- Tourism News
6 Elephants added to camp anticipating Chinese tourists
Chinese tourists are returning to Thailand, and with it, operators at elephant sanctuaries and shows are expecting a swell in customers. The Pang Chang Kamala Elephant Camp in Phuket has recently bought six new elephants to keep up with the rise in bookings after the Lunar New Year. The camp offers a variety of activities for the new tourists streaming…
- Thailand News
Peace Corps return to Thailand Post-Covid
On Friday, the Peace Corps in Thailand saw the return of 52 American volunteers, who will be serving alongside community members throughout the country. This marks the first time since the evacuation of volunteers in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The evacuation of volunteers in 2020 was a historical moment as it marked the first time in the…
- Economy News
Google announces 12,000 layoffs amid new “economic reality”
Google is cutting 12,000 jobs globally its parent company, Alphabet, announced yesterday. Like other tech titans in recent weeks, Google is laying off workers as it embarks on some large-scale restructuring. The announcement follows similar layoffs by other tech giants such as Microsoft, Meta (parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp), Amazon and Twitter, as the previously stable tech sector…
- Tourism News
Flights from China over Chinese New Year average 34 daily
The skies above Thailand will be full of Chinese flights this week, with 240 scheduled flights over the Chinese New Year. The Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) announced that during the holiday period from January 19 to 25, an average of 34 flights per day are expected to arrive in Thailand from China. This is expected to bring a significant…
- Crime News
Police nab Uzbek woman at Phuket Airport with 2.23 kg of cocaine
In a drug bust, Thai police arrested an Uzbek woman at the Phuket International Airport for possession of 2.23 kilogrammes of cocaine. The Sakoo Police said they received a tip-off about a suspicious person and brought her in to be searched. Police identified the woman as 41 year old Shoira Rakmonova. Upon searching her, they found the illicit drugs stashed…
- Tourism News
China gives green light to Chinese tour groups
China has lifted its restriction on group tours travelling to Thailand and 19 other countries. The reopening of tour groups officially started yesterday, marking a significant step towards normalising international travel for Chinese tourists. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism in China made the announcement yesterday. This move will officially allow tour agencies and online travel companies to begin booking…
- Crime News
ACD commander dedicated to revitalising corruption battle
The Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) in Thailand says they currently changing to transform it into a high-calibre unit that can combat corruption effectively. A team of ACD officers recently arrested Rutchada Suriyakul Na Ayutya, the director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. The scandal made headlines and the ACD became the centre of attention, causing its commander…
- Transport News
Bangkok’s 2 main train stations linked by free bus
Tomorrow, a complimentary shuttle bus service between Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (Bang Sue Grand Station) and Hua Lamphong Station will make commuting in Bangkok more convenient. The bus service is a joint venture being operated by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The free bus service was created in response to the…
- Phuket News
Phuket Police post, then delete, warning to women, trans people
Residents of the Thalang district in Phuket are confused over a vague warning that was issued – and then removed – by the Sakoo Police. A post by the police warned people to be cautious, especially women and transgenders who live alone, as there have been recent reports of “dangers” in the area. The Sakoo Police advised individuals to ensure…
- China News
Woman fudged her age to hide grandma status from boyfriend
They say age is nothing but a number, but how would you feel if your hot, young bride-to-be turned out to be a grandmother-to-be? That’s exactly what happened to Guo, a 31 year old man from China’s Henan province, who claims to have been the victim of “love fraud” after a 30 year old woman he was dating revealed her…
- World News
Philippine senators angry onion-smuggling bust is too small
Government officials in the Philippines are angry that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) are wasting time and resources making a big show out of busting airline crews for smuggling 15.5 kilogrammes of onions into the country. What do they want officials to be focusing on – drugs, weapons, and other contraband? No, just BIGGER onion smugglers. The BOC came under…
- World News
Trouble breathing? Try singing!
If your doctor told you to sing your health problems away, you’d probably think they are a quack. But a group of people in Singapore are singing their way to better breathing and lung health under a programme called Tune UP. The weekly singing sessions, which are facilitated by Yishun Health, are free and open to anyone who suffers from…
- South Thailand News
Shootout involving police ends with 1 dead, 2 injured
A fatal incident involving police officers occurred at a night restaurant in Songkhla. A shootout at the restaurant between a group of police officers and another group of customers left one dead and two injured. The incident took place in the early hours of the morning of Sunday, January 15 at a late-night diner next to the fire station of the…
- China News
China’s population drops for the first time in 6 decades
According to official data, China, the world’s most populous nation, saw a shrink in its population last year for the first time in over 60 years. This decline is attributed to the nation’s plummeting birth rates, which have reached record lows as China’s workforce ages, leading to concerns of a demographic crisis. The population stood at 1,411,750,000 at the end…
- Transport News
Bus hits overpass injuring student footballers aboard
A school football team and their coaches were left reeling after their bus met with a shocking accident while transporting them from the Nong Chok district of Bangkok to a field in the Bang Sao Thong district, Samut Prakan. The bus slammed into the top of a motorway overpass, causing the roof to cave in and injuring 13 of the…
- Transport News
Video inside the Nepal plane crash, 68 confirmed dead
As rescue work continues, at least 68 people have been confirmed dead in a plane crash in Nepal, making it the country’s deadliest aviation accident in over 30 years. A new video has surfaced that appears to have been taken inside the plane in its final moments as well. Some 72 people, including four crew members and 68 passengers, were…
- Phuket News
Baby turtles hatch in Phang Nga, die from garbage in Chon Buri
While Saturday marked the season’s first hatching of baby turtles around Phuket, 11 baby sea turtles found in Chon Buri in September have died from eating garbage. On the night of January 14, some 64 baby leatherback turtles successfully hatched and crawled into the sea at Bang Kwan Beach in Khok Kloi, Phang Nga. This marks the first group of…
- Crime News
Warning Thai people: Don’t be a nominee for foreign business
The Director-General of the Business Development Department in Thailand announced that Thai citizens who allow their names to be used by foreigners to open businesses that are reserved for Thai nationals may face penalties. The punishment can include hefty fines starting at 100,000 baht and climbing as high as 1 million baht. Violators could also face imprisonment for up to…
- Environment News
Young tiger found dead in Mae Wong National Park
The carcass of a young tiger named Vichit was discovered by wildlife officials in Mae Wong National Park in Kamphaeng Phet province. The tiger was believed to be five years old and had likely wandered out of Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary where it lives naturally before meeting its demise. The chief of Nakhon Sawan’s Protected Areas Regional Office 12,…
- Transport News
40 bodies found so far in Nepal plane crash
A tragic event took place in Nepal today, as a commercial plane with 72 people on board crashed and caught fire near an airport in the central region of the country. The Yeti Airlines flight, which was en route from Kathmandu to the popular tourist destination of Pokhara, crashed during its landing attempt. Social media posts captured videos of the…
- Northern Thailand News
Monk who attacked teen granddaughter found hanged
A violent monk who attacked his 17 year old granddaughter with a hammer was found hanged in a forest. Investigating officers report that he was found yesterday but is believed to have been hanging dead there after committing suicide for about a week. Last Saturday, officers from the Phibun Mangsahan Police Station were called to the scene where the monk had…
- Crime News
Van driver on pills doesn’t notice sparks for 10km
If you’re going to drive under the influence, make sure you have a spare tyre and not just spare Yaba pills. In what can only be described as a wild ride, a 29-year-old van driver was arrested by Tha Chatchai Police this morning for driving his vehicle without its left front tyre for a staggering 10 kilometres. Pichai Klomsanoh, a…
- Transport News
No, you can’t get a driver’s license via LINE
Despite what you may have read on the Internet, you absolutely cannot get a legal driver’s license by messaging someone via the LINE app and having them take the test for you. The Department of Land Transport Phuket Office issued a warning about a scam involving illegal and online driving licenses. The scam has been circulating on social media, including…
- Economy News
Groups push for 3,000-baht pension for all seniors
Activists and academics are calling for the government to provide a universal pension of 3,000 baht per month for senior citizens. Four Regions Slum Network said that the current allowance often less than one-third of that amount per month is simply not enough for seniors to live on, even with supplementary income. At present, the elderly in Thailand receive a…
- Thailand News
3 fraudsters to be extradited from Thailand to South Korea
Three South Korean citizens have been arrested on suspicion of committing fraud resulting in losses of 159 million baht (approximately US$4.84 million) in Korea before fleeing to Thailand. They will be extradited to South Korea to face charges. The suspects, identified as Kim, 54, Yang, 60, and Ye Jun, 51, were charged with fraud in South Korea for alleged stock…
- Tourism News
Thailand Tourism needs longer visas and more flights
To facilitate increased tourism, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has set a few goals. They aim to help add flights into Thailand during the High Season and petition to continue longer visa-on-arrival periods to enable tourists to stay in the kingdom longer. As international tourism to Thailand increases steadily, semantics has stymied faster growth. In China, for example, tour…
- Transport News
Patong-Chalong road construction nears completion
The construction of a new road connecting Chalong to Patong in Phuket is expected to open to the public soon, according to the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO). The announcement came after the PPAO President and Deputy President conducted in-person inspections along the construction site yesterday and the day before. The PPAO Deputy President has closely monitored progress, frequenting the…
- World News
Saucy Singapore: nation in the top 5 for 4 fetishes
Recently, an infographic detailing the most popular fetishes around the world has been doing the rounds again, causing quite a stir in Singapore. The graphic, created by casino website SlotsUp using data from Google Trends, shows the top countries for 20 different fetishes, though it is unclear when exactly the data was collected. The graphic was initially posted in 2021,…
- Phuket News
Floating Yona Beach Club told to cease and wait
A floating beach club barge in Phuket has now been ordered to cease all operations until it gets the full approval it has been seeking to anchor and operate in Patong Bay. Yona Beach Club has been operating with an expired registration and without approval while it waits. The 500-gross-ton vessel housing the beach club, called the Sawasdee, has luxury…
- World News
Power bank catches fire on flight to Singapore
A power bank caught fire on a Scoot flight from Taipei to Singapore, injuring two passengers on board. Flight TR933 was just beginning its journey from Taipei’s Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Singapore Changi Airport yesterday evening when the power bank overheated, causing pandemonium. The Scoot flight was forced to return to the gate before takeoff due to a fire…
