Thailand Live Friday 7 Nov 2014

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Splendid royal krathongs floated on the Chao Phraya

BANGKOK, 7 November 2014 (NNT) - Their Majesties the King and Queen yesterday joined the rest of the nation by sending royal krathongs for floating on the Chao Phraya, in celebration of the Loy Krathong Festival.

The royal krathongs were carried to the pier of Siriraj Hospital by one of the Grand Chamberlain, Mr. Distorn Vajarodaya, and his team before being released into the river. The royal krathongs were divided into two sets. Each set comprises two krathongs – the first one was made from white fresh flowers arranged in the form of a big blooming lotus, the other in yellow was made from bread, also in the shape of lotus and decorated with red roses, also made from bread.

Apart from Their Majesties’ krathongs, other members of the Royal Family also asked the Grand Chamberlain to launch their krathongs into the Chao Phraya.

Loy Krathong is one of the Thai annual festivals taking place on the full-moon day of the twelfth month of the lunar calendar which is usually in November. The festival was dated back hundreds of years to the Sukhothai period. Some said it was a yearly offering to the goddess of water or the shedding of all sins and calamities that may befall one. Others said it was an act of worshipping to the Buddha’s footprint by the Nammatha River in India as well as to a great Arahant named Phra Uppakut (พระอุปคุต). In Thailand, the festival is celebrated in all parts of the country.


-- NNT 2014-11-07

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TOURISM
Push for more European tourists
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION
LONDON


A Hanuman dancer performs in front of the Thai booth at World Travel Mart.

BANGKOK: -- Arrivals of European tourists are expected to rebound by 10 per cent in the rest of this year and next year as operators roll out short-term tactics to boost late bookings and promote the single-visa agreement with Cambodia.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774577-thailand-push-for-more-european-tourists/

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Police probe explosion in farmer's house
Supachai Wisessan,
Ayutai Nonnitirat
The Nation



CHIANG MAI: -- POLICE ARE working to determine how potassium chlorate, which is widely used as a fertiliser by farmers, triggered a serious explosion at a farmer's home in Chiang Mai province.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774581-chiang-mai-police-probe-explosion-in-farmers-house/

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Somsak and Nikom may escape impeachment
The Nation

Though NLA accepted motion, many members likely to vote against it

BANGKOK: -- There is only a slim chance for the former Parliament president and his ex-deputy to be actually impeached by the National Legislative Assembly despite its decision yesterday to accept for consideration a motion against them, some assembly members predict.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774582-somsak-and-nikom-may-escape-impeachment/

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Clean sheet likely for new charter
Kris Bhromsuthi,
Khanittha Thepphajorn
THE NATION

First meeting of CDC considers whether to use any of previous constitutions

BANGKOK: -- The new charter to be written by the Constitution Drafting Commit-tee (CDC) is likely to be fashioned from scratch and not be a modified version of former constitutions.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774583-clean-sheet-likely-for-new-thai-charter/

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Danish tax fraud suspect arrested in Phuket

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774456-danish-tax-fraud-suspect-arrested-in-phuket/

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Japan scientist and US doctor bag Prince Mahidol awards
The Nation


Professor Akira Endo

Endo's discovery helps prevent coronary heart disease; Henderson awarded for leading fight against smallpox

BANGKOK: -- A JAPANESE scientist and an American doctor are this year's winners of the Prince Mahidol awards.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774585-japan-scientist-and-us-doctor-bag-prince-mahidol-awards/

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Nation TV revenue surges in third quarter
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Nation Broadcasting Corporation says revenue from its Nation TV digital channel in the third quarter soared to a record high.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774586-nation-tv-revenue-surges-in-third-quarter/

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AUTOMOBILE
Thai assembly of Mazda2 under eco-car programme celebrated
Kingsley Wijayasinha
The Nation


Present at the ceremony marking the start of Mazda2 production yesterday are, from right, Mazda Motor Corp director and senior managing editor Yuji Nakamine, Industry Minister Chakramon Pasukavanich, Japanese Ambassador to Thailand Shigekazu Sato and AAT

BANGKOK: -- Mazda yesterday staged a ceremony marking the beginning of assembly of the all-new Mazda2 subcompact for export globally, making Thailand one of its three "new small car" production bases in the world after its homeland Japan and Mexico.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774587-thai-assembly-of-mazda2-under-eco-car-programme-celebrated/

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ECONOMY
Stimulus package delayed: Pridiyathorn
Erich Parpart
The Nation


MR Pridiyathorn Devakula

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's economic growth this year is likely to fall short of its target of 1.5 per cent, as Deputy Prime Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula, who is in charge of the economy, conceded that a proposed Bt324-billion stimulus package is yet to be released to kick-start the economy by the year-end.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774588-stimulus-package-delayed-thai-minister-pridiyathorn/

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ENERGY
PTT plants may be hit by dwindling gas supply
Pichaya Changsorn
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- LOWER natural-gas production from the Gulf of Thailand will lead to below-capacity utilisation of PTT's gas-separation plants unless the country can find additional domestic gas resources, including from the Thailand-Cambodia overlapping claims area in the gulf.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774589-thai-energy-ptt-plants-may-be-hit-by-dwindling-gas-supply/

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EDITORIAL
A bad start to the battle for hearts and minds
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A culture of impunity in the deep South continues to pose a major obstacle for meaningful reconciliation between the state and the Malay-speaking region

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774590-thai-editorial-a-bad-start-to-the-battle-for-hearts-and-minds/

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Princess Maha Chakri graced the premiere of a new episode of Khon masked dance

BANGKOK, 7 November 2014 (NNT) - Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on Thursday (Nov 6) attended on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, the premiere of a Khon masked dance performance, in the Episode of the Battle of Indrajit: The Nagabas, at the Thailand Cultural Center in Bangkok.

The show is the seventh in a series of Khon performances arranged annually by the SUPPORT Foundation in response to a call by Her Majesty the Queen to conserve this ancient dramatic art form and related skills and crafts for future generations.

The Battle of Indrajit: The Nagabas performance is based on a literary composition by King Rama I. Modern stage techniques have been included to make the performance in each scene more spectacular. The performance is, as from now, staged daily until December 5, 2014. For more information, please visit www.khonperformance.com , or Tel. 02 262 3456. And for tickets, visit all the Thai Ticket Major counters.

-- NNT 2014-11-07

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Double Murder Father & Son Suspects caught by Chonburi Police



PATTAYA: -- On Thursday afternoon, Chonburi Police announced the arrest of a 50 year old man and his 16 year old Son, who were alleged to have murdered the Husband and Wife owners of a Seafood Restaurant following a Burglary which went horribly wrong.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774591-double-murder-father-son-suspects-caught-by-chonburi-police/

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“Hi-Low” Gamblers caught in Central Pattaya



PATTAYA: -- In the early hours of Thursday, 7 suspected gamblers were caught at a rented apartment in Central Pattaya, playing the popular dice game “Hi-Low”.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774592-hi-low-gamblers-caught-in-central-pattaya/

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50 police officers under probe for allowing billboards on police kiosks

BANGKOK: -- About 50 police superintendents at various police stations in Bangkok are under investigation for allowing advertising billboards to be installed at police kiosks.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774593-50-police-officers-under-probe-for-allowing-billboards-on-bangkok-police-kiosks/

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Yingluck's lawyer hit back at TDRI's Niphon



BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s lawyer Mr Norawich Laleng today (Thursday) hit back at Mr Niphon Puapongsakorn Thailand Development Research Institute accusing the latter of having ulterior motive for the release of figures of estimated losses from the rice pledging scheme.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774594-yinglucks-lawyer-hit-back-at-tdris-niphon/

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UPDATE:

Father and son arrested for allegedly killing their employers



CHONBURI: -- A former employee of a seafood restaurant in Chon Buri township and his 17-year old son have been arrested in Samut Prakan Tuesday night for allegedly killing his two employers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774591-double-murder-father-son-suspects-caught-by-chonburi-police/#entry8638596

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UPDATE:

Govt may lift martial law in certain provinces
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said yesterday that the government would consider lifting martial law in some provinces to boost the country's economic recovery and bring back tourists.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774462-thai-pm-considering-lifting-martial-law-in-some-areas/?p=8638611#entry8638611

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Woman's body found in river
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- A WOMAN'S body was found inside a bag that surfaced in the Mae Klong River in Kanchanaburi. Police were trying to identify the woman yesterday while the autopsy results are pending.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774595-kanchanaburi-womans-body-found-in-river/

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Court extends detention of Koh Tao suspects
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The 12-day detention period for the two Myanmar suspects held for the Koh Tao murders was extended for a fourth time and their indictment is expected to be due before the end of this month, a senior public prosecutor said yesterday.

Thawatchai Siangjaew said police were working on extra details in their investigation reports as advised by public prosecutors and the indictment should be filed with the Samui provincial court before the end of this month.

The court extended the detention period by another 12 days of both suspects for another 12 days yesterday. As per the Thai criminal procedure, suspects can be detained for a total of 84 days or seven 12-day periods.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Court-extends-detention-of-Koh-Tao-suspects-30247189.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-07

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Ebola can continue living in semen of recovered patients
Puangchompoo Prasert
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- MEN REMAIN contagious even after recovering from the deadly Ebola virus because it remains in the semen for an extended period, a prominent Bangkok doctor has said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774597-ebola-can-continue-living-in-semen-of-recovered-patients-bangkok-doctor-says/

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BURNING ISSUE
Don't sacrifice the environment for profits
Samudcha Hoonsara

BANGKOK: -- We should be delighted that many people are now becoming aware of the need to preserve the environment and protect the delicate balance of nature. This need has increased several fold over recent years as there are more and more people whose boundless greed has had an adverse impact on society and the environment.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774598-thai-politics-dont-sacrifice-the-environment-for-profits/

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Gaza flotilla raid: No Israel charges over Mavi Marmara

(BBC) The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor says she will not take action over Israel's raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla in 2010 that killed nine Turkish activists.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774599-no-israel-charge-over-gaza-ship-raid/

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US Seals dispute over Bin Laden killing

(BBC) A public row has arisen over which US commando fired the shot that killed Osama Bin Laden, more than three years after the al-Qaeda leader's death.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774600-us-seals-dispute-over-bin-laden-killing/

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Francois Hollande: I will quit if I fail on unemployment

(BBC) French President Francois Hollande has said he will not seek re-election in 2017 if he fails to cut unemployment.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774601-francois-hollande-i-will-quit-if-i-fail-on-unemployment/

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Transport Ministry to build 1,100 more railway crossing barricades

BANGKOK, 7 Nov 2014 (NNT) –The Ministry of Transport is planning to set up 1,109 more railway crossing barricades along with other safety systems starting next year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774618-thai-transport-ministry-to-build-1100-more-railway-crossing-barricades/

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US mid-terms: Hillary Clinton’s dry run for 2016?
By Kim Ghattas
BBC News, Washington

WASHINGTON: -- The mid-terms are over. The 2016 presidential race starts now.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774620-us-mid-terms-hillary-clintons-dry-run-for-2016/

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UPDATE:

Attempting to procure a murder charge against AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd withdrawn

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd's charge of attempting to procure a murder has been withdrawn.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774333-acdc-drummer-phil-rudd-gets-charged-with-attempting-to-procure-a-murder/page-2#entry8639218

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Thai stock index opens on Friday at 1,584.09, gains 3.32 points /MCOT