Thailand Live Sunday 4 Jan 2014

[Lite Beer]

Thai tourist dies falling from cliff in Bhutan

A 54-year-old Thai female tourist has died after falling off a cliff in Bhutan, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....liff-in-bhutan/

[Lite Beer]

Impeachment process will delay reform, NLA chief warns
The Sunday Nation

Pornpetch

BANGKOK: -- The impeachment process against three big political figures of the previous government, including former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, may affect national reform work, National Legislative Assembly (NLA) president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai admitted yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788929-impeachment-process-will-delay-reform-nla-chief-warns/

[Lite Beer]

UPDATE:

FLIGHT QZ8501 CRASH
Probe into AirAsia schedules

Jakarta January 4

Indonesia says it 'flew beyond terms' of permit; licence may be at risk, official says; big parts of jet found on sea floor

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788896-airasia-flight-qz8501-was-not-cleared-to-fly-route-says-indonesia/page-2#entry8890193

[Lite Beer]

Thai-Cambodian ties 'warming'
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Prayut govt keen to do a deal on oil-rich disputed zone in the gulf, source says

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788931-thai-cambodian-ties-warming/

[Lite Beer]

Police to enforce ban on releasing lanterns
The Sunday Nation

Pieces of the paper lantern that got stuck in a plane engine

BANGKOK: -- Police will strictly enforce the ban against releasing flying paper lanterns before 9pm following an incident on the New Year's Day that resulted in the cancellation of a flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788932-police-to-enforce-ban-on-releasing-lanterns/

[Lite Beer]

Highways congested as travellers head back to Bangkok
Wattana Khamchu,
Seksanti Kalayanawisut
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Highways have been congested as many thousands of people continue to travel back to Bangkok after the long holiday break.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788933-highways-congested-as-travellers-head-back-to-bangkok/

[Lite Beer]

Third suspected death caused by cold weather
The Sunday Nation

KHORAT: -- A 42-year-old man was found dead - possibly from the cold weather - in front of his home in Nakhon Ratchasima's Muang district yesterday morning.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788934-third-suspected-death-caused-by-cold-weather/

[Lite Beer]

Former top investigator may surrender, police say
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- A suspect accused of demanding and receiving bribes from an alleged Indian operator of an international online football betting network may surrender to police tomorrow.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788935-former-top-investigator-may-surrender-police-say/

[Lite Beer]

UPDATE:

Body of Thai woman who fell in Bhutan found
The Sunday Nation

BHUTAN: -- The body of a Thai tourist who fell down a cliff in Bhutan has been found, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788898-thai-tourist-dies-falling-from-cliff-in-bhutan/#entry8890241

[Lite Beer]

We need venues where people can speak: Ekachai
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Three things are needed to achieve national reconciliation - the prevention of more conflict, the opening up of public venues where all people can speak, and if people affected by political conflicts are able to get redress, National Reform Council (NRC) member retired General Ekachai Srivilas has said.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788938-we-need-venues-where-people-can-speak-ekachai/

[Lite Beer]

EDITORIAL
National morals council is a bad idea
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The proposal to set up a body to assess the ethics of public figures is not worthy of serious consideration

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788939-national-morals-council-is-a-bad-idea/

[Lite Beer]

PWA provides special services in Jan

BANGKOK, 3 January 2015 (NNT) – The Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) is now providing special services as a New Year's gift for the people during January 2015.

According to the PWA Governor Ratana Kitchawan, the PWA is now working to provide a wider coverage of tap water services in order to reduce inequality and increase the access to clean water, which is considered a basic infrastructure.

She said that the PWA will be providing tap water installation service, allowing payment in instalments for up to 12 months in each service area of 234 PWA offices nationwide. Interested persons can request for the service from today to 31 January 2015.

All PWA offices are now opening to complaints on tap water services from today to 31 January 2015. The PWA Governor said the offices will provide on-site staffs to cheek and fix the problem at the customer’s home, while giving suggestions for the internal waterworks and the sanitary as well.

The PWA will inform the public on the details of this service through the local media. For more information, please call the 1662 PWA Call Center.

-- NNT 2015-01-03

[Lite Beer]

Chiang Mai Zoo welcomes new sun bear cub

CHIANG MAI, 3 January 2015 (NNT) – Visitors at Chiang Mai Zoo can now experience the sight of a newly born sun bear cub, while the zoo is planning to hold the bear cub's naming contest.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788940-chiang-mai-zoo-welcomes-new-sun-bear-cub/

[Lite Beer]

An exhibition of Buddha Hair Relic held at Sanam Luang until Dec 10th

BANGKOK, 3 January 2015 (NNT) – The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration invites Buddhists to worship the Buddha’s Hair Relic enshrined at Sanam Luang, during 3-10 January 2015 for good luck in the new year.

Deputy Governor of Bangkok Jumpol Sumpaopol said that the Buddha Hair Relic is normally enshrined in Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda in Yangoon, Myanmar. However, due to the generosity of the Buddhist council of Myanmar, the sacred relics are lent to Thai Buddhists under the cooperation of Thailand’s Artists Council for the Promotion of Buddhism and several state-and private-owned Buddhist organizations.

The sacred Hair Relic was delivered to the ceremonial site at Sanam Luang in a special procession starting from Wat Thep Nari in Bangphlat District. The relic was handed over to the chairman of the ceremony by the head of the Artists Council for the Promotion of Buddhism and the Library and Information Technology Office of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University.

The seven-day exhibition aims not only to allow the public to worship the sacred relic but also as merit making contributed to Their Majesties the King and the Queen, all other members of the Royal Family.

In the exhibition, visitors can also take part in religious chanting of prayers, listen to Buddhist sermons, take part in Dhamma talks, and other related activities.

-- NNT 2015-01-03

[Lite Beer]

Obama looks past Republicans in promoting his 2015 agenda
JOSH LEDERMAN, Associated Press
NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — President Barack Obama plans new steps to help middle-income Americans, part of a 2015 agenda he hopes can build on the postelection momentum from high-profile moves on immigration and Cuba.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788941-obama-looks-past-republicans-in-promoting-his-2015-agenda/

[Lite Beer]

Israel withholds Palestinian tax revenues after ICC move
IAN DEITCH, Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel halted transfers of the tax revenue it collects on behalf of the Palestinians in retaliation for their move to join the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Israeli media reported Saturday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788942-israel-withholds-palestinian-tax-revenues-after-icc-move/

[Lite Beer]

Edward Brooke, 1st black elected US senator, dies
SYLVIA WINGFIELD, Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Edward W. Brooke, a liberal Republican who became the first black in U.S. history to win popular election to the Senate, died Saturday. He was 95.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788943-edward-brooke-1st-black-elected-us-senator-dies/

[Lite Beer]

Ebola-infected UK nurse in critical condition

LONDON (AP) — The hospital treating a British nurse who contracted the Ebola virus in West Africa says her condition has deteriorated to critical.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788944-ebola-infected-uk-nurse-in-critical-condition/

[Lite Beer]

Extremists kidnap 40 males in northern Nigeria
HARUNA UMAR, Associated Press

BAUCHI, Nigeria (AP) — Boko Haram extremists have kidnapped about 40 boys and young men and killed scores of soldiers in a bold attack on a multinational military base in northeast Nigeria, according to fleeing residents and an intelligence officer.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788945-extremists-kidnap-40-males-in-northern-nigeria/

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Best Android apps: 127 must have apps on Google Play

Looking for the best Android apps? You're in luck. Google has just released a list of 127 best Android apps on Google Play.

Check them out here: http://tech.thaivisa.com/best-android-apps-google-lists-127-must-apps-google-play/

[Lite Beer]

Huckabee leaving Fox News show ahead of decision
By DOUGLASS K. DANIEL

WASHINGTON (AP) — TV host and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee says he is leaving his Fox News talk show as he considers whether to seek the Republican nomination for president, a decision he expects to reach in the spring.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788953-huckabee-leaving-fox-news-show-ahead-of-decision/

[Lite Beer]

RT @191Thailand: RT @TravelMush: Evacuated from @HiltonBKK due to fire emergency http://twitter.com/TravelMush/status/551540166024638466/photo/1 #Bangkok #Thailand

[Lite Beer]

RT @W7VOA: At least 37 aircraft and 67 ships from various countries, including US, Russia & ROK, now involved in #QZ08501 search.

[Lite Beer]

About 80 per cent of community leaders believe in Prayut's hard working

BANGKOK: -- A recent opinion survey by the Thai Researchers in Community Happiness Association found that 80.1 per cent of leaders of 624 communities nationwide believe that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has been trying very hard to tackle the national problems.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788971-about-80-per-cent-of-community-leaders-believe-in-prayuts-hard-working/

[Lite Beer]

Security beefed up in Narathiwat on 11th anniversary of Army camp robbery incident

Troops, police and Interior Ministry officials stepped up security in the southern border province of Narathiwat Sunday, which is the 11th anniversary of the raid and robbery of the Prince Narathiwat Army camp.

On January 4 11 years ago, insurgents raided the camp and fled with 413 guns. The incident became the start of the resurgence of insurgency in the deep South.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Security-beefed-up-in-Narathiwat-on-11th-anniversa-30251148.html

-- The Nation 2015-01-04

[Lite Beer]

New Year accident death toll rises to 260 after five days

BANGKOK: -- A total of 2,446 road accidents have occurred during the first five days of the seven accident-monitoring days for New Year holidays, killing 260 people and injuring 2,542 others, the Road Safety Center announced Sunday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/788997-new-year-accident-death-toll-rises-to-260-after-five-days/

[Lite Beer]

Transport company ready to provide more buses to take holidaymakers home

BANGKOK, 4 January 2015 (NNT) - The Transport Co., Ltd. is ready to increase its services for the passengers who are traveling back to Bangkok after the New Year holiday. The company vows there will be no stranded passengers.

President of the Transport Co., Ltd. Wutthichart Kanlayanamitr said the company had informed each province of outbound travel statistics so that they would be able to provide sufficient transportation for holidaymakers. If there were too many passengers, the company’s provincial offices would increase buses in order to send everyone home, said the president.

However, Mr Wutthichart said the company’s services might be affected by heavy traffic this weekend. He also stressed that the company had launched strict measures including alcohol and drug checks for maximum safety of passengers.

-- NNT 2015-01-04

[Lite Beer]

Soil truck flips, spills load over busy Phuket road
Eakkapop Thongtub

The truck and its load lie across the road.

PHUKET: Traffic was badly jammed on Srisoonthorn Rd yesterday (January 3) when a six-wheel truck full of soil flipped after a rear tyre blew out.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/789000-soil-truck-flips-spills-load-over-busy-phuket-road/

[Lite Beer]

RT @RichardBarrow: Artist impression of the buildings going up on Sukhumwit Road next to BTS Ploenchit #Bangkok http://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/551602181455880192/photo/1

[Lite Beer]

2014 unemployment rate higher than previous year

BANGKOK, 4 January 2015 (NNT) - The Department of Employment has reported that Thailand’s joblessness rate last year was higher than 2013 and more than 530,000 people registered for unemployment benefits.

Director-General of the Department of Employment Sumet Mahosot said from January to November 2014 there were more than 419,000 job vacancies, most of them were packaging operatives, followed by sales representatives, assembly workers and office clerks. 464,500 job seekers—most of them women—applied for the jobs through the department and 367,200 of them were hired, said the director-general.

Thailand’s unemployment rate in 2014 was 0.9% or around 300,000 people, increasing from 0.7% or around 280,000 people in 2013. Most of the unemployed who registered for unemployment benefits resigned from their jobs and the rest were made redundant.

The department projected that more than 316,000 bachelor degree holders would enter the job market in 2015, followed by high vocational certificate graduates and junior high school graduates.

-- NNT 2015-01-04