- Covid-19 News
Additional thermal screening for Chinese arrivals at Thai airports
“The number of Chinese tourists is likely to drop by half this year – creating an enormous impact on Thailand’s tourism industry.” Thailand’s health authorities are taking more stringent precautions over Chinese arrivals in Thailand following the confirmation of coronavirus case #6 in Hua Hin, a resort town south west of Bangkok. Panlop Singhaseni, Prachuap Khiri Khan’s governor, says they are…
- Covid-19 News
Coronavirus UPDATE: President Xi addresses “grave situation of the rapid spreading epidemic”
The Novel Coronavirus that infects the respiratory tract and gives patients flu-like symptoms, is now responsible for at least 42 deaths in central China (40 in Hubei), with 15 new fatalities reported yesterday, and more than 1,409 cases in total. At this stage the spread of the virus outside China has been extremely isolated with overseas authorities quarantining any confirmed…
- Phuket News
Australian rescued after falling from the top of Ton Chongfa waterfall in Phang Ngan
Emergency responders from the Phang-nga provincial public disaster prevention and mitigation office have recovered a female Australian who fell from the edge of a waterfall in Takuapa district in Phang Nga yesterday afternoon. The rescue took more than five hours with rescue crews working in almost total darkness. The female victim was part of a group of three other Australian tourists…
- Events
A quick guide to the Year of the Rat
It’s the biggest annual celebration of all and sparks off a yearly exodus from the cities of China as families head home, or in many case to travel to other provinces or overseas during the two week festival. 25% of the 7.7 billion world population will Chinese New Year from today. The holiday is also called Lunar New Year and…
- Environment News
Sugar industry asks the government to subsidise harvesting machinery
Sugar factories are campaigning to cut and harvest raw sugarcane, instead of boring it first, for processing. The conglomerates are recommending that the government offer funding at low interest rates to farmers to buy harvesters as the prices of the equipment are quite high (6-12 million baht). They are also urging the government to purchase electricity from biomass power plants…
- Hot News
Shakedown rocks the top levels of the Royal Thai Police
The upper echelons of the Royal Thai Police Force has been rattled by some high-profile shakedowns that have been ordered by executive order from the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. Starting with the former immigration chief, Pol Lt-Gen Surachat Hakparn, the PM has ordered him to “adhere strictly to the ethical code and discipline expected of all civil servants” Earlier this…
- World News
International Court of Justice orders Myanmar to stop Rohingya genocide
The UN’s highest court is instructing Myanmar to do “everything in its power” to prevent the genocide of its Rohingya Muslim population. It’s the first time the International Court of Justice has stepped into the ongoing crisis. The Court has rejected arguments from Myanmar’s proxy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and sets out urgent steps to end the violence on the…
- World News
“An emergency in China” but not an internal epidemic – Coronavirus update
The World Health Organisation has labelled the Novel Coronavirus “an emergency in China” but hasn’t declared the situation as an international epidemic at this stage. 634 cases have now been confirmed in China with health officials confirming the first death outside of Wuhan, whilst seven other countries have reported non-fatal cases. 18 people are now confirmed dead as a result of…
- Food
MSG makes a comeback with a new campaign against the ‘Chinese restaurant syndrome’
MSG, or monosodium glutamate, a common seasoning in many foods from Doritos, to salad-dressing and Thai food, is making a come back. Not that it really went away. But there was 50 years or so when it suffered, unreasonably, a poor reputation. For years it was branded an unhealthy processed ingredient despite a lack of supporting scientific evidence. It became the…
- Crime News
Prasitthichai speaks to the Thai media, “killings were unintentional”
In a bizarre sequence of events, Thai media were able to directly question the suspect, who has allegedly confessed, of the cold-blooded murders of three, whilst injuring four others, on January 9 at a Lop Buri gold shop. School principal Prasitthichai “Golf” Khaokaew is reported to have told police that he robbed the gold shop because he had financial problems…
- Tourism News
Top 10 islands to visit in Thailand (Part Two)
And now the Top 5… 5. Surin islands Those who are seeking a peaceful and relaxing holiday experience will be left amazed by what Surin islands have to offer. Famously known as a destination that promises peace and tranquility, Surin islands are relatively secluded and have little to no human interference, leaving it unspoiled. Most tourists who visit the Surin…
- World News
Fortress Wuhan. Chinese authorities lock down the source of the coronavirus.
Wuhan, a city of more than 10 million in the central Chinese province of Hubei, is effectively in lock down following a decisive attempt to isolate the source of the Novel Coronavirus. Wuhan has ‘temporarily’ closed its airport, rail station and main roads out of the city. All city public transport services are all suspended too, as authorities scramble to…
- Crime News
Arrested Lop Buri murder suspect was a provincial headmaster
The director (headmaster) of a Sing Buri school is now in police custody as a suspect in the case of the lone of being the lone gunman in a gold shop robbery at the Robinson’s Shopping Centre in Lop Buri province on January 9. Three people, including a two year old boy, were shot and killed, another four were injured…
- Environment News
Nearly 300,000 Bangkok school students stay at home today as a measure to reduce air pollution
Nearly 300,000 students from 437 schools around Bangkok are having the day off after the Bangkok governor announced they could stay home and avoid the city’s smog. Ironically, today’s city air pollution has reduced to its lowest level in a week. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration suspended classes at 437 public schools for one day and introduced staggered working hours for…
- Crime News
School headmaster arrested and charged over the Lop Buri gold shop shootings
Police have arrested a man in conjunction with the Lopburi gold shop shootings on January 9. The man is a 38 years old school headmaster from Sing Buri, the adjoining province to the west of Lop Buri in central Thailand. Police report that he has confessed to the shooting of the customers and staff, resulting in three deaths, including a two year old…
- Thailand News
First US case of Coronavirus spooks stock market, death toll up to six
Medical authorities around the globe are scrambling to prevent the spread of a deadly outbreak of a new Coronavirus. It started in Wuhan, central China, and is now spreading beyond Wuhan’s and China’s borders. There has now been cases detected in Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, South Korea and, today the US where a case was confirmed in Washington State. Centres of…
- Politics News
Thailand’s Future Forward party cleared in surprise Court verdict
The Constitutional Court have beaten their own schedule for a verdict by announcing late this morning a decision that cleared the Future Forward Party of charges that it was attempting to undermine “the democratic system under the monarchy”. The ruling is one of the few that have come out on the side of Government opposition parties in Thailand, and is considered…
- Politics News
Future Forward members gather to hear Constitutional Court’s verdict at 2pm
Members and supporters of Thailand’s Future Forward Party are massing at the party’s headquarters in the on New Phetchaburi Road in Bangkok awaiting the Constitutional Court’s ruling on charges that it has engaged “in activities detrimental to the democratic system”. The case stems from a complain six months ago that Future Forward was involved in the imaginary “Illuminati” group, thought…
- Krabi News
Suspected British Coronavirus patient, confirmed NOT to have the virus – UPDATE
It’s now been confirmed that a British man, in critical condition in a Thai Hospital, has not contracted the Chinese Coronavirus. Ashley Shorley, who was holidaying on Koh Phi Phi at the time, became seriously ill with a “flu virus” on December 27. He was rushed by boat (reported as a sea plane in other media) to Phuket where his condition worsened. He…
- Environment News
32 year old British patient recovering in Phuket, suspected Coronavirus victim
UPDATE HERE. A British tourist is reported to be fighting for his life in a Phuket hospital. He could be the first Western victim of the coronavirus strain sweeping through China, according to Doctors at the hospital, but is yet to be confirmed. This latest coronavirus, related to the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome)…
- Hot News
Coronavirus spreads north and south in China – 139 new cases reported
Another 139 new cases of a flu-like disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus in China has shocked health officials. There’s also been a third confirmed death reported today. Worse, the outbreak has now spread beyond Wuhan in central China where the virus was first identified. There have been cases reported in Beijing, a province next door to Shanghai and…
- Things To Do
10 proven tips to sell your property quickly in Thailand
Selling property can be a headache, especially when you sell in an unfamiliar market like Thailand. However, it doesn’t have to be like that. There are several fool-proof ways we have gathered from experienced agents at Thaiger Property in Thailand to help you increase your viewings and sell your property faster. 1. Have the right attitude Thailand is a buyer’s…
- Bangkok News
40-love. Police track down porn producers at a Bangkok university tennis court
The police are searching for an amorous couple who were filmed engaging in sex outdoors in the Bang Khen area, northern Bangkok. Police suspect that film’s producer and the ‘actors’ were making content for a porn site, or subscribers to a chat group. Officers have been examining footage (over and over) from CCTV to try and find clues about the…
- Environment News
Poor air quality dogs the capital, even before the morning’s traffic starts
Bangkok awakes on Monday, even before the traffic starts choking up the city air and the factories puff their pollution into the Bangkok skies, with appalling air quality. With light winds and hot temperatures, the city is in for another bad day of air quality. Even at 6am this morning Bangkok ranked number 13 in the worst air pollution of…
- Phuket News
The year’s first leatherback turtle hatchling emerges in Phang Nga
Officials from the coastal National Park in Phang Nga, southern Thailand, are delighted after the first leatherback turtle hatchling hatched and emerged from the nest. Whilst it was headed to the Andaman Sea, marine officials took it to a nursery to be raised, giving it a much higher chance of survival when it is eventually released to the sea. According to…
- Hot News
More coronavirus cases detected in China, global alert for Chinese New Year
Chinese medical officials have now reported four more cases of the viral pneumonia strain caused by a new coronavirus. The discoveries are causing rising concern that the disease is not fully understand and could spread during the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays. The new virus, originating in the Chinese city of Wuhan – the apparent epicentre of the outbreak –…
- Central Thailand News
30 million in lottery windfall to central Thailand winning tickets
There’s been three big winners for last Friday’s bi-monthly Thai Government Lottery in Thailand’s central provinces. The winning numbers for the latest draw on January 17 were 491774 with winnings of 6 million baht up for grabs for every winning ticket. 73 year old Prakob Pansaior from Jaturas District in Chaiyaphum Province was the first winner. As soon as he realised…
- Politics News
Piyabutr acknowledges that Future Forward will probably be disbanded
Future Forward Party’s secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul is urging the party’s 60,000 members and other supporters to switch their allegiances to a new party that would be formed if Future Forward ends up being dissolved by the Constitutional Court this week. The hearing by the Constitutional Court is set for Tuesday. Piyabutr acknowledges that the party will likely be disbanded. Thailand’s Constitutional Court has…
- Environment News
Second death in China from virus concerns officials with the CNY holidays looming
“At least 41 people have now been diagnosed as being infected this latest flu-like strain.” Medical officials in China’s Wuhan city have announced that another man had died after being infected by the new coronavirus strain. Thailand and Japan have now reported new cases of a the Chinese Coronavirus that has already killed two and infected at least 40 in…
- Environment News
Salty tap water and dirty air – Bangkok’s environmental woes continue today
Brackish tap water, with increased salinity caused by seawater back-flowing into the Chao Phraya River, is threatening the gardens in and around the Government House compound. Government House officials are seeking assistance from the Agriculture Department. Several small tree species – Lamduan, Chor Sumalee, Rachavadi, Nom Maew and Hom Muenlee – are more vulnerable to brackish tap water. The gardens…
