Thailand Live Wednesday 11 Nov 2015

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Helmut Schmidt, euro founding father, has died aged 96



HAMBURG: -- Former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, who led the country for eight years at the height of the Cold War, has died at the age of 96, his office in Hamburg said on Tuesday (November 10).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869800-helmut-schmidt-euro-founding-father-dies-at-96/

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POLITICS
Govt eyes letting political parties meet
WASAMON AUDJARINT,
JAKRAWAN SALAYTOO
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The government will consider whether political parties can resume holding meetings despite the current ban on such activities, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869802-thai-govt-eyes-letting-political-parties-meet/

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UPDATE:

RAJABHAKTI PARK
Probe into Army park
THE NATION



Irregularities at Rajabhakti Park dealt with, General Udomdej says

BANGKOK: -- IRREGULARITIES in the Rajabhakti Park project have been dealt with and can be explained, Deputy Defence Minister General Udomdej Sitabutr said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869690-former-thai-army-chief-assures-of-clean-and-clear-construction-donation/#entry10064159

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NEW CHARTER
Premier won't need to be an MP, drafters say
THE NATION

But candidate will need the backing of lower House Mps : CDC

BANGKOK: -- CHARTER writers yesterday agreed to allow a non-elected MP to become the prime minister, but only via election by the House of Representatives.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869803-thai-charter-premier-wont-need-to-be-an-mp-drafters-say/

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MADRID (AP) - Madrid official: New Orleans music great Allen Toussaint dies after heart attack at age 77.

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COURT
Supreme Court jails pair for 5 years each for Suvarnabhumi bid rigging
THE NATION


File Photo

BANGKOK: -- THE SUPREME COURT yesterday handed down five-year jail terms to two former top executives of New Bangkok International Airport for rigging bids on the Suvarnabhumi Airport project back in 1996.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869805-supreme-court-jails-pair-for-5-years-each-for-suvarnabhumi-bid-rigging/

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HOME SHOPPING
Japanese firm eyes Thai home shopping
Watchiranont Thongtep
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- TOKYO Broadcasting System Holdings (TBS) sees huge potential in the growing Bt8billion homeshopping industry in Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869806-japanese-firm-eyes-thai-home-shopping/

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FOREIGN BUSINESS ACT
Four businesses to be removed from FBA Annex III
Petchanet Pratruangkrai
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- To attract more foreign investors, the Commerce Ministry will remove four businesses - banking, bank branches, life insurance and non-life insurance - from the Annex III list of the Foreign Business Act (FBA) by the end of the year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869807-foreign-business-act-four-businesses-to-be-removed-from-fba-annex-iii/

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4G
CAT seeks 1800MHz partnership
Usanee Mongkolporn
The Nation


BANGKOK: -- CAT TELECOM is ready to seek a partnership to develop wireless broadband service on the idle 20MHz of the 1800MHz spectrum with any party, including the four bidders in today's 1800MHz licence auction, acting chief executive officer Colonel Sanpachai Huvanandana said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869808-4g-cat-seeks-1800mhz-partnership/

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Bail request for child-snatching woman rejected
JITIMA JANPHROM
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE woman who stole an infant from a hospital four years ago and raised the child as her own will stay in prison as her bail request was denied, while the child's biological family has voiced concerns about the long distance they will have to travel to visit her.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869809-bail-request-for-child-snatching-thai-woman-rejected/

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SSO
Mixed response to new SSB team
Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation

Labour chief praises move, but his deputy Wilaiwan is against govt intervention

BANGKOK: -- THE GOVERNMENT'S move to use the special powers granted to it under Section 44 of the interim charter to appoint a new Social Security Board instead of waiting for a proposed election in April has sparked a mixed reaction.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869810-mixed-response-to-new-thai-ssb-team/

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Crackdown on pollution in central region to limit impact on 4 dams
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed relevant agencies to seek ways to deal with the low water levels at the country's four major dams, the government spokesman said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869811-crackdown-on-pollution-in-central-thailand-to-limit-impact-on-4-dams/

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Public organisations 'face the axe if they can't shape up in six months'
The Nation


File Photo

BANGKOK: -- PRIME Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha hinted yesterday that public organisations could face the axe if a review proves that they wasted their budgets without really serving their founding objectives.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869812-public-organisations-face-the-axe-if-they-cant-shape-up-in-six-months/

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Prayut to merge panels to streamline reform agendas
WASAMON AUDJARINT
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- PRIME Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday said he would order the merging of the Strategic Reform Steering Committee under the National Council for Peace and Order and the government's reform steering panel into a new body to implement reforms more effectively.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869813-prayut-to-merge-panels-to-streamline-reform-agendas/

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Ministry of Culture to organize Loy Kratong Festival

BANGKOK, 11 November 2015 (NNT) – The Ministry of Culture and several other agencies will jointly organize Loy Kratong festival on November 25.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869814-thai-culture-ministry-to-organize-loy-kratong-festival/

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Further checks on the troubled Waterfront Development in Pattaya Bay



PATTAYA: -- On Tuesday a delegation from the National Legislative Assembly were in Pattaya to discuss new applications from the developers of the Waterfront Residence so they can resume construction.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869817-further-checks-on-the-troubled-waterfront-development-in-pattaya-bay/

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Princess Sirindhorn opens new Phuket hospital buildings
The Phuket News


HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn was on Phuket to open two new buildings at Vachira Hospital.

PHUKET: -- HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited the island yesterday (Nov 9) to preside over the opening ceremony of two new buildings at Vachira Hospital.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869818-princess-sirindhorn-opens-new-phuket-hospital-buildings/

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Phuket's 'Hollywood Museum' on hold over plan to fell beachfront trees
The Phuket News


Construction at the site on the Nai Harn beachfront has been halted until a public hearing has been held. Photo: MOTS Phuket

PHUKET: -- A plan to cut down trees on the Nai Harn beachfront to make way for a large a stage prop tourist attraction has been put on hold until the project has been explained “again” to local residents, Santi Pawai, the director of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Phuket office, confirmed today (Nov 10).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869819-phukets-hollywood-museum-on-hold-over-plan-to-fell-beachfront-trees/

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'Missing' Irish teacher locked up for drunk driving
Phuket Gazette


Eion Cahill's friends last saw him at Tai Pan in Patong. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Tourist Police search for an Irish teacher who disappeared Saturday night came to a screeching halt after the Patong Police revealed that the 35-year-old man had been locked up for drunk driving.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869820-missing-irish-teacher-locked-up-for-drunk-driving-in-phuket/

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Dutchman Johan van Laarhoven Gets 103 Year Sentence from Thai Court

BANGKOK Johan van Laarhoven a Dutch national who founded cannabis cafes in Brabant has been jailed for 103 years by a court in Bangkok for money laundering.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869821-thai-court-sentences-dutch-national-to-103-years-in-jail/

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Corrections Department told to tighten up medical checks of detainees



BANGKOK: -- The Corrections Department has been told by the Justice Ministry to tighten up medical checks of detainees held at the prison inside the 11th Army Circle to make sure that the detainees are healthy and will not succumb to their deaths.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869822-thai-corrections-dept-told-to-tighten-up-medical-checks-of-detainees/

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EDITORIAL
Curtailing knowledge is just plain dumb
The Nation

The govt wants to appraise the worthiness of three centres of learning, suggesting it prefers its populace stupid and servile

BANGKOK: -- With the inauguration of the Asean Economic Community imminent and with Thai students' scores generally in decline on international tests, it is confounding that the government might want to shut down three established "knowledge centres" in Bangkok.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869823-thai-editorial-curtailing-knowledge-is-just-plain-dumb/

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U.S. Ambassador Glyn T. Davies Hosts Introductory Reception

BANGKOK, 11 November 2015 (NNT) - The Embassy of the United States in Bangkok organised a welcome reception for the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Thailand this evening.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869824-us-ambassador-glyn-t-davies-hosts-introductory-reception/

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Saudi Arabia beheads 151 people so far this year, highest in 2 decades
BY BNO NEWS

SAUDI ARABIA: -- A Saudi man convicted of killing a police officer was executed by beheading on Monday, raising the number of people executed in the kingdom so far this year to 151, the highest figure in two decades.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869825-saudi-arabia-beheads-151-people-so-far-this-year-highest-in-2-decades/

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UPDATE:

Cameron sets out demands for Britain to remain in the EU



BRUSSELS: -- UK Prime Minister David Cameron has formally launched efforts to reform the European Union so that Britain can remain within the bloc.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869679-david-cameron-vows-to-seize-control-of-britains-borders-as-he-sets-out-his-demands-for-eu-reform/?p=10064262#entry10064262

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'Control regained' at controversial Christmas Island detention centre



CANBERRA: -- Australian authorities say they have regained control of the controversial Christmas Island detention centre.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869826-control-regained-at-controversial-christmas-island-detention-centre/

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Moscow doping-test lab closes following WADA allegations
By Sarah Joanne Taylor | With REUTERS



MOSCOW: -- The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has suspended the accreditation of a Moscow laboratory used for doping tests.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869827-moscow-doping-test-lab-closes-following-wada-allegations/

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Pope Francis in Prato denounces exploitation of migrant workers



ROME: -- Pope Francis on a visit to Prato, a small town near Florence, denounced the exploitation of migrant workers and the sweatshop conditions many are forced to endure.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869828-pope-francis-in-prato-denounces-exploitation-of-migrant-workers/

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Former EU commissioner Ciolos appointed Romanian prime minister



BUCHAREST: -- Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has appointed former EU agriculture commissioner Dacian Ciolos as prime minister.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869829-former-eu-commissioner-ciolos-appointed-romanian-prime-minister/

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Turkey 'won't beg for EU membership', as tables turn
By Adrian Lancashire



BRUSSELS: -- The publication of the European Commission’s annual report on Turkey coincided with the day on which the founder of the modern republic, Kemal Ataturk, was honoured.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869830-turkey-wont-beg-for-eu-membership-as-tables-turn/