Year: 2023

  • Thailand Weather UpdatesReport finds most Thais don’t understand climate change

    Report finds most Thais don’t understand climate change

    A recent report by the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) has revealed that most Thais have a limited understanding of the impact of climate change on the planet. Only 35% of Thais believe that the use of fossil fuels should be reduced. This reflects a general lack of awareness about climate change and what causes it. Oddly, the…

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  • Thailand NewsUK police go to Thailand to solve woman’s mysterious murder 19 years ago

    UK police go to Thailand to solve woman’s mysterious murder 19 years ago

    Nearly 19 years after a Thai woman‘s half-naked body was found in a stream in the Yorkshire Dales, UK police officers have come to Thailand to try and solve the suspected murder case. Police want to question David Armitage, her husband who now lives in Thailand, and the woman’s parents. Hikers noticed the body of Lamduan Armitage, formerly Lamduan Seekanya,…

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  • Pattaya NewsWoman steals car of app-based driver in Chon Buri

    Woman steals car of app-based driver in Chon Buri

    Police returned a sedan that was stolen by a woman with mental health issues to its 75 year old owner from an app-based ride service. The theft occurred last Friday when the passenger forced the owner out of the vehicle and drove off. Although the car owner forgave the thief due to her condition, police officers stated that they would…

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  • Crime NewsGerman tourist snatches Russian woman’s pricey sunglasses at Thai immigration office

    German tourist snatches Russian woman’s pricey sunglasses at Thai immigration office

    A German tourist snatched a Russian woman’s pricey sunglasses at a Thai immigration office, Thai media reported on Saturday. The two holidaymakers were both getting their visas extended at the immigration office South Thailand’s Surat Thani province. CCTV footage caught the crook, 31 year old Marcel, grabbing the sunglasses that the woman left on a chair at the office while…

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  • Crime NewsCIB arrest 15-year fugitive wanted for double murder

    CIB arrest 15-year fugitive wanted for double murder

    Justice has been finally served on an old open criminal case. After 15 years of being on the run, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of the Royal Thai Police Crime Suppression Division announced a man wanted in connection with the murder of a wealthy couple in Phuket has been arrested. The CIB in Bangkok confirmed an arrest in a cold…

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  • Thailand NewsEmbassy searches for Thai woman missing in Turkey after earthquake

    Embassy searches for Thai woman missing in Turkey after earthquake

    The Royal Thai Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, is searching for a missing Thai woman in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria. The Thai embassy requested clues about the woman, Wilairat Channual, and the rescue team has been notified, Nation Thailand reported yesterday. The embassy is also working with local agencies to repatriate the…

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  • World NewsPrice of roses rise, but many express Valentine’s love online

    Price of roses rise, but many express Valentine’s love online

    Roses have been the traditional gift of love for Valentine’s Day for several centuries. But modern-day V-Day is bringing new trends in the way couples declare their love for one another, with social media platforms and applications offering creative and personalised digital options for expressing affection. Video calls, for instance, have seen a surge as more couples opt for private…

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  • Thailand NewsElephant in Thailand dies after tourists feed it wrong food

    Elephant in Thailand dies after tourists feed it wrong food

    An elephant camp in Koh Chang, eastern Thailand, is warning tourists not to feed elephants food containing chemicals after an elephant died after eating chemically-contaminated bananas. A few weeks ago, a 20 year old male elephant at Kaebai Meechai Elephant Camp in Koh Chang, Trat province, fell ill with flatulence and indigestion after eating food brought in by some tourists,…

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  • Tourism NewsSmall hotels recover in Thailand as foreigners move downmarket

    Small hotels recover in Thailand as foreigners move downmarket

    As small hotels recover in Thailand, returning tourists are choosing different options from pre-pandemic staples. A study of small hotels and hostels found booking growth is now higher than before the pandemic, with bookings from overseas tourists exceeding those of local travellers. As small hotels recover in Thailand, bookings are up by a quarter from the pre-Covid levels, according to…

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  • Thailand NewsBurmese man killed in paramotor accident near Bangkok

    Burmese man killed in paramotor accident near Bangkok

    A Burmese man was pronounced dead after he crashed his paramotor in the central province of Pathum Thani near Bangkok. Police from Mueang Pathum Thani Police Station, medical workers, and a rescue team rushed to the accident scene at an empty plot of land in the Baan Chang sub-district of Pathum Thani, but they were unable to save the man’s…

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  • World News3 Thais, 1 Malaysian handed death penalty for businessman’s murder

    3 Thais, 1 Malaysian handed death penalty for businessman’s murder

    On Friday, a court in Thailand sentenced four people – three Thai and one Malaysian – to the death penalty over the murder of a businessman in Songkhla province seven years ago, despite none of them pulling the trigger. Songkhla Provincial Court sentenced two more defendants, the gunman and his driver, to life imprisonment. In December 2014, 54 year old…

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  • World NewsUnlucky car smashed during fight between two lions

    Unlucky car smashed during fight between two lions

    You know that feeling when someone smashes into your car and you just KNOW they don’t have insurance? That was definitely the case for an unlucky car owner in Indonesia whose car got caught in the middle of a fight between two lions. The incident took place in Taman Safari Indonesia II Park in Prigen, East Java. It’s a popular…

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  • Tourism NewsTAT takes part in major tourism exchange event in India

    TAT takes part in major tourism exchange event in India

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) took part in a major tourism exchange event in New Delhi, India last week. TAT participated in South Asia’s Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE) for the 14th time, heading up a strong delegation of over 40 tourism suppliers. SATTE, which is India’s largest travel fair, was held from February 9 to 11 2023 at…

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  • Thailand NewsGay-friendly Japanese sauna warns Thai tourists to watch their manners

    Gay-friendly Japanese sauna warns Thai tourists to watch their manners

    A gay-friendly Japanese sauna displayed a sign in Thai to remind Thai tourists to exhibit proper etiquette while using the facility. The warning sign’s unique feature of a cartoon penis watermark accompanied by a silent hand gesture attracted significant attention and quickly went viral on social media. A Facebook account named Sa-nguan Khumrungroj posted a picture of the sign with a…

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  • Crime NewsPolice hunt for fake government officials after robbery in Pattaya

    Police hunt for fake government officials after robbery in Pattaya

    Police are on the hunt for three fake government officials after a robbery in Pattaya last week. The victim, 37 year old Prasit, claimed that on February 7, a group of people wearing what appeared to be government officials’ jackets broke into his house in Bang Lamung’s Naklue sub-district. Prasit said the suspects accused him of being a motorcycle thief,…

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  • Thailand NewsBuilding under construction collapses in Bangkok injuring 5

    Building under construction collapses in Bangkok injuring 5

    Over 100 Burmese workers fled to safety as a four-storey building under construction in Bangkok collapsed yesterday. Five people were injured. At 4pm, officers at Makkasan Police Station were informed that an unnamed building collapsed onto construction workers on Soi Wat Uthai Tharam, Kamphaeng Phet 7 Road, Huai Kwang district. Police, officials from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation…

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  • Crime NewsThai police report over 400 romance scams last month

    Thai police report over 400 romance scams last month

    Thai police say there were over 400 reports of romance scams last month. Royal Thai Police (RTP) said yesterday that 403 police reports in January 2023 were related to love frauds, resulting in substantial financial losses of over 190 million baht. Valentine’s Day is coming up, and RTP is now urging the public to be aware of the issue of…

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  • Environment NewsThailand’s forest fires close Mae Hong Son Airport

    Thailand’s forest fires close Mae Hong Son Airport

    Thailand’s forest fires were so bad, with many parts of Mae Hong Son‘s Muang district covered in such dense smoke Sunday that several airlines rescheduled morning flights. The local pollution control department in Mae Hong Son reported that PM2.5 – particles of dust less than 2.5 microns in diameter – in the Muang and Pai districts reached 90 micrograms and…

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  • NewsThailand’s lovers warned about ‘sextortion’ ahead of Valentine’s Day

    Thailand’s lovers warned about ‘sextortion’ ahead of Valentine’s Day

    The Thai police have warned women to be wary of “sextortion” scams as lovers throughout the world tomorrow celebrate the most romantic day of the year – Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day on February 14 has become a symbol and celebration of romance and love throughout the world. Couples come together and make an extra special effort to show their love…

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  • Thailand video newsThai Bonnie and Clyde arrested after hitting 32 petrol stations in Isaan | GMT

    Thai Bonnie and Clyde arrested after hitting 32 petrol stations in Isaan | GMT

    In today’s episode, Russian arrested acting illegally as tour guide, Remembering the dead – Koh Tao dive master mystery, Indian tourist pickpocketed in Pattaya, lost 44,000 baht, and Thai Bonnie and Clyde arrested after hitting 32 petrol stations in Isaan.

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  • Phuket NewsBlaze severely damages Phuket luxury villa

    Blaze severely damages Phuket luxury villa

    A massive blaze severely damaged a luxury villa in the Cherng Talay neighbourhood of Phuket‘s Thalang district on Saturday morning. Four fire trucks were deployed to the scene to find the fire rapidly spreading. It took firefighters around two hours to fully put out the flames at the villa on Soi Pasak 1. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. However, several…

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  • Tourism NewsRemembering the dead – Koh Tao dive master mystery

    Remembering the dead – Koh Tao dive master mystery

    Twenty-three years before diving instructor Neil Giblin from Birmingham died on Koh Tao last month, a fellow Brummie diver lost his life there. Giblin is the fifth Koh Tao dive master to die on the island where Ian Jacobs, from Sutton Coldfield, died on January 18, 2000. Jacobs was found at the bottom of a well on the island. Giblin…

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  • Tourism NewsTake the slow train to monkey city

    Take the slow train to monkey city

    The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is offering trips on a slow train to monkey city, from Bangkok to Lopburi in the Northeast Thailand, on the refurbished Kiha 183 diesel-powered trains from Japan. The trips this weekend and next will cost 599 baht. Only 200 seats will be available each day. The train leaves Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong Railway Station…

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  • Crime NewsAxing for trouble in Nothanburi

    Axing for trouble in Nothanburi

    The family of a man killed by his neighbour over a parking dispute in Nonthaburi believes the murder scene was staged. Veera Prasitthong, 54 years old, was killed in his neighbour’s shop in Pak Kret last week. Veera was home when he found his path blocked by neighbour Visit Chanakul, who had parked outside his shop to unload some goods.…

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  • Thailand NewsSufficient life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai – RTN

    Sufficient life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai – RTN

    The Naval Supply Department insisted that there were 130 life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai when it sank in December, more than enough for the 105 crew. Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet yesterday said that the RTN is finding out why some of the survivors claimed that there were not enough life jackets on HTMS Sukhothai. Regarding…

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  • Transport NewsPLTO meets with taxis from outside Phuket over crackdown

    PLTO meets with taxis from outside Phuket over crackdown

    The Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) and the Phuket Provincial Police have recently held discussions with a group of taxi drivers and tour operators from outside of Phuket who have been banned from working on the island. The talks were focused on finding a solution to the continual problem of green plate taxi operators facing difficulties, including arrests and bans…

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  • Crime NewsIndian tourist pickpocketed in Pattaya, lost 44,000 baht

    Indian tourist pickpocketed in Pattaya, lost 44,000 baht

    As tourism grows back in Thailand, some things never change. Stories of Indian tourists having their gold chains stolen, or being pickpocketed or robbed by ladyboys seem to crop up every week. And this week is no exception. An Indian student was reportedly pickpocketed on Friday in Pattaya and had his wallet lightened of about 44,000 baht. The alleged incident…

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  • Crime NewsRussian arrested acting illegally as tour guide

    Russian arrested acting illegally as tour guide

    In Thailand, many jobs are earmarked as being only for Thai people. Even if a foreigner or expat had a business visa and a work permit, they are barred from certain fields. But in Phuket this week, a Russian man was arrested working as a tour guide which is forbidden for foreigners without any visas or permits. Pavel Maslennikov, a…

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  • Crime NewsBritish drug fugitive Richard Wakeling arrested in Bangkok

    British drug fugitive Richard Wakeling arrested in Bangkok

    British fugitive Richard Wakeling, wanted on narcotics trafficking charges, was arrested in Bangkok on Friday. The National Crime Agency of the UK requested cooperation from Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in the arrest of the man from Brentwood, Essex. The 54 year old Wakeling had been sentenced to 11 years in prison for attempted amphetamine smuggling of product worth about 8…

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  • Cannabis NewsAmsterdam institutes red light cannabis ban

    Amsterdam institutes red light cannabis ban

    While Thailand has turned into a cannabis-free-for-all, some have warned that legalisation leads to a destructive path to crime and degeneration. Those defending legislation have pointed to places where cannabis has been legal for years without becoming Sodom & Gomorrah, like some US states and, famously, Amsterdam. But now authorities in Amsterdam have announced plans to ban street smoking of…

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  • Crime NewsDeath Wish Thailand: Who is ‘Inspector Sua’?

    Death Wish Thailand: Who is ‘Inspector Sua’?

    Lt-Colonel Wasawat Mookarasakul, the senior police officer named as “Inspector Sua” in an explosive Facebook post last week, has been suspended from duty pending an investigation by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD). When the Central Investigation Bureau promises a straightforward investigation that is “strictly in line with the law,” questions have to be asked about what goes on during other…

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  • Transport NewsFrench Consul meet Patong Police over motorbike incident

    French Consul meet Patong Police over motorbike incident

    The Head of the French Consulate in Phuket met with Patong Police and Phuket Tourist Police to address the issue of French motorbike racers causing a public nuisance. The meeting on Friday was prompted by the recent arrest of 20 French racers who were caught breaking traffic laws in Patong. This incident and footage of their reckless behaviour caused a…

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  • Road deathsLatest ambulance crashes in Thailand dismay researchers

    Latest ambulance crashes in Thailand dismay researchers

    The grim statistics on ambulance crashes in Thailand worsened on Friday night when a patient was badly injured in a horrific late-night crash. An ambulance smashed into the back of a truck in the Lom Sak district in the northern part of Phetchabun province, northern Thailand, close to midnight on Friday. The patient, who was being rushed from Khao Kho…

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  • World NewsJapanese crime ring masterminded from Thailand and Philippines

    Japanese crime ring masterminded from Thailand and Philippines

    A Japanese crime ring operated from Thailand and the Philippines is behind a string of crimes across Japan. The international crime syndicate was coordinated remotely from Thailand. The crimes being investigated include the murder of a 90 year old woman as well as cash-card fraud involving a number of elderly victims. Yuki Watanabe, 38 years old, and another senior member…

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  • Environment NewsGreat Wall Motor targets 50% growth in Thailand this year

    Great Wall Motor targets 50% growth in Thailand this year

    China‘s Great Wall will target 50% growth in Thailand this year. Great Wall Motor’s Ora Good Cat is already the top-selling electric vehicle in the kingdom. Great Wall Motor aims to increase sales in Thailand by 50% this year, the privately owned automaker said on Friday, while also planning to launch production of electric vehicles in Thailand in 2024. GWM…

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  • World NewsAnwar demands tougher ASEAN pressure on Myanmar

    Anwar demands tougher ASEAN pressure on Myanmar

    Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called for tougher ASEAN pressure on Myanmar. Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, he said, must take measures to pressurise the Myanmar government into ending atrocities against its people. Anwar, on a two-day official visit to Thailand, said in a speech to the Malaysian-Thai Chamber of Commerce that ASEAN members have to be…

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  • Thailand NewsExploring the impact of XAU to USD ratio on Thailand’s gold market

    Exploring the impact of XAU to USD ratio on Thailand’s gold market

    Thailand has a long and rich history of goldsmithing and jewelry making, dating back to ancient times. Gold has played a significant role in Thai culture, symbolizing wealth, power, and prosperity. Today, Thailand is a major player in the global gold market, with a thriving industry that includes gold mining, refining, and jewelry production. Thailand’s gold market has grown in…

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