Thailand Live Thursday 27 Nov 2014

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Anti-military slogans sprayed with paints on roads inside Chiang Mai university campus



CHIANG MAI: -- Anti military coup emerged in Chiangmai university yesterday with slogans opposing military junta being painted with spray cans on the roads inside the campus.

One slogan sprayed on the roads in front of the Fine Arts Faculty reads “No Coup” and another displaying Three Fingers, while some with strong words.

Same painted slogans were also seen at three other locations inside the campus.

Security guards of the university spotted the anti coup markings immediately alerted university executives who later ordered them to immediately rub them off.

Associate Professor Dr Somchai Preechasilpakul, head of the Chiangmai University’s Law Research and Development of the Law Faculty, and also an academic of the so-called midnight university said the paint spraying of anti military slogans stemmed from the fact that the state depriving the freedom of the people to express their thoughts and views.

If such situation was allowed to continue, then all anti military movements will go underground which will pos even more difficulties to control, he said.

He suggested that the military junta should ease the ban as expression of views and thoughts was normal that might draw both pros and cons.

He said giving more freedom of expression would be good to the societies, rather than harming the country.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/anti-military-slogans-sprayed-paints-roads-inside-chiang-mai-university-campus

-- Thai PBS 2014-11-27

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Thai elections may be delayed until 2016: report
Bangkok, Thailande | AFP |

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's finance minister Sommai Phasee has said elections in the junta-ruled kingdom could be delayed until mid-2016, days after military officials ruled out lifting martial law any time soon.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779737-thai-elections-may-be-delayed-until-2016-report/

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Phuket V/Gov Jamroen to be transferred to Nakhon Prathom
Saran Mitrarat


Vice-Governor Jamroen Tippayapongtada will be transferred to Nakhon Prathom province next Monday (December 1).

PHUKET: -- According to an announcement in a letter by the Ministry of Interior, as of next Monday (December 1) Vice-Governor Jamroen Tippayapongtada will be transferred and replaced with two new vice-governors.

Full story: Phuket V/Gov Jamroen to be transferred to Nakhon Prathom http://thai.vi/1Cjkz00

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BBC
General election could be delayed : Finance minister

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779737-thai-elections-may-be-delayed-until-2016-report/#entry8727680

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Yala starts security drill

YALA, 27 November 2014 (NNT) -- The southern province of Yala kicked off a one-day security drill on Wednesday, aiming to increase the city's ability to better deal with emergency situations.

The drill, which lasted from 7 am to 11 pm with all security units including bomb squads and local residents joining in, was divided into four different scenarios, beginning with a normal situation which later escalated into an emergency after a bomb was found and destroyed by a bomb squad.

The second scenario started when another bomb exploded in Yala's downtown, injuring five people. Authorities then blocked all routes in and out of the city at night to search for perpetrators and prevent possible further attack.

Yala has been targeted by insurgents many times, but the city has always managed to come back to normal time and time again. Increase efficiency of its security system is aimed at shoring up confidence of local residents and business operators in going about their daily life.


-- NNT 2014-11-27

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NRC on media reform calls for free but ethical press

BANGKOK, 26 November 2014 (NNT) - The National Reform Council (NRC) committee in charge of mass media reform revealed that the majority sentiment submitted by the public called for a free but ethical press, and that the NRC would be ready to submit its proposals to the Constitutional Drafting Committee by November 30.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779760-nrc-on-media-reform-calls-for-free-but-ethical-press/

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UPDATE:

Man wanted in UK for child sex crimes arrested in Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand | AFP |

BANGKOK: -- A British man wanted by UK police for a string of paedophile offences has been arrested in northeast Thailand, immigration officials said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779694-british-man-arrested-in-udon-thani-for-sex-offences-in-the-uk/page-4#entry8727772

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Prisoners to get opportunity to work

BANGKOK, 27 November 2014 (NNT)- Prisoners would be allowed to be gainfully employed outside their cells, following the Department of Employment’s proposal to allow them to work in the fishery industry.

Director General of the Department of Employment Sumet Mahosot has conveyed his idea to Mr. Wittaya Suriyawong, the Director of the Department of Corrections, about letting inmates work on a fishing vessel.

Both have agreed to the idea under 3 conditions: Prisoners should only work on a voluntary basis; they must be informed of work conditions beforehand, and must at all times protected by Thai labor laws. Mr. Sumet said these conditions needed to be strictly enforced to prevent any types of abuse.

The Corrections Department Director also proposed that the inmates aged between 18-25 years old who have almost completed their terms join the pilot program, which will be held in Samut Sakorn province on a trial basis.

More discussions will have to be held to determine how the employment program should be carried out as well as the number of inmates participating in it.


-- NNT 2014-11-27

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Hill tribe people in Chiang Rai deal with cold weather conditions

CHIANG RAI, 27 November 2014 (NNT) - Temperatures have dropped continuously in Thailand’s northern region, prompting locals to gather firewood in order to keep themselves warm.

Hill tribe people in Baan Ya <deleted> Village in Mae Yao Subdistrict of Chiang Rai province have been gathering logs of wood to start a bonfire to protect themselves from the chilly weather.

Meanwhile, temperatures atop the mountain summit have plunged continuously. The weather has become so cold to the point where blankets and coats provided little relief for them, as the houses of these tribal people are made of bamboo, making it easy for the wind to pass through the gaps.

Temperatures can get very cold during the morning or late at night in Chiang Rai province, with the ground-level temperature averaging at 15.5 degrees Celsius and 12 degrees Celsius atop the mountain summit.


-- NNT 2014-11-27

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Uni teacher busted for offering A-grade for B-booty
By Coconuts Bangkok


Photo: Thai News

BANGKOK: -- One 19-year-old university student who couldn’t tolerate her teacher's inappropriate advances lured him into a trap Wednesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779765-thai-uni-teacher-busted-for-offering-a-grade-for-b-booty/

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Phil Hughes: Australian batsman dies, aged 25

(BBC) Australia Test batsman Phil Hughes has died, two days after being hit on the head by a ball.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779767-phil-hughes-australian-batsman-dies-aged-25/

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NACC to be asked to handle probe of major bribery scandal



BANGKOK: -- Acting commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) says the Royal Thai Police will ask the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to carry on investigation of the bribery scandal involving the former CIB chief.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779792-nacc-to-be-asked-to-handle-probe-of-major-bribery-scandal/

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Police intercept shipment of 100 kgs of marijuana

KHON KAEN: -- Highway police in Khon Kaen intercepted an effort to smuggle some 100 kilogrammes of marijuana at 7:30 am Thursday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779793-khon-kaen-police-intercept-shipment-of-100-kgs-of-marijuana/

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500,000 ya ba seized in Chaing Dao district

CHIANG MAI: -- About half a million methamphetamine tablets were seized from a pickup truck at a road checkpoint in Chiang Dao district of Chiang Mai Thursday morning by police and army troops.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779794-chiang-mai-500000-ya-ba-tablets-seized-in-chaing-dao-district/

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Koh Chang's Tourist-Hugging Monk Expelled
By Khaosod English


Photo of Phra Supot hugging a foreign tourist that went viral on the internet

TRAT - The Buddhist authority in Trat province has formally defrocked a monk who was photographed hugging two female tourists on the popular island of Koh Chang last week.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779797-koh-changs-tourist-hugging-monk-expelled/

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Abhisit meets Constitution Drafting Committee to give personal opinion on new charter; supports real reform, referendum, PM by election /MCOT

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Deputy PM Prawit confident most Thais support the government

BANGKOK, 27 November 2014 (NNT) – Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also the Defense Minister, has admitted that there are silent groups opposing the coup in Thailand’s upcountry regions. However, he remains confident that most Thais support the government.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779802-deputy-pm-prawit-confident-most-thais-support-the-government/

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GENERAL POLL
Thai election pushed back to 2016 - deputy PM
Reuters

BANGKOK: -- A Thai general election planned for next year will be delayed until 2016, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said Thursday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779737-thai-elections-may-be-delayed-until-2016-report/page-3#entry8728425

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Siam Square One no longer smells of deadly 'sewer gas'
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- A downtown shopping mall popular with teenagers declared Wednesday that the pungent odor of a highly toxic and flammable gas has been eradicated.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779806-bangkok-siam-square-one-no-longer-smells-of-deadly-sewer-gas/

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Former metropolitan police officer convicted to life for drugs trafficking

BANGKOK: -- The Supreme Court has upheld the Appeals Court’s life imprisonment handed down to a former deputy superintendent of metropolitan police convicted of drugs trafficking.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779807-former-bangkok-metropolitan-police-officer-convicted-to-life-for-drugs-trafficking/

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UPDATE:

Election may be six months behind schedule



BANGKOK: -- General election in Thailand may be delayed until 2016 or about six months behind its 2015 schedule.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779737-thai-elections-may-be-delayed-until-2016-report/page-3?p=8728483#entry8728483

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Thai GDP forecast to grow more than 4% next year
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Nov 27 -- The Finance Ministry is confident that the Thai economy will grow by more than 4 per cent due mainly to government investment, but warns that monetary and capital markets will show increasing fluctuation next year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779809-thai-gdp-forecast-to-grow-more-than-4-next-year/

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Army Close All Happy Ending Massage Shops On Sukhumvit



BANGKOK: -- The army dispatched teams of soldiers to close down all non-tradtitional Thai massage shops in the Thonglor Police District early this evening.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779812-army-close-all-happy-ending-massage-shops-on-sukhumvit/

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7-Eleven, major department stores to provide seven-day sales

BANGKOK: -- The Commerce Ministry has sought cooperation from major department stores, consumer goods producers and retail chain 7-Eleven to provide 20 to 70 per cent discount of consumer goods as New Year gift for Thais, Commerce Minister Chatchai Sarikalya said Thursday.

The grand sale will take place from December 24 o 30, he added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/7-Eleven-major-department-stores-to-provide-seven--30248664.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-27

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North Korea: Leader’s Sister Has Post in Ruling Party
By CHOE SANG-HUN

North Korea’s state-run news media revealed Thursday that the younger sister of the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, had become a senior official at the ruling Workers’ Party, bolstering a widespread suspicion among outside analysts that she was emerging as an important player in his government.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779846-north-korea-leaders-sister-has-post-in-ruling-party/

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Interior Minister Anupong: Government improving civil registration systems
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Nov 27 -- Interior Minister Gen Anupong Paojinda said the Thai government is cooperating with international organizations to improve the country's civil registration systems.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779851-interior-minister-anupong-government-improving-civil-registration-systems/

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Abhisit proposes referendum on draft charter

BANGKOK: -- Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva Thursday proposed that the new draft charter should be sent for a public referendum.

He raised the proposal to the Constitution Drafting Committee. He said the people should be asked to choose between the new charter and the 2007 constitution.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Abhisit-proposed-referendum-on-draft-charter-30248667.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-27

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Thailand blocks Human Rights Watch webpage

Bangkok (dpa) - Thailand's government has blocked the Thailand page of the Human Rights Watch (HRW) website after receiving harsh criticism from the organisation.

Attempts to view it are redirected to a splash screen from the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, which reads "this website has inappropriate content and has been suspended."

In recent weeks HRW have heavily criticised Thailand’s military government for its crackdown on dissent.

"The fact that the (junta) feels the need to block Human Rights Watch’s Thailand webpage means that we must be doing something right," said Brad Adams, HRW’s Asia director.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Thailand-blocks-Human-Rights-Watch-webpage-30248662.html

-- The Nation 2014-11-27

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Woman dies in Phuket bike-pickup collision
Eakkapop Thongtub


Mangled bits of motorbike lie on the road after the smash

PHUKET: -- The driver of a motorbike was injured and his female passenger died when he changed lanes in front of A female motorcycle’s passenger die and a male driver injure after he changed lane in front of a pickup truck yesterday morning (November 26).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779852-woman-dies-in-phuket-bike-pickup-collision/

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Thailand, Lao PDR strengthen ties, cooperation
By Digital Content



VIENTIANE, Nov 27 – Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha met his Lao counterpart Thongsing Thammavong on his two-day visit to this neighbouring country, discussing cooperation as partnership for equitable prosperity and comprehensive development of the border to build twin economic zones and regional transport links.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779861-thailand-lao-pdr-strengthen-ties-cooperation/