- Hua Hin News
Necklace and bag snatcher arrested in Hua Hin after train theft
PHOTO: Talk News Online A 66 year old is in custody, again, after being arrested for stealing a gold necklace and handbag from a female traveller on a train. ThaiVisa reports that the victim was heading southbound on a train coming from Bangkok. Police say Thadet Samran, from Phetchaburi, boarded the train and snatched the gold necklace and bag from the…
- Technology News
Phuket’s media shuffles – the news leaders
Phuket’s media is going through a minor revolution. A lot of work is going into spreading local news for an island of some 450,000 locals and 12 million annual tourists (who are unlikely to read any local news media anyway). Roll back 20 years and the local leader in the media was the Phuket Gazette which lasted as an English-speaking…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok tuk-tuk driver is caught after over-charging three American tourists
PHOTOS: Tourist Police A tuk-tuk driver, who charged three American tourists 1,500 baht for a trip in Bangkok, has apologised for his actions and admitted to over-charging them. He also faces a hefty fine. Lt Gen Terapon Kuptanond, commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau says, “tourist police had tracked down the accused driver after the JS100 Facebook page posted a…
- Thailand Election News
Thai PM’s book recommendation backfires
Literature 1.01. Most people have read George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’. It’s the tale of a ‘democratic’ and utopian farmyard until the pigs get hungry for power and end up running the place as a dictatorship, dressed up as a democracy. The book resonated the fears of a post-WWII Britain and the rise of Stalinism. “All animals are equal, but some…
- Hot News
30 new cameras ready to catch traffic running red lights in Bangkok
PHOTO: Daily News 30 major intersections will be fitted with red-light cameras to fine people going through intersections and ignoring red traffic lights. Testing will take place during June and the cameras likely to be operational in July. The cameras will detect the registration plate number and send you an automatic fine through the post. Police say that despite rumours of…
- Environment News
Ship owner fined 50,000 baht for chemical fire at Laem Chabang port
The Port Authority of Thailand has slapped a 50,000 baht fine on the South Korean owner of a container ship which caught fire at the Laem Chabang deep-sea port on Saturday morning, causing a chemical fire and smoke blanketing surrounding communities. Laem Chabang is just north of Pattaya fronting the Gulf of Thailand. Meanwhile, Thai PBS reports that about 1,000…
- Thailand News
Four Thai marine species announced as ‘reserved animals’
PHOTOS: DMCR / Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat Bryde’s whale, Omura’s whale, whale sharks and leather back turtles have been added to the list of ‘reserved wild animals’. The new Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act was announced yesterday. Animal species which included Bryde’s whale, Omura’s whale, whale shark and leather back turtle are now a registered ‘reserved animal’, before they are…
- Property
Risland plans new developments in Bangkok and Phuket
PHOTO: Artist impression of the new Cloud Thonglor-Phetchaburi Hong Kong-based property developers Risland Thailand say they will spend 8 billion baht launching five residential projects in Bangkok and Phuket. The investment budget of 8 billion baht is an increase from 5 billion in 2018 and 3 billion in 2017, the first year Risland operated in the country. From June to…
- Koh Samui News
Day 3 of 2019 Samui Regatta, Thailand
Back racing! After a brief delay with the AP raised onshore, at 09:05 it was lowered and the sailors headed out to the startline where breeze awaited on the Nora Buri & Nora Beach Race Day. Looking to get as many races on the scorecard as possible and make up for yesterday’s wind no-show, Ross Chisholm and team got three…
- Hot News
Roll the drums Phuket. Prepare the balloons. Chalong Underpass opens Friday.
But it’s not Friday yet and there have been plenty of other delays. Chalong Circle’s 350 metre underpass should be open on Friday according to local highway officials. The roadworks have profoundly changed business and movement of locals in the southern part of the island for nearly four years. Many businesses were forced to move, others went broke, some residents…
- Tourism News
Suvarnabhumi’s third runway closer to reality
The contracts for the construction of Suvarnabhumi Airport’s third runway are ready to be signed. But it isn’t likely to happen until later this year according to Airports of Thailand (AoT). The AoT president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn says the new 21.7 billion baht third runway, which is included in the airport’s second-phase development plan, was already approved by the cabinet. “It…
- Thailand News
Bryde’s whale found dead off Petchaburi coast
PHOTOS: Troy Beer/Thai Whales An autopsy is being conducted on a dead Bryde’s whales found off the Petchaburi coast in the Gulf of Thailand. The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) report that they were notified of the dead Bryde’s whale being found off the Petchaburi coast yesterday. The female Bryde’s whale is about 10 metres long. It had…
- Pattaya News
Motorbike driver survives being caught under Chinese tour bus in Pattaya
PHOTOS: Pattaya News Archive A motorbike driver has survived being partly run over by a tour bus in Pattaya last night. Rescue workers heard about the incident at 9pm last night near an intersection in South Pattaya. They arrived at the scene to find the red tour bus which was full of Chinese tourists. Under the bus found the damaged motorbike.…
- Tourism News
Travel’s dynamic changes – A personal perspective
by Andrew J Wood – President SKÅL International Bangkok With the dramatic announcement of the sale of retail travel giant Thomas Cook following the loss of £1.5 billion brings the blight of the travel agent community into the news once more. Last week Wall Street bank Citigroup advised investors to sell shares in the travel company. Confidence that travel agents…
- Health
Thailand’s ‘smoking toll’ is three times the annual road toll
Smoking kills more than 72,000 people a year in Thailand, three times the number of people that die on the local roads. Dr Roengrudee Patanavanich, from Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, speaking at a media conference yesterday, says… “Diseases associated with smoking such as lung cancer, emphysema, lung inflammation and tuberculosis are the main killers.” “Thailand had 10.7 million…
- Business News
Thailand’s aviation industry passes international inspections
A pass mark, maybe a C+. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) told Thai aviation officials have scored 65.07%, exceeding the minimum pass mark of 60%. Thailand only scored 34.2% when it received a ‘red flag’ four years ago. The score has been awarded after ICAO officials carried out a full inspection of Thailand’s civil aviation standards The inspections were…
- Chiang Mai News
American Alzheimer’s patient, living in Thailand, heads to The Philippines
PHOTOS: Thaivisa “Mum is doing OK. She keeps forgetting who I am. But we must live completely in the moment with Alzheimer’s, and stay happy.” In an exclusive interview with Thaivisa, the daughter of the Alzheimer’s patient who claimed that her 77 year old mother was forced out of Thailand by new immigration rules, sent Thaivisa photos of their departure.…
- Tourism News
Tourism body confident that tourist number will reach 40 million in 2019
Predictions are, despite a few bumps along the way, that the number of tourists coming to Thailand in 2019 will still reach 40 million. The University of the Thai Chambers of Commerce’s Centre for Economic and Business Forecasting is still positives following campaigns promoting tourism in local cities and the extension of the waiver of the visa-on-arrival fee. The Director…
- Koh Samui News
Day 2 of Samui Regatta 2019. A beautiful day, unless you’re a sailor.
The best laid plans… The breeze was on early this morning as the race management left the beach. The plan: head straight out off Chaweng Beach and lay a startline. Leaving the “shelter” of the bay, the wind died off the further they went out. A few nautical miles off shore and everyone joined in the waiting game. Meanwhile close…
- World News
ASEAN group calls for end of judicial ‘harassment’ of Thai MPs
The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, based in Jakarta, is calling on Thai authorities to end what they describe as harassment of the Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit. They’ve also asked the ruling Junta to stop their efforts to undermine anti-military parties in the new Thai parliament. Charles Santiago, Chair of APHR and a Member of Parliament in Malaysia…
- Thailand Election News
Democrats and Bhumjaithai offered deputy PM and cabinet positions
PHOTO: Apichit Jinakul Close, but not quite. Palang Pracharath Party paid a visit to Democrat party leaders yesterday with presents of cabinet portfolios that they are offering the Democrat and Bhumjaithai parties if they were to join the pro-Army coalition. The Bhumjaithai Party says they’ve already pledged allegiance to Palang Pracharat, but with four key caveats. Sources say the Palang…
- Health
Alzheimer’s patient forced out of Thailand. Immigration rule changes mean mother can’t stay.
PHOTO: 77 year old American Alzheimer’s patient Anna Padgett with care home staff on a field trip “Thailand talks about being a hub for medical care but the immigration rules are just not conducive to that, especially in our case.” The daughter of an Alzheimer’s patient has told ThaiVisa how her stricken mother is being forced out of Thailand. The…
- Koh Samui News
Stellar fleet line-up on Day 1 of Samui Regatta, Thailand
Samui Regatta is a highlight event on the regional regatta circuit that attracts a high calibre fleet of boats and sailors from around Asia to enjoy some top racing off the tropical island, followed by nightly prize-givings on the beach. “Regattas don’t get much better than this” was the consensus at last night’s official opening of the 18th Samui Regatta,…
- Thailand Election News
Democrats receive official invitation to join Palang Pracharat
PHOTO: Thai PBS Palang Pracharat have sent an official invitation to the Democrats to join their party. But that’s an invitation to join their political party, not an invitation for drinks and balloons. Party leader Uttama Savanayana and core party members, namely Somsak Thepsuthin, Suriya Juangroongruangkit and party secretary-general Sontirat Sontijirawong, visited the Democrat party’s head office today. They were politely received by…
- World News
Lee Kuan Yew’s grandson marries same sex partner in South Africa
by The Star – Asia News Network The grandson of the late Singapore PM Lee Kuan Yew, Li Huanwu, has married his “soul mate” in Cape Town, South Africa. This was revealed by Li’s partner, Heng Yirui, who made the announcement on his personal Instagram account. “Today I marry my soul mate. Looking forward to a lifetime of moments like this with…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya officials looking to limit pet ownership
Pattaya Mail are reporting that there’s been a renewed push to limit the number of pets residents can keep and make registration compulsory in Pattaya. Pattaya’s deputy mayor Manote Nongyai chaired a May 21 meeting on new regulations governing the keeping and registration of dogs and cats. The proposals are based on a Public Health Department memo from February 2016…
- Bangkok News
Landlady posts photos of a Bangkok rented apartment after a nine year lease
PHOTOS: Nathalie Ruangdet Firstly, put down whatever you’re eating. A landlady has vented her grief online to show the results of a nine year tenant who had vacated the property in Ramkhamhaeng, Bangkok. Sanook reports that he had left the key with security and needed his deposit back. Nathalie Ruangdet, the landlady, went round to check the property. She says that…
- Thailand Election News
Thailand’s pro-army party hopes to seal deal with Democrats and Bhumjaithai today
PHOTO: The Nation Palang Pracharat, the political party supporting Thailand’s Junta, is hoping it can complete negotiations and make a deal today to which would see it with enough parliamentary seats to keep Prayut Chan-o-cha in power as prime minister. This analysis from a lawmaker who is a board member of the Palang Pracharat party in a Reuters article. The…
- Thai Life
Prem Tinsulanonda dies of heart failure at 98
The President of the Privy Council, Prem Tinsulanonda (General Prem), is reported to have died of heart failure early this morning at the Phramongkutklao Hospital at the age of 98. He has had important roles in many levels of Thai society and politics for most of modern Thailand’s recent history (since 1932). Just three weeks ago he was participating in…
- Pattaya News
The magic disappearing murky and muddy waters of Pattaya’s Jomtien Beach
PHOTOS: Pattaya Message Officials from Chon Buri Municipality says there is no source of wastewater found after inspections along the canals. The video of the untreated sewage and wastewater gushing into the Gulf of Thailand has accumulated 1.5 million views already. Read more and see the video HERE. The ‘stop gap’ solution was a real STOP GAP solution as they rammed…
