Junta may call HRW rep over 'wrong' info
THE SUNDAY NATION

BANGKOK: -- Amendment of Act will not change rule on detention of civilians, NCPO clarifies

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800466-junta-may-call-hrw-rep-over-wrong-info/

MARTIAL LAW
'Democratic culture is being eroded'
PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK
THE SUNDAY NATION

BANGKOK: -- Opponents of martial law say it also hits the economy

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800468-democratic-culture-is-being-eroded/

Defibrillators being placed at key locations
THE SUNDAY NATION

BANGKOK: -- IN A BID to save more lives in emergencies, the National Institute for Emergency Medicine (NIEM) and the Public Health Ministry have joined forces in a campaign to install automated external defibrillators (AED) nationwide.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800469-defibrillators-being-placed-at-key-locations/

Chorus of wedding bells ring in Valentine's Day
THE SUNDAY NATION

BANGKOK: -- LOVE was in the air yesterday with many lovebirds celebrating Valentine's Day by getting married in style - be it on a balloon, on an elephant's back, at a Bangkok event raining prizes, or in an open coffin.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800470-chorus-of-wedding-bells-ring-in-valentines-day/

Civil case on rice scheme unfair: ex-PM's lawyer
THE SUNDAY NATION

BANGKOK: -- FORMER PRIME minister Yingluck Shinawatra's legal team will appeal if the Finance Ministry files a civil case seeking compensation from her for alleged damages resulting from her government's rice-pledging scheme.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800471-civil-case-on-rice-scheme-unfair-ex-pms-lawyer/

Two arrested with Bt18 million worth of pirated goods
THE SUNDAY NATION

BANGKOK: -- POLICE HAVE ARRESTED two men and seized pirated goods worth Bt18 million in Chachoengsao's Sanam Chai Khet district in what is the eastern region's biggest-ever piracy bust, provincial police chief Maj-General Theerapol Jindaluang said at a press conference yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800472-two-arrested-with-bt18-million-worth-of-pirated-goods/

Cooperatives boss linked to big investment in Laos
THE SUNDAY NATION

BANGKOK: -- SEARCHES OF a company as part of investigation into an embezzlement scandal involving Credit Union Cooperatives have discovered documents indicating a massive investment in Laos, a source said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800473-cooperatives-boss-linked-to-big-investment-in-laos/

Chinese NY festivities to mark birthday of princess
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will host the Chinese New Year 2015 celebrations on February 19-20 at China Town's Yaowarat Road.

The event would also mark HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's 60th birthday on April 2.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Amorn Kitchawengkul said the event venue would be decorated with images of goats to mark the Year of the Goat. A 1.6-metre-high three-goat sculpture, weighing three tonnes made from whole white jade stone - a gift to the Thai princess by the Chinese Culture Ministry - would be displayed at the China Town Gate's Thai-Chinese Cultural Circle (Odeon Circle), where the princess would also graciously preside over the opening ceremony on February 19, he added.

As this year also marked the 40th anniversary of Thailand-China diplomatic relations, the Chinese Embassy in Thailand would present at this event special cultural shows by 180 Chinese artists, including Hangzhou acrobat, Traditional Fujian dancing, and Tianjin kung <deleted>.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Chinese-NY-festivities-to-mark-birthday-of-princes-30254108.html

-- The Nation 2015-02-15

Seven Africans arrested for duping Thai women
The Sunday Nation

PATTAYA: -- Seven African men were arrested in Chon Buri province for allegedly duping nearly 100 Thai women of Bt10 million totally in the past five years, Chon Buri police chief Pol Maj-General Nitipong Niamnoi told a press conference yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800474-seven-africans-arrested-for-duping-thai-women/

Insurgents destroy security cameras
The Sunday Nation

SONGKHLA: -- Suspected insurgent sympathisers yesterday morning burned eight security cameras installed in Songkhla's Saba Yoy district.

Police investigations found from the security camera footage at one scene that three black-clad masked suspects on a motorcycle had destroyed the cameras in Tambon Saba Yoy and Khuha at 2am. Police suspect that the culprits wanted to destroy state properties and create chaos in the region as well as possibly plan attacks in the area.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Insurgents-destroy-security-cameras-30254111.html

-- The Nation 2015-02-15

Trang: - A 18-year-old girl whose mother left her shortly after birth got to talk to her for the first time on Valentine’s Day.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800425-girl-talks-to-mother-first-time-after-18-years-apart/

Bangkok:- Public support is growing for a campaign for the National Legislative Assembly to outlaw possession of child pornographic material.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800418-public-support-grow-for-campaign-for-ban-on-possession-of-child-pornography/

Thailand’s increase in government spending is helping to accelerate economic growth in 2015. The country saw poor growth in 2014 amidst political turmoil.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800463-thailands-government-spending-bolsters-economic-growth/

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha presided over the opening of the floating market on Thursday. The market promotes the Thai way of living.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800461-pm-opens-new-floating-market-near-government-house/

Thailand’s Prime Minister urges rail links to popular resorts and tourist destinations from Bangkok and other metropolitan areas.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800460-rail-links-to-resorts-urged-by-thailands-prime-minister/

France announced interest in a potential railway project in Thailand. The country is advised to seek further information when the next government is appointed.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800458-france-interested-in-thailands-railway-projects/

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge now available in Thailand

After spending time with the phone at Thailand Mobile Expo, read our first impressions, find out what we thought of the screen and if it would be enough to pay the hefty sales price for the phone.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/samsung-galaxy-note-edge-now-available-thailand/4701/

Cease-fire period begins in Ukraine
PETER LEONARD, Associated Press

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — The cease-fire period for fighting in Ukraine began one minute after midnight Sunday, but there are no immediate indications of whether either side in the conflict that has killed more than 5,300 people is observing it.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800477-cease-fire-period-begins-in-ukraine/

Gunman kills 1 in attack on free speech event in Denmark
JAN M. OLSEN, Associated Press
KARL RITTER, Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A gunman opened fire Saturday on a Copenhagen cultural center, killing one man in what authorities called a terror attack against a free speech event featuring an artist who had caricatured the Prophet Muhammad.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800451-1-dead-in-shooting-at-copenhagen-free-speech-event/

Republicans say Obama giving immigrants 'amnesty bonuses'
By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of immigrants benefiting from President Barack Obama's executive actions could get a windfall from the IRS, a reversal of fortune after years of paying taxes to help fund government programs they were banned from receiving.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800481-republicans-say-obama-giving-immigrants-amnesty-bonuses/

US brigade of 4,000 soldiers headed to Kuwait

FORT CARSON, Colorado (AP) — More than 4,000 U.S. soldiers based at Fort Carson, Colorado, are heading to Kuwait, where they will take over as one of America's largest ground forces in the region after President Barack Obama asked Congress to authorize military action against Islamic State militants.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800482-us-brigade-of-4000-soldiers-headed-to-kuwait/

Pattaya:–Police have arrested seven scam suspects, comprising six Nigerian men and one Ganaian, following the raid at an apartment building on SoiChalermprakiat 17, Pattaya Third Road, South Pattaya.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800480-online-romance-scam-gang-nabbed-in-pattaya/

Bangkok: - The country’s age group for first sexual experience has dropped from 18-19 to 15-16 years old and the problem of adolescent mothers is on the rise, the Public Health Ministry official said.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800479-thailands-teen-pregnancy-ranks-second-in-asean/

UPDATE:

Denmark on edge as 2nd shooting within hours rocks capital
JAN M. OLSEN, Associated Press
KARL RITTER, Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A gunman opened fire on a Copenhagen cultural center, killing one man and wounding three police officers in what authorities called a terror attack against a free speech event featuring an artist who had caricatured the Prophet Muhammad.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800451-1-dead-in-shooting-at-copenhagen-free-speech-event/?p=9073290#entry9073290

Ms. Big Shot: Human cannonball Gemma Kirby makes flying cool
MARK KENNEDY, AP Drama Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Plenty of performers have had explosive entrances. Some rise like meteors, soaring to new heights. Others find their moment in the spotlight fleeting.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800499-ms-big-shot-human-cannonball-gemma-kirby-makes-flying-cool/

Police curb searches on foreigners in Thai capital

BANGKOK: Police in the Sukhumvit area have been ordered to halt all searches of foreign nationals without due process following concerns of police harassment.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800504-police-curb-searches-on-foreigners-in-thai-capital/

Phuket:- A Japanese tour guide was found drowned holding to a rock two-meter under the sea at the Kalim Beach in Phuket on Valentine’s Day.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800505-japanese-tour-guide-drowns-in-phuket-sea/

Transport Ministry to prepare truck drivers for AEC

BANGKOK, 15 Feb 2015, (NNT) - The Transport Ministry has revealed a plan to better prepare truck and bus drivers for the fierce logistic competition ahead of the arrival of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) at the end of this year, training them to drive more safely and strictly follow traffic rules.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800528-transport-ministry-to-prepare-truck-drivers-for-aec/

Alcohol sales banned on roads, pedestrian areas and bus terminals

BANGKOK, 15 February 2015 (NNT) - The Prime Minister’s Office has issued a ban on alcoholic beverage sales on the roads and pedestrian areas. The ban also covers sales and consumption of alcoholic beverages at bus terminals.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800527-alcohol-sales-banned-on-roads-pedestrian-areas-and-bus-terminals/

Poll: Court should decide if Yingluck can go overseas

BANGKOK, 15 Feb 2015 (NNT) – A recent survey by the National Institute of Development and Administration (NIDA) has found that most of the respondents think the court should be the one to consider former PM Yingluck Shinwatra’s request to leave abroad following the impeachment.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/800530-poll-court-should-decide-if-yingluck-can-go-overseas/