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 NewsPhuket is the backdrop of new season of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip

    Phuket is the backdrop of new season of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip

    The famous island paradise of Phuket is the stunning backdrop for the third season of the popular US reality TV series, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. Premiering exclusively on Peacock streaming service tomorrow, March 23, the show will feature a new group of eight fan-favourite housewives from various cities, who will come together for an unforgettable trip to Thailand.…

  • LifestylePhuket Food Festival coming up next week

    Phuket Food Festival coming up next week

    Foodies will rejoice to know that the Phuket Food Festival is coming up next week. This will be the 25th time the festival has been held. The Phuket City Delicious Food Festival 2023 will be held at the Saphan Hin Center Stage area from March 28 to April 3. The festival will be open to visitors from 4pm to 11pm…

  • Thailand NewsPassport rip leaves TikTok creator unable to fly to Thailand

    Passport rip leaves TikTok creator unable to fly to Thailand

    A passport rip left a TikTok creator unable to fly to Thailand. Arabella Leat’s holiday plans to Thailand with her mum were ruined due to the small rip on her passport, the UK tabloid Daily Star reported. The young woman was left disappointed and unable to board her flight after airport staff deemed her passport unfit for travel. Arabella posted a TikTok…

  • Tourism NewsFirst charter flight from Mahan, Iran makes its way to Phuket

    First charter flight from Mahan, Iran makes its way to Phuket

    The first charter flight from Mahan, Iran, made its way to Phuket on Monday. Mahan Air flight W557/IRM057 landed at Phuket International Airport at 2.30pm. As tourism from the Middle East continues to be a major target market for Thailand, the new charter flight network was warmly welcomed. Officials and staff were on hand to greet passengers as they walked…

  • Crime NewsThai and Indian couple allegedly scammed Americans of over 3 billion baht (video)

    Thai and Indian couple allegedly scammed Americans of over 3 billion baht (video)

    A Thai and Indian couple allegedly scammed Americans of over 3 billion baht. Police arrested the couple after raiding a house in Bang Lamung district in Pattaya yesterday at around 10am. Officers raided that house following a notification from the US Embassy stating that the house was being used as a hideout by scammers. The raid was conducted by a…

  • Phuket NewsArrest warrants for Swiss man and Thai women allegedly involved in Patong bar scandal

    Arrest warrants for Swiss man and Thai women allegedly involved in Patong bar scandal

    UPDATE Police issued arrest warrants for a Swiss man and two Thai women allegedly involved in the Patong bar scandal that came to light last week. The scandal involved underage girls being exploited for sexual services. A number of individuals were arrested, and five Patong Police officers were transferred to other posts for their connections to the scandal last week.…

  • Phuket NewsSea turtle eggs continue to pop up across Phang Nga

    Sea turtle eggs continue to pop up across Phang Nga

    Nature and animal lovers will delight at the news that sea turtle eggs are continuing to pop up across Thailand’s Phang Nga province. On Friday, locals came across sea turtle eggs on Das Beach on the island of Koh Ra. The island is located in the Koh Phra-Thong sub-district of the Khura Buri district. Officials from the Department of Marine…

  • Crime News2 severely burned by Pattaya Molotov coctail thugs

    2 severely burned by Pattaya Molotov coctail thugs

    A group of thugs in Pattaya severely burned two people by throwing a Molotov cocktail at them early yesterday morning. The attack occurred in front of a convenience store at the entrance of Soi Phothisan on Sukhumvit Road in the Na Klua sub-district of Bang Lamung district. Police received reports of the attack at about 2.30am. Police and rescuers arrived…

  • Phuket NewsForeign owner of Patong bar in trafficking scandal flees thailand

    Foreign owner of Patong bar in trafficking scandal flees thailand

    UPDATE The foreign owner of the Patong bar at the centre of a recent sex trafficking scandal fled Thailand to Laos, according to the Deputy Commander of the Royal Thai Police, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn. Big Joke arrived in Phuket yesterday to follow up on the case. He said the bar is related to a network of bars in Bangkok…

  • Phuket NewsTourists rescued from capsized boat headed for Phuket

    Tourists rescued from capsized boat headed for Phuket

    Tourists were rescued from a capsized boat headed for Phuket from Koh Lanta yesterday. The boat capsized in the Andaman Sea near Koh Ma. Marine police and officials from the Hat Nopparat Thara National Park rushed to rescue the three tourists and four crew members after they received a distress call from the Andaman Adventure Company, the operator of the…

  • Krabi NewsAustralian tourist dies at famous cave in Krabi

    Australian tourist dies at famous cave in Krabi

    An Australian tourist tragically died at a famous cave in Krabi yesterday. The 70 year old man died after his gruelling journey to the Tiger Cave, which involves a 1,260-step stair-climb. Rescuers and a doctor took over an hour to walk up the steps after they were alerted that a tourist was unconscious at the cave. The doctor who arrived…

  • Thailand NewsLow reserves of Rh negative blood raise concerns for foreigners in Thailand

    Low reserves of Rh negative blood raise concerns for foreigners in Thailand

    Low reserves of Rh negative blood are raising concerns for foreigners in Thailand. While only 0.3% of the Thai population has Rh negative blood, around 15% of the UK and European population has the blood type. This shortage has resulted in concerning shortages of Rh negative blood in blood banks across Southeast Asia. Visitors to the region who have had…

  • Tourism NewsThai officials seek to promote Muslim-friendly tourism

    Thai officials seek to promote Muslim-friendly tourism

    Thai officials are seeking to promote Muslim-friendly tourism in the kingdom. In a recent focus group discussion on Islamic tourism in Phuket province, the Department of Tourism (DoT) and private sectors reviewed strategies to attract Muslim visitors, NNT reported yesterday. The DoT’s Tourist Attractions Development Division Director, Athuek Phrasenmoon, said the global tourism industry recognises Muslim tourists as a fast-growing…

  • Phuket NewsBig Joke to travel to Phuket following Patong sex trafficking bust

    Big Joke to travel to Phuket following Patong sex trafficking bust

    UPDATE The Deputy Commander of the Royal Thai Police, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakpark, plans to travel to Phuket following the recent sex trafficking bust in Patong, ThaiRath reported yesterday. Yesterday, the deputy chief of Provincial Police Region 8, Pol. Maj. Gen. Wasan Techaakasen, went to Kathu Police Station to follow up and apprehend more suspects involved in the scandal. They were charged…

  • Crime NewsPhuket restaurant caught selling stonefish, known to be venomous

    Phuket restaurant caught selling stonefish, known to be venomous

    Yet another Phuket restaurant has been caught selling a protected fish, this time a stonefish, which is known as the most venomous fish in the world. Yesterday, officials from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) Phuket Office received a tip-off that the restaurant, located in Rawai sub-district in Phuket’s main city district, was selling protected marine animals. Officials…

  • World NewsOver 50% of Gen Z in Asia, and world, suffers with poor mental health

    Over 50% of Gen Z in Asia, and world, suffers with poor mental health

    The latest findings from the annual AXA Study of Mind Health and Wellbeing 2023 have revealed that over 50% of Gen Z (aged 18-24) suffer from poor mental health in Asia and across the globe. Around the world, 53% of Gen Z is experiencing poor mental health, according to the survey. The survey reported that half of Gen Z in…

  • Crime NewsPhuket thief nabs German tourist’s mobile phone

    Phuket thief nabs German tourist’s mobile phone

    There’s been another theft against a tourist in Thailand, this time in Phuket. A Phuket thief nabbed a German tourist’s mobile phone yesterday morning. The thief snatched the victim’s mobile phone on Soi Cherng Talay. The victim was a 56 year old German man named Haugg Fred. After receiving a report at about 9.50am, Cherng Talay Police arrived on the…

  • Pattaya NewsSongkran water fights are returning to Pattaya

    Songkran water fights are returning to Pattaya

    It’s time to hold on to your water guns and get ready to make a splash after the Pattaya mayor announced that the Songkran festival will go ahead in the city this year. The mayor made it clear that it’s going to be a soaking good time. That’s right, folks, the water fights are back on! The Facebook page Direct Line…

  • Krabi NewsTourist bitten by Krabi dog donates 20,000 baht worth of food for strays

    Tourist bitten by Krabi dog donates 20,000 baht worth of food for strays

    UPDATE Despite being bitten by a stray dog on Krabi’s Ao Nang Beach, one tourist is now trying to help stray dogs. Media reported yesterday that the man, 60 year old Thai national Daniel Sudjai Kutrakun, donated 20,000 baht worth of food for stray dogs to the Ao Nang Administrative Organisation Office. This is after a stray dog bit Daniel’s…

  • Lifestyle6 Bangkok restaurants make the 51-100 list of Asia’s 50 Best

    6 Bangkok restaurants make the 51-100 list of Asia’s 50 Best

    Six Bangkok restaurants made the 51-100 list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for 2023. The list was decided by the votes of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, which comprises over 300 leaders made up of food writers, critics, chefs, restaurateurs, and regional culinary experts. The list features restaurants from 17 cities across the region, with Hong Kong leading with eight…

  • Crime NewsPattaya Police find knife and gun in car with group of teens

    Pattaya Police find knife and gun in car with group of teens

    Pattaya Police found a knife, gun, and bullets in a car with a group of teens during a routine traffic checkpoint in the early hours of this morning. The checkpoint, located on Pattaya Second Road, was set up at 2am to search for drugs, weapons, and illegal items. Officers were checking vehicles when they noticed a group of teenagers acting…

  • Phuket NewsTAT welcomes inaugural Chinese flight, with tour groups headed to Phuket and Phang Nga

    TAT welcomes inaugural Chinese flight, with tour groups headed to Phuket and Phang Nga

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) welcomed an inaugural flight from Guiyang to Phuket on Tuesday, on the Chinese airline 9 Air. The flight was almost full with 172 people, a good sign for TAT’s goal of drawing five million Chinese tourists to Thailand this year. The airline is carrying tour groups headed to Phuket and Phang Nga. The airline is…

  • Crime NewsSwedish and Brazilian overstayers busted in South Thailand this week

    Swedish and Brazilian overstayers busted in South Thailand this week

    A Swedish man and a Brazilian man were busted in South Thailand’s Surat Thani province for overstaying their visas in Thailand this week. Surat Thani Immigration officers arrested the Swedish man in Koh Samui, on Chaweng Beach Road in front of Central Samui, in the Pho Phut sub-district. The man, 34 year old Christopher Tony Setfors, overstayed his visa by…

  • Krabi NewsKrabi officials catch stray dog on Ao Nang beach after attack on tourist

    Krabi officials catch stray dog on Ao Nang beach after attack on tourist

    UPDATE Krabi officials caught a stray dog on Ao Nang Beach on Tuesday, following a vicious dog attack on a tourist on March 11. The tourist, 60 year old Thai national Daniel Sudjai Kutrakun, had been walking on Ao Nang Beach when a stray dog ran over to him and bit his left leg. Daniel’s medical expenses cost over 20,000…

  • Tourism NewsThai tourism officials to monitor impact of SVB collapse

    Thai tourism officials to monitor impact of SVB collapse

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will monitor the long-term impact of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) on Thailand’s tourism. However, TAT believes that the situation is unlikely to cause an immediate slowdown in long-haul markets. The bank’s closure last Friday raised concerns about possible economic turbulence, especially given the number of startups and tech companies it served.…

  • Pattaya NewsWindsurfing and paddleboarding competition coming up in Pattaya

    Windsurfing and paddleboarding competition coming up in Pattaya

    An exciting windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) competition is coming up in Pattaya from March 16 to March 26, in a bid to promote tourism and boost the economy. The competition will take place in Jomtien near the Beach Sports Service Center. The event is divided into two categories, with windsurfing taking place from March 16 to 19, and SUP…

  • Phuket NewsPod of dolphins makes an appearance in Phang Nga

    Pod of dolphins makes an appearance in Phang Nga

    A pod of dolphins made an appearance in Phang Nga‘s Mu Ko Surin National Park in the Khura Buri district, much to the delight of tourists. A tour boat was travelling through the park when the captain spotted the dolphins. The captain slowed the speedboat to let the tourists admire the creatures. The dolphins stayed to hang out around the…

  • Crime NewsLime growers in central Thailand pick up guns to patrol for thieves

    Lime growers in central Thailand pick up guns to patrol for thieves

    Lime growers in central Thailand aren’t playing around when it comes to protecting their produce. Lime growers in Kamphaeng Phet province are picking up guns after thieves snatched their limes in broad daylight. The farmers have formed an armed patrol unit to protect their lime gardens from theft after unprecedented price hikes. Retail prices for lime in Bangkok and major…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya officials discuss motorcycle taxis and other issues plaguing Walking Street

    Pattaya officials discuss motorcycle taxis and other issues plaguing Walking Street

    Pattaya officials, police, and business owners on Walking Street held a meeting yesterday to discuss motorcycle taxis and other issues plaguing the street. One of the main issues discussed was the complaints of motorcycle taxi riders driving in pedestrian areas. The city officials have planned to move them to nearby areas. Garbage disposal was also discussed at the meeting. It…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok expats raise over 350,000 baht for charity with football event

    Bangkok expats raise over 350,000 baht for charity with football event

    A group of German-speaking expats presented a Bangkok charity with a cheque of over 350,000 baht on Monday. The money had been raised at a football fundraiser in January. The group of expats are called the Thai.Ger Supporters. The 12th annual THAI.GER Charity Soccer Event was held on January 28 at the Ruamrudee International School- Swiss Section, a German-speaking school…