This week: Typhoon Noru, beauty queen asylum, baht freefall and Chiang Mai wall collapse
Typhoon Noru hits Thailand
Typhoon Noru weakened to a tropical storm before hitting Thailand's Northeast on Thursday.
The typhoon tore roofs from homes and caused power outages across central Vietnam Wednesday, with hundreds of thousands of people taking refuge after the storm claimed at least 10 lives in the Philippines.
More than 4,000 Ubon Ratchathani residents were evacuated Thursday after the Mun River burst its banks.
In Si Sa Ket, one person was killed and two injured when a large tree toppled by a strong wind fell onto the pick-up they were travelling in.
The storm is expected to downgrade further to a depression and low-pressure system as it crosses Thailand.
Myanmar beauty queen granted asylum
A Myanmar beauty queen who spoke out against military rule in her country and was detained at Suvarnabhumi airport, landed in Toronto on Wednesday after being granted asylum in Canada.
Han Lay made an impassioned pageant speech last year against the army's deadly suppression of anti-junta protests.
After spending the past year in Thailand, she was denied re-entry after a trip to Vietnam due to invalid travel documents and was held before being granted asylum overseas.
Baht freefall could hit 38
Economists forecast the value of the baht could plunge to 38 to the US dollar this year, mainly attributed to a stronger dollar.
Kasikorn Bank expects the baht to remain highly volatile, in line with money markets worldwide.
According to CIMB Thai Bank, the economy should continue to recover, despite a high inflation rate, largely thanks to a recovery in the tourism sector.
Outbound Thai travel is expected to stay subdued as a result of the weak baht, despite the reopening of Japan and Taiwan to tourists.
Chiang Mai city wall collapses
Persistent rain caused more damage as a section of the ancient wall at Chang Phuak Gate in Chiang Mai collapsed following days of downpours.
The collapsed section was built in 1957 to replace the earlier part of the wall that surrounds the central area of the city.
The original walls date back more than 700 years, but sections have been repaired or replaced since.
