- News
“We won’t negotiate with terrorists” – Myanmar government spokesperson.
Militants in Myanmar’s Rakhine state are declaring a temporary ceasefire from yesterday after more than two weeks of violence in the western state. The insurgent group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army issued the statement saying “offensive military operations” would be paused until October 9 to give access to aid groups. The statement is calling on the Myanmar government to do the…
- News
Samui rubbish problem ‘critical’
Story from Thai PBS English… The warning came from Samui mayor Ramnate Jaikwang earlier this week as the garbage problem is getting worse. Mayor Ramnate said at present the island’s 30-rai landfill already holds mountains of garbage of over 200,000 tons, while 150-200 tons keep coming in every day for disposal. The local administration is calling for a bid to…
- News
Jet auction. Starting bid only 30 million Baht.
Need a new way to get around? Need to avoid Phuket’s traffic? Get your own plane! And not just any plane but an Airbus A310. Here’s what Wikipedia says about this fine, slightly used, jet aeroplane… “The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engined wide-body jet airliner that was developed and manufactured by Airbus. Entering service in 1983, it…
- News
Phuket drownings – The Facts
In the first eight months of 2017 there have been 294 rescues recorded around Phuket’s beaches patrolled with surf lifeguards on duty. Of these, 265 have been foreigners and the remainder Thai locals. The good news is that these numbers are trending a lot lower than 2016. Last year there were 761 rescues recorded in the full 12 months. In…
- Travel
Thailand’s Best Beaches 2017. How many are in Phuket?
The results are in for Thailand’s annual ‘beach star rating’ study by the Pollution Control Department. 13 beaches around Thailand have been awarded five-star ratings. Not a single one of them is in Phuket, not even close. According to the Pollution Control Department, this year’s beach evaluation was based on four important criteria. The Department studied water quality that included…
- Bangkok News
Go Team Phuket! Blitzing the waves in Bangkok
The Phuket team blitzed the Asia Flow Tour 2017 in Bangkok over the weekend. Asia Flow Tour is an annual surfing contest series around Asian countries and had its second stop in Bangkok last Saturday, August 26. The small but tightly knit Asian flow board riding community got together for the event to decide who gets to represent Asia…
- News
Kofi Annan and Aung San Suu Kyi condemn Rhakine violence
Former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan and Myanmar’s State Minister Councillor, Aung San Suu Kyi have roundly condemned the new upsurge in violence in the Rhakine state, to the north-west of Myanmar. “I strongly condemn today’s brutal attacks by terrorists on security forces in Rakhine State. “The actions threatened efforts to bring peace to the embattled state”, Aung San Suu Kyi said in…
- News
Perth to Bangkok flight aborted
Saturday’s Thai Airways flight TG484 from Perth to Bangkok was cancelled after an airport’s jet bridge accidentally hit the plane’s left engine cowling. Thai Airways announced in a press statement that the accident happened at 9.15am Perth time. It said after the plane’s doors were closed and it was ready to take off, the jet bridge hit the engine cowling,…
- News
High drama in Bangkok with no-show from Yingluck
Yingluck did not show up at the Supreme Court today to hear the verdict over the Rice Pledging Scheme case. Deputy PM Gen Prawit Wongsuwan confirms that he has been informed about Yingluck’s no-show in the court on a claim that she suffered from a disorder in the inner ear. He says the court has issued an arrest warrant against…
- Thailand News
Severe Typhoon Hato bears down on Hong Kong and the Pearl Delta
Yesterday we were reporting about the threat of heavy rains in the Central and North-east of Thailand later this week. Today, the tropical storm Hato has been being renamed ‘Severe Typhoon Hato’ as it batters Hong Kong and communities in the Pearl Delta. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled and the stock market has been closed as heavy rain and…
- News
HM Bhumibol Adulyadej commemorative coins popular at reservation locations
Specially minted coins, commemorating the forthcoming funeral of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, are causing long queues at locations around the country. Long queues formed at various designated locations across the country on Tuesday morning as members of the public waited to reserve commemorative coins minted for the funeral of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. There…
- Health
The newest energy drink? ‘Kratom’
Story by The Nation Dr Supaporn Pitiporn, head of the herb product development project at Chaopraya Abhaiphubejhr Hospital, said the benefits of kratom outweigh its drawbacks. Supaporn made the recommendation in an article she wrote that was posted online on Tuesday. Last week, Narcotics Control Board secretary general Sirinya Sittichai said the Narcotic Crops Survey and Monitoring Institute is studying…
- News
New domestic terminal arrival & departure changes from tomorrow.
Heading to the airport? To the domestic terminal? Changes for traffic flow kicks in from tomorrow (Saturday). Check our story here so that you don’t get caught out. Some changes for traffic flow at Phuket International Airport
- News
Vaping could get you ten years in a Thai prison
Vaping, the popular alternative to smoking cigarettes, might be OK where you come from, but in Thailand sucking on your favourite ‘vape’, or even bringing them into the country, could put put you in a Thai prison for ten years. It’s not a new law, with the import of electronic cigarettes and shisha being banned back in October 2014, but…
- News
Phuket security at ‘maximum’. Seven southern provinces warned.
Security is being ramped up in some southern provinces today including Phuket, Trang, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phangnga and Krabi. Police have put the security level at ‘maximum’ reflecting their concerns over possible violent anniversary attacks after last year’s bombings and arson on August 11 and 12. Ten bombs went off and five fires broke out…
- News
Want to win 100,000 baht? Name the new skywalk.
In case you’ve been away or just not read the news for a few weeks, Bangkok has a stunning new walkway above the Pathum Wan intersection. It’s cost 300 million baht and taken two years to construct. But it’s now open and become the new place-to-meet-friends in the capital. But the Skywalk doesn’t have a name. The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority…
- News
Charging ahead. Electric car charging stations coming to Thailand.
The Thailand chapters of four industrial companies are pooling their resources to work towards public charging stations for the next generation of electric cars in the country. Greenlots, BMW Group Thailand, Polytechnology and the Central Group are set to launch ‘Charge Now’ in Thailand which they claim is already the world’s largest network of charging stations for electric and hybrid…
- News
Two Thais missing in California
Two Thais remain missing after their car was found submerged in a river at the bottom a cliff in California. Foreign Affairs representative, Busadee Santipitakswith, from the Thai consulate in Los Angeles, is working with LA Police to find Thiwadee Saengsuriyarit and her friend. At this stage we only know her friend’s name as ‘Golf’. The pair went missing last…
- News
Sakon Nakhon floods easing. Authorities worried about more rain.
The country’s disaster warning system needs to be reformed, experts emphasized yesterday, as there was no warning for the recent flash flood in Sakon Nakhon that resulted from heavy downpours and leakage in a local reservoir. Meanwhile, experts have reassured the public that there will be no big flood similar to the disaster in 2011, because there was no indication…
