Month: June 2020
- Crime News
Disabled Austrian swindled out of 10 million baht by “girlfriend”
Sanook reports that a 49 year old disabled Austrian man, who thought he had found his soulmate in Chiang Mai, has been swindled out of about 10 million baht by his sweet-talking lover. Love blossomed as they continued their relationship online, and marriage was in the air… or so he thought. The pair were the same age and she would…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Tourist number limitations mulled for tourist spots after reopening
As the government considers allowing the resumption of more businesses and activities, the Department of Health, under the Ministry of Public Health, is pushing for measures to curb the number of visitors to tourist spots, to prevent a surge in Covid-19 transmission. The DOH director-general says that even though some restrictions on domestic travel have been relaxed, travellers should adopt…
Read More » - Tourism News
Covid-19 crisis sees nearly 100 Koh Samui hotels put up for sale
The economic devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic on Thailand’s tourism and hospitality sectors has been inestimable, with foreign arrivals banned since March and hotels nationwide ordered shut in April. Some around the country have since re-opened but nearly 100 hotels on the tourist island of Koh Samui are now for sale. The president of the Tourism Association of Koh Samui…
Read More » - Crime News
Police investigating a double murder and suicide in Lampang
Police in the northern province of Lampang were called to the scene of a double murder, where a man killed two relatives and stabbed another before killing himself. His motive remains unknown. Police say they learned of the attack at about 7:45am yesterday. The victims were identified as 52 year old Amphon Saikon and 70 year old Inkaew Promdam. Police…
Read More » - Crime News
9 arrested for sharing “fake news” about Covid-19, government handouts
9 People have been arrested for sharing “fake news” on social media, from May 25 to yesterday, according to Thailand’s Anti-Fake News Centre. 3 were connected to false stories about Covid-19 and a further 6 made bogus claims about the government’s cash handouts to the needy. The AFNC, together with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, said yesterday that…
Read More » - Crime News
Nakhon Phanom teacher suspended for alleged sexual abuse
In yet another of a growing string of sex abuse cases involving teachers in Thailand in recent months, education authorities claim a science teacher sexually molested a 17 year old female student in the northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom, and have suspended him pending an investigation. The acting chief of the Nakhon Phanom education office says the suspension came after…
Read More » - Crime News
Chon Buri man, high on meth, allegedly torches his own house
A man in Chon Buri’s Muang district burned his own house down in the early hours of this morning. He was reportedly intoxicated and high on methamphetamine at the time. Police were notified of the fire at around 5am at a house in Napa, in the northern part of Chon Buri. Firefighters and 3 fire engines arrived at the scene…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
They arrived! One Thai/Australian family’s battle to re-unite.
Common sense has prevailed and the uphill task faced by father Sam Kelly last week has had a favourable ending with his Thai wife, Kannika, and 2 children. Ronny and Adam, arriving safely this morning in Brisbane, Australia. His months-long battle with common sense and the vagaries of Thai officialdom has resulted in at least one family being re-united soon…
Read More » - Tourism News
Phuket’s hotels can now open. Someone forgot to tell the hotels.
Phuket is open. Sort of. And the hotels on the island are officially allowed to re-open but few are flinging open their doors anytime soon to welcome the hordes of tourists lining up to book a room. The holiday island is in a Catch 22 situation with the hotels waiting for the guests to return and potential visitors waiting until…
Read More » - Việt Nam
Cập nhật tình hình COVID-19 tại Việt Nam (Ngày T6 5/6): Không ghi nhận ca nhiễm nCoV mới, thêm 5 bệnh nhân ra viện
Tính tới 18h ngày 5/6, Bộ Y tế không ghi nhận ca nhiễm nCoV mới. Tổng số ca nhiễm COVID-19 toàn quốc là 328 người, trong số đó, 307 người đã khỏi bệnh, 21 người đang tiếp tục điều trị. Như vậy, tính đến hết ngày 5/6, Việt Nam ghi nhận: Tổng số ca nhiễm: 328 Số ca khỏi bệnh:…
Read More » - Technology News
Cyber minister wants Netflix-like Thai streaming platform
Thailand’s minister of digital economy and society, aka. “cyber minister” says that Thailand should have its own streaming platform to bring in revenue and promote Thai movies and television overseas. Puttipong Punnakan remarked at a forum that creating a Netflix-like platform to stream and sell Thai films and series to foreign audiences would reel some sweet, sweet subscription revenue into…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Friday, June 5
Former senior prosecutor says Thai Airways rehab plan will unveil extensive corruption A former senior Thai crime prosecutor predicts that the rehabilitation plan for Thai Airways is bound to expose extensive corruption in the management of the stricken airline. Wanchai Roujanavong says what’s about to come will be the revealing of a veritable Pandora’s Box of dishonesty and bad practice…
Read More » - Thailand News
Bangkok’s legendary Scala cinema is closing
Bangkok’s venerable Scala cinema announced yesterday that it will stop its movie showing operations and let other businesses rent the venue for their activities or special screenings until the end of 2020, when its land contract expires. Scala, located in Pathumwan district, is the last standalone movie theatre in Bangkok. The 1,000 seat cinema was built in 1969 and named…
Read More » - Transport News
All public transport allowed to resume
The Transport Ministry today allowed all public transport, including buses, trains and planes to resume, to meet the people’s demand for travel, with the exception of some provinces that have not ended lockdown measures. The ministry’s deputy permanent secretary says the move is in line with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s third phase of relaxation of Emergency Decree restrictions.…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket governor courts envoys of 16 nations to promote tourism
“I would like Phuket to organise activities leading the consulates from various countries to travel to Phuket in order to see the beautiful tourist attractions and to promote tourism for Phuket.” Phuket’s governor called yesterday for foreign envoys to visit and inspect Phuket for themselves as a mark of confidence that the island is ready to receive tourists. The call…
Read More » - World News
Exiled Thai dissident kidnapped in broad daylight in Phnom Penh
In the latest in a string of mysterious disappearances of Southeast Asian dissidents living in exile, gunmen kidnapped a Thai political activist in Cambodia, rights advocates announced today. 37 year old Wanchalearm Satsaksit, who fled Thailand after 2014’s military coup amid accusations he broke the country’s strict lèse-majesté law, was abducted at gunpoint and bundled into a car as he…
Read More » - Politics News
88 billion baht Covid-19 spending bill, criticised by opposition, passes first reading
Thailand’s House of Representatives kicked off a debate this morning on a bill that would transfer about 88 billion baht from the budgets of each government ministry to a central fund, to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and rehabilitate the nation’s economy. The first reading was approved with 264 votes. 4 MPs rejected it, 185 abstained and 1 MP failed to…
Read More » - Transport News
4 new BTS stations open, free until the end of the year
The BTS Skytrain is as ubiquitous in Bangkok as great street food and fake Viagra, and it’s now added 4 new stops to extend its reach. The new BTS Green Line extension, running fro Mor Chit station and Khu Khot station in Rangsit, opened to the public today. The new extension was officially launched by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha this morning,…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Covid-19 cases in Thailand (June 5)
At this morning’s daily press conference, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced a single new case of Covid-19. The case is a 45 year old Thai man who recently returned from Kuwait. He’s reportedly a factory worker and arrived in Bangkok on May 24. He was diagnosed with the virus after a second test on June 3. Today marks the…
Read More » - South Thailand News
Monkeys drown in water tank after food and water shortage
15 monkeys were found dead in a water tank yesterday in Songkhla, near the Malaysian border. The province’s long-tailed macaque monkeys are facing a food shortage due to the lack of tourists in the area. Officials say the monkeys found yesterday must have been thirsty when they jumped in the 3 metre deep tank and drowned. There hasn’t been much rain in…
Read More » - Crime News
Gold necklace snatched from Banglamung motorcyclist – again
Police in Chon Buri’s Banglamung subdistrict are hunting for a suspect on a motorbike who allegedly snatched a gold necklace worth 65,000 baht from another motorcyclist in the Nongprue area. 40 year old Somchai Jandaphon, a contractor, filed a report with Nongprue Police yesterday. He told police that he was driving a motorbike in Soi Marb Tado when the suspect,…
Read More » - Economy News
Special boxes made for delivering smelly durian
You either love durian, or you hate it. But many people can agree, it smells bad… really bad. Some hotels and transportation services even ban the pungent fruit. Thailand researchers have now developed a special odour-proof boxes to be used to deliver durian. The box is important when selling the Thai fruit because just the smell of it can drive…
Read More » - Business News
Battered Thai Airways seeks government protection from creditors
Struggling national flag carrier Thai Airways is seeking government support in 4 key areas, including negotiating with foreign creditors and renegotiating contracts with other state enterprises. The director-general of the State Enterprise Policy Office said yesterday that the airline is seeking state help after the Central Bankruptcy Court accepted its request for rehabilitation. The airline also wants the government to…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Thailand to produce thermal face scanner for use in public spaces
For anyone who’s noticed their body temperature varying from store to store (The Thaiger has registered a temperature that would indicate hypothermia on more than one occasion), there may be a solution in the not-too-distant future. Two of Thailand’s top technology agencies are working together to develop a thermal facial scanner which it’s hoped will be able to provide the…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Bars, massage parlours may be be allowed to reopen in Phase 4
Drinking at a bar and a massage at some of the country’s larger massage parlour may become possible again in Phase 4 of the lifting of restrictions, originally enacted to contain the spread of Covid-19. Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration spokesman Dr. Taweesilp Wisanuyothin says that such venues are being considered for the fourth phase of reopening, as no local…
Read More » - Central Thailand News
Temple criticised for painting internet comedian in ‘Buddhist’ mural
Thai internet comedian, Sitang Buathong, is known for her “power,” making a rolling orange stop by saying “orange stop!” At a central Thailand temple, an artist included 58 year old Buathong in a painting. Instead of facing up at Buddha like some others in the painting, she is portrayed looking down and pointing at an orange. Religious officials are not…
Read More » - Business News
Former senior prosecutor says Thai Airways rehab plan will unveil extensive corruption
“…the public would continue to be kept in the dark, while the parasites carried on sucking the blood out of the airline.” A former senior crime prosecutor predicts that the rehabilitation plan for Thai Airways is bound to expose extensive corruption in the management of the stricken airline. Posting on his Facebook page, Wanchai Roujanavong says what’s about to come…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Lumpini boxing stadium officials side-lined over Covid-19 cluster
A report in Nation Thailand says that Thailand’s army chief Apirat Kongsompong has ordered the transfer of all committee members at the Lumpini Boxing Stadium in Bangkok. The dressing down and side-lining of the officials comes after the committee went ahead with a boxing match at the stadium on March 6, two days after the government ordered such venues to…
Read More » - Thailand News
Army denies punishing sergeant over graft allegations
In a press briefing yesterday, an army spokesman denied that a sergeant is facing punishment for exposing alleged graft in an army unit, saying rather that Narongchai Intharakawee faces disciplinary and criminal action for “dereliction of duty”. Previous reports said Narongchai, who serves as a budget clerk at the army ordnance department, claimed he has been intimidated, threatened, and faced…
Read More » - Thailand Weather Updates
Heavy rains, thundershowers predicted nationwide
Thailand’s Meteorological Department says a low pressure cell is covering the upper Bay of Bengal, and the strong southwest monsoon across the Andaman Sea and Thailand is becoming stronger. Continuous rains are predicted across much of the country today, especially in the afternoon, with isolated heavy rains in some areas. People in the North, the East and the South are…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Show of support for Japanese man stranded in Pattaya
Several local organisations have rallied to help a homeless Japanese man living on Pattaya beach after being left destitute by the Covid-19 crisis. It’s understood that Pattaya Tourist Police found the visibly upset man on the beach with his luggage. After a representative from the Pattaya Japanese Association was called to translate, police learned that the man had been stranded…
Read More » - Crime News
Man arrested after hacking bank account of nearly 400,000 baht
Police arrested a man for fraud after he hacked into a rich businessman’s bank accounts using a smartphone sent in the mail, posing it as a prize. 34 year old Anontwat Vorametchayangkul took 395,000 baht from the man’s accounts, police announced yesterday. He has a background in computer science, and police say he is wanted in 9 cases which are…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Robots provide novel approach to virus prevention at Bangkok mall
A robot dog is helping protecting people from the coronavirus at a Bangkok shopping centre by dispensing hand sanitiser. It’s name is K9 and it runs off 5G internet from the mobile phone operator AIS (The Thaiger smells a PR stunt for the new AIS 5G network). K9 looks like he, or she, needs a head and a wagging tail. A…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
Hospital director denies corruption, threatens to sue government health official
The director of Khon Kaen Provincial Hospital in north-east Thailand is threatening Public Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Sukhum Kanchanapimai with a lawsuit following allegations of corruption. Dr. Charnchai Chanvorachaikul was transferred to Chanthaburi province in the east of the country following unconfirmed reports of corruption relating to donations to the Hospital Development Fund. Dr. Charnchai completely denies the allegations, which…
Read More » - Tourism News
Prachuap Khiri Khan’s scenic Ao Manao beach reopens today
Chon Buri and Hua Hin aren’t the only places reopening their beaches. Today, Ao Manao, the scenic beach in the western province of Prachuap Khiri Khan will also be open to the public. The crescent shaped bay belongs to the Air Force Wing 5 miltary base. Like all Thai beaches, it’s been closed for two months due to the Covid-19…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Electricity discount has been switched off
Yesterday the Ministry of Energy announced that the national electricity discount from March to May, which differed based on the amount of electricity used and size and type of the venue, has ended and will not be renewed. But, at best, the discount was merely a perfunctory political gesture, not a useful saving for most Thai residences. The discount was…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Government to decide which “red” businesses can reopen in next phase
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration revealed today that the government is now considering which high-risk or “red” businesses will be allowed to reopen under Phase 4 of lockdown easing. CCSA spokesman Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin says that the virus could be with us for months or even years, so the government must carefully consider which “red” high-contagion-risk businesses can reopen.…
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