Dancers at Police Station Spark Outrage Among Netizens

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HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn left for Belgium to attend funeral of Queen Fabiola

BANGKOK, 12 December 2014 (NNT) - By royal command, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn left for Belgium yesterday to take part in a state funeral for Queen Fabiola, widow of King Baudouin.

The Bureau of the Royal Household said in an announcement last night that Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will represent His Majesty the King at the state funeral of Queen Fabiola which will take place at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels on 12 December 2014.

Her Royal Highness yesterday afternoon proceeded to Suvarnabhumi Airport to board a Thai Airways International airplane amidst a large number of well wishers seeing her off. Among them were members of the Cabinet, high ranking senior officials and military officers, representatives of the Thai Red Cross Society and village scouts.

The Bureau of the Royal Household said Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will return to Thailand on Saturday, 13 December, at 1.05 p.m.

Queen Fabiola passed away last Friday at the age of 86.


-- NNT 2014-12-12

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Phuket jet-skis warned, stay off the sand

Saran Mitrarat

Driving along the beach pulling trailers is now banned.

PHUKET: Governor Nisit Jansomwong has vowed to revoke the operating license of any jet-ski owner whose machine is found sitting on the sand on any beach in Phuket, along with the boat operator licenses of any staff.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783370-phuket-jet-skis-warned-stay-off-the-sand/

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Prayut woos South Korean investors at summit in Busan
The Nation


South Korea

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha invited top Korean business leaders to invest in Thailand and the Dawei special economic zone in Myanmar on the sidelines of the Asean-South Korea summit yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783424-prayut-woos-south-korean-investors-at-summit-in-busan/

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PURCHASES IN FUTURES MARKET
Bt420m fund to help shore up rubber prices
Somchai Samart
The Nation
Songkhla


Suwit Rattanapong, adviser to the deputy agriculture minister, 2nd left, shakes hands with representatives of rubber farmers after a forum on rubber in Songkhla yesterday.

Govt and private sector to contribute for purchases in futures market

BANGKOK: -- The government and private rubber-business operators will jointly launch a Bt420-million fund, with the aim of tackling the tumbling price of rubber.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783425-bt420m-fund-to-help-shore-up-rubber-prices/

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Govt denies secret prisons here, tightens security at US Embassy
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Government figures yesterday denied the existence of secret prisons or the torture of suspected foreign terrorists here while being skeptical of a security alert issued by the US Embassy in Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783426-thai-govt-denies-secret-prisons-here-tightens-security-at-us-embassy/

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Public support crucial for a good charter: Prawase
KRIS BHROMSUTHI
The Nation

Says peace in civil society more important than political or economic reforms

BANGKOK: -- The deciding factor that could create long-lasting peace and reform is the strength of the citizen sector as reformers - and charter drafters will need the public's support and cooperation in order to be successful, said a leading peace proponent.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783427-public-support-crucial-for-a-good-thai-charter-prawase/

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SOUTHERN INSURGENCY
Peace-talks office 'proposed by M'sia'
The Nation

Chief Thai negotiator on southern insurgency warns against undue haste

BANGKOK: -- An office in the deep South to keep the ball rolling in the renewed peace talks with insurgents has reportedly been proposed by Malaysia, the facilitator, while Thailand's chief negotiator urged the dialogue to proceed step by step so that there was no need for both sides to be pressured or to be hasty.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783428-deep-south-insurgency-peace-talks-office-proposed-by-malaysia/

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Thailand not ready for AEC, finance minister tells seminar
Erich Parpart
The Nation


Sommai Phasee

BANGKOK: -- Finance Minister Sommai Phasee and key private-sector voices have warned that the Kingdom has a long way to go before it is ready for the full implementation of the Asean Economic Community at the end of 2015.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783431-thailand-not-ready-for-aec-finance-minister-tells-seminar/

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DLT to crack down on speeding vans and driver misbehavior



BANGKOK, 12 Dec 2014, (NNT) - The Department of Land Transport (DLT) has stepped up measures against speeding vans and van operators who exhibit vulgar behavior especially during the New Year long holiday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783432-thai-dlt-to-crack-down-on-speeding-vans-and-driver-misbehavior/

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EDITORIAL
Opium production: SE Asia can't kick the habit
The Nation

The multibillion-dollar drug trade will continue to grow unless we tackle its root causes - insurgency and poverty

BANGKOK: -- In the name of oppressed ethnic nationalities, a significant number of armed groups surfaced in Burma (now Myanmar) in the aftermath of World War II. Some relied on the sale of opium to finance their campaigns. Some continue to do so.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783434-opium-production-se-asia-cant-kick-the-habit/

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Swedish Tourist drowns at beach in Rayong



RAYONG: -- On Thursday morning Police and rescue services were called to a beach in Rayong Province to deal with a drowning of a Swedish Tourist.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783435-swedish-tourist-drowns-at-beach-in-rayong/

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Indian thwarts 3 Ladyboy pickpockets close to Pattaya Port



PATTAYA: -- An Indian Tourist was able to detain three Ladyboys who attempted to steal his wallet in a classic 3 on 1 pickpocket attempt whereby one embraces the man and the other two steal the victim’s wallet.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783436-indian-thwarts-3-ladyboy-pickpockets-close-to-pattaya-port/

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Coach runs over and kills its driver at Pattaya Floating Market

PATTAYA: -- A coach driver was run over by his own coach on Thursday morning at the Pattaya Floating Market Coach Car Park as he attempted to fix his brakes located underneath the vehicle.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783437-coach-runs-over-and-kills-its-driver-at-pattaya-floating-market/

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Uber 'should be okay in Phuket if it uses only green-plate cars'
Tanyaluk Sakoot


Teerayut Presertpol

PHUKET: -- The chief of Phuket’s Provincial Land Transport Office (PLTO) says he believes that American taxi call operator Uber could operate legally in Thailand so long as the cars it uses are legitimate taxis or limousines with drivers who have public transport driving licenses.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783438-uber-should-be-okay-in-phuket-if-it-uses-only-green-plate-cars/

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Phuket 'investors' lose B7m in face cream scam
Nattha Thepbamrung


Chonticha Jampa-Ngern (right) with a fellow victim holding a tube of 'VIP cream'.

PHUKET: -- A group of fraud victims gathered at Phuket police station today (December 11) claiming they have lost between them some B7 million.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783439-phuket-investors-lose-b7m-in-face-cream-scam/

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Phuket teenager dies after drive-alongside shooting
Eakkapop Thongtub


Police forensics experts measure a bullet hole found in a wall near where Wuttisak was shot.

PHUKET: -- Police are hunting for the gunman after a young man died of a gunshot wound last night (December 10) at Moo Baan Suan Niramit in Srisoonthorn.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783440-phuket-teenager-dies-after-drive-alongside-shooting/

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Thailand to produce flu, bird-flu vaccine by 2018
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) will construct the country's first facility to make influenza and bird-flu vaccine in Saraburi's Kaeng Khoi district, with production set to start in early 2018.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783441-thailand-to-produce-flu-bird-flu-vaccine-by-2018/

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Ministry to combat yaba abuse among Thais in Israel
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Ministry has joined with related agencies to combat methamphetamine (yaba) abuse among Thai workers abroad, acting on a report that around half of the 27,000 Thai workers in Israel suffered with the problem, which is costing Bt50 billion in lost remittances every year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783443-ministry-to-combat-yaba-abuse-among-thais-in-israel/

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Brother claims missing businessman abducted
The Nation


Officials yesterday receive lists of assets and land title deeds belonging to Lt-General Pongpat Chayaphan.

BANGKOK: -- The brother of a Pattani-based businessman who is missing after facing allegations of running a contraband-petrol trade in the South met Bangkok police yesterday to defend his sibling, saying he was framed and may have been abducted. Warakorn Jiansermsin called on the media to help track his brother, adding that he did not believe the so-called list of bribe-takers that police said they had seized from Sahachai's home actually existed.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783444-brother-claims-missing-pattani-businessman-abducted/

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Probe into murder of protest leader 'progressing well'
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Police investigation into the murder last month of Nakhon Si Thammarat-based anti-mine protest leader Pitan Thongpanang is progressing well, while local activists who have been living in fear since Pitan was shot dead have been placed under protection, National Human Rights Commission member Niran Pitakwatchara said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783447-probe-into-murder-of-nakhon-si-thammarat-protest-leader-progressing-well/

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TOURIST
ATM fee waivers among travel incentives sought
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Tourism and Sports Ministry has prepared several measures to boost domestic travel during the year-end period.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783448-new-year-festival-atm-fee-waivers-among-domestic-travel-incentives-sought/

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Australia PM Abbott wants indigenous referendum in 2017

(BBC) Australian PM Tony Abbott has vowed to "sweat blood" to secure constitutional recognition for indigenous people, saying he wants a referendum in 2017.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783451-australia-pm-abbott-wants-indigenous-referendum-in-2017/

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CIA boss John Brennan defends post-9/11 strategy

WASHINGTON: -- CIA Director John Brennan has defended the agency's post-9/11 interrogation methods but admitted some techniques were "harsh" and "abhorrent".

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783452-cia-boss-john-brennan-defends-post-911-strategy/

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Storm pounds northern California

(BBC) More than 220,000 people are without power after heavy rains and high winds slammed northern California.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783454-storm-pounds-northern-california/

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Sony fights back: Movie giant launches its own cyber attack



Sony is apparently waging a campaign of defensive hacking and cyber attacks to try and stop people accessing its stolen data on illegal file sharing sites.

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/sony-fights-back-movie-giant-launches-cyber-attack/

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US needs to show it's still top dog
John Simpson
World Affairs Editor, BBC News

(BBC) Once upon a time the job of president of the United States seemed clear-cut: you knew who the enemy was, and you knew you had the economic and military measure of them.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783466-us-needs-to-show-its-still-top-dog/

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Four Arrested In Joint Military & Police Searches In Sukhumvit

Published by Stickboy BKK

BANGKOK: -- Last night, Thursday 11th December, in a joint operation between the military and Lumpini Police District, four Middle Eastern men were arrested in Lower Sukhumvit.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783467-four-middle-eastern-men-arrested-in-joint-military-and-police-searches-in-sukhumvit/

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Some 13,000 hill tribe people in Chiang Rai need blankets, winter jackets

CHIANG RAI: -- The Mae Fah Lung district office has issued an urgent plea for blankets and winter jackets for some 13,000 poor hill tribe people living on mountaintops in Tambon Mae Salong Nok in Chiang Rai.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783469-some-13000-hill-tribe-people-in-chiang-rai-need-blankets-winter-jackets/

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Thailand and Cambodia to upgrade four border passes

TRAT, 12 Dec 2014 (NNT) - Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Nuttavudh Photisaro has led a team of Foreign Ministry officials to observe the Thai-Cambodian border pass at Baan Tha Sen Village in Trat Province to look into a possibility of upgrading the border checkpoint.

Nuttavudh revealed that his visit followed an agreement between General Prayut Chan-o-cha, the Prime Minister, and his Cambodian counterpart during Gen Prayut’s visit to Cambodia in October this year, when the two leaders agreed to study ways to upgrade four border passes.

The four passes are those at Baan Thasen in Trat opposite Baan Tamorda in Bodhisat Province of Cambodia, Chong Arn-ma in Ubon Ratchathani opposite Chong-Aseh in Preah Vihear Province of Cambodia, Baan Khaodin in Sakeo opposite Cambodia’s Chong Phanomdai in Battambang Province, and Chong Sai-taku in Buriram opposite Chong Jupkoki in Oddar Meanchey province of Cambodia.


-- NNT 2014-12-12

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US Senators Pass Law Enforcement Reporting Bill to Avoid Police Brutality

The US Senate has passed a bill, which requires states to report the number of individuals who die each year during arrests or in police custody.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783471-us-senators-pass-law-enforcement-reporting-bill-to-avoid-police-brutality/