- World News
Mutant mosquitoes a growing threat in Asia
New research warns that mosquitoes that transmit viruses such as dengue in parts of Asia have evolved and grown resistant to insecticides. Experts warn new methods to control them are urgently needed. Insecticide-resistant mosquitoes have been a known problem for years, but studies are now showing the scope is much larger than previously understood. Fogging-infested areas may no longer be…
- Lifestyle
Ghosts in Thailand: some eerie sites to explore
Thailand is known for its beautiful beaches, delicious food, and rich culture, but it also has a dark side. Thai culture has long believed in ghosts, some good, some bad. A large percentage of people in modern life are still afraid of ghosts in Thailand and as such, the country has some infamously haunted and eerie places. Here are a…
- Environment News
Biodegradable tax incentives to reduce plastic waste
Thailand is taking a big step to tackle plastic waste, and it’s all about incentives. The country’s Ministry of Finance has teamed up with the Ministry of Industry to announce a new program that offers a 25% corporate income tax reduction for businesses that buy biodegradable plastic products between 2022 and 2024. This move is aimed at encouraging companies to…
- World News
Piracy in decline around the world
The Covid-19 pandemic has been rough on everyone. But as we focus on rebuilding tourism and the economy, spare a moment in your thoughts for Jack Sparrow. A new report says that last year worldwide pirate activity was at its lowest since 2008, and possibly since 1992. Piracy and robbery on the high seas are at their lowest levels since…
- Tourism News
Chinese tourists trickling in after reopening
With a back and forth over Covid-19 restrictions, as China opens its doors for its citizens to travel outbound again, the wave of the coveted Chinese tourist demographic has been nothing more than a trickle. The first arrivals in three years on a direct flight from China to Thailand landed in Bangkok on January 8, with 200 enthusiastic travellers. After Covid…
- Central Thailand News
Smuggling of nearly 90 cattle stopped at Burmese border
Police intervened in an illegal bovine immigration operation this weekend. Authorities caught a herd of almost 90 cattle that illegal smugglers were attempting to sell in the south of Thailand after sneaking across the Burmese border and into Prachuap Khiri Khan. On Saturday, Border Patrol Police in the western province intercepted the smuggling operation of nearly 90 cattle being snuck…
- World News
Indonesian couple’s suicide note requests no investigation
An apparent double suicide in Indonesia is raising eyebrows as the deceased left a surprising suicide note. The couple was found dead, fully clothed in bed and holding hands after allegedly poisoning themselves. In what appears to be a suicide note the couple left behind, they asked that their death not be investigated. According to police in Ciputat, South Tangerang…
- World News
Despite China risk, Malaysia will not change Covid rules
Thailand has implemented new blanket Covid-19 restrictions from today in an effort to fight an infection spike without offending China, which just opened to international travel despite a massive coronavirus outbreak. Malaysia went in another direction, declaring that they would make no changes to their entry procedures despite the increased risk of Covid in travellers from China. The Minister of…
- Transport News
Driving penalty points system in effect from today
Thailand’s new driving penalty points system will come into effect today but the police are focusing on encouraging general public awareness so they understand the new rules before fully cracking down. The new points system for motorists is aimed at improving traffic law compliance, reducing accidents, and improving road safety, according to the commander of the Highway Police Division. The…
- Transport News
2 men found frozen in the belly of Colombian plane
An aircraft maintenance technician in Colombia made a shocking discovery. Under the belly of an Avianca plane at the airport in Bogota, the bodies of two young men were frozen to death. The airline technician was inspecting and performing regular maintenance on the aircraft of Colombia’s flagship airline when he was horrified by the corpses. The bodies were found today,…
- Thailand Weather Updates
4-metre waves off Pha Ngan capsize tugboat, crew rescued
At 4am on Saturday, tens of thousands of tourists and partiers were dancing the night away at a Full Moon Party on Haad Rin Beach, Koh Pha Ngan. Just 37 kilometres away off the coast of the popular holiday island catastrophe struck as huge waves capsized a tugboat, tossing all the crew members overboard into the swelling seas. The crew of…
- Eastern Thailand News
Fire destroys 7 speedboats on Koh Mak
Disaster struck the island of Koh Mak in Trat province over the weekend when seven speedboats docked at Thong Lang Bay were destroyed in a fire. A group of tourists from the mainland who had taken a day trip to the holiday island were briefly stranded as the speedboats to transport them back burned and sank. Local villagers came to…
- Covid-19 News
Covid travel restrictions return tomorrow
It’s probably just a coincidence, but just as China is easing their travel blocks and allowing its citizens to travel abroad, Covid-19 travel restrictions are officially back. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has recently announced a set of rules that will apply to all non-Thai arrivals between January 9 and 31. These rules come as the country anticipates…
- Crime News
Nephew of former Pattaya deputy mayor surrenders on shooting charges
After losing control and shooting a British man in a road rage incident, the nephew of a former deputy mayor of Pattaya turned himself in yesterday. The 32 year old man identified only by his first name Apichat surrendered to police in Pattaya. According to Apichat’s account of the incident, the deputy mayor’s nephew was driving his car when he…
- Events
Koh Pha Ngan packed with back to back parties
Business in Koh Pha Ngan has been booming with the biggest New Year’s Eve Countdown party in three years followed by the first Full Moon Party of 2023. Tens of thousands of visitors flocked to the island to take part in the (nearly) all-night beach party last night. The event was a success, though not quite as big and rowdy…
- Tourism News
Alibaba’s Jack Ma enjoys a visit to Bangkok
Billionaire Jack Ma, the co-founder of Alibaba and Yunfeng Capital, has been enjoying his time in Thailand, visiting popular tourist attractions in the capital city of Bangkok. He was recently seen at the famous Michelin star Jay Fai street food and the Rajadamnern Boxing Stadium. The Chinese businessman ate at Thailand’s most famous street food stall and stopped to take…
- Crime News
Teacher shot by 6 year old student in US
A shocking and disturbing incident occurred at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia in the US yesterday. A 6 year old student shot and wounded a teacher, a woman in her 30s, during an altercation in the classroom. The teacher was taken to a local hospital with injuries believed to be life-threatening, but there has reportedly been “some improvement”…
- Crime News
Monk accused of raping his daughter
A 42 year old monk in Samut Prakan has been arrested for raping his daughter after visiting her for New Year blessings. On December 28, Naen, a 14 year old girl from a family with a history of sexual abuse, was violently raped by her father, Wirachai, a monk at a temple in the Greater Bangkok area province of Samut…
- Tourism News
Chinese tourist surge may be small, trains may help
After a flurry of excitement over the return of Chinese tourists, perhaps tempered a bit by Covid-19 worries amidst a huge outbreak there, industry experts are predicting a smaller surge this Chinese New Year. The Association of Thai Travel Agents says that many large tour groups popular in China have not confirmed trips until the country makes an official announcement…
- Crime News
Video of alleged Chinese Triad drug raid in October released
A new video has surfaced of a drug raid at Jinling nightclub in Bangkok from October that was part of a crackdown on illegal Chinese triad activity. The video was released by controversial politician and soapy massage pioneer Chuwit Kamolvisit who has been active in efforts to curb Chinese gang activity in Bangkok. The raid in October nabbed 104 people…
- China News
China threatens retaliation over restrictions on Chinese tourists
China is striking back as governments around the world are making policies for Chinese tourists entering their countries. A massive Covid-19 wave has been surging through the mainland, but January 8 reopening plans are still in place allowing a huge tourism demographic of Chinese tourists to flock to holiday destinations worldwide. But not only that! China is threatening countermeasures against…
- Road deaths
Phuket focuses on foreigners causing motorbike accidents
As Thailand sees the tail end of the dreaded “Seven Days of Danger” where road accidents and death tend to spike over the new year holiday, officials in Phuket are focusing on the number of accidents involving foreigners on their roads. At this morning’s daily briefing at the Phuket Provincial Hall, officials said that foreigners on holiday renting motorbikes and…
- Bangkok News
Temple new year coffin ceremony lets you be reborn
After partying hard on New Year’s Eve, many of us start the year feeling pretty dead. But for one temple on the far edges of Bangkok, they take that feeling to the next level. A New Year’s Day tradition sees temple followers crawl into coffins to invite good luck and rid themselves of bad luck for 2023. Wat Takian, in…
- Tourism News
Call for Covid boosters before wave of Chinese tourism
To prepare for an influx of Chinese tourists, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is encouraging all employees in the tourism sector to get a Covid-19 booster shot. China has experienced a giant wave of infections since it abandoned its zero-Covid policy but the mainland still intends to open its borders to allow citizens to travel abroad next week. Many…
- Thailand News
Top ten fake news stories in Thailand 2022
Before New Year’s Eve, we recounted the top ten news stories that generated the most buzz on Thai social media. But what about the stories last year that weren’t true, didn’t exist, or simply didn’t happen? Thai PBS World reported yesterday that the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society released a top ten fake news story list. 10. N-Dro, a…
- Road deaths
Man fails to outrun train on motorbike, dies
If you’ve ever thought about trying to outrun a train… Don’t. Yesterday in Pattaya, a man thought he could probably make it across the tracks before an oncoming train reached the crossing. He thought he could outrun the train, and he was wrong. The man was killed when Train #5101 en route to the Sattahip district nearby in Chon Buri…
- World News
Banks deny wrongdoing in Jeffrey Epstein lawsuit
Two major banks are denying any legal responsibilities in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking after two victims filed lawsuits against them. American bank JPMorgan Chase and German-based Deutsche Bank requested that the federal court drops the suit that claims the banks should have known of Epstein’s illegal sexual escapades and therefore bear some responsibility for the abuse that occurred. Epstein was…
- Thailand Election News
Speaker predicts mass election corruption
Thailand’s House Speaker Chuan Leekpai warned that the country can expect to see mass corruption in the upcoming general election. He said on Sunday that money will be a powerful influence in this year’s election and vote-buying will be rampant. To support his claim, Chuan points to the amount of campaigning that has been going on in the southern provinces…
- Environment News
Thailand makes another travel list: Fodor’s No List
Thailand boasted recently of its ranking on many travel lists, from being among the least corrupt countries in Asia to ranking one of the best locations for expats, and rating one of the safest countries to visit. The country has made the ranks by having some of the top-rated food and beaches in the world. But Thailand also received a…
