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A police officer reads the decision to arrest Nguyen Van Khai (L) in Ha Tinh Province, December 22, 2022. Photo by police Police in the central Ha Tinh Province have arrested a man for using a phone while driving and fatally hitting a cyclist. Nguyen Van Khai, 25, of the northern Phu Tho Province, who faces charges of "violating road traffic laws," was driving on National Highway 1 in Ha Tinh's Cam Xuyen District just before 10:00 p.m on December 13 when he slammed into a cycle ridden by Nguyen Huu Vi, 48. The local man was knocked off the bicycle and killed on the spot. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/car-driver-on-phone-when-he-fatally-hit-cyclist-arrested-4551710.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2022-12-23

Workers working in a hi-tech factory in HCMC. Photo by VnExpress/Le Tuyet HCMC companies are set to pay average Tet bonuses this year of VND13 million (US$550.73), 45% higher than last year, the labor department said. After a survey of over 1,000 businesses and 220,000 workers the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs said Thursday that last year the bonus had been VND8.88 million. The highest amount to be paid this year is VND756 million by a foreign company, and the lowest is VND4.86 million, it said. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/average-tet-bonuses-for-saigon-workers-see-45-raise-from-2021-4551697.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2022-12-23

A train of HCMC's Metro Line No.1 during a test run on the elevated tracks in Thu Duc City, December 21, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran Nine of the 11 elevated stations on HCMC's 1st metro line will be connected with pedestrian overpasses and have parking lots in the vicinity. All the elevated stations are in Binh Thanh District and Thu Duc City. Parking lots with capacity of 500 motorbikes each will also be built nearby those stations, Nguyen Quoc Hien, deputy head of the Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR), told a city's meeting on Thursday. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/hcmc-to-build-overpasses-parking-lots-to-draw-people-to-metro-4551779.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2022-12-23

12 Chinese are brought to an airport to be deported back home. Photo by VnExpress/Nhat Vy Twelve illegal Chinese citizens found in HCMC have been deported after it was discovered that they'd been abandoned after having been tricked into coming to Vietnam for work. The Immigration Department of the HCMC Police said Thursday that the 12 Chinese who had been detained would be handed over to Chinese authorities at the Huu Nghi border gate in Lang Son Province. HCMC Police said these people reported that they were brought to Vietnam across the border in the north by people who promised them jobs in the country. They then traveled to HCMC, and eventually discovered that they had been abandoned in the city, with no way to contact the recruiters. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/12-chinese-deported-after-being-tricked-with-job-offers-in-hcmc-4551836.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2022-12-23

Workers at Samsung factory in Thai Nguyen Province in northern Vietnam. Photo by Reuters Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested Samsung to manufacture chips in Vietnam starting 2023 after it inaugurated a $220 million R&D Center in Hanoi, its largest in Southeast Asia. Chinh said he hoped that Samsung would "prepare necessary requirements to manufacture ball grid array products as a trial, aiming towards mass production starting July 2023 at the Samsung Thai Nguyen factory." Previously in August, Samsung announced on its website that it was preparing to trial its ball grid array products, and would mass produce them starting mid-2023. Semiconductors would mark the third business for Samsung in Vietnam, where the tech giant is already manufacturing appliances and smartphones, the Nikkei Asia reported. Full Story: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/pm-requests-samsung-to-manufacture-chips-in-vietnam-4551932.html -- © Copyright VN Express 2022-12-23

Former Supreme Court Associate Justice Dante Tinga takes his oath before Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on December 22, 2022. Office of the Press Secretary via The STAR / Helen Flores MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has appointed retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Dante Tinga, who was perceived to be an ally of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during his six-year stint at the tribunal, to the top of the Development Bank of the Philippines. Tinga’s appointment to the DBP as acting chairperson and board member was dated December 9 and was coursed through the Department of Finance which oversees the government-owned bank, according to Malacañang. The Office of the Press Secretary announced Tinga’s announcement after he took his oath Thursday before Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin who, like the new DBP acting chairperson, was appointed to the SC by Arroyo. Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/12/23/2232853/marcos-picks-ex-sc-justice-head-dbp -- © Copyright Philstar 2022-12-23

In this photo taken on August 26, 2022, gamecocks fight during a cockfighting match at the San Pedro Coliseum in Laguna province. AFP / Jam Sta. Rosa MANILA, Philippines — Kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges are set to be filed against six individuals for their involvement in the kidnapping of “sabungeros” (cockfighting players), the Department of Justice said Friday. A panel of prosecutors found probable cause to indict Julie Patidongan, Gleer Codilla, Mark Carlo Zabala, Virgilio Bayog, Johnry Consolacion and Roberto Matillano Jr. for six counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code. According to the DOJ, the panel found that the six respondents “conspired in kidnapping and depriving the liberty” of victims John Claude Inonog, James Baccay, Marlon Baccay, Rondel Cristorum, Mark Joseph Velasco and Rowel Gomes. Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/12/23/2232841/six-indicted-kidnapping-serious-illegal-detention-sabungeros -- © Copyright Philstar 2022-12-23

Image: Google MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines, still lagging behind most of its peers in Southeast Asia in overall infrastructure, continues to suffer from inadequate and poor quality road and rail transport infrastructure, an academic analysis of qualitative and quantitative indicators found. In a discussion paper entitled "Road and Rail Transport Infrastructure in the Philippines: Current State, Issues, and Challenges," the state-run Philippine Institute of Development Studies said that many of the targets in the transportation sector outlined in the Philippine Development Plan for 2017 to 2021 were not met. PIDS pointed to Congressional introductions and fast-tracked executive approvals as key issues holding back the development of the country's transport system. Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/12/23/2232588/pids-grueling-commuter-experience-remains-after-build-build-build -- © Copyright Philstar 2022-12-23

In this photo taken on December 21, 2022, people take photographs in front of a Christmas-themed house in Manila. AFP / Jam Sta. Rosa MANILA, Philippines — More Filipinos are expecting Christmas to be happy this year compared to last year, according to a survey released Friday by private pollster Social Weather Stations. The poll conducted from December 10 to 14 showed that 73% of Filipino adults expect Christmas to be happy, up from 65% in 2021 but still below the 79% recorded in the year before the COVID-19 pandemic. Only 7% expect a sad Christmas, while 19% are ambivalent about the occasion. Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/12/23/2232886/sws-more-filipinos-expect-happy-christmas-they-attend-person-gatherings -- © Copyright Philstar 2022-12-23

An Australian passenger is currently in custody and awaiting a court hearing after being found in possession of 96 bullets and a disassembled firearm at Koh Samui Airport. According to a Phuket Express report, the man told authorities he “needed the items for self-defence” while travelling. Officials from Surat Thani Immigration Office say the 41 year old man, named as Mark Bassett, was taken into custody at Koh Samui Airport. Officers also confiscated 96 bullets and an item that had been disassembled into several parts and which resembles a gun. It’s understood the Australian man told arresting officers that he’d purchased the gun and bullets from a Thai man in the sub-district of Bo Phut because he needs them to protect himself while travelling overseas. Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/islands/police-arrest-australian-man-with-bullets-and-firearm-at-koh-samui-airport/ -- © Copyright Phuket GO 2022-12-23 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Police Conduct Raid on Plant of Illegal Silicone Implants SUPHAN BURI, Dec 23 (TNA) – Consumer protection police and Food and Drug Administration officials raided a plant of illegal silicone implants in Suphan Buri province and found about 43,000 items of illegal silicone implants and production equipment worth about 3.5 million baht. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1281459-police-conduct-raid-on-plant-of-illegal-silicone-implants/

SUPHAN BURI, Dec 23 (TNA) – Consumer protection police and Food and Drug Administration officials raided a plant of illegal silicone implants in Suphan Buri province and found about 43,000 items of illegal silicone implants and production equipment worth about 3.5 million baht. Its arrested owner said she had worked at a beauty clinic and then been a salesperson supplying silicone implants to beauty clinics. Later she studied the production of silicone implants by herself and produced them for supply to her old customer base. Full Story: https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-1081762 -- © Copyright Thai News Agency 2022-12-23 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Bodies of Perished Navy Officers Return to Base in Sattahip BANGKOK (NNT) - Six bodies of HTMS Sukhothai sailors were transported to their base in Sattahip district of Chonburi province on Thursday (Dec 22), while the hunt for 23 more continued for the fourth day. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1281458-bodies-of-perished-navy-officers-return-to-base-in-sattahip/

BANGKOK (NNT) - Six bodies of HTMS Sukhothai sailors were transported to their base in Sattahip district of Chonburi province on Thursday (Dec 22), while the hunt for 23 more continued for the fourth day. A Royal Thai Naval C-130 transport aircraft from Wing 5 in Prachuap Khiri Khan province landed at U-Tapao airport, with navy commander Adm Choengchai Chomchoengpaet leading a solemn ceremony to return each Navy officer to their base. Once they arrived at the destination, the coffins, covered in the national flag, were transported by convoy to the Sattahip Naval Crematorium for the royally subsidized bathing and chanting ceremonies. According to a report, Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-o-cha, who was in Songkhla, Phathalung, and Chiang Rai provinces to discuss government assistance, has also been scheduled to visit the Navy’s operations center in Prachuap Khiri Khan province to further discuss assistance and provide moral support to those affected by the incident. The HTMS Sukhothai, with 105 people on board, capsized in strong waves off Bang Saphan on Sunday evening. Four additional ships have been deployed to lead the search and rescue operations. They are focusing on regions in the Gulf of Thailand, which are believed to be the most likely locations where winds and waves carried the remaining crewmen after being ordered to evacuate the HTMS Sukhothai when it began to take on water and subsequently sank. Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG221223103614057 -- © Copyright NNT 2022-12-23 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Bangkok world’s #1 trending destination in 2022 – Airbnb Flickr/Roberto Trombetta Airbnb, the online homestay booking platform says the top trending destination in the world during 2022 was Bangkok. And for 2023, it’s still doing well, at number 5 of global trending destinations. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1281457-bangkok-world’s-1-trending-destination-in-2022-–-airbnb/

Flickr/Roberto Trombetta Airbnb, the online homestay booking platform says the top trending destination in the world during 2022 was Bangkok. And for 2023, it’s still doing well, at number 5 of global trending destinations. According to searches made on the platform during the first three quarters of 2022, Bangkok was the number 1 trending destination. The list of all global trending destinations is as follows: • Bangkok, Thailand • Sydney, Australia • Málaga, Spain • Seoul, South Korea • Melbourne, Australia • Itapema, Brazil • Angra dos Reis, Brazil • Capão da Canoa, Brazil • Auckland, New Zealand • Brisbane, Australia According to a Nation Thailand report, Airbnb searches for the first three quarters of 2023 also see Bangkok proving popular, with the Thai capital ranking at number 5. Málaga in Spain is currently at number 1, followed by Sydney at number 2, Melbourne at number 3, and Auckland, New Zealand, at number 4. Meanwhile, Amanpreet Bajaj from Airbnb says the “new normal” of remote working is creating an uptick in bookings. “In 2022, we continued to see changes in the way people live, work and travel on Airbnb. It’s clear that the newfound flexibility offered by remote and hybrid work has led to a revolution in how we travel – especially when it comes to international destinations. The re-opening of more countries this year also unlocked pent-up demand from international travellers eager to reconnect with loved ones or visit their favourite destinations once more.” Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/bangkok-worlds-1-trending-destination-in-2022-airbnb/ -- © Copyright Phuket GO 2022-12-23 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Government Introduces Combo Pass for EV Bus and Boat Services BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Transport has introduced one-fare electric cards to help Bangkok commuters save money by using electric buses and boats. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1281456-government-introduces-combo-pass-for-ev-bus-and-boat-services/

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Transport has introduced one-fare electric cards to help Bangkok commuters save money by using electric buses and boats. The one-fare electronic card, known as the Hop Card, was introduced on Thursday (Dec 22) during the "Thai Smile Happy Gift: Start to Connect" event organized by the Ministry of Transport. The event was presided over by Permanent Secretary to the Transport Ministry Chayatham Promsorn. According to Chayatham, the cards will be sold in two different packages. At the cost of 40 baht per day, the initial package provides customers with unlimited rides on electric buses inside the Thai Smile network, which services over 120 routes in Bangkok. In the second package, clients pay 50 baht daily for unlimited rides on electric buses and boats operated by Thai Smile Bus. Chayatham noted that there are currently 1,250 electric buses transporting over 10,000 passengers daily on over 120 routes. He stated that the ministry’s goal for the upcoming year is to increase the number of electric buses in Bangkok and the suburbs to 3,500 and to expand the link to electric railways to provide more access to commuters within the city. Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG221223154959187 -- © Copyright NNT 2022-12-23 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Will French serial killer “The Serpent” be extradited to Thailand? Getty Images The French serial killer Charles Sobhraj is to be released from prison in Nepal, according to a Reuters report. Sobhraj, who was charged with a series of murders in Southeast Asia during the 1960 and 70s, was the subject of a Netflix drama called The Serpent last year. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1281455-will-french-serial-killer-“the-serpent”-be-extradited-to-thailand/

Getty Images The French serial killer Charles Sobhraj is to be released from prison in Nepal, according to a Reuters report. Sobhraj, who was charged with a series of murders in Southeast Asia during the 1960 and 70s, was the subject of a Netflix drama called The Serpent last year. Now the Supreme Court in Kathmandu, Nepal, has decided to release the convicted serial killer due to his old age. He had become known as “the serpent” because of his ability to use clever disguises after he escaped an Indian prison in the mid-1980s. He had been serving 21 years for murder. He was subsequently re-captured and jailed until 1997. Following his release, he returned to France, but in 2003 was re-arrested at a casino in the Nepalese capital and charged with murdering American backpacker Connie Jo Bronzich. He has been incarcerated at a high-security prison in Kathmandu ever since. Sobhraj also became known as the “bikini killer” after the bodies of several of his victims – young, Western women – were found on a Pattaya beach, still wearing their bikinis. Sobhraj, now 78 years old, was accused of murdering more than 20 Western backpackers by drugging their food or drinks., mostly in Thailand. The authorities in Thailand issued an arrest warrant for the French national in the mid-1970s after the Pattaya beach victims were found. He was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment and has completed 19 years of his sentence. Sobhraj will take a flight out of Kathmandu only after top officials in Bangkok confirm there are no pending arrest warrants against the French serial killer in Thailand where he killed most of his victims. Thailand’s Ministry of Justice will leave it to the Government to make a call if they wish to apply for extradition. “If the Thailand government will issue a fresh warrant or drop the previous warrant.” “We are aware that most of his murders were committed in Thailand.” Meanwhile, Nepal will take Sobhraj out of the prison and keep him in isolation for 10 days to prepare his immigration papers to whichever country Sobhraj ends up being sent to. Sobhraj has already indicated to his lawyers and journalists that he could “relocate to Dubai or even South Africa”. He has not made it clear if he would return to settle in France, his country of citizenship. He has also asked his lawyers to start negotiations with publishers for a planned auto biography. The child of an affair between an Indian businessman-tailor and one of his Vietnamese shop assistants, Sobhraj had grown up in Saigon during the Vietnamese war of independence from France. Sobhraj was given a life sentence in 2004 for the killing of Connie Jo Bronzich, a 29 year old American, in 1975. He was convicted in 2014 of the 1975 murder of Laurent Carrière, a 26 year old Canadian. Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/will-french-serial-killer-the-serpent-be-extradited-to-thailand/ -- © Copyright Phuket GO 2022-12-23 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Officials launch drink driving campaign, no “4am closing” decision Wikimedia Commons The low down on this year’s celebrations – don’t drink and drive, and expect (officially) nightspots to close at 2am. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1281454-officials-launch-drink-driving-campaign-no-“4am-closing”-decision/

Wikimedia Commons The low down on this year’s celebrations – don’t drink and drive, and expect (officially) nightspots to close at 2am. The Thai authorities have launched a campaign against drink driving ahead of the end of year holiday period, while Cabinet delays (again) making a decision on extended opening hours for nightlife. According to a Bangkok Post report, the National Alcoholic Beverage Policy Committee has pledged to reduce the number of drink-driving accidents through a nationwide campaign. Meanwhile, Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha has confirmed that a proposal to extend closing time for nightlife from 2am to 4am has not been given Cabinet backing. The proposal was put forward by the Tourism Ministry in an attempt to boost the local economy in tourist destinations. A similar proposal requested extending alcohol sales from midnight to 2am and getting rid of the law that bans the sale of alcohol between the hours of 2pm and 5pm. “Many researchers have found that extended alcohol selling hours can lead to higher consumption of alcohol, which potentially results in a higher risk of violent crimes. Therefore, the National Alcoholic Beverage Policy Committee agreed to maintain the existing measures.” According to Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong from the Department of Disease Control, there were 2,707 road traffic accidents around the country between December 29 last year and January 4 this year. These resulted in 2,672 casualties and 333 deaths. Over 29% of the accidents were caused by drunk drivers. Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/officials-launch-drink-driving-campaign-no-4am-closing-decision/ -- © Copyright Phuket GO 2022-12-23 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

TAT Expects Over 3 Million Domestic Trips During New Year BANGKOK (NNT) - Around 3.14 million domestic trips in Thailand are expected during the New Year holidays, generating around 11.2 billion baht for the tourist industry. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1281453-tat-expects-over-3-million-domestic-trips-during-new-year/

BANGKOK (NNT) - Around 3.14 million domestic trips in Thailand are expected during the New Year holidays, generating around 11.2 billion baht for the tourist industry. Yuthasak Supasorn, the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), claimed that the New Year holidays would see a rise in the number of local tourists, especially in the Northern regions, where 560,380 journeys are anticipated. TAT predicts that the North, with the highest occupancy rate of 78%, will earn an income of around 2.05 billion baht, followed by the Northeast and East, with occupancy rates of 75% and 72%, earning 1.26 billion baht and 3.88 billion baht, respectively. Meanwhile, the southern region’s occupancy rates will stand at 70%, and the central region at 68%. As for the New Year countdown, TAT and business partners will hold Amazing Thailand Countdown 2023 events in 12 provinces. These festivities are estimated to attract 899,000 visitors across all countdown venues, resulting in a total revenue of 4.21 billion baht, with Bangkok expected to earn the most at 1.52 billion baht. Despite these optimistic results, the TAT Governor emphasized that domestic tourism still faces challenges, such as sluggish spending due to consumer debt, rising goods and service costs, and volatile energy prices. This means that domestic tourists would experience a 10% increase in vacation costs, causing them to shorten their holiday stays or plan shorter trips. Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG221223125126102 -- © Copyright NNT 2022-12-23 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

THAI Claims Current Revenue Approaches Pre-Covid Levels BANGKOK (NNT) - Following the tourism industry’s recovery, Thai Airways International (THAI) has reported that its monthly income is almost back to pre-pandemic levels. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1281451-thai-claims-current-revenue-approaches-pre-covid-levels/