- Crime News
South Korean fugitive arrested in Chon Buri, and two other immigration cases
by Jessada Chantharak A 29 year old South Korean man, wanted for alleged involvement in an online gambling operation in his home country, has been arrested in Chon Buri. Police allege he had been “laying low” in Thailand for two years. The man was wanted under a Seoul Central District Court arrest warrant issued on May 2, 2017, and by…
- Environment News
Injured sea turtle rescued by tour boat operator in Phuket – VIDEO
PHOTO: Nikorn Marine An injured sea turtle has been rescued by a tour boat operator in Phuket today. The boat crew of Nikorn Marine found a sea turtle while sailing the ‘Nichakorn 2’ near Coral Island, off Chalong. The turtle was found injured, trapped in a fishing net, with its rear left flipper missing, though the wound seemed old and…
- Thailand News
800 media professionals laid off or contracts unfairly terminated
The National Union of Journalists Thailand says the media situation in Thailand is looking increasingly grim with around 800 media industry staff either being laid off or having had their contracts unlawfully terminated. A portion of the media professionals also say they were not sufficiently compensated, in violation of Thailand’s labour laws. Also, many said they had not been paid…
- Thailand News
2,800 small Thai schools facing consolidation
2,800 small Thai schools with fewer than 40 students will be merged – this from the chairman of the Basic Education Commission. Associate Professor Dr Ekkachai Kisukphan says not all 18,000 small schools under the Office of Basic Education Commission that are located near one another would be merged. But the OBEC wanted to merge small schools each with fewer than…
- Crime News
Police look for for three men, two women following Friday morning’s Pratunam fires
Whilst small explosions were going off around Bangkok last Friday during the peak hour between 7-9am, there was also a fire reported in the Pratunam area, famous for its clothes markets and popular with locals and tourists. At this stage police believe the fires may be part of the wider blast incidents on Friday morning. Read some of The Thaiger…
- World News
US President shares “thoughts and prayers” over Texas shooting while a second mass shooting happens in Ohio
PHOTO: France 24 US President Donald Trump and wife Melania have sent “heartfelt thoughts and prayers” to the families and friends of victims in one of two mass murder gun attacks in the past 24 hours. About 20 people were killed and 26 injured in a shooting rampage at a Walmart and neighbouring stores in El Paso, Texas on Saturday…
- Crime News
Thai police suspect southern insurgents in co-ordinated ATM explosions in Pattani
PHOTO: Charoon Thongnual Suspected insurgents have blown up three ATMs in two districts in the Southern Thai province of Pattani, near the Malaysian border. The assailants escaped with banknotes from one of the ATMs. At this stage local police and security officials suspect insurgents were responsible for the bombings, but are still considering if the incidents could have been related…
- Transport News
Bangkok authorities roll out voice-guides for vision-impaired at zebra crossings
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) says they will install voice-guide equipment at 54 more zebra crossings on major roads next year to assist people with eyesight disabilities to cross roads and add additional safety at the crossings. The BMA’s Traffic and Transport Department says the department is pursuing a plan to install voice guides at all 522 zebra crossings in…
- Bangkok News
Representative of HM King and Queen visits Bangkok bomb blast patients
King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida instructed His Majesty’s assistant private secretary to visit the five individuals injured by the bomb blasts around Bangkok during peak hour on Friday morning. AVM Pakdee Saengchuto delivered flowers and gift baskets to the five victims in hospital and conveyed Their Majesties’ concerns. His first stop was at Saint Louis Hospital in Sathorn district,…
- South Thailand News
Ranger patrol targeted with roadside bomb in Pattani, two injured
FILE PHOTO – The southern insurgency has killed more than 7,000 in the past two decades Two rangers have suffered injuries in an ambush when insurgents detonated a roadside bomb. The attack was on a patrol unit in Pattani province last night on the main road of Moo 1 village in Tambon Paku in the Thung Yang Daeng district. Police say…
- Crime News
All calm in Bangkok following Friday morning’s spate of explosions
The PM says there will be no special laws enacted to respond to yesterday’s bomb blasts around Bangkok. Prayut continues to urge people not to panic and says police will rush to bring the perpetrators to justice. The PM, who is also the defence minister, also ordered police to step up security and appealed for people to report any irregularities…
- Business News
Ananda development pulls the plug on Bangkok condo project
Property developers Ananda Development have pulled the plug on the development of a condo project, Ideo Q Phahon-Saphankhwai, valued at 10 billion baht, and will refund down-payments made by customers who booked units since the April launch. Ananda Development’s chief strategy officer Sumeth Ratanasrikul says that the demand to buy the project at that location didn’t match with the concept design. “Since…
- Health
First batch of Government approved medical cannabis ready next week
4,500 bottles of medical cannabis, produced by the Thai government’s Pharmaceutical Organisation, will be ready for delivery on August 7. Dr. Surachoke Tangwiwat, deputy secretary-general of the Food and Drug Administration, says that Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had made it a policy that all state hospitals in every province will stock medical cannabis for distribution to patients, when prescribed…
- Bangkok News
HM the Queen makes her first solo speech at Thai Women’s Day
PHOTOS: The Nation Her Majesty Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana has presided over the Thai Women’s Day celebrations at Impact Arena Exhibition and Convention Centre in Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok. The Nation reports that it was the first time Her Majesty addressed the public speaking about her determination to perform her royal duties. “I shall continue, preserve and expand the royal initiations…
- Crime News
Bombs rock Thai capital Bangkok during peak hour this morning, up to four injuries reported
Details are sketchy at this stage as we try and bring together all he reports coming in. At around 9.17am this morning there was an explosion near a white car parked in front of the Mahanakorn Building near the Chong Nong Si BTS station in the Bang Rak district. There was another explosion in a small flower shop, located under…
- Bangkok News
National police chief is going to war with street racers
PHOTO: The almost weekly crackdown on motorcycle street racing around Bangkok. So far measures haven’t worked to curb the activities of the fast & furious Bangkok youth – Bangkok Post Despite weekly reports about late night weekend street racing around parts of Bangkok, and the sophisticated use of social media to promote the events, the national police chief Pol General…
- Crime News
Fake bomb left outside Police headquarters in Bangkok – two suspects arrested
FILE PHOTO: Front gate of the Royal Thai Police HQ in Bangkok Two men have been taken off a bus at a checkpoint and arrested early today on suspicion of placing two fake homemade bombs in front of the Royal Thai Police HQ in Bangkok. The Nation reports that they were heading south at the time and already in Chumphon province,…
- Transport News
Report motorcycles riding on footpaths today for a 1,000 baht reward
PHOTO: Daily News Bangkok motorcyclist, riding on footpaths, will be fined 2,000 on-the-spot from today. If someone reports a motorcyclist riding on the footpath they’ll get 1,000 baht fine. Officials doubled the fine and offered the reward after the previous 1,000 baht fine didn’t appear to act as a deterrent. Reports can be made through a Line application, a government…
- Politics News
PM holds urgent meetings with Thailand’s economic tsars today
The PM has put himself in control of Thailand’s economic matters nominating himself as Chairman of the Council of Economic Affairs. Today the PM Prayut Chan-o-cha holds talks with top officials of four key economic institutions on the budget bill as the economy, which has been a regional leader over the past decade, stutters. Academics are calling for cuts in military…
- Phuket News
Stormy weather approaching the Andaman provinces
The Thai Meteorological Department has announced that a regional tropical depression will affect provinces in the Andaman region including Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Trang, Ranong and Satun until August 6. The local ‘Met’ office says that people living in the affected areas should beware of dangers from heavy rain. There will be increasingly large waves in the Andaman sea, expected…
- Business News
Moody’s upgrades most Thai banks’ credit ratings from ‘stable’ to ‘positive’
Moody’s Investors Service upgraded the Baseline Credit Assessments of eleven Thai banks (1) Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited (BBL) (2) Bank of Ayudhya (BAY) (3) CIMB Thai Bank Public Company Limited (CIMBT) (4) Export-Import Bank of Thailand (EXIMT) (5) Government Housing Bank of Thailand (GHB) (6) KASIKORNBANK Public Company Limited (KBank) (7) Krung Thai Bank Public Company Limited (KTB) (8)…
- Expats
Thai Department of Land Transport brings better tech into the classroom
The Department of Land Transport is going to use fingerprint scanners, e-classrooms and CCTV as it aims to improve standards in the country’s driving schools. There are 275 DLT certified driving schools in 66 provinces across Thailand. Privately operated, they are given DLT quality guidelines which they must follow to maintain the level of their training and testing procedures. DLT…
- Northern Thailand News
Si Sa Ket province declares dengue emergency
The northeastern province of Si Sa Ket, on the Cambodian border, has declared that the prevention and control of dengue fever required urgent attention throughout its area. Local health officials say they are now especially concerned about what will happen during the last three months of the annual wet season. Governor Weerasak Wichitsaengsi signed a Memorandum of Understanding for dengue…
- Transport News
State offices and public spaces need to provide better access for the vision impaired
PHOTO: PPTV HD 36 Bangkok’s Governor Aswin Kwanmuang says he will coordinate with related agencies and public parks about making access for the disabled better around the city. He made the announcement after meeting with a visually-impaired person complaining about her guide dog not being allowed into state offices and other public sites. Sight impaired Kirin “Sai” Techawongtham, who created…
- Crime News
11 Bangkok students arrested over fatal knife attack
11 students have been arrested after Saturday’s fatal stabbing of a 21 year old student from the College of Industrial Technology at King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok. Four teenage girls are being held as witnesses during the investigation. The 11 male students are to be charged with murder and assault. The four girls, ages 16 and 17, are friends with…
- Health
Tobacco giant lobbies Thai government to reverse vaping laws
PHOTO: Sampan.org Leading Thai cigarette importer Philip Morris Trading wants the new government and policymakers to start talking with the tobacco industry to find constructive solutions to reducing harm caused by smoking. The tobacco giant is hoping the new government will consider innovative “smoke-free products” (vaping) for smokers, who would otherwise continue smoking. Cut to the chase – Philip Morris,…
- Tourism News
TAT governor predicts Thailand tourism will bounce back in second half of 2019
Yuthasak Suphasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand says all is good for tourist arrivals in Thailand. He predicted that 9.7 million foreigners were expected to visit in Q3 (July to September), up 7% year-on-year. He reported that trends show that domestic and foreign tourists will be spending 820 billion baht. That would be 9% up on the same…
- Northern Thailand News
“No water crisis in the Chao Phraya basin” – Irrigation Department
PHOTO: Bhumibol Dam in Tak when full, now holding only 4% of capacity The Royal Irrigation Department is assuring farmers and residents in the central and north-east that there is no risk of Thailand of severe water shortages. This is despite little rain in some areas during the annual wet season and the low levels of the Chao Phraya River…
- Events
Happy Birthday to His Majesty the King
Happy Birthday to His Majesty the King, the first birthday celebrations of Thailand’s monarch since his Coronation in May. The government has organised religious and celebratory events in Bangkok and around the country today to honour His Majesty the King on his 67th birthday. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will lead government dignitaries and state officials in a rite offering alms…
- World News
HK Consulate warns Thais and visitors about weekend protests
PHOTO: China Daily Kong Kong The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Hong Kong is warning both Thai residents and visitors not to enter the areas or in the vicinity of protests planned for July 27-28 in Hong Kong. The announcement was made on their Facebook page yesterday. According to the announcement, the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Hong Kong had been informed…
