MILESTONES

Barred: From receiving a visa to the US, are senior members of the governments of Laos and Myanmar. The two countries have refused to accept convicted criminals deported from the US. For now, the US will not give tourist or short-term business visas to security, labour and immigration officials or their families.

Married: For the fourth time, former prime minister and guerrilla warfare expert Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh. Orathai Sorakan, 53, of Nakhon Sawan, is the newest bride of the 86-year-old Gen Chavalit. He divorced the once prominent Khunying Pankhrua “Khunying Louise” Yongchaiyudh 10 years ago.

Accepted: Effective immediately, the State Railway of Thailand will accept ticket payment by QR code. Not world famous as a technology leader, the new payment system has a few caveats. You have to go to the main terminals (Hua Lamphong, Chiang Mai, etc) and you must use the Kasikornbank app.

Purchased: By Facebook, the rights to stream all English Premier League matches starting from next year. The firm paid what for Facebook is chump change — £200 million, or a mere 8.78 billion baht in real money. For that, it got broadcast rights to all matches beginning in the 2019-2020 season, in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Resigned: From the British government, Brexit minister David Davis and foreign secretary Boris Johnson. They said they were frustrated over the apparent policy of Prime Minister Theresa May to achieve a “soft exit” from the European Union, meaning not much change, while they wanted a “hard exit”.

Jailed: For 10 years by a court in Pakistan just weeks before a scheduled election, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. In the corruption-linked case, he failed to explain how he came to own four apartments in London. His supporters are certain to create pre-election turmoil.