Month: October 2019

  • EventsThe 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle fun run attracts more than 4,000 runners

    The 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle fun run attracts more than 4,000 runners

    4,000 runners from Thailand and overseas took part in the 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle Fun Run and Half Marathon 2019 yesterday, starting from the Phuket Gateway. The event is expected to raise 700,000 baht for the charity, now in its 15th year. The money raised goes towards to The Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation, which is committed to protecting…

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  • Events‘Phang Nga Bay and Beyond’ exhibition by Marilyn Band at Mom Tri’s WOK Gallery Kitchen in November

    ‘Phang Nga Bay and Beyond’ exhibition by Marilyn Band at Mom Tri’s WOK Gallery Kitchen in November

    The Art exhibition “Phang Nga Bay and Beyond” by Marilyn Band is being held at Mom Tri’s WOK Gallery Kitchen, Chalong, Kata Hill, Phuket from November 30, 2019 – January 31, 2020. The opening will take place on Saturday November 30, 2019 at 6.30 pm. Artist’s Statement “For the current exhibition, I am presenting recent work, a more abstract expression…

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  • ExpatsThai app will ease expat immigration woes and make 90 day reporting simple

    Thai app will ease expat immigration woes and make 90 day reporting simple

    The “OSS Foreigner” app is coming, and you will be able to use it for 90 day reporting, according to the Secretary-General at the office of the PM. Dr Kobsak Pootrakool says the planned app can be used for all immigration reporting, including 90 day reports, adding that typing in the required data and uploading a selfie will accomplish the…

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  • NewsPM will act on opposition’s recommendations

    PM will act on opposition’s recommendations

    Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Saturday that he was satisfied with the deliberations over the budget bill in the previous two days and promised to act on the constructive suggestions offered by opposition parties. Regarding the 400 billion baht allocated for the Central Fund, the Prime Minister admitted that the figure seems high, but it actually isn’t when measured…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsEarthquake could hit Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai

    Earthquake could hit Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai

    A magnitude 4.1 tremor shook seven districts of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai on Friday night, prompting the Department of Mineral Resources to warn that the two northern provinces could face a magnitude 5 earthquake within ten years. The prediction is based on analysis of movements in the Mae Tha fault lines, including the 5.1 ML quake in December 2006,…

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  • NewsRussian wanted by Interpol arrested in Thailand

    Russian wanted by Interpol arrested in Thailand

    A Russian man wanted by Interpol was arrested in Chonburi on Saturday. 52-year-old “Sergey” is wanted in relation to a case involving fraud amounting to more than 20 million baht. Immigration police were notified on 25 September by an anonymous citizen, who claimed that there was a Russian man with an arrest warrant in his name in Russia. Thai Police…

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  • NewsCrystal meth worth 500 million baht seized

    Crystal meth worth 500 million baht seized

    Acting on a tip-off, police and narcotic suppression officers in Tak province on 18 Oct seized 1.5 tons of crystal methamphetamine, better known as ice, worth more than 500 million baht, according to the Thai-language Khao Sod newspaper. The drugs were hidden under metal sheets in the back of an 18-wheel truck. Photo : SAQ News The truck driver and…

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  • NewsForeigner arrested for exchange counter robbery

    Foreigner arrested for exchange counter robbery

    A foreign man was arrested after robbing a currency exchange counter in a Bangkok bank on 16 October. Police worked with Immigration officers and the tourist police to arrest the man, whose nationality has yet to be confirmed. The man walked to a Government Savings Bank Currency Exchange Counter before pulling out a knife and threatening a clerk. He then…

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  • Things To DoTop 10 most boring news stories

    Top 10 most boring news stories

    In the media we have ‘slow news days’. These days are when you scroll through countless feeds and articles to find something, anything, worth writing about. Then the deadline looms and you have to publish something. Then there are those glorious moments when something get published that really should never have been. But being the internet. these magic moments will…

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  • Politics NewsPM defends the 80 billion baht munition spend

    PM defends the 80 billion baht munition spend

    PHOTO: The Nation Speaking to the House of Representatives’ budget debate for the 2020 financial year yesterday, PM and Minister of Defence Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha defended the expenditure for the Defence Ministry. He claimed they must reserve a budget of 70-80 billion baht for buying munitions and vehicles for defense purposes. “This money is part of the Ministry of Defense’s…

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  • Crime NewsThalang Police arrest local Phuket drug dealer with amphetamine pills

    Thalang Police arrest local Phuket drug dealer with amphetamine pills

    PHOTOS: เหยี่ยวข่าว ภูเก็ต Newshawk Phuket Thalang Police have arrested a local drug dealer with more than 192 amphetamine pills. Thalang police in Phuket arrested 29 year old Wimon Songkong from Nakhon Si Thammarat with 192 amphetamine pills that he was carrying when they nabbed him in front of a 7-Eleven store inside a PTT gas station on Thepkasattri Road, in…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsAnother illegal concrete structure has to be removed from Thai national park

    Another illegal concrete structure has to be removed from Thai national park

    PHOTO: ชมรมstrong-จิตพอเพียงต้านทุจริต จังหวัดนครศรีธรรมราช A website run by anti-corruption activists has posted a picture of a concrete platform built into a Nakhon Si Thammarat waterfall by food vendors, accusing authorities of failing in their duty to prevent such encroachment. This is the second pouring of concrete encroaching into the creek pointed out by police for immediate removal over the past week.…

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  • World NewsThe stakes are high, the deliberations continue – Parliamentary Brexit vote

    The stakes are high, the deliberations continue – Parliamentary Brexit vote

    Call it Super Saturday, call it Deal or No Deal, call it the most important day in recent UK history. Today (Saturday) the UK House of Commons will gather on a Saturday, the first time for decades. Golf games have been postponed, polo sticks will have to gather dust and the cleaner’s been told to come back on Sunday. Earlier…

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  • Pattaya NewsThe body of an unidentified foreigner found floating south of Pattaya

    The body of an unidentified foreigner found floating south of Pattaya

    A fisherman has recovered a body, thought to be a foreigner, from the Gulf of Thailand off Sattahip. Na Jomtien Police were notified of the body by 24 year old Teerapong Boonwat, a fishing boat captain plying the waters around Sattahip, south of Pattaya. Mr. Boonwat had recovered the body found floating near Koh Ped (Duck Island), about three nautical…

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  • Politics NewsOpposition hits out at government’s military spending in 2020 budget

    Opposition hits out at government’s military spending in 2020 budget

    PHOTO: Reuters | The Business Times The opposition is accusing the government of being more concerned with military arms than the daily struggles of Thai citizens. During a debate in Parliament on the budget bill, the government was accused of caring more about the growth in military spending than citizens’ financial woes. The opposition levied the attack after PM General…

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  • Environment NewsAcademics warn of high cost of Thai ban on agri-chemicals

    Academics warn of high cost of Thai ban on agri-chemicals

    The chairman of the Thai Sugarcane Farmers Association, Thongkam Cheongklad, says a ban on the weed-killer paraquat would have a severe impact on production costs. Academics and Thai sugarcane farmers have also expressed their concern over the ban, saying it could cost the industry up to 570 billion baht. The Nation reports that up to 1.2 million people working in…

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  • Thailand Weather UpdatesSouthern Thailand braces for rough weather and rain

    Southern Thailand braces for rough weather and rain

    The Thailand Meteorological Department issued a weather warning for southern Thailand with torrential rain forecast to hit the region throughout the weekend. The heavy monsoon over the Gulf of Thailand and south of the country is being blamed for the rough weather, with the TMD predicting flash flooding in many areas. (Phuket, Hat Yai and Hua Hin’s forecast below) “Waves are…

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  • Environment NewsThailand’s swift response to the ‘fall armyworm’ pest

    Thailand’s swift response to the ‘fall armyworm’ pest

    OPINION: Somsak Samanwong – Regional Technical Educator for APAC, Corteva Agriscience. PHOTO: East-East Seed In Thailand, corn is an indispensable staple crop, used as an important source of feed for a thriving poultry and livestock industry. About 1.04 million hectares of our land is used to produce corn, with this year’s yields estimated at a record high of 5.3 million tonnes.…

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  • Thailand NewsThai Abbot accused of sexually abusing teen novice

    Thai Abbot accused of sexually abusing teen novice

    A 51 year old Buddhist monk is accused of detaining a 13 year old novice monk and sexually abusing him, allegedly forcing him to give oral sex. The novice monk’s father accompanied the teenager to file a complaint at the Nong Khao police station in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, this week. The novice, identifying himself only as Nat, claims the abbot…

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  • World NewsJohnson tells MPs that there is ‘no better outcome’ than his Brexit plan

    Johnson tells MPs that there is ‘no better outcome’ than his Brexit plan

    by Robin Millard British PM Boris Johnson is warning British MPs there was “no better outcome” to the tortuous Brexit process than his divorce deal, as he scrambles to get MPs behind the agreement ahead of today’s knife-edge vote in parliament (Saturday UK time). Johnson is urging lawmakers to back the “fantastic” terms he struck with EU leaders and let…

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  • Thai LifeSex Reassignment Surgery in Thailand (male to female) – a quick guide

    Sex Reassignment Surgery in Thailand (male to female) – a quick guide

    MONTAGE: People Magazine Thailand has a well-deserved reputation for excellence in sex reassignment surgery and the before and after care of patients. The country has a long relationship with Kathoeys, affectionately referred to in Thailand as ‘ladyboys’, and consequently, a well-developed approach to quality surgery in this area. The following article has been prepared by My Medi Travel. Kathoey or…

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  • World NewsChina has the most atheists, Indonesia and Philippines the most believers

    China has the most atheists, Indonesia and Philippines the most believers

    “According to the survey there is a connection between religiosity, beliefs and socio-demographic characteristics like age, income and education level.” China is the least believing country in the world but belief in a God gets 100% mention in countries like Indonesia, Bangladesh and Philippines, according to the survey by Gallup International. According to the survey exploring religious tendencies of 66,000…

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  • HealthYour ultimate guide to Sex Reassignment Surgery in Thailand (male to female)

    Your ultimate guide to Sex Reassignment Surgery in Thailand (male to female)

    For those who want to match their physical gender with what they feel is their true gender, Thailand is the place for Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) – also known as Gender Reassignment Surgery, Sex Change Operation, and MtF Surgery, to name a few. So, what makes Thailand such an attractive destination for this type of procedure? In short, it’s because…

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  • Pattaya NewsPattaya City’s Police Chief dies from sudden heart attack on way to Bangkok

    Pattaya City’s Police Chief dies from sudden heart attack on way to Bangkok

    PHOTOS: The Pattaya News The Pattaya City Police Chief Col. Atinan Nuchanart has died from a heart attack yesterday morning (Friday) while he was on the way to a meeting. 59 year old Col Atinan was the Pattaya City Police Acting Chief, new in the position, and died at the Chonburi Hospital from a heart attack. Yesterday morning he and his…

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  • Thailand Weather UpdatesLocal residents and vendors demand action on Pattaya Beach erosion

    Local residents and vendors demand action on Pattaya Beach erosion

    PHOTOS: The Pattaya News Recent heavy rains over the past week in Pattaya have caused significant deep erosion and gaping holes on Pattaya Beach that have now been sitting in plain view for nearly a week. The situation is an unsightly embarrassment and a potential hazard for tourists, according to local residents and beach vendors. The Pattaya News reports that,…

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  • Politics NewsCharter court will hand down ruling on Thanathorn share case on November 20

    Charter court will hand down ruling on Thanathorn share case on November 20

    PHOTO: Thai PBS World The Thai Constitutional Court is set to issue a ruling in Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit’s media share ownership case on November 20. The court wrapped up its inquiry yesterday with the questioning of ten defence witnesses, including Thanathorn who arrived at the court greeted by well-wishers. Thanathorn, who held 675,000 shares in V-Luck Media, has…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsSoi Dog assisting displaced animals in flood-ravaged north east Thailand

    Soi Dog assisting displaced animals in flood-ravaged north east Thailand

    PHOTO: Fox News The record flooding in September in the province of Ubon Ratchathani, north east Thailand, lead to the destruction of many homes, the fleeing of hundreds of people to safe areas and the subsequent leaving behind of many owned pets, as well as the displacement of a large number of stray animals who live in the area. The…

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  • ExpatsOpinion: Retirees and medical insurance in Thailand

    Opinion: Retirees and medical insurance in Thailand

    By Barry Kenyon of The Pattaya Mail Thai government spokespeople, in recent years, have emphasised that that Thai hospitals are not free for foreigners. They have cited examples of sick and crowd-funded aliens desperate to get back to their home countries, or annual reports from public hospitals bemoaning the unpaid bills of foreign nationals. So far not a lot has…

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  • EventsIndian tourist numbers to Thailand steadily climbing

    Indian tourist numbers to Thailand steadily climbing

    The number of Indian tourists coming to Thailand has doubled over the past half a decade and continues to grow by an average of 15% each year. The figures are from a survey conducted by researchers Nutchanart Kuprasert and Jidapha Chuayphan on behalf of the Bank of Thailand. Contributing factors include an overall increase in Indians travelling overseas as evidenced…

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  • Politics NewsFuture Forward’s Thanathorn in court over alleged media share holdings

    Future Forward’s Thanathorn in court over alleged media share holdings

    by Dene-Hern Chen The charismatic frontman of Thailand’s anti-military parliamentary bloc appeared in court today accused of breaching election rules by holding media shares. The case could see him barred from politics and jailed for up to 10 years. 40 year old Thai billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has rattled Thailand’s arch-royalist establishment since seizing the political limelight with his caustic take…

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  • EventsRoyal Barge Procession on Bangkok’s Chao Phraya postponed to December 12

    Royal Barge Procession on Bangkok’s Chao Phraya postponed to December 12

    PHOTOS: AFP His Majesty the King has ordered the Royal Barge Procession to be postponed to December 12, originally scheduled for October 24, as recommended by the organising committee chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngarm told Parliament yesterday about the official postponement. After ten rehearsals and one dress rehearsal, he said the organising committee agreed that, if the…

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  • Economy NewsLocal investor sentiment dampened by Brexit woes and slump in Chinese economy

    Local investor sentiment dampened by Brexit woes and slump in Chinese economy

    The British pound fell today as investors fret over PM Boris Johnson’s chances of pushing his Brexit deal through the British parliament, while Asian markets were mostly down after data showed China’s economy expanded at its slowest pace in nearly three decades. The pound rallied almost to US$1.30 yesterday following news that negotiators had hammered out an agreement that would…

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  • Economy NewsStudy shows most Thai people live hand to mouth

    Study shows most Thai people live hand to mouth

    PHOTO: eTamping Nearly half of Thailand’s citizens aged 18-65 are spending everything they earn on monthly bills and living expenses, leaving them with nothing to put aside as savings. A study carried out by GoBear, an international financial comparison site, reveals that the highest percentage of people living paycheck to paycheck (53%) are those in the 36-45 age group. 51% of…

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  • Crime NewsBTS thief and credit card skimmers arrested in Bangkok

    BTS thief and credit card skimmers arrested in Bangkok

    Tourist police in Bangkok have arrested a thief accused of pick-pocketing tourists on the city’s BTS Skytrain, along with an Indonesian couple charged with credit card fraud and card skimming. Kasem Masan Jantaro, a 44 year old food vendor in the Huay Kwang market, says he started pick-pocketing when business became too slow for him to adequately support his family. The…

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  • Thailand NewsHer Royal Highness Princess Sirindhorn hospitalised for infection

    Her Royal Highness Princess Sirindhorn hospitalised for infection

    The Bureau of the Royal Household confirms that Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is being treated for an infection and inflammation of the digestive tract at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok. The Palace has reported that the princess was admitted yesterday on the recommendation of a medical team caring for her. She had been suffering with stomach…

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  • Crime NewsConvicted human traffickers ignore 99% of court orders in Thailand

    Convicted human traffickers ignore 99% of court orders in Thailand

    Human traffickers in Thailand have ignored court orders to pay compensation to victims in more than the 99% of convicted cases in recent years. The flouting of the court orders is fuelling fears that many survivors could be victimised again. Thai courts have ordered traffickers to pay their victims more than $4.3 million for damages caused in about 1,335 cases…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsJump in national park visitor numbers as ‘winter’ arrives in northern Thailand

    Jump in national park visitor numbers as ‘winter’ arrives in northern Thailand

    As northern Thailand moves into the ‘cold season’ (well, cold for Thailand) and temperatures drop, national park officials are reporting an increase in visitor numbers. Whilst the temperature is cooling down on the local northern mountain tops, the ground level temperatures are still around 30 (forecast below). But later in December the temperatures sometime reach as low as zero for places…

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