Thailand looking forward to hosting Rice Congress in late Oct

BANGKOK, 10 April 2014 (NNT) – Thailand is gearing up to play host to the International Rice Congress (IRC) 2014, which will take place in Bangkok during October 27-November 1.

Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Yukol Limlaemthong said it was both an honor and a great opportunity for Thailand to have been chosen as the host of the 4th IRC this year. In conjunction with the International Rice Research Institute, the event will be organized under the title “Rice for the World”. The ministry has convened a meeting with relevant agencies, such as the Rice Department, the Thai Rice Foundation and research institutes, on the preparations for the rice congress.

Mr Yukol revealed that a meeting of the Council for Partnership in Rice Research in Asia and the 29th International Rice Research Conference would be held as part of the IRC. Moreover, there will be exhibitions on rice research as well as related innovations and technologies.

The minister stated that the upcoming congress was aimed at fostering networks among rice researchers at the international level to facilitate the exchange of knowledge concerning the cash crop. He was also confident that the event would help promote the quality and uniqueness of Thai rice and further Thailand’s cooperation with neighboring countries in related fields.

The IRC 2014 will be held at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center (BITEC) from October 27 to November 1. Approximately 1,500 participants, comprising researchers, academics, private entrepreneurs, exporters and importers, are expected.


-- NNT 2014-04-10

Buddha Issara To Sue Khaosod For B100 Mil.
By Khaosod English


Anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban and Buddha Issara

BANGKOK: -- Anti-government monk activist has pledged to sue Khaosod and Matichon for libel, demanding 100 million baht in compensation.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717846-buddha-issara-to-sue-khaosod-for-bt100-mil/

Bangkok 'Tollway OTOP Shop' Inaugurated
By Khaosod English



BANGKOK: -- Shoppers can now browse for local goods produced by local communities across Thailand at state-sponsored shops under expressways in Bangkok.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717847-bangkok-tollway-otop-shop-inaugurated/

INTERVIEW WITH SINGAPORE PM
'Outsiders' can't help Thailand solve political crisis: Lee
Yasmin Lee Arpon
Asia News Network
Singapore



BANGKOK: -- ONLY THAIS - the government and society in general - can solve the political crisis that has hobbled the Kingdom's economic and domestic affairs since October, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717848-outsiders-cant-help-thailand-solve-political-crisis-singapore-pm-lee/

POLITICS
Suthep plays down 'sovereignty' claim
THE NATION

Yingluck orders senior police to handle lese majeste claim against Ko Tee

BANGKOK: -- ANTI-GOVERNMENT protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban yesterday retracted his claim of state "sovereignty" for his movement, saying he was merely describing a hypothetical scenario that could develop should caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra be required by a Constitutional Court verdict to step down, creating a political vacuum.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717849-suthep-plays-down-sovereignty-claim/

YALA
Business group vows to stay despite repeated attacks
The Nation


File Photo

YALA: -- BEING THE target of no fewer than three major insurgent attacks has only increased the Sirichai family's determination to keep its Yala-based Sri Samai group of companies running in the province.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717850-yala-based-business-group-vows-to-stay-despite-repeated-attacks/

POLITICS
CAPO warns govt officials against talking to PDRC
PIYANUT TUMNUKASETCHAI,
PRAPASRI OSATHANON
THE NATION

Move follows Suthep's recent visit to ministries

BANGKOK: -- THE VISIT of anti-government protesters to three government offices has prompted the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) to issue a warning to state officials and civil servants not to support or join the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC)'s campaign for reform before an election.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717851-capo-warns-thai-govt-officials-against-talking-to-pdrc/

PRAKSA LANDFILL
Locals seek court order on dumpsite fire
The Nation


An official shows some samples from a tannery in Samut Prakan. These samples will be examined through lab tests to determine if the tannery has illegally thrown away its industrial waste at the Praksa dumpsite.

'Disposal of industrial waste violates law : officials accused of negligence

BANGKOK: -- LOCAL PEOPLE living around the Praksa dumpsite in Samut Prakan, which is now spreading toxic smoke again, have petitioned the Central Administrative Court for help.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717852-locals-seek-court-order-on-praksa-dumpsite-fire/

BURNING ISSUE
Lose the branches of power, lose the nation
ATTAYUTH BOOTSRIPOOM
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE COUNTRY is spiralling towards a vacuum of the three branches - legislative, executive and judiciary - as it struggles under a prolonged political conflict with no end in sight.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717853-lose-the-branches-of-power-lose-the-nation-thai-politics/

IMF halves Thai forecast
THE NATION



THE INTERNATIONAL Monetary Fund has revised down this year's forecast for Thai economic growth to 2.5 per cent from the 5.2 per cent estimated previously, mainly because of the political uncertainty. This would be the lowest growth rate among Asean nations.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717855-imf-halves-thai-forecast/

US among countries eyeing 1.6m tonnes of G2G rice deals
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE UNITED STATES and other countries are interested in purchasing rice from Thailand under government-to-government contracts, for a combined volume of more than 1.6 million tonnes, says the Foreign Trade Department.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717856-us-among-countries-eyeing-16m-tonnes-of-g2g-rice-deals/

EDITORIAL
When children kill their parents
The Nation

Two recent cases have sparked widespread horror and revulsion, with many asking what has gone wrong with the institution of the family in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- In the last few weeks Thailand has witnessed two murder cases in which young men have apparently slain their parents and siblings.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717857-when-children-kill-their-parents-thai-editorial/

Abhisit challenges PM Yingluck to quit



BANGKOK: -- Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday (Wednesday) challenged caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to quit the office so that the Constitutional Court will not have to rule whether she should be disqualified for abuse of authority over the illegal removal of Mr Thawil Pliensri as secretary-general of the National Security Council two years ago.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717858-abhisit-challenges-pm-yingluck-to-quit/

FBI to aid Thai police in criminal profiling
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Thai police and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation have held discussions over the establishment of modern investigation guidelines for criminal profiling in Thailand, with the child serial killer "Nui" possibly being used as a case study, a senior police official said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717859-fbi-to-aid-thai-police-in-criminal-profiling/

SPECIAL REPORT
Ball in charter court over special session
SOMROUTAI SAPSOMBOON,
TANATPONG KONGSAI
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE CONSTITUTIONAL Court may be asked to rule on the dispute between the government and the Senate over the opening of a special parliamentary session, after the Council of State suggested that the Cabinet does not have the authority to call a special session for the Senate to impeach officials.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717860-ball-in-charter-court-over-special-session-thai-report/

Director removed over school band scandal
SUPINDA NA MAHACHAI
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- PATCHARAPONG Tri-tepha is being transferred from his post as director of Satriwitthaya 2 School in the wake of a scandal involving the school's marching band.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717861-director-removed-over-thai-school-marching-band-scandal/

British Fatality at Central Pattaya Apartment



PATTAYA: -- On Wednesday afternoon Police and rescue services were called to an apartment in Central Pattaya to investigate the death of a British National.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717862-british-fatality-at-central-pattaya-apartment/

UPDATE:

Suspected British drug trafficker accused of smuggling 375kg of heroin into the UK is arrested in Thailand


Thai police officers arrested alleged drug trafficker Alan France in the seaside resort town of Cha-Am

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717759-cha-am-police-arrest-british-national-wanted-in-france-for-suspected-drug-trafficking/#entry7671986

4 suspected drug users and dealers caught by Pattaya Police



PATTAYA: -- In the early hours of Thursday Pattaya Police escorted four individuals to Pattaya Police Station suspected of possessing and possibly dealing in class 1 drugs.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717864-4-suspected-drug-users-and-dealers-caught-by-pattaya-police/

Explosion in rented house near Ford showroom in Seri Thai Soi 10; one dead, one injured /MCOT

Thailand becoming complete ageing society in 7 years
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, April 10 – Thailand ranks second after Singapore among Southeast Asian countries with the highest number of elderly people and it will become a complete ageing society in the next seven years, according to the Public Health Ministry.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717890-thailand-becoming-complete-ageing-society-in-7-years/

Airports nationwide all set for Songkran
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Apr 10 – Thailand's Civil Aviation Department has given assurances of its readiness to service an estimated 236,590 air travellers during the Songkran festival on April 11-17, or 33,799 people a day.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717891-airports-nationwide-all-set-for-songkran/

China may buy more rice from Thailand
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, April 10 – China will possibly sign deals to buy one million tonnes of rice from Thailand after its specialists inspected a rice warehouse in Suphan Buri, according to the Thai Commerce Ministry.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717893-china-may-buy-more-rice-from-thailand/

One killed, another injured in Bangkok explosion

BANGKOK: -- A 16-year-old teenager was killed and his 16-year-old wife was injured in a mysterious explosion at a rented house in Bangkok's Bueng Kum district early Thursday, police said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717895-16-year-old-teenager-killed-his-wife-hurt-in-bangkok-explosion/

Traffic police sealed off a section of South Sathorn road at 9.00. when a suspicious object, believed to be a bomb, was placed at a flower pot in front of Q House building. EOD police are on the way to inspect the scene, Channel 3 said.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/35950/


-- Thai PBS 2014-04-10

Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 1,384.31, gains 2.29 points /MCOT

186 checkpoints erected in Greater Bangkok to deter M79 attacks

BANGKOK, 10 April 2014 (NNT) – 186 extra checkpoints have been erected in Greater Bangkok by the police, in an effort to deter grenade attacks that have increased in frequency recently.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717905-186-checkpoints-erected-in-greater-bangkok-to-deter-m79-attacks/

Marine Department trying to salvage sludge-carrying boat off Samut Sakhon

SAMUT SONGKHRAM, 10 April 2014 (NNT) – The Marine Department on Wednesday kept up its attempt to salvage a sludge-carrying ship which had sunk and spilled some of the oil sludge off the coast of Samut Sakhon.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717908-marine-dept-trying-to-salvage-sludge-carrying-boat-off-samut-sakhon/

Suspicious object found at Lumpini Park MRT entrance; police close Sathorn intersection for inspection /MCOT

Hunter shot dead in Phuket jungle
Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: Thalang police are investigating the case of a man found shot dead in the jungle at Bang Nam Yen mountain, while out hunting with two friends last night (April 9).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/717909-hunter-shot-dead-in-phuket-jungle/