- Thailand News
Alcoholic Drink Control Act has reduced drinking 2%
Some news we shouldn’t drink to: alcohol consumption is down 2% after 15 years of Thailand’s Alcoholic Drink Control Act. The law banned alcohol advertisements and placed limits on when and where booze can be sold. A seminar entitled “Different Views on 15-year Enforcement of the Alcoholic Drink Control Act” was held on Sunday at Bangkok’s Asia Hotel where the…
- Tourism News
Chinese and Indian investors buying up Pattaya
Pattaya has been attracting foreign investors for years, but now Indian and Chinese investors are leading the way, buying up businesses in the area and catering to people from their home countries. Business people in the Chonburi province have commented on a rise in businesses specifically by and for Indian and Chinese tourists. Indian investors were the first to strongly…
- Songkran News
Songkran returns to Pattaya amid Covid concerns
Pattaya is set to welcome back Songkran after a four-year absence due to pandemic restrictions. The festival, which is known for being the biggest and wettest party in Pattaya, will culminate on April 19 with Wan Lai, or the “Big Day.” However, health officials fear that the unbridled celebration could also bring a new spike in Covid-19 infections, as it…
- Health
HPV testing for Thai women key to cancer reduction
Many Thai women are still not getting screened for HPV, despite the introduction of self-sampling swabs last year. An assistant professor and gynaecological oncology specialist at Chulabhorn Hospital said 80% of cervical cancers can be prevented if regular check-ups are performed. But many women still resist the screening, feeling uneasy with the testing process. Last year the self-sampling test swabs were…
- World News
Man threatens to release sex tape, woman cuts off his penis
An Indonesian man’s short-sighted demand for sex may have cost him his ability to ever have sex again. On Saturday the man’s girlfriend allegedly cut off his penis in a fit of rage after he insisted on sex. The woman was apparently annoyed at her boyfriend earlier, so turned him down for sex. He persisted and threatened to release a…
- Northern Thailand News
New meth pills under 10 baht each flooding market
If you’ve been thinking of dabbling in meth but found the pills cost-prohibitive, drug cartels are here to help. They’ve been flooding the Northeast of Thailand with cheap methamphetamine pills, costing under 10 baht each, causing concern among authorities. How do manufacturers manage to keep the cost of pills so low? The answer is insecticide. Drug makers use insecticide as…
- World News
‘Dilbert’ dropped from hundreds of papers after racist remarks
After “Dilbert” comic strip creator Scott Adams made derogatory remarks about Black people in a video he posted online, hundreds of US newspapers have announced that they will no longer publish the popular comic strip. The iconic comic strip that lampooned office life became massively popular in the 1990s, even spawning a TV show briefly. But, in recent years, Adams…
- Phuket News
10,000 baht offered for missing stray dog in Kathu
While Thailand is riddled with stray dogs roaming the street, one lost dog could net you 10,000 baht. That’s the reward a devoted pet owner has offered in Phuket for the safe return of a dog that has gone missing. Residents of Kathu in Phuket are being asked to help find an ex-stray dog that has been missing for three…
- Krabi News
Krabi homeowner shocked by 5-metre king cobra snake
If you were a giant king cobra snake, where would you live? The answer is apparently “anywhere you want.” A homeowner in Krabi got a major surprise when they discovered a five-metre-long king cobra relaxing at their house this week. A team of snake handlers successfully caught the king cobra that was hiding under a chair in front of their…
- Eastern Thailand News
Police in Rayong destroy thousands of guns
Thousands of guns seized by police were destroyed in a ceremony at a Millcon Steel Company facility in Rayong this week. The destruction marks the latest effort by the Royal Thai Police to enforce gun control in the country and combat illegal firearm possession. The national police chief Pol. Gen. Damrongsak Kittiprapas and his deputy presided over the gun destruction…
- Phuket News
Officials warn against Phuket flight price gouging
If you are frustrated at the rising costs of airfare to Phuket, you’re not the only one. The popular resort island has been facing complaints from tourists regarding rising airfare prices during the high season. In response, the Provincial Public-Private Joint Economic Development Committee has warned airlines against overcharging customers for flights to Phuket, especially during long holidays. The warning…
- World News
2-hour flight becomes 16-hour nightmare in Japan
Sometimes a few minutes makes all the difference. After a delayed takeoff, a 2-hour flight across Japan became a 16-hour nightmare when it was denied permission to land because it was 10 minutes late. The 335 passengers aboard Japan Airlines (JAL) flight JL 331 were caught in limbo between their departure from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and Fukuoka International Airport who…
- World News
Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi’s ex-husband accused of dismembering her
Police in Hong Kong search for the ex-husband of socialite Abby Choi after her headless body was discovered in a village house. The home in Tai Po had been rented by her ex-husband’s father recently. The 28 year old model was reported missing on Tuesday. Parts of her dismembered body were found to have been cooked and stored in a…
- Phuket News
Drunk Saudi tourist steals jet ski on Patong Beach
A drunk foreign tourist caused a commotion on Patong Beach in Phuket yesterday after he was caught trying to steal a jet ski. The tourist, who was described as anxious and intoxicated, also attacked a jet-ski caretaker and tried to escape. The incident was reported to the Patong Police at noon yesterday, and when they arrived at the scene, they…
- Transport News
Federal baht bus standing ban puts drivers in a pickle
A new law has been published in the Royal Gazette, stating that passengers are no longer allowed to stand on the back of baht buses, also known as songtaews. But drivers are also obligated to pick up all passengers, leaving drivers with the dilemma of either illegally not picking up passengers when full or illegally overcrowding and allowing passengers to…
- Bangkok News
Uyghur asylum seeker dies after 9 years in detention
Aziz Abdullah, a 49 year old Uyghur asylum seeker, died after being detained for years at the Bangkok Immigration Detention Centre. His death sparked outrage from human rights groups. They are calling for a humane solution for the plight of around 50 Uyghur asylum seekers who have been detained in Thailand for about nine years. Abdullah, a farmer from southwestern…
- Thailand Election News
TikTok bans political groups ahead of Thai election
TikTok announced that it will block all accounts linked to political groups in Thailand in the lead-up to and during the country’s upcoming general election. TikTok Thailand’s chief of public policy announced that the company would take measures to maintain a safe community by preventing the spread of fake news and hate speech sparked by political conflicts. TikTok, a short-form video…
- Cannabis News
Democrat Party announces anti-cannabis campaign platform
While nearly every street corner in tourist areas of Thailand is selling cannabis legally now (a recent driver in Samui spotted nine shops in a two-block stretch), not everyone is in favour of it, especially politicians. Politicians believe the rushed legalisation and subsequent free-for-all is a strong talking point against the Bhumjaithai Party, who pushed for decriminalisation. Now, the Democrat…
- Thailand News
German tourist complains about 5,000 baht traffic fine
A German tourist is questioning a 5,000 baht traffic fine for riding a motorbike through the Chalong Underpass in Phuket when he saw no traffic signs indicating that it was illegal. The tourist was riding northbound through the tunnel on his way to visit the Big Buddha viewpoint on Monday when he was pulled over by traffic police after exiting the…
- Cannabis News
Child harmed from mistakenly eating cannabis jellies
Just because you are eating them like candy doesn’t mean children should be eating cannabis jellies. After a young patient was hospitalized for severe palpitations and irregular heartbeat, a Thai doctor issued a warning. He said that children should not be allowed to consume cannabis jellies. Dr Smith Srison, the director of the Medical Council of Thailand and president of…
- Crime News
MP Rangsiman asks police to seize PM Prayut’s party HQ
The Ruam Thai Sang Chart political party headquarters is at the centre of a controversy with the Move Forward Party urging police to take action and seize the Bangkok building. Opponent Rangsiman Rome, a Move Forward Party MP, alleges a senator who owns the building is a money-laundering suspect. MP Rangsiman called on the police chief to follow standard legal…
- World News
Prank video stokes fears for unmarried tourists in Bali
Bali’s tourism industry is worried that a viral TikTok video could discourage travellers from visiting the island due to fears of prosecution over their private activities. Are security forces doing sweeps of hotel rooms to find unmarried people having sex? In some of the most Draconian measures introduced in the Southeast Asian nation for decades, lawmakers declared that sex outside…
- Road deaths
6 year old child flung from overpass in car accident
On Sunday, a family of four was travelling on the Bang Phli-Suksawat expressway in the Greater Bangkok area when tragedy struck. After losing control and crashing, the family’s 6 year old son was flung free of the car and off of the overpass to the road far below, killing the child. The horrific incident took place on the expressway in…
- Crime News
Excise officials accused of extortion of elderly grocer
Five officials from the Thai Excise Department have been accused of extortion after allegedly demanding money from an elderly grocer. The woman asserts that the men planted evidence in order to shake her down, and says she’s got CCTV footage proving the extortion claims The men, who claimed to have found counterfeit cigarettes on the premises, demanded 20,000 baht from…
- Crime News
Police commander shot by wife in home
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) Office was left stunned by the tragic death of Pol Lt Gen Panya Pinsuk, their commander, who was found shot at his home on Sunday afternoon. Today, his wife, Pornprapha Pinsuk, who was alone in the house with him at the time of his death, confessed to the shooting. According to reports, the police received…
- Koh Samui News
New hospital aims to boost Samui medical tourism
A new hospital hopes to boost medical and wellness tourism on the popular holiday island of Koh Samui. Wattanapat Samui Hospital has just opened its doors, marking the fifth medical facility on the island. The hospital has 380 beds, specialist personnel, and modern equipment that are expected to boost confidence in Koh Samui as a wellness destination. Dr Somchai Chansawang,…
- Thailand News
Government websites mostly hacked to promote gambling
When a government website gets hacked, one might assume it’s an act of cyber warfare or a government opposition protest group. The truth is far less nefarious. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) announced that, out of about 500 cyberattacks on government websites last year, two-thirds of the hacks were to promote online gambling websites. According to the…
- South Thailand News
Woman’s body found in water tank believed to be suicide
An elderly woman’s body was discovered in a 2,000-litre water tank behind a house in Nakhon Si Thammarat province. The grizzly discovery was made this morning behind a row house near a commercial building in Mueang district. Police believe the 67 year old woman committed suicide. The woman had been missing since February 15, and her husband has been searching…
- Bangkok News
Meatball factory shut down for illegal meat production
Do you really know if the meatball you are eating is legit? An unregistered meatball factory in the Khlong Luang district of Pathum Thani Province was raided by officials from the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Central Investigation Bureau, due to alleged violations of food safety regulations. The factory had been producing low-quality meatballs without the necessary…
- Tourism News
AoT increasing airport services to meet tourist demand
Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok’s global gateway, plans to increase services to deal with the influx of arriving passengers. Thailand saw a swift surge in travellers after China’s recent decision to reopen its borders. The Airports of Thailand (AoT) announced Friday that the measures will help tackle delays in passenger servicing time, particularly during peak hours. They say they have already…
