- Business News
Chinese investors show strong interest in Thailand at RCEP-tion
Chinese investors eagerly engaged with Thailand’s business landscape at a recent matchmaking event held under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement. Marking its debut in Thailand, the event seeks to draw interest towards emerging S-curve industries and facilitate the transfer of technology from China. At the helm of the 1st RCEP Business Opportunities Matchmaking Conference (China-Thailand) was Commerce Minister…
- Pattaya News
Pool tragedy sinks holiday: 74 year old Austrian drowns in Pattaya
A 74 year old Austrian man tragically drowned at a condominium pool in Pattaya. The incident took place at an unidentified complex in the Naklua area of Banglamung district, Chon Buri province. The Thai authorities received a report about the drowning around 9.30pm yesterday, May 27, prompting Banglamung police and rescue workers to rush to the scene. Upon arrival, officials…
- Business News
Thailand Cabinet boosts 2024 fiscal budget by 122 billion baht
The Thai Cabinet approved a plan to increase the 2024 fiscal budget by 122 billion baht to support its delayed household stimulus scheme, Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul today announced. This adjustment will raise the new budget to 3.6 trillion baht, representing a 13% increase from the previous year, with the deficit swelling to 805 billion baht. The government’s decision…
- Thailand News
Hoppy news: Rare albino frog spawns lottery luck in Khon Kaen
Residents in Khon Kaen province have been captivated by the discovery of a rare albino frog, which they believe to be a harbinger of good fortune. This unusual amphibian was stumbled upon after a rainstorm, prompting villagers to flock to see it in anticipation of uncovering lucky lottery numbers. Social media and various pages across Khon Kaen province have been…
- Thailand News
Young woman’s body found after motorcycle abandoned on bridge
The body of a young woman was found dead in a river after her motorcycle was discovered parked on a bridge. The tragic suspected suicide incident unfolded yesterday at 9am when the Sajja Phutthatham Kabinburi Rescue Unit received a report from locals noticing a girl on the municipal bridge in Kabinburi. Shortly after, only her motorcycle and a pair of…
- Thailand News
Singapore PM thanks Thailand for help after emergency landing
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong expressed gratitude to Thailand for its swift assistance following an emergency landing of a Singapore Airlines flight at Suvarnabhumi Airport last week. Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin shared on his X account, formerly Twitter, yesterday that Wong had called him the previous day to extend his thanks to the Thai government and all those involved…
- Thailand News
EC to comply with court ruling on Senate candidate profiles
The Election Commission (EC) has opted not to challenge a Central Administrative Court decision regarding a regulation that prevents Senate election candidates from sharing their profiles publicly. Sawang Boonmee, EC Secretary-General, confirmed yesterday, May 27, that the commission will not use the 30-day window to appeal the court’s decision. The Senate election regulations have been updated to align with the…
- Expats
Pattaya police powerless unless three British men lodge attack complaint
Pattaya Tourist Police declared they cannot take action regarding the assault on three British men, which left one of them in a coma, unless an official complaint is lodged. Three British men were attacked on Friday, May 24, at the Helicopter bar on Soi 6 in Pattaya over an unpaid bar bill. One of the men is now in hospital…
- Thailand News
Swing and miss: Cuckold husband takes legal swing at wife’s affair
A cuckold husband has taken legal action after discovering his wife had an affair with a high-ranking government official soon after the couple had joined a swingers’ club. The couple, married for 10 years, had entered the swinging scene to spice up their relationship, with strict rules to avoid emotional entanglements. The husband, with activist Kan Jompalang, reported that he…
- Business News
Thai employment dips: Farm job cuts sow 0.1% decline in Q1 stats
Thailand today experienced a 0.1% decline in employment during the first quarter compared to the same period last year, primarily due to reductions in agricultural jobs, according to the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC). This follows a 1.7% year-on-year increase in employment in the previous quarter. The drop in agricultural employment was significant, with a more than 5.7%…
- Business News
Thailand PM calls urgent meeting with economy ministers
Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin called for an urgent meeting with economy ministers to discuss short-term economic stimulus measures to address Thailand’s sluggish economic performance in the first quarter of 2024. The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) reported that Thailand’s economy grew by only 1.5% year-on-year for the first three months of 2024. This lacklustre growth has prompted…
- Thailand News
PM tunes up tourism: Bangkok’s Song Wat set to hit high notes
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin directed the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to enhance the promotion of Song Wat, one of Bangkok’s most historic trading areas, as a prime tourism destination. Following a walk along Song Wat Road and discussions with young entrepreneurs yesterday, the Thai premier expressed on his X account, formerly Twitter, that…
- Politics News
Jewish independent to challenge Keir Starmer in UK election (video)
Sir Keir Starmer yesterday declared the July 4 General Election announcement by United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was the “moment the country” had been waiting for. While the opposition leader believes it’s a foregone conclusion that the Labour Party will triumph, this may not necessarily be the case. Andrew Feinstein, a former Member of the National Assembly of South…
- Expats
Phuket jet ski tragedy casts shadow over British man’s holiday
A British man’s paradise holiday in Phuket tragically turned to gloom for his family when he lost his life in a jet ski crash earlier this month. Jonathan Greene, from Stoke-on-Trent, met a tragic end during his holiday in the sun-soaked paradise of Phuket earlier this month. The 37 year old, of Church Avenue in Baddeley Green, was soaking up the…
- Thailand News
Bleak reefs: Coral bleaching hits Mooh Koh Surin & Phi Phi Island
The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DMCR) revealed seven coral bleaching sites have been identified in Moo Koh Surin National Park in Phang Nga, with up to 70% of coral fields around Krabi’s Phi Phi Island also affected. An investigation into the bleaching situation, conducted over two days, revealed that seven coral reef sites in Moo Koh Surin…
- Thailand News
Passengers recount chaos on ill-fated Singapore Airlines flight (video)
Passengers aboard the ill-fated Singapore Airlines flight recounted harrowing scenes during an emergency landing in Bangkok yesterday, after a 73 year old British man, Geoff Kitchen, succumbed to a suspected heart attack triggered by severe turbulence that wreaked havoc in the cabin. The turbulence, which struck as a meal service was underway, left more than 30 passengers injured and plunged…
- Thailand News
Koh Samui’s new cruise terminal project anchors big investors
Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri announced that Koh Samui’s ambitious new cruise terminal project has drawn substantial interest from investors both locally and internationally. The Ministry of Transport plans to review the outcomes of a feasibility study into the project’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) investment model before submitting it to the cabinet for approval. Manaporn provided an update on the project’s…
- Politics News
IIC chief goes after Israeli and Hamas leaders in legal showdown
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) lodged applications for arrest warrants against prominent Israeli and Hamas figures, in a move marking a significant escalation in legal actions against leaders of both sides. But that’s not all. Alonso Gurmendi, an international law expert at King’s College London, stated that the West must have a moral conscience and decide…
- Crime News
Assange granted appeal: A Wikibreak in his extradition case (video)
Julian Assange lives to fight another day after the UK High Court ruled that the embattled, award-winning journalist could appeal against his extradition to the United States. The WikiLeaks founder, a thorn in the side of the so-called democratic Western political powers, was granted permission to challenge the order demanding his transfer to the US, where he faces charges for…
- Politics News
Iranian president’s helicopter drama: Hard landing sparks alarm
Iranian state media reported a tragic incident involving a helicopter transporting President Ebrahim Raisi, detailing a hard landing on Sunday. The aircraft, reportedly carrying Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian as well, encountered challenging weather conditions, hampering rescue efforts, as conveyed by the Interior Minister. The status of those aboard the helicopter remains uncertain, with no contact established as of now.…
- Thailand News
Over 31,000 apply for Thai Senate as 5-year term ends
Over 31,000 people have sought applications to become senators in the Thai Senate as the five-year term of 250 senators, installed by the defunct National Council for Peace and Order, concluded yesterday. The Election Commission (EC) anticipates approximately 100,000 applications for the 200 available senate positions. Thai nationals born in Thailand, who are at least 40 years old and possess…
- Thailand News
Engineer’s zero sperm count unveils family lineage mystery
A 40 year old engineer recently discovered he had a zero sperm count, leading to a shocking revelation about his family’s lineage. Dr Gu Fangyu, a specialist in urology, recounted the case of his patient, who worked in the technology industry and suffered from infertility. After a thorough examination, the engineer was diagnosed with congenital absence of the Vas deferens,…
- Thailand News
Gas alert: Expert warns excessive farting might stink of serious health issues
A Taiwanese colorectal surgeon recently acknowledged farting is a natural bodily function but added that excessive or irregular flatulence could be a sign of serious health issues. Jong Yunni, a Taiwanese colorectal surgeon, stated that people typically fart between five to 25 times a day, with the average being around 15 times. This indicates a well-functioning digestive system. However, no…
- Thailand News
Young woman’s suicide note reveals feeling ‘period’ of neglect
An emotionally unstable 21 year old woman left a suicide note of feeling undervalued before taking her own life at her home in Samut Songkhram province. The woman, who had been experiencing severe menstrual pain, left a poignant final message expressing her feelings of being unloved by her husband. On the evening of the incident, authorities, including Deputy Investigative Officer…
- Covid-19 News
Thai medics warn of Covid-19 surge after 11 new deaths recorded
The Thai Medical authorities sounded the alarm bells for an impending Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in Thailand after reporting 11 new deaths and 1,880 hospitalisations over the past seven days. Data released by the Department for Disease Control at Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health indicate that Covid hospitalisations are now averaging around 269 cases per day, with a significant portion requiring…
- Business News
Golden stability: Prices hold firm above US$2,300 despite brief dip
With a steady hold above US$2,300 during the early days of May, gold prices remained relatively unchanged, following a brief dip to the lowest level since the start of April. The first half of this year is anticipated to experience intense volatility in prices owing to factors such as the US economic health, global interest rate fluctuations, and the Middle…
- Thailand News
Pro-cannabis groups to protest over govt’s narcotic reclassification
Pro-cannabis groups are ramping up their efforts to resist the Thai government’s intent to reclassify cannabis as a narcotic drug, threatening to stage a protest outside the Ministry of Public Health. The demonstration will continue until the ministry can provide concrete scientific evidence backing its proposition. On the other hand, certain factions of farmers, who have been legally cultivating cannabis…
- Thailand News
BTS skytrain faces backlash amid assault allegations
Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC), responsible for the operation of the city’s Skytrain services, refuted allegations concerning lax safety measures following an assault on a woman at the Kheha station on Wednesday, May 8. The Chief Operating Officer of BTSC, Sumit Srisantum, clarified that their security personnel were quick to react as soon as they were alerted by an…