- Thailand News
Chiang Rai man offers free filtered water amid flood crisis
A generous man in Chiang Rai is offering free, high-quality filtered water 24 hours a day to anyone in need due to the recent floods. Those without access to tap water can contact him directly, and a hose over 50 metres long ensures easy access to their vehicles. Widespread flooding in Chiang Rai caused significant damage yesterday, disrupting daily life…
- Thailand News
Watermelon carving of Thai hippo Moo Deng captivates the nation
Baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng isn’t the only sensation to hit Thailand’s social media this week. A watermelon carved to resemble the adorable hippo by a Thai food vendor has also caused a social media storm in the Land of Smiles. Yesterday, September 16, Visanu Somjaiwong shared images on Facebook of an intricately carved miniature hippo from a whole watermelon, impressing…
- Bangkok News
Ex-British PM Tony Blair joins Bangkok’s AI revolution
In a high-stakes meeting at Bangkok City Hall, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair sat down with Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) could revolutionise public management. The duo’s discussions centred on one burning question: Can AI make Bangkok a more liveable city? Blair, executive chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI), shared…
- Thailand News
Police raid Jomtien bar for illegal laughing gas balloon sales
Pattaya police executed a raid on a Jomtien bar yesterday for the illegal sale of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) balloons. Officers targeted See You Beach Bar on Jomtien Soi 11, Nong Prue subdistrict in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province at 3.36am yesterday, September 16. During the operation, police confiscated two nitrous oxide tanks, three balloons filled with nitrous oxide…
- Thailand News
Anti-money laundering complaint filed against Prawit Wongsuwon
A fresh anti-money laundering complaint has been lodged against former Thailand Deputy Prime Minister, and Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader, Prawit Wongsuwon, following the release of one of four controversial audio recordings. The complaint was submitted by Prompong Nopparit, former spokesman of the Pheu Thai Party, to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) yesterday, September 16. The audio recordings were aired…
- Pattaya News
Ukrainian woman reports motorcycle rental scam in Pattaya
A Ukrainian woman and her friend have reported a motorcycle rental scam in Pattaya after discovering that their rental bikes were stolen and taken across Thailand’s border. Kateryna, a Ukrainian national, and her unidentified friend presented surveillance camera footage from their motorbike rental shop and filed a complaint with Pattaya police. The duo claimed that customers who rented their motorcycles…
- Thailand News
Thai nationals arrested for smuggling wildlife from Indonesia
Thai police apprehended two men yesterday for smuggling wildlife from Indonesia into Thailand. The Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NED), working with various agencies, detained the two suspects in Lam Thap district, Krabi. The suspects, 28 year old Thosaphon and 30 year old Somporn were found with 10 yellow tortoises, 11 Moluccan cockatoos, and other wildlife species. A…
- Pattaya News
Chon Buri police crack down on illegal workers on fishing boats
Police in Na Kluea, Pattaya undertook a comprehensive inspection of foreign workers on fishing boats yesterday, responding to concerns about illegal labour in local waters. Police Lieutenant Colonel Wirachai Thinkamut, Chief of the Immigration Bureau in Chon Buri, led the operation involving over 50 officers. Officers dispersed throughout the area, from Saphan Yao Na Kluea to Soi Sam Yaek Thammada,…
- Thailand News
Ruling party loyalist set to chair Bank of Thailand amid rate dispute
A ruling party loyalist and critic of the central bank governor is set to be nominated as the chair of the Bank of Thailand (BoT), as the government seeks to assert influence over the institution amid ongoing disputes over interest rates. The Pheu Thai Party-led government plans to back 66 year old former deputy premier and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na…
- Thailand News
Phichit Hospital seeks blood donors for injured rescue volunteers
Phichit Hospital has urgently appealed for blood donations to aid four rescue volunteers injured in a road accident while returning to Nonthaburi after assisting flood victims in Chiang Rai, northern Thailand. The hospital reported receiving three bags of donor blood delivered by helicopter from Chiang Rai yesterday, September 16. Two of the bags were used immediately, and the third was…
- Thailand News
Less than 40 million Thais expected to join digital wallet scheme
The Government of Thailand anticipates fewer than 40 million participants in its flagship digital wallet handout scheme, with the initial phase set to benefit 14.5 million vulnerable individuals starting yesterday, according to a Finance Ministry official. Under this stimulus programme, the government plans to distribute 450 billion baht to 45 million people, with each registered participant receiving 10,000 baht to…
- Thailand News
Thailand raises alarm on online child sexual harassment surge
Thailand’s National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) raised alarms about the severe impact of sexual harassment on social media on children and young people. A recent social outlook report from the NESDC, released yesterday, indicates that victims of such harassment risk developing a range of social, emotional, and mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. In some cases, these…
- Thailand News
Phatthalung unveils 71 billion baht airport plan to boost tourism
A plot of land spanning 1,496 rai near Songkhla Lake in Phatthalung has been earmarked for constructing a new airport, aimed at boosting tourism and transport in the southern province and its neighbours. Anticipated to become a central hub for Phatthalung, Songkhla, and Nakhon Si Thammarat, the land in Khuan Maphrao subdistrict, Mueang district is owned by the Department of…
- Thailand News
Locals seek lottery luck at Phrae temple ceremony
Locals flocked to Chai Mongkol Temple in the northern province of Phrae to seek lucky numbers from a grand ceremony honouring Thao Wessuwan, hoping for a big lottery win. A local vendor revealed that since offering to the temple, her life has significantly improved, with her business thriving. A group of residents, led by Sukanya, a fresh market vendor, gathered…
- Pattaya News
New super vaccine for kids rolls out in East Pattaya
Parents in East Pattaya are racing to protect their children with the latest five-in-one vaccine that promises broader protection than ever before. The Nong Samor Health Promoting Hospital in Nong Prue saw a wave of activity on Thursday, September 12, as over 30 village health volunteers came together to support a critical vaccination drive aimed at young children. This event,…
- Thailand News
Elderly man killed by elephant in Kanchanaburi
An elderly man tragically died after being attacked by a wild elephant while riding his motorcycle in Kanchanaburi province in West Thailand. The incident occurred yesterday, September 13, when a local encountered the elephant on Highway 3199 in Dan Mae Chalaep, Si Sawat district. According to Phaitoon Intharabut, head of the Salak Phra Wildlife Sanctuary, the accident was reported early…
- Thailand News
Suphan Buri police arrest two for trafficking 12 year old girl
Police in Suphan Buri apprehended a woman and a local official on charges related to the trafficking and sexual exploitation of a 12 year old girl. The child, now under the care of social services, was allegedly prostituted by her own aunt. Local law enforcement, led by Police Major General Watcharin Prasobdee, apprehended the suspects yesterday, September 13, following an…
- Thailand News
Severe flooding hits Bueng Kan province after heavy downpour
A heavy overnight downpour in Bueng Kan province resulted in widespread flooding, particularly affecting the Seka district. The incessant rain caused an overflow of local streams, leading to significant disruptions and damage in the area. The continuous rain throughout the night caused water to accumulate and overflow from streams into the Seka district. This surge in water levels affected various…
- Phuket News
Passengers on IndiGo flight to Phuket stranded for hours
Passengers on an IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Phuket endured a travel nightmare yesterday, September 13, as their journey turned into a chaotic ordeal. The flight was unexpectedly diverted to Penang International Airport in Malaysia due to bad weather, leaving travellers stranded for hours with clogged washrooms, no food or water, and stuck on the tarmac for over three hours.…
- Thailand News
Udon Thani child molester recaptured after escaping through vent
Police detained a suspect in a child molestation case for a DNA test in Udon Thani, but he escaped through a bathroom vent. Fortunately, officers quickly recaptured him. The suspect claims he was framed and missed his family. Pattanawong Chanphon, Superintendent of Muang Udon Thani Police Station, received a report from the Udon Thani Provincial Forensic Office yesterday, September 13,…
- Thailand News
Two-faced kitten in Phetchabun leaves locals feline lottery curious
A unique kitten with two faces, two mouths, and four eyes was discovered in Phetchabun province, sparking excitement and curiosity among locals. The kitten is alive and believed to bring good luck, leading many to seek out the owner’s house number for lottery purposes. A Facebook user posted about the unusual kitten born with two heads, four eyes, and two…
- Thailand News
Opposition calls for Pheu Thai’s pledged 600-baht minimum wage
The opposition urged the implementation of the Pheu Thai Party’s promised 600-baht minimum wage while criticising the government’s labour policy for a perceived lack of initiatives to enhance labour skills. Sia Jampathong, an MP from the People’s Party, highlighted these concerns during yesterday’s final day of a joint Parliament sitting. He noted that labour policy was conspicuously absent from the…
- Thailand News
Thai defence minister appoints ex-RTA expert as secretary
Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai appointed General Trisak Indararusmi, a former expert with the Royal Thai Army (RTA) and a former classmate of ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, as his secretary. This appointment precedes Phumtham’s official commencement at the ministry, set for Monday. Gen. Trisak, an alumnus of Class 10 from the armed forces preparatory school, is expected to bring significant experience…
- Thailand News
People’s Party urges urgent rewrite of 2017 constitution
The opposition People’s Party (PP) called on the government to prioritise the rewrite of the 2017 constitution as an urgent policy. The party, formerly known as the Move Forward Party, expressed doubts about the promised changes, citing the minimal mention and low priority given to the charter rewrite in the government’s recent policy statement. Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, PP leader, criticised the…
- Thailand News
Asia-Pacific to tackle Thailand’s ageing population crisis
Governments across the Asia-Pacific region are being urged to formulate strategies to address their ageing populations, with older people expected to make up nearly 20% of the region’s population by 2050. Around 500 delegates from 38 countries have gathered on the Indonesian island of Bali for the 2024 Asia-Pacific Regional Conference (APRC) on Population Ageing. These delegates include experts, policymakers,…
- Thailand News
Déjà vu: Thai football coach stranded by floods again (video)
It was a case of deja vu for Eakapol Jantawong, known as Coach Ek, the football trainer who famously led his young team through the harrowing 2018 Thai cave rescue after he found himself trapped once more – this time on the roof of his house in Thailand’s flood-stricken Mae Sai district. Coach Ek recounted his harrowing experience of being trapped…
- Phuket News
Phuket on high alert as heavy rains and flash floods loom
Phuket is bracing for a weather onslaught as officials sound the alarm over impending flash floods, mudslides, and hazardous sea conditions. A stark warning has been issued by Governor Sophon Suwannarat, through the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command Centre, urging all local officials to prepare for extreme weather set to batter the island this week. The Thai Meteorological Department…