Isolated thundershowers; temperature lows of 17-22 °C and highs of 33-35 °C; temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 9-15 °C. Central: Partly cloudy with morning fog and isolated light rain; temperature lows of 23-24 °C and highs of 35-37 °C. East: Partly cloudy with morning fog and isolated light rain. Isolated thundershowers; temperature lows of 24-27 °C, highs of 32-36 °C; waves below 1 metre high and about 1 metre offshore. South (east coast): Partly cloudy with isolated light rain.

Italy's President Sergio Mattarella re-elected, easing crisisItalian President Sergio Mattarella has served a tumultuous seven-year term but is a unifying figureROME - Italy's parties Saturday voted overwhelmingly for outgoing President Sergio Mattarella to remain for another term, averting the political chaos a failure to elect his successor could have sparked in the eurozone's third-largest economy. The former constitutional court judge had repeatedly ruled out serving for a second term, but gave in Saturday after Italy's bickering political parties failed to find another viable candidate. Constitutional expert Gaetano Azzariti earlier told AFP Mattarella's election would be for the full seven-year term, but he could resign earlier. Mattarella has already served a tumultuous seven-year term, during which he has sought to be a unifying figure through five different governments and the devastation of coronavirus. Draghi has also managed to keep squabbling between Italy's parties to a minimum.

Related NewsNarcotics board greenlights marijuana, hemp legalisationDon’t sow those marijuana seeds just yet, says WissanuMarijuana legalisation a step closer to realityGrowing:Individual growers must register with relevant authorities. However, even though marijuana has been removed from the list of Category 5 narcotics, there is still a lot of confusion about how it can be consumed. Anutin has insisted that all recreational use of marijuana is illegal and those misusing it will face legal action. Dangers of legalisationChitlada Areesantichai, director of Chulalongkorn University’s Centre for Addiction Studies (CADS), said the centre has studied 29 samples of marijuana-laced food products over the past two months. Meanwhile, dry food like noodles can have as much as 32 to 35 per cent of THC, the study showed.

The new feature is currently only available on the Facebook messenger app. Facebook users of other apps might have to wait a while before this and other new features are available. Zuckerberg added. “We're also adding GIFs, stickers, and reactions to encrypted chats too.”The new security feature will let users know if someone screenshots their conversation without their consent. Capturing conversation without consent may violate the law while posting it might violate a separate law.

Mine closure haunts govtBetween 2014–2019, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), led by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, invoked more than 400 orders using Section 44 of the military government's interim charter. Yet, Gen Prayut was praised -- even by anti-government grassroots activists -- for using this interim regulation in 2016 to close a gold mine operated by Akara Resources in Phichit province. The mine eventually closed in January 2017, and the coup maker was praised for his audacity in standing up against a gold mining company, which was a subsidiary of the Australia-based Kingsgate. Prior to its closure, the company was accused by villagers and conservationists of polluting their community, an allegation the firm sternly denied. In addition, the industry ministry has awarded a gold mining exploration opportunity across the country to the company.

The FPO predicts private consumption this year is expected to expand by 4.5%. The Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) has maintained its average forecast for Thai economic growth this year at 4%, mainly as a result of recovering domestic consumption and the tourism sector, says the office's director-general Pornchai Thiraveja. The FPO predicted economic growth this year within a range of 3.5-4.5%, he said on Friday. The office upgraded its forecast for 2021 economic growth to an average of 1.2% from 1% as a result of strong exports, state stimulus packages and a successful vaccination programme. According to the FPO, private consumption this year is expected to expand by 4.5%, while export sector growth is forecast at 3.6%.

Who could benefit from the crisis over Ukraine? With the latest tensions, high-level and top-level negotiations have been underway among many players going beyond Russia and Ukraine. Yet, people might have questions about the situation and above all the motives of the key players in the Ukraine crisis. The events of 2014 became possible because there was a sudden crisis in connection with the internal political situation in Ukraine. In conclusion, one can expect that the Ukraine crisis is unlikely to escalate into war, unless there is some kind of accident.

Mong Kok branch of Morning Star Travel Service in Hong Kong. Morning Star Travel Services said on its website on Thursday that the board of directors had passed a resolution to voluntarily liquidate the tour operator according to the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance. Established in 1972, Morning Star was one of the leading travel agencies in Hong Kong, with more than 10 outlets across the city and Macau. As a prominent local travel agency, Morning Star was the first such company to be publicly listed in Hong Kong. Other tour operators have also suffered during the pandemic, with Hong Thai Travel Services receiving a similar liquidation plea after failing to settle a payment from two years ago.

The conditions to create a JV AMC are effective from Thursday and financial institutions can apply for a licence for the next three years. As a result, a JV AMC supports financial institutions offering assistance to customers for the long term, helping them survive the crisis. If a deal can be reached, it is possible this JV could apply for a central bank licence this year, he said. Other potential partners in talks with SAM on similar deals are commercial banks and specialised financial institutions, said Mr Tharatporn. He said 3-4 of the bank's partners in bad debt management approached the bank about a possible JV.

Lavaron said the move will on Monday be proposed to the committee tasked with combating overpriced lottery tickets, chaired by Prime Minister's Office Minister Anucha Nakasai. Sellers with quotas must consent to sell their tickets on the Digital Lottery platform, while the Government Lottery Office (GLO) will keep their real tickets. "The platform aims to boost sales channels for retailers and keep the ticket price at a maximum of 80 baht." Lavaron said the platform will also aim to persuade retailers to sell their tickets via the GPO rather than other outlets. "Once the platform is launched, retailers who sell tickets on other [online] platforms will lose their quota immediately," he said, adding that over 9,000 retailers have lost their ticket quota this year.

Trade group urges movement on travel bubble schemesForeign tourists arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport during the first day of Thailand's reopening campaign last November. "Apart from the Tourism and Sports Ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand [TAT], travel bubbles cannot be accomplished without strong support from the Foreign Ministry. He said both Thailand and partner countries would reap economic benefits if travel bubbles are established this year. "Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha should engage in travel agreements with other countries after his visit to Saudi Arabia restored diplomatic relations -- strained for over 30 years," he said. Thailand welcomed 36,783 tourists from Saudi Arabia in 2019 and 4,125 tourists in 2020 despite no official diplomatic ties.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha welcomes young traditional Khon dancers at Government House, Bangkok, last month. Capt Thamanat's group is thought to be joining the Setthakij Thai Party (Thai Economic Party) linked to PPRP leader Prawit Wongsuwon. "I insist that I have no intention to change the cabinet line-up or dissolve the House," said Gen Prayut. Gen Prawit reportedly tried to lobby Gen Prayut to bring the Setthakij Thai Party on board. Gen Prawit has appointed deputy leader Santi Promphat as the party's acting secretary-general following Capt Thamanat's exit.

The list was announced after the 14th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Bogota. The Department of Cultural Promotion and the Department for Development of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine are to hold a press conference today at Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha) to make the official announcement. Nuad Thai or Thai massage involves the manipulation of energy inside the body and has become popular all over the world.

Spring Festival vibes are all around you in China Town in ThailandSpring Festival decorations have been prepared in the China Town of Bangkok, Thailand, waiting for customers to choose to welcome the 2022 Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 1.

BoT seen among last to hike as Fed signals liftoffShoppers walk through a market on Chakkraphet Road in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, on Jan 23, 2022. Shorter-duration Thai bonds remain buoyed by a dovish Bank of Thailand (BoT) policy that contrasts with an increasingly hawkish Fed, which on Wednesday signalled a March rate liftoff. The bank sees Thailand being the last among its peers to hike rates. An Indonesian central bank official on Wednesday gave further hawkish signals saying it would be preemptive with its monetary policy to temper volatility in the markets. He sees it possibly starting to flatten in the fourth quarter, ahead of a potential rate hike in the second half of 2023.