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New cyberlaw ripe for abuse, activists warn

By KAS CHANWANPEN, 
ASINA PORNWASIN 
THE NATION

 

File photo // AFP PHOTO

 

Election candidates urged to push for changes to prevent misuse by officials.

 

RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS and activists have red-flagged the recently approved cybersecurity law and are urging candidates in the March 24 election to push for amendments to narrow its interpretation and guard against infringements on freedom of expression and freedom of privacy.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087441-new-cyberlaw-ripe-for-abuse-activists-warn/

 

Old habits return in election campaigning

By JINTANA PANYAARVUDH 
THE NATION

 

A Thai pedestrian walks past electoral campaign posters installed next to an army tank outside the 2nd Cavalry Division King's Guard in Bangkok, Thailand, 14 February 2019. // EPA-EFE PHOTO

 

Campagining ahead of the March 24 election is getting livelier – and a little too heated in the view of some observers. 

 

The old habit of rivals slinging mud at one another has revived in several constituencies, prompting critics to raise concerns about the quality of the view of some observers. 

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087442-old-habits-return-in-election-campaigning/

 

E-cigarette users urge quick solution after tourist’s bribery accusation

By THE NATION

 

File photo : Photo courtesy of Patchilit Ruangsri

 

A NETWORK of e-cigarette users has called on the authorities to quickly come up with appropriate solutions to regulate e-cigarettes in order to protect the country’s image among foreign tourists.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087443-e-cigarette-users-urge-quick-solution-after-tourist’s-bribery-accusation/

 

Parents urged to monitor children’s online activities amid ‘Momo’ scare

By THE NATION

 

 

THE MENTAL HEALTH Department (MHD) has urged parents to closely monitor their children’s online activities, especially in the wake of scary “Momo Challenge” reports.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087444-parents-urged-to-monitor-children’s-online-activities-amid-‘momo’-scare/

 

Economics professor accuses parties of wooing voters with dream populist policies

 

 

All political parties contesting the March-24 election are engaged in selling “dream” populist policies to woo voters without clarifying how they will fund these policies, said Mr.Narong Petprasert, a lecturer in political economics at Chulalongkorn University.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087446-economics-professor accuses parties of wooing-voters-with-dream-populist-policies/

 

Five metre king cobra caught in Kathu

By Kritsada Mueanhawong

 

PHOTOS: Pannakorn Pongpao/Kathu Rescue Foundation/Kusoldharm Rescue Foundation

 

A five metre king cobra has been caught at a worker’s house in Kathu.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087447-five-metre-king-cobra-caught-in-kathu/

 

Phuket airport taxi driver in deadly wipeout still free to roam

By Waranya Prompinpiras

 

The scene of the wipeout accident on Oct 30 last year. Photo: Seang Prachachon Kon Phuket / Facebook

 

PHUKET: Four months after a Phuket airport taxi driver wiped out six cars and a motorbike, killing the motorbike driver in the process, while bringing a tourist from the airport, police still have yet to hand the case to the Phuket Public Prosecutor’s office to bring the charge to court.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087448-phuket-airport-taxi-driver-in-deadly-wipeout-still-free-to-roam/

 

Waste-to-energy ‘an environmental hazard’

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION

 

File photo: Waste-to-energy power plants

 

ACADEMICS have urged the authorities to slow down their large-scale waste-to-energy development policy, as it could severely harm the country’s environment and people’s health.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087449-waste-to-energy-c‘an-environmental-hazard’/

 

UN for first time places day’s focus on threats to undersea ecosystem

By Pratch Rujivanarom 
The Nation

 

File photo

 

THE UNITED NATIONS has identified over-fishing and islands of plastic pollution as the major threats not only to ocean biodiversity but also to the livelihoods of billions of people who rely on bountiful seas.
 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087450-un-for-first-time-places-day’s-focus-on-threats-to-undersea-ecosystem/

 

Chiang Mai kids hoist anti-smog flag, demanding action

By Chularat Saengpassa 
The Nation

 

Photo Courtesy of Pharadon Phonamnuai's Facebook page

 

Children and their parents in smog-choked Chiang Mai have issued a new Facebook challenge with the hashtag #CleanAirAct in which people have their photos taken with an “anti-PM2.5 dust” flag and post the pictures online to demand action.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087451-chiang-mai-kids-hoist-anti-smog-flag-demanding-action/

 

Rangers, militant trade fire again in Narathiwat

By Narong Nuansakul 
The Nation

 

Photo courtesy of Rungrot Kongpiban

 

Paramilitary rangers clashed with suspected insurgents in Narathiwat on Sunday morning but the 30-minute gunfight ended with no reported injuries.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087452-rangers-militant-trade-fire-again-in-narathiwat/

 

Hundreds take part in event, pushing tourism, environment and philanthropy

By Rachanon Intharagsa 
The Nation

 

 

Hundreds of cyclists took part in a 32-kilometre ride in Samut Prakan province on Sunday morning.

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087453-hundreds-take-part-in-event-pushing-tourism-environment-and-philanthropy/

 

UPDATE:

 

Bodies of Thai tourists to be brought back from Laos this week

By The Nation

 

 

The relatives of five Thai tourists who died in a car accident on March 1 during their visit to Laos have contacted Laotian authorities to take their bodies home for religious rites later this week.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087327-five-thais-die-after-car-plunged-into-ravine-in-northern-laos/?do=findComment&comment=13901918

 

UPDATE:

 

Chinese resurgence, Russian stability feature in tourist arrivals for the start of 2019

By The Thaiger

 

 

The Chinese returned in numbers at the start of 2019 giving the Land of Smiles a spectacular start for the year with a total of 3.7 million visitors in January 2019. This was a nearly 5% rise in total tourist numbers from the same month last year.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087206-russians-chinese-lead-foreign-arrivals-to-thailand/page/5/?tab=comments#comment-13901927

 

Truckload of pangolins intercepted in Prachuap

By Piyarat Nildee 
The Nation

 

 

Police early Sunday morning seized 76 live pangolins – estimated combined retail value overseas Bt10 million – from a smuggler in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087454-truckload-of-pangolins-intercepted-in-prachuap/

 

Hot pursuit nets a million meth pills in Chiang Rai

By Natthawat Laping 
The Nation

 

 

Soldiers of the Pha Muang taskforce found one million methamphetamine pills in a pickup truck abandoned in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district following a chase on Saturday night.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087455-hot-pursuit-nets-a-million-meth-pills-in-chiang-rai/

 

Ten injured as Krabi-bound bus flips

By Piyarat Nildee 
The Nation

 

Photo courtesy of Pu Dum News

 

Ten people were injured early Sunday morning, four critically, when the driver of their Bangkok-Krabi bus lost control and the vehicle rolled into a ditch on the Phetchakasem Highway in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087456-ten-injured-as-krabi-bound-bus-flips/

 

Driver slams sedan into bedroom of house killing baby and injuring others

By The Thaiger

 

PHOTO: Facebook / Ake Srisuwan

 

A couple’s one year old son died and three family members were injured after a car slammed into the bedroom on the lower floor in the main city district of Pathum Thani early Saturday. The incident happened in Tambon Ban Mai around 2.30am. Pathum Thani is the province just north of Bangkok.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087459-driver-slams-sedan-into-bedroom-of-house-killing-baby-and-injuring-others/

 

The Koh Samui tunnel – “it definitely had all the proper documentation”

By The Thaiger

 

 

The 84 metre tunnel, rediscovered last week by a foreign tourist visiting the north of Koh Samui, is starting to reveal more of its secrets.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087460-the-koh-samui-tunnel-–-“it-definitely-had-all-the-proper-documentation”/

 

Mentally ill man sets four houses on fire

By Surasak Limseub 
The Nation

 

 

A 30-year-old Thai man, suffering from a mental health problem triggered by a previous habit of drug abuse, burned down his own home and three other neighbouring houses of his relatives in Ang Thong province early on Sunday.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087461-mentally-ill-man-sets-four-houses-on-fire-in-ang-thong/

 

Huawei CFO suing Canada over December arrest

 

FILE PHOTO: Meng Wanzhou, Executive Board Director of the Chinese technology giant Huawei, attends a session of the VTB Capital Investment Forum "Russia Calling!" in Moscow, Russia October 2, 2014. REUTERS/Alexander Bibik/File Photo/File Photo

 

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The lawyers for Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou are suing the Canadian government, its border agency and federal police, alleging their client was detained, searched and interrogated for three hours in violation of her constitutional rights.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087462-huawei-cfo-suing-canada-over-december-arrest/

 

U.S. House panel launches probe into possible obstruction by Trump

By Tim Ahmann

 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) annual meeting at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, U.S., March 2, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House Judiciary Committee will seek documents from more than 60 people and organizations as it begins investigations into possible obstruction of justice and abuse of power by President Donald Trump, the panel's chairman said on Sunday.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087463-us-house-panel-launches-probe-into-possible-obstruction-by-trump/

 

Democrats may have votes to block Trump's border emergency in U.S. Senate

 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) annual meeting at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, U.S., March 2, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Senator Rand Paul said he would vote in favour of a resolution to end President Donald Trump's U.S.-Mexico border emergency declaration, according to a media report, likely giving Democrats the votes to pass the measure in the Senate.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087464-democrats-may-have-votes-to-block-trumps-border-emergency-in-us-senate/

 

Irish PM sees Brexit extension to June as 'very likely' - Sunday Independent

 

Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar speaks at a European Financial Forum event in Dublin, Ireland February 13, 2019. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File Photo

 

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has told Cabinet colleagues that a delay of Britain's exit date from the European Union from March 29 to June is "very likely", Ireland's Sunday Independent quoted an unnamed minister as saying.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087465-irish-pm-sees brexit extension-to-june-as-very-likely-sunday-independent/

 

Algeria's Bouteflika offers to leave within one year if re-elected - Ennahar TV

By Lamine Chikhi and Hamid Ould Ahmed

 

Demonstrators stand on the Monument to the Republic during a protest against Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika seeking a fifth term in a presidential election set for April 18, in Paris, France, March 3, 2019. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

 

ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, facing mass protests over his 20 years in power, will run in April's elections, his campaign manager said on Sunday, with Ennahar TV saying he had offered to step down after a year if re-elected.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087466-algerias-bouteflika-offers-to-leave-within-one-year-if-re-elected-ennahar-tv/

 

Man arrested at Manchester Airport had been in Thailand to try and get a film of his life made

Richard Parry of Lombard Street, Porthmadog, told police had friends in showbusiness in the country when he was apprehended

ByDerek Bellis

 

Terminal 3, Manchester Airport (Image: Dominic Salter)

 

A man who was arrested at an airport when he touched down in the UK told police he had been in Thailand because he wanted to make a movie of his life.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087467-man-arrested-at-manchester-airport-had-been-in-thailand-to-try-and-get-a-film-of-his-life-made/

U.S. Palestinian mission in Jerusalem to merge with Israel embassy on Monday

By Matt Spetalnick

 

FILE PHOTO: A worker hangs a road sign directing to the U.S. embassy, in the area of the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem, May 7, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. consulate in Jerusalem, which serves Palestinians, will be absorbed into the new U.S. Embassy to Israel on Monday, the State Department said, a planned merger that has angered Palestinian leadership.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087470-us-palestinian-mission-in-jerusalem-to-merge-with-israel-embassy-on-monday/

 

Big Joke: E-cigarettes are bad for you and they are illegal

 

 

Immigration chief Lt-Gen Surachate Hakparn has responded forcefully to the use of e-cigarettes in Thailand.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087471-big-joke-e-cigarettes-are-bad-for-you-and-they-are-illegal/

 

Krabi: Boy, 12, strangled to death while playing on a makeshift swing

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Daily News reported that a twelve year old boy died after putting his head in fish netting holding up a motorcycle tire used as a child's swing. 

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1087472-krabi-boy-12-strangled-to-death-while-playing-on-a-makeshift-swing/