Thailand Live Monday 9 Mar 2015

[thai tech]

Pinterest publishes transparency report, US government requests the most



Following the recent trend of online services such as Google, Twitter and Dropbox, Pinterest has published its first transparency report to cover a full year.


Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/pinterest-transparency-report/6459/

[thai tech]

Windows 93 is a trippy version of Window



For those people who long for a better version of Windows, and one that is actually more fun to use, there is now an alternative called Windows 93.

Back in the 1990’s you had to use Windows 3.1 or the Mac – then Windows 95 came on the scene and pretty much ruled the roost for a while. But imagine a parallel universe where the companies decided to go a little bit haywire, took some illegal substances and released a new operating system in 1993.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/windows-93-trippy/6494/

[webfact]

Toddler found alive 14 hours after car crash in Utah river

SPANISH FORK, Utah (AP) — An 18-month-old girl survived a car crash in a frigid Utah river after being strapped in a car seat upside-down for some 14 hours before being found by a fisherman, officers said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806920-toddler-found-alive-14-hours-after-car-crash-in-utah-river/

[webfact]

Former national athlete weds her girlfriend

Chon Buri:- A former national athlete yesterday brought a procession of dowry worth over Bt2million to the love of her life.

Chanat Khamnet, 32, counts herself as a groom when asking for the hands of Naruemon Mungha-ngerm, 24, from the latter’s parents at her home in Chon Buri.

Full story:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806921-former-national-athlete-weds-her-girlfriend/

[webfact]

Russian tourist arrested for allegedly killing security officer

Bangkok:- A 30-year-old Russian tourist was arrested early Monday for allegedly clubbing a security officer of a Bangkok temple to death, police said.

Pol Lt Phairoj Suwanmanee of Bang Rak police station, said Nikolai Zhilin was arrested shortly before 1:30 am after he allegedly smashed the head of Prajak Sutthiketkan, 27, who worked as a security officer of Maha Pruettaram Temple.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806927-russian-tourist-arrested-for-allegedly-killing-security-officer/

[webfact]

Britain's white jihadi' a teen from Australia: report

Sydney (AFP) - A westerner pictured alongside Islamic State group fighters and dubbed by media as "Britain's white jihadi" is in fact a teenager from Australia who converted to Islam, a report said Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806933-britains-white-jihadi-a-teen-from-australia-report/

[webfact]

NBTC to discuss CAT’s internal restructuring in mid-March

BANGKOK, 9 Mar 2015, (NNT) - The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission will convene a meeting in the middle of this month to discuss the internal restructuring of CAT Telecom Public Company.

According to Commissioner Supinya Klangnarong, her agency has initially planned to scale down the number of its sub-committees and combine some of its offices with the NBTC.

She also disclosed that the Commission had received an open letter from Amarin Televisions Company, asking it to address several issues regarding the management of the digital TV.

The company asked the NBTC to look into the fairness in assigning the channel numbers in digital TV, the airing of standard definition contents in high definition channels, the clarification of regulations regarding ads in the digital TV, and the technical hiccups that prevent the airing of high definition content from the DVB-S2 digital satellite transmission system.


-- NNT 2015-03-09

[webfact]

Govt.: Land and house tax collection necessary

BANGKOK, 9 Mar 2015, (NNT) - The new land and house tax collection scheme will not affect the majority of the people, Deputy Government Spokesperson Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd has said, adding that the country needs income for development.

as According to Maj Gen Sansern, the old bill is obsolete and needs to be updated to better reflect the current situation. He asked all to understand that tax collection is necessary for the development of the nation, underlining the fact that it is everyone’s duty to pay tax.

He said Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has already drawn up guidelines for the Ministry of Finance to follow; for example, the bill must not affect low-income earners, but those who earn more will have to contribute more.

The Deputy Government Spokesperson, however, said the issue remained an idea at the moment, and more studies would be conducted to ensure that the bill would be fair to all sides. The Cabinet and the National Legislative Assembly must also approve of the bill in order for it to take effect.

He asked the residents not to be overly concerned and urged all to refrain from lambasting the bill.


-- NNT 2015-03-09

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Chinese tourist rescued from suicide bid

Pattaya, Chon Buri:- Pattaya police rescued a Chinese tourist who stood in the middle of the Pattaya-bound motorway Early Monday in an apparent suicide bid.

The tourist was identified with his passport as Wang Wei, 25. He refused to talk to police why he was standing in the middle of the road.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806935-chinese-tourist-rescued-from-suicide-bid/

[webfact]

ISIS and the Foreign-Fighter Phenomenon
Why do people travel abroad to take part in somebody else’s violent conflict?
JESSICA STERN AND J.M. BERGER

In August 2014, ISIS marked Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, with a 20-minute, high-definition video offering its greetings to the Muslim world.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806936-isis-and-the-foreign-fighter-phenomenon/

[webfact]

Israeli opposition party seeks diplomatic settlement with Palestinians
English.news.cn

JERUSALEM, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The center-left Zionist Union, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main political rival in the March 17 elections, presented Sunday its platform with an emphasis on achieving diplomatic settlement with the Palestinians.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806937-israeli-opposition-party-seeks-diplomatic-settlement-with-palestinians/

[webfact]

Indonesia's executions of drug convicts likely postponed as officials leave

BANGKOK: -- The Jakarta Post reported that the execution of 10 convicts on Nusakambangan prison island in Cilacap, Central Java, will most likely be postponed, with the relevant officials leaving the regency.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806939-indonesias-executions-of-drug-convicts-likely-postponed-as-officials-leave/

[webfact]

Phuket conservationists upset by chopping of 100-year-old tree
Eakkapop Thongtub


The 100-year-old tree has been cut in the past but not as severely as the most recent cut.

PHUKET: -- Local conservationists, the 'Big Tree' group, are up in arms over the mysterious cutting down of a 100-year-old banyan tree next to the Orborjor school on Chao Fa East Rd in Talad Nua.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806941-phuket-conservationists-upset-by-chopping-of-100-year-old-tree/

[webfact]

Malaysia remains committed to search of MH370, says PM Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: -- Malaysia's Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak issued a statement on Sunday on the anniversary today issued a statement on the anniversary of the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370, saying Malaysia remains committed to the search, New Straits Times reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806942-malaysia-remains-committed-to-search-of-mh370-says-pm-najib/

[webfact]

Second under river tunnel boring starts today



BANGKOK: -- The Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) will today begin boring tunnel under the Chao Phraya river for its Blue Line expansion project.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806944-mrta-begins-second-tunnel-boring-under-the-chao-phraya-river/

[webfact]

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Swiss solar-powered plane takes off from Abu Dhabi in attempt at first round-the-world flight .

[webfact]

Philippines to exhaust all efforts to save Filipina on Indonesia’s death row

BANGKOK: -- The Philippine government has vowed to exhaust all efforts to save a Filipina domestic worker from the death chamber in Indonesia over a drug offense, according to Manilla Bulletin.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806945-philippines-to-exhaust-all-efforts-to-save-filipina-on-indonesias-death-row/

[webfact]

Singapore's Botanic Gardens' Unesco bid in final stage



BANGKOK: -- Singapore's bid to have the Botanic Gardens become its first Unesco World Heritage Site has entered its final stage after a technical assessor from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos) visited the Gardens last September, The Straits Times reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806946-singapores-botanic-gardens-unesco-bid-in-final-stage/

[webfact]

Mother killed in Australia while on phone to husband in India
AFP

SYDNEY - A mother has been stabbed to death in a Sydney park in a brutal attack while speaking by phone to her distraught husband in India, reports said Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806949-mother-killed-in-australia-while-on-phone-to-husband-in-india/

[webfact]

2 teens stopped at Sydney Airport from joining Islamic State
By ROD McGUIRK

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Two Australian brothers aged 16 and 17 were stopped at Sydney Airport on suspicion that they were young jihadis headed to join the Islamic State group, officials said Sunday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806951-2-teens-stopped-at-sydney-airport-from-joining-islamic-state/

[webfact]

Solar-powered plane takes off for flight around the world
AYA BATRAWY, Associated Press

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Swiss solar-powered plane took off from Abu Dhabi early Monday, marking the start of the first attempt to fly around the world without a drop of fuel.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806955-swiss-solar-powered-plane-takes-off-for-flight-around-the-world/

[webfact]

Burmese man stabbed to death in Phuket
Darawan Naknakhon

Phuket: -- A Burmese worker was stabbed to death early today (March 8) following a fight with another Burmese man in Rawai.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806957-burmese-man-stabbed-to-death-in-phuket/

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Tightened security at Criminal Court Monday



BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court opens as usual Monday but with stepped up security following Saturday's grenade attack.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806892-bangkok-criminal-court-attack-police-told-of-bomb-plots-by-red-shirts/#entry9163644

[webfact]

A combined force of police from Nonthaburi and Chonburi on Monday raided a construction camp in Tambon Nong Prue of Bang Lamung district of Chonburi and arrested four hill tribe workers in connection with a gold shop robbery in Bang Buathong district of Nonthaburi province on Sunday.

A number of gold ornament they robbed from the Yaowaraj goldshop were retrieved.

But the robbery gang leader identified as Chai, a hill tribe worker from the North has narrowly escaped before police raid.

All were accused of robbed the gold shop and escaped with 12 million baht of gold ornaments.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/99850


-- Thai PBS 2015-03-09

[webfact]

Thai PM says security must come first to boost foreign confidence
BANGKOK

(Reuters) - Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Monday called on Thais to be the "eyes and ears" of security forces in order to boost international confidence in Thailand after the second explosion in the capital Bangkok in just over a month.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806991-thai-pm-says-security-must-come-first-to-boost-foreign-confidence/

[webfact]

TAT promotes world's first elephant ride alms giving in Surin

SURIN, 9 March 2015 (NNT)-The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is inviting everyone to witness a spectacular elephant parade, to be held in Surin province on March 13.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806995-tat-promotes-worlds-first-elephant-ride-alms-giving-in-surin/

[webfact]

Kasikorn: Thai baht to fluctuate between 32.25 - 32.55 per US dollar this week

BANGKOK, 9 March 2015 (NNT)-Kasikorn Research Center (KRC) has forecast that the resistance levels in the Thai stock market this week will be around 1,584– 1,594 points.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806996-kasikorn-thai-baht-to-fluctuate-between-3225-3255-per-us-dollar-this-week/

[webfact]

NRC expected to consider reports on education reform and human resource strategy

BANGKOK, 9 March 2015 (NNT)-The National Reform Council (NRC) is expected to consider an educational and human resource development strategy drafted by the educational reform committee in its meeting today.

Apart from the issue, the NRC will hear a report of progress presented by the Constitution Drafting Committee.

The meeting will continue tomorrow to endorse the progress report on the draft constitution to be presented by the chairman of the drafting committee Bovornsak Uwanno. This will be followed by a consideration into a report by the national resource and environment committee on the organizational reform related to city planning and land usage system.


-- NNT 2015-03-09

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Engineers dig second tunnel under Chao Phraya
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- A second tunnel to run under the Chao Phraya gets underway today with a ceremony to mark the beginning of digging.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/806944-mrta-begins-second-tunnel-boring-under-the-chao-phraya-river/#entry9163922

[webfact]

Gen. Prayut will observe reorganization of trading stalls on Hua Hin beach on the sidelines of mobile Cabinet meeting

BANGKOK, 9 Mar 2015 (NNT) - Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has made known that he wanted to observe the reorganization of trading stalls on Hua Hin Beach while he and the cabinet hold a mobile Cabinet meeting in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/807013-pm-prayut-will-observe-reorganization-of-trading-stalls-on-hua-hin-beach/