Pattani, Thailand - Suspected Muslim militants decapitated a village administrator Tuesday in Thailand's troubled deep South, police said.
Four men on motorcycles, believed to be separatist insurgents, chased Athaphon Konlom, 45, while he was driving his pickup on a back road in Sadawa village in Yarang district, 760 kilometres south of Bangkok, firing on the former police officer with automatic weapons, Police Colonel Poonsak Pasertmek said.
Bangkok - Thailand's ongoing political crisis could lose the kingdom up to 32 billion baht (928 million dollars) in forfeited tourism revenues if the chaos is prolonged, media reports said Tuesday.
Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Pornsiri Manoharn has warned that up to 840,000 foreign tourists would cancel their trips to Thailand in the upcoming peak season if the country's political standoff continues to the end of the year, The Nation newspaper reported.
Bangkok - Despite Thailand's ongoing political crisis, its stock market jumped 3.07 per cent Monday, boosted by the US government's takeover of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and growing optimism about the world economy.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand index ended at 665.66, up 19.86 points.
"Our market was just following the other markets today," said Puwadorn Labudomsuk, an analyst at Asia Plus Securities. "The rebound was led by foreign investors. Many local investors are waiting to see what the political situation will be tomorrow."
Bangkok - Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej has approved the appointment of a respected career diplomat as the country's next foreign minister amid a deepening political crisis in the country, the government announced Monday.
Saroj Chavamaviraj, 66, was named the new foreign minister after royal approval was granted Sunday, a government announcement broadcast on Thai television said.
Saroj rose to be permanent secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry for four years before his final posting as ambassador to France. He retired from the ministry in 2002.
Bangkok - Embattled Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on Monday denied charges that he had broken the constitution by hosting a television cooking show while holding the premiership, claiming the programme had been done on a freelance basis.
In May, a group of Thai senators charged Samak with violating the constitution by continuing his job as a TV presenter on his personal cooking show, Chim pai, bon pai
(Tasting and Complaining), after he had been appointed prime minister on February 6.
Bangkok - Embattled Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej claimed Sunday he would attend the United Nations General Assembly later this month to explain the country's political situation to the international community.
In his weekly "Talking Samak Style" Sunday television programme, the prime minister said he was not worried about a military coup occurring while he is in New York at UN annual meeting which starts on September 23.
Pattani, Thailand - Suspected Muslim militants decapitated a village administrator Tuesday in Thailand's troubled deep South, police said.
Bangkok - Thailand's ongoing political crisis could lose the kingdom up to 32 billion baht (928 million dollars) in forfeited tourism revenues if the chaos is prolonged, media reports said Tuesday.
Bangkok - Embattled Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on Monday denied charges that he had broken the constitution by hosting a television cooking show while holding the premiership, claiming the programme had been done on a freelance basis.
Bangkok - Embattled Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej claimed Sunday he would attend the United Nations General Assembly later this month to explain the country's political situation to the international community.
