Month: June 2019

  • OpinionPoll – Will the Thai Baht rise or fall (compared to other currencies)?

    Poll – Will the Thai Baht rise or fall (compared to other currencies)?

    Yesterday The Thaiger polled our Facebook readers asking them… “Will the Thai baht continue to rise in value against many of the western currencies? Or has it peaked?” Your responses were very mixed but the result was a slight leaning towards the baht dropping, but only by 52% to 48%, from 585 votes. Thanks for participating! Here are few of…

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  • World NewsTruck spraying stepped up to prevent swine fever from entering Thailand

    Truck spraying stepped up to prevent swine fever from entering Thailand

    Officials at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge border checkpoint are stepping spraying and checking trucks in an attempt to prevent African Swine Fever from spreading into Thailand from bordering countries.Officials are targeting the trucks as they return from delivering live and slaughtered pigs to neighbouring nations. Chief of the Nong Khai animal quarantine office, Jongcharoen Maksuwan, says officials ramped up the…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsThai Air Asia pulling the plug on its Chiang Rai-Singapore service?

    Thai Air Asia pulling the plug on its Chiang Rai-Singapore service?

    from ttrweekly.com The Thai AirAsia’s direct flight between Chiang Rai and Singapore is unlikely to survive. That’s the outlook of travel website ttrweekly.com Launched early 2019 with little fanfare, the new international route was one of four direct services that use Chiang Rai as a hub. The others were direct flights to Kuala Lumpur, Macau and Phuket. So what’s gone…

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  • Transport NewsTougher laws and bigger fines for taxi drivers who reject passengers

    Tougher laws and bigger fines for taxi drivers who reject passengers

    Mai dai! Taxi drivers who say ‘no’ to passengers will soon be liable to a fine of 5,000 baht. That’s up from 2,000 baht. Taxi drivers, especially in Bangkok, are notorious for rejecting fares when the passenger’s travel plans doesn’t suit the driver’s, especially at times near the change of shifts. The owner of the taxi will now face a…

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  • Tourism NewsSuvarnabhumi’s ‘fast track’ scam exposed – AoT crackdown on Thailand’s biggest airport

    Suvarnabhumi’s ‘fast track’ scam exposed – AoT crackdown on Thailand’s biggest airport

    After allegations of massive fraud in the use of Thailand’s largest airport’s Premium Lanes at immigration, Airports of Thailand (AoT) are cracking down on the use of the so-called ‘fast lanes’ and the hawkers profiting from the reselling of the service. Only first and business class passengers, plus passengers with special needs, will be permitted to use the Premium Lane…

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  • Phuket NewsThree suspects arrested with over 500 kilograms of kratom in Kathu, Phuket

    Three suspects arrested with over 500 kilograms of kratom in Kathu, Phuket

    Police have arrested three suspects with a total of 502 kilograms of kratom in Kathu, central Phuket. Border Patrol police have arrested three suspects – 34 year old Nattee Sukan, 20 year old Nattawut Lakhin and 18 year old Nantawan Kuna – at a rented room in Kathu. Police seized 502 kilograms of kratom leaves. They were taken to the…

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  • Transport NewsChiang Mai’s red bus drivers plan mass protest against Grab

    Chiang Mai’s red bus drivers plan mass protest against Grab

    The war to dominate Chiang Mai’s local public transport sector is hotting up with the drivers of the city’s Rot Daeng vans (red song taews) planning a mass protest against the growing popularity of the Grab Taxis. Sanook reports that Bunniam Buntha, representing Chiang Mai’s Rot Daeng drivers, says they plan to assemble the 2,465 members in a mass protest. Sanook…

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  • Phuket NewsWeather warning for Thailand’s southern provinces

    Weather warning for Thailand’s southern provinces

    Thailand’s wet-season is forecast to be ‘wet’ in the south for the next few days. The Thai Meteorological Department has issued its 3rd consecutive weather warning in the past 24 hours to alert residents of heavy rain in the Southern provinces, strong winds and high seas. In the latest warning issued this morning at 6am, the TMD reported that, until June…

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  • Phuket NewsPhang Nga governor declares flood disaster zones in Thailand’s south

    Phang Nga governor declares flood disaster zones in Thailand’s south

    PHOTOS: ศูนย์ปฏิบัติการข้อมูล The Phang Nga provincial administration has declared five flooded districts in the province as disaster zones to speed up assistance to affected residents. Phang Nga’s governor Siripat Pattanakul said the districts of Kapong, Thay Muang, Takua Pa, Muang and Takua Thung are now declared disaster zones following weekend flooding that’s affected 1,700 people from 442 families. Localised heavy…

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  • Transport NewsBoeing sued by more than 400 pilots in class action over 737 MAX ‘cover-up’

    Boeing sued by more than 400 pilots in class action over 737 MAX ‘cover-up’

    More than 400 pilots are involved in a class action against the US manufacturer of the 737 MAX seeking damages over what they allege was Boeing’s “unprecedented cover-up” of the “known design flaws” of the latest incarnation of its top-selling jet. • A plaintiff lodged claims against Boeing on behalf of hundreds of pilot peers alleging the company “knowingly” covered…

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  • HealthNew ‘no smoking law’ is not banning smoking in homes – Thai health official

    New ‘no smoking law’ is not banning smoking in homes – Thai health official

    Health official Lertpanya Buranabanthit has been forced to clarify the situation about the so called ‘ban’ on smoking in Thai homes reported over the weekend. He has hit back at claims on social media that the new law is trying to stop people smoking in their own houses. Read the story HERE. Thai social media has made the story the top-trending…

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  • Phuket NewsTwo Patong Tuk Tuk drivers surrender after a shooting in Patong, Phuket

    Two Patong Tuk Tuk drivers surrender after a shooting in Patong, Phuket

    Two Tuk Tuk drivers have surrendered after a Patong entertainment staff member was shot and killed early yesterday. Patong police were notified of the incident at 4am Sunday morning in Soi Patong Tower off Taweewong Road (the beach road). Police and emergency responders arrived to find the body of a man who was identified as 45 year old Panya Kingjampa, a…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsTruck carrying 30,000 bottles of beer rolls over

    Truck carrying 30,000 bottles of beer rolls over

    PHOTO: INN News A 22 wheeler truck has flipped on its side in Chachoengsao, east of Bangkok. The truck was carrying 30,240 bottles of a famous brand of Thai beer. The driver was 53 year old Tas Nirankum from Chaiyaphum Province. Tas reported that he was on Suwinthawong 304 Road delivering 2,520 boxes of beer to Chonburi from Khon Kaen Province.…

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  • Phuket NewsSwiss driver faces charges after motorcyclist dies in Rawai

    Swiss driver faces charges after motorcyclist dies in Rawai

    A motorbike driver has died after colliding into the side of a sedan whose driver was a Swiss man in Rawai over the weekend. The Swiss driver is facing charges. Chalong Police were notified of the incident on Wiset Road in Rawai opposite the Macro Store, just south of the Chalong Underpass, on Saturday afternoon. Police and emergency responders arrived…

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  • World NewsASEAN takeaways – 34th Summit in Bangkok

    ASEAN takeaways – 34th Summit in Bangkok

    PHOTO: Thai PBS Time to say goodbye. The leaders, minders, security details, media and staff all head back to the ten ASEAN nations following a non-controversial Bangkok Summit held over the weekend, as well as regional plenaries held last Thursday and Friday. The expensive crockery is being put away, the hundreds of flags neatly folded, the chairs stacked and stored,…

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  • Politics NewsPolls show Thai voters sick of endless bickering over Cabinet posts

    Polls show Thai voters sick of endless bickering over Cabinet posts

    Exactly three months now since the national election for a new parliament and still no announcement of a parliamentary majority, government or ministries. But two surveys are a strong indication of Thai voter weariness over the drawn-out process of establishing a ministerial Cabinet. A NIDA (National Institute of Development Administration) poll shows most people (46.4%) complain that their elected representatives…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsThousands throng to Chiang Rai to remember the 1st anniversary of Tham Luang saga

    Thousands throng to Chiang Rai to remember the 1st anniversary of Tham Luang saga

    PHOTO: Thai PBS Thousands of locals plus tourists, along with some of the key players in the search and rescue of 13 Mu Pa (Wild Boar) footballers trapped in the flooded Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district, celebrated the first anniversary of the day the team stumbled into the Tham Luang caves setting off the epic drama…

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  • South Thailand NewsVan driver and nine passengers injured in Songkhla van accident

    Van driver and nine passengers injured in Songkhla van accident

    A passenger van driver and nine passengers have been injured after the vehicle careered off the Asian Highway in Songkhla around lunchtime today. When emergency responders arrived they found the van driver unconscious behind the wheel. All nine passengers had been injured. Three of them, one with a broken arm, were taken to the Narakin Hospital. The incident happened just after…

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  • World NewsASEAN’s bid for the 2034 World Cup

    ASEAN’s bid for the 2034 World Cup

    Today’s last day of the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok is considering a proposal, from the foreign ministers of the ten member nations to submit a bid to host the football World Cup in 2034. The only Asian hosts of the World Cup so far have been Japan and South Korea, in 2002. Thailand’s Foreign Minister, Don Pramudwinai, says the proposal…

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  • World NewsThe Korean Wave – a tsunami of cultural opportunity for ASEAN

    The Korean Wave – a tsunami of cultural opportunity for ASEAN

    BTS, Blackpink, ASEAN, K-Pop by The Star Online – Asia News Network TV drama, pop music, culture, food. The ‘Korean Wave’ is on its way. The Korean Wave was the hot topic at the ASEAN-Korea Media Forum held in Seoul recently, with experts saying that it has, in fact, enhanced cultural exchanges between the republic and the entire region. Korean…

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  • World NewsMyanmar government turns off telecoms in Rhakine State

    Myanmar government turns off telecoms in Rhakine State

    Burmese authorities have ordered telecommunications companies in Myanmar to shut down internet services in the conflict-torn Rhakine State in western Myanmar. Government soldiers (Tatmadaw) are in a long term civil struggle with ‘ethnic rebels’. Telenor Group announced that the Ministry of Transport and Communications commanded all communication companies to “temporarily” suspend internet services in nine townships in Rakhine and neighbouring…

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  • Bangkok NewsBangkok driver killed waiting for help at roadside

    Bangkok driver killed waiting for help at roadside

    PHOTOS: The Nation The 35 year old driver of a Honda car, broken down at the side of a Bangkok expressway, has been killed after his car was rear-ended by a Mercedes Benz early this morning. Police arriving at the scene on the Chalongrat Expressway in Wang Thong Lang district, in Bangkok’s north-eastern suburbs, determined that Somkid Yenjai had pulled…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsMiracle at Tham Luang – The Thailand cave drama unfolds, a year on

    Miracle at Tham Luang – The Thailand cave drama unfolds, a year on

    On June 23, a year ago, only a few northern Thai locals and serious cave enthusiasts knew much about the Tham Luang Caves in Mae Sai district, about an hour’s drive from Chiang Rai. But on that sunny afternoon, following their regular football practice, a group of 12 players and their coach, decided to have a quick excursion to the…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket’s perfect plane-spotting selfie

    Phuket’s perfect plane-spotting selfie

    Mai Khao Beach, any day day of the year. People are assembling, not to swim, but to take photos of planes taking off from the Phuket International Airport. Every 5-10 minutes planes will come and go making Mai Khao Beach one of Asia’s top plane spotting locations. For now, you can still capture your special moment with a plane, taking…

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  • World NewsASEAN agrees on common ground for world’s largest trade bloc, RCEP

    ASEAN agrees on common ground for world’s largest trade bloc, RCEP

    ASEAN members reached common ground on the mega economic trade bloc, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) during their meeting in Bangkok yesterday. RCEP will cover nearly half of the global economy. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is a free trade agreement (FTA) between the ten member states of ASEAN – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam –…

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  • World NewsSummit this afternoon, banquet tonight – ASEAN leaders assemble in Bangkok

    Summit this afternoon, banquet tonight – ASEAN leaders assemble in Bangkok

    The 34th ASEAN Summit got down to the main agenda today Saturday as leaders from various ASEAN countries arrived in Bangkok for the regional talk-fest. This morning leaders who were in attendance at the Athenee Hotel were Malaysian PM Mahathir Bin Mohamad, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President of The Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, Laos PM…

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  • World NewsVietnam and Thailand top Asia Pacific destinations for Russians

    Vietnam and Thailand top Asia Pacific destinations for Russians

    Vietnam is becoming one of the top destinations in the Asia Pacific region for Russian visitors, with the favourite Thailand still a close second, according to global travel analysis firm ForwardKeys. The ForwardKeys survey reports that Vietnam saw the highest increase in Russian market seat capacity at 153%, followed by Thailand and the Maldives, which saw a growth of 125%…

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  • HealthPassive smokers at home are suffering ‘domestic abuse’ – new law

    Passive smokers at home are suffering ‘domestic abuse’ – new law

    Smoking in your own home in Thailand may now be considered a crime, if the smoke is considered harmful to other people in the house. The move to ban smoking in homes with other people, and the subsequent inhalation of second-hand smoke, is part of the new Family Protection and Development Promotion Act which will come into force on August…

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  • Thai LifeSurachate Hakparn, your friendly neighbourhood crime-fighter, is back!

    Surachate Hakparn, your friendly neighbourhood crime-fighter, is back!

    PHOTO: posttoday …well, according to enthusiastic reports in the Thai media. Thailand’s favourite police poster boy and friendly neighbourhood crime-fighter, Surachate Hakparn, is poised to make a return to the front line. Thai media are reporting that he may be about to be appointed to the post of Assistant Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police. In April he was side-lined from…

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  • World NewsASEAN’s main conferences on today in Bangkok

    ASEAN’s main conferences on today in Bangkok

    The 34th ASEAN Summit started yesterday with various break-out meetings before the main leaders’ meeting takes place today and tomorrow. Wireless Road (Witthaya Road) is closed Saturday and Sunday as part of the weekend’s security arrangements. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs, delivered a speech at the opening of the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network Meeting, one of the important…

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  • World NewsThai Airways sneaks into Top Ten. Skytrax World’s Best Airlines Awards 2019.

    Thai Airways sneaks into Top Ten. Skytrax World’s Best Airlines Awards 2019.

    PHOTO: A Thai Airways Airbus A380 Qatar Airways is the world’s best airline in the 2019 Skytrax World Airline Awards. Last year’s winner Singapore Airlines, has been relegated to second place. Asian airlines have taken six of the top ten spots with Thai Airways, despite their local woes, just sneaking into the Top Ten. The Skytrax awards are the most prestigious…

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  • World News73 Burmese and 4 ethnic Rohingya intercepted on their way to Malaysia

    73 Burmese and 4 ethnic Rohingya intercepted on their way to Malaysia

    PHOTO: Thai PBS Two passenger vans have been intercepted by police along the Asian Highway in Surat Thani, southern Thailand. There were 42 illegal Burmese migrant workers travelling in the two vans. The vans were transferring the migrants, including three women, from the Prachuap Khiri Khan border crossing to Yala in Thailand’s deep south on the border of Malaysia. The…

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  • Phuket NewsWater shut-off along parts of Phuket’s west coast

    Water shut-off along parts of Phuket’s west coast

    The Phuket Provincial Waterworks Authority says the mains water supply will be shut off around Patong, Karon and Kata from today until next Friday (June 28). Areas mostly affected will be homes and residences in elevated areas. Works are being carried out on the water-treatment plant in Karon. The water supply to the affected areas will be shut off from 9am to…

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  • Tourism NewsUnregistered hotels and lodgings told to get their paperwork in order, or close down

    Unregistered hotels and lodgings told to get their paperwork in order, or close down

    At least 5,000 of the country’s estimated 23,000 unregistered small hotels are expected to get their paperwork in order. The rush to action follows the announcement by the current government to register and comply with the Hotel Act, or be closed down. Most of Thailand’s busy tourist spots are rampant with small and illegal lodgings for tourists. Whilst the growth…

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  • Pattaya NewsAustralian goes off the rails after being arrested by Pattaya Police – VIDEO

    Australian goes off the rails after being arrested by Pattaya Police – VIDEO

    PHOTO: 77JOWO An abusive Australian has been filmed resisting arrest after being stopped by police in Pattaya. Police intervened and arrested Constantine Anagnostou for his ‘chaotic behaviour’ at an intersection on Pratumnak Hill. A 5 minute video shared by Pattaya News showed Mr. Anagnostou swearing at police officers after claiming that one of the officers had assaulted him. It starts off…

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  • Business NewsThailand’s exports plunge 5.8% in May

    Thailand’s exports plunge 5.8% in May

    Thai exports have declined 5.8% for the month of May 2019. The value of May’s exports is 648 billion baht. The Commerce Ministry says in their report today that the contraction is mostly influenced by global factors including ongoing trade tensions between US and China and tighter global financial conditions, and specific factors of each country and region, political uncertainty…

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  • Thailand NewsThailand remains on Tier 2 for Trafficking in Persons

    Thailand remains on Tier 2 for Trafficking in Persons

    The Thai government doesn’t fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so. The US has released the 2019 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report saying the Thai government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period so will remain on Tier 2. These efforts included identifying more victims, sentencing…

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