Neighbourhood Scan: Website for hartal update

Bangladesh

istomorrowhartal.com, a 2015 website that once offered timely information on hartals (strikes) and blockades in Bangladesh, has resurfaced in midst of the ongoing blockades. The website was initially set up during a period of frequent hartals by the Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party. The website was created by Pathao founder Hussain M Elius. It aimed at providing information for the public to ascertain whether a hartal or blockade was expected the following day. It was a direct response to the challenges faced by commuters and the need for businesses to plan ahead. The Daily Star

Singapore
Hunt for cheap coffee meals

A new programme to help Singaporeans find and share details of cheap coffee shop eats has garnered more than 200 recommendations since its launch in October. The pilot scheme aims to increase the availability of affordable food options. The Great Budget Meal Hunt allows people to submit information about meals priced between $3 and $3.50 to a government crowdsourcing web portal. Citizens and PRs above 18 who have a Singpass account can participate. Several MPs had raised concerns over the rising cost of food and groceries. The Straits Times

Bhutan
Immigration rules relaxed

The mandatory six-month exit requirement for foreign workers following three years of stay in the country will be relaxed until December 31, 2034. According to the immigration rules of 2015, foreign workers were mandated to leave for six months after completing three years of service. It had drawn criticism from the business community. The new rules put foreign workers into two categories. Professionals are exempted from the exit requirement while for those in the non-professional category, the exit duration has been reduced to a month. Kuensel Online

Thailand
Visa exemption effect muted

Despite the offer of visa exemptions, the number of Chinese, Taiwanese and Indian tourists to Thailand has yet to record a quick recovery because of several economic factors, according to Thai tourism operators. The government granted visa exemptions for Chinese visitors from September 25, but the impact has been muted as some Chinese view Thailand as unsafe and the mainland has posted weak economic growth. As of November 7, the country served 2.84 million Chinese tourists, while those from Taiwan and India totalled nearly 596,000 and 1.31 million. VN Express

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