Caitlin Ashworth
- Bangkok News
Khao San Road evolving, all ages daytime event planned for Halloween
Bangkok’s iconic Khao San Road now looks very different as Thailand emerges from the local coronavirus outbreak. Not only are the backpackers gone from the “backpacker mecca,” but the road in Bangkok’s Banglamphu neighbourhood has gone through a make-over. Now, Bangkok officials plan to hold events for “all ages” during the daytime during Halloween. Chaos can still be expected at…
- Expats
Thai hotels to offer 1,000 baht discounts for expats
To stimulate domestic tourism and help revive the economy after the pandemic, hotels plan to offer expats a 1,000 baht discount on rooms until the end of the year. A debt moratorium, put in place to help businesses hurt by the pandemic, is ending this month and hotels need a boost. The Thai Hotels Association, or THA, says they will…
- Crime News
Anti-Corruption Commission official sentenced for pointing loaded gun at taxi driver
A National Anti-Corruption Commission senior official was sentenced by the Criminal Court to 1 year in jail with a 2 year suspension for pointing a loaded .38 Colt pistol, threatening a Bangkok taxi driver back in 2018. Nation Thailand called it a “very lenient” sentence. The assistant secretary general of the commission, 54 year old Piset Nakapan, must also pay a…
- Tourism News
Some tourism officials concerned with political climate, ask government to open dialogue
In the midst of Thailand reopening its borders to foreigners on the Special Tourist Visa, political protests have only grown in Bangkok and are now being held in cities across Thailand. Now tourism operators are worried and are asking the government to engage in dialogue with the protesters. President of the Tourism Council of Thailand Chairat Trirattanajarasporn says he’s worried…
- Crime News
Man arrested for growing 108 cannabis plants in Samut Prakan
Police arrested an Argentinian man for growing cannabis at his house in Samut Prakan, just southeast of Bangkok. 35 year old Sagas Nur told police he planned to produce cannabis oil. Medical marijuana is legalised – with limitations – while recreational marijuana is still classified as a category 5 narcotic. Sagas is facing charges of producing a category 5 narcotic.…
- Covid-19 News
9 new Covid-19 cases in Thai quarantine, with a possible reinfection
9 new Covid-19 cases were detected in Thai quarantine facilities, including a patient who may have been infected with the virus a second time, or never fully recovered, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Most of the cases were army engineers travelling from South Sudan. Thailand’s total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is now at 3,700 with 3,491…
- Thailand Protest News
Court orders suspension of Thai TV news channel during political protests
The Criminal Court has agreed to suspend the Thai media company Voice TV for allegedly violating the State of Emergency orders which prohibit media content “considered to be a threat to national security”. Talk about the Voice TV shut down has been circulating on social media. It’s not the first time the network has come to the attention of the…
- Pattaya News
Pickup truck crashes into elephant as herd runs across Chon Buri road
A herd of wild elephants running across a road in Chon Buri caused a driver to crash into an elephant, damaging his Isuzu pickup truck and injuring a 20 year old passenger. 34 year old Sompong Duangknam says he was heading to the province’s Ban Ang Kraden district when a group of about 20 elephants ran out of the forest and…
- Crime News
Man arrested for allegedly abusing stray cats at Koh Phi Phi hotels
Police have arrested a 30 year old man for allegedly catching stray cats and torturing them at various hotels in Koh Phi Phi following a heads-up from Watchdog Thailand Foundation. Hotel staff cleaning up the man’s rooms found blood, cat nails and fur in the rooms as well as in the refrigerator, according to police. Chi Hang, from China, faces…
- Visa Information
41 foreign tourists to arrive in Bangkok today on Special Tourist Visa after 7 month ban
Just 41 foreign tourists are expected to arrive in Bangkok today, a small, yet major step forward after a 7 month ban on international tourists which was put in place in late-March to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The visitors are said to be travelling on the new Special Tourist Visa, which allows a 90 day stay that can…
- Covid-19 News
50% of Thailand’s population to get Covid-19 vaccine when available – Health Minister
Half the population in Thailand will be injected with the Covid-19 vaccine once it’s released and available to the public, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says. Oxford University and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca are conducting trails of the new vaccine. Thailand is planned to be the Southeast Asia production site for the new vaccine. The health minister says the vaccine…
- Thailand Protest News
Thai authorities push to ban, censor news outlets and social media
Police are now cracking down on local media outlets covering the pro-democracy protests as well as activist group Facebook pages because they are a “threat to national security”. In addition to the police’s request to ban the content, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry is attempting to censor the Telegram social media application, saying it too poses a “threat to…
- Environment News
New delivery application focuses on reducing Thailand’s food waste
The following story was sent to The Thaiger from the Yindii, a business focused on sustainability and reducing waste produced from the food industry. Yindii, a Thai anti-food-waste startup, launches a mobile application designed to match hungry, deal-seeking Bangkok residents with environmentally-conscious restaurants, grocery stores and cafes offering delicious food that could otherwise go to waste. Through its discounted “flash…
- Covid-19 News
New Covid-19 restrictions imposed to tackle Europe’s second wave
Countries across Europe are imposing new restrictions as they grapple with a second major wave of Covid-19. Worldwide, the coronavirus has now infected more than 40 million people and been responsible for the deaths of more than 1 million. In Europe, Covid-19 deaths have surpassed 250,000, making up nearly a quarter of the coronavirus deaths in the world. Whilst there…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand to be Southeast Asia production base for Oxford’s Covid-19 vaccine
Thailand is planned to be the Southeast Asia production base for Oxford University’s Covid-19 vaccine. The British-Swedish pharmaceutical company Astra-Zeneca is working with Oxford to make the vaccine, if and when it is approved, globally available and Siam Bioscience will manufacture the vaccine in Thailand. Thailand is planned to be the production base for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations,…
- Covid-19 News
5 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, some with cough symptoms
5 new Covid-19 cases were detected whilst returnees or foreigners were in quarantine, with some reporting cough symptoms, according to Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Thailand now has 3,691 confirmed Covid-19 cases with 3,488 recoveries and 59 deaths. 744 cases were detected in the mandatory state quarantine for those entering the country. 144 people are currently receiving medical treatment…
- Thailand Protest News
Pro-democracy protests grow across Thailand, plans to continue
Despite Bangkok’s State of Emergency banning public gatherings of more than 5 people, pro-democracy protesters continue to rally throughout the city every evening and are determined to do so until their demands are met. The movement, calling on the resignation of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, an end to Thailand’s military-run government and rewrite of the 2017 Charter, has spread to other…
- Crime News
Mae Sot immigration chief transferred after inmate escape
Following the escape of 2 inmates, the immigration chief in Tak’s Mae Sot district has been transferred while an investigation takes place. The 2 Uighur inmates escaped by using soap to corrode the iron cell bars. They rubbed dish soap on the cell bars routinely. Over time, the iron started to rust and they were able to break the bars.…
- Covid-19 News
New Covid-19 test in the works, quarantine could be shortened
Thailand’s mandatory quarantine for those entering the country could be reduced from 14 days to 10 days or even less if new Covid-19 testing kits are reliable, according to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. The new Covid-19 testing kits are in the process of being developed by the Public Health Ministry. Nation Thailand didn’t report on many details about the…
- Thailand Protest News
Bangkok in “State of Emergency” for 1 month, PM warns about possible curfew
For the next month, Bangkok will be in a “State of Emergency” with a ban on public gatherings of more than 5 people. If protests persist and get out of hand, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has warned today that the government will invoke a nightly curfew, prohibiting people from leaving their homes during certain hours. It should be said, that even…
- Thailand News
Train-car collision kills 1, second fatal railway crossing incident this week
A passenger train collided with a car, killing a woman and injuring 2 others at a railway crossing in Phetchaburi’s Khao Yai district last night. Just earlier this week, a freight train smashed into a charter bus, killing 18 bus passengers and injuring another 44 at a crossing by the Khlong Kwaeng Klan railway station in the Chachoengsao province. Officials…
- Thailand News
Thailand Airbnb hosts to abide by new Covid-19 cleaning measures
Now that people in Thailand are travelling domestically again and international tourists could be coming in the near future, Airbnb has consulted with Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health and come up with Covid-19 safety measures which include “new normal” policies and the 5-step “enhanced” cleaning process: prepare, clean, sanitise, check and reset. All Airbnb hosts in Thailand must make sure…
- Visa Information
Now they’re coming… Special Tourist Visa flight set for Tuesday – Tourism and Sports Minister
After much confusion and a few apparent ‘misunderstandings’, Chinese tourists on the Special Tourist Visa will actually arrive on October 20 and 26. At least that’s what Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says, according to the Bangkok Post. The first group is said to arrive 4 days from now in Bangkok (if they actually applied for the visa this…
- Crime News
Inmates escape from Thai prison using soap to rust the cell bars
2 Turkish inmates escaped from a Thailand prison in a daring, if not slippery, escape. Their main tool? Soap. They used soap to cover the bars of their cell in the Tak’s Mae Sot district. Over time, the soap caused the metal to rust and they were able to break the cell bars. Apparently, this isn’t their first cunning escape…
- Bangkok News
After protest cleared, Government House hosts first foreign minister since the Covid-19 outbreak
After all the commotion outside Bangkok’s Government House this morning, with the protest broken up by a State of Emergency order and at least 20 people arrested, Thailand welcomed the first foreign minister since the Covid-19 outbreak. China’s foreign minister Wang Yi visited PM Prayut Chan-o-cha at the Government House today, the first since the pandemic. He arrived after pro-democracy…
- Thailand Protest News
Human rights lawyer Anon Nampa arrested, flown to Chiang Mai for sedition charges
After being arrested in Bangkok early this morning, along with numerous other protesters, human rights lawyer and pro-democracy activist leader Anon Nampa is apparently being flown up to Chiang Mai to face sedition charges for allegedly criticising the Thai Monarchy at a past event in the northern province. In Bangkok today, at least 20 protesters, who intended to camp out…
- Phuket News
Phuket’s annual Vegetarian Festival expected to draw in 350 million baht
WARNING: Graphic photos and video below. After months and months of an economic slowdown induced by the coronavirus pandemic and the lack of tourists, thousands of people are expected to arrive to Phuket over the next 2 weeks to take part in the annual Vegetarian Festival. It’s expected to generate more than 350 million baht, according to the Tourism Authority…
- Covid-19 News
10 new Covid-19 cases in quarantine, only 1 reported symptoms
10 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine from those travelling from 6 different countries, tallying up Thailand’s total number of reported cases to 3,665, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The cases were found in people arriving to Thailand from Myanmar, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Italy, Lebanon and the Netherlands. Only 1 patient reported symptoms. A 33 year…
- Phuket News
“Limit the level of torturing” at Phuket’s annual Vegetarian Festival, mayor says
WARNING: Content below contains graphic images of self-mutilation that some may find disturbing. While Phuket’s annual Vegetarian Festival was given the “okay” to move forward with plans, the event will need to abide by “new normal” rules to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. So called “mah songs,” who often practice self-mutilation to enter a trance-like state and channel spirits,…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya bar ladies use YouTube to make money during pandemic – VIDEO
Can’t visit the ladies in Pattaya? Just go to YouTube and type “Pattaya bar live” in the search bar. A number of videos and live streams will come up from various bars in Pattaya. The area was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic with a ban on international tourists, battering the local economy that heavily relied on foreign visitors. But…
