BBC decides not to renew Jeremy Clarkson's contract
DANICA KIRKA, Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The BBC decided Wednesday not to renew the contract of "Top Gear" host Jeremy Clarkson after a fracas with his producer, ending his connection to the immensely popular program built around macho banter, off-colour jokes and cars.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811884-bbc-decides-not-to-renew-jeremy-clarksons-contract/

PM Prayut calls on all agencies to join in celebrating HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s birthday anniversary

BANGKOK, 26 March 2015 (NNT) – The Prime Minister has called on all agencies to take part in the celebration of HRH Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s upcoming birthday anniversary.

M.L.Panadda Diskul, Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office and Apinan Juntarungsri, Director General of the Public Relations Department, on Wednesday chaired a news conference on the presentation of a ceremonial emblem of HRH the Princess’s fifth cycle, or 60th, birthday anniversary which is on April 2, 2015.

The ceremonial emblem was presented to representatives of 88 state agencies, private agencies, foundations, associations and media companies.

M.L. Panadda said that Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is also the leader of the National Council for Peace and Order, had asked all agencies and organizations to celebrate HRH the Princess’s birthday anniversary through exhibitions, events or other activities that allow members of the public to learn more about HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s autobiography, projects and royally-initiated activities.

He also invited the people of Thailand to decorate their premises with flags carrying the ceremonial emblem and to don purple shirts that bear the ceremonial emblem, throughout the month of April.


-- NNT 2015-03-26

UPDATE:

Prayut may get smile from Thaksin at Lee funeral
THE NATION


Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra signs a message of condolence at the Singapore Embassy in Bangkok yesterday at the passing away of former Singaporean prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.

BANGKOK: -- FORMER PRIME minister Thaksin Shinawatra will at least greet Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha with a smile if their paths should cross in Singapore on Sunday at the state funeral of Lee Kuan Yew, a former Pheu Thai MP said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811814-thaksin-may-greet-prayut-with-smile-if-they-meet-in-singapore/page-3?p=9230895#entry9230895

UPDATE:

PM fumes over report on trawlers
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday warned a journalist from Channel 3 to speak to officials before spreading news about Thais forced to work on trawlers near Indonesia to avoid damaging exports of Thai marine products to the West.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811798-pm-prayut-warns-media-to-toe-the-line-or-face-consequences/page-3?p=9230900#entry9230900

UPDATE:

'I'm not an angel to predict weather'
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- Bangkok governor takes the blame for Tuesday's flash floods; PM had warned two weeks ago about approaching tropical storm

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811801-bangkok-governor-admits-mistakes-in-flood-management/#entry9230904

Hired gunman who killed monk held
THE NATION


Panja Chareesaen , the alleged gunman involved in the murder of revered monk Phra Bundit Supanditto, is escorted from an aircraft after a flight from Kalasin province where he was arrested, to a press conference at the police headquarters in central Bangk

BANGKOK: -- POLICE have arrested a janitor who allegedly was hired to kill the revered monk from Udon Thani who was found shot dead this month. They also named a junior policeman as an accomplice on the run.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811941-hired-gunman-who-killed-thai-monk-held/

Thon offers solutions for parks
PRATCH RUJIVANAROM
THE NATION


Phi Phi Le Island

Expert: Tourism is running marine life

BANGKOK: -- A National Reform Council (NRC) member has offered five proposals to improve marine national parks, including the establishment of a Marine National Park Bureau and the setting up of a committee on marine national park strategies.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811942-thon-offers-solutions-for-thailands-marine-national-parks/

Narongchai rules out cut in energy prices
PICHAYA CHANGSORN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- ENERGY MINISTER Narongchai Akrasanee yesterday dismissed calls for the government to cut energy prices to help fire up the flagging economy.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811943-thai-energy-minister-narongchai-rules-out-cut-in-energy-prices/

EDITORIAL
Bangkok dammed by garbage
The Nation

With the rainy season only weeks away, we need to take action now to prevent flooding

BANGKOK: -- Officials have blamed waterborne garbage for the floods that swamped areas of Bangkok following a freak summer storm on Tuesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811944-bangkok-dammed-by-garbage/

Third auction of former CIB chief’s confiscated assets nets only four million baht

The Anti-Money Laundering Office held the third day of the second public auction of the confiscated assets of the former commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) today but attracted less bidders.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811946-third-auction-of-former-cib-chiefs-confiscated-assets-nets-only-4-million-baht/

Nine judges selected to handle Boonsong rice case



BANGKOK: -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday selected nine judges to form a panel to handle the government-to-government rice sales corruption case against former commerce minister BoonsongTeriyapirom and 20 others.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811947-nine-judges-selected-to-handle-boonsong-rice-case/

Bangkok named 18th among 25 world’s top destinations for travelers



BANGKOK: -- Leading travel website TripAdvisor released its 2015 Travelers’ Choice awards for Destinations naming Marrakech as the world’s number one destination for travelers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811948-bangkok-named-18th-among-25-worlds-top-destinations-for-travelers/

UPDATE:

Prayut blows his stack at media again
The Nation

THROWS A DOCUMENT DURING A PRESS |CONFERENCE IN A FIT OF RAGE; VOWS TO GET TOUGHER WITH JOURNOS

BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha erupted again with anger yesterday and threw a document at reporters during a press conference at an Air Force airfield.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811798-pm-prayut-warns-media-to-toe-the-line-or-face-consequences/page-3?p=9230973#entry9230973

UPDATE:

NHRC official fails to visit grenade attack suspects
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE NATIONAL Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday was barred from visiting bomb suspects in prison who claimed they had been tortured while in Army custody. The alleged victims had been charged with launching a hand-grenade attack in front of the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road earlier this month.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811879-human-rights-officials-barred-from-visiting-alleged-torture-victims-in-prison/#entry9230982

Tourism worries over Krabi coal plant
The Nation

KRABI: -- Local tourist business operators yesterday objected to a plan to build an 870-megawatt lignite-powered electricity-generating plant in Krabi's Nuea Khlong district.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811949-tourism-worries-over-krabi-coal-plant/

SRT pays Bt8.5m to rape victim's family
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has paid out Bt8.5 million in compensation to the mother of 13-year-old girl who was raped and killed on an overnight train in Prachuap Khiri Khan province last year. The girl's family had asked for Bt15 million, but agreed to the SRT settlement of Bt8.5 million, it was reported on Tuesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811950-state-railway-of-thailand-pays-bt85m-to-rape-victims-family/

As Ruble Plunges, So Does Russian Tourism In Thailand
Susan Cunningham

The Russians are leaving! The Russians are leaving!

(FORBES) I was in the process of writing about the drop in Russian visitors to Thailand and the region as the result the devaluation of the ruble. Now it turns out that the plunge in January was more drastic than forecast, as the Bangkok Post reported March 20.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811952-as-ruble-plunges-so-does-russian-tourism-in-thailand/

Military: Bergdahl may face life in prison if convicted
By ALLEN G. BREED and LOLITA C. BALDOR

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who abandoned his post in Afghanistan and was held captive for five years by the Taliban, was charged Wednesday by the U.S. military with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy and could get life in prison if convicted.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811953-us-military-bergdahl-may-face-life-in-prison-if-convicted/

Preparing for 2016 campaign, Hillary Clinton embracing Obama
By JULIE PACE and KEN THOMAS

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rather than keeping him at arm's length, Hillary Rodham Clinton is embracing President Barack Obama — sometimes even literally.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811955-preparing-for-2016-campaign-hillary-clinton-embracing-obama/

WASHINGTON (AP) - Saudi ambassador: Saudi Arabia has begun military operations in Yemen.

Woman who had baby cut from belly released from hospital

LONGMONT, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado woman whose unborn baby was cut from her womb by a stranger with a kitchen knife has been released from a hospital a week after the gruesome attack.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811956-woman-who-had-baby-cut-from-belly-released-from-us-hospital/

France gets audio from jet's black box, but cause a mystery
By GREG KELLER and ELAINE GANLEY

SEYNE-LES-ALPES, France (AP) — The last communication from a doomed German jetliner was routine. The mangled black box has yielded sounds and voices, the lead investigator said Wednesday, but so far not the "slightest explanation" why the plane plunged into an Alpine mountainside, killing all 150 on board.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811957-germanwings-flight-9525-france-gets-audio-from-jets-black-box-but-cause-a-mystery/

Intel Corporation to Help Thailand's ‘Digital Economy’ Plan

Intel Headquarters in Silicon Valley, California

After seeing success in India, Intel Corporation hopes to aid in Thailand’s ‘digital economy’ plan. The company will use its knowledge and technologies to improve digital literacy.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811958-intel-corporation-to-help-thailands-digital-economy-plan/

Spanish, German towns tied together in plane crash tragedy
By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER

HALTERN, Germany (AP) — They were supposed to be the lucky ones — the 14 girls and two boys chosen by a lottery from dozens of 10th graders in their high school to go on a weeklong exchange program in Spain.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811960-spanish-german-towns-tied-together-in-plane-crash-tragedy/

New Border Health Clinics Will Reduce Patient Flow into Thailand

Thailand’s Public Health Ministry is planning to build health clinics along the borders of three neighboring countries. The goal is to reduce the number of patients entering the country to receive medical treatment they’re unable to pay for.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811959-new-border-health-clinics-will-reduce-patient-flow-into-thailand/

Thai Athletes Practice for the Olympics in Hokkaido

Three young Thai athletes are hoping to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea. The Thais are practicing cross-country skiing in Higashikawa, a town in Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811961-thai-athletes-practice-for-the-olympics-in-hokkaido/

Exports dropped almost five per cent in two months

Bangkok: – The Commerce Ministry has adjusted the economic report, conceding to the contraction of exports for two consecutive months due to the slowing down of the world economy.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811963-exports-dropped-almost-five-per-cent-in-two-months/

CentralWorld says completely naked model just illusion

Bangkok:- CentralWorld has issued a statement to explain that one of male models in the Central World Naked Summer 2015 fashion show was not completely naked.

The event held at 7:15pm Tuesday became a talk of town and caused uproar among Thai online users.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811981-centralworld-says-completely-naked-model-just-illusion/

I'm innocent and afraid, says So. Fla. man fighting extradition to Thailand in kidnap case
By Paula McMahon

PALM BEACH: -- Fighting extradition to a foreign country where he fears he could be tortured and executed without a fair trial, a South Florida man told a federal judge Wednesday that he is innocent and very scared.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/811991-im-innocent-and-afraid-says-us-man-fighting-extradition-to-thailand-in-kidnap-case/

Suvarnabhumi airport will charge passengers leaving Thailand 35 baht more for their tickets as the cost of checking travellers' personal and criminal records.

/Bangkok Post