Year: 2019

  • World NewsKL’s Petronas Tower architect Cesar Pelli dies at 92

    KL’s Petronas Tower architect Cesar Pelli dies at 92

    “It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of our founder, mentor, and great friend, César.” – business partner Fred W. Clarke. From Malaysia to the US, famed architect Cesar Pelli, known for his innovative skyscrapers and use of coloured glass, has died at the age of 92. “He was a gifted architect and teacher, two callings he…

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  • Business NewsCo-working spaces in Bangkok are re-shaping small to medium business office options

    Co-working spaces in Bangkok are re-shaping small to medium business office options

    PHOTO: The Great Room Co-working spaces are opening up around Bangkok and providing a more flexible framework for businesses to grow. Advances in technology, a more mobile workforce, and unpredictable economic growth are reshaping the business environment. In the Bangkok office market, a traditional three-year lease with options to renew and the tenant fitting out the space remains the typical way…

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  • World NewsMekong River drops to lowest level in a century around Thai, Lao, Myanmar border

    Mekong River drops to lowest level in a century around Thai, Lao, Myanmar border

    Water levels in the Mekong River are now at the lowest point in a century as of July 19, lower than a record set in April 1973. South East Asia’s Stimson Centre claims that, based on recent satellite images, the drastic lowering of the water level in the river has exposed many islets and sandbars adding. The Centre’s report refers…

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  • Pattaya NewsPattaya man in custody for killing horses and selling horse meat

    Pattaya man in custody for killing horses and selling horse meat

    A man being held by police for questioning after being accused of killing horses and selling their meat in Chon Buri province, east of Bangkok. Chon Buri police arrested 33 year old Nirun Kamlon at his house in Banglamung district near Pattaya yesterday on the orders of the provincial governor. Watchdog Thailand Foundation lodged a complaint with the governor that…

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  • Phuket NewsMissing Filipino’s body found in Phuket, identified by family

    Missing Filipino’s body found in Phuket, identified by family

    PHOTO: AsiaOne A body, found washed up on Freedom beach in Phuket on Friday, has now been identified by family to be one of the two missing Filipinos. The family of Noah Ibay arrived at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday to identify the body and meet the Phuket Governor, Pakkapong Tawipat. Mr. Val Simon Roque from The Philippines’ Embassy in Bangkok also…

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  • EventsPope scheduled to visit Thailand this November

    Pope scheduled to visit Thailand this November

    Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Thailand and Japan this November, according to reports in Catholic websites in Rome. sanook.com reported the news yesterday. His visit will coincide with the 350th year anniversary of the presence of the Roman Catholic Church in Thailand. As of 2018, there are 379,975 Catholics in Thailand, a figure that represents 0.46% of the total…

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  • World NewsThai PM has “grave concerns”, orders army to be on standby over drought in north

    Thai PM has “grave concerns”, orders army to be on standby over drought in north

    PHOTO: Thai army water trucks are on standby to help northern farmers Acknowledging the severity of the potential crisis looking over northern and north-eastern provinces, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is instructing the armed forces to provide help to areas affected by drought, a situation which may be made worse by the test run of the new Xayaburi dam on the Laos…

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  • World News“That’s one small step for man” – Armstrong steps on the moon 50 years ago

    “That’s one small step for man” – Armstrong steps on the moon 50 years ago

    Where were you when Neil Armstrong fist stepped on the moon? The momentous, and enormously complex project, proposed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, came to fruition on July 21, 1969 when Neil Armstrong, then Buzz Aldrin, stepped onto the lunar surface. It was an expensive endeavour with five other missions to follow that would also walk men on…

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  • World NewsOne small step for man – 50 years ago today

    One small step for man – 50 years ago today

    On this day, a mere 50 years ago, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the powdery surface of the moon. It was the first time humans had stepped anywhere other than the ‘pale blue dot’ of Earth. Everyone alive at the time can recall ‘where they were’ at this historic moment. It was a triumph of American ambition and engineering. Some 300,000…

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  • Politics NewsMinisters visit Thai southern provinces for economic brainstorming session

    Ministers visit Thai southern provinces for economic brainstorming session

    PHOTO: Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, centre, arrives for a meeting in Yala yesterday – The Nation The new Thai Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit (and leader of the Democrats), along with the Deputy Transport Minister Thavorn Senniam and Deputy Interior Minister Niphon Bunyamanee, held a multi-party discussion yesterday at the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre in Yala province. The meeting aimed…

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  • World NewsMystery 90 kilogram load was added to cargo flight list on MH370

    Mystery 90 kilogram load was added to cargo flight list on MH370

    French investigators looking into the disappearance of the Malaysian Boeing 777, flight MH370, say they have discovered a previously undeclared 89 kilogram load that was only added to the cargo list after takeoff. The sun.co.uk reports that French engineer Ghyslain Wattrelos, who lost his wife and two of his three children in the crash, detailed the claims to judges investigating…

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  • Northern Thailand News“Worst drought in living memory”, Thai farmers in the north

    “Worst drought in living memory”, Thai farmers in the north

    Parts of Thailand are facing their worst drought in 50 years. Farmers in some parts of the north and north east say that the situation is the “worst in living memory”, as reported in Sanook. Meanwhile, The Meteorological Department says Thailand will experience the worst drought in at least a decade, with average precipitation across large regions of the country falling…

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  • HealthThai FDA refuses to endorse Decha’s cannabis oil

    Thai FDA refuses to endorse Decha’s cannabis oil

    PHOTO: Decha Siripat from the Khao Kwan Foundation and supporters Patients who were looking forward to gain access to medicinal cannabis oil, produced by the Khao Kwan Foundation’s Decha Siripat, learned yesterday that the Thai Food and Drug Administration have declined to endorse his own version of the drug. 12 organisations have now accused the FDA of procrastination and mismanagement…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket’s water shortage solution – pump it from the mainland

    Phuket’s water shortage solution – pump it from the mainland

    For the Thai island surrounded by water, Phuket now faces acute water shortage problems and local officials are scurrying for solutions. This week a 3.5 billion baht plan was announced to pipe potable water across the channel from Phang Nga to Phuket as a remedy for the looming water crisis on the island. At this stage there’s no approval for…

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  • Crime NewsEgyptian tourist stabbed in the neck at a roti street store in Phuket

    Egyptian tourist stabbed in the neck at a roti street store in Phuket

    PHOTO: Daily News A roti roadside vendor has been arrested after attacking a tourist by stabbing a man in the neck outside a Family Mart store. 30 year old Mahmoud Abbas is now recovering in hospital following surgery. He was admitted with a 7 centimetre gash on his neck. According to reports in Daily News, the roti seller stabbed the…

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  • Politics NewsConstitutional Court accepts petition over Prayut’s fitness to be PM

    Constitutional Court accepts petition over Prayut’s fitness to be PM

    The Constitutional Court yesterday accepted a petition from opposition MPs questioning PM Prayut’s “qualifications” to hold the post of Thai prime minister. The Court announced its decision on its website, commenting that the petition had been signed by a total of 110 MPs from various opposition parties but declaring that Prayut was free to continue carrying out his duties as…

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  • Phuket NewsMan stabbed by street vendor in Chalong

    Man stabbed by street vendor in Chalong

    PHOTO: Facebook A foreigner, known as ‘Mahmoud’, was stabbed in Soi Ta-iad in Chalong, southern Phuket last night outside a Family Mart. The man was taken to Bangkok Phuket Hospital and is now reported to be in a stable condition following surgery. Doctors have told friends he will have to remain in hospital for observation for at least two days.…

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  • Transport News15 baht flat fares for BTS Skytrain – Transport Minister

    15 baht flat fares for BTS Skytrain – Transport Minister

    The government’s new Transport Minister, Saksayam Chidchob, has reiterated its intention to reign in the costs of the city’s Green Line trains, the BTS Skytrain, around Bangkok. They’re even mooting a capped flat fee of 15 baht per ride. The policy was proposed by the Democrats during the election campaign and accepted as party platform for the new coalition in…

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  • Crime NewsZambian arrested on overstay and animal cruelty charges in Samut Prakhan

    Zambian arrested on overstay and animal cruelty charges in Samut Prakhan

    PHOTO: khaosod.co.th Thai immigration police have arrested a Zambian man for an alleged overstay and committing acts of cruelty following a Facebook post that sought help for the dog. The Nation reports that 27 year old Wachisa Sikwese has been arrested by Immigration police. They reported that Sikwese was arrested shortly after Watchdog Thailand spotted a Facebook post that sought help…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsWild animals and wild flowers – tulip season at the Khon Kaen Zoo

    Wild animals and wild flowers – tulip season at the Khon Kaen Zoo

    PHOTO: Khon Kaen Zoo Blooming fields of colourful Siam tulips are now competing fort attention with white lions, tigers, orangutan, camels, white rhinoceros and exotic animals at the Khon Kaen Zoo. Th zoo, in Khao Suan Kwang district, has a new seasonal attraction to its collection of wild animals. The combination of wildlife and wild flowers makes for an unbeatable…

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  • Bangkok NewsAllegedly drunk motorcyclist hits 14 year old on a bicycle – VIDEO

    Allegedly drunk motorcyclist hits 14 year old on a bicycle – VIDEO

    Police are looking for a motorcyclist who was caught on surveillance camera in Bang Pakong, a district in southern Chachoengsao, east of Bangkok, driving the wrong way – ghost riding – down a street and hitting a 14 year old boy on his bike. The teenager was just waiting on the side of the road with the bicycle’s wheels sitting…

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  • Tourism NewsThailand’s marijuana and massage-led tourism recovery

    Thailand’s marijuana and massage-led tourism recovery

    The new Thai minister for tourism and sports says he can lure Europeans and Americans back to Thailand with the promise of massage and marijuana – medical marijuana! The newly sworn-in political “newbie” told the media on Wednesday that he is well aware of the drop in visitors from the US and Europe. He says he hopes plans to promote the…

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  • Tourism NewsTweet forces Suvarnabhumi immigration to explain long lines

    Tweet forces Suvarnabhumi immigration to explain long lines

    PHOTO: Travel Daily Media “Suvarnabhumi hell for tourists. Look at queues today. Never seen this long.” In response to English-language teacher Andrew Biggs complaining about the long queues at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the Immigration Bureau says it had already mobilised more personnel to facilitate immigration clearance. Biggs, the owner of Andrew Biggs Academy and co-director of andrewbiggs.com, an English language-learning website…

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  • Transport NewsBangkok’s Blue Line from Hua Lampong to Bang Kae launched for 3 month trial

    Bangkok’s Blue Line from Hua Lampong to Bang Kae launched for 3 month trial

    Bangkok Expressway has started a 3 month trial run of the extension of the Blue Line train service from Hua Lampong station to Bang Kae station. Thai PBS report the the Blue Line, between Taopoon terminal and Bang Kae, is expected to be officially launched at the end of this month. Another extension of the same line from Taopoon to…

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  • Phuket NewsPhang Nga Governor puts region on alert for flash flooding

    Phang Nga Governor puts region on alert for flash flooding

    Phang Nga’s governor Siripat Pattakul has ordered all government agencies in the southern province to be on alert after surface run-off from a mountain flooded a village in Takua Pa district early this morning. Following hours of heavy rains, the run-off from Khao Lak-Ram Ru mountain flooded Moo 3 village in Tambon Khuek Khak at 3 am. The floodwaters, about 50…

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  • Environment NewsNational agenda will be prepared for dugong conservation in Thailand

    National agenda will be prepared for dugong conservation in Thailand

    PHOTO: Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa in Koh Libong, Trang, yesterday/Facebook Speaking to reporters during a trip to Koh Libong in Trang yesterday, the new Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said that Thailand should draft a national agenda for dugong conservation. He was visiting the ‘nursery’ of the the young dugong ‘Mariam’ saying that Thailand could become…

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  • Environment NewsControversial “Law of the Jungle” episode in Thailand pulled by South Korea’s SBS

    Controversial “Law of the Jungle” episode in Thailand pulled by South Korea’s SBS

    In an official statement, South Korean TV network SBS says it has pulled an episode of the massively popular “Law of the Jungle, the Lost Island” from its streaming platform and suspended the producer. The statements says that the network’s executives were responding to negative viewer reaction caused by a scene, filmed in Krabi, Thailand, which featured show host Lee…

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  • Hot NewsUPDATE: 3,000 baht Phuket van fare for Australians tourists “all a misunderstanding”

    UPDATE: 3,000 baht Phuket van fare for Australians tourists “all a misunderstanding”

    As a follow up of the complaint about an overcharged van fare of 3,000 baht from Phuket International Airport to Kata by two Australians, a meeting was held yesterday between the driver, the tourists and a representative from the Phuket Land Transport Office. They agreed, in the end, that it was all “a misunderstanding”. The complaint about the expensive fare…

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  • Crime NewsBritish expat arrested over dog attack in Phuket. 15 year old dog ‘ok’.

    British expat arrested over dog attack in Phuket. 15 year old dog ‘ok’.

    PHOTO: Shop surveillance footage of the attack A British expat, Mervyn “Merv” Harding, has now been charged over his attack on a 15 year old dog outside a massage shop in southern Phuket on Tuesday. CCTV footage caught the man parking his motorbike, pulling a metal rod from under the bike seat and then repeatedly beating the animal as it…

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  • Tourism NewsThailand’s tourism copes with surging baht headache

    Thailand’s tourism copes with surging baht headache

    PHOTO: Thailand’s new tourism & sports minister, Piphat Ratchakitprakarn, hoping the finance ministry will listen to his pleas about the high baht Thailand’s new tourism & sports minister, Piphat Ratchakitprakarn, is blaming the surge of the baht for sucking the life out of tourist arrivals into Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy. Piphat yesterday said he’ll discuss with the Bank of Thailand…

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  • Crime News43 year old British man arrested over Phuket dog attack

    43 year old British man arrested over Phuket dog attack

    PHOTO: Facebook/Naiharn Beach Dogs Mervyn Harding, a 43 year old British expat, has ben charged over animal cruelty after he was identified on CCTV attacking a dog with a long rod on Tuesday morning (July 16). He was charged after attacking the dog in front of a massage shop near Nai Harn Beach around 7am on Tuesday. Police started investigating the…

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  • Transport NewsUPDATE: Thai PM tells Phuket people to “stop ripping off tourists”

    UPDATE: Thai PM tells Phuket people to “stop ripping off tourists”

    PHOTO: Two Australians file their report with Karon police this morning Everyone is having their say about a van charging two Australian tourists 3,000 baht for a trip from the Phuket International Airport to Kata, even the Thai PM. The PM took time out today to issue a warning to “Phuket people” that its reputation as a tourist destination will…

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  • Tourism NewsNew Thai Tourism & Sports Minister has a wish-list to improve tourism

    New Thai Tourism & Sports Minister has a wish-list to improve tourism

    PHOTO: Tourism and Sports Minister, Pipat Ratchakitprakan – mots.go.th The new Thai Tourism and Sports Minister, Pipat Ratchakitprakan, has set out a shortlist of priorities in his new role. He says setting and maintaining better safety standards are vital to regain the confidence of foreign tourists. The minister says he would also discuss the high baht with the Finance Ministry and…

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  • Phuket NewsUPDATE: Search for Filipinos lost off Freedom Beach, Phuket

    UPDATE: Search for Filipinos lost off Freedom Beach, Phuket

    PHOTO: siangtai.com Officials are still trying to push on with a search for two Filipino tourists who were washed out to sea by waves at Freedom Beach in Phuket last night around 5pm. With nearly 24 hours having passed since the pair’s disappearances grave fears are now held for their survival. Conditions have been quite rough and squally for most…

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  • Phuket NewsFire destroys 12 shops in Patong market

    Fire destroys 12 shops in Patong market

    PHOTOS: Siam Rath A fire at a market in Patong early this morning has caused damages estimated at 1 billion baht in value. Five fire trucks raced to the scene at the SB Plaza on Rat-U-Thit road at about 2am. It took firefighters an hour to bring the fire under control. 12 shops were destroyed. No one was injured in the…

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  • Thailand NewsTMD issues a new weather warning for tropical storm Danas

    TMD issues a new weather warning for tropical storm Danas

    The Thai Meteorological Department has issued another warning about tropical storm Danas since saying it’s on the move, from the Philippines’ Luzon, north and north-eastward into the East China Sea. The storm appears headed for Taiwan and likely to dump plenty of heavy rain on the way. The storm is ‘sucking’ in moisture from the Indian Ocean across southern Thailand,…

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  • Phuket NewsAussie tourists ripped off 1,500 baht each for a van ride in Phuket

    Aussie tourists ripped off 1,500 baht each for a van ride in Phuket

    A Facebook post in the “Phuket People Voice“ page has published the photos of two Australians who reported to Kaon police after being ‘ripped off’ in a van ride from the airport to their Kata hotel. A policeman at Karon says… “An Australian citizen came to report the situation in Karon saying that they ‘called’ (hired) a van from Phuket Airport…

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