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.
  • Crime News

    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 Updates

    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 News

    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 News

    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 News

    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 News

    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 News

    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 News

    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 News

    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 News

    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 News

    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 Updates

    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 deaths

    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 News

    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 News

    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 News

    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 News

    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 News

    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…

  • Tourism News

    TAT expects more Chinese and Thai tourists in Phuket for Labour Day weekend

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects more Chinese and Thai tourists to visit Thailand’s picturesque island province of Phuket during the Labour Day weekend. TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn reported a 60% improvement in tourism from January to March 2023 compared to the same period last year, with 6,518,578 foreign visitors generating 334.7 million baht. Speaking to Thai media, Yuthasak…

  • Crime News

    Police bust woman in Phuket with 5 kilograms of crystal meth

    Police busted a woman in Phuket with 5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine on Monday night. The Commander of Border Patrol Police Region 4, Pol. Maj. Gen. Somkun Kanchana-Udomkan, announced the arrest yesterday. Officers had received a tip-off that a consignment of drugs would be delivered in front of a durian shop on Wichit Songkram Road in the Kathu district. The…

  • Tourism News

    Trang governor reveals plans to develop Koh Kradan, the ‘best beach on earth’

    Plans are in the pipeline to develop Thailand’s Koh Kradan. Trang province’s governor, Kajornsak Charoensopha, on Wednesday, revealed plans to develop Koh Kradan into a major tourist spot. The move comes after the island was named the best beach on earth in the Top 100 Beaches on Earth by the UK’s World Beach Guide. The governor announced plans aimed at…

  • Crime News

    Cops catch transwoman changing hair colour after robbing Pattaya gold shop

    Cops caught a transwoman changing her hair colour at a salon after she robbed a Pattaya gold shop. The suspect, 30 year old Chuenkamol Nasingkhan, on Wednesday, stole two gold chains weighing 2 baht each from the Phet Thong Wanida jewellery store located in Pattaya’s Soi Nern Plub Wan at 11.20am. Police said that Chuenkamol walked into the shop wearing…

  • Bangkok News

    Famous American comedian Conan O’Brien filming in Bangkok (video)

    Famous American comedian Conan O’Brien is currently filming in Bangkok, Thailand for a future broadcast. The former late-night talk show host has been updating fans about his progress on social media. On Tuesday, O’Brien tweeted a photo of himself staring with absolute dread at a scorpion-on-a-stick snack. He wrote… “The scorpion here is so much better than the scorpion I…

  • Pattaya News

    Kind Pattaya motorcycle taxi rider returns tourist’s wallet with 13,000 baht

    While there are many complaints about drivers and motorcycle taxi riders in Thailand, sometimes, acts of kindness make headlines too. A kind Pattaya motorcycle taxi rider returned a forgotten wallet containing over 13,700 baht in cash to an American tourist. The rider, Nonglak Prakobsap returned the wallet in the early hours of yesterday at 4am. Nonglak spotted the black wallet…

  • Road deaths

    Pattaya motorcyclist dies from crashing into tour bus after reportedly running red light

    Another motorcyclist has lost his life in Thailand‘s ongoing plague of road accidents. A motorcyclist died after crashing into a tour bus after he reportedly ran a red light on Sukhumvit Road in Pattaya. The accident occurred at 1.20am yesterday. Police and rescuers arrived on the scene to find a white Scooby I completely destroyed. The motorcyclist, 35 year old…

  • Phuket News

    Driver who rammed car at Patong massage shop faces multiple charges

    UPDATE The driver who rammed his car into parked motorbikes following a conflict at a Patong massage shop is now facing multiple charges. The charges include causing loss of property, bodily harm causing injury, and reckless driving causing injury, The Phuket Express reported. Four people were injured, and four vehicles were damaged in the incident on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pee Road on Monday…

  • Phuket News

    Conflict at Patong massage shop leads to car ramming and injuries (video)

    A conflict at a Patong massage shop led to a car ramming and injuries on Monday night, The Phuket News reported. The incident happened at around 8pm. The driver, Panudet, had a dispute with the co-owner of a luxury massage shop, Chatchanan “Patty” Charoenjai. Panudet previously reported to police that Chatchanan had slapped him across the face. The reason for…

  • Tourism News

    Increase in international fights expected for Hua Hin Airport this year

    The number of international flights to and from Hua Hin Airport is expected to increase in the near future, according to John LaRoche, CEO of the Phoenix Group, which is leading the upgrade of the airport. Speaking at the recent meeting of the Royal Coast Riviera Club on Friday, April 21, LaRoche said that despite various setbacks, including the pandemic,…

  • Crime News

    Krabi shop owner demands cops ‘make an example’ of thieving tourist (video)

    An angry shop owner is demanding that police “make an example” out of a tourist who stole clothes from her shop in the town of Ao Nang in Krabi province. The owner told Ao Nang Police that over the weekend, a female foreign tourist came to her shop alone. She said the tourist took clothes off a mannequin before dashing…

  • Pattaya News

    Thai man stumbles upon human skeleton near Pattaya reservoir

    A Thai man stumbled upon a human skeleton at the rim of a reservoir near Pattaya yesterday morning. The man, 48 year old Praphat Namsuphat, was walking along the edge of the Chak Nok Reservoir with his child when he spotted what he at first thought was a canine skeleton. But after looking closely, Praphat was shocked to discover that…