Thailand Live Tuesday 8 Mar 2016

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It’s okay to have a beer on the beach, says Patong police chief
The Phuket News

It’s okay to have a beer on Patong Beach, says the local police chief. Photo: Suthicha Sirirat

PHUKET: -- Kathu Police Chief Col Chaiwat Uikum has confirmed to The Phuket News that drinking beer on Patong Beach is okay by his officers, despite reports by beachgoers earlier today (Mar 7) that alcohol had been banned by the military.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901011-its-okay-to-have-a-beer-on-the-beach-says-patong-police-chief/

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Thaivisa Photography Competition (March 2016)

Sponsored by BizPaye

Info: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/899020-thaivisa-photography-competition-march-2016/

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Japanese Tourists’ Naked Swim Invites Investigation
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Twitter photo of the Japanese tourists in the mass skinny dipping session on Hua Hin Beach on Saturday night. Photo: @KomsakAddams / Twitter

HUA HIN — Viral photos of dozens of Japanese tourists frolicking naked in the surf of Hua Hin prompted a fruitless police investigation over the weekend.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901110-japanese-tourists-naked-swim-invites-hua-hin-police-investigation/

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Ruangkrai asks PM to investigate Dr Wisanu



BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Wisanu Krea-ngarm is taken to task for allegedly writing a note to the chief of the corrections department seeking the suspension of jailterm for a prisoner.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901111-ruangkrai-asks-pm-prayut-to-investigate-dr-wisanu/

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Police cut short a press conference planned by Buddhism Protection Centre

BANGKOK: -- A press conference planned this morning by Somdet Chuang’s support monks was cut short after police intervened and invited the monks’ leader to the metropolitan police bureau for “talks”.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901112-thai-police-cut-short-press-conference-planned-by-buddhism-protection-centre/

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4,000 artesian wells will be ready by April to ease water shortage problem



BANGKOK: -- Authorities concerned have stepped up the dredging of artesian wells hoping to dredge up to 4,000 wells within next month so there will be water for consumption and farming purpose to ease water shortage problem, said government spokesman Maj-Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901113-4000-artesian-wells-will-be-ready-by-april-to-ease-water-shortage-problem/

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Taxi falls into a huge crack of a cave-in road

A taxi driver and his male passenger narrowly escaped injury when the car fell into a huge crack of a cave-in road along a klong in Thanyaburi district of Pathum Thani province on Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901117-taxi-falls-into-a-huge-crack-of-cave-in-road-near-bangkok/

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SET Thai Corporate Day expected to bring more investors to Thailand

BANGKOK, 8 March 2016 (NNT) – The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) is confident the current SET Thai Corporate Day 2016 will attract more stock investors to the Thai market.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901120-set-thai-corporate-day-expected-to-bring-more-investors-to-thailand/

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Govt continues to seek cooperation from people to save water during dry season

BANGKOK, 8 March 2016 (NNT) – The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry has adjusted its water distribution plan after the water in 10 main dams across the country receded to critical levels. People have been advised to conserve water as a matter of urgency, as the remaining supplies are critically low.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901123-thai-govt-continues-to-seek-cooperation-from-people-to-save-water-during-dry-season/

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No more 91-octane gasoline in next few years

BANGKOK, 8 March 2016 (NNT) – Energy Business Department director general Witoon Kulcharoenwirat disclosed that 91-octane gasoline will be no longer available for use by automobiles from 2018.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901125-no-more-91-octane-gasoline-in-next-few-years/

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Four major Japanese automotive companies to use Thailand as car manufacturing base

BANGKOK, 8 March 2016 (NNT) - Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed the Ministry of Industry to be responsible for a plan to promote investment in automotive industry with a focus on the manufacturing of future cars.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901127-four-major-japanese-automotive-companies-to-use-thailand-as-car-manufacturing-base/

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UPDATE:

Pattaya Lady Boys Get Violent on Beach Road



PATTAYA: -- In the early morning hours of Monday, March 7th, two lady boys attacked a group of tourists. It occurred on Beach Road as they were all enjoying the late evening. The police were informed of the events, but no action occurred.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/900882-video-ladyboys-clash-with-foreign-tourists-on-pattaya-beach/page-3?p=10504546#entry10504546

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BRUSSELS (AP) - Hungary says it will veto plan to relocate asylum seekers directly from Turkey in EU summit setback.

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Botched Gun Store Heist Not Terrorism, Police Say

By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Scene from the attempted robbery at Inter Arms gun store in Bangkok on Friday

BANGKOK — A group of Chinese nationals who attempted to rob a gun store in Chinatown on Friday had no known links to any terror groups, the commander of Bangkok police said Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901131-botched-gun-store-heist-not-terrorism-bangkok-police-say/

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Thailand plans $1.98 bln loan programme for first-home buyers

BANGKOK: -- Thailand is expected to roll out a 70 billion baht ($1.98 billion) soft loan programme for lower-income first-home buyers, a senior finance ministry official said on Monday, as it seeks to stimulate domestic spending amid a sluggish economy.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901132-thailand-plans-198-bln-loan-programme-for-first-home-buyers/

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Constitution Debate To Be Televised
By Pravit Rojanaphruk
Senior Staff Writer


Election Commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn in an undated file photo.

BANGKOK — Opponents of the junta-sponsored draft charter will be limited to pre-recorded studio debates which will be televised nationwide, an elections official said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901133-thai-constitution-debate-to-be-televised/

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WASHINGTON (AP) - Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former three-term mayor of New York City, has decided against mounting a third-party White House bid.

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Royal Thai Army to enhance infantry readiness and disaster relief efforts

BANGKOK, 8 March 2016 (NNT) - The Commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army Gen Teerachai Narkvanich has visited the training session of the 9th Infantry Division to follow up on the implementation army’s new ground tactic for infantry readiness and disaster relief efforts.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901136-thai-army-to-enhance-infantry-readiness-and-disaster-relief-efforts/

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Govt issues regulations to accommodate 52 royal decrees on fisheries

BANGKOK, 8 March 2016 (NNT) - The Command Center for Combating Illegal Fishing (CCCIF) spokesman Chumphol Lumpikanon disclosed the progress in the efforts to tackle Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing which has been going as planned.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901139-thai-govt-issues-regulations-to-accommodate-52-royal-decrees-on-fisheries/

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'Five Rivers' to hold meetings by April

BANGKOK, 8 March 2016 (NNT) - Four of the Five Rivers, the five groups that are working towards a new governmental system for Thailand, have met to get updates on the progress of their work while a full-scale meeting is expected to take place by next month.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901140-five-rivers-to-hold-meetings-by-april/

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'Militants' attack Tunisian border town of Ben Guerdan



TUNIS: -- Tunisia’s government said dozens of Islamist militants attacked army and police posts in the town of Ben Guerdan.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901142-tunisia-bloodied-53-dead-in-clashes-near-libyan-border/

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UPDATE:

Tunisia bloodied: 53 dead in clashes near Libyan border
By BOUAZZA BEN BOUAZZA

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Exceptionally deadly clashes between Tunisian forces and extremist attackers left at least 53 people dead Monday near Tunisia's border with Libya, the government said, amid growing fears that violence from Libya could destabilize the whole region.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901142-tunisia-bloodied-53-dead-in-clashes-near-libyan-border/#entry10504602

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Paris prepares for another great flood



PARIS: -- An emergency simulation drill is underway in Paris, to see how the French capital would cope if the Rivers Seine and Marne burst their banks. They are preparing for the possibility of a major flood – on the scale of city’s Great Flood of 1910.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901143-paris-prepares-for-another-great-flood/

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Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova fails drugs test



LOS ANGELES: -- Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova has announced she has tested positive for a banned substance.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901144-russian-tennis-star-maria-sharapova-fails-drugs-test/

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UPDATE:

Sharapova says she failed drug test; penalty unknown
By GREG BEACHAM

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tennis star Maria Sharapova says she failed a drug test at the Australian Open.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901144-russian-tennis-star-maria-sharapova-fails-drugs-test/#entry10504621

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Rare footage shows Prince Charles as cute toddler with his royal mum

What a way to mark Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom!

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901145-rare-footage-shows-prince-charles-as-cute-toddler-with-his-royal-mum/

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Gender equality at last…on pedestrian crossings!



VALENCIA: -- Crossing the road will never be the same again in the Spanish city of Valencia.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901146-gender-equality-at-laston-pedestrian-crossings/

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France opens new refugee camp, amid protest



CALAIS: -- Monday was moving day for dozens of migrant families near the northern French city of Calais.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901147-france-opens-new-refugee-camp-amid-protest/

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From Turkey to the Greek islands – an insight into the migrant smugglers trade



ISTANBUL: -- Aksaray Square in Istanbul has been called “smugglers square”. It is there that migrants gather almost every day at sundown in the hope of buying a place on a boat to Greece.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901148-from-turkey-to-the-greek-islands-an-insight-into-the-migrant-smugglers-trade/

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Going nowhere: 13,000 refugees still stuck in Europe's biggest waiting room



"I escaped from the war in Syria, not to find another death here in this camp"

IDOMENI: -- As EU leaders and Turkey seek solutions to the migration crisis, far from the comfortable conference rooms of Brussels, blocked at a border marked by cold, filth and despair, at least 13,000 men, women and children wait.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/901149-going-nowhere-13000-refugees-still-stuck-in-europes-biggest-waiting-room/