Asean on track for Open Skies policy
The Star/ANN


Thai Airways International's plane in the sky.

BANGKOK: -- The 10 Asean members are on track for the Single Aviation Market (SAM) policy which is set to be completed by this year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810151-asean-on-track-for-open-skies-policy/

Sexy plumbers and electricians to made available for luxury condo
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- Parent-company-to-everything CP ALL plans to launch a sexy plumber and electrician service to make home repair a little more interesting.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810154-sexy-plumbers-and-electricians-to-made-available-for-luxury-bangkok-condo/

Body of man found floating in ditch in Phuket
Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: The body of a male was found floating in a ditch in Thalang this morning. The man had been drinking with friends prior to his death.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810159-body-of-man-found-floating-in-ditch-in-phuket/

SET index closed 1,532.13 up 0.63; Bt/USD32.62; GBP48.15; AUD24.66; EUR34.67; CAD25.55; HKD4.18; SGD23.35; JPY26.87

MOPH Minister: 15,000 Family Care Team established in 3 months

BANGKOK, 19 March 2015 (NNT) – The Family Care Team project has progressed with establishing 15,000 teams in its 3-month run, while targeting the establishment of up to 30,000 teams within this year, says the Public Health Minister.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810162-thai-health-minister-15000-family-care-team-established-in-3-months/

Men arrested for Bangkok blasts say they were tortured
AFP

BANGKOK: -- Four Thai men arrested for their alleged involvement in two small bombings in Bangkok say they were tortured in military custody, their lawyer told AFP Thursday.

They are among more than a dozen people who have been arrested in the last two weeks -- accused of planning and carrying out the attacks in junta-ruled Thailand.

"(One) man was electrocuted on his abdomen and his thigh while the other three men had their chests stomped on and were punched and slapped in the head," said Anon Nampa from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, a local rights organisation representing the men.

Many of those detained have also been accused of having links to the opposition Red Shirt movement loyal to ousted premiers Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra -- something the group has vehemently denied.

On March 7 a hand grenade was thrown into the car park of Bangkok's Criminal Court while in early February a twin pipe bomb exploded outside a busy shopping centre wounding two people.

The four men have all been charged with attempted murder and weapon possession.

Anon told AFP that one of his colleagues met one of the accused, Sansern Sriounruen, who described being given electric shocks during his interrogation and showed angry bruises on his abdomen and thigh.

A junta spokesman rejected claims that the men had been mistreated.

"We are confident that there is no reason for the authorities to use force or threats," Colonel Winthai Suvaree said.

Among those arrested for their alleged involvement in the attacks is nurse Natthatida Meewangpla, a prominent witness to a bloody 2010 crackdown by the military against Red Shirt protesters, in which at least 90 were killed, including a different nurse and two foreign journalists.

The 37-year-old went missing for six days after she was taken by soldiers from her home on March 11. She only reappeared publicly when she was handed over to police custody Tuesday.

Her lawyer Winyat Chatmontree told AFP that military interrogators threatened Natthatida with lese majeste charges unless she cooperated with them.

Under the royal defamation law -- one of the world's strictest -- anyone convicted of insulting the king, queen, heir or regent faces up to 15 years in prison on each count.

Rights groups say basic freedoms have fallen off a cliff since last May's military takeover, following the ousting of Yingluck's democratically elected government, and that draconian lese majeste legislation is increasingly being used as a tool to stifle political opposition.

Under martial law, political gatherings of more than five people are banned, criticism of the junta is outlawed and civilians can be tried in military courts for national security or lese majeste offences.

On Tuesday two men were handed five-month jail sentences for their alleged involvement in the recent grenade attack.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-03-19

UPDATE:

Motorcyclist Shot Dead By Traffic Cop, Autopsy Confirms
By Khaosod English


A vigil for Naret Rojanaboonsongsri in Lumpini Park, Bangkok, 17 March 2015.

BANGKOK — An autopsy has established that a motorcyclist who failed to stop at a police checkpoint was shot dead by an officer, police say.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/809989-policeman-to-face-charges-for-shooting-motorcyclist/page-3#entry9205957

Chumphon holds Beach Cleaning Day prior to tourism season launch

CHUMPHON, 19 March 2015 (NNT) – The Beach Cleaning Day activity was held in Chumpon province in preparation of the Chumphon Marine Festival, set to take place on 20-24 March 2015.

The Governor of Chumphon Wongsiri Phromchana has led the local administrative officials, students, and the general public in a beach cleaning activity in the Beach Cleaning Day event, at the Tung Wua Laen Beach in Pathio district, prior to the Chumphon Marine Festival tomorrow. The event will run from 20 March until 24 March 2015.

The Chumphon Governor has revealed that the Beach Cleaning Day event is being conducted by all districts in the province to prepare the province's beach for the tourism season and for the Chumphon Marine Festival that takes place this time every year.

Tung Wua Laen Beach is one of the most famous beaches in Chumphon province. It has welcomed many Thai and foreign tourists every year. The cooperation between the general public, tourists, and business owners will help keep the area clean, in order to preserve the beautiful scenery and to reduce the number of black flies on the beach, according to the Chumphon Governor.


-- NNT 2015-03-19

PM Prayut to visit Singapore and Brunei from 24-26 Mar

BANGKOK, 19 March 2015 (NNT) - Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha is to make official visits to Singapore and Burnei Darussalam from March 24-26.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810168-pm-prayut-to-visit-singapore-and-brunei-from-24-26-mar/

Gov't to push forward land allocation

BANGKOK, 19 March 2015 (NNT) – The government will be proceeding to solve the land allocation for all public groups, granting land usage under unsellable conditions to those who do not hold deeds in accordance with the agricultural zoning policy, says the Prime Minister.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810172-thai-govt-to-push-forward-land-allocation/

Central Phuket area road closure postponed to March 27
The Phuket News

Alternative routes for the night of March 27.

PHUKET: The closure of part of Chao Fa West Rd near Central Festival, scheduled to take place on Wednesday night (March 18) to allow the span of a footbridge to be put in place, was postponed after it was found that high-voltage cables were dangerously close.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810232-central-phuket-area-road-closure-postponed-to-march-27/

Peace returns after compromise on island off Phuket

Tanyaluk Sakoot

The klong is almost dry now that polluted water held back by the illegal dam has been released. Photo Vice-Governor Suthee Thongyam

PHUKET: The cleaning up of the klong on Racha Yai, which started on March 7, is going well, officials say, now that some hiccups have been ironed out.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810234-peace-returns-after-compromise-on-island-off-phuket/

to continue:

Thailand Live Friday 20 Mar 2015

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810274-thailand-live-friday-20-mar-2015/