Thailand Live Tuesday 15 Apr 2014

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More than 8,000 sand pagodas built on Kata beach on Songkran Day

PHUKET, 15 April 2014 (NNT) - Phuket built over 8,000 small sand pagodas on Kata beach in celebration of Songkran on the first day of the festival this year. Songkran celebrations at Kata were attended by throngs of Thai people and foreign tourists.

19 large sand pagodas and 8,400 small ones were constructed on the beach and were beautifully decorated with colorful paper flags and flowers. Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut participated in the event arranged by the Kata-Karon Hotels Association and the Karon Municipality.

The sand pagoda event was held for the fourth time this year with the objective to promote and preserve Thai culture and traditions. As part of the Songkran festival in Phuket, sand pagodas are considered as offerings for Buddha as well as holy spirits on the island.


-- NNT 2014-04-15

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UPDATE:

WATER SPLASHING FESTIVAL
Songkran goes into full swing
The Nation


Foreign tourists

Death toll slightly lower than last year, with most accidents the result of drink driving

BANGKOK: -- Some 161 people have been killed and 1,640 injured in 1,539 road accidents in the first three days of Songkran - with most accidents the result of drink driving, the Road Safety Centre reported yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718836-161-deaths-1640-injuries-during-3-day-songkran-holiday/page-3?p=7690369#entry7690369

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POLITICS
New role eyed for Prem
The Nation



Group asks statesman to broker drafting of covenant; process would not involve Article 7

BANGKOK: -- Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda should act as a mediator to broker between authorities in all sectors to draft a covenant under Royal command on how the country is to be ruled in times of crisis, a group of retired prominent bureaucrats proposed yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718966-new-role-eyed-for-prem/

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NATION ANALYSIS
Hardliner 'Ko Tee' has been cut adrift
Attayuth Bootsripoom
The Nation

Pheu Thai Party sees red shirt as a liability after his alleged anti-monarchy remarks

BANGKOK: -- Pheu Thai Party looks to have decided to isolate pro-government hardliner Wuthipong Kottham-makhun after he allegedly made remarks offensive to the monarchy.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718967-hardliner-ko-tee-has-been-cut-adrift-thai-analysis/

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NATIONAL FAMILY DAY
Divorce rate up 27 per cent over past decade
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- While many Thai families continue to celebrate Songkran and enjoyed National Family Day yesterday, the Public Health Ministry highlighted the fragile state of some families after revealing the divorce rate had risen 27 per cent over the past nine years.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718968-thailand-divorce-rate-up-27-per-cent-over-past-decade/

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POLICE'S CAMPAIGN
Police officers keep an eye on people's homes over holiday
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The number of homes nationwide placed under police guardianship during the April 8-17 holidays has risen to 3,471 - including 925 in Bangkok, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) secretary-general said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718969-thai-police-officers-keep-an-eye-on-peoples-homes-over-holiday/

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HEALTH
School lauded for installing condom dispenser
Chuleeporn Aramnet
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Ban Wang Daeng School in Sa Kaew's Wan Nam Yen district was recently hailed for cutting down on young pregnancies by installing a condom dispensing machine.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718970-sa-kaew-school-lauded-for-installing-condom-dispenser/

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HOSPITALITY
DASTA programmes to prepare hotels for survival within AEC
Bamrung Amnatcharoenrit
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) is putting a big effort into strengthening hotel operators' ability to survive in the highly competitive industry after the opening of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) in 2015.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718971-dasta-programmes-to-prepare-thai-hotels-for-survival-within-aec/

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EDITORIAL
Buried under an ocean of rumours
The Nation

The investigation into the fate of Flight MH370 has been muddied by five weeks of frenzied speculation, none of which has helped the search mission

BANGKOK: -- Science and data analysis is slowly but surely leading us to the final resting place of Flight MH370. Meanwhile, five weeks of speculation and conspiracy theories have been worse than useless in the quest to find the missing airliner.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718972-mh370-buried-under-an-ocean-of-rumours-thai-editorial/

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German party urges new election for the Kingdom
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand should resolve its political conflict by holding a new election, Germany's Social Democrat Parliamentary Group has said in a statement to the German parliament.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718973-german-party-urges-new-election-for-thailand/

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Hezbollah members arrested in Thailand: report
The Daily Star

BEIRUT: A Hezbollah ring of three was arrested in Thailand, according to a report published by a specialized website in the country.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718974-hezbollah-members-arrested-in-thailand-report/

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US Army denies clemency for WikiLeaks source Manning

WASHINGTON: -- A US Army general has denied clemency to the soldier formerly known as Bradley Manning for leaking hundreds of thousands of documents to anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks, upholding a 35-year sentence.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718975-us-army-denies-clemency-for-wikileaks-source-manning/

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Pistorius murder trial: Prosecutor accuses athlete of using emotional outbursts to dodge questions
Lisa Davies, in Pretoria

Pretoria: Oscar Pistorius was accused of using emotional outbursts to avoid difficult questions, changing his defence and screaming at his girlfriend to “get the f--- out” of his home the night he shot and killed her in what was a torrid sixth day of evidence at his murder trial.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718976-pistorius-murder-trial-prosecutor-accuses-athlete-of-using-emotional-outbursts-to-dodge-questions/

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AC/DC to split: report
Caroline Zielinski

AC/DC may be announcing their retirement as soon as Tuesday

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718980-acdc-to-split-report/

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Washington Post, Guardian win Pulitzer for Snowden coverage

NEW YORK: -- The Washington Post and the British-based Guardian newspaper shared a Pulitzer Prize on Monday for their coverage of internet and telephone surveillance by the National Security Agency, based on leaks by US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718993-washington-post-guardian-win-pulitzer-for-snowden-coverage/

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Conferral of Royal Decorations on civil servants on the occasion of King’s birthday

BANGKOK, 15 April 2014 (NNT) - His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn on Monday (April 14) acted on behalf of His Majesty the King in bestowing royal decorations granted on the occasion of His Majesty the King’s birthday, 5 December 2013, on civil servants and people who have contributed to country, at Dusidalai Hall in Chitralada Villa.

A total of 3,360 people came to receive the royal sashes from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. They included 369 recipients of the Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant, 879 recipients of the Knight Grand Cordon of the Crown of Thailand, and 2,112 recipients of the Knight Grand Cross of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant.

Royal decorations have been created by the country’s sovereign as a means of rewarding and honoring members of the Royal Family, civil servants and ordinary people, both men and women, who have done good deeds that benefit the government service or the general public as a whole.


-- NNT 2014-04-15

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RT @RichardBarrow: Today is the last day of #Songkran in #Bangkok if you want to join in with the waterfights. Elsewhere in #Thailand it continues until Sunday

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Metropolitan Police Chief asks “Ko Tee” to surrender

BANGKOK, 15 April 2014 (NNT) – Metropolitan Police Chief Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit Thoopkrachang is calling on Wuthipong Kotthamma-khun, aka “Ko Tee”, to surrender to the police and fight his allegations.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718995-metropolitan-police-chief-asks-ko-tee-to-surrender/

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Democrat: Justice Minister intimidates Charter Court

BANGKOK, 15 April 2014 (NNT) – Deputy Democrat Leader Satit Pitutecha has indicated that Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri may have intimidated the Charter Court for his suggestion to request His Majesty the King to rule on Section 7 of the constitution should the court decide to disqualify Miss Yingluck Shinawatra as caretaker Prime Minister.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718996-democrat-justice-minister-intimidates-thai-charter-court/

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One dead in shooting attack at PDRC rally site in Lumpini Park

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718999-one-dead-in-shooting-attack-at-pdrc-rally-site-in-lumpini-park/

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RT @191Thailand: Update: 43 people injured when the Loei-Rayong bus crashed last night in Saraburi - TR @Nalinee_PLE: http://t.co/fSEhJ4DOCC

RT @191Thailand: List of the 43 injured, including 1 foreigner, in the Loei-Rayong bus crash - TR @Nalinee_PLE: http://t.co/SxQH6tFcmF

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Transport adopts safety standard on double-decker bus



BANGKOK: -- The Land Transport Department (LTD) is in the process of putting in place new stricter standards for double-decker passenger vehicles.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/719000-thai-transport-adopts-safety-standard-on-double-decker-bus/

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PM Yingluck visits temple in Chiang Mai

CHIANG MAI, 15 April 2014 (NNT) – Prime Minister and Defense Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is currently in her hometown, Chiang Mai, where she visited a temple to make merit on the occasion of Songkran Festival.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/719001-pm-yingluck-visits-temple-in-chiang-mai/

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Google buys drone firm for internet access in developing countries

Washington - Tech giant Google fired a salvo Monday against Facebook in their duel to providing internet service from the air to less-developed regions of the world, saying it has acquired Titan Aerospace, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/719002-google-buys-drone-firm-for-internet-access-in-developing-countries/

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Thailand asserts economic strength at World Bank forum
By English News



BANGKOK, April 15 – Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister Kittirat Na-Ranong has given assurances to the world community that Thailand’s economic fundamentals remain strong despite the current political turmoil.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/719003-thailand-asserts-economic-strength-at-world-bank-forum/

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China's President Xi urges greater military use of space

BEIJING: -- Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the air force to adopt an integrated air and space defence capability, in what state media on Tuesday called a response to the increasing military use of space by the United States and others.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/719006-chinas-president-xi-urges-greater-military-use-of-space/

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UPDATE:

Call for Thai senior statesman to help resolve political stalemate
By English News



BANGKOK, April 15 – A group of respected older Thai citizens has called on Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda to take the leading role in seeking a royal command to resolve Thailand’s months-long political impasse.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/718966-new-role-eyed-for-prem/#entry7691094

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Five religious leaders urge Thais to join nationwide prayers for peace on April 18th

BANGKOK, 15 April 2014 (NNT) - Leaders of Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Sikhism in Thailand have urged all Thais to join them in a nationwide prayer for peace on April 18th.

The 5 religious leaders urged all sides, particularly politicians, to leave ego and selfishness behind, turn to each other with understanding and create unity among Thai communities by practicing their respective religious teachings in daily life, aiming to solve the ongoing political conflict and bring about peace to the kingdom.

The religious leaders urged all Thais to join them in a prayer this Friday, April 18th at religious places nationwide, suggesting Buddhist residents in Bangkok to gather at Suthat Monastery and Muslims to meet at the Thai-Islamic Center in Suan Luang District.

Catholics can meet up at the Assumption Cathedral while members of other Christian communities can join the prayer at any Rom-Yen Church. Hindu followers are urged to meet at a church on Bann Dinsor Road, or at the Hindu Samaj Association on Siripong Road. Sikh followers are encouraged to meet at the Sikh Association of Thailand on Chak Phet Road.


-- NNT 2014-04-15

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Robbers beat Phuket hotel worker with his own helmet
Eakkapop Thongtub


Rescue workers dress Mr Sophot's bloody head.

PHUKET: -- An employee of the Novotel Kamala was robbed last night (April 14) at around 11pm by two young men who beat him up with his own helmet.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/719011-robbers-beat-phuket-hotel-worker-with-his-own-helmet/

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Some 7,000 passports reported stolen or lost each year



BANGKOK: -- About 7,000 Singapore passports have been reported lost or stolen each year over the last five years, said Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli in Parliament on Monday, The Straits Times reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/719012-some-7000-singapore-passports-reported-stolen-or-lost-each-year/