Thailand Live Friday 4 Apr 2014

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Princess Chulabhorn is leaving for UK to ink MoU on public health research cooperation

BANGKOK, 4 April 2014 (NNT) - Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn will be visiting the United Kingdom during April 4-14, 2014 to promote technical cooperation in the field of public health with a British university.

The Bureau of the Royal Household said in its announcement issued last night that Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn will board a Thai Airways International plane at Suvarnabhumi Airport, in Samut Prakan Province this afternoon, and leave for the United Kingdom on a 10-day visit.

While in Britain, the announcement said, Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn is scheduled to sign a memorandum of understanding with the British Department of Health covering research and technical cooperation with Cardiff University. The Princess will also hold technical discussion on chemistry with Professor Sir Alan Battersby in the city of Cambridge.

Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn will return to Thailand on April 14, arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport on a Thai Airways International flight at 3.05 p.m.


-- NNT 2014-04-04

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EXPLOSIVE
Authorities warn of more buried WWII bombs
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- LIVE WORLD WAR II aerial bombs have been excavated now and then at various construction sites, prompting authorities to warn against any attempts to tinker with strange metal objects.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716327-thai-authorities-warn-of-more-buried-wwii-bombs/

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Airport Link to halt Phayathai express service for major maintenance

BANGKOK, 4 April 2014 (NNT) —The Express Line of the Airport Rail Link is to suspend its services temporarily from Phayathai station to Suvanabhumi, to carry out major maintenance, from April 14th onwards.

The major maintenance period will continue until April 2015, servicing one train at a time and requiring 1-2 months for each train, said Airport Rail Link Co chief Executive, Peerakan Kaewwongwattana.

The express services are therefore being adjusted in line with this situation. Passengers are invited to join the Airport Link at Makkasan station for the express service running from Makkasan to Suvanabhumi.

The City Line, meanwhile, still provides its all-stops service from Phayathai, its terminal station, as usual.


-- NNT 2014-04-04

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Special Report:
Culture ministry launches campaign to boost awareness for traditional Songkran

BANGKOK: -- The Ministry of Culture is set to launch a campaign to honour traditional roots of Songkran as revelers tend to focus less on cultural aspects of the festival in recent years

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716328-culture-ministry-launches-campaign-to-boost-awareness-for-traditional-songkran/

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His Majesty takes boat trip in Kaeng Krachan Dam

PHETCHABURI, 4 April 2014 (NNT) - His Majesty the King on Thursday (April 3) took a boat trip in the lake of Kaeng Krachan Dam in Phetchaburi Province, where he observed the development of water management in the area.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716329-his-majesty-takes-boat-trip-in-kaeng-krachan-dam/

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UPDATE:

PHEU THAI
Surapong fears violence if court rules against PM
The Nation


Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, in a wheelchair due to a sprained ankle, gets a helping hand from former premier Banharn Silapa-archa during her visit to the Bueng Chawak Aquarium in Suphan Buri yesterday.

Yingluck insists Thawil's transfer within 'legal process'; Pheu Thai pessimistic on Constitutional Court verdict

BANGKOK: -- Red-shirt rallies could turn violent if the Constitutional Court rules against caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in relation to the transfer of the National Security Council (NSC) chief, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul warned yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716210-surapong-warns-of-possible-violence-if-court-rules-against-yingluck/page-3?p=7647765#entry7647765

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UPDATE:

POLITICS
Court revokes arrest warrants against 18 rally leaders
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court has revoked the arrest warrants for People's Democratic Reform Committee chief Suthep Thaugsuban and 17 PDRC core leaders on charges of violating the emergency decree, PDRC lawyer Sawat Charoenpol said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716290-arrest-warrants-lifted-for-18-pdrc-leaders/?p=7647769#entry7647769

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
BOT chief explains why he would turn down PM's job


Nation Multimedia Group chairman Suthichai Yoon, left, speaks with Bank of Thailand chief Dr Prasarn Trairatvorakul about what lies ahead for the country.

BANGKOK: -- Bank of Thailand Governor Dr Prasarn Trairatvorakul, whose name was included in the list of potential neutral prime ministers, tells Nation Multimedia Group's chairman Suthichai Yoon about the central bank's role in the ongoing political conflict and offers his points of view on "reform" and "election".

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716332-bot-chief-prasarn-explains-why-he-would-turn-down-pms-job/

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BURNING ISSUE
Govt at risk of sinking after being steered into one storm after another
Supon Thanukid
Nation News Agency

BANGKOK: -- As the attempts to discredit independent agencies continue, so do the legal cases against caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her government. This seems to indicate that the government is approaching the end of the "democratic rope" as it clings to power.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716333-thai-govt-at-risk-of-sinking-after-being-steered-into-one-storm-after-another/

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THAI-INDONESIAN RELATIONS
Six men arrested in slayings of I'nesian naval officers
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Six Thai men have been arrested in connection with the killing of two Indonesian naval officers last month, and their identities will be made public at a press conference in Songkhla, with Indonesian diplomats in attendance, police said.

The development follows the earlier arrests of three men on March 27, two days after the killings. The three told police they were fishing in Indonesian waters when two men boarded their boat, Sor Nattaya 7, from another vessel. They said their skipper, who has not been identified and is still on the run, ordered them to kill the two men because the crew could not be sure whether they were really Indonesian naval officers as claimed.

Police said the six men detained in the most recent arrests were picked up on a trawler off the coast of Narathiwat.

-- The Nation 2014-04-04

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Thailand is among world's 10 biggest water users



BANGKOK: -- Thailand is among the world’s top ten countries with high usage of water for agro-industrial and food production purposes, Dr Somchai Harnhirun, director-general of the Industrial Economics Department said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716337-thailand-is-among-worlds-10-biggest-water-users/

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Another old but deadly bomb found in Chonburi



BANGKOK: -- Another bomb, believed to be an old 500-pound bomb dropped by plane during the World War II, was retrieved from a pond inside the Hemaraj industrial estate in Chonburi province.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716338-old-but-deadly-500-pound-world-war-ii-bomb-found-in-chonburi/

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'Dirtiest province' tag rubbished
Janjira Pongrai
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- SONGKHLA Governor Krissada Boonrat has disputed the Pollution Control Department (PCD)'s assessment that it is the country's dirtiest province.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716339-songkhlas-dirtiest-province-tag-rubbished/

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Police to question three persons seen hanging around workers' camp

Kornkamon Aksorndej

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Three persons were seen hanging around the construction workers' camp at around the time a seven-year-old girl was last seen alive on March 21, police said.

"The three will be interrogated," police adviser General Jarumporn Suramanee said.

He was speaking after the young Cambodian's body was found in a wooded area near the camp in Bangkok yesterday. Jarumpon also led a team of investigators to the scene to gather evidence.

He added that parts of the body had been eaten by animals and hence, reckoned that it might be difficult to find traces of sexual abuse or the attacker's DNA.

However, since the girl was reported missing, police began conducting DNA tests on more than 10 workers.

Meanwhile, the victim's father said he would take his daughter's body back to Cambodia for a proper funeral, adding that if he met the attacker he would ask how they would feel if "this happens to your parents, your siblings and your children?"

-- The Nation 2014-04-04

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Whistle-blowers greet Yingluck in Suphan Buri
Anapat Deechuay
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A group of whistle-blowing villagers appeared to be lying in wait for caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra when she went to visit the Bueng Chawak Aquarium in Suphan Buri yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716340-whistle-blowers-greet-yingluck-in-suphan-buri/

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Chalerm not worried about violence during red-shirt rally
Anuphan Chantana,
Kornchanok Raksaseri
The Nation


Mobile toilets are set up on Aksa Road in Nakhon Pathom

BANGKOK: -- A safe house has been established nearby Aksa Road, where the pro-government red shirts plan to hold a mass rally tomorrow, and the Metropolitan Police will look after the homes of important figures in the area, director of the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order Chalerm Yoobamrung, said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716341-chalerm-not-worried-about-violence-during-red-shirt-rally/

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Google launches digital tour of Cambodia's Angkor Wat

ANGKOR WAT, Cambodia - Cambodia's Angkor Wat has been digitally mapped for the first time, allowing people to visit the World Heritage Site from the comfort of their armchair using Google Street View.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716342-google-launches-digital-tour-of-cambodias-angkor-wat/

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Casino Room discovered at all-night Pub in Central Pattaya



PATTAYA: -- Police conducted a raid on a Pub in Central Pattaya on Thursday afternoon which was suspected of opening well over its permitted licensed opening hours and there was a suspicion an illegal casino room was operating at the back of the Pub.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716343-casino-room-discovered-at-all-night-pub-in-central-pattaya/

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Krabi resort closes doors, police seeking arrest warrant
Phuket Gazette


The Phupranang Resort, which turned away 50 prepaid guests has closed its doors, as police search for the managing director. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Police are seeking an arrest warrant for the managing director of a Krabi resort that recently turned away 50 guests with prepaid bookings.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716346-krabi-resort-closes-doors-police-seeking-arrest-warrant/

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US TV host David Letterman to retire in 2015

Veteran US late-night TV host David Letterman is to retire in 2015, broadcaster CBS has announced.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716349-us-tv-host-david-letterman-to-retire-in-2015/

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The Leather on Those Golf Gloves Might Come From a Stolen Pet in Thailand

Bloomberg Business Week

Bruce Einhorn

Police in northeastern Thailand made a grisly discovery last week. Abandoned in a forest near the border with Laos were hundreds of dog skins alongside a pile of dog bones.They were probably left by smugglers who wanted to take them through Laos and then on to Vietnam or China. In those countries, demand for dog parts for consumption in restaurants is strong.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716362-the-leather-on-those-golf-gloves-might-come-from-a-stolen-pet-in-thailand/

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A Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani bus with mostly Laotian passengers skidded and collided with an oncoming pickup truck before ramming into roadside tree and overturned. Thirty nine Laotians from Champassak were injured.
They were on their way home from Bangkok.

The accident happened near Kilometer 3-4 on the Sisaket-Kukhant highway in Sisaket province at about 5.19 a.m. Friday while there was rain in the area.

The driver of the bus Sornpet Wannasaeng said it was raining in the area when his bus skidded, jumped on another lane of the traffic and collided with an oncoming pickup truck and rammed into roadside tree.

Driver of the truck was seriously injured.

He was booked by the police for reckless driving and causing injuries to others.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/35053/


-- Thai PBS 2014-04-04

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Thai stock index opens on Friday at 1,392.19, gains 0.97 points /MCOT

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DFT to auction another 570,000 tons of rice

BANGKOK, 4 April 2014, (NNT) - The Department of Foreign Trade is planning to sell more pledged rice this month, with auctions scheduled for April 9th-10th amounting to 570,000 tons of grain.

Mr. Surasak Riengkrue, the department's Director General, explained that the auction on April 9th would seek to sell 170,000 tons of rice from 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 seasons in Suphanburi Province. Of that 100,000 tons would be 5% moisture grain and the remaining 70,000 tons will consist of Jasmine rice, A1-Lert rice bran, and sticky rice grain. He added that the auction procedures would be the same as in rice auctions previously held in Bangkok.

The Director General said the other auction of 400,000 tons of pledged rice on April 10th will be held at the department. About 150,000 tons would be 5% moisture grain while the rest will be a combination of other grains, similar to that presented in the auction the day before. The paddy to be offered in this auction would be from 2011-2014 seasons. He said his department is planning to seal the deals on the same day as the auction, claiming this can be done as the amount involved in these auction rounds is relatively small.

Mr. Surasak however expects a low bidder turnout for these rounds of rice auctions and acknowledges that the department may not be able to sell the entire quantity this time, as the rice market is still saturated from the previous auctions.


-- NNT 2014-04-04

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RT @191Thailand: House on fire this morning on Rama 6 Road (Pic @JanryinJanuary) http://t.co/hRzOC3al4P

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Lopburi province donates housing to the poor

LOPBURI, 4 April 2014 (NNT) — Lopburi province, in cooperation with the Red Cross Society, has donated a house to a local resident in dire need of assistance.

Lopburi Governor Thanakom Jongjira and Lopburi Red Cross Society Director Ms. Usanee Jongjira presided over the housing donation ceremony to the province’s local residents that were in need of a place to live.

The donation was in accordance to the province’s policy in helping people in need with no family, relatives, or acquaintances to assistance them in providing a place to live. Those who fall into this category usually live in poverty and barely have enough income to support themselves.

Two homes were donated to Lopburi’s local residents that were in dire need of housing. The funds allocated for the construction of the houses were provided by local officials’ budget.


-- NNT 2014-04-04

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Drought in Lampang affects maize farms

LAMPANG, 4 April 2014 (NNT) — The current drought situation in the Lampang Province has had adverse effects on local maize farms.

Corn farmers in Lampang are finding it difficult to maintain their crops as the shortage of water is becoming more of a problem during recent days. Therefore, the Disaster Prevention and Meditation Department (DPM) in the province are working hard to alleviate the current drought situation.

Reports from various sources indicate that water is becoming more and more scarce. Some main water sources like the Mae Tui River and other small creeks have had hardly any flowing water left, or have went completely dry.

A total of 14 villages with more than 10,000 rais of farm land that are growing corn have been afflicted by drought. The DPM has, therefore, dug up over 40 wells to help create new water sources to maintain the corn. Right now, the Muang Pan Municipality in Lampang province is now preparing to declare its region as a drought disaster zone.


-- NNT 2014-04-04

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Pollution Control Department told to clamp down on smoke-belching buses



BANGKOK: -- The Supreme Administrative Court has ordered the Pollution Control Department to clamp down on smoke-belching buses of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority and its concessionaires and to submit follow-up reports to the court every three months for a period of one year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716393-pollution-control-dept-told-to-clamp-down-on-smoke-belching-bangkok-buses/

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PM admits tough rice testimony ahead



BANGKOK, 4 April 2014, (NNT) - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has admitted that her testimony on rice support program fraud would be difficult, given only 3 witnesses out of 11 submitted to testify for her have been allowed by the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC) .

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/716395-pm-yingluck-admits-tough-rice-testimony-ahead/

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Suthep leads protesters to education ministry; Phra Buddha Issara group goes to Thammasat Uni to collect signatures to propose new laws /MCOT