Bangkok
(Thailand), Mar. 19 : Even as the fighting between Sri Lankan troops
and the LTTE continues in northeast Sri Lanka, an international debate
is raging over how far to push Colombo on toning down its aggression
vis-a-vis the rebels.

The Red Cross, which normally prefers quiet persuasion to arm-twisting,
has raised the alarm over a humanitarian crisis in the remaining pocket
of rebel-held territory, where makeshift hospitals are out of needed

Bangkok  - New York-based Human Rights Watch on Thursday condemned this month's slaying by an alleged insurgent of Laila Paaitae Doah, a prominent peace advocate and Muslim women's rights activist in Thailand's violence-torn deep South.

Laila was shot by a suspected Muslim militant in broad daylight on March 12 in Krongpenang district, Yala province, 750 kilometres south of Bangkok. She died of her wounds in hospital on March 13.

Bangkok - Thailand's exports in February fell 11.3 per cent year-on-year while imports tumbled 40.3 per cent, the Ministry of Commerce disclosed Wednesday.

Exports in February, 2009, amounted to 11.7 billion dollars, compared with 13.2 billion in the same month last year. Thailand's imports last month amounted to 8.2 billion dollars, down 40.3 per cent on the 13.7 billion import bill in February, 2008.

Bangkok - Bangkok's status as an aviation hub for South-east Asia has suffered significantly from the closure of its two airports by protestors last year, with air capacity down 30 per cent, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has revealed.

Bangkok  - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva plans to propose liberalizing lending by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to crisis-hit developing countries at next month's Group of 20 summit, media reports said Wednesday.

"The World Bank and IMF should come to the aid of emerging-market economies without conditions," Abhisit said in an interview with Thailand's Nation newspaper.

Bangkok - The Royal Thai Air Force has launched an attack on the weather this week, sending two German-made Alpha Jet fighters and other aircraft into the clouds to make rain, media reports said Wednesday.

Air force chief Itthaporn Subhawong said the two Alpha Jets along with 13 other aircraft were deployed Tuesday as part of the annual rain-making mission for the kingdom, the Bangkok Post reported.

The German-made fighters have been armed with silver iodide bullets that release rain-making substances when fired into clouds at 6,100 metres.