Thailand Live Monday 23 Sep 2013

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160,000 'First Cars' cancellations

BANGKOK: -- The ′First Car′ tax reduction scheme imposed by the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has resulted in at least 160,000 order cancellations, according to Mr. Surapong Paisithpattanapong, Vice President and Spokesperson of the Automotive Industry Club.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669757-160000-first-car-cancellations/

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Crocs escape flooded Si Sa Ket farm


Image: screenshot

SI SA KET: -- More than 30 crocodiles were on the loose after escaping from a flooded farm in Prang Ku district on Sunday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669760-crocs-escape-flooded-si-sa-ket-farm/

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NO DAM CAMPAIGN
Anti-dam marchers win warm welcome in capital
Jutharat Tipnumpa
The Nation


Opponents of the Mae Wong Dam project in Nakhon Sawan gather in Bangkok yesterday to mark the arrival in the capital of a 13-day, 388km protest march led by conservationist Sasin Chalermlarp, secretary-general of the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation.

13-day walk against Mae Wong Dam project garners wide support among those who say govt is ignoring environmental issues

BANGKOK: -- Campaigners staging a 13-day, 368-kilometre march against the controversial Mae Wong Dam project in Nakhon Sawan arrived in Bangkok yesterday, receiving a warm reception from non-governmental organisations and other dam opponents.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669761-anti-dam-marchers-win-warm-welcome-in-bangkok/

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ENVIRONMENT
Villagers near gold mine seek police help
The Nation

LOEI: -- Residents of six villages in Baan Khao Lueng of Loei's Wang Saphung district called on the government yesterday to maintain peace and order after a group of some 20 armed and camouflaged men destroyed a barrier set up to protect the communities from the operations of the Tungkum gold-mining company.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669762-loei-villagers-near-gold-mine-seek-police-help/

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INUNDATION
Sa Kaeo hospitals flooded
The Nation

SA KAEO: -- Two hospitals in Sa Kaeo have suspended service due to flooding in the province, Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669763-sa-kaeo-hospitals-flooded/

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LETTER FROM BERLIN
Merkel drums up colourful support in campaign speech
Jintana Panya-arbudh
The Nation, Germany



BERLIN: -- "ANGIE, ANGIE, ANGIE". A loud cheer from supporters of incumbent German Chancellor Angela Merkel were heard inside the Tempodrom, a large circus tent next to the Berlin Wall on the west side of Potsdamer Platz on Saturday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669765-germanys-merkel-drums-up-colourful-support-in-campaign-speech/

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SMUGGLING
Smuggled turtles dumped at airport
Thirapon Khumsuk,
Boonchu Sritraipop
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Customs officials have found 220 turtles in three luggage bags at the Suvarnabhumi Airport. All the turtles were reported to be still alive when the officials discovered them in abandoned bags yesterday morning.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669764-smuggled-turtles-dumped-at-suvarnabhumi-airport/

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Thousands arrested in Pattaya Crime Crackdown Operation



PATTAYA: -- Police General Wutti, Senior Adviser to the National Police Commissioner, presided over a press conference at Pattaya Police Station on Sunday, to announce the results of a six-week crime crackdown operation involving various Police divisions based in Pattaya.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669767-thousands-arrested-in-pattaya-crime-crackdown-operation/

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Mistaken Identity Murder in North Pattaya



PATTAYA: -- A 42 year old Hotel Electrician is thought to have been beaten to death due to a dispute between two Motorbike Taxi ranks in the same road with the aggressor believing the victim to be one of the taxi drivers who had made adverse comments about them.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669768-mistaken-identity-murder-in-north-pattaya/

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Vietnamese street vendors and petty criminals arrested by Pattaya Police



PATTAYA: -- Armed with a search warrant issued by the Pattaya Provincial Court, Pattaya Police visited two locations in Naklua where they believed a number of Vietnamese street vendors and petty criminals were residing on Sunday Morning.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669771-vietnamese-street-vendors-and-petty-criminals-arrested-by-pattaya-police/

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Four Chinese tourists hurt in boat accident

PHANG NGA: -- Four Chinese tourists and a tour guide were injured as their speed boat was hit by another on Sunday while reaching a beach in Phang Nga.

All were transferred to Mission Hospital in Phuket, police said.

The tourists are Zheng Dazhi, Xu Yiming, Zang Zuofa and Zun Jiuxing.

Drivers of both speed boats are under investigation.



-- The Nation 2013-09-23

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Surapong to attend 68th UN General Assembly
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul will represent Thailand at the 68th United Nations General Assembly in New York from tomorrow to October 1.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669772-surapong-to-attend-68th-un-general-assembly/

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German elections: Angela Merkel wins, but no absolute majority - official

BERLIN: -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives won Sunday's elections with the best result in over two decades but narrowly missed an absolute majority, preliminary official results showed.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669773-german-elections-angela-merkel-wins-but-no-absolute-majority-official/

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REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Why is Yingluck not going to Washington?
Kavi Chongkittavorn
Washington

BANGKOK: -- Since becoming the country's first woman prime minister two years ago, Yingluck Shinawatra has travelled near and far, taking 36 overseas trips as of last week, costing the taxpayers a total of Bt69 million.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669775-why-is-yingluck-not-going-to-washington/

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Thai stock index opens on Monday at 1,470.55, falls 16.21 points /MCOT

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Political activists seeking court ruling on Bt2 trillion loans
By English News



BANGKOK, Sept 23 – A Thai civil society group is lodging a petition with the Constitution Court, seeking its ruling on whether the government-sponsored bill to borrow Bt2 trillion for Thailand’s infrastructure investment is against the national charter.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669797-political-activists-seeking-court-ruling-on-bt2-trillion-loans/

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Santorini Park Cha Am

CHA-AM: -- If youre travelling south from Bangkok, perhaps to the seaside resorts of Cha Am or Hua Hin, then you cant miss one of Cha Ams newest and biggest tourist attractions. The Santorini Park, which is located on Petchkasem Road, just before the turn off for Cha Am Beach, is a cross between a boutique shopping outlet and an amusement park.

Full story: http://cha-am.thaivisa.com/santorini-park-cha-am/

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Coffee Shops in Cha Am

CHA-AM: -- Coffee culture is very much alive and kicking in Thailand. Take Bangkok as an example where just about every street seems to include a selection of different coffee houses and independent cafes, not to mention those ‘coffee on wheels’ street vendors who serve up thick, gritty Nescafe, not boiled but stewed beyond all recognition, from the side of the road.

And whilst Cha Am is just about as far removed from Bangkok as you’re likely to get, it does still have its own small selection of good coffee shops and cafes – all of which are more than capable of satisfying one’s caffeine fix.

Here is our round up of the best places to grab a coffee in Cha Am.

S&P

Full story: http://cha-am.thaivisa.com/coffee-shops-in-cha-am/

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Phuket Opinion: Tourist Court vs Holiday Justice
Phuket Gazette


Will the much-heralded Tourist Court deliver holiday justice to tourists in Phuket? Only time will tell. Image: Gazette Graphics

PHUKET: -- The opening of a new court to resolve non-criminal cases involving foreign tourists in Phuket tomorrow is a welcome step in the right direction, but only time will tell if the initiative will achieve its goal of bringing about prompt justice for visitors and improving Thailand’s image as a tourist destination abroad.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669808-phuket-opinion-tourist-court-vs-holiday-justice/

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18-year-old waiter shot dead in drink-fuelled Phuket gang dispute
Eakkapop Thongtub


The shooter, Panuwitch (blue shirt) and his friend Jakkapong.

PHUKET: An 18-year-old waiter at the famed Salaloy seafood restaurant on Rawai’s seafront, was shot dead just after midnight yesterday morning (September 22), not far from the restaurant, after a series of drunken teenage episodes climaxed in murder.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669817-18-year-old-waiter-shot-dead-in-drink-fuelled-phuket-gang-dispute/

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Thaivisa launches 2nd Generation Forum App for Android phones and tablets

Requires Android version 4.0 and up.

BANGKOK: -- We are excited to announce the release of the 2nd Generation of our popular Forum App Thaivisa Connect.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669815-thaivisa-launches-2nd-generation-forum-app-for-android-phones-and-tablets/

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Flooding in Surin, Si Sa Ket, Buriram; Ubon Ratchathani train services suspended again due to inundated track /MCOT

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Elephant caretakers urge Govt to review wildlife bill

AYUTTHAYA, 23 September 2013 (NNT) - A group of Ayutthaya elephant caretakers yesterday gathered at the province's city shrine, urging the Government to review the 2013 wildlife conservation and protection bill.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669820-elephant-caretakers-urge-thai-govt-to-review-wildlife-bill/

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Nakhon Si Thammarat to urgently hand out rubber compensation

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, 23 September 2013 (NNT) - Nakhon Si Thammarat is being pushed to become the first province to hand out compensation to rubber farmers as its officials are visiting rubber plantations everyday to accelerate inspection of the registered rubber fields.

Mr. Wittaya Chaisuwan, an inspector of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, together with an adviser to the Agriculture Minister, Mr. Anan Klangchan, met with provincial officials to follow up on the province's progress in handing out the 2,520 baht per rai compensation to rubber farmers.

The duo instructed related agencies to integrate their work in order to accelerate the registration of rubber farmers, inspections of para rubber fields as well as issuance of certificates of recognition.

About 1,000 rubber farmers are expected to receive the compensation by the end of this month, making Nakhon Si Thammarat the fastest province in handing out the promised compensation to farmers. Both high-ranking officials expressed their wishes for the province to be the first and pilot one to implement the Government's rubber assistance measure, providing example for others to follow suit.


-- NNT 2013-09-23

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Thailand’s export grows only 1% in first 8 months

BANGKOK, 23 September 2013 (NNT) – The Commerce Ministry said Thailand only saw a 1 percent growth in its export in the first 8 months of this year, while calling for all commercial diplomats in 62 countries around the world to help push the export sector.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669825-thailands-export-grows-only-1-in-first-8-months/

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RT @reutersindia: Somali Islamist group says militants at Kenya mall will kill hostages if force used - website

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Baht falls below 31

BANGKOK: -- Thai baht on Monday opened lower against US dollar, falling below the $/31 level.

At 8.16am, the Thai baht fell by 0.31 per cent from the previous closing to 31.04. At the level, it still gained 3.58 per cent against the greenback, compared to 32.15 at the end of last month.

The baht also weakened against euro and Japanese yen. It fell 0.23 per cent from the previous closing to 42 against the euro and 0.47 per cent to 31.30 per 100 Japanese yen.

-- The Nation 2013-09-23

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FPO holds talks with importers over luxury tax cut

BANGKOK, 23 September 2013 (NNT) - The Ministry of Finance’s Fiscal Policy Office is set to hold talks with luxury goods importers this week to discuss the reduction of taxes in a bid to promote Thailand as the ‘shopping paradise.’

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/669837-fpo-holds-talks-with-importers-over-luxury-tax-cut/

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Former Deputy PM Somboon Rahong dies

BANGKOK, Sept 23 - Former Thai Deputy Prime Minister Air Chief Marshal Somboon Rahong passed away at the age of 81 at a Bangkok hospital early this morning after being treated at Ramathibodi Hospital for two months.

ACM Somboon was a former director of the Airports Authority of Thailand, (which was later privatised to become Airports of Thailand Plc) before he entered politics.

He was a former head of Chat Thai Party, succeeding Gen Chatichai Choonhavan who resigned after his government was toppled in a coup in 1991 led by Gen Sunthorn Kongsompong.

On June 10, 1992 ACM Somboon was standing by in formal uniform awaiting the royal announcement of his appointment as interim prime minister replacing Gen Suchinda Kraprayoon, a coup leader who eventually become prime minister.

However, the name announced as the new prime minister on the royal decree was surprisingly Mr Anand Panyarachun.

In 1997, ACM Somboon, while a member of the Prachakorn Thai (Thai Citizen) Party, then led by Samak Sundaravej, broke with the party's resolution and joined 12 other party MPs in supporting the Democrat
Party’s Chuan Leekpai to become prime minister.

The group of defected MPs was named the "cobra faction" by Mr Samak, from the tale “Farmer and the Cobra”, in which the cobra bit and killed the farmer who rescued him.

A new prime minister was sought after Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyuth resigned due to the financial crisis.(MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-09-23

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RT@RichardBarrow: Flood barriers in Ayutthaya are being raised to protect temples along the river (Pic @Rawangpai) pic.twitter.com/bJfHrDiiIY