- Environment News
Another baby Dugong found on a Krabi beach
PHOTO: Thai Rath Another lost baby dugong has been rescued after being found injured in Krabi. The baby dugong was found washed up on the shores in Klongthom District, Krabi yesterday (June 1) and was rescued by the officials from the Phuket Marine Biological Centre (PMBC). Thai Rath reports that the baby dugong had a lot of scratches on it…
- Environment News
Cha-Am blackwater flowing into the beach is “natural in origin” – District Chief
PHOTOS: Daily News The Cha-Am district chief and a posse of officials have inspected a patch of ‘black water’ flowing into the Gulf of Thailand after social media posts showed “sewage” flowing into the sea at a beach north of Hua Hin. Not surprisingly, and without evidence, Khajornsak Somboon admitted the offensive outflow was “smelly” but denied it was effluent from…
- Environment News
Mall Group shopping centres to charge customers 1 baht for a plastic bag
PHOTO: Mall Group The Mall Group, that runs some of Bangkok’s leading shopping centres, including Bluport in Hua Hin, will charge customers for plastic bags from July 3. The initiative is to mark International Plastic Bag Free Day which falls on July 3. They are the first Thai retail company to take the bold step. Customers will be encouraged not to…
- Tourism News
BKK passenger arrivals expected to surge to 200,000 a day in October
Amid gloomy forecasts and predictions for Thailand’s tourist industry, some good news out of the country’s largest airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. The number of passengers arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok is expected to rise to 200,000 a day when the ‘winter season’ starts in October. The airport’s general manager Wing Commander Suthirawat Suwanawat says the arrival of flights and…
- Politics News
Thai PM hints at a ‘solution nobody wanted’ if he can’t solve Cabinet squabbles
Yesterday’s mea culpa by the Thai PM Prayut, rather than providing a reassuring tone for the Thai electorate, has ended up stirring up rumours of another coup. Though the aim of the apology was to help mend the ongoing struggles within the Palang Pracharat Party over cabinet positions (let alone the other 19 parties involved in the pro-junta bloc), Prayut…
- World News
Air Asia loyalty program email scams on the loose again
AirAsia Big Loyalty CEO Spencer Lee has issued an alert on the airline’s corporate website about an email scam. The company is warning the public not to engage with an online scam circulating with the subject line ‘AirAsia Big Loyalty Bonus’. The latest ‘loyalty program’ scam surfaced on June 21. It’s not the first time scammers have targeted AirAsia, routinely credited…
- Technology News
The Tesla of Thailand takes on the big car-makers
There are less than 1,500 battery-powered vehicles in Thailand. Thai billionaire Somphote Ahunai wants to change that with his Energy Absolute. He envisions a total closed universe where he makes the cars, builds the charging stations, then provides the electricity to power the charging stations. The popularity of motorcycles and the busy streets of South East Asia cities are just…
- Northern Thailand News
Thai and royal flags ‘disrespected’ in Pai, northern Thailand
PHOTO: Khaosod English “It was farangs.” Locals in Pai, northern Thailand, are reacting angrily to tourists who damaged a royal insignia flag and Thai national flag. The two flags were found crumpled on the shores of the Pai River. Locals say the tourists had walked along a nearby street, stolen the flagpoles and flags, and marched around the town in…
- Tourism News
Tourism Authority of Thailand downgrades revenue from tourism in 2019
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is being forced to revise down its tourism revenue growth projections for 2019, but they’ve only cut their projections .5% from 10% growth predicted earlier this year, down to 9.5% growth instead. They still believe that the tourist numbers will settle and will reach 40.2 million for this year but this is down from their…
- Phuket News
Phuket ramps up surveillance, detection and better education about illicit drugs
With increased scrutiny at the island’s northern checkpoint at Tha Chatchai, drug smugglers have been rolling out fresh ways of getting illicit drugs onto the island. A meeting of the provincial government has noted that the interception of drugs in Phuket and the increasing use of illicit drugs by local youths are the major challenges for law enforcement officials. The…
- Technology News
China starts to roll out epic 8K TV technology on the back of 5G
HD TV was a huge step up (most of what we still watch on our TVs is HD – high definition). 4K provided us with almost ‘cinematic’ experiences of detail and quality (most modern cinemas use a 5K format… there are variations). Now the Chinese, using the latest 5G technology, are talking of broadcasting an 8K picture quality experience. China…
- Thai Life
Thai energy billionaire becomes the second richest person in Thailand
Sarath Ratanavadi has swiftly climbed up the list of Thai billionaires to become the nation’s second-richest man. Sarath owns the Gulf Energy Development which is outpacing most of the world’s power companies. According to Bloomberg, Sarath’s net worth rose to $6.3 billion after a 28% rally in Gulf Energy in the past three months, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The utility,…
- Tourism News
Thai authorities moot compulsory travel insurance for travellers
PHOTO: South East Asia Backpacker Magazine The Thai Office of the Insurance Commission says they expect to introduce compulsory travel insurance for visitors to Thailand by the end of 2019. It would be charged to tourists who arrive without travel insurance and go into a ‘fund’ to be used to pay for repatriation costs in the event of misadventure. The…
- Tourism News
British travellers to Thailand make more insurance claims than any other country
According to a survey, the ‘Travel Smart Insurance Index’ recently released by the UK Post Office, more British travellers to Thailand made insurance claims for medical costs of repatriation after visiting Thailand than any other country. According to the report, the Post Office teamed up with the Centre for Economic & Business Research and analysed 17,295 claims from its Travel…
- Crime News
Deputy PM expresses ‘regret’ over the brutal attack on political activist ‘Ja New’
Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan has expressed regret over the brutal attack on political activist Sirawith Seritiwat, or Ja New, and ordered the national police chief, Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda, to hold an urgent meeting with the metropolitan police commissioner to discuss the incident and to intensify efforts to track down the perpetrators, as well as the mastermind behind the assault,…
- Expats
Fewer Nordic expats renewing their visas to stay in Thailand
by Gregers Møller Website ScandAsia.com and writer Gregers Møller reports that nordic expats – business people, on retirement or family-based Thai visas, renewing their visas this year – has dropped by around 10% this year. He reports “This is the first decline in 12 years. If the trend continues, there will only be 861 Nordic people on a business visa left…
- Tourism News
Phuket’s tourist evolution – Diversity is the best option Part 1
by Guest Writer Today’s guest writer has been managing resorts around Phuket for two decades and has represented his brand at international expos along with promotions for Phuket over the years. His knowledge is first-hand and steeped in local experience. He has asked to remain anonymous. At the end of the 1990’s into the early 2000’s Phuket saw the drastic…
- Tourism News
Phuket’s tourist evolution – Diversity is the best option Part 2
by Guest Writer Our guest writer has been managing resorts around Phuket for two decades and has represented his brand at international expos along with promotions for Phuket over the years. His knowledge is first-hand and steeped in local experience. He has asked to remain anonymous. Read Part 1 of the report HERE. In Part 1 of the article we…
- Opinion
What to do with Thailand’s elephants?
The goring of an Italian tourist in February 2019, whilst elephant riding in Phang Nga, was just another sad example attracting focus on the practice of providing elephants for tourists to ride. Plenty of elephant rides remain popular for tourists around Thailand and there is still plenty of demand, particularly from some international travellers. There is a long history and…
- Northern Thailand News
Wayward rocket lands in passenger seat of pick-up in Roi-et during annual rocket festival
A local north-east rocket festival entry has made an unexpected landing, into trees hanging over a road, then dropping straight into the passenger seat of a passing pick-up. The rocket, part of the annual Bun Bang Fai rocket festival in Suwannaphum district of Roi-Et, was a wayward entry that ended up in a tree after being launched. Over the two…
- Transport News
Thai PM to visit Phuket for the opening of the Chalong Underpass
PHOTO: Happy memories for residents in the south of Phuket during the construction phase of the underpass. During this period the Chalong Circle was nicknamed by locals as the Chalong Car Park. The Thai PM is heading to Phuket to officiate at the opening of the long-awaited Chalong Underpass, as well as attend some other meetings during the day. PM…
- Thailand News
Burmese migrants released from Thai prison after murder convictions overturned
By Nyein Nyein – The Irrawaddy | PHOTO: Facebook/Htoo Chit Two Burmese migrants, serving six and eight year sentences for the alleged murder of a Thai woman in Ranong, southern Thailand in 2015, have won their appeal in a Thai court. Sein Kadone and Wai Lin, who received eight and six year sentences, respectively, have been in prison for three years…
- Crime News
Future Forward MP uncover new ‘Ja New’ assault video
PHOTOS and VIDEO: Facebook/Rangsiman Rome A Future Forward Party MP says they’ve got their hands on CCTV footage which shows four men violently attacking Thai political activist Sirawith “Ja New” Seritiwat. The anti-Junta activist has been the subject or earlier assaults and many threats. The attack happened on a main road in Bangkok yesterday. Rangsiman Rome, a Party-list MP for Future…
- Tourism News
TAT chief blames high baht for drop in tourists to Thailand
Thailand’s tourism numbers have been dropping over the past three months, against projections and when compared to year-on-year figures. And the blame game has started. TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) chief Yuthasak Suphasorn is blaming the high value of the Thai baht for the worse than expected tourist figures. He admits that European visitors are being more careful over their money and…
- Tourism News
Thailand tops the poll for countries offering travellers the ‘host’ factor
“The perfect destination for travellers seeking to experience a warm welcome and immerse themselves in the local culture.” A recent poll by booking.com across 29 countries has found Thai people to be among the top nationalities who consider their country to be more hospitable than others. Thailand, along with Indonesia, Mexico, Taiwan and India, are the top five countries where…
- Thailand News
Students and driver injured in Petchabun bus incident
PHOTOS: Sawangbueang Sampan Thammasatan Rescue Eight people have sustained injuries after an incident between a motorbike and a bus carrying students in Petchabun, north-central Thailand. Emergency responders were notified of the accident in Baan Bueang Sampan, Petchabun this morning. Rescue workers arrived to find an overturned orange school bus on the road. Nearby was a damaged motorbike. Seven students and the…
- Phuket News
Injured sea turtle rescued from fishing net in Phang Nga
PHOTOS: Jalert Jesadawal A sea turtle has been rescued from a fishing net off the coast of Phang Nga. Khao Lampi Hat Thai Mueang National Park officers were notified that a sea turtle was tangled in a fishing net on the shores of Natai Beach in Kok Kloi, Phang Nga yesterday afternoon. They arrived to find the male Olive Ridley…
- Business News
Thailand’s auto manufacturing expects to reach 2.2 million
PHOTO: Autoinfo Car sales for 2019 are likely to increase thanks to the improved purchasing power of Thais as the agricultural sector returns better prices. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Phasu Loharachun, say the automotive industry is the main economic activity generating revenue for the country. Meanwhile, the total number of cars to be manufactured this year is expected…
- Technology News
Huawei reassures customers that its roll-out is unaffected by US sanctions
Despite Huawei’s challenges posed by the US ban, the Chinese telecom firm says their 5G network momentum plunges forward around the world. Huawei is assuring governments and customers that its 5G equipment roll out and development will not be affected by the US sanctions. Huawei continue to challenge the US sanctions saying they are unfair and the allegations “lack substantial…
- Environment News
A pair of 200 year old trees in Chumpon on Thailand’s National Heritage List
PHOTO: Star2.com The Thai Ministry of Culture has declared a Durian tree and one Takien Thong tree, both about 200 years old, in Chumpon, to be part of the country’s national heritage. Culture Minister Veera Rotepojanarat went to Patoh district to preside over the “ordination” ceremony for the two old trees in Tambon Patoh. The ceremony also featured an exhibition,…
