Thailand Live Monday 8 Apr 2013

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RT @ChannelNewsAsia: BREAKING: N Korea says it will pull all of its workers out of Kaesong industrial zone and suspend all operations there

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Heavy traffic jam on Highway 7 from Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi/Bangkok. /Thaivisa

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Police detain 24-year-old man suspected of involvement in four Saturday bombings in Yala /MCOT

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Provinces prepare for Songkran celebrations

BANGKOK, 8 April 2013 (NNT) - Provincial authorities across the country are preparing to host celebrations during the Songkran festival.

In the North, Chiang Mai municipality aims to organize festivities to promote an alcohol-free and safe Songkran. To accommodate revelers, the province has installed 14 coin-operated vending machines that will supply clean water for water-splashing during April 13-15.

Shoppers in Nakhon Sawan, meanwhile, flock to markets to purchase festive Hawaiian shirts ahead of Songkran, with prices ranging from 150-200 baht.

In the South, Songkla province is organizing grand Songkran celebrations under the theme ‘Colorful Songkran’. The highlight of the event is paint-splashing where participants are encouraged to throw herbal dyes at each other in place of water.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand will hold this year’s Songkran celebrations in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Sukhothai and other major provinces. Festivities are scheduled to run during April 11-21.


-- NNT 2013-04-08

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RT @veen_NT: Today is the last day of National Book Fair at QSNCC.

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Industrial plants fears of power shortage allayed
By Digital Media



BANGKOK, Apr 8 – The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) gave assurances today that there will be sufficient electricity for 37 manufacturing parks under its supervision when they restart operations tomorrow after a long holiday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/631676-industrial-plants-fears-of-power-shortage-allayed/

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Songkhla tightens security as tourists begin arriving for Songkran Thai New Year
By Digital Media



SONGKHLA, April 8 – Thailand’s southern province of Songkhla tightens its security to the highest level in the business centre in Hat Yai district as Malaysian and Singaporean tourists started coming to celebrate Songkran water splashing or Thai New Year festival.

Nakhon Hat Yai Mayor Prai Patthano said that although the situation in the district is peaceful, security personnel have stepped up security to the highest level as insurgent attacks continue the southern border provinces.

Deployment and reinforcement of security personnel will help boost the confidence of locals and tourists as the long holiday festival is set to start later this week.

Hat Yai municipality arranged 20 security volunteers to work with a more than 20,000 person network to keep an eye on any irregularities and to let the authorities know when there is something likely to happen.

Meanwhile, Malaysian and Singaporean tourists gradually arrived in Hat Yai while water-play equipment for splashing during the festival such as water guns attracts tourists.

Sukhampol Khamplanonthawat, chairman of the Songkha Tourism Federation, expected at least 50,000 arrivals and returns of about Bt300 million this year. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-04-08

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No parliamentary meeting during Songkran

BANGKOK, 8 April 2013 (NNT) - House speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont has cancelled parliamentary sessions on April 10-11 and April 17 in a bid to allow MPs to visit their hometowns during the Songkran festival.

According to government whip Udomdet Rattanasathien, the House will convene again on April 18 to discuss legislatures tabled in the agenda.

Mr Udomdet has confirmed that the second reading of its controversial charter amendment bills has been postponed and will not be placed on April 18 meeting’s agenda.

The House earlier ordered scrutiny committees to vet the amendment bills within 15 days to rush through the second reading before the end of the current session, as proposed by Pheu Thai MPs.


-- NNT 2013-04-08

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N. Korea to pull workers from key joint industrial zone
By Jung Ha-Won

SEOUL (AFP) — North Korea said Monday it was withdrawing all workers and suspending operations at its joint industrial zone with South Korea -- the only surviving symbol of inter-Korean cooperation.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/631682-north-korea-to-pull-workers-out-of-kaesong-industrial-zone/

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RT@191Thailand: Insurgents beheaded a Buddhist Thai rubber plantation worker in Tambon Ban Rae of Yala's Thanto district /via @sunaibkk

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Former British PM Thatcher has died : CNN

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has died, her spokeswoman tells CNN.

-- The Nation 2013-04-08

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IRON LADY
Ex-Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher dies, aged 87

Former Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher has died "peacefully" at the age of 87 after suffering a stroke, her family has announced.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/631715-maggie-thatcher-is-dead/?p=6283559#entry6283559

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RT@RichardBarrow: Northern Bus Terminal - RT @tumbler_p: Bangkok's Mo Chit bus terminal to be moved to Rangsit within this year, according to reports.

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to continue:

Thailand Live Tuesday 9 Apr 2013

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/631769-thailand-live-tuesday-9-apr-2013/