Thailand Live Friday 24 Jul 2015

[webfact]

Min of Commerce kicks off Organic & Natural Expo 2015

BANGKOK, 24 July 2015 (NNT) – The Ministry of Commerce has kicked off Organic & Natural Expo 2015 to promote organic agriculture and products.

The expo, which is held under the theme “Good Life: Organic Life”, was chaired by Vice Minister of Commerce Gen. Patamapong Prathompat. More than 200 operators of organic products are putting their top selected products up for sale.

In addition to the outlets, the Ministry of Commerce has organized an exhibition of organic agriculture covering the entire process of the industry. The event is expected to attract more than 50,000 visitors and generate around 30 million baht in circulation.

Thailand earns over four billion baht in revenue each year from export of organic goods. Major customers are the U.S., the European Union and Asian countries. Organic farming areas stand at 200,000 rai, producing around 80,000 tons of non-chemical products annually.

The fair is taking place until July 26 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.


-- NNT 2015-07-24

[webfact]

70 year old Australian in drink-related road crash in South Pattaya



PATTAYA: -- A 70 year old Australian was slightly injured in a single-vehicle road crash in South Pattaya on Thursday Night.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842851-70-year-old-australian-in-drink-related-road-crash-in-south-pattaya/

[webfact]

French and Korean Victims of Ladyboy street robberies on Pattaya Beach



PATTAYA: -- In the early hours of Thursday two foreign tourists reported similar crimes at the same location on Pattaya Beach.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842852-french-and-korean-victims-of-ladyboy-street-robberies-on-pattaya-beach/

[webfact]

Foreign motorbike theft gang arrested by Police in North Pattaya



PATTAYA: -- Banglamung Police received information from their colleagues at nearby Laem Chabang Police Station that a motorbike theft gang were thought to be residing in their area and within hours, the gang members had been arrested.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842853-foreign-motorbike-theft-gang-arrested-by-police-in-north-pattaya/

[webfact]

Group of friends abandoned at North Pattaya Petrol Station



PATTAYA: -- In the early hours of Thursday, a group of four young adults, who had been taken to Pattaya by a man they had met earlier at a pub outside of Pattaya, were abandoned and had items stolen from them.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842854-group-of-friends-abandoned-at-north-pattaya-petrol-station/

[webfact]

COAL POWER PLANT
Prayut puts Krabi plant on hold
THE NATION



Protesters end rally but vow to monitor joint panel set u to review power project

BANGKOK: -- RIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha's order to put the Krabi coal-fired power plant project on hold brought an end to the protest outside Government House last night, a rally organiser said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842855-prayut-puts-krabi-plant-on-hold/

[webfact]

BAHT
Baht plunges 'quite fast' to six-year low against US dollar
Erich Parpart
Petchanet Pratruangkrai
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The continued strength of the US dollar and the weak gold price have led to the baht depreciating to a six-year low, trading at Bt34.84 to the greenback yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842856-baht-plunges-quite-fast-to-six-year-low-against-us-dollar/

[webfact]

DROUGHT
Locals worried about plans to divert water from Mekong
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- A NETWORK of Thais living along the Mekong River yesterday voiced their concern about a plan to divert water from the river to special economic zones.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842857-locals-worried-about-plans-to-divert-water-from-mekong/

[webfact]

INTERNET
'Set of standards needed for good Net governance'
WASAMON AUDJARINT
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND needs a set of standards to ensure Internet good governance, given the fast-changing Internet landscape whose details were still being debated, a forum on Internet governance was told yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842858-thailand-needs-a-set-of-standards-to-ensure-internet-good-governance/

[webfact]

Bangor University lecturer in coma in Thailand after being struck by virus
BY TOM DAVIDSON

Highly-respected conservation expert Sophie Williams is critically ill in a Bangkok hospital after becoming infected with Japanese encephalitis

BANGOR: -- A Bangor university lecturer is in a coma on life support after being struck by a virus while on a research trip to Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842859-british-lecturer-in-coma-in-thailand-after-being-struck-by-virus/

[webfact]

Govt funding won't cost freedom: NRC
KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Members of the National Reform Council (NRC)'s media reform committee yesterday rebutted claims by the four major media organisations that government funding would cost the media its independence.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842860-govt-funding-wont-cost-freedom-thai-nrc/

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Outgunned graft busters look to reform from the top
PIYAPORN WONGRUANG

BANGKOK: -- IN ITS FIGHT against corruption, Thailand has long placed high hopes on a principal organisation like the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the recently established Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842861-thai-politics-outgunned-graft-busters-look-to-reform-from-the-top/

[webfact]

Thailand, Vietnam boost trade ties
THE NATION



AT SPECIAL CABINET MEETING, NEIGHBOURS AGREE TO COOPERATE RATHER THAN COMPETE

BANGKOK: -- AT A SPECIAL Cabinet meeting yesterday, Thailand and Vietnam agreed to cooperate, rather than compete, on trade to boost bilateral commerce to US$20 billion (Bt694 billion) by 2020 as well as work closely on suppressing illegal fishing, trafficking and smuggling.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842862-thailand-vietnam-boost-trade-ties/

[webfact]

Tenant gets man in trouble
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court yesterday sentenced a man to two years in jail for renting his flat to a red-shirt activist to install equipment used to scramble radio frequencies of the Office of the Maritime Promotion Commission.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842864-red-shirt-tenant-gets-man-in-trouble/

[webfact]

NSC deputy chief transferred
THE NATION


Lt-General Pongsakorn Rodchompoo

BANGKOK: -- NATIONAL Security Council (NSC) deputy secretary-general Lt-General Pongsakorn Rodchompoo has been transferred as an adviser to the prime minister, effective yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842865-thai-nsc-deputy-chief-transferred/

[webfact]

Appeals court upholds death penalty for two Kalasin policemen
Kesinee Taengkhio
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Court of Appeals yesterday upheld the death sentences for two Kalasin policemen - Pol Snr Sgt-Major Angkan Khammulna, 51, and Pol Snr Sgt-Major Pansil Uppanant, 45 - for their role in the 2004 killing of a 17-year-old motorcycle theft suspect. The death was disguised to look like a suicide by hanging. The court also commuted the sentence for Pol Snr Sgt-Major Sudthinan Nonting, 46, from death to 50 years in prison due to his useful confession.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842866-appeals-court-upholds-death-penalty-for-two-thai-police-officers/

[webfact]

Taps running low at hospital
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- ONE of the two water suppliers for the Thammasat University Hospital has suspended its operation in the wake of the drought crisis, thus affecting the hospital's water supply.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842867-taps-running-low-at-thammasat-university-hospital/

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Police cracks down on influential figures
KHAMPANART LA-ONG
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- CRIME SUPPRESSION Division (CSD) police officers and commandos yesterday raided 11 locations belonging to alleged influential figures in Uthai Thani's Muang and Sawang Arom districts.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842725-csd-commandos-search-former-thai-mps-house/page-2?p=9654722#entry9654722

[webfact]

Obama urges UK to stay in the European Union

WASHINGTON: -- The UK must stay in the European Union to continue to have influence on the world stage, US President Barack Obama has told the BBC.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842868-obama-urges-uk-to-stay-in-the-european-union/

[webfact]

Hispanics love me, Trump declares at Mexican border
By JILL COLVIN and SETH ROBBINS

LAREDO, Texas (AP) — Ever sure of himself, Donald Trump paid a visit to the Mexico border Thursday and predicted Hispanics would love him — "they already do" — because as president he'd grab jobs back from overseas and give more opportunity to those who live in the U.S. legally.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842869-hispanics-love-me-trump-declares-at-mexican-border/

[webfact]

AP sources: Turkey allows US to use key base to strike IS
By JOSH LEDERMAN and MATTHEW LEE

WASHINGTON (AP) — Turkey has agreed to let the U.S. military use a key air base near the Syrian border to launch airstrikes against the Islamic State, senior U.S. officials said Thursday, giving a boost to the U.S.-led coalition while drawing Turkey deeper into the conflict.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842870-turkey-allows-us-to-use-key-base-to-strike-is/

[webfact]

Scientists find closest thing yet to Earth-sun twin system
By MARCIA DUNN

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Scientists have identified a "close cousin" to Earth that's orbiting a sun-like star and might harbor life.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842871-scientists-find-closest-thing-yet-to-earth-sun-twin-system/

[webfact]

Oklahoma police find 5 family members stabbed to death
By JUSTIN JUOZAPAVICIUS

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma police responding to a 911 call in which no one spoke found a gruesome scene at a suburban Tulsa home — five members of a family dead or dying from stabbing and a sixth wounded but alive near the front door.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842872-us-oklahoma-police-find-5-family-members-stabbed-to-death/

[webfact]

Kerry calls talk of better Iran deal a 'fantasy'
By DAVID ESPO and DEB RIECHMANN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Countering Republican criticism, Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday it is "fantasy plain and simple" to claim that President Barack Obama failed to insist on enough restraints on Iran's nuclear program before agreeing to lift economic sanctions long in place.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842873-kerry-calls-talk-of-better-iran-deal-a-fantasy/

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Rights workers pressured despite Myanmar's would-be reforms

TED ANDERSEN, Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — A new report says human rights workers in Myanmar face threats to their personal security despite moves toward political reform since military rule gave way to an elected government four years ago.

Read more: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842874-rights-workers-pressured-despite-myanmars-would-be-reforms/

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Myanmar Illegal Logging Sentencing Strains Relations With China

By TE-PING CHEN

BEIJING— Myanmar’s jailing of scores of Chinese allegedly caught illegally logging is deepening a rift between Beijing and Yangon, and highlighting the stress on the country’s forests from China’s demand for wood.

Read more: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842876-myanmar-illegal-logging-sentencing-strains-relations-with-china/

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Hidden past of Cambodia's brutal Khmer Rouge regime uncovered in film Camp 32

Hom Chhorn was just six years old when he was imprisoned by the Khmer Rouge in a concentration camp known as Camp 32.

Read more: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842877-hidden-past-of-cambodias-brutal-khmer-rouge-regime-uncovered-in-film-camp-32/

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Military junta to deal toughly with young street racers and alcohol pubs



BANGKOK: -- The head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday issued an order that will deal drastic legal action against young street racers and their parents in his effort to put an end to street racing that poses safety threat to other people sharing the same roads.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842753-street-racers-now-face-tough-actions-under-section-44/#entry9655065

[webfact]

US Senate panel votes to lift Cuba travel ban
ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican-controlled Senate panel has voted to lift a decades-long U.S. ban on travel to Cuba, giving a boost to President Barack Obama's moves to ease travel restrictions and open up relations with the Castro-governed nation.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/842889-us-senate-panel-votes-to-lift-cuba-travel-ban/

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Koh Tao police quizzed on why they didn’t look into rumoured bar dispute

Sarah Yuen in Thailand

The senior police officer investigating the killing of Norfolk student Hannah Witheridge in Thailand said today that he had not investigated rumours that she had been involved in an argument with a Thai youth on the night of her death.

Read more: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/838898-koh-tao-trial-opens-for-2-accused-of-killing-british-tourists/page-177#entry9655099