Thailand

A group of Democrat Party MPs targeting Deputy Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow, who won the fewest votes in Friday’s no-confidence vote, said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha must work on improving the government’s image. Gen Prayut and five other cabinet ministers survived the no-confidence vote, though two were not grilled during the four-day debate. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon walked away …

Trade exhibitions, once a growth driver for tourism, are in retreat as events are cancelled or postponed in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is keeping a close eye on the most prominent marketplace, ITB Berlin 2020, as the health and interior ministries of Germany discuss whether they will hold the event, scheduled for March …

Nigeria’s economic hub Lagos confirmed a case of new coronavirus on Friday, stirring memories of the fears sparked six years ago when West Africa’s Ebola epidemic hit the chaotic megacity of 20 million. The health minister said the first confirmed case of the virus in sub-Saharan Africa was an Italian citizen who had returned from Milan earlier this week. “The …

Bangkok Airways is cutting executive salaries, sending staff on unpaid leave and reducing the number of flights to cope with the downturn in business because of the spread of coronavirus disease. “Due to the economic downturn and the outbreak of Covid-19 affecting various industries worldwide particularly the tourism and aviation sectors, Bangkok Airways has reviewed and adjusted its strategic plan …

A Department of Provincial Administration (DPA) special operations team led local officials to raid the three karaoke bars along Highway 226 in Sikhoraphum district of this lower northeastern province on Thursday night. The raid followed an allegation by the anti-human trafficking organisation Lift International that Leo Karaoke and Nad Phob Karaoke located on the highway in tambon Ra-ngae and Don …

The Office of Private Education Commission (Opec) has ordered the closure of an international school in Don Muang district as a precautionary measure after learning that more than 500 students and teachers had returned from a country hit by Covid-19. Attapon Truektrong, secretary-general of Opec, said the school’s management had instructed the group, which includes 60 teachers, to stay at …

The government insists it never interfered with state agencies to favour Philip Morris (Thailand) Ltd (PMTL) by lobbying public prosecutors not to press a new charge against the company. On the fourth day of the no-confidence debate, the opposition raised the dispute between Thai agencies and tobacco company Philip Morris to grill the government. Saranwuth Sarankate, a Pheu Thai Party …

Two Thai women convicted of smuggling methamphetamine into Bali have escaped a possible death sentence on the Indonesian holiday island after a court sentenced them to 16 years in jail. The verdict Wednesday comes four months after the pair were arrested by suspicious airport officials who found nearly a kilogramme of methamphetamine hidden under their clothes after arriving on a …

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said on Thursday he understood why students were rallying following the disbanding of the Future Forward Party, and asked they listen to both sides of the story. Responding to questions about the gatherings of high school and university students, Gen Prayut said he sympathised with them. They were the new generation and had his moral support. …

Two days after police cleared an indigenous blockade of a key Canadian rail artery east of Toronto, protesters were back Wednesday lighting fires on tracks and throwing rocks at passing trains. “It is extremely concerning to see people endangering their lives and the lives of others by trying to interfere with the trains, but we’re working hard to resolve this,” …