- Phuket News
Phuket Governor requests 38 million baht to finally finish Provincial Hall
The Governor of Phuket, Phakaphong Tavipatana, confirms he has requested 38 million baht for the long-awaited completion of Phuket Provincial Hall on the south side of Phuket town. Last October, he had asked for a new contractor to be appointed by December, but that never happened. It’s understood he has now filed a request with the Ministry of Interior in…
- Thailand News
UN director says more needs to be done to fight corruption in Thailand
The chief of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Renaud Meyer, is calling on Thailand’s lawmakers to do more to fight corruption. While acknowledging the country’s efforts so far, he says certain influential figures and groups are a stumbling block to creating a less corrupt society. He was speaking at a conference jointly organised by the UNDP, along with the…
- Crime News
Bangkok airport police arrest Canadian woman for theft
PHOTO: Pinterest.com Police at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport have arrested a 27 year old Canadian woman as she was about to board a flight with her husband. Heather Leslie Berg had been under surveillance following a number of thefts from baggage claim counters in the airport’s Arrivals area on August 27. After a check on CCTV cameras showed her taking luggage…
- World News
A drop in Thai visitors to Hong Kong as protests continue
PHOTO: Booking.com The ongoing pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong are taking a toll on visitor numbers, with a drop in the number of Thai visitors staying overnight in the territory, according to the Hong Kong Immigration Department. The Bangkok Post reports that the number for July has dropped by 6.6% compared to July 2018. However, the number of single-day visitors…
- World News
Bill withdrawal my decision, not Beijing’s, says Hong Kong leader
PHOTO: CNN Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam insists that the withdrawal of a controversial extradition bill was her decision, not Beijing’s. The bill was the spark that ignited months of protests in the territory, with clashes between activists and police frequently turning violent. Lam says that while the decision to withdraw the bill is hers, she has Beijing’s full…
- Expats
Thailand drops 7 places in world’s best places for expats to live
PHOTO: Wikipedia An Expat Insider survey on the world’s best places for expats to live sees Thailand drop 7 places. The country is now in 25th place, out of a total of 64 destinations. Taiwan took the top spot, with Vietnam coming in second, and Portugal third. In March, InterNations, the world’s largest expat networking group, consulted over 20,000 expats,…
- Northern Thailand News
Man fakes his own kidnapping to get ransom money from parents
PHOTO: Sanook A 27 year old teacher has faked his own abduction in order to con his parents out of 40,000 baht in “ransom” money. The man, known only as “Anucha” called his parents to say he’d been abducted in Udon Thani, northeast Thailand. He claimed a group of men had kidnapped him, after he’d borrowed money from a loan…
- Thailand News
Overhaul of Thai justice system required to deal with prison overcrowding
PHOTO: Scmp.com There are nearly 400,000 people behind bars in Thailand. 70% of the men in prison are there for drug-related offences. In the case of women, it’s 87%. Thailand has the highest number of prisoners in ASEAN, the sixth highest in the world. The notorious overcrowding for which the prisons are known is so bad that an inmate does…
- Thailand News
Starbucks investigate Thai garment factory after underpaid workers exposé
PHOTO: Eater.com An investigation is underway into 4 garment factories in Mae Sot, western Thailand, following the revelation that workers are illegally underpaid. It’s understood the factories provide clothing to Starbucks and U.S. sports gear manufacturer Bauer Hockey. The Thomson Reuters Foundation, who carried out the investigation, spoke to 26 workers from Myanmar, who say they’re paid less than Thailand’s…
- Environment News
Maya Bay: saving the most famous beach in Thailand
PHOTO: Sarah Buthmann For years, Maya Bay on the island of Koh Phi Phi Leh in Krabi province, has been overrun with visitors. Every day, thousands of tourists competed for space on Thailand’s most famous beach. Having been made famous by the 2000 Leonardo di Caprio movie, The Beach, tourists arrived by the boatload every hour, every day of the…
- Bangkok News
Young Bangkok boy has lucky escape after finding glass in food
A young boy has had a very lucky escape after finding glass in the food he was eating at a restaurant in Central Plaza, in the Ladprao district of Bangkok. The boy had the food in his mouth at the time and cut his tongue on the glass. In a post on Facebook, his father says his son was incredibly…
- Phuket News
Norwegian accused of Phuket murder absconds, manhunt launched
PHOTO: Thaiexaminer.com The Norwegian tourist accused of murdering a British guest at a resort in Karon two weeks ago has absconded while out on bail, police say. Following Roger Bullman’s no-show for his appointment at the Phuket Provincial Court, a police manhunt has been launched and arrest warrant issued. Police say they’re confident he has not fled the country as…
- Chiang Mai News
Chiang Mai police release Singaporean accused of attacking Thai wife with a scythe
PHOTO: Chiangmaione.com Police have released a Singaporean man accused of using a scythe to attack his Thai wife in a Chiang Mai street. Following the attack, it’s understood that the man called an ambulance to take his wife to hospital, and then surrendered to police. The Singaporean says the couple, who have two young children together, frequently argued about his…
- Tourism News
Police warn about the dangers of visiting Thailand, directly contradicting Tourism Minister
PHOTO: Shutterstock Following the claim of Thailand’s Tourism Minister earlier this week that Thailand is “a completely safe environment”, a spokesman for the Royal Thai Police appears to have directly contradicted that statement. Pol Col Krissana Patanacharoen is warning tourists and business visitors about the dangers of Thailand, after a taxi driver allegedly robbed a Chinese tourist of millions of…
- Thailand News
Proposed amendment to Thailand’s Narcotics Act seeks to legalise cannabis growth at home
PHOTO: commons.wikimedia.org Thailand’s Bhumjaithai party says it will confer with key stakeholders to seek input on a proposed bill to allow people to grow their own cannabis at home. Those being consulted include government officials, medical patients, and traditional medicine practitioners. Party member Supachai Jaisamut says the draft bill proposes an amendment to Thailand’s Narcotics Act that would allow for…
- Phuket News
Court orders prison sentence for airline boss after 2007 Phuket crash
PHOTO: La-croix.com 12 years after a crash at Phuket airport that killed 89 passengers, a Paris court has sentenced the former chief of Thai budget airline One-Two-Go to four years’ imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 Euros. Udom Tantiprasongchai has been found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in a civil suit brought by the families of 9 French victims. However, despite…
- World News
Chief Executive of Hong Kong insists she’s going nowhere
PHOTO: Scmp.com/Nora Tam The Asean Post reports that Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam says she has no intention of resigning, despite a leaked audio recording where she says she wants to do just that. “For a chief executive to have caused this huge havoc to Hong Kong is unforgivable. If I have a choice, the first thing is to…
- Politics News
Thai PM willing to take part in debate on oath-taking controversy
PHOTO: Asiaone.com PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha has indicated his willingness to take part in a parliamentary debate over his oath-taking ceremony, in which he omitted a key sentence. A date of September 18 is being proposed for the session, according to Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong, this currently being the only date that fits the PM’s busy schedule. It’s understood the…
- Pattaya News
Thai police get tough on drivers at pedestrian crosswalks in Pattaya
Police in Pattaya have launched a campaign aimed at encouraging pedestrians to use crosswalks, and fining motorists who don’t stop at them. Speaking at the launch of the campaign, in front of Mueang Pattaya 8 School, Maj Arut Sapanon insists the 1,000 baht fine will be strongly enforced. “This campaign is to encourage pedestrians to use crosswalks in order to…
- Thailand News
Pet leopard not a hit with neighbours in Chonburi, Thailand
A couple in Chonburi, eastern Thailand, have not ingratiated themselves with neighbours after it was revealed they’re keeping a pet leopard in their home. It’s understood that a Thai woman known as Nittiya, and her foreign husband, nationality unconfirmed, have just recently moved to the area from Chiang Mai, and news of their unusual pet has put neighbours very much…
- Northern Thailand News
No direct hit from Kajiki, but heavy rain predicted for many parts of Thailand
PHOTO: My-thai.org The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) says tropical storm Kajiki will miss Thailand, but parts of the country are in for some very heavy rain over the next two days. With Kajiki moving west across the South China Sea in the direction of Vietnam, a TMD spokesman says there’s a good chance it may change direction, heading northward towards…
- Central Thailand News
Fried chicken worker stabs boss in the head in central Thailand
A fried chicken vendor needed medical treatment after being stabbed in the head by a young man working for him in Chonburi province, central Thailand. Yannawuth Prasomwangsub told police that he and his wife sell fried chicken at the Sattahip flea market and hired 16-year-old Nat to help them just a week ago. While setting up shop, Yannawuth was missing…
- Crime News
Thai Immigration police arrest two more “undesirables”
PHOTO: Immigration.go.th Immigration officials at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport have arrested a Syrian national travelling on a fake United Arab Emirates passport. The 18-year-old man was en route to London, with a layover in Thailand. He told officials he was planning to seek asylum in the UK but was also in possession of a plane ticket from London to Germany. The…
- World News
Scenes of chaos in Hong Kong as protests continue
PHOTO: Sam Tsang/South China Morning Post Thai PBS World reports scenes of chaos and devastation in Hong Kong, following more violent protests in the territory. Police used tear gas and water cannon in Hong Kong’s financial district last night, as protesters defied a ban and ignored threats from China. This is the 13th weekend of such protests. The protests began…
- Politics News
PM’s oath-taking ruled unconstitutional
PHOTO: South China Morning Post The PM’s omission of an important sentence when taking his oath of office has been ruled unconstitutional by Thailand’s ombudsman. The matter is now being referred to the Constitutional Court to rule on whether the government was legally established. The controversy began on July 16, when PM General Prayuth Chan-o-cha left out a key sentence…
- Thailand Weather Updates
Phuket’s Patong beach temporarily closed due to poor weather
PHOTO: Thai Meteorological Department The lingering remnants of tropical storm Podul passing through the north of Thailand, and currently making itself felt in Phuket, has lead Patong Chief Lifeguard Somprasong Sangchart to declare Patong beach closed for the day, with red flags posted the length of the beach. Mr Somprasong urges beach-goers to heed the warnings and stay out of…
- Chiang Mai News
Canadian man found dead, with throat cut, in northern Thailand
A 60 year old Canadian man has been found with his throat slashed at a Chiang Mai guesthouse. The man’s body was discovered by the housekeeper, who alerted the police. The man, who has been named as Kevin Thomas, had been staying at the property in Suthep district for several months. It’s not yet known if the cut to his…
- Northern Thailand News
Man fakes being a nurse in Thai hospital – for 11 years
PHOTO: Sanook A male nurse who faked his qualifications has managed to get away with working in the emergency department of a hospital in Loei province, Isaan, for 11 years. The Sanook News team reports that the “nurse”, known as Kowit, was employed at the Pak Chom hospital, having used a fake graduation certificate and nursing licence from Khon Kaen…
- Bangkok News
Central Village developer vows to plough ahead with Suvarnabhumi opening
PHOTO: Bangkok Post The developer of the luxury outlet near Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport is vowing to continue with the opening of Central Village as planned. Airports of Thailand (AoT) is blocking the entrance to the 5-billion-baht development, scheduled to open this Saturday. Central Pattana Plc (CPN) is petitioning the Administrative Court for an injunction against AoT, with CPN President Preecha…
- Bangkok News
Four dogs rescued in north of Bangkok after being starved for a month
PHOTO: Thai PBS World Thai PBS World reports that four dogs have been rescued from a house in Nonthaburi province, just north of Bangkok, after being found locked in a cage with no access to food or water. It’s understood that the dogs had been there almost a month. An additional 9 dead dogs were also found at the property,…
