Thailand Live Thursday 21 Nov 2013

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TAT expects more tourists on Samet by year end

BANGKOK, 21 November 2013 (NNT) - The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has expressed confidence that more tourists will visit Samet Island by the end of this year, with the tourist number totaling 5 million for the whole year, generating revenue of 22 billion baht.

In the wake of the oil spill incident, Director of the TAT Rayong-Chanthaburi Office Chuchart On-charoen said hotel reservations for the high season on Samet Island this year had reached 60%. Although the figure was a 20% decrease compared to the same period last year, the director said he was confident the island’s hotel occupancy rate would grow during this New Year Festival due to many promotional plans.

For short-term promotion, the TAT will arrange road shows throughout the country and allow tourism entrepreneurs from Samet to set up booths at the fairs for free.

The TAT has set the tourist arrivals target on Samet Island for the entire year of 2013 at 5 million people, 90% Thai and 10% foreign, with the revenue target of 22 billion baht. At the end of this year, it is forecast that 700,000 tourists will travel to Samet and generate revenue of 4 billion baht.


-- NNT 2013-11-21

Tourism sector expects Samet to recover popularity soon
BAMRUNG AMNATCHAROENRIT
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE TOURISM outlook for Koh Samet will be on a full recovery path by the end of next year after tourists gain more confidence in the island, which was hit by the oil leak on Ao Phrao beach at the end of July.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683153-tourism-sector-expects-koh-samet-to-recover-popularity-soon/

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Russian Tourism Group Threatens Thailand Boycott
BY Khaosod Online



BANGKOK: -- The Russian Union of Travel Industry (RUTI) has urged the Thai authorities to improve safety for Russian tourists in Thailand or face a boycott from its members.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683147-russian-tourism-group-threatens-thailand-boycott/

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Govt reels under court blow
The Nation



Judges rule that charter change on senators will destroy checks and balance system

BANGKOK: -- THE VERDICT of the Constitutional Court yesterday striking down a charter amendment for an all-elected Senate has put the ruling Pheu Thai Party and coalition partners under huge pressure as their 312 lawmakers could be subject to legal action for misconduct in passing the bill.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683148-thai-govt-reels-under-constitutional-court-blow/

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UDD to call off rally

BANGKOK: -- The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) will urge the government to rewrite the whole Constitution now that the Constitution Court has killed the government-backed draft constitutional amendment.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683102-udd-to-call-off-rally/

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British woman, 21, whose ‘drinks were spiked in Thailand’ survives 30ft fall from hotel balcony

A female British holidaymaker has cheated death after falling 30ft from a hotel balcony in Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683097-british-woman-21-whose-drinks-were-spiked-in-thailand-survives-30ft-fall-from-hotel-balcony/

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Verdict raises more questions
The Nation



Instability remains amid doubts about court's right to rule on charter change case

BANGKOK: -- The verdict of the Constitutional Court yesterday failed to restore political stability, as government supporters continued to ask if the court had the authority to review the case, while anti-government groups see it as a cue for more resistance.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683149-constitutional-court-verdict-fails-to-restore-political-stability-in-thailand/

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Standardised Thai-language tests planned
Supinda na Mahachai
The Nation

Proficiency exams required to boost knowledge, education minister says

BANGKOK: -- THE EDUCATION Ministry is planning to create standardised Thai-language proficiency tests for native speakers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683150-standardised-thai-language-tests-planned/

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Govt not invited for chamber's annual meet
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) has decided not to invite the prime minister or her representatives to its annual meeting in Trang this week, to avoid being pulled into politics.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683151-thai-govt-not-invited-for-chambers-annual-meet/

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Activists call for worldwide efforts to cut CO2 emissions
Janjira Pongrai
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- POINTING to the world's need to prepare for more global warming-triggered disasters, the Thai Climate Justice (TCJ) Working Group and climate-justice movements in Southeast Asia and the Mekong region yesterday urged a combined worldwide effort to reduce greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683152-thai-activists-call-for-worldwide-efforts-to-cut-co2-emissions/

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SET hit slightly by Constitutional Court's ruling on charter amendment
VARIN TRINO,
CHAIRAT SRISUK
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- YESTERDAY'S RULING by the Constitutional Court on an amendment bill had a slight impact on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, securities experts said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683154-set-hit-slightly-by-constitutional-courts-ruling-on-charter-amendment/

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Bt2-tn loan bill passage paves way for launch of infrastructure plan
NONGNAPAS PITHAPATI,
SOMLUCK SRIMALEE
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- THE GOVERNMENT is prepared to kick off the Bt2 trillion infrastructure investment plan next year, after the borrowing bill unexpectedly won the Senate's approval on Tuesday night, which sparked an outcry from the opposition and some senators.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683155-bt2-tn-loan-bill-passage-paves-way-for-launch-of-infrastructure-plan/

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THAI TALK
Rice pledge scheme: Who should we trust - economist, accountant or politician?
Suthichai Yoon
The Nation


Former deputy premier and finance minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakul

So, what's the estimated loss the government will incur from the controversial rice price-pledging scheme?

BANGKOK: -- Former deputy premier and finance minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakul predicts the loss will be in the range of Bt200 billion a year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683156-thai-rice-pledge-scheme-who-should-we-trust-economist-accountant-or-politician/

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EDITORIAL
Losing our voice in the global village
The Nation

Ranked "very low" for English-language proficiency, Thailand needs an education boost to be competitive in this era of globalisation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand has fared poorly in a global survey on adult English-language proficiency. The Kingdom ranked 55th among 60 countries where English is not the mother tongue, falling into the "very low proficiency" group.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683157-losing-our-voice-in-the-global-village-thai-editorial/

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Russian Assault Suspects sentenced to 109 years in Prison at Pattaya Court



PATTAYA: -- Three Thai Men accused of armed abduction and sexual assault of two Russian Tourists on Christmas Day 2012 have been sentenced to a total of 109 years behind bars by a Judge at the Pattaya Provincial Court.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683158-russian-assault-suspects-sentenced-to-109-years-in-prison-at-pattaya-court/

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Indian Tourist badly injured in road accident on Pattaya Beach Road



PATTAYA: -- An Indian Tourist thought to be in his mid-thirties sustained a broken right leg and other cuts and bruises after he was struck by a motorbike taxi on Pattaya Beach Road in the early hours of Wednesday. Police suspect the Indian was intoxicated.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683159-indian-tourist-badly-injured-in-road-accident-on-pattaya-beach-road/

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Govt expects more rice deals with China in 2014
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- THE COMMERCE MINISTRY expects to sell more rice to China and other countries next year after clinching a contract to supply about 3 million tonnes to China this year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683160-thai-govt-expects-more-rice-deals-with-china-in-2014/

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Thai doctors warned against S Korean courses
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THE ACADEMY of Facial and Reconstructive Surgery urged Thai physicians yesterday not to attend training courses in South Korea, as it has learned that the lectures were not provided by qualified personnel and that they lacked proper accreditation.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683161-thai-doctors-warned-against-s-korean-courses/

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Suthep's call for 1 million protesters may not be what it seems
Attayuth Bootsripoom

BANGKOK: -- SUTHEP THAUGSUBAN has boldly announced that by Sunday the number of anti-government protesters at Democracy Monument would grow to a million.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683163-sutheps-call-for-1-million-protesters-may-not-be-what-it-seems/

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Amendment bid 'violated charter'
Kornchanok Raksaseri
The Nation



Constitutional Court mostly quiet for hourlong charter change ruling

BANGKOK: -- THE CROWD outside the Constitutional Court yesterday was composed mostly of the media. They were awaiting the court's ruling on the constitutionality of the charter amendment related to senators' selection and qualifications - and without them the court building would have been a very quiet place yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683164-amendment-bid-violated-thai-charter/

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Singaporean tourist missing after fall from iconic Phuket cape
Phuket Gazette


Friends console Singaporean tourist Liu Shu Jian, who managed to stop himself from plunging into the waves. Photo: Rawai Municipality Rescue

PHUKET: -- A search-and-rescue operation was launched late this afternoon after a Singaporean tourist slipped from the rocks at Phuket’s iconic Promthep Cape and plunged into the waves below.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683165-singaporean-tourist-missing-after-fall-from-iconic-phuket-cape/

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The top spots for making friends, getting rich and raising kids
Thailand leads the way when it comes to quality of life and a good social scene, while Switzerland is top for making money and Germany for raising children
By Elizabeth Roberts

LONDON: -- Thailand is the easiest place in the world for expats to make friends and have an active social life, a survey has revealed.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683167-hsbc-survey-finds-thailand-leads-the-way-for-expats/

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California man pulled off plane in North Korea, detained, son says
By Chelsea J. Carter, CNN

(CNN) -- An 85-year-old American man on an organized tour of North Korea was pulled off a departing plane in Pyongyang just minutes before it was to depart, the man's son told CNN on Wednesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683182-us-man-pulled-off-plane-in-north-korea-detained-son-says/

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South to brace for heavy to heaviest rains at weekend



BANGKOK: -- The Meteorological Department today warned people in 13 southern provinces from Chumphon to Narathiwat provinces to brace for heavy to heaviest rains at the weekend as a low pressure system is moving into the southern part of the country from Malaysia.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683186-south-to-brace-for-heavy-to-heaviest-rains-at-weekend/

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Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 1,394.60, falls 10.21 points /MCOT

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Korean online gambling gang smashed in Chiang Mai



CHIANG MAI: -- A combined force of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), the Immigration Bureau and local police yesterday smashed a Korean on-line gambling gang and arrested five Koreans for illegal operation of an on-line gambling in Chiang Mai.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683190-korean-online-gambling-gang-smashed-in-chiang-mai/

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Google unveils prepaid debit card

BY ALEXEI ORESKOVIC

SAN FRANCISCO

Surfboards lean against a wall at the Google office in Santa Monica, California, October 11, 2010.

CREDIT: REUTERS/LUCY NICHOLSON

(Reuters) - Google Inc (GOOG.O) will offer a prepaid debit card that will allow consumers to purchase goods at stores and to withdraw cash from ATM machines, the Internet company said on Wednesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683196-google-unveils-prepaid-debit-card/

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Three police officers wounded in Makkhawan Bridge bombing
By English News



BANGKOK, Nov 21 – Three police officers were wounded when a home-made bomb was hurled behind the barricade near Makkhawan Bridge that prevents outsiders from entering off-limits zones.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683199-three-police-officers-wounded-in-bangkok-makkhawan-bridge-bombing/

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Protest leader vows to eliminate Thaksin regime
By English News



BANGKOK, Nov 21 – The leader of the Democrat-led Democracy Monument rally declared yesterday that the group’s demonstration will not end unless the Thaksin regime is totally wiped out.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683200-protest-leader-vows-to-eliminate-thaksin-regime/

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Fire at Hollywood "The Coup" film shooting scene in Lampang


A fire broke out at a three-story building where a shooting of a Hollywood movie starred by Owen Wilson was ongoing in Lampang province , causing damages to the building.

BANGKOK: -- This morning forensic police are still gathering evidence at the scene to find out the exact cause of the first and see to it if it was caused by error in its special effect techniques.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683203-hollywood-star-owen-wilson-escapes-big-fire-on-the-coup-film-set-in-lampang/

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'Starbung' coffee vendor settles name dispute out of court

BANGKOK: -- A Thai coffee vendor has dropped his "Starbung Coffee" signboard after Starbucks brought him to court for intellectual property rights violations, the defendant said Thursday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683211-starbung-thai-coffee-vendor-settles-name-dispute-out-of-court/