Prem to seek royal command
The Sunday Nation

The anti-government People

BANGKOK: -- Privy Council chief accepts proposal by Man of State group to request help from the King to resolve crisis

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721728-prem-to-seek-royal-command/

3 insurgent groups suspected of role in deadly Sai Buri blast
The Sunday Nation

A soldier points to part of a train track in Songkhla, where some 200 railway pegs were removed. An investigation is under way to try to determine if it was theft or an attempt by insurgents to derail a train.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721731-3-insurgent-groups-suspected-of-role-in-deadly-sai-buri-blast/

Abhisit ready for talks with PM, Thaksin if broadcast live
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva is ready to hold talks with both Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra next week in a bid to end the prolonged political deadlock, as long as the meetings are broadcast live on television, party spokesperson Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721732-abhisit-ready-for-talks-with-pm-thaksin-if-broadcast-live/

UN committee on torture to scrutinise Thailand's record on Wednesday
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- The UN Committee Against Torture is due to review Thailand's record for the first time on Wednesday and Thursday in sessions that will be webcast live.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721733-un-committee-on-torture-to-scrutinise-thailands-record-on-wednesday/

PTT to transport NGV gas to South to deal with shortages
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- PTT will transport NGV gas to the South to prevent shortages when the gas field in the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area is shut for maintenance from June 13 to July 10, a company executive said yesterday.

Punnachai Footrakul, vice president of the NGV Marketing Department at PTT, told a press conference in Surat Thani's Muang district that during the 28-day period, PTT expected 110 tonnes of leftover gas in the pipes would still be sent to the region for up to 18 days. For the remaining 10 days, PTT would transport 50 tonnes of NGV gas per day from Bangkok to the South.

The 46 tanker trucks would run on three routes: from Bangkok to Cha-am, from Cha-am to Nakhon Si Thammarat, and from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Songkhla and the three southern border provinces, he added.

-- The Nation 2014-04-27

Merit-making ritual held for missing Karen activist
The Sunday Nation

A Chiang Mai-based hilltribe network hosted a merit-making ritual to boost the morale of family members of Karen activist Por Cha Lee "Billy" Rakchong-charoen, who has been missing since April 17.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721734-merit-making-ritual-held-for-missing-karen-activist/

120 Cambodian 'illegals' detained in Aranyaprathet
The Sunday Nation

SA KAEO: -- Para-military rangers and police yesterday rounded up 120 Cambodian immigrants without documents, who were hiding in the border market of Rong Kleu in Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district.

The 102 men, 12 women and six children were rounded up from the area, known for being a pick-up point for illegal worker-trafficking gangs to transport workers to Bangkok and nearby provinces.

Following the arrest, the group was transferred to Sa Kaeo deputy immigration police chief Pol Lt-Colonel Benchapol Rodsawat for further interrogation before contacting the Cambodian immigration authority for their deportation.

-- The Nation 2014-04-27

Hmong pair held with 1.2m pills
The Sunday Nation

CHIANG RAI: -- Two Hmong men were arrested along with 1.2 million 'yaba' pills and five kilograms of crystal meth or "ice" in Chiang Rai's Muang district, police said yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721735-hmong-pair-held-with-12m-pills/

PDRC co-leader Sakoltee out on bail after arrest at airport
The Sunday Nation

Sakoltee Phattiyakul, a leader of the anti-government People

BANGKOK: -- Says he didn't know arrest warrant had been issued, after return from the US

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721736-pdrc-co-leader-sakoltee-out-on-bail-after-arrest-at-airport/

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
For King and country
Kornchanok Raksaseri
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Maj Gen Rienthong Nanna explains why he has set up an organisation to rid the country of all those who insult the Monarch

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721737-for-king-and-country/

PDRC to celebrate its 180 days of protest

BANGKOK, 26 April 2014 (NNT) -The People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) spokesperson has revealed that on the occasion of the 180 day anniversary of the PDRC movement, the PDRC leader Suthep Thaugsuban will summarize all that's happened during the course of the protest period and insists that the protest will become more serious from now on.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721738-pdrc-to-celebrate-its-180-days-of-protest/

RT@BreakingNews: South Korean prime minister resigns amid criticism over government's response to ferry disaster - @Reuters, @AFP reut.rs/1nwxaog

Phuket’s black wastewater oozes toward tourists
Phuket Gazette -

The change in winds is directing the black water toward the section of Bang Tao Beach where tourists swim. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721760-phukets-black-wastewater-oozes-toward-tourists/

S. Korean prime minister resigns over ferry sinking

SEOUL - South Korea's Prime Minister Chung Hong-Won tendered his resignation Sunday over the sinking of a passenger ferry that left more than 300 people dead or missing.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721762-s-korean-prime-minister-resigns-over-ferry-sinking/

Pattaya Gang Robs 7-11 Staff Members Motorcycle at Gun Point

PATTAYA- April 26, 2014 [PDN]: at 00.30,

Pol.Maj.Capt.Chawalit Suwannamanee, vice suppression inspector of Pattaya police station, brought police forces and civil volunteers to inspect the case of teenagers who used a gun to rob a motorcycle of a victim and rode away near Echo pub on Sukhumwit Rd. Sattahip inbound, before Muang Pattaya 7 school, moo 12, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi.

The victim ran across the road to see his friend at Bang Jak gas station, opposite of Muang Pattaya 7 school, to tell his friend to call the police.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721770-pattaya-gang-robs-7-11-staff-members-motorcycle-at-gun-point/

RT@RichardBarrow: Bangkok Bike 2014 at Impact Exhibition Hall 4, Muang Thong Thani from Thursday to 4 May #Thailand #Travel

RT@RichardBarrow: Spring Epicurean Market on Suk Soi 49 until 1pm & Bangkok Farmers’ Market at K Village on Suk Soi 26 until 5pm pic.twitter.com/LHWPEPxj4i

Tabtimdaeng to ffight for WBA bantamweight title at Wembley

BOXING: Thailand’s Tabtimdaeng Na Ratchawat will fight Jamie McDonnell for the vacant WBA bantamweight title in England next month.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721790-tabtimdaeng-to-ffight-for-wba-bantamweight-title-at-wembley/

PDRC leader Suthep leads march in Thonburi area, from Bangwa BTS station, through Petchkasem Road, heading to Bang Kae /MCOT

Second killer of French tourist arrested
Eakkapop Thongtub

Maung Myo (left) and Schwe Dam (right) have been charged with killing French tourist Fabrice Boigeol on April 18.

PHUKET: The second man accused of murdering a French tourist in Rawai has been arrested finally been caught.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721583-police-arrest-suspect-for-french-tourist-murder/?p=7743830#entry7743830

RT@RichardBarrow: The hottest official temperature in #Thailand on Saturday was 40.9C in Mae Hong Son. The hottest in #Bangkok was 38C pic.twitter.com/b0vC1gzsYb

Flu infection increases 36 percent from last year

BANGKOK: -- More than 30,000 people were infected with influenza for the first four months of this year and, of these, 50 of them died, said public health permanent secretary Dr Narong Sahamethapat on Sunday.

The infection rate for this year represents an increase of 36 percent from the same period of last year’s, he said, adding, however, that there was not a single fatality from H1N1 influenza or flue for last year.

He disclosed that most of the flu cases this year was caused by 2009 H1N1 virus which is more contagious and more life-threatening than the seasonal flu.

The most common symptoms of influenza are sore throat, high fever, coughing, running nose, muscle pains and fatigue.

Dr Narong said that if any patient arriving at a hospital with the above symptoms for the past two days without any improvement of the conditions despite treatment, it should be assumed that the patient was inflected with H1N1 influenza and antiviral vaccine should be administered without having to wait for laboratorial test results.

As a preventive measure against the spread of flue, all state hospitals and health stations have been instructed to coordinate with private hospitals to look out for patients with flu-like symptoms so that they can be treated properly.

Although infection rate has dropped from aouby 2,000 cases to 500 cases per week now, Dr Narong warned that the rate might pick up again in the second wave of flu attack.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/flu-infection-increases-36-percent-last-year/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=flu-infection-increases-36-percent-last-year

-- Thai PBS 2014-04-27

RT@RichardBarrow: How hot does it get during summer in #Thailand? Statistics for the last 62 years tmd.go.th/programs/uploa…

Phuket faces no lifeguards on beaches as contract debacle ebbs on
Phuket Gazette -

The ongoing debate over the new contract may see Phuket beaches without lifeguards by Monday. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: There may be no lifeguards patrolling Phuket beaches on Monday if compromise is not reached between the island’s lifeguard club and Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) over the new, hotly-debated 22-million-baht club budget.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721830-phuket-faces-no-lifeguards-on-beaches-as-contract-debacle-ebbs-on/

US Obama calls for transparency in missing plane case

Kuala Lumpur - US President Barack Obama on Sunday called for open sharing of information about Malaysia's efforts to find a missing airplane that disappeared with 239 people on board March 8.

"There should be full transparency in terms of what we know and what we don’t know, how the process is proceeding," he said after meeting with Prime Minsiter Najib Razak in Kuala Lumpur.

Obama said the United States remains committed in helping find the missing Malaysian Airlines plane.

-- The Nation 2014-04-27

Egypt reports its first case of MERS virus
By Laura King

The MERS patient had been living in Saudi Arabia, where the virus has killed more than 90 people, and was placed in quarantine in Cairo.

CAIRO — With the appearance of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS, in the Arab world's most populous country, health officials face a tough new challenge in confronting the often lethal virus.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721834-egypt-reports-its-first-case-of-mers-virus/

Search area widened after no trace of MH370 found

Sydney - The submersible sent down to scan for traces of a missing Malaysia Airlines plane moved to an adjacent area after trawling the initial plot and finding nothing, searchers said Sunday.

The Bluefin-21 underwater drone has completed a sonar scan of a circular zone 20 kilometres across.

The midpoint in the zone was triangulated from the last acoustic ping that could have come from the emergency beacon aboard MH370. It is1,584 kilometres north-west of Perth.

The Boeing 777 vanished an hour into a night flight March 8 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board, mostly Chinese nationals.

The last ping was detected April 8.

The Joint Agency Coordination Centre said from its Perth headquarters that bad weather had prompted the suspension of an air and surface search for floating debris.

-- The Nation 2014-04-27

Anti-govt PDRC repeats rejection of talks

BANGKOK, 27 April 2014 (NNT) - Top leader of the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) Suthep Thaugsuban confirms there will be no talks with the government on compromising terms, saying talks will take place only if the so-called Thanksin regime disappears.

Mr Suthep on Sunday reiterated that there must be a reform before a general election and predicted that a new poll would be declared invalid again. If an election was organized before a reform, there would be no ballot box to put a ballot paper into, the PDRC top leader said.

The PDRC on Sunday marched to the Thonburi side of Bangkok to encourage Bangkokkians to join in its mass gathering Mr Suthep said would be the last one of the PDRC.

-- NNT 2014-04-27

Rice production delayed to late May due to drought

BANGKOK, 27 April 2014 (NNT) – The Royal Irrigation Department has reported that the current water levels of two major dams are low and suggested farmers postpone their rice production to the end of May.

Director-General of the Royal Irrigation Department Lertwirot Kowattana said a combined water amount of the Bhumibol and Sirikit dams was 2.9 billion cubic meters at present or just 18% of the total capacity. Another large dam, Kwae Noi Bamrung Daen in Phitsanulok province, had water for use for another one month, he said.

The official called an urgent meeting with a water management committee on the water situation and they agreed on the postponement of rice production to late May. Water reserved for next year has already been used for consumption due to a prolonged drought.

-- NNT 2014-04-27

Police arrest a third suspect in Yala bombing

YALA, 27 April 2014 (NNT) -- Police have arrested a man who is alleged to be one of the suspects in a series of major bombing attacks three weeks ago in Yala in the south of Thailand.

The arrest occurred in Narathiwat on Saturday evening. Local police report that Maraupi Hayideng's image was captured by a CCTV camera while he was parking a motorcycle with sidecar, close to one of the areas that was later bombed. However, he denies the allegation.

Earlier, two men were arrested on the same charge. Yala was hit with a series of bombings on April 6th and 7th causing huge damage in its municipal area. A man was killed and many other people injured.

-- NNT 2014-04-27