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/

Phuket man injured in drive-by shooting
Winai Sarot

PHUKET: -- One man was injured in a drive-by shooting in Srisoonthorn yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911582-phuket-man-injured-in-drive-by-shooting/

Suspected Uighur Militant in Threat Warning Twice Entered Thailand

By Sasiwan Mokkhasen

Staff Reporter

Pattaya Beach in a December 2014 file photo.

BANGKOK One of the alleged militants said to be plotting terror attacks in Southeast Asia in a leaked intelligence report entered the country twice in March before departing, immigration police said today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911640-suspected-uighur-militant-in-threat-warning-twice-entered-thailand/

Civil Servant Denies Copy-Paste Doctoral Thesis Was Plagiarism
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Comparison of a a doctoral dissertation and book published three years earlier. Image: Poe Limkul / Facebook.

BANGKOK — “A Thai Buddhist temple, or wat, is not a building but a place, a complex that serves as a community centre for religious rites, learning, social life, recreation and even festivals," read Wattana Boonjub’s 2009 thesis on Thai architecture.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911641-civil-servant-denies-copy-paste-doctoral-thesis-was-plagiarism/

Acute water shortage in Nakhon Si Thammarat's municipal area



BANGKOK: -- Acute water shortage in Nakhon Si Thammarat’s municipal area has severely affected the Maharaj hospital to the extent that the hospital has appealed for help from the provincial authorities to ensure smooth operations.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911643-acute-water-shortage-in-nakhon-si-thammarats-municipal-area/

Referendum on draft charter officially set for August 7



BANGKOK: -- National referendum on the Constitution Drafting Committee’s draft constitution is to be held on August 7, the Election Commission announced in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday.

Voters are to vote on two issues in the referendum. Firstly, whether they agree or disagree with the draft constitution and, secondly, whether they agree or disagree with an additional issue of the National Legislative Assembly that, for the sake of continuous national reform in accordance with the national strategic plan, is it appropriate to be stipulated in the provisional chapter of the draft that, during the five-year transitional period from the date that there is the first parliament under this draft, the joint session of the parliament should consider the appointment of the prime minister.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/160332


-- Thai PBS 2016-04-21

Badminton ace Ratchanok visits the prime minister at Government House



BANGKOK: -- World’s new women’s singles badminton champion Ratchanok Intanon played a demonstration match with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha during her visit to the Government House on Wednesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911645-badminton-ace-ratchanok-visits-the-prime-minister-at-government-house/

Phra Dhammachayo’s lawyer petitions for justice from justice minister



BANGKOK: -- Phra Dhammachayo’s lawyer today (Wednesday) submitted a petition seeking justice from Justice Minister Paiboon Kumchaya over the Department of Special Investigation’s summons for the abbot of Wat Dhammakaya to acknowledge the charges against him.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911646-phra-dhammachayos-lawyer-petitions-for-justice-from-justice-minister/

Watana may face charge in military court if he refuses to shut up



BANGKOK: -- The National Council for Peace and Order may charge former Pheu Thai MP Watana Muangsook in the military court in the next couple of days if he refuses to comply with the military regime’s demand to stop his political comments.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911647-watana-may-face-charge-in-military-court-if-he-refuses-to-shut-up/

FT surcharge cut for the months of May-August by 7.68 percent



BANGKOK: -- The Energy Regulatory Committee Wednesday announced the reduction of FT (fuel charge tariff) surcharge for the months of May-August by 28.46 satang per unit.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911649-ft-surcharge-cut-for-the-months-of-may-august-by-768-percent/

PM worried about people affected by summer storms

BANGKOK, 21 April 2016 (NNT) - Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed concerns over summer storms now hitting many northern and northeastern provinces.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911650-pm-prayut-worried-about-people-affected-by-summer-storms/

JICA to send experts to help Thai civil aviation

BANGKOK, 21 April 2016 (NNT) - The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will send experts to Thailand to give advice on the improvement of Thai civil aviation standards in line with the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911651-jica-to-send-experts-to-help-thai-civil-aviation/

Govt to conduct feasibility study on airport projects in four provinces

BANGKOK, 21 April 2016 (NNT) - Chula Sukmanop, director general of the Department of Airports and director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, said businesspersons and government officials in four provinces, namely Beung Kan, Mukdahan, Pang Nga and Kanchanaburi, have suggested that an airport be built in their respective provinces.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911652-govt-to-conduct-feasibility-study-on-airport-projects-in-four-provinces/

NCPO appoints new head of Fisheries Department to speed up solving illegal fishing problem

BANGKOK, 21 April 2016 (NNT) - The chief of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) used his power under Section 44 of the temporary charter to transfer the director-general of the Fisheries Department and appointed his replacement. The transfer is to expedite solutions to Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911653-ncpo-appoints-new-head-of-fisheries-department-to-speed-up-solving-illegal-fishing-problem/

PM follows up on performances of state enterprises

BANGKOK, 21 April 2015 (NNT) –Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has held a meeting with state enterprises to discuss their operational progress and solutions to problems.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911654-pm-prayut-follows-up-on-performances-of-state-enterprises/

DITP holds program to reduce logistics costs

BANGKOK, 21 April 2016 (NNT) – The Ministry of Commerce is seeking to boost the capabilities of E-Commerce businesses in the nation by reducing logistics costs.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911655-ditp-holds-program-to-reduce-logistics-costs/

Foreign Tourist Viciously Beaten by Drunken Thai Men



PATTAYA: -- At 1:00 AM on Wednesday 20th April a 1 minute clip of a foreign tourist beaten by drunken Thai men surfaced on Social Media.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911657-foreign-tourist-viciously-beaten-by-drunken-thai-men/

'Good Guy' Chases Hit and Run Driver in Pattaya



PATTAYA: -- One of the most shared “youlike” clips at this moment features a hit and run incident in Pattaya where a “good guy” chases after the hit and run car.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911658-good-guy-chases-hit-and-run-driver-in-pattaya/

Enough Water Until End of June According to Irrigation Department
by CityNews



CityNews – The Irrigation Department of Chiang Mai announced that there is enough water reserves to last us until the end of June after recent water volume reports were submitted on April 19.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911659-enough-water-until-end-of-june-according-to-chiang-mai-irrigation-department/

Volunteer Killed by Falling Tree Branch in Mae Chaem
by CityNews



CityNews – A volunteer with the Forest Fire Prevention teams in Chiang Mai died yesterday when a large tree branch fell on her while she rested at the foot of a tree.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911660-volunteer-killed-by-falling-tree-branch-in-mae-chaem/

Thief Who Escaped to Huay Tung Tao To See Friends Arrested
by CityNews



CityNews – Police have arrested a thief who escaped to Huay Tung Tao Lake to spend the money stolen on food with his friends on April 19.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911661-thief-who-escaped-to-huay-tung-tao-to-see-friends-arrested/

Phuket beach clearing: ‘Next we take Laypang, Layan’
Tanyaluk Sakoot


A backhoe demolishes one of the buildings at Surin Beach this morning (Apr 20). Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

PHUKET: -- Leypang and Layan beaches on Phuket’s west coast are next on the officials’ list for clearing following the demolition of beachfront buildings at Surin Apr 20.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911663-phuket-beach-clearing-next-we-take-laypang-layan/

Region 8 Police present Songkran weapon and drug haul
Eakkapop Thongtub


Some of the weapons and drugs seized during the Songkran period. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: -- A numbers of weapons and drugs seized in seven provinces during a Songkran anti-drug and -crime campaign were displayed at Phuket Provincial Police headquarter Apr 20.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911665-region-8-police-present-songkran-weapon-and-drug-haul/

Mail fail: Postcard left untouched in post box for 2 months
By Coconuts Bangkok


Photo: Ninenot Tanate

BANGKOK: -- If you've ever sent someone a postcard from Thailand but it never arrived at its destination, this is probably why.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911667-mail-fail-postcard-left-untouched-in-post-box-for-2-months/

Tesco Plans to Expand Despite Economic Downturn
BY JACOB MASLOW



BANGKOK: -- Tesco Lotus is set to expand this year, opening more stores despite Thailand’s economic downturn. Ek-Chai Distributions Systems Co, the local operator of the hypermarkets, says it will speed up its plans for retail expansion while also expanding its online business through its official website and Lazada.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911668-tesco-lotus-plans-to-expand-despite-economic-downturn/

VW avoids Federal US trial by paying diesel customers 5000 dollars
By Robert Hackwill



WOLFSBURG: -- Volkswagen has reached a deal with the US authorities just hours before the expiry of a deadline to settle in its case of cheating its diesel emissions tests.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911669-vw-avoids-federal-us-trial-by-paying-diesel-customers-5000-dollars/

Mass killer Breivik wins court case over 'inhuman' prison conditions



OSLO: -- Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik has partly won a court case against the Norwegian state, in which he claimed his human rights were violated in prison.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911671-mass-killer-breivik-wins-court-case-over-inhuman-prison-conditions/

Obama arrives in Saudi Arabia amid US ‘terror bill’ debate



RIYAD: -- US President Barack Obama arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday (April 20) to meet Saudi King Salman.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911672-obama-arrives-in-saudi-arabia-amid-us-terror-bill-debate/

Chernobyl thirty years on



"Why are we closed off, why have they put barbed wire, why have we been relocated when we could live here and live well?"

MOSCOW: -- On April 26, 1986 a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine exploded, causing an environmental disaster never before seen.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911673-chernobyl-thirty-years-on/

Britain marks Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday, Royal Mail’s 500th



LONDON: -- Queen Elizabeth II turns 90 on Thursday (April 21), and ahead of nationwide celebrations, she shared the spotlight with another British institution: the Royal Mail.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/911674-britain-marks-queen-elizabeths-90th-birthday-royal-mails-500th/