Thailand Live Tuesday 29 Mar 2016

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Body on Phuket beach identified as British superyacht builder
Kongleaphy Keam

PHUKET: -- Police have identified the body found on a Phuket beach this weekend as the British builder of the 31-meter superyacht Raja Laut.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906115-floating-body-found-on-surin-beach-matches-description-of-66-year-old-brit/?p=10580429

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Ex-minister Korn warns government of heavy financial burden from BKK-Korat train project



BANGKOK: -- Former finance minister Korn Chatikavanich today (Monday) warned the government that its decision to go it alone with the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima medium-speed train would cause a heavy financial burden to the state.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906443-ex-minister-korn-warns-govt-of-heavy-financial-burden-from-bangkok-korat-train-project/

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Cabinet to be asked to extend retirement age of government officials from 60 to 65



BANGKOK: -- The Office of Civil Service Commission is expected to propose to the cabinet next month a bill to amend the Pension Act which will extend the retirement age of government officials by five more years from 60 to 65.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906444-thai-cabinet-to-be-asked-to-extend-retirement-age-of-govt-officials-from-60-to-65/

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Pol Lt-Gen Sanit wonders why drunk driving charge was dropped against Red Bull heir



BANGKOK: -- The police investigating the fatal car accident implicating the Red Bull energy drink heir have mishandled the case for not charging the suspect with drunk driving, Pol Lt-Gen Sanit Mahathavorn, acting commissioner of metropolitan police, told a press conference today (Monday).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906445-pol-lt-gen-sanit-wonders-why-drunk-driving-charge-was-dropped-against-red-bull-heir/

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Ex-dean of medicine faculty given suspended jailterm for malfeasance

BANGKOK: -- Former dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Nawaminthrathirach University (Wachira hospital) was given a suspended jailterm after he was found guilty of malfeasance by the Criminal Court today (Monday).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906446-ex-dean-of-medicine-faculty-given-suspended-jailterm-for-malfeasance/

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Meechai upset for not being allowed to explain to people about the charter draft



BANGKOK: -- Constitution Drafting Committee chairman Meechai Ruchupan is upset with the National Legislative Assembly for disallowing his committee to explain to the people regarding the charter draft before the referendum.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906447-meechai-upset-for-not-being-allowed-to-explain-to-people-about-the-charter-draft/

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Court rejects Thai TV's request for protection of its 1.6 billion baht bank guarantee



BANGKOK: -- The Central Administrative Court has rejected Thai TV’s request for a court’s injunction for the protection of its 1.6 billion baht bank guarantee from being seized by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906448-court-rejects-thai-tvs-request-for-protection-of-its-16-billion-baht-bank-guarantee/

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Fruit vendor arrested for cheating a customer by selling adulterated durian jam



CHANTABURI: -- A fruit vendor in Chanthaburi is facing a maximum 5-year jailterm and a fine of up to 10,000 baht after she was arrested on charge of selling adulterated durian jam to a tourist.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906450-fruit-vendor-arrested-for-cheating-a-customer-by-selling-adulterated-durian-jam/

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MOU inked to allow BMA to operate Green Line mass transit system



BANGKOK: -- A memorandum of understanding was signed on Monday between the Transport Ministry, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand under which the City Hall will be designated to operate the Green Line mass transit system from Mor Chit to Saphan Mai and to Khu Khot and from Soi Baring to Samut Prakan.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906451-mou-inked-to-allow-bma-to-operate-green-line-mass-transit-system/

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Deadly Driver Jenphop Agrees to Blood Test 15 Days Later
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Scene of the accident on March 13 in Ayutthaya province.

AYUTTHAYA — A wealthy businessman who killed two graduate students in a high-speed car crash has agreed to a blood test 15 days after the accident, a police commander said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906452-deadly-driver-jenphop-agrees-to-blood-test-15-days-later/

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UPDATE:

Burmese Workers Cleared of Child Rape Charge
By Sasiwan Mokkhasen
Staff Reporter


About 30 people gathered at a Koh Samui police station Sunday to demand the arrest of a Myanmar man they accuse of sexually abusing a young child.

SAMUI — Two Burmese workers accused of raping a 4-year-old girl were released without charge after a medical exam and testimony of the alleged victim cleared them of wrongdoing.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906322-samui-anti-burmese-sentiments-surge-as-mob-accuses-worker-of-abusing-child/?p=10581207#entry10581207

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RID: Water in major dams to last through July

BANGKOK, 29 March 2016 (NNT) – The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) is adamant the amount of water in major reservoirs will be sufficient for public use until the end of the dry season in July.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906453-rid-water-in-major-dams-to-last-through-july/

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Thai govt, Nestle and Thai Union Group to launch 'Demonstration Boat'

BANGKOK, 29 March 2016 (NNT) - The Thai government and fishery industry have agreed to jointly launch a project called ‘Demonstration Boat’ to protect the rights of fishery workers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906454-thai-govt-nestle-and-thai-union-group-to-launch-demonstration-boat/

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Fish with pelvis built for walking discovered in Thailand

Blind, waterfall climbing cavefish has a pelvis and backbone similar to land vertebrates

It's a fish that swims, but one that can also walk like a land animal and is built like no other fish on Earth.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906456-fish-with-pelvis-built-for-walking-discovered-in-thailand/

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Man shot by police after drawing weapon at US Capitol
By ERICA WERNER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Capitol Police shot a man on Monday after he pulled a weapon at a U.S. Capitol checkpoint. The suspect was taken to a local hospital and a female bystander sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906477-man-shot-by-police-after-drawing-weapon-at-us-capitol/

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Belgian police release new footage of 'man in the hat'



BRUSSELS: -- Belgian police on Monday released CCTV footage of the third suspect in the Brussels airport blasts, walking alongside the two presumed suicide bombers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906478-belgian-police-release-new-footage-of-man-in-the-hat/

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Pro-Tibet activists deface Chinese flags as President Xi arrives in Prague



PRAGUE: -- Czech police have arrested 12 people in Prague for defacing Chinese flags and replacing them with Tibetan ones, as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived for a state visit on Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906479-pro-tibet-activists-deface-chinese-flags-as-president-xi-arrives-in-prague/

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Fidel Castro rejects thaw between Cuba and US
By Catherine Hardy | With AFP

HAVANA: -- Fidel Castro says Cuba will never forget its past disputes with the United States.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906480-fidel-castro-rejects-thaw-between-cuba-and-us/

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Storm Katie batters Britain



LONDON: -- Storm Katie has swept though southern England, battering buildings, causing travel chaos and, at its peak, leaving up to 100,000 homes without power.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906481-storm-katie-batters-britain/

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El Chapo's alleged money man detained

MEXICO CITY: -- Juan Manuel Alvarez, suspected of laundering money for recaptured drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman has been detained in southwest Mexico, and faces extradition to the United States.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906482-el-chapos-alleged-money-man-detained/

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Cockpit crew hailed heroes after Kazakh emergency landing



It could have ended in tragedy

KYZYLORDA: -- A plane in Kazakhstan was forced to touch down

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906485-cockpit-crew-hailed-heroes-after-kazakh-emergency-landing/

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'Nightmare over,' Palmyra to be mostly restored by end of 2016

"We expected the worst because of the liberation fighting but I think the nightmare is over."

DAMASCUS: -- The nightmare is over for Palmyra, says Syrias Head of Antiquities.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906486-nightmare-over-palmyra-to-be-mostly-restored-by-end-of-2016/

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North Korean nuclear threats spotlight US missile defense
By ROBERT BURNS

WASHINGTON (AP) — As North Korea rattles its nuclear saber, threatening to bomb the U.S. at "any moment," a nerve-jangling question hangs in the air: If Pyongyang did launch a nuclear-armed missile at an American city, could the Pentagon's missile defenses overcome their spotty test record and shoot it down beyond U.S. shores?

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906487-north-korean-nuclear-threats-spotlight-us-missile-defense/

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Trump, Ryan increasingly at odds over future of the GOP
By JULIE PACE, ERICA WERNER and BILL BARROW

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump wants to win the White House in the fall. Paul Ryan wants to save his vision of the Republican Party for years to come.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906494-trump-ryan-increasingly-at-odds-over-future-of-the-gop/

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UPDATE:

Belgian police hunt airport suspect; victim toll rises to 35
By JOHN-THOR DAHLBURG

BRUSSELS (AP) — As the number of victims in the Brussels suicide attacks rose to 35, Belgian police released a video of a mysterious man in a dark hat seen in the company of the bombers who attacked Brussels Airport, indicating that he is still at large.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906478-belgian-police-release-new-footage-of-man-in-the-hat/#entry10581367

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Arctic sea ice reaches new record low mark for wintertime
SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The growth of Arctic sea ice this winter peaked at the lowest maximum level on record, thanks to extraordinarily warm temperatures, federal scientists said Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906495-arctic-sea-ice-reaches-new-record-low-mark-for-wintertime/

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Reward offered for arrest of man wanted for robbing ATM in Chonburi
Thaivisa Reporters


Have you seen this man? [image: Daily News]

CHONBURI:-- A 200,000 baht reward has been posted for an armed robber that stole more than 5 million baht from employees loading an ATM in downtown Chonburi at the weekend.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906496-reward-offered-for-arrest-of-man-wanted-for-robbing-atm-in-chonburi/

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Man has foot blown off blown off by a Khmer Rouge mine near Thai-Cambodia border
Thaivisa Reporters


Image: Khaosod

TRAT:-- A man clearing grass in a rubber plantation on the Thai Cambodian border near Trat had his foot blown off by a Khmer Rouge mine on Monday, reports Thaivisa News.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906497-man-has-foot-blown-off-blown-off-by-a-khmer-rouge-mine-near-thai-cambodia-border/

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Thai monks take drastic measures to protect sacred trees from thieves
Thaivisa Reporters


Image: Khaosod

MAHA SARAKHAM:-- Monks fed up with thieves trying to steal their trees have built cages around them!

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906498-thai-monks-take-drastic-measures-to-protect-sacred-trees-from-thieves/

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IS plans to turn Poso into Southeast Asia terror stronghold: Police

JAKARTA: -- The Islamic State terror group plans to transform the restive area of Poso in Central Sulawesi of Indonesia into one of its strongholds in Southeast Asia, The Jakarta Globe reported, citing National Police.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/906532-is-plans-to-turn-poso-into-southeast-asia-terror-stronghold-police/