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 NewsAttacker slashes Burmese worker, reportedly over drunkenness

    Attacker slashes Burmese worker, reportedly over drunkenness

    An unidentified attacker slashed a Burmese gas station worker in Chon Buri on Monday morning, reportedly over the worker’s drunkenness. Police and rescuers rushed to a gas station in the main city district at around 7am, after they were alerted of a serious assault. They found the worker, Myaung Paing, lying in a pool of blood at the gas pump.…

  • Phuket NewsPatong Police bust 7 for allegedly illegally processing cannabis buds

    Patong Police bust 7 for allegedly illegally processing cannabis buds

    There’s been another bust in Patong over nightlife and substances. Patong Police on Monday night busted seven people for allegedly illegally processing cannabis buds. Police apprehended the seven individuals on Bangla Road, and Soi Sane Sabai. This was after the police, along with staffers from the Department of Traditional Thai medicine, inspected cannabis shops on the roads. The seven people…

  • Krabi NewsBeach holiday goes wrong when Krabi dog viciously attacks tourist

    Beach holiday goes wrong when Krabi dog viciously attacks tourist

    A beach holiday went completely wrong for one tourist after a dog viciously attacked him in Krabi on Saturday. The tourist, 60 year old Thai national Daniel Sudjai Kutrakun, had been walking on Ao Nang Beach with his American wife to have a look at the area where his daughter plans to get married in three months. The two were…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket villager stumbles upon mother sea turtle laying 107 eggs

    Phuket villager stumbles upon mother sea turtle laying 107 eggs

    A Phuket villager stumbled upon a mother sea turtle as she was laying 107 eggs. Sirinat National Park said in a Facebook post that the villager, Kriangkrai Dejom, found the mother turtle laying eggs on a beach near Sai Khu Bay at around 5am on Monday. The beach is located in the Sakhu sub-district of Thalang district. Kriangkrai patiently waited…

  • Krabi NewsRussian tourist tragically drowns off Krabi island

    Russian tourist tragically drowns off Krabi island

    Another tourist has tragically drowned in Thailand. The 55 year old Russian man drowned off an island in Krabi, The Phuket Express reported on Monday. The man had arrived in Krabi from Phuket with a tour guide over the weekend and joined a snorkelling activity at Monkey Bay on Phi Phi Don island. His body was later found floating in the…

  • Central Thailand NewsCrowds flock to pink trumpet tree festival in central Thailand

    Crowds flock to pink trumpet tree festival in central Thailand

    Yesterday, crowds in central Thailand’s central province of Nakhon Pathom flocked to an annual festival celebrating pink trumpet trees. Thousands of visitors gathered at the annual Chompoo Pantip Blossom Festival. The festival began on Friday and will continue until March 16. The chompoo pantip trees, also known as pink trumpet trees, have become the star attraction at Kasetsart University’s Kamphaeng…

  • Tourism NewsThai officials look to food trucks to draw tourists

    Thai officials look to food trucks to draw tourists

    Thai officials are looking to food trucks to draw tourists. The Department of Business Development (DBD) in Thailand is exploring the potential of food trucks as a new tourist attraction in the country. According to Thosapone Dansuputra, the director-general of DBD, food trucks could serve as “destinations” that will not only stimulate the economy but also raise awareness of Thai…

  • Phuket NewsOfficials bust Patong hookah venue over violations

    Officials bust Patong hookah venue over violations

    Officials busted a Patong hookah venue on Friday night following complaints. The raid at Crystal Club on Bangla Road was ordered by Phuket Governor Narong, along with other officials. During the raid at around 11.30pm, officials seized a total of 52 hookah sets along with shisha and other equipment, and handed it to police, The Phuket News reported. The officials…

  • Phuket NewsChinese tourists bring Thai school uniform trend to famous spots in Phuket

    Chinese tourists bring Thai school uniform trend to famous spots in Phuket

    Chinese tourists have now brought the new trend of dressing up in Thai school uniforms to famous spots in downtown Phuket. These hotspots include Museum Phuket, ThaiRath reported yesterday. The museum is a well known landmark with its clock standing high above the main building. Chinese tourists also enjoyed taking photos of themselves dressed in Thai school uniforms at Chiang Mai…

  • Tourism NewsPattaya mayor attends Thailand tourism event in Germany

    Pattaya mayor attends Thailand tourism event in Germany

    Thailand continues to make its mark as a tourism destination across the globe. Pattaya’s mayor this week visited Germany to attend a Thailand tourism event. Mayor Poramase Ngampiches visited Berlin to attend the ‘Discover Thailand, Journey to Happiness.’ The tourism stimulus expo was set to run from March 9 to 11, Pattaya News reported. The event aimed to attract high-spending…

  • Pattaya NewsAmerican injured in Pattaya car crash

    American injured in Pattaya car crash

    An American man was injured in a Pattaya car crash this week. The man, 68 year old David Andrew Rogers, rear-ended an 18-wheeler rig with his pickup truck, Pattaya Mail reported. The collision caused Rogers’s Nissan Navara to flip. The incident happened on Tuesday, March 7 on Sukhumvit Road in front of Srisuvit School, located north of Rong Po market.…

  • Thailand NewsBank of Thailand announces new biometric scans for mobile banking

    Bank of Thailand announces new biometric scans for mobile banking

    The Bank of Thailand announced new measures to protect consumers from cyber risks in mobile banking transactions. Biometric scans, such as facial scans, will be required for high-value transactions, including digital money transfers of over 50,000 baht per transaction, transfers over 200,000 baht per day, and credit transfer amounts of over 50,000 baht per transaction. Banks must adopt these measures…

  • Thailand NewsFamily of British man in coma needs help to bring him home from Thailand

    Family of British man in coma needs help to bring him home from Thailand

    A British man’s family is appealing for help to bring him home from Thailand, where he is fighting for his life following a terrible motorbike crash. The man, 32 year old Jay Bridgehouse from Stockport, travelled to Thailand for a chance to ‘chase his dreams’ and look for work, Manchester Evening News reported. But tragedy struck when a pickup truck ploughed…

  • Environment NewsPeople in central Thailand have no place to hide from landfill emissions

    People in central Thailand have no place to hide from landfill emissions

    Residents of Thailand’s central provinces of Lop Buri and Sa Kaeo have no place to hide from emissions caused by landfill fires. In Lop Buri’s Hua Samrong sub-district, residents complained about the foul smell and smoke emanating from the burning landfill operated by Tha Wung sub-district municipal office. The smoke and smell are said to be penetrating their homes, even…

  • Phuket NewsAnother meeting with French consul on French motorbikers in Phuket

    Another meeting with French consul on French motorbikers in Phuket

    There’s been yet another meeting with the French Consul in Phuket addressing the issue of dangerous motorbike driving by French nationals on the island. This is after the former French Consul in Phuket met with Patong Police over the issue just last month. The Honorary Consul of France in Phuket, Alain Faudot, along with the Consul at the French Embassy…

  • Crime NewsThai officials arrest overstaying French woman in Koh Pha Ngan

    Thai officials arrest overstaying French woman in Koh Pha Ngan

    Thai officials arrested an overstaying French woman in Koh Pha Ngan this week. Sura Thani Immigration officers said in a Facebook post that they arrested the woman on Monday in front of the Bounty Resort on 85/1 Moo 8. The woman, 36 year old Myriam Naima Bakhoury, overstayed her visa by six days, the officers said. She was taken to…

  • Pattaya NewsChon Buri woman dies in motorbike crash, young daughter seriously injured

    Chon Buri woman dies in motorbike crash, young daughter seriously injured

    A tragic motorbike crash in the Sri Racha district of Chon Buri claimed the life of a woman and left her young daughter seriously injured. The incident occurred on Wednesday in the Nongkham sub-district. Rescuers and Nongkham Police arrived on the scene, where they found 41 year old Potjaman Chuklin and her seven year old daughter with severe injuries. Both…

  • Northern Thailand NewsThai plus-size pageant ladies have eating contest with an elephant

    Thai plus-size pageant ladies have eating contest with an elephant

    A group of Thai plus-size beauty pageant contestants partook in an eating contest with an elephant yesterday in the northeast Nakhon Ratchasima province. The Miss Jumbo Queen beauty pageant is not just about celebrating plus-size beauty, it also aims to boost Nakhon Ratchasima’s tourism and help society. The contestants are taking part in several charitable causes, one of which is…

  • Tourism NewsTwo Thai destinations win awards in Germany for sustainable tourism

    Two Thai destinations win awards in Germany for sustainable tourism

    Two Thai destinations have won prestigious awards in Germany for sustainable tourism. The destinations are the island of Koh Mak, located in the eastern Trat province, and Huay Pu Keng village in the northern Mae Hong Son province. The two picturesque locations won top spots at the Green Destinations Story Awards held at ITB Berlin 2023 in Germany. The awards…

  • Phuket NewsPatong Police still probing the cause of Belgian man’s death

    Patong Police still probing the cause of Belgian man’s death

    UPDATE Patong Police are still probing the cause of the death of a Belgian man reported on Wednesday. The Phuket Express reported yesterday that Patong Police are reviewing the incident to determine if the man did indeed slip and fall, as was reported earlier, or if his death was caused by a physical confrontation. The victim’s friend said they got in…

  • Northern Thailand NewsThais on Lao border bear the brunt of haze crisis

    Thais on Lao border bear the brunt of haze crisis

    Residents living along the border of Laos in Thailand’s northeast Nakhon Phanom province are facing the brunt of the country’s haze crisis. PM2.5 levels reached 167 micrograms (MCG) per cubic metre in four districts yesterday, according to the city’s Office of Natural Resource and Environment. These districts include Muang, Bang Phaeng, Tha Uthen, and That Phanom. Any level above 50…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya bans airhorns at bars after noise complaints

    Pattaya bans airhorns at bars after noise complaints

    Pattaya‘s nightlife scene can get loud, and authorities are looking to deal with noise pollution. Pattaya City has now released a statement to the city’s bar operators with three regulations that they must fully follow by March 15. Among these regulations is the removal of air horns. The new regulations come after numerous Pattaya residents lamented to police about the…

  • Crime NewsPolice say no action to take on German man’s traffic fine drama in Phuket

    Police say no action to take on German man’s traffic fine drama in Phuket

    After a German man claimed that he had to pay a traffic fine of 2,000 baht in Phuket last month, Chalong Police say there is no action to take over the accusation, since there is no record of the fine. Reports said that on February 20, the man had been riding a motorbike through the Chalong underpass. The man said…

  • Bangkok NewsThai netizens gush over photo of Harry Styles buying coconut juice in Bangkok

    Thai netizens gush over photo of Harry Styles buying coconut juice in Bangkok

    Thai netizens are gushing over a photo of British pop icon Harry Styles buying coconut juice in Bangkok‘s Siam area. A Thai netizen under the username pdulads posted the photo on Twitter yesterday with the caption… “Can’t believe it! I took a walk in this market after lunch and spotted Harry buying coconut juice.” The tweet already has 21,000 retweets…

  • Thailand NewsHelloFresh says no to Thai coconut milk due to forced monkey labour

    HelloFresh says no to Thai coconut milk due to forced monkey labour

    HelloFresh, the largest meal-kit provider in the US, announced it will no longer purchase coconut milk from Thailand. This bold new move comes after animal rights group PETA accused HelloFresh of selling coconut milk from farms using forced monkey labour, Axios reported yesterday. After a series of investigations, PETA reported that monkeys were being forced to pick heavy coconuts from tall…

  • Hua Hin NewsHua Hin beach launches twin campaigns to tackle smoking and jellyfish perils

    Hua Hin beach launches twin campaigns to tackle smoking and jellyfish perils

    Two campaigns dedicated to different causes took off at a Hua Hin beach on Tuesday. Officials launched an anti-smoking campaign, as well as a jellyfish awareness campaign. The Smoke-free Beach project, and the jellyfish awareness campaign, were launched at Hua Don beach in Khao Takiab. The campaigns aimed to educate tourists about the harmful effects of smoking on the environment,…

  • Tourism NewsThailand’s Prachuap Khiri Khan province gets tourism blast from long weekend

    Thailand’s Prachuap Khiri Khan province gets tourism blast from long weekend

    Thailand’s Prachuap Khiri Khan province got a tourism blast during the recent long weekend. The province generated a revenue of over 548 million baht, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). The director of TAT’s Prachuap Khiri Khan Office, Atchawun Kongkapan, reported that the tourism atmosphere in the province was very lively during the holiday weekend, with hotel occupancy…

  • Phuket NewsBelgian man tragically dies after trying to defuse argument in Patong

    Belgian man tragically dies after trying to defuse argument in Patong

    A Belgian man tragically died after he reportedly tried to defuse an argument in Patong. The man’s friend told Patong Police that he had been in a heated argument with a Thai man at an apartment in Soi Nanai. The victim had been trying to stop the heated exchange, and for unknown reasons, he reportedly ran and slipped, hitting his…

  • LifestylePink trumpet trees decorate park in middle of Bangkok

    Pink trumpet trees decorate park in middle of Bangkok

    Nature enthusiasts and keen photographers, rejoice! Wachirabenchathat Park, also known as Suan Rot Fai, in the Chatuchak district of Bangkok, is currently decorated with gorgeous Tabebuia rosea or pink trumpet trees in full bloom, Sanook reported. For those who have been waiting for the park to transform from its usual green appearance to a picturesque pink, the wait is finally…

  • Eastern Thailand NewsDesperate elephants flee massive forest fires in eastern Thailand

    Desperate elephants flee massive forest fires in eastern Thailand

    Desperate wild elephants are fleeing massive forest fires in Thailand’s eastern Trat province. The fires have destroyed more than 2,500 rai of forests since February 26, and the poor creatures are trying to escape. A herd of 13 elephants in the Klong Kaew Waterfall National Park have started moving out, Naewna reported yesterday. Rangers flew a drone which spotted the…