Thailand Live Friday 18 Jul 2014

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Ratchaprasong traders,Tourism Authority of Thailand continue ‘Street Festival Event’

BANGKOK, 18 July 2014 (NNT) – Entrepreneurs in Ratchaprasong have cooperated with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to continue holding the "Street Festival Event" in order to regain the confidence of tourists and prepare for an expected improvement in the tourism situation in Thailand by September or October.

This event will reflect the better situation in Thailand to restore the confidence of international visitors, while the overall takings of retail shops in shopping centers is continuing to grow.


-- NNT 2014-07-18

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BREAKING
MH17: Malaysia Airlines Plane Reportedly Shot Down Near Ukraine Border

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743739-mh17-malaysia-airlines-plane-shot-down-near-ukraine-border/

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Graft buster rules Yingluck guilty

BANGKOK: -- The National Anti-Corruption Commission ruled unanimously that ex-Premier Yingluck Shinawatra was guilty in the rice-pledging scheme and the rice sales.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743715-graft-buster-rules-yingluck-guilty/

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AFTER COUP
Yingluck not travelling overseas to escape prosecution: lawyer
Natthapat Phromkaew,
Jeerapong Prasertpolkrung
The Nation


Yingluck

BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra's overseas trip is not intended to escape the legal cases against her stemming from the ousted government's rice price-pledging scheme, her lawyer said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743762-yingluck-not-travelling-overseas-to-escape-prosecution-lawyer/

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UPDATE:

PLANE CRASH
MH17 crash wakes up the world
Agencies


Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 takes off at 12.31pm from Schiphol airport near Amsterdam, the Netherlands./EPA

AMSTERDAM: -- A Malaysian airliner carrying 295 people from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed on July 17 in rebel-held east Ukraine, as Kiev said the jet was shot down in a "terrorist" attack.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743739-mh17-malaysia-airlines-plane-shot-down-near-ukraine-border/page-5?p=8116300#entry8116300

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UPDATE:

RICE SCHEME
NACC pushes for criminal charges against Yingluck
The Nation



Rice-pledging scheme 'corrupt from beginning to end'; prosecution urged after 7-0 vote by anti-graft body

BANGKOK: -- THE NATIONAL Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday unanimously found former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra negligent in overseeing the loss-making and allegedly corruption-ridden rice-pledging scheme, a charge that could see her serving up to 10 years in jail.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743715-graft-buster-rules-yingluck-guilty/page-3?p=8116309#entry8116309

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CONFIDENCE INDEX
Consumer confidence hit
Petchanet Pratruangkrai
The Nation


Foreign tourist walk in the Bangkok's CBDs, while, the consumer confidence index hit on June this year.

BANGKOK: -- Consumer confidence has increased to the highest level in a year thanks to stabilisation of the political situation and recovery of economic growth, says Amparwon Pichalai, director of the Commerce Ministry's Trade Policy and Strategy Office.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743763-thai-consumer-confidence-hits-its-highest-level/

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ADVERTISING
Thailand: 9th in mobile ad market
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand was the ninth biggest mobile advertising market in the world last quarter, with banner ads soaring 30 per cent year-on-year to more than two billion delivered to 12.4 million Thais.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743764-thailand-9th-in-mobile-ad-market/

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UPDATE:

All 105 people sickened from chemical fume in Laem Chabang now safe

CHONBURI, 18 July 2014 (NNT) – All of the 105 people who were hospitalized after exposure to chemical fumes that leaked from chemical tanks in Laem Chabang deep sea port on Thursday are now safe, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743665-laem-chabang-gas-leak-sends-26-to-hospitals/#entry8116346

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Military Leaders Further Centralise Power By Suspending Local Elections
By Khaosod English


A Redshirt candidate makes speech during the election of Udon Thani's Provincial Administrative Organisations, 14 May 2012.

BANGKOK — Thailand’s military regime has suspended local elections and announced plans to replace elected officials with bureaucrats in a move that further centralises its power over the country's provinces.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743766-military-leaders-further-centralise-power-by-suspending-local-elections-thailand/

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University Construction Project Gets Legal Fast-Track From Junta
By Khaosod English


Prince Mahidol Hall, Mahidol University [Photo from University website].

BANGKOK — Thailand's military junta has exempted a prominent state university's construction project from a number of legal requirements without providing any explanation.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743767-university-construction-project-gets-legal-fast-track-from-ncpo/

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Royal Thai Embassies and Consulates unaware of visa crackdown

BANGKOK:-- Thaivisa.com has been in touch with senior officials from Royal Thai Embassies and Consulates in Sweden, the UK and Australia in order to provide Thaivisa members and the wider expat community in Thailand with as much information as possible on the current visa crackdown.

Read the full story here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743765-royal-thai-embassies-and-consulates-unaware-of-visa-crackdown/

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Mother abandons child at Pattaya Beer Bar



PATTAYA: -- A young mother and former employee abandoned her child at a South Pattaya Beer Bar in the early hours of Friday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743769-mother-abandons-child-at-pattaya-beer-bar/

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Ban Pong police chief ousted for failing to curb illegal gambling



BANGKOK: -- The chief of Ban Pong district police in Ratchaburi province was on Thursday abruptly transferred out of the district to an inactive post in the province after local officials and military personnel raided an illegal gambling den Tuesday night.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743772-ban-pong-police-chief-ousted-for-failing-to-curb-illegal-gambling-in-ratchaburi-province/

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CRIME
Police arrested a man for trying to smuggle narcotics worth about 100 million

PHITSANULOK: -- Police on Thursday arrested a man for allegedly trying to smuggle a total of 60 kilogrames of heroin and crystal methamphetamine commonly known as "ya ice," worth about Bt100 million in Phitsanulok's Wang Thong district.

The arrest was the result of police investigation that there would be drug smuggling from Chiang Rai province via Phitsanulok province to Ayutthaya’s Wangnoi district. Police set up a checkpoint on Phitsanulok-Lomsak road.

Police stopped a truck containing fruits and vegetable from Chiang Rai's Chiang Khong district at 1.30am.

Inside the truck, the police found 37 kilograms of ya ice and 23 kilograms of heroin which were inside five bags hidden in front of the truck. Police then arrested driver of the truck, Jun Sangbangsai.

The suspect reportedly confessed that he was promised Bt700,000 to smuggle the drugs to Ayutthaya and he already received Bt50,000.

Police subsequently expanded their investigation to arrest the major buyer at Ayutthaya by making the suspect to contact the buyer to lure him to pick up the drugs in Nakhon Sawan province. However the plan failed.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Police-arrested-a-man-for-trying-to-smuggle-narcot-30238786.html


-- The Nation 2014-07-18

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When Thaksin decided to go missing
KITTIPONG THAVEVONG
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- FORMER PRIME minister Thaksin Shinawatra chose not to return to Thailand to acknowledge a court ruling after he was allowed to leave the country in August 2008 to attend the Beijing Olympics. Instead of returning home, Thaksin flew to London and applied for asylum.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743775-when-thaksin-decided-to-go-missing/

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Vietnam cancels Thailand travel warning
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Vietnam has cancelled a warning against its people visiting Thailand, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, permanent secretary of the Thai Foreign Ministry, said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743659-thailand-vietnam-agree-to-boost-diplomatic-relations/#entry8116458

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NCPO maintains 7-per cent VAT for one year
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- NCPO on Thursday announced that the VAT will be maintained at 7 per cent for another year from October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015 in an attempt to boost the domestic consumers' spending that will lead to the country's economic growth.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743777-ncpo-maintains-7-per-cent-vat-for-one-year/

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Motorcyclist in Thailand cheats death after riding past exploding fireworks store
NATASHA CULZAC

ANG THONG: -- The award for close-shave-of-the-day goes to this motorcyclist who was filmed cheating death by milliseconds after riding past an exploding fireworks shop.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743779-motorcyclist-in-thailand-cheats-death-after-riding-past-exploding-fireworks-store/

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Microsoft To Cut Workforce By 18,000 This Year, ‘Moving Now’ To Cut First 13,000
by Darrell Etherington

SEATTLE: -- Microsoft has announced major layoffs today as predicted, following a company email published by CEO Satya Nadella last week that signalled changes on the way.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743782-microsoft-to-cut-workforce-by-18000-this-year/

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UPDATE:

MH17: some possible scenarios... none end well
Daniel Flitton

MELBOURCE: -- The rebels are suspect Number 1. But there are other scenarios in the shooting down of Malaysia Airline Flight 17 above eastern Ukraine that will fuel conspiracies in the conflict. None end well.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743739-mh17-malaysia-airlines-plane-shot-down-near-ukraine-border/page-8?p=8116911#entry8116911

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UPDATE:

At least 154 Dutch citizens killed in Ukraine air disaster

AMSTERDAM, July 18 (Xinhua) -- At least 154 Dutch citizens have been killed in the Malayssian passenger crash in the eastern part of Ukraine on Thursday, the airlines European head said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743739-mh17-malaysia-airlines-plane-shot-down-near-ukraine-border/page-8?p=8116942#entry8116942

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UPDATE:

Russian rebels are ‘likely responsible’ for shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over the Ukraine

UKRAINIAN security services claim to have intercepted two phone conversations in which pro-Russian separatists discuss having just shot down a civilian plane.
A transcript of the phone intercept was made shortly after MH17 was shot down.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743739-mh17-malaysia-airlines-plane-shot-down-near-ukraine-border/page-9?p=8116967#entry8116967

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Princess Maha Chakri opens 90th Chalerm Ratchakumari Public Library

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, 18 July 2014 (NNT) - Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn yesterday opened a public library built in her honor in Chang Klang District.

The library, named “Chalerm Ratchakumari”, is the 90th of its kind in the country. The government sets to build a total of 100 Chalerm Ratchakumari libraries nationwide to honor Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on the occasion of her 60th birthday anniversary in 2015.

The Chalerm Ratchakumari Public Library is intended to be a center of information and knowledge for people of all ages and promote reading habit and life-long learning.

Her Royal Highness on this occasion observed activities around the library, particularly the Nakhon Si Thammarat Room where an exhibition is held to demonstrate the history and ways of life of the people in this province.


-- NNT 2014-07-18

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UPDATE:

Malaysia Airlines crash: No distress call from downed plane, says Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: -- Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has confirmed that the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, with at least 295 people on board, which went down in Eastern Ukraine on Thursday did not give out a distress call, according to The Star Online.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743739-mh17-malaysia-airlines-plane-shot-down-near-ukraine-border/page-9?p=8117022#entry8117022

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UPDATE:

Australia PM: Ukraine crash less like accident than crime

SYDNEY: -- The Malaysia Airlines crash in Ukraine looked less like an accident than a crime, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Friday, as he urged Russia to cooperate with an investigation into the incident.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743739-mh17-malaysia-airlines-plane-shot-down-near-ukraine-border/page-9?p=8117054#entry8117054

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Deputy NCPO chief Prajin says draft Provisional Constitution finished; no extended tenure for Army chief, seniority will be considered in selection /MCOT

3 men arrested with 90,000 meth pills in Amnat Charoen; authorities raid 44 Bangkok districts for illicit drugs /MCOT

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Thai stock index opens on Friday at 1,532.40, falls 3.26 points /MCOT

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Gunmen fire M-79 grenades at police officers in Yala province

YALA, 18 July 2014 (NNT) - Five police officers were wounded and three insurgents were killed in an intense 15-minute shootout between the two sides in Yala province.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743902-gunmen-fire-m-79-grenades-at-police-officers-in-yala-province/

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UPDATE:

Malaysia vows to find out the truth behind MH17 tragedy
By Digital Content

SEPANG, July 18 (Bernama) -- Malaysia vowed to find out precisely what caused Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 to crash in Ukraine although the Ukranian authorities believed the commercial airplane was shot down.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743739-mh17-malaysia-airlines-plane-shot-down-near-ukraine-border/page-10?p=8117133#entry8117133