The comment came after the
members of Office of National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC) met with
producers of Hormones at Century Park Hotel. The meeting was arranged by NBTC so that the
producers can discuss the much-debated series.

Hormones featured stories about characters who are students facing various issues in their adolescence. Some scenes hint at (but never
explicitly show) sexual intercourse of the characters – and such frank portrayal of teenage life has 
distinguished the series from the rest of a largely-conservative media landscape in
Thailand.

Each episode was aired on a cable channel and later uploaded onto Youtube website.
The producers had claimed Hormones has been watched by over 1 million people.

Nevertheless,
NBTC says it has received a number of complaints about the sexually suggestive contents of the TV
show, so its members had deemed it necessary that the producers explained their motives about the
series to the Commission.

He stressed that the
Commission is still on its early stage to resolve the issue, and there has been no intention to ban
the series so far, contrary to reports that the NBTC will simply axe Hormones, especially after
one of its starlets was photographed taking methamphetamine with her friend.

Lt.Gen.
Peerapong said the series had riggered misunderstanding and discussion in the society, so he will
allow the producers to state their points of views. He said the NBTC will give fairness to every
side, and encouraged the society to discuss the show.

The leakage
from an underwater pipeline operated by PTT Global Chemical in the Gulf of Thailand blackened parts
of the popular resort island of Koh Samet last week. Numerous tourists left the island, while many
others cancelled their visits.

Its effect on the environment and tourism eventually spilled
over into seafood businesses. Reports suggest that fear about contaminated seafood has forced local
fishermen to cut the price of their products by as much as 50%.

At lunch time, the provincial
authority arranged the meal for Mr. Vichet and his companions to be served with seafood,
particularly the sea crab which is the delicacy of the province. The delegates ate the meal in front
of the press, reassuring the reporters that the food was “fresh” and “free from chemical residue”
from the oil spill.

Later in the day, the team travelled to Samet Island. They landed on Sai
Kaew beach, famous for its night clubs and restaurants. The beach had not been affected by the
incident and is still visibly crowded with tourists.

The team then visited Ao Phrao Bay, the
area severely affected by the incident, and talked to residents there. They found out that tourists
were not yet confident of the clean-up procedures that PTT and the authorities had carried out, but many
were relieved to see that the beach is nearly back to its previous condition.

Mr. Vichet,
Natural Resources Minister, said that the clean-up procedures are divided into 3 stages and would
take about a year to fully revive the beaches back to their conditions.

He said the
Ministry and Rayong authority will continue to cooperate with PTT to observe the situation and
handle the oil stain left in the sand by chemical treatment. The process will take a while, Mr.
Vichet said.

The minister expressed his belief that Ao Phrao Bay will regain its fame as a
popular tourism spot within the week. He told our correspondent he had instructed PTT to arrange
activities to promote tourism business at the island to build trust among visitors.

Mr.
Vichit, the Rayong governor, said that at least 6 groups of fishermen in the region had asked for
compensations, and at least 560 more people have filed complaints. He said he had appointed the
Provincial Fishery Authority to manage the compensation and rehabilitation procedures in this
matter.

Meanwhile, a prominent MP went even further in his attempt to reassure the public
about the condition of Koh Samet – by swimming in the sea off Ao Phrao  Bay.

The woman was identified simply as Maam by Mueang district police. Mr.
Wirojna Paduka, a friend of the victim, told police he and Ms. Maam and another mutual friend of
theirs were riding motorcycles around the town on the night of the incident.

Mr. Wirojna said
he had spotted a friend of his, called Nen, fighting with his wife on the roadside, so the group
stopped their motorcycles and tried to break up the fight. However, Mr. Nen reportedly pulled out a
handgun in anger, which sent Mr. Wirojna and his friend fleeing into the near wooded area.

He
said Ms. Maam failed to run fast enough, so Mr. Nen shot her dead before he fled the scene.

Mr. Wirapol is
believed to be residing in the United States, after the court issued arrest warrant on him. The DSI
has been cooperating with the US authorities in order to have the former monk
extradited.

Now, it appears that such effort would not be needed, as Mr. Tharit Pengdit, the
chief of DSI, said he had been contacted by the appointed lawyer of Mr. Wirapol who had reportedly
assured him that his client wishes to turn himself in later this week – on 3 conditions.

Mr.
Tharit said Mr. Wirapol had requested that he is to meet with the DSI chief personally, that he
would be released on bail after the surrender, and that the DSI treat his case with
justice.

The DSI chief told our correspondent that the DSI will definitely fulfil Mr.
Wirapol′s, as DSI investigates with fairness, and allow suspects to bail themselves
out.

Mr. Wirapol can surely be released on bail if he could affirm the DSI that he will not
leave the country or attempt to disrupt the investigation in anyway, Mr. Tharit said.

She hopes that her husband, who was arrested and jailed in the closing days of 2010
Redshirt protests in Bangkok for violating security laws by possessing a radio transmitter in his
pocket, would be freed alongside other Redshirts prisoners currently imprisoned if the Amnesty Bill
is passed.

The draft of Amnesty Bill proposed by Mr. Worachai Hema, an MP of the ruling Pheu
Thai Party, is due to be debated in the Parliament on 7 August. It promises immediately release, and
amnesty, for Redshirts protesters jailed for their alleged crimes during the 2010
protests.

The prosecutor charged him with possession of explosives and
communication device, arguing that he was coordinating unlawful attacks on security forces. Mr.
Prasong′s wife contended that the charge and the evidence of explosives were falsely placed against
him, insisting that he was only carrying a small radio transmitter on that day.

Nevertheless,
the court decided that the prosecutor′s evidences are adequate, sentencing Mr. Prasong to 9 years and 4
months in prison.

In Ms. Jintana′s case, she and her daughter had to
skip work frequently in order to attend numerous court hearings in Bangkok. She had attempted to
have Mr. Prasong released on bail as he fought his case, but the court never granted it.

The woman told police she was riding home on her motorcycle when she saw a
man struggling to pull his motorbike along the road near Nong Samrong Power Plant.

She
reportedly offered the man, later identified as Mr. Settha Sinchai, 19, the ride home. He agreed and
tied his broken vehicle with the woman′s motorcycle, then rode off together toward Mr. Settha′s
residence in Pen District.

On the way, however, Mr. Settha allegedly kicked his helper,
knocking her onto the roadside. He later punched her in the face, she said, and attempted to
sexually assault herbut was distracted by the light of an oncoming car. The woman said she ran off
from him at the moment, and she was later rescued by by-passers on the highway.

The suspect
reportedly sped away on the woman′s motorcycle. When the police searched Mr. Settha′s house, where
he lived with his wife, they found the stolen motorcycle.