Bugs for dinner Thailand raises ‘six-legged livestock’ for global food study

The Province - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

A new study says teens who had a schoolmate die by suicide are more likely to consider or attempt taking their own lives than those who haven't lost a peer to ...

Massive power failure strikes southern Thailand affecting popular resorts

Canada.com - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

BANGKOK - A massive power failure has affected more than 8 million people in Thailand's 14 southern provinces, including popular tourist areas such as Koh Samui and Phuket, in one of the country's biggest blackouts in recent memory. Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand official Thatri Rewcharoen says the blackout was triggered Tuesday evening by the failure of the main high ...

Brief blackout in the South causes confusion

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Most of the South was engulfed in darkness for 35 minutes from about 7.45pm Tuesday night following malfunctions at the main power station in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Kui Buri district. The distribution of electricity resumes, first after around 35 minutes at certain locations, but most of the region are still in the dark even after two hours. Initial reports quoting the Provincial ...

Interior Minister receives British and Thai Ambassadors

Bahrain News Agency - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Manama, May 21 (BNA) -- Interior Minister Lieutenant General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa today received British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Iain Lindsay, to review bilateral relations and issues of joint interests between both kingdoms. The Interior Minister also received Thai Ambassador to Bahrain, Vichai Varasirikul, to explore bilateral relations and issues of joint ...

Thailand urged to explore edible insect market to cope with global food demands

Edmonton Journal - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

BANGKOK - Researchers say Thailand is showing the world how to respond to the global food crisis: by raising bugs for eating. The United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization released a study and handbook Tuesday on what they call 'six-legged livestock' -- edible bugs and worms that can help meet global food demand that is expected to grow 60 per cent by 2050. The agency ...

Thai police seize 4.49 million meth tablets in Bangkoks largest meth bust ever

Canada.com - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

BANGKOK - Thai police have seized 4.49 million methamphetamine pills found in an apartment in the largest meth bust ever in Bangkok. Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung said Tuesday the tablets and 60 kilograms (132 pounds) of crystal meth were smuggled from Myanmar. He said they were destined for sales in the capital city and nearby provinces. The value of the drugs, hidden in dozens of ...

Phuket hit by major blackout

Phuket Gazette - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

PHUKET: A major power outage struck across Phuket just before 7pm tonight.Phuket Town, Chalong, Koh Kaew and Thalang are three heavily populated areas suffering from the outage, the Phuket Gazette confirmed.The local electricty authority has confirmed the entire south of the island is also affected.The Gazette has recived report of a major blackout in Trang, indicating the blackout may be ...

Convicts claim to steal gold for milk money north of Phuket

Phuket Gazette - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

PHUKET: A pair of snatch-thief convicts were snapped up by police shortly after they ripped two gold necklaces from the neck of a woman taking her child to school in Phang Nga this morning.After her ...

US Senate committee accuses Apple of large-scale tax avoidance

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Washington - A US Senate committee accused Apple Inc of running a complex web of offshore business interests to avoid paying billions of dollars in income taxes, saying the technology giant was "among America's largest tax avoiders." The committee is to hold a hearing Tuesday to highlight Apple's tax avoidance strategies. Company chief Tim Cook was expected to testify. In ...

NACC asks Thaksin to back up graft claim

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

The National AntiCorruption Commission (NACC) issued a statement Tuesday asking former premier Thaksin Shinawatra to reveal details of his claim, made on Sunday night, that an NACC official offered to help him win a court case in exchange for money in 1999. "Thaksin Shinawatra claimed that 'someone from ...

Gold prices up Bt400 today

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Volatility remained in the local gold market, as local gold prices were adjusted six times today for a net increase of Bt400 per baht weight. Yesterday, the net increase in local gold prices was Bt200. After today's changes, gold bar is sold at Bt19,550 while gold ornament at ...

Tepid Thai growth deepens Asian slowdown fears

CNN Asia - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Thailand's economy grew more slowly than expected in the first three months of this year Adds to a slew of recent disappointing data from other Asian economies Thai economy contracted by 2.2 per cent seasonally adjusted from the previous quarter Result of faltering Chinese, eurozone, and US demand as well as a strong ...

Listed companies earnings up 13 in Q1

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Thai listed companies report a combined net profit of Bt241.60 billion (approximately US$8.31 billion) in the first quarter, up 12.80 per cent from the same period last year. Stocks in the Financials industry and those relating to domestic consumption showed significant increases in sales and net profits, according to data of the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Of the firms, 381 companies, or ...

SE Asia Stocks-Mixed ahead of Fed Thai realty up on low rate outlook

Reuters - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

BANGKOK, May 21 (Reuters) - Thai stocks ended flat on Tuesday as property shares outperformed amid a low interest rate outlook, with sentiment broadly weak in line with Asia ahead of U.S. Federal Reserve head Ben Bernanke's testimony on Wednesday. Bangkok's SET index closed at 1,643.43, still hovering at its highest in 19 years and four months. The Thai property sub-index gained 0.2 ...

Groups propose dialysis protest outside PMs home

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

The Rural Doctors Society and its allies will protest in front of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's residence from June 6 onward to press for the dismissal of Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong. They have accused Pradit of many wrongdoings. Thai Kidney Club of Thailand chairman Saharat Sarapaiwanich said someone had secretly plotted to destroy the Government Pharmaceutical ...

Cabinet approves Witits removal as GPO director

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

The Cabinet Tuesday approved the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) board's decision to sack GPO managing director Witit Artavatkun. Witit said Tuesday he had not yet planned to lodge a complaint against his dismissal, because he had yet to see an investigation report about his 'wrongdoing'. The GPO board says it sacked Witit over alleged irregularities in the ...

Police to question Chai over defamation of PM

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Police have issued a summons for cartoonist Somchai Katanyutanont , aka Chai Ratchawat, to appear for questioning in connection with allegations he defamed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in comments on his Facebook page relating to a speech she made in Mongolia. Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy chief Pol MajGeneral Anuchai Lekbamrung, the chief investigator in the case, said his team met ...

Auction for digital TV licences delayed by about a month

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

The auction of 24 commercial terrestrial digital TV licences has been delayed by about a month from August or September as planning has been taking more time than expected. "So the auction process is expected to take place in September or October," Natee Sukonrat, chairman of the broadcasting committee under the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, said Tuesday. ...

SET index ends flat

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Thai composite stocks index (SET) closed on Tuesday at 1,643.43, up 0.03 point, or 0.00 per cent amid Bt57.45 billion turnover in line with most regional stocks. Blue chip SET-50 index was at 1,091.20, down 1.07 point, or 0.10 per cent. Top five active (value) stocks: INTUCH,TRUE,CPALL,SIRI,ADVANC. The ...

Pornthip removed as chief of Central Institute of Forensic Science

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunan was Tuesday removed as the director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science and was transferred to the post of an inspectorgeneral for the Justice Ministry. Her transfer was approved by the Cabinet during its weekly meeting yesterday. The Cabinet also approved her appointment as an advisor to the committee in charge of implementing policies to tackle southern ...

Police asked to remove protesters in Sanam Luang

The Nation - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Police in Bangkok have been asked to remove hundreds of government opponents staging a protest in Sanam Luang. Julanop Nuchanart, director of the Phra Nakhon District Office, Tuesday filed a complaint with Chana Songkhram Police seeking the removal of the protesters. The protesters have defied an order from the city to vacate the park adjacent to the Grand Palace and vowed to continue camping ...

STOCKS NEWS THAILAND-CIMB ups SET index target after banks telecoms earnings beat

Reuters - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Tue May 21, 2013 5:20am EDT CIMB Securities (Thailand) raised its 2013 target for the benchmark SET index to 1,810 from 1,700, reflecting better-than-expected first-quarter earnings of banks, telecoms and construction contractors, and good earnings outlook for the year. The first-quarter core net profit for the companies in its universe rose 8 percent year-on-year and 32 percent ...