Tara Abhasakun

A Thai-American dual citizen, Tara has reported news and spoken on a number of human rights and cultural news issues in Thailand. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in history from The College of Wooster. She interned at Southeast Asia Globe, and has written for a number of outlets. Tara reports on a range of Thailand news issues.
  • Crime NewsSouth Thailand Muslim representatives still pushing against cannabis legalisation

    South Thailand Muslim representatives still pushing against cannabis legalisation

    South Thailand’s Muslim representatives aren’t giving up their fight against Thailand’s cannabis legalisation. Yesterday, the Satun Provincial Islamic Committee of the Islamic Network submitted a petition calling on the government to revise the decriminalization of cannabis and hemp. A representative from one group involved, the Satun Center for Protesting Against Unethical Laws and Regulations, vowed that the groups would call…

  • Pattaya NewsIndian man dies of heart attack on island off Pattaya

    Indian man dies of heart attack on island off Pattaya

    An Indian man died of a heart attack on Koh Larn island off Pattaya on Monday, July 18. The man, 43 year old Tandon Gaurav, reportedly died a minute after he sat down in a restaurant on the island. A fellow restaurant-goer tried to give Tandon CPR, but could not revive him. Tandon was then pronounced dead at Koh Larn…

  • Bangkok NewsElderly woman near Bangkok dies of Covid-19 after request declined

    Elderly woman near Bangkok dies of Covid-19 after request declined

    An elderly woman near Bangkok has died of Covid-19 after a hospital allegedly declined her family’s request for an ambulance. The incident happened in Nonthaburi, a province bordering Bangkok. A foundation that tried to help the 82 year old woman said that she had several health other conditions as well. These included diabetes, high blood pressure, and chronic kidney disease…

  • Central Thailand News3 electricians killed in explosion in central Thailand

    3 electricians killed in explosion in central Thailand

    An explosion at a smelting plant in central Thailand’s Ratchaburi province was fatal for three electricians last night. The electricians had been sent to the plant to fix a control board, according to police. But as they were working, the control board exploded, and a fire broke out. Factory workers scrambled to put out the fire with an extinguisher and…

  • World NewsPending bill to name NYC neighbourhood ‘Little Thailand’

    Pending bill to name NYC neighbourhood ‘Little Thailand’

    Thailand is continuing to make its mark far beyond the kingdom’s borders. New York City’s city council has approved a bill to name one neighbourhood ‘Little Thailand.’ The neighbourhood, located in the borough of Queens, is already called this name informally, as it has several Thai restaurants and businesses. The council member who sponsored the bill, Shekar Krishnan, said… “The…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya train crashes into truck, 3 survive with minor injuries

    Pattaya train crashes into truck, 3 survive with minor injuries

    Three people in a pickup truck survived with only minor injuries after a train crashed into the truck in Pattaya yesterday. The truck driver, 54 year old Prasert, said that he was in a hurry, and the railway crossing time and warnings were too short. He said he felt the train had come too fast. The incident happened at the…

  • World NewsJapan hits record high in Covid-19 cases

    Japan hits record high in Covid-19 cases

    Japan’s number of Covid-19 infections climbed to a new record yesterday. While Japan’s previous peak was 104,169 cases in February, yesterday, there were 110,600 cases. In Tokyo, 18,919 new cases were confirmed. The city’s metropolitan government raised its Covid alert to the highest of four levels. Most cases are mild and don’t require hospital treatment. As the country moves on…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok doctor warns of lung infections from new Covid-19 sub-variant

    Bangkok doctor warns of lung infections from new Covid-19 sub-variant

    One Bangkok doctor is warning the public of lung infections associated with the new sub-variant of Covid-19. The doctor, Nithipat Jearakul, is the head of Siriraj Hospital’s Department of Respiratory Disease and Tuberculosis. Nithipat says that the BA.5 subvariant of Omicron is as harmful to the lungs as the previous Delta variant. However, most people with lung infections are part…

  • World NewsThailand says no to North Korean martial art at SEA Games

    Thailand says no to North Korean martial art at SEA Games

    Thailand is saying no to a North Korean martial art that will be included at the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia. Cambodia has said that North Korean-style taekwondo is one of the 39 sports that will be featured at the Games. The vice president of the Olympic Committee of Thailand has said that Thailand will not send any athletes…

  • Phuket NewsAfter drownings, Phuket governor calls to step up safety

    After drownings, Phuket governor calls to step up safety

    In the aftermath of a drowning incident this week, Phuket’s Governor Narong is pushing to increase safety measures. Narong visited Patong Beach for an inspection yesterday (Friday), saying he wished to support the lifeguards working there. Red flags have been posted at the beach, and lifeguards are stationed to closely monitor tourists’ safety, according to the National News Bureau of…

  • Northern Thailand NewsGirl in northeast Thailand rides elephant to save fuel costs, goes viral

    Girl in northeast Thailand rides elephant to save fuel costs, goes viral

    Elephant crossing! An 11 year old girl in northeast Thailand’s Buriram province has become a TikTok sensation from riding an elephant to school to help her family save cash on fuel. The girl’s father, Wisanchol, told reporters that he works with elephants and that his family owns four of the gentle giants. The elephant that his daughter, Pupae, was filmed…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand’s Public Health Ministry urges 10 day quarantine

    Thailand’s Public Health Ministry urges 10 day quarantine

    Thailand’s public health authorities are pushing people to follow the 10-day quarantine period if they test positive for Covid-19. A spokesman for the Public Health Ministry, Dr Rungrueng Kitphati, said that if people have to leave their homes, such as for hospital trips, they must wear masks. Rungrueng added that outpatients should also stay in well-ventilated rooms, away from others,…

  • Pattaya NewsChon Buri man dies of heart attack in market restroom

    Chon Buri man dies of heart attack in market restroom

    A man has died of a heart attack in a market restroom yesterday in the Sri Racha district of Chon Buri province. A cleaner who found the body said she had gone to check on the man in the restroom after he had been in there for a strangely long time. She then found him dead on the toilet. Sri…

  • Pattaya NewsHotel cleaner finds Canadian man’s body in Pattaya field

    Hotel cleaner finds Canadian man’s body in Pattaya field

    A hotel maid discovered a Canadian man’s body in a grass field in Pattaya yesterday. The cleaner, 54 year old Da, said she had gone to the field behind the Leelawadee Hotel to pick plants. She then noticed a bad smell and followed the odour until she saw a body. At first, she thought the body might have been a…

  • Pattaya NewsChon Buri man allegedly sexually abused his daughter for 9 years

    Chon Buri man allegedly sexually abused his daughter for 9 years

    A Chon Buri man allegedly sexually abused his daughter for 9 years and stopped her stop going to school because he was afraid she would get a boyfriend. A neighbour found out about the abuse when he saw the 16 year old girl sitting on the side of the road and crying earlier this week. The neighbour then began to…

  • Environment NewsPhuket mayor asks public to stop throwing rubbish in canals

    Phuket mayor asks public to stop throwing rubbish in canals

    Phuket’s city mayor has asked residents in three target areas of the island province’s main city district to stop throwing rubbish in canals. The mayor, Saroj Angkanapilas, said that city officials have been working to solve flooding problems in the areas. He said… “We ask all residents to use the bins that the municipality has available to reduce the amount…

  • South Thailand NewsFull Moon Party in South Thailand Tonight, Bangkok Airways flights full

    Full Moon Party in South Thailand Tonight, Bangkok Airways flights full

    Another Full Moon Party in South Thailand’s island of Koh Pha Ngan is happening tonight (Friday) amidst the country’s five-day holiday. Thai news outlet Naewna reported that all Bangkok Airways flights to Koh Samui Airport were filled to capacity today. Many tourists fly there before making their way to Koh Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province. The tourists are mainly…

  • World NewsCitizens party after Sri Lanka president resigns

    Citizens party after Sri Lanka president resigns

    Sri Lanka’s president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has now officially resigned, following mass protests against him. The now former president fled the country to Maldives on Wednesday, and flew from there to Singapore yesterday, an unnamed security source told CNN. After Gotabaya arrived in Singapore, parliament speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced that Gotabaya had tendered his resignation. Mahinda said the country’s PM Ranil…

  • Pattaya NewsTree falls on couple in Chon Buri, killing 1

    Tree falls on couple in Chon Buri, killing 1

    This week, Chon Buri province was reminded that Thailand’s monsoon weather can be fatal. On Wednesday, in the province’s main city district, raging wind sent a tree plunging on top of two men on a motorcycle, killing one of them. The other man, his boyfriend, was seriously injured. The tree fell on the couple at Bangsaen Sai 4 Road when…

  • Economy NewsThailand’s bottled palm oil price drops slightly

    Thailand’s bottled palm oil price drops slightly

    After Thailand’s price of bottled palm oil has kept surging and surging for months, it has now finally come down a bit. Prices in department stores and supermarkets on 1 litre bottles have dropped from 69-70 baht, to 64-65 baht. The director-general of Thailand’s Internal Trade Department, Udom Srisomsong, pointed out that prices may differ between stores, though. Udom stressed…

  • South Thailand NewsFerry gets stuck on sand bar near South Thailand island

    Ferry gets stuck on sand bar near South Thailand island

    More than 100 ferry passengers in South Thailand were caught in a sticky situation on Wednesday- literally. A ferry got stuck on a sand bar in Koh Phang Ngan island in Surat Thani province. The ferry was heading to Don Sak district, when it got stuck on the sand bar 10 minutes after departing from Koh Phang Ngan, according to…

  • World NewsUPDATE: Sri Lanka president reportedly plans to fly to Saudi Arabia

    UPDATE: Sri Lanka president reportedly plans to fly to Saudi Arabia

    UPDATE Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa reportedly plans to fly to Saudi Arabia, after he flies to Singapore. The Associated Press reported the development today, citing an unnamed Maldivian official. An unnamed security official in Colombo told CNN that Gotabaya was flying from Maldives to Singapore, as Sri Lanka’s rage has grown over his refusal to formally resign. Gotabaya is expected to reach…

  • Pattaya NewsBike racing tourists arrested in South Pattaya

    Bike racing tourists arrested in South Pattaya

    South Pattaya locals fed up with noisy bike racing tourists finally got their wish when two racers were arrested in the early hours of this morning. Last month, locals complained about the tourists on Second Pattaya Road getting in the way of other drivers. Between last night and this morning, residents near Soi Yensabai and Soi Sunee complained that bike…

  • World NewsA city in Laos is a surprise hit with Thai tourists

    A city in Laos is a surprise hit with Thai tourists

    One city in Laos is a major hit with Thai tourists right now. Luang Prabang, Laos’s former capital, is seeing the majority of its room reservations filled by Thai travellers. Since Laos lifted its entry restrictions in May, Thais have made up 90% of the country’s room reservations. Laos has fewer tourists coming from Europe, Korea, China, and other countries.…

  • Central Thailand NewsPark officials save mother and baby elephant in central Thailand

    Park officials save mother and baby elephant in central Thailand

    A mother elephant and her baby were caught in a sticky situation when they fell into a manhole near Khao Yai National Park in central Thailand. A village chief said he stumbled upon a herd of about 30 elephants in Nakhon Nayok province in the early hours of yesterday morning. He said that one baby elephant suddenly fell into the…

  • Phuket NewsWind plunges trees onto houses in Phuket

    Wind plunges trees onto houses in Phuket

    Thailand’s stormy season is raging on and causing some inconveniences to the people of Phuket. Earlier this week, strong winds plunged trees and cables onto houses in the island province’s Kamala district. Altogether, 5 different areas of the Kamala district were impacted. One tree fell into the middle of the road, and some trees brought down power poles. A large…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya sex pest flashes woman in laundromat

    Pattaya sex pest flashes woman in laundromat

    A Pattaya man was feeling particularly confident at “making the first move” with a woman at a laundromat this week. So confident that he allegedly flashed his private parts at the woman, and then tried to approach her. The 37 year old woman under the pseudonym ‘Tik’ is a rescue worker and said she often has to run errands at…

  • Bangkok News4 day coffee festival near Bangkok starts today

    4 day coffee festival near Bangkok starts today

    Bangkok’s coffee lovers have something to look forward to for the next few days. A 4-day coffee festival starts today at Impact Exhibition Hall 5-7, located in Nonthaburi province, north of Bangkok’s city centre. According to Thailand Coffee Fest’s Facebook Page, the event will be held from today until July 17 (Sunday) from 10am-8pm. The festival, titled Thailand Coffee Fest…

  • World NewsMan who shot former Japanese PM reveals hateful motivation

    Man who shot former Japanese PM reveals hateful motivation

    The man who shot former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has told investigators that he thought Abe was linked to a group that he hated. The man, 41 year old Tetsuya Yamagami, shot Abe during a campaign speech in Nara, western Japan, on Friday. Police have not yet named the group that Yamagami says he hates. Japanese media reported, however, that…

  • Economy NewsA jump in Thailand’s Consumer Confidence Index

    A jump in Thailand’s Consumer Confidence Index

    Thailand’s economy is slowly but surely making a comeback after being devastated by Covid-19 restrictions. Last week, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce reported that Thailand’s Consumer Confidence Index had risen. The country’s CCI rose from 40.2 to 41.6 in June, the UTCC said. This news comes after Thailand’s CCI had been in decline for several months. April’s…