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/

Thai Immigration Asks Foreigners for Bank Accounts, Social Media, Hangouts
By Todd Ruiz and Sasiwan Mokkhasen


Part of a three-page Immigration Bureau form seeking personal information from foreign nationals residing in the kingdom.

BANGKOK — Foreign nationals residing in Thailand are being asked to disclose personal information to the government, including their bank details and where they hang out online and offline.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911143-thai-immigration-asks-foreigners-for-bank-accounts-social-media-hangouts/

E-bidding helps save procurement spending by 28.7 billion baht



BANGKOK: -- The use of e-auction or e-bidding for procurement deals by governmental agencies since last October until March this year has saved the government about 28.7 billion baht in spending.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911144-e-bidding-helps-save-procurement-spending-by-287-billion-baht/

Man threatens to set himself on fire at the National Police Office



BANGKOK: -- A man walked into the National Police Office Monday morning and threatened to set himself on fire claiming he was falsely charged and heavily indebted.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911154-man-threatens-to-set-himself-on-fire-at-the-national-police-office/

Look Thung singer will be asked to write a song to boost public interest in draft charter



BANGKOK: -- The Constitution Drafting Committee will seek help from national artist Chinnakorn Krailart, a famous Look Thung (Thai folk song) singer, to write a song which will be used in a campaign to arouse public interest in the draft charter.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911155-look-thung-singer-will-be-asked-to-write-a-song-to-boost-public-interest-in-draft-charter/

Watana held in military custody for an unspecified period of time



BANGKOK: -- The National Council for Peace and Order has ignored former Pheu Thai MP Watana Muangsook’s threat of lawsuits if he was not released from military custody at 3 pm on Monday and has him locked up for an unspecified period of time.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911156-watana-held-in-military-custody-for-an-unspecified-period-of-time/

First woman to apply as an air force pilot



BANGKOK: -- Pattani native Ms Suwattana Chanthalert is the first woman to apply for the job as a pilot of the Royal Thai Air Force at the RTAF museum on Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911157-first-thai-woman-to-apply-as-an-air-force-pilot/

Number of foreign tourists during Songkran festival marks 20.7% increase

BANGKOK, 19 April 2016 (NNT) - Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Watthanawarangkun said the number of foreign visitors to Thailand during Songkran festival from April 13 until April 17 was over 440,000, accounting for a 20.7 percent increase from last year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911158-number-of-foreign-tourists-during-songkran-festival-marks-207-increase/

Health Service Support Dept: Thailand ready to become medical hub

BANGKOK, 19 April 2016 (NNT) - Health Service Support Department Director General Boonreung Traireungworawat said that Thailand is quite ready to become a medical hub in the Southeast Asian region.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911159-health-service-support-dept-thailand-ready-to-become-medical-hub/

BMTA gives details on NGV bus procurement TOR

BANGKOK, 19 April 2016 (NNT) – The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) has elaborated on the details of the draft Term of Reference (TOR) related to the procurement of new NGV buses ahead of concession bidding this July.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911160-bmta-gives-details-on-ngv-bus-procurement-tor/

EC: Public referendum on draft charter set on August 7

BANGKOK, 19 April 2016 (NNT) – The Election Commission has now scheduled a date for the public referendum on the draft charter to be held.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911161-ec-public-referendum-on-draft-charter-set-on-august-7/

DPM Wissanu: Election will take place in 2017

BANGKOK, 19 April 2016 (NNT) – A deputy prime minister has assured the country that voters really will be going to the polls in 2017.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911162-dpm-wissanu-election-will-take-place-in-2017/

Influential messages against constitution “Not an offence”, says DPM

BANGKOK, 19 April 2016 (NNT) – The distribution of information leading to the disapproval of the new constitution is not considered an offence, unless it is a distortion or misinterpretation of factual information, says the DPM.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911163-influential-messages-against-constitution-not-an-offence-says-dpm/

MSDHS unveils procedures against human trafficking related officials

BANGKOK, 19 April 2016 (NNT) – The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) has unveiled the procedures to punish government officials involved with human trafficking, as urged by the Prime Minister.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911164-msdhs-unveils-procedures-against-human-trafficking-related-officials/

Chiang Mai assured of sufficient water supply until June

CHIANG MAI, 19 April 2016 (NNT) – The water supply in Chaing Mai Province will be sufficient for general public usage until the end of June, the vice governor has assured residents of the province.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911165-chiang-mai-assured-of-sufficient-water-supply-until-june/

Phuket environmental officials target Patong’s untreated wastewater problem
Tanyaluk Sakoot


The Patong Municipality wastewater treatment plant reportedly collects wastewater from throughout about 80 per cent of the Patong area. Photo: Environmental Department’s Region 15 office

PHUKET: -- Officials from Environmental Department’s Region 15 office in Phuket today collected samples of wastewater from Pak Bang Canal in the hope of determining what caused the beach water in Patong Bay to turn brown this past week.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911166-phuket-environmental-officials-target-patongs-untreated-wastewater-problem/

Thai Academic Calls for New Railway Regulatory System
BY JACOB MASLOW


Bangkok, Thailand - March 26, 2016: Steam train at Foundation Day of train operation 119 years anniversary of the State Railway of Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911167-thai-academic-calls-for-new-railway-regulatory-system/

Don’t fall for new Apple scam – your Apple ID isn’t about to expire today
BY JONATHAN FAIRFIELD



Apple users are being warned about a new SMS phishing scam that attempts to trick users into handing over access to their Apple ID credentials.

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/dont-fall-for-new-apple-scam-your-apple-id-isnt-about-to-expire-today/14803/

Italian coastguards make big rescue at sea, but many feared dead in sinking
By Robert Hackwill



ROME: -- talian coastguards intervened overnight in the Mediterranean to save the lives of 108 migrants trapped on a semi-submerged rubber boat who were discovered by a private humanitarian rescue group, SOS Mediterranee.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911168-italian-coastguards-make-big-rescue-at-sea-but-many-feared-dead-in-sinking/

Israel police say Jerusalem bus blast was a bomb



JERUSALEM: -- Israeli police have confirmed that a small bomb exploded on a bus in Jerusalem on Monday during the evening rush hour.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911169-israel-police-say-jerusalem-bus-blast-was-a-bomb/

Georgia arrests 6 suspected of trying to sell uranium



"The seized substance is dangerous for life and health."

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911170-georgia-arrests-6-suspected-of-trying-to-sell-uranium/

Ecuador earthquake: death toll soars to 350 with fears mounting it will continue to rise



QUITO: -- The death toll from Ecuador’s devastating earthquake has risen to at least 350.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911171-ecuador-earthquake-death-toll-soars-to-350-with-fears-mounting-it-will-continue-to-rise/

Japan reels in aftermath of double earthquakes



TOKYO: -- Still reeling from double earthquakes last week, thousands of rescue workers on Japan’s Kyushu island are scouring the rubble in a desperate search for survivors.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911172-japan-reels-in-aftermath-of-double-earthquakes/

Split high court now holds fate of Obama immigration actions
By MARK SHERMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservative Supreme Court justices expressed sharp skepticism about President Barack Obama's immigration efforts Monday, leaving his actions to help millions of people who are in the country illegally in the hands of a seemingly divided court.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911173-split-high-court-now-holds-fate-of-obama-immigration-actions/

Clinton, Trump seek to quiet critics in New York primaries
By JULIE PACE and JONATHAN LEMIRE

NEW YORK (AP) — From a car wash in Queens to a hockey arena in Buffalo, both parties' presidential candidates spread out across New York Monday in a final quest for votes, a surreal scene for a state that hasn't experienced contested White House primaries in decades.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911174-clinton-trump-seek-to-quiet-critics-in-new-york-primaries/

US to send 200 more troops, Apache helicopters, to Iraq
By LOLITA C. BALDOR

BAGHDAD (AP) — The U.S. has agreed to deploy more than 200 additional troops to Iraq and to send eight Apache helicopters for the first time into the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq, the first major increase in U.S. forces in nearly a year, U.S. defense officials said Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911175-us-to-send-200-more-troops-apache-helicopters-to-iraq/

How 4 AP reporters got the story 'Seafood from Slaves'
By ADAM GELLER

NEW YORK (AP) — The Associated Press expose on slavery in Southeast Asia's fishing industry, awarded the Pulitzer Prize for public service Monday, was born of a painstaking investigation by four reporters who documented the harsh treatment of fishermen held captive on a remote island and traced their catch to U.S. supermarkets and restaurants.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911176-how-4-ap-reporters-got-the-story-seafood-from-slaves/

Israel and Palestinians engage in rare UN shouting match
EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Israeli and Palestinian ambassadors engaged in a rare shouting match in the U.N. Security Council on Monday, reflecting Israel's growing consternation at the upsurge in Palestinian attacks against civilians and Palestinian frustration at the failure to achieve its dream of a truly independent state.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911178-israel-and-palestinians-engage-in-rare-un-shouting-match/

Text messages may offer clues in fatal fall of Finnish tourist
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: Police investigating the death of a 19-year-old Finnish woman, who fell from the rooftop of a Patong guesthouse last month, have so far ruled out foul play in her death. However, they are hoping that her final text messages will reveal clues about her state of mind that night.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911200-text-messages-may-offer-clues-in-fatal-fall-of-finnish-tourist/

Amber Heard avoids jail in Australian dog smuggling spat
KRISTEN GELINEAU, Associated Press

SYDNEY (AP) — Actor Johnny Depp's wife Amber Heard pleaded guilty Monday to providing a false immigration document when the couple brought their two dogs into Australia last year, but she managed to avoid jail time over what was dubbed the "war on terrier" debacle.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911212-johnny-depps-wife-amber-heard-avoids-jail-in-australian-dog-smuggling-spat/