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.
  • Phuket NewsWoman searches for sister who went missing on Phuket trip

    Woman searches for sister who went missing on Phuket trip

    A woman is searching for her sister, who she says went missing on a trip from Bangkok to Phuket. The woman, ​​Prangthip Kottathum, says her sister, 27 year old Vannapa Bamrab, went missing on April 11. ​​Prangthip​ filed a missing person report to Hua Mak Police Station on Thursday, April 13, Khao Phuket reported. Pranthip said that Vannapa called one…

  • Pattaya NewsOops! Cardi B rips hotpants onstage while twerking in Pattaya

    Oops! Cardi B rips hotpants onstage while twerking in Pattaya

    It turns out, even American celebrities have wild nights in Pattaya. A twerking session in Pattaya went massively wrong for music sensation Cardi B after her hotpants ripped onstage, news outlets reported yesterday. This was at the event Rolling Loud Thailand 2023. The event began in Pattaya on Thursday and lasts until today (Saturday). Footage from Daily Mail shows the 30 year…

  • Thailand NewsMum of British backpacker who died in Thailand warns of signs of dengue fever

    Mum of British backpacker who died in Thailand warns of signs of dengue fever

    The mum of a British backpacker who died in Thailand in 2016 is warning others to spot the signs of dengue fever that her son experienced before his tragic death. Her son, 21 year old Bob Toulson-Burke, died just two weeks after developing flu-like symptoms while travelling. Bob’s mother, Jayne, told Evening Standard yesterday that his symptoms included headaches, nausea,…

  • Crime NewsPhuket kitchen staffer stabs colleague to death

    Phuket kitchen staffer stabs colleague to death

    A Phuket kitchen staffer stabbed his colleague to death in the car park of a well-known hotel in Cherng Talay on Thursday, The Phuket Express and The Phuket News reported last night. The suspect, 20 year old Sarayut stabbed 23 year old Roongroj, in the stomach. Cherng Talay Police rushed to the scene after being informed of the incident at around 4.30pm. Upon arriving…

  • Tourism NewsTAT expects Phuket to generate at least 4.5 billion baht during Songkran

    TAT expects Phuket to generate at least 4.5 billion baht during Songkran

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects Phuket to generate at least 4.5 billion baht during the Songkran Festival, with over 200,000 tourists expected to visit the island province. The director of TAT’s Phuket Office, Lertchai Wangtrakundee, stated that 84% of hotel rooms have already been booked from April 13 to April 16. Additionally, 258 international flights with 48,302 passengers…

  • Tourism NewsTourism Authority of Thailand pushing for 150,000 Saudi tourists this year

    Tourism Authority of Thailand pushing for 150,000 Saudi tourists this year

    Thailand continues to set new tourism goals. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is now pushing for 150,000 Saudi tourists this year, according to Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT’s deputy governor of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. The improved diplomatic relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia have had a very positive impact on Thailand’s tourism sector, Siripakorn said. There…

  • Crime NewsBangkok rescue volunteers brawl over territory

    Bangkok rescue volunteers brawl over territory

    It turns out, turf battles happen even among rescue volunteers. Rescue volunteer teams from Ruamkatanyu and Petchkasem foundations brawled over territory on Monday night following a motorcycle accident on Bamrung Road, TV Channel 7 reported. The teams initially attempted to negotiate but the talks turned into an argument, leading to members of both groups attacking each other. More rescuers from both…

  • World NewsSex traffickers held Southeast Asian women captive in South Korea

    Sex traffickers held Southeast Asian women captive in South Korea

    Sex traffickers held four Southeast Asian women captive on South Korea‘s Jeju Island. Jeju provincial police said they arrested four subjects who allegedly held the women, The Korean Herald and Asia News Network reported yesterday. The suspects included a Korean bar owner in his 40s, his Chinese wife, and two other accomplices. The suspects were sent to the prosecutor’s office. The victims…

  • Tourism NewsEntry fees to Thailand’s Phi Phi islands reeling in 1 million baht a day

    Entry fees to Thailand’s Phi Phi islands reeling in 1 million baht a day

    Entry fees to Thailand’s Phi-Phi islands have been reeling in about 1 million baht a day for the country’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, since the introduction of the e-ticketing system last July. Revenue from entry fees has increased by 20 to 30% to an average of 1 million baht per day, amounting to a total of 137…

  • World NewsExiled Chinese Christians arrive safely in US from Thailand

    Exiled Chinese Christians arrive safely in US from Thailand

    A group of exiled Chinese Christians, who feared persecution if they were sent back to China, arrived safely in the United States. The group had been detained for overstaying their visas in Thailand, where they had been trying to arrange formal passage to the US. The group arrested included 63 members of China’s Mayflower Church. The group believed that Chinese…

  • Thailand NewsBritish tourists to Thailand: Are you really covered? Travel insurance warning for medical emergencies

    British tourists to Thailand: Are you really covered? Travel insurance warning for medical emergencies

    British tourists travelling to Thailand are being warned that their travel insurance policies may not cover them in the event of a medical emergency. Most travel insurance is not designed to cover life-saving operations or expensive repatriation. The Association of British Insurers pointed out that 17% of all overseas claims are rejected due to lack of documentation, and the average…

  • Crime NewsTwo separate shootings rock South Thailand, claiming 5 victims

    Two separate shootings rock South Thailand, claiming 5 victims

    Two separate shootings rocked South Thailand yesterday, claiming a total of five victims. In Surat Thani province, an unidentified gunman shot four people dead at a house, including two former village heads and his wife. The gunman attacked the victims at a house in Khiri Rat Dikhom district. Police identified three of the victims as former village headman Thammarong Nilniyom,…

  • Pattaya NewsTerrible crash in Chon Buri kills 4, including pregnant worker

    Terrible crash in Chon Buri kills 4, including pregnant worker

    A terrible crash on Motorway Route 7 in Chon Buri killed four people early this morning, including a pregnant worker. The accident occurred when a van carrying migrant workers rear-ended a trailer truck on the Pattaya-inbound lane in the Nong Khang Khok sub-district of the main city district. Rescuers and police rushed to the scene to find a passenger van…

  • Environment NewsWork from home measure in Chiang Mai continues today and tomorrow

    Work from home measure in Chiang Mai continues today and tomorrow

    Chiang Mai’s air pollution problem is continuing to wreak havoc on the province. Chiang Mai‘s work from home measure, introduced by the provincial administration yesterday will continue until tomorrow (Sunday), Thai PBS reported. This is due to the PM2.5 pollution problem in the province, which has not improved. Governor Nirat Pongsitthavorn announced that the public will be informed if there…

  • Crime NewsPhuket authorities catch third illegal Chinese worker this week

    Phuket authorities catch third illegal Chinese worker this week

    Phuket authorities caught an illegal Chinese worker at Phuket International Airport last night. The unnamed man is the third illegal Chinese worker caught at the airport this week. Phuket Immigration checkpoint reported the incident in a Facebook post today. According to the post, the man was arrested at around 7.15pm in the ‘tour parking lot.’ The man was handed over…

  • Tourism NewsOfficials work with Agoda to boost community-based tourism in Prachuap Khiri Khan

    Officials work with Agoda to boost community-based tourism in Prachuap Khiri Khan

    Officials are working with Agoda to boost community-based tourism in the Kaiburi district of Thailand’s Prachuap Khiri Khan province. The Community-Based Tourism Promotion Project is a collaborative effort between the Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Administration Organization, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), and Agoda. Agoda will be promoting community-based tourism products and activities to its customers, including local homestays, cultural…

  • Crime NewsPhuket Police arrest Ukrainian woman for spray painting slogans at viewpoint

    Phuket Police arrest Ukrainian woman for spray painting slogans at viewpoint

    Phuket Police yesterday morning arrested a Ukrainian woman for spray painting slogans critical of Russia at a popular viewpoint. The 34 year old woman spray painted “#Russia is a terrorist state,” and “#Russia” on rocks and a bench at Khao Khad Viewpoint in the Wichit sub-district of Phuket’s main city district. Wichit Police tracked the woman down through CCTV footage.…

  • Road deathsCrash kills Pattaya couple on motorbike

    Crash kills Pattaya couple on motorbike

    Last night, a couple from Pattaya lost their lives in a motorcycle accident. The deceased were identified as Santisuk Sae-tan, a 31 year old man, and Chatchawan Kangwanwuthikul, a 31 year old woman. The tragic incident occurred at approximately 8pm on a road situated in front of Khao Mai Kaew temple. Rescuers arrived on the scene to find that a…

  • Crime NewsPolice find remains in South Thailand believed to be missing official

    Police find remains in South Thailand believed to be missing official

    Police and paramilitary rangers found human remains in South Thailand yesterday morning, which are believed to be those of a missing local official. The authorities found the bones on a cliff in Moo 6 village of Sri Sakhorn district in Pattani province. Along with the bones, they found the ID card of the chief of the Tambon Don Administrative Organisation,…

  • Crime NewsPattaya authorities on the prowl for foreign overstayers and criminals (video)

    Pattaya authorities on the prowl for foreign overstayers and criminals (video)

    Pattaya authorities are on the prowl for foreign overstayers and criminals. Pattaya Police say that they will continue to perform regular inspections checking tourists’ passports, following a city-wide inspection on Wednesday night. During the inspection, Pattaya Police and immigration officials targeted foreigners overstaying, and those involved in illegal activities. The operation involved about 50 law enforcement officers who inspected nightclubs…

  • Koh Samui NewsGerman woman injured after falling at Koh Samui waterfall

    German woman injured after falling at Koh Samui waterfall

    A tourist from Germany sustained injuries while visiting Koh Samui, one of Thailand‘s beautiful tropical destinations. The incident occurred when a German woman fell at a waterfall on Koh Samui, Na Mueang 2 Waterfall, and it took rescue teams and officials over 20 minutes to reach her location on foot. The team found the woman, 38 year old Sina Dahmann,…

  • Phuket News48 baby sea turtles successfully hatch in Phang Nga

    48 baby sea turtles successfully hatch in Phang Nga

    In some uplifting news, 48 baby leatherback sea turtles successfully hatched in Phang Nga‘s Tai Mueang district, The Phuket Express reported yesterday. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) confirmed the good news, saying the turtles made their way into the sea. According to the DMCR, 48 of the eggs successfully hatched and the baby turtles were able to…

  • Crime NewsKorean overstayer in Pattaya fakes abduction to get money for Thai girlfriend

    Korean overstayer in Pattaya fakes abduction to get money for Thai girlfriend

    Some people take very desperate measures to get money. A Korean overstayer in Pattaya faked his own abduction to get money for his Thai girlfriend‘s expenses. Unfortunately for him, things didn’t go according to plan. The young man, 24 year old Kim Hyeongil, lied to his parents that he had been kidnapped before he was about to board a flight…

  • Tourism NewsThailand’s Surat Thani province expects over 90,000 tourists during Songkran

    Thailand’s Surat Thani province expects over 90,000 tourists during Songkran

    Get ready for a blast of Songkran tourism coming up in Thailand! Thailand’s Surat Thani province is expecting to welcome more than 90,000 tourists during the upcoming Songkran festival period. According to the Surat Thani Governor, Vichawut Jintoe, over 67,000 foreign tourists and 23,000 Thai tourists are expected to visit the southern province from April 13 to 16. Surat Thani…

  • Crime NewsMurder of Chinese student in Thailand was reportedly over rejection

    Murder of Chinese student in Thailand was reportedly over rejection

    The murder of a 22 year old Chinese student in Thailand was motivated by rejection, media reported yesterday. New information has come to light in the case of Jin Can, a Chinese student who was reported kidnapped for ransom, and her body was later found in a banana plantation in the Bang Yai district in the central Nonthaburi province. According…

  • Crime NewsThai police find body believed to be kidnapped Chinese woman

    Thai police find body believed to be kidnapped Chinese woman

    In the central province of Nonthaburi, Thai authorities discovered a body that they suspect to be that of a Chinese woman who was abducted, inside a banana plantation. The body was found in the Bang Yai sub-district of Bang Yai district yesterday. The victim, believed to be a Chinese student named Jin Can, had reportedly been kidnapped for ransom before…

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s 45-day visa exemption is back to 30 days

    Thailand’s 45-day visa exemption is back to 30 days

    Thailand’s 45-day visa exemption is back down to 30 days for visitors to the kingdom from a list of around 60 countries. Starting from April 1 (yesterday), visitors from mainland Europe, the UK, the US, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and other countries will only be granted a 30-day stay in Thailand if they choose to enter the country without obtaining a…

  • Crime NewsPattaya bar fight injures more than 6 people

    Pattaya bar fight injures more than 6 people

    There’s been another late-night bar fight in Pattaya. Two groups of young adults brawled in the early hours of this morning at the YES Pattaya pub on Third Road. The bar fight, which injured more than six people, took place at 3.20am. The youths started throwing punches and bottles at each other. When police officers and rescuers arrived at the…

  • Phuket NewsPhang Nga arsonist unashamed after burning down floating restaurant

    Phang Nga arsonist unashamed after burning down floating restaurant

    A shameless arsonist showed no compassion after destroying a floating restaurant in Phang Nga on Friday. Takua Thung Police arrived at the restaurant located on a canal in Baan Chong Nuea in Kalai sub-district of Takua Thung district and found it engulfed in flames, with the suspect, 31 year old Wanat Looklek, watching it burn. Wanat admitted to police that…

  • Chiang Mai NewsChiang Mai national park fire kills firefighting volunteer

    Chiang Mai national park fire kills firefighting volunteer

    A forest fire at a Chiang Mai national park tragically killed a firefighting volunteer on Friday. The volunteer, 39 year old Wichai Thimakham from Mae Rim district, was found dead in Khun Khan National Park. His death was apparently due to suffocation, Thai PBS reported. The acting director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Atthaphon Charoenchansa, said Wichai…