Neill Fronde

Neill is a journalist from the United States with 10+ years broadcasting experience and national news and magazine publications. He graduated with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of California and has been living in Thailand since 2014.
  • Bangkok NewsThree bars shut down in Bangkok lacking licenses, Covid safety

    Three bars shut down in Bangkok lacking licenses, Covid safety

    Possibly in the wake of the deadly fire at Mountain B Pub which prompted inspections of entertainment venues across Thailand, particularly in Bangkok, police shut down three bars in popular capital hotspots for operating illegally. Otto Bar in Sukhumvit Soi 22 and Emerald Club and Krystal Club, both in Thong Lor were shut down yesterday. Otto Bar was shut down…

  • Northern Thailand NewsPatiphan explains to police: It was my twin brother Patiphat!

    Patiphan explains to police: It was my twin brother Patiphat!

    In what seems like a scene from a movie with a lazy plot, a man in Nakhon Ratchasima says his upstanding life has been ruined by his criminal twin brother. Patiphan and Patiphat Kaeowaem were split up when they were babies and their lives took radically different directions. Born to a poor family, when they were just two months old,…

  • Crime NewsTruck leads police on 100km chase over shockingly small drug stash

    Truck leads police on 100km chase over shockingly small drug stash

    There have been a growing number of stories of cars and trucks running through checkpoints and then being chased down to find drug shipments inside. Sometimes massive amounts of drugs worth hundreds of millions of baht are found in the fleeing cars, helping to explain why someone would try to make such a daring escape. But is it worth it…

  • Politics NewsExiled Sri Lanka president expected to arrive in Thailand tomorrow

    Exiled Sri Lanka president expected to arrive in Thailand tomorrow

    After angry mobs of protesters drove him out of Sri Lanka and into exile, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is now planning to seek safe harbor in Thailand. According to two sources, he’s expected to arrive tomorrow after taking up temporary residence in Singapore for the past few weeks. Last month, party leaders in Sri Lanka met and agreed to ask both…

  • Phuket NewsTikTok post accuses Phuket restaurant of unfair, unlisted prices

    TikTok post accuses Phuket restaurant of unfair, unlisted prices

    Gourmet meal or a price-gouging steal? An angry restaurant owner is firing back at a TikTok post claiming he was overcharging after a customer racked up a bill of over 10,000 baht. The restaurant in question is Khon Boran on Ranong Road in Phuket Town, while the TikTok poster, a Thai tourist, says he paid too much for his meal,…

  • Pattaya NewsFaulty wiring, poor construction, unsafe materials in Mountain B fire

    Faulty wiring, poor construction, unsafe materials in Mountain B fire

    As more details emerge on the horrific fire at the Mountain B Pub that took the lives of 15 victims with 38 more hospitalised, The Thaiger continues daily roundups of new developments. Yesterday’s can be found here (about the victims and owners) and here (about the response from authorities). Read on to learn about the construction issues and inspections, or…

  • Pattaya NewsMountain B: Owner out on bail, Bangkok club inspection, viral moment

    Mountain B: Owner out on bail, Bangkok club inspection, viral moment

    As more details emerge on the horrific fire at the Mountain B Pub that took the lives of 15 victims with 38 more hospitalised, The Thaiger continues daily roundups of new developments. Read on to learn about authorities’ actions regarding the owner, other club inspections, and a viral moment, or click here to read about the construction issues and inspections. Owner…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand has 5 BA.2.75 antibody-resistant Covid-19 sub-variant

    Thailand has 5 BA.2.75 antibody-resistant Covid-19 sub-variant

    Health authorities are now keeping a close eye on the development of five confirmed infections of the Covid-19 sub-variant BA.2.75, known to be antibody resistant. The director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences outlined all the cases and warned that the sub-variant could spread quickly if not properly monitored. “Officials are monitoring the development of the sub-variant. If the strain…

  • South Thailand News13 pet ducks missing: 6-metre, 40-kilogramme snake to blame

    13 pet ducks missing: 6-metre, 40-kilogramme snake to blame

    A local shop owner in Kanchanadit in the southern province of Surat Thani had 18 pet ducks. Then one day there were 17, then 16 the next day, and 15 the day after. One by one they were disappearing and it wasn’t until 13 ducks had vanished that the culprit was revealed – a giant, 6-metre, 40-kilogramme snake. The snake…

  • Politics NewsAnutin: “If I have to be the prime minister, I will be.”

    Anutin: “If I have to be the prime minister, I will be.”

    Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says that, if people want him, he is willing to step in as the next prime minister of Thailand. Anutin, who also has been serving as the Minister of Public Health throughout the tumultuous Covid-19 pandemic and response, said that if the citizens of Thailand want him to be their next leader, he is willing…

  • Eastern Thailand NewsGerman man believed to have monkeypox briefly fled police

    German man believed to have monkeypox briefly fled police

    Results are pending for the test of what could be the fifth person in Thailand to be confirmed with monkeypox, another German man, this time on Koh Chang island. Similar to the first case, when a Nigerian man fled the country before being caught in Cambodia, this tourist attempted to escape when asked to submit to testing for monkeypox. The…

  • Transport NewsBTS is offering a free ride… with your mom

    BTS is offering a free ride… with your mom

    The Bangkok Mass Transit System has announced a special promotion for National Mother’s Day on August 12 where you can get a free ride… if you bring your mom. The BTS system has announced that those who bring their mother to the Skytrain will be allowed to ride for free in celebration of the Queen Mother’s birthday. The promotion had…

  • Pattaya NewsMountain Pub fire: 15 victims dead, owner arrested, club uninsured

    Mountain Pub fire: 15 victims dead, owner arrested, club uninsured

    In the past 24 hours, many updates have been revealed regarding the horrific and tragic fire that engulfed the roof of the Mountain B nightclub in the Pattaya suburb of Sattahip which has now claimed the lives of 15 victims with 38 more injured. Latest reports say that sparks lit the soundproofing foam in seconds after two loud explosions near…

  • Pattaya NewsPolice transferred, safety measures enacted in wake of Mountain B fire

    Police transferred, safety measures enacted in wake of Mountain B fire

    In the past 24 hours, many updates have been revealed regarding the horrific and tragic fire that engulfed the roof of the Mountain B nightclub in Pattaya suburb Sattahip which has now claimed the lives of 15 people with 38 more injured and the police response. Latest reports say that sparks lit the soundproofing foam in seconds after two loud…

  • World NewsChinese military excercises spook shipping vessels at Taiwan port

    Chinese military excercises spook shipping vessels at Taiwan port

    As tensions escalate with China exerting authority over Taiwan, many shipping vessels are going out of their way to avoid Kaohsiung port in the south of Taiwan, fearing for their safety. Chinese military ships are running drills and exercises just 15 nautical miles from the vital shipping port, making shippers worry about possibly being hit by Chinese missiles. Almost half…

  • Thailand News“Captain Condom” Mechai spent decades normalising condoms

    “Captain Condom” Mechai spent decades normalising condoms

    A pivotal figure in battling both Thailand’s overpopulation problem of the 1970s and the AIDS epidemic beginning in the 80s, Mechai Viravaidya earned his title of Captain Condom. The controversial but charming man is now 81 years old, but Mechai famously battled for decades for birth control and sexual health so fervently that his adversaries pushed to popularise calling condoms…

  • Pattaya NewsPub fire update: compensation, illegal operation, flaming rain

    Pub fire update: compensation, illegal operation, flaming rain

    More details are emerging about the tragic fire that tore through the Mountain B Pub in the Sattahip district of Chon Buri on Thursday evening, as reported yesterday. The building was licensed as a restaurant and opened after hours illegally, the owner was previously arrested for operating illegally, and additional exits were blocked. The pub was licenced for use solely…

  • World News90% of Hong Kong travellers craving travel to Thailand this year

    90% of Hong Kong travellers craving travel to Thailand this year

    A recent survey found that a massive majority of people in Hong Kong are dying to visit Thailand and are planning to travel to the Kingdom within the next year. The survey was conducted in partnership with the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Hong Kong office and Klook, and interviewed 3,000 residents in Hong Kong about their thoughts on Thai tourism.…

  • Economy NewsHalf a million young people seeking jobs prefer admin to tourism

    Half a million young people seeking jobs prefer admin to tourism

    The Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry released a new report analysing job applications on JobThai.com this past month revealing some interesting statistics about what jobs people want and where. Young job applicants – and there are around 490,000 to 510,000 of them who recently graduated and now entering the workforce – are eschewing the glitz and glamour of…

  • Covid-19 NewsAuthorities warn: Don’t self-prescribe Covid drugs like Molnupiravir

    Authorities warn: Don’t self-prescribe Covid drugs like Molnupiravir

    New warnings are being issued about self-medicating or misusing Covid-19 drugs like Molnupiravir and the negative effects that could result from it. Department of Disease Control Director-General Dr Opas Karnkawinpong is warning that people who do not need treatment taking antiviral drugs may create drug resistance in their body, making it ineffective against future infections. Meanwhile, director of King Chulalongkorn…

  • Covid-19 NewsBan on public gatherings enacted and published in Royal Gazette

    Ban on public gatherings enacted and published in Royal Gazette

    A new ban on public gatherings has been published in the Royal Gazette to combat the recent surge of Covid-19 infections in Thailand. The rule restricting unauthorised public assemblies is permitted under the Emergency Decree that was recently extended for a 19th time, as it has been every two months since it was instituted towards the beginning of the pandemic…

  • Politics NewsYOU can voice your opinion on Thailand in PR online survey

    YOU can voice your opinion on Thailand in PR online survey

    If you ever wanted a chance for your voice to be heard about Thailand – and judging from our comments section, a lot of you really, really do – now is your chance! Simple click here and fill out the impressively-catchy named survey “Foreigners’ Awareness, Confidence in Important Government Policies, and Perceived Image of Thailand.” The thoroughly titled survey was…

  • Thailand NewsChulalongkorn University says students can ditch their uniforms

    Chulalongkorn University says students can ditch their uniforms

    After growing pressure online from students, Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Law has agreed to do away with mandatory student uniforms. Education authorities have been hotly debating whether to relax the rules of attire for students across the country, and this decision by the law faculty of Thailand’s oldest university might help sway policy nationwide. A university lecturer announced the uniform…

  • World NewsFirst monkeypox death in Asia occurs this week in India

    First monkeypox death in Asia occurs this week in India

    The first confirmed death due to monkeypox in Asia occurred on Monday in the state of Kerala in India. It is only the fourth death confirmed worldwide in the current monkeypox outbreak, after two fatalities in Spain last week and one in Brazil. Monkeypox has spread around the world in recent months, while previous outbreaks had been endemic to Africa,…

  • Thailand Weather UpdatesAt least 28 dead in a flood in the American state of Kentucky

    At least 28 dead in a flood in the American state of Kentucky

    Thailand isn’t the only part of the world suffering flooding problems. In the American state of Kentucky, downpours caused massive flooding with a death toll of at least 28 people so far and thousands of local people displaced. The flood hit the eastern part of the state in what Governor Andy Beshear described as some of the worst rainfall in…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket security guard shoots raging bar customer holding a sword

    Phuket security guard shoots raging bar customer holding a sword

    An early-morning scuffle outside of a karaoke bar in Phuket town ended when a security guard shot a Thai customer who was wielding a half-metre-long sword. The pre-dawn incident took place at Nai Mueang Sot Phuket pub and karaoke bar on Phuket Road, with police responding to a call at around 5.50am. Upon arrival, they discovered a 27 year old…

  • Thailand Weather UpdatesLightning strike kills seven cows in Nakhon Ratchasima

    Lightning strike kills seven cows in Nakhon Ratchasima

    Deadly lightning struck a forest during a rain storm in the Bua Yai district of Nakhon Ratchasima, killing seven cows instantly. The unusual occurrence happened yesterday and was reported by the Hook 31 Rescue Unit. That unit was called to investigate in the northeastern province in response to the incident that took place at around 12.10pm. The unit hurried to…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid-19 preventing LAAB immunisations available from August 1

    Covid-19 preventing LAAB immunisations available from August 1

    In August, public health centres in Thailand will make available Long Acting Antibody (LAAB) immunisations to help people get continued protection against Covid-19. The LAAB injections will first be made available to those with weekend or compromised immune systems and should provide protection against Covid for up to six months. The deputy government spokesperson explained that today, August 1, public…