- World News
Malaysia targets tourists from Thailand
Now that Malaysia’s borders are open to fully vaccinated travellers, the country intends to develop its tourism industry by targeting Thai tourists in particular. At an event entitled “Tourism Malaysia Hybrid Seminar” held in Bangkok last Thursday, Thai and Malaysian officials exchanged ideas about how to promote and facilitate Thai travel to Malaysia. The “Tourism Malaysia Hybrid Seminar” held at…
- Bangkok News
Landslide victory for elected Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt
Yesterday, Bangkok held its first governor election in eight years. Independent candidate Chadchart Sittipunt won the vote by a landslide, gaining almost 1.4 million votes, breaking the record for the highest number of votes ever in a Bangkok gubernatorial election. Of the 4.36 million people eligible to vote in the election, a total of 2,635,283 people voted yesterday, or 60.48%.…
- Visa Information
Deadline to apply for “Covid” visa extension extended by 2 months
The deadline to apply for a 60-day “Covid” visa extension in Thailand has been extended by two months, until July 25. The extension follows the Thai government’s decision to extend the country’s “State of Emergency” until July 31. A “Covid” visa extension is designed for foreigners residing in Thailand who are unable to return to their home country due to…
- World News
Malaysians continue to flood into Thailand
Every day, 350 – 400 Malaysians apply for “border passes” into Thailand, according to Kelantan Immigration director Azhar Abd Hamid. Since the Thai – Malaysia border reopened on May 5, Malaysia’s immigration offices have received a high volume of applications, especially from residents from Kelantan. Around 40% of applications come from Malaysians who plan to travel to southern Thailand, according…
- Thailand News
Remains of missing American WWII pilot found in Lampang, northern Thailand
US and Thai officials discovered the remains of an American soldier who went missing 78 years ago in Lampang province, northern Thailand, on Wednesday. The pilot’s P-38 Lightning single-seater fighter plane went down during World War II. On Wednesday, US and Thai authorities held a repatriation ceremony for the soldier in Rayong before sending his remains to Hawaii for further…
- Bangkok News
UPDATE: Bangkok governor candidates answer Russell Crowe’s questions on TV
UPDATE: Bangkok governor candidates answer Russell Crowe’s questions on Thai TV Russell Crowe’s pre-recorded questions for Bangkok governor candidates were streamed on Channel 7HD’s live programme “22 May: Deciding Bangkok’s Fate” this afternoon, prior to the election coming up this Sunday. Crowe asked the questions in English, and three Bangkok governor candidates answered in Thai. Each candidate was given 2…
- Thailand News
Thai man injured in turbulence demands airline to take responsibility
A Thai man demands an airline to take responsibility for injuries that he said were caused by turbulence during a flight from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Bangkok yesterday evening. He said his lower back and coccyx were in “agony,” but when he expressed the wish to go to hospital, he was allegedly told to pay for the expenses himself. The…
- Thailand News
Wife dies, husband in coma after eating poisonous mushrooms in northeast Thailand
A couple from Udon Thani in northeast Thailand made a curry from mushrooms they picked from the jungle on Tuesday, May 17, but the mushrooms turned out to be poisonous. The wife died from poisoning in the early hours of yesterday morning and her husband is currently in a coma in an Intensive Care Unit. The man’s mother, who lives…
- World News
VIDEO: Estonian model faces deportation from Bali for criticising “corrupt” police
In a video posted on social media, an Estonian model accused Balinese police of corruption and extorting foreign tourists. The comments could get the model deported, or worse, put in Balinese prison if they are considered to break Indonesia’s strict public deception and defamation laws. Estonian beauty pageant contestant Valerie Vasilieva complained about her experience on the Indonesian island of…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand plans to declare Covid-19 endemic earlier than expected
Thailand’s Covid-19 situation is continually improving and is expected to be declared an endemic disease more than half a month earlier than expected, according to the Ministry of Public Health. The ministry originally planned to declare Covid-19 an an endemic disease on July 1 this year. Yesterday, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Kiatiphum Wongrajit announced that Thailand now plans to declare…
- Education
Bangkok University to stream classes by Bill Clinton, Natalie Portman, Gordon Ramsay
Bangkok University is the first in the world to collaborate with MasterClass to provide over 150 streamed online classes by internationally renowned celebrities and experts in various fields. The university hopes the unconventional learning style will inspire students to develop their own skills, foster their creativity, improve their performance and set them up for success. Students will get the chance…
- Crime News
Karma in Kalasin: Man steals drain cover then drives his car into the hole
A thief from Kalasin province in northeast Thailand got a taste of his own medicine today after he stole a drain cover and proceeded to drive his pickup truck into the open hole. He was forced to request help from municipality officers, who instantly recognised him as the thief from CCTV footage, detained him and handed him over to the…
- Thailand News
Risk of dengue fever is higher in rainy season, warns Thai doctor
The risk of contracting dengue fever in Thailand is higher in the rainy season, because pools of water are breeding grounds for mosquitoes, warns Songkhla Provincial Public Health Doctor Songkran Maechum. Monsoon season began last Friday, and intermittent rain is expected to cause a spike in dengue fever cases in Thailand, so be prepared. In Songkhla province in southern Thailand,…
- Thailand News
Grandson makes wax model of deceased grandma “to make grandpa happy”
A young Thai man from Uthai Thani province in northern Thailand made a life-size wax model of his deceased grandma to ensure that his grandpa doesn’t get lonely. Grandpa liked the idea so much that he requested his grandson to make a wax version of himself too, before he dies, so that he can see himself and his wife sitting…
- Bangkok News
Flooding in Bangkok after 10 hours of torrential rain
Bangkok has flooded in many areas after 10 hours of torrential rain beginning at 3pm yesterday and continuing into the early hours of this morning, according to the Department of Drainage and Sewage. The most affected areas are Chatuchak, Lak Si, Don Mueang and Lat Phrao. In some places, the water level has reached higher than 1 metre. The floods…
- Bangkok News
Russell Crowe to question Bangkok governor candidates live on TV
On Thursday May 19, Russell Crowe and six other celebrities will ask questions to seven Bangkok governor candidates live on TV prior to the election which will be held on Sunday, May 22. From 4:15pm – 6pm on Thursday, Channel 7HD will air the live programme “22 May: Deciding Bangkok’s Fate” hosted by Tin Chokkamolkij. Seven Bangkok governor candidates will…
- World News
Stop plucking the endangered ‘penis plant’, urges Cambodian government
A phallic-looking plant is at risk of extinction in Cambodia because people keep plucking it out of the ground to take selfies with it. After a video of some women picking the “penis plant” went viral on social media, the Cambodian government has issued a statement asking citizens to leave the endangered penis plant in the ground where it belongs.…
- Thailand News
Northeast Thailand sees worst floods in 10 years
Many areas of Thailand have experienced heavy rain and flash flooding since monsoon season began on Friday. Yesterday, two hours of continuous heavy rain caused flash flooding in Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast Thailand. A pottery village in Chok Chai district experienced the heaviest flooding to occur in 10 years. Hook 31 Rescue Team deployed boats to evacuate villagers and their…
- Thailand News
Family Pit Bull attacks 8 year old girl in central Thailand
An 8 year old girl was seriously injured after she was attacked by her family dog at around 4pm yesterday in Samut Prakan province, central Thailand. The child said she was skateboarding in the kitchen when the Pit Bull – Thai mixed breed dog suddenly got up and repeatedly bit her head and hands. Grade 3 student Apichada Khampan was found…
- Thailand News
Thai woman struck dead by lightning in cow field
A farmer was killed by a lightning strike in a cow field in Buriram province, northeast Thailand, yesterday evening. The 53 year old woman was herding her cows into their cowshed to escape the storm when she was struck. Wanida (surname reserved) was out working in the fields with her 53 year old relative Thongbai (surname reserved) when it started…
- Thailand News
Monkeys party in hot tub at luxury resort in Krabi, Thailand
A couple were excited for a two night getaway to a luxury resort in Krabi with a sea view room and a private hot tub. But when they arrived, it turned out the hot tub was more communal than they thought. In a video posted on Facebook, a group of monkeys can be seen having the time of their lives,…
- Cannabis News
Government hospitals in Thailand allowed to prescribe cannabis oil for free
Yesterday, the Ministry of Public Health announced that 3 types of cannabis oil have been added to Thailand’s National List of Essential Medicines, or NLEM. Now that cannabis is listed as an “essential medicine”, government hospitals may freely prescribe cannabis extract oil to patients in selected circumstances, according to Thailand’s Government Pharmaceutical Organisation, or the GPO. The first type of…
- Events
Birds seized by police during drug raids auctioned off
Yesterday, birds seized by police during drug busts were auctioned off at an event held at Rajamangala University of Technology’s campus in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan province. The stars of the show were 6 South American blue-and-yellow macaws which sold for over 500,000 baht collectively. The event marked the first ever official bird auction in Thailand. A total of…
- Road deaths
Sleepy driver crashes into truck, rebounds into canal, doesn’t escape in time
A man died in a serious road accident in Pathum Thani province, central Thailand, at around 6:30am this morning. Thought to be asleep at the wheel, he crashed into a 6 wheel truck, flinging his car into a canal. He didn’t escape the car in time and died at the scene. The truck driver tried to swerve the car, but…
- World News
Tibet Airlines plane bursts into flames during takeoff in southwest China
A Tibet Airlines Airbus A319-100 veered off the runway and burst into flames during takeoff at an airport in Southwest China this morning. All 113 passengers were safely evacuated although 36 passengers suffered minor injuries, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, or CAAC. China’s aviation regulators are investigating the cause of the incident. In a statement posted on…
- World News
Myanmar junta to reopen borders to tourists, but travel still isn’t advised
Myanmar’s junta has announced that after two years of closed borders, the country will soon allow tourists to apply for visas to travel into Myanmar. But with military coup related violence still rife in Myanmar, governments worldwide still advise against all but essential travel to the country. Activists are urging foreigners not to travel to Myanmar in light of the…
- Visa Information
Can digital nomads get a 10 year LTR visa in Thailand?
The idea of living and working remotely in Thailand is attractive to foreigners, especially if you can bag yourself an online job with a foreign company in a country where wages are considerably higher than Thailand – e.g. the US – and spend the money in Thailand where the cost of living is considerably lower. However, seeking a legitimate visa…
- Thailand News
Prawit is confident Thailand will rise to Tier 2 in US human trafficking report
Thailand has done a lot to combat human trafficking and deserves to move up to Tier 2 in the US State Department’s next Trafficking In Persons report, says Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan. Prawit addressed Thailand’s progress in tackling human trafficking in a press conference yesterday. In the latest annual TIP report, published in June 2021, the US demoted Thailand…
- Visa Information
Cabinet announces changes to Thailand’s SMART visa
To accelerate the development of the Thailand’s “target industries,” the Board of Investment offers a 4 year SMART visa to foreign investors, executives, entrepreneurs and highly-skilled experts. Yesterday, Thailand’s Cabinet announced changes to the SMART visa requirements and expanded the list of targeted industries. The Cabinet did not specify when the changes would come into effect. SMART visa holders are…
- Thailand News
Fortune telling tarantula predicts lottery numbers in central Thailand
A man from Ang Thong province in central Thailand believes that a tarantula in the forest can predict the future. So far, the tarantula has made two lottery predictions. The man reportedly waits day and night for the furry fortune teller to come out of its hole to see what it might predict next. When the man wants “Phaya Bung”…
