Pattaya Mugging Causes Tourists Injuries
Pattaya One

PATTAYA -- A husband and wife, Iranian nationals, were seriously injured when their motorcycle was overturned during a mugging.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908491-pattaya-mugging-causes-tourists-injuries/

Thaivisa Photography Competition (April 2016)

Enter the Thaivisa Photography Competition where you can win a two night stay at the luxury Palm Grove Resort in Pattaya, worth an estimated 10,000 Baht.

Submit your photos here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/907140-thaivisa-photography-competition-april-2016/

Government to give away 200,000 baht for each village



BANGKOK: -- The government has set aside a 15 billion baht budget from the Central Fund to be distributed to 74,900 villages throughout the country to be used for the strengthening of the rural infrastructures or public service activities.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908547-thai-govt-to-give-away-200000-baht-for-each-village/

PM expresses concern with U.S. spokesman's remark on Thai politics

BANGKOK, 7 April 2016 (NNT) - Government Spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd has said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is worried by a recent remark made by the spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs about the Thai politics.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908548-pm-expresses-concern-with-us-spokesmans-remark-on-thai-politics/

NDM Launches Campaign to Reject Charter at Crowded Book Fair
By Sasiwan Mokkhasen
Staff Reporter


New Democracy Movement member Rangsiman Rome, in white, hands out bookmarks as part of their campaign against the draft charter launched Wednesday at the Queen Sirikit Convention Center in Bangkok.

BANGKOK — Student activist group New Democracy Movement chose a crowded public event on a national holiday today in the capital to open their campaign urging the public to reject the draft charter.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908549-ndm-launches-campaign-to-reject-thai-charter-at-crowded-book-fair/

DSI poised to investigate illegal land encroachment on Naka Noi island



PHUKET: -- The Department of Special Investigation will ask the justice minister to invoke Section 44 of the interim constitution to place Naka Noi island off Phuket under protection in order to prevent illegal encroachment by influential criminal figures.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908550-dsi-poised-to-investigate-illegal-land-encroachment-on-naka-noi-island/

Dead private's mother wants alleged perpetrators to apologise her son



YALA: -- The mother of an army private beaten to death allegedly by his six superiors has vowed not to cremate his dead son unless the six perpetrators make an apology in front of his body.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908551-dead-privates-mother-wants-alleged-perpetrators-to-apologise-in-front-of-his-body/

APERC: Thailand will likely use 86% more energy in 2040

BANGKOK, 7 April 2016 (NNT) - The Asia Pacific Energy Research Center (APERC) has predicted that Thailand’s energy use in 2040 will increase by 86% and suggested that the country save energy in the transport sector.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908552-aperc-thailand-will-likely-use-86-more-energy-in-2040/

Commerce Min: Rice export target to be met despite drought impact

BANGKOK, 7 April 2016 (NNT) – The Ministry of Commerce has indicated that, even though rice exports this year are being affected by the drought crisis, their volume will likely reach 9.5 million tons as targeted.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908553-thai-commerce-min-rice-export-target-to-be-met-despite-drought-impact/

AOT ready to provide conveniences to passengers during Songkran festival

BANGKOK, 7 April 2016 (NNT) – Airports of Thailand (AOT) has been prepared to facilitate passenger travels at several airports during Songkran festival between April 8 and 18. The average number of passengers is expected to rise to nearly four millions daily.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908554-aot-ready-to-provide-conveniences-to-passengers-during-songkran-festival/

NLA to propose additional question attached to public referendum



BANGKOK, 7 April 2016 (NNT) - The Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) is going on a tour to educate the public about the draft charter, while the whip of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has expressed his support for an additional question to be voted on in the upcoming public referendum.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908555-thai-nla-to-propose-additional-question-attached-to-public-referendum/

Deputy Police Chief inspects progress of police work in Deep South

YALA, 7 April 2016 (NNT) – Deputy National Police Chief Pol Gen Srivara Ransibrahmanakul has followed up on police operations and security cases in the southern border provinces while placing an emphasis on public safety during this Songkran Festival.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908556-deputy-police-chief-inspects-progress-of-police-work-in-deep-south/

BMA promotes road safety in Bangkok



BANGKOK, 7 April 2016 (NNT) - Bangkok Governor M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra presided over a road accident prevention campaign at Victory Monument to encourage people to respect traffic regulations.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908557-bma-promotes-road-safety-in-bangkok/

Minister of Public Health affirms hospitals ready to admit emergency cases during Songkran



BANGKOK, 7 April 2016 (NNT) - The Minister of Public Health is pushing forward the policy of resolving medical reimbursements for all qualifying cases, while affirming that all hospitals stand ready to admit emergency patients during the Songkran festival.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908558-public-health-min-affirms-hospitals-ready-to-admit-emergency-cases-during-songkran/

Premier urges people to decide on draft constitution in nationwide referendum

BANGKOK, 7 April 2016 (NNT) - Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has called on the people to go to the polls in a public referendum later this year to decide whether they will approve a draft constitution.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908559-pm-urges-people-to-decide-on-draft-constitution-in-nationwide-referendum/

EGAT encourages people to buy energy saving products

BANGKOK, 7 April 2016 (NNT) - The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and HomePro are giving discount coupons for people buying energy-saving electrical appliances, in a move to curb energy consumption.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908560-egat-encourages-people-to-buy-energy-saving-products/

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) - Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson to seek president's approval to become Iceland's next prime minister.

Allergan, Pfizer call off proposed $160B merger
By LINDA A. JOHNSON

NEW YORK: -- Top U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and Irish rival Allergan are charting independent futures after scrapping a record $160 billion deal torpedoed by new Treasury Department rules meant to block American companies from moving their corporate addresses overseas — on paper — to avoid U.S. taxes.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908562-allergan-pfizer-call-off-proposed-160b-merger/

Country icon Merle Haggard, champion of the underdog, dies
By KRISTIN M. HALL

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country giant Merle Haggard, who rose from poverty and prison to international fame through his songs about outlaws, underdogs and an abiding sense of national pride in such hits as "Okie From Muskogee" and "Sing Me Back Home," died Wednesday at 79, on his birthday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908563-country-icon-merle-haggard-champion-of-the-underdog-dies/

A top haven for tax cheats that may surprise you: the US
By PAUL WISEMAN and MARCY GORDON

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. lambastes and strong-arms countries that help drug lords and millionaire investors hide their money from tax collectors. Critics say it should look closer to home.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908564-a-top-haven-for-tax-cheats-that-may-surprise-you-the-us/

Trump eyes shift to policy 'meat' as convention fight looms
By STEVE PEOPLES

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Donald Trump signaled a shift toward "more meat on the bone" in his policy speeches Wednesday amid new signs of campaign discord, a day after his stinging Wisconsin defeat emboldened his critics and pushed the GOP closer to its first contested national convention in four decades.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908565-trump-eyes-shift-to-policy-meat-as-convention-fight-looms/

WHO: Diabetes rises fourfold over last quarter-century
JAMEY KEATEN, Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — Excessive weight, obesity, aging and population growth drove a nearly four-fold increase in worldwide cases of diabetes over the last quarter-century, affecting 422 million people in 2014, the World Health Organization reported Wednesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908566-who-diabetes-rises-fourfold-over-last-quarter-century/

War crimes prosecutors to appeal acquittal of Seselj



THE HAGUE: -- Last week’s shock acquittal of Serbian ultra-nationalist politician Vojislav Seselj is to be appealed by prosecutors at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908567-war-crimes-prosecutors-to-appeal-acquittal-of-seselj/

France: Le Pen fined 30,000 euros for latest 'gas chamber' remark



NICE: -- The former leader of France’s far-right Front National, Jean Marie Le-Pen, was fined 30,000 euros on Wednesday for repeating his claim that the Nazi gas chambers in the Second World War were ‘a detail of history’.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908568-france-le-pen-fined-30000-euros-for-latest-gas-chamber-remark/

Inside the city of Palmyra and what is left after the defeat of ISIL there



DAMASCUS: -- The battle for Palmyra is over but the reminders of the dangers are ever present as a team from France 2 discovered. They spent time there with the Syrian army.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908569-inside-the-city-of-palmyra-and-what-is-left-after-the-defeat-of-isil-there/

Turkey probes leak of 50 million people's data



ANKARA: -- Turkey is investigating how hackers managed to post online the personal data of nearly 50 million people, or two-thirds of the population.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908570-turkey-probes-leak-of-50-million-peoples-data/

Fined for buying sex: French parliament votes to punish prostitutes' clients



PARIS: -- Following a final vote in parliament on Wednesday, France has become the latest European country to punish prostitutes’ clients who will face a 1,500 euro fine if caught buying sex.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908571-fined-for-buying-sex-french-parliament-votes-to-punish-prostitutes-clients/

Italy wants full collaboration from Egypt on student murder investigation



ROME: -- Filling in the gaps in the investigations into the murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni in Egypt is deepening the divide between Rome and Cairo.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908572-italy-wants-full-collaboration-from-egypt-on-student-murder-investigation/

Police raid Uefa offices in 'Panama Papers' probe



NYON: -- Swiss police have raided the offices of European football’s governing body Uefa.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908573-police-raid-uefa-offices-in-panama-papers-probe/

Expats in Thailand: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
STAFF WRITER


Featured image is by Roberto.Trombetta and used under a Creative Commons licence

BANGKOK: -- Being an expat is often held up to be something of a hallowed experience. To live in a place other than your homeland, assimilate with the locals and emphatically change your life can only be a good thing. Right?

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/908574-expats-in-thailand-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/