Jonathan Fairfield

English language live stream of the Royal Cremation of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej

 

 

 

 

To access English language commentary, click on the 'switch camera' icon and select ENG.

 

Bitcoin is 'Enron in the making', Saudi Prince Alwaleed says

 

RIYADH (Reuters) - Billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns investment firm Kingdom Holding, expressed skepticism about cryptocurrencies in an interview with CNBC on Monday, warning that bitcoin was like "Enron in the making".

 

Prince Alwaleed, whose company invests in major U.S. companies such as Citigroup and Twitter, said a lack of regulation made such cryptocurrencies risky.

 

"I just don't believe in this bitcoin thing. I think it's going to implode one day. It's Enron in the making," he said, referring to the U.S. energy company that filed for bankruptcy in 2001 after revelations of a widespread accounting fraud.

 

"This thing does not make sense. It's unregulated. It's not under the control of the U.S. Federal Reserve or any other central bank," he added.

 

Bitcoin is a virtual currency that has gained more than 500 percent this year, more than any other tradable asset class.

 

Prince Alwaleed also said the valuation of electric car maker Tesla Inc was "too exuberant" for him to invest.

 

"I would rather not comment on that because maybe some people think the valuation is right, but it's not for me to enter [at] that price obviously. It's too exuberant for me right now."

 

He added that U.S. ride services company Lyft had been better priced than rival Uber when his investment firm bought into it.

 

He said he was "very happy" with his investment in Citigroup and saw potential for the share price to rise above $100. It has been trading at around $73.

 

SAFETY VALVE

 

Prince Alwaleed also said he was not considering merging AccorHotels and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, in which Kingdom Holding owns stakes.

 

On the initial public offering of Saudi Aramco, which its CEO reiterated would take place next year, Prince Alwaleed said the transaction would act as a "safety valve" for Saudi Arabia.

 

"If you go 5 percent, there's nothing that prohibits you from going another 5 percent next year, and 5 percent the third year and fourth year, and so forth, depending on the situation."

 

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said last year the country was considering listing about 5 percent of Aramco in a deal that could raise $100 billion, if the company is valued at about $2 trillion as hoped.

 

CEO Nasser on Monday brushed off reports about China emerging as a frontrunner in a possible plan to delay the IPO and sell shares to sovereign funds.

 

"I'm not a member of the government but I read these reports, and I will not be surprised if China will be looking at this opportunity," Prince Alwaleed said.

 

"China depends on oil and will depend on oil for a long time to come. And Saudi Arabia is an anchor exporter of oil to China."

 

(Reporting by Katie Paul, Maha El Dahan, Alexander Cornwell and Reem Shamseddine; Writing by Sylvia Westall; Editing by David Holmes)

 

Big money stays away from booming bitcoin

 

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Bitcoin is booming, digital currency hedge funds are sprouting at the rate of two a week and the value of all cryptocurrencies has surged tenfold this year to more than $170 billion.

 

Yet for all the hype, mainstream institutional investors are steering clear of the nascent market, taking the view that it is too lightly regulated, too volatile and too illiquid to risk investing other people's money in.

 

Bitcoin, the biggest and most well-known cryptocurrency, has outperformed all the world's traditional currencies each year since 2011, except for 2014. But many investors still view it as an opaque, esoteric instrument used by gun-runners and drug-dealers on the Dark Web that should be avoided.

 

This year, though, a flood of new hedge funds focused on cryptocurrencies has offered institutional investors who might be unfamiliar with the market a potential route into the world of digital currencies.

 

According to Autonomous NEXT, a financial technology research house, 84 so-called crypto hedge funds have been launched this year, taking the total to 110 with about $2.2 billion in assets altogether.

 

But the fact most of the funds are relatively small with a limited track record - and that cryptocurrency price swings have been so pronounced - means the world's pension funds, insurance companies and large mutual funds are staying away.

 

"While cryptocurrencies are probably here to stay, they are difficult to analyse, wildly volatile and some may be prone to fraud," said Trevor Greetham at Royal London Asset Management (RLAM), part of the Royal London life insurance company.

 

"Diversification is a good thing but that doesn't mean investing in everything just because it's there. We favour assets with a long track record in producing returns or reducing risks," said Greetham, who heads RLAM's multi asset team.

 

Autonomous NEXT partner Lex Sokolin said there were probably only a couple of funds worth several hundred million dollars with most in the $5 million to $20 million range - well below the threshold most institutional investors would consider.

 

"For many institutional, discretionary fund managers, those funds wouldn't get cleared because the big question would be around liquidity," said James Butterfill, head of investment strategy at ETF Securities in London.

 

'BUBBLES, BOOMS AND BUSTS'

 

One way mainstream money managers could get exposure is by investing in a basket of hedge funds that includes a crypto fund. But the head of hedge funds at a major European bank that invests in more than 100 hedge funds said there were no crypto funds in his portfolio.

 

"It's a very controversial proposition," said the banker, who declined to be named. "It's unlikely that the most established hedge funds will make big bets on this because you could put your core business at risk."

 

Determining the value of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is tricky. There are almost 17 million bitcoins in existence now but the total supply is limited to 21 million, and that won't be reached until the next century.

 

Bitcoin's total value, or market capitalisation, is close to $100 billion, bigger than U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley. At the start of the year it was just $15 billion. Ethereum, the second-biggest cryptocurrency, is now worth almost $30 billion.

 

"If the supply is truly fixed then the price of these securities are determined purely by demand which, in turn, is determined largely by sentiment," said Ken Dickson, investment director, money markets and FX at Aberdeen Standard Investments.

 

"This means huge price swings with bubbles, booms and busts. Unless the supply processes of these instruments are reformed then it is unlikely that they will play any part of an investment portfolio," he said.

 

Bitcoin has been on a rollercoaster ride this year. After hitting what was then a record high just below $5,000 in early September it lost about a third of its value in less than two weeks. It has since almost doubled in price again, to new highs near $6,000.

 

Ethereum has been even more erratic. Its price surged almost 50 times from the start of the year to June, before falling back by about a fifth, according to industry website CoinDesk.

 

That kind of volatility means committees at institutional investment firms looking at the relative risks of asset classes are likely to rule out cryptocurrencies, asset managers said.

 

"Your risk-budgeting committee will say: you can't hold a lot of that because of the amount it increases risk in your portfolio," said Butterfill. "I do expect volatility to decrease over time but risk budget teams tend to look historically."

 

EARLY DAYS

 

For now, those investing in crypto funds are high-net worth individuals, companies managing money for wealthy families, private wealth managers and some venture capital investors.

 

"It's clear there's money piling into these funds," said Emad Mostaque, co-chief investment officer at the London office of South African hedge fund firm Capricorn Fund Managers. "There's just not that institutional investor comfort yet."

 

Alistair Milne, co-founder of the Mayfair-based Altana Digital Currency Fund, likens investment in crypto funds to the start of the hedge fund boom in the early 1990s, when wealthy individuals were the first to invest in a raft of new funds making high returns.

 

"It always starts with the high-net worth individuals," he said. "It wasn't until 2004-2005 that institutional investors started getting involved in those."

 

The new crypto hedge funds take a variety of approaches, betting on new coins issued to raise funds via so-called initial coin offerings (ICOs), price direction or differentials between rates on the many cryptocurrency exchanges.

 

One new fund, the London-based BitSpread, says its $25 million market-neutral fund - which trades on price differentials alone - gives major investors a way into the market without exposing them to violent price swings.

 

The fund is up 32 percent so far this year, having managed to exploit the kind of arbitrage possible in a young market where large price gaps exist.

 

"(Institutional investors) haven't invested in this ecosystem yet because they haven't yet found the right vehicle," said Cedric Jeanson, BitSpread's founder.

 

(Reporting by Jemima Kelly and Maiya Keidan; additional reporting by Claire Milhench; editing by David Clarke)

 

Getting divorced in Thailand? Here's what you need to know

 

 

PHUKET: Panuwat Somrit is a Phuket lawyer specializing in property. He has been practicing law for the past six years. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Ramkhamhaeng University.

 

Here he talks about how divorce is regulated in Thailand.

 

In Thailand, it is possible to file for two types of divorce: a Contested Divorce or an Uncontested Divorce. The former tends to be very costly whilst the latter, also known as an Administrative Divorce, is cheaper and less complicated. It is highly recommended that you seek professional legal advice in Thailand before agreeing to sign any documentation with regard to divorce proceedings.

 

There are different types of divorces and each process is different:

 

UNCONTESTED DIVORCE: An uncontested divorce is the cheapest, quickest and therefore most common way to sever a marital contract in Thailand. Thai law states that to file for an uncontested divorce, a mutual agreement to end the marriage is suffice and no further grounds for divorce are required. Both parties must present themselves at the local registrar (known as amphur, amphoe or khet) to apply.

 

CONTESTED DIVORCE: A contested divorce may be filed for if only one party wishes to apply to sever the marital contract. Proceedings will take place in a court of law. Contested divorce proceedings may be served when there are definite grounds for divorce under Thai law. Common grounds for divorce include absenteeism in the marriage that has been detrimental to the relationship, conflict over the custody of children and disputed ownership of property and assets. If these problems cannot be settled in a personal manner, then court proceedings may be taken to end the marriage and make a judgement upon the dispute. Couples whose marriage has been registered in another country but having been working or living in Thailand for some time may also apply for a contested divorce.

 

DIVORCE – THAI & THAI: Most commonly, Thai couples will file for an uncontested divorce in order to avoid any further disputes between themselves and their families. All issues such as child custody, financial support and property rights and ownership are resolved privately without legal assistance. In some cases where an agreement on one of more issues cannot be made, they may seek the assistance of a lawyer to begin proceedings for the drafting of a divorce agreement which then must be registered at the local amphur.

 

DIVORCE – THAI & FOREIGNER: Commerce, globalisation and tourism have all been responsible for a surge in foreign interest in Thailand. With a growing expat population, marriages between Thai nationals and foreigners has become increasingly common. However, as with all marriages, strained relationships for one reason or another can sometimes lead to divorce.

 

In these cases, it is usual for a Thai spouse to suggest an uncontested divorce, as this is the most common form of divorce in Thailand. However, foreigners must be aware that an uncontested divorce is not recognised all in countries, whilst some countries only recognise this form of divorce in special circumstances. Before committing to an uncontested divorce it is recommended that you seek advice prior to proceeding, especially if you plan to get remarried.
 
DIVORCE – FOREIGNER & FOREIGNER: In the case of two foreigners wishing to file for divorce, it is highly recommended that you seek the professional advice of a Thai divorce lawyer before beginning your proceedings. Some countries may not recognise a divorce that has been sanctioned in Thailand and therefore prior research or legal advice may be needed before beginning the process.
 

Contact us NOW 

 

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Bitcoin soars to record high above $6,000

By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss

 

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bitcoin surged to a record high of more than $6,000 on Friday, pushing its market capitalization to $100 billion at one point, as investors continued to bet on an asset that has a limited supply and has paved the way for a whole slew of crypto-currencies.

 

The original virtual currency has gained over 500 percent this year, more than any other tradable asset class. Bitcoin though is very volatile - posting gains and losses as high as 26 percent and 16 percent respectively on any given day.

 

On Friday, bitcoin hit a record peak $6,000.10 <BTC=BTSP> on the BitStamp platform, and was last at $5,964.24, up 4.7 percent on the day.

 

Bitcoin is a digital currency that can either be held as an investment, or used as a foundation for future applications through the blockchain, its underlying technology. The blockchain is a digital ledger of transactions.

 

It is more scarce though than most people realize. The number of bitcoins in existence is not expected to exceed 21 million.

 

Analysts said it was a combination of factors that drove Friday's surge in price.

 

Charles Hayter, co-founder of data analysis website Cryptocompare in London said hopes that China will soften its regulatory stance on crypto-currencies helped bitcoin's cause.

 

"As China ... fears fade, the price is unlocked and driven by demand and buyers entering the markets," said Hayter.

 

Over the summer, China has banned the practice of raising capital through the sale of tokens to the public in what is known as initial coin offerings. It has also ordered the shutdown of digital currency exchanges.

 

But many in the market believe the Chinese ban is temporary.

 

"China would not want to be left out of the digital currency market nor the development of blockchain applications in general," said Jason English, vice president of Protocol Marketing, at Sweetbridge, a global alliance in Zug, Switzerland that aims to use blockchain to create a liquid supply chain.

 

"As much as 60 percent of the world's bitcoin mining is happening in China, and therefore, many of the large ... investments in ICO projects have also been coming from crypto-currency holders in China, whether directly or indirectly," English added.

 

Sean Walsh, a partner at venture capital firm Redwood City, Ventures in Redwood City, California, also believes investors have been going back into bitcoin given the still uncertain global regulatory environment on crypto-currencies.

 

A big part of bitcoin's recent surge was the ICO craze, which exploded this year. Bitcoins and ether, another digital currency, are used to purchase tokens for ICOs.

 

(Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss; editing by Diane Craft)

 

2 hours ago, blazes said:

This is shocking....what starts off as what seems to be a regular news story ends up being an advertisement for chiropractice.

 

Not cricket.

This is an advertorial and labelled as such at the top of the page

Knee Pain: Cause vs Effect
 

Knee pain has always been a big problem for human beings, especially as we age. But even younger people can experience achy knees typically from sports and accidents.

 

If you go to the doctor to check your painful knee, and it is not a surgical condition, he will usually give you a prescription for anti inflammatory and pain medication. If this doesn't work he may inject the knee with anti inflammatory drugs. If that doesn't work he may recommend physical therapy. The main focus is on the symptom... not the cause.

What they often don't realize is that the cause of the problem might be in the feet, the pelvis, or low back. These areas must be checked as well for proper balance and positioning. A twisted pelvis, for example, can lead to improper muscle tone in the thighs resulting in imbalanced pulling on the knees. Likewise, if the nerves from the low back are irritated, the areas serviced by those nerves, like leg muscle and the knee joint, may become inflamed and painful. 
 
Just using pills or injections may not correct the underlying cause of the condition. Doctors of chiropractic are specially trained to examine not only the knee joint itself, but also the feet, pelvis, and low back to see if they are properly balanced and functioning correctly. If you need additional care, we are always ready to refer if indicated. 
 
If you had a stone in your shoe, would you take a pill to get rid of the pain? Of course not... you would take off your shoe and get the stone out, right? The same should be true about most health conditions, like knee pain. Take care of the cause and the symptoms will usually disappear too.

 

Call us to see if we can help you! 094-949-9614 or 02-639-7300
 

 

An off topic post and the reply has been removed. 

Garbage-strewn scene at Jomtien Beach after floodwater drains out to sea

 

 

Several foreigners still sunbathed on Jomtien Beach in Chon Buri province on Monday despite the garbage strewn across many parts of the beach following downpour-induced floods.

 

“When the floodwater drained out to sea, it brought along garbage. Waves then brought the garbage ashore,” said Santi Thianthong, operator of a beach-bed rental business. Another operator,

 

Chatwarin Wongthong, said the authorities should help clean up the beach, or else Jomtien’s image would be negatively affected.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30329426

 

 

 

Wish you were here - you could help us pick up the trash on the beach....

 

Image: Sophon Cable

 

Every picture tells a story. This one comes from Jomtien beach in Pattaya where two foreign men are doing a spot of sunbathing.

 

They have found a spot on the beach to get some rays but are surrounded by great piles of trash.

 

Sophon Cable TV reported Monday that the recent heavy rains had made the trash on the beach situation in Pattaya much worse.

 

Operators confirmed the image saying it was the worst they had ever seen it.

 

Trash from the city after heavy rains had poured into the sea and then been blown back to shore competing with the tourists for space on the beach.

 

Sophon said there were heaps of plastic bottles, plastic bags, driftwood and filthy trash over several hundred meters of beach.

 

The situation from North to South Pattaya was not much better prompting the mayor of the resort Anan Jaroenchasri to order his men to clean up the unsightly mess - again....

 

Source: https://www.facebook.com/STVPattaya/posts/1681916321829295

 

 

 

Have you seen these Russians? Phangan police and hotels want a word

 

 

 

A Thai woman went on Facebook to appeal for information in connection with two Russian men she said are conning their way around Thailand.

 

The men - one of whom appears at be aged 24 - had left a Samui hotel without paying prompting the owner or their representative to follow them to Koh Phangan.

 

Here they had also left the Great Bay Resort without paying for the room and food. CCTV showed them leaving the resort on October 13th at 5.30 am in the morning.

 

They left on two motorcycles that had not been returned to a rental shop near the port and were due back on 9th October. Police had been informed about that.

 

In addition another motorcycle the men had rented was in the resort parking lot.

 

It is also believed the men are on overstay their visas having run out on the 12th.

 

Some Russian ID had been given to one of the bike rental shops as surety, said Chayanuch Tuaycharoen on Facebook as she appealed to the online community to track them down.

 

If they are found the tourist police on Koh Phangan should be informed.

 

BREAKING: 7-Elevens nationwide to close on afternoon of Oct. 26

 

If you live in Thailand, you know that one thing is certain. 7-Eleven never closes. On Oct. 26, that will change.

 

All 10,000 branches of the ubiquitous convenience store will close on that Thursday afternoon in order to mourn the death of late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and observe the royal cremation, CP All announced this afternoon.

 

7-Eleven, which traditionally remains open 24/7 and never closes under any circumstance, will close their doors at 2:30pm on the 26th and reopen at midnight.

 

Full story: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/breaking-7-elevens-nationwide-to-close-on-afternoon-of-oct-26/

 

 

 

What You Really Want to Know About Cryptocurrency Trading for Beginners

 

 

Have you ever imaged yourself Trading Cryptocurrencies?

Now there are well over 1000 cryptocurrencies or also known as Alt-coins with Bitcoins dominating this market with almost 50% dominance.

 

Many people have been asking me how I’m able to earn consistently and profitably Day-trading Crypto-currencies.

They can’t imagine what to look for out of all those Coins on the market and when to buy. And they want to know which coins are in demand and when to buy.

 

For those who haven’t yet started trading cryptocurrencies or just starting then at it’s most fundamental level is to correctly position yourself in a coin that is due to increase in value whether in a gradual way or sky rocket.

 

It isn’t just a case of calling it buying and selling as there are cycles of a coin that need to be addressed first. To become successful and skilled in crypto-currency trading needs an investment in yourself first even before you think about getting some Bitcoins. According to a recent study approx only 6% of those studied are aware of Bitcoins, it’s current price, potential and implications. Are you one of those? If so, you may know that the price has increased dramatically from just 0.10 USD 7 years ago to almost 5,000 USD today.

 

In order for you to profit from Bitcoins and Alt-coins you’ll need to enter the crypto market with the correct mentality and approach.

 

You may have heard before that you usually need to lose hundreds of dollars during the learning curve as a beginner. But I just don’t accept that, it is truly unnecessary and unnaceptable. For beginners, I don’t accept any losses. As friends and family have began their journey into Cryptocurrencies I support and ensure they minimize and manage their risk to minimize losses in the long term.

 

The best analogy that’s helped me to progress fairly quickly at Trading is that this game is like owning a Store. You have many products to choose from as in Alt-coins, you buy at wholesale and sell at retail or at a premium. Many traders make the mistake of buying at retail and then trying to sell at a premium price which often gets them burned with losses.

 

We are no different than store owners who buy at the cheapest wholesale prices who then sell at retail or at a premium during a time of high demand only. The majority of Traders lose out because of a lack of fundamental understanding and preparation before doing anything. Enter with the correct mindset, the right game plan, patience and decision making, then that’s the beginning of successful, consistent and profitable trading.

 

Bio:  Dominik is a Digital Currency Consultant and Day Trader who helps beginners make a safe and secure entry into profiting from crypto-currencies and blockchains.

 

Join him during the 18-19th November, Too Fast To Sleep, 762 Rama 4 Rd., Si Phraya, Bang Rak, Bangkok

 

More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/137228940336130/?__mref=mb

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Police order bars in Bangkok and Pattaya to close on Friday

 

 

Bars in some of the most popular night spots in Bangkok and Pattaya were told they would not be allowed to serve alcohol on Friday October 13.

 

Police visited bars in the Nana area late on Friday afternoon to tell them that no alcohol can be served before midnight, while bars in Nana Plaza was ordered to close completely.

 

Bars in Patpong will also be closed while a bar owner in Soi Cowboy told Thaivisa bars will be open but not serving alcohol before midnight.

 

Thaivisa also understands that police visited bars in east Pattaya ordering them to close on Friday.

 

However, we spoke to managers of bars in Walking Street and Soi LK Metro who told us that as of 6pm on Friday they had not been visited by police and were not aware of any orders to close or restrictions on alcohol sales. 

 

Friday October 13 marks the one year anniversary of the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

 

It is not known if the restrictions on alcohol sales will be applied nationwide on Friday or just in Pattaya and Bangkok.

 

We are awaiting confirmation on any restrictions in Hua Hin and Phuket and will update this post when we have more information.

UPDATE

 

Pattaya 

8:40PM - All bars in Soi LK Metro told to close. Large police presence in Pattaya this evening. Thaivisa understands senior officers from Bangkok supervising local police.

 

Hua Hin - bars open as normal.

 

 

Bitcoin trades above $5,000 for first time ever

 

 

By Jemima Kelly

LONDON (Reuters) - Bitcoin smashed through the $5,000 barrier for the first time on Thursday, jumping as much as 8 percent on the day as investors shrugged off the latest warnings on the risks of buying into the booming cryptocurrency market.

 

Bitcoin, the biggest and best-known cryptocurrency, has chalked up a more than fivefold increase in price this year.

 

Typically for bitcoin, which at less than nine years old is still highly volatile and illiquid compared with traditional currencies and assets, the precise reason for its recent tear was unclear.

 

Upcoming splits in its software, reports that Goldman Sachs is considering offering bitcoin trading, rumours that China could ease restrictions, and even a political crisis in Spain's Catalonia region were all cited by market-watchers as reasons for the rally.

 

But the main factor could simply be demand from investors wanting 'in' on a market that has provided gains exceeding those of any other currency in every year bar one since 2010.

 

"People are just wanting to be part of it," said Ryan Nettles, head of FX trading and market strategy at Swiss bank Swissquote, which launched bitcoin trading two months ago. Nettles said interest had been much higher than anticipated and has come from banks, hedge funds and brokers.

 

"The interest really stems from the media hype," he added.

 

On Wednesday Russian President Vladimir Putin warned of the "serious risks" surrounding the nascent market, while Russia's central bank said it would ban cryptocurrency trading websites.

 

But that was not enough to put investors off, with bitcoin rallying around 10 percent since then.

 

Data released last week from SEMrush, a search engine data analytics firm, found the price had a 91 percent correlation with Google searches on bitcoin, suggesting that all news -- whether negative or positive -- drives up demand, even if bad news can have a temporary negative effect.

 

Bitcoin almost reached $5,000 at the start of September, but fell back sharply after the head of JP Morgan blasted the cryptocurrency as a "fraud" and as China forced exchanges to close down, sparking fears of a broader crackdown.

 

But after dipping below $3,000 in mid-September, bitcoin has leapt in value by more than 75 percent in four weeks.

 

"Bitcoin was designed to operate outside of the influence of governments and central banks, and is doing exactly that," said Iqbal Gandham, Managing Director at retail trading app eToro, which has seen huge increases in cryptocurrency trading volumes.

 

CRYPTO-RIVALS ALSO RALLY

 

By 1245 GMT, bitcoin was trading up 8 percent on the day around $5,200 on Luxembourg-based exchange Bitstamp.

 

Though there have been many warnings about a bitcoin "bubble", including from European Central Bank Deputy Governor Vitor Constancio, some say it has much further to climb. But determining its value is difficult.

"For most currencies there are several accepted methodologies for estimating relative value, normally based on macroeconomic fundamentals," said EFG Asset Management's Global Head of Research, Daniel Murray. "For bitcoin no such fundamentals exist."

 

Other cryptocurrencies -- whose prices tend to be highly correlated to bitcoin -- also rallied. Their total value -- or market capitalisation -- climbed above $160 billion for the first time since early September, according to industry website Coinmarketcap.com.

 

Two upcoming "forks" in the bitcoin software code, which will create rival clones of the cryptocurrency, were seen by some as a reason for the rise in price, which saw a boost after the "Bitcoin Cash" clone was created at the start of August.

 

"Investors are seeing the lessons of history in the up-and-coming forks and hoping for an extra dividend," said Charles Hayter, co-founder of data analysis website Cryptocompare, adding that rumours on online forums that China could reopen exchanges could also be affecting the price.

 

(Additional reporting by Jamie McGeever; Editing by Catherine Evans)

 

UPDATE

 

Video: Thai gold shop owner floors Aussie pensioner in school parking lot

 

Image: Daily News

 

A video taken by a news reporter showed an angry 28 year old Thai man floor a 72 year old pensioner with a fist to the face in a Pattaya
school parking lot.

 

The assault was right in front of a traffic policeman who was trying to sort out a road rage incident that had happened earlier.

 

Gerard Collins was left with a bloodied face as his 8 year old Thai/Aussie daughter rushed to his side and teachers and students looked on.

Seconds earlier 28 year old Sumeth Rungratanaphan had said: "I have (a) clip - you wanna kill me".

 

No charges have yet been made as injury reports have been requested by police.

 

Daily News said in their headline that it "was not known yet who was in the wrong" after Sumeth claimed that before going to the school the Australian had come at him with a chef's knife.

 

The Daily News reporter was picking up his own child when he became aware of the incident that was developing at Aksorn Suksa School in Soi Korphai, South Pattaya.

 

He said that Sumeth - owner of gold shop "99" at Wat Chai Monkhol market - had told police that before arriving at the school he had been involved in a minor traffic scrape with the Australian.

 

Sumeth was in a white Honda Brio while the Australian was in a Nissan NV (Plate 1152). The Australian was indicating to turn right so Sumeth passed on the left but there was a coming together.

 

He claimed that the Australian wound down the window and started swearing.

 

Image: Daily News

 

Sumeth told the reporter: "I stopped and got out. But he went to his boot and got an "Ito" knife and came to attack me. There was blood running out of wounds on my left and right arms.

 

"I fled in fear of my life. He slashed at my car with his knife causing two windows to be smashed and then he fled the scene".

 

This all allegedly happened at the end of Soi Korphai.

 

""I saw him drive into the school", continued Sumeth, "so I called police and followed him in there".

 

Pictures showed that there was also window damage to the Australian's car.

 

Once in the school police tried to sort out what had happened.

 

Image: Daily News

 

Meanwhile the wife of Sumeth, cradling their one year old baby, filmed along with the reporter.

 

Then in front of shocked teachers and students Sumeth lost his temper and aimed one punch at the Aussie flooring him in front of the policeman.

 

The Australian's 8 year old daughter who he was picking up from the school came out and rushed to her father's side.

 

Through her he gave his side of the story saying about the Thai man:

 

"He was going to attack me first. I got the knife to protect myself. I didn't intend to harm him".

 

Nakornrat Nonsrilat of Pattaya police investigating said that both of the men went to hospital and he was waiting for injury reports before proceeding.

 

More witness statements would be gathered and no charges had yet been made.

 

 

 

UPDATE: Footage emerges of what happened before Aussie was floored in school parking lot