- Northern Thailand News
Seven arrested over a 300 kilogram ‘ice’ shipment in Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai is in the news for a different reason this morning after six adults and a 15 year old have been arrested over a drug bust in Chiang Rai early today (Monday). The Nation reports that most of the group were riding in a suspected “spotter” car ahead of a a truck full of crystal methamphetamine, aka ‘ice’. Fourteen…
- Bangkok News
Teacher hangs herself ‘to atone for sins of previous life’
A 40 year old has been found dead, hanged in an apparent suicide at her parents’ home in Suphan Buri province, north west of Bangkok, yesterday. The former contract teacher had claimed to have memories of her previous life as a soldier who had taken many lives. The suicide report of Somkid Ridkanto in Tambon Sa Kaew, Muang district said she had…
- World News
Rights groups call for laws to stop child marriages
“This isn’t just a marriage, but may be child abuse.” Defenders of Thailand’s children are calling for legal actions and amendments to laws to tackle the increasing number of “premature” marriages throughout the country. Activists say that such marriages harm the children. The comments follow the controversy of a 44 year old Malaysian man who ‘married’ an 11 year old…
- Thailand News
Same-sex civil union bill ready for Cabinet in two months
A same-sex civil partnership law should be drafted and discussed before next year’s elections. Pitikarn Sitthidech, the Rights and Liberties Protection Department chief, saystThe law, allowing same-sex couples to formally register as life partners, should be drafted by September. It would then be submitted to Deputy PM and Justice Minister ACM Prajin Juntong, who would decide whether it should go to…
- Travel
Great southern comforts – Narathiwat
by Pattarawadee Saengmanee The southern province of Narathiwat is a great place to chill, unspoilt by mass tourism and full of southern surprises. Narathiwat shares a border with Malaysia. A stone’s throw from the Narathiwat airport are the white sands of Ban Ton Beach where I stretch out while my media friends tuck into a Southern-style lunch in Chulabhorn marine camp’s…
- Bangkok News
Machete-wielding BKK motorist jailed for threatening woman
The South Bangkok district court has handed down a sentence today on a male driver. He’s been sentenced to 2 months and 15 days behind bars. The sentence follows the man’s indiscretion caught on a dash cam (video and story below), threatening a female driver with a knife on July 18, after he drove against the traffic to cut in…
- Thailand News
Sangkhla Buri floods declared a disaster zone
Kanchanaburi Governor Jirasak Phumsawat has declared Sangkhla Buri a flood disaster zone to speed up help to affected villagers. The governor took the action after seven villages in Tambon Nong Lu and three villages in Tambon Laivo were hit by floods on Friday morning following heavy rains that hit 70 per cent of the district.The disaster-zone declaration allowed the provincial…
- Chiang Mai News
Chiang Mai’s Doi Suthep housing protests ramping up for August
The protests against the construction of the Thai judge’s residences on the slopes of Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai has gone quiet over the past month. That’s all about to change. Activists from leading non-governmental organisations from eight northern provinces will next month join a massive protest against the special housing for judges on Doi Suthep. The Nation reports that…
- World News
Data of 1.5 million patients stolen, including the Singapore PM
PHOTO: Singaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong The personal data of 1.5 million patients, including the Singaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong and a few ministers, has been stolen. Some 160,000 people also had their outpatient prescriptions stolen. In Singapore’s worst cyber attack, hackers have stolen the personal particulars of 1.5 million patients. Of these, 160,000 people, including PM Lee Hsien…
- Thailand News
Cambodian couple demand Thai police probe
A Cambodian couple, engaged in a legal battle with relatives, yesterday filed a complaint against two Thai police officers in Bangkok. Baby-clothing exporter 43 year old Sing Thea and his wife Chean Kallyan say their previous accusation – that their relatives had embezzled 18 million baht – had been handled by the Thai officers in question. This had resulted in…
- World News
“Myanmar must be held accountable” – Fortify Rights Report
The Fortify Rights report is out. It names names and specifies responsibilities for the ongoing persecution of Myanmar’s Rohingya. The Nation’s Wasamon Audjarint and Sandy Leegumjorn compile this report about the document and its implications for Myanmar’s military. The international community must hold Myanmar accountable for the military-planned genocide of the Rohingya minority, a report unveiled yesterday said, describing the killings…
- Phuket News
Stray dog adoptions on the rise
Phuket is seeing a positive trend in the number of adoptions from locals and Thai citizens over the years; encouraging as Thai people used to be only interested in pure breeds, sometimes even choosing dogs that are not comfortable in the climate of Thailand (like Huskies). Meet Kittipong Tongwon, nicknamed K. Aof, who recently adopted an 8 week old puppy…
- Hua Hin News
Hua Hin: Five of ten investigated hotels found to be ‘illegal’
PHOTO: Mapio.net Five Hua Hin hotels, under the spotlight in an investigation into the town’s illegal hotels, are now set to be served closure notices. Manager Online is reporting that Somporn Patchimpetch, the head of the investigating committee, says that loopholes in the law had meant that the ten dodgy hotels had continued to operate for the last few months.…
- Bangkok News
Five jailed up to 19 years for forcing Moroccan women into prostitution
PHOTOS: The Nation “Pearl was accused of being the gang leader as he owns the Dream Disco Pub on the fourth floor of the Zenith Hotel where the four victims were forced into prostitution from October 2016 to March 2017.” A 46 year old Australian has been sentenced to 19 years imprisonment by the Criminal Court, and a Syrian, two…
- Northern Thailand News
Thai citizenship likely for one of the Mu Pa team
PHOTOS: The Nation During the rescue of the Mu Pa 13 from the Tham Luang caves in Chiang Rai it emerged that three of the team members and their 25 year old coach Ekkapol, were ‘stateless’ – caught in a bureaucratic neverland between Thailand and the nearby border Myanmar area which isn’t recognised by the Myanmar government. Their status leaves…
- Northern Thailand News
“We only intended to visit the cave for an hour” – Mu Pa 13
PHOTOS: The Nation The Mu Pa Academy team and their assistant coach yesterday fronted the media as a group for the first and last time last night in Chiang Rai in a carefully staged media event. Questions from local and international media were carefully vetted before being addressed to the team members who, all dressed in match team T Shirts,…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok driver threatens woman with machete
“The clip shows a man at the wheel of a black Toyota Camry, repeatedly trying to cut in front of a car whose dashboard cam is recording the incident, by driving against the traffic.” Netizens are condemning a male driver caught on video threatening a female driver with a machete after he drove against the traffic to cut in front…
- Bangkok News
Ex-insurance broker arrested for alleged 10 million baht credit card scam
A 27 year old former insurance broker has been arrested along with information on approximately 20,500 credit-card accounts, some of which Police allege he used to make online purchases. Police estimate the amounts involve more than 10 million baht over recent years. Officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Intelligence Analysis and Special Tools Sub-Division cooperated with Bank of Ayudhya’s investigation and…
- Northern Thailand News
Just one interview – Mu Pa 13 face the media tonight
The 13 members of the Mu Pa Football Academy, now recovered after their rescue from the Tham Luang caves last week, will sit down for a tightly-controlled media conference this evening. “After the media conference, which will also be their last, they will return to their homes and try to live a normal life”, said the new Chiang Rai provincial…
- Phuket News
“Phoenix might have reduced safety standards to save costs” – Surachate Hakparn
In the ongoing investigation into the sinking of ‘Phoenix’, it’s emerged that the boat may have cut back on safety equipment in efforts to save costs. We now know that the ‘Phoenix’ is owned by TC Blue Dream, with 26 year old Thai Woralak Rerkchaikan as its biggest shareholder. She is now in detention after Phuket Provincial Court denied her bail…
- Thailand News
Ranong: Nine Pakistanis arrested for overstay on their way to Ranong
Ranong remains a popular visa run location for expats and tourists, a five hour drive north of Phuket. A 30 minute trip across the water to Myanmar and, bingo, new visa stamp. But Daily News is reporting that nine Pakistani nationals have been arrested in Ranong when trying a visa run last week. None of the men told Daily News…
- Thailand News
French tourist says money stolen on Bangkok-Koh Phangan bus
PHOTO: Bangkok-Koh Phangan bus A 23 year old French woman has filed an official complaint with the Surat Thani police. She claims that 350 euros in cash were stolen from her bag aboard a bus from Bangkok to Koh Phangan (part of the journey is a ferry trip to the island). ‘Nadia’ filed the complaint at the Muang Surat Thani…
- News
- Thailand News
Patients should find blood pressure medication before ditching recalled drug
About 20,000 people with blood-pressure problems in Thailand rely on the five drugs that the FDA intends to recall over the next two weeks. On the recall list are Valatan 80 drug registration No 1A/54 (NG); Valatan 160 drug registration No 1A 10/54; Valsarin 80 drug registration No 1A 4/60; Valsarin 160 drug registration No 1A 5/60; and Valsarin 320…
- Thailand News
Chumpon: Policeman shot dead by pick-up driver
The Nation is reporting that a policeman was shot dead in Chumphon province last night after the driver of the car he was in apparently angered a truck driver by cutting in front of him. The shooting occurred at about 11.30pm at the Pathomporn Intersection in Muang district. Police Cpl Phayungsak Maidee, from the province’s narcotics suppression subdivision, was shot…
- Northern Thailand News
“Leave the kids alone” – Child psychiatrist
(4 minute read) The global attention drawn to the dramatic rescue mission has shone a glaring spotlight on the 12 young footballers from the Mu Pa Academy, making them unwitting public figures. Psychiatrists are stressing that the boys should draw on their own personal strength and support from their families to avoid becoming tainted by fame. Child psychiatrists are advising…
- Phuket News
Phuket’s hotel bookings starting to wane in wake of boating disaster
(4 minute read) The Nation is reporting that Thai tourism authorities are expressing concern following an increase in cancellations of hotel room bookings by Chinese tourists following the tragic July 5 boat accident. So far, 7,300 Phuket hotel room bookings for July and August have been cancelled by Chinese tourists in just 16 hotels that have reported figures so far,…
- Thailand News
Four cavers are stateless – “won’t get any special treatment”
“I understand that society hopes the rescued boys get citizenship. But we have to comply with the law,” Mae Sai district chief Somsak Khanakham said. The chief says that Thai citizenship shall be granted based on the law and there will be no exemptions, even for four of the footballers rescued from the cave. He spoke after news reports said…
- Northern Thailand News
Chiang Rai: Mu Pa team sends messages from hospital
The Mu Pa team have each sent a message from hospital. Here’s the video and the translation underneath. Enjoy. https://www.facebook.com/PhuriNews/videos/294712554406895/ Prachak Sutham (Note), 14, said he was now in good health and he would like to thank all the rescuers. Duangphet Promthep (Dom), 13, said he would like to eat rice with stew pork leg and he would like to…
- Thailand News
Wild Boars to head home this Thursday
The Public Health Minister Dr Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn visited the young footballers at the Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital this morning (Saturday) after their rescue from the flooded Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province as the world watched. The 12 Mu Pa Academy footballers and their coach are to be discharged from hospital next Thursday, Dr Piyasakol announced. Public Health Minister Dr Piyasakol…
