Year: 2019

  • Bangkok NewsTerracotta Warriors coming to Bangkok

    Terracotta Warriors coming to Bangkok

    PHOTO: Coconuts.co China’s renowned Terracotta Warriors will wow Bangkok in an exhibition at the city’s National Museum running from Sunday until December 15. The 2,700 year old works of art are being put on display in Siwamokkhaphiman Hall, in an exhibit entitled, “Qin Shi Huang: The First Emperor Of China And Terracotta Warriors”. The Bangkok Post reports that more than…

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  • Economy NewsFocus on quality over quantity, says leading Thai economist

    Focus on quality over quantity, says leading Thai economist

    PHOTO: Sbs.com.au One of Thailand’s leading economists says we’ve got it all wrong and the country needs to change the way it thinks about the economy. Pasuk Phongpaichit from Chulalongkorn University says Thailand should stop focusing on growth and consumption and prioritise quality of life instead. She was speaking at the Fukuoka Prize Symposium in Japan earlier this week. Pasuk…

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  • World NewsManila traffic jams block ambulances, patients die on way to hospital

    Manila traffic jams block ambulances, patients die on way to hospital

    by Cecil Morella / Joshua Melvin Gridlock in Manila is costing lives as ambulances stuck in traffic face severe delays in the race against the clock to reach the city’s hospitals, medics warn. Special lanes for emergency vehicles are not enforced, the infrastructure is outdated, and local drivers are often unwilling or unable to make way – a situation experts…

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  • Pattaya NewsPattaya shooting suspect arrested

    Pattaya shooting suspect arrested

    PHOTO: Ruksiam News Police in Pattaya have arrested a man accused of an early morning shooting at a nightclub that has left one man dead and another critically injured. Pol Col Atinan Nutchanat says that Warut Sae-jia (known as “Art”) is now in custody, having been found hiding out at his mother’s house in the Prasat district of Surin province…

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  • World NewsUS trying to make ‘meaningful progress’ in US-China trade negotiations

    US trying to make ‘meaningful progress’ in US-China trade negotiations

    PHOTO: CNBC by Heather Scott US trade negotiators want to make “meaningful progress” in upcoming talks with China, according to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, one day after conciliatory gestures by both sides boosted hopes of an eventual resolution. The slugfest between the world’s two largest economies has cast a shadow over global economic growth with both Chinese and US economies…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsFive killed in Sa Kaew passenger van crash

    Five killed in Sa Kaew passenger van crash

    PHOTOS: Thai Rath A Thai van driver has been killed along with four Cambodian passengers after a car veered across a traffic median and crashed head-on into them. The accident occurred at 10.30am yesterday on the Aranyaprathet-bound Suwansorn road in Wattana Nakhon district of Sa Kaew, on the Cambodian border, east of Bangkok. Police report that a Cambodian girl and…

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  • World NewsBangladeshi police force gang-rape victim to marry suspect

    Bangladeshi police force gang-rape victim to marry suspect

    FILE PHOTO “Police officials on Thursday said the marriage appeared to be part of an effort to prevent the suspects from being prosecuted.” Two Bangladeshi policemen are being disciplined after a rape victim’s family claim she was forced to marry one of the accused rapists in a police station in the northern district of Pabna. The mother-of-three had accused five men…

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  • Politics NewsSeri Ruam leader says he told Sydney Morning Herald to investigate Thammanat Prompao

    Seri Ruam leader says he told Sydney Morning Herald to investigate Thammanat Prompao

    PHOTO: Seri Ruam Thai party leader Gen Seripisut Temiyavet “The Seri Ruam Thai party leader said that he was not afraid that he might be sued for providing information to the Australian media.” Seri Ruam Thai party leader Gen Seripisut Temiyavet claims that he was the source who tipped off the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper in Australia to investigate the…

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  • Environment NewsIndonesian forest fires surge, intense smoke floats over neighbours Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia

    Indonesian forest fires surge, intense smoke floats over neighbours Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia

    by Dessy Sagita “The number of “hotspots” has jumped sharply in Indonesia on Wednesday, according to the Singapore-based ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre.” Intense forest fires continue to rage across the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan in recent weeks. More than 930,000 hectares of land have been burned, hundreds of residents evacuated, and more than 9,000 personnel have been deployed…

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  • World NewsVietnam versus Thailand – which is the best for travel or living?

    Vietnam versus Thailand – which is the best for travel or living?

    They are both beautiful countries and stand out amongst their south east asian counterparts for their food, culture and scenery. But which one is your choice for travelling or living in? Here are some introductory thoughts… Influences Thailand is a constitutional monarchy and the former king, King Bhumibol, was greatly loved and respected. His son, King Maha Vachiralongkorn, now maintains…

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  • Politics NewsGovernment loses another MP as member heads to prison

    Government loses another MP as member heads to prison

    Another blow to the ruling Palang Pracharath party and coalition after the MP for Kamphaeng Phet province, Pol Lt-Col Waipote Arpornrat, lost his Member of Parliament status after the Supreme Court upheld the 4 year prison sentence handed down by the Appeals Court for his involvement in the disruption of the ASEAN Summit in Pattaya back in 2009. As the…

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  • Pattaya NewsCrackdown on bar closing times following Pattaya shooting

    Crackdown on bar closing times following Pattaya shooting

    Police in Pattaya have launched a crackdown on bar closing times following a nightclub shooting that has left one man dead and another seriously injured. The suspect in the shooting, which took place around 6.00am yesterday, is still on the run, although police say he will be arrested shortly. Bars and entertainment venues now face a crackdown on their opening…

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  • World NewsNo durian at Disneyland, but outside food now allowed at Shanghai Disney

    No durian at Disneyland, but outside food now allowed at Shanghai Disney

    Outside food in, but durian can STAY OUT! Same with STINKY TOFU! This according to Shanghai’s Mickey Mouse. Disney’s Shanghai theme park is loosening its ban on outside food following a lawsuit earlier this year, but the home of Mickey Mouse still won’t tolerate visitors taking in instant noodles or pungent foods such as durian. A student, ‘Wang’, filed a lawsuit…

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  • World NewsDoing Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago in style

    Doing Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago in style

    Burma Boating is set to launch monthly cruises around the Mergui Archipelago in southern Myanmar, combining two of the most sought-after activities in these pristine waters – yachting and scuba diving. The SY Dallinghoo, a 30 meter classic gaff-rigged schooner crafted by renowned US yacht designer Dudley Dix, will cast off from the port of Kawthaung in southern Myanmar once…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsOutrage on social media over child sitting on roof of moving car in northern Thailand

    Outrage on social media over child sitting on roof of moving car in northern Thailand

    PHOTO: Sanook Photos of a young child sitting on the roof of a moving car have caused outrage on social media. The pictures, posted on Facebook yesterday, show the child in school uniform, sitting on the roof of a car as it travels along a main road in Lamphun province, northern Thailand. Debate rages over the images, with many pointing…

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  • Environment NewsCan we defeat dengue? Mosquito trials raise hopes.

    Can we defeat dengue? Mosquito trials raise hopes.

    “We have seen a remarkable reduction of dengue cases after the release.” by Jenny Vaughan If you’ve ever experienced a bout of Dengue Fever, this will be welcome news. And if you live and work in the tropics in south east Asia, Dengue looms as a constant threat. Hundreds dead in the Philippines; a threefold increase of cases in Vietnam;…

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  • Environment NewsCan we defeat dengue? Mosquito trials raise hopes.

    Can we defeat dengue? Mosquito trials raise hopes.

    “We have seen a remarkable reduction of dengue cases after the release.” by Jenny Vaughan If you’ve ever experienced a bout of Dengue Fever, this will be welcome news. And if you live and work in the tropics in south east Asia, Dengue looms as a constant threat. Hundreds dead in the Philippines; a threefold increase of cases in Vietnam;…

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  • Phuket NewsJet-ski collision injures two Chinese tourists in Patong

    Jet-ski collision injures two Chinese tourists in Patong

    Two Chinese tourists have been injured in a jet-ski collision in Patong yesterday, the Phuket News reports. Maj Teerasak Boonsaeng from Patong Police was notified of the accident shortly before 4.00pm yesterday, with both men taken to Patong hospital for treatment. The men, named as 28 year old Hu Meng and 26 year old Yang Ming, had rented jet-skis from…

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  • Economy NewsStrong baht poses a tough challenge for Thailand

    Strong baht poses a tough challenge for Thailand

    PHOTO: Dreamstime.com Thailand’s currency is currently giving it a major economic headache, according to a Bloomberg report shared by ThaiVisa this morning. The Thai baht has been the best performer globally against the US dollar for over 5 years now, but that strength has caused growth estimates to be cut for an economy relying on trade and tourism. The ongoing…

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  • World NewsMalaysia demands Indonesia acts on smog-belching fires

    Malaysia demands Indonesia acts on smog-belching fires

    “An official in Sarawak state on Borneo is demanding Indonesia send face masks and medical supplies to Malaysia for those affected by the pollution.” Malaysia is stepping up pressure on neighbouring Indonesia to tackle huge blazes tearing through its rainforests and smothering Southeast Asia in smog, as fires typically started to clear land for crops send diplomatic tensions soaring. Burning…

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  • Politics NewsMP formally breaks away from the coalition over Thammanat Prompao remarks

    MP formally breaks away from the coalition over Thammanat Prompao remarks

    PHOTO: “Hello?! Did someone ask me something? Mr. Pichet Sathirachavan, leader of Prachatham Thai party, has formally announced they have decided to break away from the governing coalition to join the independent opposition camp with the New Civilized party. Yesterday PM Prayut Chan-o-cha covered one of his ears with his hand as he pretended not to hear one of many…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsThai police officer arrested with nearly 200,000 meth pills in his luggage

    Thai police officer arrested with nearly 200,000 meth pills in his luggage

    PHOTO: Thai PBS World A serving policeman has been arrested by police in Chiang Rai province after 198,000 methamphetamine pills were found in his luggage on a Bangkok-bound bus. Mae Sai district policemen at a checkpoint in Tambon Pong-Ngam, stopped a Nakhonchai Tour bus bound for Bangkok from Mae Sai, for a routine check. The officers found a locked suitcase on…

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  • Business NewsCentara signs up three more Phuket hotels

    Centara signs up three more Phuket hotels

    The surge of new properties continues in Phuket as the developers and Thai business leaders continue to show their confidence in Phuket as an international holiday destination. Thai hospitality group Centara Hotels and Resorts has entered into agreements to manage three hotels on Phuket’s northern west coast in Mai Khao. Two of the properties are currently operating, which are the…

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  • Pattaya NewsTwo men seriously injured in early morning shoot-out at Pattaya nightclub

    Two men seriously injured in early morning shoot-out at Pattaya nightclub

    Two men have sustained serious injuries following a shoot-out at a Pattaya nightclub early this morning. It’s understood trouble broke out after an argument between nightclub goers and security guards stationed in front of the club. Captain Kanoknan Suksri of the Pattaya City Police was notified of the incident, which took place at the Teng See nightclub in Nong Pru,…

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  • Business NewsThe most influential brands among Thailand’s millennials

    The most influential brands among Thailand’s millennials

    PHOTO: ipg-connect.com A report published yesterday lists the most influential brands for Thailand’s millennials, who are also known as Generation Y. The report, carried out by Singapore think-tank Influential Brands and Bangkok-based brand agency Neo Target, lists Lazada, Grab Taxi, The Mall, Central, Cafe Amazon, Auntie Anne’s, Krispy Kreme, Mister Donut, Watson, Taokaenoi, Jobthai.com, Acer Computer, S&P and Makro among…

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  • Politics NewsCoalition considers demoting clumsy deputy agriculture minister, Thammanat Prompow

    Coalition considers demoting clumsy deputy agriculture minister, Thammanat Prompow

    Key members of Palang Pracharath are now discussing the future of deputy agriculture minister Thammanat Prompow’s as ‘fixer’ or coordinator of the coalition’s minor parties. The coalition’s smaller parties, some of them just single MPs, are in uproar following the controversial minister’s “monkey keeper” weekend remarks, potentially causing new rifts in the shaky coalition government. At the weekend the minister…

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  • Thailand NewsThai-Australian singer “Pookie”’ to testify at September 17 hearing into alleged drug trafficking

    Thai-Australian singer “Pookie”’ to testify at September 17 hearing into alleged drug trafficking

    PHOTO: YouTube.com Former singer Prissana or Priscilla “Pookie” Gemelli will testify at a hearing into alleged drug trafficking offences on September 17, along with four accomplices, one of whom is her husband, Cholawit Keetatrakul. A judge at Ratchadapisek Criminal Court postponed the hearing yesterday to ensure all defendants would be present. The 40 year old singer and her 49 year…

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  • Chiang Mai NewsDental assistant turns ‘pro’ selling fake retainers and braces

    Dental assistant turns ‘pro’ selling fake retainers and braces

    PHOTO: WorkPoint News The Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office has arrested an unqualified or registered dental retainer seller that used to work as a dentist assistant. She has been selling the fake retainers to customers online via Facebook. Nattawut Prasertsiripong, from the Department of Health Service Support was contacted to take legal action against the woman making fake retainers…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsGovernor declares flood disaster zones in Ubon Ratchathani

    Governor declares flood disaster zones in Ubon Ratchathani

    “…the 17 districts were declared disaster zones so that the provincial administration could speed up help to the affected people.” Ubon Ratchathani governor Sarit Withoon says the provincial administration has declared 17 districts disaster zones as the flood situation in the northeastern province continue to worsen today. Ubon Ratchathani is in the far east of north-east Thialand. He says the…

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  • Transport NewsPhuket’s most expensive car number plate is ‘9999’ costing more than 700K

    Phuket’s most expensive car number plate is ‘9999’ costing more than 700K

    FILE PHOTO Following the auction for car license plates organised by the Phuket Land Trasport Office over the weekend, it’s been revealed that the number 9999 got the highest bid at 710,000 baht. This year’s auction was for the ‘ขก’ category, which represents ‘treasure, virtue and fortune’, and there were 301 numbers available. The Chief of Phuket Land Transport, Banyat…

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  • Pattaya NewsPattaya tourists comes off motorcycle at “badly lit” roadworks

    Pattaya tourists comes off motorcycle at “badly lit” roadworks

    PHOTOS: The Pattaya News Rescue services have had to rescue another foreign tourist who hit a sign at some pipe laying works, falling off his bike. The incident happened in Thepprasit Soi 7 at 2.20am this morning. The tourist suffered minor head injuries and road rash. His Yamaha motorcycle was laying on the ground nearby. The tourist was taken to Pattaya…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsUPDATE: Parents report daughter located in Bangkok

    UPDATE: Parents report daughter located in Bangkok

    UPDATE from earlier story… below • The missing girl has been located in Bangkok, according to her parents • They told police that she has lied to them before and that last night’s story had been fabricated by her • The girl’s boyfriend has returned to his work in Kalasin after hearing his ‘girlfriend’ had been located in Bangkok •…

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  • Tourism NewsUptick in Thai tourism – August arrivals up 5.6%

    Uptick in Thai tourism – August arrivals up 5.6%

    Foreign tourists arrivals in Thailand rose 5.6% last month compared to a year earlier, with Chinese visitor numbers rebounding strongly, according to audited numbers published by the tourism and sports ministry. (Percentages rounded up to the nearest .1) Revenue from the 3.41 million foreign arrivals in August was 170 billion baht, up 7.1% year-on-year. The number of Chinese tourists, Thailand’s largest…

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  • World NewsBurmese kids dodging cows and cow dung to play rugby

    Burmese kids dodging cows and cow dung to play rugby

    by Richard Sargent – PHOTOS: AFP It’s a case of dung and dragons. Sidestepping cowpats and garbage, Myanmar’s only home-grown junior rugby side train on the outskirts of Yangon, preparing to take on children from the city’s well-heeled international schools. When the Little Dragons aren’t running barefoot on the litter-strewn dirt, the makeshift field on the outskirts of Yangon is sometimes used…

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  • Thailand NewsThailand urged to do more on suicide prevention

    Thailand urged to do more on suicide prevention

    PHOTO: Amansquest.com In Thailand, World Suicide Prevention Day was marked yesterday by the Director General of the Mental Health Department calling on the country to do more to address the issue of suicide. Kiattipoom Wongrajit was speaking to the Thai language daily Thai Rath yesterday. According to his department, around 11 people commit suicide every day in Thailand, with the…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsUdonthani girl wakes up in a mystery forest after getting on interprovincial bus

    Udonthani girl wakes up in a mystery forest after getting on interprovincial bus

    PHOTOS: Sanook An Udonthani girl has gone missing since getting on a tour bus heading to neighbouring Kalasin Province. She called her mother and fiancé with “fear in her voice” claiming that she woke up in the middle of a forest with other passengers and had no idea where they were. No one has heard from her, or the other…

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  • Bangkok NewsBangkok man commits suicide after killing wife

    Bangkok man commits suicide after killing wife

    PHOTO: Stock photo/Thailandlawforum.com Bangkok police say the owner of a garage in Ratburana district has shot and killed his wife before taking his own life. The murder-suicide took place at the couple’s home on Soi Suksawd 46 yesterday evening. Police found the body of the man’s wife, 39 year old Romrawin Kaewkamnerd, lying face down with a bullet wound in…

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