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.
  • 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…

  • World NewsAnother earthquake further devastates Turkey and Syria

    Another earthquake further devastates Turkey and Syria

    Another earthquake is further devastating Turkey and Syria just two weeks after the massive earthquake that hit the country on February 6. Yesterday, a new magnitude 6.3 aftershock hit southern Turkey, killing at least three people and injuring hundreds more. The aftershock struck Turkey’s southern Hatay province, near the Syrian border, with its epicentre in the province’s Defne district. According…

  • 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…

  • Phuket NewsPatong Police catch 3 Mongolian credit card thieves

    Patong Police catch 3 Mongolian credit card thieves

    Patong Police caught three Mongolian credit card thieves yesterday. This was after a Malaysian man, Choi Mei Choo, and a Singaporean woman, Ho See Ling, filed police reports on February 11. The two said their wallet was stolen at a pier in Patong, and that they later received SMS messages about expensive products being bought with their credit card. Patong…

  • 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.…

  • Phuket NewsRussian woman rushed to hospital after Patong hotel fire

    Russian woman rushed to hospital after Patong hotel fire

    Rescuers rushed a Russian woman to a hospital after a fire broke out at a Patong hotel kitchen on Saturday. The woman, Svetlana Stashko, suffered from smoke inhalation after the blaze broke out on the hotel’s first floor. The hotel is located on Phang Mueang Sai Kor Road. Firefighters arrived on the scene and were able to put out the…

  • 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 NewsPattaya boy stabs schoolmate in stomach

    Pattaya boy stabs schoolmate in stomach

    There’s been another disturbing stabbing attack in Pattaya. A Pattaya boy stabbed his schoolmate with a knife on Wednesday. The boy, 16 year old Nattapol Slipchart, stabbed 15 year old Ratchata Marudok in his stomach with a pocket knife outside of Ban Nong Ket Yai School. The school is located in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district. Police arrested Nattapol, and…

  • 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…

  • Pattaya NewsMassive fire breaks out in front of Pattaya massage parlour

    Massive fire breaks out in front of Pattaya massage parlour

    Another devastating fire has struck Pattaya. A massive electrical fire broke out in front of a Pattaya massage parlour last night. Firefighters rushed to the scene on Pattaya Second Road in Soi 13 where a fire was burning overhead wires and signs in front of the fire. Meanwhile, terrified passersby watched as the incident unfolded. The firefighters were eventually able…

  • 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…

  • Hua Hin NewsSurf’s up in Hua Hin! Festival coming up

    Surf’s up in Hua Hin! Festival coming up

    Surf’s up in Hua Hin! The annual Hua Hin Surf Festival is coming up next week in Thailand’s scenic seaside town. The event in Thailand brings together surfers, beach enthusiasts, and thrill seekers from all over the country. This year’s event is set to take place on February 25 to 26 at Khao Takiab beach and promises to be bigger…

  • 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…

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s LGBTQ couples push for marriage equality on Valentine’s Day

    Thailand’s LGBTQ couples push for marriage equality on Valentine’s Day

    Thailand’s LGBTQ couples pushed for marriage equality on Valentine’s Day yesterday. The 128 LGBTQ couples in Bangkok and Ayutthaya took part in a marriage registration campaign. Dusit District Office and Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University held the campaign at Suan Sunandha Palace, which was decorated for the event. Authorities are hoping that this campaign is a starting point in passing the…

  • 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…

  • Thailand Weather UpdatesThai Meteorological Department issues weather warning after Bangkok rain

    Thai Meteorological Department issues weather warning after Bangkok rain

    The Thai Meteorological Department has issued a weather warning after moderate to heavy rain hit 15 districts of Bangkok today. The downpour caused flooding in several areas, with the highest rainfall of 62.5 millimetres recorded in Lat Krabang, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s (BMA) Flood Control Centre. The 15 districts affected by the rain are: Lat Krabang, Min Buri,…