Tammy in, Danai out of Australian Open

Tammy in, Danai out of Australian Open

Melbourne - One familiar Thai player has qualified for the Australian Open beginning on Monday, but the country's top men's player failed to get through.

Tamarine Tanasugarn, who has participated in many Grand Slams including in Melbourne, defeated Shuai Zhang of China in a lengthy match.

Tammy dropped the first set 3-6, then won the next two in a row by the same score, 6-3, 6-3.

Tammy will face No 19 seed Sybille Bammer of Austria in her first match, probably on Tuesday.

Danai Udomchoke lost his bid to Rajeev Ram of the US.

Danai took the first match in a tie-breaker, by 7-1. But Ram stepped it up and beat Danai in the next two sets, 7-5, 6-2 and left the Thai without an Open entry.

14:03 Jan 13, 2008


EC hands out more yellow cards

(BangkokPost.com) – The Election Commission (EC) has handed out three more yellow cards on Sunday, according to Election Commissioner Sumet Upanisakorn.

Speaking after an EC session held to deliberate on red and yellow card issues, the EC confirmed the distribution of three more yellow cards today.

The first was given to Surawit Konsomboon, winner in constituency 2 of Chaiyuphum province for the People Power party.

Two other yellow cards were given to Puea Pandin party winners Polpee Suwanchewee and Meechai Chitpipat in constituency 6 of Nakhon Ratchasima province.

By-elections are set to be held in these constituencies.

13:45 Jan 13, 2008


Police on alert after Narathiwat jailbreak

(BangkokPost.com) – Six prison inmates from a prison in Nawarathiwat province have broken free from their cell in Muang district, according to local officials.

More than 200 police officers are now desperately trying to hunt them down. The fugitives were placed behind bars for their involvement in setting off bomb explosions in Joh Airong district.

Narathiwat police have corresponded with border patrol police and warned them to beef up security along border areas to prevent them from escaping to a neighbouring country.

11:34 Jan 13, 2008


Nakhon Ratchasima by-election in full swing

(BangkokPost.com) – New elections in Nakhon Ratchasima province in constituency 3 got off on a high note on Sunday morning with many voters packing polling stations.

The Election Commission (EC) ordered another round of polls in the northeastern province after three People Power party (PPP) candidates were given yellow cards for electoral fraud in the Dec 23 general election.

Prior to the polls, Nakhon Ratchasima’s EC chairman Gen Weerawut Songsai, who oversaw the setting up of ballot boxes and ballot cards, expressed optimism that voter turnout will be high.

“I expect voter turnout to fall just short of the 70 per cent target,” he said.

10:35 Jan 13, 2008