leah

Leah is a translator and news writer for the Thaiger. Leah studied East Asian Religions and Thai Studies at the University of Leeds and Chiang Mai University. Leah covers crime, politics, environment, human rights, entertainment, travel and culture in Thailand and southeast Asia.
  • Thailand NewsRussia plans to install facial recognition surveillance technology in Thailand

    Russia plans to install facial recognition surveillance technology in Thailand

    Russian biometrics company ‘NtechLab’ announced plans to “enter the Thai market.” The company produces a facial recognition tool called ‘FindFace,’ which can be used to identify suspected criminals. The company is also considering moving its Asia headquarters to Thailand. The company claims that 23 countries worldwide are already using FindFace surveillance technology, sparking privacy and human rights concerns among the…

  • Pattaya NewsTwo ladyboys allegedly rob Indian tourist who rejected their ‘services’ in Pattaya

    Two ladyboys allegedly rob Indian tourist who rejected their ‘services’ in Pattaya

    An Indian tourist was robbed of 12,000 baht cash and other assets last night on Pattaya’s infamous Walking Street in Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand. He claims that two ladyboys robbed him after he rejected their “services.” At 12.16am today, 33 year old Vishal Vajbhaw went to Pattaya City Police Station to request the police’s help in tracking down the…

  • Crime NewsUPDATE: Famous Thai YouTuber ‘Nutty’ flees Thailand over 2 billion baht Forex scam accusations

    UPDATE: Famous Thai YouTuber ‘Nutty’ flees Thailand over 2 billion baht Forex scam accusations

    UPDATE Today, Thailand’s Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for 30 year old “Nutty,” the famous YouTuber, after collecting evidence that she defrauded over 6,000 victims of more than 2 billion baht. Nutty is wanted on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud the public and two other charges. The court says Nutty’s case is linked to the case of a Thai…

  • Thailand NewsThai Airways sells five Airbus A340s stored away for 13 years

    Thai Airways sells five Airbus A340s stored away for 13 years

    Thai Airways (THAI) has found a buyer for five dusty Airbus A340s which have gone unused for 13 years. Thailand’s flag carrier has sold one A340-500 and four A340-600 planes for a total of 350 million baht. The transaction is sure to help THAI on its road to financial recovery since the Bankruptcy Court approved a debt restructuring plan for…

  • Phuket News“Unruly” Aussie woman kicked off flight from Thailand to Sydney

    “Unruly” Aussie woman kicked off flight from Thailand to Sydney

    Cheers erupted from passengers when an “unruly” Australian woman was kicked off a Jetstar flight from Phuket to Sydney before take off on Sunday. The woman apparently lost it “because she wanted to sit by the window,” said one passenger. Jetstar confirmed that the woman was removed for being “disruptive and using abusive and inappropriate language.” “An unruly passenger was…

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s acting PM Prawit tells Thai police to clean their act up

    Thailand’s acting PM Prawit tells Thai police to clean their act up

    Acting Prime Minister of Thailand Prawit Wongsuwan – aka “Big Pom” – has ordered an end to corruption within the Royal Thai Police (RTP). Big Pom has wasted no time stepping up to his temporary ministerial duties after Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended Prayut Chan-o-cha from the position last week. Acting PM Prawit has taken centre stage in Thailand’s never-ending political…

  • Tourism NewsGet freebies and special offers with this app launched by Tourism Authority of Thailand

    Get freebies and special offers with this app launched by Tourism Authority of Thailand

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and partners have launched a mobile application called the “TAGTHAi Pass,” designed to be a handy tool for tourists to make the most out of their stay in the kingdom. Tourists who download the free TAGTHAi application will benefit from various freebies and deals. Not to be confused with the renounced Thailand Pass, the…

  • Tourism NewsThailand ‘tourist tax’ to come into effect next year

    Thailand ‘tourist tax’ to come into effect next year

    Starting next year, foreigners entering Thailand by plane will have to pay an entry fee of 300 baht. The “tourist tax” was originally intended to be imposed at the start of this year, but its implementation was delayed to give Thailand’s tourism industry a chance to recover from the pandemic. The fee will be introduced “next year,” according to Thailand’s…

  • Crime NewsFamous Thai YouTuber ‘Nutty’ flees Thailand over 2 billion baht Forex scam accusations

    Famous Thai YouTuber ‘Nutty’ flees Thailand over 2 billion baht Forex scam accusations

    A famous Thai YouTuber named ‘Nutty’ is nowhere to be found after she was accused of scamming victims of over 2 billion baht in a Forex scam. Nattamon “Nutty” Khongchak is believed to have defrauded over 6,000 victims. In a ‘Pinky‘ type fraud case, another Thai influencer has used their Internet fame to encourage fans to invest in a scam.…

  • Thailand NewsFallen scaffolding kills 3 year old in northern Thailand

    Fallen scaffolding kills 3 year old in northern Thailand

    A 3 year old boy was tragically killed by fallen scaffolding in Lampang province, northern Thailand, yesterday morning. Scaffolding at what appears to be an under-construction house fell on top of a 3 year old boy yesterday. The boy’s parents rang 191 and requested emergency help. Rescue workers from Lampang Rescue Association, an ambulance, and medical staff rushed to the…

  • World NewsRoyal Caribbean offers cruises to Thailand & other Asian locations in 2023

    Royal Caribbean offers cruises to Thailand & other Asian locations in 2023

    Royal Caribbean has announced a new series of Asian cruises on their ship ‘Spectrum of the Seas,’ setting sail in 2023 and 2024. Beginning in Singapore, travellers can set off on cruises for 5, 7, 9 or 12 nights, visiting various locations in Asia including Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan and Japan. Guests can choose from cruises which make stops…

  • South Thailand NewsExplosive device found hidden inside 7-Eleven in southern Thailand

    Explosive device found hidden inside 7-Eleven in southern Thailand

    An explosive device planted by suspected insurgents was discovered hidden on a shelf at a 7-Eleven convenience store in Narathiwat province in southern Thailand on Friday. Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officers rushed to the scene and successfully disposed of the bomb. On Friday, a member of staff at a 7-Eleven store in the Yee Ngor district was restocking shelves when…

  • Thailand NewsAbysmal roads causes woman to give birth inside car in NE Thailand

    Abysmal roads causes woman to give birth inside car in NE Thailand

    A woman from Surin province, northeast Thailand, was forced to give birth in a car after dire road conditions prevented her from reaching the hospital in time. Locals want to raise awareness of the sorry state of road affairs in Khok Phued village in Ban Cham subdistrict. Locals say the 2.5 kilometre stretch of “road” is the only entrance to…

  • Crime NewsUPDATE: Casino robbery in Bangkok sparks investigation into local police corruption

    UPDATE: Casino robbery in Bangkok sparks investigation into local police corruption

    UPDATE Today, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Police Division 1 Pol. Cl. Ekarat Pao-in gave an update about the Din Daeng casino robbery. Ekarat is also now acting Superintendent of Din Daeng Police Station since five Din Daeng officers are being investigated for corruption. Ekarat said that he and other officers searched the casino and “didn’t find anything at…

  • Crime NewsMan gets scammed by two escorts in one night in NE Thailand

    Man gets scammed by two escorts in one night in NE Thailand

    A man who would rather not be named says he was deceived by not one, but two prostitutes last night in Loei province in northeast Thailand. The man filed a complaint against the women at Mueang Leoi Police Station this morning but, to no one’s surprise, the police couldn’t help him. The 24 year old man from Mueang district –…

  • Thailand NewsElderly woman killed by wild elephant in eastern Thailand, 2 relatives injured

    Elderly woman killed by wild elephant in eastern Thailand, 2 relatives injured

    An elderly lady was trampled to death by a wild elephant at a rubber plantation last night in Chachoengsao province in eastern Thailand. Her daughter and granddaughter survived the attack but are badly injured. The women say they had abandoned their car to walk home because the road was undrivable after heavy rain, which is when they crossed paths with…

  • Bangkok NewsPolice save woman stuck in her own bathroom for 3 days in Bangkok, Thailand

    Police save woman stuck in her own bathroom for 3 days in Bangkok, Thailand

    Yesterday, Thai police saved a woman locked in her bathroom for three days at her home in the On Nut area of Bangkok. Believing she would die alone in the bathroom, the woman had written a chilling goodbye message on the bathroom wall. At 7.14pm, officers from Phra Nakhon Police Station received a call from a woman – Ms. A…

  • Crime NewsCasino robbery in Bangkok sparks investigation into local police corruption

    Casino robbery in Bangkok sparks investigation into local police corruption

    CCTV footage taken in the early hours of Tuesday morning reveals a man stealing 300,000 baht cash from an illegal casino in the Din Daeng area of Bangkok. The man, known as “Mack Anusaoree,” stole the money after gambling away more than one million baht, allegedly. Mack Anusaoree – “Mack Victory” – raided the gambling den on Soi Pracha Songkhro…

  • Crime NewsThailand prepares for influx of foreign criminals this High Season

    Thailand prepares for influx of foreign criminals this High Season

    Thailand is a known beacon for fugitives attempting to slip under the radar. Thai police are worried that when tourist arrivals spike in high season – between October and February – that the country will also see an influx of foreign criminals. Thai police are working with embassies all over the world to set plans in case foreign crooks slip…

  • Thailand NewsNorthern Thailand’s Chiang Mai Zoo conducts emergency ostrich escape drill

    Northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai Zoo conducts emergency ostrich escape drill

    Ostriches may be flightless birds but they’re still considered a flight risk at Chiang Mai Zoo. In an emu-sing drill conducted on Tuesday afternoon, zoo staff simulated an ostrich escape situation to ensure that they are well prepared in case one of the big birds flees its nest. Although the man in the ostrich costume may not look overly menacing,…

  • Bangkok NewsMore concrete falls onto ‘cursed’ Rama II Road in Bangkok, Thailand

    More concrete falls onto ‘cursed’ Rama II Road in Bangkok, Thailand

    Netizens are starting to think that that Bangkok’s Rama II Road is cursed. Yesterday at 11.53am, a slab of broken concrete hanging directly over the busy road fell from a U-turn bridge near Wat Phrom Rangsi temple onto the highway. It is the fourth time heavy construction materials have fallen onto the road in less than two months. No injuries…

  • World NewsHong Konger stuck in Myanmar pleads for help after being kidnapped in Thailand

    Hong Konger stuck in Myanmar pleads for help after being kidnapped in Thailand

    A man from Hong Kong has contacted an anti-trafficking NGO pleading for help. He says he is currently detained and being forced to work as a scammer in Myanmar after he was kidnapped in Thailand. The man, 30 year old John, says he has been trapped for three months so far, and “escape is not an option.” John said he…

  • Crime NewsMan kicked out by his wife shot dead by police in central Thailand

    Man kicked out by his wife shot dead by police in central Thailand

    Police shot a man dead at a police station in Nakhon Pathom province, central Thailand, last night. Police said he stole an officer’s gun and started firing shots in the car park, so they shot him eight times in the head and body. Police said the man came to Nakhon Chai Si Police Station for help around midday yesterday after…

  • Politics NewsWho is Thailand’s new acting Prime Minister, Prawit Wongsuwan?

    Who is Thailand’s new acting Prime Minister, Prawit Wongsuwan?

    Today, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan was asked to step in as acting PM of Thailand after the Constitutional Court voted to suspend PM Prayut Chan-o-cha from his duties. The court has suspended PM Prayut until they make a final verdict about whether his premiership hit the constitutional eight-year limit today, August 24, 2022. The court’s decision is expected to…

  • World NewsDomino’s Japan delivers pizza to summit of Mt. Fuji

    Domino’s Japan delivers pizza to summit of Mt. Fuji

    A Domino’s Japan delivery driver went to extreme lengths to deliver a pizza to a hungry hiker at the summit of Mt. Fuji, the country’s tallest peak at 3,776 metres. The delivery fee amounted to the equivalent of almost 1,000 baht, which seems modest considering it took the Domino’s guy almost six hours to walk up the active volcano to…

  • Bangkok NewsBTS offers assistance to victims but says escalator crush was “out of their control”

    BTS offers assistance to victims but says escalator crush was “out of their control”

    The BTS Skytrain is offering “assistance” to anyone who was injured in the escalator crush which occurred at BTS Surasak Station in Bangkok on Saturday night. The statement was made yesterday by the Chief Operating Director of the BTS Sumit Srisantithum, who said the incident was “beyond the BTS’s control.” As a crowd of people crammed into BTS Surasak Station…

  • Thailand NewsIs time up for Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha?

    Is time up for Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha?

    Yesterday, several emotive but peaceful protests were held around Bangkok calling for Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to stand down. One protestor with a painted face stood outside Bangkok City Hall last night holding a sign that read… “Let it stop at 8 years. The Prime Minister is unconstitutional! Prayut, get out.” Protestors insist that Prayut’s time in office runs…

  • Thailand NewsMan trampled to death by wild elephants in Hua Hin, Thailand

    Man trampled to death by wild elephants in Hua Hin, Thailand

    Last night, a villager was trampled to death by wild elephants on a road just outside the boundary of Kaeng Krachan National Park in Hua Hin district, Prachuap Khiri Khan province. This morning, Director of the National Park Pichai Watcharawongpaiboon was informed that a local man had been found dead and suspected to have been trampled on by wild elephants.…

  • Bangkok NewsBugatti in Bangkok: 1 of 20 limited edition sports cars spotted cruising in Thailand

    Bugatti in Bangkok: 1 of 20 limited edition sports cars spotted cruising in Thailand

    One of only 20 Bugatti Chiron Sport 110 Ans in the world, valued at US$3.2 million, was spotted cruising around the mean streets of Bangkok on Sunday. Let’s just hope the driver has insurance. The Bugatti, which sports a Cambodian registration plate that reads ‘BOSS,’ is allegedly owned by a Cambodian businessman who is the son of a politician. The…

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s Central Group finalises acquisition of luxury retail chain Selfridges

    Thailand’s Central Group finalises acquisition of luxury retail chain Selfridges

    Thailand’s Central Group and Signa Holding have finalised their deal to acquire luxury retailer Selfridges Group from the Canadian Weston family. Selfridges is famous for its iconic luxury department store on London’s Oxford Street. The Central Group has been operating for 75 years and is owned by the billionaire Chirathivat family, who sits at No.5 on Forbes Thailand’s 50 Richest…