- Bangkok News
Life is about to get easier for pedestrians in Bangkok
Life is about to get a little easier for pedestrians in Bangkok at the turn of the year. Bangkok Deputy Governor Wisanu Subsompon revealed that two pedestrian tunnels are expected to open under Na Phra Lan Road in early January 2023, reported Bangkok Post. Wisanu met with his boss, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, Sanon Wangsrangboon, and City Clerk Khachit Chatchawanit…
- Things To Do
Bangkok library celebrates centenary by accepting UNESCO award
One of Bangkok’s much-loved buildings celebrated its 100th birthday in style, by accepting a UNESCO cultural heritage award. The Neilson Hays Library in Bangkok received an Award of Distinction at the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The jury hailed the library as a landmark building. “The project sets a welcome benchmark for the restoration of early 20th-century buildings…
- Crime News
Drunk driver tries to smash through police checkpoint in Pattaya
A drunk driver tried to smash his way through a police checkpoint in Pattaya yesterday. His attempt failed and police arrested the inebriated man. The Pattaya City Police set up the checkpoint after midnight today on North Pattaya Road in Naklua to catch drunk drivers. The operation proved to be successful as several drivers were charged with drunk driving. Pattaya…
- Crime News
Sex toys seized as police arrest 6 Thais on a Pattaya porn set
Police raided a live pornographic studio set up at a condominium in Pattaya yesterday, arrested six people and confiscated recording equipment and sex toys. Police found five men and a woman either participating, filming or livestreaming obscene sexual acts to a Chinese audience in rental room 801, Building D at the Acacia Beach Continental condo in South Pattaya, reported The Daily…
- Crime News
Jealous husband shoots his wife before committing suicide
A jealous husband with mental health issues shot and killed his wife yesterday morning because he suspected her of having an affair before turning the gun on himself in the Kabin Buri district. Police were called to a house at 4.50am in Moo 1 village in tambon Lat Takhian after shots were heard coming from the house of a young…
- Expats
Pattaya visa legend dies of cancer
The Pattaya expat community is saddened to learn today that one of its most loved members, Darren McGarry, has died suddenly after a long battle with cancer. Manchester-born McGarry was the founder of the successful Pattaya-based visa company Key Visa, reported Pattaya Mail. He established a business in Bangkok before moving to Pattaya almost 30 years ago where he married…
- Technology News
Twitter investigation discovers mass censorship & blacklisting under previous regime
Elon Musk’s decision to fire most of his staff when he bought Twitter caused much furore on and off the platform but a recent investigation into the staff’s censorship behaviour would make China blush and suggests he was right. The US business magnate, who bought the social media platform on October 27, last week handed over the Twitter files to…
- Hot News
Eight celebrities to join Japanese tycoon in space venture around the moon
Eight celebrities have been chosen to join eccentric Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa next year on an ambitious plan to fly around the moon. Maezawa announced on Twitter today that he will be accompanied by an unorthodox crew of DJ and producer Steve Aoki of the United States, US YouTuber Tim Dodd, Czech artist Yemi AD, Irish photographer Rhiannon Adam, British…
- Visa Information
Thailand toughens visa policy to crackdown on illegal foreign businesses
Thailand is toughening its visa policies in an attempt to crackdown on illegal enterprises by foreign criminals. The move is on the back of police uncovering a number of illegal activities in the kingdom over the past few months. In particular, illicit businesses run by Chinese triads after the activities of Chaiyanat Kornchayanant, dubbed Tuhao, were brought to the attention…
- Crime News
Fifteen drug smugglers shot dead after gunfight with Thai soldiers in Chiang Mai
Fifteen drug smugglers died after a gunfight with Royal Thai Army soldiers in Chiang Mai late last night. Maj Gen Suparerk Sathapornpol, commander of the Pha Muang Task Force, revealed this morning that his soldiers clashed with the bandits in tambon Mon Pin, between Ban Pa Kha and Ban Khob Dong. Patrol soldiers spotted a group of about 20 men…
- Technology News
Most Googled word in 2022? And in Thailand?
The most Googled word or phrase in the world this year may come as a surprise. What do you think? Russia? Ukraine? Economic crisis? Queen Elizabeth II? King Charles III? China? Taiwan? No, none of those. The word Wordle was Google’s most searched term globally in 2022. The search engine giant revealed the winner in its annual Year in Search…
- Phuket News
Christmas present to Phuket motorists: Patong Hill road to reopen
Good news for motorists in Phuket, Patong Hill road is expected to fully reopen to all traffic on Christmas Day. The road between Kathu and Patong was closed after it was hit by a landslide during a deluge of heavy rain in October. The road is only partially open at the moment but the Mayor of Kathu, Chai-anan Sutthikul, reported…
- Expats
A British musician bangs drums of discontent after breaking leg in Thailand
A British musician is banging the drums of discontent after breaking his leg in Thailand leaving him with a bill of 680,000 baht (£16,000). Kieran Angus, a drummer with the Scottish rock band Broadsea, fell off his motorbike while on tour in Thailand breaking his leg as a consequence. The 27 year old from Aberdeen believed he was insured but…
- Pattaya News
Wife strangled to death by jealous husband in Chon Buri
A jealous husband choked his wife to death after he suspected her of having an affair with an air-conditioner repairman. The paranoid man convinced himself that his wife of seven years was having affairs behind his back, so waited until she was asleep on Monday, December 5 before strangling her in the marital bed in the Sri Racha district, in…
- Politics News
Thailand PM wants to groom successor in two years
Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is not throwing in the political towel just yet, he wants another couple of years at the helm before grooming a successor. PM Prayut seized power in a 2014 military coup, was reelected in a disputed election in 2019, and bizarrely had to stand down in August this year after the Constitutional Court of Thailand…
- World News
Porsche sales in Thailand roaring thanks to nation’s entrepreneurs
Porsche Thailand managing director reckons the roaring sales of his luxury car in the kingdom is a combination of the nation’s budding entrepreneurs and modern technology. Peter Rohwer revealed Thailand is second to only Norway in the world for electrified Porsche Cayenne vehicles. Last year, 70% of the vehicles Porsche sold in Thailand were hybrid-powered Cayenne SUVs, reported Bangkok Post.…
- Pattaya News
A mother and baby escape blaze in Chon Buri with severe burns
A mother and her baby daughter suffered severe burns after their home in Chon Buri’s Mueang district caught fire. Samet police and firefighters dashed to the scene when a call came through about a blaze in the Privacy Home Village in the Samet sub-district late last night, reported Pattaya News. The emergency services arrived to find that the fire had…
- World News
Sex outside of marriage to carry one year jail sentence in Indonesia
Sex outside of marriage will result in a one-year jail sentence if lawmakers get their way tomorrow in Indonesia. In some of the most Draconian measures introduced in the Southeast Asian nation for decades, lawmakers are set to ratify changes to its criminal code tomorrow. Critics predict will send Indonesia back to the Dark Ages. The Semeru volcano erupted in…
- Economy News
Arrogant Thai construction company rips off Myanmar migrant workers
An arrogant Thai construction company has been ordered to cough up wages it refused to pay to its migrant workers earlier this year. The arrogance of the unnamed building firm is underlined by the fact that no representatives came to court to defend or justify its action. The Labour Court in Phuket told the construction company to settle three months’…
- Hot News
Thai govt’s chemical castration policy takes effect next month
The Thai government is preparing to introduce its controversial chemical castration policy on repeat sex offenders next month. The Justice Ministry revealed it is preparing for the new law which is set to take effect on January 23. The policy is aimed at preventing people convicted of sexual and violent crimes from reoffending. The Senate passed the bill, allowing the…
- Hot News
Pro-monarchy ‘dictator’ must be stopped from retiring in Australia, say Thai asylum activists
Exiled Thai activists are living in fear that a self-proclaimed “Van Helsing” “dictator” and pro-monarchy vigilante could be pursuing them in retirement. Rienthong Nanna, a doctor and former army general, announced on Facebook that he plans to retire in Perth, Australia causing fear among those who now live there after fleeing the country after his vicious campaign. Rienthong set up a…
- Thailand News
World Cup broadcasting soap opera drama rumbles on
The FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar broadcasting soap opera continues to provide drama. In this week’s episode, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is demanding the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) return the 600 million baht it handed over because it can’t fulfil its World Cup broadcasting agreement. The long-drawn-out melodrama appeared to have reached a conclusion when Thailand…
- Hot News
Family of man who died after a hair transplant warns others to avoid cowboy clinics
The family of an Indian man who died from a hair transplant (HT) urges others to avoid cowboy clinics offering too good-to-be-true low-cost procedures. Balding Indian television executive Athar Rasheed decided to get an HT last year only for it to end fatally. The 30 year old wanted to improve his appearance, boost his confidence, and look younger, as many…
- Hot News
7-Eleven stores introduce digital govt service channel for Thais
A new digital channel is being introduced in 7-Eleven stores to make it easier for residents in Thailand to access government services. The Digital Government Development Agency (DGA) is using a technology integrator Counter Service to create a new channel to verify and issue digital IDs for citizens. The DGA reckon the systems will make it easier for people to…
- Hot News
Europe wakes up to US profiteering from Russia-Ukraine conflict
It appears Europe has finally woken up to Sleepy Joe’s foreign policy and US profiteering from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The war in Ukraine has been blamed for higher fuel costs, the rise in inflation, austerity, and an economic meltdown throughout the world. Yet everything in the US garden appears to be rosy, profits are blooming and life goes on as…
- Thailand News
Qatar officials insist camel beauty contestants are cosmetic surgery free
The FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar is not the only prestigious competition taking place in the Arab state. Camels from several Gulf states are strutting their stuff on the catwalk at the Qatar Camel Mzayen Club beauty contest in Ash-Shahaniyah. But tournament officials in Ash-Shahaniyah, Qatar, are on the alert over alleged cheating after a similar competition in Saudi Arabia last…
- Thailand News
Thai govt to crackdown on cybercrime & handout free laptops to poor kids
The Thai government yesterday pledged to crackdown on cybercrime and to hand out 13 million free laptops to students from poor or low-income families. The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry announced plans to administer free laptops to children from underprivileged families over the next four years starting next year under the Smart Thailand scheme. The Smart Thailand scheme is…
- Health
The WHO rename monkeypox to avoid racist stereotypes
In a bid to avoid racism and stigmatisation, the World Health Organization (WHO) is renaming monkeypox, mpox. The WHO will use mpox as a synonym for monkeypox. Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while monkeypox is phased out altogether. The move comes after the United Nations voiced concerns over the way the virus was being reported by…
- Expats
New direct flight between Muscat and Bangkok
The Sultanate of Oman today announced the introduction of a direct flight between Muscat and Bangkok. From Sunday, December 18, Oman’s budget airline SalamAir will fly directly between Muscat and Bangkok three times per week. Flights from Muscat depart on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, while return flights from Bangkok are scheduled for Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Bangkok is SalamAir’s second…
- Economy News
Bank of Thailand to raise interest rates on Wednesday
Bank of Thailand (BOT) Governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput today announced interest rates will be raised on Wednesday to deal with potential inflation increases. Governor Sethaput is expected to raise interest rates by a modest quarter-point to take the benchmark rate to 1.25% underscoring ongoing worries about growth in Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy. Thailand’s economy lagged its Southeast Asia contemporaries and is…
