Thailand Live Thursday 19 Mar 2015

[webfact]

'Kind' robber cleans house too

Samut Prakan:- A lone robber had a “friendly chat” with the house owner and her maid for two hours and cleaned her house before making off with Bt80,000 worth of valuables.

Pol Lt Sanhawat Kaewduang of Mueang Samut Prakan police station said he was alerted of the robbery at 3 am Wednesday by the victim after the robber had left her house.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810010-kind-robber-cleans-house-too/

[webfact]

Mystery Woman Strips Off To Wash In A Chiang Mai Canal
by Stickboy BKK



CHIANG MAI: -- Passersby looked on in bewilderment yesterday lunchtime as a woman said to be in her forties, stripped down to a tiger skin bikini and proceeded to take a bath in a canal by Maneenopparat Rd in Chiang Mai.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810011-mystery-woman-strips-off-to-wash-in-a-chiang-mai-canal/

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Thai court to decide on trial of ex-PM Yingluck
AFP

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's Supreme Court was Thursday set to decide whether to proceed with the prosecution of former premier Yingluck Shinawatra over a bungled rice subsidy that could see her jailed for up to a decade.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/809965-supreme-court-decides-today-on-hearing-yingluck-rice-case/#entry9204195

[webfact]

Hua Hin undergoes beach facelift

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN, 19 March 2015 (NNT) – Prachuap Khiri Khan province has cleared up its Hua Hin beach as part of its city cleanup campaign.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810020-hua-hin-undergoes-beach-facelift/

[webfact]

Nong Khai-Bangkok, Nong Khai-Map Ta Phut railways construction expected in October

BANGKOK, 19 March 2015 (NNT) – Deputy Minister of Transport Arkhom Termpittayapaisith indicated on Wednesday all survey work for the Nong Khai-Bangkok and Nong Khai-Map Ta Phut standard gauge railways will be completed within August.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810021-nong-khai-bangkok-nong-khai-map-ta-phut-railways-construction-expected-in-october/

[webfact]

Fruits, seafood and ready-made meals are more expensive in Bangkok

BANGKOK, 19 Mar 2015 (NNT) - The Cabinet has acknowledged the issue of high commodity prices despite the fallen fuel prices. Meanwhile, findings revealed fruits, seafood and ready-made meals being offered in the capital are more expensive than in rural areas.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810023-fruits-seafood-and-ready-made-meals-are-more-expensive-in-bangkok/

[webfact]

SET up 12.13 points at opening /Bangkok Post

[webfact]

Arsenal Set For Thai Premier League All-Star Friendly In July
by Stickboy BKK



BANGKOK: -- The Thai Premier League have added to the rumours circulating that the English Premiership side Arsenal will play in Bangkok as part of their pre-season tour of Asia by hinting the Gunners are set to take on a TPL All-Star team on July 20th.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810029-arsenal-set-for-thai-premier-league-all-star-friendly-in-july/

[webfact]

Thai former PM Yingluck to face trial over rice scheme: court
AFP

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's former premier Yingluck Shinawatra was Thursday ordered to stand trial on charges of negligence over a bungled rice subsidy scheme in a case that could see her jailed for up to a decade.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810030-thai-former-pm-yingluck-to-face-trial-over-rice-scheme-court/

[webfact]

DWR poised to hold World Water Day event, focusing on solutions to drought

BANGKOK, 19 March 2015 (NNT) – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is ready to open an exhibition on the National Water Conservation Week and World Water Day this weekend, with an emphasis to be placed on the tackling of drought problems.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810035-thai-dwr-poised-to-hold-world-water-day-event-focusing-on-solutions-to-drought/

[webfact]

Traffic police gearing up for Red Cross Fair 2015

BANGKOK, 19 March 2015 (NNT)-The Traffic Police is gearing up for the Red Cross Fair 2015 which will begin at the end of this month.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810059-bangkok-traffic-police-gearing-up-for-red-cross-fair-2015/

[webfact]

Foreign Affairs Minister to join JCBC meeting in Vietnam

BANGKOK, 19 March 2015 (NNT) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister General Thanasak Patimaprakorn is scheduled to visit Vietnam between March 19 and 20 to participate in the Thailand-Vietnam Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) meeting in Hanoi.

General Thanasak will co-chair the Thailand-Vietnam Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) meeting with Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh, during which the two sides will discuss the progress of cooperation in several areas and the possibility of enhancing collaboration in the fields of politics, security, society and economy.

Thailand and Vietnam officially established diplomatic ties in 1976 and have since continued to strengthen and expand their relations, as witnessed by regular bilateral meetings and mutual visits between Thai and Vietnamese high-ranking officials.

In terms of economy, Thailand is Vietnam’s biggest trading partner in ASEAN. Trade between the two countries last year was worth 1.1 billion US dollars. As for tourism, the number of Vietnamese tourists arriving in Thailand reportedly surpassed 550,000 last year.


-- NNT 2015-03-19

[webfact]

No execution of foreigners in near future: Indonesian officials
Ina Parlina
The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA: -- High-ranking government officials said on Wednesday that no executions of drug convicts would take place in the next few months, as the country’s judiciary was still processing their appeals and case reviews.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810061-no-execution-of-foreigners-in-near-future-indonesian-officials/

[webfact]

Officials to cover Phuket garbage dump to stop further fires
Nattha Thepbamrung


An excavator shifts garbage to allow water to be poured into the pile to prevent further fires.

PHUKET: -- Following the fire at one of the landfills next to the provincial incinerator in Phuket Town on Tuesday (March 17), officials are hastening to take steps to prevent a recurrence.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810082-officials-to-cover-phuket-garbage-dump-to-stop-further-fires/

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Yingluck to stand first trial on May 19



BANGKOK: -- Former premier Yingluck Shinawatra was ordered to stand trial before the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Position, same as her brother Thaksin Shinawatra faced and sentenced in 2008.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810030-thai-former-pm-yingluck-to-face-trial-over-rice-scheme-court/?p=9204864#entry9204864

[Lite Beer]

Tourists escape unhurt but bus engulfed in flames

BANGKOK: -- A double decker bus from Bangkok with about 30 European tourists caught fire while on the way to Surat Thani, but nobody was injured.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810088-tourists-escape-unhurt-but-bus-engulfed-in-flames/

[Lite Beer]

SET rises 4.35 to 1,535.85 at noon /Bangkok Post

[thai tech]

4G spectrum auctions will take place this year



The government in Thailand has moved to end what has been months of uncertainty for telecoms operators by confirming the proposed auctions for 4G will take place later this year.

Following a meeting held on Wednesday of the National Digital Economy Committee, chaired by PM Prayuth, the 4G spectrum auctions are now likely to take place in August after the committee ruled the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications could auction all frequencies ranging from 900MHz to 1800MHz, as well as 2.6GHz in order to help cope with increased demand for data.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/4g-spectrum-auctions-will-take-place-this-year/7252/

[thai tech]

Will Human-Driven Cars Be Outlawed? Tesla’s Elon Musk Thinks So


Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, made a bold statement that self-driving cars may cause manually driven vehicles to be outlawed. The famed CEO states that autonomous cars may be safer, and driving cars may be outlawed as a result.

Musk elaborated that he is in favor of people being able to drive their own vehicle, but believes, for safety reasons, new laws against human-driven vehicles may be put in place.

The announcement came at the Nvidia’s GPU Technology Conference. Musk states that it would take nearly 20 years for all of the vehicles on the road to be replaced at the current rate. As of today, automakers produce 100 million vehicles a year with a total of 2 billion vehicles on the road.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/will-human-driven-cars-be-outlawed-teslas-elon-musk-thinks-so/7230/

[george]

Thailand's outdated tech sector casts cloud over economy

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810115-thailands-outdated-tech-sector-casts-cloud-over-economy/

[webfact]

Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport Reports Growth of 46.7%

According to the latest data from ACI airports in Asia Pacific started year 2015 with an encouraging average growth rate of +4.9% in passenger traffic, while airports in the Middle East posted an even more encouraging growth of +11.4% year-on-year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810119-bangkoks-don-mueang-airport-reports-growth-of-467/

[webfact]

NLA passes law increasing salaries of law Enforcement personnel

BANGKOK, 19 March 2015 (NNT) - The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has passed the National Police Act, which adjusts the salaries of law enforcement personnel in line with the living condition of the present time.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810125-nla-passes-law-increasing-salaries-of-law-enforcement-personnel/

[webfact]

NLA to Hear G2G Rice Distribution Scheme Case on April 2

BANGKOK, 19 March 2015 (NNT) - The President of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has announced that the legislative body will begin hearing the impeachment case of the former officials in the Commerce Ministry associated with the rice pledging scheme on April 2.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810127-nla-to-hear-g2g-rice-distribution-scheme-case-on-april-2/

[webfact]

One Direction star caught out in Phuket

The Phuket News


Zayn with Lauren in Phuket (left). Where was Perrie (right)?. Photos Instagram/Wiki Commons

PHUKET: -- Zayn Malik of boy band One Direction, which played a sellout concert in Bangkok last Saturday (March 14), is in the middle of a torrid situation after being photographed in Patong’s Seduction disco with the wrong woman.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810129-one-direction-star-caught-out-in-phuket/

[webfact]

UPDATE:

EX-PM Yingluck pleads for fair trial



BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra said today that she expected to be given a fair trial and a chance to give her side of the story in her defence of the charge of dereliction of duty in connection with the rice pledging scheme.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810030-thai-former-pm-yingluck-to-face-trial-over-rice-scheme-court/page-2?p=9205331#entry9205331

[webfact]

UPDATE:

European Tour Bus Catches Fire in Southern Thailand
By Khaosod English


The burning bus on 41 Highway in Sawee district in Chumphon Province, 18 March 2015.

CHUMPHON — Over 30 foreign tourists were forced to flee for their lives after their tour bus suddenly caught fire on a highway in southern Thailand this morning.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810088-tourists-escape-unhurt-but-bus-engulfed-in-flames/#entry9205421

[webfact]

Analysis: Why Israelis chose Netanyahu; not just nationalism
By DAN PERRY

JERUSALEM (AP) — It's a mystery to many: Benjamin Netanyahu's campaign gained steam when he ruled out the creation of a Palestinian state, and he seems determined to continue settling occupied land with Jews.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810144-analysis-why-israelis-chose-netanyahu;-not-just-nationalism/

[webfact]

Four Don Mueang police officers removed after a casino raid



BANGKOK: -- Four senior police officers of Don Mueang police station were transferred to inactive posts at the operations centre of Metropolitan Police Bureau today following a raid of an illegal gambling den in Don Mueang area Wednesday night.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810145-four-don-mueang-police-officers-removed-after-a-casino-raid/

[webfact]

Kalayanamit temple abbot may face charge of demolishing historical buildings



BANGKOK: -- A temple abbot may face charge of destroying archaeological buildings after the Fine Arts Department filed another lawsuit against all those who destroy them.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810147-thai-temple-abbot-may-face-charge-of-demolishing-historical-buildings/

[webfact]

Farmer hangs self because he has no money to pay creditor's bank



SUKHOTHAI: -- An aging rice farmer committed suicide by hanging himself at his house for being unable to settle his debt with the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810149-thai-farmer-hangs-self-because-he-has-no-money-to-pay-creditors-bank/