- Chiang Mai News
Missing 14 year old girl now under government care
by Kornkamol Aksorndej – The Nation Weekend A 14 year old girl, reported missing for more than two weeks and later found with an older man in a Chiang Mai apartment, is now under government care. Pol Maj General Jirabhop Bhuridej of the Crime Suppression Division, says, “We won’t give details about the case. The minor must be protected.” The…
- Northern Thailand News
Burmese man arrested with 300 kilogram of ‘ice’ in Chiang Rai
A Burmese man from the Shan State has been arrested after troops intercepted his pickup and found a large shipment of 300 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine last night. The Pha Muang Taskforce had officers set up a checkpoint on the bypass near Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district between the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge and Ban Nam Jam village in Tambon Pong…
- Pattaya News
Parents say their daughter’s been kidnapped. Police have other ideas.
The parents of a 14 year old schoolgirl missing for the past two weeks have now filed a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), saying they are convinced she’s been kidnapped. They say their daughter last used social media in Rayong province (east of Pattaya) on December 28, the day after she vanished. A police source has revealed they…
- South Thailand News
Southern insurgents gun down four Pattani defence volunteers
In a worrying upsurge in southern violence, insurgents disguised as army troops have gunned down and killed four tambon defence volunteers in Pattani’s Yarang district. The incident happened around noon and insurgents stole their rifles following the attack. Police say the four defence volunteers from Tambon Prachan were guarding Ban Bukoh School in the tambon when the insurgents arrived in…
- Bangkok News
Foreign man crushed under Bangkok bus in apparent suicide
“The man was wearing a T-shirt and shorts and had no identification documents.” A western man, at this stage unidentified, was hit and killed by a bus in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district. Police say it appears it was a suicide. Police say the man was hit by the bus on Phra Sumen Road in front of Wat Borworniwet. The man…
- Chiang Mai News
Doi Suthep network boycotts meeting, wants to move forward on rehabilitation of forest
The Reclaim Doi Suthep Forest network boycotted a meeting yesterday. They say they are pressing the government to push its stance on the rehabilitation of the mountainside forest land that was encroached on by residences for judges and court officials last year. “We won’t attend any meeting until there is a clearer policy.” Network spokespersons Chatchawan Thongdeelert, Bunnaroth Buaklee and Kamseeda Paenthai read…
- South Thailand News
Suspects are denying involvement in Tuesday’s Songkhla bomb attack
PHOTOS: The Nation Three suspects, arrested in connection with Tuesday’s murder and car-bomb attack in Songkhla, have denied any involvement in the incidents. Eight border patrol police members, including five women, were injured when a bomb, placed in a pickup truck, exploded at about 5.50am on a rural road near a knockdown structure used by border patrol police. The pickup used…
- Bangkok News
Saudi woman refuses to meet her father
PHOTO: Immigration chief Surachate Hakparn and other senior immigration police officers meet Saudi Arabia’s charge d’affaires in Bangkok. The 18 year old Saudi young woman who fled her family in Saudi Arabia has refused to meet her father. The father, who flew in today and is taking the evening flight back to Riyadh, met with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) officials…
- South Thailand News
Insurgents murder teacher and use his vehicle as a car bomb
by Somchai Samart & Supitcha Rattana A car bomb explosion in Songkhla’s Thepa district yesterday has shocked locals after insurgents are suspected of killing a 62 year old school teacher and stealing his pickup to be used in the the attack. Security officials collecting evidence at the scene of the explosion checked the totally destroyed vehicle and found that it…
- Bangkok News
Man shoots self at Bangkok bus stop. Sends message to friend and daughter.
PHOTO: The Nation The Min Buri police station was alerted to an apparent suicide at 3am today at a bus stop in Bangkok’s Bang Chan district. A man had shot himself at the Bangkok bus stop after sending Line messages to his friend and daughter. Police say 50 year old Pramote Iam-aram, a local factory worker, died inside the bus…
- South Thailand News
28 year old ranger injured in Pattani bomb attack outside school
After a spate of unrest leading up to New Year, another random bombing in the South. A ranger guarding a school in Pattani’s Yarang district has been injured after insurgents detonated a homemade bomb this morning. 28 year old Private First Class Sarawut Ahmamool, from the 22nd Ranger Regiment was severely injured in the 8am explosion about 100 metres from…
- Opinion
Opinion: Sovereignty, rights ignored in airport debacle – The Nation
Thailand could have blood on its hands if it fails to protect a Saudi traveller on her journey to freedom. The fate of a Saudi woman on her way to Australia, where she has a visa and seeks to obtain asylum, teetered in the balance in Bangkok at press time yesterday. Amid Thailand’s apparent willingness to deport her back to…
- Bangkok News
Saudi teenager allowed to stay in Thailand, for now
A Saudi teenager who flew to Thailand to escape her family in Kuwait will be allowed to stay in the country for now. Thai officials ended up in diplomatic hot water yesterday after government officials initially said they planned to deport a Saudi teenager who was stopped in Bangkok, en route to Australia to seek asylum, drawing objections from the…
- South Thailand News
Southern rail services back to normal
Rail services suspended in the South following after recent flooding in Nakhon Si Thammarat are back in full service again. The good news from the State Railway of Thailand acting governor Worwaut Mala. The rail line to the South was partially flooded and damaged after storm Pabuk unleashed heavy rains in the area last Friday afternoon and evening. Workers had…
- Bangkok News
Warnings issued after hydrogen-filled balloon explodes in car
A six year old boy has been engulfed in flames and seriously injured in a hydrogen balloon accident in Nakhon Pathom, west of Bangkok. Three people were injured on January 2 when a single hydrogen-filled party balloon exploded inside a car. The incident has prompted the Disease Control Department (DCD) to issue a warning and guidelines for reducing the risk.…
- Krabi News
Ukrainian pair rescued from Krabi mountain viewpoint
PHOTO: Khao Ngon Nak Mountain – Trip101 A Ukrainian couple has been rescued about eight hours after getting lost while climbing to a viewpoint on a mountaintop in Krabi early today. The pair have been identified as Oliga Ierominska and her husband Luril Ierominska. They started climbing up Khao Ngon Nak Mountain to the viewpoint at 5pm but found themselves lost…
- Thailand News
Serbian coach sacked after Thai thrashing in Asian Cup
The Football Association of Thailand has unceremoniously dumped the national coach Milovan Rajevac, just seven hours after Thailand was thrashed by India 1-4 in the Asian Cup group A game in Abu Dhabi. Thailand were far from impressive against the more powerful Indian team who beat the Kingdom’s side for the first time in 32 years. Thai Football Association reacted…
- Bangkok News
Six people, including a baby, killed in Pathum Thani bus accident
Six people, including a five month old baby, have died after their double-decker bus went out of control on a slippery road in Pathum Thani, north of Bangkok. The bus overturned and ended up in a ditch early today. 50 other people have been injured in the incident. Polcie from the Khlong Luang precinct received a call at 3.30am. Officers and emergency…
- Phuket News
Pabuk: ‘War room’ set up to help tourists
The Sports and Tourism Ministry has set up a war room to assist the many tourists whose plans were thrown into confusion in the wake of tropical storm Pabuk. The Government and authorities took extra precautions, closing airports and marine tourism, in preparedness to minimise potential danger to tourists as Pabuk approached. Santi Pawai, deputy permanent-secretary of the Tourism and…
- Bangkok News
English teacher arrested after inner city organic marijuana farm raid
A 46 year old English language teacher has been arrested for allegedly operating an organic marijuana farm and selling the produce online. He was arrested today after a raid on a four level building in Bangkok’s Phayathai inner city district. Police say that on the third floor of the building, officers found five litres of cannabis oil, 50 plastic pots…
- Koh Samui News
Pabuk: Warnings for coastal residents to stay indoors
by Pratch Rujivanarom Strong gale conditions and surging seas are pounding the coastlines of three provinces this afternoon. The Meteorological Department is warning residentsto stay indoors and away from the coast. The provinces affected so far include Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Songkhla. Department director-general Phuwieng Prakhammintara says Tropical Storm Pabuk was expected to have greater affect on southern coastlines as…
- South Thailand News
Pabuk: Koh Tao awakens to ‘business as usual’
Our Koh Tao ‘man on the spot’, Adrian, says that the island currently has heavy rains with some wind, and thunder but that wind is not currently strong. He reports that people are going around their business as usual. “Yesterday a lot of people left the island as we saw the last two ferries leaving around 3pm and they…
- Thailand News
Deputy PM throws doubt on election date
by Chanwanpen and Somroutai Sapsomboon The NCPO has throw a curved ball at the Election Commission, placing the onus on the Commission’s committee to decide the date of the general election whilst taking into account the preparations for the royal coronation ceremony. There’s also been suggestions of a month’s delay from the election’s tentative date of February 24. Deputy PM…
- Koh Samui News
Pabuk: Friday awakes with the storm surging up the Gulf coastline
30,000 people are estimated to have been evacuated from coastal districts in Nakhon Si Thammarat whilst some tourists are taking precautions of leaving the Gulf holiday islands, airports close, boats remain at mooring and schools are shut. Thailand’s southern Gulf coast prepares for winds up to 95kph, heavy downpours and floods. From Nakhon Si Thammarat up to Chumpon provinces, emergency…
- Koh Samui News
PABUK: Latest information on the path of the storm across the Gulf
Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada has designated six seaside districts of the central southern coast province as disaster zones and ordered the evacuation of residents by tonight. The evacuations are a safety precaution he said. He says that all schools in these districts will be closed today, while schools in the main city area of Nakhon Si Thammarat will…
- South Thailand News
Dead whale washed up on Nakhon Si Thammarat coast
A dead whale, believed to be a bruda whale, the largest species in the Gulf of Thailand, has been found washed up on a beach near the Laem Talumphuk reserve, Amphoe Pak Phanang in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The dead mammal was spotted this morning by villagers who noticed the strong smell. The whale measured over 10…
- Koh Samui News
Angthong National Marine Park closed for 3 days due to approaching storm
The Angthong National Marine Park, off the coast of Surat Thani province, is closing for three days from tomorrow (Thursday) as tropical storm ‘Pabuk’ is expected to hit the southern Gulf coast. The decision has been based on weather warnings from the TMD, which says the storm “Pabuk” will bring unseasonal heavy downpours and high waves in the Gulf of…
- Thailand News
Two key tests for the Land of Smiles in 2019
Thailand faces two major challenges in 2019 – conducting a general election and chairing the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN). Mishandling either task would invite serious damage to both the country and the wider region, according to a New Year editorial in The Nation. “Junta chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha has made a bad start in tackling the first challenge,…
- World News
Lion Air passengers get a New Year surprise at Sepinggan Airport
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Balikpapan. Happy New Year,” Sepinggan Airport general manager Farid Indra Nugraha said with a big smile as he greeted passengers at the baggage claims area. Passengers of the first arrival of 2019 at Sepinggan Airport in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, were delighted by the surprise. The estimated 150 passengers of Lion Air flight JT 858 on…
- World News
Orchard road bans smoking
From The Straits Times – Asia News Network Singapore’s shopping paradise, Orchard Road is now smoke-free. A smoking ban kicked in on January 1 which prohibits smokers from lighting up in public areas. However there are designated smoking areas along the famous shopping strip. Enforcement officers from the National Environment Agency, dressed in white No Smoking Zone polo T-shirts, are on patrol in…
