Thailand Live Friday 28 Aug 2015

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Local and foreign agencies in joint efforts to develop World Heritage cities

AYUTTHAYA, 28 August 2015 (NNT) – The Organization of World Heritage Cities in Asia and the Pacific Region has joined hands with Ayutthaya Province in holding a discussion aimed at laying down development direction for World Heritage cities in the future.

The delegations from eight member countries in Asia and the Pacific, as well as Governor of Ayutthaya Apichat Todilokvech, the Deputy Mayor of Gyeongju, and delegates from UNESCO Bangkok, the Thai Ministry of Culture and the Fine Arts Department, have gathered in Ayutthaya to discuss the guideline for future cooperation in the development of World Heritage cities.

The discussion focused on the regulations for World Heritage cities to strictly follow to keep them within the UNESCO’s standards. They also discussed cultural exchanges and solutions to urgent issues such as urban developments which affect the value of the World Heritage.

The meeting also discussed the issuance of special laws on city planning and measures to push for concrete outcome of urban development.

Ayutthaya has been selected as the site for the second meeting of the Organization of World Heritage Cities in Asia and the Pacific Region as the latter eyed the province as interesting and important World Heritage city that could potentially become a model for other cities in the world.


-- NNT 2015-08-28

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Ministries of Public Health, Tourism collaborate on culinary tourism project

BANGKOK, 28 August 2015 (NNT) – The Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports are jointly holding a culinary tourism campaign promoting clean food and markets.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851632-thai-health-min-tourism-collaborate-on-culinary-tourism-project/

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Authorities expedite elimination of illegal fishing to avert EU seafood ban

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, 28 August 2015 (NNT) – The Deputy National Police Chief has paid a visit to Nakhon Si Thammarat to inspect the local fishery situation while the Navy Chief is adamant the European Union will not ban Thai seafood products.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851633-thai-authorities-expedite-elimination-of-illegal-fishing-to-avert-eu-seafood-ban/

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Education Min eyes cutting school hours to allow students to relax

BANGKOK, 28 August 2015 (NNT) – The Ministry of Education is planning to reduce class time for students in the basic education system in a bid to allow them more time to be with family or to take up extracurricular activities.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851634-thai-education-min-eyes-cutting-school-hours-to-allow-students-to-relax/

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Southern Separatist Leaders State Their Case to ‘End Violence’
By Khaosod Engkish


Embarking on a campaign of pacification under the government of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the first wave of soldiers arrive in Pattani in this May 2004 file photo.

KUALA LUMPUR — Stepping out of the shadows of their long war against the Thai state, representatives from six separatist groups in southern Thailand said they are willing to lay down their arms if Bangkok formalizes peace talks as a national priority.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851635-southern-separatist-leaders-state-their-case-to-end-violence/

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BANGKOK BLAST
Police have DNA, other results
Pensri Gaden
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- POLICE have obtained DNA test results from banknotes the Erawan Shrine bomb suspect gave to a tuk-tuk driver, as well as DNA test results from a taxi he travelled in. Meanwhile, the court has approved an arrest warrant for the person who allegedly lobbed a bomb at Sathorn Pier.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851636-bangkok-blast-police-have-dna-other-results/

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KRUNG THAI BANK
Damages over KTB loan case 'can be paid'
THE NATION

AQ Estate says it is finacially able to cover claim; execs suffer behind bar

BANGKOK: -- AQ ESTATE, formerly known as Krisda Mahanakorn, insists that it is not affected by the Supreme Court's verdict on malfeasance over a huge loan case and is able to cover the Bt10 billion in damages sought by the court.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851637-damages-over-ktb-loan-case-can-be-paid/

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Suspicious Man stopped and searched at North Pattaya Temple



PATTAYA: -- As Pattaya remains on high alert, following the recent Bombing in Bangkok, Police were called to a North Pattaya Temple on Thursday Afternoon, to investigate reports of a suspicious man and a bag which contained unusual items.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851638-suspicious-man-stopped-and-searched-at-north-pattaya-temple/

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Police training simulates Armed Robbery at North Pattaya Bank



PATTAYA: -- On Thursday Morning Pattaya Police Officers took part in a simulated armed robbery at a Bank in North Pattaya.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851639-police-training-simulates-armed-robbery-at-north-pattaya-bank/

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NEW CHARTER
New charter is progressive, drafters say
KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN,
NATTHAPAT PROMKAEW
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- DRAFTERS of the new charter say it is far more progressive than the 1997 and 2007 versions, as it aims to empower the people to become "citizens".

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851640-new-thai-charter-is-progressive-drafters-say/

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UPDATE:

SOUTH CRISIS
Rebels want govt to make solving unrest in South a national priority
NAKARIN CHINWORAKOMON,
NATTAPAT PROMKAEW
THE NATION



KUALA LUMPUR: -- A NEW umbrella group for Muslim rebels involved in the insurgency in the Deep South called yesterday for the government to make resolution of the unrest a national priority.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851635-southern-separatist-leaders-state-their-case-to-end-violence/?p=9785395#entry9785395

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BUSINESS
Govt to revive Otop and Village Fund schemes
ERICH PARPART
THE NATION



Somkid says he will focus on domestic economy, boost small business and more

BANGKOK: -- THE GOVERNMENT will revive the One Tambon One Product (Otop) scheme to kick-start the grassroots economy while boosting multiple business and industrial clusters with new incentives, according to deputy premier Somkid Jatusripitak.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851641-thai-govt-to-revive-otop-and-village-fund-schemes/

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EDITORIAL
Police under scrutiny like never before
The Nation

The international microscope on the Ratchaprasong bombing is revealing every flaw in the investigators' procedure

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's police force has often been under the international spotlight. Understandably, the scrutiny grows in intensity every time a major crime here grabs foreign headlines.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851642-thai-police-under-scrutiny-like-never-before/

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Police hunt driver who drives Porsche the wrong way at Asoke (VIDEO)
By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Thonglor police said today they are tracking down the Porsche driver who was filmed driving the wrong way out of Sukhumvit Soi 16 in the morning to avoid taking two u-turns.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851643-bangkok-police-hunt-porsche-driver-who-drives-the-wrong-way-at-asoke-video/

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Bail granted for pregnant 'pretty' who got shares
KESINEE TANGKHIAO,
NOPPADON SRITAWEEKART,
JESSADA JANTARAK
THE NATION


Heavily pregnant Kantana Siwathanapon, accompanied by her lawyer, reports to police yesterday to fight allegations over the dubious transfer of shares worth more than |Bt220 million by late construction tycoon Chuwong Saetang just days before his death.

BANGKOK: -- A HEAVILY-pregnant woman has surrendered to police to face charges relating to her receiving more than Bt220 million worth of shares from the late construction tycoon Chuwong Saetang - a transfer police deem suspicious.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851644-chuwaong-case-bail-granted-for-pregnant-pretty-who-got-shares/

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Man tries to sexually assault 81-year-old woman
The Nation



ANGTHONG: -- A 32-year-old man was captured after allegedly assaulting and attempting to rape an 81-year-old woman at her home in Angthong's Wiset Chai Chan district yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851645-thai-man-tries-to-sexually-assault-81-year-old-woman/

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Court upholds drug kingpin's sentence
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the lower court's ruling to give a 20-year prison sentence to Bangkok drug kingpin Sayam "Parp 70 Rai" Sapworasit for drug-money laundering.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851646-thai-supreme-court-upholds-drug-kingpins-sentence/

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BURNING ISSUE
Don't expect too much from Somkid's economic dream team
SASITHORN ONGDEE

BANGKOK: -- THAIS should not expect quick miracles from the new economic team led by Somkid Jatusripitak. After all, its first day at work on Monday was ominously marked by a 64-point drop in the SET Index.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851647-dont-expect-too-much-from-somkids-economic-dream-team/

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True people power, not new charters, is key to reconciliation
THE NATION


Thammasat University academic Theerayut Boonmee delivers a speech

BANGKOK: -- WRITING NEW constitutions or issuing orders can never bring about national reconciliation, Thammasat University academic Theerayut Boonmee declared yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851648-thai-politics-true-people-power-not-new-charters-is-key-to-reconciliation/

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Commentary: U.S. cannot dodge EU refugee crisis
English.news.cn

BEIJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- While Europe is struggling to cope with massive influx of refugees from Africa and the Middle East, the United States should refrain from taking a not-in-my-backyard attitude and reflect on its Middle East policy, which directly or indirectly displaced thousands of people.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851649-us-cannot-dodge-eu-refugee-crisis/

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Dead migrants found in abandoned truck near Austrian capital
By GEORGE JAHN

VIENNA (AP) — As regional leaders met Thursday to tackle Europe's refugee crisis, a gruesome discovery unfolded a short drive from the Austrian capital: An abandoned truck was found with at least 20 — and possibly up to 50 — decomposing bodies of migrants piled inside.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851650-dead-migrants-found-in-abandoned-truck-near-austrian-capital/

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Obama to people of New Orleans: You inspire me, and America
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE and NANCY BENAC

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Visiting residents on tidy porch stoops and sampling the fried chicken at a corner restaurant, President Barack Obama held out the people of New Orleans on Thursday as an extraordinary example of renewal and resilience 10 years after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851651-obama-to-people-of-new-orleans-you-inspire-me-and-america/

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Clinton likens GOP's views on women to those of terrorists
By JULIE CARR SMYTH and KEN THOMAS

CLEVELAND (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday drew parallels between terrorist organizations and the field of Republican candidates for president when it comes to their views on women, telling an Ohio audience her potential GOP rivals were pushing "out-of-date" policies.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851652-clinton-likens-gops-views-on-women-to-those-of-terrorists/

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Trump proposals risk deepening GOP rift on immigration
By JULIE PACE and BILL BARROW

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has exposed anew the deep rift inside the Republican Party on immigration, a break between its past and the country's future the party itself has said it must bridge if the GOP ever hopes to win back the White House.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851653-trump-proposals-risk-deepening-gop-rift-on-immigration/

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On-air shooter threatened to make 'headlines,' showed anger
By ADAM GELLER and ALAN SUDERMAN

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — On the day he was fired from a Virginia TV station, Vester Flanagan pressed a wooden cross into his boss' hand as two police officers walked him to the door. "You'll need this," he said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851655-us-on-air-shooter-threatened-to-make-headlines-showed-anger/

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Secrets have long slipped into US State Department email

WASHINGTON (AP) — As Hillary Rodham Clinton remains under fire after revelations that material deemed classified was sent through an unsecure home server she was using as secretary of state for email, a review of records by The Associated Press makes clear that the leakage of secrets onto unsecure email is a State Department problem dating to the George W. Bush administration, if not earlier.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851656-secrets-have-long-slipped-into-us-state-department-email/

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US believes British hacker for IS was killed in airstrike
ROBERT BURNS, AP National Security Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense officials say the U.S. military believes a recent airstrike killed Junaid Hussain, a British hacker for the Islamic State.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851657-us-believes-british-hacker-for-is-was-killed-in-airstrike/

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Saudi records 15 MERS virus deaths in a week

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia's Health Ministry says 15 more people have died after contracting the Middle East respiratory syndrome, known as MERS, in the last seven days amid a surge in contractions in the capital, Riyadh.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851658-saudi-arabia-sees-mers-deaths-surge/

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Survey: Americans would much rather exercise than eat right

BOSTON, MA - Americans are doing a great job at the gym but a mediocre job at the dinner table. Even though science suggests diet is more important than exercise in fighting obesity, diet is losing, and losing badly, to exercise.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851661-survey-americans-would-much-rather-exercise-than-eat-right/

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We're now averaging more than one mass shooting per day in 2015
By Christopher Ingraham
The Washington Post

WASHINGTON: -- Aug. 26 is the 238th day of the year. And with the fatal shooting in Virginia today — in which a gunman shot himself after killing two reporters and wounding one more person — plus the shooting of four during a Minneapolis home invasion, the number of mass shooting incidents has risen to 247 for the year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/851684-us-is-now-averaging-more-than-one-mass-shooting-per-day-in-2015/