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House Panel To Check If Thaksin Got More Privileges Than Others At Hospital By Thai Newsroom Reporters De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra with his daughter and Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Photo: Thai Rath MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE Committee on Police Affairs are scheduled to see on Friday whether de facto Pheu Thai boss-cum-convict at large Thaksin Shinawatra may have been given more privileges than others at Police Hospital. House committee chair Chaichana Dejdecho confirmed today (Jan.10) that he and other members of his panel are asking for a brief visit to the “sickly” Thaksin alongside other convicts currently admitted for medical treatment at Police Hospital and see if the de facto Pheu Thai boss-cum-convict at large may have been allegedly given excessive privileges, unprovided for others. The House committee chair said Police Hospital has already given him and his fellow committee members permission to visit the deposed prime minister and other convicts at the hospital on the upcoming Friday whilst the Corrections Department which is directly in charge of Thaksin’s case has not yet given a response. The House committee members have apparently intended to see the “sickly” Thaksin in person since he was admitted in a tight-security, private ward at Police Hospital and has been staying there for four and a half months now but it will eventually depend on the doctors in charge to decide if the visitors can do so as planned, the House committee chair said. Full story: THAI NEWSROOM 2024-01-11 - 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. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

to continue: Thailand Live Thursday 11 January 2024 https://aseannow.com/topic/1316742-thailand-live-thursday-11-january-2024/

Thai deputy PM calls for stricter nightclub regulations after minor scandal Photo courtesy of MGR Online Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, is set to enforce stricter regulations on night entertainment venues following an early morning raid on a nightclub in Pathum Thani on January 7, which resulted in the apprehension of 489 minors. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1316713-thai-deputy-pm-calls-for-stricter-nightclub-regulations-after-minor-scandal/

Members of the House Police Affairs Committee will visit the Police General Hospital this Friday to confirm whether convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is still there, after the committee received permission to visit the hospital. House police affairs panel to visit Police Hospital this Friday Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1316724-house-police-affairs-panel-to-visit-police-hospital-this-friday/

11 sectors and activities recognised as part of Thailand’s soft power The National Soft Power Strategy Committee has recognised 11 sectors and activities for promotion as elements of Thailand’s soft power. It has also approved a 3 billion baht budget to support Thai film producers’ participation in three international film festivals. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1316696-11-sectors-and-activities-recognised-as-part-of-thailand’s-soft-power/

The National Soft Power Strategy Committee has recognised 11 sectors and activities for promotion as elements of Thailand’s soft power. It has also approved a 3 billion baht budget to support Thai film producers’ participation in three international film festivals. The sectors and activities include festivals, tourism, food, arts, design, sports, music, books, films, performances, TV series, fashions and games. At its first meeting at Government House on Tuesday, chaired by Prime Minister Minister Srettha Thavisin, the committee also approved, in principle, the holding of a nation-wide “Maha Songkran World Water Festival” in April this year to promote tourism, according to Government Spokesman Chai Wacharonke. He said that, during the meeting, the prime minister made observations about the size of the proposed budget for soft power promotion and instructed agencies concerned to make sure that the money is spent efficiently. Full story: Thai PBS 2024-01-10 - 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. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

PM Srettha aims for “zero” school dropout Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said today he will on this Saturday unveil his government’s plan to address the worsening problems of Thailand’s education inequality. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1316695-pm-srettha-aims-for-“zero”-school-dropout/

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said today he will on this Saturday unveil his government’s plan to address the worsening problems of Thailand’s education inequality. He said the goal is to bring down the number of Thai children denied education opportunity to “zero”. In his post on X, the prime minister said one of the first things he did upon taking office last year was to order government agencies concerned to integrate their collection of data on students who have dropped out of the education system. He said the agencies include the Fund for Education Equality, Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and the Ministry of Interior which have been instructed to set up Thailand’s first big database addressing the issue of school dropouts. Picture: Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin Full story: Thai PBS 2024-01-10 - 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. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Thai PM denies hold up with digital wallet plan by Puntid Tantivangphaisal Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post The government remains undeterred as it stands firm on its 10,000-baht digital wallet scheme, scheduled for a May launch, despite legal challenges. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1316694-thai-pm-denies-hold-up-with-digital-wallet-plan/

The government remains undeterred as it stands firm on its 10,000-baht digital wallet scheme, scheduled for a May launch, despite legal challenges. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin promised a consensus after seeking opinions from key players. “We stand by the original timeframe.” The Council of State recently weighed in on the legality of the government’s plan to borrow a hefty 500 billion baht to finance the scheme. “The Council of State did not say whether the government’s loan bill to fund the handout is legally viable. We have to listen to various opinions.” However, critics demanding transparency on the Council’s opinions were met with a cryptic response. The 61 year old Thai PM insisted that the opinions would be revealed at an appropriate time, adding to the intrigue surrounding the controversial financial manoeuvre. by Puntid Tantivangphaisal Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post Full story: The Thaiger 2024-01-10 - 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. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Thai university dean accused of pampering stray cats with public resources by Samantha Rose Photo courtesy of Watch Dog A recent social media post by the Home Guard Dog Operation Facebook page stirred up controversy after accusing a female dean of bringing her four cats to live at the Communication Technology Faculty, Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1316690-thai-university-dean-accused-of-pampering-stray-cats-with-public-resources/

A recent social media post by the Home Guard Dog Operation Facebook page stirred up controversy after accusing a female dean of bringing her four cats to live at the Communication Technology Faculty, Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon. The post claimed the dean had her pets living luxuriously, using public electricity, and assigned the building’s staff to care for them, even relocating the public relations department to her office. The post triggered a wave of sympathy for the cats among social media users, who called for justice for the cats. The story was picked up by the morning news, reporting that Associate Professor Dr Wichaporn Thiapchatturat, the dean, claimed that the cats were strays she found at the Ministry of Education. The security staff asked her to care for the newborn kittens, which were at risk of being eaten by reptiles. Initially, the staff took turns caring for the kittens at the faculty and their homes. Fearing that the campus’s 3-4 metre long python would eat the kittens, she relocated them to the first-floor public relations room – a closed room awaiting renovation to be transformed into a student activity room or common space. The accusation of relocating the public relations department to her office was a misunderstanding. Dr Wichaporn clarified that the staff had been relocated to the dean’s office on the third floor months before the cats were moved in. by Samantha Rose Photo courtesy of Watch Dog Full story: The Thaiger 2024-01-10 - 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. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Over 600,000 foreign tourists arrive in Thailand on first week of 2024 By Peter Roche FILE PHOTO Thailand has welcomed over 600,000 foreign visitors during the first week of 2024, with the Chinese topping the list for the first week of the year. According Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1316689-over-600000-foreign-tourists-arrive-in-thailand-on-first-week-of-2024/

Thailand has welcomed over 600,000 foreign visitors during the first week of 2024, with the Chinese topping the list for the first week of the year. According to a Nation Thailand report, Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, Thailand’s tourism minister, says a total of 605,537 have arrived in the kingdom in the period January 1 – 7. But this figure is a drop of 23.3% compared to the last week of December 2023. She says this is due to the New Year holiday period being over, resulting in a drop in visitors from all of Thailand’s tourism markets. During the first week of the year, the top nationalities arriving in the kingdom were the Chinese, the Malaysians, the Russians, South Koreans and Indians. By Peter Roche FILE PHOTO Full story: PhuketGO 2024-01-10 - 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. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Warning issued against driver’s license scam on social media By Online Reporter You might have seen this posted on Facebook – but (spoiler alert) you absolutely can’t get a legal driver’s license in Thailand by messaging someone on the LINE app and having them take the test for you. The Royal Thai Police are cautioning the public about an ongoing scam involving the fraudulent issuance of driver’s licenses, which has been advertised on social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1316685-warning-issued-against-driver’s-license-scam-on-social-media/

You might have seen this posted on Facebook – but (spoiler alert) you absolutely can’t get a legal driver’s license in Thailand by messaging someone on the LINE app and having them take the test for you. The Royal Thai Police are cautioning the public about an ongoing scam involving the fraudulent issuance of driver’s licenses, which has been advertised on social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok. Posts for the scam are frequently made on Facebook both in Thai and English. Throughout December, Hua Hin Today observed a spike in these posts being made across many Facebook groups for Hua Hin and the surrounding area. According to the police, these scammers claim they can provide driver’s licenses without the standard test required by the Department of Land Transport (DLT). By Online Reporter Full story: HUA HIN TODAY 2024-01-10 - 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. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Phuket motorbike drivers demand compensation after drunken crash By Peter Roche PHOTO: Screengrab from Facebook/Phuket Times ภูเก็ตไทม์ Motorbike drivers in Phuket whose parked bikes were damaged when a drunk driver ploughed into them are urging police to accelerate action against the driver. Some drivers claim they haven’t been able to work since the incident and have suffered financial hardship as a result. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1316683-phuket-motorbike-drivers-demand-compensation-after-drunken-crash/

Motorbike drivers in Phuket whose parked bikes were damaged when a drunk driver ploughed into them are urging police to accelerate action against the driver. Some drivers claim they haven’t been able to work since the incident and have suffered financial hardship as a result. The Phuket News reports that at around 3.20am on December 28, a pickup truck ploughed into several bikes that were parked outside a Supercheap store in Bandon, in the northern district of Thalang. Nine bikes in total were damaged… fortunately no one was injured. It’s understood the truck driver tried to flee the scene but was blocked by some of the bikes he had knocked over. When the police arrived, he was breathalysed and found to be over the alcohol limit. He has been named as 48 year old Damrong Bunphong and has been charged with drunk driving and damaging private property. By Peter Roche PHOTO: Screengrab from Facebook/Phuket Times ภูเก็ตไทม์ Full story: PhuketGO 2024-01-10 - 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. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Family bloodbath in Nong Ruea: Stepson shoots family over marital dispute by Nattapong Westwood PHOTO: via FOX news A brutal domestic dispute in Nong Ruea, Maha Sarakham, yesterday, resulted in five severely injured family members. The family’s stepson, 37 years old Piyanat, allegedly attacked his wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, and aunt with an air rifle, after his request for an additional wife was denied. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1316681-family-bloodbath-in-nong-ruea-stepson-shoots-family-over-marital-dispute/

A brutal domestic dispute in Nong Ruea, Maha Sarakham, yesterday, resulted in five severely injured family members. The family’s stepson, 37 years old Piyanat, allegedly attacked his wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, and aunt with an air rifle, after his request for an additional wife was denied. The conflict reportedly began after Piyanat and his 39 year old wife, Yupawadee, had disagreed over ending their marriage. Piyanat, who already had another woman in his life, had been living separately from his wife over the past couple of months. Tensions escalated when Piyanat came home drunk and demanded to stay at the marital home. Piyanat allegedly opened fire on his family when access to the house was refused, injuring all present. The injured, including Piyanat himself who had been stabbed in the head during the melee, were taken to Nong Ruea hospital before being transferred to Maha Sarakham Hospital for further treatment. The extent of the injuries varied, with Yuphawadee and Piyanat’s aunt being the most critically injured, both of whom were awaiting surgery at the time of reporting. by Nattapong Westwood PHOTO: via FOX news Full story: The Thaiger 2024-01-10 - 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. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Korat’s iconic wooden bridge damaged in field fire, restoration underway by Nattapong Westwood Photo courtesy of Khao Sod The century-old wooden bridge in Nakhon Ratchasima, a popular vintage tourist spot, suffered significant damage following a field fire. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1316678-korat’s-iconic-wooden-bridge-damaged-in-field-fire-restoration-underway/

The century-old wooden bridge in Nakhon Ratchasima, a popular vintage tourist spot, suffered significant damage following a field fire. The incident has prompted the village headman to pursue legal action against the person responsible for starting the fire, while also rushing to restore the bridge for usage. Laiyad Hakratok, the headman of Khok Krachai district, along with Panya Yaemkratok, the village chief of Khok Krachai Moo 1, led Uthai Nunun, an agricultural officer of Khon Buri, and Prachak Padkraburi, the district’s governing officer, inspected the damage today, January 10. The popular tourist attraction in Nakhon Ratchasima province had been ravaged by a fire started by farmers in a nearby rice field, which had spread to the historic wooden bridge, causing it to break in several places. This has made the bridge unusable for locals and tourists alike, not to mention the loss of its aesthetic beauty. Upon detailed inspection, it was discovered that the bridge had broken in a total of seven places and that over 10 plots of farmers’ fields, which had already been harvested, were also affected by the fire. by Nattapong Westwood Photo courtesy of Khao Sod Full story: The Thaiger 2024-01-10 - 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. Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

'Bodies in the boxes' murders, 'Weed Bill' won't affect tourism - Tim Newton Today - Jan 10 Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1316677-bodies-in-the-boxes-murders-weed-bill-wont-affect-tourism-tim-newton-today-jan-10/

Thailand news - Two bodies have been found in a pond in far north east Thailand, each containing a body, confusion over extension of visa waivers for some countries, stakeholders don't believe that the new 'Weed Bill' will dent Thailand's tourist numbers, tourism arrivals in Thailand for the past few weeks, Thai Airways flights from Perth, Australia, and All Nippon Air has Asia's best On Time Performance. Plus an iPhone survives a 16,000 foot drop from an Alaska Air flight. Tim Newton Today is a daily take on Thai and regional news and issues of interest to expats and foreign tourists.

Chinese tourists search for new experiences in Thailand by Puntid Tantivangphaisal Photo courtesy of Invest Bangkok Property Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) reveals that travel trends of Chinese tourists have shifted, no longer visiting Thailand in large tour groups. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1316675-chinese-tourists-search-for-new-experiences-in-thailand/