Israelis under Thai immigration microscope in Pai
Officers to investigate card status, hobbies and work mandates after complaints
Described: 20 Feb 2025 at 17: 38
In response to issues that have caused tensions in the well-known north Thai tourist city, the Immigration Bureau says it will investigate the actions of Israelis who reside in Pai, their card, and their work permits.
According to Pol Col Thanathorn Khamthiang, assistant chief of Immigration Division 3, immigration officials have been instructed to closely collaborate with local Mae Hong Son state authorities to determine whether Israelis have been overstaying, working without permission, or engaging in any other illegal behavior.
Those found to be breaking the law may be subject to Stern activity. He claimed that Israeli citizens who received tourist visa were denied entry to the region.
No Israelis have overstayed their permits, according to initial research. Many have obtained 60-day permits and may extend their stay for another 30 days, or 90 days in total, which is long enough for vacationers”, said Pol Col Thanathorn.
There have been a number of information about how many Israelis were in Pai that have been circulating online. A statement that 30 000 Israelis entered Mae Hong Son last year was false, according to Pol Col Thanathorn. He cited the most recent poll, which revealed 1,200 to 1,500 Jewish visitors to the state each month. The amount rises in the great time but rarely exceeds 3, 000 a fortnight, he said.
Immigration officers discovered no instances of Israelis breaking the law at a new meeting at a community center that hosts Jewish religious gatherings. Around 200 to 300 Jewish citizens gathered it to pray before eating.
In recent months, Pai people have reported a number of incidents involving Jewish citizens. Four Israelis entered Pai Hospital to see a fellow patient who was being treated that after a motorcycle accident, which was the most frequently reported instance.
The four were each fined 3, 000 ringgit, and they were later deported to Israel after losing their holiday visa. Additionally, they have been forever barred from returning to Thailand.
As China’s firms rush to adopt DeepSeek’s AI services, workers worry over impact on jobs
On Chinese microblogging site Weibo, the hashtag “ask DeepSeek whether my job will be taken” was popular as of Thursday ( Feb 20 ), receiving close to 7.2 million views.
” I thought in the age of AI, an’ metal grain bowl’ may be an’ metal rice bowl’. However, I didn’t realize that the introduction of an AI civil servant would fundamentally alter my opinion, and it appears that no work is safe right now,” one person wrote.
” Since we can’t stop the Artificial flood, guess we’ll have to accept it. After all, AI is not going away anytime soon, so I think people should actually try it out.”
Amid the argument, Futian authorities have clarified that the modern employees are “assistants” and never” AI legal servants”.
The Futian District Government Service Data Administration Bureau’s deputy director, Gao Zeng, claimed in a press release on Tuesday that the AI assistants must include a designated individual “guardian” in order to make decisions on their own.
Gao further described these concepts as being able to “assist in open management,” increase job performance, and lessen the burden on a local level.  ,
Meng Qingguo from Tsinghua University told the local media website ECNS that DeepSeek is cost-effective and effective, making it accessible for use in government affairs.  ,
He added that being homegrown, the AI software also performs also in terms of Chinese handling, making it suitable for local usage, including by the government.
Wang Peng, a scientist at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, described the Futian district’s move as an “active try to change state politics into an smart one.”  ,
Wang, who was quoted in the Futian publicity department content, noted that more government agencies and organizations may start using AI to improve job performance and company value in the future.
Wang also thinks that Wang’s concerns that AI will completely replace individual jobs are unfounded, at least for the moment.
Even though the usage of AI may alter some classic jobs, it will also open up new job opportunities, he said.  ,
Jail for woman who livestreamed obscene acts at Boon Lay void deck while husband kept a lookout
SINGAPORE: A woman’s husband kept a watch out for her as she livestreamed sexual functions from a vacuum board in Boon Lay for about two hours.
Members of the public spotted both and called the police after they called them.  ,
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan, 31, and her husband Adrian Ching Kah Siang, 36, were each sentenced to three weeks ‘ jail on Thursday ( Feb 20 ).  ,
Nguyen, a Taiwanese nationwide, pleaded guilty to one matter of performing an outrageous act in public, while Ching, a Singaporean, pleaded guilty to abetting her.  ,
They each had one command, related to Nguyen appearing nude in government, taken into consideration for punishment.  ,
Nguyen was alleged to constantly video on TikTok and a Taiwanese game app called MMlive.  ,
She made the decision to follow her people ‘ advice and practice sexual acts in open and skimpily dressed in exchange for money.  ,
At around 1.17 p.m., Nguyen sat at the vacuum deck immediately in front of a lift on September 27, 2024, wearing a thin dress. She danced and performed a number of obscene works while a wireless phone was on a pedestal remain facing her.
She was seen by a 32-year-old gentleman, who called his wife. The couple therefore called the police and recorded Nguyen as facts.  ,
Nguyen later changed into a skimpy robe that made her exposed when she moved about. In full public view, she continued to perform obscene works.  ,
Ching watched Nguyen livestreaming to make sure no one would halt her while Ching sat next to her.  ,
The officers arrived at about 3.09pm and arrested Nguyen.  ,
The trial noted that children could be returning home during the time that the incident took place during both a job and a school day in court records.
The vacuum deck was very visible, accessible and had higher human traffic, the prosecution said.  ,
When Nguyen second had her speech taken, she denied all the functions and claimed to only be dancing “in a beautiful way” while livestreaming.  ,
Deputy Public Prosecutor Esther Lim claimed that Nguyen only admitted to her obscene act in a second statement when confronted with video evidence.” She also claimed that she “reveals only a little” ( sic ) despite the fact that she was almost nude.  ,
Ching also disputed the accusations that he and Nguyen were completely clothed, and he then tried to argue that it was inappropriate to perform sexual functions while wearing full clothing.  , He even claimed that Nguyen had exposed herself by accident.
DPP Lim requested that each of the accused faces three days and three days in jail.
She claimed in court that Nguyen was seated in a private area in full view of the public, where returning home may become “forced to move past her and be exposed to her vulgar act.”  ,
Nguyen largely held the block’s residents hostage as a result of her crimes at the vacuum deck, where residents were required to walk past her to return or keep home, said Ms. Lim.  ,
Nguyen “effectively manufactured sex in a public spot”, she added.  ,
Mitigating in man, Ching told the judge:” From the bottom of my soul, I apologise to judge and the people of Singapore. We are quite sorry for our actions and we acknowledge our error.
He added that the incident’s media coverage had caused” great pressure” on his household members.  ,
More than just the sentence of a prison term, the emotional stress, discomfort, and suffering of my family has had an impact on my career and has had a positive impact on my future, Ching said.  ,
Instead of a prison term, he pleaded with District Judge Jasvender Kaur for a little mercy and kindness.  ,
Nguyen stated in an interview that she was having financial difficulties and needed to support her teenage girl in Vietnam.  ,
Ching even requested for a gag order to be placed on the child’s identity for the well-being of his family and to “protect the respect” of Nguyen.  ,
The prosecutor chose not to do so. Judge Kaur took into account the length of the offending and the convenience of the area Nguyen was in when she passed her sentence.  ,
She was convinced that the crimes required a prison sentence.  ,
An offender convicted of doing an outrageous action may remain jailed up to three months, or fined, or both.  ,
Arts groups hope more Singaporeans opt to attend live shows, concerts with new SG Culture Pass
Growing COSTS
Gaurav Kripalani, the musical director of the Singapore Repertory Theatre ( SRT), stated that the organization will concentrate on motivating people to use cultural move funds to attend son’s shows, which it hopes will inspire in Singaporeans from a youthful age.
The firm, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023, has found it difficult to raise money and get post-pandemic people up into the theater.
Mr. Kripalani cited other issues, such as the rising costs of production, which have increased 40 % since the pandemic, and the competition from online entertainment streaming services.
” One of the things this system will help target is affordability”, he said.  ,
” Moving a perform then has skyrocketed since COVID, and ticket prices have never moved up to cover those fees,” says the director. Therefore, producing and presenting any efficiency has become incredibly difficult.
The biggest cost for the business is labor, added Mr Kripalani.
For instance, when SRT stages Singapore’s largest outdoor theater present – Shakespeare in the Park – at Fort Canning, it needs to employ employees like surveillance, cleaning and attendants.
Chinese-Thai couple held for B91m scam
Duo apparently converted money from romance-investment fraud to bitcoin
Described: 20 Feb 2025 at 15: 37
A Chinese woman and her Thai partner have been detained in a housing estate in the Bang Phli area in connection with romance-investment schemes that defrauded victims of 91 million baht.
Zhou Zhou, 29, and Alisa Lamkrathok, a 31-year-old native of Nakhon Ratchasima, were arrested at the Indy 4 cover house in tambon Bang Kaew on Wednesday, said Pol Maj Gen Theeradet Thumsuthee, assistant director of the Metropolitan Police Bureau.
Authorities also searched their house and found 102 banks certificates, 70 bank cards, about 1, 000 SIM cards, four mobile phones, a notebook computer and a Toyota Yaris vehicles.
The group allegedly engaged in romantic con artists and therefore defrauded patients, according to Pol Maj Gen Theeradet. One victim was persuaded to invest in a TikTok store in Singapore, but she only received promised results for a short while.
According to the police, the arrested suspects allegedly used a well-known Thai digital money exchange company to change their patients ‘ bitcoins.
Ms. Zhou admitted to working with the authorities to create digital wallets and animal accounts. She claimed she persuaded her Thai girl to leave her teaching position and assist her in getting people to start donkey accounts because she could not speak Thai.
The 102 banks passport seized by Pol Maj Gen Theeradet were connected to 132 online fraud complaints, which totaled 91.2 million baht, according to Pol Maj Gen Theeradet.
In the same situation, authorities have even arrested three Thais. The deputy director claimed that two of them were about to have the next open a bank account for the Foreign woman’s group at Ramkhamhaeng 2 University.
Court of Appeal grants convicted drug courier stay of execution a day before it is carried out
A drug courier who was found guilty of a drug-related offense in Singapore effectively received a stay of his scheduled execution the day before.  ,
Pannir Selvam Pranthaman was scheduled to go to prison on Thursday ( Feb 20 ), but he requested permission to file a post-appeal application with the Court of Appeal.  ,
Pannir’s appeal was heard by the Appellate Division assess Woo Bih Li, who granted him permission to appeal and, as a result, issued an order for a stay of execution.
The judge’s decision is the latest in Pannir’s long-drawn battle against his capital sentence.
Pannir was found guilty on May 2, 2017, on a single command of importing 51.84g of diamorphine into Singapore and was sentenced to the severable death penalty.  ,
The Court of Appeal rejected his charm on February 9, 2018, against his judgment and sentence.  ,
After the departure, Pannir, his household and his attorneys submitted petitions for mercy to the president, who next declined to ride the dying sentence.  ,
On May 24, 2019, Pannir and his relatives were informed that he would be put to death.  ,
Pannir also filed a second request for a stay of his murder three days before the scheduled murder, among other reasons.  ,
Pannir had occasion to submit his application and the keep was granted.  ,
Another wave of lawsuits and judicial review proceedings followed, including one in which he was a member of a group of inmates who filed a lawsuit against the Singapore Prison Service’s ( SPS) for the release of prisoners ‘ correspondence to the Attorney-General’s Chambers ( AGC) ).  ,
In this case, the judge ruled in October 2024 that the SPS and AGC had disclosed and kept their papers in violation of their own privacy.
Provide APPEAL ,
On Jan 27, 2025, the senator issued an order for the applicant to get executed on Feb 20, 2025. On February 16, 2025, Panir was given see of this.  ,
Representing himself, Pannir advanced the existing application based on three basis:
- His objection about Ong Ying Ping, his former prosecutor, to the Law Society of Singapore.  ,
- A legal dispute arose regarding the suppositions contained in some Misuse of Drugs Act provisions.
- The SPS’s publication of his letter to the AGC discredited the justice system.
Pannir’s objection to the Law Society includes the allegations that Mr. Ong had pressured and misled him into signing an act in man,  , and that the lawyer only offered to represent him three days before a hearing in August 2024.  ,
According to Pannir, Mr. Ong’s role as a “material hear” might be required in the proceedings against him.
Justice Woo determined that the circumstances of Pannir’s judgment or word were unrelated to the proceedings. But, the judge determined based on this evidence that Pannir’s program had a “reasonable chance of success.”  ,
Also, Justice Woo found the same for the program based on the legal challenge, which Pannir argued , may have a “fundamental effect” on his conviction if effective.  ,
Justice Wo rejected the next argument, but granted Pannir agreement to file his application on these two grounds.
He continued,” It is neither here nor there whether the improper reporting of the individual’s letter has discredited the administration of justice.”  ,
The key issue is whether the disclosure caused the individual’s faith and statement to be questioned, said Justice Woo, who added that the Court of Appeal had previously given the impression that this was the case.  ,
While the application was pending, the Court of Appeal granted an administrative stay.  ,
Six elephants dead after being struck by train in Sri Lanka
In the early hours of Thursday, a passenger train derailed after striking an elephant flock close to a wildlife refuge in northern Sri Lanka.
While no wounds were reported among people, six animals died from the incident in Habarana, south of the money Colombo.
Two wounded animals were being treated, authorities said, noting that it was the worst for wildlife crash the country had seen, AFP reported.
In Sri Lanka, where there are among the highest deaths rates for both human-elephant contacts and human-elephant crossings, trains frequently run into animals of animals.
Last year, more than 170 people and almost 500 animals were killed in such encounters.
Animals, whose natural habitats are affected by forest and shrinking sources, have extremely strayed into areas of human activity.
Around 20 animals are killed by carriages annually, according to local advertising.
Some have urged drivers to halt and horn the station to avert moving creatures along railroad tracks.
A female elephant and its two calves also passed away in Habarana in 2018 after being struck by a coach. The three were a larger cattle that was crossing the station paths at dawn.
Last October, another coach ran into a flock in Minneriya, about 25km apart from Habarana, killing two animals and injuring one.
There are an predicted 7, 000 wild animals in Sri Lanka, where the animals, revered by its Buddhist majority, are protected by law. A conviction for killing an rhinoceros is a crime that can result in fines or imprisonment.
Director Bong Joon-ho ‘proud’ of South Koreans overcoming martial law bid
Oscar-winning chairman Bong Joon-ho praised the efforts of his own South Koreans to get past the devastation caused by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived passage to martial law on December 3. About six hours prior to the legislators scaling the walls of the National Assembly to ballot it over, defyingContinue Reading
Assam: Search for missing India miners ends as bodies recovered after 44 days
After discovering the body of five men trapped inside a flooded fuel plant in India’s north-eastern state of Assam, volunteers have called off a 44-day search function.
A condition official told the BBC that DNA testing may be carried out to identify the men because the body are decomposed.
On 6 January, nine miners were trapped after water flooded the so-called “rat-hole” mine, which is a narrow hole dug manually to extract coal.
Within the first week, four systems were recovered, and the research had persisted until Wednesday, when the remaining bodies were discovered.
On the social media platform X, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that” the process to discover the bones has been started.
The miners ‘ people have also been contacted to help identify the body. They will be given payment by the state government, said Riki Phukan, an national from Assam’s District Disaster Management Authority.
Specific crisis forces conducted the research operations at the Umrangso coal plant in Assam’s Dima Hasao area in collaboration with the Indian Army, Indian Navy, state police, and district disaster expert.
Fishermen and helicopters were likewise dispatched, but the mine’s remote, steep terrain had created significant challenges.
Earlier, one of the men rescued from the mine had shared with the BBC a harrowing account of the moments after the tunnel was suddenly engulfed by water.
When water entered the plant, worker from Nepal Ravi Rai claimed to be working inside the plant.
” We were holding on to a rope in 50-60ft ( 15-18m ) deep water for at least 50 minutes before being pulled out”, he said.
Despite a moratorium on “rat-hole” mine in India since 2014, little illegal mining continue to be operational in Assam and other north-eastern state.
In a rat-hole coal plant in Nagaland state, a fire that broke out in January 2024 claimed the lives of six employees.
After waters from a local river flooded an illegitimate me in Meghalaya in 2018, at least 15 people were trapped inside.
Police in Assam have announced they are looking into illegal mining operations in the position following the recent injury.
Trump’s quiet change on Taiwan a shot across China’s bow – Asia Times
A very symbolic expression was removed from the US State Department’s regular update on Taiwan. Its past meetings said:” We do not help Taiwan freedom”. This disappeared on February 13, 2025.
That’s not all. The new government under Donald Trump furthermore stated on the same day that it supports a calm and coercive quality to the Sino-Taiwan conflict and opposes unilateral revisions to the status quo on either side. Although these modifications to earlier US positions may seem minor, they are still a significant message to China.
Beijing is concerned that the changes in the , State Department’s factsheet , suggest that Trump’s authorities may be taking a stronger turn than was expected in being prepared to defend or put support behind the area of Taiwan.
The concern for China is that it sees Taiwan as a breakaway state, which it believes may returning to Beijing’s circle. Some Japanese view it as a distinct status.
China has already sent planes to support the Taiwan Strait in the past year, but it hasn’t ruled out using force to annex Taiwan. China claims the , lake between the island and the mainland as its own, though this is , disputed , under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Beijing may be worried that the updated language from Washington on Taiwan may indicate that the US is less likely to have idly by if China invades the island than it might have anticipated. What’s also interesting is why the US is warming up to Taiwan despite how upset Trump has been that Taiwan has” stolen” the US semiconductor industry.
Trump’s gaze on company
Given Trump’s interpersonal, or business-first method, towards politicians, it is hardly surprising that Washington’s updated statement of support on Taiwan’s independence does get aimed towards enhancing US rather than Japanese passions.
Some members of Trump’s subsequent cabinet, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, support more aggressive stances against China and support Beijing’s position on the issue. China’s expanding effect in Asia, which challenges US influence in the region, is a major US problem.
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Washington continues to appear to be supporting a one-China plan, but its most recent statement on Taiwan suggests that the US does take an aggressive stance against Beijing.
Beijing will have to consider its options before attempting to reclaim the area at this time due to the US’s limited attention to the China-Taiwan issue.
A diminished Beijing?
China’s leader, Xi Jinping, had hoped to win foreign hearts and minds through the Belt and Road Initiative, its international business plan to build an global network of locations receiving Chinese purchase. However, the goal of showcasing Xi’s achievements through financial means is not working as planned because China’s personal economy is weakened by a real estate problems that started in 2021.
The other way Xi can improve his standing as leader is by bringing Taiwan back into the Chinese slide. Numerous Chinese officials have made unification with Taiwan a long-term purpose since the Chinese Communist Party came to power in 1949. Therefore, if Xi was re-establish Taiwan in China, he might be regarded internally as one of the best leaders the nation has ever seen.
Washington’s improved position on Taiwan’s independence and clear opposition to force or the use of pressure make this task even more challenging for Beijing, even if China’s plan to reunite with Taiwan was now a major challenge. This ( and possibly being in line with Trump’s agenda ) could further deteriorate Xi’s reputation and weaken his authority.
prepared for the table of negotiations
Before US tariffs were imposed on China during Trump’s first term, which led to the signing of phase one of the deal in January 2020, the US and China had been negotiating for years. Trump has already announced an extra 10 % of Chinese goods tariffs in his first month in office.
These statements about Taiwan are likely intended to strengthen Washington’s bargaining position in the raging China-US trade war.
Trump accused China of “raping” the US with its unfair trade practices and imposing tariffs of up to 25 % on Chinese goods entering the country in 2016. Trump even went so far as to say that tariffs on Chinese goods could reach 60 % during his campaign trail for president in 2024.
Higher tariffs are bad for China because the nation relies heavily on exports for economic growth, particularly on the high-tech “new three” products, such as solar panels and electric vehicles, to recover its ailing economy.
However, if Beijing is forced to retreat from Taiwan, Xi might have to fall back heavily on the economy to maintain political legitimacy. When that occurs, Beijing might be forced to make concessions to Americans, such as purchasing more US goods, and address how subsidies are used to support Chinese businesses in China to the detriment of US businesses.
Overall, it’s likely that someone on Trump’s team has thought about all the implications of tweaking its Taiwan stance, and sees it as working out well for the US economy and, potentially, the Trump government overall. Taiwan plays a pawn in the game, not a pawn.
Chee Meng Tan is assistant professor of business economics, University of Nottingham
This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.