Thailand Live Monday 2 Mar 2015

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Major league baseball's 1st black Latino star Minoso dies
By JAY COHEN

CHICAGO (AP) — When Minnie Minoso broke into major league baseball, the "Cuban Comet" was part of a wave of black players who changed the game forever. By the time he played in his final game 35 years ago, he was a beloved figure with the Chicago White Sox.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804880-major-league-baseballs-1st-black-latino-star-minoso-dies/

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Monk defrocked for drinking and attempting rape

Kamphaeng Phet:– The Buddhist monastic authorities have defrocked a monk for disciplinary violations, including drinking and attempting to rape a nun.

Police have taken custody of Samran (last name unknown), 64, following his departure from monkhood.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804882-monk-defrocked-for-drinking-and-attempting-rape/

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UPDATE:

PM orders evictions of squatters from Bangkok canals

Bangkok: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to evict squatters living on nine major Bangkok canals.

A BMA source said Prayut has instructed the BMA to take charge of the operations to put the nine canals in order to facilitate rainwater and upstream floodwater drainage to prevent Bangkok flooding and alleviate flooding in upper provinces.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804890-pm-orders-evictions-of-squatters-from-bangkok-canals/

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Thailand to hold yacht show at the end of this year

BANGKOK, 2 Mar 2015, (NNT) - Thailand is to host its first yacht show at the end of this year. The fair is aimed at promoting tourism and stimulating the economy.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804899-thailand-to-hold-yacht-show-at-the-end-of-this-year/

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Industry Ministry to keep an eye on the global sugar price

BANGKOK, 2 Mar 2015, (NNT) - The Ministry of Industry and related agencies are keeping an eye on the global sugar price, as fear of a massive price drop grows.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804903-thai-industry-ministry-to-keep-an-eye-on-the-global-sugar-price/

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CDC: Empowering the people is a foundation of true democracy

BANGKOK, 2 March 2015 (NNT) - The Constitution Drafting Committee believes that empowering the people is the foundation of helping Thailand achieve true democracy.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804906-cdc-empowering-the-people-is-a-foundation-of-true-democracy/

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Annual Tha Uthen Pagoda celebration in Nakhon Phanom

Nakhon Phanom: The annual celebration of the much-revered Tha Uthen Pagoda in Nakhon Phanom’s Tha Uthen district has started with traditional dances and cultural performance.

The celebration started on Sunday and the annual event will continue until Wednesday, which is the Makha Bucha Day.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804898-annual-tha-uthen-pagoda-celebration-in-nakhon-phanom/

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Thousands attend funeral of repent bandit

Nakhon Phanom: The annual celebration of the much-revered Tha Uthen Pagoda in Nakhon Phanom’s Tha Uthen district has started with traditional dances and cultural performance.

The celebration started on Sunday and the annual event will continue until Wednesday, which is the Makha Bucha Day.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804905-thousands-attend-funeral-of-repent-bandit/

[thai tech]

Q&A on Samsung’s new mobile pay: Here’s what’s we know



NEW YORK (AP) — Last fall, Apple launched Apple Pay, bringing mobile-payment technology to the iPhone. Samsung now wants to get that on Android phones — at least the ones it makes.

The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge phones announced Sunday will come with mobile-pay capabilities. Samsung’s payment service won’t come until this summer, and will launch only in the U.S. and South Korea at first. Here’s what’s known about Samsung Pay and how it compares with Apple Pay and Google’s own efforts for Android.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/qa-on-samsungs-new-mobile-pay-heres-whats-we-know/5917/

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Huawei Watch is a stunning Android Wear smart watch




Huawei obviously sees the potential for smart watches, as it has just announced the Huawei Watch at a press conference on the day before Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona. The watch is a round, stainless steel timepiece that runs Google’s Android Wear smart watch platform.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/huawei-watch-is-a-stunning-android-wear-smart-watch/5898/

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MWC2015: Samsung unveils new Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge smartphones



The wait is finally over.

After months of rumours and speculation, Samsung has finally unveiled its two new flagship smartphones, which are the latest additions to its Galaxy series.

The stunning Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge were showcased, as expected, at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Sunday, with JK Shin, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics saying: “we are sharing with you the results from the most significant team effort in this company’s history.”

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/mwc2015-samsung-unveils-new-galaxy-s6-and-s6-edge-smartphones/5908/

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Seoul: North Korea test fires 2 short-range missiles
HYUNG-JIN KIM, ASSOCIATED PRESS

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Monday fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea and warned of "merciless strikes" against its enemies as allies Seoul and Washington launched annual military drills Pyongyang claims are preparation for a northward invasion.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804910-seoul-north-korea-test-fires-2-short-range-missiles/

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Forced eviction of Klongtom vendors begins today



BANGKOK: -- A combined force of several hundreds of metropolitan police, city police, and soldiers were deployed around Bangkok's largest Klongtom sidewalk market this morning to clear illegal vendors as the deadline for them to move out of sidewalks ends today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804914-forced-eviction-of-klongtom-vendors-begins-in-bangkok/

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Girlfriend of American on missing MH370 becomes vocal critic of M'sian authorities
Shannon Teoh
The Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR: -- Sarah Bajc was about to embark on a new adventure in Kuala Lumpur with the love of her life Philip Wood, 50, when he disappeared on MH370.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804921-girlfriend-of-american-on-missing-mh370-becomes-vocal-critic-of-msian-authorities/

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CDC’s vice chairman confident resignation of Thicha Na Nakorn poses no impact on any work

BANGKOK, 2 March 2015 (NNT) - A vice chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee is confident that the resignation of one of the committee members will not affect the works of the charter drafters.

CDC’s Vice Chairman Suchit Bunbongkarn said the resignation of Thicha Na Nakhon, aCDC member and a member of the National Reform Council on education, will have no impact on what the charter drafters have been doing.

Mr. Suchit said that Mrs. Thicha’s knowledge and capabilities were valuable assets to the CDC, adding that her reasons for resignation must be personal issues that needed to be respected.

While denying any knowledge about the identity of the person who will replace Mrs. Thicha, he said that the CDC will have to continue its works.

According to Mr. Suchit, the charter drafters will have a meeting on March 5 and 6 to review each article in order to make sure that it is in line with the intent of the Constitution drafting process.

-- NNT 2015-03-02

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NRC reviewing Virtue Act today

BANGKOK, 2 March 2015 (NNT)-The National Reform Council (NRC) is convening a meeting today to acknowledge the progress made in various reform programs.

A meeting, beginning at 11.00 a.m., is held each week to follow the development of the national reform process.

The NRC is expected to spend the entire day deliberating the draft legislation on the Virtue Act that has already been approved by the NRC standing committee.

The meeting will continue on Tuesday when the NRC will be briefed on the draft charter progress. The Energy Reform Committee is also expected to submit its report on the promotion of electric vehicles in Thailand, for the consideration of the NRC.


-- NNT 2015-03-02

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Big Cleaning Day organized in Phuket to commemorate National Media Day

PHUKET, 2 Mar 2015 (NNT) - Members of the media in Phuket, students, employees from the private sector and municipality office gathered over the weekend to clean the public park in the Saphan Hin Shore area.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804948-big-cleaning-day-organized-in-phuket-to-commemorate-national-media-day/

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Thailand's booming wine industry in Khao Yai
PB Valley Khao Yai Winery

KHAO YAI: -- Wine is not the first thing you think of when you think of Thailand, perhaps elephants, perhaps warm luxurious beaches, but wine no. Nevertheless Thailand has a wine industry slowly emerging, primarily in Hua Hin, a not so sleepy coastal town and Khao Yai, a rampart of greenery north east of Bangkok.

It is less than two hours’ drive up the expressway from Bangkok to the relatively peaceful countryside at the edge of Khao Yai National Park, the birthplace of the Khao Yai wine region.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804952-thailands-booming-wine-industry-in-khao-yai/

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Makha Bucha Day in Thailand on March 4, 2015

It was 9 full months after the Buddha got the Enlightenment, on the full moon day of 6th lunar month, 45 years before the Buddhist era. On the full moon day of the 3rd lunar month, Makha, of the year, 4 special events happened:

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804957-makha-bucha-day-in-thailand-on-march-4-2015/

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Gaza under fire — six months on
Martin Khor
The Star

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza are still homeless or live in the rubble of the 20,000 houses that were destroyed and 80,000 others damaged by Israeli bombs and artillery fire.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804961-gaza-under-fire-six-months-on/

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NBTC: Digital TV channels must normalize audio volume of their content

BANGKOK, 2 Mar 2015, (NNT) - The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has started enforcing a regulation making digital channels standardize the audio volume of their shows and advertisements at minus 1 decibel. The campaign started yesterday, March 1st.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804963-nbtc-digital-tv-channels-must-normalize-audio-volume-of-their-content/

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Capital punishment concerns raised over Thai backpackers' murder case

Peter Walker

Human rights activists express alarm about British police evidence supplied to Thai authorities investigating murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller

LONDON: -- Human rights activists have expressed alarm after it emerged that British police might have breached legal guidelines by providing evidence to Thai authorities which could potentially help them execute suspects accused of murdering two British backpackers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804973-capital-punishment-concerns-raised-over-thai-backpackers-murder-case/

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'True love' after 4-year long-distance

Nakhon Ratchasima:- A Nakhon Ratchasima native has now found true love in a French man whom she had spent more than four years in long-distance relationships.

Pornpan Rueankong and Vincent Rayman from France registered their marriage on February 14 in Thailand this year. The couple has already bought a house and settled down in Pattaya City.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804976-true-love-after-4-year-long-distance/

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Smog hits Chiang Mai, flight delayed

CHIANG MAI: -- Thick smog blanketed Chiang Mai Monday morning, causing several flights to be delayed because of poor visibility.

The air quality measuring station in Chiang Mai found that the particulate matter in the air was 181 microgrammes per cubic metre, higher than the safe standard of 120 microgrammes. The Air Quality Index value was measure at 127, higher than the safe value of 100.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Smog-hits-Chiang-Mai-flight-delayed-30255157.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-02

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Phuket Town to see more cables buried
Eakkapop Thongtub


The section of road marked with red will remain closed for around six month.

PHUKET: -- As part of the new phase of the underground cable project in Phuket Town, Yaowarat Rd will be closed for a minimum of six months starting from today (March 2) while cables are buried underground.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804978-phuket-town-to-see-more-cables-buried/

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BAGHDAD (AP) - Iraq state TV: Large-scale military operation to recapture Saddam Hussein's hometown begins.

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Iraq state TV: Operation to retake Tikrit begins

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's state TV says government forces backed by allied Shiite and Sunni fighters have begun a large-scale military operation to recapture Saddam Hussein's hometown from the Islamic State extremist group.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804984-iraq-state-tv-operation-to-retake-saddam-husseins-hometown-tikrit-begins/

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Obama-Netanyahu relations never promised happily-ever-after
NANCY BENAC, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took office early in 2009, there were plenty of reasons to expect their relationship would be difficult.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804987-obama-netanyahu-relations-never-promised-happily-ever-after/

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Thai International Travel Fair 2015 concludes on Sunday

BANGKOK, 2 March 2015 (NNT) - The Thai International Travel Fair 2015 wrapped up over the weekend with a large number of attendees at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804993-thai-international-travel-fair-2015-concludes-on-sunday/

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Rural hospitals will be used as classroom for medical students to solve doctor shortage

TRANG, 2 March 2015 (NNT)-The Ministry of Public Health is turning a community hospital into a classroom for medical students in an attempt to solve a doctor shortage in rural areas.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/804994-rural-hospitals-will-be-used-as-classroom-for-medical-students-to-solve-doctor-shortage/