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5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Phuket police tracking down snatch & grab thief
PHOTOS: Phuket Hotnews A couple from Malaysia, 44 year old N Shiyamala Navaratnam and 45 year old Sivakumar Patchymuthu, reported to Saku police that they had been robbed near Nai Yang Beach, near the Phuket Airport. The incident happened on August 8. They told police they were riding a motorcycle heading back to their hotel between the beach road and…
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Typhoon Lekima leaves at least 30 people dead, 5 million more affected
PHOTO: China Daily/ANN At least 30 people are reported dead from the deadly typhoon in East China’s Zhejiang province. Another 20 people are missing and the death toll is expected to rise. Most of the deaths occurred in Yongjia county where torrential downpours caused a landslide that blocked rivers. The barrier lake bursted and flooded people away. Twenty two people…
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Popular Thai expat blogger shares problems renewing visa
PHOTO: Facebook/richard.thailand Popular expat blogger and Samut Prakan school employee Richard Barrow has shared his difficulties in trying to renew his visa’s extension of stay. Richard returned to Samut Prakan immigration last Friday to collect his annual extension. But he was told that Bangkok hadn’t yet approved his application. Samut Prakan Immigration, the province which has also issued his work permit (presumably…
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Air Asia welcomes new-age long-haul A330 neo to its fleet
AirAsia has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330neo aircraft, to be operated by its long-haul affiliate, AirAsia X Thailand. The new aircraft, leased from Avolon, will be joined by a second of the type later this year, Airbus says. Air Asia says the A330neo brings a step-change in fuel efficiency for AirAsia’s long haul operations. The new generation A330neo (New…
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Thai Airways faces more bad news with bigger losses in Q2
Thai Airways’ problems appear to be compounding with a perfect storm of an ageing fleet, a plateauing of tourist intake and increased competition from newer, more nimble budget airlines. The country’s national pride and joy had a poor Q2 this year, compounding years of declining profit results. The second quarter loss more than doubled losses for the same quarter last…
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Government faces no-confidence vote with loss of five independent MPs
The Government was sworn in less than a month ago on July 17, but already faces the prospect of a no confidence motion on its ability to control the lower house majority after five MPs pulled out of the 19-party coalition bloc. Last week the ruling Government lost a vote on the floor over the role of the House Speaker.…
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Police had a laugh but urged students to wear helmets next time
PHOTO: Facebook/Thanit BunBong The photo has been a favourite floating around social media. Police called these three students to the side of the road on Thursday after the young driver decided to wear a cooking pot as a helmet on his head. The incident was shared online by a Thanit BunBong saying that the police were initially confused by the…
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Thai PM visits the South amid tight security
The Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha visited the southern border province of Yala yesterday (Thursday). During the visit, he opened the Southern Border Provinces Government Complex and the One Start One Stop for Development Centre, and met with local people amid tight security. Soldiers were assigned to keep a close watch for suspicious objects as well as people acting suspiciously at…
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Thailand’s Ang Thong National Marine Park, the ‘new’ Maya Bay
With Thailand’s Maya Bay in Koh Phi Phi Ley remains closed indefinitely to allow the tourist-magnet some much-needed time to recover, it’s time to look for another natural wonder. One of Thailand’s astonishing natural wonders, not as well known as Maya Bay, is the Ang Thong National Marine Park, located about 40 kilometres north west of the coast of Koh…
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Truck runs over motorcyclist in Phuket Town – VIDEO
WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised. The content of the video could be distressing to some. Yesterday afternoon (Thursday) a 10 wheel truck ran over a motorcyclist at the intersection in front of the Thepnimit Temple – Soi Thep Anusorn on Chao Fah East Road. At the scene, police found a white 10 wheel truck parked next to the traffic light and…
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7-Eleven staff member gets shot tackling robber in Bangkok
PHOTOS: ejan.co A staff member of a 7-Eleven store in Bangkok’s Phasi Charoen district was injured after being shot when he tried to snatch the gun from a robber. The robber eventually fled with 3,000 baht cash early today. Phasi Charoen police were alerted to the robbery at the convenience store in front of Phetkasem Soi 46 in Bang Wa subdistrict…
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Wreck of the Lady D could be a new recreational diving attraction off Koh Racha Yai, Phuket – PHOTOS
by Guy (Charlie) Lidureau Officials, unable to get water to the ‘Lady D’ as it burnt out of control on Wednesday morning, were forced to tow it away from the Ao Po Grand Marina. The burning superyacht was cut adrift and towed offshore to Koh Thanan, near Ao Po. Unfortunately, the damage done by the fire on Wednesday morning, is completely…
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Thai weather man issues rain warnings for south and east
The Thai Meteorological Department has issued a warning to residents of eastern and southern provinces to brace themselves for heavy rains until Sunday. In its warning, issued at 5am today, the department said the rains would be unleashed by influences of the southwest monsoon across the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, which is intensifying, and by a low-pressure…
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Making pillows out of recycled plastic drinking straws
PHOTOS: The Nation What to do with all those used plastic drinking straws. Here’s one local government’s attempt to re-use the plastic scourge of Thailand and put it to good use. The Nakhon Chiang Mai Municipality says they’ve been successful in turning used drinking straws into pillows. The ‘straw’ pillows will be distributed to the region’s bed-ridden patients and elderly to…
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Thai Government suffers first defeat in lower house
PHOTO: Thai PBS Highlighting the Government’s frail grip on power, the ruling Palang Pracharat government, together with its 19 coalition partners, suffered its first defeat in the lower house yesterday. The matter was over a parliamentary regulation that would specify the House speaker’s impartiality in the performance of their duties. Regulation Number 9 was debated at length in the Lower…
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Lottery winner gets arrested for handing out free meth pills
PHOTOS: Workpoint News Congratulations. You’ve just won two grand prize Thai lottery tickets – a total of 12 million baht. So what do you do with the winnings? You distribute methamphetamine pills to your friends for free, of course. The Ban Paew police arrested the vegetable seller-turned local millionaire after winning the lottery ticket last year and turning his kind generosity…
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Bangkok bus passenger blows a fuse and stabs another passenger
PHOTO: khaosod.co.th A passenger has blown their fuse at a 25 year old busboy travelling near Khlong Toei in the capital. The passenger threw his ticket money away and started yelling at the busboy. Another passenger, witnessing the outburst, went to the aid of the busboy and was stabbed by the angry passenger before he fled the scene. The Tungmahamek…
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Flood warnings for six southern provinces, and provinces east of Bangkok
Forecasts for Phuket and Bangkok below… People living in six southern provinces, and some provinces east of Bangkok, are being warned to brace for possible flooding and flash floods due to heavy rain forecast until Sunday. The warning is due to the strengthening of the southwestern monsoon, which is looming over the Andaman Sea, the Gulf and the southern region,…
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170 billion baht stimulus to focus on tourism as economy plateaus
Inbound tourism to Thailand is about to get a boost with a proposed 170 billion baht government stimulus package . The Finance Ministry will submit the full plan to Cabinet on August 19. Lavaron Sangsnit, the director general for the fiscal policy office, says the package aims to boost inbound tourism, and promote travel within the country by Thai and…
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Thai transport minister agrees to taxi fare hikes in Bangkok
The Ministry of Transport has given approval for taxi fares in Bangkok to go up within a month. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob met with representatives of four Bangkok taxi groups and officials of the Land Transport Department to discuss demand by taxi drivers to hike taxi fares. Taxi drivers have been pleading for an increase for years and have staged…
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Cabinet to consider visa-free travel for Chinese and Indian tourists
The Minister of Tourism and Sports, Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, says he intends to introduce visa-free travel for Chinese and Indian tourists later this year. He wants to put the proposal to Cabinet as soon as possible. Chins and India are targets for Thailand’s latest tourism promotions, so visa-free-travel is back on the table for urgent consideration. Currently, citizens of both countries have…
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Koh Samui taxi driver killed, two tourists taken to hospital
PHOTO: Sanook.com Police have now filed a full report on an an incident back on July 19 when a taxi driver was killed and two tourists critically injured driving on the Khao Laem Yai Hill, Koh Samui. Sanook.com reports that a taxi, a yellow and brown Toyota Fortuner SUV, hit the footpath on the Khao Laem Yai hill in the northwest…
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Swedish man and Thai wife robbed in broad daylight riding motorcycle in Pattaya
PHOTOS: Stefan and Tippawan report the robbery to Pattaya police – 77kaoded.com A Swedish man and Thai partner were robbed whilst riding their motorbike in broad daylight in Pattaya. 52 year old Stefan Hujanen from Sweden and his 32 year old wife Tippawan were riding a motorcycle between North Pattaya and Pratumnak Hill last Saturday around 11am. Outside the Muang Pattaya Hospital…
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Shortcuts on the way for motorists to bypass Lam Salee intersection in Bangkok
PHOTO: The Nation The BMA (Bangkok Metropolitan Administration) is looking for help from the Metropolitan Police Division 4 to find suitable shortcuts so motorists could avoid the notorious Lam Salee intersection. The Nation reports that BMA deputy governor Sakoltee Phattiyakul says the intersection has long been notorious for traffic snarls and the situation has just become worse with delays caused…
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Nine Bangkok bombing suspects in custody – Thai PM
PHOTO: Police cordoned off the area around two small explosions at the Chong Nonsi BTS and Mahanakorn Building The PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has announced that police now have nine suspects in custody in connection with the bombings around Bangkok last Friday. Speaking after the weekly Cabinet meeting, Prayut, also the Defence Minister, said there had been significant progress in the…
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17 year old killed after school bus careers off road in Chumpon, 18 injured
PHOTO: Facebook/Tongsiasiangtueng Rescue A bus crew has been killed after a tour bus travelling from Hat Yai to Bangkok for a mathematics competition ran off the road and hit a tree. The driver and 18 student were all injured. The bus ran off the main road in Chumpon, about half-way through the journey north. Police and foundation rescue workers headed…
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Two Burmese migrants killed in Lampang van crash, 7 others injured
PHOTOS: Lampang13.com Two Burmese migrants have been killed and seven others injured when a passenger van crashed on the road from Tak to Chiang Rai. The van transporting them from Tak to Chiang Rai hit a tree on a Lampang road early today (Tuesday) around 3.40am in Lampang province. The van fell into the ditch in the middle of the divided…
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Friday’s homegrown terror attacks in Bangkok – what we know
Police continue their investigations to unravel the people behind last Friday morning’s bomb blasts around Bangkok and the likely related case of two unexploded devices found outside Royal Thai Police HQ the night before. At this stage police acknowledge that the attacks were most likely more about gaining attention rather than hurting citizens or tourists although four people were slightly…
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Potential for retirement properties in Thailand
by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com While a number of property offerings in Phuket, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and more recently in Bangkok have promoted themselves as retirement-centric offerings, the jury is still out on the broad success of the sector. Despite retirement communities and assisted living being mainstays in Western countries like the US, UK and Australia, these are…
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