Maya Taylor
- World News
Talks with the community will begin next week, says Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam
Thai PBS World shares a Reuters story that reports on planned talks between the Hong Kong government and the community, set to begin next week. The reports says Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has repeated her calls for the violence to end, with the city having been gripped by protests for over three months now. The demonstrations began in…
- 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…
- South Thailand News
Police officer caught drinking on the job
A police officer in Nakhon Si Thamarat, southern Thailand, is being investigated for allegedly consuming alcohol while working. The offence is understood to have taken place while Pol Lt-Col Somsak Faipakdee was at his office, during work hours. The Thai-language Daily News reports that the officer, a member of the Border Patrol Police of Tungsong District, is being investigated on…
- 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…
- Pattaya News
Family of Thai woman seriously injured in Pattaya balcony fall blames French husband
The family of a 28 year old Thai woman who was seriously injured when she fell five floors from a condo balcony in Pattaya are blaming her French husband for the accident. Sunisa suffered life-changing spinal injuries and is no longer able to walk, with her sister Natchaya having given up her job to care for her. It’s understood Sunisa’s…
- 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…
- Bangkok News
Terracotta Warriors coming to Bangkok
PHOTO: Coconuts.co China’s renowned Terracotta Warriors will wow Bangkok in an exhibition at the city’s National Museum running from Sunday until December 15. The 2,700 year old works of art are being put on display in Siwamokkhaphiman Hall, in an exhibit entitled, “Qin Shi Huang: The First Emperor Of China And Terracotta Warriors”. The Bangkok Post reports that more than…
- 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…
- Phuket News
Jet-ski collision injures two Chinese tourists in Patong
Two Chinese tourists have been injured in a jet-ski collision in Patong yesterday, the Phuket News reports. Maj Teerasak Boonsaeng from Patong Police was notified of the accident shortly before 4.00pm yesterday, with both men taken to Patong hospital for treatment. The men, named as 28 year old Hu Meng and 26 year old Yang Ming, had rented jet-skis from…
- 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
Thailand urged to do more on suicide prevention
PHOTO: Amansquest.com In Thailand, World Suicide Prevention Day was marked yesterday by the Director General of the Mental Health Department calling on the country to do more to address the issue of suicide. Kiattipoom Wongrajit was speaking to the Thai language daily Thai Rath yesterday. According to his department, around 11 people commit suicide every day in Thailand, with the…
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
- 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…
