Bob Scott

Bob Scott is an experienced writer and editor with a passion for travel. Born and raised in Newcastle, England, he spent more than 10 years in Asia. He worked as a sports writer in the north of England and London before relocating to Asia. Now he resides in Bangkok, Thailand, where he is the Editor-in-Chief for The Thaiger English News. With a vast amount of experience from living and writing abroad, Bob Scott is an expert on all things related to Asian culture and lifestyle.
  • Business NewsThai and mighty! Thailand leapfrogs Malaysia in global rankings

    Thai and mighty! Thailand leapfrogs Malaysia in global rankings

    Thailand may have outpaced Malaysia in a key global competitiveness ranking for the first time in a decade but experts warn the shine may not last as structural issues, budget cuts, and a lack of long-term vision continue to hold the kingdom back. Thailand has climbed to second place in Southeast Asia in the IMD World Competitiveness Centre’s global rankings,…

  • Pattaya NewsFurious foreigner floored by water gun in Pattaya Songkran bust-up

    Furious foreigner floored by water gun in Pattaya Songkran bust-up

    A Pattaya Songkran party took a dark turn when a furious foreigner with a fresh tattoo got soaked against his will, only to be blasted in the face with a water gun during a heated bust-up, landing him in hospital and police on the hunt for the culprits. The Songkran celebration on Pattaya’s infamous Soi 6 descended into chaos last…

  • Songkran NewsBikinis, booty and backlash: Saucy Songkran stirs splash of outrage

    Bikinis, booty and backlash: Saucy Songkran stirs splash of outrage

    Bum-shaking, boob-taping and beachside booty Songkran shows in Bangsaen and Nakhon Ratchasima has exploded into an online firestorm, with Thai police now investigating viral clips of scantily-clad influencers and topless dancers accused of going way too far. Songkran’s wet and wild reputation may have just crossed the line and now police are considering indecency charges after viral videos showed an…

  • Thailand NewsCell shock: Thai cops gear up with Israeli tech to bust scam rings

    Cell shock: Thai cops gear up with Israeli tech to bust scam rings

    Scammers beware, the Royal Thai Police (RTP) are now armed with cutting-edge Israeli tech to crack phones, catch fraudsters and bring cyber crooks to justice faster than you can say “call centre con.” The RTP beefed up their cybercrime-fighting arsenal with state-of-the-art digital forensic tools from Israeli firm Cellebrite, giving officers the power to extract crucial data from phones and…

  • Thailand NewsCrime doesn’t pay-as-you-go: 130,000 Thai mule accounts axed

    Crime doesn’t pay-as-you-go: 130,000 Thai mule accounts axed

    The Government of Thailand slammed the brakes on a massive online scam operation, axing over 130,000 dodgy mule accounts and collaring hundreds of fraudsters in just three months. Sasikarn Wattanachan, deputy government spokesperson, said the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society’s Anti-Online Crime Operation Centre (AOC) had ramped up its war on online fraudsters. Between January and March, a staggering…

  • Thailand NewsBooze clues: Underage drinking promos soak Songkran spirit

    Booze clues: Underage drinking promos soak Songkran spirit

    Songkran’s splashy celebrations may have cooled the crowds but things are heating up for Thailand’s booze industry after a leading watchdog exposed widespread law-breaking underage alcohol drinking over the holiday. Teera Watcharapranee, director of the StopDrink Network, claims major alcohol brands brazenly flouted the law with flashy promotions and events in more than 137 locations nationwide. “Among these, 42 were…

  • Bangkok NewsDigging for hope: 4 more bodies found at Bangkok audit office ruins

    Digging for hope: 4 more bodies found at Bangkok audit office ruins

    Rescue workers uncovered four more bodies buried beneath the rubble of the collapsed State Audit Office building in Bangkok, as desperate efforts to reach possible survivors ramped up. At noon today, April 11, the scene on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road, Chatuchak, in the capital was a flurry of action, with officials deploying more than half a dozen backhoes to dig…

  • Thailand NewsForeign travellers told to log on 3 days before Thailand arrival

    Foreign travellers told to log on 3 days before Thailand arrival

    Foreign travellers planning a trip to Thailand are being told to get online and fill in Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) three days before they arrive or risk being turned away at the border, as the country ditches its old-school paper arrival cards in favour of a slick new digital system. From May 1, all international visitors, whether arriving by air,…

  • Phuket NewsBooze cruise: Patong police nab 6 foreigners in drink-drive blitz

    Booze cruise: Patong police nab 6 foreigners in drink-drive blitz

    Patong police launched their Songkran road safety crackdown in dramatic style last night, collaring six foreign revellers for drink-driving in the early hours, some more than three times over the legal limit. Officers set up a checkpoint near Loma Circle on Thaweewong Road between 12.30am and 2.30am today, April 11, as part of the nationwide Seven Days road safety campaign,…

  • Pattaya NewsBruises over baht: Pattaya van driver bloodied in beer-fuelled brawl

    Bruises over baht: Pattaya van driver bloodied in beer-fuelled brawl

    A late-night squabble over a 300-baht commission exploded into a full-blown street scrap in Pattaya, leaving one van driver bloodied and bystanders bolting for cover as chaos erupted in the early hours. The drama unfolded just after midnight on April 10, when Pattaya police received a call about a violent altercation on Second Road. Officers raced to the scene alongside…

  • Bangkok NewsGlimmer of hope as phone light found in Bangkok quake rubble

    Glimmer of hope as phone light found in Bangkok quake rubble

    Phetkasem Foundation rescue team is hoping for a miracle after spotting what could be a survivor’s mobile phone light blinking deep beneath the rubble of the collapsed State Audit Office building, two weeks after the deadly earthquake hit Thailand’s capital Bangkok. Rescuers from the Phetkasem Foundation reported a potential breakthrough in the search for survivors after detecting what they believe…

  • Business NewsByte-sized bounce: Thai digital sector plugs back into confidence

    Byte-sized bounce: Thai digital sector plugs back into confidence

    Thailand’s digital sector has shown signs of life, climbing out of the red and back into confidence territory this year, thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) hype, economic boosters, and a softer policy rate. But insiders warn the rebound could short-circuit if skills shortages and wage hikes aren’t tackled fast. The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) revealed that its Digital Industry…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok State Audit Office to be rebuilt but not on the deadly ruins

    Bangkok State Audit Office to be rebuilt but not on the deadly ruins

    The Deputy Auditor General has confirmed plans to push ahead with building a new State Audit Office but it will be moved away from the exact spot where tragedy struck when an unfinished government complex came crashing down during a powerful earthquake last month, killing 23 workers and trapping dozens more beneath the rubble. The Auditor General’s Office, still under…

  • Business NewsThailand urged to address rising zero-dollar exports from China

    Thailand urged to address rising zero-dollar exports from China

    Thailand’s economy is being short-changed by a flood of so-called “zero-dollar” investments and exports from China, with experts warning the government must clamp down, or risk a new wave of growth that benefits everyone but the Thais. Amonthep Chawla, chief economist at CIMB Thai Bank’s Economic Centre, said America’s latest tariff moves, both those aimed broadly and those specifically targeting…

  • Tourism NewsThai travellers offered 50% off flights to China for Songkran

    Thai travellers offered 50% off flights to China for Songkran

    Chinese travel agents are pulling out all the stops to fill planes over the Songkran holiday, offering Thai tourists cut-price tickets to the mainland in a desperate bid to claw back losses after a dramatic drop in Chinese visitors to Thailand. Some tour operators are slashing fares by up to 50%, flogging unsold flight tickets at bargain rates rather than…

  • Pattaya NewsSleepless residents spark late-night booze bust in Pattaya

    Sleepless residents spark late-night booze bust in Pattaya

    Pattaya City Police swooped on the SEE U bar in Soi Land Office 6 at 11.30pm last night, following a barrage of noise complaints from sleepless residents who said the racket was keeping them up and wrecking their peace. Police didn’t hesitate to act, dispatching officers under direct orders from Pol. Col. Anek Sarathongyoo, Chief of Pattaya City Police Station.…

  • Business NewsFizzy drink giants face sugar tax squeeze as sweet crackdown kicks in

    Fizzy drink giants face sugar tax squeeze as sweet crackdown kicks in

    Thailand’s fizzy favourites are feeling the pinch as a new sugar tax kicks in, forcing beverage makers to cut the sweet stuff or cough up more cash. Beverage chiefs and sweet drink producers have been slapped with a sour surprise as the Finance Ministry rolls out the latest phase of Thailand’s sugar tax crackdown, pushing firms to trim the sugar…

  • Tourism NewsMalaysians motor ahead as Chinese tourism hits a speed bump

    Malaysians motor ahead as Chinese tourism hits a speed bump

    Thailand’s tourism chiefs are shifting gears after a drop in Chinese arrivals put the brakes on what was expected to be a bumper Songkran season while Malaysians continue to flood in. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) revealed a surprise twist in the tourist traffic, with Chinese visitor numbers dipping just as their southern neighbours from Malaysia come roaring in.…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya pensioner cheats death after motorbike skids under lorry

    Pattaya pensioner cheats death after motorbike skids under lorry

    There was a near miss of nightmare proportions in Bang Lamung this week, after a Pattaya pensioner lost control of his motorbike and almost ended up under the wheels of an articulated lorry. The heart-stopping incident unfolded at around 10am, yesterday, April 9, when Sawang Boriboon Rescue Centre received an emergency call reporting a motorcycle crash on Highway 331, near…

  • Bangkok NewsAir India in hot water again after Bangkok in-flight pee incident

    Air India in hot water again after Bangkok in-flight pee incident

    Business class on an Air India flight to Bangkok turned into a piddle palace after a sozzled passenger allegedly whipped it out to pee on a fellow traveller mid-flight, despite the loos being in full working order. The Air India high-flyer is now being probed by police after taking the pee, literally, on a fellow business class passenger just before…

  • Thailand NewsEx-Israeli soldier busted for moonlighting as Koh Pha Ngan guide

    Ex-Israeli soldier busted for moonlighting as Koh Pha Ngan guide

    An ex-Israeli special forces soldier swapped the battlefield for the beaches – but his jungle jaunts with kids have landed him in hot water, after being busted for playing tour guide on Koh Pha Ngan without a permit. Police Lieutenant General Saksira Phueak-am, Commander of the Tourist Police Bureau, yesterday, April 8, ordered a crackdown after receiving a tip-off that…

  • Pattaya NewsBritish man plays Russian roulette after gas, grass binge and loses

    British man plays Russian roulette after gas, grass binge and loses

    A British man is fighting for his life after a shocking game of Russian roulette went horribly wrong in a Pattaya condo, following a heavy session involving cannabis and nitrous oxide, better known as laughing gas. Police revealed the incident unfolded in the early hours of yesterday, April 8 at a high-rise flat on Soi Chaiyaphruek 1, Pattaya City, where…

  • Bangkok NewsPurr-severance: Cat rescued from Bangkok rubble becomes a star

    Purr-severance: Cat rescued from Bangkok rubble becomes a star

    A brave little cat has stolen the hearts of the nation after she was rescued, or sniffed out alive, by a heroic rescue dog more than a week after a devastating earthquake brought down a 30-storey building. The two-month-old tabby, now named Satong, was discovered late Sunday night amid the rubble of the collapsed State Audit Office building, thanks to…

  • Thailand NewsCensus kicks off as Thailand tackles falling births, ageing locals, migrants

    Census kicks off as Thailand tackles falling births, ageing locals, migrants

    Thailand has launched its first national census in over a decade in a bold bid to tackle a wave of pressing population problems: from declining birth rates and labour shortages to an ageing society and rising migration. The census, which began on April 1 and runs until June 19, aims to collect fresh demographic data to help the government craft…

  • Thailand NewsBetting on a bust! Former charter crew slam casino complex bill

    Betting on a bust! Former charter crew slam casino complex bill

    An open letter from 30 ex-charter drafters has sent shockwaves through Bangkok’s corridors of power, as they warn that backing the casino-entertainment complex bill could breach ethical guidelines and jeopardise Thailand’s national strategy. The bill, which is set for a parliamentary vote on Wednesday’s first reading, has drawn fierce criticism from the group, including prominent experts who helped draft the…

  • Business NewsAsia-Pacific nations scramble to dodge Trump’s trade tariff tantrum

    Asia-Pacific nations scramble to dodge Trump’s trade tariff tantrum

    A tariff tsunami unleashed by US President Donald Trump is sending shockwaves across the Asia-Pacific, as countries scramble to dodge his trade tariff tantrum. While the 10% baseline tariffs kicked in on Saturday, April 5, even steeper charges are set to hit some nations from Wednesday and reactions range from furious to fretful. But rather than hitting back, many Asia-Pacific…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok high-rise residents shaken by cracks and fear after quake

    Bangkok high-rise residents shaken by cracks and fear after quake

    The recent powerful earthquake in Myanmar has rattled more than just the ground, it’s shaken the confidence of Bangkok’s high-rise residents, who are now questioning whether their sky-high pads are safe havens or ticking time bombs. The 7.7-magnitude quake on Friday, March 28, left buildings swaying and walls cracking in Bangkok, a city unaccustomed to major seismic shocks. Among those…

  • Hua Hin NewsHua Hin set to soar: Runway makeover aims to lift tourism fortunes

    Hua Hin set to soar: Runway makeover aims to lift tourism fortunes

    After years stuck on the tarmac, Hua Hin could finally be cleared for international take-off, with a long-overdue runway revamp set to bring in global jet-setters and breathe new life into the coastal city’s flagging tourism trade. The sun-soaked resort town may soon welcome international flights for the first time in years, as Thai officials look to upgrade the sleepy…

  • Phuket NewsBrief encounter! Lawyer cuffed over ‘land grab’ threats in Phuket

    Brief encounter! Lawyer cuffed over ‘land grab’ threats in Phuket

    A Phuket lawyer found himself on the wrong side of the law after allegedly trying to muscle in on someone else’s land, using threats and intimidation to stake his claim. Anantrak Phethin was nicked in broad daylight on Thursday morning, April 3, in the car park of the Phuket Provincial Land Office, after cops swooped in with a court-issued arrest…

  • Phuket NewsTeenage gang’s bomb plot blown in Phuket

    Teenage gang’s bomb plot blown in Phuket

    A teenage gang leader has been banged to rights after cops uncovered homemade bombs, a firearm, and ammo in a dramatic raid to stamp out street racing and youth violence in Phuket. The 17 year old ringleader, known only as ‘T’, was arrested by Wichit police as part of a sweeping operation targeting underage biker gangs wreaking havoc on the…

1 2 3 62