Farang man praised for collecting litter from Hua Hin beach


Image credit: Kulsawek Sawekwannakorn

HUA HIN:-- An unidentified foreign man has won widespread praise from Thai facebook users after he was photographed collecting litter from a beach in Hua Hin.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892441-farang-man-praised-for-collecting-litter-from-hua-hin-beach/

Man jumps five stories to death inside Silom Complex mall

By Coconuts Bangkok

Shoppers gather around the body of the deceased at the Silom Complex shopping mall. Photo: JS100

BANGKOK:-- A man reportedly jumped to his death from the fifth floor of the Silom Complex shopping mall about 5pm today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892387-man-jumps-five-stories-to-death-inside-silom-complex-mall/

UPDATE:

Spanish National Identified as Dismembered Man
By Sasiwan Mokkhasen
Staff Reporter


Police officers inspect a boat pier Saturday in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat district where a human arm washed up.

BANGKOK — Five days after body parts started turning up in the Chao Phraya River, police said today they came from a Spanish man.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892323-body-parts-found-in-chao-phraya-river-belong-to-spanish-man/page-3?p=10387950#entry10387950

Murder and Rape Reignites Death Penalty Campaign
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Police lead four suspects in a “reenactment” Tuesday to the spot in the jungle in Phatthalung province where they allegedly murdered a man and sexually assaulted his girlfriend Jan. 31.

BANGKOK — A horrific murder and rape in southern Thailand has sparked a campaign to prevent death sentences from being overturned for those convicted of deadly sexual assaults.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892443-murder-and-rape-reignites-death-penalty-campaign/

UPDATE:

Western retirees at Thai resort busted for playing bridge

BANGKOK (AP) — Add aging Western bridge players to the list of desperadoes in Thailand's seaside resort of Pattaya, a sin city rife with prostitution, corruption and foreign and home-grown gangsters.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892149-british-led-card-room-raided-by-officials-in-south-pattaya/page-24?p=10387957#entry10387957

Two Cambodians arrested for attacking DSI officials



BANGKOK: -- Two Cambodians were arrested for allegedly beating up a group of officials of the Department of Special Investigation and damaging their two cars at the Rong Klua market near the Thai-Cambodian border in Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaew.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892444-two-cambodians-arrested-for-attacking-dsi-officials/

PM blames Thais for lack of collective responsibility



BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said Thursday that all Thais must be held accountable for the problems confronted by the country due to their lack of collective responsibility and for allowing themselves to be led by politicians.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892445-pm-blames-thais-for-lack-of-collective-responsibility/

UPDATE:

Celebrity kicks off signature collection campaign for harsher penalties against rapist-murders



BANGKOK: -- An outspoken celebrity on Thursday kicked off a campaign to solicit public support for her call to put an end to commuted sentences for rapist-murders.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892443-murder-and-rape-reignites-death-penalty-campaign/#entry10387971

UPDATE:

PM admits he was annoyed by repeated questions from the media



BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha admitted on Thursday that he felt frustrated almost on daily basis because of the repeated questions from the media and this has been going on for the past two years.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892285-pm-offers-apology-for-the-hot-tempered-manner-he-shown-at-press-interviews/page-4?p=10387988#entry10387988

UPDATE:

Police suspect body parts found in river belong to a Spanish man



BANGKOK: -- Police believe that the body parts separately found floating in the Chao Phraya river in recent days belong to a Spanish man.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892323-body-parts-found-in-chao-phraya-river-belong-to-spanish-man/page-3?p=10387993#entry10387993

CDC spokesman believes the draft charter will pass the referendum if…



BANGKOK: -- The draft constitution will pass the referendum if 80 percent of the eligible voters show up to cast their votes, Constitution Drafting Committee spokesman Amorn Wanichwiwat said on Thursday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892448-cdc-spokesman-believes-the-draft-thai-charter-will-pass-the-referendum-if/

Governor admits it is difficult to stamp out fake products at Rong Klua market



BANGKOK: -- Sa Kaew governor admitted on Thursday it is difficult to stamp out fake brandname products at the Rong Klua market near the Thai-Cambodian border.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892449-governor-admits-it-is-difficult-to-stamp-out-fake-products-at-rong-klua-market/

DDPM: 14 provinces declared drought-affected zones

BANGKOK, 5 February 2016 (NNT) – Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department Director General Chatchai Promlert said many areas of the country are still adversely affected by drought.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892450-14-thai-provinces-declared-drought-affected-zones/

Benefits and disadvantages of TPP membership



BANGKOK, 5 February 2016 (NNT) -The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand yesterday held a Seminar on understanding the TPP from an academic aspect.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892451-benefits-and-disadvantages-of-tpp-membership/

Excise Department sues 12,000 contraband dealers during Oct and Jan

BANGKOK, 5 February 2016 (NNT) – The Excise Department has taken legal action against more than 12,000 contraband dealers over the past four months.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892452-thai-exise-dept-sues-12000-contraband-dealers-during-oct-and-jan/

BMA pushes on with public space cleanup

BANGKOK, 5 February 2016 (NNT) – Officials from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) have paid a visit to Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market to proceed with the public space reorganization campaign.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892454-bma-pushes-on-with-public-space-cleanup/

Prachuap Khiri Khan constructs drought-resisting dykes



PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN, 5 February 2016 (NNT) – Prachuap Khiri Khan Province has constructed dikes to slow water flow in drought affected areas, in an attempt to retain more water for consumption and irrigate water into the remote areas.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892456-prachuap-khiri-khan-constructs-drought-resisting-dykes/

Confusion and Anger at Pattaya Bridge Club Raid



PATTAYA: -- The raid of a Bridge Club in South Pattaya on Wednesday has become a global news story with many questioning the legalities of the raid and the definition of gambling and how it could possibly relate to the card game, Bridge.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892457-confusion-and-anger-at-pattaya-bridge-club-raid/

Sex & Drugs Party raided by Police in East Pattaya



PATTAYA: -- More than 30 Banglamung Police Officers conducted a raid at a resort in East Pattaya on Thursday afternoon where a sex & drugs party was taking place.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892458-sex-drugs-party-raided-by-police-in-east-pattaya/

DSI raid Pattaya Pharmacies in search of counterfeit steroids



PATTAYA: -- The DSI (Department of Special Investigations), in association with the Australian Embassy in Bangkok, conducted raids on seven Pharmacies in Pattaya on Thursday in search of counterfeit steroids.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892459-dsi-raid-pattaya-pharmacies-in-search-of-counterfeit-steroids/

CAIRO (AP) - Saudi military spokesman tells AP the kingdom is ready to send ground troops to Syria to fight Islamic State group if coalition leaders agree.

Don't shy away from condoms, Thailand says ahead of Valentine's Day
BY PANARAT THEPGUMPANAT
REUTERS

BANGKOK: -- Thailand launched a campaign on Thursday urging citizens to get used to carrying condoms, as it battles a reluctance to use protection in the fight against HIV and teen pregnancies.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892460-dont-shy-away-from-condoms-thailand-says-ahead-of-valentines-day/

Dr Dolrudee only one out of 5,000 scholars to skip debt, says Ohec
By Coconuts Bangkok


A photo of Dr Dolrudee Jumlongras, which circulated on social media.

BANGKOK: -- The Office of the Higher Education Commission (Ohec) said today the Harvard dentist Dr Dolrudee Jumlongras was the only lecturer who skipped out on the scholarship debt in her program.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892461-dr-dolrudee-only-one-out-of-5000-scholars-to-skip-debt-says-ohec/

NEW YORK (AP) - Maurice White, founder of Earth, Wind & Fire, has died at age 74

Earth, Wind & Fire founder Maurice White dead at 74

NEW YORK (AP) — Maurice White, the founder and leader of Earth, Wind & Fire, has died.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892463-earth-wind-fire-founder-maurice-white-dead-at-74/

Facebook celebrating its users’ friendships for its birthday
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS



SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Facebook is giving friendship collages to its 1.6 billion users in celebration of the social network’s 12th birthday.

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/facebook-celebrating-its-users-friendships-for-its-birthday/13725/

Internet of Things: cyber crime on the rise
BY STAFF WRITER

More data has been generated in the past two years than in the entire history of mankind.

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/internet-of-things-cyber-crime-on-the-rise/13728/

Phuket's Nui Beach club still open, despite heat from Navy
The Phuket News


Nui Beach Member Club is now promoting itself on Facebook as 'Nui beach', still open for business. Photo: Facebook / About Rawai

PHUKET: -- The Nui Bay Member Club, raided three times by the Royal Thai Navy and with one building demolished because it stood on the sand at Nui Beach, remains open to trade while the Phuket Provincial Office reviews its appeal.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892465-phukets-nui-beach-club-still-open-despite-heat-from-navy/

Phuket Blood Centre launches Chinese New Year blood donation campaign
The Phuket News


The blood donation campaign will run from February 6-12 at Phuket Regional Blood Centre.

PHUKET: -- Phuket Regional Blood Centre and Provincial Red Cross have launched a Chinese New Year blood donation campaign which will run from February 6-12 at Phuket Regional Blood Centre and they are encouraging people to donate blood to save lives and be blessed during the festive season.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892466-phuket-blood-centre-launches-chinese-new-year-blood-donation-campaign/

Phuket governor orders investigation into Facebook 'defamation' post
Phuket Gazette


Governor Chamroen said he was doing his best to solve the dispute between Baron World Trade and the Rawai sea gypsy community fairly. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada has ordered an investigation into a Facebook user who has accused him of taking sides in a dispute over land rights between the sea gypsy community in Rawai and developer Baron World Trade Co Ltd, which plans to build luxury villas on the contested beachfront land.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892467-phuket-governor-orders-investigation-into-facebook-defamation-post/