Thailand Live Thursday 25 Dec 2014

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PM Prayut urges Christian community to help build a strong nation

BANGKOK, 25 December 2014 (NNT) - Leaders of five Christian organizations in Thailand called on Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha at Government House on Wednesday morning to give him moral support on the eve of Christmas Day.

The Christian leaders were led by Archbishop Louis Chamnien Santisakniran of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand (CBCT). They jointly prayed to God to bless the Prime Minister in his tasks, particularly in promoting ethical principles and the 12 national core value.

The group pledged its support to the development of Thai society as Thai Christians have done so for over 400 years of Christianity in Thailand.

The Archbishop said that although Christians are minority population in Thailand, they always realize they are Thais and want to see the country prosperous. They are ready to cooperate with the government to return peace, security and morality to the motherland.

In his reply, PM Prayut thanked the Christian leaders for their blessing and confirmed that the government is set to build a strong and prosperous nation under the philosophy of sufficiency economy.

The Prime Minister urged Christian organizations to help promote unity and equality among Thais regardless of religious differences and take part in the peace-building process in the South by promoting public confidence in the justice system which is an important remedy to the southern violence.


-- NNT 2014-12-25

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Prosecutor: Guns were smuggled aboard US airliners
LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A brazen scheme in which guns — even an AK-47 rifle — were taken onto passenger jets for years in carry-on luggage was described by a Brooklyn prosecutor Tuesday as a terrorism threat that should cause the airline industry to end the practice of letting some workers enter airports without security screening.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786730-prosecutor-guns-were-smuggled-aboard-us-airliners/

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IS shoots down warplane in Syria, captures Jordanian pilot

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — The Islamic State group captured a Jordanian pilot after shooting down his warplane over Syria, Jordan said Wednesday, in the extremists' first successful downing of an aircraft from the international coalition waging an air campaign against the extremists.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786732-is-shoots-down-warplane-in-syria-captures-jordanian-pilot/

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Senior official gets death over activist's murder
Sontanaporn Inchan
Wasu Vipoosanapat
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- THE CHACHOENGSAO provincial court yesterday sentenced a senior Department of Industrial Works (DIW) official to death for murdering Chachoengsao environmental activist Prajob Naowa-opas last year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786749-senior-thai-official-gets-death-over-activists-murder/

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CHARTER WRITING
CDC picks German system
The Nation

Change aims to make every vote count, encourage more independent candidates

BANGKOK: -- The Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) yesterday adopted the German style Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP) electoral system in Thailand to make an election reflect the aspirations of all voters while small parties and independent candidates would have a greater chance in the polls, CDC spokesman General Lertrat Ratanavanich said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786750-thai-charter-writing-cdc-picks-german-system/

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Drastic ideas from reformers on charter
The Nation



Parliament must choose pm, military must be politically neutral, LRCT says

BANGKOK: -- HAVING PARLIAMENT choose the prime minister, limiting martial law to absolute emergencies threatening the Kingdom's survival, prohibiting military courts from trying civilians, and downsizing the police force.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786752-drastic-ideas-from-reformers-on-thai-charter/

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Still no CDC agreement on whether PM should be elected MP
NITIPOL KIRAVANICH
THE NATION

Charter drafters yesterday failed to resolve whether the prime minister should be an elected member of Parliament.

BANGKOK: -- Several Constitution Drafting Committee members discussed the topic and it was expected that the CDC would come up with an answer at today's meeting.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786753-still-no-cdc-agreement-on-whether-thai-pm-should-be-elected-mp/

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Accounts frozen as Bt1.6 bn filched from KMITL sought
Supachai Phetchthewee,
Monthien Inthaket,
Piyanut Tamnukasetchai
The Nation



Numerous agencies, police participate in embezzlement investigation

BANGKOK: -- THE THAI Bankers' Association (TBA) has been asked to freeze four bank accounts belonging to four individuals after police alleged that Bt1.6 billion siphoned off from King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Lat Krabang (KMITL) over the past two years had been transferred to them.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786754-accounts-frozen-as-bt16-bn-filched-from-kmitl-sought/

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Auditor-general to probe Thai TV Pool deal for sticker project
Isra News Agency



BANGKOK: -- THE OFFICE of the Auditor-General is looking into the Bt7.1-million Line sticker project that sought to promote the 12 national core values.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786755-auditor-general-to-probe-thai-tv-pool-deal-for-sticker-project/

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Thai AirAsia to post biggest slump in profit in a decade of operation
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THAI AirAsia this year will record the greatest profit decline in its 10-year history, from Bt1.9 billion in 2013 to just Bt200 million, because of the political crisis.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786756-thai-airasia-to-post-biggest-slump-in-profit-in-a-decade-of-operation/

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AEC expected to be bright spot amid global challenges
KWANCHAI RUNGFAPAISARN
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- BUSINESS leaders expect 2015 to be another challenging year because of the global economic uncertainty, but are quite optimistic about regional prospects under the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786758-aec-expected-to-be-bright-spot-amid-global-challenges/

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EDITORIAL
Find the root causes of 'lone-wolf attacks'
The Nation

In recent weeks armed assailants have wreaked havoc in the US, Canada, France and Australia. We need to know why

BANGKOK: -- The West has seen a slew of random attacks by lone assailants in recent weeks, leaving innocent people as well as authority figures dead or wounded and emotionally scarred. The nightmare of such "lone-wolf attacks" is compounded by the fact that they are almost always impossible to predict and difficult to prevent.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786760-thai-editorial-find-the-root-causes-of-lone-wolf-attacks/

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Mystery surrounds single-vehicle road crash at North Pattaya Dolphin Roundabout



PATTAYA: -- Just after daybreak on Wednesday Police were called to the Dolphin Roundabout in North Pattaya where a pick-up truck had collided with a sign and its driver had fled the scene.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786761-mystery-surrounds-single-vehicle-road-crash-at-north-pattaya-dolphin-roundabout/

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Christmas necklace snatchers caught by Pattaya Police



PATTAYA: -- A pair of suspected street robbers were caught by Pattaya Police on Wednesday afternoon and later claimed that they desperately needed money to celebrate the festive season with their friends and decided committing a crime would raise the necessary funds.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786762-christmas-necklace-snatchers-caught-by-pattaya-police/

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Pattaya celebrates Christmas Eve



PATTAYA: -- Despite the cold temperatures Pattaya is experiencing at the moment, tourists and ex-pats ventured out to entertainment venues around Pattaya to celebrate Christmas Eve on Wednesday Night.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786763-pattaya-celebrates-christmas-eve/

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Nam Tok train crushes Dutch tourist to death in grisly accident

KANCHANABURI: -- A Dutch tourist was killed when he slipped from the stairs of a moving Nam Tok train and fell on the tracks and ground over by its wheels.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786764-train-crushes-dutch-tourist-to-death-in-grisly-accident-in-thailand/

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9 luxury cars seized in raid
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- NINE LUXURY cars worth more than Bt20 million in total were seized from two Bangkok homes in raids led by the Crime Suppression Division on Tuesday, acting CSD chief Pol Maj-General Akkaradet Pimolsri announced yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786765-9-luxury-cars-seized-in-thai-police-raid/

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A female member of Pongpat gang surrenders
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A woman accused of having a hand in the intimidation racket allegedly led by former Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) chief Lt-General Pongpat Chayaphan turned herself in at the Khlong Luang Police Station in Pathum Thani yesterday, a police source said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786767-a-female-member-of-pongpat-gang-surrenders/

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Officer kills armed 18-year-old in suburb near Ferguson
JIM SUHR, Associated Press
JIM SALTER, Associated Press

BERKELEY, Missouri (AP) — The mayor of a St. Louis suburb urged calm Wednesday after a white police officer killed a black 18-year-old who police said pointed a gun at him, reigniting tensions that have lingered since the death of Michael Brown in nearby Ferguson.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786768-officer-kills-armed-18-year-old-in-suburb-near-ferguson/

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Spain: New king says corruption must be eliminated
ALAN CLENDENNING, Associated Press
HAROLD HECKLE, Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — Spain's new King Felipe VI insisted in his first Christmas Eve speech Wednesday that seemingly endless examples of corruption across the country incensing voters must be stamped out.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786769-spain-new-king-says-corruption-must-be-eliminated/

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Sony broadly releases 'The Interview' in reversal of plans
LINDSEY BAHR, AP Film Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Amid a swell of controversy, backlash, confusion and threats, Sony Pictures broadly released "The Interview" online Wednesday — an unprecedented counterstroke against the hackers who spoiled the Christmas opening of the comedy depicting the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786770-sony-broadly-releases-the-interview-in-reversal-of-plans/

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PM Prayut offered a Bt5 mn cash reward for Thai national soccer team which won AFF Suzuki Cup last Sat. /The Nation

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Dow closed overnight at new high, the 6th straight gain after surpassing 18,000 pts for the 1st time a day ago. /The Nation

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5 panels set up to tackle trafficking
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday set up five subcommittees to help fight human trafficking in a bid to improve Thailand's rating from the current Tier 3 in the US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786782-us-tip-report-5-thai-panels-set-up-to-tackle-human-trafficking/

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Dhanin proposes cash giving instead of New Year parties

BANGKOK: -- Dhanin Chearavanont, Chairman and CEO of Charoen Pokphand Group, Wednesday proposed that companies give cash to their workers instead of throwing New Year parties for them.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786783-dhanin-proposes-cash-giving-instead-of-new-year-parties/

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PM to announce the Govt's 3-month achievements today

BANGKOK, 25 Dec 2014 (NNT) - Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said he would announce the Government’s 3-month achievements this morning, saying the administration would next year focus on national stability and prosperity.

At a press conference, General Prayut said he attached much importance to public feedback on the Government’s performance, while stressing that his administration had been working at its best ability in addressing various issues such as security, and economy. The Government has also focused on creating new innovations, the Prime Minister said, adding that the Kingdom’s current economic situation is improving.

He said that the Government would in its 2015 - 2020 development plan lay emphasis on creating national security and economic prosperity on a sustainable basis, increasing investment in neighboring countries, and implementing His Majesty the King’s sufficiency philosophy.

He also ensured that the National Council for Peace and Order, or NCPO, would not be turned into a permanent organization.

The Government’s announcement of its 3-month performances will start at 9AM this morning and should be concluded by 10AM. The National Broadcasting Services of Thailand will broadcast the event live.


-- NNT 2014-12-25

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MFA: PM secures several deals during his visit to China

BANGKOK, 26 Dec 2014 (NNT) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has revealed that Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has secured several deals with China during his official visit to the nation.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786787-mfa-pm-prayut-secures-several-deals-during-his-visit-to-china/

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Thai stock index opens on Thursday at 1,514.42, falls 10.64 points /MCOT

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Roadmap for space tech development
USANEE MONGKOLPORN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE Information and Communications Technology Ministry will draw up a long-term roadmap for space affairs and space technology development, in the ambition that one day the country will have what ICT Minister Pornchai Rujiprapa calls "Thailand's Nasa".

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786801-thai-roadmap-for-space-tech-development/

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Channel to be told to pull ad
WATCHIRANONT THONGTEP
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE BROADCASTING regulator will order MCOT to pull an exaggerated commercial for a food supplement after receiving a notice from the Food and Drug Administration.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/786804-channel-to-be-told-to-pull-miracle-perfect-slim-ad/