Month: August 2019

  • Crime NewsNine Chinese criminals rounded up for extradition back to China

    Nine Chinese criminals rounded up for extradition back to China

    FILE PHOTO: Thai Immigration Chief Pol Lt-General Sompong Chingduang Nine Chinese nationals have been taken into custody after seeking refuge in Thailand, wanted by Chinese authorities for alleged crimes in China. Thai Immigration officials report that the nine have caused damages valued around 5 billion baht to the Chinese government. Immigration police chief Pol Lt-General Sompong Chingduang said the Thai…

    Read More »
  • Tourism NewsWhich flight route makes the most money in the world?

    Which flight route makes the most money in the world?

    The world of aviation now has its first billion dollar route. That’s a flight route that makes more money for an airline than any other. And for the first time that route has breached the one billion dollar ceiling – British Airways’ service between London Heathrow and New York’s JFK. OAG has come up with a list of the routes…

    Read More »
  • Northern Thailand NewsRelatives of ‘slapped’ student say they will file complaint

    Relatives of ‘slapped’ student say they will file complaint

    Relatives of a Mathayom 2 schoolboy, who was slapped in the face by his teacher at the Sa Kaew’s Aranyaprathet district school, say they will still take action against the teacher. Sa Kaew is to the east of Bangkok on the Cambodian border. They have told local police that they, and the boy, have allegedly been harassed and threatened by…

    Read More »
  • Pattaya NewsSattahip drug addict arrested and jailed after threatening wife and children

    Sattahip drug addict arrested and jailed after threatening wife and children

    PHOTO: Pattaya Mail Sattahip police have arrested a person with drug problems who allegedly threatened to kill his wife and two children. 39 year old Jarat Injom was found hiding in the bedroom of his Moo 4 village house where he had barricaded himself after 34 year old wife Sangwein Prasannet called police. The wife told authorities she’d been married to…

    Read More »
  • EventsHabitat Group honoured with ten awards at 2019 PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards

    Habitat Group honoured with ten awards at 2019 PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards

    PHOTO: Winners, the Habitat Group lead by CEO, Mr. Chanin Vanijwongse Thailand’s premium property-for-investment developer, Habitat Group, has received high acclaim at the 2019 PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards being honoured with ten awards, including the highly coveted Best Boutique Developer. In addition, Habitat Group’s flagship Walden brand and its expertise in developing properties for investment were recognised with multiple awards…

    Read More »
  • Events

    You’ve read the social media, now watch the TM30 debate in Bangkok – VIDEO

    A panel of Thai and foreign experts and commentators came together yesterday to discuss the enforcement of immigration rules, government policies and concerns, and recent shifts in official procedures and attitudes. They attempted to clarify the TM30 reporting process, analyse its impact and discuss the future of this unpopular law. The speakers were… • Pol. Maj. Gen. Patipat Suban Na…

    Read More »
  • Phuket NewsGovernment MP receives death threats after exposing illegal condo project in Phuket

    Government MP receives death threats after exposing illegal condo project in Phuket

    PHOTO: Sira Jenjaka MP, says he has received death threats A government MP for Bangkok says he has received death threats for revealing a Phuket condo project that allegedly sits on land without the proper documentation. The project, at this stage, remains un-named. Sira Jenjaka is an MP with the ruling Palang Pracharat Party and claims that two people had already…

    Read More »
  • Bangkok NewsPolice look at cash rewards for information about illegal motorcycle racing

    Police look at cash rewards for information about illegal motorcycle racing

    A representative of the Royal Thai Police Office says they’re considering offering cash rewards for anyone providing information leading to the arrest of people involved in the promotion or participation in motorcycle racing on public roads and highways. Matichon Online reported the offer yesterday. Royal Thai Police are discussing the legal ramifications about the offer of cash rewards for information about…

    Read More »
  • Northern Thailand NewsKorean auntie arrested in Chiang Rai and deported over company theft

    Korean auntie arrested in Chiang Rai and deported over company theft

    PHOTO: INN News The Thai Immigration Policein Chiang Rai have reported the arrest of a Korean woman, Kyoungnam known as ‘Park’. She was prosecuted by the South Korean authorities on fraud charges and had an arrest warrant issued in her name by a court in South Korea. So Miss Park attempted to hide in Thailand and evade her arrest warrant…

    Read More »
  • Thailand NewsThai GM’s diesel plant in Rayong builds 500,000th engine

    Thai GM’s diesel plant in Rayong builds 500,000th engine

    GM Powertrain Thailand has produced its 500,000th four-cylinder Duramax turbo-diesel engine, a production milestone since production officially started in 2011. GM announced that the Rayong plant is the first GM facility in the world to produce the engine. Hector Villarreal, president of GM Southeast Asia says the Duramax engines serve as the heart of the company’s ‘Colorado’ and ‘Trailblazer’ models. “They…

    Read More »
  • Transport NewsTollway company says ‘no’ to Bangkok motorway discounts

    Tollway company says ‘no’ to Bangkok motorway discounts

    PHOTO: Thai PBS Expressway and motorway operators say there will be no further discounting of the country’s toll fees. Bangkok Expressways & Metro Public Company says the proposal by the new Transport Minister for expressway tolls to be cut by an average of 5-10 baht is not going to happen. The company claims they have already helped the government over…

    Read More »
  • Transport NewsCouple cry foul after ‘turbo switch’ found in Bangkok taxi – VIDEO

    Couple cry foul after ‘turbo switch’ found in Bangkok taxi – VIDEO

    PHOTOS & VIDEO: Facebook/Kaew Nutnaree A Bangkok couple has complained to police about a taxi driver ‘turbo charging’ their fare with the flick of a switch. Their story was told on the Facebook page “Kaew Nutnaree”. The couple arrived at Don Muang International Airport on Tuesday and caught a cab to take them to On Nut (Sukhumvit Soi 77). They…

    Read More »
  • Expats“It’s really not that hard” – panel discussion on Thai immigration form TM30

    “It’s really not that hard” – panel discussion on Thai immigration form TM30

    PHOTO: ThaiVisa A panel discussion about the controversial TM30 form was held yesterday at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Bangkok. The panel line-up included Sebastian Brousseau from Isaan Lawyers who has been involved in the recent online petition which called for TM30 to be abolished. Also Richard Barrow, blogger and long-term expat, made a presentation calling for “clarity and consistency” in the…

    Read More »
  • Crime NewsElectronic monitoring bracelet probe told to report back by August 23

    Electronic monitoring bracelet probe told to report back by August 23

    The Thai Justice Ministry permanent secretary Wisit Wisitsora-at has set a deadline of August 23 for a probe into allegations that the Chinese electronic monitoring ankle or wrist bracelets, rented by the Department of Probation, can be removed by the parolled offenders without the department being alerted. Wisit, who was assigned to set up a committee to check the EM…

    Read More »
  • Environment NewsTurtle rescued on Nai Harn Beach, Phuket

    Turtle rescued on Nai Harn Beach, Phuket

    PHOTO: Aroon Solos Today (August 15) at about 1pm, the lifeguard team at Nai Harn Beach rescued a small turtle, which had become stuck in a fertiliser sack. They found the turtle washed up ashore with the sack wrapped up around its neck. They tried to carefully remove the sack from the turtle’s neck but found that the turtle had…

    Read More »
  • Environment News7 year old elephant dies after being hit by truck

    7 year old elephant dies after being hit by truck

    PHOTO: Twitter/@fm91trafficpro A 7 year old wild elephant has died whilst it was being taken to an animal hospital in Nakhon Pathom after being hit by a truck in Chon Buri early this morning. The female elephant weighed about 3 tonne and was following her mother at the time, according to a message on social media. The elephant was hit…

    Read More »
  • Phuket NewsCompensation paid to victims of VIP Condo construction site collapse in Phuket

    Compensation paid to victims of VIP Condo construction site collapse in Phuket

    “Kraichitti Chensappakit, assistant MD of the project owner VIP Thailand, expressed sympathy and said the company will provide assistance to the affected workers.” The Labour Ministry has provided monetary assistance to the families of the three Burmese migrant workers killed and the eight others wounded from the collapse of a scaffolding at the VIP condominium construction site in Rawai on…

    Read More »
  • Bangkok NewsFire destroys six timber houses in Bangkok

    Fire destroys six timber houses in Bangkok

    PHOTO: The Nation Six timber houses have burned down in the Bangkok’s Wang Thong Lang district, north-east of the city centre, early today. No one was injured in the blaze that started in the community on Soi Ramkhamhaeng 39 at 4.43am. The community has many two-storey wooden houses next to each other. Access is through a narrow alley, which made…

    Read More »
  • Business NewsAsian stock markets follow Wall Street’s lead downward this morning

    Asian stock markets follow Wall Street’s lead downward this morning

    Asian stock markets have followed Wall Street’s lead this morning falling sharply as investors made their concerns apparent about economic recessions in some of the larger economies. They also reacted to more threats of instability from the trade war between the US and China. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index dropped 1.6% during this morning’s trading. US markets led…

    Read More »
  • Phuket NewsDrunken tourist rescued at Karon Beach after swimming in red flag area

    Drunken tourist rescued at Karon Beach after swimming in red flag area

    PHOTOS: Phuket HotNews Earlier today, the Karon Tourist Assistance Centre was contacted by a hotel reporting a tourist who was in trouble while swimming off the beach, near the Naga (snake) statue area. The area is notorious for dangerous rips on some days during the monsoon season. At the scene Foundation responders found two foreigners, whose nationality wasn’t clear. They…

    Read More »
  • World NewsMalay tourist allegedly ploughs into roadside workers, killing five

    Malay tourist allegedly ploughs into roadside workers, killing five

    “Five Thai workers were killed and another injured on the Asia Highway.” Khao Sod reports that a Malaysian tourist has been charged with reckless driving causing death and injury after her car allegedly ploughed into six Thai road workers in Songkhla, southern Thailand, on Tuesday. The workers were from the Kamphaeng Phet Highway District Office doing routine maintenance along the…

    Read More »
  • Technology NewsNation Multimedia Group aims to counter tech ‘disruption’

    Nation Multimedia Group aims to counter tech ‘disruption’

    PHOTO: NMG group chief, Shine Bunnag Thailand’s media giant Nation Multimedia Group say they are poised to ride the new “digital wave” to tide over the industry disruption brought about by technology, group chief Shine Bunnag said while outlining his vision. Shine, who is chairman of NMG’s executive committee, said in an interview with Krungthep Turakij newspaper that with the…

    Read More »
  • World NewsLion Air wants their 737 MAX jets, once they’re cleared by regulators

    Lion Air wants their 737 MAX jets, once they’re cleared by regulators

    Indonesia’s Lion Air, the victim of one of the two fatal crashes of a Boeing 737 MAX jets last year, “urgently requires” more of the jets to maintain its growth strategy. The airline’s co-founder, Rusdi Kiranaonce, says they eagerly await the regulators approving the grounded Boeing 737 MAX model planes return to service. The Indonesian-based low-cost airline, which earlier said…

    Read More »
  • Northern Thailand NewsThai woman threatens to strangle child on Facebook Live

    Thai woman threatens to strangle child on Facebook Live

    PHOTOS: Manager Online Concerned provincial officials have visited a village in Khon Kaen, north-east Thailand, after a woman posted on Facebook live threatening to kill her one year old child. 41 year old Suphaporn Prab-arin, threatened to strangle the child with a belt then hang herself. During the video the baby was crying in a hammock nearby. After the story…

    Read More »
  • Pattaya NewsIndian and Pakistani rob foreigner on road trip to Pattaya

    Indian and Pakistani rob foreigner on road trip to Pattaya

    PHOTOS; INN News The Immigration Police have arrested a pair of foreign criminals after robbing a fellow foreigner on a road trip to Pattaya from Bangkok. The two men made friendly contacts with their victims before arranging to meet and robbing them. Mohammad, a man from Pakistan, and Kuldip, a man from India, have been charged with robbery. In this…

    Read More »
  • Bangkok NewsBangkok woman hospitalised after she falls over and a cucumber ended up inside her

    Bangkok woman hospitalised after she falls over and a cucumber ended up inside her

    A 51 year old Thai woman was recently sent to hospital complaining of vaginal pain because she had a cucumber stuck in her ‘lady parts’. She told hospital staff that she ‘fell’ on the cucumber. She says she fell down in her house and a cucumber just happened to be on the spot she fell and it “simply slipped inside…

    Read More »
  • Chiang Mai NewsLanterns grounded in Chiang Mai for Loy Krathong world record attempt

    Lanterns grounded in Chiang Mai for Loy Krathong world record attempt

    Enthusiastic enforcement of the TM30 form is one thing. Backing down on modern new public buses in Bangkok is another. But now the Thai government have gone too far! Officials in Chiang Mai have ordered the cancellation of a major sky lantern event, including a Guinness world record attempt, planned for the Loy Krathong festival in November, caving in to…

    Read More »
  • Business NewsDon’t mention the ‘R’ word – world’s biggest economies at risk of recession

    Don’t mention the ‘R’ word – world’s biggest economies at risk of recession

    CARTOON: Financial Times Five big economies are at risk of recession – Germany, Italy, Mexico, Brazil and the UK. A recession is usually defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction in an economy. Locally Singapore and Hong Kong are teetering on technical recessions, both vital regional business hubs. The UK economy shrunk in the second quarter, and growth has flat…

    Read More »
  • Expats55 year old New Zealand expat arrested on drug charges and working without work permit

    55 year old New Zealand expat arrested on drug charges and working without work permit

    PHOTOS: Chiang Mai News Chiang Mai Police raided a restaurant on Sam Lan Road last night at 10pm arresting a 55 year old New Zealand citizen. The man has been arrested on alleged charges of drug dealing and working without a proper work permit. According to the Chiang Mai News, police raided the restaurant after receiving reports that the New…

    Read More »
  • Thai LifeThailand, the land of festivals

    Thailand, the land of festivals

    Fireworks, colour, smoke, noise, costumes, absence of occupational health and safety. That could describe any of the many, many festivals held around Thailand each year. Different regions, different festivals. Some reflect an ancient culture and a rich history, other make absolutely no sense but we enjoy them anyway. We’ll go through some of the main ones and a few you’ll…

    Read More »
  • World NewsPolice seeking arrest warrants for planners of August 2 Bangkok bombs

    Police seeking arrest warrants for planners of August 2 Bangkok bombs

    ORIGINAL PHOTO: Reuters Police now believe that three suspects in the August 2 Bangkok bombings plotted much the attacks in a neighbouring country. Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon reported the latest in the investigations to the media today. Gen Prawit reported that the three suspects were actively involved and have fled back to their country. Without mentioning the country (presumably Malaysia), Prawit said…

    Read More »
  • Thailand NewsThai developers revising strategies after a drop in Q2

    Thai developers revising strategies after a drop in Q2

    Some of Thailand’s largest property developers have reported drops in revenue and profit in Q2 2019. The slump follows commercial banks in Thailand reining in loan approvals in response to a new loan-to-value regulation that took effect on April 1. • AP (Thailand) reported total Q2 revenue of 4.8 billion baht, down 25.9% compared to last year’s 6.48 billion baht,…

    Read More »
  • Business NewsIndustry minister says exporters will still need help to work-around strong Thai currency

    Industry minister says exporters will still need help to work-around strong Thai currency

    The strong Thai baht is still a big problem for Thailand’s industries, exports and tourism, key drivers of the Thai economy. The baht’s strength has been partly driven by Thailand’s high current account surplus of US$17 billion this year, attracting investment in the currency as a ‘safe haven’. Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit says the ministry will continue to support exporters…

    Read More »
  • Northern Thailand NewsElectronic cigarettes valued at 11.25 million baht seized in Mukdahan province

    Electronic cigarettes valued at 11.25 million baht seized in Mukdahan province

    PHOTOS: Workpoint News Electronic cigarettes valued at 12.25 million baht, plus various vaping paraphernalia, has been seized in Mukdahan, in far north-east Thailand. E-cigarettes and vaping products are prohibited to import into and use in Thailand. The Mukdahan Provincial Customs Department report that they received information from related officials and planned a raid of an import shipment for a company called…

    Read More »
  • Thailand NewsThai couple spend 1.5 million baht on tomb for their pug dog

    Thai couple spend 1.5 million baht on tomb for their pug dog

    PHOTOS: khaosod.co.th A couple in Kanchanaburi Province has spent 1.5 million baht to build an elaborate ‘romanesque’ mausoleum for their pug dog who died of old age. In a rather macabre attempt at preservation, they have arranged two refrigerated coffins to ‘preserve’ their beloved woofer. Defying Buddhist convention for the deceased, the owners are keeping their dog on ice instead…

    Read More »
  • Tourism NewsThai tourism will be badly hit if Hong Kong airport mayhem continues

    Thai tourism will be badly hit if Hong Kong airport mayhem continues

    The mayhem at the Hong Kong airport could cost Thailand tourism 1.4 billion baht in lost income according to the Kasikorn Research Centre. The centre estimates the Thai tourism industry would be adversely hit if flights from Hong Kong are disrupted for more than seven days and notes that the number of flights cancelled, heading to Thailand, have already cost…

    Read More »
  • ExpatsKoh Samui tourists rounded up on year long overstay

    Koh Samui tourists rounded up on year long overstay

    PHOTO: Naewna.com Immigration and tourist police in Koh Samui have arrested a Turkmenistan couple on overstay. They had overstayed their visas by 366 days They were acting on the orders of the Koh Samui immigration chief Pol Col Supharik Phankoson. Naewna.com has named the couple as 30 year old Mekan Nazarov and 28 year old Alina Loginova. Police headed to a house…

    Read More »