The dash for cash in post-sanctions Iran



PARIS: -- The Iranian economy received a new lease of life with the signing of the nuclear deal in Vienna.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897774-the-dash-for-cash-in-post-sanctions-iran/

FIFA reduces bans for Blatter, Platini from 8 to 6 years
ROB HARRIS, AP Sports Writers
GRAHAM DUNBAR, AP Sports Writers

ZURICH (AP) — Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini had their bans from soccer reduced from eight years to six by FIFA's appeal body on Wednesday, two days before the sport's ruling body tries to turn the page on years of scandals by electing a new president.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897775-fifa-reduces-bans-for-blatter-platini-from-8-to-6-years/

Obama bans US imports of slave-produced goods
MARTHA MENDOZA, Associated Press

WASHINGTON: -- President Barack Obama signed a bill Wednesday that includes a provision banning U.S. imports of fish caught by slaves in Southeast Asia, gold mined by children in Africa and garments sewn by abused women in Bangladesh, closing a loophole in an 85-year-old tariff law that has failed to keep products of forced and child labor out of America.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897800-obama-bans-us-imports-of-slave-produced-goods/

IMF seeks contingency plans for vulnerable global economy
MARTIN CRUTSINGER, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The International Monetary Fund said Wednesday that the global economy is "highly vulnerable" to adverse shocks and urged the United States and other major governments to prepare contingency plans that could be rolled out quickly to boost growth.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897803-imf-warns-the-global-economy-is-highly-vulnerable/

Fukushima disaster: Tepco admits late meltdown announcement

TOKYO: -- The operator of the Fukushima nuclear power plant hit by a tsunami in 2011 has admitted that it should have announced sooner that there was a nuclear meltdown at the site.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897804-fukushima-disaster-tepco-admits-late-meltdown-announcement/

US to hold trade workshop for Asean businesses

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BANGKOK: -- Trade workshops to help Asean businesses better understand implications of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) will soon be held under a new US-led initiative, The Brunei Times reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897811-us-to-hold-trade-workshop-for-asean-businesses/

Majority of people polled satisfied with PM's leadership, decisiveness, transparency



BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha still won the hearts of the people in the latest poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897816-majority-of-people-polled-satisfied-with-pms-leadership-decisiveness-transparency/

Male actors not allowed to show effeminate behavior on screen



JAKARTA: -- The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission, or KPI, has forbidden local television stations from showing male actors behaving and dressing as women, The Jakarta Globe reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897819-indonesia-male-actors-not-allowed-to-show-effeminate-behavior-on-screen/

CDC believes framework of new draft charter will be accepted by all

BANGKOK, 25 February 2016 (NNT) – The Constitution Drafting Commission believes that the new draft charter will be accepted by the people and all parties.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897820-thai-cdc-believes-framework-of-new-draft-charter-will-be-accepted-by-all/

Lao satellite to open for business next month



VIENTIANE: -- Laos' first telecommunications satellite, Lao Sat-1, will officially start business operations in March after a success launch late last year and is keen to sign up government and private sector customers, according to Vientiane Times.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897821-lao-satellite-to-open-for-business-next-month/

SET up 5.87 points at opening /Bangkok Post

Reports of mass animal deaths at Vietnam safari zoo denied



PHU QUOC ISLAND: -- The forest management agency in the southern Vietnamese province of Kien Giang has refuted the reported mass deaths of animals at a newly opened zoo on Phu Quoc Island, in the first official comment from authorities on the topical issue, Tuoi Tre News reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897837-reports-of-mass-animal-deaths-at-vietnam-safari-zoo-denied/

OCPB to summon Dr Xeping to clear 'Face Off' advertisement



BANGKOK: -- The Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) will summon " Dr Xeping" to report to the board next week to explain her involvement with the cosmetic surgical procedure known as ‘Face Off’.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897844-ocpb-to-summon-dr-xeping-to-clear-face-off-advertisement/

Playboy 'Bunny Fearz' dies in car crash at Ladprao

BANGKOK: -- Playboy Bunny popularly known as ‘Bunny Fearz’ died in a car accident yesterday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897847-playboy-bunny-fearz-dies-in-car-crash-at-ladprao-bangkok/

New wave of Burmese hackers behind Thai website attacks
SINGAPORE/YANGON | BY JEREMY WAGSTAFF AND TIMOTHY MCLAUGHLIN

SINGAPORE: -- Burmese hackers say they have attacked Thai government websites since early January and stolen data, part of a long-running, broader campaign against those critical of Myanmar's government.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897848-new-wave-of-burmese-hackers-behind-thai-website-attacks/

Commerce launches 'Eat Thai Rice' campaign



BANGKOK: -- The Internal Trade Department along with nine major rice production firms and Big C department store yesterday jointly launched a project to encourage Thai people to eat Thai rice.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897849-commerce-launches-eat-thai-rice-campaign/

Government pushes out long term rice strategy



BANGKOK: -- The government has decided to lay out a 20-year rice strategy for rice with determination to improve the country’s paddy management in order to resolve all farming and marketing problems.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897852-thai-govt-pushes-out-long-term-rice-strategy/

UPDATE:

Five temples exempted from ban on Bagan temple access



YANGON: -- The Ministry of Culture of Myanmar has modified an announcement originally issued Monday prohibiting visitors from ascending the ancient temples of Bagan which was met with criticism by tourism professionals, The Irrawaddy reported.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897509-myanmar-govt-bans-visitors-from-climbing-bagan-for-sunset-viewing/#entry10461507

Nok Air cancels more Chiang Mai flights today



BANGKOK: -- Nok Air continued to suffer from pilot shortage forcing it to announce more flight cancellations today.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897856-nok-air-cancels-more-chiang-mai-flights-today/

Phuket officials confirm only 27 plots within Sirinath legally owned
Darawan Naknakhon


V/Gov Chokdee Amornwat speaks at Tuesday's (Feb 23) committee meeting.

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Land Office on Tuesday (Feb 23) confirmed that only 27 of 715 plots of land within Sirinath National Park are legally owned following a lengthy investigation.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897857-phuket-officials-confirm-only-27-plots-within-sirinath-legally-owned/

China aims for bigger slice of smartphone market
BY STAFF WRITER

Sony kicked off its Mobile World Congress campaign this year with three new smartphone models alongside a Bluetooth earpiece and a host of smart home products and wearables.

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/china-aims-for-bigger-slice-of-smartphone-market/14077/

UN diplomats: US and China agree on new North Korea sanctions
EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States and China have reached agreement on a U.N. resolution that would impose tougher sanctions on North Korea as punishment for its latest nuclear test and rocket launch, U.N. diplomats said Wednesday.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897858-un-diplomats-us-and-china-agree-on-new-north-korea-sanctions/

What could Beijing's new status as 'billionaire capital of the world' mean for Thailand?
Staff writer


Featured image by Philip Roeland and used under a Creative Commons licence

BANGKOK: -- With 100 billionaires calling it home, Beijing is the new Billionaire Capital of the World.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897859-what-could-beijings-new-status-as-billionaire-capital-of-the-world-mean-for-thailand/

Australia to boost defence spending

CANBERRA: -- Australia has announced a surge in defence spending, a move that reflects concern over military expansion in the region.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897861-australia-to-boost-defence-spending/

CDC insists draft charter will not allow power relay by NCPO

BANGKOK, 25 February 2016 (NNT)-Former member of the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) Banjerd Singkaneti has said the draft charter must not allow power relay by existing political groups and that it should promote national reform.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897863-cdc-insists-draft-charter-will-not-allow-power-relay-by-ncpo/

TAT to penetrate Myanmar to promote border economy



TAK, 25 February 2016 (NNT) - The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and related agencies have organized a seminar to prepare business operators in Tak and nearby provinces in the northwestern region for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897865-tat-to-penetrate-myanmar-to-promote-border-economy/

Apple-US encryption case ‘could lead to more government-proof technology’
BY STAFF WRITER

Apple’s battle with the US authorities over encryption will likely boost efforts by companies to make devices more secure against government intrusion, according to some industry experts.

Full story: http://tech.thaivisa.com/apple-us-encryption-case-could-lead-to-more-government-proof-technology/14084/

NLA holds education reform seminar

BANGKOK, 25 February 2016 (NNT) – The committee on education and sports of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has held a seminar on education reform.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897868-nla-holds-thai-education-reform-seminar/

Russian leader pushes Syria truce deal amid skepticism
By ZEINA KARAM

BEIRUT (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke Wednesday with key players in the Syria conflict, including President Bashar Assad, ahead of a U.S.-Russia-engineered cease-fire, as the opposition voiced concerns that the truce due to begin later this week will only benefit the Syrian government.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897870-russian-leader-pushes-syria-truce-deal-amid-skepticism/

Are low cost airlines the key to Thai tourism success?
Staff writer



BANGKOK: -- Don Mueang International Airport last year overtook Kuala Lumpur International Airport as the world’s largest airport for low cost airlines, measured by passenger numbers.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/897871-are-low-cost-airlines-the-key-to-thai-tourism-success/