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BANGKOK (NNT) - Following the inclusion of the Songkran Festival to a tentative list for recognition as an intangible cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Thai authorities plan to promote the festival in a more traditional way in key tourist provinces this April. Kowit Pakamart, Director-General of the Department of Cultural Promotion, said his department is collaborating with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to promote traditional Songkran to showcase Thai culture for this year. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt reaffirmed the collaboration, adding that the city’s cultural council will host events throughout the year to promote the nation’s intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in the capital. It will also promote information on ICHs, including cultural displays in Bangkok’s 50 districts. The Department of Cultural Promotion said it plans to work with provincial authorities to promote the festival in provinces throughout Thailand. Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Nakhon Si Thammarat in particular are expected to represent the Thai New Year festival in their respective regions. Thailand now has three UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritages. These include the Khon, also known as the Thai Masked Dance Drama; Nuad Thai, the traditional Thai massage; and Nora, the traditional performance from the Southern provinces of Thailand. The Songkran Festival is expected to be Thailand’s fourth ICH if the celebration is approved by UNESCO this year. Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG230222132505483 -- © Copyright NNT 2023-02-22 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Support provided under populist government schemes are tax exempt Cash subsidies given last year by the government, under various populist policies to increase the purchasing power of consumers and to boost the economy recovering from COVID-19, are exempt from personal income tax, according to a cabinet decision yesterday (Tuesday). Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1287297-support-provided-under-populist-government-schemes-are-tax-exempt/

Cash subsidies given last year by the government, under various populist policies to increase the purchasing power of consumers and to boost the economy recovering from COVID-19, are exempt from personal income tax, according to a cabinet decision yesterday (Tuesday). Special allowances provided to medical personnel and other officials involved in the monitoring, investigation and control of COVID-19, treatment of COVID-19 patients, vaccination and providing medical advice to control the spread of the virus are also exempt, said Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisuree Traisoranakul. Subsidies which are exempt include: Expenses for food, drinks, products or services paid for electronically under Phases 4 and 5 of the 50:50 co-payment scheme. Expenses for lodging, food, entry fees at tourist attractions, car or boat rentals, air tickets and the purchase of One Tambon One Product goods under the “Rao Tiew Duay Kan” (We Travel Together) program. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/support-provided-under-populist-government-schemes-are-tax-exempt/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-02-22 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

TikTok bans political campaigning on its platform (Centre) Jirapat Lee, head of platform policy at TikTok in Thailand. The TikTok short video platform has announced that it will not allow political parties, politicians or paying advertisers to use it for political campaigning ahead of Thailand’s general election, tentatively scheduled for early May. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1287296-tiktok-bans-political-campaigning-on-its-platform/

(Centre) Jirapat Lee, head of platform policy at TikTok in Thailand. The TikTok short video platform has announced that it will not allow political parties, politicians or paying advertisers to use it for political campaigning ahead of Thailand’s general election, tentatively scheduled for early May. TikTok’s management said yesterday (Tuesday) that the ban is intended to prevent distortion of facts and the spread of fake news pertaining to the election, hate speech, extreme ideologies, to maintain TikTok’s integrity and to ensure the presentation of accurate and credible information in the lead-up to the election. Jirapat Lee, head of platform policy at TikTok in Thailand, told the media that political advertisements amount to the use of money to promote political parties, which is prohibited on the TikTok platform, adding that accounts taking a political position will be included in the government, politician and political account (GPPPA) category. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/tiktok-bans-political-campaigning-on-its-platform/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-02-22 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

150 armour-plated trucks to be bought for troops in Thailand’s Deep South The Thai cabinet approved a 396-million baht budget from the Central Fund today (Tuesday) to procure 150 armour-plated pickup trucks, to replace the aging vehicles currently deployed in the restive Deep South. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1287215-150-armour-plated-trucks-to-be-bought-for-troops-in-thailand’s-deep-south/

The Thai cabinet approved a 396-million baht budget from the Central Fund today (Tuesday) to procure 150 armour-plated pickup trucks, to replace the aging vehicles currently deployed in the restive Deep South. Deputy Government Spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said that the armoured vehicles will be one-tonne diesel pick-up trucks, designed to withstand bomb shrapnel and bullets, with bullet-proof windows and the suspension system enhanced to support the additional weight of the armour plating. She said that the 216 armoured pickup trucks currently in use have been in service in the three southernmost provinces for over 12 years and many of them are worn out and overweight, due to the addition of armour-plating without modification of the suspension system. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/150-armour-plated-trucks-to-be-bought-for-troops-in-thailands-deep-south/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-02-21 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

The Thai cabinet approved a 396-million baht budget from the Central Fund today (Tuesday) to procure 150 armour-plated pickup trucks, to replace the aging vehicles currently deployed in the restive Deep South. Deputy Government Spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said that the armoured vehicles will be one-tonne diesel pick-up trucks, designed to withstand bomb shrapnel and bullets, with bullet-proof windows and the suspension system enhanced to support the additional weight of the armour plating. She said that the 216 armoured pickup trucks currently in use have been in service in the three southernmost provinces for over 12 years and many of them are worn out and overweight, due to the addition of armour-plating without modification of the suspension system. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/150-armour-plated-trucks-to-be-bought-for-troops-in-thailands-deep-south/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-02-21 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Thailand to ban import of all plastic waste from January 1st, 2025 The Thai cabinet decided today (Tuesday) to ban the import of all plastic waste, effective from January 1st, 2025. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1287213-thailand-to-ban-import-of-all-plastic-waste-from-january-1st-2025/

The Thai cabinet decided today (Tuesday) to ban the import of all plastic waste, effective from January 1st, 2025. Additionally, the import of plastic waste this year and next will be regulated. For the 14 recycling plants located in the tax-free zone, the amount of waste to be imported this year must not exceed their combined production capacity, which is 372,994 tonnes. For 2024, the amount of plastic waste allowed to be imported for the plants will be reduced to half of their combined production capacity. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-to-ban-import-of-all-plastic-waste-from-january-1st-2025/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-02-21 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

3 more in custody in connection with “Macau 888” online gambling site Police from Thailand’s Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) have taken two social media influencers and a rapper-cum-songwriter into custody for questioning about their alleged connections with the “Macau 888” online gambling website. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1287212-3-more-in-custody-in-connection-with-“macau-888”-online-gambling-site/

Police from Thailand’s Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) have taken two social media influencers and a rapper-cum-songwriter into custody for questioning about their alleged connections with the “Macau 888” online gambling website. The CCIB raided two locations in Bangkok and a third in Pung Kone district of the north-eastern province of Sakhon Nakhon, where the three individuals were believed to staying. Armed with a search warrant, the police entered a condominium in Bangkok’s Phahonyothin area, where social media influencer “Tanyakarn” is living. They found Tanyakarn and another woman in the room and allegedly discovered about five grams of ketamine. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/3-more-in-custody-in-connection-with-macau-888-online-gambling-site/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-02-21 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Charter Court to rule on the non-Thais in constituency seat calculation on March 3rd The Constitutional Court is scheduled to issue a ruling on March 3rd on whether non-Thais can be included as part of the population in the calculation of the number of constituency MPs for each province in Thailand. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1287210-charter-court-to-rule-on-the-non-thais-in-constituency-seat-calculation-on-march-3rd/

The Constitutional Court is scheduled to issue a ruling on March 3rd on whether non-Thais can be included as part of the population in the calculation of the number of constituency MPs for each province in Thailand. An informed source said that the Constitutional Court agreed, at a meeting today (Tuesday), to accept the petition from the Election Commission (EC) regarding the non-Thai issue, after several critics voiced disagreement with the EC over the inclusion of non-Thais in the calculation method. The source said that the charter court can either approve the EC’s current method of calculation or order the EC to recalculate. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/charter-court-to-rule-on-the-non-thais-in-constituency-seat-calculation-on-march-3rd/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-02-21 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Thai cabinet endorses third phase of “One Million Home” project The Thai cabinet approved the third phase of the Government Housing Bank’s (GHB) “One Million Home” project today (Tuesday), estimated to be worth about 20 billion baht. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1287209-thai-cabinet-endorses-third-phase-of-“one-million-home”-project/

The Thai cabinet approved the third phase of the Government Housing Bank’s (GHB) “One Million Home” project today (Tuesday), estimated to be worth about 20 billion baht. According to Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, the GHB will fund the third phase of the project for low income-earners, each of whom will be granted a loan of up to 1.5 million baht, payable over not more than 40 years, with 3% interest rate for the first five years. Those interested in buying the housing units can apply for the loans with the GHB from now until December 3rd, 2025, or until the 20 billion baht fund has been fully subscribed. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-cabinet-endorses-third-phase-of-one-million-home-project/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-02-21 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

A sleeping bus is destroyed after hitting a truck in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, February 21, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Nui Thanh A sleeping bus crashed into the back of a parked truck in Quang Nam Province early Tuesday, leaving three passengers dead and 16 others wounded. The Phuong Trang company bus was going with 30 passengers from the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong to Thua Thien-Hue Province on National Highway 1. It was in Nui Thanh District in Quang Nam, at around 2 a.m., that it rammed into the truck, which was parked for workers to unload bricks. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/3-killed-as-passenger-bus-rams-stationary-truck-in-central-vietnam-4572968.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2023-02-21

Commuters on a street of Hanoi on January 30, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh Residents of Hanoi can now submit their requests for the exchange of their driving licenses online, according to a notification released by the capital's Department of Transport. Applications for the exchange of international driving licenses can be submitted through website https://dichvucong.gov.vn, with dossiers including a portrait photo, a copy of a driver's license, citizenship certificate or passport, and electronic health check granted by designated hospitals. For converting Level-3 driver's licenses, which are managed by the transport sector, residents must submit their applications via website https://dichvucong.gplx.gov.vn, with their driver's license, ID card or passport, and health certificate attached. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/hanoi-allows-conversion-of-int-l-driving-licenses-online-4573071.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2023-02-21

Truong Dinh Nhat is held at a police station in Tu Nghia District of Quang Ngai Province for allegedly assaulting a delivery man, February 20, 2023. Photo by police Police in central Vietnam have arrested a man for allegedly breaking both the arms of a delivery man who had asked him to pay a shipping fee of US$1.25. Truong Dinh Nhat, 44, of Quang Ngai Province's Tu Nghia District, was arrested Monday for "intentionally inflicting injuries," a crime punishable by up to three years in jail. On the afternoon of Feb. 17, Lam Anh Dat, 24, delivered two rhododendron plants to Nhat’s house. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/man-breaks-delivery-man-s-arms-over-1-25-shipping-fee-arrested-4573173.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2023-02-21

A Vietnamese performs procedures at a northern Vietnam border gate to enter China. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Viet Vietnamese citizens are once again allowed to enter China through the Mong Cai border gate in Quang Ninh Province with the requirement that they show a negative RT-PCR Covid-19 test result within 48 hours. Authorities of China's Dongxing City have agreed with the Mong Cai People’s Committee to resume travel between China and Vietnam through the Mong Cai border gate from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. starting Tuesday. Those going in and out through the border gate must have valid papers, including passports and health status papers. Those wanting to enter China must also present a negative RT-PCR Covid-19 test from within 48 hours. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnamese-allowed-china-entry-through-mong-cai-border-gate-starting-feb-21-4573164.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2023-02-21

Multiple wires are seen in an illustration photo by Pexels The last fully functional undersea Internet cable connecting Vietnam with the rest of the world is now malfunctioning, an Internet service provider in Vietnam said Tuesday. A section of the SMW3 cable connecting Vietnam with Singapore has encountered issues, according to the provider. This means that all five undersea cables responsible for Vietnam’s international Internet connections are now malfunctioning. Four other cables have been down since November and are still not working. Among the four cables, the AAG and the APG cables lost all data, while the IA and the AAE-1 are only partially functional. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnam-s-last-functional-undersea-cable-now-malfunctioned-4573176.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2023-02-21

Sen. Robin Padilla in this photo uploaded on his Facebook page. Facebook / ROBINPADILLA.OFFICIAL MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights has called out Sen. Robinhood “Robin” Padilla for his remarks that suggested students can tolerate “slight” physical bullying compared to verbal or emotional insults. In a statement Tuesday, the human rights body said bullying in whatever form or degree should not be allowed as it can harm a child’s development and well-being. “CHR expresses concern over statements that tolerate any form of bullying. Whether physical or mental, regardless of perceived effect or lack thereof, bullying should never be condoned,” the commission said. Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/02/21/2246570/chr-calls-out-sen-robin-padilla-all-forms-bullying-hurt-children -- © Copyright Philstar 2023-02-21

Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) talk with their loved ones and relatives over the telephone during the launch of the non-contact booth at the Manila City Jail male dorm on April 26, 2022. STAR / KJ Rosales MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice has ordered the reduction of bail for indigent persons charged in bailable criminal cases in a bid to address the perennial problem of prison congestion. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla issued Department Circular No. 11 on February 20, setting the guidelines on the recommendation of bail amounts in criminal informations or charge sheets. Following the order, which DOJ Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano said is effective immediately, state prosecutors will recommend to accused who claimed indigency only 50% of the suggested bail under the department’s 2018 Bail Bond Guide or P10,000, whichever is lower. Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/02/21/2246554/doj-reduces-bail-recommendation-indigents-criminal-cases -- © Copyright Philstar 2023-02-21

This photo from Global Voices shows participants joining the Manila Pride in 1994. Global Voices is an "international, multilingual, primarily volunteer community of writers, translators, academics, and human rights activists" that "leverage the power of the internet to build understanding across borders." Global Voices MANILA, Philippines — Of all places Giney Villar could have first felt the urge to speak openly about being a lesbian, few would have imagined it to be in a disco — she mused some three decades later. Within the safe walls of Manila’s queer-coded nightclubs in the early 90s, Villar wondered for the first time in her 30s if expressions of lesbian pride and feminism would ever take place outside of nights spent steeped in alcohol. Secretive glances among queer women during the day, many of whom were forced to wear feminine clothing, just wouldn’t cut it anymore. Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/02/21/2246598/30-years-later-filipinas-who-marched-first-lesbian-pride-recall-historic-milestone -- © Copyright Philstar 2023-02-21

A motorist pays for its tank refueling in a gas station along Nangka J.P. Rizal in Marikina on Monday, June 20, 2022. The STAR / Walter Bollozos MANILA, Philippines — The increase in inflation assistance for Senate employees is fruit of their decades-long call to the government body, their union said, as they also called for higher benefits and aid for all workers nationwide amid rapidly rising living costs. The Sandigan ng mga Empleyadong Nagkakaisa sa Adhikain ng Demokratikong Organisasyon o SENADO on Tuesday explained that the increased inflation assistance to P50,000 from the previous P12,000 was due to their call for higher benefits because their wages barely sustain a living. They pointed out that there is a huge gap between minimum wage of workers — including rank and file government employees — and the set family living wage of P1,161 daily. Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/02/21/2246577/sana-all-senate-workers-say-increase-inflationary-aid-just-must-all-workers -- © Copyright Philstar 2023-02-21