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/

Confusion Over Controversial New Immigration Form
By Sasiwan Mokkhasen
Staff Reporter


Customers at One Stop service Center for Visa and Work Permit in Chamchuri Square

BANGKOK — Sebastien edged up to the counter and handed the form to the immigration officer. A few breaths later, it was accepted despite a lot of unanswered questions.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911375-confusion-over-controversial-new-immigration-form/

Govt Hints 'No' Vote Could Restart Charter Process Third Time
By Pravit Rojanaphruk
Senior Staff Writer


Puangthong, second from left join other academics at a press conference at Thammasat on Sunday to announce their opposition to the charter draft. Photo: Matichon

BANGKOK — A deputy prime minister yesterday played down the possibility of recycling a previous constitution in part or full should the public reject the junta-backed charter.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911376-govt-hints-no-vote-could-restart-charter-process-third-time/

Govt, Police Deny Top Bangkok Cop’s Job Jeopardized by Factional Strife
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Bangkok police chief Sanit Mahathavorn oversees a police operation to catch potential visa overstayers in Bangkok on March 19.

BANGKOK — Top police and government figures have denied reports a high-level fissure is about to cost the commander of Bangkok police his job.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911377-govt-police-deny-top-bangkok-cops-job-jeopardized-by-factional-strife/

Frustration Boils Over at Rare, Brief Protest
By Todd Ruiz and Pravit Rojanaphruk


Several protest leaders are taken away in a police truck at about 6pm on Tuesday at the Victory Monument in Bangkok.

BANGKOK – Security forces surgically removed several activist leaders gathered at Victory Monument this evening, effectively nipping a planned protest in the bud.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911378-frustration-boils-over-at-rare-brief-protest/

Haze problem returns to six northern provinces



BANGKOK: -- Haze problem has returned to several northern provinces after the end of a 60-day campaign to encourage farmers to stop burning their harvested crops.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911379-haze-problem-returns-to-six-northern-provinces/

Watana may be detained up to seven days



BANGKOK: -- Former Pheu Thai MP Watana Muangsook is expected to be held in military custody not more than seven days depending on how cooperative he is with the military.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911380-watana-may-be-detained-up-to-seven-days/

PM defends his nephew’s appointment as normal and legal



BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has defended the appointment of his nephew as an army officer claiming that it was done properly in accordance with legal procedure and it was a normal practice.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911382-pm-prayut-defends-his-nephews-appointment-as-normal-and-legal/

Windfall for personal income tax



BANGKOK: -- People who earn less than 26,000 baht a month will be exempted from personal income taxation starting from next year under a tax restructuring plan endorsed by the cabinet on Tuesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911383-windfall-for-personal-income-tax/

CDC to seek help from three ministries to help in educating public about draft charter



BANGKOK: -- The Constitution Drafting Committee will seek help from the Interior, Public Health and Education ministries for the recruitment of officials who will help in educating members of the public about the content of the draft constitution.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911384-cdc-to-seek-help-from-three-ministries-to-help-in-educating-public-about-draft-charter/

One person killed and 10 others injured in a motorcycle bomb blast



BANGKOK: -- One person was killed and about ten others were injured when a motorcycle bomb exploded in front of a grocery in Songkhla’s Thepa district Tuesday night.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911385-one-person-killed-and-10-others-injured-in-a-motorcycle-bomb-blast/

Power usage sets new record on Tuesday



BANGKOK: -- Electricity usage soared to record high of 28,351.7 megawatts at 2.17 pm on Tuesday as average temperature for the whole country stood at 36.6 degree Celsius.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911386-power-usage-sets-new-record-on-tuesday/

UTCC's forecasting center: Drought situation could probably pull GDP down by 0.85%

BANGKOK, 20 April 2016 (NNT) - Thanawat Phonwichai, director of the Center for Economic and Business Forecasting of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) disclosed that droughts were causing serious concerns and could probably last until June.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911387-utccs-forecasting-center-drought-situation-could-probably-pull-gdp-down-by-085/

Governors ordered to monitor political movements prior to referendum

BANGKOK, 20 April 2016 (NNT) – Provincial governors have been ordered to monitor movements from political groups prior to the scheduled public referendum of the new constitution draft, says Interior Minister.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911388-governors-ordered-to-monitor-political-movements-prior-to-referendum/

DPM invites Watana Muangsuk to discussion

BANGKOK, 20 April 2016 (NNT) – The Deputy Prime Minister has called Pheu Thai party head Watana Muangsuk out to discuss issues he has with the current administration, warning that the movements he has chosen to oppose the government’s works violate conditions he previously agreed to.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911389-dpm-invites-watana-muangsuk-to-discussion/

Chiang Mai Ranked Number 1 For Road Accidents Over Songkran
by CityNews

CityNews – Chiang Mai has been ranked number one for most road accidents during the 7 Dangerous Days of Songkran 2016.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911390-chiang-mai-ranked-number-1-for-road-accidents-over-songkran/

Thais lead the world in shopping via social media
By Coconuts Bangkok


Screenshot: Happy Pills

BANGKOK: -- With thousands of local shops selling crafts, clothes and gadgets exclusively on Instagram and Facebook, Thailand has the largest percentage of consumers who shop directly on social media.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911391-thais-lead-the-world-in-shopping-via-social-media/

Bangkok Bank's first-quarter profit drops nearly 12 pct as bad debt surges

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Bank Pcl, Thailand's top lender by assets, reported an 11.6 percent drop in first-quarter net profit, from a year earlier, on Tuesday as a surge in bad debt prompted it to book higher loan loss provisions.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911392-bangkok-banks-first-quarter-profit-drops-nearly-12-pct-as-bad-debt-surges/

Egyptian police officer shoots man dead over a cup of tea
By Robert Hackwill



CAIRO: -- A police officer has been arrested in Egypt allegedly for shooting one man dead and injuring two others reportedly after an argument over a cup of tea.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911393-egyptian-police-officer-shoots-man-dead-over-a-cup-of-tea/

Palmyra arch replica goes on show in London
By Robert Hackwill



LONDON: -- The original arch in Palmyra may have been destroyed on October 5th, but a five metre high replica has gone on show in Trafalgar Square in London from where it will go to Dubai and New York before, hopefully soon, it can replace the original in Palmyra itself.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911394-palmyra-arch-replica-goes-on-show-in-london/

Clinton and Trump battle it out on home turf in New York primaries



NEW YORK: -- The road to the US presidential nominations has led to New York, with Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump each billed to win on home turf.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911395-clinton-and-trump-battle-it-out-on-home-turf-in-new-york-primaries/

Cuban Communist party re-elects Raul Castro as leader



HAVANA: -- No surprises in Cuba, where the Communist party has agreed that Raul Castro should serve a second term as head of the party.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911396-cuban-communist-party-re-elects-raul-castro-as-leader/

Jerusalem fears return of dark days of bombings
By Robert Hackwill



JERUSALEM: -- After a period when Jerusalem commuters were again at ease with public transport that had been targeted in suicide attacks in the past, people went to work on Tuesday with the fear that violence had returned.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911397-jerusalem-fears-return-of-dark-days-of-bombings/

Deadly attacks in Afghan capital show Taliban's strength
By RAHIM FAIEZ

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A week after proclaiming their spring offensive, Taliban militants stormed an Afghan government security agency with a suicide car bomb and gunfire Tuesday, killing 28 people and wounding hundreds in a sign of the insurgency's continued strength — even in the capital.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911398-deadly-attacks-in-afghan-capital-show-talibans-strength/

Fighting in Syria intensifies as opposition digs in heels
By JAMEY KEATEN and PHILIP ISSA

GENEVA (AP) — Syria's top opposition leader vowed to fight "even with stones" to depose President Bashar Assad, shifting sharply to a tone of conflict over conciliation as peace talks in Geneva teetered near collapse Tuesday amid a new surge in fighting — including government airstrikes that left dozens dead.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911399-fighting-in-syria-intensifies-as-opposition-digs-in-heels/

Possible next Brazil leader is dealmaker and scandal-tainted
By MAURICIO SAVARESE

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The man who may become Brazil's next president is almost as unpopular as the leader facing impeachment now, and stained by scandals of his own.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911400-possible-next-brazil-leader-is-dealmaker-and-scandal-tainted/

No prison time for NYPD officer in stairwell shooting case
By COLLEEN LONG

NEW YORK (AP) — A former police officer who shot an unarmed man to death in a darkened stairwell was spared prison time Tuesday, and a judge reduced his manslaughter conviction to a lesser charge in a case that became a flashpoint for police accountability.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911401-no-prison-time-for-nypd-officer-in-stairwell-shooting-case/

Migrants allowed to leave Greek camps while asylum applications processed



ATHENS: -- Migrants on the Greek islands are being allowed out of the detention camps where they’re being housed, while they wait for their asylum applications to be processed.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911402-migrants-allowed-to-leave-greek-camps-while-asylum-applications-processed/

Sierra's eastern front long overdue for large earthquake
SCOTT SONNER, Associated Press

RENO, Nev. (AP) — The Sierra's eastern front is long overdue for a large earthquake along the California-Nevada line, where a magnitude-7 event expected on average every 30 years hasn't occurred in six decades, scientists said Tuesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911437-us-sierras-eastern-front-long-overdue-for-large-earthquake/

45 Roti Saimai stalls in Ayutthaya are dismantled

AYUTTHAYA: -- Forty-five roadside stalls selling Roti Saimai or Thai cotton candy in Ayutthaya province were dismantled at the order of the provincial administration because their presence was deemed a traffic hazard to cars travelling on the Asian highway.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911439-45-roti-saimai-stalls-in-ayutthaya-dismantled/