26 killed in Thai bus, car pile-up

August 20th, 2009 Thai elephant damages newly fitted artificial limbBANGKOK — An elephant fitted with an artificial limb 10 years after stepping on a land mine has had a minor setback, damaging the device attached to her left front leg. Soraida Salwala of the private group Friends of the Asian Elephant said Thursday that 48-year-old Motola bent the prothesis when she lay down on it.

August 4th, 2009 BANGKOK - The captain of a passenger plane was killed when the aircraft he was flying slid off the runway Tuesday while landing at the popular Thai tourist island of Samui, a government official said. Transport Minister Sophon Sarun said passengers were injured and taken to hospital, but he could not confirm how many or how seriously.

July 9th, 2009 WELLINGTON - Thaksin Shinawatra, the ousted prime minister of Thailand, is touring the Pacific seeking political asylum, according to a report Thursday on the Fiji-based Pacnews website. Thaksin and an entourage were given the full VIP treatment when they flew Monday into Fiji on a private jet and reportedly met the Pacific island state's military strongman, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, in the capital Suva.

June 23rd, 2009 Feds: Seattle restaurateur paid 4 workers to marrySEATTLE — The owner of a Seattle area chain of Thai restaurants has been charged with paying four workers to enter into sham marriages allowing three of her relatives and another Thai national to stay in the U.S. Varee Bradford, who operates five Thai Ginger restaurants was arrested Tuesday on one count of immigration fraud conspiracy and three counts of immigration document fraud.

June 19th, 2009 Group: Muslim rebels kill 115 teachersBANGKOK — Muslim insurgents in southern Thailand must stop the "sickening trend" of attacking teachers, 115 of whom have been killed since the outbreak of the separatist rebellion five years ago, a human rights organization said Friday. As part of a general recent escalation of violence, five teachers have been killed since the beginning of the new school term in May, the U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

June 19th, 2009 Group: Muslim rebels have killed 115 teachersBANGKOK — Muslim insurgents in southern Thailand must stop the "sickening trend" of attacking teachers, 115 of whom have been killed since the outbreak of the separatist rebellion five years ago, a human rights organization said Friday. As part of a general recent escalation of violence, five teachers have been killed since the beginning of the new school term in May, the U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

June 9th, 2009 BANGKOK - At least 10 people have been killed and 13 others wounded when gunmen opened fire indiscriminately inside a mosque in Thailand's southern province of Narathiwat, officials said. Five gunmen armed with assault rifles opened fire inside a mosque in Ibaye village Monday, killing 10 people and injuring 13 others, a police official said.

May 4th, 2009 BANGKOK - Thailand-based electronics manufacturers have hired thousands of staff as orders from abroad have resumed, news reports said Monday. Western Digital - the world's second largest manufacturer of hard-disk drives (HDD) - hired 3,000 additional workers last month for its Thai-based factories, bringing its total staff up to 31,000, the Bangkok Post reported.

April 27th, 2009 BANGKOK - Disturbed by reports that Thai monks have taken to wearing make-up, carrying pinks purses and other forms of public 'homosexual expression', a leading preacher plans to launch a 'good manners' course for novices, a news report said Monday. Senior monk Maha Wudhijaya Vajiramedhi is to introduce Thailand's first etiquette course at the Novice Demonstration School in Chiang Rai province, 600 km north of Bangkok, next month, The Nation newspaper reported.

April 24th, 2009 Thai court frees 3 top protest leaders on bailBANGKOK — A Thai court has freed on bail three top leaders of an anti-government movement accused of instigating violence during recent political protests. Bangkok Criminal Court granted their release on condition that do not leave the country, instigate violence or interfere with ongoing investigations and court cases.

April 18th, 2009 BANGKOK - Thailand's fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra Saturday left the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for Nicaragua, where he has been granted a diplomatic passport, media reports said. Thaksin has been in the UAE for the past month, the Arabian Business magazine said.

March 19th, 2009 BANGKOK - India's Rohan Bopanna and Pakistan's Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi thrashed Thai Danai Udomchoke and Australian Brydan Klein 6-3, 6-4 to enter the quarter-finals of the $50,000 ATP challenger here Wednesday. The top seeded India-Pakistan pair next plays Australian Chris Guccione and Marcio Torres of Brazil who beat wildcard pair of Briton Faris Akhazzan and Thai Peerakiat Siriluethaiwattana 6-3, 7-5.

January 25th, 2009 BANGKOK - A free trade agreement (FTA) between India and South-East Asia will be signed at the upcoming summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) if the Thai parliament approves the pact, officials said Monday. 'The ASEAN economic ministers have invited the Indian commerce minister to sign the FTA Feb 26,' said Tharit Charungvat, Thai foreign ministry spokesman.

January 8th, 2009 BANGKOK - A Thai traffic cop has disappeared with his colleagues' reward money due for bagging traffic offenders, news reports said Friday. Scores of policemen in the northern city of Chiang Mai filed a complaint that Sergeant-Major Thanawat Sinpieng, 47, had disappeared along with his family and a 1.2 million baht ($35,000) bounty for catching traffic violators.

January 6th, 2009 BANGKOK - Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Wednesday announced that the 14th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will be held in Hua Hin town and not in the Thai capital as planned earlier. He said the decision to shift the venue was taken in view of security reasons.