Year: 2023

  • Thailand NewsThailand dissolves Parliament with immediate effect

    Thailand dissolves Parliament with immediate effect

    UPDATE Thailand‘s Parliament has been dissolved with immediate effect upon an announcement published today in the Royal Gazette. His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun of Thailand endorsed the dissolution of the House of Representatives, kicking off the election season. The Election Committee (EC) has tentatively set the date of the election for May 7, 2023, but this will be confirmed…

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  • World NewsNorth Korea conducts nuclear tests, spews rhetoric

    North Korea conducts nuclear tests, spews rhetoric

    North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong-un has warned that the country must be prepared to conduct nuclear attacks at any time to deter war. The drastic call came in response to the US and South Koreaā€™s joint military drills involving American nuclear assets. The state-run KCNA media reported today that the North Korean leader spent the weekend overseeing exercises readying their…

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  • Thailand NewsThailand’s phanaeng curry voted No.1 best stew in the world

    Thailand’s phanaeng curry voted No.1 best stew in the world

    Global cuisine website TasteAtlas awarded Thailand‘s phanaeng curry the top spot in their updated list of 100 “best-rated stews in the world,” followed by Japanese kare (No.2) and Sichuan Hot Pot (No.3). Massaman curry also gained a spot in the top 10, voted No.8 best-rated stew in the world. Many Thai dishes made the list, including collective “Thai Curry” (No.14),…

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  • Thailand NewsHomeless man arrested in China to reunite his family in Thailand

    Homeless man arrested in China to reunite his family in Thailand

    A homeless man arrested in China four years ago is believed to be a Thai citizen. A family in Lamphun province in the northern part of Thailand believe he is their long-lost brother who went missing 29 years ago. Chinese immigration police detained the man, who was later identified as 45 year old Prakob Chuasaeng, in 2019 in Tianshui City, Gansu…

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  • Phuket NewsPM Prayut says Phuket Expo 2028 could bring in 40 billion baht

    PM Prayut says Phuket Expo 2028 could bring in 40 billion baht

    Phuket has its eye on hosting the Specialised Expo in 2028 and received the backing of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. The PM reckons the massive exposition could rake in as much as 40 billion baht. If the Phuket Expo 2028 bid is accepted, the event would run from March 20 to June 17, 2028. The expo would have the theme…

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  • Things To DoGet set for a world-class techno music festival at ā€œDrumcode x Blue Tree Songkranā€

    Get set for a world-class techno music festival at ā€œDrumcode x Blue Tree Songkranā€

    Press Release This Songkran, awaken your spirit with Drumcode x Blue Tree Songkran, featuring the ‘DRUMCODE’ stage and renowned DJs such as Kolsch, Joris Voorn, Teenage Mutants, Victor Ruiz, Juliet Fox, Bart Skils, Alex Stein, Tom Pooks, Nakadia plus many local DJs. Awaken the fun and party over 2 Days on 2 Stages with 2 Atmospheres on 14th-15th April 2023. …

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  • HealthBumrungrad launches its world-class Heart Institute to treat all heart conditions

    Bumrungrad launches its world-class Heart Institute to treat all heart conditions

    Press Release Mrs Artirat Charukitpipat, CEO of Bumrungrad International Hospital, Associate Professor Dr Taveesin Tanprayoon, Chief Medical Officer of Bumrungrad International Hospital, and Professor Dr Koonlawee Nademanee, Cardiologist, Electrophysiologist and Director of the Bumrungrad Heart Institute led the medical team to launch its world-class Heart Institute to research, invent, and develop innovative and clinically effective techniques to treat all heart…

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  • World NewsPassenger dies of heart attack on flight from India to Bangkok

    Passenger dies of heart attack on flight from India to Bangkok

    An IndiGo flight bound for Bangkok from Mumbai was diverted to Myanmar yesterday after a passenger died on board. According to a Times of India report, the unnamed passenger suffered a heart attack less than an hour after the flight took off at 4pm from Mumbai. Despite efforts to assist the man, he tragically passed away and the flight was…

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  • World NewsThai nationals rescued from prostitution ring in India

    Thai nationals rescued from prostitution ring in India

    A prostitution ring disguised as a spa in Koregaon Park was uncovered by the Pune City police, resulting in the rescue of seven women, four of whom were Thai nationals. The operation in the western Indian state of Maharashtra led to the arrest of one individual responsible for running the spa, while the search for the owner continues. The Social…

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  • Northern Thailand NewsTURN IT DOWN! Bees attack temple over loud music

    TURN IT DOWN! Bees attack temple over loud music

    Most people get annoyed when their neighbours blast loud music but have you ever become so angry that you wanted to stab them with your butt? No? Then you mustn’t be a bee! A swarm of bees did just that at a temple in the Nakhon Ratchasima province. A temple in Phimai District was holding an ordination ceremony on Friday…

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  • Thailand NewsBREAKING: Radioactive caesium-137 cylinder missing in Thailand was smelted, sparking health concerns

    BREAKING: Radioactive caesium-137 cylinder missing in Thailand was smelted, sparking health concerns

    UPDATE The radioactive cylinder containing caesium-137 which went missing from a power plant in Thailand was smelted in a furnace at Chow Steel Industries Public Company Limited’s smelting factory in Prachin Buri province, the governor of Prachin Buri province admitted this morning. The radioactive implications of this incident are unclear right now. Officials from the Office of Atoms for Peace…

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  • Thailand NewsDelivery riders want employee support and benefits

    Delivery riders want employee support and benefits

    Delivery riders in Thailand are calling for the next government to provide them with the same benefits as employees in other fields. Riders deal with work hazards ranging from harassment to road accidents, often without support or backup from their employers, including health insurance. Food delivery riders are often classified as “partners” instead of “employees.” This distinction results in a…

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  • Thailand NewsSex worker prosecuted after 70 year old man found dead in southern Thailand love hotel

    Sex worker prosecuted after 70 year old man found dead in southern Thailand love hotel

    Police prosecuted a Thai sex worker after a 70 year old Thai man was found dead at a love hotel in Nakhon Si Thammarat province in the southern part of Thailand. Officers from Tung Yai Police Station were alerted to the manā€™s death at around 10pm last night and immediately rushed to investigate the scene along with volunteers from the…

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  • Tourism NewsTour guides to ask PM to act on illegal foreign guides

    Tour guides to ask PM to act on illegal foreign guides

    Chinese-speaking tour guides in Thailand have called for the government to take action against illegal foreign guides who they claim are stealing their jobs. The Professional Guide Association of Thailand held a meeting on Saturday to discuss the issue and vow to escalate the issue all the way up to the prime minister. The association lamented that the number of…

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  • Thailand NewsMan finds body with gunshot wound behind his house in central Thailand

    Man finds body with gunshot wound behind his house in central Thailand

    A Thai man filed a complaint with the police after he discovered a body with a gunshot wound in a banana plantation located behind his house in the central province of Ratchaburi, central Thailand. Officers from Baan Pong Police Station, medical workers from Baan Pong Hospital, and Ruam Jai Kan Kuson Rescue Team were alerted about the body and rushed…

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  • Pattaya NewsForeign tourist drowns at Pattaya Beach

    Foreign tourist drowns at Pattaya Beach

    A foreign tourist of unknown nationality tragically drowned at Pattaya Beach in Chon Buri province in eastern Thailand yesterday. At 2pm, the Sawang Boriboon Thammasat Rescue Foundation was informed that a foreign tourist was pulled out from the water at Pattaya Beach in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district. Rescue workers found a Western male estimated to be between 55…

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  • Thailand TravelForeign man condemned for drinking beer in Chiang Mai temple

    Foreign man condemned for drinking beer in Chiang Mai temple

    A foreign tourist was condemned by Thai netizens for consuming beer at Doi Suthep Temple, also known as Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, in Chiang Mai. Drinking alcoholic beverages in restricted areas is unlawful in Thailand and may lead to penalties and imprisonment. On Friday, March 17, a video circulated on Thai social media featuring a foreign tourist consuming a…

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  • Thailand NewsThailand to dissolve Parliament today ahead of election

    Thailand to dissolve Parliament today ahead of election

    Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has submitted a decree to dissolve Thailand’s Parliament before the upcoming election in May. The dissolution will come into effect upon its publication in the Royal Gazette, which is expected today. The decree requires approval from Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn. At 9.20am today, government spokesperson Wissanu Krea-ngam said that the date for the election will be…

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  • Crime NewsShameless Bangkok taxi driver swindles foreigner at Suvarnabhumi Airport

    Shameless Bangkok taxi driver swindles foreigner at Suvarnabhumi Airport

    Another Bangkok taxi driver has brought shame to the capital by swindling a foreign customer at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The driver has been subsequently banned for life from picking up passengers at Bangkokā€™s premier airport and authorities say his license could be revoked. The unnamed taxi driver last week allegedly used a fake list of fares to cheat a Taiwanese…

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  • Phuket NewsPhuket child prostitution scandal: Entertainment venues lose 100 million baht

    Phuket child prostitution scandal: Entertainment venues lose 100 million baht

    In the wake of a child prostitution scandal in Phuket, several entertainment venues have lost 100 million baht. Local authorities ordered the early closure of bars, restaurants, and adult entertainment establishments, following the discovery of underage girls being employed at Velvet bar in Phuket to engage in sexual activity with foreigners. The venues were ordered to close at 1am and…

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  • Thailand video newsMore sea turtle eggs found in Phang Nga province | GMT

    More sea turtle eggs found in Phang Nga province | GMT

    In Thailand, officials are looking to promote Muslim–friendly tourism, while a new bill is being proposed to legalise sex work. In a related incident, police have arrested two ā€œdoctorsā€ who were operating two clinics without licenses. Meanwhile, sea turtle eggs continue to be found across Phang Nga. These topics and more will be discussed on the latest episode of the…

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  • Crime NewsPolice arrest 2 “doctors” at 2 clinics without licenses

    Police arrest 2 “doctors” at 2 clinics without licenses

    Some things you might be able to fake without a proper license but two men were arrested for allegedly working as doctors without licenses in Bangkok and Pathum Thani. Their clinics were raided by Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) yesterday. The first clinic, located in the Lat Krabang district of Bangkok, was busted for operating without a permit. The clinic…

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  • Crime NewsPolice nab 3 Chinese nationals for kidnapping, extortion

    Police nab 3 Chinese nationals for kidnapping, extortion

    Police arrested three Chinese nationals in Thailand for allegedly kidnapping and extorting about 3.2 million baht from a Chinese woman. Officers arrested two men and a woman at a hotel in the Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo province. A 23 year old Chinese woman studying for a bachelor’s degree filed a complaint with the Thong Lor police on Friday. In…

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  • Tourism NewsChinese ambassador visits Phuket as tourism surges

    Chinese ambassador visits Phuket as tourism surges

    Chinese tourist arrivals are expected to surge to over 300,000 in April, according to the Chinese ambassador to Thailand, Han Zhiqiang. The ambassador made a courtesy visit to Phuket governor Narong Woonciew at the Provincial Hall on Saturday, where the two worked to strengthen ties between Thailand and China and increase tourism to Phuket and beyond. Narong and the Chinese…

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  • Phuket NewsSea turtle eggs continue to pop up across Phang Nga

    Sea turtle eggs continue to pop up across Phang Nga

    Nature and animal lovers will delight at the news that sea turtle eggs are continuing to pop up across Thailand’s Phang Nga province. On Friday, locals came across sea turtle eggs on Das Beach on the island of Koh Ra. The island is located in the Koh Phra-Thong sub-district of the Khura Buri district. Officials from the Department of Marine…

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  • Crime News2 severely burned by Pattaya Molotov coctail thugs

    2 severely burned by Pattaya Molotov coctail thugs

    A group of thugs in Pattaya severely burned two people by throwing a Molotov cocktail at them early yesterday morning. The attack occurred in front of a convenience store at the entrance of Soi Phothisan on Sukhumvit Road in the Na Klua sub-district of Bang Lamung district. Police received reports of the attack at about 2.30am. Police and rescuers arrived…

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  • Politics NewsDonald Trump faces arrest, but is back on Facebook

    Donald Trump faces arrest, but is back on Facebook

    This weekend marked some highs and lows for former US President Donald Trump. Just one day after announcing his supposedly-triumphant return to Facebook, Trump claims that he expects to be arrested this coming Tuesday. It would mark the first time in US history that a president was arrested or faced criminal charges while occupying the White House or after leaving…

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  • International EducationCelebrating 60 years of education excellence: A look into RIS Swiss Section

    Celebrating 60 years of education excellence: A look into RIS Swiss Section

    It’s time to celebrate with the RIS Swiss Section – Deutschsprachige Schule Bangkok! This year, the prestigious school is celebrating its 60th anniversary, marking a significant milestone as one of the oldest international schools in Bangkok, providing German and Swiss curricula. It’s truly impressive how this school has managed to thrive for six decades in the ever-changing education landscape, and…

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  • Bangkok NewsHealthy Station: improving Bangkok resident life

    Healthy Station: improving Bangkok resident life

    The Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) has expressed concern over the physical and mental health of Bangkok residents. They have launched the “Healthy Station” project which aims to promote a healthy lifestyle among Bangkok residents by utilizing public spaces. Bangkok is not the healthiest environment to live in, with toxic dust and pollution, eternal traffic jams and the high stress of…

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  • Thailand Weather UpdatesChiang Mai hailstorm brings down power poles and billboards

    Chiang Mai hailstorm brings down power poles and billboards

    A hailstorm in Chiang Mai brought down power poles and billboards yesterday. Hailstones were reportedly the size of baht coins. According to Matichon, the entire downtown area was covered with hailstones as the rain continued to fall. The strong winds started around 3.30 pm, followed by a downpour of hailstones and rain, and then another wave of hail. Locals and…

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  • Phuket NewsForeign owner of Patong bar in trafficking scandal flees thailand

    Foreign owner of Patong bar in trafficking scandal flees thailand

    UPDATE The foreign owner of the Patong bar at the centre of a recent sex trafficking scandal fled Thailand to Laos, according to the Deputy Commander of the Royal Thai Police, Surachate ā€œBig Jokeā€ Hakparn. Big Joke arrived in Phuket yesterday to follow up on the case. He said the bar is related to a network of bars in Bangkok…

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  • Phuket NewsTourists rescued from capsized boat headed for Phuket

    Tourists rescued from capsized boat headed for Phuket

    Tourists were rescued from a capsized boat headed for Phuket from Koh Lanta yesterday. The boat capsized in the Andaman Sea near Koh Ma. Marine police and officials from the Hat Nopparat Thara National Park rushed to rescue the three tourists and four crew members after they received a distress call from the Andaman Adventure Company, the operator of the…

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  • Krabi NewsAustralian tourist dies at famous cave in Krabi

    Australian tourist dies at famous cave in Krabi

    An Australian tourist tragically died at a famous cave in Krabi yesterday. The 70 year old man died after his gruelling journey to the Tiger Cave, which involves a 1,260-step stair-climb. Rescuers and a doctor took over an hour to walk up the steps after they were alerted that a tourist was unconscious at the cave. The doctor who arrived…

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  • Politics NewsNew bill to legalise sex work proposed

    New bill to legalise sex work proposed

    The Thai government is drafting a bill to legalise sex work to protect sex workers from exploitation. The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) has proposed the bill, which will also limit the minimum age to provide or buy the service. According to Narong Jaihan, a lecturer from the Faculty of Law at Thammasat University, sex workers under…

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  • Thailand NewsLow reserves of Rh negative blood raise concerns for foreigners in Thailand

    Low reserves of Rh negative blood raise concerns for foreigners in Thailand

    Low reserves of Rh negative blood are raising concerns for foreigners in Thailand. While only 0.3% of the Thai population has Rh negative blood, around 15% of the UK and European population has the blood type. This shortage has resulted in concerning shortages of Rh negative blood in blood banks across Southeast Asia. Visitors to the region who have had…

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  • Pattaya NewsBritish navy paints Pattaya children’s home

    British navy paints Pattaya children’s home

    The British navy recently lent a helping hand in Pattaya as part of a push to build relations and friendships in Thailand. The crew of the British offshore patrol vessel, HMS Spey, painted a children’s home in Pattaya during their visit to Thailand. The ship arrived at the Royal Thai Navy’s port in Sattahip as part of the UK government’s…

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  • Crime NewsNew cyber crime law helps banks and victims

    New cyber crime law helps banks and victims

    A new Royal Decree on Cyber Crime Prevention and Suppression is now in effect in Thailand. The new law has provisions to help victims, banks and authorities combat illegal online activities. The decree allows victims of online scams to use a hotline to report mule accounts set up using their stolen identity immediately to 15 banks. Victims can also file…

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