Month: November 2020
- Thailand Protest News
12 anti-government protesters summonsed to hear lèse majesté charges
With almost impeccable timing, 12 pro-democracy protesters have been issued with police summons to hear charges under section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code. Section 112 relates to the offence of lèse majesté, or insulting, defaming or threatening the Monarchy. Anyone convicted on lèse majesté charges faces imprisonment of between 3 and 15 years. In June this year the Thai PM…
Read More » - Thailand Protest News
Location of Bangkok rally changed from Crown Property Bureau to Siam Commercial Bank headquarters
Protest leaders from the United Front for Thammasat and Demonstration and the Free Youth Movement have confirmed that the location of today’s planned rally in Bangkok has been changed to the headquarters of Siam Commercial Bank. The protest had been due to take place at the Crown Property Bureau at 3.00pm. SCB is a Thai bank that was set up…
Read More » - Thailand Protest News
UPDATE: Protesters flip the location of today’s protest. Counter protests planned.
UPDATE: The protesters have moved the location of today’s protests to the the headquarters of SCB (Siam Commercial Bank). SCB is a Thai bank that was set up under the auspices of the Crown Property Bureau. Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn is the largest single shareholder, owning 23.35% of SCB shares. ORIGINAL STORY: Stay away. That’s the orders from police as protesters are…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
Monk dies after jumping in front of speeding train in north-east Thailand
A monk has died after jumping on to rail tracks and into the path of an approaching train in the north-eastern province of Si Sa Ket, near the Cambodian border. The incident occurred at a provincial train station in front of horrified witnesses at around 10.30am yesterday. According to a Nation Thailand report, police say the 55 year old’s body…
Read More » - Crime News
Department of Land Transport threatens hefty fines for customised vehicle headlights, taillights
The Department of Land Transport is warning motorists that they may face significant fines if they modify their vehicle’s headlights or taillights. Jantira Buruspat from the DLT says that customising a vehicle’s lights in a manner that contravenes either the Vehicle Act or the Land Transport Act can incur a fine of up to 50,000 baht. He says the reminder…
Read More » - Thailand News
BBC names Thai protest leader Panusaya in global list of 100 most inspiring women
The BBC has named prominent Thai pro-democracy activist, Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, aka, “Rung”, as one of the world’s 100 most inspiring and influential women of 2020. The BBC’s “100 Women of 2020” list singles out women around the world who are driving change in challenging times. Panusaya is one of 3 Thai women to be listed. As the leader of protest…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Thailand eyes first half of 2021 for production of AstraZeneca vaccine
Thailand hopes to begin production and administration of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine during the first 6 months of 2021. As part of a technology-transfer agreement signed by the Thai government, Siam Bioscience will be provided with the information for vaccine production. It then hopes to register the vaccine with Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration within the next 6 months. The pharmaceutical…
Read More » - Crime News
9 underage girls rescued from brothel posing as spa in central Thailand
Police in Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok, have arrested 12 people and rescued 9 underage girls in a pre-dawn raid on an un-licenced spa that was a front for prostitution. The Bangkok Post reports that the raid took place at a spa on the city’s Rattanathibet Road early yesterday morning. Torsak Sukwimol from the Central Investigation Bureau says the raid…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand News Today | Holiday road toll, protests tomorrow, GDP recovery | November 24
There’s been some heavy downpours around sections of Bangkok over the past few days. We start with some video of the flooded streets. Then, into the news… 139 killed, 653 injured, as Thailand’s holiday weekend sees surge in road accidents The Ministry of Transport has confirmed that hundreds of road traffic accidents have taken place over Thailand’s 4 day holiday…
Read More » - Tourism News
No vaccine, no flight – Qantas will require international travellers to be vaccinated
Qantas, Australia’s national airline, is announcing a new requirement that all international travellers will need to have a vaccination against Covid-19 in a move that could become the norm for the world’s airline industry. Qantas CEO Alan Joyce says the Australian flag carrier would implement the measure once a coronavirus vaccine was made available to the public. “We are looking…
Read More » - Crime News
Positive test for ketamine was a “technical error”
A “technical error” in field testing had led to the false claim that 11.5 tonnes of ketamine had been seized at a warehouse in Chachoesngsao province. Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, made the admission at a media briefing called to clear up the matter. The 475 sacks containing were seized by ONCB officials during a raid on a warehouse at tambon…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand may have to wait for US vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna
As news that US may acquire its first shipment of Covid vaccines in mid-December, Thailand may have to wait to share the vaccines as they will likely be made available to the US and Japan first, before the rest of the world. Pfizer and Moderna recently announced their vaccines were about 95% effective, with some countries starting to preorder the…
Read More » - Crime News
Clash with kratom smugglers by Songhkla border leaves 1 Malaysian cop killed and 1 injured
A clash with kratom drug smugglers by Thailand ‘s Songhkla border has left 1 Malaysian cop killed and 1 injured. The clash happened at around 2am this mornign as a Malaysian policeman came up on 13 men acting suspiciously near the border on the Malaysian side, which is opposite of Sadao district. Gunshots were exchanged and 2 Thai smugglers were arrested…
Read More » - Pattaya News
Pandemic has washed away Pattaya’s “soapy” massage parlours
While the Covid pandemic has hit Thailand’s businesses hard, it has also washed away its not-so-legal soapy massage parlours after tourism has dried up its clientele. Such places, known as glorified brothels, have left many masseuses out of work as boards have barricaded the once booming establishments. Soapy Massage (àap-òp-nûat, อาบอบนวด, literally bath, steam, massage)… These are the bigger massage parlours where…
Read More » - Thailand News
5 month old Indian baby among 2 new imported cases of Covid
Today, Thailand’s CCSA reports 2 new imported cases of Covid, 1 of which is a 5 month old Indian baby girl, bringing the total number of cases to 3,922 with 0 new deaths. The Centre for Covid Situation Administration reported that the girl arrived on November 11 on the same flight as 2 previously confirmed cases. The baby tested positive…
Read More » - Thailand News
Bad Student protesters highlight patriarchal society where victims are blamed
After Saturday’s rally featuring the Bad Student group, some members have also began highlighting the patriarchal society of Thailand where obedience and submission runs rampant in educational institutions. 20 year old Nalinrat Tuthubthim bravely demonstrated the need for an open dialogue as she adorned an old school uniform while taping her mouth and holding a sign. “A teacher sexually assaulted…
Read More » - Road deaths
139 killed, 653 injured, as Thailand’s holiday weekend sees surge in road accidents
The Ministry of Transport has confirmed that hundreds of road traffic accidents have taken place over Thailand’s holiday weekend. 139 people have died and 653 have been injured in the course of the 4-day holiday, which was introduced to boost domestic tourism. The Pattaya News report that 455 car accidents have been recorded, with nearly 79% of them being caused…
Read More » - Thailand Protest News
Protesters target the Crown Property Bureau tomorrow, taking direct aim at the country’s Monarchy
Tomorrow the protest road show moves to the Crown Property Bureau, taking aim directly at the the management of the Thai monarch’s affairs. Protesters, who first brought up the issue of the role of the Thai Monarchy in July this year, say they have “a big surprise” in store. This will be the first time when the entire focus of…
Read More » - World News
Technical issues force Singapore aircraft to land on Malaysian highway – VIDEO
A single-engine prop plane from Singapore has been forced to make an emergency landing on a Malaysian highway due to technical difficulties. A report in Coconuts says the aircraft touched down on the hard shoulder of a highway in Johor, as cars sped past. The 2 pilots on board are believed to be in stable condition. Chester Voo, CEO of…
Read More » - Phuket News
Phuket’s Soi Dog Foundation opens Humane Education Centre at Mai Khao shelter
The Soi Dog Foundation has officially opened its Humane Education Centre, the first of its kind in Thailand dedicated to the welfare of stray animals. The centre, located at the Soi Dog shelter in northern Phuket, forms part of the foundation’s Humane Education program. Rolled out in 2017, the program sees a team visit Thai schools to teach the next…
Read More » - Environment News
New national haze forecast website gives 3 day forecasts at 70% accuracy rate
Thailand is getting a new national haze forecasting website that is capable of giving a 3 day forecast at a 70% accuracy rate. The Pollution Control Department is unveiling the “Mekong Air Quality Explorer” platform, which was named after the area is was originally designed to monitor. The PCD teamed with the USAID and NASA, the latter of which has…
Read More » - Thailand Protest News
Protester slammed for dressing as schoolgirl to highlight sexual harassment in Thai schools
2 government MPs have criticised a member of the “Bad Students” protest movement after she dressed as a schoolgirl to highlight sexual harassment in Thai schools. In an online protest, the activist donned a school uniform and held up a sign condemning sexual harassment in the Thai education system. Nation Thailand reports that while her actions have generally been supported…
Read More » - Thailand News
Finance Minister says Thailand’s GDP will take 2 years to recover
Thailand’s finance minister says the countrys GDP will take 2 years to recover the 9% it has lost since the Covid pandemic ravaged the economy. Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, the Finance Minister, says the economy would have expanded by 3% this year if it weren’t for the pandemic. “The pandemic crisis will make the economy contract by around 6% in 2020, therefore…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
UPDATE: Coming to Thailand? Check your insurance and ASQ fine print.
A concerned reader sent us this information, based on his experiences in the ASQ when he arrived in Thailand. We publish them with good faith but would urge everyone to check their insurance situation, whether they’re currently in ASQ or might be in the near future, to check your individual circumstances. AXA has also responded to the comment, we provide…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
2 Thai Covid-19 vaccines to proceed to human testing
Out of Thailand’s 7 potential Covid-19 vaccines, 2 have successfully completed the animal testing stage and will proceed to human testing. Dr Nakorn Premsri from the National Vaccine Institute says the 2 vaccines are the mRNA vaccine from the Chula Vaccine Research Centre and BioNet-Asia’s DNA vaccine. The Chula VRC candidate vaccine is expected to begin human trials in April…
Read More » - Education
Police have yet to investigate illegal hiring of foreign teachers at international school in Phuket
Chalong police in Phuket say they have yet to start investigating the illegal hiring of foreign teachers at an international school in Rawai, south of the island. Palm House International School allegedly hired foreign teachers illegally in which 2 were arrested by Phuket Immigration police on November 4. Somkiet Sarasin, the leading investigator of the case, says the 2 Brits…
Read More » - Phuket News
How Thailand’s domestic tourism market fell in love with Khao Lak during a pandemic
While Thailand’s doors remain mostly shut to international tourists, Thailand’s domestic travel wanderlust has turned Khao Lak into an Instagram hero. In the first 2 months of this year, according to research by consulting group C9 Hotelworks’ new Khao Lak Hotel Market Update occupancies soared above 80%. With the Covid-19 lockdowns, occupancy plunged in April and May, but as domestic…
Read More » - World News
Singapore – Hong Kong travel bubble delayed due to Covid rise in HK
Singapore and Hong Kong have agreed to delay their travel bubble plans as Hong Kong experiences a jump in Covid-19 cases. Although case numbers in both cities are nowhere near as serious as what’s currently being seen in places like Europe and the US, officials are erring on the side of caution and postponing the plan by at least 2…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
China imposes community lockdowns in 3 cities with small Covid outbreaks | VIDEO
Millions of people are now being tested in China, with new lockdowns and some districts shutting down schools. On Sunday there were 11 new cases, yesterday another 22 across the country. After a relatively low number of local transmissions for several months now, locally transmitted Covid-19 cases are popping up in 3 cities across the country – Tianjin, Shanghai and Manzhouli.…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thailand News Today | Dinosaurs in BKK, BOT tackles Baht, Special K isn’t special | November 23
Start of the week, a busy day of news around Thailand with Tim Newton. Bank of Thailand takes action to curb Thai baht’s strength The Bank of Thailand is moving forward measures, originally meant to begin early 2021, but most of which will now take effect from end of this month. The end result is that the new rules will…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
New Thailand Plus app for tourists will help officials track their whereabouts
A new app, named Thailand Plus, for tourists has been created to help officials track their whereabouts more precisely once they have arrived in Thailand. The app was developed by Sompote Arhunai, the CEO of the Energy Absolute Company, which also developed the “Mor Chana” application. Sompote says the app will send information to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and…
Read More » - Universities
“Bad Medical Student” group takes to Twitter to discuss downfalls of medical industry in Thailand
A new group, inspired by the Bad Student protesters, has taken to naming itself Bad Medical Students, as it stormed Twitter to reveal the downfalls of studying medicine in Thailand. The hashtag #นักศึกษาแพทย์เลว (Bad Medical Student), has now gained over 86,000 Tweets after the Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Chiang Mai university encouraged the group to voice…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Tour guide opens aiyu jelly tea shop in Bangkok after losing job
A tour guide is redirecting his career towards making tea in Bangkok after losing his job when Covid hit. In order to stand out from the usual Boba tea sellers, he decided to take a turn at offering an alternative to the popular drinks. 38 year old Auttapol Saejong, has introduced an aiyu jelly drink to the streets of Thailand…
Read More » - Northern Thailand News
480 kilograms of marijuana seized on Laos border
Police have seized 480 kilograms of, what they say is, “high-grade” marijuana in northeastern Thailand in a routine roadside search. The search was conducted near the border in Nakhon Phanom province. Police say the smugglers were looking for alternate routes now that the roads and traditional border crossings from Myanmar and Laos had been closed. 25 year old Likit Boonprasit…
Read More » - Tourism News
Phuket sees 300 million baht boost over long holiday weekend
The Tourism Authority of Thailand says that Phuket has received a much-needed 300 million baht boost over the 4 day long weekend with around 54,000 tourists flocking to the island from last Thursday through to yesterday. Phuket Office Director Nanthasiri Ronnasiri, reports that the average expenditure per visitor was about 5,500 baht, which was higher than the average spend for…
Read More » - Thailand News
7 new imported cases of Covid in Thailand today, 0 new deaths
Today, the government is reporting 7 new imported cases of Covid, bringing the total to 3,920 in Thailand with no new deaths. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration says all 6 cases were asymptomatic Thai returnees, with the other being a man from Syria. The Thai cases include a woman who returned from Germany on November 7, and tested positive…
Read More » - Thailand News
Covid tourism standstill gives Thailand’s southern sea gypsies a break
Phuket’s sea gypsy communities are getting a much needed break after the Covid tourism standstill have their traditions a break from the tourism onslaught. 42 year old Sanan Changham says now there is an abundance of fish and shellfish to eat. Tourist boats have been docked at the quay, making fishing easier for the Chao Lay, or “people of the…
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