- Thailand News
Rain-making training plane crashes in western Thailand
PHOTO: Channel 7 News The Thai Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation have reported that a “Caravan” aircraft crashed in Kanchanaburi at 10.10am this morning during training exercises, killing the two occupants. Both the instructor, Captain Tarun Amanan, and trainee pilot, Suksan Chongsatientham, were found dead. The aircraft was crumpled and unrecognisable when found by villagers. The plane was…
- World News
Boris and Donald meet in New York to discuss Brexit
“The Prime Minister emphasised that in order to secure a deal we will now need to see movement and flexibility from the EU.” British PM Boris Johnson has reiterated his call for “flexibility” from the EU in Brexit talks during a face-to-face meeting with Council President Donald Tusk in New York that failed to yield a breakthrough. Johnson and Tusk…
- Thai Life
Top 10 things to do in Phuket when it rains (2020)
Phuket really only has two seasons – wet and dry. The wet season usually runs from April to November each year. And when it rains, it pours! But there’s still plenty to do on the island, rain or sunshine. Best of all it’s always going to be around 30 degrees so it’s not cold or unpleasant. A 20 baht plastic poncho…
- World News
“Philippines: Deadliest country in the world for land defenders” – Global Witness
“In July, the group said 30 killings in the Philippines last year made it the deadliest country in the world for land defenders – a first since the group began reporting such deaths in 2012. “ by Cecil Morella Murders of environmental activists and land defenders in The Philippines continue to rise sharply under President Rodrigo Duterte. The accusations from…
- Economy News
Chim-Shop-Chai – more than a million already register for the latest Thai stimulus package
Interest in the government’s latest stimulus package has been massive with online portals being battered by people wanting to know more about how they can get their hands on the 1000 baht give-away from the Thai government. More than a million people have already registered to join the government’s Chim-Shop-Chai (Taste-Shop-Spend) program, where they will receive a 1000 baht to…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok land prices plateau, new tax on the way
Land prices in the Thai capital are forecast to plateau, or even drop this year. This would be the first time in more than ten years that Bangkok’s land prices have levelled off. So what is causing the sudden surge in land becoming available? Property and real estate consultants say the changes can be blamed on the general economic slowdown…
- Road deaths
SUV driver flees crash scene after killing two on Bangkok ring road
PHOTO: Sanook.com Police in Bangkok are looking for the driver of a Ford Everest who jumped over a wall and fled the scene after colliding with a Mitsubishi Mirage, killing two people. Witnesses told police that the collision happened when the driver of the black SUV was trying to pass on the left-hand shoulder of the road. According to Sanook.com,…
- Pattaya News
No Standing Zones are driving away tourists – Jomtien Beach
PHOTO: Pattaya Mail New ‘no parking zones’ along a section of Jomtien Beach in Pattaya are turning off drivers stopping for a quick treat from roadside vendors and local traders, according to the Pattaya Mail. City Hall has recently erected new no parking signs and painted the curbs red and white (no standing) between Jomtien sois 17 – 19 in…
- Travel
UPDATE: Thomas Cook financial collapse
“These insolvency proceedings do not involve the continental and Nordic businesses.” The UK Thomas Cook businesses are now under the control of the official receiver who has appointed AlixPartners and KPMG as special managers to oversee the liquidation, and in the case of AlixPartners, to work with the business to assist the UK Civil Aviation Authority on repatriation of existing…
- Pattaya News
Russian boxer dies after falling from hotel balcony in Pattaya
PHOTOS: รักสยาม นิวส์ A 35 year old Russian was found dead around 6.30am yesterday in a pool of blood with serious head, arm and leg injuries after falling from a condo balcony in Pattaya. Ruk Siam News reports that Pattaya police and emergency responders headed to Building B of the Sea Breeze Jomtien Resort after receiving reports that the man…
- Tourism News
UK travel icon Thomas Cook bankrupt, stranding tourists
PHOTO: Axios.com “This marks a deeply sad day for the company which pioneered package holidays and made travel possible for millions of people around the world.” British travel giant Thomas Cook declared bankruptcy today after failing to reach a last-ditch rescue deal. The collapse triggers the UK’s biggest repatriation since World War II to bring back stranded passengers. The 178 year…
- Tourism News
UK travel giant Thomas Cook collapses leaving 150,000 holiday-makers stranded
PHOTO: Bye bye Thomas Cook – The Independent Thomas Cook, the iconic British travel and airline company, has collapsed after last-minute negotiations failed to find a solution for the debt-ridden company. The tour operator’s failure affects 22,000 jobs worldwide, including 9,000 in the UK alone. Thomas Cook had been operating for 178 years. The company is now bankrupt. The collapse…
- World News
Last five years “Hottest on record” – UN Climate Summit
PHOTO: Greenpeace USA “Average global temperature between 2015-2019 is on track to be the hottest of any five-year period on record, according to the report compiled by the World Meteorological Organisation.” A damning new UN report published yesterday says the world is falling badly behind in the race to avert “climate disaster” because of runaway warming, with the five-year period…
- Entertainment
BTS will have to break up, whether they like it or not, and fans are not happy
Even though they’ve been making music since their debut back in 2013, it’s the last two years BTS, aka Bangtan Boys (or Bangtan Sonyeondan for Korean pronunciation), have gone from zero to hero in the pop music world. Now they’re riding their success on the crest of a wave that has defied conventional pop marketing and ‘western’ white-washed music standards.…
- World News
Yangon’s boom falls short across river – waiting to bridge the gap
by Su Myat Mon and Dene-Hern Chen “An enormous industrial zone spanning the area south and west of the river, largely funded by money from Korea and China, is under consideration.” On her scruffy, downtrodden bank of the river, teashop-owner Khin works just a few hundred metres over the muddy water from Myanmar’s capital Yangon, and dreams of the riches…
- World News
Leclerc takes Singapore GP pole, Hamilton shares front row
PHOTO: Charles Leclerc on top after grabbing in pole position – Reuters “Lewis Hamilton admits he is surprised to be next to a Ferrari on the grid after qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix alongside pole-winner Charles Leclerc.” Championship leader Hamilton was able to do little to prevent Ferrari’s Leclerc from claiming consecutive victories in Spa and Monza in the last…
- Health
Thailand ranked sixth best in the world for healthcare
Sixth best healthcare system in the world! Well done Thailand. The Kingdom is gaining worldwide recognition for quality healthcare services after placing sixth in a ranking of countries with the best healthcare systems. The ranking was conducted by the US magazine CEOWORLD who do annual rankings of a number of world businesses and services. The rankings came out last month.…
- World News
Travel giant Thomas Cook teetering on financial collapse
Unable to adapt to the move online as smaller, nimbler travel companies thrive, Thomas Cook, the household name in international travel, is close to financial collapse. And the collapse could leave up to 150,000 British tourists stranded overseas. The iconic British travel giant Thomas Cook say they’ve failed to find any further private investment to stave off collapse and now…
- World News
Philippines calls for halt in aid talks with backers of UN probe into Duterte’s drug war
“The 18 members that backed the resolution are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Britain, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, Iceland, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, and Uruguay.” Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration has ordered the suspension of all loan and grant talks with foreign governments that backed a UN resolution to review human rights abuses during his signature anti-drug…
- Chiang Mai News
Police arrest Chiang Mai couple over home-made CBD oil
PHOTO: Urine Drug Test Chiang Mai Police have arrested a husband and wife selling homemade CBD oil (Cannabidiol) online after receiving complaints that a cancer patient died after allegedly using the oil. Police entered the house with a search warrant and found 3.4 million baht cash along with quantities of the CBD oil they were selling online. Officials received information that…
- Road deaths
6 year old Burmese boy dies from bike-pickup truck crash
SOURCE: khaosod.co.th A 6 year old Burmese boy has died following a motorcycle accident when his parents crashed the vehicle onto a pick-up truck earlier this week. He died in the intensive care ward at Vachira Hospital yesterday morning (Thursday) The accident occurred on September 15 near Soi Pramote, Chaofa West Road, Chalong. The boy’s father, 39 year old Thein…
- World News
Delta airlines jet plunges 30,000 feet in controlled descent
PHOTO: Twitter:Harris Dewoskin “Other passengers relayed that they were hastily tapping out texts on their phones thinking that they might crash.” Passengers on a Delta flight, from Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale, were terrified when their plane plunged mid-air, dropping nearly 30,000 feet in around 9 minutes. Delta report that the flight experienced a “cabin pressurisation irregularity” during the journey. The flight…
- Expats
Could you be a digital nomad in Thailand?
Are you a digital nomad? Working online wherever you can find a seat and wi-fi? According to digital nomad websites, some of the most popular locations to work online around the world include Chiang Mai & Bangkok (Thailand), Budapest (Hungary), Belgrade (Serbia), Bali (Indonesia), Lisbon (Portugal) and Buenos Aires (Argentina). What do all these cities have in common? The main…
- Economy News
Thailand’s August exports fall further than expected
Some more lumpy economic news for Thialand as the focus is on the monthly customs clearances to provide a compass for the country’s economy. Customs-cleared exports dropped in August 4% compared to the same month a year earlier. Exports unexpectedly rose in July, according to the commerce ministry today. The decline in August has shown itself to be greater than…
- World News
US vaping-related illnesses surpasses 500
The links between vaping and critical lung disease appear to becoming more frequent and obvious although health authorities are struggling to find the ‘smoking gun’ that is the actual cause of the current list of cases. More than 500 people have been diagnosed with vaping-related breathing illnesses. An eighth death has also been reported. The US Food and Drug Administration says…
- Expats
Immigration overhaul – TM6 disappearing and TM30 App being launched
“We made the decision last Friday. Within two to three months, life will be much easier for foreign tourists and expats.” In what appears to be a major overhaul of immigration procedures, dare we say ‘modernisation’, foreign visitors will soon no longer have to fill out the “TM6” arrival forms. The white and blue form has been a source of…
- Events
Phuket university’s safe-sex campaign attracts 390 volunteers
Yesterday, saw the return of Prince of Songkhla University’s Safe Sex Campaign. Now in its third year, some 390 PSU students turned up to support the campaign by making safe sex packs, which are then distributed free to bars in Patong. The safe sex packs include a condom and lubricant. It was the biggest turn-out of students since this corporate social…
- Property
14% of condos around Bangkok are empty – good time to buy
Looking for a condo around Bangkok? Now might the right time to take the plunge with the head of the Appraisal and Estate Agents Foundation saying some areas have between 8-14% vacancy rates, some areas of Bangkok up to 17.5%. Dr Sophon Pornchokchai made the remarks at a news conference yesterday. “Adding developer price wars, plus inducements to purchase, this…
- Crime News
Robber steals Thailand Post van, then robs gold shop in Bangkok
A man dressed up in a Thailand Post uniform has got away with gold necklaces valued around 70,000 baht. He robbed the gold shop in Bang Phli, Samut Prakan and then fled in a Thailand Post van. Samut Prakan includes the southern and south-eastern suburbs of greater Bangkok. It was revealed later that Thailand Post had reported the van stolen the night before…
- Bangkok News
British Instagrammer locked up in “filthy Bangkok cell’ over missing passport pages
A British model has had a “misunderstanding” with Thai immigration officials after being locked up for 24 hours when it was discovered there were two pages missing from her passport. The model departed Scotland last Sunday for a flight to London before heading to Bangkok. According to mirror.co.uk, Lacey Montgomery-Henderson, from Glasgow, says she was treated ‘like an animal’ during…
