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 NewsThai man uses soy sauce to fake suicide, hoping to win wife back

    Thai man uses soy sauce to fake suicide, hoping to win wife back

    A Thai man used soy sauce to fake suicide on Monday in hopes of winning back his wife and son. The man, 50 year old Watchara, was estranged from his wife, 40 year old Pla, due to conflicts between the couple. He lives in the southern Chumphon province, while she lives in Pattaya. On Monday, Watchara travelled to Pattaya, hoping…

  • Bangkok NewsThai man claims he fell asleep before car ended up on wall in Bangkok

    Thai man claims he fell asleep before car ended up on wall in Bangkok

    A Thai man claimed he fell asleep while driving before his car ended up on top of a barrier wall of an off-ramp to Rama IV Road in Bangkok yesterday. The car’s rear ended up on top of the off-ramp’s restraining barrier, while the front was smashed into the expressway. The driver, Atthapol Yolsophon, sustained minor injuries, and rescuers rushed…

  • Tourism NewsThailand still needs thousands more tourism workers

    Thailand still needs thousands more tourism workers

    Thailand still needs thousands more tourism workers than it already has. The kingdom’s Labour Ministry recently surveyed the labour demands of 32,359 tourism operators in 60 provinces. The ministry found that out of all the operators, 1,817 businesses needed a total of 9,763 more workers. Employers need receptionists, porters, waiters, cleaners and housemaids, chefs, kitchen workers, cashiers, and accountants. The…

  • Northern Thailand NewsHimalayan cherry trees bring splash of colour to northeast Thai province

    Himalayan cherry trees bring splash of colour to northeast Thai province

    Himalayan cherry trees are bringing a splash of colour to Thailand’s northeast province of Loei. Over 100,000 of the trees are now brimming with blossoms, known locally as ‘tiger queens’ or ‘nang phaya sua kroang.’ A swarm of tourists is now visiting Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park to delight at the pink and red blossoms. The trees are spread…

  • Pattaya NewsRescuers find Burmese migrant worker’s body near Chon Buri island

    Rescuers find Burmese migrant worker’s body near Chon Buri island

    Rescuers and police found a Burmese migrant worker’s body off an island in Chon Buri province on Sunday night. The search team found the body floating five nautical miles north of Koh Si Chang. The dead man was a boat crew member reported to have fallen into the sea on the night of January 11, four days before his body…

  • Crime NewsCambodian thieves snatch Japanese man’s bag on flight to Thailand

    Cambodian thieves snatch Japanese man’s bag on flight to Thailand

    Two Cambodian thieves snatched a Japanese man’s bag on a flight to Thailand from Cambodia yesterday. His belongings included a luxury bag, Sennheiser, Sony wireless headphones, an Apple iPad, 11,240 baht, and 186,000 yen (about 47,000 baht). The unnamed victim said the thieves were seated in the same row as him on the flight to Suvarnabhumi Airport from Phenom Penh.…

  • Thailand NewsYouTuber roasts Chef Gordon Ramsay’s Thai cooking skills

    YouTuber roasts Chef Gordon Ramsay’s Thai cooking skills

    A YouTuber roasted world-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay’s Thai cooking skills in a video posted on Sunday. The Malaysian YouTuber, known as Uncle Roger, has over 7 million subscribers and is based in London. Ramsay is known to the world as a super harsh critic of other people’s cooking, mainly through his reality show “Hell’s Kitchen.” On his show, he regularly…

  • World NewsUNESCO reports spike in killings of journalists in 2022

    UNESCO reports spike in killings of journalists in 2022

    On Monday, UNESCO reported a dramatic spike in the killings of journalists around the world in 2022. A total of 86 journalists and media workers were killed across the globe last year. This was after the number of journalists killed had been dropping in the previous years. In 2018, 99 journalists were killed, dropping to an average of 58 per…

  • Northern Thailand NewsNortheast Thai farmer is ‘selling’ fresh air

    Northeast Thai farmer is ‘selling’ fresh air

    One northeast Thai farmer is ‘selling’ fresh air. The farmer, 52 year old Dusit Kachai, charges visitors 1,000 baht per person for the first hour they stay at his farm. The farm is located on the edge of Chaiyaphum province’s Phu Laen Kha National Park, which has clean air, forests, and mountain streams. Dusit said… “The first hour costs 1,000…

  • Thailand NewsUS cruise ships seeking English-speaking Thais for over 1,000 jobs

    US cruise ships seeking English-speaking Thais for over 1,000 jobs

    US cruise ships are on the hunt for Thai employees who can speak English, Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin said yesterday. Suchart said CTI Group Worldwide Services Inc has 1,500 job vacancies for Thais who are at least 21 years old. The jobs, which include 37 positions, will pay between 19,618 to 87,176 baht per month, plus tips. Positions are open…

  • World NewsPervy London cop pleads guilty to dozens of rape and assault offenses

    Pervy London cop pleads guilty to dozens of rape and assault offenses

    A pervy London cop is drawing outrage after pleading guilty to dozens of rapes and assaults, news outlets reported yesterday. The pervy cop, 48 year old David Carrick, pleaded guilty to 49 offences, including 24 rapes. Other charges included assault, attempted rape, and false imprisonment in connection to the attacks, and coercive and controlling behaviour. Carrick committed his heinous crimes…

  • Crime NewsViral video shows Phuket gang attack a teen after reported motorbike collision

    Viral video shows Phuket gang attack a teen after reported motorbike collision

    Another video of a teenage fight is making rounds on Thai social media. A video went viral on social media on Sunday of a large group of Phuket teens attacking another teen after a reported motorbike collision. The incident happened in Saphan Hin park. The video’s poster, under the Facebook name JP Karaged, said a teenager ran his motorbike into…

  • Crime NewsMan allegedly beats Russian ex-girlfriend in Phuket

    Man allegedly beats Russian ex-girlfriend in Phuket

    A man allegedly beat his Russian ex-girlfriend in Phuket, a local news outlet reported yesterday. The victim, 32 year old Julia Bolshakova, reported to Chalong Police on January 13, immediately after she left Chalong Hospital following the attack. A medical report confirmed multiple contusions from Bolshakova’s ex punching her in her face and head. Bolshakova appealed to the police for…

  • Tourism NewsChinese New Year festival lights up city in northern Thailand

    Chinese New Year festival lights up city in northern Thailand

    The Chinese New Year festival is lighting up in one of Northern Thailand’s major cities. Last night, a large crowd gathered in Nakhon Sawan to watch fireworks, dragon, and lion dances, and pole-climbing. The theme for this year’s Chinese New Year festival in Nakhon Sawan is ‘the dragon flies toward the sky and the flowers bloom.’ The festival along the…

  • Pattaya NewsChinese man falls to death from Pattaya hotel

    Chinese man falls to death from Pattaya hotel

    Tragedy struck Pattaya when a Chinese man fell to his death at a hotel late last night. Police and rescuers found the body of 33 year old tour agent Chen Pu Lin in a pool of blood on a walkway of the Mantra Pura Hotel in Bang Lamung district. Lin was dressed only in his underwear. Investigators also found blood…

  • Crime NewsMentally ill Bangkok man allegedly brutally murders his mother

    Mentally ill Bangkok man allegedly brutally murders his mother

    A mentally ill Bangkok man allegedly brutally murdered his mother, Thai media reported. Lat Krabang Police arrested the suspect, 37 year old Noi Chanprem, on Sunday. Police were alerted about the incident and rushed to the victim’s four-story apartment building. Officers found the body of Noi’s mother, 61 year old Chai Chanprem, covered in blood in a room on the…

  • Crime NewsCops catch alleged Singaporean scammer at Phuket airport

    Cops catch alleged Singaporean scammer at Phuket airport

    Cops caught an alleged Singaporean scammer at Phuket International Airport yesterday, who was accused of involvement in Thailand’s ‘Forex-3D scam’ that grabbed headlines in the kingdom last year. Immigration police busted the suspect, 32 year old Daryl Cai Yonghui, as he was about to fly to Singapore, according to the head of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI)’s financial business…

  • Economy NewsNot much expected from Thailand’s gold sales this Chinese New Year

    Not much expected from Thailand’s gold sales this Chinese New Year

    Thailand’s Gold Traders Association (GTA) doesn’t expect much from this year’s gold sale during Chinese New Year. The new year usually draws a swarm of customers looking to buy gifts for their loved ones. But this year, Chinese-Thai buyers will prefer to buy smaller pieces weighing one or two salung, rather than one-baht pieces, according to GTA vice-president Pichaya Phisuthikul.…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya’s dignified image remains after police report no sex workers found in inspection

    Pattaya’s dignified image remains after police report no sex workers found in inspection

    Pattaya’s ever-so-dignified image is here to stay since Tourist Police reported finding no illegal sex workers in an inspection on Saturday. The inspection came after residents claimed that sex workers were illegally operating. At midnight, cops patrolled high-risk areas such as Beach Road and Walking Street, on the prowl for suspects. Tourist Police identified risky spots as crowded tourist attractions, dark…

  • LifestylePhuket launches lantern festival ahead of Chinese New Year

    Phuket launches lantern festival ahead of Chinese New Year

    Phuket’s main city district launched the ‘Phuket Lantern Festival 2023’ last night ahead of Chinese New Year, which falls on January 22. The lantern festival will run from January 15 to February 5. During this time, all government offices in Phuket will be decorated with lanterns. Phuket’s city municipality has decorated tourist attractions and the area around Chartered Bank Intersection. …

  • Crime NewsKoh Samui parking dispute leads to violent brawl and gunshots

    Koh Samui parking dispute leads to violent brawl and gunshots

    Koh Samui parking dispute leads to violent brawl, photo by Naewna. A Koh Samui parking dispute lead to a violent brawl and gunshots on Friday, Thai media reported. This was after two brothers reportedly refused to move their pickup truck so that a man could leave an auto accessories shop. The two brothers, Phisit and Panuwat, parked their truck in…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok kids suffer food poisoning after eating free noodles for Children’s Day

    Bangkok kids suffer food poisoning after eating free noodles for Children’s Day

    Bangkok kids suffered food poisoning, photo by Amarin TV. A group of Bangkok kids suffered food poisoning after eating free noodles on Friday for Children’s Day. Over 10 ambulances rushed to Wat Naknimit School on Soi Suksawat 14, Suksawat road, to help the 30 kids. Reports said the children suffered nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and headaches. One female student said someone…

  • Pattaya NewsTour boat allegedly leaves Russian family stranded on island off Pattaya

    Tour boat allegedly leaves Russian family stranded on island off Pattaya

    Tour boat allegedly left Russian family stranded, photo by The Pattaya News. A tour boat company allegedly left a Russian family of six stranded on an island off Pattaya yesterday. Thai media reported that there were four adults and two children in the family. The family, who remained anonymous to the press, said they rented a speedboat only identified by…

  • World NewsFamilies of Sri Lanka’s ISIS Easter bombing victims to finally receive compensation

    Families of Sri Lanka’s ISIS Easter bombing victims to finally receive compensation

    Sri Lanka Easter attack, photo by UCA. Family members of victims of ISIS’s 2019 Easter bombing attack in Sri Lanka are finally set to receive financial compensation. The savage attack slaughtered at least 290 people and injured hundreds more. Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court ruled yesterday that former President Maithripala Sirisena and four other senior government officials were responsible for failing…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya rescuer hospitalised after being startled by a Python

    Pattaya rescuer hospitalised after being startled by a Python

    Photo by The Pattaya News. A python scared a Pattaya rescuer out of his truck early on Wednesday morning, resulting in a head injury for the poor rescuer. A team from the Pattaya Emergency Responder Unit had gone to the Pattaya Park Hotel hotel on Soi 12 to collect the 4 metre long snake from a tree. The team successfully…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket prisoners to dredge drains in new project to fight flooding

    Phuket prisoners to dredge drains in new project to fight flooding

    Phuket prisoners will dredge drains and sewers in a new project to fight the island province’s horrendous flooding problems. Officials held a meeting about the upcoming endeavor at Phuket’s Provincial Hall on Wednesday. Officials said the project aims to prevent a repeat last year’s damage from havoc wreaking floods. Inmates from Phuket Provincial Prison will contribute to society by clearing…

  • Crime NewsPolice nab over 400,000 meth pills in 7 South Thailand provinces

    Police nab over 400,000 meth pills in 7 South Thailand provinces

    Police nabbed over 400,000 meth pills in seven provinces in South Thailand. Some 430,029 meth pills were found in the provinces of Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chumphon, Krabi, Phang Nga, Ranong, and Phuket. Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn said in a press conference on Wednesday that the crackdown aimed to ensure safety in…

  • Thailand NewsThai NGO reports highest number of missing children in 4 years

    Thai NGO reports highest number of missing children in 4 years

    A Thai NGO reports that the country’s number of missing children last year was the highest it had been in four years. The Mirror Foundation, which works to help families find missing children, reports some disturbing numbers. Last year, 252 children went missing from home in Thailand. This was a 25% increase from 202 children in 2021, the foundation said. …

  • Thailand NewsOfficials panic Thailand hits lowest birth rate in 7 decades

    Officials panic Thailand hits lowest birth rate in 7 decades

    Officials are panicking after Thailand hit its lowest birth rate in seven decades last year. The Social Development and Human Security Ministry announced today that the kingdom hit a 71-year low. Last year, Thailand’s target birth rate was 700,000, however, only 502,000 babies were born. The birth rate was therefore about 30% below the target. The ministry’s permanent secretary Anukul…

  • International EducationInternational schools in Koh Samui where your kids can thrive

    International schools in Koh Samui where your kids can thrive

    Choosing the right international school in Thailand can be a challenge. Every parent wants to find a school that’s the right fit for their child, where they will thrive academically and socially. In this guide, we have selected five of the most revered international schools in Thailand’s beach paradise of Koh Samui. International School of Samui (ISS) Address: 141 21, Tambon…