5,000 cars that is being provided free of charge, as well as a public transport service to pick up and drop off visiting members of the public.

Those who would like to know the availability of car parking in Prachuap Khiri Khan are asked to call 191 for information.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives confirms there will be sufficient water for farming during the beginning of the rainy season while urgently making assistance measures for longan farmers in the wake of a possible price drop.

Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperatives Chavalit Chukhajorn said on Sunday that produce in the dry season this year was in a normal level. The Royal Irrigations Department would continue allocating sufficient water for farmers from the beginning of this crop season until June when seasonal rainfall was expected. The rains would help agricultural activities and increase water in reservoirs, Mr Chavalit said.

The permanent-secretary however warned of a produce price drop, especially longan, due to oversupply. He said the ministry was going to propose measures on longan distribution in terms of exports and domestic sales to the Committee on Farmers Aid within this month and then the caretaker government.

The permanent secretary of Agriculture has confirmed that the amount of agricultural product from the first crop of 2014 is within the normal range, even though as many as 44 provinces have been declared drought disaster zones.

The permanent secretary, Chavalit Chukhajorn said on Sunday that with the upcoming rainy season, the total amount of water stored in dams and reservoirs nationwide would be much increased and there would then be enough to irrigate the second and third crops of 2014. Therefore, there is no real concern about a water shortage during the year.

However, farmers could be faced with much lower prices for agricultural products, especially rice from the off season crop. Longan are also likely to fetch lower prices this year.

The ministry projects that there will be more than 500,000 tons of longan in the crop of 2014. Therefore, the ministry has been seeking solutions because the local market would not be able to absorb the entire amount. Solutions will be submitted to a national committee meeting in May, and a proposal will then be sent to the caretaker government for its decision.

The Public Relations Department (PRD) has announced its readiness for the digital TV era during an event to celebrate the 81st anniversary of the department. Many awards were granted to civil servants and employees with outstanding performance.

National Broadcasting Service of Thailand (NBT) news editor Seksom Chaengchit received an outstanding civil servant award from PRD Director-General Apinan Juntarungsri. Four PRD units, 20 outstanding PRD civil servants and employees and 16 local NBT and PRD offices also won prizes from the department.

At the event, there was also a seminar on the PRD’s next step and the presentation of its visions in the digital TV era. PRD personnel from Bangkok and other provinces exchanged their opinions on the topic and discussed the roles and directions of the PRD in terms of the Thai digital TV as well as its strategies for standing out amid the competitiveness at present.

Pattani’s Khok Pho District has again organized a ceremony from ancient times aiming to boost harmony between Buddhists and Muslims who are residents in the area.

The event was held on Saturday at a local school in Thoong Phla sub-district. Several hundred Buddhists and Muslims who are all villagers of Thoong Phla, participated in the ceremony to pay respect to the holy spirits of the paddy field and ask for their blessings for new and abundant harvests.

There were many activities in the event — a parade of scarecrows made from straws of rice, local traditional games and a beauty pageant. The event had been held in the past in Khok Pho as a recreational activity after the back breaking task of harvesting. However, it was halted for quite some time, until Khok Pho district revived the tradition 21 years ago, and re-established its popularity.

The President of the Ranong Chamber of Commerce reports that the Ranong deep water port development strategy has been defined by the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) and the facility will be available for the shipping of cargo this July.

The Ranong Chamber of Commerce President adds that Ranong Port is again heading in the right direction after being inactive for more than 10 years.

The port is handling fresh sea food from Myanmar that’s processed in Ranong by industry manufacturers before being exported from Ranong Port to other Asian and European countries.

Moreover, Ranong Port is well placed as the nearest port to BIMSTEC countries without ships having to round the Malay Peninsula, reducing shipping time by some 5-10 days compared to other ports taking up to 30 days.

The MRTA is closing the road at Tha Phra junction for construction of the Blue Line rail route. The governor of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) Yongsit Rojsrikul advises that Sino-Thai Engineering & Construction PCL, the main contractor of the Blue Line from Tha Phra- Lak Song Station, will now start to build the portal frame at Tha Phra junction. Therefore, two road lanes , next to Tha Phra tunnel from Soi Charansanitwong 1 to Soi Charansanitwong 3 heading towards Fai-Chai junction, will be closed. And two lanes in Tha Phra tunnel from Charansanitwong road heading toward Ratchadapisek will also be closed from May 6th– July 2014.

To accommodate the period of closed roads, the traffic flow must be rearranged. Those who come from Petchkasem road heading to Bangkae and who want to go on to Charansanitwong road, take a right turn at Tha Phra junction.

For those coming from Petchkasem toward Wongwianyai and wishing to go on to Charansanitwong road, take a left turn using the traffic lane which heads to Ratchadapisek, then slightly left to Charansanitwong road.

Those who come from Ratchadapisek road and want to go to Charansanitwong road, go straight into the tunnel. While those who come from Charansanitwong road and want to go to Ratchadapisek, take the road next to the tunnel without going into the tunnel.

However, the overall construction and the closing of some road lanes can still cause inconvenience and traffic jams. When possible please avoid the affected roads

The Governor of Prachuap Khiri Khan has asked for cooperation from people wishing to greet His Majesty the King on Coronation Day, 5th May 2014, asking them not to express any political opinions and to pay careful attention to the elderly due to the hot weather.

The Governor, Veera Sriwattanatrakul, reveals that the province has set up decorative lighting on both sides of Petchkasem road, from Golden Place to Klai Kangwon Palace, a total distance of 800 meters. Candles and white raindrop light bulbs decorate the road. Many tourists are stopping to take photographs in front of Klai Kangwon palace and enjoy the beautiful lighting!

Army officials and police officers have already tightened their security measures, including searching for weapons, and other prohibited goods. In addition people shouldn’t express a political opinion while waiting to greet His Majesty.

The governor added that due to the hot weather, the elderly and hospital patients should be closely monitored. Prachuap Khiri Khan Health office has arranged 80 mobile medical teams to assist people as required. Everyone at the Coronation Day celebration should wear yellow.