Caitlin Ashworth
- Hot News
Ambulance explodes just before patient is loaded
An ambulance exploded in front of a Central Thailand hospital just moments before a patient was being moved into the vehicle. Fortunately, no one was injured and the medical team moved the patient away from the scene in time. But Thai media says if the explosion happened just seconds later, it would’ve been a different story. The driver had just…
- Business News
Thai exports hit new low, pandemic to blame
Thailand’s exports have dropped drastically and the Thai Ministry of Commerce blames the coronavirus pandemic for the low levels and the shrinking supply and demand market. In a report released yesterday, exports for May are the lowest they’ve been in 4 years. Worldwide lockdowns have caused production in Thailand to take a plunge, according to the director-general of the commerce…
- Business News
NokScoot downsizes, airlines ask for financial help
Travel restrictions and flight cancellations across the globe have caused once busy sky traffic to go quiet as airlines are taking a battering from the coronavirus outbreak. Less of the bird-like, yellow beaked planes will be in the air as the popular budget airline NokScoot just announced it’s downsizing their fleet and laying off employees to try and keep the…
- Covid-19 News
Potential low-risk countries to reboot Thailand inbound travel
Thailand’s borders could be opened to New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Taiwan and certain cities in China. Those areas are now deemed to have a low-risk for spreading the coronavirus and being looked into as potential countries for the ‘travel bubble’ scheme. In an tourism agreement with the low-risk countries, foreigners would be allowed to enter the country, but with restrictions.…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok school accused of cafeteria corruption by watchdog group
One Bangkok school is under fire after it was revealed that ‘free’ milk is being sold for 5 baht a cup and the provided breakfast is just cheap instant noodles. The Thai Anti-Corruption Club Facebook page has been posting photos of the cheap breakfast and has sparked discussion about where the money allocated for student food is going. Napat Food…
- Crime News
Runner hospitalised, claims his water-bottle was poisoned
A man took a swig from his water bottle after he went on a run at a Nonthaburi park, northwest of Bangkok, and later ended up at the hospital with symptoms of a stroke. He says he believes it was from poison in his water bottle. The man had set his water bottle down at the Makut Rommayasaran Park. After…
- Tourism News
July Songkran plans pushed back to later in the year
People won’t be throwing or spraying water on each other next month. Celebrations for Thailand’s New Year – Songkran – were rumoured to be moved from April to July, but a 3 day soaking wet holiday might not happen until later this year. The large water celebrations could even be separated to be on non-consecutive days, according to a source in…
- Northern Thailand News
Garbage collectors find a bag full of meth
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. A black rubbish bag thrown into rubbish bins wasn’t your typical garbage. Police say the bag, picked up by a garbage truck in Northeast Thailand, was full of methamphetamine pills. Along with 78,000 methamphetamine pills, police say the bag contained 2 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, or ice. Police say the bag may have…
- Crime News
Pregnant woman dies in hit-and-run, police search for driver
A pregnant woman was killed in a hit-and-run road accident over the weekend. Bangkok police are looking for the driver of a black Volvo that sped off after hitting a motorcycle from behind. The woman was 5 months pregnant. She was riding on a motorcycle with her boyfriend when the car hit them from behind. Thai media says the woman…
- Crime News
Police arrest man for running motorbike theft operation
The leader of an alleged motorbike-stealing gang was arrested yesterday in Southern Thailand. Police also seized 16 motorbikes that had been stolen from various districts in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Udomchai Sukyoi, who went by the name Sua Om, was arrested at a hotel in the province. Police found vehicle registration books, which Sukyoi allegedly kept as collateral while gang members…
- Bangkok News
Grab teams up with farmers for fresh fruit delivery service
Local produce farmers and merchants are getting some help distributing fresh fruits from Grab Thailand. The company already has a smart phone application for ride-sharing and food delivery. Now fresh produce will be delivered through GrabMart’s Farmers’ Market feature. At the moment, the fresh fruit delivery is only available in Bangkok with distribution centres at the Or Tor Kor Market…
- Northern Thailand News
Police ask man not to wear a shirt critical of the Thai monarchy
A man had decided to wear a shirt displaying text that says he lost faith in the Thai monarchy. Not surprisingly, he received a knock on his door from police officers. Thai Lawyers for Human Rights posted on their Facebook about the incident, saying the man was told not to wear the shirt again as it could cause “social chaos…
- Hua Hin News
Provincial employee arrested for allegedly stealing millions in government funds
A woman allegedly stole 33 million baht in government funds over the course of a year, using some of it support her gambling addiction. 28 year old Kanitha Hoythong, who worked in the finance and accounting section of the Prachuap Khiri Khan provincial offices, was arrested on charges of misappropriation and forging government documents. Hoythong allegedly forged signatures of authorised…
- Hot News
Durian sends 6 to hospital due to smelly ‘mystery’ package
Durian is smelly. So smelly that those unfamiliar with the pungent stench called emergency services to a post office in Germany, evacuating the entire building and sending a 6 people to the hospital. Post office workers in Schweinfurt noticed a smell coming from a package. Around 60 employees evacuated the building. Police, firefighters from 3 different departments and emergency services…
- Covid-19 News
Price spike for Thai latex, condoms and medical gloves in demand
It’s clear the coronavirus pandemic has lead to a surge in demand for plastic gloves, but demand has also increased for condoms (locked up for 2 months, blah, blah…). The high demand has increased the price of latex and business is booming for companies in Thailand. Malaysia had a significant drop in natural rubber production and The Thai Rubber Latex Corporation…
- Covid-19 News
CCSA officials plan to allow 7 groups of foreigners to enter Thailand
Authorities are still trying to figure out who will be allowed to enter Thailand, and how it should be handled. But today the government narrowed it down to 7 groups of foreigners, some under the developing ‘travel bubble’ scheme, and others that may require quarantine. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration still plans to discuss the proposed groups with government…
- Covid-19 News
Thousands of curfew violators arrested in 72-day span
Police arrested more than 40,000 people for breaking the nightly curfew which lasted 72 days. An average of 582 people were arrested per day during the restriction period, police say. Many people intercepted simply didn’t have a good reason for being out of their home late at night, according to police. They say a common reason for breaching curfew was…
- Environment News
More sea turtles lay eggs on Koh Samui
It’s been years since sea turtles have been seen laying eggs on Koh Samui beaches. But this year more than a dozen sea turtle nests have popped up around the island’s coast. Just over the weekend, 70 eggs were found by villagers at Laem So beach by the Ban Sai Ree Hotel. It’s rare for the turtles to come to…
- World News
Welcome to Cambodia! Bring your wallet.
If you’re thinking about planning a trip to Cambodia soon, reconsider, unless you’re willing to put down US$3,000, a fortune for a backpacker in Southeast Asia. The country wants foreigners to make the deposit at a local bank upon entering to make sure any potential medical or quarantine costs can be met. And that’s just the start. Even if you…
- Covid-19 News
Health minister is in the front of the line for the first human dose of Thai-made vaccine
Guess who called first dibs on the locally brewed coronavirus vaccine? Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Apparently he wants to be the first person to try out the vaccine the Chulalongkorn University’s National Vaccine Institute has been working on. If he goes through with it, Charnvirakul would be next up for a jab after the monkeys. The National Primate Research…
- Crime News
224 arrested in another Mae Sot gambling raid
Police raided a large and sophisticated online gambling operation, arresting more than 200 people at a hotel in the Mae Sot district in Northern Thailand, close to the Burmese border, as part of an on-going investigation into Chinese-related online gambling. Apparently, there was a crackdown on the illegal gambling in the Myanmar town Myawaddy, causing those involved to flee to…
- Covid-19 News
Musicians want to get back on the mic
Can we have music again? Musicians are asking for restrictions to be lifted so they can hold night performances and get back to work. Around 50 musicians petitioned the Thai PM, asking that night entertainment venues reopen by next week. Bars are still closed as social gathering mixed with alcohol might be too risky right now. But many bars and…
- Bangkok News
Woman runs drug syndicate from Bangkok prison
Police cracked down on a drug network allegedly and discovered that it was being run by a female inmate in the Bangkok Remand Prison, using a gold shop to launder more than 3 billion baht in illegal drug money. The woman, Daorueng Somsaeng, as well as 9 other inmates in various jails and prisons across Thailand, are facing money laundering…
- Environment News
Clean up Bangkok waterways: Report on littering, get paid
Need some extra cash? Catch someone dumping garbage into Bangkok canals and half the money in fines will go to you. The effort is to clean up the so-called “Venice of East” which has so much trash, city officials say it’s scary. The maximum fine is 10,000 baht, so potentially you could get up to 5,000 baht for one report. To…
- Covid-19 News
Resorts lower prices, offer promos for post-pandemic holidays
Hotels are ready to face off. After months of vacant rooms, prices are being cut to entice domestic tourists to book a post-pandemic holiday. Now provincial restrictions have been mostly removed Depending on the province and risk of coronavirus transmissions, some hotels were ordered to close their doors completely. Now restrictions are being lifted and domestic travel is picking up…
- Covid-19 News
Travel bubble idea up in the air, no foreign tourists anytime soon
Don’t get your hopes up about international travel. Tourism in and out of Thailand won’t be happening anytime soon, officials said yesterday. The idea of “travel bubbles” has floated by, but the plans are still up in the air. The public health minister says he’ll propose a solid plan next week. The Thai government is making it clear that they…
- Covid-19 News
Locals support young tourist stuck at Phrae forest retreat
A lot has happened in the past 4 months. Imagine being away from it all and staying in a forest in northern Thailand, picking mulberries. That’s what happened to an 18 year old Polish woman. She’s been stuck at a Phrae forest retreat since February. She’s secluded at the Mulberry Farm Denchai. The retreat’s Facebook page says the it’s for…
- Northern Thailand News
Teacher sends questionnaire to students asking for their phone passwords and social media accounts
…and the school has since been forced to apologise. A teacher in Chiang Rai asked students to hand over passwords to their social media accounts and phones. But many have criticised the teacher saying it overstepped privacy boundaries. The school has since apologised and imposed stricter rules. The teacher gave students a questionnaire, asking them to fill out information about…
- Covid-19 News
Billions of baht thrown at domestic tourism
The coronavirus pandemic has nearly killed tourism in Thailand. Now, Thai authorities are giving some life to domestic travel by rewarding health volunteers with a free holiday as well as subsidising hotel and transportation costs. 3 stimulus packages worth 22.4 billion baht are planned to boost up the industry and are set to run from July to October. The money comes…
- Hot News
Couple wins millions in lottery, husband’s age is the lucky number
Usually people hope just 1 of their lottery tickets will end up being a winner. A couple in Central Thailand had their lucky day when all 4 of their tickets brought in millions, adding up to a total of 24 million baht. On Monday, 60 year old Bunruan, a local teacher at Nakhon Sawan’s Wat Pho Si Temple School, and…
