Thailand Live Wednesday 20 Apr 2016

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Cabinet endorses plan to cut number of smokers in five years

BANGKOK, 20 April 2016 (NNT)-The Cabinet has reportedly endorsed the 2nd National Strategy For Tobacco Control that is aimed at reducing the number of smokers in five years.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911441-thai-cabinet-endorses-plan-to-cut-number-of-smokers-in-five-years/

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NEW YORK (AP) - Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic presidential primary in her home state of New York.

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2nd Army Area introduces campaign to promote understanding of draft charter

BANGKOK, 20 April 2016 (NNT) - The Second Army Area has introduced a campaign to promote a correct understanding of the new draft Constitution in the Northeast.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911442-2nd-army-area-introduces-campaign-to-promote-understanding-of-draft-charter/

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Nong Khai declared disaster zone after storm hits villages


Image: Daily News

BANGKOK: -- Nong Khai was declared a disaster zone after about one hundred houses were damaged in a violent summer storm that hit the province on Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911445-nong-khai-declared-disaster-zone-after-storm-hits-villages/

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NLA to discuss plans to explain referendum question on April 25

BANGKOK, 20 April 2016 (NNT) - The National Legislative Assembly is planning to discuss the steps needed to explain the question that will be asked in the public referendum on the new draft charter.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911447-nla-to-discuss-plans-to-explain-referendum-question-on-april-25/

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UPDATE:

Trump, Clinton triumph on home turf in New York primaries
JULIE PACE, Associated Press
JONATHAN LEMIRE, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Front-runners Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton swept to victory with ease in Tuesday's New York primary, with Trump bouncing back from a difficult stretch in the Republican contest and Clinton pushing closer to locking up the Democratic nomination.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911395-clinton-and-trump-battle-it-out-on-home-turf-in-new-york-primaries/?p=10656897

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Ship owner to pay $1m ransom for Indonesian hostages in the Philippines



JAKARTA: -- The company that owns the hijacked tugboat Brahma 12 has agreed to pay the 50-million-peso ($1 million) ransom demanded by the Philippine rebel group Abu Sayyaf for the release of 10 Indonesian crewmembers who have been held hostage since March 26, The Jakarta Globe reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911454-ship-owner-to-pay-1m-ransom-for-indonesian-hostages-in-the-philippines/

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Indonesia's counterterrorism agency seeks global partnership



JAKARTA: -- The National Counterterrorism Agency, or BNPT, will seek more international partnerships to help in the fight against terrorism because it has become a global problem, The Jakarta Globe reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911457-indonesias-counterterrorism-agency-seeks-global-partnership/

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119 Malaysian schools to close two days due to extreme heat



KUALA LUMPUR: -- A total of 119 schools in Kuala Krai, Kelantan and Jerantut, Pahang will be closed for two days from Wednesday following high temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celcius due to the El Nino phenomenon, New Straits Times reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911459-119-malaysian-schools-to-close-two-days-due-to-extreme-heat/

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Phuket Surin Beach buildings destroyed
Tanyaluk Sakoot


The demolition of beachfront buildings at Phuket's Surin beach began this morning (Apr 20). Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

PHUKET: O-- fficials started demolishing the shorefront buildings at Surin Beach this morning (Apr 20), after years of deliberation and objection by tenants at the site.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911460-phuket-surin-beach-buildings-destroyed/

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Four charged in mob murder on Bang Na - Trat highway


Image: Daily News

BANGKOK: -- Police have charged four young men in the horrific attack that left a seventeen year old dead after being stoned and stabbed by a huge mob.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911461-four-charged-in-mob-murder-on-bang-na-trat-highway/

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SET down 0.48 point at opening /Bangkok Post

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Thailand takes over China, S Korea in Vietnam’s car market: customs



HANOI: -- Thailand has emerged as the new champion in the Vietnamese car market with a 30 percent share, thanks in most part to a new regional free trade agreement that has cut import tariffs and lowered prices, reported Thanh Nien News.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911464-thailand-takes-over-china-s-korea-in-vietnams-car-market-customs/

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Myanmar celebrates first Pulitzer Prize-winning female journalist



YANGON: -- An ethnic Kachin journalist from the Associated Press (AP) is the first woman from Myanmar to be among those awarded the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for her reporting, The Irrawaddy reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911465-myanmar-celebrates-first-pulitzer-prize-winning-female-journalist/

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Victims' families seek premeditated murder charge for Mercedes driver over fatal crash
By Coconuts Bangkok


Jenphop Weeraporn's Mercedes flipped over after he slammed it into another car, killing two motorists inside. Photo: JS100

BANGKOK: -- Police have been asked to consider a charge of premeditated murder against the Mercedes-Benz driver involved a fatal high-speed car crash last month that killed two students in Ayutthaya.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911466-victims-families-seek-premeditated-murder-charge-for-mercedes-driver-over-fatal-crash/

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Famous agro-tourism farm in Pak Chong faces DSI probe for alleged encroachment

KORAT: -- Farm Chokechai, a fully integrated dairy farm perched on a vast stretch of plains amidst a scenic surrounding, and an agro-tourism spot in Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, is now facing probe by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) for alleged public land encroachment following complaints by neighbours that the new fence it built blocked their daily communication route.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911468-famous-agro-tourism-farm-in-pak-chong-faces-dsi-probe-for-alleged-encroachment/

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Man shoots ex-wife then self in front of two year old daughter


Image: Daily News

ROI ET: -- A jealous husband shot his two year old daughter's mother in the face before turning the gun on himself in Roi Et on Tuesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911469-man-shoots-ex-wife-then-self-in-front-of-two-year-old-daughter/

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AP: S. Korea covered up mass abuse, killings of 'vagrants'
By KIM TONG-HYUNG and FOSTER KLUG

BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — The 14-year-old boy in the black school jacket stared at his sneakers, his heart pounding, as the policeman accused him of stealing a piece of bread.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911470-ap-s-korea-covered-up-mass-abuse-killings-of-vagrants/

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Immigration 'personal details' form not in Phuket
The Phuket News


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

PHUKET: -- New immigration forms asking for personal information such as identities used for social media accounts, email addresses, bank account details and details of venues regularly visited by the foreigner, are not being used at Phuket Immigration, The Phuket News has been told.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911472-immigration-personal-details-form-not-in-phuket/

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500 Witnesses to be Called in Bangkok Bombing Trial
By Sasiwan Mokkhasen
Staff Reporter


Adem Karadag, at left, and Yusufu Mieraili, second from left, are led into a military court Wednesday morning in Bangkok.

BANGKOK — About 500 witnesses will be called during the course of the trial of two men accused of being behind last year’s deadly terror attack in Bangkok.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911473-500-witnesses-to-be-called-in-bangkok-bombing-trial/

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No political gathering reported ahead of referendum



BANGKOK, 20 April 2016 (NNT) - The Ministry of Interior has instructed provincial authorities to monitor any political movements ahead of the referendum on a draft charter.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911475-no-political-gathering-reported-ahead-of-referendum/

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Soi 38 food vendors struggle to survive after demolition of famous food hub
By Ana Salvá



BANGKOK: -- It has been two months since Bangkok said farewell to the glorious street food scene on Sukhumvit soi 38 after the building that housed the popular food hub was sold off and demolished.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911487-soi-38-food-vendors-struggle-to-survive-after-demolition-of-famous-food-hub/

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Campaign to reduce plastic usage in restaurants initiated

BANGKOK, 20 April 2016 (NNT) – The Thailand Environment Institute (TEI) is joining hands with the private sector to campaign against the use of plastic containers in restaurants.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911488-campaign-to-reduce-plastic-usage-in-restaurants-initiated/

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Drought continues to ravage many areas of Thailand

NARATHIWAT, 20 April 2016 (NNT) - The drought crisis continues to ravage residents in Su-ngai Kolok district, Narathiwat province. The Provincial Waterworks Authority will be forced to ration water supplies for domestic consumption if it does not rain in 20 days.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911491-drought-continues-to-ravage-many-areas-of-thailand/

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Palestinian sister-city proposal stirs rancor in Colorado
DAN ELLIOTT, Associated Press

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — This peaceful university town is 7,000 miles from the violence of the Middle East, but a proposal to become sister cities with a Palestinian community has stirred such rancor that the City Council is trying to negotiate a truce among its own residents.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911495-palestinian-sister-city-proposal-stirs-rancor-in-colorado/

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Koh-i-noor: India says it still wants return of priceless diamond

LONDON: -- The Indian government says it is still seeking to reclaim the priceless Koh-i-noor diamond from Britain, despite the Supreme Court being told otherwise.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911498-koh-i-noor-india-says-it-still-wants-return-of-priceless-diamond/

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Rising stray dog population poses health concern



BANGKOK: -- Stray dog population in Thailand is rising and is expected to reach 3.4 million in near future, posing health concern to the urban people, particularly rabies virus infection.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911500-rising-stray-dog-population-in-thailand-poses-health-concern/

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Conmen who delivered empty boxes to shopkeepers arrested in Isaan



BANGKOK: -- Police announced the arrest of two members of a large gang that has preyed on gullible shop owners throughout the north east of Thailand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911505-conmen-who-delivered-empty-boxes-to-shopkeepers-arrested-in-isaan/

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Octogenarian loses head in pick-up smash in Pathum Thani


Image: Thairath

BANGKOK: -- Three people died after a driver, suspected of falling asleep at the wheel smashed his pick-up into a tree in Pathum Thani yesterday afternoon.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911507-octogenarian-loses-head-in-pick-up-smash-in-pathum-thani/

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Footballer Booted From National Team Over Attempted Rape Charge
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Atit 'Back' Daosawang at a Sunday news conference. Photo: Matichon

BANGKOK — A 23-year-old footballer has been indefinitely suspended from playing on the national team due to allegations he attempted to rape a 17-year-old girl last week.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911519-footballer-booted-from-national-team-over-attempted-rape-charge/