Month: January 2020

  • World NewsSouth East Asian stocks fall as Mideast tensions soar

    South East Asian stocks fall as Mideast tensions soar

    Renewed tensions in the Middle East continued to roil stock markets worldwide today. Thai stocks had their biggest fall since December 16 this morning as with Kasikornbank and Airports of Thailand losing 3.6% and 1.7% respectively. At 11.40 this morning the Stock Exchange of Thailand’s index was down 0.87%. • Oil prices shot 2% higher and Brent Crude rose to…

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  • Politics NewsOpposition’s gains foreshadow more government conflict – Poll

    Opposition’s gains foreshadow more government conflict – Poll

    A new survey by Super Poll shows support for the current administration (the Palang Pracharat-led coalition) at 34% and support for the opposition parties at 36.6%. Super Poll’s CEO Noppadon Kannika says that increasing popularity of the opposition could indicate a looming showdown. The poll indicates the number of “politically silent” government supporters has decreased significantly, from 56.1% in April to…

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  • Pattaya NewsPattaya pussy rescued after impaling itself on metal fence

    Pattaya pussy rescued after impaling itself on metal fence

    PHOTO: The unlucky, and slightly clumsy, cat is expected to make a full recovery – The Pattaya News In a heartwarming story, a cat has been rescued in Pattaya’s Threpprasit village after missing a jump and getting impaled on a fence. The young female black and white cat was saved after 66 year old Thawatchai Supasirikul heard it screaming for help…

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  • Hot NewsOver 100 evacuated from Pattaya condo fire

    Over 100 evacuated from Pattaya condo fire

    PHOTOS: The Pattaya News More than 100 tourists and residents were evacuated after a fire in a Pattaya condo yesterday morning. Firefighters, police and rescue workers arrived quickly at the Laguna Beach condo in Jomtien, south of Pattaya city. The Pattaya Public Disaster Relief Unit coordinated rescue efforts. The room on the seventh floor where the fire started was completely destroyed,…

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  • Environment NewsKeeping Thailand’s taps from running dry

    Keeping Thailand’s taps from running dry

    “There is no way that we can send enough water to supply all these farms.” It could be the worst seasonal drought for four decades according to the Office of National Water Resources. Speaking to the Bangkok Post, ONWR secretary-general Somkiat Prajamwong recalled that during the severe drought in 2015 (when Thailand was under military rule), soldiers were sent to protect…

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  • Tourism NewsAOT sets up checkpoints to check passengers from Wuhan, China for virus

    AOT sets up checkpoints to check passengers from Wuhan, China for virus

    “Passengers with any suspicious symptoms detected during the initial screenings after landing will be quarantined for medical examinations.” Airports of Thailand says they are monitoring a the detection of some cases of viral pneumonia from Wuhan flights coming out of China. They say that six airports are now ready to cope with the situation by setting up international communicable diseases…

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  • Economy NewsUS manufacturing activity falls to lowest level in a decade

    US manufacturing activity falls to lowest level in a decade

    PHOTO: teletrader.com “The data show American factories remain plagued by pullbacks in business investment at home, softer demand throughout the world and, until recently, an escalating trade war between the U.S. and China.” US manufacturing had a tumultuous year in 2019 with the weakest monthly performance for a decade, with orders shrinking and factories continuing to roll back production. The…

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  • Bangkok NewsSeawater v Freshwater in Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River. The seawater is winning.

    Seawater v Freshwater in Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River. The seawater is winning.

    The Office of National Water Resources is holding an urgent meeting today, with other Bangkok water agencies, including the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority to discuss the worsening salination problem in the Chao Phraya river. They note that that the back flow of seawater into the river is now threatening the city’s tap water supply. High tides, rising sea levels, a worsening…

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  • Central Thailand NewsMystery Phitsanulok prisoner deaths to be investigated

    Mystery Phitsanulok prisoner deaths to be investigated

    PHOTO: Mishvo in Motion An investigation has been launched into the deaths of four prisoners in the northern province of Phitsanulok over the New Year holiday break. A spokesman says that The Thai Corrections Department has created a panel to investigate the deaths, which happened in close succession. Officials say the four prisoners showed symptoms related to food poisoning, such as…

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  • Environment NewsNot all Thais are happy with plastic bag ban

    Not all Thais are happy with plastic bag ban

    “There are also thousands of street side vendors of drinks, including the most popular Thai iced coffee and Thai tea, which come in a plastic cup, with a plastic lid, with a plastic straw, in a plastic bag.” After many positive reports, including from The Thaiger, it now seems that many Thai customers and vendors pushing back against the January…

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  • Pattaya NewsBag and bike-snatching British man arrested by Pattaya police

    Bag and bike-snatching British man arrested by Pattaya police

    Pattaya police have arrested a British man, 39 year old Ben Frost, for the alleged theft of a motorcycle and snatching a bar owner’s bag in Pattaya. The incident happened on January 1. Pattaya police in Chonburi province eventually arrested the man yesterday (January 4). A Chinburi-based photographer told police that she had parked her Honda motorcycle near the footpath…

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  • Environment NewsThai shoppers get resourceful to deal with the plastic bag ban

    Thai shoppers get resourceful to deal with the plastic bag ban

    Shoppers across Thailand are showing typical Thai ingenuity in coping with big retailers’ recent ban on single-use plastic bags, bringing buckets, baskets and even a wheelbarrow to take their purchases home, many posting images on social media (below). The ban, introduced on January 1 by all 75 members of the Thai Retailers Association, including malls, supermarkets and the ubiquitous convenience…

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  • Things To DoTop 10 things NOT to do in Thailand (2020)

    Top 10 things NOT to do in Thailand (2020)

    There are thousands of things to do in Thailand, on any budget and in a growing number of locations. But there are a few things that may be worth avoiding, despite being available, during your time in the Kingdom. Thailand has its own laws and guileless regarding many of the issues you’re about to read about. Some of the things…

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  • OpinionPhuket 2020 – predictions by Bill Barnett

    Phuket 2020 – predictions by Bill Barnett

    by Bill Barnett, c9hotelworks.com In a series of articles we are pondering what may happen around Thailand over the next twelve months. Bill Barnett is in the ears of the country’s many hotel operators and chains. His consultancy, c9hotelworks.com, shares some perspectives about Thailand’s largest island. All too often I am approached and asked what’s going to happen to Phuket in the…

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  • Phuket NewsTurtle egg thieves raid a leatherback turtle nest in Phang-nga

    Turtle egg thieves raid a leatherback turtle nest in Phang-nga

    PHOTOS: กรมทรัพยากรทางทะเลและชายฝั่ง Thieves have stolen almost all of the eggs from a fresh nest of a rare leatherback turtles along a Phang Nga beach in southern Thailand. The incident happened on late Friday or early on Saturday. The mother turtle had come ashore in Khao Lampi-Hat Thai Muang national park to lay her eggs. Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat, marine biologist and…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsRecord numbers flock to Khon Kaen flower festival

    Record numbers flock to Khon Kaen flower festival

    PHOTOS: 77kaoded.com A record high of over 300,000 visitors flocked to the annual flower festival in the north eastern province of Khon Kaen this year, averaging around 30,000 a day. The “Amazing International Flower Festival 2019” was held at Bueng Thung Sang Health Garden, from December 17 to January 3. Although the festival officially ended on Friday, the city will keep…

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  • Bangkok NewsFinnish man arrested over Suvarnabhumi bomb threat

    Finnish man arrested over Suvarnabhumi bomb threat

    PHOTO: Skytrax Police report that an investigation has been opened into a bomb threat made to Suvarnabhumi International Airport. A man remains in detention over the matter. The threat was made on the evening of January 1, with a call implying that a bomb had been placed inside the airport The airport regularly receives bomb threats, and has security protocols in…

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  • Environment NewsOnline app will enable volunteers to monitor Thailand’s ‘hazardous’ farm chemicals

    Online app will enable volunteers to monitor Thailand’s ‘hazardous’ farm chemicals

    Thailand’s Department of Disease Control and mobile phone service providers AIS are launching an online application to enable health volunteers and officials to monitor farmers’ use of the hazardous herbicide paraquat, and pesticides glyphosate and chlorpyrifos. In November, the National Hazardous Substances Committee cancelled a December 1 ban on glyphosate and delayed the enforcement of the ban on paraquat and chlorpyrifos…

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  • World NewsThree busted for human trafficking Lao minors

    Three busted for human trafficking Lao minors

    PHOTO: Rayong Police Police have busted a karaoke and brothel in the eastern province of Rayong, arresting two men and a woman for pimping five underaged Lao girls. They were arrested on December 25 at a karaoke bar in Pluak Daeng district, according to Bangkok Post. Police told media that the accused, 44 year old Surasek, 29 year old Sornsawan, and…

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  • Transport NewsThailand charges towards an electric car future, with a few speed bumps

    Thailand charges towards an electric car future, with a few speed bumps

    Thailand has the biggest automotive industry in Southeast Asia and the 12th largest in the world. Most of those coming out of Thai factories, well just about all really, are standard internal combustion engines with a few ‘hybrid’ models sprinkled in there as well. The hybrids include electric motors and charging systems which saves fuel and load on the petrol engines. But there…

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  • Environment NewsNo plastic bags. No worries. Thailand copes with the bag ban.

    No plastic bags. No worries. Thailand copes with the bag ban.

    PHOTO: tinysg.com A ban on plastic bans came into force this week where 75 of Thailand’s key retailers eventually bit the bullet and decided to cave into pressure and stop issuing plastic bags to shoppers. It’s not only the right things to do, it will set a vital example for Thais and force them into starting some new habits. Gone,…

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  • Thailand Weather UpdatesThai water officials warn local authorities to get ready for shortages

    Thai water officials warn local authorities to get ready for shortages

    The Office of the National Water Resources is warning that water stored in the country’s large and medium size dams is now dropping to the minimum useable level, urging measures from local agencies to ease the impact on the public. This warning goes out with another three months of dry season hanging over Thailand’s head. The annual ‘wet season’ kicks…

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  • EventsThailand Yacht Show returns to Phuket January 9 – 12

    Thailand Yacht Show returns to Phuket January 9 – 12

    The Thailand Yacht Show takes place at Phuket’s Royal Phuket Marina from January 9 – 12 taking advantage of the island’s peak visitor season. It’s the fifth edition of the show that started at the Ao Po Grand Marina five years ago and then merged with the Phuket Yacht show three years ago. If you’re in and around the island…

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  • EventsMeteor shower with up to 120 meteors per hour on January 4 (tonight!)

    Meteor shower with up to 120 meteors per hour on January 4 (tonight!)

    It’s an exciting few weeks for locals looking up to the skies. Last week we had a partial solar eclipse across Thailand (most prominent in the south), and tonight (early Saturday morning) we will have a meteor shower. But you’ll need to get up early to watch it. Star gazers will be able to witness the new year’s first display of…

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  • Road deathsThis year’s new year road toll in Thailand 20% lower than last year

    This year’s new year road toll in Thailand 20% lower than last year

    This year’s Thai New Year holiday road toll has dropped 20%, compared to the same 7 days last year. In fact it’s the lowest level since 2015. But 373 people still lost their life over the “seven days of danger”, that encompassed the new year traffic and days before and after, as people returned to work. The “seven days of…

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  • Things To DoThe Top 10 types of expat in Thailand (2020)

    The Top 10 types of expat in Thailand (2020)

    Being an expat in Thailand you’ll go through plenty of phases – from excitement, to astonishment, to bewilderment, to (eventually) acceptance. It’s all an exciting journey, and will rarely go to plan. But that’s why so many of us love living in Thailand. There are some particular sub-sets of Thai expat we can spot a mile away. Far from type-casting…

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  • ExpatsRetiring in Thailand, most of the things you need to know

    Retiring in Thailand, most of the things you need to know

    Please note: The information in this document is provided as a guide only. You should always check the latest information with a Thai Immigration official or professional visa agent. Thailand remains a popular world location for retirees – the beaches, climate, access to good medical care and great food. There may be a few more potholes in the roads and…

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  • Tourism NewsHackers moved the Google location for Phuket’s popular Promthep Cape

    Hackers moved the Google location for Phuket’s popular Promthep Cape

    A house at the Huay Namthor village in the Muang district of Phuket has been getting some additional visitors since December 31. Tourists, using Google Maps to find the popular attraction of Laem Promthep (Promthep Cape), the southernmost spot of the island, have been ending up 4 kilometres away from their intended destination. The location pin had been moved by…

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  • Hot NewsPolice in pursuit of Hua Hin man writing on a woman’s underwear

    Police in pursuit of Hua Hin man writing on a woman’s underwear

    PHOTO: Thai Rath …we should clarify that the woman wasn’t wearing the underwear at the time. Hua Hin has a creative freelance writer on the loose who has been choosing the medium of women’s underwear to share his words of wisdom. But the messages have been salacious in content and causing a great deal of distress for the owner of…

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  • Politics NewsThai PM on the defensive before the censure debate even begins

    Thai PM on the defensive before the censure debate even begins

    “A soothsayer is always a soothsayer, but that does not mean I am insulting their predictions. I respect opinions based on astrology.” Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is warning the opposition parties not to censure the performance of his previous administration (the NCPO) and to concentrate on the current government, which has been operating for nearly five months. He reminded critics…

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  • Environment NewsStarbucks Thailand introduces paper straws from next Monday

    Starbucks Thailand introduces paper straws from next Monday

    The Thai operators of Starbucks Coffee says it will provide paper straws to customers at all stores across Thailand starting next Monday, January 6. The announcement is most likely in response to the national mood to reduce usage of single-use plastic items although the local Starbucks franchise say the announcement has been in the pipeline for the past year. Starbucks…

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  • Environment NewsFirst meteor shower of the year to be visible January 4th

    First meteor shower of the year to be visible January 4th

    PHOTO: Artists impression. In truth there could be up to two meteors per minute at the peak, but you’ll need to be in a very dark location to get the best from the experience. Set the alarm and boil the kettle for a wake-up coffee. The year’s first meteor shower will grace Thailand’s skies on January 4, according to the…

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  • Environment News31 Thai provinces bracing for “severe drought”

    31 Thai provinces bracing for “severe drought”

    The drought situation across nearly half of Thailand is about to get worse. The water levels in the Mekong River is at its lowest level since 1992 and the Provincial Waterworks Authority is warning 31 provinces to prepare for severe drought this year. Thai PM Prayuth Chan-o-cha is expressing concern over the situation and instructed officials to distribute water to…

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  • Politics NewsEx-PM Thaksin reunites with daughter on New Year’s Eve

    Ex-PM Thaksin reunites with daughter on New Year’s Eve

    Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who’s been in self-imposed exile since being ousted in a 2006 coup, has appeared in a photo with his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted on her Facebook page on New Year’s Eve. The accompanying message said that she is again celebrating New Year with her father abroad and that she misses her mother, siblings and three…

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  • Politics NewsRival demonstrations scheduled for January 12 in Bangkok

    Rival demonstrations scheduled for January 12 in Bangkok

    Over 10,000 people have registered for the “Run Against Dictatorship” in Bangkok on January 12, while government supporters say they are planning a rival event on the same day. The two events point to increasing political tension in Thailand, which has seen violent street protests and even coups in recent decades. Critics say the general election in March was manipulated to…

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  • World News“Not ordinary rain” – Jakarta floods break records, 21 dead

    “Not ordinary rain” – Jakarta floods break records, 21 dead

    PHOTO: Arsi Agnitasari/The Jakarta Post At least 21 people are now thought to have lost their lives in the flash floods and landslides in and around Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, today. More heavy rain is forecast, compounding the situation. The victims have ranged in age from 8 to 82 years of age. The heavy rains stated falling on Jakarta and nearby towns…

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  • Expats50 year old British man dies at scene after fireworks explosion in Pattaya

    50 year old British man dies at scene after fireworks explosion in Pattaya

    PHOTO: dailymail.co.uk A British man died after a firework exploded in his face just after midnight during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Pattaya. 50 year old Gary McLaren died at the scene after a large cylindrical firework he was trying to light exploded. He was a tourist visiting Pattaya for New Year. He had visited Thailand before and arrived just…

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