Thaivisa Photography Competition (July 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/928582-thaivisa-photography-competition-july-2016/

'Top Gear' stalls as ratings plummet; host Evans quits
ADELA SULIMAN, Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — "Top Gear" host Chris Evans announced Monday that he's quitting the BBC's flagship car show after just one series.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929593-top-gear-stalls-as-ratings-plummet;-host-evans-quits/

City Hall rejects Pakklong Talad pavement vendors’ request for another reprieve



BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has turned down a petition of some night vendors at Pakklong Talad market to give them another reprieve to carry on with their business until the end of this year.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929594-bangkok-administration-rejects-pakklong-talad-pavement-vendors-request-for-another-reprieve/

PM disagrees with forced conscription of brawling students



BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has voiced his objection to a suggestion that brawling students be blacklisted and forcibly drafted into military service.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929596-pm-prayut-disagrees-with-forced-conscription-of-brawling-students/

Police optimistic that a rapist will soon be arrested



BANGKOK: -- Police are optimistic that they will be able to arrest a man who raped a female student at a public toilet in Bangna area over the weekend pretty soon.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929597-thai-police-optimistic-that-a-rapist-will-soon-be-arrested/

Dr Wisanu assures peace-keeping centres are meant to support enforcement of referendum law



BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Wisanu Kruea-ngarm reaffirmed on Monday that the establishment of peace-keeping centres across the country was aimed to support implementation of the Referendum Act and was not intended to target probable cheats in the referendum.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929598-dr-wisanu-assures-peace-keeping-centres-are-meant-to-support-enforcement-of-referendum-law/

Ms Supinya warns Peace TV blackout may be seen as a double standard practice



BANGKOK: -- The only minority voice in the National Broadcasting Committee who voted against the shutdown of Voice TV warned on Monday that the committee’s decision might be seen as a double standard practice.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929599-ms-supinya-warns-peace-tv-blackout-may-be-seen-as-a-double-standard-practice/

UPDATE:

Officials start tightening up taxi service at Don Meuang



BANGKOK: -- The Land Transportation Department and relevant agencies have started regulating taxi service at Don Meuang international airport to make sure that the cabbies will not take advantage on passengers especially during the rush hours when the number of taxies available is insufficient to meet demand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929546-dept-of-land-transport-ensures-efficient-taxi-service-at-don-mueang-international-airport/#entry10927021

Police chief supports idea of conscripting brawling students into military service



BANGKOK: -- The national police chief has voiced his support for the idea that street brawling students should be conscripted into the military service and sent to the restive Deep South.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929600-thai-police-chief-supports-idea-of-conscripting-brawling-students-into-military-service/

Heavy rains raise flood concerns

NAN, 5 July 2016 (NNT) - The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has instructed officers to remain vigilant to flash floods and landslides following frequent rains in many areas.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929601-heavy-rains-raise-flood-concerns-in-thailand/

CDC spokesman explains planned referendum to Deputy Sec-Gen of UN

BANGKOK, 5 July 2016 (NNT) - The spokesman of the Constitution Drafting Commission has met with the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations to offer an explanation regarding the upcoming public referendum on the proposed new constitution.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929602-cdc-spokesman-explains-planned-referendum-to-deputy-sec-gen-of-un/

NRSA to host seminar on ethical standards of state personnel

BANGKOK, 5 July 2016 (NNT) – A committee of the National Reform Steering Assembly plans to host a seminar on ethical standards of government personnel.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929604-nrsa-to-host-seminar-on-ethical-standards-of-state-personnel/

New peace-keeping center vows not to influence people’s referendum decisions

BANGKOK, 5 July 2016 (NNT) – The government has given an assurance that its newly set-up peace-keeping center will not try to exert influence on people’s voting choice during the upcoming public referendum.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929605-new-peace-keeping-center-vows-not-to-influence-peoples-referendum-decisions/

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Saudi Interior Ministry says four security officers killed, five wounded in suicide bombing outside Islamic holy site in Medina.

EU satisfied with Thailand's fight against IUU fishing

BANGKOK, 5 July 2016 (NNT) - Officers from the EU have been reportedly satisfied with Thailand’s solutions to IUU fishing. The Customs Department announced that the country’s efforts to combat IUU fishing had progressed by 70% - 80%.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929606-eu-satisfied-with-thailands-fight-against-iuu-fishing/

PM: Sentencing rapists to death not sustainable solution

BANGKOK, 5 July 2016 (NNT) – Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed disagreement with the call for death penalty for rapists while the Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister said the matter is up to the legislative body’s consideration.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929607-pm-prayut-sentencing-rapists-to-death-not-sustainable-solution/

Suspect of brutal murder and attempted rape of teacher brought to chaotic re-enactment
By Coconuts Bangkok


A photo of the suspect Chatri Ruamsoongnern released by police (left) and the victim Chularat Towattana (right)

BANGKOK: -- A Saraburi man, who confessed to killing a school teacher in her bedroom after she resisted his rape attempt on Friday, was brought to the scene to re-enact the crime this afternoon. A mob of angry locals gathered outside the victim’s rented room in Kaeng Khoi district, where she was found dead in her bed, to witness the scene.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929608-suspect-of-brutal-murder-and-attempted-rape-of-teacher-brought-to-chaotic-re-enactment/

Long wait list has woman considering Thailand for gender reassignment surgery
BY CYNTHIA MULLIGAN


Danica Rain is photographed in an image that appeared on her Facebook.

SUDBURY: -- Danica Rain was born a man but knew from an early age she was a woman – hiding who she really was was destroying her.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929609-long-wait-list-has-canadian-woman-considering-thailand-for-gender-reassignment-surgery/

Celeb finds not everyone amused by cop-bribing story
By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter


A screencap of Sarawit “Kong” Subun’s Instagram post on Sunday.

BANGKOK — A soap opera star who’s spoken out against corruption failed to impress his fanclub Sunday by boasting online that he tried to bribe a police officer.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929610-thai-celeb-finds-not-everyone-amused-by-cop-bribing-story/

Suicide bombers attack three Saudi Arabian cities



MEDINA: -- Three suicide bombers have struck in three Saudi Arabian cities just before the end of Ramadan, which runs through Tuesday and Wednesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929612-suicide-bombers-attack-three-saudi-arabian-cities/

ISIL blamed for Malaysian bar attack
By Catherine Hardy



KUALA LUMPUR: -- The authorities in Malaysia say ISIL was responsible for a grenade attack on a nightclub last week.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929613-isil-blamed-for-malaysian-bar-attack/

186m euros of drugs found in Australia
By Catherine Hardy



VICTORIA: -- Australian police have charged eight people after 275 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine were seized in the state of Victoria.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929614-186m-euros-of-drugs-found-in-australia/

Italy smashes ruthless migrant-trafficking gang



PALERMO: -- Italian police have smashed a major people smuggling and drug trafficking ring.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929615-italy-smashes-ruthless-migrant-trafficking-gang/

Balkan EU hopefuls told Brexit will not hit their membership chances



PARIS: -- France, Germany and Italy met in Paris on Monday for a Balkans Summit at which they sought to allay fears that the Brexit would harm their accession process.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929616-balkan-eu-hopefuls-told-brexit-will-not-hit-their-membership-chances/

UN warns of starvation in Syrian towns, demands access
By PHILIP ISSA

BEIRUT (AP) — The top U.N. official in Syria on Monday demanded immediate and unconditional humanitarian access to tens of thousands of people trapped in four towns, warning of starvation.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929617-un-warns-of-starvation-in-syrian-towns-demands-access/

Body of US student reported missing in Rome found
By FRANCES D'EMILIO

ROME (AP) — The body of a teenage Wisconsin student who went missing shortly after he arrived for an exchange program was found in the Tiber River on Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929618-body-of-us-student-reported-missing-in-rome-found/

UPDATE:

The Latest: 4 killed, 5 wounded in Saudi attack

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Latest on attacks in Saudi Arabia (all times local):

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929612-suicide-bombers-attack-three-saudi-arabian-cities/#entry10927125

Mystery tree that 'bears fruit in the shape of WOMEN' found growing in Thailand
BY KARA O'NEILL


Image: tnamcot

LONDON: -- A strange tree growing in Thailand appears to bear fruit in the exact shape of a young woman - and it's baffling the internet.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929640-mystery-tree-that-bears-fruit-in-the-shape-of-women-found-growing-in-thailand/

Trans woman bites Malaysian man’s penis after he fails to pay for sex
by Asian Correspondent Staff

A MALAYSIAN man learned a painful lesson after he failed to pay a trans woman for a sexual favor.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929641-trans-woman-bites-malaysian-mans-penis-after-he-fails-to-pay-for-sex/

Government told to ease restrictions on political expressions



BANGKOK: -- Politicians, academics and members of the civil society agreed at a panel discussion on Monday that the government should ease restrictions on political activities and free political expressions during the leadup to the August 7 referendum.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/929642-thai-government-told-to-ease-restrictions-on-political-expressions/