Caitlin Ashworth

Caitlin Ashworth is a writer from the United States who has lived in Thailand since 2018. She graduated from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media studies in 2016. She was a reporter for the Daily Hampshire Gazette In Massachusetts. She also interned at the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Virginia and Sarasota Herald-Tribune in Florida.
  • Thailand NewsThai FDA files complaint against TV celebrity for false advertising

    Thai FDA files complaint against TV celebrity for false advertising

    A well-known TV host in Thailand is under fire after she made advertisements saying health supplement products could change a person’s face shape and even help people recover from Covid-19. The Thai Food and Drug Administration filed a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division against TV star Patcharasri “Kalamare” Benjamach for false advertising. Kalamare advertised Botera “power shots.” The drinks…

  • Visa InformationUPDATE: Confusion over Covid-19 tests for visa extensions

    UPDATE: Confusion over Covid-19 tests for visa extensions

    UPDATE: Khaosod English removed a story on Covid-19 tests for those seeking visa extensions and replaced it with the article “Immigration backtracks on plan to require Covid-19 test for visa extensions.” They say the previous report sparked uproar among expats and immigration police spokesperson has since apologised for the misunderstanding. Original article… Confusion reigns today over whether Covid-19 tests will…

  • Covid-19 NewsOutbreak in Samut Sakhon is “worrying,” CCSA spokesperson says

    Outbreak in Samut Sakhon is “worrying,” CCSA spokesperson says

    While the number of daily new Covid-19 cases continues to drop, health officials are still scrambling to contain the virus in the prime hotspot: Samut Sakhon. The outbreak in the coastal fishing province is “worrying,” according to Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration spokesperson Taweesilp Visanuyothin. Health officials rolled out a proactive mass testing campaign after a spike of Covid-19 cases…

  • Covid-19 NewsCCSA Update: 171 new Covid-19 cases

    CCSA Update: 171 new Covid-19 cases

    171 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. The majority of the cases were detected in a proactive testing campaign. Thailand now has 3,168 active Covid-19 cases. The CCSA has reported a total of 12,594 infections and 70 deaths since the start of the pandemic last year. Out of the 171 new…

  • Bangkok NewsPolice to issue arrest warrants for 2 people allegedly involved in bombing outside Bangkok shopping centre

    Police to issue arrest warrants for 2 people allegedly involved in bombing outside Bangkok shopping centre

    Police say arrest warrants will be issued for 2 people allegedly involved in the bombing outside Bangkok’s Chamchuri Square shopping centre following a rally protesting Thailand’s draconian lèse majesté law. The suspects allegedly drove together on a motorcycle on the Thai-Japanese Bridge and threw a “ping pong bomb” down on a group of police officers Saturday evening. The smoky handmade…

  • Crime NewsPolice arrest “prime suspect” in narcotics case linked to 10 deaths in Bangkok

    Police arrest “prime suspect” in narcotics case linked to 10 deaths in Bangkok

    Police arrested a man suspected of producing the ketamine-based illicit drug cocktail linked to at least 10 deaths in Bangkok. The man is also charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting his girlfriend at a Bangkok apartment. Police say 33 year old Amornthep Chalermwat, known as Un Kiwi, fled Bangkok and was arrested in Phetchabun’s Bung Sam Phan district yesterday.…

  • Covid-19 NewsCCSA Update: 369 new Covid-19 cases

    CCSA Update: 369 new Covid-19 cases

    369 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Most cases were detected in Samut Sakhon in a mass testing campaign. Thailand now has 3,147 active Covid-19 cases. Since the started of the pandemic, the CCSA has reported 12,423 cases – 8,186 of those cases were reported in the new wave of infections.…

  • Thailand NewsAustralian man wanted for allegedly sexually abusing children in Thailand

    Australian man wanted for allegedly sexually abusing children in Thailand

    A 44 year old Australian man is wanted by Thai police for allegedly sexually abusing children in Thailand. Adam James Fox financially supported some migrant children in poverty stricken areas and allegedly sexually abused them. Adam James Fox is wanted for allegedly sexually assaulting or abusing at least 3 Burmese boys, all under 15 years old, at his home in…

  • Bangkok NewsPolice raid Bangkok restaurant, more than 80 people face charges for violating Emergency Decree

    Police raid Bangkok restaurant, more than 80 people face charges for violating Emergency Decree

    More than 80 people face jail time and fines for allegedly violating disease control measures under the Emergency Decree after police raided a Bangkok pub and restaurant. The Indian restaurant Taj Café off Sukhumvit Road in the Watthana district was raided over the weekend after a complaint reporting that customers were smoking hookah, which is illegal in Thailand, and that…

  • World NewsUPDATE: At least 34 dead and 600 injured after Indonesia earthquake

    UPDATE: At least 34 dead and 600 injured after Indonesia earthquake

    UPDATE: At least 34 people were killed after a 6.2 magnitude earthquake shook Indonesia’s Sulawesi island just after midnight today. As of this evening, reports say more than 600 people were injured during the earthquake which caused buildings to collapse and residents to flee their homes in the dark. Original story below… Indonesian island Sulawesi was shook by a 6.2…

  • Thailand NewsLost couple in Koh Pha Ngan forest rescued by tourist police and park officers

    Lost couple in Koh Pha Ngan forest rescued by tourist police and park officers

    A 50 member team of Koh Pha Ngan rescuers and locals spent 6 hours searching for a Spanish couple who got lost while hiking on the island. The couple, a 41 year old man and 39 year old woman, were hiked to the Khao Ra viewpoint, the highest point on the island at 635 metres above sea level. They started hiking…

  • Phuket NewsPolice say Phuket school won’t be charged for employing foreign teachers without a work permit

    Police say Phuket school won’t be charged for employing foreign teachers without a work permit

    An international school in Phuket is not facing charges for employing foreign teachers without a work permit, police told the Phuket News. Back in November, 2 British nationals were arrested at the Palm House International School in Rawai in a raid by Phuket Immigration officers, acting on a tip that teachers were working at the school without a work permit.…

  • Covid-19 NewsCCSA Update: 188 new Covid-19 cases

    CCSA Update: 188 new Covid-19 cases

    188 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Thailand now has 3,093 active Covid-19 cases. Since last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 11,450 cases in Thailand and 69 deaths. Out of the 188 new cases, 81 are local transmissions, 73 cases were detected in a proactive testing campaign, 21…

  • Crime NewsKoh Samui senior police officer faces charges for allegedly raping a suspect

    Koh Samui senior police officer faces charges for allegedly raping a suspect

    A senior police officer in Koh Samui faces charges for allegedly raping a 21 year old Burmese woman at the Bo Phut Police Station. The officer, who was an investigation squad leader at the Bo Phut station, has been suspended and is now in detention at the Koh Samui Court, according to Nation Thailand. The senior sergeant major allegedly took…

  • Crime NewsPharmaceutical imports investigated after traces of diazepam detected in narcotics cocktail

    Pharmaceutical imports investigated after traces of diazepam detected in narcotics cocktail

    Pharmaceutical imports are being investigated after traces of the anti-anxiety pill diazepam were detected in the ketamine-based drug cocktail, known as “K powdered milk.” The narcotic cocktail is suspected of causing 7 deaths in Bangkok. The Food and Drug Administration oversees imports of diazepam, also known by the brand name Valium, and has been asked to send a list of…

  • Crime NewsDrug trafficking suspects arrested after shootout with police, 1 injured

    Drug trafficking suspects arrested after shootout with police, 1 injured

    A drug suspect was injured in a shootout with police around 1am this morning in Isaan province Nakhon Ratchasima. The suspect and another man were both arrested for allegedly trafficking methamphetamine pills and crystal methamphetamine. Police say they believe the drugs were being trafficked from Nakhon Phanom, a province bordering Laos, to provinces in the central region. As the suspects’…

  • Covid-19 NewsCCSA Update: 271 new Covid-19 cases and 2 deaths

    CCSA Update: 271 new Covid-19 cases and 2 deaths

    271 new Covid-19 cases and 2 deaths were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing, raising Thailand’s total number of infections to 11,262 and total coronavirus-related deaths to 69. There are now 3,533 active cases in Thailand. A 72 year old British man died after contracting Covid-19, according to the CCSA. The man had pre-existing health…

  • Covid-19 NewsSamut Sakhon governor recovering from Covid-19, to be taken off ventilator

    Samut Sakhon governor recovering from Covid-19, to be taken off ventilator

    The Samut Sakhon governor is recovering from Covid-19 and is expected to be taken off a ventilator today. 58 year old Verasak Vichitsangsri was in “severe condition” after contracting the virus on December 27, according to the Bangkok Post. His infection was reported just a week after the outbreak at a major seafood market in the province where hundreds of…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok condo prices expected to continue to fall this year

    Bangkok condo prices expected to continue to fall this year

    Condo prices in Bangkok are falling and are expected to continue to fall throughout the year. The real estate market isn’t anticipated to pick back up again until the Covid-19 pandemic eases. The average prices of new condos in Bangkok are expected to fall by 5%, according to Nexus Property Marketing. The real estate marketing firm Juwai IQI Group says the average…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya massage shop raided for allegedly violating closure order

    Pattaya massage shop raided for allegedly violating closure order

    A Pattaya massage shop was raided and 7 women were arrested for allegedly violating the Emergency Decree and disease control measures ordering the certain nonessential businesses to close. Police say the shop was “pretending” to be closed by pulling the shutter partly down and keeping the lights off. The owner of the massage shop on Central Pattaya Road in Nongprue,…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket health chief urges “red zone” travellers to abide by quarantine measures

    Phuket health chief urges “red zone” travellers to abide by quarantine measures

    With Phuket’s new disease control measures requiring those travelling from high risk areas to quarantine, the province’s public health chief is now saying those at alternative state quarantine hotels won’t be locked up in their rooms throughout their 14 day stay in isolation. He says guests can wander through certain areas of the hotel to have meals and do other…

  • World NewsIndonesia rolls out Covid-19 vaccinations, president gets first dose

    Indonesia rolls out Covid-19 vaccinations, president gets first dose

    Indonesia is rolling out its mass Covid-19 vaccination campaign with President Joko Widodo as the first in the country to get jabbed with China’s Sinovac Biotech vaccine. Indonesia approved the vaccine for emergency use earlier this week. It’s the first large-scale use of the Sinovac vaccine outside of China. Thailand has also made an agreement to purchase the 2 million…

  • Covid-19 NewsCCSA Update: 157 new Covid-19 cases

    CCSA Update: 157 new Covid-19 cases

    157 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. There are now 3,981 active Covid-19 cases in Thailand. The CCSA has reported a total of 10,991 infections and 67 deaths since last year. 90 of the new cases are local transmissions, 42 cases were detected in proactive testing, 4 cases were detected in…

  • Transport NewsUS and UK require pre-departure Covid-19 test for all international arrivals

    US and UK require pre-departure Covid-19 test for all international arrivals

    Heading back to the United States or United Kingdom? You’ll need to get a Covid-19 test first. Both countries are now requiring passengers arriving to the US or UK get tested for Covid-19 no more than 72 hours before the flight departs. Passengers will also need to show proof of a negative result before bordering. The new travel regulations go…

  • World NewsMalaysia PM imposes nationwide travel ban, lockdown measures due to Covid-19 spike

    Malaysia PM imposes nationwide travel ban, lockdown measures due to Covid-19 spike

    As the number of Covid-19 cases continues to climb in Malaysia, PM Muhyiddin Yassin imposed a nationwide travel ban and ordered lockdown measures for Kuala Lumpur and 5 other states for the next 14 days. The country’s prime minister says “our healthcare system is at a breaking point.” Malaysia was able to keep the coronavirus at bay during the early…

  • Covid-19 NewsCCSA Update: 287 new Covid-19 cases, majority in Samut Sakhon

    CCSA Update: 287 new Covid-19 cases, majority in Samut Sakhon

    287 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. There are 4,035 active Covid-19 cases in Thailand. Since last year, Thailand has reported a total of 10,834 Covid-19 cases and 67 deaths. Of the 287 cases reported today, 153 were local transmissions, 125 were detected through active case finding among a mostly migrant…

  • Phuket NewsScreening measures to enter Phuket, travellers from “red zone” provinces to self-quarantine

    Screening measures to enter Phuket, travellers from “red zone” provinces to self-quarantine

    Phuket authorities have announced screening measures for those entering the island province, which includes requiring those travelling from 20 “red zone” provinces to self-quarantine for 14 days. Those travelling from “hotspot” and “high risk” areas are required to do a swab test. While measures were put into effect over the weekend, some people say nothing has changed. The “required” self-quarantine,…

  • Thailand NewsCannabis café: Prachin Buri hospital opens “Taste of Ganja” restaurant

    Cannabis café: Prachin Buri hospital opens “Taste of Ganja” restaurant

    Cannabis is now on the menu at a Thailand hospital restaurant, but don’t expect to get high from the meals seasoned with cannabis leaves. Only parts of the plant that contain very, very low traces of the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, are legal for consumption. The THC-rich, euphoria-inducing buds are still illegal and classified as a Category 5 narcotic.…

  • Thailand NewsElephant dies after month of treatment for gunshot wounds, 40 bullets found in the body

    Elephant dies after month of treatment for gunshot wounds, 40 bullets found in the body

    A wild elephant died yesterday after nearly a month of medical treatment for gunshot wounds. Officials say more than 40 bullets were found in the body. The 3 tonne elephant had also attacked and killed a park officer last month who was trying to bring the elephant in for treatment. The elephant, around 20 to 25 years old, was being…

  • Crime NewsPolice raid 5 homes and businesses suspected of gambling, arrest 21 people

    Police raid 5 homes and businesses suspected of gambling, arrest 21 people

    Police arrested 21 people on gambling charges after 5 raids in Bangkok over the weekend. While deputy chief of the Central Investigation Bureau, Jiraphop Phuridet, says the raids on January 8 and 9 are part of a nationwide crackdown initiated by the national police chief after a Covid-19 outbreak at a Rayong gambling den, the raids busted what seems like…