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Having a drink with family is an essential part of Songkran for many in the Northeast even though they are aware of the dangers. Charoen Wienwan, 54, sits and watches as a relative lies in a hospital bed suffering the advanced stages of liver cancer. He is not afraid. He still drinks heavily even though he knows this is a cause of many serious illnesses and road accidents. "Of course, I know that drink driving leads to road accidents. But it's impossible not to drink during Songkran," Mr Charoen said.

Having a drink with family is an essential part of Songkran for many in the Northeast even though they are aware of the dangers. Charoen Wienwan, 54, sits and watches as a relative lies in a hospital bed suffering the advanced stages of liver cancer. He is not afraid. He still drinks heavily even though he knows this is a cause of many serious illnesses and road accidents. "Of course, I know that drink driving leads to road accidents. But it's impossible not to drink during Songkran," Mr Charoen said.

 Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said yesterday he would fully exercise his authority by all means to bring fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to justice in Thailand. A group of Thai officials would be dispatched to Dubai next week to inform officials about the Thai Government's concern, as Thaksin regularly used the Gulf state as a base to phone in and provoke his red shirted supporters, he said.  Representatives of the Attorney-General's Office were talking with their counterparts in Hong Kong to conclude an extradition treaty, enabling the Government to detain Thaksin if he appeared in the territory, he said. "I speak frankly, this is a struggle between two ideologies. We want democracy, monarchy and constitution but they [Thaksin's group] don't," Kasit told a meeting of the ruling Democrat Party.

 Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said yesterday he would fully exercise his authority by all means to bring fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to justice in Thailand. A group of Thai officials would be dispatched to Dubai next week to inform officials about the Thai Government's concern, as Thaksin regularly used the Gulf state as a base to phone in and provoke his red shirted supporters, he said.  Representatives of the Attorney-General's Office were talking with their counterparts in Hong Kong to conclude an extradition treaty, enabling the Government to detain Thaksin if he appeared in the territory, he said. "I speak frankly, this is a struggle between two ideologies. We want democracy, monarchy and constitution but they [Thaksin's group] don't," Kasit told a meeting of the ruling Democrat Party.

 Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said yesterday he would fully exercise his authority by all means to bring fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to justice in Thailand. A group of Thai officials would be dispatched to Dubai next week to inform officials about the Thai Government's concern, as Thaksin regularly used the Gulf state as a base to phone in and provoke his red shirted supporters, he said.  Representatives of the Attorney-General's Office were talking with their counterparts in Hong Kong to conclude an extradition treaty, enabling the Government to detain Thaksin if he appeared in the territory, he said. "I speak frankly, this is a struggle between two ideologies. We want democracy, monarchy and constitution but they [Thaksin's group] don't," Kasit told a meeting of the ruling Democrat Party.