Thailand Live Monday 2 Mar 2015

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UPDATE:

Commandos seize guns in raids, no arrests made
THE NATION


Police commandos fast-rope from a helicopter during a raid in Nakhon Si Thammarat province to apprehend an unknown number of gunmen, as 15 other raids are conducted simultaneously in the province yesterday. There were no arrests.

NAKHON SI TAMMARAT: -- A 1,000-STRONG joint police-army operation yesterday resulted in simultaneous raids at 16 locations in Nakhon Si Thammarat in an attempt to arrest seven influential local politicians and an unknown number of guns for hire over their alleged involvement in a series of crimes - including high-profile murders.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804749-troops-police-raid-houses-of-16-suspected-influential-persons/page-2#entry9134513

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Danish man found dead in Phuket hotel room

Eakkapop Thongtub

Kenny Olesen was found dead in his Patong hotel room this morning (March 1). Photo Dvaldi.

PHUKET: The body of a 53-year-old Danish man was found in his hotel room in Patong

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804801-danish-man-found-dead-in-phuket-hotel-room/

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Survey:

Should the Composition of the EU Change?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804520-survey-should-the-composition-of-the-eu-change/

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Nine years of love culminate in wedding of two women

Kanchanaburi:- A wedding reception in Kanchanaburi province on Saturday night seemed like another common celebration of love, except that both the bride and her groom are female.

Pennapa Saengthong, 32, who considers herself the groom, wore black trousers, a matching black jacket and a black bow tie. Standing next was Kannikar Meejai, 36, in her white wedding dress.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804798-nine-years-of-love-culiminate-in-wedding-of-two-women/

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Well-known veteran kite runner in Satun annual competition

Satun:- A retired police senior sergeant major, who is a veteran maker and runner of southern-style kites, said he will continue to compete and demonstrate his master-piece kites in the upcoming Satun International Kite Festival this year.

The festival is well-known and this year, it will be the 35th competition, held in honor of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakkri Sirindhorn. It will be held on March 6, 7 and 8 at the old Satun airport. Kite runners from 30 countries will participate in the festival to demonstrate their kites in various shapes and styles.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804803-well-known-veteran-kite-runner-in-satun-annual-competition/

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PM orders speeding up of bus stations’ toilet renovations

Bangkok:- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha wants renovations of toilet rooms at bus terminations nationwide to be sped up, Transport Minister ACM Prajin Juntong said.

Earlier, the Transport Company, the state enterprise assigned by the Land Transport Department to operate bus terminals, promised to make toilet rooms hygienic and to stop collecting fees.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804807-pm-orders-speeding-up-of-bus-stations-toilet-renovations/

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Monks to rally if NRC panel is not scrapped
THE NATION

Buddhist groups set march 12 as deadline; rival faction wants charter to give only King the power to appoint the supreme patriarch

BANGKOK: -- A LARGE number of monks have threatened to rally on March 12 in an attempt to have the National Reform Council panel on the protection of Buddhism disbanded due to its perceived hostility towards the order.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804851-monks-to-rally-if-nrc-panel-is-not-scrapped/

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Automatic Immigration Machines Coming To Suvarnabhumi Airport



BANGKOK: -- Thai Immigration have announced they will install 16 automatic immigration clearance machines at Suvarnabhumi airport that will be fully operational by July 2015.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804852-automatic-immigration-machines-coming-to-suvarnabhumi-airport/

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NRC panel focused on monks and money
NITIPOL KIRAVANICH
THE NATION


Paiboon Nititawan

Case of Wat Dhammakaya being reviewed, Paiboon says

BANGKOK: -- THE CHAIRMAN of the reform committee on the protection of Buddhism has said the purpose of his committee is to seek an answer on whether monks can spend money, so the matter can be regulated with sincerity.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804853-nrc-panel-focused-on-monks-and-money/

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Fight to continue for women to get a ratio of local admin positions
NITIPOL KIRAVANICH
THE NATION


THAWILWADEE BUREEKUL

BANGKOK: -- THAWILWADEE BUREEKUL insisted yesterday she would continue to push for a proportion of local administrative members to be women, but she has to wait for the meeting agenda to scrutinise the matter further. "This matter is certainly in the Constitution Drafting Committee [CDC]'s meeting agenda to scrutinise further - unless I back out from discussing the issue of proportion of women, which I would not do," she said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804854-fight-to-continue-for-women-to-get-a-ratio-of-local-admin-positions/

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Chiang Mai will get Unesco World Heritage listing 'only if Thailand pushes for it'
JINTANA PANYAARVUDH
THE NATION



Unique strategy, publIc effort needed for Northern cIty to quell negatIve Image

CHIANG MAI: -- IF THAILAND wants to get one of its culturally significant locations listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, it will need a unique strategy and the orchestrated effort of the whole country and the government, a recent seminar was told.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804855-chiang-mai-will-get-unesco-world-heritage-listing-only-if-thailand-pushes-for-it/

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ANALYSIS
Thailand must examine the real issues surrounding energy exploration
Pichaya Changsorn
The Nation

Is the existing petroleum exploration and production regime the real culprit? asks The Nation's Pichaya Changsorn.

BANGKOK: -- At a time when world oil prices are falling off a cliff and this country is on the verge of an energy crisis - at least in the minds of state energy officials - we are quarrelling over the terms and conditions of the 21st bidding round on petroleum exploration and production concessions.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804856-thailand-must-examine-the-real-issues-surrounding-energy-exploration/

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REFORM
Reform panel wants NBTC to be independent
Usanee Mongkolporn
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The spectrum-licensing body must be an independent body with a single board of up to seven members, according to the preliminary conclusion of the state subcommittee tasked with reforming the broadcasting and telecom industries.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804857-reform-panel-wants-nbtc-to-be-independent/

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STIMULAS PROGRAMME
Long-term measures needed to help farmers, says FTI
Erich Parpart
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Short-term stimulus programmes and cash handouts for farmers are good and quick measures but what are truly needed are mid- to long-term solutions to help farmers lift their productivity and lower production costs, according to the Federation of Thai Industries.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804858-long-term-measures-needed-to-help-thai-farmers-says-fti/

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REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Asean common time - your time or my time?
Kavi Chongkittavorn
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Every time Malaysia takes up the Asean chair, a number of exciting topics always arise. This occasion is no exception - one such issue is Asean common time (ACT), an old idea which was discussed twice in 1995 and 2005. Singapore raised the idea back in1995. Then, Malaysia took the chair in 2005 and the issue was brought up once more.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804859-thai-opinion-asean-common-time-your-time-or-my-time/

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Pattaya Reporter in 'drugs' incident with Traffic Police Volunteer



PATTAYA: -- A Pattaya Reporter became embroiled in a “drugs” incident on Saturday Night after he was stopped at a Pattaya Police Checkpoint and a Traffic Police Volunteer informed officers that the reporter had dropped a consignment of illegal drugs, which was later found to be false.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804860-pattaya-reporter-in-drugs-incident-with-traffic-police-volunteer/

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18 year old injured in East Pattaya Shooting



PATTAYA: -- An 18 year old passenger on a motorbike was shot in his left leg following an encounter with two other youths on a motorbike in East Pattaya early on Sunday Morning.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804861-18-year-old-injured-in-east-pattaya-shooting/

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Student's car involved in crash at Central Pattaya Underpass Construction Site



PATTAYA: -- A 20 year old Student from Sriracha crashed his car into cement barriers at the Sukhumvit Road Central Pattaya Underpass Construction Site in the early hours of Saturday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804862-students-car-involved-in-crash-at-central-pattaya-underpass-construction-site/

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French man killed in drunken motorbike accident in Phuket
Eakkapop Thongtub


The French man's motorbike appeared to have crashed into the electric pole.

PHUKET: -- A 35-year-old French man was killed last night (February 28) after he drove his motorbike drunk and crashed into an electric pole.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804863-french-man-killed-in-drunken-motorbike-accident-in-phuket/

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English teachers face test
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE 46,000 English-language teachers in government schools are set to undergo an international-level proficiency test - the first of its kind in nearly a decade.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804864-english-teachers-in-thai-govt-schools-face-test/

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Envoy rejects US paper's attack on Thai government
THE NATION

WASHINGTON: -- THE new Thai ambassador to the United States, Pisan Manawapat, has written a letter to the Washington Post, saying its editorial of February 20 on Thailand's political situation "grossly misrepresented the situation in the country".

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804866-envoy-rejects-us-papers-attack-on-thai-government/

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People jailed for political crimes 'united'
NITIPOL KIRAVANICH
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- PROTESTERS detained for their involvement in political demonstrations have placed their hopes in the reconciliation reform committee, says Phayaw Akkahad, a key member of the committee and someone who claims to have witnessed unity among detainees of conflicting political colours.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804867-people-jailed-for-political-crimes-in-thailand-united/

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CDC must be specific on non-elected PM: Suriyasai
THE NATION


Suriyasai Katasila

BANGKOK: -- THE Constitution Drafting Committee should prevent a scenario of the public rejecting the new charter, by reviewing or fixing criteria or conditions over the non-elected prime minister proposal, Suriyasai Katasila, a lecturer of College of Social Innovation at Rangsit University said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804869-cdc-must-be-specific-on-non-elected-thai-pm-suriyasai/

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Charter's 'four main pillars' will bring positive change, drafting chief says
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE HEAD of the Constitution Drafting Committee hopes the new charter now being put together will be the last of many the country has had. Borwornsak Uwanno said its "four main pillars" would change Thailand for the better, once and for all.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804871-thai-charters-four-main-pillars-will-bring-positive-change-drafting-chief-says/

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Police officers, transferred after gambling raids, reinstated
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE officers from three police stations given snap transfers following military raids on illicit casinos have been abruptly reinstated after an internal investigation found that they were not at fault.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804872-thai-police-officers-transferred-after-gambling-raids-reinstated/

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New plane tracking to be tested after Malaysia jet mystery
By KRISTEN GELINEAU

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia will lead a trial of an enhanced method of tracking aircraft over remote oceans to allow planes to be more easily found should they vanish like Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, Australia's transport minister said Sunday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804873-new-plane-tracking-to-be-tested-after-malaysia-airlines-mh370-mystery/

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30,000 marchers in Moscow mourn slain Putin foe
By LAURA MILLS

MOSCOW (AP) — For the tens of thousands bearing flowers and tying black ribbons to railings in honor of slain Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, the solemn march through the Moscow drizzle on Sunday was a time for silence, not slogans.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804875-30000-marchers-in-moscow-mourn-slain-putin-foe/

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Kerry tried to dampen fuss over Israeli PM's speech
By BRADLEY KLAPPER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday tried to calm tensions with Israel before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's congressional address, yet insisted the Obama administration's diplomatic record with Iran entitles the U.S. to "the benefit of the doubt" as negotiators work toward a long-term nuclear deal. On a mission to warn of the dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran, the prime minister arrived in Washington for the speech the White House didn't want him to give.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804876-kerry-tried-to-dampen-fuss-over-israeli-pms-speech/

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High court case threatens independent electoral map drawers
By MARK SHERMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a reversal of the usual worries about political influence on electoral map-making, the Supreme Court is being asked to let raw politics play an even bigger role in the drawing of congressional district boundaries.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804877-us-high-court-case-threatens-independent-electoral-map-drawers/

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AP Essay: 'Jihadi John' won't have the same impact unmasked
By GREGORY KATZ

LONDON (AP) — As "Jihadi John," he was a terrifying figure, his identity concealed by a black mask, his threatening tone backed up by his oversize, serrated knife and his willingness to use it in the name of Islamic State and its self-declared caliphate.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804878-ap-essay-jihadi-john-wont-have-the-same-impact-unmasked/