Thailand Live Friday 17 Feb 2012

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Thailand On Money-Laundering Blacklist

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ring-blacklist/

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SET index closed at 1129.93, up 9.68; Bt/USD30.68; GBP48.40; AUD32.91; EUR40.16; CAD30.60; HKD3.95; SGD24.20; JPY38.59

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Criminal Court hands down 636-yr jail term for man who falsified tax receipt, sentence commuted by half due to confession /TANN

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21 Million Baht multinational Email scammers arrested in Pattaya

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Detectives travel to Thailand to seek justice for Kirsty

Section Community | Published on 17 Feb 2012

Senior Detectives from Dyfed Powys Police are meeting officials from the Thai Authorities in Chiang Mai next week to discuss the progress being made in the investigation into the murder of Kirsty Jones, a student from Brecon that took place in August 2000.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/534349-detectives-travel-to-thailand-to-seek-justice-for-kirsty-jones/page__view__findpost__p__5064545

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Arrest Warrants to Be Sought for 5th, 6th Blast Suspects

The Thai prosecutor is speeding up coordinating with the Malaysian counterpart in seeking the Iranian blast suspect's extradition to be prosecuted in Thailand.

Meanwhile, police are also set to issue arrest warrants for the fifth and sixth blast suspects, who are believed to be Middle Eastern men, after security cameras captured them leaving the rented house where the bomb went off early Tuesday morning, .

Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Police Lieutenant General Winai Thongsong gave an update on the investigation into the triple bomb blasts on Sukhumvit Soi 71 on Tuesday.

Winai said police are preparing to issue an arrest warrant for the fifth suspect, who is believed to be a Middle Eastern man.

Security camera footage taken in the area showed that the man left the rented house, where the first explosion took place.

He was caught on tape leaving at around 7 A.M Tuesday morning, before the bomb went off.

The city police also revealed that a search was carried out at a room in Nasa Vegas Building in the Ramkhamhaeng area, where another female suspect, Rohani Leila, had been renting an apartment since December, before fleeing back to Tehran on Tuesday after the blasts.

He said they collected evidence from Liela's room and that it has been sent for further examination at the National Police Office's Forensic Science Division where they will scrutinize it to determine whether the evidence is linked with the three explosions.

All police stations under the Metropolitan Police Bureau have also been ordered to keep a close watch on apartments and rented houses where foreign nationals are residing, particularly in the Nana, Khao San and Klong Tan areas.

Later in the day, Deputy National Police chief, Police General Parnsiri Prapawat as the chief of the investigation team, revealed that the investigators are collecting further witnesses and evidence to seek more suspects involved in the case.

He also confirmed the city police chief's early statement that the police have now found the fifth suspect.

However, the deputy national police stated that the Immigration Police Bureau checked the footage from the security cameras and were able to identify the fifth suspect as Nikkhahfard Javad, a 52-year-old man who was seen leaving the house where the first blast took place.

Moreover, the authorities also found another Middle Eastern man, approximately 160 centimeters tall, who was with the fugitive female suspect when the two were renting the house.

The Klong Tan police are gathering more evidence to seek the Southern Criminal Court's approval for arrest warrants against the fifth and sixth suspects for illegal possession of bomb devices which caused explosions that posted physical danger and damaged properties, among other charges.

In the meantime, Wanchai Rujanawong, director-general of the Office of the Attorney General's Foreign Affairs Bureau, said the office has received a letter requesting the extradition of Seda Ghatzadeh Masoud, who was arrested in Malaysia, from the National Police Office.

He said the Attorney General Office will coordinate with the Malaysian government to send the suspect back to Thailand through the Extradition Treaty between Siam and Britain.

The Attorney General Office is now examining evidence and witnesses submitted by the police office. Once the evidence scrutiny is complete, the office will translate them into English and send to the Malaysian prosecutor.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-17

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Security Heightened at Airports

Security has been heightened particularly at airports inationwide after 14 countries have issued travel warnings for Thailand's six provinces as they are at risk of terrorist attacks.

Ubon Ratchathani Governor Surapol Saiphan ordered officials at the airport in his province to beef up security measures.

He is also providing additional police and bomb disposal unit officials to monitor high-risk areas nearby. Measures include checking bags and all personal belongings, given the fact that there are many flights to Phuket and Chaing Mai going in and out of the airport. There have been no reports of suspicious activities or unusual movement yet.

The results of the survey of tourist confidence regarding the travel advisories showed that they are not very worried about the bombing incident or the travel alert.

One French citizen staying in Uthai Thani said he is not nervous and remains confident about safety in Thailand. He also said that Thai people, Thai food and many places in Thailand really impressed him.

Sumit Khiawkhachee, the president of the chamber of commerce in Trad Province, disclosed that the Bangkok blast incident on Tuesday and travel advisories issued by 14 countries regarding the terror threat in Thailand has affected tourism in Trad. Most of the tourists are Russians and there are very few Asian tourists such as Chinese, Japanese, Koreans and Taiwanese.

He said the government must reassure people and communicate clearly how it is handling the situation as well as clearly answer any questions. If it cannot do so effectively, there will be negative consequences in the future.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-17

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RT@BreakingNews: Member of Dutch royal family buried by avalanche in Austria - Austrian news agency APA via @Reuters

RT@mpoppel: BREAKING -- Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau has been buried by avalanche in Austria, reports local media

RT@mpoppel: REU: RESCUE CREWS PULL OUT DUTCH PRINCE JOHAN FRISO AFTER 15 MINUTES UNDER SNOW

RT@mpoppel: REU: DUTCH PRINCE JOHAN FRISO TRANSFERRED TO HOSPITAL IN AUSTRIA

RT@mpoppel: ANP: Friso is in a critical condition

RT@mpoppel: NOS News: Lech mayor says Friso was resuscitated and rushed to Innsbruck hospital

RT@mpoppel: Dutch gov't statement: Prince Friso has been hospitalized in the intensive care unit of Innsbruck hospital

RT@mpoppel: Dutch gov't statement: Doctors treating Friso describe his condition as stable but not out of life danger

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Thailand Live Saturday 18 Feb 2012

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