Thailand Live Monday 28 Jul 2014

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Sleep-deprived bus driver plows into motorcycle taxi stand
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- Three motorcycle taxi operators were injured when an exhausted minibus driver lost control and drove into their queuing stand in Din Daeng district last night.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746753-sleep-deprived-bangkok-bus-driver-plows-into-motorcycle-taxi-stand/

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Most Thais blame LINE, Facebook for wrong usage of Thai language

BANGKOK: -- Up to 77.4 per cent of 1,218 people surveyed by Bangkok University blamed the messages in LINE chat groups and Facebook postings for wrong usage of spoken and written Thai language.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746752-most-thais-blame-line-facebook-for-wrong-usage-of-thai-language/

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Unemployment rate almost reaches 500,000 in June 2014

BANGKOK, 28 July 2014 (NNT) - The National Statistical Office (NSO) has revealed that the unemployment rate in June 2014 stands at 448,000, which is an increase of 200,000 people when compared to the same period last year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746757-thai-unemployment-rate-almost-reaches-500000-in-june-2014/

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Trang businesses on high alert for fake bills

TRANG, 28 July 2014 (NNT) - Provincial police are warning residents and the business community in Trang to beware of counterfeit 1,000-baht banknotes circulating around the province.

Complaints have been lodged over the use of fake notes during the past week. Reports suggest counterfeit banknotes bear the serial number 9A3828862.

Police urge businesses to accept smaller bills and to carefully inspect distinct features on bills when accepting cash.

Members of the public have been advised to report any suspicious behavior to the police. Those found guilty of the offense will face a maximum of life imprisonment and a fine of up to 40,000 baht. Anyone found to have obtained and knowingly used fake notes can also face up to 15 years in jail.


-- NNT 2014-07-28

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Smartphone users expected to hit 2.5 bln in 2015: research
By Digital Content

SEOUL, July 28 (Yonhap) -- The global number of smartphone users is expected to reach 2.5 billion by the end of 2015, research showed Monday, as more tech players are releasing low-end models to appeal to wider markets.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746762-smartphone-users-expected-to-hit-25-bln-in-2015-research/

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UTCC maintains positive outlook for Thai economy

BANGKOK, 28 July 2014 (NNT) - Economic analysts from the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) have forecasted that the Thai economy could expand by 4-5 percent in the latter half of 2014.

Thanawat Polvichai, the Director of the Center for Economic and Business Forecasting under the UTCC, revealed that the Thai economy has the potential to expand by 4-5 percent, thanks to the newfound political clarity and the completion of the 2015 Fiscal Budget arrangements.

For these reasons, governmental infrastructure projects are able to take shape, which will in turn boost investment in the private sector.

Regarding exports, Mr. Thanawat believed that it would expand by 3 percent thanks to a recovering world economy. However, he advised that the government should control the exchange rates to prevent it from becoming too volatile.

He said that although the Thai economy is on a positive trend, Thailand would have to monitor the situation during August to September, when a new Cabinet would be appointed to administer the country.


-- NNT 2014-07-28

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UPDATE:

Thailand’s household debt growth is the highest in Asian countries



BANGKOK: -- A chief economist of a commercial bank has advised investors to monitor the country's high growth of household debt which has become the highest in Asian countries.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746703-thailands-household-debt-rises-fastest-in-asia/#entry8161757

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Bangkok songtaew driver accused of attempted sexual assault
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- A 21-year-old songtaew driver turned himself in to police yesterday after a passenger claimed he went off the route and tried to assault her.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746770-bangkok-songtaew-driver-accused-of-attempted-sexual-assault/

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Loan shark gang in Nan province busted by security forces

NAN, 28 July 2014 (NNT) - The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) in Nan province has deployed a team of soldiers and police to arrest members of a loan shark gang charging its clients with exorbitant interest rates of 60 percent per month.

All the eight members of the gang have been apprehended by police in the downtown area of Nan. The group consists of six men and two women, one of whom is pregnant.

Police have found a bank account of the gang that showed 400,000 baht in revolving funds. The gang members have been charging an interest rate of 2 percent per day, which is the equivalent of a 60 percent interest rate per month. Most of the group’s clients’ were market vendors within the area.

At this point, the suppression authorities are trying to propose to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to figure out a solution to help low-income earners gain easier access to tradional loan sources.


-- NNT 2014-07-28

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Spanish Man Arrested For 'ATM Skimming' in Pattaya
By Khaosod English


Police in the resort town of Pattaya say they have arrested a Spanish citizen behind an ATM card skimming scheme.

CHONBURI — Police in the resort town of Pattaya say they have arrested a Spanish citizen behind an ATM card skimming scheme.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746778-spanish-man-arrested-for-atm-skimming-in-pattaya/

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Police officer wounded in gun ambush at his Narathiwat home, soldiers respond to help, two gunmen killed /MCOT

NCPO chief orders establishment of agricultural product purchase centres; speeding up framework for selling stockpiled rice /MCOT

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IVORY TRADE
A Vietnamese and a Chinese arrested for ivory smuggling

BANGKOK: -- Customs officials have arrested a Chinese woman and a Vietnamese man at Suvarnabhumi Airport after they allegedly tried to smuggle out elephant tusks and ivory products worth about Bt9 million.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746783-thai-customs-arrest-a-vietnamese-and-a-chinese-for-9-million-baht-ivory-smuggling/

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UPDATE:

Abhisit, Suthep appear in court for red shirt protest crackdown trial
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, July 28 -- Democrat party leader and former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban appeared in Thailand's Criminal Court this morning for trial in the cases in which they were accused of ordering crackdowns on red shirt protests in 2010.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746722-criminal-court-postpones-trial-against-abhisit-and-phra-suthep/?p=8162094#entry8162094

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Coastal erosion remains critical in Thailand
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, July 28 -- Thailand's coastal erosion problem is considered severe in 44 locations in 19 provinces along the Gulf of Thailand, with the destruction resulting from both natural and manmade causes.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746794-coastal-erosion-remains-critical-in-thailand/

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UPDATE:

Poll: Thai majority think the language is not being used correctly
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, July 28 -- As tomorrow, July 29, is National Thai Language Day, a survey has been conducted which found that most Thais think that the use of Thai language in the modern society is quite critical, as a lot of the younger generations are not using the language correctly, particularly on social media.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746752-most-thais-blame-line-facebook-for-wrong-usage-of-thai-language/#entry8162134

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UPDATE:

Phra Suthep appears in Bangkok court



BANGKOK: -- Phra Prapakaro or Phra Suthep appeared at the Criminal Court Monday morning to hear charges against him and former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva in connection with the military suppression of redshirt protesters in 2010.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746722-criminal-court-postpones-trial-against-abhisit-and-phra-suthep/?p=8162466#entry8162466

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The NCPO ordered the Foreign Ministry to evacuate 41 Thai workers and students from Libya to Tunisia within 48 hours. /Bangkok Post

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Three militants shot dead in gunfight

NARATHIWAT: -- Three Muslim terrorists were killed and two soldiers were injured in a fierce gunfight in Rusor district of Narathiwat on Monday.

Police said prior to the gunfight, a police officer Cpl Asaming Yuso attached to Kotabaru police station in Yala was ambushed by the terrorists while was returning home to celebrate the Hari Raya festival in Rusor district.

Nearby troops were alerted and quickly came to his rescue and combed the area.

The ensuing fierce gun battle left three terrorists killed and two soldiers injured.

The test terrorists fled into roadside jungle.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/three-militants-shot-dead-gunfight/


-- Thai PBS 2014-07-28

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NCPO chief Prayuth orders evacuation of 1,500 Thai nationals in Libya as violence intensifies; to transit Tunisia en route to Thailand /MCOT

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Heavy Rain Blamed For Oriental Express Derailment

By Khaosod English


Two passengers were injured when a section of the luxury train, operated by Eastern and Oriental Express company, derailed at a curve in Ban Pong district of Ratchaburi province at around 10.30 am on 27 July 2014.

RATCHABURI — Officials are investigating the derailment of five cars from the Oriental Express train in western Thailand yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746820-heavy-rain-blamed-for-oriental-express-derailment-in-thailand/

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1,500 Thais to evacuated from Libya within 48 hours

BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Ministry will evacuate about 1,500 Thais from Libya within 48 hours, the ministry announced Monday.

The ministry said some Thai workers have already left the country for Tunisia and a temporary shelter for Thai workers will be opened in Tunisia.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/1500-Thais-to-evacuated-from-Libya-within-48-hours-30239641.html


-- The Nation 2014-07-28

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Authorities' negligence blamed for Betong car bomb
By Digital Content



YALA, July 28 -- The 4th Army Region commander said today that negligence by the authorities might have let Friday's car bomb in Yala's Betong district to take place.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746821-authorities-negligence-blamed-for-betong-car-bomb/

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Officials in Ranong plan to bring down dangerous fish net

RANONG, 28 July 2014 (NNT) – Officials in Ranong province are planning to bring down dangerous fish nets that are very harmful to sea animals.

The Marine Resources Conservation Center along with national park officials and the Ranong provincial authorities are dismantling fishing nets along the mangrove forests. These nets are deemed very dangerous to sea animals and various teams of officials including 50 provincial authority volunteers have boarded 3 long-tailed boats and 2 speed boats to remove 15 of the nets covering an area of 8 rai. This illegal action has prevented local fisherman to catch fish for a living.

The harmed area is a main source of food for animals. The fishing nets placed here is considered to cause the most destruction among all other types of nets. Even small fish would not be able to swim through the nets.

These nets were sneakily placed along the island during night time when tide is low and would be invisible to the naked eye during high tides, but once tide is low, the animals that came into the area to feed on the rich food source, would immediately become trapped in the net.

Damage has been estimated at about one million baht per day. Tearing down the nets would take approximately 2 days.


-- NNT 2014-07-28

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Slain Thai worker to be flown back from Israel today

BANGKOK, 28 July 2014 (NNT) – The body of the Thai worker killed by shrapnel from a mortar shell launched by Hamas in Gaza is set to return to Thailand on today afternoon.

Narakorn Kiitayoungkul’s body will arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport by 2pm and will be transported to his native province of Nan on Tuesday morning.

Consular personnel will accompany his body to Nan in a bid to offer assistance and compensation to his family.

The Foreign Affairs and Labor Ministry will also shoulder the costs of transportation and funeral rites for Mr. Narakorn’s family.

International efforts have been intensified to end the three-week war between Israel and Hamas. Hamas has announced a 24-hour ceasefire after Israel ended its own truce amid continuing rocket fire from Gaza.


-- NNT 2014-07-28

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Two more resorts in Chiang Rai seized



CHIANG RAI: -- The military and local officials on Monday seized two resorts which allegedly encroached on national forest reserves in Chiang Rai province.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746828-two-more-resorts-in-chiang-rai-seized/

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Thai Northeast affected by floods
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, July 28 -- Thailand's weather service has warned that much of the country is likely to be affected by heavy rainfall.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746829-isaan-affected-by-floods/

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Suthep gets 15 days to file legal defence for PDRC trespass case

BANGKOK: -- The Civil Court Monday allowed Suthep Thaugsuban to submit a defence statement within 15 days in response to a case filed by the Finance Ministry over the People's Democratic Reform Committee trespassing at the Finance Ministry during the anti-government protests earlier this year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746832-suthep-gets-15-days-to-file-legal-defence-for-pdrc-trespass-case/

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UPDATE:

Thai protest leader denies murder charge over 'Red Shirt' crackdown

BANGKOK, July 28, 2014 (AFP) - The firebrand leader of months-long street protests which preceded Thailand's latest coup appeared in court Monday to deny a murder charge over a bloody crackdown on opposition "Red Shirt" supporters four years ago.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746722-criminal-court-postpones-trial-against-abhisit-and-phra-suthep/page-2?p=8162961#entry8162961

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SET index closed 1,538.13, down 5.72; Bt/USD31.68; GBP53.67; AUD29.59; EUR42.41; CAD29.16; HKD4.08; SGD25.41; JPY30.99

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N. Korea threatens nuclear strike on White House

SEOUL (AFP) - A top-ranking North Korean military official has threatened a nuclear strike on the White House and Pentagon after accusing Washington of raising military tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/746861-n-korea-threatens-nuclear-strike-on-white-house/