Khao Lak crackdown – more than 300 counterfeit items seized

By Kritsada Mueanhawong

 

  

The Economic Crime Police together with the Department of Intellectual Property Officials have arrested counterfeit retailers in Khao Lak, Phang Nga, yesterday (December 17) after the retailers had been in business for 10 years. Officials from more than 20 government departments are also alleged to be involved in bribery.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016366-khao-lak-crackdown-–-more-than-300-counterfeit-items-seized/

 

'Toon' runs in Lampang, donations rise to Bt854 milllion

By The Nation

 

Charity run hero Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai was back out in the middle of the night to resume his run on Day 48 of his charity campaign in the northern province of Lampang.

 

Source: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016367-toon-runs-in-lampang-donations-rise-to-bt854-milllion/

 

"Poor targeted by cops again" as pick-up seating ban looms for New Year travel

 

Picture: Thai News Agency

 

Thai News Agency reported that online comment was rife as the Thai police intended to enforce the ban on people sitting in the back of pick-ups travelling home for the holidays.

 

Full story:  https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016368-poor-targeted-by-cops-again-as-pick-up-seating-ban-looms-for-new-year-travel/

 

Merry Christmas - 1,000 baht fines for not wearing helmets in Bangkok

 

Picture: INN

 

Motorcyclists without helmets in Bangkok will be slapped with 1,000 baht fines from December 25th.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016369-merry-christmas-1000-baht-fines-for-not-wearing-helmets-in-bangkok/

 

UPDATE:

 

Toronto homicide police take lead in probe of billionaires' deaths

By Anna Mehler Paperny

 

A police forensics photographer works outside the home of billionaire founder of Canadian pharmaceutical firm Apotex Inc., Barry Sherman and his wife Honey, who were found dead under circumstances that police described as "suspicious," in Toronto, Ontario, Canada December 16, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Helgren

 

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canadian homicide detectives on Sunday took the lead in investigating the mysterious deaths of pharmaceuticals billionaire Barry Sherman and his wife, Honey, a day after relatives complained about the handling of the case.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016154-canadian-police-probe-suspicious-deaths-of-billionaire-couple/?do=findComment&comment=12546234

Treasury will seek Cabinet’s approval for the production of new baht coins

By Thai PBS

 

 

The Treasury Department will seek Cabinet’s approval at its meeting on Tuesday (Dec 19) for a new set of Thai currency coins featuring the portrait of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn on one side of the coins.

 

Full story:  https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016370-treasury-will-seek-cabinet’s-approval-for-the-production-of-new-baht-coins/

 

Video: Seconds from disaster - motorcyclist in lucky escape as drunk driver causes destruction

 

video screenhot

 

CCTV footage from Suphanburi in the early hours of Sunday morning showed a pick-up slam into a parked vehicle and two bikes.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016371-video-seconds-from-disaster-motorcyclist-in-lucky-escape-as-drunk-driver-causes-destruction/

 

 

Bangkok "doesn't want Pattaya style trouble" as sticker forbidding Uber/Grab appears

 

Picture: Thai News Agency

 

Bangkok police are investigating after a sticker forbidding passengers to use Uber, Grab and GoBike appeared at Central World.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016379-bangkok-doesnt-want-pattaya-style-trouble-as-sticker-forbidding-ubergrab-appears/ 

 

Video: More "Who are you hooting at Road Rage" as driver grabs knife

 

Picture: Thai News Agency

 

A driver was chased with a machete after getting out of his car to question another driver who was driving threateningly.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016383-video-more-who-are-you-hooting-at-road-rage-as-driver-grabs-knife/

 

Tourism boost predicted for New Year

By The Nation

 

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects that foreign and Thai tourists will spend some Bt15.56 billion from December 29 to January 2, TAT governor Yutthasak Supasorn said on Monday.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016384-tat-predicts-tourism-boost-for-new-year/

 

When you gotta go you gotta go as Thai man in Nong Khai ends up two meters down a drain

 

Picture: Sanook

 

A motorcyclist in north east Thailand fell two meters down a roadside drain after stopping for a pee.

 

Full story:  https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016388-when-you-gotta-go-you-gotta-go-as-thai-man-in-nong-khai-ends-up-two-meters-down-a-drain/

 

British expat, 54, dies in Phuket after falling unconscious behind the wheel

Eakkapop Thongtub

 

Police inspect Mr Rolfe-Johnson's Bangkok-registered white Honda Jazz following the incident. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

 

PHUKET: A 54-year-old British expat, who was the managing director / owner of a professional building service company located in Cherng Talay, died on Saturday night after suffering chest pains and falling unconscious behind the wheel of his car in front of the Cherng Talay Wittayakom school.

 

Full story:  https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016389-british-expat-54-dies-in-phuket-after-falling-unconscious-behind-the-wheel/

 

The reason why Chrome users are jumping ship to Firefox 

BY STAFF WRITER

 

 

Google Chrome has enjoyed the lion’s share of the browser market for some time but it now seems that it may have a serious rival in the form of Firefox Quantum.

 

Full story:  https://tech.thaivisa.com/reason-chrome-users-jumping-ship-firefox/26364/

Huge fire guts footwear factory in Samut Sakhon

By Thai PBS

 

 

A footwear factory in Samut Sakhon province was  completely gutted after a fire broke out on Sunday evening (Dec 17).

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016390-huge-fire-guts footwear-factory-in-samut-sakhon/

 

Bangkok braces for cooler days ahead

By Coconuts Bangkok

 

Christmas trees outside CentralWorld shopping mall. Photo: CentralWorld/ Facebook

 

This morning, did you feel the fresh winter breeze instead of the usual humidity in the air? That’s because the temperature dropped 3-4 degrees Celsius over the weekend, and it’s going to get even cooler in Bangkok.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016391-bangkok-braces-for-cooler-days-ahead/

 

Teen model in apparent suicide in Bangkok

By The Nation 

 

A 19-year-old freelance fashion model reportedly suffering from depression was found hanged late Sunday night at her boyfriend’s house in Bangkok’s Suan Luang district.

 

Source: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016392-teen-model-in-apparent-suicide-in-bangkok/

 

Four months on, airport theft possibly solved

By The Nation

 

File photo

 

An Algerian man was arrested on arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Sunday night on an outstanding warrant for allegedly stealing Bt25,000 in cash from a British tourist’s bag at the airport in mid-August.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016393-four-months-on-airport-theft-possibly-solved/

 

How Google Chrome will kill off one of the most annoying things on the internet

BY STAFF WRITER 

 

 

Google Chrome is looking to include a built-in tool that will mute videos that automatically play when you load a web page.

 

Full story: https://tech.thaivisa.com/google-chrome-will-kill-off-one-annoying-things-internet/26367/

Spending time on Facebook can make you feel bad, Facebook admits

BY STAFF WRITER 

 

REUTERS/Thomas White

 

In somewhat of surprising move the social media giant published a blog post on Friday that highlighted the downsides of spending time on Facebook.

 

Full story: https://tech.thaivisa.com/spending-time-facebook-can-make-feel-bad-facebook-admits/26370/

All The Beer Gardens Have Been Declared Illegal – Again

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

Image: Chang World / Facebook

 

BANGKOK — A top alcohol regulator said Monday his agency is suing the popular open-air beer gardens at CentralWorld Plaza for violating advertising laws.

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016405-all-the-beer-gardens-have-been-declared-illegal-–-again/

 

SPD leader wants Merkel to relinquish finance ministry - Handelsblatt

 

Leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) Martin Schulz gives a statement at their party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, December 15, 2017. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt

 

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) leader Martin Schulz wants Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives to leave the powerful finance ministry to his centre-left party in coalition talks, a report in business daily Handelsblatt said.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016408-spd-leader-wants-merkel-to-relinquish-finance-ministry-handelsblatt/

 

UPDATE:

 

Fourth Army chief suspects business conflict behind Betong bus hijack

By Thai PBS

 

 

The Fourth Army commander says he believed business conflict might be the probable cause for the arson attack on a Betong-Bangkok bus in Yala’s Bannang Sata district on Sunday (Dec 17).

 

Full story:  https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016333-bus-seized-torched-in-yala-while-passengers-safe/?do=findComment&comment=12546961

 

UPDATE:

 

Algerian man arrested for purse snatching at Suvarnabhumi airport 

By Thai PBS

 

 

A 37-year-old Algerian traveler was arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport yesterday(Dec 17) for purse snatching after he returned to Thailand.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016393-four-months-on-airport-theft-possibly-solved/?do=findComment&comment=12546973

 

 

New bar-coded traffic violation tickets not in use in Phuket yet, confirmed

Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

A Phuket Traffic Police officers inspects paperwork in Patong. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

PHUKET: The Chief of the Phuket City Traffic Police and Dep Supt of Phuket City Police Station Lt Col Teerawat Liamsuwan has today confirmed that, contrary to other media reports, new bar-coded traffic violation tickets are not yet in use in Phuket but are likely to be later this week.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016412-new-bar-coded-traffic-violation-tickets-not-in-use-in-phuket-yet-confirmed/

 

Prawit ‘knows nothing’ about a military political party

By The Nation

 

 

Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan has dismissed renewed speculation about a bid to set up a military backed political party named Pracharat or the People’s State Party.

 

Source: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016413-prawit-‘knows-nothing’-about-a-military-political-party/

 

Father keeps nine-year-old son in cage for five years

 

A man has admitted to keeping his son, who reportedly suffers from a mental disability, inside a large wooden cage at his house in Krabi for the past five years.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016414-father-in-krabi-keeps-nine-year-old-son-in-cage-for-five-years/

 

Trump to say in security speech that China is competitor - officials

By Steve Holland

 

U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as he talks to the media on South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., before his departure to Camp David, December 16, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump will lay out a new U.S. national security strategy on Monday based on his "America First" policy and will, among other items, make clear that China is a competitor, two senior U.S. officials said on Saturday.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016415-trump-to-say-in-security-speech-that-china-is-competitor-officials/

 

Phuket’s Chao Fa West Rd to be reduced to one lane southbound until Dec 28

Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

Chao Fa West Rd southbound near Chalong Circle will closed from 10am today until next Thursday (Dec 28). Photo: The Phuket News

 

PHUKET: Traffic Police stationed at Chalong Police Station have today confirmed that the southbound side of Chao Fa West Rd will be reduced to just one lane until December 28 as road-widening works are carried out.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016418-phuket’s-chao-fa-west-rd-to-be-reduced-to-one-lane-southbound-until-dec-28/

 

Opportunities open up for people with disabilities

By The Nation

 

Department of Employment (DOE) director-general Anurak Tossarat.

 

More than 20,000 people have registered to exercise their vocational rights as per the Empowerment of Persons With Disabilities Act 2007’s Section 35, according to Department of Employment (DOE) director-general Anurak Tossarat.

 

Source: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016420-opportunities-open-up-for-people-with-disabilities/

 

Thailand To ‘Upgrade’ Munich Consulate

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

Image: Nils van der Burg / Flickr

 

BANGKOK — Thailand’s diplomatic mission in Munich is slated for expansion, with a new Consulate-General to replace its honorary representative, a top foreign affairs official said Monday.

 

Full story:  https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1016424-thailand-to-‘upgrade’-munich-consulate/