Thailand Live Tuesday 30 Dec 2014

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Rail service to flooded South remains normal, SRT confirms



BANGKOK, 30 December 2014 (NNT) - The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has confirmed that rail service to southern provinces remain normal despite the flooding situation especially in Yala and Pattani.

SRT director of train service Tanongsak Pongprasert said that regular trains, fast trains and express trains are all running normally to the southernmost station in Su-ngai Kolok, Narathiwat Province. However, the SRT is closely monitoring the flooding situation in the region in order to ensure there will be no negative impact on the service.

According to him, train passengers rose 25-30% over the weekend and are expected to rise higher during the next two days.

-- NNT 2014-12-30

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Thai authorities to keep close watch on Ebola, bird flu next year
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, Dec 30 -- Thais are advised to be cautious about Ebola, bird flu, influenza and hemorrhagic fever in 2015.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787893-thai-authorities-to-keep-close-watch-on-ebola-bird-flu-next-year/

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Thai stock index opens on Tuesday at 1,497.47, falls 0.75 points. /MCOT

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Bang Chak to peg fuel prices during the holiday period

BANGKOK, 30 December 2014 (NNT) - Bangchak will not raise gas prices as part of its attempt to make commuters happier during the New Year celebrations.

Mr Wichien Ussanachote, CEO of Bangchak Petroleum says Bangchak has also increased all of its fuel stockpiles to cater to the rising demand during the holiday period.

The gas company will not only peg its fuel prices but will also decrease them if the value of crude oil declines.

Gasohol 95 is currently sold at 30 baht per liter, Gasohol 91 at 28.28 baht, Gasohol E20 at 26.68 baht, Gasohol E85 at 22.48 baht and Diesel at 26.89 baht per liter.

Coffee shops and convenience stores at more than 300 Bangchak’s chain gas stations nationwide will extend their opening hours to 06.00 hrs. – 20.00 hrs.


-- NNT 2014-12-30

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Kiwi caught with drugs in Phuket also wanted back home
The Phuket News


Madgwick/Taylor after his arrest in Phuket.

HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND: The New Zealander caught in Phuket on meth and cocaine possession charges on Christmas Eve is also wanted in his home country on credit card fraud charges, the New Zealand Herald reports.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787897-kiwi-caught-with-drugs-in-phuket-also-wanted-back-home/

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Farang protests against 'Thai girls trying to be farang' at Central Ladprao
By Prae Sakaowan

BANGKOK: -- In a move to express his disapproval of Thai women who “follow farang fashion”, an unidentified foreign man shared his opinion by standing in front of a shopping mall yesterday with a sign suggesting how embarrassing Thai women have become.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787899-farang-protests-against-thai-girls-trying-to-be-farang-at-central-ladprao/

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Australian Government Cracks Down on Bizarre Requests from Travellers
Hua Hin Today


Australian Government Cracks Down on Bizarre Requests from Travellers

BANGKOK: -- Consular officials in Bangkok are used to helping Australians in compromising situations, but even they were shocked when a man asked taxpayers to foot the bill for a prostitute. The request is just one example of bizarre requests the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are cracking down on.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787902-australian-government-cracks-down-on-bizarre-requests-from-travellers/

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Prayut sings with children before chairing Cabinet meeting

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha joined 25 school children to sing the "Tomorrow" song before he chaired the last weekly Cabinet meeting of the Year 2014.

The song was written to have children sing to warn adults that the adults used to teach the young ones to love one another. Prayut later told the children that he and the military leaders seized power for their own future.

"We have done this for your future," Prayut told the children.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Prayut-sings-with-children-before-chairing-Cabinet-30250966.html


-- The Nation 2014-12-30

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USS Fort Worth arrives in Singapore, to support US rebalance to Asia-Pacific



SINGAPORE: -- After a brief stop in Jakarta, the USS Fort Worth, a combat ship of the United States Navy, arrived in Singapore on Monday morning, to begin about 15 months of operations in the Asia-Pacific, according to The Straits Times.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787905-uss-fort-worth-arrives-in-singapore-to-support-us-rebalance-to-asia-pacific/

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75 spots around Bangkok designated for Countdown activities

BANGKOK: -- A total of 75 spots have been designated for organizing festive and praying countdown for the New Year Day.

The spots include Wat Benjamabophit, the RCA nightspot, Wat Sroythong, the Temple of the Dawn, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Wat Pho. Central World is expected to be the biggest countdown venue with some 80,000 revelers expected to turn up.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/75-spots-around-Bangkok-designated-for-Countdown-a-30250967.html


-- The Nation 2014-12-30

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UPDATE:

Indonesia widens search for missing AirAsia Flight QZ501



JAKARTA: -- The search for AirAsia flight QZ501 missing off Indonesia with 162 people on board was expanded on Monday, but one top official warned it was likely at the bottom of the sea, The Jakarta Globe reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787866-multinational-hunt-for-missing-airasia-plane/#entry8870745

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2 gunmen open fire on Los Angeles police car
TAMI ABDOLLAH, Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two men opened fire on a police car patrolling a tough part of Los Angeles, but the two officers inside were not injured and one was able to shoot back, authorities said Monday. One of the suspects was later arrested and the other is on the loose.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787912-2-gunmen-open-fire-on-los-angeles-police-car/

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UPDATE:

Tour bus crash in Phuket injures 10 Russian tourists

PHUKET: -- A tour bus carrying about 40 Russian tourists crashed in the Kamala area, near the Thavorn beach village on the way to Patong beach, injuring at least 10, four seriously.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787882-tour-bus-crashes-in-phuket-10-hurt/#entry8870837

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New Russian military doctrine says NATO top threat
VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia identified NATO as the nation's No. 1 military threat and raised the possibility of a broader use of precision conventional weapons to deter foreign aggression under a new military doctrine signed by President Vladimir Putin on Friday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787920-new-russian-military-doctrine-says-nato-top-threat/

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NACC to ask Finance Ministry to file damage suit against Yingluck and Boonsong



BANGKOK: -- The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) will officially ask the Finance Ministry to file damage suit to demand compensation for the enormous loss of 600 billion baht in the rice-pledging scheme from Ms Yingluck Shinawatra and her relevant cabinet ministers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787942-nacc-to-ask-finance-ministry-to-file-damage-suit-against-yingluck-and-boonsong/

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Update on Phuket tour bus crash

PHUKET: -- At least 19 Russian tourists were injured as a tourist bus flipped over onto its roof in a crash on the hilly coast road between Kamala and Patong beaches on Tuesday morning.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787882-tour-bus-crashes-in-phuket-10-hurt/#entry8870916

[Lite Beer]

Alert issued after likely HIV porn set infection

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California public health officials issued an alert Monday after finding "very strong evidence" that an adult film actor became infected with HIV as a result of unprotected sex on an out-of-state film shoot.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787949-alert-issued-after-likely-hiv-porn-set-infection/

[Lite Beer]

SET down 3.97 to 1,494.25 at midday /Bangkok Post

[Lite Beer]

Items resembling emergency slide, plane door, other objects are spotted during aerial search for missing AirAsia plane. /MCOT

[Lite Beer]

New Year exodus begins in Thailand
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, Dec 30 -- Vacationers are leaving Bangkok in considerable numbers, by air, trains and buses, for their New Year celebrations.

There has been no report of stranded passengers, a problem which sometimes occurred in the past.

Don Mueang Airport was packed with passengers this morning but the authorities managed the traffic well.

Roads to the Bangkok airport were not congested because most travelers arrived at its passenger terminals by public transport.

Suvarnabhumi Airport director Prapon Pattamakitsakul said more staff, including translators and bomb detection experts were deployed there around the clock, from Dec 25 through Jan 5, to handle more travelers.

During the period, he expected the number of passengers through Suvarnabhumi Airport to rise from 147,000 to 150,000 and the number of flights from 840 to 903 per day.

At Don Mueang Airport, the number of passengers should increase from 75,600 to 79,300 and that of flights from 572 to 580 per day during the same period.

The Hualamphong railway terminus was not congested this morning because many travelers had already departed there late last week.

The terminus is expected to serve 120,000 train passengers today, compared with the normal traffic of 80,000-90,000 a day.

The State Railway of Thailand has deployed more trains and carriages to serve the growing traffic especially on northern and northeastern routes.

Meanwhile, the state-operated Transport Company is running more passenger buses at Bangkok's Mo Chit 2 Terminal to serve all travelers heading for their home provinces. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-12-30

[Lite Beer]

RT @W7VOA: Close up screen grab of object in Java Sea. #QZ8501 http://twitter.com/W7VOA/status/549805952795295745/photo/1

[Lite Beer]

RT @W7VOA: Another shot from Kompas TV. #QZ8501 http://twitter.com/W7VOA/status/549806984787021824/photo/1

[Lite Beer]

Debris spotted off Indonesia coast, possible link to AirAsia
Associated Press

SURABAYA, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesia National Search and Rescue spokesman says several pieces of debris have been spotted floating in the sea off Borneo island, possibly linked to the missing AirAsia jetliner.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787961-debris-spotted-off-indonesia-coast-possible-link-to-airasia/

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UPDATE:

BREAKING: Tour bus crashes in Phuket, 29 hurt

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787882-tour-bus-crashes-in-phuket-10-hurt/#entry8871314

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'New Year Celebration' Bullet Nearly Hit Two-Year-Old Girl

By Khaosod English


Nanthawan Yotsunthorn pointed to where the bullet struck the roof of her house, 29 December 2014

ANG THONG - A two-year-old child and her mother were almost injured by a stray bullet that police believe was fired in celebration of the New Year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787969-new-year-celebration-bullet-nearly-hit-two-year-old-thai-girl/

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Court hands down death sentence for two men convicted of murdering Ekkayuth



BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court today sentenced two convicts to death after find them guilty of killing Ekkayuth Anchanbutr in June last year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787970-thai-court-hands-down-death-sentence-for-two-men-convicted-of-murdering-ekkayuth/

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Chinese passenger helps sick Thai air steward on flight to Bangkok
By Coconuts Bangkok


Photo: CCTV News

BANGKOK: -- After the infamous noodle attack on an AirAsia flight tarnished the image of Chinese travelers, one Chinese passenger has finally stepped up and restored a bit of China’s reputation over Christmas.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787972-chinese-passenger-helps-sick-thai-air-steward-on-flight-to-bangkok/

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UPDATE:

Body Spotted Near AirAsia Rescue Zone: Local Media Citing Pilots
A possible body floating in the search zone of the AirAsia jet that disappeared off the radar screens has been spotted by an Indonesian Air Force pilot.

BALI, December 30 (Sputnik) – An Indonesian Air Force pilot reported Tuesday he has spotted a possible body floating in the search zone of the AirAsia flight QZ8501 that disappeared off the radar screens over the Java Sea.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787961-debris-spotted-off-indonesia-coast-possible-link-to-airasia/#entry8871472

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UPDATE:

Debris is 'from AirAsia plane': Indonesian civil aviation chief

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787961-debris-spotted-off-indonesia-coast-possible-link-to-airasia/#entry8871512

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Microsoft to ditch Internet Explorer

Lots of people still use Microsoft’s Internet explorer, but if ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley is correct, the Redmond based company is already hard at work on a new lightweight browser named “Spartan” which will debut with Windows 10.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/microsoft-ditch-internet-explorer/