Thailand

Thailand presses Google over online royal insults

Prajin Juntong said he had met Google representatives to complain about material found using the search engine and on YouTube, a Google subsidiary.

Google said it was following its existing policies on content removal.

Thais, which have the some of strictest lese majeste laws in the world, are mourning King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Mr Juntong said more than 100 pieces of content insulting to the monarchy have been found on Google services since he died on 13 October.

Facebook shuts down ads for an entire country

The social network said it has turned off ads in Thailand following the death of the country's deeply revered king. It's the first time Facebook has imposed an ad blackout for a whole country.

Thais mourn death of revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej

An emotional crowd held a late-night vigil in Bangkok for the king, who died on Thursday aged 88.

His body is to be moved to the city's Emerald Temple later on Friday. The official mourning will last a year.

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is to be the new monarch, but has asked for a delay before taking over the role.

Flags are to fly at half-mast for 30 days and the government has asked for "joyful events" to be halted for 30 days.

King Bhumibol was seen as a stabilising figure in a country hit by cycles of political turmoil and coups.

Thai King Bhumibol's health not stable, palace says

King Bhumibol Adulyadej is widely revered and seen as an arbiter in Thailand's divided political arena.

He has not been seen in public for months and has spent most of the last year in hospital.

The king has received treatment for a variety of ailments in recent years.

The palace statement, released late on Sunday night, said the king's blood pressure dropped as he was being prepared for haemodialysis, a procedure used to treat kidney failure.

Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong barred from entering Thailand

Mr Wong, who became the face of the 2014 Hong Kong street protests, had been hoping to speak to Thai students.

But the 19-year-old was detained on arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport and then flown back to Hong Kong.

He said there had been "no explanation for his detention", but activists attributed the decision to intervention from Beijing.

Mr Wong was at the heart of the mass demonstrations against Beijing that brought parts of Hong Kong to a standstill in late 2014.

Thailand confirms two cases of Zika-linked microcephaly

It is the first time in South East Asia that the disease has been linked to the condition, which causes abnormally small brains and heads.

Several countries in the region have reported Zika cases. The virus is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito which also spreads dengue and chikungunya.

The current outbreak of the disease was first detected in Brazil last year.

Cases have recently been reported across South East Asia.

PNG Loop's 5 @ 5

Marum: We have to learn and move forward

http://www.looppng.com/content/marum-we-have-learn-and-move-forward

Coach of the NGCB PNG PM's XIII, Michael Marum has put it simply that his side just didn't play well all throughout the game.

Enga launches K4.5m health facility

http://www.looppng.com/content/enga-launches-k45m-health-facility

Body parts discovered during Thailand raid

Officers haven't identified the remains found Friday but said they believe the body parts belong to a Caucasian male.

Local police said one officer was hurt in the sting while struggling with one of the suspects over a gun. The officer was hit in the hip area, police said.

Police also recovered 10 passports, according to Maj. Gen. Suwat Chaengyodsuk. He said officers found "certain types of equipment found in the room (that) can be used to produce fake passports."

Thailand to assist PIDF members

He told members of the PIDF that climate change now affects everyone in the World and there is a need to work together.

Pacific Island Development Forum members were also given an insight of what other countries in the world are facing in their fight against climate change.

They were urged that the best way forward is to look for a common solution that will be able to address all of the current problems.

No Thai PM at PIDF but seven Pacific island leaders attend

The Forum will concentrate on the theme of climate change in preparation for the World Climate Summit in Paris at the end of November.

Leaders are attending from Nauru, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tokelau and Tuvalu.

Marshall Islands is sending its Foreign Minister.

Thailand's prime minister is not now attending as the Forum's chief guest and the country will instead be represented by the deputy prime minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn.