Bangkok:- Songkran celebrations start early on Bangkok’s Silom Road with huge crowds of revelers turning up to splash water and indulge in the festive mood since Sunday afternoon.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816815-songkran-celebrations-on-silom-start/

Safety concerns have caused a major shift among Thai Airlines. Officials have been working diligently to get all aircraft up to code so that the country’s plans can remain operational. China has affirmed that they will not ban Thai Airlines over aviation safety concerns.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816813-china-insists-they-wont-ban-thai-airlines/

Thai fishermen return home after being held in slave-like conditions off the coast of Indonesia. The 68 stranded fishermen that fled have now returned home to Thailand and arrived at Don Mueang airport thanks to the assistance of Thailand’s Air Force.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816818-thailands-air-force-rescues-68-stranded-fishermen/

Thailand authorities have been trying to boost the country’s economy. One major concern is that Thailand has a massive amount of household debt that will reduce private consumption in the coming year.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816817-household-debt-remains-a-big-concern-in-thailand/

More than 700 Burmese refugees were left homeless after a fire broke out on April 7 in the Ban Mae Nai Soi camp. The International Rescue Committee is helping the camp in northern Thailand after the fire destroyed nearly 200 homes, a school and IRC health training facilities.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816808-700-refugees-left-homeless-after-fire-breaks-out-in-ban-mae-nai-soi/

The PACC (Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission) is seeking S44 action against 100 allegedly corrupt officials. The Commission submitted the names of the suspected individuals to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Friday.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816816-pacc-looking-to-take-action-against-100-corrupt-civil-servants/

MRT invites Buddhists to ride subway to visit temples during Songkran

BANGKOK: -- The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand has invited Buddhists to ride its subway to visit temples along the route to pour water on Buddha images and make merit as part of the traditional Songkran celebration.

The MRT lists nine stations that commuters can exit to visit nearby temples. They are Hua Lampong, Lard Prao, Silom, Phaholyothin, Sukhumvit, Chatuchak, Rama IX, Bang Sue and National Culture Centre stations.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/MRT-invites-Buddhists-to-ride-subway-to-visit-temp-30257925.html

-- The Nation 2015-04-12

RT @RichardBarrow: Dear Tourism Minister @kobkarnofficial, please do something to stop these men telling tourists Grand Palace is closed http://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/587112104575963136/photo/1

Songkran road toll rises to 121

BANGKOK: -- The first three of seven days for monitoring road accidents during the long Songkran holidays saw 1,215 accidents occur, killing 121 people and injuring 1,281 others.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816751-deaths-injuries-down-on-day-2/#entry9296943

Govt agencies ordered to ensure no passengers stranded

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed government agencies concerned to ensure that no passengers will be left stranded at bus terminals or railway stations during the Songkran holidays, Deputy Government Spokesman Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Sunday.

The agencies must somehow manage to transport all stranded passengers to their home provinces, Sansern added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Govt-agencies-ordered-to-ensure-no-passengers-stra-30257927.html

-- The Nation 2015-04-12

TAT Confirmed Songkarn Festival in Samui is Not Cancelled

KOH SAMUI: -- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) confirmed that the Songkarn Festival in Koh Samui “COCO SONGKRAN @ KOH SAMUI 2015″ is still on despite the bomb incident at the Samui Central Festival Mall’s parking lot and a fire at CO-OP, Surat Thani last night.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816844-tat-confirmed-songkran-festival-in-samui-is-not-cancelled/

RT @RichardBarrow: Floats in the #Songkran Parade have arrived at Santichai Prakan Park. Next Wat Chana Songkhram 3pm & Sanam Luang 4pm http://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/587147210384547840/photo/1

Nakhon Sawan:- A pick-up truck crashed into an air-conditioned bus that was transporting foreign tourists from Chiang Mai to Chainat at an intersection in Nakhon Sawan early Sunday. Four Thais in the truck were killed while four foreign tourists were slightly injured, police said.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816855-four-foreign-tourists-injured-4-thais-killed-in-crash/

Songkran procession carries Phra Phuttha Sihing for people to pay respect

BANGKOK, 12 April 2015 (NNT) – The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has organized a ceremony to place Phra Phuttha Sihing at a ceremonial site at Sanam Luang as part of Songkran celebrations in the capital city this year.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816859-songkran-procession-carries-phra-phuttha-sihing-for-people-to-pay-respect/

Over 559,000 passengers transported by Transport Co so far

BANGKOK: -- The Transport Co Ltd announced Sunday that its buses and buses of its concessionaires transported 204,823 people in 8,153 trips on Saturday.

From Thursday to Saturday, buses of the company and its concessionaires have transported 559,147 passengers in 23,4004 trips. No passengers were left stranded, it added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Over-559000-passengers-transported-by-Transport-Co-30257928.html

-- The Nation 2015-04-12

Pope uses word 'genocide' to describe Armenian killings

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - Pope Francis used the word "genocide" on Sunday to describe the mass murder of Armenians in a move likely to severely strain diplomatic ties with Turkey.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816861-pope-uses-word-genocide-to-describe-armenian-killings/

Officers summon Facebook user allegedly linked to Samui bombing

BANGKOK, 12 April 2015 (NNT) – Security officers have exercised powers under Section 44 to summon the person whose Facebook post suggested that there would be a violent incident in Samui, Surat Thani. The island was rocked by a car bomb explosion on Saturday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816869-officers-summon-facebook-user-allegedly-linked-to-samui-bombing/

Poll: Elderly find Thai society less liveable

BANGKOK, 12 April 2015 (NNT) – A recent survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University has found that Thai senior citizens are unhappy with Thai society due mainly to a moral decline and economic woes.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816872-poll-elderly-find-thai-society-less-liveable/

RT @RichardBarrow: Bangkok Governor has officially turned on the 80 meter long water tunnel on Silom Road #Songkran - RT @pr_bangkok: http://twitter.com/pr_bangkok/status/587153893814960128/photo/1

UPDATE:

Police say shopping mall’s car bomb similar to the type used in Deep South

KOH SAMUI: -- The car bomb which exploded at the Central Festival shopping mall in Samui on Friday night April 10 was the same type of improvised explosive device (IED) widely used by suspected militants in the restive Deep South, said deputy national police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaichinda, today.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816869-officers-summon-facebook-user-allegedly-linked-to-samui-bombing/#entry9297515

Suphan Buri:- A Briton crashed his car against a motorcycle, killing the Thai rider, while he and his Thai wife were returning to Bangkok from making a Sonkran merit in Suphan Buri, police said.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816888-briton-allegedly-hits-and-kills-thai-motorcyclist/

to continue:

Thailand Live Monday 13 Apr 2015

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/816975-thailand-live-monday-13-apr-2015/