Thais break 12-year drought to win Asean title again after thriller in KL
Kitinan Sanguansak
THE SUNDAY NATION

THAILAND'S 12-year wait for major international silverware came to the end in dramatic fashion yesterday when they were crowned the Asean Championship winners after a nerve-jangling 4-3 aggregate win.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/783137-aff-suzuki-cup-2014/#entry8830569

Other countries welcome to invest in three other rail routes: Prajin
Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Sunday Nation

Prajin

BANGKOK: -- Japan, South Korea and European countries still have an opportunity to invest in Thailand's railway systems - despite the pending 867-kilometre double-track project being allocated to China, Transport Minister Prajin Juntong said yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785728-other-countries-welcome-to-invest-in-three-other-rail-routes-prajin/

China offers huge sums
Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Sunday Nation

The leaders attending the 5th Greater Mekong Sub-region Summit in Bangkok link their hands during the opening ceremony yesterday.

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Li offers billions in loans and technical support for regional infrastructure

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785729-china-offers-huge-sums/

Army to review troops' role in dispute
Salinee Prap,
Panya Thiosangwan
The Sunday Nation

PHUKET: -- Commander in Phuket says soldiers were called in to help 'mediate' a financial argument between two Ukrainian men

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785730-army-to-review-troops-role-in-dispute/

Students urged to contribute to charter
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Despite calm after the military coup, political division persists and the next charter will have to try to address the issue, Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) chairman Borwornsak Uwanno said yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785731-students-urged-to-contribute-to-charter/

More rain forecast for flood-weary Southerners
The Sunday Nation


Residents of flood-hit areas in Narathiwat province hold bags containing relief goods and food provided by His Majesty the King and given to them by the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation yesterday. The South has been suffering from severe flooding following days of rain

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785732-more-rain-forecast-for-flood-weary-southerners/

Agency turns to YouTube to promote helmets
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation has joined forces with Save the Children Fund to launch a minute-long clip on YouTube, campaigning for children to wear a helmet while on motorbikes.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785733-agency-turns-to-youtube-to-promote-helmets/

Multi-country tourist visas stalled over security worries
Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- The idea of tourists getting one visa for six destinations in the Mekong region is tough to achieve because nations are concerned about security, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785735-multi-country-tourist-visas-stalled-over-security-worries/

UPDATE:

Swedish tourist 'jumps' to his death in Bangkok
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- A Swedish man fell from a Bangkok condominium's 13th-floor balcony to his death yesterday morning, police said.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785560-swedish-youth-jumps-to-death/page-4?p=8830631#entry8830631

Panadda accused of hidden political agenda
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- A lawyer for former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and a politician from her Pheu Thai Party yesterday accused PM's Office Minister Panadda Diskul of having a hidden political agenda when he said just 12.2 per cent of rice stored in government warehouses under the rice-pledging scheme was up to standard.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785738-panadda-accused-of-hidden-political-agenda/

TripAdvisor sees Thailand reviews soar by triple digits
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

Jean Ow-Yeong, head of media relations for Asia-Pacific at TripAdvisor

BANGKOK: -- The number of Asia-Pacific destination reviews on TripAdvisor increased by 74 per cent in the past year, with triple-digit growth in some markets, including Thailand.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785739-tripadvisor-sees-thailand-reviews-soar-by-triple-digits/

EDITORIAL
US rapprochement with Cuba is long overdue
The Nation

Two presidents and their countrymen and women will all gain from the move to normalise relations

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785742-us-rapprochement-with-cuba-is-long-overdue/

TREA optimistic on whole-stock rice auction plan

BANGKOK, 20 December 2014 (NNT) – The Thai Rice Exporters Association (TREA)’s President is positive on the new rice auction scheme, claiming it will effectively help releasing the in-stock rice while lessening the government’s burden.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785745-trea-optimistic-on-whole-stock-rice-auction-plan/

Chaophraya boat operator to lower fare

BANGKOK, 20 Dec 2014 (NNT) – The Operator of Chaophraya River Express Boats has agreed to reduce fares in light of the diesel price drop.

Starting December 22, fares of normal passenger boats operating on the Nonthaburi-Wat Ratchasingkorn route will be lowered by one baht per trip. However, fares of express boats carrying orange, green and yellow flags will remain unchanged pending the cost evaluation. Fares of ferry boats operating at Phra Samut Chedi pier and Sathorn pier may also be lowered by 50 satang.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport and trans-provincial bus operators will convene a meeting tomorrow to discuss a new fare rate following the fall in petrol prices, as well as plans to save private bus operators from the low-cost airline expansion and the growing inter-provincial van business.

The Transport Company earlier proposed that fares of inter-provincial buses be lowered by two satang per kilometer. However, private operators disagreed with the idea, citing the financial difficulty resulting from the emergence of budget airlines and inter-provincial van services.

-- NNT 2014-12-20

Christmas tech gifts for your Thai girlfriend

For any of our readers who might have a Thai girlfriend, wife or love interest, there’s always the difficult question of what to buy them at Christmas (or whether to buy anything at all!). Aside from an envelope stuffed full of cash, what’s the best present to buy?

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/christmas-tech-gifts-thai-girlfriend/

RT @ChadapornLin: Silom walking street from noon-midnight; cars barred from Saladaeng to Naralom junctions

RT @RichardBarrow: Last chance today to buy products made by inmates. The yard sale is in front of Khlong Prem Prison from 9am-9pm #Bangkok

RT @RichardBarrow: The Great Outdoor Market presents the “Bangkok Docklands” fair with food & music from 4pm. Near BTS Saphan Taksin http://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/546500449981853696/photo/1

RT @AP: BREAKING: Spokesman: Muhammad Ali in hospital with 'mild' pneumonia; prognosis good, short stay expected.

RT @RichardBarrow: Siam Street Fest at Siam Square 12pm-10pm, Bangkok Jazz Night by the River at Santichaiprakan Park 5pm-9pm & Silom Walking Street 3pm-10pm

Government says 16.7 million tons of pledged rice can be sold

BANGKOK, 20 December 2014 (NNT) – Government warehouses are holding 17.89 million tons of pledged rice, of which 16.7 million tons can be sold, according to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785769-government-says-167-million-tons-of-pledged-rice-can-be-sold/

NRC President suggests establishment of national virtue assembly

BANGKOK, 21 December 2014 (NNT) - The President of the National Legislative Assembly has suggested that Thailand should have a new national assembly to promote virtues.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785773-nrc-president-suggests-establishment-of-national-virtue-assembly/

RT @RichardBarrow: Parade for football heroes from 3pm-5pm going from Don Mueang to National Stadium via Lad Prao, Victory Monument, Phaya Thai & Phathumwan.

Public Health Ministry to seek budget for patients in remote areas

BANGKOK, 21 Dec 2014 (NNT) – The Ministry of Public Health is preparing to seek a budget for the care of residents in remote areas.

According to Deputy Minister of Public Health Minister, Dr. Somsak Chunharas, the budget will be used for the expansion of health services to people in distant areas, particularly highland residents, most of whom are found to have different illnesses from those living on flat land. The service improvement will include the purchase of medical kits, vehicles, and remuneration for doctors and health officials offering on-site assistance.

The Public Health Ministry also has a plan to train local people as public health staff to work at community health service centers. Part of the budget will be set aside for their employment. The Ministry will soon submit its request to the Budget Bureau.

-- NNT 2014-12-21

3.1-magnitude quake hit Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI: -- A 3.1-magnitude earthquake happened in Chiang Rai's Mae Suay district at 10:09 am Sunday, the Seismological Bureau of the Meteorological Department reported.

Its epicenter was about two kilometers deep, the bureau said. No damage was reported.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/3-1-magnitude-quake-hit-Chiang-Rai-30250336.html

-- The Nation 2014-12-21

Mother charged with murder of eight children in Australia

CAIRNS, Australia (AFP) - The mother of seven of eight children killed in Australia was charged with their murder Sunday, police said, describing it as the most tragic episode in their career as a makeshift memorial saw an outpouring of grief.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785802-mother-charged-with-murder-of-eight-children-in-australia/

Myanmar migrants haunted by memory of tsunami missing in Thailand
Preeti JHA
Agence France-Presse
BAN NAM KHEM

In this picture taken on December 3, 2014, Myanmar national and migrant worker Ma Mee Htay sits on a beach near her house in Ban Nam Khaem village. AFP PHOTO / Nicolas ASFOURI

BANGKOK: -- A decade after towering waves wrenched her newborn baby from her arms, Mi Htay remains haunted by memories of the children she lost in the tsunami whose bodies, like hundreds of other Myanmar migrants in Thailand, were never identified.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785806-myanmar-migrants-haunted-by-memory-of-tsunami-missing-in-thailand/

Coldest temperature recorded on Doi Inthanon

BANGKOK, 21 December 2014 (NNT1) - The Doi Inthanon mountain feels the coldest temperature of the year at -1C. As many as 5,000 people went up there on Saturday to enjoy the chilly weather.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785807-coldest-temperature-recorded-on-doi-inthanon/

'Irresponsible' non-Opec output behind oil price plunge: UAE

ABU DHABI (AFP) - "Irresponsible" levels of output by producers from outside the Opec oil cartel is among the main causes of the slump in prices, the United Arab Emirates energy minister charged Sunday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785809-irresponsible-non-opec-output-behind-oil-price-plunge-uae/

First trial of medicinal marijuana launched in Australia

Sydney - Patients including children with severe epilepsy will be given marijuana as part of the first clinical trial of the drug in Australia, the state government of New South Wales announced Sunday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785812-first-trial-of-medicinal-marijuana-launched-in-australia/