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 NewsCops bust Bangkok gambling ring with over 150 million baht in circulation

    Cops bust Bangkok gambling ring with over 150 million baht in circulation

    Cops busted an online gambling ring in Bangkok with over 150 million baht in circulation. Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) arrested 10 suspects who are believed to be part of a large online gambling network called “Hai Jiew Talat Noi.” According to the (CIB), the group had over 150 million baht in circulation. The 10 suspects are: 37…

  • Thailand Weather UpdatesThundershowers, winds, rain, and floods expected in Thailand

    Thundershowers, winds, rain, and floods expected in Thailand

    The Thai Meteorological Department warns of thundershowers, gusty winds, heavy rain, and floods in Thailand. In upper Thailand, the department warns of a tropical storm that could bring thundershowers and gusty winds until Monday (May 15). In addition, heavy rains, hailstorms and lightning are forecast in some areas during this period. People living in upper Thailand have been advised to…

  • Crime NewsThailand and china collaborate to crack down on crime

    Thailand and china collaborate to crack down on crime

    Thailand and China are collaborating to crack down on crimes committed by Chinese nationals using Thailand as a base. Thai immigration police, led by Pol. Maj. Gen. Pantana Nutchanart, flew to China to seek cooperation and exchange of information with Chinese police in a week-long trip from May 5 to 11. The goal of the trip was to prevent Chinese…

  • Phuket NewsBritish man punches tuk tuk taxi driver after crash in Patong

    British man punches tuk tuk taxi driver after crash in Patong

    There’s been another late-night conflict in Patong. A British man punched a tuk tuk taxi driver in Patong following a crash late on Tuesday night. The incident occurred after a group of foreign motorbike riders, including the suspect, crashed into a parked tuk tuk taxi. The tuk tuk taxi driver, Armin Longklang, demanded compensation for the damage caused to his…

  • Crime NewsAltercation between foreigner and Phuket cab driver makes waves

    Altercation between foreigner and Phuket cab driver makes waves

    An altercation between a foreign motorbike rider and a Phuket cab driver is making waves. The popular Facebook page Phuket Times reported that the incident happened in front of a famous nightclub in Kamala. In a post early yesterday morning, the page wrote that the taxi driver, Adisak, had parked his car and was waiting for customers. A foreign motorbike…

  • South Thailand NewsStranded in paradise: Viral video shows 85 tourists trapped in water near Thai Cave

    Stranded in paradise: Viral video shows 85 tourists trapped in water near Thai Cave

    A video clip of 85 tourists waiting in the water near a cave in South Thailand after an issue with their boat has gone viral on social media. The video shows the tourists, who are all wearing life jackets, holding on to each other as they wait for their boat to return. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, May 6,…

  • Politics NewsWill the Thai election help sex workers?

    Will the Thai election help sex workers?

    Many are hoping to see a change in their country after Thailand‘s upcoming General Election on May 14, and sex workers are no exception. Sex workers are crossing their fingers for the elections to bring about a change in the country’s antiquated sex industry legislation. With an estimated 300,000 people involved in the sex industry, campaigners are working to pass…

  • Economy NewsThailand is the world’s biggest exporter of durian

    Thailand is the world’s biggest exporter of durian

    Thailand, known for its rich culture and stunning beaches, is also the world’s biggest exporter of the notorious fruit, durian. According to the Trade Policy and Strategy Office, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand has retained its top spot for durian exports, accounting for a whopping 93.3% of the global market share, Pattaya Mail reported yesterday. In 2022, Thailand exported fresh durian…

  • Bangkok NewsSam Smith plans to kick off Asia leg of tour in Bangkok area in October

    Sam Smith plans to kick off Asia leg of tour in Bangkok area in October

    Musical superstar Sam Smith is heading back to Thailand. The 30 year old Smith announced plans to kick off the Asia leg of their ‘Gloria’ world tour in the Bangkok area in October. They will perform at IMPACT Arena in the Pak Kret district of Nonthaburi province on October 3. The pop sensation announced the performance dates on their social…

  • Phuket NewsNew Phuket project sees 100 sterilised monkeys released into forest

    New Phuket project sees 100 sterilised monkeys released into forest

    Phuket wildlife officials sterilised around 100 monkeys and released them back to their natural habitat in the forest, to control the birth rate of monkeys and address problems that monkeys have caused locals and tourists. The monkey sterilisation project aims to reduce the number of monkeys in Phuket, as well as prevent the spread of diseases that can be transmitted…

  • Tourism News20,000 tourists flock to Thailand’s Full Moon Party

    20,000 tourists flock to Thailand’s Full Moon Party

    Around 20,000 tourists flocked to Thailand’s Full Moon Party on the island of Koh Pha Ngan last night, located in the southern Surat Thani province. The popular event, held on the full moon night of each month, is known for its lively atmosphere and attracts a significant number of young travellers from around the world. To ensure the safety of…

  • Thailand Weather UpdatesPrachuap Khiri Khan braces for rainy season to start in mid-May

    Prachuap Khiri Khan braces for rainy season to start in mid-May

    Thailand’s Prachuap Khiri Khan province is bracing for the rainy season to start in mid-May. The Thai Meteorological Department predicts that the rainy season in Thailand will start around the third week of May 2023, with one to two tropical storms possibly passing through the northeastern and northern regions in August and September. Thailand’s rainy season typically occurs from May to…

  • Road deathsPhuket motorbike tragedy claims life of young Polish woman

    Phuket motorbike tragedy claims life of young Polish woman

    A motorbike tragedy in Phuket claimed the life of a young Polish woman yesterday, in Thailand’s latest road accident. The 33 year old rider was killed after she crashed her motorbike and slid under a trailer truck in the Chalong sub-district of Phuket’s main city district. Rescuers arrived at the scene on Chao Fa West Road, in front of a…

  • Crime NewsItalian man throws furniture off Pattaya balcony, tests positive for ‘ice’ (video)

    Italian man throws furniture off Pattaya balcony, tests positive for ‘ice’ (video)

    An Italian man made a scene in front of over 100 witnesses on Wednesday night when he threw furniture and large items off a Pattaya balcony. This was at the Charlie Place Hotel on Soi Buakhao, located in the Nong Prue sub-district of Bang Lamung district. The man blamed marijuana for his shocking behaviour, however, the man later reportedly tested…

  • World NewsDrunk driver kills newlywed bride shortly after wedding

    Drunk driver kills newlywed bride shortly after wedding

    A wedding turned into a tragedy for one American couple. A drunk driver killed a newlywed bride shortly after her wedding in the US state of South Carolina last week on Friday, April 28. The drunk driver crashed into the back of a golf cart that the bride and groom were riding in on a beach road. The bride, 34…

  • Krabi NewsKrabi tour bus crash injures driver, 42 passengers survive

    Krabi tour bus crash injures driver, 42 passengers survive

    A tour bus crash in Thailand’s Krabi province left the bus driver with moderate injuries, however, the bus’s 42 passengers fortunately survived. The bus crashed into a power pole on Petch Kasem Road in the South Klong Tom district on Monday. Witnesses said that a pickup truck cut in front of the bus, and the driver avoided the collision before…

  • Crime NewsPolice arrest alleged murderer hiding at Phuket elephant camp

    Police arrest alleged murderer hiding at Phuket elephant camp

    Police arrested an alleged murderer hiding at a Phuket elephant camp in Pa Khlok municipality. The suspect, 43 year old Amnuay Ketsarin, allegedly murdered a man with a machete in the southern Nakhon Si Thammarat province, over a land dispute. Amnuay was wanted for murder on an arrest warrant issued by Thung Song Provincial Court on Saturday, Central Suppression Division…

  • Crime NewsIndian and Thai couple behind Pattaya’s busted casino

    Indian and Thai couple behind Pattaya’s busted casino

    An Indian and Thai couple were behind the recently busted Pattaya casino, which saw 93 people arrested early on Monday morning. The couple confessed to running the casino in a Pattaya hotel after being arrested, The Pattaya News reported last night. The couple, 32 year old Divyesh Ashokkumarr Pathar of Indian nationality, and 32 year old Sitranan Kaewlor of Thai…