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.
  • South Thailand NewsCar bomb explodes at police apartments in southern Thailand, 1 dead, 20 injured

    Car bomb explodes at police apartments in southern Thailand, 1 dead, 20 injured

    At least one police officer was killed in a car bomb explosion at a housing compound for police in Narathiwat province in southern Thailand at midday today. At least 20 more people were injured in the blast. A man dressed as a police officer was seen driving a pickup truck into the compound before the car bomb exploded at around…

  • Thailand NewsTwo Czech tourists seriously injured in road accident in southern Thailand

    Two Czech tourists seriously injured in road accident in southern Thailand

    A pickup truck crashed into two Czech tourists crossing a dimly lit road in Phang Nha province in southern Thailand last night. Both of the tourists are seriously injured. At 7.30pm, officers from Khao Lak Police Station were informed that a car hit and injured pedestrians in front of Pee Ann’s restaurants on the Phetchakasem Road in the Khuk Kak…

  • Thailand NewsGood citizens return lost leopard cat to national park in northern Thailand

    Good citizens return lost leopard cat to national park in northern Thailand

    A baby leopard cat who strayed away from Nam Nao National Park in Phetchabun province, northern Thailand, has returned home with the help of some good citizens. Yesterday, the Office of Conservation Area 11 posted photos of an adorable, tiny, striped leopard kitten on Facebook with the caption… “We appreciate the good citizens who brought the #leopardcat (Prionailurus bengalensis), a…

  • Pattaya NewsFarang man brutally assaults Thai girlfriend in Pattaya, Thailand

    Farang man brutally assaults Thai girlfriend in Pattaya, Thailand

    A farang man stamped on his young Thai girlfriend until she was seriously injured in the early hours of the morning in Pattaya, Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand. At 4.30am, staff from Sawang Boriboon Thammsat Rescue Foundation received a report of an assault at a house in Nong Prue district in Bang Lamung district. At the scene, rescue workers found…

  • Pattaya NewsChinese man operates illegal hairdressers in plain sight in Pattaya, Thailand

    Chinese man operates illegal hairdressers in plain sight in Pattaya, Thailand

    Immigration Police arrested a Chinese man and four foreign employees for operating an illegal hairdresser’s shop in the middle of Pattaya city in Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand. The Chinese owner claims he didn’t know that hairdressing was a career strictly reserved for Thai people. Under the Foreign Business Act, certain occupations in Thailand are strictly prohibited for foreigners and…

  • World NewsEarthquake kills at least 46 in Indonesia

    Earthquake kills at least 46 in Indonesia

    A 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck West Java in Indonesia this afternoon, killing at least 46 people. Over 700 injuries have been reported so far. The death toll is likely to rise, according to the Indonesian Disaster Agency. The quake struck in Cianjur, about 100 kilometres southeast of Jakarta, at a depth of 10 kilometres and lasted for about one minute.…

  • Crime NewsMeth addict kills and cooks pet dog that ‘ate his thoughts’ in northeast Thailand

    Meth addict kills and cooks pet dog that ‘ate his thoughts’ in northeast Thailand

    A meth addict killed and cooked his pet dog which he said was “eating his thoughts” yesterday in Udon Thani province in northeast Thailand. In a Yaba (“crazy drug”)-induced psychotic episode, 24 year old Manat [surname withheld] beat his dog’s head with a shovel until it was dead, chopped up its body into pieces, and cooked it into a stew.…

  • Crime NewsCheating husband shoots wife in the head live on Facebook in southern Thailand

    Cheating husband shoots wife in the head live on Facebook in southern Thailand

    A cheating husband shot dead his wife after she caught him in bed with three women in Nakhon Si Thammarat province in southern Thailand yesterday. When she caught him, she went live on Facebook and scolded him, making him so angry that he shot her in the head. The incident was also clearly captured by CCTV. At 6.30am, officers from Mueang…

  • Crime NewsSon finds mother’s corpse stuffed into a freezer in northern Thailand

    Son finds mother’s corpse stuffed into a freezer in northern Thailand

    Mystery surrounds the suspected murder of a Thai woman whose body was found stuffed into a freezer behind her own home in Phitsanulok province in northern Thailand on Saturday. Officers from Wat Bot Police Station rushed to a home in Wat Pak Sak village after they were informed that a woman’s decaying body was found in a freezer by her…

  • Visa InformationChinese man overstays visa in Thailand for 7 years over ‘cult’ beliefs

    Chinese man overstays visa in Thailand for 7 years over ‘cult’ beliefs

    Immigration police arrested a Chinese man at a condo in Bangkok this morning who overstayed his visa by over seven years (2,662 days). He said he wanted to stay in Thailand because his religious beliefs are not accepted in China. In the early hours of this morning, plain-clothed immigration officials – one wearing a “rasta baby” T-shirt – were patrolling the Bang…

  • Thailand Protest NewsRiot police use tear gas and fire rubber bullets at protesters in Bangkok, Thailand

    Riot police use tear gas and fire rubber bullets at protesters in Bangkok, Thailand

    Riot police fired rubber bullets and used tear gas against unarmed protesters trying to march to the APEC Summit in Bangkok this morning. At least ten protesters were arrested. The People Stop APEC 2022 group attempted to march from Lan Khon Mueang Town Square to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre where the APEC Summit is currently being held from…

  • Thailand NewsAir Canada to launch direct flights to Thailand next month

    Air Canada to launch direct flights to Thailand next month

    Air Canada will launch direct flights to Thailand next month. A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner will service the route, flying between Bangkok and Vancouver four days per week. It will be the first direct service linking North America and Thailand in 10 years. Canada’s flag carrier will fly between Vancouver International Airport and Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.…

  • Thailand NewsMan says his leg was amputated without permission in Thailand

    Man says his leg was amputated without permission in Thailand

    A Thai man who says his leg was amputated without his permission requested help from the Lawyers Council of Thailand on Wednesday after a failed lawsuit. The patient told lawyers he went to the hospital to receive treatment for a wound on the sole of his foot. He underwent surgery and stayed in the hospital for seven days to be monitored.…

  • Thailand Protest NewsAPEC 2022: Protesters clash with riot police in Bangkok, Thailand

    APEC 2022: Protesters clash with riot police in Bangkok, Thailand

    Riot police clashed with protesters at Asoke Intersection in Bangkok this afternoon as world leaders gather in the Thai capital for the APEC Summit 2022. Due to road closures, the intersection is the closest the public can get to the summit which is being held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre from November 16-19. Police ramped up security in…

  • Thailand NewsBody of missing French tourist found in southern Thailand

    Body of missing French tourist found in southern Thailand

    The body of the 34 year old French tourist who went missing on Saturday has been found in a crevice on the side of Phanthurat Mountain in Surat Thani province in southern Thailand. Cyril Gollino is believed to have fallen off a cliff into the deep gorge. Police said they will need to abseil down the mountainside to retrieve his body,…

  • Thailand NewsPolice auction off water buffaloes seized from drug dealer in northeast Thailand

    Police auction off water buffaloes seized from drug dealer in northeast Thailand

    Thai police confiscated 16 water buffaloes from a drug kingpin in Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast Thailand, and sold them at auction today for almost 390,100 baht (US$10,882). Earlier this month, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) seized 4.2 million baht in assets from “Yutt Nong Ya Khao,” the kingpin of a drug trafficking network in Isaan. The court…

  • Thailand NewsSearch continues for French tourist missing in Thailand

    Search continues for French tourist missing in Thailand

    The search for the missing French tourist believed to be lost in the jungle in Surat Thani province in southern Thailand continues today after it was temporarily called off last night due to heavy rains. He was last seen six days ago. Three witnesses provided useful testimony which has helped police to narrow down their search. Frenchman Gollino Cyrit Tizzlano…

  • South Thailand NewsTwo petrol stations bombed in southern Thailand

    Two petrol stations bombed in southern Thailand

    Two petrol stations in Pattani province in southern Thailand were bombed yesterday evening. No one was killed or seriously injured. Police believe the attacks were carried out by insurgents and possibly in retaliation to an incident on November 7 when the police killed an insurgent who bombed a petrol station in Pattani. There were seven warrants out for his arrest…

  • Technology NewsGoogle Wallet launches in Thailand

    Google Wallet launches in Thailand

    Google Wallet just launched in Thailand. Google Wallet is a free mobile payment system that allows users to make quick, contactless payments from their smartphone or smartwatch. Boarding passes, concert tickets and loyalty cards can also be stored in the virtual wallet. When you add your credit/debit cards to Google Wallet, you can tap to pay anywhere Google Pay is…

  • Thailand NewsThai airline oversells tickets on domestic flight causing passengers to miss wedding

    Thai airline oversells tickets on domestic flight causing passengers to miss wedding

    Four passengers looking forward to a wedding sadly didn’t make it in time after a Thai airline allegedly oversold tickets on a domestic flight from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok to Udon Thani in northeast Thailand this morning. At 8am, Phaiboon Sawanprai – a subdistrict chief from Rayong province – told reporters that he had bought four valid plane tickets via…

  • World NewsThailand pushes digital payments, rejects US dollar in move towards cashless society

    Thailand pushes digital payments, rejects US dollar in move towards cashless society

    The Bank of Thailand and central banks in four more southeast Asian countries are creating a cross-border payment zone using QR codes so that southeast Asians can make international payments digitally without having to convert and reconvert to US dollars. The bank hopes to bolster the use of digital payments to halve the amount of cash in circulation in Thailand…

  • Crime NewsBritish sex offender extradited from Thailand imprisoned in Scotland

    British sex offender extradited from Thailand imprisoned in Scotland

    UPDATE The British man who fled to Thailand after being convicted of possessing over 60,000 indecent images of children in 2014 has been imprisoned in Scotland. On Monday, Hamilton Sheriff Court jailed 46 year old William Dempster, from Tayside, for 18 months and placed him on the sex offenders’ register. Dempster was found guilty in 2014 but absconded to Thailand…

  • Thailand NewsHelloFresh accused of using coconut milk made using monkey labour in Thailand

    HelloFresh accused of using coconut milk made using monkey labour in Thailand

    PETA Asia urges HelloFresh – a global meal-kit company – to “do the right thing” and stop using coconut milk made using monkey labour in Thailand. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) says HelloFresh’s coconut milk is supplied by Suree and Aroy-D, two brands that PETA says have admitted to using monkey labour in their coconut milk production.…

  • Crime NewsPolice seize four tiger cubs in northeast Thailand

    Police seize four tiger cubs in northeast Thailand

    Police and national park officials arrested a Thai couple and seized four tiger cubs worth 2 million baht this morning in Mukdahan province in northeast Thailand. Despite officers luring the couple to arrest by posing as interested customers, they panicked and told police they planned on raising the tigers themselves. Just a few months ago, the mastermind behind the seizure,…

  • Thailand NewsRare Asian golden cat spotted in northeast Thailand

    Rare Asian golden cat spotted in northeast Thailand

    Yesterday, Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary posted photos on Facebook of a rare Asian golden cat spotted strolling through a road in Chaiyaphum province in northeast Thailand. In the Thai language, the Asian golden cat is called Suea Fai (Fire Tiger). The species is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to habitat loss and…

  • World NewsCambodian PM Hun Sen contracts Covid-19 prior to APEC Summit in Thailand

    Cambodian PM Hun Sen contracts Covid-19 prior to APEC Summit in Thailand

    The Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen tested positive for Covid-19 today meaning he will not be able to attend the APEC Summit in Bangkok this week as planned. He has had close contact with numerous world leaders in the past week. Hun Sen reported the positive test result this morning after hosting the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia between November…

  • Thailand NewsSmall earthquake shakes Chiang Rai in northern Thailand

    Small earthquake shakes Chiang Rai in northern Thailand

    A small earthquake struck along the Thai – Myanmar border in the Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand in the early hours of this morning, according to the Meteorological Department. No injuries or damages have been reported. At 3.38am, the department‘s Earthquake Surveillance Division reported that a 3.2 magnitude earthquake with a depth of 3 kilometres occurred in the Mae Salong…

  • Thailand NewsThai FDA warns against drinking erectile dysfunction coffee

    Thai FDA warns against drinking erectile dysfunction coffee

    Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned the public against consuming “Gomax Coffee,” a product advertised as treating erectile dysfunction. The FDA said consuming the coffee risks blindness and heart failure. Today, the FDA reported the results of their product testing on “Gomax Coffee” – serial number 122046610023 – produced by PY Intergroup Col, Ltd., in Nonthaburi province and distributed…

  • Thailand NewsSpiceJet launches new direct flight between Thailand and India

    SpiceJet launches new direct flight between Thailand and India

    Budget Indian airline SpiceJet launched direct flights between Pune in India and Bangkok in Thailand operating four days per week. SpiceJet also flies directly from Bangkok to Delhi and Kolkata. A Boeing 737 will operate the Pune – Bangkok service on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Flight SG 82 will depart from the sprawling Indian city of Pune, just south of…

  • Bangkok NewsAirlines ask passengers to arrive early for flights during APEC Summit in Bangkok

    Airlines ask passengers to arrive early for flights during APEC Summit in Bangkok

    Passengers flying out of Don Mueang Airport or Suvarnabhumi Airport between November 14-20 should arrive earlier than usual to facilitate delays caused by the APEC Summit which will be held in Bangkok this week. Nok Air requests that passengers arrive at least three hours ahead of their departure time for international flights and two hours ahead of their scheduled departure…