Tara Abhasakun
- Economy News
Robots now serving people at Thai restaurant chain
Robots are now serving people at a Thai restaurant chain. S&P, the bakery and restaurant chain, is using robots as a way to cope with skyrocketing costs while keeping its prices down. Each restaurant usually employs 10 staff. S&P’s operator company, SET-listed S&P Syndicate Plc, currently operates 460 production hubs around the country. Its goal is to operate 480 by…
- Thailand Weather Updates
South Korea’s capital sees record rainfall, at least 9 killed
South Korea’s capital city of Seoul is witnessing record rainfall this week, and at least 9 people have been killed so far. Three of those were killed when they were trapped in a flooded semi-basement. About 17 other people were injured, and at least seven are still missing, according to the country’s Interior and Safety Ministry. Since heavy rain began…
- Phuket News
Phuket expects recent India road show to bring in even more tourists, and revenue
Phuket officials are excited to see the payoff of a recent roadshow in India. The Tourism Authority of Thailand, along with the Phuket Tourism Association, went to a roadshow tourism marketing event in India from August 1-6. The event celebrated the 75th anniversary of Thai and Indian relations. Now, the PPAO’s vice president expects another 150,000 Indian tourists to arrive…
- World News
Pakistani Taliban commander reportedly killed in Afghanistan
Another terrorist leader has reportedly met his maker. A senior commander of the Pakistani Taliban has reportedly been killed in Afghanistan. The commander, Abdul Wali, was killed in an improvised explosive device attack on a car on July 7, according to two sources within the Taliban’s leadership. The sources told CNN that the attack happened in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, which…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya’s tourist buses are back at the floating market, but missing Chinese
Now that many of Thailand’s Covid-19 restrictions have eased, tourists are boarding buses to Pattaya once again. Tour buses were back at the Pattaya Floating Market earlier this week. While there were several Indian and Vietnamese tourists on the busses, the buses were missing a group that once played a major role in Thailand’s tourism market- the Chinese. One boat…
- Eastern Thailand News
Baby’s birthday party turns violent in eastern Thailand
A baby’s birthday party turned violent in Thailand’s eastern province of Rayong between Monday night and Tuesday morning, in the main city district. A group of Cambodian fishery workers had reportedly thrown a party to celebrate one worker’s son turning three months old. At the party, one group of workers allegedly started drunkenly fighting the other. Two workers were stabbed…
- World News
Thai stunt director released from Myanmar
A Thai stunt director who had been imprisoned since January by one of Myanmar’s ethnic armies has been released yesterday. The Burmese junta army captured the director, 40 year old Ramai Moriphan, known as ‘Khru Dan,’ when he travelled from Laos to Myanmar for a business trip on January 4. He and two friends had arrived in Myanmar’s Shan State…
- Thailand News
New app to help migrant women in Thailand facing abuse
UN Women and Thai non-government organisations (NGOs) have collaborated to create a new app for migrant women in Thailand facing sexual abuse and violence. The app has been named “Smart Domestic Workers.” Smart Domestic Workers provides information on ways that migrant women can protect themselves from violence, in four languages: Thai, English, Burmese, and Khmer. Users can search for hospitals,…
- World News
Unusually heavy floods in Pakistan kill 549, thousands of homes damaged
Pakistan is seeing its heaviest rainfall in 30 years, and the consequences have been deadly. At least 549 people in the country have been killed by floods so far, and more than 46,200 houses have been damaged, the National Disaster Management Authority said on Friday. In the past month, there have been 133% more rain than the average for the…
- Bangkok News
Fire at Energy Ministry’s compound in Bangkok
A fire broke out at the Energy Ministry’s compound in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district today. The blaze broke out on the 33d floor of Building A, a 36-storey building, the headquarters of PTTEP Plc. Luckily, firefighters quickly rushed to the scene and no injuries were reported. The firefighters were able to get the blaze under control in 10 minutes. The fire…
- Crime News
2 meth busts in Phuket this past week
Thailand’s issue with illegal drugs is rearing its ugly head again, this time in Phuket. Two different meth busts happened in Phuket’s main city district this past week. One alleged dealer was arrested at a condominium in the Wichit sub-district, while another was arrested at a house in the Chalong sub-district. The alleged dealer in Wichit is a 36 year…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok taxi driver who snapped himself raping teen gets jailed
A Bangkok taxi driver who photographed himself raping a Burmese teenager in April has now been sentenced to jail by the Criminal Court. The driver, 39 year old Adirek Sae Bae, was initially sentenced on August 2 to 15 years in prison, however, his sentence was reduced to 13 years and nine months after he pleaded guilty. The victim, a…
- Economy News
Thailand’s hotels are short on workers
The majority of Thai hotels surveyed recently admitted they are short on workers, according to the Thai Hotels Association. About 68% of 118 hotels surveyed said they are short-staffed. The workers needed include maids, receptionists, cleaners, cooks, waiters, and technicians. The survey was conducted from July 17-25. The reason not enough people are seeking hotel jobs may likely have to…
- World News
Italian runner accidentally shows off his crown jewels to the world
A member of Italy’s U20 track team had an awkward run today, and so did the man it was attached to. An Italian runner has accidentally showed off his crown jewels to the world during a 400 metre race at the World Athletics U20 Championships, held in Columbia. As he was dashing to the finish line, his ‘man parts’ fell…
- Tourism News
Thai tourism officials plan to propose new closing time for tourist areas
Thai tourism officials plan to propose a new closing time for night venues in tourist-heavy areas. The Tourism and Sports Minister plans to propose that the closing time move to 4am in these areas, as ‘high season’ is coming in October. He said the ministry plans to suggest the idea to the CCSA next month (September). Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has…
- World News
Thai officials help restore Australia’s Koala habitats
Thai officials from several different bodies are helping to save the homes of a beloved Australian animal, the koala. On Australia’s National Tree Day on July 31, the officials pitched in to help plant 1,000 trees in Australia’s You Yangs Regional Park. The groups rolling up their sleeves to help included the Royal Thai Embassy and the Tourism Authority of…
- World News
Conflict over Cambodian casino and territory in eastern Thailand
There’s conflict over a Cambodian casino in the eastern province of Trat, which borders the two countries. Trat’s ranger regiment says the casino has encroached into a Thai watershed area and has sent Cambodia a letter on the issue. Senior officers from the ranger regiment said yesterday that there are border conflicts in 17 spots in the Laem Klat sub-district…
- Environment News
As Pattaya music festival returns, officers brace for garbage throwers
The Pattaya Music Festival is back after its five month long Covid-19 slumber, and authorities are urging festival-goers not to throw garbage at Pattaya Beach, where the festival is being held this weekend. People already litter at the beach sometimes, but officers are now bracing for heaps of garbage at the beach from the tens of thousands of music lovers…
- Tourism News
TAT says Thailand drew 3.3 million foreign tourists from January-July
Thailand has drawn 3.3 million foreign tourists between January and July this year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. While about 1.9 million tourists travelled through Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport, about 600,000 travelled through Phuket International Airport. About 190,000 people travelled through Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport. As tourism officials had predicted in June, Malaysia has now beat India as…
- Central Thailand News
Woman in central Thailand is country’s first female monkeypox case
A woman in central Thailand today has been confirmed to have monkeypox, making her the fourth case in the kingdom, as well as the country’s first female case. The 22 year old Thai national checked into a hospital in Samut Prakan on Wednesday and tested for monkeypox yesterday (Thursday). After the tests were sent to Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, it was…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya gold necklace theft involving no tourists, or ladyboys
There’s been another gold necklace theft in Pattaya, but this time, no tourists or ladyboys were reported to be involved. The thief allegedly nabbed a gold necklace from a Thai woman walking with her boyfriend in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district. He rode by the woman on his motorbike, snatched the necklace, and sped off. But Pattaya Police tracked him…
- South Thailand News
Hotels in South Thailand eager for surge in visitors this year
South Thailand’s hotels are eager for a surge in visitors during Thailand’s high season from October to December. About 80% of hotels in Songkhla province have reopened after ‘Thailand Pass’ was scrapped on July 1, according to the Songkhla Tourism Industry Council. Since Thailand Pass was scrapped, Songkhla has welcomed a rush of Malaysian tourists driving across the border. The…
- Pattaya News
Pervy taxi driver allegedly kisses young female passenger in Pattaya
A young woman says a pervy taxi driver kissed her when she and her siblings were travelling home in Pattaya on Wednesday. The 20 year old said she and her brother and sister had ordered a taxi to get to their home in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district after a party. She says they got into a yellow and blue…
- Phuket News
Fire burns wooden house to the ground in Phuket
A blaze burned a wooden house to the ground yesterday evening in Phuket, in the island province’s main city district. The house was located near a mangrove forest, and the cost of damages is being estimated at 50,000 baht. Photos from the Thai outlet Anarchark News show the spot where the house used to stand now covered in ashes, and…
- Phuket News
Phuket foundation gives hundreds of children scholarships
A foundation in Phuket is helping give the island province’s children a bright future. The Kusoldharm Phuket Foundation usually focuses on rescue work and helping victims of accidents and disasters. But the foundation also has an annual education scholarship program. The foundation presented scholarships to 313 children at its annual scholarship ceremony on Tuesday. At the ceremony, the foundation’s president…
- China News
Man stabs 3 people to death at China kindergarten
A man has stabbed three people to death at a kindergarten in China’s eastern Jiangxi province yesterday. The man also injured another six people. Since the victim’s identities haven’t been reported yet, it’s not yet known if any of the people killed or injured were children. After he carried out the horrific attack, the stabber fled to a neighbouring country.…
- Phuket News
Officials look to tackle Phuket’s coastal erosion following floods
Phuket officials held a meeting yesterday to discuss coastal erosion impacting the island province, as storm weather is causing huge floods. Phuket’s Vice Governor Amnuay Pinsuwan said that Governor Narong has ordered him to look into measures to tackle the problem. One area officials are particularly concerned about is Sai Kaew Beach. Last month’s king tide in Phuket, along with…
- Pattaya News
Indian tourist in Pattaya breakdances in boxing ring when police show up
An Indian tourist in Pattaya was eager to show off his moves in the early hours of this morning… after police had showed up. The man had climbed into an empty boxing ring in a pub, drunkenly yelling and wreaking havoc on the business owners and other customers. The incident happened on Pattaya’s famous Walking Street, a known hub for…
- Eastern Thailand News
Men in eastern Thailand sentenced for road rage killing last year
Two men in Thailand’s eastern province of Trat have been jailed for killing a man in a road rage incident last year. The three men involved killed the victim after the victim’s girlfriend threw a glass bottle on the road as the men were driving by them. The killers thought the couple had meant to throw the bottle at them,…
- Economy News
Thailand pitches in to help Sri Lanka in its time of crisis
Thailand is pitching in to help Sri Lanka in its tumultuous economic crisis. Thailand’s Foreign Ministry announced yesterday that the country has donated medicines, medical supplies, food, and financial support to Sri Lanka. Several departments made donations adding up to about 5 million baht, while the Foreign Ministry donated another 1.3 million baht worth of medical supplies to Sri Lanka.…
