- Crime News
2 more suspects arrested in “wombs-for-hire” scandal
Officers of the Anti-Human Trafficking Division (ATHD) of the Royal Thai Police have arrested two more suspects in an illegal transnational commercial surrogacy ring, police said yesterday. 43 year old Kulisara Pomdet was arrested in Chanthaburi and 60 year old Jakkarat Kittiwanichkul in Chiang Mai on Friday night. Police say the two were hired as brokers to lure Thai women…
- Northern Thailand News
Heroin smuggler busted in Chiang Rai
A man has been arrested in Chiang Rai’s airport attempting to smuggle heroin. 27 year old Jatuporn Saeuan was searched and detained before boarding a flight to Bangkok when security officers found his behaviour suspicious. Security officers say Jatuporn “kept wandering back and forth in front of the entrance” to Mae Fah Luang Airport, so they asked demanded to inspect…
- Phuket News
More than 200 couples exchange vows on Valentine’s Day 2020 in Phuket
Knots were tied, brooms were jumped, rings were donned and brides were kissed. All three of Phuket’s district offices, Muang Phuket, Kathu and Thalang, were packed yesterday as couples vied to get married on Valentine’s Day. 109 couples registered their marriage at the Muang District Office alone, with the island’s vice governor present as a witness. The 109 couples, of…
- Pattaya News
German man falls to his death from Pattaya condo
A German man is dead after falling from a condominium in Jomtien, Pattaya, yesterday. Police learned of the incident, in Soi Na Jomtien 18, at 6pm and rushed to the scene with rescue workers and local media to find the body of a 78 year old German national . Police told the media the man had health issues. No sign…
- Covid-19 News
Thai healthcare worker tests positive for COVID-19 coronavirus
In a first, a Thai healthcare worker was diagnosed with the COVID-19 coronavirus yesterday. The new case brings the country’s total confirmed cases to 34 since the outbreak. Fourteen patients have recovered and returned home. Thailand has so far not recorded a fatality from the virus. The director-general of the Department of Disease Control told a news conference today that…
- Covid-19 News
Asian tourists cancelling flights, staying home
Scores of flights to Asian destinations are being cancelled after South Korea advised its citizens to delay trips to countries where the COVID-19 coronavirus has been found. Especially hard-hit are Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. South Korea remains largely free of the virus, though one of its citizens tested positive for the virus after returning from…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand Post boosts anti-coronavirus measures
Thailand’s postal service announced this week that it’s employing health and safety measures to protect customers and staff from the COVID-19 coronavirus. According to Thai Post CEO and acting managing director Kalong Subsa-ard: “We will be using disinfectant spray at stations that receive inbound parcels from overseas. This applies to all parcels from all countries, not only China, as a…
- Crime News
8 sought in wombs-for-hire case
Police are seeking arrest warrants for eight new suspects: two Chinese nationals and six Thais, in an illegal cross-border surrogacy ring busted on Thursday. “Two Chinese suspects were hired to take surrogate mothers to give birth in another country, while the Thai suspects brokered surrogacy and arranged travel documents for the surrogate mothers.” Nine suspects, six Thais and three Chinese…
- Economy News
Thailand could fall to third place in rice shipments in 2020
Weaker competitiveness, drought and changing market demand could see Thailand lose its place as the world’s second-biggest exporter of rice this year. Higher production costs compared to rivals, and volatile foreign exchange rates mean Thailand risks losing out to Vietnam, according to Charoen Laothamatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association. “Thailand has shipped the same rice varieties for 30…
- World News
Singapore megachurch suspends services, goes online
Facing a burgeoning crisis in the southeast Asian island-state, Singapore’s biggest megachurch, with a congregation of 16,000, will stop holding services this weekend due to the rising number of coronavirus cases and instead broadcast its lively, gospel-style message online. City Harvest Church is one of the most profitable churches in Asia, but has been embroiled in a corruption scandal in…
- Tourism News
Minister proposes bars stay open till 4, free visas to revive tourism
Thailand’s sports and tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn told an extraordinary meeting in Bangkok’s Amari Watergate hotel yesterday that he proposes giving free visas to Chinese and Indians tourists, and allowing bars and other entertainment venues to stay open until 4am. That is the embattled minister’s response to the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis that continues to devastate Thailand’s tourism. Pipat asked for…
- Northern Thailand News
Families of 27 Korat victims to get 1 million baht
Families of 27 of the people killed in last Saturday’s mass shooting in Nakhon Ratchasima will receive a million baht in compensation from the government. Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, who chairs a committee to decide such settlements, said today that no money has been earmarked for two of the fatalities, over which there is a “dispute,” or for the…
- World News
MS Westerdam passengers, all cleared, alight in Cambodia
Passengers of the MS Westerdam, the cruise ship that spent two weeks at sea after being turned away by five countries including Thailand, over fears that someone aboard might have the COVID-19 coronavirus, finally disembarked today. The ship, carrying 1,455 passengers and 802 crew, docked in the Cambodian port town of Sihanoukville yesterday. It anchored offshore in the morning to…
- Crime News
Man seeks rifle, threatens shooting spree in Facebook post
A 22 year old man has reported to police [location undisclosed] and faces charges after a Facebook post saying he wanted to buy a rifle for a shooting spree at shopping mall. Natthapong Jalaebram, known on Facebook as Ring HR, was accompanied by relatives when he reported. Thai media report that Nattahpong posted: “Wanting to buy an AK or an…
- Crime News
Drunken Petchabun man burns down his house after girlfriend leaves him for drinking
A man in the central Petchabun province burned down his house Wednesday after his girlfriend left him over his drinking habits. Police say he was drunk at the time. At 5pm police received a report of “a crazy man” burning down his own home. Officials notified the fire station and officers were sent to the home. Officials arrived to find…
- Tourism News
2 cruise ship allowed to dock in Phuket, prompting accusations of double standard
After the Netherlands-flagged MS Westerdam cruise ship was turned away on Tuesday and later escorted to Cambodia, some 4,000 passengers and crew from two cruise ships were allowed to alight in Phuket yesterday, after being cleared of the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus. The Bahamian-flagged Seabourn Ovation anchored at Phuket’s deep-sea port yesterday, returning from Langkawi in Malaysia. The 495 vacationers and…
- Crime News
Bangkok cross-border surrogacy gang busted
Two Chinese nationals, a man and a woman, have been arrested after coordinated raids on illegal assisted-reproduction clinics in and around Bangkok. The pair are suspected of involvement in a major cross-border surrogacy racket. Police found at least seven Thai surrogate mothers in the raids. In a raid on a house in Lat Phrao district, police found seven pregnant Thai…
- Economy News
Coronavirus could cause huge damage to ASEAN economies
The Covid-19 coronavirus is expected to cause damage valued at US$2.4-3.4 billion (74.6-105.7 billion baht) to ASEAN economies, according to estimates from the Kasikorn Research Centre. The jolt will likely result from a virus-related economic slowdown in China, which has close trade ties with ASEAN nations as well as investment and tourism, the centre reports. If the outbreak can be…
- Covid-19 News
Coronavirus myths busted
The newly named Covid-19 coronavirus has killed over 1,300 people to date and infected more than 60,000 across 24 countries and territories. It’s perhaps unsurprising that myths and urban legends have sprung up surrounding the virus, both in how it’s spread and how to prevent it. The Thaiger is here to bust some of those myths, courtesy of information provided…
- Thailand Weather Updates
Most of northern Thailand to get cooler
Thailand’s weather department says a westerly trough is moving through the North to the Northeast, and Laos, while the high-pressure system across the Northeast and the South China Sea remains weak. Weather will be cool to cold in the North, with a drop in temperatures of 1-3°C. The Northeast will see temperatures rise, meaning morning fog and isolated light rain, while…
- Pattaya News
German man saved from 2nd-floor jump in Pattaya
A German man was saved after trying to jump from a second floor room in South Pattaya yesterday. Pattaya police were notified of the incident at 12:30pm yesterday. Police, emergency responders and local media rushed the scene. The 60 year old German man, identified as Nolte Uwe, was sitting on the balcony of a room on the second floor of a…
- Covid-19 News
UK prisoner tested for coronavirus after extradition is virus-free
UPDATE: Neither Mark Rumble nor another suspect deported to the UK have the Covid-19 coronavirus, The Daily Mail reports: “Two British prisoners including a ‘drug dealer’ who were sent home from Thailand do not have coronavirus, tests have confirmed.” A British drug suspect, arrested in Pattaya on November 2 before being extradited to the United Kingdom in January, has been…
- Northern Thailand News
Terminal 21 Korat, scene of mass shooting, reopens with prayers
Four days after the mass shooting that left dead and more than 50 injured, the public turned out this morning to reopen Terminal 21 shopping centre in Nakhon Ratchasima, the scene of the carnage, in hope of raising spirits. Terminal 21 in Korat reopened its doors today to thousands of people who came to pray and make offerings to more…
- Northern Thailand News
Khon Kaen monk arrested, disrobed after bomb threat
A monk in the northeastern province of Khon Khaen has been arrested and disrobed after giving false information to police. The monk called the 191 emergency line and stated that a bomb had been placed inside a hotel. He later claimed that the information was to make officers “more aware.” Police arrested 30 year old monk “Santisuk” in the province’s…
- World News
Teen kills friend with homemade gun
A 17 year old boy is dead after he was accidentally shot by a friend with a homemade hand gun in the western province of Kanchanaburi. His teenage friend was showing off the gun to a group of friends early Wednesday morning. Police say the shooting was reported about 4:20am and occurred in a rented room in Kanchanaburi. Police and…
- Covid-19 News
Thai evacuee from Wuhan clear of coronavirus, discharged from hospital
One of the three (out of 138) Thai evacuees from Wuhan, who has been at Sattahip naval base for treatment for coronavirus infection since February 6th, was discharged from hospital Tuesday night. The deputy director of Queen Sirikit Hospital, Dr Rewat Kitnarong, said this morning that the patient, whose name is being withheld, rejoined the other 136 evacuees, who are…
- Environment News
Pathum Thani villagers coping with heavy smoke from rubbish fires
Villagers in Pathum Thani Province near Bangkok are complaining of rubbish fires, saying locals are breathing heavy black smoke every day, causing health issues, especially for small children. They claim people are secretly burning garbage and grass in the area. Residents of Sataporn Village have formed a group and reported to local media in hopes taking the issue public. Smoke…
- Covid-19 News
Stranded cruise ship will dock in Cambodia
The Holland American Line, operator of a cruise ship that’s been turned away by five countries over fears of the coronavirus, announced today that Cambodia has agreed to let a cruise ship dock and its passengers to disembark. The ship, The Westerdam, with 1455 passengers and 802 crew aboard, will dock at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville tomorrow, the company…
- Crime News
Phuket speedboat crash captains released on bail
An official of the Phuket Provincial Court confirmed this morning that both captains involved in the speedboat collision on Monday that killed two Russian children and injured more than a dozen others were released yesterday on bail of 150,000 each. Both were charged Monday with “recklessness causing death and injury.” 24 year old Atsarawut Suden and 33 year old Anusorn…
- Songkran News
Deputy PM wants rural road safety push for Songkran
With Songkran and its infamous “7 dangerous days” rapidly approaching, the Interior Ministry has asked local authorities and administrations for effective measures to prevent road incidents. Last year, 386 people were killed on Thai roads during the deadly week . Road incidents kill some 22,000 in Thailand every year, or about 65 deaths a day. But the Songkran festival’s “7…
