Rape Victims Struggle to Find Justice in Myanmar

By Ei Cherry Aung
Myanmar Now

Hla Hla Yee, director of Legal Clinic Myanmar, taken on Jan. 27, 2016. Photo: Thin Lei Win / Myanmar Now

YANGON — Last year, a cleaner hired by Phu Pwint’s family raped the 11-year-old girl when she was alone in her home in Hlaing Tharyar Township in northern Yangon.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....ice-in-myanmar/

DSI expects to wrap up case concerning 878 cheques within this month

BANGKOK: The Department of Special Investigation is expected to wrap up within this month its probe into the money trails of 878 cheques issued by the former management of Klongchan Credit Union Cooperatives to seven groups of recipients, including Wat Dhammakaya.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894573-dsi-expects-to-wrap-up-case-concerning-878-cheques-within-this-month/?p=10415944

NLA votes against non-elected PM and single ballot for constituency and party list MPs

BANGKOK: The National Legislative Assembly today (Friday) voted against single ballot for the election of both constituency and party list MPs and non-elected prime minister as proposed by the Constitution Drafting Committee in the charter draft.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894574-nla-votes-against-non-elected-pm-and-single-ballot-for-constituency-and-party-list-mps/

Prime Minister welcomes Russian envoy

Jettana Pantana

BANGKOK, 12 February 2016 (NNT) - Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha today welcomed the Director of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, HE Mr Nikolai Patrushev on his visit to strengthen bilateral relations in preparation for Gen Pryaut’s visit to Russia, for the upcoming ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit in May of this year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894575-prime-minister-welcomes-russian-envoy/

Ministry of Interior to mobilize sufficiency economy policies in the agricultural sector

Jettana Pantana

BANGKOK, 12 February 2016 (NNT) - The Ministry of the Interior in cooperation with the Office of the Royal Development Projects Boards has held a joint meeting to mobilize various sufficiency economy policies in the agricultural sector and rural areas.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894576-ministry-of-interior-to-mobilize-sufficiency-economy-policies-in-the-agricultural-sector/

PM to promote SMEs at ASEAN-U.S. Leaders Summit

Supawadee Wangsri

BANGKOK, 12 February 2016 (NNT) –The Prime Minister of Thailand will draw attention to the success of small and medium enterprises at the ASEAN-U.S. Leaders Summit, in order to add value to agricultural products.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894577-pm-to-promote-smes-at-asean-us-leaders-summit/

German collapses and dies while riding his bike in East Pattaya

PATTAYA: In the early hours of Friday, a 71-year-old German was found dead in a street in East Pattaya next to his bicycle.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894578-german-collapses-and-dies-while-riding-his-bike-in-east-pattaya/

Transport Company cuts bus fares by one satang/kilometre

BANGKOK: The state-owned Transport Company has agreed to slash its bus fares for all routes by one satang per kilometer effective as of February 15.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894579-transport-company-cuts-bus-fares-by-one-satangkilometre/?p=10415977

Canadian Teachers report assault at Pattaya Go-Go Bar

PATTAYA: Two female Canadian Teachers reported an alleged assault by service staff at a Go-Go Bar in the early hours of Friday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894580-canadian-teachers-report-assault-at-pattaya-go-go-bar/?p=10415981

Purple Line is expected to become operational in August

BANGKOK: The Purple railway line between Bangyai and Taopoon will start full test run in May and it will be operational in August to celebrate the birthday anniversary of Her Majesty the Queen, said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha in his weekly Returning Happiness to the People programme Friday night.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894581-purple-line-is-expected-to-become-operational-in-august/

Greek farmers protesting pension reform plans clash with riot police

By Keith Walker

Violent clashes erupted in Greece as protesting farmers attempted to occupy the agriculture ministry in Athens on Friday (February 12).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894582-greek-farmers-protesting-pension-reform-plans-clash-with-riot-police/

Syria ‘cessation of hostilities’ deal offers glimmer of hope

Implementation is the key to the new deal struck on Syria, with world powers aiming to bring an end to hostilities in a week.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894583-syria-cessation-of-hostilities-deal-offers-glimmer-of-hope/

The 500 euro note – could its days be numbered?

Finance ministers are calling on the European Central Bank (ECB) to look at ways of tightening access to 500 euro notes, in a bid to cut terror funding.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894585-the-500-euro-note-could-its-days-be-numbered/

Greece is given three months to tighten border controls

The EU is turning up the heat on Greece, giving it three months to fix serious holes in border protection.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894586-greece-is-given-three-months-to-tighten-border-controls/

Historic meeting of Pope Francis and Partiarch Kirill in Cuba

By Keith Walker

The leaders of the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches meet in Havana on Friday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894587-historic-meeting-of-pope-francis-and-partiarch-kirill-in-cuba/

Greenpeace activists block truck convoy from French nuclear plant

Greenpeace activists blocked a truck convoy from reaching a French nuclear plant early on Friday (February 12) to protest nuclear power in France.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894588-greenpeace-activists-block-truck-convoy-from-french-nuclear-plant/

Egyptian doctors protest against alleged police abuse

Thousands of Egypt’s doctors staged a rare protest in Cairo on Friday (February 12), against police abuses after accusations two doctors were beaten up by policemen in a Cairo hospital.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894589-egyptian-doctors-protest-against-alleged-police-abuse/

Pakistan ‘foils’ plan to free Daniel Pearl’s killer

Officials in Pakistan say 97 “hardcore terrorists” have been arrested over several months.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894590-pakistan-foils-plan-to-free-daniel-pearls-killer/

Philae probe probably ‘covered in dust and too cold to operate’

European scientists have given up hope of restoring contact with space probe Philae, which successfully landed on a comet in a pinpoint operation only to lose power because its solar-driven batteries were in the shade.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894591-philae-probe-probably-covered-in-dust-and-too-cold-to-operate/

Thai Officials Investigate a 54% Increase in Foreign Tourists Deaths

BANGKOK – Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Ministry is working to understand and and at the same time address the issue of tourist safety.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894593-thai-officials-investigate-a-54-increase-in-foreign-tourists-deaths/

Yingluck ‘Confused’ by Signals on Rice Subsidy

By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter

Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra speaks to reporters Friday in her home organic garden in Bangkok.

BANGKOK — Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said she’s been left befuddled by the military government’s announcement that her controversial subsidy for rice farmers benefited the nation but was still potentially fraudulent.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894594-yingluck-confused-by-signals-on-rice-subsidy/

Thai police say slain Spaniard's DNA found in suspect's home

BANGKOK (AP) — Police in Thailand said Friday they have found bloodstains and DNA from a Spanish victim in the apartment of the Spanish man who was arrested on suspicion of killing and dismembering him.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894592-thai-police-say-slain-spaniards-dna-found-in-suspects-home/

Tour operators say Zika could be bad for Olympics business

STEPHEN WADE, AP Sports Writer


RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — If the Zika virus — or fear of it — keeps spreading, the head of a sports travel agency handling tour packages for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics fears for her business.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894599-tour-operators-say-zika-could-be-bad-for-olympics-business/

Facebook nude-painting case can face trial in France

PHILIPPE SOTTO, Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — If you post a 19th-century nude painting on Facebook, is it art or impermissible nudity? That question is now cleared for trial in France, after an appeals court there ruled that an aggrieved user can sue the social network over the issue.

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/facebook-nude-painting-case-can-face-trial-in-france/13869/

What Facebook's policy on nudity means in practice

MAE ANDERSON, AP Techwriter Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — What are Facebook's rules for posting nude images?

The question is at the forefront again after a French court ruled Friday that a French art teacher can sue the social media service after it suspended his Facebook account. Although Facebook hasn't given a reason, the account suspension came after he posted an image of a classical painting featuring a female nude.

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/what-facebooks-policy-on-nudity-means-in-practice/13871/

Candidates focus on South Carolina and crucial minority vote

The Associated Press


MILWAUKEE (AP) — Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders were reaching out to the key black and Latino vote on Friday after a debate that marked a campaign shift toward states with more minority voters. Most candidates from both parties were focusing on South Carolina, whose primaries later this month begin the critical race for southern voters.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894600-candidates-focus-on-south-carolina-and-crucial-minority-vote/

Spain: Civil servant fined after skipping work for years

ALAN CLENDENNING, Associated Press
CIARAN GILES, Associated Press


MADRID (AP) — The case started with confusion over where a civil servant in southern Spain worked. Now a court has ruled he must pay back nearly 27,000 euros ($30,500) in wages because for years he actually didn't work at all.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894603-spain-civil-servant-fined-after-skipping-work-for-years/

5 killed in UN base attack in Mali; 3 killed near Timbuktu

BABA AHMED, Associated Press


BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Militants attacked a U.N. base in northern Mali on Friday, killing at least 5 peacekeepers and wounding 30 others, a U.N. official said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894604-5-killed-in-un-base-attack-in-mali;-3-killed-near-timbuktu/

Syria fighting rages despite fresh efforts to end the war

Fighting continued to rage in Syria on Friday, as the world analyses the latest deal aimed at stopping five years of war.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894623-syria-fighting-rages-despite-fresh-efforts-to-end-the-war/

Gravitational waves offer ‘a new window on the Universe’

As the scientific world and enthusiasts marvel at the validation of Albert Einstein’s theory of the existence of gravitational waves.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/894625-gravitational-waves-offer-a-new-window-on-the-universe/?p=10416501