Weekly Dhamma practising in honor of the Supreme Patriarch and the King

BANGKOK, 3 October 2013 (NNT) - Her Royal Highness Princess Aditayadornkitikhun, a daughter of HRH Princes Chulabhorn, yesterday afternoon went to the District Office of Nong Khaem in Bangkok, where she presided over the opening ceremony of a Great Dhamma Practising and Meditation Project held in honor of His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch on his 100th birthday anniversary on October 3, 2013 and as a tribute to His Majesty the King on the occasion of his 86th birthday anniversary on December 5, 2014.

The project is a joint effort between Nong Khaem District Office and the Thai Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Association to encourage Buddhist monks, novices and general Buddhists to gather at the district office once a week for meditation and dhamma practising. The project will be dedicated to the prosperity of the Supreme Patriarch and the monarch.

The first gathering will be held on Friday, October 11, at 18.30 hours, and each weekly session will last until 20.00 hrs. The practice will continue every Friday until December 6, 2013.


-- NNT 2013-10-03

2013 Thailand Flood Updates - Are you affected? Maps, reports, local updates

Info: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671446-2013-thailand-flood-updates-maps-reports-local-updates/

FLOOD
Picture of devastation emerges
The Nation


Floods receding, but 25 provinces still under water, 27 people dead so far

BANGKOK: -- Twenty-five provinces - mostly in the North, Northeast and East of the country - remain flooded, though the situation is improving, says the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672037-thai-flood-picture-of-devastation-emerges/

UPDATE:
Govt keeping close eye on US shutdown
BUSINESS DESK
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday instructed economic ministries and agencies to closely monitor the US government shutdown, the US quantitative easing and the European economic situation for possible detrimental impacts on Thailand's currency and exports in the rest of this year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671935-thailand-analyses-impact-of-us-government-shutdown/?p=6884130

CHARTER AMENDMENT
Charter-change complaints streamlined to single case
CHANIKARN PHUMHIRAN
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT yesterday ruled against issuing an injunction to halt the royal endorsement process for the charter-change bill.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672038-thai-charter-change-complaints-streamlined-to-single-case/

THAI-CHILEAN RELATIONS
Govt pushing Chile trade deal
NUNTIDA PUANGTHONG
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE GOVERNMENT has no justification in citing time constraints as a reason to rush the passage of a Thai-Chilean trade agreement, Democrat MP Alongkorn Ponlaboot said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672040-panel-urged-to-televise-show-explaining-mae-wong-dam-project/

THAI TALK
BAD HABITS that keep us underdeveloped
Suthichai Yoon

BANGKOK: -- Somebody posted a message on Facebook the other day, suggesting that Thailand is lagging behind other countries because of "bad habits" that serve to keep Thailand "underdeveloped".

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672041-thai-talk-bad-habits-that-keep-us-underdeveloped/

EDITORIAL
Get on your bikes and RIDE

Encouraging the use of bicycles can only be beneficial for the capital city and the counry generally, so why are the authorities so slow in providing a functional network of designated bicycle lanes

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672042-thai-editorial-get-on-your-bikes-and-ride/

PM Yingluck Mulling Extra New Year Holiday
By Khaosod Online


The ever-busy Bangkok main roads are mostly empty during the New Year 'long holidays' as many residents leave the capital for vacation

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has announced she is considering a plan to declare 30 December as a public holiday, in order to lengthen the New Year ′long holiday′ period and boost the nation’s tourism industry.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672043-pm-yingluck-mulling-extra-new-year-holiday/

Indian newlywed killed in parasailing accident off the coast of Pattaya



PATTAYA: -- A 36 year old Indian Tourist who had been married for less than 2 weeks was killed on Wednesday afternoon in a horrific parasailing accident which saw her head come into contact with the rotating blade of an outboard motor of a speedboat.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672044-speedboat-propellor-kills-indian-tourist-off-pattaya-coast/

Phuket: No nose-picking, Chinese tourists advised

BEIJING: Chinese tourists should not pick their noses in public, pee in pools or steal airplane life jackets, China’s image-conscious authorities have warned in a handbook in their latest effort to counter unruly behaviour.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672045-no-nose-picking-chinese-tourists-advised/

Tom Clancy Dead: Bestselling Author Dies At 66

BALTIMORE: -- Tom Clancy, a celebrated author of crime fiction and military thrillers, died on Tuesday in a hospital in Baltimore. He was 66.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672049-tom-clancy-dead-bestselling-author-dies-at-66/

Police claim victory over car-park mafia
Phathinya Iamtan,
Anapat Deechuay
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Police claim they have successfully cracked down on the illegal collection of parking fees in public spaces such as the Royal Plaza.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672050-bangkok-police-claim-victory-over-car-park-mafia/

Zookeepers rally to oust national chief
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Hundreds of zookeepers from across the country yesterday rallied at Bangkok's Dusit Zoo calling for the ouster of their national chief, condemning his "inability" to run the Zoological Park Organisation, which receives a budget from the state of nearly Bt1 billion a year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672052-zookeepers-rally-in-bangkok-to-oust-national-chief/

SOUTH CRISIS
Yala blast kills three soldiers, wounds boy
Nakharin Chinnavornkomon,
Anapat Deechuay
The Nation



YALA: -- A BOMB ATTACK in Yala's Krong Pinang district yesterday killed three soldiers and wounded four civilians, including a 5-year-old boy.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672053-yala-blast-kills-three-soldiers-wounds-boy/

Events to mark Patriarch's 100th birthday
Pakamas Jaichalard
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Several ceremonies will be held in Bangkok to mark the Supreme Patriarch's 100 birthday today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672054-events-to-mark-patriarchs-100th-birthday/

Nok Air to offer flights from Don Muang to Hua Hin as of Nov.15 to raise domestic feeder route footprint /The Nation

Disease Control Department promises enforcement of law to curb new drinkers

BANGKOK, 3 October 2013 (NNT) – The Department of Disease Control has asserted it will strictly enforce available laws to curb the sale of alcohol around universities, to help reduce the number of new drinkers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672069-thai-disease-control-dept-promises-enforcement-of-law-to-curb-new-drinkers/

Three security men slain in hail of bullets in Krabi
Phuket Gazette


The attack occurred at the entrance to the Krabi Rubber Plantation Research Center in Lam Thap just after midnight. Photo: Ministry of Agriculture

PHUKET: -- A former Krabi village headman who owned a security company was gunned down at the site of a new job early yesterday morning, along with two of his staff.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672073-three-security-men-slain-in-hail-of-bullets-in-krabi/

Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 1,418.26, gains 9.27 points /MCOT

UPDATE:

Partial US govt shutdown to impact Thailand only slightly
By English News

BANGKOK, OCT 3 - The partial US government shutdown will have only a slight impact on the Thai economy while the US decision on its debt ceiling, scheduled for October 17, should be closely monitored, a senior Finance Ministry official said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/671935-thailand-analyses-impact-of-us-government-shutdown/?p=6884730

Nigerian man caught with THB2 million of cocaine in stomach
By Coconuts Bangkok


Photo: Flickr user Tanjila

BANGKOK: -- Police on Friday arrested a Nigerian man at Suvarnabhumi Airport after an x-ray revealed he had 495 grammes of cocaine, worth about THB2 million in his stomach.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672081-nigerian-man-caught-at-survanabhumi-with-thb2-million-of-cocaine-in-stomach/

Kratom to be removed from the narcotics list


Kratom. Souce: file photo

BANGKOK, 3 October 2013 (NNT) - The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) reaffirms that the planned removal of Kratom leaves from class 5 narcotics list will not affect its drug eradication efforts. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice is preparing to forward its suggestion to legalize use of Krathom to the Ministry of Public Health.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672087-kratom-to-be-removed-from-thai-narcotics-list/

More man-made attractions to be built to draw in foreign tourists

BANGKOK, 2 October 2013 (NNT) – The National Tourism Policy Committee has delivered policy to construct more man-made tourist sites in the hope to attract foreign tourists to Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672089-more-man-made-attractions-to-be-built-to-draw-foreign-tourists-to-thailand/

Phuket blood donation schedule for October
Naraporn Tuarob

PHUKET: -- Venues, dates and times of blood donation sessions organised in October by the Phuket Regional Blood Centre and the Thai Red Cross are as follows:

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672090-phuket-blood-donation-schedule-for-october/

Thai doctors say government should legalize 'abortion pills'
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- Bunyarit Sukrat, deputy director of the Reproductive Health Bureau, said that “abortion pills” have been listed safe by the World Health Organization and Thailand should consider importing the medicine.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672097-thai-doctors-say-government-should-legalize-abortion-pills/

Phongthep to seek cabinet's approval on corruption prevention draft bill

BANGKOK, 3 October 2013 (NNT) - Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana will next week seek a nod from the cabinet to the Prime Minister’s Office’s proposal to get the private sector involved in the government’s projects.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672108-thai-deputy-pm-phongthep-to-seek-cabinets-approval-on-corruption-prevention-draft-bill/

DSI details cases of black taxi gangsterism


Black taxi drivers blockade Serenity Resort and Residences by pulling down the security barrier last Friday. Screengrab from a video obtained by the DSI

PHUKET: -- At the meeting on Tuesday (October 1) to assess the performance so far of the new Centres for the Control of Organised Crimeat the airport and in Phuket Town, DSI and other officials discussed the problem of black taxi drivers who are simply ignoring the DSI cleanup campaign and are still threatening hotel guests and legal taxi drivers who have the nerve to invade their territory.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672111-phuket-dsi-details-cases-of-black-taxi-gangsterism/

UPDATE:

Special Report: Thailand Supreme Patriach turns 100

BANGKOK: In celebration of Supreme Patriarch His Holiness Somdej Phra Nyanasamvara' s 100th birthday anniversary on October 3rd, 2013, a seven-day celebration will be held at Wat Bovoranives to mark this auspicious occasion.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/672054-events-to-mark-patriarchs-100th-birthday/#entry6885514

Bt40 bln+ expected to circulate during vegetarian festival
By English News

BANGKOK, Oct 3 - More than Bt40 billion is expected to circulate during the upcoming vegetarian festival October 5-13, according to the Thai Chamber of Commerce University's Economic and Business Forecasting Center.

Centre director Thanawat Polvichai said the atmosphere of this year's festival will be as lively as last year, but the public is still concerned rising prices of goods.

He said the forecast Bt40-billion was an increase of 6.3 per cent, due to higher goods prices, compared to the money circulated year-on-year. The quantity of goods buying is estimated to be still the same, he said. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-10-03