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.
  • Pattaya NewsChon Buri pickup truck crash kills elderly man and injures 4 others

    Chon Buri pickup truck crash kills elderly man and injures 4 others

    A Chon Buri pickup truck crash killed one person and injured four others on Monday. The crash happened when one pickup truck rear-ended another on 344 Road in the Nong Phai Kaeo sub-district of Ban Bueng district. Rescuers arrived on the scene to find a grey Mitsubishi with a demolished bumper and a bronze Toyota Revo lying upside down. Rescuers…

  • Economy News‘Eat more rice!’ Thai officials tell youth

    ‘Eat more rice!’ Thai officials tell youth

    “Eat more rice!” Thai officials are telling the country’s youth. The Thai Commerce Ministry wants young people to eat more rice. The ministry launched a campaign after a study showed that Thailand’s consumption of rice had fallen. The department launched the “Thai Kids Enjoy Thai Rice” roadshow, visiting 10 schools and weekend markets, Nation Thailand reported yesterday. The Thai Rice…

  • Tourism NewsThai tourism association says number of Chinese tour groups still unexpectedly low

    Thai tourism association says number of Chinese tour groups still unexpectedly low

    A Thai tourism association says the number of Chinese tour groups making their way to the Land of Smiles is still unexpectedly low. The president of the Thai Association of Tourism Businesses (ATTA), Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, said the number of Chinese tour groups travelling to Thailand remains unexpectedly low due to a lack of flights. Instead, most Chinese arrivals in Thailand…

  • LifestyleCoffee and craft beer festival coming to this seaside Thai town

    Coffee and craft beer festival coming to this seaside Thai town

    A coffee and craft beer festival is coming to Thailand’s seaside town of Cha-am, located in the Petchaburi province. Those looking for a unique festival that celebrates two of the world’s most popular drinks can head to Cha-am from March 17 to 19 for the Sun Coffee and Moon Craft festival. The festival will be held at Hua Hin One,…

  • South Thailand NewsMan runs race in South Thailand wearing Forrest Gump costume

    Man runs race in South Thailand wearing Forrest Gump costume

    Run Forrest run! One participant in a 160 kilometre race in South Thailand made a splash with his unique attire. The man donned a Forrest Gump costume, complete with a plaid shirt, khaki pants, and a red cap, to the Amazean Jungle Thailand by UTMB 2023. The photo of the runner taken at the starting line in Betong district of…

  • Pattaya NewsHundreds of cops dispatched to Pattaya’s Walking Street to reassure tourists

    Hundreds of cops dispatched to Pattaya’s Walking Street to reassure tourists

    Hundreds of cops were dispatched to Pattaya’s Walking Street on Friday night to reassure tourists of their safety. The deputy commander of Provincial Police Region 2, Pattaya Police chief Pol. Col. Thanapong Photi, and Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn dispatched 234 officers to the street. The officers walked through the street letting bar and club owners know that they were launching…

  • Central Thailand NewsBlaze damages tour boats in central Thailand

    Blaze damages tour boats in central Thailand

    A blaze damaged three electric tour boats in Thailand‘s central Samut Prakan province this morning. The boats were recharging at a pier on the Chao Phraya river in the Phra Pradaeng district. A security guard at the pier, 64 year old Somdet Sae Ueng, stated that the fire began when a battery on one of the tour boats exploded, and…

  • Pattaya NewsLost bamboo rat wanders near Chon Buri cafe

    Lost bamboo rat wanders near Chon Buri cafe

    A lost bamboo rat wandered near a cafe in Chon Buri‘s main city district, and the shop’s owner is now on the lookout for the rat’s rightful owner. The cafe owner, Palm, found the rat near the entrance of his cafe located near the Phlapphla intersection in the Samet sub-district. Concerned for the animal’s welfare, he has been keeping the…

  • World NewsAnother earthquake further devastates Turkey and Syria

    Another earthquake further devastates Turkey and Syria

    Another earthquake is further devastating Turkey and Syria just two weeks after the massive earthquake that hit the country on February 6. Yesterday, a new magnitude 6.3 aftershock hit southern Turkey, killing at least three people and injuring hundreds more. The aftershock struck Turkey’s southern Hatay province, near the Syrian border, with its epicentre in the province’s Defne district. According…

  • Crime NewsThai whistleblowers file complaints to Big Joke about illegal Chinese associations

    Thai whistleblowers file complaints to Big Joke about illegal Chinese associations

    Illegal Chinese activities are once again causing a stir in Thailand. A Thai whistleblower met with Thailand’s deputy police chief Gen Surachet “Big Joke” Hakparn yesterday to file a complaint against unlicensed Chinese associations for their suspected vested interest, Bangkok Post reported. The whistleblower, Withan Sukkan, is an interrogative director of the Department of Provincial Administration. Withan said the director-general of the…

  • Tourism NewsTAT teams up with Netflix to create new Thailand travel guide

    TAT teams up with Netflix to create new Thailand travel guide

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has teamed up with Netflix to create an exciting new guide called Uncover Thailand: A Creative Travel Guide. The interactive guide will help tourists discover beautiful locations in Thailand that have been featured in popular films and shows on Netflix. The up-and-coming guide will also provide useful travel advice and fascinating facts to enhance…

  • Environment NewsPattaya’s air suffers unhealthy PM2.5 dust levels

    Pattaya’s air suffers unhealthy PM2.5 dust levels

    Pattaya’s air is suffering from unhealthy PM2.5 dust levels. The health-hazardous dust level has risen to 174 microgrammes per cubic meter, far above the safety threshold of 50 microgrammes per cubic meter, The Pattaya News reported yesterday. AQI readings above 100 are considered “unhealthy” (red), above 200 are considered “very unhealthy” (purple) and beyond 300 are considered “hazardous.” The dust…

  • Phuket NewsPatong Police catch 3 Mongolian credit card thieves

    Patong Police catch 3 Mongolian credit card thieves

    Patong Police caught three Mongolian credit card thieves yesterday. This was after a Malaysian man, Choi Mei Choo, and a Singaporean woman, Ho See Ling, filed police reports on February 11. The two said their wallet was stolen at a pier in Patong, and that they later received SMS messages about expensive products being bought with their credit card. Patong…

  • Environment NewsGraphic shows Thailand in top 10 countries with most ocean plastic waste

    Graphic shows Thailand in top 10 countries with most ocean plastic waste

    A new graphic shows that Asian countries, including Thailand, are among the top ocean plastic polluters due to mismanaged waste. The graphic by Louis Lugas Wicaksono is based on data from a 2021 research paper by Dutch academic Lourens JJ Meijer. The graphic shows a pie chart made up of plastic waste, labelling each country’s amount of ocean plastic waste…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket dwellers run for Turkey and Syria

    Phuket dwellers run for Turkey and Syria

    The people of Phuket are stepping up for victims of the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Early yesterday morning, hundreds of Phuket dwellers gathered to participate in a charity fun run to raise funds for earthquake victims. The run was organised by the Phuket Tourism Association (PTA), and supported by more than 16 local private businesses and government agencies. The…

  • Tourism NewsTourism in South Thailand province jumped by over 600% last year, officials say

    Tourism in South Thailand province jumped by over 600% last year, officials say

    South Thailand’s picturesque beaches and islands continue to reel in tourists. The number of tourists that visited South Thailand’s Surat Thani province last year jumped by over 600% from 2021, according to officials. The province includes the holiday paradise islands of Koh Samui and Koh Tao. Surat Thani Governor Witchawut Jintoe, citing the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, said the…

  • Phuket NewsRussian woman rushed to hospital after Patong hotel fire

    Russian woman rushed to hospital after Patong hotel fire

    Rescuers rushed a Russian woman to a hospital after a fire broke out at a Patong hotel kitchen on Saturday. The woman, Svetlana Stashko, suffered from smoke inhalation after the blaze broke out on the hotel’s first floor. The hotel is located on Phang Mueang Sai Kor Road. Firefighters arrived on the scene and were able to put out the…

  • Crime NewsThai cops bust Chinese man over counterfeit electronics worth 20 million baht

    Thai cops bust Chinese man over counterfeit electronics worth 20 million baht

    Thai cops busted a Chinese man in Bangkok over counterfeit electronics that cost over 20 million baht. Officers from the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) found fake phones and electronic devices in a raid at a warehouse in the Don Mueang district on Friday. The team searched three buildings and found Huang Yiqun, a 56 year old Chinese national, working…

  • Phuket NewsRussian man rushed to hospital after being found in stolen pickup truck in Phuket

    Russian man rushed to hospital after being found in stolen pickup truck in Phuket

    A Russian man was rushed to a hospital after police found him in a stolen pickup truck parked at a Phuket beach. Sakhu police found the man, 27 year old Egor Andriesh, in the truck parked on Nai Thon Beach, The Phuket News reported. The doors of the pickup were locked, and officers had to call a locksmith to open…

  • Phuket NewsPatong Police arrest 5 over fight involving foreign motorbike racers

    Patong Police arrest 5 over fight involving foreign motorbike racers

    UPDATE Patong Police have arrested five people in connection with the recent fight involving foreign motorbike racers on Bangla Road earlier this week. Police said they used CCTV footage to hunt down two Swedish nationals and three Thais. One of the men arrested admitted that he got involved in the fight after he warned a group of foreign motorbike racers…

  • Crime NewsPattaya boy stabs schoolmate in stomach

    Pattaya boy stabs schoolmate in stomach

    There’s been another disturbing stabbing attack in Pattaya. A Pattaya boy stabbed his schoolmate with a knife on Wednesday. The boy, 16 year old Nattapol Slipchart, stabbed 15 year old Ratchata Marudok in his stomach with a pocket knife outside of Ban Nong Ket Yai School. The school is located in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district. Police arrested Nattapol, and…

  • Crime NewsOfficials bust Phuket man selling crocodiles on TikTok

    Officials bust Phuket man selling crocodiles on TikTok

    Officials busted a Phuket man yesterday who sold baby crocodiles on TikTok. Officers from the Phuket Provincial Fisheries Office seized 22 freshwater baby crocodiles from the suspect’s house on Moo 8 SriSoonthorn in Thalang district. The officers found the crocodiles in an area in the house with a small pool. The raid followed complaints that crocodiles were being advertised on…

  • Environment NewsThai ecologist sounds alarm on declining shark numbers

    Thai ecologist sounds alarm on declining shark numbers

    A Thai ecologist is sounding the alarm on the decline in the number of sharks in the country’s waters. The marine ecologist, Assistant Professor Thon Thamrongnawasawat, the deputy dean of the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University, presented some worrying facts about the situation. Dr Thon said that around 75 of the 87 shark species in Thai waters are endangered.…

  • World NewsMovie star Bruce Willis diagnosed with dementia

    Movie star Bruce Willis diagnosed with dementia

    American movie star Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. The disease can cause a person to experience a variety of cognitive, physical, and emotional symptoms. In a statement released on social media yesterday, Willis’ family said it is a “relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.” Willis was first diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder that affects a…

  • Pattaya NewsMassive fire breaks out in front of Pattaya massage parlour

    Massive fire breaks out in front of Pattaya massage parlour

    Another devastating fire has struck Pattaya. A massive electrical fire broke out in front of a Pattaya massage parlour last night. Firefighters rushed to the scene on Pattaya Second Road in Soi 13 where a fire was burning overhead wires and signs in front of the fire. Meanwhile, terrified passersby watched as the incident unfolded. The firefighters were eventually able…

  • Tourism NewsPhuket using street art to draw tourists to historic Old Town

    Phuket using street art to draw tourists to historic Old Town

    Phuket is using street art to draw tourists to its historic Phuket Old Town. The colourful, vibrant mural art is a painting of a cute character and a Chinese-style dragon, as well as a painting of a boat and a sea turtle amidst Phuket’s buildings. Phuket City Mayor Saroj Angkanapilart stated that the local government is prepared to welcome Chinese…

  • Crime NewsPattaya Police report used condoms and illegal drugs after bar raid

    Pattaya Police report used condoms and illegal drugs after bar raid

    Pattaya Police are once again cracking down on monkey business in the city’s bars. Bang Lamung police said they found used condoms and illegal drugs after they raided a bar on Soi Pattaya Klang 12, located in the Nong Prue sub-district, early this morning. The raid on the Dragon Man Bar was led by the district chief Pisit Sitisawatnukun and…

  • Road deathsElderly German man dies in Pattaya motorbike crash

    Elderly German man dies in Pattaya motorbike crash

    An elderly German man tragically died in a motorbike crash in Pattaya yesterday. Police and rescuers arrived at the scene on Soi 14 in the Naklua sub-district of Bang Lamung district. They found the man, 81 year old Hans Werner Schreiner, dead in a pool of blood on the road. Schreiner was lying upward, and suffered critical head injuries. Police…

  • Hua Hin NewsSurf’s up in Hua Hin! Festival coming up

    Surf’s up in Hua Hin! Festival coming up

    Surf’s up in Hua Hin! The annual Hua Hin Surf Festival is coming up next week in Thailand’s scenic seaside town. The event in Thailand brings together surfers, beach enthusiasts, and thrill seekers from all over the country. This year’s event is set to take place on February 25 to 26 at Khao Takiab beach and promises to be bigger…

  • Environment NewsThailand’s plastic bag use plunges by 148,000 tonnes in 3 years

    Thailand’s plastic bag use plunges by 148,000 tonnes in 3 years

    Thailand‘s use of plastic bags plunged by over 148,000 tonnes in about three years. The Pollution Control Department (PCD) launched campaigns in 2018 to cut the use of single-use plastic and plastic shopping bags, in cooperation with the Environmental Quality Promotion Department (EQPD). The campaign aimed to reduce the use of plastic bags by 43% by 2021. According to an…