Month: April 2018
- News
We’re in for a bumper Songkran this year
Economists are predicting a bumper Songkran festival this year due to a number of factors. he University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce’s Centre for Economic and Business Forecasting says surveys indicate that Thai new year revellers are showing greater willingness to spend more this year. They estimate there will be 3-5% growth in spending which they predict will bring…
Read More » - Thai Life
Vendors hit back at criticism of Bangkok’s Mae Klong market
by Kachorn Phonimthai Vendors at Mae Klong, also known as Rom Hup – one of Thailand’s landmark markets – have defended its quirkiness and surroundings after coming under criticism online. They have spoken up to defend the world-famous market after several foreigners made critical comments on a BBC News video clip titled “The train that drives through a market”. Uploaded…
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Natnicha killed in car crash in Ayutthaya
An actress was killed when her BMW car crashed into a tree on a roadside in Ayutthaya province on Saturday morning. 21 year old Natnicha Cherdchubupphakaree died when her car plunged into the roadside on highway No 9 on the Saraburi-bound side in Tambon Chiang Rak Noi, Bang Pa-in district. Police suspect the car was speeding and lost control as…
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Russian woman slashes her throat in Patong convenience store
The videos of a 41 year old Russian woman trying to cut her own throat inside a 7-11 in Patong have gone viral. The videos were captured on the store’s CCTV as well as staff mobile phones. The videos show a woman wearing a yellow-black shirt and black trousers cutting her throat in front of a fridge at a store…
Read More » - Thai Life
New GLOW for Ao Nang, Krabi
by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com Thailand’s InVision Hospitality has debuted their GLOW brand in Krabi with a 130 room boutique hotel. Located in the popular tourism area of Ao Nang, this is the fifth GLOW hotel in Southeast Asia, and third in Thailand. Krabi has swiftly expanded its tourism market, between 2006 to 2016, airport arrivals surged from just over 240,000 up to…
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The economic impact of closing down Maya Bay for four months
So what impact will closing down Maya Bay for four months have? Will it be cataclysmic for Phi Phi and Krabi tourism? Will tourist operators survive? Pullawat Pitigraisorn from SCB’s Economic Intelligence Centre has done the sums and estimates that tourist earnings for Krabi Province will only suffer a 6 percent drop as tourists will continue to come to the…
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Phuket OrBorJor introduces 34 beach lifeguards for 5 beaches in Thalang
Phuket’s Governor Plodthong, together with an armada of local authorities and media, hosted an opening ceremony for the operation of Thalang Beach Lifeguards on April 5. “There are a lot of tourists that drown or get harmed from accidents in the sea every year because they either don’t understand the red flags, can’t or don’t read the warning signs, the…
Read More » - Thai Life
Boracay’s closure sparks global travel fallout
By Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com The biggest worldwide tourism story going is that of the trending closure of the iconic resort island of Boracay in the Philippines. In a bold move President Rodrigo Duterte who termed the island a “cesspool” is banning tourist visits from April 26 through October 25. For an island that last year hosted over 2 million…
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Merging Thailand’s emergency phone numbers to 191
Gen. Chakthip Chaijindra, chief of Thai Police, says they are setting up a new emergency service centre to bring together all the nation’s mergence hotlines into just one. The whole of Thailand will have just a single emergency hotline – 191. The call centre and emergency response system will co-ordinate responses to all distress calls for crimes, emergencies, fires or traffic…
Read More » - Travel
Customs scraps order requiring Thai travellers to declare valuables
The Thai Customs Department says it will scrap an order that requires Thais leaving the country to declare their personal belongings they take out of the country so that they won’t be taxed when they return. The requirement was heavily criticised when it was announced because the procedure of declaration at the international airports would be complicated and time consuming adding…
Read More » - Thai Life
Get off our island – The Philippines’ Boracay closes down
PHOTO: Shutterstock The Philippine’s island of Boracay is closing to tourists for six months following concerns of damage to its once pristine shores. This mirrors a closure of popular Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Ley, made famous in the movie ‘The Beach’ for four months from this June. Asia’s first holiday island to shutdown on government orders will lose…
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1 killed, 11 injured in Lampang bus crash
A bus hostess was killed and 11 passengers were injured when a Bangkok-Chiang Rai bus ran off the road and hit trees early today (Friday). Police said the accident happened at 5am on the Ngao-Song road in Ban Poh village in Tambon Ban Pong in Lampang’s Ngow district. The bus hostess, Penpit Jarujit, died at the scene. The 11 injured…
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Pattaya’s Belarusian sex coach charged with prostitution
FILE PHOTO Anastasia Vashukevich, (AKA Nastya Rybka) the Belarusian ‘sex expert’ who claims to have insider dirt on Russian attempts to meddle in the US election, has been charged with prostitution. Last month she went public asking the US to help her out from her predicament, detained in a Thai prison in Bangkok, in exchanged for information on alleged ties between…
Read More » - Thai Life
Ka Villa, Rawai – Own your dream pool villa in Phuket
The luxury villas in a quiet soi near Laem Ka Beach have been a popular success for investors and those looking for a dream lifestyle in Rawai, Phuket. If you’ve ever wanted to own a dream property in Phuket, Thailand, Ka Villa can help make that dream become a reality. Walking distance to the golden sand swimming beach of Laem…
Read More » - Thailand News
41 year old Singaporean arrested following Scoot bomb hoax
PHOTO: Kevin Lim A 41 year old man has been arrested for making a false bomb threat on board a Scoot flight from Singapore to Hat Yai, Songkhla, which resulted in the plane returning to Changi Airport. Flight TR634, which left Changi Airport at 1.20pm on Thursday (April 5), was escorted back by two Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)…
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Police getting ready for Songkran – national initiatives to increase safety over the holiday
The Royal Thai Police are launching various safety and security measures, including a vacation home-watch scheme, for the upcoming Songkran holidays. Among the measures are preparedness of the Bangkok-based 191 Emergency Call Centre (Phanfa), which is in the process of being upgraded to a national-level centre linking related agencies to ensure help arrives within 10 minutes of a call. Tourist…
Read More » - Thai Life
TOONS TUNES – Myles Kennedy “The Year of the Tiger”
Checking new and amazing music for The Thaiger everyday with Donna Toon As we say here at The Thaiger, it is always “The Year of the Thaiger” so naturally when I heard this song from American artist Myles Kennedy it had to be a Toons Tunes! The song comes from the musicians debut studio album as a solo artist which…
Read More » - Thai Life
VietJet introduces more flights in Thai skies – BKK to Krabi
Thai Vietjet has launched a new service between Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Krabi with 2 flights daily. The fully booked inaugural flight VZ340, operated by new aircraft Airbus A320 wearing “Amazing Thailand” tourism logo landed safely yesterday morning at Krabi international Airport with a full water canon salute. All passengers and flight crew were greeted with flower garlands from Krabi Governor…
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French citizen arrested in Pattaya allegedly seeking to profit from child porn
A 64 year old French man, wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), was arrested yesterday (Thursday) on charges related to child pornography in Chon Buri province. The arrest of suspect Rachid Abdel Kader, and the search of his house in Soi Rung Land in Southern Pattaya, involved a collaboration between the FBI, Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation…
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Drug crackdown in Krabi’s palm oil plantation
A man and a woman in Krabi have been arrested in an palm oil plantation with more than 2,000 amphetamine pills, 83 grams of methamphetamine, 500 millilitre of Kratom leave water and a gun alongside their assets valued at about 1 million Baht. The 29 year old man, Athorn Luknoi, was arrested with 208 amphtamine pills, 0.72 grams of methamphetamine…
Read More » - Thailand News
Scoot airline flight returns to Singapore after alleged bomb threat
File Photo Channel News Asia is reporting that budget carrier Scoot Airlines say that one of its flights bound for Thailand has returned safely to Singapore after an alleged bomb threat. Scoot say flight TR634, heading for Hat Yai, was escorted back by Singapore’s air force and that the airline was “working closely with the authorities” for necessary follow-up to ensure…
Read More » - Thai Life
Why selling property too fast is bad business?
by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com One of the most common mistakes by property developers in hot markets or with premium properties is the misconception that a fast sell-out is good. It’s often hard for real estate sales people whose mantra follow’s the ABC’s (always be closing) to understand the big picture, or more importantly the bottom line. Property projects remain…
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Search is on for a new contractor to complete Phuket Provincial Hall construction
Phuket’s Vice Governor, Thavorn Kongkaew, has updated the media about the new Provincial Hall project after the previous contractor has had their contract cancelled. They are searching for a new contractor to complete the construction that is now way past it its projected completion date. “The previous contractor had their contract cancelled because they couldn’t work within the deadlines and…
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One dead, one injured in Kalim motorcycle/van crash
A crash between a van and a motorcycle in Kalim has resulted in one casualty and another critically injured. The accident occurred in front of Soi Phra Baramee 7 on Phra Baramee Road, Kalim yesterday. Police found the yellow plate van driver, Suthep Yoosuk, and a French man, Dault Julien Sebastian, who rode the motorcycle, and Lamprai Pako who sat…
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Chinese tourist drowns in Patong
A 56 year old Chinese man, Teng Yiding, has drowned in the waters off Patong Beach. Patong police received a report about the drowning yesterday (April 4) and rushed to the scene. He drowned near a hotel on Taweewong Road in Patong. His son, Yang Yongpeng, told the police that they are a family of 5 that arrived in Phuket…
Read More » - Thai Life
Dusit rolls out the new ASAI brand
Thailand’s Dusit Hotels and Resorts is rolling our a new ASAI brand which is reportedly aimed at millennial curious-minded travellers promising ‘authentic local experiences in vibrant cities and resort destinations worldwide’. Set to officially launch in the opening quarter of 2019 with its first hotel in Bangkok’s renowned Chatuchak Market, ASAI Hotels embraces a sustainable, community-focused concept, with each property…
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Robbery gone wrong in Soi Ta-iad
A 39 year old robber, Chatchai Sittipanya, tried to rob a hotel room in Soi Ta-iad (Soi Muay Thai) without realising that the whole street is renowned for Muay Thai and MMA training. Everything was going well until he was confronted by the person occupying the room he was trying to rob. He ended up by getting man-handled and locked…
Read More » - Food
The Great Convenience Store Gourmet Challenge – Episode 5
– Ryan Arboleda, Swissôtel Resort Patong Beach
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Transparent Government. Where does Thailand rank?
Japan has the most open government system in Asia, according to the recently released World Justice Project. Thailand leads countries like China and Malaysia when it comes to transparent government. Globally, Thailand ranks 68th in the ranking. The report measures whether country’s basic laws and information on legal rights are publicly available, presented in simple language and if there is…
Read More » - Thai Life
TOONS TUNES – Taylor Swift “Delicate”
Checking new and amazing music for The Thaiger everyday with Donna Toon I’d like to say that Taylor Swift is the “Queen of Pop” but in reality she is most likely the “Princess of Pop” as true royalty like Madonna, Beyonce and Celine Dion are still belting out songs and topping the charts. Whether you like her or not, she…
Read More » - Thai Life
Air Asia launches direct daily flights to Penang from Phuket
Getting from the Pearl of the Andaman to the Pearl of the Orient just got a lot more competitive. The only way you could get from Phuket to Penang, direct, in the past has been either a hair-raising overnight passenger van ride or flying with Firefly Airlines in a twin prop plane a few times a week. Now Air Asia…
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4th set of turtle eggs found on Miang Island, Similan National Park
More than 106 turtle eggs have been found on Nui Beach, Miang Island in the Similan National Park. This is the 4th time on Miang Island and the 2nd time at Nui Beach that turtles have chosen to lay their eggs there. Today, the Chief of Mo Koh Similan National Park in Kuraburi District, Ruamsin Manajongprasert, said that the forest…
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Myanmar robber arrested thanks to his tattoo
Ko Htwe Ovoen, from Myanmar, was arrested by Wichit police after robbing houses in the area. Police tracked him down partly due to the distinctive tattoo on his neck. After receiving a report about a robbery in Villa Doarung village on March 25 and at Phuket Villa California village on March 31, Wichit Police checked the CCTV camera footage in…
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Krabi vendors are revolting – Officials try to arrest beach vendors on Ao Nang beach
Officials from the Tambon Ao Nang Municipality had to call on other government agencies to send reinforcements to help crackdown on vendors hawking to foreign tourists at Ao Nang beach in Krabi’s Muang district. Video of vendors chasing Tambon officials from the beach shows vendors were not happy with officials walking into ‘their’ workplace and asking them to tone down…
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20% of Yala men reporting for the conscription lottery test positive for drugs
It’s conscription season where Thai men over 21 have to submit for the annual lottery. Military personnel were shocked to find a hidden problem with Yala’s young men who fronted up for the military conscription lottery yesterday. More than 100 young men appearing for the first day of military conscription in Muang Yala on Tuesday tested positive for illicit drugs,…
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Narathiwat policeman shot whilst PM heads to Pattani in the south
A police captain has been shot dead in Narathiwat’s Sungai Padi district this morning in what is believed to be another insurgent attack. Pol Capt Wutthisak Poonsawat was killed behind the house of his mother-in-law in Tambon Sakor in Sungai Padi at 8am. Wutthisak, a deputy inspector of Sakor police, went to the house to take care of his fighting…
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Confidence riding high – Thai economy continues to surpass forecasts
Confidence is riding high according to the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking. They report that the private sector remains confident about Thailand’s economic growth of 4.5% being maintained as exports and tourism continue to rise. But the Committee warns that the private sector is being spooked by potential fall out from the ramping up of trade disputes…
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