Thailand Live Thursday 21 Jan 2016

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Energy Policy Board fixes NGV price at 13.50 baht/kg



BANGKOK: -- The Energy Policy Board agreed today (Wednesday) to float the retail price of natural gas for vehicles (NGV) at 13.50 baht per kilogramme effective as of January 21.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888242-energy-policy-board-fixes-ngv-price-at-1350-bahtkg/

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Swede injured in North Pattaya Road Crash

PATTAYA -- On Wednesday afternoon, Police and medics attended the scene of a road crash in North Pattaya which saw a Swedish National seriously injured.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888226-swede-injured-in-north-pattaya-road-crash/

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VIDEO

Thailand offers incentives for parents to have more children

BANGKOK: -- Cash incentives for babies. That's what the Thai government is offering families to try tackle low birth rates and a rapidly aging population.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888239-thailand-offers-incentives-for-parents-to-have-more-children/

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Ramathibodi hospital praises Por Tridsadee and his family



BANGKOK: -- Ramathibodi hospital praised the late TV star Tridsadee “Por” Sahawong for donating his body for medical study and thanked his family for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with medical staff in the tireless attempt to save his life throughout the last 70 days at the hospital.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888240-bangkoks-ramathibodi-hospital-praises-por-tridsadee-and-his-family/

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First poisonous spider found in Kanchanaburi



KANCHANABURI: -- The first Mediterranean recluse spider, a poisonous spider, was first found recently at a cave in Kanchanaburi’s Saiyoke district.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888241-first-poisonous-spider-found-in-kanchanaburi/

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Broadcast council apologises for media's improper conduct in Por's coverage



BANGKOK: -- The News Broadcasting Council of Thailand (NBCT) today (Wednesday) issued a formal apology to family of the late TV star Tridsadee “Por” Sahawong and his family as well as members of the public for the allegedly unbecoming behavior of the broadcast media in the coverage of Por’s death.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888243-broadcast-council-apologises-for-medias-improper-conduct-in-pors-coverage/

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PM asked to specify clearly which old constitution will be revived if….



BANGKOK: -- Former deputy prime minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul called on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha to specify which of the previous constitutions would be revived in case the current draft charter fails to go through the referendum.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888244-pm-prayut-asked-to-specify-clearly-which-old-constitution-will-be-revived-if/

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Former national police chief disqualified to contest FAT presidency election



BANGKOK: -- Former national police chief Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuang was disqualified to contest for the presidency of the Football Association of Thailand for applying his candidacy at the wrong place.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888245-former-national-thai-police-chief-disqualified-to-contest-fat-presidency-election/

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Party members asked to stop discrediting the government



BANGKOK: -- Core members of the Pheu Thai party were urged by the government to stop activities which are deemed as illegal with an ill intention to discredit the government and the military junta.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888246-party-members-asked-to-stop-discrediting-the-thai-government/

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Customs Dept launches Anti-IUU Fishing app

BANGKOK, 21 January 2016 (NNT) The Customs Department, together with the Department of Fisheries and the Command Center for Combating Illegal Fishing (CCCIF), has introduced a new mobile application called Anti-IUU Fishing.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888247-thai-customs-dept-launches-anti-iuu-fishing-app/

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Deputy premier to meet with EU executives on IUU issue on Friday

BANGKOK, 21 January 2016 (NNT) - Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan said the European Union (EU) will inspect progress in Thailand’s suppression of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing and EU executives will meet with him on Friday, January 22, at the Ministry of Defense's headquarters.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888248-thai-dpm-to-meet-with-eu-executives-on-iuu-issue-on-friday/

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Department of Disease Control: no cases of Lassa fever found in Thailand

BANGKOK, 21 January 20156 (NNT) - The Department of Disease Control has announced that Thailand has no confirmed case of the Lassa fever that is currently afflicting Nigeria, killing 76 patients.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888249-no-cases-of-lassa-fever-found-in-thailand/

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UPDATE:

Royal Thai Police strictly inspecting foreigners traveling through the Thailand

BANGKOK, 21 January 2016 (NNT) - The Royal Thai Police are strictly inspecting foreigners traveling through Thailand to prevent the presence of unlawful individuals, while confirming that there is no sign of ISIS members operating in Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888211-immigration-bureau-to-tighten-screening-measures-in-face-of-terrorism-in-various-countries/#entry10333182

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Parking lot building for 700 vehicles to be constructed in old Rattanakosin city

BANGKOK, 21 January 2016 (NNT) - Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan chaired the first meeting of the Committee for Preservation and Development of Rattanakosin City and Old City in 2016 at Government House.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888250-parking-lot-building-for-700-vehicles-to-be-constructed-in-old-rattanakosin-city/

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Court sentences former stock broker to 9 years in prison for lese majeste charge



BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court today sentenced a former stock broker to nine years in prison after finding him guilty of posting messages damaging the monarchy on his Facebook account.

But his prison term was commuted by a third to six years after his confession to the offence was useful.

Sentenced to serve six years in jail is Mr Piya Julakittiphan, a former stock broker and a resident of Buntharik district of Ubon Ratchathani province.

Piya posted on Facebook under the name ‘Pongsatorn Buntorn’.

He was arrested on 11 December 2014 by plainclothes policemen and accused for using a Facebook account named “Ponsatorn Buntorn” to post Lèse majesté messages.

Upon arrest he accepted that the profile picture that appears on Facebook is his picture but he did not involve with that Facebook account.

But the court was told by prosecutor that Piya changed names six times since 2001.

His original name in the ID card was Thongchan Buntorn, but changed to Pongsatorn and Piya later.

But the court was told by Don Muang district office that Mr Piya had applied for identity card under the name of Pongsatorn and lived in Don Muang district from 2001-2004.

Piya created a Facebook account using the name Pongsatorn Buntorn in order to cover up his real identity.

Although he claimed the Facebook account is not his account, and he had sent request to Facebook team to remove the account on January 17, 2004, but the time the request was sent was several months after the lese majeste messages were posted.

Therefore the court believed he did post damaging messages on his Facebook account.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/147418


-- Thai PBS 2016-01-21

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Every Picture Tells a Story # 3

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888251-every-picture-tells-a-story-3/

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Is Thailand Really Cheap?
by The Pattaya Sleuth



BANGKOK: -- It is amazing how many times over the years I have read how cheap Thailand is and certainly some things are but I really don’t think it applies to everything – not anymore anyway.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888252-is-thailand-really-cheap/

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Frustrations in Thailand!
by The Pattaya Sleuth



BANGKOK: -- I think that those of us who live in Thailand have all experienced shall we say a few frustrations over the years and most of these frustrations relate to the simplest things.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888253-frustrations-in-thailand/

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Disabled Sailing Thailand Set Sail For The First Time



PATTAYA: -- On January 16, 2014, two major events took place at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club, Pattaya: the Ocean Marina Yacht Club’s 21st Anniversary Regatta and the inaugural cruise for Disabled Sailing Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888254-disabled-sailing-thailand-set-sail-for-the-first-time/

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Companies flee Bangkok in search of cheap labor
MASASHI UEHARA, Principal economist, Japan Center for Economic Research

TOKYO: -- Thailand, the biggest economy on the Indochina Peninsula, is also the primary driver of economic development in the Southern Economic Corridor. While Thailand is stable under the military regime, its economy lacks strong resilience.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888256-companies-flee-bangkok-in-search-of-cheap-labor/

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Draft constitution for army-run Thailand 'strong medicine'
BY AMY SAWITTA LEFEVRE AND PANARAT THEPGUMPANAT

BANGKOK: -- A draft constitution for army-run Thailand to be unveiled this month will be "strong medicine", the constitution panel head said on Wednesday, adding that there was no guarantee it would pass a referendum, meaning a further extension of military rule.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888257-draft-constitution-for-army-run-thailand-strong-medicine/

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Student Activist Leader 'Abducted' from University

By Teeranai Charuvastra

Staff Reporter

An image posted after 11pm on Wednesday night by the New Democracy Movement said to be of a truck student activist leader Sirawith Seritiwat was abducted in by a number of men dressed in military uniforms. Photo: New Democracy Movement / Facebook

BANGKOK A pro-democracy activist group said one of its leading members was abducted tonight by a group of men in military uniforms near Thammasat University in northern Bangkok tonight.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888258-student-activist-leader-abducted-near-thammasat-university/

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Meet 'Sirindhorna Khoratensis,' New Dinosaur Discovered in Korat
By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee
Staff Reporter


Graphic: Masateru Shibata, Pratueng Jintasakul

KORAT — The world has a new dinosaur, or least the fossil remains of one, to remember thanks to researchers who discovered it among fossils dug up in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888259-meet-sirindhorna-khoratensis-new-dinosaur-discovered-in-korat/

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Trade in Those MRT Cards or Lose the Money
By Sasiwan Mokkhasen
Staff Reporter


The current version of MRT stored value cards Photo: Bangkok Expressway and Metro

BANGKOK — Those with an MRT stored value card in their pocket have until the last day of June to trade it in for the new one needed to ride future routes.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888260-trade-in-those-mrt-cards-or-lose-the-money/

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EU keeps 'illegal, unregulated' industry on the hook
YUKAKO ONO, Nikkei staff writer

BANGKOK -- Thailand's military government and leaders of the country's lucrative but tainted fishing industry have been holding their collective breath this week while a visiting European Union delegation assesses practices and standards in order to decide if seafood from Thailand should be banned.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888261-eu-keeps-illegal-unregulated-industry-on-the-hook/

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2015 was hottest year on record, say some scientists



WASHINGTON: -- Two US government agencies say last year was the hottest on record.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888262-2015-was-hottest-year-on-record-say-some-scientists/

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Austria to slash the number of asylum claims it accepts



"I think we should start with tackling the causes of migration and find a European solution"

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888263-austria-to-slash-the-number-of-asylum-claims-it-accepts/

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UPDATE:

Student slaughter in Pakistan as gunmen attack university



KARACHI: -- Student groups took to the streets of the Pakistani city of Karachi to condemn the attack at the Bacha Khan University in Charsadda in the north west of the country.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888142-gunmen-storm-university-in-northwest-pakistan/#entry10333316

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Ukraine beefs up sanctions against Russian products
By Keith Walker



KIEV: -- Ukraine has imposed new sanctions against Russia as a tit-for-tat trade war escalates.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888265-ukraine-beefs-up-sanctions-against-russian-products/

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Syrian opposition accuses Moscow of hindering peace talks



WASHINGTON: -- US Secretary of State John Kerry has held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov ahead of next week’s peace negotiations on Syria.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888267-syrian-opposition-accuses-moscow-of-hindering-peace-talks/