Thailand Live Wednesday 20 May 2015

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US looking into whether hostage was kept by IS leader
By LOLITA C. BALDOR and KEN DILANIAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. intelligence agencies are investigating the possibility that the Islamic State militant leader killed Friday was the captor of American hostage Kayla Mueller for a time.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826535-us-looking-into-whether-hostage-was-kept-by-is-leader/

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Motorcycle gang shootout started with parking dispute
By EMILY SCHMALL

WACO, Texas (AP) — A deadly weekend shootout involving rival motorcycle gangs apparently began with a parking dispute and someone running over a gang member's foot, police said Tuesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826537-motorcycle-gang-shootout-in-waco-texas-started-with-parking-dispute/

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House bill would cap expenses for ex-presidents
By MATTHEW DALY

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and other former presidents who earn lucrative speaking fees and draw other income would no longer be able to count on taxpayer dollars to pay for their post-White House office space and staff under a bill in the House.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826538-us-house-bill-would-cap-expenses-for-ex-presidents/

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67-year-old woman raped in broad daylight

Buri Ram: - A 67-year-old woman told police that she was raped by a young man in her own rice field in broad daylight.

The woman, whose name was withheld, has filed complaint with Prayoon Wisetphan, the leader of Tambon Phochai in Buri Ram’s Nong Ki district, that she was raped Monday morning at knife point.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826462-67-year-old-woman-raped-in-broad-daylight/

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UK police arrest 7 in major jewel heist case
GREGORY KATZ, Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — More than 200 British police swooped down on suspected jewel thieves Tuesday, making arrests in the notorious Hatton Garden heist that took place in London over the Easter weekend.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826542-uk-police-arrest-7-in-major-jewel-heist-case/

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - UN chief says N. Korea has withdrawn its decision to let him visit factory park in the country.

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LANGSA, Indonesia (AP) - More than 100 migrants have been rescued and taken to Indonesia after 4 months at sea.

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Tesco Lotus helping shore up prices of fruit by purchasing directly from cooperatives

BANGKOK, 20 May 2015 (NNT) – The Ministry of Commerce is collaborating with grocery and merchandise retailer giant Tesco Lotus in preventing low fruit prices, by having the latter buy fruit directly from farmers' cooperatives for its stores.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826563-tesco-lotus-helping-shore-up-prices-of-fruit-by-purchasing-directly-from-cooperatives/

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Commerce Ministry to propose buying oil palm at 4.20 baht a kilo

BANGKOK, 20 May 2015 (NNT) - The Ministry of Commerce will propose to the National Palm Oil Policy Committee today to regulate the price of palm fruit with 17 percent oil content, to be sold to refineries and middlemen at 4.20 baht a kilogram.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826565-thai-commerce-ministry-to-propose-buying-oil-palm-at-420-baht-a-kilo/

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Gen. Chatchai instructs officials to watch out for agro-products oversupply problems



BANGKOK, 20 May 2015, (NNT) - The Ministry of Commerce has instructed provincial commerce offices nationwide to be on the lookout for agricultural products oversupply problems.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826572-thai-commerce-min-instructs-officials-to-watch-out-for-agro-products-oversupply-problems/

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Australian livestock killed with sledgehammers in Vietnam

AFP

SYDNEY: -- Australian officials on Wednesday said images of livestock shipped to Vietnam being killed with sledgehammers was "disgusting" but insisted there will be no knee-jerk reaction to ban the lucrative trade.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826574-australian-livestock-killed-with-sledgehammers-in-vietnam/

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Nine industrial zones to be made ecological friendly

BANGKOK, 20 May 2015 (NNT) - The Department of Industrial Works (DIW) and IRPC Industrial zone in Rayong will join hands in developing the latter into an eco-industrial complex. The development will use the eco-industrial city of Japan, Kitakyushu, as its model.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826575-nine-industrial-zones-in-thailand-to-be-made-ecological-friendly/

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SET up 2.87 points at opening /Bangkok Post

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2.3-magnitude quake happens in Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI: -- A quake of 2.3 magnitude happened in Chiang Rai's Mae Lao district at 7.26 am Wednesday, the Seismology Bureau of the Meteorological Department announced.

The bureau said the quake's epicenter was 4 kilometres under the earth's surface. No damage was reported.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/2-3-magnitude-quake-happens-in-Chiang-Rai-30260513.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-20

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At Least 60,000 Shiites Protecting Baghdad Against ISIL

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Up to 60,000 Shiite militiamen are deployed in the Iraqi capital to protect the city from ISIL, as the extremists are stepping up their offensive, the Erbil-based Rudaw reports.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826579-at-least-60000-shiites-protecting-baghdad-against-is/

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NLA vice president: 60 days enough to campaign for draft charter awareness ahead of referendum

BANGKOK, 20 May 2015 (NNT) – Sixty days should be enough time for awareness of the draft charter to be raised in preparing the public for a referendum on the draft, according to National Legislative Assembly (NLA) vice president Surachai Liengboonlertchai.

Mr. Surachai on Tuesday expressed his belief that 60 days of campaigning to create public awareness of the draft would prove sufficient, if a referendum on the charter draft is to be called. He noted, however, that a longer time frame may also be allocated, if the Constitution Drafting Committee deemed it as appropriate for covering the vast amount of details in the draft.

Mr. Surachai also spoke of the deliberation session for the fiscal year 2016 budget bill, which will take place on Thursday (May 21), during which Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will report the details of the budget bill to the National Legislative Assembly. The session will be televised live through the Parliament TV channel and NBT Channel.


-- NNT 2015-05-20

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UN chief says North Korea cancels invitation to visit
HYUNG-JIN KIM, Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that North Korea had cancelled an invitation for him to visit a factory park in the country that represents the last major cooperation project between the rival Koreas.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826585-un-chief-ban-ki-moon-says-north-korea-cancels-invitation-to-visit/

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DITP hoping global rice traders will have more confidence in Thai rice

BANGKOK, 20 May 2015 (NNT)-The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) has expressed its confidence that the 7th Thailand Rice Convention 2015 will raise foreign importers’ confidence in the quality of Thai rice.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826588-ditp-hoping-global-rice-traders-will-have-more-confidence-in-thai-rice/

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BOT is confident Q2 economy would perform better

BANGKOK, 20 May 2015 (NNT) - Governor of the central bank Prasan Trairatworakul is confident that the nation’s economy during the 2nd quarter will recover, and the prospect will be presented to a Monetary Policy Committee meeting next month to see if the national monetary policy could be eased.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826589-bank-of-thailand-is-confident-q2-economy-would-perform-better/

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Authorities warn business operators on Ao Nang beach of legal action for beach pollution

KRABI: -- Krabi authorities yesterday inspected Ao Nang beach in the Phi Phi Island marine national park following complaints from tourism association of waste water pollution that has threatened tourism and scared away quality tourists from Scandinavian countries.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826590-authorities-warn-business-operators-on-ao-nang-beach-of-legal-action-for-beach-pollution/

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Man robs two 7-Elevens in Ramkhamhaeng
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- An unidentified moto-riding bandit got away with robbing two 7-Eleven stores and a gas station mini-mart this morning in the Ramkhamhaeng area.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826612-man-robs-two-7-elevens-in-bangkok/

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KBank first to cut lending rates
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Kasikornbank takes the lead in cutting lending rates, with its chief executive officer urging other banks to join hands in reviving the economy.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826620-kbank-first-to-cut-lending-rates/

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Special law to tackle Bt700 bn public debt
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Public Debt Management Office (PDMO) proposes a special law to handle the government debt owing to four state agencies worth totally Bt700 billion.

Thirat Atanavanich, the deputy director general of the office, said the draft law will soon be submitted to Finance Minister Sommai Phasee and Deputy Prime Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula.

The draft law will specify that the debt must be repaid in 20 years.

The four state agencies involved are Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives which handles the rice-pledging scheme; the State Railway of Thailand; the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority; and the Social Security Office. The government has not yet made full contribution to the Social Security Fund.

Thirat said that the law also specifies that SRT and BMTA must restructure their businesses as outlined by the Superboard. They are barred from building new loans.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Special-law-to-tackle-Bt700-bn-public-debt-30260515.html

-- The Nation 2015-05-20

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RT@MiltonSau: BREAKING: Malaysia, Indonesia agree to offer humanitarian assistance to migrants at sea and repatriate them with international help

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2.3-magnitude quake happens in Chiang Rai

A quake of 2.3 magnitude happened in Chiang Rai's Mae Lao district at 7.26 am Wednesday, the Seismology Bureau of the Meteorological Department announced.

The bureau said the quake's epicenter was 4 kilometres under the earth's surface. No damage was reported.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/2-3-magnitude-quake-happens-in-Chiang-Rai-30260513.html

-- The Nation 2015-05-20

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SET down 3.40 to 1,522.56 at midday /Bangkok Post.

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Thailand ranks 6th in Asian Internet speeds



Internet company Ookla has just published its results for the rankings of Asian countries in terms of Internet speeds, and the results are quite revealing. Thailand actually ranks 6th in the region with an average of 18.9 Mbps, far ahead of Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia, but outclassed by countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Taiwan.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/thailand-internet-speeds-asia/10942/

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Tsunami evacuation drill starts in Phuket



PHUKET: -- Phuket is now launching a full-scale tsunami evacuation drill starting first at Laem Tuk Kae and Koh Sireh villages before extending to cover all 19 villages around the tsunami warning tower.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826615-tsunami-evacuation-drill-starts-in-phuket/

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No Deal: 'Kra Canal' remains a pipe-dream for now
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- Word of a sudden Thai-Chinese deal to cut a shipping channel across the south Thailand evaporated quickly today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826629-no-deal-kra-canal-remains-a-pipe-dream-for-now/

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Rohingya Are Illegal Migrants, Not Refugees: Thai Army Chief
By Khaosod English


Security officers patrol the coast off Ranong province to look for any Rohingya refugee boats, 20 May 2015.

BANGKOK — Thailand’s Army Chief said today that Rohingya migrants fleeing persecution in Myanmar do not qualify for refugee status in Thailand, and will be treated as illegal migrants.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/826630-rohingya-are-illegal-migrants-not-refugees-thai-army-chief/