Thailand Live Tuesday 30 Jun 2015

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Rainmaking in three eastern provinces gives satisfactory results



SA KAEO, 30 June 2015 (NNT) – The Royal Rainmaking Operations Center in the eastern province of Sa Kaeo said its operations covering Sa Kaeo, Prachinburi and Chanthaburi provinces from 1 -25 June 2015 were a success.

Director of the Sa Kaeo Center Suraphan Suwanpaiboon said the center used its base at Wattana Aviatiom Base 206 located in Wattana Nakhon District, to launch the operations following requests for assistance from villagers in the three provinces. The operations will continue until the end of October.

According to the 2015 water situation report of Sa Kaeo’s Provincial Irrigation Office, the province has a total of fifteen dams. The combined volume of water in the dams is currently close to 60 million cubic meters, or 29 per cent of the full capacity of these dams.

Since the beginning of the planting season in May, the office has been on standby to distribute assistance such as trucks of water and water pumps, to affected famers. The assistance will be sent once requested by affected villagers.

-- NNT 2015-06-30

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Brawl in Trat Hospital's ER Unit Damages 3 Ventilators
By Khaosod English


The ten men who started a brawl in a Trat hospital promise not to hold grudges against each other, 29 June 2015.

TRAT — Ten people, including three teenagers, were arrested for starting a fight and damaging three medical ventilators in a hospital emergency room in Trat province last Friday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836762-brawl-in-trat-hospitals-er-unit-damages-3-ventilators/

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Thai MFA to send to the U.S. a complaint letter against 2014 TIP report

BANGKOK, 30 June 2015 (NNT) – The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs is to send to he Embassy of the United States in Bangkok a complaint letter against the 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report due to the U.S. ignorance of Thai government’s efforts to combat the problem.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836767-thai-mfa-to-send-to-the-us-a-complaint-letter-against-2014-tip-report/

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PATHUM THANI
Students, teachers protest to oust school director
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- More than 2,300 secondary school students and teachers at Triam Udom Suksa Pattanakarn School in Pathum Thani's Lam Lukka district yesterday joined a protest to oust school director Sathorn Sombun over what they claimed were overly expensive tuition fees and ineffective management.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836771-thai-students-teachers-protest-to-oust-school-director/

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UPDATE:

Pattaya Discotheque Oral Sex Facebook Pictures spark outrage



PATTAYA: -- Pictures emerged on Monday on various social media channels of a woman appearing to be giving oral sex to an Asian man inside a Pattaya Discotheque and the Social Media Community, especially Thai’s, are outraged.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836687-facebook-uproar-against-pattaya-bar-girl/page-2?p=9567337#entry9567337

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Elderly German Biker seriously injured in Pattaya road crash



PATTAYA: -- On Monday Morning a 75 year old German was injured after he collided with another bike on the Sukhumvit Road in Central Pattaya.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836772-elderly-german-biker-seriously-injured-in-pattaya-road-crash/

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Macau gang attack Thai Tour Guide at North Pattaya Discotheque



PATTAYA: -- Pattaya Police are currently searching for a gang of 10 men, thought to be from Macau, who are alleged to have attacked a group of 5 Thai men outside of a popular North Pattaya Discotheque in the early hours of Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836773-macau-gang-attack-thai-tour-guide-at-north-pattaya-discotheque/

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IUU
No respite from tough measures for trawlers
Petchanet Pratruangkrai,
Pichaya Changsorn
The Nation



No extension of deadline for compliance with IUU rules otherwise 'Thailand will fail EU appraisal due in August'

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND will maintain the deadline for operators of fishing trawlers to comply with illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) regulations, which would take effect tomorrow despite the operators' threat of to go on a lengthy strike.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836774-no-respite-from-tough-measures-for-thai-trawlers/

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COURT
Court gives Yingluck until August 31 to submit testimony
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE SUPREME Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders yesterday gave former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra more time to provide a list of witnesses and evidence in relation to the negligence charge against her over her government's controversial rice-pledging scheme.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836775-court-gives-yingluck-until-august-31-to-submit-testimony/

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UPDATE:

MERS
20 people in contact with patient get all-clear
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- MORE THAN half of the 36 people who had close contact with the only confirmed MERS patient in Thailand left medical facilities yesterday after being given the all clear following a 14-day observation period.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836651-first-20-mers-suspected-people-are-free-to-go-home-thai-health-ministry-says/#entry9567357

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UPDATE:

COURT
Court win 'overwhelms' former Post journalist
THE NATION



Sermsuk hopes verdict stems tide of political interference

THE Bangkok Post's ex-chief reporter for military and security affairs, Sermsuk Kasitipradit, yesterday proclaimed victory after the Supreme Court ruled that the newspaper had unfairly dismissed him over his report in 2005 about cracks on the new Suvarnabhumi Airport's runway.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836636-former-post-editor-wins-court-battle-after-10-years-of-unjust-layoff/?p=9567367#entry9567367

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AOT team set on safety, security issues
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- AIRPORTS of Thailand (AOT) has set up a team to deal with the impacts of recent concerns about the country's aviation safety.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836776-airports-of-thailand-team-set-on-safety-security-issues/

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EDITORIAL
Greater RECIPROCITY needed in Thai-Chinese relations

TOMORROW MARKS THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR RENEWED DIPLOMATIC FRIENDSHIP, YET WE REMAIN VERY MUCH THE JUNIOR PARTNER

BANGKOK: --It would be prudent for Thais in every sector to do more than merely toast tomorrow's 40th anniversary of Thai-Chinese diplomatic relations. We should also look into the future and determine how to improve on the mutual benefits stemming from that association and how to make them more equitable.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836778-greater-reciprocity-needed-in-thai-chinese-relations/

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Foreign minister pledges to help Kamronwit



BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Ministry will try its best to help former Bangkok police chief Lt-Gen Kamronwit Thoopkrachang but it has to abide by the laws in Japan too, said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thanasak Patimaprakorn on Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836779-thai-foreign-minister-pledges-to-help-kamronwit/

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Fishing vessels to stop fishing July 1 to avoid arrest



BANGKOK: -- Fishing operators may stop fishing in high sea tomorrow when the government is to begin enforcing laws drastically with illegal fishing July 1.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836780-thai-fishing-vessels-to-stop-fishing-july-1-to-avoid-arrest/

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BURNING ISSUE
Court verdicts put a high price on political protests
JINTANA PANYAARVUDH

BANGKOK: -- THE LATEST verdict in a high-profile political rally case has some significance for Thai politics. It could set a precedent as well as create huge money troubles for those involved in protest cases.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836782-thai-politics-court-verdicts-put-a-high-price-on-political-protests/

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Enquiry into police who handles actress' fatal police car smash
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Police set up a committee to probe the Prawet police station's case investigator for allegedly allowing actress and model Anna Reese to leave the crash scene on Friday morning, in which a policeman was killed.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836784-enquiry-into-police-who-handles-actress-anna-reese-fatal-police-car-smash/

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Six foreign fugitives nabbed
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- SIX FOREIGN fugitives have been arrested for a variety of different crimes, said Pol Maj-General Thamrong Saengwattanakul, commander of Immigration Police Division 3 yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836785-thai-immigration-nabs-six-foreign-fugitives/

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Police hunt for close aide of murdered Surat Thani prosecutor
Suwannee Bundisak
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- POLICE investigators are looking for a close aide of provincial public prosecutor Phayong Dok-maihom, who was found dead in his official residence in Surat Thani's Muang district on Sunday night.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836786-police-hunt-for-close-aide-of-murdered-surat-thani-prosecutor/

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Foreign police 'welcome' to question blackmail suspect'
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THAI POLICE are amenable to their foreign counterparts interviewing a former Petro Saudi International executive held for allegedly attempting to blackmail his former employer.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836787-foreign-police-welcome-to-question-blackmail-suspect/

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Prayut may or may not discuss Camronwit during Japan visit
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- IT REMAINS to be seen whether Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will discuss the case of former police chief Pol Lt-General Camronwit Thoopkrajang during his visit to Japan, Foreign Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836788-prayut-may-or-may-not-discuss-camronwit-during-japan-visit/

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Phuket dolphinarium a step closer to reality
The Phuket News


The Nemo dolphinarium in Chalong has received approval for the Phuket facility, but has yet to be granted permission to import dolphins.

PHUKET: -- The necessary changes for the Nemo dolphinarium in Phuket to be approved are complete and the facility’s structures have been approved, The Phuket News has learned.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836789-phuket-dolphinarium-a-step-closer-to-reality/

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Tsipras defiant as banks shut, markets rocked
By DEREK GATOPOULOS and LORNE COOK

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Anxious pensioners swarmed closed bank branches Monday and long lines snaked outside ATMs as Greeks endured the first day of serious controls on their daily economic lives ahead of a referendum that could determine whether the country has to ditch the euro currency and return to the drachma.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836790-greeces-pm-tsipras-defiant-as-banks-shut-markets-rocked/

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Supreme Court upholds use of controversial execution drug
By MARK SHERMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Trading sharp words, a deeply divided Supreme Court upheld the use of a controversial drug in lethal-injection executions Monday, even as two dissenting justices said for the first time they think it's "highly likely" the death penalty itself is unconstitutional.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836791-us-supreme-court-upholds-use-of-controversial-execution-drug/

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Bomb kills Egypt's top prosecutor as he drives to work
By BRIAN ROHAN and MAGGIE MICHAEL

CAIRO (AP) — A car bomb killed Egypt's chief prosecutor Monday in the country's first assassination of a senior official in 25 years, marking what could be an escalation in a campaign by Islamic militants toward targeting leaders of a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836792-bomb-kills-egypts-top-prosecutor-as-he-drives-to-work/

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NBC to Donald Trump: You're fired
By DAVID BAUDER

NEW YORK (AP) — NBC said Monday that it is ending its business relationship with mogul and GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump because of comments he made about Mexican immigrants during the announcement of his campaign.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836793-nbc-to-donald-trump-youre-fired/

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US program to train Syrian rebels losing ground
By ROBERT BURNS

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military's program to train and equip thousands of moderate Syrian rebels is faltering, with fewer than 100 volunteers, raising questions about whether the effort can produce enough capable fighters quickly enough to make a difference in the war against the Islamic State.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836794-us-program-to-train-syrian-rebels-losing-ground/

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Robert Redford urges global action on climate change
By EDITH M. LEDERER

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Robert Redford said he came to the United Nations Monday not as an actor but as an environmental advocate, father, grandfather and concerned citizen to urge the world's nations to take action now on climate change.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836795-robert-redford-urges-global-action-on-climate-change/

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New arrests in Tunisia attack as Europeans honor victims
BENJAMIN WIACEK, Associated Press
JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press

SOUSSE, Tunisia (AP) — Top European security officials paid a somber homage on Tunisian sands Monday to 38 people killed at a beach resort, as Tunisian authorities announced the arrest of seven alleged accomplices of the gunman.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836796-new-arrests-in-tunisia-attack-as-europeans-honor-victims/

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US officials investigate recent fires at black churches
MEG KINNARD, Associated Press

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) — Federal authorities say they are investigating recent fires at predominantly black churches, though the blazes do not appear to be related.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/836797-us-officials-investigate-recent-fires-at-black-churches/