German couple injured as motorbike slams into Phuket tour bus

Eakkapop Thongtub

Both the German man driving the motorbike and his female passenger escaped serious injury. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: A German man and woman were taken to hospital this morning (Feb 5) after the motorbike they were riding crashed into the back of the tour bus in Rawai.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa....huket-tour-bus/

National Reform Steering Assembly to deliberate draft charter during Feb 8-9

Kitti Cheevasittiyanon

BANGKOK, 5 February 2016 (NNT) – The National Reform Steering Assembly will hold a two-day session to deliberate the draft constitution next week before submitting their opinions to the charter drafters later.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892726-national-reform-steering-assembly-to-deliberate-draft-charter-during-feb-8-9/

National Legislative Assembly approves teen pregnancy act

Vipaporn Pooritanasarn

BANGKOK, 5 February 2016 (NNT) – The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has approved a bill aimed at preventing and finding solutions to the teen pregnancy problem.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892727-national-legislative-assembly-approves-teen-pregnancy-act/

True Move H asks police to investigate complaints that calls to its call centre intentionally disrupted

BANGKOK: The Consumers Protection Police Division was today (Friday) asked by True Move H Universal Communications Company (True Move) to investigate numerous complaints from its customers that their calls to the company’s call centre have been blocked, disrupted, intercepted or delayed.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892728-true-move-h-asks-police-to-investigate-complaints-that-calls-to-its-call-centre-intentionally-disrup/?p=10391978

Digital TV operators can return their licenses to NBTC

BANGKOK: Digital TV operators who do not want to carry on with their business can return their licenses to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission without having to pay the rest of their auction fees.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892729-digital-tv-operators-can-return-their-licenses-to-nbtc/?p=10391991

Get lucky: Celebrate Chinese New Year at the EM District with a giant flying dragon

BANGKOK: Ever wondered what would happen if you combined Chinese New Year with Game of Thrones?

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892731-get-lucky-celebrate-chinese-new-year-at-the-em-district-with-a-giant-flying-dragon/

Cowork Carnival: Experience the joys of coworking and sharing ideas

BANGKOK: Calling freelancers and enthusiasts: trendy coworking spaces are organizing a one-week-long “networking carnival” throughout Bangkok.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892732-cowork-carnival-experience-the-joys-of-coworking-and-sharing-ideas/?p=10392008

State of disaster declared in drought-ridden Zimbabwe

A severe drought has hit Zimbabwe, leading President Robert Mugabe to declare a state of disaster in most rural parts of the country.

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892735-state-of-disaster-declared-in-drought-ridden-zimbabwe/

Cameron wins Polish and Danish backing on EU renegotiation

British Prime Minister David Cameron has been in Poland and Denmark as he seeks backing for his EU renegotiation plans.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892736-cameron-wins-polish-and-danish-backing-on-eu-renegotiation/

Julian Assange warns of ‘consequences if detention continues’

Julian Assange has hailed the United Nations panel’s decision that he is being arbitrarily held “a victory of historic importance.”

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892737-julian-assange-warns-of-consequences-if-detention-continues/

20,000 Syrian refugees stuck on Turkish border after fleeing Aleppo

Tens of thousands of people are leaving the Syrian city of Aleppo or the refugee camps on its outskirts and fleeing towards Turkey.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892738-20000-syrian-refugees-stuck-on-turkish-border-after-fleeing-aleppo/

Brazil in crisis as Zika fears mount

In exactly six months, the summer Olympic Games will open in Rio de Janeiro. Even though some 500 millions de dollars have been axed to balance the budget, the installations are between 80 and 90 percent complete.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892739-brazil-in-crisis-as-zika-fears-mount/

Rio ready to revel as Carnival opens despite Zika fears

Rio is ready to spread the sparkle as King Momo declares Carnival open.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892740-rio-ready-to-revel-as-carnival-opens-despite-zika-fears/

One dead after crane collapses in New York City

One person has died and two are seriously injured after a huge crane collapsed in New York, say the city’s fire department.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892741-one-dead-after-crane-collapses-in-new-york-city/

Japanese volcano erupts on nuclear power station island

A Japanese volcanic eruption has fired ash nearly 2km into the sky and sent molten lava flowing down its slopes.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892742-japanese-volcano-erupts-on-nuclear-power-station-island/

East meets West: Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis to talk in Cuba

East will join West on February 12, 2016, in a historic meeting between the heads of the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892743-east-meets-west-patriarch-kirill-and-pope-francis-to-talk-in-cuba/

Car bomb kills three at Mogadishu airport

By Robert Hackwill

Three people have died at Mogadishu airport in a suicide bombing just days after an explosion ripped through a Somali airliner, forcing it to make an emergency landing.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892745-car-bomb-kills-three-at-mogadishu-airport/

Strong quake hits Taiwan, many trapped in toppled building

WALLY SANTANA, Associated Press


TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck southern Taiwan early Saturday, toppling at least one high-rise residential building where rescuers pulled out more than 120 people. Dozens of others are still believed to be inside.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892748-strong-quake-hits-taiwan-many-trapped-in-toppled-building/

Twitter moves to actively seek out terrorist supporters

TAMI ABDOLLAH, Associated Press


WASHINGTON (AP) — Twitter is now using spam-fighting technology to seek out accounts that might be promoting terrorist activity and is examining other accounts related to those flagged for possible removal, the company announced Friday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892749-twitter-moves-to-actively-seek-out-terrorist-supporters/

Stocks lose more ground as jobs report disappoints

KEN SWEET, AP Business Writer


NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks posted steep losses Friday, ending the week with broad declines, as investors fretted over a report showing that U.S. job creation slowed last month.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892751-stocks-lose-more-ground-as-jobs-report-disappoints/

1 dead, 2 seriously hurt in Manhattan crane collapse

COLLEEN LONG, Associated Press


NEW YORK (AP) — A huge construction crane being lowered to safety in a snow squall plummeted onto a Lower Manhattan street Friday, killing a Wall Street worker and leaving three people hurt by debris that scattered as the rig's lengthy boom fell, officials said.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892741-one-dead-after-crane-collapses-in-new-york-city/?p=10392204

Thai Police Hunt for Artur Segarra, Prime Suspect in David Bernat Murder

BANGKOK – Pol Gen Panya Mamen lead investigator of the Chao Phraya River murder case, identified and released photos of a Spanish man considered the prime suspect in the grisly killing and dismemberment of Spaniard David Bernat.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892557-police-close-in-on-foreign-gang-murdering-spanish-businessman/page-5#entry10392201

Bangkok's Brawling Vocational Students Are a Threat to Public Health

By Adam Ramsey

Bangkok has a serious student violence problem.

In Thai media, barely a week passes without some mention of bloody brawls between students from the city's numerous vocational colleges. In 2015, more than 1,000 cases were reported in Bangkok by mid-year, many of them resulting in serious injury and even death.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892754-bangkoks-brawling-vocational-students-are-a-threat-to-public-health/

Because I'm happy: Thailand rated world’s ‘happiest economy’ in Misery Index

Maybe PM Prayuth Chan-ocha's 'Return Happiness' song did the trick? Photo: Reuters

BANGKOK: PM Prayuth's "Return Happiness" song must be working wonders, because Thailand has been rated the “happiest economy” in the world after it came at the bottom of a “misery ranking” for global economies.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892755-because-im-happy-thailand-rated-worlds-happiest-economy-in-misery-index/

PM shuns reporters for the third consecutive day

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha spent roughly 20 seconds with the media at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports where he chaired a meeting of departments under the ministry.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892756-pm-shuns-reporters-for-the-third-consecutive-day/?p=10392236

Ticket to Paradise: Documentary on Isaan girls’ desire to marry farang shown at JAM

A scene from the film “Ticket to Paradise”. Photo: larsskree.com

BANGKOK: Global Alliance Against Traffic In Women (GAATW) will hold film screenings of two documentaries, Ticket to Paradise and Becky’s Journey, revolving around the concepts of human trafficking, the sex trade, and migration.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892757-ticket-to-paradise-documentary-on-isaan-girls-desire-to-marry-farang-shown-at-jam/

Gunmen shoot dead 1, injure 2, at Dublin boxing event

One person has been killed and two others injured after gunmen wearing disguises burst into a Dublin hotel.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892774-gunmen-shoot-dead-1-injure-2-at-dublin-boxing-event/

One of world’s biggest container ships stranded on German river

Crews are attempting to pump hundreds of cubic metres of heavy fuel oil from one of the world’s biggest container ships.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892775-one-of-worlds-biggest-container-ships-stranded-on-german-river/

Astronaut Edgar Mitchell, 6th man on moon, dies in Florida

JOHN PAIN, Associated Press
CURT ANDERSON, Associated Press


MIAMI (AP) — Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell, who became the sixth man on the moon when he and Alan Shepard helped NASA recover from Apollo 13's "successful failure" and later devoted his life to exploring the mind, physics and unexplained phenomena such as psychics and aliens, has died in Florida. He was 85.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892782-astronaut-edgar-mitchell-6th-man-on-moon-dies-in-florida/

Mediator: 2 of 6 Argentina bondholders agree to settlements

NEW YORK (AP) — Two of six leading bondholders that years ago refused Argentina's invitation to trade their bonds at steep discounts have agreed to settle their longstanding claims after the South American nation offered bondholders with cases in federal court in Manhattan $6.5 billion in what a court-appointed mediator described Friday as a "historic breakthrough."

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892784-mediator-2-of-6-argentina-bondholders-agree-to-settlements/