Over 2,000 live snakes valued at Bt600,000 were seized on tip-off at Suvarnabhumi Airport; shipment headed for Hong Kong /The Nation

Academics seek to separate Asean history from SE Asia

WANNAPA KHAOPA

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Not all Asean countries are in the Southeast Asian region, so the history of Asean and Southeast Asea should be separated, an academic said at a recent discussion. The seminar was also urged to write an Asean "people's history".

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Thai-born convict gets 18-year term in Norway

BY SIPPACHAI KUNNUWONG

Einar Opsahl was shot on June 18, 2011 by 31-year-old Noppadol Wanthaphirom,. Photo: BENJAMIN A. WARD

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Bangkok: Yaowarat crowded with Thai Chinese doing last-minute shopping for New Year celebration; complaints of higher priced goods /MCOT

UN World Interfaith Harmony Week held on first week of February

BANGKOK, 8 February 2013 (NNT) – The Universal Peace Foundation (Thailand) has held a seminar on the occasion of UN World Interfaith Harmony Week, which falls on the first week of February.

This year, the interfaith campaign is held under the theme of inter-religious principles for strengthening families. A seminar has been held to discuss ways to strengthen family institution in a sustainable manner.

The United Nations (UN) has declared every first week of February as UN World Interfaith Harmony Week since 2010, to promote the unity and cooperation among people of different religion beliefs.

Academics and religious experts gathered to exchange views on different religious principles, focusing on how they could help strengthen family bond. It is believed that religious teachings are important foundations for strong family bonding.

-- NNT 2013-02-08

Plan to inspect foreign businesses in Phuket

Tanyaluk Sakoot

Phuket Provincial Employment office chief Yaowapa Pibulpol.

PHUKET: -- Phuket and Bangkok officials will create a plan next week to check foreign-operated businesses on the island, the chief of the Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO) said yesterday (February 7).

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Suspect surrenders for alleged smuggling of Rohingya migrants

By Digital Media

SONGKHLA, Feb 8 – A former politician has turned himself in to the authorities in this southern Thai province on Thursday to fight charges of involvement in smuggling of Rohingya migrants into Thailand, police said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....rants-thailand/

Thai team wins Sapporo snow sculpture competition

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Feb 8 -- Thailand’s ice sculpture team has won the 40th International Snow Sculpture Contest at the 64th Sapporo Snow Festival at Odori Park, northern Japan, February 5-11.

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RT@RichardBarrow: Thailand press freedom ranked low (Bangkok Post)

HOTEL

First Vana Belle opened in Samui

The Nation

KOH SAMUI: -- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has opened Vana Belle in Koh Samui, being the third hotel in the Luxury Collection brand in Thailand aside from Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit in Bangkok and The Naka Island Resort & Spa in Phuket.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/617857-first-vana-belle-opened-in-samui/

Poll: Pongsapat favored by apartment residents, Sukhumbhand by townhouse dwellers

BANGKOK, 8 February 2013 (NNT) -- Director of ABAC Poll Research Center Noppadol Kannika reveals that Puea Thai party's Bangkok Governor hopeful Pongsapat Pongcharoen is most popular among residents of apartments, detached houses and slums, while Democrat candidate Sukhumbhand Paribatra draws as much popularity as Mr Pongsapat among residents of townhouses.

The survey by ABAC Poll indicates that 43 percent of residents of apartments and condominiums favor Mr Pongsapat, in comparison to 32.3 percent who favor Mr Sukhumband.

Similarly, residents of detached houses and slums prefer Mr Pongsapat to Mr Sukhumbhand as Bangkok Governor, according to the survey. About 40 percent of residents of detached houses and 43 percent of slum dwellers said they would vote for Mr Pongsapat. This is in contrast to 32 percent of detached house residents and 31 percent of inner-city residents who said they would vote for Mr Sukhumbhand.

However, Mr Sukhumbhand and Mr Pongsapat draw equal popularity among townhouse residents. The survey shows that 40.1 percent of townhouse residents favor Mr Sukhumbhand, while 39.9 percent go for Mr Pongsapat.

Independent candidate Sereepisuth comes third in all categories. He is the favorite among 13 percent of apartment dwellers, 11 percent of townhouse residents, 10 percent of residents of detached houses, and 6 percent among slum residents.

-- NNT 2013-02-08

'Star Wars' makeup artist Stuart Freeborn, creator of Yoda, dies

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Bird flu deaths reach five in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH -- Five people have died from bird flu in Cambodia this year, authorities said Friday, up from three for the whole of 2012.

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Bangkok Schoolgirls Bullied By Ladyboy Pimps

Bangkok police broke up a prostitution ring that advertised on a website. An undercover bust of a 14-year-old prostitute led to the arrests of ladyboy pimps. The girls told police they would be beaten at school by the ladyboys if they did not show up for work as hookers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/617870-bangkok-schoolgirls-bullied-by-ladyboys/

FOOTBALL

Chelsea kicks off against Singha All Stars on July 17

Bangkok will be the first stop on the Chelsea Football Club Asian Tour with the former Premier League champions playing the Singha Thailand AllStar XI in the Singha Cup on Wednesday, July 17.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/617871-chelsea-kicks-off-against-singha-all-stars-on-july-17

Suvarnabhumi boosts immigration officers’ number during Chinese New Year

BANGKOK, 8 February 2013 (NNT) - The Suvarnabhumi Airport, together with the Immigration Bureau, has deployed more immigration officers to cater to an influx of Chinese travelers during the Chinese New Year.

Police Major General Suwitpol Imjairat from the Immigration Bureau and Suvarnabhumi Airport Director Wilaiwan Nadwilai presided over the deployment of security officers and immigration staff. The airport has increased the number of officers to provide better service during the peak period.

During this Chinese New Year holiday or around February 6-18, the airport speculated that flights will increase by an average of 200 flights per day, while 60,000 more passengers are expected as most East Asians are on long holiday.

All immigration counters will be open. Meanwhile, eight automatic passport screening machines have recently been installed for Thai nationals. The machines are hoped to speed up the immigration process and shorten the waiting lines.

-- NNT 2013-02-08

Chinese 'Year of Snake' kicked off with roaring atmosphere

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Feb 8 – Thais of Chinese descent nationwide went on shopping sprees today as they prepared for the traditional ceremonies to pay homage to the spirits during Chinese New Year.

Tomorrow is Chinese New Year’s Eve – the day when Chinese people make offerings to the spirits and their ancestors with the belief that it will bring them luck, happiness and prosperity in the coming year.

In Bangkok’s Chinatown on Yaowaraj Road, most Chinese shoppers complained of the higher prices of commodities this which some said are 10-20 per cent higher than last year.

Chickens, ducks and pork are the main food items for offerings to the spirits. A Chinatown vendor said most shoppers refrain from extravagant buying sprees as they used to do given the exorbitant prices of goods while some families minimised their purchases.

Another vendor put the blame on the Bt300 daily minimum wage, enforced since early last month, for the price increase of commodities by 20 per cent.

In several provinces throughout Thailand, most markets are lively and crowded today with shoppers. In the eastern province of Chantaburi, adjacent to the Cambodian border, Cambodians of Chinese origin crossed the border to buy commodities at the markets there.

Sombat Chungtrakul, vice chairman of the Thai-Cambodian Border Traders and Tourism Association, said the Chinese New Year trading volume in the province is more than Bt10 million, partly thanks to the improved road condition in Cambodia.

At Pimolchai market in the provincial seat of Yala, the largest market in the three southernmost provinces, traffic on the main Siroros Raod was heavily congested with shoppers from Yala and nearby provinces. Police and military forces are on alert to prevent untoward incidents.

In the northeastern province of Nakhon Panom, Laotian people crossed the border to buy commodities and some complained that the prices were 20-30 per cent higher. Makeshift markets at border checkpoints in several districts of Nakhon Panom are crowded.

Nakhon Phanom also hosts a three-country celebration, comprising Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, to welcome the Year of the Snake on Feb 10-13. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-02-08

Thais urged not to panic over upcoming solar storms

BANGKOK, 8 February 2013 (NNT) - The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) held a seminar on the impact of solar storms that the US space agency predicted would hit the earth by May of this year.

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World Islamic body nods to Thailand’s tackling of southern violence

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Feb 8 – The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has responded positively to Thailand’s successive solutions to the long-standing violence in three southernmost provinces and offered to support the kingdom in solving the problem constructively, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said today.

Foreign Ministry Information Department Director-General Manasvi Srisodapol said the OIC’s latest reaction was made during the 12th OIC meeting in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday and Thursday.

Thailand's ambassador to Cairo, Chalit Manityakul, represented the kingdom in attending the meeting as an observer.

Mr Manasvi said feedback on Thailand regarding the chronic problem in Thailand’s Muslim-predominant provinces in the far South was positive while the OIC secretary general was asked to assist Thailand in tackling the issue.

The spokesman said the Thai Foreign Ministry was satisfied with the constructive cooperation on the part of the OIC which described Thailand’s performance as beneficial to cooperation in solving the problem in the future and to Thai Muslims in the South.

The positive attitude was partly due to visits by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to some OIC member countries such as Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait, Mr Manasvee said, adding that a field trip by Bangkok-based diplomats of the OIC countries to the far South last week was useful in creating a better understanding among them.

On the government’s plan to impose a curfew in some southern provinces, the ministry spokesman said the curfew will not affect the OIC viewpoint on Thailand as they understand the situation.

“People worldwide condemn the use of violence against innocent people. However, the government must clearly explain to the people and the outside world if [the curfew] enforced,” he said. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-02-08

Chinese Wife Possibly Murdered In Koh Samui

KOH SAMUI: -- The elder brother of a Chinese woman who drowned on Koh Samui believes she was murdered by her husband. He has asked the parliament to help him seek justice for his sister, because the husband is wealthy and may evade prosecution. A senator will personally oversee the police investigation.

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SET index closed at 1497.3, down 2.51; Bt/USD29.63; GBP46.53; AUD30.47; EUR39.61; CAD29.56; HKD3.81; SGD23.78; JPY31.89

RT @RichardBarrow: Two big events coming up at IMPACT for cycling enthusiasts: "Thailand Bike 2013" from 14-17 February and "Bangkok Bike 2013" from 2-5 May.

Swedish woman wanted for fraud is hiding in Thailand

BY ANDERS HOLM NIELSEN

Expressen.se

PATTAYA: -- A Swedish woman named Annétthe Zettergren, 58, who is suspected of fraud is hiding in Thailand. The Swedish paper Expressen published a video and photos of the woman lounging by the pool in Pattya. In Sweden she was a politician but last year she was charged with having stolen almost four million SEK from the taxpayers.

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Thailand Live Saturday 9 Feb 2013