Year: 2020
- Tourism News
Wow! TAT says they’ll give expats 500 baht to boost tourism
Where would you go with 500 baht? Probably not very far. The Tourism Authority of Thailand says they’re going to hand out 500 baht discount for each trip they take. TAT says they hope that the 2 million baht budget scheme will help stimulate domestic tourism. The 500 baht is expected to encourage the expats to “travel in the country…
Read More » - Thailand News
Thai condo developers clearing inventory rather than starting new projects
“With waves of uncertainty and financial stress crashing into the market from the COVID-19 pandemic, most residential property developers have decided to postpone their plans.” CBRE, the international property consultants, reports that most Thai developers are postponing the launch of new condo projects to focus on clearing existing stock. Discounting completed projects to generate quick revenue as a financial lifeboat…
Read More » - Politics News
Pro-Monarchy group denies assaulting cleaner who wore red shirt
The leader of the royalist group, Thai Pakdee, has hit back at reports that a security guard at Sunday’s rally in Bangkok attacked a cleaner for wearing a red shirt. According to a Nation Thailand report, Warong Dechgitvigrom denies there was any political motivation behind the assault. He says the attack did not take place near the rally venue, explaining…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Police ordered to keep traffic moving after heavy flooding during Bangkok’s peak
Traffic police in Bangkok are being instructed to keep the capital’s roads clear after heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding from around 2am this morning. Krisana Pattanajaroen, deputy spokesman for the Royal Thai Police, says officers have been tasked with preventing traffic jams, particularly along Bangkok’s busiest thoroughfares, as well as removing any potential obstacles. The heavy rains started early in…
Read More » - Bangkok News
Bangkok is getting smarter: 4 districts focused in urban plan
Bangkok is becoming a so-called “smart city” with an urban development plan focused on making improvements to city technology and infrastructure. The National Charter of Thailand says they’re focusing on 4 districts: Chinatown, Asoke, Rattanakosin Island and Tao Poon. For the Yaowarat district, or Chinatown, 580 metres will become a “web of transport” under the plan funded by the Thailand…
Read More » - Pattaya News
Major fire destroys luxury property and furniture warehouse in Pattaya – VIDEO
A huge fire in north Pattaya has destroyed a 6-storey luxury home and a warehouse previously used for the sale and storage of antique furniture. The Pattaya News reports that the blaze broke out at around 1am last night, engulfing the building, which was located near the Sukhumvit highway. It’s understood the warehouse was part of a complex that also…
Read More » - Environment News
Health Minister insists chemical ban must stay, as farmers plead for compromise
As disagreement continues over the current ban on paraquat and chlorpyrifos, Thailand’s farmers are calling for a compromise. Both paraquat (herbicide) and chlorpyrifos (pesticide) were popular in Thai agriculture until a controversial ban this year. But the farmers, who support a proposal by the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry that the ban be overturned, say the proposed alternatives simply don’t work.…
Read More » - World News
Truck flips after police chase near the Myanmar border
A truck flipped over, critically injuring 2 people, after police chased a truck with Burmese workers who allegedly crossed the border illegally. The government recently ordered border officials to step up their patrol on Myanmar border and make sure people aren’t crossing illegally after the neighboring country reported a spike in coronavirus cases. Immigration police in the northern province Tak…
Read More » - Crime News
PM confirms negligence in officials’ handling of “Boss” case
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says it’s clear that negligence played a part in the handling of hit-and-run charges against Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya. The Red Bull heir was facing numerous charges following a 2012 hit-and-run in Bangkok, in which a police officer died after being dragged under a Ferrari being driven by Vorayuth. He failed to appear for no fewer than 8…
Read More » - World News
Facebook responds to proposed media laws in Australia with a threat to ban sharing of news posts
The media wars are heating up in Australia as a battle between Facebook and other tech platforms line up against traditional media providers and the Australian Government. Facebook is now threatening to block both the users and media organisations in Australia sharing news stories, if the Australian government’s plan to demand Facebook, Instagram, Google, etc to pay for content goes ahead.…
Read More » - Road deaths
Popular Thai teenage game streamer killed in motorcycle crash
A well-known teenage game streamer died after he crashed his Ducati motorcycle while riding with a group of his friends. The 17 year old, Chanon Chuchart, made videos playing popular games like Grand Theft Auto V. He has more than 11,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel Omnuay Studio and his Facebook has more than 100,000 followers. Witnesses told local TV…
Read More » - Politics News
Student Union denies protests are being engineered by opposition Thai politicians
The Student Union of Thailand has hit back at a suggestion from “royalist” groups that political activists are being manipulated by politicians. Spokesperson Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul says it is the students themselves who are organising everything, including coming up with a 10 point manifesto, which includes a controversial call for reform of the Thai Monarchy. Last month, Panusaya read out the…
Read More » - Thailand News
Home-grown cannabis bill ready for parliament review
Cannabis could be grown at home, if a draft revision to the Thai Narcotics Act is passed. Those who want to grow cannabis, both for personal use or to sell, would need permission from the Food and Drug Administration. The bill is ready to be reviewed by parliament. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says he is going to keep pushing…
Read More » - Tourism News
Bank of Thailand issues stark warning over ongoing ban on foreign tourists
The Bank of Thailand has issued a sombre warning that the ongoing ban on foreign tourists returning to Thailand may have an even worse impact next year. Don Nakornthab, from the BOT’s economic and policy department, says if international tourists are not allowed back into the country soon, Thailand’s tourism industry will face even bigger threats next year. A report…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Thailand is prepared for a 2nd wave of the coronavirus, health officials say
Thailand is prepared for a second wave of the coronavirus, according to the country’s public health officials. While there hasn’t been any local transmissions recently, numbers are on the rise in other countries and Thailand’s hospitals have stocked up on supplies to be prepared for any potential second outbreak of Covid-19. A 29 year old British woman tested positive for…
Read More » - Chiang Mai News
Toilet and bathroom destroyed as septic tank explodes – 1 person injured
A Lampang loo has exploded, blowing out the bathroom door and a hole in the roof. One female family member was injured in the explosion. The Sawang Nakorn Lampang Thammasathan volunteer rescuers arrived at the commercial premises in downtown Lampang on Sunday. The downstairs area was rented by a company selling cleaning equipment. Lampang is just south of Chiang Mai. The…
Read More » - World News
Thailand planning land and rail passageway, bypassing congested Strait of Malacca
Thailand hopes to shorten shipping time by bypassing the busy Strait of Malacca with a 100 kilometre highway and railway passageway. Discussions are underway to construct 2 deep seaports on both sides of the country’s southern coast, which would be linked via rail and highway. The latest proposal replaces the Kra Canal plan, which was talked about for decades. That…
Read More » - Crime News
Gunfire exchange kills alleged drug dealer, injures 3 police
An alleged drug dealer was killed and 3 police officers were injured in a gunfire exchange this morning. Police say 46 year old Udom Rattanamanee, who was killed, and his wife Areeya Panthip were allegedly major drug dealers in Phuket. Around 8am this morning, police went to Udom’s house in the southern province Nakhon Si Thammarat with arrest warrants for…
Read More » - Politics News
MP proposes opening casinos in Thailand, legalising online gambling
A Thai politician is pushing for the legalisation of gambling and proposing Thailand open casinos at popular tourist destinations like Bangkok and Phuket, saying that it would increase tax revenue. A leader of the Thai Civilised Party Mongkolkit Suksintharanon says he wants to start a committee to research plans for so-called entertainment complexes which would have a casino, hotel, theme…
Read More » - Expats
90 day Thai Immigration reporting deadline passes
Today was the last day to update your 90 day report if you weren’t doing the reports during the visa amnesty Thai immigration set the end of today as the deadline for foreigners, with current visas, to do their 90 day report. Otherwise fines will be imposed. You had to report, or update, your residential address before the end of…
Read More » - Crime News
Phuket man arrested for posing as a monk, asking for money
A man allegedly posing as a monk to solicit donations and 3 others allegedly involved in the scam were arrested by Phuket police. Some complaints regarding the fake monk had reached the governor. Police say they found a man dressed in the orange robe and 3 others sitting in the back of a pickup truck with a bag full of money.…
Read More » - World News
Burmese workers caught crossing the border, 2 had a fever
About a dozen Burmese workers were caught illegally entering Thailand and 2 of the them had a fever, border officers say. The bust comes after the Interior Ministry tightened security measures along the Myanmar border to stop illegal border crossings in an effort to prevent a coronavirus outbreak. The neighboring country had a spike in new cases with hundreds of…
Read More » - Crime News
PM says probe on Boss case released tomorrow
“It is clearly written, nothing hidden, all the names, their ranks and their respective units.” Details of an investigation into the alleged mishandling of the Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya hit-and-run case will be made public tomorrow (Tuesday), according to Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. A fact finding committee set up by the PM has been reviewing the 2012 hit-and-run case where the Red Bull…
Read More » - Crime News
Man allegedly shoots and kills mother by accident
A man has allegedly shot and killed his mother in a tragic accident while having an argument with his wife yesterday. 31 year old Apichat Viriyatham allegedly got out his handgun intending to threaten his wife, but shot his mother by mistake, police say. Police in the Chachoengsao province, just east of Bangkok, received a call about a domestic dispute.…
Read More » - Tourism News
Thailand hopes to welcome long-stay visitors escaping winter in Europe
The Thai government is understood to be finalising a plan to open the borders to long-stay visitors escaping the European winter, aka. snowbirds. With borders closed to to most international arrivals, the country’s tourism sector is devastated and in desperate need of a kick-start. Boon Vanasin, from Thonburi Healthcare Group, says officials are considering the introduction of long-stay visas, enabling…
Read More » - Politics News
Families call on government for answers to alleged activist abductions
Families of those who were allegedly abducted while abroad are calling on the government to give answers to the missing cases. The families gathered together yesterday in remembrance of those they lost from enforced disappearances. Recently, protests sparked after the June disappearance of Wanchalearm Satsaksit who was living in exile in Cambodia. Surveillance footage shows Wanchalearm, a Thai Monarchy critic,…
Read More » - Politics News
Activist burns copy of public assembly law handed to him by police
The pro-democracy activist, Panupong Chadnok, also known as “Mike Rayong”, has responded to police handing him a copy of the Public Assembly Act by setting fire to it. Panupong is currently out on bail, having been arrested on charges of sedition. The Bangkok Post reports that this latest act of defiance took place at a rally in Bangkok yesterday, with…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
British woman in Bangkok quarantine facility tests positive for Covid-19
A British woman, recently returned from the United Kingdom, has tested positive for Covid-19 while in alternative state quarantine in Bangkok. Nation Thailand reports that the 29 year old language teacher returned to Thailand on August 15. By August 27, she had developed symptoms, including fever and a headache, and tested positive for the virus. Meanwhile, the number of cases…
Read More » - Politics News
Thai critics abroad get threatening packages
Threatening packages have been sent to 3 Thai critics of the monarchy that live overseas including well-known Thai journalist Jom Petchapradad and Red Shirt activist Phontip Weeden who both live in Los Angeles in the US. Another who received a package was Andrew MacGregor Marshall, a Scottish journalist and writer of the 2014 book “A Kingdom in Crisis,” which is…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
216 Thai nationals return from Hong Kong on Thai Airways repatriation flight
Over 200 Thai nationals returned to the Kingdom from Hong Kong at the weekend. The 216 repatriating passengers were flown by Thai Airways, landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport at 10.24 pm on Saturday. They are now in state quarantine for 14 days. Nation Thailand reports that the repatriation flight is the result of an arrangement between the Foreign Ministry and…
Read More » - Environment News
Health Ministry up in arms over possible return to toxic chemicals
Following a report that the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is proposing that a ban on the use of toxic chemicals be overturned, the Public Health Minister has called an urgent meeting with his officials. The use of paraquat, chlorpyrifos, and glyphosate has been banned since June, with farmers ordered to hand over their supplies or face heavy fines. It’s…
Read More » - Politics News
Royalist group says it will fight any changes to Thai Constitution
A Thai pro-monarchy group has issued a manifesto in which it pledges to oppose any changes to the 2017 Thai Constitution. The Thai Pakdee group’s policies include protection of the institution of the Thai Monarchy, no constitutional amendments, and strict enforcement of existing laws, including the prosecution of individuals who offend the Monarch or the Thai Royal Family. Thai PBS…
Read More » - Covid-19 News
Covid-19 vaccine may involve 2 doses
Health experts in the US say that when a viable coronavirus vaccine is found, it may need to be administered in 2 separate doses, in order to be effective. This throws up all sorts of logistical problems, with Kelly Moore, a health policy professor at Vanderbilt University, expressing concern over procurement issues and the difficulty in getting people to show…
Read More » - Crime News
60 Surat Thani women report their photos posted online soliciting sex
Dozens of women from southern villages in Surat Thani found photos of themselves shared online with messages soliciting prostitution. 1 woman says her Facebook account was hacked and messages offering sexual services were sent from her personal account. Chai Buri district police say 60 women reported their photos being used online with what looked like personal messages from them offering…
Read More » - World News
Thai PM orders the suspension of trade across the Burmese border in Kanchanaburi
Despite Thailand closing its international borders back in April, in reality, some of the country’s land borders are almost impossible to seal and prevent the ‘leaks’ of locals crossing over. Thailand has land and river borders with Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos and Cambodia – all with official checkpoints but also hundreds of well-worn tracks as villages casually traverse the official borders.…
Read More » - Politics News
Government postpones controversial submarines deal
With a recent poll revealing that one of the public’s biggest concerns is the government’s decision to spend billions of baht on 2 submarines, many will welcome the news that officials have decided to shelve those plans… for now. If not the polls, the outrage on social media was a good indication about the public mood over the matter. The…
Read More » - Property
4 new luxury hotels set for Bangkok and Pattaya
The future of Thailand tourism looks expensive. 4 luxury hotels are planned for Bangkok riverside and Pattaya beach, despite the drop in tourists due to the coronavirus pandemic. 3 of those hotels will be an expansion of Asiatique: The Riverfront, a waterfront shopping mall in Bangkok. Asset World Corporation, or AWC, inked the deal with Marriott International. The CEO and…
Read More »
