PM to lead ministers in Bike for Mom rehearsal on July 28

BANGKOK, 23 July 2015 (NNT) – Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has voiced readiness to organize the Bike for Mom campaign, saying a rehearsal of the activity will be held for Cabinet ministers this July 28.

After chairing a meeting of the committee responsible for facilitating the Bike for Mom event, Prime Minister Prayut affirmed that much progress has already been made. He said he would like to see the event run smoothly as it is intended to give the public an opportunity to unite and pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on her 83rd birthday this year. Moreover, it is hoped to strengthen the people’s love for their mothers while concurrently promoting exercising and environmental conservation.

Personally, the premier has set a goal to complete all 43 kilometers of biking in the Bike for Mom event in Bangkok. He added that, after the Cabinet meeting on July 28, he will lead all ministers in rehearsing the activity before it officially takes place on August 16. However, he has not decided whether the rehearsal will be conducted only within Government House or around the compound as well.

In addition, Gen Prayut stated that bottled water under the Bike for Mom label has been received from His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. With His Royal Highness’s grave concern for drought-affected people, the government will promptly distribute the drinking water to those in need.

-- NNT 2015-07-23

Russian Tour Guide in knife attack with two Ladyboy’s in Central Pattaya



PATTAYA: -- A Russian Tour Guide was repeatedly slashed across the face with a flick-knife after he entered into an altercation with two Ladyboy’s he had just had sex with.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842601-russian-tour-guide-in-knife-attack-with-two-ladyboys-in-central-pattaya/

Pattaya Police arrest 4 Chinese running online lottery website from Thailand



PATTAYA: -- The Pattaya Police Chief announced on Wednesday the arrest of 4 Chinese who are facing gambling offences in relation to an online lottery website they were running from Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842603-pattaya-police-arrest-4-chinese-running-online-lottery-website-from-thailand/

Silly Sausage Seller accepts “play money” from Foreigners in Pattaya Soi 6



PATTAYA: -- A 47 year old Esarn Sausage and dried squid vendor claimed he had been cheated out of 1000 Baht by a foreigner who purchased food from him in Soi 6.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842604-silly-sausage-seller-accepts-play-money-from-foreigners-in-pattaya-soi-6/

Two Serial Thieves arrested by Pattaya Police



PATTAYA: -- On Wednesday afternoon Pattaya Police held a press conference to announce the arrest of three men accused of a series of street robberies in the Pattaya and Jomtien areas.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842605-two-serial-thieves-arrested-by-pattaya-police/

Pattaya Thieves and Drug Dealer arrested by Banglamung Police



PATTAYA: -- Banglamung Police have arrested two men, accused of a series of street robberies and a woman found with a large number of class 1 drugs.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842606-pattaya-thieves-and-drug-dealer-arrested-by-banglamung-police/

KRABI COAL-FIRED POWER PROJECT
Prayut considers deploying mediator to end the stand-off
Anapat Deechuay,
Suchat Sritama,
Jeerapong Prasertponkrung



BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-ocha is considering the option of finding a neutral figure to mediate in the conflict over the project to set up a coal-fired power plant in Krabi province.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842607-krabi-power-plant-prayut-considers-deploying-mediator-to-end-the-stand-off/

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to upgrade baggage bomb detector

BANGKOK, 23 July 2015 (NNT) – Airports of Thailand (AOT) is set to purchase new CTX explosive detection device to modernize the security measures.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842608-bangkok-suvarnabhumi-airport-to-upgrade-baggage-bomb-detector/

NEW CHARTER
Panel to make no more changes to draft charter
KANITTHA THEPJORN
PIYANUCH THAMNUKASETCHAI
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE CONTENT of the draft constitution will get no further adjustments and the punishment in banning corrupt politicians will follow those in the 2014 provisional constitution in order to avoid the draft charter being rejected, said General Lertrat Ratanavanich, spokesperson and advisor to the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC). Meanwhile, Justice Minister Paiboon Kumchaya voiced concerns over the way the charter was drafted, saying it may appear "extreme" to some people.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842609-thai-panel-to-make-no-more-changes-to-draft-charter/

BANGKOK
'Action required to stop sinking of the Capital'
Prapasri Osathanon
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- THE NATIONAL Reform Council (NRC) was told yesterday that parts of Bangkok and nearby provinces were at great risk of sinking in the next 15 years if no action is taken to prevent it.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842610-action-required-to-stop-sinking-of-bangkok/

EDITORIAL
Coal-fired plant could burn tourism in Krabi
The Nation

We can meet the rising demand for electricity without blighting one of the country's natural treasures

BANGKOK: -- The government is facing a dilemma over whether to push ahead with plans to build a coal-fired electricity plant in Krabi province despite strong opposition from local residents and environmental activists.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842611-coal-fired-plant-could-burn-tourism-in-krabi/

THAI TALK
Cabinet reshuffle: Rumours, trial balloons and facts
Suthichai Yoon
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Premier Prayut Chan-o-cha isn't saying whether he will reshuffle the Cabinet, despite growing indications that he is under pressure to produce a new line-up that can better enhance public confidence.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842612-thai-cabinet-reshuffle-rumours-trial-balloons-and-facts/

UPDATE:

Thailand hopes its ranking on human trafficking elimination will improve



BANGKOK: -- The government is optimistic that the United States will place Thailand in a better position on its effort to tackle human trafficking when it releases the 2015 Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report next Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842486-us-government-to-release-2015-tip-report-next-monday/?p=9650718#entry9650718

BURNING ISSUE
Is the reform council working to control the media?
ATTAYUTH BOOTSRIPOOM

BANGKOK: -- THE National Reform Council (NRC) on Monday deliberated a report by its committee on media and information technology reform. The meeting focused on supervision of media, rights and liberties of responsible media, and preventing intervention in the media.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842614-thai-politics-is-the-reform-council-working-to-control-the-media/

Probation Dept a failure from the very start: Paiboon
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Justice Minister General Paiboon Koomchaya declared yesterday that the Probation Department had been a failure since it was established 33 years ago.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842615-probation-dept-a-failure-from-the-very-start-thai-justice-minister/

Amnesty option is 'based on offences, not individuals'
KHANITTHA THEPPHAJORN,
KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- A MEMBER of the committee studying reconciliation reiterated yesterday that conditions set for amnesty would be based on offences, not on any particular individual, such as fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842616-thai-reconciliation-amnesty-option-is-based-on-offences-not-individuals/

UPDATE:

Phettong challenges PM over vanished forests
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's remark that elected governments had caused 8.6 million rai of forest in the North and Northeastern regions to be destroyed was just a mudslinging statement, former Democrat Party MP Watchara Phetthong said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842488-phettong-challenges-pm-prayut-over-vanished-forests/#entry9650750

Thailand needs 9,000 new police officers: Somyot
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Police chief General Somyot Pumpunmuang yesterday revealed that the police force required another 9,000 police officers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842617-thailand-needs-9000-new-police-officers-somyot/

UPDATE:

Second life sentence for serial rapist-killer Nui
The Nation


Nui

BANGKOK: -- A self-confessed serial child rapist and murderer was given a life sentence yesterday for the February 2013 attempted rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Loei's Muang district.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842494-second-life-sentence-for-serial-rapist-killer-nui/#entry9650766

Police want Justo tried before he is extradited
The Nation,
The Star/Asia News Network

Prawut says Swiss suspect must serve jail term here if convicted of blackmail

BANGKOK: -- A POLICE spokesman said yesterday that Swiss suspect Xavier Justo must be tried first in a Thai court on charges of blackmail and serve a jail term - if any - before he could be extradited.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842618-thai-police-want-swiss-suspect-xavier-justo-tried-before-he-is-extradited/

Women who got 'huge share transfers' from dead tycoon set to meet police
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A WOMAN who received more than Bt200 million worth of shares from late construction tycoon Chuwong Saetang under what his family called murky circumstances is scheduled to testify to police today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842619-women-who-got-huge-share-transfers-from-dead-tycoon-set-to-meet-thai-police/

UPDATE:

Koh Tao Trial Resumes, Court Shown Footage of Victims’ Final Night
By Khaosod English


The defense team arrives at Koh Samui court on 22 July 2015.

SURAT THANI — Police presented a detailed timeline of the events leading up to the deaths of two British tourists on Koh Tao during the second session of the controversial murder trial.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/838898-koh-tao-trial-opens-for-2-accused-of-killing-british-tourists/page-159?p=9650785#entry9650785

Woman who died in cell mentioned previous suicide attempt
By DAVID WARREN

DALLAS (AP) — A woman whose death in a Texas jail has raised suspicions about the official conclusion that she hanged herself told a guard during the booking process that she had tried to kill herself in the past, the sheriff said Wednesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842619-women-who-got-huge-share-transfers-from-dead-tycoon-set-to-meet-thai-police/

China returns passport to Ai Weiwei, who plans London trip

BEIJING (AP) — Ai Weiwei has gotten back his passport four years after it was confiscated by Chinese authorities and is expected to attend a London exhibition this fall.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842621-china-returns-passport-to-ai-weiwei/

Greece tackles final reform hurdle before new bailout talks
By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS and NICHOLAS PAPHITIS

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek lawmakers debated into the early hours Thursday on further reforms demanded by international creditors in return for a third multi-billion-euro bailout, with attention focusing on government dissenters who have vowed to reject the measures.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842622-greece-tackles-final-reform-hurdle-before-new-bailout-talks/

Republican contenders scrambling to adjust to 'Trumpism'
By BILL BARROW

AIKEN, S.C. (AP) — Donald Trump is on his way to the Mexican border, the latest event in a presidential campaign some of his rivals would like to dismiss as a sideshow — a "carnival act," as one puts it. But he's been stealing their thunder for days and left them scrambling to adjust to a race dominated by a bombastic longshot.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842623-us-republican-contenders-scrambling-to-adjust-to-trumpism/

Report: Social Security disability fund to run dry next year
By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER and RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

WASHINGTON (AP) — The 11 million Americans who receive Social Security disability face steep benefit cuts next year, the government said Wednesday, handing lawmakers a fiscal and political crisis in the middle of a presidential campaign.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842624-us-social-security-disability-fund-to-run-dry-next-year-report/

Federal charges including hate crimes for accused shooter
By ERIC TUCKER and MEG KINNARD

WASHINGTON (AP) — The man accused of killing nine black church members in Charleston, South Carolina, was motivated by racial hatred and a desire to commit a "notorious attack" when he opened fire inside a historic house of worship last month, according to a federal grand jury indictment issued Wednesday that makes him eligible for the death penalty.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842625-us-charges-charleston-shooter-dylann-roof-with-hate-crimes/

Police: Suicide bombers kill 20 in northern Cameroon
EDWIN KINDZEKA MOKI, Associated Press

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — At least 20 bodies have been found in northern Cameroon's regional capital of Maroua after two suicide bombers blew themselves up on Wednesday in a busy marketplace and a popular neighborhood.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842626-suicide-bombers-kill-20-in-northern-cameroon/

Picture of Tennessee shooting emerges: 3-5 minutes of terror
By ERIK SCHELZIG and TRAVIS LOLLER

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Twenty Marines and two Navy corpsmen were in the middle of an otherwise mundane task, just checking their equipment after a training mission, when the silver Mustang convertible came barreling through the gates of the reserve center on the banks of the Tennessee River.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842628-picture-of-tennessee-shooting-emerges-3-5-minutes-of-terror/