COVID cases on the rise in Phuket, 167 Omicron infections detected so far

13 Sept 20:24 Key points summarised by AI

Phuket reports a significant surge in COVID-19 cases, confirming 167 Omicron infections among both locals and foreign tourists.
Infection numbers escalated rapidly, jumping from 30 cases on December 29th to 149 by January 4th, with many more suspected Omicron cases awaiting lab confirmation.
The daily influx of approximately 4,000 foreign arrivals is straining resources, leading to a shortage of hotel rooms for isolating infected individuals.
Neighboring Chon Buri province also recorded 529 new COVID-19 cases and issued a public health advisory for visitors to specific venues to undergo antigen testing.

Suchada: Meet the reluctant star of Thailand’s cryptic crypto drama

Today 15:38 Key points summarised by AI

Thai MP Suchada Zhang Thaensap faces intense scrutiny over her husband’s substantial 1.84 billion baht wealth, with opposition lawmakers alleging connections to international scam networks.
A significant portion of her husband, Taiyang Zhang's, declared assets includes a 1.44 billion baht loan to the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, which still owes him 1.34 billion baht.
Opposition MP Rangsiman Rome accused Suchada's husband of links to online scam networks and gambling sites, prompting Suchada to vehemently deny the claims, demand evidence, and file a defamation complaint.
Taiyang Zhang's background includes co-founding Ren Protocol, later sold to Alameda Research (linked to the FTX collapse), and some of his former associates have been convicted in crypto company failures.
Suchada, a former actress and first-time MP, maintains her husband's innocence, while her party leaders have distanced themselves from the allegations, deeming it a private matter.