Month: November 2022

  • World NewsSingapore shuts down harmful online content with new law

    Singapore shuts down harmful online content with new law

    Singapore is shutting down harmful online content with a new law to protect vulnerable Internet users. Social media sites will now be required to block access to harmful content within hours. Parliament passed the law yesterday, with the Infocomm Media Development Authority gaining authority to issue Internet access service providers directions to block access by users in the country. According…

    Read More »
  • Northern Thailand News101 Isaan locals suffer hearing loss fever after eating raw pork

    101 Isaan locals suffer hearing loss fever after eating raw pork

    The Department of Disease Control warned people to avoid eating raw pork meat after 101 locals in the Isaan provinces got infected with streptococcus suis, known among Thai people as hearing loss fever. The Deputy Director of the 9th Disease Control Office, Benjamas Aunarat, revealed streptococcus suis infection has risen this year in the northeastern or Isaan provinces of Thailand.…

    Read More »
  • Thailand video newsThailand News Today | Interior Ministry Withdraws Foreigners’ Land Purchase Policy

    Thailand News Today | Interior Ministry Withdraws Foreigners’ Land Purchase Policy

    Ministry Withdraws Foreigners’ Land Purchase Policy The cabinet allowed the Interior Ministry to withdraw for reconsideration its newly drafted regulations to let specific groups of foreigners buy land for residence. Acting government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said the drafted regulation was aimed at attracting foreign investment and was being scrutinized by the Council of State when the Interior Ministry requested its…

    Read More »
  • Thailand NewsTwo Thai airlines among Top 10 most timely in the world

    Two Thai airlines among Top 10 most timely in the world

    Thailand is not known for its timekeeping, yet two Thai airlines were among the most “on time” in the world in September 2022. The Top 10 Most On-time Airlines were ranked using real data from the Official Airline Guide (OAG) flight database. OAG provides “the world’s most accurate and information-rich flight data.” Flights that leave within 15 minutes of their…

    Read More »
  • SponsoredTrends, directions and costume designs with Thai fabrics

    Trends, directions and costume designs with Thai fabrics

    Press Release Her Royal Highness Princesse Sirivannavari Naree Ratana Rajakanya launched “Thai Textiles Trend Book Spring/Summer 2023,” a book compiling data on top-notch Thai fabrics and fashion trends, on November 3, 2022. This book recommends Thai fabric trends and design directions for costumes over the next two years that will be helpful to designers, weavers, communities, and experts from all…

    Read More »
  • Thailand NewsMOPH to investigate Krabi’s holy water after a disabled woman claimed she could walk after drinking it

    MOPH to investigate Krabi’s holy water after a disabled woman claimed she could walk after drinking it

    The Ministry of Public Health yesterday revealed it intends to investigate Krabi’s holy water after a disabled woman claimed she could walk again after drinking it. The holy water is prepared by putting a miracle rock in water that was found in the area. Locals believe the rock has magical qualities. A shaman then conducts a ceremony to conjure a spirit…

    Read More »
  • Pattaya News1 thousand people celebrate start of Buddhist festival at Pattaya temple

    1 thousand people celebrate start of Buddhist festival at Pattaya temple

    About 1,000 people celebrated the start of a Buddhist festival at a temple in Pattaya on Sunday. The Nong Or Temple had a kick-off event for the Thod Kathin Festival with about 1,000 people in attendance. Photos show a happy crowd of attendees smiling and clapping, as well as attendees presenting offerings to a monk. The Thod Kathin Festival begins…

    Read More »
  • Thailand NewsThailand is 1 billion baht short for World Cup 2022 broadcasting license

    Thailand is 1 billion baht short for World Cup 2022 broadcasting license

    Thailand’s National Broadcasting Commission (NBTC) approved a 600 million baht budget today to purchase broadcasting rights so that Thais can watch the Fifa World Cup 2022 on TV. However, broadcasting rights cost 1.6 billion baht leaving Thailand one billion baht ($US27.2 million) short with just 11 days to go to kick-off. The NBTC committee sat down at 9.30am today and…

    Read More »
  • LifestyleShow me the way to Bangkok’s best whisky bars

    Show me the way to Bangkok’s best whisky bars

    Like almost every Asian capital, Bangkok has no shortage of whisky bars. And like the others, they are far from cheap. But if you like hobnobbing with the uber-corrupt, or have clients who do, maybe a smokey table in the private room at the back is the place for you. Be ready to drop a lot of baht and emerge…

    Read More »
  • Environment NewsTerraCycle crusade to rid Bangkok canals of plastic goes on

    TerraCycle crusade to rid Bangkok canals of plastic goes on

    The TerraCycle Global Foundation’s crusade to rid Bangkok canals of waste goes on. The US New Jersey-based non-profit organization believes it is winning the battle to remove toxic waste and plastic from the Thai capital’s polluted canals but admits the fight continues. Thailand has been identified as one of the top contributors to plastic pollution in the oceans. The kingdom’s…

    Read More »
  • Environment NewsBangkok dwellers float over half a million krathongs on Loy Krathong night

    Bangkok dwellers float over half a million krathongs on Loy Krathong night

    Bangkok dwellers floated more than half a million krathongs down the city’s waterways during the Loy Krathong celebrations last night. This year, there were as many as 572,602 krathongs. A spokesperson for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said that almost all of the krathongs, 548,086, were made from natural materials but added that 24,516 krathongs were made from foam. The…

    Read More »
  • Thailand NewsSuperstitious man arrested after stabbing friend to test his immortality

    Superstitious man arrested after stabbing friend to test his immortality

    The superstitious man who stabbed to death a friend to test his immortality has been arrested in Chon Buri. Officers from Tha Ruer Police Station reported to Thai media today that 51 year old Withun Ochapon was arrested last night for the murder of 44 year old Auttapon on Sunday, November 6 at his wife’s house in the Phan Thong district of…

    Read More »
  • CannabisKush House: Bangkok’s most unique cannabis dispensary

    Kush House: Bangkok’s most unique cannabis dispensary

    You are invited to the grand opening of Kush House cannabis dispensary, in the heart of Bangkok, tonight at 9pm. Two things set Kush House apart from other cannabis stores in Thailand: Thai Traditional Medicine and art. The visually striking atmosphere at Kush House – conveniently located at the entrance of Sukhumvit 22 – has been carefully crafted to give…

    Read More »
  • Phuket NewsMass tree-planting planned for Phuket beach after illegal structures removed

    Mass tree-planting planned for Phuket beach after illegal structures removed

    After police removed removed illegal structures from a beach in Phuket‘s Thalang district, they now plan to recover the beach’s nature. Phuket Vice Governor Amnuay announced at a meeting on Monday that a mass tree-planting would start at Layan Beach on Tuesday, November 15. The tree-planting event will begin at 9am, and will include a beach cleanup, he said. Amnuay…

    Read More »
  • Thailand NewsTeen boasts he escaped murder charge because his family is rich

    Teen boasts he escaped murder charge because his family is rich

    An 18 year old allegedly boasted on social media that he escaped being charged with the murder of a 14 year old boy because his family is rich and powerful. Thai social media is outraged that 18 year old Dome killed 14 year old Fluck and bragged about it on Twitter. Netizens are furious after seeing the trending hashtag on…

    Read More »
  • Press RoomJoin ICONSIAM’S Bangkok Illumination 2022 for magical light displays

    Join ICONSIAM’S Bangkok Illumination 2022 for magical light displays

    Press release The most anticipated festive illumination festival on the bank of Bangkok’s majestic river now lights up ICONSIAM, a global landmark by the Chao Phraya River. The ICONSIAM Bangkok Illumination 2022 runs from today to 5 January 2023, celebrating the opening of Thailand to welcome international tourists and ease travel restrictions across the globe. This festive extravaganza will again…

    Read More »
  • World NewsCould rats save people from disaster zones?

    Could rats save people from disaster zones?

    Could rats save the day when disaster strikes? A Belgian organisation is training rats to search for survivors in disaster zones. The organisation, APOPO, says that rats’ small size and strong sense of smell make them ideal for locating things in tight spaces. APOPOP has been training dogs and rats at its base in Morogoro, Tanzania to use their sense…

    Read More »
  • ExpatsPayPal to lock out Thai users at end of month

    PayPal to lock out Thai users at end of month

    Most PayPal users in Thailand will be locked out of the service next month unless they jump through a series of complex and quite silly hoops that are intelligible only to Thai citizens. After a year of nothing but statements, PayPal told customers this morning that they cannot use the service after December 15 unless they take “certain actions” that,…

    Read More »
  • Thailand NewsVIDEO: Billowing fire spoils Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai

    VIDEO: Billowing fire spoils Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai

    Thousands of glistening paper lanterns lighting up the night sky in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, disappeared into a thick plume of smoke after a foam pagoda went up in flames in the middle of the Yi Peng Lantern Festival celebrations last night. Billowing smoke rose into the sky after a lantern fell on top of the flammable replica pagoda, made…

    Read More »
  • Thailand NewsMan stabbed to death by superstitious friend

    Man stabbed to death by superstitious friend

    A man was stabbed to death yesterday by a superstitious friend who believed an amulet the victim wore made him immortal. The delusional offender, who was only released from prison last year after murdering someone else, wanted to test the victim’s mortality by stabbing him. Police reported that 44 year old Auttapon Na Nakhon was stabbed to death by his…

    Read More »
  • World NewsKim Jong-Un sets the dogs on South Korea’s politicians

    Kim Jong-Un sets the dogs on South Korea’s politicians

    A pair of dogs given by North Korea’s tinpot leader Kim Jong-Un to South Korea’s former president Moon Jae-in in 2018 are fighting for scraps at the centre of a political row. The former president blames his conservative successor for the problem. Moon does not want to pay for food for a pair of dogs he didn’t ask for (but…

    Read More »
  • Crime NewsPatong venue staffer tests positive for drugs

    Patong venue staffer tests positive for drugs

    A Patong entertainment venue staffer tested positive for drugs on Monday night after police conducted a major drug testing crackdown on five venues on Bangla Road. Patong Police drug tested nearly 184 staffers and one tested positive. It has not been reported what drug the staffer tested positive for. The recent crackdown is part of a campaign police are calling…

    Read More »
  • Thailand NewsThai women tricked into sex work in Nigeria seek help

    Thai women tricked into sex work in Nigeria seek help

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand is on a mission to rescue a group of Thai women stuck in Nigeria who claim they were offered work as masseuses but forced into prostitution instead. Last week, relatives of the women sought help from Paveena Hongsakul, who is a Thai women’s rights and children’s rights activist, ex-Minister of Social Development and…

    Read More »
  • Thailand News12 people injured by illegal fireworks in Loy Krathong event

    12 people injured by illegal fireworks in Loy Krathong event

    A Loy Krathong festival celebration almost turned into a tragedy last night when 12 people were injured by illegal fireworks set off at the event in the northern province of Nakhon Phanom. The Meung Nakhon Phanom mayor announced the victims only suffered mild injuries. Nakhon Phanom provincial governor, other officers, and hundreds of residents joined the grand opening ceremony of…

    Read More »
  • Visa InformationExpats welcome online visa extensions?

    Expats welcome online visa extensions?

    The Immigration Bureau unveiled its online visa extension (e-extension) service on yesterday, billed as making the process less messy for expats and tourists who need more time in the country. Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, the national police chief, said the e-extension would improve visa services by allowing visitors to lodge their requests online. The move is expected to reduce corruption…

    Read More »
  • Crime NewsPolice in central Thailand offer cash reward to help nab gold shop robber

    Police in central Thailand offer cash reward to help nab gold shop robber

    Police in Thailand’s central province of Ayutthaya is offering a cash reward to help catch a gold shop robber. The robber got away with 95 baht weight in gold jewellery worth over 2.8 million baht on November 4, and he still hasn’t been caught. The robber fired shots at the store’s showcase at Lotus Department Store’s Sena branch, before running…

    Read More »
  • China NewsPolice arrest 2 Chinese mafia chiefs, 3 slip the net

    Police arrest 2 Chinese mafia chiefs, 3 slip the net

    Thailand’s deputy national police chief revealed yesterday that the authorities have captured two heads of Chinese mafia gangs in the kingdom. Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate ‘Big Joke’ Hakparn announced a covert undercover operation managed to successfully arrest two mafia chiefs adding that three heads of illegal activities managed to escape their clutches, fleeing the country on private…

    Read More »
  • Tourism NewsBill Heinecke suggests Thailand charge foreign tourists extra 300 baht per night

    Bill Heinecke suggests Thailand charge foreign tourists extra 300 baht per night

    Hotels in Thailand should charge foreign tourists an extra 300 baht (US$8) per room per night to aid the economy’s post-pandemic recovery, suggests outspoken American-Thai hotel tycoon and billionaire Bill Heinecke. Heinecke is the founder of the Minor Group, which runs more than 500 hotels worldwide. In an open letter addressed to Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Heinecke said the…

    Read More »
  • Crime NewsPolice seize 1,000s of weapons, calming APEC delegates

    Police seize 1,000s of weapons, calming APEC delegates

    As Thailand struggles to combat the harm done by the methamphetamine epidemic, in a bizarre statement, police claim to have rounded up more than 60,000 suspects and seized thousands of weapons in cases tied to narcotics and illegal weapons since October 10, “bolstering confidence” among delegates to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok on November 18. Police made…

    Read More »
  • Thailand video newsOnline Visa Extensions Now Available in Thailand | GMT

    Online Visa Extensions Now Available in Thailand | GMT

    Expats get online visa extensions. Business leaders back U-turn on land sales. Bat-eating YouTuber sparks outrage in Thailand. Suvarnabhumi Airport offers 7 days of free parking for APEC Summit. The first LOT, Polish Airlines flight, arrives in Phuket. Pubs, gas stations, and 24-hour stores close early to save energy. – all are coming up today. Check out other news or…

    Read More »
  • Pattaya NewsChon Buri man attacks beachgoer with knife

    Chon Buri man attacks beachgoer with knife

    A Chon Buri man attacked a beachgoer with a knife in the Sri Racha district on Monday night. The attacker pulled up in a white pickup truck, and suddenly jumped out and cut the victim’s elbow with a knife, according to the victim. The incident happened at an early Loy Krathong site on Ban Laem Chabang Beach. After cutting the…

    Read More »
  • Crime NewsTeacher murders her 5 year old autistic son in southern Thailand

    Teacher murders her 5 year old autistic son in southern Thailand

    Today, a teacher at a famous school in Hat Yai murdered her autistic 5 year old son by smothering him with a pillow in Songkhla Province, southern Thailand. After the murder, she tried to commit suicide by drinking toilet cleaner but ended up critically ill in hospital. Officers from Hat Yai Police Station were called to the scene – a condo…

    Read More »
  • Thailand video newsThailand News Today | Total lunar eclipse tonight, or wait to see it again in three years

    Thailand News Today | Total lunar eclipse tonight, or wait to see it again in three years

    Police warn of Loy Krathong phishing scams The current Loy Krathong Festival is giving rise to phishing scams that trick people into giving out personal information online warned anti-cybercrime police. They said fake websites had been created to invite people to float Krathong online. Tonight marks the full-moon day of the 12th lunar month during which Thais celebrate the Loy…

    Read More »
  • Thailand NewsThai actress defies laws to build house on Koh Samui mountain

    Thai actress defies laws to build house on Koh Samui mountain

    Locals in Koh Samui in the southern province of Surat Thani filed a complaint with authorities after a luxury house belonging to a Thai actress was built on a mountain area that belongs to the government. Officers from the Department of Land and Royal Forest Department yesterday investigated the house, and land around where the building is under construction, in…

    Read More »
  • Economy NewsOver 3 million people in Thailand living below poverty line, census shows

    Over 3 million people in Thailand living below poverty line, census shows

    Over 3 million people in Thailand were living below the poverty line as of January this year, according to a government census agency. The Thai People Map and Analytics Platform (TPMAP) surveyed 36.1 million people across Thailand and found that 3.44 million were living without their basic needs being met. This categorised them as poor. The survey found that 1.02…

    Read More »
  • Bangkok NewsSuvarnabhumi Airport offers 7 days free parking for APEC Summit

    Suvarnabhumi Airport offers 7 days free parking for APEC Summit

    Suvarnabhumi Airport is offering free parking for one week from November 15-21 during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit which will be held in Bangkok this month. Free parking will be available for passengers and service users for a total of seven days at Long Term Parking Zone C, which can accommodate 718 cars. The airport is expected to be…

    Read More »
  • Tourism NewsFirst LOT Polish Airlines flight arrives in Phuket

    First LOT Polish Airlines flight arrives in Phuket

    Phuket International airport welcomed its first LOT Polish Airlines flight yesterday. The flight carried 252 passengers from Warsaw to Phuket. Officials and staff greeted the passengers and handed them HKT We Care souvenirs upon arrival, The Phuket Express reported. This news comes after an inaugural flight from Uzbekistan arrived in Phuket on Sharq Airlines just last week. The flight carried…

    Read More »