Princess' fever eases

General News - Saturday December 22, 2007

IN Brief

Princess' fever eases

ROYALS :Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana's fever eased yesterday as she regained energy and her muscle twitches reduced, the Royal Household Bureau said in a statement.

The bureau said her level of consciousness was unchanged. The team of physicians plans to reduce her medication to relieve twitching, but will continue to feed her intravenously and closely monitor her breathing.

The Princess, the elder sister of His Majesty the King, was admitted to Siriraj Hospital in mid-June for treatment of abdominal cancer.

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Stateless given hope

HUMAN RIGHTS :About 350,000 people who migrated to Thailand before 1976 are one step closer to being granted alien status after a plan to give them more rights was approved yesterday.

Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, who chaired the meeting of the committee attached to the National Security Council, said the panel wanted to give stateless persons who had migrated to Thailand and resided here for a long time better opportunities.

As a result, their children will automatically obtain Thai nationality, giving them access to education, health services and other welfare measures.

The proposal will apply to 13,000 migrants with Thai origin, including displaced Burmese people, migrants from Cambodia's Koh Kong, and Lao refugees.

Other beneficial groups are 340,000 migrants without Thai origin, covering refugees from the northern hills, and Lao, Cambodian and Burmese migrants.

The proposal will be tabled for cabinet approval in the next government and should come into force by 2009, according to NSC secretary-general Prakit Prachonpachanuk.

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Shakeup at top of TITV

BROADCASTING :Ajsha Suwonpakprak, acting director of the Thai Independent Television (TITV)'s news division and his 12 deputies and assistants were axed yesterday in what station staff said was a politically motivated move.

Public Relations Department chief Pramote Ratthavinij signed the order moving Mr Ajsha to the post of deputy station director for news and programming - a newly-created position.

His replacement is Sonthiyan Chuenruetainaitham from the Independent News Network (INN).

Bangkok Post