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.
  • Crime NewsMan arrested after allegedly raping young girl 18 years ago

    Man arrested after allegedly raping young girl 18 years ago

    A fugitive for 18 years, police just caught up with a man accused of raping a young student 18 years ago. The 42 year old man was arrested in Bangkok after evading police for nearly 2 decades since 2003 when it is alleged that he raped a young girl in Phayao in the north of Thailand. The crime suppression division…

  • Tourism NewsThailand’s focus on wealthy tourists won’t benefit small business

    Thailand’s focus on wealthy tourists won’t benefit small business

    With the November 1 reopening, the government has not been looking to welcome back any and all travellers that want to come to Thailand. Instead, they’ve been narrowly focused on attracting the “right” tourists, attempting to lure wealthy investors and retirees to dump money into Thailand, while often brushing aside the moderate and budget tourists that have for years been…

  • Phuket News“Together Phuket Stepping Forward”: tourism plan after Sandbox

    “Together Phuket Stepping Forward”: tourism plan after Sandbox

    “Together Phuket Stepping Forward” is the new tourism campaign designed to be the successor to the Phuket Sandbox now that the government is firming their plans to open without quarantine to a newly-expanded list of 46 countries. The plan grew out of a town hall meeting yesterday with private and public agencies along with the Phuket Tourist Association. Phuket Governor…

  • Tourism NewsBangkok’s 2 airports prepared to welcome international travellers

    Bangkok’s 2 airports prepared to welcome international travellers

    As the November 1 reopening nears, Bangkok’s two airports are finalizing their plans on how to welcome and process international travellers for the first time since Covid-19 closed the borders. Suvarnabhumi Airport and the secondary Don Mueang International Airport, which traditionally caters to budget airlines and short-haul flights, are adopting an arrival style similar to that in place for the…

  • World NewsVatican launches Click to Pray 2.0 app to encourage prayer

    Vatican launches Click to Pray 2.0 app to encourage prayer

    The Vatican is updating it tech in an attempt to modernise religion. But don’t expect Pope Francis to be dancing on TikTok anytime soon. The Click to Pray mobile app has a new update that just rolled out, hoping to help keep prayer in modern busy lifestyles. Click to Pray 2.0 is the first update to the Vatican’s prayer app…

  • EventsFull Moon Party attempt Saturday muted by Covid-19 restrictions

    Full Moon Party attempt Saturday muted by Covid-19 restrictions

    A cautious step at restarting Koh Phangan’s famous Full Moon Party has met with some hurdles in the interest of Covid-19 safety. The world-renowned monthly party has been on hiatus since the onset of Covid-19 with many questioning if the party, and Haad Rin, the town that hosts the massive event, will be able to bounce back after the pandemic.…

  • Crime NewsCourt rules “Jo Ferrari” suspect died of deliberate suffocation

    Court rules “Jo Ferrari” suspect died of deliberate suffocation

    In the wake of the Jo Ferrari scandal that uncovered police brutality and opulence in a painfully public way, a court just ruled that the suspect – who died after having his hands tied and plastic bags placed over his head – was the victim of deliberate suffocation. Pol Col Thitisan “Jo Ferrari” Utthanaphon was captured on video in a…

  • Crime NewsWoman arrested for alleged social media accounts hack scam

    Woman arrested for alleged social media accounts hack scam

    A 21 year old Thai woman was arrested by the Economic Crime Division for fraud, accused of hacking Facebook and Line accounts. The woman was arrested at Nornee Apartment building in Minburi in northern Bangkok after an arrest warrant was issued. Police from the Economic Crime Division took the woman into custody at her apartment, accused of gaining access to…

  • Bangkok NewsPolice say they have enough evidence to try woman who cut rope

    Police say they have enough evidence to try woman who cut rope

    In an update to the shocking story of a worker in Nonthaburi whose rope was cut leaving him dangling 26 floors above the street below, police now say that they have enough evidence to prosecute the woman accused of cutting the rope from the 21st floor, 5 stories below. Thai media reported that the culprit is allegedly a 34 year…

  • Thailand News235 arrested at restaurant serving alcohol after curfew

    235 arrested at restaurant serving alcohol after curfew

    Another bust for illegal alcohol and gathering occurred in the early hours of yesterday morning as police in Khon Kaen busted an alcohol-serving restaurant pouring drinks for over 200 customers illegally. In violation of the Covid-19 Emergency Decree and the Communicable Disease Control Act, the Lan Mai restaurant in Maliwan Road in tambon Ban Pet in Muang district was found…

  • Tourism NewsTravellers after November 1 told to book quarantine hotels

    Travellers after November 1 told to book quarantine hotels

    While many are excited that Thailand is finally reopening at least somewhat without quarantine to certain people in certain locations, the confusion and lack of confirmation of rules until the last minute is creating some conflicting information. Thai embassies are telling potential foreign travellers that they will still need to book quarantine accommodations before they are permitted to travel. Many…

  • Bangkok NewsFire at Samut Prakan shoe factory rages for 3 hours

    Fire at Samut Prakan shoe factory rages for 3 hours

    Fires raged at Watana Footwear, a large shoe factory in Samut Prakan which caught fire and burned for 3 hours causing an estimated 100 million baht of damage. The blaze took place last night around 9 pm on King Keaw Road in Bang Plee, Samut Prakan, a sub-province of Bangkok. Two people were reported injured in the incident. Bang Keaw…

  • Technology NewsFacebook plans a name change and rebrand to a metaverse

    Facebook plans a name change and rebrand to a metaverse

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid-19 Wednesday: 79 deaths, infections below 9,000

    Covid-19 Wednesday: 79 deaths, infections below 9,000

    Today, the CCSA reported 8,918 new Covid-19 infections, down 204 since yesterday, the first times the new infections dipped under 9,000 in months. There were 79 Coronavirus-related deaths, up 8 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,782,989 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since…

  • Covid-19 NewsBangkok authorities and hotels prepare for returning travellers

    Bangkok authorities and hotels prepare for returning travellers

    Bangkok authorities and hotels are gearing up to welcome back international tourists on November 1, setting up swab hubs and preparing for an influx of travellers. The Tourism Authority of Thailand said they will set up testing stations outside the airport and are strategising to avoid congestion and bottlenecking as international travellers arrive into Thailand. The plan is instead to…

  • Bangkok NewsGPO selling ATKs at 40 baht at 8 centres and online

    GPO selling ATKs at 40 baht at 8 centres and online

    After a protracted battle over whether or not to purchase 8.5 million antigen test kits from a Chinese company that had been pulled from US shelves after US FDA warnings of inaccuracy, the sale went through and the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation has been distributing the kits for use across Thailand. The GPO has now announced a supply of 2 million…

  • ExpatsThailand requires 3 million baht insurance for ‘retirement’ visas

    Thailand requires 3 million baht insurance for ‘retirement’ visas

    In a revision to the rules for non-immigrant OA visas, foreigners will now be required to hold a minimum of 3 million baht in health insurance, for in-patient services, in order to be eligible for long-term stays in Thailand, 8 times more than the 400,000 baht that has been previously required. The OA visa is also known as the Retirement…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid-19 Monday: 10,111 infections, 63 deaths, provincial data

    Covid-19 Monday: 10,111 infections, 63 deaths, provincial data

    Today, the CCSA reported 10,111 new Covid-19 infections, down 752 since yesterday, and 63 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 5 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,764,949 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 10,612 recoveries, up 229 from…

  • Pattaya NewsMan found dead, tangled in cables in Bang Lamung

    Man found dead, tangled in cables in Bang Lamung

    An internet repairman in Bang Lamung had a morbid surprise when he was repairing internet cables in the evening and spotted a man standing by a tree. He called out to him in the dark, but the man did not reply. When he approached the still man, he discovered to his horror that the figure he saw was that of…

  • Covid-19 NewsJapan makes donation of another 385,000 AstraZeneca vaccines

    Japan makes donation of another 385,000 AstraZeneca vaccines

    In what seems like a frequent periodical occurrence, Japan has made yet another donation of AstraZeneca vaccines to Thailand this week. The Japanese government declared that they had sent another 385,210 vaccines that arrived late Friday night. A government spokesperson confirmed the donation and say that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed his thankfulness to Japan for this donation and their continued…

  • World NewsBurmese junta leader not invited to ASEAN summit

    Burmese junta leader not invited to ASEAN summit

    After many members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations expressed frustration at the Burmese junta seeming to brush off the actions agreed upon at a summit in April, the group is showing its ire by not inviting Burmese junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing to this month’s ASEAN summit. After an emergency meeting Friday, the decision was announced by…

  • Thailand NewsCovid-19 Sunday: 10,863 infections, 68 deaths, provincial data

    Covid-19 Sunday: 10,863 infections, 68 deaths, provincial data

    Today, the CCSA reported 10,863 new Covid-19 infections, up 215 since yesterday, and 68 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 14 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,754,838 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 10,383 recoveries, a change of…

  • Covid-19 NewsModerna vaccine approved as a booster shot by US FDA

    Moderna vaccine approved as a booster shot by US FDA

    Moderna just got a boost as a booster as experts advising the US Food and Drug Administration recommended the vaccine for use as a booster shot even for those over the age of 65 and at higher medical risk to Covid-19. The unanimous vote will likely lead to the FDA approving the recommendation and passing it to the Centres for…

  • Covid-19 NewsChulabhorn Royal Academy announces vaccine booster signups

    Chulabhorn Royal Academy announces vaccine booster signups

    Chulabhorn Royal Academy is now taking advance vaccine bookings for reasonably-priced Moderna and Sinopharm doses to qualified applicants. The academy is making vaccines available for organisations, corporate entities, hospital administrations and members, as well as employees in the public for booster shots. They are launching the vaccine signup programme as a commemoration of the Chulabhorn Hospital on its 12 year anniversary.…

  • Bangkok NewsMEA says electrical wires seen in Crowe tweet are not theirs

    MEA says electrical wires seen in Crowe tweet are not theirs

    While Russell Crowe’s tweets while filming his new movie in Thailand caused a stir on Thai social media, winning praise from PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and Phuket Sandbox authorities, one group was not nearly as enthused about his posts. The Metropolitan Electric Authority in Bangkok released a statement defending itself after Crowe posted a photo captioned “Bangkok Dreaming” that depicted Thailand’s…

  • Covid-19 News10 provinces on Ministry of Public Health Covid-19 watchlist

    10 provinces on Ministry of Public Health Covid-19 watchlist

    After surges in local Covid-19 infections, the Ministry of Public Health has added 10 provinces to its watchlist to be closely monitored. The 4 Deep South provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla, and Yala were added to the list, as well as Chanthaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ratchaburi, Rayong, and Tak. While some provinces have already implemented their own tighter…

  • Krabi NewsKrabi tourism businesses not thrilled about Thailand’s reopening

    Krabi tourism businesses not thrilled about Thailand’s reopening

    A prominent local tourism operator in Krabi is speaking out, saying the tourism businesses in Krabi don’t like or want the reopening Thailand has planned for November 1. He asserts that interest from tourists, businesses that can afford to reopen, and vaccinations among locals are all lacking. The operator said that despite the government’s rosy predictions, he fears that not…

  • Covid-19 NewsThammasat University negotiates multiple deals for vaccines

    Thammasat University negotiates multiple deals for vaccines

    A new deal has been struck between 2 private hospitals and Thammasat University to purchase and import 5 million Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines. This is an addition to a recently negotiated deal to procure 2 million modern vaccines, making a total of 7 million doses that the school will help bring into Thailand after recently being approved by the…

  • Bangkok NewsRescue workers cut stuck PVC pipe from man’s genitals

    Rescue workers cut stuck PVC pipe from man’s genitals

    For readers concerned that there hasn’t been enough news coverage of genitals getting stuck in things, we’ve got you covered. Though we missed coverage of a Kanchanaburi man who had gotten his member stuck in a bottle opener earlier this week, now rescue workers have come to the aid of a man in Bangkok who has found himself with his…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid-19 Saturday Update: 10,648 cases, 82 deaths, provincial data

    Covid-19 Saturday Update: 10,648 cases, 82 deaths, provincial data

    Today, the CCSA reported 10,648 new Covid-19 infections, a change of +162 since yesterday, and 82 Coronavirus-related deaths, a change of -12 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,743,975 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 10,794…