Thailand Live Saturday 21 Mar 2015

[Lite Beer]

Foreign Tourists Allegedly Dumped on Tollway by Thai Taxi

By Khaosod Eng.

BANGKOK — The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) says it is investigating a claim that a taxi driver stranded a family of foreign tourists on a highway in Bangkok.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....y-by-thai-taxi/

[Lite Beer]

Four southerners get more than 66 years in prison for 2013 Bangkok bombing

BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court Friday sentenced four southern men to 66 years and eight months in prison for their involvement in a May 26, 2013, bombing at the mouth of Bangkok's Soi Ramkhamhaeng 43/1.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa....angkok-bombing/

[Lite Beer]

600 security cameras to be installed in Narathiwat

Narathiwat Governor Nattapong Sirichana has ordered the installation of 600 security cameras, worth Bt4 million, throughout the province to help prevent insurgent attacks.

More training will also be provided for surveillance volunteers and walkie-talkies provided to each community to help the authorities keep an eye out for suspicious activities, Nattapong said.

Source: http://www.nationmul...t-30256433.html

-- The Nation 2015-03-20

[Lite Beer]

Prayut turns 61, seeks media support as birthday present
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- AFTER listening to reporters sing 'Happy Birthday' to him yesterday, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha - who turns 61 today - said he would like to have the hearts and support from members of the press as his birthday present. Meanwhile, a Government House journalist wished him success in his work - and a lot of patience in return.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810560-prayut-turns-61-seeks-media-support-as-birthday-present/

[Lite Beer]

VAT to stay at 7percent for now
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Govt to defer hike due in September amid lowering of gdp growth forecast to 3.8 per cent

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810561-vat-to-stay-at-7percent-for-now/

[Lite Beer]

Army chief threatens to sue accusers
TORTURE CLAIMS
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Udomdej says he has to take legal action to defend the army against torture claims

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810562-army-chief-threatens-to-sue-accusers/

[Lite Beer]

UPDATE:

Cooperative told to prepare rehab plan
KESINEE TAENGKHIAO,
PIYANUT TAMNUKASETCHAI
THE NATION


Court open to request from klongchan credit union; agencies ready to help out

BANGKOK: -- THE BANKRUPTCY Court yesterday ordered the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative's board to prepare a rehabilitation plan to manage the company's Bt21.9 billion debt - against Bt19.5 billion in assets - and aid its 56,000 members affected by the Bt16-billion embezzlement case.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810401-court-orders-klongchan-credit-union-enters-rehabilitation-scheme/#entry9211435

[Lite Beer]

Govt eyes extradition of lese majeste suspects
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- JUSTICE Minister General Paiboon Khumchaya says |there are 30 lese majeste suspects living abroad. He |made the remark after chairing a meeting on lese majeste offences.

He said the government, through the Foreign Affairs Ministry, would seek to have the 30 extradited despite the fact some countries they reside are probably reluctant to do so, given the nature of the alleged offence.

The Justice minister said it should be made clear to those countries that lese majeste was not considered a political crime in Thailand but related to national security.

Paiboon believes the crackdown on online lese majeste offenders will become more effective as a new regulation will require smartphone users to register their personal details when receiving a SIM card.

He said the number of websites blocked by the authorities had doubled.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Govt-eyes-extradition-of-lese-majeste-suspects-30256466.html

-- The Nation 2015-03-21

[Lite Beer]

Death sentence for man who had his family killed
Kesinee Taengkhiao
The Nation

Bangkok's Thon Buri Criminal Court yesterday handed down the death sentence to 23-year-old Kittinan Homchong, after finding him guilty of hiring killers to murder his parents and older brother in 2014.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810564-death-sentence-for-man-who-had-his-family-killed/

[Lite Beer]

Ex-princess' family members get five-year jail terms
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THREE relatives of the former Princess Srirasm were given five-and-a-half-year prison terms yesterday for abduction, intimidation and lese majeste - crimes associated with a racketeering gang led by disgraced former crime-buster Pongpat Chayaphan.

Phra Khanong Court initially sentenced each of the three men to 11 years but halved that because they had confessed.

The abduction charge relates to the men seizing a businessman and citing their royal connections to hasten repayment of a debt to a creditor.

The abducted man later handed a sum of money to a woman before filing a complaint with Phra Khanong police, which began an investigation not long after Pongpat was transferred from his role as Central Investigation Bureau commissioner and ultimately jailed.

The three men are former Army major Nuttapol Suwadi and former government officials Narong and Sitthisak Suwadi.

They have been stripped of all rank, had to return their royal decorations and had their royally granted surname revoked. The men have also been charged with other offences, some of which relate to Pongpat's rackets.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Ex-princess-family-members-get-five-year-jail-term-30256464.html

-- The Nation 2015-03-21

[Lite Beer]

Military scrambles to put out fires as burn-offs are banned
THE NATION

CHIANG MAI: -- MORE than 16,000 people in Lampang have undergone treatment for respiratory issues since the smog began affecting the upper North in February, the province's deputy governor said yesterday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810565-military-scrambles-to-put-out-fires-as-burn-offs-are-banned/

[Lite Beer]

Monks close to abbot testify to DSI probe team
The Nation

TWO MONKS close to Wat Dhammakaya abbot Phra Dhammachayo yesterday testified to the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) about money donations they received from Supachai Supa-aksorn, former president of Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative, who was accused of embezzling more than Bt10 billion from the credit union.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810566-monks-close-to-abbot-testify-to-dsi-probe-team/

[Lite Beer]

Thon Buri temple halts renovation plan
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- WAT KALAYANAMIT in Bangkok's Thon Buri district has agreed to postpone its controversial renovation plan pending a ruling by the Administrative Court.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810568-thon-buri-temple-halts-renovation-plan/

[Lite Beer]

NACC wants additional graft charges
NATTAPHAT PROMKAEW
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has set an April deadline for the filing of additional legal complaints with prosecutors against more than 100 companies, alleging corruption related to the rice-pledging scheme.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810569-nacc-wants-additional-graft-charges/

[Lite Beer]

PM vows to uphold democracy, with Thai features
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- PRIME Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha vowed yesterday that he was building democracy for the country - but said it would not be 100 per cent like democracy in Western countries.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810570-pm-vows-to-uphold-democracy-with-thai-features/

[Lite Beer]

Anti-graft body won't be affected by staff changes
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- NATIONAL Anti-Corruption Commission members will stay on until new members are ready to replace them, but spokesman Vicha Mahakhun said the looming changes would have no impact on current anti-graft cases.

There had been calls for outgoing NACC members to stay on for another term in order to finish corruption cases against politicians.

"Even if there is no extension to the commissioners' terms it would not affect the ongoing cases because new NACC members could process these cases," Vicha said.

He said ongoing cases would only end prematurely if the NACC was dissolved.

The NACC spokesman said the commissioners were obliged to continue working until the new members replace them in accordance with Article 12 of the 1999 Constitution bill. Vicha said the current commissioners could still indict someone.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Anti-graft-body-wont-be-affected-by-staff-changes-30256460.html

-- The Nation 2015-03-21

[Lite Beer]

Abhisit and Suthep 'must explain dispersal of red shirts'
The Nation

National Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Parnthep Klanarongrarn has told former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his former deputy Suthep Thaugsuban they must clarify their decision to order the dispersal of red shirt demonstrators in 2010.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810571-abhisit-and-suthep-must-explain-dispersal-of-red-shirts/

[Lite Beer]

Man gets 18 months jail for |graffiti that abused monarchy
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A man who wrote a message defaming the monarchy on a toilet door at a shopping mall was sentenced to one and a half years in prison by the military court yesterday. Opas Chansuksai, 67, was found guilty after he confessed to his crime.

The sentence was reduced by half - from three years to 18 months - because he confessed.

The man was arrested on October 15 last year at Seacon Square shopping mall by security guards, who found him writing the message on a toilet wall. He was earlier fined Bt2,000 by the mall.

Opas told police earlier he was angered by political protests. The case against Opas was heard in the military court and was the first in which reporters and foreign observers were allowed inside the court, although note taking and audio-visual recording were prohibited.

Opas' lawyers' requests for bail were denied four times while he awaited the verdict.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Man-gets-18-months-jail-for-graffiti-that-abused-m-30256462.html

-- The Nation 2015-03-21

[Lite Beer]

EDITORIAL
Martial law not the only problem plaguing our SEZs
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand is struggling to get special economic zones off the ground

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810574-martial-law-not-the-only-problem-plaguing-our-sezs/

[Lite Beer]

Souvenir postage stamps to commemorate Princess Sirindhorn’s fifth cycle to be sold on April 2

BANGKOK: -- Thailand Post is issuing souvenir stamps to commemorate the fifth cycle birthday anniversary of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn which falls on April 2 this year.

The souvenir stamp with the face value of 5 baht portrays the image of the princess along with the ceremonial emblem . The postage stamp is printed with lithography in purple colour.

The souvenir stamp can be scanned through smartphone camera on StampAlive application both on the IOS and Android operation systems and view a two and a half minute video of the auspicious celebration.

The set of this souvenir postage stamp will be sold along with souvenir sheet at 15 baht and 13 baht in envelop.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn was born on 2 April 1955.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/souvenir-postage-stamps-to-commemorate-princess-sirindhorns-fifth-cycle-to-be-sold-on-april-2

-- Thai PBS 2015-03-21

[Lite Beer]

Justice minister urges Yingluck to detail her claim of being denied right to justice

BANGKOK: -- Justice Minister Gen Paiboon Khumchaya called on former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra to detail her claim that she was not given the right to justice process and was not treated fairly.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810577-justice-minister-urges-yingluck-to-detail-her-claim-of-being-denied-right-to-justice/

[Lite Beer]

Thailand-Australia Parliamentarians’ Friendship Group meeting with Australian Ambassador

BANGKOK, 20 March 2015 (NNT) – The chairman of the Thailand-Australia Parliamentarians’ Friendship Group has met with the Australian Ambassador to Thailand and discussed closer ties between the two nations.

Member of the National Legislative Assembly Gen. Marut Patchotasingh, who is the chairman of the Thailand-Australia Parliamentarians’ Friendship Group, on Thursday had a meeting with H.E. Paul Robilliard, during which they discussed several issues related to the longstanding relationship of the two countries.

Topics brought up during the discussion included bilateral trade and the upcoming 10th year anniversary of the signing of the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement which is said to have helped boost trade by 158.75% to date.

Gen. Marut and Mr. Robilliard also touched on the issues of agricultural cooperation and tourism as well as education.

As much as Australian travelers are considered major visitors to Thailand, Australia is also the number-one destination for Thai students to further their education.

And while the government of Australia has been granting scholarships to Thai students each year, it has recently also awarded financial grants to 160 Australian students to study and work in Thailand.

-- NNT 2015-03-20

[Lite Beer]

UPDATE:

Bangkok: - The Thonburi Criminal Court has sentenced the youngest son to death by execution following his conviction for the last year’s murder of his father, mother and older brother.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810564-death-sentence-for-man-who-had-his-family-killed/#entry9211601

[Lite Beer]

Bangkok: – The Bank of Thailand has reduced this year’s projection for economic growth from 4 per cent to 3.8 per cent.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810572-economic-growth-projection-cut-to-38-per-cent/

[Lite Beer]

Bombings in Yemeni mosques kill more than 130
By AHMED AL-HAJ

ADEN, Yemen (AP) — Suicide bombers attacked a pair of mosques Friday in the Yemeni capital, unleashing monstrous blasts that ripped through worshippers and killed 137 people in the deadliest assault yet targeting Shiite rebels who have taken over large parts of the rapidly fragmenting nation. At least 13 children were among the dead.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810580-bombings-in-yemeni-mosques-kill-more-than-130/

[Lite Beer]

Boko Haram attacks Nigerian town, kills 11
HARUNA UMAR, Associated Press

BAUCHI, Nigeria (AP) — Boko Haram extremists have attacked on a Nigerian border town, killing 11 people who had recently come home after military forces ousted the insurgents, witnesses said.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810581-boko-haram-attacks-nigerian-town-kills-11/

[thai tech]

Google abused monopoly and demoted rival shopping sites, FTC report finds



Google has abused its power and monopoly over Internet search by deliberately blacklisting rival shopping sites, according to a leaked report by the US Federal Trade Commission.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/google-abused-monopoly-and-demoted-rival-shopping-sites-ftc-report-finds/7383/

[thai tech]

Baselworld 2015: Traditional watchmakers get serious about smartwatches



This week saw the start of Baselworld 2015, which has so far been dominated by traditional watchmakers offering their versions of smartwatches.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/baselworld-2015-traditional-watchmakers-get-serious-about-smartwatches/7390/

[thai tech]

Can’t remember your password? Here are 2 new ways to log in

SAN JOSE, California (AP) — Tired of trying to remember a different password for each of your online accounts? Or worried about re-using the same password too many times? You’re not alone. Tech experts agree that traditional passwords are annoying, outmoded and too easily hacked.

This week, Yahoo and Microsoft offered up some alternatives: Yahoo says it can text temporary passwords to users’ phones each time they want to sign into their Yahoo accounts.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/cant-remember-your-password-here-are-2-new-ways-to-log-in/7406/

[Lite Beer]

US opens criminal inquiry of resigning Illinois congressman
By JACK GILLUM and STEPHEN BRAUN

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is investigating the congressional expenses and business deals of Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock, and FBI agents have begun issuing subpoenas to witnesses, a person familiar with the case told The Associated Press on Friday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/810588-us-opens-criminal-inquiry-of-resigning-illinois-congressman/