leah

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.
  • Crime NewsPakistani man caught smuggling 80,000 pills into Thailand

    Pakistani man caught smuggling 80,000 pills into Thailand

    A Pakistani man was arrested at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport on Friday after he attempted to smuggle a suitcase brimming with drugs from Pakistan into the Kingdom of Thailand. Airport security flagged down a suspicious suitcase from Karachi, Pakistan, found to contain a plethora of Type 2 and Type 4 psychotropic substances. In total, police at the airport seized 79,200 pills…

  • Tourism NewsTourists urged to beware of tiger roaming in Kanchanaburi, Thailand

    Tourists urged to beware of tiger roaming in Kanchanaburi, Thailand

    A large male tiger came out of the forest and was spotted roaming around Srinagarind Dam in Tha Kradan district of Kanchanaburi province, western Thailand, yesterday morning. Tourists visiting the popular Srinagarind Dam and famous Erawan Waterfall are urged to beware of the tiger. Four CCTV cameras caught footage of the big cat sauntering around the dam at around 2am.…

  • Crime NewsBelgian man turns to garbage collecting to be with Thai boyfriend

    Belgian man turns to garbage collecting to be with Thai boyfriend

    A Belgian man spotted collecting garbage on the roadside in Sara Buri province in central Thailand told reporters he is trying to make money so he can stay with and support his Thai boyfriend. Yesterday, reporters happened to come across a 61 year old man, of Belgian nationality, collecting bottles and leaves on the side of the Asian Highway, reports…

  • Crime NewsBritish diver dies in mysterious circumstances on Thailand’s Koh Tao

    British diver dies in mysterious circumstances on Thailand’s Koh Tao

    A British man was found dead on Thailand‘s notorious Koh Tao – also known as Death Island – on Wednesday. The circumstances around his death are a mystery. The body of 48 year old diving instructor Neil Giblin, from Birmingham, UK, was found dead in his rented bungalow on the island after he failed to turn up to a diving…

  • Bangkok NewsPassengers left waiting hours at Bangkok’s new central train station

    Passengers left waiting hours at Bangkok’s new central train station

    The opening of Bangkok‘s new central train station Bangkok Aphiwat Central Station did not go so smoothly yesterday with the first service to Chiang Mai departing three hours later than scheduled and many more delayed services. BBC Thai and CH7 report that services were delayed to await the arrival of Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, who was rather late to an…

  • Tourism NewsThailand welcomes 900,000 foreign tourists during Jan 1-15

    Thailand welcomes 900,000 foreign tourists during Jan 1-15

    In the first half of January, Thailand welcomed a grand total of 913,013 foreign tourists, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Governor of the TAT Yuthasak Supsasorn revealed that Russia has overtaken Malaysia as the Number 1 tourism market… Foreign Arrivals in Thailand by Nationality January 1 – 15, 2023 Russians (99,593) Malaysians (89,461) South Koreans (47,471) Indians…

  • Thailand NewsRare clouded leopard struts its stuff in Thailand’s new wildlife safe haven

    Rare clouded leopard struts its stuff in Thailand’s new wildlife safe haven

    In the mountains of Kanchanaburi in western Thailand, hidden cameras are capturing more and more clouded leopards, Indo-Chinese tigers, gaurs, and other wildlife. Recognising the importance of the conservation of Thailand’s wildlife, Thailand’s Treasury Department is preparing to declare an area of land covering 219,000 rai of land a non-hunting area. The huge conservation area – covering Si Sawat and…

  • Bangkok NewsVolunteer teaching English to underprivileged children in Bangkok

    Volunteer teaching English to underprivileged children in Bangkok

    Bangkok Community Help Foundation runs a weekly volunteer-led class that aims to teach English and improve the lives of underprivileged children in the Klong Toei area of the city. Children learn new English vocabulary, play games, dance Zumba, and do arts and crafts projects in a fun environment. At the end of each class, students are provided with a hot…

  • Thailand NewsTeen shoots dead rival with 800 baht gun in central Thailand

    Teen shoots dead rival with 800 baht gun in central Thailand

    A Thai teenager used a gun he ordered from the Internet for 800 baht to shoot dead his rival in Samut Prakan province in central Thailand on Friday morning. The 17 year old culprit, Champ, killed 28 year old Kittisak, a YouTuber and former vocational student, with a single gunshot wound to the chest through his back at his own…

  • Thailand NewsWalk-in driving license services now available in Thailand

    Walk-in driving license services now available in Thailand

    Obtaining a new driving license or renewing an old one just got easier in Thailand. Walk-in services are now available at transport offices nationwide without the need to book an appointment, according to the Department of Land Transport (DLT). Anyone wanting to renew their Thai driving license can obtain an ‘eLearning’ theoretical training certificate through the DLT’s website, which also…

  • Thailand NewsFour Pit Bull mixes attack 76 year old grandma in northeast Thailand | Thaiger

    Four Pit Bull mixes attack 76 year old grandma in northeast Thailand

    Four Pit Bull mixed breed dogs attacked an elderly Thai lady in the Mueang district of Nakhon Phanom province in northeast Thailand on Tuesday leaving her seriously injured and in need of urgent hospital treatment. It is the fourth time the four dogs have injured people in the village. The victim, 76 year old Thongpoon “Grandma Yoon” Sasanasupin, was walking…

  • Crime NewsFamous Belgian murderer Robert Beijer arrested in Pattaya, Thailand

    Famous Belgian murderer Robert Beijer arrested in Pattaya, Thailand

    Convicted murderer and suspect in Belgium’s infamous ‘Brabant Killers‘ case of the 1980s – Robert Beijer – has been arrested in Pattaya, Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand. Robert Beijer, a former state policeman, was convicted of murdering and robbing an Antwerp diamond dealer in 1995 along with Madani Bouhouche. Beijer was sentenced to 14 years but was let out early…

  • Thailand NewsOil tanker explosion in Thailand kills 8 people, 1 dog, injures 4, impacts 128

    Oil tanker explosion in Thailand kills 8 people, 1 dog, injures 4, impacts 128

    UPDATE Officials have recovered eight bodies from the wreckage of the oil tanker which exploded and caught fire at Ruammitr Dockyard in the Laem Yai district of Samut Songkhram province in central Thailand yesterday. Divers from the Dhammarasamimaneerat Foundation are no longer searching for bodies as the total number of people missing was believed to be eight. At least five…

  • Phuket NewsFive airlines launch direct flights between Phuket and China this week

    Five airlines launch direct flights between Phuket and China this week

    Five airlines are launching direct flights between China and Phuket in southern Thailand this week. The services will connect Phuket to Shanghai, Nanjing, and Chengdu. Today, Phuket will welcome three direct flights from Shanghai on Spring Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, and Juneyao Airlines. All three services will fly daily. Juneyao Airlines’ inaugural daily direct service from Nanjing will also land on…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok to gain more dog-friendly public parks

    Bangkok to gain more dog-friendly public parks

    Finding a green area to walk your furry friend in Bangkok is difficult because pet dogs are not allowed in all but one of the city’s public parks. That is about to change thanks to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s (BMA) “15-minute” park project. The BMA has acquired 107 plots of land, covering a collective 659 rai, which will be transformed…

  • Crime NewsDon’t fall for Chinese New Year scam, warns Thai police

    Don’t fall for Chinese New Year scam, warns Thai police

    Thai Cyber Police sent out a warning about a Chinese New Year-themed online scam after dozens of victims reported having their bank accounts hacked and drained. Yesterday, Thailand’s Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) issued a warning via Facebook about a ‘Free Red Envelope’ scam. During the upcoming Chinese New Year – or Lunar New Year – holidays, one popular tradition is…

  • Crime NewsCourt rules 8 years in prison for Thai man who dumped model’s body in Bangkok condo lobby

    Court rules 8 years in prison for Thai man who dumped model’s body in Bangkok condo lobby

    Thailand‘s Court of Appeal upholds an eight-year prison sentence for a man convicted of abducting an unconscious woman and dumping her dead body in the lobby of his condo in Bangkok over three years ago. In September 2019, models Rachadech “Nam Un” Wongtabutr and Thitima “Lalabelle” Noraphanphiphat were both hired to provide entertainment at a house party in Bang Bua…

  • Thailand NewsInjured whale shark swims up to boat for help in southern Thailand

    Injured whale shark swims up to boat for help in southern Thailand

    National park officials in Krabi province, southern Thailand, are searching for an injured whale shark in need of urgent medical assistance. Yesterday, a six-metre long whale shark swam to the surface to visit a longtail boat near Koh Hong island located inside Than Bok Khorani National Park in Krabi’s Mueang district. As cold-blooded whale sharks rarely venture out of deep…

  • Crime NewsThai woman allegedly defrauds American PPE company of 239 million baht

    Thai woman allegedly defrauds American PPE company of 239 million baht

    An American PPE company alleges that a Thai woman defrauded them of a staggering 239 million baht (US$8 million) in a high-profile public fraud case centred around rubber gloves. On February 18, 2021, US Company Quick Aid LLC wired 239 million Thai baht to a private Thai company named Singhaseni Group Co., Ltd. The Thai company had a single 45…

  • Thailand NewsThai farmer makes 1 million baht per month selling buffalo semen

    Thai farmer makes 1 million baht per month selling buffalo semen

    A farmer in Kalasin province in northeast Thailand makes 1 million baht every month by selling semen from one special water buffalo named “Big Billion.” Water buffalo (“kwai” in Thai language) breeders all around the kingdom pay high prices for the semen of Big Billion, a ‘textbook’ Thai water buffalo worth 30 million baht. Breeders use Big Billion’s seed to…

  • Crime NewsAmerican TikTok star sues Porsche dealer in Thailand

    American TikTok star sues Porsche dealer in Thailand

    An American TikTok star and his Thai girlfriend filed a lawsuit against a Porsche dealership in Thailand showroom claiming that the used car they paid 13 million baht for is not only a different model than they ordered but it doesn’t work. Yesterday at 4.30pm, 39 year old Sam [psuedonym] and his wife [name reserved] met with celebrity lawyer Decha…

  • Visa InformationThailand plans to extend 45 day visa free stays until year end

    Thailand plans to extend 45 day visa free stays until year end

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand will propose extending the 45 day visa exemption on arrival policy until the end of the year to boost tourism recovery. In September last year, Thailand’s Cabinet approved the temporary extension of visa on arrival and visa exemption on arrival for the High Season. Between October 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023, foreign tourists arriving…

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s Chiang Mai Zoo to open -10°C snow dome

    Thailand’s Chiang Mai Zoo to open -10°C snow dome

    Chiang Mai Zoo revealed plans to open a -10°C snow dome to offer guests a chilly winter experience normally unavailable in sweltering Thailand. Zoo director Wuttichai Muangman revealed today that the zoo will gain a winter wonderland named “Snow Buddy Winter Land” in collaboration with Frost Management Company Ltd. Wuttichai said that zoo guests can get a real ‘winter’ feeling inside the…

  • Thailand NewsThailand among 25 countries with least paid leave days

    Thailand among 25 countries with least paid leave days

    Thailand is among a list of countries offering the least amount of days of paid leave and paid public holidays in the world, according to a new study by Resume.io. No East/Southeast Asian country whatsoever made it into the top 25 countries with the most amount of paid public holidays and paid annual leave days. Resume.io‘s study found out how…

  • Crime NewsThai man hails taxi from female-only app and murders driver

    Thai man hails taxi from female-only app and murders driver

    A 21 year old Thai man has been arrested under suspicion of murdering a female taxi driver in central Thailand on Saturday. On Saturday, officers from Chaiya Phruek Police Station were notified about the discovery of a female body in the Khlong Khoi subdistrict of Nonthaburi province. Police and volunteers from the Phor Teck Tung Foundation went to the scene, some…

  • Thailand NewsThailand is most searched travel destination for Chinese New Year

    Thailand is most searched travel destination for Chinese New Year

    Online searches for flights to Thailand during the approaching Chinese New Year holidays beat searches for flights to all other countries in the region, according to travel marketing company Sojern. China’s borders are open for the first time in three years and Chinese travellers are looking to get away to celebrate the upcoming two-week Chinese New Year – or Lunar…

  • Pattaya NewsRaging Russian tourist wreaks havoc on two Pattaya 7-Eleven stores

    Raging Russian tourist wreaks havoc on two Pattaya 7-Eleven stores

    A Russian tourist smashed his way through the door at a 7-Eleven convenience store on Walking Street in Pattaya in Chon Buri province early this morning, injuring himself and others. He continued to vandalize a second 7-Eleven branch before being detained by police. An employee explained that a Russian man, estimated to be 35 – 40 years old, came into…

  • Thailand NewsAussie woman’s mystery illness diagnosed 7 years after holiday to Thailand

    Aussie woman’s mystery illness diagnosed 7 years after holiday to Thailand

    An Australian woman spent more than seven years looking for answers about her mystery illness to find its cause was a parasite she contracted on holiday in Thailand. Tess Swift, from Ocean Grove in Victoria, woke up in the middle of the night in excruciating abdominal pain and nausea a few weeks after she returned from Thailand. Swift was admitted…

  • Thailand NewsBelgian-Moroccan tourist breaks his back in motorbike crash in northern Thailand

    Belgian-Moroccan tourist breaks his back in motorbike crash in northern Thailand

    A Belgian-Moroccan tourist broke his back in a motorbike accident en route to a waterfall in the hippie backpacker town of Pai in Mae Hong Son province, northern Thailand, yesterday. Issam Messaoudi and his friend rented a motorbike and headed to Mor Paeng Waterfall when they lost control and came off the steep and slippery road. Messauodi’s friend came out…

  • Thailand NewsTwitch bans Thai-French streamer for ‘sexual content’ after showing feet

    Twitch bans Thai-French streamer for ‘sexual content’ after showing feet

    Livestreaming platform Twitch has banned half-Thai half-French streamer JustKeth for ‘sexual content’ after she held up her bare feet to the camera during a livestream. Keth can’t seem to catch a break, making headlines last week when an angry farang chased her around a pool at a hotel in Pattaya after she rejected his sexual advances. Keth captured the terrifying…