- World News
UPDATE: Latest information about Philippines earthquakes – four dead
Here’s the latest from this morning’s series of earthquakes in the northern Philippines. The most prominent shake today was a 7.1-magnitude earthquake that rocked the northern Philippines Wednesday morning, Filipino time. The tremor shattered windows of buildings in the central Abra province and shook office buildings more than 300 kilometres to the north in the capital of Manila. Four people…
- Central Thailand News
Dead man walking – after being ‘dead’ for 25 years, Thai man receives new ID card
“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated,” Mark Twain And so it is with a 63 year old Thai man from Nakhon Sawan in central Thailand. He’s lucky to get to 65 because, according to the local district office, he apparently died in 1997. But his ‘resurrection’ has caused a number of issues for him as his Thai ID…
- Crime News
Thai Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul forced to defend his ‘cannabis’ policy
Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is being backed into a corner by physicians, hundreds of doctors, foundations, universities, and religious groups over his botched decriminalisation of cannabis policy. Anutin is refusing to back down from the introduction of new laws that decriminalised cannabis on June 6, despite mounting calls for the policy to be suspended amid confusion, misinterpretation, and…
- World News
Magnitude 7+ earthquakes hit northern Philippine islands – VIDEO
The island of Luzon in the Philippines has been hit by a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake sending strong tremors felt in many areas nearby, including the capital Manila. The earthquake was measured at around 10 – 40 kilometres deep. There have been other similar magnitude earthquakes being reported this morning (below). At this stage there are no immediate reports of…
- World News
Thai astronomer involved in bringing amazing James Webb Space Telescope images to us
All those amazing pictures we’ve seen from the new James Webb Space Telescope do have a small Thai connection. One Thai astronomer, Dr Nicha Leethochawalit of the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand, was among the first astronomers to use the new space telescope to discover the oldest and farthest galaxy ever detected. She was part of the Grism Lens-Amplified…
- Thailand Weather Updates
Irrigation department warn of flooding in central Thai provinces around the Chao Phraya River
Bangkok, and 10 other central Thai provinces, are being warned by the Department of Irrigation, of overflows from the Chao Phraya which will start tomorrow in the northmost provinces. The provinces affected are Uthai Thani, Chainat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri, Lop Buri, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, and Samut Prakan, and Bangkok. People living near the Chao Phraya River…
- World News
Three killed during graduation ceremony in the Philippines
A former city mayor from the restive southern Filipino province of Basilan, along with her executive assistant and a university security guard, were killed in a shooting in the Philippine capital Manila. The incident occurred at the Ateneo de Manila University before a graduation ceremony that was to be presided over by the Philippines Supreme Court chief justice. Rose Furigay…
- World News
US leads international outcry over execution of 4 Burmese anti-government activists
The US State Department has reacted to the murder of four democracy activists in a state-sanctioned execution, promising that there would be “further measures” to punish the military junta. US State Department spokesperson Ned Price called on countries to refuse to recognise the junta as Myanmar’s rightful government refuses to sell sales of military equipment to the military-controlled nation. “All…
- Politics News
“Payments” made to “buy” support of independent MPs – Thammanat Prompau
After surviving another censure motion against him and the members of his government, the Thai prime minister now faces a more serious accusation – making alleged payments of up to 100,000 per month to parliamentary members from smaller independent political parties to secure their votes in parliament. The Setthakij Thai Party leader Thamanat Prompau alleged that some of the smaller…
- Covid-19 News
Bangkok surges back above 10,000 Covid infections per day
Covid-19 infections have surged back to over 10,000 infections per day, in Bangkok alone. This time driven by the BA.5 sub-variant, and mostly identified through community testing and ATK results. Health officials also admit that many people are testing themselves at home, taking days off work and not registering their results with the health care system. Thailand’s last wave, driven…
- World News
Singapore hangs a fifth person in four months
Singapore has hanged its fifth person in the past four months. Malaysian 64 year old Nazeri bin Lajim was hanged at 6am at Changi Prison. He was sentenced to death in 2017, five years after he was arrested with two bundles containing heroin. It is understood that his family members were at the prison to claim his body and make…
- South Thailand News
Fake bomb detectors come back to haunt the Thai PM in parliament
What’s made of plastic, has a few pieces of wire and two plastic antenna probes? A bomb detector, of course. The Thai army was duped into purchasing the dodgy bomb detectors 13 years ago. Some 320 of them! With the ongoing insurgency in southern Thailand, the bomb detectors were a potential solution for ferreting out small ordinances in the three…
- Politics News
Day Three – no confidence debate. Luxury watches, dodgy bomb detectors and the coup leader
Day three of the no-confidence motion and parliamentary debates revealed that then-General Prayut, the Commander in Chief of the Thai Army, was the brains and instigator behind the 2014 military coup that ousted the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra. It also had the Energy Minister defending the government’s current power development plan, fending off accusations of corruption. It was also…
- Transport News
British Airways flights to Thailand suspended until 2023
British Airways isn’t heading back to Bangkok until at least next year. Tour operators were hoping the British flagship carrier would be adding regular flights again between Heathrow and Bangkok in time for Thailand’s high season, just when the winter kicks in in the UK. British Airways was originally set to resume flights in November this year but has now…
- Thailand Weather Updates
Heavy rains cause disruption around Thailand, Bangkok commuters deluged
Yes, it is the wet season. And, just in case you doubted it, Mother Nature has thrown down the rain in buckets to make sure you don’t forget, including Bangkok overnight. The Thai Meteorological Department has issued warnings of “isolated heavy to very heavy rain in most parts of the country” up to July 24. Some parts of the country,…
- Economy News
Thailand’s Zipmex crypto exchange blocks transfers and withdrawals
Another cryptocurrency exchange is in trouble, blocking withdrawals of both cash and crypto from its platform as go 6pm last night. Zipmex Thailand, a crypto-trading platform, has announced that the withdrawal of baht and cryptocurrency on its platform “has been suspended temporarily”. In the announcement, the CEO outlined a number of difficulties and challenges facing the Thai crypto exchange. He…
- Transport News
Investigation begins into Thailand’s latest maritime incident off Chumpon
Thailand has logged another maritime mishap with the fire on a passenger ferry, about 5 kilometres off the coast of Chumpon. The sea conditions were reported as “rough” at the time of the incident off the uninhabited Koh Thong Lang. This time 20 people were on board, but the 18 passengers jumped into the water and were all rescued. A…
- Covid-19 News
New variant detected in Thailand, doctor calls out CCSA for under-reporting infections
The latest sub-variant of the Covid-19 virus, BA 2.75, has been detected in the southern Thai province of Trang. Like BA.4 and BA.5, the more recent BA. 2.75 sub-variant is a more transmissible sub-variant of the Omicron strain. The new sub-variant was first detected in India in early June and had already spread to 14 other countries, including Japan, Germany,…
- Transport News
No confidence debate – Day 2. Transport minister asked to explain 5.7 trillion baht budget.
Opposition MPs have, so far, failed to lay a knockout punch on the Thai PM or any of his ministers, at this stage of the four-day censure debate. Today the opposition has been targeting Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob over one of Thailand’s mega projects – the MR Map. The MR Map is a list of mega projects around the country,…
- Thailand Protest News
Lottery ticket vendors stage a protest against the new digital lottery app
With the rush to a digital, and more convenient form, of legal gambling in Thailand, the Government Lottery Office appears to have thrown the lottery ticket vendors under a bus. Now the ticket vendors are fighting back in a protest calling on the GLO board to resign and increase quotas for the thousands of private citizens and small street-side shops…
- Politics News
Thai PM hits back at opposition “try and bring back Thaksin”
“I know you may admire some people who previously held this position and praise them for doing a better job than me. That’s fine. Just bring them back if you can.” The first day of the no confidence debate saw some fiery exchanges between the PM and the opposition MPs goading him on his record and time as premier. Prime…
- Tourism News
Tourism associations meet with Thai PM urging more assistance
A consortium of 12 tourism associations from around Thailand are calling on the government to simplify the current tourism stimulus schemes saying the situation was urgent. They told the Thai PM on Monday that they remained “sceptical” of the complicated web of programs that will do the intended job of stimulating travel – domestic and international. One of the representatives,…
- Politics News
No confidence debate – Day one. Opposition attacks Anutin over botched cannabis laws.
As expected, today’s censure debate in the Thai parliament has kicked off with the opposition targeting Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Last week opposition parties revealed their tactics to attack the Bhumjaithai party leader, who brings some 60 votes to the coalition table. Today they launched straight into their attacks on the mercurial deputy PM who has championed the decriminalisation…
- World News
UK airport has to suspend flights because of ‘melting runway’
An airport in the UK has been forced to suspend flights. Not because of the supply chain issues, Covid-19 positive staff calling in sick, or increased fuel prices, but because the runway was suffering under the unseasonably high temperatures. Train speed restrictions were also introduced in sections of the country to protect railway tracks against extreme heat. Luton Airport, one…
- Transport News
Doubts over Thailand’s 2028 completion date for high speed rail link
Despite last week’s announcement that the high-speed railway from Bangkok to the Laos border would be completed by 2028, there remain lingering doubts about whether the Thai government is fully committed to the project, valued at about US$12 billion. Questions are being raised about perceived benefits to Thailand or how the government can recover any of the costs. The new…
- Tourism News
More doubts over the introduction of the new Thai tourist arrival tax
Last week the Thai government announced that the new “tourism tax,” an arrival levy of 300 baht per person to provide compulsory insurance coverage, was on track for a Q4 introduction. It was announced that the airlines would collect the 300 baht from ALL foreigners entering Thailand, with no exemptions. Now international airlines are joining a long line of opposition…
- Business News
Thai anti-corruption body names names over Thai Airways Rolls Royce engine scandal
Part of the debacle Thai Airways finds itself in now harks back to poor decisions made 30 years ago with some “expensive” aircraft engine purchases. Since then there have been numerous investigations and serious charges levelled against Rolls Royce over payments made to Thai Airways personnel. Rolls Royce has since settled over the case following an investigation by the British…
- World News
Filipinos go on book-buying spree to “preserve history” of Marcos family atrocities
Some Filipinos are in a rush to buy books documenting the divisive and savage 21 year reign of the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos as his son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jnr, assumes office as the latest president of the Philippines after a landslide election victory in May. They say they fear that the new Filipino president may try and whitewash the…
- World News
More lockdowns in China add to economic woes
China has now reported the highest number of coronavirus cases since May. Millions are now in lockdown, despite a relatively low number of actually reported infections. China reported 450 cases on Saturday, up from 432 a day earlier. Today there have only been 154 new infections reported. Epidemiologists outside of China predict that there is a broad under-reporting of infections…
- Thailand News
Thais swarm to new digital lottery tickets
The move of the official bi-monthly Thai lottery to a digital form continues apace. Thais are showing their increasing preference to purchase their lottery tickets through the “Pao Tang” app, instead of through the traditional street lottery vendors. The 7.1 million new digital lottery tickets for the August 1 draw are now available and can be bought 24/7 at the…
