News Feed

Skyscanner, an online travel search engine, has found that Bangkok remained a top tourist destination in August after the bombing attack.
Despite the incident in the heart of the city, online searches for flights to Bangkok in the immediate aftermath increased compared with the same period last year, Skyscanner said.
It said flight searches for Bangkok increased by 38 per cent the week of the incident year on year, while they rose 21.45 per cent in the fourth week after the blast and 11.18 per cent in the fifth week.
August’s top Thai destinations for online flight searchers were Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Phuket and Surat Thani.
The month also saw more searchers for emerging cities including Nan and Sakhon Nakhon, Skyscanner said.
Skyscanner’s data show that Thais are still keen on international travel. Tokyo was still the most popular city for flight searches in August.
That is believed to be the result of visa exemptions for Thai citizens and more low-cost airlines flying between the two countries.

TOT TOLD TO CONSULT PROSECUTORS ON AIS CASE
Information and Communications Technology Minister Uttama Savanayana has advised TOT to consult the Office of the Attorney-General on how to proceed with any legal action related to the case involving Advanced Info Service’s past concession amendments.
He said the state telecom agency had to report the progress of the case to him next week and he would report it to the Cabinet.
The Cabinet on Tuesday gave approval for the ministry to urge TOT to proceed with the case in accordance with the 2010 Supreme Court verdict that found former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had abused his power.
TOT also has to bear in mind the National Anti-Corruption Commission’s allegation last December that some former top executives are involved in this case.
Uttama said the NACC had advised TOT to take action.
AIS, which was founded by the Shinawatra family, has insisted that the concession amendments were in compliance with the law.
In a separate matter, Uttama ordered TOT to submit a business plan if it is not allowed to keep its part of the 900-megahertz spectrum.
He will forward the plan for the State Enterprise Policy Commission to consider when it meets next month.
TOT has sought the ministry’s help to keep its telecom bandwidth on that spectrum after the 900MHz concession it granted to AIS ends on September 30.