Thailand Live Thursday 12 Sep 2013

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No official efforts made yet to locate and prosecute Pracha Maleenont

BANGKOK, 12 Sep 2013, (NNT) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicates that it has not yet been contacted by responsible units to help bring back Mr. Pracha Maleenont, who is believed to be out of the country after being indicted for fraud in the BMA’s fire-truck procurement case.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667212-bangkok-fire-truck-scandal-amlo-to-size-up-assets-of-pracha-ex-official/page-2#entry6815865

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UPDATE:

PM meets Swiss President on reviving Thailand - EFTA

BANGKOK, 12 September 2013 (NNT) – Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has discussed the possibility of reviving Thailand - EFTA Free Trade Agreement with Swiss President Ueli Maurer in the hope of boosting Thai economic growth.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667116-pm-yingluck-reassures-switzerland-on-thailands-reconciliation-attempt/page-3#entry6815879

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Elephants rescue tourists stranded in Phang Nga jungle
Phuket Gazette


Four older elephants were dispatched to safely recover 16 tourists from the jungle north of Phuket. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- A rescue party of four elephants was dispatched to safely recover 16 tourists stranded in the jungle north of Phuket yesterday after a landslide brought on by torrential rains cut off their return path and the elephants they were riding balked at taking another route.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667274-elephants-rescue-tourists-stranded-in-phang-nga-jungle/

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UPDATE:

Foreign ministry condemns use of chemical weapons in Syria

BANGKOK, 12 September 2013 (NNT) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement concerning the political and humanitarian crisis in Syria, condemning the use of chemical weapons.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667211-thailand-expresses-continued-concern-on-syria/page-2#entry6816100

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Thailand seeks Italy’s partnership in strengthening ASEAN cooperation
By English News

ROME, Sept 12 – Thailand and Italy have expressed optimism that the formation of the ASEAN Committee in Rome (ACR) would enhance the relationship and cooperation between the Southeast Asian region and the southern European country.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667288-thailand-seeks-italys-partnership-in-strengthening-asean-cooperation/

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CTH files charges against Apple

CTH files charges against Apple Thursday, seeking Bt100 million damages for violating broadcast rights of English Premier League

-- The Nation 2013-09-12

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Three Army rangers killed, one wounded in insurgent attack on pickup while helping villager repair home in Pattani /MCOT

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Monk killed for his gold amulets
By Coconuts Bangkok

Monk, Phra Chaliao Dharmwaro, was killed at his temple residence in Ayutthaya Province for his gold amulets. The monk’s home had been ransacked and a number of gold amulets taken.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667292-monk-killed-for-his-gold-amulets/

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NSC chief says no decision made on BRN 5-point demand; 4th army region command steps up security after 5 police killed in contraband-linked incident /MCOT

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MISSING VISAS
Indian man arrested with stolen visa sticker
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- An Indian man was arrested Wednesday night for attempting to board a place at Suvarnabhumi Airport to Chennai after officials noticed his passport bore a Thai visa sticker stolen from Thai embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667297-suvarnabhumi-airport-indian-man-arrested-with-stolen-visa-sticker/

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FDI
Thailand remains attractive to foreign investment
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The majority of foreign investors operating in Thailand are bullish on the outlook of their operations, according to a survey by the Board of Investment.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667299-thailand-remains-attractive-to-foreign-investment/

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Blaze breaks out in Wang Thong Lang district

BANGKOK: -- A fire broke out at a printing house of the Business Organisation of the Office of the Welfare Promotion Commission for Teachers and Educational Personnel in Bangkok’s Wang Thong Lang district early Thursday morning.

The fire was reported at 4am and Chokchai police officers and fire engines immediately responded, rushing to the printing house’s book storage building where it took them 50 minutes to extinguish the flames.

An initial probe found that the fire damage was in the loft where textbooks were stored. The 100 printing machines on the ground floor will now be checked for damage. Police suspect that the fire was caused by a short circuit.

-- The Nation 2013-09-12

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'Banharn's Mistress' Rumour Leads To Legal Complaint

BANGKOK: -- A young actress and TV personality has filed complaint to the police after rumours on the social network allege that she is a mistress of former Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-Archa.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667340-banharns-mistress-rumour-leads-to-legal-complaint/

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Thailand Tourist Police Road Show to roll into Phuket
Phuket Gazette


The roadshow caravan, pictured here at Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok, will roll into Phuket this Saturday. Photo: Tourist Police

PHUKET: -- A caravan of four mobile homes and a trailer full of facilities free for tourists to use will be set up from 7:30pm to 9:00pm in Phuket this Saturday as part of a promotional campaign to make tourists feel safe about travelling in Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667342-thailand-tourist-police-road-show-to-roll-into-phuket/

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UPDATE:

Tourists caught in landslide evacuated by elephant
Tanyaluk Sakoot

The elephants bring the tourists along the flooded road from the jungle trekking camp and the top of the hill in the background. Photo: Khuk Khak Municipality

PHANG NGA: -- Sixteen German tourists got much more than they bargained for yesterday (September 11) in the Thung Kamin area of Khao Lak, when their elephant trek through the jungle turned into an evacuation by elephant.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667274-elephants-rescue-tourists-stranded-in-phang-nga-jungle/#entry6816788

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SET index closed at 1,397.90, down 13.28; Bt/USD31.57; GBP49.75; AUD29.03; EUR42.23; CAD30.46; HKD4.06; SGD24.78; JPY31.58

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Three army rangers killed in Pattani insurgent attack
By English News

PATTANI, Sept 12 - Three Army ranger volunteers were killed while another was wounded today in the latest insurgent attack in Thailand's restive southern province of Pattani.

The four soldiers were helping villagers in Yarang district to repair a toilet at a local mosque when a group of eight armed men arrived in a pick-up truck and fired a hail of gunfire at them.

The exchange of gunfire, ended with three army rangers dead, while some of the assailants were believed to have been wounded in the incident as bloodstains were found along their escape route.

Meanwhile, National Security Council (NSC) Sec-Gen Paradorn Pattanathabut on Thursday said Thailand has not yet accepted the five-point demand of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) militant group after receiving its 34-page official document via the Malaysian government coordinator.

He said the Internal Security Operations Command must thoroughly consider the demands while the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre will also seek opinions from local residents, the civil society and academics on the BRN demands.

The agencies will later report their results to the Committee to Mobilise Policy and Strategy to Solve Problems in the Southern Border Provinces.

Gen Paradorn said the decision regarding the the BRN demand should be known before the next round of peace talks between the Thai government and the BRN scheduled about October 20.

The NSC chief today met with the Committee to Mobilise Policy and Strategy to Solve Problems in the Southern Border Provinces to assess the situation in deep South and consider budgets for security operations.

He said the meeting considered yesterday's killing of five police officers which was believed to be the work of oil and contraband smuggling syndicates operating in the areas who were dissatisfied with the serious crackdown by the authorities.

Gen Paradorn said the Army Region 4 commander reported to the meeting that more violent attacks are likely at the end of the month and that security personnel have been instructed to be on alert with pro-active operations as they remain the insurgents' targets.

National police chief Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew said the gunmen who killed five police officers have been identified as members of an insurgent group led by Majija. The faction is the same group which continued violent attacks in the far South during Ramadan and is believed to be linked with an oil smuggling ring. Police are now searching for all the suspects. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-09-12

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Rohingya boat lands in Thailand as monsoon rages

BANGKOK, September 12, 2013 (AFP) - More than 200 Muslim Rohingya boat people have landed in southern Thailand, authorities said Thursday, a possible sign that vessels from Myanmar are risking the journey before the end of the monsoon season.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667354-rohingya-boat-lands-in-thailand-as-monsoon-rages/

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Prince William to leave military after more than seven years of service to focus on royal duties and charity work /BBC

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False alarm as Brit decides not to make Phuket leap of despair

Naraporn Tuarob

PHUKET: Police were called to a hotel in Patong around 2.30am today (September 12) after reports that a British man was preparing to jump off a room balcony after a fight involving his British girlfriend and a Thai bargirl

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667395-false-alarm-as-brit-decides-not-to-make-phuket-leap-of-despair/

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to continue:

Thailand Live Friday 13 Sep 2013

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/667454-thailand-live-friday-13-sep-2013/