Thailand Live Monday 31 Aug 2015

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Defiant Malaysian PM rejects calls that he step down
EILEEN NG, Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak poured scorn on a huge two-day rally that brought together tens of thousands of yellow-shirted protesters demanding his resignation over a financial scandal.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852385-defiant-malaysian-pm-rejects-calls-that-he-step-down/

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SET up 2.32 points at opening /Bangkok Post

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Tens of thousands attend merit making ceremony to commemorate 100th day of Luang Phor Koon’s death

KHON KAEN, 31 August 2015 (NNT) - Disciples of the late revered monk, Luang Phor Koon, organized a merit making ceremony in Khon Kaen marking the 100th day of the abbot's death, with more than 30,000 people taking part.

The event, which was on the second and final day, was held at Mitraphab Auditorium of the Faculty of Medicine in Khon Kaen University. A large number of disciples, members of the general public, and monks from all over the northeastern region attended the event.

The Faculty of Medicine also granted the permission to monks and lay disciples to pay respect to the body of the late abbot, which was donated to the Faculty for anatomical study by medical students, according to his will.


-- NNT 2015-08-31

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TCEB expects 1 million MICE visitors in FY2015

BANGKOK, 31 August 2015 (NNT) – The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) expressed confidence that the number of meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) tourists will expand on target amid the global economic slowdown.

TCEB President Nopparat Maythaveekulchai revealed that there were about 720,000 MICE travelers who visited Thailand during the first three quarters of fiscal year 2015. This was an increase of 7.84% from the same period last year. The visits generated roughly 63 billion baht in revenue, a year-on-year increase of 8.69%.

Mr. Nopparat believes Thailand's MICE industry will not be affected by the global economic slowdown or currency volatility. He reasoned that Thailand's MICE capacity is more developed compared to other countries in the region and that the government has been striving to regain the confidence of foreign tourists.

The TCEB President believes Thaliand will reach its target of one million MICE tourists by the end of the fiscal year. Next year's target is 1.6 million visits, generating an estimated 90 billion baht in revenue.


-- NNT 2015-08-31

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BANGKOK (AP) - Thai police say they found bomb-making material in another Bangkok apartment.

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Germany, France, Britain press for EU action on migrants
By GEIR MOULSON

BERLIN (AP) — Germany, France and Britain pressed Sunday for better processing of migrants arriving in southern Europe and for a European Union-wide list of countries considered safe, and a special meeting of EU interior and justice ministers was called for Sept. 14.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852393-germany-france-britain-press-for-eu-action-on-migrants/

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The Latest:

Thai police find bomb materials in 2nd apartment

BANGKOK (AP) — Thai police probing Bangkok's deadly bombing say they have discovered bomb-making materials during a raid of a second apartment on the outskirts of the capital.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852394-thai-police-find-bomb-materials-in-2nd-bangkok-apartment/

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Yingluck appears before Supreme Court today



BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra appeared before the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions this morning for the first trial of her in the rice-pledging scheme which she was charged with dereliction of duty and abuse of authority.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852398-yingluck-appears-before-supreme-court/

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Three million baht cash reward paid



BANGKOK: -- Royal Thai Police commissioner Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmoung this morning handed over three million baht cash reward to the police investigation team which conducted investigation into the Ratchaprasong deadly bomb explosion and which successfully led to the arrest of bomb suspect and seizure of explosives in Nong Chok.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852401-three-million-baht-cash-reward-paid/

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Immigration procedures toughened following Ratchaprasong bombing

BANGKOK, 31 August 2015 (NNT) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has admitted that Thailand needs to be more thorough regarding immigration security.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852409-immigration-procedures-toughened-following-ratchaprasong-bombing/

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Army chief says bomb suspect revealed three other accomplices



BANGKOK: -- Army commander-in-chief Gen Udomdej Sitabutr said Monday morning that a Ratchaprasong bomb suspect has revealed three other accomplices in the bomb explosions.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852429-thai-army-chief-says-bangkok-bomb-suspect-revealed-three-other-accomplices/

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BANGKOK (AP) - Thai police seek Thai woman and foreign man in Bangkok bombing probe.

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Bangkok Bombing: Warrants Out for Thai Woman, Foreign Man
By Khaosod English


Arrest warrants were issued this afternoon for 26-year-old Wanna Suansan, a Thai national; and an unidentified foreign man, a police sketch of which is at right. Images: Royal Thai Police

BANGKOK — Arrest warrants for a Thai woman and a foreign national suspected of involvement in the bomb attacks earlier this month were issued this afternoon following a second raid conducted in the capital’s Min Buri district.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852439-bangkok-bombing-warrants-out-for-thai-woman-foreign-man/

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UPDATE:

Three more suspects wanted in deadly bomb explosion



BANGKOK: -- Three more bomb suspects, one of them a Thai, are wanted by the police for their involvement in the deadly bomb explosion at Ratchaprasong on August 17, Royal Thai Police commissioner Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thavornsiri disclosed Monday morning.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852429-thai-army-chief-says-bangkok-bomb-suspect-revealed-three-other-accomplices/#entry9798347

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PM driven in armoured vehicle to Government House



BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha today arrived at Government House for his usual meeting in a black and dark-tinted armoured Volkswagen van.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852440-pm-prayut-driven-in-armoured-vehicle-to-government-house/

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UPDATE:

Supreme Court drops Yingluck’s petitions



BANGKOK: -- The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions today dropped the petition of ex- premier Yingluck Shinawatra for the court to suspend her trial of the rice-pledging scheme case temporarily and transfer to the Administrative Court to proceed instead.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852398-yingluck-appears-before-supreme-court/#entry9798389

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BANGKOK BLAST
Mystery man in Bangkok bomb probe 'never said a word'

BANGKOK: -- The evidence seized by police investigating Thailand's deadliest bombing includes an apparently damning trove of explosives, fertiliser, and piles of fake passports, but the shabby-looking foreigner they arrested on Saturday remains a mystery.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852443-mystery-man-in-bangkok-bomb-probe-never-said-a-word/

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uge fire guts plastic factory in Chachoengsao



BANGKOK: -- A night fire broke out at PVJ Plastic recycling factory in Chachoengsao province burning down three factory buildings where large quantity of plastic pellets, and plastic materials.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852399-huge-fire-guts-plastic-factory-in-chachoengsao/

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Thai police seek 2 new suspects in Bangkok bombing probe
NATTASUDA ANUSONDISAI, Associated Press
JOCELYN GECKER, Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Thai police issued two new arrest warrants and released images Monday of more suspects, a Thai woman and a foreign man of unknown nationality, in the widening investigation into Bangkok's deadly bombing two weeks ago.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852439-bangkok-bombing-warrants-out-for-thai-woman-foreign-man/#entry9798516

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Seven killed in pickup-lorry head-on crash in Roi Et
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Five men and two women were killed when their pick-up truck lost control and ran against the traffic, crashing into an incoming lorry in Roi Et Monday morning, police said.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852446-seven-killed-in-pickup-lorry-head-on-crash-in-roi-et/

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UPDATE:

Police seek warrants for the arrest of two more bomb suspects

BANGKOK: -- Police have sought court warrants for the arrest of a man and a woman whose rented apartment room in Min buri were found to have stored bomb-making materials.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852439-bangkok-bombing-warrants-out-for-thai-woman-foreign-man/#entry9798548

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UPDATE:

Foreign minister suggests tightening up of immigration system



BANGKOK: -- Foreign Minister Don Paramavinai stressed the need for the immigration system to tightened up in light of an incident of a foreigner who owns a dozen of fake passports and who was thought to have entered the country with a fake passport.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852409-immigration-procedures-toughened-following-ratchaprasong-bombing/#entry9798612

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UPDATE:

Thai police get $84,000 reward in bombing probe

BANGKOK (AP) — Thai police have awarded themselves a 3 million baht, or $84,000, reward offered to the public for tips leading to the arrest of suspects in Bangkok's deadly bombing after a man was arrested over the weekend in an apartment containing bomb-making equipment.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852401-three-million-baht-cash-reward-paid/page-3?p=9798631#entry9798631

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Kanchanaburi bus terminal hit by false bomb scare
The Nation

Kanchanburi - A school bag was found left unattended inside the bus terminal of Kanchanburi Monday, leading to bomb scare.

The bg was found on a bench inside the terminal at 10 am, prompting the officials to evacuate some 100 passenger from the terminal.

A military dog signalled that there was suspicious items in the bag.

Explosive ordnance disposal officers from the Ninth Infantry Division rushed to scene and shot the bag with a high-pressure water canon before they checked it and found that it was simply a school bag with text books and pencils. Police said carbon from the pencils might confuse the sniffing dog.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Kanchanaburi-bus-terminal-hit-by-false-bomb-scare-30267809.html


-- The Nation 2015-08-31

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BoT Governor believes in success of Govt’s short-term economic policy

BANGKOK, 31 August 2015 (NNT) – Governor of the Bank of Thailand (BoT) Prasarn Trairatvorakul has voiced his belief in the government’s ability to boost the national economy in the short term without affecting the fiscal discipline.

Commenting on the government’s promotion of the village fund as an extra loan source for people, Mr Prasarn pointed out that the move could be effective as a short-term measure to spur the economy. He was confident the government will carefully draw up its loan criteria in a way that will not damage the fiscal discipline or exacerbate the household debt problem.

The central bank governor affirmed liquidity in the country’s financial system is still at a healthy level, judging from stability in the banking sector. He also expected the village fund project to help alleviate the economic hardship in the country and facilitate the restoration of public confidence.

However, despite the stable outlook, Mr Prasarn admitted that the Thai economy will unlikely post high growth as it is being hindered by the impact from the world economic slowdown.


-- NNT 2015-08-31

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UPDATE:

So far four arrest warrants approved for Bangkok blast case
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Police spokesman Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thawornsiri said Monday that so far courts have approved four arrest warrants in connection to the two Bangkok bombings.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852350-bangkok-blast-police-seek-arrest-warrants-against-three-more-foreigners/#entry9798879

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NRC: Energy policy-making process should include all stakeholders

BANGKOK, 31 August 2015 (NNT) - The National Reform Council (NRC) committee on energy reform has proposed that more parties be allowed to shape the country’s energy policies.

Anchalee Chavinich, Vice Chairman of the energy reform committee, said that energy policies have historically been dictated by the Energy Policy and Planning Office, the Energy Policy Committee and the Energy Conservation Fund Committee.

She proposed that other stakeholders be included in the policy-making process, such as consumers, private companies and experts. Ms. Anchalee argued that this approach allows for energy policy that represents all sides, as well as enhances transparency.


-- NNT 2015-08-31

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UPDATE:

TWO PETITIONS REJECTED
Rice-pledging scheme case starts badly for Yingluck
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- FORMER PM Yingluck Shinawatra suffered a setback Monday when the Supreme Court rejected two petitions by her lawyers at the first hearing on the rice-subsidy scheme, which cost the country at least Bt500 billion.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852398-yingluck-appears-before-supreme-court/#entry9799127

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SET index closed 1,382.41 up 16.47; Bt/USD35.68; GBP54.75; AUD25.04; EUR39.83; CAD26.70; HKD4.58; SGD25.04; JPY29.25

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Chao Phraya river’s level drops close to critical point



BANGKOK: -- The water level of the Chao Phraya river at the Chao Phraya dam in Chainat province has dropped close to the critical point in the last 14 hours due mainly to excessive pumping of water into rice fields by farmers, said Mr Aekasith Sakdithanaporn, director of Chao Phraya dam project, on Monday.

Full storyhttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/852474-chao-phraya-rivers-level-drops-close-to-critical-point/