Thailand Live Saturday 15 Nov 2014

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Powerful earthquake strikes off Indonesia, tsunami warning issued
Posted by BNO News

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) — A powerful earthquake struck the Molucca Sea off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi on Saturday morning, prompting a tsunami warning for local coastlines, seismologists said. There was no immediate word on damage or casualties.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776699-pacific-tsunami-warning-centre-issues-alert-after-73-quake-off-indonesia/

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Asian Beach Games open with spectacular ceremony in Phuket

4th Asian Beach Games opening ceremony. Photo: Asian Beach Games

PHUKET: -- The curtain finally rose on the 4th Asian Beach Games on the evening of November 14 at the Saphan Hin Sports Center in Phuket, with Privy Councilor and the Royal Representative Gen Surayuth Julanon presiding.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776706-asian-beach-games-open-with-spectacular-ceremony-in-phuket/

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PM talks about APEC and ASEAN Summit success, calling for unity

BANGKOK, 15 Nov 2015 (NNT) – Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said his government managed to win back most of foreign nations’ understanding of the country’s situation, while urging Thai people to stay united for the sake of the country.

In his weekly speech to the Nation’, General Prayut said the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting and the ASEAN Summit allowed him the opportunity to regain understanding and confidence of other nations.

General Prayut asked Thai people to remain united, as conflicts would obstruct the country’s development. He commented that if all sides were ready to move Thailand towards prosperity together, the country would be second to none in terms of development, thanks its advantageous location.

General Prayut added that China’s interest in Thailand’s infrastructure investment was based on Beijing’s trust in the country. He affirmed that the implementation of all joint projects would be transparent and beneficial to Thai people, as he deemed the country’s dignity must be protected regardless of its size.

The premier also thanked Thai people and civil servants for their efforts to bring back happiness to the nation.

-- NNT 2014-11-15

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Russian injured in attempted armed bag snatch in South Pattaya

PATTAYA: -- A 22 year old Russian woman sustained cuts to her hands during an attempted armed bag snatch in South Pattaya on Friday Night.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776716-russian-woman-injured-in-attempted-armed-bag-snatch-in-south-pattaya/

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UPDATE:

Tsunami alert sparks panic in Indonesia

KOTA TERNATE, Indonesia - A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake rocked the Maluku Islands in eastern Indonesia Saturday, sparking a tsunami warning and causing panicked people to flee their homes.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776699-pacific-tsunami-warning-centre-issues-alert-after-73-quake-off-indonesia/#entry8674195

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UPDATE:

Cambodian Chinese businessman is now freed and safe

BANGKOK: -- Kidnapped Cambodian-Chinese businessman has been released last night and is now in Phnom Penh while Thai police are trying to secure his return to Bangkok today for questioning to hunt down the kidnap gang.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776615-bt100m-ransom-sought-for-cambodian-businessman/#entry8674283

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Surat-Narathiwat train derails in Yala

YALA: -- A No 447 passenger train from Surat Thani to Narathiwat derailed as it was approaching Yala railway station yesterday.
Nobody was injured in the rail mishap which happened at a rail junction about 800 metres off Yala station.

But the incident stranded passengers travelling on trains from Narathiwat to Bangkok, and vise versa for 16 hours.

Railway officials ruled out sabotage by southern insurgents, saying it was an accident caused by subsidence of land.

A crane from Hat Yai station has arrived at the scene and has already lifted the derailed locomotive back in the tracks.

Rail service is now back on service today after almost 16 hours of disruption.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/surat-narathiwat-train-derails-yala/

-- Thai PBS 2014-11-15

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Prayut’s plea for farmers to stop growing second rice crops

BANGKOK: -- With growing concern that the upcoming drought this year is going to be serious as many dams reporting low water storages, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha appealed to farmers not to grow second rice crop as they will not get irrigation water supply.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776725-prayuts-plea-for-farmers-to-stop-growing-second-rice-crops/

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Body Found Off Koh Tao 'Not Missing Swissman'

By Khaosod Eng.

SURAT THANI — The dead body found off the southern island of Koh Tao yesterday is not the Swiss tourist who was reported missing a week ago, police say.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776728-body-found-off-koh-tao-not-missing-swissman/

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HRLA says interference in Thai PBS by the military a breach of media freedom

BANGKOK: -- Human Rights Lawyers Association (HRLA) today issued a statement saying a recent visit to the Thai PBS station by a group of senior military officers to request the station executives to remove a TV host from a talk show they deemed disturbing peace and order in the country is a breach of the media freedom, and rights to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority.

The action by the HRLA, a non governmental organisation, came after Thai PBS agreed to the group’s request and has removed the host, Nattaya Wawweerakhup, of the talk show called “Voices of the People That Must Be Heard Before the Reform.”

HRLA said in its statement that any direct and indirect over exertion of authority on the media to guide its news presentation to fulfil its wishes is a serious violation of media freedom and fundamental rights of the people in accessing to information.

Such interference is unacceptable, it said.

It said the media has the rights and freedom to report news within the framework of the International Principles of Professional Ethics in Journalism with responsibility and honesty so that the people will be well and correctly informed.

It then called on the military to cite martial law in breaching media freedom and Thai PBS executives to have ethical courage to protect media freedom and rights of the people to access to information.

Earlier yesterday Isra News reported that four colonels visited Thai PBS’s headquarters in Bangkok and instructed the station’s directors to stop broadcasting a talk show in which the host, Nattaya, asked villagers and activists for their opinions about the junta’s reform process.

She had been interviewing activists in the southern province of Songkhla for her “Voices of the People That Must Be Heard Before the Reform,” programme.

Thai PBS announced yesterday its executives agreed to adjust the program and strip the show down to “news format,” without the forum session. The host, Nattaya, was also removed from the show altogether,

However Thai PBS said in a statement that the company was committed to press freedom and media ethics, saying it was necessary for the station to “temporarily change the host” of the show.

The station executives referred to the military officers’ visit as a constructive “meeting to reach mutual understanding about the role of public media.”

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/hrla-says-interference-thai-pbs-military-breach-media-freedom/

-- Thai PBS 2014-11-15

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Ayutthaya ranks in 16 Greatest Cities In Human History

AYUTTHAYA, 15 November 2014 (NNT) – Ayutthaya has been selected as one of the Greatest Cities in Human History in a ranking compiled by businessinsider.com, according to an official.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776753-ayutthaya-ranks-in-16-greatest-cities-in-human-history/

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French delegate held talk with Thai foreign Minister

BANGKOK, 15 November 2014 (NNT) – The Special French Representative for Economic Relations with ASEAN countries met with Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs yesterday, aiming to create more economic cooperation between France and ASEAN.

The Special French Representative for Economic Relations with ASEAN countries Philippe Varin ad paid his courtesy call to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Gen Tanasak Patimapragorn yesterday (14 November 2014).

During the meeting, the French Representative congratulated the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand for the inaugural of his new positions. He showed interest in strengthening the relations between France and Thailand, especially the economic relations to Thailand and ASEAN.

He said that France is confident in Thailand’s economic capability and stands ready to provide further economic and investment cooperation to both Thailand and ASEAN.

However, the French Representative raised the concern about the amendment of the Foreign Business Act that might affect French investors in Thailand.

For this matter, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs explained that the government is in the process of gathering comments from various sectors. He affirmed that every concern from foreign business sectors will be thoroughly considered.

He also affirmed the readiness of Thailand’s infrastructure development, the encouragement an expansion of Thai-France investment volume, and the support for the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) project which an internship scheme for Thai students in French factories in Thailand.

The Special French Representative for Economic Relations with ASEAN countries is set to preside over the 11th Forum ASEAN for French Foreign Trade Advisor in Bangkok on 17 November 2014 to discuss the trade and investments between Thailand and France with French entrepreneurs and economic consultants.

-- NNT 2014-11-15

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Phuket husband, wife drug dealers arrest leads to distributor
Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: A husband and wife drug dealing team were arrested on Friday evening (November 14) as part of a bigger investigation into the Phuket drug underworld by local police.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776757-phuket-husband-wife-drug-dealers-arrest-leads-to-distributor/

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Phuket: Patong bar owners cancel protests

Nattha Thepbamrung

PHUKET: A planned protest that would have closed several bars around Patong area for three days in response to the strict 2am closing time for bars was cancelled by the President of Patong Entertainment Business Association, Weerawit Kruesombut.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776758-phuket-patong-bar-owners-cancel-protests/

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Militants killed mother and daughter in Betong

YALA: -- A 54-year-old mother and her 32-year-old daughter were shot dead by southern militants while they were riding home on a motorcycle on Highway 410 from Yala to Betong.

The shooting took place near Kilometre Marker 32 on the highway in Tambon I-yerweng of Betong at 9.30 am Saturday.

Mrs Sirirat sae San was riding her mother Sarinee home after shopping at a weekend market at Kilometre marker 29.

As she was riding pass Kilometre marker 32, a motorcycle with two men on board pulled alongside and the pillion rider pulled out a pistol and fired several shits at them.

Both fell to the ground with the motorcycle. The two militants approached the fallen women and pumped more shots at close range,and sped away.

Passers-by hearing the gunshots alerted a soldier base and helped take the mother to Betong hospital.

She died later at hospital while her daughter died at the scene.

Forensic police and soldiers discovered eight 9 mm casings at the scene.

Meanwhile another female teacher was critically injured when southern militants shot at her near a petrol station in Khok Pho district of Pattani on Saturday morning.

Mrs Issara Chairithichote was later admitted to Pattani hospital for serious shot wounds.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/militants-killed-mother-daughter-betong/

-- Thai PBS 2014-11-15

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Government begins paying rubber planters Bt1,000/rai in 6 provinces, growers hope rubber price will increase to over Bt60/kg /MCOT

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More foreign airlines to fly direct to Chiang Mai
By Digital Content

CHIANG MAI, Nov 15 -- As winter has arrived to northern Thailand, more international commercial airlines, especially those from fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), are expected to fly directly to Chiang Mai province during the current tourism high season, said Wisoot Buachoom, director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Chiang Mai Office.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776775-more-foreign-airlines-to-fly-direct-to-chiang-mai/

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UK MPs visited Thai Foreign Minister

BANGKOK, 15 November 2014 (NNT) – The Members of Parliament of the United Kingdom paid a courtesy call to the Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs yesterday, while holding talks on international cooperation.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776776-uk-mps-visited-thai-foreign-minister/

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Transfer Baggage Terminal in service since Nov 1st

BANGKOK, 15 November 2014 (NNT) – The Transfer Baggage Terminal (TBT) at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport has been officially opened since November 1st, 2014 after nearly two years of construction.

Prapon Pattamakitsakul, General Manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport, said TBT would reduce the time for baggage transfer process to 60 minutes, from 75 minutes previously. It also helps reduce baggage congestion in the Main Terminal Building, which is dealing with more than 13,000 bags everyday.

Located above the South Airside Tunnel, TBT is designed to transfer 66 bags per minute. All bags will pass through CT scans, In-line Screening, Onscreening Room and Baggage Inspection Room equipped with explosive detection machines.

-- NNT 2014-11-15

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to continue:

Thailand Live Sunday 16 Oct 2014

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/776828-thailand-live-sunday-16-nov-2014/