- Covid-19 News
France bans large gatherings, discourages “air kisses”
The number of coronavirus cases in France has nearly doubled and currently stands at 100, of whom 86 are hospitalised, two have died and 12 have recovered, according Jerome Salomon, the head of France’s national health service. To fight the spread of the virus, France is banning all indoor public gatherings of more than 5,000, and discouraging the public from…
- Environment News
Chiang Mai has the world’s worst air quality for second straight day
Virus or no, you may want to wear a mask if you’re in Chiang Mai today; as of 1:36pm, Airvisual.com has rated air quality there the worst in the world for a second day. Yangon, Kathmandu and Mumbai were close behind. The website showed Chiang Mai’s average pollution at 181, (down from 193 yesterday) meaning particulate matter less than 2.5…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand confirms first coronavirus-related death
Thailand today confirmed its first death from complications related to the COVID-19 coronavirus. Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoen, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, made the announcement in a Bangkok press conference. The victim was described as a 35 year old who also had dengue fever at the time of his death. The patient had been in hospital for around a month and…
- Northern Thailand News
Surin teacher faces severe punishment for selling teen girls for sex
A 51 year old local schoolteacher in Thailand’s northeastern Surin province, near the Cambodian border, was among the owners of three karaoke bars caught selling the sexual services of underaged Thai girls this week. Nineteen women, thought to be sex workers, were taken into custody following raids on the bars. The businesses were closed and their owners face a range…
- Politics News
Students say they’ll increase protests until PM stands down
About 700 students joined a rally last night in front of the auditorium at Bangkok’s Kasetsart University, vowing to escalate their protests until the government of Prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha steps down. University and secondary students have been rallying on or near their campuses since Monday to demand a rewrite of Thailand’s 2017 Constitution and transparent elections. Pro-democracy activist Parit…
- Politics News
Students warned of limits on free speech, told not to threaten monarchy
Deputy national police spokesman Krisana Pattanacharoen yesterday issued an ominous warning to students participating in the wave of rallies and demonstrations sweeping school campuses across the Kingdom. He says they are free to exercise their right to assembly but cautions them against “touching the institution,” an apparent reference to the monarchy. “The young demonstrators have to decide for themselves whether…
- Crime News
Four Chinese men arrested for murder of compatriot in Kamphaeng Phet
Four Chinese nationals are in custody today for allegedly killing a Chinese businessman, stuffing his body in a suitcase and dumping it in a river in Thailand’s northern Kamphaeng Phet province, where it was found Tuesday. Krisana Pattanacharoen, deputy spokesman of the Royal Thai Police, made the announcement this afternoon: “The body of Wang Jun, aged 30, was found doubled…
- Politics News
Opposition lawmaker challenges PM to a duel
An opposition politician on Thursday challenged PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to a trial by combat. Saranwut Saranke, a member of the Pheu Thai party and MP for the northern Uttaradit province, made the challenge during the recent censure debate. After repeating a claim that Prayut harboured disloyalty toward the monarchy for failing to fully recite his oath of office last year,…
- Covid-19 News
Tough new coronavirus measures start tomorrow
The Public Health Ministry today confirmed a new COVID-19 coronavirus infection, bringing Thailand’s national total to 42. An announcement from the ministry designating Covid-19 as a “dangerous communicable disease” will take effect tomorrow, strengthening authorities’ ability to combat the spread of the virus. Sukhum Kanchanaphimai, the ministry’s permanent secretary, says the newest victim is a 21 year old salesman, whose…
- Pattaya News
Australian bodybuilding champ arrested in Pattaya for illegal work, hormones
An Australian bodybuilder was arrested in Pattaya yesterday for working without a permit and being in possession of illegal hormones. Police say they received a tip from a concerned citizen that Rohan Jeffrey Reid, a well known former winner of amateur bodybuilding tournaments in Australia, was working illegally, organising and profiting from “Thai Muscle Camp” programs for foreigners. Reid allegedly…
- Crime News
Justice Ministry to go after drug gangs’ assets
Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin says drug syndicate networks along Thai borders, especially in the North, produce drugs worth about 1.9 billion baht annually. Now his ministry has set up a centre to seize their assets as part of an effort to stamp them out. Somsak says the amount of assets and money seized annually is too low: only about 400-500…
- Covid-19 News
Coronavirus myths: Eight things you should probably already know
Two months after the first cases came to the attention of the world, a lot more is known about the coronavirus, aka. Covid-19. Here’s a few well established myths and a few scientific facts. MYTH: ‘Face masks don’t work’ Wearing a face mask is no guarantee that you won’t be infected. However, masks are effective at capturing droplets and larger…
- Covid-19 News
South Korea virus cases skyrocket, approaching 3000
The World Health Organization has raised its risk alert to its highest level, as South Korea confirmed 594 more coronavirus (COVID-19) cases today, its biggest single-day increase, bringing the national total to 2,931. Three additional deaths were also reported. The Korean Centres for Disease Control and Prevention say that more than 90% of the new cases were in Daegu, the…
- Tourism News
A breathtaking travel experience in Thailand is only available for few more days
Thailand, the land of smiles, is well known for its travel destinations and experiences, from unique cuisine to white sand beaches, from elephant camps to breathtaking views. But ironically, one of the best lookout spots in Thailand is also one of the most exclusive. An incredible hike lets tourists enjoy some of the best views in all of Thailand, but…
- Politics News
PM, cabinet members win confidence vote in Parliament
After four days of debate, and vicious attacks from the opposition, Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and five of his Cabinet easily won a vote of confidence from the House of Representatives this morning. MPs of the Pheu Thai Party, the largest opposition party, who walked out of the chamber near the end of the debate last night after it failing…
- Tourism News
Legend Siam, major Pattaya tourist attraction, closes its doors
The Legend Siam, a major cultural amusement park in Pattaya with shows and cultural attractions about Thailand, has closed and laid off all workers. A statement yesterday said the move was due to the current economic situation in Thailand caused by the coronavirus outbreak. The announcement, in English, read: “Due to the economy in Thailand last year and the COVID…
- Crime News
Shots fired in Nontha Buri mall
Police rushed to the Central Plaza mall in Nontha Buri province, just northwest of Bangkok, yesterday, after reports of gunshots inside the mall. The sound of shots was reported at about 4:20pm and people fled the building in the city’s Muang district. There were no reports of death or injuries. Local radio station Jor Sor 100 traffic radio later reported…
- Crime News
Computer techie arrested for putting spy cams in ladies’ public toilets
A computer technician has been arrested in Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok, for allegedly setting up spy cams in women’s public toilets. The suspect, 23 year old Nitiwat Muikaeo is said to have sold the videos on social media. The arrest comes after parents lodged complaints with the Technology Crime Suppression Division about videos of their daughters online. Police…
- Crime News
Chinese man found murdered, stuffed in suitcase and dumped in river in northern Thailand
The Thaiger recently reported the case of a thirty year old Chinese man who had visited Pattaya, found dead and stuffed in a suitcase with his arms and legs bound. The suitcase was found in the Ping river in northern Thailand’s Kamphaeng Phet Province. Our original article on this story can be found HERE: Additional details have arisen regarding the…
- Politics News
PM says military to downsize, halve number of generals
PM Prayut Chan-ocha, also the defence minister, announced yesterday that the Defence Ministry plans to downsize all three branches of the armed forces to become more modern and efficient, and will cut the number of generals in half within eight years. Speaking on the final scheduled day of a censure debate, Prayut said it’s necessary to strengthen the armed forces…
- Thai Life
National police get tough on… hair
Thailand’s National Police Command said yesterday it will inspect its ranks at random to ensure that the new haircut regulation is strictly followed. Spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen said the buzz cut, with the sides and back of their heads shorn and only a small patch of hair on top of their scalps,must be adopted by “all officers except those working undercover.”…
- Crime News
Bangkok cops bust online gun dealers
The chief of the Bangkok Metropolitan Police Bureau told a media briefing yesterday that officers have arrested six men and two women for selling firearms on Thai social media. They seized seven guns, ammunition and gun components. Police initially arrested Pairoh Chanchom for selling firearms without a licence. A subsequent, lengthy investigation led to raids on several premises and the…
- Politics News
PM “concerned” about campus rallies
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed “concern” over growing support for student rallies at universities and now high schools, throughout Bangkok and elsewhere, to protest the recent dissolution of the popular Future Forward party, and the possibility of confrontation and unrest. The proliferation of political rallies and demonstrations comes in the aftermath of the Future Forward party’s dissolution by the…
- Thai Life
Legendary Thai singer Suthep Wongkamhaeng has died
A Thai icon is dead. Legendary “luk krung” singer Suthep Wongkamhaeng died today at his Bangkok residence, aged 86. A team of police and a doctor from Chulalongkorn Hospital were dispatched to Suthep’s house to examine the body and attempt to determine the cause of the death. Luk krung (Thai: ลูกกรุง, literally “child of the city”), also called phleng luk…
- Thailand Weather Updates
Cool, foggy mornings predicted for the North
Thailand’s meteorological department today predicted cool mornings with fog in upper Thailand, with the mercury inching up later in the day. The department says that a weakening high pressure system is covering upper Thailand and the South China Sea, while southeasterly winds are blowing over Central Thailand and the East. Light rains are predicted for the South as weakening easterly…
- Covid-19 News
Health minister demands full disclosure of travel history after 3 more coronavirus cases confirmed
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had harsh words in a press conference yesterday for the 65 year old Thai man who concealed his travel history from medical workers, exposing not only some 30 medics but also his own family members to the COVID-19 coronavirus. The man and his wife had recently returned from Hokkaido in Japan, and, along with their…
- Tourism News
Once bustling, Chiang Mai tourist areas are now deserted
Thai news agency MCOT has become the latest media outlet to bemoan the devastating effect of the coronavirus (Covid-19) on Thai tourism, after their reporters went to the once thriving area of Nimmanhaemin. Online blurbs about the area still describe it as having “buzzing dining and nightlife, hip cafes, fashion boutiques and a weekend craft market.” But a month after…
- Crime News
4 Uzbek women rescued from human traffickers in Pattaya
Four Uzbek women were rescued in Pattaya yesterday by Uzbekistan embassy officials and Chon Buri Provincial Police after allegedly falling victim to a human trafficking scam. A team of police raided a condominium in South Pattaya near the entrance of Phra Tamnak hill. See the video version of this story HERE: The raid comes after Chon Buri police learned from…
- Crime News
Chinese man found bound, dead in suitcase in northern Thailand had visited Pattaya
The body of a Chinese man, with arms and legs bound, stuffed into a suitcase, has washed up on a sandbank in the Ping River in northern Thailand’s Kamphaeng Phet province. The body was doubled over and the ankles were tied with plastic cable ties. Red rope encircled the arms and legs. Police believe the man was 30 year old…
- Crime News
Canadian murder suspect to be extradited to US
A murder suspect from Canada has lost his appeal against extradition to the United States after Bangkok’s Appeal Court upheld a lower court’s ruling, sending him to face a murder charge there. The ruling was handed down this afternoon. The extradition was sought by the Office of the Attorney-General against Matthew Alexander McGowan, accused of fatally shooting another person in…
