Songkhla shrouded by Sumatra smog

SONGKHLA, 29 June 2015 (NNT) – Smog from wildfires on Sumatra Island and eruption of Mount Sinabung volcano in Indonesia continues to shroud the lower South, with Songkhla province being noticeably affected.

The smog has spread throughout the southern province of Songkhla. The haze, which blanketed the Gulf of Thailand and Songkhla Lake, prompted fishermen and seafarers to exercise extreme caution.

At the well-known Samila beach, the Rat and Cat landmark was enveloped by the smoke. In downtown area, dust particles also gripped all parts of the city, causing visibility problems among residents and motorists.

The air quality in Songkhla province remains at a moderate level. The current particulate matter is recorded at 43-66 micrograms per cubic meter, which is still far below the alarming level of 121 micrograms per cubic meter.


-- NNT 2015-06-29

SURVEY

Should The Thai government allow for legally operated Casinos?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836496-survey-should-the-thai-government-allow-for-legally-operated-casinos/

UPDATE:

Mystery Surrounds death of Russian in South Pattaya

PATTAYA: -- A 39 year old Russian died from injuries sustained in an apparent assault which occurred on Friday, although the details of the attack remain a mystery for now.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836217-russian-man-found-mortally-beaten-in-pattaya-hotel/page-2?p=9563675#entry9563675

Foreign Worker 'Protector' arrested by Pattaya Police



PATTAYA: -- On Friday Night Pattaya Police arrested a 28 year old Thai man who was allegedly extorting money from foreign workers in exchange for protection by the Police, even though the man is not a Police Officer and has no connections with the Police.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836517-foreign-worker-protector-arrested-by-pattaya-police/

Hotel Handyman killed in South Pattaya Road Crash



PATTAYA: -- A Hotel Handyman, who was on his way to work, was killed in an early morning road crash on Saturday Morning.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836518-hotel-handyman-killed-in-south-pattaya-road-crash/

COURT
'AOT can ask court to order PAD to pay'
The Nation

Compensation hinges on final ruling

BANGKOK: -- AIRPORTS of Thailand (AOT) can ask the court to order the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) to pay damages for its illegal occupation of two Bangkok airports in 2008, according to Jesada Anucharee, a lawyer at the Lawyers Council of Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836519-illegal-occupation-airports-of-thailand-can-ask-court-to-order-pad-to-pay/

DROUGHT
As their fields dry up, farmers face the threat of financial ruin
Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation
Pathum Thani


Despite the ongoing rainy season,drought is so serious that a resident can easlly walk across the dry Ping River in Kamphaneng Phet's Muang district yesterday.

BANGKOK: -- TO RICE FARMERS, ongoing drought is an imminent financial crisis. Their paddy fields remain parched this year as authorities warn locals against sowing seeds or planting seedlings on their farmland.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836520-as-their-fields-dry-up-thai-farmers-face-the-threat-of-financial-ruin/

ANTI-COUP CAMPAIGN
Probe into students' 'backers'
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Police investigating 'figures' behind students; businessman seen at same police station denies being their puppetmaster

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836521-anti-coup-campaign-probe-into-students-backers/

40TH ANNIVERSARY
How Sino-Thai relations were sparked off 40 years ago
Supalak Ganjanakhundee,
Wiraj Sripong
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Early one morning in July 1971, United States Ambassador to Thailand Leonard Unger invited a group of Thais, including a young Foreign Ministry official called Tej Bunnaj, to a working breakfast with then-National Security Council chief Henry Kissinger. The topic of discussion was "how to end the Vietnam War".

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836522-40th-anniversary-how-sino-thai-relations-were-sparked-off-40-years-ago/

China's influence over Thailand and Asean to keep growing, experts say
SOMLUCK SRIMALEE,
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE Thailand-China relationship over the next decades will become closer in every way, including trade, investment, tourism and services based on mutual benefit, while China will also play a more significant role throughout the Asean region as a key economic supporter, observers say.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836523-chinas-influence-over-thailand-and-asean-to-keep-growing-experts-say/

Tourism to hit the skids if it can't overcome crises
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- TOURISM stands to be the big loser if the country cannot overcome the aviation safety crisis and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak ahead of the high season, industry leaders said last week.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836524-thai-tourism-to-hit-the-skids-if-it-cant-overcome-crises/

Drought sees more farmers taking out insurance
SUCHEERA PINIJPARAKARN
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- THE ONGOING severe drought has encouraged more rice farmers to buy main-crop insurance, as they are now increasingly aware that coverage helps hedge against harvest failure caused by natural disaster and that they can claim if their plants are damaged.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836525-drought-sees-more-thai-farmers-taking-out-insurance/

REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE
The NCPO-media BLAMING GAME MUST STOP

BANGKOK: -- The most damaging development in the past year has been the worsening relations between the current power wielders and Thai media.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836526-the-ncpo-media-blaming-game-must-stop/

UK weather: Scotland could be hotter than Thailand this week as heatwave brings record temperatures
BY JONATHAN SYMCOX , ALISTAIR GRANT

The predicted temperatures are so high they are "off the scale" of computer forecast models - and could kill scores of people

LONDON: -- Experts fear scores of people could die in Scotland this week as an African heatwave sends temperatures soaring.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836527-scotland-could-be-hotter-than-thailand-this-week-as-heatwave-brings-record-temperatures/

Omani man's body cleared of MERS except in urine



BANGKOK: -- The 75-yeaqr old Omani man who has been treated with MERS since his arrival in Thailand two weeks ago has been cleared of the virus in his body except in his urine.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836528-omani-mans-body-cleared-of-mers-except-in-urine/

Police net more than B40,000 in Kathu card game gambling raid after commuters complain



PHUKET: -- Kathu police have summonsed 13 Phuket residents and seized more than B40,000 in cash and card game gambling paraphernalia from a raid at a Kathu town house yesterday evening (June 27).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836529-police-net-more-than-b40000-in-kathu-card-game-gambling-raid-after-commuters-complain/

Officials on the 'graveyard' shift
Piyaporn Wongruang
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- It was not yet 4.30pm, the time when government offices close, but the old four-storey Civil Servants Office Building was already silent, especially the second and third floors.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836530-thai-officials-on-the-graveyard-shift/

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
All the pieces coming together to seriously fight corruption, PACC chief says
Piyaporn Wongruang
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- ROOTING OUT corruption is among the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)'s priorities. Shortly after the coup, the NCPO issued order No. 69 to line up measures against corruption and aim them at corrupt civil servants and government officers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836531-all-the-pieces-coming-together-to-seriously-fight-corruption-pacc-chief-says/

After nearly a half century, Heathrow closes terminal

LONDON: -- At the time of its opening in 1968, Terminal 1 at Heathrow was the largest airport terminal in Europe. But now, after 27 years of welcoming tourists and seeing travelers off, Terminal 1 will close its doors.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836532-after-nearly-a-half-century-heathrow-closes-terminal/

Tap-water services hit by drought
The Nation



Ten provincial water outlets plus branches in east Bangkok affected

BANGKOK: -- ONGOING drought is threatening the delivery of tap-water services with impacts felt in both urban and rural zones.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836533-bangkoks-tap-water-services-hit-by-drought/

Greece imposes capital controls, banks to remain shut
ELENA BECATOROS, Associated Press
DEMETRIS NELLAS, Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's five-year financial crisis took its most dramatic turn to date Sunday, with the prime minister announcing Greek banks would remain shut indefinitely and restrictions would be imposed on cash withdrawals.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836534-greece-imposes-capital-controls-banks-to-remain-shut/

SpaceX rocket destroyed on way to space station, cargo lost
By MARCIA DUNN

CAPE CANAVERAL: -- An unmanned SpaceX rocket carrying supplies to the International Space Station broke apart Sunday shortly after liftoff. It was a severe blow to NASA, the third cargo mission to fail in eight months.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836535-spacex-rocket-destroyed-on-way-to-space-station-cargo-lost/

2nd escaped murderer is shot, captured after other killed
By MICHAEL BALSAMO

MALONE, N.Y. (AP) — The second of two convicted murderers who staged a brazen escape three weeks ago from a maximum-security prison in northern New York was shot and captured near the Canadian border on Sunday, two days after his fellow inmate was killed in a confrontation with law enforcement, authorities said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836536-second-new-york-prison-escapee-shot-captured/

Tunisia launches nationwide manhunt for attack accomplices
By ELAINE GANLEY

SOUSSE, Tunisia (AP) — The student who massacred holidaymakers on a Tunisian beach and at a swank resort hotel acted alone during the attack but had accomplices who supported him beforehand, an Interior Ministry official said Sunday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836537-tunisia-launches-nationwide-manhunt-for-attack-accomplices/

Nuke talks to miss target; Iran foreign minister heads home
By GEORGE JAHN

VIENNA (AP) — A senior U.S. official acknowledged Sunday that Iran nuclear talks will go past their June 30 target date, as Iran's foreign minister prepared to head home for consultations before returning to push for a breakthrough.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836539-nuke-talks-to-miss-target;-iran-foreign-minister-heads-home/

Bush: New gun limits not way to prevent shooting tragedies
By KIMBERLY PIERCEALL

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — New gun control measures are not the way to prevent mass killings such as the shooting deaths of nine people in a South Carolina church, Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush said Saturday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836540-bush-new-gun-limits-not-way-to-prevent-shooting-tragedies/

Solar Impulse plane departs Japan, headed for Hawaii

TOKYO (AP) — A solar-powered plane attempting to circumnavigate the globe without fuel took off from Japan early Monday after an unscheduled, month-long stop.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836542-solar-impulse-takes-off-on-delayed-pacific-flight/

Chris Squire, bassist of progressive rock band Yes, dies
MESFIN FEKADU, AP Music Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Squire, the bassist and co-founder of the progressive rock band Yes who recently announced he had leukemia, has died, according to a statement from his band members on Sunday. He was 67.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836547-chris-squire-bassist-of-progressive-rock-band-yes-dies/

Myanmar minimum wage likely to be set at $2.86-$3.58

The country's minimum wage will be declared by the end of this month, likely to be set in a range of Ks3,200-Ks4,000 per day or approximately US$2.86-$3.58.

Source: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836553-myanmar-minimum-wage-likely-to-be-set-at-286-358/

US companies engage Myanmar on reforms, capacity and infrastructure

American companies have shown their support to Myanmar's reform efforts and proposed engagement in capacity and infrastructure development.

This message was relayed by 15 leading companies during a meeting with Myanmar leaders in Nay Pyi Taw last week. The meeting was arranged by the US-Asean Business Council and included AIG, Archer Daniels Midland, Baker & McKenzie, Baxter, Chevron, Citi, Coca-Cola, Deloitte Touche, Ford, GE, Intel, Jhpiego, PwC, Time Warner and Visa. Some of the companies already have a significant presence in Myanmar, including Chevron, Coca-Cola, PwC and Deloitte Touche.

Source: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836558-us-companies-engage-myanmar-on-reforms-capacity-and-infrastructure/