Thaivisa Photography Competition a(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/

American Tourist Robbed at ATM
by CityNews

CityNews:-- An American tourist was robbed at an ATM machine on July 9, with the thieves running off with 10,000 baht that was just withdrawn from the machine.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934161-american-tourist-robbed-at-atm/?p=10995819

No, 2,000 teak trees won't be cut for new Parliament - more like 5,000
By Sasiwan Mokkhasen, Staff Reporter

BANGKOK — Despite an outcry from the public over the destruction of a teak forest in the north of Thailand, the head of the junta-appointed legislature said Monday it will go ahead despite a claim the junta leader had ordered the trees protected.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934163-no-2000-teak-trees-wont-be-cut-for-new-parliament-more-like-5000/

Group demands action against Somdet Chuang



BANGKOK: -- A group of self-proclaimed defenders of Buddhism on Monday lodged a complaint with the Department of Special Investigation against Somdet Phra Maha Mangkalajarn in connection with the vintage Mercedes Benz car scandal.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934231-group-demands-action-against-somdet-chuang/

Some 100,000 policemen to be deployed on referendum day



BANGKOK: -- Over 100,000 policemen will be deployed across the country to ensure peace and order on August 7 when people go to the polls to vote on the draft charter, Pol Maj-Gen Piyaphan Pingmuang, deputy spokesman of the National Police Office, said on Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934233-some-100000-policemen-to-be-deployed-on-referendum-day/

Democrat party to announce standpoint on draft charter on Wednesday



BANGKOK: -- The Democrat party will make a formal announcement on Wednesday whether it will accept or reject the draft constitution.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934234-democrat-party-to-announce-standpoint-on-draft-charter-on-wednesday/

Funding allocated for all provinces to stage debates on draft charter



BANGKOK: -- All 77 provinces across the country have been allocated with 150,000 baht each as a fund to stage debates on the draft constitution within August 3.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934235-funding-allocated-for-all-provinces-to-stage-debates-on-draft-charter/

All vans to be removed from Victory Monument in Oct

BANGKOK, 26 July 2016 (NNT) – Authorities have confirmed that the operation to relocate passenger vans from the Victory Monument will be conducted on a trial basis in September before it takes full effect on October 25.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934236-all-vans-to-be-removed-from-victory-monument-in-oct/

Culture Ministry to hold Thai Language Day

BANGKOK, 26 July 2016 (NNT) – The Ministry of Culture will be holding the Thai Language Day event on 29 July 2016, promoting conservation and proper use of the Thai language, which is a crucial national identity.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934237-culture-ministry-to-hold-thai-language-day/

Accessibility to be improved in areas around Lumpini Park

BANGKOK, 26 July 2016 (NNT) – Areas around Lumpini Park and public transport in the area will be upgraded extensively to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities as well as all other groups of people, says the MSDHS.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934238-accessibility-to-be-improved-in-areas-around-lumpini-park/

Customs Dept destroys illegal goods seized from Sa Kaeo border

SA KAEO, 26 July 2016 (NNT) – The Customs Department has led the destruction of counterfeit and tax-evaded goods worth a combined 50 million baht in Sa Kaeo province.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934239-customs-dept-destroys-illegal-goods-seized-from-sa-kaeo-border/

Govt expands Startup Thailand & Digital Thailand event to the regions

BANGKOK, 26 July 2016 (NNT) – The government is aiming to expand the Start Up Thailand & Digital Thailand event to various regions in the Kingdom from August to September this year, after it was successful held in Bangkok.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934240-govt-expands-startup-thailand-digital-thailand-event-to-the-regions/

EC to allow constitutional debate in main provinces

BANGKOK, 26 July 2016 (NNT) – The Election Commission will be allocating a budget to organize debates in each main provinces before 3 August 2016, says an election commissioner.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934241-ec-to-allow-constitutional-debate-in-main-provinces/

SAGAMIHARA, Japan (AP) - Japanese news agency: 19 dead, 20 injured in knife attack outside Tokyo.

BREAKING

Japanese news agency: 19 dead, 20 injured in knife attack outside Tokyo

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934242-japanese-news-agency-19-dead-20-injured-in-knife-attack-outside-tokyo/?p=10996966

Phuket officials play down broken tsunami buoy fears
Suthicha Sirirat


Vice Governor Chokdee today played down concerns raised in rsponse to Facebook community Phuket SOS posting a notice that tsunami-warning buoy 23401 had stopped transmitting data. Image: Facebook / Phuket SOS

PHUKET: -- Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat today (July 25) played down concerns in response to repeated requests for updates on what was being done to repair a tsunami-warning buoy that stopped transmitting data in March.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934243-phuket-officials-play-down-broken-tsunami-buoy-fears/

Ex-Pheu Thai MP meets police after being implicated in distorted mails

BANGKOK: -- Former Pheu Thai MP of Chiang Mai Ms Tassanee Buranupakorn turned herself in with the police in Chiang Mai after she was implicated by a former employee of involvement in the distribution of mails with distorted version of the draft constitution seized in some northern provinces.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934244-ex-pheu-thai-mp-meets-police-after-being-implicated-in-distorted-mails/

Fishery chief says Elephant Empire still remains closed

PATTAYA: -- Elephant Empire in Pattaya still remains closed as its operating license has been suspended for 90 days, said Mr Adisorn Promthep, director-general of Fishery Department, on Monday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934245-fishery-chief-says-elephant-empire-in-pattaya-still-remains-closed/

Thai police charge two eight-year-old girls who tore down pink lists

KAMPHAENG PHET: -- Two 8-year-old girls in Thailand have been charged for violating campaigning rules ahead of a contentious referendum next month after tearing voter lists off a wall because they liked the pink paper they were printed on, police said on Sunday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934246-thai-police-charge-two-eight-year-old-girls-who-tore-down-pink-lists/

Chinese dissidents in Thailand: Living in constant fear
An insight into the fearful, desperate lives of Thailand's small but growing community of asylum seekers from China.
by Lynn Lee

BANGKOK: -- You're always looking over your shoulder, always wondering if someone's following you.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934247-chinese-dissidents-in-thailand-living-in-constant-fear/

Contrary to what internet says, shop denies these Thai amulets made in China
By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter


Amulets sold at the Boom Collection shop in Bangkok were identified Sunday by internet users as cheap Chinese knockoffs. Photo: Socialhithit / Facebook

BANGKOK — When someone posted photos supposedly of a shop in Chinatown selling counterfeit Buddhist amulets made en masse in a Chinese factory, all hell broke loose, with netizens screaming: Is nothing sacred or exclusively Thai anymore?

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934248-contrary-to-what-internet-says-shop-denies-these-thai-amulets-made-in-china/

Large Floods hit Chiang Dao
by CityNews



CityNews – Heavy rain over the weekend caused massive floods in Chiang Dao on July 24, damaging homes and cutting off communities.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934249-large-floods-hit-chiang-dao/

Scotland’s Sturgeon wants independence vote to remain an option



LONDON: -- Just a month after the UK’s Brexit vote, Scotland’s first minister has reaffirmed her intention to keep the northern country inside the European Union. Her speech came as UK Prime Minister Theresa May once again confirmed Britain’s intention to leave the bloc.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934250-scotlands-sturgeon-wants-independence-vote-to-remain-an-option/

Spain says Europe’s first Zika microcephaly birth confirmed in Catalonia



MADRID: -- Europe’s first Zika microcephaly birth has been confirmed in Spain.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934251-spain-says-europes-first-zika-microcephaly-birth-confirmed-in-catalonia/

Dark clouds gather over Rio ahead of Olympics



RIO DE JANEIRO: -- With less than two weeks to go before the start of the Rio Olympics, there are a number of dark clouds gathered over the event that are showing little sign of clearing.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934252-dark-clouds-gather-over-rio-ahead-of-olympics/

Syrian behind Ansbach attack had ‘pledged allegiance to ISIL’



ANSBACH: -- The Syrian who blew himself up near a music festival in southern Germany was acting on behalf of ISIL, the militant group’s Amaq agency claims.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934253-syrian-behind-ansbach-attack-had-pledged-allegiance-to-isil/

Nice attack: French president seeks to defuse row over security report ‘alterations’



NICE: -- The French president has sought to defuse a row over allegations government officials tried to alter a report into the Bastille Day attack in Nice.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934254-nice-attack-french-president-seeks-to-defuse-row-over-security-report-alterations/

UPDATE:

At least 15 killed, dozens injured in knifing near Tokyo

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's national broadcaster NHK reports that 15 people were killed and 45 injured in a knife attack Tuesday at a facility for the handicapped in Sagamihara, just outside Tokyo.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934242-japanese-news-agency-19-dead-20-injured-in-knife-attack-outside-tokyo/?p=10997127#entry10997127

Dems' opening night: Party stars, struggle to quiet disputes
By JULIE PACE and KEN THOMAS

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Former rivals Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders urgently joined forces Monday to tamp down dissent among his supporters, as Democrats tried to keep infighting from overtaking a convention opening night featuring some of the party's biggest stars.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934256-dems-opening-night-party-stars-struggle-to-quiet-disputes/

Trump's new derisive nickname for Clinton - 'Rotten'
By JILL COLVIN

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — Donald Trump has a new, derisive nickname for his Democratic rival: Hillary "Rotten" Clinton.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/934257-trumps-new-derisive-nickname-for-clinton-rotten/