Thailand Live Friday 28 Mar 2014

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1 Million Thais suffer from bipolar disorder

BANGKOK, 28 March 2014 (NNT) - The Asian Network of Bipolar Disorder (ANBD) is holding activities to raise public awareness on the issue in Thailand, where it is estimated that at least 1 million are suffering from the disease.

ANBD president Dr Pichet Udomrat said March 30 marks the first ever World Bipolar Day (WBD). The goal of WBD is to bring the world population information about bipolar disorders that will educate and improve sensitivity towards the illness.

Globally, around 27 million people suffer from the disorder. In Thailand, the estimate is higher year-on-year. This year, the figure is estimated at around 1 million.

The president said fewer than half of people with the disorder were treated by a mental health professional as the disorder is difficult to identify and people at risk can be misdiagnosed as suffering from depression or other mental illnesses.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by cycles of depression and mania, a euphoric, high-energy state that can result in heightened levels of creativity or output as well as erratic or risky behavior. People with bipolar disorder are at high risk of substance abuse and suicide, and treatment includes psychiatric care and medication.

Events including talks and seminars are being held under the theme “Stable Mood, Good Life” in order to better facilitate recognition of the disease and identify people at risk.


-- NNT 2014-03-28

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Fake Internet banking apps invade Google Play Store



BANGKOK, 28 March 2014 (NNT) - Thai commercial banks warn of fraudulent Internet banking applications in Google Play Store and suggest users to look at the developer’s name before downloading an application.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714462-fake-internet-banking-apps-invade-google-play-store/

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2010 Unrest: Mother Of Slain Nurse To Sue DSI Chief
By Khaosod English


A still from a n amateur footage shows soldiers on BTS track in front of Wat Pathumwanararm Temple on 19 May 2010.

BANGKOK: -- Chief of Division of Special Investigation may find himself facing the murder lawsuit filed by the mother of a volunteer medic killed by the security force in the 2010 Redshirts protests.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714464-2010-unrest-mother-of-slain-nurse-to-sue-dsi-chief-tharit/

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Al-Ruwaili's Fate 'More Important Than Diamonds'
By Khaosod English


Mr. Abdulelah Alsheaiby

BANGKOK: -- The Saudi Arabian government's decision of whether to renew its relationship with Thailand depends on the verdict in the decades-long case of the missing Saudi businessman, which is due next Monday, its top diplomat said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714465-bangkok-missing-al-ruwailis-fate-more-important-than-diamonds/

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Anti-drink networks urge police to clamp down on drunk driving

BANGKOK, 28 March 2014 (NNT) - Anti-alcohol networks are urging highway police to toughen the ban on drunk-driving during the upcoming Songkran Festival.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714466-anti-drink-networks-urge-thai-police-to-clamp-down-on-drunk-driving/

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TripAdvisor ranks 8 Thai beaches among Asia’s top 25

BANGKOK, 28 March 2014 (NNT) – Eight beaches in Thailand have been named by the globally renowned travel website TripAdvisor as some of the best in Asia, with three of them making it into the top 10.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714467-tripadvisor-ranks-8-thai-beaches-among-asias-top-25/

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DIGITAL TV
Free vouchers for digital TV set-top boxes
Usanee Mongkolporn
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will start mailing vouchers for free digital-TV set-top boxes to households in four provinces by June, commissioner Supinya Klangnarong said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714468-free-vouchers-for-digital-tv-set-top-boxes/

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UPDATE:

POLITICS
NACC rejects PM's request to extend deadline
Anuphan Chantana
The Nation


Yingluck

BANGKOK: -- The National Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday refused to extend the deadline for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to file her defence against the charge of dereliction of duty in overseeing the rice-pledging scheme.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714401-nacc-refuses-to-extend-the-period-for-yingluck-to-defend-herself/page-3#entry7617777

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UPDATE:

POLITICS
Reports that Thaksin asked PM to take a break denied
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Noppadon Pattama, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's legal adviser, has dismissed as groundless reports that Thaksin ordered caretaker PM Yingluck Shinawatra to take a year's break from politics to pave the way for political negotiations.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714359-noppadon-rejects-shinawatra-family-taking-a-break-from-politics;-suthep-rejects-proposal/#entry7617780

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POLITICS
Democrats likely to take part in next election : source
The nation

BANGKOK: -- The Democrats will run in the upcoming election, a high-ranking source said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714470-thai-democrats-likely-to-take-part-in-next-election-source/

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'Lifting' fails to boost tourism
Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The tourism industry will remain in trouble in the first quarter of this year, despite the lifting of the state of emergency, according to the Association of Thai Travel Agents.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714471-lifting-fails-to-boost-thai-tourism/

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US embassy's new visa delivery system causes problems
Asina Pornwasin
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Two Sunday's ago I was meant to be on a flight to Washington to attend the Microsoft Cyber-crime Centre's media tour. Yet, even though I was granted a visa, I couldn't go. The weak link in my plans was the US embassy's new visa delivery system.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714472-us-embassys-new-visa-delivery-system-causes-problems-thai-opinion/

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Pheu Thai tells US and UN of attempts to block election in Thailand



BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai party has complained to US President Barak Obama and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon about the presence of a political movement in Thailand bent on obstructing the election and putting the country in deep freeze.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714474-pheu-thai-tells-us-president-obama-and-un-of-attempts-to-block-election-in-thailand/

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THAI-INDONESIAN RELATIONS
Three Thais arrested in connection to killings of Indonesian officers
THE NATION
SONGKHLA



BANGKOK: -- Police yesterday arrested three Thai fishermen allegedly involved in the murders of two Indonesian naval officers earlier this month.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714475-three-thais-arrested-in-connection-to-killings-of-indonesian-officers/

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Transport department to enforce slope test for public transport buses



BANGKOK: -- The Land Transport Department has issued a regulation requiring public transport buses of over 3.60 meters high to pass a 30-degree slope test.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714476-thai-transport-department-to-enforce-slope-test-for-public-transport-buses/

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Man arrested for growing marijuana at home
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- olice arrested a man yesterday for allegedly growing 31 marijuana plants in his house in Phitsanulok's Wat Bot district.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714477-thai-man-arrested-for-growing-marijuana-at-home/

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BURNING ISSUE
'Clone' Yingluck faces the same fate as Thaksin
Samudcha Hoonsara
Nation News Agency

During campaigning for the 2011 general election, Yingluck Shinawatra, who was Pheu Thai Party's prime ministerial candidate, was asked by reporters to comment on a remark by her brother Thaksin Shinawatra that she was his "political clone".

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714478-clone-yingluck-faces-the-same-fate-as-thaksin/

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3 Ladyboy’s arrested after IPhone snatch from Russian on Pattaya Beach



PATTAYA: -- In the early hours of Friday, Pattaya Police arrested three Ladyboy’s on Pattaya Beach, accused of stealing an IPhone from a Russian tourist.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714479-3-ladyboys-arrested-after-iphone-snatch-from-russian-on-pattaya-beach/

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Severe pollution in Lampang
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The number of particles smaller than 10 microns (PM10) in the air in Lampang province yesterday exceeded the safe limit again.

The director of Region 2's Environ-ment Office, Suwit Khattiyawong, said the level of fine dust particles in Muang district rose to 122 micrograms per cubic metre (mpcm) yesterday, which was beyond the safe limit of 120mpcm. Mae Mo district reported a PM10 level of around 86-98mpcm, he added.

Lampang's PM10 level surged beyond the safe limit last week, along with those in other upper northern provinces, but rainfall brought the situation back to normal by Sunday, Suwit said. However, PM10 amount has been rising again. The Pollution Control Department stated that the fine dust particles in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lamphun, Phayao, Phrae and Nan will rise by 10 per cent.


-- The Nation 2014-03-28

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Reinstated NSC chief could be prosecuted, Paradorn says
The Nation


Paradorn

BANGKOK: -- National Security Council secretary-general Thawil Pliensri risks being prosecuted for taking to the anti-government rally stage and may have a hard time working at the NSC, former secretary-general Lt-General Paradorn Pattanatabut said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714481-reinstated-nsc-chief-thawil-could-be-prosecuted-paradorn-says/

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M79 grenade hits NACC office again



BANGKOK: -- A M79 grenade was fired into the head office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) shortly before midnight Thursday, causing damages to glass window of the building.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714499-m79-grenade-hits-nacc-office-again/

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Suthep says PDRC to launch an offensive next week



BANGKOK: -- Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban announced Thursday night that the People’s Democratic Reform Committee would launch an offensive next week to “seize back sovereign power” for the Thai people.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714501-suthep-says-pdrc-to-launch-an-offensive-next-week/

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UPDATE:

Red-shirt radio station in Mae Sod ordered closed for not having a licence



BANGKOK: -- A red-shirt community radio station in Mae Sod district of Tak province has been ordered closed down after it was found out that the station has operated without a licence.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714294-redshirt-community-radio-station-under-heavy-arm-attack/page-4?p=7618453#entry7618453

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Thai stock index opens on Friday at 1,356.74, gains 0.79 points /MCOT

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UPDATE:

Pheu Thai complains about election obstructions to US and UN

BANGKOK 28 March 2014 (NNT) — The Pheu Thai party has sent letters to both US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon complaining about election obstructions in the country.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714474-pheu-thai-tells-us-president-obama-and-un-of-attempts-to-block-election-in-thailand/page-2#entry7618631

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King meets Japanese community representatives and discusses water management projects with HAII officials



PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN, 28 March 2014 (NNT) - His Majesty the King on Thursday evening (March 27) granted an audience to Mr. Torajiro Ohachi, president of the Japanese Association in Thailand, Mr. Shigekazu Sato, the Japanese Ambassador to Thailand and executive members of the Japan Association in Thailand, at the Klai Kangwon Palace. The party presented to His Majesty a monetary donation on the occasion of the 100th founding anniversary of the Japan Association in Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714515-king-meets-japanese-community-representatives/

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Red-shirt followers force the cancellation of a concert in Nonthaburi



BANGKOK: -- A concert featuring artist Pongpat Watchabanchong scheduled to be staged at the Rong Beer Holland Thursday night was abruptly cancelled following a protest by red-shirt followers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714516-red-shirt-followers-force-the-cancellation-of-a-concert-in-nonthaburi/

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BACC receives Bt1.3 billion from public to help farmers



BANGKOK: -- After 23 days since the launch of a campaign for public donations and contributions to help rice farmers, the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives has received altogether about 1,348 million baht from the public.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714520-bacc-receives-bt13-billion-from-public-to-help-rice-farmers/

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Finance Ministry axes economic growth projection from 4% to 2.6%
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, March 28 - The Finance Ministry has lowered Thailand's projected economic growth for this year from 4 per cent to 2.6 per cent, according to the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714523-finance-ministry-axes-economic-growth-projection-from-4-to-26/

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10 suspects arrested for M-79 grenade attack on NACC
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, March 28 - Ten suspects have been arrested for firing two M-79 grenades into the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) office in Nonthaburi, while many arms and arms-related items were found hidden in an abandoned area near the agency's office.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/714524-10-suspects-arrested-for-m-79-grenade-attack-on-nacc-in-nonthaburi/