Taxi driver shot nine times, found dead near his cab

By Coconuts Bangkok 

 

Photo: Maria del Mar/Flickr

 

BANGKOK: -- Early this morning, a cabbie was discovered dead near his cab in Samut Sakhon with nine gunshot wounds.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958348-taxi-driver-shot-nine-times-found-dead-near-his-cab/

 

Six arrested for Phuket tuk-tuk club president shooting, shooter still at large

Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

Forensic Police collect evidence from Mr Sakol's tuk-tuk on Nov 2. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

PHUKET:-- Police have today (Dec 13) confirmed that six people have been arrested so far in connection with the fatal shooting of the President of the Patong Tuk-Tuk Club Sakol Srisompotch on October 25. However, a seventh person, said to be the shooter, remains at large.

 

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958373-six-arrested-for-phuket-tuk-tuk-club-president-shooting-shooter-still-at-large/

Honest Phuket taxi driver reunites Italian tourist with his lost possessions

Eakkapop Thongtub

 

Taxi driver Mr Dusit Somprayoth (2nd left) said that Mr Valluzzi (left) gave him a cash reward but declined to say how much. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

 

PHUKET:-- An Italian tourist was today (Dec 13) reunited with his belongings which included over B100,000 in cash and a passport after he left them in a taxi.

 

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958371-honest-phuket-taxi-driver-reunites-italian-tourist-with-his-lost-possessions/

Submit your photos for the 2017 Thaivisa Calendar

 

Continuing the great work done by Tywais and team in previous years, it's that time of year for starting the design of the 2017/2560 Thaivisa Calendar.

 

Previous calendars, 2010-2016, were a great success due to the excellent photo contributions from Thaivisa members.

 

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/956062-submit-your-photos-for-the-2017-thaivisa-calendar/

PM tells law enforcement officials not to talk about Dhammachayo case

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha on Tuesday put a gag on all police officers on issues regarding Wat Dhammakaya and its former abbot, Phra Dhammachayo, saying that the main focus now is to let the due process to take its course.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958400-pm-tells-law-enforcement-officials-not-to-talk-about-dhammachayo-case/

 

Cabinet OKs tax break of 15,000 baht shopping spending

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The cabinet on Tuesday approved tax break for shopping spending or spending on services during the festive season between December 14-31.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958401-cabinet-oks-tax-break-of-15000-baht-shopping-spending/

 

PM urges SME operators to make new investments

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has called on operators of small and medium-sized enterprises to start their own investments instead of just waiting for foreign investments.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958402-pm-prayut-urges-sme-operators-to-make-new-investments/

 

Court rejects Dhammakaya’s plea for dismissal of search warrant

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court on Tuesday dismissed Wat Dhammakaya’s petition seeking the revocation of the court’s warrant for officials of the Department of Special Investigation to search the temple to look for Phra Dhammachayo.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958403-court-rejects-dhammakaya’s-plea-for-dismissal-of-search-warrant/

 

King appoints two new privy councilors

 

 

His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun issued a Royal Command appointing Mr Wirach Chinvinitkul and Mr Charunthada Karnasuta new members of the Privy Council.

 

The new appointments bring the total number of the Privy Council to 13 with former prime minister and former regent General Prem Tinsulanonda as president of the Privy Council.

 

The King earlier appointed ten privy councilors – three of them new members with the remaining seven reappointed. The three new members are General Paiboon Koomchaya, General Dapong Ratanasuwan and General Teerachai Nakvanich.

 

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/king-appoints-two-new-privy-councilors/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-12-14

Cabinet gives nod to 36 infrastructure projects

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The cabinet on Tuesday gave a greenlight to the Transport Ministry’s 36 infrastructure development projects worth an estimated 895.7 billion baht.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958404-thai-cabinet-gives-nod-to-36-infrastructure-projects/

 

Customs say Bestrin Group admits the first 100 NGV buses originated from China

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Bestrin Group, the successful bidder to supply a fleet of 489 NGV buses to Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, has admitted that the first lot of 100 buses which are held up at Laem Chabang deep-sea port were imported from China and not assembled in Malaysia as earlier claimed by the company, said Customs Department chief Kulit Sombatsiri on Tuesday.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958405-thai-customs-say-bestrin-group-admits-the-first-100-ngv-buses-originated-from-china/

 

Thailand, China agree on research cooperation in support of EEC project

 

BANGKOK, 14 December 2016 (NNT) – The Thai Ministry of Science and Technology has signed a deal with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) to establish bilateral cooperation in research, with an aim of pushing forward the Eastern Economic Corridor project. 

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958406-thailand-china-agree-on-research-cooperation-in-support-of-eec-project/

 

Health Min urges against taking icy cold shower in winter

 

BANGKOK, 14 December 2016 (NNT) – As upper parts of Thailand are experiencing wintry conditions, the Ministry of Public Health has advised people in those areas to avoid taking a cold shower due to possible adverse health effects. 

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958407-thai-health-min-urges-against-taking-icy-cold-shower-in-winter/

 

Phuket Police seek two gun-wielding teen robbers

Eakkapop Thongtub

 

51-year-old dessert vendor, Mr Paisan Yamanon, was robbed at gunpoint for over B10,000. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

 

PHUKET: -- Police on the island are currently looking for two teenagers on a motorbike who robbed a local vendor at gunpoint today (Dec 13) escaping with over B10,000 in cash.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958408-phuket-police-seek-two-gun-wielding-teen-robbers/

 

Ghostly stickers banned by Land Transport Dept.

By Coconuts Bangkok 

 

Screenshot: Taobao

 

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Land Transport has warned Thai netizens not to put up the ghostly stickers seen on Chinese social media because they may scare the living hell out of other motorists and cause an accident.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958409-ghostly-stickers-banned-by-land-transport-dept/

 

No fireworks on NYE for Samui?

 

 

SAMUI: -- Although most celebratory activities were given the go-ahead from Central Government (Bangkok) to start up again back on November 14th (on the premis that they were muted to ‘appropriate’ levels), we (The Firework Shop) soon discovered that fireworks per se were not included in ‘entertainments’.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958410-no-fireworks-on-nye-for-samui/

 

Swiss National Andre Xavier Justo Recieves Royal Pardon in Thailand

 

BANGKOK -Swiss National Andre Xavier Justo, a potential key witness in the corruption probe surrounding Malaysian state fund 1MDB will be among thousands of Thai and foreign prisoners granted a royal pardon by Thailand’s new king, King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradevarangkun.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958411-swiss-national-andre-xavier-justo-recieves-royal-pardon-in-thailand/

 

No rush to reshuffle Cabinet, says Prayut
By KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN 
THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- PRIME Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday he had not made a final decision on his Cabinet reshuffle but added that whoever was appointed would have to work under the framework set by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958412-no-rush-to-reshuffle-cabinet-says-prayut/

 

UPDATE:

 

Tax incentive tipped to spur Bt20 billion in retail spending
By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- THE GOVERNMENT’S tax break for year-end shopping approved by the Cabinet yesterday is expected to generate extra spending of Bt20 billion in the retail sector, on top of earlier tax incentives for domestic tourism aimed at boosting the sluggish economy, according to Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavarangkun.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958401-cabinet-oks-tax-break-of-15000-baht-shopping-spending/?do=findComment&comment=11420864

 

Gold mines ordered to suspend from Jan 1
By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- THE National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) yesterday exercised its absolute power to tackle conflict and alleged impacts caused by gold mines by ordering them to suspend operations from January 1, 2017.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958413-gold-mines-ordered-to-suspend-from-jan-1/

 

Drafters to revise points in political parties bill
By KHANITTHA THEPPHAJORN, 
KASAMAKORN CHANWANPEN, 
JAKRAWAN SALAYTOO 
THE NATION

 

Meechai

 

Meechai says time period to collect fees, punishment for financiers to be amended.

 

CHARTER drafters will revise two controversial points in the organic law on political parties following criticism of the bill by politicians after it was revealed to the public last week, Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) chairman Meechai Ruchupan said yesterday. 

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958414-drafters-to-revise-points-in-political-parties-bill/

 

School system’s failure to teach logical thinking linked to low PISA scores
By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- ACADEMICS HAVE called for a major reform in Thailand’s education system and blame students’ low scores in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) on the system’s failure to encourage logical thinking.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958415-school-system’s-failure-to-teach-logical-thinking-linked-to-low-pisa-scores/

 

Hua Hin zoo faces police complaint after two elephants moved illegally
By WIMON THABKHONG, 
APICHAT HONGSAKUL 
THE NATION

 

 

HUA HIN -- OFFICIALS FROM the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department’s Phraya Sua Taskforce have filed a police complaint against a zoo in Hua Hin yesterday after two elephants were moved illegally .

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958417-hua-hin-zoo-faces-police-complaint-after-two-elephants-moved-illegally/

 

Police searching for missing nurse await DNA report on burned body in Chiang Mai
By The Nation

 

 

CHIANG MAI: -- DNA tests are being carried out to determine whether a charred body found in a longan plantation in Chiang Mai province is that of a nurse reported missing by her husband.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958418-police-searching-for-missing-nurse-await-dna-report-on-burned-body-in-chiang-mai/

 

Criminal complaints filed against Wat Dhammakaya spokesman, loyalists
By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- THE DEPARTMENT of Special Investigation (DSI) yesterday filed criminal complaints against Ongart Thamnita, the spokesman for followers of Dhammakaya Temple, and other temple adherents.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958419-criminal-complaints-filed-against-wat-dhammakaya-spokesman-loyalists/

 

Junta may use Article 44 to force suspension of work of three key bodies
By The Nation

 

Prayut

 

BANGKOK: -- The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) last night was considering using Article 44 to issue three orders, including regarding the suspension of three bodies.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958420-junta-may-use-article-44-to-force-suspension-of-work-of-three-key-bodies/

 

Paris attacks planners killed in airstrike – US

Catherine Hardy

 

 

WASHINGTON: -- US airstrikes have killed three key ISIL leaders in Syria, according to the US defence secretary.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958421-paris-attacks-planners-killed-in-airstrike-–-us/

 

Tunisian captain sentenced to 18 years for deadly shipwreck

 

 

CATANIA: -- A Tunisian man accused of being the captain of a migrant boat that sank killing over 700 people has been found guilty of manslaughter by an Italian court and faces 18 years in jail.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958422-tunisian-captain-setenced-to-18-years-for-deadly-shipwreck/

 

Deal reached for evacuation of fighters and civilians from eastern Aleppo – UN

Catherine Hardy

 

 

ALEPPO: -- Russia’s UN envoy says a deal has been reached on the ground in Aleppo for opposition fighters to leave.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958423-deal-reached-for-evacuation-of-fighters-and-civilians-from-eastern-aleppo-–-un/

 

Trump names oil executive with ties to Russia as US secretary of state

 

 

WASHINGTON: -- Donald Trump has announced that the new US secretary of state will be Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/958424-trump-names-oil-executive-with-ties-to-russia-as-us-secretary-of-state/