Economy healed under Obama, but unhappy voters chose Trump

By JOSH BOAK

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — He was a first-term senator-turned-president, a former law professor with little experience in economics or management. When he entered the White House he had one essential task: piece together the shards of a shattered U.S. economy.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959773-economy-healed-under-obama-but-unhappy-voters-chose-trump/

 

Turkey links Russian envoy's killer to US-based cleric Gulen

By SUZAN FRASER

 

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's president on Wednesday implicated a U.S.-based Muslim cleric in the killing of Russia's envoy to Turkey, saying the policeman who carried out the attack was a member of his "terror organization."

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959774-turkey-links-russian-envoys-killer-to-us-based-cleric-gulen/

 

PE teacher makes sure with two gun suicide in car in Suphan

 

Picture: Daily News

 

SUPHAN BURI: -- A depressed PE teacher ended his life in a car in Suphanburi last night by sticking two guns in his mouth and firing.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959791-pe-teacher-makes-sure-with-two-gun-suicide-in-car-in-suphan/

 

Tourism and Sports Ministry: Over 31.3 million foreign tourists visit Thailand this year

 

 

BANGKOK, 21 December 2016 (NNT) – The Minister of Tourism and Sports disclosed that over 8.5 Chinese tourists visited Thailand in 2016 before revealing the government's tourism strategic plan 2017 to push Thailand towards becoming the tour hub of ASEAN. 

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959793-tourism-and-sports-ministry-over-313-million-foreign-tourists-visit-thailand-this-year/

 

Driver nods off leaving 44 students injured as bus overturns in Kamphaeng Phet

 

Picture: Daily News

 

KAMPHAENG PHET: -- Forty four students returning to Bangkok from a camp in Chiang Mai were injured when the driver fell asleep at the wheel in Kamphaeng Phet.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959796-driver-nods-off-leaving-44-students-injured-as-bus-overturns-in-kamphaeng-phet/

 

Five soldiers in hospital as car hits tree in Prachinburi

 

Picture: Sanook

 

PRACHINBURI: -- Five soldiers from the Jakrapong Camp in Prachinburi are in hospital after their car hit a central reservation tree near the camp.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959800-five-soldiers-in-hospital-as-car-hits-tree-in-prachinburi/

 

 

SET opens up 0.34 to 1,508.91 /Bangkok Post

Police announce Xmas and New Year drug crackdown - but it's inside rather than out!

 

Picture: Sanook

 

BANGKOK: -- Drugs Suppression police have announced a big drug crackdown for the festive season - inside prisons.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959803-police-announce-xmas-and-new-year-drug-crackdown-but-its-inside-rather-than-out/

 

Deputy PM Prajin confirms government’s emphasis on fighting social inequality

 

BANGKOK, 22nd December 2016 (NNT) - The government has confirmed its continuing emphasis on efforts to fight social inequality in Thailand. 

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959806-deputy-pm-prajin-confirms-government’s-emphasis-on-fighting-social-inequality/

 

PM Prayut continues campaign to encourage Thais to exercise

 

BANGKOK, 22nd December 2016 (NNT) - The Prime Minister is continuing to encourage Thai people to exercise regularly, by leading government officials in a weekly workout session. 

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959807-pm-prayut-continues-campaign-to-encourage-thais-to-exercise/

 

Polish government faces renewed pressure from EU 
VANESSA GERA, Associated Press

 

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's government faced additional pressure from the European Union Wednesday for the way it is consolidating power, just as opposition lawmakers pushed ahead with a plan to occupy parliament through the Christmas and New Year holidays.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959809-polish-government-faces-renewed-pressure-from-eu /

 

Fake soldier caught chatting up the nurses at Korat hospital

 

Picture: Sanook

 

KORAT: -- A wannabe soldier with a uniform and all the medals was arrested yesterday after he was caught chatting up the nurses at a hospital in Nakorn Ratchasima.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959811-fake-soldier-caught-chatting-up-the-nurses-at-korat-hospital/

 

If tourism has a dark side, it’s our own fault
By The Nation

 

Allowing our guests to be swindled and abused makes us poor hosts – and the country poorer

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959812-if-tourism-has-a-dark-side-it’s-our-own-fault-thai-editorial/

 

Patong Mayor powerless over Phuket’s sand sun loungers

Eakkapop Thongtub

 

Mayor Chalermluk says she is powerless to remove the loungers as they sit within the legal 10% beach zone. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

 

PHUKET: -- Patong Mayor Chalermluk Kebsup says she is powerless over the removal of sand sun loungers set up along the length of Patong Beach as they have been built within the legal 10 per cent zone set out by officials in charge of the Phuket beach zones.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959819-patong-mayor-powerless-over-phuket’s-sand-sun-loungers/

 

Boy admitted to emergency ward after beetle attack

 

Picture: Thai News Agency

 

CHUMPHON: -- An 11 year old boy in Chumpon was hospitalized after he came into contact with rove beetles.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959821-boy-admitted-to-emergency-ward-after-beetle-attack/

 

Huge but empty pyramid hotel a sphinx-like N. Korean mystery

By ERIC TALMADGE

 

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — Pyongyang's pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel, which poetically enough was built with some help from Egyptians, is one of the world's strangest landmarks and most conspicuous construction-project fails. Intended to be the world's tallest hotel, it has yet to host a guest, even though it's nearly as old as leader Kim Jong Un.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959824-huge-but-empty-pyramid-hotel-a-sphinx-like-n-korean-mystery/

 

UPDATE:

 

Bus crash injures 47 Bangkok students

 

 

KAMPHAENG PHET: -- A chartered bus taking about 50 students of King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang on the way back from Chiang Mai to Bangkok crashed into a roadside barrier and overturned, injuring all students on board.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959796-driver-nods-off-leaving-44-students-injured-as-bus-overturns-in-kamphaeng-phet/

 

40 Students Injured As Bus Driver Dozes Off At Wheel

By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter -

   

Students receive first aid after their bus crashed in Khamphaeng Phet city early Thursday morning.

 

KAMPHAENG PHET — At least 40 students were injured when their bus overturned and crashed early Thursday morning in Kamphaeng Phet city. The driver told police he fell asleep.

 

At about 4am, the Bangkok-bound bus was carrying almost 50 students from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang from a camp in Chiang Mai province when it left the road and crashed through a roadside statue shop.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/calamity/2016/12/22/40-students-injured-bus-driver-dozes-off-wheel/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2016-12-22

Police nationwide ready to facilitate holidaymakers

 

BANGKOK, 22 December 2016 (NNT) - Police across Thailand are gearing up to accommodate holidaymakers and ensure their safety during the New Year period. 

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959829-thai-police-nationwide-ready-to-facilitate-holidaymakers/

 

Saraburi ISOC opens seminar on foreign worker rights

 

SARABURI, 22 December 2016 (NNT) – The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) of Saraburi province has held a meeting on the rights of foreign workers in Thailand in a latest bid to stem human trafficking. 

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959831-saraburi-isoc-opens-seminar-on-foreign-worker-rights/

 

James Taylor cancels his Manila concert show in February

 

 

MANILA: -- American singer-songwriter James Taylor has decided to cancel his February 25, 2017 concert at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila over the wave of drug-related killings in the Philippines, The Philippine Inquirer Online reported on Tuesday.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959834-james-taylor-cancels-his-manila-concert-show-in-february/

226 New CCTV Points Coming to Northern Thailand

by CityNews

 

 

CityNews – The Provincial Police Region 5 Chiang Mai Office has announced that they will be adding another 226 CCTV points across the Northern Cluster 1: Chiang Mai, Lampang, Lamphun and Mae Hong Son.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959835-226-new-cctv-points-coming-to-northern-thailand/

 

Defiant Germans say unity will rule Christmas, not fear

Robert Hackwill

 

 

BERLIN: -- The German and Italian Foreign ministers are the latest visitors to the makeshift shrine that has appeared at the Berlin Christmas market.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959837-defiant-germans-say-unity-will-rule-christmas-not-fear/

 

Van drove into Australian Christian Lobby's Canberra headquarters and 'exploded'

Latika Bourke

Bevan Shields

Clare Sibthorpe

Fergus Hunter

 

CANBERRA: -- A van reportedly carrying gas cylinders has exploded after being driven into the Australian Christian Lobby headquarters in Canberra on Wednesday night, setting the building alight.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959842-van-drove-into-australian-christian-lobbys-canberra-headquarters-and-exploded/

 

TCC center for business forecasting sees Thai economic recovery becoming more pronounced in 2 years

 

BANGKOK, 22 December 2016 (NNT) – The Economic and Business Forecasting Center of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce is predicting that nation’s economic recovery will become more pronounced over the next 2 years as infrastructure investment, tourism and the minimum wage rise. 

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959846-tcc-center-for-business-forecasting-sees-thai-economic-recovery-becoming-more-pronounced-in-2-years/

 

Dead coral seized from ‘Muktawan 1’ meditation facility off Phuket

Eakkapop Thongtub

 

Officials seized a total of 37 kilos of dead coral from the Muktawan 1 meditation facility on Koh Yao Noi. Photo Eakkapop Thongtub

 

Officials from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMRC) yesterday (Dec 21) found and seized 37 kilograms of dead coral during an inspection of the “Muktawan 1” meditation facility on Koh Yao Noi in Phang Nga.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959848-dead-coral-seized-from-‘muktawan-1’-meditation-facility-off-phuket/

 

Foreigner Allegedly Beaten and Left on Walking Street

By Digital Admin -

 

  

PATTAYA: -- At 3am, on the morning of December 22, Pattaya police were informed of an unconscious man in front of the Reggae & Soul Bar in Walking Street, Pattaya.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959852-foreigner-allegedly-beaten-and-left-on-walking-street/

 

Largest orange farm in Chiang Mai  now seized for land reform

 

 

CHIANG MAI: -- Thanatorn Orange Farm, Thailand's biggest orange farm, and one of Chiang Mai's famous tourist attractions, is facing seizure by the state after its owner could not produce official documents to prove its legal ownership.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959857-largest-orange-farm-in-chiang-mai -now-seized-for-land-reform/

 

UPDATE:

 

Van explodes outside office of Australian Christian Lobby 
KRISTEN GELINEAU, Associated Press

 

SYDNEY (AP) — A van carrying gas cylinders exploded outside the headquarters of a Christian lobbying group in Australia's capital, though there did not appear to be any political or religious motivations behind the incident, police said Thursday.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959842-van-drove-into-australian-christian-lobbys-canberra-headquarters-and-exploded/?do=findComment&comment=11448018

 

Killer Phuket visa run driver charged with reckless driving, fined B150,000

Eakkapop Thongtub

 

The K.B.V Visa Run vehicle is removed from the scene of the accident. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

 

PHUKET:-- The visa run van driver who crashed his vehicle in Phang Nga yesterday (Dec 21) killing three passengers and injuring a further seven has been charged with reckless driving and fined B150,000 police confirmed today (Dec 22).

 

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/959883-killer-phuket-visa-run-driver-charged-with-reckless-driving-fined-b150000/