Thailand Live Tuesday 16 Dec 2014

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HM the King's general condition has improved

BANGKOK, 16 December 2014 (NNT) - His Majesty the King is regaining strength after a period of convalescence at Siriraj Hospital following medical treatment to the diverticulitis of the large intestine.

In the 12th statement on the King’s health, the Bureau of the Royal Household said doctors had closely monitored His Majesty’s conditions and found he no longer had fever and the abdominal pain. His heartbeat and breathing were normal. The ultrasound scanning at his abdomen showed no inflammation of any organs. His blood tests also showed nothing unusual.

The statement also said the royal doctors had already stopped prescribing antibiotics to His Majesty. Yesterday afternoon, they informed His Majesty of the result of treatment, concluding that his general condition was improving gradually, and that he was gaining better appetite and sleep.


-- NNT 2014-12-16

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NONG KHAI
Dutch man arrested for smoking marijuana



NONG KHAI: -- Today at 14.30 pm. Pol. Col. Panlop Suriya Na Ayuddhaya Superintendent of Nong Khai Immigration Office, Pol.Sub.Lt. Alongkorn Klaharn, Peace and Order Officer of Nong Khai province and Immigration Officers searched the house in Hai Soke Soi, Nong Khai Municipality and found Mr. Vincenzo Antonio, a 49 year old Dutch who was sitting at the basement preparing the marijuana for smoking.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784341-dutch-man-arrested-for-smoking-marijuana/

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Record trading despite SET plunge, recovery
The Nation

Turnover tops Bt102 billion as oil price continues to fall; authorities opt not to intervene after domestic rumour

BANGKOK: -- Thai authorities opted to stay on the sidelines despite a roller-coaster ride in the stock market yesterday, which closed with a record turnover in the exchange's 40-year history.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784403-record-trading-despite-set-plunge-recovery/

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Government's New Year fuel price 'gift'
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The National Energy Policy Committee has lowered the price of diesel fuel and petrol by Bt1 and Bt2 a litre respectively in what has been labelled a New Year gift in line with government policy.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784404-thai-governments-new-year-fuel-price-gift/

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NRC backs most reform proposals
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation

Spotlight on graft, science, consumer rights as 3-day deliberation kicks off

BANGKOK: -- Members of the junta-appointed National Reform Council (NRC) voiced support for virtually all proposals made by a half dozen or so reform committees yesterday - the first of the three-day deliberation on reform, with the issues of corruption, science and consumer rights getting most attention.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784405-thai-nrc-backs-most-reform-proposals/

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UAE-based aviation parts, service company sets up branch in Thailand
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION
DUBAI


Abdullah K Al Suleimani

TWA to service military aircraft, plan for maintenance hub

BANGKOK: -- Transworld Aviation (TWA), a supplier of aircraft parts and service solutions based in Dubai, has set up business in Thailand to service military aircraft and aims to build a regional aircraft-maintenance centre in the Kingdom within five years.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784406-uae-based-aviation-parts-service-company-sets-up-branch-in-thailand/

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NMG honours 77 for their good deeds in helping others
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- THAEN Khun Phaendin Awards - initiated by the Nation Multimedia Group and running for eight years - were presented to 77 people representing each province at an event held yesterday at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784407-nation-multimedia-group-honours-77-for-their-good-deeds-in-helping-others/

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Govt expects e-commerce value to hit Bt1 tn by 2016
Petchanet Pratruangkrai
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The value of e-commerce in Thailand is expected to reach Bt1 trillion by 2016 as online trading, both business-to-business and business-to-customer, expands, according to the Business Development Department.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784408-thai-govt-expects-e-commerce-value-to-hit-bt1-tn-by-2016/

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STREETWISE
The secrets to corporate longevity
Achara Deboonme

BANGKOK: -- Doing a quick search for companies whose roots go back more than 100 years, I came across some interesting information.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784409-thai-opinion-the-secrets-to-corporate-longevity/

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Phuket Post Office launches drive-thru counter


Gov Nisit was the first customer for the Drive Thru Post service.

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Post Office headquarters in Phuket Town today (December 15) launched a ‘Drive Thru Post’ service in a ceremony chaired by Governor, Nisit Jansomwong chaired the opening of the new service of Phuket post.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784412-phuket-post-office-launches-drive-thru-counter/

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Phuket snatch robbers caught within minutes
Darawan Naknakhon



PHUKET: -- Two young men were arrested early on Saturday morning (December 13) for three snatch-and-run robberies they had carried out just minutes earlier in Patong.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784414-phuket-snatch-robbers-caught-within-minutes/

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Young Phuket thugs arrested for robbery, assault
Eakkapop Thongtub


Kanokpon and Thanit at this morning's press conference.

PHUKET: -- Three teenagers already known to the police were arrested after robbing a 14-year-old boy and stealing his motorbike yesterday evening (December 14). The boy was slashed with a knife during the robbery.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784416-young-phuket-thugs-arrested-for-robbery-assault/

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UPDATE:

Sydney siege: Three dead after commandos storm cafe

(BBC) Two people died, along with an Islamist gunman, after commandos stormed a cafe in Sydney, Australia, to bring to an end a 16-hour siege.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784164-sydney-siege-gunman-takes-hostages-in-lindt-cafe/page-14?p=8808315#entry8808315

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Warrants for top cop, driver in debt-collecting racket
The Nation


Lt-Colonel Songrak Khunsri

BANGKOK: -- TWO ARREST warrants have been issued for a senior policeman and a civilian who were allegedly part of a debt-collecting racket that authorities say was run by former crime-buster Lt-General Pongpat Chayaphan.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784418-warrants-for-thai-top-cop-driver-in-debt-collecting-racket/

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Squid vendor held for slaying girlfriend, 43
The Nation



BANG NA police in Bangkok have arrested a grilled-squid vendor for allegedly killing his girlfriend and dismembering her body.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784419-bangkok-squid-vendor-held-for-slaying-girlfriend-43/

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Small boats warned to stay ashore
The Nation



TRANG: -- The Meteorological Department has warned small boats from going to sea while rough conditions continue.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784420-trang-small-boats-warned-to-stay-ashore/

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WHAT OTHERS SAY
Chinese tourists, behave yourselves
China Daily
Asia News

BANGKOK: -- A woman passenger threw hot water over a flight attendant and, along with her three friends, created such a ruckus on board that an AirAsia flight to Nanjing was forced to return to Bangkok last Thursday night. One of the four even threatened to blow up the plane.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784421-chinese-tourists-behave-yourselves/

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Mobile tech: Is bigger really better?

The release of the Samsung Galaxy Note, Google Nexus 6 and iPhone Plus show things are getting bigger in the world of mobile tech.

But is bigger really better?

When Samsung released the first Galaxy Note everybody was laughing. Nobody thought that the idea of a gigantic phone would take off and last long. The same way that everyone thought a gaming console with two screens would last when the Nintendo DS was released but how wrong we all were! It seems now that people are happy to carry around large phones with them and are comfortable with whipping out a full sized iPad whilst on the BTS.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/mobile-tech-bigger-really-better/

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg gets trolled by Brazilians

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is under attack this week from what looks like Brazilian Internet trolls, who are leaving absurd comments and cartoon-like images on his profile’s public page.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/facebook-boss-mark-zuckerberg-trolled/

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Pennsylvania shootings: Six dead, gunman on the run

(BBC) Six people have been shot dead and three wounded in three locations near Philadelphia, officials in the US state of Pennsylvania say.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784425-us-six-dead-in-pennsylvania-shootings/

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Russia raises key interest rate to 17% amid rouble decline

(BBC) The Russian central bank has announced it is hiking its key interest rate to 17% from 10.5%.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784427-russia-raises-key-interest-rate-to-17-amid-rouble-decline/

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Anti-Islam 'Pegida' march in German city of Dresden

(BBC) About 10,000 people have taken part in a march against "Islamisation of the West" in the east German city of Dresden.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784428-anti-islam-march-in-german-city-of-dresden/

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Police storm apartment as man held hostage in Belgium
Robert-Jan Bartunek

BRUSSELS: Belgian armed police stormed an apartment in the western city of Ghent on Monday to end a siege after reports that gunmen had taken a hostage.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784444-police-storm-apartment-as-man-held-hostage-in-belgium/

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Brazil Olympics: Super-bacteria found in Rio sea waters

(BBC) Researchers in Brazil have discovered a drug-resistant bacteria in the sea waters where sailing and windsurfing events will be held during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784448-brazil-olympics-super-bacteria-found-in-rio-sea-waters/

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Russia's gay community in fear as homophobic attacks increase
By Sarah Rainsford
BBC News, St Petersburg

(BBC) This year's QueerFest in St Petersburg was the most controversial in the festival's history.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784450-russias-gay-community-in-fear-as-homophobic-attacks-increase/

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Thai officials’ reaction to terrorism act in Australia

BANGKOK, 16 Dec 2014, (NNT) - In light of the siege of a cafe in Sydney yesterday, in which three people including a lone ISIS gunman were killed, high ranking Thai officials have said the Kingdom is not a target of terrorist attacks.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784453-thai-officials-reaction-to-terrorism-act-in-australia/

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1 reported missing after run-off in Pattalung Province

PATTALUNG, 16 Dec 2014, (NNT) - At least one person has gone missing in Pattalung after a strong run-off hit the province, despite reports of improved overall situation in the South.

The missing person has been identified as Mr. Apichai Makkhai. According to the report, Apichai, who was intoxicated, was last seen walking toward a local rubber plantation on Sunday night just before the run-off hit the area. A rescue team and military officials have been dispatched to search for him. They have only found his pants so far.

Pattalung’s Muang District has been hard hit by severe flooding. Floods also disrupt transportation routes in the sub-districts of Chaiburi and Phayakhan; however, the water level in Prangmoo sub-district has begun to subside.

Meanwhile in Songkla, the water level in Klong-hoy-kong( คลองหอยโข่ง )District has receded but several other areas remained inundated.


-- NNT 2014-12-16

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Philippines charge US Marine with murder

MANILA - Philippine prosecutors have filed murder charges against a US Marine accused of killing a Filipino transgender woman, in a case that has fanned anti-American sentiment.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784456-philippines-charge-us-marine-with-murder/

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PM chairs NCPO, cabinet meeting, expected to discuss government performance, strict security during New Year celebration, stock market, rubber price /MCOT

Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,441.35, falls 37.14 points /MCOT

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Home Ministry to study proposal to build border wall
By Digital Content

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 (Bernama) -- The Home Ministry is studying a proposal by five companies to build a wall along the Malaysian border to curb smuggling activities.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/784458-malaysia-home-ministry-to-study-proposal-to-build-border-wall/