Month: November 2019

  • Northern Thailand News500 year old temple shaken in Nan earthquake this morning

    500 year old temple shaken in Nan earthquake this morning

    PHOTO: Tourwatthai.com The Nan province, in far north Thailand, on the Laos border, was the epicentre for an earthquake measuring 6.1 magnitude on the Richter scale. The tremor shook the province, and other parts of Thailand, at 6.50am, local time today. The US Geological Survey report that the quake struck 10 kilometres below the surface about 92 kilometres northeast of the…

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  • EventsPope Francis calls for action on exploitation of children, human trafficking

    Pope Francis calls for action on exploitation of children, human trafficking

    PHOTO: Government House Pope Francis was making calls for migrants to be made welcome and women and children to be protected from exploitation and abuse. The comments were made during the second day of activities for the leader of the world’s catholic church in Thailand today. The irony of the Pope’s comments would have surprised many with the Catholic Church…

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  • Environment NewsIt was THAT big! Pattaya fisherman snares a REALLY big sea mammal.

    It was THAT big! Pattaya fisherman snares a REALLY big sea mammal.

    PHOTO: The Nation A large dolphin species, called a “false killer whale”, was beached in Pattaya yesterday. The beaching happened after after local Jirayu Wanphusit was shore-fishing when he noticed a small tug on his line. The tug became a full on drag as the fishing rod, and Jirayu, were pulled into the water. His pursuit of the ‘best bar…

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  • Phuket NewsConstruction site collapse, kills 7, injures at least 2 in Phuket

    Construction site collapse, kills 7, injures at least 2 in Phuket

    PHOTOS: Newshawk Phuket Seven people are now dead and at least 2 injured following the collapse of a petrol station construction site near the Home Pro building in Thepkasattri Road in Thalang, northern Phuket. The latest source of deaths and injuries comes from Thai Rath. Construction labourers were stuck under an enormous slab of concrete early this afternoon at 12.50pm.…

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  • Pattaya NewsElderly British expat tries to save Thai man from bridge suicide attempt

    Elderly British expat tries to save Thai man from bridge suicide attempt

    A 70 year old British expat tried unsuccessfully to prevent a depressed Thai man jumping from a bridge in Pattaya yesterday. The Pattaya News reports that police were notified around 5.30pm and rushed to the scene at a pedestrian bridge on Sukhumvit Road, where a 45 year old Thai man, named by police as Boontieng Saokaew, lay injured. It’s understood that…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsCave rescue movie opens today around Thailand

    Cave rescue movie opens today around Thailand

    PHOTO: Director Tom Waller directing scenes from ‘The Cave’ – The Nation A movie about last year’s dramatic rescue at the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province opens today around Thailand. “The Cave – Nang Non” is based on “the untold true stories of some of the rescuers involved in the mega-international rescue mission that captivated the world’s attention…

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  • Bangkok NewsSpaniard will now apply for pardon after murder conviction upheld by Supreme Court

    Spaniard will now apply for pardon after murder conviction upheld by Supreme Court

    PHOTO: EPA/Narong Sangnak A Spanish man found guilty of the 2016 murder of a fellow citizen in Bangkok has failed in his bid to have his conviction overturned. The Nation reported that Artur Segarra Princep will now apply for a royal pardon after the Supreme Court upheld the conviction on Wednesday. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction and the death sentence…

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  • South Thailand NewsRoadside bomb injures 3 police in Narathiwat

    Roadside bomb injures 3 police in Narathiwat

    PHOTO: A similar roadside bomb attack in Narathiwat on July 16 this year. – Bangkok Post Three policemen have been injured, one of them seriously, by a bomb believed to have been planted by insurgents in the southern border province of Narathiwat. The three officers were part of a team of six traffic police deployed at a checkpoint. The bomb was…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsMeth kingpin busted in Kanchanburi

    Meth kingpin busted in Kanchanburi

    A 29 year old man has been charged with running a drug trafficking ring after more than 3 million methamphetamine pills were seized in Chiang Rai last month. The man, known only as “Prasarn,” was arrested at a resort in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand. Police linked him to the 3 million meth pills seized at a roadside checkpoint in Chiang Rai…

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  • Crime NewsMan shoots dead son-in-law after “causing him to lose face”

    Man shoots dead son-in-law after “causing him to lose face”

    PHOTO: Nujaree Raekrun A man remains on the run after killing his son-in-law, having never forgiven him for not turning up to the wedding party laid on for him and the man’s daughter three years ago. The Bangkok Post reports that Narong Krainara shot 34 year old Sarawut Phonhiran on Tuesday night, at a house in the Thung Yai district of…

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  • Politics NewsFuture Forward Party will replace Thanathorn within a week

    Future Forward Party will replace Thanathorn within a week

    PHOTO: prachatai.com A new face will soon be seen in Thailand’s parliament, following the Constitutional Court’s ruling against Future Forward Party’s maverick leader Thanathorn Jungroongruangkit, disqualifying him as an MP. Thanathorn was disqualified after being accused of holding shares in a media company at the time of his application to run as a candidate in the general election last March.…

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  • Tourism NewsDrop your excise tax on jet fuel, or we’ll pull out – Airlines

    Drop your excise tax on jet fuel, or we’ll pull out – Airlines

    The Thai Excise Department is proposing local airlines increase the number of flights to the Kingdom’s second-tier provincial airports in return for a reduction in the excise tax on jet fuel. The Department’s aim is to increase tourism into Thailand’s lesser-known tourist areas and attractions. Nok Air, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Thai Smile Airways, Thai Airways International, Thai VietJet Air…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsEarthquake hits in far-north Thailand

    Earthquake hits in far-north Thailand

    An earthquake of 6.1 magnitude has rattled the centre and north of the country this morning. The epicentre of the tremors was around northern Nan province, on the Laos border. At this stage there has been no immediate reports of casualties or damage although The Thaiger has been contacted by numerous people this morning claiming they felt the quake. The…

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  • World NewsIndonesian suicide bomber wounds six, dozens arrested in Sumatra

    Indonesian suicide bomber wounds six, dozens arrested in Sumatra

    Dozens of suspected militants have been rounded up after a suicide bomber killed himself and wounded six others in a police station attack in Indonesia. Around 45 suspects have been arrested since Wednesday’s bombing in Medan, Sumatra, while two bomb-makers were shot dead during a raid. A National Police spokesman told reporters in Jakarta that the pair resisted arrest and tried…

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  • Politics NewsThanathorn disqualified as Member of Parliament – Thai Constitutional Court

    Thanathorn disqualified as Member of Parliament – Thai Constitutional Court

    Leader of the Future Forward Party, 41 year old Thanathorn Jungroongruangkit, has been disqualified as a Member of Parliament following the handing down of a guilty verdict by the Thai Constitutional Court today. The Court’s findings say Thanathorn was still holding shares in a media company when he registered to run in the March 24 national election. Thanathorn presented evidence…

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  • Central Thailand NewsHusband begs wife for forgiveness, then smashes her windscreen

    Husband begs wife for forgiveness, then smashes her windscreen

    PHOTOS: sanook.com A 40 year old woman in Nonthaburi province, central Thailand, has filed a police report against her husband after he smashed the passenger van windscreen when she refused to get out of the vehicle. Thai Residents reports that Arunee Mala was in a van transporting school children home to Bang Bua Thong village when her husband, 44 year…

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  • Tourism NewsVisa-on-arrival passengers from 18 countries can now apply online

    Visa-on-arrival passengers from 18 countries can now apply online

    PHOTO: travellingsands.com Visitors from 18 countries, entitled to visas-on-arrival, are being advised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand to apply online for their e-visa. Thai Residents reports that nationals of Bhutan, Bulgaria, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Uzbekistan and Vanuatu are all exempt from paying the 2,000 baht…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsGovernment applies for UNESCO status for Korat Geopark

    Government applies for UNESCO status for Korat Geopark

    PHOTO: Satun Geopark already has a UNESCO Geopark – Greenpeace.com Government deputy spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek says the government is seeking UNESCO status for the Korat Geopark in Nakhon Ratchasima, north-east Thailand. The move follows a recommendation from the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry. A geopark is an area with a rich geological and cultural heritage and a UNESCO Geopark is…

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  • World NewsUS Senate gives unanimous approval to Hong Kong rights bill

    US Senate gives unanimous approval to Hong Kong rights bill

    PHOTO: FT.com In a move that makes clear its displeasure over Beijing’s crackdown on Hong Kong freedoms, the US Senate has unanimously backed a bill in support of protecting the rights of the Chinese Special Administrative Region. As the legislation was passed yesterday, Washington threatened to revoke the special status granted to Hong Kong in retaliation at China’s reaction to…

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  • Bangkok NewsWoman sues daughter and bank for stealing over 250 million baht

    Woman sues daughter and bank for stealing over 250 million baht

    PHOTO: Somchai Poomlard /Bangkok Post A 76 year old woman is suing her own daughter, as well as the Kasikorn Bank and four of its bank employees, claiming they were complicit in stealing over 250 million baht from her account. The Nation reports that Huay Sriwirat filed the lawsuit at the civil court in the Phra Khanong district of Bangkok,…

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  • Northern Thailand News13 year old Chiang Rai girl saved from forced marriage

    13 year old Chiang Rai girl saved from forced marriage

    PHOTO: Workshop in progress at the Chiang Rai-based Center for Girls – center4girls.org A non government organisation in Chiang Rai reports that it has helped a 13 year old girl escape a forced marriage to a 50 year old man. The Centre for Girls posted on their Facebook page that the organisation received a note from the girl, “Nu Na,”…

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  • Economy NewsNo Chim-Shop-Chai deadline for over 60s

    No Chim-Shop-Chai deadline for over 60s

    The third phase of the government’s “Chim-Shop-Chai” (Eat-Shop-Spend) program has a special quota of 500,000 reserved for the Thai elderly, in addition to the already fully subscribed 1.5 million. A spokesman says the Finance Ministry has not set a time frame for elderly people to subscribe so they won’t feel pressured to meet a deadline. More than 90,000 seniors subscribed…

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  • Economy NewsDeputy Thai PM: “Don’t mention the economy”

    Deputy Thai PM: “Don’t mention the economy”

    “If we keep talking about it, it’ll make good things look bad, and this will have wide repercussions.” Thailand’s Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak is urging the public not to discuss Thai economic problems too much, saying it could affect investor confidence. Somkid says he’ll explain the economic slowdown if the opposition raises it at the censure debate against the government, which…

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  • World NewsMekong nations face severe water shortages

    Mekong nations face severe water shortages

    Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam should expect severe to extreme drought until at least January 2020, threatening agricultural production, experts warn. Their main water source, the Mekong River, is at its lowest level in over half a century. Drought has already caused the Mekong to drop to its lowest level in at least 60 years, with exceptionally low flow in…

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  • Chiang Mai NewsYala’s “Suicide judge” moved to Chiang Mai

    Yala’s “Suicide judge” moved to Chiang Mai

    PHOTO: prachatai.com The Southern judge who made headlines for shooting himself in court over alleged ‘interferences’ in a case, has been transferred. Following his recovery, Judge Khanakorn Pianchana was transferred to the Research Justice Division in Chiang Mai, according to the Court of Justice. A probe has also been ordered to see if he broke any disciplinary codes. The transfer comes…

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  • Northern Thailand News‘The Cave’ premieres in Bangkok, first feature film about the Tham Luang rescue

    ‘The Cave’ premieres in Bangkok, first feature film about the Tham Luang rescue

    PHOTO: Director Tom Waller goes over a scene of his film ‘The Cave’ – Associated Press A feature film about the story of the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue had its Bangkok premiere yesterday. Rescuers, starring as themselves in the movie, walked the red carpet at the premiere. The film focuses on the stories of the rescuers who risked their lives…

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  • World News“Only China can make decisions on Hong Kong constitution” – Beijing

    “Only China can make decisions on Hong Kong constitution” – Beijing

    Beijing has reacted angrily after a HK court overturned the ban on face masks, popularly used by protesters. Authorities in China have hit back at the decision by a Hong Kong court to overturn a ban on face masks, insisting that only China can rule on constitutional matters in the territory. AFP reports that such a reaction could fuel further unrest…

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  • Environment News10+ Blacktip reef sharks flock to Maya Bay for breeding season – VIDEO

    10+ Blacktip reef sharks flock to Maya Bay for breeding season – VIDEO

    PHOTO: The Nation Worapoj Lomlim, chief of Noppara Tara-Koh Phi Phi National Park in Krabi, says that more than 10 Blacktip reef sharks had been spotted hunting near Koh Phi Phi Ley’s famous Maya Bay, some of them more than 2 metres in length. The sightings were made yesterday at the closed beach. He noted that the presence of the…

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  • Thailand NewsTwo-timing husband returns with winning lottery ticket. Everyone’s happy…hmmmm

    Two-timing husband returns with winning lottery ticket. Everyone’s happy…hmmmm

    PHOTO: Daily News Couple win lottery. Man flees with the winning ticket. Wife files report with police. Now the couple are back together again and smiling for the media. The original story HERE. After Saturday’s lottery draw 34 year old Wijak and his 23 year old wife Pornthida ended up with a 6 million baht prize. But an argument ensued…

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  • Pattaya NewsWorker detains a man who was filming him in petrol station toilets

    Worker detains a man who was filming him in petrol station toilets

    PHOTO: thairath.co.th Laem Chabang police in Chon Buri were called to a petrol station in Sri Racha after an office worker caught a man trying to take photos of him in the stations’ public toilets. The victim took it upon himself to detain the 27 year old man from Nakhon Sawan, and then called police. Police arrived, took the suspect away, and…

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  • Environment NewsBangkok 12th worst city for air quality in the world today

    Bangkok 12th worst city for air quality in the world today

    It’s a list you don’t want to be on the top of. The Air Visual website is reporting that Bangkok’s air pollution level stands at 136, with PM 2.5 level at 57.8 micrograms per cubic metre, making the Thai capital the 12th on the list of cities today with the worst air pollution in the world. Chinese and Turkish cities…

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  • Events“He comes in peace”, Thai bishop says pope’s visit will build bridges

    “He comes in peace”, Thai bishop says pope’s visit will build bridges

    Pope Francis will begin a three-day trip to Thailand tomorrow, with the deputy secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand declaring the visit a pilgrimage of peace. Thai PBS World reports that Monseigneur Wissanu Thanya-anan says the visit is not just for Thai Catholics but for people of all religions. “Pope Francis is a bridge-builder, a prophet who is…

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  • Economy NewsEat, Shop, Spend campaign – Phase 3 full, unless you’re over 60

    Eat, Shop, Spend campaign – Phase 3 full, unless you’re over 60

    A Thai government spokesperson says Phase 3 of the hugely popular economic stimulus program “Eat, Shop, Spend” (Chim Shop Chai), is now fully subscribed, although spaces still remain open to allow those Thais over 60 to sign up. The Nation reports that 1.5 million people registered for the scheme between November 14 and 16. A special quota was made available…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsDSI is demanding Court revoke Chaiwat’s bail

    DSI is demanding Court revoke Chaiwat’s bail

    PHOTO: Khaosod English The Department of Special Investigation will ask the court to revoke bail for former national park chief Chaiwat Limlikhit-akson along with three other suspects, or set a new bail. Chaiwat, director of the Conservation Office in northeastern Ubon Ratchathani province, along with three others, has been charged with multiple counts in the disappearance and murder of Karen…

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  • Transport NewsThailand’s high speed rail future “not the right fit”

    Thailand’s high speed rail future “not the right fit”

    After years of delays, negotiations and more negotiations, bullet trains (high-speed trans) are coming to Thailand. But with one project underway, another already approved and others being considered, many speculate if high speed rail is the right fit for the Kingdom. Critics say the existing contracts with the Chinese are more about a political jibe at the US over its criticism…

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  • Bangkok NewsLoose steel pipe spears car through the back window

    Loose steel pipe spears car through the back window

    A Thai driver has narrowly escaped injury, or death, as a steel girder came loose from a pick-up following him, piercing the vehicle from the rear window to the front of the passenger cabin. Yikes! A pick-up carrying steel girders had braked suddenly, flinging the 3-4 metre-long pipes forward, through the rear window, into the car in front, according to…

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  • Politics NewsThai government might buy private pot – Health Minister

    Thai government might buy private pot – Health Minister

    After years of speculation, some members of the coalition Thai government are pushing efforts to allow Thais to grow up to six cannabis plants for sale to the government for medical marijuana. Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said he is pushing for the Government to change laws to allow the medical use of marijuana freely. “We have confidence that marijuana will be…

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