Thaiger
- Economy News
Government defends “monkey business” after PETA call for boycott on Thai coconut products
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the US-based animal rights group, is no stranger to controversy and has been accused of double standards in the past. Now it faces accusations of “cultural racism” after its open call to ban all Thai coconut products because some of the coconuts may have been harvested by monkeys. In a statement issued this…
- Pattaya News
Massive flash flood brings Pattaya to a crawl
Heavy thunderstorms in and around Pattaya yesterday caused major flooding and brought much of the resort town to a virtual standstill. The rains hit around 2pm and lasted for about 2 hours. The heaviest flooding was reported on Soi Khao Noi, Pattaya Beach Road, and Pattaya Third Road. A video of the flooding can be seen HERE. Water on some…
- Covid-19 News
“Travel bubble” scheme likely to be delayed
Thailand’s “travel bubble” scheme, which would allow limited numbers of certain groups of tourists from nations or areas deemed Covid-19 free by the World Health Organisation, now appears likely to be delayed. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has announced the delay after several countries, that were considered for the scheme, have now seen resurgences of the virus. The CAAT’s…
- Education
Thai teacher gives “ugly” haircut as punishment for student’s long hair
A Thai teacher has reportedly angered a student’s mother after cutting her daughter’s hair when she showed up to school with long hair which, until recently, was against government school rules. The mother says her child was given the “ugly” haircut as a punishment in front of her peers and says the teacher was trying to humiliate the girl. Education…
- Hot News
Thai VietJet offers 50% off baggage and domestic flight discounts
Thai VietJet is reportedly offering a 50% discount on baggage fees for passengers travelling between Bangkok and Krabi or Phuket until July 31. The savings comes after the airline also slashed domestic flight prices by 50%, hoping to gain more customers as the local budget airlines position themselves for the recovery of flights and tourism. VietJet have a reputation for…
- Covid-19 News
Over 73,000 Thai farmers to get relief aid after appeals approved
Over 73,000 Thai farmers are set to get much-needed aid after their appeals for financial help have been approved. The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) says it will transfer the aid tomorrow, in the amount of 5,000 baht, to help with the Covid-19 economic fallout. BAAC secretary Anan Suwanrat says the ministry’s appeal panel has approved 73,975 appeals…
- Covid-19 News
5 new imported cases- Covid-19 update (July 6)
The Thai government has reported 5 new imported cases of Covid-19, bringing the Kingdom’s total tally to 3,195 with 58 deaths. Thai nationals made up the new cases, as they reportedly recently returned from Kuwait and are currently in state quarantine. Currently, one person has been added to the total amount of recovered cases in the past 24 hours, bring…
- World News
5 year old Burmese girl raped, murdered in Tak
Villagers in the north western Tak province were shocked yesterday by reports of the rape and murder of a 5 year old Burmese girl. Her body was discovered in a forest in Mae Sot district. Police went to Muhajireen community in Mae Sot after being notified of the crime. They found the girl’s body, her hands and legs bound with…
- Thailand News
Poll shows majority of Thais still worry about coronavirus
Although there have been no locally transmitted Covid-19 cases in Thailand for 41 days, a majority of locals are still worried about the spread of the virus, according to the most recent survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, better know simply as the Suan Dusit Poll. The survey was conducted between July 1-4, on 1,109 people throughout the kingdom to…
- Crime News
Man fatally shot in hunting expedition
Authorities in Lamphun province, south of Chiang Mai, have arrested 29 year old Weerachai Rorwongtawan for allegedly shooting dead his friend, Phitsunu Tanupetchpan, while hunting with 2 other friends. The suspect told police he had invited his friends to go hunting with him, and that he and Phitsunu were in different areas of the forest. When he saw something moving…
- Politics News
PM to opposition: “Don’t insult my intelligence.”
“The PM emphasised that his government has never approved a project to favour any particular individual or company.” PM Prayut Chan-o-cha lashed out at some MPs from the opposition Kao Klai party, for what he took as an insult to his and his ministers’ intelligence. When the MPs questioned some Transport Ministry projects, Prayut insisted that all of them were…
- Thailand News
Thai PM expresses concern over “travel bubbles”
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed serious concerns about the resumption of international travel under the “travel bubble” scheme, stressing that Thailand must implement a vigorous arrivals screening protocol. The scheme is a proposed limited resumption of international travel to and from countries with a reciprocal agreement. The Thai government has indicated it has taken a risk-averse stance with future Covid-19…
- Northern Thailand News
Millions headed home for holiday long weekend
The Transport Ministry says more than 2 million people used public transport on Friday, leading up to the Asahna Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent holiday weekend, to travel to their provincial homes. Some headed for a short domestic holiday. Asahna Bucha Day is today, while tomorrow marks the beginning Buddhist Lent. Because both fall on the weekend, Monday is a…
- Crime News
Pathum Thani police hunt “100 million baht auntie”
Police in Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok, are tracking down a mysterious loan shark known as “Mrs. Millionaire” to face charges that she hired a man to beat a vendor who owed her money, leaving him with permanent brain damage. The woman, whose age is estimated at around aged 65-70, dresses plainly and carries a large rubbish sack around,…
- World News
Thailand gets quarantine “red light” from UK, “green light” from EU
Despite reaching 41 days without a locally transmitted case of Covid-19, Thailand is still designated as a “red light” country and Thais arriving in England will still be required to self-isolate for 14 days. Updated guidelines published on the UK Government website on Friday list 59 countries and territories for which no quarantine will apply, starting July 10. Thailand, earlier…
- Covid-19 News
India aims to have Covid-19 vaccine by mid-August
But scientists are skeptical at the speed of the development. India has announced its plan to take its first Covid-19 vaccine from human trials to general use by mid-August, just 6 weeks from now. Bharat Biotech International, an unlisted vaccine maker, received regulatory approval to start human clinical trials for its experimental vaccine earlier this week, but it’s already got…
- Environment News
Poll shows most Bangkok residents dissatisfied with public bus service
A recent survey by Bangkok Poll showed most of the city’s residents aren’t satisfied with the capital’s bus services, citing long waiting times, shabby conditions and thick black exhaust. The poll, conducted June 25-29 by the Bangkok University Research Centre, surveyed 1,299 people aged over 18 to gauge public satisfaction with city buses. The largest group, 46.7%, said they were…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19 update: 40 days with no locally transmitted cases (July 4)
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration confirmed this morning that Thailand has not recorded a single locally transmitted case of Covid-19 in 40 days. 5 imported cases were reported today of repatriated Thai nationals – 1 from Kuwait, 1 from the UK and 3 from Sudan. All were discovered in state quarantine facilities. CCSA spokesman Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin says Thailand…
- Thailand News
Major international retailers banning monkey-picked coconuts – VIDEO
Allegations of animal abuse are prompting major Western retailers to pull Thai coconut products from their shelves, amid accusations that the coconuts are picked by monkeys treated inhumanely. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals claim monkeys are snatched from the wild and trained to pick up to 1,000 coconuts a day. The animal rights group says pigtailed macaques are…
- Politics News
Opposition questions ministry’s plan to buy firefighting helicopters
Thailand’s interior minister yesterday defended his plan to purchase 6 firefighting helicopters, saying the ministry doesn’t have any such helicopters and relies on military choppers to fight wildfires, “which aren’t up to the task”. Anupong Paojinda was responding to an objection raised by the opposition during yesterday’s House debate on the budget bill for the financial year 2021. “I’m sure…
- Covid-19 News
Global Covid-19 cases exceed 11 million people. Deaths over 529,000.
Covid-19 infections around the globe surpassed 11 million yesterday, another grim milestone in the spread of the virus that’s has killed more than half a million people since the outbreak began just over 6 months ago. According to the World Health Organisation, the number of cases is now more than double the figure for severe influenza illnesses recorded annually. 1…
- Pattaya News
Body of unidentified Asian man found floating off Pattaya’s Koh Sak
The body of an unidentified man has been found floating floating off Koh Sak in Pattaya Bay yesterday afternoon. Pattaya City Police were notified of the gruesome discovery about 2pm. Police and emergency responders arrived at the scene, 2 kilometres from Koh Sak. The man, of Asian descent but unknown nationality, appeared to be in his thirties, and was wearing…
- Thailand News
Thailand growing more expensive for expats
According to Employment Conditions Abroad, Bangkok and Chiang Mai are among the 30 most expensive cities for expats in Asia. The capital of Turkmenistan might not spring to mind when with considering the priciest cities, but according to ECA International it ranks first on both the global and Asian tables, a 5 point rise up the rankings due to an…
- Covid-19 News
Hospital director proposes importing overseas Covid-19 patients for treatment
With the Covid-19 situation in Thailand apparently well in hand (there have been no locally transmitted cases for well over a month), a hospital director in Bangkok is proposing flying in patients from abroad for treatment at his hospital. The director of Mongkutwattana Hospital is considering medical flights to bring international Covid-19 cases to the hospital for treatment, in an…
- Covid-19 News
Visa amnesty extension for foreigners “being considered”
Thailand’s Immigration Bureau is considering extending the current visa amnesty for foreigners stranded in Thailand. The Foreign Ministry’s deputy spokesperson made the announcement at this morning’s daily Covid-19 briefing by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The Cabinet’s last resolution was to grant an automatic visa extension for foreigners stranded here to stay until July 30. The deputy spokesperson asked…
- Covid-19 News
Bangkok’s shopping malls struggle under tourist ban, fierce competition
Suvarnabhumi, the name of Bangkok’s second international airport, means “realm of gold,” and was given by His Majesty the late King Rama IX to Bangkok’s eastern outskirts (technically in Samut Prakhan province), once a marshland called Nong Nguhao (Cobra Swamp). With its overtones of wealth, the name represents the hopes of developers, who are turning the area into a retail…
- Pattaya News
Woman survives 4 storey fall in Pattaya – VIDEO
A young woman who fell from a 4th floor balcony in Pattaya early this morning has survived with only minor injuries. Police and rescue workers were notified of the incident at an apartment in Soi South Pattaya 1 at around 3am. Emergency responders and reporters arrived at the scene to find the injured woman, 22 year old Natarika Wongkalasin from…
- Covid-19 News
Medical, wellness tourists will be first to be allowed in: CCSA
The government plans to allow local tours for overseas medical and wellness tourists beginning this month, and the start of tourism “travel bubbles” in September. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said medical and wellness tourists will be welcomed from this month on. If they are properly handled during their 14 day quarantine and treatment at…
- Tourism News
Finalised “travel bubble” list to be submitted to CCSA
Thailand’s tourism and sports minister says foreign tourists will be allowed back into the Kingdom in August under a 3 phase “travel bubble“ strategy, which will include countries who are considered at a low-risk of the Covid-19 contagion and will be allowed to travel on specific routes or itineraries “booked through small agencies.” After discussions with the Tourism Authority of…
- Chiang Mai News
Chiang Mai International Airport sees more traffic
Northern Thailand’s gateway airport is recovering some of its flight and passenger traffic. With the easing of travel restrictions enforced to fight the spread of Covid-19, the director of Chiang Mai’s international airport says traffic is picking up, and more flights and passengers are expected this month. On average, the airport received 40 flights and about 4,000-5,000 passengers per day…
