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 NewsSenior sets junior student on fire in sick Uni hazing ritual in Thailand

    Senior sets junior student on fire in sick Uni hazing ritual in Thailand

    Senior students at a famous university in Bangkok sprayed a first-year student with spray paint and set him on fire during a hazing ritual – or initiation ceremony – causing him serious burns on his body and genitals. Thanaphon [surname reserved], a 19 year old mechanics student, filed a complaint at Bang Phlat Police Station after he was attacked and…

  • 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 NewsFirefighters fear building collapse after footwear factory fire in central Thailand

    Firefighters fear building collapse after footwear factory fire in central Thailand

    A fire raged through Summit Footwear Factory in Samut Prakan province in central Thailand for five hours last night. Firefighters closed the road in fear the building could collapse, causing ongoing congestion along the Bang Na – Trat Highway. Hundreds of employees escaped through fire exits when the blaze started around 5.30pm at the factory, which produces Aerosoft Footwear, in Bang…

  • 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.…

  • Thailand NewsHouse fire kills family of 3 and 12 pets in central Thailand

    House fire kills family of 3 and 12 pets in central Thailand

    A blazing fire engulfed a house in Pathum Thani province in central Thailand last night killing a couple, their one year old child, and 12 pets. At 1am today, officers from Thanya Buri Police Station were informed of a house fire in Pruksa Village Khlong 8 in Thanya Buri district. Police, firefighters, and rescue workers from the Por Teck Thung…

  • 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…

  • Pattaya NewsPolice arrest man for sexually assaulting two street dogs in Pattaya, Thailand

    Police arrest man for sexually assaulting two street dogs in Pattaya, Thailand

    A Thai man was arrested and detained for sexually assaulting two dogs last night in Pattaya, Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand. Officers from Nong Prue Police Station received a call from a warehouse security guard who said a drunk man was “committing indecent acts” on a dog near the entrance of Soi Nong Mai Kaen 12 in Pattaya’s Nong Prue…

  • 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…

  • Thailand NewsThai baht soars against US dollar

    Thai baht soars against US dollar

    The volatile Thai baht made a fierce comeback against the weakening US dollar, soaring to 35.93 against the greenback over the weekend. Just a few weeks ago, the baht depreciated to 38.35 against the dollar. At the end of September, the Thai baht plunged to 38 against the US dollar for the first time in 16 years amid aggressive interest…

  • Phuket NewsRussian tourist drowns in Phuket, Thailand

    Russian tourist drowns in Phuket, Thailand

    A Russian tourist drowned yesterday morning while swimming at Karon Beach on the west coast of Phuket island in southern Thailand. At 9.20am, lifeguards at Karon Beach called the Karon Municipality Rescue Foundation and informed them that a tourist had lost consciousness and did not have a pulse. The rescue team arrived and gave him CPR but it was not…

  • Thailand NewsThai Airways considers reviving stored A380s to meet rising demand

    Thai Airways considers reviving stored A380s to meet rising demand

    Thailand’s flag carrier Thai Airways International is considering expanding its fleet by reviving two Airbus A380 aircraft stored away for years to meet the rising demand for flights. The airline is “studying closely” the cost-effectiveness of restoring the planes and has not yet committed to a decision, says Airline Commercial Chief Korakot Chatasingha. “As you know, to bring them…and return…

  • Thailand NewsGreenpeace Thailand activists jump in lake to protest against greenwashing in APEC

    Greenpeace Thailand activists jump in lake to protest against greenwashing in APEC

    At 9.15am, activists from Greenpeace Thailand jumped into the lake at Benjakitti Park in Bangkok to protest against “greenwashing” in APEC. Protestors held up signs saying “APEC STOP GREENWASHING” from the lake outside the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, where the APEC 2022 Summit will be held next week from November 14-19. The protest happened as Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan…

  • Thailand NewsThailand welcomes 50,000 foreign tourists in one day

    Thailand welcomes 50,000 foreign tourists in one day

    Nearly 50,000 foreign tourists arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand yesterday. Reassuring statistics reported by immigration indicate a revival of Thailand’s tourism industry, although arrivals are still nowhere near close to hitting pre-pandemic levels. Today, Commander of the Immigration Bureau Pol. Maj. Gen. Choengron Rimphadee confirmed that the picture of a giant queue at immigration posted on social media is…

  • Thailand NewsAOT turns to Grab to fill shortage of airport taxis in Thailand

    AOT turns to Grab to fill shortage of airport taxis in Thailand

    Airports of Thailand (AOT) is negotiating with Grab about using their services to fill taxi shortages at two airports in the kingdom. Airports have always been a strict no-go zone for Grab taxis, but waiting times for passengers are getting out of hand. Now that High Season is in full swing, there are simply not enough airport taxis to facilitate the…

  • Thailand NewsPaypal shuts out foreigners in Thailand

    Paypal shuts out foreigners in Thailand

    Foreigners in Thailand will no longer be able to use personal Paypal accounts from December 15 to send and receive money and pay for goods online. Thais may continue using their personal accounts if they verify their identity through the National Digital ID (NDID) platform before November 30. Paypal is making big changes to comply with Thailand’s crackdown on money…

  • Thailand NewsVIDEO: Train splits 18-wheel trailer clean in half in northern Thailand

    VIDEO: Train splits 18-wheel trailer clean in half in northern Thailand

    A train hit an 18-wheel trailer, splitting it cleanly in half, in Lamphun province in northern Thailand yesterday morning. No deaths or injuries were reported. Train No. 51 from Bangkok to Chiang Mai crashed into the articulated vehicle carrying 30 tonnes of rice husk at the Tha Chak – Tasop Sao railway crossing. At 11.30am, Mae Tha Police Station officers…

  • Crime NewsMan takes 4 Ya Ba pills and rides motorbike with no hands in Thailand

    Man takes 4 Ya Ba pills and rides motorbike with no hands in Thailand

    Police arrested a man in Nakhon Phanom, northeast Thailand, yesterday after a video of him riding his motorbike and swerving all over the road went viral on social media. He admitted that he was high on four pills of Ya Ba (“crazy drug”) – a type of methamphetamine – when the clip was taken. Officers from Nakhon Phanom Provincial Police…

  • Thailand NewsHospital sends wrong corpse to funeral in central Thailand

    Hospital sends wrong corpse to funeral in central Thailand

    The wrong corpse turned up at a funeral in Prachin Buri province in central Thailand yesterday. Both the hospital and the deceased’s brother have taken responsibility for the mishap. Yesterday, relatives waited at Wat Sawang Arom temple in Kabin Buri district to receive the body of 58 year old Somnuk Kongto who sadly died in an accident. Somnuk’s brother picked…

  • Bangkok NewsBeagles sniff out bats in luggage from China at Bangkok airport

    Beagles sniff out bats in luggage from China at Bangkok airport

    No bats or any other animal carcasses can get past the sharp noses of two hard-working beagles who fight crime at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. On Tuesday at 12pm, the sniffer dogs uncovered “smoked bats” and processed pork hidden inside the luggage that flew in from Kunming in China. The main duty of the beagles from the Quarantine and Inspection…

  • Crime NewsPolice arrest bat-eating YouTuber in northeast Thailand

    Police arrest bat-eating YouTuber in northeast Thailand

    UPDATE Yesterday, the Thai woman who ate bat soup on YouTube was arrested in Sakhon Nakhon province in northeast Thailand. Officers from Phon Kaew Police Station arrested the YouTuber – who is also a teacher – under suspicion of “possession of protected wildlife carcasses,” violating Section 17 of the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act (2019). Police also charged the YouTuber…

  • Thailand NewsTwo Thai airlines among Top 10 most timely in the world

    Two Thai airlines among Top 10 most timely in the world

    Thailand is not known for its timekeeping, yet two Thai airlines were among the most “on time” in the world in September 2022. The Top 10 Most On-time Airlines were ranked using real data from the Official Airline Guide (OAG) flight database. OAG provides “the world’s most accurate and information-rich flight data.” Flights that leave within 15 minutes of their…

  • CannabisKush House: Bangkok’s most unique cannabis dispensary

    Kush House: Bangkok’s most unique cannabis dispensary

    You are invited to the grand opening of Kush House cannabis dispensary, in the heart of Bangkok, tonight at 9pm. Two things set Kush House apart from other cannabis stores in Thailand: Thai Traditional Medicine and art. The visually striking atmosphere at Kush House – conveniently located at the entrance of Sukhumvit 22 – has been carefully crafted to give…

  • Thailand NewsVIDEO: Billowing fire spoils Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai

    VIDEO: Billowing fire spoils Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai

    Thousands of glistening paper lanterns lighting up the night sky in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, disappeared into a thick plume of smoke after a foam pagoda went up in flames in the middle of the Yi Peng Lantern Festival celebrations last night. Billowing smoke rose into the sky after a lantern fell on top of the flammable replica pagoda, made…