Month: June 2020
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Friday, June 26
A different program today looking at the issues of flying around Thailand at the moment and a few things to remember. Also the latest we know about the borders slowly opening up and the process of slowly allowing some foreigners to re-enter the country. Back to the usual format on Monday. Have a fantastic weekend. Tim and The Thaiger team.
Read More » - Transport
Thai Air Asia to resume all domestic routes, flights in July
Thai Air Asia will return to full domestic services in Thailand during July, with all routes and flights back in action for a total of 23 destinations and 25 routes. The announcement was made this afternoon. Thai Air Asia’s CEO told Associated Press that the airline has been slowly ramping up its domestic routes since May and is now ready…
Read More » - World News
Pakistan airlines cleans house after the pilot license cheating scandal
In the wake of a deadly Pakistan plane crash, the country’s flagship carrier, PIA, says they may let go more than 150 pilots after finding many have allegedly faked their own licenses. The government says that pilots both inside and outside the airline had allegedly allowed other people to take their exams in order to keep their flying licenses. Now, those…
Read More » - World News
Unilever drops “fair” from skin lightening cream’s branding
Unilever has announced it is dropping the word “fair” from its “Fair & Lovely” skin lightening cream after many have described the branding as racist. Sunny Jain, president of Unilever’s. beauty and personal care division says… “We recognise that the use of the words ‘fair’, ‘white’ and ‘light’ suggest a singular ideal of beauty that we don’t think is right,…
Read More » - Travel
Virgin Australia will fly again under new US ownership
Virgin Australia will reportedly grace the Australian skies again after a US company has bought it out. Bain Capital, a private equity group in the US, took over ownership after the struggling airline was unsuccessful in asking for Australian government bail out or loans. The second largest airline in Australia collapsed in April after struggling with long-term debt before the Covid-19…
Read More » - World News
Fight over “El Chapo’s” legacy leaves 16 dead in Mexico
The war to protect drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s legacy burst into a gun battle between rival Mexican gangs and left 16 dead on Thursday, authorities said. The 16 people, heavily armed and wearing bulletproof vests, died in a six-hour shootout near the rural town of Tepache in the northwestern province of Sinaloa. “A van with seven bodies was located” after the initial clash,…
Read More » - Travel
AirAsia’s flight plans uncertain due to bans
After rumours that Thailand will extend its scheduled international flight bans into July, Air Asia’s flight plans remain uncertain as it hopes are ‘up in the air’ about resumption of its international flights. Due to having little advanced notice of travel bans due to the Covid-19 measures being changed constantly, the airline is on standby as it awaits the final word…
Read More » - World News
Hong Kong documentary sees scene removed after new law
A pro-democracy Hong Kong documentary saw a scene removed after a new law criminalized anything that is seen as “insulting” China’s national anthem. The director of the documentary, Evans Chan, says he had to delete the scene which featured an artist playing the national anthem, which reveals how the new law is already censoring artistic creativity. Hong Kong is considered a…
Read More » - Crime News
Red Bull heir gets away with murder, anti-corruption officials say police neglected their duties
Nothing has been done to Red Bull heir Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya who crashed his Ferrari into an officer and killing him back in 2012 and then speeding off. Now anti-corruption officials are saying that officers investigating the fatal hit-and-run accident neglected to fulfil their duties. An investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission found intention to exempt Yoovidhya from prosecution on charges…
Read More » - Crime News
Dozens arrested in money laundering and drugs case
61 people have been arrested in one of Thailand’s biggest money laundering cases of the year, said to be worth more than 10 billion baht. The suspects are believed to be part of a drug syndicate and money laundering network, allegedly run by a 45 year old Chinese man identified as “Chien Ma,” who was caught earlier in Bangkok. Provincial…
Read More » - World News
Billionaire sheikh uses Evian water to fill up tanks
An Abu Dhabi billionaire has reportedly filled up his mansion’s water tanks with Evian water shipped from France. The sheikh by the name of Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who is the Emir of Abu Dhabi imported the famous water as part of renovations to Ascot Place, his 18th-century Berkshire mansion-valued at 60 million euros. A legal battle in London’s High Court…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
London police attacked after responding to illegal event
After responding to an illegal music event in London, twenty-two police officers were attacked by crowds defying the ban on parties during the Covid-19 pandemic. A spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the scenes as “appalling,” adding: “Violence against the police will not be tolerated.” Police said they were targeted when responding to residents’ complaints about noise and violent behaviour.The…
Read More » - World News
Large explosion lights up Tehran, Iran
A large explosion near the capital Iran has prompted investigations as its location is near a suspected site of the country’s past nuclear testing activities. The explosion near Tehran lit up the sky with witnesses saying it appeared to be near a major with a defence ministry spokesman saying the blast happened at a gas storage facility in a “public area”…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Health Minister predicts Thailand will have Covid-19 vaccine within 9 months
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says he expects Thailand to have a vaccine against the Covid-19 virus ready within 9 months, provided all goes to plan. He was speaking after a briefing on the development of the vaccine, given by representatives from Bionate Asia, the private company working on the project with Thailand’s National Vaccine Institute. Mr. Anutin says the…
Read More » - Chiang Mai News
Stranded Russian and friends help monk build houses in Chiang Mai – VIDEO
When Nikita Proshin left his home in Russia in January to travel for a year, he had no idea he would spend the last 5 months in Thailand. Although he ended up stranded in the Kingdom, through a work-exchange program, he’s helping a Buddhist monk build houses. The 25 year old says he doesn’t know what will happen next, but he…
Read More » - World News
Dixie chicks changes name due to racist connotations
After the US has exploded with protests and calls for racism to be seriously addressed, the country music group Dixie Chicks has chosen to drop “dixie” citing its racist connotations. The word “dixie,” was used to describe the confederate states in the US that supported slavery as it was derived from Jeremiah Dixon, whose name came to signify the 11…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Second-deadliest Ebola outbreak officially over
After no new cases were reported for 42 days, the world’s second-deadliest Ebola outbreak has been declared officially over. 16,000 frontline workers in The Democratic Republic of Congo have battled against the country’s tenth outbreak for almost two years with a World Health Organisation official saying it was like a mission impossible as more than 2,200 lives were lost. The…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Thai PM concerned about “second wave” of virus when Thailand’s nightlife resumes
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has voiced his concerns about the re-opening the country’s bars, clubs, and other nightlife that may lead to a second wave of the Covid-19 virus. It’s currently proposed, but not finalised, that Phase 5 easing of restrictions would allow pubs, bars, and other entertainment venues to re-open from July 1. The precise guidelines imposed on re-opening…
Read More » - Politics News
Emergency Decree could be extended a third time, through July
The Emergency Decree, set to expire at the end of June, could be extended by another month. Now the National Security Council is recommending extending enforcement of the decree, originally imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19, to July 31. The decree, announced on March 24 and enacted on March 26, has a legally mandated limit of 90 days, but…
Read More » - World News
Lightning takes more than 100 lives in India
Those in northern India may want to rethink venturing outside in times of heavy monsoon rains as recent lightning has reportedly taken the lives of more than 100 people. The strikes are common in India during this type of monsoonal weather which has also caused widespread damage to property and trees. The states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have seen 83…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
Family’s home seized over unpaid 17,000 baht student loan
A family’s home was seized for failing to pay back a 17,000 baht student debt. Not only were they kicked out of their home, but it was sold swiftly with little or no consultation with the family. The Phrae home in Northern Thailand was seized over the unpaid student loans. The family was later notified in a letter by the…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Mandatory 14 day quarantine for international arrivals to Thailand
Following the announcement that Thailand would once again open its doors to certain categories of international visitors, the government’s Covid-19 task force has confirmed most will have to agree to a 14 day quarantine. It’s understood the first group to be granted entry to the Kingdom from July 1 will include businesspeople, skilled workers and experts, teachers, students, and medical…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Pattaya authorities call for patience amid confusion over rules for nightlife reopening
As the owners of bars, clubs, and other entertainment venues look forward to being allowed open their doors from July 1 (sort of), officials at Pattaya City Hall have been inundated with calls about the new rules that govern reopening. A report in The Pattaya News says there is plenty of confusion, as the government’s Covid-19 task force has issued…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Open letter to Thai government “We want to come back to Thailand”
There are many foreigners who are desperately trying to get back into Thailand to attend to urgent matters, or simply get back together with their Thai families. Many others have simply made Thailand their home for an extended time and have gone through all the legal hoops required by Thai Immigration only to find themselves locked out. The Thaiger is…
Read More » - World News
The futuristic Segway will soon be a thing of the past
The Segway vowed to revolutionise how people got around, one of the main attractions being its futuristic look and feel when travelling on the 2-wheeled personal transporter. When first released in 2001, Segways took the market by storm and proved especially popular with tourists and police officers. In recent years they’ve been primarily seen at airports, shopping malls, military bases…
Read More » - Environment News
Baby elephants abused to “break” them for tourism- VIDEO
The plight of Thailand’s many elephants has made plenty of headlines since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak in January, especially in the North, where the many elephant camps and “sanctuaries” were the a major draw for tourist revenue until the Emergency Decree and travel ban forced many to close. To avoid starvation, thousands made the long journey back to…
Read More » - Crime News
Surat Thani “cockle wars” are over, says navy chief
The chief of the Royal Thai Navy says local figures wielding influence are being “neutralised” and the disruptive, sometimes violent dispute between cockle farmers and local small-boat fishermen is drawing to an end. Admiral Ruechai Ruddit says the conflict off the coast of Bandon Bay in the southern province of Surat Thani has eased, after cockle farmers began dismantling the…
Read More » - Crime News
Saraburi man arrested for firing at radio station, fleeing in stolen pickup
Police in the central Saraburi province, about 120 kilometres northeast of Bangkok, arrested a man early today for allegedly firing a gun at a radio station and stealing a pickup truck in which he fled. Officers of the Nong Khae Police Station were informed at 6:30pm yesterday about a shooting incident at the Public Relations Department’s radio station in Nong…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
What happens to leftover Guinness from Covid-19 lockdowns?
Humans aren’t the only ones who become merrier when drinking Guinness, as apparently Christmas trees also enjoy the occasional splurge, and have been used to soak up the leftovers thanks to the Covid-19 lockdown imposed on many bars and pubs. The thousands of pints of Guinness, that weren’t drunk during the Covid-19 lockdown, are being used to fertilise Christmas trees…
Read More » - World News
Antarctic penguins thrive around less icy waters
Penguins in the Antarctic seem to be much more well off when there is less ice in the sea and now biologists know why. The reason is simple: penguins are slow movers when walking, but much more agile when swimming. The times when less ice is in the waters, biologists say it has a ripple effect for the penguins. Less…
Read More » - Hot News
Ambulance explodes just before patient is loaded
An ambulance exploded in front of a Central Thailand hospital just moments before a patient was being moved into the vehicle. Fortunately, no one was injured and the medical team moved the patient away from the scene in time. But Thai media says if the explosion happened just seconds later, it would’ve been a different story. The driver had just…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Chinese citizens in Russia caught forging Covid-19 results
The Chinese Embassy in Moscow has caught several of its citizens trying to forge Covid-19 test results in order to be allowed to fly back to China. But the numbers of those producing counterfeit tests is unclear and the embassy has not revealed what cities or areas of Russia the hopeful returnees were residing. It is also unclear how many of…
Read More » - Business News
Thai exports hit new low, pandemic to blame
Thailand’s exports have dropped drastically and the Thai Ministry of Commerce blames the coronavirus pandemic for the low levels and the shrinking supply and demand market. In a report released yesterday, exports for May are the lowest they’ve been in 4 years. Worldwide lockdowns have caused production in Thailand to take a plunge, according to the director-general of the commerce…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Australia reports largest rise of Covid-19 in two months
Australia’s second most populous state of Victoria has deployed ambulances and mobile test centres after recording the largest rise of daily Covid-19 infections in two months. 33 people have reportedly tested positive in the southern state for coronavirus in the past 24 hours, marking nine days of double digit new cases. Desperate to contain the outbreak, authorities are beginning a testing…
Read More » - Crime News
Graffiti in historic Trang cave means public access restricted
A historic cave in the southern province of Trang, said to be in use by humans for at least a 1,000 years, will no longer be open the the public after it was defaced by graffiti. After a millennium of human use, the Khao Pina Cave, famous for its stalagmites and stalactites, was found scribbled with names and nonsense soon…
Read More » - World News
5.9 magnitude earthquake hits New Zealand’s Milford Sound
A 5.9 magnitude earthquake hits Milford Sound in New Zealand, with over 3,000 people reportedly feeling the earth shake. The quake struck 25 kilometres west of the Milford Sound in the nation’s southwest region. Citizens in Alexandra, Gore, Haast, Lumsden, Milford Sound, Queenstown, and Wanaka, felt the quake which occurred at a depth of 5 kilometres. Here’s the epicentre…
Read More » - World News
Covid-free Mexican mother gives birth to triplets who test positive for Covid-19
Mexican health authorities are baffled after a healthy, Covid-free mother has given birth to triplets who tested positive for the virus. The babies’ father was also covid-free, making it the first reported case of its kind. The triplets, a girl and two boys, were tested last week, four hours after being born at 7 1/2 months. Initially, authorities thought the mother was…
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