- Northern Thailand News
500 year old temple shaken in Nan earthquake this morning
PHOTO: Tourwatthai.com The Nan province, in far north Thailand, on the Laos border, was the epicentre for an earthquake measuring 6.1 magnitude on the Richter scale. The tremor shook the province, and other parts of Thailand, at 6.50am, local time today. The US Geological Survey report that the quake struck 10 kilometres below the surface about 92 kilometres northeast of the…
- Events
Pope Francis calls for action on exploitation of children, human trafficking
PHOTO: Government House Pope Francis was making calls for migrants to be made welcome and women and children to be protected from exploitation and abuse. The comments were made during the second day of activities for the leader of the world’s catholic church in Thailand today. The irony of the Pope’s comments would have surprised many with the Catholic Church…
- Phuket News
Construction site collapse, kills 7, injures at least 2 in Phuket
PHOTOS: Newshawk Phuket Seven people are now dead and at least 2 injured following the collapse of a petrol station construction site near the Home Pro building in Thepkasattri Road in Thalang, northern Phuket. The latest source of deaths and injuries comes from Thai Rath. Construction labourers were stuck under an enormous slab of concrete early this afternoon at 12.50pm.…
- Tourism News
Drop your excise tax on jet fuel, or we’ll pull out – Airlines
The Thai Excise Department is proposing local airlines increase the number of flights to the Kingdom’s second-tier provincial airports in return for a reduction in the excise tax on jet fuel. The Department’s aim is to increase tourism into Thailand’s lesser-known tourist areas and attractions. Nok Air, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Thai Smile Airways, Thai Airways International, Thai VietJet Air…
- Politics News
Thanathorn disqualified as Member of Parliament – Thai Constitutional Court
Leader of the Future Forward Party, 41 year old Thanathorn Jungroongruangkit, has been disqualified as a Member of Parliament following the handing down of a guilty verdict by the Thai Constitutional Court today. The Court’s findings say Thanathorn was still holding shares in a media company when he registered to run in the March 24 national election. Thanathorn presented evidence…
- Northern Thailand News
‘The Cave’ premieres in Bangkok, first feature film about the Tham Luang rescue
PHOTO: Director Tom Waller goes over a scene of his film ‘The Cave’ – Associated Press A feature film about the story of the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue had its Bangkok premiere yesterday. Rescuers, starring as themselves in the movie, walked the red carpet at the premiere. The film focuses on the stories of the rescuers who risked their lives…
- Thailand News
Two-timing husband returns with winning lottery ticket. Everyone’s happy…hmmmm
PHOTO: Daily News Couple win lottery. Man flees with the winning ticket. Wife files report with police. Now the couple are back together again and smiling for the media. The original story HERE. After Saturday’s lottery draw 34 year old Wijak and his 23 year old wife Pornthida ended up with a 6 million baht prize. But an argument ensued…
- Pattaya News
Worker detains a man who was filming him in petrol station toilets
PHOTO: thairath.co.th Laem Chabang police in Chon Buri were called to a petrol station in Sri Racha after an office worker caught a man trying to take photos of him in the stations’ public toilets. The victim took it upon himself to detain the 27 year old man from Nakhon Sawan, and then called police. Police arrived, took the suspect away, and…
- Northern Thailand News
Wife chooses winning lottery ticket, husband flees WITH the winning ticket
PHOTO: Pornthida Chamnanwet with her formal complaint about the missing winning lottery ticket, and her husband who stole it – Sutthiwit Chayutworakan A 34 year old husband has left his wife stranded at home. He disappeared with their winning lottery ticket from Saturday’s draw. The winning ticket is worth around 6 million baht. 23 year old Pornthida Chamnanwet has made a…
- Northern Thailand News
Northern Thailand drops 1-3 degrees, South to see little rain for the rest of the year
PHOTO: TakeMeTour A strong high-pressure system is looming over southern China and will also affect the upper Northeast of Thailand by tonight and early tomorrow. The Thailand Meteorological Department are forecasting another rather drop of 1.3 degrees C with mornings expected to be cool and foggy in the north and north-east. The high-pressure system affect the North and the Central…
- Bangkok News
All hail the outgoing school director. School principal gets roasted on social media.
The outgoing director of the Khaeng Khoi School in Thailand’s Saraburi, north of Bangkok, is coming under fire on social media for holding a ‘farewell ceremony’ in which students were made to prostrate themselves in front of him. The photos of the students ‘kowtowing’ to the principal has “denigrated the reputation of the school”, according to parents and other teachers at…
- Phuket News
More than 30 dolphins spotted off Phang Nga coast – VIDEO
More than 30 dolphins were spotted around Phang Nga yesterday. Yesterday morning (November 17), Dive Master Nattapong Ninsawit from Sea Bees Diving Khao Lak revealed that he and his customers spotted a number of dolphins on the way back from their diving trip to Similan Islands. The group were travelling back, and while the boat was passing Similan Islands and…
- Food
Grab v Get v Food Panda – Delivery apps battle for the streets of Thailand
PHOTO: Tribune News “Like hotel bookings, travel, airline booking, news, banking and music, the food delivery business is starting to transform the restaurant business too.” Food delivery apps Get, Grab and Food Panda are locked locked in delivery war. But instead of flak jackets and guns, they’re wearing branded vests and carrying hot pizza on motorbikes. The pink Food Panda…
- Events
Behold, the Papal Pick-up – Thai popemobile revealed
In either a step down for the Pope or a coup for troubled car-maker Nissan, Pope Francis will take to the streets of Thailand in a locally-manufactured open-top Papal Pick-up. Pope Francis visits Thailand from November 20–23. The vehicle was unveiled yesterday at Assumption Cathedral in Bangkok. For shorter trips, the Papal Golf Cart was also revealed. The Thai “popemobile”…
- Crime News
Police confirm death of American ex-fugitive Bart Helmus
Police have confirmed that the former American fugitive, Bart Allen Helmus, who broke out of court and shot himself when confronted by police, died on Thursday evening at 6 pm after falling into a coma at Sa Kaew Hospital. He was taken off life support on Thursday after doctors revealed that he had been ‘braindead’ since admission a week before.…
- World News
Sexually transmitted dengue case reported in Spain
A senior Thai medical official is passing on information that it is possible to contract dengue fever through sexual contact after Spanish authorities reported a 41 year old patient was found to have contracted the disease from his homosexual partner. Deputy governor of the Department of Disease Control says that it was possible for dengue to be contracted through sexual…
- Environment News
Now paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos are banned, what do farmers use?
PHOTO: sugar-asia.com In just two weeks the ban on paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos kicks in – a total ban on the three controversial agri-chemicals. Now officials are ramping up efforts to find effective alternatives for the popular agricultural herbicides and pesticides, especially the two herbicides (maybe this would have been a good idea before they imposed the ban?). Thai PBS…
- Crime News
Facebook hackers steal 34 million baht in online scam
PHOTO: INN News “…never set your password with your phone number or personal information that is easy to hack.” Thais Wuttiwat Chuenmanoh and Chawan Kornraknugpai have now been arrested after many victims filed complaints that the pair had been stealing their identities. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society’s Puttaphong Punnagun, and Police Colonel Ek Siriwat from the Technology Crime Suppression…
- Politics News
Thai PM will sit down with rebel members of coalition
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is again being forced to sit for chats with leaders of the 20 coalition parties to patch up differences ahead of a no-confidence debate being brought against the fragile government. The no-confidence debate is likely to happen early next month. Given the close numbers between the multi-party government and the opposition, a full quorum for the…
- Transport News
Thai Airways’ losses reach 11 billion baht this year
Thai Airways International has announced the turnover of the company and its affiliates for Q3 of 2019, reporting net losses of 4.68 billion baht, a full 27% higher than last year’s result, an additional loss of 994 million baht. In the third quarter of 2019, the company and its affiliates generated revenue of 45.016 billion baht, which is 6.1% or…
- Crime News
American fugitive, Bart Helmus, taken off life support in Sa Kaew hospital
PHOTO: Bart Helmus and his Thai wife during an earlier police questioning session in Pattaya 39 year old American Bart Allen Helmus has finally been taken off life support at the Sa Kaeo hospital at 6pm last night. He had been reported to be ‘braindead’ by police sources since his admission to hospital a week ago. After having been declared…
- Crime News
Man arrested over armed robberies in Bang Lamung
PHOTO: Re-enactment of the alleged crimes held yesterday – The Pattaya News A suspect is now in custody following a series of armed robberies in the Bang Lamung area. Bang Lamung police arrested 33 year old Weerayut ‘Aun’Keandee earlier this week. According to the police report, on November 7 the suspect robbed local residents in Soi Plaifan in Nong Plalai. The…
- Crime News
5 million baht vanishes from Samut Prakan bank account
PHOTO: Sanook A well-known restauranteur in Samut Prakan, south east of Bangkok, 61 year old Ekkaphat, has filed a report with the Samut Prakan Police over a missing 5 million baht from his bank account. Ekkaphat told police that he had previously deposited 5 million baht into a bank in the Bangpoo Industrial Estate. He went to update his bankbook…
- Thailand News
The curious tale of the second-hand BMW – Future Forward MP winds back the clock on events
PHOTO: For sale. One slightly used BMW Series 7 – SiamRath It won’t be the first time a dodgy second-hand car dealer has wound back the clock on a car. But this deal involved a sitting Future Forward MP as well, who is now trying to ‘wind back the clock’ on the series of events. A Swedish businessman has filed…
- Expats
Russian nabbed for 7 year overstay in Samui
PHOTO: Matichon Online A Russian man has been arrested for overstaying his visa by 2,861 days, 7 years and 9 months. The man was arrested on Koh Samui. In a completely serendipitous inspection, immigration and tourist police were doing spot inspections on the island hen they were checking a man on Soi 3, off Maenam Road, in the north of…
- Tourism News
Thailand’s beaches now more expensive than European resorts – report
PHOTO: Ministry of Villas The cost of a holiday in popular Thai beach resorts is now on par with, or even higher than those in Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and Egypt – all closer to home for Europeans with lower flight costs and less travel time. Diethelm Travel Group report that the cost of a five-star resort in Koh Samui,…
- World News
Hong Kong’s stocks drop amongst jittery sentiment and continued violence
Hong Kong’s government has closed down kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools for the first time yesterday in the wake of escalating violence on Monday and Tuesday this week. Classes at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, which was the scene of protests and serious damage this week amid fires and petrol bombs thrown by protesters, is also cancelling classes…
- Crime News
Three die following court shooting in Chanthaburi, two more injured
PHOTOS: Twitter/happykaekamon and Nalinee_OPLE Three people are now dead after aa retired police officer opened fire inside a Chanthaburi courtroom on Monday/ The gunman died yesterday after being shot by a lawyer for the opposing counsel. Police are investigating how so many guns got inside the courtroom. Chantaburi is south east of Bangkok, neighbouring Rayong. Before the incident, both parties…
- Phuket News
‘Coconut Water Gang’ arrested for trafficking children in Phuket
PHOTO: mgronline.com “The child told him that a gang gathered some kids and forced them to sell coconut water and would beat them up sometimes.” Patong police have announced the arrest of the ‘Coconut Water Gang’. There were four suspects from Nakohn Si Thammarat. The gang was accused of trafficking children by forcing them to roam the streets of Patong…
- Environment News
A blueprint for better recycling of PET bottles in SE Asia
LONG READ As leaders from around the world gather in Bangkok for the inaugural “SEA of Solutions: Partnership Week for Marine Plastic Pollution Prevention”, GA Circular has launched a new report “Full Circle: Accelerating the circular economy for post-consumer PET bottles in Southeast Asia”. The report provides for the first time, systematic and comparable baseline collection rates for PET bottles…
