- Northern Thailand News
Drug smugglers get away but police seize their pickup stuffed with meth pills and ‘ice’
PHOTOS: The Nation Drug smugglers have abandoned their pickup and a huge cache of drugs following a high-speed chase through the hills of Chiang Rai early yesterday morning. Once soldiers caught up with the pickup the driver and passengers had fled but left 2.2 million methamphetamine pills and 11 kilos of crystal methamphetamine (ice). According to The Nation, the Chiang Rai-based…
- Politics News
Prayut sworn in as 29th Thai PM. Cabinet appointments remain unresolved.
PHOTOS: The Nation Prayut Chan-o-cha was sworn in as the 29th Thai Prime Minister in a ceremony at Government House yesterday. Key points… • PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has received royal endorsement as the new prime minister in a ceremony at Government House, a week after winning a vote in Parliament. • The ceremony was attended by the leaders of the…
- Technology News
Huawei running 5G testbeds in Thailand
China phone-giant Huawei, along with Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Ministry and interested partners, is now turning the much-awaited 5G Testbed into a reality. As the first and only vendor so far to deliver the 5G network to Thailand’s 5G Testbed in the Eastern Economic Corridor in Sri Racha, Huawei is providing a platform that will be used for end-to-end…
- South Thailand News
Police investigating possible Thai links to Rohingya boatpeople marooned on Rawi Island
PHOTO: Thai PBS 65 Rohingya were discovered yesterday on Koh Rawi off the coast of Satun province, north-west of Malaysia’s Langkawi island, after their boat’s engine broke down on its way, presumably to Malaysia. One Thai national was identified amongst the group. Authorities are questioning the man into possible involvement in human trafficking. The boat was found 500 metres away from…
- Business News
SCB report says political instability will dampen economic confidence
The question over stability of the new government continues to dampen economic outlook, despite the recent sittings of Parliament and the formal election of a new prime minister – this according to a new economic outlook report. The report by the Siam Commercial Bank’s Economic Intelligence Centre says that the new government will face difficulty in balancing the interest of each…
- Hot News
More prison time for Premchai over poaching case
Thailand’s construction tycoon Premchai Karnasutra has been sentenced to another year in jail after being found guilty of trying to bribe officials while being arrested at the Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi in February last year. The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 7 acquitted Premchai’s aide Yong Dodkhruea of bribery, defined in law as inducing…
- Northern Thailand News
Sixteen AK-47 rifles found in north-east Thailand water well
by Wijit Choonhakitkajorn – The Nation Sixteen AK-47 rifles in four fertiliser sacks were found behind a palm plantation in a well in Surin’s Buachet district, in Thailand’s north-east, right on the Cambodian border. Police in Cha-ngok village in Tambon Sadao were alerted by the village headman who says that one of his villagers had found the arms cache in…
- South Thailand News
21 undocumented Burmese migrants found in Songkhla, alleged Thai trafficker arrested
FILE PHOTO: Malay Mail A Thai man has been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle 21 undocumented Burmese migrants from Thailand’s south across the border into Malaysia. A resort in Tambon Patong of Songkhla’s Hat Yai district was searched by soldiers and police earlier today (Monday) and discovered five Burmese men and two women in two of the rooms. Their account…
- Environment News
Little Marium growing up in a Dugong Thai nursery
Marium, an orphaned baby dugong found along the Krabi shore two months ago, will remain in the care of a dugong nursery on Koh Libong in Trang for at least six more months. ‘Marium’ means ‘beautiful woman of the sea’. Chaiyapruek Weerawong, head of the Koh Libong Wildlife Preserve, says the female dugong would then be released in the open…
- Health
Extra doses of MMR vaccine approved to help eliminate measles in Thailand
The National Health Security Office has approved 100,000 additional doses of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine to help reduce, and hopefully eradicate, the current rise of measles cases in Thailand. The additional doses of the vaccine will be handed over to the Department of Disease Control in August and will target Thai children aged under seven and adults living in…
- Health
Cannabis Walk Thailand 2019 says progress made but challenges ahead
by Piyaporn Wongruang from Nation Weekend The latest progress on medical cannabis has been shared with participants in a recent seminar organised as part of the 21 day “Cannabis Walk Thailand”, which finished this weekend. The Walk, led by Decha Siriphat, a long-time advocate of sustainable agriculture and traditional medicine – is aimed at raising awareness about cannabis-based treatment and…
- Chiang Mai News
Chinese tourists found dead in a Chiang Mai five-star hotel
Chiang Mai police are investigating the deaths of two Chinese tourists found in the same room at a five-star hotel on Chiang Mai’s Chang Khlan Road. Police reported yesterday that the men died days apart. The first tourist was believed to have died in his bed two or three days before being found, and the second was believed to have…
- Politics News
‘Ministry deals’ in tatters – Palang Pracharat revoke cabinet post promises
“One source, a core leader in Phalang Pracharat, confirmed the previous deals had been revoked.” Thailand’s hosting of the ASEAN Summit from June 20 to 23 is forcing Palang Pracharat members to stitch together its government and sort out key ministerial posts before the event. More than two months after the election, and following the election of a PM that…
- Bangkok News
MRT extension from Hua Lamphong to Tha Phra opens Mother’s Day in Thailand
PHOTO: The Nation A free trial service of the MRT Blue Line extension from Bang Sue to Tha Phra in Bangkok will be launched at the beginning of next year, and commercial services will begin in March. Mother’s Day on August 12 this year has been picked for the official launch of the MRT extension service from Hua Lamphong to…
- Phuket News
Government runs fishing-law workshop in Phuket
The Fisheries Department has joined the Royal Thai Police to organise a workshop in Phuket Town yesterday to provide training on fisheries laws to around 200 representatives of piers and fishing associations in Ranong, Phang Nga, Krabi, Phuket, Trang and Satun. The Nation reports that the workshop was to create understanding among pier owners, fishing associations and officials about checking…
- Business News
Nation Multimedia Group takes legal action over alleged copyright violation
The Nation Multimedia Group is filing criminal cases against two media monitoring service companies for violation of its copyright. NMG’s subsidiaries Krungthep Turakij Media, Nation News Network and Kom Chad Luek Media, as plaintiffs, filed criminal cases with the Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court on April 9 against iSentia Bangkok and iSentia Monitoring Services (Thailand). The two companies…
- Environment News
Electric boats will help alleviate some of Bangkok’s air pollution
By Pratch Rujivanarom As part of yesterday’s World Environment Day, the UN Environment Program Agency says they’re working with local partners in Thailand to find new ways to mitigate dangerous emissions. One idea put forward yesterday was the development of electric public transport in Bangkok’s klongs (canals) that could help solve two of the city’s biggest problems – traffic congestion and air…
- Health
Thai Government announces crackdown on price-gouging private hospitals
Private hospitals, who have become increasingly greedy and expensive because of an unregulated system, will now have to limit their excessive bills for patients. Authorities have now introduced clear legal measures to curb hefty prices and gouging of patients. The new regulations, controlling the price of medicines, medical supplies and medical services, went into effect yesterday. Patients have trying to avoid…
- Thailand Election News
General Prayut Chan-o-cha is Thailand’s 29th Prime Minister
General Prayut Chan-o-cha was elected as Thailand’s next prime minister in a joint upper and lower house Parliamentary vote around 9pm last night following a day of intense debate. Prayut beat his opponent Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit from Future Forward Party with 500 to 244 votes. Three MPs abstained from voting and one was on a sick leave. 250 of the votes came from…
- Thailand Election News
Thanathorn says he will be Thailand’s Prime Minister of change
Future Forward’s 40 year old leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has called for change this afternoon. He made his speech outside of the temporary parliament as he’s been barred as an MP pending legal cases yet to be heard by the Constitutional Court over alleged media share holdings. The speech was made as the parliament hears from MPs about why they support…
- Environment News
Grab electric tuk tuks launch in Chiang Mai
Grab, the nemesis of the old taxi and red bus network in Chiang Mai, has signed an agreement with government and private sector partners to establish the Chiang Mai Smart Mobility Alliance Network. It is the first such partnership in South East Asia. Thai aim is to reduce Chiang Mai’s public transport footprint by 35% within the next five years. The…
- Business News
And then there were three. Bidding for Airport duty free concession.
Only three Thai bidders – King Power Duty Free, a consortium led by Bangkok Airways, and a bid by Royal Orchid Hotel – remain in play as the companies attempt to win the licence to run duty-free shops at the Phuket, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai international airports. The Central Department Store bid has formerly dropped out of the bidding…
- Thailand Election News
Last minute deal secures Prayut’s PM vote in today’s Thai parliamentary sitting
Leaving it to the last moment, the Democrats dramatically capitulated and decided to join the pro-junta Palang Pracharat coalition. The move gives the current PM, Palang Pracharat’s sole prime ministerial candidate, an easy walk into the PM job during today’s parliamentary vote. General Prayut Chan-o-cha and Future Forward leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit will face off in the 11am vote. Until yesterday’s…
- South Thailand News
Security stepped up for the end of Ramadan in Songkhla, Thailand
FILE PHOTO Police and troops are stepping up security in Songkhla and the southern province, especially the town of Hat Yai, ahead of the Eid al-Fitr festival – the end of the annual Ramadan – tomorrow (Wednesday). Today is the last day of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. A security source said intelligence agencies believed Muslim insurgents would…
- Business News
Airports of Thailand open bidding for new duty free contracts at three airports
Airports of Thailand (AoT) says they will finalise the bidding process to announce who will manage the commercial areas at three provincial airports – Phuket, Had Yai and Chiang Mai – on June 10. King Power Duty Free has had a stranglehold on the duty free concession areas of the country’s four main airports but are having to bid for…
- South Thailand News
Gunman shoots and kills village head in Narathiwat mosque
PHOTO: Nation Channel A gunman walked into the Ban Arware Mosque and shot dead the village head in Narathiwat’s Ra Ngae district last night, in southern Thailand. Stray bullets also injured a man praying next to the man at the mosque. Police report that 48 year old Pakruding Tohdeng, the village head of Ban Arwar in Tambon Mareubotok, was killed inside…
- Bangkok News
UPDATE: Chatuchak Weekend Market fire, Bangkok
Bangkok’s governo, along with forensic officers, visited the world- famous Chatuchak market this morning to inspect damage caused by last night’s huge blaze that destroyed a total of 120 shops and damaged lots of others (revised up from 30 shops as reported earlier by The Thaiger). Meanwhile witnesses report that an explosion in an electrical transformer could have caused the…
- Entertainment
Thailand Events – June 2019
with The Sponsorship Experts – Paul Poole (South East Asia) There are no shortage of food related events in Bangkok in June but if you’re only going to go to one, the third installation of Taan Bangkok’s Chef Table series will see Khun Kanaporn “Aum” Chancherdsak, the owner of Trang’s renowned restaurant Trang Ko’e, showcase her meticulous cooking on June…
- Bangkok News
HM The Queen celebrates her birthday today
Her Majesty Queen Suthida’s birthday is being celebrated across the country today. The Queen was born on June 3, 1978. She graduated from Assumption University’s School of Communication Arts in 2000, after which she served as a flight attendant on JAL ways and then, from 2003-2008, with Thai Airways International. The Nation reports that in 2010 she was an acting…
- Pattaya News
Five senior Pattaya police shuffled to desk jobs
PHOTO: “Surprise!” – Brazil Nightclub in South Pattaya Five police officers in Pattaya City have been unceremoniously transferred after two early morning raids on entertainment venues in their area. The pubs had been operating beyond legal hours, tolerated illicit drug use and allowed underage patrons on their premises. Here’s the Pattaya police walk of shame… Muang Pattaya Police Station superintendent…
