Thaiger
- Northern Thailand News
“Worst drought in living memory”, Thai farmers in the north
Parts of Thailand are facing their worst drought in 50 years. Farmers in some parts of the north and north east say that the situation is the “worst in living memory”, as reported in Sanook. Meanwhile, The Meteorological Department says Thailand will experience the worst drought in at least a decade, with average precipitation across large regions of the country falling…
- Politics News
Constitutional Court accepts petition over Prayut’s fitness to be PM
The Constitutional Court yesterday accepted a petition from opposition MPs questioning PM Prayut’s “qualifications” to hold the post of Thai prime minister. The Court announced its decision on its website, commenting that the petition had been signed by a total of 110 MPs from various opposition parties but declaring that Prayut was free to continue carrying out his duties as…
- Crime News
Zambian arrested on overstay and animal cruelty charges in Samut Prakhan
PHOTO: khaosod.co.th Thai immigration police have arrested a Zambian man for an alleged overstay and committing acts of cruelty following a Facebook post that sought help for the dog. The Nation reports that 27 year old Wachisa Sikwese has been arrested by Immigration police. They reported that Sikwese was arrested shortly after Watchdog Thailand spotted a Facebook post that sought help…
- Tourism News
Tweet forces Suvarnabhumi immigration to explain long lines
PHOTO: Travel Daily Media “Suvarnabhumi hell for tourists. Look at queues today. Never seen this long.” In response to English-language teacher Andrew Biggs complaining about the long queues at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the Immigration Bureau says it had already mobilised more personnel to facilitate immigration clearance. Biggs, the owner of Andrew Biggs Academy and co-director of andrewbiggs.com, an English language-learning website…
- Phuket News
Phang Nga Governor puts region on alert for flash flooding
Phang Nga’s governor Siripat Pattakul has ordered all government agencies in the southern province to be on alert after surface run-off from a mountain flooded a village in Takua Pa district early this morning. Following hours of heavy rains, the run-off from Khao Lak-Ram Ru mountain flooded Moo 3 village in Tambon Khuek Khak at 3 am. The floodwaters, about 50…
- Environment News
National agenda will be prepared for dugong conservation in Thailand
PHOTO: Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa in Koh Libong, Trang, yesterday/Facebook Speaking to reporters during a trip to Koh Libong in Trang yesterday, the new Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said that Thailand should draft a national agenda for dugong conservation. He was visiting the ‘nursery’ of the the young dugong ‘Mariam’ saying that Thailand could become…
- Business News
Residential projects launched in June up, but sale 15% lower than May
As many as 47 new residential projects were launched in Bangkok and its suburbs last month (June), 16 more than in May. This from the Agency for Real-Estate Affairs. The projects combine 13,943 units worth a total of 57.25 billion baht, with per-unit prices averaging at 4.1 million baht, the survey added. The sale of new projects launched in June…
- Tourism News
Weerasak paints a rosy tourism picture as he steps down from Ministry
Weerasak Kowsurat, outgoing Tourism and Sports Minister In a final spin at the microphone as Sports and Tourism Minister, Weerasak Kowsurat made statements about Thailand’s tourism numbers and the Thai baht that differed from other published numbers and local anecdotal reports. Weerasak claimed, despite the appreciation of the baht, that Thailand has attracted as many as 21.08 million tourists in the…
- World News
PTT’s expansion plans in Myanmar
PTT Oil and Retail Business (PTTOR) is poised to invest in the Burmese retail market and the construction of a tank depot for oil and liquefied petroleum gas as well as related facilities in Myanmar. The Thai petro-chemical company’s chairman Attapol Rerkpiboon says the first gas station will open in Q4 this year. It recently signed agreements with the subsidiaries…
- Politics News
King urges new cabinet to solve problems for Thailand’s happiness and security
PHOTO: Thai PBS “In the process of doing a job, there will be problems, and that it was normal that they must be solved at the core so the administration of the country can proceed smoothly.” – HM The King His Majesty has offered moral support to PM Prayut and the newly sworn-in cabinet ministers, urging them to perform their…
- Transport News
Thai Airways close to sale of used planes to US company
PHOTO: Thai Airways Airbus A340, Airplane Pictures Thai Airways International President Sumeth Damrongchaitham reports that the national airline expects to sign an agreement this month with a US logistics firm on the sale of eight used A340 aircraft worth between 4-4.5 billion baht. The company is in the process of examining the contract before closing the sale deal of Thai Airways…
- Politics News
HM The King swears in new Prayut Cabinet
The new Palang Pracharat government, led by Prayut Chan-o-cha has been sworn in tonight by His Majesty The King. The ceremony heralding the return of civilian rule in Thailand after five years of military government. The ceremony took place at 6pm in the Amphorn Satharn Throne Hall with all 36 ministers were present. The historic occasion marked the first time…
- Crime News
Thai politician sought after quartet arrested with large drugs haul
by Jessada Chantharak A Narathiwat politician is on the run following the issuing of an arrest warrant after being implicated in a major local drug bust. A politician at the Narathiwat OrBorTor has been implicated by four drug suspects as the person who hired them to move 459 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, a very large quantity of ‘ice’. Three men, aged…
- Environment News
Another sea turtle saved from a random trawling net in Phuket
PHOTOS: Andaman Flying Tiger Today (July 15), local seniors have discovered a sea turtle trapped inside an old fishing net (trawl) at Mai Khao beach along the northern west coast of Phuket. The turtle was luckily uninjured and was rescued, then released back to the ocean. Excellent photos from Andaman Flying Tiger.
- Politics News
Thaksin Shinawatra starting new party called Pheu Dharma
Despite his self-imposed exile in 2008 and living overseas ever since, Thaksin Shinawatra’s shadow still looms large over Thai politics. And now sources claim he’s planning a comeback with a new party, all being engineered offshore, just as the fragile new Thai government starts to run the country. Fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra is rumoured to be forming a new…
- Transport News
BTS Skytrain stations get maintenance checks after falling concrete
It wasn’t the sky falling. It was the Skytrain Station falling on a road in Bangkok. The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) has announced maintenance work underway at 22 BTS Skytrain stations after a concrete slab fell from the Ari station onto the road below, just missing drivers. Executive director of the BTSC Surapong Laoha-Unya said they prioritised the safety…
- Events
Strong winds greet sailors on Day One of Multihull Solutions Regatta in Phuket
One of the region’s most exciting sailing regattas kicked off yesterday (Saturday) off the coast of Chalong in southern Phuket. The Multihull Solutions Regatta beings together some of the fastest racing yachts in Asia. Day one of the 12th annual Multihull Solutions Regatta was delayed for an hour due to strong shifting winds gusting to 31 knots. PRO Simon James…
- Phuket News
Entertainment venues in Phuket call for postponement in new excise tax
Entertainment venue operators in Patong, Phuket, are calling on the Excise Department to indefinitely postpone a proposed 11% levy on their businesses, saying the tourism business is bad enough already without any additional government tax grabs. Entertainment and other businesses on the island have been reporting anecdotal drops in their business between 20-50% this low-season, compared to last year. The…
- Environment News
Visiting time to see baby dugong Mariam is now restricted
Tourists and local well-wishers are flocking to get a glimpse of ‘Mariam’. She’s become an internet hit. But that’s also caused other problems. The high number of Thai and foreign tourists heading to Duyong Bay in Tambon Koh Libong in Kantang district, Trang, to watch officials looking after seven month old orphan dugong Mariam is prompting authorities to issue regulations to…
- Health
“Medical tourism is not making care for Thais more expensive”
The Health Service Support Department is dismissing claims that Thai patients are having to pay more for medical treatments due to the government’s Medical Tourism Policy. HSSD director general Dr Nattawuth Prasertsiripong insist measures have been put in place to control prices charged at private and government hospitals. “Medical tourism does not affect the price that Thais have to pay.”…
- Chiang Mai News
Lampang public servant on the run after murdering wife and attempting suicide
A senior public servant from Lampang is on the run after allegedly strangling his wife then fleeing after failing to successfully hang himself from the stair handrails in his house. Lampang is a province south-east of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Sanook.com reports that a two page will was found on a desk in the house. Serm Ngam police responded to…
- Business News
Thailand’s Central Bank start twiddling the currency knobs to curb baht speculators
The Thai Central Bank says it is taking steps to ease the impact of speculative currency trading which has contributed to strengthening the baht. They say they’re ready to use additional measures if speculative trading continues to persist. The Bangkok Post reports the Central Bank reduced the outstanding balance of non-resident baht accounts (NRBA) and non-resident baht accounts for securities…
- Phuket News
Thailand’s Health Ministry doubts Aussie couple’s claim about parasite in Pad Thai
Thai PBS reports that Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health says “there is a very slim chance that a person could contract Dientamoeba Fragilis”, a dangerous parasite, from eating a plate of Pad Thai, as claimed by an Australian Perth couple. Stacey Barnes and Ryan Prigg, along with their two children, visited Thailand in 2017. Read they stay HERE. Doctors in…
- Tourism News
Phuket tourism down up to 30% – Thai Hotels Association
Translated from Manager Online | PHOTO: Surin Beach, Phuket Quoting a leading hotelier, Manager Online says it was obvious that tourism in Phuket was “going down the pan”. Manager Online has penned a doomsday article about Phuket’s tourism, saying… “it was obvious to anyone that tourism had been in decline for years with less tourists and less revenue. But why…
- Bangkok News
Nitrous oxide balloons in Khao San Road, no laughing matter
Nine Thais have been arrested for selling balloons filled with nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to foreign tourists on Khao San Road in Bangkok. Police and officials from the Office of the Food and Drug Administration arrested them late last night (Thursday). A media conference announcing the arrests was held this morning just after midnight. Police say the children and women’s…
- Chiang Mai News
UPDATE: Air Force pilot killed in Chiang Mai jet training crash
PHOTO: Squadron Leader Naruephol Lertkuson A Royal Thai Air Force jet trainer crashed in Chiang Mai province killing a pilot and injuring one other. Eyewitnesses say the pilot ejected safely from the aircraft but one crew member was found dead near the crash scene having ejected from the crashing plane too late. The incident happened in Tha Wang Tan of the…
- Business News
Somkid says new Thai Government will speed up stimulus spending as growth falters
PHOTO: The Nation Somkid Jatusripitak, a day after being officially announced as a Deputy PM and head of the finance ministry, says he will speed up investment in key infrastructure projects to boost the country’s growth rate to 3.5% for the rest of 2019. “I have confidence we can manage the country’s economy under the coalition government to boost its…
- Tourism News
Pattaya – 30% down this year, European tourist drop-off
PHOTO: afarangabroad.com The strength of the baht, rising tourist locations elsewhere around the region, fickle tourists has seen a demographic shift in Pattaya’s tourists and what they are doing during their visits. A leading tourism official has now confirmed what many Pattaya expats and locals have been saying for the past year… “The days of Europeans visiting Pattaya in large…
- Politics News
Thai junta retains power to detain people without charge
“… though the junta’s orders are being revoked, their impact will still be felt in society.” Opposition politicians and the Thai public are voicing dissatisfaction with the junta’s decision to hang on to its order authorising arbitrary military detention. Even though the junta has announced the revocation of 70+ old NCPO orders, including media intervention and trying cases in military…
- Health
Thai PM warns about patients relying on medical marijuana as magic cure
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday spoke up about the current flood of interest as Thai public health authorities roll out the first phase of medical cannabis to patients. Read The Thaiger story HERE. The PM cautioned patients against being totally dependent on marijuana-based medicines, saying this practice may lead to their illnesses getting worse in the future. Prayut cited several…
