Serial water meter thieves arrested while on duty in Bang Bon

By Coconuts Bangkok

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Phuket hotel safe box robbery may be inside job

Nattha Thepbamrung

PHUKET: -- Hotel staff at the Secret Cliff Resort in Karon will be questioned following two separate incidents of safe boxes, containing large amounts of cash, being robbed in the rooms.

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RT @mpoppel: Lead Pistorius investigator facing attempted murder charges RT @TheMatthewKeys: @mpoppel He was, apparently, drunk at the time.

RT @RichardBarrow: Bangkok bus to Phnom Penh leaves Mor Chit at 8:15am. Trip takes 11 hours & costs 900 Baht. Siem Reap bus leaves at 8am (7 hours/750B).

DSI Raid Italian Boat-Builders Premises In Pattaya

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ses-in-pattaya/

Situation in deep South will improve: Defence minister

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Feb 21 - Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat reaffirmed on Thursday that the government has made the right moves to tackle violence in Thailand's insurgency-torn deep South and that the situation will improve in a few months.

The defence minister made remarks following renewed violence in the southern border region as he departed Bangkok for Yala and Pattani this morning to follow up the operations of security agencies and be briefed on the situation there, as well as hear opinions on possibly changing the currently imposed emergency decree for the Internal Security Act.

Air Chief Marshal Sukumpol insisted that the government has taken the right steps as the situation has gradually improved. In the next one or two months, he said, it will be better as violence has occurred in only 15 per cent of the entire areas.

"There is high possibility that the government will enforce the Internal Security Act in many areas. During this period concerned officials must create better understanding on the special law enforcement." said the defence minister.

If the situation there improves, ACM Sukumpol said it is possible that the cabinet will hold its meeting in the region earlier after planning to meet in November.

The defence minister is scheduled to visit the marine outpost in Narathiwat's Bacho district which was attacked by insurgents, ending with the death of 16 in the incident, in order to give moral support to the personnel there.

He also planned to visit an army base in Pattani's Thung Yang Daeng and speak on the government's policies at Inkayuthaboriharn Army Camp. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-02-21

RT @mpoppel: BBC says attempted murder charges against lead Pistorius investigator were initially dropped but reinstated yesterday

BMA ordered by court to build walkway,bicycle lane along 1 side of Saen Saep canal from Sukhumvit Soi 39 to Asoke bridge,tragic fall of woman into canal /The Nation

Kittiratt heads bank clean-up

The Nation

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has ordered Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong to be in charge of the workout at the Islamic Bank of Thailand, which faces an explosion of bad loans.

Poor reports recently led to withdrawals of more than Bt4 billion, as depositors fear the bank would go bankrupt.

Yingluck yesterday said that depositors' savings were guaranteed under the Deposit Protection Agency.

-- The Nation 2013-02-21

Phuket: Chalong gets first safety zone

PHUKET: Pol Maj Gen Choti Chavalviwat, Commander of Phuket Provincial Police yesterday (February 20) visited Soi Ta Iad in Chalong to declare it designated as the 26th Safety Zone in Phuket.

Nattha Thepbamrung

A happy resolution: Gen Choti (centre).

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/620810-phuket-chalong-gets-first-safety-zone/

Thai Industrial Sentiment Index falls to 97.3 in Jan

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Feb 21 - The Thai Industrial Sentiment Index (TISI) in January declined to 97.3 from 98.8 in December last year, according to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).

FTI chairman Payungsak Chartsutipol said the TISI reduction was because of lower production quantity, fewer overall orders, higher production costs affected directly and indirectly by the Bt300 minimum wage, rising energy prices, and worries on the Thai baht's appreciation as well as the world economy.

The Industrial Sentiment Index in the next three months is projected to reach 101.5, the projection rising from 100.6 in December last year. The growing figure is forecast to be from the overall order volume, overall sales volume, production quantity, and business profits.

Mr Payungsak said the main factors affecting the Thai industry last month were entrepreneurs' concerns on the impact of oil prices on the industrial sector, followed by currency exchange rates, the world economy, internal politics, and interest rates.

The FTI chairman said entrepreneurs asked the government to provide training courses for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in using tools to prevent risks from currency exchange rates, annul or reduce personal income tax in some cases, support entrepreneurs to group themselves to create and strengthen business networks, as well as promoting exchanges of technology and experience among entrepreneurs and academics, and between entrepreneurs to boost Thailand's industrial development. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-02-21

RT@RichardBarrow: Court orders BMA to finish building footpath & cycling lane along Saen Saeb Canal (Suk Soi 39-Asoke bridge) within 360 days (Bangkok Post)

RT@RichardBarrow: 8 Thai beaches in TripAdvisor's Top 25 Beaches in Asia: tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoic…None in the Top 25 for the world.

RT@RichardBarrow: According to WHO, Thailand is the 6th most dangerous place in the world for deaths on the roads (CH.3)

India bans import of Thai gold jewellery due to problem of smuggled gold,fake certificates of origin;until such certificates are verified to India's satisfaction /The Nation

2010 POLITICAL VIOLENCE

Inquest inclusive on who fired fatal shot in zoo worker's death

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- An inquest by the Criminal Court failed on Thursday to reach a conclusion as to whether a worker of the Dusit Zoo was killed by a soldier or a redshirt protester during a clash in April 2010.

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Police: Officer in Pistorius case facing 7 attempted murder charges

JOHANNESBURG: (AFP) -- The lead detective in the Oscar Pistorius murder case is himself facing seven attempted murder charges for shooting at a taxi in 2009 to try to stop it, police said Thursday.

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Phuket tsunami warning drill sends thousands off the beach in panic

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/620824-tsunami-warning/

BTS to raise fare in few months

BANGKOK, 21 February 2013 (NNT) – The Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company (BTS) has announced that it will raise its fare in a few months’ time to keep pace with rising labor and maintenance costs.

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RT @mpoppel: IFAX: 38 people injured during meteorite strike in Russia remain hospitalized

Small school classes upcountry are likely to be merged to assure educational quality

BANGKOK, 21 February 2013 (NNT)-The Ministry of Education is now drafting a plan to raise standards of regional education particularly in a small sized school and will be proposing the plan to the Cabinet for consideration.

Secretary-General Chinnapat Poomirat of the Basic Education Commission Office said the plan to improve regional elementary education came as a result of the recent survey conducted across the country to determine the best way to provide education for young children.

The survey showed that officials at elementary education offices around Thailand supported the idea of merging small classrooms in different schools. They cited a better access for children to quality education due to a more proper size of class and availability of teachers in specialized subjects.

The move, Mr. Chinnapat said, will solve the lack of teachers in certain subjects. The plan will be proposed to the Cabinet for consideration.

-- NNT 2013-02-21

Bus service now available directly from Bangkok to Cambodia

By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- For the first time, air-conditioned bus rides are available directly from Bangkok to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Cambodia.

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RT @mpoppel: Powerful blast rocks Damascus city center: AFP

SET index closed at 1528.74, down 17.90; Bt/USD29.72; GBP45.00; AUD30.34; EUR39.33; CAD29.01; HKD3.83; SGD23.81; JPY31.6

Myanmar Navy makes history

Phuket Gazette

Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command Deputy Chief of Operations Nantapol Malarat (right) welcomes Captain Aung Zaw Hlang. Photo: Third Naval Area Command

PHUKET: -- The Royal Thai Navy gave a warm welcome two Myanmar Navy ships yesterday morning as they made their country’s first diplomatic visit to a foreign country.

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Court unable to determine who killed Dusit Zoo worker during 2010 political rally

By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Feb 21 -- Thailand's Criminal Court on Thursday failed to reach a conclusion as to whether a Dusit Zoo zookeeper was killed by a government soldier or an anti-government protester during a political rally in April 2010.

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LPG ban planned for new vehicles

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Energy Ministry plans to bar newly-registered vehicles from using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), due to the shortage of such gas as well as frequent accidents involving the equipment.

Energy Minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal said during a parliamentary discussion today that this is in line with the authorities’ plan to aboloish the use of LPG with vehicles.

Thailand has been the net-importer of LPG since 2008, when oil prices hit a new high and encouraged may vehicle owners to switch to the much-cheaper cooking gas.

-- The Nation 2013-02-21

to continue:

Thailand Live Friday 22 Feb 2013

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/621010-thailand-live-friday-22-feb-2013/