Tara Abhasakun

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 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…

  • Pattaya NewsChon Buri thief snatches 300,000 baht coffee grinder from cafe

    Chon Buri thief snatches 300,000 baht coffee grinder from cafe

    It seems like someone took the phrase “grind and steal” a little too literally leaving a Chon Buri cafe owner reeling after a thief snatched a coffee grinder worth a staggering 300,000 baht. But that’s not all, the light-fingered thief also dared to take the cafe’s CCTV camera. The sneaky thief broke into the Coffee&Slow bar on Sri Racha-Nong Kho…

  • 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…

  • Transport NewsThe most common complaint about Bangkok taxi drivers is…

    The most common complaint about Bangkok taxi drivers is…

    Bangkok dwellers are not happy with the city’s taxi drivers. Since new taxi fares came into effect on January 16, there have been over 2,000 passenger complaints about taxi drivers in Bangkok, with the biggest proportion of them concerning cabbies’ rejection of passengers, according to the Land Transport Department. Of the 2,120 complaints, 720 concerned cabbies’ rejection of passengers, 455…

  • 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…

  • Crime NewsThai cop resigns citing ‘protection of the guilty’

    Thai cop resigns citing ‘protection of the guilty’

    A Thai cop who said he was a sergeant in the central Suphan Buri province resigned from his job. His resignation letter is making waves on social media. In the letter, which a fellow police officer posted on Facebook on Saturday, the officer cites “protection of the guilty” as one of the reasons for the loss of morale among police.…

  • 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…

  • Thailand NewsResearchers launch first cultural map of Thailand

    Researchers launch first cultural map of Thailand

    Culture enthusiasts will be excited to learn that researchers launched the first cultural map of Thailand, featuring more than 2,000 cultural sites from across the country. The map provides cultural details that are categorized into 11 archetypes, which are: artefacts, architecture, historical sites, cultural spaces, languages, folk literature, knowledge and practices concerning nature and cosmology, performance arts, folk sports games…

  • 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…

  • Phuket NewsViral video of fight reveals more drama with foreign motorbike racers in Patong

    Viral video of fight reveals more drama with foreign motorbike racers in Patong

    Patong is once again having drama with foreign motorbike racers. On Wednesday night, a video of a fight involving foreign motorbike racers on Bangla Road went viral. The racers were reportedly causing a disturbance. Residents and police tried to warn the racers to stop, but they didn’t listen. The racers then allegedly pushed residents before the residents got angrier and…

  • 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…

  • Phuket NewsPatong Police bust Frenchman for hit-and-run that seriously injured woman

    Patong Police bust Frenchman for hit-and-run that seriously injured woman

    Patong police busted a Frenchman for a hit and run after a Thai pedestrian was seriously injured last week. The culprit, Naji Sami Bouakkz, hit a woman, 54 year old Maliwan Sarnrat, with his motorbike on Friday, February 10. The incident happened on Soi Sai Namyen. Bouakkz did not stop his motorbike after hitting Maliwan. Officers and rescuers rushed Maliwan…

  • 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…

  • Economy NewsThailand’s diesel price set to drop

    Thailand’s diesel price set to drop

    Thailand’s diesel price was set to drop yesterday. The country’s domestic price of diesel was expected to drop by 0.5 baht per litre, according to the Oil Fuel Fund Office (Offo). This is the second reduction in diesel prices this month, with another 0.5 baht per litre drop scheduled for February 22. Officials determined last week that the price would…

  • Thailand NewsBritish diver from Thai cave rescue honours team captain who died in UK

    British diver from Thai cave rescue honours team captain who died in UK

    A British diver who participated in the 2018 Thai cave rescue made a statement honouring the captain of the Wild Boars football team, who recently passed away in the UK. The diver, Rick Stanton, expressed his sorrow at the death of Duangphet Phromthep, the 17 year old student he helped to save. Stanton said he was “shocked and saddened” to…

  • Crime NewsCops catch more suspects in South Thailand with hundreds of thousands of meth pills

    Cops catch more suspects in South Thailand with hundreds of thousands of meth pills

    Cops once again caught suspects in South Thailand with hundreds of thousands of meth pills. Officers from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau told local media today that on February 9, they arrested four suspects with 400,000 meth pills in Chumphon province. The bureau said it was alerted by a concerned citizen that a large amount of meth pills was being transferred…

  • Phuket NewsFestival coming up at Sarasin Bridge in Phuket and Phang Nga

    Festival coming up at Sarasin Bridge in Phuket and Phang Nga

    A festival is coming up at Sarasin Bridge, which connects Thailand’s island province of Phuket with Phang Nga province. This will be the 13th time the festival, called the ‘Baan Phi Muang Nong’ project, has been held. The festival will start on Friday, February 17, and last until Sunday, February 19. The festival will dazzle attendees with fireworks shows, live…

  • Pattaya NewsHealth officials urged Pattaya teens to have safe sex on Valentine’s Day

    Health officials urged Pattaya teens to have safe sex on Valentine’s Day

    In a city known as a sex hub, Pattaya’s health officials sent a message to the city’s teenagers on Valentine’s Day (yesterday). Health officials urged Pattaya teens to practice safe sex on Valentine’s Day. In a lecture to students at a school, the Public Health Department’s Nurse Na-anya Jantrakard urged sexually active teens to use condoms, to avoid sexually transmitted…