Fitch: Rising regional risks could erode Thailand's resilience

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/670782-fitch-rising-regional-risks-could-erode-thailands-resilience/

Panda Lin Ping celebrates birthday before returning to China tomorrow
By English News

CHIANG MAI, Sept 27 - Chiang Mai Zoo is hosting its last birthday party today for Thai-born giant panda Lin Ping as she will return to China tomorrow for mating.

Today's party is celebrating Lin Ping four years four months birthday anniversary. Carved ice was given as her birthday present in the last birthday party in this northern city.

Lin Ping, born to mother Lin Hui and father Chuang Chuang at Chiang Mai Zoo in 2009, must return to China on Saturday to prepare for her entering reproductive age.

The mating period for the Chinese giant panda is between February and May. She is scheduled to stay there for one year.

The zoo held a traditional "Bai Sri Su Kwan" rite or wrist-binding ceremony in the afternoon, blessing Lin Ping and wishing her a safe return to her ancestral homeland.

Under the initial agreement, any panda cub born in Thailand must be returned to China within two years. The Chinese government earlier extended the period of stay in Thailand for celebrity panda Lin Ping for another two years, for the first time, as China has never extended a panda’s stay in any other country before.

The panda parent pair, Chuang Chuang and Lin Hui, whose stay ends in October, are also allowed by China to stay in Chiang Mai until Lin Ping and her future mate arrive at the Thai zoo.

At the same time, Chiang Mai Zoo officials continue to monitor the health of mother panda Lin Hui as she expects to mate through artificial insemination in the next few days. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-09-27

Thai pickers miss flights, still fight for pay in Finland

Finland: -- Thai berry pickers are staying in Finland until they have all been paid, according to their supporters. Negotiations brought payments for 30 of the pickers, but the remaining 20 have not received the money they feel they are owed, Finnish Yle reported.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/670798-thai-pickers-miss-flights-still-fight-for-pay-in-finland/

Hua Hin flooded in parts of the city - heavy rain

Interior Minister follows up on progress of flood barrier construction in Ayutthaya

BANGKOK, 27 September 2013 (NNT) – The Interior Minister has visited Ayutthaya Province to follow up on the progress of the construction of flood barriers at Wat Chaiwatthanaram and Wat Phanan Choeng, while giving out relief packages to flood-hit residents.

According to Interior Minister Jarupong Ruangsuwan, he is confident that the dykes built by the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning (DPT) will not leak and will be able to hold off flood water, given the plastic-covered barriers have been built to be 1.5 meters higher than the water level.

He has assured that the 2 significant temples: Wat Chaiwatthanaram and Wat Phanan Choeng, will not be affected by floods, adding that this year's amount of water is much less than those of 2011 and 2012. He has also urged residents not to worry as the government has been prepared in case of emergency.

The minister has ordered officials to speed up the process in handing out flood relief bags to people in inundated areas, especially the district of Ban Pom, Ayutthaya.


-- NNT 2013-09-27

Airport Rail Link users increase to 1.4 million per month

Bangkok, 27th September 2013 (NNT) - The Airport Rail Link has revealed that the number of airport link users has increased to 1.4 million per month.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/670808-airport-rail-link-users-increase-to-14-million-per-month/

Extension of teachers' retiring age under consideration

BANGKOK, 27 Sep 2013, (NNT) – Both the government and private sectors have agreed on extending the retiring age of teachers from 60 to 65, as the nation is facing an ongoing issue of teacher shortage.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/670809-thailand-extension-of-teachers-retiring-age-under-consideration/

Police ordered to carry out weekend blitz on crime
Phuket Gazette


Gen Wuthi Liptapallop, a national-level adviser to the Royal Thai Police, has ordered a weekend blitz on all forms of crime in Phuket. Photo: Saran Mitrarat

PHUKET: -- One of Thailand’s top-ranking police officers has ordered Phuket law-enforcement authorities to ramp up their crackdown on all forms of crime over the weekend as part of a blitz to improve tourists’ confidence in safety.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/670816-crackdown-phuket-police-ordered-to-carry-out-weekend-blitz-on-crime/

Gunman Dj Bee on the run
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- Police suspect Dj Bee and his two alleged accomplices in the gunning down of man in Phuket's party town of Patong on Sunday have fled the island.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/670820-phuket-gunman-dj-bee-on-the-run/

Police arrest drug dealer at traffic light in Pathum Thani's Klong Luang district; seize 1 million meth pills /MCOT

SET index closed at 1,417.49, down 7.27; Bt/USD31.09; GBP49.93; AUD28.94; EUR41.83; CAD30.01; HKD4.00; SGD24.65; JPY31.37

PM set to attend APEC forum in Bali on Oct 6-8

BANGKOK, 27 September 2013 (NNT) - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is set to embark on a series of official overseas visits this year which include trips to Indonesia, Ethiopia and Russia.

The premier will join 20 other regional leaders in attending the APEC Leaders Summit in Bali, Indonesia during October 6-8. She is expected to give an address detailing Thailand’s commitment to water management issues and food security in the region at the forum.

Indonesia, which assumes the chairmanship of APEC this year, is slated to focus on trade agreements, Free Trade Agreement deals and regional connectivity. The meeting will be held under the theme “Resilient Asia Pacific: The Engine of Global Growth”.

Prime Minister Yingluck is expected to hold bilateral talks with Chinese president Xi Jinping and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott as well as other business leaders while in Bali.

In November and December, she will pay visits to Ethiopia, Russia, Japan and South Africa in a bid to strengthen trade ties.


-- NNT 2013-09-27

AIRPORT
Suvarnabhumi Airport eyes No.1 spot
The Nation

Duty-free area at Suvarnabhumi Airport

BANGKOK: -- Suvarnabhumi Airport sets sight to become the world's No.1 airport six years after the second-phase development is completed.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/670831-suvarnabhumi-airport-sets-sight-to-become-the-worlds-no1-airport/

PM Yingluck Calls For Wheelchair-Friendly Public Buses



BANGKOK; -- At the meeting with over 100 people with disabilities at the Government House on 26 September, Ms. Yingluck promised to have the Ministry of Transport revise plans for the purchase of 3,000 buses in Bangkok metropolitan area, as proposed by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA).

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/670880-pm-yingluck-calls-for-wheelchair-friendly-public-buses/

to continue:

Thailand Live Saturday 28 Sep 2013

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/670940-thailand-live-saturday-28-sep-2013/