Acting Dhammakaya abbot to submit to authorities later this month

 

BANGKOK, 17 March 2017 (NNT) – The acting abbot of Dhammakaya Temple has indicated he will turn himself into authorities later this month after the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) found clear evidence he engaged in unlawful stock trading. 

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/973998-acting-dhammakaya-abbot-to-submit-to-authorities-later-this-month/

 

Fraudulent business consultancy course "accredited by Kaset university" netted 400 victims

 

Picture: Thairath

 

BANGKOK: -- An advert on Facebook managed to ensnare 400 victims who thought they were doing a course accredited by Kaset University in Bangkok.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/973999-fraudulent-business-consultancy-course-accredited-by-kaset university-netted-400-victims/

 

Tetra Pak builds new plant in Rayong, Thailand

by Joakim Persson, Managing Editor ScandAsia

 

 

Tetra Pak has annouced to build a new plant at its Rayong site in Thailand, dedicated to producing closures for carton packaging.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974000-tetra-pak-builds-new-plant-in-rayong-thailand/

 

Swatch to launch Swiss smartwatch operating system by 2018

BY REUTERS 

 

 

BIEL, Switzerland (Reuters) – Swatch Group is developing a Swiss-made operating system as it seeks to offer a smaller, more flexible alternative to the dominant systems which connect items such as smartwatches to the internet, its chief executive said on Thursday.

 

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/swatch-to-launch-swiss-smartwatch-operating-system-by-2018/20421/

"Buddhist Affairs Office" was just a front for extortion and boozing

 

Picture: Thairath

 

SUPHANBURI: -- A police and military raiding party in Suphanburi found a compound of four houses set up as a Buddhist affairs office.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974004-buddhist-affairs-office-was-just-a-front-for-extortion-and-boozing/

 

Tillerson avoids public conflict with Trump over budget

By Arshad Mohammed and John Walcott

REUTERS

 

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrives at the Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, March 17, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - While he has swallowed a big budget cut and had the White House veto his chosen deputy, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is avoiding a public conflict with U.S. President Donald Trump over his department's budget, six current and former U.S. officials said on Thursday.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974005-tillerson-avoids-public-conflict-with-trump-over-budget/

 

Summer rain catches Bangkokians by surprise

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

  

Image: @Sony1678Sri / Twitter

 

BANGKOK — After days of sweltering heat, Bangkokians woke up Friday morning to see rainstorm all over their city.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974006-summer-rain-catches-bangkokians-by-surprise/

 

Tourism ministry sends boats to help Pattaya sea victims

 

Picture: Sanook

 

PATTAYA: -- The tourism and sports ministry have allocated two speedboats to help tourists found floundering in the sea in Pattaya.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974009-tourism-ministry-sends-boats-to-help-pattaya-sea-victims/

 

Pattaya slowly cleaning up spaghetti wiring mess

 

PATTAYA:--From North Road to Jomtien Beach, Pattaya city workers and local utility companies slowly are untangling the area’s unsightly jumbles of power and cable-television wires.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974007-pattaya-slowly-cleaning-up-spaghetti-wiring-mess/

 

Suthep takes part in reconciliation talks 
By The Nation

 

BANGKOK: -- Ex-members of the now-defunct People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) – including its leader Suthep Thaugsuban – joined the government-initiated reconciliation talks at the Defence Ministry on Friday morning.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974012-suthep-takes-part-in-reconciliation-talks/

 

Tour company raided in Bangkok as Chinese man with fake Thai ID arrested

 

Picture: Daily News

 

BANGKOK: -- Police top brass raided a house in Bangkok yesterday and arrested the owner who was running a tourism business.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974016-tour-company-raided-in-bangkok-as-chinese-man-with-fake-thai-id-arrested/

 

Former local administration president arrested for premeditated murder of ex-wife

 

 

KANCHANABURI: -- A combined force of police from the Zone One Provincial Police and the Crime Suppression Division raided a farm in Tha Muang district of Kanchanaburi province before dawn today and arrested a former Tambon Administration Organisation president in Chonburi province for murder.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974017-former-local-administration-president-arrested-for-premeditated-murder-of-ex-wife/

 

More cops & cameras for Walking Street ‘happy zone’

 

PATTAYA:--Pattaya’s first “happy zone” will replace the existing “safety zone” on Walking Street and feature more police officers and security cameras.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974011-more-cops-cameras-for-walking-street-‘happy-zone’/

 

Three quarters of French voters want Fillon to withdraw from presidential race - poll

REUTERS
 

Francois Fillon, former French Prime Minister, member of the Republicans political party and 2017 presidential election candidate of the French centre-right delivers a speech at a campaign rally in Caen north-western France March 16, 2017. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

 

PARIS (Reuters) - Three quarters of French voters want conservative candidate Francois Fillon to pull out of the presidential race, an opinion poll by Odoxa showed on Friday, underscoring how badly has image has been hit by a series of financial scandals.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974021-three-quarters-of-french-voters-want-fillon-to-withdraw-from-presidential-race-poll/

 

Trump, Germany's Merkel to hold first face-to-face meeting at White House

By Jeff Mason and Andreas Rinke

REUTERS

 

FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor Angela Merkel gives a speech at the demographic summit in Berlin, Germany, March 16, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump welcomes German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday for a White House meeting that could help determine the future of the transatlantic alliance and shape the working relationship between two of the world's most powerful leaders.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974022-trump-germanys-merkel-to-hold-first-face-to-face-meeting-at-white-house/

 

Russian kills "fellow countryman" in Jomtien beach accident this morning

 

Picture: Siamchon News

 

PATTAYA: -- A Russian motorist hit a pedestrian making a video call on his phone opposite The Now Hotel on Jomtien Beach road this morning.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974029-russian-kills-fellow-countryman-in-jomtien-beach-accident-this-morning/

 

US federal rate hike has only short-term impact on Thai economy

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The Finance Ministry says yesterday's US Federal Reserve’s interest rate hike will have only short-term effects on Thai monetary and capital markets.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974033-us-federal-rate-hike-has-only-short-term-impact-on-thai-economy/

 

Two men investigated for possible trafficking of 27 Burmese Muslims

By Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

 

  

Twenty-seven Burmese Muslims found trying to cross the border into Malaysia early Friday morning at Narathiwat.

 

NARATHIWAT — A man and his son were arrested early Friday morning for attempting to facilitate the smuggling of 27 Burmese Muslims to Malaysia.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974034-two-men-investigated-for-possible-trafficking-of-27-burmese-muslims/

 

Pat and Benz’s mom report to NSB police today

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Leading actress Naphapa Tantrakul or "Pat" reported to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) today to clarify her assets and 30 million baht in several bank accounts after her husband "Benz Racing" was charged with money laundering involving the Laotian drug lord's narcotic syndicate.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974037-pat-and-benz’s-mom-report-to-nsb-police-today/

 

UPDATE:

 

Widespread blackout hits Bangkok after storm

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

  

A flooded street in the Ramkhamhaeng neighborhood of Bangkok. Image: @sirinth42487784 / Twitter

 

BANGKOK — The Metropolitan Electricity Authority reported power outages over wide swaths of Bangkok on Friday afternoon.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974006-summer-rain-catches-bangkokians-by-surprise/?do=findComment&comment=11718774

 

South Korean who attempted suicide at Phuket shooting range remains in serious condition

Yutthawat Lekmak

 

Police question witnesses at the scene of the incident on Monday. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

 

PHUKET: -- Police have confirmed that the 42-year-old South Korean man who shot himself in an attempted suicide at the Patong Shooting Range on Monday is still in a serious condition at Vachira Phuket Hospital but that it is believed he will make a full recovery from his injuries.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974044-south-korean-who-attempted-suicide-at-phuket-shooting-range-remains-in-serious-condition/

 

Report says 1,100 complaints of child abuse made against Australia's Anglican church

By Byron Kaye

REUTERS

 

Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge departs after giving evidence at the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse in Sydney, Australia, February 8, 2017. Picture taken February 8, 2017. AAP Image/Paul Miller/via REUTERS

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The head of Australia's Anglican Church expressed sorrow and shame after a government report published on Friday said close to 1,100 people had filed child sexual assault claims against the church over a 35-year period.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974045-report-says-1100-complaints-of-child-abuse-made-against-australias-anglican-church/

 

NLA president defends swift action on Surapong impeachment
By The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, president of the National Legislative Assembly, insisted on Friday that the NLA adhered strictly to its duty over the impeachment of former Foreign Affairs Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, in line with its assigned authority and normal parliamentary procedures.

 

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974049-nla-president-defends-swift-action-on-surapong-impeachment/

Elevated rail structure falls on car; Narrowly misses woman

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

Image: @oosora / Twitter

 

BANGKOK — A driver narrowly escaped injury – or worse – when a giant metal bar fell from an elevated rail under construction and landed on her car Friday afternoon.

 

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974055-elevated-rail-structure-falls-on-car-narrowly-misses-woman/

 

Property tycoon’s daughter under spotlight

By The Nation

 

 

Investigators are preparing to summon Alisa Asavabhokin, the daughter of property tycoon Anant Asavabhokin, for questioning in connection with her ownership of a large land plot where a major building in the Dhammakaya Temple compound is situated.

 

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974056-property-tycoon’s-daughter-under-spotlight/

 

 

Arrest warrant issued for Pattaya police chief, then withdrawn

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

Col. Apichai Klobpetch talks to the owner of one of the massage parlors in Pattaya on June, 8, 2016.

 

PATTAYA — The chief of the Pattaya City Police Station reported to the court on Friday for a libel charge filed against him by another senior police officer.

 

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/973776-arrest-warrant-issued-for-the-head-of-pattaya-police-after-he-went-abroad/?do=findComment&comment=11719494

 

Charity marathon run ends with about 125 million baht in donations received

 

 

One Million Five Hundred Thousand Steps Run for Life marathon runners have finally reached their destination at Siraraj hospital Friday afternoon with proceeds from public donations totaling 125 million baht far exceeding the original target of 99 million baht.

 

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974060-charity-marathon-run-ends-with-about-125-million-baht-in-donations-received/

 

Missing from Trump's grand Navy plan - skilled workers to build the fleet

By Mike Stone

 

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump says he wants to build dozens of new warships in one of the biggest peace-time expansions of the U.S. Navy. But interviews with ship-builders, unions and a review of public and internal documents show major obstacles to that plan.

 

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974063-missing-from-trumps-grand-navy-plan-skilled-workers-to-build-the-fleet/

 

GCHQ dismisses as ridiculous claims it helped spy on Trump

 

FILE PHOTO: Satellite dishes are seen at GCHQ's outpost at Bude, close to where trans-Atlantic fibre-optic cables come ashore in Cornwall, southwest England June 23, 2013. REUTERS/Kieran Doherty/File Photo

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's GCHQ intelligence agency dismissed claims made on a U.S. television station that it helped former President Barack Obama eavesdrop on Donald Trump after last year's U.S. presidential election.

 

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/974064-gchq-dismisses-as-ridiculous-claims-it-helped-spy-on-trump/