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.
  • Northern Thailand NewsChiang Mai ranks as most polluted city in the world for 9 days running

    Chiang Mai ranks as most polluted city in the world for 9 days running

    Northern Thailand continues to battle a thick layer of smog with Chiang Mai being ranked as the world’s most polluted city by PM2.5 rating for nine days in a row, according to the IQAir website, reports ThaiRath. The highest air quality index (AQI) value was found at the Health Hospital in Ban Khai Hospital in Mae Na Wang subdistrict, Mae…

  • Bangkok NewsThai lottery winner gets drunk and falls asleep in Bangkok’s overhead cables

    Thai lottery winner gets drunk and falls asleep in Bangkok’s overhead cables

    Bangkok’s haphazard overhead cables made a comfy bed for a drunk Thai lottery winner yesterday, according to local neighbourhood watch Facebook page “Khlong Toei Land.” Officers from Thong Lor Police Station, rescue workers, and electricity authority officials were called to the scene at the entrance of Soi Phai Singto, off the Rama 4 Road in Khlong Toei district, at around…

  • Crime NewsShooting at Samut Sakhon prison in Thailand, 2 correctional officers dead

    Shooting at Samut Sakhon prison in Thailand, 2 correctional officers dead

    Two correctional officers – a married couple – were found dead at their residence inside Samut Sakhon Provincial Prison in central Thailand yesterday. Police suspect that the husband shot dead his wife before committing suicide. At 5pm, officers at Mueang Samut Sakhon Police Station were informed of a shooting inside an officer’s residence inside the prison in Moo 2, Ban…

  • World NewsRussian tourist to be deported from Bali for naked pic on sacred mountain

    Russian tourist to be deported from Bali for naked pic on sacred mountain

    A Russian man is to be deported from Indonesia after posting a photo of himself on social media standing on a sacred mountain in Bali with his pants around his ankles. Mount Agung – an active volcano – is the highest point in Bali and is especially sacred to Hindus, who believe it to be a replica of Mount Meru,…

  • Thailand NewsFrench woman missing in dense jungle on Koh Adang, southern Thailand

    French woman missing in dense jungle on Koh Adang, southern Thailand

    A search party has been launched after a French woman went missing in the jungle on Koh Adang island in Satun province in southern Thailand yesterday, reports the Phuket Express. The tourist, 29 year old Claire Maire Theophane Drapeau, was last spotted veering off the trail into the jungle near a viewpoint on the island sometime yesterday. Satun Police were notified…

  • Tourism NewsTake a Thai history trip on a cute Japanese train

    Take a Thai history trip on a cute Japanese train

    The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has organised a rail travel tourism programme under the concept of “retrace history,” serviced by cute KIHA 183 passenger trains recently donated by Japan, according to an announcement by government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri. The SRT has arranged the following programme in April to give tourists a new, educational experience and insight into Thailand’s history…

  • Phuket NewsBritish expat dies from allergic reaction to bee sting in Phuket

    British expat dies from allergic reaction to bee sting in Phuket

    A 69 year old British man died from a severe allergic reaction to a single bee sting yesterday in Phuket, southern Thailand, reports KhaoSod. Volunteers from Rawai Rescue Unit rushed to a house in Soi Kit Prasarn 1 in Rawai district after they were informed that a foreigner was in critical condition after being stung by a bee. Upon arrival,…

  • Visa InformationElderly British man overstays visa in Thailand by 11 years

    Elderly British man overstays visa in Thailand by 11 years

    Immigration Police arrested a 76 year old British man in Bangkok who overstayed his visa in Thailand by a total of 4,142 days (11.3 years), reports KhaoSod. Thailand’s immigration authorities are taking their latest crackdown on foreign overstayers in the kingdom seriously – catching a British national who managed to slip through their net for more than a decade. He might…

  • Crime NewsAustralian arrested over Phuket restaurant brawl

    Australian arrested over Phuket restaurant brawl

    UPDATE Police arrested an Australian man for his involvement in the brawl that broke out between foreign staff and foreign customers at Atlas Restaurant in the Patong area of Phuket in southern Thailand early on Monday morning, reports the Phuket Express. Police arrested 34 year old “Karen” of Australian nationality who admitted to starting the fight by throwing a bottle at the…

  • Bangkok NewsShake Shack opens for business in Thailand

    Shake Shack opens for business in Thailand

    World-famous New York burger joint Shake Shack opened its flagship Thailand store at CentralWorld in Bangkok at 10.30am today. The first 500 customers at the store this morning were given handcrafted bamboo Shake Shack fans woven by a community enterprise in Ayutthaya, ready for the summer season. The restaurant’s menu offers American classics like burgers, hot dogs, chicken, fries and also…

  • Phuket NewsHong Kong Airlines to launch direct flights to Phuket

    Hong Kong Airlines to launch direct flights to Phuket

    Low-cost carrier Hong Kong Airlines will launch a direct flight to Phuket in southern Thailand, starting June 16, 2023. An Airbus A320 will service the direct Hong Kong – Phuket route four times per week to meet rising demand as tourists return to Thailand in full force. The outbound flight will depart from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) at 8.20pm…

  • Crime NewsBody of loan shark found in Thailand river, 7 baht of gold jewellery missing

    Body of loan shark found in Thailand river, 7 baht of gold jewellery missing

    The body of a Thai woman missing for three days was recovered from a river in Chumphon province in southern Thailand yesterday. The gold jewellery she usually wears, worth 220,000 baht, was missing. The deceased – 32 year old Chadathip – ran a loan business and never returned from an appointment she made to chase money from a debtor on…

  • Northern Thailand NewsRaging wildfire engulfs mountains in northeast Thailand

    Raging wildfire engulfs mountains in northeast Thailand

    A wildfire that started on Khao Chaplu mountain in Nakhon Nayok province in northeast Thailand on Tuesday has spread to engulf 700 rai of land on several mountains in Khao Laem, Khao Kaew and Khao Tabak. Strong winds blew the flames to the peak of Khao Laem mountain yesterday, which looks like an erupting volcano in photos taken from behind…

  • Crime NewsThai woman dies 6 hours after breast surgery, lawyer says clinic doesn’t have license

    Thai woman dies 6 hours after breast surgery, lawyer says clinic doesn’t have license

    UPDATE Police have launched an investigation into Marichche Clinic in Pak Kret district of Nonthaburi province near Bangkok in central Thailand after a customer lost consciousness and died just six hours after her breast augmentation surgery was completed on March 23. Chatri Pinyai, a lawyer of the Department of Health’s legal division, says that breast augmentation is considered a major…

  • Crime NewsSwedish man sentenced to prison for running child porn network in Thailand

    Swedish man sentenced to prison for running child porn network in Thailand

    UPDATE A 23 year old Swedish man that controlled a network of underage girls in Thailand into sending pornographic pictures and videos of themselves from his parent’s home in Stockholm has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison, reports ScandAsia. The material was sold to thousands of people via social media. Most of the thousands of victims…

  • Thailand NewsChinese man crushed to death by hydraulic press at factory in Thailand

    Chinese man crushed to death by hydraulic press at factory in Thailand

    A Chinese man died yesterday when his head was crushed by a rubber moulding hydraulic press machine he was repairing at a tire factory in Rayong province in eastern Thailand. At 7.56pm, a 35 year old Chinese mechanic was repairing the machine when something went wrong and the press came down and crushed his head. The mechanic was rushed to Pluak…

  • Cannabis NewsForeigner deported from China for using cannabis in Thailand

    Foreigner deported from China for using cannabis in Thailand

    A foreigner of unknown nationality was allegedly deported from Shanghai, China, for testing positive for cannabis upon returning from Thailand, where marijuana is legal, according to That’sMag. Getting high is normal in Thailand since cannabis was decriminalised almost a year ago. But China doesn’t share Thailand’s liberal stance on the psychoactive plant. According to the British Consulate-General Shanghai… “Police drug…

  • Crime NewsJealous Thai man slits wife’s throat with machete for ‘talking to another man on the phone’

    Jealous Thai man slits wife’s throat with machete for ‘talking to another man on the phone’

    A Thai man coldly murdered his wife with a machete in Krabi province in southern Thailand yesterday. He said he slit her throat out of rage because she was “topless and talking to another man on the phone.” Then he fled the scene. Police tracked down and arrested 50 year old Prachuap Nuanchan at a shrimp farm in Pak Trae…

  • Thai LifeThailand releases pad kaprow flavoured condoms

    Thailand releases pad kaprow flavoured condoms

    Holy basil lovers, condom brand myONE Thailand has released a special edition “chicken kaprow” flavoured condom. With April 1 just around the corner, it’s not easy to trust that myONE Thailand is serious about their pad kaprow-flavoured contraceptive. But it looks like the holy basil chicken condom is not a hoax. The product is really available to buy through the…

  • Phuket NewsDutch woman arrested at Phuket Airport for illegally entering Thailand

    Dutch woman arrested at Phuket Airport for illegally entering Thailand

    A 28 year old Dutch woman was arrested at Phuket International Airport on the weekend for entering and staying in Thailand without permission or a visa. The unnamed woman was taken to Sakhu Police Station to face charges of entering and staying in Thailand illegally. It’s not clear how she managed to enter the kingdom. Under Phuket Immigration’s new yellow…

  • Thai LifeThai aunty sends underground lottery numbers to police group chat by mistake, gets arrested for gambling

    Thai aunty sends underground lottery numbers to police group chat by mistake, gets arrested for gambling

    Police arrested a 69 year old aunty from Trat province, eastern Thailand, for gambling after she sent her desired underground lottery numbers to the wrong group chat on Line. She sent the picture to the police. On Friday, the Line group “Smart Safety Zone Mueang Trat Police Station” – which has 439 members – received a suspicious message from 69…

  • Crime NewsThai man brutally murders ex-girlfriend in restaurant after failing to win her back

    Thai man brutally murders ex-girlfriend in restaurant after failing to win her back

    A Thai man brutally murdered his ex-girlfriend in the middle of a restaurant in Trat province, eastern Thailand, this morning after failing to win her back. Two more people were injured in the attack. The victim jumped out of her second floor window and ran into the khao man gai (chicken and rice) restaurant where she worked as a waitress in…

  • Thailand NewsThai woman dies 6 hours after breast augmentation surgery

    Thai woman dies 6 hours after breast augmentation surgery

    A Thai woman died just six hours after getting breast augmentation surgery at a clinic in Nonthaburi province in central Thailand. Her family is seeking justice, reports KhaoSod. The mother of the deceased, 59 year old Champee [surname reserved] said that her 37 year old daughter Kanokwan [surname reserved] lost consciousness and died less than six hours after returning home…

  • Crime News11 Thai nationals rescued from brothels in India

    11 Thai nationals rescued from brothels in India

    In a sting operation on Sunday, police raided two prostitution rings disguised as spas in Chandigarh, India, and rescued 18 women, 11 of whom were Thai nationals, reports the IndianExpress. Four men were arrested. After locals complained of brothels operating in the area, police sent decoy customers to enquire about ‘services’ at two locations: Golden Leaf Spa and Pyramid Spa.…

  • Crime NewsPolice arrest Mongolian thieves preying on tourists at Suvarnabhumi Airport

    Police arrest Mongolian thieves preying on tourists at Suvarnabhumi Airport

    Police arrested Mongolian thieves repeatedly preying on and stealing from tourists at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Yesterday at 3pm, the Director of Suvarnabhumi Airport, Kittipong Kittikachorn, held a joint press conference with Suvarnabhumi Airport Police to announce the arrests of three members of a Mongolian gang operating at Thailand’s largest airport. Under arrest warrants from Samut Prakan Provincial Court,…

  • Crime NewsIndian man overstays visa in Thailand by 2,048 days

    Indian man overstays visa in Thailand by 2,048 days

    Immigration police arrested an Indian national in Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand, found to have overstayed his visa by 2,048 days (more than five and a half years). Police believe he is part of a call centre gang, reports KhaoSod. The police stopped 38 year old Jatinder Singh – who resides in the Na Jomtien area of Sattahip district –…

  • Crime NewsAussie man and Thai wife say politicians’ letter saved them from death penalty in Thailand

    Aussie man and Thai wife say politicians’ letter saved them from death penalty in Thailand

    A free Aussie man and his Thai wife who spent four years in prison in Thailand for a crime they did not commit say that a 15-page letter from politicians in Australia is the reason they were spared the death penalty after being convicted of trafficking half a tonne of crystal meth in 2018. Luke Cook, his wife Kanyarat Wechapitak and…

  • Crime NewsBrawl erupts between foreign staff and foreign tourists at Phuket restaurant (video)

    Brawl erupts between foreign staff and foreign tourists at Phuket restaurant (video)

    A violent brawl erupted between three foreign staff members at a restaurant in the Patong area of Phuket, southern Thailand, and five drunk foreign tourists in the early hours of this morning. Partygoers notified Patong Police Station that a group of foreign tourists and a group of foreign restaurant staff were attacking each other with chairs at Atlas Restaurant on…

  • Cannabis NewsThai man sets ‘high’ score for fastest joint roller at Phuket’s Cannabis Cup

    Thai man sets ‘high’ score for fastest joint roller at Phuket’s Cannabis Cup

    As cannabis remains one of the nation’s hottest political issues in Thailand prior to the election in May, one Thai man won 5,000 baht for rolling a perfect one-gramme joint in just 43 seconds at the first-ever Cannabis Cup in Phuket on Saturday, reports Reuters. Hailed the fastest joint roller in all of Phuket, 30 year old Phuketian Ativat Janmuangthai won…

  • Thailand Weather UpdatesThailand weather forecast: Hot and stormy

    Thailand weather forecast: Hot and stormy

    Much of Thailand can expect hot weather and summer storms in the next 24 hours, with temperatures hitting highs of 39 degrees Celsius in Bangkok, according to the Meteorological Department. Northern Thailand is expected to be hot and hazy today. In Chiang Mai, the air quality index (AQI) was measured at a ‘very unhealthy’ 220 this morning, 33.9x higher than…