Thailand Live Saturday 8 Mar 2014

[webfact]

New tourist court in Bangkok to build tourist confidence

BANGKOK, 7 March 2014 (NNT) - Thailand has established a new tourist court in Bangkok in the hope to make foreign tourists feel more confident to visit Thailand.

Deputy Permanent-Secretary for Tourism and Sports Khachorn Weerachai said the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Courts of Justice had together set up three tourist courts in Thailand’s popular tourist destinations, including Phuket, Pattaya and Bangkok. They would open the fourth one at the Dusit Municipal Court on 11 March this year.

Tourist courts are aimed at shortening a trial process for foreign tourists so that they can travel to other countries or return to their home country in time.


-- NNT 2014-03-08

[webfact]

PCAD Activist Wanted For 'Attempted Murder' Of Redshirt
By Khaosod English



BANGKOK: -- The court has approved arrest warrant on a core leader of the anti-government movement for his alleged attempt to torture and murder a pro-government supporter.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709329-pcad-activist-wanted-for-attempted-murder-of-redshirt/

[webfact]

UPDATE:

SUPREME ADMINISTRATIVE COURT
Thawil wins reinstatement, new hot potato for premier
The Nation



Govt ordered to reappoint him as NSC sec-general; Paradorn not ready to budge

BANGKOK: -- The government must comply with the Supreme Administrative Court's verdict to reinstate Thawil Pliensri to the position of National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general within 45 days, PM's secretary general Suranand Vejjajiva said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709243-supreme-administrative-court-rules-in-favour-of-thawil/?p=7535161#entry7535161

[webfact]

SEPARATISM
NACC urged to probe secession calls
The Nation


Red-shirt leader Wuthipong

Democrats want inquiry into govt 'support' for calls for separate state

BANGKOK: -- The Democrat Party has petitioned the national anti-graft agency, calling on it to investigate the prime minister, two Cabinet ministers and 10 red-shirt leaders for rebellion over calls for a separate state in the North.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709330-thai-democrats-want-inquiry-into-govt-support-for-calls-for-separate-state/

[webfact]

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
Much still to be done on gender equality : UN Women's Day forum
Phatarawadee Phataranawik
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Better education, effective laws that protect women, empowering women, and more women represented in legislatures will bring about gender equality in Thailand and the Asia-Pacific region, say international women's rights experts.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709331-much-still-to-be-done-on-gender-equality-un-womens-day-forum/

[webfact]

THAI to be more flexible, shorten decision-making
Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Thai Airways International (THAI) this year will be more operationally flexible and shorten its decision-making process in order to keep pace with the fast-changing aviation industry.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709332-thai-to-be-more-flexible-shorten-decision-making/

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
Justice or 'just us'?
The Nation

Deafened by the self-righteous claims of politicians, we have forgotten the real nature of injustice

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709333-justice-or-just-us-thai-editorial/

[webfact]

VENUS' VISION
Protecting the 'little woman'
Veena Thoopkrajae

BANGKOK: -- As Thailand joins the rest of the world in marking International Women's Day today, we can boast being a country with a fair share of feminists. However, whether we are actually moving toward equality for women is quite another matter.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709334-thai-opinion-protecting-the-little-woman/

[webfact]

Thai Interpol arrest wanted Russian drug lord

KOH SAMUI: -- A Russian national wanted for conspiracy in the drug trade has been arrested in Ko Samui.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709335-thai-interpol-arrest-wanted-russian-drug-lord-on-koh-samui/

[webfact]

Pheu Thai to impeach six charter court judges and Vicha Mahakhun



BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai party has started a process to impeach six Constitution Court judges and spokesman of the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709337-pheu-thai-to-impeach-six-charter-court-judges-and-vicha-mahakhun/

[webfact]

30 injured in school trip
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A bus taking schoolchildren on a field trip crashed into a cement barrier in Loei's Dan Sai district, resulting in 30 injuries.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709338-loei-bus-crash-30-injured-in-school-trip/

[webfact]

Lawyer calls for Chalerm to be arrested
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A lawyer called yesterday on a court to issue an arrest warrant for Chalerm Yoobamrung, in his capacity as chief of the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO), for going ahead with the deportation of Indian businessman Satish Sehgal.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709339-lawyer-calls-for-chalerm-to-be-arrested/

[webfact]

Manhunt for Swedish fake Rolex Watch seller in Pattaya



PATTAYA: -- A 26 year old Thai Man, who purchased what he thought was a real second-hand Rolex Watch, later found the watch to be fake, despite handing over 110,000 Baht for the watch to its previous owner, a Swedish National.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709340-manhunt-for-swedish-fake-rolex-watch-seller-in-pattaya/

[webfact]

M16-wielding drunk resident of Pattaya Island arrested by Police



PATTAYA: -- On Friday Afternoon Pattaya Police made their way to Larn Island, off the coast of Pattaya, to investigate reports of a drunken Thai Man who was wielding a loaded M16 Assault Rifle.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709342-m16-wielding-drunk-resident-of-pattaya-island-arrested-by-police/

[webfact]

M 79 grenade attack in front of Shinawatra Tower3



BANGKOK: -- A M 79 grenade was fired at anti-government protesters rallying in front of the Shinawatra Tower 3 on Phaholyothin road late in the evening yesterday and exploded.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709344-m-79-grenade-attack-in-front-of-shinawatra-tower3/

[webfact]

Annual Red Cross Fair canceled this year

BANGKOK, 8 March 2014 (NNT) - Organizers of the annual Red Cross Fair at the Royal Plaza announce to cancel the fair this year due to disruption by political demonstrations.

The Red Cross Fair this year, scheduled from 28 March – 5 April 2014, was canceled as the political protests made it difficult for the Thai Red Cross Society and other organizations who joined in the fair to set up booths at the event's venue, the organizers said. The are also concerned about safety of the event’s staff, volunteers as well as the fair goers.

The annual Red Cross Fair’s venue—from the Royal Plaza to Ratchadamnoen Nok road—is near the anti-government rallies.

For more information, please contact the Thai Red Cross Society Fund Raising Office’s public relations division at 022564440-3 and 022559911


-- NNT 2014-03-08

[webfact]

LEAKS
Turkey warns YouTube and Facebook could be banned

Ankara - Turkey's embattled prime minister has warned that his government could ban popular social media networks YouTube and Facebook after a number of online leaks added momentum to a spiralling corruption scandal.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709348-turkey-warns-youtube-and-facebook-could-be-banned/

[webfact]

RT @SkyNewsBreak: Malaysia Airlines confirms flight MH370 loses contact with Subang Air Traffic Control, departed Kuala Lumpur - expected to land in Beijing

[webfact]

RT @CNN: CNN: Malaysia Airlines says it has lost contact with a passenger flight carrying 227 passengers, 12 crew members, en route to Beijing.

[webfact]

'Contact lost' with Malaysia Airlines plane

KUALA LUMPUR: -- Malaysia Airlines says it has lost contact with a plane travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, with 239 people on board.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709351-contact-lost-with-malaysia-airlines-plane-with-239-people-on-board/

[webfact]

Hospital under gun attack



BANGKOK: -- Unknown number of perpetrators fired gunshots at Mongkutwattana General Hospital on Chaengwattana road causing damage to its glass window pane.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709382-hospital-in-bangkok-under-gun-attack/

[webfact]

Anwar guilty of sodomy, gets five years jail



KUALA LUMPHUR: -- Malaysia's Court of Appeal on Friday sentenced opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to five years jail for sodomising former aide MohdSaifulBukhariAzlan six years ago.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709397-malaysias-anwar-ibrahim-guilty-of-sodomy-gets-five-years-jail/

[webfact]

UPDATE:

AVIATION

Malaysia Airlines verifying report that missing plane lands in Nanming

Malaysia Airlines are working to verify the authenticity that its flight MH370 that had lost contact with traffic control has reportedly landed in Nanming, Group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said Saturday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709351-contact-lost-with-malaysia-airlines-plane-with-239-people-on-board/page-4?p=7536089#entry7536089

[webfact]

UPDATE:

MAS hunts for missing plane carrying 239

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Malaysia Airlines said a flight carrying 239 people from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing went missing early Saturday, and the airline was notifying next of kin in a sign it expected the worst.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709351-contact-lost-with-malaysia-airlines-plane-with-239-people-on-board/page-4?p=7536146#entry7536146

[webfact]

Patong Mayor Pian guilty of vote fraud, but will run for re-election
Phuket Gazette


Deposed Patong Mayor Pian Keesin will run for re-election in the election to take place within the next 60 days. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- Deposed Patong Mayor Pian Keesin yesterday was found guilty of electoral fraud in the September 2012 council election, but is free to run for re-election to head Phuket’s key resort town.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709401-patong-mayor-pian-guilty-of-vote-fraud-but-will-run-for-re-election/

[webfact]

Thai woman set alight during horrific attack in Sydney CBD, man arrested

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709403-thai-woman-set-alight-during-horrific-attack-in-sydney/

[webfact]

FTI fears foreign investors will shift investment elsewhere
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, March 8 - The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) admits it is concerned foreign investors will relocate their investment base overseas.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709404-federation-of-thai-industries-fti-fears-foreign-investors-will-shift-investment-elsewhere/

[webfact]

RT @BPbreakingnews: The red shirts will hold a rally at the Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Chiang Mai city this afternoon. #bpnews

[webfact]

Drought worsens in several provinces

KHONKAEN, 8 March 2014 (NNT) – The widespread drought continues to worsen in several provinces of Thailand due to months of no rainfall.

In Khon Kaen province, residents of Mueang and Ban Fang districts are now faced with a serious shortage of tap water after their water storage reservoir dried up. The reservoir is completely without water, as there has been no inflow of water for two months.

In Satun province, local people on Sarai Island in Mueang district lined up on Friday to get water from an artesian aquifer after finding that most of the normally-available freshwater supply had been exhausted. The island has been declared by the local administrative organization a 'red' zone on the scale of drought disaster.

In Mae Hong Son, the local Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office revealed that people in two districts were facing water shortages as a result of drought, and the provincial administration has been notified of the dire situation.


-- NNT 2014-03-08

[webfact]

Contributions continue for the fund to assist rice growers

LOEI, 8 March 2014 (NNT) – It was reported on Friday that many sectors were continuing to contribute money to the fund to assist rice growers.

In Loei, provincial governor Wirot Chiwarangsan led a delegation of senior civil servants, businessmen and other members of the public to donate or deposit money into the fund for assistance to rice growers. The fund was set up by the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) to collect money needed to help rice growers who sold their produce under the rice pledging scheme but had not been paid. At least 5 million baht was expected to have been contributed to the fund. Staff of the BAAC were also seen inviting members of the public to make contributions.

In Kalasin, provincial governor Suwit Subongkot presided over the launch of the BAAC initiative to provide loans of 100,000 baht each to unpaid rice growers, for the purpose of allowing the rice growers to fund their paddies or cover other expenses as they wait for the payments owed to them.

In Rayong, provincial governor Wichit Chatphaisit presided over the launch of a similar initiative at the BAAC's Rayong branch, and personally contributed 15,000 baht to the assistance fund and made another 2,000 baht donation for the farmers.


-- NNT 2014-03-08