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Sponsored Where to shop for sports gear at Jungceylon Phuket
Phuket might be known for its beaches and nightlife, but the island also has a thriving fitness culture. From Muay Thai gyms to beach runs at sunrise, staying active is part of daily life for many who live here (as...
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Government has repatriation plan for Thai citizens if Burmese situation deteriorates
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has formulated a plan to evacuate Thai citizens from Myanmar should the situation deteriorate further. Spokesman Tanee Sangrat says the Thai Embassy in Yangon has confirmed that protests against the ruling junta are ongoing, but deliveries of food have not been affected. According to a report in the Bangkok Post, Tanee says the…
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Banquet for ghosts held in Chon Buri cemetery – some food left over
To fulfill a woman’s dying wish, townspeople in the Panthong district of Chon Buri hosted an elaborate banquet for ghosts in a local cemetery this week. The 36-table extravaganza was set up 43 year old Tanawan Choti. His mother had asked him to give a free banquet for all the ghosts of her friends and family that had died before…
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“James Bond Island” to be assessed for stability after the collapse of similar rock formations
The iconic limestone karst tower and popular tourist site known as “James Bond Island” will be checked for stability following the collapse of similar rock formations. The rock formation in Phang Nga Bay appeared in the 1974 James Bond film “The Man with the Golden Gun.” It’s now known as James Bond Island. It has become a major tourist destination…
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Thailand News Today | Thailand lures big spenders, 2,000 Burmese refugees shelter in north | April 1
In today’s episode we look at… The Thai government are pinning their hopes on luring higher end tourists and travellers. The Thai government is looking to rich, high spending foreigners as the borders are prised open in coming months. Twenty-six new Covid-19 cases were reported today by the CCSA, 21 infections in the greater Bangkok area and five imported cases.…
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CCSA Update: 26 new Covid-19 cases
26 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Thailand now has 1,247 active cases. Since the start of the pandemic, the CCSA has reported a total of 28,889 coronavirus infections and 94 deaths. Out of the 26 new cases, 13 were local transmissions, 8 were detected through active case finding and 5…
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Young men shot and killed in Khon Kaen, gunman still at large
A gunman shot and killed 2 young men last night in the Isaan province Khon Kaen. Both 18 year old Korkiat Chanasri and 23 year old Theerayuth Faithee were shot in the head. Witnesses say they saw a man talking with the 2 victims. They heard a gunshot and Korkiat collapsed. Theerayuth tried to flee, but he was also shot.…
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Man finds live hand grenade in Pattaya area forest – VIDEO
A man found a live hand grenade under a tree in Pattaya area forest yesterday while he was searching in the woods for termites to later feed to his pet fish. Officers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team say the M26 hand grenade is very dangerous and can still explode. 51 year old Su Supayut told Pattaya News reporters that…
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Thailand’s aviation authority requests 40,000 vaccine doses to cover airline workers
Airline operators in Thailand are calling for 40,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to cover staff and crew members before July, in time for the reopening plans in Phuket and Koh Samui. The 40,000 doses would cover 20,000 people in the airline industry who will come in close contact with foreign tourists when they start arriving in July, or whenever…
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April Fool’s jokes posted online could land you in Thai jail, police warn
April Fool’s jokes, pranks and hoaxes are not allowed to be shared on social media in Thailand. No, it’s not a joke. April Fool’s jokes posted on social media could land you in Thai jail, or slapped with a hefty fine for violating the country’s Computer Crime Act. Some April Fool’s jokes posted online are considered “fake news” that mislead…
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2,000 Burmese refugees sheltering in Mae Hong Son, northern Thailand
The governor of the northern province of Mae Hong Son says around 2,000 Karen refugees are sheltering in the province as the bloody conflict in Myanmar continues. Sithichai Jindaluang says local officials have provided shelter and other necessities to refugees in the districts of Mae Sariang and Khun Yuam. Violence in Myanmar has escalated since the military coup of February…
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Government investigating loan-shark apps following complaints of online threats
The Thai government is looking into a number of loan-shark apps, following complaints of data theft and threats being made on social media. Customers accuse the apps of stealing their data and sending them threatening messages via Line, Facebook, and SMS. According to a Nation Thailand report, when a customer downloads one of the loan-shark apps, it embeds malware in…
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Red Shirts leader vows to hold April 4 protest aimed at toppling government
The chairman of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, whose supporters are commonly known as the Red Shirts, says he will lead a protest on April 4 with the aim of toppling the government. Jatuporn Promphan vows to take charge of what he’s calling a prolonged protest, to oust the administration of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. According to a Thai…
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Chinese vaccine being distributed to all provinces this month
The government has confirmed that all provinces will receive the Chinese Sinovac jab this month – some in larger quantities than others. Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the Public Health Ministry says 800,000 doses will be distributed across the country from today. 22 provinces are being prioritised, based on their status as either high-risk areas, border provinces, or tourist destinations. 6 high-risk…
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Covid-19 spike feared during India’s Holi holiday
As Covid-19 still surgess in India, many fear a sharp increase in Coronavirus infections during the Indian holiday of Holi. Infection rates just saw their sharpest increase since last October, exceeding 60,000 cases a day in the past week up from only about 10,000 in February. Many fear that the upcoming Holi holiday, where Hindus gather and revel by spraying…
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Confirmed, expats in Phuket will receive Covid-19 vaccines
(Links to registration forms below) Officials confirmed yesterday that expats in Phuket will be included and receive Covid-19 vaccines as part of the Thai government’s vaccination scheme. The Phuket Communicable Disease Committee enacts all Coronavirus policy locally, and an important member, Dr Chalermpong of Vachira Phuket Hospital, announced today that foreigners will also receive the Covid vaccines. A new online…
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Miss Grand Myanmar finds refuge in Thailand for 3 months
Miss Grand Myanmar (from the Miss Grand International pageant) will remain safely in Thailand for the next 3 months after her passionate plea for international aid to the people of Myanmar. During the recent Miss Grand International pageant, Miss Grand Myanmar, Han Lay, called for global attention to the continuing Burmese crisis following the February 1 military coup. Han Lay…
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Covid cluster on China-Myanmar border locked down
A city on the China-Myanmar border has gone into lockdown today, citing 9 Covid infections including several Burmese citizens. Ruili, a Chinese city in the Yunnan province in the far southwest of the country has been locked down with all residents being instructed to stay home for a week. The 9 newly confirmed Coronavirus infections included 6 symptomatic cases, along…
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Why was this female reporter banned from Thai Government House? Posture or disinformation?
Controversy surrounds the banning of a female Thai reporter from Government House, with confusion whether she was banned for “inappropriate posture” or alleged disinformation in her reporting. The reporter for a Japanese news agency received the temporary ban after a press conference by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday. a spokesman from PM’s Office acknowledged the reporter’s “unbefitting body position” but…
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Thailand News Today | Another visa extension approved, Thai Airways goes retail | March 31
Thai Immigration has extended the current visa extension visas for people who are still stuck in the country. The Thai Immigration Bureau announced the news through an urgent public memo yesterday. The previous extension allowed those visa holders to stay until the end of March. The new extension lasts for 60 days, which would allow people to stay until July…
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5 pro-democracy activists indicted for alleged violence against Queen’s liberty
Prosecutors indicted 5 pro-democracy activists today for attempting to “harm HM the Queen’s liberty” during a rally in Bangkok last year that happened to be along the same route as a royal motorcade. The charge for an “act of violence against the HM the Queen’s liberty” carries a minimum sentence of 16 years in prison. For serious attempts to harm…
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Boy killed by lightning strike in Surat Thani, 5 others injured
A 12 year old boy was killed by a lightning strike while he was playing football at a field in Southern Thailand’s Surat Thani. 5 other children were also injured from a bolt of lightning and were rushed to the Surat Thani Hospital. Heavy rain had just cleared up and the boys were playing football when lightning struck the middle of…
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Tourism developments threaten Cambodia’s forests and coastline
The following story is by Danielle Keeton Olsen and Roun Ry for China Dialogue, a nonprofit focused on environmental news related to China and Asia. “Before when we wanted to eat, we just went and caught some fish, but now it’s nothing like before, as all the natural resources have disappeared,” says 68 year old Sen Chantha who lives in…
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ASQ hotel scam: Thai woman allegedly sold bogus quarantine package for 35,000 baht
A Thai woman in Chon Buri was arrested for allegedly posting a fake advertisement for a Alternative State Quarantine Hotel and selling the bogus package deal for 35,000 baht to a foreigner who was planning to travel to Thailand. An African woman, who had been preparing for a trip to Thailand with her son, reported the alleged scam to the…
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Quarantine period reduced to 10 days starting tomorrow
Starting tomorrow, quarantine will be reduced 10 days. Reports in Thai media say the quarantine will be reduced to 7 days for vaccinated tourists starting tomorrow as well, but Thai embassies in the US, UK and Australia only mention the 10 day quarantine. Those travelling from countries were the coronavirus has mutated will still need to quarantine for 14 days.…
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Police announce return of drink driving checkpoints, just in time for Songkran
Thailand’s deputy police chief says drink-driving checkpoints will return from tomorrow, following a 6-month hiatus to weed out corrupt practices. Last October, national police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk put a stop to all police checkpoints, including those checking for drink driving offences, after several complaints of corruption among officers. Following an overhaul, his deputy, Damrongsak Kittiprapas, says the checks will return…
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Drug trafficking in Thailand spikes following Myanmar coup, volunteers keep close eye on border
Thailand has faced a spike in methamphetamine trafficking across the Mekong River following the military coup in neighbouring Myanmar. Local volunteers along the river are now helping out to identify potential drug smugglers disguised as fishermen. The volunteers tip off police when they see suspicious activity since they can’t make arrests and confronting a drug trafficker could be dangerous. One…
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ASEAN summit will discuss situation in Myanmar and crisis facing Karen people
Thailand’s Foreign Minister says next month’s ASEAN summit in Brunei will discuss the ongoing crisis in Myanmar and the plight of the country’s Karen people. Don Pramudwinai says the Thai government is monitoring the situation closely, amid reports that thousands of Karen people have fled into Thailand to escape the violence of the Burmese military junta. “I cannot reveal the…
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PM says Thailand won’t turn away Burmese refugees, but reports say already 2,000 have been refused
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says Burmese refugees won’t be turned away, but reports say Thailand has already refused around 2,000 asylum seekers from entering. PM Prayut says the refugees would be let in on humanitarian grounds after more than 500 civilians have been killed since Myanmar’s junta took over in a coup on February 1. “Thailand will not turn them away.…
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Thanathorn acknowledges, responds to lèse majesté charge
The former leader of the now disbanded Future Forward Party has appeared at a Bangkok police station to face a charge of lèse majesté. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, now leader of the Progressive Movement, appeared at Nang Loeng Police Station to acknowledge the charge, also known as section 112 of the Criminal Code. Section 112 makes it an offence to insult, defame,…
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Thai PM joins world leaders in calling for pandemic treaty
Thailand’s PM has joined world leaders and the World Health Organisation in calling for a pandemic treaty to prepare for the next global health crisis. Prayut Chan-o-cha has added his signature to an article signed by more than 20 world leaders, including the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, the British PM, Boris Johnson, and WHO boss,…
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