Month: May 2020

  • Thai LifeVale Ken Chung, Koh Samui hotelier and former Honorary Consul dies

    Vale Ken Chung, Koh Samui hotelier and former Honorary Consul dies

    RIP Ken Chung, a founder member of Skål International Koh Samui, and a former Charter President for the Rotary Club of Samui after having been involved with Rotary in Australia for many years prior. In 2003 Ken was appointed as the Honorary Consul of the Australian Embassy, a position he held with pride for more than 12 years. A kind…

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  • Chiang Mai NewsSouth Korean man found dead in Chiang Mai, cause of death unknown

    South Korean man found dead in Chiang Mai, cause of death unknown

    Chiang Mai police report that a South Korean man was found dead in his condominium yesterday. The man was identified as 37 year old Jeon Hee-seok, and was found by his wife at around 5am. Chiang Mai police report that there were no signs of of struggle or physical altercation and Jeon had no known medical conditions. His wife told…

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  • Hot News5 charged over murder of Burmese man in Chiang Rai

    5 charged over murder of Burmese man in Chiang Rai

    After police officers from Maw Fah Luang in Chiang Rai received a tip-off from local residents to check a suspicious object floating in a swamp, a body was discovered in a 200 litre oil drum in Ban Thoet Thai. When police arrived they found a 200 litre steel drum floating around near the swamp’s shore. In the tank they found…

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  • Crime News6 police in Samut Prakarn accused of multiple kidnappings and extortion

    6 police in Samut Prakarn accused of multiple kidnappings and extortion

    6 police officers and 4 civilians stand accused of kidnapping more than a dozen people for ransom in the central province of Samut Prakarn. 15 victims gave their statements to police at Klongdan Police Station yesterday. Lawyer and president of the Crime Victim Assistance Association, Atchariya Reungrattanaphong, says he has informed the national chief of police. “The victims reached out…

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  • World NewsSingaporean visa forger sentenced, fined, awaiting deportation

    Singaporean visa forger sentenced, fined, awaiting deportation

    A Singaporean former-embassy staff was yesterday handed a suspended 114 months sentence by a Thai court after being convicted of 38 counts of forging Thai visa documents. When arrested by police in the northern province of Chiang Rai police on Tuesday, 26 year old David Han was found to have forged employment documents, salary slips, and certificates from universities both in…

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  • Tourism NewsThailand’s hotels face more pain after European tour group asks to defer debt

    Thailand’s hotels face more pain after European tour group asks to defer debt

    Hotels in Thailand, particularly in Phuket and some surrounding regions, have been hit with a double whammy. First the whole Covid-19-related wipe-out, now a cash-flow problem brought about after the TUI Group – an Anglo-German multinational travel and tourism company – has stalled repayments for hotel rooms. The amount owed to Thailand hotels is believed to exceed 2 billion baht. TUI is…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsIssan bricklayer arrested for allegedly murdering wife, hiding her body in concrete pipe

    Issan bricklayer arrested for allegedly murdering wife, hiding her body in concrete pipe

    A bricklayer in Issan’s Nakhon Phanom province, bordering Laos, was arrested for allegedly killing his wife and hiding her body in a concrete pipe. Police yesterday confirmed the arrest of 53 year old Phis Jandaprasit. “The suspect confessed that on Wednesday he had a fight with his wife, Boonlert, aged 49, and hit her on the head with a brick…

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  • Covid-19 NewsChon Buri discharges last Covid-19 patient, now a “white zone”

    Chon Buri discharges last Covid-19 patient, now a “white zone”

    Authorities in Chon Buri announced yesterday that the last Covid-19 patient in the province has recovered and been discharged from hospital, making the entire province a designated “white zone – no recorded cases of Covid-19 in 14 days and not a single patient in hospital for treatment. Pattaya City has had no cases for 24 days and will reach the…

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  • Covid-19 NewsProvinces ordered to establish Covid-19 operations centres

    Provinces ordered to establish Covid-19 operations centres

    The governors of all 76 of Thailand’s provinces have been ordered to establish and manage Covid-19 operations centres. Interior Ministry permanent secretary Chatchai Promlert announced the order yesterday. As Thais start inter-provincial travel there is an increased risk of undetected cases moving around the country and setting off another localised outbreak. According to the order, each centre will be responsible…

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  • Covid-19 NewsPM confident economy will rebound when businesses reopen

    PM confident economy will rebound when businesses reopen

    Or… “what goes down, must go up”. “If workplaces reopen, there will be employment and salaries… If factories reopen and employ people, rehabilitation will start.” Responding to reporters yesterday, the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed confidence the economy will improve once businesses reopen and people are employed again, and when tourism resumes, with measures in place to give visitors confidence…

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  • Việt NamTin Covid-19: Tính đến phương án ghép phổi cho “bệnh nhân 91” – Phi công Anh

    Tin Covid-19: Tính đến phương án ghép phổi cho “bệnh nhân 91” – Phi công Anh

    Hội đồng Chuyên môn thuộc Bộ Y tế đang xem xét phương án ghép phổi cho ca Covid-19 nặng nhất Việt Nam là “bệnh nhân 91” – Phi công người Anh đang điều trị tại Bệnh viện Bệnh Nhiệt đới TP HCM. Trong cuộc họp với các tổ chức quốc tế về chiến lược xét nghiệm, điều trị Covid-19 trong…

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  • Việt NamCập nhật tình hình COVID-19 tại Việt Nam (Ngày T6 8/5): Không ghi nhận ca dương tính nCoV mới

    Cập nhật tình hình COVID-19 tại Việt Nam (Ngày T6 8/5): Không ghi nhận ca dương tính nCoV mới

    Đến 18h ngày hôm nay 8/5, Bộ Y tế không ghi nhận thêm ca dương tính nCoV mới. Tổng số ca nhiễm COVID-19 toàn quốc là 288 người, trong số đó, 241 người đã khỏi bệnh, 47 người đang tiếp tục điều trị. Như vậy, tính đến hết ngày 8/5, Việt Nam ghi nhận (so với 24h trước): Tổng số…

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  • Thailand NewsThailand News Today – Friday May 8

    Thailand News Today – Friday May 8

    8 new Covid-19 case, total now 3,000, no new deaths 8 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been announced at this morning’s daily press briefing in Bangkok, maintaining the recent trend of single-digit daily increases. The new cases take Thailand’s total to 3,000 since the beginning of the outbreak. No new deaths were reported, leaving the tally at 55. All…

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  • Crime NewsEx-deputy commerce minister and 5 accomplices face 10 charges in murder trial

    Ex-deputy commerce minister and 5 accomplices face 10 charges in murder trial

    In a case which has shocked the nation, former deputy commerce minister, MP and police lieutenant Banyin Tangpakorn and 5 accomplices, accused of involvement in the murder of a senior Bangkok judge’s brother, have been slapped with 10 separate charges. The Crime Suppression Division commander Jiraphop Phuridet says the accused are charged with: premeditated murder; detention; detention causing death; acting…

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  • Business News7-Eleven, Family Mart cash in on the pandemic

    7-Eleven, Family Mart cash in on the pandemic

    While some people are losing their jobs as a result of the pandemic, Thailand’s billionaires are getting richer. The owners of 7-Eleven and Family Mart are just two of them. The convenience store franchises are classified as essential services and have stayed busy, while some of the smaller mom and pop shops were forced to close due to the coronavirus outbreak.…

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  • Thailand NewsGrocery giant Makro to add over 700 jobs

    Grocery giant Makro to add over 700 jobs

    At last a snippet of good economic news. Thai big-box grocery giant Makro has announced plans to hire more than 700 employees to boost its delivery service and create jobs after the Covid-19 outbreak passes. Siam Makro’s CEO says a new company priority is to help people who’ve lost their jobs due to the Emergency Decree and subsequent lockdown measures…

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  • Bangkok News77 year old woman falls to her death in Bangkok

    77 year old woman falls to her death in Bangkok

    An elderly woman fell to her death from a tenth floor condominium in Bangkok’s Bang Khen district yesterday morning, after a worried relative took her in to keep her safe from Covid-19. Police say 77 year old Surinee Dokkaew was found dead at about 6am on the ground at the base of the 15 storey building on Chaeng Wattana Road.…

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  • Crime NewsBangkok immigration police nab Chinese loan sharks

    Bangkok immigration police nab Chinese loan sharks

    Bangkok immigration police have arrested 5 organisers and 73 employees at a building in Chom Thong district today, where alleged Chinese loan sharks were running an illegal finance firm. The company, “Thai Luck Trade” extended loans at interest rates far higher than the limit under Thai law. The company was registered as a merchant dealing in glasses, watches and cameras…

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  • Covid-19 NewsBangkok hospitals use baby face shields, US health officials say it could be dangerous

    Bangkok hospitals use baby face shields, US health officials say it could be dangerous

    While Bangkok hospitals say they are protecting newborn babies from the coronavirus with baby-sized face shields, health authorities in the US disagree with the move, and even claim it could be dangerous. The US Centre of Disease Control says an infant face shield could increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome as well as suffocation or strangulation. Since infants…

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  • Pattaya NewsThai family heads out on a 1,000 kilometre trek on clapped-out motorbike

    Thai family heads out on a 1,000 kilometre trek on clapped-out motorbike

    One family had a mission to get home, but with a broken down motorbike, it was some of the communities along the way that helped them to complete their journey. About a week ago, a mother and her two children set off on their trip using a run-down motorbike and sidecar (saleng). They had a nearly 1,000 km journey ahead of…

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  • Covid-19 News8 new Covid-19 case, total now 3,000, no new deaths (Friday)

    8 new Covid-19 case, total now 3,000, no new deaths (Friday)

    The spokesman of the Covid19 Coronavirus Situation Administration, Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, announced 8 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 at this morning’s daily press briefing in Bangkok, maintaining the recent trend of single-digit daily increases. The new cases take Thailand’s total to 3,000 since the beginning of the outbreak. No new deaths were reported, leaving the tally at 55. All of…

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  • Covid-19 NewsThai Health Minister says China, South Korea no longer virus hotspots

    Thai Health Minister says China, South Korea no longer virus hotspots

    Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has provisionally approved a suggestion from Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul that China and South Korea be removed from the list of Covid-19 “hotspots”. Nation Thailand reports that the number of confirmed cases in each country has now dropped into single digits and attempts are being made to re-establish economic and social ties between Thailand and the two…

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  • Covid-19 NewsBTS and MRT roll out better preventative and social distancing measures

    BTS and MRT roll out better preventative and social distancing measures

    Since there has been a lot of backlash and social media scuttlebutt about the lack of social distancing on MRT and BTS train systems, the MD of the Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company, Sombat Kitjalaksak, has moved to apply improved social distancing measures by prioritising access to services in the station, platform, train, both at normal times and rush…

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  • TravelThousands of cruise ship crew stranded at sea

    Thousands of cruise ship crew stranded at sea

    Tens of thousands of cruise ship crew members remain stranded at sea, virtual prisoners on their ships with no clear end in sight as the Covid-19 coronavirus drags on around the globe. The cruise industry has been shuttered and shattered by the crisis, with onboard outbreaks, denial of port access and no clear idea of when guest will return and…

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  • Bangkok NewsBangkok’s Chatuchak weekend market is reopening

    Bangkok’s Chatuchak weekend market is reopening

    Chatuchak, Jatujak, JJ, whatever you choose to call it, Bangkok’s legendary weekend market is reopening tomorrow. The massive indoor/outdoor market, popular with both Thai and foreign tourists, will reopen this weekend after weeks of being shuttered, but visitors will be required to observe physical distancing and wear face masks…. you know the drill. Walaya Wattanarat, deputy permanent secretary of the…

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  • Transport NewsSome taxis equipped with ‘barriers’ to protect against coronavirus transmission

    Some taxis equipped with ‘barriers’ to protect against coronavirus transmission

    Some taxis are being converted to be coronavirus-proof, well that’s the intention. A barrier designed by Royal Thai Air Force personnel, to protect people using taxis and keep drivers in business, has been rolled out. With possible close contact to many different people, taxi drivers are at risk of catching the virus. In February, a taxi driver was the first human-to-human virus transmission in…

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  • Business NewsBusiness recovery in the Covid-19 era

    Business recovery in the Covid-19 era

    As some countries begin to tentatively look to reboot their economies in a Covid-19 world, what does the future hold for business? Nation Thailand reports today on an extensive Bank of Thailand survey that examined the impact of the pandemic on four business sectors and what might happen next. Things are looking a bit brighter for the manufacturing and retail…

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  • Bangkok NewsBeware overcrowding and virus transmission – PM

    Beware overcrowding and virus transmission – PM

    Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says packed crowds in public spaces are a concern when it comes to the transmission of the Covid-19 virus. The Bangkok Posts reports that Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, the spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, says the PM wants to see more measures put in place to reduce overcrowding. Just a few days ago, a…

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  • Pattaya NewsPattaya’s beaches are still a ‘no go’ area this month

    Pattaya’s beaches are still a ‘no go’ area this month

    Don’t go to Pattaya’s beaches unless you’re willing go to jail or pay a hefty fine. Starting tomorrow, the city’s beaches will be closed until the end of May in an effort to prevent socialising and to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Pattaya’s police posted photos on Facebook of the taped-off beaches and warning signs. “Those who try to access the…

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  • Crime NewsGamblers arrested, police investigated for ‘negligence’ in Bang Chan

    Gamblers arrested, police investigated for ‘negligence’ in Bang Chan

    Not a lockdown, not a global pandemic, not a series of recent arrests will slow down the urge for some gamblers to gamble. Now officials from the Department of Provincial Administration in Bang Chan, north-east of Bangkok’s city centre, have raided more illegal casinos with some senior police in the area being side-lined to inactive posts. There were recent raids…

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  • Covid-19 NewsMay 17 target for shopping centres to re-open

    May 17 target for shopping centres to re-open

    The rumours have been flying since this week’s cabinet meeting about the next raft of re-openings as Thailand’s economy starts to plod back into gear. Now, after a meeting yesterday of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, there’s general consensus that shopping centres and retail stores will be able to re-open on Sunday, May 17. Of course the caveat is…

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  • Covid-19 NewsBangkok’s International Pioneers School distributes free meals in local community

    Bangkok’s International Pioneers School distributes free meals in local community

    Joining similar campaigns across the nation, Bangkok’s International Pioneers School has been giving away lunch boxes with fresh, healthy food and a bottle of water to the local community every day since April 27. On the first day all the food prepared by the school was finished within 20 minutes. IPS increased the quantity for the next day, but that…

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  • Việt NamCập nhật tình hình COVID-19 tại Việt Nam (Ngày T5 7/5): Ghi nhận thêm 17 ca dương tính nCoV mới

    Cập nhật tình hình COVID-19 tại Việt Nam (Ngày T5 7/5): Ghi nhận thêm 17 ca dương tính nCoV mới

    Đến 18h ngày hôm nay 7/5, Bộ Y tế ghi nhận thêm 17 ca dương tính nCoV mới. Tổng số ca nhiễm COVID-19 toàn quốc là 288 người, trong số đó, 233 người đã khỏi bệnh, 55 người đang tiếp tục điều trị. Như vậy, tính đến hết ngày 7/5, Việt Nam ghi nhận (so với 24h trước): Tổng số…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsUnqualified Kalasin rescue volunteer criticised for his handling of crash victim – VIDEO

    Unqualified Kalasin rescue volunteer criticised for his handling of crash victim – VIDEO

    A rescue volunteer in Issan’s Kalasin province has come under heavy criticism for attempting to treat an injured victim of a traffic incident, despite being altogether unqualified. The victim later died in hospital. Witnesses of the incident recorded footage last night showing a man lying on the ground with broken limbs when a rescue volunteer arrives at the scene and bends…

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  • Hua Hin NewsDrunk fishing crew crash the boss’s car into a river in Prachuap Khiri Khan

    Drunk fishing crew crash the boss’s car into a river in Prachuap Khiri Khan

    If you take your boss’s car out for the night, the last thing you want to do is crash it. Even worse, into a river. Last night, three fisherman got a little too ‘intoxicated’ at a party and accidentally drove their boss’s car into the Pran Buri River. Around 10:30 p.m., after drinking at a nearby pineapple factory in Prachuap Khiri…

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  • Thailand NewsThailand News Today – Thursday, May 7

    Thailand News Today – Thursday, May 7

    Issan restaurant owner allegedly shoots wife, stepson, nephew A restaurant owner in Issan’s northeastern Maha Sarakham province has surrendered to police after allegedly shooting dead his wife and stepson. Police arrived at the scene to find the alleged shooter, a 31 year old, had locked himself inside. He reportedly fired a warning shot to discourage officials against getting too close.…

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  • Covid-19 NewsDeputy PM says some restrictions could be eased before mid-May

    Deputy PM says some restrictions could be eased before mid-May

    Speaking at the Covid-19 Coronavirus Situation Administration today, Deputy PM Wissanu Kreangam addressed rumours that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is considering easing some Covid19 restrictions before the middle of May. Meetings are taking place this afternoon between the CCSA and other government departments as the PM gathers medical advice from the CCSA and other experts on the feasibility of loosening some…

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