Thailand Live Wednesday 14 Jan 2015

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Enjoying fresh air
Courtesy of Royal Household Bureau



BANGKOK: -- His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej admires the view at a public park next to Siriraj Hospital, where he has been receiving treatment, after placing a garland in front of the King Rama V statue yesterday.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Enjoying-fresh-air-30251872.html


-- The Nation 2015-01-14

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King visits park and the Chao Phraya

BANGKOK, 14 January 2015 (NNT) - His Majesty the King on Tuesday (Jan 13) left Siriraj Hospital on a private visit to a nearby park and to observe the Chao Phraya River.

His Majesty the King left Chalerm Prakiat Building, Siriraj Hospital, at 5.29 p.m. to visit a little park built in his honor on his 72nd birthday anniversary. The park is located next to Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital by the Chao Phraya River.

His Majesty paid homage to the statue of King Rama V and his 18-month-old son, Prince Siriraj Kakuttapan, located in the park. The hospital built the statue in 2011in honor of King Rama V who founded the hospital in 1888 and named it after the little prince who died at a very young age.

The park was developed from a 12 rai piece of land owned by the State Railway of Thailand. It is covered with a wide variety of herbal plants and is intended to be a learning center for interested people. His Majesty the King later stopped by the Chao Phraya to take a look at the scenery of the river as well as the life of people on both of its banks and the traffic on Phra Pin Klao Bridge.

He returned to Siriraj Hospital at about 6 p.m. His appearance brought jubilation to many people who visited the hospital on the day as their king appeared in good health.


-- NNT 2015-01-14

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CONSTITUTION WATCH
Parties to escape dissolution for 'overthrow of democracy'
NITIPOL KIRAVANICH
THE NATION



BUT INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE PUNISHED FOR ANY UNDEMOCRATIC POWER GRAB: CDC

BANGKOK: -- INDIVIDUALS - not their political parties or organisation - who plot to overthrow a democratic regime or seek power through undemocratic means would be punished by the new constitution, drafters proposed yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791699-parties-to-escape-dissolution-for-overthrow-of-democracy/

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New round of fuel concession bids should go ahead: NRC panel
Prapasri Osathanon
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The National Reform Council's committee on energy reform agreed yesterday that the Ministry of Energy should go ahead with its 21st round of bids for fuel concessions with the "Thailand 3 plus" system.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791700-new-round-of-fuel-concession-bids-should-go-ahead-nrc-panel/

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New task force set up to help NCPO
The Nation

PRAYUT EXPLAINS THE PRAWIT-LED TEAM WILL MONITOR GOVT'S STRATEGIC FUNCTIONS

THE National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has set up a strategic task force led by Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan to help drive the junta's work, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791701-new-task-force-set-up-to-help-ncpo/

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PM urged to drop tobacco control bill
The Nation



Despite farmers' protest, health minister says it will stop many youths smoking

BANGKOK: -- TOBACCO FARMER associations urged Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday to put a brake on the tobacco control bill, which is now on its way to a Cabinet meeting.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791702-pm-prayut-urged-to-drop-tobacco-control-bill/

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CONSTITUTION WATCH
'Third gender' will be acknowledged in the new constitution
NITIPOL KIRAVANICH
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE CONSTITUTION Drafting Committee (CDC) agreed yesterday to note the "third gender" or people of different sexuality in the new Constitution, a move likely to empower transgender people so they have rights equal to others in society under the law.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791704-third-gender-will-be-acknowledged-in-the-new-thai-constitution/

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TOURIST
Tourism campaign focuses on provinces
SUCHAT SRITAMA
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- More programmes and activities have been added to the national tourism campaign, "Discover Thainess", to stimulate travel to the provinces.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791705-tourism-campaign-focuses-on-thai-provinces/

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FBA
Commerce minister puts initiative to amend FBA on back burner
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Commerce Minister Chatchai Sarikulya has shelved plans to amend the Foreign Business Act of 1999 until the time is ripe, as Thailand still needs foreign investors to help resuscitate the comatose economy and changing the game rules now could rattle their confidence.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791706-thai-commerce-puts-initiative-to-amend-foreign-business-act-on-back-burner/

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ECONOMY
Limited gain from cheap oil
Achara Deboonme
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Thailand will be among developing economies in the Asia-Pacific that stand to benefit the most from the drop in the price of oil, but the gain could be eliminated if the United States starts to raise interest rates this year, according to a new report.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791707-thai-economy-limited-gain-from-cheap-oil/

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STOPPAGE TIME
How a modern-day impeachment hearing can be done
Tulsathit Taptim

BANGKOK: -- Let's cut to the chase. Since the current Yingluck impeachment proceedings are not helping national reconciliation at all, why not take a chance and be creative? All the (alleged) evidence and counter-argument should be posted on an official website to the very last detail.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791709-thai-opinion-how-a-modern-day-impeachment-hearing-can-be-done/

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Rat Infestation at Pattaya Port



PATTAYA: -- As thousands of tourists walk around the Bali Hai Port at the south end of Pattaya Beach from day-to-day, thousands of rats are joining them.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791710-rat-infestation-at-pattaya-port/

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600,000 Baht Armed Robbery from coach at East Pattaya Car Park



PATTAYA: -- Three men were tied up and left inside a parked coach in East Pattaya late on Monday Night and gold worth an estimated 600,000 Baht was stolen from them, before the two armed robbers fled the scene, in what Police describe as a planned robbery.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791712-600000-baht-armed-robbery-from-coach-at-east-pattaya-car-park/

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Police Tell Busking Farang No More Singing On The Streets
Published by Stickboy BKK



PHUKET: -- The farang who had been photographed busking and begging on the streets of Thailand to raise money for “Rebeka” has been told by Phuket Immigration Police that he has to stop singing for donations as it is illegal and that he should seek assistance from his embassy if he is in financial difficulty.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791714-phuket-police-tell-busking-farang-no-more-singing-on-the-streets/

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Dozens of Phuket police to move in national reshuffle
Nattapat Tuarob


Col Arayapan Pukbuakhao will move to a high-profile post in Bangkok.

PHUKET: -- Eighteen senior police officers in Phuket, including three of the six provincial deputy commanders, are to be moved to posts outside Phuket in the annual reshuffle that follows the moving of very senior officers at the end of September last year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791716-dozens-of-phuket-police-to-move-in-national-reshuffle/

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Commerce plans to sell 17.8 million tonnes of leftover rice in two years



BANGKOK: -- The Ministry of Commerce plans to sell 17.8 million tonnes of leftover rice from the previous government’s rice pledging scheme within two years.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791717-thai-commerce-plans-to-sell-178-million-tonnes-of-leftover-rice-in-two-years/

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Akara gold mining company ordered to suspend operations for 30 days



BANGKOK: -- The Department of Primary Industries and Mines has suspended the operations of a gold mining company in Phichit province for 30 days after it was discovered that over 200 people in the mine’s neighbourhood have above-standard level of heavy metals in their bodies.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791719-pichit-akara-gold-mining-company-ordered-to-suspend-operations-for-30-days/

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Yingluck to face 60 questions
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) will pose 60 questions to former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Friday in her impeachment case related to her government's rice-pledging scheme.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791720-yingluck-to-face-60-questions/

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BURNING ISSUE
Charter drafters seeking to create loopholes for the elite
SUPALAK GANJANAKHUNDEE
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE CONSTITUTION Drafting Committee is about to write an undemocratic charter as it tries to impose "special power" in many places to get its choice of unelected nominees into power.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791721-thai-charter-drafters-seeking-to-create-loopholes-for-the-elite/

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Police to sue gym owner over lewd acts
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- POLICE ARE preparing to take legal action against the owners of a fitness club located in Bangkok's Wang Thonglang district for allegedly allowing several naked women to mingle with and tease men while they were working out.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791722-thai-police-to-sue-gym-owner-over-lewd-acts/

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Chicken blood banned in food
The Nation


File Photo

BANGKOK: -- THE LIVESTOCK Development Department (LDD) has banned the use of chicken blood as an ingredient pending a probe into which food-processing factory is responsible for many cases of Vibrio parahaemolyticus infections.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791723-chicken-blood-banned-in-food/

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Kidnap report questioned
Pantipa Jittrawuttiporn,
Supachai Petchthewee,
Kornkamol Aksorndej
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS showing three South Koreans leaving the Metropolitan Police Division 5 office on their own without anyone accompanying them has cast doubt on a story that they were kidnapped by some officers for ransom.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791724-south-koreans-kidnap-report-questioned/

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Resurgent blaze in Bang Pa-in Estate investigated
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- AUTHORITIES are investigating why a fire flared up again at an electronics factory in Ayutthaya's Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791727-resurgent-blaze-in-ayutthayas-bang-pa-in-estate-investigated/

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Romney sparks new 2016 competition among GOP establishment
By STEVE PEOPLES and THOMAS BEAUMONT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A shake-out among fiery conservatives with White House ambitions was always a sure thing. Now it appears the competition among the more establishment-minded GOP candidates for president will end up just as fierce.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791729-mitt-romney-sparks-new-2016-competition-among-gop-establishment/

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Republicans press attacks on Obama agenda
By ERICA WERNER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defiant congressional Republicans attacked President Barack Obama's agenda from all sides Tuesday, ignoring veto threats and pushing bills to uproot his policies on immigration and Wall Street, force approval of energy pipeline legislation he opposes and make him justify any new federal rules before he makes them.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791730-republicans-press-attacks-on-obama-agenda/

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Ohio man accused of threatening to kill Boehner
By DAVID ESPO

WASHINGTON (AP) — An Ohio bartender with a history of psychiatric illness was indicted last week on a charge of threatening to murder House Speaker John Boehner, according to records made available Tuesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791731-us-ohio-man-accused-of-threatening-to-kill-boehner/

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Germany's leaders urge nation to resist hate, back tolerance
FRANK JORDANS, Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — German political and religious leaders appealed for tolerance Tuesday in the wake of the Paris terror attacks, a message meant to counter both religious extremists and growing anti-Islam protests in Germany.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791733-anti-islam-protests-germanys-leaders-urge-nation-to-resist-hate-back-tolerance/

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North Korea again urges US to suspend military exercises
By EDITH M. LEDERER

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — North Korea said Tuesday that "many things will be possible this year on the Korean peninsula" if the United States agrees to suspend its annual military exercises with South Korea in exchange for Pyongyang's suspension of nuclear tests.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791735-north-korea-again-urges-us-to-suspend-military-exercises/

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Free Windows 7 support ended on Tuesday

Are you still running the long in the tooth Windows 7? Or worse still, Windows XP? If you’re on Windows 7, that means the end of free support on Tuesday, January 13th 2015.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/windows-7-support-ended-tuesday/2663/

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Mitsutoki Shigeta, a Japanese father of at least 9 surrogate babies, has filed a lawsuit against the Social Development Ministry for taking away his children. /Bangkok Post