Month: December 2019

  • Tourism NewsYear-end tourism expected to generate over 80 billion baht

    Year-end tourism expected to generate over 80 billion baht

    PHOTO: Kudla/Shutterstock The Kasikorn Research Centre says both domestic and foreign tourists in Thailand are expected to generate over 82 billion baht between December 28 and January 5, aka the ‘silly season’. This is traditionally the busiest time for holiday visitors to Thailand. This is up 1.3% year on year, but growth in 2019 is lower than the 7.4% growth…

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  • Pattaya NewsForeigner crashes pickup truck into Chonburi house, speeds away – VIDEO

    Foreigner crashes pickup truck into Chonburi house, speeds away – VIDEO

    PHOTOS & VIDEO: The Pattaya News A foreign driver has crashed a pickup truck into a house in Chonburi’s Bang Lamung district before backing out of the damaged rooms and speeding away. The incident caused significant property damage at the front of the residence. The house’s owner, 28 year old Attaphon Wongjaroen, told reporters that the incident happened late on Saturday…

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  • Tourism NewsTwo new airlines to hit Thai skies in 2020

    Two new airlines to hit Thai skies in 2020

    PHOTO: Eastar Airlines Two new Thai low-cost carriers are set to take to the skies early 2020. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand made the announcement yesterday. They are the first new Thai airlines being launched since the lifting of the ‘red flag’ by the International Civil Aviation Organisation in 2017. Thai Eastar Jet and Thai Summer Airways have already…

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  • Crime NewsThai Ponzi scheme investigations wrap up

    Thai Ponzi scheme investigations wrap up

    PHOTO: Bangkok Jack 2019 has been the year of the ‘Ponzi’, unsustainable investment schemes which always end up in the late-comers receiving nothing and losing their investment. Thai media have reported on up to 10 high-profile Ponzi schemes that have crashed leaving Thais losing billions of baht. This is the latest news on three of the current investigations. Police have…

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  • Tourism NewsMono airlift remains key barrier to Koh Samui’s tourism success

    Mono airlift remains key barrier to Koh Samui’s tourism success

    PHOTO: Koh Samui Sunset Bill Barnett and c9hotelworks.com analyse the current hotel and tourism challenges on Koh Samui. Bill says that in the past year the Gulf island has been shaken by declining demand and reduced airlift to the island. (graphics below) “The China slowdown is widely cited as a key factor, together with high airfares. According to Bangkok Airways, half of…

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  • Economy NewsCareers and business heading for the scrap-heap. And the ones that will thrive.

    Careers and business heading for the scrap-heap. And the ones that will thrive.

    Is your career headed for the scrap-heap? Rangsit University’s Economic and Business Research Centre for Reform has been studying the careers and businesses that are at high risk of disruption, layoffs or downright extinction. They’ve also identified 10 other careers that have a promising future. In discussing the detailed survey, the centre’s director, Anusorn Tamajai, said 12 careers faced high risk of…

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  • Environment NewsVillages fed up with living with dirty water in Phattalung

    Villages fed up with living with dirty water in Phattalung

    PHOTOS: INN News Imagine living with dirty tap water for four years. In a country like Thailand, in 2019, that’s not intolerable. But if you live in an unfortunate village in Phattalung, that’s the current situation. Villagers in Tamot District, Phatthalung, southern Thailand, have expressed their complaints after living with dirty tap water for years. The villagers have approached the…

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  • Economy NewsBaht to remain strong into 2020: Kasikorn Research Centre

    Baht to remain strong into 2020: Kasikorn Research Centre

    The Kasikorn Research Centre believes that the Thai Baht is going to remain strong into 2020. KBank’s research arm forecasts the baht to move in a range of 30.10-30.50 Thai baht to the US$ for the next few quarters. But they warn a key domestic factor to be monitored closely will be November’s export data, which will be released soon. External…

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  • Environment NewsSome big retailers will stop giving out plastic bags on January 1

    Some big retailers will stop giving out plastic bags on January 1

    The Thaiger reminds readers that many major Thai retailers will stop providing plastic bags from January 1 in a campaign to reduce the whopping 13.5 billion plastic bags used in Thailand annually. At least the ban will make a dent in the plastic problem as the government progressively rolls out other bans and programs throughout next year. Seventy-five members of…

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  • Politics NewsThanathorn’s “flash mob” enjoys widespread support amongst Thais

    Thanathorn’s “flash mob” enjoys widespread support amongst Thais

    The public is split over what is now being called the opposition’s “flash mob,” and “Skywalk Rally” organised by the Future Forward Party in central Bangkok on December 14, but supporters slightly outnumber opponents, according to a survey by the National Institute for Development Administration, or NIDA Poll. The poll was conducted on December 16-17 and included 1,277 Thai adults…

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  • Tourism NewsSenate calls for urgent expansion Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport

    Senate calls for urgent expansion Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport

    PHOTO: Oriental Express Just days after Thailand set yet another annual record for incoming visitors, a Senate committee is urging the government to speed up the expansion of Suvarnabhumi Airport. The Senate Committee on Transportation, met with Airports of Thailand officials on December 19 and both sides acknowledged the urgent need for the expansion. After learning of the progress being made…

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  • Northern Thailand News4 dead, 47 injured in Loei bus crash

    4 dead, 47 injured in Loei bus crash

    PHOTOS: มะเขือขื่นข่าวเชียงคาน Just two days after 14 Singaporean tourists were injured in a tour van crash, 4 people have been killed and at least 47 people injured, some seriously, after a tour bus from Buriram lost control last night. “Brake failure” has been given as the reason for the crash. The bus, which was carrying mainly elderly Buriram residents, ended…

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  • South Thailand NewsArmy compensates families of civilians slain by mistake in deep south

    Army compensates families of civilians slain by mistake in deep south

    The Thai Army has decided to pay compensation of half a million baht, each, to the families of three men who were killed “in error” by army soldiers in the southern province of Narathiwat. Officials say the compensation is “only the beginning.” Read the story of the attack HERE. Secretary-general of the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre, Somkiat Pholprayoon said…

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  • Crime NewsFakes valued at 50 million baht found in raids in Saraburi

    Fakes valued at 50 million baht found in raids in Saraburi

    PHOTO: INN News That’s another 50 million baht worth of counterfeits off the streets. The Department of Special Investigation has seized counterfeit goods in a series of raids, with a street value of around 50 million baht and including some 158,000 items. In this case, the fakes were mostly brand name eyeglasses and clothing accessories. The DSI, Department of Intellectual Property…

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  • Politics NewsThais split over the holding of the ‘Skywalk’ rally in Bangkok – Poll

    Thais split over the holding of the ‘Skywalk’ rally in Bangkok – Poll

    PHOTO: Khaosod English Thai people have been surveyed on their attitudes towards the December 14 “Skywalk” rally held by the Future forward Party. They responded to a recent NIDA poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration. The controversial rally was held on the busy Pathumwan skywalk, outside MBK and linking the National Stadium BTS station. The event attracted around…

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  • Crime NewsMan arrested for using Twitter and Thai postal service to sell “ice”

    Man arrested for using Twitter and Thai postal service to sell “ice”

    … and not the frozen water stuff. The Narcotics Control Board has arrested a man for selling “ice,” crystal methamphetamine, using Twitter and shipping the drug by the Thai postal service. Kriangsak Hadda was arrested with a total 191.6 grams of crystal meth, according to authorities. Niyom Termsrisuk, the ONCB secretary-general says that this kind of clandestine trade has led…

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  • Bangkok NewsRescuers claim former transport minister tried to flee accident scene

    Rescuers claim former transport minister tried to flee accident scene

    PHOTO: Saichon Srinuanchan Thawee Kraikupt, a former transport minister and the father of government MP Pareena Kraikupt, was involved a car crash in Ratchaburi province, just west of Bangkok, that injured a 16 year old boy. His daughter Pareena was recently found guilty of illegally occupying some 700 rai of government land and forced to return most of it to…

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  • Phuket NewsWhale spotted near Similan Islands – VIDEO

    Whale spotted near Similan Islands – VIDEO

    A scuba diving instructor has posted a video of a whale spotted near the Similan islands off the coast of Phang Nga. The whale is thought to be a blue whale species. The post was on his Facebook page called ‘Num Sasita Thippayawat’. In the post there is also a video of a pod of dolphins swimming alongside the boat…

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  • South Thailand NewsBritish diver found dead at cave site in Nakhon Si Thammarat

    British diver found dead at cave site in Nakhon Si Thammarat

    A British diver has been found dead at a popular diving site in Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand. The 60 year old British man was identified as Roger Matthew Smith, a resident of Thailand. Authorities confirm he was still wearing his diving gear when his body was found at Talay Songhong in the westernmost section of the province. Police say there…

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  • World NewsOne billion baht in assets seized during Phitsanulok drug bust

    One billion baht in assets seized during Phitsanulok drug bust

    PHOTO: Bangkok Post Police in the central Thai province of Phitsanulok have seized assets valued around one billion baht from a gold shop and its related businesses. The store was suspected of being the ‘shop front’ to a larger drug trading network. An arrest warrant was issued for the shop’s owner, his son is already in custody. A team of…

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  • Environment News“Green heart passports” to promote eco-tourism around Thailand

    “Green heart passports” to promote eco-tourism around Thailand

    Visitors to Thailand’s 155 national parks over the New Year holidays have a special surprise in store: the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation will distribute one million “green heart passports” to promote environmentally friendly tourism. The passports will be valid until December 31, 2020. Visitors to national parks can show their “passport” at the entrance, along with their…

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  • HealthWellbeing, chronic disease and integrative medicine

    Wellbeing, chronic disease and integrative medicine

    Re-printed with permission from expatlifeinthailand.com by Sevcan Gast, MD Since 1946, the WHO (World Health Organisation) has defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (1). Wellness, a more recent term, is “the pursuit of overall health in a physical and mental matter. It is a multidimensional state…

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  • Environment NewsOn Boxing Day the skies will go dark across Thailand – solar eclipse

    On Boxing Day the skies will go dark across Thailand – solar eclipse

    The skies will go dark in Thailand around midday on Boxing Day. The sun will partly vanish and a ghostly pall will shadow the Kingdom. But it’s all good. It’s a solar eclipse, a completely natural phenomenon. The Nation reports that viewing spots have been prepared in Chachoengsao province, east of Bangkok, in Chiang Mai province in the north, Nakhon Ratchasima…

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  • Thailand NewsSixteen Singaporeans end up in hospital following van crash in central Thailand

    Sixteen Singaporeans end up in hospital following van crash in central Thailand

    Sixteen Singaporean tourists were rushed to hospital following a tour bus crash in Sing Buri, central Thailand. Their tour van careered off a road in the main city district on Friday night and ended up on its side in the roadside. The Ruam Katanyu Foundation rescue workers attended the scene and attended to the injured. 16 passengers were injured, 5…

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  • Phuket NewsBody of missing 18 year old boat boy found off Phuket

    Body of missing 18 year old boat boy found off Phuket

    SCREENSHOT: Phuket People’s Voice Searchers have found the body of 18 year old Kittipong “Boy” Samunboot off the east coast of Phuket, near to where he fell off a tour speedboat on Wednesday. He fell overboard from the tour speedboat “Choksuphasan” on Wednesday about 4pm and had not been seen since, despite ongoing searches involving the Royal Thai Navy and…

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  • Bangkok NewsEarly morning fire destroys plastics factory south of Bangkok

    Early morning fire destroys plastics factory south of Bangkok

    PHOTO: Sutthiwit Chayutworakan – Bangkok Post A fire has destroyed a plastics manufacturer in southern Bangkok. The fire also destroyed an adjacent mattress warehouse. The incidents happened early this morning. Despite all the stock, equipment and three pick-ups parked out front being destroyed, there were no casualties in the blazes. More than 10 fire crews rushed to the scene on…

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  • Bangkok NewsAngry aunty hurls rock at Bangkok truck

    Angry aunty hurls rock at Bangkok truck

    PHOTO: sanook.com It will probably turn out to be “a misunderstanding”, but Thai social media is buzzing with speculation as to what might have caused an elderly woman to throw a rock at a parked truck in Bangkok. It’s the curious case of the mystery angry aunty. Thai Residents reports that CCTV footage posted on the “Social Hunter” Facebook page…

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  • Business NewsKeep your phone’s operating system up to date or lose mobile banking, warns Bank of Thailand

    Keep your phone’s operating system up to date or lose mobile banking, warns Bank of Thailand

    The Bank of Thailand says a constant threat from malware and bogus apps requires a robust security response and as a result, phones with outdated operating systems will likely lose full access to online banking. The Nation reports that assistant BOT governor Siritida Panomwon Na Ayudhya says there has been significant growth in the popularity of mobile banking, with approximately…

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  • Chiang Mai NewsEnglish?! Why should we have to learn that? Thai university students grumble over language requirement

    English?! Why should we have to learn that? Thai university students grumble over language requirement

    Students at Rajamangala University of Technology in Chiang Mai province are whinging about having to demonstrate basic English abilities in order to enrol in courses at the institution. The Daily News reports that the students, with the support of their parents, have made an official complaint about the requirement, which they say should not apply to Thai courses. Students are currently…

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  • Bangkok NewsTsunami survivor opens school in Bangkok in recognition of Thai generosity

    Tsunami survivor opens school in Bangkok in recognition of Thai generosity

    PHOTO: Howard Liang looks on as his daughter speaks at yesterday’s launch of the new international school – The Nation A Hong Kong businessman who was in Phuket with nineteen members of his family when the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami struck, is back in Thailand to build an international school near Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport. Howard Liang says the international school is…

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  • Thailand Weather UpdatesOver 30,000 displaced in Narathiwat floods, southern Thailand

    Over 30,000 displaced in Narathiwat floods, southern Thailand

    Out of almost nowhere, and amidst a looming drought for many parts of the country, heavy rains have left flooded areas in Narathiwat, in Thailand’s deep south, displacing over 30,000 people. Soldiers, government officials and volunteers yesterday rushed to the assistance of 37,171 people hit by unseasonal floods in five districts of the southern Thai province, according to Thai Rath.…

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  • Politics NewsThailand’s Army chief warns of a ‘proxy crisis’

    Thailand’s Army chief warns of a ‘proxy crisis’

    PHOTO: Matichon The Army chief, General Apirat Kongsompong, is warning Thais about what he sees as a “proxy crisis” facing the country. The comments, without directly referring to the event by name, were a veiled criticism of the “Run Against Dictatorship” event coming up next month. The commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army took the “everything’s OK, but…” approach to…

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  • Road deathsThailand ramps up drink-driving campaign for new year break

    Thailand ramps up drink-driving campaign for new year break

    Government, police and local agencies are launching their annual no-drink-driving campaign to raise driver awareness and, hopefully, reduce fatalities during the New Year holiday, designated for December 27 to January 2. Speaking in support of the campaign, Deputy national police chief Wirachai Songmetta announced 10 points of advice to drivers and bike riders in an effort to reduce road accidents…

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  • Environment NewsThailand’s Maya Bay to remain closed for another two years

    Thailand’s Maya Bay to remain closed for another two years

    So that’s going to be almost the end of 2021. The Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation has announced that Maya Bay is going to be closed for another two years to provide a better opportunity for the ecological system to recover, whilst also completing and implementing plans for management of tourists at the famous tourist attraction. Maya…

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  • HealthHospital in Bangkok first to open a specific medical cannabis clinic

    Hospital in Bangkok first to open a specific medical cannabis clinic

    A hospital in Nonthaburi, Bangkok, has opened its first medical cannabis clinic. The Phra Nangklao Hospital is under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Health. The Minister says that the clinic will be staffed by six doctors, a dentist, five pharmacists and four nurses. All have completed a specific training course in the use of cannabis in medical cases. The…

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  • Phuket News15 years on, over 300 tsunami victims from Thailand’s coast still unidentified

    15 years on, over 300 tsunami victims from Thailand’s coast still unidentified

    PHOTO: Phuket just moments after the Indian Ocean Tsunami hit the holiday island on December 26, 2004 – Associated Press/Stephen Trupp Fifteen years after the Indian Ocean tsunami killed upwards of 230,000 people on December 26, 2004, a container at the Takua Pa police station in Phang Nga, southern Thailand, still contains personal items from the hundreds of victims whose remains are unlikely…

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  • Phuket NewsThe Thaiger is looking for a writer, in English, to join our team

    The Thaiger is looking for a writer, in English, to join our team

    The Thaiger is still looking for a full-time writer, in English. • You must be a native English speaker • You will work from our offices in Cherngtalay, Phuket • A visa and work permit are available • The Thaiger has full training available for the right applicant • You will have had some experience in writing, journalism or creative…

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