IN BRIEF : Court rejects MCOT petition

IN BRIEF : Court rejects MCOT petition.

The Supreme Administra-tive Court yesterday cited a legal technicality in rejecting a request for judicial review of the privatisation of state-run Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand (MCOT), which operates Channel 9.

"The three complainants, comprising anti-corruption activists, are not an injured party qualified to raised the administrative litigation," the high court said in its ruling. The three complainants were Veera Somkwamkid, Ratchanee Manmethee and Warit Chinsai.

In the writ, filed on Novem-ber 23, they argued that the Thaksin government had unfairly granted access to listed shares for MCOT employees and foreign investors, not the general public.

Police warning

Anyone found to have ordered or carried out bomb attacks on the public could face the death penalty in future, assistant police chief Lt-General Jongrak Juthanont said yesterday.

Those found responsible for new bomb attacks would face charges of terrorism or fatal public disturbance and be suspected of being part of the group behind the New Year's Eve attacks and liable for capital punishment.

FTI plea

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) yesterday urged the Industry Ministry to locate new industrial estates in border areas to help manufacturers overcome a shortage of up to 200,000 workers.

"Foreign labour at border areas will help Thailand's industrial sector to solve the labour crunch," FTI head Santi Vilassakdanont said after meeting the Industry and Labour ministries.

The Nation
Friday January 12, 2007