Patong restaurateur dies, crushed by garbage truck

PHUKET: The owner of an Indian restaurant at the food court of the Jungceylon shopping mall in Patong has died after his motorbike slammed into the back of a parked pickup truck and he was crushed under the wheels of a passing garbage truck.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....-garbage-truck/

Prayut to visit US in February, Russia in May

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will attend Asean-US summit in California in February, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said Friday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881642-prayut-to-visit-us-in-february-russia-in-may/

Russian Ambassador calls to Deputy Prime Minister to discuss ceremony celebrating 120 years of diplomacy

BANGKOK, 25 December 2015 (NNT) – The Ambassador of Russia to Thailand today met with Thai Deputy Prime Minister to discuss diplomatic matters.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881643-russian-ambassador-calls-to-deputy-prime-minister-to-discuss-ceremony-celebrating-120-years-of-diplo/

CAT, DTAC plan joint upgrade of 1,800MHz bandwidth for 4G

BANGKOK: CAT Telecom and its concession holder Total Access Communication (DTAC) will jointly upgrade the idle 20MHz bandwidth on the 1,800-megahertz spectrum to provide fourthgeneration wireless service, acting CAT president Sanpachai Huvanandana said Friday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881644-cat-dtac-plan-joint-upgrade-of-1800mhz-bandwidth-for-4g/

Prayut urges eligible voters to vote on constitutional draft

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Prayut Chanocha Friday called on all eligible voters to exercise their right during the national referendum on the new constitutional draft.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881646-prayut-urges-eligible-voters-to-vote-on-constitutional-draft/

Free Expressways and No Banking Charges for New Year

By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee
Staff Reporter

BANGKOK — Motorists will be treated to toll free expressways starting from midnight today until Jan. 3.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881647-free-expressways-and-no-banking-charges-for-new-year/?p=10234937

Late-night earthquake rattles Pakistani capital, Afghanistan

MUNIR AHMED, Associated Press


ISLAMABAD (AP) — A strong earthquake shook parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan early Saturday, rattling buildings and forcing sleeping residents out of their homes.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881648-late-night-earthquake-rattles-pakistani-capital-afghanistan/

India's Modi arrives in Pakistan on first visit as premier

MUNIR AHMED, Associated Press


ISLAMABAD (AP) — India's Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Pakistan on Friday, his first such trip as prime minister to this Islamic nation that has been India's long-standing archrival in the region.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881649-indias-modi-arrives-in-pakistan-on-first-visit-as-premier/

Corsica violence injures firefighters; prayer hall damaged

PARIS (AP) — A crowd vandalized a Muslim prayer room in Corsica a day after an ambush left firefighters injured on the French island.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881650-corsica-violence-injures-firefighters;-prayer-hall-damaged/

Top Syrian rebel killed in airstrike near Damascus

BASSEM MROUE, Associated Press


BEIRUT (AP) — Opposition activists say an airstrike near the capital Damascus has killed top rebel commander Zahran Allouch.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881652-top-syrian-rebel-killed-in-airstrike-near-damascus/

Former FIFA official pleads guilty to charges in Uruguay

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — A former top FIFA official caught up in a U.S. probe of corruption in soccer has pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering charges in his native Uruguay.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881653-former-fifa-official-pleads-guilty-to-charges-in-uruguay/

3 of the 14 dead in US storms were found in submerged car

PHILLIP LUCAS, Associated Press
ERIK SCHELZIG, Associated Press


ASHLAND, Mississippi (AP) — Three of the six people killed in storms that rolled across Tennessee were found in a submerged car, police said Friday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881655-3-of-the-14-dead-in-us-storms-were-found-in-submerged-car/

Jail and hefty fines await anyone caught drink driving in Pattaya

Motorists in Pattaya have been warned about the risks of drink driving during the holiday season.

• Fines of up to 20,000 Baht


• Vehicle and driving license seized


• Military detention and jail for those caught drunk behind the wheel

CHONBURI:-- In a joint operation between local police and the military, drivers can expect to see increased patrols and roadblocks in operation throughout Pattaya, as the authorities take a zero tolerance approach to those being caught under the influence whilst driving.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881657-jail-and-hefty-fines-await-anyone-caught-drink-driving-in-pattaya/

Koh Tao Murders: Court Says DNA Trumps Other Flaws in Case

Sue Miller holds photograph of her son, David Miller, during a Dec. 24 news conference at Samui courthouse.

By Teeranai Charuvastra

Staff Reporter

SAMUI – Although it accepts that the case against the two Myanmar men - found guilty of killing two British tourists in southern Thailand last year - was not without flaws, the court said yesterday that DNA samples collected from the crime scene are so incontrovertible, that they justify a conviction.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881256-koh-tao-suspects-found-guilty-of-murdering-british-backpackers/page-41#entry10235235

Koh Tao Murders: Rights Group Demands Fresh Investigation Into Torture Claims

Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo at samui courthouse yesterday

By Teeranai Charuvastra

Staff Reporter

BANGKOK - Amnesty International today issued a statement calling for an independent inquiry to determine whether the two Myanmar men, recently convicted of murder, were tortured into making a false confession as the defendants allege.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881256-koh-tao-suspects-found-guilty-of-murdering-british-backpackers/page-41#entry10235242

KOH TAO MURDERS

Thai and Myanmar govts try to calm anger over death sentences

THE NATION

BANGKOK:-- THE governments of Thailand and Myanmar yesterday tried their best to calm the anger and dismay that led to protests outside the Thai Embassy in Yangon after a court sentenced two Myanmar migrant workers to death for the murder of two young British backpackers in 2014.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881458-thai-embassy-in-yangon-issues-alert-after-protest-following-koh-tao-ruling/page-4#entry10235284

Things get a bit smelly on social media

KORNCHANOK RAKSASERI

BANGKOK: IT’S probably a good thing that odours can’t be spread through the Internet, otherwise the Thai social-media community would have been reeling under the stink of excrement as they checked out the post about faeces being left on an MRT train.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881671-things-get-a-bit-smelly-on-social-media/

10,000 Retired Teachers to be rehired in Thailand Due to Teacher Shortage

BANGKOK – Education Minister Gen Dapong Ratanasuwan yesterday that the Education Ministry plans to bring about 10,000 retired teachers back into the education system on a part-time basis over the next year to solve chronic teacher shortages.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881673-10000-retired-teachers-to-be-rehired-in-thailand-due-to-teacher-shortage/

PM says his patience has limits with biased columnists

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said Friday that he would no longer put up with biased criticisms from some irresponsible newspaper columnists and had instructed security officers to invite them for talks.

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-says-his-patience-has-limits-with-biased-columnists

Mekong residents to fight dam ruling

PRATCH RUJIVANAROM
THE NATION

BANGKOK: Court says Egat, atate agencies adhered to law over disclosure, but villagers say process flawed.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881675-mekong-residents-to-fight-dam-ruling/

Unusual weather causes heavy snowfalls and blossoming flowers

Some unusual weather from around the world.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881676-unusual-weather-causes-heavy-snowfalls-and-blossoming-flowers/

Turkish banks and government offices at standstill in Anonymous-claimed attack

By Robert Hackwill

Banking systems and government offices were especially badly hit in a day of worsening cyber chaos in Turkey.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881677-turkish-banks-and-government-offices-at-standstill-in-anonymous-claimed-attack/

Argentine “stolen baby” reunited with grandmother after 39 years

After a search that’s taken almost 40 years, Chicha Mariani has at last been reunited with her granddaughter, Clara.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881678-argentine-stolen-baby-reunited-with-grandmother-after-39-years/

Little Christmas cheer on Europe’s borders

by Robert Hackwill

No seasonal cheer for the refugees and migrants from Africa who continue to be washed up on Europe’s shores, despite the bad weather and warnings Europe is full, unless you come from a war zone.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881679-little-christmas-cheer-on-europes-borders/

More Cumbrian floods as northern English rainfall breaks records

By Robert Hackwill

Parts of Cumbria have been flooded for the third time in a month as the north of England again suffers heavy storms.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881680-more-cumbrian-floods-as-northern-english-rainfall-breaks-records/

Many hotels keep current rates

SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

BANGKOK: MANY hotel room rates in Bangkok have remained unchanged this high season as operators faced many negative factors, according to major hotel players.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881681-many-hotels-keep-current-rates/

Christmas becoming more popular in Thailand

BANGKOK: DESPITE being traditionally recognised in the West, Christmas is increasingly celebrated in Thailand, according to Dunnhumby Thailand, a customer-science company.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881682-christmas-becoming-more-popular-in-thailand/

German accused of sexually assaulting children

A 57-year-old German man accused of sexually abusing at least five children at his rental home in the capital’s Chbar Ampov district was tried before the Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881500-german-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-children/

Abhisit snubs at indirect election of senators

BANGKOK:-- Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has snubbed at the Constitution Drafting Committee’s proposal for indirect election senators from 20 professional groups.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881683-abhisit-snubs-at-indirect-election-of-senators/

Thai social-media users need to grow up in 2016

BANGKOK: Despite a flawed start and more challenges ahead, maturity is a reasonable target

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881684-thai-social-media-users-need-to-grow-up-in-2016/