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.
  • Central Thailand NewsThai soldiers rush to put out another forest fire in Nakhon Nayok

    Thai soldiers rush to put out another forest fire in Nakhon Nayok

    Thai soldiers are rushing to put out a forest fire in the central Nakhon Nayok province, after another raging wildfire broke out in the province just last month. Soldiers and officials have once again sprung into action to combat the latest fire near the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy in Nakhon Nayok province. The blaze was spotted on the mountain slopes…

  • Phuket NewsFollowing complaints, Phuket officials swoop on stray dogs

    Following complaints, Phuket officials swoop on stray dogs

    Following a number of complaints from fed up locals, Phuket officials on Wednesday swooped on stray dogs in the island province’s main city district. The residents had complained that a pack of dogs had been causing a nuisance. They said the dogs were chasing after motorcycles, as well as defecating on streets and people’s properties. The Department of Public Health…

  • LifestyleTourism Authority of Thailand launches Vijitr lighting extravaganza across country

    Tourism Authority of Thailand launches Vijitr lighting extravaganza across country

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched the ‘Vijitr’ lighting extravaganza, a series of light and sound events taking place across the five regions of Thailand from April to June 2023. The aim is to promote meaningful travel experiences and the drive towards more sustainable tourism. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports, said… “This ‘Vijitr’ lighting in five…

  • Songkran NewsThailand’s alcoholic beverage sales jump by 30% during Songkran

    Thailand’s alcoholic beverage sales jump by 30% during Songkran

    Thailand certainly seems to have enjoyed itself after celebrating Songkran for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. Thailand’s alcoholic beverage sales jumped by 30% during the Songkran holiday, according to Thanakorn Kuptachit, an advisor to the Thai Alcohol Business Association. Related businesses such as restaurants, entertainment venues, hotels, and event organisers, also got a boost from Songkran.…

  • Crime NewsThai police catch man accused of murdering and burying bank manager

    Thai police catch man accused of murdering and burying bank manager

    Thai police today caught a man accused of murdering and burying a bank manager in the central Nonthaburi province. Nonthaburi investigators and Din Daeng police arrested the suspect, 32 year old Tasapong Suprom-in, in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district today, Bangkok Post reported. The body of Rotenaruebet Hasadindetdamrong, the manager of Bangkok Bank’s headquarters in the Silom area of Bangkok, was…

  • Songkran NewsThe party rages on in Pattaya after Songkran comes to a halt

    The party rages on in Pattaya after Songkran comes to a halt

    Thailand’s notorious nightlife wonderland of Pattaya is still in party mode even though Songkran is over. The city’s three-day afterparty kicked off on Tuesday, with revellers enjoying the water fights and festivities in the sweltering heat. Yesterday, the Wan Lai or Flowing Day celebration took place, with crowds flocking to the beachfront and Wat Chai Mongkol armed with water guns…

  • Northern Thailand NewsChiang Rai crash kills 2, injures 13

    Chiang Rai crash kills 2, injures 13

    A crash in northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai province killed two people and injured 13. The accident occurred on No. 1020 (Chiang Rai Terng) Road in the Baan Pong Chang in Chieng Kean sub-district on Tuesday night at around 7.20pm. Emergency responders arrived at the scene to find several damaged minivans and pickup trucks. The responders found a 14 year old…

  • Koh Samui NewsFollowing stormy seas, rescuers find fisherman’s body near Koh Samui

    Following stormy seas, rescuers find fisherman’s body near Koh Samui

    Following the stormy seas that wreaked havoc on many coastal areas of Thailand this past weekend, rescuers found the body of a fisherman near Koh Samui. According to the Samui Public Relations Department, several local fishing boats capsized on Sunday. One fisherman reported missing was 51 year old Wiroj Srifah. Wiroj had been fishing alone. Marine Police, tour boat operators,…

  • Tourism NewsPhuket anticipates 60% hotel occupancy after Songkran

    Phuket anticipates 60% hotel occupancy after Songkran

    Thailand’s tropical paradise of Phuket anticipates a hotel occupancy rate of around 60% now that the Songkran Festival is over. There’s been a jump in the number of Chinese arrivals, even as the low season approaches, Bangkok Post reported. According to Sueksit Suvunditkul, president of the southern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, hotel bookings were at 86% occupancy in the…

  • Environment NewsWildlife officials capture photos of rare bird in South Thailand

    Wildlife officials capture photos of rare bird in South Thailand

    Thailand has captured another rare and exciting animal on camera less than a week after a similar incident was reported. Wildlife officials in South Thailand’s Nakhon Si Thammarat province have captured photos of a rare bird, the great argus. The officials at Kathun Wildlife Sanctuary captured the images with camera traps, according to the Department of Parks, Wildlife, and Plant…

  • Pattaya NewsSongkran garbage plagues roads around Chon Buri beach

    Songkran garbage plagues roads around Chon Buri beach

    Garbage left from the Songkran holiday is plaguing the roads around a Chon Buri beach. Heaps of garbage have been covering the roads around Bang Saen Beach since Songkran celebrations ended on Monday. While most provinces in Thailand mark Songkran from April 13 to 15 every year, some provinces in Thailand’s eastern region celebrate the festival for a bit longer. Chon…

  • Crime NewsFacebook to the rescue: social media helps catch Phuket motorbike thief

    Facebook to the rescue: social media helps catch Phuket motorbike thief

    Despite the countless negatives of social media, sometimes, it can be used as a force for good, this time to catch a motorbike thief. Facebook helped police catch a motorbike thief in Phuket, The Phuket Express reported last night. The motorbike owner reported his stolen motorbike to Patong Police and also posted CCTV footage of the incident on the Facebook…

  • Songkran NewsThai official says 91% of serious injuries during Songkran due to not wearing seat belts

    Thai official says 91% of serious injuries during Songkran due to not wearing seat belts

    The Songkran festival, which is celebrated annually in Thailand, is known for its festive water fights and partying. However, it has also gained a reputation for being one of the deadliest times on the roads due to increased traffic and road accidents. According to the Secretary General of the Thai Public Health Ministry, Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, there was an uptick…

  • Songkran NewsNew York State celebrates Songkran

    New York State celebrates Songkran

    The state of New York in the US officially celebrated Songkran this year. New York State Representative Steven Raga proposed a bill to celebrate the Thai Songkran festival, the Thai Post reported. Raga wrote a letter to the leaders of the Thai and Asian communities in New York, informing them of the successful resolution to celebrate the festival. Several New…

  • Crime NewsPattaya debtor allegedly stabs loan shark in self-defence

    Pattaya debtor allegedly stabs loan shark in self-defence

    A Pattaya debtor allegedly stabbed a loan shark in self-defence last night. The incident occurred near the Rueangwilai apartment complex in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district at 10pm. Police found the victim, 33 year old Sarawut Kamsaiprom lying in pain at the front of the apartment with serious stab wounds to his left ribcage. Pattaya authorities found a bloodstained kitchen…

  • Crime NewsPattaya cops swoop on Chinese and Burmese nationals for illegal entry and overstay

    Pattaya cops swoop on Chinese and Burmese nationals for illegal entry and overstay

    Pattaya cops swooped on a group of Chinese and Burmese nationals caught illegally entering Thailand, and overstaying their visas. Pattaya Police raided a house in the Takhian Tia sub-district of Bang Lamung district of Bang Lamung district yesterday. This was after an investigation revealed that the house residents reportedly got into Thailand without obtaining proper documents. The group included three…

  • Crime News100 police deployed to reservoir in the hunt for killer cop in South Thailand

    100 police deployed to reservoir in the hunt for killer cop in South Thailand

    There’s been a new development in the case around the cop in South Thailand who killed several of his family members, including his wife and son. The killer cop, 46 year old Pol. Snr. Sgt. Maj. Atthaporn Wichian, killed six people in Surat Thani province last week, including his wife, son, and father-in-law. Police have been on the prowl for…

  • Thailand NewsTourist allegedly pickpocketed at Pattaya Songkran splashing event

    Tourist allegedly pickpocketed at Pattaya Songkran splashing event

    A tourist was allegedly pickpocketed at a Songkran water splashing event in Pattaya. The tourist, 25 year old Chinnawut Lahoong from Bangkok, told police that his wallet was stolen during a splashing event on Pattaya’s Walking Street. Chinnawut informed Pattaya City Law Enforcement about the incident last night. He said that he stopped to buy a water gun while at…

  • Phuket NewsWoman searches for sister who went missing on Phuket trip

    Woman searches for sister who went missing on Phuket trip

    A woman is searching for her sister, who she says went missing on a trip from Bangkok to Phuket. The woman, ​​Prangthip Kottathum, says her sister, 27 year old Vannapa Bamrab, went missing on April 11. ​​Prangthip​ filed a missing person report to Hua Mak Police Station on Thursday, April 13, Khao Phuket reported. Pranthip said that Vannapa called one…

  • Pattaya NewsOops! Cardi B rips hotpants onstage while twerking in Pattaya

    Oops! Cardi B rips hotpants onstage while twerking in Pattaya

    It turns out, even American celebrities have wild nights in Pattaya. A twerking session in Pattaya went massively wrong for music sensation Cardi B after her hotpants ripped onstage, news outlets reported yesterday. This was at the event Rolling Loud Thailand 2023. The event began in Pattaya on Thursday and lasts until today (Saturday). Footage from Daily Mail shows the 30 year…

  • Crime NewsPhuket kitchen staffer stabs colleague to death

    Phuket kitchen staffer stabs colleague to death

    A Phuket kitchen staffer stabbed his colleague to death in the car park of a well-known hotel in Cherng Talay on Thursday, The Phuket Express and The Phuket News reported last night. The suspect, 20 year old Sarayut stabbed 23 year old Roongroj, in the stomach. Cherng Talay Police rushed to the scene after being informed of the incident at around 4.30pm. Upon arriving…

  • World NewsEgg-thrower convicted of threatening behaviour towards King Charles III

    Egg-thrower convicted of threatening behaviour towards King Charles III

    UK authorities found a young man who threw eggs at King Charles guilty of threatening behaviour at York Magistrates Court, BBC reported yesterday. The young man, 23 year old Patrick Thelwell, hurled five eggs at King Charles and the Queen Consort as they arrived at Micklegate Bar on November 9, 2022. All five eggs missed. At the time, Thelwell had…

  • Tourism NewsTAT expects Phuket to generate at least 4.5 billion baht during Songkran

    TAT expects Phuket to generate at least 4.5 billion baht during Songkran

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects Phuket to generate at least 4.5 billion baht during the Songkran Festival, with over 200,000 tourists expected to visit the island province. The director of TAT’s Phuket Office, Lertchai Wangtrakundee, stated that 84% of hotel rooms have already been booked from April 13 to April 16. Additionally, 258 international flights with 48,302 passengers…

  • Tourism NewsTourism Authority of Thailand pushing for 150,000 Saudi tourists this year

    Tourism Authority of Thailand pushing for 150,000 Saudi tourists this year

    Thailand continues to set new tourism goals. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is now pushing for 150,000 Saudi tourists this year, according to Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT’s deputy governor of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. The improved diplomatic relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia have had a very positive impact on Thailand’s tourism sector, Siripakorn said. There…

  • World NewsSex traffickers held Southeast Asian women captive in South Korea

    Sex traffickers held Southeast Asian women captive in South Korea

    Sex traffickers held four Southeast Asian women captive on South Korea‘s Jeju Island. Jeju provincial police said they arrested four subjects who allegedly held the women, The Korean Herald and Asia News Network reported yesterday. The suspects included a Korean bar owner in his 40s, his Chinese wife, and two other accomplices. The suspects were sent to the prosecutor’s office. The victims…

  • Northern Thailand NewsCops bust 6 overstayers in northeast Thailand ahead of Songkran

    Cops bust 6 overstayers in northeast Thailand ahead of Songkran

    Cops busted six overstayers in northeast Thailand’s Buriram province ahead of the Songkran festival. A crackdown by Immigration Police in Buriram led to the detention of six foreigners for overstaying their visas. The operation took place from March 27 to April 10 and was aimed at preventing and suppressing crime during the Songkran Festival, according to Naewna. Pol. Maj. Gen.…

  • Tourism NewsEntry fees to Thailand’s Phi Phi islands reeling in 1 million baht a day

    Entry fees to Thailand’s Phi Phi islands reeling in 1 million baht a day

    Entry fees to Thailand’s Phi-Phi islands have been reeling in about 1 million baht a day for the country’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, since the introduction of the e-ticketing system last July. Revenue from entry fees has increased by 20 to 30% to an average of 1 million baht per day, amounting to a total of 137…

  • World NewsExiled Chinese Christians arrive safely in US from Thailand

    Exiled Chinese Christians arrive safely in US from Thailand

    A group of exiled Chinese Christians, who feared persecution if they were sent back to China, arrived safely in the United States. The group had been detained for overstaying their visas in Thailand, where they had been trying to arrange formal passage to the US. The group arrested included 63 members of China’s Mayflower Church. The group believed that Chinese…

  • Crime NewsTwo separate shootings rock South Thailand, claiming 5 victims

    Two separate shootings rock South Thailand, claiming 5 victims

    Two separate shootings rocked South Thailand yesterday, claiming a total of five victims. In Surat Thani province, an unidentified gunman shot four people dead at a house, including two former village heads and his wife. The gunman attacked the victims at a house in Khiri Rat Dikhom district. Police identified three of the victims as former village headman Thammarong Nilniyom,…

  • Road deathsPhuket motorbike crash claims life of Russian tourist

    Phuket motorbike crash claims life of Russian tourist

    Another tragic road death has hit Phuket. A motorbike crash claimed the life of a Russian tourist on a rural road in central Phuket yesterday, The Phuket News reported. According to a report made to Thalang Police, a motorcycle with two foreigners flew off a small road and crashed, killing the driver on the spot. Police and rescuers arrived on…