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 NewsPattaya rescuer hospitalised after being startled by a Python

    Pattaya rescuer hospitalised after being startled by a Python

    Photo by The Pattaya News. A python scared a Pattaya rescuer out of his truck early on Wednesday morning, resulting in a head injury for the poor rescuer. A team from the Pattaya Emergency Responder Unit had gone to the Pattaya Park Hotel hotel on Soi 12 to collect the 4 metre long snake from a tree. The team successfully…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket prisoners to dredge drains in new project to fight flooding

    Phuket prisoners to dredge drains in new project to fight flooding

    Phuket prisoners will dredge drains and sewers in a new project to fight the island province’s horrendous flooding problems. Officials held a meeting about the upcoming endeavor at Phuket’s Provincial Hall on Wednesday. Officials said the project aims to prevent a repeat last year’s damage from havoc wreaking floods. Inmates from Phuket Provincial Prison will contribute to society by clearing…

  • Crime NewsPolice nab over 400,000 meth pills in 7 South Thailand provinces

    Police nab over 400,000 meth pills in 7 South Thailand provinces

    Police nabbed over 400,000 meth pills in seven provinces in South Thailand. Some 430,029 meth pills were found in the provinces of Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chumphon, Krabi, Phang Nga, Ranong, and Phuket. Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn said in a press conference on Wednesday that the crackdown aimed to ensure safety in…

  • Thailand NewsThai NGO reports highest number of missing children in 4 years

    Thai NGO reports highest number of missing children in 4 years

    A Thai NGO reports that the country’s number of missing children last year was the highest it had been in four years. The Mirror Foundation, which works to help families find missing children, reports some disturbing numbers. Last year, 252 children went missing from home in Thailand. This was a 25% increase from 202 children in 2021, the foundation said. …

  • Thailand NewsOfficials panic Thailand hits lowest birth rate in 7 decades

    Officials panic Thailand hits lowest birth rate in 7 decades

    Officials are panicking after Thailand hit its lowest birth rate in seven decades last year. The Social Development and Human Security Ministry announced today that the kingdom hit a 71-year low. Last year, Thailand’s target birth rate was 700,000, however, only 502,000 babies were born. The birth rate was therefore about 30% below the target. The ministry’s permanent secretary Anukul…

  • International EducationInternational schools in Koh Samui where your kids can thrive

    International schools in Koh Samui where your kids can thrive

    Choosing the right international school in Thailand can be a challenge. Every parent wants to find a school that’s the ‘right fit’ for their child, where they will thrive academically and socially. Our guide will help you navigate five different international schools in Thailand’s beach paradise of Koh Samui. The five schools are International School of Samui (ISS), British International…

  • Phuket NewsRussian woman almost drowns on Patong beach

    Russian woman almost drowns on Patong beach

    It was a close call for one Russian woman who almost drowned on Patong Beach yesterday. The incident happened at the part of the beach near the Bangla Police Box. Tourists pulled the unconscious woman out of the water, and lifeguards, once aware of the situation, rushed to help. The lifeguards, and a tourist who was a doctor, worked to…

  • World NewsGreen comet to be visible after 50,000 years

    Green comet to be visible after 50,000 years

    A green comet is expected to be visible in the night sky for the first time in 50,000 years. Astronomers discovered the comet, named C/2022 E3 (ZTF), in March 2022 at the Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California. Today (January 12), the comet will reach perihelion, its closest point to the sun, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. According…

  • Tourism NewsThailand’s tour package prices bump up for Chinese visitors

    Thailand’s tour package prices bump up for Chinese visitors

    Thailand’s tour package prices are being bumped up for Chinese visitors to the Land of Smiles. This news comes after China lifted travel restrictions on its citizens on January 8. There are now fewer flight connections between Thailand and China, and unprepared tour agents in China, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s regional director for marketing in East…

  • Crime NewsTourist Police prepare to protect Chinese from Pattaya’s crimes

    Tourist Police prepare to protect Chinese from Pattaya’s crimes

    Now that China has lifted travel restrictions on its citizens, Pattaya Tourist Police are preparing to protect Chinese tourists from the city’s crimes. The chief of Tourist Police Station 4 said yesterday that the lift on Chinese travel restrictions might result in a crime rise in the area. Tourist Police will start patrolling high-risk spots such as Walking Street, South…

  • Phuket NewsHong Kong woman faces charges of reckless driving after crashing into Phuket vendor

    Hong Kong woman faces charges of reckless driving after crashing into Phuket vendor

    A Hong Kong woman faces charges of reckless driving after she crashed into a Phuket som tam vendor in Koh Kaew yesterday. The incident happened on the northbound lane of Thep Kassattri Road. CCTV footage showed that the sedan crashed into the motorbike sidecar vendor, along with two motorbikes. Phuket City Police arrived on the scene to find the damaged…

  • Pattaya NewsCondom usage reportedly drops among Pattaya sex workers, STDs increase

    Condom usage reportedly drops among Pattaya sex workers, STDs increase

    In perhaps the worst city to not wear a condom, Pattaya’s sex workers are reportedly using condoms less than in pre-Covid days, according to disease control officials. A nurse from Pattaya’s Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Department, Nakanya Jantrakard, said the number of reported cases of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases has gone up since 2019. In a meeting…

  • Tourism NewsChinese tourists expected to flock back to Phuket and Chiang Mai

    Chinese tourists expected to flock back to Phuket and Chiang Mai

    Chinese tourists are expected to flock back to Phuket and Chiang Mai after China eased travel restrictions on its citizens on January 8. Now, the two tourism hotspots expect a significant jump in travel on direct flights from China from January 18, according to local airport authorities. There will be one daily direct flight from China to Chiang Mai, and three…

  • Pattaya NewsPattaya dwellers not happy with homeless living in abandoned building

    Pattaya dwellers not happy with homeless living in abandoned building

    Pattaya dwellers aren’t too thrilled about homeless people living in an abandoned building in the city. On Monday, local media reported that a group of homeless people were camping at an abandoned building on South Pattaya Road in the Nongprue sub-district of Bang Lamung district. The building was home to a former convenience store that lost business during the Covid-19…

  • Phuket NewsCops bust thieving couple who sold items to second hand shops in Phuket

    Cops bust thieving couple who sold items to second hand shops in Phuket

    Cops busted a thieving couple in Phuket on Monday, a husband and wife team who stole items and sold them to second hand shops. Police say the husband has been identified as Banjerd, and the wife as Toon Mathurasorn, The Phuket News reported. A Russian man, Oliver Thurman, alerted Wichit Police on January 6 that a towing rig and a…

  • Phuket NewsPhang Nga’s turtle nesting season continues with more nests discovered

    Phang Nga’s turtle nesting season continues with more nests discovered

    Phang Nga’s turtle nesting season continues and more nests are being discovered. Two more nests were found, bringing the total number of nests unearthed to eight so far, The Phuket Express reported today. The nests were found on the Baan Thung Darp Beach in the Koh Phra Thong sub-district of Kura Buri district. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources…

  • Crime NewsPolice on the prowl for scam gang after Thai teen commits suicide

    Police on the prowl for scam gang after Thai teen commits suicide

    Police are on the prowl for a scamming gang after a teenage boy committed suicide in Thailand’s central Nonthaburi province. The boy, 15 year old Arthit, hung himself in a wooded area in the Pakkret district on Sunday. Arthit left a note apologising to his mother for stealing up to 15,000 baht from her purse. Investigators later found that criminals…

  • World NewsIran sentences young footballer to 16 years for ‘enmity against God’

    Iran sentences young footballer to 16 years for ‘enmity against God’

    Iran’s regime sentenced a young footballer to 16 years of imprisonment for “enmity against God,” several news outlets reported yesterday. The footballer, 26 year old Amir Nasr-Azadani, participated in protests against Iran’s theocratic regime last year, which began after Iranian authorities murdered a young woman for allegedly showing too much of her hair. Nasr-Azadani was found guilty of “partaking in…

  • Thailand Weather UpdatesMarine department warns boats after trawler sinks in South Thailand

    Marine department warns boats after trawler sinks in South Thailand

    Large waves are continuing to wreak havoc on boats in Thailand’s waters. The country’s Marine Department warned boat operators to be extra cautious after a fishing trawler sank in South Thailand on Saturday night. The trawler sank in the Gulf of Thailand about 18.2 nautical miles off the coast of Pak Phanang district in Nakhon Si Thammarat province. Fortunately, marine…

  • Tourism NewsTourism Authority of Thailand plans first roadshow in China after pandemic

    Tourism Authority of Thailand plans first roadshow in China after pandemic

    Now that China has lifted travel restrictions for its citizens, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is once again tapping into the Chinese tourism market. TAT is planning a roadshow in China during the third week of February. This will be the first roadshow after the Covid-19 pandemic, according to TAT’s Regional Director of East Asia Chuwit Sirivejkul. The roadshow…

  • Northern Thailand NewsMan in NE Thailand allegedly raped his young relatives and lured them into sex trade

    Man in NE Thailand allegedly raped his young relatives and lured them into sex trade

    A man in northeast Thailand allegedly raped and exploited young boys who were his relatives and lured them into the sex trade. The boys are six and 10 years old. Police arrested the suspect, 21 year old Saifa, in the Si Bun Ruang district of Nong Bua Lamphu province today. The officers caught Saifa as he was allegedly taking one…

  • World NewsBomb threat against Jetstar flight in Japan (video)

    Bomb threat against Jetstar flight in Japan (video)

    A caller who appeared to be based in Germany made a bomb threat against a Jetstar flight in Japan on Saturday. The suspect called Narita Airport on Saturday morning in Japan time and said in English that he had planted a bomb on Jetstar Flight 501, according to the airline operator. The flight was headed to Fukuoka from Narita. Jetstar…

  • Pattaya NewsBurglar snatches almost 100,000 baht from Hong Kong tourist’s Pattaya villa

    Burglar snatches almost 100,000 baht from Hong Kong tourist’s Pattaya villa

    Pattaya’s thefts against tourists seem to never end… A burglar snatched almost 100,000 baht from a Hong Kong tourist’s rented Pattaya villa on Friday night, according to the victim. The victim’s villa is located in Jomtien Beach. The victim, Ng Ho Hin, told police the thief also nabbed a Bluetooth speaker. Hin said he had been out all day, and…

  • Tourism NewsKoh Samui ferries prepare to welcome back Chinese tourists

    Koh Samui ferries prepare to welcome back Chinese tourists

    Koh Samui ferries prepare to welcome back Chinese tourists this weekend. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Chinese made up Thailand’s biggest tourist group. Yesterday, China finally allowed its citizens to travel abroad again. Thai media said yesterday that ferry companies in Koh Samui’s Angthong sub-district were preparing their ferries to accommodate tourists travelling to Koh Samed, Koh Pha Ngan,…

  • Crime NewsPolice bust Songkhla newspaper editor for drug crimes

    Police bust Songkhla newspaper editor for drug crimes

    Police busted a newspaper editor in Thailand’s southern Songkhla province for drug-related crimes on Friday. The editor was found to be working along with two other suspects. A team of officers from several divisions raided the three suspect’s rooms in the town of Sadao in the Sai Buri district. One of the suspects, 35 year old Paradorn, is an editor…

  • Thailand TravelBest Western Hotels continues to expand with 6 new signings across the globe

    Best Western Hotels continues to expand with 6 new signings across the globe

    BWH Hotel Group is a leading, global hospitality network comprised of three hotel companies, including WorldHotels® Collection, Best Western Hotels & Resorts, and SureStay Hotel Group®. Built on the foundation of Best Western Hotels & Resorts, an iconic hotel brand that boasts over 75 years of legacy and experience with more than 4,500 hotels in over 100 countries and territories around…

  • SponsoredSt. Andrews International School, Green Valley, proud to achieve globally recognised Green Flag award

    St. Andrews International School, Green Valley, proud to achieve globally recognised Green Flag award

    Sponsored St. Andrews International School, Green Valley in Rayong, is a proud recipient of the globally-recognised environmental award, the Green Flag Eco-Schools Award. The Green Flag, awarded by the WWF and part of the world’s largest sustainable schools’ programme, is the highest possible Eco-Schools award, recognising and celebrating the ecological achievements of young people within schools. It acknowledges St Andrews…

  • World NewsUN urges Asian countries to save starving Rohingyas adrift at sea

    UN urges Asian countries to save starving Rohingyas adrift at sea

    The UN is calling on Asian countries to save almost 200 starving Rohingya refugees adrift at sea. The group of desperate Rohingyas has been adrift in the Indian ocean for the past month. The boat’s exact location is unclear. But as of Wednesday, the boat was near the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of…

  • Tourism NewsBangkok tops list of trending Airbnb destinations this year

    Bangkok tops list of trending Airbnb destinations this year

    Thailand’s capital topped a list of trending Airbnb destinations in 2022. Based on searches made in the first to third quarters of the year for check-ins, Bangkok was the #1 most trending destination for Airbnb guests across the globe. The entire list is as follows: Bangkok, Thailand Sydney, Australia Málaga, Spain Seoul, South Korea Melbourne, Australia Itapema, Brazil Angra dos…

  • Pattaya NewsCharities and leaders treat Pattaya kids to Christmas party

    Charities and leaders treat Pattaya kids to Christmas party

    Generous people in Pattaya are in the holiday spirit of giving. Local leaders and charities treated kids in Pattaya’s Khopai community to a Christmas party on Tuesday. Soi Khopai is located in the Bang Lamung district. The children got to eat yummy food, play games, and win prizes. Santa Clause made an appearance at the party, gifting children candy, toys,…