Caitlin Ashworth
- Visa Information
Get a new stamp! Foreigners on a current 30 day visa extension can stay until November 30
Details are emerging about the new visa amnesty that was announced by the Thai PM and the CCSA yesterday afternoon. Foreigners who recently paid 1,900 baht for a 30 day visa extension are now clear to stay in Thailand until November 30 at no extra cost, but those foreigners need to report to immigration to get their visa stamp corrected.…
- Bangkok News
Explosion at new oil refinery kills 2 technicians
An explosion at a Central Thailand oil refinery killed 2 people while technicians were testing out new machines. The GRD Energy oil refinery in Samut Sakhon, just southwest of Bangkok, is less than 2 months old and refines old motor oil into industrial fuel. 8 staff members were working at the refinery this morning, conducting tests on new machinery this…
- Thailand News
Foreign teachers checked by immigration at Sarasas school after alleged student abuse
A foreign English teacher at a Sarasas private school in Nonthaburi was allegedly caught working without a proper visa and work permit after an immigration check. An investigation into all 42 Sarasas schools was prompted after a Thai teacher at the Sarasas Witaed Ratchapreauk School in Nonthaburi was allegedly caught on camera beating kindergarten students. A Filipino English teacher at…
- Visa Information
The first tourists to arrive next week on the Special Tourist Visa
The first group of foreigners under the new Special Tourist Visa will be arriving to Thailand next week after a 6 month travel ban on international tourists. About 120 people are set to fly from Guangzhou, China and land in Phuket on October 8. As some would say, at least it’s a start! The new tourist visa scheme comes after…
- Chiang Mai News
Russian man allegedly stabs Chiang Mai park officer, tries to break into tourist bungalow
A Russian man has been arrested after he allegedly tried to break into tourist bungalows and stealing property at a Chiang Mai national park and stabbed a park officer with a pair of scissors. The incident follows months of complaints from Thai tourists at the national park reporting missing property. Thai media reports the 32 year old Russian man as…
- Crime News
5 arrested in Pattaya with machine gun and crystal meth
Police arrested 5 people, including juveniles, who were allegedly carrying a machine gun, a handgun and bullets as well as crystal methamphetamine and ecstasy. One suspect allegedly told police he needed the machine gun to protect himself from a “powerful enemy.” Police say all of the suspects tested positive for methamphetamine use. The car was passing through a police checkpoint…
- Crime News
All 42 Sarasas private schools to be investigated after teacher allegedly beat students
All of the 42 Sarasas private schools throughout Thailand will be investigated by the Office of the Private Education Commission, or OPEC, after a teacher was caught on camera allegedly hitting kindergarten students. The teacher, Ornuma “Khru Jum” Plodprong, allegedly beat young students at the Sarasas Witaed Ratchaphruek School in Nonthaburi, a suburb in Bangkok on the western banks of…
- Crime News
Former party-list MP candidate convicted of drug smuggling, sentenced to 50 years in prison
A former party-list MP candidate is sentenced to 50 years in prison for smuggling crystal methamphetamine. Suban Mahachanon was on the MP candidate list for Seri Ruam Thai Party in the March 2019 election, but his bid was unsuccessful. Just a few months later, he arrested for drug trafficking a large amount of methamphetamine into the Philippines. Suban was busted…
- Thailand News
Strong winds “blow” shipping container off a stack and onto a truck, injuring the driver
A truck driver was critically injured after strong winds from last night’s storms caused a shipping container to fall from a 7 storey stack at the Samut Prakan port, south of Bangkok, and smash down onto an 18 wheel truck with the driver inside. Workers rushed to pull the driver, Raphin Noiwanit, out of the crushed truck. They say he…
- Thailand News
Dengue fever antibodies might contribute to Thailand’s low Covid-19 count
Antibodies from dengue fever might raise immunity against Covid-19, according to study done in Brazil. It suggests a correlation between the mosquito transmitted illness and the coronavirus, citing lower Covid-19 cases in areas with past dengue outbreaks, like south east Asia. Thai doctor Manoon Leechawengwongs says this might be why Thailand has significantly less Covid-19 cases than other countries around…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok heist nets gold ornaments valued at 5.6 million baht
Police are searching for a man who allegedly robbed a Bangkok gold shop at gunpoint, stealing gold ornaments valued around 5.6 million baht. The man allegedly pointed a gun at employees, forcing them to hand over 3 trays of gold ornaments. The Yaowarat Krungthep shop is located at the entrance of Tesco Lotus in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district. Since the…
- Thailand News
1,202 gambling websites to be blocked in Thailand
Thailand is cracking down on online gambling websites. Internet providers will have 15 days to block 1,202 gambling websites before charges are pressed for violating Thailand’s Computer Crime Act. Although gambling is technically illegal in Thailand, underground and online gambling thrives in pockets of the country. The Digital Economy and Society Ministry was ordered by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to crack…
- Thailand News
Nonthaburi teacher allegedly beat students, witnesses may face charges -VIDEO
After a private school teacher in Nonthaburi was caught on camera allegedly beating kindergarten students, education officials are looking to press charges on every teacher that witnessed the alleged abuse and did not step in to stop her. A surveillance camera footage at the Sarasas Witaed Ratchaphruek School shows the teacher pushing the 3 year old student down to the…
- Visa Information
Update on rumoured extension of Thailand’s visa amnesty
UPDATE: There has been no confirmation of the rumour that was circulating earlier today. Some publications even said it was a “done thin” but that is not true. The latest developments… Speaking to khaosodenglish.com, Col. Phakkhaphong Saiubon told them that an extension should be officially announced this week and that “those who failed to renew their stay after the September…
- Northern Thailand News
PM to tackle Northern Thailand’s seasonal haze… again
The Thai prime minister says he’s working on a plan to tackle Northern Thailand’s seasonal haze problem by cutting back manmade bushfires known to largely contribute to the air pollution. The issue has been broadly covered in Thai and foreign media for years, and been followed up with ministerial visits, promises, and little else. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha spoke with governors…
- Economy News
Deputy PM says 2 years until Thailand’s economy is back to normal
It’s going to be another 2 years until Thailand’s economy is back on track, according to Deputy PM Supattanapong Punmeechaow. At least that’s the amount of time he expects it will take to get the economy back to “normal levels” from before the coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus crisis crippled economies across the globe. The Covid-19 pandemic is already the worst…
- Covid-19 News
2 returnees in quarantine catch Covid-19 a second time
Health officials say 2 people in state quarantine tested positive for Covid-19, apparently catching the virus for a second time. A 42 year old Thai man recently tested positive for Covid-19 while in Chon Buri state quarantine after returning from Singapore. He first caught the virus a few months ago while in Singapore. He didn’t need hospital treatment and quarantined…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya men allegedly posed as police officers, extorted 50,000 baht from a woman
A group of 4 men in Pattaya allegedly posed as police officers and extorted 50,000 baht from a woman. The 20 year old woman says the men claiming to be police officers raided her condominium and a friend visiting had drugs in his possession. In the report filed with Pattaya City Police, the woman says the men asked both her…
- Crime News
Facebook, Twitter may face charges for allegedly allowing lèse majesté content
Facebook and Twitter could face charges for failing to block so called lèse majesté posts that allegedly violate Thailand’s Computer Crime Act. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society says the social media platforms were warned about Thailand’s laws regarding content that insults the Thai Monarchy or threatens national security and peace, but failed to remove all the illegal posts.…
- Thailand News
982 lèse majesté social media posts cited in police complaint
Nearly 1,000 so called lèse majesté posts on social media have been cited in a police complaint for allegedly violating Thailand’s Computer Crime Act, some allegedly criticising and insulting the Thai Monarchy. The complaints were filed by Digital Economy and Society Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta. The police report says the social media posts were shared during the pro-democracy protest over the…
- Economy News
70% of Phuket’s tourism businesses are closed, many for good
Most tourism businesses in Phuket have closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and they probably won’t be up and running again until foreign tourists are let back in Thailand. Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew says around 70% of tourism businesses have closed, most of them just temporarily, but some have shut down permanently. But the statistics are not quite that simple,…
- Road deaths
Bangkok DJ dies in high speed crash on notorious ‘death road’
A well known local DJ died early this morning in a high speed car crash on a Bangkok road bend nicknamed “Curve of 100 Deaths.” Police say his car’s speedometer was found stuck at 200 kilometres per hour. Police suspect 33 year old Annop Poonsripattana was going around a curve when he lost control of the car due to the…
- Thailand News
But it was my idea! Thai producer loses battle for Ultraman superhero copyright
A Thai producer says he came up with the superhero “Ultraman,” but he recently lost a battle with a Japanese special effects studio over the copyright. The Thailand Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the owner of the Thai Chaiyo Productions Company Limited who tried to claim copyright for the superhero films which date back to the 1960s. Owner of the…
- Thailand News
New army chief declares he’ll protect Thailand’s monarchy and restore peace
At a time of mass pro-democracy protests, with some activists facing charges for criticising the role of the Thai head of state, the new army chief says he pledges to restore peace and protect the country’s monarchy. In a ceremony formerly saying farewell to retiring generals, incoming army chief Narongphan Jitkaewtae said he would restore peace and be loyal to the Thai Monarchy.…
- Thailand News
Empire strikes back: Thai royalists oppose constitution changes
Just after proposed constitutional amendments, backed by pro-democracy supporters, were submitted to the Thai parliament, the Thai Pakdee royalist group filed a petition with 130,000 signatures saying they are against making changes to the constitution. Pro-democracy activists have been demanding a rewrite of the Thai constitution at protests over the past few months. The nonprofit organisation Internet Law Reform Dialogue,…
- Thailand News
Woman allegedly shot husband until gun ran out of bullets
A woman allegedly shot her husband multiple times until her gun ran out of bullets, killing him. When police arrived, 33 year old Julalak Longlalerng had a gun in her hand and was holding her 11 month old child. She told police the baby was not near the shooting. The husband’s body was found outside the house in Trang. Police say…
- Thailand News
Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chachoengsao join UNESCO’s learning cities
3 cities in Thailand recently joined UNESCO’s membership of so called “learning cities” which are said to promote “lifelong learning” and sustainable development. Chachoengsao, Chiang Mai and Phuket joined the UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities. Altogether, 55 cities from 27 countries, adding up to 230 cities in 64 countries around the world, according to UNESCO. “These cities are outstanding examples…
- Crime News
2 million methamphetamine pills found in parked truck
Police found more than 2 million methamphetamine pills in a truck parked at petrol station at Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Bang Saphan Noy district. Police are still looking for the driver. The Narcotics Suppression Bureau alerted local police about a truck in the area suspected of trafficking drugs. Police spotted a truck that matched the description and saw it turning in…
- Thailand News
Loose electrical wire causes passing motorbike to burst into flames – VIDEO
A hanging electrical wire caused a passing motorbike to burst into flames, injuring a 25 year old and a 15 year old. Pathum Thani locals had put 2 chairs out in the road as a warning for the hanging wire. But the chairs weren’t enough to signal the motorbike driver to change lanes. The 25 year old teacher drove straight into…
- Crime News
240 kilograms of marijuana found in truck after police chase, driver still on the run
Border patrol officers chased a pickup truck and seized 240 kilograms of marijuana they say was smuggled across the Thai-Laos border. In the chase, the driver allegedly drove into oncoming traffic, hitting another car before ditching his vehicle and running off. Officers say they believe the marijuana was smuggled across the Mekong River from Laos and then it was piled…
