- Politics News
No nerves here, says Thai PM, in advance of oath grilling
PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha says he’s not at all nervous about today’s debate on his oath-taking gaffe and is well prepared for a grilling from the opposition. “I don’t feel nervous at all. I am at the stage where I no longer feel rattled.” The Bangkok Post reports that those taking part in the debate are set to include the…
- Environment News
Leading environmentalist slams Thailand’s record on pollution
A renowned Thai environmentalist and academic has posted a picture on Facebook of a Thai beach covered in trash as he slams the country for not doing enough to protect the environment. Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat, Deputy Dean of Kasetsat University, says he was sent the picture by a Thai national marine park and urges his fellow citizens to take action…
- Thailand Weather Updates
More heavy rain to affect many parts of Thailand
PHOTO: Kohsamuisunset.com A low-pressure cell over Cambodia has caused a monsoon trough to lie over the lower part of central Thailand, the upper south, and the east of the country since yesterday. The Nation reports that there is also a strong southwest monsoon across the Andaman Sea, as well as the south and the upper Gulf of Thailand. Strong waves…
- Pattaya News
Two foreigners arrested in Pattaya for long overstays
A woman from Turkmenistan has been arrested in Pattaya for overstaying her Thai visa by 2,675 days. It’s understood the woman was detained by Chonburi Immigration and the Tourist Police on Friday. She was stopped outside a hotel in what was a random passport check in the area. On the same day, a Russian man who was randomly stopped and checked…
- Northern Thailand News
Thai PM leads TV charity campaign for flood victims
PHOTO: Yodsapon Kerdviboon/Isaanrecord.com After coming in for quite a lot of flak for what many called a slow response to flooding that has crippled the North and North-East, the government is launching a televised charity campaign to ask for donations to help relief efforts. The PM himself will step in to receive donations on behalf of flood victims, with the…
- Entertainment
Historic discovery of earliest sound films shot in Thailand
PHOTO: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation / University of South Carolina “Film historian Dome Sukhawong discovered the films in 2018, in the University of South Carolina archives.” Four films made nearly 100 years ago are believed to be the first sound films recorded in Thailand. The films were screened at the Thai Film Archive for the first time on Monday. Film…
- Transport News
Public transport vehicles failing safety checks
PHOTO: National News Bureau of Thailand In the first week of new safety checks introduced by the Department of Land Transport (DLT), 1 in 7 public transport vehicles have failed. Drivers fared slightly better, with only 3 out of 10,236 failing their exam. DLT Director General Peerapol Thavornsubhajaroen says that as part of the test brought in to improve public…
- Northern Thailand News
Ubon Ratchathani flooding worst in 17 years
PHOTO: The Pattaya News Flooding in Ubon Ratchathani, north-east Thailand, has been declared the worst in 17 years, with water levels in the Moon river beating the previous record set in 2002, and an additional 60 water pumps now installed. Thai PBS World reports that widespread flooding has seriously affected many areas, with communities in low-lying areas cut off and…
- Tourism News
Thailand Finance Minister confident of success with “cash for tourists” incentive
PHOTO: ThaiVisa.com With 32,000 businesses having already signed up to the government’s “Eat, Shop, Use” tourism-stimulus campaign, the Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana says he’s confident it will be a success, and that thousands more will sign up before the deadline of September 20. Retailers, restaurateurs and service agencies can sign up to the campaign through the Thung Ngern Pracharat mobile…
- Phuket News
Phuket police to embrace technology in dealing with traffic violations
PHOTO: Trafficpolice.go.th From next Friday, traffic police in Phuket will no longer confiscate licences when drivers are stopped for traffic violations. Police will now record the details of a driving licence but return it to the driver as soon as they’ve done so. They will still issue fines on paper, with drivers unable to pay their road tax until any…
- Bangkok News
New Central outlet by Suvarnabhumi poses no danger, say aviation experts
PHOTO: Skyscrapercity.com The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) says the recently opened Central Village mall near Suvarnabhumi airport is safe and does not pose a threat to aviation safety. CAAT hopes to alleviate the concerns expressed by Airports of Thailand (AOT) who tried unsuccessfully to block the opening of the luxury outlet, citing safety and security concerns. CAAT director…
- Crime News
Phone shop worker busted for credit card fraud
A man working in a Bangkok phone shop is under arrest after stealing customers’ credit card information and going on a shopping spree that amounted to almost 10 million baht. Incredibly, it turns out he’s been doing this for over 3 years and in that time, has accumulated a house, a condominium, and 3 cars. 29 year old Satit Junchok…
- Economy News
Focus on quality over quantity, says leading Thai economist
PHOTO: Sbs.com.au One of Thailand’s leading economists says we’ve got it all wrong and the country needs to change the way it thinks about the economy. Pasuk Phongpaichit from Chulalongkorn University says Thailand should stop focusing on growth and consumption and prioritise quality of life instead. She was speaking at the Fukuoka Prize Symposium in Japan earlier this week. Pasuk…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya shooting suspect arrested
PHOTO: Ruksiam News Police in Pattaya have arrested a man accused of an early morning shooting at a nightclub that has left one man dead and another critically injured. Pol Col Atinan Nutchanat says that Warut Sae-jia (known as “Art”) is now in custody, having been found hiding out at his mother’s house in the Prasat district of Surin province…
- Pattaya News
Crackdown on bar closing times following Pattaya shooting
Police in Pattaya have launched a crackdown on bar closing times following a nightclub shooting that has left one man dead and another seriously injured. The suspect in the shooting, which took place around 6.00am yesterday, is still on the run, although police say he will be arrested shortly. Bars and entertainment venues now face a crackdown on their opening…
- Northern Thailand News
Outrage on social media over child sitting on roof of moving car in northern Thailand
PHOTO: Sanook Photos of a young child sitting on the roof of a moving car have caused outrage on social media. The pictures, posted on Facebook yesterday, show the child in school uniform, sitting on the roof of a car as it travels along a main road in Lamphun province, northern Thailand. Debate rages over the images, with many pointing…
- Economy News
Strong baht poses a tough challenge for Thailand
PHOTO: Dreamstime.com Thailand’s currency is currently giving it a major economic headache, according to a Bloomberg report shared by ThaiVisa this morning. The Thai baht has been the best performer globally against the US dollar for over 5 years now, but that strength has caused growth estimates to be cut for an economy relying on trade and tourism. The ongoing…
- Pattaya News
Two men seriously injured in early morning shoot-out at Pattaya nightclub
Two men have sustained serious injuries following a shoot-out at a Pattaya nightclub early this morning. It’s understood trouble broke out after an argument between nightclub goers and security guards stationed in front of the club. Captain Kanoknan Suksri of the Pattaya City Police was notified of the incident, which took place at the Teng See nightclub in Nong Pru,…
- Business News
The most influential brands among Thailand’s millennials
PHOTO: ipg-connect.com A report published yesterday lists the most influential brands for Thailand’s millennials, who are also known as Generation Y. The report, carried out by Singapore think-tank Influential Brands and Bangkok-based brand agency Neo Target, lists Lazada, Grab Taxi, The Mall, Central, Cafe Amazon, Auntie Anne’s, Krispy Kreme, Mister Donut, Watson, Taokaenoi, Jobthai.com, Acer Computer, S&P and Makro among…
- Thailand News
Thai-Australian singer “Pookie”’ to testify at September 17 hearing into alleged drug trafficking
PHOTO: YouTube.com Former singer Prissana or Priscilla “Pookie” Gemelli will testify at a hearing into alleged drug trafficking offences on September 17, along with four accomplices, one of whom is her husband, Cholawit Keetatrakul. A judge at Ratchadapisek Criminal Court postponed the hearing yesterday to ensure all defendants would be present. The 40 year old singer and her 49 year…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok man commits suicide after killing wife
PHOTO: Stock photo/Thailandlawforum.com Bangkok police say the owner of a garage in Ratburana district has shot and killed his wife before taking his own life. The murder-suicide took place at the couple’s home on Soi Suksawd 46 yesterday evening. Police found the body of the man’s wife, 39 year old Romrawin Kaewkamnerd, lying face down with a bullet wound in…
- Bangkok News
Murder accused under police hospital watch to face charges “soon”
Police confirm that a man accused of killing his 21 year old girlfriend is currently undergoing hospital treatment after trying to take his own life but will soon be brought to court to face charges. Krissanachok “Ole Wanjeab” Chaichana, aged 30, attempted suicide after killing his girlfriend during an argument. He was arrested in the victim’s car, while drinking toilet…
- 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…
- 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…
- Thailand News
Ride-sharing services to be legal in Thailand by 2020
PHOTO: Grab Thailand’s Transport Minister says that regulatory guidelines have been drafted to pave the way for legalising ride-hailing services by March next year. Ride-hailing organisations currently operate in “legal limbo”, often finding themselves stopped and fined for not being properly registered. New guidelines will require drivers to have a public driver’s licence, vehicles to be registered and equipped with…
- 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,…
- 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…
- Politics News
Government spokeswoman says sorry after posting photo of PM eating from plastic container
PHOTO: Scmp.com Thai PBS World reports that a government spokeswoman has had to apologise to the PM after posting a photo on social medial that showed him eating from a plastic container. Narumon Pinysinwat says she shouldn’t have posted the image and that she has apologised for her negligence. The PM was served the food after boarding a plane for…
