US Soldier Charged With Murder After Wife’s Body Found in Trash

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3 January 2019, 11:41

American and British soldiers train in April in Germany. Photo: US Army

INDIANAPOLIS — Authorities say a 21-year-old soldier who flew from Colorado to Indiana and allegedly killed his wife, then fled to Thailand, is now wanted for military desertion.

Prosecutors in Indiana filed murder charges Wednesday against Peter Van Bawi Lian for the death of Khuang Par, whose body was found in an Indianapolis trash bin on Dec. 23.

Indianapolis police say Lian is on active duty with the U.S. Army. Police say he flew on Dec. 22 from Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Indianapolis, where Par had moved to be with family after Lian was arrested in November on charges of assaulting her.

Flight records show Lian flew to Bangkok on Dec. 24.

The Indianapolis Star reports Lian was due back at Fort Carson on Dec. 26 but didn’t return.

Siam Winery Continues With the 9th Year of Clothing Donation Initiative (Sponsored)

By

Khaosod English

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3 January 2019, 11:04

As a Thai company, Siam Winery is determined to take care of local communities. For the 9th year, the Donation of Clothing initiative, led by Siam Winery, is moving forward with support from volunteers to tackle the cold in rural areas with donation of blankets, winter clothing and school supplies at Pang Khum School in Sameng District of Chiang Mai.

Siam Winery, Thai producer and distributor of wine and beverages, has continued on with the 9th year of Donation of Clothing initiative with volunteers from Siam Winery and nationwide to bring donation to those in cold-stricken area at Pang Khum School in Sameng District of Chiang Mai. The donation included winter clothing and school supplies for the students and underprivileged townspeople in the affected areas.

Mr. Chayapol Sornsilp, manager of Siam Winery’s social responsibility management, said that, “Throughout 30 years, Siam Winery has always been adamant in sustainably developing and improving lives in the communities in rural Thailand with various social responsibility initiatives. So far we have created great impact and manifested our statements with access to benefit local communities in rural parts of Thailand, where we also learned the need and lack in schools in the area. The Donation of Clothing initiative was hence developed eight years ago where Siam Winery donated more than 10,000 pieces of winter clothing each year. This year, for the 9th edition, we also take education into account and include school supplies and sports equipment to schools in need. This year the donation includes winter clothing, school bags, rain jackets, sportswear and other essential school supplies for 280 students and villagers. We also take this opportunity to learn about their way of life.”

Pang Khum School is one of the schools chosen to be part of Donation of Clothing initiative by Siam Winery. The company’s executives and volunteers travelled 1,300 meters above sea level to Pang Khum village to bring winter clothing, sport equipment, school supplies and other necessities. Because of the high altitude and mountainous surrounding, Pang Khum village is hit with heavy downpour in the rainy season and plunging drop of temperature in winter, making the year-round average temperature of 5-16 degree Celsius. The students in Pang Khum School are from two ethnic tribes, Pagayor and Lisu. The school, operating since 1971, was built by the community and it is now under the provision of Chiang Mai Primary Educational Service Area Office 2. The school offers classes from first year of kindergarten to junior high school (mattayom 3) and the total number of students in the academic year of 2018 is 94.

The high terrain makes traveling to school an ordeal for the students and the teachers. The steep, mountainous route comprises 15km natural dirt track and 45km rural road, making it 60km in total from Sameng District Office. In the rainy season the route becomes muddy and slippery, and travel to Pang Khum School can only be done with specific know-how on hilly tracks and four-wheel drive or big bikes. Pang Khum villagers are mostly farmers with plantations of rice, vegetables and flowers. The majority of the population lives in poverty with average income of 10,000 baht per family per year.

With the mission to give back to society, Siam Winery is grateful to be able to do our small part in giving back to local communities with hopes to help foster a more sustainable and prosperous future. Get updates on Donation of Clothing initiative and other projects by Siam Winery at www.siamwinery.com

Apple Drops iPhone Bombshell on Already Reeling Stock Market

By

Associated Press

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3 January 2019, 10:48

Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks about the Apple iPhone XS and Apple iPhone XS Max at the Steve Jobs Theater during an event to announce new Apple products Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018, in Cupertino, California. Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple acknowledged that demand for iPhones is waning, confirming investor fears that the company’s most profitable product has lost some of its luster.

The reckoning came in a letter from Apple CEO Tim Cook to the company’s shareholders released after the stock market closed Wednesday.

Cook said Apple’s revenue for the October-December quarter — including the crucial holiday shopping season — will fall well below the company’s earlier projections and those of analysts, whose estimates sway the stock market.

Apple now expects revenue of USD$84 billion for the period. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected Apple’s revenue to be about 9 percent higher — $91.3 billion. The official results are scheduled to be released Jan. 29.

Cook traced most of the revenue drop to China, where the economy has been slowing and Apple has faced tougher competition from home-team smartphone makers such as Huawei and Xiaomi. President Donald Trump has also raised new tensions between the U.S. and China by imposing tariffs on more than $200 billion in goods, although so far the iPhone hasn’t been affected directly.

China’s “economy began to slow there for the second half,” Cook said during an interview with CNBC on Wednesday afternoon. “The trade tensions between the United States and China put additional pressure on their economy.”

Cook also acknowledged that consumers in other markets aren’t buying as many of the latest iPhones, released last fall, as Apple had anticipated — a factor that could stem from a starting price of $1,000 for Apple’s top-of-the-line iPhones.

Apple’s stock plunged 7 percent to $146.40 in Wednesday’s extended trading. The shares had already fallen 32 percent from their peak in early October when investors still had high hopes for the new iPhone models. Apple’s troubles may have ripple effects on other technology companies, given investors have been bailing on the industry in recent months. The tech-driven Nasdaq composite index now stands 18 percent down from its record closing high reached in August.

Now, Apple must try to find a way to win back Wall Street’s confidence and reverse a steep decline that has erased $350 billion in shareholder wealth in just three months.

“This is Apple’s darkest day during the Cook era,” Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives said. “No one expected China to just fall off a cliff like this.”

While President Donald Trump’s trade war with China isn’t helping Apple and other U.S. technology companies, Ives believes Apple miscalculated by continuing to roll out high-priced phones in China, creating an opening for rivals with less costly alternatives that still worked well.

The price gap is one reason Huawei surpassed Apple in smartphone sales from April through September last year to seize the No. 2 spot behind industry leader Samsung, according to the research firm International Data Corp.

“The question now is will Apple change its strategy or stick to its hubris,” Ives said.

To help boost iPhone sales, Cook said Apple will expand its financing plans and build upon its recent efforts to make it easier to trade in older models at its stores.

But outsiders will find it harder to see how that’s working out. In November, Apple unexpectedly announced that it would no longer disclose how many iPhones it ships each quarter, ending a long-running practice. Wall Street immediately interpreted the move as an attempt to mask a slow but steady downturn in sales.

Apple said at the time that it wanted to reduce investor focus on its iPhone division and instead highlight other promising areas of its business, including its services division that sells subscriptions for music streaming, collects app-related commissions and repairs malfunctioning devices.

But the company now expects its annual revenue to fall 5 percent from the previous year’s level. That reversal of fortune could reinforce fears of a global economic slowdown .

Story: Michael Liedtke

UN Security Council Gets New Members, and 1 Gets Presidency

By

Associated Press

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3 January 2019, 10:04

The results of a vote are posted in the General Assembly, Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017, at United Nations headquarters. Photo: Manuel Elias / Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations Security Council has five new members, and one of them – the Dominican Republic – is starting out as the group’s president.

Belgium, Germany, Indonesia and South Africa also are starting their two-year terms. All five new members are being recognized with a ceremony Wednesday marking the installation of their flags outside the council chamber.

Bolivia, Ethiopia, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan and Sweden finished their terms as 2018 closed.

The 15-member council is the U.N.’s most powerful body. China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States are permanent members, with veto power.

Other members are elected by the 193-member General Assembly for staggered, two-year terms that are allocated by global regions. Seats are sought-after, and countries often campaign for years.

The presidency rotates each month.

Chao Phraya Boardwalks May Never Happen: Bangkok Gov

By

JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI

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2 January 2019, 16:12

BANGKOK — Bangkok’s governor said Monday that on-again-off-again plans to build a concrete promenade along the Chao Phraya River will likely be discontinued.

City Hall said it is still unable to find a contractor to build the boardwalks between the Rama VII Bridge to the Dusit district and Bang Phlat canal that were green-lit several months ago as bidding hasn’t been approved, adding that the government could backtrack on the plan due to widespread public disapproval as elections are approaching.

Gov. Aswin Kwanmuang said his administration is ready to return all funds already allocated for the project if the plan is dropped.

Aswin said all related agencies will decide in March whether the plan will move forward. He added that a recent public survey found about 70 percent of respondents disapproved of the construction.

“If people don’t agree and speak out against the project, City Hall won’t carry it out,” he said.

Yossapon Boonsom, a leading activist among those opposing the project, could not be reached as of publication time. His network filed a lawsuit against the government and City Hall in November over the promenade project that has been criticized for its potential environmental harm, poor aesthetics and lack of community consultation.

Chiang Mai’s Jai Thep Music Fest Reveals Full Lineup

By

Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter

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2 January 2019, 14:10

JAITHEP Photo: Lauren Ludwig via Jai Thep Festival / Facebook — Photo: Lauren Ludwig via Jai Thep Festival / Facebook

CHIANG MAI — A London hip-hop duo and Norwegian DJ will headline an art and music festival in the north, according to an announcement today.

The Jai Thep Festival will return for a fourth year next month and run three days with a focus on art and a full musical lineup announced Wednesday.

The highlights are Bangkok-based indie trio Yellow Fang, Norwegian folk-electronic DJ Crussen, who performed last month at the Wonderfruit Festival, and a rap and hip-hop duo from London called Too Many T’s.

Nearly 100 musical acts include up-and-coming rockers The Whitest Crow, who opened for Liam Gallagher last year, will also perform, as well as bluegrass-folk-reggae band Sanim Yok.

General tickets for three days are currently 2,200 baht and 900 baht for one day. They are available online. Ticket prices do not include a tent on the camping grounds.

The Jai Thep Festival will run Feb. 1-3 at the Lanna Rock Garden. It is located in Chiang Mai’s Hang Dong district, about 20 minutes from Chiang Mai city. Transportation will be available between the festival and several points in Chiang Mai, with more details announced at a later date.

Inspired by Glastonbury and Coachella, the Jai Thep Festival took place for the first time in 2016 as a one-day music and art festival. It expanded to a three-day event last year.

Review: ‘Green Book’ Is Sure to Put a Smile on Your Face

By

Associated Press

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2 January 2019, 12:40

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali in a scene from 'Green Book.' Photo: Universal Pictures via Associated Press

If there is a big studio movie that’s more generally crowd-pleasing than ”Green Book ” this season, I have yet to find it. In this landscape of challenging, provocative, edgy films, Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali and, of all people, director Peter Farrelly have come along with a movie about friendship that goes down so easy that it’s almost suspect, as though it were flung out of 1996 and gifted to our weary 2018 brains.

Based on a true story, “Green Book” recounts a 1962 road trip when a Bronx bred Italian-American Frank Anthony Vallelonga, also known as Tony Lip (Mortensen), was hired to drive a renowned black pianist, Dr. Don Shirley (Ali), to all of his concert engagements across the Deep South.

The two men are obviously mismatched — what would anyone have to learn if they weren’t? Tony is a working-class bruiser and world class eater with a wife (Linda Cardellini), two sons, a limited vocabulary, institutional racism, but a generally good heart. Dr. Shirley is a wealthy, erudite dandy, a master of his art, a snob and a loner. He also knows he needs reliable protection on this journey to a segregated south, asks around and finds this Copacabana bouncer Tony Lip is the one for the job despite the prejudices.

The constructs will feel familiar and well-worn and surprises are few on this journey toward acceptance and friendship, but the pleasure of this film is in the larger than life characters created by the two leads and their perfectly askew chemistry. Mortensen is almost unrecognizable as Tony, packing extra pounds and an astute comedic sensibility. He knows just how far to push his caricature without making it cartoonish. When Dr. Shirley says to make sure that there’s a Steinway piano at every concert venue, Tony scribbles down “STAINWAY” on a sheet of paper. His doltishness is endearing, not annoying.

And Ali, so memorable and heart-wrenching in “Moonlight,” puts his own stamp on a character who feels alienated from his own race and those he’s performing for. Although a considerably more staid role than Tony, Ali also manages to have his own fun with Dr. Shirley’s seemingly incurable snobbery, wincing at Tony’s lack of decorum, or care.

In fact, this film allows everyone to play against their Hollywood-prescribed “type,” from the actors to the director, who is perhaps the most surprising revelation of them all.

The Farrelly name conjures up a very specific kind of movie: The big, bawdy comedy that he and his brother made their own and, later, failed to keep fresh. If anything, the charm and success of “Green Book” makes a heck of a case for giving directors more room to work outside of the genres or styles that they became famous for.

There is certainly a more serious story to be told out of this road trip, and about Dr. Shirley’s extraordinary life. “Green Book,” taken from the title of the guide Tony has to use to find the establishments and hotels where people of color are welcome at throughout the South, scratches at the surface of the horrors and indignities Dr. Shirley faced while being a “guest of honor.” Those range from being asked to use an outdoor toilet to being denied the right to dine in the place he’s about to perform. This film chooses a different route, and is in turn funny, heart-warming, illuminating and a joy to watch.

“Green Book,” a Universal Pictures release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for “thematic content, language including racial epithets, smoking, some violence and suggestive material.” Running time: 130 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.

The feel-good road-trip drama was named the best film of the year, and its star Mortensen best actor by the National Board of Review in one of the first in a parade of awards season honors.

Tropical Storm Pabuk to Cleave Thai South From Stem to Stern

By

JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI

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2 January 2019, 12:24

BANGKOK — Disaster officials were holding emergency meetings Wednesday to prepare for a newly upgraded tropical storm that is bearing down on the south of Thailand.

The storm, now called Pabuk and moving west at 10kph from the South China Sea into the Gulf of Thailand with gusts of up to 65kph, is likely to be the most devastating one to hit the region since 1962, a meteorologist said today. It’s set to make landfall Thursday at the southern tip of Thailand and then careen all the way north, according to Seree Supratid of the Climate Change and Disaster Center at Rangsit University.

“It will sweep up the whole south beginning from Narathiwat and Pattani. On Friday, it will move up to Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani. Then on Saturday, it will go to Chumphon and [Prachuap Khiri Khan],” he said.

Update: Storm Pabuk to Hit Nakhon, Chumphon, Surat Hardest: Official

Although Pabuk is less powerful than Typhoon Gay, which devastated Chumphon and Prachuap in 1989, Seree said it could cause more damage than a tropical storm that ravaged 12 southern provinces in 1962.

“The direction is different. This one will sweep through wider areas,” he said. “The damage could be greater than Harriet. Rainfall is expected to be up to 200 millimeters per day.”

More than 900 people died when Harriet cut straight across Nakhon Si Thammarat through Krabi, Phuket and Phang Nga. It went out to the Andaman Sea the following day.

On Tuesday, the state petrochemical company PTT announced it had evacuated some staff from a drilling platform off the coast of Songkhla and suspended other offshore operations.

Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park Celebrates New Year With Festive Gourmet Delights (Sponsored)

By

Khaosod English

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2 January 2019, 11:40

Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park welcomes Christmas and New Year with special festive menus that are sure to heighten the season’s joy, as well as hamper selections packed with delicious goodies to entice and to wish your loved ones well, available throughout the festive season from now until January 31, 2019.

To welcome the coming festive joy, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park is presenting an extensive selection of delicious goodies and festive menus that are the heart of Christmas and New Year celebration. Enjoy the hassle-free festive season where you don’t need to toil away in the kitchen to cook up the perfect Christmas feast as Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park is serving Christmas lunch and dinner for your convenience and enjoyment.

Whether it’s a celebration for your loved ones, families or friends, your Christmas feast is made perfect with the selection of two sets. One is the traditional turkey set at THB 6,900 ++ with 6-kilogram roasted bird served with casserole, green beans, mashed sweet potato, gravy and cranberry sauce. Another is the prime beef set, THB 9,160 ++, with 120-day aged Australian grain-fed prime ribs served alongside red wine gravy, German-style potato salad and Japanese pumpkin. Each set is sealed in insulated bag to keep the food warm and fresh until they arrive at your dinner table.

There are also pastries and baked goods to go with the Christmas celebration. The all-time favorite log cakes come in varieties of chocolate truffle, mango and coconut, raspberry and white chocolate as well as ginger bread and baked prune mousse. Traditional cakes and puddings can also be had, such as the classic plum pudding, English-style spiced fruitcake with candied figs and pear, French-style ginger bread cake, cinnamon pie with fruits, stollen with rum and pecan pie, panettone with candied lemon and resins. Other goodies include ginger bread, sweets, cookies and assorted chocolate to complete your festive feast.

During the season of joy, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park also offers a selection of gift hamper to express well-wishing to your loved ones. The limited festive hamper is packed to the brim with festive goodies such as Christmas cakes, jam, fine teas, ginger bread, Christmas cookies, candy canes and dried fruits, available at THB 6,268++ and is an ideal gift for families, friends and colleagues.

For a alternative option, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park has a healthy festive hamper to gift away during Christmas and New Year. The hamper includes dried fruits, honey, caramel candies, chocolate coated mango, herbal tea and many more at THB 2,168++. You can also customize your festive hamper with festive items on our list. Our staff with artistic eyes will make sure your hamper is put together nicely and beautifully to appeal to the gift receivers.

Festive menus and finely selected hampers are available at Siam Tea Room, lobby level, at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park from November 25, 2018 to January 31, 2019 from 07.00-23.00 hrs. For advanced order and more information, please

contact +66 (0) 2 059 5999 or email [email protected] or visit our website www.bangkokmarriottmarquisqueenspark.com

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About Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park

The largest hotel in Bangkok and the first Marriott Marquis hotel in Asia Pacific, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park is a new landmark in heart of the Thai capital. The hotel offers extensive facilities, including more than 1,388 rooms and suites, over 5,000m² of function space across 37 venues, two swimming pools, the Quan Spa and a collection of restaurants and bars. Centrally located on Sukhumvit Road, in Bangkok’s vibrant business and entertainment district, the hotel is the perfect choice for all travelers to this pulsating city.

Memorable News Satellite Photos of 2018

By

Associated Press

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2 January 2019, 10:35

This June 26, 2018 satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe shows lava flows from the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii. Photo: DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP

From Russian war games to lava flows on Hawaii to raging fires in California, images gathered from high above Earth by satellites in 2018 delivered a unique perspective on humanity, geopolitics, and the forces of nature that have upended lives and landscape.

Here’s a look at eight of the most striking news images captured by satellite imagery company DigitalGlobe — and photos made by Associated Press photographers who were on the ground:

BACK TO DANANG

In a message to China, the American aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson docked at Danang bay in Vietnam on March 5. In the first visit to a Vietnamese port by a US Navy aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War, the Vinson and its crew of more than 6,000 sent a signal from the two countries to China, which has stepped up its challenges to U.S. supremacy in the region. From space, the message was clear in the dozens of fighter jets on deck.

AP18362766845239 — This March 6, 2018 satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe shows The USS Carl Vinson off the coast of Danang, Vietnam. Photo: DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via Associated Press

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES

When survivors of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, called for action, hundreds of thousands marched in cities across America on March 24. The “March for Our Lives” rallies demonstrated a new level of activism for the majority of Americans who want stricter gun control laws. The satellites showed the scale of the activism in the biggest of the demonstrations at the nation’s capital.

AP18362766826189 — This March 24, 2018 satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe shows crowds at the “March for Our Lives” demonstration in Washington. Photo: DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via Associated Press

LAVA AND ASH

The eruption of Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii on May 3 wrecked more than 700 homes while captivating the world with its destructive force. Using infrared technology, a satellite captured the range of heat from a river of lava in vivid colors on May 13. At a safe distance from the eruption, life — even golf — went on in Hawaii.

AP18362766887577 — FILE – In this Monday, May 21, 2018 file photo, Doug Ralston plays golf in Volcano, Hawaii, as a huge ash plume rises from the summit of Kiluaea volcano. Lava pouring into the sea sets off a chemical reaction that creates giant clouds of acid and fine glass. Photo: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press

KERALA UNDER WATER

Storms in August battered the southern Indian state of Kerala. The flooding killed hundreds and left hundreds of thousands homeless. A satellite image on Aug. 22 revealed how the landscape had been turned into a temporary lake, while AP journalists on the ground captured the human toll, including a man in a canoe with his dog and rowing past a tree from which a bicycle hung above the flood waters.

AP18362766849501 — This Aug. 22, 2018 satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe shows flooded fields and villages in Kerala, India. Photo: DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via Associated Press

RUSSIAN SHOW OF MIGHT

In September, Russia put on its biggest show of force since the height of the Cold War. Russian officials said the military exercises in Siberia and the Far East, involved 300,000 Russian troops, 1,000 aircraft and 36,000 tanks. But for Western analysts the biggest message was the participation of Chinese troops in joint military exercises. Digital Globe satellites captured some of the drama as parachutes dropped military equipment on Sept. 15.

AP18362766972693 — This Sept. 13, 2018 satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe shows an airborne paradrop during the Vostok military exercises in the Eastern Siberia area of Russia. Photo: DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via Associated Press

NORTH CAROLINA DROWNING

In mid-September, Hurricane Florence dumped over 30 inches (0.76 meters) of rain in parts of eastern North Carolina. More than a dozen people were killed in the storm and floods. The view from space reveals the inundation.

AP18362766870783 — This Sept 20, 2018 satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe shows roads, farms and homes flooded from Hurricane Florence, northeast of Wallace, North Carolina. Photo: DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via Associated Press

A CITY SWATH, LIQUIFIED

A massive earthquake wiped out whole neighborhoods of the Indonesian city of Palau on Sept. 28 when 430 hectares (1.7 square miles) of land were liquefied into deadly mudslides. It was clear from above how vast the destruction was and from the ground how complete.

AP18363710733863 — This Oct. 1, 2018 satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe shows Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia after tsunami struck the area. Photo: DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via Associated Press

AP18362766848963 — FILE – In this Oct. 6, 2018 file photo, a soldier stands near a toppled mosque as recovery efforts continue at the earthquake-hit Balaroa neighborhood in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Photo: Aaron Favila / Associated Press

PARADISE IN FLAMES

The deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century sparked off in Northern California in November killing dozens and causing billions of dollars of damage. The satellites showed the complete destruction of the town of Paradise, CA, where 27,000 people had lived. An AP photo at ground-level showed the toll of the destruction.

AP18362766871917 — FILE – In this Friday, Nov. 16, 2018 file photo, a firefighter searches for human remains in a trailer park destroyed in the Camp Fire in Paradise, California. Photo: John Locher / Associated Press

Story: Desmond Butler

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