Six recruiters were accused Thursday of luring 400 laborers from Thailand to the United States and forcing them to work, according to a federal indictment that the FBI called the largest human-trafficking case ever charged in U.S. hstory. The indictment alleges that the scheme was orchestrated by four employees of labor recruiting company Global Horizons Manpower Inc. and two Thailand-based recruiters.
Emerging from weeks of silence, fugitive former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has appeared in Africa, where he says he is dealing in diamonds and visiting Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela. A photo of his meeting with the former South African president was released in Thailand by Thaksin's lawyer in an apparent move to quash rumors that the divisive ex-prime minister is ill.
Emerging from weeks of silence, fugitive former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has appeared in Africa, where he says he is dealing in diamonds and visiting Nobel Peace laureate Nelson Mandela. A photo of his meeting with the former South African president was released in Thailand by Thaksin's lawyer in an apparent move to quash rumors that the divisive ex-prime minister is ill — and to advertise that he's rubbing shoulders with VIPs abroad.
Police say three people, including a husband and wife, have been killed and seven soldiers wounded in Thailand's restive south. Police Lt. Col. Anusorn Janklab says suspected Muslim insurgents on motorcycles shot the couple, who were rubber tappers, before dawn Wednesday as they were on their way to work in Pattani province.
Civil servants in Thailand now have legal protection from sexual harassment by colleagues under new regulations approved by the Cabinet. In addition to mandating punishment for civil servants who harass colleagues, the new rules approved Tuesday define what is wrongful behavior, such as making any inappropriate gestures.
The Democrats comprehensively defeated Puea Thai in the local elections held on Sunday. For the district council elections, the Democrats won 210 seats, Puea Thai 39 seats, and independent candidates seven. For the city council elections, the Democrats won 45 seats, Puea Thai 15 and an independent won the other seat.
A grenade exploded in the compound of Thailand's state-run broadcaster Tuesday, damaging several vehicles but causing no injuries in the latest in a spate of unclaimed attacks in the capital. The grenade was deflected by trees before landing and detonating in the outdoor parking lot of the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand, known as NBT, just after lunchtime, said Bangkok police chief Lt. Gen. Santan Chaiyanont.
The lawyer for accused Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout filed a last ditch appeal Monday to Thailand's prime minister in an effort to stop his client's extradition to the United States. Bout, a 43-year-old former Soviet air force officer who is reputed to have been one of the world's most prolific arms dealers, was arrested in March 2008 in Bangkok as part of a sting operation led by U.S. agents.
The confirmation of telcos bidding for 3G licenses in Thailand threw up no surprises with the 'big three' AIS, DTAC and True - all of which are 2G license holders - submitting paperwork in advance of the September 20 planned auction.
Newin Chidchob and the Thai Army have developed a kind of love-hate relationship over the years. In 1992, Newin worked with the Army’s political party — Samakkitham — helping propel coup leader Gen. Suchinda Kraprayoon to the premiership. A year earlier Suchinda and the Army had overthrown the Chatchai Choonhavan government. After assuming the premiership (something Suchinda promised he would never do), a popular street protest ensued, culminating in the bloody Black May crackdown.
The Thai government is publishing a new series of parenting brochures that instructs families how to keep their children from gambling on soccer matches, after kids as young as 7 were found betting on the World Cup. "The Guide to Watching Football With Your Children and Loved Ones," will be the first in a three-part series to be distributed at schools nationwide in October, Thanakorn Komkris, a coordinator at the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, said Monday.
The introduction of number portability (mobile number portability - MNP) for mobile phones in Thailand has been delayed and "will take three to four months before MNP will be officially available" according to Wireless Federation (WF).
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