August 11, 2008
by Newsdesk/ANI

India’s 23-year-old Abhinav Bindra created history today in Beijing, by wining the first gold medal in any individual category for India in the 108-year Olympics history.

He won the gold medal in men’’s 10-meter air rifle event after earning a total of 700.5 points.

Earlier, Abhinav, who became the first Indian individual gold medallist at the Olympics, had qualified for the men’’s 10m air rifle event finals. He finished the qualifying event joint fourth with Romania’’s George Alin Moldoveanu after the duo shot a score of 596/600.

He scored a series of 100,99,100,98,100 and 99 in the qualifiers.

However, India’’s other medal hope Gagan Narang failed to make the final cut in the same event finishing ninth with a score of 595/600. He shot a series of 97, 100, 100, 100, 98 and 100.

Abhinav, who was the youngest Indian participant at the 2000 Olympic Games, won six gold medals at various international meets in 2001. In the Air rifle event at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, Manchester, he won gold in the Pairs event and silver in the individual event. At the 2004 Olympic Games, he broke the Olympic record but failed to win a medal.

He is a recipient of the Arjuna award in 2001 and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award for the year 2001-2002.

August 9, 2008
by Joyeeta Dutta Ray

If you are prepared to leave your brains behind, Anees Bazmee’s Singh is Kinng may be well worth your while. If not, you will surely be sneering on your seat.

At the outset, the title itself tickles. Christened with the name ‘Happy Singh’, the strapping Akshay Kumar does anything but spread happiness. He is an honest to goodness, large-hearted Sikh village simpleton with the courage of ‘James Bond’ and the finesse of ‘Mr. Bean’.

The film begins with him unsuccessfully dashing after a hen in an attempt to turn it into butter chicken. Far from being able to transform the bird into an epicurean delight, all Happy Singh does is create havoc in the village. He is the eternal ‘do gooder’ who ends up ruining all those he crosses path with, so much so that his ‘best friend’ (Om Puri) turns against him and plots to oust him from the village. Happy is encouraged to fly to Australia where his brother, Lucky Singh (Sonu Sood), reigns as the King of the underworld. Happy is told to lure Lucky back to the village to meet his ailing dad one last time. The friend knows that Lucky will never leave his throne and Happy, being the committed person that he is, will never return to the village without his mission accomplished. In a twist of comic events, the friend unhappily finds himself assisting Happy on this journey.

On the way, they land in Egypt by a stroke of ‘ill-luck’ where Happy finds the woman of his dreams, (a gorgeous Katrina Kaif). After a song, some action and close-ups showcasing Katrina’s curves, a tired and hungry Happy finally reaches Australia with his best friend where a Florist (Kirron Kher) kindly offers food and shelter. Happy locates Lucky but as expected, Lucky refuses to return to the village. Soon, a bullet paralyses Lucky, leaving Happy to take over the throne as the next underworld ‘King’.

August 8, 2008
by Bupha Ravirot

Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) 2009-10, forwarded by Embassy of India, Bangkok to support PIOs and NRIs ling in Thailand and another 40 countries to have higher and technical education back in India.

From the last 3 years The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs have been conducting a great programe for society known as "Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC)". The main objectives of the programme is to help out the Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to have opportunities pursuing undergraduate courses in India. Over 220 PIO/NRI children have benefited during academic years 2006-2007.

The scholarship is applicable for undergraduate studies in Professional and General Courses (except Medical and related courses). Indian Diaspora from 40 select countries, having larger concentration of Persons of Indian origin. Scholarship will be provided to 100 selected students in the age group of 17-21 years , 50 from Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and 50 from Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs).   

The last date for receipt of duly completed applications is 9th September 2008 and eligible candidates would be selected on the basis of a common entrance test to be conducted on 26th October 2008.
          
Scholarship scheme given wide publicity amongst members of the PIO and NRI community in Thailand with the supports from Embassy of India, Bangkok,

An information booklet and application form of the SPDC is available on the website: www.edcil.co.in.

More information can be available by calling the Indian Embassy in Bangkok at 02 2580300-5

The winers of the free ticket to The Fusion Music Concert are as follows :-

• Komal Gandhi
• Charu Dua 

August 5, 2008
by Newsdesk/PRD

Spokesman for the Office of the Prime Minister Police Lieutenant General Wichianchote Sukchotirat (วิเชียรโชติ สุกโชติรัตน) revealed that at approximately 7 PM tonight the President of the United of States of America George W. Bush will arrive in Thailand to meet with Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej at the Government House. The two leaders will hold a joint press conference after their meeting followed by a dinner.
 
The US President is scheduled to give a speech at the Queen Sirikit Center on Thursday as the PM makes his way to the People's Republic of China to take audience with Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The PM will join Her Royal Highness in a meal with Thai athletes and Chinese representatives before returning on Saturday.

August 5, 2008
by Newsdesk/IANS

The Thailand-based $150-million jewellery manufacturing group Pranda Jewellery will set up a manufacturing unit in India, a top company official said here Monday. “We will invest in India. In Mumbai, there is a gold jewellery industry cluster. However, at present we intend to import the jewellery from Thailand,” group chairman Prida Tiasuwan told reporters.

In India, Pranda has joined hands with Gunjan Jewels of Mumbai to float a 51:49 joint venture - Pranda Jewellery Pvt Ltd - to market imported jewellery.

The Prima range will be marketed through a network of jewellery shops, but the joint venture will open its own showrooms later.

“Retailers will sell our range after adding their margin. The margin will be controlled,” Tiasuwan said.

He said the free trade agreement between India and Thailand has facilitated the group’s entry into this country.

August 1, 2008
by Newsdesk

On 9th August Utopia Productions is organizing a Fusion Music Concert "East Meets West" at Shrewsbury International School.

Show information :

Time : 9th August 2008 - 7:00 pm onwards
Venue : Khunying Sumanee Memorial Hall - Shrewsbury International School (between Charoenkrung 70 & 72)
Tickets :500 and 800 Baht

Buy Tickets now : Click here (coming soon) or call 02-6552281 (during office hours)

Thaindian.com is also running an independance day concert and giving away 1 ticket each to 2 very lucky winners (click here )

July 31, 2008
by Bupha Ravirot

The Criminal Court gave its verdict on morning 31st July 2008 on a tax evasion case against Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra, she is found to be guilty while family is in tension.

The Criminal Court have made a verdict on Thursday 10.45 am, found Khunying Pojaman Shinawatr with two other defendants, her adopted brother Bannaphot Damapong and her personal secretary Kanchana Honghern feel guilty of tax evasion in a 1997 share transaction.

The court sentenced Pojaman to three years in jail for avoiding a tax bite amounting to 546 million baht (16.3 million dollars) on a share transfer to her step-brother Bannapot Damapong and her secretary Karnchanapa Honghern in 1997.

Bannapot was also sentenced to three years in jail and Karnchanapa to two years. The court claimed that a heavy sentence of Pojaman and Bannapot because both were well-known public figures with responsibility to society.

The Criminal Court allowed the three defendants  to be bailed out at Bt5 mln each to prevent civil unrest. They have right to appeal within 30 days

While the criminal court judges started reading out the verdict her husband and children were appeared be look tense and throughout the ruling at the Bangkok court.

However Khunying Pojaman is expected to appeal the ruling.

July 31, 2008
by Newsdesk/IANS

Indian Americans make calls to their families and friends back home for an average of three and a half hours in a month, more often on their mobile phones, the first ever study on their international communication habits has found. The top five US cities from where calls to India originate are Princeton in New Jersey, San Francisco, Chicago, New York City and Dallas, says a statement from Rebtel, a global calling service for individuals and business based in Stockholm, which carried out the study.

The top five most-called Indian cities are Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Bangalore. Kolkata and New Delhi come lower down the order.

The study is based on Rebtel’s calling volume from January to July this year.

The firm found more callers use cell phones than landlines for the 210 minutes a month they spend talking to India on an average, which works out to seven minutes a day.

July 29, 2008
by PRD/Thai Government

50 engineers from Thailand and Myanmar held a meeting to discuss the construction of regional transport linkages, including the Thailand-Myanmar-India Highway and the route from Myawaddy in Myanmar.

The meeting was held at Centara Maesot Hill Hotel in Mae Sot district of Tak province. The 1,400-kilometer economic linkage will start from Mae Sot through Myawaddy and end at the border of India.

The construction of regional highway aims to promote trade and tourism industries while strengthening international relations between three economic counterparts. About 80 kilometers of highway has already been constructed.