- Phuket News
Runway cracks resolved: Phuket Airport gets back on smooth flight path
Airports of Thailand’s Phuket branch, responsible for managing Phuket International Airport, confirmed yesterday, that the runway cracks which led to multiple flight delays and one diversion to Krabi have been addressed and rectified. The announcement was initially made via state-run Radio Thailand Phuket last night. It was also announced by the National News Bureau of Thailand’s national platform but it…
- Phuket News
Phuket braces for rain havoc: Urgent weather alert signals flood risk
The southern province of Phuket has been included in an urgent weather notification that advocates for all hands on deck amid the risk of flash floods possibly instigated by heavy, persistent rain forecasted to batter the Andaman coast starting from Sunday, August 20. This alert was issued yesterday by Boonsom Cholpitakwong, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Office of National Water…
- Thailand News
Thai railways: Double-track upgrade paves the way for 120km/h passenger speeds
The Thai government is set to partially inaugurate the Map Kabao-Jira Junction double-track railway line next year. This Thai railway development will result in an increased speed limit for passenger trains, potentially enabling them to travel up to 120 kilometres per hour, a significant leap from the existing 50 kilometres per hour. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha made a visit to…
- Thailand News
Sniffing out success: Thailand’s first sniffer dog training centre unleashed for battling narcotics
The Thai Customs Canine Training Centre (TCCTC) was officially inaugurated yesterday in the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan. This is Thailand’s first facility for training sniffer dogs, set to become a vital tool in combating narcotics smuggling. Roughly five dogs are anticipated to be enlisted for a program focusing on the identification of illicit substances concealed within imported and…
- Thailand News
Thailand and Malaysia strengthen ties in 113th border committee meeting
Top military figures from Thailand and Malaysia convened in Phuket to participate in the ongoing Thailand-Malaysia Regional Border Committee (RBC) Meeting. The prime attendees of the event include Lieutenant General Santi Sakuntanark, Commander of the 4th Army Region in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, and Major General Dato’ Tengku Muhammad Fauzi Tengku Ibrahim, Commander of the 3rd Malaysian Infantry Division. The Patong…
- Thailand News
BMA takes a stand: Puts its foot (and mouth) down on disease spread in Bangkok schools
In an urgent preventive move, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) mandated all schools across the Thai capital to implement stringent measures to curb the spread of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and dengue fever. This decision comes amid unsettling reports of these viruses evolving into wide-reaching epidemics among school-aged children. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt yesterday highlighted the importance…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s OTP takes the high road for Andaman tourism boost
The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) in Thailand recently announced a forthcoming impact study concerning a proposed coastal road project linking the provinces of Ranong and Satun to boost Andaman tourism. The proposed two-lane highway, covering a distance of 600 kilometres, is designed to notably enhance the ease of access for tourists to key attractions spread…
- Phuket News
Phuket’s tumultuous news: Raids, accidents, policy changes, and Family Mart’s exit
A series of surprising incidents and noteworthy news have emerged from the island of Phuket. From ongoing raids in the massage parlours of Patong, a perilous vehicular mishap involving a tourist, a tragic road accident, progressive governmental decisions and a significant retail change, the week has been eventful. Unrelenting illicit operations have been underway in Patong’s massage industry where illegal…
- Thailand News
El Nino lowers Chao Phraya levels, predicted rain in 16 Thai provinces
Thailand’s National Water Command Centre (NWCC) issued warnings regarding severe rainfalls predicted in 16 provinces, even as water levels around the Chao Phraya River are seen to decrease due to the El Nino weather conditions. Surasri Kidtimonton, the deputy of the NWCC and the Secretary-General of the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR), warned of the heavy showers expected…
- Crime News
Thai crackdown on fake pharmacists reveals illicit cough syrup sales
In an effort to curb drug abuse in the nation, Thai authorities have apprehended 13 individuals posing as pharmacists during a series of synchronised raids across Bangkok. The arrests were made in connection with the illicit sale of cough syrup, a crucial component in the well-known and highly addictive cocktail drug 4×100. These operations were ordered by the Food and…
- Phuket News
Tragic twist: Phuket official loses life in motor accident
A tragic turn of events unfolded today when a 51 year old member of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO) lost his life in a motor accident in Thalang, Phuket. Paisarn Utouchkul, acting Councillor for PPAO District 4, died on the spot when his pickup truck veered off the road and crashed into a roadside ditch. Police Lieutenant Colonel Noppadol…
- Phuket News
Massage parlour raid reveals galaxy of illegal operations in Phuket (video)
A spate of illegal operations was brought into sharp focus, after a massage parlour known as Universe Massage in Phuket was raided and its owner nabbed due to operating without requisite permissions. The drive to crack down on such infringing operations headlined by the Patong Police continues in earnest, with this instance being the third in just over a week.…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s first Monkeypox-related death highlights rising infectious disease threat
A severe case of Monkeypox in Thailand, infecting a 34 year old man with HIV and syphilis, culminated in the country’s first fatal mishap related to this viral scourge. The unfortunate news dropped yesterday, courtesy of Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC). Explicating the unfolding of events, the DDC’s Director-General Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong took note of the initial discomforts plaguing…
- Thailand News
Thailand’s railway safety upgrade: 693 unauthorised crossings to be rerouted
In the aftermath of a tragic accident last week in Chachoengsao, where a freight train collided with a pickup truck at an unrecognised railway crossing, taking eight lives and injuring three, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) resolved to close 693 unauthorised railway crossings across Thailand. The accident took place on an unauthorised crossing, lacking official signalling mechanisms. Of the…
- Crime News
SmartLand app scam: Phuket arrest made, victims lose millions
On the popular tourist island of Phuket, a 25 year old man has been apprehended on charges of facilitating a mule account for a fraudulent application known as SmartLand. The application has reportedly swindled people out of millions of baht. The individual, referenced by authorities solely as Winat or Oil, was arrested in a high-traffic lifestyle shopping mall located in…
- Phuket News
Patong police clamp down on tuk tuk misuse of public parking spaces
In a stringent move, Patong Police issued a stringent directive for all tuk tuk drivers to cease occupancy of public parking spaces, with a particular focus on the area alongside Patong Beach Road. The authorities swung into this action following an incident involving a tuk tuk driver who unlawfully utilised a public parking spot on the Beach Road, also known…
- Crime News
Fake abduction ransom scams target Thailand university students
University students in Thailand have been coerced into participating in an intricate scam operation, revolving around filming fake abduction videos. The intention was for these videos to be sent to the student’s parents as a means to extort ransom money. The case emerged when a student from the Lat Krabang district was entrapped in the same scheme, resulting in a…
- Thailand News
Waterspout disaster: One dead, one missing as Thai tour boat sinks in Bang Ta Boon Bay
In a tragic waterspout disaster off Ban Laem district, one holidaymaker perished, while another remains unaccounted for following the fateful sinking of a tour boat amid Bang Ta Boon Bay. The calamity took place on Saturday afternoon when a waterspout, an atmospheric oddity resembling a miniature tornado, assailed their vessel. The rather unusual maritime waterspout disaster, highlighted due to its…
- Thailand News
Pattaya sets 1.9 billion baht budget aiming to revitalise tourism and local economy
Emphasising tourism and local economy stimulation, the city of Pattaya has delineated its budget allocation for the upcoming fiscal year. Paramet Ngampichet, the Mayor of Pattaya City, announced the conclusion with the budget set to be effective from October 1. In a recent meeting participated in by municipality executives, councillors, and local government entities, a resources allotment of 1.9 billion…
- Thailand News
Pink Line monorail set for trials, free rides for two months
A significant advancement in Thailand’s transportation network is poised to launch its trial operations tomorrow, adding to the city’s mass transit system. The Pink Line, under the control of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), is expected to begin trial runs following the completion of the systems test by the Northern Bangkok Monorail (NBM), the entity bestowed with…
- Thailand News
Two tourists missing as waterspout capsizes boat in Phetchaburi province
In an unfortunate incident in Phetchaburi province, two tourists have gone missing when their tourist boat was capsized by a waterspout while sailing across Bang Ta Boon Bay near the Ban Laem district. The dreadful event occurred on a Saturday afternoon, around 5pm and was reported to the police on emergency number 191. The boat, carrying seven tourists, was in…
- Crime News
Online fraudsters prompt Thailand’s DES Minister to call for halt on unauthorised bank transactions
Thailand’s Minister of Digital Economy and Society (DES) strongly urged banks to halt unauthorised transactions following a request by their customers. This suggests an effort to mitigate the financial damages inflicted by online fraudsters on unsuspecting victims. The directive comes in light of the recent enactment of the Royal Decree on Cyber Crime Prevention and Suppression, which came into effect…
- Economy News
Thai tourism embraces easier visa rules, faster approvals for Chinese tourists
In a move geared towards promoting Thai tourism, the government has implemented policy changes that lessen the rules for obtaining a tourist visa and slashes approval time for Chinese visitors. Chinese travellers emerged as the majority of international arrivals over the past week, the deputy government spokeswoman, Rachada Dhnadirek, confirmed yesterday. Statistics displayed that 95,581 visitors from China arrived in…
- Crime News
Thai tycoon Prayudh Mahagitsiri sentenced in 400 million baht land scandal
In a recent surge against corruption, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) confirmed the sentencing of Prayudh Mahagitsiri, a well-known tycoon, to two years and eight months imprisonment with the charge linked to an infamous land encroachment scandal. The judgement was passed by the Region 8, Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases. Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, who serves as the secretary-general of…
- Thailand News
Green airport: Suvarnabhumi’s sustainable future fueled by solar panel installation
In a decisive move towards clean energy, the Airports of Thailand (AoT) are looking to harness the sun’s power, with the installation of solar rooftop panels on the passenger terminal of Suvarnabhumi Airport. The green airport project is part of a larger crusade intending to derive 20% of the airport’s electricity from renewable sources in the coming two years. Announced…
- Crime News
Chaipattana fraud: Thai police nab 7 in 1.5 million baht foundation scam
Ten people suspected of running a sham investment scheme, donning the name of the distinguished Chaipattana Foundation, have been apprehended by the Thai police. The Chaipattana fraud team have caused havoc since 2021, deceiving their victims into believing they were investing in development projects in the Northeast region. The Chaipattana fraud revelation came from the police’s top boss, the Crime…
- Thailand News
Thai PM affirms progress of Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation
Commendable strides have been achieved in the first five years of the Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation (EECi), said Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. He said intense innovation and research activity outlined the success of this endeavour. PM Prayut, alongside Interior Minister, Anupong Paojinda, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office, and Labour Minister, Suchart Chomklin embarked on a…
- Thailand News
Prescription for progress: Thai institute’s medical faculty initiative tackles healthcare challenge
To address a national healthcare predicament, the Praboromarajchanok Institute (PI), a constituent of the Thailand Ministry of Public Health, laid out a blueprint to inaugurate its faculty of medicine. This move is expected to significantly contribute to the current deficit of medical professionals around the country. Anutin Charnvirakul, the Minister of Public Health, held a meeting with operative officials of…
- Thailand News
Building dreams: Concrete ideas flow at Pattaya villa meet for Zenith Residences
In a groundbreaking development, a meeting was held yesterday morning to discuss innovative concrete solutions for the construction of the new Zenith Residences Pattaya, a luxury housing project comprising seven large residences. This project is set to introduce construction materials and technical solutions that have never been used before in Thailand’s residential construction sector. The meeting’s focal point was the…
- Thailand News
Unprecedented alliance: Thailand and China team up against transnational cybercrime
In a move aimed at suffocating transnational crime, call centre scams and cybercrime, the governments of Thailand and China have come together in an unprecedented cooperative collaboration. Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon yesterday played host to Xu Ganlu, the Vice Minister of Public Security and the hand at the helm of the National Immigration Administration of China. The primary…
