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Rumoured amounts ranged from Bt70 million to Bt100 million, and Jatuporn Prompan asked sceptics to check his prison records before starting to link him with that kind of money. His argument is that if he is acting as a well-paid mercenary, how come he often served full prison sentences with so little leniency? In addition, he said, everyone knew he staged his own protest against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the military as a whole very recently. “Why would I do that if I was getting money from that side?” Jatuporn said. The activist was responding to some Pheu Thai members’ suggestion that a “J” was getting between Bt70 million and Bt100 million to prevent a Pheu Thai landslide. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/jatuporn-swears-he-was-not-hired-to-attack-thaksin/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-02-01 - 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.

Kong Salak Plus online lottery customers can get printed lottery tickets to claim prizes Customers who bought online lottery tickets from Kong Salak Plus online lottery platform can receive real printed versions from Department of Special Investigation (DSI) officials stationed at the online lottery company’s building on Sukhumvit Soi 63. Prizes can then be claimed at the Government Lottery Office (GLO). Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1285186-kong-salak-plus-online-lottery-customers-can-get-printed-lottery-tickets-to-claim-prizes/

Customers who bought online lottery tickets from Kong Salak Plus online lottery platform can receive real printed versions from Department of Special Investigation (DSI) officials stationed at the online lottery company’s building on Sukhumvit Soi 63. Prizes can then be claimed at the Government Lottery Office (GLO). There is a draw today (Wednesday). DSI officials, led by Deputy Director-General Pol Maj Yuthana Praedam, went to the Kong Salak Plus office today to supervise their staff in the distribution of hard copy lottery tickets to online buyers who have won then can claim the prizes from the GLO or lottery traders who agree to hand out the prize money at a small fee, 1.5% of the win. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/kong-salak-plus-online-lottery-customers-can-get-printed-lottery-tickets-to-claim-prizes/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-02-01 - 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.

Anti-establishment activist wants EM tag removed, like actress “Pinky” Photo from www.matichon.co.th An anti-establishment political activist sought permission from the Criminal Court to have the electronic monitoring (EM) tag removed from his ankle today (Wednesday), after the court granted permission yesterday for a similar device to be removed from actress Savika Chaiyadej, aka “Pinky”. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1285185-anti-establishment-activist-wants-em-tag-removed-like-actress-“pinky”/

Photo from www.matichon.co.th An anti-establishment political activist sought permission from the Criminal Court to have the electronic monitoring (EM) tag removed from his ankle today (Wednesday), after the court granted permission yesterday for a similar device to be removed from actress Savika Chaiyadej, aka “Pinky”. Panupong Jadnok said that, since the court decided to remove Savika’s device, he should be granted the same privilege, although both of them were indicted on different charges. Savika, who is currently released on bail on fraud charges related to the Forex 3-D Ponzi scheme, sought permission from the Criminal Court for the removal of EM tag, claiming that it poses an impediment to her show business career and her travel. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/anti-establishment-activist-wants-em-tag-removed-like-actress-pinky/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-02-01 - 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.

Ear check application to help detect early dementia Thais now have a convenient choice for checking their hearing thanks to the launch of the EarTest by Eartone application, which could also help detect early dementia. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1285104-ear-check-application-to-help-detect-early-dementia/

Thais now have a convenient choice for checking their hearing thanks to the launch of the EarTest by Eartone application, which could also help detect early dementia. Developed mainly by a medical specialist and a university lecturer, EarTest by Eartone is now available in the Thai language thus facilitating free ear tests at home. Users just need a pair of earphones and a tablet or smartphone to get the tests done over the app. “It took several years to develop this innovation,” said one of the developers, Dr Nattawan Utoomprurkporn, at the 14th Chula The Impact. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/ear-check-application-to-help-detect-early-dementia/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-01-31 - 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.

Garment workers at May 10 Company in Hanoi, March 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Hong Chieu Businesses that resumed operations after Tet at major industrial hubs across Vietnam reported around 95% of their employees have returned to work. Instead of resuming operations on the sixth day of the lunar year on Friday as usual, many companies in the north this year opted to reopen on Monday to give their workers, especially those living in the northern highlands provinces, more time with their families. All 1,190 businesses in Bac Ninh's industrial parks, home to many foreign enterprises, have resumed operations with more than 99.6% of workers returning to work, according to a report by the province Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/95-of-workers-return-to-work-after-tet-4565073.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2023-01-31

A police officer tests a car driver for alcohol in Hanoi during the run-up to Tet, January 17, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Gia Chinh Vietnam police have fined 7,700 people for drunk driving during the Tet holiday, a huge surge of 600% against the same period last year. The Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security said that during the seven-day Tet break from January 20-26, almost 22,000 traffic violations had been handled. Among them, more than 7,700 were for driving under the influence of alcohol, a sharp increase compared to the last Tet, when Vietnamese were granted nine days' break. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/drunk-driving-punishments-shoot-up-600-during-tet-compared-to-last-year-4565014.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2023-01-31

Pham Van Nu is held at a police station along with jewelries he stole from a gold shop in HCMC. Photo by VnExpress/Nhat Vy A man in HCMC was arrested Tuesday after stealing 108 taels, or four kg, of gold from a shop two days earlier. Pham Van Nu, 37, was arrested by the police and is under investigation for stealing. On Sunday, the owner of a gold shop on Ha Huy Giap Street in HCMC’s District 12 discovered that all the jewelry prepared for sale on the God of Wealth Day, worth VND4.5 billion ($192,000), had disappeared. God of Wealth Day falls on the 10th day of the lunar year, or on Tuesday this year. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/hcmc-man-steals-3-75-kg-of-gold-for-god-of-wealth-day-4565150.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2023-01-31

A person measures Internet speeds on a PC and a mobile phone in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Luu Quy Four out of five undersea cables connecting Vietnam to the world are broken in one way or another, causing internet speeds across the country to slow to a snail’s pace. A local internet service provider reported Monday that the Intra Asia (IA) cable has been encountering problems since last Saturday. There was a breakage at a cable section located about 130 km from a shoreline station in Singapore, causing a total loss of international data from Vietnam to Singapore through the IA cable. The latest breakage means that only one undersea cable connecting Vietnam globally, the SMW3, remains fully functional. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/internet-slows-to-a-crawl-as-four-undersea-cables-encounter-simultaneous-issues-4564855.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2023-01-31

Passengers leave Noi Bai airport on January 24, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi served 5,619 flights from January 19-29, up 49% annually, including 1,789 international flights. The number of passengers hit nearly 900,000, up 71%, including 246,000 foreigners. However, the number of domestic passengers was over 80% of the summer peak season 2022 while the number of foreign passengers was about 70-75% of that before Covid-19 in 2019, a leader of the airport said. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/noi-bai-airport-sees-tet-traffic-boom-4564994.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2023-01-31

High school students wait for their time in front Marikina High School in Marikina on November 2, 2022. STAR / Walter Bollozos MANILA, Philippines — Teachers are trained to list objectives and standards in lesson plans but the Department of Education's Basic Education Report failed to include "specific and time-bound" plans to address issues in the school system, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers said Tuesday. The group said the departmen should have set targets on how it plans fix problems with the K to 12 curriculum as well as a shortage of personell. The BER was a mere "summary of the promises already articulated by (Vice President Sara Duterte)'s leadership in the past months (...) which remain general promises that lack specific action plans and definite targets," ACTChairperson Vladimir Quetua said. Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/01/31/2241565/teachers-group-scores-lack-tangible-goals-deped-basic-education-report -- © Copyright Philstar 2023-01-31

Frozen eggs are being sold for P55 per kilo at a store along Annapolis Street in Quezon City on Monday (January 30, 2023). The STAR / Jesse Bustos MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health on Tuesday warned the public that frozen eggs sold as an alternative to fresh eggs may be contaminated and pose health risks. Some Filipinos have turned to buying frozen eggs as the country deals with a shortage of supply and rising prices of eggs. A medium egg currently retails at P8 to P9 per piece. Frozen eggs have long been used by bakeries as a cheaper option. Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/01/31/2241550/doh-warns-health-risks-consuming-frozen-eggs -- © Copyright Philstar 2023-01-31

The Philippine economy took a hit at the onset of the pandemic. The economy sank to lows unseen since World War II as the Duterte administration imposed mobility restrictions to prevent the spread of virus contagion. AFP / Anthony Wallace / File MANILA, Philippines — The World Bank awarded a fresh loan program to the Philippines to support the domestic economy's recovery from the pandemic and improve the resilience of the financial sector. In a statement on Tuesday, the Washington-based lender granted the country a $600-million loan. Aside from supporting the Philippine economy's recovery from the pandemic, this new loan financing is aimed at supporting three policy reform areas: the stability of the financial sector, improving financial inclusion for Filipinos and businesses, and climate and disaster risk finance. "Policy actions that strengthen the stability of the financial sector – including banks and insurance companies – will help Filipino families, businesses, and investors withstand financial shocks and enhance their resilience by ensuring that problems in these financial institutions are detected at an early stage without severe disruptions to the economy,” said Ndiamé Diop, World Bank country director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/business/2023/01/31/2241552/world-bank-lend-philippines-600m-pandemic-recovery-climate-financing -- © Copyright Philstar 2023-01-31

This photo taken on January 17, 2023 shows a farmer carrying harvested onions at a farm in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija province. Even before the onions are fully grown, Philippine farmers race to harvest the crop and cash in on eye-watering prices for a vegetable that has become a luxury item in the country. AFP / Jam Sta. Rosa BONGABON, Philippines — Even before his onions are fully grown, Philippine farmer Luis Angeles races to harvest the crop and cash in on eye-watering prices for a vegetable that has become a luxury item in the country. Onion prices have soared in recent months, reaching as high as 800 pesos (nearly $15) a kilogram in Manila supermarkets, making them more expensive than chicken or pork. Some restaurants have stripped the staple ingredient from dishes, while many families already grappling with the highest inflation in 14 years have stopped eating them. Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/01/31/2241564/eye-watering-onion-prices-make-philippine-staple-luxury -- © Copyright Philstar 2023-01-31

Tourism officials forecasting 12 million visitors for Phuket this year Tourists in Phuket The Phuket office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand is feeling optimistic about tourism in 2023, predicting 12 million visitors for the island. According to a Phuket Express report, Phuket TAT director Nathasiri Ronnasiri says that figure equates to what was seen in pre-pandemic days. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1285082-tourism-officials-forecasting-12-million-visitors-for-phuket-this-year/

Tourists in Phuket The Phuket office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand is feeling optimistic about tourism in 2023, predicting 12 million visitors for the island. According to a Phuket Express report, Phuket TAT director Nathasiri Ronnasiri says that figure equates to what was seen in pre-pandemic days. The estimate would be about half of what the TAT office in Bangkok expects for the entire country this year – 25 million arrivals. “We are expecting 12 million tourists to visit Phuket this year. This will be roughly the same number of tourists as before Covid-19.” Nathasiri adds that over 46% of 2022 tourists were from overseas, while over 53% were Thai. “Last year, the number of visitors in Phuket was 9,260,657. Of those numbers 46.4% were foreign tourists and 53.6% were Thai tourists. Phuket has generated 74.4% of its income from foreign tourists.” Phuket experienced a significant surge in international arrivals during December and January, although the number of visitors was still less than half that of 2019. The island is also discovering new markets and has had to rely more heavily on other markets, including the Russians and Middle-Eastern countries, in the absence of the Chinese. Currently, the number of Russians arriving in Phuket each day are three times the number of the second most numerous arrivals, from India, with arrivals from the UK, Kazakhstan and Australia filling up the top 5. “In this coming Summer there will be more Israeli tourists visiting Phuket as well, a relatively new market for us. Some of these visitors have been visiting Phuket before and some are new tourists.” Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/phuket-news/tourism-officials-forecasting-12-million-visitors-for-phuket-this-year/ -- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-01-31 - 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.

Officials working to reduce sugar intake in Thailand amid growing health concerns Flickr/Sidney Khoo Thailand’s Department of Health says it’s working with the private sector in a bid to raise awareness of the health risks associated with too much sugar. Department chief Suwannachai Watthanayingcharoenchai says the new project aims to improve the public’s understanding, with participating restaurants cutting back on the amount of sugar they use in their dishes. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1285081-officials-working-to-reduce-sugar-intake-in-thailand-amid-growing-health-concerns/

Flickr/Sidney Khoo Thailand’s Department of Health says it’s working with the private sector in a bid to raise awareness of the health risks associated with too much sugar. Department chief Suwannachai Watthanayingcharoenchai says the new project aims to improve the public’s understanding, with participating restaurants cutting back on the amount of sugar they use in their dishes. The project has been launched amid growing concern about expanding waistlines in Thailand and the health implications of too much sugar. Health department officials have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the IMPACT company to design a healthier food and drinks menu, cutting the amount of sugar used by 5%. The IMPACT group is owned by Bangkok Land Plc, with CEO Pol Kanchanapas saying his firm will ensure all of its food businesses will use healthy ingredients. The company runs the EASE Café, targeting health-conscious diners with a healthy food and drinks menu. Suwannachai welcomes the firm’s partnership with the Department of Health, pointing out that rising sugar consumption in Thailand is damaging people’s health, leading to a potential obesity crisis. “Such cooperation is needed to improve public awareness about the link between food and beverage consumption and good health.” Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post reports that in 2019, a survey carried out by the Health Systems Research Institute showed that only 36% of respondents over the age of 15 had a normal body mass index. Over 37% fell into the overweight or obese category, while around 9% had diabetes and nearly 28% suffered with high blood pressure. Full Story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/officials-working-to-reduce-sugar-intake-in-thailand-amid-growing-health-concerns/ -- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-01-31 - 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.

What to do if Thai police stop you and attempt a ‘shake-down’ Thai police First thing… keep calm. Let them lead the conversation and don’t say anything other than answering their questions. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1285080-what-to-do-if-thai-police-stop-you-and-attempt-a-‘shake-down’/

Thai police First thing… keep calm. Let them lead the conversation and don’t say anything other than answering their questions. Secondly, the vast majority of Thai police are there to do a job, protecting fellow Thais and foreign visitors. But there are a few who will take advantage of situations where they think they can get away with stitching you up for a few thousand baht. Recent events have brought this to our attention, again, and we would invite everyone to just review these recommendations if you find yourself in this situation. Thai police are entitled to stop you on the street, or in a car going through a checkpoint, if they are suspicious about anything. • Don’t admit to anything or agree to having your photo taken at this stage. • If they ask to see your passport and ID, do so without fuss, and then politely ask for their return. • You are entitled, politely, to ask for their ID as well • Allow any bags or your pockets to be searched – you are entitled to record this process, as long as your filming doesn’t interfere with their search. You should also ask for someone to act as an independent witness during the search. • Don’t sign anything, especially as the documents are likely to be full in Thai language • Don’t agree to leave the immediate area you have been stopped, even if they insist that you go to the police station • Ask, politely, for the Tourist Police or to contact a Thai friend who can act as an intermediary and interpreter. If the situation is even slightly serious – a crash or an accusation of drug possession – insist that you can call for a consular or embassy representative of your country. • Absolutely remain polite and don’t cause a scene or start shouting – this will NOT end well • If they start talking about a fine, or a pay off, whatever the situation, just politely refuse saying that you’re waiting for an interpreter, consular official or tourist police. On the other hand, if you’ve done something wrong – speeding, drunk, drunk driving, possession of a small amount of drugs, caught vaping or with a vaping device – be prepared to negotiate an on-the-spot fine and payment. Whatever the police want as a payment will be a lot less than the trouble you’ll have to go through if you choose to refuse their on-the-spot offer. If the Tourist Police, or a consular official, advise you to pay up, do so – they’ve been in these situations a hundred times before. If you start demanding to see a lawyer, raise your voice or get angry, the situation will escalate and will cause the police to lose face, and that’s about the worse thing to happen. Infrequently the ‘cops’ that stop you may not be police and, instead, be posing as police officers. If you suspect anything like this then be additionally vigilant about waiting for some witnesses to arrive before you do ANYTHING. You are well within your rights to protect yourself from bad or fraudulent police officers. Be diligent when someone claiming to be a police officer wants to search you or your property. Full Story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/what-to-do-if-thai-police-stop-you-and-attempt-a-shake-down/ -- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-01-31 - 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 and Sweden to Discuss Visas for Thai Berry Pickers BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Labor has said it will start negotiations with Swedish officials following Sweden’s threat to suspend the issuance of seasonal working visas to Thai berry pickers, following reports of unfair treatment by employers and job brokers. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1285079-thailand-and-sweden-to-discuss-visas-for-thai-berry-pickers/

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Labor has said it will start negotiations with Swedish officials following Sweden’s threat to suspend the issuance of seasonal working visas to Thai berry pickers, following reports of unfair treatment by employers and job brokers. Swedish ambassador Jon Astrom Grondahl tweeted about the issue on January 13, stating that the Swedish Embassy in Bangkok will not facilitate berry pickers until employers guarantee fair recruitment, safety standards and decent working conditions for Thai workers in Sweden. Department of Employment Director-General Phairoj Chotikasatien met with the ambassador in mid-December to discuss working conditions for Thai berry pickers. He noted that the problem is rather complex and involves a number of companies which purchase berries from the farms that hired the workers. In recent years, the number of Thais eager to take up berry-picking jobs in Sweden and Finland has increased, with 6,000 Thais traveling to these countries in 2022 - up from 5,000 the previous year. However, the increase has also led to a rise in disputes, with about 400 workers asking the government to act as a mediator between them and their employers or recruitment agencies. Samarn Laodumrongchai, an expert at the Institute of Asian Studies, said many Thai berry pickers end up overstaying their visas and taking up other jobs when they realize they haven’t made enough to cover their debts. Labor Minister Suchart Chomklin said he is planning to convene a meeting soon to discuss a solution with related agencies. Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG230131120435082 -- © Copyright NNT 2023-01-31 - 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 Police to Meet Singaporean Man for Questioning over Extortion Claim BANGKOK, Jan 31 (TNA) – The Thai police will travel to Singapore to meet the Singaporean friend of the Taiwanese actress for questioning in the ongoing investigation into the allegation that Thai policemen extorted money from the tourists. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1285030-thailands-police-caught-with-their-pants-down-in-extortion-case-of-taiwanese-actress-and-friends-chuwit-revelations-latest/?do=findComment&comment=17874193