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Democrats say, as far as they’re concerned, nothing has changed
“Everything is OK. There have been no changes to ministry portfolios. The Democrat seats in Cabinet are secure.” Democrat Party leader Jurin Laksanavisit has been dismissive this morning about weekend reports of factional members within Palang Pracharat wanting to reclaim ministries in the new parliament. He says confusion over the ministerial portfolios in the new government arose after members of…
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‘Phoenix’ fails to attract any bidders at auction. Sits rotting in Phuket boatyard.
Last month’s auction to sell Phoenix, the tour boat that capsized causing the drowning of 47 Chinese tourists on July 5 last year, has failed to secure a buyer. Meanwhile the cursed vessel sits gathering dust and accumulating storage fees of 100,000 baht per month at the Rassada boat yard in Phuket. The boat went up for auction last month…
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Democrats decide today if they’ll walk away from Palang Pracharat coalition
PHOTO: Thai PBS A meeting of Democrat MPs today will either re-enforce the loose coalition with Palang Pracharat or walk away from the arrangement. If either the Democrats or Bhumjaithai walk away from the coalition it will leave the government in minority in the new parliament. Palang Pracharat have made it openly clear over the weekend they want to reclaim…
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Four metre python caught in Koh Kaew, Phuket
PHOTOS: Kusoldarm Foundation A four metre python has been caught in Koh Kaew over the weekend. Kusoldharm rescue workers were notified of the reptile trying to hide in a roof space at a house in Soi Koh Kaew 1. Rescue workers arrived at the home to find the python above the kitchen in the ceiling. Four rescue workers took about one…
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Taxi drives on wrong side of the road, collides with sedan, injures two
Two people have been injured after a Toyota Camry crashed into a taxi driving the wrong way along a road in Pathum Thani’s Lat Lum Kaew district, just north of Bangkok. The sedan overturned from the impact, injuring both the 38 year old driver Tamisa Pengchaem and front-seat passenger, 31 year old Amorn Yindeemak. The 42 year old taxi driver Weerachai…
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Six killed, three injured at intersection in Prachuap Khiri Khan
by Piyarat Nildee, The Nation Six people have died and another three injured after a pickup truck carrying seven people collided with a six-wheel crane truck at an intersection in Prachuap Khiri Khan province. The incident was reported to have happened at 11am yesterday (Sunday) at the Bo Nok-Dan Singkhon Road intersects Petchkasem Highway in Tambon Ao Noi. Emergency responders…
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Filipino and Japanese battle the weather in the 2019 Laguna Phuket Marathon
Full results below… The Laguna Phuket Marathon welcomed a record 12,000-plus runners from 73 countries for its 14th edition. The two-day festival of sport and fun was held over the weekend. The weather wasn’t kind to the event this year making the run additionally challenging for runners, and difficult for organisers. A boon for Phuket’s low season tourism, Laguna Phuket…
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Not negotiable. Democrats and Bhumjaithai draw a line in the Thai political sand
PHOTO: Bhumjaithai leader, Anutin Charnvirakul Bhumjaithai want to retain the Transport portfolio, as promised. The Democrats say they will not ‘return’ the Agriculture or Commerce portfolios, as it was promised. The deals were struck with the Palang Pracharat in the final hours before the parliamentary election of the next PM to secure votes for their candidate, Prayut Chan-o-cha. Both Bhumjaithai…
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Little Marium growing up in a Dugong Thai nursery
Marium, an orphaned baby dugong found along the Krabi shore two months ago, will remain in the care of a dugong nursery on Koh Libong in Trang for at least six more months. ‘Marium’ means ‘beautiful woman of the sea’. Chaiyapruek Weerawong, head of the Koh Libong Wildlife Preserve, says the female dugong would then be released in the open…
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Facing headwinds in 2019, Thai economy looks better for 2020
The Thai economy is projected to grow 3.8% in 2019, slightly below last year’s 4.2%. The main reason is slower growth in the global economy. thailand-business-news.com reports that this is likely to lead to a deceleration in Thai exports and tourism, which will impact domestic consumption. But the report says that foreign direct investment and government stimulus measures could prop up…
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Not everyone is happy with the closure of Thailand’s National Park hot spots
PHOTO: Sunrise Divers Nature happy. Tour operators unhappy. The closure, albeit temporary, of several of Thailand’s favourite marine national parks and coastal sites, is not universally supported. As the country’s tourist growth plateaus, the baht remains strong and hungry tour operators battle for the same tourist dollar, having many of the most popular attractions struck off their tour list is causing…
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Grab adds another layer of riding security in Malaysia. Selfies.
If you’ve used the e-hailing alternative ‘Grab’ you’ll know how easy it is to use as it continues to disrupt traditional taxi and tuk tuk services around the region. In Malaysia they’ve just added another level of security for users and it will be applicable for Thais or other foreigners using Grab when in Malaysia. In Malaysia it will now…
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Two US tourists fined and awaiting deportation for graffiti
The two Americans, who had been arrested in Pattaya after spray painting a pick-up and walls in Sampeng, Bangkok, have been fined and are awaiting deportation. The acting Thai immigration chief Lt-Gen Sompong Chingduang says the pair have been fined 5,000 baht and are likely to be deported in the next two days. The 28 and 24 year old Americans…
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Government set to clampdown on overcharging in the pet medical care industry
Not content with just clamping down on some of the excesses of the Private Hospital system for humans in Thailand, the government is now planning to keep an eye on the prices of medication, medical supplies and medical services at pet clinics and pet hospitals as well. As with the Thai private hospital system a swell of complaints about high…
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Thais outraged by tourist doing yoga poses at historic and sacred sites
PHOTO: Andreita Levin New outrage alert. Doing yoga poses on famous or sacred sites around Thailand will get you into trouble with the authorities. Tourist Police say they’ve caught up with a foreign woman who shared photos on her Instagram account performing yoga exercises at sacred and historic sites around Thailand. “A Mexican yoga teacher from Canada is being criticised…
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Chinese tourists found dead in a Chiang Mai five-star hotel
Chiang Mai police are investigating the deaths of two Chinese tourists found in the same room at a five-star hotel on Chiang Mai’s Chang Khlan Road. Police reported yesterday that the men died days apart. The first tourist was believed to have died in his bed two or three days before being found, and the second was believed to have…
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Overstaying Russian tries to change his Thai visa stamp with a pen, badly
PHOTO: Naewna.com It seemed like such a good idea at the time. A Russian man has been caught on overstay at the Klong Leuk border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo, directly to the east of Bangkok on the Cambodian border. Trying to enter Cambodia, the man told immigration he changed the last visa stamp with his own pen. 32 year old…
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‘Ministry deals’ in tatters – Palang Pracharat revoke cabinet post promises
“One source, a core leader in Phalang Pracharat, confirmed the previous deals had been revoked.” Thailand’s hosting of the ASEAN Summit from June 20 to 23 is forcing Palang Pracharat members to stitch together its government and sort out key ministerial posts before the event. More than two months after the election, and following the election of a PM that…
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Ratchaburi officials fumigate local villages following 14 Singaporeans contracting Chikungunya
14 Singaporean students and teachers, on a study tour in Ratchaburi, became ill from Chikungunya fever. They were on a study tour to a Thai village in the central province. All were treated and returned to Singapore by last Monday, according to the school principal Mary Seah. Ratchaburi Health officials have since conducted fumigation operations in villages, schools and hospitals…
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Bangkok tackles heavy rain in the lead up tonight’s peak hour
PHOTOS: JS100 Radio Bangkok has been hit by localised strong winds and heavy rain this afternoon, causing floods and traffic jams around the Chatuchak Weekend Market, Kasetsart, Ramkhamhaeng, Phaholyothin, Ladphrao, Prachacheun, Prachanukul and Ratchadapisek. https://www.facebook.com/js100radio/videos/473356473408786/ Jor Sor 100 traffic radio was also inundated with images of flooded roads and damage caused by the downpour. Some cars parked in the Rama…
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Phuket warned of flash flood and land slides – VIDEO
PHOTOS/VIDEO: Phuket Traffic Report / Newshawk Phuket A warning was issued yesterday for Phuketians to be aware of flash floods and potential landslides after long hours of rain yesterday, especially in the central areas of the island, including Thalang. The announcement was issued yesterday by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket Office to the Phuket Governor and the…
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Is Airbnb taking over the Thai hotel industry?
Airbnb is posing a less significant threat to hotels in Thailand than expected, but its influence in the longer term should not be underestimated, according to real estate company JLL Offering new alternatives to travellers, Airbnb is certainly taking some of the wind out of the sails of the traditional hotel accommodation model. However, findings from Jone Lang Lasalle (JLL) shows…
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One injured in Krabi crash between police pickup and Samui-Phuket bus
PHOTOS: กู้ชีพ กู้ภัย อ่าวลึก / ทันข่าว กระบี่ One person has sustained injuries following an accident in Krabi between a police pickup truck and a Samui-Phuket bus. The incident was reported at 11.40am this morning at the Nanuea Intersection on Phet Kasem Road in Ao Luek, Krabi. Rescue workers arrived at the scene to find the damaged police pickup truck. Nearby…
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Phew! No prostitutes in Pattaya’s Walking Street – Police
PHOTO: Pattaya Update News A contingent of 20+ officials, police, soldiers and tourist police have done a walk-thru inspection of Pattaya’s red light district, Walking Street. They were glad to report that there was no prostitution being conducted in the area. Pattaya Update News reports that the taskforce joined with Department of Provincial Administration to inspect the infamous area for…
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Thai mother abandons newborn baby next to rubbish bins
PHOTO MONTAGE: Sanook A 29 year old Thai woman has been arrested after she drove with another son on a motorcycle and dumped her newborn baby boy next to rubbish bins, in a bag. The mother told police she already had four children and couldn’t afford another. Sanook reports that Pho Kaew, Nakorn Pathom police were called after the baby was…
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Palang Pracharat are warned not to renege on Thai ministry promises
Amidst rumours circulating that the Palang Pracharat Party may renege on some of the promises it made to secure MP votes from the Democrats and Bhumjaithai, the Democrat party leader Jurin Laksanavisit says he believes the Palang Pracharat party will keep its promises. Thepthai Senpong MP, a key Democrat party member, is warning that the coalition government will be in…
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Laguna Phuket Marathon road closures and info
Laguna Phuket Marathon will take place this coming weekend on Saturday and Sunday, June 8 & 9 at Laguna Phuket in Cherng Talay. The forecast for the weekend is for some more rain so we urge people to be extra careful around the area with the runners also using the roads in and around the Laguna area. ROAD CLOSURES The…
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Trees damage cars and a house in Phuket
Trees have been brought down by heavy rain and local wind squalls around the Cape Phromthep, Chalong and Kata areas, where cars and a house have been damaged. At 4.15pm yesterday trees fell on a residential house in Chalong. The house-owner escaped injuries. At 4.20pm the Rawai Municipality was notified of another incident. Staffers headed to the scene where they…
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19 year old dies after big bike accident in Kathu, Phuket
PHOTOS: เทศกิจ 201(กะทู้) อุทิศ 5811 / อาสาของประชาชน A 19 year old was pronounced dead at Vachira Phuket Hospital after being seriously injured in a sports bike (Honda CB 650cc) accident in Kathu. Rescue workers report that they were notified of the accident at 1.45pm yesterday on the Phra Phuket Kaew Road near Bang Jak petrol station. Emergency responders arrived at the…
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Palang Pracharat still quibbling over portfolios in the new Thai parliament
Election – check. Vote for PM – check. New government sworn in – not quite yet. There is still a reported back-room fight over cabinet portfolios between factions in the Palang Pracharat Party. Several key ministries were offered to Bhumjaithai and Democrat MPs in return for voting for Prayut Chan-o-cha as PM on Wednesday. Now that Prayut’s been installed back…
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