Month: July 2019

  • Environment News

    Competition to name dugong calf in Phuket

    PHOTO: กรมทรัพยากรทางทะเลและชายฝั่ง The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources in Phuket is inviting members of the public to participate in a contest to name an orphaned baby dugong, found stranded on a beach in Krabi. The dugong calf is now under the care of DMCR vets to save rare marine animals in Phuket. Jatuporn Buruspat, the department’s director-general visited the…

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  • Politics News

    Final cabinet posts will contribute to frailty of new Thai government

    Before the ink is even dry on the Cabinet list, and before the newly formed government has even sat, along with its PM, rumours continue to swirl over the viability of the Palang Pracharat Coalition and it’s ability to govern. Dean of the National Institute of Development Administration’s School of Social and Environmental Development, Phichai Ratnatilaka Na Bukhet, is quoted…

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  • Business News

    Thai Stock Exchange best performer in Asia – first six months

    The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index shows an increase of 6.8% over previous month up to the end of June, marking it as the best performer in Asia. The SET is up 10.6% from the end of 2018 to 1,730.34 points. The average daily trading value of SET and Market for Alternative Investment in June was 60.53 billion baht…

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  • Environment News

    Pattaya netizens concerned over dead dolphin found by fishermen

    Video of a dead dolphin offshore from the coastal city of Pattaya, east of Bangkok, has upset locals. The video shows the dolphin floating in the waters between Pattaya and Koh Larn in the Gulf of Thailand. The Pattaya Mail reports that the mammal became tangled in a fishing net, with the rope caught in its mouth. The net was cut…

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  • Pattaya News

    Koh Larn locals urge Pattaya officials to fix their coastal bridge

    “Fix the Koh Larn bridge”. That’s the cry from Koh Larn business owners as they demand Pattaya municipal officials to attend to the repair of the Tien Beach bridge. They complain that it’s close to collapsing. Koh Larn is off the coast of Pattaya in the Gulf of Thailand. Pattaya Mail reports that locals say there have been no lights…

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  • Bangkok News

    Bangkok locals cry foul after their Chinese opera performance closed down

    Residents in a Bangkok community are complaining about a condo project’s ‘official complaints and the police’s intervention which closed down their traditional staging of Chinese operas at the local Chinese shrine. They say the condominium was opened just a few years ago on Soi Narathiwas Ratchanakharin 14, while their traditions have lasted decades. Earlier this week, a Chinese opera performance…

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  • Thai Life

    Love gone wrong in Thailand – another cautionary tale

    by Nanthapong Siwilai – TMN Cable TV A Swiss man has shared his story of love-gone-wrong-in-Thailand to TMN Cable TV in Pattaya. It’s a story of riches-to-rags, a story all to common and another cautionary tale of expats seeking love and companionship in the Land of Smiles. Now Tony Niko, originally from Switzerland, is sweeping up at a temple in…

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  • Environment News

    Mariam the baby dugong ‘goes live’ soon

    PHOTO: Hannaret Hripai and Srichai Anuraktichai Officials started installing six CCTVs along the coast of Koh Libong in Trang province today so that netizens will be able to monitor the life of Mariam, the baby dugong that was found washed up on a Krabi Beach in May. Residents and visitors will now be able to ‘bay sit’ (or dugong sit)…

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  • Environment News

    Sperm Whale found on Krabi beach had digested plastic bottles

    Plastic waste has been found inside a whale that was washed up along Krabi’s shoreline. A sperm whale was washed up near Koh Lanta, in Krabi province yesterday. It was 12 metres in length and was estimated to weigh 11 tonnes. A marine veterinary team completed an autopsy today and discovered 3 plastic bottles inside the stomach of the whale.…

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  • Northern Thailand News

    ‘Mun’ makes landfall as heavy rains head towards Thailand’s northern provinces

    The Meteorological Department is warning residents in Thaialnd’s north and north east to brace for heavy for heavy rains influenced by tropical storm ‘Mun’ that made landfall in Vietnam this morning, heading west. In a special warning issued at 5am this morning (Thursday), the department says the storm was over the Gulf of Tonkin at 4am and heading for upper…

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  • Transport News

    Bangkok’s BTS becoming too expensive for Thai passengers

    The ultra-useful BTS network around Bangkok is becoming too expensive for many Thais, and is more expensive than international equivalents. The BTS Skytrain system is already too costly when compared to basic wages in Thailand, according to a recent research paper by the The Thailand Development Research Institute. It says that low-income earners can only afford to pay 11.7 baht…

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  • Pattaya News

    Foreigner falls from 11th floor of Pattaya condo

    PHOTO: Manager Online An unidentified foreigner has fallen to his death from the 11th floor of a Pattaya condo. Emergency responders were called to View Talay 6 Condo just after 6pm last evening (Wednesday) after condo staff reported that a man had died. They told police that the man, believed to be aged between 30 -40, arrived at the condo inquiring…

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  • Tourism News

    Airbnb estimates direct economic impact in Thailand exceeds 33.8 billion baht

    • 80 percent of local Airbnb hosts saying they recommend restaurants and cafes to guests • Airbnb guests saying that 46% of their spending occurs in the neighbourhood where they stay. According to new survey findings and an analysis of internal data released today, Airbnb’s host and guest community generated over 33.8 billion baht in estimated direct economic impact in…

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  • Events

    The Kings Cup Scrabble competition is on in Bangkok

    The 34th Brand’s International Scrabble Championships will be held at Central Westgate in Bang Yai, Bangkok, for four days starting today running through to Sunday, July 7. It’s one of the largest Scrabble tournaments in the world, in terms of the number of players, drawing as many as 8,000 players. Thailand has produced two world champions as well as many top…

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  • Politics News

    Ja New thanks those that support him and updates his health

    PHOTO: Facebook/Sirawith Seritiwat Thai political activist Sirawith Seritiwat, aka. Ja New, has posted on his Facebook page for the first time since last Thursday’s brutal attack in Bangkok. In the post, typed by a friend, Sirawith says that he was touched by everyone’s kindness, acknowledging the activity relating to his case and calling for justice both inside and outside parliament.…

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  • Tourism News

    TAT reach out to the NY Pride March to attract more LGBT tourists to Thailand

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand is reaching out to the US LGBT community to help broaden Thailand’s tourism base and attract more travellers. The TAT sent a contingent to New York’s annual pride parade, held on World Pride Day, to lure more tourists to the Kingdom. The parade was held last Sunday. TAT are using the branding “Go Thai Be…

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  • Phuket News

    British tourist drowns at Phuket’s Surin Beach, son in hospital

    A British tourist, from Hong Kong, has drowned at Surin beach in Phuket yesterday but his son was saved thanks to the quick actions of a local beachgoer. Choeng Thalay police were alerted at 3pm that a foreign tourist had drowned and another was injured. When police arrived 24 year old Wan Chun Tat had already been rushed to the…

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  • Tourism News

    British expat catches world’s biggest carp in Thailand

    PHOTO: Bournemouth News 42 year old John Harvey from the UK has caught a fish that was THAT big! The world’s largest carp was a Siamese carp weighing 232lbs (105 kilograms). It beats the old record by 10lbs (4.5 kilograms). John was fishing at the Palm Tree Lagoon at Chedi Hak, just west of Bangkok. The property investor from the UK…

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  • Health

    Thai attempted suicide rates are on the increase

    The Thai Department of Mental Health has released disturbing research showing the shockingly high rate of attempted suicides and pointing out the need for better education about depression and coping with stress. The research indicates that about 53,000 Thais attempt suicide each year. That’s an average of more than six attempts per hour. Sadly, 4,000 will succeed in taking their own…

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  • Pattaya News

    Pattaya police inspect three local bars following resident complaints

    Police have conducted spot inspections at three bars in the Third Road area of Pattaya. The inspections occurred on July 2 around 2am after a tip-off from a “concerned citizen” that the businesses were open past the legal closing times and disturbing residents with “loud noise and rowdy patrons”. PattayaOne.news report that the three Thai clubs – “Samed Chill”, “Depending…

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  • Bangkok News

    A drop in demand leaves Bangkok with a glut of completed new condos

    A parliament of owls? A murder of crows? A flock of geese? But what’s the collective noun for a lot of available new condo developments in Bangkok? A glut of Condos? As Thailand’s economy is hit by the double whammy of fallout from US-China trade wars and lingering political instability, stricter mortgage-lending rules are also kicking in creating a buyer’s market in…

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  • South Thailand News

    2 killed, 4 others injured in south Thailand bombings and shootings

    PHOTO: Thai PBS A Thai para-military ranger and a local villager were killed, along with three other rangers and another villager who were wounded in two related incidents in the forests of Yala, southern Thailand, this morning. A team of para-military rangers was dispatched to the forest in Ban Kuwing, Village 6 of Tambon Baroh after they received a report…

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  • Crime News

    89 year old Trang grandmother raped by 71 year old neighbour

    PHOTOS: Daily News A 71 year old man in Trang has been arrested after confessing to raping an 89 year old neighbour. Daily News reports that Palian police arrived to find that the woman’s granddaughter, Naphawan, had already taken matters into her own hands and beaten up Yap Chaiphak. She admitted to police that she had hit Yap repeatedly with…

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  • Northern Thailand News

    Khon Kaen school evacuated over fears building ‘near collapse’

    More than 100 teachers and students have been evacuated from a Khon Kaen school in the north-east. The evacuation was sparked by fears the 40 year old building may collapse. The Ban Lao Nadi School in Khon Kaen’s Muang district was evacuated this morning along with school furniture and teaching materials. Khon Kaen Primary Educational Service Area Office 1 deputy…

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  • Northern Thailand News

    Sacked female ex-employee arrested over 7-Eleven heist in Nakhon Ratchasima

    Police have arrested a former female 7-Eleven shop staff member in Nakhon Ratchasima for an alleged robbery that netted 2.3 million baht in cash. Read the original story HERE. Police arrested 25 year old Rojana Chongklang at her house yesterday, about 36 hours after the robbery. She used to work at a 7-Eleven store in the Ban Pho community but was…

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  • Phuket News

    Former OrBorTor President in Phang Nga, and accused pedophile, flees

    The former OrBorTor President in Tung Maprao, Tai Muang district in Phang Nga, Suppasak ‘Sak’ Pokaboot, has reportedly fled from his house after having resigned from his position following grave allegations of pedophilia and incriminating video evidence this week. The police went to speak to Suppasak this morning and found that the house was locked. There were a few workers outside…

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  • Food

    Chiang Mai makes it into the world’s top ten locations to find a vegan burger

    Being vegan may have been a bit ‘out there’ ten years ago, but in 2019 it’s all the rage and specialist vegan eating establishments are popping up around the world, including Thailand. Dutch online moving platform ScanMovers.com decided to do some serious research into the matter, to determine the best place to find a vegan eating experience. They compiled a…

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  • Events

    Sukhumvit Gallery showcases images from a bygone era in Bangkok

    The Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit has launched a photo gallery and Artistic Afternoon Tea themed around Sukhumvit’s rich history. The new photo gallery, in one of Bangkok’s most culturally diverse areas, is giving guests a glimpse into another era with a permanent exhibition on the history of Bangkok’s most important boulevards – Sukhumvit Road. Sukhumvit Gallery, located on the fourth…

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  • Business News

    Bank of Thailand tackles surging Thai Baht

    In attempts to exert some pressure on the Thai Baht control levers, the Bank of Thailand says it’s scaling back the auction size of short-term bonds. The actions are an attempt to curb the rapid surge of the Thai Baht which hit a six-year high last Monday. The central bank has announced that the reduction of short-term bond supply is…

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  • Politics News

    ‘No problems’ in the Palang Pracharat Party – Thai PM

    Move on, nothing to see here… The Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says there is no problem in the Palang Pracharat party which would warrant his intervention. Asked yesterday by waiting reporters whether he will step in to address conflicts in the coalition alliance, caused by the Palang Pracharat’s ‘Sam Mitr’ faction’, the PM snapped back “What problem? No problem.” Interior…

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  • World News

    Tropical storm ‘Mun’ to affect north and north-east Thailand

    The TMD (Thai Meteorological Department) has issued a warning this morning relating to possible impacts of tropical storm ‘Mun’. The TMD reports that the tropical storm is moving west from Hainan Island in the South China Sea at a speed 20 kph and will make landfall between northern Vietnam and China tomorrow (July 4). It is predicted that the storm…

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  • Bangkok News

    24 year old woman dies after mysterious electrocution from Bangkok noodle van

    PHOTO: Nonthaburi News Association A woman has died after being allegedly electrocuted by a noodle food truck in Nonthaburi’s Bang Yai district last night (Tuesday). The Bang Yai police station learnt that a woman had apparently been electrocuted in front of Soi Bang Lane 23/4 in Tambon Bang Lane around 9pm. The victim has been identified as 24 year old Nipada…

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  • Health

    Is sleeping with your fan making you sick?

    How do you get a good night’s sleep in Thailand? Do you sleep with the air-con, leave the windows open (with fly-wire screens!), turn the air-con on before you go to bed to cool down the room? Or do you use a fan? A new story from life.gomcgill.com suggests that sleeping with a fan could actually be dangerous to your…

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  • Krabi News

    Fast and Furious filming in Krabi – production begins

    The cameras started rolling this week in Krabi as production continues on the latest in the Fast & Furious movie franchise. Filming kicked off for Fast & Furious 9 in a palm plantation in the southern province – and why not, there’s plenty of them. There was a strong security contingent protecting the actors and the plot line, although Krabi…

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  • Events

    Thailand goes to the dogs – International Dog Show 2019

    This year’s Thailand International Dog Show is being held at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani in Bangkok from July 4-7. The event, which takes up more than 10,000 square metres of exhibition space, will be open from 10am to 8pm each day. Over 200 local and international exhibitors will be showcasing the latest dog care products and services to the expected 200,000…

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  • Environment News

    Blackwater at Phuket’s Nai Harn beach due to ‘natural causes’

    ‘Blackwater’ has returned at one of Phuket’s favourite beaches, this time in the lagoon behind Nai Harn beach, which flushes out naturally when the tide conditions are right. For now, it is dammed up by the sand and has developed into an ugly cesspool for passersby to see. Responding to complaints from local residents, Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos has denied…

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  • Property

    Luxury condos change the face of Sathorn Road in Bangkok

    by Somluck Srimalee, The Nation From Sathorn junction to Taksin Bridge, the riverside section of Sathorn Road has been transformed from a strip of shophouses to luxury residential condos in a gentrification that added 8,000 new apartments to the area. As well, the businesses have shifted to a more modern trade to replace the traditional trades. With the market trend, listed…

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