Nation TV goes downtown to 'feel the pulse of Bangkok'
Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Nation TV, operator of the 24-hour digital TV news station Channel 22, yesterday officially launched its Downtown Studio, which is part of its bid to strengthen bonds with viewers in Bangkok's central business district.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721502-nation-tv-goes-downtown-to-feel-the-pulse-of-bangkok/

Suthep shuns Abhisit move
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- While PM Yingluck welcomes Democrat leader's initiative, PDRC leader says he will only listen to the 'great masses'

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721506-suthep-shuns-abhisit-move/

PDRC to return to Rajdamnoen
Somroutai Sapsomboon,
Anapat Deechuay,
Wattana Khamchu
The Nation

Thai Airways staff members warmly greet anti-government People

BANGKOK: -- Shift from Lumpini Park likely soon, source says; govt warns of arrests

Anti-government protesters will move from Lumpini Park back to the Democracy Monument to make a final push for an appointed prime minister and reform, a source said yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721507-pdrc-to-return-to-rajdamnoen/

Korean envoy thanks Thais for support
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation

South Korean Ambassador Jeon Jae Man, second left, holds a banner containing messages written by well-wishers

BANGKOK: -- South Korean ambassador to Thailand Jeon Jae Man has thanked Thais for their support for bereaved families connected to South Korea's worst maritime disaster in its modern history.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721508-korean-envoy-thanks-thais-for-support/

SLOWDOWN
Mutual understanding is vital if the economy gets worse: labour leaders
Tammaraj Kijchalong
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Employers and employees 'need to meet halfway in the face of economic slump'

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721522-mutual-understanding-is-vital-if-the-economy-gets-worse-labour-leaders/

NATION ANALYSIS
Out of favour Camronwit to swap with chief in North
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The transfer of Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) commander Lt-General Camronwit Toopgra-jank appears to have been devised to facilitate upcoming political situations to favour the ruling Pheu Thai Party, as well as another election with his successor - Pol Lt-General Suthep Dejraksa, from a regional command in the North - seen as more gung-ho and more composed, analysts say.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721523-out-of-favour-camronwit-to-swap-with-chief-in-north/

Rights body asks if weapons were used against missing activist
Thanatpong Kongsai,
Pathinya Srisupamatu
The Nation

Pinnapa Preuksapan, wife of a prominent Karen activist who disappeared on April 17, visits the National Police headquarters in Bangkok yesterday along with her four children to seek updates on the ongoing investigation.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721524-rights-body-asks-if-weapons-were-used-against-missing-activist/

Santika executive gets jail for failure to pay tax
Kesinee Taengkhiao
The Nation April 26, 2014 1:00 am

Visuk: Avoided Bt85m in
Visuk: Avoided Bt85m in taxes

BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court yesterday sentenced a key executive of the Santika Night Club - which was engulfed in a deadly inferno during a countdown party in the early hours of 2009 - to one year in jail for excise-tax evasion.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721525-santika-executive-gets-jail-for-failure-to-pay-tax/

Academics urged to find a solution for the country
Chanikarn Phumhiran
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Dr Kasem Wattanachai, a member of the Privy Council, yesterday called on Thai intellectuals and academics to help bring the country's political turmoil to an end, adding that the political divide in the Kingdom had worsened over the past decade.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721526-academics-urged-to-find-a-solution-for-the-country/

Panthongtae ridicules Abhisit on social media
The Nation

Screen grabs from YouTube of Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, top, and United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship secretary-general Nuttawut Saikuar. Nuttawut is seen ridiculing Abhisit, as the ex-prime minister speaks about finding a solution

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721527-panthongtae-ridicules-abhisit-on-social-media/

Daily slams 'outrageous' attack
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Two M79 grenade attacks on Thursday aimed at the Thai-language Daily News newspaper in northern Bangkok and the Central Administrative Court in Nonthaburi resulted in no casualties but caused property damage.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721528-daily-slams-outrageous-attack/

NHRC to summon lese majeste activist amid fears over violence
Chanikarn Phumhiran,
Piyanut Tumnulasetchai
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The National Human Rights Commission will summon the leader of a royalist group to make sure it does not "over-exercise" its members' rights, commissioner Niran Pitakwatchara said yesterday.

Reacting to the announcement of Mongkutwattana General Hospital director Dr Rienthong Nanna - who set up the group "to eradicate the rubbish of the nation" - that its members might be armed for self defence, Niran said the commission was concerned about possible violence.

He said the NHRC might summon Rienthong to appear before it on May 12.

He said that on the same day the NHRC would investigate the murder of poet and anti-lese majeste law activist Kamol Duangphasuk, aka Mainueng Kor Kuntee.

Rienthong said he set up the organisation to establish a network to fight against people who "insult the monarchy" and the group would not use violence.

Meanwhile, ICT Ministry permanent secretary Surachai Srisaracam has visited Monk Buddha Issara at the Chaeng Wattana rally site to inform him that the ministry has not been negligent in trying to suppress lese majeste content circulated in social media.

The monk on Thursday led a group of protesters to see Surachai and petition him to increase measures against people who insult the monarchy.

However, Surachai was not available on the day.

Surachai said his agency had collaborated with the Technological Crime Suppression Division to tackle the issues.

But he said that blocking messages on Facebook was technically difficult and the agencies would need to ask for the cooperation of the Facebook operator in Singapore.

-- The Nation 2014-04-26

16 suspected Uighurs found in Sa Kaew
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- In response to a tip-off, a team of soldiers and immigration officials yesterday arrested 16 suspected illegal migrants, including 10 children, in Sa Kaew.

The group was carrying a large sum of foreign currency, worth more than Bt860,000, but no had travel documents. These migrants are believed to be more Uighurs from western China.

They were found on the roadside early yesterday apparently after a pickup abandoned them just 150 metres from a checkpoint.

Relevant authorities set up the checkpoint at a key intersection after they received clues that a human-trafficking gang was going to smuggle Uighur people into Thailand.

One of the arrested men identified himself as Muhammad, aged 24, and said he and his group were heading to Malaysia.

Police charged the 16 with illegally entering Thailand. An investigation is starting to try and determine who brought them to Thailand.

The discovery follows a series of arrests of suspected Uighurs in the far South and near the eastern border with Cambodia.

Rights groups have warned Thailand not to return the Uighur people to China because of fears they will face persecution or worse.

-- The Nation 2014-04-26

EDITORIAL
Football is cruel, but it's nobler than politics
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Politicians can complain all they like, but they're the luckier lot

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721534-football-is-cruel-but-its-nobler-than-politics/

BOT soaks in positives from Moody's report
Erich Parpart
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Bank of Thailand (BOT) believes that the latest Moody's report is more positive than negative.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721533-bot-soaks-in-positives-from-moodys-report/

Three police officers were killed and a dozen injured, including five border policemen, when a homemade bomb planted at a fishing competition on Wasukri beach in Saiburi district of Pattani exploded Friday night.

-- Thai PBS 2014-04-26

Commerce Minister gives more testimony in rice fraud case

BANGKOK, 25 April 2014 (NNT) – Minister of Commerce Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan has been summoned for the second time by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) as a witness defending the Prime Minister in the case over corruption in the rice pledging scheme.

At the request of the NACC, Mr Niwatthamrong today submitted more documents as his testimony to the agency in a bid to complete his defense for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is facing a negligence charge. The minister spent about half an hour giving verbal clarifications, focusing on the amount of rice in the government’s warehouses and the release of the grains.

Mr Niwatthamrong reported that out of the original amount of 19.9 million tons in stock, about 13 million tons still remained while a total of 213.5 billion baht had been generated from rice sales. As for the guideline used to determine the selling prices of the grains, he said the government referred to the prices set by other rice exporting countries and the depreciation costs were also factored in.

In addition, the minister presented warehouse rental insurance contracts in order to confirm that none of the mortgaged rice had disappeared, given the papers clearly stipulated the liabilities in such a case.

Mr Niwatthamrong expected the NACC to be able to summarize his testimony within next week before concluding the rice case in early May.

-- NNT 2014-04-25

7 suspects confess to being involved in the April 6-7 bombings in Yala City

YALA, 25 April 2014 (NNT) – 7 more suspects have confessed to being involved in the April 6-7 spate of bombings in downtown Yala, after officials brought in 10 persons for interrogation on Thursday.

Internal security officials, acting in accordance with the authority provided under martial law, questioned the suspects at the 41st Rangers Regiment in Raman district, Yala. The interrogators determined that 3 of the suspects were unrelated to the bombings, and released them. The remaining 7 suspects confessed to being involved in the attacks, and were taken to the Southern Border Provinces Police Operation Center for detention.

The weekend blasts on April 6 and 7 killed one person and injured 28 others. Around 50 homes were damaged, along with two Seven-Eleven convenience stores and a furniture store that had bombs planted next to them.

-- NNT 2014-04-25

Thailand urgently produces personnel for expanding auto industry

BANGKOK, 25 April 2014 (NNT) - The Office of Industrial Economics pushes for a project to develop human resources in the automotive industry which has set a target to produce three million cars in 2017.

Director of the Office of Industrial Economics Somchai Hanhiran said the project sought to educate and train automotive personnel as trainers, assessors and operators. The program's curriculum covered three main disciplines including production and management, quality assurance and test and engineering and research, said the director.

The program is hoped to help reduce costs of automotive enterprises while increasing their competitiveness and prepare them for the growth of the Thai automotive industry in a sustainable manner.

In 2013, the Thai automotive industry produced 2.45 million cars and became ASEAN's number one car manufacturer. The industry aims to produce three million cars in the next three years.

-- NNT 2014-04-25

Summer storms to hit most parts of the country April 26-30

BANGKOK, 25 April 2014 (NNT) - The Meteorological Department has issued warnings for the North, the Northeast, as well as the central and eastern regions to be on the lookout for heavy rainfall, gusty winds and possible hailstones from the summer storm expected to hit the country this April 26-30.

The department announced the weather forecast of a high pressure cell making its way over central China and expected to spread to Thailand's northeastern region on April 26 then covering the northern, central and eastern regions by April 30.

Tropical storms are expected to spread from the Northeast where heavy rain, strong winds and hail could be seen. People are advised to beware of billboards, big trees and insecure building structures during these times of extreme weather conditions.

Meanwhile, Bangkok and its vicinity can expect high temperatures and gloomy weather during daytime with a 30 percent chance of rain and strong winds. The highest temperature could reach 36-38 degrees Celsius with a low of 27-28 degrees Celsius, and southerly winds of 30 kilometers per hour.

-- NNT 2014-04-25

Comics, cosplay and more
Kitchana Lersakvanitchakul
The Nation April 26, 2014 1:00 am

Performers at Thailand Comic-Con will include Kamen Rider Girls and Japanese wrestler Tiger Mask.

BANGKOK: -- After a long wait, Thailand's very own Comic-Con makes its debut next month

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721550-comics-cosplay-and-more/

Buffalo hit by van as it crosses road
Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: A van carrying tourists from the airport crashed into a buffalo on Friday nght (April 25) at Ban Don Rd in Thalang as it was attempting to cross the road with another buffalo.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721558-buffalo-hit-by-van-as-it-crosses-road/

Child Exploitation crackdown on Pattaya Human Trafficking gangs

PATTAYA:--The Pawina Foundation in association with Nongprue Police, Banglamung Police, The Department of Special Investigations (DSI), Immigration Police and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security conducted an operation targeting 3 locations on Friday, thought to have connections with Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721554-child-exploitation-crackdown-on-pattaya-human-trafficking-gangs/

Police arrest Chinese nationals without work permits

Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: -- Police arrested two Chinese nationals as they were taking pictures for a wedding and charged them with working without proper work permits.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721561-police-arrest-chinese-nationals-without-work-permits/

Two injured in South Pattaya “random” shooting

PATTAYA:--Just before 2am on Saturday, a 27 year old and 17 year old were shot and injured as they were travelling to a friend’s house in Jomtien. The victims and their friends could not offer any explanation as to why the shooting took place.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721557-two-injured-in-south-pattaya-random-shooting/

Woman arrested in South Pattaya relating to Child Exploitation offenses

PATTAYA:--Acting on an arrest warrant, officers from the Police Region 2 Child and Women Protection Unit along with officials from a Child Shelter based in Jomtien, arrested a 30 year old woman accused of persuading a 17 year old orphan to leave the shelter and work as a prostitute.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721556-woman-arrested-in-south-pattaya-relating-to-child-exploitation-offenses/#entry7738653

Exporters urge for new government

BANGKOK: -- Exporters of Europe-bound products are calling on all parties to help foster the creation of a new government swiftly before more General System of Preferences (GSP) benefits are lost as now they started to feel the impact of the cut.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721563-exporters-urge-for-new-government/

Industry ministry tightens its grip on factories

BANGKOK: -- The Industry Ministry is tightening its grip on factories with tougher measures requiring them to detail their industrial waste management.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721565-industry-ministry-tightens-its-grip-on-factories/

PDRC leader Sakoltee arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport

BANGKOK: -- Immigration police have arrested Sakoltee Phattiyakul, a leader of the People's Democratic Reform Committee, at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport on charges of intrusions into government's offices.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721566-pdrc-leader-sakoltee-arrested-at-suvarnabhumi-airport/

UPDATE:

Key PDRC leader Sakontee arrested

BANGKOK: -- A key member of the anti government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), Sakontee Pattiyakul was arrested late Friday night at Suvarnabhumi airport.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721566-pdrc-leader-sakoltee-arrested-at-suvarnabhumi-airport/#entry7739040