THAILAND LIVE Thailand Live Thursday 13 Apr 2017

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German cinematographer Ballhaus, Hollywood veteran, dead at 81

REUTERS

 

German cinematographer Michael Ballhaus waves as he holds an Honorary Golden Bear for his lifetime achievement before the screeening of the movie 'Gangs of New York' at the 66th Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin, Germany, February 18, 2016. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

 

BERLIN (Reuters) - German cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, who counted "Goodfellas", "Gangs of New York" and "The Departed" among the blockbuster movies he filmed, died overnight at his home in Berlin, his publisher said on Wednesday. He was 81.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978308-german-cinematographer-ballhaus-hollywood-veteran-dead-at-81/

 

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Chaos at Mor Chit as many blame pick-up seating ban

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

BANGKOK: -- Chaos reigned at Bangkok's main bus station yesterday as thousands were stranded with little hope of a timely departure.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978309-chaos-at-mor-chit-as-many-blame-pick-up-seating-ban/

 

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Cabinet approves rice-assistance programs

 

 

BANGKOK, 13 April 2017, (NNT) -The cabinet has approved three programs aimed at developing rice production output, with a budget totaling over 25 billion baht. 

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978310-thai-cabinet-approves-rice-assistance-programs/

 

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Tourists jump the gun as Songkran celebrations in Chiang Mai begin

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

CHIANG MAI: -- Songkran celebrations began in earnest in Chiang Mai yesterday with monks and tourists leading the way.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978311-tourists-jump-the-gun-as-songkran-celebrations-in-chiang-mai-begin/

 

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North Korean murder suspects wear bullet-proof vests to court

 

Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong, who was charged with the murder of Kim Jong Nam, is escorted by police as she arrives at a Sepang court, in Malaysia April 13, 2017. REUTERS/Lai Seng Sin

 

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Two women accused of killing the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader made their second court appearance on Thursday wearing bullet-proof vests, but the hearing into the Kuala Lumpur airport assassination was postponed until May.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978312-north-korean-murder-suspects-wear-bullet-proof-vests-to-malaysian-court/

 

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Summer storms hit Ubon - more than 100 homes damaged as further weather warnings issued

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

UBON RATCHATHANI: -- Summer storms that hit three district in Ubon Ratchathani yesterday afternoon meant a sad start to the Thai new year for many villagers.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978313-summer-storms-hit-ubon-more-than-100-homes-damaged-as-further weather-warnings-issued/

 

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Police found thousands of detonators in UWSA liaison office in Lashio

 

 

Burmese police seized thousands of detonators and ammunition in a search of the liaison office of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) in Lashio on Saturday, according to The Irrawaddy Online report on Wednesday.

 

Full story:  https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978314-police-found-thousands-of-detonators-in-uwsa-liaison-office-in-lashio/

 

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United States' first female Muslim judge found dead in Hudson River

By Ian Simpson

REUTERS

 

(Reuters) - A groundbreaking black jurist who became the first Muslim woman to serve as a U.S. judge was found dead in New York's Hudson River on Wednesday, police said.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978315-united-states-first-female-muslim-judge-found-dead-in-new-yorks-hudson-river/

 

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Hunt on for vet who squirrelled away the family fortune

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

BANGKOK: -- Police are hunting for a vet who has disappeared after a safe in a gold shop was emptied.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978316-hunt-on-for-vet-who-squirrelled-away-the-family-fortune/

 

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How two retired Thais have reinvented their lifestyles
By CHULARAT SAENGPASSA
THE NATION

 

Kanjana Panthutaecha

 

Narong Tiemmek

 

Narong, 72, and Kanjana, 64, show how elderly life can be meaningful

 

BANGKOK: -- AS THAIS look forward to a much longer life span, they should take steps to ensure that they can enjoy a good quality of life in their retirement. 

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978319-how-two-retired-thais-have-reinvented-their-lifestyles/

 

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Come quickly there's been an accident - your husband is dead

 

Picture: TNews

 

BANGKOK: -- A Thai woman got a call every wife dreads - foundation medics at the scene of a motorbike accident called her to say her husband was dead.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978321-come-quickly-theres-been-an-accident-your-husband-is-dead/

 

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Huge queues as gamblers and workers flee Thailand for the Songkran holidays!

 

Picture: TNews

 

SURIN: -- TNews reported there were huge queues in the heat of the early afternoon yesterday at the Kap Cherng border crossing in Surin.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978323-huge-queues-as-gamblers-and-workers-flee-thailand-for-the-songkran-holidays/

 

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Samsung Electronics says Galaxy S8 pre-orders exceeded S7

BY REUTERS 

 

Image: REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

 

SEOUL (Reuters) – Pre-orders for Samsung Electronics Co Ltd’s flagshipGalaxy S8 smartphone have exceeded those of its predecessor S7, mobile business chief Koh Dong-jin said on Thursday, suggesting many consumers were unfazed by last year’s Galaxy Note 7 fires.

 

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/samsung-electronics-says-galaxy-s8-pre-orders-exceeded-s7/20971/

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Apple hires secret team for treating diabetes – CNBC

BY REUTERS

 

Image: REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

 

(Reuters) – Apple Inc has hired a team of biomedical engineers as part of a secret initiative, initially envisioned by late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, to develop sensors to treat diabetes, CNBC reported citing three people familiar with the matter.

 

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/apple-hires-secret-team-for-treating-diabetes-cnbc/20974/

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NHSO denies trying to cut public health spending

 

BANGKOK, 13 April 2017 (NNT) - The National Health Security Office (NHSO) asserted that its fund requests have always been in line with real expenditures. 

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978324-nhso-denies-trying-to-cut-public-health-spending/

 

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'Japan  tour scam' suspect denies fraud

By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter

 

Pasist Arinchayalapis on early Thursday at the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok

 

BANGKOK — “When will you return the money to us?” “How do we get it? We cannot contact anyone in your company.” “You only say things groundlessly, asshole!” a crowd of holidaymakers who paid between 9,000 baht to 13,000 baht for a six-day trip in Japan yelled at the owner of a multi-level marketing who failed to make their trip come true.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978325-japan- tour-scam-suspect-denies-fraud/

 

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Songkran festival kicks off nationwide today

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Songkran festival officially kicks off nationwide today with Thai Buddhists going to the temples early in the morning making merit, offering alms to monks, and pouring water on Buddha statutes brought out for prays and blessings on this Thai traditional New Year.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978326-songkran-festival-kicks-off-nationwide-today/

 

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Two ladyboys arrested for robbing Australian tourist on Pattaya Beach Road

 

Picture: STVPattaya

 

PATTAYA: -- Tourist police arrested two ladyboys who stole a wallet belonging to an Australian tourist as he walked along Pattaya Beach Road.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978328-two-ladyboys-arrested-for-robbing-australian-tourist-on-pattaya-beach-road/

 

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Amnesty slams govt move warning public to shun wanted lese majeste suspects
By The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The move by Thai authorities on Wednesday urging the public to shun on social media three lese majeste suspects exposed their fear of criticism, and is in violation of international human rights, Amnesty International said on Thursday. 

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978330-amnesty-slams-govt-move-warning-public-to-shun-wanted-lese-majeste-suspects/

 

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Two arrested with more than 250,000 baht worth of krathom

Phuket Gazette

 

          

The duo intended to sell to other foreign workers and younger thais. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

 

PHUKET: -- Police arrested two Burmese workers with about 200 kilograms of krathom in Patong yesterday.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978332-two-arrested-with-more-than-250000-baht-worth-of-krathom/

 

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Phuket keeps zero road deaths tally for Day 2 of Songkran Festival

Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

Police at checkpoints across Phuket have already fined thousands of motorists for moving violations and seized dozens of vehicles. Photo: Kathu Police

 

PHUKET: -- The second day of the Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign for the Songkran holidays drew to a close at midnight last night with Phuket maintaining a record of zero deaths in road accidents during the campaign.

 

Source: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978333-phuket-keeps-zero-road-deaths-tally-for-day-2-of-songkran-festival/

 

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Course flaws cited at 10 universities
By The Nation

 

 

Office of Higher Education Commission decides to name and shame schools

 

BANGKOK: -- The Office of the Higher Education Commission (OHEC) has identified 10 privately run universities and colleges with a combined 98 teaching courses deemed “problematic”, including 20 taught on campus. 

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978337-course-flaws-cited-at-10-thai-universities/

 

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A Night Out with the Foreign Tourist Police in Thailand's Seediest City

DUNCAN FORGAN

 

Photo by Aaron Joel Santos

 

In 2002 Pattaya, Thailand invited foreigners to assist them, at first for translation and as an informal tourist information service, but its scope has since been widened to include real law enforcement.

 

Full story:  https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978338-a-night-out-with-the-foreign-tourist-police-in-thailands-seediest-city/

 

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2 men charged for possessing war weapons in Samut Prakarn

By Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

 

  

Sukit Roimalee, center, with his seized AK-47 at Bang Phli Police Station.

 

SAMUT PRAKAN — Two men were arrested and charged Wednesday evening for illegally possessing a number of automatic weapons, police said Thursday.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978339-2-men-charged-for-possessing-war-weapons-in-samut-prakarn/

 

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Police transferred amid bribery suspicions
By The Nation

 

Pol Colonel Larp Srisam-ang

 

BANGKOK: -- Twelve patrol and Special Operations Division 191 police officers have been transferred to inactive posts pending an investigation into charges of bribery involving operators of businesses that allegedly violated the intellectual property law, a Royal Thai Police source said on Thursday.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978340-police-transferred-amid-bribery-suspicions/

 

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Songkran road accidents claim 82 lives and 1,049 injuries in two days

 

 

BANGKOK: -- As Songkran holidaymakers continued to travel out of the capital to celebrate the week-long Thai New Year holiday by motor vehicles on roads today, the Road Safety Centre said a total of 82 people have died and 1,049 injured in the first two days of the 7-dangerous day campaign that began from April 11 to 17.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978341-songkran-road-accidents-claim-82-lives-and-1049-injuries-in-two-days/

 

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Tradition vs Modernisation: What to do about the lovely old Siamese railways?

 

Picture: Daily News / State Railway of Thailand

 

BANGKOK: -- As the modernization of the railways in Thailand picks up pace many people are asking what will become of the traditional architecture on the lines.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978344-tradition-vs-modernisation-what-to-do-about-the-lovely-old-siamese-railways/

 

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UPDATE:

 

Military enforces tough traffic law, seizes over 500 motor vehicles in first day

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) says over 30,000 traffic offenders will face court trials, and more than 500 motor vehicles seized after authorities began to enforce traffic law strictly to curb road accidents during the week long Songkran festival.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978341-songkran-road-accidents-claim-82-lives-and-1049-injuries-in-two-days/?do=findComment&comment=11795075

 

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Happy Songkran? Motorists pelted with urine, raw fish, motor oil

By Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

 

Motorcycle riders hit by a bag of what looks like motor oil Thursday early morning in Chonburi. Photo: Saha Group-Laem Chabang / Facebook

 

CHONBURI — Local police said Thursday they were searching for a group of youths who were seen tossing bags filled with urine and other foul fluids at passing motorcycles and cars.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978347-happy-songkran-motorists-pelted-with-urine-raw-fish-motor-oil/

 

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UPDATE:

 

‘Shogun’ claims innocence in alleged tour scam

 

 

BANGKOK: -- A woman who is at the center of an alleged tour scam has maintained her innocence, saying she operated an online business, not a tour company.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978325-japan- tour-scam-suspect-denies-fraud/?do=findComment&comment=11795281