- Politics News
“This is just the beginning” – Thanathorn warns the government
PHOTOS: Thousands gathered in the first large anti-government rally in over five years – Khaosod English He tried to do it legitimately by running for office in the March election. His party performed above expectations, garnering the third highest number of votes after less than 12 months of existence. And Thanathorn was just votes away from being elected Thailand’s Prime Minister.…
- Phuket News
Baby dumped on the steps of a bank in Rawai, Phuket
PHOTOS: Phuket Newshawk/Phuket Hotnews On December 13, at about 4pm, Chalong police received a report about a baby found abandoned in front of Siam Commercial Bank, in Rawai. At the scene, police found a baby boy with fair skin and appeared like a mix caucasian/Asian. The infant was crying but the witnesses who called police were trying to hold, comfort…
- Phuket News
Phuket’s economy is entering a period of recession – PSU report
PHOTO: kapumail Phuket’s Prince of Songkla University Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism has completed a lengthy report about the health of the island’s tourism, saying that tourism and Phuket’s economy are in poor condition. Part of the report says that, despite a 4% rise in visitor numbers in 2019, revenue from tourism is falling. “The economy of Phuket is entering…
- Bangkok News
Social media meltdown over tuk-tuk sex trip in Bangkok
PHOTO: Facebook/Khun-Khachen Thai netizens are in a frenzy over two posted video clips showing a woman sitting on a male passenger’s lap and, it appears, enjoying sex with him in a the back of the tuk-tuk on a Bangkok street early in the morning. The videos have since been taken down (just to save you the effort). There are two…
- Events
Phuket road closures and areas to avoid Sunday morning
Sunday, December 15, Phuket locals and officials will gather to celebrate the arrival of the holy Buddha’s relic alongside other highly respected monks’ religious relics. There will be parades and road closures in and around the Phuket Town area.The Phuket Municipality will close down the road from the the Phuket Post Office intersection all the way to Thalang Road –…
- Northern Thailand News
Thai Immigration Chief softens stance on tourist and expat visas
#shutdoorafterhorsehasbolted The head of Thai Immigration has told his department not to be too strict on tourists and scare them away from returning to Thailand. According to PattayaOne, the Chief has asked for his staff to “show some humanity”. Lt-Gen Sompong – also known as Big Oud, after his predecessor was nicknamed Big Joke – was doing a presentation during a…
- Tourism News
Tourist numbers down 40% compared to last year, and last year was bad – Pattaya
PHOTO: pinterest.com “Tourists are down 40% for Pattaya’s high season.” This from the Pattaya Entertainment and Tourism Industrial Association when speaking to Sophon Cable TV today. And last year wasn’t good either. Damrongkiet Pinitkarn, secretary of the association says that this high season before the New Year, the number of tourists at night clubs and bars has significantly decreased compared…
- Economy News
Forecasts are in negative territory for south east and wider Asia
PHOTO: asiahouse.org The Asian Development Bank has trimmed its forecasts for economic growth in developing Asia this year and next as growth in the People’s Republic of China and India are weighed down by both external and domestic factors. Closer to home, south east Asia’s growth projections have also been revised down slightly to 4.4% for 2019. Economic woes of…
- Environment News
Pattaya officials warn residents about outbreak of Chikungunya virus
Health officials in the Bang Lamung area of Pattaya say that many cases of the Chikungunya virus have been reported this year. Most commonly, the infected mosquitoes involved are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, two species which can also transmit other mosquito-borne viruses, including dengue. From January to the end of October there were 90 cases in Bang Lamung. The virus,…
- World News
Aung San Suu Kyi shows contempt for case against Myanmar army in international court
PHOTO: LA Times Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has shown contempt for UN judges investigating the genocide case relating to the Myanmar army’s attacks on the Rohingya in 2017. In her speeches she defended the generals she once defied, for their genocide against the muslim minority living in the Rhakine state, west of the country. Her supporters gathered…
- World News
So you want to move to Vietnam?
“Whilst Thailand is often nicknamed the ‘land of a thousand 7-elevens’, with a convenience store on just about every corner, there are very few of these in Vietnam, for now.” With the Thai Baht on a high at the moment, along with stricter enforcement of visa rules, some expats say they’ve had enough and are heading to Vietnam, or some…
- Transport News
Phuket Light Rail project hits a few speed bumps
The Phuket Light Rail (Phuket Tram) project has hit a few hurdles and has been shelved, apparently temporarily, whilst some further studies are conducted into the ambitious public transport project. The proposed tram route was proposed to start at Phuket Airport and finish at the Chalong Intersection, with a total of 21 stations along the way. As president of the…
- Crime News
Mother cat and 4 kittens poisoned at Sai Kaew Beach, Phuket
On December 11, a report was made following a post from the Facebook page ‘Rain Forest’ about 5 cats that were dumped and poisoned at Sai Kaew Beach, at the far north end of Mai Khao Beach in Phuket. The post shows pictures of a cat and her four kittens that had been poisoned with water and food, probably laced…
- Events
Transport and viewing locations for today’s Royal Barge Procession in Bangkok
This morning we wake to a perfect Bangkok day for today’s final act in the Royal Coronation – the Royal Barge Procession. Here’s some travel tips, free transport options and places to watch the procession. The processions starts at 3.30pm. Travel will be free on all mass transit rail services and selected BMTA bus routes today (December 12), for the…
- Expats
Bangkok less popular, Taipei heads the list – World’s favourite city for expats
PHOTO: This year’s #1 city for expats – Taipei, Taiwan – Time Out Bangkok has dropped from #5 (in 2018) to #20 this year in the annual Expat City Ranking – a big drop from its former position as a darling of the world expat community. But Asian cities continue to dominate the annual global Top 5 in the Expat City…
- Tourism News
Russian tourist bitten by a monkey on To Sae Hill, Phuket town
PHOTOS: Phuket Hotnews On December 10, a report emerged that a tourist had been bitten by a monkey on the popular To Sae Hill viewpoint in Phuket Town. The video shared on social media shows that the man was bleeding a lot from his arm before another man helped attend to the wound to stop the blood. A volunteer who…
- Phuket News
UPDATE: Polish and Thai kayak pair still missing off Phuket
PHOTOS: Newshawk Phuket As we enter day four of the search for 26 year old Mateusz Juszkiewicz from Poland and his female Thai friend, 23 year old Werakan Sirirakon, there is no update other than the pair are still missing. Last evening Rawai’s mayor, Arun Solos revealed that the missing pair were wearing life vests when they set off for…
- Phuket News
Phuket King’s Cup regatta organisers deny allegations of coral destruction at Kata
SCREENSHOT: Part of the post from the Kata Beach Shore Diving The 2019 King’s Cup Regatta in Phuket has been run and won, packed up and gone home. The annual event, run for the 33rd time this year, is one Thailand’s most prestigious yachting regattas and traditionally allows its vessels to anchor in the natural Kata harbour, using the Beyond…
- Northern Thailand News
British diver’s lawyer claims jury blundered in Elon Musk defamation trial
PHOTO: Getty Images “That is a serious problem. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a bullying billionaire or a penniless troll, that behaviour is destructive.” – Vernon Unsworth’s lawyer, Mark Stephens Elon Musk could face a retrial in his defamation case after a lawyer for the British cave diver Vernon Unsworth, based in Chiang Rai, claimed the jury blundered. The Tesla founder…
- Phuket News
UPDATE: No sightings after a full second day of searching for missing kayak couple off Phuket
PHOTOS: Phuket People’s Voice Air and sea searches continue today as up to one hundred people are now involved in the search for a Polish tourist and his Thai girlfriend who went missing after they, and their kayak, went missing off Phuket on Saturday evening. Read that story HERE. 26 year old Mateusz Juszkiewicz from Poland and a female Thai…
- Phuket News
UPDATE: Missing Polish tourist and Thai friend in canoe off Phuket
PHOTO: Phuket People’s Voice As of this morning around 10am, the 26 year old Mateusz Juszkiewicz from Poland and a female Thai friend, 23 year old Werakan Sirirakon from Nakon Sawan, were still missing off the coast of Phuket. The pair headed to sea with other couples in rented kayaks from Ya Nui Beach, south of Phuket, to visit a…
- Thailand News
BTS is Thailand’s most-streamed act on Spotify for 2019
…and the most streamed K-Pop act in the world. Another year of music is about to play its final chords. Streaming services, a mere curiosity a decade ago, are now the main source of revenue for many artists. In 2019, Streaming music will account for 80% of industry revenues, nearly US$9 billion this year. Bangtan Sonyeondan, better known around the world…
- Phuket News
Polish tourist and Thai female remain missing after kayak trip off Phuket
PHOTOS: Phuket People’s Voice A helicopter has now joined the growing fleet of vessels who have been searching for a Polish tourist and a Thai woman. The pair disappeared after hiring kayaks with friends at Ya Nui Beach in Phuket yesterday afternoon. Search efforts resumed early this morning after a fruitless search last night. 26 year old Mateusz Juszkiewicz from…
- Northern Thailand News
Tesla’s Elon Musk wins defamation trial over ‘pedo guy’ tweet
PHOTO: Christian Monterrosa/EPA “My client went toe to toe with a billionaire bully.” Tesla’s mercurial Elon Musk has emerged victorious after a defamation trial as a federal court jury swiftly rejected the US$190 million claim brought against him by a British cave explorer, Vernon Unsworth, who Musk branded a “pedo guy” on Twitter. The incident happened during the attempts to…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya hotel fire causes over a million baht in damages
PHOTO: sanook.com When a hotel in Pattaya caught on fire 400 foreigners, who were stating in the hotel at the time, evacuated without injury. The blaze remained isolated in the front section of the building and didn’t have time to spread to guest rooms inside the hotel. Chonburi Police were notified at 4.30am yesterday morning, December 6, about the fire…
- Things To Do
Top 10 things to avoid in Thailand
You’ll be spoiled for choice during your visit to Thailand. There is SO much to do. But there are a few things that may be worth avoiding, despite being available, during your time in the Land of Smiles. So, in The Thaiger’s opinion, don’t… 1. Swim at the southern Andaman beaches in the low season Every year about 50 or…
- Transport News
Thai government looks to revive Pak Bara and Songkhla deep-sea port projects
The government is looking at reviving deep sea-port projects in the south of Thailand. They were shelved two years ago as the government bowed to public opposition at the time. The Transport Ministry is considering reviving the Pak Bara, Satun, and Songkhla deep-sea port projects. Both projects are in the south of the country. The projects have been shelved at…
- Thailand Weather Updates
Cooler weekend on the way across Thailand
PHOTO: rove.me It’s winter, but not in the smow/sleet/icy roads sort of way. Winter in Thailand means clear blue skies in the south and cooler temperatures in the central and northern regions. (Five day forecasts below) Most parts of Thailand are forecast to experience cooler weather this weekend, when temperatures in the north and north-east are forecast to drop to…
- Business News
FULL TIME WRITER – English language
THIS IS A JOB ADVERTISEMENT Are you Mr. or Ms. Write? The Thaiger is currently seeking a full-time writer, in English, to work from our Cherngtalay offices in Phuket. You will have an enthusiasm for writing and a working knowledge of life in Thailand. You may have journalism experience but flair, speed and enthusiasm are much more important. You will…
- Bangkok News
Thai King and Queen to open Chinatown exhibition this evening
PHOTO: South China Morning Post HM The King and HM The Queen will tour Chinatown in Bangkok this evening to preside over the opening of the Chalerm Phrakiat exhibition. The exhibition showcases the biographies and Royal activities of previous monarchs of the Chakri dynasty (Ramas 1-10). Their Majesties are scheduled to leave the Ampornpaisarn Throne Hall in the Dusit Palace…
