- Economy News
JLL sees bright future for post-Covid Thai real estate market
Thailand’s hospitality industry has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and Bangkok’s serviced apartments are no exception. A study by property consultant Jones Lang LaSalle indicates that serviced apartments have generally fared better than hotels in current and past times of distress. The report expects the pandemic to boost the growing trend of mixed-use premises offering hotel rooms and…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today – Wednesday, June 24
July Songkran plans pushed back to later in the year People won’t be throwing or spraying water on each other next month. Celebrations for Thai New Year – Songkran – were rumoured to be moved from April to July, but it now looks like it’s going to be pushed back later this year. The annual celebrations could even be separated to…
- Covid-19 News
Arrival ban to end on July 1… some foreigners will be allowed in
“Dr. Taweesilp says about 50,000 foreigners are expected to visit the country under the new rules.” Thailand will begin allowing foreigners to enter the country from July 1, easing the months-long arrival ban. But foreign tourists will still be banned. Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesperson of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, says that the first group will comprise businessmen…
- Covid-19 News
Massage parlours will be allowed to reopen, must track and report customers to government
Post-Covid nightlife in Thailand is likely to be a bit duller than before, but at least “soapie massage” is back on the menu. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced today that massage parlours of every description will be allowed to reopen along with bars, pubs and other venues in the next phase of easing restrictions. But, there will be…
- Expats
TM30 immigration reporting requirements updated
The immigration reporting requirements for foreign visitors and residents have changed: the Immigration Bureau has announced an update to the requirement for TM30 reporting, clarifying when a TM30 report is due under section 38 of the Immigration Act. Here is an unofficial translation of the crucial part of the announcement for expats, in Section 2.2: “2.2: After the householder, owner…
- Politics News
Deputy PM to become leader of ruling Palang Pracharat party
In a widely anticipated move, 74 year old Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan, dubbed Thailand’s “Rolex General,” has accepted the invitation to become the new leader of Thailand’s ruling Palang Pracharat party. The move is seen as a way of strengthening unity within the main coalition party, which has been plagued by factional conflicts, and to provide unity for the government…
- Thai Life
88th anniversary of Thailand’s constitutional monarchy commemorated
Today marks the 88th anniversary of Thailand’s transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy. Activists from several groups are staging peaceful gatherings across the country to mark the anniversary of the 1932 revolt, in what was then Siam. 30-40 demonstrators gathered at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument and played a video reenactment of the speech made by People’s Party leaders after they…
- Crime News
Prisoner escapes hospital, turns himself in hours later
A prisoner fled from the hospital in the eastern Prachin Buri province where he had been admitted for a hernia operation, but surrendered to authorities less than 3 hours later. Authorities in the Kabin Buri district office say 38 year old Marut Kongchan was serving a drug sentence at Krabin Buri Prison. He slipped out of Kabin Buri Hospital about…
- Thailand News
July 4-7 long weekend holiday
Be forewarned: the Buddhist holidays of Asarna Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent fall on July 4 & 5 this year, but because they fall on a weekend, the days before and after will also become holidays making it a 4 day long weekend. So the usual alcohol ban may be extended for the full 4 days but nothing official has…
- Crime News
Unemployed Chiang Mai teacher arrested for child pornography
Police in Chiang Mai province have arrested an unemployed teacher after finding child pornography on his computers. The 33 year old man had previously worked as a music and dance teacher at a private school. He was reportedly paying a LINE app group to download sexual images of children as young as 10. Chiang Mai police collaborated with the Thailand…
- Covid-19 News
China traces Beijing Covid-19 outbreak to European strain
China says it’s identified a European strain of Covid-19 as having sparked the recent spike in south west Beijing suburbs, but the World Health Organisation will only say it was imported from outside the city and needs further investigation. China has released genome sequencing data which officials claim identifies a European strain of the coronavirus. 183 people have contracted the…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19: 1 new imported case, 27 days with no local transmissions (June 21)
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration this morning announced 1 new case of Covid-19 discovered in state quarantine over the previous 24 hours. The case is a 6 year old Thai boy who recently returned from South Africa on a repatriation flight. Thailand has reached 27 consecutive days without a domestically transmitted case. As of today, the total number of…
- Crime News
Russian charged with credit card fraud on Koh Samui
Police in Koh Samui, in the southern province of Surat Thani, have arrested a 35 year old Russian man for allegedly using counterfeit credit cards to buy goods on the resort island. When he was arrested there were 8 fake credit cards found on him. The arrest comes after a bank employee told police of suspected irregularities in the use…
- Northern Thailand News
31 illegal Cambodian migrant workers apprehended in border town
Thai immigration authorities arrested 3 Thais and 31 illegal Cambodian migrants travelling in 3 pickup trucks in Sa Kaeo, about 200 kilometres east of Bangkok, near the Cambodian border yesterday morning. 4 other vehicles managed to evade officials. The Thais stand charged with assisting illegal migrant workers. They have been identified as 39 year old driver Yotha Nadkhiew, 42 year old…
- Politics News
Ruling PP party denies coercing opposition parties to join
A source from the ruling Palang Pracharat party says that rumours that it was trying to “coerce and persuade” members of the opposition or current coalition member to join the party, were untrue. Over the past month, Thai politicians had been gossiping that the party has been allegedly syphoning cash from the 1.9 trillion baht “coronavirus relief fund” to recruit parliamentarians…
- Bangkok News
Over 100 arrested for illegal motorcycle night racing in Nonthaburi
Over 100 teens and adults have been arrested for involvement in illegal night motorcycle racing in Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok city, since yesterday. Those arrested include riders, passengers, and supporters of the illegal races. Nonthaburi police said today that 102 people have been arrested in a collaborative effort between 11 police stations in the province. The operation is in…
- Crime News
Pregnant woman dead, husband wounded over Ratchaburi land dispute
A pregnant woman in the western Ratchaburi province, west of Bangkok, was shot and killed yesterday, and her husband seriously wounded. Police there say a 70 year old man has turned himself in for the crime, claiming a land dispute drove him to open fire on their car. Krit Thanathavornrit surrendered to authorities late last night and handed over the…
- Environment News
Bangkok’s Skypark could inspire more green areas across the region
“It is an example of how to repurpose an abandoned structure and increase green spaces in Bangkok through cost-effective design.” Bangkok’s new “Skypark,” built on an abandoned, never-completed Skytrain track, could become be a model for turning the capital’s unused spaces into much-needed green areas. Such an initiative would also boost public health and mitigate the impacts of climate change,…
- Tourism News
Koh Samet will reopen next month
The eastern Rayong province’s Koh Samet will reopen to the public on July 1, after being closed since the enactment of the Emergency Decree to halt the spread of Covid-19. The reopening follows with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s policy to reopen all national parks nationwide. Koh Samet is a part of the Khao Laemya – Koh Samet…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19 update: 1 new imported case (June 20)
The Ministry of Public Health’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 1 new confirmed case of Covid-19 this morning. The new case is an imported case, by a student returning from from Bharain. The student is in state quarantine and has had no contact with the general population since returning. Today is the 26th day in a row with no…
- Economy News
Finance ministry to consider incentives to stimulate shopping, retail sector
Thailand’s finance minister says his ministry is ready to consider retailers’ proposals for tax breaks on shopping to stimulate domestic spending. The ministry has assigned related agencies, including the Fiscal Policy Office, the Revenue Department and the Excise Department, to examine the possibilities, Uttama Savanayana said yesterday. His remarks come after retailers asked the government to apply a shopping tax break…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya soi dog, caught in fence, rescued
In a heartwarming story, a stray dog was rescued after it got stuck in a fence at a house in Pattaya earlier this week. Sawang Boriboon Rescue workers were notified of the unfortunate animal’s plight at a house in Naklua Thursday afternoon. Rescue workers and The Pattaya News arrived on the scene to find the dog stuck in the fence,…
- Covid-19 News
Meeting to discuss reopening of nightlife venues
Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, says PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha has stated his wish to see all professions return to work and earning an income. This follows a public petition, especially from Thailand’s estimated 100,000 self-employed musicians, from the entertainment industry, The Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Thai Alcoholic Beverage Business Association and even members…
- Crime News
Police investigate alleged Banyin prison break, kidnapping plot
In yet another twist to a criminal case that stretches credulity, the Crime Suppression Division is investigating an alleged jailbreak plot by murder suspect Banyin Tangpakorn involving a threat to kidnap the wife of a prison chief. A source at the CSD told reporters of the investigation yesterday. Banyin, a former MP, deputy commerce minister and police lieutenant, is in…
- Economy News
U-tapao and Eastern Airport City deal officially signed
The deal for a public/private partnership for the U-tapao International Airport and Eastern Airport City projects has been officially signed. The agreement is between the Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand and U-tapao International Aviation Company. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha chaired the signing ceremony yesterday at Government House. The deal is for a major infrastructure project to upgrade U-tapao, which serves…
- Covid-19 News
Health minister wants travel bubbles to begin in July, but not for tourists
“No one will be allowed to arrive masquerading as a businessperson in order to go on holiday.” Thailand’s public health minister and deputy PM Anutin Charnvirakul said yesterday that businesspeople, international students and ‘experts’ will be the first groups of foreigners allowed to reenter Thailand next month under the travel bubble model. Anutin revealed the timetable after discussing a travel…
- Covid-19 News
Tourism minister says pandemic provides “opportunity to reset tourism sector”
Needless to say, Thailand’s tourism sector, considered a lifeline to an already battered economy, has been ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic. Now the government is rethinking its strategy for the Covid era… The new tourism revival strategy is “quality over quantity”, target big spenders seeking privacy and social distancing, rather than try to attract large numbers of visitors. In an…
- Covid-19 News
Government considering unlocking music venues, meetings today
Thailand’s often flamboyant and occasionally controversial Public Health Minister and Deputy PM, Anutin Charnvirakul, spoke to reporters this morning after significant recent media coverage of the estimated 100,000 musicians still out of work due to the continued closure of the entertainment and nightlife industry. Anutin says he himself was once a musician (yeah, we can see that…) and he “feels for…
- World News
Amnesty International urges global petition for investigation of Thai activist’s abduction
The alleged abduction of Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit in Cambodia, and the inaction and apparent lack of interest on the part of both governments, has left people around the world to demand urgent action by writing a petition to Cambodian PM Hun Sen calling for an “effective, thorough and transparent” investigation into the disappearance. It also urges people to demand…
- Covid-19 News
Defence chief favours lifting Thailand’s Emergency Decree
“In terms of disease control, we’ve managed to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.” The chief of Thailand’s defence forces raised no objection yesterday to calls for the national state of emergency to be lifted, saying security operations will not be affected if the Emergency Decree, set to expire at the end of June, is not extended. Pornpipat Benyasri, who is charge…
