Thailand Live Thursday 27 Mar 2014

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Finance Ministry assured of Bt20 billion return in May
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, March 27 – The Commerce Ministry has given assurances that it will pay back Bt20 billion it borrowed from the central fund to make good the overdue payment to farmers under the rice pledging scheme within May as required.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714242-rice-pledging-scheme-finance-ministry-assured-of-bt20-billion-return-in-may/

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Japan man granted retrial after 46 years on death row

LONDON: -- A man who has been on death row for more than four decades has been granted a retrial by a Japanese court.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714247-japan-man-granted-retrial-after-46-years-on-death-row/

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'Splash Out' ladyboy faces arrest after skinny dipping at Chiang Mai elephant camp
By Coconuts Bangkok



CHIANG MAI: -- Footage of a transgender woman stripping naked in public at a tourist attraction in Chiang Mai province has been condemned on the social network, and now authorities there say they’ll prosecute the ladyboy, who should be familiar from an earlier controversial video.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714253-splash-out-ladyboy-faces-arrest-after-skinny-dipping-at-chiang-mai-elephant-camp/

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Thailand ranks 2nd in ASEAN for the best quality of life

BANGKOK, 27 March 2014 (NNT) - Thailand ranked 2nd out of all ASEAN countries in the 2014 United Nations Human Development Index in terms of the best quality of life.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714254-thailand-ranks-2nd-in-asean-for-the-best-quality-of-life/

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Shooting attack on red shirt radio station in Tak's Mae Sot district, no injuries reported /MCOT

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Anti-govt 'Bangkok March' continues for 4th day
By English News

BANGKOK, March 27 - Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban today led the fourth day of his movement's Bangkok march to urge people to come all out on Saturday to display the people's power against a new general election before national reform.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714267-anti-govt-bangkok-march-continues-for-4th-day/

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Thavorn: PDRC has no personal grudges against Shinawatra family



BANGKOK: -- The People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) has no personal grudges against the Shinawatra family but merely oppose the return of the Thaksin regime.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714269-thavorn-pdrc-has-no-personal-grudges-against-shinawatra-family/

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Red shirts to "hunt down" six members of the NACC



BANGKOK: -- Nonthaburi-based red-shirt followers have threatened to “hunt down” six members of the National Anti-Corruption Commission claiming that they are “fake”.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714270-red-shirts-to-hunt-down-six-members-of-the-nacc/

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Channel 3 actor to appeal prison sentence for shooting Muse business partner
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court sentenced Porames 'Phee' Singhpho to more than seven years in prison this morning for murdering an associate in a Thonglor parking lot last year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714276-channel-3-actor-to-appeal-prison-sentence-for-shooting-muse-business-partner/

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Phitsanulok begins drug addict rehabilitation program

PHITSANULOK 27 March 2014 (NNT) — Phisanulok province has introduced a drugs workshop at the rehabilitation center for drug addicts in order to lessen the rate of drug abuse.

Privy Councilor Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pookpasuk presided over the opening ceremony of Phisanulok’s drug rehabilitation program on March 26. The center where the workshop is set up is aimed at helping drug abusers and rehabilitating them so that they can later be integrated back into society.

The focus group is mostly youths — both within and outside the education system. Proper education and information on the dangers of drug use is readily available and given to those participating in the program.

The workshop is comprised of three groups, totaling 300 participants. The program started on March 22 and will end on March 30.


-- NNT 2014-03-27

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Thawil asks Phra Buddha Isara for the return of the NSC office



BANGKOK: -- Newly-reinstated chief of the National Security Council Thawil Pliensri met this morning (Thursday) with Phra Buddha Isara at Chaeng Wattana protest site for discussion on the return of the NSC’s office at the government complex.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714279-thawil-asks-phra-buddha-isara-for-the-return-of-the-nsc-office/

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UPDATE:

Wild weather forces suspension of MH370 search: AMSA

PERTH, Australia - The search for wreckage from Flight MH370 was called off Thursday for the second time this week as the weather worsened in the Indian Ocean with planes and ships ordered out of the area.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709464-missing-malaysia-airlines-jet-carrying-239-triggers-southeast-asia-search/page-124?p=7614799#entry7614799

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BKK Poll: People back the idea of having intermediate PM to reform politics before holding election

BANGKOK, 27 Mar 2014 (NNT) - According to the Bangkok Poll, Thai people back the idea of having a neutral prime minister to spearhead political reform before a general election is held.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714281-bkk-poll-people-back-the-idea-of-having-intermediate-pm/

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Kim Dotcom launches New Zealand political party

(BBC) Kim Dotcom, whose site MegaUpload was shut down by US authorities in 2012, has formally launched a political party in New Zealand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714285-kim-dotcom-launches-new-zealand-political-party/

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Daily Weather Forecast For Thailand 27 March 2014

General Situation
The heat low pressure area over upper Thailand. The temperature is higher with hot weather and haze during day time
During 28-31 March, the easterly wave across the Gulf and the south of the country will bring more rain over the areas.

Weather forecast for Thailand from 6.00 a.m. Thursday to 6.00 a.m. Friday.
Northern Thailand -Partly cloudy with hot and haze during the day. Minimum temperature 17-21 degree Celsius. Maximum temperature 34-39 degree Celsius. Southerly winds 10-20 km/hr.

Northeastern Thailand -Partly cloudy with hot and haze during the day. Minimum temperature 20-24 degree Celsius. Maximum temperature 37-39 degree Celsius. Easterly winds 10-30 km/hr.

Central Thailand -Partly cloudy with hot and haze during the day. Minimum temperature 25-26 degree Celsius. Maximum temperature 36-39 degree Celsius. Southerly winds 10-30 km/hr.

Eastern Thailand -Hot with haze during the day. Isolated thundershowers mostly in shore line. Minimum temperature 25-26 degree Celsius. Maximum temperature 33-37 degree Celsius. Southeasterly winds 15-30 km/hr. Wave height about 1 meter.

Southern Thailand East Coast -Partly cloudy with haze during the day. Minimum temperature 23-26 degree Celsius. Maximum temperature 32-35 degree Celsius. Southeasterly winds 15-30 km/hr. Wave height about 1 meter.

Southern Thailand West Coast -Partly cloudy. Hot with haze during the day. Minimum temperature 23-25 degree Celsius. Maximum temperature 35-37 degree Celsius. Easterly winds 15-30 km/hr. Wave height about 1 meter.

Bangkok Metropolis and Vicinity -Partly cloudy. Hot with haze during the day. Minimum temperature 25-27 degree Celsius. Maximum temperature 34-36 degree Celsius. Southerly winds 10-30 km/hr.


-- NNT 2014-03-27

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Redshirt community radio station under heavy arm attack



BANGKOK: -- The newly-established community radio station of the redshirt supporters of the caretaker government came under heavy attack by gunmen wielding assault rifles before dawn today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714294-redshirt-community-radio-station-under-heavy-arm-attack/

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UPDATE:

POLITICS
Rally leader Suthep urges people to join Saturday rally

BANGKOK: -- Rally leader Suthep Thaugsuban and hundreds of his supporters on Thursday led his protesters in a march to urge people to join a mass rally on Saturday to display the people's power against a Thaksin Regime and Yingluck's caretaker government.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714267-anti-govt-bangkok-march-continues-for-4th-day/#entry7615016

[Lite Beer]

Ex-Minister of Finance urges both sides of the political divide to negotiate

BANGKOK, 27 March 2014 (NNT) — Ex-Minister of Finance Tanong Pitaya has given some insight and overview of the current political situation — also explaining how he had advised Ms. Yingluck to resign from office, and how his comment had been disregarded.

Mr. Tanong made the statement following a rumor of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra attempting to resolve the current political conflicts in the country by not having Ms. Yingluck run in the next general election.

Mr. Tanong stated that he had initially suggested Ms. Yingluck to dissolve Parliament and resign from office the very first day right after the Amnesty Bill did not pass parliament vote. He even advised her not to run for office again.

Mr. Tanong said that he suggested the ideas through Ms. Yingluck’s friend, but was denied and told he knew nothing about politics. With Ms. Yingluck’s recent announcement that she would not run in the coming election, Mr. Tanong stated that the situation has developed into a state where both sides are refusing to negotiate — adding that there are also a group of army officials who wish to have a coup.

The ex-Minister of Finance went on to say that a coup would tarnish the country even further; however, at this moment, there is only the army that can be the middleman and urge the 2 sides to negotiate and stage a new election together. He is hopeful and reckons that the entire process should take 3 months to carry out.

-- NNT 2014-03-27

[Lite Beer]

S'pore's 1st Songkran water festival goes dry
Melody Zaccheus

SINGAPORE: -- There will be no water pistol fights, celebrity dunk stations, or really, any kind of water fun at Singapore's first Songkran water festival on April 12 and 13.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714298-singapores-1st-songkran-water-festival-goes-dry/

[Lite Beer]

RALLY
Bomb attacks on anti-government campaigns continued

BANGKOK: -- Politically-related bomb attacks continued last night with anti-government Chang Wattana rally site as a target but there were no reports of injuries.

Three grenades believed to be M-79 were fired at the Chang Wattana rally site People’s late last night, but two of them landed inside the 1st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment base near the rally site while another landed near a building, causing slight damage.

Phra Buddha Issara, a senior monk supervising the rally site, said that he heard three explosions at about 10.30pm.

He believed that the assailants may have intended to shoot the grenades at the place he stayed but if so they missed the target

A bomb attack also took place at Mongkut Wattana Hospital opposite the rally site. The bomb hit the operation room of the seventh floor of the hospital. No one was injured. The hospital’s owner Dr Rienthong Naenna is a strong supporter of the anti-government campaign.

-- The Nation 2014-03-27

[Lite Beer]

RT@veen_NT: Suthep lunch today by Oree Pungchitt #FB pic.twitter.com/lz28zCkDH8

[Lite Beer]

North Korea: Students required to get Kim Jong-un haircut

Male university students in North Korea are now required to get the same haircut as their leader Kim Jong-un, it is reported.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714302-north-korea-students-required-to-get-kim-jong-un-haircut/

[Lite Beer]

Malfeasance charge against former Constitutional Court judges dismissed
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court on Thursday dismissed a malfeasance lawsuit against former Constitutional Court president Kramol Thongthammachart and 12 former judges related to the issuance of a regulation to give themselves a meeting allowance increase.

The Criminal Court reasoned that Kramol and 12 former Constitution Court judges had no intention to harm the country and had promptly returned the money.

Kramol and 12 former judges were charged in the court on December 26, 2011 for violating Article 157 of the Penal Code in allegedly abusing their authority to give themselves a meeting allowance.

Charged along with Kramol were Jira Boonphojanasunthorn, Jumpol na Songkhla, Phan Chantharaparn, Mongkol Sradan, Manit Witthayatem, Sak Techacharn, Sujit Boonbongkarn, Sutee Sutthisomboon, Suwan Suwanwecho, Suwit Thirapong, Saowanee Assawaroj and Urai Wangomklang. Another former judge, Preecha Chalermwanit, was also charged but the suit against him was dismissed following his death.

The judges were accused of issuing a regulation to give themselves a monthly meeting allowance rather than allowances on a case-by-case basis. Following the enactment of the regulation, the judges received a meeting allowance from July to September 2004 of Bt60,000 each.

The court ruled that the judges had no authority to give themselves any pay increase because this would require a bill enacted by Parliament.

However, the court opined that the judges were not aware that they did have the authority to issue such a regulation. The court also noted that during a meeting to consider the draft regulation, representatives of the Budget Bureau and Comptroller's General Department did not raise any objection.

The court said after the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Office ruled against the former judges as requested by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the former judges cancelled the regulation and returned the money.

As a result, the Criminal Court considered that the former judges had no intention to commit any wrongdoing.

-- The Nation 2014-03-27

[Lite Beer]

Yingluck's lawyers ask NACC to extend deadline for PM to defend herself by 45 days

BANGKOK: -- The lawyers of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Thursday asked the National Anti-Corruption Commission to give Yingluck 45 more days to study evidence for defending herself in the rice-pledging case.

The NACC has asked Yingluck to defend herself to the NACC within March 31.

But Norawit Larlaeng and Bancha Porameesanaporn Thursday submitted a request to the NACC, asking it to extend the deadline by 45 days.

Norawit said the defence asked the NACC to provide 19 items of documentary evidence, which the complainant used to raise allegation of malfeasance against the prime minister.

Norawit said the NACC sent 280 pages of documents to the defence but they were not the documents requested.

The lawyer added that the defence was also waiting for documents from 10 government agencies concerned.

He said Yingluck needed to study all of these documents or else she would be disadvantage.

-- The Nation 2014-03-27

[Lite Beer]

Thai police speed up investigation into killings of 2 Indonesian navy officers

SONGKHLA, 27 March 2014 (NNT) -- The provincial court of Songkhla has issued arrest warrants for 12 crewmen of a Thai fishing boat who are suspected of being involved in the murder of two Indonesian Navy officers.

Pol. Lt. Gen. Chakthip Thaichinda, a deputy national police chief, said the warrants are issued on charges of illegal entry as their alleged involvement in the killings will be charged only when the evidence is clear. Speaking after his meeting with Indonesian consulate officials in Songkhla, the deputy police chief said Thai police has extended the fact finding mission to three to five days as there are a lot of documents to be reviewed, especially those to be provided by Indonesia which also need translations.

Meanwhile, the Fishery Association of Songkhla has sent a letter to the Fishery Association of Thailand asking the latter to act as coordinator in the case and in extending compensations to the victims' families

The Songkhla Fishery Association also asked the government to negotiate with Indonesia to open its waters to Thai fishing boats. After the incident, more than 500 Thai trawlers have been kept ashore due to the patrol of several more Indonesian battleships.

-- NNT 2014-03-27

[Lite Beer]

Pheu Thai: Yingluck Won't Step Down

By Khaosod English.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra shows her new air cast for her injured foot as she arrives at the Office of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, 27 March 2014

BANGKOK: -- Pheu Thai Party leaders have denied the rumours that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been ordered by her influential brother to step down from her caretaker position.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714324-pheu-thai-yingluck-wont-step-down/

[Lite Beer]

GISTDA:Thaichote satellite images show 300 pieces of floating objects in Indian Ocean potentially linked to missing Malaysian Airlines plane /MCOT

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Phetchabun training for road accident rescue plan

PHETCHABUN, 27 March 2014 (NNT) – Phetchabun Province has launched a field training plan to prepare for emergency situations on the road this year in Na-ngua Sub-district, Mueang District.

Recently, the province has been practicing a drill called a Table-top Exercise and now moves on to a Field Training Exercise being held today (27 March) at Ban Sumnukmun Bridge, Na-ngua Sub-district, Mueang Phetchabun District, throughout the afternoon.

The practice reconstructs a bad accident on the road during the Songkran Festival. In the emergency drill a bus has crashed onto its side, 40 passengers are found wounded, and there is a real risk of fire engulfing the scene of the accident.

Tha Phon Ruamkatanyu Foundation plays a crucial role in the road disaster, and must practice coordination with related rescue organizations, and oversee the proper managment of the emergency treatment of survivors, in the bus crash exercise.


-- NNT 2014-03-27

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Chiang Rai Nightclub Grenade Attack Injures 7
By Khaosod english



CHIANG RAI: -- Seven people have been injured after a grenade was thrown into a nightclub in Chiang Rai province after a fight broke out between groups of teenage patrons.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714343-chiang-rai-nightclub-grenade-attack-injures-7/

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UPDATE:

Thai satellite finds 300 floating objects in jet search

BANGKOK, March 27, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand has spotted 300 floating objects in the southern Indian Ocean during a satellite search for the missing Malaysian airliner, its space agency said Thursday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/709464-missing-malaysia-airlines-jet-carrying-239-triggers-southeast-asia-search/page-124?p=7615597#entry7615597