TM28: Thai immigration scraps requirement for foreigners to report when they stay away from home for 24 hours

 

 

There is some good news for foreigners in Thailand. 

 

Thai immigration have all but scrapped the controversial TM28 change of address reporting requirement for foreigners.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149328-tm28-thai-immigration-scraps-requirement-for-foreigners-to-report-when-they-stay-away-from-home-for-24-hours/

Pattaya motorist drives into ditch, blames contractors

 

PATTAYA:--A careless driver ended up in a ditch driving through barriers into a water-pipe construction zone in Huay Yai.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149355-pattaya-motorist-drives-into-ditch-blames-contractors/

 

50 illegal street racers arrested in Pattaya

 

PATTAYA:--Banglamung police arrested 50 illegal street racers during a three-day crackdown on modified motorbikes.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149354-50-illegal-street-racers-arrested-in-pattaya/

 

Pattaya bets tourism industry on Thai families, beach sports

 

PATTAYA:--Pattaya tourism officials are betting the spring on Thai tourists and sports to make up the shortfall from the loss of Chinese tours.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149353-pattaya-bets-tourism-industry-on-thai-families-beach-sports/

 

 

Burapa Bike Week roars through quiet Pattaya

 

PATTAYA:--Tens of thousands of bikers from around the world converged upon Pattaya for the annual Burapa Bike Week.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149352-burapa-bike-week-roars-through-quiet-pattaya/

 

Slow pipes leave Pattaya water trucks awash in business

 

PATTAYA:--With water pressure running low in many areas, water suppliers are awash in business in Pattaya.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149350-slow-pipes-leave-pattaya-water-trucks-awash-in-business/

 

Shop and compare: Cost of private-hospital services goes public

By THE NATION

 

Wichai (File Photo)

 

Consumers in Thailand will by the end of the month be able to easily compare prices for medical services for the first time.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149387-shop-and-compare-cost-of-private-hospital-services-goes-public/

 

Vietnam imports may drag down Thai rice to Bt5,000 per tonne

By The Nation

 

 

Farmers in the northeast province of Kalasin have called on the government to impose penalties on the importers of rice from a neighbouring country, saying that the practice has led to price decrease in the domestic market .

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149388-vietnam-imports-may-drag-down-thai-rice-to-bt5000-per-tonne/

 

Three Thais on Diamond Princess cruise ship infected with Covid-19

The Nation

 

 

Three Thai people on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship currently in quarantine in Japan were found infected with the new coronavirus or Covid-19, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Cherdkiat Atthakorn said.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149389-three-thais-on-diamond-princess-cruise-ship-infected-with-covid-19/

 

Line shares stats on user behaviour

By The Nation

 

 

Line Thailand shared insights into user behaviour at an event in Bangkok called “Line Nexplosion” on Wednesday (February 19), aiming “to help build a new era of business”.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149390-line-thailand-shares-stats-on-user-behaviour/

 

Channel 3 plans another downsizing

By THE NATION

 

Ariya Banomyong

 

Channel 3 is planning to restructure its organisation to streamline its operations by downsizing to suit the changing market and viewer behaviour.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149391-channel-3-plans-another-downsizing/

 

Thailand to designate COVID-19 as a dangerous infectious disease

 

 

Thailand is to formally declare COVID-19 as a dangerous infectious disease because there are signs that the situation may get worse in the next two months.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149392-thailand-to-designate-covid-19-as-a-dangerous-infectious-disease/

 

Unidentified helicopter crashes on mountain in Thailand’s Rayong province

 

 

Rescue workers and fire fighters have been dispatched to a hill in Muang district of Thailand’s eastern province of Rayong on Thursday night where an unidentified helicopter has crashed.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149393-unidentified-helicopter-crashes-on-mountain-in-thailand’s-rayong-province/

 

AOT faces plunge in passengers, impact from relief measures  

By THE NATION

 

 

The total  number of passengers at the  six airports under  Airports of Thailand (AOT) might contract by 10 per cent if the novel coronavirus outbreak drags on further, said president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn on Thursday (February 20).

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149394-aot-faces-plunge-in-passengers-impact-from-relief-measures/

 

Thailand angers Malaysia in push for peace in troubled South

Sources say Bangkok marginalized Kuala Lumpur in back-channel talks with rebels

MARWAAN MACAN-MARKAR, Asia regional correspondent

 

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, left, flagged his interest in Thailand's ethnic conflict soon after returning to office in 2018. (Nikkei Montage/ Reuters) 

 

BANGKOK -- Thailand's peace offensive to end a 16-year ethnic conflict in three southern provinces has soured diplomatic ties with Malaysia, which borders the area.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149395-thailand-angers-malaysia-in-push-for-peace-in-troubled-south/

 

Chalong Underpass to close for maintenance

By The Phuket News

 

Maintenance works are due on the Chalong underpass from tomorrow (Feb 21) until Tuesday (Feb 25). Photo: Phuket Highways Office

 

PHUKET: Both lanes through the Chalong underpass will be closed from tomorrow (Feb 21) until next Tuesday (Feb 25) between the hours of 8:30pm to 3am while officers carry out maintenance works to the lighting and water drain system in the tunnel.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149396-chalong-underpass-to-close-for-maintenance/

 

Stone sentenced to 3-1/3 years, Trump signals no immediate pardon for adviser

By Sarah N. Lynch and Jan Wolfe

 

Former Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone departs after he was sentenced to three years and four months in prison for charges that include lying to Congress, obstruction of justice and witness tampering, at U.S. District Court in Washington, U.S., February 20, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal judge on Thursday sentenced President Donald Trump's long-time adviser Roger Stone to three years and four months in prison and said his lies to lawmakers investigating Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election amounted to a threat to American democracy.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149397-stone-sentenced-to-3-13-years-trump-signals-no-immediate-pardon-for-adviser/

 

Suspected shisha bar gunman published racist manifesto - German prosecutor

By Anika Ross and Edward Taylor

 

People attend a vigil for the victims of a shooting in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Germany, February 20, 2020. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

 

HANAU, Germany (Reuters) - A man suspected of shooting dead nine people in shisha bars in a German town before killing himself and his mother had posted a manifesto online including conspiracy theories and deeply racist views, prosecutors said on Thursday.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149398-suspected-shisha-bar-gunman-published-racist-manifesto-german-prosecutor/

 

Bloomberg seeks reset after rough debate debut as Democrats sprint to Super Tuesday

By Amanda Becker and Tim Reid

 

All of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Bernie Sanders, former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Amy Klobuchar, try to speak at the same time near the conclusion or the ninth Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidates debate at the Paris Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., February 19, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Blake

 

WASHINGTON/LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contenders began a frantic dash for votes on Thursday, as big-spending billionaire Michael Bloomberg sought to move past a bruising debate debut and several of his rivals jockeyed to be the moderate alternative to liberal front-runner Bernie Sanders.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149400-bloomberg-seeks-reset-after-rough-debate-debut-as-democrats-sprint-to-super-tuesday/

 

WHO says no time for complacency as China coronavirus cases fall

By Stephanie Nebehay and Kate Kelland

 

Director-General of the WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaks during the news conference on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Geneva, Switzerland February 11, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

 

GENEVA/LONDON (Reuters) - A continued decline in the number of new cases of coronavirus infections in China is encouraging, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday, while warning that infections outside the country could still spread.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149402-who-says-no-time-for-complacency-as-china-coronavirus-cases-fall/

 

South Korea city deserted after coronavirus 'super-spreads' through church

By Hyonhee Shin and Ryan Woo

 

People wearing masks as a preventive measure against the coronavirus walk at a subway station in Seoul, South Korea, February 20, 2020. REUTERS/Heo Ran

 

SEOUL/BEIJING (Reuters) - The streets of South Korea's fourth-largest city were abandoned on Thursday, with residents holed up indoors after dozens of people caught the new coronavirus in what authorities described as a "super-spreading event" at a church.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149405-south-korea-city-deserted-after-coronavirus-super-spreads-through-church/

 

Lawmakers were briefed that Russia is looking to help Trump win in 2020

By Dana Bash, Jeremy Herb and Jim Acosta, CNN

 

Washington (CNN)The intelligence community's top election security official delivered a briefing to lawmakers last week warning them that the intelligence community believes Russia is already taking steps to interfere in the 2020 election with the goal of helping President Donald Trump win, three sources familiar with the matter tell CNN.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149407-russia-is-trying-to-help-trump-win-in-2020-lawmakers-warned/

 

Outbreak will not change China's commitments to buy U.S. goods: senior U.S. official

 

FILE PHOTO: A truck carrying containers are seen near a Chinese flag at the Yangshan Deep Water Port in Shanghai, China August 6, 2019. REUTERS/Aly Song

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government expects China to honor its commitments to buy more U.S. goods under a trade deal signed by the world's two largest economies in January despite the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149411-outbreak-will-not-change-chinas-commitments-to-buy-us-goods-senior-us-official/

 

Six workers found trapped in illegal underground tobacco factory in Spain

 

A machine is pictured in an illegal underground tobacco factory during a police raid in Monda, near Malaga, in southern Spain, February 20, 2020. REUTERS/Jon Nazca

 

MONDA, Spain (Reuters) - Six workers trapped in squalid, airless conditions were rescued from an elaborate cannabis farm and counterfeit tobacco factory hidden beneath a mountain village in Spain after police arrested the suspected masterminds of the operation.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149412-six-workers-found-trapped-in-illegal-underground-tobacco-factory-in-spain/

 

Two killed as Australian train derails

 

The scene of an XPT train derailment is pictured near Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, February 21, 2020. AAP Image/David Crosling via REUTERS

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Two people were killed and 12 others were injured when an Australian interstate train derailed outside Melbourne on Thursday evening, police said.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149413-two-killed-as-australian-train-derails/

 

Branson targets younger cruise crowd with DJs, tattoos and yoga

By Kate Holton

 

FILE PHOTO: Sir Richard Branson stands on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) ahead of Virgin Galactic (SPCE) trading in New York, U.S., October 28, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British entrepreneur Richard Branson will unveil the "Scarlet Lady" on Friday, a 60,000 tonne cruise liner complete with a tattoo studio and yoga deck aimed at drawing in a younger generation of holiday-makers.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149414-branson-targets-younger-cruise-crowd-with-djs-tattoos-and-yoga/

 

Disillusionment among women, youth seen dampening Iran election turnout

By Babak Dehghanpisheh and Davide Barbuscia

 

A woman walks past parliamentary election campaign posters in Tehran, Iran February 19, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Nazanin Tabatabaee via REUTERS

 

DUBAI (Reuters) - Middle-aged men have been plastered on campaign posters and online adverts this week ahead of Iran's parliamentary election, even though women and young people make up the majority of voters.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149415-disillusionment-among-women-youth-seen-dampening-iran-election-turnout/

 

UPDATE:

 

U.S. intelligence told lawmakers of Russian bid to boost Trump re-election - source

By Jonathan Landay

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump holds a campaign rally in Phoenix, Arizona, February 19, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence officials told lawmakers last week that Russia is interfering in the 2020 election campaign by aiming to cast doubt on the integrity of the vote and boost President Donald Trump's re-election, a person familiar with the briefing said on Thursday.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149407-russia-is-trying-to-help-trump-win-in-2020-lawmakers-warned/?do=findComment&comment=15081270

 

Two passengers from coronavirus-hit cruise ship in Japan die, authorities defend quarantine

By Linda Sieg and Chang-Ran Kim

 

Workers load luggage into a bus as a second group of passengers from the coronavirus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship disembark in Yokohama Port, south of Tokyo, Japan, February 20, 2020. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

 

TOKYO (Reuters) - Two elderly passengers became the first people from aboard a cruise ship moored near Tokyo to die of the coronavirus, the Japanese government said on Thursday, as hundreds more passengers disembarked after two weeks' quarantine.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149417-two-passengers-from-coronavirus-hit-cruise-ship-in-japan-die-authorities-defend-quarantine/

 

Romance scam: Three small fish arrested but the sharks behind are a Thai woman and "foreign husband"

 

Picture: INN

 

Immigration chief Lt-Gen Sompong Chingduang appeared at a press conference flanked by immigration officers from Songkhla and five heavily armed commandos.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1149423-romance-scam-three-small-fish-arrested-but-the-sharks-behind-are-a-thai-woman-and-foreign-husband/