Year: 2019
- Politics News
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…
Read More » - Crime News
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…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
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.…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
Police arrest con man who left bride to pay for 3.5 million baht wedding
PHOTO: Immigration Police A man who conned his bride into believing he was a billionaire, then absconded after their wedding leaving her to pick up the tab, has been arrested at Don Mueang airport in Bangkok. He remains in custody and is currently being questioned by police. 49 year old Thananat Siripiyaporn was detained after getting off an Air Asia…
Read More » - World News
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…
Read More » - Pattaya News
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…
Read More » - Politics News
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…
Read More » - Environment News
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…
Read More » - Thailand Weather Updates
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…
Read More » - Environment News
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.…
Read More » - Thailand News
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…
Read More » - World News
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…
Read More » - Thai Life
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…
Read More » - World News
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…
Read More » - Health
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…
Read More » - Pattaya News
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…
Read More » - Thailand Weather Updates
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,…
Read More » - Politics News
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…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
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…
Read More » - Expats
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…
Read More » - Events
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…
Read More » - Politics News
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…
Read More » - Events
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…
Read More » - Economy News
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…
Read More » - Economy News
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…
Read More » - Crime News
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…
Read More » - Thailand News
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…
Read More » - Crime News
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…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
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…
Read More » - Phuket News
Now you see him, now you don’t… Patong Police hunt foreigner over $30k theft
PHOTO: Patong Police Patong Police have yet to develop any tangible leads tracking down a foreigner who made off with US$30,000 in cash from a currency exchange booth in Kalim, north of Patong in Phuket, last Tuesday. The man is about 168 centimetres tall with grey hair and around 60 years old, Patong police told The Phuket News. “We have…
Read More » - Tourism News
Twin TAT campaigns will boost domestic travel
In November the Tourism Authority of Thailand plans two campaigns – “Visit Thailand with 100 Baht” and “Shocking Price Weekday Travel”, – aimed to generate 400 million baht in local tourism revenue before the end of the year. The TAT’s executive director of product promotion said “Shocking Price Weekday Travel” would encourage upper and middle-class Thai tourists to travel more…
Read More » - Economy News
Thailand resume free trade talks with EU, reducing reliance on China
The European Union has restarted talks with Thailand about a potential free trade agreement. The talks started just days after unfreezing a deadlock put in place by the previous military junta. The resumption of talks comes as Thailand seeks to diversify its economy and reduce reliance on China, which accounted for 14% of the its total foreign direct investment in 2018.…
Read More » - World News
Powerful 6.4 earthquake kills five in the Philippines
PHOTO: AFP A strong 6.4 magnitude earthquake has struck the southern Philippines, killing five, including one child, destroying property and disrupting power supply. The death toll is expected to rise. The powerful quake was felt across the Mindanao region, even causing a 3-storey shopping mall to burst into flames. Residents were evacuated and a child was killed when a house…
Read More » - Politics News
70 Future Forward Party MPs vote against ’emergency decree’
PHOTO: Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam says the MPs voting against the decree was ‘nothing unusual’ – matichon.co.th 70 members of the Future Forward Party have voted against an ’emergency decree’ stating that personnel and operating funds for the Army’s Infantry Division will be put directly under His Majesty the King’s command to provide better security to the Royal Family, Royal…
Read More » - South Thailand News
Judge Kanakorn Pianchana, another victim of the southern insurgency
Five men were awaiting the judge to hand down his verdict. Charged with murder and facing either life imprisonment or a death penalty, or being acquitted. On October 4 Judge Kanakorn Pianchana, at the Yala Provincial Court, announced the five men were acquitted, in a 25 page document. What was to follow was both profound and tragic. The judge claimed, as…
Read More » - Health
Top 5 reasons why Aussies choose medical tourism in Thailand
“With more than 15,000 Aussies travelling to Thailand each year for medical tourism, the country is a burgeoning market for cosmetic procedures. There are numerous Thai doctors who already have more than a 90% Australian client base. The landscape is certainly changing when it comes to price, surgical quality, convenience and post-recuperation.” Darren Lyons from medical information site MyMediTravel has…
Read More » - Crime News
Mystery surrounds security guard found dead in his Phuket room
PHOTOS: Phuket Hot News The security guard of a hotel in Nai Yang, northern Phuket, 52 year old Yingyot Butsabong, from Maha Sarakham province, was found dead yesterday (October 16) in his room. Police remain mystified how the man came to grief. A woman named Supattra received a call from the hotel he worked at and was informed that he…
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