CrazyExpat

BANGKOK — Thailand's national anti-corruption agency says it will prosecute former Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and his deputies for authorizing a crackdown on Yellowshirt protesters in October 2008. On 7 October 2008 the Redshirt-backed government ordered police to clear Yellowshirt protesters who were blocking the entrance to Parliament and calling on Somchai to resign. Two people were killed in suspicious circumstances during the operation. Vicha Mahakhun, a spokesperson of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), said yesterday that the agency will prosecute Somchai and his deputies in the Supreme Court's Division for Holders of Political Office for alleged "abuse of power." The NACC will take up the role as prosecutor because the Office of Attorney-General declined to take the case, Vicha said. "The NACC has thoroughly investigated the case," Vicha said. "We are aided by a report compiled by the National Human Rights Commission, and the report concluded by the Parliament. We have a lot of [evidence]." http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1423383178&section=11&typecate=06

(Reuters) - China and Thailand agreed on Friday to boost military ties over the next five years, from increasing intelligence sharing to fighting transnational crime, as the ruling junta seeks to counterbalance the country's alliance with Washington. The agreement came during a two-day visit by China's Defence Minister Chang Wanquan to Bangkok, and as Thailand's military government looks to cultivate Beijing's support amid Western unease over a delayed return to democracy. "China has agreed to help Thailand increase protection of its own country and advise on technology to increase Thailand's national security," Thai Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan told reporters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/06/us-thailand-china-idUSKBN0LA0LD20150206

Thai officials have raided a Buddhist temple that is home to more than 100 tigers and are investigating suspected links to wildlife trafficking, authorities said on Thursday. Wat Pa Luang Ta Bua, or Tiger Temple, in Thailand’s western Kanchanaburi province, is popular with tourists who pet, cuddle and pose for selfies with the big cats. The temple has been dogged for years by talk of links to wildlife trafficking and its maltreatment of tigers. A Thai official said at least 100 tigers had been impounded in raids this week and were being kept at the temple until authorities wind up their investigations. Thirty-eight hornbills, a bird species, were also seized. “We’re checking if the temple had official permits to keep them,” said Cherdchai Charipanya, director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in the province of Ratchaburi. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/05/thailands-famous-tiger-temple-raided-for-suspected-wildlife-trafficking

On Dec. 1, 2013, supporters of Thailand’s opposition People’s Democratic Reform Committee launched themselves at police barricades near Bangkok’s Government House, the seat of power for the Thai government and a popular flashpoint for political protest. Black-clad police defenders walked behind a razor wire–covered barricade, readying a water cannon for action while protesters’ angry shouts mixed with the sharp pop of exploding tear gas canisters. A drone, flown by a citizen journalist standing a safe distance away from the action, recorded every second of the street battle. Shot by a YouTube user identified only as CyberJom, the December 2013 footage of the Bangkok protests quickly became an example of drones’ potential to afford average citizens the ability to shoot revealing aerial footage with ease. More drone videos from Thailand soon followed, portraying everything from beautiful tropical beaches to massive protests at Bangkok’s Victory Monument. http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2015/02/thailand_drone_regulations_why_you_should_care.html

The leader of Thailand’s opposition “Red Shirts” accused the ruling military junta of trying to provoke them into a "fight," media reports said Thursday. "I don't believe that you (junta) want reconciliation, instead you want chaos and want us to go out and fight," Jatuporn Prompan, chairman of the Red Shirts, told local station Peace TV, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. "There is no reason for Red Shirts to take part in either case since we do not benefit from either incident," he added. Prompan was bailed earlier this week after receiving a two-year jail sentence for defaming a former premier in 2009. He was responding to the arrest of Red Shirts' member Krit Buddeejin who had been accused on suspicion of defaming the country’s ruling royalty, the Bangkok Post reported. Prompan defended Buddeejin, 25, saying the latter's move was not aimed at harming the monarchy, a charge which carries a sentence of up to 15 years. The Red Shirts movement recently came under suspicion after a bomb attack at a Bangkok luxury mall on Sunday, and for fabricating documents about King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s health. On Monday, junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha had blamed opponents of the coup for the bomb blast, AFP reported. http://www.ibtimes.com/thailands-red-shirts-leader-accuses-military-junta-provoking-fight-1806200

The U.S. offered muted criticism of Thailand’s military coup last May—no doubt because the country is designated a “major non-NATO ally” and the coup plotters promised to restore democracy quickly. But the junta’s decision last month to abandon political reconciliation and impeach former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for alleged corruption has prompted the Obama administration to speak up. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel, the most senior U.S. official to visit Thailand since last May’s coup, used a speech at Thailand’s most prestigious university last week to call for an end to martial law and restrictions on free speech and assembly. With classic diplomatic understatement he warned that “the international community is left with the impression that [the prosecution of Ms. Yingluck] could be politically driven.” The U.S. has also scaled back the annual “Cobra Gold” joint military exercise. The junta responded with outrage, while the pro-government media whipped up a frenzy of anti-American anger at this supposed interference in Thailand’s internal affairs. If that accusation has a Chinese ring, it is no coincidence: Beijing has seized the opportunity to cozy up to the junta. Dictator Prayuth Chan-ocha visited Beijing to meet President Xi Jinping on Dec. 23. While the U.S. Embassy fields complaints and protests, Chinese companies sign contracts to build railways. Meanwhile, on Sunday night two small improvised bombs exploded outside Bangkok’s busiest shopping mall, injuring one person. Nobody claimed responsibility, but the incident is reminiscent of a 2010 episode in which largely peaceful antigovernment protests were disrupted by mysterious men firing military weapons. These so-called “black shirts” were never caught, and their activities provided a justification for the military to clear the streets at the cost of about 100 lives. http://www.wsj.com/articles/thailands-dictators-in-denial-1422924940

Thailand’s Electronic Government Agency (EGA) has announced new plans to introduce a complete cloud storage system to more than 700 Thai government agencies. The plans to move the bulk of Thailand’s government computer infrastructure to the cloud would be a dramatic change and shift in culture in Thailand, where bureaucracy and paperwork are the norm when dealing with governmental organizations. However, the EGA believe cloud computing would also improve the way the government is able to provide administrative services to people in Thailand. The requirement for Thai people to submit a paper copy for their national ID card when dealing with a government agency would be a thing of the past. Speaking to The Nation, Sak Segkhoonthod, president and chief executive officer of the Electronic Government Agency said: “We will encourage more government organizations to use Government API to provide services so people do not need to copy their national ID cards in paper form.” http://tech.thaivisa.com/paperless-thailand-plans-700-thai-government-agencies-go-online/3884/

Changes in visa and chartering legislation to secure the island’s position as the top yachting destination in the region are necessary, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul told the Phuket Gazette in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. 'Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha wants to make Thailand a world-class hub for yachts and cruise boats in Southeast Asia – and we think Phuket is ready for that,' Minister Kobkarn said. 'I am aware that Thailand has to change some regulations to develop our tourism in response to heightened competition from other yachting destinations in the region.' Following a meeting on January 16 with Governor Nisit Jansomwong and Gulu Lalvani, Owner and Chairman of the Royal Phuket Marina, Ms Kobkarn vowed to raise concerns voiced about yacht crew visas and the chartering of foreign-flagged superyachts at a Cabinet meeting slated to take place in early February. Current legislation allows boats entering Thai waters to remain for six months. However, captains and crew receive visas on arrival or entry on visa-exemption status, which allow stays of only up to 30 days. 'I will talk [with Cabinet members] about what we can do concerning yacht crew visas. Actually, the government has been talking about [making changes to] other types of visas that would be best for the country,' Ms Kobkarn said. 'I give my full support to tourism, but there are of course internal security and safety measures that must be considered. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is in charge of visas, so, as you can see, this is beyond my authority to approve.' Mr Lalvani noted during their discussion that though Phuket is 'miles ahead' of Langkawi, Malaysia, as a yachting destination, current legislation was a barrier for foreigners wanting to base their superyachts and megayachts in Phuket. 'People who own yachts are above-average wealthy individuals, which is the kind of tourist we want to attract to Phuket,' Mr Lalvani told the Gazette. 'We have enough volume, what we need now is people with money who can support the economy.' Foreigners who own foreign-flagged yachts in Thailand must register them in the Kingdom and pay 7% VAT to charter them – a stark contrast to the warm welcome offered by Langkawi, Mr Lalvani pointed out. 'One of the reasons Phuket is among the best destinations in the world is because people can go boating all year round,' Mr Lalvani said. 'Even in the peak of the rainy season, there is still beautiful sailing on the east coast – the water is very calm and pleasurable for boating, while the west coast is less protected from May through September. My aim is to make [Phuket] like the Riviera in the south of France; don’t just stay at a beautiful hotel, but charter a luxury yacht for a week or two. Allowing foreigners to charter their yachts will bring Thailand more tourists and establish the island as a yachting destination on a par with the rest of the world, as it will allow wealthy tourists a larger choice of luxury yachts to choose from.' http://www.sail-world.com/Asia/Thai-Tourism-Minister-says-Visa,-yacht-charter-laws-need-to-change/131089

The lion’s share of the investment, about 30 billion baht, will help expand it’s 3G mobile network to 29,000 locations, from around 20,000 currently, and the rest of the money will be invested in wireless networks and fixed line broadband. The company has invested around 80 billion baht on its 3G network in recent years. “We are chang [which means elephant in Thai], which is generous and wise, and now we would like to add an ‘e’ to make it ‘change’ to be ready to serve the future needs of Thai people” said the chairman Vithit Leenutaphong at the company’s AIS Vision 2015 event held yesterday. The CEO, Somchai Lertsuttiwong, said that the Bt40 billion was separate to the money AIS would need to bid in the 4G spectrum licence auction of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, which is expected to be held this year. http://tech.thaivisa.com/ais-thailand-expands-network/3542/

Thailand's restrictive laws on criminal defamation and computer crimes are increasingly being used to silence both the foreign and local media and human rights activists. The country is already known for having the strictest lèse-majesté laws in the world, effectively preventing any public discussion of the monarchy. Now, Thailand is experiencing a wave of prosecutions that appear designed to mute journalists and activists writing or speaking out about corruption and human rights abuses especially. That has made the local and foreign media increasingly wary about what stories they cover. "I don't think there's any question that this is the least free environment for journalists in Thailand that I've ever known," said Jonathan Head, the president of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, who has been covering the country on and off since 2000. http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1698848/thailands-laws-being-used-more-often-silence-journalists

2 different bombs exploded in Bangkok today. Reports say they are homemade and that only one person was injured.

Thailand’s junta has forced a German foundation to cancel a prominent forum on media restrictions imposed since the military toppled an elected government last May. The move is the latest sign of defensiveness by the army, which installed an interim civilian Cabinet but reserves ultimate power for itself. On Wednesday, a foreign ministry spokesman complained that a visiting US State Department envoy had hurt the country’s pride by calling for an end to martial law. Germany’s Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, a foundation promoting social democracy worldwide, said on its Facebook page that it would comply with a request from the junta to postpone Friday’s presentation of a study on media freedom in Thailand. Requests from the junta are tantamount to orders. The junta, officially called the National Council for Peace and Order, threatens critics with arrest under martial law. It is seeking to strengthen already harsh laws governing communication on the Internet and comments on the country’s monarchy. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/30/thailands-military-junta-forces-cancellation-of-press-freedom-conference

A backpacker who moved to Thailand after watching Leonardo DiCaprio film The Beach was found hanged in his hotel room 'after feeling pressure to come home'. Jack Davies, 21, was found dead 6,000 miles from home, moving to the tropical paradise after seeing the Danny Boyle cult movie, an inquest heard. The tragic globetrotter spent three years partying with fellow travellers before settling down on the picturesque Phi Phi islands, off the coast of Phuket, for work. Mr Davies stayed in Thailand after his tourist visa expired and worked in a bar. He was said to be having the 'time of his life' on the idyllic islands, exploring the white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and stunning mountains. But friends said he felt 'under pressure to go home' to Llanelli, south-west Wales, before his death. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2932982/Backpacker-21-moved-Thailand-seeing-Leonardo-DiCaprio-film-Beach-hanged-hotel-room-feeling-pressure-come-home.html#ixzz3QVC3uhsU

According to the China Railway Corporation, a 3,000km, high-speed rail line will be built that will connect the country to Southeast Asia. The line will be constructed in four stages. First, from the city of Kunming in China to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Then the route will continue to Bangkok, where it will split, heading to both Thailand's southern and northern provinces. The Bangkok line will carry on to Kuala Lumpur, ending in Singapore. Even though Thailand's railway system needs an upgrade, many are asking who will really benefit from this project Al Jazeera spoke to Dr. Ruth Banomyong, Professor of Logistics and Transport at Thammasat University, and an adviser to Thailand's transport department on this train project. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/01/qa-thailand-china-asia-high-speed-railway-system-150130175233709.html

As Thailand reels from US diplomat's criticism, the need for both parties to engage in productive bilateral relations is made more apparent To the astonishment of many, the Thai elite often feel bitterly disappointed whenever their dearest and closest friends, like the US, publicly express disapproval of “national affairs”. From Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to his colleagues in the super-cabinet National Council for Peace and Order, the coup-installed National Legislative Assembly or civic groups and netizens, US http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/463130/irritation-as-thailand-loses-its-charm. View our policies at http://goo.gl/9HgTd and http://goo.gl/ou6Ip. © Post Publishing PCL. All rights reserved.

ven for those who are not fans of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai prime minister who has been in exile since being convicted of corruption in 2008, the latest moves against his proxy – Yingluck, his sister – seem a little extreme. After her government was overthrown in a coup by the army last May, Ms Yingluck now finds herself banned from participating in politics for five years and faces criminal charges that could lead to a 10-year prison sentence. It may be that she will be convicted quite correctly over her role in a government scheme that paid billions of dollars at well over the market rate to Thai farmers for rice. It may be that the allegations of corruption and conflict of interest that have long dogged her brother are well-founded too. And it may be fair to say that the Thaksin faction’s unabashed populism has distorted the democratic process in Thailand. The problem is that Mr Thaksin’s parties (there’s a reason I use the plural) keep winning elections – every time they’ve been held since 2001. The word “parties” is appropriate as the courts have developed the habit of ordering the dissolution of whatever is his current vehicle. The practice started with Thai Rak Thai in 2007. Each time this happens, supposedly “new” parties have to be created for pro-Thaksin supporters. Just to return to that assessment of the moves against the Shinawatra brand, it may also be true, as The Economist put it last year, that “the power elite in Thailand does not accept the fundamental nature of democracy. They believe that the rule of an ‘accomplished’ few is preferable to the judgments of the people.” http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/thaksin-has-to-be-part-of-any-democratic-solution-in-thailand

Thailand’s military-backed government is looking to boost the country's ailing economy with a more than $100-billion infrastructure spending program that includes upgrading the national rail network and opening links to Southern China. The Thai government's plans to upgrade the national railway system follow years of financial neglect. The goal is to revive Thailand’s place in a trans-Asian railway network running south to north, from Singapore to Kunming in southern China, and west to east, from Yangon, Myanmar, to Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam. The spending program has been part of the government’s bid to lift a stagnating economy after almost zero growth in 2014. Analysts forecast an expansion of slightly more than 3 percent this year. A weak domestic economy and an uncertain international market have undermined exports -- Thailand’s traditional economic driver of past decades. http://www.voanews.com/content/thailand-initiates-100-billion-dollar-infrastructure-spending-rail-network/2615283.html

The past eight months in Thailand have been something like a phoney war. For all the talk of violence after the coup, of a "red-shirt" uprising, nothing of the sort has happened. Red-shirt leaders were rounded up in the first days of the coup but then quietly released, having signed promises not to engage in politics. They have stuck to those promises. A few weapons stashes have been displayed by the military, a few alleged ringleaders of armed groups arrested, but nothing else. Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was also quickly released and allowed to travel abroad. It seemed that a deal had been done; supporters of the ousted government would not disrupt the efforts of coup leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha to impose order on the country. In return, they were left in peace, quietly maintaining their networks of supporters in preparation for a return to democratic politics, when they expected their party to succeed at the ballot box, as it has for the past 14 years. That deal must now be presumed to be off. The National Legislative Assembly's vote to impeach Ms Yingluck and impose a five-year ban from politics, along with a criminal charge that carries a 10-year jail sentence, presents her with the bleak prospect of ending up in exile like her brother Thaksin. This would deprive her party of a proven vote-winner, and her brother, who is still the party's main funder, of a trusted lieutenant. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30974131

A New Zealand-born woman has died while backpacking in Thailand. Christina Marian Annesley, 23, was born in Lower Hutt and lived most of her life in London. She was found dead in a bungalow on the Thai island of Koh Tao last Wednesday after apparently taking antibiotics for a chest infection, the London Evening Standard reported. A death notice in New Zealand said Ms Annesley's parents Boyne and Maggie were living in Kent, England. Much of her family were still in New Zealand, including a brother in Milton and aunty in Levin. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11393168

Thailand has expressed disappointment at the recent comments made by a top United States diplomat on the impeachment of ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra. Thai Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the statements by US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Mr Daniel Russel amounted to interference in its domestic political situation. Mr Russel, the most senior US official to visit the country since the coup, had said after a meeting with Ms Shinawatra on Monday that her impeachment could be perceived as "politically driven". "When an elected leader is deposed, impeached by the authorities that implemented the coup, and then targeted with criminal charges while basic democratic processes and institutions are interrupted, the international community is left with the impression that these steps could be politically driven," he said in a speech delivered at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. - See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/asia-report/thailand/story/thailand-officials-disappointed-us-diplomats-comments-yingl#sthash.fwkU6lT3.dpuf Thailand has expressed disappointment at the recent comments made by a top United States diplomat on the impeachment of ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra. Thai Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the statements by US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Mr Daniel Russel amounted to interference in its domestic political situation. Mr Russel, the most senior US official to visit the country since the coup, had said after a meeting with Ms Shinawatra on Monday that her impeachment could be perceived as "politically driven". "When an elected leader is deposed, impeached by the authorities that implemented the coup, and then targeted with criminal charges while basic democratic processes and institutions are interrupted, the international community is left with the impression that these steps could be politically driven," he said in a speech delivered at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. - See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/asia-report/thailand/story/thailand-officials-disappointed-us-diplomats-comments-yingl#sthash.fwkU6lT3.dpuf Thailand has expressed disappointment at the recent comments made by a top United States diplomat on the impeachment of ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra. Thai Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the statements by US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Mr Daniel Russel amounted to interference in its domestic political situation. Mr Russel, the most senior US official to visit the country since the coup, had said after a meeting with Ms Shinawatra on Monday that her impeachment could be perceived as "politically driven". "When an elected leader is deposed, impeached by the authorities that implemented the coup, and then targeted with criminal charges while basic democratic processes and institutions are interrupted, the international community is left with the impression that these steps could be politically driven," he said in a speech delivered at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. - See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/asia-report/thailand/story/thailand-officials-disappointed-us-diplomats-comments-yingl#sthash.fwkU6lT3.dpuf

Thailand warned the United States against meddling in its political affairs on Wednesday, saying many Thais had been hurt by the remarks of a visiting U.S. envoy who took a swipe at the ruling military junta's undemocratic practices. Thailand, a long-time U.S. ally, remains under martial law following a coup last May, and the junta says a general election is at least a year away. Relations between the two sides have deteriorated sharply since the coup, with Washington freezing aid and canceling some security engagements. In an address to students at a Bangkok university on Monday, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific Daniel Russel called for more inclusive politics and the end of martial law. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/us-thailand-politics-idUSKBN0L10LZ20150128

HOME MADE PROTEIN BARS - Make High Protein Fudge Bars For less than 49 cents per bar! Ingredients (Makes 5 Bars) - 8 scoops chocolate protein powder - 1 cup oatmeal - 1/3 cup natural peanut butter - 3 tbsp honey - 1/2 cup 1% milk - 3 tbsp crushed peanuts Directions 1. Mix together the protein powder, oatmeal, peanut butter, honey and milk. 2. Form into 5 bars and then roll in the crushed peanuts to finish. 3. Place in the fridge for about 30-45 mins or until solid These are damn good tasting and can be made in under 5 minutes... Enjoy!

If the appelate court upholds this decision and marraige is allowed to continue in Alabama, this will be the 37th US state to allow gay marrages. Later in the year, the Supreme Court is set to decide the issue once and for all. Their ruling will be a pivitoal point for civil rights in America.

I have been looking at teaching school in Thailand and am curious which schools pay the most. I know private international schools pay well but how well do they pay?

The new Windows OS is great. I had my hands on it and at the CES in Vegas and it was beautiful. Can't wait to start using this. http://www.techspot.com/news/59508-windows-10-build-cortana-now-available-windows-insiders.html