- Chiang Mai News
German tourist beaten over Chiang Mai karaoke bar bill
by Thanakorn Wongnang A German tourist in Chiang Mai has filed an official complaint with police, claiming he was assaulted by staff at an allegedly over-priced karaoke bar. The trouble started when he refused to pay the extortionate 10,000 baht bill. 35 year old Arthur Wojciechowski, who ended up with facial bruises from the assault, told Muang Chiang Mai deputy…
- Hot News
Three Samut Prakan residents arrested with 868 kilograms of marijuana
Three men have been arrested with a whopping 868 kilograms of marijuana hidden in two houses in Samut Prakan, south-east of Bangkok. Police held a media conference to announce the arrest of two 33 year olds, Somporn Kimya and Supachai Neesungnone along with an 18 year old Thawatchai (surname withheld). Metropolitan Police Lt Gen Sutthipong Wongpin says police seized the…
- Northern Thailand News
Nepali fugitive arrested in Nakhon Phanom for jobs scam
A Nepalese man has been arrested in Nakhon Phanom, on the far north-east Thai border with Laos, over alleged deception of 16 compatriots. He’s alleged to have scammed more than 5 million baht from them by promising jobs in a foreign country. Immigration Police chief Pol Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn says 37 year old Prashu Rum Gurung was arrested under…
- Thailand News
Hospitals train staff to recoup money from non-paying foreigners
“…many foreigners sought treatment for ailments or injuries at public hospitals and many failed to fully pay the bills, resulting in multi-million baht in debt.” The Public Health Ministry’s Department of Health Service Support has provided training to public hospitals in tourist provinces to help them collect fees from foreigners, director-general Dr Nattawuth Prasertsiripong said yesterday. The move is aimed at…
- Northern Thailand News
60 year old arrested over alleged rape of neighbour’s 14 year old daughter
Police have arrested a 60 year old man for allegedly raping a 14 year old girl in Khon Kaen.The suspect, identified only as ‘Song’, was arrested after the girl’s mother filed a police complaint saying the man had allegedly raped her daughter, and on several occasions. The woman told the police that she first learned of the rapes on March…
- Pattaya News
Chon Buri volunteer policeman to be charged with assault after clubbing toddler
by Theerawat Thongma, Dethawee Theewarangkool The parents of a two year old boy say they will press charges after a civilian volunteer policeman in Chon Buri struck him with his baton while trying to beat the parents for trying to dodge a traffic checkpoint. The incident took place last night. The couple say the volunteer didn’t notice the boy sitting…
- Thailand Election News
Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam disses Pheu Thai ‘coalition’
“The final seat tally is subject to change since the commission has only announced 95 per cent of the voting results.” Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam has called Wednesday’s announcement of a Pheu Thai-led coalition preparing to form a government merely psychological strategy that will not bear fruit. “The truth will be known after May 9 when the Election Commission endorses…
- Thailand Election News
Anti-Junta bloc announces coalition with at least 255 seats
by Kas Chanwanpen The Pheu Thai Party’s de facto leader Sudarat Keyuraphan has announced this morning that an ‘anti-junta’ bloc had mustered at least 255 MPs from seven parties to form a coalition government. She said their shared aim was to stop the military junta from retaining power. She also said that negotiations are still underway for more parties to…
- Pattaya News
Attempted rape of 16 year old in Chon Buri petrol station toilet
by Preewadi Wichaiprasit A 29 year old man has been arrested in Chon Buri’s Phan Thong district for alleged attempted rape of a 16 year old girl inside a petrol station toilet. The incident is reported by police to have taken place last night. Wisanu Intae was initially charged with committing an indecent act on a person over the age…
- Pattaya News
Arrest for scam and then a bonus arrest in Pattaya
Pattaya police have arrested an Indian man and his Thai girlfriend for scamming an Indian tourist out of 6,000 baht in the early hours this morning. But there was a bonus arrest too. Pattaya police chief Pol Col Prawit Chorseng say 26 year old Maninder Singh and 32 year old Mallikar Thongriam were arrested shortly after the victim, 31 year…
- Bangkok News
Woman survives eight floor plunge into a condo car park
A woman has been injured after her car plunged from the eighth floor of a condo car park in Bangkok’s Bang Koh Laem district. The car had fallen from the nine-floor car park building of the Phraram 3 Residence condominium on Rama III road around 11pm last night (Monday). The driver was identified as 40 year old Rungthip Thongchanreed. Daily News…
- Thailand Election News
Parties race to cobble together a working coalition
Day Two following the election and the only thing that is clear is that nothing is clear at this stage. Pheu Thai and Phalang Pracharat are both claiming the right to form a government with support of like-minded parties. The two rival parties, the pro-democracy Pheu Thai and the pro-Junta Phalang Pracharat, are locked in a close battle to form…
- Thailand Election News
Pheu Thai wins the Lower House – Unofficial from the EC
The Election Commission has just announced the official tally for constituency MPs, showing that Pheu Thai Party has won 138 of the 350 seats on offer. Phalang Pracharat, meanwhile, came in second with 96 seats, trailed by Bhumjaithai with 39. The Democrats only won 33 seats, while Future Forward snared 30. The rest of the seats were shared between Chartthaipattana…
- Northern Thailand News
Two Future Forward candidates win Pheu Thai strongholds in Chiang Rai
Two long-time champions of the Pheu Thai Party in Chiang Rai have been defeated by candidates of the new Future Forward Party in yesterday’s general election. In Constituency 1, Pheu Thai several-term MP Samart Kaewmeechai was toppled by Future Forward’s Ekkapop Pianpiset in a closely run contest. Ekkapop, who had resigned his position as a doctor at a private hospital…
- Thailand Election News
Police checking 50, mostly, minor violations post election day
Police around Thailand are prosecuting 50 alleged violations of election laws and continue to monitor the post-poll situation for further signs of potential trouble. The Royal Thai Police say they’re on alert for ‘ill-intentioned groups’ fomenting post-election chaos, national police deputy spokesman Colonel Krissana Pattanacharoen said this morning. The 50 cases under investigation include buying votes, deliberate destruction of ballots…
- Phuket News
Democrats toppled in Phuket
PHOTO: Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva resigned the leadership position last night amid dismal polls around the country The Democrat Party in Phuket, once a reliable strong-hold of Democrat votes, has yielded its customary monopoly, ceding two House seats to the junta-aligned Phalang Pracharat Party. The unofficial tally, as of late last night, gave Phalang Pracharat’s Sutha Prateep na Thalang…
- Thailand Election News
Election count – 8.45pm
Many of the vote counts from outlying booths from out of the city are starting to come in. For now, it’s neck and neck with Pheu Thai and Palang Pracharat party with a strong showing from Future Forward. The phone calls will surely be underway between leaders of the Pheu Thai and Future Forward about a possible coalition. At this…
- Thailand Election News
Exit poll says Pheu Thai will get most votes but not a majority
The polls are closed, the ballot boxes secured and the counting starts. Time now for the fancy TV graphics and speculation as Thailand’s next government takes shape in the next 24-48 hours. No party is expected to win a majority of the seats so a coalition will need to be formed. That’s where the fun will start. Pheu Thai is…
- Business News
Hermès opens its first store in Phuket at Central Floresta
Hermès has opened of its first store in Phuket at Central Floresta, the newly opened lifestyle shopping destination in the heart of the island, opposite Central Festival. As Hermès’ first venture outside the Thai capital, the new Hermès Phuket store makes a significant statement of expansion and confidence in the market. The new address in this world-renowned island will allow the…
- Thailand Election News
UN election monitors spread across Bangkok and beyond
PHOTOS: The Nation Foreign observers representing the United Nations have fanned out across the capital and its outskirts today to monitor the long-delayed election. Today’s national election, the first since 2011, is also the first since the military-backed NCPO seized power in May 2014. Four four-member teams wearing pale-blue vests were assigned to polling stations in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Pathum…
- Thailand Election News
“A clean and fair election”, EC assures international delegates
Thailand’s Election Commission has assured representatives from 11 nations and one international electoral watchdog organisation of a clean and fair election tomorrow. The EC briefed representatives of election commissions from Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines, South Korea, East Timor, and Vietnam at the Rama Gardens Hotel at 9.45am this morning. Representatives of the International Institute for Democracy…
- Thailand News
Eight Burmese migrants drown, two still missing in Kanchanaburi road crash
Eight Burmese migrants drowned along with two others that are missing, presumed dead, after a van they were travelling in was hit by a 10 wheel truck and both vehicles plunged into a canal in Kanchanaburi’s Tha Muang district in western Thailand today. Police say the accident happened at 12.10pm at the Sa Setthi Intersection in Tambon Ban Mai. About…
- Northern Thailand News
Summer storms on the way for north, north-east
FILE PHOTO People living in the north of Thailand are being warned to brace themselves for some summer thunderstorms until Wednesday. The Meteorological Department issued an alert today saying the storms will be caused by a high-pressure system from China that will interact with the hot weather over upper Thailand. Outbreaks of summer thunderstorms will be likely from today to…
- Environment News
Hazardous: Chiang Mai again leads the world in air pollution
Chiang Mai is back on top of the world’s list of most air-polluted cities, according to the AirVisual.com website. AirVisual reports at 1.45pm that the air quality index (AQI) of Chiang Mai on Saturday stands at 471 (##!!??!!) , much higher than the 100 AQI safety standard (the WHO lists the safety limit as 50 on the AQI scale). It’s…
- Thailand Election News
Ban on alcohol for 24 hours, starts today at 6pm
Thais go to the polls tomorrow (Sunday) for the first time since 2011, which also means there will be a 24 hour alcohol ban this weekend, starting this evening. Alcohol sales and distribution will be forbidden from 6pm on Saturday to 6pm on Sunday. Officials say weddings, parties and other celebrations can still be organised for these dates but there…
- Bangkok News
94 motorcycles seized, 88 arrested – BKK road racing clampdown
Police have arrested 88 motorcyclists and seized 94 motorcycles last night for illegally modifying their bikes for road racing. Pol Maj Gen Nithithorn Jintakanon, traffic police chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, called a late night media pack at the Metropolitan Police Division 3 at 11.30pm to announce the arrests. Police set up road checkpoints in Metropolitan Division 3 last…
- Thailand Election News
Everything you need to know about tomorrow’s vote
by Kanjana Lao, Nation Graphics Seven million new eligible voters will impact the outcome of tomorrow’s election, the first since 2011. The many new young voters, and the new election system, means that an outcome is very difficult to predict. But here’s Thai Election 2019 1.01 for newbies, thanks to The Nation.
- Bangkok News
“X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner” arrest numbers hit 8,400
by Kittipong Maneerit More foreigners detained and likely to be deported. Seems to be a never-ending supply of illegal foreigners hiding in Thailand. X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner has been an almost weekly campaign to round up and deport overstaying and illegal foreigners over the past two years. Another 490 foreigners were caught this week in the latest Immigration Police dragnet involving…
- Bangkok News
Summer storm cell hits Bangkok
PHOTO: @fm91trafficpro A sudden and brief summer storm swiftly passed through Bangkok’s Lak Si and Don Mueang areas yesterday afternoon. The storm left some damage in its trail, including toppled small trees on Soi Vibhavadi 60, clogged drains and an under-construction Vibhavadi-Rangsit pedestrian bridge’s metal scaffold falling onto a car at Lak Si Intersection. The stormy weather took place around…
- Thai Life
Heavier traffic violation penalties being discussed by police
Heavier penalties for drink-drivers and repeat offenders on Thai roads are under scission between traffic police and other agencies. Maj-General Ekkarak Limsangkatt, a member of the committee reviewing of traffic-law enforcement, is calling for harsher punishments in line with the Japanese model that penalises both the drink-driver and any passenger who “abetted the wrongdoing.” Ekkarak was speaking after a meeting…
