Alphabet comes before Apple as world’s most valuable company
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS



SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Alphabet now comes before Apple atop the list of the world’s most valuable companies.

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/alphabet-comes-before-apple-as-worlds-most-valuable-company/13691/

Microsoft’s Mimicker Alarm Clock app will make sure you wake up in the morning
BY STAFF WRITER



The sound of your alarm clock going off every morning is met with different responses from different people some people jump out of bed as bright as a button, others quite simply hate mornings and the majority of us probably fall into this category.

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/microsofts-mimicker-alarm-clock-app-will-make-sure-you-wake-up-in-the-morning/13684/

Germany hands out swimming pool etiquette guides after sexual harassment reports against migrants
By Our Foreign Staff

Leaflets of instructional cartoons handed out at German swimming pools after reports of women being groped by migrants

BERLIN: -- German authorities have produced an instructional leaflet of swimming pool etiquette following reports that dozens of women were groped by migrants.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891555-germany-hands-out-swimming-pool-etiquette-guides-after-sexual-harassment-reports-against-migrants/

New smart phone app developed to guide tourists in Pattaya



CHONBURI, 2 February 2016 (NNT)-Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) has launched a mobile application 'Smart Pattaya' that tells users where popular tourist sites are in Pattaya and how to get there.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891562-new-smart-phone-app-developed-to-guide-tourists-in-pattaya/

UPDATE:

US elections 2016: Voting begins in US presidential race

(BBC)The nationwide process of selecting candidates to run in November's US presidential race is under way in the state of Iowa.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891543-game-on-iowa-caucuses-kick-off-2016-presidential-election/#entry10376705

Early counting shows tight race between Cruz and Trump; narrow lead for Clinton. /CNN

MOPH to increase collaboration between hospitals and medical schools



BANGKOK, 2 February 2016 (NNT) - The Ministry of Public Health has pushed for greater collaboration between public hospitals and medical schools in order to provide more effective medical coverage to the public.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891566-thai-health-min-to-increase-collaboration-between-hospitals-and-medical-schools/

Many arrests in Thai seafood industry crackdown, say police

BANGKOK: -- More than 100 people have been arrested in the months since a crackdown began on abuses in Thailand's multi-billion dollar seafood industry, officials say.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891568-many-arrests-in-thai-seafood-industry-crackdown-say-police/

Adele: Donald Trump 'had no permission' to use music
By Mark Savage

LONDON: -- Pop star Adele has issued a statement to distance herself from Donald Trump, after he used her music at his rallies.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891569-adele-donald-trump-had-no-permission-to-use-music/

Landmark deal to protect Canada Great Bear Rainforest

(BBC)Indigenous tribes, timber firms and environmental groups in western Canada have welcomed a deal to protect one of the world's largest remaining tracts of temperate rainforest.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891570-landmark-deal-to-protect-canada-great-bear-rainforest/

America's voting system is crazy -- here's what you need to know
By Chris Moody, CNN

(CNN)It may be a long, raucous and rambling road to the White House, but choosing the next American president is anything but simple.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891571-americas-voting-system-is-crazy-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

Indonesia misses target of 10m foreign tourist in 2015



JAKARTA: -- Indonesia last year attracted 9.73 million foreign tourists, missing its target to welcome at least 10 million, despite various promotion attempts, The Jakarta Globe reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891572-indonesia-misses-target-of-10m-foreign-tourist-in-2015/

US signs $30m grant for environmental projects in Indonesia



BANGKOK: -- The United States, through its foreign aid agency Millennium Challenge Corporation, recently pledged a total of $30 million for two projects which aim to help restore and protect Indonesia's peat land areas in light of last year's fire and haze crisis, The Jakarta Globe reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891574-us-signs-30m-grant-for-environmental-projects-in-indonesia/

Laos, Thailand charity football match raises nearly 200 mil kip



VIENTIANE: -- A charity football match between Thailand's Buriram United and Lao Premier League All Stars to raise funds for the construction of a school dormitory in Phongsaly Province has raised over 189 million kip (over US$23,000), according to Lao News Agency.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891576-laos-thailand-charity-football-match-raises-nearly-200-mil-kip/

Health Ministry raises alarm over dengue outbreak

KUALA LUMPUR: -- Malaysia's Health Ministry has raised the alarm about dengue outbreak, urging the people and agencies to act urgently to put in place measures to contain the situation before it worsens, New Straits Times reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891580-malaysias-health-ministry-raises-alarm-over-dengue-outbreak/

Tan Son Nhat Airport under strain as overseas Vietnamese return home for Tet



HO CHI MINH CITY: -- Predictions of serious overloading at Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat Airport are starting to come true as a large number of overseas Vietnamese begin to fly home for the Lunar New Year, Thanh Nien News reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891581-tan-son-nhat-airport-under-strain-as-overseas-vietnamese-return-home-for-tet/

SET up 0.79 point at opening /Bangkok Post

Myanmar's NLD takes their seats



Naypyidaw: -- Myanmar's National League for Democracy MPs finally took their seats in parliament as the ruling party on Monday after a long wait - nearly three months since the Nov 8 election victory and decades of being kept on the sidelines by military control, The Myanmar Times reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891583-myanmars-nld-takes-their-seats/

Treasury to mint commemorative coins highlighting King and elephants



BANGKOK: -- The Treasury Department says it will be issuing official souvenir coins under the theme "Thai Wildlife: Elephant, Thailand" featuring King Bhumibol and mother and baby elephants.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891584-thai-treasury-to-mint-commemorative-coins-highlighting-king-and-elephants/

Nairobi's taxi drivers turn to violence to halt Uber
PROF. DR. WOLFGANG H. THOME, ETN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT

NAIROBI: -- Reports from Nairobi yesterday spoke of an outbreak of clashes between regular taxi drivers and drivers of Uber cabs in a turf war clearly getting out of hand.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891586-nairobis-taxi-drivers-turn-to-violence-to-halt-uber/

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Texas Sen. Ted Cruz wins the Republican caucuses in Iowa.

Turnbull weighs up election options
AAP

MELBOURNE: -- MALCOLM Turnbull has told coalition colleagues a double-dissolution election is a "live option".

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891608-australias-turnbull-weighs-up-election-options/

The Latest: Cruz declared winner in Iowa caucuses

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The latest on developments in Monday's Iowa caucuses, the opening contest in the 2016 race for the White House (all local times):

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891543-game-on-iowa-caucuses-kick-off-2016-presidential-election/#entry10377132

UPDATE:

Inflation rate falls for 13 consecutive months



BANGKOK: -- Inflation rate fell 0.53 per cent in January to stood at 105.46, the Trade Policy and Strategy Office said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891357-thailand-13-straight-months-of-negative-inflation/page-2#entry10377159

Inter provincial bus fare to be reduced 3 satang per kilometre



BANGKOK: -- Pool bus operators and the Transport Company have agreed to lower inter-provincial bus fare by 3 satang per kilometer effective from the middle of this month in line with the declining diesel price.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891609-inter-provincial-bus-fare-to-be-reduced-3-satang-per-kilometre/

UPDATE:

Australian official says PM is considering an early election
ROD McGUIRK, Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An official says Australia's prime minister has told government colleagues that an early general election within weeks is "a live option."

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891608-australias-turnbull-weighs-up-election-options/#entry10377234

Apple to start testing virtual reality, claims new report
BY STAFF WRITER



Whether we like it or not, virtual reality is here and there is little prospect of it going away and quite frankly would we want it to?

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/apple-to-start-testing-virtual-reality-claims-new-report/13687/

UPDATE:

Cruz defeats Trump in Iowa; Clinton, Sanders in tight race

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Ted Cruz, a fiery, conservative Texas senator loathed by his own party's leaders, swept to victory in Iowa's Republican caucuses Monday, overcoming billionaire Donald Trump and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. Among Democrats, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders were deadlocked in a tight race.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891543-game-on-iowa-caucuses-kick-off-2016-presidential-election/#entry10377254

Phuket streets light up for Chinese New Year Lantern Festival
Suthicha Sirirat


Traditional Chinese lanterns adorn homes and streets through Phuket Town ahead of the Chinese New Year Lantern Festival beginning tonight (Feb 2). Photo: Suthicha Sirirat

PHUKET: -- Traditional Chinese lanterns now line the streets from the heart of Phuket Old Town all the way south to the Wichit Municipality main office ahead of the official launch of the Lantern Festival tonight (Feb 2).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891612-phuket-streets-light-up-for-chinese-new-year-lantern-festival/

9 of Thailand's most beautiful destinations (that you don't know about yet)
STAFF WRITER



BANGKOK: -- It’s easy to think of a holiday in Thailand as nothing more than a journey on one of the world’s most well-traveled paths.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/891614-9-of-thailands-most-beautiful-destinations-that-you-dont-know-about-yet/