Month: September 2019

  • Tourism NewsVoice TV report paints grim picture of Thailand’s tourism problems

    Voice TV report paints grim picture of Thailand’s tourism problems

    Natthapong La-orwong of the Sofitel group claims that Thai tourism is suffering, and the lack of European visitors is part of the problem. The comments were made in a Voice TV report that paints a grim picture of the Thai tourism outlook in 2019, according to ThaiVisa. Voice TV is unpopular withThai authorities with its forthright assessments and has been taken off…

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  • Environment NewsBan of 3 herbicides agreed, with conditions

    Ban of 3 herbicides agreed, with conditions

    PHOTO: www.asiaone.com Thai PBS World reports that Thailand’s National Hazardous Substances Committee says it will agree to banning paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos, provided that the alternatives proposed are effective, affordable for farmers, and less hazardous. Committee chairman Apijin Chotikasathien gave the undertaking yesterday, while giving the Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives 60 days to come up with alternatives. Mr…

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  • World NewsSouth Korean serial killer identified after 33 years

    South Korean serial killer identified after 33 years

    PHOTO: The Korea Herald “Between 1986 and 1991 more than two million police officers were mobilised to try and find the person who raped and murdered women south of Seoul.” South Korean police have identified a suspect in one of the country’s most notorious serial murder cases more than 30 years after the killings. Between 1986 and 1991 more than two million…

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  • Pattaya NewsPublic toilets going underground in Pattaya

    Public toilets going underground in Pattaya

    PHOTO: Bangkok.com Plans are afoot to build new public toilets underground on Pattaya beaches, according to a report in The Pattaya News. Deputy Mayor Pattana Boonsawad says 4 underground facilities will be built along Pattaya Beach Road initially, with additional amenities being opened on Jomtien and Dongtan beaches. It’s understood the washrooms need to be built below street level to…

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  • World NewsIndonesia’s President Jokowi says he is “embarrassed” by fires

    Indonesia’s President Jokowi says he is “embarrassed” by fires

    PHOTO: Singapore, days before the 2019 Grand Prix – DL Dozens of people have now been arrested over their alleged involvement in Indonesia’s massive forest fires. Thousands of hectares of rain forest and plantations have been burned, with the smoke and haze drifting in neighbouring Malaysia, Singapore and southern Thailand. Dedi Prasetyo, Indonesia’s National Police spokesman has confirmed 185 people…

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  • Politics News“We could move the capital”, says Thai PM

    “We could move the capital”, says Thai PM

    PHOTO: Bangkok.com PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says that one possible solution to overcrowding in Bangkok would be to move the capital. He floated the idea yesterday, while speaking at a seminar called, “Connecting Thailand with the World”, hosted by the Office of the National Economics and Social Development Council in Muang Thong Thani, just outside Bangkok. “There are two possible approaches…

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  • Tourism NewsNew branding for the old town – tweaking Phuket’s Old Town

    New branding for the old town – tweaking Phuket’s Old Town

    PHOTO: Many renovated buildings and putting the crappy overhead cabling underground is bringing the old town alive Though Phuket remains among the world’s most popular tourist destinations, injecting some 477 billion baht to the Thai economy, with its “Pearl of the Andaman Sea” branding, its future status is being questioned due to competition from Indonesia and Vietnam. In response, Phuket…

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  • TravelUAE boycott bites – Qatar Airways reports 9 million loss

    UAE boycott bites – Qatar Airways reports $639 million loss

    Qatar Airways has hit turbulence posting a net loss for the year to March 2019 of $639 million. The airline blame the losses on key markets closing their airspace to Doha. Qatar Airways currently operates flights to three destinations in Thailand, with services 35 times a week to Bangkok, 14 times a week to Phuket and daily to Krabi. The…

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  • Politics NewsCharter Court clears PM’s to be head of government

    Charter Court clears PM’s to be head of government

    The Thai Constitutional Court has ruled that the former head of the NCPO was not an “other official of the state”, clearing the way for PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to stay on as head of the government. The ‘clarification’ comes as no surprise to political pundits who predicted the outcome long before it came to an official hearing with the country’s Constitutional Court.…

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  • Environment NewsThai Minister Manunya a lone voice to have 3 herbicides banned

    Thai Minister Manunya a lone voice to have 3 herbicides banned

    PHOTO: The Thaiger Deputy Agriculture Minister Manunya Thaiseth (the OTHER deputy, not the embattled Thannamat Prompeo) is complaining that she appears to be a lone voice amongst the bureaucrats and politicians to have three toxic agricultural chemicals – paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos – banned within this year, as promised. She says that she’s not receiving any cooperation from the Agricultural…

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  • Pattaya NewsPattaya down the drain – big rains hit the city

    Pattaya down the drain – big rains hit the city

    PHOTOS: 77kaoded Hours of torrential rain that hit Pattaya yesterday caused flooding and made some roads impassable. But that didn’t stop some adventurous drivers giving it a red-hot shot! The road by the railway, heading towards Sattahip, was under half a metre of water in places. The area is prone to flooding when the monsoonal rains kick in, according to the…

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  • Crime News2.5 million methamphetamine pills seized near Myanmar border

    2.5 million methamphetamine pills seized near Myanmar border

    PHOTO: The Nation Another big delivery of methamphetamine pills has been intercepted in Chiang Mai. This time the couriers were both female. Rangers from the Pha Muang Task Force intercepted 2.5 million methamphetamine pills and arrested two females in a pick-up truck that broke through a checkpoint in the Mae Ai district early yesterday. The arrest followed a tip-off that…

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  • Thai LifePrachin Buri roadside flower seller gives yesterday’s earnings to Thai flood victims

    Prachin Buri roadside flower seller gives yesterday’s earnings to Thai flood victims

    PHOTOS: INN News A roadside flower seller in Prachin Buri, just to the north east of Bangkok, is giving all his earnings from yesterday to help flood victims in Thailand’s north east provinces. INN News reports that he was wearing a sign… “All earnings from today will be given to flood victims”. Flower sellers are often seen at red lights…

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  • Tourism NewsObligatory travel insurance for visitors to Thailand? Don’t worry about it for now, says government

    Obligatory travel insurance for visitors to Thailand? Don’t worry about it for now, says government

    Chote Trachu, representing the Thai Ministry for Tourism and Sports, says tourists visiting Thailand don’t have to worry about the mandatory requirement for travel insurance at this time. Thailand’s tourism industry is currently experiencing some challenges, explains the Ministry’s spokesperson, and for this reason, the requirement for all visitors to have travel insurance is being postponed until 2020 – or…

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  • World NewsTragedy strikes Hannah Witheridge family again as sister dies from serious illness

    Tragedy strikes Hannah Witheridge family again as sister dies from serious illness

    ThaiVisa shares a tragic report from the BBC today that the sister of Hannah Witheridge, murdered on Koh Tao in 2014, has passed away after battling a serious illness. It’s understood that Laura Daniels, aged 30, died in hospital on Monday. The nature of the illness has not been disclosed. The family say they have had their “hearts broken” following…

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  • World NewsCan Hamilton pull off a Singapore hat-trick in the haze?

    Can Hamilton pull off a Singapore hat-trick in the haze?

    “Hamilton has taken four of Mercedes’ five victories at the demanding 23-turn city street circuit and is looking for a third consecutive triumph.” by John O’Brien Lewis Hamilton is hoping his march towards a sixth Formula One world title Singapore this week won’t be affected by smoke from wildfires raging next door in Indonesia. The city state has been plagued…

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  • FoodThe 5 Thai dishes most likely to harbour bacteria

    The 5 Thai dishes most likely to harbour bacteria

    Research shared by Thai Residents reveals the 5 Thai dishes most likely to contain E-coli and other nasty bacteria. They are Red Pork Rice, Crunchy Pork Rice, Chicken Rice, Pork Leg Rice, and Papaya Salad. It’s believed that the reason for this may be that while many of the individual ingredients in these dishes are pre-cooked, they are then left…

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  • World News

    Mixed response on Asian markets to US Fed reserve decision today

    “Global markets have spent most of this month rising on bets that central banks, led by the Fed, will move to a softer monetary policy…” Asian equities are mixed this morning, with attention now turning to the US Federal Reserve’s key policy decision later today. Meanwhile investors remain skittish watching developments in the Middle East after the attack on Saudi…

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  • World NewsTalks with the community will begin next week, says Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam

    Talks with the community will begin next week, says Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam

    Thai PBS World shares a Reuters story that reports on planned talks between the Hong Kong government and the community, set to begin next week. The reports says Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has repeated her calls for the violence to end, with the city having been gripped by protests for over three months now. The demonstrations began in…

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  • Politics NewsNo nerves here, says Thai PM, in advance of oath grilling

    No nerves here, says Thai PM, in advance of oath grilling

    PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha says he’s not at all nervous about today’s debate on his oath-taking gaffe and is well prepared for a grilling from the opposition. “I don’t feel nervous at all. I am at the stage where I no longer feel rattled.” The Bangkok Post reports that those taking part in the debate are set to include the…

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  • Thailand Weather UpdatesDamp in the south, drier in the north – Thailand’s fickle weather

    Damp in the south, drier in the north – Thailand’s fickle weather

    There is a reasonably high chance of rain in many of the country’s busiest locations, over the next five days (forecasts below). According to the TMD (Thai Meteorological Department), there will be an increased chance of rain in the south but less in the north and north-east, where many areas are still recovering from extensive flooding. “The monsoon trough lies…

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  • World NewsMinimum age for marriage raised to curb child brides – Indonesia

    Minimum age for marriage raised to curb child brides – Indonesia

    PHOTO: eNCA “14% of girls in Indonesia are married before the age of 18, and 1% are married before their 15th birthday.” – UNICEF Indonesia’s parliament will raise the minimum age for marriage to 19 in a ruling aimed to curb child marriage in the south east Asian nation. Indonesia’s House of Representatives passed the revision to the country’s existing…

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  • World NewsAnother 300 Chinese rounded up in Philippines fraud crackdown

    Another 300 Chinese rounded up in Philippines fraud crackdown

    PHOTO: rya.org Aliens were reportedly rounded up in eight hotels and establishments where they were caught in the act of doing their illegal activities.” Philippines immigration officials, backed by army troops, have arrested more than 300 Chinese over alleged cyber crimes, a week after a similar number were detained during a raid linked to investment fraud. The Bureau of Immigration late…

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  • Thailand NewsStop Fake News seminar run by LINE and Digital Economy ministry

    Stop Fake News seminar run by LINE and Digital Economy ministry

    The Minister of a Digital Economy and Society, Puttipong Punnakanta, opened a Stop Fake News seminar to promote online media literacy and discretion before sharing information and news with other Thai youth, to prevent the spread of misinformation. The seminar was run in conjunction with Thailand’s most popular messaging App, ‘LINE’. Apart from representatives from LINE, the seminar also involved communication…

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  • ExpatsMore industry groups line up calling for TM30 abolishment

    More industry groups line up calling for TM30 abolishment

    More industry and NGO groups are lining up with criticism or calls for abolishment of the embattled TM30 and TM28 immigration forms. Most of the criticisms focus on the draconian nature of the forms, confusion around interpretation and the problems with inconsistent implementation. Trade and commerce organisations are saying it flies in the face of the government’s wishes for Thailand…

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  • World News15 killed after truck plummets into ravine in T’boli, Philippines

    15 killed after truck plummets into ravine in T’boli, Philippines

    “Based on eyewitness accounts, the truck lost its brakes.” Fifteen people, including children, have been killed in the southern Philippines after their flatbed truck plummeted into a ravine. The vehicle was carrying around 30 people home from a trip to the beach when the driver lost control near the town of T’boli in the latest deadly crash on the nation’s dangerous…

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  • Environment NewsThailand’s favourite giant panda dies in Chiang Mai Zoo aged 19

    Thailand’s favourite giant panda dies in Chiang Mai Zoo aged 19

    A beloved male giant panda, on permanent loan to Thailand from China, has died aged 19 in Chiang Mai. Thais are morning the death of the hugely popular black and white mammal whose sex life captivated the kingdom. Chuang Chuang, a resident of the northern city’s zoo since October 2003, arrived with female Lin Hui, where the pair lived in…

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  • Northern Thailand News68 year old Australian hangs himself after alleging Pattaya police failed to take a missing passport report

    68 year old Australian hangs himself after alleging Pattaya police failed to take a missing passport report

    A 68 year old Australian has been found hanged in a room in Buriram, north east Thailand. Buriram police were called to the hotel near the city bus station after receiving reports about the deceased foreigner on the third floor room. The man was hanging from a nylon cord and had been dead for an estimated three hours. Attached to the…

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  • Crime NewsThai bank employee caught stealing customers’ cash

    Thai bank employee caught stealing customers’ cash

    PHOTOS: kapook.com A video has been shared showing a female bank employee walking behind the bank’s reception and, allegedly, emptying the contents of a yellow basket into her pocket. She was carrying yellow basket and looked into the basket before quickly grabbing the cash and stuffing it into her suit pocket before going into another room through the white door. The…

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  • Politics NewsThammanat Prompao misses cabinet meeting today, calls in sick

    Thammanat Prompao misses cabinet meeting today, calls in sick

    Controversy-prone deputy agriculture minister for the Prayut government, Thammanat Prompao, isn’t feeling well today and has called in sick. He’s even provided a photo of himself in bed as proof of his need for a day off. After weathering a week of questions about his dodgy degrees and heroin-trafficking days back in Sydney in the 90s, he’s now succumbed to…

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  • World NewsNepali climber pushing for record 14 peak record attempt

    Nepali climber pushing for record 14 peak record attempt

    PHOTO: Don Bowie “This is not about me… it is to show what the human body can do. To establish a paradigm shift in perception of human potential.” by Paavan Mathema The current record for climbing the world’s 14 tallest peaks is almost eight years. Now Nepali climber, Nirmal Purja, who served in the British special forces, has set a…

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  • Business NewsNo impact on PTT’s imports from Saudi oil refinery attack: Thai minister

    No impact on PTT’s imports from Saudi oil refinery attack: Thai minister

    Thai energy minister Sontirat Sontijirawong claims that last Saturday’s attacks on two major oil-processing facilities run by the Saudi-owned company Aramco will not affect oil imports of the Thai petro-chemical giant PTT group. He added that he had learnt from Aramco and related parties that the situation there was under control and the damage was being assessed. The incident would…

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  • World NewsSmoke from Indonesian illegal plantation burn-offs causing acute problems for south east Asian neighbours

    Smoke from Indonesian illegal plantation burn-offs causing acute problems for south east Asian neighbours

    PHOTO: Visibility down to less than a kilometre at KL airport yesterday Flights cancelled, schools closed and regional environmental ministers trading insults. The minister’s fiddle whilst Indonesian islands burn. Parts of Indonesia are now opening temporary clinics to treat thousands of people suffering from acute respiratory illnesses in the smoke haze stricken regions around Sumatra island as authorities stepped up…

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  • World NewsHong Kong train derails during morning peak

    Hong Kong train derails during morning peak

    “The cause of the derailment was still under investigation but there was no immediate suggestion of foul play…” A passenger train has derailed during the morning peak hour in Hong Kong. Three people were injured in the incident. Images from the scene showed three carriages had left the tracks and were zigzagged across the rails near Hung Hom station in…

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  • Politics NewsWissanu admits Thammanat Prompeo’s educational credentials were not checked

    Wissanu admits Thammanat Prompeo’s educational credentials were not checked

    Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngarm admits that the Office of the Secretary-General of the Cabinet had not vetted the educational background of Captain Thammanat Prompao, before he was appointed deputy agriculture minister, because the vetting process might have delayed the appointment of the cabinet. But he says the embattled deputy agriculture minister might be replaced “if there is an ethics problem”.…

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  • Environment NewsLeading environmentalist slams Thailand’s record on pollution

    Leading environmentalist slams Thailand’s record on pollution

    A renowned Thai environmentalist and academic has posted a picture on Facebook of a Thai beach covered in trash as he slams the country for not doing enough to protect the environment. Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat, Deputy Dean of Kasetsat University, says he was sent the picture by a Thai national marine park and urges his fellow citizens to take action…

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  • Thailand Weather UpdatesMore heavy rain to affect many parts of Thailand

    More heavy rain to affect many parts of Thailand

    PHOTO: Kohsamuisunset.com A low-pressure cell over Cambodia has caused a monsoon trough to lie over the lower part of central Thailand, the upper south, and the east of the country since yesterday. The Nation reports that there is also a strong southwest monsoon across the Andaman Sea, as well as the south and the upper Gulf of Thailand. Strong waves…

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